Baking Cookies

Mashed bananas work great! There is a great choc.chip cookie recipe using bananas instead of sugar on Oprah.com
they are so nummy...I've substituted bananas, or applesauce in many recipes with great sucsess!

There are several problems with traditional holiday cookies. First, they contain too much white flour AND white refined sugar. Both have ZERO nutrition in them and they spike blood sugar. They also contain chemicals and drain nutrients from your body. People tend to substitute sugar with Splenda, the equivalent to rat poison. Seriously folks, it is pure poison and if you are not suffering from health issues using it today, you will if you continue to use it long term. It builds up in your cells and never leaves your body. It also damages DNA. If you've got in your kitchen, get rid of it!!!

I highly recommend checking out a book called "Simple Treats: A Wheat-Free, Dairy-Free Guide to Scrumptious Baked Goods" by Ellen Abraham. The author uses natural sweeteners like Sucanat and Agave Nectar. These are the only sweeteners we use in our house. The author also uses barley flour and oat flour in place of the white flour. You can get all of these items at your local health food store. I've used several recipes from this book and had rave reviews from friends and family.

Enjoy your cookie baking,

G. G.
Certified Health Educator & Nutrition Coach
Winter Park, FL

Hi G.,
I'm a registered dietitian. It's hard to believe but kids acting up on sugar is really just a myth. It's typically the special occasions that surround the sugary foods that cause kids to act hyper, like birthday parties. I hope this helps and you decide to make whatever cookie recipe you like!
K.

Hi G.,
I use Splenda when making my cookies. My daughter has ADHD. With Splenda you use a lot less than sugar. I believe if I remember correctly it will tell you on the package the comparison. There is also a big difference in the baking Splenda and the regular Splenda so watch when you buy it. You don't even know the difference in the taste of the cookies...as long as you don't tell anybody!

Feel free to ask me any other questions you might have :)

Have a Merry Christmas!

Actually you are in luck because sugar does not actually make you hyper. It is just an "old wives tale."
Happy baking!

Look in diabetic cook books or on the web for sugar free cookies

Try replacing splenda for the sugar in your favorite recipe. If you go to walmart you can buy there brand that is a little less expensive and buy in a larger bag for baking. Also check some of the diabetic website they should have recipes listed for holiday goodies that are lower in sugar.

Hi G.,

I personally haven't baked with xylitol but have a friend who does. Xylitol is what makes cherries sweet. It is also GOOD for the teeth and healthier. Xylitol is in a form like sugar, is natural and the exchange is the same so you can use it in the recipes you already have. It does not bake well in breads because it doesn't work chemically with the yeasts but I think that is the only difference. You can get it at the organic section in your grocery store or in a health food or supplement store. AND what I like the best is there's no aftertaste like the Splenda and it's not bitter like stevia.

Regards,
M.

P.S. My daughter had ADHD and I've successfully reversed the diagnosis. A little secret with the food though is make sure he always gets some protein (like cheese...) with his sugars.

Honey
Also, contact a natural food stores and websites. There are thousands of recipes out there that do not use sugar.

I would highly advise against Splenda. Chemical sugar.
Even the manufacturers of Spenda don't recommend it. There are several studies linked between artifical sugars. Children raised on chemical diets are more likely to develop physical and mental disorders.

My first suggestion is to NOT use synthetic sugars like splenda, sweet in low, equal.
That's not what God intend us to digest. Splenda gives me the creeps. It's like the residue left inside the vats they process the sugar in or something.

I have a great recipe for carrot cookies. They are so yummy and don't taste like carrots at all.

Fun and easy to make with your son.
Ingredients:
1 Cup shortening (I use butter personally)
1/2 Cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup of mashed carrots ( I go the easy way and buy canned sliced carrots, then mash them)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Prep: Beat shortening;gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg, carrots, and vanilla, beating well after each addition. Sift together dry ingredients; stir into carrot mixture and mix well. Stir in chopped nuts, if using. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Ice cookies with Orange Icing while still warm.

Icing: Juice of 1/2 Orange (3-4 tablespoons)
grated rind of 1 orange
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar (may need more if too thin)
Mix together until spreading consistency is reached, then ice.
These cookies are so good they might not last the day. The cookies won't be orange in color really, but you can add a drop or two or orange food coloring to make them look orange if you want.
Have fun.

I think that cookies that you don't actually eat make for a good project. Try some salt-dough cookies; once baked, you and he can color with markers or paint, decorate, glue on little decorations, etc. Make mobiles, tree ornaments... the possibilities are broad. Also fun are some bird "cookies" that are hung outdoors once finished (search for recipes). If you're into the Christmas holiday, a dough made of cinnamon, unsweetened applesauce, and a little white glue; these can be baked at 200 degrees for a couple of hours until dry, then decorated and hung, etc. What about dog biscuits?! If you have a dog, then lucky pup! If not, you could make dog biscuits for friends, neighbors, or to donate to your local shelter or humane society (check with them first). I like to make buttery shortbread with my daughter. It's pretty hard to mess it up, easy to decorate, and very forgiving. As some doughs go, it's not oversweet.

Happy baking!!