I had a completely different blog post written up but I decided to delete and write this instead as it was playing on my mind. Adam and I are trying to limit our dinners out at the moment for a few reasons, so we trying for once a week. So that one meal for me is my treat meal. A meal where I eat something I wouldn't eat on a regular occurrence and usually take away - Last night we went out for dinner at Grill'd and yeah I was going to eat a burger, chips and then go and get ice cream and enjoy every single calorie laden mouthful. I had a Hot Mama and shared a chips. We then went and got ice cream - salted caramel and nutella with nutella drizzled on top (amazing) and I would estimate that I ate half of my calorie intake for the day in that meal (Not once care given).
So afterwards I posted a similar photo to the above photo on Instagram and Adam asks me "Are you sure you should be posting photos like that on your Instagram? Is that what your followers want to see?" This question fired me up and I was angry. I wasn't necessarily angry at him, but at the perception that people who are "healthy" and eat "nutritious foods" don't eat like that. Should I be posting pics of lettuce leaves instead with comments like "Nom nom, what a great dinner"?? Is that what people want to see? I really don't know. I've never asked. I've just gone off what I know. And I know that I love food. I lift weights 5 times a week. I eat food that I enjoy and I never sit down to a meal, looking at it, hating whats on my plate. I give my body good food and I honestly have never felt better. And yeah, I eat treats. I incorporate them every day - pancakes, muffins, icy poles and cakes, but I make them myself and I make them with ingredients that I like and know that are good for me.
But do I eat calorie laden burgers, chips and ice cream every day? No, but I could. I could make them fit into my goals and eat them every day, but I don't want to. I would be sick. I would start missing out on the nutrients that come from fruit and veggies and I would be hungry. A wide variety of food and balance in life is where it's at. I'm not one to follow a plan and eat the same thing every day and have a "cheat meal", as I don't want to feel restricted when eating. And what have I seen happen to many people who eat "CLEAN" and "ON PLAN" during the week, only allowing themselves one "cheat meal" per week? They have that one cheat meal. They go all out. Then they have another one. It turns into a cheat day, then a cheat week and then they feel like crap. Depressed because they have blown all their hard work. Not me.
I ate that burger last night and loved it. I then ate ice cream afterwards, with nutella swirl on top and enjoyed every second. Did I feel bad? Hell no. I know that today I will make good food choices, not to offset the food I had last night, but to give my body what it needs. I know that I won't blow out and binge, because I have treats all the time. I won't go overboard with eating because I can control my food intake. It all comes down to balance. Have an ice cream, have a burger, enjoy life. Who wants to be looking at pictures of lettuce leaves anyway?
End rant. Now for a burger recipe :-D
But do I eat calorie laden burgers, chips and ice cream every day? No, but I could. I could make them fit into my goals and eat them every day, but I don't want to. I would be sick. I would start missing out on the nutrients that come from fruit and veggies and I would be hungry. A wide variety of food and balance in life is where it's at. I'm not one to follow a plan and eat the same thing every day and have a "cheat meal", as I don't want to feel restricted when eating. And what have I seen happen to many people who eat "CLEAN" and "ON PLAN" during the week, only allowing themselves one "cheat meal" per week? They have that one cheat meal. They go all out. Then they have another one. It turns into a cheat day, then a cheat week and then they feel like crap. Depressed because they have blown all their hard work. Not me.
I ate that burger last night and loved it. I then ate ice cream afterwards, with nutella swirl on top and enjoyed every second. Did I feel bad? Hell no. I know that today I will make good food choices, not to offset the food I had last night, but to give my body what it needs. I know that I won't blow out and binge, because I have treats all the time. I won't go overboard with eating because I can control my food intake. It all comes down to balance. Have an ice cream, have a burger, enjoy life. Who wants to be looking at pictures of lettuce leaves anyway?
End rant. Now for a burger recipe :-D
Banh Mi Pork Burgers (a little healthier than Grill'd!)
Ahhhh banh mi. My favourite food. Probably the one food that I would eat in all it's gluten-y goodness and suffer the consequences for days on end (if anyone knows of anywhere in Melb that does gluten free banh mi, please let me know!). Biting into that crispy Vietnamese roll while it cuts up the inside of my mouth with it's crunchiness, is my version of food heaven! BUT I won't do it to myself. 2014 is here and so is my firm resolution to stop letting little bits of gluten into my diet. Sometimes I have a bite here and a bit there and then BAM, I can't function for days. So Banh Mi - you will not get me. I made it for dinner on the weekend and I watched Adam eat his crispy roll, my insides burning with jealousy. My gluten free roll didn't taste as yummy and it definitely wasn't as crunchy. But it's ok, because when I wake up feeling good, missing out on a silly roll won't be a big deal. Until next time!
Banh Mi Pork Burgers with Sriracha mayo
Patties:
500 g lean pork mince
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
3 spring onions
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1 small red chilli, chopped finely
Small handful of coriander, mint & vietnamese mint (omit if you don't have)
Mix all the ingredients for the patties together in a bowl and mould into patties. The size of my patties depend on the roll size - if I use long rolls then I will make more smaller patties so they fit. Put the patties in the fridge for half an hour to firm.
Sriracha mayo
1/4 cup greek yoghurt
1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
Mix the yoghurt and hot sauce together. If its not hot enough, add more Sriracha!
Burgers
Burger buns
Luttuce
Cucumber
Carrot
Coriander
Shred the above ingredients for the burgers. These are the standard ingredients in Banh Mi, but you could add whatever you liked.
Fry patties over high heat until cooked right through.
Build your roll with the mayo and all the veggies.
Pork patties inside - now devour!
Patties:
500 g lean pork mince
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
3 spring onions
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1 small red chilli, chopped finely
Small handful of coriander, mint & vietnamese mint (omit if you don't have)
Mix all the ingredients for the patties together in a bowl and mould into patties. The size of my patties depend on the roll size - if I use long rolls then I will make more smaller patties so they fit. Put the patties in the fridge for half an hour to firm.
Sriracha mayo
1/4 cup greek yoghurt
1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
Mix the yoghurt and hot sauce together. If its not hot enough, add more Sriracha!
Burgers
Burger buns
Luttuce
Cucumber
Carrot
Coriander
Shred the above ingredients for the burgers. These are the standard ingredients in Banh Mi, but you could add whatever you liked.
Fry patties over high heat until cooked right through.
Build your roll with the mayo and all the veggies.
Pork patties inside - now devour!