My Morning Cocktail + WIAW

January 9, 2013 By Laura

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.

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!

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.

Meal 7:

Low carb is hard. ~~My low carb diet is high in carbs.~~ I’m trying… it’s a lot of error. Who knew so many veggies were carb-loaded? Ugh.

All of this to say that by meal 7 I’d had more carbs that I targeted. Solution? Low-carb protein creation.

It wasn’t awesome. So I topped it with goji berries, sugar-free marshmallow creme, and cacao nibs. And still… it wasn’t awesome. #fail

***

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!

Work It Out: The Ab Edition

January 7, 2013 By Laura

The million dollar question.

What is the meaning of life?

The question I get almost daily now is about gaining and/or abs. How do I gain without getting a tummy? How do I get better abs?

I don’t do core work other than leg raises in the captain’s chair and crunches. I don’t do cardio beyond walking (my trainer won’t let me while I try to gain). I focus on weights and lifting heavy. It sounds crazy, but my abs are sore following a leg day – barbell squats work your whole body!

Without millions of sit ups, here’s what my abs looked like for my first competition in October (I’m on the far right):

Please know that “normal” people don’t walk around with fitness model abs 365 days a year. In the pic above I certainly didn’t have a ripped 6 pack, and I’d been working hard. Fitness models and competitors are relentless, but there is a lot of diet/water manipulation (not to mention the occasional photoshopping) that goes into it. Don’t put those expectations on yourself!

If you are trying to gain, the extra food will probably go to your stomach at first. It has to go somewhere before it re-distributes! As long as you aren’t filling it with junk, your body will figure out where to put it. ~~I tell myself this every day.~~

So how do you get abs? I hate to say it… it’s true what they say – abs are made in the kitchen. I wrote a brief post about this when I did my Kitchen Workout. Based on the questions I got and my personal goals, I wanted to get a little more specific in this post.

The secret is what you put in your mouth.

~~That’s what she said.~~

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Fat vs. Carbs

I get asked a lot about the proper balance of fat and carbs. This really depends on your body type. Some people do better with more carbs, others more fat, and still others with a balance. Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works for you. You’ll be able to tell in a week or so.

I’m actually experimenting this week with a higher fat diet. We’ll see how it goes…

Carbohydrates

Switch your simple (refined) carbs with complex carbs. Simple carbs are quick to digest and are converted to blood glucose. Glucose in your bloodstream increases after consuming a high-carb meal. Excess glucose accumulates as body fat, resulting in weight gain. If you continually create excess glucose, you create a nasty cycle. As the level of glucose in your blood falls below “normal,” you become hungry, which results in consuming even more carbs. Read more about complex carbs here.

Try eating oatmeal for breakfast rather than toast. Make it interesting – try Zucchini Bread Oats, Strawberries and Cream, or try a Strange But Good take on oatmeal that uses TVP as the base: Pumpkin TVP Oatmeal.

Rather than croutons or a roll with your salad, top it with black beans, white beans, or chickpeas. My favorite topper is Spiced Roasted Chickpeas – crouton crunch without the salt, butter, or white carbs.

Replace pasta with quinoa or lentils. I never cared for lentils until I discovered fun ways to flavor them, like in these Lentil “Meat” Balls served over spaghetti squash (another great carb replacer).

Sugar

Limit your sugar intake. You would be surprised how it sneaks its way into nearly everything. Sugar is fat-free; however, if you eat a high sugar diet your body will convert the excess into fatty acids (fat). This fat is stored wherever you tend to store adipose fat cells… for many of us, this is the stomach, hips, butt, and boobs/moobs.

Avoid candy, sodas, “fancy” coffees, juice, and baked goods. You probably knew that. Are a few not-so-obvious items to watch: cereals, breads, canned sauces and soups, flavored yogurt, protein powders, and fruit. That’s right – I said fruit. It’s good for you in moderation (we all need some sugar for energy), but you shouldn’t be eating 10 servings a day. When you eat your fruits, try to have it earlier in the day or surrounding a workout.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with something else…. like my (almost) nightly treat: the 150 Calorie Microwave Cake.

Sodium

Ditch salt. Stop salting your food. Unless you want to be bloated. There are so many other ways to add flavor!

Frozen foods are huge culprits. Even the “healthy” brands are loaded with sodium. Also check the sodium in canned soups, pastas, breads (some have more sodium than chips), pretzels and rice cakes, sauces, and cottage cheese (it took some searching, but I did find a no-salt added option). Check out this post for more info and alternative seasoning ideas.

Diet Foods

“Fat-free” or “low-calorie” items often means “this has a ton of ingredients you can’t pronounce.” Avoid packaged diet foods. They are often worse than their “regular” counterparts because – in order to add flavor – they have more sodium and/or sugar. Not to mention the additives.

Additional Thoughts

Listen to your mother. Eat your vegetables. They are low-calorie and nutrient-rich. If you are a volume eater (I am!), veggies are a lifesaver. Try to have 1-2 servings at every meal. Prepare them with herbs, vinegar, and/or olive oil. If you are coating you veggies in dressing, cheese, and salty sauces it kind of defeats the purpose. Click here for tips on adding veggies to you diet.
Always make sure to get enough protein! 20g after you exercise will help build muscle and allow your body to recover. If you are an athlete, have at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Some people will balk at this… but if you want to build muscle, trust me on the protein.
Drink water (at least half your body weight in ounces). Dehydration slows down the fat-burning process. Drinking more water can also help reduce muscle and joint soreness when exercising. And we all know this one: drinking water with a meal may make you feel full sooner and help you not over-eat (or drink other beverages).
Make the way you eat part of your lifestyle, not a diet. Diets crash. A lifestyle is a shift in thinking. Find something that works for you, that you like, and go for it.

**Disclaimer: I have NO formal training. This is just what I’ve learned/experienced. I don’t walk around with a 6 pack – it’s bulking time! Don’t sue me. The End.**

***

Something else I didn’t realize… not only is my next competition just 11 weeks away, but I am also doing an 8 hour adventure race in less than 2 weeks. Eek.

Do you have a “flat ab” secret?

Do you consider the way you eat part of your lifestyle? How did you get to that point?

Pear-Ginger Tofu Surprise

January 7, 2013 By Laura

People always joke about the lunch lady and her “surprise” specialties.

Surprise and tuna should never be in the same sentence.

Dishes with unidentifiable ingredients can be a scary thing. We all fear the unknown. Rest assured, this is one surprise bowl you need not fear.

The first surprise is the ingredient in Heather’s Meatless Monday round-up this week – Spinach. My favorite!

Spinach may be the most versatile veggie in the land. I like it in salads, sautés, sauces, soups… apparently anything that starts with an S… I especially like it in smoothies. It’s the perfect way to sneak extra veggies in you diet and to make your drinks a very pretty color.

Today’s Pear-Ginger Tofu Surprise Smoothie is the thickest, creamiest smoothie you’ll ever have. Guaranteed. The tofu and avocado together make this reminiscent of a soft-serve treat. The pear and ginger flavors are a fun, refreshing combination… and you’d never detect the green surprises if it weren’t for the color.

Strange. But good.

The strange but goodness doesn’t end with the surprise ingredients. How I stored the ingredients is also a thing of curiosity.

Do you ever eat half an avocado and wonder what to do with the rest? No matter what I do, they don’t store well. So I freeze them. Remove the skin and toss it in a baggie for safe keeping in the freezer. I toss the frozen chunks into smoothies for the added creaminess and healthy fats.

Warning: You can thaw it for use in a dip, but it won’t be the same if you try to eat it in slices.

Same goes for the pear. I had a massive pear and only wanted half. The other half went into my freezer, and was used in this smoothie. Awesome, right? We all knew this worked with bananas. Don’t be afraid to try it with everything! I’ve done oranges, cherries, berries, mango, peaches… beans….

Pear-Ginger Tofu Surprise Smoothie

3 oz tofu
1 C fresh spinach
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Sun Warrior)
1/2 large pear
1/4 avocado
1/4 in piece fresh ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 small slice fresh lemon
5-6 drops liquid stevia
Water + ice, to taste
Optional toppings: oats, muesli, cinnamon, etc.

Throw everything into a high-speed blender and mix until smooth.

Add toppings of your choosing and enjoy!

Serves 1.

***

Week 1 of Junk-Free January was amazing. It sounds funny, but I almost forgot how good it feels to eat clean. Energy is awesome! 11 weeks until my next competition and I am PUMPED!

Do you freeze your leftover produce?

Are you detoxed from the holiday yet? Or are you one of those “good” people with self-control? 😉

Strange But Good Beginnings

January 4, 2013 By Laura

2013 began strangely.

That’s a good thing in my book.

First of all, I woke up in a bed that wasn’t my own. ~~No… it wasn’t because I had a lucky start to the year.~~ I stayed with a friend avoid having to drive with all the drunks on the road. ~~And I’d had more than 2 myself.~~

The good part was that a) my friend’s bed was like sleeping on a marshmallow and b) she sent me home with black-eyed peas and collard greens. In the South people say that you should start the year with black-eyed peas for luck and collards for wealth.

The 2nd day of the year I had a strange and not-so-good surprise. This is what happens when you forget about a spaghetti squash for a few months:

The seeds sprouted. I debated cooking it anyway, but was too creeped out. Into the garbage it went. Fail.

It turned out to be a good thing because I baked a sweet potato instead… and that ‘tater made for a strange but absolutely delicious lunch.

A little sweet, a little spicy and fantastically creamy. The traditional mayo-based version of chicken salad will never be satisfactory again.

2 meals later I made it with pumpkin puree and curry. Also strange, but still good.

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Sweet Potato Chicken Salad

4 oz shredded chicken
1/4 C mashed sweet potato
2-3 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 diced cucumber
1 T red onion, chopped
Fresh dill, to taste

Place shredded chicken in a bowl. Set aside.

In another small bowl, combine sweet potato, milk, lime juice, and spices.

Add sweet potato mixture to chicken and stir to combine. Add veggies and mix until incorporated.

Serves 1.

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Before we get to the link up… I know you want a winner! The $100 h.h. gregg gift card giveaway winner is…

Congratulations, Kate @ Kit Kat Kate!

Send me an email with your address and I’ll get the card out to you ASAP.

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Now for the link up! The rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above.

In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instragrams of your creations. 🙂

***

Junk-Free January is off to a good start! I navigated dinner at a restaurant with my family Wednesday night by ordering a delicious grilled trout (without butter or salt) and steamed cabbage (topped with sriracha). They all enjoyed drinks, but rather than feeling left out (I can’t stand not to try new things) I tried a sip and then enjoyed my water.

Have you ever heard of the black-eyed pea and collard tradition?

Would you have eaten that squash?

Turkey Beer Chili

January 3, 2013 By Laura

No drinking in Junk-Free January.

Booze cooks out, so I’m calling the recipe “in bounds.”

With the holidays over, you may have some extra beers lying around your house. Don’t let them go to waste! Even if you don’t drink beer, it’s a good idea to keep them on hand.

Beer can act as a tenderizer, adds lightness to batters (think: beer bread), and leaves behind a light hop/barley flavor in stews. I used a pilsner in this chili recipe, but a lager would work well too.

Chili is meant to be hearty, not soup-y (in my not-so-humble opinion). Mine is a beast of a bowl. Between the turkey and the beans (the more you eat ’em, the more you…), it’s nearly thick enough to eat with a fork.

Depending on your preference, ground chicken or crumbled tempeh would also work well here.

I like the smokiness of a Tex-Mex-style chili, so I added some liquid smoke and used fire-roasted tomatoes. If you don’t have smoke you can simply leave it out, or add smoked paprika in place of some of the ancho chili powder.

Mexican food is one of my favorites, so I made sure to add in jalapeno and cumin. The heat is pleasant – not overwhelming – and just what the doctor ordered in the suddenly arctic weather we are having in Atlanta. Seriously… what happened to our Southern California-like weather?

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Turkey Beer Chili

1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp avocado oil (can use olive)
1/2 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 T ancho chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3 celery stalks, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
10-15 drops liquid smoke
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted, low sodium)
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained
1/2 C pilsner beer
1/2 C low sodium veggie broth
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Fresh chives and Greek yogurt, to top

Heat a large pot over med-high heat. Spray with olive oil or cooking spray and place turkey in pot. Stir the turkey and cook until no pink remains (~ 5 mins).

Add the olive oil and the onion to the pot. Cook over medium heat until softened (~5 mins). Add the garlic and jalapeno, cooking until fragrant (~2-3 mins). Add spices and stir to combine.

Add the carrot, pepper, tomato puree, beans, liquid smoke, and beer. Stir and bring to a boil. Mix in broth and vinegar, then cover. Allow to simmer and thicken over low heat for 30-45 mins. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve, garnished with chives and Greek yogurt.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: To make gluten-free, replace beer with more broth or GF beer. To make vegan, use tempeh in place of turkey.

Approximate Nutritionals: 316 calories, 8.7g fat, 57.1mg sodium, 26.9g carbs, 7.2g fiber, 5.5g sugar, 30.9g protein

***

2 reminders: the h.h. gregg $100 gift card giveaway ends at midnight (click here to enter), and don’t forget to link up your Strange But Good creations tomorrow (click here for logo and details).

What is your favorite style of chili?

Have you fully recovered from the holidays? I’m still spinning a bit.

2012’s Popularity Contest + WIAW

January 2, 2013 By Laura

2012 was a great year for discoveries.

I can’t believe I survived without some of these things before.

I feel like I’ve gotten to know so many inspiring people (like YOU). Becoming a member of the FitFluential community has been a huge game changer. The members of that community are constant sources of motivation and positive energy. I’ve discovered new blog, learned a lot, and been able to learn about new products (shameless plug: perfect example is my Polar HRM from h.h. gregg – check out the review/giveaway here).

Another amazing discovery was Instagram. It’s unbelievable how much it’s changed the way we interact. I love that when I can’t decide what to eat, I can just scroll through my feed. It has been a fun way to have conversations with people throughout the day! It’s basically Twitter with pictures and open comment threads! I also love seeing recipes people are interesting in. I forget that just because I make a certain snack every week doesn’t mean everyone else does!

I also have to give a holla to my morning cocktail. Apple Cider vinegar became an addiction in 2012. I drink it every morning with my Fitmixer Aminos (fruit punch flavor). It is delicious and has totally replaced my need for coffee in the morning. Love. It.

One last love. Peanut flour. I cannot imagine my life without it. I use it in savory sauces, smoothies, PB & Jegg-like creations, Elvis French Toast… to quote the Texas Pete lady: “I put that shit on everything.” You can order it online through iHerb.com. Use code USO924 to get $5 off your order!

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This popularity contest is my first WIAW post of 2013… What I Ate in 2012! Below are the Top 10 Sprint 2 the Table posts of 2012 (based on page views). Click on titles to link to the recipe.

Check out the Top 10 below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how other started out their 2013.

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Most Poplar Recipes of 2012

1. Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

These take the prize for my favorite veggie sneak. If you tasted these, you would have NO idea they have zucchini. OR that they are basically sugar-free.

2. Banana Creme Brownie Parfait

What’s better than brownies? Brownies with (healthy) icing.

3. Raspberry Baked Oatmeal To-Go

Seeing this recipe pop up in the top 10 made me realize I’ve been making new versions and not sharing. I’ve share a new twist on this soon! I always have a few in the freezer for quick breakfast or snack.

4. Peanut Butter & Jeggs

I would like to vote this my favorite invention – and worst pic – of 2012!

5. 150 Calorie Chocolate Protein Cake

I’m actually eating one as I draft this post. This cake is my most repeated dish of 2012!

6. Vegan Goat Cheese Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

I made these for a French-themed book club while I was eating vegan. The meat-eating crowd ate them with no problems!

7. Chewy Granola Cookies

Otherwise known as “the ones that mom likes.” She requests them. 🙂

8. Sprouting Chickpeas

It shocked me to learn how easy sprouting is!

9. PB & Aggs (Peanut Butter and Apple-Eggs) and Carrot Cake Protein Batter

I don’t know which of these made this post popular… but I eat both ~~almost~~ weekly.

10. Basic Protein Shake Recipe and Protein Powder Review

This is one of my favorites because it’s the post where I announced I was training for my first figure competition!

***

I’m so excited to start Junk-Free January! My sister came over for dinner last night, and we enjoyed a tasty kombucha cocktail over out collards and black-eyed peas.

What was your favorite recipe last year?

Did you have any group/social platform discoveries on 2012?

Mediterranean Salmon Burger

December 20, 2012 By Laura

Holidays in my family aren’t always traditional.

My family isn’t exactly normal…

We don’t have a set “meal” every year. Each of us enjoys food and trying new things, so we take the opportunity to get creative in the kitchen while we’re all in one place.

Last year we had a Taiwanese dinner. I made this Sweet Potato and Toasted Marshmallow Cake and Hot Buttered Rum.

The year before we had spaghetti and meatballs.

I also made this Gingerbread Martini:

This year… I have no idea what we’re doing. All I know is that I’m infusing bourbon with cranberries and cinnamon for a funky take on a Manhattan.

My point? I don’t have one other than to justify the fact that less than a week until Christmas and I’m about to share a recipe for Salmon Burgers. Not a traditional holiday food… but I decorated them in holiday colors!

When I made these Lemon-Thyme Zucchini Salmon Cakes, I discovered that it’s hard (impossible?) to find canned salmon that is de-boned AND has no salt added. I made a mental note to attempt making salmon patties with fresh salmon. I promptly lost that mental note.

Months later, I finally remembered to try it out.

Lemon, rosemary, and dill were made for each other. Particularly when paired with seafood. We all know how well citrus and salmon compliment each other, but that extra herb-y punch takes this from hot bar to restaurant-worthy.

Not that there’s anything wrong with the hot bar – I adore it – but you know what I mean.

These were the perfect thing to thrown together and have for lunch during the week. If you prep your food at the beginning to the week, you already have cooked salmon and can whip this up in no-time mid-week. If not, add 10 mins to the cook time so you can broil the salmon first.

To make it festive, top them with pomegranate arils and edamame tossed in a quick nooch sauce (nutritional yeast mixed with vinegar and/or water). This may sound like a strange topping… but it was good!!!

Speaking of Strange But Good… Don’t forget to link up tomorrow! It’s the second week of the new link up here. thanks to everyone who participated last week! I’m continually inspired by you all!!!

Click here for the details, and grab the graphic below to share in your Strange But Good post tomorrow.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instragrams of your creations. 🙂

Mediterranean Salmon Burger

1/2 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 pound fresh salmon filet, cooked
2 T chopped dill
2 T chopped rosemary
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika

Heat the olive oil in a small pan and sauté shallots until soft. Add garlic and continue cooking until fragrant.

Add salmon to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in dill, rosemary, lemon juice, pepper, paprika, garlic, and shallots.

Shape into 4 patties. Place on a medium hot pan and cook until outside are browned (~3 mins each side).

Makes 4 burgers.

***

I spent all last night baking… one item in particular I can’t WAIT to share for #strangebutgood tomorrow!

Does your family cook together for the holidays?

Do you like to do a traditional Christmas dinner and/or brunch? What do you have?

Attacking a Cold + WIAW

December 19, 2012 By Laura

I will not get sick. I will not get sick. I will not get sick.

Clicking my heels together 3 times…

I woke up Tuesday with a scratchy throat and stuffy nose. I spent all day feeling like I was about to cough… you know, that tickle in the back of your throat?

Time to attack. My solution (I hope):

Juice Plus – These are my ‘vitamins.” It’s awesome because the pills are made from fresh fruits and veggies. They juice them and then dry it into a powder, so you’re really getting a whole food-based pill vs. a vitamin (no, they don’t give me kickbacks… but they should!)
Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) – You guys know I love this stuff. In addition energy and digestive benefits, it is alkalizing. this is important because when you’re sick your PH balance is off
Water – LOTS of water helps flush out the germs
Luden’s Wild Cherry Throat Drops – I’m pretty sure these don’t do anything… but they taste good and have a comforting factor since my mom used to keep them on hand when we were kids #sorryimnotsorry
Zinc – Some studies have found that Zinc reduce the length and severity of a cold… some found that it does nothing. I’m covering all my bases
Vitamin C – Also questionable, but it potentially can shorten the length of a cold. Again, covering my bases
Bourbon – KIDDING. I’m not drinking away my symptoms… but I have a friend whose grandmother says to take a tablespoon of bourbon and a tablespoon of honey every hour until you feel better or pass out. In reality, I’m infusing this bourbon for a special Christmas cocktail… TBA

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Today I don’t necessarily have holiday recipes to share… but I have ~~recipes~~ creations! I’m exercising my Kitchen Workout (have you joined?), especially now that I’m feeling the ick. Lots of clean eats to heal and ward off sick germs. During cold and flu season, I think this still fits with Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesday theme this month:

Below is my day of healing eats. Check it out, and then be sure to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons and see what everyone else is cooking up the week before the fat man come creeping down your chimney!

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Meal 1:

This was my first ACV of the day: my morning cocktail (mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

For breakfast I was inspired to repeat the cauliflower “grits” I shared Monday. Carol suggested I add nutritional yeast to make cheese grits! I followed the same recipe, but added a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and some cayenne (to help clear out my nose).

Served with a toasted P28 protein bagel and a runny egg, cooked in a bit of truffle oil.

Meal 2:

Goji berries have tons of antioxidants I re-hydrated some to plop into a bowl of cottage cheese (yes, I am aware that diary isn’t good for congestion, but it’s what I wanted… and it’s about to expire). With all the add-ins this tasted like a bowl of pie!

Goji Cottage Cheese Pie

1/2 C no-salt cottage cheese
1 T vanilla protein powder
1 T goji berries (re-hydrated in water)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 drops english toffee flavor concentrate
3-4 drops vanilla stevia
Blob of Sunbutter

Mix together in a small bowl, adding milk/water as needed.

Meal 3:

The worst part about feeling under the weather is not wanting to eat. I LOVE to eat. Just not right now.

But I forged on. I used to love making pizza crust out of Kamut flour, and decided that would be a nice comfort food. Until I ruined the crust by letting it stick in the pan. Kamut toasts it is!

Served with a warm salad. The dressing was a mix of ACV (heal me, vinegar!) and red pepper hummus. My toppings were swordfish and sautéed red peppers, baby bellas, and onion. I very lightly sautéed my spinach at the end.

Did you know that cooked spinach increases absorption of its calcium and iron?

Meal 4:

If you follow me on Instagram, you saw I got a little package in the mail after arriving home from the gym:

My Bulu Box this month contained C-Spray!!! Perfect timing. I don’t know if it works yet, but it was pretty tasty.

After my spray, I made a random post-workout meal. Tuna burger from Whole Foods with sriracha, cucumber with fresh ground pepper, and a sweet potato topped with peanut butter.

I always eat the skin of my sweet potatoes for the fiber. Plus I like it. Is that odd? I thought everyone did until someone at work commented… Is this a Strange But Good?

Meal 5:

I wanted black bean soup. I wanted cabbage. I wanted brussels sprouts. I had no patience. This could only end in a stir fry. It was a hodge podge… and it was pretty tasty!

Mexican Trash-Fry

Brussels, chopped
Red Cabbage, rough chopped
Shallots, diced
Garlic, minced
Tempeh
Black beans, no salt added
Apple Cider Vinegar
Cumin
Cayenne
Coriander
Cilantro

Start sauteing the brussels first, as they will take the longest. I didn’t measure, I just tasted and added. It’s be best kind of cooking.

Meal 6:

More C-Spray, followed by eggs. PB & Ceggs, topped with muesli. Except I didn’t make them vegan – I used real eggs. and I used caramel extract rather than maple. Yum.

Meal 7:

I managed to take a break from the 150 Calorie Chocolate Microwave Protein Cake. I had to finish that cottage cheese!

It was a random mix, but one of my favorites:

Cottage cheese
Cocoa powder
Chocolate protein powder (1/2 scoop)
Cinnamon
Cherries (melted in the microwave)
Cake of rice

Brought to you by the letter “C.”

And yes, I ate out of the same bowl 3x today. Anything to avoid dishes.

***

The protein count for the day: 165.0g. A little low, but I’ll get it back tomorrow when all my “cures” work.

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

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Meal 3:

Meal 4:

Meal 5:

Meal 6:

Meal 7:

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Mexican Trash-Fry

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Meal 7:

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