Making a habit of eating sugary treats can plays tricks on you.

They can set you up for sugar addition.

You could easily end up with the same food cravings that got you into the weight battle in the first place.

The longer you go without sugar, the less you will crave it. Eating processed sugar makes you crave more. I have found that fighting this battle with natural, unprocessed sugars can lower the risk of addiction and satisfy your sweet tooth. One of my favorite substitutes for milk chocolate is high cocoa dark chocolate, 70% or higher.* Foods such as apples, prunes, pears, and even raw honey. Eaten after a meal or with cheese or proteins such as ham, pork or cold cuts offer a perfect afternoon snack. 

This month I challenge you to find healthy alternatives to processed or sugary treats with foods that are naturally sweet and good to eat. 

You need:

• 2 tablespoons goat cheese
• 6 ripe figs cut lengthwise in half
• bacon cut in half

Directions

• Pre-heat broiler 
• Spread cheese onto cut sides of figs; wrap with bacon, overlapping ends of bacon under figs. Place figs, cut sides up, in shallow pan.
• Broil, 6 inches from heat, 8 to 10 min. or until bacon is crisp.
• Drain on paper towel.

Serves 6

Remember, low sugar, the right "natural" ingredients and small portions are among of the "tricks" to success!

*(please read food labels, less than 10 grams of sugar per portion size - note that a portion is different than a serving. A serving is the standard serving amount noted on the label, but a portion is the amount you choose to eat, and should be determined by the amounts within the limits for bariatric patients to prevent dumping.)