2nd Annual Barkley Street Art Walk

PALEO: WEEKEND SURVIVAL

 Gluten free+wheat free+dairy-free+pepperoni free+cheesey goodness free=THIS PILE OF.......

To be fair, I put yummy tomato sauce and cheese on Betty's pizza crust and she LOVED it. Mine however, had olive oil, mushrooms and tomatoes. Whoop! Right? Not so much. Let's just say it wasn't a party in my mouth. After this EPIC FAIL Saturday evening, I was ready for a cheat night on Sunday. Mexican food. Chips and dips and tacos and enchiladas but Mattie talked me down off of that ledge and I'm so glad. Because today? Today I feel like a champ. I have lost 6 lbs. (not my intention from this diet and will monitor) and feel like cutting out all of the crazy sugar I eat has really helped. As Mattie said, all of that junk is an addiction. The longer I go without it, the less I want it. I am not going to omit the truth and say that I did have wine over the weekend but Paleo says that's ok (maybe not my exact serving size but I DIDN'T HAVE MEXICAN FOOD). Not perfect but a definite difference in how I feel. Stay tuned.......

BIRDS EYE VIEW

A few weeks ago my awesome sister and her awesome hubby decided to start a new diet. Thanks, jerks. I will never be the same again. Welcome to Paleo. My first text of the week was THIS.IS.FOR.THE.BIRDS. And it is. You eat like a bird or a peasant or a very small fairy. I have deemed it the seeds and berries diet. I'm sure most of you have heard of Paleo but just in case here's the skinny.

No cheese. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? I love cheese the most. Havarti cheese, habanero cheese, gouda cheese, green chile mac and cheese, mozarella cheese. CHEESE ENCHILADAS.

No dairy at all. I can handle this. I haven't consumed a glass of milk without a cookie in ten years so that part has been easy. I do miss sour cream and CHEESE. Mattie did help me find clarified Ghee butter. It looks like butter. It feels like butter. It tastes like butter but it ain't butter. I've also started using almond milk in my coffee (which is allowed thank you Jesus) and in Betty's oatmeal which she loves.

No bread or grains. No peanut butter cookies. No beans. No leftover donuts mid-afternoon or Snickers or Moo-llineum Cruch ice cream. No beer. No NADA that is delicious. You get the gist.

So what the heck can you eat? Here's a sample of my menu this week:

Breakfast:
Cage free egg with green chiles
Coffee
Strawberries
Blueberries

Snack:
Clementine
Peach

Lunch:
Spinach salad with chicken breast, purple onion, jalepeno and boiled egg

Snack:
Blueberries
Clementine

Dinner:
Whole trout stuffed with lemon, herbs and butter (ghee)

In the beginning, I was starving all day but that seems to have subsided and I feel like a champ. I was also worried about cost but it can be inexpensive if you make it. For example, trout is super cheap and easy to grill. The most important part is being creative. Let me tell you The Lowes in Spearman doesn't have a plethora of hippie ingredients such as almond flour or ghee butter but there are choices and you just have to use your ole noggin. Also, I'm not a huge fan of the meat part of this diet. I don't REALLY love Betty eating this much meat (especially chickens so full of hormones they could burst) but I have vowed to try it until my birthday and it's actually become quite fun. It's challenging to create a menu that falls within these guidelines and is also affordable.  I'm a foodie and this is just a new way to enjoy food. So to my health nut JERKS, thanks! This bird and her birdie thank you!

HAPPY......

It's that time of year again. My all time favorite is upon us once again. Time for me to be all cookoo and cray cray because the temperature is dropping and the leaves are changing. Cool crisp evenings, fires, soup, college football, listening to the Lynx play from our own backyard. GOODNESS. As I watched my sweet lady cheer at half time Friday night, I was reminded how much I love our little village. Just look at the gleam in her eyes as she watched them take the field. We are so blessed. So fortunate for safety and security and a beautiful home with two fireplaces and a cozy kitchen. Every year, all it takes is that chill in the wind to touch my neck and I feel wispy and wonderful all over again. What an amazing little life we live. Happy September! And don't forget it's also BIRTHDAY.MONTH!!!!

#santafewineandchilefiesta
#partylikeitsnineteenninetynine
#icantbelieveiamgoingtobethirtythree