Discussion Board

I recently bought "The Starch Solution" and have been so pleased! I am stumped about an ingredient listed for some of the recipes, Sunsweet Lighter Bake. It is unavailable in any store. I did find it online. The product is reasonable in cost but the shipping is almost 6 times the cost of the product, . Any ideas?
Thank you,
Teresa

Sunsweet Lighter Bake is an oil or butter substitute made from plums/prunes and used to make baked goods moist. I use prunes pureed in my food processor. I also use applesauce sometimes.

I"ve been wondering about this product myself - I hadn't heard of it. So, Gramma Jackie, is it simply pureed prunes in the ingredients? I'll have to look it up and check. I buy jars of organic baby food applesauce and prunes to use in recipes so if this is just the same thing, I'm all set.

Lani

I couldn't find it at my local Whole Foods. I hope applesauce or something else more readily available can be used as a substitute, because I try not to rely too many special-purpose ingredients. (Other than Wonderslim cocoa. Can't live without that. )

Here is the website.

http://www.sunsweet.com/products/lighter.html#

It is made from Sunsweet prunes as well as apples with added dextrose. So I simply make my own from prunes and/or applesauce. Works great! Even bananas will usually work since the oil in baked goods is simply to make them moist. Many of us McDougallers have been substituting the oil in baked goods with fruit. You could probably even use cooked or drained canned fruit although I haven't tried that yet (but I will experiement with that idea). The baked goods are just as moist and more delicious in my opinion without the fatty taste of oil.

p.s. I have put a couple of recipes for oatmeal muffins using applesauce and bananas instead of oil over on the Food forum here on the McDougall board.

Thanks Gramma Jackie. Now to get me some Wonderslim!

Best source - their own site? I never can find it in the market!

Lani

This should work:

http://www.gerber.com/AllStages/product ... runes.aspx

Yes babyfood fruit works well also. I used to use it a lot when I was babysitting my grandson and purchasing his food when he was staying with me. However,. I've found that applesauce and/or bananas are the cheapest oil substitutes. It only takes about 1/4-1/2 c. applesauce or 1/2 banana for most recipes.

There are a lot of places online that carry it, but I've found that Netrition (which is really a low carb website) probably has the cheapest unless you want to buy it in bulk.

http://www.netrition.com/wonderslim_wondercocoa.html

If you want to buy it in bulk you can find it on amazon.com.

I like using mashed yam in some recipes too, specifically muffins. Haven't tried it in any of the Starch Solution recipes yet though.

So do you use the pureed prunes/babyfood/bananas in the same quantity as the Sunsweet Lighter Bake?

I haven't been able to find it in the stores around me either. and yes, the shipping is way more than the product when ordering online

I use them in the same amount as Lighter Bake and the same am't as any oil called for in the recipe. I have not used them for things like pie crust or something that needs to get real crisp. In other words fruit replaces oil but usually not butter or shortening. For instance it works well as a fat or oil replacer in soft bake cookies, cakes, brownies or muffins, but I doubt it would work for pie crust or if you want really crispy cookies.

I found the Lighter Bake not in the HFS but my local grocery store in the baking products aisle, right there next to the packages of bread yeast and sprinkles.

thanks Gramma Jackie. Your answer clarifies my dilemma so well. I'm a good cook---as long as I follow the recipe exactly but any deviation and I'm lost. Now I know this. Yeah! Many, many thanks.

Linda

After a 'fruitless' search (ouch), I emailed Sunsweet, and was told Lighter Bake isn't available in any stores in So Cal.