Paleo Diet, Copycats, and Banana Pancakes

In three days, I will have officially completed a whole month of eating paleo! It was really hard, but I'm glad I did it. I feel so much better, and there's nothing better than a sense of accomplishment. I've decided to keep eating paleo, but on the first of every month I get one cheat meal. I won't be posting just about paleo anymore, but when I find good recipes I will definitely share them with you.

Speaking of food, this morning I just tried a new banana pancake recipe. I even fed it to my non-paleo friend and they were a hit! I added them with a side of bacon though, so maybe that was the real winner, haha. Anyways, here is the recipe I used. I would also recommend listening to Jack Johnson's Banana Pancakes song while you make them.

The original recipe (found here) for this "Primal Fudge" didn't call for a filling of peanut butter or anything and this was a little boring to me. I've changed it a little bit to make it more like a candy rather than just a fudge. I added some almond butter in some of the centers and a mint filling in others. They are VERY rich, very chocolatey, and extremely delicious. It makes for a very good after dinner dessert or something sweet to go with coffee. These are great because you feel like you're really pigging out on dessert but really they're actually healthy.

Paleo Blueberry Muffins

I'm into my second week doing paleo, and honestly it feels like it's been an eternity. It is getting easier as I find recipes to replace the foods I loved, but all the same it's hard. Like when my parents went through Taco Time and there was nothing there I could eat AND I was trapped in a car with the smell of mexi-fries and burritos. I just have to keep reminding myself that it'll be worth it! I do feel a lot healthier. There have been weird things I noticed too. For example I am almost never sleepy through out the day (even when I first wake up), my skin has cleared up completely, and I've lost 10 pounds! I think I might even keep eating primarily paleo even after this month is done. I'll probably  add in some things like oatmeal and peanut butter (I miss them just too much), but I'm really happy with the results.

One problem I've faced with this diet is breakfast. I can't just pop a bagel in the toaster and run out the door when I'm in a rush. I usually have eggs and bacon, but that was getting a little boring. So I found a paleo approved muffin recipe! The link is here, but I made a few changes when I made it.

I didn't have any blueberries, so I had to use black berries which was actually very good so I suppose you could use any kind of berry/small fruity thing. I've made them twice now, and to be honest I preferred not using bluberries. I'll probably just change this to a raspberry or blackberry muffin recipe instead. I also only cooked it for 22 minutes, and I actually prefer muffins a little drier, and if you do too I would suggest letting them cook a little longer. Last but not least, I like to reheat them when I eat one and then drizzle a little honey on it. It's delicious!! It's been a great substitute for bagels or toast.

Paleo Brownies

It's been a little over a week now and I'm still staying strong! I'm not saying it hasn't been hard, because it has been really, really hard. There have been many times when I wanted to just throw in the towel and make myself a cheesy quesadilla but somehow I've managed not to.

That being said, I was pretty sick this last week with some weird head cold or something. About half way through the week I finally caved and had some cough drops. They were almost 100% Paleo, except for the fact that they contained soy. Weird right?

Anyway, I realized that I really need to find a good dessert recipe for when the cravings hit. So I googled Paleo brownies and I found the best recipe! The original recipe is here, and I definitely recommend checking out this guys website. I was not expecting this to turn out that great, because when it comes to desserts the more unhealthy the better (in my opinion). That being said, it turned out amazing!! I actually really liked it!

I will say that next time I make it I'm going to add some stevia, and I'm going to try and find some sort of paleo chocolate syrup to drizzle on the top. I'm also going to look for some kind of Paleo ice cream recipe because that would be awesome!

Zucchini Noodle Dinner

I have to give credit where credit is due, and this recipe is thanks to my mother! Actually, the first couple times she made it I did NOT want to eat it. Noodles made out of zucchini?! I don't think so! However, now that I am on Paleo it has forced me to be more open to different foods that I normally would avoid like the plague. Once I actually tried it it was actually really good! She didn't use an exact recipe so I'll try to write it down as best I can.

First, you'll want to brown some sausage or hamburger (or I suppose tofu if you want vegan).
Then saute some onions and mushrooms if you want (I personally don't care for mushrooms).
I also like to add some bacon because duh, bacon!(unless you want it vegan, in which case I'm so sorry for your loss)
This next part might be a little more difficult. My mom has a special shredder that she uses to shred the zucchini into a perfect noodle shape but if you don't have one of these I suppose you could try a cheese grater?
I like to add a can of diced tomatoes because I like a big meal and want to add as much as possible, but my mom generally likes to use only fresh products so she usually leaves these out.
Last but not least, a little garlic for even more flavor!
And there you have it! A Paleo version of Spaghetti!

Today makes my fourth day being 100% on Paleo, and it's actually been pretty easy! Unfortunately I have a pretty bad head cold, but hopefully not overloading my body with sugar and white flour will help me get better faster.

Something I have noticed doing Paleo, (even in the short time I've been on it) is that not only is it easier to wake up in the morning, but I'm less sleepy throughout the day. You never notice how many food commercials there are until you start a diet, and Taco Bell has been tempting me all week! The food cravings are starting to slowly go away, so that helps a lot. I will say I miss peanut butter more than I was expecting to, but I'm going to be getting some Almond butter soon and that will help.

If you're looking for a (relatively) easy diet plan, I definitely recommend Paleo! Good luck!

Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

Since I am going to be doing Paleo this coming month, I had a few recipes I wanted to try out before the deadline came. One of those recipe I tried was from Pinterest (of course!). Look at how delicious this looks!! But, I was actually a little disappointed. I think if I make them again I can probably adjust them to my liking. The picture above is not the ones I made but from the person I got this recipe from.

Surprisingly, they were too sweet for me! So I think next time I make them I'm going to add half the amount of sugar. They were also a little dry, so I'll bake them a little less longer and add less flour. My last complaint is that it needed WAY more fruit! I actually didn't have any raspberries so I used just a bag of mixed berries, which was delicious by the way, but I wanted way more than what the recipe called for.

Ok, so I lied when I said that was my last complaint. I hated the glaze recipe. Absolutely hated it. I'm still searching for a recipe for glaze that I like, but I definitely wont be using that one again. Granted it was just powdered sugar and milk, but there has got to be something better than that. Maybe I will look for a copycat of the Cinnabon glaze....

So that was my weekend! As fun as it was to make it, I probably won't make them again for a good long while.

I rate this recipe: Leave it

Paleo (Part 1)

All my life I have been known for my insatiable sweet tooth, but believe it or not I have actually done a lot of studying on healthy eating. This last month I've been trying to get healthier and just eat better in general. One of the things I've experimented with is called the Paleo Diet. Starting in February I'm going to be on it exclusively. The principle is fairly easy: eat like a cave man would have! Seems simple right? Wrong! Some of the things I'll have to cut out is all dairy (sob), peanuts (yep, that means peanut butter too), and even oatmeal!

Since I'm probably not going to be able to keep track of every single little thing that's Paleo and what's not, I bought an app called Paleo (io) for about  $.99. This will help me make sure that what I'm eating is actually Paleo. I also have an app that I got for free called HealthyOut for when I'm going out to eat with friends. Dieting can be so hard when you eat out often or if you don't want to feel left out. So this app shows me restaurants in the area and I can type in what foods I'm allowed to eat and it will pull up meals available at those places. It even has a Paleo option to make it that much easier!

If you're not really sure what Paleo is, let me break it down into the very basics:

EAT THIS

• Fish & Seafood
• Meats
• Fruits (but in moderation, as sweets are high in sugar)
• Veggies
• Eggs
• Nuts & Seeds
• Healthy Oils (like coconut oil, olive oil, etc)
• Natural Sweeteners (my personal favorite is Stevia)

NOT THIS

• Grains
• Legumes (beans, peanuts, peas, etc)
• Dairy
• Refined Sugar
• Potatoes (I know, it's devastating)
• Processed Foods
• Refined oils (canola, corn, grapeseed, hydrogenated, etc.)
• Soy

This diet is pretty straight forward, with no weird hoops to jump through that a lot of extreme diets have. You could live on this diet, and actually I believe if more people did they would be healthier and happier. But just like with any life changes (especially ones that affect your health), make sure this is right for you and wouldn't have any bad repercussions before you try it.

For me personally, I like this diet because it's fairly easy to remember what's ok to eat and what's not. Not only that but it cuts out all the stuff my body reacts badly to anyways (all the delicious stuff of course,).

Like I mentioned earlier, I'll be starting this diet at the beginning of February. I'll write a post at the end of the month to tell you how it went! Throughout the month I will also be posting Paleo friendly recipes that I find and try out to make sure they taste good enough for you to try (if you're so inclined).

Revenge

First of all, it is really hard to review a TV show without giving away a ton of spoilers. Also, I am learning it is more difficult than I thought it'd be to write one little post once week. My procrastination and laziness knows no end! So full disclosure, I will still be doing one post a week but it may or may not always be on Wednesdays.

So I started watching this show about a week ago and I am on season 2. I don't usually like shows right away but this one caught my attention from the very first episode. For those of you who are familiar with Count of Monte Christo, it is roughly based off of that story.

I have really enjoyed the first two seasons. However, I got impatient and looked up the episode summaries of the most current episodes and I have to say I am a little disappointed with where the story line has gone. What I liked about it at first was that it wasn't too contrived but still had me pleasantly surprised with plot twists. Unfortunately though, as the seasons continue it's clear that they are just going for shock value. It's not as believable any more and on top of that many of the important and loved (more like love to hate) characters are killed off.

All in all, it's a good show to start and maybe have on in the background, but it's not a show I feel any real loyalties or passion about.

Christmas Gifts

Hello everyone!! I know I've been gone for awhile, but this year my family was hosting Christmas and so it's been quite busy. Whatever holiday you celebrate (or even if you don't) I hope you had a good winter and that you had lots of yummy food. I sure did, and now I am still burning off all that holiday food, haha. Some news in my life, today we got a dog (named Ozzy), and it's good news because my mom is always happier when she has a dog. I'm not really a huge dog person, but if it makes someone I love happy, then I'm willing to sacrifice. He is pretty cute and lovable, so I'm sure I'll get attached (even though I don't want to, I don't think I'll be able to help it). Let's get started!

DECOR

I don't usually review things that are so expensive, but I got this for Christmas from my step-dad so I wanted to show it off! First things first, it is VERY complicated to put together. In fact, I wasn't even the one who put mine together. I had to have my cousin Jaden do it (he's just super smart, what a nerd) but now it's up in my room and I love it. It has a lot of color options from Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, White, and multiple colors in between. You can also choose the brightness of each color as well as choose to have it play every color on a timer kind of thing. The only bad thing is that it is very hard to put together like I mentioned before, and it's quite pricey for just one light. 

The pieces themselves are about $25.00 and come separately in 30 pieces that you have to put together. The color changing light bulb and remote are $20.00 and for some reason is sold separate from the light cord which is $10.00. I'm sure you can find this product somewhere else for much cheaper, but these are the prices I found from the official website.

BOOKS

This is just a simple journal from Fireworks and it was also from my step-dad (shout out to Peter, gift giver winner of the year). There's a quote on the inside by the artist of the cover that says, "The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears." I love knowing about amazing women in history so it was really cool to learn about Laurel Birch, the artist. The back page of this journal gives a brief biography of her, and it was fun to learn about how she was a self-taught artist as well as "flower child." In the back is also a pocket sort of thing to keep small papers or something which is just super neat and I will probably forget about and never use. I have terrible trouble keeping a journal because I never know what to write and I'm always paranoid someone will find it and read it so I've decided to just record my dreams instead. Eventually, I'll be able to look back at some of them and say, "What the heck, I am nuts. How could I dream that?!" and that'll be fun.

I received more things than these, but these are just two of my favorite things and they are easy to write about so I decided to keep it short. Actually, this last Christmas was probably the best (if not the only good) Christmas I've ever had. Sure, there were people I missed and thought about, but there was no drama or recent heart break and I was surrounded by people I love and that I know love me. 

It's crazy to think that the Christmas before this one I was so down, and felt so hopeless. This year has had it's ups and downs but I'm so glad I survived to see it get better. If this year is your hard year, hang in there! It may not get better right away but you are not alone in your struggle, and just know that there are people who have gone through similar things that you are and have not only survived but got better. Believe it or not, they didn't believe they were strong enough either.

Happy New Year!

Math Help

The dreaded subject I have tried to avoid my whole life: Math. Whether it be algebra, geometry, precalculus, or whatever, I have just absolutely hated every minute of it. I am a very artsy minded person and paint and English lit come MUCH more easily to me. Because of this I have had to have quite a bit of extra help over the years. Here's what I have used to help me get through the evil subject of Math in school.

IXL

This is a great website for practicing what you already know and teaching you as you go. For limited use it's free, but if you want to get the most out of it and really get some work done it does cost about $9.95 a month or $75 a year. It's one of the few math programs I enjoyed (just don't tell my mom that or she'll try to make me use it again). It offers Preschool through 8th grade math as well as Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, and Precalculus.

WolframAlpha

To call this a calculator is an understatement, because it does so much more. When it comes to quickly finding an answer to a problem or question you have there really is no better website. This website has been an absolute lifeline for me when I had 100+ problems to get through and limited. It doesn't teach exactly, but it can give you the information you need to answer a problem.

Khan Academy

No this isn't about the villain from Star Trek! It's a YouTube channel centered around teaching people how to do math. If you learn best from listening or watching someone do a problem this would work best for you. Just look for the video of the specific type of problem you need to learn, and press play.

Good Luck!

Online Dating

I have experimented with online dating a couple times, and to be honest I'm not that impressed. Then again, I'm not very serious about dating right now. I've tried Tinder, OKCupid, Zoosk, and a couple others. I've met a lot of creeps on sites like this, but I've also met some pretty cool people that I'm still friends with today. You can use apps like this to find love, lust, or just friendship. Hopefully this review will help you choose which one is best for you!

Tinder: Great for if you want to hook up. Basically, it's the one night stand app. I'm sure there are people on here genuinely looking for something more serious but it's rare.

OkCupid: If you're looking for a potential date and possibly a relationship, this one would work best. I like the layout, it's easy to use, and it's easy to find someone who matches what you want in a partner. I mean, all dating sites can be used to find hook ups, but this one is better for long term.

Zoosk: I hate this app. Hate it with a fiery passion. It's difficult to use, the options are limited, and the layout is horrible. Also the people who use this app are just....not great candidates. And another thing, it does not have the option for bisexual. This is just annoying. Did I mention I hate it?

Badoo: It was just ok. Nothing special, and very superficial.

I know there are other apps out there that might be better than the ones I reviewed, but these were the ones I spent the most time on. Good luck!

November Favorites

I don't know if you guys get snow where you live, but we've already had some and it is beautiful! It's the only thing that makes these freezing temperatures worth it. I should probably move to California though because when it gets this cold I tend to want to go into hibernation EVERY DAY. Here are some things I loved in November to help get me through the coming cold.

FOOD/DRINK

I got this as a Christmas present from my mother and I use it every day. It's pretty great because I don't freeze my hands off or burn them when I'm holding it. When it's closed it pretty much impossible to spill and that's really good for when you're as clumsy as me. The only thing I don't like about it is that because of it's design, it does usually have A LOT of finger prints on it. This doesn't bother me, but if you like your drink ware to always look spotless then I would suggest getting something else. It cost about $19.95 which is a little pricey, but that's how Starbucks works.

HOUSEHOLD

This wall heater has been an absolute miracle. Since my bedroom is in the basement, it gets very very cold. For awhile I had an oil heater but I am a very light sleeper and those clicking noises drove me nuts. It also took up a lot of room which was bad because I stubbed my toe on that thing at least 50 times. So I bought this wall heater from Home Depot for about $50 and it has been worth every penny. It's currently attached to the wall underneath my desk and my frozen feet are slowly thawing out as I write this. It works best for a small room where you can keep the door closed, and in that way it warms up the whole room. The surface does get quite hot, but that's a good thing because it means it's working. I definitely recommend getting one of these for those cold winter months.

ENTERTAINMENT

I tried watching Arrow in 2012 when it first came out but I just got busy and couldn't seem to get hooked. Then I started watching it again in November because a friend of mine who is obsessed with it finally convinced me to try it again. I must have been crazy before because this show is really good! If you like the whole Superhero Vs. Villain story line than this show is for you. There are two full seasons currently out and the third is halfway done with new episodes every week. It has everything: action, mystery, romance, fight scenes, fun villains, and of course very attractive actors/actresses.

The 100

This TV show is fairly new, having started in March of 2014. I just started watching it about a week ago and OF COURSE I binge-watched the crap out of it so I'm already caught up haha. The story line is set in the future, after humans have so destroyed the earth that they have to live on a spaceship called the Ark. However, their oxygen supply is dwindling and they have to find a way to save themselves. They send down 100 prisoners, children and teens, to see if the Earth is inhabitable. Not only are they able to survive there, but they are not alone. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave it at that. It is quite intense as far as violence, but it's not gory exactly. There are also a few sex scenes but they don't actually show anything too graphic. As the show progresses it does get more intense, so I mean I wouldn't watch it with my grandmother or anything. Unless your grandma is super chill and is like, "Bring it on!"

I rate this show: Love It

First Tattoo

Today I did something I've wanted to do for a very long time. I got a tattoo! Through the years what I wanted to get has changed, but I've always known I wanted art on my skin. Since I just turned 18, my best friend Rebecca paid for me to get my first one. We decided that we wanted to get matching ones because we have been through so much together. The design I got was very small and tame compared to most tattoos, but it does have a lot of meaning for me.

It is just a small arrow (probably about 3-4 inches long) with the Greek word for "love" (αγάπη) above the arrow, and the Greek word "wisdom" (σοφία) below it.

My full name is Shannon, which is Irish for Wise River. Originally it was for the Irish Goddess Sionna, which means "possessor of wisdom." Not only that, but I also love Greek mythology, and the goddess I always loved best was Athena. Athena just so happens to be the Greek goddess of wisdom, which I found out after learning my name meaning. So it was a happy coincidence! While Rebecca's name doesn't mean love, she does have a terrible need to give and receive love. Because of that, as well as the fact that she is gorgeous, she most identifies with the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

The actual event itself really only took about 20 minutes. Which is crazy to think about since I'm going to have this until the day I die (unless my arm gets cut off, fingers crossed it doesn't). People always used to tell me, "Oh man that's going to hurt so bad!!" and "You're going to regret that later!" but honestly, neither are true. I'm very happy with how it turned out, and it didn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would. It was kind of like getting bit by an ant or something.

If you are thinking about getting a tattoo, and not sure if you should, here's your sign! If you want it to have meaning, then sit down and really think about the design you want and sort out all the kinks (like color, placement, size). Or, maybe you just want one that looks cool and you're feeling impulsive.

I went to Under The Needle in Seattle and I was pretty pleased with the experience. If you are like me, and have led a somewhat sheltered life, it can be a little intimidating when you first walk in. But the people there were all very nice and willing to work with me to get my tattoo exactly how I wanted it. So don't be afraid to take as long as you need to work with the artist until you feel like the design is perfect. Their address is 2118 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121. They do accept walk-ins, and take cash or card.

No7 Dual Action Tinted Moisturiser

I am starting to realize that I shop at Target A LOT, haha! Not surprisingly, I bought this product at Target too! I also went to Chipotle and had an amazing burrito, despite the weird couple next to me getting in a fight because he never listens (he forgot to get extra guacamole). I'm getting off topic! ok! So, this tinted moisturiser has been very good for me, because I do tend to keep my makeup more natural and soft looking. It won't be perfect for everyone, but for the look I'm going for it is! It is very sheer, but has pretty good coverage. I also don't need a lot of it for it to look nice, so it'll last me ages. It does have SPF 15, which I don't really care one way or the other about, but I thought I'd mention it in case you guys care about that in your makeup. Since my skin is a bit sensitive, I have to be careful about what I use on it. This tinted moisturiser hasn't left my skin feeling irritated or made it break out,  which makes sense since it is Hypo-allergenic. The only thing I would say is, is that if you do have skin that is quite blemished or you need something that will even out your skin tone, maybe go with something more heavy duty as it is very sheer.

I rate this product: Love It!

e.l.f Makeup Brushes

I got these brushes individually from Target (you can by it as a set on the actual e.l.f website) for a really good price. There were more options available, but I only needed these ones: Total Face Brush, Bronzing Brush, Defining Eye Brush, Blending Eye Brush, and the Foundation Brush. I ended up not using the Foundation brush because the foundation I use (No7 Dual Action Tinted Moisturiser) is so lightweight and easy to apply that I don't really need to use an applicator, I just use my hands. I have really loved all of these brushes for one simple reason: no hairs fall out!! Occasionally, there will be one or two, but that's because I use them SO MUCH, but at least I never have to worry about stupid little hairs all over my face tickling my nose. They are also pretty soft and don't irritate my skin so that's an added bonus. I bought all of these brushes for a total of $5.00, which is a pretty good deal in my opinion. Especially since I am usually pretty broke, haha! I would definitely recommend these brushes to someone looking for low cost, high quality makeup brushes.

I rate this product: Love It!

October Favorites

October has just absolutely flown by, and I can’t believe its November already!! I always get really into whatever holiday is coming up, so naturally I went all out for Halloween. I decorated with orange lights, black curtains, and plastic pumpkins everywhere. I made a Halloween Playlist on Spotify to set the mood while I made spooky recipes and tried (unsuccessfully) not to eat the trick-or-treater’s candy.

ENTERTAINMENT

For this category I picked two things, because I felt like not all people enjoy especially scary things so I picked one that was family friendly and one that was more intense. I picked The Nightmare before Christmas because it’s a Halloween classic and family friendly! It’s a musical movie by Tim Burton and it’s just fun and spooky without being actually scary. My other choice is much more intense. American Horror Story:Freak Show is so far amazing! I don’t usually care for horror movies/shows, but the characters are so well written and the stories so heartbreaking, that I've gotten sucked in. It is quite a bit graphic, so if you don't like that kind of thing I recommend not watching it and sticking to things like Hocus Pocus (another good movie). Both of these are perfect for curling up on the couch with your (or maybe the candy you taxed from your kids, haha) Halloween treats.

WEBSITE

This website, called Pinterest, is my go-to for quotes, fashion, and food ideas. It’s amazing for finding specific things you need or for idea hunting. It’s way too easy to end up spending hours on here, so beware! It has everything from humor, fashion, food, and cute animals. It’s even free! So anybody can use it, which I definitely recommend doing.

FOOD

This Panda Express Sweet Fire Chicken Recipe turned out absolutely AMAZING!!! Even though it took quite a bit of time to make, and was a bit messy as well, it was definitely worth it. I will say that if you are sensitive to spicy foods, it does have the tiniest bit of bite. This would be perfect for if you're having a friend or two over and it also makes delicious left-overs. I probably wont make it again soon because it does take quite a bit of prep (and clean up), but it was worth the effort.