'Tis the Season

If there was a "Sugar Season" it would begin Oct 31 and end sometime after Jan 1. And with all that sugar comes sickness and the blahs. So to get through this "season" well and happy you need a plan. Remember that "sweet" doesn't always have to mean the harmful sugar that is in almost every packaged food we eat. Here is where the planning comes in. If you have the right kind of sweets on hand you won't feel the need to grab the bad stuff (yes, it is a need for some of us).

Try substituting Coconut Crystals for highly processed brown sugar. It has a low glycemic index and has better flavor than the brown sugar we grew up with. Other subs are Sucanat, Rapadura, Pure Maple Syrup, Coconut Syrup, or honey. Some may argue that these have the same calories as the white sugar, and they would be right. So keep that in mind with the amount you eat. It is the way your body reacts to these sweets that makes the difference. The secret is that these are still REAL FOOD. Your body recognizes them as food and can process them. They don't cause havoc within your body. Bottom line, they won't make you sick.

For me, I have to have something with chocolate in it to keep me from that box of See's Candies that always shows up this time of year. My favorite go-to chocolate treat is easy to make and fun to have on hand. It satisfies that chocolate craving and doesn't leave me feeling like I just blew it. Try this simple recipe for Fudge:

Place 1/2 cup slivered almonds (found them at Costco even cheaper than the whole almond or you can start with almond meal) in a food processor with the S blade (a blender works well too). Keep whizzing it, scraping down the sides until it is very fine powder if you like it with a little crunch, or keep going until you have almond butter for a creamer fudge (I like the crunch and don't have the patience for the butter). Add 2 1/2 Tbsp. coconut oil, 2 1/2 Tbsp. cacao powder, 2 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup (you can use honey or coconut syrup, but I like the maple flavor), 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Blend until a ball forms. Scrap out into a small ziplock baggie. Smash to thickness you like, place in freezer. After about an hour, cut away the plastic and cut fudge into bite size squares. I put them in small containers and put back in the freezer for easy access. When I get a craving, I pop a couple of bites of fudge and it takes care of my cravings AND it isn't harmful AND the antioxidants in the cacao are even good for me! Find what works for you and make it a healthy, happy season.