1. Think whole foods like fruit, instead of your typical ooey-gooey, high-sugar desserts. CHOCOLATE-COATED FRUIT PARTY PLATTER (source: "Get The Sugar Out" by Anne Louise Gittleman) 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares 1 T. unsalted butter (coconut oil is a great substitute for butter - and if you are avoiding dairy because of lactose, the higher the fat content of a dairy product, the lower the lactose - butter has very little lactose) 1/2 c. unsweetened apple-juice concentrate 1 t. natural vanilla extract 4 c. fruit (whole strawberries, bananas, navel oranges, kiwis, etc.) Spray a baking sheet with a vegetable cooking spray (or cover with parchment paper or Release aluminum foil); set aside. In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, melt chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally; remove from heat and cool slightly. Whisk in juice concentrate a little at a time until chocolate is smooth; add vanilla extract. If mixture is too thick, add a little more concentrate until it thins out. Dip ends of fruit into chocolate mix, twirling to coat lower half of each piece of fruit; let excess drip back into pan until all chocolate is used. Place fruit on prepared baking sheet; place in freezer 10 minutes to set chocolate. refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 12 servings of 3 pieces each. --------------- Marinated Fresh Fruit Kabobs Marinade: 1/2 c. honey (agave nectar or no-calorie substiute) 1/4 c. water 1/4 c. lime juice 1/4 c. orange juice Fruit: 1 c. honeydew melon balls or cubes 1 c. watermelon balls or cubes 1 c. cantaloupe melon balls or cubes 2 large nectarines or peaches, cut into cubes 8-12 bamboo skewers In small saucepan, combine honey (or substitute) and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice and orange juice. Cool completely. Combine fruit in medium bowl. Pour marinade over fruit; toss gently. Cover; refrigerate 1-2 hours to blend flavors. When ready to serve, place about 12 pieces of fruit on each bamboo skewer. 8-12 kabobs ------------- Instead of Apple Pie... Orange Sauced Apples 3 T. agave nectar (or other sweetener) 1 T. cornstarch 1/4 t. nutmeg or cinnamon or apple pie spice 1 c. orange juice 3 cooking apples (For French Apple, add some raisins.) Combine agave nectar, cornstarch, spice, juice, and blend well. Stir in apple slices. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer 5-10 minutes or until apples are tender and sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Serve warm. You can top this with sprinkles of crunchy cereal, homemade sugar-free granola or nuts to give it a "crust". 2. Check your local library for cookbooks on the subject. Here are a few that I have in my library that would have appropriate recipes in them. Have your library get them through inter-library loan if they don't have them on the shelf. The "allergy" cookbooks have recipes for frosting/fillings that are dairy-free, as well as other dessert items. -The Complete Food Allergy Cookbook - by Marilyn Gioannini -How Sweet It Is...Without The Sugar - by Jean C. Wade -The Allergy Self-help Cookbook - by Marjorie Hurt Jones -Stevia (Naturally sweet recipes for desserts, drinks and more!) by Rita DePuydt 3. If you can use agave nectar (a natural, low-glycemic, honey-like sweetener), I have many recipes you could use. If you are dealing with Candida, then that requires a whole different approach to foods and agave nectar wouldn't be a suitable sugar substitute. I've used agave nectar as a substitute for "sugar" for many years now. An easy way to use agave nectar is as a substitute in recipes that use honey as a sweetener. "Sugar-Free" is a bit broad. Do you mean free of white table sugar, since things like concentrated fruit juices are also full of "sugar"? White flour and white rice raises blood glucose as quickly as white table sugar, if you are avoiding "sugar" for blood sugar problems. It's easy to substitute agave nectar for sugar in recipes. Muffins and other quick breads also make great "treats" and snacks. Make up batches of mini-muffins and freeze them. 4. Tortillas are a great substitute for yeast-free bread. They can be used for quick meals, including wraps. They are also fun and easy to make at home. 5. Nut milk and rice milk is a great substitute for milk and is easy (and much cheaper) to make at home. Personally, I avoid soy, since it's high on the list of allergens. If it's lactose in milk you are avoiding, then Whey Milk is a great substitute - www.wheymilkusa.com. -Grainlady

Eat protein and vegetables for meals. If you want baked goods, substitute water or juices for the milk and use baking powder and/or baking soda for the rising. Sprite soft drink works well in hotcakes.

Here is one that I found but haven't tried it yet. Through trial and error I came up with a great yeast free recipe for bread that all my friends have borrowed. It is easy to make with no other equipment than a wooden spoon and a bowl, and a good baking sheet (I prefer the ones that are airfilled so that the bottom doesn't burn). I'm in Canada and use 8oz= Cup =240ml and my teaspoon=5ml." Ingredients 3 Cups whole wheat flour (preferably stone ground) 4 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 1/2 Cups liquid (I use rice milk or water but it works with any liquid) 1/4 Cup liquid fat (I've used melted milk free margarine but now I use olive oil) Mix dry ingredients. Do not sift the flour! Mix liquids and add to dry. Stir until there is no more dry flour. Shape into a ball or an oval, with oiled hands. Place on clean baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes at 400F/200C. "I often rub the dough ball with virgin olive oil and sprinkle sea salt and oregano for a foccacia flavor. For tea time, I add a tsp. Rapadura sugar which is pure cane sugar. The liquid can be replaced for orange or other fruit juice if the bread is to be used for teatime and you can even add dried chopped fruits. For a savory bread the liquid can be tomato juice and you can add chopped sundried tomatoes to the dough. Sprinkling of seeds in the dough or on top of the bread is also possible.

Please, let me know how your bread turned out. Because I make so many breads to sell weekly I buy my flours at a nearby co-op in bulk - like 25# and 50# bags, xanthan by the ounce, fresh baking powder, almond meal, dry milk powder, and yeast in bulk, plus dried fruit, chocolate, nuts and honey, etc. They do offer on-line sales, you don't have to be a member to order, no minimums, and have thousands of products. The Grain Mill Grocery Cooperative www.grainmill.com; you can pick up in Wake Forest NC or Myerstown PA, or have it delivered to you. You may want to check locally for food co-ops or call your County Extension Agent. You might be surprised to find one quite close to you. Another on-line store I like is Barry Farm Foods (www.barryfarm.com). You can buy some of their products on Amazon but going to their website to order is less expensive and much more comprehensive. You can buy a huge variety of flours in 1# or discounted 5# bags but they also have an abundance of cooking and baking ingredients, and all gluten free things are clearly marked and verified. When you buy cornstarch locally check the price per pound. The fancy yellow plastic packaged containers cost $1.59 to $2.39 per pound - for the same stuff as the plain white box off brand box for $1 at my local grocery store. It pays to check prices on everything gluten free because it is a "fad" so a lot of places have inflated their prices. I'd be cautious buying from stores like Trader Joe's, Fresh Market, and Whole Foods. Yes, the things are available but I find prices quite high relatively, so even if I buy on-line and pay shipping it's cheaper, especially if you buy in larger quantities than the little 22 ounce pre-packaged bags. GF flours keep a very long time, unlike wheat flour, so buying in bulk saves you money, and you know you are going to use it in the near future. A little advice for storage - buy some good food-grade storage containers for your bulk flours. The disposable Glad, Rubbermaid, Zip-lock, Hefty bags and boxes, even plastic wrap and freezer boxes breathe. Pantry pests can get in along with oxygen that degrades them quickly. Containers that are rigid plastic, or glass, that are noted as air-lock and/or spill proof are best - Snapware, Glasslock, Pyrex, Cambro, even my favorite - Mason jars. For big quantities I use food grade 5 and 7 gallon buckets with very tight lids from the restaurant supply store, where you can also buy good smaller storage containers. Never use your vacuum sealer bags to store flours or other loose ingredients - they make them taste and smell funny. Using the sealer on Mason jars is a better option to remove the air in the jar. Nancy