A Blog Like They Used to Be

I’m 28 years old. I am sitting on a bench in Olympic Village in Vancouver BC and I am typing on my MacBook Pro. I have a great apartment with a great roommate. I have a full-time and part-time job. I have a great family that I love. I have great friends that I love. And yet I sit here, feeling like someone who still has to figure things out. 

The truth is, my life is basically perfect the way it is. 

There’s an asian girl sitting on a bench next to me talking on speaker phone with her friend. It sounds like her friend is having guy problems. She doesn’t really seem to care, but I guess her friend just needs someone to talk to. 

There’s an ice cream truck that just pulled up. An ice cream truck in Olympic Village? I wonder if anyone would actually admit to that fact that they really wanted an ice cream. I  am lactose intolerant, so it doesn’t entice me at all, but I wonder if some wealthy person who loves ice cream, would hail down the ice cream truck and get one. Or would they just go to Urban Fare and get an ice cream. 

I wonder a lot. 

I always wonder where people are going. Maybe they’re going to work, or maybe they are going to pick up a new pet, or maybe they are going to buy a dress for their boyfriend’s birthday party, or maybe they are going to the beach, or maybe they are going to meet with a person that they met online, or maybe they are new in town and want to go somewhere for lunch, or maybe they are going to a museum, or maybe they are going to meet with someone to develop their website for a new company they started. 

When I go somewhere, sometimes I am going nowhere. Sometimes I just go out for a walk to the beach to watch people and wonder where they go. 

I wonder if I got naked right now if anyone would do or say anything. I bet people would just walk by and pretend I wasn’t naked. It would make them feel so uncomfortable that they’d rather just walk away and ignore. Or maybe someone would take a picture and post it on Twitter. I guess I should keep my clothes on. 

I’m thirsty. 

Okay. 

Bye. 

Fresh Spring Makeup Look

It's officially spring! Every year I get so excited to celebrate spring and I always start with a fresh new makeup look. I tend to be more dramatic during winter, and more fresh in spring, and very dewy for summer. 

This season I have a lot of new changes happening and I feel the need to exude a professional look. It's like they say, "dress for the job you want not the job you have". To me that translates to, "you can never be too overdressed". 

In this makeup look I have focused on my natural eye shape by extending my eyeliner and layered mascara to give lush lashes. On my lips I used a simple tinted lip balm to enhance my natural lip color. I went very minimal on blush, and absolutely no bronzer. I like the contrast between my dark features and almost porcelain colored skin. 

Skincare

Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Bar for Face $14.50

Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion $15.00
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel $31.00

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Damage Corrector $57.00

Estee Lauder Daywear BB Cream $45.00

Face

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation $42.50

Clinique Even Better Concealer $23.50
Estee Lauder Double Wear Powder $42.50

Estee Lauder Satin Cream Blush $27.50

Eyes

Clinique Brush On Cream Liner shade Deep Brown $16.00

Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara shade Extreme Black $23.00

Clinique Color Surge Eye Shadow shade Champagne $19.00

Lancome Brow Groomer shade Brunette $27.00

Lips

Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Color Lip Balm shade Mighty Mimosa $19.00

Flawless Skin Makeup Look

So needless to say, I am a big makeup junkie and have always had a passion for creating great skin in addition to beautiful makeup application.

My mom worked for Estee Lauder for over 20 years. This gave me an early start into the makeup world. I remember in the fifth grade I had a skincare regime, and I was wearing "sheer" foundations to school. I know a lot of people may think this is absurd, but it makes me happy!

So anyway, today I've created a makeup look with a purple smokey eye, glowing skin and nude lip.

Skincare

Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Bar for Face $14.50

Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion $15.00
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel $31.00
Estee Lauder Daywear BB Cream $45.00
Lancome La Base Pro Primer $46.00

Face

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation $42.50
Clinique Even Better Concealer $23.50
Estee Lauder Double Wear Powder $42.50
Clinique Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator $32.00
Estee Lauder Satin Cream Blush $27.50
Estee Lauder 5-Tone Shimmer Powder $45.00

Eyes

Clinique Touch Base Eye Primer $19.00
Clinique Eye Shadow shade Come Heather $30.00
Clinique Quickliner for Eye shade Dark Chocolate $20.00
Clinique Brush On Cream Liner shade True Black $16.00
Clinique High Impact Mascara shade Black $19.00
Clinique Brow Shaper shade Soft Brown $20.00

Lips

Estee Lauder Pure Color Lipstick shade Mauve Struck $32.00
Clinique Full Potential Lip Gloss shade Playful-Plump $23.00

Master Cleanse

I know this is very non-Paleo...but lately I really feel the need to get a good "wash-out" of my digestive system. I've been feeling sluggish, my skin is dry, my energy is low, and I want to loose some extra weight. And although I have always been very resistant with extreme diets, I really should it and give it my own judgement from my experience, rather than assuming something.

I would really appreciate any feedback or comments from those of you who have done the Master Cleanse. My main questions are: Will I be able to workout? Will I have a headache? Will I feel empty? Will I pee too much? Will I get used to it?

I will publish my meals as the days go on. Hopefully this will make it easier to stick with it.

Here goes.

Day 1: Ease-In

Breakfast:
1 organic orange
1 cup of coffee

Exercise:
Bikram Yoga

Lunch:
Salad with mixed greens, orange pepper, yellow pepper, and balsamic vinegar

Today has been a pretty easy day, I guess that's why they call it the "Ease-In" day. It's really rare for me  to go a day without eating meat, and I thought it would be a lot harder than this. Ask me to go a day without coffee, and we'll see how I feel. That's what I'm most worried about. Starting Monday, Day 1 of Master Cleanse, I won't be having coffee. Sweet Jesus.

Paleo 1 Year Anniversary Menu

I can't believe it! My Paleo 1 year anniversary is only a few weeks away. It's really amazing how much my food choices, habits, preferences, and cravings have changed over the past year. This has been one of the easiest lifestyle changes I have ever made, and I can only imagine that I will continue creating fantastic meals for the rest of my long life. 

Here are some of the major changes that I have seen regarding my food intake:

1. I used to only eat dry chicken breast. Now I eat every last piece of that delicious chicken. Including his spine. 
2. I used to pick off all of the fat that was around my steak. Now I pick steaks that have fat marbling throughout. 
3. I used to eat only lean dry meats. Now I specifically eat fatty meats, and this includes delicious pigs and their crackling skin. 
4. I used to never eat nuts because they are too fatty. Now I can't keep nuts in the house because I will devour them. I limit myself to 1kg of nuts/week. 
5. I used to eat a lot of empty calories like candy, popcorn, rice. I haven't had candy in almost a year, and the same with rice. 
6. I used to eat only egg whites. Now I eat at least 2 whole eggs every day. 
7. I used to eat very little for breakfast. Now I eat very large breakfasts and almost anything, including steak, pork chops, and salmon.
8. I used to be good at cooking. Now I'm amazing at cooking. 

In honor of my dedication for the last year, I am having a celebration night for myself. This is my night. I'm going to go all out. Here is the menu that I have planned for this special occasion:

Paleo 1 Year anniversary menu

Appetizers

• fresh shucked oysters
• patte
• marinated artichoke hearts
• olives
• roasted/salted nuts
• pepperoni/cured meats
• crab stuffed mushrooms
• smoked salmon
• dried seaweed
• bacon chips

Mains

• roasted veggies
• prime rib roast
• sauteed ground beef/mushroom/onion/garlic
• sushi
• ceasar salad 

Dessert

• dark chocolate
• coconut flakes/chips
• dates
• dried cranberries
• pineapple 

Beverages

• Sea Cider
• Red Wine
• Diet Coke

10-Step Paleo Guide

My Paleo journey has been absolutely remarkable. To be honest, it has been a lot easier than I ever imagined. I think this is mainly because I am always 100% satisfied. I am rarely hungry, I almost never have cravings, and my body is completely happy. 

When I initially read Robb Wolf's book called "The Paleo Solution", I was immediately hooked. The concepts seemed easy to follow and it made sense. But I can imagine this may not be the case for many people.

So...I have created an easy 10-Step Guide to Paleo!

Whether you're already well into your Paleo journey, or someone who is starting out, or someone who is just a bit curious. Take a look at these steps and use your imagination to see the cool, fun, creative meals you can make. It's so fun!

10-Step Paleo Guide

Commit 100%.

-If you're going to do Paleo, then really do Paleo. You might as well give your body a chance to try something totally different. You owe it to yourself. Do it right. 

Eat only animals, vegetables, nuts, and minimal fruit. 

-I find it easier to think of what I can eat, versus what I cannot eat. For example, if I’m at a pub I will order a burger with bacon, onion, mushroom, and instead of a bun, use tomato slices. 

-Some food items that are tricky...you cannot eat: soy products (soy milk, soy beans, tofu), legumes (lentils, beans, peanuts), dairy (yogurt, ice cream, cheese, butter), grains (bread, oatmeal, quinoa, rice), sugar (candy, juice, pop), and the list goes on. 

Use spices. 

-This is where you can get really creative. My favorite spices are cinnamon, cayenne, and ginger. For example, make a quick Thai Curry with coconut milk, white fish, spinach, mushrooms, garlic powder, curry powder, and cayenne powder. 

-Cinnamon and cayenne are really great for increasing your metabolic rate, so if you want to lose more weight then go nuts with these. 

Love fats. 

-My perception of fats was completely wrong. I always wanted to eat low-fat, fat-free. Now I embrace fat with an open mouth!

-Foods like avocado, coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut meat, animal fat, almonds, macadamia nuts, cashews. These are all great sources of good fats. 

Accept criticism. 

-In my first 6 months of Paleo I was very loud and proud of my new lifestyle. If any of my friends questioned the way I ate, I went on a huge lecture about the benefits of Paleo. This usually resulted in a heated debate, and I would just get fed up and exhausted. 

-The reality is that this type of eating is against what we have been accustomed to eating. So just learn to deal with others, and continue your own journey. 

Eat until you’re full. 

-You will be surprised at how much your portion size will increase. I can pretty much out-eat any man. But I continue to lose weight. 

Buy organic, grass-fed meats. 

-I understand that for some people this is not easily available, and very expensive. So do your best. 

Look at ingredients. 

-You really have to be cautious of ingredients. For example, soy is a very common ingredient in many things. Also in restaurants, always ask if there is any dairy in sauces. This can get you, and if you’re lactose intolerant, it will hurt. 

Prepare large meals.

-Whenever you make a meal, make a huge meal. Freeze leftovers or pack them up for your lunch. 

Give yourself a break. 

-Try your best, but don’t stress out if you break the “rules”. 

Paleo Banana-Coconut Cookies

Ingredients

• 5 very ripe bananas
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cayenne powder

Preheat oven to 375°. Mash your bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix with a fork until it's all mixed. 

Take a round spoon to put spoonfuls of mixture onto a baking sheet. Make sure your grease the baking sheet with coconut oil, or butter. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. 

YUM~!

Yield: 25 cookies

Paleo Cookies

CaveGirls Are Power Smart

Since the beginning of November I have been living with my fantastic roommate, Kelly. We have such a great time together. We have coffee. We do yoga. We even eat chicken!

But...

We also pay really expensive Hydro bills...to be exact, it's about $115. Before moving in with Kelly, I always rented places that included heat and hot water. So today I took it upon myself to give BC Hydro a call.

I have a plan! I will make a conscious effort to be Power Smart. My goal is to have our next bill around $100.  I think that's an achievable goal. I will use many tools to help me achieve this goal. Here they are.

Power Smart 101

• Turn all heaters down to at least 15
• Turn off all heaters when leave the apartment
• Turn off unnecessary lights
• Wash clothes in cold water
• Only use dryer for linens
• Don't run the shower for 5 minutes before I get in
• Try to shower at the gym
• Change lightbulbs to energy efficient
• Don't pre-heat the oven for 1 hour
• Unplug things when you aren't using them
• Light candles

I think this is a great start.  I know some of these things seem obvious and insignificant, but I have to start somewhere and I am excited to see if I can reach my goal. 

Happy saving!

xoxo CaveGirl

Paleo Cheat List

Lately as we approach the holiday season, I have been thinking about all of the desserts, candies, pastries, meals, and goodies that I no longer eat. Don't get me wrong, I am so happy to eat according to Paleo principles, but I would be lying if I said I haven't been dreaming about Turtles Chocolates.

It really helps to resist these temptations by getting it off my chest. I want to be honest and transparent. I want to help other people understand that it's okay to have these feelings. You don't have to be perfect all the time.

So I've made my Paleo cheat list.

Paleo Cheat List

1. Doritos Cool Ranch
2. All Dressed Ruffles 
3. 5-cent candies
4. White rice 
5. Popcorn
6. Tomato-basil rice cakes
7. Garlic bread
8. Thick cut french fries
9. Yogurt covered raisins
10. Wine gums

I will continue to add to this list. If you have any big ticket wish list items please let me know.

Happy eating!

Paleo Recipes

Beef Heart with Roasted Vegetables

I know what you're thinking...a cow heart?!! Gross! 

But I just hope that you try this recipe. Please leave comments, would love to see how it turns out!

Beef heart - very lean and tender

Thinly sliced

You can see how thin I sliced it

Marinated for 10 minutes 

Close up of marinating heart

Pan-fried in Ghee on high for 4min per side

Chopped broccoli, cabbage, onion - drizzled w/olive oil and oregano

Beef heart and veggies baked at 400° for 20minutes

Beef heart is done

Beef heart served with spicy mustard and radishes

Ingredients

1 beef heart thinly sliced

1 broccoli chopped

1 cup cabbage shredded

1 onion chopped

Marinade

3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cayenne

Slice beef heart really thinly with a sharp knife. Cover with marinade and let sit for at least 10 minutes. In a separate bowl toss your vegetables in olive oil with a bit of no-salt seasoning. 

On a large cookie sheet place your marinated beef heart slices and far enough apart put your veggies. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. 

Serve with spicy mustard and radishes.