The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible (113 page)

This girl has a sweet tooth …
a serious sweet tooth! Figuring out how to eat sweets, while giving up sugar to control my weight, has been the crowning achievement of
Sexy Forever
. I’m certain it’s the reason for the success of my program over the last fifteen years. I do not want to live in a world without chocolate, cream, caramel, custard, ice cream, and especially cake! And I’m sure you don’t, either. So I have figured out how to have my cake and eat it, too.

I actually had a little tiff with my editor about how many dessert recipes to include here. She asked, “How can you have so many dessert recipes in a diet book?”
Sexy Forever
is not a diet! It’s a lifestyle to teach you how to enjoy real, delicious food in moderate portions and still keep your figure.

Of all of the recipes from my Somersize books, the ones that need updating most are these dessert recipes, since All Natural SomerSweet did not exist when I first started writing that series of books. When I introduced SomerSweet, I started with a concentrated version, which was five times sweeter than sugar. The product has since been updated and now
All Natural SomerSweet is the same sweetness as sugar and easy to use spoon-for-spoon in coffee or tea, and also cup-for-cup in baking all of your favorite recipes. Since it’s made with chicory fiber (a prebiotic fiber), it’s actually good for your digestive system because it helps create healthy flora. You will find the correct measurements for All Natural SomerSweet in these updated pages.

You can make delicious
Almond Chocolate Torte
with a high-quality chocolate (I always use at least 60 percent cocoa) and no added sugar. And
Velvet Chocolate Pudding
,
Wild Berry Crostata
,
Lemon Curd Tart
, and so many more!!! Whatever sweetener you choose—whether it’s sugar, All Natural SomerSweet, or another of your liking—desserts are a thrill and I will continue my quest to show the world how to indulge without the bulge.

EGG SUBSTITUTIONS IN COOKING AND BAKING

For those allergic to eggs, here are some alternatives for baking I have been testing. Feel free to give them a try.

•
 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water = 1 egg (Make sure that the mixture has gelled before using.)

•
 ¼ cup banana = 1 egg

•
 ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce = 1 egg

•
 2 tablespoons water + 1 tablespoon oil + 2 teaspoons baking powder = 1 egg

•
 2 tablespoons cornstarch = 1 egg

•
 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour = 1 egg

•
 2 tablespoons potato starch = 1 egg

•
 Egg white replacement: 1 tablespoon plain agar powder (available from health food stores) + 1 tablespoon water (Whip together, chill, then whip again.)

BAKING WITH ALL NATURAL SOMERSWEET

When using All Natural SomerSweet instead of sugar, I find it browns beautifully—unlike any other sugar substitute I have tried. In some cakes cooked at higher temperatures, the edges were getting too dark. This was easily remedied by lowering the baking temperature slightly, from 25° to 50°F. Feel free to adjust your own recipes accordingly.

decaf coffee granita

HEALTHY FATS
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

8 cups strong decaffeinated coffee (for best results, use decaf espresso), cooled

½ cup All Natural SomerSweet or sugar, or to taste

Perfectly Whipped Cream
(optional)

Combine the cooled coffee and the All Natural SomerSweet in a metal bowl. Place the bowl in the freezer. Every 30 minutes, open the freezer and use a metal whisk to stir the coffee, removing any frozen pieces from the side of the bowl. You will probably see the first frozen pieces after a couple of hours. Be sure to keep whisking your granita every 30 minutes until you are ready to serve it, or it will become one large ice block. After about 3 hours, the granita will be nicely frozen and ready to serve.

Spoon the granita into cups or glasses and top with whipped cream.

SERVES 6

chocolate sorbet

INSULIN TRIGGERS
LEVEL 2

10 ounces dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)

1 cup brewed decaffeinated coffee

3 tablespoons All Natural SomerSweet or sugar

Chocolate Mint Leaves
(optional)

Chop the chocolate into ½-inch pieces. Place in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Set aside.