Let me start off by saying, I knew this month would be a complete challenge. My friends and I had a camping trip scheduled August 1st through the 3rd and I made the decision to put aside my experiment for the weekend to allow myself to enjoy a few smores. Probably not the best start, but so worth it! We took full advantage of our surroundings at the Andrew Molera campsite in Big Sur and it was a very exhausting weekend. When my boyfriend and I got home, one of the first things I suggested (after a shower) was a trip to Yogurtland. My cup in no way consisted of plain non-fat frozen yogurt, so you could definitely consider this a slip up. At the very least, I only added fresh strawberries and almond shavings as toppings. After that venture, I realized I needed to practice a little more self control and get back on track with my experiment. The next day, I headed out to Safeway and picked up some frozen fruit bars to keep me cool on those hot August nights and a variety of fresh fruit including: strawberries, raspberries, peaches, bananas and avocados. I snacked on the peaches after lunch to fulfill my craving for sweets and I added the avocado to my dinnertime meals to make them more satisfying. However, my mad cravings for a real dessert worthy treat did not stop there. At my hospital, there's almost always an ample display of sweets generously provided by a co-worker, client or vendor. This is appreciated because there's usually a certain part of the day when things get a little overwhelming and somewhat hectic and everyone flocks toward the break room for an energizing sugar boost. While trying my best to avoid the tempting sweets this month, I kept hoping that no one would bring in anything too desirable. Unfortunately, there was an assortment of candy and bundt cakes I had to work very hard to resist. It was ultimately the warm chocolate chip cookies and churros that got the best of me. Then, the best part of this month's experiment happened- my lovely friend introduced me to acai bowls. Acai is a superfruit that I was first exposed to in smoothie form while working at Jamba Juice, but the juice they had been using at the time was really nothing to rave about. The homemade bowls are an entirely different story and the best part is you can customize them to suit your own tastes. The bowls make a filling breakfast or lunch on their own or you can make them in smaller portions to follow a complete meal. This will most certainly become a staple for me. The recipe that I currently use is posted below; however, there are a number of recipes that can be found in a Google search and you can play around with your own as well. The frozen puree can be purchased from whole foods or online in bulk here.
There were a couple of other cheat days that I have yet to mention, but it was my boyfriend's mom and dad's birthday this month and there was no question on whether or not I was going to celebrate with them. Even if that meant eating cherry filled cupcakes and peach cobbler. In the end, I think I definitely saved some money by not going out for ice cream or dessert several times a week. Although, I don't have any desire to repeat this experiment and I'm so pleased that tomorrow is the 1st of September. The boyfriend and I have a Baskin Robbins mint chocolate chip sundae date in about 16 hours. XOXO.
Danielle's Acai Bowl Recipe
1 packet of frozen acai puree
4 oz. almond milk
1 cup frozen mixed berries
(Can add honey for sweetness or peanut butter for extra protein)
Blend into a thick, sorbet like consistency
Pour into a bowl
Serve with fresh sliced bananas and strawberries
Sprinkle granola on top
Enjoy!
*Please share the recipes that you create*
Stay tuned for September's post about my month of living without Facebook and Instagram.
