"If you've ever tasted stevia, you know it's extremely sweet. In fact, this remarkable noncaloric herb, native to Paraguay, has been used as a sweetener and flavor enhancer for centuries. But this innocuous-looking plant has also been a focal point of intrigue in the United States in recent years because of actions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "
From my reading, it's all political and about money. It's simply too cheap . i.e., " As Rob McCaleb, president and founder of the Herb Research Foundation, puts it: "Sweetness is big money. Nobody wants to see something cheap and easy to grow on the market competing with the things they worked so hard to get approved."
It comes in a powder and in a liquid dropper bottle at the health food store .. VERY VERY sweet. Takes just a couple of drops to really sweeten.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
YIELD: About 4 dozen
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon white stevia powder
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 cup salted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside.*
2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder, and set aside.
3. Place the egg, stevia, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl, and beat well with a wooden spoon or an electric hand-held mixer. Slowly add the butter, continuing to beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. * Instead of greasing a cookie sheet, you can cover it with parchment paper, which makes for quick and easy cleanup.
Pina Colada Smoothie
YIELD: TWO 8-OUNCE SERVINGS
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple juice
1/3 cup plain yogurt, or kefir
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
1 teaspoon coconut flavoring
1/8 teaspoon white stevia powder, or to taste
1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and whip on high speed for 30 seconds
2. Serve immediately.
Hmmm .. my mouth's watering for that one!
This sounds good, too:
Homemade Ginger Ale
YIELD: 8-OUNCE SERVING
3 ounces ginger syrup (see below)
5 ounces sparkling mineral water
ice cubes
1. Pour the syrup into a 10-ounce glass and add the ice cubes.
2. Slowly add the sparkling water. Stir and serve.
Making Homemade Ginger Syrup
With minimum effort, you can make this flavorful stevia-sweetened syrup to have on hand whenever you're in the mood for a refreshing glass of sparkling ginger ale.
GINGER SYRUP
YIELD: APPROXIMATELY 4 CUPS
4 cups water
4-or 5-inch piece fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon white stevia powder
2 tablespoons vanilla flavoring
1 tablespoon lemon extract
1. Peel and finely chop the ginger
2. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the ginger and stevia, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Strain the liquid into a heatproof container, and stir in the vanilla and lemon
4. Covered and refrigerated, this syrup will keep for several days.
DIET RITE DEAD MAN WALKING DESSERT
Have family member drop you off at any mall that has Hagen Das Ice Cream Parlor, 5 or more miles away that you have to walk home, for every scoop you intend to eat, then go for it! Try out you new body ... :o)