Got That Chocolate Craving?

Do you crave chocolate? I know I do. There are a lot of people that really crave it all the time, but I mostly just need a chocolate fix during 'that time' of the month. Still, it's been something I've avoided since starting my new lifestyle here.

Yesterday I just needed it.

I decided to look while I was at the store and see if I couldn't come up with an alternative to the high calorie sugar packed chocolate foods. I've tried chocolate flavored Yoplait Whipped yogurts in the past. That doesn't do it for me. I'm not fond of the super whipped type of yogurt (tastes too much like fluffy air to me) and the actual taste of chocolate in those just isn't enough to satisfy my needs when I get hit with those cravings. Not too mention they are rather high in calories as yogurts go. Of course, actual candy is out. Even if you only eat the very very small amount you might be able to squeeze into a daily calorie allowance it's loaded with sugar. Same with cakes, cookies, and cereals that are chocolate flavored... so I wasn't sure what I was going to do about this need for chocolate until I was picking up some of the sugar free jello I usually get.

I make that a couple times a week as a desert and for ten calories a serving (you can eat the whole danged prepared package for only 40 calories if you really want) it's a good no sugar snack that tastes just sinful enough to make a sweet tooth happy. Up until yesterday I really had't looked at the puddings. I mean, puddings are just out, you know? But I happened to glance at them, longingly as I saw the chocolate box and realized the puddings too have a fat free/sugar free offering. Hum.. maybe. I read the back and made a quick consideration. One serving (4 to a box) is about 80 calories prepared with skim milk. Hey, that's not too bad. Really, it's even less than most light yogurts and it's CHOCOLATE.

Okay, I decided to pick up two boxes. When I got home, after having a nice dinner of steamed Tilipia (not sure if I spelled that right, but it's a DECLICOUS fish) and asparagus, I opened the package of pudding. I went to get the milk out of the fridge and as I stood there contemplating the idea of 80 calories for about a 1/2 cup of pudding I started to think (always dangerous I admit that)... if I made the pudding with water instead of milk it would only be 25 calories for the same amount (according to the package, unprepared chocolate pudding is 25 calories per serving). I put the milk back and decided to give the idea a try.

What could happen?

It would suck and I had wasted an 85 cent package of pudding.

I still had one package left to make it the right way. I poured 2 cups of cold water into a bowl and mixed in the pudding. Okay, it's NOT pudding. It gets a degree of thick, but it's more like soupy chocolate. It works for me! LOL It still tastes fine. Not as creamy, true, but it tastes like CHOCOLATE, and it's only 25 calories. I could eat two servings and still only be eating 50 calories and have a really really nice satisfying way to curb that chocolate craving when I need it. Heck I could really splurge and eat the whole thing for only 100 calories (the same as a light yoplait). I didn't though. I split the box (50 calories) and gave the other half to my son.

I am even thinking now of trying it using double the water for a chocolate drink next time. Sort of like the old 'yoohoo' you could buy (basically chocolate water) but much less calories per glass. So if you really crave chocolate and don't want a whole lot of calories, and better yet, no fat or sugar... give it a try. I am really happy with my little discovery.