I have been curious and and reluctant about Stevia, a natural zero calorie sweetener, for the past few years. The research has been very positive and many foreign countries have used it for years but I'm always leery to try something new.
I’ve been hearing of more and more people that are using it, including a neighbor of mine, so I decided to take the plunge and give it a try.
I purchased the 100% pure powder form from the company Wisdom Of The Ancients, Sweet Leaf. Amazon sells a 25 gram bottle for $9.83 (which is equal to 500 cups of sugar).
Stevia is sold 3 different ways due to help balance the negative aspects of the product. It is sold as 100% pure powder form, powder form sold with various fillers and a liquid concentrate. The first negative (and positive) aspect is it is extremely potent- 300 times sweeter than sugar (1/2 tsp. equals 1 cup of sugar). Just a little too much added to a recipe and it spoils the entire batch. To help make measuring easier, several companies have added bulking agents to dilute it a little. There is a lot of discussion on which fillers are safest but overall most believe if you are buying Stevia with a filler, by one with FOS (fructooligosaccharide) or fiber added.
The second problem with Stevia is if you use too much the final product will taste bitter. The liquid Stevia seems to have less of a bitter problem than the powder form. However the powdered form is more versatile and one can make their own liquid form from the pure powder.
I’ve done several experiments with it so far and have been very pleased with the results. It is easiest to add it to liquid drinks so you can taste and adjust the sweetness and baking is the most difficult because you can’t taste the results until it’s too late to adjust.
So far baked goods made with Stevia as its only sweetener have been challenging but baked goods with sugar cut in half and a little Stevia added have been fantastic.
I’m determined to find a few ways to reduce the amount of sugar we consume and cut our calories. I’m not a fan of aspartame as it acts as an excitotoxin in our bodies just like msg so I’m thrilled to find a great, natural alternative to experiment with. 
I’ll start posting the recipes I’ve had success with shortly. If you want to learn more about Stevia and how to use it, Stevia by Rita DePuydt is a great book with some helpful tips and ideas.
Thoughts on Stevia
Pumpkin Bread
7.5 oz. canned pumpkin
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil*
1 TBSP water
1 cup sugar*
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life chips)
Beat together pumpkin, applesauce, oil, and water. Then add sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Then mix in spices, flour and chocolate chips. Bake in muffin cups or in fluted pans at 350° F for 20-25 minutes. Freezes well.
*For a reduced fat option, you can cut the oil to 1/4 cup and add an additional 1/4 cup applesauce. These are still very tender and moist and my husband can't tell the difference!
*I have reduced the amount of sugar in this recipe and still find this bread very sweet. However if you would like them sweeter, you can increase the sugar to be 1 1/2 cups.
*****
These are so moist and taste amazing, the mixture of spices are perfect! Because this recipe does not contain eggs, do not double the recipe and be sure to bake as mini bundt cakes or muffins (instead of one large loaf). I personally get the best results using a metal pan like the one pictured below. If I use my silicone muffin cups, then the bread is a little too moist and they take an additional five minutes to bake. Both taste great, but I prefer the metal tins. Here is the original recipe containing eggs. 
Variation with Stevia
7.5 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP applesauce
1/4 cup oil
1 TBSP water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. pure powdered Stevia
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life chips)