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Sugar free delicious brittle.

Ingredients

• 1 cup maltitol crystals sweetener
• 8 sticks sweet cream butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecan nuts

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large, non-stick fry pan.
2. Add the Maltitol sweetener and heat on medium, stirring until it is blended and golden.
3. The mixture will separate and then blend together again. Give it time for the color to darken, but don’t over cook.
4. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle nuts on the top.
5. Allow to cool. Cover and let set up. If you are in a hurry, hasten the cooling by setting the pan in a larger pan of ice.
6. Cover and let set up. When the brittle is cooled, break it into pieces.
7. Variations: add 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut. If you use walnuts instead of pecans you can deduct all the carbs. 1 cup of peanuts makes it peanut brittle.
8. Note: based on a recipe from Low-Carb Sweets.com

Recipe provided by FatSecret.com

Per serve – Energy: 88kcal | Carb: 0.94g | Prot: 0.62g | Fat: 8.57g

Asparagus Egg White Omelet

By Dana Slatkin

Author of: The Summertime Anytime Cookbook

The trick to making an omelet look like the professionals do is a well-oiled pan and adequately whipped egg whites. Add some diced vegetables from last night’s dinner or your favorite cheese for extra kick. Serve it with fresh fruit, breakfast potatoes or a simple mixed green salad.

Makes 2 omelets

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large egg whites
2 tablespoons chopped chives

1. In a small nonstick pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook, tossing gently, until tender but still crunchy. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork until frothy. Add the chives and season the mixture generously with salt and pepper.

3. Using the same nonstick pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Pour half the egg-white mixture into the pan and, using a spatula, quickly draw the edges to the center so that the omelet cooks evenly. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until egg-whites are set but still creamy.

4. Spoon half of the asparagus in the center of the cooked egg-whites and leave on the heat for a half minute or so longer. Using a spatula, fold the omelet toward one edge of the pan, giving the pan a light tap to loosen the omelet. Slide the omelet onto a warm serving plate.

5. Repeat the process for the second omelet. Serve immediately.

Thank you Dana for sharing your elegant and yummy recipes!

Dana Slatkin’s cookbook, The Summertime Anytime Cookbook, can be purchased at The Menopause Makeover Store, click here.

Check out Dana’s website: www.DanaSlatkin.com

Surviving menopause with a makeover. Kathy Lee & Hoda interview Staness about The Menopause Makeover on The Today Show.

The dictionary defines menopause as “the time in a woman’s life when menstruation diminishes and ceases, usually between the ages of 45 and 50.” It is identified as not having a period for one year. Perimenopause (peri is Latin for “around or near”) is the time prior to the cessation of menstruation when you experience hormonal changes and you are still having periods. Many doctors now refer to perimenopause as the menopausal transition. So I will also refer to it as the same. Postmenopause is the time after menopause when the symptoms of estrogen absence appear.

Going through the menopause transition is the reverse of puberty. Puberty was the transition in your life when your hormones were gearing up for your reproductive years to come. Remember your first period? Emotional outbursts, swollen breasts, restless nights, and feeling bloated? Now, at the menopausal transition you may experience many of the same symptoms, but for different reasons. Instead of “turning on” your hormones, your body is now “turning off” your hormones. Many women who had difficult puberties have challenging menopause. Women who got through adolescence easily often have the same experience with menopause. We are all different and menopause is no exception.

So how do you know you are going through menopause?

Let’s identify your symptoms. You may have one, some or all at different stages of menopause. Sixty to eighty percent of women experience mild to moderate symptoms, 10-20 percent suffer from severe symptoms, and 10-20 percent have no symptoms. Your symptoms can be a guide to what is happening in your body. These clues are the hard evidence you will need when deciding what course of action you may wish to exercise.

Do you experience any of these symptoms?

• Weight gain
• Mood swings
• Night sweats
• Heart palpitations
• Changes in your period
• Migraine headaches
• Bladder changes
• Vision changes
• Joint aches
• Nail and tooth problems
• Breast tenderness
• Memory loss
• Hot flashes
• Sleep problems
• Loss of libido
• Dry vagina
• Hair and Skin changes

These are all messages from your body.

If you are experiencing one or many of these “changes” you may be perimenopausal, menopausal, postmenopausal or having symptoms from surgical menopause (hysterectomy). You are not alone; 44 million women are going through similar transitions with 4,000 a day joining the club.

If you suspect that you are going through one of the stages of menopause, call you doctor and request a FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) blood test. The results of this test will allow you and your doctor to determine how best to treat your symptoms.

While waiting for test results, start an exercise program. Regular exercise can improve the symptoms of menopause. It helps regulate weight, benefits your heart and bones, and contributes to a sense of overall well-being and improvement in mood.

Document your symptoms, develop a strong relationship with your health care provider, and discuss treatment options.