day fifty-eight...temptations and diet soda

I lived on diet soda today. I know it is terrible for me, but I was just having one of those days. Early this morning, I had some friends come over and we started making some paper tassles to use as decorations for a missions day we are having at our church. But while we were making them, they snacked on some delicious goodies while I was good and stuck to my own meals.

It was hard. I don't know what it was about today, but it was hard all day. I wanted to eat, but thankfully my spirit was stronger than my flesh and I was able to restrain. But...I also drank my fair share of diet ginger ale as well. I know, I know...diet sodas are terrible for me, but I think it better for me to drink those than eat something that would set me back, right?

But anyways...I did manage to keep myself busy and in the process created a new recipe as well. I will post it soon, of course. :)

Breakfast
As I mentioned earlier, I had some friends come over this morning and while they snacked on some pumpkin bread, I had a cookie dough chewy bar. To be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of it, but when I dipped it in some coffee, it was quite delicious. The hot coffee melted the bar a little bit and created a delicious treat.

Morning Snack
After the girls left, I started working on some freelance work while snacking on some chili nacho cheese puffs. Along with my first diet ginger ale of the day.

Lunch
For lunch I had an eggnog vanilla shake. I know I had one yesterday, but I just couldn't resist...needed to have another one today. :)

Afternoon Snack
Here is where I got creative and made a new recipe. I made a cheesy spinach and kale dip and used celery as a means to dip...rather than the usual chips. And...I also paired it with my second diet ginger ale.

Dinner
I had dessert for dinner...a brownie soft bake to be exact. The dip kept me quite full so this small snack was perfect. And for some reason, the brownie was really good tonight...almost tasted like a "real" brownie. Oh...and I had my third and final diet ginger ale of the night.

Dessert
To end the night I sipped on a coffee milkshake. It was a lovely end to the day. Despite my overwhelming urge to eat, I made it through and ended with a frozen treat.

So, overall the day went okay. Sure, I was tempted, but it was good to know that my spirit is becoming stronger than my flesh. God won and satan lost. What, what! Victory!

Alright...I am still sick so...good night! ;)

xoxo,
Toni

pumpkin apple bread

Sweet treats are everywhere this time of year, and it's hard to keep saying no to your favorite foods. So if you are looking for a special treat during the holiday season but want to stay on plan, look no further. This pumpkin apple bread is just for you. It is simple, quick, and sure to satisfy those holiday cravings.

Step One:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Gather your ingredients. You will need:

1 packet of medifast apple cinnamon oatmeal (or any instant oatmeal packet)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp Capella Pumpkin flavor drops
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup of cold water

Step Two
Mix the all the ingredients together, adding the water last. Gently form dough using your fingers.

Step Three
Now, I don't have a mini loaf pan, so I made my own using foil. You can do the same or just use a mini loaf pan. Once you have decided on which on to use, spray your mini loaf pan or handmade one with non-stick cooking spray.

Step Four
And just to be extra safe, go ahead and add a piece of parchment paper. Once you have done that, add the thick dough and form into the mini loaf pan.

Step Five
Bake for about 10-12 minutes. After 10 minutes stick a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean, it is ready to eat!

Hope you stay strong during the holiday season and pray that you have a very merry and blessed Christmas!

xoxo,
Toni

day forty-one...thanksgiving road trip day one

Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Can you believe it? This year has flown by. It seems like the older I get, the more quickly time moves. Weird, isn't it? I also posted a Thanksgiving recipe for a green bean casserole today...you can check it out here.

Anyways, my parents and I left on a road trip this afternoon to Bishop, CA. So I got up this morning and started my food preparations for the next couple of days. I started making my Thanksgiving dinner so I would have something "special" to eat tomorrow. As far as my other lean and green meals go, I figured I would find something along the way...even if it means I only get lettuce and a lean meat.

There were many temptations on the way to Bishop...I had to say no to chips, sandwiches, popcorn, fries, burgers, and worst of all, a cinnabon cinnamon roll. I won't lie, the smell of it was brutal. I actually had to chew a piece of gum just to keep my mouth moving and my mind occupied. It actually worked too...I made it through the day and stuck to my health plan. And as a bonus, the hotel we are staying at has a mini fridge and a microwave! So now I am able to cook and eat all my meals! The Lord is good!

Breakfast
I woke up this morning and made myself a strawberry shake while I planned out what I would need to pack for the next few days. I didn't sleep in too late today, so I got a somewhat early start on my eating for the day.

Morning Snack
As I was packing my clothes and food, I decided to take a break and bake a special Thanksgiving bread. I used an apple cinnamon oatmeal packet, added some baking powder and capella pumpkin drops, and baked it for about 20 minutes. It was delicious! How can you go wrong with mini pumpkin apple bread? I will post the recipe soon. :)

Lunch
I started making my Thanksgiving lean and green meal when I realized it was time to eat lunch. So I threw together a romaine salad and topped it with a pizza burger and light chipotle ranch dressing. PS...this dressing is divine!

Afternoon Snack
We were on the road by the time my afternoon snack came around. I brought some cups, so I just poured out my cheese pizza bites into the cup and attempted as best as I could to get a picture of it. I never realized how challenging it was to get a focused picture while in a moving car...it's challenging!

Dinner
My next meal was near the middle of our road trip and little after the cinnabon temptation. We were stuck in traffic, so it was a little bit easier to snap a focused picture. It was dark though, so it still came out all weird. Oh well...I guess you can kind of tell it is a lemon meringue crunch bar... ;)

Dessert
Still on the road, I ate my dessert. It was a good thing I pre-made my brownie in a cup because I wouldn't have been able to eat it otherwise. I remember this afternoon thinking, just cook it now, what can it hurt. I realize now that it was the Lord speaking to me. Thank you, Lord! By the way...I think because my brownie was at room temp rather than piping hot, it had a similar texture and taste to a piece of chocolate cake. It was really good actually! I will definitely be doing this more often! Excuse my poor excuse for a picture...this was the worst of them all.

Well, I am currently writing this in my hotel room—praise the Lord they have excellent wifi—and can't wait to tell you all about my adventures tomorrow! I pray you have a blessed night!

xoxo,
Toni