BLTs. How I love them.
And as a quick aside, I’m kind of embarrassed to admit that I had to Google what a BLT was. I’ve heard the term being tossed around here and there, but I never actually knew what it stood for. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches… huh… no kidding? But we’re not talking BLT sandwiches today . We’re talking BLTs as in: bites, licks, and tastes – also known as: what happens every time I walk into my kitchen OR what happens every time I cook/bake/prep a meal.
It’s kind of ridiculous, actually… Half of the time, I end up eating what can probably be considered a pretty decent sized snack before my actual meal. The other half of the time, I’d say that only about a third of my meal actually makes it to a plate and table – the rest gets eaten during the prep stage…
A bite here, a taste there, and suddenly half of my food is gone. Sad face. Blogging has definitely helped mediate my BLT habit though, especially on What I Ate Wednesdays…
Since I can’t exactly show you guys pictures of empty plates, I need to practice some restraint, actually plate my food, and snap a picture before digging in…
Breakfast: Plain Greek yogurt with a sliced banana, homemade applesauce, Kashi Cinnamon Harvest, Puffins, almond butter, and cinnamon.
It can be rough sometimes. But what makes it easier, and what you guys don’t see, is how many BLTs I take while I plate 😉
Another time that BLTs show up? When I’m trying to decide on what to eat. Sometimes I just can’t quite pinpoint my cravings, or I want a little bit of everything, so… I treat myself to plenty of “samples” to see if anything will jump out at me.
A handful or two of Barefruit apple chips.
A spoonful of almond butter.
A small bowl of oats with yogurt and cinnamon.
Nibbling on an uncooked Poptart (does anyone else eat them that way?)
Eating a good apple’s worth of apple slices while making applesauce.
A bite of this, a taste of that… The days I’m home usually have me prowling the kitchen on multiple occasions, constantly in search of something to chew on. Balance that with the days I’m out, which tend to be a little more structured…
Coffee. Baby orange. Cheese strings.
Typical work snacks.
Dinners at my parents’. This past weekend it was parmesan breaded chicken breasts, kasha with mushroom gravy, and some salad. Confession: I was BLTing while Mom was cooking 😉
Some may consider BLTs to be a bad habit, but I don’t actually mind them all that much. To me, it’s what I associate with freedom. Back in the days where I was really struggling with my eating disorder, there’s absolutely no way I would have allowed myself to grab an unscheduled and unknown amount of anything. If I couldn’t weigh it and tally up the calories, I wouldn’t eat it. So the freedom of being able to grab things at random? A beautiful thing.
Still, there are definitely times you just have to sit down to a good snack…
… even if it means that you’re now out of cookies. But I guess that’s all the more reason to do some more baking and BLTing, right? Right. 😉
Happy Wednesday, friends! And happy first day of May! The weather is finally clearing up around here, and I’ve got a 12-hours-out-of-the-house kind of day ahead of me, so I’m off to enjoy that. See you guys tomorrow!
. – . – . – .
Are you a BLTer?
If not, would you like to be? (serious question! I dreamed of it when I was sick…)
If yes, does it bother you?
AND… what’s your favorite kind of sandwich? Almond butter and jelly all the way.
OMG I can sooooo relate…I swear that I eat half of my dinner before it reaches my plate because I am always sampling as it cooks….roasting vegetables always leads me to eating half while they are cooking. Not that it is a bad thing to be nibbling on but it certainly takes away from my dinner! And of course while I am slicing my apple and spooning out the peanut butter I am sampling as well straight from the jar…or the container of blueberries while I am dropping them into my oatmeal…
I love to snack but to be honest I don’t really take a ton of randoms bites and tastes when I eat. I think it’s from old habits of being super cautious with what I eat but I definitely have some more leniency when it comes to snacks! I love them 🙂
I love BLT’s! I think I eat more bites while making my meals than I do while actually eati my meals. Dinner at your parents looks amazing! The kashi mushroom mix looks so good.
I actually am not a BLTer.. and i’m one of those who kinda wishes they were lol I think it’s just cause I’ve always been that way.. just had my set snacks set meals.. all that jazz… sometimes when I’m making my lunch and snacks for the next day I’ll have a lick or two of my yogurt spoon 😉 but that’s pretty much the extent of my blting haha
I struggle with this SO MUCH. Thank you for posting about it. It really hits home for me, as a habit I’m trying not to do (although I call it ‘nibbling’)
I used to see it as a bad thing, but now I can differentiate between which is good and which is bad. Bad when I’m doing it mindlessly or instead of a real meal or instead of sitting and plating something. Good if I’m trying to decide what to have (I do that too!) or if I’m still peckish after a meal.
All in all, I’m just learning to be more forgiving with myself.
As for sandwiches, I can’t decide. Asking me to choose a favourite is not possible because my tastes change and I like to switch it up!
real BLTs are amazing too, just saying. Because i am not a pretty eating person,I tend to eat things straight from their container or off the aluminum foil I cook them in. Whoops. Pretty lame but also saves dishes.
I’m wayy more into your kinda BLT, than the other kinda BLT. In this case, Im a total BLT-er.
I used to eat uncooked poptarts all the time! – I think I may actually like them better that way. And favorite sandwich is definitely almond butter + jelly. On toasted bread. YUM.
PS- Can I come over to your parents for dinner too? 😉 – That breaded chicken + kasha and mushroom gravy sounds AMAZING!!
We’ve always got extra room at the table! As long as you’re willing to put up with snow in April 😉
I’m totally a BLTer! I seriously eat my way through the kitchen before every meal. Sometimes it bothers me, sometimes it doesn’t I always try to have fresh cut veggies around for when I am in a really “snacky” type of mood and just need something to nibble on!
Yes definitely a BLTer ahha! You’ve gotta try stuff when you’re cooking or else it could turn out horrbile 😛 thats how I justify it lol!
I eat my Poptarts uncooked too..I think they taste way better like that!! Plus I always end up burning myself when I heat them up haha.
Would you believe I’ve never found a sandwich that I particularly like :O. I know!!
Never?! Not even a grilled AB(orPB)&J?! Or… AB and banana?
I’m definitely a little bit of a “BLT-er”. Especially when I eat cereal. I always have to grab a handful before I make myself a bowl of it 😉
I can’t believe you didn’t know what an actual BLT was!!! That’s silly 🙂 But in my opinion, your kind of BLT trumps the sandwich. Not a huge bacon or tomato fan and I don’t eat lettuce sandwiches. I am definitely a BLT-er. I can’t remember the last time I prepped a meal or snack and didn’t have a bite, lick, or taste (usually many) while assembling. It’s hard to wait! I would have to say my favorite kind of sandwich is a turkey deli sandwich with jack cheese and avocado.
I love BLTing. I’m all about it.
That kasha with mushroom gravy is making my mouth water. Any chance you could share the recipe??
Ahh I’m going to have to bug my mom for that one, but from what I saw, it was really simple. The kasha is just roasted buckwheat cooked according to package instructions, and for the mushroom gravy you slice up around 6 or 7 crimini mushrooms, put them in a pot with a bit of water and boil until they start to break down, add a spoonful of flour and butter to thicken, and then add spices like marjoram and thyme. Sorry it’s not more exact! But let me know if you want more specific instructions and I’ll be sure to hit my mom up for ’em.
I have some oyster mushrooms in my fridge that I grew and I think I’m going to try this with them! Sounds delicious!
I’m a BLTer definitely, but I do have to watch it as it often gets me in trouble. Too much nibbling on squash and I’ve got one bloated belly. Too much chicken while making my soup and I’m just too full for supper. It’s okay if I were to actually skip supper then and save it for later… But no, I just put in all that work so I eat it. Then the tummy disapproves 🙁
I’m a nut butter and jam sandwich fan myself 🙂
Guilty as charged of being a HUGE BLTer. But really, what’s the fun in cooking/baking/preparing food if you can’t have a nibble here and a taste there…?
I used to be a huge snacker all the time while prepping food. That was back when I was not eating enough calories so it left me super hungry all the time. Now that I eat five meals a day and try not to go more than four hours without eating, I’m less of a “snacky” person. My all time favorite snack would be peanut butter right out of the jar 🙂
Lol, I’ve never heard of BLTing. Love it! I do that far too much, luckily the running helps me not look huge anymore. 🙂 And oh my, your food always makes me so hungry. My tummy is a-rumbling!
i need to get on that almond butter. is it a substitute for peanut butter?
I’m probably not the best person to ask since I’ve never had peanut butter (allergies), but I’d imagine so 🙂
BLT is awesome – when I am baking or very close be done with cooking. My fav. sandwich has to be good old PBJ it never gets old!!
Those cookies look soooo amazing!!
Do you have the recipe for them?
P.S I love your blog! Im originally from Edmonton too!
I use this recipe here http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/03/low-fat-chewy-chocolate-chip-oatmeal.html but sub in 1/4 cup of coconut oil for the butter because otherwise I find them to be a little too dry.
Deeeffffinitely a BLT’er here. Especially while cooking/baking. All the way!!
Also I love pop-tarts and sometimes crave them uncooked but what I prefer (and what might be weirder) is burned pop-tart edges. Anyone else? Just me? hehehe…
I’m definitely a BLT’er, especially while cooking my meal! I normally wait till I’m hungry to start cooking my meal and then my patience has weaned off haha! Like you, I probably never would have in the past because lord only knows how I would have accounted for a handful of nuts, bite of applesauce etc! Alsooooo have you ever tried making your applesauce with the skin on? I do and it tastes fab- try it as it might streamline your cooking process in the future! Also I love that there’s a PopTarr in this post- talk about a blast from the past! So get this- apparently PopTart ice cream sandwiches exist now in the US! I’ve never tried ’em but I am almost certain THOSE would be my favorite kind of sandwich ;)!
I’ve never tried applesauce with the skins on, but that would definitely be a time saver! The only thing I worry about is that my stomach isn’t that fond of apple skins, so I don’t know how it would take them cooked. Still worth trying out, though! And Poptart sandwiches?! Omigosh! I wonder if we have them in Canada…
I think ice cream and cookies is one of the best combinations! Probably why my favorite ice cream flavor is cookie dough, huh? I think I’m a total BLT-er while I’m cooking/making something. Impatience, I guess. The real BLTs are pretty good too!
Oh my gosh, yes, this is so me. Every time I walk by my kitchen I grab a bit of something – dried fruit, nuts, cereal, chocolate, etc. And when I’m preparing a meal I’m always snacking on the ingredients. Sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t always be BLTing because I’m never really that hungry when I do it, but oh well. I think it’s a pretty normal thing to do, so I don’t really care.
My favourite sandwich is a turkey sandwich with sharp cheddar, apple, and honey mustard on fresh bakery bread, then grilled until the cheese is gooey. It’s perfection!
Oh, I LOVE Poptarts! I haven’t had one in aged because of the nutrition label, haha. Even the organic ones are just loaded with sugar so I have to resist buying them but they’re so good. I used to like BLTs when I ate meat but now my favorite sandwich would have to be a grilled cheese with tomato.
They’re definitely not something I would eat for breakfast every morning like I used to back in my teenage years, but they do make a good snack once in a while 🙂
I am absolutely a BLTer. I like to think of these snacks as appetizers! It only bothers me when I eat so much that the too full for the actual meal I am preparing. I think my favorite sandwich is turkey, spinach, and bacon with mozzarella cheese!
I could tell you I was a BLTer but that would honestly imply that I cook (which I don’t…ha). So with that being said, I’m not really home a lot to snack but I think if I was I probably would ha. I don’t know. Anyways-I’m actually not a big bacon fan so normal BLT’s are not really my thing.
I love BLTs of both the acronym and the sandwich variety. I’m such a grazer!
I think this is another step I could work towards. Right now, I still have a pretty rigid schedule with food even though I’m so much more comfortable around it. Snacking is something that freaks me out unless it’s part of the plan, although it has gotten infinitely better in recent weeks. I think that the whole snacking while cooking thing is part of the entire experience- it makes you really enjoy and appreciate what you’re cooking so much more! I have never had a problem with BLTs while baking, of course 😉
Ha Ha Ha oh hunnie! I adore you! You know what’s even better than just a regular BLT.. if you add some almond butter to the sandwich. Oh heavens, it’s to die for! Oh & nope girl, I’m with ya on NOT heating up poptarts. I’m actually not a big fan of them warm.. unless we’re talking the s’mores kind, then well it’s just necessary too!
Gah! The s’mores kind have always, always been my favorite. The only bad part about heating them up was that I would always burn my tongue because I couldn’t wait to dig in 😆
Nothing is a bad habit as long as you feel good about it. I can not BLT, because this is a huge trigger for a binge, since it makes me feel that I am out of control. As much as I would love to own this freedom, I don’t (yet). Currently it keeps me sane when I sit down with my plate and know that this is what I get. In my really bad days of anorexia I even used to skip dinner just because I munched on some unplanned cakeCRUMBS. Now that at least doesn’t happen anymore (the skipping, not the cake :-))
I definitely BLT while I’m cooking dinner or baking, especially because I eat a much earlier breakfast and lunch than the bf so I’m STARVING when I get home from work but we don’t have dinner until much later, so I have to nibble while I work 🙂
Wonderful post dedicated to the best part of eating ;). I’ve actually been thinking about just that a lot more recently. As of late I’ve gotten a lot more lenient with myself when it comes to those BLTs. It’s blissful not to know the calories or something I’ve just nibbled on. That’s why I often start preparing a snack in my kitchen meaning to take it to my room with me – only to find myself having eaten half of it during preparation already. Good to know I’m not the only one it happens to. Admittedly, though, denser foods like almond butter still make me anxious when I notice I’ve had a good tablespoon’s worth more than I thought at the end of the day. Sigh … a work in progress still.
The picture of your applesauce preparation made me smile. Back when I was still living at my parents’ and my mum prepared a batch of applesauce she’d get really mad at me nibbling on an apple’s worth of slices she’d chopped up. And who am I kidding? I still do when I’m at their place.
Happy Wednesday, Amanda!
Definitely a fan of bits, likes, tastes. I never was before when I was in the depths of my ED, but maybe now I’m just more of a fan. Especially when they come from the nut butter jar.
I’m definitely a taste tester as well.
I love sandwiched, I’d have to chose the same as you almond butter and jelly for the win!
It warms my heart to see you say ABJ instead of PBJ <3
Woohoo AB lovers. I actually hate PB, excepttt for peanut flour! Kind of weird, but they taste so different!
Some people are not a fan and/or just don’t understand it but when we were growing up we would make our BLTS with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and peanut butter on toast.
Uhm, delicious combo!!!
I am absolutely a BLT-er, especially when it comes to snacking and to dinner. I’ll do the same thing as you when I want a snack…’taste-test’ a couple of things to figure out what I’m really in the mood for. And usually by the time I start dinner I’m starting to feel a little peckish, plus my dinners are more complicated than my other meals so it takes longer to put together. So….I snack on dinner as I’m making it 😉
Back in the day I wouldn’t have allowed myself to take ‘BLTs’ but now I’m fine with it. If I’ve learned anything from Gordon Ramsay TV shows, it’s that you have to taste as you go along! 😉
I’m not actually a big sandwich fan. But my absolute favourite would have to be a good grilled cheese (with good cheese in it, no Kraft processed crap. I usually go for a sharp cheddar or mozzarella) with ketchup or tomato soup on the side!
Mmm, the pic of your breakfast at the top is killing me! Looks amazing! Also, that dinner at your parents – I want some! 😉
I’m not much of a BLT-er… primarily for the fact that I wouldn’t. stop. eating. haha I have to practice some self-control or I’d have no food left in the house.
Enjoy your day!!
Hahaha I think bites, licks and tastes is a way better use of the BLT acronym. i’m definitely a blt-er. And that dinner looks outrageously good.
I can’t keep pop tarts in my house because I eat them all. I nibble on untoasted ones as I wait for the one in the toaster to pop. i love the cinnamon ones. Happy may 1!
Happy May to you too, girl!! And I definitely have to nibble on something while I wait for my food to cook – patience is NOT my virtue 😕
Poptarts are one of my ultimate “cheat” foods. I know they’re not good for me, but a couple times a year, I just NEEEEEED to hit up the vending machine. And yes, I always eat them uncooked. 🙂
all your eats look so good! love BLT, haha, and yes i totally am one. it kind of bothers me since i BLT just because i’m bored or happen to be in the kitchen, not when i’m hungry. and i never pick to chow down on anything that’s even a little bit healthy. so for me, it’s a bad habit right now. but i’m working on it. 🙂
TOTAL BLTer right here!! Gosh especially when baking something. Then it’s like noshing on chocolate chips the entire time, not that that’s a bad thing or anything 😉 Oh or the nut butter jar. If Im making a PB&J or putting a dap into my oats, its like 1 spoonful for the oats, 1 spoonful for my mouth. lol
And when I used to eat Poptarts I never heated them. I like them much better uncooked. However, down here at Carl’s Jr they are going to be selling a new dessert. a scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched between 2 strawberry poptarts. Say whaaat?!
Whaaaaat?! You’re taking me there the next time I visit! That sounds insane!!