A couple of months ago, I was wandering through the Thomas Dux (for my Minneapolis friends, think Kowalski’s) across the street and came across a jar of Loving Earth Coconut Nectar.  I’ve not seen or heard of this before, so I bought it and decided that I’d figure out what to do with it later.

And then it sat in my cabinet until yesterday morning, when I had a craving for a berry loaded muffin.  I wanted my muffin to be healthy and amazing, not one of those weigh you down but enjoy every bite muffins that you purchase at the coffee shop.  So I set to work creating a muffin, using my coconut nectar and the frozen mixed berries in my freezer, attempting to use the healthiest ingredients in my pantry only.  I think I pretty much nailed it.

Mixed Berry Muffins

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (because I love vanilla!)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup coconut nectar
• 1/2 cup skim milk (Normally, I’d use coconut milk, but I’m out)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries

Heat oven to 350F (200C).  (As I do not own a microwave, I melted my coconut oil by placing it in a small dish and letting it melt in the oven as it preheated.)

Whisk/Sift together all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.  Add mashed banana.

Beat the egg, and then add remaining liquids and whisk together.  Slowly add liquids to dry ingredients, stirring as you go.

If you mind, chop your frozen berries to a consistent size; if you don’t mind, then don’t.  Stir into your batter.  Divide amongst 12 silicon baking cups, and bake for 22 – 26 minutes, until tops are golden brown and firm when tapped.  Toothpick inserted should come out clean, but it’s sometimes hard to tell because of all the berry goodness inside.

These are amazing fresh from the oven, or the next morning.  We’ve had them for breakfast today and yesterday.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

YUM! ENJOY!

Breakfast:

Coffee, black.  Always and in quantity, meaning about 24 – 30 oz every morning.

Australian Apple, Pear, Mango, Banana Juice: 103 cal, 0g fat, 0.6g protein, 22.2g carbs, 0.8g fiber

I find a bit of juice is a good way to hold me over until breakfast and to take my vitamins.

Oatmeal: 401 calories, 13.6g fat, 5.2g protein, 72.9g carbs, 5.9g fiber

• 1/4 cup oatmeal
• 1/4 cup canned coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup water

I put it all in a rubbermaid container and take it to work.  Once I’m there and settled in, I throw it in the microwave for 2 minutes and breakfast!  You know what they say, oatmeal will stick to your ribs until lunch.

Lunch: YES! I ate at my desk.  What?!?  It was a busy day.

Tomato, Avocado & Spinach Sandwich: 377 cal, 19.1g fat, 12.5g protein, 40.2g carbs, 14.3g fiber

I am in love with Baker’s Delight Wholemeal Chia Block bread.  It may be the best bread I’ve ever eaten!  I could eat sandwiches for every meal if they involve this bread.  Usually, I toast the bread quite well, but today I was a bit rushed for time.  Then I spread a healthy amount of mustard on one of the slices, layering tomato and spinach on top.  If my (1/2) avocado were a bit nicer, I would have sliced it and put it onto of the spinach, but this one is a bit overripe and mushy, so i spread it on the second slice of bread.  A touch of salt and pepper, put the whole thing together and I get a hearty lunch!  I usually pack some dill pickles to add a bit of crunch on the side (to curb my craving for chips along side a sandwich).

Snacks:

Grapes: 62 cal, 0.3g fat, 0.6g protein, 15.8g carbs, 0.8g fiber

Dill Pickles: 32 cal, 0g fat, 0g protein, 8g carbs, 4g fiber

Dinner:

Taco / Fajitas: 869 cal, 50.1g fat, 38.3g protein, 74.3g carbs, 16.5g fiber

Usually, I am much better at making these healthier, but today I was starving!  While we cooked, I snacked on the shredded cheese which causes the fat and calories to build up in a hurry.  We love to eat “tacos” because they’re such an easy and hearty weeknight meal.

We like to sauté peppers, mushrooms & onions in olive oil and mix a can of vegetarian refried beans with 3 tbsp taco seasoning.  Put it all together in a tortilla, preferably wholegrain, with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese & taco sauce.  Do you see why we get confused on whether these are tacos or fajitas?  Whatever you choose to call them, I call them delicious!

Exercise:

After dinner, I really wanted to stay on the couch and actually had myself talked into it.  After all, I did have to drive to Geelong today!  Ben, on the other hand, was ready to go!  So we put on our walking shoes and spent 51 minutes out on the boardwalk along the beach, burning approximately 216 cal.  When we got back, we climbed the 9 flights of stairs back to our apartment.  Even though I really didn’t want to, I’m glad we got moving tonight!

In my 30s, I’ve decided that the number on the scale doesn’t matter.  I’ve realized how much I love and appreciate good food, beer and wine.  I want to feel good about myself, but not live hungry on the elliptical.  All of these realizations mean I’ve put on a bit of weight and it turns out that I’m okay with 145 pounds.  My body is comfortable with 145 pounds.  I do not have to work at 145 pounds.

I eat balanced, healthy diet, but I could cut back on the gummy snakes (they’re even better in Australia!) and beer.  Let’s be honest, I’m probably not going to.   Since we’ve been in Australia, I’ve put on a layer of beer padding that I’d prefer to get rid of before my wedding in Hawaii.  So here is the plan:

• Maintain my current diet, but maybe cut back on snakes and beer a bit.
• Start exercising.  Spending our first 6 weeks in Australia in a hotel without a gym really set some bad habits in Australia.  I need to get back on the fitness bandwagon.  Evenings that I work from my St. Kilda Road office, I’ll be sure to get in some cardio and yoga/Pilates.
• Keep having fun.

That’s it, that’s the plan.  Nice. Easy.  Achievable.  The end result will be that I’ll look as good for my wedding as I did for my sister’s.  If you’d like to come along for the ride or need an accountability partner, join me on myfitnespal.  My screen name is hantrobus.

I’m not going to share before and after pictures here or on myfitnesspal.  I’m not going to share measurements along the way.  I find these things to be incredibly private; I also think before and after pictures are very fake.  I mean, I can look 10 pounds lighter in 30 seconds by sucking my gut in, standing in good posture and changing my outfit.

And remember, we eat less to look good in our clothes; we workout to look good out of our clothes.

So I started googling different ways to eat quinoa and was intrigued by porridge made of quinoa.  Bonus: The fiancé and I don’t eat the same things for breakfast anyway!

Quinoa Porridge

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp ground flax
• 1/2 tsp double strength vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 tbsp raw honey
• 1 cup frozen cherries
• unsweetened shredded coconut for sprinkling

Add quinoa, coconut milk, water, flax, vanilla, cardamom and honey to medium sauce pan.  Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium.  Boil for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add frozen cherries and boil for 5 additional minutes.  Serve topped with shredded coconut – yum!

makes 4 servings

I put my remaining 3 servings in jars in the refrigerator and intend to eat them cold in the coming mornings.

As a side note, I made the fiancé try this – he still hates quinoa.  Bummer.