Stop being boring. If your taste buds, Instagram account and Pinterest boards are craving something kind of new yet familiar and friendly, you’ve come to the right place.

We give you different, simple and tasty ways to enjoy the breakfast table staple: sweet, smoky, heavenly maple syrup. It’s healthy thanks to being rich in essential minerals like iron, zinc, potassium and calcium, with ample amounts of antioxidants. A much better choice than products containing high fructose corn syrup, maple syrup is tastier and safer for consumption in moderation. Read on for tips on incorporating this golden goodness into your grills, barbecues, cocktails, bedtime nightcaps, vegetables, snacks and of course, desserts.

Here’s some cool and fun ways to incorporate this 100 percent natural, widely used alternative sweetener to sugar, in your diet:

Snacks:

  1. Boost the nutritional and taste value of a regular peanut butter sandwich by drizzling some syrup on it but if you truly want to go the distance, add sliced bananas to the sandwich and toast it on both sides in a skillet with butter. Now drizzled the syrup over this baby and let it mesmerize your taste buds.
  2. Choose your favorite combination of nuts and put them in a bowl with one tablespoon of maple syrup and another of brown sugar for every cup of nuts. If the nuts are unsalted, add a pinch of sea salt. Now stir well and spread on a lined baking tray in the oven for half an hour at 350 degrees. Let them cool and serve in a bowl as a snack that’s finger-licking good.

Food:

  1. Most folks have tasted the combination of syrup and bacon thanks to them mingling on the breakfast plate but try doing it on purpose. Lay your bacon strips flat on a roasting tray and drizzle them generously with maple syrup before baking at 400-425 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Rejoice as the smokiness of the bacon gets enhanced by the infusion of the syrup’s sweetness.
  2. Bring out the natural sweetness of carrots by preparing them in this simple way: bring peeled and sliced carrots sticks to a boil in a deep pan with some water, a large spoon of butter and a large spoon of maple syrup. Cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes with occasional stirring till the carrots soften and the glaze thickens. Serve hot.
  3. Transform uninspiring veg like Brussels sprouts by slicing them lengthwise, tossing them with a spoon of maple syrup and olive oil for around a pound of sprouts. Roast on a baking tray at 400 degrees for around 10 minutes, remove them, move them around and pop them back in the oven and roast for 10 more minutes or till done. Season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.
  4. Instead of adding the usual brown sugar or molasses to your BBQ sauce, why not try maple syrup instead? Smell the smoky finish as you baste the meat with this concoction and enjoy the sweetness it will add to the food.

Desserts:

  1. Drizzled over a scoop of vanilla ice cream, maple syrup is healthier than most popular commercial toppings. Add some nuts and chopped fresh and dried fruit and you’re ready to be transported to paradise.
  2. The next time you bake a pie, add a splash of bourbon and some maple syrup to the dish for a brilliantly delicious outcome.

Drinks:

  1. Don’t reach for a yawn-inducing drink when you can make a snazzy cocktail by muddling fruit like ripe apricots with some fresh mint leaves and maple syrup, adding bourbon or vodka, some ice, and topping it with sparkling water. Prepare to be amazed.
  2. The best tip though by far, is this: just add maple syrup to a cup of milk. Although it tastes great cold, having it hot means you might never go back to old fashioned and predictable hot chocolate.

PS: Head to our Food section for healthy recipes and the latest food trends.
Also, find quick and easy Nutrition tips here.

Read More:
Fast Five: Fun Facts About Maple Syrup
8 Natural Sweeteners To Substitute Sugar With

Simona Terron
Simona is a journalist who has worked with several leading publications in India over the last 17 years, writing on lifestyle topics and the arts, besides interviewing celebrities. She made the switch to public relations and headed the division as PR Manager at ITC Hotels’ flagship property, the ITC Grand Chola, but has since returned to her first love, journalism. Now she writes on food, which she is sincerely passionate about and wellness, which she finds fascinating and full of surprises. When she isn’t writing, she is busy playing the role of co-founder and communications director of The Bicycle Project, a six-year-old charity initiative that empowers tribal children in rural areas, while addressing the issue of urban waste.

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