Playing Catch Up

It has been far too long since I've posted anything. After many years, I am going back to school so that is taking up a large chunk of my life right now, in addition to work. But I'm so glad I'm finally doing it! Giving up my "free time" was a hard decision to make. When it's all over, I know I will appreciate every free moment I have so much more. I'm very thankful to my husband, Andrew, who encouraged me to go back (and I'm sure is regretting it a little as he has to fend for himself a bit more nowadays)! 

Over the holiday weekend, we were able to spend a little extra time together. The California sun was out, so we went on one of our favorite hikes (the same hike he took me on the night he proposed). 

We also biked to Abbot Kinney street in Venice to a fun breakfast spot called Zinque. Their coffee is strong, and their bread is supposedly flown in from France every couple of days. I ordered the salmon tartine, and it was delicious!

I love to cook and bake, but lately feel like I haven't had much of a chance. I've been trying to find recipes I can prepare ahead of time. Over the weekend, I made two awesome paleo treats--both super fast and simple. 

The first is banana bread. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a fan of bananas, but I decided to give this recipe a try because I have yet to be disappointed with the Caveman's recipes. This definitely did not disappoint, and now I'm obsessed with this "bread." 

Paleo Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 4 organic bananas (they don't need to be overly ripe, but can if you want)
• 4 grass fed eggs
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 4 tablespoons organic butter, melted
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Combine bananas, eggs, nut butter, and butter in a blender or mixing bowl (using a hand mixer)
• Once all of your ingredients are blended, add in your coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Mix well
• Grease a 9x5 glass pan with butter
• Pour in batter and spread evenly
• Place in preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
• Remove from oven and flip bread out onto a cooling rack

Bon appetite!

I have a hard time cooking with coconut flour--even when using a recipe. Everything always comes out dense. These actually turned out quite good!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 4 grass fed eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup of shredded unsweetened organic coconut
• 3/4 cup of organic chocolate chips 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• In a large bowl, combine coconut oil, raw honey, eggs, & vanilla. I melted the coconut oil and honey first to make it easier to stir. 
• Add in your coconut flour
• Stir in the shredded coconut and chocolate chips
• On parchment lined baking sheets (or use a silpat), drop heaping tablespoons of cookie batter (Make sure you form them to look like the cookies you want for a final product because they do not rise or spread like conventional cookies)
• Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown
• Remove from oven, and transfer to a cooling rack

Bon appetite! 

mermaid soiree

I just got back from Cabo, where two of my great girlfriends and I enjoyed our first annual Mermaid Soiree (surf trip). What a fun trip! It was so nice to get away from everything for a few days to hang out with some friends I've known for years and spend time relaxing, eating, drinking, talking, sunning, and surfing together.

We stayed at the gorgeous Cabo Surf Hotel, with an infiniti pool and hot tub facing the surf break. We basically never left the water--running from the pool to grab our surfboards and jump in the ocean, then back to the pool again. We made a lot of fun friends in the pool while watching the waves come in!

The service at Cabo Surf Hotel was amazing, and everyone there from the staff to the visitors were so friendly. It is a very convenient little resort, which has basically everything that you need right there so you don't have to rent a car if you don't want to. The food and drinks at the restaurant were delicious. There is even a surf shop below the hotel on the beach where you can rent your boards, making it very convenient (since taking longboards on a plane is not only a hassle, but very expensive).

The surf ranged from 2 ft to 12 ft while we were there. Mornings tended to be a little more mellow and clean, and the currents seemed to pick up a bit more in the afternoons and evenings. The break was very challenging for us, and pushed us out of our comfort zone which was a fun change. The water was incredibly warm (yes, 80 degrees warm), which was such a nice break from our freezing California water. Everyone out in the water was so nice and encouraging--I felt like an amazing surfer, while I'm sure I looked far from that riding some of these big waves. 

There isn't a bad view from any of the rooms

On the last day, a storm came through so we couldn't surf. Instead, the hot tub on the balcony got filled up and pina coladas were ordered!

Besides my sunburned lips, and getting stung by a bunch of jellyfish while paddling in from an evening session, the trip was amazing. We couldn't have asked for a more fun spot for our first soiree!

california

There is science, logic, reason; there is thought verified by experience. And then there is California.

edward abbey

my leftovers jambalaya

In continuing my 21 day sugar detox, here is a quick dinner I made to use up some of the food in my fridge.

Organic grass fed ground bison, red onions, mushrooms, garlic, & broccoli

Bon appetite! 

day 3 breakfast

As you know, I'm doing the 21 day sugar detox and am on day 3. I just wanted to quickly share the yummy and quick breakfast I made this morning.

I have so much leftover pork from Sunday's BBQ, I decided to thinly slice it and fry for breakfast. Then I sauteed organic mushrooms, and fried a couple of eggs. The flavors mixed nicely, and it was very filling (and easy to make before work). Great start to the day, and week one!

Bon appetite!

not all things are created equal

Yesterday I started the 21 Day Sugar Detox--no sugar means no carbs or fruit! 

I've been feeling groggy and out of it for a few months now, so decided to try this out. It's day 2 and I'm already on my way to feeling better and having more energy. My only craving so far is my coffee with half and half, my guilty daily morning pleasure. I think giving that up for 3 weeks (and possibly permanently) is a small price to pay for real energy throughout my day. I did get iced coffee at Whole Foods and put coconut milk in it, but it wasn't the same.

When I went to Whole Foods this morning before work to get almond butter, I reached down and grabbed an organic one and started to walk away. I decided to turn it over and read the label to make sure they hadn't added any sugar or weird oils. Sure enough--sugar and canola oil. WHAT? I quickly put it back and searched for one with just almonds. After all it's just almond butter--shouldn't almonds be the only ingredient? Obviously not. Labels are deceiving, and you may have to stand in the aisle a bit longer to get to the bottom of things and make sure you are fueling your body with the right ingredients.

Stay tuned for updates and healthy recipes I'll be making and posting.

Facebook page here for tips and recipes

Great paleo cookbook with 30 day meal plans

august bbq

My parents' birthdays were both last week, so I had them over yesterday along with their close friends, for a wine + cheese + BBQ party (and for them to escape to the beach to get away from the heat of the valley). There was entirely too much food, but delicious and worth the calories.

Homemade bruschetta, salami, cheeses, breads, and olive oil all started the afternoon off perfectly (along with wine of course). Dinner followed with the Barefoot Contessa's pork tenderloin recipe, along with the quinoa and arugula salad I previously posted.

Of course Emma loved having everyone there, and got plenty of attention and snacks!

Happy birthday, Mom & Dad! xoxo