Hey hey hey 
How’s your evening going?
I loved reading about your Lent ideas and spring challenges- keep ‘em coming It’s funny because usually I’d be living up Fat Tuesday in full splendor, but after my Valentine’s feast, I don’t feel a need to. I think I’ll be satisfied on the sweet front for 40 days.. at least that’s what I say for now 
This morning’s snack was this little gem (which yes, is considered a “sweet”, so after today, it’s out of commission for a while)
I ran a boatload of errands, cleaned the casa and met with the cafe owners to go over a tentative menu and plans. We actually have a crazy awesome giveaway planned for tomorrow so stay tuned!
For lunch, I couldn’t wait to break out this classy new vinegar:
Mmmmm
I made a salad beast with rainbow chard, spiralized beet, tomatoes, raw goat cheddar, oregano, fresh basil, sweet onion and fig vinegar.
After mashing everything around:
Rainbow chard is by far my favorite green. Now I just have to figure out how to plant it because it’s not sold anywhere in Valdosta (yet).
Dessert was some millet with maca and cinnamon:
(Please excuse the fine china)
I hit up the gym before my first training appointment and did 30 minutes on the elliptical, 10 minutes on the treadmill and 20 minutes of shoulders, triceps and chest. It was a fast and furious weight workout and then I trained a client.
When I got back to the casa in between appointments, I had a two egg white puff, coated in chili powder and nutritional yeast.
The nutritional yeast was so BUTTERY on top of the egg! Uhhhhhmazin’. As I was devouring, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’m a hypocrite for not eating chickens and still eating their unfertilized embryos. Don’t answer that I just love eggies so and always, always buy organic.
I had two more appointments and then came back to make a shrimp feast for my pilot love and I. Time for jammies and chillaxin’
See ya tomorrow with a fun reader’s request post and a giveaway!
xoxo,
Gina
Questions and answers: (from Ask Me Anything)
How old is the pilot? Has he been in the air force for a long time?
The pilot is 29 and he’s been in the Air Force for a little under 7 years.
What ever happened with giving Viesa away? Is she better with Bella? Are you keeping her for good? (I love when you post puppy pics!)
For now, we’re keeping Viesa until my brother and his girlfriend can adopt her. She’s been incredibly good *knock on wood* because we’ve had to lay the smack down with disciplining both of the dogs. I had a tendency to let them walk all over me because they’re so cute –I was the only one here every time Viesa would attack Bella- so I’ve been making the dogs sit before I pet them or give them love, and have been trying to act like *master* of the casa. We also treat Viesa as the alpha dog, which is what she needs.. so she always gets treats first and her food first.
Why would you open a cafe if you are going to move in a year? Isn’t that a waste of time? Why not wait till you move?
A year is a year, and I’m going to live it up! The amazing thing is that this is something I’ve really wanted to do, and now that I have an investor, I really need to take this opportunity. The fact that I can get my online bakery started as well is just icing on the cake. I’ll be able to get experience and knowledge and when we move, it will be much easier for me to open my own place.
What do you mean when you say that you are going to give up "sweets?" Does that include all desserts and anything with sugar? What about food containing agave or stevia? I want to join you!!
Yup, that includes all desserts and sugar. This doesn’t include cacao powder or Sun Warrior protein, but includes Larabars (they’re like dessert to me), Stevia (YIKES!) and agave. Fruit is definitely ok and I’d love some sweet-free company for the 40 days!
Sometimes I look at your life an am struck by extreme life envy … if you could change ONE thing about your life, what would it be?
I promise that my life isn’t perfect The main thing I would change would be the ability to live wherever I wanted. Sometimes I feel like SO many things would be easier if we could live wherever we chose!
I’m gonna miss seeing all the amazing sweets you whip up on the bloggy!!! In a way we’re giving up [lookin' at] your beautiful sweets too
Come sooner, Easter!
i’ll still make them but wont eat them
I love reading the questions and your answers. so interesting! I am impressed that you are giving up sweets for 40 days, but I know you can do it!
I hope that you accomplish your goal of no sweets, but I wouldnt think that a “bar” is a sweet treat!! Am I wrong??
larabars aren’t really sweets but the raw food ones are loaded with agave
I love that vinegar-have had it for a few months. So delicious!
Eggs are SO good, and healthy – do not feel bad for eating them (but not the chicken). I couldn’t give up sugar all-together, but could definitely do without the extra desserts that have consumed my life recently. Good luck with it!
Wow! Giving up sweets for 40 days. I don’t know that I would be able to do it. I know I SHOULD, but am not sure that I would succeed. :/ I’ll be pullin’ for ya!
i’ll be joining you in the no-sweets boat for lent. after all the sugar / chocolate / cookies i’ve ingested over the past 2.5 weeks i figure it’s the least i can do for my body
i had been thinking i’d still eat larabars, but now i’m thinking i should give them up as well.
best of luck!
Good luck with lent; I’m sure you’ll manage!!!
I’m on the no sweet wagon with ya girl. here we go!
I’m trying to give up sweets for lent too. We need to form a support group!
I’m catching up on posts–I’m a bit fan of adding good things for Lent..I’m gonna be right there with you on praying more and I’m aiming to keep up Bible reading daily. I don’t need to restrict myself, and I know God understands
Hey Gina!
What do you love about millet bread? Does it just taste amazing or is it another superfood that has really good nutritional stats?? I looked for it in my grocery store and they sell it but it’s $$$$ – so before I shell out the money, I just want to know more about it!
it just tastes really amazing. and it’s whole grain- millet is awesome. worth the moola
Well… I do get paid on Friday. Millet bread might need to happen, haha. Thanks for your help!
I’m giving up sweets for Lent too…and I totally agree that some bars definitely count as sweets, since I eat them like dessert
Happy Fat Tuesday!
You’ll have me for sweet-free company! Gulp. I want to shove a cookie in my face just after writing that! Ha ha.
I wish I could live wherever I want, too! It would definitely NOT be Los Angeles!! I have all the food options in the world, but who can afford it living here?! Alas, the hubby’s job is keeping us here for now, too…
Oh, and I thought this article about agave was really interesting: http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/02/15/debunking-the-agave-myth/
Makes me want to quit agave all together!
whoa, thanks for the link!!!!
We can support each other through our ‘bar’ withdrawal! I am considering them sweets too. All bars- oh boy… well… we can do anything for 40 days, right?
Do you put the maca and cinnamon on top of the millet– all dry, or do you add something else? Just curious…I am going to try it. I had millet w/ tomato paste and nutritional yeast and spinach- wow- tan sabroso
your millet creation sounds AMAZING! can i copy it?
and yes, i just put it on top of the millet.. it melts right in
Yes, of course! I would be honored.
I am going to try it with some roasted kale tonight.
I will let you know how it goes– Lisa
(p.s. I think we can pile on any veggies)
I love your blog! The salad looks so delicious!
I love eggs too and don’t think I could ever give them up! I eat them rarely and when I do I buy cage free, organic, free fun etc. I saw a video once on how we get most eggs…and it was really scary/sad. So I don’t buy conventional eggs anymore.
And it makes me feel better to know that the almost all the eggs that are sold would have never been fertilized in the first place…so it would have never been a chicken anyway!
Hey girl! I’m a loyal blog reader, and check yours daily!
Thanks for posting so often!!
I wanted to comment regarding the eggs…I’m not sure why exactly you’re a pescatarian. I am assuming is health related, and you may have stopped eating meat to lose weight years ago. Correct me if I’m wrong!
Regardless, eating eggs is a pretty complex issue. I consider myself a “semi- vegan” because I forgo all animal products except for eggs I get from a local egg co-op. I would never consider eating eggs found in the grocery store, even “organic” and “cage-free.” Unfortunately cage-free and free-range really don’t mean anything, they are not regulated by the USDA the way organic goods are. The chickens producing those eggs are still in either small cages, or packed into rooms (cage-free) and hardly have access to the outdoors, if any.
I hate to be the bearer to bad news but I had the same misconception that eating eggs was fine because the chickens aren’t being killed. But these chickens ARE killed when they don’t meet their egg laying “quota.” I wish I didn’t have to eat eggs, but have blood sugar issues and a lil bit of animal protein helps me once in awhile. Here’s some good info if you’re interested: http://www.vegsoc.org/info/laying.html
Phew- that was a bit longer than I intended. I do love your blog though- you keep me motivated!
Namaste,
Ashley
hey ashley,
i’m a pescatarian because i love shrimp and goat cheese too much to ever give them up. otherwise, i could totally be vegan
i don’t fall into the cage-free or free range mumbo jumbo, but only buy usda certified organic. yes, the chickens are still killed if they don’t meet their quota, which breaks my heart, but egg whites are an easy way for me to get some higher protein when i need it. if i could have my own egg-laying chicken, i would, but i don’t think our condos would allow it.
thanks so much for such an awesome comment and i’m off to check out that link. who knows, it may change my mind
You’re a braaaave sole for giving up sweets!!! Still thinking about my lent item to give up.
-emily http://www.emilyeatsclean.wordpress.com
I’m giving up sweets – but not all sugar. I need my stevia!
I don’t know if I could handle giving up sweets – excited to see what other snacks you come up with though!
Hey there! Enjoying our last evening before ash wednesday begins! I’ve got the fiance on board with no desserts and he is giving up his beloved soda!
whoo hoo! we can do it
I seriously think I’m gonna join you on the no sweets because my dark chocolate consuption is out of control and after valentines day I feel like i need a sugar detox!
I was planning on giving up chocolate for lent (waah!), but I think I’ll be your “sweet-free company” instead. Giving up Larabars might be tough… but I wouldn’t want to make you jealous
I’d love to live where my heart is, but sadly the only places to live with JOBS seem to be the worst areas.
I think your lent commitment is so huge! I’d join you but since we are going on vacation, I don’t think I could pull it off. You will do stellar though and your sacrifice is what lent is all about! Thanks for your comment earlier tonight. It meant a lot to me.
Hi, inspired by your Q+A where someone ask about clothes and styles, I would love to see a post about clothes and, I don’t know, how to dress for different occasions. I love your style
Oh, and yessss, I hope you will write a cookbook someday!! With lots of photos in it
That would be awesome!!
Wish you an excellent week
I WANT THAT VINEGAR!!!! I love white balsamic vinegar and I love figs so I am pretty sure the combination would rock my world
You are a brave, brave woman to be giving up sweets! Does that mean no almond buttah? :O
hahah of course not. i’m not made of steel
Good luck with Lent! I don’t think I could make it all the way until Easter without sweets. If there is one person that can do it, it’s you!
Including larabars is pretty intense! I am trying to give up true dessert items (cookies, cake, cocolate bars) for lent but am okay with a little granola on my oatmeal or energy bars.
Chard is really easy to grow! You can put the seeds right in the ground and just basic watering does the trick. The best thing you can do for chard is to continually harvest & consume. The more you eat the more will grow, it’s pretty amazing. Where you live, you could probably plant seeds now. I get organic 5 color silver beet seeds from seed saver’s exchange. I think whole foods sells seeds too.
awesome, thank for the tips!
i’m pretty sure i’ll have no prob with the “harvest and eat” part
You answer about the pups made me smile! I let my two dogs walk all over me and it drives my husband nuts, because when he comes home – they know the “master” is home – but when I say anything they ignore me! Great job stepping it up – I need to do so much better with that!
Your Q&As are a lot of fun. And that bottle of vinegar looks really interesting.
Good luck with Lent!
Can you tell me more about maca? I’ve seen it before, why do you eat it?
Thanks!
hey sarah!
here’s some info: http://fitnessista.com/?p=5091
have a great day!
Thanks, I will check it out!
Good luck with no sweets! I think you’ll do just fine. You eat so great you probably won’t even notice
Wow.. if I had to give up my beloved stevia and agave I don’t know what would happen!! I’m actually giving up fish for lent since I’m already a pescatarian and I’d like to see if I could ever make the full transition to vegetarian. I’m already missing sushi though…
I might try giving up sweets but I can’t promise
That’s frustrating especially when you don’t eat meat.
I don’t think anyone has said this yet, but I would have never pegged your man as 29…does he win the “guess your age” game at the fair all the time or does he just photograph superbly well?
ahahah he just looks very young. he could pass for a college guy easily
What is the nutritional yeast like? Does it taste powdery? Is it an accustomed kind of taste? I’m interested in trying it after seeing it on your blog (and at HEAB’s, as well), but am nervous to purchase something I might not like.
That’ll be tough to give up sweets! I don’t think I could do it – I’m sure I would set myself up for a big binge in the end! Good luck!
K
[...] even going to take it one step further… I’ll be joining Gina in committing to no sweets for Lent! As terrible as it sounds, I really loved how I felt when I [...]