December is approaching, Christmas is just around the corner and that means: cookies, chocolate advent calendars and many other sweets are just waiting to be devoured. But as delicious as these are, they should be enjoyed in moderation. If consumed in excess, the refined sugar it contains not only makes you fat, but also weakens the immune system and in some cases can even lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Luckily, there are great alternatives that allow you to conjure up sweet delicacies yourself. With our tips and two delicious recipes for baking, you too can snack healthily.
Alternative ingredients, equally good taste
If you want to make your cookies, cakes and other pastries healthier, we can recommend some good ingredients that you should use in the future.
Dark flour contains more nutrients
The first step to healthy baking is: ditch the white flour and bring in wholemeal or spelled flour. The latter contains a lot of protein, vitamins and minerals and can also be consumed by people with wheat allergies.
So-called whey protein is a great flour substitute for athletes: 100 grams of it contains a whopping 80 grams of protein and a minimum carbohydrate content of 8 grams - making it ideal for building muscle.
Sweet alternatives to refined sugar
You don't have to use industrial sugar to give your baked goods a sweet touch. There are a number of healthy alternatives such as coconut sugar, which is more natural, sustainable and full of nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and much more. Although it is made from the coconut palm, it tastes less like the tropical nut and more like caramel.
Other alternatives would be raw cane sugar, apple or agave syrup, honey and maple syrup, which can easily be used for baking. If you want to add minerals and trace elements to your treats, it's best to use sweet dried fruits such as dates or raisins. Of course, it would be ideal to avoid sugar completely and, for example, only use natural sweeteners from apples, cherries, plums or other fruits that already provide enough sweetness.
Mus and purees instead of butter
If you also want to avoid butter, you can instead use fruit purees - such as apple, pear and banana puree - or nut butter, which ensure that cakes, cookies, etc. do not become too dry. This makes it easy to leave out half of the butter required and there is still some sweetness in there.
Recipe ideas to imitate
1. Coconut blueberry ice cream with lucuma
Ice cream is not possible in winter? We say: Ice cream is a year-round delicacy! And even if it is as delicious, vegan and free of any industrial sugar as the berry coconut-blueberry ice cream, it is best to start preparing it immediately. An ice cream machine is not absolutely necessary for this.
Required ingredients:
- 300 g frozen blueberries
- 300 ml almond milk
- 1 small banana, peeled
- 50 g nu3 organic coconut butter
- 2 tbsp nu3 organic lucuma
- 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
That's how it's done:
- Put all the ingredients in a tall container and puree them into a fine mass.
- If you have an ice cream maker, you can simply freeze the mixture in it. However, you can also put them in a suitable bowl and put them in the freezer for 3-4 hours.
- Before you serve the delicious ice cream, you should let it thaw briefly so that it can be portioned more easily.
Tip: Leave a few blueberries left over and sprinkle them over the ice cream balls as a pretty, tasty decoration.
2. Cookies & Cream Protein Bars
Protein bars are ideal for a little energy boost in between, whether in the office, in the gym or during outdoor activities, especially our Cookies & Cream version with fruity superfood! You can quickly prepare the delicious bars yourself without baking.
Required ingredients:
- 55 g nu3 organic coconut flour
- 50g nu3 Performance Whey Protein Cookies and Cream
- 24 g nu3 xylitol
- 1 tbsp nu3 organic coconut oil
- 110g nu3 peanut butter
- 1 tbsp nu3 barberries
- 1 tbsp nu3 mulberries
- 1 tbsp nu3 organic chia seeds
- 150 ml almond milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
That's how it's done:
- Mix coconut flour, whey protein, xylitol and salt in a large bowl.
- Add coconut oil, peanut butter and almond milk to the mixture and knead everything well with your hands.
- Line a small shallow bowl with baking paper and spread the mixture onto it.
- Mix the barberries, mulberries and chia seeds in a small bowl and then add them to the mixture. Press them lightly into the dough.
- Place the protein bars in the freezer for about an hour.
Tip: It's best to prepare a whole week's ration straight away, which you can cut into bars after the hour in the freezer, wrap in wax paper and store in the fridge. So you can take out a small energy booster at any time and put it in your bag.
To make these and many other delicacies yourself, you can simply order the ingredients you need from nu3 . You currently get a 15% discount on nu3 and BEAVITA products with our Allmaxx code NU3AMAXX. The latter will help you with your diet plans.
Would you like to bake cakes, cookies and other healthy treats? We'll tell you how!
