My first week of the Paleo Challenge

I have to admit going into this I was nervous to give up my "carbs", kept telling AJ, "I need my carbs for energy, this all Paleo can't be good!" Well I was wrong. After only 9 days I feel great! I have lost 5 pounds already and I actually feel that I have more energy throughout the day than I had before. I am enjoying all the meals that I have prepared thinking why didnt I do this sooner?! Who needs to use sugar and processed flour when you can make Morning Glory Muffins with REAL ingredients...amazing. I have realized not only do I not need sugar, wheat and processed carbs, I don't want them anymore. I'm never going back now!

Cherry Chipotle Turkey Chili

What You'll Need:
 
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground turkey
3/4 teaspoon salt (preferably kosher)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 cups pitted black cherries (fresh or frozen)
2 canned chipotle chiles, diced, plus sauce
2 bay leaves
1 can (15 ounces) white beans (such as cannellini or navy), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (optional)
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation:
In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook turkey with salt and pepper, stirring, until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add carrots, onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder. Add tomatoes, cherries, chipotles, bay leaves and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook, stirring once or twice, until chili thickens, 10 to 15 minutes. Add beans; cook 2 minutes. Flavor with chipotle sauce to taste. Remove bay leaves. Divide chili among 4 bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon yogurt and garnish with cilantro, if desired, before serving. 

Green Beans with Walnuts and Dried Cherry Vinaigrette

What You'll Need:

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup minced shallots
3 tbsp plus 2 tsp Sherry Wine vinegar
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup dried cherries
1 1/2 lbs trimmed slender green beans
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped


Preparation:

Whisk first 6 ingredients and 1/2 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Mix in dried cherries, set aside.

Fill a large bowl with water and ice, set aside.

Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling, salted water until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes.

Drain, and transfer to the ice water bowl. After beans have cooled, drain again.

Toss green beans, walnuts and vinaigrette in a large bowl or serving dish. Serve at room temperature.

Quick Chili

I make this all the time, it is so tasty and very simple and quick to make!

What You'll Need:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef (grass-fed it you can)
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chili pepper, coarsely chopped
28-oz can crushed tomoatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 can black beansm rinsed and well drained
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:
 In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until well browned. (If you buy lean/extra lean beef you shouldn't have to drain) Add onion and cook until softened. Then add garlic and chili peppers and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the crushed tomatoes (I usually DO NOT use the whole can, depends on how much tomato you want, I usually just use half, same with the paste) and tomato paste. Stir well and heat until bubbling.

Add the beans, spices, salt and pepper and turn to low heat. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Serve hot, on its own or over cooked brown rice.

Where I am at in my journey...

I just wanted to share some thoughts because I am in a really, really good place right now with my training, physically and mentally. After starting Big Dawg training in July I slowly began to feel like my training felt like a job. I was missing the group WODs and was constantly pulling or straining something, one step forward, two steps back. I battled with my decision on what to do and what I really wanted to do/accomplish in the long run. Lucky for me it was announced that the Big Dawg training was going to be split into three groups, function, being, and will. I decided to go with function starting August 1st and from then on things have just been falling into place for me. The function training feels like exactly where I need to be. I also started doing power yoga classes on a regular basis around this time as well. Knock on wood no pulls, no strains, aches or pains, I feel great. Whatever feels tight or achy from a WOD, the yoga fixes for me. Life is good!

P.S..... new Turkey Chili recipe coming tomorrow!

Tex-Mex Grilled Shrimp Tacos

For the shrimp
48 extra-jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per lb.; about 2-1/2 lb. total), peeled and deveined 
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more for the grill 
Kosher salt and freshly ground 
black pepper 
1/4 cup soy sauce 
1/4 cup pineapple juice 
1 medium clove garlic, minced 
1 medium lime 

To serve the tacos
15 6-inch corn tortillas
Toppings of your choice, such as: sliced avocado, tomatillo salsa, shredded iceberg lettuce, crumbled queso fresco, chopped ripe tomatoes, lime wedges 

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Grill the shrimp

Soak sixteen 12-inch wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a high charcoal or gas grill fire.
Spear 6 of the shrimp through their head and tail ends with one of the skewers; then spear the same six shrimp with another skewer about a third of the way from their back sides. Repeat with the remaining shrimp and skewers. Brush the shrimp with the olive oil and then season with 2 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, pineapple juice, and garlic. Finely grate the zest from the lime and add the zest to the soy sauce mixture; juice the lime and add the juice and the juiced peels. Set aside 3 Tbs. of the mixture in another small bowl.
Oil the grill grates. Put the shrimp on the grill in a single layer. Cook, covered, turning once and brushing a few times with the larger amount of soy sauce mixture, until just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

To serveBrush the shrimp with the reserved soy sauce mixture, remove the shrimp from the skewers, and serve with the tortillas, letting guests assemble their own tacos with the toppings of their choice.

Classic Maryland Crab Cakes

Serves Four.

What You'll Need:
1 lb. jumbo lump or backfin lump crabmeat, fresh or pasteurized
1 large egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1-1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce Kosher salt
1-1/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs (I use Ian's all natural ones)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbs. unsalted butter (I usually use half this)
1 Tbs. olive oil (I usually use half this)
Lemon wedges for serving

Preparation:

Drain the crabmeat, if necessary, and pick through it for shells ( jumbo lump will not have  shells). Put the crab in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Scrape the mixture over the crab and mix gently until well combined. Gently break up the lumps with your fingers but do not overmix.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and the parsley over the mixture, and mix them in thoroughly but gently; try not to turn the mixture into a mash—it should still be somewhat loose. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.
Shape the crab mixture into 8 cakes about 1 inch thick. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. When the butter is frothy, add the cakes to the pan (8 should fit comfortably). Cook until dark golden brown on the underside, about 4 minutes. Flip the cakes, reduce the heat to medium low, and continue cooking until the other side is well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the cakes.

 

Coriander-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

To be fit and healthy, we need to shift our focus toward more fruits and vegetables and away from refined grains and high-fat meats. The meat in this dish is a succulent and lean pork tenderloin. It takes up only a quarter of the plate but still satisfies. I usually serve this with my cauliflower mash posted back on 5/11.


What You'll Need:
One 1- to 1-1/4-lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed 
2 tsp. Dijon mustard 
1 Tbs. coriander seeds, crushed 
1 tsp. black peppercorns, crushed 
1 tsp. salt 
1 Tbs. olive oil 


Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

Spread the mustard evenly over the pork and then sprinkle with the coriander, peppercorns, and salt, pressing so the spices adhere.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pork, turning it with tongs, until nicely browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Put the skillet in the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer in the thick end of the pork registers 155°F, 18 to 20 minutes. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing thinly.

Split Pea Soup

This recipe is easy, delicious, healthy and you can eat off it for days!

What You'll Need:
1/4 cup olive oil
6 oz. each chopped carrot, celery and onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz. dry split peas
1 ham steak chopped (I usually only use 3/4 of the steak)
1 cup pearl barley
salt (I use celtic sea salt) & pepper to taste

Preparation:
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan/pot. Saute carrots, celery and onion until tender and golden. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two. Add in the split peas and 8 cups of water. Add salt and ground pepper. Then add in the chopped ham steak and pearl barley. Simmer one hour covered. You may need to add another cup of water if you do not like your soup too thick :-)

A new chapter...

So this is my first week starting OPT Big Dawg Training...I thought my body felt beat before, this is a whole new level! But instead of getting discouraged it only makes me want to get stronger and better. I am so excited to see what the future holds for me, making new accomplishments, setting new goals, etc. Best part about it is, I get to do it with my best friend and husband, life couldn't be better right now. Oh, and new recipes to come soon I promise!