Falling Off The Wagon

So I admit I've fallen off the wagon this week. Not all the way, but enough where I'm dragging from the buckboards. It started Tuesday. This month's Relief Society activity at church was international food night. I brought low carb haupia (recipe below).


1 13.5 oz cold can coconut milk (I used Native Forest, be sure to shake well before opening)
3 packets unflavored gelatin
stevia to taste (use a little more than you think you will need, cuz the sweetness dies down a bit as the haupia sets later)
vanilla
(I used liquid vanilla cream stevia-- kill 2 birds with one stone)

Pour 1/2 cup coconut milk into small bowl & combine well with gelatin. It will be doughy. Allow to rest.
In small saucepan, warm remainder of coconut milk. Add gelatin mixture and stir constantly over low heat for 5 mins.
Pour into dish of your choice. Place in fridge 2 hours or until set.

This was my own brain child. Haupia is traditionally made with coconut milk, water, cornstarch, and lots of sugar. I've made it with arrowroot before, but it wasn't until I became friends with gelatin that I realized I could cut the dessert down to virtually 0 carb per serving.

So I bring my haupia and everyone seems to be asking for the recipe. I threw Primal out the window and caved to the wonders of a close friend's Irish soda bread with caraway and currant. It was like dessert. So good! Also someone brought authentic lamingtons. I had never had lamingtons before and HAD to have one. After my third lamington, the gals at my table started asking if I was okay. My eyes had glazed over. "Yeah, I'm great" --dashes off for FOURTH lamington--
In my defense, I did have some meat. I know. Weak defense :P

So that's where my trouble started.

When I woke up on Wednesday, I felt the effect of the sugar & gluten rush. I felt those nasty manic depressive emotions/hormones coming on. Luckily, playgroup was in a few hours, and I knew it would be good for me to be around other people. At 9:55 I decided I wanted to take food with me, so I paused to make myself a BAS (big @$$ salad). This was probably my best food choice this week. I hardboiled some eggs, griddled up some bacon, opened 2 cans of tuna, dumped in an entire bag of baby greens, and threw down some EVOO & lemon juice. I stopped to get an avocado on the way to the park. BTW, I'm becoming a total avocado junkie. Let me tell you that salad was AWESOME! It was like 1600 calories, lol.
You'd think that would be enough food to hold me over til dinner, right? Wrong. More bad food choices. I knocked out half a kind bar, some apple chips I bought Grace, and they set out otis spunkmeyer cookies at her preschool after reading time. No one's twisting my arm to eat these-- SO WHY CAN'T I RESIST?!

So there I am sitting at 2,000 cals, and it's only 3pm. Great. Hubby wanted to go out to dinner. I start to panic. He wants to go to Cocolitos which I love, but I don't really want to add to my calorie count, even though I'm hungry (shock and horror-- WHAT!), and I'm afraid of all the deep fried delicious stuffed tortilla glory. I get there and I've already told hubby how I feel. He encourages me to get a carnitas platter. It worked out. I ate a couple strips of steak and gave all the refried garbage to him. He got a solid sized lunch to take to work, and I felt a little calmer.

Thursday I woke up feeling alright, and guess what! I went for a 5 mile walk. The Chocolate (my favorite dessert place prior to going Primal. Their red velvet is heavenly!) started making handmade Italian sodas, and they had sugar free flavors. I figured one couldn't hurt. It was a nice day. I stopped by Target on the way for a grilled chicken salad. I treated Grace to a gluten free turtle tart, and got myself a sugar free cherry Italian soda. It was alright, but I figured I could just as easily make myself one at home.
When I get home, we veg, and I start on dinner, Hasta La Vista Pasta Lasagna. Andy really likes it cuz it uses one of his favorite vegetables-- zucchini. Had a healthy serving.

Friday I went for a key lime protein drink. I made key lime protein pudding on Monday & thought it would make a great drink. Meh, not so much. I couldn't figure out if I was hungry or queasy. I hate that feeling! However it was filling and got me to lunch (leftovers). Napped. Woke up and didn't really feel like cooking, even though bacon wrapped scallops are one of my favorite delicacies. Andy said "Let's go to Subway". I wasn't terribly hungry, but I got a salad, and was fine the rest of the night.
Highlite of the day: finding cream top organic cream for 40% off at Real Foods. What girl can resist a 40% off sale? I got two, vowing to make Andy some epic ice cream. I also picked up some yummy raw milk. Grace slugged it down eagerly. I also had to wrestle the cream away from her when I gave her a sip at home.

Today: I made myself an epic omelette. Couldn't finish all of it. Was going to have some avocado & tuna for lunch, but was avocado-less. All week I've been trying to score avocados at Sunflower Market. They've been on sale 2/$1. I kept going earlier and earlier. The first day they went on sale there were 0 to be had. The next day I tried, I went around 4. They were scant & picked over. Today I hit up the market around 9 or 10. They had plenty but none were ripe. There went my lunch. I bought 8 anyway (the limit), and figured I could set them out on the counter to ripen for a later date. Also got groceries for the week. Stocked up on frozen veggies mostly. Also go some sugar free syrup for Italian soda & ice cream.

Got home & the la nouba marshmallows I had Andy order had arrived. They weren't supposed to be here until the 27th, but there they were. 6 bags of carefree, sugar free, 0 carb marshmallows. I've been craving marshmallows something fierce since May! These hit the spot. I opened a pack just for Andy, grabbed the organic cream, some gelatin, almonds, and sugar free chocolate syrup. I was going to make Andy some rocky road ice cream! (recipe below)
Since I had no avocados, I just went for a homemade Italian soda which was mainly HWC, perrier, and sugar free raspberry syrup. It was good, and it filled me up until dinner (stuffed peppers).

and now my epic cooking genius brings you 0 carb rocky road ice cream!
All of the rocky road joy, without the fork in the road guilt (and resulting sugar spike)

2c cream top heavy cream (or double cream)
1 packet unflavored gelatin
1 package la nouba sugar free-0 carb marshmallows
1/2c slivered almonds
1.5c torani sugar free chocolate syrup (or to taste. Add 1/2c at a time until satisfied)
pinch sea salt

Combine gelatin, 1/2c cold cream, and sugar free chocolate syrup in a medium saucepan. Stir and then allow to rest 1 min. Stir constantly over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Chill in freezer until the consistency of unbeaten egg whites, about 1 hour; stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, pour remaining heavy cream into bowl and whip until fluffy. Remove gelatin mix from freezer and fold whipped cream into gelatin mixture. Add sea salt, fold gently. Begin processing in ice cream maker per manufacturer's instructions

when ice cream starts to come together, break up marshmallows into small pieces and add to ice cream mixture and allow to mix. Add almonds. Finish processing.

ENJOY!

NUTRITION:
serving size - 1/2c
229 cals, 0 carb, 25 fat, 1 protein, 53 sodium

GOALS FOR THE WEEK:

• Clean the f-bomb house. Unfortunately, my housekeeping reflects my emotions. When I'm happy, the house tends to be tidier (this hasn't happened since October). When I'm moody & depressed, the house is a mess. This week it's been completely trashed.
• Go to gym at least once
• Make better food choices by resisting sugar cravings