Eat Me Guilt Free began as a passion project – a very tasty one. Before Cristie Besu became the proud founder of the rapidly growing healthy-baked goods company, she was an emergency room nurse. Her curiosity for all things nutrition and fitness grew as she successfully navigated the stressful waters of the ER with her patients. Between being a full-time nurse and mom of three, Besu realized she also had to follow her passion and made the time to become certified in sports nutrition...

How do you turn your passion for fitness and nutrition into a successful business?

Meet Cristie Besu, CEO and Founder of Eat Me Guilt Free, a packaged food company that produces healthy alternatives to traditional brownies, breads and tortilla wraps.

In part 1 of our interview, Cristie shares a bit about her Latin roots and making the transition as a certified nurse working in the ER, to a certified sports nutritionist and now CEO and Founder of Eat Me Guilt Free.

With immediate sales ringing the register right from the start of her company, Cristie was challenged early on become to more knowledgeable on the financial side of her business.

“I love a good snack, especially something sweet,” says Kristin Stangl, Associate Food Editor. But she also tries to limit her carb and sugar intake, especially during the week. Enter the low-carb, high-protein brownies from Eat Me Guilt Free. Registered Nurse and Certified Sports Nutritionist Cristie Besu founded the company in response to her clients’ late-night sweets cravings.

Today, Eat Me Guilt Free comprises a team of highly skilled bakers that make everything from the decadent brownies that are Kristin’s go-to daily afternoon treat—which come in flavors like cotton candy, lavender blondie, and gingerbread—to protein bread and protein tortillas. Plus, everything is made from simple ingredients.

“I’ve been a monthly subscriber for nearly a year now,” adds Kristin, who is a huge fan of the original chocolate flavor but also gets the flavor of the month. But what excites her even more is that founder Besu is also launching a Women Entrepreneur Grant to help usher in the next wave of woman-owned businesses and to pay her knowledge forward.

Eat Me Guilt Free began in Cristie Besu’s kitchen when she was trying to find a solution for her clients struggling with late-night sweet cravings. A registered nurse and certified sports nutritionist, she came up with protein-packed, low-carb baked goods that can be eaten anytime of the day. Choose from brownies, cookies, and cakes in different flavors like chocolate, red velvet, and birthday cake.

Eat Me Guilt Free Founder and CEO Cristie Besu celebrated the launch of the “You Glow Girl” Grant Program, in support of women entrepreneurs. The socially distanced event took place at the Museum of Graffiti on Thursday, March 4, 2021, during Women’s History Month.

The evening began with welcome remarks by Besu, who shared the Eat Me Guilt Free story and her vision behind the “You Glow Girl” grant. Miami boss babes then participated in a graffiti workshop led by Miami’s very own artist Miss Reds, where they recreated the “You Glow Girl” campaign artwork. Each received their own graffiti kit and was gifted an Original Apolis® Market Bag hand-painted by Miss Reds.

While enjoying Eat Me Guilt Free baked goods and sipping on bubbly throughout the evening, guests got a first look of the Lady Pink: Graffiti HERstory solo exhibition by the First Lady of Graffiti. Presented in two adjacent rooms, Lady Pink: Graffiti HERstory emphasizes the subject matters closest to the artist, who famously painted on NYC subway cars in the 1970s and produced work for gallery shows by 1980. A body of work focused on human rights advocacy and feminism is shown next to a collection depicting a life dedicated to the graffiti art-form.

To celebrate women everywhere, Eat Me Guilt Free unveiled its first-ever “You Glow Girl” Grant Program. The grant echoes Besu’s commitment to empower girl bosses just like herself — after all, the Miami-based Cuban-American businesswoman created a bustling baked goods brand, which allows customers to satisfy their sugar and bread cravings minus the guilt. The “You Glow Girl” grant winner will receive $10,000 to help their business flourish; a one-year supply of Eat Me Guilt Free products to stay fueled; a Peloton bike to maintain fitness goals; and a one-year mentorship with Besu. The application deadline is Sunday, Aug. 1, and the grant winner will be announced on Monday, Aug. 23.

Eat Me Guilt Free Founder and CEO Cristie Besu celebrated the launch of the “You Glow Girl” Grant Program, in support of women entrepreneurs. The socially distanced event took place at the Museum of Graffiti on Thursday, March 4, during Women’s History Month. The evening began with welcome remarks by Besu, who shared the Eat Me Guilt Free story and her vision behind the “You Glow Girl” grant. Miami boss babes then participated in a graffiti workshop led by Miami’s very own artist Miss Reds, where they recreated the “You Glow Girl” campaign artwork. To celebrate women everywhere, Eat Me Guilt Free unveiled its first-ever “You Glow Girl” Grant Program The “You Glow Girl” grant winner will receive $10,000 to help their business flourish; a one-year supply of Eat Me Guilt Free products to stay fueled; a Peloton bike to maintain fitness goals; and a one-year mentorship with Besu. The application deadline is Sunday, August 1, and the grant winner will be announced on Monday, August 23.

The luscious lips that adorn the packaging for Eat Me Guilt Free’s protein-packed baked goods reassure you that, yes, the innuendo you were imagining is completely on point. But so is the flavor founder Cristie Besu packs into the brownies, tortillas and protein breads she started making out of her home kitchen in 2013. Since then Eat Me Guilt Free has spread into over 3,000 stores nationwide, and this year Besu launched her You Glow Girl grant campaign, helping to fund aspiring female entrepreneurs like herself.

Cristie Besu shows us behind the scenes of how to make the new and improved Cotton Candy Brownie!

You glow, girls! Literally. Eat Me Guilt Free is unveiling its first-ever “You Glow Girl” grant program on Galentine’s Day, Feb. 13, 2021. The grant echoes Eat Me Guilt Free CEO Cristie Besu’s commitment to empower girl bosses just like herself — after all, the Miami-based Cuban-American businesswoman created a bustling baked goods brand which allows customers to satisfy their sugar and bread cravings minus the guilt. That’s right, no more skipping dessert. Or bread (and tortillas), for that matter.

Eat Me Guilt Free's CEO, Founder and #GirllBoss, Cristie Besu was interviewed by WBENC for their 'Women Who Own It' series! Cristie shares her experience as a women entrepreneur and offers advice for fellow women aspiring to build their own business!

What inspired you to start your business?

'Like most great ideas, it just happened. I was working as a nurse in the ER and also had a nutritional consulting business on the side. My clients were constantly explaining they missed comfort foods like brownies or breads and/or that they felt guilty while eating them. I wanted to create a better for you version of the foods they loved so they could continue to feel good about their choices. I took to the kitchen and combined my background in science with my passion for nutrition and the Eat Me Guilt Free brand was born.'

The perfect gift for others or sweet treat for yourself, these brownies are packed with protein (14g each), low carb, non-GMO, and free of preservatives! Baked with ingredients sourced in Europe to meet higher quality standards, you’ll love the taste and texture of this moisture cotton candy blondie.

Remind your favorite health-conscious foodies of your love with a gift of Eat Me Guilt Free protein-loaded goodies. Wake them up to a low-carb cinnamon toast breakfast cake ($38/box of 12) or a box of "Valentine Vixen" treats, packed with six red velvet and six original chocolate brownies ($38). If you want to kick things up a notch, surprise them with "I Want It All," a variety box packed with two of each of the brand's most popular brownie options: "Galaxy," with chocolate topped with starlike sprinkles; "PB Bliss," with peanut butter, birthday cake, and red velvet; and "Tuxedo," made with dark and white chocolate.

Cristie Besu, registered nurse, certified sports nutritionist and Eat Me Guilt Free's founder, shares her weight loss tips and daily macro recommendations!

One of the biggest ways you can be an ally to the Latinx community is to shop Latinx-owned businesses.

"Want to indulge but keep your shape? Check out Eat Me Guilt Free’s holiday chocolate brownies which come in a box of 12! With deliciously decadent white chocolate chips, this rich brownie bar is coated in green and red sprinkles that are deliciously festive, making for the perfect holiday hack to get you or your giftees through the season."

Pamper yourself with "holiday wine spritzers versus wine" during Christmas gatherings this year, recommended Cristie Besu, RN, CSN.

Besu also said, we use 50 percent wine and 50 percent soda, and the wine we drink during the holiday now has just 50 percent of the calories. The expert's tip is that almost all white wines are great for spritzers.

"Cristie Besu remembers negations with national retail chains halting almost overnight when the Covid-19 outbreak began in March. . . Like Horevitz, Besu found success with e-commerce sales. She said the past nine months have been the best in the Miami-based company's five-year history."

"While many people across the U.S. recognize autumn as the prime time for frothy pumpkin spice lattes, buttery pies, and sweet apple cider (count us in!), there is an abundance of fall fruits and vegetables that can be used to make healthy, nutritious meals and snacks, outside of routine seasonal offerings. . .

From frozen pumpkin puree to almond butter on sweet potatoes, the possibilities are creative and seemingly endless. Read on to find nutritional insight, and tips and tricks, including the best ways to prepare fruits and vegetables that are in-season for autumn."

"Dieting, and on a bigger scope, actual healthy eating, is so much more than just losing weight. It’s keeping you in shape; it’s making you in-tune with your system; it’s making you healthy enough to fight diseases; and it is enjoying the best life can give. Healthy eating simply feels good, and makes you feel good about your body."

"Founded by Cristie Besu, a registered nurse and certified sports nutritionist, Eat Me Guilt Free is Cristie’s response to her clients’ struggles for craving something sugary late at night. She wanted to create a product that was sweet—but still healthy—and thus Eat Me Guilt Free was born: a line of high protein and low carb snacks and breads. Choose from things like pumpkin spice brownies and vegan chocolate chip cookies."