Sherry Strong has cut her body weight in half.
The self described sugar addict says she would eat ice cream for breakfast followed by sugary treats through the day. After a long day of indulgence, she wondered why she felt so sore and sick all the time.
"The stuff if toxic, and addictive to the body," she told host Gloria Macarenko on CBC's Our Vancouver.
She knows sugar played a major role in making her ill. Now, the chef and nutrition consultant helps others get off the sweet stuff through her business Sweet Freedom.
An alternative to peanut butter cups. (Sherry Strong)
One of her most effective tools: a recipe for chocolate nut pucks that are a decadent and health alternative to run-of-the-mill junk food.
Toasted coconut flakes tossed with rock salt. (Sherry Strong)
Sweet Freedom Nut Pucks
Ingredients:
Chocolate Outside:
- 1 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup raw cacao powder

- 1 tbsp lacuma powder
- large pinch sea salt
Nut Pucker Dough:
- 1/2 cup almond butter (Strong uses raw organic almond butter)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp maca powder
- 1 tbsp mesquite powder
- sea salt to taste
Directions:
In a double boiler (or a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water) melt coconut oil. Add maple syrup and whisk to combine.
When completely homogenous (well blended), remove from heat and sift in cacao powder, lacuma powder, and add sea salt.
Fill silicon moulds or paper muffin cups with enough liquid chocolate to cover the bottom, about 2-3 mm in depth. You want just enough to cover and have a base that holds the chocolate but not too much as you have the majority of the chocolate covering the top of the nut pucker dough.
Place in the fridge or freezer and cool until solid, about five minutes.
Make the nut pucker dough by combining the remaining ingredients until a "dough ball" is formed. Add salt to taste and don't worry if you can taste the salt as it provides a great contrast to the chocolate coating.
Roll the dough into chick pea-size balls.
Place a ball on the chocolate base and gently flatten them not touching the edges of the cup, leaving enough room around the edges for the chocolate to fill in.
Pour just enough liquid chocolate to cover the nut pucker dough, making sure to cover the filling completely. Place in the freezer to harden for 30 minutes.
The nut pucks are ready to remove when they easily release from the moulds. If not, just pop them back in the freezer until they do.
