Oh Honey!
When I start to think about all of the artificial sweeteners out there, my head feels like it is spinning. High fructose corn syrup, aspartame and sucralose, just to name a few, are risky business if you ask me. You could fill your cart to the brim with products that contain one or all of them by walking down just about any aisle in your local grocery store. So what is the alternative?
Believe it or not, there are natural sweeteners out there. Honey is one of my top picks. Did you know that honey never spoils? True, it tastes best when it is fresh but even after it crystallizes, it remains edible. What do you do if you go to the pantry and pull out the honey jar only to find something that looks eerily similar to your third graders science experiment on “how to grow crystals”? No worries! Just place the honey jar in warm water (I remember my mom putting it in a small pan of warm water and placing the pan on the stove burner that she had turned down all the way.) and stir the honey until the crystals all dissolve. If you use the stove method like mom used to, be careful not to boil or scorch the honey.
Honey is awesome for a quick energy boost! Because our brains function on carbs (honey packs 17 grams of carbs per tablespoon) it is the perfect wake up call for your body and mind. So, if you find yourself lethargic and lagging, try this recipe for a quick pick me up!
Oh Honey! Smoothie
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1/2 cup frozen fruit of choice (I like bananas, berries and peaches best)
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2 tsp. honey
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1 cup 1% milk
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1 scoop of high quality protein powder (chocolate is good when using bananas and berries, vanilla works best when using frozen peaches.)
Place all ingredients in the blender and process until smooth. Pour smoothie mixture into a tall glass and enjoy (then keep a list of how productive you are for the rest of the day, you’ll be amazed with yourself!)