ALONG COMES MARY

Since needing to go gluten-free in 2009, it has thankfully become so much easier. Long gone are the days that most wait staff’s look at me awkwardly when I ask if something is gluten-free, or jumping for joy when I find something labeled that its safe for me at the store (remember how elated I was that even Huntsville, Alabama, was loaded with gluten-free restaurants?). As more of us become conscious of what we are consuming, another often pesky bugger is the beloved sugar.

Sugar is harder to avoid, no doubt. When we are craving our desserts, cakes, we often feel like it’s a guilty pleasure. Well, enter Sans Sucre. Not only are their baking mixes like fudge brownies and blondies all sugar-free, but, they also have sugar AND gluten-free mixes!

In addition to my gluten-free life, I am also a Type 1 Diabetic. While the common mis-conception is that I am ‘bad’ if I eat sugar, the truth is Type 1’s may eat sugar and often need it if we are low and are at risk of fainting. While I certainly am not the greatest at limiting my sugar intake, I have been amazed that my levels hardly spike at all since I have been baking with Sans Sucre. No more adding large extra dosages of insulin when I want to have my cake, and eat it, too!

All baking mixes use Stevia, a natural sweetener, that has a negligible effect on blood glucose levels. This makes it an ideal sweetener for those on carbohydrate-controlled diets. Sans Sucre also prepares their mixes in small batches with hand-selected ingredients. The taste and quality are certainly there.

When a batch of Sans Sucre’s mixes arrived at my door, I was most eager to bake up the blondies. Imagine a brownie, but, well, blonde and more of a vanilla taste than the chocolate brownies we more commonly enjoy.

With my first batch, I decided to make them less ‘sans’ sugar and added in about 2 tablespoons of Nielsen Massey’s Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder, along with half a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. The result? Heavenly….

Moist, flavorful and perfect paired with a cup of coffee or tea, I often fail a bit at my baking efforts and was thrilled at the turn out of these blondies! Not to mention, we had enough from one batch to last us the entire week…or, they could have. We may have enjoyed them a little faster 😉

Sans Sucre’s mix also served as a great surprise treat. When I returned home from my trip to Northern California (still feeling proud of getting the hot air balloon, but, very tired), it was such a treat to have flowers waiting for me from my hubby, along with a blondie blueberry cake. Taken from a recipe option on the Sans Sucre box, my husband did good and, once again, one batch lasted us for a week.

With Sans Sucre popping up in many major brand grocery stores including Kroger and Albertson’s, you can also order HERE and begin enjoying blondies, brownies and mousse…with no guilt! xo

(*Disclosure: Special thanks to Sans Sucre for providing me with product samples on behalf of this review. All opinions are my own.

*Disclaimer: I am not a Doctor. If you experience health and/or blood sugar issues, please consult your physician for your best dietary needs.)