Why I can't keep treats in the house, Easter edition.

I hosted Easter brunch last weekend.

A table full of food that felt generous, familiar, and still very much in line with how I eat now. Mostly low-carb. High protein. Natural fat. And yes, a few treats.

My mission is to empower people to achieve real health through real food, even when hosting a family celebration.

Let's talk about it.

🌸 Bookmark this Menu for Mother’s Day

If you’re hosting or bringing a dish, this worked beautifully for me:

Starter

• Cured Meats and cheese platter with Onion Crackers (fathead dough)

Buffet

• Spiral cut Ham

• Cheesy Cauliflower Bake (better than mac and cheese, truly)

• Cheddar Chive Biscuits (Not. Dry.)

• Grilled Chicken with Lemon Dill Crema

• Scrambled Eggs and Breakfast Sausages

• Green Salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette and just a little sweetness (craisins!)

Dessert

• Berry Bowl with homemade Whipped Cream

• Coconut Macaroons dipped in dark chocolate

It felt abundant without being heavy. Familiar without resorting to bread and pasta.

And, sure, my sister-in-law brought a festive candy-strewn "dirt cups." They were adorable. I was happy to serve them

But mostly, I was happy to have served a lovely spread that truly fed my family.

Raves all around.

🌸 Where Were the Cheats?

The crackers and biscuits were made with almond flour. Almond flour is the go-to keto baking flour. Yes, it has carbs, but not many if you don't binge.

Not many carbs in the cauliflower but do pass out Lactaid for anyone lactose intolerant!

The salad may have been the biggest carb hit.

Recipe: romaine, feta, toasted pecans, pickled red onion, and craisins. Definitely carbs, especially in those craisins.

Dressing: olive oil, balsamic, mustard, just a touch of honey, water.

I used unsweetened coconut for the macaroons and sweetened both the cookies and the whipped cream with allulose.

And... I added just a bit of actual sugar to unsweetened baking chocolate to dip the macaroons.

Sometimes I choose to live with a small amount of good old-fashioned sugar. After the recent news about alternative sweeteners, I am a bit more thoughtful about my choices on the rare occasion I am reaching for something sweet.

Of course, either way, sweet is sweet.

And sweet invites more sweet.

🌸 The Part I'd Rather Not Admit

Here’s the part I didn’t plan.

The next day, I ate all the leftover biscuits.

All of them. One sitting.

The macaroons lasted two days, but only because I knew they were better the second day. And I did not mention that to the mister. After all, he had a bowl of jellybeans to himself.

I might have dipped one or two into the whipped cream.

Was I ravenous? Nah.

Just gave in to indulgence, to complete lack of willpower in the face of "legal" treats.

🌸 I Knew It Was Coming

I could never keep a bag of Smartfood in the house.

If the bag was in my kitchen, the popcorn found its way to my belly.

Same day. Without fail.

Like you, like everyone, I loved my treats.

So in my early days of low-carb-ing, I baked treats. A lot.

Rosemary garlic crackers. Pot pie with a top crust. Peanut butter cookie bars.

But.

Not anymore.

I have learned that I can make clean low-carb treats, and I am happy to serve them to guests, but I cannot keep them in regular rotation.

Yes, they are keto-compliant low-carb creations.

But for me, they usher in the food noise, the compulsive eating, the I-can't-believe-I-ate-the-whole-thing regret that I prefer to leave in the rear view.

🌸 What's to Blame?

Just what is the culprit here?

What triggers this response?

Just what is the culprit here?

What triggers this response?

Is it the carbs in the almond flour?

The sweetness of the Swerve or allulose?

The crispiness and crustiness and chewiness...?

Absolutely.

No, my brain does not go to mush all at once, and, no, the scale does not spike five pounds overnight. After all, these are still low-carb treats, with nowhere near the metabolic impact of Yodels and Rocky Road.

But my calm, my peace, my relief from food demanding to be eaten... that is immediate. And that must be intentionally restored.

That's okay. For special occasions, I welcome what, for me, is decadence, and I cheerfully weather the resultant food "hangover."

It's like when you know you'll be dragging after big night out. You go have fun anyway, willing to pay the price next day.

Every now and then, the treats are worth the trade-off.

I just don't invite the noise every day.

☀️ How is Your Treat Tooth?

Real food is my baseline.

Keto-friendly, low-carb treats can have a place too.
Just not every day.

I am proud to serve both to my guests.

Are you eating for Nutrition First?

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Until next time, stay strong, wise, kind, and good.

Choose real food for real health.