Tuesday, March 6, 2012

I thought I would give you the results of the sugar vs. Truvia cookie experiment my son did for his class at school.  To make sure he was only evaluating the sugar itself he kept all the other ingredients in the cookies the same, except for the chocolate chips. For those he used the sugar free variety for the Truvia cookies and regular chocolate chips for the regular sugar cookies.  So, in other words, the Truvia cookies were not really sugar free (because of the flour).   He asked the participants this:  What cookie did you like better and then, which cookie do you think was made with real sugar and which was made with a sugar alternative.   The results......., 60% liked the real sugar cookie better and only 50% could tell which cookie was real sugar.   That's not too bad!  Kyle was hoping no one would be able to tell the difference, but when your having people choose between two items there is that 50% guess factor also.  I think it proved Truvia to be a good alternative.

Before he made the cookies for the experiment I thought he wanted a truly sugar-free variety and I found a really good version that I made up as a sample.  These chocolate chip cookies cooked just like a real cookie in that they spread out while they baked (in fact mine spread a little too much and I think I would add a little more almond flour next time).  After they cooled off everyone in the family sampled them and thought they were awesome!  My husband asked "You sure we can eat these?" and my pickiest oldest son that prides himself on finding fault with every alternate sugar concoction  I come up with even said they were REALLY good.   I'm still staying away from them until I get to maintenance because the last fifteen pounds I want to lose are SO hard to lose!  But here is the recipe for all of you that want a cookie:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter softened
24 Truvia packets
1 egg
1 TBS vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups of ground almond flour (you might need a bit more so they won't spread so much)
3/4 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt (I also go a little less on salt,maybe 1/8)
1/2 cup Hershey's No Sugar Added Chocolate Chips

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Stir in Chocolate chips.

Drop by tsp. full on to parchment covered sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350' for 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Yield about 2 dozen cookies   They are 90 calories, 7 carbs, 0 sugar, 1 fiber per cookie

By the way I found the recipe on this blog: http://grace2882.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/chocolate-chip-cookies/

Tomorrow is weigh-in day for me.  I haven't done any exercise this week because I've been running around getting this estate stuff done.  (I know, no excuse is a good excuse).  Anyway I haven't been snacking and think I have done well on foods except for one mishap last week with a basket of Chilie's chips and salsa.  I'll let you know how it turns out this week.  Have a great day!