Tag: low sugar

ECONOGAL > low sugar

Reduced Sugar Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins

Posted on by Econogal

Sunday Morning Muffins

This morning’s batch of Reduced Sugar Zucchini Muffins were delicious and more than half the batch was gobbled up. I adapted the recipe from the Nothin’ but Muffins cookbook compiled by Cyndi Duncan and Georgie Patrick. I have used this spiral bound cookbook for decades.

The zucchini bush I planted in the middle of the herb planter is producing already and somehow one got away from me. So, I cut the oversized fruit in half, peeled and grated it, yielding about 1 ½ to 2 cups.

Ever since reading the Case Against Sugar, I have made reducing sugar a priority. But I tweaked the recipe in a couple of other places too. I subbed walnuts for pecans, cut the salt dramatically and used olive oil. Also, my oatmeal was not quick-cooking just regular oats from Heartland Mill in Marienthal, Kansas. In theory these should all be healthy substitutions. However, the muffins did not taste healthy…they were decadent- a word I usually reserve for chocolate.

Equipment for Reduced Sugar Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins

Regular size 12 count muffin tin

Miniature size 12 count muffin tin

Large mixing bowl

Small bowl

Grater

Mixing Spoons and Measuring Cups and Spoons

Oven

Recipe for Reduced Sugar Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins

2 ½ Cups Flour

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Walnuts, chopped

½ Cup Oats, uncooked

1 TBS. Baking Powder

¼ Teas. Salt

1 Teas. Cinnamon

4 Eggs, slightly beaten

1 ½ – 2 Cups Shredded Zucchini

¾ Cup Olice Oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° F. and grease muffin tins. In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, walnuts, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Break eggs into small bowl and slightly beat then pour over flour mixture. Then add grated zucchini and olive oil. Just stir until all the flour mixture is incorporated. If flour does not mix in, add more zucchini. Batter will be somewhat stiff. Spoon into muffin tins. Bake large tin for fifteen to twenty minutes and small tin for five minutes less. Remove from oven when tops are golden brown. Sinfully delicious when warm-no butter or jam needed. Also great after the Reduced Sugar Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins have cooled. Enjoy!

Reduced Sugar Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins cooling on a wire rack.

Small Batch Low Sugar Strawberry-Blueberry Jam

Posted on by Econogal

Small Batch Strawberry-Blueberry Jam

Glass jars filled with jam.
Jars of jam.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, I whipped up a small batch of  strawberry-blueberry jam. Since I was taking things easy, I just used produce I had on hand. We consider blueberries a staple in the house and I also had strawberries in the refrigerator. This recipe is a low sugar recipe and some may find it tart.

First wash the berries gently but thoroughly. Even home-grown produce gets rinsed. Next, finely chop the strawberries and lightly mash. You want a total of four cups mashed strawberries.

Then slice the blueberries in half. Yes this is tedious but I think it helps incorporate the two berries. You will need a total of two and ½ cups blueberries. Combine the berries in a stockpot and add two tablespoons of lemon juice.

Measure four level cups of sugar into a bowl. Then from that amount, remove ¼ cup sugar and mix with one package of Sure Jell pectin for low or no sugar recipes. Add the mixture to the berries and bring to a rapid boil. This is a boil which remains even during stirring. There will be chunks of fruit.

Once the constant boil is reached, add the remaining sugar. Return the jam to a roaring boil and cook for one minute. Remove from heat and ladle into sterilized, hot jars. Place lids and rings on jars and process them in a water bath for ten minutes. Be sure to add time to the processing if you live 1000 feet or more above sea level. Click on this website for a chart.

 

Econogal’s Low Sugar Small Batch Strawberry-Blueberry Jam

(Makes 6-7 cups of jam)

Materials needed:

Stock pot, ladle, heavy-duty heat proof spoon, potato masher, paring knife, 6 or 7 jars (½ pint in size), lids and bands to fit jars and water bath canner

Ingredients:

4 cups of chopped mashed strawberries
2 1/2 cups sliced blueberries
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups sugar
1 box Sure Jell pectin for low or no sugar recipes