Michell - Baking without Sugar

B A KI N G

WITHOUT

SUGAR

Sophine Michell

To all my amazing family and friends who are always there to support me

First published in Great Britain in 2018 by PEN & SWORD WHITE OWL

An imprint of Pen & Sword Books Ltd

Yorkshire Philadelphia

Copyright Sophie Michell

ISBN 9781526729972

eISBN 9781526729989

Mobi ISBN 9781526729996

The right of Sophie Michell to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing.

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I always seem to write books that are relevant to my life at that time. They are often created for a particular need and if that need is not being met by whats already on the market, I like to try and create it myself.

The book and TV series Cook Yourself Thin resonated so much with me at the time as I was in my 20s, loved my food, but also wanted to look good. Chef on a Diet was actually written when I was trying to slim down for my wedding, but still cooking all the time for a living; it was a diet plan for food lovers. When I am writing I tend to live, sleep, breathe and, of course, eat the book during its development. This ensures that every book is totally authentic and each recipe has been tested at least five times before publication.

I get frustrated by the lack of knowledge and honesty out there when its linked to our health and well-being. When I was writing Baking Without Sugar I really was being led by my own health challenges. It was a way for me to eat sweet treats without further damaging my health, but I am getting ahead of myself, so let me explain.

About two years ago, I was diagnosed with insulin resistance and told I was pre-diabetic. Unbeknown to me this can be particularly hard on women as it affects your hormones. Half of me was relieved as it explained my little pot belly, constant fatigue, sugar cravings and inability to lose weight, but the other half of me was horrified. Did this mean I was going to get diabetes? Have you read some of the horror stories about diabetes?! Please do. Everyone should fully understand this disease which affects millions of people in the UK and the US alone, and is a massive drain on health care resources. Anyway, my doctor blithely told me to give up all carbohydrates and sugar. She also prescribed patches and gels to control my hormones, as well as the drug Metformin, which regulates your blood sugar levels.

I am someone who has eaten a high protein diet for years, but suddenly I found this stricter, more enforced regime much, much harder to deal with. I was also feeling pretty angry. Why did I have to stop eating what I wanted? I am a chef, after all! The irony was not lost on me and at first I felt like rebelling, regardless of my health. Then I calmed down and started to search for diabetes-friendly recipes and products. I was shocked to see how little choice there is and the total misinformation being fed to people. You see, the thing is, when you are trying to monitor blood sugar levels it is not just about cutting out sugar, its about white (refined) flours, fruit, honey, agave syrup and even gluten-free flour, as they can all cause your blood sugar to spike. You can find lots of recipes with sweeteners, but then they are packed with white flour or vice versa.

Also, all the healthy sweet recipes using natural sugars like honey, dates, and agave actually elevate your blood sugar levels. In fact , they are a bit of a disaster when you have diabetes and people so often dont realise that they are eating the wrong things, meaning they continue to feel ill, even when making these healthy desserts and cakes. This is sometimes why the clean eating movement can also be confusing; the truth is, Im afraid, that sugar is sugar, whether it is natural or not.

So this is how I came to write a new book with classic baked goods, using ingredients that are generally gluten-free, low in sugar, with a lower GI and mostly, higher in protein. These goodies should still be enjoyed as part of a normal, healthy, balanced diet (sorry, this book is not a green light to live on sweet meals entirely; the recipes still contain calories and are still treats, but they wont damage your health as much as high sugar ones), but it does mean you can have your cake and eat it without feeling ill.

Each recipe has a code next to it and also a guideline for how easy or hard it is to make. This means you can quickly see if a particular recipe is gluten-free, for example. I do use in some of the recipes, and although its not gluten-free, it does release the energy into your bloodstream more slowly, and a lot of people with wheat intolerance find it easier to digest. You can also check whether a particular recipe is diabetic friendly and dairy-free too. These recipes are for everyone, you dont need to have diabetes to benefit from cutting down on sugar because, after all, more and more health experts are telling us that it is sugar that is affecting our health far more than fat. If you are dieting, most of the recipes are lower carb and paleo-friendly, so are perfect for helping you on your path to a slimmer you.

I have used sweeteners in all of these recipes. Luckily, we can now access natural sweeteners like , which unlike the old aspartame-based sweeteners, dont come with any unhealthy side effects. Of course, some people dont believe that sweeteners are very good for you, but theres absolutely ZERO research to show that they are bad for your health.

Gluten-free

Diabetic friendly

It is all down to personal choice, though. I know that sugar is a bigger health threat to me and my body than sweeteners, and I am happy to bake with them so that I can keep eating fantastic food. Personally, I believe that when eaten as part of a balanced diet, sweeteners are frankly amazing, and I have learned so much from practising with them. However, you can substitute with natural sugar if you prefer its your choice!