(Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-free, Egg-free, and Refined Sugar-free)

I no longer eat white sugar. Not because it's "evil" but because it's empty calories. White sugar is the bimbo of the food world, pretty and sparkly, but no substance underneath. And do you think I miss this sweetie? Not for a nano-second! For this soulful old-fashioned dessert, I've replaced the "white" foods with whole foods, trading white sugar for agave nectar and date sugar, and white flour for whole grain spelt flour. The result is food that tastes better while providing greater nourishment and a more even-keeled energy source. The science behind this is simple: date sugar is nutrient dense and high in fiber, while agave nectar is low on the glycemic index--which means it doesn't produce glucose as quickly as white cane sugar, and therefore doesn't cause the surges in blood sugar that lead to sugar crashes. This month, give up white sugar, and in return, you'll get off that roller coaster to gain a greater sense of calm.

This month, at Lime we're making dietary changes. No, we're not running off to the hills to silently meditate on the value of root vegetables, and you can forget about us learning the joys of cooking with seaweed, or emptying our pantries and alientating our families in the process. Instead we're making small changes for big gains. To do the same, try some of my recipes. Go sugar-free with "Whole Grain Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble," meat-free with "Tempeh Stir-fry with Broccoli," and saturated-fat-free with "Light Eggplant Parmesan." In return, you'll find greater calm and vitality, and take a smaller bite out of the planet while you're at it.