Sugar Free Oat Drop Cookies

© Kali Matthews Photography

While I have a few minutes to blog, I had to post my favorite sugarless recipe, so far. They're also perfect for someone with allergies because they can be gluten free and do not contain eggs. Intriguing, right? You can't stop at just one of these. I dare you to try. And FYI, the dough is just as good as the cookie. The best part, these are so healthy, you could eat them for breakfast! Now who doesn't want to eat cookies for breakfast? 

Sugar Free Oat Drop Cookies

(adapted from this recipe)

1 1/2 cups regular rolled oats
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup of almond meal or flour
1/2 cup mixed nuts, finely chopped
1 cup dried fruit (I used raisins and craisins)

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease baking sheet.

In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, almond meal or flour, mixed nuts and coconut flakes. Stir in allspice and cinnamon. Add dried fruit and stir until well and evenly mixed. Make sure the dried fruit do not stick together in big batches.
In another bowl, combine canola oil, mashed banana and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart in one inch balls, slightly flattened. Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Makes about 2 dozen. Enjoy. :)

No Sugar | Day 12 | Delectable Whole Wheat Sugarless Carrot Cake

Hi, my name is Kali, and I am a sugar addict. Seriously. Studies have shown that refined sugar can be addictive. It triggers the same parts of the brain as cocaine. Scary, especially for people with a genetic predisposition to addiction.

I'm thrilled because I did not think I could do this and honestly, didn't know if I even wanted to. I haven't had sugar in 12 days! You may not think that's a big deal, but this is coming from someone who hasn't gone a day without sugar in probably her entire life. I'm hoping to abstain for at least a month, then I'll decide if I want to adopt it as permanent lifestyle change, because it is a lifestyle change. I've had to become a constant label reader and the stuff is in practically everything.

Days 3-8 were the hardest. Killer headaches, massive fatigue, and unyielding cravings. But I'm happy to report, I stuck to my resolve.

One of the huge benefits that has come from quitting, is all I've learned about substituting sugar with natural sweeteners, like bananas and pineapple, honey and applesauce. I love to bake and haven't felt cheated at all. 

Now to the point of the post, introducing:

The Delectable Whole Wheat Sugarless Carrot Cake

(adapted from this recipe here)
photo © Kali Matthews Photography

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup oil
• 3/4 cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup unsweetened crushed canned pineapple , drained
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. 1
   Combine dry ingredients.
2. 2
   Add oil, vanilla, honey, and eggs; mix well.
3. 3
   Stir in remaining 3 ingredients.
4. 4
   Bake in two greased 9-inch cake layer pans for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. 5
   Cool in pans several minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
6. 6
   You can also bake this in a 9x13 pan as a sheet cake -- just as good, and easier than frosting a layer cake!

I whipped up a delicious sugar free cream cheese frosting using these ingredients:

8 oz of cream cheese, 3 tablespoons of butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 6 packets of stevia. Just throw them in a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer to whip.

 It also helps to have an enthusiastic three year old co-baker on hand for entertainment purposes. The boys and I absolutely loved this cake, and I will definitely be making it again.

photo a day challenge (intro & days 1-2)

I'm participating in a photo challenge issued by Chantelle at fatmumslim. I think it will be a fun way to start off the new year, get my creative juices flowing, and document the little things that go on in our life.

I'll try to get out my nikon for most of the photos, but I'm pretty sure lots of days, I'll be posting pictures from my trusty little iphone.

You can follow me right here on my blog or on Instagram, username kalisarah88.

Join in? (: The party just started yesterday, so you don't have too much to catch up on. The details are on Chantelle's blog here.

Day 1: me (taken w/ iphone)

Day 2: breakfast (taken with nikon)

lowfat vanilla yogurt, walnuts, a dash of honey bunches of oats, raisins, and green apples. 

easy and de-lish.