Lime Shrimp & Avacado Salad



Photo credit- Losing It Together

I've definitely been trying more things in the kitchen thanks to my newfound interest in Paleo. Recently, I got a recipe from a friend that was too easy and awesome not to share. 

 

Ingredients

1 lb Jumbo shrimp {cooked, peeled, deveined and chopped}

1 medium Tomato {diced}

1 avocado {diced}

1 jalapeno {seeds removed and diced fine}

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 limes {juice of}

1 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

{salt and fresh pepper to taste}

 

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine red onion, lime juice. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.

 

2. In a large bowl, combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato and jalapeno. 

 

3. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss.

 

4. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

See?  So easy!  I would love to hear any easy Paleo recipe you might have.  Feel free to comment below!

Workin' on my Fitness

So far this year, I've really taken 2013 to focus on making myself {home included} better.  I'm doing things I've always wanted to do, but have been too afraid {hence chopping all my hair off} and I'm in the process of redoing my house inside and out {pics of that coming soon}.  Now it's time to really focus and work on the most dreaded thing of all...my fitness.  Don't get me wrong.  I don't HATE working out and eating right, I just don't LOVE it.  It's hard and takes lots of motivation, dedication and LOTS and LOTS of time and money.   

I've struggled for a while with a slight imbalance in my hormone levels in the past, and recently they've become more apparent.  I'm hoping that with medication and a change in eating habits, I will make this problem history and get that shit under control.  My aunt goes to the Paleo Doctor in Houston, and is a firm believer in the paleo diet.  She's lost about 30 pounds so far following the program  Long story short, she talked to him about me and he things paleo is where it's at.  I'm not a cross fitter, and never will be.  It's really about getting more under control than just your weight, and that's why I'm mostly excited about it.  It's kind of amazing and crazy when you think about how complex your body is, and how it all works together.   

Before I commit to spending a lot of money with a paleo doctor, I figured I would try it on my own for a while and see if I can even stick to it.  I've found a few SIMPLE recipes for the rest of this week.  Did I mention I'm not a huge fan of cooking?
 

I've read up on it {a little}, and I've gotten the core principles down.  Eat lots of lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables...seems easy enough, but we'll see.  I have a feeling that there will be times this will suck...a lot.

Am I excited?  No.
Am I intrigued?  Kind of.  

Talk to me when I have seen results and I'm comfortable with the recipes, and I promise I will have a better attitude.
 

I need recipes!  Please contact me or leave a comment with your favorite SIMPLE paleo recipe!

 

 

Welcome Baby Alyssa!

My cousin had her baby on Friday, and to celebrate, I thought I would post some pics of the shower we threw for her.  She loves anything shabby chic {I mean, who doesn't?}, so I thought it would be perfect for the shower.  Below are a few pics of what I threw together.  Welcome baby Alyssa!  We can't wait to watch you grow!

Ombre is all the rage right now, and I LOVE it.  I had to incorporate it in the shower in some way, so I did an ombre cake.  One word...love!

My favorite part of the shower were the flowers of course!  I just think flowers add so much style and personality to any event.  They're a great natural decoration and they just make you feel good.

What's your go to baby shower them?

Homemade Dog Treats

Last weekend, I decided to make some holiday treats for Guido, Stella and friends.  The dogs love them, and the ingredients make so many that, in the end, they end up being WAY cheaper than buying treats at the store.  I even tried one this time because I was curious as to what they tasted like, but they really just tasted like a cracker.  I got the recipe off of pinterest, and it came from a blog called www.designcrushblog.com.   

Ingredients

21/2 Cups of Whole Wheat Flour

2 Eggs

3/4 Cup of Pumpkin Puree

3 Tbsp all-natural peanut butter 

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 Degrees F.

2. Place all the ingredients in a stand mixer {using the paddle mixer}.  Mix on low for about one minute, or until all the dough starts to come together.  It won't be one big ball yet, but a bunch of smaller ones.

3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Work it together into a large ball, then roll it out to about a 1/4 inch thickness.

4. You can use cookie cutters for different shapes, or a knife to cut strips.  {I used a large and small bone shaped cookie cutter, and a few different Halloween cutters for the treats I am giving as gifts.}

5. Place the treats on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray.  {I actually put mine on parchment paper, so I skipped the cooking spray.}  They don't expand, so 1/2 inch between is enough.  

6. Bake 30 minutes and let cool completely.  Make sure you keep an eye on them as they are baking.  Mine cooked in about 20 minutes, so based on your own oven, watch them so they don't burn. 

The recipe makes 75+ treats depending on the size of the cutters that you are using.  Before you give to your pups, make sure you are aware of all allergies or stomach issues they might have.  Making your own dog treats is a personal experience based on your own dog, so make sure you know what they like and what they can have.  I hope your pups like them as much as mine did!

Fredericksburg Day 2

We started Saturday in Fredericksburg bright and early around 9:30am.  There are tons of great wineries in Fredericksburg, so I thought it would be a good idea to take Saturday during the day to visit a few.  Since there were so many of us, and we knew we were going to be drinking all day, we decided to rent a limo to take us to a from all the wineries.  It turned out to be a great idea because it allowed all of us to ride all in one car together.  If you're planning to visit Fredericksburg, I definitely recommend using Dave & John Wine Tours of Texas to take you around to all the wineries!

Vineyard Tours

1. Becker Vineyards- Becker is a MUST if you are visiting Fredericksburg.  They not only have great wines, they have a three acre lavender field behind the winery allowing them to make amazing lavender soaps, lotions, lip balms, linen sprays, eye pillows and so much more! It was awesome!

Wine tasting Details below....

Hours: 
Mon-Thurs: 10am-5pm 
Fri & Sat: 10am-6pm
Sun: 12pm-6pm

Wine Tasting Fee: $10 for six wine samples.

2. Torre De Pietra Vineyards- This vineyard has awesome wines as well as a great view of the hill country from their herb garden, vineyards, and secluded patios.  Their wines include varietals: Sangiovese, Primitivo, Malbec, Petit Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Spanish, Zinfandel, Moscato, Blanc du Bois, Gewurtztraminer and several popular blends including: Amore de Tuscano, Midnight Nymph, Red Flirt and Dirty Girl.

Red Flirt and Dirty girl were by far my favs.  If you visit this vineyard, you also have to check out all of their different pestos and cute home goods.  One of my personal favs is the Artichoke Lemon Pesto.  It's so good on grilled chicken and in pasta!

Hours:

11am-6pm Daily

Wine Tasting Fee: $10 for six wine samples.

The day ended with dinner at the Navaho Grill.  So good!  If you have a large group, I

definitely recommend reserving the Granite Room.  It's really spacious and quiet.  Perfect for a group of 6-8.

Reservations are recommended, so if you're going to be in the area, and are interested in going, I've listed the information below.

Navajo Grill

Phone: (830) 990-8289

Address: 803 E. Main Street, Fredericksburg, TX 78624

Website: www.navajogrill.com

Must Have Monday: "Breaking Amish"

As most of you already know, I'm what I like to refer to as a reality TV whore.  If it's on Bravo, MTV, E! or TLC, it probably on my DVR right now waiting for me to watch.  It might be a sickness of sorts. 

Most recently, I've become obsessed with a little TLC gem called "Breaking Amish."  If you aren't already watching this show...you have to start like NOW.  It might just be the best show on TLC at the moment {and that's a bold statement with quality programming like "Say Yes to the Dress" and my "Big Fat Gypsy Wedding."}.  I know you probably think I'm kidding, but if you know me, you know I'm not.  I LOVE THIS SHOW.  

Let me give you a brief synopsis of the deliciousness that is "Breaking Amish," so you can get an idea of what you're missing out on.  The show focuses on four Amish and one Mennonite {all young adults} that have left their restricted lives in their communities to experience a different life of experimentation in New York.  The show follows them making new friends, starting relationships, getting jobs drinking and even doing things like trying sushi for the first time.  I like to refer to it as an Amish Real World.  It's literally the true story of five Amish people, picked to live in a house and have their lives taped.  It's up to YOU to watch what happens when they stop being polite, and start getting real!

They're already three episodes in, but have no fear, TLC plays the old episodes NONSTOP just to give you a chance to get hooked.  At this point, they're all in New York, now wearing what they refer to as "English" clothes, going out and getting jobs.

You have to watch!  There are new episodes every Sunday night at 9:00PM CST, so set your DVRs!  I would love to know what you think!

Fredericksburg Day 1

This weekend my mom and I went on a little mother/daughter girls trip to Fredericksburg with four of her friends and their daughters.  It turned out to be a really fun weekend filled with lots of laughs!  It's really funny how until you're an adult, you don't realize how similar your mom friendships are to your own.  If you ever want to do a mother/daughter trip, Fredericksburg is a great place for it.  There are definitely things for everyone to do...drinking included. 

The day started around 10:00am on Friday, after a LONG time spend stuffing six women and ALL of their luggage into an Explorer.  {Can you even imagine?} 
We went down 290, so it took us through lots of small towns  We ended up stopping at Maudie's Tex Mex in Austin for lunch.  

We FINALLY got there around 5:00pm {don't ask me how that's even possible} and we got to check in to the cabin for our weekend of what I like to refer to as "glamping."  If your not familiar with what "glamping" is, it's basically glam camping.  Doing outdoorsy things, and being outdoors, but with all the luxuries of an awesome cabin!  we stayed at One Big House at the Cotton Gin Restaurant and Lodging.  It was so cute!  If your ever in Fredericksburg, I definitely recommend staying there.  It looked like a little old Western Town with several little cabins.  Ours was by far the largest {sleeping up to 10 people}, but the others were just as cute but sleep only two people.  It would definitely be a fun place to do a Fredericksburg trip with a few couples, with each couple getting their own house.  

One Big House

A few of the decorations on the glamp grounds.

Other cottages and the wishing well

After getting settled in, we all went shopping on Main Street.  This is a definite must if you're spending time in Fredericksburg.  They have so many different clothing boutiques, home stores, wineries, and even a general store...all on one street!  If you love to shop, you will love Main Street!  I ended up buying two of my favorite things...shoes and fabric.  Anyone surprised?  I love both pairs of shoes I found!  Gold Moccasins...I mean, duh?  What's not to love?  The booties?  I mean, what can I say.  They're country chic means 90's grunge.  LOVE THEM.  can't wait to wear them to the rodeo and fit in with all the cowboys.  

Moccasins from Eve Couture

Booties from Eve Couture...country meets 90's grunge?

Things in a Room...CRAFTGASM!!!!