Healthy Substitutes for Baking and Cooking

I have been learning to substitute with healthier options in my original recipes for a few years now.  It has not been an easy process.  Lots of trial and error when it comes to baking.  I am always continuing to learn and as I am doing that I will share with you. 

These substitutes naturally contain nutrients. 

ARROWROOT POWDER

The arrowroot plant is a starchy topical herb.  It is easy to digest and can be used in replace of cornstarch in any recipe.  Just remember it thickens before it boils, do not overcook it as it will thicken more as the food cools. 

BAKING POWDER

There are different kinds of baking powder available.  Some are healthier than others.  The best baking powder is made of tartaric acid and cream of tartar (a combination of yeast and grape compounds that come from sediment deposited in wine casks due to fermentation).  It acts quickly so batter should be used immediately after the baking powder is mixed into it. 

Phosphate baking powder is made of calcium  and sodium phosphates.  Due to its high sodium contact it poses potential health risks.

Double-acting baking powder also has potential health risks because it contains sodium aluminum sulfate.  Aluminum is stored in the brain stem and has been associated with neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's.  There are Aluminum FREE baking powders available at your nearest health food store.

BARLEY MALT CONCENTRATE

This is a sweetener that is great for people with diabetes and for those who are concerned with calorie intake as 1 tsp. contains 3 calories. 

BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES

Blackstrap Molasses is very high in minerals and iron!  Your body utilizes it easily and is good to add to infant formula.  Blackstrap Molasses and barley malt are excellent sweeteners.

CAROB

Carob is high in calcium, Vitamin B's, magnesium, and pectin.  You can substitute chocolate with carob powder.  Since it is low in fat it doesn't have the preservatives in it that chocolate does.  It has little sodium and contains 8% protein.  It comes in several different forms such as: powder, chips or drops, liquid and candy.

DRIED FRUIT

Buy organically grown, unsulfured ones that contain no preservatives.

FLOUR

White flour has no nutrients as they are all lost during the milling process.  Use rye flour, corn flour, oat flour, rice flour, kamut, spelt, nut flours, coconut flouretc to replace white flour.  I often replace flour with brown rice flour 1:1 and add 1 tsp. xanthum gum for every cup of flour I am using.  If you are making muffins or cakes you will need to add oat bran to keep it from getting too sticky.  When you are starting to eat gluten free (if that is what you are choosing) it can be a little tough at first to figure out the right substitutions and if you are like me had many failed attempts at things turning out.  Black beans can also be used in place of flour in some recipes like brownies. 

MILLET

Millet has often been called "the king of cereals".  It is very high in protein and easy to make.  It is less allergenic than wheat and naturally alkaline.  Other than Quinoa and Amaranth, Millet has the most complete protein of any grain.  If you can get it into your diet twice a week that is great.  Millet is also a good food for those that have sugar problems.  Add cut up dried fruit to millet and cook as a cereal.  This is also a good food first cereal babies as it is easy to digest.  This is also good for people with colitis, ulcers, urinary disorders and acidosis.  Helps to keep cholesterol in balance as well. 

PEANUT BUTTER

Better to eat fresh ground nut butters or a peanut butter that is unhydrogenated.  Check the health food store for unhydrogenated nut butters. 

SUGAR

Cane sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, glucose and sucrose should be completely avoided.  Replace sugar with uncooked, unfiltered, raw honey (using 1/2 cup of honey instead of 1 cup sugar and reducing the amount of liquid by 1/4 cup, unless the recipe doesn't call for any other liquid add 3 tbsp. of flour).  You can also use maple syrup, unsulfured molasses, purees, fruit juices, apple sauce, barley malt syrup and rice malt syrup.

TAMARI SAUCE

Tamari sauce is an excellent source of protein.  Pick one without added MSG.  Tamari is a better choice than soy sauce because it is naturally fermented and preserved.  Commercial soy sauce contains preservatives and other additives, including MSG.  It is naturally salty so you do not need to add salt to your meal.  Tamari is a great sauce to use when browning mushrooms and onions instead of butter or oil.  Nice to add to stir fried vegetables, soups, casseroles, nut burgers.  Add at the end of the cooking process to protect the enzymes and nutrients it contains. 

COCONUT OIL

I love replacing butter with coconut oil in my baking.  I even add a tbsp. to my oatmeal or quinoa breakfast cereal in the morning.  Can be used to replace oil and butter.  Spread it on your toast, rice cakes, banana bread and whatever else you can think of.  There are too many health benefits to mention for this one food. 

I hope these substitutions can help you in your kitchen!  Don't be overwhelmed by them.  A little at a time and you will get better results and there is a higher chance of you sticking to it.  Simple changes....one step at a time.

On the weekend I took part in a Acid/Alkaline Diet Bootcamp and will be sharing with you what I learned on food combining on my next blog post.

Yours in health,

Kristy Kurtz
Certified Holistic Nutritionist

Great Recipes for Kids - and Grown Ups

FROZEN YOGURT POPS

3 cups plain yogurt
1 cup fruit juice concentrate (no sugar added)

In a medium bowl, blend the yogurt and juice together well.  Pour the mixture into ice cube trays, cover the trays with plastic wrap and stand up a woddedn Popsicle stick in the center of each cube and freeze!

KIDS' GRAHAM TREATS

Graham crackers to form a single layer on a cookie sheet
1/2 - 1 1/2 tsps. fresh peanut, almond, or cashew butter for each graham cracker
1 - 2 bananas, sliced
1/2 - 1 cup carob chips
1/4 cup crushed nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Place the graham crackers or cookies on the cookie sheet.  Top each with layer of nut butter.  If desired, top with a layer of banana slices.
3. Sprinkle with carob chips and, if desired, crushed nuts.
4. Bake just until the carob chips melt.  Serve immediately.

BANANA NUT SPREAD

1/2 ripe banana
2 tbsp. almond or sesame butter
2 tsp. tofu mayonnaise
1 tbsp. soft raisins

In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients together.  Serve in a pita pocket, on whole grain bread or with crackers.

KID FRIENDLY POCKET SANDWICH IDEAS

For a healthy snack, fill a whole grain pita pocket with any of the following:

- Almond butter and sliced bananas
- Soy cream cheese or mashed tofu and nut butter
- Nut butter and chopped, diced dates
- Jelly and sliced bananas
- soy cream cheese, pineapple rings and chopped nuts

For a larger meal:

- Chicken salad
- Tuna salad
- Egg salad
- Hummus

Add sprouts or lettuce, tomato slices and serve. 

Yours in health,

Kristy Kurtz
Certified Holistic Nutritionist

SUGAR - DANGERS AND ALTERNATIVES

Sugar is definitely a hot topic, and we all know that sugar is not good for us.  However, there still seems to be some confusion about the health risks associated with eating sugar and whether or not there are any good alternatives.  I am going to try to clear up any misunderstandings with the whole sugar dilemma.
 
The average person consumes about 150 pounds of sugar every year.  Around 550 - 650 calories a day or nearly 3lbs per week.  When you consider the daily recommended caloric intake of 2000 calories/day that is 1/4 of your daily calories.
 
Sugar is hidden in so many foods and is the #1 food additive today.  The empty calories (meaning calories with 0 nutritional content) contribute directly to overweight, diabetes, tooth decay and overall poor health.  More than half of the American population is overweight.  Type 2 Diabetes has increased by 33% in the past 10 years alone. 

 
Excess sugar suppresses the immune system.  In fact 1 tsp of sugar suppresses the immune system for up to 12 hours!  It also causes a mineral imbalance, produces an acidic stomach, causes hyperactivity, anxiety, concentration difficulties and heart disease, fatigue, weight gain, depression and arthritis.
 
Dietary sugars feed harmful intestinal yeasts, toxic organisms, fungi and all forms of cancer.  Sugar has NO vitamins, minerals, fiber and weakens the endocrine system.  Many studies have shown that high sugar diets may be a major contributing factor to Candida.  Sugar raises the insulin levels and prevents the release of growth hormones and in turns depresses the immune system.   The combination of a lowered immune system and increased growth of bacteria is a double threat for Candida (yeast over growth). 
 
Sugar intake may also be a cause of kidney stones.  This can happen due to the increase in insulin levels which then increases the release of calcium into the urine.
 
2 teaspoons of sugar changes the blood chemistry and creates an imbalanced state in the body.  After consuming sugar, the mineral balance also changes.  The decrease of minerals in the bloodstream means that enzymes may not be able to work properly.  Without enzymes, our body's cannot digest food and this leaves the undigested foods.  Undigested foods ferment and irritate the gastrointestinal tract.  Tiny particles are then able to get into the bloodstream which can lead to allergic reactions, headaches, dizziness, fatigue or mood changes.  They can also go into the bones, joints and tissues which an result in stiffness and arthritis. 
 
Other Names for Sugar (if the label has any of these ingredients on it, it is some form of sugar)
 
- barley malt, beet sugar, blackstrap molasses, brown sugar, cane sugar, caramel, corn fructose, corn sweetener, corn syrup, date sugar, demerara sugar, dextrin, dextrose, fructose, fruit fructose, glucose, grape sugar, grape sweetener, herbal sweetener, high fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, mannitol, maple syrup, molasses, polydextrose, raw sugar, sorbitol, sorghum, sucrose, turbinado

Sugar is found in almost all processed foods like sodas, fruit drinks, frozen dinners, breads, cereals and canned foods.  High fructose corn syrup is very cheap and the most commonly used.  For optimal health it is very important to keep sugars to a minimum.

Best sweeteners to use:
- barley malt
- barley syrup
- beet sugar
- blackstrap molasses
- rice syrup
- herbal sweeteners such as stevia

Sunrider's Alternative

SuncarePlus^®
SuncarePlus^® is a potent blend of stevia leaf extract and chrysanthemum flowers. Other brands commonly use a chemical reaction to process stevia, altering its natural structure. However, the stevia in SuncarePlus^® undergoes a unique purifying and concentration process that preserves the natural structure.

 

 Yours in health,

Kristy Kurtz
Certified Holistic Nutritionist
Ph: (306) 924-5242

LOOK YOUNG, STAY YOUNG!!!

Like most woman I want to look as youthful as possible and use products that will not only keep me looking young, minimize fine lines and wrinkles, but that are safe and that are made with the highest quality ingredients.  I am going to give you a few facts and educate you on a skin care that is unlike any other on the market.  I also want to mention that beautiful skin doesn't just stem from a great skin care product, but from a healthy diet as well!  Remember, what you take in must come out in some way and often skin irritations and acne are the bodies way of cleansing out toxins or reacting to something going on internally.

 The skin is an extremely important and complex system that lives, breathes and carries out important functions of the body.  Just like the rest of our body the skin must be properly nourished, balanced and cleansed. 

Basic Facts

• The skin is an organ of elimination.  If we put products on our skin which prevent it from "breathing, ex. clogging it so that is can't excrete toxins from the body, the toxins back up and put pressure on the other organs of elimination eg. Kidney's and liver
• As part of the body's immune system the skin also acts as a barrier to keep harmful bacteria and chemicals from entering the body.
• The quality of a product is determined by its pH level.
• The normal pH for skin is between 5.5 and 6.5, slightly acidic so it can repel toxins.  Any product that we put on our skin which is not in that pH range will destroy the acid mantle and create problems.  It takes 12 hours to replace the acid mantle.  In the meantime, without protective barrier, bacteria and infection can penetrate the skin resulting in skin eruptions such as blackheads, pimples and sores.
• Zinc oxide is a key ingredient to have in skin care products.  It protects the skin from UV rays, helps with wound healing and synthesizing collagen to name a few. 

Did you Know?

• Mineral oil, petrolatum and paraffin are by-products of petroleum (gas) productions and its molecules are too large to be absorbed by human skin as a moisturizer, causing clogged pores, blackheads and poor respiration.
• The grease base in many cosmetics is simply recycled restaurant grease because it is inexpensive.
• Good bacteria on the surface of the skin are destroyed by high alkaline soaps; even expensive name brand soaps register high on the pH scale. 
• Body odour is often a mixture of perspiration and bacteria resulting from the use of these soaps.
• Mineral oil is cheap and makes skin drier.  The mineral oil "seals" the skin so it cannot breathe and perspire. 

Why Sunrider Skin Care is the BEST choice?

The Sunrider cosmetic and skin care product lines, Kandesn and Oi-Lin, use vegetable-based ingredients, gentle, yet effective exfoliants, and are pH balanced to cleanse, balance and moisturize the entire skin, according to the philosophy of Regeneration.

Many companies use animal oil, mineral oil, and petroleum by-products, include too many or the wrong type of exfoliants, and make pH imbalanced products - all creating issues for your skin.

Because total body health is the goal at Sunrider, their products not only nourish the body from the inside out, but the outside in as well.

With Sunrider they want to make sure that your skin can breathe and that it is moisturized at the deepest level. 

Just like the Sunrider foods, the skin care products are made with whole foods and we often call them a "salad for the face".  Owner expertise ensures the safety, quality and effectiveness of Sunrider products.  Dr. Chen is always coming out with the most cutting edge products.  

I am passionate about using great skin care products and taking care of my skin and I would not use another product!  Not only are these products absolutely amazing, but they are extremely affordable! 

You are never too old or too young to take care of your skin!  If you would like to use a skin care that is not only good for your health, but that will give you glowing, youthful skin and reduce or minimize fines lines and wrinkles and that will give you smooth, silky looking skin this is it!!!!!  My skin has NEVER felt or looked so good. 

 

For more information on how the Sunrider Skin Care works watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfZtGMMDy_o

 

 

Yours in health,

 

 

Kristy Kurtz

Certified Holistic Nutritionist

Ph: (306) 924-5242