Do you guys ever feel like your life needs a little spring cleaning? I have!  I recently quit a job that was making me terribly unhappy. It was a scary decision to make given the instability of the economy and the Mount Everest of our unemployment rates, but, at the end of the day, it was an easy decision.  I decided what sacrifices I was willing to make to stand up for my self-worth because, at the end of the day, I was getting a paycheck but clearly digging myself an early grave.  I feel like the convictions and passions I had often sacrificed to be a “player” in this world, are no longer pushed aside or put in storage.  Instead, they’re all off their shelves, and I’m dusting them off and cradling them because it’s just been too long.  It’s never too early or too late in our lives to do a little spring cleaning, don’t you think?

When you were little and people asked you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” what did you say? I doubt any of you defined your future selves in terms of a physical goal with clearly defined parameters.  In other words, did any of us really answer, “I want to be 135 pounds, svelte and toned!”  Doubtful (*I hope*), which is why I’m finding it ironic that now in my older age, I have been so preoccupied with such arbitrary and superficial goals when, clearly, I had it more together when I was a little girl and answering that question with the variety of answers that included: 1. a killer-whale trainer at Sea World; 2. a singer; 3. a fiction writer; 4. a veterinarian; and 5. a baker. Those goals of what I would “be” really were related more to whom I was and what I was passionate about than anything else.  Reflecting on those goals, I see so little has changed over the years in terms of what I am passionate about! Have your passions changed much over the years?

The future Feed Me I’m Cranky

I think it’s important to continue to ask ourselves “what (whom) do you want to be” — no matter how “grown up” we get.

Spring Cleaning of Life = Eating of Clean(ish) Food
Squash the Negative & Eat A Pizza

Ingredients

• One pita (I use Western Bagel Company’s Alternative Pita) — 110 calories, 0.5 g fat, 8 g fiber, 7 g protein
• One garlic clove, crushed – 4 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0.2 g protein
• 1/2 tomato, chopped — 15 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.75 g fiber, 0.5 g protein
• 1/2 yellow squash, sliced — 20 calories, 0 g fat, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein
• 1 oz. low-fat mozzarella cheese — 45 calories, 3 g fat, 0 g fiber, 5 g protein
• Dash of oregano, red chili pepper flakes
• Nutritional information for entire pizza: 194 calories, 3.6 g fat, 9.85 fiber, 13.7 g protein
  

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
• Spray the pita with one spray of Pam Cooking Spray and spread crushed garlic evenly across the pita
• Add sliced squash evenly on top of pita
• Add tomato evenly on top of squash
• Sprinkle the cheese over the squash
• Add oregano and red chili pepper flakes to taste
• Place pita on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until squash is tender and cheese is melted

Noteworthy in the News & BlogLand

• Eating Bender’s Interview with Hungry Girl (8/6/09) here– I love the discussion that goes on in the blogging community about Hungry Girl, processed foods and a healthy lifestyle.  I ranted a bit in the comments section (what else is new?), but really seek out your opinions on what a “healthy lifestyle” actually means to you and how the Hungry Girl lifestyle either does or does not fit into it.
• Living Healthy in the Real World’s blog posting on “Defining Eating Disorders,” (8/7/09) here — How would you define an “eating disorder”?  Do you think calorie restriction is a form of disordered eating?
• Science Daily’s, “Fat Hormone Influences Baseline Dopamine Levels And Our Motivation To Eat,” (8/7/09) here

Give-Away Round Up

• Win a $100.00 grocery store gift card (nota bene — you will have to register with the site before you can enter) here
• Sign-up for a free sample of Honey Nut Cheerios and a $1 coupon off the cereal here

p.s. Speaking of passions…did you notice the singing-related link that very inconspicuously appeared in my About Me page?

What are you weekend plans?!  The boyf and I are going to an art museum and going to the beach as per usual!

<3, The Cranky One

Pita Pizza Goop

Don’t mind my pasty legs and me icing my right knee!

• One Western Bagel’s “The Alternative Pita – Whole Wheat – 110 calories, 0.5 g fat, 8 g fiber, 7 g protein
• ¼ cup Clasico traditional pasta sauce – 25 calories, 1 g fat, 1g fiber, 1 g protein
• 1 oz Lite Shredded Mozzarella Cheese — 45 calories, 3 g fat, 0 g fiber, 5 g protein
• I literally tear the pita into pieces, place the sauce and cheese on top and nuke for 35 seconds.  Talk about lazy cooking, but it seriously tastes YUMMALICIOUS!
• Total nutritional content: 180 calories, 4.5 g fat, 9 g fiber, 13 g protein

Marriage of Peach Salsa & Eggplant Hummus Wrap

• 1 Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain tortilla — 150 calories, 3.5 g fat, 5 g fiber, 6 g protein
• 1/2 cup cucumber slices — 8 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.3 g fiber, 0.3 g protein
• 5 rings of red onion — 12.5 calories, 0 g fat, 0.4 g fiber, 0.3 g protein
• Trader Joe’s Herb Salad Mix — 12.5 calories, 0 g fat, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein
• 1 tbsp Trader Joe’s Eggplant Hummus — 17.5 calories, 1 g fat, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein
• 1 tablespoon Trader Joe’s Spicy, Smoky, Peach Salsa = 7.5 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein
• Total nutritional content:  208 calories, 4.6 g fat, 7.7 g fiber, 8.6 g protein

I Look Sinful, But I’m An Angel Taco Salad

• 2 cups Trader Joe’s Organic broccoli slaw — 50 calories, 0 g fat, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein
• Half of 0ne 1.25 oz packet of dried cranberries from Trader Joe’s — 60 calories, 0 g fat, o.5 g fiber, o g protein
• 1 Trader Joe’s Italian Soy Sausage — 140 calories, 7 g fat, 1 g fiber, 13 g protein
• One single organic tortilla chip crumpled –14 calories, 0.7 g fat, 0.3 g fiber, 0.2 g protein
• Total nutritional content:  264 calories, 7.7 g fat, 5.8 g fiber, 17.2 g protein

I always have some sort of tortilla and tons of salad on hand so I tend to eat a lot of wraps, burritos and salads.  What are two staples you ALWAYS have stocked in your fridge or pantry?

Don’t forget to check in tomorrow for a question and answer session with **drum roll**
MizFit!!!

Western Bagel’s “The Alternative Pita – Whole Wheat” - Costco. $5.19 for 12

Nutritional information for 1 pita: 110 calories, 0.5 g fat, 8 g fiber, 7 g protein

So much may be done with a pita, which really excites me!

Now, I’m not too keen on posting everything I eat 1) because it’s not that interesting; 2) I don’t think it’s useful for you readers to see every apple, banana, whole wheat toast that goes into my body; c) I really don’t want to take a picture of everything I eat; and 4) I don’t want to give the false impression that I presume everything I eat is an example of what you should be eating.  With that said, sometimes I eat something soooo delicious that I honestly feel it would be a shame to keep it a secret.  Last night was one of those nights!
A Lil o’ This, A Lil o’ That Salad Bowl

• Herb salad mix
• Cranberries
• Apple
• Red onion
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Non-fat balsamic vinaigrette

All ingredients listed above from Trader Joe’s

The Pita That Could Change the World

• One Hebrew National 97% fat-free hot dog grilled and chopped — 45 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0 g fiber, 6 g protein
• One Western Bagel’s “The Alternative Pita – Whole Wheat“ — 110 calories, 0.5 g fat, 8 g fiber, 7 g protein
• Spinach
• Red onion
• 2 tbsp Smoked Peach salsa — 15 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein
• 2/3 cup Lentil Bolognese – 57.8 calories, 1.3 g fat, 2.7 g fiber and 2.1 g protein
• Approximate caloric total = 300

I ate this while simultaneously patting myself on the back it was that good.  It was a little messy, but so filling and delicious I felt like I was eating something “bad” for me.

The boyf saw the wrap pictured above and said, “you eat food that looks like its been ran over.”  In the past he has said I eat food that looks like it’s already been eaten.  Why do I get the feeling that a lot of our significant others find the foods we eat to be a little anomalous?  What kind of comments have your significant others, or friends, made about your food concoctions?

And then…I did something so out of character, so absolutely shocking that you might want to grip the side of your chair so as not to fall… I TREATED MYSELF to…

KenobiwanX from Flickr

Starbucks’ Venti (yes, a VENTI) “skinny” vanilla iced latte, no whip — 110 calories, 0 g fat, o g fiber, 10 g protein. I drank it in like 5 seconds…kinda sad :/  I don’t frequent the ‘Bucks much anymore because it’s flippin’ expensive and the coffees are pretty much empty calories (oh and I LOATHE the music they play in there — it makes my ears bleed from sappiness); but, some days, you just want a little sweet somethin’ and it was totally worth it!   What’s your drink of choice from Starbucks or your fave coffee place?

The boyf and I did not end up seeing a movie last night as planned :/  But we did have fun watching Extras on DVD.  Any of you catch that show?

So I’m anxious yet again as tomorrow is weigh-in day for Jen and me as we give you guys a challenge update.  I will give you the low-down on my day-by-day caloric intake as well as my daily exercise log (gotta love that giant calendar keeping me accountable!). I can’t wait to hear how you guys are doing.

See you tomorrow!