Frequently Asked Questions




Have a question? E-mail me, comment on the blog, tweet me, ask me any way you'd like!


Do you only ever bake healthy things? Why?


I do plan on doing a full 'story' post one day -- but for now just know that I love the challenge of recreating my old favourite treats that I miss eating! I love being able to eat things without the physical problems that ensue from dairy, wheat, sugar, etc. Besides...who doesn't want to eat cake post-workout?! 

Also -- diabetes runs in my family and I love that I can offer treats to grandfather and others without harming them! 

And also -- I post non-healthy things too ...because you know...balance ;)





 Marshmallow Fluff Birthday Cupcakes!




What if I don't like protein powder?


No problem! If you have been following my blog recently I am currently making just healthy recipes as opposed to 'protein' recipes only and am working on figuring out how to substitute for protein powder in my old recipes.


I would never want you to miss out on the benefits of the recipe for that reason -- if you have questions comment on the post and we will figure it out together! 


In my experiments thus far you can replace the protein powder  cup for cup with normal gluten free flour!



But always check the recipe notes just in case because that is where I include such information :)




What do you mean by 'gluten free flour blend'?


My favourite blend (I talk about it here) is 1:1:1:1 ratio of oat flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour and rice flour! A blend is what you want to use for baking gluten free because each type of gluten free flour on it's own often does not act the same in a recipe as a gluten flour would -- so to mimic that texture you blend quite a few together!


Also note that corn starch and xanthan or guar gums added in small amounts help to mimic the sticky binding abilities of a gluten dough!




Why is my cream cheese and coconut oil separating?!



If your coconut oil and cream cheese are not at the same temperature this will happen. It happens to me all the time -- so for things like the cheesecake layers of bars or cheesecakes just try and keep things at room temperature. If not -- a bit of extra blending should work! Beating the mixture incorporates air which cools it down!




Do you do this as a job?

Nope! I do this as a hobby although I do fill some orders for specialty cookies and things! I have a full-time job that is unrelated to the blog entirely! I went to school for Anthropology and Political Science and went to Graduate School for International Relations. See? That's why I need cupcakes. 







Beautiful Bridal Sugar Cookies








How do your sugar cookies look like that?

It's all in the royal icing, baby! And patience. Ooooh the patience (which I really don't have most of the time-- only for cookies!).  I literally learned all I know from the internet. So I am not a professional and have SO MUCH to learn. Thanks interwebz!



Do you sell those decorated cookies?!



I do! I need at least a weeks notice for small orders (one dozen) and two weeks for larger orders. I am only doing orders domestically, however and not very many. I have a full-time job so finding the time for cookies can be a challenge -- but I do try and accommodate and do orders when I can!
How can you afford to buy these products?!


Well...I can't really! Darn you student loans....But really, this is my passion! I do not really go out, I don't eat out often at ALL, I do not drink or smoke or travel (although I wish I could...travel, that is!).  Also I don't have a big fancy blog so it should go without saying that I am not sponsored so all products I talk about are just my own personal preference! This is where I invest my shiny pennies because it brings me joy. And sometimes tears. Mostly joy. 







Strawberry Lemon Protein Cake Post







Where do the pictures come from?

I take all of the pictures on the blog. My photographer momma helps me fix settings when I am going crazy and I do borrow her fancy camera! But as far as editing and styling and all that jazz, I do that stuff. 


How do you have the time to make these treats? 


Sacrifice! I always have to plan ahead -- when am I going to make the recipe? Photograph it? Post it? I have a schedule and that helps me figure things out so I have all my ingredients and props and things prepped and ready to go! I come home from work most days and do the blog thing. Kind of like a second job, really!






Chocolate Turtle Protein Cookies 



What is SunWarrior?

It's a brand of brown rice protein powder that is vegan and full of healthy vitamins and minerals. I really love it but the brands you choose to use are up to you! I just suggest my favourites.


What are your favourite products?

I don't think my creations would be possible without Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour products! Ranging from almond flour to rice flour, tapioca flour, oats, etc. I love their products!

For protein I use SunWarrior and PVL Whey Protein as my two favourites!

Other honourable mentions go to Nutiva Coconut Oil which I love and use for pretty much everything, NOW Foods Stevia drops in a whole ton of flavours and Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips!






Peanut Butter Cup Protein Cake





Do you eat what you bake?

Not only do I eat EVERYTHING (how else can I be sure it's good?) but I am ALWAYS asking friends, family and coworkers to try everything I make. Not everything turns out perfect the first time so I am always tweaking recipes before I post them JUST to make sure. So don't worry -- they are triple taste-tested!



Where can i find Feeding My Addiction on social media?

Nothing would make me happier than to connect with you! Please visit the links on the side bar of my website to find links to ALL my social media profiles and pages!



Do you have nutritional information for your recipes?



I have included it in a few posts but not many! But thankfully, kind reader L.* has been kind enough to share with me an excel chart that not only provides nutritional information for many of my recipes but she has allowed me to share that with you! How amazing is that? She has specific training goals so she has included variations of the recipes posted. The ingredients she uses are as stated in the recipe but using greek yogurt, eggs, etc as opposed to the vegan substitutions. Thank you L. ! 

UPDATE: As of April 2018 I will be posting the nutritional info for every post***

Find the link to the spreadsheet here!














Gluten Free/Healthy Baking Troubleshooting







My gluten free cake came out dry! 


Baking gluten free is difficult work. Trust me, I know. The only thing harder than that is eliminating sugar and butter and other products that allow 'normal' baking to be wonderful. 

If you aren't vegan you have some more liberties that can be taken when adding moisture to recipes. Eggs, sour cream and heavy cream all help add moisture. If you are vegan then things such as non-dairy yogurts, coconut milk and fruit purees will be your friend. 

Check your flour mixture, too! I recommend using the one I discuss above because it really is the best I have tried so far. Pre-bought all-purpose gluten free flours can be a bit gritty in my experience. They work in a pinch, though! 

Over-baking gluten free goods can cause dryness as well! So always check on your baked goods as soon as a toothpick comes out of there, it's done! Don't leave it out too long uncovered, unless for cooling. That can increase dryness. Everything should be airtight to preserve freshness or in the fridge/frozen. Gluten free goods don't retain moisture as well as the ordinary stuff.


My gluten free goods are gummy and gross!


This is another issue which can be caused by many things. Too much liquid in a mixture can cause this. So can adding too much gum/starch to your gluten free flour. 

This can also happen due to wrong pan size. If your pan is too small your cakes and batters won't cook through the center and it can remain gummy. 


My sugar free cookies were too soft/soggy!


One of the problems with baking refined sugar free is that using honey/agave/maple syrup and other liquid sweeteners can create an overly wet dough. For my recipes requiring a crisper product, I use coconut sugar instead. 

Products requiring moisture like muffins, cakes and cupcakes are good to use with liquid sweeteners. 

If you must use a liquid sweetener, make sure you decrease other liquids in the recipe to make up for it so you don't get a runny or soggy product. 


My gluten free cut-out cookie dough was too sticky!


The main reason for stickiness is inadequate refrigeration or too much moisture/not enough flour. If your dough is cold and still sticky then flour your surface really well or roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper (I always, always, always do this)!


My protein cookies/cakes were dry and crumbly!

Protein powders can be tricky to work with. It can result in a dry product if not balanced with other items. In general, heating whey protein in my experience is drying. I prefer to bake with vegan proteins because they hold up better. 

Gluten free protein products can dry out quickly. Try and consume them as soon as possible or store them in the fridge/freezer for when you need them!



My gluten free cookies did not spread and flatten like normal cookies!


I know. It's the pits. Gluten free, sugar free and butter free cookies simply do not spread the way 'normal' cookies do. They tend to have a totally different texture. For flatter cookies spread them out before you bake them by rolling the dough out or simply pressing the dough down with your hands!




How do I substitute your ingredients with things like normal sugar and flour?


In general I try and use a gluten free flour that can be substituted 1:1 for normal flour.  Keep in mind gluten flour reacts quite differently than gluten free. You may need less or more depending on the recipe and the batter will be different! I do have recipes with gluten flour, too. I suggest using those before trying to adapt a gluten free one.

For sugar, in general, 1/2 cup honey can be substituted with equal amounts, so 1/2 - 3/4 of sugar of choice. Similarly 1/2 cup melted coconut oil can be substituted with roughly  3/4 cup of butter. But there are rules for gluten baking too -- so if you need specific conversions leave me a comment on the recipe and I can do that for you! 



Does sugar free mean there are no carbs? Can I just use Splenda or Stevia??

I know a lot of folks are on very low carbohydrate diets. Sadly I cannot recommend specific substitutes other than the stevia products I use in my recipe. If adapting -- in general the sugar substitutes have baking blends available that can be used cup for cup. If replacing honey or liquid sweetener in a recipe you will simply have to compensate for that liquid amount. 


I am on a low fat diet -- how do I substitute for the fat in a recipe?


When baking healthier there are several difficulties in substituting certain items. Sugar gives stability and texture, butter gives moisture and flavour and gluten gives beautiful body and texture.

When substituting items keep in mind what effect you want. For replacing fat in a moist recipe, fruit purees, baby food, mashed banana and canned pumpkin work really well. But you also want the flavour to be balanced. As a rule I use fruits/apple sauce in more vanilla based recipes and canned pumpkin in chocolate recipes. 

Simply omitting the fat without replacing it will result in a dry and tasteless end product -- experiment and have fun with those subs!


Coconut oil is too expensive -- what else can I use that is healthy?


I know that the price of coconut oil is up there. For me, I splurge on select products because for me it is worth it -- but I have been in those times where I simply cannot afford a lot of those products. 

If you want to use vegetable oil, canola oil that is cold- pressed and organic is a good choice. That can be used 1:1 for coconut oil in my recipes.

If you have access to grass-fed butter that would also be a wonderful option. Sadly I cannot find any near me!

For vegans I know Earth balance is a great choice. I have used that before with great success but do not prefer it in general to coconut oil.


I am Celiac and cannot tolerate oats. Help!


While oats do not themselves contain gluten, thanks to cross-contamination many of them do. I buy gluten free certified oats but for our Celiac friends that may still be a problem. If you can tolerate buckwheat flour I would use that. As far as in cakes, etc. I know that soghum flour is a popular choice in gluten free baking. 





Did I miss something obvious? Shoot me a message and I'll add it on to this page! 

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