But where can you turn when you have one of those cravings that just can’t be beat? My first line of attack beyond fruit, is using a natural sweetener like agave nectar.  My husband Bruce has quite the sweet tooth and with a goal of losing weight, that can sometimes thwart his efforts, but by periodically whipping up some sweet treats made with agave, it’s satisfying yet a healthier option.

Recently, I found a recipe for vegan chocolate chip cookies in Clean Eating magazine that are made with agave and cacao nibs — real chocolate in its raw state.  They are super good and easy to make. Even better, you don’t have to bake them!  I wrote a post about them a few weeks ago, and how I changed the recipe slightly, to my liking.  You can find cacao at your local health food store.

I thought you’d enjoy seeing this short video so you can see some of the ingredients and see just how easy it is to prepare them.  In less than 20 minutes, you can have a batch whipped up and ready to go.  And guess what? Your kids will love them too!

 

They’re all about clean eating — all natural ingredients, no preservatives. And they were a hit at the party I took them to recently.

What’s your favorite clean eating treat that’s naturally sweetened and is easy on your system?

PS If you love the idea of clean eating and want to marry fall, seasonal foods with eating clean, join me on October 21 for my next teleclass. You can get all the details here: http://budurl.com/falleating

But that was before he decided to ditch his sugar habit once and for all. For him, it works best if he only has something with refined sugar every three weeks (yes, I said every three weeks!).  So he goes three weeks and then that has something on Saturday and something on Sunday. Along the way he eats fruit to satisfy his cravings.  And because he still has some sugar he doesn’t feel like he’s depriving himself completely.

But why is it that so many of us are addicted to sugar? I chalk most of it up to the fact that sugar is in everything. The good news is that we can all go a little easy on sugar by using a natural sweetener.

Check out this video for some simple ways you can use natural sweeteners to help you reduce your addiction to the hard stuff.  I talk about my favorite, agave nectar, why it’s so much better than sugar or Equal and a favorite cookbook you should check out.

What do you do to reduce your cravings? What’s your favorite natural sweetener?

When I was little I was wild about Fruit Loops. I loved all the colors and of course, I couldn’t get enough of the sweet, sugary taste. There was nothing better than mom coming home with a big box of them from the grocery store that my brother and I would fight over.

That was in the 70’s, way before we really talked about how much sugar there is in cereals marketed to kids. We’ve known for years that a whole range of these cereals really aren’t good for them, but the marketing arm of large consumer companies is long and powerful, convincing many families with kids that there sugar-laden cereals are the way to go.

But did you hear about the Consumer Reports study that came out this week about just how bad the top selling kids cereals are? It’s probably not a surprise to hear they’re full of sugar, but the extend to which many of them are unhealthy is alarming.

Take a listen to this week’s audio tip and you can learn the facts about these cereals and hear some simple tips to feed your kids a healthier breakfast.

What about you? Do you have a penchant for sweet cereals yourself? And what do you do to feed your kids a healthier breakfast? Check out the recipe below for a healthy and delicious breakfast. This is one of my favorites that I make regularly.

Whole Oatmeal
Oat groats are a whole grain found in health food stores. With a bit of soaking you can turn them into a delicious and filling breakfast cereal that will keep you going for hours.  The beauty is that it doesn’t require any cooking, just soaking the oats and creating the cereal! You can break up the preparation into 2 simple steps. I make enough to last for several meals. This recipe is from “Raw Foods Made Easy.”

Step 1: Soak the Oat Groats

1 ½ cups whole oat groats

Place the oat groats in a small bowl and cover with water. Soak for 8-10 hours at room temperature.  Drain in a colander and rinse well. Return the oat groats to the bowl, cover with water and soak for another 8-10 hours.  Drain and rinse again. Allow oat groats to sit for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate. The oats will keep for three days in the refrigerator.

Step 2: Make the Oatmeal

Ingredients:
2 cups soaked oat groats
½ apple, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. pure maple syrup or agave nectar
2 tbsp. water
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
¼ tsp. salt

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed. Serve at room temperature and add milk if desired. Simply delicious!

Wednesday, February 14 – Health Body, Healthy Business!
12:00- 1:30 pm, Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, 900 Chapel St., New Haven, CT

Are you a local real estate agent always on the go? Then join me for a 3-part series starting on February 14 (subsequent sessions will be held March 21 and April 18) designed to help you expand your business and grow your income by starting with you! When we’re eating healthfully and taking care of ourselves, our energy increases, we have a more positive attitude and we’re in the right frame of mind to grow our business successfully. Sponsored by Kim Hafford of Washington Mutual Home Loans and Edna Colucci of the Colucci Law Firm, LLC, this free series includes a healthy lunch, great learning environment and information to keep you healthy. For more information call 203.641.0653.

Thursday, February 22 – Wellness Stretch Class with Renee Baldo of Unlimited Potential Studio 7:30-8:30 pm, Jared Andrew Dance Studio, 42 State Street, North Haven, CT

You won’t want to miss the chance to stretch your body and relax your mind at this class given by my colleague Renee Baldo. Renee is a skincare specialist as well as a registered nurse and always uses a holistic approach to getting and staying healthy! All you need is a yoga mat, towel, water and loose fitting clothing. Come join the fun! For more information and to reserve your spot call 203.239.1966. Fee: $10.

Tuesday, February 27 – Nutrition talk at Kathleen Brennan School, New, Haven, CT

Helping kids get healthy? Can’t think of a better thing to do! I’ll be working with 7th and 8th graders at Kathleen Brennan school to teach basic nutrition tips and simple ways to eat for energy that even teenagers will love.

Wednesday, February 28 – Sugar Blues Workshop for Miller Association Seniors
1:00-2:00 pm, Hamden Senior Center, Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, CT

Did you know that eating sweet root vegetables helps to curb sugar cravings? Join me for an interactive workshop to help seniors learn tips and information to overcome sugar addiction. Doughnuts, cookies and cake be gone! We’ll be discussing lots of healthy, nutrient-rich options that can tackle even the worst sugar cravings!