Try to stay calm.
There may  be a bacon shortage.  The LA Times reports that drought conditions caused a reduction in corn and soybean crops, which means less feed for swine… which means less bacon.  Stock your freezers now.
Despite my frequent posting about bacon, I really am not a fanatic.  Yes, I do enjoy the occasional Maple-Bacon Pancake Cookie.  And I think Bacon Toothpaste is funny.
HOWEVER… I bought a mere 2 slices at the farmer’s market to add just a little extra flava-flav to my food this week.  And, I worked bacon into a meal today.
It’s a really stressful week.  Today I craved comfort food, and having developed the habit of reaching for healthy comforts helped me keep it clean… and sticking with September’s What I Ate Wednesday theme: “Fall Into Good Habits.”
Check out my healthy comfort foods below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else maintained healthy habits this Wednesday.
Meal 1:
Like every morning, I arose and had my morning cocktail: a mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine and Fitmixer Aminos.  Then I almost panicked when I realized I’m almost out of my Aminos.
After a quick 2 mile walk, I enjoyed a Stuft Mama-inspired sandwich:
P28 Bread panini-pressed in the George Foreman with cinnamon and flax-scrambled egg whites, sugar-free strawberry jam, a little Daiya pepper jack.  With a side of golden kiwi.
Meal 2:
This is truly random. Â Certainly a Strange But Good candidate. Â Pre-baked lemon-dill salmon… mixed with ricotta cheese, a little cinnamon, and blackberries.
Strangely delicious leg-day fuel.Â
Meal 3:
I spent my lunch break in the gym blowing off some steam busting out some leg work. Â When I got back home all I could think about was a giant green smoothie bowl.
In my bowl:
- Vanilla protein powder
- Chocolate unsweetened almond milk
- TONS of spinach
- Cinnamon
- Liquid stevia
- Crumbled Zucchini Protein Muffin to top (recipe for that coming soon!)
Meal 4:
Did I mention work is really, really, really stressful this week.  It called for my protein-comfort snack: PB Cottage Cheese and celery (a riff on my childhood “ants on a log”).
I mix 1/2 C no-salt added cottage cheese with 2T of peanut flour, cinnamon, stevia, and butterscotch extract. Â Then I dip my celery. Â There may have also been a side of dark chocolate… shhhhh…Â
Meal 5:
Clearly I can never get enough pizza. Â This week’s pizza meal’s base was my beloved cauliflower crust.
Toppings:
- Swordfish
- Bacon (just a little bit…)
- Avocado
- Truffle oil
- Radishes
- Asparagus
- Brussels
My crust “dough” felt a little too wet, so I added a little nutritional yeast.  It worked well to soak up a little moisture, and it was really good!
Meal 6:
Still working (it was a late night). Â So stressed I had no appetite. Â Late nights in college always meant Waffle House… so I made a healthier version of my old order – egg whites with red onion, jalapeno, and spinach.
Meal 7:
Comfort food is the name of the game for this post.  More smoothie bowls!  Meal 7 was a Pumpkin-Chocolate Vitamix ice-cream-like concoction.
In my Fall Smoothie Bowl:
- Pumpkin puree
- Chocolate protein powder
- Cocoa powder
- Unsweetened chocolate almond milk
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Stevia
- Ice
- Apple slices on top
***
Does my posting most of this on Instagram ruin the suspense?  Oh!  And the protein count for the day: 195.8g from fall clean eats!
What are you favorite healthy comfort foods?
Do you have a fall chill yet? Â It’s still pretty warm here (yay!).
Normally your sweeter meals make me drool most but this week, I’m all about that pizza….swordfish, avocado & truffle oil- foodgasm right there! Although I crave salads & grills more when it’s hotter outside, I equally find it easy to eat healthier in the colder months too…anything warm and tomato-based is my ultimate comfort food, even better when there’s gooey cheese added into the mix!
Right?! It was healthy and rich. Just like I like ’em. 😉
Wait a minute, wasn’t I telling you about my tuna/blackberry/cinnamon mix not long ago? I told you it was oddly delicious! 😀 Fish and fruit…they just seem to pair so well! Annnnnnd NOW I want fish tacos with mango salsa! Lol
You know, the last time I made your cauliflower crust pizza, I thought about adding in a bit of nooch…I’m definitely trying that next time!
Favorite healthy comfort foods: eggs (runny yolk is NOT optional), oats/oatbran, and anything with peanut flour! I LOVE mixing peanut flour and cc! Talk about a protein PUNCH too!
It is definitely getting chilly around here! The other day when I left the hospital after my shift, I could see my breath!! Needless to say, my heated seats have been getting a lot of attention lately!
Sorry to hear work has been crazy…wishing you smooth sailing into the weekend! 🙂
Did you?! You know when an idea pops into your head and you aren’t sure what inspired it? It was YOU! Ha. I was thinking about my salmon-peach combo too. I loved that one with the yogurt.
Our comfort foods should get together and hang out.
Okay, seriously, everything in this WIAW just made me foam at the mouth haha The panini, the apple ice cream vitamix concoction, the smoothie– mmm!!! Even though you’ve had a hectic week, at least you’ve had some pretty freakin awesome noms! 😀
No fall chill in the air here– just highs of 97 and no sign of rain haha!
i’m sorry you’re stressed. is it something that will end soon? (hope so!)
You know… when our busy season is over… in January. LOL!
Great eats! It has been a little chilly here in the mornings, but I think it’s as much a cold front as anything. It’s still enjoyably brisk, not actually cold (thank goodness).
The weather here has truly been amazing this week! I love waking up to the cool crisp air, having it warm up just a bit in the afternoons and then enjoying the cool air again in the evenings!
Why can’t I be as clever as you and think to put apple slices on top of my pumpkin smoothies!! It sure would’ve helped if this post was up this morning when I had one.. oh well, theres always… tomorrow I’d imagine lol 🙂
Sorry your week has been so stressful btw. I hope it starts getting easier & less hectic for ya 🙂
It was pretty tasty! They got a little frozen on the ice cream which made them even more crunchy. 🙂
Everything looks great, but the flavors of the panini sound pretty interesting! Egg whites with cinnamon, strawberry jam and pepper jack is something I’d never think to combine! 🙂
Thank you! I love a sweet-savory combo. 🙂
I realized this weekend that my eating is directly related to stress – I think I subconsciously want to worry about something else, so I overeat! I need to figure out new and better ways to deal with stress!
I do that too! It’s like worrying about food is much more fun, so I focus on that in stead. and it’s a welcome break from Excel hell.
I tried to make your PB & Jeggs this morning and made a huge mess. I think maybe because I used frozen berries and they got liquidy, ruining the eggs? Or I used Egg Beaters (which I don’t like, but Jason does and that’s all we had?) I’ll try again!
Ohhhh… frozen adds a lot more moisture so they aren’t quite as good. Try it with apples or fresh strawberries!
That pressed sandwich looks amazing! Love all the meal ideas I always get from your posts!
Holy cow that pizza looks awesome! I have maybe 5-6 different recipes on the wait list just from your blog alone. Y u do this to me?
it was 4C Monday morning but thankfully it has warmed up since. Rob scared me and told me I may have to keep my eyes out for frost but I think we’re ok for now… at least for this week. Love seeing your eats, as always! 🙂
Your different flavor combos really inspire me in the kitchen! I’ve been experimenting a lot more – thanks!
I think my favorite healthy fall comfort food definitely has to be stoup topped with avocado and blue corn tortilla chips – YUM!
That’s such a big compliment – thank you!!!
Stoup = love.
drool always. I have never had that daiya cheese cause it is so expensive but I really want to try it. one day…
You eat “real” cheese, right? It’s better.
Saw this story too and you know that I’ll be stocking the freezer with swine.
I thought that said wine at first. No wine in the freezer.
I have been killing the celery this week. Just something about it that I can’t get enough.
Hopefully the week’s stresses will decrease or you will just Hulk up from all of the exercise.
Mmm, any form of grilled + cheese is perfect comfort food. Especially if there is also tomato soup involved. Brussels sprouts are a comfort food of mine–weird, right? Why not. Makes that pizza look right up my alley.
Suuucks about all the stress–take it out at the gym!
I craved tomato soup and grilled cheese all day after reading this comment. Thanks for that. 😛
Haha, does it help if I then wanted tomato soup all day too? And that I even googled the grilled cheese food truck to see where it was, even if I can’t get their sandwiches anyway? ;D
I am not a bacon person but I will be stocking up and freezing it so that I can sell it on the black market once there is a shortage. 😉
That’s the most brilliant idea I’ve heard all day.
NO way…love the Instagram previews and kinda into that fall apple smoothie bowl thingy too! I heard the bacon story too! I must say, while I basically never touch bacon anymore (except turkey) I still love it from the bottom of my heart!
again, you’re stalking me. we got home from the grocery store last week and mark was like, “um, did we both pick up cottage cheese?” (we split to maximize shopping effectiveness) … “um, no, we needed 2 containers.” … and he held up 4.
i freaking need to buy peanut flour. i’m waiting for payday. leave it to me to blow through all my extra earnings from crafting/freelance without blinking an eye.
Never enough cottage cheese!!! Have you made icing with it yet? Mix it with cinnamon, stevia, vanilla… maybe some protein powder… then toss it in the blender for a sec to smooth it out. Cut and apple in half horizontally like a cupcake and add icing. YUM.
I’ve actually read about how the reduction in corn and soybean crops means less feed for swine. They are saying the summer drought really did a number on the conventional farms, although not too bad on the organic ones (yeah).
All of your eats look marvelous, but I really want your breakfast and that pizza. Wow, so pretty looking. I bet it was just as tasty.
Thank you! Both were pretty fabulous. This makes me want breakfast pizza…
Wow, that is a lot of protein!! My comfort eating would lean much toward grains… I’m impressed you still got so much protein in there. So sorry that it’s been such a stressful week at work. I hope the end is in sight soon!
I was definitely craving bread more than usual… I just had to focus on drinking water and eating other things that I love.
I have yet to make a cauliflower crust pizza! Need to get on that, when I can find some time. Your breakfast sandwich looks fabulous. Love comforting meals like that in the morning. Have a great Wednesday!
Let me know if you try it! It’s really not very time consuming after the first round.
I kind of want to eat everything you posted.
I’m totally craving some cauliflower crust pizza now too. I think I may need to have that for dinner tonight!
Its pretty warm where I am too, surprisingly. So doesn’t really feel like Fall yet, I can’t wait until it does though!
Your meals always look fabulous!
I could go for Meal #7 right now! Yumm!
Once again, I want to eat everything you post! 😉 And it doesn’t matter to me if you instagram and then post b/c sometimes you include recipes in the post (which makes it different from instagram), often I miss the instagram posts, and lastly because I can’t open up instagram on my Blackberry. Why? No clue…I hate it. So post away!
Fall here right now? Beautiful. Took 3 of my 6 clients outside today! 😀 Keep enjoying lifting and clean eating and thanks for the inspiration, Laura!
Thank you, Bonnie! Your comments always brighten my day. 🙂
I wish I could move the weight room outside!
need to look at your cauliflower crust 🙂
and yes it is getting fall around here and loving it, though Michelle being in Florida right now is still have warm weather. but either way we love FALL
You guys would LOVE it! And I would love to see what you’d top it with. 🙂
It’s been about 50 all day today, but the nights are dropping into the 30s – loooooove it.
Your meals look wonderful as usual. I love cauliflower pizza! BTW, I just bought a pull-up bar & I’m still doing my push-ups every single day 😉 I’m seriously seeing and feeling results! 😀 ~Love~
Good for you!!! I really need to invest in a pull up bar.
Too stressed to eat? I have the opposite problem, it makes me want to eat (or really just munch).
That is typically me… I don’t know what happened!
Sorry work is crazy for you!!! Your eats still look good though! I have GOT to get a Vitamix!!
It is really cooling off here… We have already had frost!
Yeah you do! It is worth every penny – I swear!
Laura, love all your creations! Excited to try the Fall Smoothie but not sure on the measurements…do you have a ‘real’ recipe for it?? thanks!!!
Not really… I just threw stuff in by the spoonful! I’d look at my pumpkin frapp recipe and go from that (only without the coffee). They are pretty similar!