FitSugar

More LARABAR Love

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:30:00 PDT

You know what a huge fan I am of LARABARs. I love how they taste, but most importantly, I love that the ingredients are just fruit and nuts.

Another thing I love is that there are so many different flavors to choose from like Cashew Cookie and Chocolate. I recently tried Banana Cookie. Want to take a peek at the nutritional info? Then

Serving Size	1 bar
Calories	220
Total Fat	11g
Saturated Fat	1g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	0mg
Potassium	460mg
Carbs	28g
Fiber	5g
Sugar	17g
Protein	6g
Ingredients	almonds dates unsweetened bananas

They could not have come up with a better name for this bar - it seriously tastes just like a homemade banana cookie. It's the perfect blend of chewiness from the dates and bananas, and a slight crunchiness from the almonds. This could be my new favorite flavor. Did you see there are only three, that's 3 ingredients listed. Which gives me peace of mind that there are no hidden ingredients.

Fit's Tips: I know it may seem like the fat content in this bar is high, but the fat comes from nuts, which are healthy fats your body needs. If you want to see how a LARABAR compares to other energy bars, then check out this post.

Dairy-Free Ways to Get Your Chocolate Fix

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:29:20 PDT

If dairy products don't sit well with your belly or you choose to eat a vegan diet, then you can still satisfy your chocolate cravings. Although milk chocolate is made with dairy, many dark chocolate products are not. Just be sure to read the label before indulging in any chocolatey treat. I've done the legwork for you and gathered a list of my favorite dessert products and recipes that don't contain a drop of milk, butter, or cream.

Use vegan chocolate chips and whip up a batch of vegan chocolate mouse made with this simple three-ingredient recipe.
Endangered Species makes a few varieties of dairy-free dark chocolate including Dark Chocolate With Cranberries and Almonds, Dark Chocolate With Mint, Dark Chocolate With Blueberries, and Dark Chocolate With Espresso Beans.
Get baking and prepare these decadent vegan brownies made with a secret ingredient: spinach. Top with fresh fruit puree or enjoy it on its own.
If you prefer a crunchy cookie, then bake up a healthier, vegan version of Thin Mints.

See more dairy-free chocolate ideas after the break!

Staying Vegan on the Big Day: Wedding Menu Options

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:15:45 PDT

Even though wedding meals typically include bacon-wrapped scallops, filet mignon, and wedding cake smothered in buttercream frosting, you can still enjoy a delicious vegan menu if you, your partner, or your guests follow this animal-free diet. A little creative planning is all it takes, and since many venues, caterers, and bakers are being asked more about vegan options, chances are your venders will be able to accommodate your needs. When planning your own wedding, here are some tasty ideas for your vegan meal.

Cold Hors d'Oeuvres

Crispy sweet-potato pancakes topped with apple cinnamon chutney
Mini shot glasses of roasted red pepper hummus with carrot and celery sticks
Dates filled with soy cheese and wrapped in crispy portobello strips

Warm Hors d'Oeuvres

Tomato oregano risotto cakes topped with dairy-free pesto
Roasted veggie skewers with cardamom ginger dressing for dipping
Falafel balls with tzatziki sauce

Salads

Baby spinach with golden beets, candied walnuts, and raspberry vinaigrette
Mixed greens with ripe pears, edamame, sunflower seeds, and an avocado ginger dressing
Cucumber, tomato, and basil salad with cubes of baked tofu and balsamic vinaigrette

See vegan options for the main course, dessert, and brunch course after the break!

Avery Island, Part Deux: Boils, Bottles, Bloodies & Boudin

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:45:45 PDT

If you're itching for a culinary adventure, there's no need to leave your home! Escape to Avery Island for a crawfish feast with Food Orleans.

This was my lunch. I ate it all.

Avery Island is a gorgeous place; it's surrounded by a long lace of bayous, has plenty of wildlife roaming around freely (deer, bears, raccoons, alligators), and houses the beautiful Jungle Gardens and Bird Sanctuary. You can spend a full day there soaking up the splendor, especially if you pack in a trip to the Tabasco factory.

We had a lovely, long ride down the bayou to the McIlhenny family's trapper's camp, just so we could get in some air boat rides (FUN!) and a little of this:

My favorite lunch in the world! These fellas were HUGE.

I'm only partly responsible for this amount of crawfish carnage. Let's just say that my tablemate, Cecil, is one fast picker.

Earlier that day, we had a tasting of all seven flavors of Tabasco sauce, led by CEO and Chairman of the Board Paul McIlhenny. His chief flavor developer, Charlie Chang, who has worked for the McIlhennys for over 30 years, was also present at the tasting. It was fascinating listening to the two describe how certain flavors were inspired, or how they were refined to become what they are today. I have to say, my new favorite hot sauce is Tabasco Habanero. It's Jamaican inspired and has a lot of fruit flavor to it, plus it packs a slow, intense heat that hits you at the end. For the tasting, we had saltine crackers and softened butter to help us tolerate the high amounts of heat in some of the sauces. I discovered that a saltine cracker spread with butter and topped with a little Habanero sauce is extremely delicious--like eating a wicked little butter cookie. I'm in love.

For more on this tasty adventure, plus a Tabasco-inspired mixology lesson, keep reading!

3 Good-For-You Treats to Satisfy Peanut Buttery Cravings

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:34:20 PDT

Got a hankering for some peanut butter? One tablespoon of this creamy spread will run you 105 calories, so if it's peanut butter you're after but not all the calories, enjoy one of these deliciously satisfying and oh-so-nutty treats instead.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

For a healthy treat that feels really decadent, whip up these peanut butter sandwich cookies - the filling is mashed-up bananas, peanut butter, and honey. If you don't want to bake a batch of cookies, smear the spread on toast or use it as a fruit dip.

Keep reading to find out how to make the nutty yogurt spread above and for one more PB-inspired snack idea.

A Reader Recipe: Vegan Chocolate-Chip Banana Bread

Fit Community — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 01:29:30 PDT

FitSugar reader Whipped recently shared this recipe for vegan chocolate-chip banana bread, which she got from the BabyCakes Bakery cookbook, in our Healthy Recipe group.

So I have been craving some banana bread lately. I want a moist, tender, chocolately chip banana bread . . . and I'd like it healthy, too, please? No butter? No eggs? No dairy?

Yup. Perfect chocolate-chip banana bread. And it's also gluten-free, so no worries if you have wheat allergies.

Read on for the recipe.

Bye Bye Butter: Healthier Baking Substitutions

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:07:31 PST

Whether you're vegan or just want to make healthier baked goods, finding ways to omit the butter can greatly reduce the amount of calories, fat, and cholesterol in your sweet treats. There are countless ways to replace eggs in recipes, and here are healthier alternatives to using butter.

Applesauce: This ingredient is often used to replace oil in recipes, but it can also be an alternative to butter, and works best in cake-like recipes (like this Vegan Banana Apple Chunk Bread). Replace half the amount of butter in your recipe with applesauce; if the recipe calls for one cup of butter, use half a cup of butter and half a cup of applesauce. If you don't mind a denser, more moist bread, replace all the butter with applesauce to cut even more calories and fat.
Avocado: Substitute half the amount of butter in a baking recipe with mashed avocado (it works well with cookies); use the same method as you would when using applesauce. It not only lowers the calorie content but also yields a softer, chewier baked good, and is perfect if you want to omit the dairy.

Keep reading for more healthy ways to replace butter in recipes.

Skip the Spoon: 5 Bowl-Free Ways to Use Oatmeal

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:14:34 PST

Who doesn't love cupping their hands around a warm bowl of oatmeal, especially during colder, Winter months? Aside from a satisfying breakfast, the nutritional power of fiber- and protein-filled oats can be enjoyed in other ways as well. If you're tired of oatmeal for breakfast, reap the benefits of oats with these ideas.

Meatloaf or veggie burgers: Since oats have a sticky, gelatinous consistency when wet, they're great at binding ingredients. Try this basic meatloaf recipe from YumSugar, or if you're a vegetarian, substitute oats for the quinoa in this recipe for chickpea barley and quinoa veggie burgers.
Pancakes: Try adding oats to pancake batter for a heartier stack of flapjacks. Here's one of my favorites: banana almond oatmeal pancakes.
Topping on toast: Add fiber and protein by sprinkling rolled oats on toast smeared with almond butter, jam, or this homemade pumpkin butter.
Cookies: Oatmeal cookies are a delicious way to enjoy oats, but if you're looking for a twist on the basic recipe, bake up these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies made with bananas and peanut butter.
Energy bars: Oats taste amazing when paired with nuts and fruit, so if you're looking for a way to bite into oats, cook up these quinoa, apricot, and nut clusters, or a batch of these chewy pumpkin oatmeal coconut bars.

5 Easy Ways to Eat More Fruit

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:57:13 PST

Luscious, juicy, sweet-as-candy fruit is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. It's full of vitamins, fiber to keep you full, water to keep you hydrated, and the natural sugars make it a healthier alternative to sugary treats. You should aim to eat three to six servings of fruit each day, but if that seems like a lot, here are some ways to sneak fruit into your diet.

Add fruit slices to sandwiches. Sliced pear, apple, and watermelon add a unique texture and unexpected flavor to run-of-the-mill sammies.
Mix pureed fruit into plain yogurt. When comparing six-ounce containers of Greek yogurt, plain offers 18 grams of protein for 100 calories, and strawberry is 140 calories with 14 grams of protein. Instead of buying the premade flavors, make your own by adding pureed fruit to plain yogurt. You'll save money, avoid added sugars, and be able to customize the flavor to wow your taste buds with distinct combos like blackberry peach or strawberry pear.
Add fruit to baked goods. We've all made banana bread, but that's not the only fruit-based treat you can whip up. Lower the fat in just about any recipe by replacing oil with applesauce, or get creative with muffin recipes by adding diced strawberries, or mix bits of dried apricots into cookie dough.
Cut up fruit and store it in the fridge. It takes effort to wash and cut fruit, enough to make you reach for something easier (and less healthy) instead. Make fruit as accessible as a bag of chips by storing cut up fruit in containers in the fridge.
Eat fruit for dessert. Save calories and skip the refined sugars by enjoying nature's dessert. Here are ways to make fruit even more decadent and enticing - the almond butter and granola filled dates are one of my faves.

5 Reasons to Love Peanut Butter

Camilla Salem — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:11:11 PST

It's creamy (and sometimes crunchy!), salty, and sweet. It goes really well in sandwiches and baked goods, with chocolate, and even in sauces. It's the ultimate comfort food. Today is National Peanut Butter Day and whether you like to cook with it, bake with it, or simply eat it out of the jar with the spoon, we've got five reasons to love peanut butter.

You have options: Not a fan of crunchy peanut butter? Not to worry, there's a creamy version. Are you worried about hydrogenated oils? Opt for a natural variety. Chances are you'll be able to find a peanut butter that fits your taste buds.
It's sweet and salty: One of nature's best combinations of tastes, peanut butter embodies what it means to be sweet and salty. It satisfies so many cravings in one creamy spoonful.
It's an American classic: Peanut butter as we know it today was invented in America in 1884, and it has been deeply loved by Americans ever since. The United States is one of the leading exporters of peanut butter in the world and the majority of peanut butter is eaten by Americans.

Keep reading for more.