Navigating Sugar

Written By Brandany

The best way to manage your sugar cravings is to prevent them in the first place. There are several things you can incorporate into your wellness plan to help this.

~ Drinking plenty of fluids (especially pure water - aim for 1/2 your bodyweight in oz daily)

~ Sip on warm herbal teas that have a natural sweetness - cinnamon, ginger, peppermint, fennel, licorice, chamomile, etc. Make it a fun "latte" for a dessert like beverage by adding in 1 cup of unsweetened plant-based milk lightly steamed with a dash of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg and a splash of vanilla extract into the milk and serve with your tea

~ Walk and move your body DAILY! Aim for 60 minutes of movement each and every day! There are plenty of creative ways you can get movement into your day if you are limited on space, time, equipment, weather challenges, etc.

~ Nutrition - Make sure you are eating your daily servings of leafy greens, beans, veggies, fresh fruit and beans daily! These are especially important to help with blood sugar stability which will help prevent those cravings from coming in the first place

~ Add in root veggies and baked winter squashes to your diet regularly! Things like yams/sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, beets, green peas are very helpful at preventing a sweet craving

~ Try a pumpkin, yam or squash mashed with cinnamon, baked apples or sautéed bananas and a splash of unsweetened plant-based milk with vanilla extract

~Try 1-2 pieces of dried figs or dried dates that are placed in the freezer for 20-30 minutes for sweet dessert (1x daily)

Recipes for Sugar Replacement:

Desserts and Treats are a fine in moderation. Keep in mind that just because they are "Healthier" than some doesn't mean to go overboard. Use these recipe ideas as a special treat dessert and keep to 1 serving size. Here are some sweet recipes to try.

Cherry Bliss Balls

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup rolled oats

  • 12 dates, pitted (½ cup)

  • ¼ cup slivered almonds

  • ¼ cup grain-sweetened chocolate chips

  • 16 dried cherries (1 ounce)

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Combine the oats, dates, almonds, chocolate chips, cherries, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped and the mixture starts to bind. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if needed, to help bind.

  3. For each bliss ball, scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture, gently roll it into a ball, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Be careful not to compact the balls.

  4. Bake for 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool.

Raw Apple Crumble

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:

  • ½ cup walnuts

  • 2 pitted Medjool dates (or 4 Deglet Noor), chopped

FOR THE DICED APPLE FILLING:

  • 4 apples, peeled and diced

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

FOR THE APPLESAUCE (TO BE TOSSED WITH THE DICED APPLES):

  • apples, peeled and diced (see Notes)

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 5 pitted Medjool dates chopped

  • ¼ cup raisins

  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. To make the crumble topping: Blend the walnuts and dates in a food processor to make crumbly nuggets similar in size to Grape Nuts cereal. Spoon into a small bowl and set aside.

  2. To make the filling: Toss the 4 peeled, diced apples with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and set aside in a bowl.

  3. Next, blend all of the sauce ingredients in the food processor: 2 apples, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, plus the dates, raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss this mixture with the sliced apples.

  4. To serve, spoon into dessert dishes and sprinkle with the date-nut crumble topping.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup unsweetened, unflavored or chocolate plant milk (see note)

  • ½ cup (packed) pitted dates, plus another 1−3 dates

  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds

  • 1½ tablespoons cocoa powder

  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt (slightly rounded)

  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2−3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place the milk, dates, chia seeds, cocoa, salt, and vanilla in a blender, and puree for a minute or more (depending on the blender), until the seeds are pulverized. Taste, and if you’d like it sweeter, add another few dates.

  2. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, stir in the coconut and refrigerate until chilled, ½ hour or more. (It will thicken more with chilling but really can be eaten straight away.)

  3. Serve, sprinkling with more coconut, if desired, and topping with fresh berries or other fruit, if desired.

Pumpkin Pie Squares

INGREDIENTS

  • 10 medjool dates, pitted and diced (about 1 cup diced)

  • 1½ cups oat flour

  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or see notes)

  • 1 (15-ounce) can cooked pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ½ cup unsweetened, unflavored plant milk

  • 1 cup Macadamia-Vanilla Frosting

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Soak the dates in a small bowl with ¾ cup water for at least 15 minutes.

  2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

  3. Place the flour and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Place the soaked dates, the date soak water, vanilla, and plant milk in a blender and purée until smooth. Pour the mixture into the bowl of flour and spices, and also add the pumpkin, and mix with a wooden spoon until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

  4. Scrape the batter into an 8 × 8-inch parchment-lined baking sheet (or use a nonstick silicone baking pan). Cook for 25 to 30 minutes at 375ºF, until lightly browned with some cracks on the top. Let cool at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

  5. If desired, top with Macadamia-Vanilla Frosting just before serving, or use a rotary cheese grater to dust lightly with grated macadamia or other nuts. Storing in the refrigerator overnight will firm up these squares, then you can pack them in a lunch or as a snack.

Turmeric Bars

Ingredients

  • 2 very ripe bananas

  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter

  • 2 tablespoons flaxseeds, ground

  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

  • 1/2 cup walnuts chopped

  • 2 teaspoons turmeric powder

  • 1/4 cup goji berries

  • 1 1/2 cup gluten-free oats

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a bowl, mash the banana and mix it with the peanut butter, flaxseeds, chia seeds, turmeric, and cinnamon.

  2. Once that has been mixed well, chop the walnuts and add the remaining ingredients.

  3. Line a baking dish with a piece of parchment paper and fill it with the mixture. Flatten it and at this point, you can cut them into your desired shapes. Bake them for about 45-50 minutes (just make sure the top doesn't burn). When you take them out of the oven, place them on a cooling rack to completely cool. After they have cooled down completely, store them in an airtight container.

Vegan Tahini Date Cookies

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 cup (150 g) oats

  • 1/2 cup (140 g) tahini

  • 1 1/2 cup lightly packed (260 g) soft pitted dates

  • optional: 1/4 tsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

  • Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until it forms a thick dough you can easily press together between your fingers.

  • Shape into 12 cookies and place on a parchment paper or silicone mat-lined baking sheet. The cookies will not change shape during baking so be sure to shape them into cookies beforehand.

  • Bake for 10 minutes and let cool on the pan for 15 minutes before handling.

Kristen Stensland

A certified personal trainer and holistic nutrition coach.

Brandany
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