flavor — Blog — Fit Foodie Le

you know the saying, 'it's gonna get worse before it gets better.' well, things got waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better this week, starting with my food. new stuff on the menu! went the store and got those items this past weekend so i could start my week off on the right foot.

i hit up HEB of course and saw these little pink signs aaaaall down the bulk aisle. yep, i was in the bulk aisle and wasn't tempted at all, really! just stopped to get some papaya for Chiso and kept it moving. but back to these signs, OK, who ruined it for everybody!? i guess i'll raise my hand too. they better be glad i'm not eating sweets right now, hmph. just kidding, i'm too scary to try that, really.

few things i picked up: more mc cormick grill mates seasonings (still 1 buck at HEB), some garlic powder, onion powder, and liquid smoke. ever heard of it?? it's EVERYTHING-free and provides awesome smokey flavor for your proteins. i had it for the first time on some baked pork chops, but i think it goes excellent with grilled steak. it's like 95 cents!

i got plenty of limes and cilantro to add to my big vat of rice.

which equals cilantro-lime rice! smelled so fresh and citrusy.

matter fact i had so many limes i decided to make a limeade. you know, the same thing you do at restaurants sometimes.

juice of two limes, 1 tsp stevia in the raw, 8 oz cold water. stir! add more water as needed.

less than 3 weeks left until showtime and my meal planS are all over the place and i LOVE it! they will keep on changing and rotating until the day of the show. my trainer is confusing the heck outta my body and it's responding positively. i've been carb cycling for the last few weeks, and now i'm carb loading.

which means *drum-roll* more yummy rice and FRUIT!

meal #6 from last night. #inhaled

yesterday i felt strong enough to lift a house. i don't ever remember feeling so high, so full of energy, and just plain READY to tackle the weights. ever.

still workin on that un-flexed bicep lol

i felt and looked physically stronger (to me anyway) and there were veins and muscles i had never seen before popping out everywhere.

i felt compelled to text my trainer after my workout to tell him how much i was loving my meals and how awesome i was feeling. he replied with 'carb loading is a beautiful thing!'.

why YES, YES IT IS!

instabreakfast this morning:

what? like all your bowls are chip-free.

i scrambled my eggs this time and added fresh cilantro, garlic & onion powder, and a little lemon pepper seasoning. topped those banana pancakes with a few shots of 'i can't believe it's not butter' spray and some Walden Farms pancake syrup. yep, breakfast is STILL my fav meal of the day by far.

what low or no calorie things do you add to your food for better flavor?

healthy food has PLENTY of flavor!! i know mine does! i like to switch up my seasonings often to keep the flavors new and different without altering the nutritional stats of my meal. after all, i'll be eating the same things for a few more weeks.

just a small section of my flavor arsenal. i do love fresh herbs best, but dried is the next best thing and lasts waaaaaaay longer. AND these are all one dollar at HEB.

that smokehouse maple is outta this world!! i seasoned our tilapia with it just last night for dinner and it was amazing. i also used some of the roasted garlic and herb on the sautéed zucchini i served with it. scrumptious. see?

i instagrammed my clean, balanced, flavor-filled lunch today:

it was roasted chicken breast, oven-roasted sweet potatoes, and fresh spinach all topped with toasted pistachio nuts.

i used the montreal chicken seasoning on the breasts (and some dried parsley),

and roasted them on 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or so.

same thing with the sweet potatoes- i roast them until they are soft to the touch. i sometimes add cinnamon, vanilla, and some 'i can't believe it's not butter' spray and make a fancy puree for no added calories!

or, i just leave them as is.

mustard is such a versatile condiment. i use it to dip my chicken in, as a marinade, and as a sauce. and you guessed it- it doesn't add all the extra calories, sugars, and carbs that typical sauces like ketchup, bbq (LOVE IT) , and ranch do!! i found this little gem at HEB just a few days ago:

it is CRAZY good and ZERO calories!!! (works VERY well as a fish marinade too)

i also drizzle the spicy brown mustard (5 calories per teaspoon) as well as the honey mustard (10 calories per teaspoon) all over my food before devouring it.

speaking of flavor, let's talk about water.

i've said this multiple times- i am NOT a fan of drinking water when i'm just not thirsty. blech! so i use the sugar-free, flavored packets.

these Wylers packs are just 1 dollar at Walmart and HEB and 10 calories per serving. i actually split up one packet between two 16 oz water bottles cause it's a little strong for me. drinking one of these things curbs my sugar craving completely. BIG help. speaking of sugar cravings, they are GONZO!!! but i'll get back to that in my next bodybuilding progress post ;)

make a few ahead of time and put them in the fridge. s/n- i thought the cherry limeade flavor would some how resemble the sonic drink but boooooy was i wrong! try'em and see what you think though.

what's your favorite dipping sauce? i used to put the buttermilk ranch dipping sauce from Jack In The Box on EVERYTHING :shock: