A couple of months ago, I was wandering through the Thomas Dux (for my Minneapolis friends, think Kowalski’s) across the street and came across a jar of Loving Earth Coconut Nectar.  I’ve not seen or heard of this before, so I bought it and decided that I’d figure out what to do with it later.

And then it sat in my cabinet until yesterday morning, when I had a craving for a berry loaded muffin.  I wanted my muffin to be healthy and amazing, not one of those weigh you down but enjoy every bite muffins that you purchase at the coffee shop.  So I set to work creating a muffin, using my coconut nectar and the frozen mixed berries in my freezer, attempting to use the healthiest ingredients in my pantry only.  I think I pretty much nailed it.

Mixed Berry Muffins

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (because I love vanilla!)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup coconut nectar
• 1/2 cup skim milk (Normally, I’d use coconut milk, but I’m out)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries

Heat oven to 350F (200C).  (As I do not own a microwave, I melted my coconut oil by placing it in a small dish and letting it melt in the oven as it preheated.)

Whisk/Sift together all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.  Add mashed banana.

Beat the egg, and then add remaining liquids and whisk together.  Slowly add liquids to dry ingredients, stirring as you go.

If you mind, chop your frozen berries to a consistent size; if you don’t mind, then don’t.  Stir into your batter.  Divide amongst 12 silicon baking cups, and bake for 22 – 26 minutes, until tops are golden brown and firm when tapped.  Toothpick inserted should come out clean, but it’s sometimes hard to tell because of all the berry goodness inside.

These are amazing fresh from the oven, or the next morning.  We’ve had them for breakfast today and yesterday.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

YUM! ENJOY!

Breakfast: 557 cal

As I usually do, I started my day with coffee, but due to my busy meeting schedule today, I only had time for 2 16oz cups rather than 4 or 5.  I also had Apple, Pineapple & Gruava (88 cal, 0.9g fat, 20.6g carbs, 0.6g fiber, 0.9g protein) to wash down my vitamins and hold me over until there was time for breakfast.

Once I was at work and settled into my desk with only 15 minutes before my first meeting, I ran to the microwave and heated up my favorite breakfast: Oatmeal with Cinnamon & Raisins (401 cal, 13.6g fat, 72.9g carbs, 5.9g fiber, 5.2g protein).  I eat this for breakfast probably 5 days per week.  Its easy to prepare before work and take along, because I literally put 1/4 cup dry oatmeal, 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp raw honey, 1/4 cup raisins and 1/4 tsp cinnamon in a container and stick it in my handbag.  Once I’m in the office and ready to eat, I microwave it for 2 minutes while I get my 3rd cup of coffee for the day.  I also love this for breakfast because it keeps me going until lunch; I remember my grandma saying to me as a little girl, “Oatmeal will stick to your ribs until lunch!”

I also mixed up a bottle of Agua Frescas (20 cal, 1.3g fat, 1.3g carbs, 1.3g fiber, 0.7g protein) using 1/2 cup fresh diced pineapple, 1 tsp chia seeds and filtered water before heading to the office this morning.  Throughout the day, I add water to the bottle and drink this amazing flavored water.  It curbs the craving for sparkling waters, cappuccinos, etc.

Lunch: 537 cal, 22.4g fat, 103.1g carbs, 5.6g fiber, 18.8g protein

On Tuesday night we modified Spicy Portobello Kale Rice Bowl (537 cal, 22.4g fat, 103.1g carbs, 5.6g fiber, 18.8g protein) to suit our dietary preferences and ingredients on hand.  I was so glad that it made 4 servings, because I get to have it for lunch a couple of days this week!  Not only does it taste amazing, it’s pretty too!

Afternoon Snacks: 657 cal

This is where I have to admit to you that I am not perfect and fess up  to eating an entire bag of the Natural Confectionary Company’s Forbidden Fruit gummy candies (609 cal, 0.7g fat, 136.3g carbs, 0g fiber, 3.6g protein).  I freaking love these things.  I cannot be allowed to purchase large or small bags of them because no matter what the size of the bag, I will eat the entire thing. They are so much better than any gummy candy I’ve ever eaten state-side.  YUM!

I wasn’t entirely naughty – I also had about 1 cup of fresh pineapple (48 cal, 0.1g fat, 12.6g carbs, 1.4g fiber, 0.5g protein), which I also thoroughly enjoyed.

Dinner: 613 cal

Quite a long time ago I pinned Detoxinista’s Creamy Pumpkin Sage Pasta because I thought the sauce on this sounded amazing!  Last Sunday at the farmer’s market, I bought some fresh mixed gnocchi and thought that these would be a perfect pairing.  I made the following modifications to the recipe:

• I replaced 1 cup of pumpkin with an entire butternut squash, which I roasted just after purchasing it on Sunday and stuck it in the refrigerator until today when I got around to using it. Australian’s seem to use the word squash and pumpkin interchangeably.  I think we need to remind them that all pumpkin is squash, but not all squash is pumpkin.  I think they have this backward.
• I replaced the almond milk with coconut milk.

I sautéed my gnocchi in 1 tbsp of coconut oil with 1 cup of sliced mushrooms.  After making the sauce, I poured it into the pan with the gnocchi and mushrooms and heated it thoroughly.  I felt strongly that this meal required something green, so I steamed up some broccoli.  The Pumpkin Sage Sauce was amazing on the broccoli!

In total I ended up with 4 hearty servings, which is fantastic because now I have more easy lunches!

I also had a small glass of red wine, because this felt like a very autumny dish that deserved to be paired with red wine.

My total day came out at 2316 calories, which is definitely over my daily goal.  The day also turned out to be very carb-intensive and low in protein.  I’ll have to make up for that with eggs for breakfast or something.

Now I’m off to the beach for a nice long power walk to burn off some of those extra calories!  (I hate running.  I only run when I’m being chased.  I’m more likely to swing than run. So I power walk.)

Juice (to take my vitamins with and hold me over to breakfast): 88 cal, 0.9g fat, 20.6 carbs, 0.6g fiber, 0.9g protein 

This is a new one that we have decided we really like!

Breakfast: 536 cal, 15.8g fat, 85.6g carbs, 6.2g fiber, 8.9g protein

I tried to make Quinoa Porridge in the microwave by combining 1/4 cup Mixed Quinoa, 1/4 cup Coconut Milk, 3/4 cup water, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp honey and 1/4 cup raisins.  I microwaved for 5 minutes, stirring once in the middle.  Unfortunately, while I was getting my coffee the porridge boiled over in the microwave.  This sounds like it should make a really great porridge, but it really wasn’t great.  The quinoa didn’t cook all the way, and even if it had I think it would’ve been about as good as the photo turned out.  I ended up throwing half of it out, partially because I was late for a meeting and partially because it wasn’t worth the calories.

Lunch: 383 cal, 5.6g fat, 62.4g carbs, 11.7g fiber, 18.5g protein

Maybe it was because I was starving, but finally, a meal worth eating!  I was so hungry, I started eating and then remembered to take the photo.  I put a whole grain tortilla in the bottom of my container and then layered 1/2 cup black beans, 1/4 cup corn, 1/2 cup salsa, lettuce, chili pepper and tomatoes.

Snacks: In my only 15 minute window in the whole afternoon, I [ran to the bathroom] grabbed a banana and a cup of coffee to take into my next meeting.  I also remembered that I had some Cadbury Milk Chocolate in my drawer and thoroughly enjoyed 2 squares.  When I came out of my last meeting of the day, I ate about a cup of grapes as I checked my email before starting the journey back into the city.

Dinner: 308 cal, 17.5g fat, 31 carbs, 5.4g fiber, 5.9g protein

For dinner tonight, we modified Vegetarian Times’ Corn & Quinoa Chowder recipe to use coconut milk rather than soy milk.  It is a great weeknight recipe, because it makes enough for lunch leftovers and only took about 30 minutes.  Next time, I’ll add a small chili pepper and some garlic, but we really enjoyed it as is!

On Sunday [my day of me], I went into kikki k and found a weekly meal planner.  Its been so crazy that I haven’t really started using it yet, but am pretty excited to!

Breakfast:

Coffee, black.  Always and in quantity, meaning about 24 – 30 oz every morning.

Australian Apple, Pear, Mango, Banana Juice: 103 cal, 0g fat, 0.6g protein, 22.2g carbs, 0.8g fiber

I find a bit of juice is a good way to hold me over until breakfast and to take my vitamins.

Oatmeal: 401 calories, 13.6g fat, 5.2g protein, 72.9g carbs, 5.9g fiber

• 1/4 cup oatmeal
• 1/4 cup canned coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup water

I put it all in a rubbermaid container and take it to work.  Once I’m there and settled in, I throw it in the microwave for 2 minutes and breakfast!  You know what they say, oatmeal will stick to your ribs until lunch.

Lunch: YES! I ate at my desk.  What?!?  It was a busy day.

Tomato, Avocado & Spinach Sandwich: 377 cal, 19.1g fat, 12.5g protein, 40.2g carbs, 14.3g fiber

I am in love with Baker’s Delight Wholemeal Chia Block bread.  It may be the best bread I’ve ever eaten!  I could eat sandwiches for every meal if they involve this bread.  Usually, I toast the bread quite well, but today I was a bit rushed for time.  Then I spread a healthy amount of mustard on one of the slices, layering tomato and spinach on top.  If my (1/2) avocado were a bit nicer, I would have sliced it and put it onto of the spinach, but this one is a bit overripe and mushy, so i spread it on the second slice of bread.  A touch of salt and pepper, put the whole thing together and I get a hearty lunch!  I usually pack some dill pickles to add a bit of crunch on the side (to curb my craving for chips along side a sandwich).

Snacks:

Grapes: 62 cal, 0.3g fat, 0.6g protein, 15.8g carbs, 0.8g fiber

Dill Pickles: 32 cal, 0g fat, 0g protein, 8g carbs, 4g fiber

Dinner:

Taco / Fajitas: 869 cal, 50.1g fat, 38.3g protein, 74.3g carbs, 16.5g fiber

Usually, I am much better at making these healthier, but today I was starving!  While we cooked, I snacked on the shredded cheese which causes the fat and calories to build up in a hurry.  We love to eat “tacos” because they’re such an easy and hearty weeknight meal.

We like to sauté peppers, mushrooms & onions in olive oil and mix a can of vegetarian refried beans with 3 tbsp taco seasoning.  Put it all together in a tortilla, preferably wholegrain, with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese & taco sauce.  Do you see why we get confused on whether these are tacos or fajitas?  Whatever you choose to call them, I call them delicious!

Exercise:

After dinner, I really wanted to stay on the couch and actually had myself talked into it.  After all, I did have to drive to Geelong today!  Ben, on the other hand, was ready to go!  So we put on our walking shoes and spent 51 minutes out on the boardwalk along the beach, burning approximately 216 cal.  When we got back, we climbed the 9 flights of stairs back to our apartment.  Even though I really didn’t want to, I’m glad we got moving tonight!

On Sunday I was walking through the farmers market and came across fresh okra for the first time in this country. I looked at it for a minute and thought to myself, “How hard can it be?” So I picked out a dozen of them, took them home and set to pickling them.

Louisiana Hot Pickled Okra
1 pint jar
12 fresh okra
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
2 tbsp salt
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp dill
1/2 tsp brown mustard seed
1 tsp red chili flakes

Bring water, vinegar and salt to a boil to form a brine. Place garlic, dill, mustard and chili in bottom of jar; pack okra in to jar tightly. Pour boiling brine into jar leaving about 1/4 inch head space. Put lid tightly on jar and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 4 days to process/ferment. Enjoy!

Sometimes I impress myself.

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda
1 egg
1 cup + 2 tbsp flour
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients. Bake at 350F for 13 minutes. Eat with pleasure!

So I started googling different ways to eat quinoa and was intrigued by porridge made of quinoa.  Bonus: The fiancé and I don’t eat the same things for breakfast anyway!

Quinoa Porridge

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp ground flax
• 1/2 tsp double strength vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 tbsp raw honey
• 1 cup frozen cherries
• unsweetened shredded coconut for sprinkling

Add quinoa, coconut milk, water, flax, vanilla, cardamom and honey to medium sauce pan.  Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium.  Boil for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add frozen cherries and boil for 5 additional minutes.  Serve topped with shredded coconut – yum!

makes 4 servings

I put my remaining 3 servings in jars in the refrigerator and intend to eat them cold in the coming mornings.

As a side note, I made the fiancé try this – he still hates quinoa.  Bummer.

I always enjoy a variety of vegetables with my alfredo, so I dug through my refrigerator and found some for roasting and some for steaming.

• 1/2 head cauliflower
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1 cup pea pods
• 8 mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tbsp butter
• 8 oz whole wheat fettucine
• parmesan cheese

Begin by preheating the broiler and covering a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Cut the pepper in half and place face down on the baking sheet; slice the onion and mushrooms and place on baking sheet.  Roast under the broiler until the skin of the pepper blackens.

While the pepper, mushrooms and onions are roasting, cut and clean 1/2 head of cauliflower.  Just cover with water; bring to a rapid boil for 15 minutes.  I intentionally overcooked the cauliflower a bit, to make sure it was very soft.

Meanwhile, cut broccoli and pea pods to desired size.  Place in steamer basket and steam for 8 – 10 minutes, until tender.

Prepare fettuccine per package directions.  Drain cauliflower, saving 1 cup of starchy water.  Place cauliflower in blender or food processor, I used my ninja.  Add butter and milk; blend until smooth and creamy, adding starchy cauliflower water until desired texture is achieved.  I used approximately 2/3 cup of the water.

Mix pasta and alfredo sauce.  Serve with parmesan cheese, steamed and roasted vegetables.

I was surprised by how similar to alfredo sauce this cauliflower sauce truly was!  The texture was spot on and we could hardly taste the cauliflower.  We will definitely be making this again.

I’m pretty sure “Let’s get crazy with cauliflower!” is about to become a theme in this household.

• 1/2 butternut squash
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp tarragon
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 laughing cow cheese light wedges

Preheat oven to 400.  Peel and remove seeds from 1/2 of a butternut squash; cut into 1 inch cubes.  Spread squash in a single layer on baking sheet and roast for 40-ish minutes, until it begins to brown.  I recommend covering the pan in aluminum foil and a small amount of cooking spray to prevent it from sticking.

While squash is roasting, cook wild rice.  You can cook according to package instructions, but I prefer to boil like pasta for 50-ish minutes and then drain off excess water.  This creates a fluffier rice.

Meanwhile, heat vegetable broth in large skillet to boiling; add chopped onion, garlic, salt, pepper and tarragon.  Boil rapidly for 10 minutes until onion is tender.  Add squash and rice; continue to cook until broth is roughly 50% absorbed/boiled off.

Lastly, add the 4 laughing cow cheese light wedges and cook until melted and well blended.

This made 4 delicious servings at only 5 Weight Watchers Plus per serving.  This recipe is fiancé approved!

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion. chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 14 oz bag of frozen peas

Sauté onions & garlic in olive oil, salt & pepper over medium-high heat until golden.  Add vegetable broth, bring to a soft boil.  Add frozen peas and boil until warm.  Blend until smooth and voila lunch is prepared while you dry your hair.