The time has come! As this post publishes, I am flying high on my way to Philly. Weeee!

I can hardly believe this week has arrived. The past 24 hours have been a mad rush to say the least. Apparently I like to procrastinate and cram a million and one things into the last bit of time I have to leave. I had to pack, run a few errands, practice my presentation, and even hit up a consignment sale for some clothes for the kiddos this morning. Insane? Absolutely. Necessary? You betcha.

I also made sure to cram in quality time with the family. This morning I chose to forego hitting the gym for some extra snuggle time. I figure missing one four mile easy run won’t kill my training and I couldn’t bear the though of leaving my wonderful husband and the cozy bed. Good thing I know I will have plenty of running buddies for my other training runs this weekend. 😉

Besides morning snuggles, I had to eek out more time with my favorite people. Before dropping me off at the airport, we made a pit stop at Evos Cafe for lunch.

We had a deal to use up for this lunch spot and figured today would  make a great time to go. Can you think of a better send off than a delicious lunch with these smiling faces?

I didn’t think so.

I ordered a garden patty and avocado wrap with a side of fries and a raspberry iced green tea. And we can’t forget the cookie!

I love that Evos focuses on fresh food and ingredients and healthier cooking techniques – like baking instead of frying. It wasn’t the most amazing thing in the world but for a somewhat healthy quick stop it made a great choice.

Then, the time for goodbyes came. 🙁 I don’t like having to leave them, but I know fun times await. Plus, I will be so busy doing things like speaking, spreading the Love Grown love (come find me!), and simply soaking up the fabulous atmosphere. Let’s get this party started! Dinner and fro-yo date on the horizon tonight. Like I said – weeeee!

• Do you like flying? Flying is fun to me. However, I get nervous really easily in cars. I always think I’m going to end up some awful accident.
• Are you a procrastinator?

Earlier this week a certain someone (cough Katy cough cough) divulged that you can now find fall candy in stores. That means candy corn, people. I’m not a huge candy eater. I will occasionally nab a box of Hot Tamales when going to a movie in the theater. And I won’t turn down a good piece of chocolate if its around. Nevertheless, I will still choose a mountain of ice cream, a hunk of frosting, or a slab of brownie over candy. Except for candy corn. It does something to me. It triggers this monster of a sweet tooth and I can visualize my hand trying to grasp as many of those smooth little triangles as possible to nibble away on until I reach the oblivion of sugar ecstasy. Yea, Katy. Look what you did. 😉

Despite my appreciation love preference full-blown-obsession with the stuff, I know I can’t gobble candy corn to my heart’s content and honor my health in the process. So instead of hunting down a bag in early August (stores just turn stuff out earlier and earlier, huh?!), I decided to ease my candy woes with healthier choices to dull the longing. Who says healthy eating can’t be fun and taste like candy? Okay, the tasting like candy thing may be a bit of a stretch…but healthy food sure can taste amazing and satisfy just as much as candy in its own right. I present you with  my healthy “candy” filled day!

Breakfast: Mounds / Raisinets / Reese’s Oatmeal

Or, more simply, chocolate oats with some coconut, raisins, and peanut butter tossed on top. 😉 I don’t care what you say, though. This bowl was epic! And I would probably choose it over the above in candy form.

To make the oats chocolate, I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk instead of vanilla and added a spoonful of cocoa powder to the oats. Other than that, I prepared them as normal and piled on the coconut, raisin, peanut butter goodness when done. It’s a new obsession.

Lunch: Starbursts

Fruit = nature’s candy. Perfect mango chunks and grapes = better than any Starburst I’ve ever tasted candy. Each bite bursts with such juicy, fresh flavor. Y-U-M. Oh – there was a sandwich and some carrots there too. They were good…but they weren’t starbursts.

Snack: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Would you believe me if I told you that the above chocolate pudding look-alike actually contains spinach? That it’s actually a green smoothie masquerading as pure decadence? Well, it is. Trust me. This Chocolate Covered Strawberry green smoothie started as a bunch of things thrown in a blender -

• 1 cup unsweetened chocolate almond breeze
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 1 frozen banana
• a few large frozen strawberries
• a spoonful of cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Then, it became the best green smoothie I have ever tasted. I discovered the one and only downfall to smoothies in a wine glass with this blend – you can’t lick a wine glass clean.

Dinner: Errrm…Green M&Ms???

Alright…dinner doesn’t really have anything I can call candy. But I do love me some Brussels sprouts (favorite veggie besides spinach in smoothie form) and so I shall call them Green M & Ms. Work with me. We can’t allow an entire post’s theme to fall in a shambles now ,can we?

Dinner brought back one of my favorites – BBQ Tofu Wraps! These make healthy eating fun and irresistible…like Ryan Reynolds. Hey, what do you know? I did find a way to tie in the candy theme. Eye candy at its best!

Oops. How did that get in there? So – dinner. BBQ Tofu Wraps with a side of Brussels sprouts. There’s your description of dinner. I’m currently mildly distracted and have no more words. Plus, I don’t want to short circuit my keyboard with my drool. Purely from my candy delicious eats today. Purely. Happy What I Ate Wednesday, friends!

• Are you a candy fan? Any healthier options you use to satisfy cravings?
• Who would be your eye candy?