And another one bites the dust... (Egg Bake Recipe)

This has to be one of my favorite LOL cats that I received from my aunt... how impossibly funny is that cat? The heft of the Macy's Day balloon cat reminds me of Piggie, my cat... however, Piggie is orange with orange spot/stripes. I love him to pieces. As a matter of fact, right now he is laying on the couch using my leg to prop himself up. I love cats - let me rephrase that - I love Mr. Piggie. :)

I did Interval Training today on my treadmill. I found that when I first started doing interval training I was pushing myself too hard. It was getting to the point that after completing 30 minutes on the treadmill (only 20 minutes of that consist of intervals) I was completely exhausted and did not have energy for the rest of the day. I have decided to back off and only do 10 minutes of speed intervals (1 minute running, 2 minutes recovery) and then doing incline intervals at a fast walk for 10 minutes (1 minute high incline and 2 minutes lower incline recovery). This seems to help with the exhaustion, but still give me an intense workout. By the time I am finished I am dripping in sweat. :)

My eats were pretty clean today, other than my two cheats: a POM-Champagne drink with dinner and a small square of very dark chocolate (88%) for dessert. I don't know why I wanted them - probably had to do with my husband coming home and opening a beer. It just sounded good.

The rest of my meals were as follows:

Meal 1 - 1/2 C scrambled egg whites, chicken sausage, 1 slice Ezekiel bread

Meal 2 - Vita-Mix: 1/2 handful strawberries, 1/2 handful mango, 2 cupped handfuls spinach, 4 TB hemp protein, 1 TB each flax, wheat germ, and bee pollen, 1/2 C kefir, water, ice

Meal 3 - 4 hard boiled egg whites and 1/4 C Steel Cut Oats with 1 TB each flax and wheat germ, 6 dried cranberries, cinnamon, vanilla cooked in 3/4 C water, and a banana

Meal 4 - 1/2 Egg Bake recipe from Dr. Karin  - it was a little bit of a modified version - and 1 apple (this was split up apple before workout, egg bake after workout), 4 slices of organic dried mango

Meal 5 - 1 palm sized portion of Roasted Buffalo Chicken breast (with Frank's Hot Sauce),  2 cupped handfuls lightly steamed green beans, 1 handful of sweet potatoes with pumpkin pie seasoning and 1/4 tsp olive oil butter (which I made myself in the Vita-Mix with 1/2 butter and 1/2 olive oil and drizzle of honey), POM-Champagne cocktail

Meal 6 - 1 square organic dark chocolate (88%)

This is a recipe that I found on Tosca Reno's Eat Clean forum. If you have not checked it out, you should! It is a fantastic resource where you can get tips, recipes, and advice from fellow clean eaters and fitness minded women (and a couple men). You can access the Forum from Tosca's Site.

Egg Bake, Inspired by Dr. Karin's Egg Bake Recipe

10 egg whites (or 3/4 C + 2 TB pre-packaged egg whites)

1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 cupped handfuls of finely diced yellow zucchini
1 cupped handful broccoli

1 cupped handful spinach

1 scant handful onion

1 scant handful red pepper

Other ideas from Karin's and other members of the forum of other fillings:

- Diced tomatoes, drained

- Mushrooms

- Celery

- Cucumbers
- 1/2 cup cooked ground bison, turkey, or tofu

- CLEAN low-fat Chicken sausages
- top with 1/2 cup seasoned homemade Ez. bread crumbs

Whisk the egg whites and soy milk to make them fluffy.

Spray a medium sized glass baking dish or casserole with olive oil and pour in the egg whites. 

Gently stir in your vegetables.

If using, sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top. 

Bake at 400˚ F for 25 - 30 minutes. The baking time will depend on the width/depth of your baking dish. Check how the egg bake is progressing after 20 minutes. Bake until golden brown on top.

Here is a picture that "Traweaver" posted on the forum of her finished masterpiece: