Pulled in Different Directions

As I sit down to write this post, it could go in one of many different directions.

1.  For instance, I could write (at the risk of sounding redundant) that yes, despite having a desk job, you can eat healthily.  All it takes is some preparation.

 

 

 

I recently heard someone complain that “thanks to work,” he/she had put on some extra lb’s.  He/She continued to say that if only they had more time, or access to healthy food throughout the day, they could eat better.  Let me just start off by saying that I understand limited resources (one of them being time-the most important resource of all), but you can eat healthy amidst a busy schedule.  All you need is planning and preparation.  This might sound laborious, but it doesn’t have to be.  If you haven’t noticed, I probably eat close to the same things everyday.  I know what works for my body, what keeps me full and focused, and I don’t leave home without healthy snacks and meals in tow (as you can clearly see in the picture above).  What I have also gotten in the habit of doing (which you will see two examples of in a minute) is cooking 2 servings of a healthy dinner, and packing the rest for lunch the next day.

It was so nice this morning to go for an hour walk, and not have to worry about making my protein pancakes before heading off to work.  As I told you yesterday, I made them in advance the night before.  All I had to do was grab them out of the fridge on the way out the door.  Easy peasy.

The same went for lunch.  I tupperware’d (I did just in fact use that as a verb) the rest of last night’s Seared Tuna Salad in order to have a healthy lunch on-hand.  I paired it with a baked sweet potato I had cooked the night before as well

 

Done and done.

2.  But then I could also write about my newfound love affair with coconut butter, and how I want and need its nutrients in my life.  I had seen it around the blog world before, but due to its high fat content, I was always “scared” to try it (as I start to remove that word from my association with food).  But since it is filled with healthy fats, fiber, protein, and other vitamins and minerals, you really can’t go wrong (in moderation).  So what did I do?  I made my own.

 

Did I stop there?  Of course not!  I used it to make protein bars, duh.

 

 

As I was surfing around for a good energy bar recipe, I came across The Mission of Nutrition’s recipe for coconut bars.  Like always, I got a good sense of the ingredients, but didn’t follow it exactly.  I thought about what I wanted to go in my energy bars, and made it my own.

 

• 1 c coconut butter (freshly made or gently warmed in the microwave)
• 1/2 c shredded coconut
• 1/2 c slivered almonds
• 1/2 c pumpkin seeds
• 4 T agave
• 1/2 c rice cereal

 

In a large bowl mix all ingredients together, except the coconut butter.  Once warmed, add the coconut butter to the mixture and mix well.  Place in a cookie tin and press firmly.  Before refrigerating, score bar-shaped portions with a knife.

I’m crossing my fingers that this works.  From a recent experience with coconut butter, I know that it hardens once refrigerated, so I have some hope for these bars (they were a little flaky before i put them in the fridge).  Guess I’ll know tomorrow!

3.  Last but not least, I’m just going to have to share with you another recipe.  I might make myself vulnerable when I say this, but I am very picky about my pizza.  I love pizza, but only when it incorporates certain toppings, flavors, and crust thickness (or lack thereof…I like it thiiin).  This is why making my own pizza is the best of both worlds because (a) I am able to “healthify” it, and (b) I can control all of the aspects above to make my perfect pie.

The Perfect Pizza (in my opinion)

• Whole wheat lavash
• EVOO or cooking spray with EVOO (I’ve used both)
• pesto
• fresh mozzarella (in ball form), sliced
• spinach
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced
• red pepper flakes (optional)

Preheat broiler on high.  Gently coat both sides of the lavash bread with EVOO/cooking spray.  Broil 1 minute per side.

Allow lavash to cool.  Put oven on bake at 350 degrees.  Spread on pesto and add spinach, tomato and mozzarella slices

Before:

 

 

 

 

Bake in oven 12-14 minutes.  Sprinkle red pepper flakes if desired.

After:

 

 

I ended up eating half, and packing the rest for lunch tomorrow

 

 

 

And it all comes full circle…How do you ensure eating healthy throughout the day on-the-go, at work, etc.?