Happy Anniversary to ME!

It was a year ago that I started my new adventure, Wildflower Kitchen.  I had no idea exactly where it would go (I'm still not sure!), but I knew it had to go somewhere!  My family and I were experiencing renewed health, vitality, much improved numbers (like cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar, resting heart rate and my new friend - the number on my bathroom scale!), clearer skin, restful sleep, less joint pain (for me especially) and a healthy relationship with food.  After committing to and completing a Whole30, we made the switch to a Paleo Diet and Lifestyle.  The change in my appearance was pretty noticeable - I lost 80 pounds - so I got a lot of questions from friends and folks at my kids' schools and even at my favorite stores and coffee shop.  I found I couldn't stop talking about it and wanting others to give it a try.

The main justification for not trying a Whole30 or a Paleo diet was the time constraint (and not wanting to give up alcohol :-)).  I also heard a lot of "I could never give up bread...or cheese...or sugar in my coffee...or ice cream..."  Never is a long time.  I get it! (at this point I could launch into my confusion with those same people signing up for meals in boxes and liquid meals and 'weight loss' surgery, but I won't...I promise!)  TIME!  Not enough time.  I could never meal prep.  I don't have enough TIME to cook.  I just couldn't do it...It would take too much time!

And no matter how many times I said "YES, YOU CAN!" and "It is SO worth it!" and "I will help you.", I still felt like people wanted to pat me on the head and send me on my way. 

But I still couldn't let this new healthy way of eating be my little secret.  I had to share.  Because once people try it - they like it!  Especially the "not a diet" part of paleo...no calorie counting, no starvation portion control, no points or colored boxes or kitchen scales.  Just eating real, healthy food designed to feed our bodies.

So I started Wildflower Kitchen.

My ultimate dream is to own a small restaurant with a deli case for take out, convenient Paleo meals with a drive thru window especially for breakfast...breakfast is tough when you are first making the switch to a Paleo diet.  I mean, think about it!, 'traditional, American breakfast is almost all breads and glutens and grains....it was our biggest learning curve.  Sometimes it still is (when I don't plan and prep like I need to).  That drive thru could be a life saver for someone who just got too busy to make a fritatta or Paleo pancakes or these killer breakfast sausage meatballs that I make!  And besides....coffee!

I also want a big enough kitchen to host Paleo and Clean Eating Cooking classes.  I am no chef.  I have no formal training.  I make inconsistent knife cuts and break sauces more than I should.  But I am a mean Paleo cook!  And I love to do it. 

Learning to sub ingredients to create Paleo recipes isn't as hard as people make it - and I want a place to teach them my tricks and sell some of the harder to find products.  And introduce people who say they don't know how to cook to the fun of playing around in the kitchen.

Anyway, that's what I ultimately want.  Someday. 

Sadly, I do not have unlimited resources to open a restaurant...believe me, I did the research.  I wrote a business plan.  I priced real estate, equipment, existing spaces, "alternative" spaces and tried to find commercial kitchen space that was affordable and would allow me to ensure my food is gluten, grain, dairy, soy, legume and peanut free.  No luck...yet!  I have not given up, I'm just modifying the dream a little bit!

So, here's what Wildflower Kitchen and I have been up to in this first year...

• I have done personal shopping (because, let's face it, getting your hands on quality, affordable paleo ingredients is time consuming or it's expensive because if you want to get it all in one place, you're just not going to get the best deals) 
• I have cooked for a few individuals and families attempting their first month or two of Paleo eating (they buy the food OR I shop for them, we arrange a 5-6 hour block of time and I come into their kitchen and do their meal prep for a week, usually when they are at work and my kiddos are at school)
• I have done several in-home cooking classes (my favorite thing, if I'm honest....the individual buys the food (I give a list of about a dozen must-haves and then they choose their favorite veggies and proteins), I bring a Paleo Starter Kit of basics and we cook for 2 hours...which somehow always ends up being 3, but I don't mind!) Entire families get together and sample the dishes or friends invite friends and they make a pact to support each other through the seemingly insurmountable first month and we laugh and taste and learn...it's awesome!
• I prepare bulk items in my home (salad dressings, mayo, dips, sauces, main dishes, etc.) and sell them to my clients
• I bake (but it's so expensive, most people are put off by the price...and I kind of don't blame them...I have sticker shock when I bake for my family and I don't have to pay me!!!)
• I prepare meals for clients in my home (I create a weekly menu that is usually one soup, one salad and 3 entrees with a side dish and people order what they want.  I deliver to many and some pick up at my home) - so far, the bulk of my business!

I would like to do more coaching, especially with people who are experiencing health issues or who say they have "tried everything" - but I have no formal training.  I am not a doctor.  I am not a nutritionist.  I am a Paleo success story and testimony.  I know they would have to clear this with their physician because there are some conditions and some individuals who might need special care and instruction when switching their diet so drastically...even though it's to healthier, clean food!  My system went through some serious sugar withdrawal in days 3 and 4...ugh....

And I would love to write a cookbook...but I am so freestyle in the kitchen, I am not sure I have the discipline to document every ounce and teaspoon and pinch and then put exact cooking and baking times to the whole thing.  Daunting.  I think I would need an intern or a helper of some sorts to photograph things and steps and take notes and ask questions when I go off on a tangent and add things that are not anywhere on paper, but seems like a good idea...someday...

It's all I want to do these days.  I try and create a new recipe or two every week.  I bake something or modify a classic recipe every week.  I try and post something on the blog every week.  I am getting really good at documenting cooking methods and substitutions and produce finds, etc for my clients who are interested.  And, on average, I prepare 60-75 meals each week and several bulk items, especially mayo, chicken salad, dump ranch and my super anti-oxidant vinaigrette.  And I've never been happier!

And I continue to maintain a PaleoPlus diet for my family.  I have fallen off the Paleo wagon a couple of times and paid the price with stomach and joint pain, one major migraine and lots of inflammation in one of my knees.  Awful as it was - it was the best thing I could have done to deepen my commitment to Wildflower Kitchen and it's mission to provide a convenient, affordable and delicious way for people to eat healthy, wholesome, real food without having to do all the work or feel deprived.  #livehealthyeathappy

I still hope to own and operate a Wildflower Kitchen Cafe someday, but until then, I will tout the Paleo lifestyle to anyone who will listen and provide convenient meals, cooking classes, personal home cooking or shopping and coaching whenever I can.

Happy Anniversary to me...this year has flown by!  I guess it's true - "If you love it, it never really feels like work!" 

On Fridays I Make Bone Broth!

I adore my slow cooker...especially as we move towards those 100°+ Texas days.  It cooks beautifully, doesn't heat up the kitchen and makes me feel like the most super-organized person on the planet!  And, after 6 or so hours, provides me with a hot, delicious (if I've done it right) meal that I somehow feel like I didn't actually have to cook!

And then there's Fridays...On Fridays We Make Bone Broth...not exactly Mean Girls, but if I could start a Paleo Girls revolution - I am certain there would be t-shirts emblazoned with this saying!

Not too long into my Paleo journey, I started reading about and seeing posts on the benefits of bone broth.  I bought some (and had to be resuscitated in the broth aisle at Central Market from the cost) and loved it.  Then I made some and the kitchen angels sang!  Honest, I heard them!  And now, On Fridays I Make Bone Broth.

I use most of it for the prepared meals I make for clients, but always save at least one ice cube tray for me.  I love to drink it in the afternoons or right before bedtime with some sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, sometimes a squeeze of lemon or if I have roasted garlic....oh my!....I stir that in and do the bone broth happy dance!

We eat a lot of chicken.  I was always the person who bought the most convenient cut - boneless, skinless.  I could almost see Ina Garten shaking her head in disappointment, but it made my life so easy.  And then I found bone broth.  So now, I buy almost everything bone it, skin on.  I use the skin to make schmaltz (don't judge until you try it!) and lots of the bones get reserved for bone broth.

Sometimes chicken stays moister and cooks more evenly on the bone - I save those bones too.  Every bone goes into a zipper bag and into my freezer and then on Friday...say it with me!...On Friday We Make Bone Broth!  You can also get your butcher or the guy behind the meat counter in most stores with a meat counter to de-bone chicken for you.  I always ask to have my whole chickens cut up and the backbone removed (score!) so I can flatten them with a foil-wrapped brick or two and grill them so the skin gets crispy and the meat cooks evenly.  It's a win-win!

It's easy, it's affordable and it has amazing health (and beauty) benefits.  You probably know that Mark Sisson from Mark's Daily Apple is my go-to for the science of Paleo and Primal eating - so here is an article full of info about Cooking With Bones.  It's a lot, but it just might get you to make your first slow cooker full of this delicious concoction.

For me, the gelatin in bone broth is key.  I love that it promotes digestive health, since before switching to a clean diet, I struggled with bloat and tummy issues.  I also love the well-documented fact that it helps in the fight against joint disease...my knees are somehow 10 years older than the rest of me...hunh!  And the Leo in me loves what it does for my hair/mane!  Fabulous!

I always add Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar to my slow cooker - it helps leach the minerals and nutrients from the bones, making your bone broth rich in calcium (holla), phosphorus, magnesium and other trace minerals that are always a good idea.  AND, these are easily absorbed by the body in bone broth form.

I don't have a recipe - I just have a method.  Another plus for bone broth and the slow cooker, if you ask me!

Ingredients

2-3 pounds (or whatever you have in your freezer) of chicken bones
one onion, 5-6 ribs of celery, 2-3 large carrots - all cleaned and roughly chopped
one head of garlic, smashed and pealed
2 bay leaves
1 t sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper or whole peppercorns
Fresh herbs...I like almost all of them...today I used dill and thyme
Other options -
Roast the bones before adding them to the pot for a deeper flavor
Add a lemon cut in half (I recommend adding rosemary if you go the lemon route...yum)
Add half a jalapeno during the last hour or two of cooking to spice it up (great for Southwestern pulled chicken stews)
You can add different or additional veggies
You can leave out the garlic
Be creative!

Method

Place bones and veggies into your slow cooker, top with spices and herbs, then add enough water to cover.  Cook for 20-36 hours (I think chicken bone broth is perfect at 24 hours in my slow cooker, but I start checking at 20).

Cool and refrigerate.  If you are going to use or freeze it right away, let it cool enough to skim the fat off.  If you are going to let it live in your fridge in a covered container until you need it (within a week please!), leave the fat on as a protection against fridge smells and bacteria.  I freeze mine in regular ice cube trays and then transfer the cubes to a zipper bag and store them until I need them.  Rumor has it they will last for 6 months...I've never had any left that long, but you can do your own research online if you want to make a whole bunch to freeze.

The first time I made this, I felt like it was such an undertaking, but it turned out to be really simple and man, does it make your kitchen smell amazing!  And it is so practical and frugal and super-healthy and you'll be so proud of yourself.  Good luck and enjoy!

Zucchini Fritters with Coconut "Yogurt" Lemon Dill Drizzle

If you read this blog or any of my recipes or Facebook or Instagram posts...you know I love a bargain!  I stopped at the shadiest roadside "nursery"...which was really a nursery slash car junk yard slash mud pit...because I saw a spray-painted sign, that may have been an old white sheet or big piece of dry wall or who knows what, that I couldn't really read, but assumed if they went to all that "trouble" to put the sign out, it must mean a sale!

Once I drove into the "parking lot"...NOT!...it was a gravel-ish lane of sorts that had no obvious parking places and was surrounded by giant rocks and slabs and really old, beater cars, completely cut off from the safe view of the highway by the 'greenhouse-like' structure.  I got out of the car, asked if I could leave my car right there and walked in to look at their plants.  (It was about this point that I questioned my sanity...I could be walking into a very sketchy situation....)

The owner (?) followed me in after a minute to see if I needed help...and he was a lot less 'kempt' than I am used to in a business owner, but as nice and helpful as the day is long.  And with a Texas accent so thick that I resorted to smiling and nodding a couple of times because I knew it would be no use to ask him to repeat himself...I wouldn't have been able to understand him!  Anyway, he was helpful and enthusiastic and completely knowledgeable about his plants, so who really cares about the fact that he wasn't exactly polished?

I am filling all my backyard pots with fresh herbs this summer because why pay for them at the market when you can grow them in your own backyard?!  All of these herbs were marked $1.50 - which is a great deal in my experience, so I asked the question "are all your herbs $1.50?" to which Super Helpful Guy responded..."Naaahhhh, 50 cents....theys all overgrown since lassss week and then something too Texan for me to understand."  I specifically asked about basil and he said he had 2 other varieties "out back"...and he disappeared and returned with basil, lemongrass and chives since they weren't 'on display'.  Needless to say, I bought 18 "overgrown" herb plants and a dozen beautiful annuals (for 75 cents each!)!  If I'd had more room in my car (the back seat was full of coolers from deliveries, which were full of great deals from HEB which was on my delivery route...can you say red seedless grapes for 88 cents a pound????  Shut UP!)

Anyway, my point was...and is...I have issues resisting a bargain!

Which explains why I have 10 zucchini in my produce drawer....5 for a dollar at the farmer's market...so I bought 10.  I am a mess! 

And now I must cook them.  I am going to make another pan of my Zucchini Brownies and try a new zucchini pizza crust (we'll see!), but today I had to make something from my childhood.  Zucchini Fritters.  Daddy called them Zucchini Cakes and they were full of AP flour and cheese and smothered in Ranch dressing right out of the bottle!  But they were something we had every summer when those brown paper bags of garden zucchini started showing up at our house. 

It's a beautiful day outside, feels just like summer and I have 10 zucchini...of course I need to make Zucchini Fritters.  I'm also kind of obsessed with SO Delicious Coconut "Yogurt"and try and find a way to work it into everything I'm cooking right now!  I have missed yogurt for sauces and dips and smoothies and this unsweetened, dairy-free alternative has the tang and the texture and the zing of regular unsweetened plain yogurt.  If I see it, I buy it...and yes, it was on sale at Sprout's last week so I bought two!!!!

That means a Coconut "Yogurt" Lemon Dill Drizzle!

The process was incredibly simple, it ticked a couple of my mandatory boxes (using turmeric, garlic and some of my new fresh (50 cents each) herbs) and they were SOOOOOOOO good!

Here's how you make them....this recipe makes 8 fritters

Zucchini Fritters

2 medium zucchini
2 large eggs
1 t sea salt
1 t turmeric
1/2 t onion powder (or you could grate in a bit of onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch red pepper flake
few grinds of fresh black pepper
3 T coconut flour (you may need to add a bit more depending on how much water gets left in the zucchini)
Avocado oil and ghee for frying (approximately 1 T each)

Grate the zucchini onto paper towels and then blot or squeeze out the excess water.  Place grated zucchini in a large mixing bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  The mixture should hold together in a damp ball (no water dripping out...if it's too wet, add more coconut flour a little bit at a time - leaving a few minutes for the coconut flour to absorb the moisture...be patient!)

Make 8 equal balls of the mixture (should be about 1/4 -1/3 cup each) and flatten them into patties.

Melt 1/2 of each avocado oil and ghee in a non-stick pan (I fried mine in two batches, so I split the oils up) over medium high heat.  Add half the patties and fry until golden brown (be careful they don't burn, but also that you don't try and flip them too soon ...they will fall apart)...mine took about 4 minutes on the first side.  Flip and brown the other side.  Turn the heat down to medium and continue to flip and brown the fritters until they are firm and your desired color on both sides.

Transfer the fritters to a plate lined with paper toweling to absorb any excess oil.

While the fritters are cooling, you can make the Lemon Dill Sauce.

Coconut "Yogurt" Lemon Dill Sauce

1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt Alternative, Plain or Regular flavor
Juice of 1 small lemon
1 t finely chopped fresh dill
1 t sea salt
few grinds of black pepper
1 1/2 t organic dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely minced
*This makes a drizzle or thinner sauce...if you prefer a thicker 'dollop', add 1 heaping T of cold coconut cream 

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and serve over the warm fritters. 

This is also a great dipping sauce for sweet potato fries, chopped veggies, on turkey burgers or grilled chicken or tuna or salmon...really, this stuff is pretty fabulous on everything!

Enjoy!

Paleo Zucchini Brownies

Summer is zucchini season...abundant zucchini season.  I remember brown paper bags showing up at our house full of zucchini from the gardens of the more domestic of my parent's friends (you would NEVER lump Peg and E. Larry in that bunch...rural upbringing does not guarantee rural talents!).  And we'd have to figure out what to do with them all.

Usually, that meant skillets of zucchini and yellow squash with onions, butter, salt and pepper that ended up on every plate as a side dish.  But on the rare occasion that my mom baked - it was zucchini bread.  It never occurred to me not to try bread made out of zucchini - the benefit of my generation, I think.  My kids, on the other hand, were a little weirded out when I told them I made zucchini brownies.  (I think they had flashbacks to some black bean brownies during a 'weight loss craze' that went horribly wrong...sigh...)

Anyway, I am not a baker.  I am a cook.  I love to cook and it comes naturally to me.  I also love the idea of baking, but the rules make me a little bit nuts and the results require more effort that any dish I choose to cook.  But I can't help myself.  I fancy myself one of those women who whip up a batch of some delightful baked good....so I bake.  Occasionally, the results are so awful it's a complete bust, but usually, we find a way to eat the experiments or less-than-successful batches of whatever.

I find paleo baking to be easier than classic flour & sugar baking...it must be the gluten that hates me even in the kitchen!  So, I am getting a little bit bolder as a baker.  Not always more successful, but definitely more willing to give a recipe a go.

My one rule of baking is - follow the recipe exactly the first time.  Then tweak.  On a good day, the first time is all I need.  Sadly, there aren't as many good days as I would like.  I have a very specific set of taste buds and a couple of picky eaters, so usually a tweak is required.

I can say that I adored these zucchini brownies made exactly from the recipe.  I also felt the need to tweak them for a couple of reasons - one:  cost.  and two: a tad sweeter.

The best part about these - one bowl, one baking dish, one spatula!  Not even a full sink of dishes!!!

If you'd want to try the original (which is the one I took pictures of) - here is the original post from FastPaleo.  They were so moist and yummy...I did have to bake mine for about 5 minutes longer, but my oven is not screaming hot.  I used coconut oil to grease my baking dish and I used an organic 85% cacao dark chocolate bar and chopped it instead of using chips or chunks.

Then yesterday, I tweaked it just a tad and really enjoyed the results.  I substituted cashew butter for the almond butter (which made the brownies a bit lighter in color and saved me about a dollar in cost), added an extra teaspoon of vanilla and 1 Tablespoon of maple sugar (to make it sweeter).  For my taste - this will be the version I make from now on.

Paleo Zucchini Cashew Butter Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashew butter
• 1 1/2 cup grated zucchini (about 1 large or 1 1/2 medium zucchini)
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 1 large egg
• 2 t pure vanilla extract
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/2 t allspice
• 1 T maple sugar
• 1 cup chopped dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9 X 9 baking dish (I used glass) with coconut oil.  Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix well with a spoon or spatula.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Sweet & Spicy Paleo Roasted Almonds

I love flavor combinations - salt and vinegar, cashew and vanilla, strawberry and banana, sweet and spicy!  If you spent much time at my dinner table, you would know that my go-to, "I want the entire family to eat and rave" combination is cayenne and raw honey.  I use it in my sweet potato casserole, my Korean BBQ-style pulled pork, in many of my throw-together glazes for grilled chicken, in many a mason jar salad dressing and almost every time I toss fruit on the grill (pineapple just screams for a touch of honey and a sprinkling of cayenne or chipolte!)

Anyway, when I was playing with recipes for roasted almonds - no one around here was surprised when the Sweet and Spicy ended up being my favorite!

We have teenagers - ACTIVE teenagers, BUSY teenagers, NOT-AS-COMMITTED-TO-STRICT-PALEO-EATING teenagers!  If I don't keep some convenient, healthy, clean-eating snacks at the ready - they are happy to suggest a trip to a convenience store for some kind of junk.  We have worked far too hard to get healthy for me to let that happen.

Besides, I love a snack.  Something that makes me feel spoiled or like I'm eating something really fancy or expensive or gourmet.  Something I can grab when I realize I've lost myself in a recipe or saucepan or blog post and am almost late for an entire afternoon and evening of running and dropping off and meetings and practices and errands and it's a LONG time until dinner and I'm starving!  (like yesterday....oh my goodness!)

So, last week, inspired by a really good sale on raw almonds in the bulk food section, I decided to play around with some different 'sauces' to roast them in.  I pan-roasted (too much work and not as satisfying of a texture in my opinion) and I oven roasted.  I did smoky (NOT a hit with my kids), I did spicy (a little too intense for my tastes), I did sweet (it was such a specific taste and gave us sugar overload) and Sweet and Spicy (the winner!).

It was easy - it dirtied a saucepan, a sheet pan and a rubber spatula and it took less than an hour from very start (meaning I hadn't gotten anything out of the pantry yet) to the very finish...I let mine cool a bit longer before I put them in containers, but really, how much work is cooling?  And if you only have an hour, you can definitely go ahead and store them.  Or just toss a clean, dry dish towel over the top and store them in an airtight container later.  For these almonds...you can make it work!

Now, during the actual 35 minutes of cooking (saucepan and oven-roasting), you do have to stay present.  Stirring turned out to be key in making sure the almonds absorbed all the flavors while they were roasting.

Here's how I did it....

Sweet & Spicy Paleo Roasted Almonds
 
Ingredients
4 cups of raw almonds
for the sauce...
1/4 cup Cholula
2 T raw honey
1 1/2 t sugar-free fish sauce (anchovy based)
1 1/2 t coconut aminos
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t cayenne powder
1 T sea salt
1 t dry mustard
for the sprinkle...
1 1/2 t sea salt
1 1/2 t coconut or maple sugar
1 t garlic powder (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°

Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until combined and heated through (about 5-7 minutes) 

 Place almonds in a large metal or glass bowl, pour sauce mixture over and stir to coat completely.
 

 Pour the almonds onto a parchment-line, rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes.  You will need to stir the mixture every 5-7 minutes to make sure the sauce gets soaked up evenly during the roasting process.

Remove from oven, sprinkle immediately with sea salt, coconut sugar, garlic powder mixture

Let cool and store in an airtight container

As with any recipe - play with it!  You can make it spicier with additional cayenne or sweeter with a little more honey or smokier with some liquid smoke or cumin.  Don't like honey?  Substitute Grade B organic maple syrup.  Don't love almonds?  I bet this would work with walnuts or pecans! 

Have some fun in your kitchen - even the recipes that weren't the ultimate 'winner' in this roasted almond recipe test, were still pretty tasty and made it into lunchboxes and some gift packs for friends and disappeared from the container in my pantry!  Not a single almond wasted and absolutely NO reason to stop at the local gas station for a junk-snack. 

Why not stock your pantry with some of these Sweet & Spicy Roasted Almonds?   I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!


 

I bought PANTS!

Normally, I like to write about food.  Clean eating.  Recipe testing and sharing.  Paleo substitutions.  Ways to make the switch to a PaleoPlus lifestyle.  And more food.

If you've read any of my posts, you know I can't help but ramble on about the whys and hows and personal revelations that got me to sit down and write...I write like I talk!  But I don't usually bore you with details of my life, because who really cares, right?

We have our own lives and our own stories and people to share them with in person or over the phone or via text or maybe a Facebook post.  But I can't seem to help myself on this one.

I have told my friends - the 3 that I consider my dearest friends - one via text, one via voice mail and one in an old-fashioned phone conversations - like, a CALL where we chatted with our voices and not our fingers for a half an hour!  And also shared the story with my daughter, who appreciates my stories as much as a 14-year-old can and with the friend who started this pants shopping expedition with me - because, success should be shared!

The point is - and this is my truth, it does not have to be anyone else's truth or story or motivation - buying smaller pants was a Paleo Lifestyle victory for me.

About a month ago I found my "Super Goal Pants" were too big.  These are a pair of originally grossly overpriced khakis that I got on super sale clearance during one of my many dieting phases.  I think it was in 2002, right after I had my daughter.  I couldn't wear them "yet", but they were such nice pants and such a good deal and 'this time I am going to lose the weight'....

And somehow, I have moved them from Phoenix, where I bought them, to Lexington, to the scary apartment here in Fort Worth, to our home to the back shelf of my super-sized suburban closet where they have sat, neatly folder (except for the 6 or 8 times I have dragged them down to try them on to realize they are still too small) for over 10 years.  I am guessing I have made a dozen or more donation runs, but I was never able to donate the "Super Goal Pants".

Anyway, I remember when I tried them on after about 4 months on Paleo.  They were still too small, but closer.  And then they fit (snugly around my middle, but perfectly everywhere else)!  And then they were a bit loose, but it was such a high to be trotting around in my "Super Goal Pants" - not that anyone knew they were my SGP's...but I knew!  And now they are too big. 

Don't get me wrong - I'm never getting rid of them - I've had them almost as long as I've had my children - they are officially a part of the family!

The point is - save a couple of clearance yoga pants I bought so I could go out in public, I have no pants left to pull out of the corners to fit my new frame.  And I have a couple of things coming up that even I can't justify clearance yoga pants as appropriate attire.  So...

...Time to go shopping...

So I went.  I spent the better part of a day pants shopping.  Which is amazing!  (For those of you who have never had to shop in the plus sizes, you may not be able to fully appreciate the amazing-ness of this, but my choices for almost everything except jewelry and shoes has been limited).

I had no idea what size I would be, so I started 2 sizes down from the last time I bought pants.  Too big.  So, what the heck, I'll try another size down.  Too big!  Of course, I have a multitude of issues with my size and weight loss and all that is tied up in my body, but in a pretty loving way - I just have spent years not identifying with my body, because it was so uncooperative.  Anyway, I assumed all the clothes in the store had been somehow mis-marked in anticipation of April Fool's Day and went one size lower - and they fit!  And there were SO MANY CHOICES!  (and yes, I know they weren't mismarked - I just didn't want to tempt fate by getting too excited to finally be lower than my originally dream goal size!)

I found 12 pairs of pants that I liked in that size!  TWELVE????  I haven't found that many pairs of pants that I liked in my size in the past 2 years.  This was in one store in one morning!

I settled on one really nice pair of black pants.  I know - but I like black, it's a start, and I didn't just like these pants - I loved them!  I found 2 other pairs that I like a lot - and will probably go back and get, if I can find some time early next week, but this was an accomplishment and an investment and a commitment to the fact that I am never going to go back to my old ways of eating crap.

And as I was driving home - almost giddy from all the selections, I realized I just bought pants in a size that I haven't been able to wear in over 18 years.  All from eliminating processed, sugar-laden, potentially inflammatory fake foods for real, clean, healthy proteins, veggies, fruits and healthy fats. 

In less than a year's time - I have accomplished something I have worked at off and on for 18 years.  And failed at off and on for 18 years.  And been frustrated by for 18 years.  And given up on off and on for 18 years. 

It wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done, but I can honestly say - reward to effort or sacrifice or whatever you call it - I was the best return on investment I've made in myself other than having my children. 

And I have the pants to prove it!!! 

Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl

If you spend any time on Pinterest or Instagram and you live anywhere near the #paleo world, you've probably seen a thousand pictures of Smoothie Bowls.  And, like me, you've also read all the warnings about drinking your calories or relying too heavily on super sweet fruit-based meals.  Dilemma!

And so, nearly a year into my PaleoPlus diet - I had never made a Smoothie Bowl.  I've made tons of fruit and nut bowls.  And quite a few smoothies for my kiddos.  But never the official Smoothie Bowl.  Until last week.  Oh.  My.  Goodness.

It was pretty delightful!

I needed a quick, kid-friendly dinner for my son and I and he was mired in homework and studying for a test.  (You may translate that to mean - in a less than pleasant mood.)  On 1 child/heavy homework nights - I don't ask what he wants for dinner - I just make dinner and he eats it.  The level of eye rolling and poking at unfamiliar vegetables changes based on what I am in the mood for or what is needing to be cooked up in the produce drawer before it goes south...but he's a teenage boy - he is always hungry, so he always eats!

We had a couple of nice days that got me outside to clean patio furniture and start planning my herb garden and I was in the mood for something light and fun.  *lightbulb*!  Smoothie Bowl.

My son would eat a Strawberry Banana Smoothie every single morning for breakfast if I let him.  So, that seemed like the logical place to start.

I also had a pint of these fat, beautiful organic blackberries from a recent trip to Sprout's that were calling my name.  Then I rummaged through my cupboard and found some nuts and chia seeds and set back a few strawberries to slice and a handful of blueberries (my very favorite snack these days).

It was so refreshing.  It was filling.  It was a treat without being too sweet.  And it was pretty!  It also got my son to eat chia seeds and blueberries (NOT his favorite snack!).  Since this first smoothie, I have been writing down all manner of combinations to try the next time it's just the two of us for dinner. 

As I've just admitted - I am a Smoothie Bowl novice - but I do have a foolproof recipe for the base that I will share.  The trick is to keep a zipper bag full of frozen, peeled overripe bananas in the freezer at all times!  I don't slice mine or anything - just peel them and lay them in a single layer in a freezer bag.  Overripe bananas are incredibly sweet - especially if you and your family are off refined sugars and artificial sweeteners.  Before we switched our diet - my kids wanted smoothies full of chocolate syrup or agave or sugar and now, just the fruit and some unsweetened nut milk is plenty sweet enough!  Very exciting!

Also, my blender is pretty darned good - if yours is mediocre at best - you might want to chop up the frozen fruit before you put it in the blender so you get the smooth consistency you are looking for and don't ruin your blade or motor.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl Base (makes 2 bowls-worth)

1 banana, unfrozen
2 frozen overripe bananas
8-10 frozen strawberries
small handful of blueberries or blackberries (unsweetened, frozen is best)
1/4 cup of unsweetened nut milk (I usually use full-fat coconut milk or cashew milk) - you can always add more if you like

Put the unfrozen banana in chunks and the nut milk into the blender first and give it a quick buzz.  Break up the frozen bananas into 3 or 4 pieces before adding them to the blender, then add the frozen strawberries and handful of blue or black berries and blend on low until thick and creamy.  You will probably have to stop the blender to stir and scrape down the sides as the bigger pieces are breaking up.  Be patient and DON'T overblend - it will end up too liquid-y to qualify as a Smoothie Bowl - it will still taste great, but the toppings will sink and you will lose some of the pretty-factor!

Pour it into a bowl and top with your favorite ingredients - I like some crunch, some creamy and some fruity sweetness.  You don't have to line it up - you can just dump it on, but if you want to have yourself a photo opp meal - put the ingredients in lines across the top of your thick, frozen smoothie base or work in circles from the inside out.  Take a picture, post it, tag it and then sit back with a big ole spoon and dig in!

Smoothie Bowl Topping Ideas

Sliced fresh fruit
Berries
Dried unsweetened (or fruit sweetened) fruits
Unsweetened Nut Butters
Sliced ripe avocado
Sliced or slivered nuts
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Flax seed
Goji Berries
Bee Pollen
Unsweetened coconut flakes
Fresh mint
Enjoy Life Chocolate chips
Raw Cacoa Nibs
Raw Local Honey

As with all ingredients - make sure you are checking your labels and buying the purest, natural items available.  Be careful of added sugars, nitrates, etc.  If you can't pronounce it - you probably shouldn't eat it!

Don't forget to try adding greens (spinach, kale, avocado, etc) to really up your vitamin intake.  As long as you are adding that overripe banana and some other fruit (ripe mango, pineapple, granny smith apples, peaches) you will keep the right touch of sweetness and please the whole family!  I have a feeling we are going to have these at least every couple of weeks through the crazy hot Texas summer months.  Never underestimate the joy of not having to turn on the oven when it's over 100° outside!