Giving up the past

[JudyAH]

I am feeling a little iffy tonight. I used to make candy as part of my job and a fun hobby. Today I sold all of my hard candy sucker molds and the last of my root beer flavor. I hadn't used them for a long time, but they were always there.( Waiting for me to slip and come back to them) Now they are gone and I have to adjust once again to the fact that this is for life. My baking supplies will be next I guess. The talk we are good at, but the walk is difficult sometimes.

Being around food all day can be difficult. I found selling my molds today was tougher than the hardest temptation day I have had. When I think about remodeling my kitchen in a few years, I have to plan for this new WOL and I find it tough to think I won't be baking any more. ( I guess I can save all that money on equiptment.)

I am feeling guilty about what I do for a living these days. I supply the 2 last legal drugs to the population. Sugar and caffeine. I need a new job. Unfortunately I am the boss. Enough!! This is the best I have felt and and been for a long time. I am just having some separation anxiety. Thanks for listening

[Karen]

I know. It's very strange when you realize that this is all for good. I remember reading a cookbook and a certain recipe made me feel so sad for everything I was leaving behind.

I am feeling guilty about what I do for a living these days. I supply the 2 last legal drugs to the population.

I went through a period of feeling like that but then realized that I am not the one responsible for other peoples choices. It would be great if no one ate carb-age and we lived in a perfect world, free of the torment of sugar. But that ain't the case.

You can still bake. There are a lot of options out there for low-carb baking. I'm currently on a flax muffin kick and the sweetener I use is a mix of inulin (http://www.sbwise.com/ingredients/inulinanalog.html) and stevia powder which I consider to be very "safe sweeteners. Inulin is also sold under the name brand Chicolin (http://www.thewolfeclinic.com/chicolin.html).

You could have made silicone jewelry by using lollipop molds...

Karen

[JudyAH]

Thanks Karen,

I know what you mean about people making there own choices, but I don't sell cigarettes because they are awful. Isn't it the same moral choice with something as evil as sugar? People are not aware of how much damage they do to themselves with this stuff. The media has brainwashed the public with lies that damage and I hate to proliferate the problem. I guess I don't get to save the world from destruction today. My PollyAnna side comes out all to often.

Is Chicolin available stateside, or only available in Canada. Is your recipe in the recipe section? I need a good fiber source.
I do feel better today.

[Karen]

It may be available in stores only in Canada, but you call around to some natural foods stores to see if they have it. Otherwise, it could be mail-ordered.

Here's the flax muffin recipe. I've added bluberries to this and it was very good, one with lots of lemon rind and poppy seeds and a savory version with asiago and Parmesan cheese. You can also make them smaller and make 12 instead.

Basic Flax Muffins
Makes 6 muffins

1 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup whey protein concentrate, or plain whey protein powder
1 cup fine shred coconut, optional
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. inulin-stevia mix or sweetener(s) of choice, to taste
1 tsp. natural maple extract, or an extract of your choice to taste

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a nonstick 6 muffin tin liberally with no stick spray.

Whisk the flax, whey protein, coconut, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt together.

Beat the sour cream, eggs, oil, sweetener, and extract together. Combine with the dry mixture and mix well. Let sit for a minute or two then divide the mixture evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until the muffins are nicely browned. Let sit in the pan for a minute or two before removing.

For the whole recipe:

Total Cals: 1799
Fat: 136
Carbs: 76
Fiber: 47
Protein: 88

Without the coconut:

Total Cals: 1308
Fat: 88
Carbs: 58
Fiber: 35
Protein: 83

Karen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[intanzania]

May I point something out here???

Have you not just identified your own market niche??? Keep baking... but do it LC style. LC cakes, cookies, ice creams, cheese cake.... sugar free candy is a huge potential for diebetics. The only type available i've seen is the small hard candy... I think sugar free candy could really work! :thup:

Just a thought.

[AlluraD]

I know just how you felt........I am a preschool teacher and I always gave the kids "treats"......cookies or candy, lollipops.......when I read Sugar Blues I really got convicted that I was doing them some serious harm............I don't have any control over the rest of their lives..........but I do in the classroom.......so........I just don't use those particular treats anymore.........fruit, cheese sticks, muffins, stickers, etc... it was a big change though~

[JudyAH]

Karen, Thanks for the recipe. I am going to try thr savory version. I wonder what a pesto and cheese version would taste like?

AlluraD, I know how you feel. I have had to re-think all of the treats and goodies for the holidays. All of those family traditions are out the window.

intanzania, There may be a niche market there, but in my experience in this business, healthy is not what most of the people want. I will have to think about that and do some more reading on the LC Baking recipes and techniques. Who knows the world might be ready for a change. (My favorite, is customer who wants to eat light so they order a croissant, or the one who thinks they are being good by ordering a bagel and cream cheese.) People can be so funny. I will take your suggestion very seriously. I t means I have to re-tool my brain. Do I have the energy?
:wave:

[Karen]

I wonder what a pesto and cheese version would taste like?

Probably great!

There may be a niche market there, but in my experience in this business, healthy is not what most of the people want.

Yes and no. We've had some type of LC dessert on the menu since the summer. Now, it's Chocolate Silk Pie and it's selling like hot cakes. It is described on the menu as sugar and grain free and great for carbohydrate reduced eating. Most of the people are probably eating it because of it's face value, and the rest are eating it because they LC or are carb curious. We also do pretty successful LC dinners every two months and some people have started low-carbing afterwards as a result.

I figure that the more options that people have, the more open their eyes and minds will be to the potential for change.

Karen

[PoofieD]

Sure folks want healthy out there!
After all here we all are.. trying to find things that taste good and are good for you.
and you know what?? I am still going to make caramels with my grandmothers recipe and shortbread cookies from the other grandmother, because many of my family is eating low carb 95% of the time. We know why we are not eating those.
But I do not in anyway want to give my children the message there is something "forbidden" food wise for them.
That is the fastest way to create rebellion and never looking at what I am doing and making the choice :-)
But.. Yes!!! there is a HUGE niche for low carb out there!
HUGE!
Poofie!