Obsessions - August 2012 Edition!

The end of the month is my Obsession time! This is where I share a few of my favorite things from the past month... Here we go!

As you may have read in a couple of my previous posts, I have started on the Paleo (aka Primal) diet. It's where you cut out processed foods, grains and most sugars from your diet. I started reading about it earlier in the month, and took the plunge a few days ago. I'm still feeling the whole thing out... but it feels like an obsession because I'm constantly researching recipes and talking about it! I'll make sure to post my progress from time to time! 

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Ah, cucumbers!  I have been eating them like crazy all month! They make such an awesome, refreshing snack (especially when eaten with a yummy dressing or dip). I think I've been consuming 2-3 per week. Luckily, they are pretty healthy... if I was eating chocolate that much, I'd be in trouble!

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Speaking of chocolate, this has been my go-to snack when my sweet tooth kicks in! The Primal Diet doesn't allow for a lot of sugary treats, but it does allow for dark chocolate... and I love these organic 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate bars from Endangered Species Chocolate. I only have 2-3 squares at a time, but it definitely helps with my carb/sweets cravings.... and its even better when paired with raspberries or strawberries. Yum!

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This past month, I have also been having problems with my "booze-tooth"... I have been craving cocktails! And no cocktail is more refreshing on a hot summer day than a Gin & Tonic! A friend once introduced me to Tanqueray's Rangpur gin, and it's the gin I prefer the most. It's infused with rangpur limes and it makes the BEST gin & tonics! If you are a gin drinker, I highly recommend giving the Rangpur a try.

What are your obsessions this month? Are there any products you are loving right now?

I Took the Plunge: Paleo / Primal, Day 4

I was going to wait until after my birthday to start my Paleo/Primal adventure, but I decided to bite the bullet and start right away. It's definitely been a change, but so far... so good.

I started out by hitting up the Whole Foods in San Antonio to buy a bunch of the Paleo pantry staples and also pick up a lot of organic items (grass-fed meats, organic fruits/veggies, coconut oil, coconut flour, etc.). It was a little bit of a shock to my wallet, as this stuff was a pricier than the non-organic stuff at the Commissary.... but I figured if I buy a $65 night cream to put on my face, I may as well buy quality stuff to put in my body, right?

On my first day, I had bacon & eggs for breakfast, a salad with gluten/dairy-free dressing for lunch, and broiled salmon and a cooked cabbage salad (with apples and bacon!) for dinner. Not bad! Everything was tasty... and I got to cook with real butter! I can't remember the last time I cooked with anything other than Pam. In spite of the lack of carbs, I was full and didn't have any cravings! I did have a bed-time snack of 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate and Raspberries. Overall, my first day was delicious!

 

Thanks to a couple good websites and the Practical Paleo Cookbook, I have found some amazing recipes! Yesterday, I made a Greek salad for lunch with home made Avo-ziki Dressing (think Tatziki sauce using avocado instead of greek yogurt as the base) that was ridiculously good. This morning, I made these Pumpkin Pancakes (they are grain-free). 

Four days in, I am pleased with the Paleo/Primal way of eating. I feel like I'm doing something good for my body! Everything I have put in my mouth over the past few days has been minimally processed and organic. I can already tell that my digestive system is adapting well to the food I have been eating. I feel less (possibly TMI) gassy and bloated after meals... and did I mention I've already lost a few pounds?

Unfortunately, it hasn't been all wine and roses with my Paleo experiment. For example, I have had a dull, nagging headache for the last two days. I have also been experiencing some serious fatigue. From what I have read, this is to be expected when you cut sugar and grains from your diet. I've got a wicked case of the "Carb-Flu". Paleo folks say this is typical and it shouldn't last more than a couple weeks... I sure hope not! My body is none-too-happy about the change, but I'll make it bend to my will!!

I'm not the only one who embarked on a Paleo journey recently. Elizabeth over at The Young Retiree is also trying out a Paleo lifestyle! She's already featured some great recipes, and I recommend giving her blog a look-see!

The last few days have been interesting, and I'm excited to see how this Paleo-Primal journey goes for me. I'm giving it a full three weeks to decide if this is something I want to turn into a lifestyle. There will be regular updates and posts of some awesome recipes along the way!

Show and Tell Monday Link Up : Marriage Edition

I've been on the hunt for a good link-up, and I think I found one! Thanks to Liz's Diary, I'm on the wagon for the Monday Show and Tell! Head over to From Ms. to Mama and link up!

1.  Are you married? If so when did you get married, and tell us about your special day. If not? How would you describe your dream wedding?

As most of you know, I am married to the wonderful Mr. Duh. Our wedding day was special, but also came with a lot of strife and drama (thanks to some family members losing their minds). We were married on November 24, 2007. I had always wanted to get married in the Fall, and I thought Thanksgiving weekend would be a great time to get family together for a wedding. We had a beautiful church ceremony that was officiated by my pastor. It was very traditional with an organ, bible readings, etc. The ceremony was my favorite part of the whole day.

The reception was also very beautiful, although we didn't enjoy it as much as the guests did. We had a classy, seven-course meal with wine pairings and a Master Butler announcing the courses. The dinner was followed by dancing, drinks, and desserts. We had beautiful flowers, linens, and a dessert buffet (complete with mini-creme brulees). After the reception, we had a sparkler send-off complete with a horse-drawn carriage. From the outside, it was quite the fairytale! Unfortunately, the day was very stressful for Mr. Duh and myself... we couldn't wait for it to end! Luckily, everyone else had a great time and we got some awesome pictures out of the deal.

If I could do it all over again, it would be an intimate beach wedding with a small number of close friends.

        2. Show us some wedding pictures. Either yours or of some that you love.

       3.  How about the engagement? Tell us your story. If not engaged, what's your dream proposal?

The proposal was a complete surprise! I was in the dark about the whole thing. We had talked about marriage, but I had no idea that Mr. Duh had any plans to propose at the time. He had been home from deployment for a few weeks, and we decided to get a hotel room in the downtown area and have a night out on the town. He got reservations at a great restaurant and we were going to head out for cocktails afterwards. 

Before we went out that night, my family started acting very odd. I was getting phone calls from my parents all day... which was pretty weird.I didn't think much of it, and headed out to meet Mr. Duh for dinner. We went to a great restaurant and he scored a table right by the fireplace. As we were sitting there, another man that was a few tables away proposed to his girlfriend. I pointed it out to Mr. Duh and said "Well, isn't that nice? How exciting!" Then he started acting strange and got very quiet.

We finished our dinner and went back to the hotel room to change to go out for the night. As I was putting on my jeans, I went to adjust the heater in the room... and when I turned around, Mr. Duh was on his knee with a ring in his hand. He asked me to marry him, and (after all the screams and giggles), I said yes! He had planned on proposing in the restaurant, but felt weird after the other couple had gotten engaged at the same time!

We went to the bar that we had planned to go to after dinner, and I saw a ton of my friends and family there waiting to celebrate! Everyone but me knew that we were getting engaged that night! We had a fun, impromptu engagement party with lots of laughs and champagne!


        4. Show us your wedding rings or an engagement photo! If not engaged/married, show us your "dream" ring.

     5.  Tell us why you think marriage doesn't work out for so many? What can we do to make things last?

Well, our marriage has definitely had it's ups and downs. We have been fortunate to weather the storm and come out stronger for it. I think when things get hard, messy or boring, it just seems easier to get out instead of face the problem head on. In a lot of ways, it is easier. Facing your marital problems can show you a lot of things about yourself that you may not want to know... and our ten months in marriage counseling was pretty hard. I think marriages don't work out for a number of reasons... As a society, we don't always look at marriage as a permanent thing. I think a lot of people are also under the impression that marriage will always be fun and easy. When Mr. Duh and I were preparing to get married, we prepared ourselves that we won't always get along and at one point or another, we may feel like leaving... but we promised each other that we wouldn't leave and we would always work hard to better our marriage. It has worked out well for us so far.

I think honesty, respect, communication, and a willingness to put your marriage before yourself are good ways to make things last. And I know our marriage couldn't survive without a lot of laughs!