Gimme Some Of That Good Stuff

Living and eating gluten-free (GF), corn-free (CF), soy-free, sugar-free, grain-free and low-carb might sound daunting.  It is.  For the first few years, anyway.  It's a big adjustment in thinking, buying and preparing.  It does take more thought and preparation, if you're new to it.

I've been soy- and corn-free for about half my life, so I'm used to that.  I saw that corn and gluten are in everything that is processed, so I really cut back on the processed foods and religiously read labels.  Then, to make matters worse, I went gluten-, grain- and sugar-free and low-carb two years ago.  That means cutting out the rest.

The biggest change for anyone adopting a new, and hopefully healthier, way of eating is getting rid of what isn't good.  In my case, because of my many food sensitivities, allergies and intolerances (I'll talk more about those differences another time), that's a lot of stuff.  Mostly processed food.  Then, you have to assess what you have.  You can't take something away without replacing it with something else.  For instance, I've replaced the grains with more low-glycemic and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, squashes, and celery (for the fibre).

Another big change for me, when I went GF and sugar-free was to give up my favorite candy: peanut butter cups.  Those of you who can eat and love peanut butter know what I'm talking about... the creamy delicious slightly-salty and sweet peanut butter surrounded by a love-coating of smooth and sweet chocolate.  The only drawback I ever had to this treat was the milk chocolate; I'm a long-time fan of the semi-sweet and dark chocolates, so this problem kept me from overindulging in it's delectability.

No longer.

No, candy companies aren't suddenly falling over themselves making a candy that will conform to my strict guidelines for what goes in my gullet.  Although if any does wish to do so may contact me immediately, any time day or night.  Ahem.

No, I've had to create my own treat that will both satisfy my longing for something more than greens and meats, and will still be good for me.  (Or at least, not so bad.)  So, I've come up with my own chocolate-covered peanut butter treat.

*And, just so you won't freak out about peanut butter, read here about how peanut butter may actually help you lose weight.  Just remember, everything in moderation.  But as anecdotal evidence, every time I've eaten a lot of peanut butter I've found my weight going down again.  It is a daily part of my routine because it works for me.

Feast your eyes (and later, your palettes) on this:



Whenever you try to make healthier choices, go slowly.  Don't go from Skippy or Kraft peanut butter straight to organic nothing-added all-natural peanut butter that has to be mixed for hours by a sweaty, muscly Scandinavian.  Unless that's your thing.  Instead, add some of the all-natural stuff to what you normally eat, changing the ratios over time until your tastes adjust and before you know it you're completely hooked on the plain old-fashioned peanut butter with no sugar, salt or chemicals.  Then, put your hunky muscle-bound hero to work on that peanut butter for you, and while he's at it, fix up a few other things around the house.... oops... sorry.  My dream, not yours.

Anyways.

Here's the mix.

2 cups peanut butter (I'm on the plain stuff now)
1 scoop organic whey protein powder (I use plain, no flavour added)
salt to taste (I prefer Celtic sea salt for the nutrients)

Mix thoroughly until well combined.  Form into little balls about the size of a tablespoon.  Place them on a cookie sheet and put into the freezer.

Melt 5 squares of chocolate of your choice.  My advice for adjusting your taste to a more natural peanut butter works just as well on chocolate; I find the 70% chocolate a little sweet, but a good compliment to the savory salty peanut butter.  Use what works for you.  Once the chocolate is melted, mix in a teaspoon of organic butter from pastured cows.  Raw is best, but not easy to find -- especially here in Canada where raw dairy is illegal.  (I will also talk more later about what I've learned about healthy fats and why they are so important to health and weight loss and maintenance.)

Once that is well mixed, pull those pb balls out of the freezer and, using a toothpick to stab and hold them, dip each ball into the chocolate, covering as much as you want.  Because the balls are partially frozen, the chocolate sets very quickly and doesn't run everywhere.  Put them back in the freezer until they are completely set (an hour or so).

I prefer to store them in an air-tight freezer bag in the freezer, and I think the coldness really compliments the flavor and texture.  I find they're too mushy if room-temperature, and lacking that "something-something" when they're just refrigerated.

Because they are high in the healthy fats and protein, and very low in sugar/carbs, I find they're the perfect snack for an energy boost that also satisfies my craving to have something special and, as a big bonus, I can stay in ketosis when I eat them in moderation.  If such a thing is possible....

If you make a batch, I'd love to hear back how it went, what you think of it, and maybe how you've stretched your tastes to change to a (slightly) healthier choice.  Give it time.  It will happen.

Bon appetite!