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[/caption] I started the Eat Less Crap challenge a few days early for no real reason, and today I cooked my own meal because Crystal abandoned me and went to work. I’m kidding, of course. Crystal does the bulk of the cooking and grocery shopping, and I’m pretty lucky that she does. I hate both cooking and shopping. But because I was abandoned and left to my own devices, I was tested. I decided on eggs and turkey bacon and a bunch of almonds and celery. I cook that meal pretty often, so I opened the cupboard for some olive oil, which had been replaced with coconut oil. “Hmm,” I thought. “What the eff is this stuff?” Then I shrugged and used it and didn’t notice any difference in the meal, wich is good, because apparently coconut oil is better for me. Then I found myself reaching into the fridge for ketchup, which I love. It was gone, banished to the basement to keep company with crackers, pasta, Star Wars action figures and probably seven dead cell phones. I ate the eggs and didn’t really miss the ketchup. The lesson I learned here is that changing your diet is about replacing bad habits with good ones. Break the pattern, make a change and start a brand new pattern—a good one. Before you know it, good choices aren’t choices. They’re habits. And habits are easy to maintain. Almond Power Bars (From Maximized Living Nutrition Plans) 2 cups raw almonds ½ cup flaxseed meal ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut 2 scoops flavoured whey protein powder ½ cup raw almond butter ½ tsp. kosher salt (we used sea salt) ½ cup coconut oil 8 drops liquid Stevia or ¾ tsp. Stevia powder to taste 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (no sugar – check the label) Instructions: Place almonds, flax meal, shredded coconut, whey powder, almond butter and salt in a food processor. Pulse briefly, about 10 seconds. In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil over very low heat. Remove coconut oil from stove. Stir Stevia and vanilla into oil. Add coconut oil mixture to food processor and pulse until ingredients form a coarse paste. Press mixture into and 8×8 glass baking dish. Chill in fridge for one hour until mixture hardens. Remove from fridge and eat. Makes 8-10 slices.