A little no-sugar treat

It has been over a month since I stopped eating sugar. Along the way I created some other eating guidelines for myself, in an effort to get back to where I'd like to be health-wise, and to help lose some weight. I've mainly only eaten whole grains (and have limited them), have limited myself on treats (one Jocalat bar per day), and haven't overdone it on fruits. I've also tried to get in raw foods as much as possible. I've lost about pound a week doing this, which seems good to me considering that exercise hasn't been added into the mix.

*I did just start adding some exercise yesterday, and if I told you what it was you would cringe for how pitiful it was. Actually, I am going to tell you: 2 minutes of going up and down our stairs as quickly as possible. I was going to start with 3 minutes but found that I was already hurting after just one minute! I tell you this in order to keep it real. Too many of you email me and mention your make-believe ideas about how perfectly I'm eating and living. I'm not! There's a reason why I teach like I do--I have to be honest! I fall off the wagon. A lot. And then I get back on. That's what I'm best at. ie: Knowing what I'd like to be doing, struggling to do it, being nice to myself anyhow, and then trying again when I'm ready. It seems like I get a little better at it every go-round. :)

Tonite I was having a hankering for a treat but wasn't willing to fall off the no-sugar bandwagon for it. Decided to see what I could make from what I had. I ended up with a variation of my healthy fudge recipe, which I share in the online class. Here's what I did:

half cup natural peanut butter and natural cashew butter
*Last time I went to the health food store I ground my own nut butters there. These have been entirely non-oily, and the peanut butter in particular is easily spreadable even though it is kept in the fridge. I don't think I will ever go back to peanut butter in a jar again!

half cup of light agave nectar
*works into the mix easier than honey, fewer calories than honey, and a lower glycemic index

about a cup of unsweetened flaked coconut

some chopped dates (maybe a half cup)

about a third cup of cocoa powder
*You could use carob powder as well, but I don't have any right now

I just whizzed it all up in the food processor, tasted a bit to make sure it was ok, and smooshed it into a medium sized Tupperware container and stuck it in the fridge. I plan to cut it into small squares to enjoy when a chocolate craving hits me. You could also roll it into balls or logs, coat with more coconut or crushed up nuts, etc.

Obviously there is a lot you could do to vary this recipe. I just worked with what I had. I was pleased that I didn't need to heat this since I prefer keeping it raw if I can. The agave in place of honey sure helped, as did the easy-spreadability of the peanut butter I have. Yay!