As a vegetarian, I don't eat meat, fish, or eggs (although some do eat eggs). I also do not eat animal by-products like rennet (an enzyme from the stomach lining of animals used to make some cheeses) and gelatin. I don't feel deprived and still get to eat a wide array of foods!
Here is what I ate in a day. I like this challenge because I get to see how clean I ate and where I need some improvement. I did indulge in some yummy chocolate chip cookies and am only kind of sorry about it! LOL! ;-) I also have no sense of breakfast, lunch and dinner when eating. I will sometimes eat breakfast foods for dinner or have dinners for lunch.
Breakfast was a sprouted bagel with some whole fat organic cream cheese. I love sprouted bagels because they have extra protein compared to regular bagels. I always opt for full-fat dairy products because low-fat versions sometimes have extra unnecessary sugars and the extra fat keeps me fuller for longer.
I found these pretty babies at the market and couldn't resist. I love most fruit, but I definitely have a weakness for cherries. I had a handful of these for a mid-morning snack.
Lunch was a favorite of mine...."fried" okra, ivy gourd, rice, and a special Bengali salad. We always referred to the veggies as "fried" when I was growing up even though they are really sauteed in a little bit of olive oil until charred. I could have tried harder to add some protein to this meal but it was so good on its own that I didn't bother.
Ok, here was my guilty indulgence for the day! I'm so obsessed with these Chocolate Chunk Cookies by Back to Nature! They're made from unbleached flour and brown rice syrup and are free of dairy, eggs, soy, and peanuts/nuts. Now I know cookies aren't "healthy" but these aren't as bad as some of the other options you get at the market and they taste way better! I don't feel too bad for indulging because I ate pretty clean so far for the day. Usually if I crave it, I go ahead and have it. I rely on my body to tell me when I've had enough. Thinking that way really keeps me from going overboard. I have better self-control now than I did when I was a college kid.
Dinner wasn't a standard dinner meal. It kind of looked more suitable lunch or breakfast but I was really craving it! I had just worked out and wanted something light to eat. I had some avocados with chopped green chilies marinated in salt, black pepper, and lime with sprouted bread. I had a couple of really ripe nectarines that I sliced up too. I also made a mini pot of peppermint tea to wash it all down.
"Fourth meals" are mandatory for me right now. I don't usually count meals...3 meals, 5 meals....I don't worry too much about that. I just eat when I'm hungry and try to keep it relatively clean. My fave snack is this Salted Caramel Haloumi + Apple recipe I got from Sarah Wilson at I Quit Sugar. Before I got pregnant, I followed her 8 week sugar-free program to detox from the white stuff. This recipe was in her book and ever since trying it I've been hooked! It's super filling and flavorful without feeling too heavy or rich. Perfect night-time snack!
I feel pretty great about my meals for the day. I do need to bump up my protein intake, so I'll definitely work on that. Some days, I end up feeling a little nauseous from high protein foods so it's easy for me to just avoid them. Hopefully, I can stomach more protein as the weeks go by in this pregnancy.
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