Davina Sandground and I had a great group join for our second sugar class yesterday. Most of the recipes can be found here.

One of the strategies that we talked about to keep sugar cravings under control, by keeping blood sugar balanced, is to eat plenty of dark green vegetables and bitter flavors. This Kale and Avocado Salad fills both of those requirements.

Kale and Avocado Salad

Serves 4, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Total Time: 5 minutes

4 cups finely chopped kale, 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, 1/4 cup fresh herbs– I used salad brunette and curly parsley, 1 avocado diced

In a large bowl combine the kale, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs. Mix thoroughly using your fingers to make sure kale is completely coated. You can make it up to this point cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Before serving add avocado and toss lightly.

We also discussed the need for on the go snacks that have protein, fat and fiber with low sugar to keep you energized– another key strategy to help keep blood sugar balanced. Many people turn to protein bars but unfortunately most of them are higher in sugar than protein and actually cause you to crave more sugar! This Popcorn, Hemp Seed and Peanut Snack will sustain you when in need of a snack.

Popcorn, Hemp Seed and Peanut Snack

Serves 16, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Total Time: 10 minutes

1 cup coconut flakes, 1 cup hemp seeds, 4 cups air popped pop corn, ½ cup dry roasted peanuts, ¼ cup nut butter (I used a mix of peanut butter and almond butter), 1 tablespoon honey, sea salt to taste

In a large bowl combine the coconut, hemp seeds, popcorn and peanuts.
Place nut butter and honey in a small pan and gently heat over a low flame until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir constantly or it will burn.
Add nut butter mixture to the popcorn mixture and combine using your hands in order to coat the dry mixture thoroughly. Add salt to taste and store in an airtight container.