The Sugar-Free Review Returns

11/01/2012

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I can't believe it has been four and a half months since the last time I posted here.

An unfortunate reality for me—whenever I get busy with work, my blogs suffer. It was something I thought I could manage better this year. However, things got a bit overwhelming with work and some family and personal health problems. Hence, I fell off the wagon for a bit. But I've truly missed writing content for this blog, especially since I have some exciting sugar-free products and recipes to share, so I'm looking to start up again. I'm trying a new look for the site, which I hope you like. I'm a purple girl at heart, so it should be no surprise that my new them would be reflect that.

The next few reviews are products where I'd almost attach a bit of an asterisk because they are soft drinks (pop or soda, depending on where you live). And I don't consider pop to be a healthy beverage. That said, we all deserve a treat every now and then, and when we do treat ourselves, it's great to be able to do so without doing significant damage to our health. As I've said before, eating healthy doesn't mean giving up all of the foods that you love. So I'll be introducing my favorite sodas that can be enjoyed on their own or mixed with other drinks. I meant to post these during the summer, and although it's gotten a bit chilly, these are still great sodas.

I've also tried a few new stevia brands that I'm really excited about, so I'll be posting reviews for them as well. So it's great to be back, and if you're new here, welcome aboard.
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Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread with Olive Oil

01/26/2012

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As a big fan of breakfast foods, I know the value of a good spread. Whether it's butter, margarine, or even cream cheese, that first meal of the day just wouldn't be the same without it. Can you really have toast, biscuits, or bagels without some kind of spread?  I was searching for a healthy alternative to butter and margarine that actually tasted like the spread it was replacing. After discovering Earth Balance, I don't think I'll enjoy butter or margarine the same way again.

About Earth Balance
Earth Balance offers a variety of healthy alternative foods such as soymilk, nut butters, mayonnaise alternatives, and of course their buttery-flavored spreads. Their products are free of trans fats, hydrogenated oils, and artificial ingredients. While not all Earth Balance spreads are lower in calories than margarine, they do have fewer calories than butter and are all natural,  completely free of GMOs and chemically processed oils, and rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. The first Earth Balance product my husband and I have tried is the spread made with olive oil.

The Spread
As a butter lover, I was skeptical. In fact, I'm still having trouble parting with it for my baking needs. But if the sticks for baking are as good as the olive oil spread, then I may have to try it. The olive oil product not only spreads and melts like butter and margarine, but the flavor is rich and buttery enough to be addictive.

This from a dairy lover, mind you, the true test in my opinion is that this product rarely lasts long in our household. Even my husband, an extremely picky eater, loves this spread, and we are looking to try others in the near future.

See for Yourself
I'd show a picture of the spread in the container, but the contents are embarrassingly low. I did mention this stuff doesn't last long here, didn't I? 

However, I can show you the Earth Balance olive oil spread on a raisin and oat bagel.
Hmmm . . . breakfast . . . As you can see, it spreads and melts just like butter or margarine, and my husband teases me for spreading it generously.

As an aside, I occasionally wonder how much healthier I would be if I could give up bagels.  Someday perhaps . . . But I'm definitely looking to cut butter from my diet, and using Earth Balance spreads is a step in the right direction.


So what is your favorite spread?
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Welcome to The Sugar-Free Review

01/10/2012

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Welcome aboard. If you found this blog, then you must be either looking for reviews of products with no sugar added, sugar-free recipes, or articles on sugar-free living. Generally, I don't care for introductory posts because they are a bit like first dates. They can be a bit awkward, and they don't tell the whole story or do justice to the parties involved. However, it seems fair to introduce you to the blog and tell you a bit more about the reviewer and what you can expect from this blog.  

So here goes.

My name is Karen, and I will be writing most of the posts here. You can find out more about me and why I maintain sugar-free (or sometimes low-sugar) diet on my About page, and as you can see, this topic is one that is dear to me for personal reasons. Healthy living is also very important to me, so if I can encourage others to embrace a healthy lifestyle as well, then it is definitely worth the endeavor.

So what will you find here?

Reviews, as the title implies, will be plentiful. You'll find a lot of reviews of organic products as well as for different brands of stevia and products sweetened with it. Recipes will also be available with some degree of regularity. If the recipe is mine, I will post it directly, but if it isn't, I will link to the source and credit the author. Finally, you'll be relevant articles and news.

So feel free to browse. I hope you enjoy the sugar-free delights. 
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