I have spent several months trying a new way of eating and cooking for myself.  I am not eating sugar or grains and very little dairy foods. I had no idea what I was getting into.

I did not set out to tackle this project for weight-loss purposes.  Rather, my doctor made the recommendation.  He advised me to get off of sugar in order to facilitate healing.

In my eagerness to relieve myself of pain, I decided to give it a try.  Weight-loss, which has been a passion of mine for many years, took the back seat as I covered this new ground.

You might ask, “What can you eat?”

We have free-range chickens on the farm and they supply me with plenty of eggs.  I have chicken, pork and beef in the freezer to enjoy.  Fish is a delightful delicacy for my husband and me.  I can treat myself with nuts from trees.  Peanuts are off of my list.  Vegetables from our garden are plentiful.  My freezer is full of them, along with berries and apples.  My root cellar has been brimful with winter squash, rutabagas, beets, carrots and potatoes. So you can see that there is quite a lot that I am able to eat and remain “legal” on the diet.

Additions to my diet include fresh fruits, coconut oil, sesame oil, non-gluten flours and pasta, and dates (they are my new candy instead of chocolate.) I can have honey and dark chocolate in moderation, too.

I have learned a few new recipes. Imagine! Chocolate cake, sugarless bars, and a great pumpkin pudding taste pretty good!

I have tried tofu dressing, homemade mayonnaise, and dressing made from olive oil, fresh-squeezed lemon juice and spices.  They have all been successful.

My husband still gets his pecan pie. Sadly he must eat it alone.  He eats like I do, but he has a lot more freedom to eat desserts.  He enjoys that.

If you decide to give this new way of eating a try, consult a doctor.  I hope you try it for at least a month.  I signed on for that much time and noticed weight-loss the first week.  The first pounds I lost were from fluid loss.  After another week other pounds started to say good-bye.   To my surprise, I had very few cravings, or hunger pangs.  It has been at least 6 months and I am very satisfied with the results.

To peak your sugarless interest, here is s a recipe you might like to try.

While you enjoy the fragrant chocolate aroma coming from your oven, try writing a card to cheer someone you know. Check out the cards in our store and catalog.

photo credit: Sweet Summer Rainbow Fruit Salad via photopin (license)