Thanksgiving

I have been so busy these past few weeks that I cannot believe today is the 18th. I felt like Halloween was just a couple of days ago. My posting has been more sporadic then I had planned but such is life. I have been making a bunch of paleo recipes and not taking pictures because I'm slowly learning to slow down and enjoy cooking and eating.

Life has been very busy for me because along with getting settled back into our Iowa City home I have also been taking 18 credit hours of classes through UIowa and taking care of Nicholas. After a long talk with Laura, I have decided a program at UIowa that I will be begin working towards next spring. As I stated before I desire to teach, but in my perfect world I would love to homeschool my children. So this is the reason I am choosing a major in Microbiology. Now before you think that I am way off base here this major actually opens a lot of doors for me. First of all, I find it incredibly interesting. Furthermore if I desired I could try my hardest to get into research after college or after completing a higher degree. I could complete a lab tech program and work in a hospital. Or I could try an alternative licensing path to become a science teacher. I will probably end up in a hospital but with this I could work part time and then achieve my dream of homeschool. So if I am absent this is the reason.

Now on to the real reason that this post was created. I have decided that for Thanksgiving I will be using Gather by Bill Staley & Hayley Mason. I will be using the Thanksgiving Menu which includes Cranberry Relish with Dates, Poached Pear Salad, Lemon Green Beans with Shallots, Apple Veal Stuffing, Stuffed Turkey Rubbed with Duck Fat and Herbs, and a Pecan and probably Pumpkin Pie. Although all of these recipes are designed for a gathering of 10 people I will divide them in half to fit the family I will be cooking for. I cannot wait to try this menu and I promise I will work on pictures this time through the whole process. On of the other things I like about the Gather book is it tells you what you should be doing in the week leading up to serving the menus. An example would be putting the frozen turkey (assuming it is frozen) in the fridge 3 days prior to thaw. This is a very simple and basic example but I think they are helpful to have in mind when life is going crazy like mine normally is.

Hopefully soon I also hope to make a post regarding Nicholas. I have been busy lately trying to find good paleo recipes that he likes,but things that are simple enough to make for lunches. 95% of the time he enjoys dinner with us but lunch is normally a different story. I also hope in the future to purchase the book Eat Like A Dinosaur which is a kid friendly paleo book. I hope that this further helps. Of his most favorite items at the moment I would have to say he LOVES sauteed spinach with garlic. At the rate we eat/use garlic in this family I think I will need to go find my own personal garlic farmer.

Until Later
- Christina

Breakfast

It has been several days since I last posted. It has been a very hectic time. My son Nicholas has been learning lots of new things, one of which is climbing a ladder. I'm always proud of him for being a quick learner but sometimes I don't like the things he learns.

Anyways on to better things. One of our favorite things in the morning for breakfast is a Frittata. We love eggs and veggies and the way you can do almost anything with it. For our most recent one we included chorizo and it was amazing. I need to get better about taking pictures through the whole process, but I did remember to take some right before I ate my piece. For me the appearance does not matter so my plating will never be pretty but rather how it looks when I serve my family and myself. The reciepe I used can be found here - Frittata.

For dinner tonight we had acorn squash with a beef, tomato, red bell, onion, and garlic mixture in the center. I wish I had taken some photos but life is always crazy before Laura has to go to work and I don't get to concentrate on making food they way I like. 

I promise to post more often. 

Until Later 

- Christina  

Cookbooks

I was hoping this morning that I would be able to do a post about breakfast, but since Laura has decided to sleep in I am eating the leftovers. Instead I thought I would talk about the cookbooks I have.

Although the paleo diet is pretty new for us. I have collected several cookbooks already. To let you in on a little secret, I cannot cook. Ok well obviously I can cook, but really all I do is follow directions. I am very good at following directions. I would not have what you call a knack for cooking. I very rarely change a recipe to fit me. I almost never cut recipes in half because I somehow always ruin them. I am not very good at making my food look pretty afterwards. I regret that I did not think cooking was cool as a child and I did not spend time in the kitchen with family members. I should probably take basic classes like knife handling. But I love to cook! Even though I know that I'm not amazing and I would be terrified to cook for other not in my immediate family I still love to do it. Because of this lack in some natural cooking talent I rely on a good set of cookbooks. In fact it is probably the one thing Laura cannot go wrong in when she buys gifts, cookbooks and kitchen supplies.

Current paleo cookbook stash

  These are the books I am currently working with. I use Make it Paleo and the 30 day guide a lot! I have yet to use gather by Hayley and Bill because I have not found the right time quite yet. I am thinking about doing their holiday spread. Paleo Comfort Foods is the book I use next but it is still newer for me. I recently purchased the slow cooker book and Well Fed. I have made a soup from the slow cooker book and have some things marked in the Well Fed book. The two books I have not used at all because I lost them during the move is The Primal Blueprint Cookbook and Healthy Sauces, Dressings & Toppings by Mark Sisson. I have been reading the Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson and love it.

I think that I am drawn to Hayley and Bill's books because they have recipes for two people. I also enjoy the fact that they give you an estimated prep time and cook time. This helps me a lot plan on when I need to be doing what.  I know that I gave you their link lasy night but I want to make sure I post everyone's again. http://www.primalpalate.com/

You can find more information about the Mayfields here http://paleocomfortfoods.com/about-us/. I am not as familiar with their site as I am with primalpalate but I've checked it out a few times.

Mark Sisson's site is a wonderful site http://www.marksdailyapple.com/#axzz2jPD5ald0. I highly suggest anyone who is thinking about paleo or just interested to check it out! I have been there many times and there is a wealth of information and knowledge there.

Finally we have Melissa Joulwan's site The Clothes Make the Girl. I have only been to here site when following the links from another blog. I have wanted to take the time to really go through it, but I haven't had the chance.

Until Later
- Christina

Dinner from last night

I had every intention of posting pictures and a post about dinner last night. However, we had a moment of craziness. Nicholas, my 1 year old, loves to eat. He likes trying new foods and will eat almost anything, because of this he occasionally over eats. Well last night was one of those nights. He decided that not only did he want his dinner but when ours was finished later he wanted more. So before I was able to take the pictures Nicholas who had been given additional food at this point threw up everything he had from the past hour or so. Needless to say that no one wanted dinner after that and the thought of taking pictures of food was horrible.

For dinner last night I made meatloaf and carrot souffle. I have been acquiring as many paleo cookbooks as I can and making different recipes from them. The meatloaf recipe came from a book called Paleo Comfort Foods by Julie and Charles Mayfield. We did taste the food later and it was amazing. I would recommend both of the recipes highly. The only thing we changed in the meatloaf recipe was using beef rather than turkey. The carrot souffle came from the book Make it Paleo by Bill Staley and Hayley Mason. It was amazing! I think it would be a great holiday meal side.

I love Bill and Hayley. The first paleo cookbook I ever bought was by them and now I own the three that they have. They also have an awesome website http://www.primalpalate.com/. It you are just looking for some fun receipes and want some tasty food I would highly recommend checking out their site. They have an AWESOME chocolate cookie recipe.   

I know that this wasn't the post I wanted and the lack of photos stink but I'm thinking next time will work out much better.

Until Later
- Christina

Meal Time

For some the thought of the paleo diet can be scary. Not just from the items you have to cut out but also trying to find quality ingredients like grass fed meats and organic veggies. It should be noted though that even if you cannot find grass fed meats and a good quality of organic veggies just following the protocol can be very helpful.

One thing that has been very helpful for me is meal planning. I will admit though I haven't been very good as of late. We have been doing a lot of moving and life gets kind of crazy around moves. When I meal plan I tend to spend less and end up with more. I think that meal planning is also a good thing for me and my family because it doesn't leave us questioning what to make. We know that we have picked out 3 meals a day, some being leftovers from previous meals. We even do try to make a daily plan of what we will eat but if I'm not feeling like meatloaf at dinner tonight and would rather have spaghetti and meatballs then I simply switch. 

I think another reason I have not jumped back on the meal planning bandwagon in earnest is from the simple fact that I have a whole bunch of new paleo cookbooks. I am trying things all the time and discovering what we like and what we don't. So far I don't think anything hasn't been loved or well liked by the family. Well, I suppose there was the ahi tuna steaks, but that was from our preference for other fish. 

Well for now I should go but hopefully the next post will be an actual meal post with pictures. 

Until Later

- Christina

When I grow up

I often find myself asking, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" When I set back and think about it, it seems strange to think about about this as a 25 almost 26 year old woman. Haven't I already grown up? In a lot of ways I do lead a typical adult life. I am married, I have a son, and I worry about bills. However, I am still a student and it has taken me a long time to choose a career path. I have never been someone who just wants to settle into a career and it has been hard for me to decide. Should I go for money or happiness? I know that seems like a horrible question but in today's society you really need to think about your future. So much for the American Dream. Although I am not that pessimistic and I know that there are opportunities for those who seek them and work hard for them. I have wrestled with the career decision for a long time. 

Since I have started the Paleo diet I have decided to cut as much stress from my life as possible. Before I thought about a career path, I decided that I would take a personality test to see what careers would fit me best. Of the 16 personality types I am an INFJ. Before I settled with this result I took multiple tests to make sure that it was not a fluke and with each one I learned that I am an INFJ. So what does this mean? According to the website 16 Personalities, "The INFJ type is believed to be very rare (less than 1 percent of the population) and it has an unusual set of traits. Even though their presence can be described as very quiet, INFJ personalities usually have many strong opinions, especially when it comes to issues they consider really important in life. If an INFJ is fighting for something, this is because they believe in the idea itself, not because of some selfish reasons.Their easy and pleasant communication can often mislead bystanders, who might think that the INFJ is actually an extrovert.Unsurprisingly, people with this personality type are very sensitive and vulnerable to conflicts – even the most rational INFJs may find it quite difficult to not take criticism personally." There is much more to read but these were some of the highlights and describe me surprisingly well. From this I learned that one of the best career choices for me is teaching. This was something I have always been drawn too and something I will begin to work towards. Just for fun I would suggest taking the quiz and reading the free information at 16 Personalities. Even if you don't feel it describes you it is still fun to do and if it does sound just like you then how much more fun!

Sleep

The Paleo diet is not just a diet it is a lifestyle. When following this lifestyle not only are food choices important but so are daily choices such as exercise and sleep. Most diets and healthy living require these things. Maybe these facts seem more important to me because I truly believe in this way of life. The facts behind it make sense to me. It just clicks with me to think for many many years our ancestors ate a certain way and lived a certain way and their health was much better than ours. Yes the average life span was short but life was also extremely perilous, I mean running from predators all the time probably sucked. It has only been in recent human history that we have started to consume grains. It has also been very recently that we have modifying our crops for better growing success. All of these changes have changed our health and many people are suffering from many different diseases.

This blog entry was not going to be about trying to persuade someone or making a stance it was supposed to be about sleep. Sleep is a very important thing and when you don't get enough it can spiral a day out of control. No your day might not be doom and chaos but when we lack sleep many of us turn to caffeinated beverages and supplements to help keep us awake. Although coffee in its black state is not all that bad for us in moderation it is all too easy to drive down the road and get some beverage that may have started out as coffee but is now loaded with cream and sugar or other sweeteners. In fact this morning I am guilt of that although I made my coffee here at home. Last night I decided to stay up later than I should knowing that I have a wonderful son who would wake up bright and early to start his day. So when I did finally decide after midnight to go to sleep I was then stalled by Laura who was having a crisis at work. After talking to her and getting her calmed it was now 1:30am and I was exhausted. Yet, I was not able to instantly fall asleep. So I laid there and this morning I am paying for it.

During the summer I followed the Paleo lifestyle strictly for two weeks and I felt great. I was refreshed and had less stomach problems and just generally felt good. Did I lose any weight? No. But did I feel good? Yes. To me that is more important than weight lose, which I know will come in time. I know that when I begin to follow the lifestyle fully again life will feel better. I will feel better. The stresses will be gone and I won't feel as sad. Sleep contributes to a lot of things in your life and not getting the 8 hours at least a night can screw up a lot. Although changing what I eat is no easy task making myself get the proper sleep and going to bed at a good hour is even more of a challenge, but I am working on it. I have a family who counts on me.

Until later
- Christina      

My Heroes

I wasn't planning on making two posts so quickly but I have had some things running through my head lately that I have been wanting to share. 

With it being so close to Halloween I have been thinking about how children make the decision about what they are going to dress up as. Not every child but many make the decision to dress up as their hero. For some children this may be a superhero like batman, or a doctor because maybe they have a family member that is a doctor. I'm sure when I was younger my hero was probably character from TV or a book. As an adult my heroes are my family members. Two members of my family stick out from the rest, my aunt Darlene and my little grandma. 

When I talk to people who do not know me and refer to my little grandma I get strange looks. As a young child it was harder for me to call my grandmothers grandma Chessick and grandma Jewell. However, I noticed that there was a distinct height difference. My grandma Chessick was roughly 5'5 and my grandma Jewell was 4'11. So the titles big grandma and little grandma was born. My little grandma is 96 years old and although she has some medical problems she is healthy. A lot of my life she lived up north in Michigan and I did not get to see her as often as I would have liked. As a child I didn't understand why my little grandma saw the need to walk everywhere. Everyday she would walk 2+ miles just for fun. As an adult I am envious of that. I wish that I had the time to just go and walk 2+ miles. It was during those walks that I was able to get to know my grandmother and my family. We talked about many different things, from my dad as a child to the day. Can you imagine living 96 years? I cannot imagine all of the things that you would get to experience in 96 years especially the past 96 years. She also has a wonderful sense of humor and the need to take care of people. Where she lives she believes it is her job to take care of the other people even if they are younger or in better health. I aspire to be like her when I am 96. I hope I still have my memory and I am a fighter just like her. Even though I know it isn't possible there is a part of me that wishes she could live forever because the thought of ever losing her makes me feel like I've lost a hand.

The next individual in my family that is my hero is my aunt Darlene. For as long as I can remember she has been disabled. I can't seem to remember a time that she wasn't in a wheelchair although I scarcely remember a time I think she used a walker although this could just be dream. I know that I have been told what exactly what her diagnoses is but I can never remember. I know that it is a form or related to Muscular Dystrophy. Although I can't imagine what it is like to have her disability she is always in the best of spirits. I know that we all have our down days and that she does too, but I can never remember a time in my life she hasn't just made me smile or laugh from her stories. She has always done things for me and stood by me no matter my decisions in life. When I was in the military she sent me a Boyd's army bear. I kept it on my night stand every night and still keep it in my room. If I could have my way in life and could make any decision about what I would do for the rest of my life I farm and homeschool my children. Until now I have shared the dream with few people but she encouraged me and we've talked about it alot. I would like to say if I had her disability that I would be just as happy and could light up people's life like she has done for me, but I have to be honest and say that I am not sure that I could. I really wish I could out into words what my aunt Darlene means to me and why she is my hero but everything I write or think to write doesn't seem to do the way I feel justice. In my soul I feel very grateful and connected to her. I wish I could spend more time with her. I regret that I do not have the time to go and spend with her and my little grandma. Again I know that no one lives forever but the devastation I will feel in the future when she can no longer be here on this earth is explainable. 

I admire others in my family for their different qualities and traits. I will always look up to my parents and siblings and watch them. Yet, even though I have never and probably will never have the ability to spend as much time as I would like with my little grandma and my aunt Darlene they are the heroes of my life. They are the individuals I would like to grow up to be. I feel deeply connected to them in my soul. They inspire me to live a better life and to be as healthy as possible. They are part of the reason I originally started the Paleo diet. They are the reason behind this blog and my food journey. 

Until later. 

- Christina    

The Beginning

For anyone that knows me I have started a million blogs (okay not really that many) and some how have fallen away from them. I am not a gifted writer nor do I have anything really profound to share to the world. I do however, enjoy talking about the things I am passionate about. My parents and especially my wife, Laura, would call me a gypsy. I hate settling and it takes me forever to make a decision and when I do I will probably change it. So many times when I talk about being passionate about something the first thing Laura will say is, 'what is it this week?' However, no matter how many times I change my mind about a million different things I am always passionate about food. I love to eat! It isn't a secret and to be honest it has caused me to weigh a little more than I would like.

For as long as I can remember I have had stomach issues that has bothered, but has not really stopped me from eating even though I knew I might get sick. In the past few years I had become more in tune with what I was eating. I tried getting organic when I could, especially from local farmers or my own garden. I looked for local farmers who produced better meat and egg products. Yet, I was still eating junk. I was loading up on pasta, chips, and sweets. I had a love for Coca-Cola that was hard to break and which I occasionally still break. Sometime during this past summer I stumbled across the Paleo diet. I cannot remember how it happened but it did. I read the book The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson and it made sense. If you have never heard of the paleo diet (also called the primal diet, the caveman diet, and various other names) it basically states that we should avoid all grain, sugar, anything processed, dairy (although there is discussion on this), nightshades, legumes, soy, and no alcohol. What is allowed is meat (preferred grass fed, all natural, wild caught), most veggies (except for white potatoes, corn, and beans), nuts in limited quantity, fruit in moderation (because of the sugar content). This is by all means not an exhaustive list nor a full explanation of the diet. When I read the reasons though behind why this was the way to eat it made sense. The further I read the more it made sense. This diet has not only helped people lose weight and become more healthy but also help individuals with problems such as MS. 

I tried all summer to talk to Laura into starting the diet. She agreed but it is hard to give up a lot of the things that you love and are used to. We were rocky all summer long and broke it a lot. Recently that began to change. Laura who has had hypothyroid issues most of her life was recently told by her doctor that she should be following a Paleo diet. Her immune system is actually attacking her thyroid because of the things she eats. We are slowly fully phasing over and so far it has been good. Learning to cook without the things that have become second nature to me in my kitchen has been a little bit of challenge. I cook a lot with coconut oil and lard. I do not use any grains and instead use almond and coconut flour. In fact I just made some wonderful Chocolate Chip Cookies. I won't be eating cookies to often but it is nice to have a treat every now and again. 

My hope is with this blog I can talk about the recipes that I am making and how they turn out. I also plan on planting a garden again next spring and will begin using those ingredients in my cooking. I also hope that people will learn about Paleo. I understand the many reservations that you may have about the diet but learning about it wouldn't hurt. I know that not everyone would be willing to try and I also know that it is not the cheapest diet to be on. I'm hoping my garden next year will cut down on some of those costs but it will still be a little more costly then how I previously ate.  

Until later. 

- Christina