I like to Bake

momma3sweetgirls

I love baking too. I try to give it away to friends so I don't have to eat it all!

mrsmark2010

So during the holidays I love to bake. And I make tons of stuff... Cookies, Cakes, Pies and anything else I find yummy. Any other fellow bakers out there??? any healthy alternatives or recipes???

My healthy alternative is to keep 1 or 2 pieces for myself then give the rest away to friends/family/neighbors/co-workers. Everyone loves me! And I get to stay thin and have a taste. Plus, I try to find healthier options and make those. Love pinterest and trying new things there.

GwennyH

I LOVE to bake!!! And LOVE eating it! My healthy alternative? Occasionally bake something fantastically delicious, enjoy one nice portion and then send the rest to work with my husband to give to his co-workers! But NEVER keep it around.

Another idea that my friend does, if you can: enjoy one portion and then freeze the rest of it in single-serving bags that you can pull out and thaw and enjoy one at a time without having to bake again...

magerum

I baked a cake and cornbread today. Nom nom. Just plan for it and work it in to your plan.

ZeeShay

I also love my holiday baking, and it's just not the same if I don't use my family favorite recipes that include full-flavor EVERYTHING. But, to combat the desire to over indulge, I bake, enjoy and then give the rest to family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, the local firefighters, my son's Kindergarten class. etc. That way, I get to do my baking, have a treat, and feel good about spreading some joy around too.

Edit: I bake every Sunday fro Thanksgiving til New Years...so I plan ahead and make room for a treat each Sunday. One cookie won't kill your diet, but 20 might. So yeah, plan ahead, adjust, enjoy!

I have to remember to plan ahead!!!

ZeeShay

Thanks everyone!! so helpful!!!!! :bigsmile:

ZeeShay

If you have strong will power bake whatever you like;

However if you're like me and would snack at night and grab a cookie when walking by, maybe another one because the first was so good...

then,

Leave out the sugar and and flour I like banana bread but I had to give that up, and pumpkin bread. I bought sub rolls for my son this weekend and ate one today and think I should throw them out but I hate to be wasteful. But I hate being overweight too...And personally for me I'd eat everything baked at night.

I'm not trying to be a jerk with my reply... it's only based on my lack of will power. It's easier to resist what's not in front of you

I have some will power, just not when it comes to my chocolate baked goods. hahaha so i understand, thats why i want to try the low cal versions. and i hate to waste too my mexican half wont let me hahaha good luck with your will power and you seem to be doing great with your weight loss :]

tommygirl15

I bake for a living, so I understand where you're coming from

Try http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/ for a healthy twist on baked goods

shammxo

http://dashingdish.com/recipe/mini-pumpkin-pies/


my favorite thing in the whole world.

bilberryjam

There are about 101 things I want to try from this site http://www.elanaspantry.com/gluten-free-recipes/desserts/

Just need a good excuse to bake!

ZeeShay

Thanks everyone for the sites! I can't wait to look up and try some new recipes :]

victoriavoodoo

The only healthy alternative I have found to work is bake for other people! =] It makes them happy, and you can still test recipes and lick the spoon occasionally(and have one of whatever it is to make sure it's not poison).

I like to bake for school presentations/classes(the ones that don't have 300 people lol) and get togethers with friends, and my boyfriend's classes/job.

If I bake and it stays here whether it's healthy or not I'd eat it all in a couple days

kritterxx

I love baking! My favorite thing to do when I'm back at my parents house is bake (:
one of my favorite things was an all-bran based fruit muffin. Basically a little brown sugar, lots of all-bran, some self raising flour, and then just heaps of pear, apple, bananas etc. so delicious, and my mum loves them! great way to get rid of fruit that's almost ready to be thrown out.

sarahcuddle

I love to bake and my children like to help me but having it around is a serious temptation for me. Even lower calorie versions like the Hairy Dieter's cupcakes. It makes 12 cakes and I ended up throwing some out after a few days. I think I'll wait until they need some for an event at my children's school and make them for that. I am encouraging my 9 year old to make healthier things. He made last night's dinner (with some supervision) and we make soup or pizza from scratch. I think baking needs to be more of an occasional treat now than a weekly occurance. I shall be baking my daughter's chocolate Teddy Bear Cake for her birthday though

Heather0123456789

Chocolatecoveredkate has some great recipes and single serving ones too x

I love her!!! I also love baking and all that business! Everyone has given great suggestions! I also love finding stuff on Pinterest . Don't be afraid to swap stuff out, try new things, tweak recipes until they are a healthier version for you! I do this lots by just guessing

kathyms13

i love backing im gonna do some today.

pkw58

You can bake like you always do as well as a few new things with a "less fat and less sugar" twist. I try to just bake on one day, like Sunday or Saturday.

I also try to have handy a big pitcher or teapot of my favorite tea as well as a plate of carrot sticks, celery sticks, and dill pickles. I snack on those while I am baking so I don't eat any icing or batter or dough . Switch tasting from a tablespoon full to a "green pea size" taste.

Enjoy baking.

LeighAnna115

Not sure if anyone has already mentioned this but try chewing gum as you bake, it will prevent you from tasting/licking your fingers as you go!

shvrngrl

I like to bake and cook. I use alot of substitutions that I feel are healthy. Like pumpkin puree in place of oils, I steep dates until they are liquid and replace sugar. I use yogurts instead of buttermilk. Their are tons of bloggers who use great recipes. I am not sure how it changes the calorie amount, but I look more to change the nutritional content.

shvrngrl

There are about 101 things I want to try from this site http://www.elanaspantry.com/gluten-free-recipes/desserts/

Just need a good excuse to bake!

This is a fantastic site. I'm on the mailing list and love all the recipes and variations.

ZeeShay

Not sure if anyone has already mentioned this but try chewing gum as you bake, it will prevent you from tasting/licking your fingers as you go!

Thats great because i always start sampling the batter or the frosting haha.

20tulipgirl20

I hardly ever use egg for baking; instead, I use 1 TBSP ground flax seed with 3 TBSP of water and whisk it. I love tofu and will sometimes use this as the base for certain desserts. I found a bunch at http://vegetarian.about.com/od/desertrecipes/qt/Tofu-Desserts.htm

momwhosbusy

You have to check out Chocolatecoveredkatie.com as well...she has LOTS of lower fat, healthier version of a tastey treats! Also a fellow baker here, it was always my down fall but now I have learned that I am gluten intollerant so I just get to bake and enjoy everyone else eating the treats! (FYI, chocolatecoveredkatie has a lot of GF recipes as well so if you have friends with celiac's this is a great site!)

kdiamond

Agreed with others...you can use 1/2 the sugar they call for in bread recipes or pies, use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil, use egg whites in place of whole eggs (2 egg whites = 1 egg), use greek yogurt instead of sour cream, sometimes I will use 1/2 splenda baking blend and 1/2 sugar...

You can also use pumpkin in recipes instead of applesauce, but I find in breads it makes it mushier so if you want fluffier breads use the applesauce.

Also...just bake in moderation! I love to bake during the holidays too but I will try and give most of it away to neighbors and friends after I get my fix.

Anna800

I made this pumpkin bread with zsweet instead of splend and it was delicious!
http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1137