Paleo Update: Creativity in the Kitchen

Few things inspire me more than food. You can probably tell this by looking at me. I have never been able to, or willing to, sacrifice my fun in the kitchen for anything that I found limiting to my art. Trying the primal diet, I've learned that, as is the case with most of my other creative endeavors, having parameters to work within can actually makes things more fun. It gives you a sort of challenge that just have complete free reign doesn't offer.

For instance, cauliflower - I have always known that cauliflower is somewhat special. First of all it's white, and it's probably the only white food that is good for you. Of course now that I said that, someone will just come up with more foods chalked full of whitey goodness, but let's just say the usual suspects of sugar, flour, and shortening, we can live without. Mark Twain described cauliflower as, "cabbage with a college education," and with a little smarts of your own it can be your best friend, it's one of the most versatile veggies I know.

I've had three separate encounters with the fluffy cabbage cousin this week alone. It all started with my failed attempt at roast cauliflower that ended up blackened, and thankfully got much better from there. On Wednesday night, Mike made a really delicious cauliflower puree in the style of a mashed potato. He added little bits of turkey bacon to it, and the results were fantastic. I knew I had to try one more thing that I had been reading about on primal blogs though, cauliflower rice. It's so simple it's really a non-recipe. All you do it grate the cauliflower and steam it, or saute it if you like, and it is almost unrecognizable as an impostor! I ate it with some marinated mahi-mahi and even though my brain knew that what I was eating wasn't a grain, my taste buds told a different story, a story of fluffy almost al dente white rice. Cauliflower is a win my friends, and I get the feeling I am going to be eating a lot of it in the near future.

Our other creative endeavor last night was an apple and pear puree, apple sauce style, that Mike put on the pork roast he made for himself. It was so good that I had some as a dessert. All we did was boil peeled apples and pears in water with a little orange juice for some sweetness, until they were tender, then hit them with the handy-dandy stick blender. A regular blender would have worked just as well. We loved it. We'll be making a lot more very soon!

There Was Life on Mars

"Life on Mars" is gone. Yes, the American version. According to it's Neilson ratings you probably didn't watch it, but it was a witty, well written, moving and deep show that I will miss. Last night's finale was a Freudian tempest. A whirl wind of daddy issues, unresolved love, fear, and hope for a better future. 

I can't really get into the specifics without giving too much away, but they resolved the plot in a interesting, boundary pushing way, and gave the characters I've grown so attached to the send off they deserved. Ray, Michael Imperioli of Sopranos fame, gave a particularly poignant monologue on why he believes their is no God. In one crashing, half drunken wave they gave us everything we've wanted to know about his background, and what shaped his life philosophy.

My only critique would be that things seemed a little rushed. They gave us lots of information and action for a one hour time chunk. I would have loved to have seen what they could have done with twice the time. Of course, I would have loved to have seen what they could have done with a few more seasons, but that just wasn't in the cards for Sam Tyler and his buddies this time around.

Here's to hoping all the fantastic actors on this show, Harvey Keitel, Gretchen Mol, Jason O'Mara and more,  find life somewhere new, Mars or otherwise.

Primal Recipe: Almond Crusted Zucchini

This is Mike's recipe transcribed by me, I hope I got everything right. By request, here is the recipe for Almond Crusted Zucchini from Wednesday.

Man Recipe: Almond Crusted Zucchini

2 Eggs

1 Shallow Bowl of Ground Almonds

1 Large Zucchini

2 to 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

A Pinch of Sea Salt (at your discretion)

Crack the eggs in a bowl and mix with pepper, combine with fork. Add sliced zucchini to egg mixture and coat all pieces. Let the zucchini soak in the eggs for a few minutes.

Heat olive oil on medium heat.

Remove one slice at a time from egg mixture and drop into bowl of ground almonds. Press the almonds into the zucchini, making sure they are coated on both sides. 

Place the coated zucchini in your pan and watch carefully, since it cooks very quickly.

Drain excess oil on paper towels. Season with a pinch of sea salt.

Enjoy!

Paleo Update: Winner Dinner, and a Larabar

This morning for breakfast I didn't have time to do anything impressive, in fact I didn't have time to do anything at all. I grabbed a bar that I read about on Son of Grok, called a Larabar. They are made with only primal ingredients, though they do contain a lot of dates, which I guess are a little high in natural sugar. Because of this, I probably will not be eating the banana I also brought, since there is some debate on whether you can even tropical fruit at all on a Primal diet due to it's relatively high natural sugar content. Luckily I have a back-up green pear.

(Like Son of Grok, I will probably be trying to make my own primal type bars for quick grabbing, stay tuned.)

I'm not sweating my non-gourmet breakfast this morning. I think that has a lot to do with the amazing dinner I had last night that seemed to eradicate all carb cravings. My fiance, Mike, has been transformed into Primal Top Chef. When I came home from work he had already made a chicken meat loaf, made loafy with the addition of eggs, onions, and peppers. As a side, he created an amazing cauliflower puree, erasing all memory of my horribly failed cauliflower experiment from the night before. We also had a beautiful bright salad.

Paleo Update: Feeling Full

Finally I am feeling full! I think it must take the expertise of home cooking to actually make me feel satisfied. I was thinking that I would just be putting together a simple salad for lunch today, then I came home to this:

Mike knew I had been craving carbs and went to work trying to find something that would scratch my itch. He came up with almond crusted zucchini! It really made me feel like I was snacking on something naughty, which is always a good thing. The shrimp though were the best part, they were chalked full of garlicky goodness! 

When I was driving home for lunch, I couldn't even look at the all the crappy restaurants on the way. I just kept picturing pizza, or bread, or french fries. Now though, I am feeling like I don't even need the steely resolve I was planning to muster. This is how I like things to be, easy.

Paleo Update: Sad Dinner and Happy Breakfast

The carb cravings started a little before 6pm last night. I went to Trader Joes, which was great place to pick up beef and turkey jerky, natural bacons, and veggies. Unfortunately they also have a great selection of starchy and sugary foods. Mmmmm... starchy and sugary. 

I ate some turkey jerky when I got in the car. It was good it helped, but by the time I got home and started cooking dinner I was starving again. I snacked on some pineapple, almonds, and strawberries while I was cooking dinner.

Dinner was a serious learning experience for me. I tried to make a chicken and potato dish that I love by substituting cauliflower for potatoes. Of course for some reason I didn't take into account that the cauliflower would not appreciate being cooked on the bottom rack of the oven the way potatoes do. Let me tell you, blackened cauliflower tastes even worse than it sounds. The chicken turned out pretty well though and I thought I would try to make some kale chips as a side to make up for my sad sad cauliflower char. The only kale I could find in my grocery store surprisingly was pre-washed chopped and bagged. Not really what I wanted and the kale chips suffered. The kale was cut in you very nonuniform pieces so some got overly browned while other were not even cooked through. Oh well, live and learn, it will all be better next time.

I woke up this morning craving carbs again. All I wanted was something starchy. Even typing the words now is slightly painful for me. By the time I got to work, I was starting to get a little discouraged. Then I opened the foil wrapped plate that my man had made for me:

What would I do without him? The sight was a saving grace. See? It's pretty and wonderful food! You love pretty and wonderful food! And I did. In case you are wondering, it's scrambled eggs topped with sauteed onions, resting on natural turkey bacon and seared red pepper. It was delicious and satisfied me for the most part. I still feel a slight nagging in my stomach, begging me to eat anything loaded with carbohydrates. I say nuts to that! It's only been one full day. I better start practicing my steely resolve.

Paleolithic Update: Tuesday Lunch

If you have read my earlier post, you know that this is my week of eating like a cave woman. Although I can tell you the cave peeps probably never had it this good. For lunch today, I had this beauty waiting for me when I walked in the door. Thanks to Mikie, the man with the eggtastic plan. It consists of almost hard boiled eggs, some lettuce, grape tomatoes, black olives, and dill. I also had a bed of greens on the side (not pictured) with a little olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon on top. 

I can say that after eating I felt satisfied but not overly full. Now it is about a half hour later and I am feeling still satisfied; no craving at the moment. I will keep you up to date on the whole primal Nina week long experiment as things transpire.

A Week Long Experiment: Paleolithic Diet

This week I am trying something that is a little off the radar of usual Nina behavior. I love food, and I am really not big on restrictions of any kind. Sure I don't eat pork or red meat but that's not really work for me, I haven't eaten them in pretty much my entire life and never really had desire to start. This week though I am going against the grain, if you will, and cutting it out completely. (Grain that is.)

I have been reading a lot about Evolutionary Fitness and the Paleo Diet lately, and a friend of mine, who has a great new blog, is also really into it. After some more research, we decided to give it a try at our house! The idea behind Evolutionary Fitness is really mimicking the activities and eating habits of our hunter gatherer ancestors. Agriculture, let a lone chemicals and industrialized food, changed the foods we intake and our body composition has yet to catch up. On our shopping trip last night we gathered meats, which for us meant just chicken and turkey right now, eggs, nuts, tons of veggies, and some fruits and berries. The idea behind a lot of these foods is that they could be safely eaten in their raw state. This eliminates pretty much all starches and grains from the table. I have been curious to see how my body would fair without carbs and dairy, for awhile now, and here my chance to find out.

If anyone keeps up with my other blog, Look What She's Eating, you already know I keep a sort of half day food journal. For this experiment I thought I should document all my meals and snacks on here, and will continue to post what I eat at work on Look What She's Eating. 

For breakfast this morning I made two eggs, with red pepper and shallots, the rest of the raw pepper on the side, and of course, water.

Then, since I don't go to lunch until about 1:30ish, I had a handful of blanched almonds around 12:00. 

I sounds silly, and it could be just mental, but I think I might actually already be feeling better than I did yesterday. I am just feeling clear headed and I have no heart burn, which I often get after eating a meal at my desk at work. Stay turned for more meals, and more results, and check out the above links for more information!

Horsing Around With My Little Pony

Artist Mari Kasurinen suites up My Little Ponies as some of your favorite film characters. (Via Jezebel) Here is My Little The Bride (From Kill Bill), My Little Cry Baby, and of course My Little Wookie. Check out The Guardian for Edward Scissor Hands, Alien, and more.

Is the Veronica Mars Movie Dead?

Okay Veronica Mars fans, ready your best poutty face. Things are not looking good for the chances of the Veronica Mars movie. (Via NY Post) Apparently creator, Rob Thomas, when asked for comment said, "While the pitch [to producer Joel Silver] went well and I don't think the movie's dead, right now it's looking depressing. I think honestly if we would have had the pitch ready a year earlier, it would be a go project ... This is the least optimistic I've felt in a while." Ouch. That does not sound good.

Listen up movie guys, there is obviously a concrete pitch here, and Kristen Bell (Veronica) is already on the cusp of becoming a bigger star. A movie like Veronica Mars, marketed correctly, could really do well. The TV show didn't attract the kind of audience it should have based on the fact that most people though it was some sort of girly-girl Nancy Drew meets 90210 bunk. A properly produced movie could satisfy the old fans and attract a whole army of new ones. Don't let this one slip through your fingers studio execs. Us fans won't be the only ones missing out.

The Best TV Finales Ever

This is my list of the best television series finales. Yes, I'm sure I am missing some. Heck, I haven't even existed for the entire span of TV's fleeting reign as king of the American household. It is rare precious in television's illustrious history though, that it actually lives up to it's ruling class status, and gives us something truly golden. Those are the times we live for. Television can make us laugh, scoff, cry and often fumble for the remote. But we have relationships with the shows we love the most, and when they sign off, they can leave us feeling angry at not having lived up their potential (I'm looking in your direction final episode of Seinfeld), full of longing for more, or in the most rare cases a sense of all encompassing satisfaction.

Battlestar Galactica

I was guzzling down a potent cocktail of emotions during the Battlestar Galactica finale on Friday night I can tell you. I was reduced to tears at several of the show's heart wrenching moments, and was literally perched on the edge of my seat for some of the hardest hitting action of the entire series (seriously AMAZING). I didn't want to tell my friend, while she was still in the afterglow that night, but I did take issue with the very very end. There was lots of ending. I loved how they gave us time to really relish and experience the characters at the end of their journey, but I think they may have taken it a single step too far. Without giving anything away, I felt like they abruptly changed the tone to make a point which didn't really hit home for me. All in all though, an epic science fiction opus.

Six Feet Under

Ahhh, Alan Ball's emotional masterpiece. I can't actually fathom ever seeing a TV show end in a more satisfying way. They truly gave your closure on a show that will have no doubt weaseled it's way deep into your heart by the time you view the final episode. If you haven't seen the show, it's very hard to describe the intensity and richness of the finale. I can only tell you my reaction was openly weeping, for I don't even remember how long. I've always wanted to watch it again. At first I didn't think I could handle a return to that flood of emotions right away, now I am waiting for just the right time.

Veronica Mars

I will always be a fan of this show, the heroine, Veronica, was just too bad-assed-witty-girl-powered for me to ever let her slip out of my heart. I will admit though that the show did start to go down hill a little in the last season, redeeming itself only with a spectacular series finale.  I wrote a full review of the episode when it aired, which you can check out if you'd like. Really I would suggest at least watching the entire first season of this show if you haven't seen it, you don't know what you're missing, this ain't no teeny-bopper detective agency.

Extras/The Office

I included these amazing series finales in one entry because they are both the brain children of writer and lead, Ricky Gervais. They also both end in probably the most satisfying format you can give your fans, the two hour TV-movie. In each of these finales the characters are given even more of a chance to breath and be real, veering into the comic then tragic then back again. Not many other times have I laughed so much, and then cried at the most touching of moments. We'll have to wait and see if the American version of The Office lives up to it's namesakes example when it ends, hopefully not for a long time.

Freaks and Geeks

We all  had to live through High School, and no other show has ever been able to capture all the agony and all the elation that the trials of adolescence can bring. (I also think Judd Apatow has yet to top this, his first project.) Lindsay, the main character, runs the gamut from mathlette, to bad-girl in the course of the show, constantly trying to make sense out of who she is. In the end, she breaks free from her home town and embarks on a journey to truly find herself.

Arrested Development

Nothing wins me over like pure unadulterated funny. This finale pulled together all the loose ends of the series, and some you didn't even know existed. You finally learn who the real "man" behind the curtain is and many more dysfunctional Bluth family secrets. This one is a must watch, must re-watch, and must quote. "Nope, you're looking at balls."

Well that's my list. Did I forget any?

Top 5 Things About Spring

Happy first day of Spring everybody! We've had a few warm days here as a great preview of what we have to look forward to in the next few months. I honestly didn't think I was going to make it through this Winter at some points, and I don't want to speak too soon about the worst being over for fear of incurring the wrath of Old Man Winter!

In the spirit of Spring though, with it's easy to love charms, I thought what is more agreeable than a list of good things. Spring is full of them!

Gardens: Every day on the way to work I pass a farm stand. They are closed all winter long, but this morning the marquee sign outside the small barn-like building stated proudly, "'Seeds are growing!" I felt a tingle of anticipation for fresh asparagus, strawberries, and lettuce, the first crops of the season I will be stopping on my way home from work to pick up. That is about the closest I can get to homegrown. I can't really grow a garden where I live, I have no outside area, and the only large windows I have faces west, making it hard for even house plants to thrive. Let me tell you though that I am mega-jealous of anyone that has a plot of land large enough to grow a bit of anything, so if you do have one, follow the lead of the White House, get organic, and grow grow grow!

Thunderstorms: So what is it that makes those gardens grow? You guessed it, a healthy dose of water from mother nature in the form of rain, and lots of it. I have always loved a good thunderstorm, but I understand if this doesn't make your own personal list. My poor doggie used to shiver like it was 20 below every time there was a big storm. She would hide under a bed or the chair your were sitting in, not peeking her little panting head out until the last crash and flash has passed. I know friends who would love to do the same thing. Me though? Can't get enough personally. During a thunderstorm, I can feel that electric charge in the air through my whole body, and the sounds are some of my favorite naturally occurring music. (I guess it's mostly percussion though huh?)

Cute Clothes: I know at least in my house it is time to me to go through everything, clean out those closets and get rid of anything that is ill fitting or that I just plain don't wear. Then I can buy more stuff! Right? That's how it works? I just know I am ready for some open shoes, sunglasses, flirty dresses, and no more bulky coats! Mostly I just can't wait to see color everywhere and on everyone. Not to advertise, cause I probably won't pick one up myself, but for ladies out there looking for something on the cheap, Old Navy has a Spring "it" dress right now for only 15 bucks. Paired with a jacket and some cute shoes, you could certainly put together an infinitely comfortable outfit, that will look like it had a much higher price point. 

Music: I am of the school of though that music sounds better with the windows rolled down. There's really not many bigger joys for me than driving down an open road, tunes cranking, windows down, and word turning. I can get lost in that moment and feel like I am truly free, traveling where ever the mood might take me, not weighed down by past or future. Spring is when the magic starts. There are usually some great new releases in Spring also. This season I am looking forward to new albums from the likes of Peter Bjorn & John, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bat for Lashes, and Peaches. And for the less petrolly inclined, these will also sound great on head phones, on a long long walk.

No More Winter: Damn straight that is the best thing about Spring! No more will I be found chipping and scraping at my windshield in the early mornings, trudging through 2 foot snow drifts, or slipping like a cartoon cliche on a patch of ice. No, instead I will be enjoying budding flowers, possible baby animals, and crazy old fashioned animation. Oh that last one didn't quite fit in did it? Maybe it's because I wanted to include the video at the end of this post as it's own separate great thing about spring. I have watched this MGM Merry Melodies short since late in childhood, and I admit my brother and I are somewhat obsessed with it. It tackles the hard science behind Spring. You know, how the tiny gnome guys who live under ground have to pump color up through little tubes in the earth to make the things outside grow, all while battling an angry and vengeful, and unintelligible, old man winter? Didn't they teach you this stuff in school?

Happy Spring Everyone! Remember to party like a pagan this Equinox!

Goegraphy for the TV Addict

These are just too fun to not pass along. It would be like getting a great picture of your 5th grade teacher with skink lines and bucked teeth and not passing it to the kid to your right. It's all part of Dan Meth's great series of pop-culture charts.

And so the rest of us shouldn't feel left out...

Freaking Cool! Dolphins Blowing Bubble Rings

Sometimes you see something online that is very random, but very freaking cool! It is my job to pass those freaking cool things along to anyone who will listen.

Dolphins are amazing! I watched a PBS Nature documentary once that showed how dolphins actually do something very similar to spanking their children. Their young often swim too close to boat motors, a very dangerous activity for a fledgling dolphin. The parent will herd their baby away from the boats and chatter a scolding at him. However if the tiny dolphin continues his errant behaviour, the parent will take him to the sea floor and emit an uncomfortable slightly-hurty pulse into him, trying and dissuade the behaviour. After the pulse, they will nuzzle and coo at their child, finished with discipline and ready for more good natured dolphin play.

I had to include that because I am completely fascinated by it, and it is another bit of of dolphin behaviour that I find myself fascinated with today, a video I stumbled across, over at Boing Boing.

Dolphins, like people, love to play, and it seems like they are no less creative. The Dolphins in Sea World Orlando have developed a habit of creating water rings with their blowholes and then artistically playing with them, shaping them into smaller rings or new shapes. You can really register the joy on their faces as they go. Totally beats the hell out of smoke rings. 

Album Review: Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You

I secretly loved Lily Allen from the first time I saw her on Saturday Night Live. I had heard the song "Smile" on the radio, but didn't catch on to the snarky lyrics till I saw her perform it live. I immediately started listening to tracks off her first release, Alright, Still and was endlessly impressed with her bratty charm. She seemed like a girl that would be fun to be out with on a Friday night. However she was still just my guilty pleasure, I was sure that her poppy style was too far removed from some idea I had of legitimate music for me to be a legitimate fan.

I have to tell you though she's changed my mind with her new album It's not Me, It's You. The music is still catchy and poppy, nothing much has changed there except a reliance on more electronic beats. She's matured as a person and as an artist though, somehow without managing to dislodge her tongue from her cheek, a place where it seems very comfortable. There are songs on It's Not me... mocking her latest man's performance in the sack (Not Fair), a sweet sounding take down of Bush and conservatives called Fuck You, and a scoldings to an interested boy that "It never really did and now it's never gonna happen with the two of us." Ouch. 

These songs though are balanced by an innate sweetness she seems to posses. She sings, in one of the albums' best songs, Chinese, "I don't want anything more/than to see your face when you open the door/you make me beans on toast and a nice cup of tea/then we'll get a chinese and watch TV." She weaves such a simple, everyday, yet beautiful image of feeling safe and comfortable with the one you love, that every time I hear this song I can only think of doing the same. It works every time, seriously it should really be on an advertisement for chinese take-out.

She proves on this album though that her song writing is going places. She takes a stab at the at pointing out the hypocrisy in Celebrity Culture (The Fear), and Drugs (Everyone's At It), and even goes for it with a song about God (Him). In fact, my favorite line of the album comes when she claims that God's favorite band is Credence Clearwater Revival. I guess you could say that now she's got one more legitimate fan.