Gluten free AND Sugar free? Read on lovelies...

I love to eat. I used to love to eat sweets. anything I could get my hands on and usually have enough for me, my husband and the entire football team he coaches. Don't get me wrong, I still love to eat - in fact, since embarking on this sugar free journey I've found I'm in the kitchen even more experimenting with everything from chickpeas and quinoa to buckwheat (which funnily enough is not a grain flour) and coconut milk. The possibilities are endless and we've tried more new dishes in the last month since we tried for the most part of 2012!

 

You gotta open up to this new lifestyle and embrace it. You are not expected to know everything straight away.For the record - that includes knowing that coconut flour is reeeeeeeaaaaaaaally dry and needs 6 eggs for a decent result, as opposed to crumbly brick resembling a mud-cake you ate as a kid. Now this may take some time. For me, when this happened I just had a massive hissy fit and declared the kitchen a disaster zone and I was NEVER EVER cooking again looked at my rock cakes, forced a big smile and started all over again.

 

But my latest challenge has been to come up with not only a sugar-free version of the cupcakes I was force feeding giving my husband, but also a gluten free one as well. I have many friends who are celiacs or have gluten intolerances and I know as a former teacher that these intolerances are on the rise within our classrooms as well. It just breaks my heart that there may be a  little Johnny out there unable to join in on the traditional birthday celebrations because the cupcakes he brings for everyone 'taste funny.'

It's pretty safe to say that the gluten fre market has impressively evolved now  to include quite the range of 'treats' -   both the ready made versions and the packet mixes. And they taste pretty good. You  know why? Because they are LOADED with the sweet stuff!

 

Call on your trusty 'ol pal Google and you'll find no shortage of gluten free cupcake recipes. But - they are chock full of that f-word I'm not so fond of. Every recipe I found used sugar of all colours (and just so you know, brown sugar is no healthier than white - its just had molasses added to it), honey, agave and that vile stuff that may have you asking yourself if you may have just consumed Ratkill - enter Splenda.

 

So I am on a mission to create the perfect gluten-free AND sugar-free cupcake! My first two creations were not even worth mentioning here. I took one look at the soggy sorry little excuses sitting on my bench tops. Heaven forbid. I didn't particularly handle this too well at first. See second paragraph.

 

But after two failed attempts, I have something that the Mr gave an 8/10 and didn't even know it was healthy. WIN

It's worth nothing that gluten-free does NOT mean low-carb. That's my next mission, and I promise no more hissy fits. Well, I'll try.

 

 



 

Vanilla Cupcakes with Sweet Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of gluten free flour
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
• pinch of sea salt
• 100g of softened unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
• 3/4 cup of Natvia Sweetener for Baking
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract + the seeds scraped from one vanilla pod
• 3/4 - 1 cup of buttermilk (regular milk will work fine too)

NOTES

There is an array of gluten free flour mixes at the supermarkets nowadays, Woolworths, I find, has more of a choice. I used the Laucke Flour brand.

 

Arrowroot powder is available at most health food shops, but be sure to get the versions that don't have the preservatives added to them.

 

Natvia is a 100% natural sweetener made from the leaves of the Stevia plant -  a plant that is 300 times sweeter than sugar. They have released a new product especially formulated for baking. It claims to have eliminated the bitter aftertaste akin to most sweeteners. You can find more information here. A note, if you 'lick the bowl' to try the batter - you might be somewhat off put. It doesn't taste like regular batter and there is a 'weird' taste there. Persist - once cooked, that taste disappears. Thank God, cos I was about to throw another kitchen tantrum.

 

Try to get your hands on organic vanilla extract, and not the essence - it's just not the same! Adding the seeds of the pods is a bit of a luxury and not essential to the end result. So if you don't have/want to use them, don't.

 

If your butter isn't softened, zap it for 10-15 seconds OR pop it in a little plate and put it in the oven for a few minutes while it's heating up.

 

Prepare to Beat

You will be doing a lot more beating in these recipes. When using regular sugar, the chemical reaction of beating sugar and butter together creates a lot of air. Without the sugar, you really need to beat or cream your initial mixture like there's no tomorrow. A free standing mixer, is very beneficial here, however hand mixers will do the trick too (just don't lift weights that day, cos that'll be your upper body work out!) Beat butter on its own until light and fluffy and then add the Natvia and continue to beat.

 

Method

• Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (or 160 Fan Forced)
• Grease (with butter or a spray) the tops of the rounds of a 12 hole muffin tray and line with cupcake liners. (Greasing the top will prevent the cupcake tops from sticking when they rise)
• Over a medium sized bowl, whisk the flour, powders and salt over a sieve. It's important to do this - so don't skip this part!
• In another medium sized bowl (or in the mixer) beat the butter on its own for about 4 mins - until it's pale and fluffy in texture.
• Add the Natvia and continue beating for another 4 mins
• Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for a minute after each addition
• Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated (about 1 min)
• Fold in the flour mixture, slowly, until just incorporated. You can do this with a wooden spoon
• Add the milk, in 3 additions - start with 1/2 cup and then mix. Add a bit more. Mix. Add the last of the milk and mix until well combined
• You will have a thick batter, but it should still poor.
• Fill each hole about 2/3 full.
• Place in the centre of the oven and back for 17 - 20 mins. They should be golden and the tops will spring back when lightly touched. Stick a toothpick in the centre of one to ensure it comes out clean.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Ingredients

• 125g cream cheese, softened and cut up into small chunks
• 150 ml pouring cream
• 2 tablespoons malt syrup (depending on your taste buds you may want more or less)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (the seeds of a pod would work too)

Method

• Beat the cream cheese for about 3 mins, until light and fluffy
• In a separate bowl, beat the cream until thickened and soft peaks form when you lift the mixer out
• Add the cream to the cream cheese and add the malt syrup and vanilla
• Continue mixing until all incorporated and the mixture is at the right consistency for piping.
• With a piping bag (or just snip the corner of a zip lock back) pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with cinnamon

NOTES

If it's too runny - beat up some more cream and add to the mixture to thicken. If you do this you may want to add more sweetener. Or if you aren't in a hurry - pop it into the freezer for 20mins

 

 

The NEW f-word



Week 3 is almost over and one might say I fell off the bandwagon - I'd argue not so much  falling off, but more having a leg dangling over the edge. You see, I auditioned for a Weis Bar television commercial this week. You know those ads, care free young 20-somethings with the multi coloured lipstick? That's what I was going for. Except not the yellow lipstick part. Turns out their new flavour is Choc Hazelnut. So I guess that means.. brown lips.

 

the reason I fell off the bandwagon this week

 

Lip colours aside, I had to, and I reiterate HAD to munch down on a bar as part of the audition. And again, I'd argue less 'munching down' and more eating-like-a-chipmunk. My first bit of sugar in nearly 3 weeks. It. Was. AVERAGE. Yes average, I was actually a bit disappointed. But read on. The disappointment is replaced.

 

cookies you would sell your soul for

 

Ok, so that was the first instance of the proverbial leg dangling over the bandwagon. The second? In my kitchen. Of late, I have had the irrepressible urge to bake. And since I haven't figured out a way to replicate sugar laiden recipes of my the good 'ol days (yet) my husband is in 7th heaven. Literally. If 7th Heaven had a signature scent I'm sure it would resemble the sweet smelling haven of cupcakes, muffins, cookies and cakes that is our kitchen. Yesterday I made the kind of cookies you'd sell your soul for. Delectable, soft, chewy. Their buttery goodness just melted in my mouth with lashings of warm chocolate oozing from the middle. I had a bite. O.M.G. Weis Bar? What Weis Bar?

 

Let's  - shall we -  look at the aforementioned 'mishaps' as experiments. I didn't go nuts, didn't spiral out of control and I didn't binge (I actually threw the rest of the Weis bar out after the chipmunk got to it and I literally stopped after ONE mouthful of the cookie.) Hip hip hoorah for me, that my friends, was my biggest problem in the first place. NOT being able to stop. Ever. I'd say this whole 'experiment' is working.

 

Should I be quitting?

 

I don't know. Should you? By answering yes to the following questions, one might say you need to quit sugar. But. I'm not your mum and I'm sure you can make your own decisions these days. 

• Do you need a chocolate fix pick me up every afternoon, say around 3pm?
• Do you feel your meal isn't complete without a little sweet something to finish off?
• Can you seriously eat 2 squares of chocolate…and walk away?
• Or sit down to dessert and only have one helping?
• Do you feel bloated?
• Do you often feel unclear?

Maybe, just maybe, you might want to think about jumping on the IQS 'bandwagon' And if you fall off, jump straight back on! It's not a life sentence, remember - you're just 'seeing how it goes'.
 

The new 'F-Word'

 

To be clear – it’s fructose that’s the enemy. Not sugar, per se. When you hear all this 'Ive-gone-and-quit-sugar chat, it's fructose that's been given the ol' heave ho. It's fructose that makes us eat more. WTF? Told you it's the new F-word.

Remember fructose is fructose no matter what fancy pants it may be wearing

(thanks to Sarah Wilson for this image from her I Quit Sugar ebook)

 

Here it is plain and simple: every molecule of every bit of food we eat have corresponding appetite hormones. When we’ve had our fair share of a certain molecule, these hormones tell our brains, 'that'll do tiger'. In other words -  'STOP eating.' That's our bodies doing what they do best - telling us exactly what we need and how much we need of it.

 

Have a guess which molecule doesn't work like this? There's that F-word again.

 

Today we eat more than a kilo of sugar a week. Just 150 years

 ago we ate next to none.

 

why on earth did loincloths go out of fashion??

 

Now back when we looked a lot less Mr and Mrs Smith and more Tarzan and Jane, sugar was both highly valuable and extremely rare. If we did come across a berry here and there it was instant energy for beating cavemen off your Mrs with a stick  hunting wild beast (aka your dinner). Energy that was vital if you were to survive. As a result, we evolved without the fructose “full switch”. For Tarzan and Jane this was great - if they did so happen to  stumble across a berry bush they could gorge themselves stupid (instant energy source). All very well back when sugar was rare and we had to work hard to get it. But now that we can't get enough of the stuff and it's shoved in our faces 24/7 - not having an “off switch” is a huge problem! As David Gillespie says in Sweet Poison, "the way fructose is converted in our bodies means it’s not used upfront as energy, but converted directly to fat. It also becomes,  'porridge in our arteries'. Ew. That can't be good. 

 

Why do I have to give up fruit?
 

Again, you don't have to. Perhaps you just want to give up refined sugars. But a word of warning - so you can break the addiction, a lot of the sugar experts agree: it’s best to get rid of all of it at first. And ALL sugar includes fruit, fruit juice, agave and honey. Even sugar free sweeteners. Afterall, you want to ween yourself off the sweet stuff - real sugar or otherwise. Keeping too many sweeteners in your diet while you are trying to go sugar free will only confuse you and your taste buds. After around the half way mark (remember though we are all different), and if your addiction is broken, you may find you want to re introduce 1-2 pieces of fruit per day. Or you may not. See my previous post re:fibre and keeping 'regular'. It's a myth that you need fruit for that. Trust me.

 

My star recipes for this week. Jump on instagram and follow me there @frankieandnicole I post recipes and pics all the time. Yep, I'm one of those people.

 

 

raw coco muesli

 

hot smoked salmon + vege frittata



 

Until next week..keep away from the cookie jar (I am talking to myself here!)

PS. If you haven't already go and check out these great reads from two very knowledgeable authors. I speak alot about them both.

 

The gorgeous Sarah Wilson

And the man who started it all

 

Cupcakes, Crowding Out + Chickpea Bombs

It's late. I'm hungry. I don't do hungry well. I do hungry just about as well as the United States does portion control. And judging by the fact a family of 4 can eat a typical American entree and be full for a week, I'm guessing they don't do portion control well. Just like me + hungry. Especially  me + tired + hungry. Especially me + tired + hungry +  I really want chocolate. Yeah, yeah - I hear you - 'But I thought you said you were fine? That you didn't even miss sugar? Well that was Day #4. It's now Day #9. Things have changed. Miss-I-eat-Nutella-straight-from-the-jar wants to do just that.

 

I have willpower, I have willpower, I have willpower...

 

Round #1.

 

An engagement party, a welcome back party, a wake and airport food - all of which I had to contend with in my round #1 battle with no sugar. But my nose is in the air and my chest is puffed out proudly because - Nicole:1, Sugar:0.

Allow me....

Below is a list of sugary temptresses that were left retreating with their sweet sequined tails between their  legs. (If sugar actually took the form of some kind of being, I'd strongly argue that the aforementioned character description would be very fitting) In other words, I resisted them all! Ok.. so I may have had a spider's wee amount of my nieces chocolate milk - spider's pee meaning a very negligible amount. Given the company, it would not have served me very well to spit it out over the table upon me remembering my no sugar rule. AND when I baked some cookies for my husband and  the kids in the boarding house, I had a mouthful. What? I can't let my cookies out into the world without knowing what they taste like. George Calombaris would be appalled.

Right back to that list.

• cupcakes of the most delectable flavours - (hummingbird and white chocolate if you must know)
• champagne
• Italian handmade biscotti
• champagne
• chocolate cake
• carrot cake (that amazing one Sara Lee does that defies it's humble cardboard packaging)
• wood fired pizza
• pasta carbonara
• custard tarts
• champagne
• jam doughnuts
• chocolate eclairs
• muffins the size of melons

Did I mention champagne?? Oh, here are the cupcakes..

 

Crowding Out

What I chose to eat instead. It is worth noting that I adopted Sarah Wilson's 'Crowding Out' theory here. Instead of thinking about the forbidden foods, (which of course is like not thinking of the purple elephant when you have been told not to. Go on - try not to think of it) I chose to 'crowd out' those foods by filling up on others instead. So rather than go to those rather inappropriately timed social gatherings with the mantra - don't eat the cupcakes, don't look at the champagne - I told myself I could go to town on the savoury courses. And that's exactly what I did.

With the uniting of 2 European families - one Greek, one Italian, you can be rest assured we weren't doing a Maccas run after we left to make up for the big-plate-tiny-food syndrome synonymous with so many fancy restaurants these days. I. Was. Stuffed - (with the following)

 

• the most tender lamb chops with Greek salad
• haloumi -  oh my the haloumi - with lemon
• the most amazing fillet mignon
• mushroom, rosemary and fetta bites
• moroccan chicken skewers and cous cous,
• hundreds a few handfuls of green olives marinated in garlic
• authentic Italian prosciutto
• crustless pea and mint quiches

Get the idea? The food was aaaah-mazing. So come dessert time, I didn't have a thing, not even a bite.

 

That Question (I know you're thinking it)

One of the questions I am continually being asked is (immediately following an exclamation of  - 'you don't eat FRUIT??' But how do you stay..um.. er..

Let me help you.. How do I stay regular? I still find it amusing  following the REALLY LOUD exclamation about fruit how the conversation gets really quiet. Come on, we all do it and with the world domination continual expansion of social media, I am really surprised people aren't tweeting about it or updating us on facebook. We tell everyone about everything else do we not?

Anyhoo.. back to the question at hand.

According to the Better Health Victorian Website, there are two broader fibre categories, of which we need to include both in our daily diets:

• Soluble fibre - includes pectins, gums and mucilage, which are found mainly in plant cells. One of its major roles is to lower blood cholesterol levels. Good sources of soluble fibre include fruits, vegetables, oat bran, barley, seed husks, flaxseed, psyllium, dried beans, lentils, peas, soy milk and soy products. Soluble fibre can also help with constipation.
• Insoluble fibre - includes cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin, which make up the structural parts of plant cell walls. A major role of insoluble fibre is to add bulk to faeces and to prevent constipation and associated problems such as haemorrhoids. Good sources include wheat bran, corn bran, rice bran, the skins of fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried beans and wholegrain foods.

So as you can see - there's a whole lot more than fruit on that list. I've bolded the foods which I have been filling my plate with. So quit your worrying, everything is working as it should be.

 

Before I leave you tonight, I have to share with you one super quick, super tasty snack recipe - that may or may not see you eating more than your fair share of chickpeas.

 

 Chickpea Bombs (thanks to Sarah Wilson for these)

 - a tin of rinsed, drained and patted-dry-with-paper-towels chickpeas

 - a good dose of your favourite seasoning. (I used turmeric + garam masala)

 - a tiny bit of oil so they don't stick (I used Olive Oil)

 

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celcius and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl till well coated. Bake for about 40 - 45mins. Make sure you shake up the tray at the halfway mark. Let cool and munch away - they should be nice and crunchy and golden. So good!

 

I'm off to make myself a cuppa...

Day 4..and I haven't gone crazy.. yet

Coke and Ice-cream for Breaky? Um.. no thanks

I'm half way through the first week of this little 'experiment' and so far...so good! To be fair, I was already aware of hidden sugars in things like traditional muesli, cereals, fruit juices, low-fat dairy and the like so it's not like I had to give up all of those things cold turkey. But aren't those things healthy? Um.. no. Muesli can have the same amout of sugar as a whole block of chocolate and don't get me started on things like Coco Pops and Fruit Loops.

For a comprehensive list of the sugar content in breakfast foods, check out David Gillespie's Guide to Australia Breakfast Cereals here (this guy is the author of Sweet Poison - click here to read, explains this whole shebang muuuuch better than I do!) And the deceiving I'm-loaded-with-sugar-yoghurt  Low-Fat yoghurt has more sugar than ice-cream! As for the fruit juice - would you have a glass of Coke for breakfast? Didn't think so, but if you have a glass of juice, freshly squeezed or otherwise you can be rest assured that it has the same amount of sugar in it - about 11 teaspoons in one glass! Fructose (the molecules in sugar) is fructose - no matter what pants it's wearing. Even if those pants are snazzy little hipster pants from the health food store.

Mango or Mars Bar?

I'm used to having eggs/veges in the morning (eggs can turn leftovers into the piece de resistance of the breaky menu - add some cheese and herbs and voila!) I do miss my fruit though, especially my morning smoothies. What's wrong with a fruit you say? Absolutely nothing, but for the purpose of this little experiment, I need to cut out all sugar. As Sarah Wilson very simply puts it 'the chemical composition of sugar – be it in a mango or a Mars bar – remains the same.' So there to the big bowl of bananas staring me in the face each morning. I don't need or want you..for the time being. I'll break my little sugar addiction first and then I will happily enjoy a few pieces of fruit a day. 

You see, for the majority of the time, I eat really well, I avoid the hidden sugars. But what I don't avoid are the bleedingly obvious eat-me-right-now-and-watch-me-go-straight-to-your-thighs kinda sugars. Flashback to when I started this whole thing. You will recall I was stuffing my face with that triple-berry cheesecake on Sunday night, so it's safe to say that's where my weakness lies. I can't say no, I can't stop at ten one piece/bite/mouthful. It's this little problem, that can undo a whole week of eating well, that I want to stop.

I'm being honest when I say so far so good. I get to have wine!! Yes I am allowed to have a glass of wine at night, which has been my saving grace I think. And so far I haven’t barrelled up my husband in the corner of the bedroom demanding he tell me where the ‘hidden’ chocolate is. I guess it is only day 4 though...

Breakfast

 

- Sugar free pecan + coconut granola with cinnamon. Recipe adapted from Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar Cookbook.

 - Mushrooms, baby spinach (or whatever veges you have) sauteed in a little coconut oil with a couple of eggs and a piece of grainy toast.
 

Lunch

- Bases - I have beein having rye cruskits, brown rice thins, or these raw crackers above.

 - Toppings - Avacado with tin salmon/tuna or shaved ham/turkey from the deli. Throw some tomato, baby spinach on there too (I just didn't have any left!)

 -Coconut water has a subtle sweet flavour which just may help keep those cravings at bay!

Dinner

 

I forgot to take photos of dinner! But here's a little list.. I did however take a photo of the wine that has been washing my dinner down nicely! Seriously you have to try Sticks Pinot Noir, we had this at our wedding and it was a hit ( the 87 hangovers that were endured the next day might have a different opinion)

 

 - Chicken, broccoli, sesame + cashew stir-fry - with tamari sauce, no sweet chilli, kecap manis (read: all the bloody tasty sauces!) It was ok, I think I may need to work on the natural flavourings like chilli, garlic etc. Washed down nicely with my Sticks Pinot Noir. Have I mentioned how awesome it is that I can still have a glass of wine at night?

 - Rib Fillet Steak and char-grilled sweet potato, zucchini + eggplant (again washed down with my Pinot Noir)

 - Asian meatballs with steamed broccoli, washed down with.. oh that's right hubby drank all the wine so tonight I had Vanilla flavoured Rooibos tea with a dash of full cream milk. Um... now this stuff is goooood. Dessert sorted!

 

Snack Time

Little tricks I have up my sleeve to combat the munchies + cravings.
 - Vitaweat grain crackers are sooo good, but may be a little too good. I could easily eat the whole packet!
 - Vanilla Rooibos tea is my find of the week!
 - That peanut butter (from Woolies) is delish on rice thins.
 - The trail mix is fab (especially if you like dark chocolate) The subtle sweetness of the coconut chips/flakes with the raw cacao nibs almost feels like chocolate. I did say almost.
 - And activated pecans - oh my! I have read a lot about what you should soak and hence 'activate' your nuts, (you can read here) and it does make sense. But who has the time?? These little babies were expensive though, $9 for that tiny packet - so probably going to be a treat.

 

Mentally, I feel strong. Empowered even. The fact that I denounced sugar to the world (ok my facebook friends) really cemented the fact that I'm doing this thing. Properly.  It’s almost like I owe it to the 126 people that have read my blog post thus far (um..thanks guys, feeling slightly chuffed about that) There is something empowering about telling the world your goals – you really are then telling yourself that you are serious! I really feel on track with this (hush hush, I know its only day 4 but still..) And I cannot believe the people that have already quit sugar, its pretty common out there. Who knew?

 

Until next time...

 

PS It's Australia Day this weekend plus I have an engagement party at the most lavish of residences.. Did I attempt to do this one week too early?! (Put down the champagne and step away from the macaroons, put down the champagne and put down the macaroons, put down the champagne and step away from the macaroons, put down the.... you get this gist of my problem?)

 

 

I hereby denounce SUGAR - a promise I make to you

My Promise 

'we often break  promises we make to ourselves as we have no one to hold us accountable, but make a promise to someone else and see what happens'.

 

 

The Last Supper

As I scrape my plate and finish the second helping of triple berry cheese-cake (it was brilliant if you were wondering)  and wash it down with my  second glass of Pinot Gris for the night – I  tentatively ponder over Sarah Wilson’s I Quit Sugar 8 week plan. Is this lady insane slightly delusional?? 8 weeks without sugar?? I don't think I could last a day. To be honest, I have thought about the idea before. I even read David Gillespie's Sweet Poison. A damn good read, and it all makes perfect sense. Just didn't think I, miss-inhale-a-jar-of-Nutella-before-you-even-realised-we-had-some, would  be able to give up my beloved 'poison'.

Apparently there is a whole host of health benefits to:

• increased energy
• clear skin, clear mind
• better sleep
• less bloating and tummy upsets
• no more cravings
• weight loss

Personally, I don't want to lose that much weight, I'd just kill to be able to fit into my Levi denim cut-offs once again - without the muffintop - so the weight loss is simply an added bonus. What I would love to be is free from the sugar monster and the killer cravings + binge eating that is associatd with it. I also haven't been sleeping well of late, seem like I always feel bloated and I'm not the hugest fan of my dull complexion at the moment. (or is that just what happens after you turn 30??) So with all that in mind, I am just a little interested in this 'experiment'.

Pass the Vegemite please

As I continue reading, and no I didn't have a third slice of cheesecake (there was none left thank you very much) I see that Sarah is actually quite realistic about this – it’s not an all or nothing approach (read: I don’t have to give up sugar cold turkey tomorrow) and  I love her frequent reminders that this is an ‘experiment’ and to just ‘see how you go’. Nothing too full on.. or so it seems. In Week 1 we are encouraged to just ‘cut back'. Gently and Calmly’ OK, OK this I can do. I've always been a I'll-start-the-diet-on-Monday kinda girl so doing this thing gently and calmly works for me. I am to swap my toast with jam to toast with vegemite (easy peasy); eggs for breakfast  instead of muesli (can do) and popcorn at the movies instead of Maltesers (does that mean no Choc-Tops either?). So I have decided..tonight at exactly 9.28 pm, Sunday 20^th January, 2013 I am QUITTING sugar..well I am going to try anyway. Can I finish my wine first?

P.S I have to be up at 6 am for boot camp.. I'd hate to be my husband this week.