Lemon & Berry Infused Water

Drinks can be a slippery slope when you are trying to avoid excessive amounts of sugar. I like to make a batch of infused water every few days so I have something flavored to sip on. I usually look in my freezer for partially used bags of frozen organic fruit and just toss about a cup to a cup and a half into a gallon size glass jug (I do try to use organic because the whole fruit is going to be sitting in my water for several days and I don't want pesticides flavoring my water, just fruit). Or if I am making pickles and I have a few little cukes that don't fit I chunk them up and add them to the jug. I have discovered a few flavors I don't personally care for (cucumber and lime sounded good, but tasted gross) and a couple that I really like to make over and over. This lemon berry variation is currently my favorite. It reminds me of strawberry lemonade, it isn't overly tart but the berries definitely lend a touch of natural sweetness.

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Low Carb, Less Sugar Chocolate Syrup

I have been a fan of chocolate milk since I was a kid. For some reason I have fond memories of my Dad making chocolate milk for me when we ate spaghetti, I couldn't tell you if this only happened once and it made an impression or if it was a regular pattern, but I often long for a glass of chocolate milk as soon as the meaty tomato sauce smell hits the table. Of course when I was a kid store bought chocolate syrup was still made out of sugar. Now it is GMO high fructose corn syrup and a huge list of chemicals. I have been making homemade chocolate syrup for a few years now.

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Coconut Gelatin

I was originally on a quest to see if I could make a healthier Maja Blanca (a Filipino dessert made out of coconut milk). Maja Blanca uses a lot of cornstarch to thicken it and help it set as well as a lot of sugar (and sometimes corn on top of that). While reading and researching I came across a Burmese dish that uses the same basic ingredients as Maja Blanca except that the thickening agent was gelatin. Gelatin has such an amazing nutrient profile (real gelatin like Great Lakes or Bernard Jensen) especially compared to cornstarch that I jumped ship and made Coconut Gelatin instead. This treat is NOT very sweet, the flavors of the coconut milk and raw cream shine through and are not obstructed by vanilla or lots of sugar. This dessert is simple and can be made in less than 10 minutes, but has to set in the fridge for an hour or two. Filled with healthy fats, protein from the gelatin and a smidge of coconut sugar and stevia I served it to my children for snack time (alongside some mandarins) knowing that they weren't going to have a sugar high for the rest of the afternoon.

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