Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

What I Ate in Ohio

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Road food can be scary.

 

Opossum, McDonald’s, gas station dinners…

If you do frequent gas stations for dinner on the road, you might be excited by this news… Lay’s is testing some new flavors: Chicken & Waffles, Cheesy Garlic Bread, and Sriracha.

Lay's Chicken & Waffles

Apparently you’ll be able to find all 3 flavors in the next week or so.  Lay’s is then offering customers a chance to vote for their favorite in May.  The flavor with the most votes stays, the other 2 are voted off the island discontinued.

I don’t even need to taste them.  I vote for Sriracha.  It could be Strange But Good… or it could be nasty.

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I assure you, I avoided Lay’s on my business trip.  Remember last WIAW when I was packing all my food to-go?  This week we left earlier, so you get to see all that food in action.  I’ve been whipping out my prepared meals (and iPhone camera) with pride!  Ohio doesn’t know what to think of me.

Check out this post for a super-detailed explanation and tips for traveling with healthy foods!

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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:

My hotel stay hasn’t stopped me from my morning cocktail.  I have had to change the mix a bit – liquids are the one thing I can’t pack with me, so rather than using apple cider vinegar in the mix I asked the hotel to give me a lemon to add.  I juiced half the lemon to mix with my water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos in a recycled Fiji bottle.

One gripe: the hotel actually CHARGED me for the lemon.  Thank you, Cambria Suites.

FitMixer ACV Morning Cocktail

 

I’ve been rocking my Caffeinated Protein Oatmeal.  The hotel has been giving me cinnamon to add, which I love.  I also grab a side of fruit – today was pineapple and honeydew.

Caffinated Protein Oatmeal

This morning’s oats consisted of :

  • Oatmeal (pre-made at the continental breakfast bar)
  • Vanilla protein powder
  • Cinnamon
  • Coffee
  • Bacon (just a little crumbled on top. 🙂 )

 

Meal 2:

I am loving my no-salt turkey deli meat.  It’s a great option to pack up and take anywhere.  It’s also not too heavy, making it a tasty snack at 10:30am.  Enjoyed with pumpkin seeds and an apple.  There was also a lot of coffee and water involved.

 

Meal 3:

Lunch was two parts.  Our client was having a Fat Tuesday lunch and invited us to join the potluck.  I took small bites of the best stuff… including a littttttle bit crock pot lava cake (OMG it was fabulous).  Added to my plate was a turkey burger I brought from home.

 

Then I hit the cafeteria salad bar:

 

Meal 4:

I have really been loving the Balsamic Grilled Chicken from Trader Joe’s.  It only has 65g of sodium and it isn’t dry in the least.  I cut it into strips for easy-eating in conference rooms.  Eaten with carrot sticks, also pre-cut and brought from home.

 

There was a mid-afternoon sweet tooth satisfier: Extra’s Lemon Square dessert gum.  I’m so glad I finally found this flavor.  It’s 2nd only to the Apple Pie!

Extra Lemon Squares dessert gum

Meal 5:

My co-worker and I hit the gym before dinner last night.  This was a treat because we’ve been going after… not ideal to lift on a full tummy.

The downside was that we were starving by the time we finished and settled for dinner in the hotel.  We both ordered the salmon over green chili grits and a side of steamed spinach and mushrooms.  It wasn’t bad… but quite salty!

Hotel salmon

 

Meal 6:

I was actually hungry but not for this.  I miss eggs.  The powdered eggs on the breakfast bar don’t cut it.  Whatever.  I ate a turkey burger and pretended it was topped with a runny egg.  The zucchini and cauliflower with it were really good.  Cauliflower is a new road-snack for me.  It holds up well!

Here’s what to do when you don’t have a plate: cut up the burger and microwave it in a hotel glass.  Then stack your veggies on top so you can get it all in one picture. 

 

Meal 7:

Another yogurt creation!  I looked forward to My Strawberry-Cinnamon Fro-Yo all day.

This was a single serving plain Greek yogurt and mixed with mashed strawberries, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract, and a couple of stevia drops.  Then I froze it at home to take with me, and then turned the hotel fridge to the max to keep it pretty frozen here.  Two days later, this was the perfect texture – half-frozen like fro-yo!

Strawberry Cinnamon Fro Yo

***

The protein count for the day: 163.1g.  One more day and I’m hoooooome!

Which Lay’s flavor would you try?  Any?

Have you tried the Dessert gum yet?  I resisted at first, but have declared it Strange But Good.

 

Healthy Travel Food + WIAW

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I am traveling for work this week.

Ohio

In the cold.  So very, very cold…

Finding healthy food option is one thing if I’m headed to a bigger city, but when I head to smaller towns I know I have to PLAN.  With less than 2 months until my next competition, I’m not “wasting” cheat days on crappy travel food.  I mean, did you see this post?  Why would I eat fast food when I can save it for dinners like that?

The night before I go, I pack up vitamins and supplements.  And then I pray that I don’t get arrested for traveling with white powder (it’s just BCAAs and glutamine!).

Traveling with supplements

I also gather my protein powders, gum, my own salt-free spice blend, “emergency” bars and tuna.  Most of these items are “back up” in case I get stuck somewhere.

Healthy travel snacks

Last, I portion out proteins and veggies.  This trip I am taking chicken burgers, lamb, no salt deli turkey meat, balsamic grilled chicken, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, zucchini, snow peas, and Greek yogurt (see Meal 7 pic below – mixed with fruit and frozen for safe travel).

Protein and veggies to go

Check out this post for a super-detailed explanation and tips for traveling with healthy foods!  And yes, I made it through security with ALL of this, no questions asked.

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This WIAW my task was to eat everything left in my fridge.  I not-so-secretly love these days because they lead to come fun concoctions!

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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:

As usual, I enjoyed my morning cocktail (mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

Upon hearing on GMA that it was National Pancake Day, I consulted the Pancake Queen’s blog for an appropriate breakfast.  I settled on her Ginger-Pear Pancakes.

Ginger-Pear Pancakes

These were heavenly!  I followed the recipe, with a few additions:

  • Added 1/8 tsp cardamom
  • Added 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • Used ground ginger
  • My pear was an Asian Pear
  • Made syrup by mixing sugar-free syrup, almond milk, and cinnamon

Meal 2:

This week I had the find of a lifetime at Trader Joe’s.  NO SALT canned salmon that is boneless and skinless!!  Now I can make my Lemon-Thyme Zucchini Salmon Cakes without the nauseating task of de-boning and skinning the can.  *shudder*

That’s not what I made today though.  Today was a blood-salmon salad!  It’s not a gross as it sounds… it’s a blood ORANGE salad.  Hee hee.

Salmon and Blood Orange Salad

Blood Salmon Salad

  • 1 can no salt salmon
  • 1 blood orange, sectioned
  • 1/4 C chopped fennel
  • 2 T plain Greek yogurt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Meal 3:

Lunch was a two-part affair.  Part 1 was mahi mahi and a roast of brussels, fennel, and eggplant tossed in coconut vinegar and herbes de provence.

Mahi Mahi and roasted veggies

Part 2 was “dessert.”  Sweet potato topped with cottage cheese and tons of cinnamon.

Let’s pretend I didn’t add more cinnamon post-pic… 

Sweet Potato with cottage cheese and cinnamon

Meal 4:

I roasted a leg of lamb before work yesterday.  I’m told that’s not normal.  Either way, it was delicious!  And it was a great mid-afternoon meal with spinach, cabbage, and nutritional yeast!  Does anyone else top their meat with vegan cheese-like substances? 😉

Lamb salad

Meal 5:

This was my last meal before making a mad dash to the airport.  I had 1/2 a serving of chili left, a little deli turkey, avocado, and smokey blue cheese.  Down the hatch and sprinting… 2 the airport.

Chili

Meal 6:

Airplane meal!  I knew I’d have to eat this cold, and a salad seemed more appealing than a burger… so I crumbled a chicken burger and mixed it with Greek yogurt, carrots, and zucchini.  Chicken Burger Salad!  People were appalled fascinated.  Better than peanuts, no? 

Chicken Burger Salad

Meal 7:

This is one of my yogurt creations.  I took a single serving plain Greek yogurt container and mixed it with blood orange, cinnamon, and a couple of stevia drops.  Then I froze it overnight to take with me.  This serves two purposes: it keeps it cold enough for travel and acts as and extra ice pack for my cooler.

Being on the road doesn’t mean I can’t have a clean dessert… with a little treat on top.  A crumbled Quest peanut butter cup!

Blood Orange Greek Yogurt

***

The protein count for the day: 171.4g.

Have you had any interesting run-ins with airport security?

Do you pack healthy food for the road?  What are your favorites?  This week’s Strange But Good link up is going to be fun with all my packed eats! 😉

Plump My Ride + WIAW

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Cars are getting bigger.

 

MTV, can you Plump My Ride?

Seriously though… people are getting too FAT for their cars.  It’s not just the car seats.  Buttons – like the one to roll down your window – have to be made bigger to accommodate “bigger” fingers.  This article reports that video back-up screens were added because “necks are too thick for drivers to turn around and look.”

 

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It’s a safety issue too – most car safety features like airbag and seatbelts are designed to protect a person of average size (163 lbs).  AND a recent study says that 800,000 car accidents a year in the US are caused by drivers with obesity-related sleep apnea.

I never, ever considered this issue before.  Mind = blown.  Time to put down the keys and walk a little more?

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This WIAW I managed to stay away from Waffle House.  My trainer changed up my diet and I’m enjoying more healthy fats while keeping a good amount of carbs.  I’m still ramping up, but so far I feel fantastic.  2 months until competition time – ahhh!

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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:

As usual, I enjoyed my morning cocktail (mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).  30 mins later I ate a pancake topped with a mix of peanut flour, sugar-free syrup, and cinnamon along with fresh blackberries.

No recipe for the pancake…  I testing and it wasn’t my fav.  The topping rocked though!

Pancake

 

 

Meal 2:

As I took this pic, my co-worker was literally standing over my shoulder quizzing me about my food.  You mean it’s NOT normal to bring salmon sashimi for snack at work?

Salmon Sashimi and mango

 

This was fantastic.  I love the rich salmon with the sweet mangoes and the crunchy roasted seaweed.  I made a wasabi dip by mixing wasabi paste into a paleo hummus gifted to me by a friend.

 

 

Meal 3:

Lunch was a mix of leftovers and new.  Last week I made extras of the dal I had for dinner, so the last serving made an appearance.  I ate it with swordfish (it’s been wayyyy too long since I’ve had this!) and fresh broccoli.

Random fact: I only like broccoli raw.

 

 

Meal 4:

A little before Meal 4 I had a Good Belly – I’ve never used these consistently before, so I’m experimenting with these to see what effect probiotics have one me (if any).  I also have been rocking the water today – 120 ounces down!

Observations so far: I like that they offer a no-sugar added “Straight Shot” that tastes good, love that it smiles at me… and I went #2 twice today.  That never happens.  TMI, I know…

Good Belly Straight Shot

 

Back to the food.  I had a new discovery – no salt deli meat!  Whole Foods has no salt added turkey.  It made my day.  And my turkey salad.

Greek Turkey Salad

Greek Turkey Salad

  • No-salt added deli turkey, torn into small bits
  • Celery
  • Greek yogurt
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Lemon juice
  • Rosemary
  • Red pepper flakes

 

I didn’t measure… just poured and mixed until the consistency was like chicken salad..

 

 

Meal 5:

I need to ban myself from making pizza on WIAW nights… but yeah, I made my (cheese-less) cauliflower pizza crust again.  It’s just so easy and good!

 

Cauliflower Crust Pizza - no cheese

My toppings:

  • Balsamic chicken
  • Korean watercress
  • Onion
  • Basil
  • Cloth-aged cheddar
  • Balsamic nutritional yeast sauce (Nooch + balsamic + red pepper flakes)

 

 

Meal 6:

Post-gym good carbs and whey: a mix of mashed butternut squash, whey protein powder, and cinnamon.  I realize this looks like poo… it tastes better than it appears.

 Whey and butternut

 

 

Meal 7:

Remember last week’s Blueberry Cheesecake Fluff?  I am obsessed.  So I made another version, this one with bananas and peanut flour.  I’m still smiling.  I could live on this peanut butter-y goodness.  Topped with cocoa syrup, FTW.

Banana Peanut Butter Cheese Cake Fluff

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Banana Peanut Butter Cheesecake Fluff

Banana Peanut Butter Cheesecake Fluff

  • 1/2 C cottage cheese
  • 1/4 C mashed banana
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • 1/4 tsp butterscotch extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • Pinch of cardamom
  • 6-7 drops liquid stevia
  • Water or milk
  • 1/2 C brown rice crispies

 

Place everything except the cereal in a blender with enough liquid to blend.  Blend until mostly smooth.

Pour over a cereal.  Top as desired – I made a chocolate sauce with cocoa powder, almond milk, and stevia.

Devour.

Note: if you don’t have butter and butterscotch extracts, simply sub vanilla and/or almond extract.

***

The protein count for the day: 179.3g.

What do you think about this obese driver issue?  Had you heard about it before?

Do people at your office stare at your food?  Yes?  You should join the Strange But Good link up this Friday! 😉

 

Blueberry Cheesecake Fluff + WIAW

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I must confess something.

 

Don’t worry, this isn’t another TMI post.

I haven’t had a perfect Junk-Free January.  Being sick and doing some crazy endurance work has derailed me.  However, I did lay off the booze and I really don’t regret the times I ate deliciousness like this:

Waffle House chocolate chip waffle

 

I listened to my body and my body wanted calories.  Trashy calories.  Post-stomach flu and post-crazy racing I’d lost a couple of LBs.  They have been found. 🙂

This could also have something to do with a killer Chest and Bicep workout with my trainer on Monday.  We did supersets,  alternating between chest and bis, to get done in an hour.  I benched pressed about 8 lbs more than my body weight and then preacher curled a little more than half my body weight.  And now I can’t lift a glass of water.

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I’m back on track for this WIAW.  Still hungry ALL the time, but I’m keeping it clean and fueling my body with good stuff.  It’s crazy how your body still demands replenishment days after a big event!

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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 (mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos), I broiled a grapefruit according to this method with coconut butter, cinnamon, and cardamom.  That was “dessert” after I demolished an herbs de provence egg white omelette.

Broiled grapfruit and eggs

 

 

Meal 2:

A rare thing happened – I went to the gym in the morning.  Never fear – hell didn’t freeze over.  I’m still not a morning person – this trip wasn’t exactly early.  It was a killer leg day though!

I packed a protein-rich treat to refuel in the car before an appointment:

Leg day and refuel

 

This was delicious chocolate pudding made with 1/2 C Greek yogurt, 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder, almond milk, and cinnamon.

The topping was a crumbled Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal, straight from my freezer.  I’m so obsessed with these.

 

 

Meal 3:

Lunch was an old favorite: Salmon Pizza with Sweet Potato “Sauce.”  I used tortilla crust and topped it with spinach, artichokes, and onions.

Sweet Potato Salmon Pizza

 

 

Meal 4:

I developed an addiction to Whole Foods’ Naked (read: no salt) roasted chicken.  Not a cheap habit, but worth my sanity as I hate touching raw chicken.  Every Sunday I buy one and pull off all the white meat to eat throughout the week.  Today I ate it chicken salad-style, but with a hummus mix rather than mayo.

Hummus Chicken Salad

Hummus Chicken Salad

  • Shredded chicken
  • Broccoli slaw
  • Red peppers, chopped
  • Hummus
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Cumin and red pepper flakes, to taste

 

I didn’t measure, but the hummus and ACV is about a 1:1 ratio.

 

 

Meal 5:

I could hardly wait for dinner.  I’ve been eyeing Kristina’s Cholar Dal recipe for a couple of weeks and this frigid day seemed the be the perfect time to try it out.

It was AMAZING!  I licked my plate clean.  I ate it alongside some pan-seared tempeh and roasted brussels, broccoli, and mushrooms.

Cholar Dal, tempeh, and roasted veggies

There is something in my head that will not allow me to simply follow a recipe.  Here are my modifications:

  • Added 1/2 red pepper
  • Used 1/4 C tomato paste rather than fresh tomatoes
  • Added 1/4 tsp fenugreek and 1/2 tsp coriander
  • Increased cayenne to 3/4 tsp
  • Didn’t use the salt, butter, and dried chilis

 

 

Meal 6:

Please don’t get bored with me.  I love carrots.  And peanut butter.  And eggs.  PB & Ceggs.  Again.

PB & Ceggs

 

 

Meal 7:

Casein is good to have at night for muscle recovery.  unfortunately, I can’t stand the texture.  No matter – I really like having dairy before bed.  Maybe a carry over from a youth filled with nighttime ice cream bowls?

This creation is going to be in heavy rotation.  I’m scraping the bottom of the bowl and trying to convince myself that I don’t need another as I type this.  It’s like blueberry cheesecake with hot brownie on top.

Clean Blueberry Cheesecake

Need I say more?

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Blueberry Cheesecake Fluff

Blueberry Cheesecake Fluff

  • 1/2 C cottage cheese
  • 1/4 C blueberries
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • 1/4 tsp coconut extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • Pinch of cardamom
  • 6-7 drops liquid stevia
  • Water or milk
  • 1 rice cake

 

Place everything except the rice cake in a blender with enough liquid to blend.  Blend until mostly smooth.

Pour over a rice cake.  Tops as desired – I warmed a Cookies ‘n Cream Think Thin bar in the microwave and crumbled it on top with more fresh berries and cinnamon.

Devour.

Note: if you don’t have butter and coconut extracts, simply sub vanilla and/or almond extract.

***

The protein count for the day: 183.2g.  Nailed that one!

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

What trashy calories does your body crave?  When do you give in?

What is your most recent fitness accomplishment/milestone?

 

Coca-Cola’s Anti-Obesity Campaign + WIAW

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Coca-Cola is fighting obesity?!

 

Something feels fishy.

When you make your money by selling sugar… can you really be an anti-obesity voice?

[pullquote align=”left|center|right” textalign=”left|center|right” width=”30%”]”The biggest single source contributor to child and adult obesity in the USA is sugar-sweetened beverages,” says Barry Popkin, a nutrition professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.[/pullquote]

 

Monday night Coca-Cola will begin airing a two-minute video on several national cable networks,  It talks about the range of beverages produced by Coca-Cola, and how they voluntarily began offering water, juice, and lower calorie options (let’s not talk about the additives in diet drinks…) in schools.

 

Sugars in soda

 

Damage control?  Most certainly.  But should we complain or be happy they are making a positive move, regardless of the motivation?

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This WIAW post is terrible.  I admit it.  I’m doing what I can to eat anything at all in order to recover from this stomach bug.  There weren’t any real “meals, ” so I’m calling them all snacks.

I did eat all of this randomness with blessing from my trainer:

 

Be sure to click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see everyone else’s (more appetizing) meals!

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Snack 1:

I wasn’t sure what to expect from my stomach when I woke up, but I figured kombucha green tea and a couple of Go Raw Spirulina Super Chips.

Go Raw crackers

 

 

Snack 2:

Crackers stayed down so I decided to move on to bread.  Half an English muffin made by my mom with TONS of peanut butter and some fig jam.  It was the jam.

 

 

Snack 3:

I had to go home (Mom’s Internet is down = deal breaker), but mom sent me with homemade matzoh ball soup.  I swear this is the perfect sick food.

Mom makes the best matzoh ever.  And we’re not Jewish.

Matzo Ball Soup

 

I chased that with a Lemon-Ginger Kombucha.  Reed’s was a new brand to me.  I liked it, but Buchi Fire remains my #1.

Reed's Kombucha Lemon Ginger Raspberry

 

 

Snack 4:

Right before my next feeding, I got an email from my concierge that a package had arrived.  My iHerb delivery!!!  I shuffled down to collect it, and made snack #2 with some of its contents.

 

iHerb order

  • Peanut flour
  • Growing Naturals’ Chocolate Protein Powder (SO good!)
  • CarbRite bars
  • Collagen
  • Probiotics
  • Resveratrol (antioxidant… and “supposedly” anti-aging)
  • Creatine (I’m going to try it… stand by)

 

If you haven’t tried peanut flour or the Growing Natural’s rice protein yet, I highly recommend both!  Use code USO924 for $5-10 off your order.

 

The thing about being sick is that you end up carb-loading.  I needed some green and protein to help me heal!  A green smoothie bowl with my replenished protein powder was in order.

 

healing green smoothie

Healing Green Smoothie

  • 2 C raw spinach
  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1/2 in piece fresh ginger
  • 1 stick fresh cinnamon (or 1/2 tsp ground)
  • Pinch of Guar Gum
  • Ice + water, to taste
  • Toppings: pomegranate arils and oats

 

I put it all in the Vitamix and let it run until I had “ice cream.”

FYI: banana and ginger are both tummy-soothers, cinnamon is anti-bacterial, and pomegranates are antioxidents!

 

 

Snack 5:

Anything involving peanut butter sounded good to me today.  Apples are good for the tummy.  Naturally I needed to have both.

Mom had been telling me to eat Greek yogurt for the probiotics… that sour-ish taste didn’t appeal to me, but I finally found a way I could do it: Apples and zucchini with Peanut Yogurt Dip.

 

Peanut Yogurt Dip

Peanut Yogurt Dip

  • 1/4 C Greek yogurt
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 3-4 drops liquid Stevia
  • Unsweetened almond milk (to desired consistency, ~2 T)

 

 

Meal 6:

I don’t know why this sounded good, but I wanted something chocolate.  I mixed up the dregs of a cottage cheese container with 1/2 scoop of my chocolate protein powder and some almond milk.  Then I crushed a rogue bag of airplane pretzels on top.  Tasty.

Cottage cheese and chocolate protein

***

The protein count for the day: I have NO idea.

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

What do you think about Coke’s anti-obesity ads?

What is your comfort food when you have a tummy thing?

 

My Morning Cocktail + WIAW

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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!

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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!

2012’s Popularity Contest + WIAW

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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).

 

Polar Leg Day

 

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.

WIAWbutton

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!

Chocolate-Microwave-Protein-Muffin

 

 

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!

Vegan Goat Cheese Tomatoes

 

 

7. Chewy Granola Cookies

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

granola-cookie

 

 

8. Sprouting Chickpeas

It shocked me to learn how easy sprouting is!

chickpeas sprouted

 

 

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.

PB & Aggs and Carrot Cake Batter

 

 

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?

 

Brandied Baked French Toast

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What didn’t I eat Wednesday may be a more appropriate title.

I may have over-done it on the sweets…

Do you look forward to the holidays being over?  After I left my mom’s last night, I was sad to be going home alone, but at the same time a little relieved to get back into a normal routine.

I do hate leaving this beautiful scene though!

mosaic96e9be07a00195087ae2d0694cac418601e242af

Today I was going to take another “break” from blogging.  Then I realized a) I don’t really have anything else to do and b) this would be a fun way to shock myself into going cold turkey on the sugar.  I didn’t get pictures of it all, and we slept in so it is kind of a random slew of snack rather than meals.  You’ve been warned.

We didn’t totally fail at Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesday theme this month… but it could have been better less sugar-filled:

Check out my Christmas eats, and then be sure to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons and see what everyone else ate on this most wonderful day of the year!

Meal 1:

I didn’t have Fitmixer Aminos at my mom’s, but I did have my ACV and water first thing

Christmas Eve I prepared an overnight baked french toast to be ready to pop in the oven Christmas morning (almost afternoon… we didn’t eat until 11a).  We open presents while it baked.  Before the toast, we started out with a Christmas tradition: mimosas!

The french toast was served with an easy cranberry sauce.  I soaked fresh cranberries in Gran Mariner (orange liqueur), and placed it all in a small sauce pan with some vanilla liquid stevia and cinnamon.  I let that simmer on low heat while we opened presents, adding a little water as needed.

The Brandied Baked French Toast recipe is below.  It will look like it has a lot of booze in it, but it really isn’t strong once you bake it.  Most of the booze cooks out.  I tried to keep it a little lighter using unsweetened almond milk rather than a traditional cream or whole milk.  Making that simple change save a lot on calories and fat, but you don’t loose any flavor.  This resulted in a flavorful, surprisingly light, fluffy French toast… it may have to happen once more on New Years Day.

Also on our breakfast table was French-pressed coffee, ambrosia (my mom and sister’s favorite… I passed), and fresh figs wrapped in prosciutto.

Meal 2:

Popcorn.  We devoured a bag of Smart Food’s Parmesan & Herb Popcorn while watching Elf.

smart food

I grazed some more on almonds, random sweets, an extra bite (or 5) of breakfast… but we really enjoyed sea salt-breadcrumb dark chocolate by Chuao that Santa brought me:

Meal 3:

I don’t know if this counts as a meal… but we snacked on more prosciutto with Trader Joes’ Raisin Rosemary Crisps (like the Raincoat crisps sold at WF, but much cheaper), cream cheese with strawberry-champagne jam, hummus, carrots, and celery while dinner cooked.  With a pear cider cocktail (pear cider + brandy, ginger liqueur, and lime juice). mosaic0b25d31f486daf509eeb7b4a6a6c7088509ad55a

Meal 4:

This meal was probably unnecessary after all of that.  In my family, Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas brunch  are a bigger deal than Christmas night, so we didn’t do anything too fancy.

I kept my plate small, but everything was delicious.  We made a quick salad, wild rice with pomegranate and kale, roasted sweet potatoes, and grilled lamb chops.  All drizzled with a thick balsamic.  There was also an unpictured glass of Alamos Malbec… did I mention the return of Sober January?

Also unnecessary was dessert… which I happily enjoyed.  German Chocolate Cookies, coming to you Friday!

Brandied Baked French Toast

Brandied Baked French Toast

  • 1 loaf Ciabatta bread in 1-inch slices
  • 3 C unsweetned vanilla almond milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 T brown sugar
  • 1 packet Stevia (can replace with more sugar)
  • 1 T cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 T Cointreau
  • 3 T Frangelico
  • 1 T brandy
  • Optional: 1/2 grated apple

Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish (I used Pam).

Place bread in two tightly-packed layers in the pan.  If you use the apple or other fillings (any fruit or nut would work), sprinkle them between the layers.

Whisk milk, eggs, sugar, spices, and booze together in a large bowl.  Pour mixture over the bread.  Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.  The bread will absorb the milk mixture overnight.

Bake at 425 for 25-30 minutes, until fluffed and golden brown.  

Cut into squares and serve with fruit, syrup, or any other favorite breakfast topping.

Serves 6-8.

Notes: If you don’t like the alcohols, you may use a couple of teaspoons of vanilla or other extract.  You could also experiment with other liqueurs like Irish cream, Gran Mariner, Kahlua, rum, etc.

***

The gluttony will stop after this week… I swear.  I have one more cookie recipe to share, and it’s slightly lightened up!

How were your holiday meals?  What was the winner?

Are you a little relieved when the festivities end?

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