Halfway Through!

As of tomorrow, I will be halfway done with the Paleo Challenge. While I haven't been perfect by any means, I'm still going strong, one spaghetti squash at a time!

Yesterday I didn't do much other than work. Was supposed to go to the gym and do this hellish workout that has been nicknamed "The Chief," but we got a late call and with all the paperwork to do, I wasn't going to be able to get there in time. Put myself on the waitlist for a later class but since I was 4th in line, that didn't work out. Was fairly disappointed since the workout looked almost like fun, but I'm actually kind of glad I didn't work out because I woke up with the cough from hell yesterday. No explanation, barely any build up, just woke up coughing up my right lung. Didn't even have a sore throat or a runny nose. By the time the EMS world was done blowing up, I had a couple hours to come home and chill before I went and saw a movie with some friends. Took a little time to cook a batch of zucchini fritters to go with the last of the meatloaf and I actually didn't burn them this time. Quite delicious.

This morning the cough was even worse. I was pretty voiceless for a good part of the day. I finally just gave in and went and got some cough syrup, which is super not paleo, but I think I'm allowed a concession for a cold. People suggested hot tea but the only thing that really accomplished was making me feel relaxed but didn't suppress the cough. I kind of waited it out to see how getting to the gym would go. On Friday nights, in celebration of the CrossFit Open, they're hosting free gym night where you can come in and try the workouts that the competitors will be doing. This week was a WOD of burpees and snatches. I wasn't exactly thrilled about that but it meant working out, so I played it by ear. Yeah it didn't happen since I'm now trying to keep my left lung intact.

Realized about halfway through the afternoon that I have no food prepared for the weekend and I needed to have some on hand since I'd be working all day tomorrow, the overnight tomorrow and meetings all day Sunday. So I got myself off the couch and made some recipes. I had a HUGE spaghetti squash, so I split it up into two separate recipes:

Buffalo Shrimp Scampi over Spaghetti Squash
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
Garlic
Frank's Red Hot sauce
1 pound medium shrimp
Spaghetti Squash

Roast the spaghetti squash in the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes. While that's roasting, heat up the olive oil in a skillet. Add shrimp, Red Hot, garlic, and any other seasonings you wish to use (I used salt and pepper). Sautee about 10-15 minutes. Mix with spaghetti squash. (Note: I didn't do this, but try and dry the shrimp a little before sauteeing or else the shrimpy water and olive oil mix together and make a little more sauce than you intended)


Spaghetti Squash alla Carbonara (I cut the original recipe in half)
Spaghetti Squash
6-8 oz. bacon
1/4 cup coconut milk
3 eggs
Parsley
Salt
Pepper

Roast the spaghetti squash. Cook the bacon and reserve the grease. Combine eggs, coconut milk and seasonings in a bowl, beating the eggs until they were fully scrambled. Cook the eggs in the same skillet as the bacon until fully cooked through (I poured out most of the bacon grease because there was a lot more than I thought). Cut up the bacon into small pieces and combine with the eggs and spaghetti squash. I added a few peas to make it a true carbonara recipe. 

I also made Chocolate Lara Balls, which are delicious! They taste like Baci chocolates.

1 1/3 cups pitted dates
1 cup walnuts (original recipe calls for pecans)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp. cocoa powder

Put dates, vanilla and cocoa powder in the food processor until a paste forms. Add nuts and process until fully chopped. Separate into balls and put in the refrigerator. 

Last thing I made, which was equally just as a delicious was Prosciutto Chips. You just take pieces of prosciutto and bake them at 350 for like 10 minutes. So crunchy and amazing. Although it really brings out the saltiness of the prosciutto, so beware.

I also now have chicken soup in my fridge, complements of Baker, which I'm psyched about. Love soup! Also got to sit on my kitchen floor for 3 hours playing with Mack and chatting about things. Love my friends.

Well I'm cutting this short since I'm tired and have to work tomorrow. Mack and I were both sick today so we spent most of the day relaxing. I wish humans could recover as quickly as dogs do. I swear a little pumpkin and a few bathroom walks later and he's good to go. My body on the other hand is just warming up for the real finale. This is my excited face.

Anywho, g'night all!