7 products for healthy & successful baking

  Healthy baking takes some special ingredients and planning. So I have written down the 7 most usefull products for clean treats. These are my favorite products that I could not manage without. I promise invest in these, you will use them!    Raw Cacao - I use this in many of my recipes, and it is a must for every chocolate lover out there. Raw cacao is much better than the processed cocoa powder since its nutrients and flavor is preserved in the process. Cacao is a top source of antioxidants, and it contains magnesium and iron. You can find raw cacao at whole foods or other health stores (such as GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, etc.). It is expensive but will last a long time.  Dates - Oh how I love dates! their sweetness and caramel texture makes for a perfect treat, especially paired with peanut butter. Dates are also a great natural sweetener that I use a lot in my recipes and they are a valuable ingredient when making chocolate balls or energy bars. Make sure to buy soft medjool dates and not the dried ones. They are not expensive and can be found at your local grocery store.    Almond Flour - This is the perfect flour for low carb baking and for any kind of baking really. Almonds are filled with nutrients, good fat and protein and has a subtle taste to it so that it does not affect the baked goods taste wise, but it adds a nutty texture. Almond flour tends to be expensive but I have not had the best experince making my own. Almond flour can be found in most grocery or health stores.    Brown Rice Flour - Since my move to America this has become one of my favourite staples.  It is a better alternative for wheat flour, has about the same consistency but a more nutty flavor. It´s whole grain and gluten free. Brown rice flour can normally be found in grocery stores and is not too expensive.    Coconut Flour - One of my all time favorites. As almond flour this is also a great low carb flour. Its rich with fiber and quite tasty. It can be quite tricky to bake with at times as it does not have the same consistency in baked goods as other flours. Coconut flour is not expensive and will last for a long time as you will only use a little each time, it can be found in a grocery store.   Unsweetened Almond Milk - A great alternative to milk with a more delicious flavor and a smoother consistency. Almond milk is one of my all time favorites and I would choose almond over regular milk any day! It´s great for baking and I use it in almost all of my recipes. It is very easy to find good almond milk in the U.S but I know that the selecetion in Europe is smaller. Almond milk can be found in any grocery store. My favorite is Whole Foods very own original almond milk, it´s so creamy.   Coconut oil - Almost exlusively the only oil I use when baking. It works as a great 1:1 supplement to butter and brings a sweet flavor to the baked goods. Make sure to buy cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil can be expensive but it is very useful in the kitchen and as a beauty product! Try to put some on the tips of your hair in the shower or use as an ingredient in a facial mask. It can be found in grocery stores.