Monday, January 18, 2010

Sugars & Substitutes with their Glycemic Index

Sugars & Substitutes with their Glycemic Index
Artificial Sweeteners
N/A

Never a Healthy Sugar Alternative
All artificial chemical sweeteners are toxic and can indirectly lead to weight gain, the very reason many people consume them. They should be avoided. In fact, given a choice between high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners, we recommend high fructose corn syrup by far (though it's essentially asking if you should consume poison or worse poison).

Stevia
0

Best Healthy Sugar Alternative
Though it is 200-300 times sweeter than table sugar, stevia is not a sugar. Unlike other popular sweeteners, it has a glycemic index rating of less than 1 and therefore does not feed candida (yeast) or cause any of the numerous other problems associated with sugar consumption. Read more about stevia at Organic Lifestyle Magazine (OLM). Please note that Stevia and Truvia are not the same thing.

Agave Nectar
15-30

A sweet syrup made from the Blue Agave plant, Agave Nectar is obtained by the extraction and purification of "sap" from the agave plant, which is broken down by natural enzymes into the monosaccharides (simple sugars): mainly fructose (70-75%) and dextrose (20-26%). Read more about agave nectar at OLM.

Fructose
17

Though fructose has a low glycemic index rating, fructose consumption should be limited. Fructose is linked to heart disease as it raises triglycerides and cholesterol. It is devoid of nutrition.

Brown Rice Syrup
25

Though it is said to have a low glycemic index (25), it is not recommended for diabetics, since its sweetness comes from maltose, which is known to cause spikes in blood sugar.

Raw Honey
30

A Healthy Sugar Alternative in moderation        
With antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, carbohydrates, and phytonutrients, raw, unprocessed honey is considered a superfood by many alternative health care practitioners and a remedy for many health ailments. Choose your honey wisely. There is nothing beneficial about processed honey. Read more about honey at OLM.

Apple Juice
40

Fresh apple juice is good for you, though we recommend eating fresh raw whole apples. Concentrated apple juice (sometimes used as a sweetener) is closer to refined sugar than fresh apple juice.

Barley Malt Syrup
42

Barley malt syrup is considered to be one of the healthiest sweeteners in the natural food industry. Barley malt is made by soaking and sprouting barley to make malt, then combining it with more barley and cooking this mixture until the starch is converted to sugar. The mash is then strained and cooked down to syrup or dried into powder.

Amasake
43

This is an ancient, Oriental whole grain sweetener made from cultured brown rice. It has a thick, pudding-like consistency. It's not easy to find in the U.S., but it is a great alternative to refined table sugar.

Sugar Cane Juice
43

Healthy Sugar Alternative in moderation
Sugar cane juice has many nutrients and other beneficial properties and is said by some health practitioners to be almost as medicinal as raw honey.


Organic Sugar
47

Organic sugar comes from sugar cane grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides. It is usually darker than traditional white sugar because it contains some molasses. (It has not been processed to the degree white sugar is processed).

Maple Syrup
54

Maple syrup is made by boiling sap collected from natural growth maple trees during March & April. It is refined sap and is therefore processed.  It has a high glycemic index, and though it is much more nutritious then refined table sugar and high fructose corn syrup, there are better choices.

Evaporated Cane Juice
55

Evaporated cane juice is often considered unrefined sugar, but juicing is a refining process, and evaporating refines further. Though better than turbinado, cane juice (unevaporated) is a better choice as a sweetener.

Black Strap Molasses
55

White refined table sugar is sugar cane with all the nutrition taken out. Black strap molasses is all of that nutrition that was taken away. A quality organic (must be organic!) molasses provides iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, and is alkalizing to the body.

Turbinado
65

Turbinado sugar is partially processed sugar, also called raw sugar.

Raw sugar
65

Raw sugar is not actually raw sugar. It is processed, though not as refined as common white table sugar. Therefore, given a choice between raw and white, choose raw. There are many different variations of raw sugar with many different names depending on how refined it is.

Cola (and most other sodas)
70

Though cola has a lower GI ranking then some might expect, there are many other reasons to avoid cola, or any type of soda. There is nothing beneficial to the human body inside a can of soda (not to mention we should avoid drinking out of aluminum cans!).

Corn Syrup
75

Corn syrup has very little nutrition and should be avoided.

Refined, Pasteurized Honey
75

The nutrition is gone, and there is often high fructose corn syrup added to processed honey. Refined pasteurized honey is no better than white table sugar. 

Refined Table Sugar
80

Conventionally grown, chemically processed, and striped of all beneficial properties, many health advocates believe that refined sugar is one of the two leading causes (high fructose corn syrup is the other) of nearly every health ailment known to man (or woman or child). Not only does it have a high GI ranking, but it also is extremely acidic to the body causing calcium and other mineral depletion from bones and organs (sugar is alkaline but has a very acidic effect on the body).

High Fructose Corn Syrup
87

Many health advocates believe that high fructose corn syrup and refined sugar are the two biggest contributors to health ailments in our society. High fructose corn syrup is a combination of sucrose and fructose.

Glucose (AKA Dextrose)
100

White bread was the benchmark, but for consistency glucose now holds the rating at 100.

Maltodextrin
150

Foods that have maltodextrin often say "Low Sugar" or "Complex Carbohydrate", but this sweetener should be avoided!

Above info from this site.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Pork Fried Rice-5 Star

* 5 Star Pork Fried Rice
* cane sugar free, dairy free, egg free, fish/shellfish free, gluten free, milk free, nut free, soy free, vegan, wheat free, yeast free
* Common allergens: cane sugar, anchovies (in the fish sauce)

We had a Vietnamese foreign exchange student a couple of years ago and she taught us how her family made pork fried rice. We make it two ways, depending on how much time we have but the basics are the same. This may seem like a lot of steps but it's really not! You can use leftover rice too.

Serves 4

6 cups cooked rice
    -instead of cooking the 2 1/2 cups rice in water use 1 box chicken broth (4 cups) plus 1/2 cup water,
     bring to a boil, turn down to low and simmer for 20 minutes
5 tablespoons coconut oil
2 large shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bag of frozen peas, thawed (for the easy version)
or
3 carrots cut in 1/2 inch cubes and a heaping handful (how's that for precise! lol) of fresh green beans cut in 1/4 inch pieces (for the longer version)
1/2 cup sugar
1 lbs of boneless pork chops sliced 1 inch long and 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon fish sauce

Get the rice started. Chop onions and garlic.

Put coconut oil in a small pan, heat and add shallots and garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until onions are translucent. Thaw peas in microwave or slice carrots and green beans.
Slice pork.

When rice is done stir in coconut oil/shallots/garlic mixture.

Pat pork dry with several paper towels. This is important. If you don't do it the pork will turn into pork...um...candy. Which is just nasty. So pat dry.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Here comes the weird part! Pour 1/2 cup of sugar into a small hill in the middle of the DRY skillet. The sugar will melt...who knew...but yes, it will melt into a golden brown puddle. Dump the sliced pork into the middle of the melted sugar and start stirring with a silicon spatula. Keep stirring! Some of the sugar will likely attach into a lump around the spatula, that's normal. Just keep stirring and a lot of it will melt. The pork needs to be coated and cooked through, 3-5 minutes. There won't be a lot of melted sugar left, the pork will be brown, and there will likely be several lumps of sugar left in the pan. Throw the sugar lumps away.

Add in the rice mixture and which ever veggies you chose to add.

If it's peas, cook until peas are warm. Add the 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and stir well.
or
If you chose the carrots/green beans then cook until veggies are crisp tender. Add the 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and stir well.


Enjoy!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Thai Curry Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, & Cauliflower-5 Star

* 5 Star Thai Curry Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans, & Cauliflower
* cane sugar free, dairy free, egg free, fish/shellfish free, gluten free, milk free, nut free, soy free, vegan, wheat free, yeast free
* Common allergens: cane sugar, anchovies

This was really good, I'm thrilled to be able to make Thai food at home and know exactly what's in it!
This recipe originally came from the America's Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers but I've changed it some of course!

Serves 4

Make rice according to package instructions.

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk (see note below)
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (the kind I bought actually said Gluten-Free!)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 large/extra large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1 large onion, halved and cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices
6 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch lengths
1 head cauliflower, using just the florets, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon lime juice
3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper

Bring coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, curry paste, and sugar to boil  in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until flavors meld, about 5 minutes.

Add potatoes and onion and simmer, covered, until nearly tender, about 8 minutes.

Add chicken, beans, and cauliflower to pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and potatoes, beans, and cauliflower are tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in lime juice and basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve over rice.

Note: Light coconut milk can also be used in this recipe, though the broth will be slightly thinner.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

How to Bake Vegan (no eggs, no milk, no butter)

This info is from a GREAT website called Post Punk Kitchen http://www.theppk.com

Get rid of the eggs
Replacing eggs is the most challenging aspects of vegan baking. Those suckers bind, they leaven and they give structure to our baked goods. However, like a bad boyfriend, they can be replaced, and with pleasing results. Here some info on replacements I have tried.

Flax Seeds
How to use it:
1 Tablespoon flax seeds plus 3 Tablespoons water replaces one egg. Finely grind 1 tablespoon whole flaxseeds in a blender or coffee grinder, or use 2 1/2 tablespoons pre-ground flaxseeds. Transfer to a bowl and beat in 3 tablespoons of water using a whisk or fork. It will become very gooey and gelatinous, much like an egg white. In some recipes, you can leave the ground flax in the blender and add the other wet ingredients to it, thus saving you the extra step of the bowl.

When it works best:
Flax seeds have a distinct earthy granola taste. It tastes best and works very well in things like pancakes, and whole grain items, such as bran muffins and corn muffins. It is perfect for oatmeal cookies, and the texture works for cookies in general, although the taste may be too pronounced for some. Chocolate cake-y recipes have mixed results, I would recommend only using one portion flax-egg in those, because the taste can be overpowering.

Tips:
Always store ground flaxseeds in the freezer because they are highly perishable. This mixture is not only an excellent replacement for eggs, it also contributes vital omega-3 fatty acids.

Where to get it:
Health food stores

Silken Tofu
How to use it:
1/4 cup blended silken tofu = 1 egg. Whiz in a blender until completely smooth and creamy, leaving no graininess or chunks. You will want to add other wet ingredients to this mixture to get it to blend properly. I recommend vacuum packed extra firm silken tofu, such as Mori-Nu.

When it works best:
Dense cakes and brownies, and in smaller quantites for lighter cakes and fluffy things (if the recipe calls for 3 eggs only use 2 "tofu" eggs"). Whizzed tofu leaves virtually no taste, so it is an excellent replacer in cake recipes. In cookie recipes, it may make the cookie more cake-y and fluffy than anticipated, add 1 teaspoon of starch to the recipe (such as arrowroot or corn starch) to combat that. It may make pancakes a little heavy, so it is not recommended as a quick replacement for eggs in pancakes, although it could work well with a little experimentation.

Where to get it:
Health food store shelves, and in some supermarkets.

Ener-G Egg Replacer
How to use it:
1 1/2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons water mixed well = 1 egg
Many people swear by this egg replacer. I think it is good to use in a pinch, in all baking that requires a few eggs. However, I can definitely taste it in cakes and cookies (tastes chalk-y), and I'm not crazy about the dense texture it turns out.

When it works best:
It seems to work best in cookies, or things that are supposed to be a little crispy.

Where to get it:
Health food stores, some supermarkets in the baking or ethnic food section

Bananas
How to use it:
1/2 banana blended until smooth or mashed well= 1 egg.
Bananas work wonders as an egg replacer in baking, which is the reason many banana bread recipes don't require eggs. They hold the air bubbles well, make things nice and moist, and impart a nice flavor. However, you don't want everything tasting like banana, so use in things where the taste won't be intrusive. I've also noticed that baked goods using banana brown very nicely.

When it works best:
Quick breads, muffins, cakes, pancakes

Tip: Make sure bananas are nice and ripe and have started to brown.

Where to get it:
Just kidding, I think you can figure this one out.

Soy yogurt
How to use it:
1/4 cup soy yogurt = 1 egg.
Soy yogurt works a lot like whizzed tofu as an egg replacer. It makes things moist and yummy.

When it works best:
Quick breads, muffins, cakes

Where to get it:
Health food stores, yuppyish supermarkets

Lose the milk
This is a no-brainer. Use soy, rice or almond milk. Butter milk? Add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to your milk and let it sit for a couple of minutes.

It's like buttah...
Instead of butter try unsalted margarine or go ahead and use salted but reduce the amount of salt in the recipe. Lose 1/4 teaspoon per 1/2 stick of butter. But try to use the non-hydrogented kind, I dunno, for your health?

My favorite thing to use instead of butter is canola oil, but you can use any vegetable oil, just reduce the amount. If a recipe calls for one stick of butter, which is a half cup, I use 1/3 cup of oil.

You can also try prune puree which will also obviously reduce the amount of fat. To use, puree 1/2 cup of pitted prunes with 1/4 cup of water. You will want to reduce the amount used, or the final product may be too moist. If the recipe calls for a half cup use 1/3 cup instead. You may also want to add a little oil, maybe a tablespoon per cup of fat needed, because a little fat goes a long way in taste and texture.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Shepherd's Pie-5 Star

3/24/10 UPDATE: I made this a few nights ago and used a small beef chuck roast cut up into bite sized chunks. I let them simmer with the onions and a box of beef broth until almost tender then added everything else. I also included several chopped carrots. Because the filling was more like a stew I didn't make this in a 9x13 pan. Instead I spread the mashed potatoes in the pan and broiled them to brown their tops. Then I spooned the stew into a bowl and topped with some potatoes--perfect. I thought it was even better than the ground beef version.

* 5 Star Shepherd's Pie
* cane sugar free, dairy free, egg free, fish/shellfish free, gluten free, milk free, nut free, soy free, vegan, wheat free, yeast free
* Common allergens: none

I made this tonight and as always, it was yummy. The original recipe came from Everyday Food Magazine but I have modified it to be allergen free. I had leftover mashed potatoes from last night's dinner and used those. To make them easier to spread on top of the filling, heat them up for a few minutes.

Serves 4

Filling:

1 lb ground beef or bison
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons gluten free ketchup (this has cane sugar in it)
1 tablespoon gluten free all-purpose flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 box (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables (no need to thaw) I often use what I have, peas or corn, or both
Coarse salt and ground pepper

3 cups Mashed Potatoes:

3 lbs of your favorite potato (I often use Yukon or Russet)
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk of your choice (goat, rice, cashew, etc--I used half and half goat/rice)
1/4 stick of butter of your choice (goat, Earth Balance, etc)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 ounces grated cheese of your choice (goat cheddar, soy cheese, etc) (optional-I use goat cheese)
1/4 cup thinly sliced chives or scallions (optional-I use chives either)

Directions:

Peel potatoes and chop into same size pieces, about 2"x2". Place in large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to boil, lower to simmer and set timer for 15 minutes for Yukon and 20 minutes for Russet.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat a large (4-5 qt) heavy pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Cook beef, breaking up meat with spatula, until no longer pink, 5 minutes. While it's cooking chop onion and garlic.


Add onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add thyme, ketchup, and flour; stir until combined. Add 1/2 cup water and vegetables. Cook until vegetables are warmed through and liquid has thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain potatoes and add 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 stick butter, onion powder, salt, pepper, and optional cheese and chives/scallions. Use and electric hand mixer to whip the potatoes. Pour in the extra 1/4 cup of milk as needed until you like the consistency. Dip a spoon in, sprinkle with salt, and have a bite--it's the best part ;-)

Spoon beef mixture into a 2 quart baking dish. Spread potatoes evenly over beef; using a fork, decorate potatoes with lines and peaks. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch spill over, and bake until potatoes are lightly browned, 10-15 minutes.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Chocolate Covered Macaroons-5 star

*5 Star Chocolate Covered Coconut Macaroons
* cane sugar free, dairy free, egg free, fish/shellfish free, gluten free, milk free, nut free, soy free, vegan, wheat free, yeast free
*Common allergens: The chocolate sauce that goes on top of the macaroons has chocolate chips that have cane sugar. You can eat the macaroons plain though and they are still yummy!

These were good, good, good! No one would ever know that these were gluten-free and vegan! They were a little less sweet than traditional and I loved that.

2/3 cup brown rice flour
5 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup agave syrup
1 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Sauce (for the tops of the macaroons)

2 cups vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips (these have cane sugar so if you need to, eat the macaroons plain--still so good!)
6 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 pinches sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease.

Combine the rice flour, coconut, salt, agave, coconut milk, and vanilla in a large bowl and mix thoroughly The dough will be moist and slightly sticky.

Using your hands, form firmly packed (packing the dough is important so the macaroons stay together when baked) balls about half the size of a golf ball. Push down slightly when you place on the cookie sheet to flatten the bottom of the cookie. Bake until just barely brown, about 12 minutes (15 minutes in my electric Longmont, CO oven.)

While the cookies are baking, make the chocolate sauce. In a double boiler, or with a metal or glass mixing bowl placed over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate chips, stirring frequently, 10-15 minutes. When chocolate has melted, whisk in the water, canola oil, vanilla, and salt until well combined. Remove from the heat.

Let the macaroons cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheets. Before serving, drizzle with the chocolate sauce. Leftover chocolate sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. To use again, simply reheat in a double boiler.

Store chocolate covered macaroons in an airtight container in the fridge.

Makes 2-3 dozen.