As I have been making treats for my Thai neighbors and friends, they have often found our goodies to be too intensely sweet for them. That is not to say that they do not like to eat the treats I offer, or enjoy sweets, but that our western, sugared, buttered, baked and then frosted confections are a bit over the top for them.
I have found that in many, many desserts, I can cut the sugar up to half, and it still tastes great. Sometimes even better.
In 2006, the per capita sugar consumption was 44.5 lbs. Pounds! Each person!
I have this memory of a book I read as a kid about a baker/candy maker who was trying to make more profit on his treats, and so began to cut back the sugar he used bit by bit until he was hardly using any. He did it so gradually that no one noticed until…. Sam Sugar Slurper, (or whatever the character’s name was) came to town. He ate one of the low/no sugar treats and fell into a reverse sugar coma. I think the story was about trying to cheat and not getting away it, but what stuck with me was that NO ONE else noticed the sugar content slipping away. ( by the way, anyone else remember this story?)
This weekend I made no-bake cookies, which generally call for a large amount of sugar. I used half and my family still gobbled them up without noticing the difference.
So there is my ‘works for me’today, less sugar. Easy.
As long as we are on the topic of less sugar and still eating fun treats, anyone know how to make crunchy granola bars at home, without corn syrup? . ( I know it is not ask-for-a-tip week, but I couldn’t resist. )
There are many more suggestions and answers to your dilemmas at Rocks in my Dryer
Good tip! With less sugar, the goodies still taste great, and it’s much healthier, too!
WOW! Seriously!? It doesn’t change the consistancy or ANYTHING!?
I’m all about cutting down on sugar!
I found the same in Europe… we’d make cupcakes or sugar cookies for any holiday and they’d turn their nose up at the sugary overload. Wow.
I’m definatly gonna try this one.
Here in the States, the grocery store bakeries are much to sweet for us too.
RE: corn syrup — You can usually replace corn syrup with either honey or molasses.
Thanks for the info on cutting sugar. Less is more!
And, just yesterday, I was wishing for a granola bar recipe without corn syrup! I’ll try the honey/molasses idea. Or, if you hear of any other good ideas, please let me know!
unfortunately, I am a huge sugar addict. I’ve been trying really hard to cut back. So I will definitely try this.
Blessings,
Karla
Great tip! I’m all for cutting back on sugar. I’ve been known to replace half of the flour with whole wheat and had great results. Anytime I can sneak some nutrition in I do!
Great tip – can’t wait to try it! Maybe this weekend!
I have a granola recipe at my place. We usually bake it into balls, but you could pat it into a pan, bake it half way, cut it into bars, then finish baking. (I think.) We use apple juice to make it a bit sweeter and help it stick together.
Try this:
http://learningpatience.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/my-new-favorite-thing-to-eat/
Now WHY haven’t I ever thought of simply cutting down the sugar? This is a wonderful suggestion. I’ve noticed, too, as we’ve traveled abroad that none of their “sweets” are as sweet as what we’re used to. And most of the people are healthier, too.
Thanks for this great tip!
Hey – just noticed you are with NTM…my sister and her family are missionaries with NTM out in PNG…
I don’t know why I didn’t get the notification on this blog until today. Weird! Anyway, I love this idea. I’ve read it before but not really tried it. Mainly I think I end up baking either from a box or not at all. It’s too hard to make sweets when I’m not partaking. Or rather, the joy of “baking delicious goodies” isn’t there when I know I’m not going to eat any and I vaguely disapprove of the whole thing. Ha!
I’m curious about the consistency thing as well. Last weekend Rachel and Joshua each made a double batch of Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies (we had to bring them for church) I wonder how they would be with half the sugar.
I’ll have to try it. Or have them try it out.
Miss you!
hi.. I am assuming that granola bars are the same as muesli bars so here is a recipe..
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup wheatgerm
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sultanas
4 oz butter
1/2 cup of honey1/3 cup brown sugar
grease and line a slice tin with baking paper…
cook the oats,wheatgerm,sesame seeds,sunflower kernels and pumpkin seeds in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring for approx.. 8-10 minutes or until just golden.. Set aside to cool.. stir in the sultanas.
Cook the butter, honey and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring for 3 to 4 minutes or until sugar dissolves.
Bring to the boil then reduce heat to low and simmer, without stirring for 7 minutes or until mixture forms a soft ball when a little is dropped into ice water (soft ball stage)
Add to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.
spoon mixture into the pan.. press down firmly. Allow to cool. cut into squares.. store in an airtight container for up to 7 days..
cheers Kim
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/1457/homemade+muesli+bars
this is where I found the recipe..* phew * I knew I had the addy somewhere.. if you go to this page there are lots of comments about these muesli bars and different things the various cooks added and stuff like that..
cheers kim