Custard Dipped Tiramisu Biscotti and NEW YEAR'S ENCOURAGEMENT!

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Swerve Deal for January

This month Swerve is running a deal where you can buy a 3 pack of Confectioners, Get 40ct packets Free!  Just go Here to get stocked up!

Start The Year off Right!

If you need a little encouragement to start the year off right, please read this testimony from a client who travels about 3 weeks out of the month, has a wife and a toddler and still finds time to prepare meals. He lost 35.5 pounds in 45 days just by changing a few things.

"Maria,

Many of those that have posted have struck a chord with my situation before starting with you.  The "dark" side of my story was intentionally left out because I'm not at my goal yet.  For now, I just keep myself focused on results and not how or why--especially since it's difficult to exist in the "what if I didn't have a friend that helped me?"

It is humbling to see how much trust you place in your clients and how much hope and faith they have in you!  There were some posters that touched on similar concerns to mine, so I wanted to clarify in the hope that others may see how working with you can simplify, not complicate; can be cheap not expensive.

1.  I did NOT cook for most of my progression.  I suck at cooking.  I had to ask my wife how to hard boil eggs.  Seriously.   So MY weight loss was not dependent on baking or cooking skills.  Your recipes  impacted my enjoyment and spare time, but my weight loss was not dependent on a magic recipe.  And I built up to them.  With that said, I can see how some people would see immediate benefit from substituting your healthified stuff.  But for someone that is on the road, eats out or just can't cook--don't worry.  Maria's plan works incredibly well in that reality that so many of us live in.

2.  When my son and I cook, it's often easy stuff like fried eggs or my new hard-boiled egg recipe (egg + boiling water).  I thought I'd be late to work, but it literally takes 15 minutes start to finish.  Okay, sometimes longer if we decide to sing.  My waffle maker was $50.  Made that back in one skipped trip to Sunday buffet.  Your pancakes are like $2.50 and were breakfast for 3 days.

3.  My progress and your plan for me was 100% INDEPENDENT of source of food.  Eggs were eggs.  Chicken was chicken.  I did NOT need to find cage-free, organic DHA ratio'd eggs from Chickens that did yoga every morning.

4.  I took the past 1.5 to 2 months to learn WHILE doing.  You have now recommended 4-5 books that I read while exercising.  And youtubes and postings.  But if I waited to learn, I'd still be where I was.  Maybe even more depressed.  I imagine a lot of people are like how I am in many many ways but chose not to be with this.  I would read to find fault or problems.  To blame an industry or a food.  I came to realize that even if all of that is true, so what?  It's not about them, it's about me.

5.  I did not try to change anyone but me.  We had meals where son, wife and me all ate different things.  So what?  Is that ideal--no.  But who cares?  You know what--son started asking for what "papa" was eating.  Salsa (Pace) over ketchup.  Then mustard over salsa.  Then eggs over toast.  Now mustard on eggs.   And mustard on waffles.  Eventually that's where the baking and recipes helped...and that was key for me.

6.  Your plan SAVED me money.  I saved on snack foods not because I chose to not eat them--but because I did not need to snack.  I have a $8 bag of almonds in my pantry that I bought 2 months ago--and am only now down to the bottom.  I used to spend $15/day on snacks throughout the day.

7.  It was far easier for me to use your system of basic meal first, then build.  I didn't focus on what I couldn't eat--just on what I could.  I built a meal only from known things--especially helpful when on the road.  "When in doubt, leave it out."  I was stunned that I would get full and satisfied throughout the day so I didn't even feel like I missed anything.

8.  Here's a true story--I started to pass on airline meals.  I've had two flight attendants tell me "Good for you" in a very sincere way.  One explained how she fasts while flying.  This WILL happen to anyone that does your plan--you will find camaraderie in the oddest places.

9.  I have an ego and associated my willingness to try any local food with business success and whatever.  That was totally in my head.  There are just as many, if not more, people that I work with that have endeared themselves to me because I opted to jog along the oceanside rather than eat a local potato.

10.  Mentally, it was important for me to paint a picture quickly.  After a couple days of seeing the mental shift and energy level, I tried consciously to act as though I was already there.  What you helped me focus on was things like sleep, stress and reading.  I was therefore making decisions from a positive place and not out of victim, sufferer, tired/cranky, etc..

Anyway, Maria thanks for all your help and I'm looking forward to my own home stretch to my goal.  Looking forward to trying even more of the recipes with my son who's already asking me for your chocolate donuts!  'Papa, Nutritious AND Delicious!'   He's one smart low-carb cookie!" 

My husband and I often joke and talk about if we have any foods that we miss from our former fat days and we both agree on one thing... Custard Filled Donuts! Ahhhh... Saturday morning cartoons and donut as a kid were a favorite day. This custard tastes just like it!

"HEALTHIFIED" CUSTARD
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup Swerve (or erythritol and 1/4 tsp stevia glycerite)
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil, melted

Whisk egg yolks, almond milk, and sweetener in medium metal bowl to blend. Slowly mix in the melted butter so the eggs don't cook unevenly. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water. Whisk mixture constantly and vigorously until thickened and instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 140°F for 3 minutes, about 5 minutes total (or coats the back of a spoon). Remove mixture from over water. Serve warm or chilled. (If serving chilled, it can be prepared 1-3 days ahead and refrigerated. Re-whisk before serving.) Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Custard = 240 calories, 19g fat, 4.2g protein, 15g carbs, 0g fiber
"Healthified" Custard = 185 calories, 18g fat, 4.2g protein, 1g carb, 0g fiber

TIRAMISU BISCOTTI
1/3 cup coconut oil or butter, softened
1/2 cup Swerve (or Erythritol and 1/2 tsp stevia glycerite)
2 eggs
1 tsp rum extract
2 cups almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 TBS espresso powder
OPTIONAL:
1/2 cup ChocoPerfection bar, chopped
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sweetener until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the rum extract. Combine the almond flour, baking powder and espresso powder; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. Dough will be stiff, so mix in the last bit by hand. Mix in the chocolate pieces and nuts. Divide dough into two equal parts. Shape into 9x2x1 inch loaves. Place onto baking sheet 4 inches apart. Brush with mixture of water and yolk.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice the loaves diagonally into 1 inch slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet, placing them on their sides. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until dry. Cool completely and store in an airtight container. Makes 30 biscotti.


NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Using white flour and sugar = 70 calories, 4g fat, 1g protein, 10g carbs, 0g fiber (10 effective carbs)
Using Almond flour and Swerve = 70 calories, 6g fat, 2g protein, 1.6g carbs, 0.8g fiber (0.8 effective carbs)