Sugar Addicted Health Nut

I know, "sugar addicted health nut"? What an oxymoron, right? But it's the truth. I love sugar. I live for sugar. I just eat dinner to get to dessert. I know my body needs real food and real nourishment and I know I feel better when I eat well so I do myself a solid and go ahead and eat dinner instead of skipping ahead right to dessert like I'd really like to. I also know that sugar all by it's lonesome is "bad" enough for me so it doesn't need to be accompanied by artificial flavors and colors or hydrogenated oils or anything else made in a science lab. As strange as it sounds, I try to eat organic sweets! But as with many things in life, everything in moderation. Am I going to pass on some candy corn this Halloween season because it has artificial colors and flavors? No. I just won't make candy corn part of my regular dessert diet. When given the choice between a Hershey bar with artificial flavoring or an all natural Ghirardelli bar, I'm going to choose Ghirardelli every time. I couldn't imagine a life without sweets so I just try to eat better quality sweets. I sound ridiculous I know, but I can't help myself. I try my best to stay away from genetically modified, artificial, hydrogenated, chemistry lab created "food" products when it comes to every other meal, so dessert shouldn't be any different.

In this blog I will share my dessert "makeovers" that I come up with to make all natural versions of my favorite treats. I will share gluten free versions of "regular" desserts, and also some sweets that are low in sugar and fat and "guilt-free".

I believe it is possible to find a way to eat everything I love while still living a healthy lifestyle. It has to be; I'm not equipped to sustain life on celery sticks.

To welcome fall and all of it's pumpkin spiced splendor, I had to make some gluten free pumpkin scones to go with my sugar free pumpkin lattes I've been drinking. (I also posted about them on my Facebook page, Kat's Candy Coated Treats .) 

Adapted from this recipe: Spiced Pumpkin Scones Recipe 

Gluten Free Pumpkin Spiced Scones

• 
  
• 2 cups oat flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons plain soy creamer (or half and half)
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 
  

Glaze: 

• 
  
• 1 cup powdered sugar (more or less for desired consistency) 
• 1 to 2 tablespoons soy creamer (or half and half)
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree 
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Center a rack in the middle of the oven and heat oven to 400ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pie spice together until blended.
3. Cut the butter into small cubes then scatter over the flour mixture. Use two knives or a pastry cutter to “cut” the butter into the flour until the mixture resembled coarse cornmeal with a few pea-sized bits of butter. (Or use a food processor.)
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cream, egg and vanilla extract until blended. Stir into the flour and butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
5. Drop by tablespoon fulls onto baking sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Once cool, drizzle with glaze.