Product Review: VitaMuffin VitaTops Pumpkin Spice

First a little apology for going MIA.  I graduated from college in May and have been planning my August wedding which has left me hardly any free time (and unfortunately my weight and diet have both suffered from that).  I'm going to try and make sure to find time to update this because it keeps me motivated!

Now I couldn't resist reviewing this.  I've reviewed the chocolate Vita Tops before and if anyone hasn't tried them they really must.  I typically pick mine up at Target but when I discovered that they had a new Pumpkin spice flavor only available on line I had to splurge and try it.

The Nutritional Breakdown is:

Calories - 100

Fat - 1 gram

Fiber - 8 grams

Carbs - 26 carbs

If you like pumpkin you must try these.  They have a rich pumpkin flavor and are nice and spicy.  They've also got little pumpkin seeds on top which add a nice texture.  This would be so decadent with a smear of light cream cheese or whipped topping, but are just as satisfying on their own.

Fresh Fruit

I just adore fruit.  I get especially excited when the summer months begin to approach because it means watermelon and other melons will be in season!

I spent all morning cutting up fruit.  The cantaloupe and honeydew are absolutely ripe to perfection.

Then because I had melon that didnt fit neatly into that container I decided to make fruit salad.

I really have to say that taking the time to prep fruit (or veggies) is so worth it.  Being able to open the fridge and see containers filled with gorgeous colors really is so appealing.

Yummy Lunch

The end of my senior semester at school is killing me (along with planning my wedding!).  so today I finally took the time to prepare myself a healthy lunch instead of making excuses to let myself eat unhealthy.

I can't wait to eat it later!  The lunch includes leftover roasted chicken breast from dinner last night, some thinly sliced carrots, some sliced strawberries and a medium tangerine.  Yummy!

Muffinless Egg McMuffin

I suppose trying to make a mock Egg McMuffin without any muffin sounds impossible, but let me tell you  it definitely isn't impossible!  All the texture and flavor with a fraction of the calories, fraction of the cost and almost no carbs!

I scrambled 3 egg whites (you could also use whole eggs if you prefer), then topped it with one slice of Kraft 2% Sharp Cheddar sliced cheese and added one MorningStar Farms Vegetarian sausage patty on top.

It was a little bit of heaven on a plate.  The morning-star farms sausage are better than the real thing, the Kraft cheese is Ooey gooey and melty and when you eat them all together you will not miss the bread I promise you!

Starting the Day Off Right

For me, breakfast is essential.  If I don't eat enough protein I know I'm going to be a goner all day.  A breakfast full of carbs and I know without a doubt I will eat too much all day because it sets me up for increased hunger and an insatiable appetite.

So I started the day off right with egg whites scrambled with chopped broccoli and diced green pepper and zucchini and added some lean turkey sausage.  Super yummy and full of protein and veggies.

What's your favorite way to start the day?

Another Lunch

A lot of the same things I had for lunch yesterday, but I used a different lunch container to make it feel different.  I also swapped the tangerine from yesterday for mini heart shaped jello jigglers (sugar free of course) and I swapped the coleslaw from yesterday for mini kebabs with turkey pepperoni and jalapeno green olives.

Keeping food fun and exciting definitely makes eating healthy all the more enjoyable! :)

Leftover Easter Bento and Getting Back on Track

I've posted several times about my struggles to get back on track.  i have to say 20 pounds above where I started and I'm humbled by my inability to just get back on track which is often times easier said than done.  I'm working on small steps though and trying not to beat myself up.

My first step today (after exersizing this mormnng) was making a Bento style lunch for myself.  Taking extra time and care to prepare something for myself makes me enjoy my food more and feel better about what I eat but the last few months I've gotten out of the habit of doing it often from laziness, a desire to eat junk and stress.  But I'm starting fresh today.

So, I made myself a delicious Bento lunch with fresh fruit and Easter leftovers (ham from dinner, eggs we used to dye and leftover coleslaw from dinner).  i also added a small jalapeno olive just to round it out. :)