Five Day Food Challenge.

Five days of no added sugar, no processed gunk, and hardly any flour.
After way too many sweets at a recent Sorority Retreat weekend I needed to do some sort of cleanse to get back on track. And with a wedding to attend tomorrow I know I will be having cake. YUM. I cannot wait. But this grand finale ending tomorrow meant a personal challenge - five days without added shtuff.

I love my sweets. View my Pinterest boards and every other pin is typically a dessert. There is something so satisfying about chocolate, sweetness, and the warm ooey-gooeyness of a cookie. I know there are people who don't care for desserts, that is not me. And I don't know how you do it. But anywho. I survived this week. And honestly, it wasn't too hard.

My latest obsession? Chia Seeds. I am not sure when these hit the shelves, perhaps they have been around my whole life and I just now discovered them. Well, I am glad I did. I have been adding one serving (a tablespoon) to pancakes and smoothies. And when I say pancakes, I'm not talking about the white flour boxed mix - I mean cottage cheese pancakes and banana protein pancakes.
Here are the recipes, super easy, super good:

Cottage Cheese Pancakes(sounds odd, I know, but so delicious - trust me)

3 egg whites (I use one egg white + one whole egg)

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cottage cheese

1 tsp sugar (I use Splenda)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (use the real stuff)

1 tbsp chia seeds

Blend. Makes four small pancakes. 397 calories.

Banana Protein Pancakes

1 mashed really ripe banana

2 whole eggs

1 tbsp chia seeds

Mash banana with fork, add eggs, and whip together.
Makes two large thin flapjacks. 233 calories.

I have made the cottage cheese ones for both breakfast and dinner, but actually prefer them for dinner. Something light and delicious is a great way to end my night. The banana protein pancakes are a breakfast food for me, a banana-eggy-omelet combination. Try them both and bask in the glory of clean eating.

Food list for the week
(Download the Lose It App for anyone interested. I'm obsessed.)

Whole Wheat Mission Tortilla Wraps
Tuna Packets  + Mayo with Olive Oil + dried basil + celery seed + black pepper

Homemade Vegetarian Lentil Soup (Recipe to be posted soon)
Romaine Lettuce Salads + Zesty Italian Dressing

Baked Sweet Potatoes Fries with Olive Oil
(seasoned with Paprika, garlic powder, & black pepper)

Planters Nut-Rition Health Mix

Trader Joe's Everything Pretzel Slims

Trader Joe's Garlic Hummus

Lite String Cheese

Creamy PB + Celery Sticks
Trader Joe's Everything Whole Wheat Thin Bagels + Jarlsberg Lite Cheese

(toasted in the toaster oven = dinner!)

Grapefruit

Apples

Bananas

Oranges

Fresh Strawberries + Life Cereal + Almond Milk

Wild Cod Fish

Brussel Sprouts

Avocados

Triscuit Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil Crackers

Beverage List

Water

Tomato Juice

Organic Ginger Tea

Organic Hibiscus Tea

Organic Fair Trade Green Tea

Organica Chamomile & Spearmint Tea

And there you have it. My week. My cravings for sweets have been few and far between. And my philosophy of you can eat anything, as long as it's in moderation still holds true. I will be adding sweets back into my food list - but 'healthy ones' such as pumpkin bread made with Greek yogurt and dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa). Happy eating. Happy clean eating. And always remember, you are what you eat. And expect more postings of being crazy healthy, I'm not perfect, but I'm on a path I am so happy to be on. #fitnessfever #lifeisgood

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