Dad's Pork Chops with Asparagus

Another Successful Paleo Day!!!!

I can't tell you enough how wonderful it is to have energy again!!  Chris and I are really enjoying our new routine that will soon become a way of life for us both.  To go throughout your day without stomach pains and feeling very satisfied after a meal is enough to keep on doing it.  I am so blessed to have such a supportive husband who is willing to try all creations that I make!

Paleo In Review...Day 1 Again!

In January my CrossFit friends and I completed a 32 day Paleo Challenge that you might have read about in my earlier posts.  It was sweeping the Nation throughout many CrossFit boxes and now that Spring is finally here (well kind of in Germany) it is time to do another 30 days of spring cleaning of the body and mind!!

This time my husband asked to do it along with me which is very cool so today was day one yet again.   I feel so much more prepared and I know more of what to expect so I think it could lead to a lifestyle more than just a month long challenge, well at least a very close version of it.  I know many people are wondering why I want to do this "diet" again when I don't have any weight to lose... let me explain.

Sunday Morning Spa Day Mineraltherme Boblingen

Mein Mann ist zu mir so gut!  (My husband is so good to me!)  Not only did he take care of the boys who wake up before 6am every morning so I could get some much needed sleep, he insisted that I spend the morning at our local Mineraltherme Böblingen and just relax while he takes the boys to their favorite fun park.  It is an all boys play date at JUMPINN fun park, I know they are having a blast!

My husband and I are starting the 30 day Paleo Challenge tomorrow morning so what better way than to start out with some steam rooms, cold baths and foot soaks to begin the detoxing process.  If you have not spent any time in a German Bath house I'd like to walk you through the process so that you might find yourself over there taking advantage of a wonderful therapeutic and peaceful place.

Tri-Pepper Linguine with Spicy Lobster

I only started really exploring my own kitchen and cooking when I lived in Japan back in 1995.  If you ever want to eat anything other than Japanese food then you better learn to cook if you live over there.  I never had a need to cook before since I lived with my sister at the University.  She was an awesome cook and always took such good care of me until we were both off in separate directions... she was commissioned into the Marine Corps, I was commissioned in the Navy and so life experiences and travels began.  

Bisquick Gluten Free Pancake Review

I was walking through the commissary the other day and noticed a new product on the shelf, Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix Gluten Free.  Now normally I would just keep walking and not purchase anything from Bisquick because of it's lack of nutrients and what I considered "junk" food, but because of my previous pancake challenge with King Arthurs, Bob's Red Mill and Pamelas mixes it is necessary for me to add this product into the comparison.  

Gluten Free Dad's Lasagna

How many of you think back on your childhood and remember how great the food was that your dad made?  My dad didn't cook that often but when he did the four of us kids would get sooooo excited because we knew it was going to be awesome and usually not super healthy.  Mom my was and still is a health food nut and some of the creations she would make us would make my stomach turn, sorry mom.  She was looking out for our best interest and I'm so glad that she did because I don't think I would be as fit and healthy if it wasn't for the good eating foundation that she built for all us kids.  Thanks Mom, you rock!!!

Mission Beach Gluten Free Huevos Rancheros

Why Mission Beach???  Well back in the day when I had no kids and was single I lived one block from the beach and one block from the bay in San Diego... yep life was pretty good!  Our worst worry was how much wind will be on the beach and if it was too windy we would set up our vball net on the bay side where it was always calmer but we much preferred to play beach ball on the beach side naturally.  Our Saturday mornings were dedicated to the sport and on those Saturday mornings I would crank out these Huevos Rancheros for all my buddies.  I only had a small table for 3 in my little cottage so the boys would come in in waves to chow down on the best Huevos in town and then hit the sand!  I still to this day have not found a restaurant outside of New Mexico that won't disappoint me, so most of the time if I see it on the menu I won't even bother ordering it.  It is such a simple dish to make... try it out you will love it.

Apple Cinnamon Spice Gluten Free Muffins

From my Pumpkin Spice Muffins that my kids loved so well came this Apple Cinnamon Spice Muffin recipe.  I have to keep experimenting with the muffins because it is the one thing that my kids really get excited to eat.  When the muffins are in the oven they stand their and watch them bake and the second they come out of the oven they jump up on their step stool and start blowing on them to help them cool faster.  It is too cute to watch since they can barely blow air out of their mouth without spit coming out too.  Lovely thought I know but don’t worry I don’t let them get that close.  Once the muffins are slightly cooler they are ready to devour them and say over and over “MUFFIN, MUFFIN Momma!”  It makes me so happy to know they are enjoying a healthy snack with minimal grains, no refined sugars and minimal agave sweetener.

Gluten Free Tamari Beef Short Ribs

I was supposed to fly out to the states the other day for work but when my flight itinerary finally hit my inbox the travel office had my departure date wrong.  I spent the entire day trying to correct the problem but if you know anything about Navy “Systems” you know that nothing is easy.  Needless to say I was unable to correct the problem and ended up leaving a day late.  The best part about this story is that I got to spend an extra night with my sweet husband and enjoy another great dinner, a glass of wine and some great conversation.  We were able to get the kids to bed early and have a wonderful evening together.  I wanted to make something that I knew he would love and that we haven’t had in a long time.  So I walked down to our market and found some cuts of beef that almost looked like short ribs (impossible to find in Germany) and it immediately reminded me of a meal I hadn’t made since we left the states.

Gluten Free #1 Neapolitan Pizza Experience!

… Yes Pizza for a Celiac is an Experience to rave about…

Eggplant Mozzarella

After finishing up a long day at work driving over an hour in Italian traffic I arrived back in Monte di Procida, the top of the “mountain”, where our friends live.  Their house is perched just so on the mountaintop with a breathtaking panoramic views of the Mediterranean and what I believe is part of the Amalfi coast. 

Duty Calls in Monte di Procida Italy

 View from the Restaurant Toristico

The great thing about being in the Reserves is you only have to work one weekend a month and two weeks of your choice during the year.  The bad thing is I have to work two weeks out of the year on military projects instead of spending my time with my kids, cooking and blogging.  So I must say that I am sorry for the long pause in posts.  I have to work again this weekend but I'm hoping that the long flight to DC will allow me plenty of time to think and write.  It will be strange taking that long of a trip without my boys but I know it will be a lot less stressful so I will enjoy that part.