Healthy Substitutions: Baking

I love baking. It's like an art form. Technically, you're supposed to follow the recipes exactly...


OR ELSE!

While, most of the time, this is very very true -- forgetting the baking soda, or adding more than a pinch of salt could spell disaster -- there are a few substitutions you can make to healthy-up that next batch of muffins or cookies.  Let's talk healthy baking substitutions.

Whole wheat flour for white flour -- let's start with the basics. If you're still using enriched, bleached, white-as-snow flour, you're missing out on a lot of good nutrients and fiber. Whole wheat flour includes the outer shell of the grain, so the texture will be a bit more coarse than white flour but you can substitute whole wheat for white flour in a 1:1 ratio. I do all of my baking with whole wheat flour unless I'm going for a really traditional feel (and as you probably know, traditional isn't really my MO).

Avocado puree for butter -- this is a good vegan substitute. If you're looking to cut out fat, this isn't the way to go, but avocados have all the great things that other fruits and veggies have and butter doesn't. Avocados have pretty much the same consistency as butter at room temperature and can be subbed in a 1:1 ratio. Avocados have a subtle flavor that goes really well in brownies or chocolate puddings, just know that you may taste a slight hint of 'cado in a cookie recipe!

"Flax eggs" for eggs -- 1 regular egg = 1 flax egg = 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, mixed and allowed to set/gel for about 10 minutes. For cookies and muffins, they will add a boost of omega-3's and some extra fiber, but I might shy away from recipes that really use the eggs to be a sticking agent. Flax eggs just aren't as sticky as regular eggs.

Unsweetened applesauce for butter or oil -- I've successfully used applesauce in place of oil in a 1:1 ratio. If you use it to replace butter, it can get a little tricky because you'll have to add a bit more of the dry ingredients to offset the extra moisture in the app'sauce. I would suggest replace up to 3/4 of the butter in a recipe with apple sauce to start. Don't forget to reduce sugar if you use sweetened applesauce.

Mashed bananas for butter -- bananas can definitely be subbed in for butter to reduce fat in a recipe and add some extra potassium and vitamin B, but they definitely add sweetness, so cut down on the sugar the recipe calls for if you do this. Sub in a 1:1 ratio.

Vanilla for sugar -- adding an extra couple of teaspoons of vanilla and cutting the sugar in half in a recipe is an easy way to reduce calories in a recipe without sacrificing sweetness. If you're wary of this, start by cutting the sugar by 1/4 and only adding one extra teaspoon of vanilla.

Turbinado sugar/sucanat/blackstrap molasses for white sugar -- here's another back to basics suggestion. You lose a lot of the good stuff in the processing of white sugar (much like white flour!) As a general rule, go for less processed ingredients of any kind and you'll get the added benefit of fiber which helps those calories metabolize more slowly in your body.

Cacao nibs for chocolate chips -- here's that golden rule again, less process ingredients are healthier! Cacao nibs don't have all the added sugar that chocolate chips do, so by default they won't taste as sweet, but they're a good stand in if you want to cut out some sugar.

There are so many more, but at the risk of making this post unbearable to read, I will spare you. What healthier substitutes do you use for baking?

Almond Raspberry Cupcakes, take 2.

Alright boys and girls...here's my second attempt at almond berry cupcakes! I'm still a little (well, a lot) disappointed with the icing. I think my problem is that I am following recipes that I have to reduce and I keep getting nervous that I'm going to end up with FAR too much icing, so I'm not adding enough of certain ingredients. The end result is a more saucy, albeit delicious icing.

I'm going to repost my recipe, exactly how I made it. If you have any good ideas/recipes for THICK icing to top these bad boys with, please leave me a comment, or shoot me an email (peacelovebagels [at] gmail [dot] com)

for cupcakes:
1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (can sub all purpose or regular whole wheat or a mixture)
½ cup almond meal**
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ cup sugar
2 egg whites
½ cup applesauce (or sub butter or margarine)
½ cup almond milk
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract

for raspberry sauce:
1 pint fresh raspberries + 12 extra to top c-cakes
½ cup water or choice of juice (or ¼ cup agave and ¼ cup juice/water)
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with enough water to form a paste
½ tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, agave nectar, and juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, stir in the vanilla and the cornstarch mixture. Continue to stir as the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, almond meal, baking soda. In a smaller bowl, cream applesauce (or butter) and sugar for about two minutes. Stir in egg whites, almond milk and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring together until just combined.

Prepare muffin/cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Fill cups about ¼ full, then add a spoonful of raspberry filling, then finish filling with cupcake batter until they’re about ¾ full. Watch out, they bake up pretty big, err on the side of less. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown and tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

(Ta-da!!)

When cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with a knife or any desired piping tip. Use another tip or spoon to drizzle remaining raspberry sauce on top. Top with extra raspberries, if you have them ENjoy!

**NOTE: almond meal can be made by grinding almonds in a food processor, blender or coffee grinder (I find this the best use of my coffee grinder and it works better than the other two)

For the frosting:

4 large egg whites

1 cup demara sugar

1 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

¾-1 cup powdered sugar

3 tsp. almond extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.  Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.  Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more.  Stir in the almond and vanilla extracts and mix just until incorporated.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Part two of the Chrismukkah Cookie Fiesta posts...here are my Mexican Wedding Cookies - also known as Moon Cookies! The recipe was adapted from Manifest Vegan, although my version was highly not vegan, as I used butter instead of Earth Balance (which, while the ingredients are all natural, the ingredients are numerous, corn- and soy-derived and they're not anything I would find in my own pantry). 

The reason they're also sometimes referred to as Moon Cookies is because they're generally shaped like little crescent moons. I was too lazy to make moon shapes out of my cookies, and I actually ended up with a few totally smushed, flat messes after baking:

But thankfully I was able to recoup most of them and they ended up shaped as 3/4 spheres. If that makes sense. Here is my recipe, un-veganized:

Mexican Wedding (a.k.a. Moon) Cookies

ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup butter, cold
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup finely chopped almonds, roasted or raw

directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together sugar, vanilla and margarine.  Add chopped almonds to the sugar and margarine mixture, then gradually mix in flour.  Your dough will be crumbly - almost flourlike - but easily formed into a ball when worked slightly with hands.

Form into walnut sized balls (this is the point where you can choose to shape them into moons, or not).  Watch out, because they'll spread while baking. I have no idea how to prevent this, I guess just make sure that the butter is very well mixed into the dough.

Bake on un-greased cookie sheet (I put parchment paper down)  in preheated oven for about 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet about 15 minutes.  Roll generously in confectioner’s sugar until very well coated.  Let cool an additional 20 minutes on wire rack.

My cookies probably could have used more powdered sugar to make them a little more decadent, but I was kind of concerned about keeping them in one piece while I rolled them in sugar. Maybe I'll have a second go at it before I put them in pretty holiday gift bags? I can always endorse an argument for MORE SUGAR!

What is your go-to holiday cookie or dessert? Let me know if I'm missing out on any great holiday recipes that I can turn into wonderful gifts!

Almond Raspberry Cupcakes, take 1.

This is my first Peace, Love & Bagels original recipe! I was inspired by the Almond Berry Cupcakes from Main Street Cupcakes and I wanted to try to make my own as a Chrismukkah surprise for Brandon's sister (Almond Berry is her favorite MSC cupcake). 

This was my trial attempt so I could get it just right for Tanja...they taste nothing like the MSC cupcakes but the flavor turned out pretty amazing! I'm going to call this a win for my first attempt at building my own recipe. I'm planning on changing a few things the next time around so I'll repost the recipe when that happens. Some changes I'd like to make:

• bake the raspberry sauce into the cupcake instead of piping in the filling
• leave some whole(ish) almonds in the batter
• thicker frosting, so I can use my piping things to make the cupcakes look a little bit more enticing...my frosting was VERY sweet, but I think the best way to thicken it up is more powdered sugar. I'm all for the sugar high
• I  might also add a bit of sweet (sugar, agave, juice, whatevs..) to the raspberry sauce
• Use some unbleached AP flour in the batter

The frosting was my biggest let down...but that was highly my own fault because I didn't even follow my own recipe. I probably only used 2 cups of powdered sugar, instead of my prescribed 4 cups. Holy laziness. Also, I really REALLY liked the raspberry and wanted there to be more of it, I think I will drizzle any leftover raspberry sauce on top after they're frosted. Without further ado...

Almond Raspberry Cupcakes
almond cupcakes filled with raspberry sauce and topped with almond frosting
makes 12 cupcakes

for cupcakes:
1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (can sub all purpose or regular whole wheat or a mixture)
½ cup almond meal**
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ cup sugar
2 egg whites
½ cup applesauce (or sub butter or margarine)
½ cup almond milk
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract

for raspberry sauce:
1 pint fresh raspberries
½ cup water or choice of juice (or ¼ cup agave and ¼ cup juice/water)
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with enough water to form a paste
½ tsp vanilla

for almond frosting:
⅔ cup unsalted butter or margarine
4 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup almond milk
1 tsp almond extract

In a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, agave nectar, and juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, stir in the vanilla and the cornstarch mixture. Continue to stir as the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, almond meal, baking soda. In a smaller bowl, cream applesauce (or butter) and sugar for about two minutes. Stir in egg whites, almond milk and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring together until just combined.

Prepare muffin/cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Fill cups about ¾ full (eyeball it, but beware, they puff up pretty big...I'd err on the side of less). Bake 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

While cupcakes are baking, cream butter and powdered sugar together until creamy. Add almond milk and almond extract and continue to mix until desired frosting consistency is reached.

When cupcakes have completely cooled, use piping equipment to fill cupcakes with raspberry sauce by  placing tip into center of cupcake and carefully squeezing sauce in. Try not to overfill, the sauce will squirt out the top of the cupcake. When cupcakes are filled, frost with a knife or any desired piping tip.

**NOTE: almond meal can be made by grinding almonds in a food processor, blender or coffee grinder (I find this the best use of my coffee grinder and it works better than the other two)