I love a cocktail.

Shameless, I tell you.

During Junk-Free January, my sole cocktail is my Morning Cocktail.  If you’ve been reading for a while, you know I start every day with this apple cider vinegar-laced gem:

My Morning Cocktail:

• 12 oz water
• 1 T apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
• 1 tsp Glutamine Powder
• 1 scoop Amino Energy (I changed brands since the above pic, but the link is correct)

Glutamine and Aminos are both great for synthesizing muscle protein and preventing catabolism (muscle breakdown).  Key if you are trying to build muscle.

The Apple Cider Vinegar is what I get more questions about.  Here’s why it’s my jam:

• It improves digestion and “regularity” (hence the glory of taking it first thing in the morning…)
• Helps clear up acne (I also use it as toner)
• Relieves joint pain and prevents muscle fatigue after exercise
• Strengthens the immune system
• Increases metabolism
• Breaks down fats so that your body can use them rather than store them
• Natural heartburn remedy
• Lowers/regulates blood pressure,  bad cholesterol, and glucose levels
• May control fleas (hopefully this is more applicable to your pets)

Drinking this each morning truly is energizing.  I no longer need coffee… until mid-afternoon when I’m freezing and getting tired of the computer screen.

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This WIAW post features 4 meals (meals #2-5) that were totally prepped on Sunday evening.  Planning is the #1 thing you can do to start your year off right in terms of nutrition!

Check out my 7 meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how others dined this week!

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Meal 1:

After my morning cocktail, I set out to make one of my new staples: the Sweet Potato Pan-lette.

It’s a great, low-carb breakfast option.  Since I’m experimenting with a higher fat-lower carb diet this week, I made a couple of modifications:

• Used 1/4 C egg whites + 1 whole egg
• Added 1 tsp ground flax seed
• Reduced the amount of sweet potato to 1/4 C

Meal 2:

The best part about a higher fat diet is bison.

I enjoyed a bison burger with apple slices and a high-protein, Strange But Good dipper:

• 1/4 C no-salt cottage cheese
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 drops liquid smoke
• 1 drop lemon Stevia
• Sprinkle of cayenne

Meal 3:

Lunch was a super-easy fancy meal.  Salmon, roasted squash and eggplant, and celery.  Since I prep most of my food for the week on Sunday nights, this took all of 30 seconds to throw together.

Meal 4:

This was my post-workout meal: trout, broccoli, and hummus.  Again, all of this was prepped on Sunday so I could have it on the plate and in my belly STAT.

It was my first time making trout and I really liked it!  It is slightly fishy, but not offensively so.

Apparently it was a good workout because I wanted a little something extra after.  I busted out the jerky samples Simply Snackin’ sent me.  The flavor I tried would certainly qualify as Strange But Good: Beef Sirloin with Cranberries & Blueberries.

I’m not a huge jerky fan… but OMG.  This was fantastically moist and delicious.  Yes, jerky is salty… but if you’re going to eat it this is the way to go.  It has about half the sodium content you see in most (270).  Not to mention they are all-natural, high protein, and low calories.  Score.

Meal 5:

That trout was good… so I had it again.  Should have bought more… I only have 1 serving left!

I ate it on a bed of spinach with roasted broccoli slaw and brussels.  I coated them in a sauce I’d forgotten about: Lemon Tahini.  Served with a mini-Cauliflower Crust Pizza.

Meal 6:

The incredible, edible egg.  PB & Ceggs-style, topped with peanut butter.  The recipe is for a vegan version with tofu, but tonight I used real eggs.  And I used almond extract rather than maple.  Never.  Gets.  Old.

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The protein count for the day: 177.0g.  The carbs?  Lets just say I suck at low carb.

Don’t forget to join the Strange But Good link up this Friday!!! 🙂

Do you use Apple Cider Vinegar?  What benefits have you seen?

Have you ever tried to go low-carb?  Any tips are appreciated!