Safe Approach to Chocolate!!
#43222 - 02/05/04 08:05 AM
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LauraSue
Reged: 01/14/04
Posts: 4812
Loc: New York City
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HanSolo's recent link to the page on portion control reminded me of one of my favorite and most helpful statements in Heather's book on how to safely have a little bit of solid chocolate (see below). I came upon this same technique myself by trial and error several years ago and it definitely works for me!
I only eat Hershey's Special Dark (no milk -- I don't even like milk chocolate anymore) and I limit myself to one bite/section/piece per day. That part was sheer willpower at first but now it's second nature, a habit that I do without even thinking about wanting more. That one little bite (after an IBS safe meal) gives me that wonderful chocolate taste and mouth feel and completely satisfies me in a way that all the imitation substitutes don't. I don't eat any other sweets to speak of, so this is my only splurge. Again, it may not work for everyone, just wanted to share my experience!
Here's the quote from Heather:
"However, if your symptoms were well under control and you instead decided to treat yourself to a snack-size individual Snickers bar (a tiny portion equals a tiny quantity of fat/dairy triggers) for dessert, immediately following a nice low-fat, high soluble fiber meal, you'd likely do just fine. I eat solid chocolate almost every day in this manner. (Of course, this may just be sheer willpower because as God is my witness I will not go through life without chocolate, but I think this is probably the less likely explanation.)"
As God is my witness, I'm with Heather!! 
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Me Too, Chocolate is my biggest weakness! I crave it almost everyday. I have bought Bars, and taken a small chunk for dessert, but this does take alot of willpower for me, not to eat the whole thing! However, I recently made the "Antidepressant Brownies" posted on the recipe board, and fell in love with them. I am going to make another batch, it really combats those cravings (as long as I don't eat too much, which results in heartburn  )
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I remember that quote from Heather's book -- I remember it well, because when I first read it I didn't believe it and had to read it again.
Kudos to you both! I wish I could do the same, but there's no way. With me, I'm a person of extremes -- always have been. One little bite just leads to the whole bag. Not the whole candy bar, but the WHOLE BAG of candy bars! It's either all or nothing. While I have been able to change to some extent with some things (a few Lay's baked chips are enough), when it comes to chocolate, coffee, or Jack, there is no in-between with me -- it's all or nothing -- so, with my IBS, unfortunately that means NOTHING. 
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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I hear you! There are plenty of foods like that for me, too! I just thank the stars above that chocolate isn't one of them! Regular potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, onion rings, my mom's peanut brittle, I could go on, but I won't...
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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ADBs and Purists
#43231 - 02/05/04 08:22 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Hey, Mickey! When you make those ADBs, do you add nuts? Don't do it. I don't mean because they add fat (although they DO), I mean because it detracts from the chocolate flavor. I'm on my 8th or 9th batch of the stuff (I do love my chocolate!), and this time I added walnuts. Big mistake. First of all, I'm not supposed to have nuts (I have diverticulosis), and second of all, I've now diluted the chocolate flavor. Rats. Last night, when I had my one brownie (that's ONE, folks -- only ONE -- see how much better I've gotten?), I sat there picking out all the *!@!$#! nuts.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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I'm with you, LauraSue! I have to have my ONE Dove chocolate promise after breakfast every day. But I'm bad and go for the milk chocolate... but just one! And sometimes after dinner I have one peppermint patty. I don't know how I have the will power to do it, but I figure one is definitely better than none!
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Poor Bev! I hear you about nuts in brownies though... yuck. I like them occasionally in breads or cookies, but not brownies. No way. 
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Chocolate was my last hardest thing to give up (right after soda). I still sneak some every once in a while, but maybe only once a month.
My friend actually helps me tremendously with keeping on my diet. We have a deal - if I eat something that's going to hurt me, he drinks some fruity alcohol drink that's going to hurt his stomach. So far, it hasn't happened since I've been a good girl (or I sneak things when not around him), but it is definitly helping me keep on track and think twice before eating something like chocolate.
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- Jennifer
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LOL!! I like that approach -- you're good not for your own sake but for his! When I was still working, I used that approach on my staff. They were all so conscientious that I couldn't get them to do things good for themselves, like take a day off when they were sick. So I used to say, if you don't do that, I'm going to be forced to fire someone. Then they'd say no, don't! They would be good not for themselves but for the sake of their co-worker!!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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No actually I haven't added nuts to the ADB's, but I definetly will take your word for it. Anything that takes the taste away cannot be good, as these brownies are Soooooo good!
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Chocolate, no wait—it's really cocoa that is my weakness. I've been so bad lately I was spiking my morning protein smoothies with extra cocoa and sugar, and eating so many of SharonMello's FF brownies, and the FF Hot fudge brownies that last week I started to get the tell tail signs of food allergy….the hives, esophageal spasms, feeling generally really sick, etc. Signs I know well from the past 25 years of being allergic to wheat. I knew I'd been good about the wheat/gluten, so it wasn't that…it had to be the cocoa. (If someone has a tendency towards food allergies, then they can become allergic pretty fast to a DIFFERENT common food allergen if they consistently OD on it….….it's a vicious cycle and one that calls for constant moderate consumption of everything that could be an allergy trigger.) So, off cocoa, and feeling fine now…………but that craving is still so right there. I have, staring me in the face a bag of carob, to make the brownies and put in the smoothies, but as anyone who has every had to switch from cocoa to carob will tell you…."it just isn't the same!" So now, I'm getting up enough nerve to sub the carob, and then condition my mind to make it satisfy that cocoa craving. (Sigh) Tell me I'll get through this, please. 
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i cant have chocolate either, i used to make things with cocoa and no dairy and i wondered why i was still getting sick.
i recently bought carob and right got out all my recipies with cocoa in them and subsitituted. hot cocoa, bronwnies, pancakes!! at first it was hard to adjust to but honestly i dont see that much of a difference.
carob just needs more sugar to it than cocoa...but it really isnt bad!!
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If you can do nothing else...smile 
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Kandee, do you mean you developed a permanent allergy to cocoa?? Or will it go away if you stay away from it for a while? I had no clue you could become allergic to something just from eating it a lot!
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Quote:
do you mean you developed a permanent allergy to cocoa?? Or will it go away if you stay away from it for a while? I had no clue you could become allergic to something just from eating it a lot!
Yes and no on the first question. What it means is that you'll likely always be somewhat "sensitive" to it, and when it is completely out of your system you can add little bits back in now and then, say once every 4 days, without a problem. I liken it to a cup full of liquid, fill it up to almost the brim and you're ok, but one drop over and you have a mess. Food sensitivities are like that. And then of course, you have that whole issue of people being sensitive to additives and preservatives and dyes..........and those are hard to pin down. I sure wouldn't want to be an allergy specialist...tough job.
As to eating A LOT of something, yes, one can become allergic. I was suprised to read some info just recently on Asian children becoming allergic to rice. Can you believe it? It is their main food staple. What do they then do?
I suppose figure out how to use other grain alternatives like wheat/corn, but in some areas that may be difficult because of both the culture and economic status.
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and add more sugar. I wonder if a little more vanilla would help too???
I'm told carob grows on you (what, like fungus?) so I hope it won't be long that I'll be ok with the substitution. I had to do this one other time, a long, long time ago. Didn't hurt me then, so I don't suppose it will hurt me now. I was just being so spoiled in thinking that as long as I kept the fat out I could OD on all the cocoa I wanted.....silly thinking, ey?
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Not Even Cocoa!
#43323 - 02/05/04 12:32 PM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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"Tell me I'll get through this please."
Okay, KK, you'll get through this please.
Boy, this really sucks. (We can say that, can't we?) As if IBS wasn't bad enough, and you have this damn wheat/gluten problem, now cocoa! *$!@%!! (CERTAINLY we can say THAT!)
I'm sorry, Krazee. I'm just constantly amazed at what some people are forced to tolerate in their lives. I'm reminded of my Canadian friend with the throat cancer who can no longer eat solid foods at all and has to get his nutrition through IVs -- I've mentioned him before. This may not make you feel better, KK, but you just must believe there are others out there who, when you know their stories, can and do bring tears to your eyes.
You give up your beloved cuppa joe, your Jack, cheesecake, hot fudge cake, popcorn, ham, bacon, fried eggs, well I could go on forever -- you give it all up, only to have to give up even more.
If you can get through all that, Girlfriend, then YES -- you'll get through this.
Your friend,
Bag Lady
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Another safe craving buster for me - especially for these cold winter days - is warmed up chocolate soy milk.
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Yech, I've tried carob and I wasn't crazy about it. But I hope Allie is right and it's something that grows on you, Kandee! I suppose soy and rice milks grew on most of us, so why not carob? Oh yeah, and I started eating soynut butter a long time ago because I'm sensitive to peanuts, and I don't even notice that I'm eating that anymore. I guess anything's possible! Good luck, Kandee!
Wow, Asians with rice senitivities, that is crazy. Although not much worse than you having a wheat allergy in our society that's centered around wheat!
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Yes, all allergies develop from repeated exposure to the allergen, but not all things you're repeatedly exposed to end up triggering allergies.
I've mentioned in a couple posts that I have a confirmed allergy to apples and peaches. I get severe hives and my throat closes up just like someone who's allergic to bee stings. I have to get to an emergency room right away or I'll die of suffocation. And I'd always eaten apples all my life with no problem. The allergist explained that each exposure sensitizes the body a little more until BOOM, you have an allergy! Trouble is, there's no way to predict what you might become allergic to. One of many reasons for a balanced diet with a variety of foods and moderation in all things.
PS. Yeah, it was pretty scary when it happened! Now I'm like Snow White and think of apples as poison!!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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My goodness LauraSue, as far as I know those aren't common ones, are they? That rather begs the question, are you fructose sensitive as well?
Hmm, how well I know about that horrid feeling in your throat...with me, it's not so much like I can't breath, more like constriction pain that is lower. I'm actually glad now when I get the hives, it's a warning to start investigating to find the cause. I've been fortunate for many years now that I've not had to go to ER.
Quote:
there's no way to predict what you might become allergic to. One of many reasons for a balanced diet with a variety of foods and moderation in all things.
Moderation is right!!! I should have known better than to keep exposing myself, day after day to so much cocoa...........that'll teach me!!
BTW, just had some hot carob, like hot cocoa. Not bad, not the same thrill one gets from real chocolate.... so guess I'll just have to get my thrills from somewhere else.
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Quote:
I've mentioned in a couple posts that I have a confirmed allergy to apples and peaches. I get severe hives and my throat closes up just like someone who's allergic to bee stings. I have to get to an emergency room right away or I'll die of suffocation.
Wow....I think I'll go change my screen name.....
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It comes down to the art of living on [color/red]
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Bev, you make me laugh. I'm SO totally with you on the "do not take away the chocolate flavour" - it's got to be all or nothing.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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Kandee: I also have problems with cocoa and was thinking today that maybe they mix something benign into it to make it more powdery. I read a label today that spoke of alkali in one brand of cocoa. My friend suggested that I try using half cocoa and half carob to see if I could get by with that combo. Have you tried that technique?
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 Oh my gosh Karin, Did you have ESP tonight, were you reading my mind??? I was just thinking how, when I've been off the cocoa COMPLETELY for a few months if I might be able to mix the 2, a little cocoa with a little more carob and hopefully have the cocoa taste dominate the (horrid) carob taste, and thus avoid a reaction.
The alkali concept is interesting. Wonder if that's the real culprit and that one who is sensitive should look for a brand that doesn't use alkali, or, does it HAVE to be used for part of the processing? I dunno.
I DID try making my beloved brownies tonight using the carob and my wheat alt. flour mix. I used less carob and more sugar like Allie suggested, which worked out well. I also added a little vanilla into the batter and made a vanilla glaze. It was ok, not spectacular, but ok. It will just HAVE to suffice for a while, no matter how much of an unhappy camper I am. Chocolate is truly one of the pure joys of my life!!
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Hey bag lady,
Nope, only carob for a while, likely a long while.
Guess my cocoa ranks right up there with your cuppa joe and Jack. Do you ever get the feeling you're in a 12 step program?
But yes, we have a lot to be thankful for. It could be a lot worse. Like your Canadian friend, I had a senior neighbor fellow I watched over who had lost part of his mouth and tongue to cancer. He could only eat mushy. Mushy soups, mushy cream of wheat.....and booze (for the pain). I used to have him for Thanksgiving and he would stuff himself full of (mushy) homemade mashed potatoes and gravy with some ground (mushy) turkey in it and jelled cranberry sauce........oh yes, and booze to wash it all down. He's gone now, but I still have fond memories of him.
OK, I will get thru this.......There's always sugar left....Now, where is my recipe for Kree's gingerbread muffins?
Krazee K w/o Kocoa
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Hey Krazee,
A couple of years ago, when my doctor suggested I go off wheat (which was sooooo hard), he said "food isn't pleasure, it's fuel for your body". Now I'm not saying that when my husband is eating a big bag of sour cream n' onion potato chips and a Coke that I don't get a little pissed off that I can't share in the fun, but I've tried to find other things that give me pleasure besides food. Like a long hot bath, renting a movie, playing scrabble and scoring 400 (I've played ALOT of scrabble as a result of this strategy). Anyway, I try to think of meals as "fuelling up" rather than times for pleasure, and it seems to help!
By the way, do you have recipe books that are gluten/dairy/egg/sugar free? And were any allergy tests helpful for you, or do you just know right away with hives etc?
Laura
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Laura..I wish I could eat only one piece of chocolate.
I am a chocoholic. I can't eat just a little. I start
out doing that and then I increase and increase until
most of my diet consists of chocolate. I would go
to chocolate eaters anonymouse if there was one. Instead
I'm abstaining for now. It's been 5 or 6 months since
I had any chocolate and I've really been craving some
lately but I know that one leads to tons of wonderful
chocolate and a lot of stomach pain.
I'll have to live vicariously through you.
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A Safe Place
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Quote:
Chocolate is truly one of the pure joys of my life!!
Mine too... I feel so bad for you Kandee!
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Hm, Kandee....ESP? Maybe that's why I was in the store YESTERDAY reading labels on cocoa. Then I came home to your post. You must have been sending out signals to me while I was in Trader Joe's.........lol. I plan to make some GF brownies too today as I need to take some goodies camping. I made some carob ones last week and they ended up in the trash . I'll let you know how the ½ ½ works for me today. Also I purchased some Quinoa and will make something with that too if I have time.
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Laura: I've found Carol Fenster's books to be very good for gf/dairy/egg free cooking. I only have her Special Diet Celebrations book right now, but I plan to get some of her others as this one was such a good book. PS I just checked the book and many of the recipes do use sugar but she does list sugar alternatives like substituting maple syrup, etc..
Edited by Karin (02/06/04 02:53 PM)
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LOL! Took me a minute, Peaches, but I finally got it!! You're much too sweet for anyone to be allergic to!!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Two words- Cocoa Puffs! I get that cereal all the time, nice and chocolaty and no dairy!
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IBS-C
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Thanks for jumping in Karin. I know you had mentioned Fenster's books before, and I'm glad you mentioned them here since I couldn't remember the post about it, and you know how searching goes, takes forever. TRADER JOES? Oh my, then you must have gotten my signals. I was thinking I needed to make a TJ run…..the nearest is
1 ½ hr. drive away. If I ever move it will HAVE to be near a TJ's. Yes, by all means, let me know how the ½ and ½ comes out, and if you would, would you email me (address in my bio) the recipe and subs you used? You are a brave lady…quinoa? Oh my, that's tough stuff to work with. I bought some quinoa and amaranth and didn't have much success with either, so I stick to my 3 flour blend, rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca.
Laura, Avoiding gluten/dairy/eggs/ AND sugar is tough. I just don't know what you can make that would satisfy the sweet tooth w/o using artificial sweetener. Every try using Agave nectar?
It's low on the glycemic index table and is super sweet with the consistency of corn syrup.
Can you use an egg sub like Egg Beaters or whites only? That's another tough one if you can use any egg/egg sub product at all. Not that there aren't replacements for them out there, it's just that I don't know what they have since I've never had the need.
For me, unless I'm eating the culprit food on a regular basis, the allergy test can be a waste of money. Over the years of dealing with this I've found the best indicator is how I feel, (and of course the hives and chest tightness) then go on my own personal rampage to find out what's causing it. It's usually whatever I've been eating the most of at the time. I remember, years ago, being into the artificial sweetner..you know, the pink stuff. I started to get severe migraine headaches, so dumped the pink stuff. It took 2 weeks for it to get out of my system but I've not had a migraine since. About a year latter I was watching a med show on women and it talked about just that. Whew, finally validation for what I'd discovered for myself.
I did buy a pretty decent cracker yesterday that is a little sweet, Health Valley Rice Bran crackers. They're little but 6 has only 3 g. fat, 4 sugars, 19 g. carbs, 3 g. fiber, 110 calories.
I figure those would be a good take a long food, like the rice cakes.
Anyone try any of the Pastato products, (from Canada)? They are to die for and taste like the real thing. I can only get the mac/cheese boxes, no cheese of course.
Food as fuel and not comfort? Nice thinking if you can do it, but there have been just to many studies to prove that certain foods DO affect our psychological well being, and I'm one post-menopausal babe that will vouch for it. When they say chocolate is better than sex they weren't kidding!
I think we need a separate forum for gluten/cocoa deprived folks, what do ya think ladies?
Krazee Kandee without Kocoa
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Totally off the subject, but did you ever get that zucchini bread recipe from your friend?
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Yep
#43549 - 02/06/04 04:06 PM
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Kandee
Reged: 05/22/03
Posts: 3206
Loc: USA, Southern California
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Yep, I did, you want it? I'll email it to you unless someone else wants it too, then I'll post. Funny story behind it.
It was soooo good when she gave me the made up bread, I scarfed it down in 2 days, then I made some of my own from her recipe..it was totally different. ...good&great but different. I think she gave me her "Chocolate" Zucchini bread by mistake, and if so, that recipe had way to much fat for what I should have been eating, let alone the cocoa. Ah, the cocoa...maybe that's why I ate it so fast. She swears she gave me the right one, but I know different...we are in a (friendly and funny) battle over it right now!! It won't get resolved untill I make up the chocolate one and prove it to myself.
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Re: Yep
#43558 - 02/06/04 05:59 PM
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joanmarie
Reged: 11/09/03
Posts: 667
Loc: iowa
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I would love it, or you could convince your friend to make me some! My email is jmtw60@mchsi.com.
Thanks!
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Stop Bev.you are killing me ,did you forget I,m a diabetic,
so no sugar,an I,m a choc.lover.
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Neta G.Yale
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Oh Bevers, I'm so sorry for your pain! As you know, pecans led to 3 days in bed for me, and I won't touch ANYTHING that might agravate the diverticulitis (although I can't give up tomatoes or berries right now!). Hang in there -- I've got to try these brownies!
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