What I Ate Wednesday

As I was sipping on my green tea, I thought it would be the perfect time to share with you what I have eaten today. Over these next few days, I shall be focusing more on consuming fruits, veggies, and protein. Please don't misunderstand me, carbs are wonderful and important for a healthy body. However, I have discovered that my body responds better to a more veggie-full diet. It has been my observation, that by eating mostly fruits/veggies and protein, I feel lighter/leaner, more energized, and definitely healthier.

Eating wholesome carbs (brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat bread) in balance is absolutely wonderful, and I am not recommending omitting them from your diet. Honestly, I love carbs... and maybe a bit too much. It's not hard too consume to many, and even if you are eating healthy, wholesome carbs, in needs to be in moderation. 

Personally, if my typical day was like this, I know I wouldn't feel too great. 

Breakfast: Oatmeal

Snack: Banana, 7 almonds

Lunch: Peanut butter & jelly sandwich, salad

Snack: Green tea, granola bar

Dinner: Baked sweet potato, 1c. broccoli, grilled chicken

Dessert: 2 tbsp. chocolate chips w/ popcorn

Eat-clean/Be-lean Day

Breakfast: Chai tea, banana pancakes, 1 c. mixed berries

Snack: Green tea, 10 almonds, 1 tbsp. raisins

Lunch: 2 hard boiled eggs, large salad

Snack: 1/2 c. cottage cheese, 1/4 c. applesauce

Dinner: Grilled chicken, 1/2 c. brown rice, 1 c. broccoli

Dessert: Low-fat frozen yogurt w/ berries

Anyway, I figured that sharing each meal/snack with you, would keep me accountable. I'll just be posting some picture with a brief description. If you want the recipe for anything, let me know. Otherwise, I do not intend to post these recipes.

So, here's my breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, and treat!

8:30 A.M.

This morning I was rushing to get my breakfast. I had planned on having a veggie omelet, but with all the rushing I got confused and my omelet became a veggie scramble. First I sauteed my veggies. I had 1/2 onion, garlic, some corn, and mushrooms. Then in a sprayed pan I mixed 1 large egg with 1 tbsp. of salsa. I ate the eggs over the veggies, and then topped it off with another tablespoon of salsa, and a sprinkle of feta cheese as a garnish. :)

I forgot to snap a picture of the rest of my meal, but I had 12 almonds and 1 tbsp. of raisins. Then for lunch I had this fantastic salad. Oh my, beans are sooo good on salad.

They are a great source of protein for those times when you don't want eggs or meat.

12:00 P.M.

This salad was just so scrumptious! I put white beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans over my salad. I don't know how much salad I had, but I had about 1 cup of beans.

I ate this with my favorite balsamic dressing. Yum!

I started getting hungry at around 2:30, so I made myself some turkey tomato roll-ups, and a cup of green tea. It was a the perfect light snack to hold me over.

2:30 P.M.

I took four slices of turkey, and covered them with sliced tomato. Then I squirted some mustard over them and rolled them up. This snack was inspired by Cassey Ho at Blogilates.com.

Okay, here's the last one! For dinner I had another salad - no beans this time - and a little banana treat. Everyone was eating peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, and I wanted one so badly! I didn't give in to the craving though, I found a way to satisfy my desire without the bread!

These peanut butter banana bites hit the spot! My pb&j craving vanished. It' so rewarding to create healthy alternatives. :) I didn't know what to call these babies. They are mini pb&j sandwiches on banana, with a cottage cheese and cinnamon dip. Anyway, they're delicious, so next time you're craving a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, try this!

Now let's all just admire how cute these are and how wonderfully these pictures came out!

I sliced one banana, ate half before, and used the other half for these sandwiches.

I didn't measure anything this time. I'd guess I used about 1 tbsp. of peanut butter and 
1 tbsp. of strawberry jam. I used a heaping tablespoon of cottage cheese for the center dip, and sprinkled them with cinnamon.

I am so pleased with how these came out! They look so gourmet! Wow! Please try these and let me know how you like them. They are a perfect snack or a nice little treat for your sweet tooth. Of course you can make these even more like a desert by adding chocolate shavings, chocolate sauce, or maybe chocolate chips. If you have any other ideas on how to make these a healthy dessert, please comment below and share your thoughts.

Well, goodnight! I hope that your Wednesday was wonderful and filled with all the blessings of our Lord. :) Check back tomorrow for more healthy recipes! I will be sharing my Thursday meals with all of you. Also, I am going to my brother's soccer practice tomorrow, and will share with ya'll the exercises I'll be doing with my sis. :)

Lots of Love,

Mariah