Egg Muffins (Again).

A couple posts back, I told you how I wanted to ensure diet accountability through a Pinterest Board (aka pictorial food journal). I've actually been doing it, you guys! And, guess what, it's working!! I've lost about 5lbs doing this! Since I've been tracking my eats, I noticed a really ugly trend evolving - I kept grabbing Luna bars for breakfast. Now, I'm not trying to hate on the Luna bar. It's not entirely evil; BUT, it's not the best breakfast option for this girl. I know that if I start the day with protein, I'm not going to experience those highs and lows related to sugar dependency throughout the day. Research proves that protein is a great way to combat sugar cravings. SO, I went on a quest for a breakfast that's grab and go (because I'll probably never be up early enough to sit down for breakfast on a weekday during the school year). And, I remembered my old friend, the egg muffin. 

These are SO delicious. Think of them as mini-omelets. You can customize them however you like your omelets! The batch I made yesterday included the following: eggs (duh); spinach (thawed from frozen); minced onion; garlic salt; a touch of sea salt; ground black pepper; and some Romano cheese. Most of the recipes you read will say use a dozen eggs or something of that nature. If you don't have a dozen eggs to spare, don't worry. You can still make these. You're just going to get fewer muffins out of the batch. Whisk it all together in a mixing bowl (preferably one with a pour-spout) and then pour into a greased muffin pan. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Cool and enjoy! I warmed two up in the microwave this morning (about 15 seconds) and topped with Sriracha sauce. 

I'm going to invest in a silicone muffin pan or two. Even with a greased tin, these still tend to stick a little. :) I hope you make them, and enjoy them! I think I'll add some bacon and a spinach/kale mix to the next batch. Also note, I am generous with the seasonings I add. I think they would be bland without. 

PS. If you want an occasional Luna bar alternative, there are plenty of yummy recipes online OR you can try Lara bars. They contain very few ingredients and seem pretty clean to me. 

Keeping a Diary

For Christmas, our 7 year old desperately wanted a diary, with a lock. As much as I didn't want to get her one - because that means she's edging dangerously close to tween instead of my baby girl - I know how it is. We got her one anyway. I always kept a diary or journal of sorts. Looking back, the purpose of my journaling wasn't to devise a grand scheme against the universe or to conceal dark truths, I wrote as a way of organizing thoughts; planning; recording; reflecting. Those are all really good and constructive skills to have. Over the years, this very blog has acted as a journal of sorts and I'm thinking of adding a new (pictorial) chapter to it.


If you've been reading along with me a while now, you know I have a deep-seated struggle with using food as medication instead of nutrition. Some stress-inducing times ensued, recently, and I gained about 10lbs. I've come too far to do this and thankfully, I know how to turn this horse and buggy around. I'm not making any grandiose plans to cut dairy, gluten, wheat, fat, and all other sources of flavor. That's unreasonable for me. I do know how to eat clean and the two items below will help me do just that...

1.) Grace. The Lord is bigger than any burden I have and when I have that urge to binge, I need to conscientiously PRAY and nourish my body with scriptural truths instead of a pixie stick.

2.) Accountability. I do SO much better when I have enlisted accountability folks asking how things are going; who are positive influences; and who will encourage me to continue on the right path - even if I don't know them personally. It just helps to be part of a team. Accountability works! It's why things like Weight Watchers; Advocare; Beach Body; and My FitnessPal thrive! These apps and groups all encourage you to write what you bite and work through your diet and exercise routines with friends/coaches.

To me, eating well isn't just about being a few pounds lighter (anymore, anyways). It's about properly caring for what God gave me. When we choose to abuse our bodies with food, drugs, or alcohol, we are really just incinerating the temples that God built especially for us to do His work. I wouldn't burn a brick and mortar temple, would you? Why would we do that to our own bodies that were made for so much more than an inanimate building? We have work to do, believing friends, and we need to keep our minds and bodies healthy to do that work. 

Additionally, I'm not wasting my weaknesses. God gave me this weakness, sugar addiction; but, He also gave me a voice as a writer; I'm putting two and two together in hopes of reaching out to others. He casts light out of darkness - all. the. time.

SO, here's the next chapter. I created a Pinterest board called "food journal in pictures." I'm posting photos of every meal (I take photos of basically everything I eat anyway, ask anyone who follows me on social media). Please follow along for accountability AND for clean meal ideas. I'll be posting everything - good and bad - but hopefully there are mostly good things there and you can get some clean eating ideas as well. :) http://www.pinterest.com/dailyupsnpounds/food-journal-in-pictures/.

Wishing you all a very healthy new year!

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, - I Cor 6:19 (ESV).