Laurie's Everyday Notions

This sugar-loving, sweet-toothed mama is thrilled to have found that there are desserts that can taste good and have the ability to satisfy my sweet tooth.  My cake recipe is adapted from this one . Chocolate Blackberry Hazelnut Fudge Cake {printable recipe here} 2 small oranges 1 cup xylitol 1/2 tbs pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup hazelnuts ¼ cup cocoa butter 2 T. Almond butter 3/4 cup cooked black beans 1 egg 1/2 tbs coconut oil 1/2 cup raw cacao powder 1/4 cup almond flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda ½ cup blackberries Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet/cast iron pan and  roast for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool. Once they are cool, rub with a clean tea towel to remove the skins, and grind  in a food processor/Ninja. Grind just a bit - leave a little “chunk”. Set aside. Blend together oranges, xylitol, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. In food processor, pulse the cocoa butter into fi...

FIVE POUNDS in 2 weeks. I'm excited about this because I haven't been following the plan 100%. I had posted last week that I'm motivated to lose the 30+ pounds that I've gained in the past five years. A plan developed by Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison and shared in their book, Trim Healthy Mama , is what I'm using to help me create a lifelong style of eating which will keep me trim and most of all, healthy! The week days are good but I tend to slide on the weekend. Graduation parties, meals away from home and the change in my routine throws me.  But I'll get it. Little by little I'm working towards my goal of my "wedding weight" of 150. Breakfast is usually a smoothie. I've switched milk for almond milk and I've added whey protein. If I add a sweetener I use stevia. I've cut out all sugars - even the "good" ones like honey and maple syrup. Except for the half a piece of graduation cake on Saturday. Oh, and the Mike and ...