Crock Pot Chicken Curry Over Brown Rice

I think Curry is an acquired taste.  And if you have not been exposed to much Indian Cuisine in your life, its a little different.  I personally like it. I have yet to explore true Indian cooking but I'm sure at some point I will.  For now I stick to easy stuff.

I started with the basic. Boneless chicken breast.  I went organic this time.  Since I'm focused on returning to clean eating because of my health, I thought if I'm going to do this.....lets do this right. However my pocket book after one trip to Heinens says we'll do this, but cautiously.  It's not cheap to eat Organic.

I cubed the chicken and tossed it in the crock pot.



The onion, green pepper, garlic, tomato paste, coconut milk and seasonings went into my blender next.  It worked pretty well, although I should have used the food processor.  Oh well, less mess with the blender.

All that went into the crock pot over the chicken and I cranked it to high for about 4 hours.  As the recipe instructs, I put two tablespoons of water and dissolved one tablespoon of corn starch into it.

During the last hour I mixed the corn starch water into the bubbling chicken curry and let it continue to cook.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 1 whole onion, peeled And halved
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 whole green bell pepper, seeded And quartered
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 can coconut milk, switched to lite
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon garam masala (Indian Spice Mix)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1-½ tablespoon cornstarch

I served over brown rice.  Delish!

For the recipe I followed go to: http://swankydietitian.com/2011/12/16/slow-cooker-coconut-curry-chicken/

Butternut Squash Hash - Throw it together Easy

This is a favorite. In earlier posts I have sweet potato hash and maybe an apple and squash hash. They are all good.  And if you want to follow a recipe look to those blogs.

I've learned to just throw together some ingredient and it's perfect every time.

4 pieces thick bacon - try to use nitrate free

1 small yellow onion - or any kind. Sweet onions are good.

About 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cut up butternut squash. Cut small to cook faster.

Himalayan salt about 1/4tsp.  Not really sure I just sprinkled some.

Crushed black pepper to taste

Sprinkle of crushed cayenne pepper

Cook the bacon first if you like it crispy.  I've done it both ways.  Cook it all the way and set a side. Then add it back in when the squash is almost done.  Or like today I started cooking the bacon and when one side was pretty well cooked, I stirred them up and added the squash, then the onions.

Let it cook on a low/medium heat.  Stir it once in while.  It's done when the squash is soft and the onions are clear.  Maybe 8-10 minutes.  I didn't really keep track.

For spices I used pink Himalayan salt and some ground pepper.  For a kick I always add a sprinkle of crushed cayenne pepper.

Apple Oatmeal Pancakes

Staying away from flour and processed grains is challenging when it comes to wanting a pancake.  I've tried almond flour pancakes and other varieties to no avail.  Hard and dry, lacking flavor.  Even with pure maple syrup!!  All hope was loss.  UNTIL NOW

I was a skeptic at first. Uncooked oatmeal and eggs?  I ended up adding apples because what isn't good with apples cooked in it?

http://inspiredrd.com/2012/10/apple-cinnamon-oatmeal-pancake-a-new-twist-on-an-old-favorite.html

As always, I altered the recipe slightly.  I used 1/2 cup of oats which is what was called for in the recipe without apples.  oops. So I threw in a little more then 1/4 cup of diced apples and two eggs instead of one.  It was bigger then what I could eat in one sitting but would be good if  you were going to make two of them.

 Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancake

Ingredients

• 1 egg - cage free organic!!
• ¼ cup rolled oats - I used Bob's Red Mill http://www.bobsredmill.com/Oats
• ¼ cup finely chopped apple
• 1 Tbsp. California raisins -yuck, I left these out
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. vanilla - use only the real stuff

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, using a fork to scramble the egg into the mixture.
2. Heat a small pan over medium heat and spritz with a little oil. (I used coconut oil because why not)
3. Pour pancake mixture into pan. Use a spatula to flatten into a pancake shape.
4. Cook for 2-3 minutes on first side, then flip pancake. Cook 2 minutes on other side, then remove from pan and serve.
5. Top with apples, raisins and yogurt if desired. (I topped mine with apples and pure maple syrup)

Baked Apple Chips

It's been awhile for a blog but today's snack deserves a post.

I had a few apples that were not going to make it through next week.  We were going to feed them to the deer, but Vince suggested apple chips.  Great Idea!!!

Apple Chips are simple to make, Since you are basically dehydrating the apples ion low heat in the oven, it can take up to 3 hours. I like to make the apple chips on a weekend morning so that they are ready for a late afternoon snack. They take very little prep work, only about 5 to 10 minutes, and then you can throw them in the oven and forget about them for awhile.





Start by preheating oven to 200. Then clean the apples and slice them with a sharp knife. Remove any seeds. Leave the skin on!!  Slice them as thin as you can get them. The thinner, the crispier chip you get.  Some of mine were thicker and didn't dry out all the way.  They were still delicious but not as good as the crispy ones.

Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay the apples out in a single layer.  Don't overlap them.  Sprinkle one side of them with cinnamon. I used an apple pie spice mix. 

Put in the oven for 1 hour.  Turn them over and leave for another 2-3 hours.  Turning them every hour.

Paleo Beef Goulash

Goulash is a Hungarian dish using beef and paprika as its main ingredients. In fact, it’s also sometimes called Paprikash. Goulash comes from a word that means cattle stockman in Hungarian and this stew will really give a great flavor to the beef. This recipe is very easy to prepare and will cook for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the oven or a crock-pot.
It’s very savory and can easily become a favorite for you and your family.
This recipe serves about 2-3 people.

Ingredients

• Cooking oil (lard, tallow, or butter are three good choices) - I USED BACON GREASE 
• 1/2 Lb stewing beef, cut in cubes - I CUBED A ROAST FROM OUR GRASS FED BEEF
• 2 medium onions, sliced;
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed and minced;
• 1 bell pepper, sliced;
• 2 tbsp paprika (this can be adjusted to taste, don’t be scared to use a lot of it);
• 2 tsp caraway seeds;
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (fresh tomatoes is even better);
• 1 1/2 cups of beef  stock ;

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. You can also use a crock-pot, on low temperature.
2. Brown the beef cubes in a pot with the cooking oil.
3. Put the beef aside and now brown and soften the onions. Add the garlic and bell pepper and cook to soften about 5 minutes on medium heat.
4. Put back the beef to the pot and add the spices, tomatoes and stock.
5. Put a lit on the pot and transfer to the hot oven or put the preparation in your crock-pot.
6. Let it cook for about 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is fork tender.

I didn't use a crock pot - I used my stone roaster from Pampered Chef.  The house smelled heavenly all afternoon from this dish cooking.

The meat was super tender and the flavor of the sauce was out of this world good.  I'll make this again because it's better then just making a roast that can sometimes end up dry.  

Because of the no grain rules of the Sane Challenge I ate it just like this in a bowl.  For the non-paleo eating husband I served it up on a bed of white rice.

Bon Appetite' 

Carrot-Pineapple Slaw

Summer Time Salad Must Make!!!

This was sweet and refreshing and will be made several times this summer for sure.

Paleo Carrot-Pineapple Slaw

1 cup diced fresh pineapple
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 (10-ounce) package matchstick-cut carrots
2 tbs. olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbs. maple syrup - pure, not Log Cabin brand.
1 tbs. fresh pineapple juice
2 tbs.chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley - I used fresh from my herb garden

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl.

Combine oil and next 3 ingredients (through pineapple juice), stirring with a whisk. Add oil mixture to carrot mixture; toss well.

Add parsley, toss well. Cover and chill.

Bacon, Food Prep and 1st Day of Sane Challenge

 I'm not a big one to sit in front of a TV very much.  In fact most days I don't even look at the TV.  I don't watch news nor do I watch reality shows.  I am a fan of a few programs however, one being Orange is the New Black.  And I'm happy to say last night I sat for three hours and watched the first episodes of season two.  YAY  It was a relaxing evening all by myself.  The best way to watch the few shows I love.


Today is the first day of the Sane Challenge. We have a lot of new members and I'm excited because I see potential for all of them to be successful.  And I'm excited because helping others be healthy and learn about their own bodies and how food affects them is a passion for me.  I can't wait to see everyone results.  My own included.

I was suppose to spend the day Paddle Boarding with friends, but mother nature had other plans for me.  So I spent the day cleaning.  Believe me, it was a much needed day.

I also was able to do some cooking and food prep to get ready for the next couple days of eating.  Yesterday I bought 2 lbs of Boars Head Lunch meats, sliced about 1 1/2" thick so I could cube them.  I measured 4 oz for a serving and packaged them up for easy meals.  I figured a bag of lunch meat, along with some almonds and a baggy of grapes, or a pouch of applesauce will serve as a perfect balanced meal.




I also cooked up some of my favorite bacon.  It's hard to find good bacon in the grocery stores because of the added sugars and nitrates.  Applegate Naturals have a very good bacon and I found Vermilion Farm Market carries it in the freezer section.

I cooked some up and planned to have it for a couple breakfasts.

 Ha, I ended up eating it all today. Oh well.

Spicy Baked Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes

Easiest thing to make, one of the most delicious 

ways to have Cauliflower

I am not a big fan of cauliflower but it's a veggie and sometimes you've had enough broccoli to last a year and different is good. AND I am a big fan of sweet potatoes.  NOT YAMS.  Sweet Potato.  Know the difference.

They are both acceptable in the Sane Challenge but they will cook and taste differently.  So use Sweet Potatoes for this recipe. 

For Blind Dog Sane Challenge information click here

http://blinddoggym.weebly.com/food-list.html

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower, stem and leaves removed, roughly chopped,
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 tablespoons fat of choice, melted (i used bacon fat) 
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add all ingredients to a 9×13 glass baking dish. Mix well.
3. Place in oven to cook for 30-35 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.

Spicy Drumsticks w/ Baked Broccoli

I've committed myself to blog as much as possible during the next few months.  For a couple reasons.  One, I think it will help me stay on track and focus. Two, it will help others who visit my blog get ideas for ways they can practice a better eating lifestyle and try recipes I've already made so I know they are yummy. With the Sane Challenge starting next week and lots of newer people joining the gym and joining the challenge, I'm sure it will be helpful to someone.

Today was Deadlift Day!

Everyone loves ME deadlift day.  For me they have not been so exciting since I have not PR'd since last year.  I've been stuck at 275lb. 

Today I hit 285lb like a boss.  It's all mental.  I was working with another member. I kept going back to where a few others were lifting heavy.  I would ask them if I could cut in .  No problems.  They kept adding weight but I was so focused on helping who I was working with.  And she killed it like a boss and got a huge PR today also.  YAY

So the bar was pretty loaded, but I just walked over, asked how much? and if I could lift.  They both said sure!  So I walked up and lifted it.  Like it was nothing.  That my friend was how I got 185lb.  Tried 300lb but by then the mind took over.
Lifting is a huge mind game. 

Breakfast today was a green smoothie made with my Majic Nutribullet. It had Spinach, melon, cucumbers, almonds, flax seeds, egg white protein, orange and orange juice.  Big power booster for the morning.

Lunch was a chopped salad from subway, double sweet teriyaki  chicken meat so I skipped any dressing.  Spinach with all the fresh veggies. 

Snack was a bag of sweet potato chips, I found some at the farm market with just sweet potato's, sunflower oil and sea salt.  Pretty tasty. not sure how they get them so crispy.

Right before the gym around 4pm I ate one of my Kratos high protein beef bars and bunch of purple grapes and about 8 almonds.  Probably why I got a deadlift PR.  LOL  Kratos Web Site

Lots of water all day.....

Dinner was started by the time I got home from coaching.  We had Spicy Drumsticks!  And they Were good.  Along with some simple baked broccoli.  The husband left the skins on...but I would recommend removing them.  He used coconut oil and followed the recipe exactly as written.

Baked broccoli was easy, toss with salt/pepper and a infused olive oil.  Bake on cookie sheet in 400 degree oven for a good 20 minutes.  Let them get really brown on the edges.  Splash and mix a little flavors balsamic right before serving.  Good stuff.

I used oil and vinegar from the Olive Scene in Vermilion.  If you've never been, I'd recommend going.  The flavors were Persian Lime infused oil with a splash of blackberry ginger aged balsamic vinegar. The Olive Scene web site

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp coconut oil, clarified butter or another paleo fat, melted;
• 3 cloves garlic, minced;
• 2 tsp chili powder;
• 1 tsp garlic powder;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;
• 10 chicken drumsticks;

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 375 F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper as well as the cooking fat. Dump in the chicken and mix well to ensure all the meat is evenly coated with the seasonings.
3. Place the chicken drumsticks on a large baking sheet with space in between each to prevent overlap. Cook for about 1 hour, until the chicken is well cooked, turning the pieces once during the cooking process.

Almond Butter with Dark Chocolate and Raspberries

Sometimes you just have to have Chocolate right?

When is eating clean the hardest? I find the 7-8 o'clock hour.  I developed the habit early on of eating in the evening after a full dinner.  I use to have junk food, cookies, cupcakes, CEREAL....anything sweet.

Naturally I still have this bad habit and fight it daily.  But on this day I was staring into the open fridge (as I often do) and saw the raspberries.  And next to it was almond butter.  I thought what could I do with these two items to make a sweet treat?  Then I remembered I had Ghirardelli Intense Dark 86% Cocao in the drawer. SCORE

I took about 2 TBls of almond butter and a small chunk of the chocolate and stuck it in the micro wave.  Then I dunk the raspberries in and savored the flavors.

Be careful, almond butter is high in natural fats so only a TBLs or two MAX.

Cereal - Nut Granola - Paleo

One of the biggest things I miss with my new eating lifestyle is CEREAL.  Good old fashion shredded mini wheat or Rice Chex.  Corn Flakes, Fruity Pebbles, Lucky Charms.  OMG  I miss Cereal.

In the never ending search I have come across a few good replacements.  This one so far is my favorite.  It serves the crunchy mushy consistency of most good cereals.  It was good in a bowl of almond milk or just munching it by itself.  My co-worker had some in her yogurt. 



This will become a staple in the clean eating/paleo kitchen.

http://cavegirlcuisine.com/2012/03/22/honey-bunches-of-paleo-cereal/

1 C sunflower seeds - raw
1 C Coconut Flakes - unsweetened
1 C unsalted Walnuts
1/4 C Dried Cranberries
2 TBLS almond butter
1/4 C Honey - raw
1/4 C Coconut Flour
Coconut oil to grease pan

Mix all ingredients until well blended and coated.  Then add to glass baking dish greased with coconut oil. Bake about 30 min until dark and baked through. let Cool a good 30 minutes then break apart.

I used cranberries.  I bet any dried fruit would be good.  Or mix it up with a couple different ones mixed in.  I didn't have coconut flakes just shredded.  I would defiantly use flakes next time.

Food Prep - It's important

The hardest part I find with keeping a healthy eating lifestyle is having food ready to eat.  In our busy life's and hectic schedules making food seems to always be a challenge.  We need the "grab & go" type foods in order to keep pace with life.

So without food prep days during the week, it's almost impossible to eat clean.  Yes you could do it, but the enjoyment of the food you eat may not be so great.  And if you don't enjoy eating it, you won't. The next thing you'll go far is that pre-made processed frozen meal, or a quick drive through meal.

As much as possible I try to dedicate Sundays to meal prep.  I make as many things as I can ahead of time so it's easier through out the week to just grill up a steak, or cook up a chicken breast to go with a side dish already made.  It also helps for taking food to work everyday.  No prep time in the morning, just "grab & go" and you have your meals for the day.

The trick to successful meal prep is knowing what you can make ahead of time and what you can't. Some veggies require you to eat them right away, like Asparagus.  Its not very good re-heated. I also found chicken to be not so good re-heated.  I don't know why but to me the flavor isn't the same.  So instead of cooking the chicken, I just get it seasoned and packaged up in serving sizes ready to cook.  It's easy to then fry up, bake, or cook in the microwave and is loaded in flavor from marinating.  Also super moist.

So get to prepping.

1. Decide what you want to eat during the week.  Make a list that shows each day and what you're going to eat.  It may change during the week but at least you have a plan.

2. Make a list and go shopping.  Buy only what you need to make the items on your meal list.  This will keep you from buying too much and then wasting it because fresh clean foods do not have long shelf life.

3. Come home from shopping and clean everything.  You don't want to spend time during the week washing vegetables.  You just want to cook them.  So prep day is for washing everything. 

5. Decide what can be cut up and stored for future use or consumption.  I usually make a fruit salad or at least cut up fruits so they are ready to eat.  I also cut up veggies like carrots and celery for easy snack options.  If I need them for cooking, hey they are already washed and pre-cut.

6. Make things like egg muffins, mini meatloafs, baked side dishes, and other meal items that can be pre-cooked.  Hard Boil Eggs, pre-cook bacon and sausage. 

7. Package up as much as you can into single serving size containers. 

Daily Food Diary

Today I finally made some headway on the commitment to my diet.  I spent part of Sunday, planning shopping and meal prepping.  This is an essential step to be successful.  I've learned.  No shopping, no good food around to eat, you are going to eat whatever.  No meal prepping and planning means you have no time to to get stuff together, you are going to eat whatever.

Did I mention, meal planning shopping and meal prep is essential to be successful??? Just making sure.

7:45am
I started the morning off with a Skin Glow Smoothie.
1/4 water
2 C chopped honeydew
2 C chopped cucumber
Juice from one lime
4-5 basil leaves ( I only used three because they were off the plant fresh)
Whipped all this up in the Nutrabullet, added a few ice cubes and breakfast was served. It was very refreshing.

10:15am
1 C cottage cheese
1 C cucumbers w/salt & pepper
1 C mashed butternut squash w/ spices (no butter added)
6 almonds

12:30pm
1 C cottage cheese
2 C steamed broccoli w/ salt & lemon zest
6 almonds

3:00pm

one bunch of grapes - about 1 C
1 natural beef stick
6 almonds

5:30pm
Lara Bar- Pecan Pie Flavor

7:45pm
about 4 oz chicken breast cooked with sauteed onion and a can of rotel tomatoes
2 C Sauteed Kale (the recipe is on this blog)
No almonds since I used olive oil for cooking.

I felt great all day, was not hungry and had a great workout.

My Brother

So proud of my brother. (except for the light weight on the bar) He's made a fantastic journey that came with great courage and a willingness to give up the comfort of settling. A few years ago he quite his job, then got a divorce he wanted, sold the house, gave her all the stuff, quit another job and moved to FL. The best part, he did it all with no plan. He wasn't happy so he changed. He worked through the sacrifices he had to make to adjust. Looking at this picture and knowing the journey he has taken...well lets just say it says a lot to me. This is my brother and I love him more then I ever thought I could. He's been by my side #mywholelife and I wouldn't change a thing.

The side bar to this story.....after the first two steps he took, he joined the Crossfit Community. I can honestly on his behalf, this amazing community had given him the strength, confidence, self image and all the other positive things Crossfit offers he needed to succeed. Don't get me wrong, he's done the work, Crossfit gave him the tools and support. I can't wait to visit him and meet his FL Crossfit community!!

I love you Brother. You are an inspiration. #mywholelife

Baba Ganoush - Need a spread for wraps? Or to dip veggies?

Baba Ganoush - Looks gross but it's really good.

1/2 Large Eggplant

1 tbs Tahini

1 tbs lemon juice

1 garlic clove

pinch of chili powder

1 tbs olive oil

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400

Slice eggplant in half lengthwise and brush with olive oil.  Place on foil lined sheet and bake for 45 mins until soft.  

Allow it cool, then scoop out insides and combine in Magic Bullet cup with the other ingredients except the oil and salt.  Blend

Add olive oil and blend again

Add salt to your taste.

This was more challenging because it was thick.  I had to use what they call the tap method to keep the ingredients at the bottom of the bullet.  But once it was blended....it was good.  And I don't like eggplant. yuck.  

I made a whole wheat wrap sandwich for lunch. I took the Baba Ganoush and spread it on the wrap. Added spinach, red onion, sliced green and yellow peppers and baked asparagus that I had made.  Wrapped iti up and just like that I had good for you lunch.  Ate it with some grapes. 

I'm sure this mixture could be done in a food processor just the same. FYI 

Breakfast! Best Scrambled Eggs and Sweet Potato Hash w/ Fresh Greek Yogurt

Finally, I'm feeling clarity coming back!  I think the winter depression is lifting because The Walking Dead season premier is on tonight!!

Super excited.

I was up bright and early this morning and felt a nice big breakfast of good food would be the best start to the day.

So I put Etta James on Pandora, cranked it up and started cooking.

I made sweet potato hash first.  This is becoming easy and the same ingredients are NOT required each time.  Have sweet potato?  Have onion?  Have some other veggies to stir fry?  BAM  Hash!

1-2 tbls coconut oil
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 large sweet potato
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
veggies 1/2 C to 1 Cup of whatever you have (no carrots and similar. Use broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus)
1 large onion

coconut oil - heat it in a large skillet med/high heat
peal and cut up sweet potato - remember.. not yams.  throw these in the coconut oil.
add cayenne pepper, garlic powder and salt and pepper to your liking. I like a lot of pepper.
Stir it  up.
Cut up veggies that will take longer to cook, throw them in with the potatoes. I used Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms.  Let those good a good 5-6 minutes, throw it sliced onions.  The sweeter onions are good in this too but I had a yellow one to use up.
Let it all cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are soft but not mushy.  10 or so minutes.  You want the heat higher then normal because you want the onion and other veggies to caramelize some.  This is when the flavor gets good.  Watch it so it doesn't burn.

While that was cooking I made up some yogurt.  I had bought plain Greek yogurt for making power smoothies with the Magic Bullet. I also had berries that were not going to make it another day. I thought yogurt and berries!  But I'm not a fan of eating plain yogurt. (insert sadness) Then I figured.... throw them all in the Magic Bullet and I'd have some delicious fruit yogurt like they sell in the stores.  But with out the additives or sugar!!   For sure a big winner of delicious!!


The last thing I made was simple scrambled eggs.  Simple.  But I have a Magic Bullet? I can't make this that simple. I took the eggs along with spinach, salt/pepper and a splash of unsweetened almond milk, put it all in the cup and turned it on.  Within seconds I had perfect ready to cook eggs.   Still Simple.  I cooked it in about 1/2 tbls of bacon grease just to make it extra yummy. Then I topped it with some goat cheese just because.

Bon Appetite.

PS.....I made enough of everything so I have tomorrows breakfast ready!!  Heat & Eat good food!

Homemade Hummus - Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic

It's been a while since I've posted and it's about time I get back on it.  The last couple months have not been awesome. Last weeks visit to the doctor has put 15 lbs on me in the last three months.  YIKES.  I'm feeling its a combination of things and nothing to be alarmed by. (I hope)  Blood work this week to be sure and restarting some medication I went off for awhile should get me back on track.  I have also identified a left side weakness from a couple main muscles.  I probably have had it for awhile but with such focus on my shoulder rehab I didn't notice it.  So begins the left side rehab.  

Also I think I'm getting closer to the point in my life where I don't resort back to bad habits and denial of where I'm at in life. My life, my body, my abilities are what they are and although the last two years have been a journey of discovery, now it's time for acceptance. In two years I've made changes to my life in huge strides. Now my changes will come in smaller strides. My goals have to be set to achieve them. We shall see!!!!
Today I want to share my newest obsession....

That's right.  I got one!  And so far I've only trialed it a few times and made some pretty awesome and some pretty nasty tasting drinks.  This week I begin the 100% plunge into the Magic Bullet get healthy plan!

Tonight I tried the homemade hummus recipe they have.  At first taste it's not bad!  I added some roasted red peppers to it.   I have fresh veggies and whole wheat pita bread cut up to take to work tomorrow.  I'm excited because I think after it sits for a while it's going to be awesome!

2 gloves garlic - I used three, they were small
2 cups canned chick peas, rinsed and drained well - it ended up being one can
1 tsp sea salt
Juice of 2 lemons - every bit I could squeeze out
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil. (I added a little more at the end because it was very thick)
1 roasted red pepper from a jar of them.  it was about 1/4 panel of one pepper.

Then I cut up one of the peppers and put on top for "look" and extra texture.

Better then any hummus dip you buy with additives!!!!!!

 

Meat Loaf - not your mothers kind. It's whats for lunch in the new year!

One of the hardest things I've found to do when eating clean/paleo is having food ready to eat.  Because you are not eating "processed" foods, the ability to pop something in the microwave and eat 3 minutes later is nearly impossible without some pre-planed meal prep time invested.

Meat Loaf.  Yes I said meatloaf.  But not the kind your mother use to make.  Loaded in breadcrumbs and smothered in ketchup.  Yuck.

I have found meatloaf to be an easy meal to make and then have for a quick reheat meal in the days after.  I also found making it in my jumbo muffin pan worked even better and it didn't take as long to cook!  Winning!!


I followed this recipe but as always had to change a few things.  I noted them below.
http://www.everydaymaven.com/2013/paleo-meatloaf/

First off, I did not use the hard boiled eggs as suggested in the recipe. I didn't  have any ready and it really didn't interest me to have eggs in the middle of my meatloaf.  Just saying.

MEATLOAF:

• 4 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano (I used an Italian seasoning mix instead of just oregano)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ⅔ cup almond meal
• 2 large eggs, beaten  (next one I'll use three)
• 1½ pounds lean ground beef  (I had 1lb of ground elk and 1lb of ground sirloin)
• 1 carrot, finely chopped - I added this ingredient because I had some in the fridge.

I did use my food processor as it suggested.  Way quicker and everything was small enough, it made the meatloaf blend together well.  Once I had it all mixed together and mushed with my hands, I rolled into large balls that fit into my jumbo muffin pan.  It made six perfect little meatloafs.

I did not take the time to make the tomato/ghee topping in the recipe either, but the next one I might give it a try.

We had this for lunch not only today, but I took it to work Monday and Tuesday. It heats up great in the microwave!  Good portable, quick meal.

Breakfast for The New Year!

Happy New Year!!!  

It's 2014.  Time to reset and have a great year!   New Years resolutions only work if  you write them down and announce them to the world.  So here's mine.

Do not stray from a whole, clean, paleo"ish" lifestyle.  This means never having pizza again?  NO.  It means have pizza, in moderation, only when special occasions warrant the need.  It means not choosing to order it for dinner.  

When I started Crossfit in Feb 2012 I had no idea what proper diet and nutrition was.  I thought I did, but the reality was I had no clue.  So in my first year of Crossfit I tried it, failed at it, tried it again and again.  Most of the year was educating myself and attempting to purge the bad foods from my lifestyle.   Success.

The second year of Crossfit in 2013 was taking what I had learned and applying it on a more consistent basis while at the same time trying to fool myself into thinking I didn't need to eat this way all the time.  For example, I would spend weeks planning, preparing and eating clean in preparation for an event or competition.  Then once it was over I'd slip back to old eating habits and kill any progress I may have made.  Then doing it all over again the next month.  What I learned in a year?  You can't do this and expect any change in results. 

I expect myself in 2014 to take what I've learned over the two years and commit to it.  I know what my body responds well to and what it does not.  I know that grains are not a friend of my body in any way shape or form.  I'm 100% sure of this.  I know my body needs more protein and less fat and I have to find ways to adjust this in 2014. 

So.....what did I have for breakfast today?   (Sorry no photo)

Three eggs.  One full egg, two whites.  Scrambled with salt/pepper/garlic powder
About 2 oz (half slice) Harvati cheese melted on top
Sautéed onion, spinach and parsley
(I cooked a whole onion, about 2 cups of spinach and about 2 Tbls of parsley chopped in aprox 1 Tbl of bacon grease. I ate about 1/2 cup with breakfast)
Baked butternut squash (about 1/4 cup) plain
1 C fresh squeezed OJ
and a piece of bacon.

All easy stuff, no fancy recipes. Basic good food.  Although I need to get rid of the bacon grease somehow.....it's just so good.




 What's your lifestyle resolution?  Write it down, announce it to the world.  Comment on my blog and share it with me.   I'd love to help keep you on track!!