Food Balance Your Body Type Archives - Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Sugar Cookie – Low-Sugar

Sugar cookie is one cookie that I get along with. It’s my kinda pairing. …Maybe yours too?

And with strawberry (or any berry), that’s berry good! 🍓 Like this plate of cookies is made low-sugar, gluten-free… and tasty good. Recipe below 👇

How this low-sugar sugar cookie recipe is different and can be cookie controversial is that there is no white sugar (or sugar crystal substitutes like Stevia that alters tastes).

With an optional light strawberry chocolate glaze at the end, you can keep this naturally low-sugar without missing a sugar beat! 🎉

Think of the strawberry seeds as sugar seeds 😊 And the gluten-free cookie crumbly bits falling off as sugar bits to please your sweet cravings.

This is a cookie challenge because with sugar in the name, NO table sugar doesn’t make sense… but if you’re like me, you’re up for the low-sugar challenge for your healthy body!

It’s a good balance FOR sweet taste buds with a healthy mix so there’s NO compromise.

And this is an EASY challenge because there are only 3 wholesome ingredients needed for this one-bowl sugar cookie to come together.

But it was not easy to come up with this on my end…

This was a journey… because I remember the crunchy hard sugar cookie vividly with sugar crystals on top shaped in dainty flowers with a whole in the middle that I once happily dreamed about. 🧒🏻

I had a sweet relationship with sugar.

…Never in my wildest dreams did I think making and eating my own cookies would be a typical Day in the Life that I’m happy about.

…And I never thought I’d graduate to making my own sugar cookie… without sugar crystals.

Maybe you get it because you too ate spoonfuls of sugar (and enjoyed every sugary food thing out there) like those of us who have a sweet tooth (or a full set of sweet teeth 😊)?

Thankfully for us who also aspire to healthy… the less sugar we eat, the less we crave and the fewer sweet taste buds as we get older.

That helps us align happy and healthy living.

Happy living is good for mental health.

And so if you want to add a glaze top to cookies and desserts, you can balance the healthy and happy ways (…and that’s what pleases my healthy and ex-catering self 😊).

Here on this plate I use a melted chocolate. I chose strawberry chocolate, but white or dark chocolate would work great too.

But in reality, most people use powdered sugar with a flavored liquid for a quick sweet glaze.

And that’s where sugar amounts can be over the top (in more ways than one!). ☹️

Because powdered sugar glazes are using another form of potent table sugar and even more white sugar, that’s not good and can tip the scales.

…AND you need a-lottta powdered sugar to make very little glaze. About 1-3/4 cup of powdered sugar is needed to replace 1 cup of granulated sugar… UGH!

So finding healthier ways like melting real chocolate is a smart and sweet tasty idea…

And you can happily smear the melted chocolate glaze on tops as you anticipate your cookie plate.

That’s one glaze that will go far! A mere 2 oz. of chocolate with a teaspoon of coconut oil will give the shine and get the job done for half-a-dozen cookies.

…You can make this no-guilt, low-sugar cookie batch in minutes when you get the sweet hankering!

Comment below whatcha think 💕

Sugar Cookie - Low Sugar

This is a beautiful cookie with ingredient pairing with no white sugar.

Ingredients

1/2 cup almond flour
1 tbsp honey, raw
1 tbsp refined coconut oil

Instructions

Combine ingredients.
Bake at 300°F for about 15 minutes or until cookie tops are baked (not soft).

Low-Sugar Angel Food Cake

Angel food cake is heavenly and cloud-like. This one is low-sugar and will not rise blood sugar. And great to serve for brunch and home party gatherings…

Like the Met Gala TODAY where this year has “superfine” in the theme.

And if you watch celebrate 👗 and wanna bake a cake, THIS angel food cake recipe is a light and minimal ingredient one. 🧡

…You can add a little themed superfine sugar to help your individual cake rise in the air.

Because angel food cake is airy fairy 😇… very different than its opposing devil’s food cake that’s full in calories.

(Notice angel is part of food cake and devil possesses it with an apostrophe in the name).😉

With an angel food cake, it’s made with egg whites as the star ingredient ⭐️ …and you’re looking at 17 calories per egg.

So even with a dozen eggs you’d use is only about 200 calories… FOR AN ENTIRE CAKE!

It’s angel feather wing light 🪽… so think of fluffy egg whites or white clouds as the prep…. 🌩️🌩️

Oh, and that can get even more cotton ball pillowy with a dollop of whipped cream… or if you know me, swirly piped on Greek yogurt with a zhugh strawberry on top. 🍓

But first you gotta make the cake!… anddd that’s when I start to get excited. 🎉

…That btw this is super simple to make and bake.

Whoever said that an angel food cake is a more advanced baking skill? 🤔

…hmm,, I’m thinking that there was an inner debate that may have been going on with an angel on one shoulder and a doubter on the other.

So I’ll make this super simple…

This is an easy bake and if you believe that it’s simple to make, you will have a beautiful and tasty low-sugar cake to enjoy as intended.

On those notes, don’t overthink and don’t over mix with your baking or stand mixer…

After then you get clouds where you’ll stop.

And then make light moves to transfer the egg white clouds to your baking cake pan and gently leveling out with a spatula or back of a spoon.

And that’s it for prep!

I don’t think it gets easier than that, do you?

Low-Sugar Choice

What may be tricky is the sugar bit…

But I love a healthy challenge so that’s what I seek to use just enough…

And if you use monk fruit sugar, you won’t be as concerned with the amount that will tip the scales toward sugar inflammations or spikes.

Monk fruit sugar is plant-based natural (and recommended by dietitians).

And since it’s sweeter than regular table (or granulated sugar), you’ll want to use less of the healthy crystals anyway.

And monk fruit sugar doesn’t affect blood sugar that’s always an important healthy point (especially with those who are pre-diabetic).

And so it doesn’t affect glycemic index as monk fruit sugar doesn’t have calories or carbs.

It’s like Stevia in those ways that’s a common sugar relatable substitute these days.

While both are plant based white sugar alternatives, monk fruit is more of a low-sugar sweet (but still more sweet than sugar)…

In a drink, I think the taste difference is very noticeable. But in a healthy baked desserts with other ingredients, not as much.

And in this recipe, the monk fruit low-sugar sweet minimum is added to mostly help the texture of the cake.

Using less is more because I’m a fan of adding sweet at the end after the bake and for individual tastes.

The additional sweet if you choose can be strawberries or in-season fruit at the end that pairs well with an angel food cake. 🍰

It’s a myth that you have to bake in the sweet tastes.

…It can be even better fresh at the end, and it looks pretty too.

I worked in event planning and catering for a decade, so that’s just how I roll. 😊

I like to cater to tastes because some of us want more sweet and the older ones of us, usually don’t.

Angel Food Cake Process

And for your angel cake flour choice, you could use a sifted all-purpose flour as more easily available, but a fine cake flour is going to pay off for a light as angel finish.

This cake is close to the process for making meringues, but since flour is added, that turns this into a cake.

And you’ll notice there’s no baking powder or baking soda for this cake as the fluffy egg whites will be the rising wings.🪽

Tip: Separate eggs cold when you’re taking them out of the fridge. Because when warm or room temperature, eggs are ready to run… so they may just run away from your hands and be ready for a scramble.

🥚 And if you make this cake, save the yolks! Make scrambled eggs, or make yolk-ingredient desserts like a low-sugar chocolate soft serve ice cream that’s so easy to make with or without an ice cream maker… where you’re never disappointed that the machine is down at a drive-thru!

…Or you make lemon curd for your parfait and other light brunch desserts. 🍥

Low-Sugar Angel Food Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1 cup cake flour, sifted
12 egg whites
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
low sugar or monkfruit sugar (1 tsp or 1-1/2 tsp recommended)
strawberry

Instructions

Beat egg whites. Add cream of tartar, sugar, and salt.
Gently fold in flour.
Line tin with butter to prevent sticking. Bake on 350°F for 35-40 minutes.

Easy Blueberry Scone with Buckwheat

Blueberry scone with buckwheat is a delicious brunch idea! The recipe below is an easy one that you can make in few steps with frozen blueberries.

…And you’ll even get leftover crumbles for your next parfait.

Whether you see green or blue as in BLUE berries, it’s a delicious crumbly bite that goes great for afternoon tea or a weekend brunch.

You can add a jammy glaze …and maybe some cream… or ice cream (I scream) anyone?

The best part is it has healthy parts, including buckwheat flour that make this blueberry scone with buckwheat great along with other brunch recipes.

With gluten-free flours like buckwheat and coconut flour, egg, and Greek yogurt… ooh and wild blueberries 🫐, it’s one breakfast jam!

Buckwheat blueberry scone ingredients for easy recipe. — Buckwheat and coconut flour, yogurt, blueberries, egg, and a smidge of butter for this delicious healthy-inspired scone recipe.

It’s ready for brunch! 🎉

But before that… there’s a crumbly process that’s relaxing.

Looks a ‘lil like dirt, but trust me it’ll be deliciously shareable and brunch plate worthy! 🍽️

The dirt color is mostly from the healthy buckwheat flour that you can learn more about in this buckwheat ginger snap cookie recipe where I give the skinny low-down. That recipe btw has NO Butter if that’s important to you.

And getting back to buckwheat scones that does have a ‘lil 🧈, you first have to break ground (or ingredients in this place). 😉

The biggest tip I can give is to get the little pats of butter to a melted room temperature, so they adhere smoothly and evenly to the flour small bits.

…And if you’re like me who tends to forget to bring out the butt-ah in the morning, take out the butter you need the night before you’re going to bake.

On that note: this is one sweet blueberry scone with buckwheat recipe that I wouldn’t skip on the butter fat. Often I use neutral or light Mediterranean healthy olive oil in my bake recipes, but this recipe won’t work well with oil because scones like to stay dry… and that’s how we prefer them in our mouths. 😋

And if you’re beyond healthy, two pats or tablespoons of butter is all you need so don’t worry.

…My healthy sensibilities has a hard time using a stick of butter in any recipes… that would also work, but you can keep this light and healthier, and still tasty and delicious even if you’re living in the south.

A little butter is a good compromise where you’re not giving up anything…

…So you’ll have no regrets! 😁

And for sugar, I usually use the healthier sugars like honey or maple syrup, but this one won’t be the same without a packet of raw brown or turbinado sugar that will be the sweet and the dry crunch fitting for a scone.

You probably know this sugar as Sugar in the Raw in the beige packets, usually sitting by the coffee station.

One packet is 5 grams of sugar in case you’re like me who counts grams of sugar.

But remember this is a larger round bake (maybe 8-9 inches total) depending on your scone height of your choice. This can be made into 4 large scone pieces or 8 smaller scones to share.

Keep in mind, some of the baked parts may be too crumbly, so make another scone on the same baking tray if you have guests. Don’t worry… you’ll save the baked crumbles for your brunch parfaits, so nothing will be wasted.

It’ll all be re-purposed in someone’s mouth.

Ready to make this?

Buckwheat Blueberry Scone

Buckwheat is a healthy flour for a delicious blueberry scone.

Course Breakfast, brunch

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
2 tbsp butter, room temperature softened
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, unsweetened
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 Sugar in the Raw packet

Instructions

Set butter out in cool kitchen room temperature overnight.
Mix ingredients to make a crumbly dough.
Dump the dough on a baking tray. Form the dough as a round disc mound with a flat top about 2 inches tall.
Score or cut into 8 smaller wedge pieces or 4 larger pieces before baking.
Sprinkle a packet of turbinado sugar to the top that will add a sweet crunch good for dry scones. You may find you don't need the entire packet if you're preparing for sugar sensitivities.
Bake at 325°F for 30-35 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee Acidity Busting Myths

Cold brew vs. iced coffee is the difference in acidity. There is no boiling down in cold brew to help boil it down for your remembrance when you’re confronted on a menu coffee board.

And I break it down even further below. 👇

But first, here is an example of a cold brew (served ice cold) infused with refreshing mint that goes down cooling your body and benefits you and your body ache symptoms. Recipe is below 🌱

But first things first, you probably still may not know what acidity difference makes between cold brew vs. iced coffee when you’re ordering.

If acidity is a concern for you like many people 🙋🏻‍♀️ and you avoid coffee, then maybe this’ll change your mind, and you and your body 😊 can enjoy a cold brew coffee with ice like I do on a warm sticky day… that has added ice at the end.

And that serving is different than iced coffee on most coffee menu boards that is made from regular (warm brew) coffee.

…Can sound a bit like semantics, but it’s not as complicated as it sounds!

And in my life and when sharing with others, I like to break things down to simplicity…

So basically in cold brew vs. iced coffee, the acidity difference boils down to the process… it’s in and is the process.

…And that’s all you really need to know and remember the next time you have a coffee decision to make. ☕️

There’s no boiling or heat in cold brew (that remember is the process).

So when you make or order a cold brew coffee, you’re getting less chlorogenic acid in your drink cup that’s an antioxidant (🎉).

But the catch is, that’s where the acidity is high.

…So it’s only not-so-good if acidity bothers you and your body.

If it does, then it’s a double edged sword. Otherwise plain regular warm caffeinated coffee is plant-based 🌱 good for the body.

Lucky for us coffee drinkers. 🍀

And how this works is…

In warm brewed coffee, the heat tends to bring out the acidity.

And in the cold brew (process) there is no heat… (except it’s fired up ☄️in today’s popularity).

In a regular warm brewed coffee cup made from coffeemakers (like you’ve probably seen poured in orange rimmed coffee pots at diners)… those grounds could be made from the same grinds as in a cold brew coffee cup, but you’re getting more overall acidity.

And it’s not just the warm-ing vs. cold process…

The coffee roast matters too.

…Makes sense intuitively.

Some coffees are more acidic than others.

But what doesn’t make sense is…

Myth #1: that you can taste different types of acids.

Because we can’t really pick those up with our taste buds.

And coffee has many acid types…

There’s acetic, lactic, quinic, gluconic, malic and citric acid to name some.

In a light roast coffee study, the research shows that citric acid is the only one distinguishable to the human tongue… where Brazil coffee was stronger in citric acid than the Bolivian and Kenyan coffee roasts to the same taste testers.

So what does this mean for you?

Besides cold brew vs. iced coffee, picking the right roast matters for acidity.

And it’s still not what you’d naturally think…

Ahh, this second myth is interesting too…

A dark roast can be less acidic than a light roast.

When I’m out drinking coffee, I order a dark roast that has less chlorogenic, malic, and citric acids than the lighter kind.

A dark roast at Starbucks suits me and my acidic self fine. 😊

…Even though the Blonde light roasts may sound like they are less acidic.

But light doesn’t mean less acidic.

If you tend to get heartburn or have a sensitive coffee stomach where you need food to cushion before drinking 🙋🏻‍♀️, then a dark cold brew could be your best choice.

And if it’s hot out or you’re feeling hot (Pitta 😡), add some ice!

…Where cubes are added at the end 🧊

At home a neat trick is to make coffee ice cubes so you don’t get watered down coffee.

You can use traditional ice cube trays, but a fun way is to add coffee to a coffee cup and then freeze the cup for an hour or two.

From the frozen coffee, you’ll get icicle shavings with scraping from a silverware utensil.

You can add those icicle shavings to your coffee that won’t be like the big clumsy ice cubes that almost always end up sliding down your cold brew coffee glass with coffee running down your face. 😁

And at home, my morning routine is making fresh organic cold brew coffee to eliminate the acidity factor especially good before I’ve had food in my stomach. Maybe you have sensitive stomach too?

That’s how my cold brew coffee journey started… I learned to make my first batch of cold brew in Florence, Italy where mind you, delicious (acidic) coffee ☕️ is on every corner.

I saved my 1 euro coins and from that day on haven’t stopped my new calming morning cold brew practice. 🧡

Since then, I’ve learned a trick or two…

Like… these days, I use organic ground coffee mostly that’s generally even less acidic.

And when you add the tips above, you get a much lower acidic coffee.

So when you put all the smarts together, you can make and drink organic dark roast cold brew.

And what I love most about a morning cold brew coffee is that you can mix in flavors without the heat changing the flavor profile.

…Like the mint cold brew coffee ingredients below

Or… for a fruity twist you can add fruity flavors like peach that’s one mellow smooth coffee flavor.

That will give a fragrant note, and pleasant-light sweet taste instead of a bitter coffee after taste.

…I think it would make a light perfume to wear good for sticky days 💭

And on other idea notes… if you have extra peaches, you can also make refreshing fresh peach juice.

Another good cold brew drinking juice idea is a watermelon coffee idea you can sip on… that goes really well on a warmish afternoon like iced tea.

That’s the only good coffee watered down I’d recommend. 🍉 And an even better idea, add mint to your watermelon coffee or make a pure mint iced cold brew coffee like this one here.

Mint Iced Cold Brew Coffee

Course beverages

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

mint leaves, chopped
1 drop peppermint oil
cold brew coffee
chocolate almond milk, unsweetened

Instructions

Blend ingredients and enjoy!

Fruit Shake Recipes On-the-Go

Fruit shake recipes (aka fruity smoothies) is something good and healthy for mornings or before a hike. Enjoy the 3 fruity ideas 🍓🍒 below.

…I was inspired by smoothie to-go (or on-the-go recipes) because I found I actually crave a cold one on an adventurous hike or on a warm day.

…Or after I’ve reached the mountain top and taken in the height and scenery, I’m thinking, ok… what’s next?

…And a strawberry milkshake 💭 usually comes up, but is not in hand.

It’s a food dream I have in my head… that even matches my pink wear on some days 💕

But then I talk myself out of the shake because the reality sinks in… fast food milkshakes are usually full of sugar and high calories.

…Which isn’t good for all the good exercise calorie loss (or weight loss) that just happened while hiking.

Plus on-the-road, I don’t want to stop if I don’t have to, so I let my craving time pass while driving.

Like you in your travels, I want to keep going…

So to be aligned 😁, I found a good satiating solution… that’s a cold fruit shake I bring along with me… that’s waiting for me after the hike later in the afternoon.

Oh, and it’s HEALTHY too! 🎉

So this week’s post is all about fruit shake recipes you can enjoy and take on-the-go along with you.

And if you like fruit shakes, these easy fruit shake recipes are healthy taste ideas you can use at home or on your next outing adventure! 🧉

Be sure to also check out my tips waaay below 👇 for these enjoyable take-with-you fruit shake recipes….

In the fruit shakes, the fruit and a ‘lil honey, syrup, or spice is the added sweetness.

They’re loaded with vitamin nutrients and the healthy good stuff.

And while a banana is a great smoothie texture and healthy ingredient, if you’re not a fan, below are some other ingredient substitutions that will hold up outside on activity game day.

And the best part is… the ingredients in a fruit shake drink is refreshing, guilt-free, and convenient.

…That’s what I think golfers thought when I was a kid on the golf course serving ice cold lemonade 😀

The most important feature was the ice cold part 🥶 that cools and soothes our Pitta on a warm or overheated activity day.

And in that Pitta Ayurvedic balancing spirit, you can prepare these fruit shake recipes the day before (that’ll please you and others when you want them)!

Easy move: freeze the fruit shakes, and then take them with you in your cool tumbler or cups.

If you take the fruit shakes out from the freezer in the morning, by afternoon or sooner they will have slowly melted for drinking.

You can also bring with you some water and ice in a cooler (if you weren’t planning to already).

And if your fruit smoothie shake has melted too much, add a few ice cubes.

…And if still too frozen, add a ‘lil water to melt.

It’s that easy to get the perfect temperature drink on-the-go! 🧡

Your fruit smoothie will be temperature ready for you when you’re ready to celebrate and feeling happy that you reached the summit top (or whatever that is for your day)…

You can stroll, sip, and enjoy a cold strawberry 🍓 with a strawberries-and-cream fruit shake vibe wherever you are.

…That’s what I’m talking about!

Another fruit shake idea is a grapefruit shake for less sweet-on-the-go tastes.

This fruit shake recipe has whole grapefruit prepared, unsweetened applesauce, and ginger powder.

When you pair whole ingredients that are a tasty duo together, they don’t need sweetness… and that’s coming from the mouth of a serious sweet tooth with former-caterer tastes. 😊

Grapefruit is loaded with Vitamin C that’s anti-inflammatory and good for you especially if you have outdoor allergies, but want to enjoy a sunshine-y day.

Or a star day.

…Anthocyanin strawberries can be the red star ingredient you add.

Anthocyanin is a polyphenol that’s eat-from-the-rainbow 🌈 anti-inflammatory healthy. It’s also part of a healthy Mediterranean diet full of red, blue, and black berries.

For a strawberry fruit shake, the strawberries are also loaded with Vitamin C (as are most food in the same fruit category)… and Vitamin B-9 or folate that’s especially good for cells.

Keeping healthy cells is what matters most in anti-inflammatory living.

And this strawberry fruit shake recipe is made with almond flour, 3-5 strawberries, and almond milk.

The almond flour texture gives it a slight thicker strawberries-and-cream vibe.

But there’s no cream.

…That wouldn’t be good on warm days or for healthy dessert drinks.

Speaking of which a cherry and apple fruit shake is another one that’s enjoyable and has whole and healthy ingredients that are great for travel. See recipe below 🍒🍎

Ingredients for a cherry shake include: dark cherry and chopped apples. For some sweetness, you can add cinnamon and/or maple syrup.

And for texture, you can add ground flax seed that’s filled with omega-3, fiber, and protein.

You can also add chia seeds and ground oats for an overnight oats effect if you want to go that route.

But whatever ingredients you ultimately decide on, the dark cherry and apple make this one satisfying fruit shake. 😋

Ingredients for fruit shake recipes are whole and healthy like in an cherry apple smoothie shake. — Ingredients for a cherry apple fruit shake drink.

And these are some good tips for your on-the-go fruit shake recipes…

Fruit Shake Tips For Recipes

✅Use frozen fruit as ice! Also, when fruit isn’t yet in season, buy frozen fruit that’s more economical and doesn’t go bad.

✅Look for organic berries and fruits.

If you’re using the fruit peels, citrus zest or berries, whether frozen or fresh produce, organic is the better pesticide-free way for healthy living. Bananas are an exception since the peels aren’t consumed.

✅Bananas make great smoothie textures. And if you don’t prefer bananas for smoothie fruit shake recipes or don’t have any bananas on hand, these make great fruit shake recipe ingredient substitutes:

chopped apples

applesauce

protein, collagen, or energy powder – will help you keep going in the day

fruit zest (from the outside peel)

If you don’t have a nutrition powder, you can use a gluten-free (healthy) flour like almond or coconut flour good for sweet drinks.

Use a freezer-safe cup or tumbler, and freeze overnight so that your fruit shake stays cold. Pull out in the morning and put by your things you’ll be packing for the day (so you don’t forget!).

For more healthy smoothie ideas, grab this FREE smoothie guide challenge (if you dare 😊)!

Cherry Fruit Shake

This will fill about 12 of an 8 ounce cup leaving room for ice or water as needed during the day. For a full cup, double the ingredients.

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1/2 cup tart or Bing cherries
1/2 cup peeled and chopped apple
1/2 cup almond milk

Instructions

Blend ingredients and freeze for at least several hours.