Quick Facts About Agave:

Sweeter than Sugar- it is 1.4 times sweeter than sugar so you use less to achieve the same level of sweetness.

Tastes Great- natural organic sweetener. No bitter after taste – it tastes like sugar syrup

Saves Calories-agave can be used in all of your favorite recipes. Typically, you will substitute 1/2 cup of agave for every cup of sugar called for. In addition, the inulin permits the reduction of fats in baked items which significantly reduces calories even further.

Easy to Cook With-agave can be used hot or cold, making it easy to work with in the kitchen. It is a wonderful sweetener for coffee, tea and cereal. It is also an amazing sweetener for cooking, canning and baking for jams, cakes, breads, salad dressing, desserts, cookies and sauces.

Low Glycemic Index and diabetic friendly - agave is a very low glycemic index food. It is approximately 30 on the glycemic index scale. Anything below 50 is considered to be in the low category, which is recommended for a healthy diet and diabetic friendly. Unlike sugar, honey or high fructose corn syrup, agave does not spike blood sugar levels; thereby avoiding the highs and lows of sugar and corresponding cravings and over consumption associated with roller coaster blood sugar levels.

Contains Calcium, Iron and other Vitamins and Minerals- agave is a natural and organic certified product, derived from the root of the agave plant. The nectar is processed, in order to prevent fermentation, at temperatures that do not exceed 117 degrees which is considered “raw” by most standards. Xagave is appropriate for a vegan diet. Due to its raw condition, Xagave retains its naturally occurring vitamins and minerals and has a particularly high concentration of calcium -- 17% of daily requirements in one (1) tablespoon.

Contains Inulin- a Prebiotic Fiber which promotes healthy function of the lower intestine. It has also been shown to promote regularity, boost the immune system, increase calcium absorption and increase bone density.

Let Them Eat Cake!

Hey girls and boys, do I have a great cake recipe for you! We made this cake for our family and for an office party birthday and it magically disappeared almost instantly. I got so many requests for the recipe I decided to post it. The crazy thing is (and don’t tell anybody this until there are only crumbs left on the plate because they will never know) beside being -lick the plate delicious- it is TOTALLY HEALTHY! It is whole wheat and there is no refined sugar in it – only healthy agave sweetener.

(Note: Whole Wheat Pastry Flour which is white in color and light. It is different than brown Whole Wheat Bread Flour)

You can buy the cookbook that this and many more great recipes come from our web site at: www.zoeway.com– we are in the process of getting it online - so if you can't get on quite yet, please check back in a few days). This cookbook is a little on the expensive side but is well worth it (full color pictures on every page and chock full of good info). It is not like some other Agave cookbooks that I've reviewed. Other popular Agave cookbooks ask you to buy a list of weird ingredients that you will probably never use again or have recipes that are unappealing. This great cookbook is filled with family favorites that have been converted to be healthy and delicious as well as new recipes that are bound to become family favorites. You can also buy the Agave at our site in various sizes. I buy the gallon size because I bake with it and use it to refill my smaller size that is more handy for adding Agave in my tea or coffee.

Whole Wheat Agave Carrot Pineapple Cake

This is a super moist and delicious carrot cake. The Cream Cheese Frosting, which is incredible, can be made in minutes and only uses 2/3 cup agave vs. 6 cups of powdered sugar, saving you over 3,000 calories!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 virgin cold pressed coconut oil - warmed to liquefy (or 1 ½ cups canola oil)
1 1/2 cups agave
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsweetened coconut
2 cups grated carrots
2 cups crushed pineapple (with juice)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (I grind my own in my Vitamix)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grind Flour. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Bake at 325°F for 50 - 60 minutes. Let cool and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. This cake tastes better on day two!

Cream Cheese Frosting:
This delicious frosting is easy to make and saves you 3,000 calories over the sugar equivalent and tastes better.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature (I use organic dairy)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2/3 cup agave

Steps:

Put all ingredients into a large bowl and blend until smooth with an electric mixer. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Tips and Notes: Use as a frosting on carrot cake, chocolate cake, brownies, zucchini bread, banana bread, etc.