Warrior Journey: Coleslaw

Day 16/44. Down 20 pounds.

Most days have been relatively easy both foodwise and workoutwise.

A few “brownie, gain weight back” days, which is always devastating. But I’m happy with how I’ve bounced back and haven’t let sugar-goodness completely derail the journey and cause me to give up, which has happened in the past. Plus, I’m going to be brownie’ing for the rest of my life — it’s good to experience the goodness, in moderation, as I have, and remain on the health train.

Real life is what I’m after. Not a life of no brownies.

One of my meal staples has become coleslaw

You’re thinking, “All that mayo, what?!” Or, “Ewwwww.”

It’s yummy, y’all! And no mayo.

Tastes good, easy to customize, make, and store, lasts a few days, and cheap, filling, and hella healthy.

Here’s the original recipe.

My Tweaks

use 1/2 the sugar, maybe even less depending on your tolerance for vinegar
instead of the ramen noodles and its seasoning packet, use mock chicken seasoning (less carbs and sodium; vegan/vegetarian-friendly)
add bacon bits, fake bacon bits (vegan friendly), or chicken sausage (I love Trader Joe’s flavors — Sweet Italian, Spicy Italian, Sweet Apple, Garlic Herb) to make it an actual meal instead of just a side dish

My Tips

I tend to go heavy on the seasoning
because I loathe prep, I make a double recipe and then eat it daily for lunch or dinner for a few days
it tastes best right after you make it but I’ve eaten the coleslaw up to two days after making it
if you use the ramen noodles, throw those in only when you’re ready to eat ’em, otherwise they get soggy
separate the recipe into individual serving bowls, especially if you’re on the go; easy to grab to take to work
skillet an entire sausage package at once and Tupperware the extra so you can just heat them in the microwave for a few seconds for future servings
cooking the chicken sausage till they’re dark brown, a bit burnt even, is delicious
if you’re watching calories, make sure you don’t add more than one link to your bowl; I’ve been known to eat two or three “accidentally” — when they’re cut up, it’s hard to know! Pay attention when you cut one up, about how many slices result and then throw that number in your bowl

This is the hard part of the journey, I’m feeling. Where the weight-loss slows and the finish line is still very very far off. Where you get on the scale and the number is bigger than it was yesterday. Where you have to walk by people eating outside at Smoke Daddy BBQ on your way from the gym to go home to your bowl of coleslaw.

It’s good but it’s not that good.

Thanks so much for all the cheerleading you’ve given me thus far, it really does help!

Stay tuned for more insight, how to’s, tips, and thoughts on the Warrior Journey (to hopefully $1000 and a healthier body)! Subscribe to the blog if you’d like these delivered to your doorstep. Previous posts: What’s the thing you’d never share? I weigh 321 pounds and Warrior Journey: Breakfast Smoothie.