HEALTHIER CARROT CAKE (NATURALLY SWEETENED + WHOLE GRAIN) RECIPES

It's the time of year that carrot cake recipes are springing up (pun intended) everywhere. There are so many fabulous versions of carrot cake, and each recipe brings something different to the table. FYI, I can't wait to try these bars drool.

I have previously shared Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting and Pumpkin Carrot Cake, and today I'm bringing you a healthy carrot cake recipe. Don't let the word healthy scare you off a this cake is loaded with flavor and topped with a honey-sweetened cream cheese frosting. For those times when you want cake but don't want to go up a pants size, this here is the cake for you.

Over the past couple years my view regarding what makes something healthy has changed. I am increasingly embracing the concept of eating real food.a Less processed and less refined foods and more whole foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, humanely raised meat, organic eggs and cheese, and natural sweeteners (maple syrup and honey). If you'd like to learn more about a real food diet,a here are some great resources: Michael Pollan, 100 Days of Real Food, Live Simply.

INGREDIENTS
CARROT CAKE:

• 1 2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup coconut oil melted and cooled slightly (measure when solid)
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups finely grated carrots
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple drained

HONEY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• scant 1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
• 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature (I used organic)
• 3-4 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts for topping (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350'F. Line a 9x9 square pan with foil and grease the foil.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a separate bowl combine coconut oil, honey, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture is combined, being careful not to over mix. Add carrots, walnuts, and pineapple and stir until combined, again being careful not to over mix (that could lead to the cake being tough).
4. Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, until the top springs back when you touch it, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
5. ....................................

for full recipes please see : celebratingsweets.com

Much has been said about the latest in the healthcare sector. Politicians' continue to bicker and have no solid plan to replace the current plan. Certain Analysts believe if this Trump Administration plan passes the Senate their proposal will leave over 23 million people without coverage by the year 2026. The Affordable Care Act law is and was simply put in place to help the American people who were once unable to get any type of coverage, finally get the care he or she may need. Secondly, it has also helped more than enough individuals with pre-existing conditions get coverage as well. And thirdly there is the concern of affordability; this is for people who do not have enough money to pay for insurance on their own, the current law provides financial assistance for those eligible to receive money from the government.

The problem with today's guidelines are the plans are based on: age, geographic location, the ability to pay, the rising cost of medical technology and taxes. Notice there is nothing mentioned about your overall health conditions. Until the underwriting process is brought back into the equation, then insurers' will never be able to accurately measure their risk and set premium prices at affordable rates. The message to insurers' is the fact that no one should be denied health insurance due to their finances or health related conditions to help protect against their financial losses when and if they occurred.

During this era a majority of insurance companies especially those that specialize in the health sector jumped on the band wagon with lower premiums knowing financial assistance would be there to help pay for coverage. Plans were and are designed to basically take the American peoples' money first before paying any claims. Once the claims began to come from more than enough people, then insurers' realized their premiums were set too low and began experiencing financial losses. There is no coincidence today why as consumers we hear about large health carriers pulling out of the marketplace and are no longer willing to participate this coming 2018 season under the ACA format.

The solution for consumers, we have to educate ourselves and grasp a good understanding and not listen to all the rhetoric in the media. We need a suite of insurance products to benefit us in the event there are some types of loss. Whether its a loss of life, the inability to work for certain period of time, or failing health our money needs to be protected at reasonable rates. Do this now while you are still healthy with the right kind of life and health insurance plans; underwriting is the key.

There are more than enough life and health insurance companies who offer benefits to protect your money. They never moved into this whole affordable care dilemma. Insurance today is still being sold on the premise of an individual's risk factors. These type of plans whether they are: accident, cancer, critical illness, dread disease, hospitalization, preventive care and wellness, also known as MEC (minimum essential coverage) or life insurance policies are and will always be available.

The Affordable Care Act is a good law that needs to be revised and not replaced. In today's environment of government uncertainty, why listen to such chaos? "People perish because of a lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6a. Now that you have been given this knowledge, perish not; be encouraged and do the right thing for your family and your finances.

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