Up Before Sunrise?

Up at 5am this morning laying in bed not falling back asleep, so I figured i'd get some things accomplished with the extra time I apparently have. Ended up unloading the dishwasher (and re-loading), worked on some wedding music selections, made a to-do list for the day and brewed some coffee. I have a lovely sister who continuely hooks me up with coffee, so we never run out! Oh how I love a tasty cup of joe in the morning. Speaking of joe...

Good coffee is definitely one of the little things in life that brings me happiness and I couldn't help but think this morning of a great little coffee shop I was introduced to while visiting a friend in New York called Joe. They made THE best Americano and i'm pretty sure I won't find another cup like the one I had there. Hopefully i'll get back again someday, but my friend just had to go back to school. Although, he is now in Chicago and I look forward to trip there in the near future.

Looks like shower time for me, have a good one.

Back To It + Almond Butter

After a fun Saturday night celebrating the 21st birthday of a college friend's sister i'm back to eating primally. I strayed a little bit with some extra drinks and some snacks (post-bar), but nothing like I used to in my pre-primal days. I limited myself to two slices of pizza afterwards and started drinking water at the last bar we were at...never would have happened in my earlier years. Overall, I think I did pretty well with sticking to my eating while still having a great time with everyone who attended. Looking forward to the next get together with friends.

Back to the grind at work today, but I had my first experience eating almond butter and it was fantastic! I spread it on some celery sticks and it might be a new favorite snack, satiating and tasty. Definitely better than peanut butter and waaaaay healthier for you. After checking out prices at a few different grocery stores for $6-$8 a jar, I was glad to find it cheaper at our local Trader Joe's for about $4! While still more expensive than peanut butter, the benefits far outweigh the extra $1.50 I have to pay for it. Can't wait to have some more tomorrow.

Friday Night Fish Fry Anyone?

Well, it is that time of year again when pretty much any local bar, tavern, and restaurant that serves food is churning out a Friday Fish Fry. Lent is here (which for some means no meat on Fridays) and that will bring out the masses for chowing down on fried fish. I wonder if this is just a Wisconsin thing or does this ritual take place nationwide? I love a good fish fry, but after going primal my days of eating 'All-You-Can-Eat' fried fish are probably over. While that might seem a bit sad, i'm not worried as I LOVE baked and broiled fish too...with EXTRA butter and lemon juice!

After getting home from work yesterday I was ready to do some cooking of my own to honor this tradition (and keep with my Lenten sacrifice) so out came the cod. Rather than coating this with beer batter and deep frying it in some form of vegetable oil as most places do, I decided to go with the baked approach. A bit more pimal I think and it turned out nicely (see image).

It was a pretty simple recipe and we ate it with a nice bed of romaine lettuce with cracked black, a drizzle of EVOO and a little parm cheese. The fish was coated in EVOO, lemon juice, cracked black, dill flakes, garlic powder and a few red pepper flakes (we love a little kick!). To top it off we washed it down with a nice micro brew IPA from Great Lakes Brewery (Milwaukee), because a Wisconsin fish fry isn't complete without a beer in hand.

Weight Loss...Without Trying?

I've been getting the 'you are too skinny' comment lately and it is interesting to hear. I'm not totally against it, but at this point in time i'm really not trying to lose weight. I understand this is not a really bad problem to have especially when there are people out there who would love to lose some extra poundage. Due to my injuries over the last month my working out has declined quite a bit, so I can only assume this sudden weight loss is from me beginning my 'primal' eating plan. I actually tipped the scales at 173lbs this week...I haven't seen that weight since my sophomore year in HIGH SCHOOL! My ideal target weight is between 180-185lbs, but more muscular.

I have been eating plenty of food in my opinion, but i'm sticking (for the most part) with healthy foods and plenty of protein and good fats. For example, the picture included is my dinner for tonight. One whole avocado, two strips of bacon and three (omega 3 enhanced) eggs with some parm cheese. That is FAT, FAT, AND MORE FAT!!! So people, I am NOT intentionally trying to lose any more weight, really.

On a sports note, it is officially March. MARCH MADNESS is right around the corner!!!

Almond Flour Pancakes

Just made some almond flour pancakes from Mark's Daily Apple and they turned out pretty good. Still need a few more attempts to perfect them, but not a bad showing for the first try. Very simple to make in terms of ingredients, but the flipping and heating temp is where i'll need some practice. Almond flour may have become my new favorite cooking ingredient.

While the pancakes were filling, I still had room for some bacon and eggs:)

Life

Life is an interesting road. It can be going as perfectly as expected one day and come crashing down the next. I was feeling pretty positive about life in terms of how things were shaping up for me; eating healthy, exercising with a purpose, starting to feel fit and preparing for the next step in my life with my fiance. Then a death in the family occurs and it makes you realize life is not perfect and can turn at any time.

Death is a part of life, but it still causes much pain and agony when it happens. I firmly believe there is a better place for all of us after this life ends, so that can help with the hurt. I also believe that a person can let the pain turn into a path of continued sorrow or a catalyst for better and brighter things to come. While there is always grieving involved in death, i'm determined to come out with an enhanced sense of wanting to live life to the fullest! (For M.K.)

Primal...I'm All In

Interesting how a viewpoint can change in the matter of two weeks. I was not completely sold on the 'Primal' lifestyle, although it was very intriging. Trying to break away from the conservative wisdom (CW) and years of so-called 'healthy' eating was difficult, but I did some research and tested the waters...as of today you can count me ALL IN!

Two weeks ago I had only started reading about primal/paleo eating and wasn't completely sure if it was for me or not. It wasn't the carbs I would need to give up or the bad food, but rather the potential cost of the food that worried me. In a recent post I noted how I haven't bought into organic foods, but with the primal diet it is a must! You really can't eat primal without consuming organic/grass fed/free range/hormone free/etc., vegetables, meats, and other foods. So, i've come to the realization that paying a little more for food now will save me in the long run.

I've started to feel somewhat better as far as my injured shoulder and knee as well, so i'm ready to get going in terms of working out and eating the primal way. Tonight I tried another recipe from Son of Grok, and another success! Tonight it was meatloaf with a couple minor tweaks (mainly some extra bacon on top) from the orginal recipe. Don't the pics look amazing?!

Until the next.