21 Day Fix: A Look Back

They say it takes 21 days to break a habit, that’s the premise of the 21 day challenge. The idea is to give up all refined sugar and gluten and by the end you should crave it less. I have done this two times within one year. Each time I did it a bit differently and each time I learned something new about my body. On top of this I learned one big fat lesson that I will take with me on my nutritional journey I call life…IT DOES NOT WORK FOR ME!

It all began in 2014, I always ate healthy but I was prone to binge while watching netflix. I’ve talked about this before but I’m a very all or nothing type of person. Balance does not come naturally to me. I read about this 21 day fix on pinterest and I figured whats the harm in trying. There is a ton of info on pinterest about this essentially paleo diet. I was living off eggs, rice cakes, nut butters, trail mix and apples. I wasn’t doing it correctly. I was tired all the time, my training was suffering and I was so grumpy. I’m a very competitive person so I was determined to finish the 21 days despite how horrible I felt. After finishing the diet I craved sugar more than ever, and I had way less will power when it came to snacking. It was like I wore out my will power muscle. So my solution to my now even worse sugar addiction? Another 21 day fix of course! This one actually lasted well over a month until I got mono and decided I might need some more substance to my diet. An important thing to point out here is I’m not eating this way and sitting at a desk all day, I train full time at a world class level. I was starving and really messing up my metabolism as a whole.

It’s over a year after the 21 day fixes and I finally feel like I’m in a good place. It’s so funny to me to look back on the challenges compared to what I eat now. I eat overall 80/20. 80% of the time I follow the guidelines for the 21 day fix without thinking about it. As soon as I restricted I wanted sugar and put it on a pedestal. Now I have a great relationship with sugar and it doesn’t feel like the end of the world when I indulge my sweet tooth.

Looking back, it all comes down to perspective. It’s a lifestyle and a  21 day fix is not a sustainable lifestyle. Treat yo self, ladies!

HM

Guilt Free Friday: Fritters

Happy Friday! The people close to me know the obsession with this recipe is real. I feel like it’s all I’ve talked about! I love hash browns and I was craving them so badly earlier in the week, and thus.. a new recipe was born! I originally paired these with chickpeas and avocado on a bed of mixed greens but because this recipe makes about 24 fritters I was able to experiment. They paired nicely with eggs and salsa as well as with turkey burgers! I love the versatility of this recipe and they make great leftovers.

Sweet Potato Fritters

1 medium sweet potato
1 medium zucchini
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 large eggs
2 tbsp almond meal
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat your oven to 375. Start by grating the sweet potato and zucchini. You should have a surprisingly large pile of veg, add it to a large bowl. Melt your coconut oil and add it to the shredded veggies. Beat the two eggs in a separate small bowl and add them to the large bowl. Add the almond meal and spices. The mixture should stick together but still feel very wet. If it won’t stay together add some more almond meal. Place the fritters on a large greased cookie sheet. They should be about and inch thick, mine were 2 inches wide but you can make them as wide as you want. Don’t pack them overly tight, just enough to stay together. Bake them for 15 minutes at 375. After 15 minutes take the fritters out and ensure they’re still in patty form. Lower the oven temperate to 350 and bake for another 10 minutes. After this 10 minutes carefully flip the fritters and bake for another 10 minutes. Let them sit on the pan for about 10 minutes before removing them.

---

I hope you enjoy this recipe and give it a try! It would make a great healthy addition to a brunch or family dinner!

HM

Guilt Free Friday: Almond Chocolate Cookies

Happy Friday! I hope you’re all having a fabulous week. I’m so excited to finally have a recipe video for you this week! I made some almond, oatmeal, chocolate cookies! They’re so good and refined sugar free! You could make these gluten free as well by substituting the flour for a GF option. To make these you will need:

1 cup  instant oats
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 ½ tsp  baking powder
½ tsp  cinnamon
1/8 tsp  salt
2 tbsp  coconut oil
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp almond extract
½ cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tbsp coarsely chopped dark chocolate

watch below for the instructions!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

HM

Guilt Free Friday: Avocado Brownies

Yay it’s Friday! To make it even better… I made brownies this week!! These are so delicious and easy to make! I will be honest and say that they have a bit of a different flavour. On their own they taste a bit off but when paired with frozen yogurt they’re AMAZING. I highly recommend you make them, pair them with a bit of ice cream and try to trick the veggie haters in your life… they’ll never know!

I hope you give this recipe a try! Let me know if there are any comfort foods I should try to recreate with a guilt free friday spin!

HM

Guilt Free Friday: Banana Pecan Waffles

TGIGFF! Thank goodness it’s guilt free friday! I’m so excited not only because the weekend is almost here but because I love this recipe! This is my go-to brunch recipe! It’s totally guilt free while being delicious. I actually prefer this waffle recipe over a more traditional waffle.

It’s sweet and has a nice maple flavour while getting some crunch from the pecans. I hope you give this recipe a try next time you’re craving waffles! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

HM

Guilt Free Friday: Maple Cornbread

Happy guilt free Friday! This week my recipe is a bit naughtier than normal. I made maple cornbread muffins, they are refined sugar free which I love. They still have butter, milk and flour so they’re still super satisfying but you can feel better about having a few knowing there is not refined sugar! Cornbread is one of my favourite winter comfort foods so I was happy to find a guilt free version!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

HM

Guilt Free Friday: Chickpeas

Welcome to Guilt Free Friday! Every week I will be posting a healthier version of our favourite comfort food. This week, I made chickpeas four ways. These make a great movie snack if you’re craving something salty or they make a great addition to any salad!

Check out the recipes here :

I’m so excited to start this series! Finding healthy alternatives to junk food is one of my favourite things to do. Let me know if you give any of these recipes a try!

HM

 

Guilt Free – Superfood Hot Chocolate

I love Pinterest. I spend most of my Sunday mornings scouring for recipes to try during the week. One of my favourite things on this magical website is the healthier versions of my go-to comfort food. As I write this I’m eating some improved mac and cheese… amazing. However, I’m not here to talk about mac and cheese. I stumbled upon a recipe for hot chocolate thats full of healthy fats, antioxidants and natural sweeteners. It took a bit of trial and error to adjust the recipe to fit my preferences but I nailed it!

In a large mug add,

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup boiling water
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/4 cup almond milk
Sprinkle of ginger

Stir until smooth and enjoy!

You could use any Dairy free milk, such as coconut milk or soy that suits you. Some other sweetener options could be, stevia, coconut sugar or raw cane sugar.

I was seriously surprised with how delicious this recipe is! It’s rich and creamy. It’s the perfect winter evening cure for sugar cravings! The coconut oil also moisturizes your lips as you drink it!

I hope you enjoy!

HM