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!