low sugar, so simple 100 delicious low-sugar, low-carb, gluten-free recipes for eating clean and...
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ELVIIRAKREBBERCreatoroftheLow-Carb,SoSimpleblog
LowSugar,SoSimple
100DeliciousLow-Sugar,Low-Carb,Gluten-FreeRecipesforEatingCleanandLivingHealthy
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Chapter1TheSugarCrisis:HowSugarHarmsYourBody
Chapter2StealthSugar:SugarinItsManyForms
Chapter3CookingwithoutSugar:HealthyAlternativestoSugar,Starches,andUnhealthyCarbs
Chapter4Basics&PantryStaples
Chapter5Breakfast
Chapter6Lunch
Chapter7Dinner
Chapter8Snacks
Chapter9Desserts
Chapter10DrinksREFERENCESRESOURCESABOUTTHEAUTHORACKNOWLEDGMENTSINDEX
INTRODUCTION
Iusedtobearealsugaraddict.Thankstomysweettooth,Iwasoverweightthroughoutchildhood,andIwasbulliedatschoolbecauseofit.(Iwasevenheavierthantheheaviestboysintheclass!)Mymomisanexcellentcook,andwheneverIwasaround,herpies,cakes,andcookiesdisappearedasquicklyasshepreparedthem.WhenIknewshe’dbakedadeliciousblueberrypie,Icouldn’tresistthetemptation:Iwouldcutoneslice,thenanother,andanotheruntiltherewasn’tacrumbleft!Inside,though,Iwasvulnerableandsufferingfromtheconstantbullying.IsodesperatelywantedtobethinthatIstartedtocutcaloriesdrastically.EventuallyIwasdiagnosedwithanorexia.
Afterhighschool,though,Ireallylostcontrolofmyeating.Iwentbacktoeatingsugar,andthingsgotevenworse.WhenIwasstudyingindustrialdesignclosetotheArcticCircle,notadaywouldpasswhenIdidn’tindulgeinagiganticchocolatebar—andtheendlessdarknessduringthepolarnightexacerbatedmysugarcravings.SoitwasnowonderthatIstartedsufferingfrommigrainesandirritablebowelsyndrome(IBS).Idevouredpizzasandpastas,andpouredcopiousamountsofsugarontojustabouteverythingIate.Iboughtcakes,muffins,candies—anythingsweet—andatethemallatonce.Iknewitdidn’tdomeanygood,butIcouldn’tstop.
LaterwhenIattendedalanguagecourseinEngland,Ienjoyedallthelocal“delicacies.”Myfavoritewasasuper-supremedonut,ahugepastryfilledwithvanillacustardandcoatedwithchocolateglaze.Igulpeditdowncheerfullyalongwithalargechocolatemilkshake.Onthewayhomefromschooltomyhostfamily,Igrabbedsomehumbugs—alocalsweet—plussomefudge,andenjoyedthemwhilewalking.OnmyclasstriptoFrance,Iboughta14-ounce(400g)barofTobleroneandateitinasingleday.Onthelastdayofthecourse,Icelebratedbybuyingahugecarrotcake,whichIdividedwithmyroommate.(AtleastIdidn’tgobbleitupallbymyself,forachange!)
Allthatsugarmademefeelmiserable.NotonlydidIhavephysicalailments,butIwasalsosufferingfromdepression,anxiety,andpanicattacks.Ihadanorexiainmypast,andnowIdevelopedanothertypeofeatingdisorder:bulimia.Iwasfrightenedtodeathofvomiting,soIpoppedlaxativepillslikecandies—dozensanddozensperday.Sittinginagonyonthetoiletdidn’tbothermemuch,aslongasIgotridofthejunkI’deatenasquicklyaspossible.
Soonmyconditionworsened.Istartedsufferingfromunexplainedstomachpains.In1999,mycolonwasremoved,andforayearafterthatIfeltwonderful.
However,theIBSsymptomscameback,alongwithevenworsepain.MyweightplummeteduntilmyBMIwasonly12.7.Ihadarrhythmia,terriblestomachpains,andbrainfog.Nodoctorcouldgivemeadiagnosis.Thelabresultsallcamebackfine,butIfeltlikeIwasdying.
SoIhadnootherchoicebuttotakecontrolofmyhealth.Istartedtostudynutrition,andsoonIlearnedhowdestructivesugaris.Icutitoutofmydiet—andcereals,too,becauseI’dheardlotsofsuccessstoriesfrompeoplewhoregainedtheirhealthbyomittingglutenfromtheirdiets.(LittledidIknowatthatpointthatcerealswere,inpractice,sugar.Ifthatcomesasasurprisetoyou,too,don’tworry:I’llexplaininthechaptersthatfollow.)
AsIquitsugar,Iaddedmorefattomydiet.Ittookalongtimetounderstandhowvitalfatistohealth—naturalfat,thatis.MybrainfogfinallydisappearedafterIstartedconsumingbutterandothernaturalfats.
NOTETOTHEREADER
•AlleggsusedareU.S.sizelarge,andshouldbeorganicandfree-rangewheneverpossible,becausethesecontainmoreomega-3fatsandothernutrients.(Plus,theytastebetter!)
•Besuretousethefreshestingredientsandthoseofthebestquality.Organic,non-GMOvegetablesarebest.Asformeatanddairyproducts,choosethosefromanimalsfedwithaspecies-specificdiet.(Forexample,choosedairyandbeefproductsthatcomefromgrass-fedcows.)
•Milkandcreamshouldbeorganic,ifpossible,andfreefromfoodadditives.•Allcitrusfruits(especiallylemons)shouldbeorganicandunwaxed.•Bakingpowdershouldbealuminum-free.CinnamonshouldbeCeyloncinnamon,ortruecinnamon—notthemorecommoncassiaorChinesecinnamon,whichistoxictotheliver.
AfterImadethesechanges—quittingsugarandstarch,andaddingmorefattomydiet—Istartedgettingbetter.Much,muchbetter.Myweightnormalized,andIwasnolongerbulimic;Isufferedfewermigraines;andmyanxietyandpanicattacksdisappeared.Iwasn’tdepressedanymore.Andmystomachfinallyfeltgreat!NomoreIBS,nomorebloating;allthatcripplingpainhaddisappeared.NowIenjoyedaflattummy.Ihadsix-packabswithouteventrying.Myentirebodycompositionwasrippedandmuscularincomparisontothewayitlookedbefore.WhenIatesugar—evenwhenIwasn’toverweight—Ihadaflabbystomach,enormousthighs,andaroundface.Nowmybodylookedtonedandfit,eventhoughIdidn’tdoanysports.
Withmynewlifestyle,though,Inoticedthatitwasn’teasytofindtrulyhealthyrecipes.Infact,mostofthesugar-freerecipesIcameacrossdidn’tseem
tobesugar-freeatall.Theycontaineddriedfruit,syrupssuchasagaveorricesyrup,orstarches.Manyofthemhadartificialsweeteners,too.I’dfoundhealthy,sugar-freenaturalsweetenersmyself,butcouldn’tfindrecipesforthem.SoIhadtocreateeverythingfromscratch.Idevelopedrecipesforbreads,desserts,breakfasts,maincourses,sidedishes,andmore—allwithaminimalnumberofingredientsandsteps,becauseIwasbusyandimpatient.
Thenin2012,IestablishedmyLow-Carb,SoSimpleblogtohelppeopleinthesamesituationasIwas—seekingeasy,healthyrecipesafterswitchingtoalow-sugarlifestyle.Fiveyearslater,I’mdelightedtohavemorethan600,000Facebookfollowersandhundredsofthousandsofblogreaders.Thereseemstobeahugedemandforeasy,trulyhealthylow-sugarrecipes,andthisisveryunderstandable.Withthecurrentbiaseddietaryguidelinesandafoodindustrythatspendsbillionsonmarketingitsjunk,peoplearegettingsick,bothliterallyandfiguratively.Theyhavetodiscoverthetruthbehindtheseliesbythemselves.Likeparrots,doctorsanddietitiansstilladheretothelow-fatreligion,emphasizingtheimportanceof“healthy”wholegrainsandfruit,notrealizingthatthesesubstancesactuallymakepeoplesick.
Todaywe’vefinallystartedtounderstandthatfatisyourfriendwhilesugaristhethingmakingyousick.Knowingthat,wecanmovetowardperfecthealthbysavoringdelicious,natural,cleanfoodwithoutsugarandstarch.Thisbookwillshowyouhowtodojustthat.Enjoy!
CHAPTER1
THESUGARCRISISHowSugarHarmsYourBodySugariseverywhere.Ourdietsarefilledwithit.Yetfewpeoplerealizehowharmfulthisextremelycommoningredientis,andhowdamagingitistoourlong-termhealth.EventhoughtheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)advisescuttingsugarintaketoamaximumof25gramsaday,weoftenexceedthisrecommendationbymorethanthreetimes:TheaverageAmericanconsumes76gramsofsugarperday.
Thoseofuswhowanttogetoffthesugarrollercoasterfinditnearlyimpossible.Sugarturnsupeverywhere:inourmorninglattes;inour“healthy”breakfastsofyogurtandgranola;inthecookieswesnackon;andinourdinnersofpastawithasideofbread.Sugarhidesonourplatesinplainsight.
WhyReducingSugarConsumptionIsMoreImportantthanEver
Manymoderndiseasesarecausedorgreatlyexacerbatedbytoomuchsugar.Weinundateourbodieswithtoomuchfood-drivenglucose,andconsequently,ourpancreasesareexhaustedandcompromisedfrompumpingoutmassiveamountsofinsulintocompensateforit.Wealsoeatmorefrequentlythaneverbefore,whichcontributestoperpetuallyhighbloodsugarlevels.It’saperfectstormthatsetsusupforahostofills,fromtoothdecaytoinsulinresistancetometabolicsyndromeandobesity.Evencertaintypesofcancersandcardiovasculardiseasearelinkedtosugaroverconsumption.
Obesityratesarethehighesttheyhaveeverbeen—andtheycontinuetoincrease.AccordingtotheNationalHealthandNutritionExaminationSurvey2009–2010,two-thirdsoftheAmericanpopulationisconsideredoverweightorobese.Todaythatfigureisevenhigher.Nearly30percentoftheworld’spopulationisobese,withthehighestproportionresidingintheUnitedStates,China,andIndia,accordingtotheInstituteforHealthMetricsandEvaluation.Themostdistressingstatisticisthatobesityhasincreasedinchildrenandadolescentpopulationsworldwide—moreevidencethatoursugar-ladendietsaremakingusfat,sick,andtired,andaresettingupthenextgenerationformoreofthesame.
Ourdietsofsugar,starch,andrefined-carbohydratehavecreatedaveritableepidemicoftype2diabetesbecauseourbodiessimplycan’tmanagetheburden
ofconsistentlyhighbloodsugarlevels.Ifcurrenttrendscontinue,thefuturedoesn’tlookanybrighter.TheU.S.governmentestimatesthat40percentofAmericanswilldevelopdiabetesatsomepointintheirlives,whiletheInternationalDiabetesFoundationprojectsthattheworldwideincidenceofdiabetesissettoexplode:Itestimatesthatby2040,morethan600millionpeopleworldwidewillhavediabetes—ahugeincreasefromthe2015estimateof415million.
Thepriceofoursugar-filleddietsisexpensive,andnotjustatthegrocerycheckout.Treatingthediseasesthatstemfromsugaroverconsumptionisverycostly.Managingdiabetescost$245billionintheyear2012alone,accordingtotheAmericanDiabetesAssociation.Thisisastaggeringstatistic,consideringthattype2diabetesissolelycaused—andislargelyreversible—bylifestylefactorssuchasdiet.
TheDifferencebetweenContemporaryandTraditionalDiets
Atnotimeinhistoryhasthemajorityoftheworld’spopulationbeenasinundatedwithaccesstofoodaswearetoday.Evenasrecentlyasonehundredyearsago,consistentlyeatingthreemealsadaywasaluxuryformuchofthegeneralpopulation.Sugarwasexpensive,soitwasenjoyedsparingly.Nowthedemocratizationoffood,particularlysugar-ladenfoods,hasmadepeoplefatterandsicker.Thisistrueworldwide.Wherepeoplehavegivenuptheirtraditionaldietsinexchangeforcheap,sugary,readilyavailableprocessedfood,healthissuessuchasobesity,diabetes,cancer,andheartdiseaseprevail.Buthowdoesourcontemporarydietdifferfromthetraditionaldietsofourgrandparents,andwhyisourcurrentpatternofeatingsoharmful?
Oneofthemoststrikingdifferencesbetweencontemporaryandtraditionaldietsis—youguessedit—theamountofsugarweeat.Duringthepasttwocenturies,oursugarconsumptionhasskyrocketed.Americansconsumed129pounds(59kg)ofaddedcaloricsweetenerspercapitain2015,accordingtotheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture's(USDA)EconomicResearchService.Refinedsugarsconsistedof69pounds(31kg)ofthatamount.Theseaddedsweeteners,combinedwithhigh-carbintakefromnaturalsourcessuchasstarchandfruits,increasesthetotalamountofsugarconsumedperpersontosky-highlevels.Incomparison,accordingtotheKolpInstitute,intheyear1770,theaverageAmericanconsumedonly4pounds(1.8kg)ofsugar.Seehowmuchthingshavechanged?
Notonlydoweregularlyconsumesweetenedsodasandaddsugartoourfood,butthefoodindustryalsoengineerscommonfoodswithsugarandsugarderivatives.Sugarlurksineverything,fromcondimentstosouptosaladdressing.Fructosewasonceararetypeofsugar,occurringonlyinfruitsand,insmallamounts,certainvegetables.However,thesedaysthefoodindustrylovestoaddfructosetoalmosteverything.Ourfood—sweetandsavoryalike—issaturatedwithdifferentfructose-basedsyrups,particularlyhigh-fructosecornsyrup(HFCS).
Asifthisweren’tbadenough,starch,whichisalsoaformofsugar,makesupthemajorityofourdiets.Westartourmorningswithsugarycereals,devourdeep-dishpanpizzaforlunch,andthenconsumeplatesofpastawithasideofcrustybreadfordinner.Orwetrytotakethe“healthier”routeoffruitandoatmealforbreakfast,saladwithasideofwholegrainbreadandafresh-pressedjuiceforlunch,andsomeleanproteinwithahugeservingofbrownricefordinner.Wecongratulateourselvesforeatinghealthily,notrealizingthatsuchmealsstillcontainmassiveamountsofsugarandsugarlikesubstancesthatourbodiescan’thandle.
TheRoleoftheFoodIndustryinPromotingSugar
Demonizingrealfoodandpromotingprocessedfoodashealthyandconvenienthasbeentheagendaofthefoodindustryforseveraldecades.Ittoldusthatbutterandothernaturalfatshumanshaveconsumedforthousandsofyearswereharmful,andwouldmakeusfat,andcausehighcholesterolandcardiovasculardisease.Naturallythefoodindustryhadawaytosaveusfromthese“unhealthy”saturatedfats:low-fat,high-sugarproducts.Buthere’swhythoseproductsaren’tasolution:Humansevolvedeatingfat.Whenfoodlacksfat,wedon’tfinditpalatable.Fatgivesfooditsappealingtasteandtexture,anditalsotriggersourbody’snaturalsatietymechanisms,whichletusknowwhenwearefull.Withoutit,thefoodindustryhadtoheaponsugars,starches,andotheradditivestoimprovethetasteandconsistencyoffood.Itwasacheapoptionthatenabledtheindustrytomass-producefoodwithalongshelflifeatahighprofit.
Dietaryguidelineshavebeenaroundforalmostahundredyears,butcontrarytotheiroriginalintent,oureatinghabitshaven’timproved,andwehavenotbecomehealthier.Infact,wearesickerthanever.Althoughlifespanshaveincreased,sohastheincidenceofchronicillnessessuchasobesity,diabetes,cancer,andcardiovasculardisease,whicharedirectlycorrelatedwithpoordietandlifestylechoices.Wemaybelivinglonger,butwearesick,fat,and
miserablewhiledoingit.Despitelongerlifespans,thelateststudiesrevealbadnews.Americansaren’tjustsufferingfromdeterioratinghealth;theirlifespansarealsostartingtodecrease.
Sowhat’swrongwiththecurrentdietaryguidelines?Nearlyeverything,butlet’sstartwiththemostobvious:sugar.
Thenewestattempttocontroloureating,MyPlate,waslaunchedbytheUSDAin2015.ItreflectslittleimprovementontheformerUSDAfoodpyramid.Starchyfoodssuchasbeansandgrainsarenolongerrecommendedasthebaseofourmeals;nowfruitsandvegetableshavetakentheirplace.However,grains—thatis,starches—arestillasignificantpartoftheMyPlaterecommendations,asaresugaryfruits;andstarchyvegetablesarerecommendedinquantitiesthatarefartoohigh.Didyouknowthatlivestockarefedstarchtofattenthemup?
Despitethemultiplestudiesandmeta-analysesprovingtheefficacyofalow-sugar,reduced-carbdiet,plusrecentresearchdebunkingtheideathatsaturatedfatscauseobesityandheartdisease,thedietaryguidelinesdonotreflectthesefacts.Theystilltrytofillourplateswithsugar.Thoughtherecommendationsstatethathealthyeatingpatternsshouldlimitaddedsugartoamaximumof10percentofdailyenergy,theyfailtoclarifythatourbodiesdon’tdifferentiatebetweenaddedsugarsandnaturally-occurringsugarsingrains,fruits,andstarchyvegetables—foodsthatMyPlateliberallyendorses.
WhatSugarDoestoYourBody
Bynowyouknowthatsugarisharmful—buthow,exactly,doesitaffectyourbody?Let’stakealookatwhysugaris,quiteliterally,atoxicsubstance.
FIREWORKSINYOURBRAIN:WhySugarActsLikeaDrugthatGetsYouHigh
We’regoingtostartfromthetop—thatis,withyourbrain.Whenyoueatsugar,theabundantglucosealmostliterallycreatesfireworksinyourbrain.Yes,yourbrainneedsglucose,butguesswhat?Yourbodycancreatealltheglucoseitneedsbyitself.Thisprocessiscalledgluconeogenesis,inwhichyourlivertransformsfatsandproteinsintosugar.Withoutthissophisticatedsystem,humanswouldn’thavebeenabletosurvivefamines.Thismeansyoudon’tneedanycarbohydrates(sugar)fromyourfood,becauseyourbodycancreateallthesugaritneeds.Seeninthislight,it’sevenmoredifficulttounderstand,muchlesscondone,theaggressivepromotionofcarbohydrates,starches,andothersugarlikesubstancesbythecurrentdietaryguidelines.
I’msureyou’veheardatleastoneofyourfriendsconfess,“I'msoaddictedtosugar!”assheaddedsugartohercoffeeorscarfeddownachocolatebar.Perhapsyou'veevensaidityourselfasyousharedthelastdoughnutwithyourcoworker.Butcanpeopleactuallybecomeaddictedtosugar,justlikealcohol,nicotine,andotherdrugs?
Mostofthescientistswhohavestudiedtheeffectsofsugaronthebodyandbrainwouldanswerwitharesounding“yes.”Thereareseverallinesofcompellingevidencethatsugarisindeedasaddictiveandhabit-formingasdrugs.Herearetwoofthem:
1.SUGARLIGHTSUPBRAINSCANSJUSTLIKEDRUGSDO
InfunctionalMRIscans,whenpeopleeatsugar,therewardcentersoftheirbrains“lightup”inapatternthat’snearlyidenticaltothosefoundinpeoplewhotakedrugssuchascocaineornicotine.Thoseimagesareveryconvincingthatsugaraffectsthebodyinasimilarwaytodrugs—andthepotentialtobecomeaddictedtosugaristherefromthefirstbite.
MuchofthistypeofresearchhasbeendirectlyledorinspiredbyDavidS.Ludwig,M.D.,Ph.D.,atHarvardMedicalSchool.Inoneofhisresearchpapers,heprovidesevidencethatsimplesugarssuchassucrose(tablesugar)andfructose,withaveryhighglycemicindex,causetherewardcentersinthebraintoimmediatelylightup.However,healsoprovidesevidencethathigh-fibercomplexcarbohydrates,withalowtomediumglycemicindex,donothavethisprofoundeffect.
2.CUTTINGSUGARCOLDTURKEYCANLEADTOSYMPTOMSOFWITHDRAWAL
Sugaraddictswhocuttheirsugarintakecoldturkeyundergowithdrawalsymptomssimilartothosethataccompanywithdrawalfrompowerfuldrugssuchasnicotine,amphetamines,andcocaine.Thesesymptomsincludeintensecravings,thedesiretobinge,severeheadaches,bodyachesandpains,dramaticmoodswings,andthe“shakes.”Thesearetheclassicsignsofaddictionwithdrawal.
Ifyouareaddictedtosugar,youwillneverconquerthataddictionsimplybycuttingbackonaddedsugar.Justthinkaboutit:Cancocaineaddictskicktheircocaineaddictionbycuttingbackoncocaine?Ofcoursenot!
Toconqueryoursugaraddiction,you'llneedtocutoutsugarcompletely.Thisincludesnotonlyprocessedfoods,butalsoallsugars,includingstarchyfoodssuchaspastaandbread.Sobesuretoreadfoodlabelscarefully.Betteryet,trytomakeallyourfoodfromscratchsoyou'llknowforsurethatyou’reavoidingallsugar.Don’teatoutorbuyfoodfromdelis.Don’tworry,youwon’tgohungry.
Intherecipesectionofthisbook,you’llfindmanyeasy,mouth-wateringrecipestohelpyougetstartedwithsugar-freepantrystaples,breakfasts,lunches,dinners,snacks,desserts,anddrinks.
UNHAPPYHEART:CardiovascularDiseasesAreCausedbyExcessSugarConsumption
Beforeyoupourthatsweetenedcreamerintoyourcoffee,youmaywanttoputyourhandonyourchestandpledgetobekindertoyourheart.Overindulginginsugarisoneoftheworstthingsyoucandoforyourcardiovascularsystem.Numerousscientificstudiesshowthateatingtoomuchsugardirectlydamagesyourhearttissueandcanleadtoatherosclerosis(hardeningofthearteries).
Theinflammationsugarcausesinyourbodydamagesyourveinsandarteries.Here’show:Thefatthat’saccumulatedinyourbodyaftereatingtoomuchsugarandstarchreleasesinflammatorycompoundsintoyourblood,andthesecompoundsinjurethebloodvessels.Sugar-consumption-inducedinflammationiswhatpromotesplaqueandheartdisease—notthecholesterolorthefatyoueat.
Ifthisinformationisn’tenoughtoputyouoffsugar,considertheadvicegivenbytheAmericanHeartAssociation,whichhasbeenpromotingtheresultsofalarge-scale2014studythatclearlydemonstratedthateatingtoomuchsugarcansignificantlyreduceyourlifespan—andyourqualityoflife.Thestudyfoundthatindividualswhoconsumed17to21percentoftheiraveragedailycaloriesfromaddedsugarhada38percenthigherchanceofdyingfromacardiovasculardisease,suchasaheartattack,thanthosewhoconsumedonly8percentoftheiraveragedailycaloriesfromaddedsugar.Thestudyrefersonlytoaddedsugar,nottheoverallsugarcontentofthefood.Thestudywentontoassertthatindividualswhoreceivedmorethan21percentoftheiraveragedailycaloriesfromaddedsugarweretwiceaslikelytodiefromaheartattackoranothercardiovasculardisease.
Sobering,isn’tit?Anditmaycomeasabitofasurprise.Althoughmostpeopleseemtoknowthatsugarcanmakeyougainweight,causediabetes,androtyourteeth,notasmanypeopleknowthatsugarcanclogyourbloodvesselsandbringonaheartattack.
TORTURETOYOURTUMMY:HowSugarDamagesYourGut
Sugaralsocauseshavocwithyourgutflora—thatis,themicroorganismsthatlivesymbioticallyinyourgut.You’veprobablyheardaboutgoodbacteriaandbadbacteria,right?Inahumanwithahealthygut,hergoodbacteriawillfaroutweighherbadbacteria,andshe’llalsohaveahealthybalanceofbacteriaspecies.AndCandida—aharmfultypeofyeast—willonlybepresentatlow
levels.Eatingtoomuchsugarupsetsthebalanceofyourgutflora.Yourgutbecomesrifewithbadbacteria,suchastheEnterococcusspecies(whichcausesdiverticulitis,urinarytractinfections,endocarditis,andmeningitis);Clostridiuminnocuum,Catenibacteriummitsuokai,andEubacteriumdolichum(allofwhich,inlargeamounts,arepathogenicandhighlyresistanttoantibiotics);andClostridiumdifficileandClostridiumperfringens(whichcausefoodborneillnesses).
What’smore,toomuchsugarcausesariseinCandidaspecies,especiallyinwomen.Candidacancausevaginalyeastinwomen.Iftheyrecur,it’slikelythatCandidaisalsoinvadingothertissuesinyourbody,whichiswhyyoumayfeelexceptionallytiredandachyifyouhaveavaginalyeastinfection.Evenworse,Candidaisstronglylinkedtoleakygutsyndrome,inwhichtheliningofyourgutbecomessoporousthatitleaksoutitscontentsintoyourbloodstream.Thisinturnisassociatedwithbloodpoisoning,chronicfatiguesyndrome,foodintolerance,painfuljoints,andautoimmunediseases.Whenyoucombinesugar-relatedleakygutwiththeconsumptionofgrains,it’snowondertherearesomanypeopleintheworldsufferingfromseriousdiseasesnowadays.
WATCHYOURWAIST:It’sMainlySugarthatMakesUsOverweight
Sugarisnotoriousforcausingbellyfat.Butwhatexactlydoesbellyfatmean?”Well,whenthecircumferenceofyourwaistexpands,itcanbecausedbytwodifferentlayersoffat:
1.Thesubcutaneouslayeroffatembeddedjustbelowtheinnerlayerofbellyskin.Thisisthefatthatyoucanactuallypinch,alongwithyourloosebellyskin.
2.Thevisceralfatthatsurroundsallthevisceralorgans,suchastheliver,pancreas,stomach,andintestine.Thislayeroffatishiddenwithintheabdominalcavity,soyoucan’tpinchit.
WhenSantaClauschuckles“HoHoHo!”andhisbellyjigglesandwiggleslikeabowlfullofjelly,that’ssubcutaneousfat.Visceralfatdoesn’tjiggle.Infact,youcanhavearock-hardbellythat’sloadedwiththicklayersofvisceralfat.
Bothtypesofbellyfataffectourwaistcircumference,butthelumpyfatyoucanseeinthemirroristhesubcutaneousfat.Whenyouseeyourbellystarttoprotrudebutyoucan’tpinchit,thismaybeanindicationthatyourvisceralfatisgrowing.
Althoughitmaynotlookas“ugly,”visceralfatisfarmoredangerousthansubcutaneousbellyfatbecauseitinterfereswiththefunctionofyourorgans.Itcanpreventyourliverfromproducingbile,therebyinterferingwithfatbreakdownandwasteelimination.Itcanpreventyourpancreasfromsendingouthormonessuchasinsulinwhenthey’reneededmost—thatis,tohandlethetruckloadofcarbsyoujustate.Itcanraiseyourcholesterolandbloodpressureandincreaseyourriskforbreastandcoloncancer.
INSULINSENSITIVE,PREDIABETIC,DIABETIC:WhyConstantSugarConsumptionLeadstoDiabetesandMetabolicSyndrome
Excessivesugarconsumptionisoneoftheprimarycausesoftype2diabetes.Thisisthenoncongenitalkindofdiabetesthatdevelopsovertime,usuallyduetoacombinationoflifestyleissues(overeating,eatingtoomuchsugar,andbeingoverweight)andgeneticpredisposition.
Iftype2diabetesrunsinyourfamily,youneedtobeespeciallyconcernedaboutkeepingyoursugarintakelow.Yourcarbtoleranceprobablyisn’tverygood,andwillworsenovertime.Butthegoodnewsisthattype2diabetescanbetreatedandpreventedbydietalone.Thatmeansavoidingsugarandfindingyouridealpersonallevelofdailycarbs.(Don’tbesurprisedifthatturnsouttobeaslowas30gramsorfewerofnetcarbsdaily.)Theonlywaytodiscoveryouridealdailycarblevelistoexperiment.Whenyourweightstabilizesandyouhavenonegativesymptoms,you’llknowyou’vegottenitright.
Tohelpyouunderstandwhysugarconsumptioncanleadtodiabetes,orcausesittoappearearlierthanitshouldifyouaregeneticallypredisposedtoit,I’mgoingtogiveyoualittlebiologylesson.Rightbehindyourstomach(towardyourback)isthepancreas,anorganaboutthesizeofyourhand.Partofthepancreas’sjobistocrankoutdigestiveenzymes.Itusuallydoesthisverywell,evenintype1diabetics.
Thesmallestpartofthepancreashasthemostpowerfulroletoplay.ThisareaiscalledtheisletsofLangerhansanditconsistsofclustersofhighlyspecializedcellsthatproducepowerfulhormonesthatcontrolyourfoodmetabolism.(TheunusualnamecomesfromtheGermanscientistwhodiscoveredthem.)Themostfamousofthesearethebetacells,whichproduceinsulin.Inahealthynondiabeticperson,betacellsrespondtoglucoseinthebloodstreambyproducingjusttherightamountofinsulinneededtohelptheglucosecrossoverthemembranesofallthevariouscellsinthebodyandtoactasfuelforthecellandallitsfunctions,suchasDNArepairandsendingchemicalmessagestoothercells.
Whenyoueattoomuchsugar,yourbetacellsareforcedtoworkovertimetoproduceextrainsulin.Thisisn’tusuallyaprobleminyourchildhood,teens,ortwenties,becauseyouprobablyhaveayoung,vibrantbodywithyoung,vibrantbetacells.However,witheachpassingyear,itbecomesincreasinglydifficultforyourbetacellstokeepupwiththehighdemandforinsulinifyoucontinuetoovereatsugar.Ifyouhaveinheritedgenesthatmakeyoumoresusceptibletodevelopingtype2diabetes,yourbetacellsdepleteevenfaster.
AstudypublishedinDiabetesCarerevealedthattype2diabetesisassociatedwitha60percentincreasedriskfordementia,whileearlierstudiesalsoindicatethatevenslightlyelevatedbloodsugarlevelsboosttherisk.Infact,Alzheimer’sdiseaseisoftencalledtype3diabetesbecauseAlzheimer'sdiseaseinvolvesasimilarproblemwithinsulinresistance,butinitscase,thedamagemostlyaffectsthebraininsteadofthebody.(Yetanotherwayinwhichsugarharmsthebrain.)Here’swhatthismeansforyou.
•Ifyouhavefamilymemberswithtype2diabetes,thenyouneedtobeespeciallyprotectiveofyourbetacellsandotherspecializedcellsintheisletsofLangerhans.Thatmeansyouneedtolayoffthesugar.Pulloutallthestopsandbreakyoursugaraddictionrightnow!Yourlifemayliterallydependonit.You’llalsowanttoavoidovereatingingeneral,becausethiscanalsooverworkthecellsintheisletsofLangerhans.
•Ifyoudon’thaveafamilyhistoryofdiabetes,youstillshouldbecareful.Overeatingsugarcanstillwearoutyourbetacellsandcauseyoutodeveloptype2diabetesovertime.
LETHALLYLANGUISHEDLIVER:WhyFructoseConsumptionIsaMainCauseofFattyLiverDisease
Fattyliverdiseaseoccurswhenmorethan5to10percentoftheliverconsistsoffat.Thetypeoffattyliverdiseasecausedbysugaroverconsumptionissometimescallednon-alcoholicfattyliverdisease(NAFLD)todistinguishitfromfattyliverdiseasecausedbyconsumingtoomuchalcohol.Sugarcanbejustasdestructivetoyourliverasalcohol,andthedamageitdoesisessentiallythesame.Liketype2diabetes,it’sbecomesomethingofanepidemic.AccordingtoareviewpublishedintheJournalofAmericanMedicine(JAMA),NAFLDaffectsabout75millionto100millionindividualsintheUnitedStatesalone.That’snotatypo.(Invariouspartsoftheworld,9to37percentofpeoplehaveNAFLD.)Worse,thepotentialmorbidityofNAFLDextendswaybeyondtheliver:fattyliverdisease,cardiovasculardiseases,andmetabolicdiseasesgohandinhand.
Thisisbadnewsbecauseyourliverisessentialtoyoursurvival.Itisoneoftheprimaryorgansresponsiblefordetoxifyingoursystems—andwithallthepesticides,herbicides,PCBs,heavymetals,solvents,andfoodadditivestowhichourbodiesareexposedeachday,ourliversdeservealittlemorerespect.Plus,theliverisresponsibleforfatmetabolism.Itproducesthebilethatallowstheintestinestobreakdownfatandutilizeitasenergy;itremovesandprocessesfatfromthebloodstream;anditrecyclesoldbloodcells.Thesearejustafewofthereasonstoloveyourliverandtoprotectitfromfattyliverdisease.
Oneofthebestwaystodothatistocutthesugar.Inthenextchapter,you’llfindoutwheresugarhidesandhowtospotitinitsmanyguises.
CHAPTER2
STEALTHSUGARSugarinItsManyFormsSugarissugar,right?Yes,butit’snotquitethatsimple.Thischapterwillshowyouhow—andwhy—sugarturnsupassweetenersandinfoodsunderawiderangeofnames,andwillexplainwhyyoushouldavoidallofthem,includingstarches.Let’sbeginbytalkingaboutsugarinitssimplestform.
Monosaccharides:SimpleSugars
Allsugarsandallcarbohydratesarebuiltwithbasicbuildingblockscalledsimplesugars.Fromchocolatechipstopotatoes,youessentiallyneedthreeatoms(carbon,hydrogen,andoxygen)tocreatethebuildingblocksforallsugarsandcarbs.Simplesugarsarethemostbasicbuildingblocksforallothersugars.Thatis,chemicallyspeaking,theycannotbebrokendownanyfurther.Thusthey’recalledmonosaccharides(monomeans“one”or“single,”andsaccharidemeans“sugar”):literally,singlesugarsmadeofonlyoneofthesimplestbuildingblocksofallknownsugarsandcarbohydrates.
Therearedozensofnaturallyoccurringsimplesugarsthatcanserveasbuildingblocksforcomplexsugarsandcarbohydrates,butthereareonlythreesimplesugarsthatthatareusedtobuildvirtuallyallofthesugarsandothersweetingredientswecookandbakewith.Theyareglucose,fructose,andgalactose.Whetheryouaddbrownsugar,applejuice,honey,dates,oragavesyruptoyourrecipes,thesugarinthemwillbebrokendownintothosethreesimplebuildingblocks.(Sugarissugar!)Yourbodyprocesseseachofthethreesimplesugarsdifferently.Here’show.
Glucose
Glucose,alsocalleddextrose,cornsugar,grapesugar,andbloodsugar,wasthefirstsimplesugartobeisolatedandidentified.ThenameglucosecomesfromtheGreekwordforsugar—glykorgluc—andtheLatinwordose,meaning“fullof.”Thusglucoseliterallymeans“fullofsugar.”Followingthesamepattern,asothersugarshavebeenidentified,they’vebeennamedwiththe-osesuffix,too.
Glucoseisabsorbedintothebloodstreambythesmallintestine.Onceitentersthebloodstream,insulinhelpsitpenetratethecellmembrane,whereit’s
usedtofueleverybiologicalprocessinthebody,fromyourbraincellstothemusclecellsinyourfeet.
However,glucoseisnottheonlysourceofenergyavailabletoourcells.Theyalsofunctionwellonketonebodiesifglucoseisnotavailableduetofasting,orrestrictedconsumptionofcarbohydratesandprotein.(True,somecellsstillneedglucosetowork,butrememberthatourliverscanprocessalltheglucosenecessarytocellfunction.)Muchworkisbeingdoneonthebenefitsoffollowingaketogenicdiet,whichprohibitssugarandrestrictsproteins,andmayparticularlyhelppeoplesufferingfromobesity,diabetes,neurologicaldisorders,andevencancer.
Fructose
Fructose—orlevulose—isanothercommonsimplesugar,andgivesfruitandfruitjuicestheirsweetflavor(hencethename).Fructosealsoaccountsforasignificantportionofhoney,agave,andevenmolassesprocessedfromsugarcane.Itissweeterthanglucose:Ifthesweetnessofglucoseis0.8(tablesugarbeing1.0),fructose’ssweetnessperceptionratingis1.75.
Fructosecannotbeabsorbedbycellsanduseddirectlyforenergylikeglucoseandketonebodies.Insteadfructoseistransporteddirectlytotheliverforprocessing(withouttheaidofinsulin).Afterconversiontoglucose,it’seitherusedforenergyorstoredasglycogenorfat—whichmeansit’soneofthemainculpritsinobesityandfattyliverdisease.
Galactose
Galacmeans“milk,”sothewordgalactoseliterallymeans“milksugar.”Butwaitaminute:Everyoneknowsthatthesugarinmilkislactose,right?Yes,butlactosemoleculesareactuallycomposedoftwosimplesugars:glucoseandgalactose.
Innature,lactoseandgalactoseoccurrarelyoutsidemammalianmilk.Thatmeanslactosecan’tbeutilizeddirectlybythebody.Infact,itwillrotintheintestineifitisn’tbrokendownintoglucoseandgalactose.Oncethishappens,theglucoseiseasilyutilizedbythebody,butnotthegalactose:mostofithastobeconvertedtoglucosebeforeitcanbeprocessed.
GlucoseorFructose:WhichIsWorse?
There’saragingdebatearoundwhichisworseforyou:glucoseorfructose;andtablesugar(whichishalfglucoseandhalffructose)orplainfructose.Articlesandblogpostswiththisbasicmessageabound:
•Glucose(andtablesugar)isdigestedfasterthanfructoseandcausesabigspikeinyourbloodglucoselevel.
•Fructoseisprocessedmoreslowly(bytheliver),soitdoesn’tcauseasuddenriseinyourbloodglucoselevel.
•Glucose,therefore,isworseforyouthanfructose.Itcausesyoutogainmoreweightanditleadstodiabetesandmetabolicdiseasesmoreoftenthanfructose.Unfortunately,muchofthisargumentoriginatedwithcarefullycrafted(and
welldisguised)marketingcampaignsbythefoodassociationsthatwantedtosellyouontheideathathighfructosecornsyrup(HFCS)isgoodforyou—oratleastnoworsethanordinarytablesugar.
Here'sthetruthinanutshell.Multiplescientificstudieshaveproventhatexcessfructosehasamuchgreaternegativeeffectonyourbodyandhealththanexcesssucrose,althoughneitherisgoodforyou.Excessfructoseseemstobemorelikelytocreatebellyfat,specificallyvisceralfat—especiallyaroundyourheartandinyourarteries.Lastbutnotleast,fructoseseemstostimulatetheonsetofdiabetesandothermetabolicdiseasesmorethantablesugar.
Disaccharides
Manyofthesugarsaddedtofoodaremadebyjoiningtwosimplesugarstogether.Thesearecalleddisaccharides,wheredimeans“two”andsaccharidesmeans“sugars.”Herearethreecommonones:
1.Sucrose(sugar,tablesugar,saccharose,whitesugar,crystallinesugar,canesugar,orbeetsugar).Thisisprobablythemostcommonlyusedsweetener.It’smadeupofonemoleculeofglucoselooselylinkedtoonemoleculeoffructose,andit’seasilybrokenintoglucoseandfructosebyourbodies.
2.Maltose(maltsugar,maltobiose,monosaccharideglucose,anddisaccharidemaltose).Maltoseismadeoftwomoleculesofglucoselooselylinkedtogether.It’softenfoundinmalt,beer,cereal,pasta,potatoes,andmanyprocessedfoodproducts.
3.Lactose(milksugar).Asdiscussedpreviously,thelactosemoleculeiscomposedofoneglucosemoleculeandonegalactosemoleculethatcanonlybebrokenapartbyaspecialenzyme,lactase.
DifferentFormsofSugarCaneSucrose
Sucrosemadefromsugarcaneisn’tasingleitem.Itcomesinmanyguises,andhereareafewofthemainones.
NAME Refinedsugar
ALSOKNOWNAS Whitesugar,puresugar,tablesugar
PROCESSING Phosphatationusesphosphoricacidtoremovewhatthesugarindustrycalls“impurities”—thenaturalmolassescontainingvitaminsandminerals.Thenit’sbleachedwithsulfuroxide,whichleavestraceamountsofsulfurinthesugar,beforecarbonationandliming.It’sstillsomewhatbrownincolor,soit’srunthroughbonechar,orburntbone,to“deodorize”it.Finally,it’ssubjectedtoisopropylalcoholtowashawayresidualmolasses.(Yummy?Notreally.)
COLOR/APPEARANCE White,fine-grained
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Organicsugar
ALSOKNOWNAS
PROCESSING Likeotherorganicproducts,certifiedorganicsugarisneversprayedwithpesticidesorherbicides.However(unlikeotherorganicproducts),thewayinwhichorganicsugarisprocessedisentirelydifferenttothemethoddescribedabove.So,itwillhavenoresidualchemicals,anditwillretainsomeofthemolasses,yieldingarichertasteandslightlydarkercolor.
COLOR/APPEARANCE Lightbrown
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Sucanat
ALSOKNOWNAS Rapadura,panela,muscovado,khaand,jaggery
PROCESSING SucanatisabothbrandnameandcontractionfortheFrenchtermsucredecannenaturel,whichtranslatesliterallyto“sugarofthenaturalcane,”orsugarfromsugarcane.Itcontainsmuchofthemolasses.
COLOR/APPEARANCE Medium-darkbrown;coarsecrystals
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Rawsugar
ALSOKNOWNAS
PROCESSING Thisisunbleachedandlessprocessedthanpurewhitesugar,buttheamountofprocessingit’ssubjectedtovaries.Manyrawsugarproductsmayhavebeenchemicallytreated,somaycontainchemicaltraces.Thesugarcanemayhavebeensprayedwithpesticidesand/orherbicides.Rawsugarisusuallymadefromsugarcane,notbeets,becausemolassesfrombeetshasanunpleasanttaste—buttherearenolawspreventingcompaniesfromproducingrawsugarfrombeets.
COLOR/APPEARANCE Lightbrown
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Turbinadosugar
ALSOKNOWNAS Sugarintheraw
PROCESSING Turbinadosugarislessprocessedthanpurewhitesugar.Itisusuallymadefromthefirstpressofthesugarcane,whichcontainslessmolassesthanthesecondandthirdpresses.Themolassesitdoescontainusuallyisn’tchemicallyremoved.It’smuchmorenaturalthanlightbrownsugar.Organicturbinadosugarisessentiallyorganicsugarwithlessofthemolassesremoved.
COLOR/APPEARANCE Lightbrown
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Brownsugar
ALSOKNOWNAS Lightbrownsugar;darkbrownsugar
PROCESSING Brownsugarmaylookmorenaturalthanwhite,butit’snot.It’shighlyprocessedwhitesugartowhichmolasseshasbeenaddedbeforebeingdriedagain.Darkbrownsugarhasmoremolassesmixedbackinthanlightbrownsugar.
COLOR/APPEARANCE Lightordarkbrown;mediumtofinecrystals
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Evaporatedcanejuice
ALSOKNOWNAS
PROCESSING Thisisprocessedrawsugarwaterwithanundeterminedamountofmolasses,orinvertedsugarsyrup(seenextpage).TheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)doesnotrequireanystandardforingredientslabeledasevaporatedcanejuice.
COLOR/APPEARANCE Clear
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
SyrupsandSaps
Sugardoesn’thavetobeinsolidform.Herearesomecommonsweetenersthataresyrupsorsaps.
NAME Honey
ALSOKNOWNAS
PROCESSING Producednaturallybybees,honeyisone-thirdfructose.Itcontainsanarrayofhealthyingredients,suchasproteins,aminoacids,organicacids,vitamins,andminerals.
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Molasses
ALSOKNOWNAS Blacktreacle
PROCESSING Thebyproductofrefinedpurewhitesugarproduction,molassescontainsvitamins,minerals,antioxidants,andmicronutrients—butit’sprocessedbythebodyinthesamewayasgranulatedwhitesugar.Differentvarietiesdependonhowconcentrateditisandthesugarcanepressfromwhichit’sderived.Pureblackstrapmolasses,takenfromthethirdpressofthesugarcane,isconsideredtohavethehighestflavorqualityandthemostvitaminsandminerals.
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Agavesyrup
ALSOKNOWNAS
PROCESSING Extractedfromtheblueagaveplant,agavesyruphasahighfructosecontent—between50and90percent.SomehealthexpertsconsideritmoreharmfulthanevenHFCS,whichisabout55percentfructose.It’shighlyrefinedandmaycontain
harmfulresidualchemicals,suchassulfuricacidanddicalite.
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Cornsyrup
ALSOKNOWNAS
PROCESSING Madebybreakingdowncornstarch,regularcornsyrup(asopposedtoHFCS)consistsalmostentirelyofglucose.Theprocessbywhichit’smadeissomewhatindustrial,butit’snowherenearasindustrialasconvertingcornsyrupintoHFCS.Unlessitslabelclearlystatesthatit’snon-GMO(orisorganic),mostcornsyrupismadefromGMOcorn.
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Maplesyrup
ALSOKNOWNAS
PROCESSING Theconcentratedsapofmapletrees,aproductlabeledas“maplesyrup”mustbeatleast66percentsugar,accordingtoNorthAmericanlaw.Itssugarisalmostentirelysucrose,soyourbodytreatsitjustliketablesugar,eventhoughitcontainsahighconcentrationofvitaminsandminerals,whichgiveitaunique,richtaste.
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Invertedsugarsyrup
ALSOKNOWNAS
PROCESSING Thisissugarwater(fromhighlyprocessedrefinedsugar)inwhichtheglucoseandfructosehavebeenseparatedfromthedisaccharidesucrosemoleculeandleftsuspendedinfluid.Ithasasweetertasteandmakesbakedgoodsstaymoistandfreshforlonger.
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
NAME Sweetsorghum
ALSOKNOWNAS Sorghummolasses
PROCESSING ThisismadefromseveralcloselyrelatedsorghumgrassspeciesthatoriginatedinAfrica(andwerebroughttotheUnitedStatesbyAfricanslaves).Labor-intensiveprocessinghasledtoadropinproductionrecently,butit’sstillprizedbymanySoutherncooks.Althoughittasteslikemolasses,ithasadistinctiveflavor—andslightlyfewervitaminsandminerals.About85percentofthesugarinsweetsorghumissucrose.Theremainingsugarsarefructoseandglucose.
SUITABLEFORALOW-SUGARLIFESTYLE?
No
StarchandOtherComplexCarbs
Nowyou’vegottenacrashcourseinsimplecarbs.Butwhataboutcomplexcarbs?Asyouknow,allcarbsaresugars,andsugarsarealsoknownassaccharides.Thisincludescomplexcarbs,suchasthestarchinpotatoes,rice,beans,corn,oats,wheat,andmanyotherplant-basedfoods.Inoureverydaylanguage,sugarrefersonlytosweet-tastingcarbohydrates.However,chemicallyspeaking,complexcarbsarejustsugarswithamorecomplicatedstructure.Theirmostbasicbuildingblocksaresimplesugars,usuallysugarrings.Thismeansthatcomplexcarbs,suchasstarches,arecompoundsugars.That’swhythey’recalledpolysaccharides,whichliterallytranslatesas“manysugars.”
Starch
Starchistheforminwhichplantsstoreextraglucosetheydon'timmediatelyuse.Whenweeatapotatoorapieceofbreadfullofplantstarch,ourbodiesbreakdownthatstarchintothebasicbuildingblocksofglucose,whichwecanthenuseforimmediateenergyorconvertintoanotherformofglucosestorage—glycogen.(Or,ifourcarbintakeexceedsourindividualtolerance,thatglucosecanbeconvertedintobodyfat.)
Glycogen
Plantsstoreglucoseintheformofstarch,andanimals,includinghumans,storeglucoseintheformofglycogen,which,likestarch,ismadefromthousandsofglucosemoleculesbondedtogether.Westoreglycogenprimarilyinourliverandmusclecells,butwecanalsostorealittleglycogeninourkidneysandtheglialcellsinourbrains.(Glialcellsarethemostabundantcelltypeinthebrain,comprisingnearly90percentofthebrain.)Wealsoconsumeasmallamountofglycogenwhenweeatmeatbecauseitisstoredinthemuscletissuesofotheranimals.
Cellulose
Somepolysaccharidesareusedtoformrigidstructures.Cellulose,alsoformedbybondingtogetherthousandsofglucosemolecules,isusedtoformthecellwallsofplantsandalgae.It'swhatmakesredwoodtreesstanduptallandcottonandhempsuchsturdyfibersforclothing.Humansdon’thavetheenzymenecessarytodigestcellulose,soweexcreteit.Fromcellulose,wegetthoseinsolublefibersthatarevitalforhealthydigestion.
WHATISHIGH-FRUCTOSECORNSYRUP?
Acombinationoffructoseandglucose,high-fructosecornsyrup(HFCS)appearsonfoodlabelsunderseveralnames,includingHFCS,isoglucose,glucose-fructose,andglucose-fructosesyrup.Here’swhyit’shighfructose:Muchoftheglucoseincornsyruphasbeenconvertedtofructosetomakeitsweeterandmorestable(afterall,alongershelflifemeansmoreprofitforfoodmanufacturers).
Itgetsworse.Whentheportionoffructoseinthesyrupisincreasedevenfurtherthroughindustrialchemicalprocesses,it’srenamed,andmayappearonlabelsasHFCS-90:acornsyrupthatis90percentfructose.(Asiftheregularstuffweren’tbadenough.)Whateveryoucallit,it’ssuper-sweetandveryharmful.MadefromGMOcorn,manyscientificstudieshavelinkedtheintroductionofthisindustrial“sugar”intoourfoodsupplytoasharp,dramaticriseinobesity,type2diabetes,heartdisease,andmanyothermetabolicdiseases.YoushouldavoidHFCScompletely.
Getintothehabitofreadingtheingredientlabelofeveryproductyoubuy.Thisiswhereyouwillfindthehiddensugars—eveniftheproductitselfisn’tsweet.Lookfor,andavoid,anywordthatendsin–ose.Asdiscussedearlier,thisindicatesthepresenceofsugaraswellassyrups,includingoatsyrup,ricesyrup,agavesyrup,molassessyrup,invertsyrup,and,ofcourse,HFCS.Steerclearofdiastaticmalt,canejuice,blackstrapmolasses,andbarleymalt.Theseareallformsofsugar,too.
StarchDigestion
Starchiscomposedoftwotypesofglucosechains:amyloseandamylopectin.Asyouchewyourstarch-richfood,thesalivainyourmouthmixeswithyourfoodandstartstodigestitbeforeyouevenswallow.Afteryouswallow,the
enzymeamylasecontinuestobreakdownthestarchuntilitentersthestomach,wherestomachacidstopsit.Butoncethepartiallybroken-downstarchentersyoursmallintestine,thepancreassendsinmoreamylase,untilit’sbrokendownintomaltose,asugarcomposedoftwoglucosemoleculesbondedtogether.Thenanotherenzyme,maltase,breaksthoseglucosemoleculesapart,andeventuallyshorterintermediatesareformed,mostofwhicharecalledmaltodextrin.Thesweetreceptorsinyourbraincandetectmaltose,butitisnowherenearassweetassucrose,fructose,orglucose.Thismeansyou’reconsumingsugarwithoutbeingawareofit.
Thefoodindustrysneaksmaltodextrinintoallsortsofprocessedfoods—especiallyjunkfoodssuchaspotatochips,softdrinks,candy,andgranolabars—soit’snowonderwegetsoaddictedtothesefoodswithoutknowingwhy.Itlookslikewemaynotbejustaddictedtosimplesugars,butalsototheaddedmaltodextrin,whichmaylightupthepleasureportionofthebraininthesamewaythatsugardoes.
Allthismeansthatreducingtheamountofstarchweconsumeisoneofthekeystoquittingsugar.Soyou’llneedtoreplacethesugary,starchyfoodsinyourdietwithwiserchoices.Inthenextchapter,I’llshowyouhow.
CHAPTER3
COOKINGWITHOUTSUGARHealthyAlternativestoSugar,Starches,andUnhealthyCarbsThefactis,ifyouquitsugar,itwillalmostcertainlybedifficultatfirst,andyou’lllikelyexperiencethewithdrawalsymptomsmentionedinchapter1.Butthesesymptomswon’tlastforever,especiallywhenyoureplacesugarwithtrulynutritiousingredientsandusehealthyalternativestosweetenyourfood.Still,thelesssweetfoodyouconsume—evenifitissweetenedwithnatural,sugar-freesweeteners—thebetter.
Believeitornot,byconstantlyreducingsugarandsweeteners,yourtastebudswillsoongetusedtoless-sweetflavors.(Ifyoucan’tquitsugarcoldturkey,youmightwanttoreplacethesugarwithnaturalsweeteners.Onceyoudon’tcravesweetnessanymore,reducetheamountofthosenaturalsweetenersaswell.)Butwhatarethosehealthyalternatives?Let’stakealook.
ArtificialSweeteners
First,though,Iwanttosayafewwordsaboutartificialsweeteners,thedarlingsofthefoodindustry.Artificialsweetenerssuchasaspartame,sucralose,oracesulfamepotassiumareliberallyusedindietsodasandothersugar-freeproducts.They’repromotedashealthyalternativestosugaryproductsbecausethefoodindustryhasfinallystartedtounderstandthatpeopleareconcernedabouttheirsugarconsumptionandwanthealthieralternatives.Howhealthyaretheseartificialsweeteners,though?
Theshortanswerisnotvery.First,artificialsweetenerstrickyourbrain.Naturalsugars,suchastablesugar,fructose,lactose,andglucose,bindtobothofthetwoexistingsubunitsofthesweetreceptorsinyourbrain.Whenthishappens,itstimulatesneurotransmitterstosendsignalstoyourbrainthatimmediatelysing“sweet!”whichthensignalstherewardpathwayofthebrain.Whenyoueatartificialsweeteners,thesechemicalmoleculestrickyoursweettastebudsbystimulatingpartofthereceptors.So,insteadofbeingaperfectlock-and-keymatch,aswithnaturalsugars,artificialsweetenersareonlyapartialmatch.Theyfitpartofthestructureofthesweetreceptor,butnotallofit.Thusyoucanthinkofartificialsweetenersasthegenerickeysthatthieves
sometimesusetopicklocks.Theyfitthelockjustenoughtoallowthethieftojimmyittherestofthewayopen.
It’spossiblethatartificialsweetenersnotonlytrickthetastebudsinourmouth,butalsotrickourentiredigestivesystems—atleasttosomedegree.Ifthisistrue—andthemostrecentpapersonthesubjectindicatethatitmaybe—thenitcouldexplainhowartificialsweetenersarethoughttoactuallycause,notprevent,diabetes,weightgain,andothermetabolicissues.However,wemayalreadybeseeingtheendresult,withobesitylevelsandtheincidenceoftype2diabetesskyrocketingatthesametimethatartificialsweetenersweregreatlyincreasedinourfoodsupply.Thefinalverdictistoavoidartificialsweetenerscompletely.
Stevia
Here’sthefirstexampleofasafe,naturalsweetener.NativetoParaguayandsomepartsofBrazil,thisunassuminglittleherbhastenderleavesthataretentofifteentimessweeterthansugar—yettherearezerocaloriesinstevia,anditdoesnotraisebloodglucoselevels.ThoughWesterncultureshaveonlybeguntofullyembracethegloriesofthesteviaplant,theindigenouspeoplesofSouthAmericahaveuseditformedicinalpurposesandtosweetendrinksformorethanathousandyears.
Whatmakesstevialeavessosweet?Wehavethechemicalsglycosidestothank.Glycosidesconsistofsugarmoleculesthatareattachedtononsugarmolecules:Theyarepartglucoseandpartsomethingelse.However,becausetheglucoseisboundtosomethingelse,thehumanbodydoesnotmetabolizeitasasugar(orevenrecognizeitasafood),althoughitdoesmetabolizethepowerfulantioxidantsfoundinit.Ithaszerocaloriesandwillnotbestoredasfatweight.
Whenyoubuystevia,lookforcrudesteviaorcrudesteviaextract,whichisdriedwholeleafsteviawithnothingelseadded.Avoidsteviapowder;it’ssoeasyforthemanufacturertocutitwithinferiorandunhealthysubstancessuchasmaltodextrin(orworse),evenifit’snotlabeledassuch.Ifyoubuywholeleafstevia,youcaneasilyseewhetheritcontainsnothingbutactualdriedstevialeaves.
Liquidsteviaextractsmadefromstevialeavesarealsohandyoptionsforalow-sugarlifestyle,andtheyareusedintherecipesinthisbook.They’reeasiertousethansteviapowder,too.Whenbuyingliquidstevia(extract),besuretochooseasnaturalandunprocessedaproductaspossiblebecausethereisalotofvariationamongproductsandbrands.Lookcarefullyalsoatthedosage:Someofthesteviaextractsareveryconcentrated,whileothersaremorediluted.Many
liquidsteviascontainalcohol,thoughinnegligibleamounts.Ifyouwanttochoosealcohol-freestevia,goforsteviaglycerite.
Thenthereareflavoredstevias,whichofferawholeworldoftaste.Fromvanillatocinnamon,andfromEnglishtoffeetoValenciaorange—andevendarkchocolate!—there’ssuretobeonethatappealstoyou.Justremembertoreadthelabel.Choosenaturalproducts,andleaveoneswithsuspiciousingredientsontheshelf.
Erythritol
Erythritol,asugaralcohol,isanotherwholesomesweetener.Naturallyoccurringinsomefruitsandfermentedfoods,it’sbecomeapopularsweetenerinlow-carbandlow-sugarbaking,thankstoitspure,sweettasteandbecauseit’seasytotolerate.Somepeoplecomplainaboutitscoolingaftertaste,butmostgetusedtothetasteoferythritolrelativelyeasily.Whenit’scombinedwithothersweetenerssuchasstevia,theaftertastecanbeavoidedoratleastreduced.
Unlikemanyothersugaralcohols,erythritolhashardlyanycalories.Itdoesn’tpromotetoothdecay,soyoucanuseitindessertsoraddittocoffee.Itdoesn’tcauseupsetstomachsaseasilyasothersugaralcohols,whichtriggerbloatinganddiarrheaforsensitivepeople.Also,diabeticscanuseerythritolfreelybecauseitdoesn’tincreasebloodsugarlevels(aswithanyfood,individualreactionsmayvary).Ifyouareoneoftherarepeoplewhogetanupsetstomachorhighbloodglucoselevelsfromerythritol,chooseanothersweetener,suchassteviaormonkfruit.
Therearemanydifferenterythritolproductsonthemarket.Therearealsosweetenerscontainingbotherythritolandstevia,inwhicherythritolisthebulkingredientandsteviagivesthefinalsweettouch.Thesweetnessoferythritolisabout60to70percentofthesweetnessoftablesugar,soyouneedmoreofittoachievethesamesweetness.Whenyouweanyourselfoffsugaranditsovertlysweettaste,that60to70percentsweetnessshouldbeplenty.Naturally,youcanevenreducetheamountfurther;theultimategoalistogetridofalladdedsweetness.
Choosinghigh-qualityerythritolpaysoff:You’llgetthebestflavorwithaslittleaftertasteaspossible.Thisisespeciallytrueforpowderederythritolbecauseincolddishessuchasjamsandmarmalades,agood-qualityfinelypowderederythritoldoesn’tcrystallize,butstayswell-dissolvedinthefood,whilecoarseerythritolmightcrystallizeintoanunappetizinglygrittytexture.Ifyouhaveahigh-speedblender,youcanmakepowderederythritolathomefromerythritolcrystals.Inlessthanaminute,you’llgetafinepowderthatyoucan
useindrinks,baking,andcolddesserts.Therearealsogreaterythritol-basedbrownsugarsubstitutesthathavealmostthesamequalitiesasregularbrownsugar,minusthecalories.
Whenbakingwitherythritol,youmightnoticethatyourmuffinsandbreadsgethardonthesurface.Ifthisbothersyou,reducetheamountoferythritolandsupplementitwithstevia.Butthiscrystallizationcomesinhandywhenmakingcookies:Whenyoutakethemoutoftheoventhey’resoft,buttheybecomedeliciouslycrunchyandcrispyoncecool.(CheckouttheCrunchyOne-Bowl,Five-IngredientCookies.)Erythritolalsohelpsthecookiesbindtogether—whichisgreatnewsifyoudon’ttolerateeggs.
Checktheoriginsofyourerythritol,too,asmanyaremadefromGMOcorn.(Thefoodindustrytriestofoolyouhereaswell!)Organic,non-GMOerythritolisthebestchoice,preferablyfromawelltrustedbrand.Ifyoubuyonline,readthereviewsfirst.
DairyProducts
Whenwe’retalkingaboutnaturalsweeteners,wehavetoconsiderdairyproductsaswellbecausetheynaturallycontainlactose—milksugar—eveniftheydon’thaveanyaddedsugar.Youcanenjoydairyproductsonalow-sugarlifestylewhenyouknowwhichonestochoose.(Ofcourse,ifdairyupsetsyoursystem,youshouldavoiditatallcosts.)
Generally,themorefataliquidmilkproducthas,theloweritwillbeinlactose.Low-andnonfatmilkshavethemost;half-and-halfusuallyhaslessthanwholemilk;andwhippingcreamwillhavelessstill.(Doavoidhalf-and-halfbecauseofalltheadditivesitcontains!)Buttermilkhaslesslactosethanplainmilk,butstillafairamount.Yogurtandotherpartiallyfermentedmilkproductssuchaskefirorculturedsourcreamcontainafairamountoflactose,butfarlessthanregularmilk.Butterandsoftcheesescontainsmallamounts.Hardcheesescontainonlytracesoflactose,somanylactose-intolerantpeoplecanenjoytheseeventhoughtheycan’tconsumeotherdairyproducts.
Asforcreamcheese,thegoodnewsisthatit’sverylowinsugar.(Justavoidadditivessuchascarrageenan;goorganicandcleaninstead.)SurpriseyourguestswiththeFive-IngredientHeavenandHellCheesecake.They’llneverguessit’ssugar-free!Orforacompletelynoveluseofcreamcheese,trytheTwo-IngredientCrackers,whicharedelicious,starch-freecrackersmadefromcreamcheeseandalmondflour.
Whataboutbutter?Foryears,thishealthy,naturalfathasbeenneglected,orevenbanned,thankstothelow-fatcrazeofthe1990s.Today,weknowthat
saturatedfatsdon’tcauseheartdisease,soit’sfinetoconsumeanduseitincookingandbaking.
Still,timeshavechangedwhenitcomestobutter.Thebestbutterishormone-andantibiotic-free,andcomesfromgrass-fedcows—butanybutterisbetterthanhighlyprocessedvegetableoils.
HealthyAlternativestoStarchyFloursinCookingandBaking
Beforeweinvestigatehealthyalternativestowheatflourandotherregularlyusedstarchyflours,let’stalkabouttheharmthatstarch-filledgrainsandotherplantscandotooursystems.
PlantsandTheirToxicSubstances
Grainssuchaswheat,rye,andbarleycontainnotonlysugarintheformofstarch,butothersubstances,suchasproteinsthatmightnotgetabsorbedcompletelybyyourdigestivesystem,causinginflammation.Moreover,modern,highlycultivatedgrainshavealmostnothingtodowiththeearlyvarietiesweatethousandsofyearsago—orevenjustahundredyearsago.Inrecentyears,cropyieldanddiseaseresistancehavetakenprecedenceovernutrientcontentanddigestibilitywhenitcomestocultivatinggrains.
Let’snotforgetotherstarchyfoods,namelypseudo-cerealsandlegumes.Grainssuchasquinoaandamaranthandlegumessuchasbeansgetalotofgoodpress,butisitalltrue?Theirnutrients(whichyoucaneasilygetfromstarch-freesources)comewiththecostoflectins,phytates,andothersubstancesthatmayshakeyoursystem.Plus,cerealsandgrainscontainphytatesandphyticacidwhich,whenusedliberally,canpreventabsorptionofimportantmineralsincludingzinc,iron,andcalcium.Ifyousufferfromhealthconditions,especiallyautoimmunediseases,it’sbesttoavoidgrainsandlegumesaltogether.
Stillthereareplentyofhealthy,starch-freeoptionsforcookingandbakingonalow-sugarlifestyle.Let’sexplorethem!
AlmondFlour
Almondflourisastapleingluten-free,reduced-sugarbaking.Nowonder.Almondsareverynutritious,andwithalmondflouryoucaneasilybakesweetorsavorymuffins,cakes,andbreads.Therearedifferenttypesofalmondfloursonthemarket,withthemostcommonlyusedversionmadefromblanchedalmonds.Thetasteisneutral,butit’sobviouslynotasnutritiousasalmondflourmadefromwholealmonds.
However,itstillbeatsanystarchyflourwithflyingcolors—evengluten-freeones.Ifwecompare3.5ounces(100g)ofriceflour—oneofthemostcommonlyusedingredientsincommercialgluten-freeproducts—and3.5ounces(100g)ofalmonds,itbecomesobviousthatriceflourcontainsonlyminusculeamountsofnutrients.(Wherethatquantityofriceflourcontainsjust76mgpotassium,thesameamountofalmondscontains733mgpotassium—tentimesmore!)Wherericeflourcontains10mgcalcium,almondshaveawhopping269mgcalciumper3.5ounces(100g).Ultimately,almondsandalmondflouraremuchmorenutritious.
Somebrandsofalmondflourareprettycoarse(moremealthanflour),whileothersareveryfinepowders.Therearenostandardsforalmondflour,andevenwithinonebrand,thequalitycanvaryfromonebatchtoanother.Inthisbook,Iuseaprettycoarsetypeofalmondmealorflour,sotheveryfine-texturedvarietiesmightnotworkaswellhere,thoughyoucancertainlyexperimentwiththem.(Ifyou’reusingveryfinealmondflour,agoodruleofthumbistousehalfasmuchastherecipecallsfor.)
CoconutFlour
Coconutflourisanotherstapleinyourgluten-free,low-sugarkitchen.It’salsonutritiousandfiber-rich,containingmineralssuchasmagnesium,potassium,andphosphorusaswellastracemineralssuchaszinc,manganese,andselenium.Plus,it’sawhopping40percentfiber.(Wholewheatflourhasabout11percentfiber,soifanyonetriestotellyouthatyouneedgrainstogetyourfiber,showthemthesestaggeringfigures.)
Unlikealmondflour,coconutflourabsorbsenormousamountsoffluid.Thisactuallymakesitmoreaffordablethanalmondflour,andcoconutflourisalreadyprettycheapcomparedwithalmondflour.Ifarecipecallsfor1cup(96g)ofalmondflour,youcanoftenreplaceitwithjust1/4cup(32g)ofcoconutflour.Justremembertoaddenoughfluid,ortheresultmaybetoodryandcrumbly.Whenitcomestococonutflour,fluidisthebulkingredient.Remember—eggscountasafluid,andcoconutflourneedseggs.Otherwise,bakedgoodswon’tholdtogether.
Thecoconutflourusedintherecipesinthisbookisveryfine,justlikewheatflour.Alwayschoosethefinest,whitestcoconutflourwithaslittleodoraspossibleforthebest,mostneutral-tastingresult.
PsylliumHuskPowder
Consistingmostlyofsolublefiber,psylliumhuskshavebeenusedfordecadestotreatdifferentstomachailments—constipationanddiarrheaalike.(Psylliumisagentle,naturalbulklaxative:Ifyou’veeverhadMetamucil,you’vealreadyconsumedit,becauseMetamucilispsyllium.)Theycomeinwholehusks,inpowderedform,andinaversionthat’ssomewhereinbetween.Alwayschoosethepowderedformforbaking—or,ifyoucan’tfindit,grindwholehusksintopowderwithamortarandpestle.Psylliumisagreattoolwhenitcomestohealthy,starch-freebakingbecauseitimprovestexture,makingbakedgoodsriseremarkablywellandhelpingthembindtogether.Soifyouhavetroublewithcrumblybakedgoodsthatbreakeasily,addsomepsylliumhuskpowdernexttime.Alittlegoesalongway,though,anddon’tforgettoaddfluidaswell:Myexperimentsinthekitchensuggestthateachteaspoonofpsylliumrequiresanadditionalscanthalf-cup(100ml)offluid.Thetypicalamountusedinrecipesvariesfromapinchtoafewtablespoons(27g).
Psylliumalsomakesaperfecteggreplacementforthosewhocan’ttolerateeggs.MySavoryRicottaButternutSquashTartisagoodexampleofhoweggcaneasilybereplacedwithpsyllium.
ChiaSeeds
Chiaseeds,whichcomefromtheSalviahispanicaplant,arewildlypopularamonghealthenthusiaststhesedays,thankstotheirnumeroushealthbenefitsanddeliciouslycrunchytexture.Butthey’renotamoderninvention.AncientpopulationssuchastheMayansandAztecsconsumedthemingreatquantities,too.Chiaseedsarestillusedintheirnativeenvironments—Argentina,Bolivia,Guatemala,Mexico,andParaguay—infoodsanddrinks.
Miniaturenutritionalpowerhouses,chiaseedscontainlotsofmineralsincludingmagnesium,manganese,calcium,phosphorus,zinc,andpotassium.They’realsorichinthiamine(vitaminB1),riboflavin(vitaminB2),niacin(vitaminB3),andantioxidants,andareagreatsourceofdietaryfiber.Likepsyllium,chiaseedsalsoabsorbunbelievableamountsoffluid:tentimestheirownweight,tobeexact.Sothey’regreatforbakingorforoh-so-trendychiapuddings.Ifyou’renotafanoftheirtexture,neverfear,youcanusemilledchiaseedsinstead.
AlmondButtersandNutButters
Nutbuttersareagreatresourceforhealthy,low-sugar,starch-freebaking.Almondandothernutbuttershavenothingtodowithdairy-basedbutter;they’re
simplynutsthathavebeensofinelygroundthatthey’veformedathickpaste(andsometimesoilisaddedtohelpprocessing).
Youcanbuycommerciallymadenutbutters,butwatchoutbecausesomecontainsugar.It’sjustaseasytomakealmondbutteryourselfifyouhaveahigh-speedblenderandasuitablejar.Justblendrawortoastedalmondsorothernutsintoasmoothpaste.Addextra-lightoliveoilorextra-virgincoconutoillittlebylittlewhileblendingifthemixturebecomestoothick.Transfertoajarandstoreinthefridgeforuptotwoweeks.
Experimentwithdifferentnutbutters,forexamplecashewbutter,sunflowerbutter,macadamiabutter,sesamebutter(tahini),hazelnutbutter,andever-popularpeanutbutter.(Anoteonpeanutbutter,though:Itshouldbeusedonlyinsmallamountsduetoitssignificantcarbcontent,andyoushouldavoidifcompletelyifyou’reallergictopeanuts.)Allofthesearegreatingredientsforlow-sugarbaking,andIusethemliberallyintherecipesinthisbook.
Grass-FedWheyProtein
Athleteshavereliedonwheyproteinpowdersforages—andnowonderbecausewheyproteinquicklyreplenishesyourglycogen(musclestarch!)suppliesafterexercise.Andit’sacompleteprotein,too.
Whatarethebenefitsofusingwheyproteininbaking?Well,wheyproteinimprovesthetextureofbakedgoodsremarkably.Ithelpsthemriseandbindtogether,andimpartsarelativelydensebutmoisttexture.Itproducesespeciallygoodresultswhenit’susedin“large”bakedgoods,suchasbreadsandcakes—likemyEasyFluffyBread.
Optforhigh-qualitywheyproteinmadefromgrass-fedcows.Grass-fedwheyproteinhasfourtimesmoreomega-3fattyacidsthangrain-fedwheyprotein.It’salsorichinCLA(conjugatedlinoleicacid),whichaidsfatburning;plusimmunoglobulins,whichhelpyourbodyfightvirusesandbacteria;andlactoferrin,whichhelpsnormalizeyourironlevels.Besides,grain-fedcowsaregivenpesticides,antibiotics,andevenhormonestopreventillnessandstimulatemilkproduction—andthat’sneveragoodthing.(Avoidthosewithaddedsugars,thoughthosemadewithsteviaarefine).
EggWhiteProtein
Eggwhiteprotein—whichisbasicallyjustdried,powderedeggwhite—isgreatforlow-sugarbaking.Likewheyprotein,eggwhiteproteinhasacompleteaminoacidprofile.Whenusedinbaking,eggwhiteproteinhelpsbakedgoodsriseandbindtogether.Becauseofthesequalities,eggwhiteproteinperforms
bestinbreads,andyouhavetobecarefulnottousetoomuch,ortheresultcouldbedryandleathery.Ideally,itshouldbecombinedwithothertypesofprotein,suchaswheyproteinorplant-basedprotein.(Myexperimentsshowthathalfeggwhiteproteinandhalfwheyproteinproducesthebestresult.)
Plant-BasedProteins
Ifyoucan’ttoleratedairyoreggs,plant-basedproteinsareyourbestbet.Riceprotein—whenmadefromsproutedbrownrice—isthemostnutritiousplant-basedprotein.Soyproteinisolateisalsoacompleteprotein,butIavoidsoy,soIcan’treallyspeakforit.Plus,becauseitcanbetoughonthestomach,manypeopleexperiencegasandbloatingwhentheyconsumeit.Riceprotein,ontheotherhand,isthebest-toleratedplant-basedprotein,andthemostgentleonthestomach.
Rice,hemp,andpeaproteinsalsohavebenefitsforstarch-freebaking,thoughtheeffectsaremilder.Breadsmadewiththemwon’triseashigh,andarecrumblier.Also,theseplant-basedproteins,especiallyhempprotein,tendtolendagreencolortobakedgoods(perfectforHalloweenorSt.Patrick’sDay,perhaps?).Hempandpeaproteinsmaycausestomachupsetinsomepeople,andtheyusuallylacksomeessentialaminoacids.Theydocontainmorenaturalsugarsthanwheyproteinoreggwhiteprotein.
Soifyouwanttochooseaplant-basedprotein,riceproteinmadefromsproutedbrownriceisthebestoption,inbothnutrientsandtolerancelevel.Justmakesurethattheycontainonlynaturalingredients,andthatonlysteviaisusediftheyaresweetened.
Starch-FreeAlternativestoPasta,Rice,andPotatoes
Withalittleimagination,manynonstarchyvegetablescanbeusedinlieuofpasta,rice,andpotatoes.Cauliflower,forinstance,isalongtimelow-carbstaple,replacingpotatoandrice.Thesedays,youcanbuycauliflowerriceinsomestores,butit’seasytomakeathome,too,byprocessingchunksofcauliflowerintoarice-likeconsistencyinyourfoodprocessor,andusingitinplaceofregularstarchyrice.Youcanpreparerisottoswithit(trytheEasyCauliRiceMushroomandParmesanRisotto);youcanuseitinpaellas,suchastheCauliRiceSeafoodPaella;anditmakesagreatsidedish,asintheVegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice.Whencookingcauliflowerrice,it’sbesttoleaveitaldente,orcrisp-tender.
Spiralizedzucchini(zoodles,orzucchininoodles)andotherspiralizednonstarchyvegetablesmakeperfectpastasubstitutes.Therearefancyspiralizermachinesonthemarket,butyoudon’treallyhavetobuyone.Agoodoldgraterwilldothejobverywell.(Afoodprocessorwithagratingbladeworksperfectly,too.)Oneofthegreatadvantagesofusingspiralizedvegetablesisthatyoudon’thavetocookthem:Justaddthemrawtothedishintheend.Makeaperfect,low-carblunchordinnerbytoppinganampleamountofspiralizedvegetableswithahearty,creamysauce.
Thankstoitslowsugarcontent,spaghettisquash—nature’sownstarch-freespaghetti—hasalsobecomealow-carbfavorite,andcanbeusedinplaceofregularspaghettiinvariousdishes.Plus,youdon’thavetograteorspiralizeanything:Justscoopthestrands,or“spaghetti,”outofthecookedsquash!
Turnipandrutabagaarenutritious,low-starchoptions,too,andevenmakegreat“Frenchfries.”Justtosstheminextra-lightoliveoil,spices,andsalt,thenbakethemintheoven.
ShiratakiPasta
Athealthfoodstoresoronline,youcanfindshirataki,or“miracle,”noodles(andrice),whichismadefromglucomannan,anaturaldietarywater-solublefiberthatthehumanbodycannotdigest.Glucomannancontainshardlyanycalories,anditmayhaveseveralhealthbenefits:It’sbeenusedtotreatconstipation,improvebloodlipidprofile,andincreaseinsulinsensitivityintype2diabetics.Serveshiratakipastaorricetoppedwithscrumptious,low-sugarsauces,orasasidedish.Ifyoucan’tfindthem,replacethemintherecipesinthisbookwithzoodlesorotherspiralizednonstarchyvegetables.
Starch-FreeThickeners
Gelatinisaperfectstarch-freethickener,andithasgreathealthbenefits,too:It’sallegedtohelpeasearthritis,leakygut,foodallergies,skinproblems,andcandidainfections.Inthisbook,IusegelatintothickenLow-SugarOrangeMarmalade(shownhere),andinmykid-pleasingSugar-FreeNatural-IngredientGummyBears(shownhere).
Anotherstarch-free—andnearlycalorie-free—thickenerisglucomannanpowder.Rememberthoseshiratakinoodles?Well,thisisthesamestuff,justinpowderform.Whenthickeningrecipeswithglucomannan,knowthatalittlegoesalongwaybecauseitabsorbsenormousamountsofwater.Besuretoaddit
pinchbypinch.MyrecipeforHomemadeSugar-FreeMapleSyrupisagoodexampleofhowtouseglucomannanpowder.
Ifyoucan’tfindglucomannan,lookforguargumorxanthangum,bothofwhicharealsowhitishpowders.Guargumisthegroundinnerpartofguarbeans,whilexanthangumissecretedbyabacterium,Xanthomonascampestris,fromsugarsubstrates.Bothguargumandxanthangumarepolysaccharides,buttheyaresolublefibersthatyourbodycannotbreakdown.Xanthangumiswidelyusedingluten-freebakingasabindingagent,andtoimprovetexture.Likeglucomannan,alittlegoesalongway:You’llprobablyusesomewherebetweenafractionofateaspoonandoneteaspooninarecipe.Avoidlumpsbysprinklingtheminlittlebylittle,mixingwellasyoudoso.IusexanthanguminmyLow-SugarSweetandSourSauceandinmyEasySugar-FreeStrawberryJam.
OtherHealthyIngredientsforLow-SugarCooking
Low-sugarcookingiseasywhenyourpantryisstockedproperly.Herearelow-carbstaplesthat’lladdflavorandcutcookingtime—withoutsacrificingtasteorhealthbenefits.
SpicesandSeasonings
Whenyou’remakingfoodfromscratch,havingspiceandseasoningmixesonhandisagreathelp—butlotsofstore-boughtseasoningmixescontainfoodadditivesandstarches(plusrefinedsalt).Usesalt-freespiceseasoningmixes,andsticktonaturalsaltssuchasunrefinedseasaltandHimalayansalt,whichcontainminerals(andtastebetter,too).
NaturalFlavoringsandExtracts
Mostflavoringsandextractsonthemarketareartificial,butyoucanfindnaturalflavoringsifyoulookforthem.They’reespeciallyusefulfordesserts:Takevanilla,forinstance,whichturnsupincountlesstreats.Andbecauseofitsnaturallysweetflavor,you’llbeabletouselesssweetenerinyourrecipe.Vanillabeansarewonderfulforcustardsandpuddings,andpowderedvanillabeanisdeliciousineverythingfrombakedgoodstochilledorfrozencreations,suchaspuddingsandicecreams.Besuretochooseclean,organic,sugar-freeversions—andalcohol-free,glycerine-basedextractorflavoringisthebestchoiceforkids.
Countlessotherflavoringsandextractsareavailable,too.Again,avoidthosewithsuspiciouschemicals(forinstance,propyleneglycolis,terrifyingly,usedin
antifreezesubstances)orclose-to-poisonouscolors(Red40,oralluraredAC,causesADHD-likebehaviorinchildren).Chooseonlysugar-freeextractswithnaturalflavorsources.
EssentialOils
Didyouknowthatyoucanuseessentialoilsincooking?Citrusessentialoilsinparticular,suchasorangeoil,lendapowerful,brisk,fruitynotetoyourdisheswithouttheaddedsugarinwholefruit.(MyLow-SugarOrangeMarmaladeisagreatexample.)Alwaysbesuretochoosefood-gradeessentialoil,andbeawarethattheoilsaresostrongthatasingledrop—ortwoatmost—isenough.Never,everaddmore,oryoumightdamageyourintestines.
DarkChocolateandDarkCocoaPowder
Greatnewsforchocolatelovers:Chocolateisactuallyahealthfood!Thereareloadsofantioxidantsandnutrientsinunsweeteneddarkcocoapowderanddarkchocolatewithaminimumcocoacontentof85percent.Studieshaveshownthatdarkchocolatecanpreventcardiovasculardisease(CVD),improvebrainfunction,andlowerhighbloodpressure.Sofeelfreetoenjoyit—inmoderation,ofcourse.
AWordAboutProtein
Unlikecarbohydrateconsumption,eatingproteinisabsolutelyessentialtohumanlife.Wesimplycannotsurvivelong-termwithouteatingproteinbecauseourbodiescannotsynthesizetheaminoacidsweneedtosurvive.Therefore,wehavetogetessentialaminoacidsfromtheproteininourdiets.
Still,it’salsotruethattoomuchproteincanadverselyaffectyourhealthinveryseriousandsignificantways.Eatingtoomuchproteinraisesbloodglucoselevelsthroughgluconeogenesis,whichisthebreakdownofaminoacidsintoglucoseintheliverandkidneys.Gluconeogenesiscausesinsulinlevelstorisesignificantlyinordertocompensateforthisextrasugar.Thoughthisextrainsulincanloweryourbloodsugarovertheshort-term,itcausesinsulinresistance—thatis,type2diabetes—inthelongrun.
Also,eatingexcessproteincanleadtoachronicriseinleptin,orthesatietyhormone.Inthesamewaythattoomuchinsulinleadscellmembranestobecomeinsulinresistant,chronicallyhighlevelsofleptincausethereceptorson
yourhypothalamustobecomeresistanttoleptin.Thiscanleadtofatstorageandfoodcravings—which,inturn,encouragesyoutoeatmoreandtostoremorefat,whichleadstomoreleptinresistance,causingaviciouscyclethat’sdifficulttobreak.Consuminghighlevelsofproteincanalsoaccelerateagingandincreasestheriskofcancer.
Sohowmuchproteindoyouneedtoconsumeeachdayinordertosupplyyourbodywiththeessentialaminoacidsitneeds?Foranaveragehealthy,moderatelyactiveperson,targetproteinconsumptionshouldbeabout0.7to1gramofproteinperkilogramofleanbodymass.Leanbodymassincludesthemassofyourmuscles,bones,organs,andtendons,butexcludesyourbodyfat.So,yourleanbodymassissimplyyourtotalweightminusyourbodyfat.Becauseit’shardtoknowexactlyhowmuchbodyfatyouhave,youcanusesimpleestimatesinstead.You’lleasilyfindonlinecalculatorsthat’llhelpyoucalculateyourleanbodymass.
Ifyouarediabetic,youmaywanttoreduceyourdailyproteinintakealittlemore.RonRosedale,M.D.,awell-knownadvocateofalow-carb,moderate-proteindiet,statesthathefirstputshisdiabeticpatientsonacarbohydrate-restricteddiet.However,iftheirbloodsugardoesn’tdecreasesufficiently,hisnextstepistoputthemonaprotein-restricteddietof0.5to0.7gramofproteinperkilogramofleanbodymass.Rosedalereportsverygoodresultswiththismethod:Hispatients’bloodsugarlevelsstabilize,theirbloodlipidprofilesimprove,metabolicissuesareresolved,andbloodpressureisnormalized.
AWordAboutFat
Youmightbeaskingyourself,“IfIhavetorestrictmysugar—thatis,carbohydrate—intakeandrestrictmyproteinintake,whatcanIeat?!”Here’stheanswer:Increaseyourconsumptionofhealthyfatsfromminimallyprocessedwholefoods,suchasseeds,nuts,nutbutters;plusthenaturalfatinfish,grass-fedbeef,free-rangepasture-fedchickenandeggs;andcold-pressedolive,avocado,andcoconutoils—andgrass-fedbutter,whichisanespeciallyexcellentnaturalfat.(Thisdoesnotincludehydrogenatedorpartiallyhydrogenatedoils,whicharetheunhealthytrans-fatsthataresoabundantinprocessedfoods,nordoesitincludeanyfatsthathavebeenoverlyprocessed.)
Memorizethisimportantfact:Fatisactuallygoodforyou!Somuchmisinformationonfataboundsthatyoumighthavetospendsometimereprogrammingyourbraininordertobelieveit.Thetruthisthatweneedfatforthousandsofvitalbodilyfunctions.Fromeverycellmembranetothewhite
matterinourbrains,fromabsorbingfat-solublevitaminstosynthesizinghormones,fatispresent—andnecessary—throughoutourbodies.Withoutit,wewoulddie.
Thisistrueonlyfornaturalfats,though—thefatswehaveconsumedsincethedawnofthehumanrace.Thisdoesn’tapplytohighlyprocessedvegetableseedoils,whicharehighlytoxic.Theyoxidize(thatis,becomerancid)whenheated,creatingcarcinogeniccompoundsandcausinginflammation.Sostayawayfromvegetableseedoilssuchascanola,sunflower,safflower,soybean,corn,cottonseed,andrapeseed.Thebestfatsforcookingaresaturatedfats.Coconutoilistheabsolutebest,followedbylardandotheranimalfats,suchasbutter:They’rethemoststable,anddon’tbecomerancidwhenheated.Oliveoilandavocadooilcanbealsousedforcooking,astheycontainmainlymonounsaturatedfattyacids,whichdon’tbreakthateasily—thoughthey’restillmoreunstablethansaturatedfatsandarebestusedinsaladdressingsandothercolddishes.
ThemyththatsaturatedfatscauseCVDhasfinallybeendebunked,sowecanfinallyacceptthatitisn’tfatweneedtofear:It’ssugar.Solet’sditchthefatphobia,andwelcomehealthyfatsbackintoourdiets.Therecipesinthisbookwillencourageyoutodojustthat—andthey’llkeepyounourishedandsatisfiedsothatyourbodyandmindcanthrive.
CHAPTER4
BASICS&PANTRYSTAPLESIt’snormaltofeeloverwhelmedwhenyou’restartingalow-sugarlifestyle,andyoumighthavealotofquestionsaboutit.Whatcanyoueat,andwhat’soff-limits?Whichingredientsshouldyouchoose?Howdoyoupreparelow-sugarfoodthat’sbothnutritiousanddelicious?
Well,thischapterisheretohelp.It’sfulloflow-sugarrecipesforthestaplesyou’llbeusingagainandagain,sothatyou’llalwayshavehealthyingredientsonhand,andwon’thavetoreachforsugar-ladenprocessedstuffinapinch.(Plus,thehomemadeversionstastebetter.)So,whetheryou’relookingforsugar-freeketchup(aguaranteedkid-pleaser!),easy-to-makemayo,guilt-freejamsandmarmalades,orfluffy,sliceablestarch-freebread,you’resuretofindinspirationinthepagesthatfollow.
LOW-SUGARSWEETANDSOURSAUCECommercialsweetandsoursauceeasilycontainsmorethan30percentsugar,butthisflavorful,homemadeversionhastentimesless!Betteryet,thisexceptionallysimpleandseriouslygoodcondimentisreadyinnotime:Justmixalltheingredientstogetherandheatuntilthick.UseitasawoksauceforAsian-styledishes,intheEasyBreakfastBurrito,orserveitasacondimentwithchickenorvegetabledishes.Italsomakesagreatdipforstarch-freecrackersandrawvegetables.
INGREDIENTS
2/3cup(160ml)water1/2cup(65g)powderederythritol3tablespoons(45ml)ricevinegar
3tablespoons(48g)unsweetenedtomatopaste
11/2tablespoons(25ml)naturallyfermentedgluten-freesoysauce,suchastamari15dropsliquidstevia,ortotaste1/4teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste1/2teaspoonxanthangumYield:about13/4cups(410ml)
Placethewater,erythritol,vinegar,tomatopaste,soysauce,stevia,andsaltinasmallsaucepanandwhiskwell.Sprinkleinthexanthanwhileconstantlywhisking.Placethesaucepanoverahighheat,constantlymixing.Whenthemixturestartstothicken—andbeforeitbeginstoboil—removeitfromtheheat.Letcooltoroomtemperaturebeforerefrigerating.Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridge.Thesaucetastesbestthefollowingday,aftertheflavorshavehadtimetocombine.Usewithintwoweeks.
TIP:Ifyoudon’thavericevinegar,userawapplecidervinegaroranothermild-tastingvinegarinstead.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:3.3gprotein;0.4gfat;
12.2gnetcarbs;66kcal
PERTABLESPOON(15ML):0.1gprotein;tracefat;
0.5gnetcarbs;
3kcal
◁FIVE-INGREDIENTSUGAR-FREEKETCHUPThisiseveryparent’sdream:super-healthy,sugar-freeketchup!Madewithanerythritol-basedbrownsugarsubstitutethatisalmostnoncaloric,it’sahealthycondimentthat’sdeliciousfordippinglow-carbrutabagaorturnipfries,ortheEasyBroccoli“TaterTots”.Rememberthatplacingtheketchupmixtureoverahigherheatcausesittothickenfaster—butitdoessplattereasily,sotakecareandkeepalidhandywhilecooking.
INGREDIENTS
2cups(450g)unsweetenedtomatosauce1/4cup(40g)erythritol-basedbrownsugarsubstitute2tablespoons(28ml)rawapplecidervinegar1/8teaspoonCeyloncinnamonPinchofcayennepepper
Yield:about2cups(450g)
Placealltheingredientsinamediumsaucepanoverahighheatandbringtoaboil.Reducetheheattomediumandboil,uncovered,untiltheketchuphasreachedthedesiredconsistency(about30minutes),stirringevery5minutes.Astheketchupthickens,itmaysplatter,sobecareful.Ifso,reducetheheatandcoverthesaucepanwithaliduntilthesplatteringstops.Letcooltoroomtemperaturebeforerefrigerating.Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridge,andusewithinoneweek.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:5.9gprotein;tracefat;
20.1gnetcarbs;121kcal
PERTABLESPOON(14G):0.2gprotein;tracefat;
0.7gnetcarbs;4kcal
NO-SUGARTERIYAKISAUCETraditionalJapaneseteriyakisauceissweetandtangy,butcommercialversionsoftencontainahugeamountofsugar,whichcanberesponsibleforasmuchone-thirdoftheirtotalcaloriecount.Thisguilt-freeversion,however,hasnoaddedsugar.Instead,itgetsitssweetnessfromanerythritol-basedbrownsugarsubstitute,whichisalmostcalorie-free.It’seasytoadjustthelevelofsweetnesstoyourtaste.
INGREDIENTS
1/2cup(120ml)naturallyfermentedgluten-freesoysauce,suchastamari1/3cup(53g)erythritol-basedbrownsugarsubstitute1/4cup(60ml)drysherry1/4cup(60ml)ricevinegar1teaspoongroundginger1/4teaspoongarlicpowderYield:about1cup(240ml)
Placeallingredientsinasmallsaucepanandbringtoaboiloverahighheat,mixingconstantly.Onceboiling,removefromtheheatandletcooltoroomtemperature.Useitjustliketraditionalteriyakisauce—tomaketeriyakichicken,forexample,ortheTerrificTeriyakiPorkSandwich.
TIP:Ifyouwanttousefreshingredients,replacethegarlicpowderwith1mincedgarliccloveandreplacethegroundgingerwith1tablespoon(8g)ofgratedginger
root.
NOTE:Ifyoupreferathickersauce,sprinkle1/2teaspoonxanthangumorglucomannanintothemixturebeforeheating.Whiskcarefullywhenaddingthe
thickenertopreventlumps.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:12.3gprotein;0.3gfat;
8.8gnetcarbs;154kcal
PERTABLESPOON(15ML):0.6gprotein;tracefat;
0.5gnetcarbs;8kcal
FOOLPROOFONE-MINUTEMAYOThinkit’shardtomakehomemademayonnaise?Thinkagain.Thisisthequickest,easiestwaytopreparemayonnaise,ever,andit’shealthyaswellbecauseitcallsforlightoliveoilinsteadofunhealthy,omega-6-filledcanolaorsunfloweroil.(Lightoliveoilismoreneutral-tastingthanextra-virgin,whichmightbetoostrongformayonnaise.)Thissimplemayoisusedinlotsofrecipesinthisbook,sobesuretokeepabatchonhand.(Notethatthisrecipecontainsrawegg.)INGREDIENTS
1veryfreshegg
2teaspoonsunsweetenedmustard(suchasDijon)1/8teaspoongroundwhitepepper1/4teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste2teaspoonsrawapplecidervinegar3/4cup(180ml)extra-lightoliveoilYield:about1cup(225g)
1.Placetheegg,mustard,whitepepper,salt,andvinegarintoadeep,narrowblendingjar.Theninsertanimmersionblenderintothejarsothatitreachesthebottom.
2.Nowpourintheoliveoil.Don'tlifttheimmersionblenderorturnitonyet:Letitstandinthebottomofthejar,coveringtheeggandtheotheringredients.
3.Startblendingonthehighestspeed.Blenduntiltheoiliscompletelyincorporatedandthemayonnaiseissmooth.(Youcanlifttheblenderveryslowlyattheendoftheprocesstomakesurealltheoilisincorporated.)Thisphaseshouldn’ttakelongerthanaminute.Storethefinishedmayonnaiseinthefridgeforuptotwodays.NOTE:Youcanalsopreparethemayonnaiseinthetraditionalwaybyaddingtheoillittlebylittletotherestoftheingredients,beatingvigorouslyallthetimewithawhisk
orelectricmixer.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:8.4gprotein;225.2gfat;
0.7gnetcarbs;2064kcal
PERTABLESPOON(14G):0.4gprotein;
11.3gfat;tracenetcarbs;
103kcal
FANTASTICFRENCHDRESSINGHere’sanotherclassiclow-carbdressingthatcombinesgreattasteandgoodfats.AnditssharpyetsophisticatedflavorisaperfectmatchfortheGreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,orsimilarlyfruity-yet-savorysalads.Ifyoupreferyourdressingonthesweetside,addacoupleofdropsofliquidsteviatothemix.
INGREDIENTS
1tablespoon(15ml)freshlysqueezedlemonjuice1/3cup(80ml)extra-virginoliveoil1/4teaspoonmustardpowder1garlicclove,crushed
PinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt
Yield:about6tablespoons(95ml)
1.Placealltheingredientsinasmalljarwithatight-fittinglid.Closethelidtightlyandshakevigorouslyuntilthemixtureissmooth.Forbestresults,lettheflavorsmingleforafewhoursbeforeserving.
2.Storeinthefridgeandbringtoroomtemperature30minutesbeforeuse.Shakewellbeforeserving.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:0.5gprotein;73.5gfat;
0.8gnetcarbs;666kcal
PERTABLESPOON(16ML):0.1gprotein;12.2gfat;
0.1gnetcarbs;111kcal
◁QUICKRASPBERRYVINAIGRETTEThisflavorful,easy-to-makevinaigretteaddsadashofelegancetojustaboutanysalad,andit’salsoadeliciouswaytoaddextravitaminsandhealthyfatstoyourdiet—minusthenastysugaranditsharmfuleffects,ofcourse.Useahigh-speedblendertobreakupthegrittyseedsandtoachieveasmooth,richresult.Feelfreetoexperimentwithotherberrieshere,too,suchasstrawberriesandblueberries.
INGREDIENTS
1/4cup(25g)freshraspberries,orthawedfrozenraspberries2tablespoons(28ml)rawapplecidervinegar
6tablespoons(90ml)extra-virginoliveoil
5dropsliquidstevia,ortotaste1/4teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotasteYield:about2/3cup(160ml)
Simplyplacealltheingredientsinahigh-speedblenderandblenduntilsmooth.Serveimmediately,orstoreinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeandbringtoroomtemperature30minutesbeforeuse.Shakewellbeforeserving.
NOTE:Tomakethisrecipeevensimpler,makeabatchoftheEasySugar-FreeStrawberryJamrecipeaheadoftime,replacingthestrawberrieswithraspberries.
Then,tomakethisvinaigrette,justreplacetheraspberriesandsteviawith2tablespoons(30g)ofthejam.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:0.4gprotein;82.3gfat;
1.6gnetcarbs;749kcal
PERTABLESPOON(15ML):traceprotein;8.2gfat;
0.2gnetcarbs;75kcal
◁SIMPLEANDSUCCULENTSATAYSAUCEFullofrichnessandexoticflavor,thisThai-stylesataysauceisreadyinmereminutes.Enjoyitwarmwithchicken,fish,orvegetabledishes,anddon’tforgettoaddchoppedsaltedpeanutsbeforeserving:Theyenhancetheflavorandtextureevenmore.Ifyoupreferathickersauce,increasetheamountofpeanutbutter;ifyoupreferathinnersauce,increasethecoconutmilk.
INGREDIENTS
1cup(240ml)coconutmilk2/3cup(160g)crunchyunsweetenedpeanutbutter11/2tablespoons(23g)sugar-freeThairedcurrypaste1to2tablespoons(15to28ml)fishsauce
10dropsliquidstevia,ortotaste1/4cup(30g)choppedsaltedpeanuts,toserveYield:about2cups(480ml)
Combinealltheingredientsinasmallsaucepanandplaceoverhighheat,stirringconstantly.Whenthemixtureishotandsmooth,removeitfromtheheat.Letcoolslightlyandservewarm,sprinkledwithchoppedpeanuts.
TIP:Forafruitier-tastingsauce,replacethesteviawith2tablespoons(30g)ofFive-IngredientSugar-FreeKetchup.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:57.0gprotein;150.5gfat;
30.4gnetcarbs;1704kcal
PER1⁄4CUP(60ML):7.1gprotein;18.8gfat;
3.8gnetcarbs;213kcal
FIVE-INGREDIENTSUGAR-FREECHOCOLATEHAZELNUTSPREADCommercialchocolatehazelnutspreadscontainbothagooddealofsugarandprocessedvegetableoils,whichareinfamousfortheirinflammation-inflictingomega-6content.Butthishealthy,homemadeoptionusesonlynaturalsweetenersandrealbutter,whichisfarhearthealthier.SmearitonasliceofEasyFluffyBreadforaquick,lightbreakfastorsnack.
INGREDIENTS
3/4cup(85g)crushedtoastedhazelnuts1/4cup(2ouncesor60g)unsaltedgrass-fedbutter,softened
1tablespoon(7g)unsweeteneddarkcocoapowder
3tablespoons(24g)powderederythritolorotherpreferredsweetener,ortotaste2tablespoons(28ml)extra-lightoliveoil1/2teaspoonvanillaextract(optional)Yield:about3/4cup(195g)
Combinealltheingredientsinahigh-speedblenderandblenduntilasmoothpasteisformed.Addmoresweetenerifneeded,thenblendwellagain.Storeinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeandbringtoroomtemperature30minutesbeforeuse.Usewithinoneweek.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:15.4gprotein;130.1gfat;
5.5gnetcarbs;1260kcal
PERTABLESPOON(16G):1.1gprotein;9.3gfat;
0.4gnetcarbs;90kcal
THREE-INGREDIENTSUGAR-FREECARAMELGLAZEGreatnews:It’spossibletomakeahealthy,sugar-freecaramelglazewithjustthreenaturalingredients.Soundtoogoodtobetrue?Well,it’snot!Infact,youcanmakecaramelusingjusttwoingredients—heavycreamanderythritol—butthesaltedbutterenhancesitsflavorandproducesaperfectlyglossysauce.Andthelongeryoucookit,thethickeryoursaucewillbe.Trytoppingyourfavoritelow-sugardessertswiththisluscioustreat.
INGREDIENTS
11/2cups(350ml)heavycream3tablespoons(30g)erythritol-basedbrownsugarsubstitute
1tablespoon(14g)saltedgrass-fedbutter
Yield:about1cup(240ml)
1.Placetheheavycreamandthesweetenerinamediumsaucepanandbringtoaboiloveramedium-highheat,stirringconstantly.Reducetheheattomedium,thensimmeruncovereduntilthick,about15minutes,stirringallthetime.You’llknowthesauceisreadywhenyoucanseethebottomofthesaucepanasyouwhiskit.Besuretowatchthemixtureconstantlyduringcooking;itcanboiloverinseconds.Reducetheheatifthemixtureisabouttospill.
2.Whenthecaramelisthick,removefromtheheat.Addthebutterandmixwell,untilthebutterismeltedandiscompletelyincorporatedintothemixture.
3.Coverandletitcooldown.Useasglazeorsauceimmediately,orstoreinthefridgeinanairtightcontainerandconsumewithinthreedays.
TIP:Beextremelycarefulwiththeboilingcream,asitboilsoververyeasily.Usingalargersaucepanhelpspreventthis,andalsoallowsyoutouseahigherheat,which,in
turn,reducescookingtime.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:7.4gprotein;138.2gfat;
11.7gnetcarbs;1319kcal
PERTABLESPOON(15ML):0.5gprotein;8.6gfat;
0.7gnetcarbs;82kcal
◁LOW-SUGARORANGEMARMALADETraditionalorangemarmaladeisterriblyhighinsugar—butnowyoucanenjoyallthatfresh,succulentflavorwithoutsugaranditsharmfuleffects.Plus,thismarmaladehasasmoothtexture,whichmakesiteasilyspreadable(andmorekid-friendly).Discardingthewhitepithoftheorangebeforecookingguaranteesaperfectlyfruitymarmaladewithoutahintofbitterness,andlong,slowcookingensuresnaturallydeep,sweetflavors.
INGREDIENTS
2oranges
1cup(240ml)plus1/4cup(60ml)waterdivided1cup(130g)powderederythritol
40dropsorange-flavoredstevia
2teaspoonsgelatinpowder
2drops100percentorangeessentialoil
Yield:about21/2cups(750g)
1.Washtheorangesandpatthemdry.Finelygratethepeelfrom1orangeandplaceitinamediumsaucepan.(Besuretogratetheorangepartofthepeelonlyandleaveoutthewhitepith:it’sverybitter.)2.Peelbothoranges.Discardthepeelsandseedsanduseonlytheflesh.Removeasmuchofthewhitepithaspossible.Chopthefleshinto1/2-inch(1.3cm)chunks.Addthesetothesaucepan,alongwith1cup(240ml)ofthewater,thepowderederythritol,andtheorangestevia.Mixwellandbringtoaboiloverahighheat.Onceboiling,reducetheheattolow.Cover,andletthemixturesimmerfor3hours.
3.Whenthemixturehassimmeredforcloseto3hours,pourtheremaining1/4cup(60ml)waterintoasmallcup.Sprinklethegelatinpowderontop.Letthegelatinsoakandthickenfor5minutes,thenaddittothehotorangemixtureandmixwelluntilcompletelydissolved.Addtheorangeessentialoilandmixagain.Pourthehotmarmaladeintosterilizedglassjarsoraceramiccontainer.Letcooltoroomtemperature,thenrefrigerateovernight.Themarmaladewillsetinthefridge.Storeinthefridgeandconsumewithintwoweeks.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:9.7gprotein;0.4gfat;
31.5gnetcarbs;199kcal
PER1⁄4CUP(60G):1.0gprotein;tracefat;
3.2gnetcarbs;20kcal
PERTABLESPOON(20G):0.2gprotein;tracefat;
0.8gnetcarbs;5kcal
◁EASYSUGAR-FREESTRAWBERRYJAMYouwon’tbelievehoweasyitistomakehomemadesugar-freestrawberryjam.Andyoucantailorittoyourtaste,too:Cookingthemixtureforlesstimeyieldsachunkierjam,whilelongercookingresultsinasmoothertextureandasweeterflavor.Usethissummeryjamtodressupyourbreakfastyogurtortoaccompanyasugar-freecheesecake,orslatheritonasliceofstarch-freepeanutbutterbreadtomakeahealthyPB&Jsandwich.
INGREDIENTS
1pound(450g)freshstrawberries,orthawedfrozenstrawberries1/4cup(32g)powderederythritol40dropsliquidvanillastevia,ortotaste
2pinchesxanthangum
Yield:about11/2cups(350g)
1.Combinethestrawberries,erythritol,andvanillasteviainalargesaucepan.Placeoverahighheat,stirringconstantly(andscrapingthebottomofthesaucepanasyoustir).Whenthemixturebeginstosteam,reducetheheattolow.Cookfor15to20minutes,oruntilthemixturehasreachedthedesiredconsistency.(Feelfreetoleaveitaschunkyasyoulike.)Mixconstantlyduringcooking,crushingandbreakingthestrawberrieswiththebackandsidesofthemixingspoon.
2.Sprinkleinthexanthangumlittlebylittleontopofthemixture,stirringallthetime.(Ifyoulike,youcansiftinthexanthangumthroughateastrainertopreventlumps.)Continuemixingandletthejamsimmerfor2to3minutesbeforeremovingfromtheheat.Coverwithalidandletthejamcoolcompletely.Storeitinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeandconsumewithinoneweek.Youcanalsofreezethejamforuptotwomonths,orpreserveitforlongerinsterilizedglassjars.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:2.3gprotein;0.9gfat;
38.1gnetcarbs;172kcal
PERTABLESPOON(15G):0.1gprotein;tracefat;
1.4gnetcarbs;6kcal
HOMEMADESUGAR-FREEMAPLESYRUPThere’snoneedtoskimponthisdeliciouscondiment:Youcanhappilydrownyourstarch-freepancakesandwafflesinitwithoutworryingabouttheharmfulsugarloadthat’spartandparceloftraditionalmaplesyrup.Andittastes,looks,andfeelsjustliketherealthing!IuseFrontierNaturalProductsmapleflavorforthisrecipe,soifyouuseanothertypeofmapleflavor,besuretoadjusttheamountaccordingly.
INGREDIENTS
11/2cups(350ml)water3/4cup(120g)erythritol-basedbrownsugarsubstitute1/2teaspoonglucomannan1teaspoonsugar-freemapleflavoring,ortotaste
Yield:about2cups(475ml)
1.Combinethewaterandthesweetenerinasmallsaucepanandbringtoarollingboiloverhighheat.Mixacoupleoftimeswhileheating.
2.Removethesaucepanfromtheheatand,verycarefully,sprinkleintheglucomannanwhilewhiskingvigorouslytopreventlumps.Addthemapleflavoringandmixwellagain.Adjustthetastebyaddingmoresweetenerormapleflavoring,ifnecessary.Letcooltoroomtemperature.Thesyrupwillthickenduringcooling.Pourthesyrupintoaglassbottleandstoreinthefridgeforuptotwoweeks.
TIP:Glucomannanisthebestthickenertouseherebecauseitproducesthesmoothest,mostneutral-tastingresult.
NOTE:This“maplesyrup”isintentionallylesssweetthanregularmaplesyrup,tohelpweanyouofftheunnaturallysweettaste.However,ifyou’dliketomakeitsweeter,use
1cup(240ml)erythritol-basedbrownsugarsubstitute.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:0.1gprotein;tracefat;
3.5gnetcarbs;10kcal
PERTABLESPOON(15ML):traceprotein;tracefat;
0.1gnetcarbs;0kcal
◁EASYFLUFFYBREADIn2012,Ipostedmyfirstfluffybreadrecipeonmyblog.Sincethen,I’vemadeseveralimprovementstotherecipe,thisonebeingthelatest—andabsolutebest!—version.Itstextureisfabulouslylightandfluffy,butitholdstogetherextremelywell,sosliceitasthinlyasyoulike.
INGREDIENTS
1/4cup(30g)unflavoredeggwhiteproteinpowder1/4cup(20g)unflavoredgrass-fedwheyproteinpowder1tablespoon(9g)psylliumhuskpowder
2teaspoonsbakingpowder
4eggs,separated1/2cup(120g)unsweetenedcashewbutter1/2cup(120ml)unsweetenedalmondmilk1teaspoonunrefinedseasalt(optional)
5dropsliquidstevia,ortotaste(optional)
Yield:1loaf
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Combinetheeggwhiteprotein,wheyprotein,psylliumhuskpowder,andbakingpowderinasmallbowl.Mixwelltobreakupanylumps.
2.Inaseparatebowl,beattheeggwhitesuntilstiffpeaksform.
3.Combinethecashewbutterandeggyolksinalargebowlandbeatuntilwellcombined.Thenaddthealmondmilkandsaltandstevia,ifusing,andbeatagain.Addthedryingredientstothewet,andmixwell.Foldintheeggwhitesandmixgentlywitharubberspatulauntilsmooth.Pourthemixtureintoa9×5-inch(23×13cm)siliconeloafpan.
4.Bakeinthepreheatedovenfor45minutes,oruntilatoothpickinsertedinthecenteroftheloafcomesoutclean.Removefromthepan,letcoolcompletely,andserve.
TIP:Forevenlowersugarcontent,replacethecashewbutterwithmacadamianutbutter.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:84.3gprotein;95.9gfat;
22.6gnetcarbs;1293kcal
PERSLICE,IF12SLICESINTOTAL:7.0gprotein;8.0gfat;
1.9gnetcarbs;108kcal
PERSLICE,IF24SLICESINTOTAL:3.5gprotein;4.0gfat;
0.9gnetcarbs;54kcal
LOW-SUGARCINNAMONRAISINBREADRaisinsarerelativelyhighinnaturalsugars—butthisdeliciousCinnamonRaisinBreadisn’t.What’sthesecret?Choppingtheraisinsintotinypieces,whichyieldsplentyofflavorwithminimalsugar.Andifyouaddextracinnamonandsweetener,you’llbeabletoreducethequantityofraisinsevenfurther.
INGREDIENTS
3/4cup(90g)coconutflour1/3cup(45g)finelychoppedraisins1/4cup(20g)vanilla-flavoredgrass-fedwheyproteinpowder3tablespoons(27g)psylliumhuskpowder
2teaspoonsbakingpowder
2teaspoonsCeyloncinnamon1/4teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt6eggs
1cup(240ml)unsweetenedalmondmilk
25dropsliquidstevia
Yield:1loaf
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Placeallthedryingredientsinamediumbowl.Mixwell,makingsuretherearenolumps.
2.Placetheeggs,almondmilk,andsteviainanothermediumbowlandwhiskwell.Addthedryingredientstothewet,thenmixwithanelectricmixeruntilsmooth.Transferthebattertoa9×5-inch(23×13cm)siliconeloafpan.Usearubberspatulatoformitintoaloafshape.Bakefor60minutes,oruntilatoothpickinsertedinthecenteroftheloafcomesoutdry.Removefromthepan,letcoolcompletely,andserve.
TIP:Forvariation,add1/4cup(75g)Low-SugarOrangeMarmaladetothewetingredients.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:81.5gprotein;58.7gfat;
55.6gnetcarbs;1079kcal
PERSLICE,IF24SLICESINTOTAL:3.4gprotein;2.4gfat;
2.3gnetcarbs;45kcal
PERFECTFIVE-INGREDIENTPEANUTBUTTERBREADIfyoulovepeanutbutterbread—andwhodoesn’t?—butdon'twantyourbloodsugartoskyrocket,thenthissugar-freeversionistheanswertoyourprayers.Andittakesjustfiveingredientstomakethisstarch-free,gluten-freetreat.Justbesuretobakeitinasiliconeloafpantopreventthedoughfromsticking.
INGREDIENTS
1/2cup(45g)vanilla-flavoredgrass-fedwheyprotein2teaspoonsbakingpowder1/2cup(120g)unsweetenedsmoothpeanutbutter4eggs1/4cup(32g)powderederythritolPinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ifthepeanutbutterisnotsalted(optional)Yield:1loaf
1.Preheattheovento300°F(150°C).Placethewheyproteinandthebakingpowderinasmallbowlandmixwell.Setaside.
2.Placetherestoftheingredients—peanutbutter,eggs,sweetener,andsalt,ifusing—inalargebowlandbeatwithanelectricmixeruntilsmooth,fluffy,andbubbly,about5minutes.Addthewheyproteinmixturetothepeanutbuttermixtureandbeatagainuntilsmoothandwellcombined.
3.Pourthebatterintoa9×5-inch(23×13cm)siliconeloafpanandbakefor40minutes,oruntilaknifeinsertednearthecentercomesoutclean.Removefromthepan,letcool,andslice.ServewithEasySugar-FreeStrawberryJam.
NOTE:TomakeaPB&Jloaf,add1/2cup(120g)EasySugar-FreeStrawberryJamtothebatterafterpouringitintotheloafpan.Useaforktomakebigswirlsinthebatter
withthejam,thenbakeaccordingtotheinstructionsabove.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:93.7gprotein;104.4gfat;
21.1gnetcarbs;1400kcal
PERSLICE,IF24SLICESINTOTAL:3.9gprotein;4.4gfat;
0.9gnetcarbs;
58kcal
◁TWO-MINUTEMILE-HIGHENGLISHMUFFININAMUGAfewbasicingredientsandacoupleofminutesareallyouneedtowhipupalow-sugarEnglishmuffinthat’stheperfectvehicleforjustaboutanykindoftopping,suchassalad,meat,eggs,cheese,orveggies.Or,foranelegant-yet-fillingweekendtreat,tryfillingitwithlox,creamcheese,dill,andredonion.Youwon’tevenmissthebagel!
INGREDIENTS
Softenedbutter(forgreasingthemug)
1/4cup(30g)almondflour
1teaspoonpsylliumhuskpowder1/4teaspoonaluminum-freebakingpowder1pinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste
1egg
1tablespoon(15ml)sodawater(oranysparklingwater)
Yield:1serving
1.Greaseamicrowave-safecupwithsoftenedbutter.(Thehigherandnarrowerthecup,thebetterthemuffinwillrise.)2.Combinethealmondflour,psylliumhuskpowder,bakingpowder,andsaltinasmallbowl,takingcaretobreakupanylumps.Addtheeggandmixwellwithaspoon.Addthecarbonatedwaterandmixwellagain.Spoonthebatterintothegreasedcup,thenmicrowaveonhighfor2minutes.(Checkthemuffinafter1minuteandadjustthetotalcookingtimeaccordingtoyourmicrowaveoven.)3.Removethemuffinfromthecup,letcoolslightly,slice,andenjoywarmwithyourfavoritetoppings,ortoastit,ifyoulike.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:15.0gprotein;22.3gfat;
2.5gnetcarbs;270kcal
SUGAR-FREE,STARCH-FREEPIECRUSTTraditionalpiecrustisfilledwithstarch—mainlywheatflour—whichmeansit’shardlyahealthychoice.Neverfear,though:It’snotdifficulttomakeathin,flakystarch-freepastrythat’sperfectforsweetandsavorypiesalike.Ifyou’reusingthiscrusttomakeasweetpie,add2tablespoons(16g)ofpowderederythritoltothedryingredients,oracoupleofdropsliquidsteviatothewetingredients.
INGREDIENTS
1/2cup(60g)almondflour1/4cup(30g)coconutflour2tablespoons(18g)psylliumhuskpowder
1teaspoonaluminum-freebakingpowder
PinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt
3eggs
2tablespoons(30ml)lightoliveoil
Yield:1piecrust
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Placethedryingredientsinasmallbowlandmixthemwelltobreakupanylumps.
2.Placetheeggsandoliveoilintoamediumbowl.Graduallyaddthedryingredients,whiskingconstantlytopreventlumps.(Thedoughwillbeverysturdy,andwillthickenalmostimmediatelyafteraddingthedryingredients.)Pressthedoughevenlyintothebottomandsidesofa10-inch(25cm)piepan.Prickthedoughalloverwithaforktopreventblistering,andprebakethecrustfor15minutesbeforeaddingthefillingofyourchoice.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:41.7gprotein;79.0gfat;
13.5gnetcarbs;932kcal
PERSLICE,IF8SLICESINTOTAL:5.2gprotein;9.9gfat;
1.7gnetcarbs;
117kcal
PERSLICE,IF12SLICESINTOTAL:3.5gprotein;6.6gfat;
1.1gnetcarbs;78kcal
VEGANSUGAR-FREE,STARCH-FREEPIECRUSTIfyou’revegan,youknowthatcreatinglow-carbdessertscanbeabitofanextrachallenge.Buthere’ssomegoodnews:Youdon’tneedeggtomakeaperfectpiecrust.Andthisrecipeisproof.Likeitsnonvegancounterpart(oppositepage),itcallsforjustafewsimpleingredients,anditcanbeusedtomakesweetandsavorypiesthataresuretoimpressyourguests.
INGREDIENTS
2cups(230g)almondflour
2tablespoons(18g)psylliumhuskpowder1/2teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste1teaspoonaluminum-freebakingpowder1/3cup(80ml)extra-lightoliveoil1/4cup(60ml)water
Yield:1piecrust
Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Placethealmondflour,psylliumhuskpowder,salt,andbakingpowderinasmallbowl.Mixwelltobreakupanylumps.Addtheoliveoilandwater.Usecleanhandstomixandkneaduntilastiffdoughforms.Pressthedoughevenlyintothebottomandthesidesofa10-inch(25cm)piepan.Prickthedoughalloverwithaforktopreventblistering.Prebakethecrustfor10minutesbeforeaddingthefillingofyourchoice.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:44.0gprotein;174.2gfat;
20.1gnetcarbs;1824kcal
PERSLICE,IF8SLICESINTOTAL:5.5gprotein;21.8gfat;
2.5gnetcarbs;228kcal
PERSLICE,IF12SLICESINTOTAL:3.7gprotein;14.5gfat;
1.7gnetcarbs;152kcal
◁SINGLE-SERVETORTILLAIsthereanythingquiteashandyandversatileasatortilla?Itcanbecomeaburrito,aquesadilla,oralunchtimewrap—andwhenit’sbaked,it’stheperfectfoundationforaplateofnachos(seethevariation,aboveright).Andthisstarch-freeversionisacinchtomake.Becauseithasaneutraltaste,it’sperfectfordessertsandsweetsnacks,too.
INGREDIENTS
2teaspoonscoconutflour
1teaspoonpsylliumhuskpowder
PinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt
1egg
2teaspoonsunsweetenedalmondmilk
1.Combinethecoconutflour,psylliumhuskpowder,andsaltinasmallbowlandmixwelluntilcombined.Addtheeggandthealmondmilkandstirwithaspoonuntilsmooth.
2.Pourthemixtureontoan8-inch(20cm)microwave-safeplate.Tilttheplatetothinlyspreadthebatterasevenlyaspossible.Heatonhighfor1minuteand45seconds,oruntildone.Adjustthetimeaccordingtoyourmicrowaveoven,butdon'toverbake:Thetortillawillbedryifbakedtoolong.Useaspatulaorcheeseslicertoremovethetortillafromtheplate.Letcoolandserve.
TIP:Youcanusealmondflourinsteadofcoconutflour,ifyoulike.Justomitthecoconutflourandadd2tablespoons(15g)ofalmondflourtothedryingredientsand
thenfollowtherecipedirections.
VARIATION:Tomakenachos:Add1teaspoonextra-lightoliveoiltothebatterandomitthealmondmilk.Bakethetortillafor3minutes,turningitoveraftereachminute.Letcoolcompletely.Oncecooled,thetortillawillbecrispyandeasytobreakinto
pieces.
NOTE:Forextraflavorandvariety,add1/2teaspoondriedherbsor1teaspoondriedtomatopowdertothedryingredients.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:8.5gprotein;6.8gfat;
1.0gnetcarbs;100kcal
SUPER-HEALTHYWAFFLES(ORPANCAKES)WhilewafflesareoftenthoughtofasbreakfastfoodintheUnitedStates,inEuropetheyareeatenateverymeal.Youcantopwaffleswithberriesforbreakfast,creamcheeseandmixedgreensforlunch,andheartystewsforacomfortingdinner.Withjamandwhippedcreamtheyareaverypopulardessert.Wafflesandpancakesmakegreatsubstitutestotraditionalhigh-carboptionssuchasbread,croissants,andnoodles;thus,theyserveasagreatbasicrecipeinyourlow-sugarcookingrepertoire.
INGREDIENTS
1/2cup(60g)coconutflour1/4cup(20g)vanilla-flavoredgrass-fedwheyprotein1tablespoon(7g)milledchiaseeds
2teaspoonsaluminum-freebakingpowder
PinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt
6eggs1/2cup(120ml)unsweetenedalmondmilk20dropsvanillastevia
Yield:6to8pancakes
1.Placethedryingredientsinasmallbowlandmixwell.Placetheeggs,almondmilk,andsteviainamediumbowlandwhiskuntilsmooth.Graduallyaddthedryingredientstothewet,stirringconstantly.Whencompletelycombined,letthemixturestandfor10minutestothicken.
2.Usethebattertomakewafflesinyourwafflemakeraccordingtothemanufacturer'sinstructions.(Usebutterforgreasingthewafflemaker.)Tomakepancakes,frypancakesinasmallskilletonmedium-lowheatinanampleamountofbutter.Storeleftoverpancakesorwafflesinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeandconsumewithinoneday.
TIP:Fordairy-freewafflesorpancakes,replacethewheyproteinwithriceprotein,andusebutter-flavoredcoconutoilorlightoliveoilforfrying.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:72.0gprotein;52.7gfat;
17.3gnetcarbs;
833kcal
PERSERVING,IF6SERVINGSINTOTAL:12.0gprotein;8.8gfat;
2.9gnetcarbs;139kcal
PERSERVING,IF8SERVINGSINTOTAL:9.0gprotein;6.6gfat;
2.2gnetcarbs;104kcal
CHAPTER5
BREAKFASTWhenyourbodydoesn’thavetocombathighinsulinandbloodsugarlevels,you’llhavelotsmoreenergyforyourdailytasks.Sowhynotstartyourdaywithadelicious,nutritious,sugar-freebreakfast?Therecipesinthischapteraredesignedtokeepyousatisfiedforhours—untillunchtime,andthensome.Foraweekendbrunch,poptheFive-IngredientOvernightSausageandEggBreakfastCasseroleorthePuffyCheeseOmeletwithAvocadointotheoven.Oronbusyweekdayswhenyouhaven’tgottimetowait,theOne-MinuteOmeletinaMugorStarch-FreeHotCerealwillsatisfyyoujustinafewminutes.
Foranevenquickeroption,bakesomeHeartyBreakfastMuffinswithBaconandCheeseorScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffinsaheadoftime,thentakethemasaneasygrab-and-gobreakfast.(Justbepreparedforsomejealousglancesonyourcommute.)Readytobecomeamorningperson?
LUSCIOUSKEYLIMEPIESMOOTHIEWITHASECRETINGREDIENTIfyouloveKeylimepie,I’vegotgreatnewsforyou:Youcanhaveitforbreakfast.Thishealthygreensmoothieispackedwithgood-for-youingredients—anddon’tworryifyoucan’tfindKeylimes.It’sjustasgoodwhenit’smadewithregularones.Andcanyouguessthesecretingredient?It’soneoftheall-timebestsuperfoods:sprouts.(Justdon’ttellyourkids!)Yield:1serving
INGREDIENTS
1cup(240ml)unsweetenedalmondmilk1/2cup(115g)plainfull-fatGreekorTurkishyogurt1/3cup(43g)powderederythritolZestof1smalllimeorzestofthreeKeylimes
11/2tablespoons(22ml)freshlysqueezedlimejuice1cup(50g)well-rinsedanddrainedsprouts(broccoli,alfalfa,etc.),tightlypacked1/2teaspoonglucomannanorxanthangum,forthickening(optional)Yield:1serving
Simplyplaceallingredientsinahigh-speedblenderandblenduntilsmooth.Ifyouusexanthangum,besuretosprinkleitontopofthemixturebeforeblendingtopreventlumping.VARIATION:Add2peeledandpittedripeHassavocadosforadeliciousKeyLimePie
Pudding!Dividethemixturebetweenservingbowlsandenjoywithaspoon.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:6.7gprotein;14.8gfat;
8.7gnetcarbs;209kcal
◁JOYFULCHOCOLATEALMONDSMOOTHIEThisguilt-freesmoothiewon’tspikeyourbloodsugarlevelslikepastriesorsugarycandybarswill,makingitadelicious,no-cheatstarttothemorning,anditscarefullychoseningredientswillnourishandsatisfybothbodyandmind.(Thinkofitasbrainfood!)Plus,thissmoothieisvegananddairy-free,whichmeansit’stheidealstarttoyourdayifyoudon’ttoleratedairy.
INGREDIENTS
1cup(240ml)unsweetenedalmondmilk1/4cup(60g)unsweetenedalmondbutter2tablespoons(15g)unsweeteneddarkcocoapowder
1tablespoon(14g)extra-virgincoconutoil
3tablespoons(24g)powderederythritol
1teaspoonvanillaextract
Yield:1serving
Simplyplacealltheingredientsinahigh-speedblenderandblenduntilsmooth.Serveimmediately.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:16.9gprotein;54.4gfat;
5.4gnetcarbs;587kcal
◁INSTANTLEMONCHEESECAKEYOGURTPARFAITSBakinglemoncheesecaketakeshours,andworse,youhavetowaituntilthenextdaytoeatit.(Whohasthatkindofpatience?Notme!)ButtheseLemonCheesecakeYogurtParfaitsonlytakeaminuteortwotomake.Andtheirrich,sophisticatedtasteisabsolutelydecadent.Soifyou’recravingsomethingindulgentyethealthyandsatingforbreakfast,looknofurtherthanthesequickietreats.
INGREDIENTS
2cups(460g)thick,plainfull-fatTurkishorGreekyogurt1/2cup(120g)plainfull-fatcreamcheese1tablespoon(15ml)freshlysqueezedlemonjuice
100dropslemonstevia,ortotaste
1cup(130g)Grain-FreeGranola,orchoppednutsofchoice,plus2tablespoons(16g)forgarnishYield:4servings
1.Placetheyogurt,creamcheese,lemonjuice,andlemonsteviaintoasmallbowl.Mixwellwithaspoonuntilsmooth.Adjustthetastebyaddingmorecreamcheese,lemonjuice,orlemonstevia,ifnecessary.Mixwellagain.
2.Place1/4cup(32g)ofthegranolaorchoppednutsintofourservingglassesorsmallmasonjars,andtopeachwithonequarteroftheyogurtmixture.Garnisheachwith1/2tablespoon(4g)granolaandserveimmediately.
TIP:Notafanofcreamcheese?Noproblem:Thisrecipeworksjustaswellasalemonyogurtparfait,minusthecreamcheese.Justuse21/2cups(600ml)plainfullfat
yogurtandomitthecreamcheese.
NUTRITIONINFO
CHOPPEDWALNUTSUSEDINCALCULATIONS
INTOTAL:42.1gprotein;166.2gfat;
28.3gnetcarbs;1786kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:10.5gprotein;41.5gfat;
7.1gnetcarbs;446kcal
◁GRAIN-FREEGRANOLAThishealthy,grain-freegranolaisgreatforyourgut,andyoucanthinkofthisrecipeasatemplateforendlessvariations:Usewhichevernutsandseedsyouhappentohaveonhand.Andfeelfreetoreducetheamountoferythritolifyoudon’tlikeyourgranolaverysweet—butdon’treplaceitoromititcompletelybecauseit’sthesecretingredientthatmakesthisgranoladeliciouslycrunchy.
INGREDIENTS
1/2cup(20g)unsweetenedcoconutflakes1/2cup(45g)almondflakes1/2cup(65g)choppedpecans1/2cup(75g)sunflowerseeds1/4cup(25g)erythritolcrystals1tablespoon(15ml)meltedextra-virgincoconutoil
1teaspoonCeyloncinnamon1/2teaspoonvanillapowderYield:about2cups(205g)
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Lineabakingsheetwithparchmentpaper.
2.Placealltheingredientsinalargebowl.Tosswelltoensureeverythingiswellmixedandthenuts,seeds,andcoconutarecoveredwithoilandseasonings.Transferthemixturetothelinedbakingsheet,andspreaditoutevenlywithaspoonintoasthinalayeraspossible.
3.Bakefor8to12minutes,oruntilthemixtureturnsgolden-brown.(Becareful,though,asthenutscanquicklybecometoodarkandburn.)Removethegranolafromtheovenandletcoolcompletely.Thegranolaissoftandchewywhilehot,butbecomescrunchywhenithascooleddown.
4.Breakthecoolgranolaintosmallpieces,andstoreinatightlysealedglassjarinacool,dryplace.
TIP:MakePumpkinPieSpicedGrain-FreeGranola.It’seasy:Justreplacethecinnamonwithpumpkinpiespice.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:34.4gprotein;132.9gfat;
17.9gnetcarbs;1411kcal
PER1⁄4CUP(25G):4.3gprotein;16.6gfat;
2.2gnetcarbs;176kcal
PERTABLESPOON(6G):1.1gprotein;4.2gfat;
0.6gnetcarbs;44kcal
STARCH-FREEHOTCEREALIfyou’refollowingagluten-free,low-sugardiet,atraditionalbreakfastofporridgeoroatmealisn’tanoption.Butthissimple,healthyalternativeisjustasgood—andit’spackedwithnutrients,too.Topitwithberries,sugar-freesyrup,orasizeablepatofgrass-fedbutter,andyou’vegotawarming,satisfying,low-carbbreakfastthat’llseeyouthrougheventhedarkestwintermornings.
INGREDIENTS
1/3cup(80g)unsweetenedalmondbutter2teaspoonsmilledchiaseeds1/3cup(80ml)water1pinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotasteYield:1serving
1.Combineallingredientsinasmallsaucepan,andplaceoveramedium-lowheat,stirringcontinuouslyandbreakingthealmondbutterlumpsintosmallerpieceswiththebackofaspoon.
2.Whenthemixtureissmooth,hot,andthick,removethesaucepanfromtheheat.Letcoolslightly,andservewithfreshberriesorapatofgrass-fedbutter,ifyoulike.
TIP:Almondbuttersuitsthishot“cereal”especiallywell,butfeelfreetoexperimentwithdifferentnutbutters.
NOTE:Mixthingsupalittle:useunsweetenedalmondmilkorheavycreaminsteadofwaterforarichertaste.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:18.4gprotein;46.3gfat;
5.4gnetcarbs;511kcal
LUSCIOUSLOW-SUGARFRENCHTOASTJustaquickglanceattheingredientlistforclassicFrenchtoastconfirmsthatit’sfullofsugarandstarch—amajorno-noifyou’refollowingalow-sugarlifestyle.Butmyhealthyversiontastesjustasgood—evenbetter!—andhaspracticallynosugaratall.BesuretouseasufficientlyhighheatforfryingtokeepyourFrenchtoastfromgettingsoggy.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHEFRENCHTOAST:
4eggs1/4cup(60ml)unsweetenedalmondmilk1teaspoonvanillaextract
1teaspoonCeyloncinnamon
5dropsliquidstevia
8slicesEasyFluffyBread
Butterforfrying
FORTOPPING:
Freshlygratednutmeg(optional)
1/4cup(60g)grass-fedbutter1/3cup(80ml)HomemadeSugar-FreeMapleSyrup
Yield:4servings
1.PreparetheFrenchtoast.Placetheeggs,almondmilk,vanillaextract,cinnamon,andsteviainamediumbowl.Whiskwelltocombine.(Ifthecinnamonfloatsontopofthemixture,justcontinuetowhiskuntilithasbecomewellincorporated.)Thensoakeachbreadsliceintheeggmixturefor10seconds.
2.Heatagriddleorskilletovermedium-highheat.Whenhot,meltapatofbutterintheskillet.Frythebreadslicesfor3to4minutesoneachside,oruntilgoldenbrown.Toserve,sprinkleeachsliceofFrenchtoastwithfreshlygratednutmeg,ifyoulike,andtopwithapatofbutterandHomemadeSugar-FreeMapleSyrup.
TIP:MakingFrenchtoastfortheholidays?Replacethealmondmilkwith1/3cup(80ml)RichSugar-FreeEggnogoruseLow-SugarCinnamonRaisinBreadinsteadofEasy
FluffyBread.
NOTE:Sprinkleshaveddarkchocolate(withaminimumcocoacontentof85percent)onthefreshlyfriedbreadslices.Thechocolatemeltsandcreatesanincredibly
chocolatey—butguilt-free!—treat.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:79.6gprotein;176.2gfat;
14.5gnetcarbs;1963kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:19.9gprotein;44.0gfat;
3.6gnetcarbs;491kcal
◁SPLENDIDSUN-DRIEDTOMATO,BASIL,ANDPINENUTMUFFINSBurstingwithfreshflavors,thesebreakfastmuffinsareawonderfullysavorywaytostartyourday.They’retoppedwithpiquantpinenuts,spottedwithboldbasil,anddottedwithsucculentsun-driedtomatoes.They’rebakedatalowoventemperature,sothey’reexceptionallymoist.Makethemaheadoftimeandfreezethem.Inthemorning,allyouneedtodoispopacoupleintothemicrowave,andyou’regoodtogo.
INGREDIENTS
1/2cup(60g)coconutflour2teaspoonsaluminum-freebakingpowder
1teaspoononionpowder
6eggs1/2cup(20g)finelychoppedfreshbasilleaves,looselypacked1/3cup(35g)finelychoppedsun-driedtomatoes1/4cup(60ml)heavycreamorcoconutcream1/2teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste2tablespoons(18g)pinenuts
Yield:10muffins
1.Preheattheovento300°F(150°C).Lineamuffinpanwithpaperliners.
2.Combinethecoconutflour,bakingpowder,andonionpowderinasmallbowl.Mixwelltobreakupanylumps.
3.Placetheeggs,basil,tomatoes,cream,andsaltinamediumbowl.Whiskwelluntilcombined.Graduallyaddthedryingredientstothewet,whiskingallthetimetopreventlumping.
4.Scoopthebatterintothemuffinliners,fillingthemthree-quartersfull.Topeachwithasprinkleofpinenuts,gentlypressingthenutsintothemuffinbattersothattheystick.Bakefor20to30minutes,oruntilatoothpickinsertedinthemiddleofamuffincomesoutalmostdry.Don’toverbake.Removefromtheoven,letcool,andservewarm.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:
65.1gprotein;87.8gfat;
27.4gnetcarbs;1167kcal
PERMUFFIN,IF10MUFFINSINTOTAL:6.5gprotein;8.8gfat;
2.7gnetcarbs;117kcal
WHOLESOMECORN-FREESPINACHANDARTICHOKE“CORN”MUFFINSCoarsealmondflour,oftensoldasalmondmeal,isaperfectsubstituteforstarchycornmeal.Thetextureissimilar,andtheflavorisrichandnutty.What’smore,almondflourcontainslotsofnutrientsandfewnaturalsugars—unlikecornflour,whichisnutrient-poor.Soit’sanidealingredientinthesesavorybreakfastmuffins,whichtaketheirinspirationfromclassicspinachandartichokedip.
INGREDIENTS
11/2cups(165g)coarsealmondflour1cup(90g)shreddedcheddarorMontereyJackcheese
1cup(50g)finelychoppedbabyspinach,looselypacked
4mediumcannedartichokehearts,drainedandchopped
3eggs1/4cup(60ml)heavycream1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotasteYield:12muffins
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Lineamuffinpanwithpaperliners.
2.Combineallingredientsinamediumbowl.Mixwelluntilasmoothbatterisachieved.Scoopthebatterintothemuffinliners,fillingthemthree-quartersfull.Bakefor25to30minutes,oruntilatoothpickinsertedinthemiddleofamuffincomesoutalmostdry.Removefromtheoven,letcoolslightly,andservewarm.Freezetheleftovers.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:87.1gprotein;153.7gfat;
20.0gnetcarbs;1811kcal
PERMUFFIN,IF12MUFFINSINTOTAL:7.3gprotein;12.8gfat;
1.7gnetcarbs;151kcal
HEARTYBREAKFASTMUFFINSWITHBACONANDCHEESEThesestick-to-your-ribsbreakfastmuffinsareadreamcometrueforbusymornings.Preparethembeforehandandfreeze.Whenhungerhits,justpoponeinthemicrowave,thengrabandgo.Becausethey’resuretotideyouovertilldinner,theymakeagreattake-alongmidafternoonsnackforschoolorwork,too.There’snoneedtosticktobaconandcheesehere,either.Youcancreateendlessvariationsusingdifferentcheeses,meats,orveggies.
INGREDIENTS
1/4cup(30g)coconutflour1teaspoonaluminum-freebakingpowder
1teaspoononionpowder
1teaspoonCajunseasoning
5eggs1/4cup(60ml)heavycream11/2cups(145g)shreddedSwisscheese(orothersharpcheese)1cup(140g)choppedrawbacon1/2teaspoonunrefinedseasalt,ortotaste1/4cup(55g)finelychoppedpickled,drainedjalapeños(optional)Yield:8to12muffins
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Lineamuffinpanwithpaperliners.
2.Combinethecoconutflourandthebakingpowderinasmallbowl,thenmixtherestoftheingredientsinalargebowluntilwellmixed.Addthecoconutflourmixturetothebowlwiththerestoftheingredientsandmixwithaforkuntilthebatterissmooth.
3.Scoopthebatterintothemuffinliners,fillingthemthree-quartersfull.Bakefor20minutes,oruntilatoothpickinsertedinthecenterofamuffincomesoutalmostdry.Removefromtheoven,letcoolslightly,andservewarm.Freezetheleftovers.NOTE:Thesemuffinsarereallyheartyandsatisfying,soservethemwithsomerawveggies,suchascarrotsorcelerysticks,forawell-balancedbreakfastorsnack.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:105.8gprotein;
138.6gfat;11.4gnetcarbs;
1717kcal
PERMUFFIN,IF8MUFFINSINTOTAL:13.2gprotein;17.3gfat;
1.4gnetcarbs;215kcal
PERMUFFIN,IF12MUFFINSINTOTAL:8.8gprotein;11.6gfat;
1.0gnetcarbs;143kcal
◁SCRUMMYSTREUSEL-TOPPEDBLUEBERRYMUFFINSToppedwithlip-lickingstreusel,sugar-freeblueberrymuffinshavenevertastedthisgoodbefore!Here’swhy:Thisrecipeusesaloweroventemperaturetopreventthe(starch-free)streuselfromgettingtoodark,andtokeepthemuffinsdeliciouslymoist.Wildblueberriesarethemostnutritious—andthemostnatural—option,sogoforthemifyoucanfindthem.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHESTREUSEL:3/4cup(90g)choppedpecans2tablespoons(26g)erythritolcrystals1/2teaspoonCeyloncinnamon11/2tablespoons(25ml)meltedgrass-fedbutterorextra-virgincoconutoilFORTHEMUFFINS:
4eggs1/3cup(80ml)heavycreamorcoconutmilk1/3cup(33g)erythritolcrystals20dropsvanillastevia,ortotaste1/2cup(60g)coconutflour1/2cup(75g)frozenwildblueberriesYield:10muffins
1.Preheattheovento300°F(150°C).Lineamuffinpanwithpaperliners.
2.Preparethestreusel:Combineallthestreuselingredientsinamediumbowl.Mixwellwithaspoon.Setaside.
3.Preparethemuffinbatter:Placetheeggs,cream,erythritol,andvanillasteviainamediumbowlandmixwell.Graduallyaddthecoconutflour,mixingallthetimetopreventlumping.Foldinthefrozenblueberries.Scoopthebatterintothemuffinliners,fillingthemthree-quartersfull.Dividethestreuselbetweenthemuffins,gentlypressingitintothemuffinbattersoitsticks.Bakefor30to40minutes,oruntilatoothpickinsertedinthemiddleofamuffincomesoutalmostdry.Removefromtheoven,letcoolslightly,andserve,orfreezefor1to2months.
NUTRITIONINFO
WITHSTREUSEL
INTOTAL:53.7gprotein;145.8gfat;
24.1gnetcarbs;1635kcal
PERMUFFIN,IF10MUFFINSINTOTAL:5.3gprotein;14.6gfat;
2.5gnetcarbs;164kcal
WITHOUTSTREUSEL
INTOTAL:44.5gprotein;62.5gfat;
19.6gnetcarbs;827kcal
PERMUFFIN,IF10MUFFINSINTOTAL:4.4gprotein;6.3gfat;
2.0gnetcarbs;83kcal
TWO-MINUTERASPBERRYCREAMCHEESEBREAKFASTINAMUGCheesecake?Sweetomelet?Callthisdishwhateveryoulike.It’sbothtastybeyondbeliefandimmenselysatisfying.Itfeaturesjuicyraspberriesinarichcheesecake-liketexture,andtheeggaddsadoseofsatiatingprotein.Tryitwithotherberries,too,andfeelfreetoaddspicestotaste,suchascinnamonandginger.
INGREDIENTS
2ounces(60g)full-fatcreamcheese1/4cup(25g)frozenraspberries1egg
10dropsvanillastevia,ortotaste
Yield:1serving
Combinealltheingredientsinasmallmicrowave-saferamekinormug.Mixwell.Cookinthemicrowaveovenonhighfor1minuteand30seconds,oruntilthe“omelet”iscookedaroundtheedgesbutisstilljigglinginthecenter.Don’toverbake.Letcoolslightlyandthenservewithfreshberriesandwhippedcream.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:11.4gprotein;20.4gfat;
3.1gnetcarbs;242kcal
ONE-MINUTEOMELETINAMUGConsumingproteininthemorningcanreallyhelpboostyourenergylevelsthroughouttheday,andthat’swherethissixty-second,mess-freebreakfastcomesin:Allyouneedisamugandamicrowave.Toturnitintoafullbreakfast,serveitwithrawvegetablesandsomestarch-freebread.Youcanalsoaddchoppedhamorsalamitotheeggandbuttermixturebeforecooking.
INGREDIENTS
1tablespoon(14g)grass-fedbutter
2eggs
1to2tablespoons(5to10g)gratedParmesancheese
UnrefinedseasaltorHimalayansaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper,totasteYield:1serving
Placethebutterinasmallmicrowave-saferamekinorcup.Heatonhighfor10seconds,oruntilmelted.Addtheeggstotheramekinorcupwiththemeltedbutter.Pricktheyolkswithaforktopreventthemfromsplatteringinthemicrowave.Stirgentlytomixtheeggsandbutter,thensprinkletheParmesanontop.Placetheramekinorcupinthemicrowave,andcoverwithamicrowaveplatecover.Heatonhighfor40to50seconds,oruntiltheomeletisjustdonebutstillcreamy.(Adjustthetimetosuityourmicrowaveoven.)Don’toverbake:Theomeletwillturnoutdryifbakedtoolong.Seasonwithsaltandpepperandserveimmediately.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:16.8gprotein;25.4gfat;
0.4gnetcarbs;298kcal
◁QUICKPIZZAOMELETWaitaminute!Pizzaforbreakfast?That’sright—andthere’snoneedtofeelguiltyaboutthislow-carbversion.It’sbigonproteinandhealthyfats,andbestofall,it’seasytochangeup:Justusedifferentmeats,cheeses,veggies,orwhateverleftovershappentobelurkinginthefridge.Thisrecipemakesasatisfyingbreakfastforoneravenousperson—ortwomoderatelyhungryones.
INGREDIENTS
2tablespoons(28ml)heavycream1/4teaspoongarlicpowder1/4teaspoononionpowderUnrefinedseasalt,totaste
2eggs
1tablespoon(14g)grass-fedbutterorextra-virgincoconutoil,forfrying2tablespoons(31g)unsweetenedtomatosauce
3sliceshamorpepperoni(ormoreorlesstotaste)
5blackKalamataolives,pittedandsliced
11/2ounces(45g)shreddedmozzarellacheese1/4teaspoondriedoreganoYield:2servings
1.Mixthecream,garlicpowder,onionpowder,andsalttogetheruntilwell-combinedandfreefromlumps.Addtheeggsandmixgentlywithafork.
2.Heataskilletovermediumheatandmeltthebutterorcoconutoilinit.Pourtheeggmixtureintotheskilletandcook,carefullypushingthecookedpartsattheedgestowardthecenterwithaspatula.Whentheomeletisdonearoundtheedgesbutstilljelly-likeatthecenter,topwiththetomatosauce,hamorpepperoni,olives,cheese,andoregano.Coverandcookfor2minutesmore,oruntilthecheeseismelted.Serveimmediately.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:32.7gprotein;36.2gfat;
5.5gnetcarbs;480kcal
PERSERVING,IF2SERVINGSINTOTAL:16.3gprotein;
18.1gfat;2.8gnetcarbs;
240kcal
PUFFYCHEESEOMELETWITHAVOCADOThesecrettoanimpressivelypuffyomeletistobakeitintheovenwithabowlfilledwithboilingwater,tomimicawaterbath.Theresult?Asimple,fillingbreakfastthat’sperfectforweekends:Justpoptheomeletintotheoven,thenchilloutovercoffeeandthenewspaperforhalfanhourorsountilbreakfastisready.
INGREDIENTS
Softenedbutter(forgreasingthedish)
6eggs
2cups(155g)shreddedcheddarcheeseorothersharpcheese2/3cup(160ml)heavycream1/2cup(120ml)unsweetenedalmondmilk1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste2ripeHassavocados,peeled,pittedandsliced
Yield:6servings
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Greasea1.5-quart(1.5L)bakingdishgenerouslywithsoftenedbutter.
2.Placetheeggs,cheese,heavycream,almondmilk,andsaltinalargebowl.Whiskuntilwellmixed,thenpourthemixtureintothegreasedbakingdish.Sprinklethecheeseevenlyontop.
3.Placeasmall,shallow,ovenproofbowlonthelowestovenrack.Carefullyfillthebowlthree-quartersfullwithboilingwater.Placethebakingdishwiththeomeletmixtureonthemiddleovenrack.
4.Bakefor30to40minutes,oruntilthecenterisnolongerwobbly.(Don’toverbake,though,astheeggswillturnouttoodry.Ifthesurfacestartstobecometoobrown,coverthedishwithaluminumfoil.)Removefromtheovenandletcoolslightly.Servewarm,toppedwithavocadoslices.
TIP:Youcanaddmorefillingstotheomelet,suchasham,sausage,cookedveggies,orbitsandpiecesofleftovercheese.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:93.6gprotein;180.7gfat;
7.4gnetcarbs;2049kcal
PERSERVING,IF6SERVINGSINTOTAL:15.6gprotein;30.1gfat;
1.2gnetcarbs;341kcal
FIVE-INGREDIENTOVERNIGHTSAUSAGEANDEGGBREAKFASTCASSEROLERipetomatoesgivethismeaty,five-ingredientcasseroleasummerylift.Justbesuretochoosefirmones:Ifyourtomatoesaretooripeandsoft,theymightreleasetoomuchliquidduringbaking.Patienceisavirtuehere,bytheway.Afterremovingthecasserolefromtheoven,it’simportanttoletitstandfor15minutesbeforeservingtokeepthemoisturefromleakingout.It’llbeworththewait—Ipromise.
INGREDIENTS
1pound(450g)spicybulksausage
2smallfirmRomatomatoes,diced
2cups(250g)shreddedmozzarellacheese
6eggs1/2cup(120ml)heavycreamUnrefinedseasaltorHimalayansaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper,totasteYield:6servings
1.Frythesausageuntilcookedthrough,crumblingitwithawoodenforkwhilefrying.Spreadthecookedsausageevenlyintoa2-quart(2L)bakingdish.Topwiththedicedtomatoesandsprinklethecheeseontop.Mixtogethertheeggs,heavycream,salt,andpepperinamediumbowl.Pourthemixtureevenlyoverthecasserole.Cover,andrefrigerateovernight.
2.Whenyou’rereadytobakethecasserole,preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Whenhot,bakethecasserolefor30to40minutes,oruntilthecheeseisgoldenbrownandbubbly.Removefromtheoven,letstandfor15minutes,andthenserve.VARIATION:Foranevenmoresatisfyingvariation,spread2cups(180g)cubedstarch-freebreadevenlyinthebottomofthebakingdishbeforeaddingtheother
ingredients.
NUTRITIONINFO
VALUESHIGHLYDEPENDONTHEUSEDINGREDIENTS
INTOTAL:178.4gprotein;228.8gfat;
18.3gnetcarbs;
2836kcal
PERSERVING,IF6SERVINGSINTOTAL:29.7gprotein;38.1gfat;
3.1gnetcarbs;473kcal
◁EASYBREAKFASTBURRITOWithsomeSingle-ServeTortillasonhand,it’sasnaptowhipupthisspicy,savorybreakfastburrito—evenonthebusiestmornings.Youcanvarythisburritoendlessly,too:Justuseyourfavoritestarch-freevegetables,meatorfish,andseasonwithyourchoiceofspicesandseasonings.Andit’sagreatwaytouseuptheleftoverslingeringinyourfridge.
INGREDIENTS
1/4cup(20g)choppedbuttonmushrooms1/4cup(40g)choppedgreenbellpepper2eggs
2tablespoons(28ml)water
1teaspoonunsweetenedsambaloelekorchilipaste,ortotaste1/2teaspoononionpowder1/4teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotasteOilorbutterforfrying
1Single-ServeTortilla
2tablespoons(30ml)Low-SugarSweetandSourSauce
2tablespoons(16g)slicedblackKalamataolives
Yield:1serving
1.Placethemushrooms,bellpepper,eggs,water,sambaloelek,onionpowder,andsaltinamediumbowl.Stirwellwithafork.
2.Heataskilletovermedium-lowheat.Addtheoilorbutter.Whenhot,addtheeggmixtureandcook,stirringslowlyallthetime,untiltheeggsarescrambledbutstillcreamy.(Don'tovercookortheeggswillbecomedry.)3.PlacetheSingle-ServeTortillashellonaplateandspreadwiththeLow-SugarSweetandSourSauceononeside.Addthescrambledeggsandthentopwiththeslicedolives.Foldtheotherhalfofthetortillaoverthefillingandserveimmediately.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:25.8gprotein;33.7gfat;
4.8gnetcarbs;425kcal
◁QUICKCHORIZOANDCAULIFLOWERBREAKFASTHASHThere’snoroomforstarchypotatoesinalow-sugarbreakfast,butit’seasytoreplacethemwithtasty,healthycauliflower,asinthisfull-bodiedhash.You’llwanttokeepthecauliflowercrunchyforthebesttextureandflavorhere,sobesureyoudon’tovercookit.Servethissimplebutscrumptiousdishwithsalsaortomatorelish,ifyoulike,andaddmorenonstarchyvegetablesforextranutrients.
INGREDIENTS
Oilorbutterforfrying
1largeonion,chopped
2garliccloves,finelychopped
2packages(10ounces,or280g,each)frozencauliflowerflorets10ounces(280g)chorizo,chopped
4eggs
UnrefinedseasaltorHimalayansaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper,totasteYield:2to4servings
1.Heataskilletovermedium-highheat.Addtheoilorbutter.Whenhot,addtheonionandgarlic.Cookuntilsoftandtranslucent,about5minutes.Addthecauliflowerandcook,mixing,untilthecauliflowerishot.Don’tovercook.Addthechorizoandcook,stirring,untilthechorizoisslightlybrowned.Seasonwithsaltandpepper.
2.Frytheeggsinaseparateskilletbutkeepthechorizoandcauliflowerhashwarmwhiledoingso.Transferthehashtoservingplatesandtopeachservingwithafriedegg.Serveimmediately.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:108.4gprotein;122.2gfat;29.1gnetcarbs;1639kcalPERSERVING,IF2SERVINGSINTOTAL:
54.2gprotein;61.1gfat;
14.5gnetcarbs;820kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:
27.1gprotein;30.6gfat;
7.3gnetcarbs;410kcal
FIFTEEN-MINUTESPRINGVEGETABLEANDFETABREAKFASTHASHArtichokesaretospringwhatbutterfliesaretosummer,butpreparingthemfromscratchistoomuchworkforabusymorning.That’swherecannedartichokeheartscomein,offeringalltheircharacteristicsweetnessandflavor.Theyshinealongsideasparagusandradishesinthishealthyvegetarianhash,whichgetscrownedwithslicedavocadoandtangyfetacheese.
INGREDIENTS
1tablespoon(15ml)extra-virginoliveoil
1smallzucchini(7ounces,or200g),cubed
1teaspoononionpowder1/2teaspoongarlicpowder14-ounce(400g)canartichokehearts,drained(largeonesquartered;mediumandsmalloneshalved)8greenasparagusspears,woodystemsremoved,andcutinto2-inch(5cm)pieces10radishes,halved1/2teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt4ounces(115g)fetacheese,crumbled
2Hassavocados,peeled,pitted,andsliced
1tablespoon(15ml)freshlysqueezedlemonjuice
1cup(20g)choppedwatercress
Yield:2servings
1.Addtheoiltoaskilletandplaceovermedium-highheat.Addthezucchini,onionpowder,andgarlicpowder.Cook,covered,untilthezucchiniiscrisp-tender,about5minutes.Addtheartichoke,asparagus,andradishes.Heat,stirring,untilhot,butdon'tcook.Seasonwithsalt,anddividethehashbetweentwoservingplates.Sprinkleeachwithhalfthefeta.
2.Arrangetheslicedavocadoontopofbothservings,oneavocadoperserving.Drizzlethelemonjuiceontheavocadoslicestopreventthemfromturningbrown.Topbothservingswithwatercressandserveimmediately.
NOTE:Needmoreprotein?Servethebreakfasthashwithfriedeggs.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:42.6gprotein;87.1gfat;
17.7gnetcarbs;1025kcal
PERSERVING,IF2SERVINGSINTOTAL:21.3gprotein;43.5gfat;
8.8gnetcarbs;512kcal
CHAPTER6
LUNCHWhetheryouspendyourdayintheofficeorathome,havingasatisfyinglunchisamustinordertokeepyourenergylevelsupfortherestoftheday.Andifyou’refollowingalow-sugarlifestyle,youdon’twanttorelyonyourlocalburgerjointorthesandwichbardownthestreet.Luckily,thischapterfeaturesplentyoflow-sugarlunchrecipesthataresuperportableaswellasquickandeasytoprepare,suchassoups,salads,sandwiches,andwraps.Init,you’llfindhealthierversionsoflotsofyouroldfavorites—RichNo-PotatoClamChowderandPasta-FreeMinestronewithHam—minusthestarchypastaandpotatoes.AndwhenyouhaveabatchofEasyFluffyBreadandSingleServeTortillasonhand,it’seasytomakelotsofsatisfyingwrapsandsandwiches,suchastheStellarSpinachWrap,ortheEffortlessEggSaladSandwich.Hungryyet?
COMFORTINGCHICKENZOODLESOUPNourishing,homemadechickennoodlesoupistheultimatecureforjustaboutanyailment.So,whenlunchtimerollsaround,grabamugofthishealthy,gluten-free,starch-freechickenzoodlesoup,wrapyourselfinacozyblanket(unlessyou’reattheoffice!),andletthehealingbegin.
INGREDIENTS
2tablespoons(28g)extra-virgincoconutoil
1smallonion,chopped
2garliccloves,minced
2celerystalks,thinlysliced1/2teaspoondriedthyme1bayleaf
11/2quarts(1.4L)chickenstock6blackpeppercorns
11/2ounces(45g)carrot,cutintomatchsticks2cups(440g)shreddedcookedchicken
UnrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,totaste
7ounces(200g)zoodles(spiralizedzucchini)
Finelychoppedfreshparsleyforgarnish(optional)
Yield:8servings
1.Heatalargesaucepanovermediumheatandaddthecoconutoil,followedbytheonion,garlic,celery,thyme,andbayleaf.Cook,stirring,for5minutesoruntiltheonionistranslucent.(Don’tletitbrown.)Addthechickenstock,peppercorns,andcarrotsandbringtoaboil.Letsimmerfor5minutes.
2.Addthechickenandsimmeruntilthechickenisheatedthrough.Seasonwithsalt,addthezoodles,andstirwell.(Don’tcontinuetocook:Thezoodleswilleasilyturnmushyifcooked.)Serveimmediately.Garnisheachservingwithfreshparsley,ifyouwish.
TIP:Ifyoudon’thavecookedchickenonhand,youcancook22ounces(625g)ofraw,dicedchickeninaskilletuntilthejuicesrunclearandthenuseitinthislightsoup.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:
136.4gprotein;64.6gfat;
6.7gnetcarbs;1153kcal
PERSERVING,IF8SERVINGSINTOTAL:17.0gprotein;8.1gfat;
0.8gnetcarbs;144kcal
EASYBOUILLABAISSEBouillabaisseisatraditionalFrenchsoupthatfeaturesfish,seafood,andvegetables,aswellasProvençalherbs.Thefishusedinclassicbouillabaisseisusuallybony,butfeelfreetouseanytypeoffishyoulike—orevenanumberofdifferenttypes,whichaddsdimensionandvariation.Youcanalsoreplacethemusselswithotherseafood,orusecannedmusselsorclamsifyoucan’tfindfreshones.
INGREDIENTS
1/4cup(60ml)extra-virginoliveoil1largeonion,chopped
2garliccloves,crushed
14-ounce(400g)cancrushedordicedtomatoes
1smallfennelbulb,cutintostrips
6cups(1.4L)fishstock
8saffronthreads
1teaspoondriedthyme
1tablespoon(6g)freshlygratedorangepeel(orangepartonly),optional11/2pounds(680g)fishofyourchoice,cutintobite-sizepieces1pound(450g)shell-onmussels,scrubbedanddebearded(deadmusselsdiscarded)2teaspoonsunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste1/2cup(30g)choppedflatleafparsley,looselypackedYield:6to8servings
1.Heatalargesaucepanovermedium-highheat.Addtheoliveoil,onion,andgarlic.Cook,stirring,untiltranslucent,about5minutes.
2.Addthetomatoesandbringtoaboil.Thenaddthefennel,fishstock,saffron,thyme,andorangepeel,ifusing.Lowertheheatandsimmeruntilthefenneliscrisp-tender,about10to15minutes.
3.Addthefishandthemussels.Simmer,covered,untilthefishflakes,andthemusselsopen,about5to10minutes.Discardanyunopenedmussels.Seasonwithsaltandgarnishwithparsley.NOTE:Toservethesoupinthetraditionalway,servethebouillonfirstalongside
starch-freebread,suchasEasyFluffyBread.Servethefishonaseparateplateafterthebouillon.
NUTRITIONINFO
HALIBUTUSEDINCALCULATIONSFORFISH
INTOTAL:156.2gprotein;70.1gfat;
38.1gnetcarbs;1443kcal
PERSERVING,IF6SERVINGSINTOTAL:26.0gprotein;11.7gfat;
6.3gnetcarbs;241kcal
PERSERVING,IF8SERVINGSINTOTAL:19.5gprotein;8.8gfat;
4.8gnetcarbs;180kcal
◁FIFTEEN-MINUTETHAI-INSPIREDPUMPKINSOUPSpicy,warming,andhearty,thisfive-ingredientsoupisreadyinnotime.Prepareitinthemorningandstoreaservinginaninsulatedfoodjaruntillunchtime(theflavorsimprovewhentheyhavetimetomingleforacoupleofhours).Foralittlevariation,tryexperimentingwithdifferenttypesofcurrypaste:Red,green,andyellowcurrypastesallworkwellhere.Topwithadollopofsourcreamandasmallhandfulofcrumbledbaconforextraflavorandsatiety.
INGREDIENTS
2cans(15ounces,or425g,each)100percentpurepumpkinpuree1to2tablespoons(15to30g)Thairedcurrypaste
1teaspoononionpowder
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste1cup(240ml)heavycream
Water,ifnecessary
Yield:4servings
Combinethepumpkin,currypaste,onionpowder,salt,andheavycreaminalargesaucepan.Mixuntilsmooth.Ifnecessary,addalittlewaterforathinnerconsistency.Heatovermedium-highheat,stirringconstantly.Whenthemixturestartstoboil,reducetheheattoaminimum.Letitsimmerfor5to10minutes,untilthoroughlyhot.Servewithgluten-freelow-sugarbreadorcrackers.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:22.0gprotein;87.4gfat;
33.9gnetcarbs;1014kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:5.5gprotein;21.9gfat;
8.5gnetcarbs;253kcal
◁RICHNO-POTATOCLAMCHOWDERThere’snoneedtousestarchypotatoestomaketheperfectclamchowder.Here,super-healthycauliflowerreplacestasteless,carb-ladenpotatoes,andtherearenostarchythickeners,either;pureedcauliflowerdoesthetrickinstead,whileheavycreamaddsrichnessandextrabody.Ifyoudon’thaveclamjuice,don’tskipitorreplaceitwithwater.Usefishstockorbouilloninstead.
INGREDIENTS
6cups(670g)cauliflowerchoppedinto1/2-inch(1.3cm)chunks,divided8slicesrawbacon
1cup(170g)dicedcarrots3/4cup(100g)finelychoppedonion3/4cup(120g)dicedcelery2cans(6.5ounces,or184g,each)mincedclams
6.5-ounce(184g)canchoppedclams
2cups(480ml)heavycream
2cups(480ml)clamjuice
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotasteFreshlygroundwhitepepper
1tablespoon(15ml)freshlemonjuice(optional)
Yield:8servings
1.Cook3cups(335g)ofthechoppedcaulifloweruntilsoftandtender.Carefullydiscardthewater.Inablender,processthecauliflowerintoasmoothpuree.Setaside.
2.Frythebaconuntilcrisp.Reservethefatandsetthebaconaside.Frythecarrots,onion,celery,andtheremainingcauliflowerinthebaconfatuntilslightlysoft,about5minutes.
3.Meanwhile,drainthejuicefromtheclamsintoalargesaucepan.Addtheheavycreamandthepureedcauliflower.Mixwellandbringtoaboil.
4.Addthecookedvegetableswiththebaconfattothesaucepanandcookuntiltender,about10to15minutes.Addtheclamsandremovefromtheheat.(Don'tcooktheclams:they’llbecometough.)Seasonwithsaltandpepper.Add1tablespoon(15ml)freshlemonjuiceifyoupreferaslightlytangy
flavor.Serveimmediately,crumblingsomeofthebaconontopofeachserving.
TIP:Whenchoosingcannedclams,besuretoselectaversionthat’sadditive-free.Mostcannedclamscontainsodiumtripolyphosphate,whichhelpsretaintheclams’naturaljuices,andcalciumdisodiumEDTA,tomaintaincolor.Sotrytofindaproductthatconsistsonlyofclams,salt,andwater,butifyoucan’t,choosewholeclamsand
chophalfofthemintotinypiecesandhalfofthemintolargerchunks.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:129.5gprotein;218.7gfat;
60.4gnetcarbs;2764kcal
PERSERVING,IF8SERVINGSINTOTAL:16.2gprotein;27.3gfat;
7.6gnetcarbs;345kcal
PASTA-FREEMINESTRONEWITHHAMMinestroneisback!This“healthified”versionoftheclassicItaliansoupwon’tspikeyourbloodsugarlevels,anditwon’tstressoutyourgut.Instead,it’llpamperitwithplentyoffiberandhealthyfats.Thissoupisn’ttechnicallypasta-free,sinceitincludeslow-carbshiratakinoodles,butitisfreefromthestarchynoodlesessentialtothetraditionalversion.
INGREDIENTS
2tablespoons(28ml)extra-virginoliveoil
1largeonion,chopped
2garliccloves,crushed
1cup(105g)slicedcelerystalks1/2cup(80g)dicedcarrot4cups(950ml)chickenorvegetablestock
14-ounce(400g)cancrushedordicedtomatoes
1cup(120g)frozengreenbeans
2packages(7ounces,or200g,each)shiratakifettucineortagliatelle,cookedandcutinto2-inch(5cm)pieces11/2cups(205g)choppedham1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste1/4cup(10g)choppedfreshbasilleavesFreshlygratedParmesancheese,forserving(optional)
Yield:6servings
Heatalargesaucepanovermediumheat.Addtheoliveoil,onion,garlic,celery,andcarrot.Cookuntiltheonionistranslucent,about5minutes.Addthestockandthecrushedtomatoesandbringtoaboil.Thenaddthegreenbeans,shirataki,andham.Reducetheheattomedium-low.Letsimmer,covered,untilthevegetablesaretender,about20minutes.Seasonwithsalt.ServewithasprinklingofchoppedfreshbasilandsomegratedParmesan,ifdesired.
NUTRITIONINFO
WITHOUTPARMESAN
INTOTAL:45.9gprotein;37.4gfat;
32.9gnetcarbs;650kcal
PERSERVING,IF6SERVINGSINTOTAL:7.7gprotein;6.2gfat;
5.5gnetcarbs;108kcal
CHEF’SSALADWITHBACONChock-fullofproteinandgood-for-youfats,thisclassicsaladisatruehunger-slayer.Justbesuretocookyourbaconoverlowheat:Thispreventsnitrosamines—dangerouscarcinogenicagents—fromforming.(Believeitornot,thehealthiestwaytofrybaconisinthemicrowave.)Or,ifyouwanttoavoidnitratescompletely,choosesaltedporkbellyinsteadofbacon.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHEDRESSING:
1/4cup(60g)full-fatsourcream1/2teaspoonrawapplecidervinegar1/4teaspoonCajunseasoning,ortotastePinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt
1dropliquidstevia(optional)
FORTHESALAD:
2cups(65g)mixedsaladgreens
1smalltomato,cutintowedges
3-inch(7.5cm)pieceEnglishcucumber,thinlysliced
1ounce(30g)cheddarcheese,cutintomatchsticks
1to2hard-boiledeggs,cutintowedges
2slicescookedbacon,crumbled
Yield:1serving
1.First,preparethedressing.Simplyplaceallingredientsintoasmallbowl.Mixwellandsetaside.
2.Preparethesalad.Arrangethesaladingredientsonaservingplate.Topwiththedressingandserveimmediately.NOTE:Youcanalsopackthissaladforlunchonthego.Justpackthesalad,bacon,anddressinginseparatecontainers.Whenyou’rereadytoeat,sprinklethebaconon
thesaladandtopwiththedressing.Bonappétit!
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:22.3gprotein;44.8gfat;
5.4gnetcarbs;515kcal
◁FIVE-INGREDIENTAVOCADO,BLEUCHEESE,ANDPECANSALADRidiculouslylowinsugarbutpackedwithfull-onflavors,thissimplesaladisrichinhealthyfats,thankstotheavocadoandpecans.Andbothareagreatmatchforrich,creamybleucheese,whichaddsadoseofdecadencetothemix.DressthissaladwithQuickRaspberryVinaigretteandserveitasalightlunch,oraddcooked,cubedchickenorshrimpforamoresatiatingmeal.
INGREDIENTS
2cups(65g)mixedsaladgreens,looselypacked
2cups(60g)freshspinachleaves,looselypacked
1mediumHassavocado,peeled,pitted,andcubed1/4cup(60g)crumbledunpasteurizedbleucheese1/3cup(60g)choppedtoastedpecansYield:2servings
Arrangealltheingredientsonaservingplate(orinamasonjar,foraportableversion).Storeinthefridgeuntilreadytoserve.ServewithQuickRaspberryVinaigrette,oryourfavoritetangysaladdressing.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:22.7gprotein;79.4gfat;
4.1gnetcarbs;832kcal
PERSERVING,IF2SERVINGSINTOTAL:11.3gprotein;39.7gfat;
2.1gnetcarbs;416kcal
◁GREEKSALADWITHCHICKENANDSTRAWBERRIESTheperfectlunchforasunnysummer’sday,thisclassicGreeksaladgetsfreshenedupwithascatteringofjuicystrawberries.Butit’sstillplentyfilling,thankstothecookedchickenandtangyfetacheese.Ifyou’retakingitwithyouforlunch—onapicnic,perhaps?—besuretostorethesaladandthedressinginseparatecontainerstokeepthesaladfromwilting.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHESALAD:
1headiceberglettuce,cutintothinstrips
1smallredonion,thinlysliced1/2Englishcucumber,thinlysliced4smalltomatoes,cutintowedges
16blackKalamataolives
4ounces(115g)fetacheese,cubed
4ounces(115g)cookedchicken,cubed
7ounces(200g)freshstrawberries,cutintowedges
OTHERINGREDIENTS:1/4cup(60ml)FantasticFrenchDressing,toserveYield:4servings
Arrangetheingredientsonfourservingplatesinthegivenorder.ServeimmediatelywithFantasticFrenchDressing.
TIP:MakethisaclassicGreeksaladbyomittingthechicken,increasingtheamountoffetato7ounces(200g),andomittingthestrawberries(althoughthestrawberriesdo
addafresh,summery,succulenttaste).
NOTE:Feelingfruity?Foramerrier,berrierversionofthissalad,serveitwiththeQuickRaspberryVinaigrette.
NUTRITIONINFO
WITHFANTASTICFRENCHDRESSING
INTOTAL:61.2gprotein;104.9gfat;
35.3gnetcarbs;
1340kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:15.3gprotein;26.2gfat;
8.8gnetcarbs;335kcal
WITHOUTFANTASTICFRENCHDRESSING
INTOTAL:60.9gprotein;56.5gfat;
34.8gnetcarbs;901kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:15.2gprotein;14.1gfat;
8.7gnetcarbs;225kcal
◁BOLDBEEFSALADRedmeatoftengetsabadrap.Butthetruthisthatunprocessedredmeatcontainsanampleamountofvitaminsandnutrients,andcanbepartofahealthydietwhenconsumedinmoderation.Trytobuygrass-fedbeef,ifyoucan:It’smorenatural,andthereforehealthier.Andit’sdeliciousinthissalad,which,truetoitsname,isfullofboldcolorsandflavors.
INGREDIENTS
1tablespoon(15ml)extra-virginoliveoil
4ounces(115g)beefsirloin,cutintobite-sizestrips1/2teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotastePinchfreshlygroundblackpepper1/2redbellpepper,chopped1/2teaspoononionpowder3cups(100g)mixedsaladgreens
1cup(50g)choppedBelgianendive1/4cup(20g)tightlypackedarugulaleaves(optional)1/4cup(30g)choppedpecansYield:1serving
1.Preparethebeefforthesalad.Heataskilletoverhighheat.Addtheoliveoilandthebeefandcookuntilmedium-welldone.Seasonwithsaltandpepper.Removethemeatfromtheskilletandsetaside.
2.Reducetheheattomedium.Addthebellpepperandtheonionpowder.Mixwellandcookuntilthebellpepperiscrisp-tender.Seasonwithsaltandpepper.Combinethebeefandthebellpeppermixtureandsetasidetocool.(Reservethegreasefromthepananduseitforotherpurposes,oraddittothesaladdressingforextraflavorandhealthyfats.)3.Preparethesalad.Arrangethesaladgreensandtheendive(andthearugula,ifusing)onaservingplate.Topwiththebeefandbellpeppermixture.Topthesaladwiththepecans.Serveimmediatelywithalow-sugardressing,suchasFantasticFrenchDressingorQuickRaspberryVinaigrette.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:27.6gprotein;43.3gfat;
4.3gnetcarbs;522kcal
THEULTIMATEMASONJARSALADMasonjarsaladsaretheultimatelunch:They’rehealthy,versatile,satisfying,andaresoeasytograbwhenyou’reonyourwayoutthedoor.Butyouneedtochoosetherightingredients,andit’simportanttoaddthemtothejarintherightordersothatyourcrispsaladdoesn’tturnintoasoggymess.Thisismyfavoriteversion—acompletemealofprotein,goodfats,andveggies.
INGREDIENTS
1/4cup(60ml)QuickRaspberryVinaigrette
1cup(120g)choppedrawcauliflower
2-inch(5cm)piececucumber,cubed
1ripeHassavocado,peeled,pitted,andcubed1/2cup(90g)cubed,cookedchicken1/2cup(115g)cottagecheeseorshreddedmozzarellacheese1cup(35g)mixedsaladgreensortornlettuceleaves
3tablespoons(90g)choppedwalnuts
Yield:2servings
Fillawide-mouthed1-quart(946ml)masonjarwiththeingredientsinthegivenorder.(Don’tcheat!Addingtheingredientsinthisorderhelpspreventthesaladfrombecomingsoggy.)Closethelidtightlyandstorerefrigerateduntilservingtime.
NOTE:Besuretouseawide-mouthedmasonjarforeasyfill-up.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:39.8gprotein;96.2gfat;
6.8gnetcarbs;1062kcal
PERSERVING,IF2SERVINGSINTOTAL:19.9gprotein;48.1gfat;
3.4gnetcarbs;531kcal
EFFORTLESSEGGSALADSANDWICHGreatforkidsandgrownupsalike,thiseasy-to-makeeggsaladisalunchtimecrowd-pleaser.Makeitadayortwoinadvancesothatyou’llhaveitonhandforaninstantlunchboxfiller.ThenuseittomakesandwicheswithslicesofEasyFluffyBread,wrap,andyou’regoodtogo.Addsomerawveggiesforawell-roundedmeal.Carrotandcelerysticksprovideanicecrunch.
INGREDIENTS
FOREGGSALAD:
8eggs1/2cup(113g)FoolproofOne-MinuteMayo
1teaspoondrymustard(thatis,mustardpowderorgroundmustardseeds)3tablespoons(9g)choppedchives1/2teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotasteOTHERINGREDIENTS:
8slicesEasyFluffyBread
Yield:4servings
1.First,preparetheeggsalad.Placetheeggsinalargesaucepanandcoverwithcoldwater.Coverwithalid.Bringthewatertoaboil,butremovethesaucepanfromtheheatimmediatelywhenboilingstarts.Lettheeggsstandcoveredinhotwaterfor10to12minutes.
2.Removetheeggsfromthehotwaterandletcoolcompletelyincoldwater.Whentheeggsarecool,peelthem,placethemonalarge,shallowplate,andmashwithafork.Addthemayonnaise,mustard,andchivesandstiruntilwellmixed.Seasonwithsalt.
3.Dividetheeggsaladamong4slicesofbread.Spreadthemixtureevenly.Topeachwithoneoftheremainingbreadslicestomakesandwiches.Wrapthesandwichesinwaxpaperorplasticwrapandkeeprefrigerateduntilservingtime.
TIP:Tomakecurriedeggsalad,justreplacethechiveswith1teaspoonofcurrypowder.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:106.2gprotein;184.9gfat;
13.4gnetcarbs;2143kcal
PERSANDWICH,IF4SANDWICHESINTOTAL:26.6gprotein;46.2gfat;
3.3gnetcarbs;536kcal
QUICKTUNASATAYSANDWICHInThailand,atypicalsataymealconsistsofbread,meat,sataysauce,andcucumberonionrelish.Andthesesandwichescontainalloftheabove—exceptthey’remadewithstarch-freeEasyFluffyBread,sothey’refarhealthier,butjustastasty.Oh,andawordofcaution:Besuretodrainthetunawell,sincethesaladmightseparateifanywaterisleft.
INGREDIENTS
FORTUNASATAYSALAD:
6.5-ounce(185g)canalbacoretunainwater,drained1/2cup(120ml)SimpleandSucculentSataySauce
2teaspoonsrawapplecidervinegar
Pinchcayennepepper1/4cupchoppedfreshcilantro(optional)OTHERINGREDIENTS:
8slicesEasyFluffyBread
2-inch(5cm)pieceEnglishcucumber,thinlysliced
1smallonion,thinlysliced
Yield:4servings
1.First,preparethetunasataysalad.Placealltheingredientsinasmallbowl.Mixwellandsetaside.
2.Preparethesandwiches.PlacefourslicesofEasyFluffyBreadonaplate.Dividethecucumberslices,thentheonionslicesevenlybetweenthebreadslices.Topeachwithequalportionsofthetunasataysalad,thentopeachwiththeremainingslicesofbread.Wrapthesandwichesinwaxpaperorplasticwrapandkeeprefrigerateduntilservingtime.
TIP:Tomakechickensataysandwiches,justreplacethetunawithshreddedchicken.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:100.5gprotein;95.2gfat;
25.9gnetcarbs;1363kcal
PERSANDWICH,IF4SANDWICHESINTOTAL:25.1gprotein;23.8gfat;
6.5gnetcarbs;341kcal
IRRESISTIBLECURRIEDVEGETABLEWRAPCouldthisbethemostdeliciousveggiewrapintheworld?Possibly.It’sfilledwithlow-starchvegetablescookedquicklyinacreamycoconutsauce,plusalfalfasproutsforextracrunch,bulk,andnutrition.Feelfreetopreparethevegetablesaucealoneandserveitalongsideahandfulofstarch-freecrackersforawarm,spoonablelunchordinner.
INGREDIENTS
1/2cup(120ml)coconutmilk2teaspoonsThaigreencurrypaste,ortotaste1/2teaspoononionpowder1/2cup(60g)gratedzucchini1/4cup(25g)choppedleek1/4cup(25g)gratedcarrotUnrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste
4Single-ServeTortillas
1cup(20g)alfalfasprouts
Yield:4servings
1.Heataskilletoverhighheat.Addthecoconutmilk,currypaste,andonionpowder.Cook,stirring,for1minuteuntilhotandsmooth.Addthezucchini,leek,andcarrotandcook,stirringoftenuntilthevegetablesarecrisp-tenderandthecoconutmilkisreducedtoathicksauce.Seasonwithsalt.
2.Dividethevegetablemixturebetweenthetortillas,spreadingitintoathin,evenlayer.Repeatwiththealfalfasprouts.Rollintowraps,sliceeachinhalf,andserve.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:39.8gprotein;49.2gfat;
12.1gnetcarbs;650kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:9.9gprotein;12.3gfat;
3.0gnetcarbs;163kcal
◁TERRIFICTERIYAKIPORKSANDWICHThisAsian-inflectedteriyakiporksaladsandwichisburstingwithflavorsandtextures,thankstoahitoffreshginger,homemadeteriyakisauce,andcrunchysesameseeds.Thenit’smellowedoutwithadollopofmayonnaise,andtheresultisnothingshortofdelicious.Andit’sagreatwaytouseuplastnight’sleftovercookedpork,too.
INGREDIENTS
FORTERIYAKIPORKSALAD:1/2cup(115g)shreddedcookedpork(preferablyneck)orpulledpork1/3cup(80g)FoolproofOne-MinuteMayo
3tablespoons(18g)finelychoppedgreenonion
2tablespoons(28ml)No-SugarTeriyakiSauce
1tablespoon(8g)wholesesameseeds
1teaspoonfreshlygratedginger
OTHERINGREDIENTS:
8slicesEasyFluffyBread
4lettuceleaves
Yield:4servings
1.First,preparetheteriyakiporksalad.Placealltheingredientsinasmallbowl.Mixwellandsetaside.
2.Preparethesandwiches.PlacefourslicesofEasyFluffyBreadonaplateanddividethelettuceleavesbetweenthebreadslices.Topwithagenerouslayerofteriyakiporksaladandspreadevenly.Topeachwiththeremainingslicesofbread.Wrapthesandwichesinwaxpaperorplasticwrapandkeeprefrigerateduntilservingtime.
VARIATION:Usetheleftoverteriyakiporksaladformakinglettucewraps:Spreadthesaladontolettuceleaves,andthenrollupintowrapsforaneasy,starch-freevariation.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:75.7gprotein;
143.6gfat;15.1gnetcarbs;
1664kcal
PERSANDWICH,IF4SANDWICHESINTOTAL:18.9gprotein;35.9gfat;
3.8gnetcarbs;416kcal
◁STELLARSPINACHANDCREAMCHEESEWRAPThissuper-nutritiousvegetarianlunchisagreatwaytosneakextragreenveggiesintoyourdiet.Thesewrapsareamazinglyfreshandcrispy,thankstothespinachandsesameseeds,andagoodschmearoffull-fatcreamcheesemeansthey’resating,too.Andthey’reagreatcanvasforyourfavoriteseasonings,sogoaheadanddressthemupwith,say,chilipowder,Cajunseasoning,orcurrypowderbeforerollingthemupanddiggingin.
INGREDIENTS
4Single-ServeTortillas
4ounces(115g)full-fatcreamcheese
4teaspoons(11g)wholesesameseeds
UnrefinedseasaltorHimalayansaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper,totaste2cups(60g)freshspinachleaves
Yield:4servings
PlaceeachSingle-ServeTortillaonaplateandspreadwith1ounce(30g)creamcheese.Topeachwith1teaspoonsesameseedsandseasonwithsaltandpepper.Thenspread1/2cup(15g)ofthespinachleavesoneachtortilla,rollthemupintowraps,sliceeachinhalf,andserve.VARIATION:Forheartierwraps,add2ounces(60g)lox.Divideitamongthetortillas
justbeforerollingthemupintowraps.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:46.0gprotein;65.1gfat;
8.0gnetcarbs;803kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:11.5gprotein;16.3gfat;
2.0gnetcarbs;201kcal
COZYCHEESEBURGERWRAPWhodoesn’tloveajuicycheeseburger?Thetraditionalversions,unfortunately,arefarfromhealthy,notleastbecauseoftheirstarchybuns.Buttheselow-carbcheeseburgerwraps—whichincludeallthetrimmings—arecomfortfoodatitsbest.Treatyourselftothemforaspecialat-homelunch,orwhipupawholebatchfordinner,andletfamilymembersmaketheirownwrapsatthetable.
INGREDIENTS
6ounces(170g)groundbeef
Oilorbutterforfrying1/2teaspoononionpowder1/4teaspoongarlicpowderUnrefinedseasaltorHimalayansaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper,totaste4Single-ServeTortillas
1/4cup(56g)FoolproofOne-MinuteMayo1/4cup(50g)finelydicedtomatoes1cup(135g)gratedcheddarcheese
Yield:4servings
Frythegroundbeefinoilorbutteruntilcookedthroughandcrumbly.Seasonwiththeonionpowder,garlicpowder,salt,andpepper.Spreadeachtortillawith1tablespoon(14g)ofmayonnaise,thentopeachwithaquarterofthemeat,tomatoes,andcheese.Rolleachtortillacarefullyintoawrap,sliceinhalf,andserveimmediately.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:102.1gprotein;133.7gfat;
5.0gnetcarbs;1632kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:25.5gprotein;33.4gfat;
1.2gnetcarbs;408kcal
◁NUTRITIOUSBRIE,ORANGE,ANDWALNUTWRAPTowhipupthissweet-and-savory(yetlow-sugar!)vegetarianwrap,allyouneedareafewpantrybasics—suchastheLow-SugarOrangeMarmalade,andaSingle-ServeTortilla.Afterthat,it’sacinch.Itmakesafillingafter-workorafter-schoolsnack,too—andthat’salifesaverwhenyou’rejusttoohungrytohangonuntildinner.Or,turnitintoacompletemealbyaddingrawvegetablesorafreshgreensaladontheside.
INGREDIENTS
3tablespoons(45g)Low-SugarOrangeMarmalade
1Single-ServeTortilla
2ounces(60g)Briecheese,sliced
2tablespoons(15g)choppedwalnuts
Yield:1serving
SpreadtheLow-SugarOrangeMarmaladeevenlyoverthetortilla.TopwiththeBrieandsprinklethechoppedwalnutsontop.Rollintoatightwrap,thensliceinhalfandserve,orwrapinparchmentpaperandpackforlunch.
TIP:Tryothersoft-ripenedwhitecheeses,suchasCamembert,inplaceoftheBrie.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:21.9gprotein;31.5gfat;
3.8gnetcarbs;389kcal
FIVE-INGREDIENTBLTLETTUCEWRAPIt’salwaysagoodideatokeepsomecookedbaconinthefridgeforalow-carbsnack—orforquickielunchessuchasthisone.Here,theclassicBLTgetsamakeoverasatrendy,healthylettucewrap(nostarchywhitebreadinsight!).Becauseitfeaturesjustafewsimpleingredients,it’sidealforbusymorningswhenyouonlyhaveafewminutestopullapackedlunchtogether.
INGREDIENTS
8slicesfriedbacon,crumbled
1/4cup(56g)FoolproofOne-MinuteMayo
1/4cup(30g)shreddedcheddarcheese
8cherrytomatoes,finelydiced
4largeleavesromainelettuce
Yield:4servings
Placethebacon,mayo,cheese,andcherrytomatoesintoasmallbowl.Mixwell.Dividethemixturebetweenthelettuceleavesandspreadevenly.Rollintowrapsandserve.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:29.1gprotein;97.6gfat;
2.2gnetcarbs;1005kcal
PERWRAP,IF4WRAPSINTOTAL:7.3gprotein;24.4gfat;
0.5gnetcarbs;251kcal
CHAPTER7
DINNERIfyou’recominghomefromworktiredandhungry,spendinghoursinthekitchenisn’tgoingtobeontheagenda.Youneedafamily-friendlymealthat’squick,healthy,andsatisfying.Andthelow-sugarrecipesinthischapterhaveyoucovered;whetheryou’recookingforonepersonorthewholegang,you’llfindplentyofoptionsinthepagesthatfollow.Piesandtarts,forinstance,suchastheFive-IngredientSalmonDillQuicheortheSavoryRicottaButternutSquashTart(mynewfamilyfavorite!)aresimpletoprepare,butmakefilling,elegantdinners.Youmightbesurprisedtolearnthatyoucanmakesugar-freeversionsofsomeofyouroldstandbys—forexample,theBetterthanMacaroniandCheese,ortheFuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna.Ifyou’recookingforjustyourself,trysingle-servingwonderssuchasmySkinnyTunaPastawithShiratakiNoodles,ortheQuickChickenFajitaPasta;bothareeasy,lightoptions.Whichwillyoumaketonight?
◁FIVE-INGREDIENTSALMONDILLQUICHEIt’seasytomakeascrumptious,healthyquichefortonight’sdinner:Allyouneedisfivebasicingredients.Andtheresultisahot,flavorfulmealthat’sburstingwithfreshherbsandhealthyfats.Thisquicheiscrust-free,butifyou’dliketoincludeone,justprepareabatchofVeganSugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrustandprebakeitforfifteenminutesbeforeaddingthefilling.
INGREDIENTS
11/2cups(200g)finelyflakedsmokedsalmonorlox1cup(240ml)heavycream
4eggs1/4cup(20g)finelychoppedfreshdillUnrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,totaste
2cups(145g)shreddedSwisscheeseorothersharpcheese
Yield:8to12servings
Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Combinethesalmon,heavycream,eggs,anddillinalargebowl.Seasonwithsalt.Whiskwellandthenpourthemixtureintoa10-inch(25cm)piepan.Spreadtheshreddedcheeseevenlyontopandbakeinthepreheatedovenfor25minutes,oruntilthecheeseismelted,goldenbrown,andbubbly.Removefromtheoven,letset5minutes,andserve.Storeleftoversinanairtightcontainerinthefridgefortwotothreedays.
NUTRITIONINFO
WITHOUTCRUST
INTOTAL:123.7gprotein;156.6gfat;
7.9gnetcarbs;1936kcal
PERSLICE,IF8SLICESINTOTAL:15.5gprotein;19.6gfat;
1.0gnetcarbs;242kcal
PERSLICE,IF12SLICESINTOTAL:10.3gprotein;
13.1gfat;0.7gnetcarbs;
161kcal
SAVORYRICOTTABUTTERNUTSQUASHTARTThisvegetarian,egg-freepieisaperfectexampleofhowtousestarch-freethickenersaseggreplacements.Hereasingleteaspoonofpsylliumbindsthefillingtogether,resultinginasmooth,creamytexture.Ittookmeclosetotentrialstogetitright,butmyfamilyandIarefinallysatisfiedwiththisversion.WheneverImakeit,weliterallycan’tstopeatingit.Ifyouwanttoreducecarbsfurther,orwantasimplerversion,omitthecrust.
INGREDIENTS
2cups(250g)gratedbutternutsquashflesh2/3cup(160g)ricottacheese1/4cup(60ml)heavycream1teaspoonpsylliumhuskpowder
1teaspoononionpowder
1teaspoondriedthyme
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste1/4teaspoonfreshlygratednutmeg(optional)1Sugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust
Yield:8servings
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Placethegratedsquash,ricotta,heavycream,psyllium,onionpowder,thyme,salt,andnutmeg,ifusing,intoamediumbowl.Mixwellandsetaside.
2.Preparethepiecrustandprebakeit(seehere).Afterprebaking,pourinthefillingandlevelthesurfacewitharubberspatula.Bakefor30minutes,oruntilgoldenbrownandcompletelyset.Removefromtheoven,letcoolslightly,andservewarm.NOTE:Myparentslovetoservecrushedlingonberriesalongsidethispie.Ifyoucan’tfindlingonberries,usecrushedcranberriesinstead:Youcansweetenthemwithliquidsteviaorpowderederythritolifthetartnessofplaincranberriesistoomuchforyou.
NUTRITIONINFO
WITHCRUST
INTOTAL:67.1gprotein;215.9gfat;
52.0gnetcarbs;2420kcal
PERSLICE,IF8SLICESINTOTAL:8.4gprotein;27.0gfat;
6.5gnetcarbs;302kcal
QUICKGLUTEN-FREEMICROWAVEPIZZANeedaquickfixfordinner?Thismicrowavepizzawilldothetrick.Thankstonutritiousalmondflourandfiber-richpsyllium,plusheartytoppings,thishealthystarch-freepizzaissuretosatisfyyourcraving.Feelfreetouseanyleftoverveggiesandmeatsyouhaveinthefridge.Thispizzaisenoughforonehungryperson,orfortwomoderatelyhungrypeople.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHECRUST:
1/4cup(24g)almondflour1/2teaspoonpsylliumhuskpowder1/4teaspoonaluminum-freebakingpowder1egg
FORTHESAUCE:
11/2tablespoons(24g)unsweetenedtomatopaste1/2teaspoondriedoreganoPinchonionpowder
FORTHETOPPINGS:1/2cup(70g)choppedham(preferablynitrite-free)1/3cup(40g)choppedpepperoni1cup(100g)shreddedmozzarellacheese
Yield:2servings
1.Preparethecrust.Mixthealmondflour,psyllium,andbakingpowderinasmallbowl.Addtheeggandstirwithaspoonuntilasmoothbatterforms.Pourthebatteronamicrowave-safeplateandspreadwithaspoonuntilyouhavea1/4-inch(6mm)thicklayer.Placetheplateinthemicrowaveovenandbakeonhighfor1minute30seconds,oruntildone.
2.Preparethesauce.Removethecrustfromthemicrowaveandspreadthetomatopasteevenlyoverit.Thensprinkletheoreganoandonionpowderevenlyoverthetomatopaste.
3.Preparethetoppings.Sprinklethehamandthepepperonionthecrustandtopwiththecheese.Bake,covered,inthemicrowaveonhighfor2minutes,oruntilthecheeseisbubbly.Letcoolforacoupleofminutes,thenserve.
TIP:Foreveneasierversion,useready-madesugar-freepizzasauce.(Alwaysreadthelabeltobesurethatitdoesn’tcontainfoodadditives.)
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:57.7gprotein;68.5gfat;
7.2gnetcarbs;875kcal
PERSERVING,IF2SERVINGSINTOTAL:28.9gprotein;34.2gfat;
3.6gnetcarbs;438kcal
◁FABULOUSPIZZAFOCACCIAFORTHEWHOLEFAMILYWhenyou’reusingstarch-freereal-foodingredients,alittlebitgoesalongway.Andthispizzafocacciaisproof:Justasmallsliceissuretofillyouup.Thisisabasicversion,sogoaheadandprettyitupwithmoretoppingsofyourchoice,suchasham,salami,pepperoni,bellpepper,olives,orslicedtomatoes.Youcanalsoreplacethedriedoreganowithfreshbasilleaves,butdoaddthemafterbaking,asbasillosesitstasteifbakedordried.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHEFOCACCIACRUST:
2cups(230g)almondflour1/4cup(20g)unflavoredgrass-fedwheyprotein1/4cup(25g)eggwhiteprotein2teaspoonsaluminum-freebakingpowder
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste
4eggs1/4cup(60ml)lightoliveoilOTHERINGREDIENTS:1/2cup(120ml)sugar-freepizzasauce3cups(300g)shreddedmozzarellacheese
1tablespoon(3g)driedoregano
Yield:4to6servings
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Lineabakingsheetwithparchmentpaper.
2.First,preparethecrust.Placethealmondflour,wheyprotein,eggwhiteprotein,bakingpowder,andsaltinamediumbowl.Mixwellandsetaside.
3.Placetheeggsandtheoliveoilinalargebowl.Beatwithanelectricmixeruntilsmooth,about1minute.Addthedryingredientsandmixagainuntilsmooth,about1minute.Pourthebatteronthelinedbakingsheetandspreadintoa1/3-inch(8.5mm)thicklayer.Prebakefor10minutes.
4.Whendone,removethecrustfromtheovenandspreadthepizzasauceevenlyoverit.Topwiththecheeseandoregano.Bakefor15minutes,oruntilthecheeseisbubblyandgoldenbrown.Cutintopiecesandserveimmediately.
TIP:Can’tfindeggwhiteprotein?Noproblem:Useonlywheyprotein,andincreasetheamountto1/2cup(40g).
VARIATION:Fortheultimatefocaccia,makethefocacciacrustandspreaditonthebakingsheetasdirected.Butbeforebaking,brushthesurfacewithextra-virginoliveoil,sprinklewithfreshrosemaryneedlesandseasalt,andbakeasdirected.Superb!
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:198.1gprotein;256.4gfat;
44.2gnetcarbs;3277kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:49.5gprotein;64.1gfat;
11.0gnetcarbs;819kcal
PERSERVING,IF6SERVINGSINTOTAL:33.0gprotein;42.7gfat;
7.4gnetcarbs;546kcal
FUSS-FREE,STARCH-FREELASAGNASayhellototheultimatelow-sugarlasagna!Thisversionhasnostarchorgluten,butitsureisbigonnutrientsandflavor.Andonceyoutryit,it’llbecomeoneofyourdinnertimestaples.Notimetobakelasagnatonight?Neverfear:TheBolognesesaucealonemakesaneasydinnerwhenpairedwithstarch-freepastaandafreshgreensalad.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHEBOLOGNESESAUCE:
1tablespoon(14g)grass-fedbutter
2tablespoons(4g)Italianseasoning
1mediumonion,finelychopped
2garliccloves,minced
12ounces(340g)groundbeef
1teaspoonunrefinedseasalt,ortotaste
11/2cups(350ml)unsweetenedtomatosauce1/4cup(65g)unsweetenedtomatopasteFORTHEALFREDOSAUCE3/4cup(180ml)heavycream11/2cups(110g)freshlygratedParmesancheeseOTHERINGREDIENTS
1largezucchini(about1pound,or450g)
1egg
2cups(200g)shreddedmozzarellacheese
Yield:6servings
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).
2.First,preparetheBolognesesauce.Heataskilletovermediumheat.Addthebutterandletitmelt.ThenaddtheItalianseasoning,onion,andgarlicandcook,stirring,foracoupleofminutesuntiltheonionstartstoturntranslucent.Thenaddthemeatandcook,stirringconstantly,crumblingthemeatwiththebackofyourspoonorspatula.Addthesalt,tomatosauce,andtomatopasteandmixwell.Reducetheheatandletsimmer,covered,for15minutes,stirringoccasionally.Removefromtheheatandsetaside.
3.PreparetheAlfredosauce.Placetheheavycreaminasmallsaucepanandbringtoaboil.AddtheParmesancheeseandstirwell.Cookuntilthecheeseismeltedandthesaucehasthickenedslightly.Removefromtheheatandsetaside.
4.Slicethezucchinilengthwiseintothinslicesandsetaside.
5.Inasmallbowl,combinetheAlfredosauceandtheeggandmixwell.
6.Spread1/2cupoftheBolognesesauceoverthebottomofa2-quart(2L)bakingdish.Layhalfofthezucchinislicesonthesaucesothattheycoveritcompletely.SpreadhalfoftheAlfredosaucemixtureoverthezucchinislices.TopwithhalfoftheremainingBolognesesauce,followedby1cup(100g)shreddedmozzarellacheese.
7.LaytherestofthezucchinislicesontheshreddedmozzarellaandtopwiththerestoftheAlfredosauce.Thenspreadtherestofthemeatsauceontop,andsprinklewiththeremainingmozzarellacheese.Bakeinthepreheatedovenfor40minutesoruntilgoldenandbubbly.Letstandfor10minutesbeforeserving.Bestwhencooled,refrigerated,andreheated.
TIP:IftheAlfredosauceisstilltoothinafteraddingtheegg,placeitinasaucepanandbringtoaboil,constantlymixing,untilthesaucethickens.
NOTE:Foreasierpreparation,maketheBolognesesaucefromTheEasiestSpaghettiBolognese.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:189.4gprotein;196.7gfat;
43.5gnetcarbs;2716kcal
PERSERVING,IF6SERVINGSINTOTAL:31.6gprotein;32.8gfat;
7.2gnetcarbs;453kcal
◁FIVE-INGREDIENTROASTEDMACKERELWITHTHYMEANDLEMONSinceit’spackedwithheart-healthyomega-3fats,mackerelisoneofthemostnutritioustypesoffishonthemarket.Ittastesheavenlywhenit’sroastedintheoven,asinthissimplerecipe.Serveitwithlemonwedges,astheirbright,sharpaciditycontrastssowellwiththehot,oilyfish.
INGREDIENTS
4small(about1/2pound,or230g,each)or2large(about1pound,or450g,each)wholemackerels,guttedandcleaned2teaspoonsunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt
2tablespoons(28ml)extra-virginoliveoil
2organiclemons:1sliced,1cutintowedges
40sprigsfreshthyme
Yield:4servings
1.Preheattheovento400°F(200°C).Make4slashestoeachsideofthemackerelwithasharpknife.Rubthemackerelwithsaltandoliveoilbothinsideandoutside.Stuffthemackerelswiththelemonslicesandthymesprigs.Forsmallmackerel,usefivethymesprigspermackerel;forlargeones,usetensprigs.
2.Placethefishonaroastingpanandroastfor25minutes,oruntiltheeyesarewhiteandthefishflakeseasilywithafork.Don’toverbake,asthefishdriesoutquickly.
3.Whilethefishisroasting,removetheleavesfromtherestofthethymesprigs.Discardthestems.Whenthefishisdone,removeitfromtheovenandservesprinkledwiththethymeleavesandgarnishedwiththelemonwedges.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:191.2gprotein;59.5gfat;
0.4gnetcarbs;1302kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:47.8gprotein;14.9gfat;
0.1gnetcarbs;326kcal
BETTERTHANMACARONIANDCHEESELookingforfilling,low-sugarcomfortfoodyourwholefamilywilllove?Here’stheanswer.Thiscreamy,starch-freemainisperfectforchillywinterevenings—orwheneveryouneedthedinnertimeequivalentofawarmblanketandahug.It’shighlytummy-friendly,too,sinceitreplaceswheat-filledpastawithoh-so-nutritiouscauliflower.Andthatmeansitwon’tspikeyourbloodsugar.What’snottolike?
INGREDIENTS
1cup(240ml)heavycream
2eggs
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste
2teaspoonsdrymustard(thatis,mustardpowderorgroundmustardseeds)1/2teaspoononionpowder1/4teaspoongarlicpowder2cups(190g)shreddedcheddarcheese
4cups(565g)precooked(crisp),cauliflower,choppedinto1/4-inch(6mm)chunks1cup(100g)shreddedmozzarellacheese1/4cup(30g)almondflourYield:6servings
1.Preheattheovento400°F(200°C).
2.Combinethecream,eggs,salt,mustard,onionpowder,andgarlicpowderinalargesaucepan.Heatovermediumheat,constantlyandcarefullystirringwithawirewhiskuntilthemixturestartstothicken.Whenthishappens,reducetheheattoaminimumandadd11/2cups(143g)ofthecheddarcheese.Mixuntilallthecheeseismelted,thenaddthecauliflowerandmixwellagain.
3.Transferthemixturetoagreasedbakingdish.Sprinkletheremainingcheddarcheese,allthemozzarellacheese,andthealmondflourevenlyontop.Bakefor25minutes,untilthetopisgoldenbrownandthecheeseisbubbly.Letstandfor10minutesandthenserve.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:119.6gprotein;204.6gfat;
23.1gnetcarbs;2412kcal
PERSERVING,IF6SERVINGSINTOTAL:19.9gprotein;34.1gfat;
3.8gnetcarbs;402kcal
FIVE-INGREDIENTMOZZARELLACHICKENWINGSI’vedoneplentyofexperimentingwithrecipesforchickenwings,andthisoneisdefinitelythewinner.It’sabitmessytoeat—butthat’shalfthefun,ofcourse.Thisversioniskid-friendly,soitisn’tspicy,butifyouwanttokickuptheheat,goaheadandaddalittlecayennepepper.Ifyou’reexpectingguests,thesewingsmakegreatappetizers,too.(Justbesuretoprovideextranapkins!)INGREDIENTS
11/2pounds(680g)chickenwings1/4cup(60ml)lightoliveoil7ounces(200g)shreddedmozzarellacheese
2teaspoonsonionpowder
2teaspoonspaprika
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste
Yield:4servings
1.Preheattheovento450°F(230°C).
2.Placethechickenwingsandtheoilinalargebowlandtosswell.Placetheoiledchickenwingsinalargeglassorceramicbakingdish.Ifthere’sanyoilleftinthebowl,pouritoverthechicken.
3.Placethemozzarella,onionpowder,paprika,andsalt,inamediumbowl.Mixwell.Sprinklethemozzarellamixtureevenlyonthechickenwingsandbakefor15to20minutes,oruntilthejuicesrunclear.Enjoyhot—butdon'tburnyourself!
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:170.6gprotein;173.1gfat;
1.2gnetcarbs;2245kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:42.6gprotein;43.3gfat;
0.3gnetcarbs;561kcal
◁STARCH-FREEWIENERSCHNITZELSThisone’sarealEuropeanclassic—butmygluten-free,starch-freeversionissomuchhealthierthantheoriginal.(Feelfreetomakeabatchofthebreadingmixtureandkeepitonhandasapantrystapletouseforbreadingchicken,fish,veggies,orcheese.Thepossibilitiesareendless!)Servetheseschnitzelsgarnishedwithanchovies,capers,andlemonslices,plussomeoven-bakedturniporrutabagafriesontheside.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHEBREADINGMIXTURE:
1cup(115g)almondflour
1tablespoon(9g)psylliumhuskpowder
1teaspoononionpowder
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt
1pinchgroundwhitepepper
OTHERINGREDIENTS:
2eggs
4vealmedallions,porkchops,orchickenbreasts(12ounces,or340g,intotal)1stick(8tablespoons[4ounces],or115g)grass-fedbutterorlard,forfryingYield:4servings
1.Combinetheingredientsforthebreadinginashallowbowl.Setaside.
2.Placetheeggsinaseparateshallowbowlandmixgentlywithafork.Setaside.
3.Poundthemeatinto1/4-inch(6mm)thickcutlets,workingfromthecenterofthemeatoutward.
4.Heataskilletovermedium-highheatandaddthebutter.Takeonecutletanddipitintheeggsothatit'scompletelycovered.Thendipitimmediatelyintothebreadingmixturesothatit'scompletelycovered.(Youcangentlypressthebreadingintothecutlettohelpitstick.)Placethebreadedcutletintheskilletandfryuntilcookedthroughandgoldenbrown,approximately4minutesperside.Fliponlyonceduringcooking.
5.Repeatthisprocesswiththerestofthecutletsandserveimmediately,withturniporrutabagafries.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:150.3gprotein;203.7gfat;
9.6gnetcarbs;2473kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:37.6gprotein;50.9gfat;
2.4gnetcarbs;618kcal
◁SKINNYTUNAPASTAWITHSHIRATAKINOODLESYou’restarving,andyou’rejustcookingforonetonight.Whattodo?Skipprocessedconveniencefoods,andtreatyourselftothisfresh,lighttunapastainstead.It’sbothprotein-richandpackedwithvegetables,andit’sverylow-starch,thankstotheshiratakinoodles,whicharevirtuallycalorie-free.Andafinalsqueezeoffreshlemonjuiceplusascatteringoffieryredpepperflakesreallyputaspringinitsstep.
INGREDIENTS
2.9-ounce(80g)cantunainoliveoil,notdrained1/2smallonion,finelychopped1clovegarlic,crushed
2sun-driedtomatohalves,finelychopped
4mediumcanned,drainedartichokehearts,chopped
1package(7ounces,or200g)shiratakipastaofyourpreferredshape,rinsedanddrained1/2teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste2teaspoonsfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice
1tablespoon(15ml)extra-virginoliveoil
Redpepperflakes,totaste
Yield:1serving
1.Drainthetunaandreservetheoil.Heataskilletovermedium-highheat.(Avoidhighheat,asitencouragestheoliveoiltosplatter.)Addtheoliveoilfromthedrainedtuna,plustheonion,garlic,sun-driedtomatoes,andtheartichokehearts.Cook,stirringoccasionally,untiltheonionistranslucent,about5minutes.
2.Addtheshiratakipastaandthesaltandstirwell.Thenaddthetuna,mixgently,andheatuntilpipinghot,butdon’tcook.Placeonaservingplate,drizzlewiththelemonjuiceandtheoliveoil,andtopwiththeredpepperflakes.Serveimmediately.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:16.1gprotein;47.7gfat;
6.7gnetcarbs;
524kcal
◁QUICKCHICKENFAJITAPASTACravingtheflavorsofchickenfajitas,minusthecarbsandsugar?Amazingly,thiscreamy,spicedpastaisbothstarch-anddairy-free,andit’sasnaptomake,becauseitreliesonjustahandfulofstore-cupboardstaples.Ifyoucan’tfindshiratakipasta,replaceitwithzoodles(thatis,spiralizedzucchini).Eitherway,it’saweeknightwinner.
INGREDIENTS
2tablespoons(28ml)lightoliveoil
2teaspoonshomemadefajitaseasoningmix(seesidebar)1/2smallonion,finelychopped1garlicclove,finelychopped1/2greenbellpepper,chopped4ounces(115g)chickenbreast,choppedintobite-sizepieces1tablespoon(16g)unsweetenedtomatopaste
1/4cup(60ml)coconutcream
1package(7ounces,or200g)shiratakipasta(fettucine-style,ifpossible),rinsedanddrainedUnrefinedseasaltorHimalayansaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper,totasteYield:1serving
Heataskilletovermedium-highheat.Addtheoliveoil,fajitaseasoning,onion,andgarlic.Mixwellandcookuntiltheonionistranslucent,approximately5minutes.Addthebellpepperandthechickenbreast.Cook,stirringconstantly,untilthechickenisdoneandthejuicesrunclear.Thenaddthetomatopasteandcoconutcreamandcookuntilthesauceisasthickasyoulikeit(thelongerthesaucecooks,thethickeritgets).Addtheshiratakipastaandmixwell.Heatitthrough,butdon’tcook.Seasonwithsaltandpepperandserveimmediately.
HOMEMADEFAJITASEASONING
1teaspoononionpowder1teaspoongroundcumin
1teaspoonpaprika1/2teaspoongarlicpowder1/4teaspooncayennepepperMixallthespicestogetherwellandstoreinan
airtightcontainer.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:30.9gprotein;
44.3gfat;7.0gnetcarbs;
536kcal
THEEASIESTSPAGHETTIBOLOGNESESpaghettiBologneseisaclassiccomfortfood,belovedespeciallybykids.Butstarchyspaghetticanraisetheroofonyourbloodsugarlevels—andthat’sneveragoodthing.Yourveinsandbrainswillthankyouwhenyoumakethislow-sugarversion,though.It’scriminallyeasy,too,sowhipupabatchthenexttimeyouneedtofeedthewholefamilyfast.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHEBOLOGNESESAUCE:
Oilorbutterforfrying
2pounds(910g)groundbeef
3cups(710ml)unsweetenedtomatosauce
1tablespoon(3g)driedoregano
2teaspoonsonionpowder1/2teaspoongarlicpowder1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste
Freshlygroundblackpepper,totaste
OTHERINGREDIENTS:
2packages(7ounces,or200g,each)shiratakispaghetti
1ounce(30g)Parmesancheese
Yield:4servings
1.Heataskilletovermedium-highheat.Addthebutteroroilandletmelt.Addthegroundbeefandcook,crumblingthemeatwiththebackofyourspoonorspatulaasyoudoso.Whenthemeatisdone,addthetomatosauce,oregano,onionpowder,andgarlicpowder.Cook,uncovered,untilthesauceisreducedandthick.(Lowertheheatifthesauceisabouttospillover.)Seasonwithsaltandpepper.
2.Preparetheshiratakispaghettiaccordingtothepackageinstructions.Dividethespaghettiamongfourservingplates,andtopeachwiththeBolognesesauce.GratesomeParmesanontopofeachservingandserveimmediately.
TIP:Trydifferentstarch-freespaghettis.Forinstance,insteadofshirataki,youcanusezoodles.They’reagoodmatchforBolognese,becausetheytasteespeciallycrunchy
andfresh.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:186.6gprotein;104.9gfat;
32.6gnetcarbs;1822kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:46.7gprotein;26.2gfat;
8.1gnetcarbs;456kcal
A-CINCH-TO-MAKEMEATLOAFINAMUGThisunbelievablyjuicymeatloafissomucheasiertomakethantheclassicversion—nomessinvolved.Thesecretingredient?Anegg,whichactsasabinderandguaranteesadeliciouslymoistresult.Andit’sreadyinnotime,soit’stheperfectchoiceforaweeknightdinner-for-one.Serveitwithfreshsaladandstarch-freebreadonthesideforafullmeal,thentreatyourselftoalow-sugardessert.
INGREDIENTS
4ounces(115g)groundbeef
1tablespoon(15g)Five-IngredientSugar-FreeKetchup
1egg
3tablespoons(23g)shreddedmozzarellacheese1/2teaspoondriedoregano1/4teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotasteYield:1serving
Combinealltheingredientsinabowlandmixwell.Transferthemixturetoamicrowave-safe8-ounce(230ml)mug.Microwaveat250wattsfor6to8minutes,checkingthemeatloafafteracoupleminutesandadjustingthetotalcookingtimeaccordingtoyourmicrowaveoven.Don’tovercook,otherwisethemeatloafbecomestoodry.Letcoolslightlyandserve.
TIP:Forextraflavor,addonesliceofcooked,crumbledbacontotheotheringredientsbeforemixing.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:34.5gprotein;21.3gfat;
0.9gnetcarbs;334kcal
VEGETARIANEGGPLANTCURRYWITHCAULIBASMATIRICEAveritablekaleidoscopeoftastesandtextures,thisdishcontrastssoft,tendereggplantwithcrispfennelandcrunchycelery,allbathedinacoconuttycreamsauce.PartneritwithabatchofCauliBasmatiRice,ahealthyversionoftraditional,starch-filledbasmatiriceandanidealmatchforallsortsofAsiandishes,suchascurriesandstir-fries.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHEVEGETARIANEGGPLANTCURRY:
Oilorbutterforfrying
1to2tablespoons(15to30g)greenThaicurrypaste
1smallonion,chopped
13.5-ounce(400ml)cancoconutmilk
1mediumeggplant,diced
1smallfennelbulb,shredded
2celerystalks,slicedinto1/4-inch(6mm)slices2tablespoons(28ml)fishsauce
1tablespoon(15ml)freshlysqueezedlimejuice
1tablespoon(10g)erythritol-basedbrownsugarsubstitute(optional)FORTHECAULIBASMATIRICE:
1pound(450g)cauliflower
1teaspooncuminseeds
2tablespoons(1ounce,or30g)grass-fedbutteroroliveoil1/3cup(60g)frozengreenpeasUnrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,totaste
Yield:4servings
1.PreparetheVegetarianEggplantCurry.Placeaskilletovermediumheat.Addtheoilorbutterandletitgethot.Addthecurrypasteandheatfor30seconds,constantlystirring.Addtheonionandcook,stirringoccasionally,untiltranslucent,about5minutes.(Reducetheheatiftheonionisabouttobrown.)2.Addthecoconutmilkandbringtoaboilandthenaddtheeggplanttotheskillet.Cook,covered,for10minutesoruntiltender.(Hint:Whiletheeggplantiscooking,youcanstartpreparingtheCauliBasmatiRice.Seestep
4.)3.Addthefennelandthecelerytotheskillet.Cook,uncovered,for5minutesoruntilcrisp-tender.Addthefishsauce,limejuice,andsweetener,ifusing,andcook,uncovered,for1minute.RemovefromtheheatandservewithCauliBasmatiRice.
4.PreparetheCauliBasmatiRice.Processthecauliflowerinafoodprocessoruntilaricelikeconsistencyisachieved.
5.Heataskilletoverhighheat.Addthecuminseedsandheatfor30secondsuntilfragrant,stirringallthetime.(Don’tlettheseedsburn.)Setaside.
6.Reducetheheattomedium-low.Meltthebutter(oraddtheoil)intheskilletandthenaddthecauliflower.Mixwellsothatthecaulifloweriscompletelycoated.Coverandletsimmerfor5to10minutes,oruntilthecaulifloweriscrisp-tender.(Don’tletitgettoosoft.)Ifitstartstobrown,addatablespoonortwo(15to28ml)ofwaterandmixwell.Addthepeasandmixwell.Seasonwithsalt.Letstand,covered,untilthepeashavedefrostedandarewarmedthrough.MixwellandserveimmediatelywithVegetarianEggplantCurry,above.
TIP:Notafanoffennel?Don’tworry!Itstasteisverymildandsubtleinthisdish.Butfeelfreetoreplacethefennelorcelerywithothernonstarchyvegetablessuchas
zucchini,squash,greenbellpepper,carrotmatchsticks,orshreddedcabbage,ifyoulike.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:38.8gprotein;112.1gfat;
54.6gnetcarbs;1383kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:9.7gprotein;28.0gfat;
13.7gnetcarbs;346kcal
FORTHEVEGETARIANEGGPLANTCURRY
INTOTAL:26.9gprotein;86.4gfat;
38.8gnetcarbs;
1039kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:6.7gprotein;21.6gfat;
9.7gnetcarbs;260kcal
FORTHECAULIBASMATIRICE
INTOTAL:11.9gprotein;25.7gfat;
15.8gnetcarbs;344kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:3.0gprotein;6.4gfat;
4.0gnetcarbs;86kcal
◁CAULIRICESEAFOODPAELLAYoudon’thavetogiveupSpanish-stylepaellajustbecauseyou’reeatinglow-sugar.Thisversionreplacesthericewithcaulirice,butit’sjustasgood—andit’sanentiremealinasingleskillet.Thereareasmanyrecipesforpaellaastherearecooks,soeachoneisunique.Thisismyfavorite,butfeelfreetotweakittoyourtaste.Forinstance,myfamilyandIlovesmokedpaprika’sdistinctflavor,butyoucanomitit,orreplaceitwithregularpaprika,ifyou’renotafan.
INGREDIENTS
2tablespoons(28ml)extra-virginoliveoil
1mediumonion,chopped
4garliccloves,crushed
1largeredbellpepper,chopped
8saffronthreads
4cups(450g)cauliflowerrice1/2cup(120ml)chickenstockorfishstock2tablespoons(32g)tomatopaste1/2teaspoonsmokedpaprika1/2cup(90g)frozengreenpeas1pound(450g)frozenprecookedseafoodmix
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste
Pinchcayennepepper
Yield:2to4servings
1.Heatalargeskilletovermedium-highheat.Addtheoliveoil,onion,garlic,bellpepper,andsaffron.Cook,stirring,untilthevegetablesarecrisp-tender,about5minutes.Thenaddthecauliflower,stock,tomatopaste,andsmokedpaprikaandcook,covered,untilthecaulifloweriscrisp-tender,about5minutes.
2.Addthefrozenpeasandthefrozenseafoodmix.Heat,stirring,untildefrostedandcompletelyhot,about5to10minutes.(Don'tcooktheseafoodoritwillbecometough.)Seasonwithsaltandcayennepepperandserveimmediately.
TIP:Don’twanttospendmoneyonpriceysaffron?Use1/4teaspoonturmericinstead.You’llgetthesamerichyellowcolor,andplentyofhealthbenefits,too,asturmericis
saidtohaveantioxidantandanti-inflammatoryproperties.
VARIATION:Servethiswithmussels,asshownopposite.Rinseandsteamthemandaddjustbeforeserving.Ifyou’renotaseafoodeater,use1pound(450g)cookedandcubedchickeninsteadoftheseafoodmix.Orusethesameamountofchorizosausage,
oramixofchorizoandchicken.(Frythesausagebeforeaddingit.)
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:78.7gprotein;35.6gfat;
44.0gnetcarbs;813kcal
PERSERVING,IF2SERVINGSINTOTAL:39.3gprotein;17.8gfat;
22.0gnetcarbs;406kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:19.7gprotein;8.9gfat;
11.0gnetcarbs;203kcal
FOUR-INGREDIENTCREAMYCURRIEDCHICKENSAUCEWITHMASHEDCAULIFLOWERThisrecipebogglesthemind:Howcansomethingsosating—yetsohealthy—besoeasytomake?Well,cauliflowerandheavycreamareyoursecretweaponshere.Theheavycreamgetsboileddowntomakeathicksauce,whilecooked,pureedcauliflowertakestheplaceofcarb-ladenmashedpotatoes.(Don’tskimponthecream.Usethewholeamounttoachieveathick,richsauce.)INGREDIENTS
FORTHEFOUR-INGREDIENTCREAMYCURRIEDCHICKENSAUCE:
2tablespoons(1ounce,or30g)grass-fedbutter
1teaspooncurrypowder
1pound(450g)groundchicken
11/2cups(350ml)heavycream1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste
FORTHEMASHEDCAULIFLOWER:
11/2pounds(680g)cauliflower,choppedintolargechunks2tablespoons(1ounce,or30g)grass-fedbutter
2tablespoons(28ml)heavycream
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste1/3cup(30g)freshlygratedParmesancheeseYield:4servings1.PreparetheFour-IngredientCreamyCurriedChickenSauce.Heatalargeskilletovermedium-highheat.Addthebutterandletitmelt.Addthecurrypowderandcook,stirring,for30secondsoruntilfragrant.Addthegroundchickenandcook,constantlystirringandcrumblingthemeatwiththebackofyourspoonorspatulaasyoudoso.Whenthechickenisdone—thejuicesshouldrunclear—pourinthecream.Cookoverhighheat,stirringconstantly,untilthesauceisreducedandthick.(Becarefulnottoletthecreamspillover.)Seasonwithsalt.
2.Whilethesauceiscooking,preparethemashedcauliflower.Boilthecauliflowerinalargepotofwateruntiltenderanddrainwell.(Discardthecookingwater.)Addthebutter,cream,salt,andParmesanandpureeuntilsmooth,preferablywithanimmersionblender.Addmorecreamifyoupreferarunnierconsistencyandmixwell.Serveimmediately,toppedwiththechickensauce.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:113.7gprotein;208.6gfat;
26.9gnetcarbs;2443kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:28.4gprotein;52.2gfat;
6.7gnetcarbs;611kcal
FOUR-INGREDIENTCREAMYCURRIEDCHICKENSAUCE
INTOTAL:91.7gprotein;163.9gfat;
10.9gnetcarbs;1886kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:22.9gprotein;41.0gfat;
2.7gnetcarbs;472kcal
MASHEDCAULIFLOWER
INTOTAL:22.0gprotein;44.7gfat;
16.0gnetcarbs;557kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:5.5gprotein;11.2gfat;
4.0gnetcarbs;139kcal
EASYCAULIRICEMUSHROOMANDPARMESANRISOTTOTraditionalrisottohastwomajordrawbacks:Itrequirestimeandskilltoperfect,andthestarchyarborioricefromwhichit’smadeisn’tveryhealthy.Thisversionisbothgoodforyouandeasytomake.Don’tbeputoffbythenutritionalyeast;it'sanatural,nutrient-richflavorenhancerthataddsacheesytastetodishes.Ifyoudon’thaveany,addanother1/4cup(20g)ofgratedParmesan.
INGREDIENTS
2tablespoons(1ounce,or30g)grass-fedbutter
4cups(280g)buttonmushrooms,chopped1/2cup(120ml)chickenstockorvegetablestock1/4cup(60ml)drywhitewine1tablespoon(5g)nutritionalyeast
1teaspoononionpowder1/4teaspoongarlicpowder4cups(450g)cauliflowerrice3/4cupplus1/4cup(60gplus20g)freshlygratedParmesancheese,divided1/2teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotastePinchfreshlygroundwhitepepper
Yield:2to4servings
1.Heatalargeskilletovermedium-highheatandmeltthebutterinit.Addthemushroomsandcook,stirringoccasionally,untilalltheliquidhasevaporatedandthemushroomsaretender.Thenaddthechickenstock,whitewine,nutritionalyeast,onionpowder,andgarlicpowderandcook,uncovered,untiltheliquidhasreducedbyhalf.
2.Nowaddthecauliflowerandcook,stirringconstantly,untilcrisp-tender,about5minutes.Add3/4cup(60g)Parmesanandstiruntilmelted.Seasonwithsaltandwhitepepper.
3.DividetherisottobetweentwoservingplatesandsprinkletheremainingParmesanontopofeachserving.Serveimmediately.
VARIATION:Wanttomakethisdishevenmoresatisfying?Add1cup(140g)cookedandcubedchickenalongwiththecauliflower.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:43.7gprotein;48.6gfat;
12.6gnetcarbs;702kcal
PERSERVING,IF2SERVINGSINTOTAL:21.9gprotein;24.3gfat;
6.3gnetcarbs;351kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:10.9gprotein;12.1gfat;
3.2gnetcarbs;176kcal
TASTYTACOCASSEROLEEvercheckedtheingredientlistonthatpacketofstore-boughttacoseasoning?Lotsofthemarefullofsugarandstarch,sothey’reoff-limitsifyou’reeatinglow-sugar.Butwhenyoumakeyourownhomemadetacoseasoning—withjustfiveingredients!—youcanbesurethatit'scleanandsugar-free.It’sidealinthispunchy,cheesy,kid-friendlycasserole.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHETACOSEASONING:
2tablespoons(15g)chilipowder
11/2tablespoons(11g)groundcumin11/2teaspoonsonionpowder1teaspoongarlicpowder1/2teaspoondriedoreganoOTHERINGREDIENTS:
Oilorbutterforfrying
2pounds(910g)groundbeef
15-ounce(425g)cangreenbeans,drained
16-ounce(450g)candicedtomatoes
2teaspoonsunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste6cups(240g)cubedEasyFluffyBread
4cups(380g)shreddedmildcheddarcheese
Yield:8servings
1.Placealltacoseasoningingredientsintoasmalljarwithatightlyfittinglid.Closethelid,andshakeuntilwellmixed.
2.Preparethemeatsauce.Heatalargeskilletovermedium-highheat.Addtheoilorbutter.Whenhot,addthegroundbeefandcook.Whenthemeatisbrowned,addthetacoseasoning,greenbeans,anddicedtomatoes.Mixwell.Reducetheheattolow,andletsimmeruntilthesaucehasthickened,about20minutes.Seasonwithsalt,mixwell,andsetaside.
3.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Layhalfofthebreadcubesevenlyinthebottomofacasseroledish.Spreadhalfofthemeatsauceonthebreadcubesandsprinklehalfofthecheeseonthemeatsauce.Spreadtherestofthebreadcubesonthecheese,topwiththerestofthemeatsauce,and,finally,sprinkle
therestofthecheeseontop.Bakefor30minutes,oruntilthecheeseisbubblyandgoldenbrown.Removefromtheoven,letstandfor10minutes,andserve.
TIP:Thetacoseasoningisalittlespicy.Ifyou’remakingthisdishforkids,youcanreplace1tablespoon(7g)ofthechilipowderwithpaprika.
VARIATION:YoucanalsousehalfabatchofJustLikeTortillaChipsinplaceofthebreadcubes.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:313.4gprotein;283.4gfat;
33.7gnetcarbs;3954kcal
PERSERVING,IF8SERVINGSINTOTAL:39.2gprotein;35.4gfat;
4.2gnetcarbs;494kcal
CHAPTER8
SNACKSEvenifyoueatthreemealsaday,hungercanstrikewhenyouleastexpectit.Long,harddaysatworkorschooltaketheirtollongrownups,leadingtorumblingbelliesandflaggingenergylevels.Andkids,withtheirlittletummies,can’teathugeportionsallatonce,sotheyneedhealthysnacks,too.Inthecomingpages,you’llfindideasforlow-sugarsnacksthatareconvenientfornoshingonthego—orforleavinginthefridgeforyourchildtograbafterschool.
Forstarters,trymyrecipeforTwo-IngredientCrackers.It’sbasedonmyall-timefavoritesourcreamandchivecrackerrecipe,whichisadoredbykidsandadultsalike.(Ialwayspacksomeinmyson’sschoollunchbox.)OrtrytheEasyBroccoli“TaterTots”andtheMagicCauliflowerPopcorn.They’rebighitswithkids,too.YoucansateyoursweettoothwiththeCinnamon–Roll–FlavoredAppleChips.Thesegood-for-youtreatsaresugar-andadditive-free,buthaveallthecrunchandcomfy-cozyflavorofthestore-boughtvariety.
JUSTLIKETORTILLACHIPSDitchthestarchycornandthefoodadditives.Youdon’tneedthemtomake“tortilla”chipsthatwillsatisfyyourcravingforacrunchy,saltysnack.Thisversionisburstingwithhealthyingredientsandlotsoffiber,plus—thankstothenutritionalyeastandtheonionpowder—plentyofflavor.Trydippingtheminabatchofhomemadeguacamole.
INGREDIENTS
8ounces(230g)blanchedalmonds1/4cup(45g)whitechiaseeds1tablespoon(5g)nutritionalyeast
1teaspoononionpowder
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste2ounces(60g)full-fatcreamcheese,softenedYield:about48chips
1.Preheattheovento210°F(100°C).Placethealmonds,chiaseeds,nutritionalyeast,onionpowder,andsaltinafoodprocessor.Processuntilthemixtureresemblescornmeal.
2.Transferthemixturetoamediumbowl.Addthecreamcheeseandkneaduntilasmoothdoughforms.Ifyoucan’tformthedoughintoaball,addmorecreamcheese.
3.Placethedoughonabakingsheetlinedwithparchmentpaper.Placeanotherpieceofparchmentpaperonthedough.Usingarollingpin,rollthedoughoutasthinlyaspossible.Removethetoppieceofparchmentpaper.
4.Cutthedoughwithaknifeorpizzacutterintosquaresandthencrosswiseintotriangles.Placeintheovenandbakefor50to60minutes,checkingfrequentlytopreventthechipsfrombecomingtoodarkorburning.
5.Letcoolcompletely,thenbreakintotrianglesalongtheprecutlines.Storeinanairtightcontainerinacool,dryplaceforuptooneweek.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:65.0gprotein;143.4gfat;
27.1gnetcarbs;1662kcal
PERCHIP,IF48CHIPSINTOTAL:1.4gprotein;3.0gfat;
0.6gnetcarbs;35kcal
MAGICCAULIFLOWERPOPCORNPackedwithfiberandvitaminC,thiscauliflower“popcorn”beatsthetraditionalstarch-bombversionineveryway.Andbestofall,ittakesjustfivesimpleitems!There’samagicingredientatworkhere,ofcourse:cheddarcheesepowder,whichmakesthispopcornincrediblytastyandimpossibletoresist.Don’tbakethecauliflowerfortoolong,though,asyouwanttobesuretoretainitsdeliciouscrunch.
INGREDIENTS
2pounds(910g)cauliflower(about1largehead),choppedintobite-sizepieces1tablespoon(15ml)lightoliveoil
1teaspoonunrefinedseasalt,ortotaste1/4teaspoongarlicpowder1/3cup(35g)whitecheddarcheesepowderYield:about5cups(500g)
1.Preheattheovento400°F(200°C).Lineabakingsheetwithparchmentpaper.Placethecauliflower,oliveoil,salt,andgarlicpowderinalargebowl.Tossuntilwellmixed.
2.Spreadthecaulifloweronthelinedbakingsheetinasinglelayersothatthecauliflowerpiecesbarelytouchoneother,andbakefor10minutes.
3.Removethecauliflowerfromtheovenandpourthehotcauliflowerpiecesintoalargeheatproofbowl.(Thebestwaytodothisisbygrabbingtheshortendsofthecauliflower-loadedparchmentpaperandcarefullyliftingituptopourthecauliflowerrightintothebowl.Don’tburnyourself!)Addthecheddarcheesepowderandtosswithaspoonuntilthecaulifloweriscompletelyandevenlycovered.Letcoolonacoolingrackforafewminutes.Servewarm.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:30.3gprotein;26.0gfat;
27.0gnetcarbs;463kcal
PER1CUP(100G):6.1gprotein;5.2gfat;
5.4gnetcarbs;
93kcal
EASYBROCCOLI“TATERTOTS”
Didyouknowthatjust31/2ounces(100g)ofcommerciallyproducedTaterTotscontainabouteightsugarcubes?So,ifyouwouldn’tfeedyourchildeightsugarcubes(especiallyatasinglesitting),skipthemandmakeabatchoftheseaddictive-but-nutritiousEasyBroccoli“TaterTots”instead.They’rejustasgood,andfarhealthier,sincethere’snonastysugarinsight.
INGREDIENTS
1cup(240g)soft-cookedbroccoli,tightlypacked1cup(100g)gratedmozzarellacheese1/2cup(60g)almondflour1teaspoonpsylliumhuskpowder
1teaspoononionpowder
1egg
1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste2tablespoons(28ml)extra-lightoliveoil,forbrushingYield:about16tatertots
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Lineabakingsheetwithparchmentpaper.Placeallingredientsinamediumbowlandmixwithanelectricmixeruntilsmooth.
2.Scoopup2tablespoons(28g)ofthemixture.Withliberallyoiledhands,shapeitintoacylindricalorrectangulartater-totshape.Placethetatertotonthelinedbakingsheet.Repeatwiththeremainingbroccolimixture.
3.Brusheachtatertotgenerouslywitholiveoil,thentransferthetraytotheovenandbakefor20minutes,oruntilgoldenbrown.(Keepaneyeonthemtopreventthemfromburning.)Removefromtheoven,letcool,andthenservewithFive-IngredientSugar-FreeKetchup,FoolproofOne-MinuteMayo,orasugar-freedipofyourchoice.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:56.7gprotein;84.0gfat;
11.4gnetcarbs;1043kcal
PERTATERTOT,IF16TATERTOTSINTOTAL:3.5gprotein;
5.2gfat;0.7gnetcarbs;
65kcal
◁TWO-INGREDIENTCRACKERSThesemelt-in-your-mouthcrackersaresuchahealthyalternativetostarch-ladenstore-boughtcrackersorpotatochips.Withjusttwoingredients,they’reamazinglysimple.They’regreatontheirown,orwithjustaboutanykindoflow-sugartopping.Tryspreadingthemwithflavoredcreamcheeses(aslongasthey’remadewithoutfoodadditives,ofcourse).Oryoucanaddchoppedfreshchivestothedoughtomakecreamcheeseandchivecrackers.
INGREDIENTS
2cups(230g)almondflour
2.5ounces(70g)full-fatcreamcheese(anyflavor)1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste(optional)Yield:about48crackers
1.Preheattheovento210°F(100°C).Mixallingredientsbyhandinamediumbowl.Kneadforabouthalfaminuteoruntilasmoothdoughforms.
2.Placethedoughonabakingsheetlinedwithparchmentpaper.Placeanotherpieceofparchmentpaperontopofthedough.Usingarollingpin,rollthedoughoutasthinlyaspossiblebetweenthetwopiecesofparchmentpaper.Thenremovethetoppiece.
3.Useaknifeorpizzacuttertocutthedoughintosquares(orothershapesofyourchoice).Placeintheovenandbakefor50to60minutes,checkingfrequentlytopreventthecrackersfrombecomingtoodarkorburning.Letcoolcompletelybeforeremovingfromthebakingsheet.Storeinanairtightcontainerinacool,dryplaceforuptooneweek.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:54.0gprotein;131.8gfat;
23.9gnetcarbs;1498kcal
PERCRACKER,IF48CRACKERSINTOTAL:1.1gprotein;2.7gfat;
0.5gnetcarbs;31kcal
◁BESTBBQNUTSThesenutsmakeagreatpartysnack,oranimpromptuappetizerforlast-minuteguests.Don’tbesurprised,though,ifthesegemsdisappearassoonasyouservethem,sincethey’respiced,crunchy,andfinger-lickinggood.Duringtheholidays,youcanfillabeautifulglassjarwiththesenutsandgivethemasahealthy,deliciousgift.Feelfreetomixthingsupbyexperimentingwithdifferentherbsandspices.
INGREDIENTS
8ounces(230g)mixednuts(suchasalmonds,blanchedhazelnuts,pecans,ormacadamianuts)1tablespoon(15ml)extra-lightoliveoil11/2teaspoonssalt-freebarbecueseasoning1teaspoonunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt,ortotaste1tablespoon(10g)erythritol-basedbrownsugarsubstitute(optional)Yield:about21/2cups(350g)
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Lineabakingsheetwithparchmentpaper.Placealltheingredientsintoaresealablefreezerbag.Closethebagtightlyandshakeitwelltoletthespicesandoilcoverthenutsevenly.Spreadthemixtureoverthebakingsheetintoathin,evenlayer.Bakefor10to12minutes,oruntilgoldenbrown.Keepaneyeonthenutsastheybake,astheyburnveryeasily.
2.Letthenutscoolcompletelyonthebakingsheetandthenremoveandserve.Storeleftoversinanairtightcontainerinacool,dryplaceforuptotwodays.
NUTRITIONINFO
NOTE:THEEXACTVALUESDEPENDONTHENUTMIXUSED.
INTOTAL:34.2gprotein;162.2gfat;
32.2gnetcarbs;1757kcal
PER1⁄4CUP(ABOUT35G):8.6gprotein;40.5gfat;
8.0gnetcarbs;439kcal
◁CINNAMONROLL–FLAVOREDAPPLECHIPSFinally:There’sahealthywaytoenjoycinnamonbuns!Andtheproof’sinthepudding—or,inthiscase,intheCinnamonRoll–FlavoredAppleChips.Choosethesourestpossibleapplesforthelowestsugarcontent,thenrubthemwithspicesandsweetenerandpopthemintoawarmovenforafewhours.Youcangetcreativewithyourchoiceofspices,too.Forexample,pumpkinpiespicemakesagreatautumnaltreat,andgingerbreadseasoningisperfectfortheholidays.Don’tdespairifthechipsaren’tcrispwhenthey’rewarmfromtheoven:Thankstotheerythritol,they’llcrispupaftercoolingdown.
INGREDIENTS
2tablespoons(16g)powderederythritol1/2teaspoonCeyloncinnamon1/4teaspoonvanillapowder2smallGrannySmithapples,orothersourapplesYield:about31/2cups(98g)
1.Preheattheovento200°F(90°C).Linetwobakingsheetswithparchmentpaper.Placetheerythritol,cinnamon,andvanillapowderinasmallbowlandmixwell.
2.Slicetheapplesasthinlyaspossible.Discardtheseeds.
3.Placetheappleslicesonthelinedbakingsheetsinasinglelayer.Usingcleanhands,rubeachsliceonbothsideswiththesweetener-and-spicemixture.Thenbakefor4hoursoruntilcrisp,switchingthepositionofthebakingsheetshalfwaythroughbaking.Whentheslicesarecrisp,removethebakingsheets.Letthechipscoolandthenserve.Storeleftoversinanairtightcontainerforuptotwoweeks.
TIP:Tomakeasweetener-freeversion,justrubtheapplesliceswithamixtureofcinnamonandvanillapowder.
NOTE:Gotleftoversweetener-and-spicemixture?Don’tletitgotowaste:Sprinkleitonyourbreakfastyogurt,orspreadbutteronasliceofEasyFluffyBreadandtopit
withthesweetener-and-spicemixture,tomakeinstantcinnamontoast.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:0.7gprotein;0.3gfat;
23.6gnetcarbs;
105kcal
PER1CUP(28G):0.2gprotein;0.1gfat;
5.9gnetcarbs;26kcal
CHAPTER9
DESSERTSQuittingsugardoesn’tmeansayingnotodessert.Youcanstillenjoydecadent-tastingsweettreatsonalow-sugarlifestyle—exceptthattheseversionsareactuallygoodforyou.Madewithnaturalsweetenersandcleaningredients,thelusciousrecipesinthischapteraresafeforkidsandadultsalike.
Bestofall,they’requickandeasytomake.Ifallyouhaveisafewminutes,trytheQuickandRichLow-SugarChocolateMousse:Justacoupleofspoonfulswillbanishyourchocolatecraving,stat(untilnexttime,thatis).Ifyouhavealittlemoretimeonyourhands,whipuptheCrunchyOne-Bowl,Five-IngredientCookies,ortheOne-Two-Three-Four-FiveCake—aneasy-to-rememberrecipeforabasiccakethat’sespeciallygreatforbirthdays.OrmakeabatchofSugar-FreeNatural-IngredientGummyBearsforyourkidsandthenwatchthemdisappearinmereminutes.Notthatyou’llsharpenyoursweettoothbecausealloftheserecipesareonlymoderatelysweet,tohelpweanyouoffofsugaryorhighlysweetenedfoods.
EASYSUGAR-FREEVANILLAICECREAMThisno-cookrecipemakeshomemadesugar-freeicecreamridiculouslysimple.Andit’sextra-creamy,thankstoasecretingredient—full-fatsourcream—whichalsoaddsapalate-pleasingtang.Thehardestpart?Waitingfortheicecreamtofreezebeforeyoudigin.(Pleasenotethatthisrecipecontainsrawegg.)INGREDIENTS
1egg1/3cup(43g)powderederythritol10dropsvanillastevia,ortotaste
1cup(240ml)heavycream
8ounces(230g)full-fatsourcream
2teaspoonsvanillaextract,orthescrapedseedsfromonevanillabeanYield:4servings
Placeallingredientsinadeep,narrowbowl.Firststirwellwithaspoontofoldinthepowderederythritolandthenmixwithanelectricmixeruntilthoroughlycombined.Pourthemixtureintotheicecreammakerandletitchurnaccordingtothemanufacturer'sinstructions.Serveitimmediatelyafterchurningforsoft-serveicecream,butifyoupreferahardericecream,youcanfreezeitforanhourorsobeforeserving.Storeinthefreezerforuptotwoweeks.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:19.5gprotein;130.1gfat;
17.8gnetcarbs;1320kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:4.9gprotein;32.5gfat;
4.4gnetcarbs;330kcal
◁QUICKANDRICHLOW-SUGARCHOCOLATEMOUSSEHavingabusyday?Noproblem:There’sstillplentyoftimetoenjoyasugar-freedessert.Getyourchocolatefixwiththismouthwatering—andnutritious—chocolatemousse,whichtakesjustafewminutestoprepare.Youcaneatitrightawayifyoulike,or,tohelpitset,popitintothefridgeforhalfanhourorso.(Pleasenotethatthisrecipecontainsrawegg.)INGREDIENTS
2eggs1/4cup(30g)unsweeteneddarkcocoapowder1/4cup(32g)powderederythritolPinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt2/3cup(160ml)heavycream25dropsvanillastevia
Rumorsugar-freerumflavoring,totaste(optional)Grateddarkchocolate(withaminimumcocoacontentof85percent)andwhippedcream,toserveYield:4servings
Usinganelectricmixer,beattheeggs,cocoapowder,erythritol,andsaltonhighspeeduntilfluffy,about5minutes.Addtheheavycreamandbeatuntilthemixturereachesamousse-likeconsistency,about5minutes.Addthevanillasteviaandtherum,ifusing,andbeatuntilwellmixed,about1minute.Dividethemousseamongfourservingbowlsandrefrigeratefor30minutestohelpitset,ifyouhavetime.(Ifnot,goaheadandserveitimmediately.)Decoratewithgrateddarkchocolateandwhippedcreamandserve.
TIP:Usenaturalflavoringstoaddvariationtothisdessert,suchasorange,cherry,oralmond.Flavoredsteviacandothetrick,too,sofeelfreetoexperiment.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:24.2gprotein;74.0gfat;
7.7gnetcarbs;799kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:6.0gprotein;18.5gfat;
1.9gnetcarbs;200kcal
FIVE-INGREDIENTHEAVENANDHELLCHEESECAKEYouwon’tbeabletobelievethatthissinful-tastingcheesecakeisactuallygoodforyou.Butit’strue!Withonlyfivenaturalingredients,it’safluffy,no-cheatcheesecakethat’ssoeasytomakeit’spracticallyfoolproof—ifyoufollowtheinstructions,thatis.Don’tdespairifyouseeacraterinthemiddleofthecheesecakewhenit’stimetoturnofftheheatintheoven:Thesurfaceofthecakewillevenoutwhenit’scoolingintheoven.
INGREDIENTS
Butter(forgreasing)
1pound(450g)full-fatcreamcheese,softened1/2cup(65g)powderederythritol1/3cup(80g)full-fatsourcream,atroomtemperature2eggs,atroomtemperature
1teaspoonvanillaextract
Yield:8servings
1.Preheattheovento300°F(150°C).Greasean8-inch(20cm)springformpangenerouslywithbutter.Combinethecreamcheese,sweetener,andsourcreaminamediumbowl.Mixuntilsmoothandfluffy,about5minutes.Addtheeggsoneatatime,beatingwellaftereachaddition.Addthevanillaextract,beatituntilwellmixed,andthenpourthebatterintothepan.
2.Placeashallow,ovenproofbowlonthelowestrack.Carefullyfillitthree-quartersfullwithboilingwater.Placethedishwiththebatteronthemiddleovenrack.
3.Bakefor45minutes,oruntiltheedgesarefirmbutthecenterisstillwobbly.Turnofftheheat,butdonotremovethecakefromtheoven:Letitsitintheovenfor1hour.Removethecakeandletitcooltoroomtemperaturebeforeplacingitinthefridgefor6hoursorovernight.Bringtoroomtemperature30minutesbeforeserving.NOTE:Don’tincreasetheoventemperatureforthisrecipe.Ifyouuseahigher
temperature,thecakewillturnbrownandwillsinkoncecooled.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:44.1gprotein;
133.0gfat;18.5gnetcarbs;
1466kcal
PERSLICE,IF8SLICESINTOTAL:5.5gprotein;16.6gfat;
2.3gnetcarbs;183kcal
GUILT-FREEPUMPKINPIEThissix-ingredientlow-sugarpumpkinpieisacinchtomake.You’llbetemptedtoeatittheminuteitcomesoutoftheoven,buttrytoresist;leavingitinthefridgeovernighttosetallowsforadeeper,moreintenseflavor,andimprovesthetexturemarkedly.Anddon’tforgettoserveitwithfluffypeaksof(sugar-free)whippedcream!
INGREDIENTS
Butter(forgreasing)
15-ounce(425g)can100percentpurepumpkin1cup(240ml)heavycream2/3cup(66g)erythritolcrystals3eggs
2teaspoonspumpkinpiespice,ortotaste
1teaspoonvanillaextract
Yield:4to8servings
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Greasea10-inch(25cm)piepanorbakingdishgenerouslywithbutter.Setaside.
2.Placeallingredientsinalargebowlandmixwithanelectricmixeruntilsmoothandfreefromlumps.Pourthemixtureintothegreasedpiepanandbakefor1hour,oruntilthecenterofthepieappearsslightlyhigherthantheedges.Removeandletcoolcompletely.
3.Refrigerateovernight.Sliceandservewithadollopofwhippedcream.VARIATION:Ifyoupreferyourpumpkinpiewithaflakycrust,usetheVeganSugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,adding2tablespoons(25g)powderederythritoltothe
dryingredients.Pourthepumpkinpiefillingintotheprebakedcrustandthencontinuewiththeinstructionsasabove.
NUTRITIONINFO
WITHOUTCRUST
INTOTAL:36.3gprotein;103.9gfat;
20.5gnetcarbs;1180kcal
PERSLICE,IF8SLICESINTOTAL:4.5gprotein;13gfat;
2.6gnetcarbs;147kcal
PERSLICE,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:10gprotein;34.8gfat;
5.1gnetcarbs;375kcal
WITHCRUST
INTOTAL:80.3gprotein;278.1gfat;
40.6gnetcarbs;3004kcal
◁ONE-TWO-THREE-FOUR-FIVECAKEBakingahealthy,sugar-free,gluten-freecakeisaseasyascountingtofive.Servethissmallandsimple-but-scrumptiouscakewithjamandcream,oriceitwithyourfavoritesugar-freefrosting.It’ssuper-versatile—youcanaddnuts,darkchocolatechips,sugar-freejam,orflavoringtothebatterforextravariation—anditmakestheperfectbirthdaycake,too.
INGREDIENTS
1cup(115g)almondflour
2teaspoonsaluminum-freebakingpowder
3tablespoons(21g)coconutflour
4tablespoons(32g)powderederythritol
5eggs
Yield:12to20servings
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Combinethealmondflour,bakingpowder,coconutflour,andsweetenerinasmallbowl.Mixwelltobreakupanylumps.
2.Beattheeggsuntilfluffyandpale,thenfoldinthedryingredients.Mixwitharubberspatulauntilsmooth.Pourthebatterintoagenerouslygreased5-inch(10cm)cakepan.Bakefor30minutesoruntilatoothpickinsertedintothemiddleofthecakecomesoutclean.Removethecakefromthepan,letcool,andserve.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:67.9gprotein;91.2gfat;
18.3gnetcarbs;1174kcal
PERSLICE,IF12SLICESINTOTAL:5.7gprotein;7.6gfat;
1.5gnetcarbs;98kcal
PERSLICE,IF20SLICESINTOTAL:3.4gprotein;4.6gfat;
0.9gnetcarbs;59kcal
◁EASYFUDGYBROWNIESHealthybrownies—that’sanoxymoron,right?Nope:Thesemelt-in-your-mouthtreatsaresinfullyirresistible,butthey’reactuallygoodforyoubecausethey’refreefromgrain,sugar,andartificialfats.Instead,theyfeaturerealbutter,darkchocolate,andfiber-richcoconutflourforthehealthiest,richest-tastingresult.(Hint:Theselittlegemstastebestthedayafterthey’remade.)INGREDIENTS
1stick(4ounces,or115g)saltedgrass-fedbutter4ounces(115g)darkchocolate(minimum85percentcocoasolids)1/4cup(30g)coconutflour2teaspoonsaluminum-freebakingpowder1/3cup(33g)erythritolcrystals25dropsvanillastevia
4eggs
1cup(115g)choppedwalnuts(optional)
Yield:about12brownies
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Placethebutterandthechocolateinasmallsaucepan.Placeovermediumheat,stirringconstantly,untilmelted.Removefromtheheatandsetaside.
2.Combinethecoconutflourandthebakingpowderinasmallbowl.Mixwellandsetaside.
3.Combinethemeltedbutterandchocolatemixture,erythritolcrystals,andvanillasteviainamediumbowl.Beatwithanelectricmixeruntilsmooth.Addtheeggsoneatatime,beatingwellaftereachaddition.(Don’tworryifthemixturelooksseparated.Itwillbecomesmoothafteryouhaveaddedalltheeggs.)Afteraddingthelastegg,beatthemixtureuntillightandfluffy,about5to10minutes.Addthecoconutflourmixtureandbeatagainuntilsmooth.Foldinthechoppedwalnuts,ifusing.
4.Pourthemixtureintoan8x8-inch(20x20cm)siliconebrowniepanorgreasedglassorceramicbakingdish.Bakefor15to20minutes,oruntiltheedgesarefirmbutthecenterisstillabitwobbly.Don’toverbake.Letcoolcompletely,removefromthepan,andcutintopieces.Storeinthefridge,andbringtoroomtemperature30minutesbeforeserving.
TIP:Add1/2cup(85g)darkchocolatechips(withaminimumcocoacontentof85percent)tothedoughforextra-chocolatybrownies.
NOTE:WarmthebrowniesandservewithEasySugar-FreeVanillaIceCream.Itdoesn’tgetanybetterthanthat!
NUTRITIONINFO
WALNUTSNOTINCLUDEDINTHECALCULATIONS
INTOTAL:50.6gprotein;172.8gfat;
31.6gnetcarbs;1892kcal
PERBROWNIE,IF12BROWNIESINTOTAL:4.2gprotein;14.4gfat;
2.6gnetcarbs;158kcal
◁CRUNCHYONE-BOWL,FIVE-INGREDIENTCOOKIESIttookalittletrialanderror,butIfinallycameupwithacookierecipethatmyfamilyandIlove.Theresult?Crunchy,buttery,vanilla-flavoredcookieswithplentyofflavor,butnosugar,starch,orevenegg.NeedIsaymore?
INGREDIENTS
1cup(115g)almondflour1/3cup(30g)vanilla-flavoredgrass-fedwheyprotein6tablespoons(3ounces,or85g)unsaltedgrass-fedbutter,softened3tablespoons(39g)erythritolcrystals
25dropsvanillastevia
Yield:about16cookies
1.Preheattheovento350°F(175°C).Lineabakingsheetwithparchmentpaper.
2.Combineallingredientsinamediumbowl.Usingcleanhands,kneaduntilthemixtureiswellcombinedandthedoughissmoothandfreefromclumps.Thenshapethedoughintosmallwalnut-sizeballs.Placethemonthelinedbakingsheetandflattenthemwithwetfingertips.
3.Bakefor5to7minutes,oruntilgoldenbrown.(Keepaneyeonthecookies.Theycangettoobrownveryquickly.)Letcoolcompletelybeforeremovingfromthebakingsheet.Thisisimportantbecausethehotcookiesareveryfragile.Whencool,storeinanairtightcontainerinacool,dryplaceforuptooneweek.
TIP:Add1/3cup(60g)darkchocolatechips(withaminimumcocoacontentof85percent)tothedoughtomakedelicious,low-sugarchocolatechipcookies.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:46.7gprotein;1321.6gfat;
13.9gnetcarbs;1439kcal
PERCOOKIE,IF16COOKIESINTOTAL:2.9gprotein;8.3gfat;
0.9gnetcarbs;90kcal
◁FLOURLESSFOUR-INGREDIENTPEANUTBUTTERCAKEINAMUGWhenImadethismugcakeformyson,heproclaimed,“Thisisthebestcakeyouhaveevermade!”—andhedoesn’tevenlikepeanutbutter!Thatendorsementprettymuchsaysitallwhenitcomestothisincrediblyeasy,single-servingcake.Makeoneforyourkids(oryourself)thenexttimetheybegforasweettreat.Ibetthey’llagree.
INGREDIENTS
3tablespoons(48g)unsweetenedpeanutbutter2tablespoons(26g)erythritolcrystals
1egg1/4teaspoonaluminum-freebakingpowder1/4teaspoonvanillaextract(optional)Yield:1serving
Placeallingredientsintoalargemicrowave-safemugandmixvigorouslywithaspoontoformasmoothbatter.Microwaveonhighfor1minuteand30seconds.Checkthecakeafter1minuteandadjusttheoverallcookingtimeaccordingtoyourmicrowaveoven.Don’toverbake.Letcooluntilwarmandserve.VARIATION:It’seasytovarythisone-mugwonder.Forpeanutbutterandchocolatechipcake,add2tablespoons(22g)darkchocolatechipsorchoppedhomemadesugar-freechocolatetothebatterandmixwell.Forapeanut-butter-and-jellycake,drop1tablespoon(15g)EasySugar-FreeStrawberryJamintothebatterbefore
baking.Useaforktocreateaswirlinthebatter,thenbake.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:19.4gprotein;32.6gfat;
5.1gnetcarbs;395kcal
◁SUGAR-FREENATURAL-INGREDIENTGUMMYBEARSBurstingwithbriskcitrusflavors,thesecandieshaveonlynaturalingredients,andtheycontainsuper-healthygelatin.Thatmakesthemafarcryfromtheindustriallyproducedstore-boughtversions.Don’tworryifthehotliquidmixturedoesn’tseemlikealot:Itmakesawhoppingfivedozengummybearswhichyourkidscanenjoytotheirhearts’content.
INGREDIENTS
1/4cup(60ml)freshlysqueezedorangejuice1/4cup(32g)powderederythritol2tablespoons(28ml)freshlysqueezedlemonjuice20dropslemonstevia
3tablespoons(21g)gelatinpowder
2drops100percentorangeessentialoil
Yield:about60gummybears
Placeallingredientsinasmallsaucepanandheatovermedium-highheat,stirringconstantly.Whenthegelatinhasmeltedbutthemixtureisnotyetboiling,removethesaucepanfromtheheat.Pourtheliquidintoasiliconegummybearmold.(Therearespecialbottlesforthispurposeonthemarkettomaketheprocesseasierandlessmessy.Useoneofthese,ifyoulike.)Placethemoldintherefrigeratorfor1to2hours,removethegummybearsfromthemold,andstoreinanairtightcontainerinthefridgeforuptooneweek.
TIP:Trydifferentpurefruitjuicesinplaceoftheorangejuice,orexperimentwithdifferentflavoredsteviaandvariousnaturalflavorings.
NOTE:Handlethehotcandymixturecarefully,asitspillsfromthebottleeasily.Thesecandiesareeasytomake,butunfortunatelythehotliquidmeansthatkidsshouldn’t
helpwithpreparationforsafetyreasons.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:25.9gprotein;0.2gfat;
5.5gnetcarbs;135kcal
PERGUMMYBEAR,IF60GUMMYBEARSINTOTAL:0.4gprotein;tracefat;
0.1gnetcarbs;2kcal
SIX-INGREDIENTCARAMELGLAZEDDONUTSBreakoutthedonutmaker.Soft,pillowydonutsarejustafewminutesaway!Ofcourse,they’regrain-andsugar-free.Foradecadentfinish,glazethemwithmyThree-IngredientSugar-FreeCaramelGlazeafterthey’vecooled.Then,getreadytomakeasecondbatch:Yourfamilywillgobblethemupasfastasyoucanmakethem.
INGREDIENTS
FORTHEDONUTS:1/4cup(30g)coconutflour2teaspoonsaluminum-freebakingpowder
3eggs1/3cup(33g)erythritolcrystals1/4cup(60ml)heavycream2teaspoonsvanillaextract
OTHERINGREDIENTS:1/4cup(60ml)meltedgrass-fedbutter,forbrushingthedonutmaker1batchThree-IngredientSugar-FreeCaramelGlaze
Yield:about24donuts
1.Placethecoconutflourandbakingpowderinasmallbowl.Mixwelltobreakupanylumps.Placetherestoftheingredientsforthedonutsintoamediumbowlandwhiskwell.Graduallywhiskthedryingredientsintothewet.
2.Heatthedonutmakertomediumandbrusheachdipgenerouslywithmeltedbutter.Filleachdipcompletelywithbatterandclosethelid.Cookfor3minutesandthenopenthelidcarefully.(Adjustthecookingtimeaccordingtoyourdonutmaker.)Removethecookeddonutsandplaceonacoolingrack.
3.Repeattheprocesswiththerestofthebatter,brushingthedipsofthedonutmakergenerouslywiththemeltedbutterbeforepouringinthebatter.
4.Whenalldonutshavecooledtoroomtemperature,preparetheThree-IngredientSugar-FreeCaramelGlazeandletitcooltoroomtemperature.Drizzletheglazeoverthedonutsandletitset.Removethedonutsfromthecoolingrack.Storeinanairtightcontainerinacool,dryplaceforuptotwodays.
NUTRITIONINFO
WITHGLAZE
INTOTAL:38.1gprotein;206.4gfat;
23.2gnetcarbs;2110kcal
PERDONUT,IF24DONUTSINTOTAL:1.6gprotein;8.6gfat;
1.0gnetcarbs;88kcal
WITHOUTGLAZE
INTOTAL:30.7gprotein;68.2gfat;
11.5gnetcarbs;791kcal
PERDONUT,IF24DONUTSINTOTAL:1.3gprotein;2.8gfat;
0.5gnetcarbs;33kcal
LOW-SUGARMILKCHOCOLATEHomemadesugar-freemilkchocolateisagreatwaytosatisfyyourinnerchocoholic—withoutdivingintounhealthysugarandadditives.Justbesuretochoosemilkpowderthatcontainsaslittlemilksugaraspossible.Thisscaled-backrecipemakesjust4ounces(115g)ofchocolate,sodoubleortripletheingredientsifyou’replanningtoserveabiggercrowd.
INGREDIENTS
1/4cup(30g)milkpowder3tablespoons(24g)powderederythritol
1tablespoon(7g)unsweeteneddarkcocoapowderPinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt
2ounces(60g)cocoabutter
20dropsvanillastevia
Yield:8servings
1.Siftthemilkpowder,erythritol,darkcocoapowder,andsaltintoasmallbowl.(Siftingremovesanylumps.)Setaside.
2.Meltthecocoabutterinasmallsaucepanoverlowheat,orinthemicrowaveoveninthirty-secondspans.Becarefulnottoletthecocoabutterboil.Addthecocoabutterandvanillasteviatothecocoapowdermixtureandstirwelluntilthemixtureissmoothandtheerythritolhasdissolved.Heatinthemicrowaveorinasaucepanoverlowheatifthemixturelooksgrainy.Pourthemixtureintopreferredchocolatemoldsandplaceitinthefridgefor2to3hourstoset.
3.Whendone,storeinthefridgeinanairtightcontainerforuptooneweek.
TIP:Forevenlower-sugarmilkchocolate(andavegan,dairy-freeversion),replacethemilkpowderwithsugar-freecoconutmilkpowder.
NOTE:Don'tomitthesalt—it’samust.Saltaddsadecadentnotetothesweetchocolateandroundsouttheflavors.Saltisamandatoryingredientinjustaboutevery
recipethatcallsforchocolate.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:
14.5gprotein;63.1gfat;
11.3gnetcarbs;670kcal
PER1⁄2OUNCE(14G):1.8gprotein;7.9gfat;
1.4gnetcarbs;84kcal
TRULYSUGAR-FREEWHITECHOCOLATEPrepareyourself:Thisistheultimatesugar-freewhitechocolate.Sweetenedwitherythritolandstevia—notagrainofsugaranywhere,naturally—thisheavenlytreatwillbeahugehitwithyourfamily.Coconutmanna(thatis,mincedcoconutflesh)isthesecretingredient.Ityieldsarich-yet-subtleflavor.Oh,thisgoodieisvegananddairy-free,too,soyoucanenjoyitfreelyevenifyoudon’ttoleratedairy.
INGREDIENTS
2ounces(60g)cocoabutter
2ounces(60g)coconutmanna
3tablespoons(24g)powderederythritol
25dropsvanillastevia
PinchunrefinedseasaltorHimalayansalt
Yield:10servings
Meltthecocoabutterandcoconutmannainasmallsaucepanoverlowheat,orinthemicrowaveoveninthirty-secondspans.Becarefulnottoletthemixtureboil.Addtheerythritol,stevia,andsalt,andmixwell.Pourintoyourfavoritechocolatemoldsandplaceinthefridgefor2to3hourstoset.Whendone,storeinthefridgeinanairtightcontainerforuptotwoweeks.NOTE:Usethissugar-freewhitechocolateinexactlythesamewayasyou’duseits
sugarycounterpart.Forinstance,youcancreatewhitechocolatechipsfromitandusethemincookies—suchastheCrunchyOne-Bowl,Five-IngredientCookies.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:4.0gprotein;97.1gfat;
4.3gnetcarbs;915kcal
PER1⁄2OUNCE(14G):0.4gprotein;9.7gfat;
0.4gnetcarbs;92kcal
CHAPTER10
DRINKSBrimmingwithsugar,additives,andcolorings,store-boughtsoftdrinks,lemonades,andicedteasaredefiniteno-noswhenyou’rekickingthesugarhabit.Luckily,it’ssimpletopreparehealthy,sugar-freeversionsofalloftheseandmore,usingclean,naturalingredientsthataresuitableforbothkidsandgrownups.Onhotandsweatysummerdays,you’llwanttomakeabatchortwoofBasicSugar-FreeIcedTea,Guilt-FreeLemonade,orApplePie–InfusedWater.OrserveuparoundofmyMightyMintLassiorSupremeOrangeCreamsicleShakeforarefreshingafter-lunchtreat.
Whentheweatherturnscool,looktohotdrinkssuchastheCreamyNo-SugarHotChocolate,ortheHealthyPSL.Botharescrumptious,warming,andnutritious.Andasfortheholidays,youcanrestassuredthatmysilky-as-mousseRichSugar-FreeEggnogwilldelightyouandyourguests.It’ssogoodthatthey’llneverguessit’ssugar-free.Cheers!
BASICSUGAR-FREEICEDTEAIfwarmsummerdaysmakeyoucraveapitcheroficedtea,throwoutthatyuckypowderedstuffandtrythisversioninstead.Tohelpyouquitsugar,it’snotoverlysweet,butit’sstillplentyrefreshing.Addingapinchofbakingsodatotheteawhilebrewingguaranteesasmoothtaste—minusthebitternessthat’stypicalofblacktea.(Bakingsodaishighlyalkaline,soithelpsneutralizethebitteracidsinblacktea.)Usethisrecipeasatemplateandexperimentwithdifferenttypesofteaandsteviaflavors.Ibetyou’llcomeupwithdozensofuniquecombinations.
INGREDIENTS
1pinchbakingsoda
4bagsorangepekoeorothergood-qualityblacktea1cup(240ml)boilingwater1/2cup(100g)erythritolcrystals5cups(1.2L)ice-coldwater1/4cup(60ml)freshlysqueezedlemonjuice40dropslemonstevia
Icecubesforserving
Yield:6to8servings
1.Putthebakingsodaintoasmallbowlandaddtheteabags.Pourintheboilingwater,addtheerythritol,andmixgently.Lettheteasteepfor20minutes.
2.Removetheteabags,squeezingthemcarefullytoretainalltheliquid.Discardtheteabags.
3.Transferthemixturetoa64-ounce(1.9L)glasspitcher.Addtheice-coldwater,lemonjuice,andlemonstevia,andmixwell.Adjustthetastebyaddingmorelemonsteviaorunflavoredstevia,ifyoupreferasweetericedtea.Fillthepitcherwithicecubesandserve.
TIP:Can’tfindlemonstevia?Justplace2teaspoonsfreshlygratedlemonzestintoameshteaballandsteepittogetherwiththetea.Removeitalongwiththeteabags,
andincreasetheamountoferythritolto3/4cup(155g).
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:0.4gprotein;0.1gfat;
1.6gnetcarbs;41kcal
PERSERVING,IF6SERVINGSINTOTAL:0.1gprotein;tracefat;
0.3gnetcarbs;7kcal
PERSERVING,IF8SERVINGSINTOTAL:0.1gprotein;tracefat;
0.2gnetcarbs;5kcal
◁GUILT-FREELEMONADEThiseasy,four-ingredientcrowd-pleaserisrelativelymildandsweet,thankstotwodifferentsweeteners:Erythritolandsteviaworkespeciallywelltogether,yieldingthedesiredlevelofsweetnesswithoutanybitteraftertaste.Besuretousefreshlysqueezedjuicefromorganiclemonsforthebesttasteandhealthiestresulthere.Organiclemonsalwaystastenicest—and,ofcourse,they’refreefrompotentiallyharmfulpesticides.
INGREDIENTS
1cup(240ml)freshlysqueezedlemonjuice2quarts(1.9L)lukewarmwater
1cup(200g)erythritolcrystals
4teaspoonsliquidstevia,ortotasteLemonslicesforgarnish(optional)Yield:6servings
Combineallingredientsina3-quart(2.8L)pitcher.Stiruntiltheerythritoliscompletelydissolved.Refrigerateforacoupleofhoursuntilicecold.Serveovericecubesorcrushediceandlemonslices.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:1.7gprotein;0.5gfat;
6.2gnetcarbs;60kcal
PERSERVING,IF16SERVINGSINTOTAL:0.1gprotein;tracefat;
0.4gnetcarbs;4kcal
◁APPLEPIE–INFUSEDWATERAreyouinthemoodforsugar-free,calorie-free,all-naturalapplepie?Ithoughtso!Thisisaguilt-freeliquidapplepieyoucanenjoytoyourheart'scontent.Itwon’tspikeyourbloodsugar,astraditionalsugar-ladenapplepiewill,andit’shydrating,too.BesuretouseCeyloncinnamonhere,andinallrecipesthatcallforcinnamon:Unlikethemorecommonlyusedcassia,orChinesecinnamon,itisn’ttoxictotheliver.
INGREDIENTS
7ounces(200g,orabout1large)sourapplesuchasGrannySmith,sliced,seedsremoved2Ceyloncinnamonsticks
1vanillabean,cutinto4pieces(firstlengthwise,thencrosswise)1teaspoonfreshlygratedginger
11/2quarts(1.4L)waterYield:6servings
Placetheappleslices,cinnamonsticks,andvanillabeanpiecesina2-quart(1.9L)pitcher.Placethegratedgingerinateaballandclosetheballtightly.Placetheteaballinthepitcherandthenpourinthewater.Refrigerateforatleast5hoursbeforeserving,sothattheappleandthevanillabeanhavetimetoreleasetheirflavors.Stirgentlybeforeserving.
TIP:Forawarmer,spicierflavor,omitthevanillabeanandadd1/2teaspoonwholeclovestotheteaballtogetherwiththegratedginger.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:traceprotein;tracefat;
tracenetcarbs;tracekcal
PERSERVING,IF6SERVINGSINTOTAL:traceprotein;tracefat;
tracenetcarbs;tracekcal
MIGHTYMINTLASSIInIndiancuisine,lassisaretraditionalcompanionsforspicyfood,andareusuallymadewithyogurt,ice,sweetener,andavarietyofspices,suchascuminorturmeric.Andbothkidsandadultslovethismild,creamy,cooling,sugar-freeversion,whichisflavoredwithfreshmint.Tomakeitevenmorerefreshing,add1cup(150g)ofcrushedicetotheotheringredientsandblendwell—thensitbackandsip.
INGREDIENTS
2cups(480ml)ice-coldwater
7ounces(200g)plain,organic,full-fatGreekorTurkishyogurt10to15freshmintleaves
10to15dropsliquidstevia(optional)Yield:4servings
Simplyplaceallingredientsinablenderjarandblenduntilsmoothandfrothy.Serveovericecubes—asanaccompanimenttospicyfood,oronitsownasapick-me-uponawarmday.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:6.5gprotein;20.0gfat;
7.4gnetcarbs;239kcal
PERSERVING,IF4SERVINGSINTOTAL:1.6gprotein;5.0g;
1.9gnetcarbs;60kcal
SUPREMEORANGECREAMSICLESHAKEYouknowthosecreamy-citrusyicepopsyoulovedwhenyouwerelittle?Well,I’vegiventhemalow-sugarmakeover,andnowyouandyourkidscanenjoytheirgreattasteinthishealthy,dairy-freeshake.Add1cup(150g)crushediceforextracoolingpowerandanespeciallyslushyresult.Asit’sadrinkandadessertallinone,it’stheperfectwaytoendalightsummermeal.
INGREDIENTS
1/4cup(60g)Low-SugarOrangeMarmalade1/4cup(60ml)heavycreamorcoconutcream1cup(240ml)ice-coldunsweetenedalmondmilk20dropsorangestevia
2drops100percentorangeessentialoilPinchofturmeric,fornaturalorangecolor(optional)Yield:1serving
Simplyplaceallingredientsinahigh-speedblenderandblenduntilsmooth.Serveimmediately.
TIP:ReplacetheLow-SugarOrangeMarmaladewithEasySugar-FreeStrawberryJam,omittheorangeessentialoil,andsweetenwithvanillasteviainsteadoforange
stevia,andvoila!—you’vegotalow-sugarstrawberryshake.
VARIATION:Toturnthisshakeintoapowerbreakfastorsnack,add1scoopgrass-fed,vanilla-flavoredwheyproteinpowderbeforeblending.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:3.1gprotein;23.7gfat;
5.2gnetcarbs;252kcal
◁CREAMYNO-SUGARHOTCHOCOLATENexttimeyouoroneofyourkidsneedamugofsomethinghot,sweet,andcomforting,trythisnutritiousversionoftraditionalhotchocolate.Sinceit’ssugar-free,itwon’twreakhavoconyourbloodsugar,andthedarkcocoapowderdeliversahealthyhitofminerals,includingiron,copper,magnesium,andpotassium.It’sbestservedwithanampleamountofwhippedcreamanddarkchocolateshavings,butifyoudon’ttoleratedairy,it’seasytomakeadairy-freeversionbyusingthickcoconutcream—preservative-free,ifpossible—instead.
INGREDIENTS
3/4cup(180ml)boilingwater2tablespoons(28ml)heavycreamorcoconutcream1tablespoon(7g)unsweeteneddarkcocoapowder10dropsvanillastevia,ortotasteYield:1serving
Combinealltheingredientsinalargemuguntilwellmixed.Topwithwhippedcreamandchocolateshavings,ifdesired.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:2.0gprotein;12.0gfat;
1.5gnetcarbs;122kcal
HEALTHYPSL(PUMPKINSPICELATTE)Forgetthoseartificiallyflavored,carb-ladenpumpkinspicelattes:Theydon’tcontainrealpumpkinatall!Thishealthyversion,ontheotherhand,does.Plus,itnotonlytasteswonderful,italsonourishesyoufromheadtotoe,thankstothecreamandcoconutoil,bothofwhichcontainhealthyfats.Betteryet,thiseasydrinkhardlytakesmorethansixtysecondstomake—justmixallingredientstogetherandenjoy.
INGREDIENTS
3/4cup(180ml)boilingwater1/4cup(60g)100percentpurepureedpumpkin2tablespoons(28ml)heavycreamorcoconutcream1tablespoon(14g)extra-virgincoconutoil1to2teaspoonsinstantespressopowder1/2teaspoonpumpkinpiespice10dropsvanillastevia,ortotasteWhippedcream,forgarnish(optional)Yield:1serving
Combinealltheingredientsinalargemugandstiruntilwellmixed.(Useanimmersionblenderforbestresults,butbecarefulnottoburnyourselfwhenhandlinghotdrinks!)Topwithwhippedcream,ifdesired,andserveimmediately.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:1.2gprotein;25.5gfat;
4.5gnetcarbs;265kcal
RICHSUGAR-FREEEGGNOGReadyfortheultimateeggnogeggsperience?Thisvelvety,mousse-likeeggnogissuretobememorable.Becauseregularmilkcontainsmilksugar,Iusecarb-freeunsweetenedalmondmilk.Thankstoitsrichtextureanddelicate,lingeringtaste,youwon’tmissthemilkonebit.
INGREDIENTS
4eggs,separated*1/2cup(65g)powderederythritol25dropsvanillastevia,ortotaste1cup(240ml)unsweetenedalmondmilk1cupplus1/2cup(240mlplus120ml)heavycream,divided1/3cup(80ml)bourbonwhiskeyordarkrum(optional)Freshlygratednutmeg,forservingYield:8servings
1.Placetheeggyolks,erythritol,vanillastevia,almondmilk,and1cup(240ml)oftheheavycreamintoalargesaucepan.Heatovermediumheat,whiskingconstantly,untilthemixturethickens.Whenitisabouttoboil,removeitfromtheheat.Stirinthealcohol,ifusing.Letcooltoroomtemperatureandthenrefrigerateuntilcold,about4hours.
2.Meanwhile,placetheeggwhitesintoadeep,narrowbowl.Beatuntilsoftpeaksform.Setaside.
3.Placetheremaining1/2cup(120ml)ofcreamintoacleanbowl.Beatuntilsoftpeaksform.
4.Removethechilledcustardfromthefridge.Addthebeateneggwhitesandthewhippedheavycreamandwhiskuntilsmooth.Refrigeratetheeggnogfor1hourbeforeserving.
5.Whenyou’rereadytoserve,whisktheeggnogwell,pouritintoglasses,andgratealittlefreshnutmegontop.Serveimmediately.
TIP:Don’tlikeyoureggnogtoothick?Worriedaboutservingraweggs?Justleaveoutthebeateneggwhites.
*Pleasenotethatthisrecipecontainsraweggwhite.Seethetipformakinganegg-freeversion.
NUTRITIONINFO
INTOTAL:38.9gprotein;152.9gfat;
11.8gnetcarbs;1760kcal
PERSERVING,IF8SERVINGSINTOTAL:4.9gprotein;19.1gfat;
1.5gnetcarbs;220kcal
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ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
ElviiraKrebber,aFinnishbloggerandphotographer,isthecreatorofthepopularLow-Carb,SoSimpleblog,whichfeatureseasyandinnovativesugar-freerecipeswithfiveingredientsorlessthataresuitableforagluten-free,cleaneatinglifestyle.Morethanadecadeago,shehealedherselfwithagluten-free,low-sugardiet,andhasbeenanavidpromoterofastarch-free,low-sugarlifestyleeversince.Sheiscurrentlystudyingtobeanutritiontherapist.SheisalsotheauthorofseveraleBooksandaprintedbookinFinnish,calledHealingKetosis—GetHealthywithGluten-Free,Sugar-FreeFood.Shespeaksaboutketogenicandlow-sugarlifestylebothnationallyandinternationally.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Iwouldliketothankmyparentsforalwayssupportingandtrustingmeevenifyoudidn’talwaysagreewithwhatIwasdoing.Aspecialthankstomyhusband;myblogandthisbookwouldneverexistwithoutyourloveandsupport.
INDEX
AalmondbutterJoyfulChocolateAlmondSmoothie,65overviewof,31Starch-FreeHotCereal,70
almondflourBetterthanMacaroniandCheese,126CrunchyOne-Bowl,Five-IngredientCookies,164EasyBroccoli“TaterTots,”147FabulousPizzaFocacciafortheWholeFamily,120One-Two-Three-Four-FiveCake,160overview,29QuickGluten-FreeMicrowavePizza,119Starch-FreeWienerSchnitzels,128substituting,30,60Sugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,58Two-IngredientCrackers,148Two-MinuteMile-HighEnglishMuffininaMug,56VeganSugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,59WholesomeCorn-FreeSpinachandArtichoke“Corn”Muffins,74
almondmilkEasyFluffyBread,53JoyfulChocolateAlmondSmoothie,65Low-SugarCinnamonRaisinBread,54LusciousKeyLimePieSmoothiewithaSecretIngredient,64LusciousLow-SugarFrenchToast,71PuffyCheeseOmeletwithAvocado,82RichSugar-FreeEggnog,183Single-ServeTortilla,60Super-HealthyWaffles(orPancakes),62SupremeOrangeCreamsicleShake,179
almondsBestBBQNuts,150Grain-FreeGranola,68JustLikeTortillaChips,145
applesApplePie–InfusedWater,176CinnamonRoll–FlavoredAppleChips,152
artichokeheartsFifteen-MinuteSpringVegetableandFetaBreakfastHash,88SkinnyTunaPastawithShiratakiNoodles,130WholesomeCorn-FreeSpinachandArtichoke“Corn”Muffins,74
arugulaleaves,forBoldBeefSalad,102asparagus,forFifteen-MinuteSpringVegetableandFetaBreakfastHash,88avocados
Fifteen-MinuteSpringVegetableandFetaBreakfastHash,88Five-IngredientAvocado,BleuCheese,andPecanSalad,98PuffyCheeseOmeletwithAvocado,82TheUltimateMasonJarSalad,104
BbaconChef’sSaladwithBacon,97Five-IngredientBLTLettuceWrap,114HeartyBreakfastMuffinswithBaconandCheese,75RichNo-PotatoClamChowder,94
basilFabulousPizzaFocacciafortheWholeFamily,120Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96SplendidSun-DriedTomato,Basil,andPineNutMuffins,72
beef,groundA-Cinch-to-MakeMeatloafinaMug,135CozyCheeseburgerWrap,112TheEasiestSpaghettiBolognese,134Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122TastyTacoCasserole,143
bellpeppers,greenEasyBreakfastBurrito,84QuickChickenFajitaPasta,132VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
bellpeppers,redBoldBeefSalad,102CauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138
bleucheese,forFive-IngredientAvocado,BleuCheese,andPecanSalad,98blueberries,forScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffins,76bourbon,forRichSugar-FreeEggnog,183breadEasyFluffyBread,53EffortlessEggSaladSandwich,105Low-SugarCinnamonRaisinBread,54LusciousLow-SugarFrenchToast,71QuickTunaSataySandwich,106PerfectFive-IngredientPeanutButterBread,55TastyTacoCasserole,143TerrificTeriyakiPorkSandwich,108Two-MinuteMile-HighEnglishMuffininaMug,56
Briecheese,forNutritiousBrie,Orange,andWalnutWrap,113broccoli,forEasyBroccoli“TaterTots,”147brownies,forEasyFudgyBrownies,162brownsugarsubstituteBestBBQNuts,150Five-IngredientSugar-FreeKetchup,39HomemadeSugar-FreeMapleSyrup,52
No-SugarTeriyakiSauce,40Three-IngredientSugar-FreeCaramelGlaze,47VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
burritos,asEasyBreakfastBurrito,84
CcakeFive-IngredientHeavenandHellCheesecake,158FlourlessFour-IngredientPeanutButterCakeinaMug,166InstantLemonCheesecakeYogurtParfaits,66One-Two-Three-Four-FiveCake,160Super-HealthyWaffles(orPancakes),62
carrotsComfortingChickenZoodleSoup,90IrresistibleCurriedVegetableWrap,107Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96RichNo-PotatoClamChowder,94VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
cashewbutter,forEasyFluffyBread,53cauliflowerBetterthanMacaroniandCheese,126cauliflowerrice,32CauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138EasyCauliRiceMushroomandParmesanRisotto,142Four-IngredientCreamyCurriedChickenSaucewithMashedCauliflower,140MagicCauliflowerPopcorn,146QuickChorizoandCauliflowerBreakfastHash,86RichNo-PotatoClamChowder,94TheUltimateMasonJarSalad,104VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
celeryComfortingChickenZoodleSoup,90Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96RichNo-PotatoClamChowder,94VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
cheddarcheeseBetterthanMacaroniandCheese,126Chef’sSaladwithBacon,97CozyCheeseburgerWrap,112Five-IngredientBLTLettuceWrap,114MagicCauliflowerPopcorn,146PuffyCheeseOmeletwithAvocado,82TastyTacoCasserole,143WholesomeCorn-FreeSpinachandArtichoke“Corn”Muffins,74
cheesecakeFive-IngredientHeavenandHellCheesecake,158InstantLemonCheesecakeYogurtParfaits,66
chiaseeds
JustLikeTortillaChips,145overviewof,30Starch-FreeHotCereal,70Super-HealthyWaffles(orPancakes),62
chickenbreastsQuickChickenFajitaPasta,132Starch-FreeWienerSchnitzels,128
chicken,cubedGreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,100TheUltimateMasonJarSalad,104
chicken,ground,forFour-IngredientCreamyCurriedChickenSaucewithMashedCauliflower,140chicken,shredded,forComfortingChickenZoodleSoup,90chickenstockCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138ComfortingChickenZoodleSoup,90EasyCauliRiceMushroomandParmesanRisotto,142Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96
chickenwings,forFive-IngredientMozzarellaChickenWings,127chocolatebenefitsof,34CreamyNo-SugarHotChocolate,180EasyFudgyBrownies,162Five-IngredientSugar-FreeChocolateHazelnutSpread,46FlourlessFour-IngredientPeanutButterCakeinaMug,166JoyfulChocolateAlmondSmoothie,65Low-SugarMilkChocolate,171QuickandRichLow-SugarChocolateMousse,156TrulySugar-FreeWhiteChocolate,172
chorizo,forQuickChorizoandCauliflowerBreakfastHash,86clams,forRichNo-PotatoClamChowder,94cocoabutterLow-SugarMilkChocolate,171TrulySugar-FreeWhiteChocolate,172
cocoapowderbenefitsof,34CreamyNo-SugarHotChocolate,180Five-IngredientSugar-FreeChocolateHazelnutSpread,46JoyfulChocolateAlmondSmoothie,65Low-SugarMilkChocolate,171QuickandRichLow-SugarChocolateMousse,156
coconutcreamCreamyNo-SugarHotChocolate,180HealthyPSL(PumpkinSpiceLatte),182QuickChickenFajitaPasta,132SplendidSun-DriedTomato,Basil,andPineNutMuffins,72SupremeOrangeCreamsicleShake,179
coconutflakes,forGrain-FreeGranola,68coconutflour
EasyFudgyBrownies,162HeartyBreakfastMuffinswithBaconandCheese,75Low-SugarCinnamonRaisinBread,54One-Two-Three-Four-FiveCake,160overviewof,30ScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffins,76Single-ServeTortilla,60Six-IngredientCaramelGlazedDonuts,170SplendidSun-DriedTomato,Basil,andPineNutMuffins,72Sugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,58Super-HealthyWaffles(orPancakes),62
coconutmanna,forTrulySugar-FreeWhiteChocolate,172coconutmilkIrresistibleCurriedVegetableWrap,107ScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffins,76SimpleandSucculentSataySauce,44VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
coconutoilComfortingChickenZoodleSoup,90Grain-FreeGranola,68HealthyPSL(PumpkinSpiceLatte),182JoyfulChocolateAlmondSmoothie,65QuickPizzaOmelet,80ScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffins,76
condimentsFive-IngredientSugar-FreeKetchup,39FoolproofOne-MinuteMayo,41Low-SugarSweetandSourSauce,38No-SugarTeriyakiSauce,40SimpleandSucculentSataySauce,44
cookies,forCrunchyOne-Bowl,Five-IngredientCookies,164cottagecheese,forTheUltimateMasonJarSalad,104crackers,asTwo-IngredientCrackers,148creamcheeseFive-IngredientHeavenandHellCheesecake,158InstantLemonCheesecakeYogurtParfaits,66JustLikeTortillaChips,145StellarSpinachandCreamCheeseWrap,110Two-IngredientCrackers,148Two-MinuteRaspberryCreamCheeseBreakfastinaMug,78
crustFabulousPizzaFocacciafortheWholeFamily,120QuickGluten-FreeMicrowavePizza,119Sugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,58VeganSugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,59
cucumberChef’sSaladwithBacon,97GreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,100
QuickTunaSataySandwich,106TheUltimateMasonJarSalad,104
currypasteFifteen-MinuteThai-InspiredPumpkinSoup,92Four-IngredientCreamyCurriedChickenSaucewithMashedCauliflower,140IrresistibleCurriedVegetableWrap,107SimpleandSucculentSataySauce,44VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
Ddonuts,asSix-IngredientCaramelGlazedDonuts,170dressingChef’sSaladwithBacon,97FantasticFrenchDressing,42QuickRaspberryVinaigrette,43
Eeggplant,forVegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136eggsA-Cinch-to-MakeMeatloafinaMug,135BetterthanMacaroniandCheese,126Chef’sSaladwithBacon,97EasyBreakfastBurrito,84EasyBroccoli“TaterTots,”147EasyFluffyBread,53EasyFudgyBrownies,162EasySugar-FreeVanillaIceCream,155EffortlessEggSaladSandwich,105FabulousPizzaFocacciafortheWholeFamily,120Five-IngredientHeavenandHellCheesecake,158Five-IngredientOvernightSausageandEggBreakfastCasserole,83Five-IngredientSalmonDillQuiche,116FlourlessFour-IngredientPeanutButterCakeinaMug,166FoolproofOne-MinuteMayo,41Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122Guilt-FreePumpkinPie,159HeartyBreakfastMuffinswithBaconandCheese,75Low-SugarCinnamonRaisinBread,54LusciousLow-SugarFrenchToast,71One-MinuteOmeletinaMug,79One-Two-Three-Four-FiveCake,160PerfectFive-IngredientPeanutButterBread,55PuffyCheeseOmeletwithAvocado,82QuickandRichLow-SugarChocolateMousse,156QuickChorizoandCauliflowerBreakfastHash,86QuickGluten-FreeMicrowavePizza,119QuickPizzaOmelet,80RichSugar-FreeEggnog,183
ScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffins,76Single-ServeTortilla,60Six-IngredientCaramelGlazedDonuts,170SplendidSun-DriedTomato,Basil,andPineNutMuffins,72Starch-FreeWienerSchnitzels,128Sugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,58Super-HealthyWaffles(orPancakes),62Two-MinuteMile-HighEnglishMuffininaMug,56Two-MinuteRaspberryCreamCheeseBreakfastinaMug,78WholesomeCorn-FreeSpinachandArtichoke“Corn”Muffins,74
eggwhiteproteinEasyFluffyBread,53overviewof,31
erythritolBasicSugar-FreeIcedTea,174BestBBQNuts,150CinnamonRoll–FlavoredAppleChips,152CrunchyOne-Bowl,Five-IngredientCookies,164EasyFudgyBrownies,162EasySugar-FreeStrawberryJam,50EasySugar-FreeVanillaIceCream,155Five-IngredientHeavenandHellCheesecake,158Five-IngredientSugar-FreeChocolateHazelnutSpread,46Five-IngredientSugar-FreeKetchup,39FlourlessFour-IngredientPeanutButterCakeinaMug,166Grain-FreeGranola,68Guilt-FreeLemonade,175Guilt-FreePumpkinPie,159HomemadeSugar-FreeMapleSyrup,52JoyfulChocolateAlmondSmoothie,65Low-SugarMilkChocolate,171Low-SugarOrangeMarmalade,48Low-SugarSweetandSourSauce,38LusciousKeyLimePieSmoothiewithaSecretIngredient,64No-SugarTeriyakiSauce,40One-Two-Three-Four-FiveCake,160overviewof,27PerfectFive-IngredientPeanutButterBread,55QuickandRichLow-SugarChocolateMousse,156RichSugar-FreeEggnog,183ScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffins,76Six-IngredientCaramelGlazedDonuts,170Sugar-FreeNatural-IngredientGummyBears,168Three-IngredientSugar-FreeCaramelGlaze,47TrulySugar-FreeWhiteChocolate,172VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
essentialoils,34extracts,34
FfajitasHomemadeFajitaSeasoning,132QuickChickenFajitaPasta,132
fats,35fennelEasyBouillabaisse,91VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
fetacheeseFifteen-MinuteSpringVegetableandFetaBreakfastHash,88GreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,100
fishCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138EasyBouillabaisse,91
fishsauce,forSimpleandSucculentSataySauce,44fishstockCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138EasyBouillabaisse,91RichNo-PotatoClamChowder,94
flavorings,34FrenchdressingBoldBeefSalad,102FantasticFrenchDressing,42GreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,100
GgarlicCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138ComfortingChickenZoodleSoup,90EasyBouillabaisse,91FantasticFrenchDressing,42Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122No-SugarTeriyakiSauce,40Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96QuickChickenFajitaPasta,132QuickChorizoandCauliflowerBreakfastHash,86SkinnyTunaPastawithShiratakiNoodles,130
gelatin,33gingerApplePie–InfusedWater,176No-SugarTeriyakiSauce,40TerrificTeriyakiPorkSandwich,108
glazeSix-IngredientCaramelGlazedDonuts,170Three-IngredientSugar-FreeCaramelGlaze,47
glucomannanHomemadeSugar-FreeMapleSyrup,52LusciousKeyLimePieSmoothiewithaSecretIngredient,64
overviewof,33granolaGrain-FreeGranola,68InstantLemonCheesecakeYogurtParfaits,66
greenbeansPasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96TastyTacoCasserole,143
greenpeasCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
groundbeefA-Cinch-to-MakeMeatloafinaMug,135CozyCheeseburgerWrap,112TheEasiestSpaghettiBolognese,134Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122TastyTacoCasserole,143
guargum,33gummybears,asSugar-FreeNatural-IngredientGummyBears,168
HhamPasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96QuickGluten-FreeMicrowavePizza,119QuickPizzaOmelet,80
hazelnutsBestBBQNuts,150Five-IngredientSugar-FreeChocolateHazelnutSpread,46
heavycreamBetterthanMacaroniandCheese,126CreamyNo-SugarHotChocolate,180EasySugar-FreeVanillaIceCream,155Fifteen-MinuteThai-InspiredPumpkinSoup,92Five-IngredientOvernightSausageandEggBreakfastCasserole,83Five-IngredientSalmonDillQuiche,116Four-IngredientCreamyCurriedChickenSaucewithMashedCauliflower,140Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122Guilt-FreePumpkinPie,159HealthyPSL(PumpkinSpiceLatte),182HeartyBreakfastMuffinswithBaconandCheese,75PuffyCheeseOmeletwithAvocado,82QuickandRichLow-SugarChocolateMousse,156QuickPizzaOmelet,80RichNo-PotatoClamChowder,94RichSugar-FreeEggnog,183SavoryRicottaButternutSquashTart,118ScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffins,76Six-IngredientCaramelGlazedDonuts,170SplendidSun-DriedTomato,Basil,andPineNutMuffins,72
SupremeOrangeCreamsicleShake,179Three-IngredientSugar-FreeCaramelGlaze,47WholesomeCorn-FreeSpinachandArtichoke“Corn”Muffins,74
Iicecream,asEasySugar-FreeVanillaIceCream,155icedtea,asBasicSugar-FreeIcedTea,174
Jjalapeñopeppers,forHeartyBreakfastMuffinswithBaconandCheese,75jamEasySugar-FreeStrawberryJam,50PerfectFive-IngredientPeanutButterBread,55
KketchupA-Cinch-to-MakeMeatloafinaMug,135Five-IngredientSugar-FreeKetchup,39SimpleandSucculentSataySauce,44
Llasagna,asFuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122lassi,asMightyMintLassi,178latte,asHealthyPSL(PumpkinSpiceLatte),182leeks,forIrresistibleCurriedVegetableWrap,107lemonjuiceBasicSugar-FreeIcedTea,174FantasticFrenchDressing,42Fifteen-MinuteSpringVegetableandFetaBreakfastHash,88Five-IngredientRoastedMackerelwithThymeandLemon,124Guilt-FreeLemonade,175InstantLemonCheesecakeYogurtParfaits,66RichNo-PotatoClamChowder,94SkinnyTunaPastawithShiratakiNoodles,130Sugar-FreeNatural-IngredientGummyBears,168
limeLusciousKeyLimePieSmoothiewithaSecretIngredient,64VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
Mmacadamianuts,forBestBBQNuts,150mackerel,asFive-IngredientRoastedMackerelwithThymeandLemon,124maplesyrupHomemadeSugar-FreeMapleSyrup,52LusciousLow-SugarFrenchToast,71
marmaladeLow-SugarCinnamonRaisinBread,54Low-SugarOrangeMarmalade,48
NutritiousBrie,Orange,andWalnutWrap,113SupremeOrangeCreamsicleShake,179
mayonnaiseCozyCheeseburgerWrap,112EffortlessEggSaladSandwich,105Five-IngredientBLTLettuceWrap,114FoolproofOne-MinuteMayo,41TerrificTeriyakiPorkSandwich,108
meatloaf,asA-Cinch-to-MakeMeatloafinaMug,135mintleaves,forMightyMintLassi,178MontereyJackcheese,forWholesomeCorn-FreeSpinachandArtichoke“Corn”Muffins,74mousse,asQuickandRichLow-SugarChocolateMousse,156mozzarellacheeseA-Cinch-to-MakeMeatloafinaMug,135BetterthanMacaroniandCheese,126EasyBroccoli“TaterTots,”147FabulousPizzaFocacciafortheWholeFamily,120Five-IngredientMozzarellaChickenWings,127Five-IngredientOvernightSausageandEggBreakfastCasserole,83Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122QuickGluten-FreeMicrowavePizza,119QuickPizzaOmelet,80TheUltimateMasonJarSalad,104
muffinsHeartyBreakfastMuffinswithBaconandCheese,75ScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffins,76SplendidSun-DriedTomato,Basil,andPineNutMuffins,72Two-MinuteMile-HighEnglishMuffininaMug,56WholesomeCorn-FreeSpinachandArtichoke“Corn”Muffins,74
mushroomsEasyBreakfastBurrito,84EasyCauliRiceMushroomandParmesanRisotto,142
musselsCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138EasyBouillabaisse,91
NnutbuttersFive-IngredientSugar-FreeChocolateHazelnutSpread,46FlourlessFour-IngredientPeanutButterCakeinaMug,166JoyfulChocolateAlmondSmoothie,65overviewof,31PerfectFive-IngredientPeanutButterBread,55SimpleandSucculentSataySauce,44Starch-FreeHotCereal,70
nutritionalyeastEasyCauliRiceMushroomandParmesanRisotto,142JustLikeTortillaChips,145
OoliveoilBoldBeefSalad,102EasyBouillabaisse,91FabulousPizzaFocacciafortheWholeFamily,120FantasticFrenchDressing,42Fifteen-MinuteSpringVegetableandFetaBreakfastHash,88Five-IngredientMozzarellaChickenWings,127FoolproofOne-MinuteMayo,41Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96QuickChickenFajitaPasta,132QuickRaspberryVinaigrette,43SkinnyTunaPastawithShiratakiNoodles,130Sugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,58VeganSugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,59
olivesEasyBreakfastBurrito,84GreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,100QuickPizzaOmelet,80
onionsCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138ComfortingChickenZoodleSoup,90EasyBouillabaisse,91Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122GreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,100Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96QuickChickenFajitaPasta,132QuickChorizoandCauliflowerBreakfastHash,86QuickTunaSataySandwich,106RichNo-PotatoClamChowder,94SkinnyTunaPastawithShiratakiNoodles,130TerrificTeriyakiPorkSandwich,108VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
orangejuice,forSugar-FreeNatural-IngredientGummyBears,168orangemarmaladeLow-SugarCinnamonRaisinBread,54Low-SugarOrangeMarmalade,48NutritiousBrie,Orange,andWalnutWrap,113SupremeOrangeCreamsicleShake,179
orangepeel,forEasyBouillabaisse,91
Ppaella,asCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138pancakes,asSuper-HealthyWaffles(orPancakes),62parfaits,asInstantLemonCheesecakeYogurtParfaits,66ParmesancheeseTheEasiestSpaghettiBolognese,134EasyCauliRiceMushroomandParmesanRisotto,142Four-IngredientCreamyCurriedChickenSaucewithMashedCauliflower,140
Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122One-MinuteOmeletinaMug,79Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96
pasta,substituting,32peanutbutterFlourlessFour-IngredientPeanutButterCakeinaMug,166PerfectFive-IngredientPeanutButterBread,55SimpleandSucculentSataySauce,44
peanuts,forSimpleandSucculentSataySauce,44pecansBestBBQNuts,150BoldBeefSalad,102Five-IngredientAvocado,BleuCheese,andPecanSalad,98Grain-FreeGranola,68ScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffins,76
pepperoniQuickGluten-FreeMicrowavePizza,119QuickPizzaOmelet,80
pieApplePie–InfusedWater,176Guilt-FreePumpkinPie,159LusciousKeyLimePieSmoothiewithaSecretIngredient,64Sugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,58VeganSugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,59
pinenuts,forSplendidSun-DriedTomato,Basil,andPineNutMuffins,72pizzaFabulousPizzaFocacciafortheWholeFamily,120QuickGluten-FreeMicrowavePizza,119QuickPizzaOmelet,84
plant-basedproteins,32polysaccharides,23,33popcorn,asMagicCauliflowerPopcorn,146porkchops,forStarch-FreeWienerSchnitzels,128pork,shredded,forTerrificTeriyakiPorkSandwich,108proteins,31,34psylliumhuskpowderEasyBroccoli“TaterTots,”147EasyFluffyBread,53Low-SugarCinnamonRaisinBread,54overviewof,30QuickGluten-FreeMicrowavePizza,119SavoryRicottaButternutSquashTart,118Single-ServeTortilla,60Starch-FreeWienerSchnitzels,128Sugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,58Two-MinuteMile-HighEnglishMuffininaMug,56VeganSugar-Free,Starch-FreePieCrust,59
pumpkin
Fifteen-MinuteThai-InspiredPumpkinSoup,92Guilt-FreePumpkinPie,159HealthyPSL(PumpkinSpiceLatte),182
Rradishes,forFifteen-MinuteSpringVegetableandFetaBreakfastHash,88raisins,forLow-SugarCinnamonRaisinBread,54raspberriesQuickRaspberryVinaigrette,43Two-MinuteRaspberryCreamCheeseBreakfastinaMug,78
ricottacheese,forSavoryRicottaButternutSquashTart,118rumQuickandRichLow-SugarChocolateMousse,156RichSugar-FreeEggnog,183
SsaffronCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138EasyBouillabaisse,91
saladsBoldBeefSalad,102Chef’sSaladwithBacon,97EffortlessEggSaladSandwich,105Five-IngredientAvocado,BleuCheese,andPecanSalad,98GreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,100QuickTunaSataySandwich,106TerrificTeriyakiPorkSandwich,108TheUltimateMasonJarSalad,104
salmon,forFive-IngredientSalmonDillQuiche,116sandwichesEffortlessEggSaladSandwich,105QuickTunaSataySandwich,106TerrificTeriyakiPorkSandwich,108
sataysauceSimpleandSucculentSataySauce,44QuickTunaSataySandwich,106
sausage,forFive-IngredientOvernightSausageandEggBreakfastCasserole,83schnitzels,asStarch-FreeWienerSchnitzels,128seafoodmix,forCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138sesameseedsStellarSpinachandCreamCheeseWrap,110TerrificTeriyakiPorkSandwich,108
sherry,forNo-SugarTeriyakiSauce,40shiratakipastaTheEasiestSpaghettiBolognese,134overviewof,33Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96QuickChickenFajitaPasta,132
SkinnyTunaPastawithShiratakiNoodles,130sirloin,forBoldBeefSalad,102smoothiesJoyfulChocolateAlmondSmoothie,65LusciousKeyLimePieSmoothiewithaSecretIngredient,64
soupsComfortingChickenZoodleSoup,90EasyBouillabaisse,91Fifteen-MinuteThai-InspiredPumpkinSoup,92Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96RichNo-PotatoClamChowder,94
sourcreamChef’sSaladwithBacon,97EasySugar-FreeVanillaIceCream,155Five-IngredientHeavenandHellCheesecake,158
soysauceLow-SugarSweetandSourSauce,38No-SugarTeriyakiSauce,40
spicesandseasonings,33spinachFive-IngredientAvocado,BleuCheese,andPecanSalad,98StellarSpinachandCreamCheeseWrap,110WholesomeCorn-FreeSpinachandArtichoke“Corn”Muffins,74
sproutsIrresistibleCurriedVegetableWrap,107LusciousKeyLimePieSmoothiewithaSecretIngredient,64
squashaspastasubstitute,32SavoryRicottaButternutSquashTart,118VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
steviaBasicSugar-FreeIcedTea,174CreamyNo-SugarHotChocolate,180CrunchyOne-Bowl,Five-IngredientCookies,164EasyFluffyBread,53EasyFudgyBrownies,162EasySugar-FreeStrawberryJam,50Guilt-FreeLemonade,175HealthyPSL(PumpkinSpiceLatte),182InstantLemonCheesecakeYogurtParfaits,66Low-SugarCinnamonRaisinBread,54Low-SugarMilkChocolate,171Low-SugarOrangeMarmalade,48Low-SugarSweetandSourSauce,38LusciousLow-SugarFrenchToast,71MightyMintLassi,178QuickandRichLow-SugarChocolateMousse,156QuickRaspberryVinaigrette,43
RichSugar-FreeEggnog,183ScrummyStreusel-ToppedBlueberryMuffins,76SimpleandSucculentSataySauce,44Sugar-FreeNatural-IngredientGummyBears,168Super-HealthyWaffles(orPancakes),62SupremeOrangeCreamsicleShake,179TrulySugar-FreeWhiteChocolate,172Two-MinuteRaspberryCreamCheeseBreakfastinaMug,78
strawberriesEasySugar-FreeStrawberryJam,50GreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,100
sugaragavesyrup,22brainand,11brownsugar,21cardiovascularsystemand,12cellulose,23contemporarydietsand,9cornsyrup,22dairyproducts,28diabetesand,14disaccharides,19evaporatedcanejuice,21foodindustryand,10fructose,18,19,24galactose,19glucose,18,19,24glycogen,23gutfloraand,13high-fructosecornsyrup,24honey,22invertedsugarsyrup,22liverand,15maplesyrup,22molasses,22monosaccharides,18organicsugar,20rawsugar,21reduction,importanceof,9refinedsugar,20sorghum,23starch,23,24,29sucanat,20sucrose,20turbinadosugar,21weightand,14
sunflowerseeds,forGrain-FreeGranola,68sweetandsoursauce
EasyBreakfastBurrito,84Low-SugarSweetandSourSauce,38
SwisscheeseFive-IngredientSalmonDillQuiche,116HeartyBreakfastMuffinswithBaconandCheese,75
Ttatertots,asEasyBroccoli“TaterTots,”147tea,asBasicSugar-FreeIcedTea,174teriyakisauceNo-SugarTeriyakiSauce,40TerrificTeriyakiPorkSandwich,108
thickeners,33tomatoes,cannedEasyBouillabaisse,91Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96TastyTacoCasserole,143
tomatoes,cherry,forFive-IngredientBLTLettuceWrap,114tomatoes,dicedCozyCheeseburgerWrap,112Five-IngredientOvernightSausageandEggBreakfastCasserole,83
tomatoes,sun-driedSkinnyTunaPastawithShiratakiNoodles,130SplendidSun-DriedTomato,Basil,andPineNutMuffins,72
tomatoes,wedgedChef’sSaladwithBacon,97GreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,100
tomatopasteCauliRiceSeafoodPaella,138Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122Low-SugarSweetandSourSauce,38QuickChickenFajitaPasta,132QuickGluten-FreeMicrowavePizza,119
tomatosauceTheEasiestSpaghettiBolognese,134Five-IngredientSugar-FreeKetchup,39Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122QuickPizzaOmelet,80
tortillasCozyCheeseburgerWrap,112EasyBreakfastBurrito,84NutritiousBrie,Orange,andWalnutWrap,113IrresistibleCurriedVegetableWrap,107JustLikeTortillaChips,145Single-ServeTortilla,60StellarSpinachandCreamCheeseWrap,110
tunaQuickTunaSataySandwich,106
SkinnyTunaPastawithShiratakiNoodles,130
Vveal,forStarch-FreeWienerSchnitzels,128vegetablestockEasyCauliRiceMushroomandParmesanRisotto,142Pasta-FreeMinestronewithHam,96
vinaigretteBoldBeefSalad,102Five-IngredientAvocado,BleuCheese,andPecanSalad,98GreekSaladwithChickenandStrawberries,100QuickRaspberryVinaigrette,43TheUltimateMasonJarSalad,104
Wwaffles,asSuper-HealthyWaffles(orPancakes),62walnutsEasyFudgyBrownies,162NutritiousBrie,Orange,andWalnutWrap,113TheUltimateMasonJarSalad,104
watercressFifteen-MinuteSpringVegetableandFetaBreakfastHash,88
wheyproteinpowderCrunchyOne-Bowl,Five-IngredientCookies,164EasyFluffyBread,53FabulousPizzaFocacciafortheWholeFamily,120Low-SugarCinnamonRaisinBread,54overview,31PerfectFive-IngredientPeanutButterBread,55Super-HealthyWaffles(orPancakes),62
whitechocolate,asTrulySugar-FreeWhiteChocolate,172wine,forEasyCauliRiceMushroomandParmesanRisotto,142wrapsCozyCheeseburgerWrap,112Five-IngredientBLTLettuceWrap,114IrresistibleCurriedVegetableWrap,107NutritiousBrie,Orange,andWalnutWrap,113StellarSpinachandCreamCheeseWrap,110
Xxanthangum,33EasySugar-FreeStrawberryJam,50Low-SugarSweetandSourSauce,38LusciousKeyLimePieSmoothiewithaSecretIngredient,64
YyogurtInstantLemonCheesecakeYogurtParfaits,66
LusciousKeyLimePieSmoothiewithaSecretIngredient,64MightyMintLassi,178
Zzoodles,forComfortingChickenZoodleSoup,90zucchiniComfortingChickenZoodleSoup,90Fifteen-MinuteSpringVegetableandFetaBreakfastHash,88Fuss-Free,Starch-FreeLasagna,122IrresistibleCurriedVegetableWrap,107aspastasubstitute,32VegetarianEggplantCurrywithCauliBasmatiRice,136
IWOULDLIKETODEDICATETHISBOOKTOMYSON,LEO,WHOISSIXYEARSOLDATTHETIMEOFWRITINGTHISBOOK.ALWAYSREMEMBERTHATHEALTHYFOODISTHESOURCEOFENERGY,LONGEVITY,AND,BELIEVEITORNOT,ITISTHEBEST
MEDICINEAVAILABLE.
©2018QuartoPublishingGroupUSAInc.Text©2018ElviiraKrebberPhotography©2018QuartoPublishingGroupUSAInc.
FirstPublishedin2018byFairWindsPress,animprintofTheQuartoGroup,100CummingsCenter,Suite265-D,Beverly,MA01915,USA.T(978)282-9590F(978)283-2742QuartoKnows.com
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedinanyformwithoutwrittenpermissionofthecopyrightowners.Allimagesinthisbookhavebeenreproducedwiththeknowledgeandpriorconsentoftheartistsconcerned,andnoresponsibilityisacceptedbyproducer,publisher,orprinterforanyinfringementofcopyrightorotherwise,arisingfromthecontentsofthispublication.Everyefforthasbeenmadetoensurethatcreditsaccuratelycomplywithinformationsupplied.Weapologizeforanyinaccuraciesthatmayhaveoccurredandwillresolveinaccurateormissinginformationinasubsequentreprintingofthebook.
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Digitaledition:978-1-63159547-9Softcoveredition:978-1-59233779-8
Digitaleditionpublishedin2018
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataKrebber,Elviira,author.Lowsugar,sosimple:100deliciouslow-sugar,low-carb,gluten-freerecipesforeatingcleanandlivinghealthy/ElviiraKrebber.
ISBN9781592337798(pbk.)1.Gluten-freediet--Recipes.2.Sugar-freediet--Recipes.3.Low-carbohydratediet--Recipes.RM237.86.K742017641.5/884--dc23LCCN2017027358
Design:SarkarDesignStudioPageLayout:MeganJonesDesignPhotography:KristinTeig
Theinformationinthisbookisforeducationalpurposesonly.Itisnotintendedtoreplacetheadviceofaphysicianormedicalpractitioner.Pleaseseeyourhealth-careproviderbeforebeginninganynewhealthprogram.
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