Our recent newsletter survey revealed that many of our patients are looking for ways to make better food choices. To help with this, Dr. Nabzdyk and Kathy Nabzdyk are sharing some of the tips they have used to incorporate healthier food choices for their family.

As you prepare for your Fourth of July celebrations, what have you included on your menu? Fresh corn on the cob, grilled meats, and juicy watermelon seem to be some of the summer favorites.  For many of us, the holiday celebration isn’t complete without a great dessert to complement the meal. However, many of our traditional desserts can be loaded with refined sugar, refined wheat, trans fats, and food coloring. By making some simple substitutions, you can still enjoy your favorite treats, yet avoid these less healthy ingredients.

Desserts made with natural ingredients tend to yield a product that is neutral in color, but the enclosed tips provide a treat that is decorative, as well as delicious.

Wheat Free Flag Cake without Artificial Coloring

Begin by preparing a 9 x 13 inch cake.

- For a cake free of refined wheat, use spelt flour instead. This whole grain can be substituted cup for cup in your favorite recipe.

 - Try a gluten free cake mix or gluten free recipe if you would like to eliminate all forms of wheat or gluten. Choose a product or recipe that includes brown rice flour instead of white rice flour or sweet white rice flour.

- To reduce the amount of sugar in a recipe, try agave nectar. Most recipes will only require about half as much agave as sugar. You can even use a smaller portion if you would like to make it less sweet. Adjust the amount according to your taste. Agave tends to brown the cake more quickly, so reduce the temperature and/or baking time slightly.

To decorate, create a flag pattern on the cake.

- Use blueberries, blackberries, strawberries or raspberries to create the red and blue color patterns for the cake. Arrange the fruit on the cake allowing the color of the cake to serve as the background color. Fresh fruit is a great way to decorate any cake as it supplies the sweet taste and color that frosting provides.

- If you would like to add a touch more color or sweetness to the cake, before you decorate with the fruit, frost with fresh whipped cream (if you can tolerate dairy products).

- For a whipped cream alternative, try one of the soy or rice based whipped toppings that are available in most health food stores.

- Just adding a spoonful of one of these toppings to your serving of cake makes plain looking cake more decorative and satisfies your sweet tooth.

As you begin to bake with whole or alternative grains, and sugars with a lower glycemic index, you will find that many of the products are more filling and satisfying than their less healthy counterparts. This is a great way to curb that desire for a second helping. This Independence Day, celebrate the freedom we have to choose from such a variety of healthy alternatives.  Enjoy!

Let us know how these tips benefitted your family’s celebration. On our blog, you can post comments to any of our newsletter articles.