Guilt free biscuits
Following on from my last article ‘Got A Sweet Tooth?’, I have been looking at some alternative mid afternoon sweet snacks to go with your cup of tea. Here’s a recipe for some deliciously moist shortbread which I promise will fill you up without all the calories. It’s also dairy, sugar and wheat free (and I promise not flavour free, it’s really tasty and I’ve just finished making mine!)
Ingredients for 12 squares:
125g (4oz) dairy free spread
125g (4oz) honey or Agave Syrup*
150g (5oz) rice flour or ground rice
125g (4oz) wheat-free flour
125g (4oz) ground almonds
Pre-Heat Oven to 160 C / Gas Mark 3
Line a square baking tin with a little extra spread
Cream the spread with the honey or Agave until smooth
Stir in the flours, add the almonds and combine using a wooden spoon
Gather the dough into a soft ball and press down into the baking tin
Bake for 20 mins until golden brown, leave to cool and enjoy with a nice cup of tea!
* Agave is a natural sweetener, is sugar free and low in calories. It is low G.I. so won’t spike your blood sugar levels. It is also a key ingredient in making raw chocolate…watch this space for more coming up about that!
Got a sweet tooth?
Got a sweet tooth?
Crave sugar at certain points of the day? (Mid afternoon and evenings perhaps?)
Feel like nomatter how many sweet things you eat, you never feel satisfied and end up wanting more?
Don’t panic! This situation is really common and the cycle is actually easier to break than you think…
Part of your cravings exist due to habit. You must have satisfied this craving in the past - following a meal with something sweet. Then suddenly it becomes a part of your mindset. After every meal must come dessert. The good news is that ALL habits are learned, and therefore can be unlearned as the result of practice and repetition. Just like exercise.
Your cravings will continue to exist if you eat simple, refined carbohydrates or high sugar foods. The day you cut out the sweets is the day you take control and stop the cravings. Cravings exist because we feed them and allow them to exist. Yes, it is an addiction, but one we choose to have.
And of course, as soon as we can cut down or remove refined sugars from our diets, we significantly reduce the risk of Diabetes as our insulin levels are able to self regulate again. Plus, our calorie intake dramatically reduces and we find it easier to lose weight. I often see food diaries which are full of healthy meals but the snacking part is full of sugar. This often means that people feel that they are eating really healthily, may not be losing weight despite exercising regularly and are feeling frustrated that their good efforts aren’t paying off. This is totally down to an excess in calories every day!
So what are the substitutes? Here is a list of alternatives to satisfy even the sweetest tooth out there:
Cakes and biscuits - Swop for homemade cakes like fruity flapjacks (made with honey not sugar and syrup)
Chocolate - Swop for liquorice bars, raw ’sugar free’ chocolate, sesame snaps, cereal bars
Confectionary - Swop for fresh and dried fruit
Also, read my previous article ’snacking is good for you’ to see more suggestions for snacking
I have to admit that sometimes I am prone to eating a little too much sugar myself, especially if I am feeling tired, so every now and then I try this method of substitution and it really works. It usually takes 3-5 days to feel the effects whereby I notice:
Noticeably less bloating
Weight loss
More satisfaction from eating, feeling fuller for longer
Less or no cravings for sweet food
So why not give it a go, try it for a week? I’d love to hear from you and how you’ve got on so please email me and let me know..
Good luck!
