 |
| Chef Vanessa Musi |
1. Ditch the White
Flour
Flour power, not so much. While you probably know by now
that white flour is devoid of any nutrition, you might not realize that it can
actually increase your risk for diabetes. Yikes. Although wheat flour is the
obvious substitution, you can make desserts paleo and gluten-free by using
almond flour or coconut flour instead. Chef Musi likes to use a combination of
the two for optimal texture and flavor. Check out this paleo pumpkin cake
recipe as an example of the two-flour technique.
2. Substitute Peanut
Butter
Need a guilt-free version of the peanut butter cookie? Swap
out the P for almond butter – it’s higher in healthy fats, vitamins and fiber. And
in addition to all those benefits, almond butter has the same thick, creamy
texture as peanut butter, so you won’t miss a thing. Want to get more
experimental? Try tahini. It’s made from sesame seeds and has lower sugar and
saturated fat than peanut butter. Healthy pastry chefs are going nuts for it
right now.
3. Heal With Lavender
Sweets don’t have to make us feel sluggish. In fact, they
can soothe us. After all, we’re most likely to eat a dessert right before bed,
so why shouldn’t it have some calming properties? Lavender is becoming popular
in healthy pastries because it’s good for our well-being. Among its many health
benefits are reducing stress, improving sleep and balancing blood sugar. All are
good things. Lavender has a strong taste, so you’ll want to use it sparingly
and combine with other flavors like lemon. Take a peek at this lemon lavender
spelt cake that does just that.
4. Add Superfoods
Who says you can’t sneak a few nutrient-rich spoonfuls into
your sweets? Try mixing wholesome ingredients into your desserts for extra
energy and vitality, like hemp seeds, turmeric, cinnamon, and maca powder. Chef
Musi likes to toss in golden berries and cayenne pepper for an extra healthful
boost and savory taste. This paleo phat fudge recipe
is so full of superfoods that you could eat it as a post-workout recovery
snack.
5. Leave Out Sugar
Sugar is kind of the worst; we know that. But what to use
instead? Maple syrup is a slightly healthier substitution, but still has a
moderate glycemic impact. If you really want to cut out the sweet stuff, try
brown rice syrup, which is even lower in fructose. It can be difficult to bake
with, however, so you’ll need to warm it up before using. If you have a restrictive sugar-free diet,
you can also try a natural sweetener with no artificial ingredients or
preservatives, like Swerve.
As with everything, eat sweets in moderation, even the
healthy kind. Be sure to pick up your Livliga
LivSpoons to create mouthwatering desserts for guests at your next dinner
party.
About the Author
No comments