Adjusting.

 I started a job on April 1. I haven't worked since before my (almost 5 year old) daughter was born! It's been a huge adjustment for me but it has been WONDERFUL! I am only working part time, so I have Mondays and Thursdays off. It's SO HARD to learn how to get my kids out of the house. Of course, my early risers have been sleeping in, so we're rushing. Thankfully our daycare is amazing and will feed them breakfast too if we have to run out of the house fast!

That said, I have NOT yet figured out how to fit working out into my routine. I have been single-parenting this week while my hubby is out of town for business, so TIRED is the name of my game. I know I can find things to do at home. I want to try Insanity. I know there are dvds and YouTube videos I can follow. I just lack the motivation right now!

We are still trying to eat as cleanly as possible.  We've had a few awesome winning recipes lately for sure! I made Sweet & Sour Chicken a few weeks ago but had to grill the pineapple separately for my no-fruit-in-my-dinner hubby (I love you, dear!). Then Jen and her fiance came over last night and I made it again. My kids have DEVOURED it each time I've made it! Here is the recipe. The only thing I don't do is add cilantro, simply because I never have it on hand!

So my FAVORITE preparation of salmon is the way my step dad has always made it - a rub of brown sugar, cumin and paprika. Obviously brown sugar is out of our diet so I haven't been sure of how to adjust. Then we tried the coconut sugar awhile back and it has a great brown sugar flavor, so I decided to give it a try. And it WORKS! It has the same caramelizing effect that the brown sugar has on the salmon when grilled and the flavors are spot on! The rest of the plate is a whole wheat spaghetti noodle with avocado sauce and maple/bacon Brussels sprouts!

Smoked turkey, mashed potatoes & sauteed zucchini & baby bella mushrooms!

Jamie Eason's turkey meatloaf, sauteed baby bella mushrooms, corn and mashed potatoes!

Stuffed green peppers (with turkey & brown rice), lots of green beans & a salad

 This is what I've been lovingly calling "Callista Cake." I have this awesome friend who is a complete and total inspiration who introduced me to this recipe. She blogs at Run And Lift Like a Land Shark. I am hoping to get her to summarize her journey for us, but all you need to know is she's lost 100lbs, has run a marathon and now is training for a figure competition!! She's my hero and I really look to her for inspiration!! She posted this recipe here as Casein Cake. (I use whey protein, but it's easier for me to call it Callista Cake) ;-)

I have yet to PERFECT this cake. I just did some googling tonight to learn more about coconut flour, which I am new to using. I found this site, saying you should be using 1/4 to 1/3 cup coconut flour for every 1 cup of whole wheat flour. So I got CLOSE last time, but mine is always so cakey and dry. I think I can remedy that next time I make it by either using LESS flour or more eggs/coffee!  I have had it three times and have topped it each time with chocolate chips and unsweetened coconut flakes. Yummmmmmmm!!