Can you believe it's already Thursday?! I certainly can't. However, if the next week of my life wants to speed on by, I can't say I'd complain! On Tuesday of next week, I've got a good friend coming in from out of town to visit family in NWA, so we are going to get to spend some time together {Can't wait for that!} And, since I know I've not yet mentioned it, I will be LAYING ON THE BEACH one week from this Sunday :) Sorry to be annoying.. Okay, no I'm not! Since I graduated from college last May and started my job last June, I've not had a single vacation day! To say that I'm ready to spend a week on the beach relaxing, reading for enjoyment, dining on fresh seafood, sleeping in, CrossFitting at a new box, shopping, and just doing nothing with my mama is a HUGE understatement! I'm THAT girl who has had all of my swimsuits packed in a bag for a month now.... I promise to take lots of pictures and document everything {especially the FOOD!}
Speaking of food.... On to the important stuff! Now, while we've certainly established that I am by no means Paleo {for you non-CrossFitters, Paleo is a diet based on the Paleolithic era that is widely practiced in the world of CrossFit; people who are "Paleo" eat fresh meats, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, fruits, nuts, and seeds and completely avoid all grains, dairy, legumes, and refined sugars} my diet consists of mainly Paleo choices. How is that possible you ask? Well, I'm GLAD you asked;) When I go to the grocery stores, I shop on the outside aisles - I buy NO breads, cereals, granola, crackers, cookies, cakes, ice creams, anything processed... You get the idea! The naughtiest thing in my cart is usually peanut butter... I spend about 95% percent of my grocery store budget between the produce section, lean meats, and eggs. I buy a majority of my veggies {and sometimes all of my fruits} at the farmers market, and even frequently snag some grass-fed meats and fresh eggs.
A vast majority of what I cook during the week is Paleo. When I'm going to "cheat," that happens when I eat out since eating out is more of a treat. Let me just mention that there isn't a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe's in sight where I live! Literally, the closest Whole Foods is about 2 hours away. {I know.. How do I survive?!} When I was growing up, we'd take family trips to cities that had Whole Foods, and we would literally have a cooler in tow... Our last stop would be Whole Foods, and my mom would get EVERYTHING she could! Well, she created a monster! Over time, I've snagged a few things from grocery stores that I can't typically find in my area, too. I RATION those and they make it SO much easier for me to cook healthy from home! Some examples are organic peanut/nut butters {sans refined sugar}, coconut butter, raw chia seeds, coconut oil, ground flax seed, and ghee. Let's just stop for a second and discuss ghee, because I am now a strong believer that EVERY healthy girl needs some in her fridge!
But before we get there, I thought y'all might like to be let in on a few blogs I frequently follow that have GREAT tips for healthy cooking and a healthy lifestyle. After all, the two go hand-in-hand. I can't help it that most of these geniuses just so happen to also be CrossFitters... What can I say?! Great taste. These are just a few of my favorites, but they are AMAZING! They constantly have fresh new ideas and even recipes for "healthy" treats! {I'm dying to try several from Taylor Made It Paleo.. & Lindsey at TLGB is the brain child behind Sunday food prep - check out her Foodie Pen Pal program, too!} You obviously don't have to be Paleo OR a health freak to follow them... They are NORMAL women who also have cravings and love chocolate and wine and all other things fabulous! Give them a glance... You'll be happy you did :)
Drum roll, please.... RECIPES! First up, Summertime Chili! Before we get too far, please let me disclaim that I do NOT measure when I cook. Do not. Cannot. Will not. Ain't nobody got time for THAT! Just remember that, when it comes to spices, you can always add more but you can NOT take away.
Ingredients:
1 lb grass fed ground beef
Okra - chopped (as much as you like!)
Tomatoes - diced (you guessed it... add away!)
1 red bell pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Garlic
Sea Salt
Optional:
Salsa Verde
Shredded cheddar cheese
Avocado
Chop up all veggies and add them to a pan with olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, and sea salt to taste. Cook on medium to medium-high until tomatoes are "stewed," stirring occasionally. While veggies are cooking, brown the beef in a skillet on medium-high with garlic and EVOO. The veggies should be finished cooking about the same time! Once both pans are fully cooked, mix together well. Serve warm, and top with salsa verde, avocado, and cheese if desired!
WAY too simple, right?! Also delicious!
NEEEEEXT!
Spicy Sweet Potato "Fries"
Ingredients:
2 medium to large sweet potatoes
EVOO
Chili powder
Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Sea salt
Black pepper
Preheat oven to 450.
Peel potatoes and cut into "matchsticks." In a large bowl, combine matchsticks with EVOO and all spices to taste. Use your hands and mix well. Spread fries onto a cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake for about 15 minutes. {Yes, that's literally it.}
Turkey Lettuce Wraps
{one of my favorite lunches!}
Ingredients:
Hearts of romaine {you can find them at the grocery store, right next to the lettuce!}
Harvest Land antibiotic-free turkey {from the deli}
Grey Poupon deli mustard
Tomatoes
{This one is seriously so easy it's laughable!} Pull one lettuce "wrap" from the heart, and rinse well. Add turkey, mustard, and tomato. DONE! Other great things to add are hummus or other veggies.
Now, moral of this story?! Cooking and eating healthy does NOT have to be hard! If you prep all of this on Sunday, it can make your week SUPER easy! I hope y'all enjoy the recipes! Promise to share more soon :)
Have a wonderful week, everyone! Be blessed! xoxo
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