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of recipes in this book that don’t include fruits and veg­etables, and you may want to focus on those. However, we typically call for these ingredients in moderate amounts, and we’ve formulated the recipes to balance out their sugars. We recommend that you give some of these recipes a try and start with just a very small portion so you can see how they work for you. And if you don’t have issues with thesugars in whole fruits, then feel free to increase the amount. We’ve generally provided guidance on how much you can add without adversely affecting the final product.
    Raisins anddried fruit: Dried fruits are even sweeter than their fresh counterparts, so we don’t call for them often. But again, when we do, the amounts are moderate and the overall glycemic load of the final product is carefully balanced, so you may be able to enjoy these treats in moderation. And if you aren’t sensitive to the sugars in dried fruit, you can increase the amount if you like.
    Salt: We generally prefer sea salt or kosher salt because they are pure and have a clean flavor. For baking, we use regular-grind sea salt and the smaller grind of kosher salt, and this is what we mean when we say just plain “salt” in ingredient lists. Don’t substitute coarser forms of salt; they weigh less, spoon for spoon, and that difference can affect the flavor of the final product. If you have only coarse salt, increase the amount by about 25 percent. Also, note that because the amount of salt in these recipes is so low, you can also use iodized table salt if you like.
    Spray oil: There are so many vegetable oilsprays on the market, such as Pam, Spectrum, and Smart Balance. Spray oil is used primarily to prevent sticking, so any type will do except those that contain flour (the label will usually say “For Baking,” but check the ingredients list to be certain). However, we recommend butter-flavored sprays because of how nicely they enhance the flavor of nut flour. Regardless of what variety you choose, be sure to have some on hand, because we call for it in almost every recipe!
    Sugar-free maple-flavored syrup: If sugar isn’t an issue for you, then we highly recommend that you use pure maple syrup. But since you’re reading this book, we bet that you or someone you love is sensitive to sugar. Fortunately, there are some serviceable sugar-free maple-flavored syrups on the market. We recommend Maple Grove Farms Sugar-Free Maple-Flavored Syrup and Vermont Sugar-Free Syrup. Please note that Maple Grove Farms brand is a company that also makes excellent pure maple syrup, but they make both of these two sugar-free brands, which is probably why their products taste better to us than any of the other sugar-free brands—they know real maple syrup. The sugar-free version, labeled Vermont Sugar-Free Syrup, contains only 5 grams of carbs per ¼ cup serving. The Maple Grove Farms Sugar-Free Maple-Flavored Syrup contains 12 carbs per serving (by way of comparison, there are 53 net carbs in an equal amount of pure maple syrup). Both are labeled “sugar-free,” but the Vermont Sugar-Free version has the least amount of carbs, so purchase that one if carbs are a concern. If you can’t find this brand, you can find other sugar-free maple-flavored syrups in most grocery stores alongside the other syrups. Read the labels carefully and opt for the one with the fewest carbs.
    Xanthan gum: Gums are often used as gluten replacements because they stabilize and thicken products.Guar gum, derived from guar beans, is one type, but we prefer xanthan gum because it is easier to digest than guar gum, which causes gas in some people. However, if you already use guar gum feel free to continue using it in these recipes. Xanthan gum is derived from the fermentation of glucose or other sugars and is dried into a powder that forms a gum when it is hydrated. There is no glycemic load from the small amount of gum used in these recipes.

    THE GLUTEN-FREE, SUGAR-FREE TOOL