On my mind...

Natural sweeteners. You know that I love dessert. I have no problem with granulated, caster/superfine, light brown, dark brown, even powdered sugar. There is something special about dessert, and I love that. But what I don't like is sugar where it isn't necessary. I hate to think about the wasted tablespoons of it in things like packets of oatmeal, breakfast cereal, baked goods, especially whole wheat or "health" breads. I just don't like people being tricked into eating sugar when they aren't expecting it. So, I avoid these things, and I try to use alternatives in my cooking where they are appropriate. Here are some of my strategies, including honey, avage nectar, nuts, nut butters and fruit sugars. Also, I think that many recipes today are written to appeal to the sweet-addicted tastes of most Americans. Sometimes I think the sweet flavor is considered a substitute for flavor. When you add depth of flavor and multiple tastes, the need to have that sweet sensation diminishes. Feel free to pick and choose the ones that work for you. I will never be able to cut out white sugar completely from my diet, but I hope that I can cut it out in places where it won't be missed, and enjoy it to its fullest extent in the cakes, pies, cookies, and tarts that I love making for my family and friends.