Short and Sweet

This is gonna be short and sweet because I'm ready for bed! I normally work on blog posts throughout the day but I didn't get a chance today!

Breakfast:

Almond flour pancake topped with sunflower seed butter, banana, and cinnamon paleo krunch.

I am loving that granola stuff!


We got to talk to Daddy this morning!

It made our day!

On that note he has safely arrived at his destination.  Thank you guys for all your kind words.  We've already been counting down the days until he comes home... Only 7 more months to go...

Gym:  I had a sick kid around 3am so she slept in too late.  No gym for us.

Snack:

I snacked on some berries that needed to be eaten mid morning.

Lunch:

My favorite salad to get out...  Atlanta Bread Company's balsamic bleu salad.  Field greens, apples, tomato, onion, chicken, dried cranberries, walnuts, and blue cheese.  It's pretty amazing.

Dinner:

Back to paleo with ground pork, sauteed kale, and two scrambled eggs.

What is your favorite meal to eat out?

A Food Labels Tangent

First of all:

I wanted to share with you guys two articles I read this week.  I heard this one on the radio this morning and I read Mel's post yesterday ago.  Both involve food labeling.  I hate food labels.  In this world of junk food and convenience food labels play such an important part.  People are uneducated on nutrition and will trust a food label or google over just about anything.  It seems like you can't eat anything anymore... In actuality you can't.  Almost everything in the aisles of your grocery store is junk.  No joke.  

Here goes a tangent but something to think about...

You can take the all in moderation approach but think about what moderation is... I apply so much of this to my kids because after all they are more important than me.  Plus I feel like they are more exposed to it than I am.  So I let them have chicken nuggets on Monday.  Then a handful of Goldfish crackers on Tuesday.  Then a rice krispy treat from school on Wednesday... See a trend?  They/we are always exposed and always offered.  Now add up everything they eat in moderation and apply that to their whole lives.  Apply that to their growing bodies and immune systems.  Children's immune systems are combating artificial sweeteners, additives, and pesticides starting at such an early age.  How are they supposed to fight illness and disease when their immune systems are already compromised fighting that crappy diet you are feeding them.

How about you?  How do you think it affects you?

OMG.  It drives me CRAZY and apparently makes me babble and go off on tangents.

So anyways, let's talk about today's eats:

Breakfast:


If you were on instagram last night you saw I got a big package!  I may have ordered everything there is to order at Steve's Original.  I'm serious.  I don't think there was anything I didn't order.  I even ordered a t-shirt.  The majority of it will go periodically to the hubs overseas.

I can't even show you what I got because he reads this and I want it to be a surprise for him!

I did keep a Cinnamon Paleo Krunch for myself.  I broke it open last night...


And immediately had to portion it out.  How terrible is that!


I munched on one portion along with my green smoothie this morning.  It would be a great idea to make a thick smoothie and sprinkle some Paleo Krunch on top...

Kale, unsweetened almond milk, a half a banana, and SFH grass fed vanilla pure whey.

Gym:  An hour of body combat.  Something was off today.  I was super tired.  Blah.

Lunch:

I made my leftovers a little more exciting with two new sauces!

I loved them both but I liked the maple mustard more.  I just like honey-mustardy things better than bbq sauce.

Two chicken thighs (one with the peach bbq and the other with maple mustard), salt and vinegar cabbage, and mashed cauliflower.

Dinner:

Simple scrambled eggs and bacon!

Tell me your thoughts on food labels.  Go ahead and get it all out!

Tuesday Things: Unfinished Post

What in the world happened yesterday?  I had a rough day.  A really ROUGH day.  Today is better... So much better!  I even forgot to finish my post from yesterday so here's a few bits of it.

Yesterday's breakfast:

I spent a lot of the weekend meal prepping again. Breakfast was a mix of ground pork cooked with onions, garlic, and kale.  That's one of my favorite breakfast combinations!  I did have to make an egg.  My strawberries and blueberries were already washed though.

Snack:

This chocolate almond coconut bar was eaten out of boredom.

Gym:  No gym on Monday.  That was my 4th day off in a row and honestly it felt great.  I had planned to go yesterday but had car trouble.  Sometimes you really do just need a break.  I went today and did a class though so I'm back at it!

Lunch:

Lunch was a mix of last week and this week's meal prep.  I still had a little bit of that beef mixture leftover... It still smelled ok so hopefully it was still good... I added some cabbage and sunshine sauce I made yesterday to it.

In other news...

If you are on instagram and follow HASHTAGpaleo you saw that I won a contest!


HASHTAGpaleo is a great way to get connected to paleo resources.  They are an inspirational group that loves paleo, crossfit, and healthy living.  If you are new to paleo or just need ideas check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram.  I have found so many great recipe ideas through them and have met some really great paleo people.

Have you ever won a contest?  I've been thinking of doing a giveaway but I'm not sure what to giveaway!

RECIPE: Chocolate Almond Coconut Bars

I am addicted to the Kit's Organic chocolate almond coconut bars.  After buying countless bars I knew I had to make my own.

You blend dates, almonds, and coconut all together...


Into a fine powder.


Then add melted unsweetened chocolate and coconut oil.


Smash/roll it all out.


Let it sit in the fridge.


Then cut into bars.


Need a specific recipe?

Chocolate Almond Coconut Bars

20 dates
1/3 cup almonds
1/4 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
1oz unsweetened chocolate melted
1 tablespoon coconut oil melted

Pulse the dates, almonds, and coconut until it makes a pretty fine powder in your food processor or blender.  Add the coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of the chocolate (save the rest for drizzling!).  Pulse until it is mixed thoroughly.  It will still be a little crumbly.  Press or roll the mixture onto plastic wrap (drizzle with chocolate if you want!).  Then let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour.  Cut into bars.

If you aren't following a paleo diet try my kids favorite granola bars/balls!


I make this batch once a week!


What are your favorite bars?

Favorites Friday: Paleo Cheats

First of all I'm having a really funky week.  I'm off.  I don't want to go to the gym and I don't want to eat healthy.  I took the morning to work on blog stuff and I also visited a yoga studio.  I need more yoga in my life.

These are things I could easily make homemade but like to take the shortcut!

1.  Rao's Marinara Sauce


2.  Once Again Sunflower Seed Butter


3.  Kit's Organic Fruit and Nut Bars


They are perfect to carry around with me!


4.  Almond milk


I use unsweetened original almond milk in my coffee and smoothies.


5.  Kodiak Cakes Whole Grain Buttermilk and Honey mix
I know this one isn't paleo but we love it so much it had to make the list!

I've been buying this for years.  I used to order cases online but now you can get the mixes at Target!

Our favorite thing to do with it is make these:

Chocolate chip pancake dippers!

Now it's your turn!  Tell me your favorite cheats!