Having done 'low carb and sugar free' off and on for 11 years now, I know one thing for certain over everything else; Be Prepared. It's not just a Boy Scout motto. When we prepare to do a detox of flour and sugar I know the secret to success is to make sure we have smart food options and products available. With the influx of incredible choices on the market now, we find eating without sugar and carby white flour to be fairly easy (compared to 8-11 years ago when it was difficult to find good sugar free and flour free options). However, you are still more apt to eat something bad for you if you are starving and want something to eat now, and there are not healthy alternatives in front of you.
The thing I try to have ready for my husband are protein bars. Similar to the versions you can buy at the store by Atkins, I make a Chocolate Peanut Butter version and a Coconut version that to me, tastes the same and has the same texture as the Coconut Granola Bars I used to buy that have sugar in them. I make them and wrap them in saran wrap or place in sandwich baggies and he takes them to work with him to have with coffee on his break. No more candy bars from the vending machine! I also know to have something 'sweet' on hand for everyone (including my daughters friends who visit and obviously are used to full-sugar and flour goodies). Usually this is a batch of low carb, sugar free chocolate chip cookies.
When it comes to chocolate chip cookies, we have always preferred a moist, chewy cookie over dry 'coffee dunkers'. I have one I have posted a few times that I love, but I always, always say; PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD. Always, always feel free to change recipes, do some substituting if you don't have a certain product on hand... some of the best things you make might be an 'accident' from another recipe.
I used my "normal, regular, real brown sugar, chocolate chip cookie recipe" last night and combined it with what I usually use for the low carb versions. I was able to substitute the brown sugar and sugar option easily - the real question was what to use in place of my typical 1 3/4 cups flour. I decided to use a mixture of protein powder (mine is zero carb, zero sugar but all brands are different so check yours for carb counts if that is important to your daily counts), some wheat bran, almond flour of course, and then some coconut flour because it tends to make cookies and cakes a 'drier' texture and I didn't want my cookies to be too moist that they fell apart when you pick them up, or too oily - but I don't like to use a lot of coconut flour because over-using it makes an odd texture and I don't like the flavor of the coconut to be strong.
1/2 c butter
1 c brown sugar substitute (I used Ideal
but it's no longer available - update 2016 - Just Like Sugar is a good substitute)3 T Splenda
1 egg
2 t vanilla
Scant 1 c Zero Carb Isopure Vanilla Protein Powder
1/4 c wheat bran (or oat bran)
1/4 c coconut flour
3/4 c almond meal/flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
Optional: 1/2 c nuts like walnuts or pecans if you wish
1/2 of a bag of Hershey's Sugar Free Chocolate Chips
Preheat your oven to 375. Beat the Splenda butter until well mixed. Add the egg and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until blended, then stir in the sugar free chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons onto a sprayed/greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Form into nicely shaped rounds and flatten a bit with your hand. Bake for approximately 11 minutes, let cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes and then remove to a rack or counter to cool.
Related products are available through Amazon if you can't find them locally....
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2016 - Ideal Brown is no longer available - but Just Like Sugar is a good substitute
Shop Amazon
2016 - Ideal Brown is no longer available - but Just Like Sugar is a good substitute
