Single Serve Salted Caramel Lava Cake Recipe posted by Something Swanky Pin Share Tweet Email Jump to Recipe SomethingSwanky is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I absolutely must begin this post by thanking all of you for your tremendous and overwhelming support! You all left me so many heartfelt and sincere comments on last week’s Skinny Saturday post, and I appreciate each and every one of them. I feel blessed to have a community of so many people who are willing to give me a boost, share a bit of wisdom, and even commiserate with me when I shared something that could have so easily felt embarrassing. But instead of feeling embarrassed, I felt buoyed up and empowered, and most of all– I didn’t feel like I was all alone! THANK YOU. That being said, this week was still a really hard week for me. Just all around. My inbox has been filling up non-stop all week, I was behind on designs, behind on my posts, missing posts deadlines for other people, and didn’t get around to doing much by way of supporting my other blogging friends. All of this, of course, meant that my apartment was a disaster, my daughter’s hair was never combed, the bills haven’t been paid, and bless my poor husband’s sweet heart– I never proof-read his senior paper (even though he gave it to me two weeks before he needed to turn it in, which was on Friday). So I have felt completely, totally, 100% out of control. I’ve always found, as I’m sure you have, that feeling out of control in other aspects of my life is just one great, big invitation for emotional over-eating. And I don’t really know why, I haven’t dug that far into the psycho-analysis of the whole thing. I just know that when I’m unorganized and out of control in my housekeeping, daily planning, blogging, etc– over-eating and over-spending are sure to follow. While I (thankfully) kept my pocketbook under control this week, the eating was a different story. I was over my weekly allotment of bonus points (WW+) by the second day. I kept thinking I’d be able to reign it back in, but it never happened. And, regrettably, I have to report a 1 lb gain this week which puts me at 184.6. However, there is some good news that came from my gain! So read on! When I stepped on the scale and saw the gain, my first thought was to lie about it in this post. I just thought there was NO WAY I could tell you that I gained weight! Not on my first week! And certainly not after everyone had left me so many encouraging comments! Last week, I just KNEW I was going to lose weight. How could I not lose after writing that post? And telling you all how much I weigh? And committing to come back and do it again every week? How could I NOT find the motivation to lose the weight?? So I decided to fudge the numbers a little. Not by much, of course. It was only a pound. I’d just tell you that I hadn’t lost or gained– that was harmless right? I wouldn’t be saying I had lost anything, but I wouldn’t have to admit to actually GAINING. And that’s when I had my light bulb moment: If I lied, and told you that I didn’t lose any weight, it still wouldn’t be true. I would still be carrying around an extra pound. You all would be none the wiser, and go on with your lives. It really wouldn’t affect you. Because this is about ME. And what good am I doing myself by giving me a one week free pass? It wouldn’t make the weight go away, would it? I wouldn’t actually feel any better, would I? And if I lied about it once, why wouldn’t I lie about it again? And then, soon enough, online Ashton would be 20 lbs lighter, while real life Ashton would be hiding from the Instagram camera because she’s still overweight and dishonest to boot! And since I’m real life Ashton, I have real life weight to deal with. And it’s all mine, that I have to take care of all by myself. No one else is going to lose this weight for me. It’s an obvious statement, I know. And, truth be told, I’ve actually had this epiphany before– it’s certainly not my first weight loss light bulb moment. But I guess I had to have it again. And I’m glad, because I think things are finally clicking mentally for me. It’s like I’m remembering how to lose weigh all of a sudden. And I’m remembering, “oh yeah, I used to eat salad everyday for lunch, and I enjoyed that.” And now I’m thinking about my heart rate at the gym, and working to keep it where it should be for the whole work out. And you know what? Candy Bars make me sick. I somehow push that aside when I’m binge-eating. But when I’m really trying to listen to my body, I remember that I simply can’t eat a straight-up candy bar without getting sick. Anyway. It’s discouraging to gain a pound, but I’m actually coming off the weigh in feeling really good. I haven’t felt motivated in a while, and now that I’m starting to remember why I want to watch what I eat and how good it feels when I do, I’m feeling really optimistic about this week 🙂 One more thing before I get to this recipe… any great suggestions for Plantar Fasciitis? My heel is KILLING me and making workouts really difficult (even on the elliptical). Ideas are more than welcome!!!! I really want to be able to run in a few more weeks (fingers crossed) when it’s warmer out, and I’m afraid I just couldn’t do it on my heel if it doesn’t start improving… You’ll notice over the weeks that my favorite “skinny” indulgences are sugar-free cake mix and diet soda. So this is yet another one of those recipes. The caramel on top is really just for the photo, and not necessary. But I’d definitely suggest pairing the cake with a small scoop of light ice cream if you have the cals/points for it! Continue to Content Skinny Saturday: Single Serve Salted Caramel Lava Cake Print Ingredients 3 tbsp. sugar free chocolate cake mix (I can only find this in Pillsbury) 3 tbsp. diet cola (I actually used Diet Dr. Pepper, but Diet Coke or club soda would work too) 1 tbsp. sugar free canned chocolate frosting (also, only in Pillsbury) 1 tbsp. fat free caramel sundae sauce a pinch of sea salt Instructions In a small bowl, gently whisk the cola and the cake mix (try to not deflate the bubbles from the carbonation). Scrape the batter into a very well greased ramekin, small bowl, or small bundt cake pan. Mix the caramel sauce, the frosting, and the sea salt together. Drop the mixture into the center of the batter. Either bake at 350 for 20 minutes or microwave for 2 minutes. Stick a toothpick in the edge of the cake to see if it's done. I'd recommend eating it out of whatever you baked it in (as inverting is a tricky business with this one). This recipe is 6 WW+ by my calculation.
I’m so sorry that you gained but at least it’s only one pound. You’ll have the weight off in no time! As for plantar fasciitis, ouch! Get good insoles for your shoes. You may have to stay off of it for a little while until the pain goes away but the insoles will keep it from coming back. Reply
Thanks! My husband brought home a boot last night that I’m supposed to wear while I sleep, and I think it helped! I can already feel the pain coming back some, but maybe between the boot and insoles I can keep it away! Reply
plantar fasciitis orthoheel shoes, sandals-amazing stretch th foot, like pump up and down, 10’s, do circles with the foot, stretch using a step excersing the foot gets that tendon stretched out. once you get that done and continue to do excersies it will be good. i do excersise every morning before getting out of bed golf ball rollled around in thr instep area, frozen water ball there also. i have had shots, inserts, shoes, but one dr perscribed physical therapy and that is what changed things for me. plus the shoes biggey. orthoheel-have a pair of slides i wear because i can not got bearfoot hope this helps love love love your recipes and blogg have had thisfor years. walking store also for shoes, new balance gym shoes
Rock on Ashton. I love this post. I am right with you on all of it. Whenever life feels hard, I feel like “deserve” the 800th piece of fudge. Oh, and I just had a cheese filled tamale. For breakfast. Thank you for being so honest!!! Reply
Ohhhh, I love tamales!!!! It’s so hard to not feel entitled to junk food! The hardest part of the day for me if right after I put Emma to bed, and I just think “I’m so tired, I deserve a little treat…” And then it turns into LOTS of little treats! I’m working on not eating at night, but…. it’s super hard 🙂 Reply
You have a lot of guts to come out and be public and honest about something that most people would NEVER talk about. I think that it’s a good thing too, though. The blogging community (the food side) is pretty understanding and definitely really supportive. You have a lot of people on your side! 🙂 Also this dessert looks fantastic! Single serve is something that really appeals to me personally, not for weight loss, but for the simple fact that if I make something dessert-y in my house – usually I’ll be the only one eating it…until my 5 yr old sneaks upstairs in the middle of the night to eat as much of it as he can. Unfortunately he got his sweet tooth from his momma. Reply
Seriously– single serve is SUCH a must for me! Otherwise… I’ll eat an entire pan of brownies! And the food blogging community is amazing. I can’t believe how supportive everyone has been of me right off the bat! Thank you so much for your comment! Reply
This recipe looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing. I am a certified athletic trainer (not a personal trainer), so as for your plantar fasciitis, try this: 1-In the morning, before you get out of bed, put a sheet or towel around the top part of your foot and pull backwards (flexing your foot), stretching the tendinous sheath that runs along the bottom of your foot. 2- Roll a tennis ball or frozen water bottle along the bottom of your foot. This also stretches it. 3- If it continues to bother you, rest can be the cure-all, and as always see you orthopedic if it continues. Hope this helps 😉 Reply
Thanks for the PF advice! I haven’t done a great job of doing anything consistently this week. We’ve been traveling, and I know it’s a poor excuse, but I’m so awful at taking care of myself when we’re out of routine! I have been sleeping with a boot and wearing my tennis shoes all the time. I tried the tennis ball, and it’s been the only thing that’s given me immediate relief! So grateful for that tip! Thank you so much for your comment and advice! Reply
for your feet…both sisters have this…you must wear good shoes….no flip flops, well not all the time….and both were helped by this cheap tip….using soup cans….roll your feet on them…back and forth…then pointing you toes then bending them backwards…exercise for your feet… about your weight….remember you didn’t gain it all at once…and you will not lose it all at once…it’s a process….so keep doing what you are doing and it will come off… Reply
It was refreshing to read your blog today…I thought I wrote it. Thank goodness it was only one pound. You can have that off in no time. I just committed to be consistent with journaling what I eat. It has been helping me see when I go over board and what may be going on in my life to cause it. I know I need to find another outlet besides eating…like praying, exercising or housework. I guess it is a good thing that we can not fool ourselves, really. For your foot…besides the inserts make sure you buy good shoes with good arch support. The inserts need to be good quality and provide arch support also. My plantar fasciitis went away in a week when I changed shoes, slippers etc. and I had it for about 4 months. Blessings for you! Reply
Journaling is SO key, isn’t it? I’m about to write my skinny saturday post for today, and I actually lost a few pounds this week! The amazing thing is that I actually ate WAY over my points. But I think keeping track of them, even going way over, still kept me in check! Just goes to show how important that is! Thank you for the comment and PF advice! Still working on that, but some things are starting to help 🙂 Reply
Not fun at all!! But I’ve actually enjoyed making it a part of my blogging life. I’ve had so much support! Thank you for your sweet comment 🙂 Reply
Oh, Hun! I so feel for you. I love your honesty and commitment. Just remember to BREATHE!!!! It does help. Trust me, I am right there with you all the way. The thing that helped my Plantar F. was (believe it or not) Burkenstock inserts. I felt an immediate difference. I could actually walk!Those along with losing 230 lbs (yes, that is true too) really helped and now (thank God) I don’t have it any longer. The pain was excruciating. I remember it well. So you may want to give them a try. They are a little funky but boy did they ever work. So hang in there. We are all here for you! Sending you lots and lots of warm, soft, hugs. Reply
Wow!!! Way to go losing 230 lbs!! I am SO in awe. You are truly an inspiration! Thank you for your comment and PF advice! I really appreciate your support 🙂 Reply
PF can be terrible. It took me almost two years to get through it, I had it in both feet. First, never go barefoot and don’t wear thin flip flops. You can find flip flops with good support at running stores, they aren’t cheap but if you want your foot to heal its worth it. A running store should also a compression sock to wear to bed that will keep your toes flexed. Get inserts (Super Feet are good) and wear them all the time. I even have them in my slippers. Good luck with your weight loss. Reply
Oh Ashton I am so glad that you had this experience this week. I have been stressing myself out all week trying to decide if I was going to tell a fib or not! I made a commitment to you to post each week in your comments and I didn’t want to say that I flunked this week. We were snow bound this past week and I made cupcakes and cookies for the blog, plus I am a boredom eater and I was very bored this week at home and at work. So we can have this Ah Ha moment and really get behind this. Thank you so much for your bravery and honesty! Week 2 Still 180. Reply
lol, you can always be honest here!! Nobody understands yo-yo weight loss like I do!! So proud of you for owning up to it 🙂 We can do it! Reply
Thank you for your very real and honest post. I am grateful! For your plantar fasciitis, try sports tape. I used KT Sports tape (at Walmart) for an Achilles’ tendon, it worked great! Check out the video at kt tape.com/instructions for how to apply tape. Reply
Don’t feel bad about gaining that one pound. I gained 1.5 lbs this last week! You have good weeks and you have bad weeks for some reason. Just say okay some how I gained that pound and next week will be better. Don’t get down on yourself. Your blog and recipes are so wonderful! I have my friends and my mom reading your blog! I do Weight Watchers and I love that you include the points! Keep working at getting those pounds off and you will be looking good in no time. You can to it!! Go Ashton!!! Reply
You are so sweet!! Thanks so much for your support! And I won’t lie… I’m glad to not be the only one with a gain from last week== makes it less lonely at least 😉 Thank you! Reply
Ashton!! You are incredible! I love your honesty and you are an inspiration to me. I just wanted you to know. I have lots of weight to lose after having Isaac and I am excited for your Skinny Saturdays. Keep your chin up 🙂 Reply
First off YUM! Secondly… I’m really really proud of you for being honest. As a blogger, it is so easy to lie and make our lives seem so perfect and cookie-cutter. But you know what, I can’t relate to all the sugar-coated fluff. As Brooke Walker said at BYBC, sometimes the positive-nature of bloggers is really great and we should really appreciate it. But at the same time, I’ve got to have something real. I can’t just read a perfect weight-loss journey where everything goes perfect and as-planned. because that’s not realistic. There will be ups and downs in your journey, and I’m happy that you are willing to show us all of it. You’re the best! Keep on rockin’ it girl! This week’s going to be positive for you! (i wish i had advice on your heel… i’m sorry!) Reply
Thanks Holly! I think about Brooke’s advice all the time now when I’m writing posts 🙂 I think it’s definitely important to be honest and true for our readers. There’s no point in hiding who we really are! Reply
Oh Ashton, lava cakes are my weakness!! I love your Skinny Saturday posts and am in awe of your bravery and putting it all out there, #livewithoutpretending right? 🙂 I’m excited to follow along with you and have been feeling the need to make some changes as well, especially after seeing pictures from BYBC! My metabolism isn’t what it used to be and if I don’t get things under control now it’s going to be harder to do in the future! Thank you for being honest in your journey, and please know that you have a ton of support, even if it’s just through the computer – although if we lived closer I’d totally offer to buddy up for running!! Reply
Totally! #Livewithoutprentending :)And, um– YES! Those BYBC pics were eye-opening! lol… Thanks again for your support! Reply
You’re an inspiration Ashton, really. And you’re totally rocking the skinny desserts. I love this one! I can totally see myself eating it. AND being satisfied! Reply
I think you rock weight gain or not. The simple fact that you are able to be truthful with your self and us will make you proud of yourself. I am happy to be here to bust you up when need. i want to let you know that diet sodas are really harmful to our bodies so please don’t drink very many. Add some cushioning to you shoe while you workout. Reply
I am such a stress eater too. Actually scarfing a blueberry scone as I read this waiting at the hospital for my hubby to come out of surgery. I’ve already eaten a cookie. I am so glad I came over to read your post though. Good for you! Don’t be hard on yourself. I keep telling myself, admitting my eating is half the battle. So you are well on your way to beating the food. Reply
I hope your husband is recovering well!!And thank you for the support, I so appreciate you stopping by 🙂 Reply
Ashton, you’re such an inspiration! I’m BACK on Weight Watchers (I’m a repeat participant, ugh), so I’m loving your progress reports and the skinny recipes. I’ve been toying around for quite awhile with doing something similar on my site – like you, for ME, not the blog. A push towards some lighter recipes, at least once a week. I can’t keep making all of this high-calorie stuff and not eat it; I just don’t have the willpower. 🙂 Reply
YES! So glad to hear you’re doing WW! I’ve done it several times too, lol. I think you just gotta keep coming back every time you leave 🙂 And doing this series has been such a great outlet for me to find support and to support myself. I highly recommend it! Reply
