Guilt-free sweet: we tested new sugar and gluten-free pastry proposals

The fantastic Nigella Lawson (Cook, communicator and celebrity of British origin) once said a phrase applicable to any circumstance, which concerns us especially today: “the only guilt you should feel is that of not feeling pleasure”. That was his answer to a recurring question – and sometimes unfair – when talking about food: What is your guilty pleasure?

The concept itself contains a wrong, punishable act. Such should not be our relationship with any of the ingredients or snacks that are part of our diet, whatever style we wear. And it is the same label that is usually attributed, mainly, to desserts and sweets usually. Let’s start this article by making it clear that it is not our intention to detract or demonize any kind of quality preparation (everything in moderation should be allowed). Yes, rather, broaden your horizons.

There are unbreakable categories, such as the gluten-free lines (that is, without wheat, rye, barley or derivatives) and without sugar (especially for diabetics). But these are not exclusive or exclusive: those looking to try desserts that do not contain any of these ingredients, for a healthy choice, can also do so. We warn that vegan desserts – very popular in recent years – while extremely healthy, could have as much sugar as wheat flour. This category refers specifically to the absence of products of animal origin, such as eggs, milk or butter. On the other hand, the origin of the ingredients is also important in healthy baking: organic and whole grains are often used in these preparations.

With the concepts clear, let’s go on to try the menu of three novel proposals – we have already spoken on previous occasions about Raw Café and Huh! – and quite surprising healthy pastries. As we told you at the beginning, healthy doesn’t have to be boring or tasteless. Beware that the term light is not so much the case here: they are not necessarily low in calories, but they are beneficial for health.

The sweet life

Angie Oshiro knows very well how a gastronomic business works: she grew up among the stoves of the Heydi cebichería, in the center of Lima, an emblematic space where she was until very recently, when the world was different. In parallel, and perhaps without having planned it, Angie was cooking a personal project that has nothing to do with marine cuisine and that in this new scenario has expanded thanks to delivery. His is a proposal of healthy desserts made without flour, sugar, chemicals, additives, preservatives or lactose, baptized as Espacio by An. The great inspiration for everything has been his son, Hugo.

“Shortly after his first birthday, Hugo had all his allergies mixed up and mixed up,” Oshiro tells us. “We really had a hard time seeing how his body accepted practically no food. I went from emergency to emergency, maybe three years without sleep. I had to adapt to a totally different diet and thus I was reinforcing my knowledge, finding out as much as possible about appropriate diets and foods for him ”. But his goal was not limited to his personal case: Oshiro set out to find a way to make a healthy pastry, so that people who suffered from allergies or conditions similar to those of his son could also enjoy healthy and nutritious options.

“It wasn’t overnight; It takes time to find the recipes, which I worked together with a team with a lot of effort, ”says Oshiro. That dedication paid off and today they have on their menu a generous yacon and apple crunch, strawberry and passion fruit cheesecakes, quinoa mousse with chia, and a colorful ‘creamy’ vanilla and orange with tea cake, to name a few. . Life, as Angie tells us, can be sweeter.

Stay in family

Shirley and Saori Tsuhako are 27 and 21 years old respectively. They are sisters, partners and lovers of healthy living. But they are, above all, enterprising. Salutare, the healthy pastry brand that the sisters created this 2020, offers healthy cakes and brownies with a very millennial touch: social networks and the design of the boxes are key in the proposal. His idea is that the Salutare desserts are a gift for those who receive them.

“For us, a healthy dessert is not only one that contains fewer calories, but also provides nutrients. So we decided to replace wheat flour with oats; whole eggs for whites; sugar processed by Stevia or panela; and we add other super foods like chia, cocoa, fresh berries and nuts, which makes our desserts even more complete, ”explains Shirley Tsuhako.

Shirley studied gastronomy at Le Cordon Bleu and administration at the UPC, and Saori is studying Administration and marketing at the same university. They receive the orders – they must be done 24 hours in advance since they prepare all that day; They do not use any preservative-, they answer the Instagram messages and make the deliveries. “The relationship with our clients is very important to us, so we seek a direct relationship with them, much more familiar,” says Shirley. Things are starting to go well.

Fast good

A healthy menu where everyone can personalize the order: do you want panela, stevia, honey? Do you prefer cocoa, banana, cashews? Vegan yogurt or ice cream? Rice flour or oatmeal? In The fridge fit the great differential is in freedom. The first thing you should know is that this is not an exclusive dessert proposal: there are everything from salads to sandwiches, to hot dishes with proteins. The second thing is that the offer in sweets is truly irresistible. And it is, in fact, what comes out the most.

“We seek to offer healthy products, promote a conscious diet,” explains Fernando Venturo, head of the brand. “Many people ask us online if we are light, and we see that they confuse this term with what fit. The latter indicates that the product is made with nutritious ingredients, complex macronutrients, that do not have empty calories like sugar. They can be caloric, but they are healthy ”. Quantity and portions are essential for this to happen, says Venturo.

In The Fit fridge there are a good number of options that respond to different categories and needs. Almost half of the desserts are vegan. Others are made with stevia and are designed for those who cannot consume sugar, panela or honey. They also have gluten free options. The rich thing here is in the juice of alternatives, which goes beyond cakes or chocolates: we find pancakes; vegan ‘treats’ (‘snickfit’ is addictive); ice cream and a long list of cravings.

The saying goes that nobody is bitter with a sweet. With these proposals we can put it into practice more often.

Espacio by An:

-Orders by delivery. Distribution areas: Surco, La Molina, San Isidro, San Borja, Miraflores, Magdalena, Jesús María, Pueblo Libre.

-Whatsapp: 992-776348

-Facebook: Espacio by An

To greet:

Instagram and Facebook: @salutareperu

Whatsapp: 988-174073

The nevera fit:

Instagram: @laneverafit

Orders via: https://laneverafit.mesa247.pe/#/ or Rappi.