Chocolate I Have Known

I love chocolate.
It's something I crave from time to time.
Okay, I give. I crave it daily.
Unfortunately for me, losing weight, keeping fit and eating chocolate daily don't jive (and I'm not a fan of dark chocolate), so I found a couple great snacks that satisfy my chocolate urge and don't pack on the pounds. One of these snacks also covers my ice cream craving, so I nipped two birds in the beak with this one!

Jell-O Mousse Temptations
As I was packing my daughter's lunch one morning, I had an urge to pop open her chocolate pudding and inhale the contents. So, instead of doing the unspeakable, I set out on a search for some chocolate pudding that both tastes good and is low in sugar. I found that Jello-O pudding has many low sugar products, but it was the Temptations line that enticed me with it's mousse-like pudding, 60 calories per cup and zero grams of sugar.

It tastes so light and chocolately I knew from the second I tasted it that this was my go-to chocolate friend. My favorite is Chocolate Indulgence, but there's also Caramel Creme, Dark Chocolate Decadence and a new mint flavor called Chocolate Mint Sensation.

Once I stocked up on Chocolate Indulgence I tried to keep it off my kids' radar because I knew once they tasted it they would love it, want it, and eat my stash.

My chocolate pudding! MINE!!

I was right.
Now my daughter wants me to replace her pudding with my pudding. She is as in love as I am. I also read that you can freeze it, and I just may try that too and see how it tastes.

No Sugar Added Fudgsicles

I learned about these when I first researched the South Beach Diet. They have less calories (40 per bar), and of course sugar (2-1/2 grams), than their regular Fudgsicle counterpart. None of the other ricotta infused, sugar-free recipes that South Beach Diet suggests sounded like anything edible as far as I was concerned. I needed chocolate and I needed ice cream. At the same time. I was a little hesitant of them at first, (how good could no sugar Fudgsicles really taste?) but bought them anyway. SOLD. They are just perfect for my after dinner, chocolate & ice cream mind scream that tempts me to my freezer at night.

I am so jazzed I now have two desserts that satisfy my chocolate needs without making me feel like I have to run for fifty hours after consuming.
And yes they are needs.
No need to water it down or anything.

*I am in no way affiliated with either of these brands and receive no compensation for mentioning them. I'm so thrilled to find them and just want to pass along the find!

How to Keep Fresh Berries Fresh

About a week ago, I bought some blueberries that were on sale at Sprouts for $1 per 6 oz. container. (* A 6 oz container will provide a little over a cup of berries.)

I have no idea what I am going to use them for, or WHEN more importantly, and since blueberries (and other berries) don't last long in the fridge I freeze them for later use.

Here's how:

• Rinse berries thoroughly
• Line little critters up on a baking sheet or small dish (depending on what you have).
• Stick in freezer for about 1 - 1-1/2 hours
• After berries are frozen, take them off plate or pan and put them into a freezer ziploc.
• Label bag and stash in freezer for future recipes. I like to use them in smoothies, pancakes, muffins and pies.

Rollaway Blueberries

Unfortunately, my little 6 oz. container is missing a few blueberries. The grocery bagger placed my delicate blueberries with my eggs and I put the bag in the front compartment of the grocery cart. As I exited the store and went down the ramp to the parking lot, my blueberries decided they didn't want to come home with me and slid out of the bag and through the leg opening of the cart.

Blueberries everywhere!

I probably should've went inside to get some more, because I'm sure they would've given them to me with no problem, but I didn't want to take the time and effort, and luckily, they didn't all escape the container.

 

Instead, I held traffic to pick up my little container and save what was left of my precious blueberries! I'm sure the driver had a few nice words for me...

 

Recipe?
I think I'm going to try these blueberries, along with some of my frozen raspberries and/or blackberries, in a muffin of some sort. Once I try the recipe I will let you know how it turns out!