I am brilliant in the kitchen 50 percent of the time. The other half, not so much. I burn things, break things and create an indecent amount of washing up.I put things together that shouldn’t be allowed in the same fridge, let alone the same saucepan. I once made chicken in a blueberry sauce.It was purple and my lovely husband, in a rare culinary stand-off, refused to eat it.But there are also moments where I smugly dust my hands off having achieved something miraculous.I recently experimented with some cookie dough bites that were made from chick peas. Bakery blasphemy? Not so.Every crumb of these warm dough balls was amazing. Packed with melting chocolate chips, they really were to die for.Check it out for yourself, there’s a rather tempting picture of them cooling on the rack on my Facebook page.The funny thing about that picture was that it got 97 “likes” in approximately 97 seconds.Somebody threatened to lick their laptop. Others asked me to stop teasing and post the recipe double quick.Earlier that week I posted a great shot of a healthy bolognaise with green (spinach) spaghetti.Afterwards I posted all the details about drinking warm water and lemon. These kind of posts get about a dozen likes each. What does that tell us? You all like the sweet stuff. A lot!We’ve been banging on about sugar in these pages for weeks now.And unless you’re new to this column you will know that a) sugar is addictive, b) it’s making us fat and c) it’s one of the biggest reasons why health insurance as we know it, is teetering on a knife edge.We have to get to grips with sugar, and we have to do that now. I would absolutely love for government to tax junk, subsidise fresh produce and ban candy from the check outs but it’s not happening any time soon. So let’s keep on diluting it shall we?It might sound odd to wax lyrical about the cookie dough one minute and lambaste sugar the next.But the dough balls serve a purpose — while they’re still a bit naughty, they are way less naughty than say, a wedge of cake from the bakery.They are free from flour, processed sugar and refined oils. They are also packed with chick peas and cashew nut butter — providing a solid dose of protein, fibre and good fat.All of those steady the release of sugar into the blood stream, resulting in a more sustained energy release vs the obligatory rush/crash.It’s still important to have these in moderation, and it’s still important to be active, but they are an example of a “real food” approach to treats.Although I am tempted to give you that recipe here, let’s do something a little different.Summer is here and bbq’s are open for the season. I am pretty sure you have already knocked out a few hot dogs and some chicken from your grill.But again, here, we have to be careful. Even something as innoxious as marinade can be stuffed full of chemicals and high fructose corn syrup.A few weeks ago I gave you a great avocado and mango salsa to help you get over that hump, but I’ve since been asked for some real marinades too.So, here’s one of my absolute favourites. It’s still sweet and sticky, but lower in sugar than your average store-bought version.If you want to slash the sugar even further, go for fruit only jam. And, as you technically get some carbs from the marinade, why not go carb-free with your sides?Serve this with a huge green salad and some baby tomato kebabs. Mmmmm!Apricot and mustard –grilled chicken6 to 8 organic chicken pieces (thighs or legs are more tender), skin off½ cup apricot jam¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce1 tbsp whole-grain mustard¼ cup waterSmall handful fresh thymeBlack pepper1. Whisk the jam, apple sauce, mustard, water, thyme and black pepper in a small saucepan. Place over a low heat for a few minutes and stir til syrupy. Allow it to cool.2. Place your chicken bits in a large dish or Ziploc bag. Pour in the marinade and rub into the chicken.3. Place in the fridge to allow the flavours to absorb for a few hours.4. When you are ready to cook, get the grill medium-hot. Cook for approximately 30 mins, flipping three or four times until the juices run clear. If you use a thermometer, you are looking for an internal temperature of about 190 degrees.The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the Managing Director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a Registered Dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda.