How to live sugar-free and love it
In part two of our exclusive series, dentist JAMES GOOLNIK explains how to stay off the sweet stuff for life and reveals exclusive new recipes
YESTERDAY we explained how to quit sugar in just 14 days, using our easy-to-follow plan. Today, we’re looking ahead to life after the challenge. How can you keep up your good habits and stay off sugar for good? Remember, this is not a fad diet. It’s a plan to give you the knowledge and skills you need to incorporate a new way of eating into your life.
If you want to keep it up long-term, any changes need to be tailored to you and your family’s lifestyle. Start by slowly introducing foods that you may have missed over the two weeks, one at a time while listening to your body. Remember, it is OK to have sugar in moderation, as long as it is part of a balanced diet and you know when you are eating it.
But you may find that after two weeks off, your favourite sweet treats do not taste as good as you remember. Hopefully, over the two weeks you have enjoyed cooking and eating a wide range of flavours without just relying on sugar. Cooking from scratch is not only cheaper but much more fun too, and the delicious recipes below will help you keep it up.
Extracted by DEBBI MARCO from Kick Sugar: ReawakenYour Tastebuds And BoostYour Health, by James Goolnik (£20, Bow Lane Ltd)
CHILLI CON CARNE WITH CAULIFLOWER RICE
Serves four
500g minced beef (or 800g chestnut mushrooms for veggie version)
2tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
1tsp cumin seeds
1tsp chilli powder
1tbsp tomato puree 125ml red wine 400g tin tomatoes 400g tin kidney or black beans, drained 1tbsp cacao powder salt and black pepper For the cauliflower rice:
1 cauliflower, quartered 2tbsp olive oil 10g fresh coriander, chopped
1 Fry meat or mushrooms in a large saucepan. Season and cook for eight minutes until beef has browned or mushrooms have softened.
2 Remove to a plate and add olive oil to the pan. Fry onion, garlic and cumin seeds for five minutes.
3 Add chilli powder and tomato puree. Return meat or mushrooms to the pan and stir. Turn heat to high, add red wine and let it bubble for a few minutes until mostly evaporated. Stir in tomatoes and beans.
4 Cover and simmer on low heat for between 45 minutes and two hours, topping up with water if it dries out. Mix in cacao powder five minutes before the end of the cooking time.
5 When you are nearly ready to serve, blitz the pieces of cauliflower in a food processor until they are a texture that resembles rice.
Heat olive oil in a separate large frying pan and fry the cauliflower rice with a splash of water for five minutes. Season and mix in the coriander.
6 Serve with extra Greek yogurt