Last night I met with some terrific people up in Bella Vista at an Autism support group and the question most often raised was the matter of sugar content. While The Grateful Kitchen does use brown sugar in its baked goods, there are a few items that can use agave syrup instead. What is agave?
Organic raw agave nectar is a vegan sweetener made from the agave cactus with a subtle, non-aggressive sweetness and a low glycemic impact on blood sugar levels (it is approved for use in the South Beach Diet later phases, and for those who need to monitor their blood sugar levels as diabetics- as always consult your physician before trying anything new). It works beautifully in baking. Use 1/3 to 1/2 cup of agave syrup for every 1 cup of sugar in the original recipe and lessen the liquid called for by 3 tablespoons. Agave is humectant and adds moisture and binding to gluten-free recipes. Raw agave contains iron, calcium, potassium & magnesium.
As always here at The Grateful Kitchen, NO preservatives, additives, dyes, or chemicals. Agave nectar is great stuff and I hope offering products that use it will accommodate those families who can't take the sugary stuff. Try it today!
