Today I am linking up with the What I Ate Wednesday Crew to share my eats from yesterday!

My morning started off with a glass of water and a 1/2 cup of French Vanilla Coffee with a splash of milk. I woke up hungry so you can bet I immediately started preparing breakfast.

Resorting to my easy go-to breakfast, I made 2 eggs, sautéed spinach in olive oil, a piece of bacon and a slice of whole grain toast. This meal never disappoints.

Yesterday I had an amazing opportunity to spend the ENTIRE Tuesday morning with Ava, without any clients or classes!! Woohoo. WE dropped Cooper off at the dog groomer at 830am and then ran a bunch of errands.

We ended up shopping in Target for a full hour. I love that store but I want to buy everything. I swear we went for diapers, toilet paper, and eggs and somehow I left with a new shirt, halloween decorations, candles, food, a new toy for Ava. It was worth it though, Ava loves shopping and I love seeing her happy!!

On the way home I was starving, I had brought a banana with me so I snacked on that and a PRO BAR. This was an impulse purchase at Target and I am SO happy I bought them. They were healthy, sweet and filling.

We dropped off all our bags, played outside for a bit and then had to pick Cooper up from his groomer.

Doesn’t he look handsome?

And also 3 years younger?

I’m glad we had limited food choices in the fridge because I was hungry for lunch but had no clue what I wanted. There were 2 options, Kale Salad with pumpkin seeds & Turkey Meatloaf and of course I finished both.

I also snacked on some of this large Red Delicious Apple and I may have dunked some slices into a jar of peanut butter!!! 

Ava napped after lunch and I spent time doing my coaching computer work. Once she woke up I made a quick Chocolate Shakeology with PB2 and ran out again to do some more errands.

Ava seemed a little off to me when she woke up from her nap. Around 4pm she threw up out of no where, and this girl literally ejected everything in her system. I stayed calm even though it was disgusting and the smell alone could’ve made me sick to my stomach. I cleaned up the mess, changed her, & gave her a bath. She seemed to be doing a little better after, so maybe it was for the better.

When I looked at the clock and realized it was dinner time I starting panicking that I didn’t have enough time to get food in my system before Boot Camp.

I snacked on some baby carrots while I started to make dinner.

Luckily I had one of my go to easy dinner meals in the fridge!  Al Fresco Chicken Sausages are amazing and they whip up in a jiffy. I haven’t had one flavor that I didn’t like! I served the sausage with peppers and baked potatoes.

After teaching my Boot Camp class I came home and snacked on a Quest bar & some roasted plantains (not pictured sorry I was hungry!!)

With no food plans in mind yesterday, I was able to make some healthy choices and satisfy my taste buds without having to think too much!

What is something yummy you ate this week?

What’s your go to simple dinner meal?

Yesterday afternoon I had a special lunch date with Ava & my mom. It is very rare that I eat out at a restaurant mid-week let alone at lunch time. Since it is school break this week I have a little more free time on my hand and I’m not complaining.

We headed to my mom’s best friends restaurant in Stamford, CT called Villa Italia. This is hands down my favorite restaurant. Who doesn’t love good italian food?? When you know the chef its even better

When we pulled up to the restaurant I was already starving… that’s mistake #1 right there. Never go to a restaurant hungry. That bread basket came out right away and you know what?? My mom and I said no thanks but we kept one piece for Ava. (The girl is smart… she loves warm bread from Villa Italia and we were pretty jealous)

My mom asked if I wanted to split a small salad to start since we were both hungry, I said absolutely! Splitting a salad is always a good option because it’s portioned right. These days an appetizer salad is practically a full meal, but the split serving was the perfect amount to hold us over.

Before even looking at the menu I knew I wanted either a salad or fish. It was Ash Wednesday so I was trying to not eat meat. I love eating fish out at restaurants because they cook it so much better then me! My mom and I ordered Filet of Basa Francese and we held the “egg batter friedness.” Don’t hesitate to ask your server for other options to make a meal healthier. The fish came served over spinach and the sauce tied everything together.

The sauce was lemon, white wine, & garlic… and if I could have drank it or packaged it up in a bottle I would’ve, but clearly that’s not acceptable.

Anyways.. back to the point of this blog. There are healthy options wherever you go! Here are my main tips for eating healthy while out to eat:

1. HOLD the bread basket.
2. Drink water or ask for a pitcher for the table.
3. If you order a salad ask for the dressing on the side.
4. Ask for your fish or chicken grilled, broiled or poached. Ask for veggies steamed or roasted and without butter (It can be done)
5. Choose meals that don’t have buttery or creamy sauces, and skip the fried foods.
6. If your meal looks really big, it probably is! Eat half and wrap the second half for leftovers!

The nice part of eating fish for lunch was I didn’t feel stuffed and I was able to workout shortly after with out any stomach issues!

This quote is for my Clean Eating Challenge Group.. for keeping me motivated and giving me positive energy this week!

Do you hesitate to eat healthy out at a restaurant because you feel bad asking for substitutions?

Whats your favorite meal to order out?

In hope that this is the last cold weather day, I have a recipe for you that is one of our family’s favorite go to dinner recipes during the spring & summertime!

A few years, ago I was looking for a healthier alternative to pulled pork so I decided to give pulled chicken a try. It was hands down delicious and we decided to add it to our weekly menu. It is so easy to throw together and if you need something to bring to a BBQ you won’t be disappointed!

I have tried this recipe a couple of ways… in the crock-pot and on the stove. I enjoy the crock-pot version better but if you are in a time crunch the stove is definitely faster.

BBQ Pulled Chicken 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 lbs of chicken breast

1 jar of your favorite BBQ sauce

water

Directions:

Take out your crock-pot and start the timer to 4 hours on high. Place enough water in the crock-pot to cover the bottom. Mix some about 1/3 cup of BBQ with the chicken and then place the chicken in the crock-pot. Drizzle about 1/4 cup more BBQ sauce on top of the chicken. Close the lid and let it cook! After the 4 hours is up or whenever you are ready, pull & shred the chicken using 2 forks. If the chicken looks dry add more of the BBQ sauce.

Serving suggestions: 

I love my bbq chicken served on a bun or a piece of whole grain toast open faced with cole slaw & a pickle! It is also great over a salad or just on a plate as is!

Most of the processed foods we consume, we choose to eat them because they are convenient and portable. Are they cheaper? Probably not, but healthy snacks can take preparation and who has time for that? I have challenged myself to cook more and prepare more. I know my body functions better when I eat clean and healthy.

If you want to see results from all those hard workouts you owe it to your body to fuel it with healthy non processed foods.

It does take time to cut fruits & veggies for the week, it takes time to bake healthy homemade granola bars or muffins, it takes time to grill up some lean meats for lunches, but in the end it’s worth it. I know for myself I am more satisfied after my meals and I don’t have cravings.

My challenge for you TODAY & TOMORROW is to eliminate the foods you consume that come in packages. Examples: lean cuisines, yogurts with artificial sweetener, hamburger helper, mac & cheese, granola bars, cookies, chips, cereal, crackers, ice cream, canned soup, etc.

So what’s left to eat……. salads, meats, fruits, nuts, oils, vegetables, seafood, beans, etc. All of these foods are still portable and you can make them convenient by putting them in containers and baggies the night before. This way in the morning you can easily pack your cooler or lunch box!

Here’s a look at some of my “eats” for the day. 

BREAKFAST was quick, I scrambled a couple eggs with a couple egg whites in olive oil and threw in some leftover mushrooms, peppers, & spinach! I ate a bunch of cut up pineapple too. Simple and clean.

I packed a bunch of SNACKS for work that I can eat in between clients and classes:

cranberry nut trail mix, celery w/ almond butter, banana, and baby carrots

All of these snacks were consumed before LUNCH!!

Salad with red peppers, grapes, zucchini, chicken, carrots and balsamic/olive oil dressing

My salad was quite filling!

Leftover Kabocha Squash and a peach

If you haven’t tried Kabocha squash I would definitely recommend it. It’s sweet and delicious simply roasted in the oven with some oil, salt & pepper.

This seems like a lot of food when you look at it, but healthier foods are lower in calorie & higher in fiber!

Are you up for the challenge?? Take this challenge DAY BY DAY. I am not asking you to commit to 10 weeks of not eating processed foods/junk.  Set yourself up for success and challenge yourself today and tomorrow to eat CLEAN! If you slip up, make sure you are better prepared at your next meal. I promise you will feel full, satisfied, & energized by eating healthier meals.

The avocado replaces the fat from the mayonnaise with HEALTHY FATS so don’t be afraid to indulge.

If you can’t live without the mayo, substitute 1 tablespoon of mayo or lite-mayo for part of the yogurt! This recipe is so simple, give it a try!

Ingredients:

2 small grilled chicken breasts sliced

1/2 ripe avocado, sliced

1/2 tomato

3 1/2 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt

5-6 basil leaves (you can add more if you want a stronger taste)

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

lettuce

4 slices whole grain bread (I used nature’s promise)

Directions: Chop the basil and mix yogurt with lemon. Divide the mixture evenly and spread on the 4 slices of bread, top with remaining ingredients. You can toast or press the sandwich in a panini maker to hold it all together!

If I had some plain yogurt, I definitely would have added some to the tuna salad to replace some of the mayo or to make it a little creamier!  I served it with a pita and some sliced cucumbers!

Ingredients:

1 can of tuna

1 tbsp of Hellman’s light mayo

¼ cup of celery chopped

¼ cup of tomatoes chopped

1 pickle diced (bread & butter or dill)

Directions:

Chop all veggies and add everything to a medium size bowl. Mix well and refrigerate.

Makes 1 serving, approximately 200 calories, 5g fat, 20g protein