OK, you've made your New Year's Resolution to not eat sweets, BUT you don't know what you are missing from Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship who has just released her newest ebook Smart Sweets! Katie has given you 30 new recipes that are not only sweet, but smart! Yes, and you can indulge a little bit and still stick to that New Year's Resolution.
So what makes Katie's book so unique? Well, she takes ingredients that you know and creates the most delicious treats which include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nutrient dense foods like nuts and unrefined sweeteners. It's ok to have a few sweets and with these recipes you will be baking up goodies that will have people asking for more.
Not only does Katie supply 30 great recipes, she adds a good dose of useful information in her introduction to help you understand all about the benefits from these desserts. She explains why she created this book, why these recipes are healthi-ER and the difference between sweeteners.
Another great feature of Smart Sweets as well as her other ebook which I love (Healthy Snacks to Go) is the layout of her recipes. Katie has simple symbols that tell what kind of recipe it is like if it is gluten free, nut free or grain free. She also tells you timesaver tips, variations (like soaked options or alternative sweeteners), FAQ and notes from her kitchen like frugal tips. She also tells you the time needed for each recipe, the real food rating and the approximate cost. Wow!
I chose to test three recipes and one I will share with you right here in the giveaway! (Disclaimer: My pictures don't justify these foods. If you want to drool, you need to look at Katie's pictures!)
Pumpkin Cookies
2 c. butter or coconut oil (I used 1 cup of each)
1.5 c. sugar or sucanat (I tried 1/2 cup of sugar)
16 oz. can pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 c. white whole wheat flour (I used 2 cups unbleached white flour and 2 cups whole wheat flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. salt
2 c. chocolate chips or raisins (I used 1 cup chocolate chips)
1 c. chopped nuts, optional (I used walnuts)
Beat together all the wet ingredients (butter, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla) in a bowl. Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, salt) in another bowl. Combine together. Add in chocolate chips, raisins and nuts.
I used a ice cream scoop about a Tablespoon to drop cookies on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 12 minutes. Makes 3-5 dozen. Store in freezer.
In her book Katie gives all kinds of suggestions for alternatives for sweeteners and fats. I almost tried the honey, but I stuck with sugar. She says honey would be much lighter and fluffier.
My thoughts: I should have used a bit more sugar, but with the chocolate chips and coconut oil, there was a slight sweet taste. I hardly feel guilty eating these at all since there is barely any sugar in them. My son gobbled his cookie right up and asked for more. I loved the moistness of this cookie. I give it a thumbs up!
Traditional Brownies with Walnuts
Easy Vanilla Pudding
So have any of these recipes/pictures caught your eye?! Hope so! Read on!
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Kitchen Stewardship’s eBooks, which means I’ll earn a small commission from any sales made through these links.
*This product was provided to me free of charge for purpose of this review. This is my honest opinion of this book and no monetary compensation was received for my opinion.*
BUY IT: You can get Smart Sweets right now through 1/19/12 by using this discount code for 25% off: JS25. If you purchase the book and win, you will get a full refund (and maybe another ebook as well).
WIN IT: I am having a giveaway for Smart Sweets! Open to anyone and giveaway ends Tuesday, January 17.
To enter: Be sure to click on all the links before filling out the entry form.
1. Check out the table of contents and tell me which recipe from Smart Sweets interests you the most. (required)
2. Be a follower on my blog
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (link on blog)
4."Like" The Knowlton Nest on Facebook (link on my blog).
5. "Like" Kitchen Stewardship on Facebook.
6. Post about this giveaway on another site (your blog, facebook,twitter, etc) (1 entry for every site)
