Sugar Kicker #2: Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Ok guys - The Banana ice cream was more of a "one-size-fits-all dessert, because who doesn't like Bananas?

This one might be more for the adventurous of you.... or those who really like avocados, like me. I've been told by some that this is a delicious alternative to other creamy, sugary treats. Aaaaaaaand I've been told that my taste buds are warped. There are a few *key* things that make this recipe work in my opinion, of which these items have been starred:

Avocado Pudding:

- 2 *chilled* ripe avocados (The ones on the left are perfect - the one on the right is a little over-ripe for my taste.) Scoop em out, and throw them in your food processor, VitaMix, or any *high-powered* blender.

- 1/4 cup *good* unsweetened cocoa powder. Ain't no Hershey's gonna cut it here, if you want it to taste like something you want to eat.

- *1 TB coconut oil.* Makes it smooth and creamy, and adds a little rich sweetness.

- 1/4 - 1/2 cup honey. Depending on your taste and how sweet you like it. Careful, a little goes a long way, so start with less, and add more if you want.

- 1 tsp. *real* vanilla extract. 

- 1 ice cube. For some reason, this recipe tastes sooooo much better cold.



Throw all this in your food processor, VitaMix, or any *high-powered* blender, and blend it till its smooth and creamy. If it tastes chalky, add a little more honey and vanilla. If its too sweet, add a little vanilla and a pinch of salt.  It'll look something like this:

#YogaWithCalley at Yoga Garden Minneapolis:

Sundays @ 10:30am - 90 min - Mixed Level Vinyasa

Mondays @ 5:15pm - 60 min - Mixed Level Vinyasa
1229 Tyler Street Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55413

Yoga Garden is cash / check only. 

Please note the doors to the FROST building lock 15 minutes after the start of each class.

Sugar-Kicker #1: Banana Ice Cream

All it is is frozen bananas, ripened to your liking, blended in a food processor or blender.

That's literally it. And it tastes delicious.



If you want a little more for flavor like me, add some unsweetened cocoa powder (2-3 Tablespoons), and a teaspoon of vanilla. Or really, any other flavor you like: hazelnut extract, cinnamon, penut butter, vanilla extract by itself....

If you reeeeeeally need to see a whole step-by-step recipe, click here.


Happy no sugar-ing! Hope to see you in class this week!!

#YogaWithCalley at Yoga Garden Minneapolis:

Sundays @ 10:30am - 90 min - Mixed Level Vinyasa

Mondays @ 5:15pm - 60 min - Mixed Level Vinyasa
1229 Tyler Street Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55413

Yoga Garden is cash / check only. 

Please note the doors to the FROST building lock 15 minutes after the start of each class.

No Sugar for 53 Days!

So today marks day one of fifty-three without refined sugar, and if you're with me on this little challenge, hip hip hooray! Let me preface by saying that, kinda like my motto with all things in yoga, health, and general life: a little is better than none at all. If you decide to make this challenge about lessening your refined sugar intake, and beginning to educate yourself and learn more about alternative ways to get a sweet fix, POWER YOU YOU MY BOTHERS AND SISTERS! The idea for this challenge came up in one of my classes about a month ago during a conversation about the addictive quality of sugar... as I joke, I have a few "reverse gateway" recipes that helped me kick a bad habit with sugar a few years ago, but in the beginning it was tough! And as it turns out, there's a reason for that: Sugar is a highly addictive substance. As in, it lights up the same part of your brain as cocaine. Eeesh. See what WebMD has to say about it. 

SO! I hope a few of you are still with me in this little no-sugar quest. First tasks?
Arm yourself from cravings by shopping for some good cheater substitutes, and be willing to read the labels of any packaged food that you buy. Sugar gets added to a LOT of foods because our brains and tastebuds are wired to like things like sugar and fat. Back when we used to have to hunt and gather for survival, these tastes were indicators of high-calorie foods. This primal instinct is no longer necessary in our modern world, but our bodies have yet to catch up to that notion, and food companies got smart that if they add sugar, you're more likely to like their product and buy it again.

These first few days are likely to be the hardest, and in keeping with my practical approach to improving health, its a good idea to find cheater substitutes that you actually like, and therefor are most likely to use. Keep in mind: Start by adding foods you like which don't have sugar to your day, instead of focusing on cutting out the sugary foods you crave.

Buuuuuut, you're likely to hit a craving or two, so here's a few cheater foods / ingredients to arm yourself with:

*Dates (pitted, un-pitted, cut up whole.... you pick which you like. I usually go for whole un-pitted because I don't have to spend time pitting, but they stay moist as whole dates.)
*Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
*Real Vanilla Extract
*Coconut Oil
*Dried **unsweetened** Coconut (read the label!)
*Cinnamon, Nutmeg, & Ginger spices
*Oranges, Magoes, Bananas, Pineapple
*Avocados
*Maple Syrup
*Honey

In the coming days and weeks, I'll be sharing some recipes that you can try at home for those moments when your cravings are owning you.


My sister-the-doc would also tell you that getting refined sugar out of your diet IS important, but equally important is understanding that this effort should be made with full understanding that just replacing sugar with equal substitutes of maple syrup and honey is not really hitting the point. The point is to re-wire your brain to enjoy a diet with less sugar, which can only happen if you're willing and ready to make a change, knowing that the process to getting there will be challenging, and may include some withdrawal. 

So making this effort for change as a group, and telling people around you who can help you stick to your goal are helpful tools! Tell your partner, spouse, best friend, boss.... whomever you trust to help you stick to your guns! Or email me :) calley@calleybliss.com

FIFTY - THREE DAYS TO GO!