Nature's Sweetener for Cooking

Nature's Sweetener for Cooking

Here at Melora, we are all about keeping it natural and healthy eating. Swapping out that spoonful of sugar for an equal sized spoonful of honey is the ultimate way to satisfy your sweet tooth and fend off those sugar cravings. 

But did you know that swapping out sugar for honey is a great way to add sweetness to dishes in your everyday cooking too?

Top New Zealand chef, Jimmy Boswell, is a huge advocate of cutting down (even cutting out!) sugar from our diets, especially for our kids. He has demonstrated how to use Melora honey in many of his well-known recipes during a series of his masterclasses.  

“I’ve been using honey as a sugar substitute for years. I have dozens and dozens of recipes where I specifically identify honey to be used,” explains Chef Boswell.

 “Certain dishes like those with a lot of tomato or basil can stand up to the strength of Mānuka honey flavour.  Whereas for lighter dishes, like a seafood dish I demonstrated which had mussels and cockles in their shells, I use the floral blend which is lighter and will complement the flavours of the dish.”

Chef Boswell recommends swapping honey for sugar spoon-for-spoon so we thought we would share one of our favourite home-made tomato sauce recipes with you too to show what a great technique this is and just how delicious food can be without any added sugar!

Sugar-Free Italian Tomato Sauce - Makes 6 cups 

Ingredients 

1 Large Brown Onion
4 Garlic Cloves
2Tbsp Rice Bran Oil
3x 400g Tins Tomatoes
1tsp Dried Mixed Herbs
¾ tsp Salt
3Tbsps Melora Mānuka Blend Honey

 

Directions 

  1. Heat oil in a medium to large size pot and gently saute onion and garlic until clear.

  1. Add remaining ingredients and cook until bubbling – if your tinned tomatoes are quite watery then you may want to simmer for 8-10mins to reduce this down further.

  1. Blend sauce with a stick blender or mixer. Serve on pizza, with pasta, on baked potatoes, as a dip… so many great options!

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