My Battle With Eating Disorders

This is a lengthy post. I mentioned in my previous post about not counting calories that I would write a detailed story on my eating disorder... here it is.
Feel free to skip this post if you find it triggering, boring, or just not something you're interested in.

Looking back, it is difficult to piece together the parts of this story. Half of me feels this is because the story is so complex- yet maybe it is because I have suppressed these thoughts and emotions. In any case, I will try my best to detail the tale in chronological order.

I was not health conscious growing up. School lunches were sandwiches, packaged chips and cakes. My favorite thing that I looked forward to was getting to buy my lunch on Fridays and get a popular school dessert- two cookies with a giant icing blob in between.


Me in 6th grade vs. me a few months ago, when I first started lifting. 

I admit, I ate better than most. My parents did not rely on frozen meals and we didnt eat out often. I did not obsess over sweets and soda wasn't a big deal (that is, until 4th or 5th grade came around and my mother and I discovered Sonic happy hour. Enter a daily 44oz coke and an extra 10lbs.)

While I never felt "fat", I remember being 9 or 10 and always "checking" myself in the mirror at school, looking at my side view and not liking my reflection. It wasn't until 6th-7th grade that I decided to take action and control my weight.

I began to use workouts from YouTube and magazines a few times a week. Exercise made me feel great and accomplished! No one in my family is very athletic, so my parents were doubtful I would stay with it. However, after they saw my commitment, they were very proud.

I read so many magazines with vague (and false) information regarding food and weight loss. Calories slowly became something I was aware of, and I very loosely watched what I ate.

Now here is when things become fuzzy. I remember stepping on the scale for fun, and seeing I had lost 12lbs. I think it was shortly after that when I really became passionate to lose weight.

At this time, my parents had yet to divorce. I was still in my own house, and already cut out red meat in 4th grade due to my sensitive stomach. I started to monitor what I ate, buying stupid "100 calorie packs" and special cereals. I worked out way too much and probably didn't eat enough, and my period had stopped.




Camping NOW vs THEN. I have curves people!! Get over it. The bottom picture was from a post I wrote last summer. Way too thin.

Things got really bad for me with my eating disorder once my mom left my dad (we went with her) and we were living with my aunt and cousins for nearly 6 months. My wonderful, tall, lean, beautiful cousin- whom gets compliments on her tiny waist, height, great curves and bright eyes EVERYWHERE she goes- was with me 24/7. I LOVE my cousin. But I also was (and still am) jealous of her great genetics. It was so hard for me to A) Already be under stress from my parents situation B) Have tons of school work and C) Be around someone who was taller, leaner, and (I thought) prettier than me although she didnt workout or care what she ate.

(DISCLAIMER: My eating disorder was NOT caused by my cousin, my parents or their divorce. It was my own, personal issues.)

This time was filled with lots of fake food, accompanied with exercise as compensation for eating. Not to mention binging on things like Nutella, cereal and birthday cake. My relationship with food was ruined. I associated food with being ugly, stressed and depressed.

After moving back into my house, I educated myself on the topic of "clean eating." I significantly improved the quality of my diet, but my broken relationship with food prevented me from really understanding the "clean" concept. Soon, I developed orthorexia. Divorce stress, school difficulties and personal insecurities- all paired with a very restrictive eating pattern- caused my weight (and health) to plummet.


Me at near my lowest weight. Smiling on the outside, dying on the inside. 

Going into my freshman year of highschool, I was nearly 90lbs (keep in mind I am 5' 5.5") My period was long gone, and had been for around 2.5 years. My hair was falling out, I wore two jackets because I was FREEZING all the time, I had zero energy and I was always moody.

I had been going to the doctor at least once a month, getting blood tests and asking why I was having awful stomach pains. My doctor finally told me she was sending me to the hospital... she was tired of seeing my weight drop with each checkup. I begged for one last chance to gain weight, and I also agreed to go to therapy.

My mother knew I wanted to do this the natural way, so she let me purchase a Hemp protein powder (I used the one from Manitoba Harvest... thanks guys, you kinda saved my life!) I made smoothies with them twice a day, and focused on eating more in general and getting over my "food fears" (oils, salt, sugar, ext) This was SO hard. I remember days that I would break down and cry because I did not want to eat. Some days, I would skip lunch at school and not tell anyone.


Me now. I feel SO much happier and healthier. 

Therapy, although humiliating at first, was the best decision I have ever made. I refused to take medication and my therapist completely supported that. She was so calm, understanding and really helped me see the subliminal and underlying causes of my food fears, body hatred, and my thoughts in general. I saw her for a year, and decided to stop going once I felt I had learned enough to help myself. I honestly don't think I would have ever "recovered"-I use that term loosely- without therapy.

During this time, I educated myself on REAL food and nutrition. I realized that most magazines, TV shows, books and conventional wisdom was completely false. I am still learning, but what I know now is far more accurate than what I knew two years ago.

Through SO much pain, trial and error and hardship, I feel better now than I have in a very long time. I recently stopped counting calories and my entire outlook on eating has shifted. I dont feel the urge to overeat nearly as often, and I experience much less "food guilt." I eat wholesome food. I eat when I am hungry, and if I crave something I am not afraid to have it.

Thank the lord for powerlifting. It has given me a new purpose.

Another factor that has greatly aided in my recovery is lifting weights. For quite a while I was a boney size 00, NOT due to genetics but from an eating disorder. Naturally, my body has always been a slender yet womanly shape just like my mother and grandmother.

In December I paid for my first gym membership and now have taken up powerlifting. My body changed quickly. Seriously, if you look at images from January to February, there is a difference! It has been difficult having to buy all new clothes and visually seeing myself as "bigger." But in truth, I have never felt or looked better.

Now I have muscle. I feel strong for the first time ever! Lifting weights has set me apart from the crowd in a wonderful, fullfilling way. I proudly broke up with the scale AND calories months ago, and now I focus on the weight on the barbell.

I dont want to say I am recovered, because I am not sure if that is possible. Dealing with my food issues and body dyspmorphia is a daily task. I do know that each day I can tell myself to STOP the disordered thoughts, is a success. I am not perfect, but I try my best and that is what counts.


Source

In the words of Brittany Dawn, I am an ED Solider.

Now I want to be a sponge and absorb factual information on wholesome, holistic nutrition as well as weight lifting. I want to educate others on how to properly eat and train-or, tell them how they SHOULDN'T do so- so that they won't have to learn the hard way like I did.

I will be pushed down. Sometimes I will be my own worst enemy. But I know that at the end of the tunnel, there is a bright light and a successful future that I will attain.

So that is my story. If anyone would like me to add detail to a specific area or has any questions, please tell me. I am not ashamed of my past.

Also, PLEASE feel free to message me if you or anyone you know is struggling with food or body issues.

Natalie

Why I Stopped Counting Calories

I've always been a perfectionist. I still am. For the most part, I think it is a good thing. It motivates me to work hard and usually, succeed at my goals.

But other times, being a perfectionist is a curse. That is what I want to talk about today... how my never ending battle to become fault-less easily turned into something that damaged me both mentally and physically.

I started to count calories around age 11. Looking back on this, it sounds so depressing. An 11 year old shouldn't be worried about calories, she should be focused on school, friends, and having fun.

Around this time, I also started to work out. I found simple workout videos on YouTube and did a few each week. I lost weight, and was so proud.

Now, I don't think counting calories is necessarily a bad thing. If someone is very over weight or has a specific goal, counting and tracking food intake can be very useful and sometimes even mandatory. However, I was doing this task in a very wrong way.

1) I ate processed, fake food. Special K, Yoplait, and 100 calorie packs were my friends. I cared only about calories, not food quality.

2) I restricted way too much. Counting became obsessive, and soon I was eating below 1000 calories.

3) I thought I could "reverse" eating with working out. Ate an extra bowl of cereal? Time to walk on the treadmill for an hour.

4) In relation to the above, I would over eat "bad" foods (like cake, cookies, candy) as a reward, or because I felt so restricted and let wanted to let myself "loosen up."

This was a bad phase in my life. My parents were divorcing, I was not living in my own home, and school was becoming very difficult for me. I used food as my only means of control in this hectic time.

About two years ago, I was at my lowest weight ever. I might make a different post addressing this area in my life, because so much happened then. I was dangerously sick with an eating disorder. However, I will not go into great detail in this post.


Powerlifting saved my life, seriously. This was last year when I first dipped my toes in the world of weight lifting. Still very underweight.

With much struggle, I gained back a healthy portion of weight. Along with outside support, I found it easier to gain weight through heavy lifting/ powerlifting. Eventually I stopped weighing myself all together (I have not been on the scale for months.)

About three weeks after I posted that I was going to start counting macros, I quit counting calories entirely. One day at lunch, I felt weighed down by the fact I was going to have to track what I just ate. I looked at my mother sitting across from me, and simply said, "I'm done."

I have never felt so free. No longer am I bound to a railroad track by the ropes of food restriction- because, honestly, counting calories/macros is exactly that. A form of restriction. (This is just my opinion. If you have a different one, feel free to share, but don't bash me just for thinking differently than you might.)

As I mentioned before, I developed a very bad relationship with eating. Hunger cues were (and still are) all over the place, and the horrible cycle of "restrict/binge" happened a lot. Since I have stopped counting calories entirely, I have improved in the area DRASTICALLY. If I want something sweet, for instance, I will make a batch of healthy, gluten free cookies and have one or two and be done. I never could have done that just a year ago.


My best friend Abby and I, enjoying some fresh cookies before I left to return home to Texas. I act and look so much happier now that I don't count calories!

So, why did I stop counting calories?

To reshape my relationship with food.

To stop over eating.

To stop hating my body or feeling guilty for eating.

For freedom.

Do you count calories? Why or why not?

Natalie

Food Bullying Needs To STOP

 

BULLYING.

It's a word we all know, an action that most of us have probably endured (or even caused.)

But what about when bullying goes beyond the playground? When it is more than pushing or shoving, calling someone fat or ugly, or talking about people behind their back?

What happens when you go to a party and people laugh at you for not eating something?

Or when your friends and family tease you because you are passionate about supporting organic farming, and a healthy environment?

How about if someone forces you to hold or be around food you don't eat, just to poke fun at you?

FOOD BULLYING comes in many shapes, but it all boils down to this:

We feel BAD for eating foods that make us feel and look GOOD.


My best friend Abby, who is also a clean eating foodie, and I drinking some yummy tea when I visited her. We are proud to be different than others our age, or otherwise.

Especially being a teenage girl, I get picked on all the time for not chowing down on store bought pizza and ice cream and candy.

It's become easier to handle these people because now I know how to approach the situation when it happens.

No longer am I ashamed to eat healthy, or in a way that makes me feel good about myself and the healthy environment I am supporting.

Have you ever experienced "food bullying?"

Natalie NGYY

Tiffany: "The Gracious Pantry"s Head Chef!

Today, I am thrilled to be interviewing Tiffany, the mastermind behind the very successful food blog, The Gracious Pantry.

But the Gracious Pantry isn't just any old food blog... it is an incredibly well written, fun and detailed Clean Eating food blog! It also happens to be the very first clean eating blog I ever laid my eyes on.

This is really a special post for me, because without Tiffany, I don't think I would be where I am, doing what I am doing today. She inspired me so much when I first found her, a little 6th grader five or so years ago.

Where were you born and raised and what were your eating habits then?
I was born and raised in Concord, California, very near to San Francisco. I was raised
on healthy foods as my grandmother did most of the cooking. I spent my days with her
while my mom worked full time. She was a single mom too. My grandmother was a
very old fashioned cook. Everything was made from scratch, except it wasn’t some kind
of diet, it was just the way we ate. I didn’t know it then, but we ate about 95% clean.
So I grew up eating clean. But then I turned 16, found some freedom and a paycheck,
and suddenly there was this great big world of fast food and restaurants. I managed
to stay pretty thin thanks to modeling being a dream of mine. But once I realized that
wasn’t going to work out, I drowned my sorrows in food. I just kept eating.... and gaining
weight.

How did you learn about Clean Eating?
After my son was born, I knew I had to get healthier for both of us. So I spent an
evening in a bookstore and ran across several books on clean eating. In looking through
the pages, I realized that it was almost exactly the way I had eaten growing up. It was
that night I knew what I had to do.

When did you start making changes in your diet and why?
I started making changes about the same time I started my blog. In September 2009. It
took me a good long while to really incorporate clean eating into my everyday life. But
I finally did it. I still slip now and again, but it’s really just the way I do things now. It’s
once again just the way I eat.

What is it like raising a son on a clean eating diet? Do either of you ever stray?
Absolutely! Life happens. We can’t stick to an eating plan 100% of the time. It’s just not
human to be 100% perfect. I shoot for the 80/20 rule because holidays, birthday parties
and “girls-night-out” happens.

Does your other family eat healthy now that you are known for your Clean recipes?
No. They do their own thing and I do mine. But I’m okay with that. If somebody asks, I’ll
talk to them about it. But for the most part, they do their own thing.

Have friends or family ever came to you asking for advice? What do you tell them?
Not friends or family, but I do get asked for advice all the time in emails from readers.

How do you deal with eating out or going to parties with food? Do you ever experience “food bullying?”
I think any time you eat differently than somebody else, you will most likely experience
some resistance. People don’t like it when you do something different. It pushes them
out of their comfort zone. So yes, I’ve dealt with all kinds of “bullying” from people
around me. Some of those people became so mean, nasty and persistent that I had to
cut ties with them. Others, I just have to keep reminding them that it’s okay if I don’t eat
like they do. The world will not end.

What does a day of eating look like for you or your son?
Right now, I personally am following a low carb, clean eating plan. Something my doctor
recommended. But I don’t push that on my son. I cook him whole grains and clean
treats, and he really doesn’t notice the difference too much. He’s never eaten any other
way with me. Now when he goes to his dad’s house, that’s a different story. But we’re
working on that.
Typically, It’s eggs or oatmeal for breakfast, nuts and fruit for snack, a salad or tuna
fish sandwich/salad for lunch and maybe a taco salad or turkey burger (no bun for me)
for dinner. It’s basic, but it works. Many of the recipes on my blog are what I have for
dinner. I don’t cook separately for the blog. What you see there is what I eat, often
photographed moments before I ate it.

When and why did you start The Gracious Pantry? How has it impacted your life?
At first, it was just a way to keep track of my recipe and my progress. But then it grew.
And the incredibly supportive community that began to surround me online was what
kept me going. I love my readers. They inspire me daily.

What has been the hardest thing about running a blog?
Stolen content. People seem to think that anything on the web is up for grabs. So I
spend at least a small part of my week hunting down stolen content, though truthfully, it
could be a full time job.

What has been your favorite thing about running a blog?
The readers and independence. My readers are fantastic people. I love talking to
them via comments and Facebook. They are amazing people with brilliant ideas and
fascinating backgrounds. I also love that I’ve been able to support myself with my blog
for about 2 years now. Being able to work my schedule around my life instead of the
other way around has allowed me to be home for my son. It’s an incredible thing and I
am deeply grateful for the opportunities that have come my was as a result.

What is your favorite clean eating food (your own recipe or otherwise)? What is your favorite not so healthy food?
My favorite clean recipe is also on my blog. It’s the Clean Eating Plum Torte. It’s crazy
good, especially with a small scoop of ice cream!
My favorite not-clean food would have to be Red Hot Blues. A blue corn chip that is
basically a healthier version of Doritos. If I get off track with my eating plan, it’s usually
because I ran into a bag of Red Hot Blues.

There are so many new diet trends. Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, Low carb, ext… what is your take on them? What is your approach to eating?
Yes, there are many options out there. But I view it as a good thing. The human body
is such a specific and individual thing. What works for you may not work for somebody
else. And that’s okay. You have to figure out what works for your body and stick with it.
For some that being vegan, for others it’s paleo. I say, do what works. But in the end,
the real focus and push towards better health falls on eating real food. It’s amazing how
many people can go for days or weeks in this country without ever taking a single bite
of real food. That’s why I love clean eating. You can follow any of those diet plans to
suit your own needs, but as long as you are eating real food, you are essentially eating
clean.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years, and what is your ultimate goal?
Oh gosh. At least a few more cookbooks!
And with any luck bigger opportunities will come my way. I’m always looking to grow
and expand both as a person and as a business. So anything that comes my way that
helps me grow is the direction I will head in.

Fun question: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring three things, what would they be?
My son, my sunglasses and a big strawberry patch. We both love strawberries!!!

Thank you Tiffany!! For the interview, your blog, and being my inspiration! I can't wait to see what all you have to offer the Clean Eating community in years to come.

Be sure to follow Tiffany on all her social media!

Twitter- Facebook- Pinterest- SU- Google+- IG

Claudia's BROWNIES: Raw and Chickpea options!

Today the beautiful Claudia is back with two healthy and yummy recipes!!

 

Hi everyone!

 

It’s been a while, but I’m happy to be back around here so thanks so much Nat for letting me share some yummy recipes in your amazing blog J

 

Are you ready? Today I’ll share not just one, but two amazing brownies recipes!!! They are easy to make, delicious and 100% guilt-free!

 

 

RAW BROWNIES

 

Another blogger friend shared this recipe with me and it blew my mind. The result is a very rich and intense chocolate brownie, perfect for those days when too sweet is not sweet enough!

 

Ingredients:

 

-       1 cup of date paste

-       1 1/4 cup raw almond butter or any nut butter you like

-       1/3 cup honey, organic maple syrup or agave

-       1 1/4 cup raw cacao powder.

 

Directions:

 

Mix all the ingredients with your hands and press into a 9x9 square glass Pyrex pan. Refrigerate at least one hour, cut into squares and enjoy!

 

If you can't find date paste just make your own.: for one cup, soak 20 pitted dates in warm water until they are soft. Combine them in a food processor with a tbsp of water until they've become a thick whipped and creamy texture. Yummmm!

 

 

CHICKPEAS BROWNIES

 

These deliciousness will satisfy your chocolate cravings in a matter of seconds! I got the recipe a loooong time ago… I think from somewhere on Instagram!

 

Ingredients:

 

-       1 1/2 cup of chick peas

-       2 eggs

-       2 tablespoons of coconut oil

-       3 tablespoons of xylitol or brown sugar

-       3 tablespoons of cocoa powder

-       1/2 a bar of 85% dark chocolate

-        

Directions

 

Mix everything in a blender and then put the mix in a glass container and into the oven at 350 degrees for around 28 min. I always top them with all some nut butter, for example natural sunflower seed butter… out of this world!!

 

www.chicaloverde.com

 

Twitter-Instagram-Facebook: @chicaloverde

 

 

Apple Raisin Carrot Cake Bites (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free)

This past weekend, I celebrated Easter with a few family members at a small, yearly get together.

I decided to be the healthy one and baked some nourishing (yet tasty) treats to bring along. I thought that even if no one else touched them, my grandmother and uncle would.

They obviously weren't beautiful, but they went to Easter lunch all the same. 

I am SUPER proud of my grandmother and my uncle, who decided to cut out gluten and sugar from their diets a month or so ago. This is a BIG step for them... they both use to eat the stuff day in and day out! Neither of them were feeling very good... my grandmother also has a skin condition that was simply getting out of hand.

Despite the fact that I had suggested gluten and sugar may be a problem years ago... they just now decided to give it a try. Oh well, better late than never!

Anyways... they both tried them, as well as a few other people. They were a hit! My grandma is still getting used to the "mouth feel" of non gluten items, but my sugary treat loving uncle was ecstatic to eat something "bread like" after leaving it behind cold turkey! Gotta love that :)

Apple Raisin Carrot Cake Bites
Makes 20 or so muffins

DRY:
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup GF oat flour (I grind my own)
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 large carrot, grated
1 small apple, grated AND diced
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 TSP baking soda
1/2 TBSP cinnamon
TSP clove
sea salt
1/2 TSP NuNaturals Stevia power **
walnuts (optional)

WET:
1 can pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1/3-1/2 cup almond milk (adjust as needed)
TSP vanilla
TSP apple cider vinegar
2 droppers full of unflavored NuNaturals Stevia **

** You could replace the Stevia with 1/3 cup honey, molasses or maple syrup. Just reduce the almond milk.


Mix together your dry ingredients, all except the apple, carrot, raisins, and walnuts if you are using them.

Crack your eggs and add them to the bowl. Also add in your pumpkin. Mix until there is no clumps left. If you need to use your almond milk, do so.



Stir in the rest of the wet ingredients. Fold in the grated and diced produce and once that is incooperated, add the raisins and optional walnuts.

The batter should be thicker than the usual muffin or cupcake batter. You may have to "spoon" in your batter into muffin tins lined with paper muffin holders (oh my gosh. Is there an actual name for those things? Total blonde moment right here.)

Bake in the oven on 375. I baked mine for around 25 minutes, but it is very important to check every 5 minutes or so after the 15 minute mark to see how there are doing.

What did you eat on Easter, if you celebrate?

What is you favorite GF treat?

Natalie

Meet The Clean Eating Teen!

Hehe, no, this post is not introducing you to another me.

However, it is showing off my new video that is uploaded to my Youtube channel!

I worked on this video for a project in my TV production class a month or so ago and thought it would be awesome to use as an introduction to who I am! Please check it out and subscribe and share my Youtube channel. 

I hope to start posting more regularly now that I am a part of the #FitTube tag... I foresee recipes, workouts and more coming your way.

PS... This video is also on my new ABOUT ME page!! Go check it out now!! 

Natalie

Food Roundup!

Check out my last Food Roundup here!


Breakfast:


Was inspired by this faux oatmeal by Heather at Soulful Spoon!  It is made with toasted coconut in place of oats, and then mixed with pumpkin.


Paleo flatbread with veggies and avocado.



Found a new obsession! Roasted carrots!


Some wild caught salmon from my moms boss, when he went on an Alaska fishing trip.

Lunch:

Roasted butternut squash and veggies!


Another obsession. Roasted sweet potato! These cook so much quicker than baked. Add some cinnamon... YES!


More Paleo bread, with egg and veggies and a side of almond milk.


A lunch at one of the few places I like to eat at, Jasons Deli. I usually get a plain baked potato and load it up with goodies. It looks gross but tasted great... trust me.


Using sprouted lentils and quinoa to make a variantion of my lentil quinoa squash stew. 

Dinner:

A glob of mustard, veggies, and chicken. I need to learn to take prettier pictures...




Grilled Ahi Tuna


Turkey stew with avocado and uh. Mustard.


Grilled turkey leg.


YES! More roasted sweet potato, with tuna and veggies. And homemade mayo!

Snack/Dessert:
I fear I have been eating more of these lately. At least they're healthy! 


I tried out a gluten free dessert from Pure Market Express. It was not bad. The ingredients list is also pretty good, except the agave nectar could be taken out and replaced with honey.


Frozen banana with honey and melted 100% chocolate

Frozen banana with some Acorn Squash brownie!


LOOK AT THESE AVOCADOS!! They are the size of my head. My grandpa from Florda shipped them to me. Florida doesn't mess around with produce!!

What have you been eating lately?

Natalie

Acorn Squash Brownies

This post is part of Tasty Tuesday Linkup on Lean Lena!

Recently, I was sent some products from NuNaturals Stevia to test out. These brownies were the first thing that I made with the samples!

I have made brownies before without Stevia. I usually do not use the stuff, as I will discuss in a later post. But I feel that in moderation it is fine. Plus, it was fun to test out in a recipe!

 

So you might be wondering how the acorn squash plays in with these brownies.

 

It is no secret that I love the stuff, but sometimes I will bake them and they just don't taste right.

 

It is a bummer because I spend that entire hour of the squash in the oven with my mind and tastebuds dreaming about that sweet, delicious flesh of the wonderful winter squash.

 

Too bad this squash didn't taste sweet! They were more bland than anything. So instead of wasting the squash, I figured it would make a nice base for some other recipe, just as bananas or pumpkins do.

 

 

Acorn Squash Brownies

Yields one small pan

 

1/2 medium acorn squash flesh, seeds removed

1/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder

2 TBSP coconut flour

1 TBSP oat flour (I used NuNaturals brand)

1 TBSP ground flaxseed

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup walnuts (or nuts of choice)

1-2 pieces dark chocolate, crumbled in the mix

1 egg

dash of almond milk

1 dropper full of Vanilla Stevia

TBSP cinnamon

dash of sea salt

 

Preheat the oven to 350.

 

Warning... the brownie mix looks like a giant turd pile!!

Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth, then transfer over to a small brownie pan.

 

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the top has darkened and is firm (but not hard).

 

Drizzle with more honey if desired!!

 

 

Have you used Stevia?

What is your favorite brownie recipe?

 

Natalie  

Food Roundup!

What has this Clean Eater been eating lately? Check out some of my latest meals below!

Don't forget to follow my other sites to see my pictures the day I take them!
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Breakfast:

Paleo Rosemary Flatbread with eggs,hot sauce, tomatoes, probably some mustard in there too.


Lettuce wraps with avocado, egg, sprouted quinoa

Apple with homemade Almond Walnut Butter! And almond milk.

Eggs with mustard, chopped celery, onion, topped with the nooch! Kinda like an egg salad.
Lunch:

Sauteed veggies.

Uh... more sauteed veggies! some Tomato paste added at the end, and some browned turkey meat too.
Dinner:

Crockpot lentil quinoa stew, made with SPROUTED lentils and quinoa.

Grilled chicken with sauteed veggies and a small acorn squash. 

A baked sweet potato, with leftover turkey meat and veggies.

Turkey Crockpot Stew with mustard and nooch!

Sprouted black eyed peas!

Yum... Lentil and Sweet Potato Shepards Pie!
Snack:

A former greek yogurt addict, I have discovered I am intolorant to dairy. I have cut it out completely for nearly a year, but have started incooperating greek yogurt no more than 1x a week.

The way I figure it... it is better to eat the REAL thing (I am not feeling any bad side effects yet) than to eat the fake stuff with lots of added ingredients.

Dessert:

A frozen banana with some tahini, dipped in 100% cocoa melted chocolate!


What have you been eating lately? 

Natalie