Blog Hog Reporting For Duty

So, I may have been boycotting this blog recently. I know, I'm an asshole but I'm big enough to admit it. Someone (e.g., Abel) may or may not (e.g, did) have called me a "Blog Hog". I was s little butt hurt by those comments but as I've stated before, I have some control issues. Anywho, here's my taken on the situation.

1. Did I control the posts on here? Yes. I understand that this is not a Facebook page or twitter. You don't want to visit this blog 87 times a day to see what I ate for dinner or where I'm shopping. You can visit us, mainly Abel, on any social media site to see the play by plays.
2. Quality. Our posts should ad value and make you want to come back. I'm trying to maintain a quality level and structure to ensure we're consistent and being respectful of your time.
3. Copyright. I don't want us putting things on here that aren't ours or things from books, magazines or blogs without proper credit. We want you to trust us and how we do post; integrity, we has it.

All that being said, am I an alleged "blog hog"? Yes, but like Janet Jackson says "it's all for you."

cd

Sexy Salmon Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

How sexy is this salad? Almost indecent...right?

I mean we even ate on real plates; that's saying a lot. The funny thing about this one is that it took literally 10 mins to prepare and that includes cooking time for the salmon - this assumes you keep boiled eggs in your fridge. Which you should; so do it now. This salad was so delicious that I literally expected my salmon to jump from the plate grab a top hat and monocle (because who doesn't have those things lying around - duh!) and sing/tap dance across the kitchen floor. It's truly that good. Here's the recipe.

Sexy Salmon Salad

Ingredients

• 2 Filets of Salmon
• 3 Cups of Spinach
• 1 Cup Fresh Green Beans Snapped in half
• 3 Hard Boiled Eggs
• 4 Tbsp of Capers
• 1 Avocado
• 12 Grape Tomatoes (optional; I didn't have them on hand or I would have added those little bastards)
• 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
• 2 Cloves of Garlic sliced thin
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Set your oven to broil and move the rack closest to the heating element
2. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil
3. Place your salmon, skin side down, on the oiled baking sheet
4. Place your thinly sliced garlic on top of each of the pieces of salmon
5. Drizzle 1/2 Tbsp of oil over each piece of salmon
6. Add salt and pepper to taste; I added about 1/8 tsp of each
7. Place the salmon in the oven for 7-10 mins
8. Here's the trick: You'll want to start watching the salmon after 5 mins to ensure you don't over cook it. You will want to slightly push a butter knife into the thickest part of the salmon and it should separate easily and look a little translucent - that's okay and will ensure that you have a moist, flavorful piece of fish...TRUST ME
9. While the salmon is cooking, load up two plates with half your spinach, green beans, eggs, capers, avocado and tomatoes (if you've got 'em)
10. When the salmon comes out, place it on top of the sexy salad you just made and make sure the top hat and monocle are within arms length!
11. Dress with Balsamic Vinaigrette (see below)

If you want to add extra flare you can top with my Balsamic Vinaigrette; again, super easy. You'll thank me later, I promise.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
• 3 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinaigrette
• 2 Tbsp of Dried Basil
• 1/8 Tsp of both, Salt and Pepper

Directions

1. Mix all your ingredients in a small bowl
2. Stir it up
3. Try not to eat it all before dressing your salad

cd

21DSD...It's not a band or an STD

Okay guys, Abel and I are starting the 21Day Sugar Detox from Balanced Bites tomorrow. We're excited and nervous to cut out all sugars, chemical and natural, to detoxify our bodies and reset our need for cravings. I'm hopeful that we won't end up at the grocery store asking random folks to "just get me the sugar; don't ask questions" so we can say technically that we didn't buy it. Always looking for the loophole...always.

You can read more below and buy the guides ($21); when you buy, you also get daily support, recipes and motivational messages for the duration of your detox. The info below was pulled from the site and the link will take you there to purchase your own copies!

You know you want to, and hell you probably spent $20 on alcohol, pizza and/or those damn amazing soft sugar cookies from that horrible store that shall not be named. We'll post our daily meals and thoughts for each day of detox; wish us luck!

P.S. We don't make any money or get anything for recommending this guide; just wanted to throw that out there for anyone who was wondering. There would be a lot more whoring, selling and pleading if we did.

Order Your Own 21 Day Sugar Detox Here!

This program is made for those of you who may be struggling with sugar and carb cravings, are looking to hit a reset button or just feel you could benefit from getting the sugar and junk out of your life to just FEEL BETTER!

Here’s what you get with The 21-Day Sugar Detox Program Manual (eBooks):

• The Getting Started Guide: Information and resources to prepare you for The 21-Day Sugar Detox
• The Replacing Foods Guide: Details about foods you may currently eat and what you’ll want to eat in their place.
• The Yes & No Foods Lists: Three extensive list of foods that you will include in your meals for the 21 days, one customized for each Level of the program.
• The Dish on Sugar & Sweeteners AND an extensive list of names you can find sweeteners under- chemical and non-chemical forms
• GUIDE to Fats & Oils- Which to Eat & Which to Ditch: Finally, someone is giving you the REAL DEAL on which fats are healthy and which you should avoid!
• Dining Out & Party Tips: Get through social events and restaurants with ease with tips on how to prepare for them and choose foods once you’re there.
• Special modifications for athletes & pregnant/nursing moms: Find out how to tailor YOUR 21-Day Sugar Detox to suit your needs while still achieving the success that many others do.

Lots of Meal & Snack Ideas:

• Breakfast Ideas
• Lunch Ideas
• Dinner Ideas
• Snack / “Treat” Ideas

Easy to Make Recipes & Where to Find Special Ingredients
PLUS! YOU’LL GET A SPECIAL BONUS…

• The NEW “21-Day Sugar Detox Supplement Guide” BOOK is yours FREE! In this special 14-page addition to The 21-Day Sugar Detox, you’ll get my Top 10 Sugar Detox Tips for a successful experience, tips on how to beat sugar cravings when they hit AND… my recommendations on herbal, vitamin and mineral supplements to help your body naturally detox from the sugar and carbs more easily.

There is also a support page on Facebook for The 21-Day Sugar Detox where I answer your questions and you can get support from other people completing the sugar detox at the same time as you!

Order Your Own 21 Day Sugar Detox Here!

Healthy Breakfast Smoothie To The Rescue

Apple & Avocado Smoothie
From: Low-Carb Juices and Smoothies
By: Amanda Cross

3.5 fl oz apple juice
1 small avocado
2 ice cubes
Apple slices to decorate

Pour the apple juice into a blender. Cut the avocado in half, remove the seed and spoon in the flesh. Add the ice cubes and whizz together. Pour into a glass and decorate with an apple slice.

This smoothie makes a fantastic meal replacement. For added protein,add a raw organic egg to the blend.

Enjoy!!

Friday: More Like D Day!!

This Friday, Casey and I will be embarking on a 21 day sugar detox! You heard me right NO SUGAR for 21 DAYS!! I have to admit I'm a bit terrified and Casey seems to completely calm...what's new? The more I think about it, I think "it's only 21 days" and then the more I think about it, I think "IT'S 21 DAYS"!! Wish us luck!!

Workout Till The Cows Come Home!

It's about that time...I'm heading to the gym! I've decided to skip Crossfit today...(insert gasp here)! Because I feel super guilty for cheating on our Paleo Diet last night I'm going to bike a half marathon! Afterward I will be able to forget that Queso and Vodka that consumed my evening! One thing I won't forget is the amazing show that Lady Gaga put on! Enjoy your workout today! I know I will!!

Abel

Gays and Gaga

We're headed to Lady Gaga in Dallas with our good Buddy, Trevor and his roommate, Ashley. The gays do love Lady Gaga; so you know that means diet cheating. I say this with a drink in-hand. I'm ready to party like its 1999; I'm so old. This will hurt tomorrow...

UPDATE: Had a BLAST; amazing show! We even met up with our friends Dean and Sarah. Ate like kings and drank like fishes. Diet starts tomorrow, unless you're reading this today...then I mean Monday. I kid, I kid.

cd

Recipe - Paleo Ranch and Paleo Mayo

Yeah, you read that right. Ranch! Calm down your gitty inner school girl, so you can hear me. I made this on a whim and actually "messed up" the recipe. Thank god for mistakes because this stuff is the shit! You can eat it on everything...literally. One of the main things that I missed when we went Paleo was condiments. Sauces. Dips. Instant Jazz for chicken, beef and fish. Ranch seemed to be my go to sauce for almost everything and I missed it terribly. I've developed a recipe that will have you licking the bowl and/or your fingers (recommended).

Here you go; you're welcome.

Paleo Ranch
Ingredients
1 Cup Paleo Mayo (see below; Ranch is the start so this is a bonus recipe!)
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk ( Feel free to add more at the end if you like a thinner ranch)
1 Tbsp of Garlic Powder
3 Tbsp of Dill
1/2 Tsp of Salt
1 Tsp of Onion powder
1/2 Tsp of Black Pepper
1 Tsp Cider Vinegar

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in food processor or blender
2. Enjoy

This is a true staple of Paleo; Mayo. It's totally different from the processed junk you get in the stores. It actually has a flavor. Now, I never liked mayo as a kid or even as an adult; however, when I tried this one it was an instant attraction. Fireworks. It's creamy, rich and flavorful without being heavy or oily. Try it; I think you like it. It's also the base of many different Paleo sauces. We love adding different stuff to the completed mixture like cilantro, Paleo sirachca and even black pepper to amp up the flavor.


Paleo Mayo
Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups Olive Oil (not EVOO)
1 1/2 Tsp Dry Mustard
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1/2 Tsp Salt
3 Eggs

Directions

1. Place eggs, mustard, salt and lemon juice in blender (Vitamix will revolutionize your life here)
2. Blend eggs, mustard, salt and lemon juice on high
3. With blender running, slowly pour in oil; slowly - like drop by drop - it should take you a few mins to fully add in all the oil (If you have a Vitamix, you can add all the oil within 60 seconds)
4. You'll begin to see the mixture emulsify and turn into creamy mayo goodness
5. Enjoy

cd

Meal Planning Like A Boss

So I've learned in the short time we've been doing Paleo, 3+ weeks, that meal planning is key. To maximize all your eating efforts you need to be prepared to have healthy snacks handy, readily available lunches and dinners without having to think about what you have on hand, what you want and what sounds good. If you've taken the time to do it right, your hardest choice will be which meal or to eat or make today. Trust me…it’s worth the prep. Oh and did I mention it will save you BILLIONS. Really, BILLIONS. I can prove it because that statement is now on the internet and everything on the internet is true. BOOM.

What I normally do is on Monday determine what we’re going to eat for the next week. THIS REQUIRES PLANNING. Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m not a planner – I leave that to Abel. He’s good at it; I’m good at procrastination. However, when I looked at our first two weeks grocery bills, I thought “We cannot afford this crap!”. We've saved about 50% in groceries just from a little planning. Oh and did I mention that our meals aren't boring either. Double win! I get a lot of my inspiration from blogs, Google searches and Pintrest/Punchfork. If you’re not familiar with them, go there now – like right now…genius. I’ll try and post my template files for creating meal plans sometime this week. I’ll also have an upcoming post on my shopping list methodology and tell you how to save said BILLIONS.

To tide you over until the next post; here’s my weekly meals that we made this week:

Note: Sometimes we eat them out of order; shocking, I know.

Monday

• Lunch – Bacon wrapped Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potatoes
• Dinner – Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Mashed Plantains

Tuesday

• Lunch – Pork Sausage Links with Bacon Sauteed Spinach
• Dinner – Chicken Spinach Burgers with Caramelized Onions, Bacon and Avocado with Cumin Butternut Squash

Wednesday

• Lunch – Teriyaki Chicken with Red Cabbage Slaw and Ginger Carrot Dressing
• Dinner – Grilled Lemon Salmon with Zucchini Noodles

Thursday

• Lunch –  Paleo Breakfast Strata with Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms
• Dinner – Balsamic Skirt Steak with Cauliflower Mash

Friday

• Lunch – Paleo Bread with Roasted Chicken, Mayo and Avocado with Red Cabbage Slaw
• Dinner – Chicken Portabella BLT Stacks with Sweet Potato Chips

cd

Recipe - Paleo Jambalaya

Abel has been posting pictures of all the meals that we've, mostly me, been making while doing Paleo. He's  been getting a lot of comments on his Instagram photos of the food; you can find him under the user name Abel4514 where he posts almost every second of the day - don't' say I didn't warn you.

Several people have asked for the recipes and I'm going to start posting some of them here. My goal is to make it easy and quick. I trick my brain by making my food look a lot fancier that it actually is and it works. It truly does.

Oh and sorry this post doesn't have any fancy pictures; the blogs new, we'll get there. I'll make sure all other recipes have pretty pictures and pizzazz. Here's the first recipe; enjoy!

Paleo Jambalaya (Serves 2)
Ingredients

• 1 Medium Onion
• 1 Bell Pepper
• 2 Green onions
• 1 Link Sausage (We use Chicken Sausage)
• 1 Cup Frozen Cooked Shrimp
• 4 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Tsp Paprika
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Oregano
• 1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Cup of Chicken Broth
• 1 Bag Of Frozen Cauliflower

Directions
I know you're already turned off by the "long" ingredients list; stay with me here. It's so easy.

1. Cook your sausage in a large skillet and slice it up
2. Chop and saute the onion and bell pepper with your cooked sausage for about 3-5 mins until onions are translucent
3. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes
4. Toss in your shrimp
5. Add the spices, tomatoes and chicken broth and cook about 5-10 mins; the longer you cook the deeper the flavor
• Note: You could stop here, if you don't want to make the "rice" but why stop now?!
6. While your cooking the jambalaya, throw your frozen cauliflower in the microwave for 90 seconds
7. Then place it in the food processor and pulse until you get little bits of cauliflower that look like rice
8. Cook in the microwave for about 2-4 minutes, depending on how you like it; rice done - easy peasy
9. Serve it up scoop the jambalaya into bowls 
10. Take a deep ladle and fill it with your "rice" and lightly pack it down; you want it to look just like you see in all those Zatarain's commercials
11. Quickly flip the ladle over the bowl of jambalaya and you should have a mound of "rice" that sits nicely on top
• Note: Try not to go all Cocktail when putting the "rice" in the jambalaya, it's hot and will splash...just sayin'
12. Take the green onions ( I know you were thinking this whole time, what about the damn green onions?) and cut them over the top of the bowl with kitchen shears - instant flare!
13. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; you can also add a  few squirts of hot sauce (I totally recommend it!)
14. Enjoy!

cd

Enjoy Life...Drink

Sometimes you surprise yourself when put in real lifesituations. Last night we went to have dinner and a few bottles of wine withfriends; we did great eating and brought our own Paleo/Primal meal (e.g.,Chicken Taco Bowls). Before leaving the house there was almost a nervousbreakdown; here’s our actual conversation before leaving the house:

C: Did you getthe wine/drinks?

A: Drink. I can’tdrink. That’s not Paleo/Primal.

C: I’m drinking;I’m just going to enjoy it. Just go with it. Live your life.

A: What can Idrink? How about vodka? Wait it’s not Paleo/Primal…is it? Vodka and OrangeJuice? Too much sugar. Vodka and Diet Sprite? Wait too many chemicals. Vodkaand Pellegrino…I hate Pellegrino; why was that an option again?

C: Can I openthis bottle of wine now for the car ride? Make your mind up and let’s getgoing.

A:  I’ll just bring it all….and have one.

Famous last words. I’ll just have one. Everyone knows thatsimple sentence is the kiss of death. Needless to say it was a great time andwe all enjoyed the moments and the drinks. Especially the drinks.

cd

Paleo, Primal and Somewhere In-Between

Recently, we decided to try this Paleo/Primal thing that we've been hearing so much about lately at work and on several of the blogs that we read. It's an interesting concept that basically has you eating like a caveman. What the hell does that mean? The long and short of it, is that you eat no dairy, grains, legumes, processed food, alcohol and/or sugar. I know what your thinking..."That's some bullshit." and "Hell to the no!".

Trust me; i get it. It sounds like you've just excluded your entire source of happiness. At least it did for me, I could have lived inside a cheese house with faucets that poured half and half. Dairy was my weakness and I truly believed that I would be in the fetal position rocking back and forth after 2 days on this plan. The health benefits are really what hooked us in. Better sleep, mental clarity, no more bloating, filling meals/cravings and and overall detox to the body.

The next questions everyone asks is "Is this for real? What do you eat?". I think we're so trained to eat and crave  processed foods that it's really the majority of what we think about when we think of food. I mean we're surrounded by fast food chains and restaurants on a daily basis. Now, I'm not saying they're all bad and some even have "healthy options". But when you're going to Mexican Restaurant, do you really want to eat grilled tilapia, veggies with no chips and/or tortillas...hell no. You want queso, buckets of it with enough chips to fill the Titanic and warm, fresh tortillas that melt in your mouth and warm your heart...I digress.

We forget about all the things out there that are not processed. Fruits, veggies, meats and nuts. These are the basis of the Paleo/Primal diets. These really do provide endless options for meals and snacks. We've made tons of recipes with simple substitutions that help bump up the health factor while reducing the calorie count. We are not 100% Paleo/Primal (see queso/chip comment above) but I would give us a solid 85%. The weekends is where it tends to get a bit chaotic. Real life tends to work it's way in and old habits can be really hard to break (see queso/chip comment above). That's okay and it works for us; some may say that it's not really Paleo/Primal. I'm good with that and know that in my little cheese house, all is good somewhere in-between.

cd

So We Started A Blog...

Get over it. If you're just joining us for the first time, I'm sorry and Welcome to The Chaotic Cable. I'm Casey and my partner, boyfriend, lover (they still all sound weird  even after almost 7 yrs!) and/or future baby daddy Abel will work to update this space regularly with our thoughts, workout tips, recipes and life lessons.You might even learn something!

Me, I'm the crafty one, the one who cooks and usually the reason for most of the chaos...allegedly. However, don't let that fool you, Abel causes his fair share with his organizational issues, inability to stay focused (undiagnosed ADD...check!) and uncanny ability to keep me from jumping out the windows daily. I've never met someone who is perpetually happy; annoying sometimes, yes but overall makes people happy and has a sunshine attitude. I don't understand it or even know that I want to but it works for him; he helps make my life that much brighter.

Together we make a great team and we're constantly on the go and/or creating something to keep our minds and bodies busy. We're pretty normal, outside of some of our conversations, with amazing friends and family. Several people suggested that we share some our thoughts, recipes and happenings, so here we are! Hope you enjoy what you read and look forward to sharing our views on everything!

P.S. I'm usually the one who's always right, so keep that in mind.

cd