Sugar free zone by Terry Sear

Sugar Free Zone

Sugar FREE Zone Natural and Artificial Sugar Substitutes That Will Help You Kick the Sugar Habit By Melanie Rockett

Sugar Free Zone

Copyright 2014 © Melanie E. Rockett All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the Publisher. This book may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, without the prior written consent of the Publisher. No responsibility for loss occasioned to any person or corporate body acting or refraining to act as a result of reading material in this book can be accepted by the Publisher, by the Author, or by the employer( s) of the Author. ALL images include copyrights. Trademarked names may appear throughout this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark. The information in this book is distributed on an “as is” basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. Amazon.com, Kindle, KDP, etc. are registered trademarks of Amazon.com. This book is not written, published or endorsed by Amazon.com or its affiliates, or any other party mentioned.

Melanie Rockett Sugar FREE Zone Published by Proof Positive Productions Ltd.

http://sugar-free-zone.com

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Why You Should Get This Book Did you know: 

Sugar is more addictive than Cocaine?

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The average North American eats over a pound of sugar a DAY?

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Nearly 70% of all North Americans are overweight?

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There are millions of diabetics who must kick the sugar habit in order to live a longer life?

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Millions of people suffer from heart disease?

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Someone in the US or Canada dies from heart disease complications every 40 seconds?

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Each daily serving of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a whopping 60% increased risk of obesity (this link is especially strong in children)?

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There are hundreds of thousands of obese and morbidly obese people struggling with their weight, health issues and self-image?

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Excess sugar consumption has been linked to deficiencies in memory and overall cognitive functions?

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Sugar and alcohol have similar toxic effects on your liver?

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Type 2 diabetes has increased by an estimated 30.5 percent between 2001 and 2009 in CHILDREN aged 10 – 19?

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On average, obesity reduces life expectancy by six to ten years?

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It is estimated there are 58 Million Overweight; 40 Million Obese; 3 Million morbidly Obese people in the United States?

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There is a sugar epidemic going on. Sugar directly leads to overweight, poor health, and disease. While using sugar substitutes may not be the perfect solution, it can definitely help you reduce or eliminate your sugar consumption. Some of the sugar substitutes are BETTER solutions that others, in the Sugar Free Zone we look at the most popular alternatives to sugar. You will learn what kind of sugar substitute you are dealing with (natural or artificial), about different â&#x20AC;&#x153;taste profiles,â&#x20AC;? and where to purchase the products. There are dozens of recipes using the various substitutes, so that you can see how easy some of them are to use and the types of recipes that work the best with each substitute type. You will also learn how to save money by purchasing and using the most cost effective products available.

The SUGAR FREE ZONE is about your health. Start kicking the sugar habit NOW!

Sugar Free Zone

Table of Contents COPYRIGHT ...................................................................................................................................... 3 WHY YOU SHOULD GET THIS BOOK.................................................................................................. 4 CHAPTER 1: SUGAR IS POISON ........................................................................................................ 8 CHAPTER 2: COOKING WITH ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS.................................................................. 11 CHAPTER 3: SUCRALOSE................................................................................................................ 13 SUCRALOSE RECIPES ............................................................................................................................................ 15

CHAPTER 4: STEVIA ....................................................................................................................... 22 STEVIA RECIPES .................................................................................................................................................... 24

CHAPTER 5: AGAVE NECTAR.......................................................................................................... 35 AGAVE RECIPES .................................................................................................................................................... 36

CHAPTER 6: SACCHARIN ................................................................................................................ 37 SACCHARIN RECIPES: ........................................................................................................................................... 38

CHAPTER 7: ASPARTAME.............................................................................................................. 39 ASPARTAME RECIPES: .......................................................................................................................................... 40

CHAPTER 8: LO HAN ...................................................................................................................... 42 LO HAN RECIPES................................................................................................................................................... 43

CHAPTER 7: XYLITOL...................................................................................................................... 45 XYLITOL RECIPES: ................................................................................................................................................. 46

JOIN ME IN THE SUGAR FREE ZONE! .............................................................................................. 49

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Chapter 1: Sugar is Poison There is no doubt about it. Sugar is POISON. It contains NO nutrients, is highly addictive, and contributes to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, feeling overwhelmingly tired all the time, and a myriad of other health related conditions. Yet in spite of all the evidence, sugar is used in hundreds of thousands of products. In some products, the use of sugar is obvious, in other product the use of sugar is counter-intuitive and is hidden by the dozens of names sugar is disguised under. Your body doesn’t NEED sugar for anything! It has NO value, other than taste. For some, that taste has come to mean a “reward.” For others, that taste is an addiction! The best way to overcome a sugar addiction is to go cold-turkey and just stop using it. In a couple of weeks your sweet tooth will subside, your cravings for sugar will slowly disappear and you will start tasting the natural sweetness of apples, grapes and yes, even carrots. Let’s get REAL! I can count with less than one finger the number of people who can actually go cold-turkey successfully in a world in which you are literally surrounded by sugar. A much as you and I may like the “theory” of giving up sugar entirely, we know it isn’t going to happen without some help, maybe a lot of help. Personally, I am motivated. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 10 years ago and was informed that the continued ingestion of sugar would lead to my early death. The fact that I could die (sometime in the future) didn’t stop the sugar cravings. My rational, “just a little, just this time … how much could it hurt?” led to one binge after another, continually driving my blood sugar readings into the EXTREME danger zone. My solution was to learn about the different sugar substitutes, to figure out how to cook with them and to wean myself from sugar. It took me about three months to get off sugar and to no longer have even a teaspoonful in my home. Figuring out WHAT sugar substitutes to use was one BIG experiment. I tried them in beverages and then in cooking. My ultimate goal was to not only NOT ingest sugar but to reduce my “need” for the substitutes as well. I can happily report that I have definitely cut down … a lot. However, I happen to like the taste of “sweet,” and holidays and celebrations just aren’t the same without some sweet goodies. The recipes I have included in this book are the ones I use in beverages, cooking and baking. My new goals are to switch over as much as possible to Stevia, which is a natural sweetener, and to

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continue to reduce my need for “sweetness.” I am aware and realistic enough to understand that I may never reach either goal.

TASTE RECEPTORS The taste receptors in your tongue and mouth are partially genetic pre-disposed to certain tastes, and trained over time to specific tastes. You are able to taste five different things:     

Sweet Sour Bitter Salt Umami (pleasant, savory taste, it is described as being the “taste” that leads to satisfaction)

In North America we grow up with: sweet, salty and the hard to identify umami. Sour is avoided by some, and is definitely fourth on the list. Most North Americans are trained to NOT like “bitter.” In many Asian countries the best chefs strive to include all the tastes, including bitter. Food companies spend hundreds of thousands in getting the perfect combination that signals “umami” because once achieved it is a taste profile worth millions!

YOUR REACTION TO SUGAR SUBSTITUTE TASTES Depending on the type of sugar substitute, people will report a bitter taste, a funny taste and especially an “after taste” which lingers in the mouth. This is largely your genetics in play. You may have to try several sweeteners before you find one that you like (or can tolerate). One of the factors in the bitter or the after taste phenomena may be that you are using TOO MUCH sweetener. Try cutting back the quantity you are using to see if this is the case. Your sweetness training comes into play with how much the sweet flavor “satisfies” you. If you grew up using artificial sweeteners, you may be more easily satisfied. If you grew up eating sugar for decades and decades before you switched, you are “trained” to a specific sweet flavor that is unique to sugar.

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The food industry giants figured this out years ago. Their mission is to sell their diet products, so the closer they can come to the “sugar taste” profile, the better. In order to do this they combine various types of artificial sweeteners in order to come as close as they can to “sugar.” You can do the same thing. You can try combining various artificial sweeteners. Or combine a natural sweetener with an artificial sweetener. Depending on the recipe, I often combine two or more to come up with recipes that taste good and allow me to enjoy some small indulgences.

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Chapter 2: Cooking With Artificial Sweeteners The challenge with using artificial sweeteners in cooking and baking is that sugar retains moisture and provides both bulk and texture. Sugar can melt in cooking and baking adding a slight caramelized flavor. This is what causes your cookies and cakes to get brown on top. Sugar adds bulk and substance to syrups. Jams and jellies, and adds texture to other types of food. In preserving foods, sugar acts as a preservative and once again it adds that thick syrup like texture that will be missing when using artificial sweeteners. Sugar is also a binding agent. In many recipes you will see instructions to cream butter or margarine, add sugar and beat till thoroughly mixed and then add eggs or other liquid INGREDIENTS. This sequence is designed to “bind” the ingredients together. In cooking with artificial sweeteners, you must adjust your recipes to account for the differences and make up for the bulk of the sugar. If you don’t, you will get products that lack in substance. For example, you will not get a “syrup,” you will get a sweet liquid! In baking you will get flat, dry and very dense results. The fats may separate out resulting in a dry mess lying in a pool of fat. Basically inedible! In my first experiment in baking with Splenda, I read the package front which stated that you could use the product cup-per-cup, just like sugar. I took the package front at its word.

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My favorite brownie recipe turned out to be a colossal failure. It was a dried lump of brown stuff swimming in a pool of butter. The Splenda “filler” just melted away into nothingness leaving a mixture of flour and eggs behind. There is a very tiny notice on the back of the package … you know, the small print that needs a magnifying glass? One sentence hidden at the bottom of all the cup-per-cup hype, states that you need to make “adjustments” when using the product for baking. It doesn’t say that the adjustments are MAJOR adjustments. Nor does it say that if you don’t make the adjustments your recipe will be a dismal failure!

It took me years to adjust my favorite recipes so that they would look and taste almost the same as the sugar filled originals.

In the chapters that follow, I will provide you with numerous choices in artificial sweeteners, as well as with some recipes. You can find more information and recipes on the Sugar-Free-Zone.com website.

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Chapter 3: Sucralose Sucralose is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners available today. Originally sold under the brand name Splenda, it is now available under numerous other brands and store branded names.

Sucralose is actually made from sugar. In its â&#x20AC;&#x153;pureâ&#x20AC;? form, sucralose can be up to 1000 times sweeter than sugar. Two teaspoons of sugar have 46 calories and 12 grams carbohydrates. The equivalent sweetening amount of sucralose has zero calories and 1 gram carbohydrates. Sucralose goes through your digestive tract with very little being absorbed, the small amount that is absorbed is passed out of the body through your urine. Sucralose is stable under high heat conditions and has a long shelf life. With its zero calorie, almost zero carbohydrate footprint, AND sugar-like taste, it is not surprising that sucralose is now being used in thousands of diet products. One of the most prevalent uses of this sweetener is in diet sodas, and as a sugar substitute for coffee, tea and other drinks. You most often see sucralose sold as Splenda in the little yellow packets. Splenda is also sold with fillers that enable you to measure out spoon-for-spoon or cup-for-cup quantities similar to sugar.

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Sucralose was approved by the FDA for use in beverages and foods over 20 years ago. It was approved for use by everyone including pregnant women and children of all ages. You will see sucralose sold under brand names including: Splenda, Sukrana, SucraPlus, Candys, Cukren and Nevella. Over the past two years big box stores such as Costco and grocery chains such as Safeway have developed their own sucralose product lines. You can find many different versions of sucralose on Amazon.com including some very inexpensive bulk options. The “intensity” of the sweetener depends on the brand name, so don’t assume that the Safeway brand will be the same level of sweetness as Splenda. If you regularly bake or cook using the Splenda brand and then switch to the Costco brand, be cautious and test by starting with slightly smaller amounts and then adding more if necessary. For the most part I have not noticed much of a difference, but it is best to not “assume.” NOTE: Pretty well all the brands seem to offer small “two teaspoon sugar equivalent” packets. The cheapest way to buy sucralose is in bulk lots of concentrated (no fillers) powder.

CONTROVERSY: As with almost everything these days, there is a lot of controversy around the use of sucralose and sucralose laced products. Some studies indicate that sucralose is AS addictive as sugar. Other studies claim that it causes higher blood sugar readings in diabetics and yet other studies give unspecified health warnings. This is one of the reasons I have switched to Stevia whenever possible. One study was done on rats, the researchers fed the rats mega doses of sucralose every day. Excuse me, but how much does a rat weigh? How much does your average overweight American weigh? Turns out the researchers were feeding the rats the “human” equivalent of 11,000+ packets of sucralose a day! Let’s get real! I know that some readers may get annoyed or even mad at me for dismissing these studies. I am not dismissing them, but will state flat out that as a diabetic, sugar can kill me very quickly. Sucralose may kill me too, but it will probably add a few years to my life vs sugar. I actually agree that sucralose is addictive. I noticed that if I start off with an 8 oz. glass of diet soda on day one, by day 10 I am drinking 3 – 5 glasses. I can quickly stop the cycle by drinking water for a few days -- no more craving. As with everything, moderation is the key. I’ll offer some suggestions later in the book for reducing your use of sucralose by mixing it with natural sugar substitutes.

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SUCRALOSE RECIPES In the following recipes Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used the yellow packets. These are the equivalent of two teaspoons of sugar. They are the cheapest alternative. If you use the packaged cup-per-cup products, you are paying for the filler which just melts away the minute you add any liquid to your recipe. Save your money use the packets, or buy in bulk.

Melanie's Yummy Cream Dessert You're going to hate me for this ....

This is a creamy mouthwatering dessert that is easy and fast to make. It does not require cooking and can be made with dozens of flavorings and variations.

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It is IMPORTANT to note that this is NOT low-calorie, nor is it low fat. It would be a good fit for someone on a high protein eating plan. It is VERY low carb. INGREDIENTS 8 ounces cream cheese (use low fat if you’d like) 1 1/4 to l 1/2 cups whipping cream 8 packets of Splenda sugar substitute ** flavoring extract, to taste

I like fairly strong flavors but the amount used depends on the brand and the type of flavorings. So far I’ve tried this with orange extract, lemon extract, Mexican vanilla, strawberry extract. I’ve also tried it with a mint flavoring, but will admit that mint was my least liked of the bunch. Another great combo is an ounce of melted dark chocolate along with vanilla or orange extract. Yummy and very satisfying if you have a big time chocolate craving. If you are making this as a dessert offering for a party, you could add a dark rum or brandy. INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put the cream cheese in a bowl and mix until smooth and creamy. I actually zap the cream cheese for 20 seconds in the microwave. This makes it a lot easier to mix. Warning: IF you go the microwave route, really watch closely and heat for only 10 seconds at a time. It is very easy to go from soft to totally fried! 2. Add the flavoring extract (and melted chocolate) and the Splenda. Mix thoroughly. 3. Beat the whipping cream until quite stiff. 4. Take about a 1/2 cup of the whipped cream and mix it into the cream cheese mix. 5. FOLD the rest of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mix. Taste and add more flavoring if you’d like. 6. Spoon into pretty serving dishes and put into the refrigerator to cool until you can’t stand it any longer and just have to take one out and eat it (just one?).

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET FANCY: Decorate with grated chocolate or grated orange or lemon rind, or sliced strawberries. Spoon or pipe into a chocolate shell instead of a serving dish

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Spoon or pipe into an already baked tart shell. Won’t last long! NUMBER OF SERVINGS? Hmmm should I tell you the truth or not? Oh well … you’ll probably figure it out anyway! In my household, there is evidence that this will only make two, maybe three servings. If you have a lot of restraint it can probably be portioned into 8 to 10 servings. If you serve it to your girlfriends and tell them it is very high fat, you might get lucky and have some left over! BUT … don’t hold your breath, the girls have been known to ask for seconds! In the photo? I purchased small dark chocolate cups and used a piping bag to fill them.

Fast, Easy and Versatile Fruit Snack I must admit to being fairly lazy. I like any recipe that is quick and fast and ultra-easy.

This is one of my favorite snacks or desserts. I also have it for brunch. It is low carbohydrate and

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low fat and adds a nice bit of fiber to the day’s fiber count. It will help keep your blood sugar even, and did I mention that it is healthy? This is a great snack or dessert for the kids, they love it! Start with about 1/2 to 1 cup of fruit. I alternate this according to the fruit in season. My favorites are an apple or a mix of berries. I buy packages of frozen mixed berries, strawberries, or blueberries at Costco. In my area Costco also sells a peach/mango fruit combo that is excellent and so are their organic blueberries.

INSTRUCTIONS 1. 1/2 to 1 cup PLAIN yogurt. Low fat or not … that’s up to you and the rest of your eating plan. 2. Add 1 packet to 1 -2 packets (depending on the amount of yogurt used, and the tartness of the yogurt. I make my own yogurt, which is very mild, so I usually just use 1 packet of sucralose. Mix the sweetener in thoroughly. 3. Experiment with adding a drop or two of vanilla into the bowl. I like the vanilla with the apple, or the mango/peach mixture, but not with the berries. 4. Add fruit chunks. For the apple: I peel and core the apple and then cut it up into ½ inch chunks. For the berries: If fresh, I rinse them and shake off the excess water. If I am using frozen berries, I just dump a cup of frozen berries into a bowl … and let them thaw for 5 to 10 minutes. If I am in a big hurry, I just continue with the frozen fruit, straight out of the freezer. 5. Stir everything up, so that all the fruit is coated with the yogurt. 6. Sprinkle some cinnamon or nutmeg on the top … and you are done. 7. Your total prep time? 1 to 2 minutes.

NOTE: You can also use a half-on-half mix of Stevia and sucralose OR 10 drops of Stevia

Creamy Garlic Dressing Most commercial salad dressings, especially the creamy ones are laced with sugar, corn syrup and other disguised sugar products. This dressing has just a touch of sweetness and loads of flavor. Because it is not filled with artificial preservatives you should keep it refrigerated and use it up within two weeks.

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INGREDIENTS: 1 cup evaporated milk 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 4 large garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon dried dill weed 1 tablespoon frozen apple juice concentrate (try to purchase unsweetened) 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon sesame oil Dash red (cayenne) pepper 1 – 2 packets sucralose (to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all INGREDIENTS in a blender (starting with only 1 packet sucralose) and blend for a minute until thoroughly mixed. 2. Taste and add more sucralose if necessary. 3. Pour into jar and refrigerate before use. SUBSTITUTIONS: If you are on a low fat diet, use evaporated skim milk instead. NOTE: There are several different kinds of Paprika, I’ve made this recipe with sweet Hungarian Paprika and smoked Spanish paprika. Both are great and the dressing disappears in no time.

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Melanie’s Korean Beef Marinade This is best when you BBQ the meat, however in a pinch you can grill it on the stove or under the broiler in the oven. When I make this recipe for guests they absolutely rave about it. I always make way more than I think I should need! If there are leftovers all the better! INGREDIENTS: 5 pounds Chuck Roast or Prime Rib Roast 5 tablespoons soy sauce ½ cup water 5 packets sucralose 3 sprigs finely chopped green onion 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 2 cloves garlic, finely minced Black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Cut the meat against the grain in very thin slices. The slices should be about 2 inches high and 3 inches wide. IF you slightly freeze the meat before you cut it, it is much easier to cut into thin slices. 2. In a small frying pan, sauté the sesame seeds until lightly browned (NO oil needed). 3. Mix all INGREDIENTS, except for meat in a big bowl. 4. dd meat and mix thoroughly so that all slices are coated with the marinade. 5. Put a lid on the bowl or pour everything into a large zip bag. 6. Marinate for 2 – 8 hours, mixing the meat in the bowl every 1/2 hour, or turning the zip lock bag over. 7. Coat BBQ grill with oil and BBQ the meat for a minute or less on each side. Be careful not to overcook.

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NOTES: 1. I use this marinade for beef and for BBQ pork 2. You can save time by making several freezer batches of beef or pork. Make 2-3 times the marinade recipe. Add beef or pork and freeze in small meal sized batches. The meat is essentially marinating as you freeze and thaw it. 3. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also made this marinade with a half-and-half mix of sucralose and Stevia.

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Chapter 4: Stevia To my mind, Stevia has to be the top choice of all the sugar substitutes available. It has zero calories, zero carbohydrates and it is as natural as you can get – made from the Stevia plant. If you want totally natural, you can grow your own stevia plants, dry and grind the leaves to make your own stevia powder. People have been doing this for well over 1500 years. You can purchase Stevia in many forms, 

Ground powder (green and direct from stevia leaves)

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Processed white powder. This is so sweet, a few grains on the “thin” end of a toothpick is all you need to sweeten your tea or coffee. The challenge is that measuring out such tiny quantities is almost impossible.

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Liquid. Because the powder is so sweet it is easier to use “drops” of Stevia liquid

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Spoon-for-Spoon: using fillers to mimic sugar quantities

Stevia has been used as a sweetener in many South American countries for over 1500 years. In Japan it has been available as a sweetener for over four decades. The US sugar lobby managed to get Stevia banned from the shelves in the 1990s unless labeled as a dietary supplement. It was finally allowed as a food additive in 2008.

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Because it has almost NO effect on blood glucose levels it is of special interest to diabetics and those choosing low carbohydrate diets. It is pretty well the only sweetener, purists allow on a Paleo diet. Several of the more recent studies, Stevia has been reported as helping reduce hypertension (high blood pressure.) Stevia is over 300 times sweeter than sugar. As I mentioned in the opening chapter, our reaction to various sweeteners vary from person to person because of our taste receptors. Many people say they have an “aftertaste” from Stevia or find it bitter. One of the reasons for the bitterness or aftertaste could be that they are using too much of the sweetener. With Stevia there is a very fine line from great to awful. ONE extra drop from your Stevia dropper can make the difference. Stevia is available from over a dozen different manufacturers and in various forms including: powdered stevia leaves (green powder), refined white powder, spoon-for-spoon mixes resembling sugar, and a variety of liquid and flavored liquid dropper bottles. One of the best, cheapest and easiest ways to purchase Stevia is as a pure white powder. The challenge with the powder is that if you are using it as a beverage sweetener it is too difficult to measure out the tiny, tiny quantities needed. When I say tiny, I mean tiny. It is actually possible to heap more Stevia on the small end of the toothpick than is necessary. If you are using Stevia as a sweetener for your tea or coffee, the best choice is a Stevia liquid. You can not only get plain Stevia liquid but dozens of flavored varieties. Of course, the manufacturers want to make money for the “onerous” task of creating the liquid, so a small dropper bottle could cost up to $20. You can make your own Stevia liquid in less than 10 minutes for less than 1/10 the price. (Recipe follows). I use the concentrated white powder only in baking and cooking. You may only need one teaspoon of Stevia for an entire recipe. NO heaping or rounded teaspoons allowed. Level it off flat, otherwise you might overdo it and get that metallic aftertaste. IF you have been (or are) addicted to sugar, you may find “something missing” in the sweet taste of Stevia. As you are weaning yourself off sugar you might try mixing sucralose (Splenda) and Stevia. In your baking try mixing the two half-and-half. Slowly reduce the amount of sucralose till you no longer miss that “sugar” taste. I tried to explain the “missing” sugar taste to some friends. The closest I could come was the difference between Coke and Pepsi. Many people can’t tell the difference in blind taste tests. This is especially the case if you grew when both brands were available. However, if you grew up in an era where only Coke existed, you can probably do blind taste tests and tell the difference every time. There is a very SPECIFIC Coke taste!

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The same thing happens when you grow up eating sugar on a daily basis. When you start using sugar substitutes you notice something “missing.” Diet product manufacturers often mix several artificial sweeteners together in order to come closer to the “sugar profile.” If you become a devoted label reader you will notice these mixes right off: Splenda and Stevia, Splenda and Aspartame, Aspartame and Saccharin and many others. The problem of course, is that they all keep us addicted to the “taste” of sugar. CONTROVERSY In the early 1990’s an anonymous complaint to the FDA resulted in Stevia virtually being banned from US consumption. In order to sell Stevia it had to be labeled as a dietary supplement. Even with this obscure labeling it was difficult to find and almost impossible to purchase. It took over 15 years for Stevia growers, manufacturers and health devotees to beat the Sugar Lobby at its own game.

STEVIA RECIPES Be very careful when measuring out Stevia for the following recipes. If the recipe says one teaspoon or one tablespoon, scoop up a rounded spoonful and then level it off with a knife. There is a fine line between sweet and bitter and that little rounded extra bit is all it takes to go into the “too sweet” territory. Sweetness can also vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. If you like a recipe using one manufacturer’s product, then stick to that brand. If you change to a different brand, be cautious and use slightly less product at first. Add more once you do a taste test. Yes, this is one time to stick your finger into the cake batter or to eat a small ball of raw cookie dough! Depending on where you are at in your sugar habit busting journey, you may prefer to try the recipes using half Stevia and half sucralose. Over the years I’ve tested numerous brand names. Here is an Amazon link to the one I like the most. If you purchase in larger quantities, the price is very economical. PURE STEVIA POWDER http://bit.ly/stevia-1 NOW BRAND which many people are familiar with http://bit.ly/stevia-2

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Stevia - Sugar Equivalents ** These can change slightly from manufacturer. ** Be sure to TEST when trying out a new manufacturer’s products. SUGAR

PURE WHITE

PACKETS

LIQUID

1 teaspoon

n/a

1/2

2 – 3 drops

2 teaspoons

n/a

4 – 6 drops

1 tablespoon

n/a

1.5 – 2

6-9

1 cup

1/3 – 1/2 teaspoon

18 - 24

1 teaspoon

Make Your Own - Stevia Liquid Making your own Stevia liquid will save you up 90% of the shelf price -- depending on the quantity of pure white Stevia you buy. INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon pure white stevia powder 9 tablespoons distilled water Blue glass or brown glass 4 ounce or 8 ounce bottles Small dropper bottles Optional: 1 tablespoon vodka or brandy

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Measure water and stevia powder into a very small pot (I use a metal 1 cup measuring cup. 2. Heat to a bare simmer and mix, making sure all the powder is dissolved. 3. Take off the heat and let cool. 4. Add the alcohol if you are using it. 5. Pour into dark storage bottles 6. Store in a cool dark place, preferably your refrigerator.

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Notes: 1. You must use “distilled” water. The distilling process removes all chemicals, microbes and nasty things that could grow in your Stevia solution. Bottled waters are NOT distilled. You can normally find distilled water at any pharmacy. It is often sold in one gallon plastic containers. Obviously one gallon is way too much, so either drink the rest OR pour into clean GLASS containers and store for the next time. Do NOT store in the original plastic container or in other plastic containers. 2. Optional vodka or brandy. This is to ensure no microbes can grow in your Stevia liquid. It makes it safer to carry around in your pocket or purse unrefrigerated. This does not affect the taste of your liquid Stevia. 3. I store the Stevia in a larger bottle in my refrigerator. As needed, I transfer the liquid to smaller dropper bottles; one for my kitchen counter and one for my purse. 4. If you don’t have appropriate glass bottles handy, you can usually get them by asking at your Pharmacy counter. The Pharmacists use these bottles for packaging liquid medicines and should happily sell you storage sized and dropper bottles. OR get them on Amazon: http://bit.ly/blue-bottles

Iced Orange Cappuccino You’ll never go back to Starbucks after tasting this. It IS sugar free … if you use whole milk and cream, it is NOT fat free!

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup of very strong brewed coffee 4 cups of icy cold water 1/4 teaspoon powdered stevia extract (add a few more liquid drops to taste) 3/4 cup whole milk 1.2 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon orange zest

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GARNISH: orange zest whipped cream mint leaves

INSTRUCTIONS: This makes 4 servings 1. Put 1/2 of the orange zest at the bottom of your coffee pot and brew a strong cup of coffee. 2. Cool the coffee to room temperature 3. Strain the orange zest out of the coffee. 4. Mix coffee, cream, milk and stevia. Place in refrigerator until very cold. 5. Pour into tall glasses and add a few dollops of whipped cream. 6. Garnish with a sprinkle of the left over orange zest. 7. Decorate with a mint leaf or orange slice.

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Melt in Your Mouth Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup margarine 2/3 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter 1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia extract 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 cup apple butter 1 large egg 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

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1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 2. Soften margarine in a medium mixing bowl, cream the margarine and slowly add peanut butter. If you zap the peanut butter in the microwave for 20 seconds it is easier to work with. 3. Mix stevia, vanilla and apple butter into the peanut butter mixture. Beat in egg and mix until the INGREDIENTS are smooth. In a second bowl, sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. 4. Add the dry mixture to the wet INGREDIENTS and stir until mixed. Do not over mix. OPTIONAL: 1. Chop 1/4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1/2 cup roasted (unsalted) peanuts. Add to the wet mix before adding the dry ingredients.. 2. Throw in a small handful of chocolate chips or butterscotch chips

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Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup margarine 1/2 cup almond butter 1/3 cup mashed banana 1 large egg 1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup Whole wheat flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt

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3/4 cup chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Preheat over to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream margarine and slowly add in almond butter. Mix in mashed banana, egg, stevia and vanilla. In a different bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Mix flour mixture into the liquid ingredients. Add chocolate chips and stir. If the batter is not quite stiff, add a few more tablespoons of flour. 7. Chill the dough for 15 to 30 minutes so it handles more easily 8. Drop tablespoon sized lumps of batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork. 9. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Be careful not to over bake. Your cookies will not brown as much as they would if you were using sugar.

Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup apple juice 1/2 cup raisins 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons almond butter 1 large egg 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (non-fat if you are watching your fats) 1/2 teaspoon powdered Stevia extract (taste the dough and if you like, add a touch more to taste). 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup rolled oats (not instant) 1 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

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1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit Oil cookie sheet Place apple juice and raisins in small pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool. In a bowl, mix oil and almond butter together, then add egg and yogurt. Mix in Stevia extract and concentrate and vanilla. Add 1/2 of the raisins and all of the raisin/apple juice to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir into the oil-yogurt mixture. Add the rest of the raisins to the wet mixture. In a second bowl, mix rolled oats, flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix the dry INGREDIENTS into the wet mixture until just mixed. Do not over mix. Drop cookie dough onto cookie sheet (approx 1 tablespoon), flatten with a fork. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Be careful here, your cookies will not turn the same brown they would have if you were using sugar.

Banana-Strawberry Ice Cream My cravings for ice cream have been completely curtailed by this wonderful all fruit ice cream. It only has three INGREDIENTS and is easy to make. INGREDIENTS: 2 cups frozen strawberries 4 large frozen bananas 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon pure white Stevia extract

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Add the frozen fruit to a microwave save bowl and sprinkle with 1/3 teaspoon Stevia. In 30 second increments, zap the fruit until it is slightly thawed and there is some juice at the bottom of the bowl. You still want the fruit to be icy, but not frozen hard chunks. 2. Add to a blender and blend until creamy. You will have to stop the blender and mix it up with a spoon several times to get the chunks down to the bottom blades.

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3. When the mix is almost done, do a taste test. If it is not sweet enough, add the rest of the Stevia to taste. 4. Keep on blending until creamy and without fruit chunks. 5. Spoon into two or more small containers and freeze. 6. When you are ready to serve, take the container out of the freezer 10 minutes in advance and let soften to serving consistency.

NOTES: 1. Be patient with the blending. 2. Once you freeze the ice cream mixture, it will get very hard. If you let it stand for about 10 minutes, it will be good to serve. I put my ice cream into individual sized containers for this reason. 3. If you have kids, they will love your banana-strawberry popsicles. They wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good for them!

Fantabulous BBQ Sauce Most BBQ sauces have so much sugar in them you could die! This easy to make recipe will allow you to indulge in a nice rack of ribs. INGREDIENTS: 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 5 cloves of minced garlic 2 tablespoons American chili powder 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup Dijon or spicy mustard 1/2 cup vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup molasses

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1 teaspoon hot sauce 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon pure white Stevia powder Optional: 2 tablespoons tamarind paste

INSTRUCTIONS 1. In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions. Sauté until the onions are translucent. 2. Add the minced garlic, chili powder, pepper and salt and cook for a minute more. Add the rest of the INGREDIENTS and simmer for 10 -15 minutes, stirring frequently so the sauce doesn’t burn. 3. You can use the sauce “as is,” or you can cool, pour into a blender and blend until smooth. Store up to two months in your refrigerator.

NOTES: You can find Tamarind paste in the “ethnic” food aisles of large grocery stores, or in East Indian food markets. Tamarind paste is a thick dark paste which has a unique, but pleasant lemony taste. You can buy Tamarind in various forms, including whole with the seeds in, but the paste is by far the easiest to use.

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Chapter 5: Agave Nectar

Agave is a cactus plant that is found growing in Mexico. In fact, it is what gives Tequila the tequila taste! The nectar extracted from the Agave plant is mostly fructose (fruit sugar) and is absorbed into the blood stream more slowly than regular sugar. It is MUCH sweeter than sugar so you need less of it. You likely wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find this in any regular grocery stores, so look for it in natural food stores or health supplement stores. Here is a brand I have tried on Amazon, it comes in a pack of two large bottles and is very good value: Organic Blue Agave, 44-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2) http://bit.ly/agave-1 Agave is very sweet and tastes somewhat like maple sugar. There are very few reports of an aftertaste Agave is a NATURAL sweetener that has been used for eons and there are no reports on problems associated with its use. However the lack of negative reports could be because very few studies have been done. As with everything, use in moderation. CONTROVERSY

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Detractors say Agave Nectar is the same as corn syrup. My only complaint is that is it very expensive compared to the others. The Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blue is one of the best values I found. Though this may be a “natural” sweetener it may not be the best choice for diabetics. If you are diabetic, try a little and test your blood sugar levels, you may want to opt for Stevia or for one of the artificial sugar alternatives.

AGAVE RECIPES Creamy Agave Fruit Dip INGREDIENTS: 1/4 to 1/3 cup Agave Nectar 8 ounces cream cheese 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Fresh Fruit in Season: apples, bananas, pineapple, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, grapes, strawberries, big blueberries, pears. Wooden skewers - medium length

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Let the cream cheese warm to room temperature, or heat in microwave for 15 – 20 seconds. Be careful when microwaving, use 10 second increments because if you zap the cream cheese for too long you will literally fry it. 2. Place INGREDIENTS in a mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy. 3. Place in pretty serving bowl and sprinkle lightly with a dash of cinnamon 4. Cut fruit into medium sized chunks. Get fancy by creating melon balls. Cut strawberries in half or quarters if they are large. Sprinkle apple and banana chunks with lemon juice to keep them from getting brown and discolored. 5. Serve fruit on a platter, in small bowls and let everyone skewer their own fruit. Or alternatively skewer the fruit and lay out on platters.

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Chapter 6: Saccharin

Saccharin is sold under the brand names Sweet 'n Low and Sugar Twin. Developed in 1878, it is the oldest of the artificial sweeteners. Thought it was commercialized almost immediately it wasn’t widely used until World War II, when sugar shortages saw it gaining in popularity. It further grew in popularity in the 1960’s when it started being sold as a calorie-free sweetener and a dieting aid. Saccharin is a zero calorie sweetener that is 300 - 500 times as sweet as sugar. For many people, it has a bitter or metallic aftertaste, especially at higher concentrations. Saccharin was considered to be an important discovery for diabetes since it is moves through the body without being digested. Saccharin is found in thousands of commercially available products including: soft drinks, jams and jellies, candies, juice blends, yogurt, nutrition bars, cereals and more. You will often see it paired with Aspartame in order to create a better “sugar-taste” profile. CONTROVERSY: Over the years, there has been a HUGE amount of controversy over the use of Saccharin. Some lab experiments showed it caused cancer in rats, but further studies refuted that claim. Inconclusive studies and anecdotal evidence indicate that Saccharin can trigger the release of insulin. So if you are diabetic it is wise to test your glucose levels after ingesting Saccharin to see how your body reacts to its use.

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SACCHARIN RECIPES: Orange Mousse INGREDIENTS: 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/3 cup melted butter 2 packages Knox gelatin (or 2 Tablespoons) 4 eggs, separated 3/4 cup Granulated White SugarTwin grated rind of 2 medium oranges juice from 3 medium oranges 12 Ounce can evaporated milk, chilled

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). 2. Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. 3. Set aside 1/4 cup of crumbs to use later as a topping.4. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9" cake pan. Bake 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool. 4. Add 1/4 cup cold water to medium bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over the water and let it soften. 5. Add egg yolks, grated orange rind, orange juice and softened gelatin to a small pot. Warm the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly for 4 minutes. Just before taking off the stove element, add SugarTwin® Granulated White and mix well. 6. Beat egg whites until stiff. In a separate bowl, beat evaporated milk until stiff. Fold evaporated milk and egg whites together. 7. Fold a spoon full of lemon mixture into the egg white mixture to lighten. Continue to fold the two together. Be careful not to over stir because you will remove all the air bubbles that make this a “mousse.”

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8. Pour the orange mixture ove topr the baked graham cracker layer and sprinkle with the remaining crumbs. 9. Refrigerate and let set for five to 8 hours. 10. Cut into squares and serve.

NOTES: You can use the same recipe for an equally delicious Lemon Mousse or Grapefruit Mousse.

Chapter 7: Aspartame

Until recently, Aspartame has been one of the most popular artificial sweeteners. It is sold under the brand names NutraSweet and Equal. Aspartame is made by combining 2 amino acids with methanol, which creates a product 200 times sweeter than sugar. The NutraSweet Company claims that its’ product is included in over 5000 consumer products. However, it is obvious that NutraSweet has lost considerable market share to Sucralose. Aspartame breaks down under high or prolonged heat, so you most often see it in diet sodas. It may be found paired with Saccharin to create a better “sugar-like” flavor profile.

CONTROVERSY: Many people claim that Aspartame causes headaches, dizziness and other nervous system problems However, studies have not determined a causative link.

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The FDA has recommended aspartame's safe level that is the equivalent of 18 to 19 cans of diet soda per day.

ASPARTAME RECIPES: The NutraSweet Company states: â&#x20AC;&#x153;In recipes requiring lengthy heating or baking, a loss of sweetness may occur. Therefore, it is best to use tabletop sweeteners with aspartame in specially suggested and tested recipes. If a food containing aspartame is heated for too long, it would still be safe but will simply not provide the desired sweetness.â&#x20AC;?

Healthy Ranch Dressing and Dip Commercial dressings are filled with sugar and other chemical preservatives. This recipe has no sugar and no preservatives. It will keep in your refrigerator for up to a week. It can be used as a salad dressing or as a veggie or chicken finger dip.

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup light mayonnaise 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped 2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped 3 packets Equal sweetener (or 2 tablespoons granulated Equal ) 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (this is not the bright yellow goop used on hot dogs) 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) 3/4 cup buttermilk

INSTRUCTIONS:

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1. Combine all INGREDIENTS, except buttermilk in a blender. Blend for 30 seconds then slowly add buttermilk and blend for one minute until thoroughly combined. 2. Taste and add more salt or Equal if desired. 3. Pour into a jar and refrigerate for 2 hours, allowing the flavors to blend.

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Chapter 8: Lo Han

Also known as Lo Han Kuo or Luo Han Kuo What is it? Lo Han sweetener is extracted from a plant that is a member of the cucumber and squash family. It is a fruit that is grown in the mountains of Southern China. It is reported to be 250 times sweeter than sugar. Just a bit of a tangent here. Sugar is pretty sweet right? So if something was twice as sweet how would you know that? So how on earth do they measure that something is 250 or 1000 times sweeter than sugar? By weight? By volume? Or do “they” just say, “Oh this is soooooo sweet, it must taste 250 times sweeter than sugar!” I’m OK now, sometimes I just wonder about strange things! Lo Han has been used for centuries, in China as a sweetener and as a home remedy for colds and sore throats. Where can you find it? You’ll have to visit a BIG city health food store for this, since it is not nearly as well-known as Splenda, Stevia or a few of the other alternatives. It comes in liquid and powder form and can be used as a cooking alternative. If your city has a China Town, you will probably find it in the larger stores.

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Taste Test: Here’s where your genetics come into play. Some people say it is metallic and bitter. Other people say it has NO after taste at all! So if you are trying it for the first time, get the smallest container you can, because metallic and bitter is NO fun at all. Brings licking copper pipes to mind! Is it safe? According to the Chinese who what been using it for hundreds of years, it is. For those that know what this means Lo Han has a LOW glycemic index, so this along with Stevia is a good alternative for Diabetics. Lo Han is stable in heat so you can use it in cooking and baking.

CONTROVERSY: Other than the fact that it comes from China, I couldn’t find any studies, negative or positive.

LO HAN RECIPES Chicken Mushroom Stir Fry If you eat Chinese food in restaurants or on the take-out circuit, this is a simple and mild chicken flavored or oyster flavored sauce you have undoubtedly tasted many times. It is extremely easy to make and may end up reducing your take out bills when you see how fast and easily you can produce great stir-fry’s in minutes. You can use any combination of veggies and meat with the same simple sauce INGREDIENTS: 1 chicken breast, cut into narrow strips 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 red onion, cut into thin lengthwise strips 2 cups button mushrooms, cut into slices 2 to 3 cups broccoli, cut into florets

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1 cup chicken broth 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons Lo Han sweetener (equivalent of two teaspoons sugar) 1 teaspoons corn starch Optional: 1 tablespoon Sake or Vodka

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. In the bottom of a small bowl, add cornsarch and tablespoon water. Mix to create a paste. 2. Slowly add chicken stock and then mix in soy sauce, sake, Lo Han and sesame oil. 3. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to hot wok or pan. 4. Add chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove to a plate. 5. Add remaining oil, broccoli and onion to wok. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. 6. Add mushrooms and fry for another minute. 7. Return chicken to wok and stir one minute or until heated through. 8. Stir the chicken broth mix and then add to the wok. Stir for one to two minutes until sauce is thick and transparent. 9. Serve with rice.

NOTE: You can also make this sauce with sucralose, aspartame or Stevia.

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Chapter 7: Xylitol

Xylitol is a natural sugarless sweetener that has 40% fewer calories than sugar and 75% fewer carbohydrates. It is advertised as being a god-send to diabetics because it has a very low glycemic index and it metabolizes in the body without using insulin. Xylitol was discovered in Finland during WWII when there were worldwide sugar shortages and no domestic supply of sugar. Xylitol can be extracted from a variety of fruits, vegetables and even trees. In fact, North American manufactured Xylitol is made from a combination of birch, maple and other trees. Xylitol is a dentist’s dream. It keeps cavities at bay and has even been proven to reverse the negative effects of sugar on dental health. In various studies in Finland (later confirmed in Canada and other countries) Xylitol was found to interfere with bacterial growth and reproduction -- allowing the mouth to re-mineralize damaged teeth. Give your children a stick of Xylitol gum or a hard Xylitol candy to suck on before bed and they will have fewer cavities. There is no reported “after taste,” which is one of the big selling point of this natural sweetener. Xylitol is available in powder (usually cup-for-cup), crystals and packets. I specifically tried this brand of Xylitol because it not only had happy customers, but loyal customers! http://bit.ly/xylatol

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WARNING: Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs. If you have a dog it is best to not have Xylitol products in your household. Even ingesting a couple of small candies should be a reason to visit the vet. Pregnancy and nursing: there are NO studies. It would be prudent not to ingest during this time until more research has been done.

CONTROVERSY: Much of the Xylitol sold in North America is made in China. There are the usual manufacture’s wars and claims with some believing the higher priced “tree-based” products are superior to the foreign “corn-based” manufactured products.

XYLITOL RECIPES: Xylitol can be used in baking everything but yeast based products. As with most sugar substitutes, Xylitol does not brown or caramelize. Be sure to read your package carefully to see what the sugar equivalent measurements are. The following recipe is based on a cup-for-cup measurement.

Banana and Walnut Bread INGREDIENTS: 2 eggs 1 cup of powdered Xylatol (equivalent to 1 cup of sugar) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon lemon juice or a few drops of lemon extract 2 cups of flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 medium bananas, mashed

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1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup walnuts, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Mash bananas. Beat eggs; add Xylitol, baking soda and salt. Mix milk and lemon juice into the mashed bananas and slowly add to egg mixture Mix in the flour. Pour the mixture into a loaf pan. Bake at 350â °F for about 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick in the center. It should come out clean.

NOTE: I used this recipe to make muffins. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any walnuts so I substituted raisins. If you are making muffins BE SURE to Reduce the baking time to about 30 minutes.

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Join Me In The Sugar Free Zone! Thank you for reading The Sugar Free Zone. I hope the information I have provided is helpful to you in choosing sugar substitutes that work for your “taste-buds” and for your lifestyle. Kicking the sugar habit will benefit your health and well-being in countless ways. If you are prediabetic, it could prevent the onset of this deadly disease. If you are struggling with your weight this could make the difference. You will probably notice that you have more energy, and that you have a clear head (no more foggy and unfocused thinking. If you are a parent, you will notice that your kids don’t bounce off the walls (as much!). Kicking the sugar habit is not easy, so my advice is to go easy on yourself and give yourself time to make the changes you want and need to make. Some people will want to go cold-turkey. Others will want to spread the process out over 3 – 6 months. Whatever your preference, it is WORTH the effort!

SUGAR-FREE-ZONE WEBSITE Please join me on the Sugar-Free-Zone Website. You will find additional Sugar Free Recipes and resources as well as information on various low-sugar and sugar-free diets. Chef Joe Bandler also contributes sugar-free recipes as well as his selection of and opinions on a huge variety of kitchen tools and gadgets. If you join my newsletter you will be amongst the first to know about any new sugar-free and Chef Joe Bandler books.