What if I told you there was one little secret to maintaining balance over the holidays? One technique for avoiding weight gain, enjoying steady energy levels, focus, and a positive outlook. And what if I told you that you can do all of that, AND enjoy a mouth-watering dessert on top it all? It can all be summed up in four little words. Drumroll please…
Balance your blood sugar!
We often associate the idea of “balancing blood sugar” with diabetes. But healthy blood sugar levels are a key concept for all of us. Here’s why:
Food, and the types of foods we eat, trigger the sugar, or glucose, in our blood. And when our blood sugar levels rise or fall too dramatically or too frequently over the course of the day, we’re suddenly stuck in a vicious cycle. Our energy levels are quickly depleted, we become prone to fuzzy thinking, and we start to crave sugary foods. We reach for those foods, get a quick sugar boost, and suddenly it all begins again.
Relax and indulge in this recipe from the Cal-A-Vie Living Gourmet Spa Cuisine. It tastes every bit as divine as it looks, and with the added protein from the tofu and yogurt, it won’t spike your blood sugar like other desserts!
Mocha Mousse
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Kahlua
1 Tbsp. Instant coffee granules (optional)
2 (12-oz.) packages of light extra-firm silken tofu
1/2 C. baking cocoa
1/2 C. pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions:
- Heat the Kahlua in a small saucepan. Add the coffee granules and stir to dissolve completely. Combine the tofu with the baking cocoa, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in a food processor fitted wit ha metal blade.
- Add the coffee fixture and process for 7-10 minutes or until thickened and smooth. Spoon into a bowl and chill for 20 minutes or longer. Garnish with raspberries and fresh mint.
- For a nice presentation, alternate layers of the mousse with Siggi’s fat-free greek vanilla yogurt.
Yields 6 servings.
