Woohooo! It’s (un)officially summer and we kicked it off in style yesterday with some napping/playing on the beach, smells of sunscreen and a competitive mini-golf game. With summer finally here, for some runners it also means the slowing of their running routine. I will openly admit that I HATE to run in the heat. I LOVE to run in the snow and would prefer a cold January day over a warm July one.

After reading Tina’s and Krissie’s blog posts yesterday, I was too tempted to not participate in Runner’s World’s 2012 Summer Running Streak. From yesterday through July 4th, runners are challenged to run at least 1 mile per day.

I kicked off my run yesterday with a 3 mile run down the island to the little town of Duck and back.  My knee was super achy and tight by the end (stinkin IT band) but its probably because I didn’t pace myself on the way ‘out’ with a walking break.

With my knee hurting me lately, I’ve resorted to run walking. I’ve always avoided this method because I feel like my motivation drops with each walking break (and also because I’m an over achiever and want to run the whole way) but my body determines how much I can push.

So I invite you all to join me on this Summer Running Streak challenge. With the minimum of 1 mile a day (10 minutes folks!) that will leave us all feeling energized, and hey it can’t hurt for our bathing suit bods either!

Are you going to join me in the RW Summer Running Streak?

Happy Memorial Day!! I hope the weather in your area is warm and sunny to celebrate the kick off to summer! The BF and I are celebrating in OBX for the week and are fully ready to embrace summer with both tanned (for me freckled) arms!

I have two more burger recipes to share with you to celebrate the holiday. One is a Shannon original and the other is a huuuuuge shout out to Juli over at PaleOMG.

But first my creation… I understand that some people have a moral issue with consuming veal. I do not. As a Paleoite and omnivore in general, I try not to think too hard about the origins of meat (other than are they grass fed) and what they had to go through to end up on my plate.

BUT if you enjoy veal, and want to try a slightly different burger, I have a delicious recipe for you!

Vidalia Veal Burgers
Serves 4

1 lb of Veal
1 Vidalia onion
2 tbsp of dried sage
2 tbsp of garlic powder
10-12 button mushrooms sliced
4 tbsp of Dijon mustard
3 tbsp of mayonnaise

Crumble the ground veal into a bowl and mix in the ground sage and garlic power. Also add a pinch of salt and pepper if your heart desires. Once fully mixed together (use your hands- get in there!) Flatten the meat into 4 patties.

Cook the meat on the grill at about 400 degrees until desired doneness is achieved.  While the burgers are cooking, in a skillet heat up a fat (I prefer olive oil) and add sliced onions to the oil to sauté. Once the onions have become translucent, add the mushrooms. Remove from heat once both are fully cooked.

In a small dish, add the Dijon mustard and mayo. Mix well.

After the burgers have cooked through, plate them with a little of the Dijon mix spread on top followed by the mushrooms and onions.

This recipe is definitely for the adventurous eaters; however, if you give it a try, I think you will enjoy it!

BISON BURGERS
The last and favorite  recipe is for Bison Burgers with Bacon Apple Chutney on top! If you are in the northeast, you can find ground Bison at your local Wegmans. If you like Bison this recipe CANNOT be missed! Head over to PaleOMG and try it for yourself.

Have a Burgerlicious Memorial day!

Are you tired of burgers yet? I sure hope not because some of my best recipes are yet to come! This weekend it’s supposed to be in the 80s and sunny in the Philadelphia area, so come over and enjoy a burger! Or send a friend, family member, significant other to tend the grill because the next few recipes you don’t want to miss!

If you’re a regular beef hamburger kinda person (hey I get it, just driving by a burger place makes me want ground beef like a heathen) then this recipe is a fun twist on a classic favorite.

BBQ Bacon Burger
  Serves 4

1 lb of ground meat (I use 80/20 for the juiciest burgers)
1 medium onion
10-20 slices mushrooms
8 slices of bacon
Bone Suckin’ BBQ Sauce

Throw the bacon into a skillet and cook until crispy. While the bacon is cooking, slice up the onions into thin rings and add them to the hot bacon grease. Once they are  semi-tranlucent, add the sliced mushrooms.

While the veggies are cooking, crumble the ground meat into a bowl with salt and pepper. If you’re a naturalist, go ahead and form them into patties. I often times add Weber Grill Creations Hamburger mix to my ground burgers (no I am not a spokesperson for Weber Grill Creations, just a huge fan).

Form the ground beef into 4 patties and cook them on the grill at about 400 degrees for 4 minutes on each side (for medium well done burgers).

Remove the veggies from the stove after they have cooked down. After removing the burgers from the grill, top the burgers with Bone Suckin’ BBQ Sauce (if you have never had this, it’s the best all natural BBQ sauce out there!) onion/mushroom combo and bacon.

Of course you can make your burgers the safe traditional way, but why not give your guests something to salivate over?  Bon Appetite!

Question of the night: How do you eat your burger?

CrossFit is like the new kid to arrive at school. Its mysertious to some, but if you jump in and give it a try right away, you’ll end up being BFF. That’s kind of how CrossFit has gone for me. I began attending crossfit classes about 2 months ago (very intermittently). I was scared.to.death…at first. I mean I thought I could NEVER lift those bars! And pull ups? Are you kidding me?

After a couple of months, and VERY encouraging coaches and ‘teammates’ I have returned to CrossFit on a pretty regular basis. The workouts? They kick your booty! But there is something about completing a WOD (workout of the day) that is grueling, and having your teammates cheer you on that is exhilarating. It provides me a sense of self confidence that I have never had before during any sports (team or individual). It’s all about individual performance and there is SOME competition on a higher level, but I like that I don’t have to be super athletic to attend their sessions.


I usually am an early morning exerciser (especially when the summer heat sets in) and so I am up and at CrossFit by 6 am two days a week and maybe an occasional Saturday. Yesterday’s WOD has me particularly sore today (my quads don’t love going down stairs) but at the end, after dropping to the floor, I thought “Wow I can’t believe I just finished THAT!”.

For me, it’s about being a part of a community that is constantly striving for improvement in their workout performance and towards achieving a healthy lifestyle. I HIGHLY encourage others to give CrossFit a try.  As I have mentioned before, my box was great about a 2-week ‘free trial’ period that got me hooked. I plan on attending a crossfit gym while the BF are away this week to keep the routine going- plus it’s so much fun!



Question of the night: Have you tried Crossfit? If not, what are you waiting for? 

Happy Hump Day!  I am glad we are half way through the work week -especially because I leave for vacation with the BF on Sunday. Bring me sun, sand and a drink in my hand!

As burger week continues, today I bring you the Spicy Turkey Burger. This is a great burger that you could forego my toppings and simply add some spicy mayo or cheese if your heart desired. For me, I love the heat this burger brings, and its Paleo friendly, so fire up the grill and get into the kitchen! This is a good one :)

Spicy Turkey Burger
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground turkey (I used 85/15)
1 small red bell pepper
1 small onion
4- 5 Tbsp Weber grill creations N’Orleans Cajun Seasoning
2 Tbsp Chili Powder

For the toppings:
Siracha Sauce
½ sliced Avocado

Dice the pepper and onion together so the pieces are fine (we don’t want big chunks here people!) and toss them into a large mixing bowl. Take the raw turkey from the package and crumble it with your hands into the bowl.

Mix the turkey and veggies until they are evenly distributed. Shake in the Cajun seasoning and the chili seasoning. Keep adding spices if you feel it is necessary.

Throw the burgers on the grill until the juices run clear. I always take a knife to cut into the turkey to make sure they are done. Be careful to not over-cook them, they dry out.

Plate it up with a little Siracha sauce on top (this is spiiiicy sauce!) and some avocado slices to cool off the heat.

Want to read more recipes? Yesterday’s Perfect Pork Burgers are sure to have guests going back for seconds. Keep reading this week for more recipes and Burger Week continues!

Happy Monday everyone! Although its rainy and a little dreary in the greater Philadelphia area today, Memorial day and the promise of sunshine is on the horizon! As I mentioned yesterday, each day this week I will be featuring a burger from my recipe arsenal that is sure to please any crowd! So take a look through and try one of my top 5 burgers.

First up is the Perfect Pork Burger!

Perfect Pork Burgers (adapted from Food Network Magazine)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb of lean ground pork
8 strips of thick cut bacon (about 2 pieces per burger)
Salt and pepper
Coleslaw (homemade or bagged from Dole)Thomas’ Bagel thins (if you do the whole roll thing)

With your hands break up the ground pork into a bowl and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Rough chop bacon and add into the meat mixture. Form 4 flat patties (the flatter the better they shrink!).

Add burger to the grill and cook until well done and slightly crispy. While the burgers are cooking, mix together coleslaw bag of chopped cabbage etc and dressing.

Once burgers are done, add them to bagel things and top with a heaping pile of coleslaw.  Each bite should provide the creaminess of the coleslaw, and the savory flavors of the bacon and pork.

Enjoy!

I’m starting week three of my strict Paleo challenge and this past week was a challenge indeed. With my monthly gift arriving right on time, my ambition flew right out the window. I did divulge in a piece of candy or two at the office and at the end of the week (Last night) was my sister’s 21st birthday. Yikes.

The good news is, I only had two drinks (1. Vodka club soda, lemon and lime pelase! And a Miller light). You’re probably thinking “Beer? Really?” Yes I consumed a beer and let me tell you I am paying for it today. With only two drinks consumed (and lots of club sodas in between) I feel like I am hungover? That’s because I am. Today I am fighting a grains hangover hardcore of which is teaching me a hard lesson….my body now rejects that type of food.

I suppose I should be jumping for joy (this is my breakthrough moment!) but part of me is a little sad that this will be the result of ‘enjoying’ a beer from time to time. You might be wondering what my ‘side effects’ are of drinking one beer? A pounding headache, loss of appetite and sour stomach are all attributed to this. I never really believed the Paleo gurus when they spoke of grain repercussions, and now I do all too well. Maybe from now on when ordering a drink, I’ll just have to stick to tequila ;)

As week three begins, I have lots of delicious Paleo (and non Paleo) recipes for you all to enjoy as the Memorial Day weekend rolls around. I say these are also non-Paleo because paired with a roll or a side of potato salad, these are just plain delicious.

So sit back and enjoy the recipes this week my friends as I kick off Burger Week! From fancy pants to Plain Jane, these top 5 recipes are sure to please any crowd this Memorial Day weekend!

Yesterday was officially the end of week one on a strict Paleo Diet with my CrossFit box- CrossFit Sine Pari. I am happy to report that in the first week, I have lost 2 pounds of fat! For those who might scoff at two pounds, I would like to paint this picture for you. Its like removing two boxes of butter off your body. Getting a visual?

This week was hard at times (we had a birthday celebration for my brother and Philly Soft Pretzel Friday at work) but I stayed strong and it paid off! I'm finding that almond milk settles my dairy craving down in the evening and I have also come to realize that wine was my 'gateway drug' to want cheese. No surprise there.

I won't lie to you and tell you this is easy.I think about food often.  I'm pretty sure I would have tackled someone this week for a bite of cheese, or a sip of wine, but just like everything else I do, when I commit to doing something I go all in. And now that means when weigh-in and FRAN day rolls around on June 4th, I want to look and feel like I have improved.

So what's next? This week I want to focus on how to eat out with a Paleo lifestyle. I almost always pack my lunch for work, and the bf often makes us breakfast and dinner which helps keep me true to the Paleo lifestyle. However, tomorrow I have plans to meet a friend for dinner and (non alcoholic) drinks, and the place we chose along will help me make menu choices easier without having to struggle with temptation.

Since beginning this journey into Paleo, I have been asked many questions often wondering if this lifestyle I lead is 'worth it'. Based on how I feel, I would say 100%. If there are questions you would like to ask me about my lifestyle and beginning the journey into Paleo and CrossFit, please comment or send me an email. 

Be Well Friends!

I'm sure you're all wondering how the Paleo Challenge is going that I announced about 3 weeks ago. In short....OK.  

I was hoping to have this miraculous quick weight loss that the BF experienced between November and December last year. I have cut out grains, bumped up the hours slept and even started cutting back on the miles (also due to my ITBS flaring) all in the name of Paleo. And alas, the scale has only budged a couple of lbs. 

I will admit, at work, there is a candy jar and I'm like Pavlov's dog. When I hear the jar open, I begin the candy craving and if a late night is in order, my determination weakens as the hours tick by. So to kick up the challenge, and my motivation level, I decided to join a group of ladies at my CrossFit box in a 30 day Paleo Challenge!

You're probably thinking I've gone to a whole new level of crazy. Maybe so...but its one month and if I decide a hard-core paleo diet is not for me, then I move to be more flexible.

Below are a couple of important pieces that I had not taken into account in my prior attempt, and I'm hoping buckling down will provide positive results.

1.) No Dairy- This will be the hardest part of the 30 days. I love cheese more than anything, but I'm hoping that after 2 weeks, the cravings will subside (In the past, I had cheese on every meal and actually made menu choices around it).
2.) No Alcohol- The only challenge for me will be on my younger sister's 21st birthday. I am allowing myself one night to have a few drinks to celebrate her big day.
3.) No fruit or nuts- Fruit and nuts have been my 'go to' snack since starting Paleo. The problem is, I could eat my body weight in nuts therefore stunting my fat-loss. I will need to get a little creative for Paleo snacks throughout the day.

So here on A Pinch of Ginger, you're going to see some Paelo-fied recipes and a documentation of the struggles and triumphs in this challenge for the next 30 days. Get ready for lots of grilling action!

Last night's dinner  kicked it off with grilled chicken, homemade guac and a garden salad.