Health Made Simple Halloween!!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays (maybe my very fave, but Thanksgiving is a close second). So I was super-excited and full of energy all day. I'm doing Health Made Simple (a whole foods-based meal plan from No Meat Athlete) for three more weeks, but I also just started another 8-week program (don't worry, this one isn't about food!) called Self-Care for Goddesses. It's a self-care course offered by Goddess Provisions.

The first week is all about getting to know the other goddesses in the program, so we were asked to share a photo of ourselves on the private goddess Facebook group (that we get access to with the program) with a little bio and insight on what we hope to get out of the program. I said I'd like to get better at meditation and become a better sleeper! Anyway, I'll keep y'all updated on this program goes as it progresses.

My pre-workout snack before spinning class at the Y was a Simple Truth Apple Cinnamon Date Bar. These are just like Larabars, but they're cheaper!

Post-workout, I had my usual White Rice with Soy Sauce & Sesame Seed. This is a recommended post-workout snack (eaten within 15 minutes) on the HMS plan.

An hour later, I had my morning smoothie — Mango Jalapeno again! Also has banana, walnuts, and lime juice.

Morning snack was more fruit! Strawberries, blackberries, and plums.

I went home for lunch and made a Veggie Burger Tostada (a dinner on the plan last Friday — I didn't have my usual leftovers for lunch, so I picked an easy-to-make-for-lunch option on the HMS plan). This is a Sunshine burger on a toasted corn tortilla with ketchup, mustard, cashew cheese, romaine, and pickled onion. Side of oil-free Roasted Rosemary Potatoes.

We had our annual Crosstown Creep Sweep Trunk or Treat at work starting at 4 pm, so I knew I'd be getting home extra-late. I was glad to have this hearty afternoon snack of Celery with Peanut Butter (I brought a big serving of PB!).

We handed out candy to HUNDREDS kids (maybe a THOUSAND!! So many kids!). So much fun! LOVE HALLOWEEN! I finally got home around 6:30 pm, and we still had trick-or-treaters knocking on our door, despite a terrible rainstorm that hit around 6 pm. In between door knocks and doorbell rings, I prepped for my annual Feast of the Dead. Every year, I set a place at the dinner table for all the people and animals I know who have passed, and I eat a dinner in their memory.

That dinner was the HMS recipe for Southwest Black Bean Tortilla Soup. The soup base was made with corn tortillas, corn, jalapeno, and diced tomato, and then it's blended into a creamy soup. Then you add brown rice and black beans. I topped my bowl with cilantro, avocado, and cashew cheese.

Since Halloween/Samhain is a special day, I knew I wanted to celebrate with a dessert. So I picked up this Vegan Sweet Potato Puff Pastry Pop-tart from Today & Always (our cafe at Crosstown Arts) before leaving the office. Our baker, Ali, makes her vegan puff pastry dough from scratch! And it's so flaky and delicious. The inside was stuffed with a sweet potato pie filling. So perfect!