Plums, Pancakes and Pizza Recipes (No, Not All Together)

If you have been following my (currently non-existent) WIAW posts over the past few months, you would have noticed that I have been keeping it pretty basic with minimal changes week to week. While I usually love mixing it up, because the summer was so busy, I just didn’t have time to think about it and kept it simple by doing what I already knew. From week to week I knew what I needed to buy, how to prep it and what all the macro (fats, carbs and protein) counts would be. It didn’t require much thinking which is how I needed it to be.

But finally (finally!!) things are slowing down a bit and I was inspired to try something new in the kitchen. This week it resulted in two really yummy recipes J Both provide a good balance between protein and carbs, and both can be modified to fit different macros, tastes and preferences. One is sweet and one is more savoury. Enjoy!

Plum and Zucchini Protein Pancake with Vanilla Icing

This recipe is a small twist in my basic Cinnamon Zucchini Protein Pancake. My parents have a plum tree in their backyard. It grows those delicious sweet and sour prune plums. At this time of year, my mom often makes a plum cake, which I love, so I wanted to find a way to recreate those flavours in a cleaner cake. The answer was a plum pancake J

Ingredients (for 1 large pancake):

Pancake:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 20g vanilla whey protein powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)
• ¼ cup egg whites
• 40g (about ¼ cup) shredded zucchini
• 60g (about 2) soft prune plums
• 5g walnut pieces

Icing:

• 2 TBSP fat free Greek yogurt
• 1 TBSP vanilla protein powder

Directions:

1. Pit and chop up plums. Pre-heat and spray small frying pan. Add plums and sauté on low heat until soft and slightly caramelized.
2. In a small bowl, mix the oats, protein powder and cinnamon together.
3. Add in egg whites. Mix well. Add in zucchini, plum and walnuts.
4. Pour into the pre-heated, (re)sprayed frying pan. Cook for about 3 minutes, flip, and cook other side for 2 minutes (or until done).
5. To make the icing, stir together yogurt and protein powder.
6. Ice the protein pancake with the icing and serve warm.

 

 

 

I also topped mine with some chia prune jam. It turned out exactly as I expected. The pieces of plum in the cake really tart it up, which goes well with the sweet yogurt icing. I’m thinking of tripling this recipe and trying it out in a loaf pan to see how it slices up. A perfect portable, pre-portioned and prepped high protein and carb snack! It could even be used as a pre- or quick post-gym meal.

 

Quinoa Pizza Bites/ Casserole

This recipe started out as a way to satisfy a pizza craving (while meeting my carb and protein counts for the day). While sometimes nothing but a slice will do, other times, it’s really just the flavors I want. This recipe was a way to combine those flavors (tomato sauce, cheese, garlic and oregano) in an easy to prepare and package way for one of my meals during the week.

Ingredients (for 6 servings):

• 180g (1 cup) uncooked quinoa
• 300g spinach
• 6 TBSP tomato paste
• 1 ½ cup egg whites
• 125g (about ½ cup) dry cottage cheese curds
• garlic powder, oregano and black pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook quinoa according to package directions. When in doubt, I follow these instructions for quinoa.
3. Wilt spinach in a pan and set aside.
4. In a bowl, mix the egg whites, tomato paste and seasoning together.
5. Add in cottage cheese, cooked quinoa and spinach. Mix well.
6. Drop mixture into sprayed muffin tins or pour into sprayed 9X9 pan.
7. If making muffins, bake for 20-25. If baking in a pan, bake, covered, for about 20-25, then remove cover and bake for another 10 minutes.
8. Let cool and individually portion and package for an easy grab-and-go protein and carb filled meal.

 

This recipe turned out great! My first batch, made into muffins, were a little under seasoned, so I made sure to add more into my second batch, which I baked in a pan. This was delicious and very satisfying as a morning snack throughout the week. Depending on macros and personal tastes and preferences, parmesan cheese can be added to the mixture or melted on top for more flavor. Other “toppings” (like peppers and onions) can also be added into the mixture for different flavors and textures. The variations are endless! I might try a “Greek” inspired mix next time with feta and fresh dill!

And finally, even though I didn’t create this recipe, I had to share! I recently tried this protein and chocolate chip cookie dough brownie and almost died. It was amazing!! It uses a Quest bar, which I have heard a lot about, but haven’t tried out that much. This was a delicious way to eat it though! Mmmm.

XOXO

Jen

I'm Back! And, it's WIAW!!

I’m back and it’s already Wednesday. There is a lot to catch up on (like a recap of the show (and post-show treats), a quick trip to Vegas, the countdown to the next show, and potential plans for another show), but for now, it’s WIAW :)

With so much going on and little time to prep and prepare, my meal plan this week has been pretty simple, but really delicious! Here it is in pictures:

 

 

A description of each from left to right, top to bottom:

M1: Buckwheat and barley crockpot porridge topped with coconut butter

 

M2: Yam, oats and spinach baked with egg whites and topped with coconut butter

 

M3: Spinach salad with tilapia, yams, veggies and hemp hearts

 

M4: Broccoli slaw salad with avocado and sriracha sauce

 

M5: Chicken and brown rice with Greek salad and lemon dill yogurt sauce and Udo’s oil

 

M6: Greek yogurt mixed with chocolate casein and topped with raspberries and a “chocolate sauce” made of (pasteurized) egg whites and cocoa powder

 

The only thing not pictured are my pre-work out chocolate muffins which I eat out of my purse, on the bus, with my dirty bus fingers :(, on my way to the gym in between meals 4 and 5. Fine dining at it’s best.

 

Even though the overall components are quite basic, I tried to vary the proteins, carbs and healthy fats across the day while also balancing each macro within each meal (although some meals are more carb heavy while others are more protein heavy). What I eat and when is really dictated by my training schedule and needs. As I have only 18 more days before the next show (!!), and want to build and fill out my muscles, I am really focusing on getting the right amount of protein and carbs throughout the day, especially pre- and post-workout. I need these babies to grow!

And just because it is sooooo amazing, and raspberries are so delicious right now, here’s the recipe for the yogurt and raspberry snack:

 

Chocolate Covered Raspberries and Yogurt

 

Ingredients (for 1 serving):

• 15g (half a scoop) chocolate casein protein powder
• 1 TBSP cocoa powder
• 2 TBSP pasteurized egg whites 
• ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• Raspberries (or any other fruit or nut topping)

Directions:

1. Combine the protein powder with the cocoa powder.
2. To make the chocolate sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of the protein powder and cocoa powder with the egg whites in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. In a serving bowl, combine the remaining protein powder and cocoa powder with the yogurt.
4. Top yogurt mixture with the raspberries and drizzle chocolate sauce on top. Note: If the chocolate sauce gets too thick, add a little bit of water to thin out.
5. Enjoy :)

 XOXO

J

It’s a new dawn, a new day and a new week!! For a Monday (and for a morning for that matter), I was feeling unusually good!



Sunrise on the way to work this morning!
Hopefully a sign of things to come this week
#shinebrightlikeadiamond today!

After feeling a little crazy/ overwhelmed last week, I am starting to feel back in control and excited for what the next two weeks will bring. Things are starting to fall into place.

 

For the photo shoot on Saturday, I have my hair, makeup, nail, threading and tanning appointments all booked. And, for the show next, next weekend, I have my hair, makeup, waxing and tanning appointments all booked as well. Yes, it actually takes that much work, and that many people to make me look presentable. In the weeks leading up to a show, things aren’t pretty (again, my poor husband). Preparing for a show is like planning a wedding! There are so many details to coordinate! I still need to figure out the timelines/ schedules for the days of the event, transportation, food options/ menu planning, purchase tickets for the show, pick out outfits and pack up my bag. Seriously, I didn’t put this much time or energy into my own wedding! But, while it is a lot to do (and a lot of expense!), it is all worth it. This is when it starts to all come together. This is when you start to see all the hard work, sacrifice and time and energy invested manifest into what you have been envisioning for months every time you pumped out one more set, or said no to a dinner invite, or passed out on the couch before 10pm. This is the fun part :)

 

A quick weekend wrap up: Sleep ins, protein pancakes, workouts, dinner with (both sets) of parents (and when I say dinner, I mean, I brought my own Tupperware filled with clean eats- which I eat out of off my grandma’s china), Sunday food prep and quality time with the hubby. What more can a girl ask for?

 

I tried a new protein pancake recipe this weekend. Out of zucchini, I subbed in shredded beets to make a chocolate beet pancake. Here’s the recipe:

  

Chocolate Beet Protein Pancake with Vanilla Icing

 

Ingredients (for 1 large pancake):

 

Pancake:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 20g chocolate whey protein powder
• 1 TBSP cocoa (or to taste)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ cup egg whites
• 50g shredded beets (zapped in the microwave for 45 secs)
• 2 TBSP skim milk
• 5g walnut pieces

Icing:

• 2 TBSP fat free Greek yogurt
• 7g vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp coconut oil

 

Directions:

1. Mix the oats, protein powder and cocoa together.
2. Add in egg whites and milk. Mix well. Add in beets and walnuts.
3. Pour into a pre-heated, frying pan coated with a non-stick spray. Cook for about 5 minutes, flip, and cook other side for 3 minutes (or until done).
4. To make the icing, stir together yogurt, protein powder, and coconut oil.
5. Ice the protein pancake with the icing and serve warm.

 

It was good! A little less sweet, and more “earthy” if you will, than the zucchini pancake, but still delicious- especially with a little prune chia jam on top. It is also carb and protein packed which I needed after a tough shoulder and tri workout!

 

Only 18 days out! The countdown is on!!

XOXO
J

It's My Time, It's My Life

I tried something different this morning, and woke up early to get my workout in BEFORE work. While I would usually choose sleep over anything else, opportunity and scheduling wise this just made sense. While it was a little difficult to set the alarm last night for a time earlier than I needed to for work, getting up this morning wasn’t thaaat bad (even though it was miserable outside) and I got in a KICK ASS workout before my regular work day even started. Whoo hoo!



Me finishing up my planks at the gym and post-workout meal-
protein shake and some starchy (yummy) carbs :)

This is it. Only 16 more days until the show!! In the immortal words of Enrique Iglesias:  

It's my time, it's my life,
I can do what I like
For the price of a smile, I gotta take it to right
So I keep on living, cause it feel's right

 

And it's so nice, and I'd do it all again

This time, it's forever
It gets better, and I, I, I like how it feels

I like how it feels, I like how it feels

I like how it feels, I like how it feels
I like how it feels, I like how it feels

So just turn it up, let me go

I'm alive, yes and no, never stop
Give me more, more, more
Cause I like how it feels
Ooh yeah, I like how it feels
You know I like how it feels
Oh yeah I like how it feels

No, I don’t usually live my life according to Enrique Iglesias (or Pitbull for that matter), but this song just speaks to me. It’s my pump up song, the song that helps me get out those last few sets and the song that just gets me excited to be doing what I am doing. So just turn it up, let me go, I’m alive, yes and no, never stop, give me more, more, more CAUSE I LIKE HOW IT FEELS!

What are some other good pump up songs?

XOXO
J

WIAW :) and Pre-Workout Snack Recipe

Here's what's on the menu for today.

It's a weight training day which means an extra pre-workout snack in the afternoon (not pictured above, see below). This week, I made chocolate protein muffins to eat on the bus on my way home from work/ to the gym. They are simple, easy to make, turned out delicious and have been fueling my tough new workouts. Only 18 days out to the show!! Things are tightening up and I am starting to get tired, but this is it! This is the final push. Love it!!

Reason to be fit #0197: For the smile I will have once I reach my goal.

Here's a full breakdown of my food plan fueling me this week:

Meal	Menu Item	What You Need To Know...
M1: Breakfast	Barley and buckwheat porridge.	I made a new batch of this porridge on Sunday prep and incorporated some of the tweaks I suggested in my other post.
M2: Snack	Quinoa and kale frittata.	A yummy little casserole dish filled with lots of veggies and protein.
M3: Lunch	Yam and chickpea chicken curry.	Again, I made a new batch this weekend and made a couple of changes. Still tasty :)
M4: Snack	Tuna on a bed of broccoli slaw and avocado.	Soooo yummy with a little lemon squirted on top.
M5: Pre-workout	Chocolate protein muffins.	The perfect, portable pre-workout snack made from egg whites, protein powder and oats.
M6: Post-workout/ dinner	Tilapia served over a bed of brown rice with a salad of raw veggies and a scoop of yogurt. This is served without the rice on non-weight training days.	The Greek yogurt mixed with the warm rice and crunchy veggies is heavenly! I also added in some fresh dill. Very satisfying.
M7: Snack (optional- but let’s be honest, I eat it every night!)	Greek yogurt mixed with a half a scoop of casein and strawberries.	Still eating this every night, but in different variaties. Sometime vanilla, sometimes chocolate. Always delicious!

The barley and buckwheat porridge in the morning is just so satisfying! Building on the recipe from last week, this time around, I sub out the wheat bran, and added a oat and flax seed porridge mix instead. I also omitted the coconut oil, reduced a cinnamon a bit and added in two scoops of vanilla protein powder. These changes also required me to add in an extra cup and a half of water. It turned out a lot more moist than last time and I have been heating it up with 1/3 cup of apple sauce and melting 1 tsp of coconut oil on top. Absolutely heavenly!

While most of the other menu items on this week's meal plan are quite similiar to what I was eating last week, I did try out a new pre-workout snack. Working with what I need to consume carb and protein-wise before my workout, I tried out a new protien pancake/ muffin recipe. What I got was the perfect on-the-go pre-workout snack. Not only that, they are also very delicious, and as a bonus, quick and easy to make.

Pre-workout Chocolate Protein Muffins or Pancakes

Ingredients for 1 serving

• 1/3 cup oats
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 10g chocolate whey protein powder (or any other flavor)
• 1 TBSP cocoa (because who doesn't love extra chocolate flavor)

 
Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Depending on whether you want muffins or pancakes:
• For muffins: Pour into 2 sprayed muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Be careful not to over bake as they will dry out fast.
• For pancakes: Pour batter into a sprayed pre-heated pan. Flip pancake after 4 minutes.

To help save time, I recommend tripling or quadrupling the recipe to have extras on hand for the week. Also, this can be used as a base for even more yumminess. Depending of what your nutritional requirements are or what you are craving, you can also stir in some fresh fruit or nuts and top with nutbutter or yogurt protein icing!

Happy "pump" day!

XOXO
Jen

Weekend Wrap Up and Protein Pancake Recipes

After a crazy busy long weekend last weekend (including a friend’s birthday dinner downtown, a bikini appointment, a massage therapy session, two Easter dinners, posing practice and a full day of food prep- on top on my regular training schedule), I was really looking forward to this weekend full of no plans J No plans = dreamy. No plans means I can sleep in, take my time at the gym, make my food when I want, and spend some time with the hubby.

Saturday went like this: Sleep in, eat, gym time (interspersed with eating), eat, Homeland marathon (interspersed with eating), bed.

Sunday went like this: Sleep in, eat, gym time (interspersed with eating), eat, Homeland, food prep, eat, final Homeland, bed.  

See a theme?

My weekend in pictures:

Vanilla and chocolate protein pancakes

At the gym refueling between workouts

My adorable husband- isn't he cute?

 

All my #favouritethings in life!

Both mornings (as all weekend mornings do) started with protein pancakes. I love me some protein pancakes, and this weekend both recipes were both soooo delicious. Each started with the same base (oats, protein powder, and egg whites), but different flavours, add-ins and toppings were used. There are soooo many protein pancake recipes out there, but these are the ones I have created to fit my nutritional requirements.

Zucchini Protein Pancake with Vanilla Icing

Ingredients (for 1 large pancake):
Pancake:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 20g vanilla whey protein powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)
• ¼ cup egg whites
• 46g shredded zucchini
• 2 TBSP skim milk
• 5g walnut pieces

Icing:

• 2 TBSP fat free Greek yogurt
• 5g vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp coconut oil

 

Directions:

1. Mix the oats, protein powder and cinnamon together.
2. Add in egg whites and milk. Mix well. Add in zucchini and walnuts.
3. Pour into a pre-heated, sprayed frying pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, flip, and cook other side for 3 minutes (or until done).
4. To make the icing, stir together yogurt, coconut oil and protein powder.
5. Ice the protein pancake with the icing and serve warm.

Per serving: 386 cals; 11g fat; 34g carb; 38g protein

Super simple, but utterly delicious! This was sooo good. The yogurt based vanilla icing was almost like cream cheese icing and it even started melting into the warm pancake. In addition to the icing, I also topped with a spoonful of homemade chia jam. It was like eating cake... without the guilt.

That was Saturday morning. Sunday morning, I made something similar, but chocolate-ed it up!

 

Chocolate Zucchini Protein Pancake with Chocolate Icing

Ingredients (for 1 large pancake):
Pancake:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 20g chocolate whey protein powder
• 2 tsp cocoa (or to taste)
• ¼ cup egg whites
• 46g shredded zucchini
• 2 TBSP skim milk
• 5g walnut pieces

Icing:

• 2 TBSP fat free Greek yogurt
• 5g chocolate protein powder
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp cocoa 

Directions:

1. Mix the oats, protein powder and cocoa together.
2. Add in egg whites and milk. Mix well. Add in zucchini and walnuts.
3. Pour into a pre-heated, sprayed frying pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, flip, and cook other side for 3 minutes (or until done).
4. To make the icing, stir together yogurt, protein powder, coconut oil and cocoa.
5. Ice the protein pancake with the icing and serve warm.

Per serving: 386 cals; 12g fat; 39.5g carb; 32.5 protein

Again, I ate this with chia jam on top (just to get in those chia seeds), but the icing mixes up so smooth and fudgy that it would be delicious without the jam.

I'm always looking for new ideas. Have any tried and true #proteinpancake recipes? What do you top your pancakes with? Please share!

XOXO
J

Good (ugh) Morning and Breakfast Recipe Review

I hate mornings. I hate, hate, HATE mornings. Getting up in the mornings has to be one of the lowest points of my day (on the flip side, getting into bed at night is usually one of the best parts of my day :)).  This morning was no exception. When my alarm went off at 5:40 am is was still dark out and I could hear the rain… if I can hear the rain, I know it’s bad. I live on the third floor of a four story building. If I can hear the rain, it’s coming down hard. Never the less, I know I have to get up, and pressing snooze to get those extra few minutes only prolongs the pain (I figured that out after years of trial and error and complaints from a husband who doesn’t have to get up as early J). Once I am up, I’m usually good (things can only go up from there). Today I was up, dressed and ready to go by 6:10 which was awesome, because I  knew I’d make it to work earlier than usual which would allow me to get more stuff done before the work day started at 8.

(Which, as a side note, this in my new MO- getting to work a half hour earlier than needed to have some quiet, dedicated time to organize my life. This includes scheduling my workouts for the week, planning the weekend, looking up new recipes, paying bills, etc. Anything that I can just get done and out of the way to help me stay on track and focus throughout the rest of the day. #keystosuccess).

Anyway, I was up and out and on the bus by 6:18. By 6:19, while passing the next stop, I realized I had forgotten my whole lunch bag (full of meals 1-4) at home. [Insert look of shock and horror here]. By 6:20 panic had struck (“OMG, what am I going to do??”), by 6:21 I flirted with the idea to not go get it (“Could I go a day without my pre-planned, prepped meals? The answer to that was a quick and firm “NO”), and by 6:22 I was frantically ringing the bell to get off the bus so I could walk all the way back, in the rain, (uphill and in bare feet- just kidding!) home to pick up my lunch- which was just sitting out on the counter all packed up and ready to go. How could I have forgotten it? (The coffee distracted me).

Once I had my lunch in hand, and order was restored to my world, I trudged back up to the bus stop (still in the pouring rain, but it was getting a little lighter out) and caught the 6:45 bus- so much for my earlier morning. As soon as I was settled on the bus, it was back to business as usual and I had my morning favs: coffee, music, news and celebrity gossip... I love me some Celebitchy!

These things make morning life much more tolerable. As does a stop at Starbucks for a second cup of coffee :)

So, finally at work, I was able to dig into my breakfast, which, I have really been enjoying this week. Made up of grains and grain-like seeds and cinnamon, this warm and yummy breakfast is full of some delicious starchy carbs that leave me feeling satiated for hours. The full recipe I used (adapted from here) and the nutritional information can be found here and on my Recipes page under Wheat and Bran Crockpot Porridge.

Wheat and Bran Crockpot Porridge

Ingredients (for 10 servings):

• ½ cup wheat bran
• 1 ½ cup (310g) barley
• ½ cup oat bran
• ½ cup (95g) buckwheat
• ¼ (45g) bulgar
• 6 ½ cups water
• 15 prunes
• 3 TBSP cinnamon (this may have been a little too much)
• 5 TBSP melted coconut oil
• 40g walnuts

Instructions:

1. Pour all ingredients into the crockpot. Mix together well to combine.
2. Place cover on crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or until liquid absorbed and grains are tender.

Per serving: 300 calories; 11.25g fat; 47g carb; 8g protein

Easy peasy! I have been enjoying this every morning heated up with a 1/3 cup apple sauce stirred in to naturally sweeten, cut the excess of cinnamon and add a little creaminess to the mixture.

And, while it turned out great, I have a couple tweaks in mind for next time:

1. I don’t really smell or taste the added coconut oil. Next time, I think that I will omit that from the recipe and add in ½ - 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or butter when I heat up the individual serving.

2. I might omit the walnuts and top the individual servings with some other type of nut butter, like almond butter or hazelnut butter, to switch it up.

3. To boost the protein, I am also thinking of stirring in a ¼ - ½ scoop of vanilla protein powder after I warm it up.

4. I also may try to add the apple sauce to the crockpot to see if it turns out more moist.

5. And, in the vein of zucchini cake, I want to try adding some shredded zucchini and cocoa powder.

So many options! Let me know if you try it out! Send me your pics.

My other “new” meal this week was the quinoa pudding recipe I found on Chelle Stratford’s Recipe for Fitness blog. Here’s what I made with the nutritional information.

Chocolate Quinoa Protein Pudding

Ingredients (for 5 servings):

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 scoops (60g) chocolate whey protein powder
• 1 ¼ cup almond milk
• 3 TBSP cocoa

Instructions:

1. Cook quinoa as normal.
2. Once quinoa is done and still warm, stir in the almond milk, protein powder and cocoa.

Per serving: 190 calories; 3.3g fat; 24g carb; 15.5g protein

This turned out great! A delicious chocolaty delight! On days that I weight train I use it as my pre-workout snack (consumed on the bus- much more convenient and less smelly than tuna or eggs :)) and on non-weight training days I eat it in the morning as my Meal 2 with an added tablespoon of almond butter. I even tried it heated up this morning. Just as yummy. Like a hot chocolate soup.

Next time, I may add in a little less liquid so it’s not as runny, but again, overall, good as is. A definite repeat. And, it could be made with any flavor of protein powder and mix-ins (like nuts, fresh fruit, chia seeds, etc).

In any case, the week of mornings are now over, which means some weekend sleep ins! Yay! And know what else weekend mornings mean?? Protein pancakes! Mmmm…

XOXO
J

New Month, New Week, New Food, New Blog!

Welcome to my blog! Since I intended to start posting months ago, let me catch you up…

I am currently just under 5 weeks (5!) out from my first fitness competition of the season. I competed for the first time in November 2012 at the BCABBA Sandra Wickham Fall Classic in BC in the Bikini division. It was an amazing experience. So amazing, that I wanted to do it again- and I am!

This time, I am aiming for Fitness Model. My training program has changed, my food plan has tightened up and body is getting stronger. I look forward to every opportunity, every day, to push it further and do my best. This blog to share this experience with you J (more on that later).

It’s the start of a new month and a new week (sorta, since Monday was a holiday). For me, that means a new meal plan. I spent the majority of my long weekend planning, prepping and piecing together my menu for the week, balancing my nutritional needs across the day to ensure my body gets what it needs when it needs it. Sunday (in this case Monday) food prep helps me stay on track and saves me so much time throughout the week. Once everything is made and put together, I don’t have to think about it again (until the following weekend at least). Everything is just grab and go. No excuses. #keytosuccess

Everything prepped, cooked, and portion for a week of clean meals.

While I usually stick to fairly simple and similar meal plans week to week, this week I started changing things up to accommodate some of my new food plan requirements (such as eating starchy carbs earlier in the day and pre- and post- workout) and to add more variety to my protein, carb and fat sources. This week, I’ll be sharing what my meal plan looks like and how all turns out. I have either tweaked existing recipes or just fully developed my own recipes to fit my nutritional requirements. And, since I am on a fairly specific everything-is-measured-and-weighed diet, little, if any, taste testing gets done while I cook. So, this week may be full of surprises- good and/or bad. Either way, I’ll be sticking to it though :)

A couple restrictions I have to work with while planning and preparing my meals:

1. I work full time and commute 2.5 hours to and from work. That is a lot of time away from home which means my meals must be mobile. Pretty much Meals 1-4 (1-5 on weight days) must be portable. I need to make food that can be stored in tupperware containers, last in the fridge (or freezer) at least 5 days and can be easily assembled and warmed up.

2. While I do eat chicken breast and some (limited) seafood, I do not eat any other meat (it’s not a moral/ ethical thing- I just don’t like it). I also don’t like ground chicken or the taste of chicken reheated. Sometimes, if the chicken is in a soup, I can tolerate it, but it is hit and miss. This forces me to be creative with varying the sources of my protein to ensure I get enough.

3. Everything must taste good. When preparing my meals, taste/ enjoyability always comes first. I am not going to eat something that I don’t like- no matter how good it is for me. There are soooo many delicious options out there, why eat something you don’t enjoy?? Makes no sense to me. I love food and I love finding ways to put things together so that they not only meet my nutritional needs, but also taste delicious.

So, considering all of the above, this is my #mealplan for the week:

Meal	On the Menu	Just So You Know...
M1: Breakfast	Barley and buckwheat porridge	Adapted from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet Crockpot Porridge
M2: Snack	Tuna baked with oats and flax on a salad of avocado, spinach and broccoli	Spiced up with a hit of siracha sauce and squeeze of lemon
M3: Lunch	Yam and chickpea chicken curry	Made this concoction up… should be interesting
M4: Snack	Egg whites with steamed veggies and hemp hearts	Too easy to be this good
M5: Pre-workout	Chocolate quinoa pudding	Found this on Chelle Stratford’s Recipe for Fitness blog (which I love by the way)
M6: Post-workout/ dinner	Turkey with rice and beets, served over a salad with Udo’s oil	Easter leftovers (thanks mom and mother-in-law!)
M7: Snack (optional)	Greek yogurt mixed with a half a scoop of vanilla casein and strawberries	My ultimate fav! #cleantreat #favouritething

Can you spot all the proteins, healthy fats and complex carbs? I think I did a good job of mixing things up and fitting it all together, but the week shall tell. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Jen