Die Sweet Tooth - DIE!

Do you know who the Sweet Tooth Fairy is?  

You’ve probably never seen her (him?), but I’m sure you’ve felt her evil presence. She’s an amazing creature, really. Practically microscopic, this little fairy possesses the ninja skills to take down a 400-pound man.  

Here’s how I think she does it. She sits on your lip, waiting for the perfect opportunity to sneak in. Maybe you yawn while stuck in traffic on I-5, or maybe she climbs up your nose hair and slides down your throat and comes in the back entrance, I don't know. Somehow she gets inside that fat mouth of yours and that’s when she pulls out her nasty bag of tricks.  

Again, she waits for the right opportunity—after dinner or in the middle of your boring workday. Then this brat sprinkles sugar all over, not fairy dust like her cute little sisters, Tooth and Tink. Oh no—not Sweet. Her pixie powder is white sugar! Just a little bit on your tongue. Suddenly, you get this urge to raid the candy jar, cookie jar and all the other bad jars.  

Because that, my friends, is what bad sugar does. It creates an endless craving for something sweet. Ever notice how one Skittle turns into a thousand? It’s hard to stop, right?

So I guess we know who Miss Thang is working for—Mr. Sugar Daddy! 

What a (insert inappropriate word).

So instead of letting that little beast lure you to the dark side filled with visions of Frosted Flakes and Starbursts, stop her evil plan dead in its tracks by grabbing one of my “Die Sweet Tooth-Die” healthy sweet treats.

First things first. Chug a huge glass of water. You may be thirsty instead of hungry for something sweet. Also, you will fill your belly with fluid, making it harder to overconsume anything. If you still want something sweet, proceed with one of the following: 

• Frozen mangos from Trader Joe’s. Put into a bowl and eat ’em up! It’s a great snack to have while watching TV, since it takes awhile to eat.
• Balsamic vinegar simmered with berries: Reduce the mixture until it’s thick. Very sweet and very good.
• 6 oz. of chocolate almond milk and a string cheese.
• 1 oz. of goat cheese spread onto a banana. In fact, Costco sells a fig goat cheese that is amazing!
• Sort-of stewed apples: Chop some apples, put into a pan over medium heat with a touch of agave nectar (or not) and lots of cinnamon. Cook till soft.
• An apple or an orange. Yes, fruit can cure your sweet tooth if you would just give it a try.
• Applesauce and sliced almonds.
• Ants on a log: PB spread onto celery topped wit a few raisins or dried cherries or chopped prunes.
• A few pieces of dried fruit and a slice of cheddar cheese.
• Healthy and simple peach crisp: Take 2 cans of no-sugar-added peaches and throw in a small, square dish for the oven. You can add some frozen berries too. Top with a mixture of 1/2 cup flour (use almond, coconut or whole wheat), 1 cup of oats, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of applesauce, some cinnamon, some chopped nuts, a couple tablespoons of butter and olive oil. Bake till it looks done. I’m not much for recipes, so just make it work. 
• Find a recipe for the best healthy cookies and follow it.  
• Have some cacao nibblets sprinkled on top of some berries. These chocolate pieces have no sugar added to them, but the berries will add sweetness.
• Have a small fruit smoothie. While you’re at it, add some spinach. Just do it!
• Have a chocolate protein bar. I like the Cliff Builder Bars.
• Watermelon, or any melon. Very sweet and super filling.

The idea here is to make your own healthy treat and not fall victim to store-bought desserts that may claim to be healthy, but secretly, also work for Mr. Sugar Daddy. 

Do you have any healthy sweet treats to share? Tell me in the comments.