CHOCtOyouLATEr

Breakups are never easy.

The hardest part is figuring out how to pick up the pieces and live your life without that person...or in my case, without that one food that I love so very much. You see, my friends, my dermatologist has once-and-for-all confirmed what I had always suspected to be true...this lady is allergic to chocolate.

Following a three day patch test and hours of consultations with my dermatologist, it was determined last month that I am very allergic to nickel. By "very" I mean that I cannot use a normal eyelash curler anymore (the metal is nickel and makes my under-eyes swell up and I break out into rashes), I have to coat the part of my costume jewelry earrings that go in my ear with clear nail polish (this was not specifically recommended by my derm, but has always worked for me), and I have to minimize my skin's overall exposure to costume jewelry.

As if all of those limitations weren't enough, my dermatologist also printed out a list of additional items and foods with trace to heavy levels of nickel in them that I needed to limit/prevent my exposure to. And guess what happened to be on that list? You got it...chocolate.  Chocolate, while only having trace amounts of nickel, is still extremely irritating to the skin of a person with a major nickel allergy. So, while the only major detrimental consequence of consuming chocolate to a non-allergic person is the expansion of their waistline, I experience skin breakouts (and I mean, bad, painful blemishes), rashes (not fun), and other non-waistline related ailments. Stupid chocolate, putting me through so much heart skin ache.

Well, like most breakups, I knew what I had to do. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I knew I had to cut chocolate out of my life forever. If you know me well, you know that I am not a sweets person. Never have been and, likely, never will be. Chocolate was the only sweet I ever really loved...well, other than the occasional Starbucks coffee crumb cake. Those that know I'm not big on sweets also know that I'm not a big baker. By "not a big baker," I mean I don't bake. I love to cook, but I have never really had the desire to bake. Maybe that's because I cook the things I love to eat, but I don't really love to eat baked goods.

Either way, saying goodbye to my previous lover (chocolate) required a rebound, and that rebound had to be one that was easy and didn't require a Starbucks run.

Enter Baker Josef's (Trader Joe's) Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake Mix...chewy cake, crispy cinnamon spiced crumble topping...doesn't get much better, or easier, than that.

 Trader Joe's Cake Mix

 Ingredients (Butter is unsalted...came with a takeout order from a restaurant...didn't have any other butter in the house...details details) 

 Batter

 Crumb mix and butter

 Crumb topping once butter and mix were combined

 First and third layers are batter

 Second and top layer are crumb. Then into the oven...

 ...and BA'BAAM!!!

 Cut up into many moist pieces

 Yum!!!

Needless to say, I broke the first cardinal rule of rebounding...I fell in love with my rebound. The good news, however, is that I'm not missing that bastard chocolate anymore. Ladies and gentlemen, that is how you get over a breakup.

Happy Friday!!!