Ingredients I Use

Agave Nectar- A delicious vegan liquid sweetener with a neutral flavor. This sweetener is taken from the Agave plant, the same plant from which tequila is made.  Agave Nectar has a much lower glycemic index than table sugar, is minimally processed, does not crystallize like honey, and is totally gluten-free.  I prefer the Madhava Brand.  Check out the Madhava website.

Other Liquid Sweeteners I Use- Brown Rice Syrup, Pure Maple Syrup, occasionally Honey
White Whole Wheat Flour- A whole-wheat flour with a gentler taste than typical whole-wheat flour.  I use this flour whenever a recipe calls for white flour OR whole-wheat pastry flour.  The fiber and other nutrients are still there, but the bran-ish, strong wheat flavor is not.  I prefer the King Arthur Flour brand.

Other Whole Grain Flours I Use- Oat flour, Millet Flour, Rye Flour, Brown Rice Flour, etc.

Flax- a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidants.  It is difficult for the body to extract nutrients from whole flax seeds, so I recommend using only ground flax seeds.  I use flax as an egg substitute in many vegan baking recipes (1 large egg=1 Tabl. ground flax + 3 Tabl. water, whisked until thick).  Flax is a beautiful thing, but it has a very strong flavor.  Use it intelligently (i.e. flax is great in muffins, quick breads, waffles, etc., but NOT in cheesecakes).  Take a look at my Spiced Flax Muffin Recipe.

Tamari, Low Sodium- a high grade, soy-based (wheat and gluten-free) soy sauce.  A cheap soy sauce can be used instead of tamari, but the quality of the finished product suffers.  Tamari is wonderful in gravies (it is my secret ingredient in meat-less gravies), dressings, sauces, stir fry dishes, etc.  I prefer the San-J brand.

Fruits (Fresh and Dried)- Apples, Bananas, Strawberries, Kiwi, Oranges, Blueberries, Prunes, Raisins, etc.

Vegetables- Asparagus, Baby Spinach, Kale, Swiss Chard, Broccoli, Tomatoes (these are considered fruits, I know!), Carrots, Beets, Peas, Red Cabbage, Onions, Garlic, etc.