Recipes from CHI! Part 1 of 2

"Going off sugar" has always been hard for me, because when I'm tempted to eat something I know I'll regret, I tell myself, "I could have that if I wanted to. I choose not to." I'll even list the reasons I choose not to in my head sometimes. And yes, there are times when I say yes rather than no, and I eat chocolate! I "went off" junk food years ago, but I have never stayed completely away from sugar for more than a few months at a time.

Telling myself I can't have something does a weird number on me psychologically, brings out my demonic inner rebel. However, I'm up for the challenge. And having things to eat that you love that contain no sugar or chemical sweeteners is key! Here are some ideas I picked up at CHI.

Joyce Oliveto's Favorite Dessert

Ingredients

• 1 qt fresh blueberries
• 3 tbsp date paste (you can make this yourself with dates and a little water)
• pinch of cinnamon
• pinch of vanilla powder
• raw almonds, soaked and chopped

Directions

1. Add blueberries, date paste, cinnamon, and vanilla powder to blender and blend until smooth (or to your desired consistency).
2. Layer over soaked, chopped raw almonds and enjoy.

Chef Madeline

Here's a photo of 67-year-old Madeline (far right) with director Bobby Morgan and raw-food book author Hiawatha Cromer. When I found out how old Madeline was, I shrieked, "SHUT! UP!" (It's a really dumb thing to say, but I live with three teenagers and stuff like that comes out of my mouth.) I finally have the picture of what I want to be when I am a full generation ahead of where I am now! Madeline golfs competitively. She's organized and ego-free and constantly learning and an articulate teacher. She's just a positive-energy dynamo, and she's sexy as heck, too. Her husband is almost 80 and is the same way!

Her recipes include some superfoods you might not recognize. Research them if you want, but in a nutshell: maca is the best libido-enhancer I know, lucuma is a low-glycemic sweetener from a Peruvian fruit that makes caramelly-tasting raw desserts, and mesquite is from a pod in North American trees, high in protein and minerals, that regulates blood sugar and sweetens with a molasses-like caramel note.

I am making this shake today. I've added my own twist of freezing some of it so it's a frozen shake rather than a thinner drink like Madeline makes it.

Choca-Laca-Maca Shake

Ingredients

• 2 cups sweetened almond milk, divided (here's a recipe you can use!)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 tbsp lacuma
• 1 tbsp raw cacao nibs (optional)
• 8-10 drops toffee-flavored stevia
• 2 tsp maca
• 1 tbsp mesquite
• ½ tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Freeze 1 cup almond milk in ice cube trays.
2. Blend frozen cubes with all remaining ingredients until smooth in. Drink immediately

Read next: 43 Healthy Food Storage Staples (and 23 Non-Food Items to Stock Up On!)