Tuesday, July 1, 2008

agave nectar

Anyone heard of this? If you haven't it's a natural sweetener similar to honey but with a lower GI. Any thoughts? I have been using it for baking and making ice cream but I am also trying to stay true to the no sugar thing so I wasn't going to be eating any treats or ice cream, even with the agave, except on my free day. Having said that, there are certain times of the month that a girl just needs a treat and if the agave is not technically sugar and if honey is okay during this contest then would the agave also be considered okay? Here is a recipe for brownies that I made using this nectar, they were a big hit with the family.

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
*mix together applesauce and cocoa powder until powder is completely incorporated into applesauce. Add other ingredients and mix, but don't over mix. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes---a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out with moist crumbs on it. By the way, this is baked in an 8x8 inch pan that has been sprayed with pam or other spray. I used bakers joy and didn't have any sticking problems.

when I made these I also added 1/2 cup chocolate chips and the recipe actually calls for any type of mix ins that you can think of but I think the brownie is pretty good on its own.

5 comments:

Sandra said...

Nobody has any thoughts? I have decided that I don't want to have that even on my really tough PMS days because I don't want my body to have to have a crutch of having something sweet, KWIM? I also won't do artificial sweeteners (except in my crystal light and I'm rarely drinking that now) because we don't really know what the long term affect of them are.

Kara said...

I've never heard of agave nectar. Does it give a weird taste? Or is it like adding applesauce to replace fat? I do that when I bake something sweet -- except I really use pear sauce. My parents have a pear tree...

I try not to fight my cravings. It only makes them stronger. I try to appease my cravings in the healthiest way possible. I think this is a good way of doing that. Next time I'm in HEB plus, I'm going to look for agave nectar. Where is it in the grocery?

Sandra said...

It doesn't change or alter the taste at all. I bought the light stuff, I guess the dark is more strongly flavored. I used it to make vanilla ice cream and my extremely picky (about health foods) husband loved it. It doesn't replace the fat, it replaces the sugar, and you only use about half the amount of agave nectar as you would use sugar.

I actually buy it in a health food store. It's with the honey and other natural sweeteners in my good earth health food store. HEB is huge and diverse so you may be able to find it there.

Julie said...

Sorry, I haven't been on in a few days. :)
I use honey in smoothies to suppliment sugar. I think it counts as a good replacement. I don't know where I stand on brownies, though. Mostly because when I have one it turns into something bad.
Hope you make it through your week! :)

Sandra said...

I know, Julie, you're right. (see my first response to this post) I was thinking about ice cream, too. I bought an ice cream maker a while ago and have had so much fun making (and eating) home made ice cream. I think if I used skim milk and fresh fruit and agave nectar I could make a really yummy ice cream that would be good for me and also count for a fruit and milk point. Hmmmm....something to think about. It would be similar to a smoothie only frozen and eaten with a spoon.