February 14th

So Pat and I "boycotted" Valentine's Day, which is to say, we just didn't want to buy each other stuff because Hallmark told us to. But Earth Fare had a buy one get one free lobster tail......so if this is boycotting, count me in!

  That is lobster, meat, roasted beets and brussel sprouts. Everything on the plate was out of this world delicious!

Healthy Eating

My friend Betsy went on a Paleo eating plan over a year ago and along with her intense exercise program at CrossFit, lost a lot of weight. She doesn't eat the plan all the time anymore, but she is going on a 30-dayChange plan, similar to the Paleo and asked me if I wanted to do it with her.

Well, of course my first response was no. It means eliminating sugar, processed food, grains, legumes, dairy and white potatoes. Basically you eat meat, fish, eggs, tons of vegetables, some fruit and some healthier fats. And while I pretty much eat this way for breakfast and lunch most days anyways, I have issues with extreme plans. I want to be healthy, but I want to balance health with enjoyment. And I enjoy food. However, I have this once in a lifetime event coming up, and I really want to look and feel good for it, so what could 30 days hurt? But having to plan a healthy dinner each night, in the midst of work, working out, homework, being with Pat, wedding planning and whatever else comes up overwhelmed me.

Then I found a website that had a listing of 30 Paleo Crockpot recipes!  And now I'm coming around to this 30 day plan.

As practice, this weekend I made Boeuf Bourguignon, kale chips and instead of mashed pototoes- mashed cauliflower.

These are kale chips. Kale mixed with a bit of olive oil, chili powder and salt, baked in the oven. A crispy snack that is healthy. No, it doesn't taste like a potato chip, but I didn't feel grease oozing out of my skin either.

 

I steamed the cauliflower before pureeing it with roasted garlic. Yes, I even roasted my first garlic clove.

 Since Pat gets to wear a kilt instead of a wedding dress, he's not on the eating plan. Okay and maybe he stands at his job all day too. However, the food was easily transferrable to placing ontop of pasta.

This is the plan: http://whole9life.com/start/
And here's where I'm gettting my recipies:
http://hollywouldifshecould.net/2011/11/a-month-of-paleo-crockpot-recipes/

It's good to try new things, right? If I start Monday Feb 13th, I'll complete it on Tuesday, March 13th.

Trip to Marietta

I went to up Marietta, sans Pat this time, for some quality wedding planning time with Mom.

When I arrived, Grams came over to visit....apparently we have similar taste in the colors we like to wear!

Grampy bought himself a new car.....a RED Volkwagon Bug! Quite different than the Taurus and Buick that he's had for quite a while. I got take it for a spin- it has a lot more pickup than either of those- no wonder he bought it!

Then we went dress shopping for the upcoming showers and rehearsal dinner. The store was incredible...I was waited on. Quite different than the mall or consignment places I usually shop at. I felt like a princess...although I still don't think orange is my color.

Sarah came by to say hi. Sarah is Mom's friend, but also the mom of Carrie, my friend and the flower creator for the wedding. Sarah is one of the best smelling women in the world, there lots of other great things about her too, but that's the first one that I always experience when I see her.

 Grams tried on a jacket.

This color of this dress was beautiful on Mom, but I looked a little too pale in it. And, well, it may not quite be my style.

Pretty Morning

Caught a lovely view off the back deck.

Chili

January was a great time to pull out the crockpot.

First up: Chili. It looked nothing like the chili you see most places, but it was full of lots of flavor.

Stock

Pat combined all the leftover turkey carcasses from Thanksgiving, Christmas and a few extra chicken remains to create a very thick, lovely stock

New's Years Meal...

New Year's came quickly after Christmas.
We had pork with greens, potatoes & sauerkraut

Potatoes get such a bad wrap. There just not that good for you, but isn't this one just beautiful!



Almost as beautiful as the greens!

And the great sauerkraut, why do I only eat sauerkraut once a year?