Little Bit of Old & Little Bit of New

Today was a pretty busy day for me. This morning I got up early and went shopping at Brave New World for their 50% off sale with my mom and brother. I was a little weary about going because when I was heavier, I always had a hard time finding clothes that could fit me there and that kind of shopping experience left a bad taste in my mouth for a long time. I always felt out of place whenever I went inside.

Nevertheless, I went because I desperately need clothes, still. Long story short, I found some great clothes! Even two pairs of jeans, which was a shock because finding jeans that could fit both my waist and my thighs and hips is still a problem I have. And I have to say, it was one of the greatest feelings in the world to button those jeans and have them fit like they were made for my body. Never before have a smiled so widely in a dressing room.

In the afternoon I went out to lunch with my friends Regina and Jesse for some much needed catching up. We went to The Beanery, and because I'm a creature of habit (and it was calling my name), I got the same veggie sandwich I got last time. Once again, my tastebuds sang with pleasure!

This talk about my lunch today brings me to the heart of this post—yesterday's lunch.

Now before I tell you what it was, do me a favor and keep an open mind before you read on. If you asked me last year to eat this, I'd probably make a yucky noise and tell you to take a hike. So what changed my mind? After learning about the health benefits of this food, and being in search of something new to try, I knew I just had to try...sardines. Yes, the little fishes that come in a can. And guess what! They were absolutely delicious, and have easily made the list of my favorite healthy foods. I was so nervous that they were going to taste too fishy, or too salty, but I thought they were perfect.

These small fish have an extreme nutritional density. Sardines pack in more healthy fatty acids per ounce than salmon, they're a good source of calcium, are low in mercury, and, like all fish, are a great source of protein.

For those of you that still think I'm crazy: all I'm going to say is, don't knock it until you've tried it.

I used a can of Bumble Bee sardines packed in water for my lunch. And after reading some recipes online, I decided my best bet was to keep it classic and make a sandwich.

Don't let the skin scare you! Sardines are so tender that you can't even tell the difference between the flesh and the skin (they have a texture similar to flounder and tilapia). And the bones that are inside are so small and mushy, it's just like eating the flesh. There's no need to buy boneless and skinless sardines because it's completely safe to eat them, and a lot of the calcium from the sardines comes from those very sources. 

As you can see, I kept my sardines whole, but you can certainly mash them just as if you were making tuna salad. 

My sandwich was open-faced with two slices of Ezekiel bread, one can of sardines packed in water (water must be drained out), spring mix, red onion, mustard, and veganaise. 

My mother thought I was going to hate them, but it was quite the opposite—I am madly in love with sardines. I was actually shocked by how much I enjoyed them. I highly recommend them to anyone. My sandwich was great, but I think next time I'm going to try them in a pasta dish! 

Something to think about: What was the most adventurous thing you've ever eaten?