You probably know by now that excess sugar consumption is not conducive to a healthy body and mind, or to having balanced hormones. Fortunately, there are many sweetener alternatives ready to be purchased off the shelf at your local store. But even then, we have very little idea of the processing involved and the quality of the product. How do we know that the manufacturers haven’t added in hidden sugars and other sneaky GMO fillers? And for those of us on a budget, it can get frustrating trying to figure out which product is the best for our body, but also of good value. I’m going to show you two recipes for home-made sweeteners below!
Two sweeteners that I use regularly:
1. Stevia
2. Dates.
I adore dates in meals, particularly in raw desserts. Date paste is even better if you make it in bulk and freeze it! Here’s how you can make it yourself at home:
Date Paste
- 1:1 ratio of dates to water
- I generally do 1 cup of fresh medjool dates soaking in 1 cup of hot water
- 1tsp of cinnamon, a natural preservative or lemon, depending on your preference
Instructions:
1. Blend the dates, hot water and cinnamon until smooth and even.
2. Store in a glass jar for up to a fortnight or so and make sure you label the date!
I have found that this is delicious spread over fresh fruit or added to coconut cream as a sweet treat.
Stevia extract can be purchased at your local health food store or online, or you can make it yourself.
Make Your Own Stevia Extract
- Stevia leaves
- Vodka
Instructions:
1. Tear the leaves from the stem and break the leaves up as you place them into a glass jar.
2. Pour in enough vodka to cover all the leaves, and seal and place in a cool spot. I like the cupboard, and I leave to soak for 24-36 hours. (Note: If you’re a herbalist or have a friend who is a herbalist, you can get the higher quality alcohol normally used for extractions and tinctures.)
3. Once done, strain and pour the extract into a pot and simmer for 20-30 mins on a low heat. Do not boil as this will affect the glycosides.
4. Store in glass jar in fridge for 3 months.
Note: I use very small amounts of this extract in my smoothies and teas, experiment to find what works for you and your palette.
These both make unique gifts, so if you know of someone who is eliminating artificial and refined sugars from their diet, why not give them a personalised gift or a dessert made with natural sugars? You can find dark glass tincture bottles at most health food stores these days if you want to gift a bottle of home-made stevia.
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