An “Accidentally” Vegetarian Day

Some days I look back and realize I didn’t eat any meat at all, I call these my accidentally vegetarian days!

Breakfast yesterday started with refrigerator oats-greek yogurt style and a stop at Starbucks for a skinny caramel macchiato, extra caramel, extra hot.

For lunch I went with a greek vegetarian style salad which I loaded with a red kidney bean/artichoke/sun dried tomato mix from the salad bar, feta cheese, cucumbers and tomatoes. Delicious and refreshing!

Eating at the hospital for lunch has been a really good experience for me. When you are eating out every day it isn’t always easy to make the best decisions. There has been a lot of trial and error. This is why I prepare in advance as best as possible and I am armed with healthy choices that I know I will enjoy. If I don’t end up choosing something super healthy then I remind myself there is always another meal around the corner to make up for it! I’ve also noticed that I’m more focused on the balance, healthiness, and appeal of the meal then the calorie load. I continue to be mindful of high calorie foods, but as more time passes I focus more on eating until I’m 80% full and not the total calorie content. Yesterday my LOVE affair with artichokes inspired me to make a Mediterranean themed salad while being mindful of my building a healthy salad tips.

One other thing I try and remember is that

“We Are What We Do Repeatedly”

that’s why the 80/20 rule works so well. No matter what it is from exercising, healthy eating, meditation, etc… we become a collection of the things we do repeatedly, not what we do every once in a while!

When I got home Presley was not as excited as she normally is because her mommy was out, so she got a few extra belly rubs and love.

Then it was time to change for Zumba and make dinner, I was HUNGRY and excited for a

Not the best picture in the world but man it was so good, sometimes I just get a craving for one and HAVE to have it! My sandwich was actually pretty healthy, it had at least 18g of protein and 10g of fiber between the cheese and the bread. Here are some quick tips on how I make my healthy grilled cheese sandwich:

– Pick a healthy 100% whole grain bread. Lately I’ve been eating TJ’s High Fiber Sprouted Whole Grain bread.

– Limit cheese to 1-1.5 ounces (a slice is typically 1 oz) or 1.5-2 ounces reduced fat cheese.

– Use smart balance light or similar to butter each side of the bread, or use cooking spray like I did this time.

– Add in fruits or vegetables- sometimes I include tomato or green apple slices!

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Spray one side of each piece of bread and the small pan with cooking spray.

2. Add one slice of cheese in the middle of the two bread slices (cooking sprayed sides facing outwards).

3. Put the sandwich in the pan WHILE it heats up to medium.

4. Flip when side one reaches desired crispiness.

5. When side two reaches desired crispiness the cheese will probably not be melted in the middle, so turn the heat off and leave the pan on the stove. Put the sandwich in the microwave for 20 seconds.

6. When you take it out the side that was face down on the microwave plate will probably be a bit soggy, so put it back on the pan for less than a minute to crisp it up.

A Butter Free Grilled Cheese! Enjoy!

PS Check out the 300 ab workout I did before Zumba, it was a burner for sure!

Questions of the day:

Whats your favorite comfort food made healthy?

Do you ever forget to eat meat or have an accidentally vegetarian day?