Beef Fajita Burrito Bowls | PALEO, Whole30

You guys know those McCormick spice packets?  The ones where you just add meat, water, a can of beans, etc. and *wah-lah*:  you have instantly delicious taco meat, turkey gravy, spicy chili, or whatever you bought a packet for...?  I always thought those were the best.

I could find those spice blends at almost any grocery store, even the country market by my old house in the hills in the middle of nowhere.  Even they had those packets.  And with a few additional cheap, easy ingredients- I felt like a real chef.  Like I could make just about anything taste good.  

Homemade Whole30 BBQ Sauce | PALEO

The ultimate Whole30 compliant BBQ sauce that's made from scratch super quick & easy in the blender, then simmered to finger lickin' perfection.  Slather it on chops or ribs, spread a layer on your grass-fed burgers, or use it as a dip for potato wedges.  

Crispy Chicken, Bacon, & Artichoke Skillet | Whole30, PALEO

Sometimes I spend weeks daydreaming about a recipe that will knock all your socks off and totally break the mold because it's just so dang creative.

And other days I stumble into the kitchen, with absolutely no motivation to make dinner (but have to make something that will get us through the night without a hangry episode).  

This was one of those nights. 

But once I turned on a YouTube video, pulled out a few of my favorite things (bacon & artichoke hearts, YES) and got to work... a little dredging here, a little fried bacon there, I found a little comfort in the kitchen that turned into some big inspiration.  And somehow, these non-planned types of recipes always turn out to be some of my very favorites.

Creamy Raspberry Superfood Shake | PALEO

We are in the midst of a major, record-breaking heat wave here in the Bay Area, combined with extremely poor air quality from surrounding fires, and the impact is real.  Our high school events were all canceled, kids were bummed and tired and just plain HOT, and staff were feeling the strain & drain after a long week too.

And while I know a heat wave is so very minor in comparison to the devastation in Texas due to Hurricane Harvey, the heat wave is something I can tangibly feel, and it makes my heart go out to those in the wake of the hurricane that much more.  Because honestly, I cannot even fathom what all of you in Texas must be going through!

Weather is scary, you guys.  Being out of control is scary.  Sometimes work is intense & comes with a lot of pressure, and that can be scary too.  There are just so many elements to this life that are tough and beyond our control.

But being able to come here to my blog, and reach out to you & your kitchen no matter where you are- it's the opposite of scary and such a gift to me.  This is my happy place.  And although there are much bigger things happening in the world than cutting gluten or taking on a round of Whole30, I appreciate you being here with me to unplug a bit and enjoy one of life's simple pleasures:  yummy food and taking control of what we put in and on our bodies.

Again, thank you, for giving me this platform & opportunity to unplug and feed my passion.  Now onto the recipe!

Savory Vegetable Cauliflower Rice | PALEO, Whole30

It's that "back to school" time of year, and it is seriously kicking my butt.  Each night I set my alarms for the next day, thinking, "Tomorrow I'll work out before work.  I might be a little tired, but it will be great to just get it done early.  I'll feel so productive & energized all day!"

Fast forward to the next morning, several hours and ten snoozed alarms later:  and there's me, jumping out of bed with just enough time to get ready & run out the door.

Back to school, why you gotta be so hard?

One of my saving graces has been skipping meals.  I know, you're thinking I must have a problem.  But it's actually intentional meal skipping- AKA intermittent fasting.  It's weird to me how naturally fasting has fit into my routine, but after researching all of the benefits, I'm not mad about it!

I filmed a What I Eat video that's up on my YouTube channel, showing you what this looked like for me over summer!

Now that I'm back to work full time, my daily routine has changed a bit.  I make a bulletproof coffee in the morning that I sip on throughout the work day.  I drink plenty of water, pee all the time, and am honestly so much more productive.  I can work right through lunch, or take the hour to run some errands, and don't have to worry about packing food the night before.  By the time I get home, I'm ready for a solid snack before I hit any sort of workout.  Then it's dinner time, and I go big.  I eat a super hearty meal and focus on hitting all of the food groups and getting in plenty of fats, a good amount of protein, and some nutrient-dense veggies for my source of carbs.

Dinner has been easy with our ButcherBox meats always on deck in the freezer (link here for $10 off + free bacon!)