Y’all. Sugar free candy!!! Specifically, these almond buckeyes. This recipe and this post have got me SO excited. We’re gonna talk candy & goodies this Trim Healthy Tuesday. I’ve been a little nervous about the upcoming holidays. I mean, in years past, I really LOVED the baking and cookie making. We would make all kinds of candies, fudge, cookies, and sweets to enjoy here at home and to give away to family and friends. This year, after losing 50 pounds and having so much success on Trim Healthy Mama, I was feeling a little lost. How was I going to do the holidays without sugar?
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I mean, I’m not super experienced with the sugar alcohols, and baking with the gluten free, low carb flours. The results from what little experimenting I’ve done is pretty, er…experimental.
Last week, the authors of a new cookbook contacted me and asked me to review their sugar free cookbook: the Sweeter Side of Candida Cookbook-Desserts for the Holidays, Special Occasions, & Everyday Sweet Treats. BINGO! Hello…
(the above is my affiliate link)
Now, you may be wondering why I’m reviewing a Candida cookbook on Trim Healthy Tuesday. But don’t be put off by the word Candida in the title. Focus on the whole sugar free candy and cookies and pies thing. Both of the authors are experienced cooks who have been on the road to recovery from Candida, which happens to be a sugar free eating plan that requires low carb, gluten free flours. So we’re just on different roads to the same destination: trim & healthy sugar free treats! Bring. It. On!
So this weekend, I had fun in the kitchen again, and it was just like old times. But a skinnier, happier, sugar free version of old times.
I made both the almond butter buckeye recipe from the book and the classic peanut butter version. I secretly thought that the peanut butter version would be my favorite. BOY was I wrong!
The almond butter ones really are the best thing ever. They remind me of cookie dough bites. SO yummy! I’m so very happy to be able to share sugar free treats with my friends and family this year.
The Sweeter Side of Candida Cookbook Review
So let me tell you more about this cookbook: if you HAVE candida, or want to learn more about it, it’s an excellent resource. The Appendix offers tons of info on candida, and outlines an eating plan for recovery.
And just look how pretty it is! There are photos of most of the recipes, and I love how they are formatted nicely for printing. Each recipe is on one to two pages, so it’s easy to just print the ones you want.
If you are a Trim Healthy Mama like me, and the candida info doesn’t apply to you, then this is STILL a fantastic resource. The sweeteners used in the book are Xylitol and Stevia extract. They include info on why they use these particular products, and even resources and brand recommendations. They also include baking tips and a shopping list: nice touches for those just learning about cooking with low carb flours and sweeteners!
Now let’s talk about the fun part. The RECIPES! The book is packed with over 70 recipes for cookies, candies, snacks, bars, cakes, frosting, and drinks. I was very impressed with their innovate ways of using flavors, like the use of earl gray tea in these Snicker Doodling Cookies.
After looking over the recipes in the book, I am really looking forward to getting back in the kitchen. In fact, here’s a peek at the recipes from the book: a free printable Sweeter Side of Candida THM Type Index where each recipe is typed as S, E, FP, or Crossover. Out of the whole book, there are only two recipes that are not on plan with THM due to the use of molasses.
I did find that the technique of melting the butter for the Snicker Doodling Cookies caused my batter to be too thin to roll into balls. I remedied this by just sticking it in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up the butter. They worked beautifully. 
The cinnamon coating is just really delicious and flavorful. I added 1 1/2 tablespoons of xylitol to that as well just because I like the little crunch. The finished cookies are cake-like, and far tastier than any of my prior attempts at low carb cookie baking.
My husband has been really, really excited about finding treats cooling on the counter when he comes home. The texture improves even more overnight after being chilled. I ate them for breakfast this morning…cold out of the fridge. They were AMAZING.
The best part? These desserts can be enjoyed as part of your weight loss plan. Check out how the author lost weight while testing and eating two dessert recipes a day for a full month. I can’t wait to try the homemade chocolate chip/chunk recipe that uses real cocoa butter…you can even bake with them.
And the chewy chocolate chip cookie will be the first thing I try with the chocolate chips. I’ve missed cookies.
And caramel. I’m eying the caramel recipe, the fudge recipes, the sugar free candy bar recipe with shortbread & caramel, the pumpkin cheesecake, and the pecan pie. You get the idea.I’m going to be busy… 
and very, very happy this holiday season!
Best Thing Ever Almond Butter Buckeye Recipe [S]
This decadent recipe is shared generously from the book the Sweeter Side of Candida. You can make these with peanut butter, but the almond butter is really amazingly good...it reminds me of cookie dough! Yields: 20 buckeyes
Author: Paula Miller & Sarah Ives
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 10
Ingredients
Filling
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup raw almond butter* or almond flour, or 1 cup whole almonds
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of celtic sea salt
- ½ cup xylitol granules
- ½ tsp. cinnamon (optional-I omitted)
Chocolate Coating - ½ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup raw cacao powder (I used regular cocoa powder)
- pinch of celtic sea salt
- stevia extract to taste
Instructions
- I didn't have raw almond butter, but I did have ¾ cups of Honeyville almond flour (or 1 cup whole almonds). Measure into a food processor or blender, and let it run for several minutes until it gets clumpy.
- Add butter, xylitol granules, salt, and vanilla and pulse to combine. It should be fluffy & creamy.
- Alternatively, simply mix almond or peanut butter with butter, vanilla, salt, xylitol, and cinnamon (optional).
- Using a small scoop, form balls, placing them onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Freeze for at least 20 minutes, while preparing the chocolate coating.
To prepare chocolate coating: - In a 2 cup measuring cup or taller bowl, cream room temp coconut oil with cocoa powder and add stevia to taste. Warm very slightly by microwaving for 20 seconds or by setting bowl in a warm water...*just* until cocoa mixture becomes liquid. Overheating the mix will make your coating very thin.
- My coconut oil had some small clumps, so I opted to strain those out for a smoother coating.
- Remove buckeyes from the freezer, and dip using a toothpick or fork- covering all but the top of the buckeye.
- Return to cookie sheet, and re-freeze/re-dip if desired.
- Store in the freezer, and keep chilled to serve.
Notes
Generously shared with permission from the Sweeter Side of Candida Cookbook Links in this post are affiliate links.
OK…let’s get down to the Trim Healthy Tuesday link up, and then I’ll give you more details about how to enter to win the Sweeter Side of Candida Cookbook
And now for LOTS more Trim & Healthy Inspiration…
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