Hello and happy Monday my peoples! Hope everyone has had a good start to the new week!
Seems like today, there has been much for me to celebrate! I awoke this morning to discover that my cheese-loving football team ended the night last night with an incredible win against the Pittsburgh, Steelers! I’d like to think it had something to do with my Green & Gold lunch from yesterday…just saying! π
So in official celebration for my team, I whipped up a breakfast this morning of spinach oatbran using my new voluminous oatbran method (1/2 cup soaked in 2 cups of water overnight) topped with a perfectly fried egg & a drizzle ofΒ Packers Cheeze Sauce!
Ahhh, the sweet savory taste of victory!
I love getting my greens in in the morning! Yummy in my tummy! π
So tonight’s dinner (whatever I end up eating) will officially conclude my Sugar-Free Week! For any newbies out there, I decided to follow Kayla’s lead and go completely sugar-free for the first week of February. I excluded any and all added sugars from my diets (i.e.: granulated, powdered, and brown sugars, honey, molasses, evaporated can juice, brown rice syrup, agave, and maple syrup) as well as any artificial or natural sugar substitutes like stevia and sugar alcohols (except chewing gum).Β I thought I’d share with you guys a few thoughts and what I’ve learned living this past seven days without sugar.
Honestly, when I signed up for this challenge, I figured it would be a piece of cake (no pun intended)! I never considered myself to be someone who consumes a lot of sugar anyway. This week wasn’t exactly hard and I think I could do it again. The only thing that was sort of weird was the intense sweet cravings that I got around day four which just goes to show you how much of a role our minds have in our diets. My cravings were easily subsided with fresh berries, bananas, and Katie’s lovely raw chocolate cake!
The biggest shocker of all was discovering just how many sauces, spreads, and dips I have that contain added sugar! Of course I knew ketchup would be at the top of that list, but a few really surprised me:
- salsa
- mayo
- worcestershire sauce
- soy sauce
- sriaracha
- TJ’s Lentil Dip π
I bought this last weekend and almost dug into it the other day…until I checked the label!
DENIED!
Even though I felt like I was a pretty clean cooking home chef, I realized that I do rely heavily on some of these sauces/spreads (well, except for mayo…I only use that once in a blue moon!) when preparing my meals. This past week, I’ve had to shift my focus more to spices and cooking oils that to create flavor, rather than just grab a bottle out of the fridge or pantry.
Needless to say this week has been a huge eye-opening experience and I’m really glad that I committed to something, saw it through to the end (keeping up my willpower at times), and was able to learn so much more about the foods I regularly consume. It’s been fun challenging myself to come up with fresh recipes without turning to ready-made “convenience” food items. I do have a feeling though that tomorrow’s breakfast will be including some maple syrup!! π
For my last bit of celebration, I was invited to go to a hockey game tonight in Nashville (hence the early post)! I don’t know much about hockey, but I’ve been to a handful of Predators games and have really liked it. I love the energy! Now, lets just hope we make it there in this:
Did Puxatony Phil lie to us??
Wish me luck! Dang, I really should’ve made those snow shoes…
So, I still need to catch up on my Superbowl commercials. Tell me, which ones were your favorites?
I really hope that little furball didn’t lie. We’re due to get snow this week also. boo
ooh and I forgot to mention, your breakfast is GORGEOUS! omg
Haha yes I think he lied to us! Big, fat, ugly rodent liar! π
I liked the Darth Vader commercial. So cute!
My husband and I were in Nashville in December, and loved it so much. We found the Predators “Smashville” slogan hilarious. My husband broke my Starbucks Nashville mug the other day. So I guess he’s taking me back soon. π
Oh my gosh! Whenever you come, let me know and we can meet up in Nashville somewhere!
Congrats on making it through sugar free week! It’s amazing how many things have sugar in it. I can’t believe that lentil dip does! I would have been so disappointed if I was about to eat it and noticed it had sugar in it π I think I may join everyone for the challenge next month!
I’m seeing a big green trend going on in these last few posts π I must congratulate you on a perfect egg. yum π
Read, read, read labels. I began clean eating last summer..which basically means no added sugar, only natural sweetners. So yes I can have honey, maple, agave, etc. No white sugar or “brown sugar” for that fact. The “brown sugar” in the grocery is white sugar with molasses. I didn’t know any of this until I started clean eating, and I discovered all sorts of foods with added sugar. I now use yogurt,hummus, etc in place of mayo and I at times make my own ketchup!
Oh wow, you make your own ketchup? I’d love to know what all you put in it! I’m not a ketchup fiend but I love it my baked potato fries!
I remember when I first found out about brown sugar…and to think, I always thought it was something special! :-/
By far my favorite SB commercial was the Darth Vader one. Christopher and I have watched that one over and over again. It’s hilarious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0 <– in case you haven't seen it.
It really is amazing how many things have so much added sugar to them. Condiments are always high on my watch list, bread and "healthy" cereals are up there too. It's good to be aware of what we're putting in our bodies, though. π
Oh my goodness, that video is precious!! Haha!
That is so true Rach! I couldn’t believe all the super-promoted “healthy” foods that had some sort of added sugar as one of the first 3 ingredients on the package! Crazy! If anything, I have definitely learned this week to be even MORE aware of what I put into my body!
I just love all the colors π hahaha…
I honestly just saw a few that were playing as I was frantically writing a paper before work yesterday so Id ont’ even know what ones were good…
I did manage to figure out who won though which is a step up from most years π
Gorgeous breakfast!! Hockey is so much fun. I love getting seats on the glass where I can watch all the madness and fighting unfold!! (I’m a tad bit savage at times! π )
My favorite commercial is the car and Darth Vader one. π
I’m a pooper and don’t watch superbowl!
I just watched the commercial Rach linked up and found that to be hilarious though!
It’s amazing how sugar is in nearly everything! I have only been to one hockey game in my life, and as anti-sports as I am, it was actually a lot of fun to watch and be there!
I didn’t watch the super bowl, so no idea what commercials were good. I did hear A LOT of buzz about a Chrysler commercial that is supposed to be good.
DANG! salsa has sugar? that is crazy.. it is super annoying how many foods have added sugar to them.. makes it so hard to try and get healthy alternatives! we have to make our own stuff!
LOVE your oats!- So awesome!
It IS crazy! Not all salsa, but the pumpkin chipotle one that I have has it in there. Also TJ’s Masala Veggie Burger…I am totally having one of those for dinner tonight!
I’m so glad that you learned so much from going sugar free last week. I learned that sometimes I eat more sugar than I may realize, too! Also, going sugar-free does wonders for my skin!
haha you are over the top w/ your green and gold! i love it! i relaly liked the doritos commercial where he brings the grandpa back to life.
I haven’t heard about that one, I’ll have to look it up. I know they put out some pretty funny ones last year!
Wow, congratulations on doing the week; don’t think I could ever do it!
And I so feel your pain about the snow… we had that much at the start of the winter and it’s horrible. Fingers crossed it melts for you π
It’s already starting to melt a bit! The roads are clear and as long as it doesn’t rain/sleet/snow in the next couple of days, I think we may have seen the last of it! Yay!
Star wars was my fave for sure! (The VW Passat one!) I have it on my blog if you want to see!! I’m so proud of you for your sugar free challenge….it’s SUCH an addiction!!!
That one is by far the cutest one I’ve seen! Did you see the interview with the little boy online? He is soooooo adorable!
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20464283,00.html
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