Yay for Mexican Style Stuffed Peppers

 I guess I should fess-up that I never told you how the sugar detox went.... oh wait it's not fessing-up if you already know that.  Right.  In addition to the things you already know, sorry I suck and don't blog as often as I should (I'm really busy). I'll try to be better... don't give up on me!  Anyways, the sugar detox went quite excellent, I was very pleased with how my body felt and my results.  I'm afraid I can't tell you how many inches or pounds I lost because I didn't track it (ya I suck I know) but my jeans felt looser and my stomach felt flatter.  The next part saddens me- I got back from Chicago and I kind of went on a downward spiral.  It wasn't as epic as my past downward spirals; for instance I did not eat over a dozen cookies in a sitting (Did I just make you feel better about your life? Hey, that's what I'm here for no problem!).  I did do stupid things like overeat on things I shouldn't have and then justify it with conversations in my head like, "it was a really rough day at work" or "I'll work extra hard to burn it off in the wod".  Bad. Bad. Bad. Bad!  It's easy too, because my body felt really good and it was easy not to notice the weight gain, oh ya, until I NOTICED the weight gain.... damn mirrors, I only like you when I'm in shape.

So, yes that's where I'm at.  Yet the good news is, I'm starting fresh.  There's a challenge coming up at the gym that I can't wait to start.  No, seriously.  I'm starting the sugar detox again today, and I'm just going to let my lovely three weeks on it run right in with the challenge for the gym.  I feel so much better already.  Knowing I have a plan makes me more content because even though I'm not fixed yet, I'm working on the solution.  Oh, and the whole not feeling like my stomach would like to crawl back up my throat (or worse the other end) definitely helps as well.  

Thus, please enjoy my absolutely delicious recipe.  Yum.  Yes, yum- you are going to like this recipe.  When you try the stuffing try really hard not to keep trying it until you eat an entire portion of it... I did not do this... I am errr just telling you from my experience there is a high probability this may happen.  What?... it's better than eating the cookies right?

Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers

1 lb ground turkey

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp olive oil

1 14.5oz can fire roasted tomatoes

1 6oz can tomato paste (no salt or sugar added)
1 3.8oz can diced black olives (drained)
1 4oz can of diced green chiles

1 large sweet onion diced

1 poblano pepper diced

1 green pepper diced

1 small package baby bella sliced mushrooms diced
6-7 bell peppers (I prefer red but to each their own)

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Take out your glass baking dish, cover with aluminum foil (unless you like dishes) and spray with a little olive oil.  Cut out the tops of your bell pepper and remove the seeds/insides.  Place open side down on your baking dish and throw in the oven for 15-20minutes (you want the skin of the pepper slightly softened and just a bit wrinkly).  While the peppers cook, chop up your veggies and get out your soup pot.  Throw in your olive oil and get it hot over medium-high heat.  Add your onion and cook until softened (about 5 min).  Add your ground turkey and cook until completely browned.  Drain your meat and then return to heat.  Add all your spices to the pan along with 3/4 cup of water...stir.  Allow the water to cook down for a couple minutes and then add all the rest of your ingredients with the exception of the black olives (don't drain any of your canned ingredients either with the exception of the black olives).  Mix it all together and let it simmer for roughly 10 minutes until all of your veggies are cooked and the consistency is that of chunky, very thick, spaghetti sauce or salsa.  Remove from heat, add in your black olives and pack your stuffing into your cooled peppers.  Place back in the oven, at 375F, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Let cool and devour!

Chicago bound and Classic Chuck Roast with Veggies

Guess where I am!? Damn, my title gave me away- yes, Chicago!!! It has been an excellent weekend thus far and so much left to do! Plus I'm with the most amazing girls ever, my friends Libby and Kara! I'm telling you, Ken is lucky Gods plan included us all being female and not lesbians because if it had I would have found my soul mates long before meeting Ken and yes... We would be a weird little lesbian Mormon group I suppose. They are both dirty joke/story telling, sarcasm driven, wickedly funny and utterly sweet- so yes the epitome of a good time! So of course this weekend will be epic, how could it not!

I've got to let you down though, I cheated on my detox yesterday.... And I plan to drink beer (just 1 or 2) for the next two days. I'm not sorry, because I had planned ahead of time to cheat this weekend. This is my first time in Chicago and the first time since February I've seen Kara, so it called for a cheat. I almost didn't start the detox because I knew I was visiting Kara, but then I decided that no one is going to come beat me for not doing it exactly as intended; basically, I'm saying this is my choice and I can make of it what I want. I will say this though, the non-paleo foods I consumed yesterday included 2 cookies, some rice at an indian food restaurant, and 2 beers- my stomach did not like me and it RUINED my "I feel skinny" day (and let's be honest, how rare are those for any woman)! Bummer. Now, I'm going to go running with the girls today and feel like crap! And hey, I deserve that. So, the rest of the weekend is dedicated to eating good but cheating here and there with a few beers.

Let's get down to what you really want though. Here's an easy crockpot recipe for you. I made it last week:

Crockpot Roast and Veggies

For the roast:
3 lb Chuck Roast
2 tablespoons coconut oil (rough estimate)
1 package of baby bella sliced mushrooms
1 large sweet onion
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon basil
1/2 tablespoon sage
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4-1/2 cup low sodium beef broth (or water if u don't have that)

Veggies:
1 bag of baby carrots
3 large beets (washed, skin peeled, and sliced about 1/4" thick)
*You can really use any veggie you want as long as its one that takes longer to cook so they don't get soggy. For instance, sweet potato or parsnips work too. Or, add your veggies later and then you can add whatever you'd like.

Instructions:
Throw your onion, mushrooms, and broth or water (whichever you're using) in the bottom of your crockpot. Add all your spices to a small and mix until evenly combined. Coat your raw roast with your spice mixture and really rub it in well on all side- get in all the little crevices. Heat your coconut oil over medium-high heat until its nice and hot and sizzle went you flick a little water into it. Note: the heat of the oil is key, too high and your roast will burn, too low and you'll loose all your spices. Sear the roast for roughly 3 min each side or until nicely browned (don't forget your sides). Once done throw it in the crockpot over your onion/mushroom combo and dump whatever veggie you chose over the top of the roast. Use any leftover seasoning to sprinkle over the top of your veggies. Cook on high for roughly 4 hours depending on your crockpot. If you chose a larger roast it will obviously take longer. Your veggies should fork tender and your roast should fall apart in chunks when you pull at it or it needs to cook longer. Enjoy!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Let the Sugar Detoxing Converge: Sweet Potato & Spinach Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

Holy long title- sorry!  Anywho, as you may know my absolute idol is Juli Bauer.  Not only is she a BA Crossfitter but she writes a kick ass paleo blog and has abbs you could scrub your laundry on... no joke.  So, yes I aspire to one day be somewhere near as awesome as her.  If you haven't already, check out her Paleo blog paleOMG.com!  This, I must admit is where the bulk of this recipe came from, I just added to it to make a more well rounded meal to scarf down durring my sugar detoxing at work.  It's absolute delicousness. 

Juli is also my inspiration for starting the sugar detox.  I've detoxed twice now and both times made me a crab-but and basically the equivalent of severe PMS.  I kind of swore off the detox after the last time I tried it... but then, Juli started the detox.... and did I mention that this woman LOVES sweets and chocolate!  Therefore, I felt it was fair to assume that if Juli Bauer can make it through the detox I should be able to also- aka suck it up buttercup.  So, here I am on day 3 I believe, of my detox and it's actually going well.  I'm trying really hard to focus on not overeating and to focus on how much I love the foods I CAN have not how much I miss the foods I cannot. 

I felt almost instantly better once I started detoxing.  Previously I've included 1 green apple or banana in the detox and this time I'm planning on sticking to Paleo with no fruit.  I did include more sweet potatoes this time though to keep myself going.  So far I feel lighter, not bloated, and I don't have a horribly upset stomach or gas- BONUS!  I also haven't been crazy moody or ornary... at least not yet that is.  Ken says he's banking on grumpy about day 10... he also threatened to force-feed me a snickers and duck tape my mouth shut if I got too bad (ya, I know I'm loved... no really I am, haha). 

Honestly though, Juli was my inspiration but I'm doing the detox for my own reasons.  Mainly because I can eat one of those ginormous pints of blueberries, by myself in about 1.5 days and that's not exclusively the only fruit I'll consume over that day and a half either.  Somethings gotta give people!  It's not really good for anyone to plow through as much fruit as this little lone ranger can in a day... let alone other paleo sweets if they're around.  So, hopefully the detox will help clear out my system and minimize the cravings... hopefully.

Anywho though here is a recipe of straight delicousness, only slightly tweaked from Juli Bauer's original Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf recipe http://paleomg.com/buffalo-chicken-mini-meatloaf/ (the original is amazing too so I highly suggest you try it):

Sweet Potato and Spinach Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

• 1lb ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons coconut flour or 1/2 cup almond flour/meal (I used coconut flour)
• 4-5 tablespoons hot sauce (I used Red Hot)
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1/4 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1c baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 sweet potato (peeled)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Take your peeled sweet potato and pop it in the microwave for about 5 minutes or so until it's just tender not mushy.  While your sweet potato is cooking, add spices, ground chicken, franks, and your egg to a large bowl and combine. Then add to the mix all your other ingredients.  Once your sweet potato is cool, dice it into cubes and mix it into your meatloaf mixture.  Throw the whole thing in a loaf pan, or seperate into two mini loaf pans, and bake at 375 for roughly 40 minutes or until the top of your meatloaf is browned and your meatloaf doesn't sink when you poke it with a fork.  Let it cool, slice, and dig in!  =Love! 

PS- Should you be interested in trying the 21 Day Sugar Detox, check it out here: http://balancedbites.com/category/21-day-sugar-detox

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Whatcha want?

I'm getting better at ring dips now but the bands were definitely my friends and still are at times!

I went to a crossfit competition last weekend.  There were teams competing from all over Michigan and it was really awesome to watch.  Seeing women of crossfit, in their sports bras, with the kind of body you see in the games was incredibly motivating.  It's one thing to see these women on TV, with a six pack you could wash your laundry on, but it's another thing to see them in person.  It makes it more real- wanting that and seeing it in others around me makes it seem more... obtainable.  I consider my diet and my activity and my goals.  I still think of Crossfit as a loving obsession.  I also realize I will never make it to the games.  My chosen career path is nursing- while I don't think that means one is unable to do both, I know that it's not in the cards for me.  I am not athletically gifted enough to make it to that status.  I have to work twice as hard to absorb and advance in skills and strength as the average person and it's ok.  Understanding that doesn't make it less frustrating, but it gives me a greater appreciation for the accomplishments and progress I do make.

I'm still trying to figure out what this all means for my goals.  At one point, during a discussion with my trainer, we talked about the "having your cake and eating it too" of crossfit and what we put in our bodies.  We all want the body but want is not merely enough- it's the actions we put behind it that make the impact.  We weigh and measure our options on a daily basis and the choices we make, what we eat, how much sleep we get, drinking enough water and skipping the alcohol, these decisions all have an impact.  Unfortunately, being human means we are often impatient and impulsive.  We don't always see how the decisions we make stack up.  That neither weight gain nor weight loss, happen over night and that both are the product of an accumulation of choices.  This filters down to the choices we make everyday, e.g. Do I really need another piece of chocolate?

Honestly, I think it boils down to what do you really want and what can you live with?  What is that kind of body worth to you?  Do you want to be able to cheat or do you want to be able to count your abs from a distance?  For the blessed you can do both but for most of us, being able to splurge on whatever whenever just isn't in the cards.

Me? Well, I'm not sure.  I constantly play with my diet and tweak my goals.  Sometimes, I think I'm too hard on myself and other times I think I'm making excuses and I'm not hard enough.  If I want that body I can have it but am I willing to make the sacrifices that will warrant it?

Blueberry Pumpkin Waffles

So, I have plans to move soon (as soon as I find a new home in which to move that is). Thus I apolagize for this post being a bit late but, hey people- I'm a busy lady!  These waffles were yummy delicous, born from a lack of options and insistence on using my new waffle maker.  Honestly, I looked through some other blogs by some of the more experienced paleo cooks and found some delicous waffle recipes... delicous waffle recipes that included things which I did not have in my cupboard.  So, I had to get a bit creative and it paid off because they were awe-some:



Blueberry Pumpkin Waffles
1/2c almond flour
2 eggs
3/4c pureed pumpkin (I used Libby's canned)
1/2c fresh blueberries
1/2 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp stevia (you could probably leave this out and they would be plenty sweet enough- some consider stevia paleo, some do not... make your own judgements)
Throw your eggs, pumpkin, and honey in the food processor or blender and let it do the work.  Once blended, add everything else but the blueberries and blend until throughly combined.  Mix in your blueberries.  Scoop half the batter into a well greased waffle maker (on medium to high heat if yours has a setting) and let cook for roughly 10 minutes until crisp.  Makes 2 large waffles.  I topped mine with a few fresh blueberries and a little cocconut butter (I got mine by the regular butter at kroger- I don't think this is strict paleo but it tastes like regular butter and it was soy/dairy free so it was good enough for me)!
Enjoy!

Confidence and Tortillas

So, the other night my boyfriend and I had a bit of a pow-wow.  He was bummed because he felt he wasn't meeting his weight loss goals.  First, let me tell you my boyfriend is smoking hot so that's just silly- but the point is not that I think he's a 10 but that he didn't feel like one.  We talked about ways he could get himself on track, such as eating smaller, more regular meals, and sticking to Paleo.  We opted to keep each other on track and continue Paleo together.

The reason I bring all this up is quite simply because Paleo is a lifestyle not a diet.  I was more or less forced to stick to Paleo once I realized I was making myself sick by not sticking to it; no, I don't have celiacs but I am fairly certain I have a gluten intolerance and most definitely a lactose intolerance.  I stick with Paleo because it keeps me whole and keeps me from spending the majority of my time in the bathroom (and better yet it keeps everyone around me from wishing I'd stay in the bathroom, no joke people I can clear a room for reals)! This may be why I'm forced to stick to Paleo but why I CHOSE Paleo goes deeper than that.  

The gym and a clean diet give me confidence in my body.  Is it perfect, ummm NO!  Do I have things I want to change/improve- YES!  But the bottom line is I've worked for every curve and muscle I have and I FEEL GOOD. When I was in high school I refused to play volleyball because the uniform included spandex and I hate-hate-HATED my child bearing hips! Now, I'm not going to tell you I cleaned up my diet and did a few pull-ups and "poof" all gone- nope, I'm afraid that's genetics, and unless I starved myself (which would never happen, ha), these love-ly curves of mine are always going to be there.  It is what it is.  However, I have a greater appreciation for my body now.  Yes, this girls got hips and you know what- I've done the squats, deadlifts, and cleans to earn them! I might not think I'm the best looking in a bathing suit but I can walk around in my bikini and not feel like crawling into a dark corner. Yes, I have curves, yes I loooooove food and I love to indulge a little too much, but the thing of it is, even when I eat too much I still feel good.  My diet keeps me from feeling like I ate Shamu (come on, you know the feeling... when you went a bite too far on the spaghetti, realize it too late, and 20 minutes later you feel like you devoured a hearse... we have all been there).  It keeps me from having weird mood swings, and keeps me feeling "light".  It works for me and it's sustainable- that is why I love it.

That being said, I can get down off my soap box and tell you that I am not perfect.  Yes, I cheat and I pay the price for it when I do.  The best I can do is to try to keep it to a minimum and try to cheat mainly on the things that won't leave me with a food hangover.  None of us are perfect- bottom line, find what works for you and your life.  The end.

Now for a recipe.  I did not create this recipe but this being my fourth time making these a-ma-zing tortillas I will share some hints with you!  Get the recipe here: http://www.againstallgrain.com/2011/05/04/grain-free-tortillas/

You can use these to make enchiladas, for taco shells, for sandwiches, for crepes.... oh the possibilities are endless! You know how much I've missed bread!? Not that badly actually, but I do occasionally miss sandwiches, wraps, and tortillas and I swear to you- these taste like legit tortillas! So here you are, here is my crappy little picture and my hints:




1. I used plain egg whites you buy in the carton.  What am I supposed to do with 16 yolks?!... and I hate to waste food so I used the carton.
2.  I used 1 3/4 cup of egg whites not 1 1/2 cups (per batch).
3.  It worked best for me to cook them on medium heat, not high, and I used a heaping 1/4c of batter to make big tortillas.  I removed the pan from the heat, poured the batter on and lightly tipped or swished the batter around as she shows in the picture.  It takes longer to cook them on medium heat but its totally worth it to get the big thin tortillas.
4. Grease your spatula so they don't stick to it.
5. I covered the pan for a minute to let them really set up (but not bubble) and made sure to cook them a few minutes before turning them so they could get a little brown.
Enjoy! Seriously soooo good!

Basil and Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

I'm sorry I've been a bad little blogger.  Until recently though I haven't cooked anything worth posting (that's what happens when the house is 100F+,  no complaining though I love summer) and now I'm back to cooking in bulk to make the next 2 weeks worth of dishes for my little side job.  On the menu:
- Almond crusted chicken breast
- Mashed sweet potatoes
- Basil and garlic mashed cauliflower
- Mushroom and steak stew
- Beef enchiladas
- Bacon broccoli chicken salad
- Squash breakfast "lasagna"

I don't have a picture for you of the mashed cauliflower but it's a delicious and simple recipe:

Basil and Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

2 heads of cauliflower
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon garlic
1/2 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk (rough estimate)
1 tablespoon (?) olive oil (just enough to lightly brush the tops of your cauliflower)

Preheat oven to 425F.  Wash and roughly chop your cauliflower away from its stalk.  Take all your little trees and throw them on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil and sprayed with olive oil non stick spray.  Spritz your cauliflower with a little olive oil, using a basting brush if you don't have a "Misto" or some way to spray the olive oil.  Dust with your spices.  Bake for roughly 25-30 min or until the cauliflower forks tender and is a little brown on top.  Allow to cool and then mash it up your food processor (or blender) in little batches (or if you're feeling frisky do so by hand with a potato masher).  Add just enough milk to get it to puree smooth to your desired consistency.  Remove from food processor and add to sauce pan on medium heat until hot again- enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Mini-muffins

Wooohooo, look at me go with the pictures! Yay, much thanks to my trainer Mario, whom in return for me sharing my secret of creating my blog, gave me the inside scoop on how to manage it! Whew, let's be honest- you never would have seen a picture if it wasn't for the tech-savyness of those that love me.
So anywho, a recipe for you! This one I got from Elena's Pantry but I revamped it a bit and paleo-fied it (yes, I just created these words- it's my blog people I can do that)! By the way, it was amaaaaazing. Honestly so good! So here you are:
Paleo Chocolate Chip Zucchini Mini-muffins
1/4c coconut flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2c grated zucchini
1/2c enjoy life chocolate chips
In a medium bowl combine your flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs then add in your honey, vanilla, and zucchini until well combined. Add your dry ingredients to your wet, combine and then fold in your chocolate chips. Grease a mini-muffin pan and spoon about 1tbsp into each little cup. Bake at 350F for 20min. Let cool, then eat em' up!

So, back to the awesomeness of thursday fun day, I only had time to do 2 wods before work but I was smoked after them both so I was ok with it. I did:
1 squat clean @ 92% of my 1 rep max (110lbs) and 2 jumping muscle ups, every minute on the minute for 20 min.
Followed by:
100 burpee box jumps for time (15:09 was what I did it in I think)
It was soooo hot, 98F kind of hot! I also hadn't expected the squat cleans to take quite so much out of my legs... Those box jumps were rough! So much fun though!
Well, I suppose I should get back to being a nurse now. I'd tell you interesting stories from the nursing aspect of my life buuuut that might end up being a HIPPA violation. Bum deal, I know but better safe than sorry... I don't think blogging while in jail would be at the top of my priority list so it's in our best interest I keep my secrets to myself (really, I'm thinking of us both).

Strawberry Pico Summer Salad and Loving What You Do

Still no pictures, my apologies.  Unfortunately, you have chosen a blogger whom is not tech-savy and hasn't a clue how to load pictures from her phone.  Don't worry... I will figure it out eventually.  Until then, a recipe for you (void of an ascetically pleasing picture but hey use your imagination people- it's yummy, girl scouts honor).

Strawberry Pico Shrimp Summer Salad
- 2 quarts of diced and cleaned strawberries (I think they're quarts... you know the regular size stupid plastic container)
- 1 large container of pico from Meijer (sorry, it does have a bit of salt and preservatives in it so it's not strict paleo... but hey make your own then friend... I imagine it's about 2-3 cups of pico)
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1lb bag of cocktail shrimp, whatever size you'd like, tails removed and chopped into bite size pieces if necessary
- About 3 tablespoons EVOO
- 1/2c balsamic vinegar
- 3 English cucumbers, pealed and sliced (cut all your slices in half so they're more bite size)
- 1 tsp liquid or dry dill (I used tube/liquid dill)
In a small bowl add your lime juice, balsamic vinegar, EVOO, and dill- whisk and then, in a large mixing bowl, dump over all your other ingredients.  Toss and then chill for 30min or so until cool- devour!

Well, I finished all my massive amounts of cooking and it paid off because my customer texted me later; "this shit is f@cking awesome!!!".  He sounded super excited to try out all the delicious meals I had made him and this made it all worthwhile.  See, initially I was less than ecstatic about cooking for him because the response I got, when I asked him what he wanted, was pretty much, "Whatever.  I don't care as long as it's paleo.  If it's good for me I'll eat it."  Now what kind of response is that?! I want you to enjoy what you're eating, not merely stomach it simply because you think it will make you a better crossfitter... although it probably will but this is not the point!  It actually took quite a bit of sweet talking to even get me to agree to this... well, no I take it back.  It took my trainer, Mario, basically telling me I was a dumb ass if I didn't.  But all is well, because when I talked to him later he loved it and was all excited to try out the meals- it was awesome! See, now I'M excited to cook and make him new awesome recipes! I love what I do with my life- you should too... if you don't get on that asap.

Well it's off to bed now... tomorrow is "Thursday Fun-day" (aka the best day of the week), boom!  If you don't have a Thursday Fun-day at your gym you should change that stat; I guarantee it will make Thursday your favorite day of the week.  See Thursday's have traditionally been our make-up day where you made up a workout you had missed earlier in the week... but then it grew into something more.  What do you make-up when you were there Monday thru Wednesday? Your own WOD that's what! It started with a simple question by Mario, "What do you want to work on today?" But then we had so much fun collaborating the first WOD that it turned into another and then another... thus 8 hours and 6 WODs later, fun-day was born, and has been my favorite day ever since.  On that note- goodnight my little blogging community!

Cooking Extravaganza

I'm very sorry, I know I made promises yesterday but I'm about to break them because I have no pictures or recipes to post today.  I know, I know but I have been cooking all flippn' day! I had no idea that being someone's personal chef would be quite this labor intensive.  Sigh, I am straight beat and I still have MORE food to make! 2 weeks worth of meals... no problem! No, actually it is a problem!!! So much cooking! I have already made:

Paleo:
 - Lasagna
 - Chilli
 - Meatloaf
 - Cauliflower rice
 - Mashed sweet potatoes

and I still have Winter Green Bean soup to make as well as more rice.  Bum deal is that still puts me roughly 5 meals short! I promised to deliver 2 weeks worth at 2 meals a day, 28 meals... what was I thinking? Don't know.

Ahhhhh, sigh.  Well here's what I've been eating today:

Breakfast at noon: 2 eggs with pineapple guac and salsa, and all natural fruit rope by archer farms, and about half an apple I attempted to salvage but it was pretty overripe.

Snacked on a dried fruit and nut trail mix while shopping.

Lunch at 330: beef jerky, a carrot, and a grapefruit.

Bad, bad, bad- I cheated today and paid for it.  While cleaning out the freezer I stumbled across the last of some frozen yogurt I'd bought last week when I'd been craving it and meijer was out of coconut milk ice cream.  It was only about half a cup, and in my defense I have no a/c so the apt was about 90.  Then I did todays WOD, a light high rep:

3 rounds of:

30 wall balls w/ 14lbs
30 low hang snatches w/ 45 lbs

I can't remember my time, 20 something, but it was awful.  My intestines felt like they were trying to escape my stomach via my bellybutton! Ick, but ya know what, I like it when I cheat and feel like shit because it reminds me of why I don't cheat.

Then dinner consisted of a piece of paleo lasagna followed by a small apple just now for desert.  Oh, and of course I've been snacking on little bits of things here and there while cooking.  Sigh, well I suppose if I ever want to finish I should probably get started cooking/cleaning again...

Pineapple Guacamole and the day's recap

Pineapple Guacamole
2 Large avocados or 3 small ones
1 regular size (16oz?) can crushed pineapple in its own juice
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp cinamon (or a little more if you love cinnamon)
juice from half a lime

Cut your avocado in half and use a spoon to pop out the pit.  **Helpful hint, a ripe avocado should give a little when you press on it but not be mushy.  Press your finger to your forehead (don't you feel silly), this is about how it should feel if it's ripe but not overripe.**  Now use the spoon to scoop your avocado away from the rind (this should be fairly easy).  Once all your avocados are pitted in a bowl use a potato masher to mash them up.  Drain your can of pineapple and add it, the juice from your lime, and your spices to the bowl.  Mix well and put on everything!

So the day is over and I did well today! I always feel so much better about myself when I don't overeat, it makes me wonder why I overeat in the first place!  But I digress... food is just so tempting sometimes!

Breakfast at 130ish (I worked last night): 2 eggs with my amazing pineapple guacamole and pico

Then awesome WOD today by my friend Laykyn who has lost 170lbs!!! Wowzas, go girl!
Lunch 530: Tropical Smoothies Health Nut with whey protein and no sugar.

Dinner 800: Cooked cocktail shrimp with pico and diced strawberries topped with a little more pineapple guacamole.

Snack at the movies: beef jerky I snuck in

I didn't eat often enough today by any means but I didn't eat bad so I was pleased.

Ken (that's the boyfriend) and I went to see Men in Black 3 tonight with some friends from the gym.  It was much fun.  I love to laugh, and it was the kind of laughter that makes you throw your head back and comes all the way from the pit of your stomach.  Good times.

Now dishes to top off the night and I promise to post some pictures and recipes that I make tomorrow.  Yes, I said dishes (I'm a night shifter and the night is young)!

Getting Started

I created this blog to basically serve as an online food journal/venting outlet.... therefore, if I already lost you feel free to graze on to another blog.  Well, to begin in the generally accepted fashion, let me tell you a little about myself (or at least the pertinent things):

1. I love food.  I eat paleo and my main issue is I love to eat way too much for my 5'5" frame.  This leads into why I created this blog: to keep myself accountable.  I figured journaling is great but an online journal is one I can take anywhere and with the possibility of others witnessing my gluttony maybe I'll actually stick to it.

2. I eat paleo and I love cooking. (Duh, paleo spoon).  I'm pretty good at it too, which leads back to my issues with #1 but the good news is I'm starting to get paid for what I do- paid to cook= fun!

3. I do Crossfit out of a local gym started with some friends about 2 years ago.  I've seen it grow from the ground up and I love what we do there.  Crossfit is a killer workout and keeps me in shape (even when I eat 1/2 a jar of almond butter in one sitting...booo).

4. I'm a nurse.  I just graduated with my BSN in December and have been working in the medical ICU at a local hospital where I live.  Yesterday was my first night off orientation, and I survived- yay!

So, I promise not to just food journal but also to throw in some of my own pictures/recipes as well as direct you to some awesome paleo sites from some of my favs.  Also, you get to hear all my humiliating stories about when I biff this big time and end up eating far too much! If nothing else this blog may be a confidence booster for you!

So to start this off, if you don't know what this "Paleo" jazz is all about check it out here: http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/
I do a lot of education and presentations at the gym on Paleo but Robb Wolf knows his stuff.  You can also just google Paleo and find a ton of info... come on, come join the cool kids, get on the bandwagon and try something good for you! Alright now that this is out of the way, more slightly more interesting posts to come later.