In the Kitchen

    It is 9:42 pm and the smell of breakfast bacon and maple meatballs is wafting through the air. Usually I do not cook this late at night because I have an avid Netflix habit that occupies most of my attention at this hour. The HEB parking lot in Odessa Texas was freaking packed at 1:30 pm when I originally wanted to get my shopping done. So after cussing like a sailor I went home and decided to be domestic because the laundry needed to get done. All the laundry. Since getting hitched I think my beloved has forgotten how the washing machine and dryer work.

     Thankfully, HEB wasn't a total nightmare around 6:30 when I decided to be brave and venture out in search of food. Steven innocently suggested we do grocery shopping on Sunday and order pizza. Hell no my determination to eat paleo and feel better was not about to waver. Not even for extra cheese and pepperoni which can almost always make me weak in the knees.

      I always forget how much I genuinely like cooking until my hands are deep in the muck of a meatball concoction. It's like yoga in that I experience several small changes within myself while cooking. My breathing slows, my posture becomes perfect, and any stress simply melts away as I delve into a list of ingredients. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I can whip up a meal, any meal. My grandmother was constantly in the kitchen before her death and those memories of cooking with her have stayed with me till this day.

     The recipe and pictures of the yummy meatballs currently in the oven will be in the next blog post.

Bringing Home the Bacon

     Hey y'all, today was my first day back at work. Damn I am tired but very happy that I was able to feel normal for several hours. My coworkers are funny and inspire me to reach and then go beyond my goals. Finding pants that can fit either over my ACL brace or pants that are tight enough for the brace to be worn over them is a little complicated. For now, I'm rocking leggings and cute dresses with flats that make it easy to walk in.

     My knee decided to swell up after I took my brace off. I feel as though my brace acts like a corset because my knee looks normal while in the brace. After taking the brace off my knee instantly swells up and doesn't look so normal anymore. Now that she has my full attention and all the ice packs, the pain has lessened and all is right in ACL land.

Bam! Random picture time of my hubby Steven and someone's adorable dog.

Ready to Face the Music and the Kitchen

     I fell in love with my husband mainly because he can make me laugh...a lot. Having yet another major knee surgery hasn't made me fun to live with. Most of the time I try to be positive but I definitely have my moody days when I would love to break things and punch walls. Especially when I feel pudgy and frustrated with physical therapy. Thankfully, the hubs has decided to help me out on this paleo journey and getting Our sexy back. It is always easier to tackle a huge project like changing our lifestyle together as a team. I like to think of us as a well dressed gang, a really small well dressed gang.

     This Saturday, January 4, 2014 Steven will go to the grocery store with me and actually be involved in the cooking and eating choices we make. I find this very exciting mainly because I have a partner to help my broken but healing ass navigate the grocery store. I love cooking and use it as a way to de-stress when I have term papers due or just having a bad day. Standing for long periods of time is not easy nor a great idea for the next few weeks. My ACL (Hertha) is in the process of attaching herself and becoming permanently anchored in my knee. Whoop Whoop so exciting! No worries, I have made meal plans that are easy, delicious, and that my husband can help me make. I have decided to bat my eyes and enlist his help in the kitchen, this is a room that he is not familiar with. I have total faith that he will be a kick butt sou chef and we can whittle our waistlines down together.

Primal Cauliflower Casserole (not strict paleo)

 

    I found the blog @PaleOMG and fell in love with how easy and delicious Juli Bauer's recipes are. The recipe mentioned below is fantastic and super easy. Cleaning up my diet has not been easy but I feel better without processed crap in my system. Food blogs like +Michelle Tam, +Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations, and of course @PaleOMG have helped me on this paleo journey of mine. If only I can convince +Steven Larizza that most vegetables are not poisonous and that eating ice cream cannot be substituted for an entire meal, unless your knee is as swollen as a cantaloup.

 

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2 heads of cauliflower
• 4-5 pieces of bacon
• 6 green onions
• 1- 1½ sticks of pastured butter
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 6 oz of chèvre (goat cheese)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cut up cauliflower. Put in large stock pot and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil on high heat. Continue boiling until cauliflower is very soft when stuck with a fork. Drain in colander.
3. While cauliflower is cooking, bake bacon in oven on 400 for 15 minutes or until crisp. Drain on paper towel and then crumble.
4. Chop up green onions. Melt butter in stock pot on low heat. Add green onions and sauté until soft. Turn off heat.
5. Return cauliflower to the pot and add heavy cream. Mash with a potato masher.
6. Add chèvre, crumbled bacon, sea salt and pepper to taste. Blend well.
7. Put in baking dish prepared with coconut oil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
8. Serve hot.

Totally Judging Y'all

     I would like to take a moment to be a judgmental Jenny, just a brief moment. While strolling around a supplement store I spotted a huge container of Paleo Protein powder.

     I have used my fair share of protein powders to help me gain size but eating real food and real protein gave me better results. I'm not entirely sure how a processed powder can carry the label of being paleo. This huge container gave me a brief chuckle.

      My judgmental moment is over because to each their own. Hope everyone has a fantastic day!

Dear Swelling, I'm not fond of you

     Today is the first day of 2014 and I am spending the day icing and elevating my leg to reduce more swelling. Oh joy. I am so excited. This day cannot get any better.

     So to combat utter boredom and save my leg I am watching Paranormal Activity while my leg is covered in blue ice packs. Not many people can handle how fun I am. My better half is playing World of Warcraft blowing things up on the back of a dragon. If you haven't watched the WOW spoof South Park did, you must check it out. That episode is one of my favorites simply because they weren't too far off the mark with how ridiculous people can be about this game. I tolerate my husband playing for hours because it makes him happy and keeps him out of trouble. To each their own.

     My physical therapists have scaled back my exercises to help alleviate the swelling that refuses to go away. My knee looks pregnant and I'm convinced we are having a girl. During PT I am allowed to perform all the exercises that take place on the table I lie on. For example, heel slides, straight leg raises, etc. This is boring but at least I get to get out of the house for awhile.

Swollen left foot (surgical leg)

Normal right foot

My pregnant knee. Oh the wonders of Nature ;)

Happy New Year

    Oh sweet baby Jesus it is 2014! A new year brings new possibilities and new adventures for me and my darling husband. Our new year's eve was pretty tame compared to some of my wild and crazy friends. Yesterday was my brother in law Mark's 21st birthday or as I called it Happy Drinking Way Too Much Day. Dinner, alcohol, cake, more alcohol, movie time, and of course a drink to toast the new year. I learned last night that I'm the only person in my extended family that drinks scotch. This means that either I look fantastic for being 65 years old or that I'm simply more awesome than most people. It was a great night with family, food, and of course alcohol. Happy New Year Everyone!!

Scotch Scotchy Scotch

Gin and Tonic to ring in the New Year

Mark and his demon dog Rodney...kidding he is sweet :)

Happy Birthday Mark!

Happy Drinking Too Much Day lol