Have you tried coconut sugar yet?  Well what the heck are you waiting for, silly?  Seriously coconut sugar is the bomb, and if you haven’t added it into your regular diet rotation you’re really missing out.  I know what you’re thinking, “Heather, isn’t sugar bad for me?  Aren’t I supposed to stay away from sugar?” or maybe you’re thinking, “Will it make everything taste like Hawaiian Tropic?”  I don’t know, I’m not a mind reader.  Well whatever you’re thinking, put a pin in it for a few minutes and read on.

Coconut sugar is completely natural, which is wicked good.  It doesn’t have any additives, bleaching agents, or chemicals, so you can feel good about your family using it.  It’s derived from the flowers of coconut trees and it doesn’t make stuff taste like suntan lotion, it’s somewhat similar to brown sugar in taste and color.  But nutritionally it kinda kicks brown sugar’s butt (and regular white table sugar’s too).  Coconut sugar has a high mineral content; it’s a pretty decent source of potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron.  It’s also a good source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6, and it contains 16 amino acids.  It also has a low glycemic index, so it’s a good choice for anyone watching his or her insulin.  And coconut sugar is super green!  It’s been called the most sustainable sweetener in the word.  Once a coconut tree is tapped, the sap will flow for twenty years, twenty years!  Sorry for all the exclamation points, but I’m excited!

So how do you use coconut sugar?  Super easy, you just sub it one for one for regular or brown sugar.  So you can use it in your coffee (like I’ve been doing and I love it), and all your favorite recipes. Or you can use it in this recipe right here:

Asian Inspired Beef

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• minced garlic to your liking (I like a lot)
• ½ teaspoon minced ginger
• crushed red pepper to your liking
• salt and pepper
• 1 bunch green onions, all chopped up

1. Brown hamburger and garlic in sesame oil.
2. Drain and add coconut sugar, soy sauce, ginger, red pepper, and salt and pepper.
3. Simmer for a few minutes.  Serve over brown rice (or whatever the heck you want) and top with green onions.
4. Because I am physically incapable of getting everything I need in one trip to the grocery store I’ve made this without the sesame oil, ginger, or onions, and its been tasty every time, so its pretty darn fool proof (says the biggest fool I know, moi).  Enjoy!