Bacon N' dill sweet potato salad

There is bacon in this need I say more.  I found this recipe and it has been a countless classic to every bbq and dinner I have ever gone to.  It is also great as leftovers to serve over eggs in the a.m.  This is a must make !! I usually prefer to make this recipe minus the pumpkin seeds.  Try it I promise you will not be sorry.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

bacon n’ dill sweet potato salad

 

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes – chopped and roasted
• 4 cloves of garlic – chopped and roasted
• olive oil for roasting and dressing
• 8 slices of thick bacon – cooked and ripped into pieces

Dressing:

• 2 limes – freshly squeezed juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 green onions – thinly chopped
• a handful of fresh dill – chopped
• a dash or two of pepper flakes (optional)
• a few sprinkles of sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• garnish with a handful of raw pumpkin seeds

Note: as with any dressing, feel free to taste and tweak it as you go!
Prep:

• arrange slices of bacon on a tin foil-covered baking sheet and cook for 25-30 mins at 375 heat – keep an eye on it, as thickness of the bacon can vary cooking time
• when cooked, set aside to cool
• next, peel and chop sweet potatoes and garlic into cubed-like chunks
• toss in some olive/coconut oil and arrange on another baking sheet and roast for 30 mins or so at the same heat, until slightly browned
• remove and set aside to cool
• in the meantime, chop up green onion, fresh dill and prepare the other ingredients to form the dressing mixture in a bowl.  Stir all dressing ingredients together.
• once the roasted sweet potatoes and garlic are cooled, proceed by adding in bacon pieces.
• finally, pour in dressing and mix everything together thoroughly – I like to use my hands here to make sure all is coated well!
• garnish with raw pumpkin seeds or other nut/seed of choice
• can be stored in refrigerator and is even more delicious and flavorful if served cold the next day!

Meaty Paleo Pasta

Meaty Paleo Pasta

So I was looking through a cookbook and I saw a few recipes that inspired me for this one.  I had seen some other recipes in some paleo cookbooks that I decided to tweak a bit.  It definitely curbed any kind of craving for pasta. This is a definite must make again.  I used the next day over eggs as well.  Enjoy!!!

Meaty Paleo Pasta

• 1 Red Onion 
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 lb grass fed ground beef
• optional Italian sausage
• 1 1/2 tbs dried oregano
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
• 1 tsp cayenne red pepper
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 6oz can of tomato paste 
• 1 cup of mushrooms sliced 
• 1 can natural black olives sliced 
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 large spaghetti squash

1. In a large pan saute onion and garlic in a pan with two tbs olive oil about 3 mins  
2. Add meat and brown.  Before fully cooked dd in spices and chopped basil 
3. In separate pan saute sliced zucchini and mushrooms add to meat mix
4. Add can of diced tomatoes and tomato paste and olives to mixture.
5. In microwave safe dish place halved spaghetti squash in microwave and cook for 15 mins or until can shred squash with a fork 
6. Can place spaghetti squash in a pan and saute with garlic and olive oil or serve plain.  

Pumpkin Chili

This Recipe is great when it's cold outside or just if you want some comfort food.  I decided to make my own version of Pumpkin Chili.    I am the queen of throwing random things together so I tried this  in the crockpot and it turned out well I think.  It was super easy I cooked over night on low because that is all I had time for. Quick Easy and Comforting for sure!!

Ingredients
1 Pkg Organic Trader Joe's Extra Lean Ground Turkey
1  Pkg Trader Joe's Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage(take casing off, and slice into pieces)
1 14oz Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
1 14oz Can diced Tomatoes
1 14oz Organic Pumpkin
1 Jar Fire Roasted Red and yellow Pepper chopped (drain juice)
1 Diced Sweet yellow onion
1 Tbs Cumin
1 Tbs Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Tsp Garam Marsala
less than Tbs Garlic Powder 
less than Tbs Chili Powder
Sea Salt to taste
For Spicy Flavor add Cayenne Red Pepper


Directions

In Crock Pot combine all ingredients and cook for 4-6 hours or cook on low overnight as I did. You can serve plain or over spaghetti squash.

The Power of Belief

  I needed a little inspiration today I am not going to lie.  I felt truly defeated today by my one CrossFit Vice HSPU.  You have no idea how much I hate them, and how much of a mind f&*$ they are for me.  I cannot even tell you how many times I have done them in wods in the gym with no plates .  The moment I find out they are in a competition my heart sinks a bit and I feel nauseated.  In not one but two competitions I have completely failed with my hands on plates.  I really don't understand how it makes the difference for me other than in my head.  It is mentally defeating and there is no belief I CAN do them.  I find out that at Regionals this time around there is no plates.  I should be freaking ecstatic, but instead I doubt myself and stress myself out so much that I have been failing at them in wods.  I mean REALLY WTF!!! After sitting at the wall in with exhaustion and tears running down my face because I felt like such a failure, and then getting so frustrated that I stood up and threw my smart water against the wall so hard that it exploded everywhere. I realized in my ridiculousness how much your mind can make things happen.   I mean really I could do them before just not on plates and now I can barely push myself up, that doesn't even make sense.  It is all in my head creating a mental block.   I think about all those amazing Athletes that I know are so determined and confident in themselves that they can make anything happen.  I guess It really is true that if you believe you can achieve.  I share this with you because I know that I am not the only person that is my own worst enemy.  My own mind allows me to think that I lack the confidence and ability to accomplish my goals.  I looked up the below quotes and thought I would share because they re-inspired me how much power lies behind belief.

1. Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” (Gail Devers) 
2.  “For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible.” (Stuart Chase)
3. “One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.” (Joan of Arc)
4. “If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.” (Mahatma Ghandi)
5. “The outer conditions of a person's life will always be found to reflect their inner beliefs.” (James Allen)
6. “Miracles happen to those who believe in them.” (Bernared Berenson)

Sweet Potato Banana Recovery Shake

Since I have become full Paleo I have not been able to take any post Recovery shakes.  I used to do Progenex and realized that it gave me severe cramping and upset stomach.  When I pulled it out I felt like I needed something to replace that.  I have experimented with a few different things, and realized that it is difficult for me to choke down real food especially after a CrossFit workout.  So I thought I would throw together a combo that would help me recover, be a small meal and be easy to swallow. 
Sweet Potatoes have a high Glycemic Index, Coconut water has electrolytes, bananas have potassium, and good fat from coconut milk helps to replenish fat used for fuel and keep metabolism going.   This has been my perfect Recovery drink a few days a week. 

Ingredients 
Serves 2 
1 Sweet Potato
1 Banana
1 Can full fat coconut milk
1 small bottle of taste Nirvana  Coconut water
or  3/4 can of C2O
2 cups of Ice
1 cup water
1/2 tsp Vanilla (optional)
2 tbs MeeNut Butter ( any Nut butter will do)
I have also made my own nut butter to go in.


Directions
Put into a Blender and Serve for a delicious treat!!!!

Fried Avacado Egg Boats

Ingredients:
4 Eggs
2 Avocados
sea salt (to taste)
pepper(to taste)
2-3 tbs Olive oil, bacon grease, or coconut oil
6 strips of bacon

Directions:
Cook bacon in pan until crispy.  Take out of pan and place on paper towel
Cut a little off each side of the avocado.  Allowing the avocado to stand up and cook in the pan.  Then half the avocado and take the seed out.
Crack an egg in each of the halves of the avocado in the pan.  Cook covered for 5 mins until the egg reaches right tenderness either runnier or more cooked.
Crack Sea Salt and Pepper over the top
Crumble bacon over the top of the eggs, Serve and Enjoy!!!


Talk about 3 of the greatest things all served together, for a true comfort breakfast.  Made me feel like I was eating eggs Benedict, just add Paleo Sauce.  

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger....

This phrase is the inspiration for my writing today.  I have to keep repeating this to myself over and over recently.  "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."  I feel like in the last few weeks I have had so many obstacles thrown in front of me with my work situation, my love life, and with my training and nutrition.  Can honestly say there have been a few times even this week that I did not know how I was going to get through both emotionally and physically.  Pardon me for saying this, but when shit hit the fan about two months ago and I basically had the rug pulled from underneath me;  Someone told me that how I got through it would define my character.  At the time I remember thinking to myself are you F*&cking kidding me.  I thought that I was starting from Ground zero, I lost my job, my best friend, the person I loved, respect, and happiness.  I was so angry the first few days.  That it took me a little bit of time and a lot of tears to realize that if I could pull myself back up, how much stronger I would be.  I became determined to put the past in the past and try to start over and redefine myself as a person.   We are put through struggles and obstacles everyday so that we can teach ourselves how to overcome them and grow as human beings. 

Through all of this I became determined to crush the open CrossFit wods and focus on training hard and making myself feel good again.  In years past I would have chosen to deal with my issues a little differently.  It is no secret that I used to have an eating disorder.  It used to be my way of coping with stress and hardships.  For the first time ever of being so low I didn't turn to my old ways and was not even tempted to do so.   Now two months later in looking back at how bad I felt just a short while back I am able to see how much stronger I have become.  I was able to find a new job, a new support system, realize that certain people were not who I thought they were, and manage to make regionals.  In reflecting on all of this, it made me see that had certain huge obstacles been thrown into my path I would not be where I am now and have the realizations that I have had.  I have Faith now that everything happens for a reason, and what seems that it may kill you will only make you stronger.  We are all human and go through suffering everyday.  I decided to share my feelings and hope and give the reassurance that even though things may seem as though they may "destroy you"  we will get through them with more tools in our tool chest for next time. 

I am about to Face Regionals in the next few weeks.  There are three really defeating movements for me in the WODS,  If I can get through them believing I am strong, and knowing that I am ore than capable.  I feel like this is the first competition that I am going into with the right mindset and inner strength to know that I can overcome my fears.  It constantly validates the phrase what doesn't kill you makes you stronger!!