6 tips to make any baking recipe healthier, part 1 of 2
At the Zermatt in December, I taught these six tips for making a baking treat healthier. You don't have to know anything about recipe development. These are no-brainers. Three tips today, three tomorrow. (All of this information is in Ch. 11 of 12 Steps to Whole Foods.)
1. Substitute finely ground whole wheat instead of white flour.
What you see on recipe labels as "wheat flour" is actually a toxic, nutrition-less white gluey mess. It's the grain with the germ (vitamins) and bran (fiber) removed).
Ask for a good grain grinder for Christmas. I love K-Tecs, which you can find here. They aren't terribly expensive, and you'll need one in an emergency where you have to make your own bread, so it's a good preparedness item.
For cookies, cakes, pastry recipes, I like SOFT WHITE WHEAT, ground on the finest grind setting your mill has. Your kids won't even know the difference. A coarser grind will cause a heavier product, and red wheat will make it look darker. (I use red wheat for breads, etc.)
Some people think they don't like whole wheat flour products, when in fact they're just used to eating RANCID whole wheat. When the grain is ground, the protective shell of the grain is destroyed and oils inside begin to deteriorate. Consequently, those milled grains go rancid quickly and taste bad in baked goods. (Plus, rancid oils are carcinogenic.) Bags of whole wheat flour sometimes have spent months in warehouses and in transit before arriving in your home, and then you store them even longer.
Thus a grinder becomes essential, so you can have FRESHLY milled grains anytime you want.
2. Substitute coconut palm sugar, or Sucanat, for sugar.
I'm thrilled about this product because of its low glycemic index for far less impact on your blood sugar and pancreas. It has high vitamin and mineral content, it is highly sustainable, more so than cane sugar, and it tastes lovely. Sucanat is in my baking recipes in 12 Steps (it's dried, unrefined cane juice) but coconut sugar is my new favorite and is an easy substitute.
Substitute it 1:1 for any white or brown sugar called for in a baking recipe.
3. Baking powder
Please buy the kind in the health food store that is ALUMINUM FREE. Don't buy giant quantities because it's good for only 1-2 years. Aluminum is a toxic metal your body has a very difficult time eliminating, and it's linked to Alzheimer's and many other health problems. And it's in commercial baking powders. Substitute the aluminum-free version 1:1 in your recipes.
Posted in: Recipes, Whole Food
Autistic children have an even harder time eliminating the heavy metals and can increase the symptoms of autism.
I didn’t know baking powder only stayed good that long–what do you do for food storage purposes Robyn?!! – we definately don’t want alzheimers here. Robyn- my mom’s step dad (my grandpa)- passed away while we were at your class last night in Sandy (we knew he was going for a couple days) he had alzheimers. I had never seen the disease so upfront and someone I was so close to. Sad. sad. motivation to eat even better!!!
Your class was amazing! I love your laugh-you do a great job motivating- hopefully my mom will decide to get my little bro on the band wagon!
Lala, thanks for coming! I’m sorry about your grampa. I keep a #10 can of baking powder in food storage–it will keep longer until opened, but I have to rotate it.
Yeah, my laugh…… it’s unique and I try not to be self-conscious about it because it is what it is. I have a tendency to bust out with it in movie theaters. Recently one of my kids said, “I love your laugh, Mom.”
Good to meet you and your mom in Sandy!
Hello, I have a question for you Robyn. I have low thyroid. Have been on medication for many years. I stay away from vegetables that I have heard are not good for thyroid. I have heard that chard or kale are not good for hypothyroidism. Then, on your site I heard that they were o.k. I am now reading Victoria Boutenko’s book and one of the testimonials said “greens like broccoli and kale have something in them that is hard on the thyroid when they are eaten raw.” Does this mean they are not good to have at all? Thanks for your help! Enjoying your site!
Diane, I can’t advise you on your specific situation…..but I have been diagnosed since 1994 with hypothyroid and (obviously) eat a lot of greens, which has kept my T3 supported and at perfect levels, along with BIOIDENTICAL hormone.
Hi Robyn, I was only talking about kale. Victoria Boutenko’s book would not have a negative testimonial about all greens. I would like your opinion on kale. Thank you
I read that and also her claims about eating too much of some greens causing health problems, but she never quantified that in any way–she said that she and another member of her family looked strange in the eyes, but that isn’t sufficient evidence to convince me.
First of all, this is to Lala: Lala, please accept my deepest condolences for the loss of your grandpa. It’s always sad to lose a beloved member of your familly. I’m so glad to see that you are taking steps in your own life to steer clear of that devastating illness!
Robyn, I’m so glad to hear you talk about the aluminum-free baking powder. Baking powder is such a staple in just about everyone’s pantry, and we all can do our part to get the word out that there ARE aluminum-free options! I even noticed that Bob’s Red Mill brand now carries it – and although I can’t speak for areas outside the east coast, I now see it even in mainstream super markets up & down the east coast!
🙂 Kath
Hi Robyn,
Total a beginner here. I have a mill to grind my wheat. Do I substitute wheat flour 1:1 for recipes that call for white flour? Do I adjust recipes in any other way due to the difference in flour type?
Never, ever, ever knew about the baking soda! My grandmother died after living with Alzheimers for 15 years.
What do you suggest we use for pots and pans?
Wende
Wende, I would absolutely throw out any aluminum cookware and use stainless steel or cast iron. Yes, substitute whole-wheat flour 1:1.
It’s baking POWDER, not baking soda. 🙂
Hi Robyn,
I too was going to write with a question about Hypothyroidism which I was just diagnosed with on Thursday. I also read that Kale and some other greens actually were quite problematic if eaten raw vs. cooked, so I have read the above carefully, but would appreciate any additional insight if you should have it for other nutritional boosts for low thyroid issues.
Happenstancely, I had just stumbled upon you on you tube and have been watching your videos which have helped me decide to embark on your greensmoothie lifestyle, albeit a bit slowly to transition myself and my family into the different food choices.
Of course I am especially thrilled because I have had a Vitamix sitting dormant for about 11 years….finally, I can use it! Anyhow, my other question is about how you actually store all of your “unique” ingredients?
Some of them seem rather large and would be difficult to store in a regular kitchen cabinet or small pantry. Do you have a dedicated area? How do you keep track of “use by” for many of your foods? Do you keep most of them stored in plastic bags? Are some freezer storage, fridge storage, dark storage, etc?
I think this would be an awesome segment, especially since I have now just purchased a few “unique” food tems that I have never owned before and the people at whole foods seemed to draw a bit of a blank when I asked similar questions…..
Keep up the great work…..I am excited! Oh, and your family is beautiful and they definitely radiate health!
Cathie
Hi Cathie, my 12 Steps program answers most of these many questions. I am working on a “high nutrition food storage” course, too. Thanks–keep up the whole-foods transition path and you’ll be so glad!
Robyn,
Thanks for so many very good and informative posts on your blog. I enjoy your thoughts and succinct exposition.
Thanks..!
Jim
Robyn,
I see the coconut palm sugar on your web site but found nothing relating to the quantity. Is it a 1 # bag or a 50# bag.
Thanks for your help,
Alan
Sorry–I thought we fixed that. It’s a 5# bag.
Is that the same for the hard anodized aluminum cookware?
I would not use aluminum in any form–possibly some COATINGS keep the aluminum out of your food, I don’t know–but I’d rather just stay away from it completely.
Robyn, Have you ever tried “Body Ecologies” Lakanto? Lakanto is made from some certain fruit from china.
Love your blog!
Kale is an excellent vegetable with incredible health benefits. If you are worried about the oxalates in kale you can steam it for 5 minutes and the problem goes away.
The real enemy of the thyroid is fluoride. Dental fluorosis provides a dangerous accumulation of fluoride in the thyroid (and in the brain).
I too am working with low thyroid function. My information is that all brassica vegetables are problematic when eaten RAW but not when they are cooked. So I’m using chard, spinach, lettuce, endive, celery, etc for my greens in smoothies. My Natureopath gave me this information. Since I love kale I just eat it cooked.
Hi Robyn,
I have had terrible hypothyroid readings….ten times the normal being underactive. nothing I could do including diet helped. I walked three hours a day with my dog….nothing budged.
Then I got a rebounder and have been rebounding religiously for three months.
I lost 25 pounds and it veritably stimulated my thyroid…..it is great for much more as well.
Hope this helps.
Robyn, I live in South Jordan, Utah. Could you reccomend where you go to for your bio-identical hormones.
Cathy, Utah Wellness Center in Orem for bio-identical hormone.
Susan, I teach all about that in my Step 8 of 12 Steps to Whole Foods course.
Kathryn, the bag is 5#, organic cane sugar is more refined than Sucanat.