About

About the recipes
I do indulge in a “real” treat from time to time, but I never bake full-fat sugary desserts because I know I don’t stick to tiny portion sizes. That’s why I like experimenting with low-sugar/high-protein desserts as “damage control”-treats.

All of my recipes have a macronutrient breakdown. They also all tend to have a moderate glycemic index and aren’t supercharged with saturated fats. They don’t contain any ingredients like:
- white sugar
- white flour
- butter or margarine
- heavy cream, condensed milk ect.

Not because I think these ingredients are the ultimate diet devils and should always be avoided at any cost. Any sugar-loaded food can be eaten in moderation (i.e. super tiny amounts) or right after a hard workout to “replenish muscle glycogen stores” as trainers would say. The problem is, I’m not very good at “moderation”… And although I’m French, I don’t really believe in the “French women don’t get fat” / “you can eat everything you want in moderation”-thing. (You can read my take on that here).

About the ingredients
I often rely on flavored protein powder containing sucralose or thaumatin to sweeten my recipes. I’m not a fan of sweeteners in general but I do consume products containing xylitol or sucralose (not on a daily basis though).

When it comes to natural low-calorie sweeteners, my favorite sweetener is currently thaumatin. It’s a natural protein isolated from the arils of the katemfe fruit (grows in West Africa). It’s very difficult to find as a single product but it’s often used in natural protein powder mixes. I sometimes use stevia but the few brands I’ve tried until now haven’t really convinced me. Although they’re natural, they do remind me too much of the bitter taste of bad artificial sweeteners.

When I prefer adding ‘real’ sweetness, I like to use rapadura (dried sugarcane juice rich in dietary iron), honey or maple syrup when their taste and aroma complement the recipe.

I stopped using agave nectar in the most recent recipes. I have decreased my need for sweetness over time and agave nectar is just too expensive anyway (5 euro for a big bottle). However, agave nectar is a good choice for people who are sugar-addicted and who would like to start cutting down their sugar consumption.

**Small warning**: Many recipes from this blog may not be sweet enough for people who are used to ‘regular’ desserts ; just add your favorite sweetener to your own taste.

I try to use moderate amounts of dried fruits (dates, figs), nuts and nut butters in my recipes. They’re healthy ingredients but they also add up many calories very quickly.

Although I use protein powder in many recipes, I would not recommend protein powder to people who aren’t physically active. I like to incorporate protein powder in my recipes because it’s an interesting ingredient to give baked goods a nice texture. And protein powder is also a cheap & easy way to eat protein. However, although I kind of “advertise” a few protein powders in my Amazon store, it is not a food that’s necessary to have in a normal diet.

About me
My name is Elise. I’m French but I work in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. I decided to start blogging in English as compromise between Dutch and French :) However, English is not my native language so bear with me for the sometimes awkward writing style!

I first started this blog because it sounded like a good idea to tackle several things at once: to do something creative while keeping track of my weird-looking cooking experiments, to stay motivated at the gym and to improve my English.

I enjoy eating (a lot), working-out at the gym, and living a healthy active lifestyle. I am not a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or paleo eater. I’m a “flexitarian”: an omnivore who’s just looking for balance in her overall diet.

The only food that I really don’t tolerate is sugar: I have a big sweet tooth, but sugar basically makes me feel horrible in the long run (addictive effect, mood swings etc.) So I decided to focus this blog on healthier desserts and treats.

Contact
Ask me anything on Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook. I enjoy staying up-to-date with the latest fitness/diet trends and reading other health & fitness blogs. I also tend to compulsively buy the latest diet books even if they’re just big marketing fads :) So feel free to ask me questions!