Read The Everything Naturally Sugar-Free Cookbook: Includes Apple Cinnamon Waffles, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Tomato and Goat Cheese Pastries, Peanut Butter Truffles, ... Eclairs...and Hundreds More! (Everything®) Online

Authors: Annie Forsyth,Holly Forsyth

The Everything Naturally Sugar-Free Cookbook: Includes Apple Cinnamon Waffles, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Tomato and Goat Cheese Pastries, Peanut Butter Truffles, ... Eclairs...and Hundreds More! (Everything®) (10 page)

Homemade Is Better!

Soft chewy pretzels from the mall always look and smell great, but a traditional salted mall pretzel contains 10 grams of sugar. By making your own, you control the amount and quality of the salt and sugar you are eating.

CHAPTER 4
Appetizers

Apricot-Stuffed Dates

Apple Pecan Salad

Green Blood Orange Salad

Cabbage, Beet, and Celery Slaw

Sweet Roasted Carrots

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Cucumber Hummus Bites

Honey Roasted Almonds

Orange Kale Salad

Watermelon Salsa

Salmon Cream Cheese Bites

Pear Gorgonzola Salad

Strawberry Kale Salad

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

Sweet Deviled Eggs

Tomato and Goat Cheese Pastries

Apricot-Stuffed Dates

Sweet, bite-size dates perfectly accompany an assortment of cheeses, fruits, and crackers for an elegant party platter.

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 8

16 Medjool dates

¹⁄
₃cup dried apricots

¹⁄
₃cup walnuts

1
¹⁄
₂teaspoons vanilla extract

¹⁄
₂teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon honey

Gently slice dates lengthwise. Remove the pits and set dates aside.
In a food processor, combine apricots, walnuts, vanilla, cinnamon, and honey. Process the mixture until it becomes a rough paste.
Spoon the apricot mixture into the pitted dates.

Apple Pecan Salad

Sweet and crunchy toppings make this a salad no one will pass up.

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 4

4 cups fresh baby spinach

1 medium Fuji apple, peeled, cored, and cut into cubes

¹⁄
₂cup chopped pecans, toasted

¹⁄
₂cup crumbled blue cheese

¹⁄
₄cup fresh sprouts

Raspberry Vinaigrette
(see recipe in Chapter 6)

¹⁄
₄teaspoon sea salt

Place the spinach, apple, pecans, blue cheese, and sprouts in a salad bowl.
Gently toss the salad with dressing, sprinkle with salt and serve.

Green Blood Orange Salad

This beautiful salad has unbeatable color, taste, and texture!

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 2 SIDE SALADS

6 ounces mixed dark green lettuce

2 small blood oranges

¹⁄
₄cup chopped walnuts

6 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

¹⁄
₄cup chopped celery

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¹⁄
₈teaspoon sea salt

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground black pepper

Wash and dry the lettuce and place in a salad bowl.
Cut the ends off the oranges and gently cut off the rind from top to bottom in slices. Place the oranges on their sides and gently cut
¹⁄
₄" slices, creating circles.
Layer walnuts, dates, and celery over the lettuce in the salad bowl. Arrange oranges in a circle on top of the bed of lettuce.
Drizzle salad with olive oil, lemon juice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cabbage, Beet, and Celery Slaw

This incredibly colorful salad is rich in nutrients and antioxidants and pretty enough to brighten up any meal.

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 6

1
¹⁄
₂cups finely grated purple cabbage

1
¹⁄
₂cups finely grated beets

1
¹⁄
₂cups finely chopped celery

¹⁄
₄cup chopped walnuts

¹⁄
₈cup chopped yellow onion

¹⁄
₈cup red wine vinegar

¹⁄
₂cup olive oil

¹⁄
₂teaspoon sea salt

¹⁄
₈teaspoon powdered stevia

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

In a medium salad bowl, combine cabbage, beets, celery, and walnuts.
In a blender, process onion, vinegar, oil, salt, and stevia for 1 minute.
Pour dressing over the salad and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Sweet Roasted Carrots

This side dish with its gorgeous color and aroma elevates a simple meal into an elegant and sophisticated one.

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 4

8 medium carrots, peeled

3 tablespoons olive oil

¹⁄
₄cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, divided

1 tablespoon molasses

¹⁄
₂teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place carrots on the baking tray and cover them with the olive oil,
¹⁄
₄cup coconut sugar, molasses, and salt.
Bake carrots for 40 minutes. After 20 minutes, roll carrots around in the pan so they are in as much of the oil and sugar as possible.
During the last 10 minutes of baking, add remaining coconut sugar, pecans, and thyme.
Serve carrots hot.

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Caramelizing Brussels sprouts with maple syrup gives them a tenderness and sweetness that almost makes them taste like candy!

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 6

1 pound Brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

¹⁄
₂teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wash and dry the Brussels sprouts. Cut off the white ends and quarter each Brussels sprout.
In a bowl, combine Brussels sprouts, oil, vinegar, maple syrup, coconut sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir until ingredients are evenly distributed throughout.
Place Brussels sprouts on lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Brussels sprouts should be caramelized and soft.

Eating Brussels

Two great reasons to include Brussels sprouts in the diet: they have the highest cancer-fighting properties of any cruciferous vegetable, and they are high in vitamins C and A and folate.

Cucumber Hummus Bites

These easy appetizers come together quickly and look lovely on a platter lined with kale leaves. Add extra veggies on top for a healthy, light lunch.

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 8

¹⁄
₄cup hummus

1 large cucumber, sliced into
¹⁄
₂" disks

3 large mushrooms, diced

8 fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons

1 medium tomato, diced

Spread hummus on one side of each cucumber slice. On half of the cucumber slices, arrange mushrooms. On the other half, arrange basil and tomatoes.
Serve immediately.

Honey Roasted Almonds

These nuts are amazing in a salad, over homemade ice cream, with Greek yogurt, or just by the handful. They store well in airtight containers for an on-the-go snack.

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 4

1 cup raw almonds

¹⁄
₄cup honey

2 tablespoons coconut oil

¹⁄
₈teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together. Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet. It will stick and clump a bit, but that’s okay.
Broil for 3 minutes, then stir the nuts around a bit and broil another 3 minutes until the almonds are bubbly and lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Extra Energy

These honey-sweetened almonds are the perfect energy boost! Honey and cinnamon help eliminate unhealthy cravings, and protein and healthy fats keep you running all day long.

Orange Kale Salad

This bright, fresh salad is unbeatable in nutrition and taste. Sweet strawberry and orange cut the bitter taste of kale and add delicious texture.

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 2

1 bunch kale

¹⁄
₂cup chopped strawberries

¹⁄
₂cup chopped orange slices

¹⁄
₄cup chopped cucumber

¹⁄
₈cup slivered almonds, toasted

Orange Vinaigrette
(see recipe in Chapter 6)

Pull the kale leaves from the stems and discard stems. Wash and dry the leaves.
In a salad bowl, add the kale, strawberries, oranges, cucumber, and almonds.
Drizzle salad dressing over the top and toss to evenly distribute the dressing.

Save It for Later

Kale leaves are tougher than the average lettuce. Typically once a salad is dressed, it’s best to consume it right away. This is not the case with kale. It will hold up very well if prepared in the morning and taken to work for lunch. Just make sure it’s refrigerated.

Watermelon Salsa

A sweet fruity salsa laced with lime is the perfect addition to a barbecue or summer potluck. This unique salsa is surprisingly delicious served with fish or chicken!

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 6

Zest of 1 medium lime

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon xylitol

2 cups chopped seedless watermelon

1 large kiwi, peeled and diced

¹⁄
₃large cucumber, peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons diced orange bell pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

In a small bowl, mix zest, lime juice, and xylitol.
In a serving bowl, combine watermelon, kiwi, cucumber, bell pepper, and mint. Drizzle with lime mixture and serve.

Juice It!

Combine the ingredients in this salsa except for the bell pepper in a blender. Blend until everything is liquefied. Add water to dilute if desired. This combination creates an extremely refreshing summertime drink.

Salmon Cream Cheese Bites

This appetizer can be made quickly and will disappear at a party almost as fast!

INGREDIENTS
|
SERVES 8

¹⁄
₂cup cream cheese, softened

¹⁄
₄cup goat cheese crumbles

¹⁄
₄teaspoon garlic powder

2 sprigs fresh dill

1 (8-ounce) package hearty crackers, such as Milton’s

4 ounces smoked salmon