What do YOU eat?!

I swear that’s the question I get asked in half of the DMs I receive on Instagram. I always giggle a bit when I do read that because I am not nearly as clean of an eater as I’d like to be, I don’t track calories or macros, I’m not great about taking my vitamins and I love chocolate chip cookies. Those factors are major reasons why I work out as hard as I do. I like to indulge and enjoy my food so I run further than most to compensate. It’s my form of balance 😉 When I find a recipe I like, I pretty much use it until I get sick of eating it. Sometimes that happens sooner for some meals than others. Below I’m giving you a glimpse of what I ate yesterday and I’d honestly say that’s very close to how most days look for me. I also wanted to share a few of my favorite options and go-to recipes for each meal of the day just to give a deeper look into my routine.

Yesterday’s Diary:

Breakfast: By far my favorite meal of the day! I make smoothies/smoothie bowls probably 5 out of the 7 days of the week and I honestly never get bored of them. Frozen cauliflower has been my preferred ‘base’ for my breakfasts over the past 3-4 months but lately I’ve been loving frozen zucchini in its place. My go-to Vanilla Protein Powder has a bit of sweetness to it so I haven’t had any issues with any of my smoothies turning out too bland. I almost always add 1/2 an avocado for a creamy texture and addition of healthy fat as well as 1 scoop of Vital Proteins’ Collagen Peptides for an extra boost. Other than those common items, I typically add 1/4 cup of frozen fruit, 2 tbsp of cashew butter, some cinnamon and then 1/4 cup of water + 1/4 cup of cashew or coconut milk. Some of my favorite combos are HERE, HERE & HERE. If I have a little more time, I’ll sauteed a Chicken Apple Sausage from Trader Joe’s + 1 cup of arugula in 1 tbsp. of coconut oil and top those two items with an over-easy egg; that all takes 5 minutes of time, max. If I am able to prepare breakfast more leisurely, options like THIS, THIS & THIS are also great when I plan ahead! 🙂

Lunch: Hands-down my LEAST favorite meal. I kind of feel like lunch foods suck and this is definitely the meal that I struggle the most with. I eat a lot of Avocado Toast {2 slices of Ezekiel bread, 1/2 an avocado smashed onto both pieces, 6 cherry tomatoes halved, sprinkle of pink sea salt + a drizzle of balsamic}, easy Burrito Bowls {brown rice or quinoa, shredded chicken, avocado, tomato, black beans, black olives + salsa}, Egg Salad over a bed of Spinach, Lettuce wraps loaded with veggies & drizzled with balsamic or EVOO or a Garbage Salad, which literally is just anything I have in the refrigerator that needs to be used up + a dollop of hummus!

Dinner: I’ve developed a love for cooking over the past few years and have been pretty experimental when it comes to our evening meal. Luckily Kyle has been a pretty good sport but I know sometimes he’s not too thrilled. Especially when on ‘Meatless Mondays.’ 😉 Those are a fun way to reset from the weekend and force us to get creative on how we make dinner that night. Some of our favorite dinners are Stir Frys {usually shrimp, ALL the veggies & whatever low-sodium sauce looks enticing from Whole Foods}, Grilled Salmon/Brisket Burgers/Tilapia/Shrimp which we tend to pair with either grilled Brussel Sprouts or Asparagus & a Sweet Potato, Mediterranean Pizzas, Buffalo Chicken Chili, Buffalo Chicken Tacos {lettuce wraps for me} and Chicken Caesar Salads.

Snacks: You will ALWAYS find our pantry stocked with Larabars {my favorite flavors are Apple Pie, Cashew Cookie & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough} & Think Thin Protein Bars because they’re SO easy to grab while running out the door. They make a great breakfast or lunch substitute if you’re short on time too! Carrots + Hummus–yes, I’m obsessed–is a go-to snack and when I’m craving something really sweet, I’ll grab Justin’s White Chocolate PB cups and Eating Evolved’s Keto Cups.

Like I said from the start, I eat relatively clean but if I want Casey’s Taco Pizza, I get it and enjoy it. If I want a slice of cheesecake after dinner, I have it. I believe it moderation but also I even more so believe in viewing food as a source of fuel for my body. You wouldn’t put water in your gas tank and except your car to drive would you?! Because of that mindset I choose not to drink soda, avoid processed foods/fast food {sometimes a girl needs Chik-fil-A or a Taco Bell run though!}, limit my alcohol intake and stay away from super sugary coffee drinks. Those are just my personal preferences but I believe steering clear of those things allow me to feel more energetic/balanced and ensure I sleep well at night. If I had to give only 1 tip it would be: DRINK ALLLLLLLLL THE WATER. I drink right around 100 oz. every day and I swear it’s done wonders for me. With that, I’m off to grill some salmon & asparagus for dinner! 🙂