Where I've Been Lately

First, thank you to all of you who have shown up to read my blog entries lately! It's been a great joy to write again and post for all you who are interested.

Second, sorry for the absence lately. I coach track & field at my school (1 coach, 27 athletes, many events), and the season is in full swing. So my focus has shifted to the season. But that does not mean I haven't been planning some posts. So here are my plans:

1) 52 Pick-Up Challenge Posts--carnitas, turnips, and other yummies!
2) Book Reviews: The Paleo Coach and The Primal Connection
3) Other Random-ness & a Giveaway

So, keep your eyes peeled! More is coming soon...

52 Pick-Up Challenge: Week #5

*This series of Friday posts is inspired by the blog entry--52 Pick-Up Paleo Style by Amy Kubal via robbwolf.com. Each post is based on this premise that Dietary Ruts = Kitchen Boredom -> Healthy Eating FAIL! So each week, I plan to share with you one meal from the previous week that I tried and enjoyed to help me stave off the boredom in my weekly meal plan.

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Whew! This has been a week of stress. It started out so peacefully with talks of reducing stressors by sleeping well and taking naps, but life at work blew up in my face. Life as a public-school teacher sometimes reaches these points which is why we celebrate Fridays so much. In fact, I am willing to put money down to bet that the motto “Thank God it’s Friday (TGIF)” originated from a teacher. 

For a little more insight on one stressor, just check out this article from the Chicago Tribune. Why? Who knew censorship was still alive & well? What were they thinking? Must we really start hiding or locking up our books in order to protect their freedom to read freely? I am glad I work for a principal in this school district that is level-headed and willing to protect that same freedom.

To relieve my stress, this weekend is going to be filled with a nice daytime date with my wife and cooking. And in the spirit of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, I am going with a green theme in this week’s 52 Pick-Up Paleo Style. No new foods, just creativity to keep things alive and well in the kitchen.

52 Pick-Up Challenge: Week #4

*This series of Friday posts is inspired by the blog entry--52 Pick-Up Paleo Style by Amy Kubal via robbwolf.com. Each post is based on this premise that Dietary Ruts = Kitchen Boredom -> Healthy Eating FAIL! So each week, I plan to share with you one meal from the previous week that I tried and enjoyed to help me stave off the boredom in my weekly meal plan.

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Ah, the humble tomatillo...what art thou? Art thou a tomato?  ¿Por qué llevas esas hojas? Why must I char you along with this jalapeño? You are so intriguing; therefore, I am making you part of my 52 Pick-Up Paleo Style. So I fired up my slow-cooker, fired up my cast-iron skillet, and got to work with this recipe from Sarah Fragoso at Everyday Paleo. 

52 Pick-Up Challenge: Week #3

*This series of Friday posts is inspired by the blog entry--52 Pick-Up Paleo Style by Amy Kubal via robbwolf.com. Each post is based on this premise that Dietary Ruts = Kitchen Boredom -> Healthy Eating FAIL! So each week, I plan to share with you one meal from the previous week that I tried and enjoyed to help me stave off the boredom in my weekly meal plan.

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I have come across some weird food-stories this week. Soil Soup was the one the piqued my interest the most. Did you know a Tokyo chef, Toshio Tanabe, has a whole tasting menu that features soil as an ingredient? I suppose I shouldn’t judge it before I’ve tried it, but I don’t think it will be featured here any time soon.

And who missed the story of horse meat in IKEA’s meatballs? But I digress…

This past week was full of new recipes, so I had a hard time narrowing my choice down for this week’s 52 Pick-Up post. But I finally decided to share a semi-“paleo,” grain-free, & gluten-free recipe that our family is bound to repeat for special occasions. And since it is my wife’s birthday tomorrow, I figured I would share her requested meal for our Family Movie Night tonight. 

This recipe comes from one of my favorite blogs, The Domestic Man. His food photography is wonderfully mouth-watering. Please visit his blog & realize that he receives all the credit for this recipe. I just followed directions.

Recipe #3 of 52: Cast Iron Skillet Grain and Gluten Free Pizza (Modified Recipe)

"My School Farted..."

I have never had such a unique day in my profession as a Chicago teacher, and my faith in today’s youth at my school has been redeemed. Just as students were walking into school today, the hallways started to smell like gas. The fire department was called in, and the administration went into emergency-plan mode. About a third of the students (including mine) were directed to the Catholic church about two blocks away. We sat there for about two and a half hours waiting for the all-clear to re-enter the building. Meanwhile, I had very understanding & patient conversations with students who were in a very uncomfortable situation. To each of those students, I applaud you. Great job staying level-headed! You broke the mold today! Many people have lost faith in our urban youth recently (for very valid reasons), but they reminded me that the public image is not always the correct image. In the end, we found out that the school released a gas bubble. Yep, my school farted.

This weekend was unique too. I was a cookin’ fool. I whipped up four tasty foods, and I am having a hard time figuring out which one to highlight in this upcoming Friday’s 52 Pick-Up Paleo Edition blog post. So I need your help. Here is a picture of each kitchen creation…

The yummy foods include:
1) Upper-Left: Beef with Broccoli & Cashews
2) Upper-Right: Paleo Pizza
3) Lower-Left: Chocolate Bacon Almond Butter Bananas
4) Lower-Right: Cod with Coconut Slaw

Help me by choosing one you'd like to see featured this Friday in my 52 Pick-Up Paleo Style Blog Post. Simply leave a comment below saying which one looks most interesting to you. Thanks!

Lastly, I am trying to sell as many copies of this great ecookbook by George Bryant, The Caveman Feast. It is currently on sale for $19.95 until Thursday, February 28^th In fact, the Chocolate Bacon Almond Butter Bananas are straight from Bryant’s imagination. So you can imagine all the other goodness that must be in his cookbook. Please click on the image of The Caveman Feast below to learn more & order your copy (+ goodies)!

If you need any more motivation to order a copy, just look at this cutie ready to munch on those lovely Chocolate Bacon Almond Butter Bananas! My daughter loved them!

 

52 Pick-Up Challenge: Week #2

*This series of Friday posts is inspired by the blog entry--52 Pick-Up Paleo Style by Amy Kubal via robbwolf.com. Each post is based on this premise that Dietary Ruts = Kitchen Boredom -> Healthy Eating FAIL! So each week, I plan to share with you one meal from the previous week that I tried and enjoyed to help me stave off the boredom in my weekly meal plan.

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One of the most interesting lessons I’ve learned over the past few months of eating a “Paleo-ized diet” is how prominent sugars are in the modern American diet. You’ve probably heard about the evils of high fructose corn syrup and the lack of anything positive from processed white sugar. So when someone wants a “healthy sugar” (is there such a thing?), they often turn to honey and maple syrup. They’re natural, right? So when I saw this recipe on PaleOMG’s blog while suffering a sweet-tooth attack, I knew I had to try it.

Recipe #2 of 52: Maple Blueberry Bacon Breakfast Carnitas with Fried Egg (Modified Recipe)

52 Pick-Up Challenge: Week #1

I woke up this morning and began a routine that I have practiced for three months now. Part of that routine is a nutritious breakfast…cooking fat, veggies, eggs, salsa verde, & fruit (usually grapefruit). It’s nice that it is routine because I don’t have to think about it too much, but I have noticed a rut beginning to form. So as I was reading my favorite blogs this week, I came across an eye-opening post:

52 Pick-Up Paleo Style by Amy Kubal via Robb Wolf

Kubal challenged readers to play a game of 52 Pick-Up (I fell for that trick once thanks to my sister). But this challenge is to try one new recipe each week for an entire year so dietary ruts don’t form. 

Ruts = Boredom -> Healthy Eating FAIL!

So I decided to take up this challenge to provide a little spice in my life and variety on my table.

“[W]hat if every week you added just ONE new food or ONE new recipe to your grocery cart or menu? Think about it – by the end of the year, you’d have 52 NEW taste adventures for your ‘bored buds’ and it doesn’t even seem like a lot of work now does it? ONE new food or recipe every 7 days – if you can’t commit to that, then you have more issues than my last boyfriend…  I’m not saying something new EVERY day but throw caution to the wind once a week.” –Amy Kubal

So each Friday for the next year, I am going to post my favorite 52 Pick-Up Meal of the Week. I cannot wait to share all the fun, new recipes I find and try. Cheers to Healthy Eating without Boring Ruts!

Recipe #1 of 52: Flank Steak with Lime-Garlic-Ginger Marinade & “Nature’s Spears” Asparagus