I don't typically have much of a sweet tooth. I scrape the frosting off of birthday cakes and need coffee to get down my pastry or piece of chocolate. Holiday treats are lost on me.

But, since I started avoiding dairy I've had this incredible yearning for chocolate. It's a strange craving that I've tried to satiate by eating a banana or a handful of almonds and cranberries instead. So far....the chocolate monster is still tapping on my shoulder.

Over the weekend we did our grocery shopping at Berkeley Bowl in (you guessed it!), Berkeley. It's a great store with such a variety of great products and a wonderful produce section. I could walk around there all day admiring all the amazing foods and ingredients to play with in my kitchen.

During our tour we ended up in the baking aisle and I eyed up a bag of Cacao Sweet Nibs from Navitas Naturals. I knew that cacao is a dairy free product so me and the chocolate monster looked closer to see if this might be the solution I'd been looking for. The label read organic, raw AND vegan. Success! At $5.99/bag I hesitated (barely) and ended up tossing it in the cart. I must be pretty desperate.....

As soon as we got home I tore the bag open like a crazed addict, tossed a few tiny nibs in my mouth and chewed. They were pretty darn tasty. With a very slight hint of sweetness they taste a bit like coffee beans and have they have a nice crunch which is also pretty satisfying.

Just a small taste after dinner or as an in between snack has so far settled my occasional chocolate cravings (now I just have to keep them away from Dani!). The bag is only 4 oz and at around $6.00 can seem a bit pricey. However, with a little self control I can see it going quite a long way and lasting me at least 2 weeks.

More yummy tidbits about cacao:

• Cacao is full of antioxidants (more than in green tea and red wine!) and has trace minerals such as magnesium and iron
• Cacao may increase your focus and alertness and contains nutrients to keep you happy
• Cacao does contain caffein. So, if you are avoiding caffein or are sensitive pay close attention to how eating cacao affects you. 
• Ancient Mayans called cacao "The Food of the Gods"
• 1 oz of Navitas Naturals Sweetened Cacao Nibs contains 150 calories

So, if you are looking for a healthier sweet treat give cacao a try. When I'm feeling adventurous I may have to try using it to make fudge or chocolate chip cookies.

Let me know if you have tried a raw and/or vegan recipe with cacao or cacao nibs. I'd love to hear it!

We've been in recovery.

Last Thursday night we took a 5 hour drive to Solvang in southern California. Our goal for the weekend was to ride the Solvang Half Century (50 miles) along with about 5,000 other cyclists. We had been actively training for this first official ride for a few months and were excited (and a bit nervous) to see if we could hang with all those other hard-core cyclists out there.

To make it even better Tanya's parents traveled all the way from Pennsylvania to meet us there and her dad rode the 50 miles with us. Plus, it was his 60th birthday on the day of the ride so it was a great way to celebrate.


We were lucky to have incredibly beautiful weather and just had to battle a bit of a head wind. When you're pedaling to go downhill you know it's windy!

Because this was our first ride there were a few things we learned that we'll use for upcoming rides:

1) Cool Gear Does Not a Rider Make. Sure, we all want to look good while we're doing whatever sport we're into but it's important to remember that it's not all about the look. We saw plenty of stylin' bikers pushing their bikes up the hills (and of course many others kicking butt!). Our conclusion.....don't get hung up on the gear and the look. You don't need the best and most expensive gear to get on a bike. Just get out and do it! Tanya's dad put it well; "The best dressed skiers aren't on the slopes, they're at the bar."
2) Age Doesn't Matter. We have found that cycling spans an incredible age spectrum. You are never too young or too old to get on a bike. We saw parents on tandems with kids as young as 5 all the way to adults in their 70's. It was wonderful to see so many different ages coming together to enjoy a beautiful day on a bike. Even someone's dog got to enjoy a some time on two wheels.


3) Preparation Ensures Success. Being prepared is key to make sure you are successful in any sport. For an organized ride like the one we were on there are usually SAG stops (Support and Gear) along the way that will provide you with snacks and the opportunity to fill up water. But, you need to rely on yourself in case you don't have a SAG stop or need to refuel along the way. Here are our suggestions.

• 2 hours before your ride eat a high carb meal of oatmeal, bagel, muffin, pancakes or pasta for example. Be sure to give the food enough time to digest before riding. 
• Bring plenty of water. You should plan on at least 16 ounces of water for every hour you plan on being on the road. Fill up every time you have the opportunity to do so. 
• If you have space for an extra water bottle, fill it with a protein powder. This will help aid in faster muscle recovery.
• Bring at least one snack with you just in case. Check out our review of a few popular bars that you can easily pack in your bike bag.
• Always carry a spare tube and tools (it's also good to know how to use them), just in case you get a flat.

As someone who is constantly watching what she eats, I have been on the hunt to find the best bars to help keep me satisfied between workouts and meals. Bars should definitely not be seen as a meal supplement but they are convenient to have on hand in the office or in your bag so you have a safe fall back instead of becoming a victim to the drive-thru. There are hundreds of bars available so I did my own little taste test. Below are a few that I've tried so far and I liked.

Do you have a favorite snack bar? Please share. I'm always looking for new ones to try.

Best Ingredient List: Lara Bar
PROS: Creative flavors, gluten free, dairy free, all raw ingredients and only 5 items in ingredient list. Good for anyone who has any diet restrictions. We liked the sweet fruity taste.
PROS: The salty and sweet flavors really satisfied our snack tooth. It's packed with protein so this is a great option for after a workout.
PROS: 2 bars in each pack offer the illusion of eating more. There are a variety of flavors and the bars have a nice balance of protein and fiber. It's readily available in most grocery stores. The crunch is a nice alternative to chewy bars.
   - Protein: 4g

Best All Around Bar: Nectar Bar
PROS: 2 servings of fruit in each bar, all organic ingredients, only 5 items in ingredient list and tastes great! Balanced amount of fiber, protein and vitamins.
PROS: Sweet, chewy, full of fiber, easy to find in most grocery stores
Nutritional information may vary depending on which flavor bar you choose.

I work from home and with the kitchen only a few feet away I find myself staring into the fridge about every hour looking for something to snack on. So, I've made it a point to have snacks on hand right and easily accessible - ideally positioned right at the front of the fridge so I don't have to dig around too much.

When looking for a nutritious and filling snack I keep versatility in mind as well. I get bored easily with the same thing everyday so I always ask myself "How many different ways can I use this snack?"

Hummus is an incredibly versatile snack. You can use it as a dip for a variety of different veggies, spread on a whole wheat pita (with some more veggies if you wish) or scooped with a crispy Wasa cracker.

I was in the mood for hummus last night and realized we were out. I'd been meaning to make some from scratch for quite a while but kept getting held up every time I saw tahini in a recipe. I figured that there must be a stand in for tahini and after a quick search I read that many people use peanut butter or almond butter instead. It makes sense - tahini is like peanut butter only made with sesame seeds. Why hadn't I thought of this before?

THE RECIPE
I quickly grabbed a can of garbanzo beans out of the pantry, a few garlic cloves, about 3 tablespoons of almond butter, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, parsley, a few squirts of lemon juice and a few spices (salt, pepper, a pinch of cumin). Within about 10 minutes I had delicious hummus whirling around in my Magic Bullet all for less than $2.00.

THE SKINNY (NUTRITION AND CALORIES)
This recipe has about 120 calories in 4 tablespoons. Paired with 2 large carrots (or any other vegetable) you have a 200 calorie snack. Plus, garbanzo beans are a great source of protein and fiber and carrots have a very high fullness factor. This means they make you more full with fewer calories than many other snack options.

OTHER OPTIONS
If you want variety, hummus is the poster child. You can experiment with other beans, add in some roasted red peppers, olives, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, basil, chives or any other vegetable or herb you want to try. The possibilities are endless and depending on what you add you can add so many great vitamins and nutrients. You can keep homemade hummus in a tightly sealed container for about 5-7 days (if it lasts that long!).

Aside from using hummus as a snack I've also used it on pizza as an alternative to pizza sauce and instead of mayonnaise on sandwiches.

Do you have a hummus recipe to share?
What do you use hummus for?
Do tell!

It was one of those nights - when dinner just hits the spot and turns out oh so good. I found the recipe after a quick search this morning and couldn't wait until official "dinner time" started. I was thinking about it all day long.

I went to World Market yesterday to pick up coffee (it was double punch Wednesday. Which means you get two punches on your coffee card :) Even though I was in a bit of a hurry I couldn't help but make a B-line through the food section. On impulse I picked up some polenta, an ingredient I've only used once before a few years ago.

This morning as I was getting ready for my day I was already thinking ahead to dinner. Not unusual for me - I've always got dinner on my mind. After looking at the nutrition label I was impressed that 100 grams of polenta only has 70 calories so I knew this was something that would definitely fit into Dani's calorie count for dinner. After a quick search on thekitchn.com I found Breanne's Polenta with Black Beans and Coconut Tomato. When I saw that I had all the ingredients at home I knew this was what I was making for dinner. And, it turned out delicious!

To prepare the polenta I weighed each slice so I would know the approximate calorie count. Each slice came out to about 50 grams (i.e. 35 calories) so I planned for 4 slices of polenta per serving (140 calories). Together with the sauteed spinach, 1/2 cup of black beans and 3/4 cup tomato topping this dinner came out to about 500 calories. We also each had an artichoke on the side and a salad. It was a full meal and we were both completely stuffed afterwards.

If you've never tried polenta I would encourage you to do so. You can find it in most grocery stores prepared in a little sausage which is perfect for slicing. Polenta is made with ground yellow or white cornmeal and can be eaten creamy or solid. It is the staple food of northern Italy and used to be described as peasant food. If you get the prepared kind as I did you can keep it in your pantry for a few months so it's a good staple to keep on hand for a quick, healthy, low calorie meal. Just be sure you don't stir in too much butter or cheese as many recipes suggest!

Here are a few more polenta recipes to try:
Savory Polenta from Alton Brown
Creamy Polenta with Warm Tomato Compote from Cooking Lite (153 calories per serving)
Polenta and Vegetable Bake from EatingWell.com (215 calories per serving)