Day 16 - Extra Chocolate

I was extra hungry today. I had 2 servings of the dark chocolate, and after my Step Aerobics class, I was starving! I worked out extra hard tonight. So, I had a few whole grain crackers and a Laughing Cow cheese wedge while I cooked my dinner. I've got to stop this random eating. I was doing soooo well! It must be mother nature right around the corner... ugh.

BREAKFAST (8:30 am)

Spicy Grape Parfait:

1 cup red seedless grapes
½ cup Kashi cereal
6 oz vanilla yogurt (Still cannot stand plain yogurt)
2 TBSP sunflower seeds
Dash cinnamon and cloves, dash pepper

This was pretty good. I liked the crunchiness of everything mixed together.

I had my dark chocolate treat around 11:00 this morning.

LUNCH (12:30 pm)

Spinach Walnut Feta Pita:

1 cup fresh baby spinach and 1 plum tomato, chopped
½ whole grain pita
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 TBSP chopped walnuts
Dash pepper and 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar (omitted)

I still cannot figure out how to transport my bottle of balsamic vinegar to work. Plus, since I was going to the gym right after work, I didn’t want to be taking it with me everywhere today. I definitely need to leave a bottle at work.



SNACK (4:30 pm)

Minneola Almond Twist:

Wedges from 1 Minneola
½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 TBSP slivered almonds
Dash dried rosemary

I love this snack. I’ve had it once before. Luckily, I have 2 Minneolas leftover from my last grocery trip. I looked for them again at Trader Joe’s this past Friday, but they weren’t there. Since I was planning to have this snack 3 times, I contemplated a few citrus alternatives. I had a bag of Blood Oranges in my hand, but then, I let the cashier talk me into 3 Celebration Grapefruits instead. She insisted they would be gone soon because they are seasonal and extremely delicious. I told her how much I hate grapefruit. She said she hates grapefruit too, but these were very sweet and to trust her. I ended up making the switch, but I don’t have the courage to try them just yet. Perhaps, in a few days… For now, they will just sit pretty on my fruit stand:



DINNER (7:30 pm)

Chilled Herb Chicken Pasta Salad:

½ cup each fresh baby spinach, diced tomatoes, chopped celery (omitted), and chopped red bell pepper
½ cup cooked whole grain spiral pasta
3 oz. cooked chicken
1 TBSP EVOO
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar, and dash each dried basil and oregano

This was outstanding. I felt like I was eating at Olive Garden. But, I did not have this recipe chilled. Have I mentioned how cold it is in Ohio lately? For some reason, I still tend to pick out recipes in the Cinch book that are cold. Well, I modified this one for dinner; keeping the pasta warm and cooking my veggies in the skillet.



Tomorrow, I am planning to have the Pesto Breakfast Pita for breakfast, Tomato Basil Walnut Salad with Cannellini Beans for lunch, Pineapple Almond Peppercorn Parfait for a snack, and the Black and Blue Salad for dinner.

(Come on avocados – you need to ripen already! I’m waiting on you!)