February 15, 2013 - A Liquid Brownie

Happy Friday! Don't you love it when everyone in the family wants the same thing to eat, every meal? It's so much easier. And even though I LOVE when everyone WANTS to eat healthy, sometimes not all of my fam is wiling. In those times, again, I have to remember as I make the mashed potatoes with the cream and butter that freedom doesn't look the same for everyone and I am not the controller of the universe. Sometimes my husband wants something that I can't eat; I have to be okay with that. His past isn't as mine. When I first began my journey, he ate as close to my plan as possible simply out of devotion to me and a desire to help. But once he realized I entered the "no cheat zone," he's been more free to ask for things he knows I've sacrificed at the altar. But does that mean my eyes were sacrificed at the altar? NOPE! I still see the bread and dipping oil at my favorite Italian restaurant. And even though I look at it and say, "beets," it is still bread and oil. (ever tried that?) And the smell - God help me! Also, I would love to claim permanent amnesia concerning some of my "previous" life's recipes, but go figure - I still REMEMBER how to make real brownies. Here's really how I successfully navigate these waters - if a food choice that someone wants is REALLY in my old, favorite group, then I often buy it. I don't make it. I tried making brownies, real ones, just recently and a WWW match took place in my kitchen between the spoon and my mouth. "Maybe it's okay to lick the beaters or the spoon?? Not too much is left in the bowl after being scraped, and a taste won't matter. RIght?" (in my old life I made certain there was at least one brownies' worth of material in the bowl that I could scoop out and TELL myself I had not eaten a brownie) OOPS, so they count if they're not cooked? (wink) STOP. You know the answer to all of these. The real dilemma, as I see it, is are we strong enough to make the brownies and then wash the beaters, bowl and our fingers immediately so none of it enters our mouth and causes us to trip. One little taste here often leads to one little taste there and before you know it, one little taste becomes a big taste as we licked an entire brownie from the bowl and convinced ourselves that it as liquid and therefore didn't count. Am I the only goofy one in this family? Are you laughing at me or with me? If your family needs A REAL brownie, buy enough for that meal and make yourself a small pan of almond flour ones. OR, if you are not a bowl licker, go for it. I'd rather not toss that coin in the air as I have a 50-50 chance of losing. Have a great day and remember, our past may remind us of weakness, but it doesn't mean we are WEAK. I am strong through Christ. Amen!