Lately I have been really thinking about what I eat and what goes into it. Well lets be real, I am constantly thinking about what I eat, every single day, almost every minute. If you were having a conversation with me I probably think about food at least twice during our time together. Just ask me next time we are talking, and I bet I could list off a couple things that have been floating around in my head.
I have been seriously considering making some sort of change and what came to mind was only eating things that are one ingredient. I am able to mix and match, cook and freeze, what ever I want, but I am going to try and eat things with one ingredient on them. It is actually going to be a little harder than it might seem. I cant have my broth to flavour stir fries or soups, no hoisen sauce for my spring rolls or no Daiya! Yes I said Daiya. That one is going to be the hardest to give up because since I have come home from Mexico I have been eating it like crazy! Hence the need for cutting back on it.
So I guess this is my first challenge to all of you who are reading this. Can you go even one day with only eating things that are one ingredient? It might sound difficult, but aren’t you up for a new challenge in your life? I'm not saying to do this forever, heck I am not going to, but just try one or two days and see what it's like. You will be surprised at how much OTHER stuff you actually eat throughout the day.
A great example would be: Toast with jam and peanut butter, and a coffee with creamer in it.
A simple breakfast that I am sure a ton of people eat for breakfast. But when you break down the list of ingredients in just those “two” items that you might choose to have for breakfast you would be surprised at how many things are in it.
This is what their websites have listed:
Smuckers Strawberry Jam - STRAWBERRIES, SUGAR, GLUCOSE, GLUCOSE-FRUCTOSE, PECTIN, CITRIC ACID
Kraft Peanut Butter - Select roasted peanuts, soybean oil, corn dextrin, sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oil, salt
Dempsters Whole Wheat Bread - Whole grain whole wheat flour including the germ, water, glucose-fructose/sugar, yeast*, vegetable oil (canola or soybean), salt, wheat gluten, vinegar, calcium propionate, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, monoglycerides, acetylated tartaric acid esters of mono and diglycerides, sorbic acid. May contain calcium iodate, calcium carbonate, calcium sulphate, cornstarch, ammonium chloride. *order may change. May contain soybean, milk ingredients and sesame seeds
Coffee Mate Original - WATER, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED OIL, AND LESS THAN 2% OF SODIUM CASEINATE (A MILK DERIVATIVE)**, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, SODIUM ALUMINOSILICATE, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CARRAGEENAN.
In that 'simple' breakfast there are 40 different ingredients, and that’s not including the 'may contain' in the bread. I honestly couldn’t believe how many ingredients were in the bread alone and the Coffee Mate, I only recognize the corn syrup, water as recognizable food ingredients.
This post is not about putting down what people eat, it's about wanting you to make informed decisions and realizing what you actually put into your bodies everyday. Because I think when we actually take a hard look at what we are eating, we make better choices in the long run.
So again, I challenge you to the “One ingredient day” and see what you could change in your daily eating habits. Who knows you might actually like the changes you make.
In honor of the one ingredient challenge, I present you some pretty fricken awesome cookies! I saw this recipe on Pinterest and it looked really simple with only 3 ingredients in it, I knew as soon as I saw it that I had to try these out. Not only are they vegan, but they are diabetic friendly, and can be gluten free. I was at first wary of the recipe because I wasn't sure what the texture was going to be like, so I bought regular rolled oats from the bulk area, to save some money. But now I know that they are delicious I plan on buying Only Oats, the gluten free oats that my family can eat.
For me I was instantly won over by the texture. They are moist, soft and chewy, almost like a granola/banana bread cookie. They are really good right out of the oven, but also remain soft days later.
Also, I understand that chocolate chips do not follow my one ingredient rule, but it is just a suggestion and if you want chocolate flavored cookies you could reduce your rolled oats by one tbsp and add in one tbsp of raw cocoa powder!
I did three batches of cookies, chocolate chips, dates and chia seeds!
Ingredients - 10 cookies
2 ripe spotted bananas
1 cup rolled oats, Gluten free or regular
1/4 cup one of your favorite filling
- chocolate chips - coconut flakes - cranberries
- dates - walnuts - almonds
- chai seeds - raisins
*You could even add some spices to the mix to add some different flavors to them, such as cinnamon or nutmeg.
Pre heat oven at 350 degrees. Mash bananas, stir in rolled oats and your third ingredient. Grease cookie sheet with coconut oil. Spoon on tbsp sized balls onto pan, lightly smush them down into cookie forms (they don't change their shape much). Bake for 15 minutes and let cool for 5 before serving. DONE! And Enjoy!
Thanks for reading!
xoxo -N
