Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

PB & J Topped French Toast + WIAW

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My favorite porn is #yolkporn.

 

I can only imagine the search terms I’m going to get from this…

When I saw this video on Lifehack yesterday I couldn’t wait to share it with you guys.  It’s (allegedly) a fool-proof way to cook a sunny side up egg.

In case you need the definition a perfect sunny side up egg should have the whites just cooked through, but the bright yellow yolky deliciousness should remain runny.  Like a silky syrup for your toast or oats or salad or jicama nachos… anything!

Warning: this video will make you crave butter.  And egg, obv.

The guy’s name is Mr. Breakfast.  He must be an expert.

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In other news, I failed and didn’t have a runny egg on WIAW.  I did win at food prep though!  After a few weeks of being less than planned, I was happy to have my meals ready for me today!WIAWbutton

Read on for my prepared food, and then check out Jenn’s blog.  I don’t know if she’s doing the link up though… because she had her bagel baby!!!!!!!

♥ Congratulations and welcome to baby Mia! ♥

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Breakfast:

Of course I had my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) to start my day out right.

I was feeling like something decadent for breakfast in honor of the short work week.  That only means one thing: french toast.  My protein-filled toast tasted like a treat with the peanut flour sauce and strawberries.

Note: I order peanut flour from iHerb – use discount code USO924 for $5-10 off your order.

PB & J Topped French Toast

PB & J Topped French Toast

  • 1/4 C egg whites
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 4-5 drops liquid Stevia
  • 1 large slice of bread (I used p28 High Protein)
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 1 tsp sugar-free syrup
  • 1/8 tsp butter extract
  • Almond milk (adjust to desired consistency)
  • Strawberries and granola (to top)

 

Beat together first 5 ingredients in a shallow bowl.  Soak bread slice in the mix, flipping once to coat.

Cook in greased pan over med-high heat until browned.

Meanwhile, mix together peanut flour, syrup, butter extract, and almond milk.  I used 2 T almond milk; add it slowly and adjust to your desired consistency.

Plate toast and top with syrup, berries, and granola.

 

Lunch:

Things got busy and I missed my mid-morning snack so I had an early-ish lunch.  I packed up the chicken, tabbouleh, and celery sticks from my food prep, and added to that some hummus and a piece of Ezekial bread.

Chicken and tabbouleh

 

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

No need to eat boring food just because you’re sitting in an office.  This snack was incredible: salmon sashimi, lavar, edamame, and kabocha.

Totally normal work eats, no?

edamame, lavar, and salmon sashimi

 

Late-Afternoon Snack:

My schedule was thrown off and I had to busy out an emergency bar to power through my workout before dinner.

Note: I don’t actually like these.  It was a freebie. 

Detour neapolitan bar

 

Dinner:

I was going to eat the snapper from my food prep… but after I workout all I want is a smoothie bowl.  Eating solid food after a workout just doesn’t appeal to me.

My new staple is this Chocolate Beet variety.  Last night I wolfed it down with oats, fig, and a bar I made as part of meal prep (side note: I want to make some adjustments before I share – sorry!).  Extra spinach.

chocolate-beet protein shake

 

Dessert:

Smoothie bowls are like dessert to me, but that didn’t stop me from having a second dessert.  The post-Labor Day fall mood struck and I made a Sweet Potato Pie Protein Bowl as my midnight snack.  I’ve been adding coconut flour to everything lately – it makes everything deliciously cake-y.

With all the toppings I had to take a bite shot for you to even see the pie!

Pumpkin Pie Protein Bowl

Pumpkin Pie Protein Bowl

  •  1/2 C sweet potato, mashed
  • 1/2 C no-salt cottage cheese
  • 1 T coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • Liquid Stevia, to taste
  • Almond milk (adjust to desired thickness)
  • Optional toppings: popcorn, figs, cacao nibs, breakfast bar crumbles

 

Mix it all together and devour!

Note: you could blend it to smooth… I was too impatient. 😉

***

How awesome that it’s already Wednesday?! 

Do you have a hard time eating solids after a workout?

Do you ever eat something you don’t love just because it’s free?  I don’t know why I’m so compelled…

 

Work It Out: Chest and Biceps

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It’s wrong to play favorites.

You know you have one.

There are children foods you like more than others, and the same goes for workouts.  Try as I might to love leg day, my heart lies with Chest and Bicep day.

After last week’s Work It Out FAQ post, I received a lot of questions about what a typical week of workouts looks like for me.  I thought it would be an easy post to throw together until I realized I’d actually neglected my favorite Day!

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A typical week of workouts will come, but today’s Work It Out couldn’t be delayed – its high time I post my favorite workout.

And you all have to try it as a personal favor to me because I’m not allowed to do chest yet.

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Working out Chest and Biceps on the same day may seem odd to some of you.  The more traditional school of thought is to do Bis/Tris and Chest/Back.  I used to subscribe to that theory too.

The idea behind doing Chest/Bis together and Back/Tris together is that you use your Biceps as a secondary muscle for Back day, and Triceps as secondary on Chest day.  By splitting them up, you are about to get more out of each muscle group.  For example, if you do Chest with Tris, you will be fatigued before you should be on your Tri exercises because you used them while doing bench presses first.

People will argue any number of ways is “right.”  Bottom line: Don’t be afraid to experiment and figure out what YOU like best.

On to the fun part!  This is my favorite workout of all time.  I hope you like it too!

Chest and Biceps

Click the names for explanations:

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Check out my free Macro Calculator, which helps time your meals to get the most out of your workouts!

What is your favorite workout?

Which muscle groups do you like to work together?

Turkey & Ricotta Pasta Bake + WIAW

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I am a blogger and I am NOT a Trader Joe’s addict.

 

Please don’t pelt me with stones.

I realize that just last week I posted about chicken I like to get a TJ’s; however, I rarely buy anything else there.  Why?  I try to limit modified/packaged foods in my life (have you seen the sodium content in all those nifty frozen foods?!), and I don’t think they have the best produce.

Many of you have already seen this article warning about the GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in products from the store.  Trader Joe’s buys many of their products in bulk from suppliers.  This keeps the price down, but it means you don’t know who is making your food.  They won’t disclose that info because the companies they work with would rather not advertise that you can buy Product X cheaper at Trader Joe’s vs. the name brand from another grocer.  The article goes into more detail, but check out their list of items considered “safe” to buy and those to avoid (step away from the 2 buck chuck).

GMOs

 

Trader Joe’s isn’t the source of the problem – this is an issue with all major grocers.  They have a place, and I 100% get that sometimes you must have quick and easy food around.  No one is perfect.  Ain’t nobody got time for that!

All I am proposing is that you know the facts and can make an educated choice about the food you fuel with. 🙂

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This WIAW is my first one back on the competition diet.  I’m trying something new and amping up my carbs to gain more size.  What I’ve learned in the 3 days I’ve been on the plan is that it’s HARD to eat a ton of carbs.  Next week I’m just going to make a massive pot of grains and shovel it in.

WIAWbutton

Read on for my traveling food, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s delicious days.

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Breakfast:

My favorite addiction, my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and  Fitmixer Aminos) started my day out productively… if you know what I mean…

Pancakes have been on my mind lately.  I tried this odd combo a couple of weeks ago, failed, and set it aside.  This morning I felt inspired to try it again.  And it worked.

Strange But Good pancakes

The recipe?  Check back Friday – I’m saving this for #strangebutgood!!!

 

Mid-Morning Snack:

It is a fishy week for me.  Morning snack was cod I baked during my Sunday prep with Ethiopian spices.  To take to work, I shredded it up and tossed it with fresh red bell pepper.

Eaten with a side of hummus, Ezekial bread, and a rare purchase – Starbucks green tea.

Cod and red pepper

 

Lunch:

I love it when meals feel like treats.  Sea Bass is always like that for me.  I brought a piece for lunch today and ate it with an arugula (it was ridiculously fresh and flavorful at the market this week), cauliflower, and beet salad.  My yummy carbs were a tortilla and (unpictured) hummus.

Sea Bass and salad

 

Afternoon Snack:

This shirataki pasta bake was based on a favorite Vegan Ricotta Pasta Bake I’d forgotten about.  I took the idea and make it un-vegan. #sorryimnotsorry

I made it for dinner and then brought the leftovers to work.  It was a great reheated with a slice of Ezekial bread.

Pasta Bake

 

I followed the baking instructions in the link above, but sautéed the onion and garlic, adding the turkey to cook through before baking.  These were the ingredient modifications I used:

Turkey & Ricotta Pasta Bake

  • 1/4 C red onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 lb ground turkey, sautéed
  • 2 T fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1/2 tsp ground oregano
  • 1/2 C marinara sauce (I used low sodium)
  • 1/4 C fat-free ricotta
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 1 package Shirataki noodles (I used spinach Skinny Noodles, you could use regular pasta too)

 

I finished that off with a vegan Granola Cookie.  I was making them for the winner of last week’s bake sale… I had to have one for quality control purposes.  They are low sugar and vegan!  Practically a health food.

Granola Cookies

 

Dinner:

Dinner was eaten in the form of a hearty smoothie bowl post-workout.  I made my Carrot Cake Batter Protein Shake, but added a TON of spinach.  It IS easy being green. 😉

Smoothie bowl

 

The toppings were kabocha, peanut flour sauce, and a really cool new granola.  I was contacted by Klara who started a company called Mix My Own.

Mix My Own is a custom website that allows you design your own granola and I jumped at her offer to try it out.  I ordered 1 for me and one for my mom (who gave it a glowing review).

Mix My Own

In My “All Mine” Mix:

  • Gluten-Free Oats
  • Organic Millet
  • Organic Kamut puffs
  • Dried Pomegranate
  • Organic Coconut
  • Pecans
  • Organic Ground Cinnamon
  • Organic Cacao Nibs

 

You can choose from a 1 or 2 pound bag.  The one pound bag it huge – it has about 15 servings (1/2 C each). I had a blast creating my own custom combo.  Definitely worth checking out!

Disclosure: I was provided a coupon for a free trial.  As always, my opinions are all my own.

 

Dessert:

I made an kickin’ combo in effort to hit my carbs.  I was still low… but this was a tasty effort.  I made my Zucchini Bread Protein Batter, but added 1T of cocoa powder and eliminated the protein powder in favor of more cottage cheese.

That deliciousness was topped with 1/2 a baked brownie-flavored Quest bar (350 degrees for 10 mins), a dollop of TruWhip, and cherry on top.  Some days just deserve a cherry, ya know?

Chocolate Zucchini bowl with baked Quest bar

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It feels like it should be Friday… but it’s all good.

Do you try to avoid GMOs? 

What would be in your custom blend of granola?

 

Work It Out: FAQ

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Does anyone ever look at the Fitness tab?

(Look up.  There.  On the menu bar.)

Recently I’ve had a few questions that I’ve addressed at one point or another.  While I would loooove to think everyone has my Fitness page memorized (I don’t even know what’s there), I realize that’s a lot to look at.

Today for Work It Out I thought I’d highlight a few of the posts that answer some frequently asked questions, and some of my favorites.

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Click each title below to link to the detailed post…

1. The Ab Edition

So how do you get abs?  I hate to say it… it’s true what they say – abs are made in the kitchen.  This post has some specific diet tips to get your abs poppin’.

don't waste it with a bad diet

2. Top 5 Core Exercises

While abs ARE made in the kitchen, a strong core can make daily activities easier, reduces risk of injury, helps your posture, and protects your back.  This post has my top 5 favorite moves.

3. No Excuses NOT to Work It out

Think you don’t have time to workout?  Think again!  No one has time… you have to make time to workout.  This post includes ways around barriers, and a few workouts you can squeeze in quickly at home.

make time to workout

4. Tips for Improving Workout Focus

Eliminating wandering thoughts, gym distractions, and general rushing is important to getting the most out of your workout.  My tips for purposeful lifting.

5. Work It Out with Supplements

Supplements are an area of mystery for many people.  This post details the 5 supplements I take  to help keep up my energy, reach fitness goals (i.e. build muscle), and maintain a healthier lifestyle.

6. Healthy Eating on the Road

I travel a lot for my job.  This post is how I survived on the road 3 weeks out from my competition, eating 7 meals per day while navigating airport security, conference rooms, and clients.  It’s my Top 10 Survival Tips.

road survival

7. Attack of the Killer Sodium

This is a soap box for me.  Before I needed to start tracking my sodium pre-competition, I had NO idea how much sodium is added to foods – breads, protein powders… even spice blends!  A little education, and some idea for making your own spice blends for use on protein, veggies, and beans.

Attack of the killer sodium

8. Vegan Protein Sources

If you are new-ish to this blog, you may not know that I went vegetarian and then vegan for a hot minute.  It made me a lot more creative in the kitchen, and allowed me to answer the common question: “How do vegans get protein?”  (Click through for an awesome pin-able grocery guide.)

 

9. 15 Detox Foods

Many detox “diets” focus on elimination.  Rather cutting out foods, I decided to focus on what I needed to ADD to my diet to boost energy and help my body get back on track.  This post includes the foods I make sure to add to in when I need a reset.

Ultimate Detox Salad

10. The “No Shit” Diet

This is my favorite post ever.  My take on diet (hint: it’s about common sense), Diet 101, my weekly food buys (the most FAQ), flavors adds, and where I shop (you know you wan that peanut flour 😉 ).

No Shit Diet

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This is one of those posts where I wonder if anyone will read it… those always feel like a little leap of faith.  Seems to be a common theme lately…

Do you have a Fitness question/area of interest?  I need post ideas!

What is your #1 fitness tip?  It can be about food, workouts, motivation… anything!

Work It Out: Is Fruit Bad?

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Why do people become scared of certain foods?

 

Butter.  Carbs.  Egg yolks.  Milk.  Meat.

If you remember my No Shit Diet, you know I think these fads are… well, a load of shit. 😉

There are so many schools of thought, you really have to find something that works for you and your body.  Don’t be afraid to experiment.  Play with your food!  Create your own nutrition philosophy; one that makes you feel good.  And don’t ban foods for no reason.

Today’s Work It Out is about fruit.  One of the most asked questions I get about my figure competition prep is “why are you still eating fruit?!”

sprint2table-workitout

 

I’m still eating fruit because I like fruit.  Fruit is good for you.  Love your fruit.

Is fruit bad?  NO!  Fruit does have sugar.  This is why it often gets slammed by the fitness community.  Not all sugars are created equally!  Eating a piece of fruit is NOT the same as eating a bowl if ice cream.  Mmmm… ice cream...

This doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all.  It does have fructose, a type of sugar that cannot be directly utilized by the muscles.  The liver must convert fructose into glycogen (carbs).  When the liver glycogen levels are full fructose gets converted to fat and that helps to increase the size of the fat cells.  Which is why fruit gets a bad rap.

You can’t know when the liver is full, but you can be smarter about your fruit.

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1. Eat fruit in the morning

Because you’re fasting while you sleep, the liver burns all that glycogen.  When liver glycogen levels get low, your body begins breaking down muscle protein to convert amino acids into glucose for the brain.  All that means is that first thing in the morning your body is straight up burning muscle and you NEED to replenish some of that fructose.  At this point the fructose is used for good – restocking the liver glycogen levels and switching off the signal to burn muscle protein.

One of my favorites is this Blueberry-Basil Egg Bake.  Lots of protein a fruit to fuel your morning!

Blueberry-Basil Cottage Cheese Egg Bake

 

2. Fuel your workout with fruit

Eaten before a workout, the fructose helps to prevent muscle fatigue that usually comes on strong as muscle glycogen levels begin to fall.  Eaten after workout, fruit is used to replenish glycogen levels in your muscles and your liver.

 

3. Use fruit to your advantage

Fruits offer many health benefits beyond fuel.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Grapefruit – High in enzymes that burn fats and has high water, a combination that makes it a perfect food for increasing metabolism.  It also contains a dietary fiber called pectin, which is good for digestion.

Oranges – High in Vitamin C, oranges are a great pre- and post-workout snack because the vitamin C helps protect nitric oxide (NO) from being broken down by free radicals.

Apples – Polyphenols have been proven to increase strength and fat loss.

Cherries – Perfect for post-workout, as it reduces inflammation and enhances recovery (which is why I concocted this Cherry Ginger Protein Smoothie).

 

4. Know the GI score

The glycemic index (GI) ranks carbs based on their effect on blood sugar levels.  Those with a lower GI score, the more steadily its burned throughout the day giving you lasting energy.  Higher GI foods are more quickly transported to fat cells if you don’t burn them right away (these are the ones you may want to eat surrounding a workout).

Fruit GI Guide

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I’m happy to see cherries are low GI and good for recovery.  They are my favorite!

Have you ever gotten “scared” of a certain food?

What is your favorite fruit?

 

Work It Out: Booty Building

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When one door closes, another opens.

Or maybe another butts in?  Hee hee…

I’ve written multiple Work It Out posts about the booty.  My mission is to get one.  Last season I made some great progress, but there’s a lot of room to grow.  Since I am limited on my upper body, I’ve been really focusing on my butt.

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I knew I was in trouble when I told my trainer that my new additions made my arms look smaller and he replied “I bet they make your butt look smaller too.”

He was right.  Doh.

Squats

After speaking to Lisa (who competed in Bikini at the last show I did), I took her advice and put together my own booty building program.  I am now training glutes 3 times a week!  Before you tell me that’s too frequent, know that I’m still not able to go heavy so a 2-3 day cycle works. 😉

I shake things up each time, but this has been my favorite ass-kicking workout to date:

Booty Builder

Click the names for explanations:

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Thank you all SO much for all the birthday love yesterday.  It make the day that much more special.  ♥♥♥

How deep do you squat?  Try going ass-to-the-grass.  The soreness level of effectiveness is glorious.

What is your favorite booty-builder?

Work It Out: Fab Abs

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Just because I’m lying around on my back doesn’t mean YOU get to slack.

Seriously, can some one workout for me?

Today’s Work It Out is by one of the most bad-ass ladies I know – Shannon!  This woman is a corporate power house by day and a hard-core fitness instructor and general healthy living role model.  In short, my hero.

Check out her killer core workout (please do it for me!!!), and then her delicious-looking #strangebutgood salad!

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Fab Abs: Made in the Kitchen, Sculpted on the Mat

Hello, Sprint readers!  I love Laura’s blog as much as all of you, so I am pumped to bring a little Badass Fitness over here!

Laura’s figure competitions have got me thinking more seriously than ever about crossing that fitness feat off my bucket list, and I know her focus in training is often that six-pack she wants to show off to the judges.  She’s also a master of the eating necessary to compete.

So today’s post is all about making fabulous abs and powerful cores in the kitchen…and in the gym, Badass Fitness style!

Badass Fit

First, we work those bellies. Then we feed them – the HEALTHY way, with a Big-Ass Badass Lunch Bowl that veers into #StrangeButGood territory.

My bootcamps, core classes and personal workouts tend to be fast-paced and intense, making the most of every minute.  But hey, the good news is, they are done before you know it!  And the results rock.

This workout is an intense core routine, with ZERO traditional crunches, which are among the least effective ways to build true core strength and tone.  All you need is a mat, a timer, and a little mojo.  If you’re not sure about any of the moves, head over to my YouTube channel for demo videos.

FabAbs

Fab Abs Circuit

(click each for video demos)

**Repeat 1-2 more times! Abs on FIRE!**

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Now, let’s EAT!

I created this #StrangeButGood egg scramble with several items in my fridge, plus a ripe plantain that begged to be eaten and a Calabaza squash gifted to me by a bootcamp student (they know how to steal my heart, and candy need not apply!). 

I had no idea if this would taste good, but I went for it anyway. It turned out Amaze-Balls, so try it for yourself!

egg scramble

#StrangeButGood Sweet Savory Plantain-Calabaza Egg Scramble

  • ½ ripe plantain, sautéed in 1 Tbsp coconut oil and 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup of cubed Calabaza (or buttercup, kabocha, acorn, etc.) squash, roasted until tender with 1 Tbsp. coconut oil, cinnamon, sea salt
  • 2 cups collard greens, sautéed with minced garlic, ½ of a diced onion, 1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
  • 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • ½ onion, diced
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • 1 Tbsp. almond butter
  1. Saute the plantains, set aside.
  2. Ditto the collard greens.
  3. If you haven’t yet, roast the squash with the cinnamon, coconut oil and sea salt at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and tender. Mash the squash a bit and set aside.
  4. Heat the tablespoon of coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and shredded carrots, sautéing until onions are translucent. Add in the eggs and scramble.
  5. While the eggs are still runny, add in collards, plantains, and squash and keep scrambling it all together until eggs are cooked through.
  6. Top with the almond butter and mix it in, then EAT as you savor the #StrangeButGood!

***

I wish Shannon could come whip me back into shape in a few weeks… 🙂

What is your favorite core move?

What’s the strangest recovery bowl you’ve ever made?

The “No Shit” Diet

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But what do I eat?!

The eternal question.

I get this question almost daily.  Today’s Work It Out addresses the questions.  I won’t share my exact diet.  I’m still learning what is best for me, and – like I ALWAYS say – diet is personal.  Paleo, vegan, vegetarian, “intuitive” eating, carb-heavy, protein whores (guilty)… the list goes on forever.

What I WILL share are some of my staples for keeping (mostly) healthy.

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There is a lot of talk about special diets.  I don’t buy into any of them for one reason – I think diet is about common sense.  It’s a lifestyle.  A diet, as we most often refer to it, is a finite thing usually aimed at weight loss or some quick fix.  I was just on a pretty strict competition diet.  That is NOT sustainable.  Your life-diet should be balanced and include a variety of foods.  No shit, right?

 

Therefore, I’m starting a new movement:

No Shit Diet

 

Diet 101

  • Eat 5-6 meals per day – every 2-3 hours, with the last meal being fairly close to bed time (your body needs to fuel to heal overnight)
  • Don’t be afraid of carbs or fruit – they provide valuable nutrients.  Everything in moderation!
  • Eat your veggies!  They fill you up without adding ton of calories or fat, and are vitamin and nutrient rich
  • Avoid large amounts of processed foods, sugar, and sodium.  In excess, they are bad for your health and you just won’t feel good the next day
  • If you want a “cheat” or “treat,” HAVE IT.  Just don’t have it all day, every day.  I like wine and dessert, so I have both

 

Weekly Buys

  • Veggies – asparagus, broccoli, broccoli slaw, brussels, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, dark leafy greens (like spinach and kale), mushrooms, onions, parsnips, red peppers
  • Fruits – apples, bananas (no more than 1x day), berries of any kind, cherries, grapefruit, pineapple, watermelon
  • Complex Carbs – barley, beans, Ezekiel bread, oatmeal, millet, multi-grain cereal (watch the sugar and sodium), sweet potato, quinoa, wild or brown rice, winter squash
  • Protein – bison, chicken, eggs (yolks in moderation), lean beef, salmon, tempeh, tofu, turkey, TVP, white fish (I love cod, sea bass, swordfish, tilapia, and trout)
  • Fats – avocados, chia seeds, coconut (oil and whole), flax, nuts/nut butters (almonds and walnuts are the best), olive oil, seeds (pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower)
  • Dairy – almond milk (unsweetened), cottage cheese (no salt added), plain non-fat greek yogurt
Cheese-less Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Cheese-less Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Flavor Adds

  • Extracts – almond, butter, butterscotch, coconut, coffee, maple, peppermint, vanilla
  • Spices – black pepper, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, cocoa powder, coriander, cumin, curry powder, garam masala, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, red pepper flakes
  • Acids – apple cider vinegar, lemon, lime, rice vinegar, white balsamic
  • Herbs – basil, cilantro, dill, mint, rosemary, sage, thyme
  • Sauces/Toppings – BBQ sauce,hot sauce (I love Cholula and Sriracha), hummus, mustard, salsa, tomato sauce (note: make your own when possible – read the labels and you’ll be shocked at the sodium and sugars added!)
BBQ Tempeh

Healthy BBQ Sauce on Tempeh

Stuff Most People Think is Foreign

  • Liquid Smoke (the Colgin brand I buy is all-natural and vegan)
  • Nutritional Yeast (high in B-12 and protein, has a cheesy/nutty flavor)
  • Peanut Flour (defatted peanuts; I like this better than PB2 because it has no added sodium or sugar.  I order mine here; use discount code USO924 for $5-10 off)
  • Stevia (the NuNatruals vanilla and chocolate liquid drops are my favorite)
Blueberry Protein Tart

Blueberry Protein Tart (with peanut flour cream)

Shopping

Most of my shopping is done at to following places:

  • The local farmer’s market,
  • Whole Foods
  • Fresh Market
  • Publix (big box grocer)
  • iHerb.com (use discount code USO924 for $5-10 off)
  • Tip: ask your grocer if they can order items for you – Whole Foods is especially good about this!

PLEASE do not take the this as the be-all, end-all list of foods to eat.  This is a sampling of my staples.  I eat a massive variety of food – it helps me not get bored, which make it easier to keep it clean.  I definitely indulge as well.  Like tonight – I know I’m going to have an awesome dinner out.  Rather than worry about salty, fatty, yummy food, I make more of an effort to keep it clean throughout the day today!

 

This is life, not heaven.  You don’t have to be perfect.  Live life, eat good food, and share it with those you love.

***

I don’t mean to poo-poo people’s belief systems.  In the name of balance, next week there will be a guest post from Calee with a different perspective.  I don’t say vegan, for example, as a bad thing.  If it’s tied to a belief or you know that’s the way your body functions, more power to you!  What I am against are people jumping of whatever is popular at the moment in hopes of finding the magic fountain for youth and weight-loss.  There is no magic, y’all.  

What is the craziest diet you’ve ever tried?  In college I ate nothing but grapefruit.  It lasted 2 days.

Have you found a lifestyle that works for you?

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