Above image courtesy of Chelsea’s Messy Apron (see recipe, below).
Apple, cinnamon and pumpkin are some of the aromas and flavors of fall. Usually, these ingredients come wrapped in a buttery, flaky pie crust. While that’s a mouth-watering combination, it might not be the best for your digestive system. Here are some low-carb options that will let you feast on the best fall has to offer without suffering the consequences.
Paleo chefs have adapted traditional favorites to introduce great new recipes. Paleo cuisine eliminates refined, white sugar and wheat flour without compromising flavor and texture. In fact, their all-natural approach often ends up with a more complex flavor profile than traditional recipes.
Whether you’re a baker or are lucky enough to know one, the following recipes are sure to become your new fall favorites:
- Chelsea’s Messy Apron’s Grain-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (pictured above)
- Julia McPhee’s Low-Carb Apple Crumble
- Gutsy By Nature’s Coconut Apple Cranberry Crisp
- Eat Drink Paleo’s Sweet Potato Brownies
- Jamie Oliver’s Epic Chocolate and Beetroot Cake
As you can see from the recipes, the basic idea is to replace wheat flour with a blend of nut flours and use unrefined sweeteners, including honey, as a substitute for sugar.
Unfortunately, honey can create as many challenges for gas sufferers as sugar. While honey may be more natural, it can contain just as many carbs and about the same glycemic index as regular sugar. If you have GI problems, you also want to stay away from artificial sweeteners, so what is the solution?
There are a lot of alternatives to sugar and flour, but they are not all created the same. One of the best solutions is to use liquid Stevia as a replacement for honey and sugar. This herb is also known as sugar leaf and when used in liquid form, doesn’t contain any additives.
- Substitute 1tsp. of liquid stevia per cup of sugar
- In order to create the same bulk effect and texture that sugar produces, you will have to add an extra 1/3 of “flour” or “flour-like” ingredient per cup of sugar that the recipe calls for.
- You can also substitute banana puree or applesauce, but these natural sugars can still pack on the sugar and carbs.
This handy chart offers a side-by-side nutritional comparison:
http://www.ruled.me/keto-diet-plan-best-and-worst-sweeteners/
This All Day I Dream About Food post discusses the differences bakers can expect when using almond flour versus wheat flour. It can make all the difference between a great-tasting, low-carb dessert and a very expensive waste of high quality ingredients.
Paleo Hacks offers a comparison of various nut flours and how to use them.
As long as you know how to adjust recipes, you can bake your favorite fall recipes and still avoid the carbs.
In all honesty, the end results don’t taste at all like ‘diet’ desserts. You can try these new ingredients to create flavorful, tasty options that are also healthy.
If you experience digestive problems, it can sometimes be difficult to identify the source. It can be a tedious process of elimination in order to uncover the culprit. Starting by cutting out artificial foods and ingredients is the best way to start. With these fall favorite recipes, you can still enjoy tasty foods that are also good for you and less likely to spark digestive problems. Take them to family and holiday gatherings and you will be amazed to see that no one even notices the difference.
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.