Oh to be sugar free

Lately, people have been asking if I do a fat-free or sugar free cookie and believe me when I tell you that I’ve sacrificed taste and flavor many many times to save a few hundred calories. I won’t even touch fried food…well that is until you get a couple glasses of wine in me. But when it comes to sweets and desserts and of course cookies, I just don’t see the point. To me desserts are meant to be an indulgence, a treat, a time for me to SPLURGE! If I’m going to eat it, then it better taste fantastic! Plus chocolate is totally good for you now right? But the more and more people ask for it I’m starting to wonder if I only feel this way because I have an abnormally ridiculous sweet tooth! So, I’ve been working on a few substitutions, here’s what I’ve found:
- Applesauce for butter – not good – the texture kind of sucked
- Black beans for butter – not good but not as bad – I think this only works in chocolate cookies or perhaps in brownies it might work better – definitely not in truffies
- Splenda for sugar – okay but way to puffy and a little cakey
- Canola oil for butter – this one I actually liked – and it helped keep the shape of the truffies too but a combination of the two for sure worked better
- Whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour– not bad as well - but a mixture of the two worked best as well
So in conclusion, I'm comprising a little I guess - I’ll incorporate the canola oil and whole wheat flour into the truffies. They’ll be a little healthier and even though they’re still not diet friendly (except that they're proportioned right) I'm happy to say they DON’T taste like it either!

Here are some other tips for healthier baking though:
1 ounce of chocolate: 3 tablespoons cocoa
2 eggs: 1 egg + 2 whites or egg substitute
Cream Cheese: Lowfat ricotta + yogurt
Sour Cream: Plain yogurt
Whipped cream, ice cream: Frozen yogurt, Lowfat yogurt
1 cup whipped cream: 3 stiffly beaten egg whites or 3/4 to 1 cup Yogurt Cheese

HAPPY BAKING!