ArcaMax

People are always asking me what the consequences are if they cheat on a diet. I always answer the same way.

It depends.

There are some minor cheats you can make on a diet without putting yourself in the penalty box.

There are other things you can do to cheat on a diet that can have lasting effects and might even sabotage you altogether. The baseline thing you have to remember is that if you cheat you are only hurting yourself. So why do it? If you’re on a diet that has a time limit like Plan Z does (48 days of ZReduction) it’s really not worth it to set yourself back by cheating. You want to maximize your results.

That said, let’s say you’re a guest at a wedding coming up. You know there are going to be temptations all around you. It’s just one day and likely just one meal. If you can’t eat ahead and just socialize, then what’s the strategy if you’re convinced you’re going to cave? Here are some hints on things you can do that you might get away with...

Read the full column at PlanZDiet.com

Lemon Mousse Torte

Related Recipes at PlanZDiet.com: Frozen Yogurt Bark
Java Fluff

Every year I make a new lemon dessert for my husband’s birthday. This is #34. With each passing year, I am still challenged but I come up with something delightful every time. This is light, fluffy and super smooth. For a “fancy” dessert, this one is easy to make. Just take your time and follow the directions. You’ll need a few pieces of equipment too but nothing super expensive.

I splurged on this dessert using a cookie base and also some white chocolate. That’s why it’s listed as a Z3.5 recipe. It’s still a pretty low carb dessert if cut into small pieces. I used the Keebler Sandies because they are one of the lowest carb cookies I could find on the shelves that would work for a crust. Super yummy result.

Servings: Serves about 16

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups of Keebler Cashew Sandies ground into crumbs (you can use a food processor for this but if you don’t have one you can put the cookies in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin (old style).
4 Tbl of melted butter
1 (.25 oz) envelope of unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cups of whipping cream, divided
8 oz of white chocolate, chopped into small bits
3, 8 oz packages of full fat cream cheese, softened. You can leave them on the counter for a couple of hours or unwrap and put them in a bowl and microwave on medium for about 15 – 30 seconds to soften them.
¾ cups of Swerve or ZSweet. These are new sugar substitutes you can order on line. Either brand will work.
*See below for garnish options

Directions:

Get out your nine-inch springform pan. Pour in your crumbs. Mix with the melted butter to form mushy crumbs. Spread them across the bottom of the pan to cover the bottom and maybe a tad up the side. To make this process easier and less messy, I spread a piece of cling wrap over the top and use that to sort of slide the crumbs around so they can spread evenly across the surface.

Set aside.

In a small bowl, add the lemon juice. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and stir to combine. Then let that sit. Bring a half cup of whipping cream to a low boil in a small sauce pan. Just heat it enough so it begins to bubble on the sides. Remove from the heat and put in the white chocolate bits. Wait a minute or so for the chocolate to get heated and then stir it with a small whisk or fork until it’s smooth, melted chocolate. Now mix in the gelatin mixture and set aside to cool down a bit. In another bowl, beat the other 1.5 cups of whipping cream until they form stiff peaks. Don’t overbeat or it becomes butter. Set aside.

In yet another bowl (sorry about all the dishes) beat the cream cheese with the sweetener until it’s fully blended. Slowly blend the white chocolate mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Make sure you fold gently and thoroughly. The result will be a creamy color; not a bright yellow. If you want a brighter yellow you could add a few drops of food coloring but that’s just added chemicals.

Pour into your prepared pan on top of the crust. It will fill the pan pretty full. Might even have a bit leftover to taste test while it is still dreamy-soft. Level it off with a knife. Cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and chill it for at least 6 hours. It can even stay in the fridge overnight. Sort of like a cheesecake, this dessert continues to build with time.

Leftovers will keep for a few days before the crust will get kind of mushy, but it will still taste delightful.

When you go to serve, I suggest you remove it from the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before you cut it. Let it soften just a tad. Then slide a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it. Pop the ring mold to reveal your dessert. Cut it into 1.5” pieces with a sharp knife. Be sure to cut down through the crust and maybe use a small spatula to get under it so each piece will come out whole.

*You can garnish all kinds of ways: Choose one or more:

Whipped cream dollops
Slices of lemon
Raspberries piled high or around the sides
Mint garnish with any of the above

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola