Everyone have a good Tuesday?

My first day at work went well. It’s a really laid back environment and the staff seems like they are responsible and work well together, so that’s good. I wipped out my raw lunch, but salads are pretty common so no one noticed.

I had leftover Raw Sundried Tomato Pesto mixed with Spinach and Tomatoes. I also had my carrots and was completely full … for about 20 minutes.

Then I had my banana and an apple, which filled me for about an hour. I was kind of hungry and caved when everyone else started munching on Goldfish Pretzels. I had a couple dixie cups full, which made me artificially full for awhile, but by 6:00 I was starving again. Luckily, my house is v. close, so I just walked home and had two pieces of bread (Left: Honey Oatmeal Bread, Right: Oatmeal Yeast Bread) with a bunch of Almond Butter. Delicious, but this wasn’t really how I like to have dinner. I guess I didn’t plan for my hunger very well today.

I headed to the gym for kickboxing, but I think I got the time wrong, because nothing was going on. Instead, I used the elliptical for an hour while watching Oscar fashion recaps.

I felt like the sandwich was “dinner,” so I had snacks.

One delicious honest foods apple ginger bar and some Sunbird Snacks Cherry Fruit Cocktail because I am currently obsessed with dried apricots! I think it’s obvious that I should have had a real dinner at some point today because now I am sugar sick. Oh well. Live and learn.

Erin asked me how raw foods were affecting my digestion. Totally valid question and something I am interested in myself. During the course of my normal eating, I feel like my stomach gets slightly bulbous and very hard and I am never sure why. Does anyone else ever feel like that? I don’t think I am eating a high enough percentage of raw food to take notice of its affect on me yet, but if I do notice any changes, I will (discreetly) keep you informed.

Last night I baked for my Secret Valentine. I made a fourth version of the Olive Oil Oat Muffins I made here and here.

This time I made a Barney Butter & Almond Butter Chocolate Chip version. I used flax and water instead of eggs, but the chocolate chips obviously deveganized them. I strongly suspect this indiviudal will not mind.

I tried one and they are seriously yum! I am convinced that olive oil is the key to moist muffins. I’ve found that almond butter is so subtle in baked goods that you really need to add a ton for the flavor to come out. I added about 4 T of each type here and I am still not sure that was enough. Maybe next time I could also add some almonds. No need to fret though because like I said, they are pretty fantastic as is!

Last night I also had a special dessert…

Review of the Honest Foods Apple Ginger Spice Baked Whole Food Bar

I tried the Apple Ginger Spice Baked Whole Food Bar that Honest Foods sent us. I previously tried the Choco Peanut Butter Bar and quite enjoyed it. I wasn’t expecting to like this flavor because … I don’t like apple pie. It was delicious! It was softer, chewier and more like baked oatmeal than the chocolate version and tasted just like yummy apples. I actually like it more than the chocolate peanut buter flavor becuase while that one was good, it wasn’t unusual like this one. Usually apple flavored bars are gross and fake tasting, right? Not this one. It has huge apple chunks in it. It was gorgeous, smelled great and devoured by me in under 5 minutes. I was expecting more ginger, but it was really subtle, which is not a complaint, just an observation.

Looking at the ingredients, I know why I am in love – the second ingredient is almond butter and my vegan friends can enjoy it as well.

Nutritionally, the bar has 210 calories, 9 g of fat, 180 mg sodium, 190 mg potassium, 32 g carbs (14 sugar/4 dietary fiber) and 5 g protein. This is different from the information on the Honest Foods website because each bar is now 54 g instead of 61 g.

I packed the Cran Lemon Zest flavor in my lunch today and I can’t wait to try it!

Don’t forget that today is the last day for the

Zinke Orchards Almond Butter Giveaway Contest!