Meat Month: Days 8-11

Here's something you might not know about me: the pervasive aura of laziness that surrounds me much of the time in terms of cleaning the house, reading things that aren't online, showering, moving around, etc., is really just my way of carefully storing any stray bits of motivation for when I need them. I'm like a camel. An ambition camel. This allows me to be very disciplined in one arena for a short burst of time when needed.

I say this to dispel any doubts that I am approaching this WHOLEFREAKIN30 with anything less than obsessive, rule-following dedication. My internet search history includes a sad list of queries such as whether bean sprouts are okay because beans aren't (typed, I swear to you, in a panic), and what is one serving size of banana (one...banana). I have not snacked. I have surrounded my protein with veggies. I have not had more than two servings of fruit in one day. And, most tellingly, when I finally had my "Oh no I cheated and have to start over" dream, which is apparently very common, I was not just eating donuts. I was making them. I was making donuts and desperately trying to keep the sugar from jumping into my mouth. Nothing half-assed here!

Anyway, I feel better now than I did. Running is still terrible. I mean, running has always been kind of terrible, but it is significantly more terrible than normal. But I am no longer fantasizing about being hit by a bus, so things are definitely improving. (Not FATALLY, you guys! Just...enough to score some sugar water in an IV.)

So, breakfast. Breakfast has been good around here! These zucchini fritters (four shredded zucchini mixed with six eggs, cooked in coconut oil) don't look like much, but they're good and very convenient. I especially recommend them alongside some turkey breakfast sausage.

Also, if it's going to keep being summer, I'm going to keep eating heirloom tomatoes.

The first time I saw this Cowboy Breakfast Skillet (six months ago), I knew that I must make it. And I did. And I'm glad.

And I added spinach to it like an overachiever.

Dinners have been a little more hit and miss this week. Somehow my blackened pork chops didn't turn out right. Not as much flavor as I expected, and I think I overcooked them. The mashed sweet potato and Swiss chard with tomatoes and onions were all good, though.

The fact that I had a LOT of trouble with both the Damn Fine Chicken and the rutabaga fries leads me to believe it was my wonky oven's fault. (Although, attempting to make rutabaga fries in the first place falls squarely on my shoulders.) I realize I could just buy an inexpensive oven thermometer and take away the guesswork, but that would 1) be less exciting and 2) rob me of my valuable "my oven is wonky" excuse.

Maybe it's best just to go back to the cookbook, yes? Ah, slow-simmered Cinnamon Beef Stew over mashed cauliflower, much better. (That recipe is slightly different than the version in the book, and obviously I used beef broth, but it's close.) Also, this makes the house smell like cinnamon all afternoon and that means it's FALL. It's fall.

The oven is whack, but the stovetop is legit.

I'm starting to feel like my children do not want their pictures taken during bath time anymore.

That's okay. I'll focus on their favorite activities instead. Hanging off of the couch:

And kickin' it old school.