ArcaMax

Enjoy this previously published Zola classic

When I was a young girl of 12, I became obsessed with weight. Twiggy was the super model at the time and she was rail thin. I thought I needed to be like that. I wasn’t obese by any means. Turns out I was a normal 12-year-old, but I was worried I was too fat to be in my sister’s wedding so I started trying to diet.

The first thing I did was go buy a tiny book that listed the number of calories in various foods. They sold these little pocket versions by the checkout at the grocery store. I bought one of those books and rather than carry it around with me, I set out to memorize it.

I did memorize it.

I did such a good job that as I grew older I could still recite what was in that little manual. I knew the calorie count for all my favorite things.

I knew a hard boiled egg was 75 calories.
I knew an eight-ounce glass of whole milk was 140.
I knew a tablespoon of peanut butter was 90.

I memorized pages of items that I wanted to be able to eat. I was told it was all about counting calories. I was good at math.

Trouble is, that wasn’t really what I needed to learn. That was the conventional wisdom at the time, but even though I counted calories like a maven, I gained weight.

What I know now is different...

Read the full column at PlanZDiet.com

Fruit Bowl with Luscious Lemon Cream

This would be great on your Easter Buffet served as dessert or even as a fruit salad offering.

This stuff is addictive and so refreshing. RARELY do I take seconds on a dessert. With this one I did.

Servings: Serves at least 8

Ingredients:

3 pints strawberries, slice or cut into quarters
4 bananas sliced and tossed in lemon juice
1 pound red/purple grapes
2 cans mandarin oranges (drained)
5 kiwis – sliced
1 pint of blueberries
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

Mix your fruit up in a large bowl. Or layer fruit and serve in a big clear bowl. Serve in individual bowls with the Luscious Lemon Cream on the side for topping (recipe below).

Luscious Lemon Cream

Servings: Makes about 3 cups

2 eggs
½ cup ZSweet or Swerve sugar substitute. You can also use stevia.
1/3 cup fresh lemon or ReaLemon lemon juice from concentrate
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (1/2 pint) whipping cream, whipped

Instructions:

In bowl, beat together eggs, the one-fourth-cup of the sweetener and ReaLemon. In a saucepan, combine remaining one-fourth-cup sweetener and cornstarch; stir in water. Cook and stir until thickened; remove from heat. Gradually beat in egg mixture. Over low heat, cook and stir until slightly thickened. Add vanilla; cool. Fold in whipped cream. Serve with fresh fruit. Refrigerate leftovers.

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola