Though I found a wide range of recipes using Agave Nectar, the thing that interested me the most was the purpose for using it: as a substitute for granulated sugar. If you've read my blog before, you'll see that I'm all about substituting to make recipes healthier!
Agave Nectar has only 60 calories per tablespoon. Though it is not any less in calories than granulated sugar, it is a lot sweeter so you need less of it to cook & bake to your heart's desire!
I picked up a bottle of Agave Nectar at Whole Foods a few weeks ago. I'm sure you can get it in other places - I just happened to be there at the time :). So far I've tried it three times, loving each time! I'm sure there are a million other uses for it, though. Conveniently enough, these three attempts range from very little time & tool required to about an hour of time invested.
#1: Quick & Easy Snack
Agave Nectar & Cut Up Apples
1 Apple (I used Granny Smith - use what you like!)
2 TBSP Agave Nectar
1 Apple (I used Granny Smith - use what you like!)
2 TBSP Agave Nectar
This is very simple & intuitive. Cut up the apple into easy-to-much slices. Drizzle Agave Nectar over the apples. Enjoy!
#2: Breakfast: Slightly More Work but Well Worth It!
*We all know how much I love oatmeal...so I'm always experimenting with new, delicious concoctions.
#2: Breakfast: Slightly More Work but Well Worth It!
*We all know how much I love oatmeal...so I'm always experimenting with new, delicious concoctions.
Oatmeal with Agave Nectar, Apple & Dried Cranberries
1/2 cup Rolled Oats
1 tsp (about 10) Dried Cranberries
1 TBSP Agave Nectar
Water
1/2 cup Rolled Oats
1 tsp (about 10) Dried Cranberries
1 TBSP Agave Nectar
Water
Put oats in a medium or small saucepan. Fill with water until oats are swimming (about a centimeter of water above the top of the oats). Cut up 1/2 granny smith apple and place along with the cranberries and Agave Nectar into the oat/water mixture.
Place entire mixture, in the saucepan, over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it starts to bubble. Continue stirring constantly until your oatmeal reaches its desired consistency.
Serve entire contents in a bowl. I sprinkled & mixed in about 1 tsp cinnamon as well. Awesome, hearty breakfast!
#3: Baking Time Commitment
*This recipe is essentially your basic sugar cookie recipe, using Agave Nectar instead. Usually you need at least 1 cup, if not 1/2 cups sugar for sugar cookies - notice I used only 2/3 cup Agave Nectar
Place entire mixture, in the saucepan, over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it starts to bubble. Continue stirring constantly until your oatmeal reaches its desired consistency.
Serve entire contents in a bowl. I sprinkled & mixed in about 1 tsp cinnamon as well. Awesome, hearty breakfast!
#3: Baking Time Commitment
*This recipe is essentially your basic sugar cookie recipe, using Agave Nectar instead. Usually you need at least 1 cup, if not 1/2 cups sugar for sugar cookies - notice I used only 2/3 cup Agave Nectar
Agave Nectar Cookies
1/4 cup Egg Substitute
2/3 cup Agave Nectar
2 1/2 TBSP Blue Bonnet (Butter)
1 TBSP Vanilla
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup White Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp salt
Confectioners Sugar (ie Powdered Sugar)
1/4 cup Egg Substitute
2/3 cup Agave Nectar
2 1/2 TBSP Blue Bonnet (Butter)
1 TBSP Vanilla
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2/3 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup White Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp salt
Confectioners Sugar (ie Powdered Sugar)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking pan with non-stick spray.
Combine all wet ingredients in a bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix until you have one fluid consistency.
Place batter in 2 TBSP piles on pan. The cookies spread out a little, but you only need to leave about 2 inches between each pile.
Bake for 8-10 minutes (depending on oven). As soon as you pull them out, brush a tiny bit of Agave Nectar over them & sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
Enjoy!
Combine all wet ingredients in a bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix until you have one fluid consistency.
Place batter in 2 TBSP piles on pan. The cookies spread out a little, but you only need to leave about 2 inches between each pile.
Bake for 8-10 minutes (depending on oven). As soon as you pull them out, brush a tiny bit of Agave Nectar over them & sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
Enjoy!
1 Comments:
These cookies look good!! We use agave almost exclusively. We gave up cane sugar 6 months ago and it's working out well!! It's fun to experiment. We do steel cut oats about 4 or 5 days a week. I cut up 2 apples in small bite size pieces, cook them in a saucepan on high with about a half cup or so of water until soft, sprinkle with generous amounts of cinnamon and a few tablespoons of agave and cook until it all comes together. It's delicious and I find I don't use as much agave as when we would just drizzle it on, but we get a sweeter effect. Thanks for a great post!
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