A few weeks ago I was in the terrible (not really) position of going to the launch of the Belle’s Patisserie new skinny menu at their Blubird store.

Well known and loved for their cupcakes, crois-nuts, cakes and pastries, Belles’s has launched some healthy and still delicious food for the dieting, health-conscious or high-protein brigade. The menu was put together by Belle’s owner Linda Lipschitz, along with Jocelyn Thompson, founder of Bodycoach.

I’m happy to see that the low-carb cheesecake is on the menu – it has no sugar, and is amazing. The other menu standouts for me are the raw almond and coconut energy bites (containing chia seeds which stabilise blood sugar and make you feel fuller), the salmon scrambled eggs, the raw food smoothie (with beetroot), and the sugar-free cream cheese flapjack stack. You can also create your own salads, and the veggie burger looks superb.

Belle’s Patisserie is in Bluebird shopping centre, Joburg, and there’s a kiosk in Sandton City (by Edgars on the ground floor). You can also find Belle’s on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.