Hello. My name is Brielle Gundersen and my daughter is a sugarholic. As much as I try to feed her healthy foods, sugar (and more sugar) is all she wants to eat.
Thank goodness for this lightly sweetened and healthy Gluten Free Maple Cinnamon Applesauce Bread to curb her sugar cravings.
I’m the first to admit that I am a stickler for rules. And when it comes to sugar consumption, that is no exception. My rules are:
- No sugar cereals – I don’t like the habit of starting out your day on a sugar high. There are plenty of ways to naturally sweeten your cereal with honey, maple syrup, bananas and other fruits, etc. I have been eating Original Shredded Wheat, Wheat Chex, and Cheerios for years and have come to love the flavor and taste. I want my children to learn the same habits. Sugar cereals are for special occasions and, let’s face it, grandma’s house.
- No dinner = no dessert – Now I don’t make my children clean their plates during mealtimes in order to get a treat. Nor do I pressure them into eating more than they want. When they are finished, and I notice they haven’t eaten a substantial meal, I simply ask them if they are sure they are done because if they are too full to eat any more of their healthy foods, they are surely too full for dessert.
- We wait for dessert – I grew up in a family where immediately following dinner, dessert was brought to the table. Dessert, therefore, became a necessity every night. I have adapted the habit in our home of waiting at least 30 minutes after mealtime to eat a treat. I tend to realize about half the time that I no longer crave a treat after giving my body time to process the meal I have just eaten. My children, on the other hand, never forget.
- No sending treats to school – After about 2 weeks straight of Braelyn coming home with a full lunchbox of food, minus her cookie, cupcake, or piece of candy, I decided that it would be best to leave sugar out of her lunchbox. That may sound mean, but I’ve quickly learned that our children receive plenty of sweets at school without us having to send extra. I can’t tell you how many days she comes off the bus with a sucker in her mouth or empty candy wrappers in her backpack from reward treats in class. Plus, she is more than welcome to grab a treat after school, once I see that the majority of her lunch has been eaten.
- A serving size is a serving size – As much as I would love to eat an entire bowl of ice cream each evening, our portions of dessert are exactly that: portions. Meaning, I stick strictly to the serving size on the box or carton of whatever we are eating. You don’t get more than that. And to avoid battles or temptations, we dish up our treats, put away the boxes, and then enjoy eating. That way there isn’t more staring you in the face as soon as you finish your allotted helping.
Now I know these aren’t all the answers for avoiding eating a bunch of sugar, but they are some healthy tips that have helped keep my family eating smart.
Here is one last tip. Trick! That’s right, I said trick. Trick all you can.
Trick your kids into thinking they are eating treats, when in reality they may be eating something healthier than they realize. Like this Gluten Free Maple Cinnamon Applesauce Bread for instance.
Braelyn thinks this bread is a dessert. She will eat it as fast as she would eat a piece of cake. What she doesn’t know is that it is low in fat and low in refined sugar.
Now I said low in sugar, not sugar free. That’s a whole new soapbox. I believe a little sugar is A-OK, and I’m not convinced that all the sugar free options out there are any better. So for now, sugar is still my friend.
This recipe only calls for 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in the batter. The rest of the sweetness comes from adding pure maple syrup. I also only use 1/2 a stick of melted butter and unsweetened applesauce to replace the rest of the fat. See…healthier, right?
I love the combination of flavors in this bread with the cinnamon and maple. These two flavors are a baker’s dream. Nothing tastes or smells better. The maple gives this bread a light sweetness, just enough to satisfy a sweet tooth but keep you from reaching a sugar high. And the texture of this bread is spot on. It is light and soft with a crisp and slightly sugary crust.
And since this bread has such a lovely maple aroma as it is baking, your kids are sure to run in the house after school begging for whatever sweet treat you concocted. Best of all, you can feel guiltfree giving them a slice or two of this healthified after school snack.
If you enjoyed this recipe and would like some more muffin/bread recipes, check out my site at Breezy Bakes.
Golden Cornbread Muffins, {Pine}Apple Zucchini Bread, Best Banana Muffins, and Nutella Stuffed Banana Muffins
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or maple extract
- 1 3/4 cup King Arthur brand gluten free multi-purpose baking mix not all-purpose flour*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and lightly flour a medium sized loaf pan. Set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs. Add applesauce, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, and vanilla or maple extract. Whisk together until smooth.
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In a separate smaller mixing bowl, sift together gluten free flour*, baking powder, baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt, and xanthan gum. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until combined.
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Pour batter into greased and floured loaf pan. Mix together remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over top of batter.
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Bake loaf at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool pan on cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and continue cooling.
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Serve and enjoy!
*If choosing to use another flour blend, check to see if the blend includes xanthan gum. If so, omit adding additional xanthan gum in the recipe.
