Nutritious & Delicious

Hello my baking beauties!

As I've been going through my recipes, I've been looking at the health benefits of some of the ingredients and thinking a little about the bad wrap that baked goods have gotten for having trans-fats and a zillion calories and no nutrient value...well I'm here to turn that all around.

I like to think of myself like one of those sneaky moms that feeds their kids spaghetti and meatballs...but what the kids don't know is that they're eating whole wheat or rice pasta with turkey meatballs and sauce with carrots and celery in it. As I've told you before, I am both lactose and wheat intolerant, so I've had to learn to be a little creative with my cooking and baking and have become quite friendly with my local health food stores. So, today, I'd like to share with you some of the wonderful things I've found along the way.

First off, what is the biggest component you think of when baking? Cookies, Cupcakes, Muffins....that's right FLOUR. *DUN DUN DUN* Gluten and wheat intolerance are becoming so prevalent these days, and medical science is finding there are much greater values in unbleached and whole grains. So one easy swap for you, whole grain flour. I will admit, you'll notice a change if you're baking white cakes or shortbread cookies, but in a yellow or chocolate cake, you'd never know the difference...except that you'll make your tummy much happier. I really like Robin Hood Whole Wheat Flour, maybe just one of those tradition things; it's just always what my mom used. You can see it here on the left.

Another option to change out your regular white flour is almond flour. It works just as well and contains nutrients such as calcium, the added benefit is that it is also gluten and wheat free!

Another base that I like to use when I'm in a pinch is baking mix. If you've been into a health food store recently, looking for cake or muffin mix you'll see there is a whole aisle devoted to it. I've tried a number of different brands and so far my favorite (both for incredible results and price) is El Peto. They make a variety of mixes, from classic white and chocolate, to lemon and golden. They also have mixes for muffins, breads, and hot cereals, such an amazing variety. Most of their mixes also have the added bonus of being milk free as well!
I love the pictures on the front of the box too. Delish!

Onto the milk. Of course, if you can have regular milk, you can try skim milk, homo milk or butter milk in your baking batter. If you're like me, you need to try something a little different. A lot of people really like soy milk. In moderation, it is a good option. However, research suggests too much soy is not that good for you, especially for women. Once I found this out, I went in search again for yet another milk substitute.

I found almond milk along my search and fell in love with Almond Breeze. They have unsweetened original milk, which is great for cooking and baking. They have chocolate milk which is a nice treat and adds an extra punch of chocolate in a chocolate cake batter, but my all time favorite is the vanilla. So delicious in baking, but also amazing on cereal, in smoothies...the possibilities are limitless! These almond milks are sold in tetra-packs, so you don't have to keep them in the fridge until they've been opened. This works perfectly for me, because I end up buying them by the case! They look like this..

And then we have eggs. Eggs are what make your cake rise or fall. First thing, Omega eggs don't actually make a difference. Use whatever eggs you like to use. When a recipe calls for egg whites only I found I'd always end up with the yolks in a little cup in my fridge and I'd never know what to do with them. Until I found Egg Beaters. They make a variety of premixed omelets in a carton, but they also make ONLY egg whites. Perfect! You just shake up the container and pour out 2 tablespoons of the whites to equal 1 egg. No leftovers, no waste. These are also great for those health conscious people who like egg white only omelets. 

Of course you can make a variety of icings with many different ingredients. Around Easter and Thanksgiving, I always think about cream cheese frosting. Since I can't include regular cream cheese in my own icings I turned to Tofutti.  

Yes, I know I just said a lot of soy isn't great, but having this frosting a few times a year isn't a big deal. I think having a serving of soy 2-3 times per month is actually quite healthy. I also love to use Tofutti on bagels and in mashed potatoes. The plain is great for baking, but the herbed flavors are great for spicing up snacks and dinners. Even if you're not lactose intolerant, Tofutti is a great alternative to cream cheese, it has less fat, and no cholesterol. This is the part where I get to say "Delicious AND Nutritious"! 

Other random ingredients I love...

Fresh fruit can be hard to find at certain times of the year, which is why I love Europe's Best frozen fruits. You can get just strawberries, or blueberries, or mangoes, or you can get a medley of fruits. Their product is very reliable, always high quality and makes a delicious addition to any cakes, cupcakes, muffins, pies (or even a bowl of ice cream). I'm also a big fan of gourmet food stores. Of course, I was raised with regular trips to Quebec where most grocery stores are gourmet food stores. So I love things like funky peanut butters that have mixed flavors like chocolate and banana, or interesting jams like ginger peach and blueberry pomegranate and fancy honeys like lavender infused honey. These are all simple ways to add different and interesting flavors to your batters and icings. And of course, I've talked about my undying love of Bulk Barn. They have an incredible selection of nuts and dried fruits. Switching out a blanched almond for a honey roasted almond will make all the difference in flavor. Nuts are an amazing way to get good healthy monounsaturated fats into your diet. Dried fruits are also great for adding flavor and nutrients. A lot of dried fruits come in blended varieties such as orange flavored cranberries. And you know what blends perfectly with nuts and fruit...oatmeal! Make your baking mixes extra healthy and full of fabulous fiber by using oat flour or steel cut oats in addition to chopped nuts and dried fruits. Such a delicious treat your taste buds won't complain, and neither will your family! 

Well, that's all for today. I hope you've found some new products you can use in your own baking and cooking that taste great and help you to feel your best. Health food does not have to be boring, or bland. Mix it up, try a swap or two, maybe you'll find something new that you love. 

Until next time...

Happy baking, caking and tasting!

Love and sprinkles, xoxo

>>What 'swaps' have you tried? Are there products I haven't mentioned here that you think I should try? What's your favorite healthful recipe? Any questions about products I've mentioned, where to get them, or how to incorporate them into your own baking? Please leave your comments below.<<