An Interesting Dinner (Using Black Bean Noodles)

As I was shopping at my local grocery store in the pasta section (because I'm a total pasta-aholic... LOL) I noticed an interesting noodle- black bean noodles. A total no grain way of eating pasta! I am always looking for ways to satisfy my craving for pasta with a healthier alternative. I started out cooking whole wheat pasta. Then began reading all of the information about "wheat belly." So I stopped buying whole wheat pasta. Then I began to buy brown rice noodles. I really enjoyed the brown rice pasta. It had a very good taste and texture. I also am a HUGE fan of the quinoa pasta. They have the best flavor of any of the pasta alternatives that I've bought, in my opinion. But I'm a quinoa lover!

Such an interesting/weird sight to see black pasta! LOL! 

So, when I saw these noodles... I was so excited to have another alternative. I bought them and had them sitting in my cabinet for a couple of months. Because I just didn't know what to do with them. I finally had some time recently and looked up recipes on Pinterest using black bean noodles. I found a southwest recipe that I wanted to try. Tonight was the night that i experimented with this recipe. I added some sautéed garlic with yellow and orange bell peppers (this wasn't originally in the recipe). I think the peppers added a nice taste to it!

The topping mixture: corn, cilantro, butter, sautéed bell peppers & garlic, mixed with lime juice

And of course, you gotta have one of my favorite things in the world to top it with - AVOCADO!

To be honest, the black bean noodles by themselves- don't have much of a taste! So I wouldn't say they were my favorite pasta alternative! :( Although, by the time you add all the toppings, it created a light, refreshing meal! I could see this being a delicious, easy, fresh meal to have on a hot summer day! I think I will keep it in my arsenal! LOL!

The finished product! Voila! 

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/mexican-black-bean-spaghetti

This recipe is NOT Paleo! Beans & dairy are not part of the Paleo diet. Like I said before, I'm not by any means following a Paleo diet strictly. I am learning a lot about it and it's benefits. I am trying to eat more along the lines of a paleo diet than I have ever before. It's just so hard for me to give up beans, cheese, and my oatmeal! I am thinking about going on a strict paleo 30 day challenge soon. I'm curious to see how much better my body would feel eating this way.

What do you think about the paleo diet?

A New Year, A New Chapter in Life (& a Very Awesome Archive of Paleo Recipes)

Hey Y'all! I just wanted to say Happy New Year! I have to say I'm glad 2014 is over. It was a year of some struggles but lots of growth for me. I am looking forward to a new year- to start on a fresh page of a new chapter in my life! I know lots of you will be starting your New Year resolutions. Many times, one of our goals is to eat healthier! I know one of my goals for the year will be to continue to eat healthier- I think specifically I will strive to be a better meal planner. So that I am not unprepared and in a rush to find something to eat. When I don't have a planned out meal for my lunch or my dinner, is when I find myself making unhealthy choices. I am not a STRICT Paleo diet person. I am looking to limit my carb intake in my diet ( I just can't do away with my oatmeal and quinoa completely! LOL!) I would love to become more Paleo in the majority of our meal plans! I just have to sneak some oatmeal and some quinoa in there sometimes! LOL! 

I wanted to share a link to a blog I adore! Danielle put a blog post that has an archive of all the recipes she has shared on her "Against All Grain" blog. It is super handy! I hope you enjoy! I am going to try to make the baked squash fries tonight! If I do, I will post pics and let you know how they turned out! 



http://againstallgrain.com/category/whole30/

Happy New Years Everyone! 

Julie 

A New Way of Baking: The Paleo Baking Experience

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a total sweet tooth! So when trying to eat clean and keep my diet healthy, I've always struggled with my cravings for sweets! Last year I joined Crossfit and fell in love with the box (what we call the gym), the community there, and the WODs! The people there are like a family. They inspired me to live a healthier lifestyle with fitness and clean eating. I became interested in the Paleo diet. I am a total carbaholic! I knew I ate too many carbs. So while I was doing Crossfit, I set a goal to limit my carbs. I did pretty good with limiting how much carbs I ate, except for the weak moments where I let my cravings get the best of me! 

My friend Deborah has embraced the Paleo diet/lifestyle. When I stayed with her for a week in New Mexico this summer, we ate Paleo the whole week. I felt so much better! I had more energy. I had less bloating and digestive problems. It was amazing the difference that it made in how I felt! Then I came back home- the new school year began. I was swamped at work and stressed out. I stopped going to Crossfit. I was in a slump, BIG time!  So, I fell off the wagon and didn't focus on eating clean or my fitness!  It is a lifestyle not a diet! I've heard people say it over and over. It is so true!

I know it is so cliche making resolutions for the approaching new year. Most people, including me, make resolutions they will never keep. But I truly want to be dedicated to the lifestyle of eating clean,  dedicating time to fitness, and just simply finding ways to be healthy- physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

SO, this is what has prompted me to play in the kitchen tonight- and try out a new recipe I found on a blog that I absolutely LOVE: "Against all Grain." I've loved looking at the recipes on Danielle's blog for several months now, but never tried one- until tonight! I baked her "Real Deal Chocolate Chip cookies" tonight! Let me tell you, they ARE the real deal! They are delicious- and they have no grains! I am loving learning a new way of baking. These cookies have made me a believer in baking with almond flour and coconut flour! Even the hubby gave the cookies his seal of approval! He loved them! I am so excited about finding more recipes to try out! 

I even got to rock my new apron that I bought from the Loveless Cafe in Nashville! I love it! So vintage- looking! Happy Baking everyone! If you have a Paleo recipe that you have made that you love, please share with me in the comments below! Below is the link to the recipe for Danielle's amazing Chocolate Chip cookies! 

http://againstallgrain.com/2012/08/29/real-deal-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Doggy Mama Worries

I woke up with a troubled heart this morning. During the night, I was awoken by my little dog Riley  ( who is my baby) panting. I know that when dogs are panting , it usually means they are in some kind of pain. So, I woke up and gave him some medicine. He has Degenerative Disc Disease. I hate to see him in pain. After he took his medicine, he curled up next to me and his panting subsided and he was able to go to sleep. This morning so far, he seems to be feeling much better. He is chewing his bone. So, I think he is in his happy place now. I get so scared when he is feeling bad. I just feel so helpless. Hopefully, it was a short episode and he will feel better today. Prayers please! 

Have any of y'all had a dog with this disease? Any advice? Thanks! 

Here is a picture of my sweet Riley! 

The Musings of a Travel Bug: Honky Tonk Nashville Weekend

As I sit here at my house in my cute and cozy office (I actually call it my mini- library), the familiar sad feelings come over me, what I call my post trip sadness. This happens to me every time I come back home from a trip. I get so sad that my trip is over. Does anyone else get this feeling? I look forward to the trip so much. I go, I conquer, I have a blast, and then it's just over too quickly! Then the sadness settles in. I know it's crazy! But I feel this way every time. I'm just addicted to traveling, I guess! So, here I sit- looking forward and ready to plan my next trip. My husband and I just came back from our Christmas trip. Our tradition is to go on a trip for our Christmas present to each other. Sometimes we do just a little weekend trip somewhere close by. Other times we have went on a cruise or to the beach. This year we went to Nashville! I totally lost myself in the city. It truly is Music City! As you walk through the streets of downtown Nashville by the honky tonk bars- live music so sweet to the ear coming out of the opened doors and windows- It almost feels as if the city is breathing music! As weird as that sounds... The music is the pulse and the heart of Nashville and you can feel it when you are there in Downtown walking the strip on Broadway. We stayed at a hotel in the heart of downtown Nashville, within walking distance to Broadway. At night, we could hear the live music in our hotel room. Instead of using the motto of NYC - "the city that never sleeps, " you could say that Nashville is "the city where the music never stops!" We heard live acts from 11am until 3 am!

We had so much fun! I think one of our favorite experiences while we were there was visiting "The Johnny Cash Museum." It was so amazing just looking at Cash's costumes that he actually wore on stage. Seeing the guitars he played... Just standing there imagining him strumming that guitar. I loved being able to see the yearbook pictures of Johnny Cash. It was so touching seeing the actual handwritten poem that Johnny Cash wrote to his wife June after her death. He loved her so much. It was just an amazing experience.

We also enjoyed going to the historic Ryman Auditorium to see the Grand Ole Opry show! I've seen the Grand Ole Opry show one other time. It was in the new Opry house. The Ryman is the original Grand Ole Opry house. It was a wonderful, unforgettable experience going to the show at the Ryman. The Ryman is this beautiful old church. The auditorium seating is still the original "church pews." Just being there and knowing the amazing history of the legendary country music artists who played there... It is just a great experience. My favorite performances of the night were a canadian country artist Lindsey Ell singing "Amazing Grace," The Rocky Top Express singing "Rocky Top," Holly Williams (Hank Williams Jr.'s daughter) performance of her song "Waiting on June"- written about her maternal grandmother & grandfather, and the performances by Chris Janson. Chris Janson was so grateful for the opportunity to play at the Grand Ole Opry. He was living his dream. It was great to watch and witness! He received a standing ovation. It was a wonderful night!

Eating the delicious award- winning homemade buttermilk biscuits and preserves at the Loveless Cafe was another one of our favorite things we did! If you visit Nashville, you have to go here and experience these biscuits! There will be a wait and it is out of the way from the city, but it is totally worth it!

One last foodie recommendation, if you are visiting Nashville- you MUST visit The Pancake Pantry! It is out near Vanderbilt University. It is AMAZING! They are famous for their pancakes (hence the name Pancake Pantry). They have 23 different varieties of pancakes. They have won awards for their sweet potato pancakes. When we got to the restaurant, there was already a line forming on the sidewalk outside of the restaurant. We got our place in line and waited for about 45 minutes. Don't let this deter you from eating here! It is TRULY amazing and worth the wait. I ordered the sweet potato pancakes. They come with a delicious cinnamon cream syrup! It was one of the best things I've ever ate in my life!

Until next time! Happy Monday! Have a wonderful week!