Thinking Out Loud- Accidentally Sorta Paleo

Something occurred to me the other day as I was chomping my way through 2 boiled eggs and a bowl full of roasted veg.

My diet's changing.

Ever so slightly and very subtly... but changing nonetheless.

Ever so slightly in that I am starting to veer off grains a bit (after looking back at some of my earlier WIAW's I could see that I incorporated more than nowadays) and focus on more veggies and fat and protein.

But before you start screaming down my neck about grains being essential to everyday life and I'm a runner so I need more carbs etc. etc.

I know all that. I've spent the past year practically preaching that. I still believe that. It's just when I eat some types of grains (mainly wheat) I can definitely notice a difference in how I feel ( bloated, heavy... not great) and when I have a meal with heaps of veg cooked with some oil (coconut/ olive etc.) or mixed with some olives/ avocados/ nut butter/ any other deliciously healthy fat then adding in some good protein sources like tempeh, beans/ lentils (not Paleo), I feel a heck-of-a-lot better!

 Typical lunch now-a-days with some roasted potatoes and white sweet potatoes, oven roasted brussels sprouts and brocoli, steamed corn and spinach topped with a lentil veggie burger.

Even after a bowl full of oats, I just feel heavy.

So I've been mixing things up a bit. Sometimes oats in the mornings, sometimes smoothies chock full of protein (nut butter/ protein powder/ greek yoghurt/ almond milk) fats (nut butter/ chia seeds/ avocado) greens (kale/ spinach). Sometimes sandwiches for lunch, most times big salads with veggie burgers or roasted veggies with tofu. Sometimes a bowl of pasta for dinner, most nights oven baked veggies (tomatoes/ onion/ mushrooms/ eggplant/ zucchini- in olive oil) or a baked sweet potato, along with eggs and spinach.

 Delicious dinner of some more roasted potatoes (this was not the same day!) and some home-made ratatouille!

 Onion, celery, zucchini, eggplant, tomato, capsicum, chili, garlic, tomato paste and water boiled on the stove for around 30 mins, then added in some kale and chopped tempeh and boiled some more for around 15 mins.
P..S why did no one ever tell me how good tempeh is when it's in a sauce and soaking up the flavours! (Now that I write it like that, it seems pretty obvious)

It's not because someone's told me to do this, it's not because it's the next big diet fad, it's not because it will give me amazing super powers to save the world from utter destruction. No! It's because my body feels noticeably better when I focus on obtaining my carbs from other sources (potatoes, apples, nuts and legumes, dried fruits, bananas and green veggies)

I know it's not very Paleo at all, but that was the most recognized diet that I could think of that was starting to fit into my diet changes. I don't like labels and so consequently my diet doesn't seem to fit into any of those labels. Makes me happy. And feel a little rebellious. ;)

  

Woah. Things just got deep.

Ok, I brought it back down to not-deep with that awesome paleo t-shirt!

No- I'm not going to start to eat meat again or cut out grains and legumes and all other yummy things I can't live without (no oatmeal?!?) This was really just a post about me realising that my diet's changing, my love for sandwiches and huge bowls of oats is sort of decreasing. And also I wanted to throw a few paleo puns out there. :)

What about you?

Do you follow a paleo lifestyle?

Are you like me and don't fit any single diet?

Have you ever noticed your diet changing?

That's it for today folks! I'm just Thinking Out Loud on this lovely Thursday- make sure to head on over to Running With Spoons to see what other people are thinking out loud about too!! Bye! :D

WIAW #44

Hello, hello and happy Wednesday! Feeling like the weeks dragging? (I don't see how, my time seems to be running away from me!) Need something to carry you over the hump? How about this picture?

You're feeling better already, right? Good! Well in true Wednesday fashion- WIAW! Thanks as always to Peas and Crayons fro this awesome weekly link-up! Who wants to see some eats??

Breakfast: 
After 2 dates at 6:00am and a 90 minute run, I quickly hurried around getting organised for school and then managed to scarf down some oats in a jar with a banana:

 Hmmm, that nut butter looks a bit off!! (Oh boy, I'm so funny!)

 1/2 cup oats+ 2 big tablespoons flax flakes + 1 cup almond milk + 3 scoops greek yoghurt+ lots of cinnamon+ sprinkle of chia seeds- stirred up and left in the fridge overnight:

 Filling, delicious... quick!! Perfect.

 Couldn't fit the banana in so I fit the oats on top instead!!

Snack:
You've seen the pot of peas many times. And I forgot a picture. Oh yeah.
Lunch: 1:00pm
By lunch the running hunger was yelling and I gratefully wolfed down my roasted veg and peas and corn and tofu salad:

 Roasted potato, sweet potato, beetroot and swede with spinach steamed peas and corn and chili tofu.

 Again, filling and delicious (and prepared the night before for maximal quickness and easiness in the morning!

Snack: 4:00pm 
After a tiring day at school (learning tires you out people! So do tests!) I needed a little snack-attack and chopped up some yummy fruit!

 And soy milk to satisfy the hunger for a while.

 Chopped apple and deliciously sweet and crisp green grapes.

Dinner:  6:45pm
Mexican night!!

 Pita-pockets stuffed with hommus, Mexican seasoned beans and lentils and a fresh crunchy salsa with tomatoes, capsicum, coriander, lemon juice, chili and avocado, with a side of steamed pumpkin and parsnip:

 Y.U.M!

 Happy days.
That's what I ate. I gotta run (busy, busy, busy) keep eating, keep smiling and head on over to Peas and Crayons if you wanna check out what other people have been eating this Wednesday!

Bye! :D

1 container-3 lunches

Hi everybody! How's your week traveling so far? Apart from stacks of homework, a river cruise, my sister's graduation and a concert coming up at the end of the week, I've had plenty of time to sit back, relax and do nothing.

I wish!!

I secretly believe the government is creating this conspiracy against humans to take away a little chunk of time each day until we are left with only about an hour each day to get everything done. Currently we're down to 5 hours. Or at least that's how it feel sometimes!

So where am I going with the above ramble? No time= planning. Planning= creating. Creating= eating. Eating= food. Food= happiness. Ok I don't know where I'm going with this anymore... but ending on happiness seems nice.

The other thing that comes with planning ahead= Tupperware containers and fridges. So what's been going in my Tupperware containers to sit in the fridge overnight? My school lunches!

Below you will find a few delicious (in my humble opinion ;) lunches that you can make ahead and completely forget about until you need it the next day!

First up- an old favourite!

Pesto pasta!

Boiled whole wheat pasta with steamed veg (carrot, beetroot, parsnip, swede and pumpkin) with some cannelini beans and home made pesto stirred through.

Filling, loaded with nutrients and DELICIOUS!
Not feeling pasta? How about rice?
Stir-fry time!!

A big range of veg (celery, capsicum, cherry tomatoes,zucchini, brocoli, grated carrot, grated brussels sprouts, chopped kale and garlic tofu sauteed in a pan on medium heat with some minced garlic and olive oil for 5-10 mins until veggies are soft and fragrant.

With some pre-cooked brown rice stirred in and cooked for a further minute until combined:

Cooled, photographed and then popped in the Tupperware!

Maybe not feeling pasta or rice? Maybe feeling potatoes? No worries!

Ah, Steph? That's not potato.
No, it's not- it is a nice little salad with chopped capsicum, tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, galric tofu and spinach topped with...

HASH BROWNS!

These ones were made with grated potato and white sweet potato.


So many colours, so many veggies and so much yum! (no other way to put it)
Next time you're stuck for ideas of make-ahead meals that are guaranteed good for ya, full of veg and taste great- pick one of these beauties!

What about you?
What's your favourite make-ahead meal?
Do you make your lunches on the day or the night before? If I have time in the morning I'll make it then, but generally I whip up something while I make dinner.
Favourite carbohydrate? I like rice and pasta and potatoes equally I think :)

That's it for today folks! Have a fabulous day!! :D

Currently- food

Hi everyone! I feel like we haven't had a nice little catch-up in a while and I think we need to!

I also feel like I've started a few new obsessions that aren't going anywhere any time soon. All I can say to this is why haven't I been eating these foods as much before??

Let's jump to it!

 Roasted potatoes! You've probably noticed them popping up as sides for a lot of my meals lately and that's only the meals you see! Yep I've been loving on beautiful crispy, golden, oven roasted white sweet potato and normal potato and haven't even begun to get sick of them yet!

There's something about the crispy outside and the silky smooth and carb-y inside that is just comfort summed up in a wedge.

Next is kind of embarrassing. So many bloggers rave about fruit & nut butter and how it is their favourite snacks. Heck, even my friends who don't lead a typical healthy living blogger life (oats, nut butter, almond milk- you know the drill) say they love fruit with peanut butter. Yet for some reason I've never had it as a snack!

Probably because I generally have large scoops of nut butter with breakfast most mornings and don't want to over do it on those healthy fats (healthy, yes. Still high in calories, yes). The one morning I didn't have any nut butter with breakfast *insert gasp* and so I definitely had to make up for it with my snack:

Oh. My. Peanut butter.

Where have you been all my life?
Right in front of me but I've never eaten you before- that's where!
Something about the strange-but-good combo of rich, sticky mouth-feel of peanut butter and the refreshing, mouth-cleaning feel of apple just work so well! I guess it's like my old childhood favourite of celery and peanut butter... but better!

And how about that combo of baked beans and avocado... and bread? Am I right? I am right!

Hommus, baked bean, sliced avocado jaffle

When baked in a jaffle iron the baked beans and avocado sort of take on the same (flour-y?) texture and yet their flavours just complement each other so well! I can't get enough! Especially on 100% rye bread. :)

Eaten with some cheesy kale chips (chips and nutritional yeast baked in oven until crispy), mashed veg (pumpkin/ parsnip/ beetroot) and the leftover baked beans and avocado.

I think my obsession with mashed root veggies will never leave me. I will always be a lover of baby-textured food.

I'm sure there are so many other things that I've recently tried and can't seem to stop trying but these are the most significant it seems (you tend to notice when you cut up potatoes daily).

Tell me:
Favourite way to eat potatoes/ favourite potato?
Are you a fruit and nut butter eater?
Have you ever tried the baked beans and avocado toasted sandwich combo? I don't even know where I first saw this idea but whoever gave me the thought- thank you very much!! You have made my taste buds and tummy so happy!

I think if you obsess over something there must be a reason- so go with it (in moderation!) and enjoy it! Make sure you have a fabulous day filled with foods you love that love you back! Bye! :D

Scrolls... Mmmm

Howdy folks! Who's having a good day! All of you? Great! (I assume ;) For some reason my morning's going pretty well and.... drum roll... I have a recipe for today!! Yay!

I was thinking to myself the other day about all of my favourite foods before I cut back on sugar/ wheat/ dairy, remember some of the good and the bad... and the ugly (hello mass volumes of sugary juice and iced tea and nutella with a side of toast) and as I was scrolling (pun= so not intended!) a few images of happy food memories popped up. One was out with friends at the shopping center, stopping for sustenance at a doughnut shop and buying my absolute favourite- cinnamon scroll. The other was at school excursions/ athletics/ swimming carnival days, opening my lunch to find a Baker's Delight Cheesymite scroll.

Never had I realised just how much I liked scrolls! So this morning for breakfast I wanted oatmeal! a scroll! I was feeling the cinnamon too (seriously I have a cinnamon problem!!)

Half an hour later I was sitting down to this:

An oven baked, warm, ooey, gooey scroll, encased in crumbly 'pastry' with a sweet oozing filling generously spiked with soul-warming cinnamon.

How's that for a description? I didn't even mention that it is vegan, wheat free, egg+ dairy free, refined sugar free with only natural ingredients-   boo-ya!

Wanna know how to make it? Of course you do!

Ingredients:
40g wholemeal spelt flour
10g flax flakes (or simply add 5g more of rolled oats)
10g oat bran
15g rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Sprinkle of chia seeds
1/4 cup milk of choice (I used almond milk)
optional- 1/2 tablespoon psyllium husks

Filling:
3/4 medium banana
1 heaped teaspoon cinnamon (more/ less depending on preference) 
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Method:
1.Preheat oven to 180 degrees clesius and line a tray with baking paper
2. Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl for the 'pastry' and stir together. Add the milk and stir together until the mixture starts to form a ball (add more milk if necessary). Leave to sit for about 5 minutes:

3. Make the filling by mashing up the banana and then adding the cinnamon and coconut oil and stirring to combine:

4. Flatten the casing mixture between your hands and then continue to flatten out on baking tray (may need to sprinkle with flour) until it is long and thin:

5. Spread on the filling and carefully roll up into a scroll:

6. Bake for around 12-15 minutes until outside is hard and slightly golden:

7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for around 5 minutes and then cut in half and enjoy!!

These are probably most divine eaten warm from the oven, but I'm sure eaten cold would be just as good too! Also- coconut oil. Why don't I use this more often? Y.U.M!

Also, I think next time they need a glaze like my childhood favourite cinnamon scrolls from the doughnut shop. Melted coconut butter anyone?

Healthy enough to be eaten for breakfast and delicious enough to make any morning a good one!

They may not taste exactly like the ones I used to savour and unravel bit by bit, but different doesn't mean worse- it means differently delicious!

I mean check out that cinnamon action!

I didn't unravel this one bit by bit though.... I was a little too hungry for that guys! It was breakfast- I had spent half an hour cooking this- I was ready to eat it!

Well, I may have unraveled the end bits :)

Ahh, there's nothing like the feeling of a partly-digested cinnamon scroll sitting in your tummy (wow. Just wow Steph)

Your turn:
What are/ were some of your favourite foods that may not be the best for you?
Favourite doughnut/ favourite scroll?
Do you ever unravel your food/ pull apart your biscuits (sorry Oreos) / take it all apart? For some reason some foopds taste better for me when I do that- weird..

I hope you all have a lovely relaxed Sunday! Bye friends! :D