Let's talk FOOD!

People ask me all of the time about what I eat, how often I eat, what/when I cook, etc.  What better place to spill it all than here, right?!  My very favorite topic: FOOD!

Now, let me just say something....  I have never been a person who was EVER hungry after a work out or if I'd just worked up a sweat...  Never!  But, here's the disclaimer...  Since becoming a CrossFitter, after a WOD...  I.  AM.  STARVING.  Seriously, my body HATES me if it doesn't get protein STAT.  I am also not a snacker.  At the most, I may have a small handful of almonds or maybe a banana with organic peanut butter as a late afternoon snack before CrossFit.  That doesn't happen often though.  So, when I leave the box, my only mission is FOOD!

Let me ALSO say this....  I am NOT Paleo.   Although, I don't eat very much in the way of dairy, grains, or sugar...  Just in moderation!  {This girl thoroughly enjoys the occasional cup of lime sherbet or a good slice of homemade bread} I DO, however, eat clean.  A vast majority of what I buy consists of fruits, veggies, and lean meats.  Speaking of fruits and veggies, I am an AVID farmers market fan {shout out to our Fort Smith Farmer's Market on Garrison Avenue --- What what?!?!}



The Farmer's Market has THE most gorgeous flowers!  Every Saturday that I go, I bring at least one bouquet home to display in my condo for the week.  These babies are just five bucks a bouquet..  No, I'm NOT kidding!  And the arrangements are absolutely gorgeous.  If you ask me, you just can't go wrong spending $5 to put a little happy in your home for an entire week.  If you're lucky, your silly friends will sometimes go WITH you to the farmer's market and take pictures of you with said flowers. {Heart you HARD, Beck!}

 

Now, where were we?!  Oh, yes...  FOOD.  Now, I am definitely known for making my haul at the farmers market every Saturday morning.  That includes veggies, fruits {my faves so far this year have been strawberries and nectarines -- still crossing my fingers that there will be peaches soon!  It's been a tough spring/summer harvest for Arkansas farmers with the rain AND the lack thereof}  I go to the grocery store, fairly religiously, on Sundays {no pun intended}.  There, I first stock up on any additional veggies or fruits I need and then dash straight for the lean meats --- most notably, the fish!  I ADORE salmon.  J'adore.  Like, I don't think I can quite express my absolute adoration.  I shop primarily on the outside aisles at the grocery store - if it doesn't rot in 6 months, you should NOT put it in your body!  Period. 

I'm not a big "meal planner" and I don't really follow recipes...  {I'm a rebel, I know.}  I just buy what sounds good, and that's what I eat.  If I do plan meals, I prepare and cook everything on Sunday's - Sunday food prep!  Let me just tell you how EASY this makes my life during the week.  Since I work from 7:45-5 and have CrossFit from 5:30-7ish each day, it is a LIFESAVER when I can head straight home and heat up something delicious in less than 5 minutes. 

My meals are pretty strictly balanced...  They ALWAYS consist of protein, veggies, and [more often than not] fruit of some sort.  Time for another disclaimer:  I was NOT a huge meat fan [you guessed it] until I started CrossFit.  Now, I'm fairly convinced that I could consume at least a steak per day.  I LOVE the stuff.  Yummy to my tummy!  However, you won't catch me batch grillin' steaks at my little condo on a Sunday.  That's more of an out-to-eat treat food!  When I prepare meat by the batch, it's usually baked or grilled fish and the occasional round of chicken.  I also ALWAYS drink water throughout the entire day....  TONS of it!

Breakfast:
If there is one piece of advice I can give anyone, it's ALWAYS EAT BREAKFAST!  Every day.  Seriously, don't skip it.  Your metabolism and blood sugar will hate you.  It doesn't have to be scrambled eggs with bacon and the works every day - just come up with something easy!  I LOVE to eat fritattas!  SO yum.  I make a big batch on Sundays, and then usually heat a few of those puppies up, top with some fresh salsa, add a few strips of bacon {oink}, and add 1/2 grapefruit...  Voila!  Oh, and we cannot, must not forget coffee.  My one true love.  I wish I had some breakfast pictures, but I am usually scarfing breakfast down while getting ready for work.  That early in the morning, food pictures are the last thing on my mind!  I also love having oatmeal for breakfast.  Quaker makes this no sugar added Perfect Portions oatmeal that's divine.  You just scoop however much you want into a bowl, add milk {in my case, water}, and heat.  I love the cinnamon flavored one!  One of my favorite ways to make it is to heat 1/4 cup oats with 1/2 cup water for 75 seconds and then add a sliced banana, some peanut butter, and dark chocolate chips and then heat for about 20 seconds.  Mix & enjoy!  It's divine.  I also love honey on my oatmeal, and will usually mix that when I'm having berries with it.  Speaking of honey, a gentleman I work with has his own bees and harvests his own honey to jar and sell.  I am pretty tried and true to a certain locally made honey I buy at the farmer's market {GREAT for seasonal allergies!}, but he insisted I try HIS honey and was sweet enough to give me a jar!  I can't wait to try it on a bowl of oats :)  Thanks again, Alan!

Lunches:
Again, usually a quick/on-the-go meal...  Hence, Sunday food prep.  I usually just have leftovers and will sometimes get creative!  Protein, veggies, and fruit.  I don't adore brown rice but DO enjoy the occasional quinoa or couscous.  An example [below] would be a homemade chicken fajita mix {made on Sunday (duh!) with Tyson fajita chicken strips, 2 green bell peppers sliced into strips, 2 red bell peppers sliced into strips, Cherub tomatoes halved, fresh lime juice, garlic, and other seasonings}.  I put this mix on top of baby spinach and used salsa and some more fresh lime juice squeezed over the top in lieu of dressing.  In addition, I sliced up a whole avocado  {yes, the WHOLE thing... CrossFit, I tell ya!} and had a small handful of blueberries on the side.  DELISH!

Dinners:
Dinner, just like breakfast and lunch, is usually on the fly.  I PROMISE I enjoy my food!  Life just gets busy and I have to be intentional about what I eat!  Dinner is probably my most enjoyable meal of the day, because I'm always just finishing up with my WOD and my body is SCREAMING for protein!  I never skip dinner.  Even on nights when I have errands to run after my work out, I always eat at least a little something.  I found that my oatmeal with bananas, chocolate chips, and PB is good for late night dinners because it's warm and never fails to make me feel cozy and sleepy!  Add some decaf green tea and you're set.  Again, balanced dinners {usually} with protein, veggies, and fruit.  Here's an example - a homemade quesadilla on a whole wheat tortilla that's filled with my yummy chicken fajita mix and a little cheese and topped with salsa and some fresh-squeezed lime juice.  I didn't even eat half of it!  Again, I sliced up an entire avocado {which NEVER goes to waste on my plate!} and even a few strawberries for my "dessert."  It was a fabulous meal! That quesadilla maker that my mom got me a few Christmases ago has certainly been well-used.

Here's another super yummy example....  This was the 4th of July meal at my mom's.  Steak kabobs {did I mention my love for steak, people?!} with veggies and pineapple, "fried" brown rice, Asian coleslaw {most lovingly known in the Kidwell family as Fumi Salad} and corn on the cob.  Of course, we had angel food cake with fresh berries for dessert, but I won't tempt you with the picture! {Shout out to Beck for the monogrammed cup!}

 

Eating Out: 
Now, one would think this is a toughy...  But, nooooooo.  I have so selflessly done the research work for y'all.  Thank me later!  If you MUST eat out and don't want to cash in on a cheat meal, just flock to the nearest Panera Bread and they will HOOK.YOU.UP!!!!  Have y'all HEARD of a little thing they like to call the "hidden menu?!"  If not..  Again, thank me later.  If so...  Give yourself a little high-five:)  Why on earth Panera feels the need to keep this little miracle a secret is just beyond me.  That's what it is, afterall...  A miracle.  This menu is FULL of low-carb, cheese and grain-free entrees.  Two choices for breakfast and four choices for lunch/dinner.  And, let me just tell you....  IT IS FANTASTIC!!!  Do you get the hint yet?!  Seriously, get to Panera right NOW and try out something fron this menu.  I'll even make the work a little easier for you.  Google "Panera Hidden Menu" to see all of the choices and nutritional information.  Next on my list to try?  The Chicken Hummus Bowl.  Jalapeno cilantro hummus?!  Um, YES please!

 

For lunch one day this week, in fact {again, selfless research.. the things I do for you and for science!} I had the Power Mediterranean Chicken Salad.  DIVINE, I tell you!  They even include the cutest-little-things-you-EVER-did-see tiny olive oil packets for your dressing!  If someone can find out where I can purchase said tiny olive oil packets in bulk for my own lunches, I'll love you forever!  LOOK at this deliciousness....  I know, right?!

 

Indulgence

Let's get down to business...  We ALL have cheat meals/days.  There is at least one food {or in my case, several} that we MUST ingest at least every once in a great while.  Humor me, here.  Before CrossFit, let's just say these cheat meals were more frequent.  Now?  Now I catch myself in the midst of a WOD involving TWO rounds {yes, I said 2... and that's with a 20 minute cap} of 50 box jumps, 40 goblet squats, 30 burpees, 20 barbell good mornings, and 10 barbell lunge steps... Well, I catch myself in the middle of that second set of 30 burpees thinking "I'll never indulge in another ranch-dipped french fry, sliver of pizza, or grain of spicy chicken fried rice EVER AGAIN!"  Then, when I'm done dying, I snap back to reality...  Let's be honest with ourselves....  I love pizza.  I just do.  It's part of who I am.  Enjoying a slice or two of really good pizza and an ice cold beer is just the American thing to do, okay?!  It's OKAY to indulge every once in awhile!  But, I promise, if you follow a strict work out schedule and then catch a glimpse of how skinny you look while trying on bathing suits, you just naturally won't want to indulge nearly as often.  I PROMISE.  So, enjoy the pizza {say, once a month} and keep sweating.  It won't kill ya!  Here's MY fav deep dish pepperoni and jalapeno on which I dined during my Chicago trip.  Heavenly!

 That's all I've got for now!  If you read this whole thing, props to you - you must REALLY love me {hi, mom}.  Go eat something yummy and get in a good sweat today!  I promise you'll be a better person for it! ;) xoxo