Enjoying the Outdoors and Post-picnic Dining

We have been totally enjoying spring lately.  There is just something about sunshine and warm weather that make me so stinking happy.  Warm sunny days always make me want to be one of those picnic-type people.

I mean who doesn’t love a picnic *in theory*? It is a lovely idea–eating outside on a blanket with a basket full of food wrapped carefully in wax paper–amazing.  In reality, for me picnics mean ants, bees, and allergies.  Bugs in general have a natural affinity for me–they love to bite me, chase me, or sting me.  Consequently, having food with me is not a move in my favor.  Chase and I have started to perfect the pre-meal picnic.  We enjoy the outdoors with a little (heavily packaged and unaromatic) snack and when it comes time to eat a real meal we retreat to the bug-free indoors.

Recently, I took some almonds to our pre-meal picnic while Chase’s snack of choice was the amazingness that is mini Cadberry chocolate eggs–we have a post-Easter stockpile of these beauties.

Few meals are more ideal for post-picnic appetites than spice-rubbed hamburgers.  I am currently obsessed.  While Chase still likes to eat his burger on a bun, I like a solid paleo burger–bun-free with avocado and sauteed onions on top.

Here is the current blend of spices I have been LOVING:

Spice Rub Recipe:

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp cayanne pepper

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

1) I place all spices in a small tupperware container and shake until combined

2) I usually buy 1 lb of lean ground beef which make 4 burgers and I add diced onions to 2 burgers (and leave Chase’s onion-free)

3) I place all 4 burgers on a grill pan at medium heat and sprinkle the rub on both sides

4) Cover the burgers with foil and cook 4-6 minutes on each side

What is your favorite BBQ food item?

Confessions and a Recipe

Confession #1: Whenever I have a cold or sinus infection, I still buy children’s grape Sudfed because it tastes so dang delicious.  It makes being sick much less awful.

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Confession #2: When I grow up I want to own a Bed & Breakfast.

Confession #3: I still watch “Full House” and “Sister Sister” whenever they are on TV.

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and

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Confession #4:  I am terrified of going to the dentist because he is going to be sad at me for brushing my teeth too hard (and making my gums recede). I keep procrastinating making an appointment.

Confession #5: Sometimes I go to Lowe’s just to walk down the lumber aisle and smell that amazing lumber aroma.

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Confession #6: I have a serious sweet tooth.  I am one of those girls that needs desserts.  I am actually a born and bred cake addict, but since gluten and I just do not get along, I have had to figure out more creative ways to get a dessert fix.

Confession #7: I am too lazy and too frugal to search for and buy alternative gluten-free “flours.” I would just prefer to eat buttercream frosting sans cake and crust-less pie = pudding! My new favorite paleo-friendly dessert is  pumpkin pie pudding.

Paleo Pumpkin Pudding

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin

1 cup coconut milk

1 tbsp molasses

1 tsp vanilla

2 extra large (or 3 large eggs)

½ cup brown sugar

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

¼ tsp cloves

¼ tsp nutmeg

1)      Whisk all ingredients together

2)      Pour/Strain through a sieve,  sifter or food mill

3)      Bake in a water bath at 350 degrees for 40 minutes

4) Chill until ready to eat!

Do you have any confessions?

4 Ingredient Recipes I am loving Right Now

For the first few months of going Paleo, I was having a tough time figuring out what to eat to fuel my runs.  Before going Paleo, I was running between 70-80 miles/week.  I fueled my runs with a carb-tastic diet–tons and tons of bread.  Between going Paleo and getting 900 jobs, my weekly miles have been reduced to around 50.  However, I had been totally struggling to keep this up–fueling with eggs, chicken, and kale was just not cutting it.

Enter, the JOY of sweet potatoes!

Lately, I have been LOVING eating mashed sweet potatoes as my pre-run fuel–perfection!

I like to peel, slice, and boil the potatoes for 20 minutes.

I then like to add some coconut milk for a bit of fat:

I then like to add some cinnamon:

And, a bit of brown sugar may have also been added–hey, those muscles need some glucose, too!

In addition to sweet potatoes, I have also been enjoying some amazingly gluten-free peanut butter cookies, on occasion.

I have been playing with different recipes and I have found my favorite. These beauties taste like peanut butter shortbread cookies–glorious!

Here are the 4 ingredients:

The Most Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies in the Whole Wide World

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1 tsp soda

1) Blend the sugar and peanut butter on medium speed for 2 minutes

2) Add egg and soda and blend 2 additional minutes

3)Form the dough into balls and roll in sugar and press down with a fork

4) Bake at 350 on greased cookie sheets for 10 minutes

5) Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a couple minutes and then enjoy every single morsel

What is your most favorite type of cookie?

Pink.

Sorry for not posting in a couple of days. I have been distracted by work, life stuff, and the color pink.

Not this type of pink:

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But this type of pink:

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Oh. My. Gosh. Pink Eye is spectacularly not fun. Especially when you are not in second-grade. And even moreso when you are a contact-wearer that cannot function in glasses.

Just as I thought it was clearing up, I woke up at 4am to see that my OTHER eye is now pink. I guess Mr. Left Eye was feeling left out of the pink party.

And, to add insult to injury, the battery of my car died. Then, after I had these nice USAA auto men jump it, I promptly locked my keys in my RUNNING car.

Guys, this has most definitely not been my week. 🙂

However, me venting over my litany of mini catastrophes accomplishes positively nothing, so we shall promptly switch the focus, okay?

Today I have a wonderfully simple, easy, CHEAP, and healthy recipe for y’all. I made it earlier this week, had some for dinner and then and promptly divided  the rest  into tupperware containers for quick lunches.

Chicken & Broccoli Saute

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenders ($4.50)

2-3 Broccoli crowns of broccoli (chopped) ($1.50)

1 onion (chopped) ($. 50)

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp pepper (divided)

1) Coat a saute pan with  1 tbsp oil and saute onion for 2-3 minutes.

2) Add chicken and 1/2 tsp pepper, and a couple dashes of salt

3) Saute chicken and onions 5-8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked

4) While the chicken is cooking; steam broccoli in a pot for 5 minutes (almost like a blanche). You want it to be BRIGHT green, and still a bit crunchy

5) Drain water off broccoli and then drizzle it with 1 tbsp olive oil and add it to the chicken and onion mixture

6) At this point, I HIGHLY recommend adding a couple sprinkles of this magic ingredient:

It adds a wonderful kick!

7) Saute the broccoli with the chicken mixture for 5-10 minutes and then plate and serve!

After dinner, go right ahead and put the leftovers in individual tupperware to take to work the next day–you will NOT regret the decision.

True Fact: I like to eat this cold! I just love eating leftovers cold…I have no idea why!

This meal cooks 4 servings, which ends up being $1.62 per person. Add  a couple sweet potatoes and you still are eating a meal that is well under $3. You cannot even eat at McDonald’s for that price!  Plus, total cooking time is less than 30 minutes. Holla.

In other, completely unrelated news, has anyone watched this TV Show:

Well, after hearing all kinds of buzz about it, I put it on our Netflix Queque. I watched the first five episodes the last few nights and I just cannot get into it. I actually found it VERY frustrating because the main character (played by Laura Linney) receives a terminal Stage IV cancer diagnosis and DOES NOT TELL ANYONE in her family. The show is a dramedy, so it has this odd blend of sheer tragedy amidst comical situations.  It is strange because I feel both pathos for Laura Linney and frustration at her because she isn’t being honest and almost being flippant about the severity of the situation. Am I allowed to be angry at a person (imaginary as they may be) who is dying of cancer?!

Ok, so here is my question for you, dear readers:

Have you seen the show?  How do you feel about movies and TV shows making cancer and other diseases comical? Is it a refreshing and honest new perspective, or problematically insensitive?

I feel very ambivalent about the concept. A part of me feels very bothered by the way in which we, as a society, feel entitled to and entertained by these very private and personal struggles.   If, by being a voyeur to these experiences helps people better understand and gain a larger degree of imaginative empathy, I think it is worth it. However, if it leads to people creating rigid stereotypes and paradigms regarding the experiences of illness and disease, I think it can lead to more harm than good.

Paleo Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

This is a picture of Chase and Nan. Nan’s parent immigrated to America from Italy. She grew up speaking Italian, and more importantly COOKING Italian.

On a monthly basis, Chase can be heard wistfully recalling Nan’s cooking. He loves everything she cooks, especially her spaghetti with meatballs the size of softballs.

I realize that trying to duplicate Nan’s Spaghetti with Meatballs is a lost cause. There is no way I can replicate the magical nature of her cooking technique, nor the grandmotherly love she puts into each one of those meatballs.

With that being said, I am not above trying to make a killer meat sauce and yesterday I decided to do just that.

I cooked and shredded two small spaghetti squashes to provide Paleo “noodles” for me.  For Chase, a complete squash hater, I cooked up some Italian pasta.

For the sauce, I browned the beef and then allowed the sauce to simmer in the slow-cooker all day. For me, Sunday’s are the quintessential crockpot day. I love having the aroma of dinner wafting through the air all day. However, you can easily just simmer this on the stove.

This is literally SUCH an easy recipe. It took about 15 minutes to assemble.

Sally Anne’s Not Nan’s (but still Yummy) Meat Sauce

1 1/2 lb. ground beef (ground turkey or tofu could be easily substituted)

1 small onion (chopped)

4 cloves garlic (minced)

2 cans (28oz) Crushed tomatoes

1 (14 oz) can Tomato paste

1 can Tomato paste

2 tsp. Oregano

2 tsp. Basil (I used 2 tbsp. fresh basil from our plant)

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp Italian seasonings

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Dash of sugar (cuts the acidity of the tomatoes)

1 Beef Boullion cube

1) Place beef, onion, and garlic in a saucepan coated with olive oil and cook 5-10 minutes until browned

2) While the beef is cooking pour all other ingredients in slow-cooker or stock pot.

3) Pour beef, onion, and garlic into tomato/spice mixture

4) Cook on low 4 hours in crockpot or simmer 1 hour on stove

5) Enjoy over spaghetti squash or noodles!

Chase LOVED this meal. He could not stop saying, “YUM!”

That is success in my book!

Do you like Italian food? What is your favorite Italian dish?

The Best Chili/Vegetable Stew/Amazingness in a Bowl EVER.

Ok, so I realize that the title may seem a bit much, but I am not lying. This stuff is insane. It is Paleo, but even if you aren’t Paleo you will love it (My husband sure did!).

My goal when I am making supper (do you call it supper or dinner?) is to include as many veggies as possible. I feel like soup is a guaranteed way to make this dream a reality. A serving of veggies is usually 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked. Consequently, in a big bowl of soup, it is possible to be eating 4 entire serving of veggies (btw: I believe in GIANT bowls of soup.)

With the dawn of October, I have had one thing on my mind: Chili. Now, I realize I posted a Paleo Pumpkin Chili recipe  about a month ago, and while it was good, it was not perfect. Consequently, I decided that this weekend was time to reach perfection: Game. Set. Match.

The reason why I call this Chili/Stew/Amazingness in a Bowl is because it does not firmly belong in any one category. In my humble opinion, it gleans from the best of all genres.

This is a slow-cooker recipe, but it can easily be done in over the oven. However, if you do not have a crockpot, you really must go to Target and pick on up. They are $20. Seriously, it will be the best purchase of your life.

Sally Anne’s Amazingness in a Bowl

1 lb lean ground beef (you could easily substitute turkey or tofu)

1 medium onion (Chopped)

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 sweet potatoes (peeled and diced)

2 cups cabbage (chopped)

1 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

2 diced zucchini/summer squash

Crushed Tomatoes (28 oz)

Diced tomatoes with green chilis (12 oz)

2 beef bouillon cubes

2 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

2 cups tomato juice

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1) Saute onion, garlic, and ground beef in 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat until meat is brown

2) Dice veggies and place in crockpot (I dice veggies in advance) also the celery and zucchini is not pictured

3) Dump all tomato ingredients in the crockpot

4) And then proceed to put your entire spice cabinet into the crockpot

5) Cook on low 6-8 hours

6) Enjoy!

I served my bowl of Amazingness with diced avocado….So. Stinking. Good. Chase liked his with a cap full of Apple Cider Vinegar

Seriously, you need to make this! I have been looking forward to dinner since waking up this morning!

What is your favorite soup or stew?

Paleo Pumpkin Chili

The past week I have been scouring cookbooks and websites for Chili recipes. We take chili VERY seriously in my house. My Mumsie makes the best chili ever. The prospect of making a chili without beans or corn was a bit daunting.

I decided to glean from a myriad of recipes, adding things I liked and subtracting ingredients that either sounded intolerable or were not “paleo friendly.” In the end I was very satisfied with the outcome.

This is a very tomato-ey (yes, I completely made up this word). I, however, LOVE tomatoes, so this was a win. Plus, this recipe was easily made in the crockpot–double win!

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (you could easily sub in bison/turkey/chicken/soy crumbles)
1 large onion (diced)
2 tbsp. coconut oil
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes (use only 1 if you prefer less tomato-ey taste)
1 (4 oz) can tomato juice
1 can tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp. sugar/honey/agave (optional, but it helps cut the acidity)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (if you do not like spicy, omit this)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (again, if you do not like spicy, omit this)
1 zucchini (diced finely)
1 sweet potato (peeled, and diced)
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

1) Saute minced garlic in 1 tbsp. coconut oil and add ground beef. Cook over medium heat, until browned; saute onions, if desired (you can simply add raw onion to crockpot)

2) Add wet ingredients to crockpot

3) Stir in spices

4) Cook for 3 hours on low and then add sweet potato, zucchini, and pumpkin.

(I liked the sweet potato and zucchini to be a bit firm in my chili, if you want them soft, add them at the beginning). The pumpkin can be added at any time.

5) Cook for 2 more hours on low

6) ENJOY!

Chase is a chili connoisseur and he loved this, so that is definitely a promising endorsement.

Do you like chili? Are you a fan of chili con carne, Chili with beans, or Cincinnati chili (sweet chili over spaghetti)?