Sunday

Breakfast:
Two "Eggs in a Nest" of Chard (Large Bunch) and Zucchini (1) w/Avocado (1/2 Large)

Lunch:
Roasted Acorn Squash (1/2) w/Canned Wild Alaskan Salmon (7.5oz) and Avocado (1/2 Large)

I actually ended up scooping this concoction out of the acorn squash skin and plopping it into a bowl. I then smashed everything together and ate it as a big mash of goodness! One of those combinations that I just seem to love; the sweetness of the squash, the creaminess of the avocado, and the saltiness of the salmon, for me, are just perfect! I felt satisfied for the rest of the day.

I did, however, partake in a sweet little treat that I'll tell you about tomorrow. I bought, I sampled, I recreated! And, tomorrow I'll share a fun little recipe with you!

CrossFit Workout:
500M Row (Level 10)

Just a little something to get the blood flowing this morning...and then...Rest Day!

Saturday

Breakfast:
Two Egg Frittata w/Ground Buffalo (3oz), Zucchini (1), and Avocado (1/2 Large)

When I make breakfast for the two of us, I make this frittata in a large pan and sprinkle my side with zucchini, Scott's side with a little bit of cheese (I use raw cheddar).

Lunch (at Spring Creek Barbeque):
BBQ Brisket (my first time eating brisket...not my favorite, but not horrible)

Dinner:
Leftover NY Prime (4oz)

We ate lunch at 3pm, so I wasn't really too hungry come dinner time.

Snack:
Acorn Squash (1/2) w/Almond Butter (1/2 T.) and Cinnamon

YUM! This was the perfect little dessert/snack. I roasted an acorn squash, to have on-hand for Sunday, but decided, after testing its doneness, that I would eat half immediately. Here's what I did:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. 
2. Slice acorn squash in half, splitting it from top to bottom. Scoop out and discard seeds.
3. To a baking sheet, add water (about 1/4 of the way up the sides) and then place the acorn squash halves flesh side down.
4. Bake for about 30 minutes, until flesh is soft.
5. Remove from oven and pour off water. 
6. Increase oven temperature to 425F.
7. Drizzle and rub (or brush) the squash with 1 tsp. of oil (I used EVOO) and place them back on the baking sheet, flesh side down. 
8. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, until flesh is slightly caramelized. 
9. Eat drizzled with coconut oil and sprinkled with cinnamon...or:

Scoop out flesh, into a bowl, and add almond butter and cinnamon. Then, smash up the mixture with a fork or puree in a food processor. Enjoy!

Roasted Acorn Squash Half:

Friday

Lunch (at Coast Global Seafood):
Ahi Tuna Crudo (shared with Scott)
Seafood Salad- shrimp, jumbo lump crab, avocado, tomato & citrus vinaigrette (shared with Scott)
Classic Cafe Burger (no bun, with extra lettuce for wrapping)

Snack:
Dried Mangoes (unsulphured, unsweetened)
Handful of Pistachios

Dinner:
"Eggs in a Nest"
Three Eggs Poached with Chard (large bunch) and Zucchini (1)
Avocado (1/2 large)

The "Nest" cooking in the pan:

Scott's Dinner (because we don't always have the same cravings and he's not too excited about "Eggs in a Nest"...I know...I don't get it either...):

New York Prime (charred on the outside, perfectly pink and juicy on the inside)
Broccoli (blanched and grilled)

CrossFit Workout:
Five Minutes of Jumprope
10 Dead-Hang Pull Ups
20 Push Ups
30 Sit Ups
30 Squats
~and~

5x5 Push Press
65-75-85-95-100-105lbs (x2)
~and~

Three Minutes of:
5 Pull Ups
10 Push Ups
15 Squats

3 Rounds + 5 Pulls Ups and 6 Push Ups
~and~

Tabata Kettlebells
20 Seconds On/10 Seconds Off of:
Right Arm Swings
Left Arm Swings
Right Arm Push Press
Left Arm Push Press
Right Arm Front Squat
Left Arm Front Squat
Regular Swing
Regular Swing

I love kettlebells and thought this last mini WOD was pretty cool! I used a 20lb kettlebell, because my shoulders were feeling a little worked...I think next time I'll use 30-35lb. Or, if you have the resources, different weight KBs can be subbed in for each movement. Try it!

Back on the Buffalo!

Breakfast:
Sashimi (leftover from last night)
Spicy Tuna Mix (Tuna and Sambal) and Avocado

Lunch:
Sashimi (A LOT!)

Dinner:
Two Eggs w/Ground Buffalo (4oz), Avocado (1/2 Large), and Grape Tomatoes (6)

Snack:
Dried Mangoes from Trader Joe's (unsulphured, unsweetened)
Tea (Yogi Peach DeTox)

CrossFit Workout:
Run 800M
20 Push Ups
30 Sit Ups
30 Air Squats
30 Lunges
~and~

3 Rounds of:
10 Power Cleans (85lb)
10 Burpees

This was a deceiving WOD...one that leaves you feeling like your throat just got rubbed with a brillo pad. Nice...but, a really great workout!
~and~

1000M Row

A Really Random Day of Eating

Today I didn't feel like venturing out to the grocery store, so I ate/grazed on what I had in the house...

Breakfast:
Three Eggs Scrambled (the fridge is now officially empty)

Lunch:
Small Yam w/Canned Wild Alaskan Salmon (7.5oz)

I really like this combination, but I'm thinking that it may not be for everyone. I pricked holes in my yam, placed it in a shallow bowl, put it in the microwave, and then pushed the "Potato" button. Once it was finished steaming, I topped it with my drained and rinsed salmon. Easy!

Snack:
Handful of Pistachio Nuts
Banana

Snack:
A Few Dried Mangoes (Unsulphured, Unsweetened from Trader Joe's)

Dinner:
Sashimi
Seaweed Salad

Scott picked up sushi tonight...phew! He must not have been too excited about the possibility of canned salmon and dried mangoes...

I'm Back!

Sunset at Top of the Mark:

Wednesday
Breakfast:
Three Eggs w/Avocado (1/2 Large)
Lunch:
1/2 Large Paleo Kit, Two Carrots (Airplane/Travel Food)
Dinner:
Butternut Squash "Raw"violi w/Nut Pate and Grilled Flowering Kale at Millenium

Thursday
Brunch:
"Healthy Breakfast Bowl w/Niman Ranch Beef" (no beans, no tortillas) from Green Chile Kitchen

Having Fun at the Bridal Brunch:

Snack:
Can of Sardines (three small fish packed in olive oil)

My friends are vegetarian and thought the whole idea of canned sardines was a little strange...boy did they miss out! Sardines are a really great source of Omega-3s and, I think, totally delicious!

Dinner:
Slice of Pizza w/Spinach, Artichoke Hearts, and Goat Cheese from Goat Hill Pizza*

We were prepping food and working on last minute wedding details, so the day sort of just flew by...dinner was a sort of afterthought...not the norm for me. So, we ate a slice of 'za at about 10pm that night. On a positive note....the crust was really thin and it was really tasty...so, at least I enjoyed it. And, no...pizza(*) is still not Paleo.

Hotel Gym Workout:
20-15-10-5 of:
Manmakers (20lb Dumbbells)
Front Squats (20lb Dumbbells)
~and~
20 Bench Press (65lbs?)
50 Leg Press (I have no idea...)

Friday
Lunch:
Salad of Mache, Palm Hearts, Dungeness Crab, and Romesco Vinaigrette from Urban Tavern
Dinner/Snack #1:
Smoked Duck Breast and Pate
Dinner/Snack #2:
Sushi

Workout:
This hill (0.3 miles):

In these shoes (mine are the 4" gold sparklers):

On the way up to "The Top":

Saturday
Lunch:
Pan-Seared Atlantic Salmon with Sauteed Spinach and Shitake Mushrooms from Daily Grill

Me and Mom at Mary and Craig's Wedding:

 

Old-School Girlfriends:

 

 Mary and Craig (the bride and groom):

 

Dinner:
Two Kobe Sliders (no cheese, no bun) and Seafood Chowder from Level Three at JW Marriott

Sunday
Lunch:
Pan-Seared Atlantic Salmon with Sauteed Spinach and Shitake Mushrooms from Daily Grill
Dinner:
Thai from Khan Toke

- Laab with roast duck, red onions, toasted rice, mint leaves and spicy lime sauce

- Yam Ma Khour thai eggplant, charbroiled, mixed with fresh prawns, onions, mint leaves and lime sauce

- Panang Neua prawns cooked in spicy red curry, coconut milk and sweet basil

- Pong Pang scallops, clams, prawns, squid and fish sauteed with fresh lemongress, hot chili, cilantro, kaffir lime leaves, and spicy sauce

**I used shredded cabbage, instead of rice, as the base for my curry.

Monday
Breakfast:
Vegetable Frittata (no cheese) at Max's
Lunch:
JamaicaMojo Grilled Shrimp Salad (no wontons, no dressing) at Elephant Bar
Dinner:
Shrimp Salad at La Tapatia

Tuesday
Breakfast:
Three Eggs Scrambled w/Avocado (1/2 Medium)
Lunch:
Lamb Burger (no bun) and Roasted Beet Salad w/Hazelnuts and Citrus at Chow's Food Bar
Dinner:
Three Eggs Scrambled (thankfully I had eggs waiting for me, upon my arrival home!)


Overall, a pretty impressive week of traveling Paleo. Here's to a great week in San Francisco!

Going to San Francisco!

I will be away from my blog for the next week...but fear not, I will be back next Wednesday! 

So, check back Wednesday (2/24) for pictures from my San Francisco Adventures!

Happy Valentine's Day

Breakfast:
Two Eggs, Chard (2 bunches), and Grated Zucchini (2 Large) w/Avocado (1/2 Large)

"Eggs in a Nest" (inspired by Heather at HEAB)

This is the best idea! And, so easy. Here's what you do:

1. Saute your veggies (i.e. chard, spinach, kale, zucchini...), until almost cooked.
2. Create a "nest", for your eggs, with the veggies.
3. Crack the eggs into your "nest".
4. Cover your pan with a lid and cook eggs to desired doneness.

Late Lunch/Early Dinner:

Seafood Soup (broth base soup made with shrimp, scallops, halibut, perch, and lots of vegetables) @ Gloria's

CrossFit Workout:

As a team, Scott and I did the following:

Scott rows 250M
I do Burpees (20)
Switch
30 Second rest

Scott rows 250M
I do Pull Ups (20)
Switch
30 Second rest

Scott rows 250M
I do 35lb Kettlebell Swings (30)
Switch
30 Second rest

Scott rows 250M
I do Push Ups (25)
Switch
30 Second rest

Scott rows 250M
I do Sit Ups (33)
Switch
30 Second rest

This WOD was inspired by one of my favorite CrossFit bloggers...she makes up workouts and we willingly submit! :) It would be fun to do this one as a sort of couple's challenge...scoring the results by calculating movements/minutes to complete. Try that at your next dinner party! 

We modified the workout slightly by rowing, instead of running, and by switching up the movements a bit, but used the layout she provided. This was a great Sunday night WOD! And, in the end it really exemplified how much Scott cares for me, as he rowed his hardest during every round (making my rounds shorter)...so romantic!

Saturday

Breakfast:
One Egg Scrambled w/Avocado (1/2 Large)

Lunch:
Greek Salad (no feta, no dressing*)
Calamari Rings

*I actually love the usual dressing you'll get with a Greek salad (red wine vinaigrette w/oregano)...this was some funky poppy seed dressing, that neither worked nor tasted good. I took most of the salad home with me, with plane to "doctor it up".

Snack:
Carrot
Handful of Pistachio Nuts

Dinner:
Grilled Shrimp (8oz)

Dessert:
Bananas w/Sliced Almonds and Chocolate Sauce (1 T.)**

**No, chocolate sauce IS NOT Paleo. :)

CrossFit Workout:
Row 5ooM
20 Hip Raises
20 Back Extensions
20 Sit Ups
~and~

2 Minutes On/1 Minute Off of:

Pull Ups
Box Jumps (20")
Sit Ups
Wall Ball Shots (14lb)
Push Ups
~and~

1 Minute On/30 Seconds Off of:

Pull Ups
Box Jumps (20")

Sit Ups
Wall Ball Shots (14lb)
Push Ups

I forgot to write down my #s. I liked this workout, because you never felt like you were doing one movement too long (think "Angie"...). I ended up completing close to 100 reps of each movement (with exception to pull ups, which were around 40...but were bandless, so I'll take it!) and got a pretty good wind going.

Great Saturday morning WOD, John!

Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients:

2 large eggplant
1/4 cup tahini, plus more as needed (I really like this brand)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
1 T. ground cumin
Sea Salt, to taste
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat an oven to 425°F.
2. Prick the eggplant with a fork in several places and place on a baking sheet. Bake until very soft, 25-30 minutes. 
3. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and peel off and discard the skin. Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl.
4. Puree the eggplant flesh in a food processor. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice and cumin. Puree until creamy, or to desired consistency. 
5. Season with salt, then taste and add more tahini and/or lemon juice, if needed.
6. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and spread with the back of a spoon to form a shallow well. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. 

Serve with your favorite veggies or these chips.

Snow Day!

 It snowed yesterday!

Breakfast:

Three Eggs Scrambled w/Avocado (1/2 Large)

Snack:

Apple

Carrots (2) w/Baba Ganoush (recipe tomorrow)

Handful of Pistachio Nuts

Dinner:

Grilled Scallops (8oz) w/Yam Fries (1/4 small yam)

CrossFit Workout:

Create a Snow Angel 

~and~

Build a Snowman 

Scott is 6'1", I'm 5'9"...just to give you an idea of how tall this guy is!

 

The Final Product!

I LOVE Buffalo, But I Really Don't Like Being Told What to Do...

Since my discovery of buffalo I've found that I can, and pretty much do, eat it on a daily basis. I don't, however, enjoy doing things that I have to do...I (well, my cousin Cal and I) formed somewhere along the lines of 60 buffalo sliders (2.5oz each), for our Super Bowl party. Because of the mass quantities of food that we produced for this gathering, I was left with quite a few leftover patties...and, I am now "forced" into eating my buffalo. And, I am really having a hard time enjoying it...very sad. So, I have a little over a pound left (which I think we might be able consume tomorrow), at which point I will be taking a little buffalo sabbatical of sorts. I'm actually going to SF next week, so perfect timing.

Enough about my food issues...

Breakfast:
Three Scrambled Eggs w/Avocado (1/2 Large)
Handful of Blueberries

Late Lunch:
Buffalo (8oz) w/Spinach (three handfuls), Avocado (1/2 Large), and Grape Tomatoes (12)

Snack:
Apple w/Organic SunButter (4T.) and Cinnamon

CrossFit Workout:
Row 1000M
~and~

Back Squats (10-10-10-10-10)
95-95-95-95-95lbs

I did this in the garage, so I didn't go any heavier than 95lb. My max clean is somewhere around 110lb, so going any heavier would have resulted in my unloading the bar, had the load gotten too heavy...not something I wanted to do in the freezing cold garage...

Wednesday

Lunch:
Fritatta (three eggs) w/Buffalo (6oz), Spinach (two huge handfuls), and Avocado (1/2 large)
Two Handfuls of Blueberries

 

Snack:
Apple w/Organic SunButter (4 T.) and Cinnamon

CrossFit Workout:
Five Minutes of Movement
Stretching w/Lacrosse Balls (AMAZING!)
~and~

"Filthy Fifty"
50 Box Jumps/Step Ups (20")
50 Jumping Pull Ups
50 Kettlebell Swings (25lb)
50 Walking Lunges
50 Knees to Elbows
50 Push Press (30lb)
50 Back Extensions (we did "Supermans")
50 Wall Ball (12lb)
50 Burpees
50 Double Unders

25:53*

*This is 3:31 slower than my last time (12/15)...really sad. I just had no wind throughout this WOD. I was feeling defeated and disappointed...and then I took a moment and looked back on the workout that I had just completed...yeah, pretty crazy! I'll take the 25:53.

Back in Action

The past two weeks have been a struggle for me, in terms of workouts and eating...I think that our trip to Vegas and my subsequent three days of sickness contributed to my lack of motivation to eat or workout. I've actually had to make myself eat and lately my workouts have been sporadic or nonexistent. Well, today that all ends. As I type this post, my buffalo fritatta is cooking away in the oven and I just finished a great WOD at CFR.

Surprisingly, my strength has actually increased/remained, regardless of my lack of commitment (to my workouts) over the past two weeks...I feel that this can be attributed to my steady commitment to Paleo eating (no, the beers I consumed at our Super Bowl party are not considered Paleo). So, yes, I remain convinced that this lifestyle change is working for me. And, not surprisingly, my hunger struck almost instantly upon beginning my deadlifts...one of those 'Catch 22' sort of moments...I was likely lacking hunger due to my lack of workouts and was not motivated to workout due to my lack of hunger/eating.

So, moral of the story...eating Paleo works and working out makes me feel better. Enlightening...right!?

Breakfast:
Ground Buffalo (6oz), Spinach (two handfuls), Poblano Vinaigrette, and Avocado Salsa (2/3 C)

Dinner:
Two Egg Fritatta w/Ground Buffalo (6oz) and Avocado Salsa (1/2 C)

CrossFit Workout:
400M Run
20 Kettlebell Swings (35lb)
20 Kettlebell Squats (35lb)
20 Kettlebell Snatches-Left Arm (25lb)
20 Kettlebell Snatches-Right Arm (25lb)
~and~

Deadlifts (10-10-5-5-3-3)
135lb-155-175lb-185-195-205



~and~

Bench Press (20-20-10-10)
45lb-55-65-65
~and~

Banded Deadhang Pull Ups (for strengthening that movement)

Paleo Pizza

 

  

Ingredients:

Makes Two 6" Pizzas  

1/4 Cup Blanched Almond Flour

1/4 Cup Ground Flaxseed (Flax Meal)

1 Large Egg

1 T. Water

1/2 T. Cider Vinegar

1 T. Arrowroot Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Place a pizza stone in the preheating oven (to heat stone).
3. Whisk the egg and water, until frothy. Add vinegar and whisk.
4. To the egg mixture, add almond flour, flaxseed, arrowroot powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined. Mixture will be similar in consistency to pancake batter.
5. Scoop half of the mixture onto hot pizza stone and spread to desired thinness (I made two 6" pizzas).
6. Cook the dough 3 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and add sauce/toppings.
8. Return pizza and stone to oven. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or longer if making a larger pizza. 
9. Remove from oven. Cut and serve. 

For my topping, I used the following mixture:
3oz. Ground Buffalo (yes, this is ALWAYS in our fridge!)
Handful of Fresh Spinach
1 T. Tomato Paste
3 Canned Plum Tomatoes, squished
Dried Oregano

1. In a hot pan, brown the buffalo.
2. Add tomato paste and stir to coat.
3. Add spinach. Wilt.
4. Add tomatoes and oregano.

Easy!

Tuesday

Breakfast:
Ground Buffalo (6oz), Kale (2 Cups, packed), Spinach (2 Cups, packed), Zucchini (1 Large) "Stir Fry"
w/Avocado (1/2 Large) and Sauces (Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette, Cilantro-Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette, and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce)

Snack:
Banana Bread Lara Bar

Dinner:
6" Paleo Pizza

CrossFit Workout:
Row 1000M
~and~

"Grace"
30 Clean and Jerks (85lbs)*



5:47
~and~

Row 1000M

*RX is 95lbs, but I still wasn't feeling 100% today and decided it best to go lighter.On a positive note, we're doing a monthly "Girl WOD" challenge (this month is "Grace") at CFR, so February 26 I should see a big improvement. :)

Monday

Breakfast:
Ground Buffalo (6oz), Kale (2 Cups, packed), Spinach (2 Cups, packed), Zucchini (1 Large) "Stir Fry"
w/Avocado (1/2 Large) and Sauces (Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette, Cilantro-Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette, and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce)

That was it for the day. I'm a bit under the weather and have decided to let my body work on recovery, rather than digestion, so the rest of the day was water and rest.