Cooking a Full Meal with Splenda

Last October, I went to the grocery and got myself some Splenda products.  I was planning to eat healthy.  I thought that substituting sugar with a healthier alternative was good for me.  After reading hundreds of recipes that features Splenda, I still ended up clueless with what to cook.  Not to mention that I had to prepare to move to my new place last month.  I was too busy to even cook!

Well, now that I have settled in the condo, I’m ready to cook up a few simple meals!  This is an activity which I find difficult and exciting at the same time.

I asked a close friend to help me out.  It’s vital for me to seek help because I can’t even cook a decent egg (I’m that inexperienced with cooking!).  She was very supportive and suggested that we prepare a whole meal using Splenda as a supplementary ingredient.  WOW!  I was only thinking of one or two recipes but we ended up preparing four dishes!!!

There were two things that I was looking out for the activity:

• the cooking experience itself.
• learning how to prepare food.
• if there is a difference in taste considering that we won’t be using real sugar.

Yesterday, we finally did it!  After almost two hours, all 4 dishes were completed!  I didn’t do the cooking but I was mostly chopping things and observing my friend cook.  She’s truly the best!  I truly appreciate the help she extended.  I think I can cook those dishes by myself in the future.  With regards to the taste, it was actually good!  I didn’t feel guilty eating a lot because I know it has less calories since we used Splenda.

Here are the recipes of our delicious lunch yesterday (thanks Maus!):

1st item: Sopas

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Elbow Macaroni
1 cup Sliced Hotdog
1 cup Diced Carrots
1 cup Diced Potatoes
1/2 cup Sliced Onions
1 box All-Purpose Cream
3 cups Water
Cooking Oil
Salt, Pepper & Granulated Splenda to taste

Procedure:

1. Heat 3 cups of Water in a pot, with 1 tablespoon Oil and 1/3 tablespoon Salt.
2. Once Water boils, place 1 cup of Elbow Macaroni and place lid over the pot.
3. Put Carrots & Potatoes into the mixture and let it boil.
4. Until Carrots & Potatoes are cooked, put in Chopped Onion, Pepper, Salt & Granulated Splenda to taste.
5. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Turn off the stove and pour in the All-Purpose Cream and stir.
7. Serve hot.

2nd item: Chili Ground Beef

Ingredients:

1/3 kilo of Ground Beef
Cooking Oil
10 cloves of Garlic diced.
3 pieces of Chili
1/2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
Salt & Granulated Splenda to taste

Procedure:

1. Saute Garlic in Oil until you can smell the aroma.
2. Put in the sliced chilies and sauté for a few seconds.
3. Put in the ground beef and let it cook.
4. Place in Soy Sauce, Salt & Splenda to taste.

3rd item: Vanilla Gulaman with Lychee

Ingredients:

12 grams White Gulaman Powder (unflavored)
3 cups Water
1 cup Granulated Splenda
1 cup Condensed Milk
2 tablespoons Vanilla Extract
1 can Lychee

Procedure:

1. Measure 3 cups of water (700 mL) in a saucepan.
2. Sprinkle 12 grams Gulaman powder into the water while stirring.
3. Add 1 cup of Granulated Splenda into the mixture.
4. Heat the saucepan and continue stirring until jelly comes into a near boil.
5. Turn off the stove.
6. Mix in the Condensed Milk & Vanilla Extract.
7. Let the mixture cool for one hour and chill.
8. Cut the Gelatin into cubes.
9. Mix Gelatin cubes with Lychee.
10. Serve & enjoy.

4th item: Kiamoy Lemonade

Serving: 1 glass

Ingredients:

2 pieces kiamoy
2 Splenda packets
1 piece lemon
Water

Procedure:

1. Place 2 pieces of kiamoy into a glass .
2. Squeeze 1 piece of lemon into the glass and fill with cold water.
3. Stir in 2 packets of Splenda.
4. Drink is now ready to serve.