My Kids Enjoy Maple Candy

I always ensure the house is filled with lots of maple syrup. My kids adore the stuff, especially with their favorite breakfasts. People eat it on things like toast, waffles, pancakes, french toast, or even on pasta. I began to worry at some point because I thought I was probably indulging them with too much sugar (actually, we all have a sweet tooth in the family; I, myself, can’t resist a piece or two of rich, gooey maple candy once in a while). So I did some research of my own and was surprised to find out that maple syrup is one of the very few sweet treats that can actually be good for my kids. A benefit is that it has less calories then a person would think, and has far fewer amounts of sugar than honey does. Another good thing is that it contains a small amount of zinc and manganese which are two essential minerals for peoples bodies, building the immune system and antioxidant defenses.  

So what was a mom to do after knowing that her picky eaters of kids were actually consuming a healthy treat without them realizing it? To get it started simply!

Now I use organic canadian maple syrup as a sweetener for their oatmeal, to pour on top of baked squash and sweet potatoes, and to drizzle over their peanut butter and banana sandwich (skip the jelly, will you?). My children really like pure maple butter with toast or wedged between stacks of corn cakes or pancakes.An easy way to make maple butter is to blend a pound of normal butter with 1/2 a cup of maple syrup, then just stick it in the fridge and use it as you like.  For an easy snack or school lunchbox treat, I make maple cookies, which is really just low-fat oatmeal or plain cookies with a maple glaze on top. To make the glaze, just combine 1 C pure organic canadian maple sugar, ¼ C confectioners’ sugar, 1 tsp maple extract, and ¼ C unsalted butter in a pan, medium-heat until just about to boil, then dip or brush the top of your cookies with the glaze while it’s still hot. Let cool before serving (tip: the cookies taste better the next day).

Here’s something to keep in mind when you go shopping, really look for organic and pure maple syrup instead of picking up cheap flavored and colored synthetic syrup. It is generally more expensive, but because you don’t get diluted syrup you get a richer, tastier flavor and is worth whatever small amount of extra money it costs. Keep in mind a simple rule; the lighter the syrup, the more subtle the flavor will be. If you want to use syrup to cook try to get darker amber syrup as opposed to lighter stuff.  Finally, remember that everything should be consumed in moderation and for goodness’ sake, don’t forget to brush those tiny teeth afterwards!