Oh how I wish I could start the New Year with a fresh slate. But maybe not. If I had wiped out all of my 2023 emails, I would have lost some precious correspondence from last year.
Several readers, for instance, wrote in response to a column that compared honey and molasses. David D. wrote, “I make mustard from scratch using Colmans powdered mustard, apple cider vinegar, eggs and sugar. Would you know if I could substitute honey for the sugar and if so, in equal amounts?”
Not in equal amounts, David, but it can be done. Here’s what the folks at the National Honey Board (honey.com) recommend: When substituting honey for granulated sugar in recipes, begin by substituting honey for up to half of the sugar called for in the recipe. For baked goods, make sure to reduce the oven temperature by 25°F to prevent overbrowning; reduce any liquid called for by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used. (Baking soda? I have no idea.)
Amy, who reads this column in the Lincoln Journal-Star, writes, “I’m curious how would real maple syrup compare to honey and molasses?”
Pure maple syrup is made from the sap of sugar maple trees that is boiled to concentrate its sweetness. Tablespoon to tablespoon, maple syrup has slightly fewer calories than honey or molasses—52 compared to 64 for honey and 58 for molasses, according to the USDA Food Data Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov). All three of these sweeteners have trace amounts of minerals although molasses tops the other two in calcium, magnesium and iron content.
Lastly, several readers asked for my homemade granola recipe which uses honey and molasses (and maple syrup if I’m low on honey). Enjoy.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Mix together:
1 large box (12-15 cups) whole oats
1 cup dry milk powder
1 cup flax meal
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup raw (unsalted) sunflower seeds
1 cup unsalted walnuts, pecans or other nuts, chopped
1 cup dried fruit such as blueberries, raisins,cherries or chopped apricots
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
In a microwave-safe bowl, add 1 cup canola oil, 1 cup honey and 2 tablespoons molasses. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Add to dry mixture and stir, stir, stir.
Spread mixture in thin layer onto oiled cookie sheets (this makes several batches) and bake for 20 minutes or until granola begins to brown. Remove from oven and cool thoroughly.
Place in freezer bags and store in freezer or refrigerator.
(Caution: A little goes a long way, calorie and dietary fiber-wise. (My son-in-law swears by its digestive cleaning powers, it you get my drift.) Start slowly with 1/4 to 1/2 cup servings.
Barbara Quinn-Intermill is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator affiliated with Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. She is the author of “Quinn-Essential Nutrition” (Westbow Press, 2015). Email her at to [email protected].
