Guilt-Free Food
Hi Everyone! How was the weekend? Mine was so relaxing in every sense of the word! I relaxed with the family, didn’t do any formal exercise and let loose with the food, too. I snacked a whole lot and ate things I don’t normally – pizza, caesar salads, Chinese take-out and dug into some bites of sugary treats. My body was saying “stop the insanity”!!!
I noticed something different about this weekend. Every food I was eating, I enjoyed. I did overeat for sure and wasn’t listening to my body’s hunger cues at all. In fact, there wasn’t much hunger involved because I kept munching all day! But, the difference in this weekend was that I didn’t care! I don’t mean the “I give up” kind of not caring. This was different. It was more of a thought process that I am eating the food and yes, I am overeating, but it’s okay because this is not forever. I learned from prior forays into these type of weekends that I cannot stay long in overeating mode anymore. My body really hates it and feels sluggish, tired and blech. However, this time my mind didn’t match up with my body’s feelings. I didn’t beat myself up, I didn’t worry that I would gain 5 lbs., I didn’t obsess and start to conjure up ways to undo the damage. For the first time, I ate and overate guilt -free. My body may be paying for it, but my mind is free!!!
It’s a great relief and getting to this point has made it so much easier for me to get right back to the healthy way I like to eat. Today, it’s back to making my body happy, too 
It loves this breakfast – egg and cheese on an Ezekiel english muffin…
I broke out some old school workout DVD’s after breakfast. I did Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away The Pounds – 3 Mile. It brought back memories of my early days of weight loss. Walking was about all I could do at 234 lbs. and being able to do it in the privacy of my home was a benefit! I used that DVD 4 days a week and remember how hard some of it was for me! I enjoyed revisiting it today and seeing the difference in my endurance – it was definitely much easier!
It took me a long time to feel any twinge of hunger during the day. The heaviness of the food I ate over the weekend was still with me and made it hard to choose for my lunch options. I finally decided on a yogurt bowl. It was all that sounded appealing! Hit the spot…
My cooking mojo came around late in the afternoon! I’ve been lacking inspiration the past week, but looking through my bazillion recipe binders got it going.
I whipped up a batch of Smoked Salmon and Parmesan Omelet Muffins to snack on during the week, then got to work on dinner – Black Bean Chipotle Cheddar Burgers and Zucchini Coleslaw. The bean burgers were inspired by a recipe I found on the Cabot cheese site. I changed it a bit due to what I had on hand…
Black Bean Chipotle Cheddar Burgers
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 ounces Cabot 75% reduced fat Cheddar, grated
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, diced fine
- 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (made from 2 slices toasted light bread)
- 1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon mild chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
1. In medium bowl, mash about half of beans with a fork; add rest of beans, cheese, chipotle, breadcrumbs, red pepper, cilantro or parsley, egg, cumin, chili powder, garlic and salt.
2. Shape mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties. Bake on baking sheet coated with cooking spray at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes per side.
This is a pretty hearty burger, so I served it sans bun with guacamole and fresh salsa…
Spicy and delicious!
The Zucchini Coleslaw was not so yummy… 
It has potential though! I may try it again.
Time to clean the kitchen (boo) and pack! I’m off with the daughters to spend a couple days with friends at their beach house. Hope to blog the shenanigans if the WiFi cooperates!
Have a great day, everyone!
Do you try a recipe again if you didn’t like it the first time?
Questions? Email me! aloserforlife@gmail.com
23 comments
I love this. I am definitely getting better about avoiding/bouncing back from guilt about overeating, so I’d love to get to the point where I can just do it… because sometimes I want to… and then have it pass by like any other day and not stress about it at all. That’s how it should be, right?
Marisa Reply:
August 17th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
That’s what I’m hoping for, too!
Your black bean burger sounds fantastic!
It is rare that I’ll give a recipe a second chance…unless I make it immediately and have everything in the house. I’m stubborn that way!
I wish I could get away from the guilt, I may be able to for a day but not for very long.
Marisa Reply:
August 17th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
It’s very hard. I think we’ve been so accustomed to the guilt, it is difficult to not put the two things together.
I don’t usually try a recipe again if I didn’t like it the first time, unless I know it was just a certain ingredient I didn’t like, then I’ll try again and change it up.
I think it’s definitely okay to splurge and eat “bad” things sometimes. We have to enjoy life! As long as you find a healthy balance, I think splurges are perfectly okay!
Marisa Reply:
August 17th, 2010 at 10:51 pm
I agree! Balance is key!
Those black bean burgers look yummy!
Yes, I’m usually a glutton for punishment, so I’ll try a recipe again if it previously flopped, lol.
Jenn
Yeah. That zucchini slaw sounds blech. But I’m glad you think it has potential.
Good for you. I also hope you have a lot of fun at the beach.
Your bean burgers look soo so yummy.
Marisa – That’s what I tried to do over the weekend too (eat without guilt). I half succeeded though. Good for you!
Marisa Reply:
August 17th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
It’s okay! You’re halfway there!!
Sometimes I will try it again with lots of tweaks, I won’t make it the same way nice. I’m glad you had such a nice weekend!
That black bean burger looks amazing!
Great job with your intuitive eating – sounds like you were never stuffed!
If I don’t like it the first time it is history!
Have a good time away with the girls.
let me know when you perfect the slaw it looks good. I think that some weekends there is nothing wrong with just eating, your body actually takes that way wacky day and usually gets rid of that food…good job on just enjoying it and knowing that it was a day and not suddenly a change to your whole way of eating
I love good veggie burgers, black bean are my favorite! Sounds like a great recipe!
That black bean burger looks so good. And the guac and salsa made it look even better.
Yay for getting a better relationship with food!
When I first saw the words Zucchini Coleslaw, I thought “Great Idea!!!”…then I read your reactions and thought “Well, golly dang it!”
threeeee cheers for the guilt free!
) for things that I do which may violate my moral code.
I really do try and save my guilt (hello JEWISH GUILT
thats never ever food.
Dang that burger looks awesome!!! If a recipe doesn’t taste good, I have a really hard time trying it again.
Jen
http://jenslosinit.blogspot.com/
Thanks for trying a recipe from our site- it looks like they turned out great!
~Jacquelyn
[...] was a Black Bean Chipotle Cheddar Burger on the last of Trader Joe’s Country Potatoes with Mushrooms and Haricot [...]