Day 1 - Monday January 5th.

It’s coincidental that this is my 1-year Crossfit anniversary, although fitting.  I’m documenting this as part motivation to keep me going, but part to share some recipes that I’ve found (will find) along the way.  I mean, that is what we do here.

So for today, the recipes I used were….

Green Smoothie

In August I did a 10-day Green Smoothie Cleanse and it was actually really great.  I’ve kept up my morning green smoothies since then.  My boyfriend has been having these for breakfast for years, and calls them “yucky shakes” so that his kids won’t drink them on him.  They are, actually, quite delicious.  My recipe is simple, flexible and dependent on what I have in the fridge.  Now that I have a Ninja blender, they are also a lot easier.  Basically it starts with greens, one or two handfuls, my favorites are kale spinach and spring mix. Then some water, like a cup, maybe more. Then a banana.  Or an apple.  Or both.  Then some protein powder - my last protein powder was hemp protein in an attempt to be animal friendly and cut down on soy overload.  I think my current protein powder might be whey (gasp!).  And then whatever frozen fruits I have.  Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Peaches, Pineapples, Mangos, any and everything.  Blend it up!  Couldn’t be easier!

Zoodles with Lentil Marinara Sauce

Don’t know what Zoodles are?!  They are delicious and you need to make them immediately.  Essentially, they are noodles made out of zucchini.  As an avid noodle lover, and I mean LOVE-ER, I cringe a little when these are called “noodles”.  They don’t taste like pasta at all.  I mean, it’s zucchini.  But, like pasta, on it’s own there is very little flavor, and so the trick is in the sauces and toppings you can put on.  I use the Veggetti spiral slicer and slice up the zucchini (I don’t peel it first, although you could).  Then you simply sauté the zoodles in a pan with oil under your desired tenderness.  Easy peasy.

My friend Katie sent me this recipe for lentil marinara sauce, and it was great and easy on top of the zoodles.  I chopped and sautéed an onion and garlic.  Then I added some canned tomatoes and tomato sauce.  I made sure that there was nothing extra added in my cans of tomatoes, deeming them “clean”, and added oregano and salt and pepper.  Towards the end I added in some Trader Joe's precooked lentils, and when it was all warm, I dumped it on top of the zoodles.  It’s definitely a keeper!

Here’s what my day looked like…..

Breakfast - “Yucky shake” before and after workout (Todays was kale, banana, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and pineapple)

Snack - apple, apricot, mini cucumber

Lunch - left over Zoodles with Lentil Marinara Sauce

Snack - mini cucumbers, kiwi

Dinner - grilled cauliflower, tofu and asparagus with the last of the lentil sauce

Water - 80 oz.  (By far the most water I’ve ever consumed on a non-pre race day in years!)

Missteps - I did have soda.  It was necessary. MUCH less than normal. Oh, and did you see how much water I had!  I’ll try again tomorrow.

Other Notes: OH. MY. GOD. I was starving after my workout. So hungry.  Normally I eat a PB&J sandwich.  Today I had an apple.  Not the same.  It made the morning excruciating and I sat plotting all the ways I could quit.  I talked myself down from the ledge, allowed myself a soda, and re-committed to the cause. Tomorrow, you'll see something better in there.