Who ever said that healthy living meant never indulging in sweet treats? Believe it or not, it is quite possible to practice a health-conscious lifestyle and still enjoy the tasty rewards of delicious, mouthwatering desserts like the yummy non-traditional cakes, cookies and cupcakes created by Charlotte, NC, baker, Heather Marie Hendricks.
Ask the numerous patrons of Baker Babe, the extraordinarily popular bakery and boutique treats shop known for its “smart treats.” There’s something for everyone at Baker Babe. Not only will pastry lovers find the most decadent, outrageously sweet baked goods like those you might expect to find in any upscale bakery, but also a wide range of delightfully tasty treats created especially for those with certain dietary restrictions. One of the main reasons her customers love coming to her bakery is that Heather Marie Hendricks has made it her mission to see to it that everyone can enjoy the comfort and pleasures of desserts without endangering their health and wellbeing.
The Baker Babe shop is a veritable wonderland of pastries and other baked delights that are artfully created to suit the dietary requirements of patrons who are on a vegan, Paleo, diabetic or gluten-free diet. More now than ever, Americans are turning to more healthful living, attempting to overcome an epidemic of obesity and improve the general physical health of the nation. As society becomes more educated concerning the dangers of over-indulgence and inactivity, more and more people are making monumental changes in their diets and lifestyles. A lot of people have made the choice to abstain from the use of animal products and turned to a vegan diet consisting of only plant foods, such as grains, legumes, seeds, nuts and fruits. To those on more traditional diets, it may seem impossible to enjoy cakes or cookies without milk, butter, honey, eggs or processed sugar, but there are actually lots of incredibly delicious recipes for vegan baked goods and raw treats that belie that theory.
Delicious, Healthy Alternatives
Baking is a mix of science and art, and there are always alternatives for any ingredient that can be creatively utilized for making foods that satisfy your taste buds as well as your health. Through research, experimentation and talent, Heather Marie Hendricks has discovered quite a few satisfactory substitutes for traditional dessert ingredients and has wowed her customers at Baker Babe with a variety of splendid pastries and confections. Here are a few of her secrets to success in making good desserts that are also good for you:
Replace Some Sugar with Vanilla: A lot of dessert recipes call for at least some sugar to get that sweet taste, but we all know that too much sugar is not healthy. Instead, cut out half the sugar and add vanilla extract for a sweet taste with marvelous flavor.
Use Black Beans instead of Flour: This substitution works exceptionally well in traditional flour-based desserts, especially dark chocolate cakes and brownies. Black beans are rich in protein and are gluten free, good for you on both fronts even if you don’t have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance.
Substitute Mashed Bananas for Eggs: High cholesterol is a common and serious issue for many people, so avoiding eggs is important for heart health. Eggs are also an animal product and taboo in a vegan diet, so for that reason a lot of people think they can’t have cakes and pies that usually include eggs. Instead of using eggs, the Baker Babe uses one third cup of mashed bananas in place of one egg with fantastic results.
Ban the Butter- Add Prune Puree: It seems as if nearly every cookie and cupcake recipe includes the fattiest ingredient of all: butter. Cutting calories is the best way to lose weight, and removing as much fat as possible makes any treat that much healthier. Without sacrificing the deliciousness of butter in a recipe, Ms. Hendricks replaces butter with a tasty prune puree that not only has almost no fat but comes with the added benefit of healthy fiber.
Favorite Desserts Get a Healthy Makeover
One of the most satisfactory aspects of baking is being able to take almost any recipe and make it fresh and new by substituting a few ingredients here and there. Not every experimental recipe works out as planned, which often results in something unexpected but still surprisingly good. But the goal is always to provide delectable and delightful treats that can suit a variety of dietary restrictions, so no one has to be deprived of dessert regardless of their health needs or concerns. Baker Babe patrons are thrilled to have access to treats that are low-sugar, low fat, gluten free, animal-product free, delicious cakes, tortes, cookies, cupcakes, turnovers, croissants, tea cakes, and more. Here are a few examples of some spectacular health-conscious confections that will leave your mouth watering:
Gluten-free Frosted Lemon Cookies
Sticky Toffee Pecan Pudding
Caramel Samoas
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mini Muffins
Crème-filled Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
Chocolate Peanut Maple Bars
Raspberry Pretzel Dessert Bars
More than a Bake Shop
Baker Babe has become a community treasure for the people of Charlotte, who enjoy the healthy desserts, the marvelous special blend coffees, and mouthwatering breakfast sandwiches. Patrons also enjoy the fantastic birthday cakes and wedding cakes created by the talented hands of Heather Marie Hendricks.
But Baker Babe is more than a bake shop to Ms. Hendricks and her neighbors in Charlotte. The outdoor patio has become a gathering place for families and patrons with dogs who want to relax and enjoy their favorite goodies in the North Carolina sunshine. The inside dining area is often the location for weekly community events, and the bakery often hosts writing workshops, poetry readings, charity fundraisers and pet adoption events.
The popular Charlotte bakery may be expanding in the near future to include a second location providing healthful desserts and treats and a friendly atmosphere for families and community.
