Homemade Sugar Detox Safe Brownies

                                   
These brownies are great! I was experimenting with different measurements and voilá! Delicious! Guilt-free! It can't get better than that!
These are ok to eat during the sugar detox or anytime! :D
You can substitute one simple ingredient to make it gluten-free and one simple ingredient to make it vegan, if you'd like.
Plus, they're really fast to prepare!
Raw organic cacao (unsweetened) is considered a superfood because of all of its benefits. I love it! To read more, try this article.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dry Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup flour (I used unbromated flour)
  Tip: You can substitute this for a gluten-free version of all-purpose flour mix to make it gluten-free.
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea or kosher salt
- 1/4 cup organic raw cacao powder (unsweetened)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)
Mix all dry ingredients well. Add wet ingredients.

Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup of melted organic coconut oil
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
2 eggs (I used organic, cage free)
   Tip: You can use 2 tbsp of ground flaxseeds soaked in 6 tbsp of lukewarm water for 3-5 min to    
   replace eggs and make it vegan.

Grease a small (6x6 or so) pan if you want thicker brownies or a 9x9 if you want a very thin batch (about 1/2 inch thick).
Put mixture in pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them when they're close to 20 minutes. They're ready when toothpick comes out clean. Mine took 25, but the oven wasn't completely preheated when I put them in.
Enjoy!
The last about a week in the refrigerator.
I have made the gluten free version and they are really good, too. They don't last as long, so make sure you eat them all within 2-3 days.

Sugar Detox

Candida Yeast Overgrowth Test

Take a look at this website. Candida Overgrowth Test
It shows you how to make the saliva test to see if you have a candida overgrowth. We all have yeast in our bodies and there is good yeast and bad yeast. When there is a bad candida overgrowth, then you start to feel side effects like fatigue, constipation, digestive problems, and many other things. the one symptom that caught my attention was SUGAR CRAVINGS! Yes, candida overgrowth can cause the dreaded sugar craving.

Here's How To Take a Candida Infection Test

Reading Your Candida Home Test Results

There are many illnesses, diseases and health issues associated with a Candida Overgrowth Infection.

- To see more, click on this link.

UPDATE!!!! It has been 21 days and I made it through the detox! I feel better, even though I didn't give up 100% sweeteners, just everything with refined/white/processed sugar.

I stopped having cravings, which was my strongest wake-up call to realize that cravings were a sign of candida overgrowth. I did find it very hard to socialize because I had to either ask if food had sugar in it or just avoid it completely. It was really hard when there was nothing I could eat (potluck-like events), but stayed strong and got through it.

I took the at-home candida overgrowth test again and it was a whole lot better than it was 24 days earlier! I was pleasantly surprised!

I had a dinner date with a girlfriend and that day, I realized that the dinner was after the detox was over (after 21 days!), so I did have coffee with sugar and had a dessert (chocolate molten cake, yum). Sugary stuff tasted different now. It felt like I could enjoy it, but I wasn't a slave (or bound) to it anymore! I ate because I liked it, not because I had an insatiable craving for it. You know what I mean? I felt free.

I was a bit scared about having a sugar rush or going into a sugar comma, haha, but it didn't happen. I did feel a bit of a buzz (which I had never noticed before (after eating sugary foods), but nothing major.

Honestly, I understand that it'll be nearly impossible to adopt this detox permanently, but I will avoid refined/white/processed sugar at all costs. I will keep coconut sugar in a baggie in my purse (in case I need to sweeten something), but I won't restrict myself when eating at an event. I think it is a good thing to want to be healthy, but I also think it is a good thing to be happy and enjoy life. Restricting myself 100% of the time would not be fun and I think I'd feel burned out after a while and quit trying altogether. As with everything, balance is key. Make sure that if you want to do something more permanent, that it is doable and that it is something that you can live with.

And about me, well, I will try to do the sugar detox every six months or so, unless I feel I need to (because of candida overgrowth symptoms).

Raw banana oat chocolate macaroons (vegan, gluten free, nut free)

I got my original recipe from this website. Click here. 
The only reason why I am posting her recipe here is because I have made changes that work better for my family's needs and I point out those changes here.

Delicious stuff! Definitely everyone's favorite here at home. Even my 1-year old loved them. I gave some to her because they are soooo good and soooo healthy. She couldn't get enough! :)
Here's the recipe. My changes are in blue in parentheses.

No Bake Chocolate Macaroons

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, grain-free

Yield: 12 macaroons (I got 24  1 tablespoon-size macaroons)

Ingredients:

• 1 banana, finely mashed  (I used 2 bananas)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)* (I used less than 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 6 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted  (I used only 3 tbsp and they were pretty chocolatey)
• 1.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut (I used 1 cup coconut and 1/2 cup gluten free oats)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds (optional) (I didn't use, I'll definitely try it next time)
• small pinch of fine grain sea salt, to taste  (skipped this one, too)

1. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the banana until most of the clumps are gone. 
Stir in the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.

2. Sift in the cocoa powder and stir until combined. 
Now stir in the coconut, optional chia seeds, and fine grain sea salt to taste.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick mat. 
Using a spoon or retractable ice cream scooper, scoop rounds onto the sheet. 
Place sheet in the freezer for around 20 minutes, or until macaroons are firm. 

Store in the freezer until ready to enjoy. They will soften at room temperature.

Note: 1/4 cup pure maple syrup results in a lightly sweet macaroon. 
Feel free to adjust the sweetener to your own taste buds, especially because some cocoa powders may be stronger than others.

Character Traits Books II