You're Doing What??? The Paleo Grasshopper



This is Non-Paleo Heidi,
not necessarily an unhappy girl LOL

 

Hello and HAPPY MONDAY... and not so happy Daylight Savings time!  Just wanted to check in because even though I've not been sharing all the yummy food I've been eating I'm still here.  I think the problem is that I've eating too much and therefore have no time to post. sigh.

 

So what've I been doing of late?  Well, scroll back a bit and....  In September David & I started a weight loss journey, I was over 200 lbs!  EEK.  We decided enough was enough we were killing ourselves, so, no fancy diet just trying to clean up our act and get moving again.  We did great.  I lost 24 pounds in those first few months. 

 

Then the holidays hit..... put 9 back on.  sigh. But not all is lost, after the new year got back on it thanks to a Family Biggest Loser Challenge [which we did not "win"] I lost that 9 again and a few more.  But with the end of the challenge and Girl Scout Cookie Season..... well,  let's just say, it's not pretty.   We decided need something more defined to get us rolling again and a few years ago we had some success with the Paleo diet.  Fast Forward.... we are going Caveman.  My recall of our last Paleo Challenge is the biggest benefit was feeling better and stronger because it cleansed your body of all the "crap" we consume and after 2 weeks of binging on Girl Scout Cookies I need a little cleansing!

 

What is Paleo? I'm no expert but it's also called the Caveman Diet.... I always think to myself: "Did this exist for a caveman?" if not probably NOT OK to eat! This little chart sums it up best, I found it unattributed but I think it originated with Rob Wolff who is Mr. Paleo.   So, this is all fascinating I know but why am I here? Well, if I have great success you will surely want to know and I'm certain we will have great success so I'm looping you early.  Also, I'm hoping to share a few yummy recipes along the way too and didn't want you to be like WTF is Paleo and why is Young Grasshopper posting Paleo instead of yummy cocktails?!?!  That said, I also don't want to torture you all unnecessarily if you are not interested in this divergence of mine so  but have set up a group on Facebook:  The Paleo Grasshopper if you are wanting to see EVERYTHING we eat and what our successes are on the side street as they happen....

 

Now you are all caught up and we are all weighed in and ready to go, see you soon!

 

Feliz National Margarita Day! {Ghettorita Recipe replay with bonus track: PIRATE'S PUNCH!}

Ghettorita or Pirates Punch?

To celebrate the day....
please enjoy

this recipe

for the Ghettorita....

 

respectfully

called the

Rustyrita

around these parts...

  

 

  

ALL you need is equal parts.....

 

• Tequila
• Limeaid [frozen]
• Sprite and
• beer....

[to make it extra easy.... use the large limeade as your measuring cup and then one can sprite and 1 bottle beer per limeade container]

Stir up a pitcher and serve in a Wine Glass, Mason Jar or old Campbell's Soup Can..... it's all good... OLE!

Now.... as promised your bonus track!

PREFER RUM?
PICTURE YOURSELF DRINKING PIRATE'S PUNCH
 [featured in the foreground of the Rustyrita picture above]
1 Large can frozen limeade
1 can Malibu coconut rum
1 Can Captain Morgan
Fill blender with ice
Blend then add 2 Corona
[or Landshark if you are me ;P]
 
All I can say is never mind OLE! say ARG!



 

The Japanese Chef in Me {Michael Chang's Miso Soup}

MISO SOUP

 One Year Ago:
We love Miso soup.
David has asked me for years to try making it.
I asked one of my Facebook friends, Michael Chang of The Chef In Me, if he had a good recipe and he was quick to provide.

Two weeks Ago.
We love Miso Soup.
I comb back through Michael's page until I find his note to me with recipe.
I comb Amazon.com for all my ingredients. I order.
They arrive.
I cook.

WE LOVE THIS MISO SOUP.
That's it.
So good.

Try it.

What you need:
1 gallon water
a piece of konbu (dry seaweed)
1 cup of miso
1 TBSP Hon-dashi (Japanese fish soup stock)
1 TBSP mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tsp of sake.
1/4 cup wakame (salted dry seaweed)
tofu cubes (I used whole pkg = 1 lb?)
2-3 scallions chopped, green and white parts



MISO SOUP

WHAT YOU DO:
In large stock pot add 1 gallon water and a piece of konbu and bring it to broil. Once boiling add 1 cup of miso, use a whisk to dissolve.  Then add Hon-dashi, mirin and sake. Remove the Konbu.  Add wakame, tofu cubes and scallions and simmer for at least 30 minutes for tofu to absorb the flavors.

I then refrigerated and put 2 servings in crock pot each morning on low to enjoy for lunch..... YUM!

Did I mention WE LOVE MISO SOUP?
Well, we do.
And I make awesome Miso..... Thanks Michael for teaching me how <3

p.s. be sure and check out Michael's Page on Facebook

Be Mine {A Valentine's Day Menu}

So, IF I wasn't going out to Maravo for a FABULOUS, fun, romantic Valentine's Day meal for my Valentine's Day.....  

THIS is what I would make for Loverboy....




We would start with
Classic Swiss Three Cheese Fondue.....

then relax and recoup with a lovely salad with Winter Fruit with Baby Greens and Champagne Vinaigrette

and then of course it wouldn't be a special meal without the beloved Short Rib Risotto

 and then to stick a fork in us nothing

says L.O.V.E.

like a slice of

Red Velvet

Mile High Cake

with White Chocolate

 Butter Cream Icing

Bon Appetit and  
Happy Valentine's Day.... hope it's full of LOVE <3

or I could be full of shit..... there's a possibility that with 3 kids and my Dad living with us that if we stayed home it would just be another weeknight dinner.... YAY for going out!  All you couples pre/post/sans kid make this menu and SAVOR the moments :)

Happy Mardi Gras! {Jambalaya & King's Bread Recipes}

Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday, and of course, this being America, it will be followed by Even Fatter Wednesday, Obese Thursday and Fat-Ass Friday. --Jay Leno

Just popping by to remind you to get your

Jambalaya simmering and King Bread baking....

Jambalaya a la Grasshopper

King's Bread