Debbie Downer or Secretly Glad She Came?

Debbie Downer or Secretly Glad She Came?

I have a vivid memory of a time when people were glad I came!  I was 21 and it was the morning after a really great night out.  A friend of mine had a slew of friends in from college and they were all crashing at his parents' place.  He had an awesome backyard, perfect for whiffle-ball and swimming, the perfect morning after cure.  But growing up in Huntington, there is another component to the morning after remedy . . . Bay Deli egg sandwiches.

As I showed up with a bag from Bay Deli, I felt like a rock star.  I was the hero of the morning.  All were outwardly glad that I came!  As I dove into my egg sandwich, I looked around the yard and realized that I was the only girl eating an egg sandwich.  When I had a moment to digest this, I was confused and judgmental (and completely over-thought the situation . . . shocker).  Did these girls not get the memo about visiting Huntington?  An egg sandwich from Bay Deli is a part of the experience.  Did they really watch EVERYTHING they put in their mouths?  I thought they were from another planet.  And they were probably looking at me thinking: “Does she not realize she will never loose the bloated look if she keeps that up?”

Alas, here I am 16 years later and . . . I have become one of them (although still addicted to Bay Deli egg sandwiches . . . everything in moderation)  This past weekend we were tailgating at West Point (Whoo-hoo! Go ARMY) and though I felt like a rock star for showing my true colors, there is a piece of me that felt a bit like Debbie Downer.  Popcorn, carrot and celery sticks, almond trail-mix, oatmeal/almond cookies with chia seeds, apples, and avocado deviled eggs were my contribution to the day.  We picked up bagels on our way and Terry was on Bloody Mary detail. 

                                                                

So why the commitment to health and wellness even at a Saturday tailgate?  Because it makes me feel good.  A tailgate lasts all day.  We arrived at 11:30 and did not leave until 4:30 . . . standing around, chatting, and picking.  The kids were running around, screaming, and picking.  When all was said and done, I just wanted to pick on some healthy snacks and I didn’t want a food hangover.  I was being true to myself at the expense of being “that girl.”  Am I a Debbie Downer for bringing healthy snacks to a tailgate or were folks secretly glad I came?  Would love to hear your thoughts!

Avocado Deviled Eggs

Hard boil 6 eggs.

Rinse eggs with cold water and let them cool.

Peel eggs and gently cut in half.

In a separate bowl place the following ingredients:  gently scoop out the yolks of the eggs, 1 avocado, the juice of 1 lime, 2 teaspoons of lemon pepper, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise.

Mix well and gently fill the egg whites with the mixture.  Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and your favorite  hot sauce.

                                                                            

Oatmeal/Almond Cookies

Ingredients:  Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour, Rolled Oats (Bob’s Red Mill makes Gluten Free), Vanilla Extract, 1 Stick of Butter, Maple Syrup, Coconut Sugar, Chia Seeds, Flax Seed Meal

NOTE:  Let butter soften – if you forget like I did, throw it on the stove for a few minutes to soften.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl mix:

2 ½ cups of almond flour

2 cups of rolled oats

1 stick of softened butter

3 tablespoons of chia seeds

3 tablespoons of flaxseed meal

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/3 cup of maple syrup

1/3 cup of coconut sugar

*If you don’t want to buy coconut sugar you can use 2/3 maple syrup

Stir well until all the butter has been evenly mixed in.

Use a teaspoon to place dough on cookie sheet.  Flatten the cookies slightly by patting them down gently with the spoon or your finger-tips.

Place in the oven 12-15 minutes or until cookies start to golden on top.  When you pull the cookies out of the oven YOU MUST LET THEM COOL ON THE COOKIE SHEET FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES!  If not they will crumble.

Happy tailgating!  More importantly, happy true color expressing!

Love deeply and eat mindfully,

Kim Gilroy - kimgilroyinsideout