Dear Illiana, 
Normally I’d feel like a fraud today 🤦🏼‍♀️. I know you’ve been working on my mindset for 2 months now, and I thank you 😍. 

I know I have chocolate addictions 🍫, stress eat, emotional eat 😷 and am a rockstar at my diet, and then —> all about the cookie 🍪 dough and brownie batter. After rocking it during LIIFT4, today, my MOM WOULDN’T ANSWER HER PHONE 📱and a tropical storm is headed for my hometown in N.C. So, I’m letting you know, cookie dough 1, Stephanie 0!!! 

But here’s the gain!!! I would have normally considered this a CHEAT, thrown in the towel for the rest of the day, and it would be a downward spiral of nothing good. But you’ve given me the tools in 2B Mindset to 1) enjoy the treat, and 2) move on with my water first, veggies most, “plate it” plan and 3) let the rest of the day be just that, my regular day and still pull off some victories. Every day does not have to be a weight loss day and I get to chose that and am in teh driver’s seat.  

I love the guilt free, easy, smart methodology you teach. I can totally overlook that you’re a Dietician for UCLA and this Trojan fan still loves 😘😘 you. 

Game on tomorrow 🤗, but today IS NOT DONE💁🏼‍♀️!!! Where my challengers at?!! You guys are proof this is FOR LIFE!!!

PS - can you smell the cookies? Joy of Cooking cookies, with Cadbury Milk Chocolate hidden inside so you can’t see = yummy surprise and delicious smells!

if you want the recipe, it’s here ——>

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease or line 2 cookie sheets.

Whisk together:
1 cup plus 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

Beat in a large bowl until well-blended:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Add and beat until well combined:
1 large egg
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir in the flour mixture until well-blended and smooth. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips (I usually add an extra 1/2 cup because LIFE IS SHORT).

Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies are just slightly colored on top and the edges are brown, about 8 - 10 minutes. Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool.

Makes about 36 cookies it says, but I call BS on that unless I really eat THAT MUCH DOUGH. I’m going to pretend it’s an exaggeration because this recipe has never yielded that???