24 Day Challenge: Day 16 & 17

At work, we have full staff meetings every other Tuesday. I tell you this to tell you that every other Tuesday used to be my favorite day at work. That is, before I gave up gluten for the 24DC...Usually, each week I avoid the team meeting bagels for about...5 mins. Then I'm like, fuck it, I'm going to eat the bagel. Who cares. YOLO. Eat the bagel. And since I'm living by YOLO code, I'm going to eat the one with white flour, cheddar cheese baked on top, and smother it with cream cheese. However, this week is day 16, and I've been doing SO well that I ACTUALLY had the willpower to resist. I looked at those plates of bagels and knew that they definitely weren't worth wrecking all the good work I'd done for the last two weeks. It sounds really pathetic, but this was a huge accomplishment for me. Feels like the first day of eating to live to me. And that feels so damn good.

I also have a much shorter commute every other Tuesday because of a meeting I go to in downtown LA. I tell you this not because it's at all interesting, but to explain how I got home in time to make this delicious smoothie for my afternoon snack. For this one, I started with 140g of frozen strawberries in the blender. Then I added 2 tbsp of PB2, 2 tbsp of cocoa powder, 3/4 tsp of Truvia, and 3/4 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk. After it's blended, stir in 1 tbsp of chia seeds. I do this afterwards because once they rehydrate you end up having to pick each one off the side of the blender while cleaning it. It may sound strange, but it was like a Reese's PB Cup dipped strawberry. I mean, for someone who hasn't had sugar in 16 days it does.


As if bagel day wasn't bad enough, our kitchen often has some delicious homemade treat freshly baked on the counter in the morning. Wednesday was no exception. After a great session at the gym, I walked into work feeling pretty confident, and there they were. Warm, gooey s'mores bars. I don't know who made them or why, but there they were, staring me in face. Luckily, I came prepared with one of my favorite protein packed morning snacks...angel eggs!! These delicious savory treats have helped keep me on track so many times during these last 17 days. To be fair, I prefer savory to sweet, but if I hadn't had these with me, I would have definitely had a bite of these. Since eggs are full of protein, they also help keep me full, and from far away from temptation.

Although I've vowed to stop using food as a reward, I did decide to reward myself a little with a few extra carbs at dinner. Everything was still within the 24DC guidelines, but normally we try and have the majority of our carbs at breakfast/lunch instead of at dinner. Since I'd been to the gym this morning though, I had a little more wiggle room, so I treated myself. This meal would be a perfect addition to your #tacotuesday repertoire.

Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos w/ Sriracha Mayo

Makes ~4 servings
Ingredients

• 1 lb Peeled Shrimp
• 1 tbsp Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 small head Green Cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped
• 1 avocado
• 2 tbsp Mayo
• 2 tsp Sriracha
• 16 Corn Tortillas, "slider" sized

1. Heat a cast iron (or nonstick) skillet over medium-high heat for 2 mins. While it's heating, dry the shrimp on some paper towels and add them to a gallon ziplock bag. Add the chili and garlic powders, and salt to taste to the bag, seal it, and toss them around to coat. 
2. Add the oil to the skillet, and then sauté the shrimp until cooked through, about 3-4 mins.  
3. Toast the tortillas in a hot nonstick pan until they start to get some color and become pliable. 
4. Mix together the mayo and Sriracha in a bowl. 
5. Build the tacos as follows: tortilla, shrimp, squeeze of lime, avocado, cilantro, cabbage, & spicy mayo. Enjoy!

As you can see, I also had a little chips and salsa and some mineral water to wash it all down. I like mineral water because it isn't as bubbly as seltzer/club soda, and it's also a nice break from the 96 oz of still water I've been trying to drink each day. Stick around for the next post because I've got some delicious plans for this shrimp for day 18...