The Importance of Dessert

First off, did you hear the big news? (Alright, maybe it's not big news everywhere, but it was big news in the healthy living community!) Stanford University completed a study on organic versus conventional produce and discovered that buying organic has no health advantage. It does appear that organic meat has fewer health risks, though. I thought Gina's take on the study was particularly poignant. Your thoughts?

Also, if you participated in Julie's PB Fingers book club for August (Gone Girl), check out her review. I am about two-thirds of the way through, so I'm avoiding reviews until I finish it. But it's SO good so far! I am loving the twists.

I thought I'd share with you tonight something that a lot of people ask me about: dessert. I've gotten a lot of questions about my eating habits, and I always answer honestly that I do enjoy dessert almost every night.

I've always loved dessert. My mom has a major sweet tooth, so I can blame her (thanks, Mom). But I have some theories about my own sweet tooth:

• It's better to go ahead and indulge a little if I really want something. Otherwise I end up frustrated, and I scarf down far more than I would have if I'd just eaten what I wanted originally.

Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

• It's fun! I love cooking, baking, and assembling all kinds of meals, and dessert is no exception. Creating delicious combinations (chocolate-peanut butter-banana, perhaps?) gets me all excited. Plus, walking to frozen yogurt with my husband makes a wonderful mini-date.
• It's comforting. At the end of a tough day, when I'm home and cozy with my husband and cat, I really love a delicious bowl of ice cream or a warm cookie.
  

  

  Cobbler

• I try not to allow myself to feel guilty about it. At the Fitness & Health Bloggers Conference I attended in June (by the way, Sarah has an awesome recap post up today at Healthy Living Blogs!), one of the speakers mentioned that we shouldn't feel guilty about foods we eat, and we shouldn't use food as a reward. I've been working hard to remind myself of this theory since the conference. It's so easy to think, "I ran eight miles today! I deserve this cookie!" or "Ugh, I ate three slices of pizza, I feel so guilty." I'm always catching myself saying things like that! But the truth is, there is room for moderate amounts of sweets and indulgences in every healthy diet. My indulgence is generally dessert.

Here are a few of my favorite desserts:

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies (my mom's recipe)

Blackberry Pie

Better-than-Brownies Cookies from Brown-Eyed Baker

Julia Child's Chocolate Souffle

What's your favorite indulgence?