Here we are, in full swing with the holidays! Parties to attend. Presents to buy. Family gatherings to experience. Special desserts to enjoy. Yes, we all know we look forward to indulging in delicious foods during this time of year. And then hit the reset button in January to offset those sugary guilty pleasures and get back on our healthy program a gain.
What if you could still enjoy these feelings of indulgence with fewer empty calories and more healthy nutrients? Well, with just a few minor alterations to your secret family recipes you can include some good nutrition into what used to be only empty calorie sweets. Or even jazz up that holiday breakfast with some power packed protein pancakes!
Finding a healthy sugar substitute isn’t always the easiest undertaking. And artificial sweeteners, like aspartame created from chemicals in a lab, can have some unhealthy side effects. So what are you to do? Try some of these more healthy white sugar replacements.
Stevia: Has a different taste than white sugar and is much sweeter. You will need to experiment with using stevia as a sugar substitute. Look for Reb A (rebaudioside A) stevia, which is a high quality product.
Monk Fruit (also known as lo han guo): Sweeter than white sugar so you will used about a quarter to a third the amount of monk fruit as you would white sugar.
Honey: This is still a sugar, however it does contain small amounts of other nutrients that are not found in white sugar. Use 3⁄4 cup honey for 1 cup sugar.
Fruit: Applesauce or mashed bananas can add the sweetness of sugar with the whole food nutrients and can be substituted 1 to 1 (1 cup sugar = 1 cup mashed fruit)
Then there is butter! Many people are looking to replace standard butter with a more healthy option. There are great substitutes for butter like ghee (a clarified butter) or coconut oil. Have you ever tried avocado as a substitute for butter? Avocado not only adds some great nutritional components but also provides the good monounsaturated fats! There are many options you can try.
As the focus on our health and what we consume is gaining momentum, more and more people are experimenting with altering recipes by substituting more healthy ingredients and are pleasantly surprised with the positive results. These are just a few alternatives you might like to try. It may take a little time and some trial and error with the substitutes to get your favorite recipes just right, but the health benefits can outweigh the experimentation time.
What about protein? Usually our indulgent confections are not high in protein. Realizing protein as a macro nutrient, something we need to consume daily for the body to produce energy, do you know if you are getting enough protein to meet your daily requirements?
What if you could add a high quality protein to your favorite holiday treat?
Biochem Protein has posted excellent recipes for you to try at www.biochemprotein.com . These will give you some ideas on how to add this amazing high quality protein to many of the foods you already consume. And that holiday flavor can be incorporated with the Biochem Chocolate Peppermint Protein. Chocolate and peppermint are common flavors during the holidays and now you can add that delicious flavor to many different treats! Check out the recipes below.
Three Ingredient Peppermint Protein Fudge
Ingredients:
- -3 Scoops of Biochem Chocolate Peppermint Protein
- -9 oz of Chocolate Chips + 2 Tbs of Coconut Oil
- -Crushed Candy Canes
Instructions:
- Melt Chocolate Chips + Coconut Oil
- Add Biochem Protein Powder to the melted mixture and stir until combined
- Spread the mixture into a freezer-safe pan or dish
- Add crushed candy canes to the top
- Freeze until firm
Enjoy the holidays and take yourself to #NextLevelLiving!