Jamie's Thoughts: Paleo Burnout and How I Turned it Around

I admit it--I'm late to the game on this one.  Many of you in the Paleo community have long since discovered what a useful tool Melissa Joulwan's book, Well Fed is.  I am in love.  Seriously.  This book is awesome.

Danielle Walker's book, Against All Grain is what first turned me onto Paleo.  I adore her book and her inspiring story.  That book will always hold a special place in my heart for introducing me to this thing called Paleo.  So will her Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I also love food.  I hesitate to call myself a "foodie" because I think that term's overdone.  But I was a "foodie" long before the term even existed.  The amount of time I spend thinking about it, researching it, and just generally immersed in it--is probably abnormal.  I knew that to sustain this lifestyle I was going to need to make flavorful, creative dishes to keep me inspired.  I was so worried about falling into a Paleo rut, that I ended up with a little bit of Paleo burnout.

Paleo Recipe Review: Eating for Idiots Barbacoa

As usual, it's been a busy week and any recipe that can be done in the slow cooker is always a winner.  Eating for Idiots Barbacoa is one of my go to recipes.  It's fast, easy, and packs a ton of flavor in each bite.  FABULOUS recipe.  Plus, it helps satisfy that craving for Mexican I miss so much.

The first part of the recipe is quite easy:  just put all the ingredients in a food processor.  You end up with something that looks like the photo below.  It's a salsa-like consistency and if you have a little taste--it's a flavor bomb in your mouth.  I could stop right here dipping plantain chips in this little mixture and be completely content.  

Beginning to cook the barbacoa in the crockpot.

Paleo Recipe Review: Nom Nom Paleo's Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy

It's been a difficult week work-wise.  Like the kind that makes me start to re-think my chosen profession.  Folks, to be sure, law is not for the faint of heart.  And sometimes I wonder how this girl who grew up across the street from a cornfield, played in creeks with her brother looking for salamanders, and who grew up with the local fair being one of the biggest events of the year--ended up in this crazy, chaotic business of being a lawyer working in SF.

It's weeks like this one that remind me why I've chosen the Paleo lifestyle.  It would be so easy for me to combat the stress with a package of Hostess Cupcakes (are they even around anymore?).  I'm a stress eater.  And in the past, when I'm under the gun for a deadline, I'd totally take a break, walk across the street to Walgreen's and "treat" myself to some frosted, pre-packaged, cream-filled, cupcake delight.  But on Paleo, instead, I reach for the cauliflower puree.  Or if I'm feeling really adventurous, this new ice cream that is purely nut-based called:  Genuto.  That doesn't mean I don't still need comfort food.

So, today I'm going to do a recipe review of Nom Nom Paleo's Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy.  Who doesn't like comfort food when you're all stressed out?  I was drawn towards this recipe because (1) ease of preparation (woohoo--slow cooker, i'm sold); and (2) GRAVY.  Yum.  

Sauteing the Onions.  

Paleo Recipe Review: Easter Blues and Paleo Reese's Eggs Made with Sun Butter

So, I’m learning that blogging doesn’t really work unless you do it.  While I might draft a few posts in my head, they don’t always seem to make it to the page.  Well--that coupled with the fact that I’ve been working tirelessly on a case for the past week.  I had to write a document all day on Easter.  My Brain Needs. A Break. 

Today, I finally got to do two very, VERY necessary and important things that were postponed because of said really annoying case: 

(1)    I got to finally make Taylor Made it Paleo's Reese's    Eggs (woohoo); and

(2)    I went to the gym after about a week.  

Let’s talk about both. 

First off, if I get out of the groove of going to the gym, it’s just so hard to get back into it.  After about two or three days, I swear I feel more flabby.  And that’s just discouraging.  Thankfully, I signed up for some personal training sessions.  Having to meet someone at the gym at 7:00 a.m. gets me there when I’ve gotten side-tracked by work or other things.  Today was leg day, and I know I will be feeling it in the days to come! 

And now for the "Reese’s" Eggs.  I’ve been wanting to make these things since she posted about them a few days before Easter.  Reese’s Eggs and Cadbury Eggs are my Easter favs.  Ideally, I would’ve made them on Easter day--But with work and all, that dream just wasn’t going to come to pass.  Better late than never. 

Today, I only have one remaining.  Yep.  That’s right.  The recipe says it was supposed to make 10, but I only was able to come up with 8 from the batter.  And now there’s just one.  They were good.