But then, every so often, there are those days.. like yesterday, when the puppy had to get up 3 times during the night and I was so tired my eyelids drooped through all of class. Or when it's that oh-so-special time of the month, and all I want to do is lock myself in a closet with a giant chocolate bar.
The experts always tell you that once you start a healthy diet, your taste buds change and you will stop craving all the terrible foods you once loved. I think this is true to an extent; I've grown to truly crave kale and salad, while I rarely crave french fries. But, don't be fooled into thinking you will always be able to look a piece of chocolate cake right in the eye and walk away without looking back. There will be days, especially when you are tired and not at your best, when you are going to really really want to be bad. In her documentary Crazy Sexy Cancer (which if you haven't seen, you should!), Kris Karr has an off-day, and says to her boyfriend, "I want to do bad things with bad people!" That's how I felt yesterday. I wanted to eat cookies and drink like a fish, while chain smoking and listening to angry girl music. We all have days like that. So, I thought I would give you a list of my secret weapons for when I feel like diving headfirst off the veggie train. Here are some healthier alternatives for when you reeeeeeaaalllly need a treat:
1) Good Earth caffeine-free tea. This yummy spicy tea is naturally sweet, so I like to have a cup after dinner and it feels like I'm having dessert. Make sure you get the caffeine-free one, since the "Original" does have caffeine.
2) Dates. These are very sugary, so don't have more than 1 or 2. But when you are really craving something sweet, dates will do the trick.
3) Hot cocoa. Warm some almond/hemp/rice milk on the stove. Add unsweetened cocoa powder and stevia to taste. Yum!
4) Banana soft serve. Take 2 or 3 frozen bananas and blend in food processor for 5 minutes until smooth and fluffy. It's so good. (This works with other frozen fruits too! Try mango and raspberry soft-serve for a delicious summer treat)
5) Fruit Smoothie. Blend up a tantalizing combo of berries, fruits, and almond milk for an afternoon pick-me-up. Add stevia to sweeten, if desired. Don't forget to add a handful of spinach to your smoothie; it doesn't change the flavor, but it ups the health factor by a ton.
6) Quick Oat & Raisin Cookies. These are from Carolyn Levett's Recipes for the Endometriosis Diet. I love to make a batch, freeze them, and have them on hand for when I am craving a dessert-ish item. Check out the recipe here.
7) Avocado chocolate pudding. This is my true secret weapon. This pudding tastes so good, it makes me feel like I've done something very naughty. The recipe is from Kris Karr's Crazy Sexy Diet. It will probably get its own post at some point, but for now here is the recipe:
- 1 ripe avocado
- 6-10 dates (depending on size) soaked in about 1/2 c. water. They really need to be soaked for at least 30 minutes to ensure your pudding will be extra smooth
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
Add all ingredients (including soaking water) to a food processor, and begin blending. Blend, scraping sides occasionally, until very smooth.
Serve topped with shredded unsweetened coconut.
No comments:
Post a Comment