It’s About Time!
Well, we’re almost 4 months into 2012 and Michael and I are just now getting started on one of our resolutions. The dreaded exercise… I really don’t know why I hate it so much. It’s so good for me, yet I still try to find excuses to get out of it. We’ve been going strong for 2 weeks now and I really hope we keep it going. I like waking up in the morning with sore muscles, it makes me feel like I’m actually getting stronger. The day following our first work out was insanely awful, I could barely walk up the stairs to our apartment. It made me realize just how out of shape I am, ouch. Our current plan is to get up every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to circuit train for 30 minutes. I think we’ll probably stick with this routine for a while, at least until our endurance increases. I’m really going with Mark Sisson’s take on exercise and eating well, 80% Food + 20% exercise = healthy and happy Amber (See reason 6 here). If we’re dedicated to fueling our bodies with natural whole foods, then any small amount of exercise is just going to put us over the top. Here’s to looking fab in my bikini this summer!
On another note, last night’s dinner turned out quite delicious. We had grilled sirloin steak paired with a bacon/carrot/cauliflower um, mash up? I really don’t know what to name this side dish, but it’s yummy. Here’s the recipe:
Bacon, Carrot, & Cauliflower Mash Up
1 head of cauliflower
1/2 bag of baby carrots
1/2 cup diced red onion
6 slices of bacon
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once it’s boiling add the head of cauliflower and baby carrots, cook until soft. Meanwhile, chop the bacon into bite sized peices and cook until browned. Remove the bacon bits from the pan, leaving all of the drippings. Add the onion, lemon juice, syrup, and spices to the skillet. Cook until the onions are tender. When the carrots and cauliflower are done, drain the water and place the veggies in serving dish. Add the bacon back to the onion mixture and pour on top of the carrots/cauliflower. Serve & Enjoy!
Casserole Heaven
Before we started living Paleo, I used to make these huge casseroles every Sunday for dinner so we’d have lunches for the week. The leftovers kept well, and tasted great re-heated. One of my favorites was a mexican lasagna that had layered tortillas, beans, meat, and cheese. Three out of four of those items are a no no, so that meal has been nixed for a while now. Recently, I came across a meat pie recipe that I thought would be a perfect Paleo casserole! It turned out really well, and the leftovers were awesome. This recipe is definitely going in our rotation.
Hamburger Pie
1.5 lbs grass-fed ground beef
2 lbs turnips, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp grass-fed butter
2 tbsp grass-fed cream
1 onion, diced
1 package frozen green beans
2 cans Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 teaspoon gluten free worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp paprika
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 375. In a large pot, boil the turnips until they are soft. While the turnips are boiling brown the meat with the onion. When the meat is browned add the tomatoes, tomatoe paste, worcestershire sauce, red pepper, and paprika. Mix well and simmer until the green beans are heated. Pour the meat mixture into a large casserole dish and set aside. When the turnips are soft, discard all cooking water, and add the cream and butter. Mash and mix well until a mashed potatoe consistancy is reached. Pour the turnip mixture on top of the meat and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the turnips start to get a little color. Enjoy!
Weekly Menu and a Recipe!
Wow, holy busy busy busy-ness! Michael and I have been going non-stop for the past month and I think I need a vacation. Hopefully soon. In the mean time, here’s our menu for the week and a recipe:
Sunday
B: Eggs & Sausage
L: Brats & Coleslaw (Coleslaw Recipe Below)
D: Grilled Pork Chops & Roasted Broccoli
Monday
L: Chuck Roast w/potatoes, carrots, & celery
D: Sauteed white fish with Asparagus & Mushrooms
Tuesday
L: Chuck Roast w/potatoes, carrots, & celery
D: Garlic Ginger Chicken & Salad
Wednesday
L: Garlic Ginger Chicken & Salad
D: Grilled Sirloin w/Lemon Carrot-Cauliflower Bake
Thursday
L: Chuck Roast w/potatoes, carrots, & celery
D: Stuffed Portebellos & Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Friday
L: Mushrooms & Brussels Sprouts
D: Out
Saturday
B: Banana Pancakes
L or D: Chicken Curry & Roasted Veggies
For an easy side dish we threw together a batch of coleslaw. I can’t believe how yummy it turned out, we’ll be making this again soon!
Easy Coleslaw
1 bag cole slaw
1/4 cup homemade mayo
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
4 strips of bacon cut into bite sized pieces
Salt & Pepper to taste
Mix the above ingredients together and chill for 30 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!
Our Sunday Dinner!
Paleo NO Beer Sausage
This past weekend Michael and I went to visit his family in Iowa. It was fast weekend filled with card games, and of course, lots of food! His mom is an amazing cook and always has the most interesting recipes. Since my new plan is to turn non-paleo items into paleo awesomeness I decided to snap a picture of one of her recipes for inspiration. The recipe is called ‘Beer Sausage’ and involves lots of veggies, hot sauce, seasonings, and of course a whole lot of gluten laden beer. I swapped the beer for beef broth and used the whole ingredient chicken sausage that we love, Aidells. Here’s how it shook out:
Paleo NO Beer Sausage
3 tbsp olive oil
2 packs sausage of your choice, cut into bite sized pieces
3 bell peppers, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
2 tsp. crushed garlic
32 oz. package of beef broth
1 can of tomato paste
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. hot sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
In a large dutch oven heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until it starts to brown a bit. Add the onion, peppers, seasonings, and a little bit of broth. Scrape all of the sausage bits off the bottom of the pan and mix well. Add the rest of the broth and hot sauce, then bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
We’ll definitely be making this recipe again. It was fast, easy, and really tasty.
