Flat out forgot about this place

I was in my facebook profile, something that I had given up for the better part of the last couple of years, when I noticed there were 2 links in that profile.  Link #1 was to my blog, healthybacon, and I realized that I hadn’t done any blogging since 2012.  I sighed a bit as I read my “About Me” page.  When I last updated this blog I was a stay at home dad, with the expectation that any day now the CHP was going to call me up to go to the 6 month academy in Sacramento and that I would live my dream of being an Officer with the California Highway Patrol.  Alas, that day never came because of some decisions I made back when I was just a kid.  Flash forward to today I work a full time job for a school district and study at night to obtain my master’s degree in public administration with a goal of being in a leadership position in government some day.  3 years is a long time.  The boys were 3 back then, they will soon be 6.  Babies to 1st graders.  My daughter was 6, and now she will soon be 9 and will be a 4th grader in no time.  I was 31……

 

So anyhow.  The goal I set when I originally decided that blogging was for me was to see my abs.  Believe or not I still have not seen the bastards.  Back at it.  I am in the process of figuring out how I can build a crossfit style box in my garage.  I am working with my wife to come to a place where food is something healthy that we eat.  I really want to do the whole 30 plan and get back to a primal/paleo eating plan, but that is difficult in a house of 5 when you are the only one that wants to do it.  Oh well.

 

Ribs in the crock pot

Just started this, inspired by civilized caveman. Will update later.

 

Steak skewers

This is a recipe mostly based on this new paleo cook book I just picked up. If you’re interested in the paleo eating style, I cannot recommend enough the civilized caveman. When I have the time to cook, I want healthy food that is delicious and he hits that right on the nose. Basic skewers, nothing too exciting here but they came out great.

2 steaks (preferably grass fed)

1 onion

1 yellow peach

3 bell peppers (you choose the color)

Handful of grape tomatoes

3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cut the steaks into chunks, cut all of the other ingredients into similar sized pieces.  Douse in the olive oil and hand mix to make sure it is coating everything that you have in the bowl.  Put pieces on skewers (if you are using wooden ones, make sure that you have soaked them for at least 20 minutes so they don’t light on fire).  Cook skewers over medium heat on your grill (leave it open or it will light on fire).  Season with the salt and pepper.  Cook until steak pieces are medium rare.  Keep an eye on them as they will burn otherwise.

Enjoy with some herbalife tea and a salad.

 

Lil’ Turkey Meatloaves

Tonight I made dinner based mostly off of this site; Lil’ Turkey Meatloaves.  As always I had to change things up ever so slightly.

If The food processor we have has a steel blade for cutting and a plastic one for mixing.  I am happy about that as I generally am able to make and mix everything all in the same container.

2 lbs ground turkey meat

1 medium zucchini

1/2 yellow onion

3 oz raw almonds

1/2 cup salsa

1 egg

1 tsp of garlic powder

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Throw almonds in food processor and chop until the size of breadcrumbs.  Add zucchini, 1/2 onion, 1/2 cup salsa, egg, garlic powder and salt.  Grind until the zucchini and onions are diced.  Switch out blade with plastic blade.  Add turkey meat and run the processor until it is well mixed.  Spoon into a 12 muffin muffin pan so that each cup is full.  Put muffin pan on top of a baking sheet and cook until done (you put it on a cookie sheet because juice from the loafs will run out of the pan).  I cooked them for about 30 minutes alltogether.

These came out good, doesn’t taste like meatloaf but it is pretty simple to put together.  I enjoyed mine with 2 cups of mixed greens, 1/2 an avocado, a sweet potato and a cup of herbalife tea.  Delicious and nutritious.

 

Kitchen Gadget Whore

If there is a gadget, I have it.  If I go to make something and there is a gadget, I will buy it.  If I might need it, I will buy it. My newest one is the “Perfect Tortilla Pan.”  If you are up in the middle of the night watching television, you have no doubt seen these things.  Tortillas are delicious, but they can be fried up with some things that take them from border line to completely unhealthy and full of calories.  With this thing you pop the tortillas in the oven and bake, nothing added.  When you are trying to eat healthy, any shortcut that can help you is a welcome way to help you stay on your plan and eat well on your life long goal of being healthy.

Another thing that works as a good shortcut for healthy meals is Herbalife Formula 1.  Every day I get to have the simplest breakfast and lunch by throwing a few scoops of powder in a container (yes, I have a gadget for this as well) shake and go on about your day.  Herbalife also offers other options for shortcuts to good nutrition like protein bars and soy nuts.  You need a shortcut?  Is the planning, and preparation getting in your way of having healthy meals?  Let me help you with that.  Click the link below to get started.  Even if you don’t need to lose weight and just want easier nutrition options (even Kosher, Allergen Free, and Gluten Free options) click on the link below.

 

 

Heel Spur and a Set Back

Within the last year I have gone from not moving to running 5 miles.  I did the couch to 5k program and it worked well for me.  Once I finished that I decided that I was going to keep going and get ready to run a 10k.  Despite being told by numerous websites to increase running no more than 10% per week I decided that I was just going to add a mile a week.  Things were going well and I was mixing up speed and distance and I was doing 5 miles.  Running was never enjoyable to me, but I felt a huge sense of accomplishment knowing that I was doing so well.  I was never athletic other than being strong enough to throw a shot put back in high school. I’ve never been fit.  I had pain here and there but I figured that was just my body adapting to something it had never done before.

Finally I had pain that was unbearable.  I would wake up in the morning and it would be difficult to stand on my left foot because of the pain in my heel.  I did some research online and self diagnosed myself with plantar fasciitis.  The common remedy is ibuprofen and rest.  I gave it a week then went back to running but the pain came back even worse.  I took a month off of running and it was about the same pain so I went to the DR.  One common issue with plantar fasciitis is heel spurs.  There is a calcium build up in the heel that is like a hook and when the tissue gets inflamed from the plantar fasciitis, the hook stabs into it.  I am waiting for a referral to a podiatrist to either get an orthotic or have surgery.

I am happy though that through this time I am still losing weight.  Even though I cannot exercise by running like I used to, I made a decision to get my nutrition right.  Are you someone who cannot really exercise due to injuries or your weight?  When I weighed 270 lbs, there was no way I was running anywhere (and I would have killed me knees if I did).  Do you need to drop weight just to get into a place where cardio exercise is possible? Do you have such a bad back, or knees, or ankles that there is no way that you are going to be doing cardio?  I can help.  I can help your nutrition plan and get you where you want to be, even if you can’t get there through traditional means.

Don’t give up.  Healthy nutrition is an email away.  Click the picture and register with me.  Tell me your story and I will make a plan just for you.

 

Jerk Chicken Fajita Bowl

This recipe was sent to me by a friend and I am adapting the jerk recipe to be primal.  I am also making it with h tortillas, which are not primal but are going to be healthier than fried tortilla bowls.  This is a marinade, so you want to marinade for 4-24 hours depending on time.  You can also adapt the recipe to be spicier than I will present it to you.

1 onion (finely chopped)

1/2 cup scallions (finely chopped)

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp salt

2 tsp of sugar (omit or use maple syrup for primal)

1 tsp all spice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 pepper (finely ground) (spicy to your liking. Anaheim pepper for mild, jalapeno for medium, Serrano for hot.  You can also have more peppers for flavor or spicy)

1 tsp ground black peppper

3 tbsp soy sauce (Tamari if you have it and want it primal maybe I’ll buy it now since this called for it too)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp of cider vinegar

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

1 medium white onion (sliced)

1 green bell pepper (sliced)

Mix all together (save for the sliced bell pepper and sliced onion) and put chicken in, alternatively you can use beef or pork.  I usually recommend that you chop the meat to your desired serving size prior to putting in marinade since it is rather messy to cut up after the fact.  Leave in the marinade for 4-24 hours.  Cook on the stove in a sauce pan (include part of the marinade in the pan).  Once the chicken has reached appox 130 degrees add the sliced onion and pepper.  Cook until done.

You can serve it this way but for fun I am going to make tortilla bowls.  I bought a set of those “perfect tortilla” bowl makers.  They allow you to bake the tortilla in the oven and not in oil.  Enjoy.

 

 

Dulce de Leche Fomula 1!

So excited to try the new flavor of Formula 1, reminds me that we are getting ready to start the holiday swing.  I posted a while back that I know that a lot of people, myself included, have struggled with the holiday weight gain.  I have found myself skimming off the kids’ Halloween bucket.  Then Thanksgiving rolls around, and I am eating 2 and 3 plates full of food and all kinds of desserts.  Then comes Christmas time.  I make fudge and eat half of it and there is always some “snacky” food to pick up and eat. Then comes New Years, and a lot of alcohol. Before I know it I have gained 10 or more lbs in the short period of time from Halloween and New Years.  I then have to make a choice to get my butt back in gear for the new year.  This time I want to be ready before it begins.  I want to fuel my body with the right full before the holidays even start.

If you are doing most of your nutrition right, the occasional slip of some candy or a much too big of a plate of food isn’t going to kill you.  Are you ready to get your nutrition right?  You want to start your New Years resolution to lose weight months before the New Year?  Want to invest money in your nutrition instead of a gym membership (I promise that the nutrition is way more important than the gym)?

Make 2013 the year you break the cycle, and start in 2012!

Click the picture to get started!

 

 

Pulled Pork with homemade (mostly primal) bbq sauce

You ever look at what is in bbq sauce? The general rule of thumb for food labels is that whatever is first on the list, there is the most of that in the item. The first ingredient on the bbq sauce label? High fructose corn syrup. I’m not gonna are corn syrup vs sugar (I don’t like either) but the first ingredient of a sauce should not be sugar and it certainly shouldn’t be the most prevalent item in your sauce.
I adapted this sauce from Mark’s Daily Apple because I don’t like to buy ingredients that I will be using in nothing else. In this case is that was standard soy sauce vs tamari.

Will add the recipe and after pictures tonight.

EDIT: damn, that turned out good, forgot to take after pictures.

1/3 C tomato paste

1/2 tsp of hot sauce (I omitted this the first time because my wife and one of my sons are sensitive to heat)

1 tbsp of honey

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp of soy sauce (or tamari if you have it and want it strictly primal)

2 tbsp of water

1/4 tsp of all spice

1/4 tsp of cinnamon

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

Mix liquid ingredients in one bowl and powder in another.  Then combine.  I had a pretty large roast so I tripled the recipe.  Put meat in crock pot and cover with sauce.  Set to low and walk away.  Sometime around 6 hours later check to see if you can pull the bone out.  If not, walk away for an hour and come back to check every hour or so.  Once you can pull the bone out you can use two forks to shred the meat.  Pull the bone out make sure all of the meat is submerged in the sauce and allow it to simmer in the sauce under low heat for another hour or so.  Serve with a microwaved sweet potato and salad.  If you aren’t strictly primal you can have this on a roll or hot dog bun.

This came out really good.  Avoid the fat parts in the pot (it is obvious where they are) and only eat the lean parts.  Pork is a lean meat to begin with and this sauce adds nice flavor.  You can experiment with adding more chili powder (or switching to cayenne pepper) or onion powder.  I will definitely make this again and will probably bottle some for use when I need some (like when I cook london broil this week).

It is nice to have a sauce that has no sugar in it (other than the honey).

 

Share this:

Eating primal can be simple, given you have the time to procure the ingredients and prepare them.  This is something that I enjoy doing once a day.  The rest of the day I am very happy that I have my herbalife Formula 1 shake to give me nutrients on the go.

Haven’t been on here much lately as I have been basically consuming the same recipes that I had already posted.  I am going to make a home made, primal, bbq sauce tomorrow with which I will make pulled pork.  I followed my rule of “buy if it is on sale” and got a pork picnic roast for $.99 a lb this morning.