It’s hard to find a kid that doesn’t love the taste of sugar yet  there are simple ways to practice clean eating and give kids appealing sweet treats that don’t have to be overly processed and completely unhealthy.  You know…white sugar, white flour, trans-fat.

In my book, kids get turned on to sugar much too soon and next thing you know they’re craving it and asking for more. And I’ll be the first to tell you that that was SO  me growing up. I LOVED sugar.  And when Halloween rolled around, I was in 7th heaven.  Remember those days?

The thing is, sugar is so highly concentrated and in kids, it magnifies the effect.  So a little bit goes a long way to giving them that off the wall energy.

Today, however, we have the benefit of a bevy of natural sweeteners that are much gentler on your body.  They don’t have that same sugar spike, they don’t raise blood sugar in the same way yet they can be just as satisfying.  They are a key part of clean eating — using foods that are minimally processed.

When I bake, I almost always use agave nectar, a natural sweetener that comes from the agave plant. It’s very sweet so you only need a little but it tastes great.  I also like to add it to my oatmeal or tea if I need a little touch of sweetness.  Several months ago, I wrote a post about one of my favorite cookie recipes that’s so delicious — oatmeal almond cookies sweetened with agave.  These make for a clean and healthy treat that also feature whole grain flour, even better.

Recently, I found a recipe in Clean Eating Magazine for no-bake chocolate chip cookies. As soon as I read it, I knew I’d love them. They not only have agave nectar but also cacao — raw chocolate. Although cacao, by itself, is bitter, when combined with the agave, it’s a taste treat (and it’s got all kinds of nutrients in it’s raw form)!  I took the liberty of adapting the recipe just a touch by adding in some unsweetened, shredded coconut.  All I can say is that they’re a little taste of heaven.  You must give them a try!

Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup raisins
½ cup pitted dates
2 cups whole oats
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
4 tbsp. agave or honey
2 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of salt, to taste
½ cup cacao nibs

Directions:

1. Place raisins and dates in food processor and chop into small pieces.
2. Add oats, agave or honey, cinnamon and salt. Process to mix well.
3. Empty into a mixing bowl and add cacao nibs. Mix well.
4. Use a tablespoon measure to portion cookies.  Enjoy immediately or chill before serving for firmer texture.

What’s your favorite clean and healthy sweet treat and what do your kids love? What do you do to lessen their dependence on sugar?

If you like this idea, you’ll have to join me on Tuesday, September 15 for my “Kids Love Healthy Food Too!” teleclass where we’ll be discussing more ideas like this to keep your kids feeling their best in simple, natural ways.  You can learn more by clicking on this link: http://budurl.com/md6k

Filed under: Agave Nectar, Cacao, General, Healthy Kids, Sugar and Sweeteners