The Sweet Tooth Within

So, it's Day 16 of 21 of our Daniel Fast.

I can hold out from sweets for a while, but SIXTEEN DAYS!!! That's asking a lot!

Around Day 14, I was seriously craving some sugar. Everyone who's an expert in sugar detox says your body will decrease cravings for sugar after a few days, well mine increased! :) It might just be the comfort of something sweet and yummy after dinner, or the cold rainy weather we've been having in the NorthWest, or maybe the stress of life in general, but it was time to get creative and I needed something sweet.

So how, do you ask, did I make a dessert when I'm not allowed any breads, sugar, dairy, or eggs???

Very, very creatively!

So, Holly Furtick, the pastor's wife of Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC had a recipe on her blog for a bread pudding from when they did the Daniel fast several years ago. She made hers with stewed apples, but if you know me at all, I hate cooked apples, and "the taste of hot apples in my mouth"! (That's for you, babe). So, I went with the idea of strawberries and breaking it down to make a strawberry sauce to go over it. I pretty much followed Holly's recipe for the pudding, and then came up with my own recipe by messing around with the sauce. This recipe is also vegan for all you vegan followers out there!

But I have to say, I'm kind of sad the fast is almost over. It has been an amazing time of growth physically and spiritually, and my husband and I are looking forward to keeping up a lot of the ways we've been eating.

Don't panic, it won't only be vegan recipes from now on!!!

I can't wait to tell you what we're doing to celebrate the end of the Daniel Fast! It's gonna be good!!! :) Can you guess??

Vegan Bread Pudding with Strawberry Sauce (Pudding adapted from Holly Furtick, Sauce by Me)

Ingredients: BREAD PUDDING

4 slices Ezekiel or any brand sprouted bread, chopped up (Trader Joe's has several brands as well)

Soy or almond milk - enough to cover bread

~ 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

~ 1 1/2 Tbs. honey

1/3 cup pecans

STRAWBERRY SAUCE

2 cups strawberries, sliced

~4 packets natural stevia (This is a natural plant extract, but can be found near Splenda at the store. This should be to taste, it can be your preference. If you don't like the aftertaste, go with less.)

2 tsp. vanilla extract.

1 Tbs. cornstarch

FOR BREAD PUDDING:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Cut slices of Ezekiel bread into cubes and place in 8x8 baking dish. Pour enough soy/almond milk to cover each piece. Allow to sit for 15 min.

3. Top bread and milk mixture with cinnamon, honey and pecans.

4. Bake in oven for approximately 20-30 minutes or till desired doneness (I like mine a little crispier with most of the milk absorbed).

FOR SAUCE:

1. Slice strawberries.

2. In medium saucepan combine strawberries, stevia, and vanilla extract.

3. Cook over medium heat till strawberries break down.

4. Mix 1 Tbs. corn starch with ~ 1 TBS water until smooth. Add to strawberry sauce and combine for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens.

5. Place in food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Serve warm with bread pudding.