Must.... Eat.... Fooooood

Even if I wasn't charting, the fact that I'm in my luteal phase with progesterone coursing through my body would be obvious by the ever present, almost manic, need for food and a few peculiar, yet familiar cravings. This doesn't happen every time, but it happens more often than not. For example, I spent most of today at work desperate for any snack I could get my hands on. Lunch and a few small snacks are never enough for me in my LP. You'd think I would have learned this by now. But nooooooo. I try to take fewer things to eat in the hopes that if it's not there, I won't lose my cool. Wrong every time. It's actually worse if I don't take snacks because then I spend a total of about 2 hours expressing my starvation state and driving my co-workers crazy in a frenzied snack rampage. This usually ends with less money in my pocket, and more crappy food in my belly. When am I going to learn?

However, I am proud to say that I was a good girl tonight. The things I seem to crave most at this time are salt, vinegar, garlic, chocolate and protein. Some examples of awesome craving killers right now are garlic pickles, french fries, scrambled eggs and buttery toast, Odwalla protein drinks (especially if chocolate is involved) and beef jerky with cheddar cheese and some grapes on the side. Now those of you who know me well know that I do not eat beef. I do not eat pork. But man do I want that jerky now!

But I suppose I really digress... What I was trying to say is that I had a yummy dinner! I made some penne pasta and added some roasted tomato pasta sauce. Since I'm craving garlic and salt like a fiend, I added a healthy dose of both along with onion and pepper. Mmmmmmmm. It really hit the spot. And for dessert, I had a roasted dessert banana. I don't know if any of you have ever had that, but here's how it works:

1. You take one banana, lay it on its side.
2. Cut a section out of the center, but leave the flap to push back over when you fill it.
3. Fill the center section with flavored chips (I prefer chocolate) and peanut butter
or PB chips and marshmallows if desired.
4. Close flap and cover in foil like you would a baked potato.
5. Bake in oven at around 300 degrees for about 10 mins, depending on
how you'd like it done.
6. Open flap and enjoy with a spoon!

I used my no sugar added, natural peanut butter and refrained from using marshmallows. Therefore, with just chocolate chips as the "bad" thing, I felt like I had a pretty healthy dessert! Now if I can only keep my cool for a few more days as AF sets in....