“This is how we do it..”

This morning, I exercised. Being a child of the mid-late 80’s and early 90’s, I decided to mix up my morning walk to make it more exciting. I drew inspiration from Baby, in Dirty Dancing, and started out with a little walk-dancing:

Then inspired by Kevin Bacon, starring as Ren, in Footloose, I punched it out!

Nothing like a good punch-dance to let it all out! I didn’t have a beer or a cigarette though, but that’s probably for the best.

I further mixed up my routine by spontaneous outburts of doing the “roger rabbit” to Montell Jordans hit, “This is how we do it” & thought to myself, “self, he’s right, THIS IS HOW WE DO IT!” I also incorporated 6, short but fiesty, uphill sprints, and 2 sets each of 10 incline push-ups and squats. In the end, I was breathless, sweaty, had listened to everything fron TLC, to Dave Matthews and Alanis Morrisette, and my legs were shakey. Must’ve done something right……?

I then proceeded to get cleaned up for work and made the most delicious smoothie known to man! I shall give you the recipe!!

Most Amazing Smoothie Known to Man, Smoothie (MASKTMS)

Serves, 1

1/2c frozen berries (i used straw and blue)
1/4 can of coconut milk
1/4c water…roughly
1 scoop strawberry whey isolate
Some ice

Blend well in a bullet or blender, drink, enjoy, wipe smoothie mustache off face prior to entering in to the public eye….or don’t.

This smoothie kept me going for a solid 6 hours! Not bad. Next time, I may even add spinach!

Lunch was leftover Butter Chicken and steamed kale, and supper will be wild rabbit that the hubby killed yesterday! How’s that for Paleo?! Im kinda hardcore like that….and I live in the woods….

Happy Trails!!

Stronger than I thought!

The mind never ceases to amaze me. Today, I faced a challenge and walked away VICTORIOUS!! I have often equated obesity…or the habits which cause obesity…to drug addiction. We eat when we’re sad, we eat when we’re happy, we eat to be social, and sometimes we eat simply because it feels sooo good to stuff our round faces with high sugar foods that rush our brains with endorphins! And next thing you know, we’re requiring more, and more food to get the same effects. Yep, sounds like drug addiction. Today, I stared one of my addictions square in the eye!
My son had a field trip today which included a stop at a local pizza place. My son E., of course, asked me to meet him at said pizza joint for lunch. And, of course I said, “Yes.” Now, I LOVE(D) PIZZA. The crust, the cheese, the toppings, the smell, and just everything about it! So, I prepared to meet my demon head on! I planned out EXACTLY what I would consume: an unsuspecting salad bar. And, thats exactly what I did. I got a spring mix green salad with eggs, red onions, and lotsa o broccoli, and never looked back! And I am proud,of myself. I have FINALLY realized that if I “cheat” it causes a snowball effect in my food choices. Every bite following a “cheat” becomes a rationalization as to why its ok to put crap in my mouth that shouldnt be there. Also, and I know this isn’t brain surgery, but I have realized in the past couple of weeks that the more I resist temptation, the easier resisting becomes. Everyday I’m telling myself that I am NOT on a diet, I AM CHANGING MY LIFE! Because that is how you lose weight and keep it off, right?! And thats where I have failed myself time and time again; I’ve always just “gone on a diet”, and never really changed anything. I’m also proud to see that I am stronger than I have given myself credit for!

Ok, blah blah, enough touchy feely for one day. Supper kicked ass tonight, thanks to….you guessed it, Sarah Fragoso!!! Or, St. Mother Paleo, as I have renamed her. Tonight I cooked up her recipe for Butter Chicken, I served it over fresh, steamed Kale (she used red chard) and it was simply exquisite! And of course, there’s a pic!

Seriously, If I haven’t convinced you yet, you gotta go get Everyday Paleo, im yet to make something that I don’t find really tasty.

So all in all, its been another good day! And what more can a girl ask for?!

Good night all!!

Magic Mushrooms!!!!

I’m not actually intending for this blog to be an Everyday Paleo recipe review, but being a new paleo-er, I’m using mostly recipes from the book for the next couple of weeks. So, i’m literally eating my way through Sarah’s book…..HEY! My name is Sarah too!! Weird! Its like that movie “Julie and Julia” but much less glamorous and dramatic. Anywho, I digress, MAGICAL MUSHROOMS!! Thats what I am officially renaming Sarah Fragoso’s   Giant Stuffed Portobellos. These babies are sooooo damn tasty, eating them feels like i’m wrecking my new healthy eating ways! Oh, and yes I gots a picture for your hungry eyes!

Mmmm, now stop drooling…thats gross…..

You can never go wrong mixing up beef, sausage, onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and mushrooms. Sarah F. is a genius, she is St. Mother Paleo. The end.

As for me, t’was a good day again. Started the day with lots of water, a touch of exercise, broccoli and sausage stir fried in some coconut oil for breakfast, followed by more water, ham slices, half an avacado, and an apple for lunch, followed by….thats right, MORE WATER! And now a delicious ending!

Oh and a sneak peak into my future: this weekend, the hubby and I are going to begin constructing me an outdoor work out area. I’m going to see how creative we can get with equiptment and what not! Should be fun, and of course, I’ll keep you informed 😉

As always, thanks for reading!

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming….

Things have been trucking right along. Everyday Paleo has become my lifestyle bible! I made her Perfect Pot Roast last night, let it cook while I slept, and woke up to lunch AND dinner for today, and it was quite tasty! I’ve been keeping breakfasts simple and satisfying. Yesterday breakfast consisted of 3 pieces of bacon and half an avacado, and would you believe that kept me full for 5 hours! True story.  I’ve learned some tricks to curve carb cravings too: 1) WATER with fresh lemon, maybe its just me but it seems to work 2) apples, they’re sweet, crunchy, perfect! and 3) Sarah Fragoso’s Nutty Cookies, are sooooo what the doctor ordered. The nice thing about the cookies, is I also dont feel like “crappy mom of the year” when the,kids eat them. Speaking of which, the family is doing great going paleo, in fact I don’t think they’ve noticed!

Oh, and on a different note, a fellow blogger nominated me for the “Liebster Award” for changing my life….im still not crystal clear on what that means but an award is an award folks, and i’m damn proud if I say so myself!

I’ve been doing great with my water intake…still working on the exercise portion. My life runs 90 to nothing and im having difficulty with time managment. So, I either need to wake up earlier….or….i may need to wake up earlier. Yikes, I’ve NEVER been a morning person! But I suppose now is as good a time as any to become a morning person. Maybe i’ll try this magical “butter coffee” these super-fit paleo folks are talking about onlibe, it at least soynds awesome. If you’re unfamiliar with such a concoction, google it! Pretty neat/weird/amazing!

Night all!

SCORE!

No food photos today, not for the lack of trying however.The pic turned out way too dark. Last night, my sweet sister-in-law took me out on a “date” to our favorite restaurant, Bonefish Grill. I had an amazing pork chop, cooked and seasoned to perfection, steamed broccoli, and green beans. It was delish! But here is where my bragging rights come in: Bonefish serves this fantastic, homemade ciabatta bread with DIPPING OIL, and it is to die for.And, I am proud to announce, that other than one single bite, I remained strong and abstained from the tempting, doughy, decadence! The one bite I took was after my meal, but I stopped myself because I realized I wasn’t eating it because I was hungry, but because I was being social! How crazy is that?! But, i think its something a lot of us do, especially at restaurants. Anywho, I feel pretty darn proud of myself! So proud, this is what I looked like:

Yay me! (whats a blog without a pic?)

Today has been a good day as well. Leftovers for breakfast, a bit of chicken salad for lunch, and tonight another Everyday Paleo meal, Salmon Cakes! I have also been drinking a lot more water for the past 2 days, so there’s yet another small victory!

Happy eating! Thanks for reading!

These breasts are juicy!!

What you are about to see is pure, unadulterated, food porn!

Yep, I know, you’re drooling a little aren’t ya. What?! You want a steamy close up?! Ok, I aim to please.

Oh yeah, that my friends, is Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breasts. Sadly, I did not invent this dish. This recipe came straight from Sarah Fragoso’s book, Everyday Paleo. Its chicken, butterflied, stuffed with asparagus, cubed ham, and butter, seasoned with salt and pepper, and baked to perfection. I served it up with broccoli and cauliflower that was steamed, then pulsed in the old food processor a few times. Which reminds me, Ive discovered a magical thing about children, take any unappealing vegetable, chop it up fine, and they will gobble it up. Serve that same vegetable to them whole, or in large chunks, and it becomes a cruel form of punishment. Anyways, supper was a hit again! Yay Sarah Fragoso!! Her book really is a nice read for paleo-interested people, fyi.

Today was a good day, not a GREAT day, but a good day. I find myself having more cravings today than I have been. And, I must confess, I think its because of a decision I made at lunch. See, what had happened was…..i had a nice lunch of spinach salad with tons of chopped veggies and grilled chicken thighs. But I was eating at a buffet-style restaurant (mistake #uno) & decided to “treat” myself to a tiny, LITERALLY, tiny slice of plain apple pie. Well, it wasnt THAT good, but it was carby and sugary enough to kick off a whole onslaught of cravings which are still with me. So, lessoned learned. Not to say that I am making an absurd declaration of pie/cake/cookie abstinence, just saying that for now, its probably best that I refrain from such pleasures. Moderation is a lesson I must learn. Plus, today was a touch on the stressful side, and I am a self-proclaimed emotional eater. But, I beat the cravings…so maybe that means today was great! Still wirking on increasing water, and tomorrow, exercise will happen!

Til then, goodnight!

BACON!!!

I LOVE bacon! Glorious, salty, crispy, bacon which produces,a nectar for the gods when fried in my pan! And for those of us that think the primal/paleo lifestyle is best, bacon seems to be universally loved and adored.

Tonight I reinvented yet another meal. I used to make this dish that featured bacon like a fine piece of art at a museum. I dont know what its called, I learned how to make it from a friend, but its ingredients included 1pound of bacon, 1c of brown sugar, 1c of vinegar, I diced red delicious apple, and a shredded head of cabbage……and I wonder why I have a weight problem……Anywho, the end product was mind-blowing carmelized, sweet n’ salty, perfectly crunchy, taste explosion!!! And I reinvented it to meet my new lifestyle, and here is what I did:

INGREDIENTS

1medium purple cabbage shredded
2 Gala Apples, cored and chopped
2T frozen apple juice concentrate
1C Apple Cider Vinegar
12oz of bacon (good quality please!)
16oz grass-fed ground beef

Chop the bacon, fry it up, reserve drippings in pan, set cooked bacon aside. Brown beef in same pan, keep those dripping, and set beef aside. In a large pot, over med-high heat, combine drippings and cabbage, vinegar, and juice concentrate. Now stir and cover with lid. When it really starts to wilt, throw in apples, bacon, and beef. Cover again, let the apples start to get really tender, so just a few minutes. Remove lid and stir, stir, stir! The goal here is to CARMELIZE the cabbage! You’ll know its done when all excess liquid is cooked off..

Now, im telling you, this turned out delicious. The juice and sweeter variety apple, worked well as a replacer for the brown sugar. The beef was thrown in cause I had some and wanted to kick up the protein content. Best of all, the kids approved AGAIN and the hubby ate 2 plates. This also made a lot, so I have plenty of leftovers for our lunches tomorrow….or breakfast!

For those of you who are freaking out about the fat content, I strongly encourage you to do some research. Mark’s Daily Apple and Everyday Paleo are great sites to learn about this “new” way of looking at nutrition.

As for my day, it was another success! I had a wee headache again this afternoon. I havent broken free of my diet soda addiction but I have cut waaaay back. My next goals are to increase my water intake and to get moving! Ive just about kicked my cold, so i’ll soon be ready to break a sweat and bust a move! Watch out Jessica Alba!!

Success at its best!

Today was a great day! If I can keep up this pace, i’ll be giving Jessica Alba a run for her money! Breakfast consisted of last nights leftovers, had a nice snack of “clean” turkey, half an avacado, and an “Ambrosia” organic apple….sounds fancy, huh? Id never heard of an “Ambrosia” apple but it def lived up to its tasty little name. Lunch wasnt as clean as my snack, but whats a traveling nurse to do?! It was a hardees bacon burger minus cheese, bun, and sauces, with tomato, onion, and lettuce, and it filled a void and kept me going! And then, for my grand finale, a.k.a supper, I invented (or re-invented) yet another yummy meal that looked like this:

(if that pic is tiny, I apologize, still blogging mobilely)
And THAT my friends is a stuffed bell pepper! What was that?! You want the recipe?! Ok, fine…

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 large bell peppers, tops off, seeds removed
1 pound grass-fed beef
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bag of shredded carrots
2 zuchinni, shredded
1 small cauliflower, turned into “rice” via food processor
2Tbsp cumin, ground
2Tbsp chili powder
1-2Tbsp of ghee or coconut oil

Saute onion and garlic in oil/butter until tender, add in beef and cook until…cooked. Mix beef/garlic/onion mix with all your prepped vegetables in a big ass bowl. Add in spices, and mix, mix, mix! Find an ambitous, excitable, 6-year old and let her/him stuff those bell peppers slap full! Or you can do it, but I promise it’ll be less entertaining. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and cook at 375 for about 45min. I served mine with homemade gaucamole, and it was delicious!

The best part, there was a great deal of leftover stuffing, so I added 6 eggs, mixed, mixed, mixed and pour the batter into a well greased 12 muffin, muffin pan. And just like magic, breakfast is prepped for in the morning. Now, I know what you’re thinking, and yes, I AM a genius, I get it from my mama 😉

So I figure i’ll put the uncooked muffins in the fridge, and bake them in the a.m. and if there are STILL leftovers, I got a snack too?! What, WHAT?! Its like the gift that just keeps giving!

So, as I stated, t’was a great day. I had tons of energy, even in the midst of recovering from my cold. I didnt experience any cravings, and once again didn’t experience any midday drag! I did get a headache this afternoon, but recognized it for what it was, popped some ibuprofen, slammed some water and just kept truckin’.

Until tomorrow, goodnight all!