Cheat So Hard

Some of you may remember two months back when I announced that I was going to go down the Paleo path to help myself eat cleaner, reduce stress and improve my overall health.

I flood your Instagram feeds with my #hashtag #Paleo #omgSOyummy meals because Paleo is my main squeeze and I can see us in a long healthy relationship together.

As a promoter of a healthy lifestyle through food and running I feel that I owe you a sincere confession for all of the cheating I've been doing lately (on Paleo, sweetheart!)

It all started to fall off the wagon when I was in Toronto for the second time and had a piece of pizza here, a few tortilla chips there, maybe even some delicious croutons on a salad.  Beer and wine added into the mix and I forgot the reasons I'd started Paleo. Through travelling back and forth I was able to use that as an excuse for not being strict with a schedule, a meal plan and even my food prep has been non-existent.

I still do an amazing job at avoiding latte's, yogurt, cheese, bread and some of my bigger past offenders, but there's been a few 'occasions' where the amazing food groups you see below have been devoured, craved and even begged for.

#OmnomNom

- Fiery Doritos Locos Taco | Taco Bell

- Endless Shrimp | Red Lobster

- Steak and Endless Shrimp | Outback Steakhouse

- Reese's Blizzard | Dairy Queen

- Grape Licorice | All the places

I act like Dan is the instigator but I'm pretty sure even the golden retrievers would be witness to Monday night when Dan was looking in the produce drawer asking what I wanted for dinner and only a quick "TCBLL" was blurted from my mouth. Like I was ashamed to be saying it out loud but knowing that it was going to feel so right.

That fateful night Dan didn't hesitate to jump in the car and get almost every food group on the menu so that I could 'sample'. As always, he picked up the slack when I was too full and my eyes out-ordered my stomach.

Our meal included but was not limited to:

• Mexican Pizza (1)


• Fiery Doritos Locos Tacos (3)


• Cheesy Gordita Crunch (2)


• Smothered Burrito (1)


• Volcano Nachos (1)


• Fiesta Beef Taco Salad (1)

None of that was paleo, by the way.

So all I'm asking is for someone to help me be more like this adorable baby koala please and not be so bad at life? K Thanks!

South(east) Scramble

Most weekends Dan and I are pretty bad about eating breakfast at a normal time. Weekdays we are on a strict schedule but on Saturday and Sunday we like to sleep in and get our lazy on. Once we finally roll jump out of bed I often go for a run and he's surprisingly never really hungry until the afternoon.

This weekend actually was no different, but when we decided to make brunch after noon we put a little extra flare into it. We were both skilled cooks in the kitchen and had fun making a Southwesteast Scramble that would end up keeping us full all day long!

The inspiration for the scramble was the dozen eggs in the egg caddy that hadn't been touched for two weeks. The rest was fridge and pantry magic.

Check it out and make your own next weekend!

Ingredients:

8 Eggs

3 Trader Joe's Chicken Jalapeño sausages

1 Green Pepper

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1 can black beans

MmmMmm Sriracha and maybe a little post photography shredded low-fat mozzarella

Simply amazing!

<3 JE

Restaurant Review | Mellow Mushroom

I hope that everyone had as wonderful of a 3-day weekend as I did and thank you for staying patient while I took Martin Luther King Jr. day off from both work and blogging - a girl needs her rest!

This is an easy post as I'm still in a bit of a food coma while I write this  so pardon me if I trail off mid-sentence with a drool streak.

For a MLK + Inauguration day celebrations Dan and I were invited by our good friends Brooke and Brad to visit Mellow Mushroom for an all-out lunch and day drinking extravaganza.  We had visited previously the restaurant for both a friend's birthday and for pre-New Years Eve dinner plans and can say that it's one of our favorite pizza locations in Portland. We haven't yet been disappointed and have barely covered all of the incredible options on the menu.

They are predominantly located in Southeastern states with a few locations moving West... and only one location in Oregon that we are lucky enough to have only a few minutes drive from home and work.

What's even greater about Mellow Mushroom is that on Monday's they have an All Day special where any of their beers originally priced $5.50 and under per pint (as long as its under 8% abv) are only $2.00. This isn't just a deal for the light beers and canned varieties - it's for well crafted, top quality, local and domestic micro brews. You could go there every day for a week and not order the same thing twice. <-- That is a challenge.

(via)

What We Ate:

1 Medium House Special Pizza ($20.00)

Red sauce base with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, ham, Applewood smoked bacon, mushrooms, black olives, Roma tomatoes, green peppers and onions. Topped with extra mozzarella.

[Previously we've eaten the Philosopher's Pie -

Olive oil and garlic base, all natural grilled steak, Portobello mushrooms, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, Provolone, feta and mozzarella cheeses.]

What We Drank:

Beers on beers on beers. I had three (Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Goose Island 312, Vertigo Raspberry Wheat) and Dan had four dark stout varieties that met his requirements for a good drink.

In addition, we all had a round of Irish Car bombs that sealed the deal on our day drinking. Martin wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Know Before You Go:

• Oh what - a Beer Club? In case you plan to try new beers and earn points for them.


• Remember that Monday night happy hour ^^ it's important when you're planning your nights out.


• They’re Social – Check out their Facebook or Twitter
  


• Address: 1411 NW Flanders St Portland, OR 97209


• Hours: All days 11am-10pm // Friday & Saturday open until 11pm.
  


• View their drool-worthy Menu here
  

I'm going to have to take my parents here, I have a feeling that my dad would find a few pizzas on the menu irresistible!

<3 JE