I Love Fall

 I love this time of year! The leaves change, we pull out our sweaters and boots and start thinking of all the wonderful things we can do with apples! Cinnamon and cloves come to mind, baked apples, apple crisp, and how about Apple Cinnamon Granola!

One of the things I missed when I started eating "clean" was granola. Store bought, and even homemade recipes, use rolled oats, which convert quickly to sugar because they are a broken down, processed food. Then, to make it worse, they are full of refined sugar...lots of it. So what was considered to be a healthy snack, turns out to be high in simple carbs and laden with refined sugar.

My cookbook, Delightfully Free, is not only free of gluten, dairy and refined sugar, but it is also free of rolled oats. So, when it comes to granola, there are four things to be delighted about! In my recipes only steel cut oats are used. I've got to say, it is very hard to find a granola, or a recipe for granola, that is made with steel cut oats and is refined sugar free.

That is one reason that I am so pleased to offer my new cookbook. In it, I share my secret of how to take healthy, whole steel cut oats and prepare them for baking. In Delightfully Free, my Oatmeal Cookies, Raisin Squares and two kinds of granola recipes use the real thing--steel cut oats. 

To tie these two healthy Fall favorites together, try my Apple Cinnamon Granola. As sweet and crunchy as mine is, it's also wholesome and low in natural sugar.  
 

~Tracy

About Delightfully Free: Delightfully Free is a gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free cookbook of 141 recipes. It includes delicious resources for autism, celiac disease, diabetes, lactose intolerance, obesity and just plain healthy living. It contains 114 color photographs, 114 vegetarian or vegetarian compatible recipes, and 103 vegan or vegan compatible recipes. 

 

                                                                  
   

Baby Boomer Health

A newly released Australian study concluded that the Baby Boomer generation is in much worse health than their parents generation. Wow! Frankly, I think they could have figured that out and saved the money by looking around at what people are eating these days. The evidence speaks for itself. Alarming numbers of us are overweight and are having other health issues. The use of prescribed medications has multiplied in reckless proportions.

This particular article on the Baby Boomers' health noted that "the findings are alarming and evidence that new public policies are needed." But hey, let's rescue ourselves! I recommend that we don't just sit around, waiting for those new public policies. We already have the ability to make dramatic, positive changes in our own lives and those of our families, and I'm talking about changes that address the root of the problem, instead of just medicating it!

I would urge instead that we all keep learning about healthy eating. For example, what if we cut out the "foods" higher in fat and put our foot down against deep fried, trans fat-laden "foods" and instead started eating fresh vegetables and fruits, and whole, less processed, foods?  Parents could cut out so much of the problem by being aware of the widespread use of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and the adverse consequences its consumption has on them and their children. Thankfully, as more and more people are understanding the negative impact of not only HFCS, but refined sugars in general, many are also becoming aware of food intolerances including those to gluten and dairy.

That's why I believe my new cookbook Delightfully Free is a fabulous resource. If you or your family has issues with weight, blood sugar levels, food intolerances, or would simply like to eat more healthy, I commend to you my cookbook which offers tasty, family-friendly recipes with no HFCS, gluten, dairy or refined sugars. Of the 141 recipes included in my book, 114 are vegetarian or vegetarian adaptable. There are 103 vegan or vegan adaptable. Whether you're just getting started on the path to healthy eating or have been on that path for some time, this book, full of the favorite foods we crave, offers as the cover notes, "Delicious resources for autism, celiac disease, obesity, lactose intolerance & healthy living!"

Because I know firsthand how difficult it is to move away from foods that are processed and filled with detrimental ingredients, I have included in my book a helpful section entitled "Stocking your Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free Pantry."  It is "stocked" with tools and information to get you started with what you need to know to begin preparing delicious meals, snacks and desserts that are healthy and free of so many of the ingredients that have been causing some of the problems noted in this new Australian Study.

If you haven't already, I hope you'll give my book  Delightfully Free a try. I am sure you'll be happy you did!

Here's to a new way of healthy living 

~Tracy

About Delightfully Free: Delightfully Free is a gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free cookbook of 141 recipes. It includes delicious resources for autism, Celiac disease, diabetes, lactose intolerance, obesity and just plain healthy living. It contains 114 color photographs, 114 vegetarian or vegetarian compatible recipes, and 103 vegan or vegan compatible recipes.

Fat Tuesday

My Journey Of Health

Some of you already know why I wrote my cookbook, but for others new to me or this website, here is my story and point of view as I share them in the Introduction section of my book:

I love good food and I especially love dessert.

But, a number of years ago, I learned that I, and others in my family, had serious food intolerances that knocked out most of our favorite things. Foods like pasta with creamy sauces, pizza, breads, pies and chocolate cake. Living without these for the rest of our lives just wouldn’t do.

So, I got creative. I experimented. People started saying “Oh! I really want that recipe” and telling me about relatives or friends who couldn’t eat dairy or gluten or both. They didn’t know what to cook for dinner or any meal for that matter. Many told me I should write a cookbook.

Over the past 10 years I have recreated favorite dishes, desserts, muffins and sauces to taste great and at the same time to be healthy. This book contains recipes to make real foods that don’t just fill our stomachs but feed our bodies’ systems so that they can function the way they were intended to. All of these recipes exclude gluten, the protein in wheat, casein, the protein in dairy, lactose, and refined sugars.

In recent years, more people are realizing that there is a real connection between the foods we are eating and the pandemic increase of obesity and disease. The focus has moved beyond the low-calorie, low-fat diet to seeking a level of nutrition that will help address symptoms like problematic digestion, brain fog, low energy, headaches and even aggressive behavior in children, mood swings in adults and inflammation which makes us susceptible to arthritis and disease. We know that medication is not always the answer. Not only are we understanding the dramatic way food affects us, we’re discovering that a large part of the equation involves eating gluten-free, dairy-free and free of refined sugars.

In my own experience with family and friends we have seen the dramatic, undeniable effects, both good and bad, caused by what we eat. For example, we have witnessed the most remarkable improvement in aggressive behavior and other autistic symptoms by simply removing gluten, dairy and, in some cases, eggs from the diet of autistic children. This has made the difference between not being able to cope socially and now being able to go to school and be successful. Knowing what to eat, what not to eat and why, has made all the difference.

So many of the people I come across now eat gluten-free, dairy-free or both. Most also recognize the need to lower their intake of sugar. But we still want to eat the delicious foods we love like lasagna, fettuccine with creamy garlic sauce, luscious quiches, moist, flavorful muffins and soft, warm cookies fresh out of the oven. Those packaged ones from the health food stores just don’t cut it! What we need is a new version of these foods that is healthy. So, let’s compare chocolate chip cookies.

When we replace regular chocolate chip cookies with my healthy ones, we have a cookie that will fuel the body instead of wage war against it. The traditional chocolate chip cookie is made of bleached, processed white flour, refined white sugar, refined brown sugar and the unhealthy forms of fat from butter, margarine and shortening (some of which are hydrogenated). Not only are these devoid of any nutritional value, ALL of these ingredients wreck havoc on our bodies.

Happily, my chocolate chip cookies are made of almond meal (100% almonds, a valuable, nutritious food high in protein and omega 3 and omega 6), coconut flour (very high in fiber, low in carbs, metabolized as energy not fat, and a good source of protein), coconut palm sugar (natural and low on the glycemic index and high in nutrients), agave nectar (a natural plant derived sweetener with an equally low glycemic index) and grapeseed oil (one of the healthiest, beneficial oils with a very high smoke point).

Here, you have a delicious cookie, which is also a nutritious food. Even people who are not “healthy eaters” love them and can’t tell that they are gluten-free, dairy-free and free of refined sugar. Another great example is my Black Bean Brownies; their main ingredient is an entire can of black beans. My elegant Chicken de Provence sauce is creamy and rich but it’s made out of cauliflower!

Who would have thought that getting a diagnosis that meant being restricted from eating breads, cheese, creamy sauces and rich chocolate desserts would lead to so much good and benefit so many people? But that is what has happened. I believe that even in difficult circumstances, there is a purpose and a blessing. My circumstances led to this cookbook. It’s been an adventure to learn a “clean” way of eating by replacing the “foods” we used to eat with real foods that have none of the detrimental, unhealthy baggage.

And now, I want to share this with others. It has been my privilege and pleasure to compile a book of delicious, healthful recipes in a variety of categories from “comfort foods” and family favorites, to foods we thought we would never be able to eat again, and even more elegant, festive dishes. My hope is that this collection, along with my blog, will help you and your family to improve and preserve your health and quality of life while enjoying the foods you love for the seasons you celebrate. Let’s put the joy back into cooking and eating, free of the stuff that makes us sick...Delightfully Free!

~Tracy

About Delightfully Free: Delightfully Free is a gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free cookbook of 141 recipes. It includes delicious resources for autism, celiac disease, diabetes, lactose intolerance, obesity and just plain healthy living. It contains 114 color photographs, 114 vegetarian or vegetarian compatible recipes, and 103 vegan or vegan compatible recipes. 

The Mysterious Nagami Kumquat

I just love getting reminded of wonderful tastes and textures. Recently, at a wedding reception, the kumquat caught my attention. The caterer had used the Nagami Kumquat as a colorful addition and twist to his Mediterranean-themed salad. The Nagami is an oval-shaped fruit about the size of a Brazil nut and it is in a category all its own because it has a sweet skin which gives way to a slightly sour taste inside. It is eaten with the skin still on so that the sweet and sour tastes delight the taste buds together.

In this instance, the caterer had simply halved each Nagami and tossed them into his salad where they added to the attractiveness of his dish, but more importantly, added zing and exotic flavor. I was so taken with them that I leaned over to my husband, Brian, and said “these kumquats are a great idea in this salad. I'm going to have to come up with some recipes featuring kumquats,” to which Bri responded “is that what they are? I thought maybe they were some kind of medallion tomato.”

That's not to say my husband is not a sophisticated eater. But, it does point up how infrequently he's enjoyed kumquats in anything he's been served {by me included!} But, this little fruit has too many benefits to be ignored.

According to Livestrong.com (www.livestrong.com/article/310690-nutritional-values-of-kumquats), 8 raw kumquats, which total 108 calories, provide 66.7 mg vitamin C with the daily recommended allowance being 75 for women and 90 for men. Eight kumquats also have 9.9 g of dietary fiber. The daily recommended by the Institute of Medicine is 25 g for women and 38 g for men. This little fruit also is a good source of vitamin A, Riboflavin and calcium.

Well, after knowing I liked the taste and benefits of kumquats, Bri set about locating some for me and learned that they are not so easy to find. None of our markets had them and even his “go-to” sources for more exotic items didn't carry them. He finally found them at a nursery that sold produce as well. So, having put that much work into locating them and knowing he'd be asked to do it again, Bri showed up with a baby Nagami kumquat tree which now resides in our backyard.

Nagami Kumquat

Meiwa Kumquat

In the course of his search for a Nagami kumquat tree, my husband learned about kumquat variations. He told me about the Meiwa kumquat tree which has a round shaped fruit and is sweet. He hasn't yet found the fruit, but he found the tree and, you guessed it, it's now the Nagami's newest neighbor.

Interestingly, the Meiwa has many more first-time buds, so I'll have to start thinking about what to do with them. Given the difficulty locating the kumquat fruit, it may be rewarding to plant your own if you have the space and right climate. I will let you know how our two variations do and what that Meiwa tastes like as soon as I know.   
 

I'm Seeing Less Of My Husband!

How's that for an inference-laden title? For those of you wondering if I was about to reveal trouble simmering outside of the kitchen--sorry to disappoint. No, my husband, Brian, has not abandoned me in a quest to visit every major league ballpark. Nope, he's around more than ever. It's simply that my husband, who suffers from no known food intolerances, has been eating meals made up of my cookbook recipes for many months...and he's been losing weight. 

This welcomed development comes despite the fact that he has not kept to his exercise regimen of mountain biking for many months. So even though his exercise has been curtailed, by significantly reducing his consumption of breads, white rice, white pasta and dairy, Brian is quickly shedding weight. And he came to this conclusion all by himself about a week ago :)

Like most of us, Brian noticed his metabolism slowing up throughout his 30's. And based on what he knew, he responded by exercising more. “Conquer at play and you can eat all day” became his new motto. But unfortunately it didn't work out that way and, despite increasing his mountain biking habit, Brian was still gaining weight. 

So his next move was to cut back on long-standing food favorites such as ice cream, lasagna and creamy dishes. That {and a whole lot of exercise} allowed him to maintain a pretty good weight. Yet he was dissatisfied with this combo, knowing that if he upset the delicate balance between vigorous exercise and eating less of what he wanted, he'd put back on the weight.   

This is the point in the story where I must humbly admit that in the early days of my adventure into gluten-free and dairy-free cooking, my family wasn't exactly sneaking into the kitchen to gorge on my DF, GF, low-sugar experiments. So, back in the old days, I would most often fix two meals—one "healthy meal" for myself and my daughter who has dietary restrictions, and another "normal" one for everyone else, including Brian. 

I could sometimes coax him into sampling a GF cookie or even a main dish, and he would always compliment me {Usually something along the lines of “this is the greatest GF product I've had all day!” Isn't he funny ;) but he was not at all interested in substituting any of his food with my healthier versions. And then, it all changed.

As I stuck to it, countless tries later, a very interesting thing started to happen: Brian tried my creations and his new response became, “Hey, this is really good...you keep making it better,” and furthermore {to my GREAT satisfaction} he'd eat the entire GF, DF, SF item in question. 

Pretty soon I was cooking only one meal and only one desert and, by that point, he was happy about it because he and the rest of my family actually liked the food. And now, after having eaten about 80% GF, DF and low sugar for sometime, I have to say I really like the change in how healthy he looks. 

I now attribute the family's “conversion” to the fact that my re-imagined, GF, DF, SF recipes feature the same kinds of textures and tastes found in the old dishes that rely on gluten and dairy ingredients. I love to hear family and friends say that they never would have known that something they just ate was gluten and dairy-free, or to hear them ask incredulously, “This sauce has no dairy in it?!” 

So my family's story is how this all started. And now my cookbook is full of recipes that take the best of everything I learned along the way and will show other families with special diets new ways to enjoy creamy dishes, cookies, muffins and a host of other formerly off-limit foods

So, here's to healthy eating and happy husbands! ;)

You can buy Delightfully Free and Even More Delightfully Free on my website, www.delightfullyfree.com or directly at this link: https://squareup.com/market/delightfully-free
Your signed books always come with free shipping. We do not sell on Amazon or Barnes & Noble or any other internet sites.

The AMAZING Coconut

One of the pleasant surprises I have discovered in my ongoing adventure of healthy cooking and baking for "clean" eating is the coconut!!! This under-appreciated fruit turns out to be remarkably versatile. In fact, I have been amazed at the benefits and advantages that coconut products provide.

Coconut has been a staple food in Asian and island cultures for centuries. And while this super food has been gaining recognition in the health and nutrition communities, the general public in the western world has yet to realize that coconuts are one of the most nutritious of all fruits. There are so many good reasons to incorporate coconut into our diet.  And that is all good, but what about taste?

The good news is that the use of coconut in so many diverse dishes lends a delicate, creamy, slightly sweet, richness to all sorts of foods, from egg dishes and sauces to baked goods. In my new cookbook "Delightfully Free," I have taken advantage of coconut nutrition and scrumptiousness, using coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut flour and coconut meat. Here is a quick breakdown of some different coconut products and their benefits:

Coconut Milk:  Is not to be confused with the liquid found in the middle of the coconut when it is opened. That is the coconut water or juice. Coconut milk is the juice expressed from the meat of the coconut. One cup of coconut milk contains 38.4 mg of calcium, around 89 mg of magnesium (which helps maintain normal blood pressure, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease), is an excellent source of potassium (631 mg) and phosphorus (240 mg).  For this reason, it also helps increase energy levels and promotes bone and kidney health.  Additionally, Manganese, copper and zinc are other important minerals naturally found in coconut milk.

Coconut Oil:  Is the fatty oil that comes from coconut meat.  Quality organic coconut oil is said to be the healthiest oil to use. This is because coconut oil is heat stable, which makes it slow to oxidize and resistant to becoming rancid. It is also low in monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Bruce Fife, N.D., who has written about the benefits of coconut oil, believes that our bodies use the fat in coconut oil to make energy and not to store fat, which keeps us fit and lively (something that most of us would gladly opt for!). All of these things make coconut oil a safe and healthy alternative for heating, cooking, frying and baking.  

Coconut Flour:  Is something that really makes me happy! What a wonderful difference coconut flour has made in GF baking. It allows us to achieve moist, rich texture and has a delicious natural sweet flavor that enhances baked goods.  Whereas white flour has no fiber, coconut flour is very high in fiber, it is actually 58% fiber, a whopping 6 grams per 2 tablespoons (compare that to wheat bran which is only 27% fiber). It is also low in carbs and is a good source of protein, 2 grams per 2 tablespoons. White flour has zero iron, but 2 tablespoons of coconut flour meets 2% of your daily iron needs.

Coconut Meat:  Besides being a refreshing twist of flavor in soups, vegetables and desserts, 1 cup of coconut meat has 7.2 grams of fiber, more than 20% of the daily recommended amount for adults, not to mention, more than half the recommended daily amount of manganese, which helps your body metabolize both fat and proteins, supports the immune and nervous systems and promotes stable blood sugar levels.  Beyond all this, coconut meat contains significant amounts of potassium and copper.

Coconut Sugar: As I covered in another post here, coconut sugar allows us to achieve some of the textures and consistencies that were nearly impossible before in GF, DF and naturally sweetened baking. Produced and used in south east Asia for thousands of years, coconut sugar has a super low glycemic index of 35 compared to that of corn syrup at 75, refined, pasteurized honey at 75, table sugar at 80, high fructose corn syrup at 87 and glucose (or dextrose) at 100. Furthermore, coconut sugar boasts an extremely high nutrient content--higher in Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc and Iron than agave nectar (which I am crazy about). Coconut sugar is also a natural source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C. Still another great aspect of coconut sugar is that it contains only 148 grams of carbs per cup compared to agave nectar which has 256 grams per cup. Recent medical research suggests that a diet low in carbohydrates is beneficial to people with type 2 diabetes, in which case choosing coconut sugar can be a huge help.

As you turn the pages of my cookbook, you will notice that in many of my recipes, in almost every section, coconut is an important ingredient.

And that's because coconut is just plain amazing :)


See more of my recipes on my website: www.delightfullyfree.com


Some links to check out:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_oil

http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/


Also check out Bruce Fife's book, Coconut Cures for more complete info:
Fife, Bruce (2005). Coconut Cures. Piccadilly Books. ISBN 978-0-941599-60-3
Available from Amazon here

You can buy Delightfully Free and Even More Delightfully Free on my website, www.delightfullyfree.com or directly at this link: https://squareup.com/market/delightfully-free
Your signed books always come with free shipping. We do not sell on Amazon or Barnes & Noble or any other internet sites.

Coconut Sugar ~ It's Sweet

With all of this cooking and baking, I needed a few things, so I took a trip to one of my favorite markets...Whole Foods.  I went straight to the baking aisle....and made a run on the coconut sugar! Yep, I bought all they had! Okay, there were only 2 bags left :)

So, having taken the last two, I felt the need to talk with the buying department about the importance of stocking plenty of coconut sugar. Sue, who works at my local Whole Foods in special orders, pointed out to me that coconut sugar {also called coconut palm sugar} is available in two other departments besides baking supplies. Now I didn't know this {wish I had} and I thought that I should let you know in order to make your shopping trips easier.  

Most Whole Foods actually carry 3 or more brands of coconut sugar in 3 different departments...On the Baking aisle they have my current favorite, "Sweet Tree" organic coconut palm sugar in a 16 oz bag for $4.39.  In their Raw Foods department {my oldest daughter's favorite section of the store}, they have "Essential Living Foods" organic coconut sugar in an 8 oz size for $4.99--a great price for raw sugar!  Also in the Raw Foods department they carry "Coconut Secret" brand organic coconut sugar in a 12 oz canister for $8.99.  In addition, in the "Bulk" department you can buy "Essential Living Foods" organic coconut sugar by the ounce or pound at $4.39 per pound. How great is that?

Why am I so excited about coconut sugar, you ask? Because finally we have a natural, healthy sweetener that comes in a granular form.  This helps out in a wonderful way in the world of gluten free, naturally sweetened baking and cooking because it allows us to achieve some of the textures and consistencies that were nearly impossible before. 

Not that coconut sugar is really new, it has been produced and used in south east Asia for thousands of years.  What's great is that in the last few years it has emerged as a new healthy alternative to cane sugar and is rapidly gaining popularity by the health community and health industry. 

Coconut sugar has a super low glycemic index of 35 compared to that of corn syrup at 75, refined, pasteurized honey at 75, table sugar at 80, high fructose corn syrup at 87 and glucose {or dextrose} at 100. Furthermore, coconut sugar boasts an extremely high nutrient content, higher in Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc and Iron than agave nectar (which I am crazy about), and is a natural source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C. 

Still another great aspect of coconut sugar is that it contains only 148 grams of carbs per cup compared to agave nectar which has 256 grams per cup. Some recent medical research has suggested that a diet low in carbohydrates is beneficial to people with type 2 diabetes, in which case choosing coconut sugar can be a huge help.

All in all, coconut sugar rocks my world {that is my world of cooking, baking and eating}, and I am very happy to pass this awesome info on to you!

More info:

http://www.wholefoodsmagazineonline.com/grocery/new-products/coconut-sugar

Some good general info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_sugar

~Tracy

About Delightfully Free: Delightfully Free is a gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free cookbook of 141 recipes. It includes delicious resources for autism, Celiac disease, diabetes, lactose intolerance, obesity and just plain healthy living. It contains 114 color photographs, 114 vegetarian or vegetarian compatible recipes, and 103 vegan or vegan compatible recipes.

Melt In Your Mouth, Monday Mania, Modest Monday, Traditional Tuesdays,
Proverbs 31, Simple Lives, Green Resource, Thank Your Body, Frugal Days,
Whole Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, Gluten Free Wednesdays

Where Does Your Sugar Come From?

Sugar is our ENEMY. And it's waging war on our collective health.  We all know that sugar is one of the culprits behind obesity, which then increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and a whole slew of other serious problems.  But a lot of the time, the problem is simply that we don't recognize the massive amounts of sugar hidden in our meals.

Did you know, for example, that when we add ketchup to our plate, we are ingesting high-fructose corn syrup {generally the second ingredient} and more corn syrup {again, as the forth ingredient}, additives which cause nothing but trouble for the body {unless you're using organic ketchup of course}.  This usage of corn syrups is what's called "added sugar".  

Types of added sugars include fructose {linked to heart disease because it raises triglycerides and cholesterol and is completely devoid of any nutrition}, corn syrup {with a supper high glycemic index of 75, very little nutrition and therefore should be avoided}, high fructose corn syrup {with a glycemic index of 87, believed by many health advocates to be, along with refined sugar, the biggest contributor of health ailments} and glucose {AKA dextrose} which holds the infamous record for the high glycemic rating of 100! But you knew all of that, right?  

Believe it or not, the average American throws down 350-475 calories of added sugars a day! And that's in addition to the other sugars that they are consuming. But we're not your average Americans, are we?  No, No. We know the secrets of stevia, agave nectar, coconut sugar and some other cool and tricky natural sweeteners who do not impose these menacing threats to our health. Best of all, they turn cleverly crafted baked goods and confections into amazingly delicious and surprisingly nutritious treats!  

It's all in knowing what to use and how to use it  :) So, think about it today, where is your sugar coming from?

Bad news: http://www.cspinet.org/reports/sugar/addedsugar.html

Good news: http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/blog/healthy-sugar-alternatives.php

Like to see more Delightfully Free? Check out Delightfully Free.com

Traditional Tuesdays, Fat Tuesday

Valentine's Treats? No Problem

Valentines Day is coming!  Chocolate, chocolate and, did I mention, dark chocolate?!

Who doesn't want to eat chocolate on Valentine's Day?  And isn't it great that dark chocolate has been in the "Good Nutrition News" lately?  

Our friend, dark chocolate, is super high in heart-healthy nutrients and has been shown to lower inflammation of the arteries and even reduce blood pressure.  So why not indulge a little on Valentine's Day?  {I am, but we'll keep it reasonable!}  

While we're at it, did you know that if you eat almonds with your chocolate they will keep your blood sugar from spiking as dramatically as it normally would without the almonds?  Studies have shown that when you consume any type of sugar with a small amount of fat, the fat helps regulate your blood sugar, decreasing the immediate spike that would otherwise occur.  Almonds are a great source of healthy fat!

Rich in protein & fiber, almonds are also moderately anti-inflammatory. They are champions in Omegas, especially Omega-6, and these little guys are packed with vitamins and minerals.  Because of all this, they lower the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and LDL (bad) cholesterol. 

By reducing the blood sugar level they also lower the rate of weight gain.  And by the way, they are completely delicious with chocolate.  Now what's not to like about that? So that's exactly why I am going to my kitchen next to come up with a new dark chocolate and almonds Valentine's Day treat!

I'll keep you posted  :)


Like to see more Delightfully Free? Check out Delightfully Free.com