These are my preferred sweeteners of choice and a little about each one. I don't use many processed or packaged items. Sweeteners are the few that make baking more fun. You'll notice in my desserts, I use mostly fruit and a little stevia. I believe honey is a medicine and I won't put it in my food. Maple syrup makes me wild, mad crazy, but you can substitute it in my recipes for the date or coconut syrup.
This list is in order of my preference of use.
This list is in order of my preference of use.
Fresh Fruit:
All fruits are fun to sweeten with but bananas get special mention for baked desserts.They are a great way to bind them together and create a moist recipe.
Bananas are best when the little brown spots form. The more spots the sweeter it will be! Green is not ideal. So the ones in this picture are ok, since they have spots and green, but would be better in a few days. To quicken the ripening of bananas, keep in a warm place or in a paper bag. They also can help other fruits like avocados to ripen. Add one banana and a few hard avocados to a brown paper bag and in a short while... Voila!
All fruits are fun to sweeten with but bananas get special mention for baked desserts.They are a great way to bind them together and create a moist recipe.
Bananas are best when the little brown spots form. The more spots the sweeter it will be! Green is not ideal. So the ones in this picture are ok, since they have spots and green, but would be better in a few days. To quicken the ripening of bananas, keep in a warm place or in a paper bag. They also can help other fruits like avocados to ripen. Add one banana and a few hard avocados to a brown paper bag and in a short while... Voila!
Fresh Fruit: Apple Sauce
Apple Sauce can be a quick way to sweeten and moisten a baking recipe. You can make fresh apple sauce by blending a peeled, cored apple and then simmering it to thicken. I sometime use the single serve packs you find in the kid section at the health food store. They are the perfect size for what most recipes call for. Just be sure to get the ones that say Organic apples only.
Apple Sauce can be a quick way to sweeten and moisten a baking recipe. You can make fresh apple sauce by blending a peeled, cored apple and then simmering it to thicken. I sometime use the single serve packs you find in the kid section at the health food store. They are the perfect size for what most recipes call for. Just be sure to get the ones that say Organic apples only.
Dried Fruit:
Dried fruit is a lovely and quick way to add raw sweetness to any dish. I usually keep, dates, cherries, blueberries, cranberries and raisins around and add them to savory dishes to lighten them up, or baked dishes to sweeten them. Also great mixed with nuts for a snack.
Dried fruit is a lovely and quick way to add raw sweetness to any dish. I usually keep, dates, cherries, blueberries, cranberries and raisins around and add them to savory dishes to lighten them up, or baked dishes to sweeten them. Also great mixed with nuts for a snack.
Stevia Leaf:
I love to use a few drops of liquid stevia in many recipes as it "sweetens" without adding any sugar. Stevia is an herb and it has properties that make your tongue think it's tasting something sweet, though it has no carbohydrates at all.
It's super potent, so a drop or two is usually enough. Stevia powders have an aftertaste and sometimes are mixed with other things. My suggestion is to use liquid stevia that has nothing added except alcohol or vegetable glycerine.
I love to use a few drops of liquid stevia in many recipes as it "sweetens" without adding any sugar. Stevia is an herb and it has properties that make your tongue think it's tasting something sweet, though it has no carbohydrates at all.
It's super potent, so a drop or two is usually enough. Stevia powders have an aftertaste and sometimes are mixed with other things. My suggestion is to use liquid stevia that has nothing added except alcohol or vegetable glycerine.
Date Syrup:
I find this one pre-made in my local Iranian mart. You can make your own from de-pitted dates and water in your blender. It's thick and dark like molasses, but tastes really sweet and comes from fruit. Usually raw.
I find this one pre-made in my local Iranian mart. You can make your own from de-pitted dates and water in your blender. It's thick and dark like molasses, but tastes really sweet and comes from fruit. Usually raw.
100% Jam:
What I like about jams is they can add any flavor you are in the mood for! I always get my goat yogurt plain and unsweetened, and become like a kid in a candy shop choosing which jam I will add today! Same for other recipes when you need them a bit sweeter than the addition of fresh fruit will give you. Just be sure that there are only 1-2 ingredients. Fruit and pectin.
What I like about jams is they can add any flavor you are in the mood for! I always get my goat yogurt plain and unsweetened, and become like a kid in a candy shop choosing which jam I will add today! Same for other recipes when you need them a bit sweeter than the addition of fresh fruit will give you. Just be sure that there are only 1-2 ingredients. Fruit and pectin.
Coconut Syrup:
Coconut nectar is dehydrated to this raw syrup. ITs a lovely, low-glycemic sweetener that is a great subsitute for recipes that call for honey or maple syrup.
Coconut nectar is dehydrated to this raw syrup. ITs a lovely, low-glycemic sweetener that is a great subsitute for recipes that call for honey or maple syrup.
Coconut Sugar:
This is a dry form of the above. Not sure if it's always raw, but it is a perfect, equal substitute for any recipe that calls for cane sugar. Just be prepared, it is dark in color so it will change the look of some desserts. It is also much less sweet than cane sugar so anticipate a milder dish.
This is a dry form of the above. Not sure if it's always raw, but it is a perfect, equal substitute for any recipe that calls for cane sugar. Just be prepared, it is dark in color so it will change the look of some desserts. It is also much less sweet than cane sugar so anticipate a milder dish.
