Happy New Year, guys! I hope only the best for all you lovely people in 2015. Whether it be your personal life or your career, make it count this year because we're not getting any younger. This is the year you make it big! No risk, no gain, folks! I'm starting to think this is a motivation speech for myself...
So, how was your holiday? Mine was pure relaxation. I bummed around and did nothing. Well, not really nothing I mean I sat around, ate stuff and watched Netflix. Even though I had time to blog I just felt extremely lazy and chose to vegetate on my sofa instead (bad Stella!) but on Sunday, the day before normalcy began again, I decided to ease back into reality by baking some Carrot Pineapple Muffins.
I'm a big fan of these muffins. My Mom used to make them all the time and I've made them myself in the past too. They may not look like much since they don't have those big poofy muffin tops but I assure you, taste-wise they are absolutely fantastic. My family aren't generally into muffins but we make an exception for these because the crushed pineapple and shredded carrot keep the muffins real moist. These muffins are also very soft, light, and fluffy inside.
I know we are supposed to watch our weight after Christmas but I thought it would be the perfect time to try the new Stevia-based Truvia® Baking Blend sent to me from the kind people at Truvia (Twitter: @truvia, Facebook: Truvia). Right away, bonus points on the packaging. That close-able pour spout is pretty sexy.
Designed for at-home baking, the new Truvia® Baking Blend is a blend of Truvia® calorie-free sweetener and sugar. The Baking Blend looks virtually identical to table sugar but contains 75% fewer calories per serving. Converting existing recipes is simple when substituting for sugar, just use half as much Truvia® Baking Blend. A 1⁄2 cup of Truvia® Baking Blend has 190 calories and provides the same sweetness as 1 cup of sugar that has approximately 760 calories.
Truvia® claims that its Truvia® Baking Blend has a "sugar-like texture and moistness and will bake and brown like recipes that are made with sugar". So, I put it to the test! I used my trusted Carrot Pineapple Muffins recipe substituting 2 cups of table sugar with 1 cup of Truvia® Baking Blend.
CARROT PINEAPPLE MUFFINS with TRUVIA BAKING BLEND
Makes approximately 24 muffins
INGREDIENTS
- 7 oz Cake flour
- 7 oz Bread flour
- 1 cup Truvia Baking Blend
- 2 tsp Baking soda
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 + 1/3 cup Vegetable oil
- 2 cups Grated carrots
- 1 cup Crushed pineapple, drained
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Combine and sift dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat eggs, vanilla and vegetable oil until smooth.
4. Gradually stir in flour mixture.
5. Add carrots and pineapple. Mix until just combined (do not over mix).
6. Fill greased muffin cups and bake in oven until golden brown, or until wooden stick comes out clean.
Having made and tasted this Carrot Pineapple Muffins recipe numerous times before I'm confident that these ones made with Truvia® Baking Blend taste identical to the ones made with sugar with no difference in appearance, taste or texture. These muffins have the same light golden brown colour and the same fluffiness and sweetness that I love. The one big difference comes down to the numbers; this batch of 24 muffins have 1,140 less calories by substituting sugar with Truvia® Baking Blend. Divide 1,140 by 24 and means each muffin has 50 less calories!
Trying to cut down on sugar for your diet but still want to satisfy your sweet tooth? Truvia® Baking Blend is your answer. Put your hands together for guilt-free baking! :)
For more recipes using the Truvia® Baking Blend, such as Carrot Cake, Raspberry, Oatmeal Bars and Peanut Butter Cookies, along with recipe conversion tips visit truvia.com/Canada/recipes.
ABOUT THE TRUVIA® BRAND
Truvia® calorie-free sweetener is a great-tasting, calorie-free sweetener made with stevia leaf extract, the best tasting part of the stevia leaf. Truvia® stevia leaf extract is a versatile sweetening ingredient used to reduce calories and the sugar content in foods and beverages. Cargill uniquely manages its stevia supply chain from field to table having established a global agricultural standard for stevia. For more information, visit truvia.com/canada.
*The Truvia Baking Blend was a complimentary product sent to me. The opinions and views expressed on this post are my own*