I’m a kid who grew up with an allergy to refined sugar. It’s exactly what you think it means. I’m that kid who grew up not being able to eat desserts or even really sweet fruits like lychee. Aside from the obvious downside of not being able to indulge a sweet tooth, it does have a silver lining: Eating healthy is not hard for me at all since it’s all I’ve ever known!

However, let’s be real. Looking at other people savor a decadent scoop of ice cream and knowing that I can’t have any is difficult, so that is when a sugar-free snack comes in handy. Most people don’t have a sugar allergy, but consuming too much refined sugar is terrible for our health.

This is a list of snacks that I turn to when I want a little pick-me-up. So, swap out some of your kids’ sugar-loaded cookies and cakes for a few of these healthier options.

1. CHOCODATE

This is a recent discovery of mine, and ever since I found out, I have been hooked. It is a date covered in chocolate with an almond on the inside. The brand offers quite a few flavors, ranging from sugar-free (the one I would go for) to all sorts of dark and white chocolate. If you are vegan, there are also vegan flavors as well: dark chocolate, coconut … you name it. CHOCODATE’s products can be found in some supermarkets or perhaps in online shops.

Here is a QR code for a vendor on Taobao that sells this product.

2. Chocday

We are still talking about chocolate, and this is my go-to option for sugar-free chocolate. All of the brand’s products are sugar-free, so there’s a wide range of flavors to choose from. My favorite has been their oat milk coffee-flavored chocolate, which also happens to be vegan as well. There are also options for dark chocolate, classic milk chocolate, and even limited edition flavors (currently the limited edition flavor is cheese-filled chocolate, which, frankly, I have not tried yet). You can find Chocday’s products in supermarkets and grocery stores.

Here is a QR code for a vendor on Taobao that sells this product.

3. Freshhippo’s date and walnut pie

Like CHOCODATE, this is also a recent discovery. What the name suggested was nothing like what was in the packet, though. These are small pieces of walnuts sandwiched between two layers of mashed dates. However, the taste was surprisingly delicious, with the sweetness of the dates combined with the crispy walnuts creating a pleasant texture, so it is a good substitute for sweets. You can get this snack on Freshhippo’s online store.

Here is a QR code for the product on Freshhippo.

4. Nature Valley’s granola bars

I guess you can’t go wrong with a good old classic granola bar, right? The brand offers plenty of flavors, ranging from honey to peanut butter to cinnamon, but my all-time favorite is dark chocolate. Yes, it does have a little bit of sugar, but I do not have any allergic reactions after eating it, so I guess it is agreeing with my system. Nature Valley’s products can be found in most supermarkets and grocery stores.

Here is a QR code for a vendor on Taobao that sells this product.

5. FUNYE fried fava beans

This snack is what I reach for when I want a savory treat. Even though the beans can be a bit oily, the burst of flavor and the crispiness make it worth the extra calories. I would suggest grabbing a handful and putting it on a plate before eating, because it’s hard to stop once you’ve had a taste, and you might find yourself finishing the entire bag in one sitting. FUNYE also has sunflower seeds and other snacks, which can be found on Taobao and in some supermarkets and grocery stores.

Here is a QR code for a vendor on Taobao that sells this product.

6. Popcorners

I’m saving the best for the last, and Popcorners are the ultimate choice of chips. The best thing about Popcorners is that the ingredients are all clean and the chips are not deep-fried. Unlike regular chips, Popcorners are (as the name suggests) made of corn, so in a way, it is popcorn being flattened into triangular chips. The chips come in so many flavors, but the sweet chili flavor is my favorite. Popcorners can be found in some supermarkets and grocery stores, and can also be bought online.

Here is a QR code for a vendor on Taobao that sells this product.

Images: Margaret Yang, Taobao

Bubble tea has exploded onto the Beijing food and beverage scene, and if like this great city, this phenomenon has also taken you by storm, you’ll want to know where you can get your bubble fix. 

Originally created in Taiwan in the 1980’s, bubble tea soon spread throughout China and Southeast Asia, and can now be found upon the shores of Western regions. Bubble tea is made using boba tapioca pearls and is synonymous with sweet add-ons like condensed milk and flavored syrups. Tapioca is a type of gluten-free starch that is extracted from the cassava root, but before you go adding this sticky treat to your one-a-day gluten-free healthy snack list, note that you’ll be getting your tea with generous helpings of cream and other sweet goodies!

You may be familiar with the classic spots to partake of a cup of bubble tea—Coco, Gongcha, and Yidiandian. However, new and on trend Internet-famous bubble teas are popping up all over Beijing, some with a 30-minute wait attached to your purchase. I’ve taken the liberty of checking the top five of these Internet-famous drinks and ranked them so that you don’t waste any time in that line. In order to get the most authentic experience, I ordered everything without customization, but you can adjust sugar and ice levels in every place except for The Alley.

Ranked: #5 The White Rabbit Milk Tea, RMB 20

Honestly? This drink disappointed me. The shop is tiny, and so very crowded, there’s also no place to sit down during the 10-minute wait. The amount of tea I got was disappointingly little, and nearly half of the cup was filled with ice. The taste wasn’t impressive, either. The only thing separating this from your average milk tea was that it was slightly creamier and smoother than usual, though that ended up diluting any tea flavor that was left. I could barely taste the white rabbit. If you’re looking for a very mild milk tea, this is the place to go but if you come in search of white rabbit milk tea, you will be sorely disappointed.

Ranked #4: Xicha’s Strawberry Cheezo, RMB 32

The reason that this drink became so popular in the first place is because of its famous “cheese cap”, yet I got much less of a cheese flavor than I expected. The strawberry-ice blend is very refreshing; however, the more I drank, the sweeter it became. I would ask for less sugar next time I order. It was kind of hard to get a sip of both the cheese cap and the strawberry drink. Overall, the drink is pretty good, just not worth the 30-minute wait time and the price.

Ranked #3: Xicha’s Grapefruit Tea, RMB 25

This drink, filled with grapefruit juice and actual slices of grapefruit, was somewhat worth the 30-minute wait. The taste starts sweet, but the more you drink, the more you will get a hit of grapefruit. This drink is the perfect refresher after a day of shopping, and the slightly bitter taste will force you to drink it slowly instead of chugging the whole thing at once.

Ranked #2: The Alley’s Brown Sugar Pearl Milk, RMB 22

Often known as “dirty tea,” this drink gets its name from the beautiful gradient created as the cold milk is poured on top of a pearl and brown sugar mix. The pearls were slightly too chewy, but the sweetness of the brown sugar made them very flavorful. The milk was refreshing and allowed me to finish the whole thing without getting tired of the sweetness. My only problem with this is the price. RMB 22 is a lot of money for a tiny drink. However, the taste and the overall presentation live up to the hype.

Ranked #1: CouCou Hot Pot’s Classic Bubble Tea, RMB 20

Even though a hot pot spot isn’t where you’d expect to find good milk tea, give CouCou a try. A small stall outside of the main hotpot shop sells the tea, and there’s usually not much of a line. The drink itself is creamy and smooth but still retains the aftertaste of oolong. The pearls are a little smaller than usual, but a perfect balance between chewy and soft. This drink is everything you’d want in a milk tea drink, and honestly, RMB 20 for it is pretty good.

Photos: Riley Xiong, Pixabay

Beijing is just one of those cities that you keeping finding out about food dishes to try every other day. Spring time means more street food vendors peddling their unfamiliar snacks. The more risk taking members of the community will take the time to try out some the snacks while the rest try to find out what those snacks are and how to make them at home.

Popular Beijing snack, wandouhuang (Pea Flour Cake/豌豆黄)is a sweet dense cake made from peas. The snack is made mostly from mashed peas and is yellow in color despite being made from white flour. According to Wikipedia it was a favorite snack of the royal family since the Ming Dynasty. Also, a ceremonial dish eaten on the third day of March, according to the Chinese calendar. This snack can be found in local supermarkets, traditional confectioners and the vendors.

Here is the recipe to try, the recipe below can cook about 8 cakes (each about 6.5 cm diameter).

Ingredients:
1. 1 cup dried yellow split peas
2. 1/2 cup sugar (can be substituted by sweetener)
3. cold water
 
Method:
1. Soak the Peas: Soak the peas with 3 cups of cold water for over 4 hours.

2. Cook the Peas: Drain the peas, then transfer them to a microwave proof utensil. Cover it with lid or kitchen cling film and then place in a microwave. Cook with high power for 3 minutes, take it out and open, stir the peas with a spoon, then cover it and put it back to the microwave, cook for another 3 minutes till the peas are thoroughly cooked.

3. Make the Pea Puree: Measure the cooked peas with a cup and transfer them to a blender or food processor. Add cold water in the blender or processor. Note: 1 cup cooked peas need 2 cups of cold water. Use the blender or processor to make a smooth puree.

4.Thickening the Puree: Transfer the pea puree to a boiling pot. Bring it to boil and then turn to simmering. Constantly stir with a long wooden spoon and be very careful of the hot splashing. After about 10-15 minutes, the puree becomes thick; when you drop a spoon of puree. It is ready for the final step.

5. Finishing with the Mould: Transfer the puree to a mould. After it totally cools down, place the mould in your fridge to settle down; this takes hours.

This recipe is sourced from chinesecookingsite.com

Photo courtesy of zhaoxianmenhu.cn