The Kitchen - Paleo Tools and Staples

This is the beginning of my 3rd week on Paleo and I wanted to share some things I have learned in the past few weeks.  There are some things that will make your paleo journey much easier.  I am going to talk about some staples first because you will find as you go along that you are eating some things daily.  I am sure that everyone has different tastes, but some things are just staples!

In our house these are our main food staples, so far.  

We eat eggs pretty much every day for breakfast!  My husband likes them over medium, I prefer fried or scrambled.  I try to mix it up and do them different every day.  We do veggie stuffed omelets, I top mine with tomatoes and avocado, etc...  I think we have gone through 5 dozen or more in the past 2 weeks!

I buy avocado's 7-8 at a time and we eat at least one a day, sometimes more between the 2 of us.  I put them on eggs, on salads, on fish.  Right now my favorite way to is slice them and eat them on top of a ground chuck patty.  If you like avocado's they are an excellent source of good fat.

I have a huge bowl of fresh fruit on my counter top all the time.  Our favorites right now are cherries, bananas, pears and kiwi, but we also keep apples, oranges, mango, blueberries and strawberries handy as well.  It's a quick snack on the go, or I can cut up a bunch at once and make a fruit salad for the whole family!

Coconut oil is a must have as well.  You can use it in place of other cooking oils for frying, etc.  It has a really good flavor and it's an oil that's good for you.  It has lots of uses really.

Other than these things I buy lots of fresh veggies, chicken breasts, frozen tilapia and whatever beef looks good that week. I have been doing bacon or sausage for breakfast with our eggs as well.  We made our own trail mix last week and that was pretty tasty for a quick snack.  I will share that on here soon once I can get some pictures of it!

Now I am going to share a few of the tools that I have found to be particularly useful.

You really need a good set of non stick cookware.  I have stainless and I was having to use a ton of oil when I cooked so I went out and got this 2 piece set of hard anodized skillets and I love them so much that I want to go set a whole set.  I can cook my eggs without adding any oil to the pans and they are great for chicken and fish as well.  You have to be very careful with the coating though and don't use any metal utensils on them so make sure you pick up a nice rubber turner as well.  

Good storage containers and bags.  I got these storage containers (BPA Free) from Walmart and they were nice and cheap.  They come in 4-5 different sizes and shapes.  I like the rectangle ones the best because they are prefect for prepped veggies and I can stack them nicely in my fridge so I can see what's in them.  They big round ones are perfect for fruits that need to be refrigerated.  I think these are less the $2 for each package!  I also use a lot of storage bags so I get them at The Dollar Tree.  This Stor-it brand they carry are really nice bags for only $1 a box.

I can't even begin to tell you how important this parchment paper is!!  I use it almost every day and it's saved me so much clean up time.  I line my baking sheet with it every time I roast veggies or cook any type of meat in my oven and it's fabulous.  

I bought a case of pint jars and I have been using them for everything.  I store my homemade mayo and ghee in them.  I also use them for my bulk sea salt and to make my own pomegranate vinaigrette salad dressing.  Pretty much you can use them to hold or store anything and once you wash them you can use them all over again!

Right now that's all I can think of, but I am sure I will come across more handy things that I can share with you.

As of the beginning of week 3 I have lost 5.4 pounds and my husband has lost 6.2.  I think I have walked once during this time but haven't done any other exercise.  I do fully intend to start exercising, but so far I have just been lazy!  I think once we add that component in our results will be even better.

I would love to hear from you if you are doing paleo, so feel free to leave a comment or email me anytime!

The Library - New Adult Romance Review "Dangerous to Know & Love" by Jane Harvey Berrick

Title: Dangerous to Know & Love

Author:  Jane Harvey Berrick
Publisher:  Smashwords 

Publication Date:  May 17, 2013

Genre:  New Adult Romance

Format:  Kindle 877 KB

Buy this book on Amazon:  Kindle Edition

Author's Website:  http://janeharveyberrick.com/

Author's Goodreads Profile:  Jane Harvey Berrick

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Silence is only skin deep.

Nineteen year old Daniel Colton is the guy all the girls want to date, and the man all the guys want to be. Moody, with an explosive temper, closed off and sullen, he’s also beautiful, tatted in delicious ways, with a pierced eyebrow and spiky black hair. It’s rumoured he has piercings in other places, too. Is he really mad, bad and dangerous to know?

Daniel lives with his older brother, Zef, and their home is party central. You want drugs, a good time, liquor, no questions asked? Colton’s is the place to go.

When Daniel and good girl Lisanne Maclaine have to work together on an assignment, Lisanne finds there’s a lot more to the college’s bad boy than his reputation. He’s intelligent and funny and good company. And then she discovers his secret, why he’s so closed off to everyone, and determined to keep people at arms’ length. But being his secret-keeper is harder than she ever dreamed.

Recommended for readers 18+ due to sexual references and sex scenes, some coarse language, drug references and drug use.

My Thoughts...

I have to say right off that this book reminded me a lot of a handful of other books that I have read.  There is one huge difference though, Daniel.  On the surface he is so much like other "bad boy" characters, particularly Travis Maddox.  He's hot, obviously, pierced, tattooed AND rides a motorcycle.  He has a volatile temper and his first instinct is to fly of the handle.  Here's where he is different...Daniel has a secret that he has kept incredibly well for a very long time.  Once you know that secret, all these things begin to fall into place and you feel for what he is going through.  Daniel's story line is something that is unique (at least for me) to this genre.  I can honestly say that I have never read anything like it.  It's so heart wrenching yet so interesting to read about.

Lisanne, on the other hand was a tad annoying to me.  I never fully connected with her.  I felt for her a little in the beginning before the secret is revealed, but after that her character was still annoying to me.  There was just something missing for me when it came to her character.  She was terrible naive and acted like a spoiled child who didn't get her way from much of the book.  She got mad and jumped to conclusions way to easily and that drove me nuts.  I do have to say, though, that this is something I am seeing more and more in books no matter the genre.  I know that it helps to build up the tension, but at some point it's just super annoying to see it in every book.  Here is where I did like Lisanne.  She was SO accepting of Daniel no matter what his secret was.  She was the one who made him realize that he wasn't so "not normal".  She loved him despite what he considered his big flaw.

I loved the music aspect of this book.  I would like to have seen more of that side of both of them even thought that bit of the story was a bit heartbreaking.  I loved that despite the "bad boy" appearance Daniel is an incredibly smart man who really does know what he wants.  He is living in a really bad situation but he rises above it to some extent to accomplish his goals.  He really is loyal to his dead beat brother, who so does not deserve it.  I loved Lisannes family, they were there for her no matter what.  Her dad did have a hard time in the beginning, but when it came down to it he stepped up and took on more than he had to to prove that he supported her and Daniel.

I really do think this was a good book.  I read some reviews on Goodreads and I know there were a handful of reviewers who DNF'd it.  I just have to say that by doing that they missed out on what turned out to be a good story.  I know that there were some parts that were difficult to get through because of the immaturity, etc..., but overall it was a beautiful story.

It is a New Adult and because of that there are adult themes and sexual situations.  These were written in a tasteful way and were not at all crude.  I enjoyed the story and would recommend it to readers who liked books like Beautiful Disaster, Easy, etc...

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the author in exchange for my honest review.*

The Library - Book Spotlight & Giveaway "The Georgia Corbins" by Kara Leigh Miller

I will be doing a review of this book soon, but it's just been released and I haven't gotten my hard copy in the mail yet so I wanted to do a quick little book spotlight for the blog tour.

Title: The Georgia Corbins

Author: Kara Leigh Miller

Publisher and Imprint: Entranced Publishing

Genre: YA contemporary romance

Release Date: June 10 2013

Length: 265 pages

Synopsis:

Ali Philips never thought anything could be more devastating than the day Levi and Tucker Corbin, her two best friends—her only friends—moved away. Three years passed without a single phone call, text message, or email from them and she’s resolved to the fact that she will probably never see them again. Until one morning when she comes face-to-face with Levi Corbin in physics class. 

Little does she know, the Corbins have returned to Haldeen with only one thing on their minds: winning Ali’s heart. Ali soon finds herself in the middle of a love triangle she doesn’t want any part of. As she tries to reclaim the friendships she’s lost and to adjust to the unfamiliar feelings she’s having, she struggles with making the one decision that will forever change their lives: Levi or Tucker Corbin? 

She’s always had a special bond with Tucker and feels most comfortable when she’s with him. But Levi brings her to life in a way she didn’t think was possible and makes her feel things she didn’t think she would ever feel. Torn between the two, Ali is certain of only one thing–by the time it’s over, she’ll lose one of her best friends.

Buy Links: http://www.entrancedpublishing.com/imprints/blush/the-georgia-corbins/

Add to Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17669136-the-georgia-corbins

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/HQeur_ftAno

About the Author:

 

Born and raised in the small town of Mexico, New York, Kara was an only child who was forced to find ways to entertain herself. Playing make believe with her Barbie dolls and stuffed animals was her first real taste of storytelling before she became old enough to develop a love affair with the written word. In early 2010, Kara picked up her very first erotic romance novel, and she was instantly hooked. She loves to write contemporary romance, erotica, and young adult romance. Currently she has several full-length novels in the works, a series of novellas, and a handful of short stories. Kara is an active member of the CNY Creative Writers Café and the CNY Romance Writers. Today, Kara resides in New Haven, New York with her husband, five kids, and three cats. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s thinking about reading and writing. And when she’s not doing that, she’s spending time with her family and friends.

Author Social Media Links:

Blog: http://www.karaleighmiller.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaraLeighMille1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaraLeighMiller?fref=ts

To celebrate the release of The Georgia Corbins, Kara Leigh Miller is giving away exciting prizes. The Grand Prize, which is open to US residents only, includes a signed copy of The Georgia Corbins, The Georgia Corbins hardcover journal and postcards, The Georgia Corbins tote bag, Kara Leigh Miller pens and notebooks, and Legasea bookmarks.

Second and third prizes are an ebook copy of The Georgia Corbins, and one lucky person will win a first chapter critique. International entries are welcome. Good luck! Winners will be announced July 1^st.

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The Kitchen - Going Paleo? This girl is!

So, I know that you are used to me posting book reviews, but this is a blog that is ordinarily a combination of many things.  Heather has been taking a little break from blogging and I haven't really had much time with work to post more than a couple reviews a week.  It's the summer now and I am off work until school starts again so I thought that I would give you a little peek into the rest of my life.  We don't really have anything in The Kitchen section of the blog so I am going to take care of that today!

If you are online at all chances are you have heard the term Paleo at some point recently.  I know I was introduced to it awhile back and thought "there is NO way I can do that", but you know what?  I was so wrong!  I have been on a weight loss roller coaster for nearly 20 years now, with most of my time being on the up and not very much down.  Every couple of years I think "this is going to be the year that I lose it for good", but it never is and that kinda sucks!  This January I entered into a Biggest Loser type contest with a group of ladies that I work with and while I didn't win I did lose nearly 20 pounds in 9 weeks.  I was exercising nearly every day and I felt good.  Then came Spring Break and we were off a week, we started up another round when we came back, but I never really got back in my weight loss groove and for the next 8 weeks I just gained and lost the same 4 pounds over and over again.  Long story shorter, I didn't win that round and I didn't really lose any weight in that 8 weeks.  Now school is out and after my mini vacation I stepped on the scale and was up 4 pounds from my lowest weight so far this year.  I am going to be 40 on my next birthday in March of 2014 and my goal is to be more healthy than I have been in the past 20 years.  I know that the only way I can do that is to change my terrible eating habits.  **At this point, while I won't tell you my weight, I feel the need to mention that the 20 pounds I have lost is just a small portion of what I ultimately need to lose. I still have nearly 100 pounds to go!**  

Thus the introduction to Paleo. Here is a graphic I found on Pinterest that pretty well sums up the gist of Paleo

The idea is to be wholly organic, which at this point, we are not.  This is due mostly to the fact that here in the area where I live it's not always readily available and some of what is is terribly expensive.  So, I do organic when it's feasible for me to do so.  

My husband and I made the switch to Paleo a little over a week ago and there has not been one minute since then that I wanted to quit.  I feel better and I am starting to get over the "lack of sugar" hump!  We are not 100% Paleo, I would put us at about 90% at this point.  Mostly where we stray has to do with beverages.  I love the Diet Green Tea with Blackberry from Sonic and I probably drink 4 of those a week.  It's sweetened with Spenda which is a no no on Paleo.  I also haven't switched to paleo approved dressings on my salad.  It's hard to find one when we go out, which isn't often.  Other than those things we are true to the above chart.

Honestly, I haven't read all the science behind why this works or is good for you.  If I want to know about certain foods I will just google to find out why I can't eat them.  All of what I have read makes perfect sense to me though.  I just know that I am eating foods that are good for me and I don't miss the things that I am not supposed to eat!

The key for me has been preparation.  I have been prepping all my veggies ahead so when I am ready to use them I don't have to do much to them.  This also helps cut down on the amount that goes bad and gets tossed.  I have been having a blast finding new ways to cook things and that's something I hope to start sharing here in The Kitchen section of the blog.  If you are in Pinterest I have a board started where I have been collecting recipes to try, you can follow that {HERE}.

I am going to leave you with this today, but I will be back with some helpful gadgets and some of my favorite recipes and stuff in the days to come.  Also, if you have been "going" Paleo I would love to hear how you are doing on it so drop me an email anytime or leave a comment here on the blog!

The Library - YA Paranormal Review & GIVEAWAY "Imposter" by Susanne Winnacker

Title:  Imposter (Variants #1)

Author:  Susanne Winnacker
Publisher:  Razorbill 

Publication Date:  May 23, 2013

Genre:  YA Paranormal

Format:  Kindle 489 KB  |  Hardcover 288 pages

Buy this book on Amazon:  Hardcover|  Kindle Edition

Author's Website:  http://www.susannewinnacker.com/

Author's Goodreads Profile:  Susanne Winnacker

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late? 

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again. 

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

My Thoughts...

This was a great start to a new series.  While it's not an altogether original concept, it's a fresh take on it for sure.  I have to say also, that Tessa's "power" is pretty phenomenal.  All the Variants have pretty awesome powers and I don't even think we have seen the best of them yet.  We don't even't know the half of what Major can do!

A serial killer is terrorizing a small, relatively quiet town.  He is strangling people and the only thing that really ties them together is the "A" he is carving at the top of their rib cage.  The last girl he tried to kill didn't die.  She's in the hospital in a coma.  She is going to die, though, only the doctors and the FEA knows this though.  Tessa is only 16, but she is about to go on her first assignment.  She is going to mimic Madison's DNA and replace her in an effort to catch the killer before anyone else dies.

Tessa seems to fall into Madison's life pretty easily.  It's so different from her own and really it's the life that she always wanted for herself.  She has these really clear moments where she thinks that she can actually stay there and be Madison and I know I wanted her to be able to as I was reading.  I wanted that normal life for her just as much as she did.  I liked Tessa from the beginning, there was never a moment that I didn't really connect with her character.  I felt like she was really well developed and I am anxious to see how she grows throughout the course of this series.

Let's talk about Alec for a bit.  I LOVED Alec!  What I didn't love is how much the relationship between Tessa and Alec was like other book relationships.  These are the 2 that immediately came to mind as I was reading, Rose/Dimitri from Vampire Academy and Alex/Aiden from the Covenant Series.  Basically it's a younger girl/little bit older guy who is put in charge of training or who is a mentor in some way but who is also responsible for protecting the girl when they are on whatever "mission" they are on.  In the case of this book, though, Alec has a girlfriend.  It's never really clear what's going on with Alec and Kate.  He has very obvious feelings for Tessa though and this results in some pretty steamy kissing scenes.

There are some pretty tense moments as Tessa and Alec close in on the killer.  Tessa learns thinks about Madison that even her closest friends didn't know.  Her secrets go pretty deep and some are pretty unexpected.  In the process of catching the killer they discover more Variants living in Madison's home town.  They also get some pretty chilling details regarding a rogue group who is recruiting Variants for their own agenda and it's not a good one.

So, I really enjoyed this book.  It was action packed and had some pretty intense moments.  I truly didn't know who the killer was until it was revealed.  I had my suspicions, but even up to the very end I thought it was someone else!  I loved the characters and I think that there are some minor characters that have tremendous potential and I hope we see them popping up in the series at some point.  This is a YA so there was no concerns about content.  I would let my 13 year old daughter read this if she expressed interest in it.  I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

*Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

I have been authorized to giveaway ONE HARDCOVER copy of Imposter!!  So enter for your chance to win.

So...here are the rules:

• Must be at least 13 to Enter
• You must live in the US for hard copy books.
• You will have 24 hours to contact me once it's confirmed that you are the winner and I have emailed you.
• Failure to contact me in 24 hours will result in my drawing another name as winner. 

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