Ok, frankly, I don't know about you, but if I get myself a little treat, the first thing I do is find ways to justify it. I find myself repeating a variety of little mantras over and over... You know, as a way to magically reduce calories. Stuff like "Really, its organic. Really, its got fiber...err... somewhere. There's fruit! Fruit somewhere!"

So, let me help you with this. When lovely Amanda offered to let me post a guest entry, I thought... What can I do to convince you that ANYTIME is a good time for D&B….

And then it hit me. What if you could make a meal of your D&B treats? Cover some more food groups with it and you are good to go! Maybe a little dairy (calcium!), or nuts (protein!), or fruit (fibre!) ... See? Virtually all the food groups, covered right there. It can be a D&B breakfast, lunch or dinner (Hey, don't judge. ;)

Here are some really fun little treats that you can use to totally justify a little D&B morning, noon, or night. Just dip, smother, spread.... whatever strikes your fancy. And congratulate yourself for covering more food groups, which, really, means like more nutrients, right? So, its a meal. And therefore TOTALLY justifiable.

Are you ready?

Try drizzling a little melted chocolatey Home Made Nutella...

Or perhaps spreading some fruity, spicy Orange-Rhubarb Butter...

And if you are feeling hoity-toity and fancy, you REALLY need to scoop clouds of exquisite Lavender Rose Mascarpone Cream...

Since I discovered how eaaaaaaaasy it is to make homemade Mascarpone, I'll also share the recipe with you. Its so worth it, you have no idea... Its almost ethereal.

Lavender Rose Mascarpone Cream Ingredients

* 2 cups organic whipping cream (regular cream has stabilizers in it, making this less successful)

* 1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

* 2 heaping tbsp strong honey

* 1 tsp lavender flowers

* 1.5 tsp rose water

Directions

1. Heat the cream in a sauce pan over low heat until it reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit (use a candy thermometer!). Stir it continuously to prevent any scorching.

2. Add in the lemon or lime juice, continue stirring.

3. When the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of your spoon, turn off the stove heat, add in the honey and lavender. Let it cool undisturbed for 30 min.

4. Pour the mixture into a damp cheese-cloth lined strainer, set over a bowl. Let rest in the fridge over night.

5. The next morning, Peel the cheesecloth off. Stir in 1 1/2 tsp rose water.

Note 1: For a firmer mascarpone, add more acid than what is called for here, augment by 1/2 tbsp at a time.

Note 2: You will probably find that with a bit of extra acid, the firmer mascarpone doesn't need to drain. You may not need a cheese cloth to strain over night. Also, you may find that squeezing the leftover mascarpone out of the cheesecloth is a bit of a pain- its easy to waste a lot (*heartbreak*)- so, cheesecloth can be optional.

And by the way, you're welcome. Now you totally have 3 brand new delicious reasons to go out there and indulge in some D&B. Because, *technically* I'd call it a meal if you have a few extra food groups included with your treat.

Enjoy, everyone.