What's a few (extra) cacao nibs between friends?
Well hello there 2014 - do I have grand plans for you. Among them, getting my nutritional groove on. In a stop-looking-for-quick-fixes-and-realize-what-works-for-others-may-not-work-for-you, kind of way. Bottom line: do my own thing, honor my food allergies, and make mindful food decisions. This does not involve giving up my love of wine + champs, for the record.
Having recently been made aware of some food allergies (more, here), it has been increasingly difficult to break old habits, abandon go-to food choices, ya know, so I don't end up with an epi pen jammed in my leg. Which leads me to Vega - clean, plant-based nutrition.
Sign. Me. Up.
Who's ready for #onechange? This gal.
For anyone whom has ever spent more than a moment in my company knows this truth: I love food. Like, deep-rooted-object-of-my-affection L.O.V.E. Fact.
Ever the type A, I log calories like its the only way to get into heaven (Number Cruncher).
Need proof? Friend me on my fitness pal: meginger, but if you judge the copious amounts of champagne and baked goods I consume, we can't be friends. Unless you bring champagne.
In case my mania hasn't exhausted you (yet), add in my ever-present fear of starvation (Serial Snacker). Ya know, as if the rapture was coming and I needed to store sustenance. In the form of whatever I can get my grubby hands on.
I digress.
While there are glimmers of hope and some wonderful things going on in my eating habits, it is a constant teetering scale of balance (ain't that the truth?!) - thank goodness for #onechange. Knowing I am compulsively counting calories all while fearing I may starve (I won't) and snacking myself out of my skinny jeans - curly hair needs to be more mindful. Consume delicious, nutritious food, without the excessive snacking - which means, two snacks per day, not five. So, to combat the battle of my wills, I've identified my eating personality (here), opting for more filling meals, removing the need to decide I may need a snack cuz its been an hour and there may be a food shortage in the next ten minutes. Or my lunch bag is sitting on my desk singing its siren song so I peek into the bag and get lost in snack bliss. #snackasaurausrex
Goal:
eat more filling meals, removing the "need"for excessive snacking.
Without further adieu - my Vega one nutritional shake #onechange adventures:
Prepped this guy the night before, so the next morning all I had to do was dig in. Chocolate + Chia = ok twist my arm...I was stuffed till lunch. The dense pudding-like texture really lended well to my taste buds, it can easily be eaten anytime of the day, or even halved as dessert.
Mmm, dessert.
For those times when I was/am in a snack time pinch - vega one bar (Whole Foods, fyi). Perfect as a snack, or to tide you over (so you don't go ape at a party perhaps - not that I know anything about this) this little guy was packing - flavor.
Made these little guys, subbed flax seed (for ground flax seed), Chocolate (almond butter), honey (for agave), Chia (for sesame) seeds. Besides, you can never go wrong with chocolate, and I need to grocery shop. Fact.
(source)
(check out my super, duper cool video - here)
Dry ingredients prepped the night before in my blender cup - genius? I think so. Especially since I was running late this am. Details. Subbed Sweet Cacao nibs (for Maca Chocolate bar). Put them in the dry mix, then realized it (chocolate) was the garnish. Oops. What's a gal to do? Add. Exta. Cacao. Der. Was there any other alternative. I think not.
Next on my adventure list: Vegan Banana Protein Pancakes. Yeah buddy. Post long run this weekend here I come.
Check out Vega's recipe page and join me in culinary exploration - I'd love to hear all about it.
Happy #onechange friends!
