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What I’ve Been Craving Wednesday

Posted on September 25, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

Hey guys!

I LOVED reading through all the comments on yesterday’s post. I’m so glad to hear that most of you do your best to listen to your body and give in to true cravings, but it’s also nice to know I’m not the only one who gets a little confused sometimes.

In an effort to be more in tune with my body, I’ve been doing my best to take notice of my cravings over the last couple of days…and they’ve led me into some pretty delicious AND filling eats! 🙂

So just in time for this week’s edition of What I Ate Wednesday, here’s a look into what I’ve been craving AND eating over the last few days…

Be sure to head over to Peas & Crayons and give our lovely hostess a bit of comment love for putting together our links of deliciousness each and every week! We love you Jenn!

Now onto those cravings!

Lately, it’s gotten a bit chilly in the mornings. I couldn’t believe it when I left the hospital the other day and could see my BREATH! Needless to say, all I’ve wanted on these particular mornings is something warm and comforting…

Like big bowls of creamy PEANUT BUTTERY oat bran!

I stirred some peanut flour into this bowl and THEN topped it with a spoonful of peanut butter for double the nutty fun and I also added a bit of FROG jam!

By the way, check out Sarah’s homemade version of my beloved FROG…I’m trying that out just as soon as I finish my jar! 😉

And perfectly poached eggs!

When Laura posted her tried and true method for the poaching eggs, I couldn’t help but give it a try…

It doesn’t get any easier! Just put a tablespoon of vinegar in the water and boil like usual, reduce the heat to simmer, drop in your egg, and in 2-3 minutes you get this:

#yolkporn at it’s finest!

And I have to say this was one amazing breakfast!

Mashed chickpeas, roasted eggplant, this sun-dried tomato spread, basil, and of course our lovely star of the show…I swear I may never fry an egg again!

But come afternoon, once the temperatures rise, the craving strikes for something cool and refreshing…

Like SUPER thick and creamy smoothies!

This one had a bit of everything in it…mixed baby greens, mangoes, avocado, ginger…it was kind of a “clean out the fridge” smoothie! 😉

And if you’ve never added avocado to your smoothie, you just haven’t LIVED! It brings on a WHOLE new level of creaminess! 😀

And even BIGGER veggie-packed salads!

This one had romaine, chick peas, red bell pepper, roasted eggplant, olives, and some tomato basil mozzarella. I topped it with the same sun-dried tomato spread as I did the eggs and it was PHENOMENAL!

Seriously, one of the best salads I’ve ever made!

Yet even with the deliciousness of unseasonal eats, fall is now upon us, and there is no denying those cravings that come with the changing of the leaves…

I’m sorry, but I just can’t seem to get enough pumpkin!

Whether it be adding it to big bowls of yogurt with crunchy granola and crack nuts…

Or in sippable form, giving me that little pick-me-up midway through a shift.

But the one that tops them all?

The one I think you guys will be most excited about?

This morning’s breakfast:

How about a nice slice of pumpkin cake for breakfast?

Or better yet, how about a WHOLE pumpkin cake for breakfast?

And guess what…it’s ready to eat in 3 minutes or less!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cake for One

By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2-3 minutes

Keywords: microwave breakfast snack dessert high protein no sugar added low-carb gluten-free pumpkin peanut flour fall

Ingredients (Serves 1)

1/4 cup peanut flour
1/4 teaspoon sodium-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg white
1 tablespoon applesauce
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5-7 drops liquid stevia or other preferred sweetener

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients. Stir well.
2. Coat a microwave-safe dish with coconut oil or cooking spray.
3. Transfer batter to dish and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.
4. Serve drizzled with healthy chocolate sauce, chopped nuts, and/or anything else your heart desires! 😉

Nutrition facts for just the cake:

Low in calorie, but PACKED with protein…you know what that means…

BRING ON THE TOPPINGS!!

What would you top your pumpkin cake with?

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten lately?

Posted in Breakfast, Desserts, Entree, What I Ate Wednesday | Tagged avocado, chocolate, coconut, eggs, Greek yogurt, nuts, peanut butter, peanut flour, protein, pumpkin, salad, smoothie | 117 Comments

Cravings

Posted on September 24, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

What is the last craving you had?

Pizza…? Chocolate…? Ice Cream…? Pancakes? 😉

Did you honor it?

Or did you tell yourself you knew better?

I’ve always had a hard time “honoring” my cravings…most of the time I just don’t know how to distinguish between a a “true” craving (something my body is really needing) and a “snacky” craving (something I only think I want because I’m bored, I saw it on the tv/internet, or maybe I’m just curious about some recently acquired snacks).

Here’s the thing…for me, having new snacks is like having new toys…I want to open them all at once and “play” with them. But unfortunately, playing with that many “toys” almost always lands me with a tummy ache.

But lately, I’ve been denying myself any playtime at all.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve found myself feeling extra “snacky”…especially at the end of the day. At first I chalked it up to being tired, but even after a good ~~night’s~~ day’s sleep, the feeling was still there. So I stopped, and I listened…trying hard to figure out what my body was telling me…

It wanted fat, it wanted salt, it wanted…CHOCOLATE?!

Really? But I don’t even really LIKE chocolate!

So I decided I knew better.

I had some pretzels dipped in peanut butter…but only a few…I didn’t want to go overboard. Then I had some carrots and celery…there, that balances everything out, right?

WRONG!

The cravings persisted over the next week…they got more intense.

Then, the other day, I was up late because I couldn’t sleep (thank you night shift insomnia!) and there it was again…that craving for chocolate!

So I (picture me sticking out my chest and pointing my thumbs back at myself) decided that wasn’t what I was craving at all…it was late, I couldn’t have chocolate. Instead, I had some carrots…I even dipped them in ranch dressing (thinking if my body wanted fat, then there…there was some fat), but after I finished, I just wasn’t satisfied…so I had a couple handfuls of granola…and then a couple more…and then some peanut butter out of the jar…

And then…FINALLY, I gave up and got the DAMN chocolate out of the DAMN cupboard!

And you know what? That was it! THAT was what I wanted! As soon as I had a good dose of the dark stuff, I was fine…well, except for the fact that as soon as I walked out of the kitchen, I had a tummy ache…with a side of guilt.

It wasn’t until the next day, after a long talk with a good friend, that I finally got things into perspective. She reminded me that our bodies are smarter than our minds give them credit for. We want what we want…sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it doesn’t.

But where do we get off thinking we know better?

If I had gone for the chocolate in the first place, I never would have went rabid in the pantry and ended up feeling miserable afterwards!

But it stops here. I’m no longer going to try to “override” my cravings…even if they aren’t the healthiest choices. And I’m not going to let one night of overindulgence leave me with a sense of guilt.

Life’s too short! Right, Amanda?

Do you have a hard time “listening” to your body? How can you tell when you’re having a TRUE craving?

What was the last craving you gave into?

Posted in Snacks | Tagged chocolate, chocolate chips, cravings, food rules, intuitive eating, snacks | 40 Comments

Sweet Potato Pie Pancakes

Posted on September 23, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

Good morning loves!

With today being the first official Pancake Sunday of fall, I figured it was finally time to bust out some of the fall flavors we all love!

But why should pumpkin have all the fun?

Oh yeah, I went there!

And I even brought the maple syrup along for the ride!

Sweet Potato Pie Pancakes

By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Keywords: fry breakfast high protein high fiber whole wheat pastry flour sweet potato Pancake Sunday fall

Ingredients (Serves 1)

1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 teaspoon sodium-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 egg white
1/4 cup mashed sweet potato
1/2 banana, mashed
1/4 cup water (or milk)

Instructions

1. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, protein powder, baking powder, and spice.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together egg white, sweet potato, banana, and water (or milk).
4. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until flour is incorporated.
5. Spoon batter onto skillet forming three medium-sized pancakes.
6. Cook 5-6 minutes per side or edges are crisp and golden brown.
7. Serve with pure maple syrup…or, if your feeling extra frisky, layer with mini marshmallows, pop ’em in the microwave to “melt” and top with crushed pecans!! 😉

Nutritional facts per serving BEFORE toppings: