Should you quit sugar?
It’s a big, and somewhat daunting question.
Perhaps you could ask yourself this:
- Do you get an energy slump in the afternoon?
- Do you need something sweet after lunch and/or dinner?
- Are you unable to eat just one slice of cake or one piece of chocolate and then walk away?
- Do you have hypothyroidism and wonder if quitting sugar might make a difference?
If you ticked yes to the above (I ticked yes to all!) then perhaps sugar is playing a bigger role in your health and your life than you thought.
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Pecans. Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, they can help decrease “bad cholesterol” and increases “good cholesterol” levels in the blood.
Seriously. A simple nut can help do this?!
They’re also a wonderful nut to consume for those of us suffering the effects of hypothyroidism, as they’re a rich source of manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.
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Almond Meal. Probably my favourite gluten-free “flour” to bake with as I substitute it 1:1 with any plain flour recipe.
I absolutely love its soft and moist texture, however sometimes it does need a little hand to hold so it can keep its shape - like adding in a little buckwheat flour or perhaps some brown rice or quinoa flour.
To store, like all nuts, I keep enough almond meal/flour readily available in a glass jar in my fridge. It will last for up to 6 months this way, although mine disappears a hell of a lot sooner as I bake A LOT! The remainder, as I buy in bulk (soooo much cheaper to do so), gets stored in the freezer.
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For those of us living with Hashimotos or any thyroid disorder, keeping the weight off is one of the most frustrating things EVER!
One of the things I’m doing/have been doing/will continue to do is keep off sugar. Did you know it is 4 x addictive as cocaine? Not only does it cause havoc with your blood sugar levels and create a false sense of hunger, it causes considerable inflammation in the gut …. and this includes “natural” sugars.
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French chefs have been cooking with chocolate since the early 17th century, and the delectable dessert “mousse au chocolat” (meaning chocolate foam) seems to have showed up in France around the 18th century.
Now this particular Mousse au Chocolat may not be the traditional French version, and in fact, the French may shrug their louis vuitton shoulders “pfft” me and my mousse, but I simply just don’t care. I LOVE this version and so does my tummy.
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When I east sugar - I scratch.
My thyroid swells, my brain gets foggy and I'm suddenly ravenous. It's taken years of experimenting on myself to discover this fact.
My problem...I love to bake (why couldn't I love gardening instead?).
So like a dog with a bone (albeit one of those cute fluffy ones) I've been searching for ingredients that don't send me screaming down the street.
My latest discovery...Vanilla Bean Powder!
Now I do realise this product has been around for ages, but I'm finally on board.
Now, I'm in love.
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I’m in my favourite Brunswick coffee shop this morning having coffee. Propped up at the counter, I can smell the beans and I'm in the perfect position to ogle the array of petite cakes and patisseries on display.
Not so long ago I would not have been able to walk out of this place without picking one delicate little delight to indulge in.
That was the old me. The me before this recipe came into my life.
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How do you go to France and not eat the patisseries?
You tell me.
It's not that I was pressed up against the store windows with drool dripping off my chin, and no one force fed me. I just suddenly became aware, like waking from a dream, of a plate, a cake and a fork in my hand. Seriously, how does that happen?
You may wonder why I even mention it here, but when you've not eaten refined sugar and gluten for a few years....you have to wonder?
Even though French patisseries are no longer my treat of choice, I ate every forkful with utter love and not a single ounce of guilt attached.
Yes, I did suffer later.
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I've moved house.
Apart from setting up the bed, locating the kettle is the next most important thing for me. I don't function without my kettle. Period.
It took me two days to find the blasted box I'd put mine in....you'd think I'd be more diligent in marking the box wouldn't you?
Next on my "to do" list is to cook. To introduce myself to my new oven and stove top. To fill my new home up with aromas that make my mouth water and make me feel settled.
This isn't one of those dishes.
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I thought I'd share with you the little tart I made recently for my sister-in-law.
I think you're going to like it.
It's just a simple little tart with a bottom made of flaky, buttery, sweet shortcrust pastry. A middle filled with soft fluffy almonds, and a crown of plump fresh raspberries.
Served with some thick double cream...do you really need anything more?
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Sometimes I just want cake.
Problem is, you have to bake a whole cake for just one slice and if you're anything like me, once a whole cake has been baked and is sitting on the cake plate, one slice just won't do!
I've found the answer - These yummy individual little puddings.
You only have to make one AND they're fructose free!
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