Day Eleven - Saturday, February 16, 2013

Day Eleven. No. Conrad's Birthday.
There were several hurdles to cross at the beginning or my 21 Day Challenge ... Mardi Gras/Strove Tuesday, Valentines Day, and Conrad's Birthday. I had planned to 'cheat' today, but instead I have decided to not count these three holidays and just lengthen my challenge. I'm fine with that. Really. Especially since I am extending the "Challenge" to include all of Lent.

So, I will be participating in my husband's birthday rather than preparing separate dishes. I don't really like feeling like a short order cook and that's how it would have felt, had I done that. So, tonight we will be having a platter of favorites such as his specialty ... Sausage bread. We will also be having cheeses and fruits, so it's really not that bad. The sausage bread is made with pizza dough, a pound of hot Italian sausage, three eggs, and parmesan cheese. It makes a huge loaf with about 20 servings, so it's not like there's a lot of dough per serving anyway. But, yes, I know ... grain is grain. Dessert will be lemon bars instead of a birthday cake because that's what Conrad prefers.

Breakfast:
A salad from a local grocery store including:
2 cups of baby spinach
1 cup of mixed spring greens
1/2 cup roasted skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup broccoli
1/8 cup blue cheese crumbles
10 walnut halves
10 dried cranberries
2 tablespoons blue cheese dressing

My cheat ... a chocolate croissant

Lunch:
1 Slim Jim
1 small brownie without nuts

Dinner:

Exercise:
We walked a long way around the lake today. It was only about two miles, but it was over rocks, mud, hills, etc., so it was more challenging that it would have been had we followed a trail. It's been a beautiful day with lots of sunshine and warmth. Spending a while outdoors in the hot tub was a treat, for sure.

So, tomorrow will be Day Eleven instead of day fourteen. I'm okay with that.

Day Ten - Friday, February 15, 2013

Day Ten.
Breakfast:
3 slices of bacon
2 fried eggs
1/2 ounce of blue cheese
1/2 ounce cambozola
1/2 ounce gruyere

Lunch:

Dinner:
2 servings of twice baked cauliflower
topping off one slice of leftover pizza

Snacks:

Exercise:
Conrad and I went on a nice walk this morning. We went over to the wetlands to look for White Tailed Kites. We saw a couple, along with other wildlife. It was a beautiful day.

Day Ten - Thursday, February 14, 2013

Day Ten. Valentines Day.

Breakfast:
1 boiled egg
1/2 ounce blue cheese
1/2 ounce cambozola
2 segments of a Cutie
1/2 ounce of coppa
1/2 ounce of prosciutto
1/2 ounce salame

Lunch:
I went to a luncheon today at Macaroni Grill. Definitely NOT the easiest place to find foods compatible for a low carb challenge, but I did okay. I ordered a warm spinach salad with parmesan crusted chicken rather than shrimp or scallops ... Don't forget ... I don't eat anything from the sea except salt or maybe some kelp. No critters. Fish are our friends, not food. The salad was good, but I wish I had known it would be loaded with cloves of garlic. I don't mind garlic, but Conrad doesn't like it, so I try to limit my consumption of it. Yes, I know it's very good for you, but I eat it in moderation.

I managed to avoid sinking my teeth into their scrumptious bread. Not even a bite. Nor did I even look at their dessert list. I was pretty darned proud of myself!

Dinner:
I had planned on this being a cheat day and I almost made it through the day without a cheat. I know one of Conrad's favorite meals is a pizza from Papa Murphy's. Around Valentines they always hav the Heart Baker Pizzas and they ARE very good. So, while I was out running errands I stopped and got one. I was totally FINE with eating the toppings only ... Until I heard the mouth-watering crunch that comes from a perfectly baked pizza crust ... Not burned and not doughy ... Perfect. So, I bit into the first piece of pizza, sending my taste buds into ecstasy. It didn't take long before my sense of guilt and rationalizing snapped me to my senses. From that point on, I ate like a cavewoman by pulling the toppings off and eating like a wild animal. The taste of the warm, crispy pepperonis smothered in cheese and backed my a thin coating of tomato sauce, perfectly seasoned. Not too hot. Not to cold. The temperature was just right.

Snacks: 
What? Snacks? Why? Not today!

Exercise:
I went on a five mile hike with some of my local girlfriends. We met in the parking area and walked along trails that went along the ridges of hills bordering our local lake. The views were spectacular! The day was amazing, and the company was fantastic. Here are a few photos from our hike ...

Day Nine - Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Day Nine.
Today is Ash Wednesday ... The beginning of Lent. Lent is about sacrifice and most people give up something for Lent. This year I have decided to take my 21 Day Challenge a bit farther and go without sugars and bad carbs for the 40 days and nights of Lent. Wish me luck!

Breakfast:
3 slices of bacon
2 fried eggs
1 Cutie clementine
1/2 ounce of cheddar
1/2 ounce cambozola
1/2 ounce sage cheddar

I went to an event called Coffee and Conversation with a group of my friends this morning and I managed to only drink tea while I was there ... Kiwi Melon tea ... Three glasses of it! It was very good!

Lunch:
2 small Slim Jims

We went to church for Ash Wednesday and ate dinner when we got home. We had stopped at Trader Joe's on our way home, so we stocked up on ome of our favorite cheeses and dried meats.
Dinner:
1 boiled egg
1/2 ounce blue cheese
1/2 ounce cambozola
1/2 ounce

Snacks:

Exercise:

Day Nine - Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Day Nine ... No. Mardi Gras.
Not an easy day to get through, seeing as how I hosted a Mardi Gras party today! I was very torn as to whether or not to stick to my 21 Day Challenge or indulge since this was Strove Tuesday. I decided I'd just extend my challenge by a day rather than torment myself ... But ... I'd be reasonable in my choices.

Breakfast:
A Cutie Clementine.
I needed something for some quick energy while I was finishing up straightening the house and decorating for the party, but I didn't have time to stop and prepare a meal.

Lunch:
1 avocado vegetable roll (which contained avocado, carrots and cucumber, wrapped in thin strips of avocado. Conrad and I had gone to the grocery store to pick up a few things for the party. We would be playing Canasta, so dry, non-greasy finger foods would be best. We bought dry roasted nuts and green and purple seedless grapes. I already had yogurt covered raisins and mixed nuts, so we were covered. Besides, other people would be bringing foods, as well.

Dinner:
3 deviled eggs

Snacks/Party Foods:
3 deviled eggs
1 cupcake with a white chocolate truffle melted inside
1 brownie
1 small piece of King Cake (How could I NOT taste it?? A native of New Orleans made it!)

Exercise:
3 hours of housework

I felt a bit guilty for taking the day off from my 21 Day Challenge, but I think I was pretty reasonable. I will admit ... my stomach didn't feel right after eating the sugary treats. I'm pretty sure I learned my lesson.

Day Eight - Monday, February 11, 2013

Day Eight.
I'm having a party tomorrow, so today will be concentrating on cleaning our home. It's not messy or dirty, but we have three cats, so a good dusting and vacuuming is always a good idea. The chore I like the least? Cleaning bathrooms. We have three, so it takes a while.
Breakfast:
1 hard boiled egg
1 scrambled egg
3 pork sausage links

Lunch:

Dinner:
1 cup of broccoli cheddar soup
1/2 cup of spaghetti squash au gratin (left over from the other night)

Snacks:

Exercise:
Today Conrad and I opted for a fairly long walk. Approximately four miles. We went to Whole Foods and ate breakfast. Once we got home I kicked into hyper-drive and started getting the house ready for the party tomorrow.