Freedom Friday #7

 First off happy MLK Jr Day and welcome to another redition of Freedom Friday (this time on a Monday....part of the freedom I guess). Anyway....tons of freedom foods to share so lets get to it.


First up is a double whammy: green apple and a turkey burger on corn tortilla with guac. The big deal with this is this turkey burger I was facing weekly last semester and then I stopped because my N stopped telling me to do it, but I really do love them. The scary thing in them is that I don't get to see them cook it and the fat content scares me. To get me to start doing it, last semeseter I got to count them as 3 proteins and 2 fats. Not only did my N hit me this week with choosing it as one of my freedom foods....she also said it was only protein. Fat exchanges must be addable, not part of food. So there were tears at this meal. It took me longer than I care to admit, and I had to rely on others more than I like to say, but I finished it all.....and I added guac and had almonds and olives on the side to get all those fats in. Looking at it now...it looks healthy....in the moment...it was scary as Hell.






The day after the turkey burger it was time for something I have avoided for the 3 years I have been at my university: Double Fudge Cookie. One, I was NEVER allowed these kinds of cookies growing up and two....I don't know the last time I had real chocolate or a real cookie. As you see I took a bite before remembering to snap a pic, and let me tell you it was amazing. It was soooo good, but also quite scary. But you know what....I only ate one cookie and nothing happened....literally nothing. Nothing happened to my weight, my tummy...anything. Well...that's wrong....something did happen. I discovered it's okay to have a cookie and I gave my body something it wanted...so I was wrong something did happen: freedom happened. Double Fudge Freedom!


 And as if two days of challenges wasn't enought the next day I had two freedom meals. First up, Pasta and Tuna. I honestly love the taste of plain pasta, but had to mix in tuna not just for the protein, but because I was running out the door as I ate this. Pasta is still very scary for me and apparently I counted it as too many starches AND I'm supposed to have it with a sauce next time, but hey....this was a start. Sometimes freedom is a process not a destination. 

 My next freedom meal that day almost gave me a panic attack. Here it is....my lovely dinner. Split pea soup, pkra  olives, sunflower seeds, some of that PB&Co Peanut butter, banana, and unpictured was pretzels and yogurt. Some of these things are go-to for my Sunday dinner because there is no meal plan...but this meal the freedom was in: peanut butter, sunflower seeds, and banana. At this point, no part of me wanted to do it....I just wanted to give in and do a safer meal. But I also wanted to show you all it could be done....so I pushed through. As you see though I did leave out some of banana (it was bruised...but still that's just an excuse) and that PB probably isn't a Tbsp....but hey it is a start.

Next up is something that brought back that Xmas Spirit I have been missing: York Peppermint Patty. These used to be my favorite candy, but I haven't had one in 5 years. What better way to break it in then make it Snowflake Shaped and freeze it??? There isn't one. Because York peppermint Patties HAVE TO BE FROZEN! Anyway, it was amazing and after dominating that cookie days before this was a walk in the park. The minty, snowflake park. 

 You know how I say I obsess with measuring....take a look at this pic....see all those small bowls...those are 1/2 cup bowls and how I measure everything....hoping one day I can relax on that. Anyway, onto the freedom....tall dining hall white rolls. These I had once my freshmen year and then ED convinced me they were unhealthy or were secretly buttered or something. Well....they aren't any of those things. All foods can fit in a healthy diet (I am told) and me and my N both agree these are freaking delicious and don't need or have butter. I used it to make a little sandwich with my tuna and hummus, but next time think I'm gonna try it just as a roll....and next time gets to come up this week (tonight actually) as my N wants me to do them again.

Going along with the lovely bread trend, this is something I picked up at the store to try. It's an Lender's Onion Bagel. Honestly a bit of a dissapointment, because I couldn't taste the onion at all, but I also kind of toasted it too long.....so didn't give the poor bagel a fair shot of impressing me. Also, my anxiety was through the roof because it was my second bagel of the day and the other one was one of the NY style dining hall ones. It was rough, but again I got through. And since the bagel comes in a 6 pack...I have to do it at least 5 more times (N won't let me say I don't like something until I've tried it 3 times....it's our no judgement rule). 









And finishing off this post is an old favorite I have been avoiding: Veggieball Pita Pocket. My school has these things called Veggieballs that I am OBSESSED with. Despite tons of fear I have around them, I try and push myself to have them. It really messes with my OCD too....because apparently even motorized factories can't make Veggieballs of equal size. Throw in pitas which I am trying to over come....and it was tons of Freedom anxiety  fun. But really...it was nice to give my body what I wanted. I figure on most days I don't want to eat my meal plan...might as well make it somewhat enjoyable by feeding cravings....especially with food I've done before.









And that's all the Freedom Foods from this past week. But with this new dining with daddy concept...who knows what freedom awaits this week. I am thinking I may even face my fear of jumbo muffins...we shall see...