Sticky date pudding. Chocolate torte. Cheese board. As my eyes glossed over the desert menu during date night at our ‘local’ – I suddenly realised that none of these options appealed to me. Don’t get me wrong – had it been another night maybe or had my stomach been craving these foods then I would likely be salivating over the options even again as I type this. But a peculiar thing has happened over the past few months. My, always seemingly tortured, relationship with food has come to an end. I no longer am wracked with guilt when I eat something ‘naughty’; I no longer turn to food when I am stressed, upset or excited and I no longer look at food as a reward or something that I work to deserve. Food is fuel. Food is freakin’ amazing, enjoyable and delicious sustanance and energy. I have learnt to listen to my body and have learnt to differentiate between ‘hunger’ and ‘boredom’. I have learnt which foods serve me well and which impede on my ability to see out the day the way that I truly want to. I make choices. I may choose to eat something not gluten free and full of dairy (two of my ‘tummy triggers’) and I will enjoy every single bite and will deal with the physical discomfort that may come as a result. Some times tummy cramps and nausea are worth a piece of rocky road – cha know man? Another thing I have learnt is how much food I truly need each day. I am a self confessed snacker and mindless nibbler. Always grazing on ‘healthy’ options but grazing none the less. During my cleanse days, and in giving my digestive system a much needed break, I become acutely aware of my ‘habitual’ eating. Despite consuming far less than I normally would on these days, my energy and mood improves (note – not always and not always immediately!). So I’m baffled – but shouldn’t I have more energy on the days I eat lots? Nuh uh girlfriend. Our guts need a break and when we exceed our caloric/energy requirements it takes more effort to digest and process therefore we are actually left feeling more sluggish than normal. These days have honestly changed and repaired my relationship with food. I prepare my food with care and love, enjoy every mouthful and feel completely satiated upon finishing. I have days when my hunger rears up earlier than the day before, but I listen to and respect what my body is telling me, and respond accordingly.

So why am I harping on about all of this? Well after my restaurant epiphany, I went home and snuggled up in bed with David to watch the football. My mind drifted to something sweet, an extra space in my tummy seemed rather grumbly and was awaiting something decadent to completely satisfy and send me off to sleep. But I didn’t want to put any nasties in my body, especially just before bed. No preservative 228 or colour 104. Nothing that my body couldn’t recognise and therefore couldn’t process/digest while I cheered on my boys (who won and kicked butt by the way). I wanted something completely natural, completely easy and completely delicious. Is that too much to ask? And so this decadent little creation was born. And hooley dooley was it good. I licked the bowl clean, like a dog. And loved every freakin’ minute of it, and my body did too.

So next time that you feel like that something decadent but know that it might not serve your body as best it could, or the detrimental effects and post-ingestion sickness might not be worth that 5 minutes of eating pleasure – then have a go with this baby. Life is about balance. If you are sitting in that restaurant and you see the chocolate torte and your tummy grumbles and your eyes light up and you salivate and you know that’s exactly what you and your body want, then you happily and whole heartedly choose that delicious treat. But just try this concoction the next night 😉