It’s all about what works for YOU.  There isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan that works for everyone. You have to do what works for you as an individual.

If a food is a trigger food and starts your sweet tooth off on a rampage — stay away from it. Period.  For some people, even the taste of something sweet sets off the cravings.

For others, the idea of never, ever, having a treat is the death knell of a healthy eating plan.  It seems cruel and unusual punishment to always be denied pleasure because you are packing a few extra pounds.

If you are in the later category and can stick to the plan better if you have a little leeway, you will want to have some treat recipes up your sleeve.  Pick the ones that will do the minimum amount of damage for the maximum amount of pleasure.

Here is a sweet snack from one of my low glycemic cookbooks.  If you can eat one serving — one tortilla — you can add it to your recipe file.  If you keep scarfing them down, hit “delete.”

Crispy Cinnamon Treats

• Stevia, xylitol, trehalose, or other natural sugar substitutes equal to 4 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 whole wheat tortillas, (8­inch)
• Melted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the sugar substitute and cinnamon in a small bowl. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with butter, and sprinkle each side with cinnamon mixture. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes or until crisp.

The fiber in the tortilla and the fat in the butter keep this snack from causing a rise in your blood sugar and the subsequent rush of store-the-fat messaging from insulin.  They average out at about 100 calories.  Just don’t make and eat the whole package!

Eating to live and living for Christ,
Susan Jordan Brown