Parsnip Crisps!

Two days in a row... I know, I know.  I just couldn't pass up this moment to share the birth of my new Scoby with you.  As I told you yesterday... my second batch of Kombucha was a total FAIL!

So, first I ordered a new little critter from KombuchaKamp.com, and while I await it's arrival, I decided to try to start my own.  So for those of you who don't know what a Scoby is... Scoby stands for Symbiotic
Culture Of Bacteria &Yeast!  Good Bacteria of course... the kind necessary for maintaining a healthy environment in your tummy tum tum!  It has a detoxifying effect and boosts immunity! It also tastes amazing!  

I read that you can use an already made up Kombucha to grow a new Scoby!  So I sacrificed one in my fridge for the experiment.  Hopefully it will bring me many more batches to come! Here's the birth of my baby booch!  1 Day old!  Ahhh... look, it already has growth!  Yummy!  

I really wasn't going to blog about last nights dinner today... because we just had hamburgers with guacamole and bacon.  Not anything out of the ordinary... however.  I saw an instagram picture posted by the Urban Poser the other day, where they had made some parsnip fries!  On the way home yesterday, I decided to stop and grab a few to give it a try.  When I got home, I stared at the parsnips.   I just didn't feel the mojo with them... we weren't jiving!  I wanted to make them... but not into fries.  So I pulled out my handy dandy Zyliss Julienne Peeler, (which you can find in kitchen gadgets under my favorite things tab), and made shoe strings out of the parsnips.  

Dropped those bad boys into hot coconut oil and made toppings for our burgers. Make sure to sprinkle some sea salt on them as they come out of the oil!  Yum Yum!  Added a nice crunch to the burgers, and snuck in an extra veggie for our meal!  

Oooh La La Orange Chicken!

Well, it's been a bit since my last post.  I wish I could blog everyday peeps, but I have this thing called a
J-O-B, that just happens to suck the life out of me at times.  Unfortunately, it pays for all the food that I blog about and put in my family's bellies!  We also purchased a new home and took a mini vacation.  This...

I love her!  Ain't she a beaut?  We had a good time using her, and I hope we make time to use her more.

Since we chatted last... I started a new venture... making home brewed Kombucha!  First batch, I crashed and burned.  Second batch, grew mold.  I read this doesn't happen often... of course it would happen to moi!  So... I am doing two things!  Ordering a new scoby, and going to try to grow my own.  A scoby is a very interesting thing... so I will take pictures, explain about them and introduce you to them in my posts to come.

A few nights ago while trying to go through some old recipes... I realized that I hadn't made orange chicken in a while.  I have never honestly been a huge fan of traditional orange chicken, but this one really fills the void of Chinese food for me.  Hit's the spot.  The last few times I made it, I couldn't get the chicken crispy enough... so I tweaked the recipe.  Let me know what you think...

Oooh La La Orange Chicken

1 lb Chicken Breasts

1/4 cup Arrow Root Powder

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 cup Unsweetened Orange Juice

4 Tbsp Coco Aminos

Zest from 1 Orange

2 Tbsp Agave Nectar

2 Cloves of Garlic (Chopped)

1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Chives

Toasted Sesame Seeds

Salt and Pepper

Cut chicken into cubes, toss with Salt, Pepper and Arrow Root Powder.  Heat Olive oil in a pan and brown chicken on all sides.   While chicken is browning, combine Orange Juice, Coco Aminos, Orange Zest, Agave, Garlic and Pepper flakes in a bowl and mix well.  Once chicken is cooked, add sauce mixture and cook until sauce thickens and chicken is crispy.  Serve with chives and sesame seeds on top.  This is really yummy sitting on Cauliflower Rice.  

Pork... It should be what's for dinner!

Pork is a funny subject for me.  For the longest time I thought that Pork was giving me stomach woes.  I swore it was.  After we would make up a batch of Carnitas, I would be hunched over in pain for days.  Did I have a problem digesting pork?  Well, one day, looking at a gluten free recipe I found somewhere, it said to make sure the chipotle peppers were a certain brand, because some contained gluten.  My eyes almost popped out of my head.  (This was shortly after my diagnosis, so we weren't as savvy at label reading as we are now).  Here is what the label said:

Ingredients
Chipotle Peppers, Water Tomato Puree, Vegetable Oil (Corn or Safflower), Wheat Flour, Salt, Vinegar, Starch, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Caramel Color and Spices.


First, I was angry.  Why was the food industry trying to kill me I wondered.  After I calmed down... a light bulb went off!  

I CAN EAT PORK AFTER ALL!!!

Speaking of pork... I am so excited that yesterday my copy of Beyond Bacon arrived in the mail.   I have been patiently awaiting this book for months.  I will do a full review after I read it cover to cover!  

On that note and in honor of the almighty oinker... here is a recipe with one of my favorite pork products... Prosciutto!!!  The chicken turned out to be the side dish that night... these peaches rocked!

Prosciutto Wrapped Peaches

1 package of Prosciutto

2 Large Peaches

1Tbsp Olive Oil

Balsamic Reduction

Pit peaches and cut into spears.  I cut each piece of Prosciutto in half since they were kind of large and wrapped each half around a peach spear.  In a hot skillet add oil and cook wrapped peaches until Prosciutto is browned and peaches are soft.  I tossed some spinach in a bowl with some olive oil to give the peaches a place to rest, and add some greens to the plate.  If you didn't catch the Roman Summer Salad Recipe... the way we make a balsamic reduction is simply by cooking some balsamic vinegar down until it gets a thick consistency.  (We make this up in large batches and keep in a bottle for times when we might need it.) Drizzle your peaches and spinach with the balsamic and bam!  Instant Yummo!  The chicken was pretty easy as well, and even though it's not being featured here, I think I should tell you how to make it.  I took 2 avocados, a handful of basil, garlic, salt and chopped in the food processor.  While this is chopping slowly drizzle some olive oil in until it becomes a slightly thick liquid.  In a bowl, put some chicken thighs and this mixture in... mix well, and let sit for a few hours in the fridge.  When ready, place chicken in a Pyrex pan, and cook on 375 until browned and bubbly.     

Happy 4th!!!

Well, the 4th of July has now come and gone.  It was a whopping 108 degrees in Northern Cali yesterday!  Yummy!  NOT!!!  We stayed in the house until it got dark, set off fireworks with the Fam and off to bed.  The hubs had to work today!  

Today is going to be my productive day, so this will be a quick post!  The weather is changing and it's going to be in the 90's today!  After a week of triple digits... that is a welcome surprise.  However, my doors will be shut, air turned up and I am going to do some much needed cleaning today.  I just love four day weekends!  It gives me time to catch up on things that I have to do, and things that I want to do.  Love it!  

Recently, my oldest and dearest friend (If she's reading this she is going to say that I am older... by a month, because she always does)... but by oldest I only mean that she has been the craziest person to stay by my side since we were 14 years old.  We will be 42 this year... enough said.  Anyhoo...we were reliving old stories of our past, and we have this wonderful, yet disturbing memory of making a heaping bowl of spinach dip, grabbing a loaf of sourdough bread and devouring it in one setting.  All those years of having Celiac disease and not knowing it... devouring loaves of bread... no wonder my gut is so F-ed up!  

During my Pinterest time yesterday... and yes, I schedule time in for Pinterest now, sad but true (Everyone should)... I stumbled across a recipe for Spinach Dip, Paleo Style of course!  I found it here, "Virginia is for Hunter Gathererers"... I felt as if the pearly gates of heaven opened up and the choir was singing!  I wanted to grab my friend, make a bowl and relive old times, minus the bread of course.  But she is in Oklahoma... so we had to share in spirit.  Between you and I... I probably ate enough for the both of us.  

First thought... what the heck am I going to dip in this delicious find that the good Lord sent my way today.  Well, the night before the 4th...I told the hubs that I planned on not leaving the house at all on the 4th, and to his surprise, I bounce downstairs yesterday morning with a shopping list.  This dip was going to happen... oh yes it was!  So back to what to dip in it?  Why, sweet potato chips.  Yes, let's make sweet potato chips.  Now, sweet potato chips are my nemesis.  No matter how I try... I can't seem to get the perfect sweet potato chip, but I attempted once again... and I must say, I am getting better.

So here's what I did... and make sure you check out the blog post above where I found this recipe.  They have much better pictures of the process.  I was to interested in just getting it done... so you get what you get!  Hope everyone had a good holiday!  

Spinach Dip and Sweet Potato Chips

3 oz Packed Spinach

1 Can Artichoke Hearts

3 Cloves of Garlic

1/2 White Onion

1/2 Can Coconut Milk

5 Slices of Uncured Nitrate Free Bacon

Bring some water to a boil and blanch your spinach for a few seconds.  Place in colander and let drain.  Drain artichokes in colander as well.  I did mine with the spinach.  While these are draining, begin cooking chopped bacon, use food processor to chop onion and garlic, add onion and garlic mixture to bacon and let mixture soften up.  Place spinach and artichokes in food processor and chop to desired consistency.   Add spinach/artichoke mixture to bacon mixture in pan and cook for a few minutes for flavors to meld.  Place mixture in a dish and allow to cool.  I put mine in a Pyrex and placed in the fridge for an hour or so.  Take mixture out, once cooled, add coconut milk and mix well.  Place back in fridge to cool, about another hour.  Make chips while this is taking place and get ready for yumminess!  

Chips

2 Sweet Potatoes

Coconut Oil or Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Peel potatoes.  Using a mandolin, thinly slice potatoes and set aside.  Heat oven to 375.  On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper... place potatoes in a single layer.  Spray with oil and sprinkle with salt.  Cook for 6 min, take out, turn chips, spray with oil and sprinkle with salt on other side and cook an additional 6 minutes.  Take chips out and let cool on a separate piece of parchment until they crisp up!  One batch I did required an additional 6 minutes.  Watch you chips and use your judgement.  Once the edges get brown .. the little suckers can brown up quickly.  Yes, I had a few black chips on my first batch.  

Learning to love Liver!!!

Ok... so I have been reading a lot about the importance of organ meats for people who suffer from autoimmune disease.  Recently I posted about making bone broth and drinking that... but I wasn't so good about it honestly.  That same day I made a chicken liver mousse but couldn't get myself to eat it!  Bleck!  I am still struggling with trying to get myself back to good since I let my crazy life get a head of me...but I am still having other inflammation issues.  Particularly, my skin.

Back in the days of yore...(Ok, it was the year 2000, but it seems like forever ago), I found this facial cream that became a staple of mine from that point on.  You see, my skin is the driest skin ever!  And I do mean ever!  I use to get eczema patches on my face and body and was using cortisone cream on them for the longest time.  Looking back now, that's probably a big part of my adrenal problem today!  This wonder cream that I found, claimed to be natural, and honestly the ingredients were very minimal.  I even started my daughter using it years ago on her dry skin.  It was a miracle... and we were never without it.  However, around Easter time this year, I bought a new bottle, and within a week my skin and my daughters were on fire.  Blisters, burning, itching!  We were a mess.  I contacted the company and what do you know... they had a supplier change for one of their ingredients.  Well, the company had sent me some samples of things they were working on, but I never heard back from them again.  The product has been pulled off their web site and shelves of stores that were carrying it.  Hmmm... very interesting.  Long story short... my mom had an old container of it under her sink... so that kept my daughter and I good for a while.  All of our big events are over, so I decided to go off the sauce so to say.  I am now calling it "The Sauce", because I think it had to have some addictive steroidal properties of some kind.  It has honestly caused my whole body to flare up!  My face is dry, crackly, and I feel like a pile of you know what!  I still can't get over the fact that I read every label, of every product I come in contact to, and yet, I didn't really research this product.  It was working that's all I knew!  Stupid me!  Onward and upward.  Heal from within... EAT LIVER!

Chicken liver just wasn't for me, so I decided to give beef liver a shot!  I called around town to track down some organic, grass fed liver... and we found it!  Next step... scour the internet getting ideas on how to cook these suckers!

I found a recipe for a beef liver pate' with bacon!  Everything is good with Bacon!  This would be the winning recipe to try!!!  I found my inspiration from Mickey over at Autoimmune Paleo... she has a great blog.

Beef Liver Pate'

1 lb Organic Grass Fed Beef Liver

1 Onion

2 Cloves Garlic
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Thyme
1/4 Tsp Salt

6 Pieces Uncured No Nitrate Bacon

Cook Bacon, chop and set aside.  Soften onions and garlic in Bacon grease.  Add Liver, herbs and cook until no longer pink.  Put Liver mixture, salt, and half of the chopped bacon in food processor and mix well.  Drizzle coconut oil, while mixture is mixing.  At this point it was still a bit thick for me... so we added water until it reached the desired consistency.  Place in bowl and add remaining bacon and mix... (I wanted some chunky bacon in it... help me to forget it's liver)

It has been a treat!  I actually love it!  Been eating it everyday!  I have to admit, I still have to try to keep my mind off of the fact that it's liver.  Oh, and be careful while making... we had a little mis-hap and my IPad suffered the consequences.  Looks like the IPad made a little poo!  

Roman Summer Salad!!!

Ok... so summer is officially here!  Yuck!  Double Yuck!  Today will be a whopping 104 in sunny California and it's only going to get hotter as the week goes by!  Gag!  To top it off... our air conditioner decided to take a poop last night, leaving us with a super hot house... go figure right?  Which leads me to this recipe I am going to share today.  One of our favorite meals is to throw some chicken on the BBQ, and make this salad.  No heating up the kitchen!  Yay, that's always good!  It's quite tasty as well.

Roman Summer Salad

2 Heirloom Tomato's (We've used regular ones too)

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/2 cup sliced green olives

1 Chopped Garlic Clove

3 Chopped Anchovies

2 Tbsp Capers

8 Julienned Basil Leaves

Black Pepper

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Place some balsamic vinegar in a saucepan and simmer to reduce to a syrup and set aside.  Just an FYI... we make up a big batch and store it in a container so we don't have to do this step each time we need it.  It's just a basic Balsamic reduction.  Slice Tomato's and set aside.  Mix Olives, Garlic, Anchovies, Capers, Basil, Black Pepper and Olive oil in a bowl.  Top sliced Tom's with mixture and drizzle balsamic reduction on top!  Yummmmy!  

Have a great weekend all!  Stay Cool!  

A Whole Month!!!

I was getting real good about doing regular posts!  I was almost impressed with myself!  However, life took a sad turn this last month, and left me not in the best of spirits.  So I unplugged for a month.

After an 8 month battle of recovering from a stroke and living with the final stages of Kidney disease, my Grandmother passed away.  She finally rests in peace!  Even when you are prepared for loss, when the loss actually happens it still knocks you down a few notches and takes your breath away.  We all go through it, and we all have to go on.  It really did put me in kind of a funk though.  I wasn't myself for a while... a tad bit temperamental and not my joke making self.  Life is getting back to normal now... crazy as ever!

I'm not sure if you all know about our crazy pet situation, but I must fill you in so you understand the humor in the story I am going to tell you.  When I met the hubs... I had a chihuahua.  

She is now 12 years old, suffers from seizures and is on barbiturates daily!  Hubs had just lost a dog a few weeks before we met and was feeling lonely.  So 3 days before he met me... he decided to rescue a Brittany from a shelter.  Little did he know that in three days he wouldn't be so lonely... two more kids, a wife and a chihuahua with seizures entered his world!  Now, this Brittany he got?  Our little Bo dog suffers from separation anxiety.  If he is left by himself without being put in a kennel, we will come home to a destroyed house... and believe me... we have.  Broken wooden blinds, couch turned over, food off the counters in the kitchen... GONE!  I'm telling you he has a split personality.  He's suffered from a neurological disorder, drop jaw, which is not common at all, but of course for our animals... yes that's normal.   He's a little wacky doodle now, and is on anxiety medication.  Oh and did I mention he has a heart murmur!  Oh yes he does.
 

In 2009 my parents found a newborn kitten in their flower bed.  This kitten didn't even have her eyes open.  Of course, we weren't going to let her die.  We bottle fed her and switched off shifts with my parents.  I even taught her how to poop by wiping warm water on her behind.  Not one of my better days!  She was cute, and I said she could stay until we found her a good home!  She's still here and the light of my life.  I thought I would never love a cat... but I do!  She's  a handful!  Spoiled Rotten!  We named her Beazor!  Later, I found out that a Beazie is a bitch!  How fitting!

(Notice she has her own portraits behind her house)

Anyway... after Grandma passed away a few weeks ago... they couldn't find a  home for her 10 year old cat.  Now... this wasn't just any cat, this was also my great grandmother's cat and she left it to Grams.  Now... the cat has come to live with us.  Her name is Samantha!  Yes, you heard me right... with us.  Beazie is not to happy!  

It's been an adjustment.  Two weeks later and Beazie has finally quit stalking her!  We are making progress.  

Sorry no recipes or anything fun... just a quick update on where I have been.  Recipes coming soon!  Promise!  

Memorial Day Weekend!

Memorial day weekend was a great weekend for us.  We didn't go much of anywhere, and I unplugged for most of it.  No Facebook, no Twitter.  It was pretty lovely.  

I had my first attempt at making Bone Broth out of marrow bones!  I have been reading so much about the healing affects on Bone Broth, I had to give it a shot.  Broth from marrow bones is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids!  For those of us suffering from autoimmune disease it can seriously reduce inflammation and help areas of your body that need healing.  I need as much help in that department as I can get.  All I did was get 2 lbs of marrow bones, and threw them in the crock-pot with some garlic, onions, celery, cilantro, salt and pepper. 

Covered ingredients with water and cooked it slow for 10 hours.   Now, it had a huge layer of fat on the top, and Hubs came up with a great idea that worked.  We put it in the fridge overnight to cool, and the layer of fat hardened on top.  We were able to lift that sucker right out the next morning.  We strained it and now I have two Mason Jars full of goodness.  I will be doing bone broth shooters all week.  Yummy!  

For dinner on Memorial Day... We had ribs, watermelon, and Mediterranean Broccoli.  Broccoli is always a go to veggie since everyone in our household likes it.  I am always looking for new ways to prepare it.  Let me know what you think.  I served it warm, but had it cold for lunch today!  I think I like it better that way.  Note to self though... Do not take ribs as leftovers... Ribs are not easy to eat at your desk.  Not very lady like I must say!  

Mediterranean Broccoli

3 Broccoli Crowns

1 package of Grape Tomatoes

1 can sliced black olives

2 cloves of garlic

1 Lemon (Juice and Zest)

4 Tbsp Capers

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Line a baking sheet with foil (makes clean up a breeze) and place cut up broccoli, minced garlic and tomatoes in a layer on pan.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake on 450 until desired crispiness has been achieved.  While these are baking, zest your lemon into a bowl, juice the lemon and add remaining ingredients.  Once your broccoli mixture is done, add to the ingredients in the bowl and toss!  Yum Yum!  

Zucchini Noodles and Avocado Pesto... OH MY!!

It's really hard to believe what happened this week in Oklahoma.  It's sad that such tragedy could happen in such a short amount of time.  I look at the devastation and realize that out here in California it could just as easily happen to us with an earthquake.  I don't think that anyone could ever be prepared for something of that magnitude.  I only pray that they will recover as quickly as possible.

Here in California, the weather has been getting warm and our garden is starting to take off.  I absolutely can't wait to have fresh zucchini whenever I want it.  In anticipation of that event... I cracked out my zucchini noodle maker (its really called a Zyliss Julienne Peeler) but I like zucchini noodle maker better.  That in combination with some Avocado Pesto...  OMG!  I seriously could eat this everyday.  So easy to make, and so refreshing!  We made this as a side to Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs!  You can find recipes for Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs all over the Internet.  Probably because it's just so dang easy to do.  You simply get boneless chicken this, beat out the thighs so you have room to roll some goodness inside, wrap with bacon and bake on 375 until done.  We stuffed ours with peaches and cilantro (wish I could remember where I found that idea to give them credit... but I don't... Sorry!)  I'm thinking some basil and tomato wrapped inside might be a tasty variation to give a whirl too!   Give a try... let me know what you think!

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto

As many Zucchini that your heart desires

1 Avocado

2 Cloves Garlic

8 to 10 Basil Leaves

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Avocado or Olive Oil

Salt 

Crushed Red Pepper

Use your ZNM (Zucchini Noodle Maker, AKA Julienne Peeler) and create your yummy noodles.  Place noodles in colander and add a tablespoon of salt, mix well.  This will sweat out the moisture of your Zucchini.  (Hint... I usually sit my colander on a plate or in a Pyrex because that moisture has to go somewhere right?)  I usually let them sweat for at least 30 minutes.  (Good time to make the Avocado Pesto listed below.)  Rinse noodles well.  Place noodles in a towel, I use a potato sack towel, and ring out the excess moisture.  Place in a bowl and toss lightly to separate.   Top with Pesto and voila!  The pesto is really rich, so only a small dollop does the trick!  

Avocado Pesto

Peel and Pit the avocado.  Place the avocado innards in a food processor along with Basil, Lemon Juice, and Garlic.  Give a few quick pulses to combine.  Turn on processor and Start drizzling oil of choice until it reaches desired consistency.  I like mine thick, but others might like it thinner like a salad dressing.  It's your pesto... make it your own.  At this point, once again... use your taste buds and decide how much salt and Crushed Red Pepper you want to add.  That's it!  Easy as Pie.  Pie?  Why do people say "Easy as Pie" anyway?  I just wrote that and thought... Pie isn't easy to make... geesh!  

Paleo Pablano Peppers!

Happy Monday Everyone!  Does anyone have any ideas on how to make the weekends last longer, because I need to know!!!!

Autoimmune disease sucks by the way!  Have I told you that lately?  Ever since my gluten experience a few weeks ago, I just can't get my body back to good.  I think it did a little more damage than just the tummy woes.  I am having skin troubles, tummy troubles and just not myself.  I couldn't imagine if I wasn't eating Paleo.  I remember those days, all too well.  Misery, and knowledge of every bathroom in town where I would be comfortable dropping a #2! So before I get back to that point... this week will contain no Alcohol, and lots of gut healing food!  Food, is absolutely in my mind, natures best medicine.

Well, the Pepper experiment was a thumbs up!   I think I was more impressed with my Spanish Cauliflower Rice-alike, it turned out to be the shiz-nit.  If you are like my family and not interested in trying yet another cauliflower dish, trying to be rice... just please give this one a try.  I think you will be pleasantly Surprised!  I started the cauliflower rice first, and let it cook while working on the peppers.  It all ended up being done at the perfect time!

Stuffed Paleo Pablano Peppers 

4 Pablano Peppers

1 lb of Ground Bison

2 Links of Aidells Chorizo (Diced)

1 Sweet Onion

1 Heirloom Tomato

Salt

Pepper

Hot Sauce (Tapatillo is what I used)

Heat Oven to 400 degrees.  Slice Onions and saute until they are caramelized  set aside.  In another brown the Bison, Chorizo and Tomato.  Salt and Pepper meat mixture and add hot sauce until desired spiciness has been reached.  Add onions to mixture and mix well.  Wash Peppers, cut of top, clean out seeds and make a slice down the pepper, not all the way to the end... this will give you more room to stuff.  Fill peppers with meat mixture and bake in the oven until pepper gets soft and insides are bubbly.  This took about 25 minutes.

Spanish Cauliflower Rice-Alike

1 Head Of Cauliflower

1 Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes

1/ 2 an Onion Diced

2 Cloves of Garlic Minced

2 Tbsp Cumin

2 Tbsp Chili Powder

1 cup Chicken Stock

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Salt 

Pepper

Clean Cauliflower and use food processor to chop up the cauliflower into a rice like consistency.  In a skillet, soften onion and garlic in the olive oil until translucent.  Add Cauliflower and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add Tomatoes, juice and all, spices and chicken stock to pan.  Let simmer, uncovered, until liquid is no longer present.  

May... Celiac Awareness Month!

With May being celiac awareness month, I thought I would write a quick little post from a Celiac's point of view.  This article popped up the other day... not sure where... maybe Facebook or twitter, and really got me thinking on the subject.  Click here to read! 

Just recently, in my last post, you will remember that I too was glutened at a restaurant.  That's why most of the time we don't even eat out. It's just not worth taking that risk for me.  When we took our trip to Monterey, I doubled up on probiotics and Kambucha, held onto my gut and hoped for the best.  Although I do get angry when this happens and that no one takes my requests seriously... it is my choice to eat out and take that chance.  People are just not educated on this matter, and don't understand the severity, and I don't like to risk my health based on peoples ignorance.  Now my biggest beef with this article was that she was waiting on a transplant and I'm sorry, eat out at that point?  Really?  And pasta to boot?  Even before I went Paleo, I wouldn't have eaten a gluten free noodle in a restaurant if my life depended on it!  You don't know how that pasta is handled, or if it's boiled in water that normal evil pasta is.  Eating in an Italian restaurant is risky anyway... in the picture of Jamie Oliver sitting by his kitchen there is bread and croutons all over behind him.  I'm getting a stomach ache just looking at it!  BLECK!

Well, now that I am jumping off my soapbox... I will plunge into planning weekend activities.  Goal 1... shop for a new bra (the girls need help), Goal 2... conquer a stuffed Paleo Pablano Pepper!  Doesn't' that sound delish?

Paleo-Fried Avocado's!

I still am looking back at our few days away in Monterey in awe! This last week home was our week back to reality and it was shocking to us after a few days of having no cares in the world.  Our daughter turned 21 and we had a big bash out where she could purchase alcohol on her own in front of her parents.  Freaking disturbing is all I have to say about that.  Not only did I watch my daughter get her drink on, but got glutened at the restaurant to boot!  The day after I couldn't even sit at my desk my stomach was cramping so badly.  It's been almost a week now and I am just starting to get regular poops and less pain.  Wheat is the devil !

Over the weekend I spent some down time on Pinterest.  Doesn't everyone just love Pinterest?  It's so very addictive.  I think most Pinterest people are the same way... It's comical!  We spend so much time pinning that we don't have time to do any of our pins!  

Pinning... I found a recipe for fried Avocado!  Ok... so first things first!  Avocado has to be one of the best amazing foods ever!  I honestly never thought about frying one though.  Once I went Paleo, and cut out cheese, avocado became my go to for a creamy anything, however, still never considered frying the darn things!  I took the recipe and Paleo-fied it.  Or should I say Paleo-FRIED it!  (Made my self crack up there).   

Paleo-Fried Avocado's

2 Avocado's

Coconut Flour

Shredded Coconut

1 Egg

Oil For Frying

Cut Avocados in half, clean out innards with a spoon, and slice in desired size of slices.  Coat slices with coconut flour, then in egg, and then a top coat of shredded coconut.  Fry until you reach desired crispiness!  

We happened to stumble upon Avocado Oil in Costco this weekend.  I used it for this recipe, but on a normal day probably would've reverted to my old faithful coconut oil.  I wanted a dipping sauce so badly, that I started scrambling.  I ended up using coconut milk with our blend seasoning, which is similar to Emeril's if you have that, and a little bit of hot sauce.  It was perfect.  Everyone loved these little gems... even Hub's.    

Vacation is Over!!!

I now know what Aerosmith meant by permanent vacation.  That's where I want to be!!!

This last week, me and the hubs packed up and headed for the coast for our wedding anniversary!  We had been anticipating this trip for so long, and it was over in a flash!  We had a room with an ocean view... breakfast brought to our room every morning... lot's of food and wine... needless to say... we ended up staying an extra day.  It was delightful!

My diet sucked!  However, I didn't gain back my 8 pounds, so this is good news.  We did walk
EVERYWHERE... so I think that helped!   I did give in to the diet devil, it was vacation after all!  I ate CHEESE and POTATOES and lots of them.  (I feel guilty so I crossed them out like it really didn't happen) Of course I had to stay gluten free... that's not an option, but the Paleo police would have had me by more short hairs!

We're home and back to the grind...back off the cheat foods but I have been off of my workout and I miss it!  Tomorrow is my daughters 21st birthday and then back to the Fire on Thursday!  Did you hear what I said?  21?  Seriously? Man on man how time flies!  I felt myself age just saying it out loud   I think my boobs dropped a little lower as well.  Oh well... what can you do?

This weekend I have some plans to try a new recipe idea... so you know what the next post will be.  So ta ta for now!

Chili Verde... AGAIN... but better!!!

Last week was just bizarre wasn't it?  The bombings in Boston, the manhunt on Friday   This world is going  nuts I tell ya!  After being glued to the TV and the radio all day Friday  just patiently waiting for them to catch that little shit, I just had to turn the news off for the weekend!  I know all that chaos was raising my cortisol through the roof!

This weekend was a good one.  Got work caught up at the house, planted a garden... stayed on track with my workout and eating plan... all in all!  It was good!

Had a long conversation about the 5 pounds I lost with the Hubs!  He brought up a good argument!  So why do we say we lost 5 pounds, when we should be saying we got rid of 5 pounds!  When you lose something, you usually want to find it!  Something to ponder! 

So I cooked two things this weekend that tickled my fancy...  Saturday nights dinner and Sunday mornings breakfast.  I think I will save the breakfast for another post, because I don't think you can handle all this goodness at once!  I also changed up the Chili Verde from the last time I made it... not because the other wasn't good, but because I didn't decide to cook it until we were at the grocery store and I didn't have my recipe with me so I guessed on what I needed!  Turns out... it was AWESOME!!!  I also really wanted a tortilla, so I remembered seeing a coconut flour tortilla like thingy on my favorite blog PaleOMG.  Check out her blog post here for the recipe! ( RECIPE LINK!)   I made them super thin and they did the trick.

Chili Verde 

"On The Fly"

2 lb Pork Shoulder Roast (Cut into cubes)
1 lb Tomatillos
1 White or Yellow Onion
4 cloves of Garlic
6 Anaheim Peppers
2 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Tbsp Lime juice
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
Cilantro (1 bunch)
Salt
Pepper
Red Chili Flakes

In large pot, brown the pork in the coconut oil and set aside.  (I do mine in batches so each piece of meat gets it's own time in the heat)  Once meat is set aside, saute onions and garlic in the coconut oil and pork drippings until softened.  Salt and Pepper.  Add Pork back to pot and combine.  Add Chicken stock and let simmer covered on the stove.  While this is simmering, peel and wash tomatillos and peppers.  On a hot skillet, roast tomatillos and peppers, turning frequently until they get soft and have some charred looking spots on them.  Combine roasted items along with cilantro and lime juice in a food processor and blend to a liquid consistency   Add mixture to pot, stir in well and add red pepper flakes to taste.  Let this simmer for about 4 to 5 hours.  For the last hour... uncover to allow the sauce to thicken.  Top with Avocado and Cilantro... OLE'

My week on Fire!

5:30 am... crawled out of bed... decided to get on the scale just for kicks!  5 pounds down this week!  5 pounds!  Can you believe it?

So today I thought that I would fill you all in on what I did this last week.  My sister in law gave me a fitbit last year... and I really hadn't used it much.  Off and on, but this last week I used it consistently.  The fitbit is light, small and I actually clip it on my bra and noone ever sees it.

In the past I used a body media fit, but it was always getting in the way and it didn't look very attractive attached to my arm 24/7.  The fitbit is my little hidden secret.  The best thing I love about it... it syncs with myfitnesspal! 

The other change I made... My workout!  One week of TurboFire done!  Boo ya!  

It's tough... but I think it's working!  

Liar, Liar, pants on fire!!!

Well, I rang in the new year with good intentions to keep blogging and working on fixing me.  Of course, I am a liar!  It's April and it's been four months since I wrote that.  I am full of crap.

I am still struggling on getting "me" back.  I saw myself briefly for a point last year when I was working on fixing myself.  Then the holidays came and it was just too easy to get into a rut and get off of a routine.  Then of course there's always an excuse.  My inflammation is still not good!  I am sticking to my supplements but I have been doing too much of things I shouldn't and not enough of the things I should.  Exercising whenever possible, and sticking to my Paleo diet, out of necessity of course, but I've been drinking too much, not sleeping enough and thinking really negative thoughts!  I don't like myself, my thighs, the bags under my eyes.  Waaa Waaa Waaa you say?  Well this is my party and I'll cry if I want to.  So... it's time to do this! AGAIN!

Random I know... but this is my new favorite thing in the world! 

 

Husband thinks I like its because it contains a trace of alcohol due to the fermentation process.  He may be right, but don't tell him that because he always thinks he is.  To be honest... since I have been drinking one of these bad boys a day... I haven't had to take my pro-biotic, and my poops are perfect.  Just sayin!    I love the gingeraid... ginger is the bomb for tummy woes!  Give it a swirl! 

Hello World, I am back!

Happy New Year everyone!  I can't believe it has been since September when I wrote on here last.  The holidays just seem to drain the living life out of me, and I don't become human until about the second week of January... which happens to be now.  Isn't it funny how when we are little kids, we couldn't wait for ole St. Nick to arrive?  It seems that once I turned forty I couldn't wait for him to get his fat ass back to the north pole!  Makes me sad really!  I want to like the holidays... but it has become so much work! 

Since I wrote last, I finished up my treatments with the doctor I was seeing.  The more I saw her, the more I ended up not liking her much.  She helped me... I will give her that!  I lowered my cortisol, conquered the parasite within, and lost 15 lbs.  Ok... 12 now... the holidays through me a bit off track.  Only because I haven't exercised!  I know that for a fact.  We stuck strict to our Paleo diet, and I think that made a world of difference!  I did cheat and have some Brie!  First Dairy I have had since July!  Yikes!  And it was damn good let me tell ya!  I think that 's the only thing I miss... CHEESE!!!!  Anyway... back to this doctor!  On one of my last visits she tried to tell me that I had to continue to see her because that's the only way I would be able to get my supplements, including the pre-biotics and pro-biotics I was taking, which I might add...she claimed she formulated herself!  Wrong!  I'm a business woman for crying out-loud!  I am not stupid!  On the back it had the company that formulates the product and distributes to physicians and vitamin shops!  Needless to say, I found them on the Internet and I don't need her to get them.  Honesty people!  That's all I ask! 

So we rang in the new year quietly and at home.  Of course, we were all just happy that the Mayans weren't right and the world was going to end in December.  People were going crazy I tell ya!  I heard rumors of people selling pet insurance on the Internet.  If you paid these people, they would pair up your family Fido with an atheist, because they were saying only non believers in Christ, and pets would remain on the earth!  Where do people get this stuff?  Really?

We had crab for New Years!  I also made a coconut shrimp cocktail!  So delish!  Of course, I was inspired by one of my favorite sites... Everyday Paleo... But of course, me being me... had to change it up a smidge!

Coconut Shrimp Cocktail

 

 

2 lbs Raw Shrimp

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 Can Coconut Milk

1 Jalapeno (I think next time I'll use 2)

Zatarain's Seasoning

Spices of choice

Chives

 

 

Bring water with Zatarain's in it to a boil.  Add Shrimp and cook until pink.  Drain, rinse and set aside to cool.  (I usually rinse to stop the cooking process.)  While Shrimp is cooling, put coconut milk into a bowl, add diced bell pepper, diced jalapenos, and spices.  I usually use our own blend that we make... it is very similar to Emeril's Essence, so if you have that... add that to taste.  Add Shrimp to mixture, put in cute little bowls, and top with chives.  These need to be refrigerated a few hours prior to chow time!