As a teenager, I recognized my sensitivity to sugar, but did not actively try to work with it until May 2005. Since then, I have spent countless hours in the kitchen devising sugar-free recipes to enjoy and share with others. Of course, cooking is a chemistry experiment and sugar-free cooking takes the challenge of creating a pleasing dessert-like recipe to the next level.

I have discovered three key things that boost the sweetness factor in recipes. First, I incorporate naturally sweet vegetables like pumpkin, squash, and carrots into my creations. Second, I create ingredient combinations that do not require baking soda or powder, both of which contain sodium bicarbonate, a salt that decreases the sensation of sweetness. Third, I add sweet spices like cinnamon, ginger, vanilla prepared in naturally sweet glycerin, and sometimes curry to jazz up my dessert recipes. I find that when a dessert tastes satisfyingly sweet, I am able to enjoy a little at a time, guilt-free.

One of my recent creations is what I call Oatmeal Pumpkin Spice Cookies. Pumpkin is a great indicator for where my taste buds fall on the sweetness appreciation scale: if I find it sweet – excellent; if I find it close to intolerable – my diet needs more vegetables, period. This recipe is gluten-free when prepared with gluten-free oats, vegan when prepared with ground flaxseed instead of egg, and is naturally dairy-free. Enjoy, and let me know if you have suggested modifications at episzczek@gmail.com (Subject: Oatmeal Pumpkin Spice Cookies).

Oatmeal Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit                                   Yield: 20-25 cookies

1 cup instant oats OR 1 cup rolled oats (processed to a course meal)

2 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. sea salt

Dash allspice

½ tsp. finely grated fresh ginger,

1 Tbs. ground flaxseed meal plus 3 Tbs. water OR 1 egg, beaten

2 tsp. vanilla (I prefer alcohol-free vanilla)

1 cup pureed organic pumpkin (not the pie mix)

¼ cup raw sunflower seeds soaked for 5 minutes in steaming water to soften

Blend dry ingredients; add wet ingredients and mix well. Batter will be thick. Spoon by the tablespoon onto a parchment- paper-covered baking sheet. Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes or until slightly brown on bottom. Cookies will be crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, and will not rise. Enjoy!

Esther Piszczek is a former prosecutor who left the practice of law to live a more creative life. She lives in Charlestown, MA with her supportive husband, Paul, and cat, Haley. To read more of her writing, visit her blog at http://episzczek.blogspot.com/

About Esther Piszczek

Esther Piszczek is a former prosecutor who left the practice of law to live a more creative life. She loves to dance. She lives in Charlestown, MA with her supportive husband, Paul, and cat, Haley. To read more of her writing, visit her blog at http://episzczek.blogspot.com/