Bacon makes everything better

Today I updated my tomato-basil-mushroom frittata with a little bacon and it was MUCH better this time around. Just goes to show what you can do with a few leftover ingredients in your fridge, I just happened to have these things lying around...I recommend at least keeping onion and garlic in your pantry, as these will spice up ANY dish!

Here's a post of one of my favorite recipes, that also has some very fond memories attached: Vegetable Ratatouille. Make this one now, while all the vegetables are in season locally in Minnesota!

Virtues and Vices

Since I started eating more paleo a little less than a year ago, I've learned so much about cooking and experimenting in the kitchen because I have to prepare everything myself. One thing I like experimenting with most is "paleo-fying" non-paleo recipes (like pancakes, muffins, ice cream, etc.), which some may not consider true paleo. Even a paleofied muffin has sugar with the added amounts of honey. With this paleo challenge happening at the gym, it's harder than ever for me to limit the amount paleofied non-paleo goodies and eat more of the good stuff like proteins and green veggies. Still, today I want to highlight and share some of my more virtuous recipes and also a more vice-like dessert recipe.

Salmon Cake Recipe

So I've been meaning to write a few more posts lately, but with the lazy days of summer, I just haven't gotten around to it. Also, since I'm changing the purpose of this blog to be less about my own workouts and more about the food I eat and my experiences with coaching, I've fallen out of the habit of posting regularly. To sort of in a way make up for it, I'm posting one of my more favorite recipes for salmon cakes!

Last week of groceries

There are only six more days left on my personal paleo cooking on a budget challenge, so most likely this weekend was my last trip to the grocery store and the farmer's market. I knew last week that I was going to go over my initial $250 budget, so I probably splurged a little bit more than I should have...hey, I'm from Texas: we go big, or we go home.

"Paleo-fying" and Pot Roast

I just signed up for CFSP's month-long paleo diet challenge, where I'll be encouraged to maintain a pretty strict paleo diet and check-in weekly with other challengers. This is the first time we're doing something like this at the gym, and it honestly could not come soon enough for me!

Paleo Cooking Challenge Checkin

Time for a check-in on my little personal paleo cooking challenge - where I stand on the grocery bill front, what I plan on cooking this week, and what's already prepped for the week ahead!

Coconut Flour Pancake Recipe

We're starting a Paleo Challenge at CFSP this month, and Mike was kind enough to put my blog address on the website as a resource! What does that mean for this blog? Well, most likely I'm going to make a few revisions about what the purpose of this blog is and what I post on here - probably less about my own workouts and more recipes, more observations about fitness, and who knows, maybe some relevant evolutionary psychology research that I'm doing...

Saturday WOD and Cooking Update

Ok, so I need to play a little catch up here and update on a few things. Last week, I was out of commission for working out with this weird stomach weirdness, so I didn't work out until Saturday. But..I did do some cooking on the paleo challenge, so I need to update that (and also recap what I've been eating).

Visit to TwinTown CF!

Next Monday, I have the honor of subbing for Teddy, owner of TwinTown Crossfit in Uptown Minneapolis, while he's out of town. So today, I went to check out his box and get the lay of the land and the vibe he creates for his clients.

Cooking BONANZA!!!!

Okay, here is my first installment in my cooking paleo on a budget challenge. I mainly cooked a lot of veggies today, since my veggie box arrived on Thursday and I don't want them to go bad before I can enjoy them. Also, (cooking tip here) veggies take me the longest to clean, prep, chop, and cook. I usually like to make vegetable and side dishes on the weekends or on nights when I have more time. Then, I can easily grill a chicken or a steak and jazz it up with some reheated veggie dish!

First Challenge Recipe: Chicken Cole Slaw

Here we go with the first recipe - fresh and fast, perfect for summer!

Yoga and Balsamic Vinegar OVERLOAD

Today's theme is taking some basic stuff and putting them in overdrive - my yoga class trial and a recipe!

Karen and Ice Cream!!!!!

Lots of exciting stuff happening now that it's officially summer! My performance today at CF was less than stellar, but my performance in the kitchen more than made up for it - I made delicious, almost paleo, homemade ice cream!

Belated WOD Post...

Sorry I've been a little MIA lately, and unfortunately, this post will have to be on the shorter side. Graduate finals are such a time suck! But...everyone can use a study break now and then :)

Three for One

I have a theme for this post today, and I wasn't even trying! It's all about getting three for the price/effort of one.

Chicken Chimichurri Recipe

A few weeks ago, my Seriously Simple cookbook finally came from Amazon. Ryon has a copy of this book and it contains one of my FAVORITE all-time recipes, island-braised short ribs. I have been meaning to buy a copy for ages, but never really got around to it. Well, I finally did buy it, only to find that not all the recipes are good paleo - canola oil, corn starch, and sugar in recipes??? WHAT???

Elizabeth...sort of...

Tyler picked the absolute nastiest day to change a named WOD into a WOD that included a run. It rained all day today, and I usually hate running in my Vibrams because they get all muddy and soggy on our loop around the Grain Belt warehouse (where our box is). I was all fixated on doing a 400m row instead of the run, but I changed my tune once I got to the gym and everyone egged me on to run.

Kitchen Messes..and meals!

I pity da fool that is my roommate...because I totally made a monstrous mess in the kitchen today after 3 hours of prepping my meals for half the week. Sorry Heather! And alas, I have no "food porn" to share because I was too busy cooking 5 different things at once that I didn't have time to take any pictures. But just imagine how delicious it looks, ok :)

Meeting challenges and "meating" MEATZA!

Lots of good stuff to write about fitness-wise these days! I'm gearing up for my stint in Ramona for the Kids Cert, and then its not too much longer until Level 1. Obviously, I've shown my dedication to fitness by being enthusiastic and taking the initiative to get certified, but I still felt like there was something lacking...enter: my own personal Paleo Challenge! I think it's high time I buckled down and stuck to something so I can see those body composition numbers actually improve from January!