You’ve heard me talk extensively about the addictive qualities of sugar, as well as sugar’s detrimental effects on your health. Aside from the obvious issues, such as diabetes and weight gain, sugar adversely affects many cellular pathways in your body. Example: sugar affects the calcium/phosphorus ratio in the bloodstream. This ratio is the common pathway of stress, which leads directly to the pathway of degenerative disease. So sugar can and will actually change the way you deal with stress and hasten the decline of your cells.

Now that we are in the midst of the holidays, sugar temptations seem to be lurking around every corner. So for all you bakers out there, here’s your chance to shine! Eliminate the guilt of feeding your loved ones the big "S." Try one of my favorite delicious dessert recipes without damaging refined sugar, and without neurotoxic artificial sweeteners.

Pie Crust 1/3 cup barley flour 1/3 cup rice flour 1/3 cup quinoa flour ½ cup melted butter

In a medium bowl, combine flours. Using a fork, stir in the butter to form a dough (if dough is too dry, add a few drops of water at a time). Form dough into a ball and place between two pieces of wax paper. Roll out the dough into a 10-inch circle. Press flattened dough into a 9-inch pie pan and crimp or flute edges. Prick bottom with a fork, and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, or until light brown. Add your favorite "no-bake" filling, or add filling to the uncooked crust and bake according to individual recipe instructions (such as the pumpkin below).

Pumpkin Pie 2 pounds fresh or canned pumpkin, puréed 4 beaten eggs 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp. ground cloves ½ tsp. ground nutmeg 1 tsp. stevia (optional)

Thoroughly mix ingredients in a bowl. Pour into uncooked pie crust and cook at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Spicy Carob Brownies ½ cup quinoa flour ½ cup rice flour ½ cup powdered carob 2 tsp. powdered ginger 1 rounded tsp. cinnamon 2 tsp. non-aluminum baking powder 1 cup well-cooked (baked or steamed) sweet potatoes 2 Tbs. safflower oil 2 eggs

Combine flours, carob, ginger, cinnamon and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. Beat together sweet potatoes, oil and eggs until well-blended. Add dry ingredients, ½ cup at a time, to form a smooth batter. Pour into 7x11-inch greased and floured baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and serve.

Hot Carob "Cocoa" (The Wendler’s recipe) 1 quart rice or almond milk 4 Tbs. carob powder ½ tsp. stevia extract (to taste) pinch of sea salt, to taste 1 tsp. vanilla

Blend ingredients, pour into a pan and heat (don’t boil).

Carob Chip Cookies ½ cup butter ½ cup raw cashew butter ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce 1 egg ½ tsp. stevia extract 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup oat, spelt or sorghum flour ½ tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. sea salt ½ cup carob chips (or 75% cocoa or higher dark chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Olive oil a baking sheet. Soften butter. Cream butter and cashew butter together. Blend in applesauce. Beat in egg. Mix in stevia and vanilla. Stir flour, baking soda and salt together, and then mix into the liquid ingredients. Add carob chips and stir. (Batter should be fairly stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons. flour if needed.) Drop batter onto cookie sheet and press down on the cookies once with your palm. Bake 12-15 minutes.

Coconut Sweet-Potato Pudding 4 cups well-cooked (baked or steamed) sweet potatoes 1 cup coconut milk 1 cup shredded fresh coconut 1 Tbs. vanilla Mix ingredients in a blender until thoroughly puréed. Pour into individual parfait glasses (or into the cooked pie crust above), and refrigerate until ready to serve. Add ½ cup powdered carob for a chocolate taste. Enjoy and be well!