Six weeks ago I decided to challenge myself to replace highly processed, refined sugar with healthier alternatives in everything I cook. Now that I’ve come to the end of my 6 week commitment, I wanted to share with you what I have learned along the way and leave you with a final delicious (refined sugar free) recipe as a reward for sticking with me.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned over the past 6 weeks is that not all sugars are equal and that rice malt syrup and stevia are probably the best natural sweetening options. Why? Because they do not contain fructose (which is bad for our liver), whereas all other sweeteners contain between 48% and 90% fructose.
I’ve also learned that, whilst I can’t remove sugar entirely from my diet, I can replace refined sugar in just about everything I cook and eat. Mind you, it does take lots of trial and error as well as persistence to find the right substitute so that the recipe still works, but it’s definitely worthwhile.
Now for your reward – Chocolate Cookies – yay!
Not only are these Chocolate Cookies made without white sugar, they have raw cacao, which is one of the richest sources of antioxidants AND they are gluten free to boot!
These Chocolate Cookies are everything you want in a chocolate cookie; chocolatey and chewy with just enough sweetness. They are good for the soul and, dare I say, healthy. Yeh, I know that’s a bit of a stretch but…really…what would life be without chocolate of some description now and then!
What you need
- 150g organic dark chocolate
- 50g unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 60g organic coconut sugar
- ¾ cup almond meal
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao
- pinch sea salt
Makes 18 cookies approx.
What to do
Chop the chocolate roughly and place it with the butter in a heatproof bowl over simmering water to melt – the bottom of the bowl must not touch the water. Cool slightly.
Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Gently fold the chocolate into the egg mixture until just combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the almond meal, cocoa, salt and chopped nuts (if using them) then add to the chocolate mixture and gently fold until combined.
Cover and place in the fridge for the mixture to firm up – about 1 hour (if you skip this step, you will regret it!)
Preheat the oven to 180°c
Take tablespoons of the mixture and roll into balls. Place on a tray lined with baking paper. Space them out as they will spread.
Press down each ball slightly using a fork.
Bake for 10 – 12 minutes. Cool on the tray.
Enjoy!
Meatballs and Muffins 