my paleo kitchen

Roasted Beets and Carrots with Goat Cheese Dressing

2012-01-22T15:37:00.003-05:00

Found this gem in Food & Wine magazine.
The reason you're getting a picture of the magazine is I did not separate everything out and the beets pretty much dyed the whole dish purple and it's not looking so appetizing!
But it was still so tasty!
And I have to say this post goes out to Sarah, my friend who has a love affair with beets just like me!

*I have amended a few things from the original recipe.

1 bunch golden beets with tops
1 bunch red beets with tops
3 T. EVOO
3 large garlic cloves, halved
Salt and Pepper
1 bunch carrots
1 T. sherry vinegar
1 large shallot, minced
1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 425º. Peel the beets and cut them into 1 in wedges. Discard the tough stems and coarsely chop the leaves. Slice the carrots into 1 in pieces.
Coat each vegetable separately (to keep the beets from dying everything) with evoo salt and pepper and lay out on a baking sheet. Add 2 halves of garlic to each section of veggies on the sheet.
Roast for about 40 minutes in the oven.
In a small bowl whisk the vinegar and 1 T. evoo, season with S&P and add in the goat cheese.
In a skillet heat the remaining evoo and saute the shallot and beet leaves until tender, about 6 minutes. Season with S&P.
The recipe says to combine everything together and toss once or twice. I would still say just layer everything and drizzle the dressing on top - or have each person drizzle on their portion.

Enjoy!

This Year

2012-01-17T20:40:00.002-05:00

I've resolved in 2012 to cut my cost of living as much as possible.
So I wanted to show you what I call my Do It Yo' Self Shelf!
I can't really say I did it myself, I should say it was "Dad can you come over and hang a shelf for me?"... But who's keeping track of that!?

I wanted some Pottery Barn shelves that were super expensive (to me) for Christmas and I didn't get them. So after contemplating do I really want to spend money to have particle board shipped to me from China..? I thought NO!
So I went in our shed and found an old piece of molding from the old kitchen before we renovated.
Here is the before and after.
It's not the straightest piece of wood but it is centered over the TV I promise!
Dad threw it up with a few screws and then I was able to set a few things that had basically been sitting on the floor for months!I'm still going to paint it, but it does have quite the rustic charm right now!
Total cost of the project? $0
LOVE THIS!

I'm doing several other things - if anyone is interested...
We've cancelled our cable, re-financed the house, cancelled our cleaning service (this gives me lots of apprehension but I'm determined I can clean this place like those amazing women!)
We're eating in more, using cash for all food purchases, and I really hope to grow some of our own food this year!
And I also recommend this book. I've enjoyed it so far, lots of good cost cutting ideas! And I checked it out from the library - even better!
I also wanted to tell you about the prints up there.
Toomer's Corner after Auburn won the National Championship.A silhouette of Greer that a good friend gave to me for Greer's first birthday. I get teary almost every time I look at it. Sweetest present ever for a new mommy!Print from a thrift store that I just love.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-29T10:58:00.005-05:00

I've been taking some heat from all ~~three~~ of my faithful blog readers for my lack of posting.
So this one is dedicated to Shaina, Allison and Joanie!

It has been a great Christmas this year so I thought I would share just a bit of our days.
We've celebrated with Adam's mom, who was with us for 3 days. We've celebrated with my family on Christmas Day. Adam's dad, step-mom and sister will be here for New Years! It's been full, busy and lots of fun.
On Christmas Eve there was no mistaking that Greer is a girl. (Strangers love to call her a boy)I'm in love with this dress and shoes from Gap. We headed to our Christmas Eve Service at church. Greer did really well most of the time, although she wanted to run around :)The tradition at Smoke Rise Baptist is to hand out an ornament made by church members. This year we received this. It is so beautiful and made me think of each one I received as a child and now my child gets one. I got a little choked up.

We did some "santa" this year.We've been discussing all of that and we're probably going to go the route where she understands that we put the presents out for her... but that's pretty complicated. Just refer to this post for where we're going with that! Jen Hatmaker can explain it much better than me!!

When Greer woke up she went directly for the tri-cycle, which was actually a birthday gift from my aunt and uncle and we hid it away for when she was older. We've now spent the last 4 days pushing her in a circle around the house - it's all she wants.
She also got a new key-chain, some puzzles, books and blocks.
It's been a good Christmas and we look forward to celebrating with the rest of our family this weekend.
I hope you all are enjoying the holidays with your family!

Happy Halloween

2011-11-01T06:08:00.002-04:00

This will be the most "catch up" post of all time. It's been quite awhile since I've posted. I have made several things. I've barely photographed any of my cooking but I will share what I've done!

Last night was Halloween! My spunky little one is not happy with anything on her head, therefore her puppy costume was a no go. But I did manage to get a picture of her picking out our pumpkins. And one with her after they were carved.I made my pumpkin seeds again.

I have taken a few pictures of our CSA Boxes lately. They have been filled with lots of goodies and I've enjoyed trying some new things.Here are some Turnips. With them I made this. Scalloped Turnips. They were delish. I omitted the flour but I use dairy (some paleo people don't) so this was a really cool treat for us. It was SOOOOO good!

I made a spaghetti casserole with gluten free noodles. For a busy week it was a great dish to last us. Again, I'm pushing the boundaries of what most people consider "Paleo" but for us it works.

Another meal we have a lot is grilled steak, sweet potato fries and a salad.

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween!

One year ago

2011-09-15T13:04:00.006-04:00

One year ago today we were blessed with our sweet Greer.
Time has flown by, I can't believe a full year has passed.

If you recall, I had her early in the morning here at home. This is my favorite picture of her. The color is horrible and it's barely in focus, but to me, this is her, lying on my yellow sheets, in the sweet outfit we bought for her. Everything happened so fast I'm just happy to have a few pictures.

I've been filling out a baby book and at the one year mark, it has asked me to write down my thoughts on motherhood.
There are lots of things I've learned.
If I think back to that first day my first thought is how happy I am with my birth experience. It could not have gone better and I will plan to have a birth at home again!

I now know I should have rested more. I never relaxed and let my body heal after Greer's birth. I was working and running around like a crazy person. I'm going to park myself on the couch next time and eat and drink lots and lots of water. I've never been so thirsty in my life!

In addition, I will slow down and enjoy motherhood. I have learned how quickly time passes by and how important every moment is with Greer.

I was surprised how I was not immediately attached to her. In those first few hours and days I let anyone hold her and even took a couple naps in my bedroom while others kept her. Then suddenly my attachment was so strong I never wanted to be away from her. And even now, at 1 year I have a hard time leaving her.

I learned that nursing is a full time job. It's hard to get the hang of in the beginning. I was so tired, so hungry, so thirsty. But I am so glad that I did it. Greer has never been sick other than a runny nose or cough and I fully believe nursing helped in this.

Lack of sleep is THE hardest thing I have ever gone through. Seven months of not getting a full nights sleep was so miserable. That's all I have to say about that. I try to block it out. I do not function well with interrupted sleep and I'm not a good napper.

But overall I would say motherhood is amazing. I was surprised along the way to enjoy it so much. I feel like I am doing the hardest, most important job out there. Being Greer's mom. And I love it.

It's also the busiest job out there so this post is short :)

But here is Greer 1 year later, in just the same spot!
I'm so happy to have her, so happy she's healthy. This morning at breakfast I thanked God for how lucky I am.

Happy Birthday Greer-bo-higgens! We love you!

Meal ideas

2011-08-22T10:31:00.004-04:00

Thanks to my new iPhone, I've taken some quick pics of food over the last few days.
If you need any paleo ideas here's what's being eaten around here!

Breakfast!!
2 Scrambled Eggs
1 Piece of Bacon
3 Slices of Avacado
3 Slices of Tomato
1 Cup Coffee - BlackLunch!!
Caresse Salad with CSA Tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella from Publix, Fresh Basil from my yard. Drizzled with EVOO and Balsamic Vinegar, and some Salt and Pepper.
Some people who follow Paleo do not eat dairy... I do :)
And this is not all I had for lunch, believe me I eat a lot!
Dinner!!
Boston Butt slow cooked in the crock pot all day. yum.
CSA Green Beans, squash, broccoli, and sweet red peppers sauteed in olive oil with Salt, Pepper and Red Pepper Flakes.

My Gallon Challenge

2011-08-09T19:34:00.004-04:00

With that title, some of you might think I might mean drinking a gallon of milk in 1 hour.
Let me assure I do not!

I'll show you where I'm going with this when I say...

I feel like I am always thirsty!!

I've tried counting how many bottles of water I drink or how many cups each day. But I still always feel thirsty.
So I decided to buy a gallon of water and see if I could drink it all in one day.
It surprised me how little of the gallon I was able to finish.
On my first day at 5:30pm the gallon looked like this.
It took me 4 days before I was able to finish the full jug in one day.
A gallon is 128 ounces. So I understand if you do not want to drink that much. It works for me though.
Every day I finish it I actually do not feel thirsty, but the days when I don't, I still do!
So I challenge you to see how much of a gallon you can drink in one day.
Just fill the jug each morning and see where you are before bed.
I feel like it has really helped me stay focused on how much water I'm taking in!

Chicken Salad and Paleo Chocolate Cake

2011-08-01T18:25:00.006-04:00

This past weekend we joined our friends Laura and Gabe for our first 5k since we've both had babies. It was great to get together with them at Red Top Mountain State Park. The 5k was a Trail Run and I loved getting out without a stroller or the dogs and just running through the woods.Laura brought along a birthday surprise for me!Paleo cakes!She is such a sweet friend. I've known her since our sophomore year at Auburn. She even decorated a super cute box.Here is the recipe she followed.

Also this weekend I made Chicken Salad.
I feel like it is a summer must!
I make chicken salad a little bit different each time, depending on what I have on hand.

Here is my basic recipe.
I sprinkle a whole chicken with Salt and Pepper. I put olive oil in the bottom of the pan and pats of butter on top. I roast it at 425º for 20 minutes per pound.
Once it's cooled I remove the meat and give it a quick chop.Add in some chopped celery if you like a crunch.Dollop on some mayo, add a bit of dijon mustard, salt and pepper.Stir it all together and taste it. Add in more mayo if it's dry or more salt and pepper for taste.
Then you have a bowl in the fridge for snacks and lunch!

2011-07-29T11:38:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday.
Not just any birthday I was informed, but my "golden birthday". 28 years old on the 28th!

And let me just say is was so golden.

There are no pictures for this post because I was too busy enjoying myself to even think of my camera.

Husband pulled out all the stops for this one.

Here is a run-down of my amazing day.
The house got cleaned by The Cleaning Authority. That was just a coincidence, it was their day.
I LOVE those ladies. They come in and accomplish in just a few hours what would take me days to do. They even clean things like picture frames. Are you kidding? I have never cleaned frames on the walls of my house. Sorry but there is just no way.
So score 1 right there.

Greer also took her first steps the night before. We got it on video and it rocks.

At 2pm husband came home from work and I got to head off to the spa. Not only did he find the spa and make the appointment, he pre-paid for everything.
All I had to do was show up.

Glorious-ness!!

I got a massage and a facial. Never in my life have I had those two things on one day. Actually when the facial lady asked "how long since your last facial?" I had to reply "Ten years". I don't know how much the facial lady liked me, but I sure did love the facial.
Sitting the the dark quiet room with a steamer and 3 layers of yummy smelling stuff on my face, I think I fell asleep at one point.
But that's just between you and me.

The party didn't stop there! When I got home Greer's Godmother Joanie came over to babysit. Husband and I headed off to Bistro Niko for dinner. It's this amazing French style place.

The food was delicious and the company was even better.
I dare say it was too loud in there... wow how old am I?

But 28 was golden. A birthday I will never forget. Thanks husband. Much love from this very happy lady.

2011-07-27T14:22:00.010-04:00

I always try to write this blog like I'm talking to a good friend.
This past weekend, at a wedding in New York, I was talking to a good friend. A really good friend, who told me she doesn't feel so great these days. "I weigh more than ever and I'm buying clothes in bigger sizes than I ever have." she said.
I started telling her all about Paleo. "First do this, then do this" I said.
Suddenly it dawned on me that I don't feel so great these days. I weigh more than I ever have (while not prego) and I'm buying clothes in bigger sizes than ever.
I quickly realized how lax I was in my everyday diet. I just grabbed what was easy instead of thinking about what was going into my body. No wonder I'm not feeling great!

I always say the simplest way to get started on Paleo is to just start!

Here are my quick tips I tell anyone who asks me.

1. Cut sugar from your diet.
Look around, read labels. Sugar is everywhere!
Places the little devil hides! Coffee creamer, Salad Dressing, Processed Foods. Just to name a FEW!

2. Compose all meals and snacks from plants and animals. Sounds funny right? But it's such an easy rule to follow. Evaluate your next meal. Remove all the processed food and see what's left.

3. If you're working out, bring a recovery with you. What the heck is that you ask. When you're done working out do you get home and finish a box of Cheese-Its before you even know what happened?
Your body needs to be replenished right away, with good nutrition.
I suggest making a smoothie/shake (whatever you want to call it) to go along with you to your workout. Drink it on your way home. Then when you get back you're not scrambling to find something on the fly.
A favorite of mine is frozen strawberries, banana, and papaya with a scoop of protein powder. If you're scared to death protein powder will make you bulky then just omit it! Blend it all together with some ice, thin it to your liking with water and pack it to go!

Follow these 3 steps to get you going on Paleo and I promise you'll feel better. You'll feel more energized. Don't focus on the numbers of weight or dress size, I know it's hard.
I just try to focus on how I feel.
I've decided to take one month of hard core Paleo.
I will follow this descriptionEat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.
(I also eat dairy sometimes)
So if you are not feeling your best then give this a try!

Here are some good places for information and support:
Good recipe source.
Old interview husband and I did.
New blog I just found.
Always good info here.

Cutie Pie, Pizza Pie, & Tye Dye

2011-07-18T15:00:00.002-04:00

Wow. Time flies over the summer. Has it almost been a month since I've posted?
Greer is 10 months old now. How did that happen?

She's 10 months of adorable-ness these days.This is what she thinks of solid fruit.Disclaimer - her dad popped her collar. He finds it hilarious.

She does love some leg warmers though. Not a fan of crawling, she prefers the butt-scoot. Or whining until I let her hold my fingers and walk.
Here's a delicious summer lunch. Amy's Pesto pizza. And fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden.You probably thought I meant my garden.
No.
Thirteen oak trees don't leave much sun for produce :)
Our neighbor is frequently out of town and asks that we take whatever produce is ripe.
OKAY! Don't have to ask us twice. All we have to do is water it? We don't have to dig and plant and weed? No problem, we'll take your fresh produce!

Adam's kickball team got white shirts this summer. We all got together and tye-dyed them. Fancy Pants needed her onesie dyed as well.
Have a great week. My BFF is getting married this weekend at Oheka Castle.
Same group from the Hamptons two summers ago. We're all a little older now so this trip will be...hmm should I say calmer? Nah, not with this group!!

Baby Food

2011-06-21T18:50:00.000-04:00

I've been slowly trying new food with Greer that I make at home.
This is a combination of several things but she seems to like it and it get's some greens in her, which is always a challenge.
I've learned from the Sprout Baby Food she likes so much, that roasting as opposed to steaming has lots more flavor.

Ingredients:
2 carrots, washed and chopped to 2" chunks
2 large sweet potatoes, sliced a quarter inch thick leaving the skins on
2 apples, halved, cores and stems removed
1 large handful of spinach
Olive oil
2 T. unsalted butter
1 t. cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400º
Arrange everything on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil until all veggies are coated.
Bake for 40 minutes, turning the veggies once.
Meanwhile melt the butter in a skillet and wilt the spinach down.
Remove the skins from the sweet potatoes. Scoop out the inside of the apples.
Combine everything in a food processor with the cinnamon. Add in some apple juice or water to get to the consistency your baby will eat.

I put all the food into ice cube trays to freeze. Then pop them out into tupperware for storage. I'm told fresh baby food keeps for a month in the freezer.

And just to remind you of the sweetness who is eating this. Here she is. All 9 months of her. Time is flying SO fast!

It's Father's Day!

2011-06-19T20:00:00.004-04:00

We've had such a nice day today!

Went to church...

Stopped by Whole Foods...

Sat by the pool...

And cooked a delicious dinner that I wanted to share!
I made Roasted Parsnips & Carrots from my new Barefoot Contessa cookbook, and some sauteed Pork Chops with caramelized onions and bacon. Adam said it was a great first Father's Day!

Here he is in his first few days of fatherhood.
And here he is today. He is SUCH a good dad. I love watching him with our girl.
And happy Father's Day to my wonderful dad. Here we are doing one of my favorite things!

Trout with Pak Choi

2011-06-18T21:01:00.008-04:00

I have wanted to share this recipe for awhile. It was easy and delicious and we've already made it twice!
I've mentioned we are getting a weekly box of fresh produce from our local CSA. When I received Pak Choi, I was excited but nervous to use something new.

What you'll need:

4 trout fillets (I found them easily at Whole Foods. Substitute Catfish if you need too)
1" of fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
2small garlic cloves, chopped
1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1 or two Pak Choi, quartered lengthways
2 or 3 tbsp soy sauce

Heat your grill.
Mix the ginger, garlic, jalapeno, lime zest and lime juice in a small bowl with a spout.
Put each fish fillet on a large square of foil and distribute the mixture evenly on top. Then lay the pieces of pak choi around and on top of the fish. Pour the soy sauce over the pak choi and seal the foil to make a package.Grill on low for 15 minutes.
The fish will come out flaky and perfect and the Pak Choi really compliments the flavor.

What's been goin' on?

2011-06-08T20:17:00.004-04:00

Hi folks! Lot's of happenings around here that I want to share.

We went to Birmingham to see Aunt Carlye graduate from Spain Park.
We also got to meet this little lady. They are already best friends, just like their mommas :) Greer got to be photographed by her grandpa Daddy Rod while we were there!
My next trip I got the rare treat of being with my two childhood best friends.
All three of us together! It never happens! Whitney and her husband just built a house on Lake Harding so we chose that as our meeting place ;) Megan flew in from D.C.
In between taking work calls, answering emails and taking care of two little girls, we did find time to lounge in the water.We made Monkey Bread.Tucker helped!Tucker and Greer were fast friends. They even shared some strawberries.
On our way in, we stopped by the Auburn Crew docks. My old stomping ground.Over the weekend Adam and I headed to the ballfield where we got to play a friendly kickball game before Taylor and Lindsey's wedding. Wes was the best man this day, and also the best man in our wedding 5 years ago.Fancy Pants enjoyed playing with me on the sidelines.And last but not least, she has some new bath toys. Daddy finds ways to keep himself amused during long bath times! Notice she's trying to unstop the drain. We cannot get her to stop. Most nights she ends up just sitting in an empty tub. That's all I got for now!
Was it enough?
Should I add a dozen more pictures?
See you all soon!

Kale Chips, CSA, & 8 months!

2011-05-16T17:58:00.005-04:00

Recently husband and I joined our local CSA.
That stands for "Community Supported Agriculture"
Through this program we get a box of produce, grown here in Georgia, every Wednesday. I'm very excited about this for several reasons. I love supporting local agriculture. I love that the decisions of what to cook that week will be made for me. And I love the idea of cooking with new things!

This week our box included Kale. I've made it a few times but this time I wanted to try something new. I found this cool recipe for Kale Chips.
They turned out great and were super easy!Preheat the oven to 350º
Remove the stems and cut the Kale into bite size pieces.
Place them in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss on some salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Toss to coat.
Lay them in a single layer and bake for 7 minutes. Watch them closely because they burn easily.
I had to do 4 batches but they were delicious and a great snack!
In other happenings...
This little lady is 8 months old now. She sits up all by herself. Eats all kinds of solid foods. And is totally in love with this whale.
If you see in both these pics she is never without it!I have to give a shout out to the pups. They are starting to interact with Greer more. She chases them around in her walker and Jackie is always sneaking in a face lick. They are so sweet with her and let her pull their ears and bang on their heads.If you're local and interested in the CSA program we use just click here.
I would recommend doing the trial pack first. After you join the program you can fill out a survey to "customize" your weekly items.
They have pick up locations almost everywhere. Mine is at a house only 3 miles from mine. It's closer than my grocery :)

Have a great week and let me know if anyone likes the kale chips!

Salad with pork chops

2011-05-02T08:33:00.003-04:00

We made it to a farmers market this weekend.
Bright and early on Saturday morning!
I wanted to see what fresh produce we could pick up. It was great.
We got fresh eggs, strawberries, arugula, some other lettuce that I have no idea of the name, white radish, and some delicious almonds. I made us a really great salad and topped it with some pork to make it a meal.

1/2 head of fresh lettuce washed and chopped
1/2 bunch of arugula washed and chopped
2 boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
white radish, peeled and chopped into matchsticks
crumbled goat cheese

Mix all that together in your favorite salad bowl and top with all this, whisked together.
2 T. Dijon Mustard
1 T. Red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper
1 T. honey
Olive oil until a good consistency

I sauteed the pork chop in bacon grease for 5 minutes on each side on Medium in the skillet. I topped it with McCormick's Montreal Steak seasoning. Then just sliced it up on top.

All the food we found was full of flavor and I really like supporting local farmers. We've talked a lot about joining our local CSA. We would have local produce weekly.

Part of the appeal for me is that I would not be standing in the grocery trying to decide what to buy! With a box of fresh produce, I will be able to create meals around what farmers in our area are growing.

We'll keep you posted how it goes! Have a great week!

Back from the Beach

2011-04-26T20:49:00.005-04:00

We are home from the beach. It was a great trip and I wish it could have been longer!
This was the first beach trip for Greer.

First time in sand, first time in a pool. It all went really well.

We took 179 pictures, I think there were only one or two without Greer.

We got to stay on the beach for the first time ever as a family. It was beautiful!We spent most of our time on the beach and I'm so glad Greer liked it.She was in a good mood probably from the good naps she got.
We did find time for a quick family photo. 7 months together. This is my favorite one of her that my dad shot over the trip. Such a big girl, sitting up on her own these days!
We are home now and it already feels like the trip was forever ago.
Today in the mail we got a little giraffe that I ordered under the impression that babies just love them!
I'll let the video show you Greer's feelings on this.

On the Way

2011-04-17T22:02:00.002-04:00

It's beach week for us!
On the way, we stopped in Dothan to let Fancy Pants "stretch her legs". We found this great park. It has buildings from the 1890's.

We walked around and got to see animals and crops.

The weather was beautiful. It was a nice break from the car ride.
We're now enjoying the beach. Lot's more pictures to come!

Roast Chicken

2011-04-13T20:40:00.004-04:00

I roasted a chicken!!I am so proud of myself.
I've wanted to try for awhile. A whole chicken is cheaper than just buying a specific cut of meat. And I really wanted to use leftovers for chicken salad.

It's totally easy. You should do it!
3lb Chicken
2 T. Olive Oil
2 T. Butter
5 cloves of garlic, left whole
Salt & Pepper
Kitchen Twine (I just used a thick string I found that had no plastic in it)

Preheat oven to 400º
Remove 3rd joint of wing so it doesn't burn (mine was already clipped off)
Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper.
Put the garlic inside the chicken
Tie the legs together with the string
Heat the oil in an oven-proof pan and brown the chicken on both sides. About 3 minutes each.
Spread the butter on the breast and place in the oven, breast side toward the back.
Bake for 20 minutes for each pound of chicken. (Mine took 1 hour)

I just made my roasted veggies to go along with it! Delish!
And yes I also made chicken salad from the leftovers, we've already dug into that as well :)
One day I will get super crafty and make chicken stock from the bones. We're just not there yet.

Big news from Fancy Pants.
She's sitting up (a small bit) and is loving some baby food. Not anything I make of course but the packaged stuff. Here she is having some Apple/Blueberry.
And next week we will be back with LOTS of pictures. I mean LOTS.
We're traveling somewhere she needs these...

Sweet Potato & Apple

2011-03-24T13:35:00.000-04:00

I have been trying my hand at baby food lately. Greer is over 6 months old and eating solids about 3 times a day now. This is the first recipe I tried.A sweet potato and an apple. These are organic. At Trader Joe's it's worth it because there is not much price difference.
I peeled and cubed both and steamed them for 15 minutes.

I left the liquid in, added a couple tablespoons of butter and pureed them up.
I filled my ice cube trays and poped them in the freezer.
Let's see how delicious she found this one...Not so much a happy face. But this was last month, she's liking solids much better now.
Here she was just interested in the spoon!
Last night it was requested that there be MORE pictures of Greer on this blog. I'm not sure how that's possible because I feel like this food blog needs more food! But how can I resist putting up pictures of my little lady!
This is her first Oreo. I know I know. Paleo? Not at all. Why did I even have them in the house? Well a sweet old lady gave me the publix penny item! How could I say no!
Greer had this in her hand for about 15 seconds and when I turned around this is what I saw...
So back to food on my food blog. I have found that the baby food Greer loves is the brand Sprout, by Tyler Florence. I guess she cannot resist HUGE flavor! I am miffed that she does not love my food, however I have found several of his recipes and will be trying them out here soon. It seems she's drawn to anything with cinnamon! So more baby food to come!

Moroccan Chicken Casserole

2011-02-22T20:31:00.004-05:00

It's been awhile, this food blog is in need of a really good recipe! I found this printed out in my recipe binder a few weeks ago. Sadly I do not remember where I got it. I do know it was just somewhere online. So props to whoever came up with this one! It is simply delicious.
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower
2-3 pounds of chicken - I used a 4 pack of chicken thighs
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoons ginger root, finely chopped or grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coriander - didn't have this
1/2 teaspoon turmeric - didn't have this
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 can of diced tomatoes - undrained
1/2 cup minced parsley or cilantro - didn't have this
2 tsp salt
1 lemon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
The base of the casserole is cauliflower grated into a rice-like texture. Chop the head of cauliflower into small pieces. Push the pieces through a food processor using the grating blade. Spread the grated cauliflower out in a 9×13 rectangular baking pan.Salt and pepper the chicken. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a deep pan over high heat. Add the chicken, browning well, about 3-5 minutes a side.
Remove the chicken from the hot pan and set aside. Turn heat down to medium and add onion, ginger, garlic and carrots. Cook until the onions are soft. Add remaining tablespoon of butter and all spices. Stir well.
Add red pepper, the can of tomatoes, minced parsley or cilantro and salt. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Pour the chicken mixture over the cauliflower, make sure the cauliflower is completely covered by the sauce. Slice a lemon into thin slices and lay on top of the casserole. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and cook for 25 minutes more.

Garnish with more fresh parsley or cilantro before serving.

Ramblings From A Sleep Deprived Mind. Take Two.

2011-02-04T10:39:00.004-05:00

It's raining here in the ATL today. Fancy Pants and I slept in a bit...after being up for an hour nice and early :)
I haven't posted much here lately but I think I'm about to start getting several nights (in a row) of some good sleep. I hope to be posting more!
Greer is sleeping better and better. We have had about 3 nights now where I've gotten to sleep 5 or 6 hours straight. The nights where I only get chunks of 3 or 4 are still wearing me down!

I'm back to cooking my good Paleo recipes these days. I'm just too tired to post them! Promise to add some really good stuff soon!

Continuing to ramble I wanted to take note of a couple blog posts that I have really loved lately. I follow a LOT of blogs and they can all cause very different reactions when you read them.
Some can lift you up, some make you laugh. Some make you feel like you're not doing enough. But sometimes you run across a post that just makes you feel like someone out there knows exactly how you feel and you're not alone!
I read this post awhile back. I don't know Melissa Richie. She's just a friend of a friend but the part that got me on this post is about her nursing her sweet son. She's talking about how much of a joy it is, but that she's tired. I was thinking "ME TOO"! I wanted to send her a hug over in B'ham for being honest about how she feels. It made me feel like someone else "got it".

Another post of note is this one. I have been struggling with the same mom vs. work dilemma. I feel like she put it SO well here. I feel so lucky to be able to work from home so I don't miss any time with Greer. But it has been a struggle to separate work and being a mom. She is very time consuming and I felt resentful of her that I could not get my work done. Husband and I had to sit down, re-work the budget and find a way to make it work without my freelance checks. Now I work when I can and when Fancy Pants is awake I don't find myself bouncing her on my knee trying to work on design.
I'm rambling again.

So the point of this post is to say that I LOVE blogland. The ability to connect with other women who I have things in common with is great!
I hope you enjoy reading those posts.
Happy Friday!

Four Months with Greer

2011-01-16T18:14:00.002-05:00

My baby has been with us 4 months today!
Time has flown by and she's growing so fast. Everyday she feels heavier and seems to learn something new. She babbles to us non stop and has started to put pretty much everything in her mouth!She went to church for the first time today and the nursery ladies said she only cried half the time she was there! "Baby steps" right?!

Tonight I used my Beaba Baby Cook for the first time. Nana gave it to us for Christmas. I steamed and pureed carrots and apple. I know Greer is young but I am very excited to try some food to see if she's interested.

I've had lots of requests for homemade baby food and as soon as I can get her eating I will be posting all my recipes here!
Four months, wow. Just goes by so fast, my baby will be in kindergarten before I know it!

It's great to be an Auburn Tiger!

2011-01-13T15:06:00.006-05:00

War Eagle!
Adam and I returned to the snowy south this week from the trip of a lifetime. The tigers beat the ducks and claimed our second National Championship.

I will always remember that game.

We left Fancy Pants with my parents and sister and caught the last flight to Phoenix on Sunday night before the huge snowstorm hit. After only a few tears I felt okay leaving my little one behind and we were off!We rented a super fly bright blue mini-van with 5 of our friends and stayed in a swanky extended stay motel.Monday was spent tailgating in the lot outside of the dome.
When "All I Do Is Win Win Win" came on, the stadium shook we were screaming so loud.
The game was amazing. I mean could it have been any more nerve wracking!? We were all so nervous the entire time, literally up until the last 2 seconds. The players all stepped up and worked as a team, as a family.
This is definitely a top 5 lifetime memory. I was so happy to be able to be there and watch the school that I love so deeply.We went down closer to the field after it was all over.Husband thinks this is the funniest picture ever of himself. We saw Lee Corso in the airport before we left for home. He was very nice and took pictures with anyone who asked!Somehow we were still on time for our flight home on Tuesday and after digging our car out of the Atlanta airport and sliding home at about 35mph we made it safely just in time for a midnight feeding. Fancy Pants did well and my mom and sister had a blast keeping her.

Adam has been out of work all week, we've been able to sit back and enjoy our win. Soak it in. Our first order of business Wednesday morning was to watch the game on TV. We got to see a different side of it, and watch Cam wince in pain. A lot. Poor guy, I think he gave his heart and soul to our team and we love him for it.
So WAR EAGLE friends! It's great to be an Auburn Tiger!

Pork Chops with Kale

2010-12-22T16:35:00.002-05:00

Almost Merry Christmas everyone!
I found this little gem through a friend and just had to try the Pork and Kale recipe. It was delish so I thought I would share.
But first a check in with Fancy Pants. Who is now over 3 months old. How does time fly so fast?
Here, in no particular order are three of her favorite things:
DaddyBud Light. Hold the phone - it's just a can.And her Papa:Now I must share the recipe with you. It's a great Paleo meal and is super easy.
*I made some changes from the original as I went.

1 Bag of chopped Kale
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4-6 Pork Chops
Tomato Paste

Boil kale for at least 15 minutes in salted water.

When Kale is almost done, heat a few glugs of olive oil in a deep skillet.
Add garlic and cook over low heat, just enough to flavor oil without burning, about 2 minutes.

Turn heat to medium and add 4-6 pork chops (butterflied, or pounded thin) that have been salted, peppered, and sprinkled with a little fennel seed (I had no fennel seed) and brown for 2 minutes on each side.
Using a measuring cup, scoop out 1 cup of hot water from the kale pot and whisk 1 tablespoon tomato paste in the hot water then add tomatoey liquid to the pork chops.
Cover skillet and simmer until pork is cooked through, about 15 minutes. In final 5 minutes, add kale to skillet and let it drink in the liquid.
*My pork chops were thin so I just browned them, then added the kale until they were cooked through. It was probably only 10 minutes!

I made a bit of instant brown rice to go with it. I am a fan of some starch :)

Phoenix...here we come!!!

2010-12-08T09:41:00.005-05:00

Yes folks, we're going. The team will be there...and so will we!I must say that after our undefeated season my senior year, resulting with no chance at the National Title, I think we're finally getting what we deserve! A chance to play in the big game!
Adam and his sister Carlye attended the SEC Championship this past weekend.I stayed back with fancy pants and cheered the tigers onto another victory!
Warrrrrrr Eagle. Hey!!!

Two Months with Greer

2010-11-24T15:00:00.002-05:00

Two Weeks.
Two Months.

She loves the Moby wrap. Here is daddy doing his best impression.
I'm so thankful for my family.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Auburn

2010-11-15T20:02:00.004-05:00

We spent our first weekend in Auburn since Greer was born. Here is a recap in pictures!

Friday night started off with some Niffers! I haven't had a fishbowl in forever. And apparently I am not so smooth at squeezing the lime into it...

Saturday we headed to Whitney and Tommy's tailgate.
Whitney held Greer......Tommy got the fire going with his homemade torch!Jon and Aften came all the way from Charlotte. We were SO glad to see them!!!
Her first walk towards the stadium. Lots of people were so excited to meet her.

And I leave you with this little gem. War Eagle!

Roasted Vegetables

2010-11-11T15:16:00.002-05:00

I've been loving roasting vegetables lately. It is super easy and such a great way to eat a variety in one meal.Ingredients:
2 carrots, chopped into strips
2 parsnips, chopped into strips
4 new potatoes, cubed
10 brussels sprouts, cut in half
1 t. oregano
1 t. thyme
1 t. basil
1 t. rosemary
olive oil for drizzling
salt and pepper

Chop all your veggies and place on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Drizzle olive oil over everything. Top with all your spices. Mix thoroughly!
Roast for 40 minutes at 400º stirring everything once halfway through.I made about this for 2 of us, but there were some left over. Just adjust the amount of veggies to how many people you are feeding. I would say about 1 carrot, 1 parsnip, 2 potatoes and about 5 brussels sprouts per person!

My trusty assistant helped me by happily sitting in her bumboo chair and watching me cook!The pups are doing well too.Cooper is such a grumpy old man sometimes! Did I mention my dogs hate the laundry basket...
Have a great weekend. War Eagle!

Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage

2010-10-31T18:42:00.004-04:00

Happy Halloween Y'all!
I wanted to share this recipe that I love! I make it every year. It's a Rachel Ray recipe.
One of the ingredients is 1 can of pumpkin. So while we were shopping I let Adam know that Darby said there was a shortage of canned pumpkin again this year and we might not be able to find it. The funny thing about that is Adam does not flinch when I start a sentence with "Darby said..." I don't know Darby, I just read her blog. But my friend Shaina and I talk like we know her.
I had to have Adam snap this picture when we located the ingredient. So don't worry Darby!! If you run out of canned pumpkin just call me (since we're friends and all) and I'll send you some!!
Here's the Recipe! Enjoy!

2T. olive oil
1lb. ground Italian Sausage
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, minced
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 can of pumpkin
1 small carton of heavy cream (3 turns around the pan)
dash of cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 box penne regate, cooked. *I substituted brown rice pasta here.
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a skillet with oil. Add sausage, garlic and onion and cook until sausage is done and onions are soft.
Add in Bay leaf and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir sauce until it bubbles. Reduce heat and stir in the cream. Season with cinnamon and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and combine with pasta. Top with grated Parmesan cheese!
It's not paleo but it's delicious! Enjoy a cheat :)
Happy Halloween!

Meatloaf

2010-10-21T18:11:00.000-04:00

This is Adam's parent's meatloaf recipe. It has breadcrumbs in it so it is not paleo. I always say that we are not "die hard" and the small amount of bread in this is fine to me. It's a great source of protein and even has carrot in it!
We ate one and froze one since it makes two loafs. I LOVE this meatloaf, it is SO good!

2 lb ground beef
3/4 c. milk
1.5 cups bread crumbs
1/8 t. pepper
2 t. salt
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, grated
2 eggs beatenFor the topping:
1/4 c. ketchup
2 T. spicy brown mustard
3 T. honeyDirections:
Preheat oven to 325º
Pour milk over bread crumbs.
Add beef, salt, pepper, carrots, onions, and eggs and mix thoroughly.Pack into loaf pansMix ketchup, mustard and honey. Spread over meatloaf Bake for 1.5 hoursEnjoy!

Ramblings From A Sleep Deprived Mind.

2010-10-17T19:30:00.004-04:00

Lots of random stuff going on in this post. So just get ready!

Yesterday baby Greer was one month old. She is now 9lbs 7oz. That's up from 7lbs 13oz when she was born! We're all doing great. I'm so tired I can't believe it.

Let's see what I can tell you about her after one month...

Greer wants to be held.
A lot.
Pretty much the entire time she's awake.
Last week Nana was here. She held her.
A lot.
Pretty much the entire time she was here.
Greer loved it!

Now we are working on a schedule. A keep mommy and daddy sane schedule!
So far it's going really well!
Here is Greer car shopping with Daddy yesterday.
Last week we went out to Bebe and Papa's house for more pictures.
Don't you just want to kiss that face?!
Nana jumped in for a small photo shoot too.
Does anyone else find these next two pictures funny? We think she's doing quite the inappropriate hand gesture on the right!Today I made pumpkin seeds. I LOVE roasted pumpkin seeds.
Just remove them from the pumpkin and rinse.Then sprinkle with your favorite seasonings. I did salt and a little garlic and onion powder. Then drizzle with melted butter!
I roasted them at 350º for about 20 minutes, stirring once.
It's mad paleo! YUM!
And what does every mother do with her pumpkin? Why put her newborn in it of course!
Things started out pretty good.This was about as good as it got.Then things went downhill fast.
Apparently she does not love pumpkins as much as her mama. Then again I've never been put inside one.
Adam has been working on the ability to do all our crossfit workouts here at the house. A few weekends ago he began putting up pull up bars! I'll keep you updated on our status as we attempt to workout here at the house!
More from my paleo kitchen soon.
Happy Fall Y'all!

2 weeks with Greer.

2010-10-03T15:29:00.006-04:00

It's been just over two weeks with our new addition. Thought I might update y'all on how we are doing.
It's been a ride, let me just say that!

The first few days were great but exactly one week after Greer's birth I developed Mastitis. She cried and I cried, a lot. It was SO painful. I got some antibiotics and now we are both doing great.
I did take a picture at week one and two so we could see how much she's grown.
Week ONE.
WEEK 2.We've had lots and lots of visitors. Everyone wants to see the new lady. My sweet grandmother Moon finally made it over to hold her. She was SO excited. She made sure we got a blanket and socks because she was convinced that Greer was cold. I thought she was just fine in her super cute pink polo from Auntie Suzanne but we wrapped her up anyway.There are now 4 generations of Moon women. My grandmother was born at home. She completely understood when my mom said that Greer was born at home and said "oh with a midwife right?"Nana came to visit today and read lots of books.We also made it over to Papa's studio for our first photo shoot.

Here she is in the outfit that I came home from the hospital in.

Overall we're doing really well. We've had lots of great food too. Our favorite so far is from Shaina. It's a Pioneer Woman recipe, it was amazing. To make it Paleo just omit the buns!

Greer's Birth Story

2010-09-18T15:14:00.016-04:00

I want to get down my memory of Greer's birth before it gets too fuzzy!

Thursday September 16th
Sometime after 2am I started having some contractions. I had been having them every few nights for awhile so I didn't think much of it. I just started concentrating through them and figured they would ease up like the other nights. Eventually I got out of bed and started walking around.

3:11am I was back in the bed and had my first really intense contraction. Adam was awake and rubbed my back through this one like we learned from our Bradley method book.

3:22am Adam timed the second contraction. About 10 minutes apart. Great. Perfect. Normal. Or so I thought...

I asked Adam to run me a warm bath. I wasn't 100% certain at this point we were totally in labor so I didn't want to ask him to blow up the pool. (I got a pool to labor in because I expected a super long labor like my mom had with me)
I got in the tub and only was able to have about 2 contractions because the pressure in my bottom hurt too much to sit down.
I started walking around and Adam would support me through each contraction. He would take my weight and let me lean into him. He was trying to get me water, close the blinds (so the neighborhood didn't see his half-naked wife) and trying to time and write down contractions, all while supporting me through each one. The problem came when the contractions got so close together he was not having enough time to even walk away from me.
Here is a scanned copy of what he was able to write down.
The contractions became so intense and close together so quickly that he finally just drew a line down.

I kept telling him that they were just coming way to fast and I could not handle it because I wasn't getting a break. Everything I read told me to relax and rest in between the contractions. I had mentally prepared myself for a super long labor like my mom had.
I was getting scared. I was sweating and with the frequency I was not having a break at ALL.

4:20am I got Adam to call our midwife Debbie. He told her the frequency of the contractions and she ask for me on the phone. She asked what was going on and I told her that I knew I was a first time mom but that these were REALLY close together and that I was scared. She said she would come right away and check me.
Once I knew Debbie was coming and would be able to tell me what was going on I was able to relax a little. The contractions continued to come one minute apart but Adam was great and we found that if he leaned into a doorjamb in a sort of "wall squat" I could sit on his legs and with him rubbing my back I was better able to make it through the contraction.

5:00am Debbie arrives and gets set up to check me. It was really painful to get on the bed. The pressure was intense. She checked me and told me that I was complete!!

5:10am Corrinna, the apprentice arrived and checked the baby's heartbeat as I worked through contractions. She talked me through a few.

5:15am With the contractions coming so quickly Adam and I had no a chance to even set up the bed with any of the sheets for the birth. Debbie had to set everything up once she got here.
Once everything was set up I climbed back in the bed and started pushing. It felt great to push. I had read in Baby Catcher that during the second stage of labor the uterus can feel like is folding down and pushing and I really felt that.

I wasn't making enough progress so Debbie suggested I move to the birth stool. I was up for anything that would make my pushing more productive. Once I got situated on it she said my progress was much better.

Like I said before the pushing felt better, it relieved the pain that the contraction was causing. They showed me Greer's head starting to show in a mirror. At first I wasn't really into that but awhile later they showed me her head again and it was much farther out. This was very motivating! When the head was almost out, yes, it did really hurt, but I was so close I didn't care. I think Debbie had to free her shoulders and those hurt a lot too but the next thing I knew they had me reach down for her and she was in my arms. They asked me to move back to the bed and I stood right up and just walked around and climbed in. They rubbed Greer down and got her to take a big breath. She started wailing and didn't stop for almost two hours!
I was very shaky and tired. Corrinna brought me a big glass of apple juice and it tasted great. I drank that while they started asking me to push again for the placenta. I was super tired and that was totally not happening. So since the cord had stopped pulsing we went ahead and cut it then Adam took Greer while they had me sit back on the birth stool. One quick push and it was out no big deal.

The midwives left us alone for about 15 minutes to spend some time with our daughter. It was wonderful. There we were just lying together in our bed where just a few hours before it had just been the two of us.

They came back and checked to make sure I was doing okay. I required a couple stitches so Debbie numbed me with Novocaine and did those. Then Adam headed off to make breakfast and they weighed and measured Greer. She was 7lbs 13oz, 20.5 inches long. And did I mention amazing...

They let me get a shower after that and it felt wonderful. I had sweat so much and the hot water just felt great. Corrinna stayed in the bathroom with me the whole time to make sure I was okay and then helped me get into some fresh clothes. Then Adam and I sat down to eat some breakfast. It was about 9am at this time.We got on the phones and let our parents and siblings know that she was here. We were just as shocked as the rest of them that we went to bed without her and practically woke up with her!

My sister was the first to arrive. The midwives were just finishing cleaning everything up. We had clean sheets under the plastic sheet on our bed so when they left it was pretty much like our house was back to normal. But then again, not really!

Most people are shocked that Adam and I had a home birth. It was planned and had been for some time. For me even before I was pregnant I remember watching the oldest Duggar kid on "18 kids and Counting" have a home birth with his wife who is about our age. I cried at how peaceful the birth was and how she was surrounded by only people she loved and trusted.

After we became pregnant I sought out a Doctor who didn't promote drugs or Cesarean section deliveries. However I was STILL skeptical of all the medical interventions that would happen to me if I was admitted to a hospital and how I would not know my labor and delivery nurse until that moment and my doctor wouldn't show up until the very end.

After watching The Business of Being Born I was so emotional and said to Adam "I want that kind of birth". He just replied that if I was serious then we needed to research home birth and see if it was for us! I was so happy that he was supportive of looking in to it.

We interviewed two midwives and ultimately went with Debbie Pulley. She and I clicked right from the beginning and I knew I would trust her for this huge event. We did TONS of research on home birth. All the risks and all the rewards. We read hundreds of birth stories and I was so excited that barring no medical need I would not have to go to a hospital.

We didn't spread the word because it is something people are very scared to hear. Through our research we learned how little people know about how safe a home birth can be. Very few people understood that I wanted to be in a comfortable environment without strangers, beeping machines and IV fluids. And in case we did have to go to the hospital we wouldn't have to hear "told you so".

Of course now we know it worked out great for us and we could not be happier with the outcome. I feel that being comfortable was a HUGE factor in how quickly my labor went. I was not uptight about a car ride or being in triage once arriving at the hospital. Afterward I was able to walk, shower and move around freely. My midwives cared for me and my baby with the same efficiency of hospital nurses but they were women I had known for months and had developed a great trust with them.

My baby also didn't have any drugs going through her during the labor or through feedings right after. She's been active and a great feeder right from the start. I feel SO lucky that my research and stress and prayer all paid off in the end. I have not one regret about her birth and so far haven't had any "baby blues".

I know my decision seems extreme to most people. But if one person reads this and it helps them feel confident to look into all birth options then I am so glad! I don't think we all have to be scared of birth. I made it through the pain and I'm on the other side with a beautiful healthy girl. My heart has grown these last few days. Grown for her and for my husband. And I will totally go through birth again. Probably not for a long while but one day I will do it again. So it couldn't have been that bad!

Cooper and Jackie are handling our new arrival well. Jackie our tough pit bull is watchful and so gentle. Cooper is a little more high strung and starts crying when Greer cries. His bottom lip starts quivering but he keeps on wagging his tail. They already love their new little sis :)

She's here!

2010-09-16T13:00:00.003-04:00

I'll post her birth story soon but for now here is a sneak peak at our little girl.
She was born at home after a very quick labor. We have thanked God for how perfect she is and how perfect her birth was. We could not be happier!Thank you for all your well wishes! All three of us are doing great!

Pool Time

2010-09-15T14:26:00.002-04:00

I've been spending lots of time at our neighbors pool. It's very cold and I am very happy just floating there weightless. We went over pretty late last night. Husband snapped this.
T-minus two days... stay tuned!

Farm Fresh

2010-09-12T21:45:00.005-04:00

We got up bright and early this Saturday to head to the Morningside Farmer's Market.
It happens every Saturday from 8-11:30. But it's better to get there early because once the food is gone... it's gone!
We scored some grass-fed beef, and stocked up the freezer. We also got fresh eggplant, potatoes and peas. I roasted up the potatoes for lunch and they were absolutely amazing! I don't even have a picture for you because I ate them all :)

The food is all grown locally and the farmers just bring in whatever they have from the past week. Everything tasted amazing and I truly believe you can tell the difference in fresh farmed produce!If you're local check it out!

In other news!
Jackie and Cooper's destructive streak is still in full swing. We came home after the Auburn game to find this:The bed is several years old, about 3 and it did have a few holes worn in it. But why they are set on destroying their beds we have no idea! I've ordered a replacement cover for the frame. Hopefully it will last us another 3 years!

It's Monday and I'm still pregnant. We're due Friday so hopefully this little girl makes her appearance soon!

Bathroom Renovation

2010-09-08T20:09:00.004-04:00

Hello friends! I'm still here. Still pregnant.
I've been wanting to share with you for awhile but Flickr changed their formatting and I'm embarrassed to say I could not figure out how to snag and post my pics! We're up and running now.

Here are pictures of my mother in laws new bathroom. These are the before and afters and I think the transformation is amazing! You know I love to renovate and would do both my bathrooms here if we had the $$!
Before is on the left, after on the right.

No more green tile. The original had plenty!

I also wanted to show you the nice surprise Jackie and Cooper have left for us! We bought them two brand new beds and they decided they MUST be like their old blankets that they could burrow in! Too bad it ripped holes in both beds and most of the stuffing has come out.
Big thanks guys!

Chicken Casserole

2010-08-21T14:50:00.000-04:00

We tried a new recipe last week. I'm in the process of baking and freezing some meals for after the little one arrives. I make two separate dishes, one for us (to make sure it tastes good) and a second to pop in the freezer.
I found this in a cookbook from my in-laws church. It turned out really good.
*I always follow Paleo in moderation. Some of the ingredients I understand are not perfect!

1 jar dried beef. *we think salami from the deli might work well next time
4 chicken breasts
8 bacon slices
1 can cream of mushroom soup (look for organic low-sodium)
1 oz. container sour cream
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Line the casserole dish with the dried beef. Wrap each chicken breast with two bacon slices. Sprinkle with almonds. Combine soup and sour cream and pour over chicken.
Bake at 250º for 4 hours.

Sorry no pictures...we were hungry!

Maternity Photos

2010-08-02T17:43:00.003-04:00

Here are more photos to share from our Birmingham weekend. These were shot by our good friend Colleen. I love the simplicity. The room and the light could not have been better. And I'm in my favorite color, black ;)
Here are just a few of my favorites.Thanks Bean. I love my photos!

This last one was shot by Adam. He grabbed his camera and they were both snapping away. I was a supermodel for a day :)

Party in the Ham

2010-08-01T22:22:00.003-04:00

Last weekend we had our baby shower in Birmingham. Before the shower we headed out and braved the storm to snag some maternity photos by Porfirio. He is a great friend of my family and a wonderful photographer. Despite the intense humidity we got some GREAT shots!Shaina, Ben and Suzanne threw us a great shower.It has been almost two years since all 8 Magnolia Arms Girls have been together. It was so great to see them all. We squeezed in Mama G's and Big Blue Bagel and lots of catching up.

Nursery. {part 2}

2010-07-31T19:12:00.000-04:00

Big changes in the nursery this weekend. The room is almost complete. I am so excited to have my little girl use it!The glider came from The Comfortable Chair Store. I sat in a ton and this one is THE most comfortable chair ever.My furniture was handmade by my cousin. His company is called Krafty Kribs. I got to choose the look of the crib, the type of wood and the stain. It's all custom made!I wanted to incorporate birds into her room. The print above the changing table is from her Nana Rebecca. The birdcage is from Shaina!She's accumulated quite a few stuffed animals so far. The bunny was handmade for Adam as a baby.The chandelier and rug are from IKEA and the bedding is Restoration Hardware Baby. The bumper was to large so we folded it over to make it fit just right.
Just a few more details to finish up but I think we're ready for a baby :)

Antiquing with the Mags

2010-07-12T19:09:00.004-04:00

This past weekend Shaina and Laura came in town to meet me, Beth and Colleen for a little shopping trip. It's not very often that 5 of the 8 Magnolia Arms Girls get together!
After a delicious lunch at Southern Sweets Bakery we headed off to wander through Kudzu and Scott's Antique Market.I didn't take my camera as I knew my purse would be heavy enough. Colleen used her point and shoot and captured some great stuff.We all had some good finds during the day.
Shaina snagged a window for her kitchen wall. I contemplated this lamp for the nursery, {so cute} but didn't end up with it in the end.
It's strange to be IN the pictures! But nice to have a few. I'm 30 weeks here. I think Laura is about 22.
Here Colleen caught me pulling up on my belly. She's up, she's down-I'm running out of room inside for this little one.We had such a great time. Just catching up and wandering around. I'm still trying to recover from being on my feet all day long but it was worth it.
Only two weeks and all of the great 8 will be together in Birmingham for two baby showers!

The House Always Wins.

2010-07-01T09:04:00.002-04:00

We have an older house, from the 60's. She needs a lot of upkeep and repairs. We have tile walls in our bathrooms and towel bars like these.We've been missing a towel bar for longer than I would like to admit. I finally found a carrier online and ordered a replacement bar.
I was all excited yesterday when it came. Husband measured and cut the bar to size.He snapped the spring loaded bar in place and what happens???

The tile holding the bar in place falls off the wall!
Seriously.We laughed for about 10 minutes. Or really I laughed while husband looked baffled at how the tile had shot off the wall straight into the trashcan. So now we will be grouting the fallen tile back in place before we can get our towel bar up. {sigh}
At least we're halfway there!
Gotta love home repairs.

We saw Eclipse last night. It was SO good. Exactly how I pictured it when reading the book. Best one yet! It's a must see.

Bag O'Roast

2010-06-30T15:50:00.003-04:00

Everyone loves a good pot roast. My mom always made her's in this nifty plastic baggie. I decided I was going to hunt that down at the grocery and try it out. I must say it was a success!
I know some hard core paleo people might not like all the ingredients in the spice pack but I'm totally fine with this. It's quick and easy and delish! Make a big dish on Sunday night and eat on it all week. Yum.
Just grab the packet out of the baking isle and follow the instructions. I used onions, carrots, new potatoes and a roast. I don't peel my potatoes or carrots to retain all the good nutrients!

I only cooked mine for 1 and a half hours instead of two. It was a small cut of meat and I didn't want it to get dry.In other news, Adam's favorite pastime is to torture Jackie. She loves to play, but does not love to be on her back!
She's such a faker. You put your hand anywhere near her mouth and she mouths it like a baby! I had to fill out a form for boarding with a description of Jackie-I almost wrote "live teddy bear".
Have a great week. We're off to the lake for the 4th!

Broccoli.

2010-06-20T14:57:00.003-04:00

I wanted to share a delicious, easy way to make broccoli that you will actually want to eat!
It's super easy and will give you soft tasty broccoli every time.
I like this brand. I get it at Publix in the frozen section. It comes from Birmingham and has florets, not "stems and pieces". You can use fresh broccoli too, I find it easier to keep in the freezer, then I never HAVE to make it because it's going bad.

Put water into the bottom of your skillet. Just enough to cover the bottom. Add in two tablespoons of butter. Turn your heat to medium then add in your broccoli. I used 1 pound. Leave the heat on medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes-do not stir the broccoli at any point.
After 10 minutes take the lid off, check to make sure you're not out of water. If you are just add in about 1/4 cup. Sprinkle generously with a seasoning salt.Put the lid back on and continue to simmer another 10 minutes-do not stir! Over the next 10 minutes watch the water and test your broccoli with a fork. Once the fork slides in smoothly, then it's ready to eat.
Scoop the broccoli out and serve. By not stirring you have not turned your broccoli to mush. Enjoy!

It is Father's Day today. This morning I surprised Adam with a card and breakfast. He's not technically a dad yet, but only about 13 weeks to go!
I also got to meet my wonderful dad for lunch. I love you dad, and thank you for being so great to us. I've learned a lot from you and can't wait to see you hold your new granddaughter. She has your name for a reason.

And last but certainly not least I have a prayer request. My sweet Grandmother Moon has fallen and broken her hip. We learned early this morning that she was taken to Emory Eastside after she pushed her "button". Apparently she fell about 3am and was not wearing it and had to crawl for 3 long hours until she could knock it off of her night stand with her cane to call for help. My heart is broken that she laid there in pain. But she has gotten help now and will be going in for surgery tonight or in the morning. We're told she's "medium" risk. Please pray that her surgery goes well and we can begin her on the healing process.

Nursery. {part 1}

2010-06-18T08:29:00.012-04:00

It's been busy around here. Not the fun, take lots of pictures kind, just the busy with life kind!
After we got through May with our many travels, we've settled into staying home and getting the baby's room ready.
Our house is from the 60's so we've slowly been re-painting every surface in the nursery. The walls, baseboards, molding, closet, doors and door frames, & the ceiling. Even the windows got a fresh layer of caulk! (thanks Lola).
My parents have been a huge help. My mom & sister sewed curtains and dad came over to hang new shelving in the closet. I've got a couple pictures of the wall color, which is Benjamin Moore, Silver Fox. And of the fabric for her curtains.
Her custom furniture by Krafty Kribs will be done at the end of this month. We've been to pick out our stain and I can't wait to see it all in there.
I am 27 weeks pregnant today. And getting bigger by the minute, so it feels. I snapped a picture of myself in the mirror.
Adam has been swamped with school for the past two weeks and weekends solid, but has still found time to help get her room ready.
The dogs of course have been no help. Jackie is actually scared to death of the paint brush and runs the other way if you hold it out to her. She's such a tough pit bull.Did I mention our good friend Suzanne gifted us a BOB stroller? I am so excited to try this thing out! Our parents call it "the Cadillac" because it's so smooth. I will have an attachment so her car seat snaps right in while she's young. With the current dishevelment of the house it sits in our den for now, but that just means I get to look at it often so I don't complain :) Thanks Suzer, we love you!For those of you who read my blog for paleo recipes I do apologize, I haven't been much of a cook since becoming pregnant. I still eat as paleo as possible but have not been in the kitchen trying out new things. My first attempt at sweet potato chips was a fail! But fresh fruit & veggies, nuts, meat and fish are still a part of my every day diet!
More from my paleo kitchen soon. Have a great weekend!

Spring plants and a B'day.

2010-06-07T15:17:00.004-04:00

My mother is the green thumb in our family. She works in the yard almost every day. I am not nearly that "into it" but I do like it when my small attempts gain success. A few years ago my father in law gave me a gardenia and this year I have ONE bloom! I am so excited it's ridiculous! It opened not too long after I took this. Adam and I also planted some variegated mini gardenias at the same time and this is the first year they have yielded any blooms. We have 13 oak trees in our yard so "shade" plants are the ticket for me. One of my hydrangeas looks amazing this year! I think it might have something to do with all that rain. At least something good came out of a flooded crawl space :)These mushrooms popped up the other day and I think they are beautiful. Being the boy that he is, husband has stomped on some. But I think they are really cool.Yesterday was sister's 24th birthday. Little BR is getting old. Love you sis. I had a great time eating steak and cake to celebrate with you. You have always been quite the fashionista.

Pulled Pork Tacos

2010-06-02T07:54:00.007-04:00

I was blessed to spend Memorial weekend with 4 fabulous ladies at Lake Martin. We split our time: reading, watching movies, talking, and eating. Lots and lots of eating!Before I left town on Friday I grabbed lunch at Southern Sweets Bakery. I had a shrimp cake Caesar salad and it was delish!
The cake that I picked up for the weekend was the Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake. It is melt in your mouth good. If you're in town-stop by and pick one up! Make sure you have people to share it with or you will eat the entire thing.
For my assigned meal at the lakehouse, I made pulled pork tacos and they were a hit! A good change from the packet of taco seasoning you've had for years!

Pulled Pork Tacos
Ingredients:
Smoked Pork Butt from RJ's Fire Magic BBQ.
2 Poblano Peppers, diced
1 onion, diced
2 T. butter
2 T. Worcestershire Sauce
4 limes, sliced in wedges
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Monterrey Jack Cheese
1 Jar Salsa Verde
1 Container Sour Cream
1 package corn tortillas (made only with corn, water and lime)

Directions:
In a skillet melt 2 T. butter, add poblano, onion and garlic and saute until soft.
Add in pork, Worcestershire Sauce, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, some lime juice and salt and pepper. Cook until warmed through.
*if pork seems dry add 1/4 cup apple juice

Add sour cream, pork, slaw (recipe follows), salsa, lime and cheese to your tortilla!Red Slaw
Ingredients:
1 Bag of shredded cabbage
1 lemon, juiced
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. olive oil
2 T. honey
2 T. spicy mustard
2 T. mayonnaise

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, whisk together well. Adjust ammounts to your taste!
Pour over shredded cabbage and mix well!

The gardenia's were in full bloom all around the lakehouse. We made several arrangements so we could enjoy their smell in every room.
We had a great time. Thanks Julie for the invite!
And for good measure...this is what was left of the cake!

Welcome Home

2010-05-23T07:32:00.002-04:00

Jackie greeted us with a special surprise when we got home this weekend. Apparently, she did not like the new "wipe your paws" mat for the door!

Good morning Paleo.

2010-05-19T08:32:00.002-04:00

4 years and counting

2010-05-14T08:15:00.003-04:00

Happy Anniversary husband. Today we've been married 4 years! Can you believe it?

And we've been together almost twice that long.
Looking back at our pictures makes me smile.I love you so much and cherish the years we have had together and look forward to all the great years to come. Just in this short time, as you have gone from boyfriend to fiance to husband (and this fall will be a father), I have loved and respected you more than I thought possible. Watching you work full time while getting your Masters is something I know I could not do. You are amazing. I cannot wait to see you with our little girl. This might be the last quiet anniversary for awhile.
Love you.

Panama City

2010-05-12T19:58:00.003-04:00

We spent the end of last week in Panama City with my family. It was a really fun trip with perfect weather, great food, and lots of good visiting!
My parents rented a great house right across the street from the beach.

With a fantastic view.
Adam and Dad went golfing one day. Here dad is watching some golf in the afternoon.We spent most our time on the beach, talking and reading. I read this book. It was good for the most part, very enlightening. I wanted to discuss each paragraph with Adam all along the way so I was a super slow reader. We got in a couple games of Boccie ball-and I won one of them! When the girls were reading Adam found other ways to entertain himself. We call this the Umbrella graveyard. The last day was so windy we lost both of ours.

This gem was located right on the beach. I tried to convince Adam to buy it, but he was not interested.
This is our first family trip back to PC in years. I grew up going there every year as a kid. We stayed at the Palmetto. The Palmetto was basically a motel on the beach. The beach-side one has been rebuilt but it looks to me like the one on the other side of the road is still the original.
Here are some Palmetto pics from back in the 80's. I know you are jealous of my sunglasses.
You can actually see the Palmetto in the background of this shot.
We came back Sunday and Jackie left us a little surprise in the backyard. Tennis shoes and potted plants are really the only thing she's ever chewed... at least they were yard shoes!

Also, if you are worried about the oil there was no sign of it at all. The water was really clear actually. We spent some time in it except when there was the shark sighting!

Getting Started

2010-05-04T16:00:00.002-04:00

I have people ask me a lot of questions about following the Paleolithic Diet. Why I do it, how I do it, and what benefits I see from it.
I've put together a short post answering those questions as well as an easy way to get started following the diet and what results to expect.
Keep your questions coming!

The simple rule to get you started is: Eat meats, veggies, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and NO sugar!

#1. READ LABELS ON WHAT YOU ARE BUYING!
I will use yogurt, which every woman has been told to eat to loose weight, as an example. Ingredients include Sugar and High-fructose corn syrup. So step one, read before you buy!

Don't let yourself get overwhelmed! At first it can seem daunting! What to eat and what not to eat. So let's just start with breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day.

Typical breakfast in our house:
Scrambled Eggs
Bacon (nitrate free)
Apple slices and Almond Butter
Coffee, sweetened with honey or agave nectar.

That takes work each morning so I would suggest making things ahead like my Breakfast Casserole or Omelet Muffins!

Morning snack: Keep a bag of almonds at your desk to snack on. Make sure they are only roasted with salt, no added oils or spices-check for sugar too they like to sneak that in.
Also grab some fruits, carrots, or celery to munch on before lunch if you get hungry.

If you cannot live without your yogurt then do some research on Greek yogurts with all natural ingredients (the only sugar coming naturally from fruit).

Next let's tackle lunch. If you're eating out and heading to a sandwich shop, switch to a wrap instead of bread. If possible look for places who will wrap their sandwiches up in other things like the "unwich" which is wrapped in lettuce.
Order a burger and remove the bun, ask for veggies as a side. Fries are a starch so we only want to do a "little" of that!

For Adam's standard lunch we cook chicken breasts on Sunday night. He takes one each day. Then he will take an apple and some almonds or olives.

Sodas are loaded with sugar. I like to make tea that I sweeten with honey. Water is always the best.

The diner possibilities are endless. I create our dinners is to include a Protein, Carb and a Fat.
A quick example would be Pork Chops, Brussels Sprouts and some olives. Or you can get more in depth and use your fat to cook with. For example, pork chops sauteed in butter or olive oil. The possibilities are endless and you'll soon find you don't need bread or pasta to feel full and satisfied.

I often tell people to think about what nutrients you are putting into your body. Think first about what "fuel" you are providing yourself with, not just how the food tastes.

So get started SLOWLY. Start to read your labels on processed food and cook with fresh ingredients more. I promise you will see a change!

Honey Glazed Carrots

2010-04-28T07:58:00.002-04:00

These carrots are easy to make and delicious! We had them with cauliflower mash and pork chops.Ingredients:
1lb bag of baby carrots (I just had regular so I peeled and chopped them into roughly baby carrot size)
2 T. butter
2 T. honey
1 T. lemon juice
Salt & Pepper
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley

In a saucepan, add some water and bring to a boil. You want to steam the carrots, not boil them, so the water should be about halfway up the carrot. Steam them (with the lid on) until tender, about 6 or 7 minutes. Drain the water and add the carrots back to the pan with butter, honey and lemon juice. Cook until carrots are coated and glaze is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley!

Enjoy!

Shelby's Wedding!

2010-04-27T13:51:00.011-04:00

We spent this past rainy weekend back in Auburn. I got to eat at Big Blue Bagel AND Amsterdams, but the best part was attending Shelby's wedding. She is the little sister, of my best friend Whitney. I've known the whole family almost my entire life. The wedding was so much fun and a great time to catch up with people you don't get to see often enough!
Below are just a few pictures from the day. My dad was the photographer and he asked me and Adam to help out, which we gladly did!

I love the flower on her sash, and next are the delectable duo Miss Tucker and Miss Kennedie.
Shelby married Thomas Wright. Inside the church one stained glass was labeled "Thomas" and the other "Wright". Very cool.
Adam caught a side shot of me and it shocks me how pregnant I am.

This is a Strader tradition. "Seeing" each other before the ceremony.

As always I must leave you with the shenanigans of my children. Today I noticed this chunk missing from above Jackie's eye. I have absolutely no idea how it happened. Yesterday was slightly overcast, so she did not move from the comfort of her kennel all day!!!

Kitchen Renovation

2010-04-21T19:27:00.003-04:00

I keep promising a post on our kitchen renovation, which we completed about 1 year ago now. So finally it is here! I hope it is all you dreamed about, because it sure is for me!
Here is the "before". We had a galley kitchen, very narrow and not open into the den. We had older cabinets that did not reach the ceiling and very limited space. No pantry-so we used the laundry room. You can barely see, but we went ahead and moved our fridge from the inside wall over to the outside. That move freed us up for demo including the floor, the kitchen was tile and the rest of the house is hardwood.We began demo and here you can see the difference in flooring. We removed all the cabinets, and counter tops (most which were reused in the laundry room and carport), appliances, and sink. And here we had begun on the wall dividing the kitchen from the den. That's my dad in there busting out some floor!After the wall and tile was complete we cleaned up for the day, the next step was to get matching hardwood flooring put in. Here is Jackie taking her first stroll on the bare floor.As you can see, they helped out a lot with the renovation!
This is right after the hardwood flooring had been installed. Our guys were GREAT! The company is Heritage Outlet Flooring, Inc. 770-982-7838. I highly recommend them! After the flooring, Adam's mom and step-dad came for a weekend. Cliff and Adam built the new wall for the peninsula and Rebecca stripped all the old layers of wallpaper off!
When that was done, I spent many late nights painting the new wall blue to match the den and the kitchen green.
Next came the cabinets. We got them from STOCK Building Supply. They are beautiful and were a great price. Regina helped us and she was super. 404-352-0880. I got a pantry and deep drawers on either side of the stove to hold all my pots, pans and corning ware! We purchased our hardware from Home Depot Expo and our installer, Trent, drilled holes and added them for us. He was great and I highly recommend him for any renovation you have. Trent Frederick 404-216-1067.
Counter tops were next and I love what I picked out. It is called Giallo Superior. The last appliance to go in was the microwave and we were done! We've been cooking paleo in it for a year now. The main living space is so much more opened now it's wonderful!

It was bad, but we are both okay.

2010-04-16T15:00:00.004-04:00

I got into a car accident last night coming home from my parents house. I merged onto I-85 South from 316. A green explorer started to come into my lane and I over corrected and swerved hard to the right, then back to the left. I lost control and slammed head on into the concrete wall on the right hand side of the road.
I was taken to the hospital by ambulance (not with the lights on) and was thoroughly checked out by a doctor. I was given an extensive ultrasound and the baby is doing fine. I have read in all of my books to keep your seatbelt low and I am so glad I did that.
The car is totaled but I walked away with just some intense bruising, and a burn from the seatbelt.

We went back today to see the damage. It shocked me and Adam both when we pulled up and saw this.It is put into perspective, how fragile we are, when you can walk away from something like this. With not only your life but the life of your baby.
Here are my plants I had just purchased with mom at the growers outlet. Not sure what I can save.
My dad sent me home with some TP and Paper Towels and they were all over the floorboards. Adam's bowling shoes were thrown into the front seat on impact, but I was not hit by anything.Thankfully the airbags and seat belt did their jobs. Here you can see my seat belt burn. There is another one on the tops of my thighs.The Paleo Kitchen is closed for the weekend. I'm laying down and taking my muscle relaxers. That was all the Dr. could give me since I'm pregnant. Thanks for all your phone calls, thoughts and prayers.
Drive safely everyone!

Great visit to the Ham

2010-04-12T07:21:00.002-04:00

I got to visit Birmingham this past weekend. The weather was beautiful, and I got to visit with friends and family I don't see nearly enough.
I stayed with Ben and Shaina and here is one of their precious doggies, Lucky. She and Pancho are their children for now. Here she is on lookout.Saturday we headed to Lovell's for a crawfish boil to celebrate Ben's 31st birthday.I must say my crawfish eating skills are severely lacking. I have not had any since college and my first attempt left me with a gooey mess! I was much more into the cookie cake and spent my time grazing over there.
There were several prego's in attendance to keep me company! This group is rapidly expanding!
Here's the Birthday Boy with Audrey, who wore her crawfish shirt just for this occasion. She was a doll the entire day and smiled as we passed her around!I stopped by the In-Laws on Sunday for lunch on my way out. Always good to visit and catch up with them. Adam made it home from school about 11pm and crashed after a Saturday of finals followed by a Sunday of starting new classes.

Hope you had a great weekend, more from my paleo kitchen soon!

Easter and "Soup Rice"

2010-04-08T12:19:00.006-04:00

I cannot believe it is Thursday and I am just getting to my Easter post!
I had a lovely Easter. How about you?
Sunday I got up and squeezed into a spring dress and headed off to church with Brittani and Dayton. The service was great and we came home and prepared a delicious Paleo lunch!The deviled eggs were my favorite so I am listing the recipe.

Ingredients:
6 eggs, boiled and peeled
1/4 cup mayo
1.5 tablespoons dill relish
1 teaspoon spicy mustard
salt and pepper to taste
paprika for garnish

The best way I have found to hard boil an egg is to place the eggs in a pan with just enough water to cover and toss in some salt. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Then remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes, covered. Rinse with cold water and peel.

Halve the eggs lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place in a small bowl with mayo, relish and mustard. Stir and mash until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fill the egg whites with the filling. I used a sandwich bag with the corner cut off to pipe them in for less mess.
Sprinkle with paprika! Delicious! They save for a few days and are a really yummy snack!

This week I also made a traditional Romine dinner, affectionately called "soup-rice". This is such an easy meal to make if you want to throw something together. It is delicious. My stomach is a little finicky at times being the pregnant girl that I am, so the rice was really nice. No harsh flavors!

Ingredients:
1 can chicken noodle soup
1 can cream of chicken soupChicken - I recommend bone in skin on - any cut will do.
Rice - the amount depends on how many you are cooking for. For the two of us I did 1 cup.
Chicken Broth
Salt & Pepper to taste

Place the chicken in baking dish and add salt and pepperPlace the rice in a mixing bowl and add cream of chicken soup. Then measure using your chicken noodle soup liquid and chicken broth until you have twice as much liquid as rice. Stir to combine.Pour soup rice mixture over, making sure all the rice is submerged in liquid.
Bake covered, at 350º for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until rice is cooked through and chicken is done.

The Easter bunny was good to the dogs. They were so excited with the new bone they had no idea what to do at first.

Parmesan Pork and Veggies

2010-03-30T21:10:00.004-04:00

I snagged this recipe off of the Crossfit Peachtree Recipe Blog. It was really good and a nice change from grilling our pre-flavored pork tenderloins.
The tenderloins I used were thin so they cooked in about 1 hour and were well done while some of the veggies were not as soft as I would like, so next time I will dice my veggies up smaller.
This does contain potatoes which Paleo followers eat in moderation. Bridget suggests if you do not want potatoes to substitute in something like rutabega or parsnips.
Ingredients: 
2 cups diced red potatoes, unpeeled 
1 cup chopped onion 
1 cup chopped celery 
1 cup chopped carrots
 1.5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 
1/2 cup dry sherry 
One 2-lb. pork tenderloin 
Table salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
2 Tbs. dried sage 
1 Tbs. salt-free garlic-and-herb seasoning (I didn't have this so just substituted some garlic powder)
 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 Heat the oven to 400°F.
Arrange the potatoes, onion, celery, and carrots in a large roasting pan. Pour the broth and sherry over them. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the sage and garlic-and-herb seasoning. Place the pork on top of the vegetables and sprinkle with the Parmesan (press the cheese into the meat).
*I would also add garlic and sage on the porkRoast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160°F, about 45 minutes.Let the pork rest for 10 minutes, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve with the vegetables and brothy sauce.More from my kitchen soon!

Jackie and Cooper have had another tough day at the office. sigh.

Green Bean Casserole

2010-03-29T20:47:00.002-04:00

Adam's parents gave us this recipe from an old Better Homes and Garden's. They said it looked good and we have fallen in love with it. It's a favorite to take to family get-togethers. This recipe includes all fresh ingredients. We took it to my grandmother's birthday lunch this past Saturday. I think she ate some, but she usually saves room for dessert - or sometimes even has that first! It's her birthday and she's in her eighties, I think she's finally decided to live it up!

Ingredients:
2 lbs fresh green beans, cleaned, ends removed2 onions, sliced into rings
2 red peppers, sliced lengthwise
1 container sliced portabella mushrooms2 T. butter
1 cup flax seed meal
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
1/3 package cream cheese
4 oz goat cheese
salt and pepper
parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 375º.
Cook green beans in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain
In a large casserole dish, combine green beans, mushrooms, and red peppers and toss with balsamic vinegar and olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast at 375º for 15 minutes.In a pan, melt the butter and saute the onions until tender. Toss with flax seed meal and set aside.
Blend softened cream cheese and goat cheese. Toss with warm vegetables to coat and place back in casserole dish.
Top with onions and bake at 400º for about 10 minutes or until heated through and onions are crispy.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve!
Makes 10-12 Servings
Try this one out, you wont be disappointed!

Blue Ridge

2010-03-22T15:51:00.002-04:00

We spent this past weekend in Blue Ridge Georgia. Adam's parent's rented a beautiful cabin and we got a much needed break from the city.The dogs loved the porch and being able to run free outdoors.We woke up to a beautiful morning on Saturday and enjoyed homemade waffles!
After breakfast we headed out to the hiking trails. We all had a great time, especially the pups!
They tapped into their instincts and got close enough to a stream to drink from it!
We spent the afternoon in town and Adam's mom bought these for the baby! I will happily put the AU booties on, but Adam will have to dress him or her in the gator ones!We headed home for naps, and for the boys some Guiness and gun talk on the porch.
After some delicious taco soup, we roasted up some s'mores!It was a great weekend, I hope it's sooner than later when we get to go back!

Beef & Chicken

2010-03-18T13:43:00.003-04:00

This week we grilled some beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon and grilled some zucchini for a side. This really isn't a "recipe" just a good easy paleo meal.
These beef tenderloins were on sale for $4.99 each at Whole Foods.We just seasoned them up with some McCormicks steak seasoning and threw them on!
I sliced the zucchini lengthwise and cut off both ends.
I mixed up some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper and dipped each slice of zucchini in and put in on to grill. About 5 minutes on each side depending on how hot your grilling your meat, just check them. When you pull the zucchini back off the grill put each strip back in the bowl with your delicious mixture and toss to coat.

I also made chicken for Adam to take to work for the week.I found this chicken at Whole Foods, it's a whole chicken just already cut up for you. I really like this so you get all the parts in one and you know none of the chicken was wasted.
I coated the baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, then coated the chicken liberally with these two spices, as well as some Worcestershire sauce to keep it from getting dry.I baked the chichen at 350º for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
On another note. In our backyard we have a Coolaroo dog bed. Our dogs love it. We often say it's the best $40 we've ever spent. As you can see it's just another stressful day for Cooper!We're off to Blue Ridge this weekend! More from my paleo kitchen soon!

Crossfit Mom

2010-03-17T15:54:00.002-04:00

It's Wednesday and I am still recovering from a Crossfit workout from Monday!
I haven't felt up to working out in awhile, I know my strength is down but I thought I could totally handle a scaled workout from the Crossfit Mom website.
Here was the workout:
4 rounds
15 good mornings 45#
15 knees to elbows
15 overhead squats 45#

I was tired just after the warm up but I knew I could push myself through it and I would be so happy on the other side.
From the get go I scaled the weight down to 35#'s. I started off pretty good, I moved slow made sure to not get out of breath. When your prego you want to be able to talk throughout your workout. About halfway through I was really feeling this and moving slow. I switched over to regular back squats.
The WOD at CFPT that day was:
20min AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)
15 back extensions
15 knees to elbows
15 overhead squats

I ended up finishing my 4 round in just over 18 minutes! I couldn't believe it.
I spent a few minutes lying on the floor and then when Adam and I got in the car to head home I burst into tears. I have no idea what caused it, it felt like instead of the workout releasing the happy endorphins like it usually does it made me super upset!
I was not feeling too well and went straight to bed when I got home. Adam brought me a plate of grapes and lunch meat and I ate it all.
I'm still sore today-wednesday!
The moral of my story is pregnancy really changes your body, more than I ever realized. I always saw crossfit girls doing kipping pullups in their third trimester. Now, I have NO idea how they do that!
For now walking and jogging will probably be it for me, the occasional crossfit workout but I might have to move down from advanced on the Crossfit Mom site!

Adam's Big Chili

2010-03-07T16:13:00.004-05:00

Adam made this chili the other day. He snagged the recipe off of 70's Big. A website which I think is dedicated to making you hulk hogan-ish, like in the 70's. He did make some adjustments to keep it paleo.
I've listed the recipe below.
The first note I have is that if your wife is in her first trimester and the smell of meat makes her nauseous, this would not be a good thing to leave in the crock pot all night long!
Ingredients:
2 lbs course ground beef-cooked through
2.5 lbs tri-tip, trimmed and cubed-cooked through
1 can peeled whole tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1-2 minced jalapenos (more or less depending on how spicy you want it)
4-5 crushed/minced garlic cloves
1/2-1 cup chopped white onion
1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Lime juice from 1 large lime
1 beer
Chili Mix (all measurements heaping!):
2-3 tbsp chili powder
1+ tbsp cumin
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp Mexican oregano leaves
1-2 tsp black pepper (to taste)
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)

Dump everything into the crock pot. Set it on high then let it simmer.This made a lot of chili-enough to take to work every day!

Snow, a headband and my much loved dogs

2010-03-02T14:44:00.004-05:00

It has just stopped snowing here in the ATL. It's been a beautiful morning. Sadly it did not stick but it snowed for hours and hours.You can see it coming down out back through my (messy) kitchen window. I promise to blog about my kitchen renovation soon...
When it is snowy I love my new knitted headband. I don't know who makes it just that I bought it at a boutique in Blue Ridge. I tried to photograph it so you can see it's a headband but apparently you have to be a professional to photograph yarn.

Today I have decided I can finally see a little baby bump. I'm almost 12 weeks now and about to enter my second trimester. Husband and I went to Babies R Us this weekend and got really overwhelmed. Does that happen to anyone else? The list is long and extensive of things they say we will need. I've been leaning on other mama's for suggestions. I want to make sure if we get it we will use it.

I am also a little sad today. In this post about my pups I told you all about where we got Jackie and how much we like this rescue. Adam and I were excited it was going to be featured on the news, however when we sat down to watch we were very sad at what we saw. The owner is being accused of taking donations and not using the funds for the dogs. Seriously!? As if pit bulls don't have it hard enough. I'm glad the only money we gave her was our adoption fee for Jackie. She was worth every penny. If you are ever looking to adopt a dog I still highly encourage you to look into pet rescues.

Paleo Pregnancy

2010-02-24T19:31:00.002-05:00

It has been over a week since my last post and I sincerely hate my absence. It can be easily explained, I have been going through my first trimester of my first pregnancy and I have cooked nothing, I repeat nothing that is new or paleo. For the first few weeks I could only get down things such as cheese toast or cheerios. Basically all just high-glycemic, processed carbohydrates. Then I tried to cook things like spaghetti or manacotti, which I would have intense cravings for and then by the time I cooked I would be nauseated by.
So at this point, I am past week 10 I am trying my best to eat as paleo as possible. I'm succeeding sometimes and sometimes not. I have found that if Adam will cook the meal for me then I am having more success!
I know there are so many moms-to-be out there who are able to stay strict paleo and my hat is off to you! As the days go by and I feel better and better I am able to get back to my old diet.
But I promise I have not forgotten about posting new recipes as soon as I can cook without becoming nauseated I will be right back at it!
I have gotten a couple requests for baby food which I do hope to make myself. However I'm not sure if I will try that before the baby comes! Right now I am overwhelmed with the sheer amount of "things" there are that I need to get in order to be ready for our new addition!
I promise more to come from My Paleo Kitchen soon!

Goin' to the Chapel...

2010-02-16T15:36:00.003-05:00

This past snowy weekend some friends and I threw a shower at my house for my good friend Jessica, who is getting married in April.I made the Petit Fours that I had practiced, they turned out great and I even found these edible rings to go on top. Thanks again Darby!I also made my omelet muffins and tried out a new chicken salad recipe that I would highly recommend. This is the recipe I used. I put them in bibb lettuce instead of croissants just like a good paleo girl!We also served meatballs, chocolate covered strawberries & mimosas which were delicious. I also got to use my vintage tablecloth which I love.
Jessica with her mom and Danny's mom.After this weekend the Paleo Kitchen is all cooked out! Adam and I have both come down with colds so the most I am cooking is my chicken noodle soup.
I will be back soon with new posts on canceling our cable (yikes) and attempting paleo pregnancy!

Gluten Free Spaghetti

2010-02-09T08:47:00.003-05:00

I grew up on spaghetti. For big occasions my dad would simmer a pot all day long with completely homemade sauce filled with ground beef, sausage, whole mushrooms, bell peppers and olives. For quick night meals ground beef and a jar of sauce would do. We would throw leftover bread in the oven with butter and garlic and toast it up to go with it.
Food is family to me. So many good memories created around the table at the end of the day. Now with my new knowledge about high glycemic carbs, which the paleo dieters do not eat, pasta is not on the menu.
So last night for a little cheat meal (but the best kind of cheat) I found gluten free spaghetti. This "pasta" is made with alternative flours which break down more slowly in your body to not cause a sugar spike. These pastas are not paleo but better for you than traditional pastas and they taste just the same! Try one out and let me know what you think!

To make the sauce I used one jar of organic spaghetti sauce. 1 lb ground beef. 1 diced onion. and a jar of whole olives.
Saute the onions and ground beef with salt, pepper, oregano, basil and garlic. Add in the jar of sauce and simmer until bubbly. Add in the olives and stir to heat.Cook the pasta according to the package then top with sauce. Yum-O!

Petit Fours...

2010-02-08T21:26:00.002-05:00

...the most UN-paleo thing I've ever made. Seriously.
This Sunday I have 18 ladies coming to my house for a bridal shower for my good friend Jessica. For some reason I decided I wanted to make the petit fours instead of buying them!
The only reason I would have ever attempted this is because a blogger that I stalk-Darby-made them and blogged about them so I was inspired to try!
I used her recipe found here.
I attempted to decorate a few and tried to make the fuchsia color to match Jess' invites. My piping tools are all too large for these small cakes, I will probably use a plastic baggie with a small hole in one corner when I actually do them this weekend. But for a test run they turned out great. They taste good so that's the most important part, getting them cute is now the real test.These things have so much sugar in them I was not kidding when I said the most un-paleo thing ever. The icing is basically two pounds of powdered sugar, seriously!
I hope they are a hit this weekend. More from that shower and other recipes soon!

Citrus Chicken

2010-02-05T10:22:00.003-05:00

It's cold and rainy here and since the warm weather just wont come fast enough I decided to bring a little summer flavor in for dinner. This chicken was tasty, moist and had lots of flavor. It was also really easy to make.

Ingredients:
Juice from one whole orange-or 1/4 cup
Juice from one whole lime
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 Tablespoon thyme
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 lb. organic boneless chicken breasts
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Lettuce

Directions:
Combine orange juice, lime juice, orange rind, thyme, garlic and salt and whisk together.
Pour half the mixture into a zip loc baggie, add the chicken to the bag and let marinate for about 5 minutes.Whisk the olive oil into remaining juice mixture.
Heat a non stick skillet. I used cooking spray to coat the skillet and cooked the chicken (marinade disgarded) over medium-high heat for 4 minutes on each side. Then add some marinade to the pan and cook an additional 4 minutes on each side on low with a lid on the skillet.Once chicken reaches 155º in the thickest part I remove it from the skillet.
*Chicken is recommended to be cooked until 165º
Place chicken on a bed of lettuce and drizzle remaining marinade over.Enjoy!
More from my paleo kitchen soon!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2010-02-04T08:53:00.004-05:00

If you are a girl, especially an Auburn girl then I have a feeling you love nothing better than a big bowl of Broccoli Cheese Soup-preferably from a bread bowl! Am I right? I think so!

I do miss those trips to McAlisters deli where we would all order the same thing, and somehow we did not gain an ounce from eating a creamy soup out of a bread bowl!

Times are different now and not only is there not a McAlisters near me but my best friends are spread out into 5 different states! So I decided to try my hand at some homemade broccoli cheese and of course I made it paleo. Again, I am not a "no dairy" stickler so if you are, this recipe is not for you! But for all my girls, I hope you like this one!

Ingredients:
5 T. Butter
1/2 medium onion, minced
1/4 cup flax seed meal or almond flour
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
2 heads fresh broccoli, shredded in food processor
3 small carrots, shredded in food processor
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar
Directions:
Melt the butter and add in onions, saute until tender about 5 minutes.
Slowly add in flax seed meal or almond flour using a whisk to create the roux. Keep whisking for about 3 minutes then slowly whisk in your milk then your chicken stock, making sure there are no clumps.
Add in the broccoli and carrots. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste, then your nutmeg.Over low heat add in your cheese and stir until well combined.Serve and enjoy!

CrossFit Level 1 Certification for Sale!

2010-02-02T18:32:00.002-05:00

Hello faithful blog readers. Many of you are CrossFiters and you might know someone who is looking to get their Level 1 Certification. If so I am selling my spot at the certification that is scheduled for February 20th and 21st in Atlanta GA, at CrossFit Atlanta.
If anyone is interested please email me: brandi@longviewdesign.com

Brown Bagging It.

2010-01-26T09:33:00.002-05:00

With everyone on a tight budget, we're seeing more brown bag lunches these days. Every weekend I take some time to cook several dishes for the week. A breakfast casserole for easy re-heating in the morning, and some baked chicken for Adam to take for lunch each day.

Chicken for the Week:
1 Bag of frozen chicken breasts-thawed
Steak Seasoning
Salt & Pepper
Worcestershire Sauce
Soy Sauce
Dijon Mustard-about a Tablespoon
Minced Garlic-about a Tablespoon
Red Wine Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar
Place chicken breasts in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and steak seasoning.
In a glass measuring cup put equal parts of each sauce until you reach 1/2 cup. Just eyeball it, don't worry about exact measurements!
Pour the sauce over the chicken.Bake at 375º for 40 minutes

You have chicken for 5 days. If you brown bag your lunch you could save $50 a week!
More from my paleo kitchen soon!

Chili Rellenos Redo...

2010-01-22T10:22:00.004-05:00

...complete with pictures, and meat!

1 lb. steak, cubed
4 large Poblano Peppers
1 each red and yellow pepper, kiced
3 T. corn, peanut, or vegetable oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes, well drained
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper
1 lime
1 Cup of Monterrey Jack cheese, grated.

Preheat Broiler
Place poblanos under broiler and char evenly all over. 15 minutes ( I forgot to photograph the poblanos)While peppers are working, heat 3T. oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil smokes or ripples add onion, peppers, and jalapenos until vegetables char at edges and onion are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add in sliced steak and brown, about 4 more minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and add in garlic, tomatoes and season with cumin oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another minute or two and turn pan off.Sprinkle 1 lime juice over the mixture.
Split the charred peppers open with small sharp knife then scoop out seeds with small spoon. Place peppers in shallow baking dish and stuff each split pepper with lots of the mixture, top each with cheese and place back under broiler to melt and char the cheese.
This dish is great to make and eat on for a few days, they heat up well in the microwave!

Beef Spare Ribs-Grass Fed :)

2010-01-21T08:45:00.003-05:00

It's a rainy Thursday here. The dogs don't even want to get up to go "potty". My house is a disaster. Every single room has a mess. Every. Single. Room.
I work from home so I am in the mess 24/7. I try to barricade myself into my office and not look. The new year has been so busy I can't believe January is over, or that somehow December is over! Oh well, I will get to my mess soon and then start to build up a new one!

Last night we had Beef Spare Ribs from the crock pot. It was the easiest thing I could manage. Meat from the freezer thrown in the crock pot. We ate it in between nightly activities, standing at the counter. I could barely get a picture in before we devoured them-they were that good!

Season up the ribs on each side with a good steak seasoning. I also threw on some of Dixie's Spice Blend. A gift from a neighbor.Place the ribs into the crock pot and put about one inch of water in the bottom. Drop in two garlic cloves.
Cook on high for the first 4 hours then low for the remaining. Ours cooked for a total of 6 hours and were fall off the bone good. If you are not going to be home, start the crock pot on high then before you leave switch it to low and let them cook all day.
After they are done, if you have more time, slather them with some paleo BBQ sauce (that means it has no sugar) and throw on the grill for a good crispy outside.We did not have sides for this meal we simply scarfed down the meat and ran out the door.
Enjoy! More from my paleo kitchen soon!

Meatball Soup

2010-01-14T08:41:00.003-05:00

and we're back... with paleo friendly meatball soup. Good for these cold days we're having. Whip up a batch and eat on it for a couple meals.

Ingredients:
3 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes, with juice
1 box beef broth
2 teaspoons oregano
3 Tablespoons of basil
1 teaspoon each salt & pepper
1 egg
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons of steak seasoning
1/4 cup flax seed meal
3 cups baby spinach

Directions:
Heat 3 T. olive oil in dutch oven or soup pot.
Add in onion and celery, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes and their juices, beef broth, 1 teaspoon oregano, 2 teaspoons basil, and 1/2 t. salt. Bring to a simmer.

While the soup simmers make the meatballs. In a bowl combine ground beef, egg, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, flax seed meal, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 t. salt and 1 t. pepper, and steak seasoning. Mix with your hands until well combined.
Divide into tablespoons and roll into smooth firm balls. As you work gently drop the meatballs into the soup.

Add in 1/4 cup Parmesan, spinach and remaining basil and simmer for 20 minutes until meat is cooked through.
Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

I'll get a picture sometime soon, just a little behind this week. Enjoy!

The Animals I LOVE...

2010-01-13T07:23:00.005-05:00

...first and foremost are Jackie and Cooper. Until the real thing comes along these two are my children.
Adam adopted Cooper from the Lee County Humane Society, in Auburn Alabama. Adam and his roommate Doug went down just "to look" and came home with this little guy. He's the one with the huge ears on top of Hooch. He was found on the side of the road in Auburn and Adam just could not resist. We've had cooper for almost 4 years now. He is our "high maintenance child". He get's anxiety which means he shakes and whines. We think he might have some Basenji in him and that breed is known to whine. Cooper has lots of energy, he's always up for going on a walk and he loves to sleep on either the couch or our bed, both of which are rare treats. But that does not stop him from putting his front paws up on our bed and trying to persuade us to let him up! He is very protective, he must make several swipes of the backyard throughout the day (unless it's cold) to make sure everything is in order.Once we had Cooper a year we decided to look for a second dog. For those of you who don't know me personally I am a big advocate of this. Dogs are pack animals and want constant love and attention and humans cannot provide that for them. With two dogs together they find constant companionship and are not ever lonely and afraid if you have to leave them for extended periods of time. Just imagine being locked in a cage alone for 10 hours a day... then imagine if your best friend was there with you, it would make it much more enjoyable and warm!

We found Jackie through Pit Prints, a local Pit Bull rescue organization. Adam is very passionate about the mis-treatment of this breed and wanted to support by giving a pit bull a loving healthy home. Jackie has returned that love and then some! We adopted her in March and fostered her brother-who we named Kelso. For the week we had them both the party never stopped around here. I was chasing two puppies in two different directions, it was wild. Kelso was placed in a home and we quickly fell in love with our new baby Jackie. She has a really spunky personality that demands attention when she wants it and avoids it when she doesn't. When she was cold in the winter she would sit next to this heating vent.She loves Cooper more than anything in the world but if he's getting attention she bumps him out of the way for some love! We call her "fat head" for obvious reasons and she can bang into anything without flinching. She is fiercely loyal and obedient both characteristics of her breed.Nothing like a cold beer on a hot day of tailgating.I have no idea how she finds this comfortable but on a car ride she will scoot her head to the center console to be as near us as possible.Jackie loves car rides and loves to look out the window during the day.
If you have reservations about the Pit Bull breed I encourage you to look at Jackie and Cooper as examples of a dogs who were raised right and have never so much as growled at another human. They sit patiently on the floor with small children and let them pull at their ears endlessly. Pit Bulls love humans, love attention and only want to please their owners.Here is our Christmas Card from this year that never got mailed!
The dogs first beach experience at Fort DeSoto Park in Tampa.

Here is one last animal-FRANK! We started feeding some kittens from next door a few months ago. We named this little guy Frank and his sister who looked like his twin Beans! Frank has found a permanent home with my parents out in Lawrenceville where he has 5 acres to roam and explore. I just love this picture. This cat is very vocal when he wants food or love. Now he is grown and if you open my parents front door Frank comes running down the driveway for some attention.

I am an animal lover all the way through. Thanks for reading about my babies and if you are interested in getting a pet I encourage you to look at adoption first!
I have a new Paleolithic recipe in the works so we'll get back on track soon!

Starting A New Year

2010-01-08T07:59:00.020-05:00

I'm here faithful blog readers. December has by far been our busiest month and I have not had time to try out any new recipes to blog about!
I thought I would give you a little year in review. I have really enjoyed going through this years pictures and my dayplanner to remember all the fun times we've had. I am very blessed to have such good friends and family!

January Adam took helicopter flying lessons.February we celebrated Adam's 26th birthday and started planning our Kitchen renovation.March we went to the Billy Joel-Elton John concert to celebrate my mom's birthday.

April brought more kitchen renovations and a trip to Steeplechase with the Magnolia Arms girls.

May we completed our kitchen renovations and took a trip to Panama City to celebrate our friends wedding with a joint bachelor/bachelorette weekend.

June Doug and Pam tied the knot in Auburn and we joined Crossfit Peachtree

July we took a trip to Melbourne Florida, where Adam is from.

August we took a trip to NYC and the Hamptons with the Mag Arms to visit the Suzer.
We also celebrated Crawford and Christin's American wedding.

September we traveled to Charlotte for Adam's crossfit certification.

October took us to Muss & Turner's to celebrate the crossfit certification

November we traveled to Jacksonville for the FL/UGA game.

December was by FAR our busiest month!
I traveled to NYC to help Suzanne set up her new apartment
We both traveled to Charlotte to celebrate Jon's graduation with his MBA from Wake Forrest
Christmas took us to Auburn for a day and our two other families visited us here at our home.
We then traveled to the Blue Ridge Mountains to ring in the new year with some friends.
Looking back I have been able to do so much this year. Spend time with friends and family and travel to SO many places, this year one of my resolutions is to take more time at home (not on big projects) and take fewer trips! It has been one busy year.

It snowed last night and I carefully drove Adam to Marta this morning for his 3rd day at his new job with CTS. Here is one of my favorite snow pics from last year. Here is my tough pit bull Jackie in her first snow experience. My dogs are such sissys who love their warm comfy crate!

Boots & Babies

2009-12-14T14:40:00.010-05:00

I had two parties out in the 'burbs this weekend. Always good to get away from the city and be with family and friends.
My cousin Daniel is turning 30 and his wife Meggin threw him a nice little cowboy get together. Their dog is Roxy, a Pomeranian-mix rescue, and she is adorable! He loves his cowboy boots and country get up. So we all dressed up for the event and ate some delicious taco soup! I think he was intrigued by his candles.I've made fun of Daniel's cowboy boots my whole life, so one Christmas he decided to spray paint an old pair for me as my gift! I promised him I would wear them for a dance at my wedding since he had painted them white. Here we are doing the electric slide (his song of choice) on my big day.Happy birthday cousin, I love you!

On Sunday we threw a baby shower for my college roommate Ginny. She is pregnant with twin boys! I designed her invitation for her and I'm currently working on her birth announcements.The shower went great and it was so nice to catch up with old friends since we all live so far apart now.
This is my friend Missy with her daughter Willa.
Petite-fours from Rhodes bakery. Yum-o!The party hostesses and the 3 college roomies in the middle.Surprise to us! There are 3 babies in this picture-not just 2!

It was a great weekend filled with good food and good company.
More from my paleo kitchen soon.

Honey Nut Bars

2009-12-10T19:11:00.003-05:00

I got this recipe from Bridget, one of the owners of our gym. It is SO delicious I'm going to make them all the time for snacks!

Preheat oven to 350º and grease a 13x9 casserole dish with coconut oil.

Place the following nuts into a food processor, grind into a coarse nut flour.
1/2 cup cashews
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup almonds

Put into a medium sized bowl and stir in the following:
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I used 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg as I do not like cinnamon)

Melt in a small saucepan:
1/2 cup of honey
1/4 cup high quality coconut oil.
*I'm not sure what "high quality" means but you'll have to go somewhere like Whole Foods for this and I just bought the most affordable, they only had 3 there and it worked great.

Pour honey/oil over the nut mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated with it. Press evenly into the prepared casserole dish and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool for 20 minutes, the very gently cut and remove bars and allow to cool on a plate. They will be crumbly but if they fall apart gently mold them back together. As they cool they will harden.

Store in tupperware to snack on all week!

New York Christmas

2009-12-07T21:07:00.015-05:00

This weekend I traveled to NYC to visit my friend Suzanne. She just moved into her new apt and she invited me up for some girl time, complete with shopping, painting and decorating!
On Friday night we made a yummy dinner and shared a bottle of wine as we got all caught up on life. Suzanne makes a super easy Caprese Salad.
2 Tomatoes Diced1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 block of fresh mozzarella cheese cubedOne bunch fresh basil, chopped
Drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Dash of Salt & Pepper
Mix and enjoy!We also made some pesto to go on our Mushroom Ravioli! 1/4 cup pine nuts
1 bunch fresh basil
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Blend it all up in the food processor to smear on chicken or pasta like we did.

We got to work bright and early on Saturday, getting her new place all set up. Her place is filled with lots of custom bookshelves.I enjoyed arranging all their nick-nacks!
We picked a gorgeous gray for the walls in her dining room and bought her a new rug and mirror, but the mirror and picture for the wall didn't make it in my photo shoot! Love it Suzer! I had to include a pic of Abe's Ganesh.

My friend is such a new yorker now, hails cabs like a pro.Julie came in from long island and we went to Cilantro, a really great Mexican place. We tried to order "Paleo Margaritas" or as they are known in the North "Skinny Girl Margaritas" but they just tasted like like juice and soda water. They didn't know how much the southern ladies like their tequila!
After dinner we went to see the tree at Rockefeller Center. It was beautiful, just as I imagined. After a weekend of seeing what it's like to live in NYC being smashed in with all the tourists was crazyness, but I'm so glad we went. I got some great images.

Of course the perfect way to end a girls weekend is some hot apple cider with rum, chocolate chip cookies and Brothers & Sisters!
Love you girls! See you soon!

Beets n' Beef

2009-12-03T10:29:00.004-05:00

For my fellow beet lover Sarah :)

We made a special trip to Whole Paycheck yesterday and I found these "Golden Beets". I love to try cooking with new things I've never tried before and these turned out great. We also scored our first grass-fed beef. It was tender and tasty!
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin off of the beets and cut off the stems.
Rinse under running water and cut into cubes.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and just a bit of pepper.Roast at 350º for 1 hour, or until fork tender.
These 3 beets were enough for the two of us. Adam described it as a roasted carrot texture. I highly recommend these if you're up for trying something new that's easy.
Enjoy! More from my paleo kitchen soon!

Easy Enchiladas ....

2009-12-01T12:36:00.005-05:00

...they're almost paleo!

I got this recipe from our friends Lauren & Wes and we have used it a lot. It is delish and as the title suggests easy! The tortillas do not follow the guidelines of the Paleolithic Diet, however you can substitute in corn tortillas which are made of no refined wheat or flour products. There are also people who do not eat beans and some diet followers do not eat cheese. This is the thing I've said before, I do things in moderation and my goal is to put healthy food into my body which it can use for energy. This recipe will do just that!

1 Rotisserie Chicken- meat pulled off in large chunks and chopped
1 can pinto or black beans, drained
2 cups salsa-just dump in almost a jar, leaving a little for topping
2 cups shredded Mexican Cheese-leave a little bit out for topping as well
8- 8 inch tortillas

Preheat oven to 350˚.
Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray

In a bowl combine chicken, meat, beans, salsa, and cheese. (leaving a little salsa and cheese for toppings later).Divide mixture evenly among tortillas.Roll tortillas up and place seam side down in the baking pan. Top with remaining salsa and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese melts and enchiladas are heated through.

Last time I made this I dumped in a spare can of diced tomatoes to get in some more vegetables. There are lots of options for this dish and it will keep for the week for several meals!
Enjoy!

A thankful Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T18:54:00.005-05:00

Thanksgiving was busy as usual this year. Somehow, being a blogger and the daughter of a photographer I did not take one picture the entire weekend but that's okay, I want to share my wonderful thanksgiving anyway!
On Thursday Adam and I headed out to my parents house for lunch. My sister and mom really outdid themselves this year. Turkey, squash, dressing, macaroni, green beans and several desserts. Two tables were pushed together to create a huge square with 3 people on each side. My parents, sister, cousins, their wives, aunt, uncle and my sweet grandma Moon were all there. My grandma ate two of each dessert, including a cookie halfway through the meal! I love her.
We sat down for a delicious lunch at noon and did not rise until 5:15 that evening after some of the best conversation I've had in years. It's amazing and uplifting to surround yourself with people who will listen to your beliefs and politics and not judge.
I left on Thursday night feeling like my batteries were recharged. Thank you "mom's side" we had a wonderful day and we cannot wait to see you again soon.
We drove down to Auburn on Thursday night to see Adam's mom and step-dad. We enjoyed some ham and biscuits and visited until bedtime.
Friday morning we were up and out to tailgate for The Iron Bowl. We enjoyed our time with good friends. There is nothing like traveling back to Auburn. The love Adam and I share for the campus, the school, and the people is overwhelming.
Sadly Auburn could not pull off the upset on the #2 team in the nation, but we (and our fifth of jim beam) had a great time at the game!
We got to spend some time with Jon and Aften who traveled all the way from Charlotte and it is always good to see them.
We headed home on Saturday after lunch with Adam's dad, step-mom and sister.
I am so thankful for my family. All of them. They are good people. All of them.
I have thanked God so many times this weekend, for putting all of my blessings in front of me. For reminding me what is important in this life that we are given.
I hope you had a blessed thanksgiving holiday.
More from my Paleo kitchen soon!

Omelet Muffins

2009-11-19T15:32:00.004-05:00

I found this recipe on Mark's Daily Apple and it was really great to have individual muffin sizes to eat for breakfast. The best part is that you can throw in whatever fillings you have on hand.
I ended up doubling the recipe because the husband eats 4 in one sitting!

Omelet Muffins
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1/3 cup cooked meat, cut or crumbled into small pieces
1/2 cup diced vegetables
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/8 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup water
Optional Ingredient Idea: Make a Mexican Omelet Muffin by adding 1/4 cup shredded cheese, onions, and lightly drained salsa to the eggs.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 6 muffin tins with butter or coconut oil or for easier removal line with paper baking cups. The baking cups also help the muffins hold their shape.
In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add meat, vegetables, salt, ground pepper, and any other ingredients and stir to combine.
I used sausage, bacon, mushrooms, onions and chopped fresh arugula. Spoon or scoop into the muffin cups. Not gonna lie this part is a bit messy!Bake for 18-20 minutes until a knife inserted into the center of an muffin/omelet comes out almost clean. The omelets will continue to cook for a minute or two after removed from the oven. Remove the omelets from the muffin cups and serve, or cool completely and store for another day.
Makes 6 Muffins
Let the leftovers cool completely then save the rest for the next morning!

Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-11-17T14:53:00.003-05:00

It's a cold wet day today and Adam is feeling under the weather so I tried out my new Chicken Noodle Soup recipe and together we finished off the entire batch-it was that good! I would say this is the best Chicken Noodle I've ever had and the best part is there are no noodles so you can eat as much of this stuff as you want!

1 Chicken Breast, diced
1 Large Carrot, sliced
4 Celery Stalks, sliced
1 Zucchini- julienned for “noodles”2 T. butter
½ small onion, minced
32 oz. Chicken Broth
1t. each Salt and Pepper

Melt 2 T. butter
Add carrot, onion, celery and chicken
Season with Salt and Pepper
Sauté for 10 minutes
Add broth and simmer for 20 minutes or until veggies are soft.
Add zucchini and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve hot and enjoy!

Beef Roast with Spicy Tomato Sauce

2009-11-16T21:51:00.006-05:00

This recipe is from Giada and a great take on an otherwise plain roast.

2 lb. sirloin tip or chuck roast
Salt and Pepper
4 Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 t. herbes de Provence (I don't have this I use one t. each basil and thyme and parsley. If you're using fresh parsley then it calls for 1.5 cups)
3 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/2 t red pepper flakes
2 T. red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375º
Season the beef with salt and pepper. Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper and herbes de Provence.
Heat the olive oil in a medium roasting pan on high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until browned. Place the seasoned tomatoes around the seared beef and place the pan in the oven. Roast until meat thermometer inserted in the center of the beef reads 130º. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 mintues.
While the meat rests, place the parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes, a pinch of salt, red wine vinegar, roasted tomatoes and juices from the roasting pan into the food processor and blend until smooth. Add in a bit of olive oil if needed for desired consistency.
To serve: slice the roast and drizzle sauce over top.

Breakfast Casserole

2009-11-10T09:05:00.006-05:00

This is a household favorite around here. It's a good one to make on a Sunday night to last you the whole week. If you are married to my husband, it lasts about 2 days!
I also enjoy making this when I have time on a Saturday morning or if we have overnight guests.

Golden Egg Casserole
2 Tbs. butter
1 8 oz. package sliced mushrooms
1 medium-size bell pepper, diced
10 eggs
1/2 cup flax-seed meal
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 (16 oz.) container small-curd cottage cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) Monterey Jack cheese
1 lb. ground sausage, cooked and drained
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled*
1 small can sliced black olives, drained*Bacon trick-courtesy of the Romine's. Put two paper towels down on a plate then lay out your bacon. Cover with a paper towel and microwave approx. 1 minute per slice. I have a brand new microwave so these 6 pieces took 4 minutes. Start low until you know your microwave and then cook in 30 second increments. Your bacon will be crispy every time!

1. Add sausage to skillet and begin browning. Add in mushrooms, bell pepper and butter and saute until soft and sausage is cooked through.2. Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in mushroom mixture then remaining ingredients.3. Pour into greased 13x9 inch baking dish
4. Bake at 400º for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350º and bake 15 more minutes or until set and lightly browned.Makes 8-10 servings.

Eggplant Parmesan

2009-11-09T19:21:00.007-05:00

We have been invaded! We spent part of our weekend clearing out the leaves from just the front yard.This is what's still to come! {sigh}This is how the dogs spent their weekend.

On the menu tonight is Eggplant Parmesan! I haven't worked much with Eggplant but every time I do I really like it. This recipe incorporates Flax seed meal instead of flour. I found mine in the baking isle. Just do a little searching and you can find it.

1 Eggplant-cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
2 tablespoons oil for each batch of eggplant. I used grapeseed oil
1 Egg-beaten
1/3 cup flax seed meal
1 palm-full of each: Oregano, Parsley, Basil
1 jar of marinara sauce
3/4 cup Parmesan
8oz. fresh mozzarella sliced
1 small onion diced
1 lb. ground turkey
Salt & Pepper

In a large skillet add ground turkey, diced onion, oregano, parsley, and basil. Saute until meat is cooked through and onion is translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste then set aside.
Mix flax seed, 1/4 cup parmesan and salt and pepper.
Dredge each slice of Eggplant through egg then flax seed mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in skillet. Saute eggplant for 2 minutes on each side or until browned. {adding new oil when needed between batches}Sauce the bottom of your casserole dish, then layer eggplant, turkey mixture, sauce and Parmesan cheese. Repeat until the end of your ingredients.
Place sliced Mozzarella cheese on top.Bake at 350º for 25 minutes.
Y'all this thing was SO good, it might be the best Paleo meal I've made yet! Enjoy!

Beach Club Unwich

2009-11-03T12:42:00.003-05:00

Have you ever had an unwich from Jimmy Johns? It is one of my favorites. I can get a sandwich I love but with no bread (which is the bad carbs I don't want).
If you haven't tried one out I highly recommend that you do.
My favorite is the Beach Club: Turkey, provolone, avocado, sprouts, and tomatoes all wrapped up in lettuce.I hope you are all having a great Tuesday. More from my paleo kitchen soon!

Butternut Squash Soup

2009-11-02T19:49:00.002-05:00

Butternut Squash Soup is perfect for a cold night. I found this recipe on this website. It's one of my favorites to pull recipes from. I made a few additions to make it just perfect. I also got to use my hand blender that I scored at a yard sale for the first time! Enjoy!

1 T. unsalted butter or grapeseed oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 2 inch cubes
3 cups water or stock, boiling
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

In a large pot, warm the butter (or oil)
Carmelize the onion for 10 minutes until golden brown
Add the squash cubes, salt, pepper, nutmeg and garlic power and cook 10 minutes.
Pour the boiling stock (or water) over the onion/squash mixture
Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes
With a hand blender (or in a blender in small batches) blend the soup until it is thick and creamy.

While the soup is simmering clean the seeds inside a colander with running water. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with salt pepper and garlic power. Toast in toaster over for 8 minutes or until crisp.

Top soup with toasted seeds and serve!

Chili Rellanos

2009-10-27T21:44:00.005-04:00

Everyone loves this recipe so I wanted to share. I have modified it to be paleo so eat as much as you would like!

Chili Rellanos
4 large Poblano Peppers
3 T. grape seed or olive oil
1 Red Onion-diced
1 yellow bell pepper-diced
1 Jalapeno-diced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 boneless steaks-diced
1 (15 oz.) can of fire roasted diced tomatoes-drained
1/2 palm full Cumin
1/2 t. oregano
1 Lime
1 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese

Place Poblanos under broiler or on hot grill and char evenly all over. About 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a skillet on high. Once heated, add in onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno and toss until onions are translucent. About 6 minutes. Add in steak and sear until cooked to your preference. I like it rare :) Reduce heat to Medium-High and add in garlic, tomatoes, cumin, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.
Warm until heated through then turn pan off.
Squeeze lime juice over mixture.

Split the charred Poblanos open-but not in half- and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Place peppers in a shallow baking dish and stuff each pepper with the mixture. Top each pepper with 1/4 cup of grated cheese and place back under broiler to melt and char the cheese.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Travel, a CD release and reliving the loss.

2009-10-25T15:50:00.010-04:00

It has been a very eventful week around here. I suggest grabbing a cup of coffee if you're going to stick around to read this one!

Adam has been gone all week to complete his elective for his MBA degree. He's in a program at the University of Florida (we live in Atlanta) that requires him to travel to class one weekend a month. He's required to complete one week of class during the 2 1/2 year program to fulfill the elective requirement. At this point we're on day 7. He is tired and very ready to come home. The dogs and I are very ready for him to be home and are waiting anxiously for him to hurry up the 5 hour drive home.

I grew up just outside of Atlanta and possibly Smoke Rise Baptist Church had the most significant impact on my life thus far. The youth group there is amazing, huge, and gave me people who are still my best friends today. This week, 2 members of that youth group released their new CD! Ben Smith and Patrick Barrett were part of the Uth Praise Band and continued that journey after college. The CD is called Be and is available on Itunes. Here is the link to their website. I know I might be biased because I know these guys but truly this CD Is amazing! I have listened to it since the second it came out, it has lifted me up with every song. I highly recommend the investment.

Along with a new CD release came a book release from a Smoke Rise member. The book Later by Bill Smith was published just this week. I am halfway through and it is wonderful. The book is about Bill's son Wes. It tells the story of his battle with Leukemia. Reading Bills words have educated me on what this family went through as well as give me a chance to grieve for the loss. I highly recommend the book. All proceeds go to the When Everyone Survives Foundation. If you want to read on I am going to share what Wes meant to me. This isn't really for anyone else, just for me. To help me grieve for the person I lost.

I never "met" Wes, he has been in my world for as long as I can remember. Our families have been friends for 3 generations. My grandfather and father bought all their cars from the Smiths. Growing up I always thought you were friends with the people you bought your cars from!
Wes and I were in the same grade, he is 4 days shy of being one year older than me. We were in sunday school together for as long as I can remember. We wern't "close" just always in the same place. Up until about 8th grade we always sat boys on one side of the room and girls on the other during Sunday School, but then of course things change :)
We all got a little older, and eventually Wes and I started "going out" as we used to call it. I was stinkin' crazy about this kid. He was so much fun to be around. He was also 16 and could drive. Cars were a big thing in my group of friends. We all loved to talk about cars and ride in our cars 24/7. Wes taught me to drive a stick shift. Somehow his tires did not come out bald from that experience. I still drive a stick shift today and have no plans of ever buying anything else.
One significant memory from our "going out" days is that he rode with my mom to drop me off at my camp counseling job. Two hours each way, and after they dropped me off if was just the two of them! He was a great boyfriend but as most relationships do when you're 16 it ended...with me being the heartbroken one!

Car #1 was a 65' Mustang.
Car #2 the Cougar

Car #3 was the Acura Type R.We stayed in the same group of friends all through high school and I have countless memories from that time. Wes is always the life of the party, cracking jokes and doing anything to make people laugh.This is Easter Sunday of our Senior Year. A little photo shoot in the parking lot before jumping into our cars and heading to Chili's for lunch.

I left for Auburn in the fall of 2001 and Wes and I lost contact in between times we were not "home".
My sophomore year in college I began dating Adam, who is now my husband. One late night after hitting the bars Adam and I were in my kitchen making egg sandwiches and somehow figured out we both knew Wes Smith! I called Wes up and told him about the connection, they talked on the phone for a bit. They hadn't talked since the beginning of High School.
The story goes that Adam and Wes met at GAC (Greater Atlanta Christian School) and became the best of friends. Their sophomore year of high school Adam moved to Florida. Later in that year is when I started dating Wes. The crazy part about that is somehow although we had both been connected to Wes, we had never met!

It wasn't until my senior year at at Auburn that Wes entered my life again in a big way. I had heard through the ever present gossip line that Wes had been diagnosed with Leukemia. I was stunned, shocked and didn't really know what to do. I did not call and I did not go home to see him.
Eventually I got together with my two best friends to visit him in the hospital. We were all nervous, the group hadn't been together very much since High School. But when we got there, it was just Wes, just like he'd always been. Being there in a group with all our friends was pretty "formal" and no one really got a good one on one with him. I knew that I would be back. Alone.

I came back on a Wednesday night over Thanksgiving break. I don't know why I remember that it was Wednesday, I just do. People sort of "came and went" as I was there, some friends I didn't know, some I did, and his sister. As people would come in I felt like I should leave and give them their time. Wes was adamant that I not leave, at one point I wondered if he had offended the people that had come to see him! But I realized that after all my time pining away for him as a 16 year old girl, this time he wanted me to stay! As it got later the last of the visitors came, Wes and I did "laps". We just walked around and around the loop of the floor. He had his IV attached to him through a portal in his chest. As we walked I offered to push his IV stand. The second my hand touched that poll it was like dead weight covered my body. "He never get's away from this" I thought. The sense of depression that put on me that I would be able to leave that hospital that night and he wouldn't made me want to run for my life.
It was during this walk that I think we sort of made our peace. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner" I said. He frankly replied "I was surprised and hurt that you didn't, why didn't you come?" I honestly answered back that if I stayed away then it wasn't real. I didn't want to believe my friend had leukemia. He pondered this and said "I totally understand."
As we did our laps Wes talked to each patient we passed, making jokes and making everyone laugh. In his room his machine was constantly going off, nurses were in and out checking the beeping and constantly asking him about his pain to which he would give a number. He showed me his lower back, right above his tailbone, it was the blackest bruise I have ever seen in my life. It was from all the time he spent in that hospital bed.
The Chick-fil-a his sister had brought got cold and as the night went on I watched him use a mouthwash to try to help the ulcers that covered his mouth from the chemo. I put lotion on his face where his skin was peeling and he asked me to stay until he fell asleep. He did after the nurses put yet another drug into his IV.
I remember walking out and breathing the air outside, so sad. I was free and he was not.

I vividly remember the last time I saw Wes alive. Adam and I went to his house, at this point I knew in my soul that this was the last time I was going to see him. The best way for me to describe it was he looked drunk, probably doped up on so much pain medication he scooted to the edge of the couch and then just seemed like he was going to fall off. He couldn't talk much but eventually Adam hugged him, I kissed him on the cheek and told him that I loved him and I left. That was over Christmas break. In February I was in class and got the call from Brad that he was gone. No matter how much you prepare yourself it doesn't get any easier.

Today I am 26 years old, Wes would be 27. There are so many things that I have now experienced that he has not gotten to. It breaks my heart. When I got the call that Wes had passed I was in class working on a new logo project. We had to create a company and make an identity for it. I created When Everyone Survives (WES). Once finished I sent the logo to Wes' parents and they actually started a foundation by the same name.

Did I mention that Wes was always doing stuff to make us laugh? His eyes would bug out if he saw this picture again after all this time. But this is how I remember my friend, doing something funny like wearing MY sweater and dancing, just to make us all laugh!

It's Shake 'n Bake and I helped!

2009-10-21T21:15:00.005-04:00

Tonight I made pork chops with my paleo version of shake 'n bake.
Take 1/2 cup almonds and place in mini food processor for about 1 minute. The consistency should be like breadcrumbs. (I used 1/4 cup almonds for 1 pork chop)
Add in 1/2 teaspoon each of Nature's Seasons and Garlic Powder and a dash of pepper, then mix crumbs and seasonings well.

Whisk one egg and coat both sides of the pork chops. Then press the pork chop into the almond crumbs. If you really want to place them in a zip lock bag and shake it by all means go ahead!Bake in the oven at 350º for 30 minutes. You can use this on any type of meat you would like. It's crunchy and adds great flavor! I really enjoyed it.
More from my paleo kitchen soon.

It's so easy a caveman can do it

2009-10-20T11:17:00.005-04:00

I must say there are days when following this diet have me very frustrated.
Is following the Paleolithic Diet easy? Maybe for a caveman. He did not have restaurants to choose from, or friends to meet for a drink after work.

I don't always like to do things the easy way, and it's very convenient to eat all of the mass produced, chemically enhanced food in our supermarkets. It would be much quicker for me to pick up a frozen pizza than to individually pick out items for a healthy meal. But it's important to me to say healthy so I'm taking the time and making the effort.

Eating at your house is one thing, but going out to eat and trying to stick with no sugar, grains, rice or pasta is far another.
Ordering at the BBQ restaurant earlier this week, I was excited to get some pulled pork but was leery of the BBQ sauce, "Does it have sugar in it?" I asked. "Some" they replied. So I used just a little bit of sauce, because how can you eat BBQ with out the BBQ sauce?
My sides were a whole other debate. Coleslaw should be cabbage with mayo and a bit of mustard right? "Does it have sugar in it?" I asked. "Oh yea" they replied. My friend looked at the nice lady taking our order and told her I was crazy.

Working on some new recipe posts to keep eating interesting and yummy! More from my Paleo Kitchen soon!

Paleo Snack

2009-10-18T20:28:00.003-04:00

We've had a great fall weekend down south. Auburn did not pull off the win against Kentucky on Saturday and we were a little down about that. But Sunday turned out to be just beautiful. I sat outside in the sun and enjoyed my pumpkin spice latte at Panera!

A favorite Paleo snack of mine is a banana with almond butter. I just slice it open and smooth on some almond butter then put the top back on and eat it like a sandwich. It's quick, easy and only a little bit messy!

Taco Soup

2009-10-17T15:05:00.005-04:00

Taco soup is one of my favorite things to make on a cold day, especially when there is football on TV!
I have modified this soup to make it as Paleo as possible.
When I say "Paleo" it refers to following The Paleolithic Die t, which loosely described is a diet free from grains, rice, pasta and sugar.
If you get more technical then back in the paleolithic years we did not eat beans, and this soup has that in it. Are beans bad for you? People still argue on this.
I just want to be clear to readers that I do understand this recipe is not strictly paleo but it is healthy and gives your body lots of nutrients that it needs!
I like to top mine with cheese and dairy is also not technically in the diet...but I like to do things in moderation!
So with that said here is the recipe:
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground turkey
1 packet low sodium taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 onion diced
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 jar medium salsa
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can black olives
1 beer-substitute stock to make it more paleo!
For toppings:
1 bunch green onions choped
sour cream
grated cheddar cheese
jalapenos
In a skillet cook the beef, turkey, and onions. Add in taco and ranch seasonings. Saute until onions are soft and meat is cooked through.
In a soup pot or dutch oven add in the remaining ingredients-don't drain anything-and bring to a simmer.
Add in meat and onions and continue to simmer for 20 minutes stirring frequently.Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Add in some Tabasco if you like heat!
Serve hot and top with green onions, sour cream, cheese and jalapenos!*This also works great for the crock pot if you want to make it before you leave for the day!