PR Week at my box!!!

For those of you who are into CrossFit (like me and the majority of my friends), you know how it feels when you PR (personal record) something at the box.  This week at my box, CrossFit Structured, is TEST week.  Basically this means that throughout the week we will be lifting heavy and trying to find our PR.

At my box, they have a PR bell that you ring whenever you do something exceptional.  Every time I lift anything, it is usually a PR as I've never really lifted heavy weight before in my life. However, the bell will be ringing nonstop this week as my fellow CrossFitter's will be working on their goals and setting a higher standard for themselves.

What are your PR's??  Share with us you most memorable lift, the way it made you feel, the dance you did when you accomplished your amazing feat.

I share with you this video of my amazing coach Michelle Mascoto snatching 140#.  In 13 seconds, you can see the utter delight of her accomplishment as well as her dedication to working on her own PR's that will encourage those that she coaches!  She is a huge inspiration in my life and love the hard work that she puts into coaching and improving those around her!

Drool Inducing, Crock-pot Pulled Pork

I know I posted a recipe last week, and I had planned on writing a snippet about my Crossfit experience, but after yesterday's lunch I have to spread the love with this new recipe I tried out! (I may or may not have had it for dinner, as well.)

So my Crossfit coach, Katie, was telling a couple of us about an easy crock-pot recipe that only consisted of two ingredients: pork roast and bacon. Wrapping pork in more pork??? Yes please!

I love pork! I grew up not caring for it so much. Looking back, it was because the only way I had ever experienced pork was smothered in Shake-n-Bake, baked to oblivion and then dipped in ketchup. It was like chewing on a shoe, dipped in ketchup. Just thinking about it makes me throw up a little in my mouth. I had never tasted the deliciousness that is a pork loin roast.

Since making this discovery, I have made many a pork roast in my crock-pot. Today was no exception. I took the recipe my coach told me about, combined it with the seasoning from another recipe, added a twist of my own and it came out AH-Mazing! I will write the recipe just as I made it, but you could most definitely half it if you want less pork or have a small crock-pot. Here goes:


Crock-Pot Pulled Pork

Ingredients:
4lbs Pork Roast (I happened to use pork butt, but shoulder or loin would work beautifully)
Bacon (as much as you'd like)
3 Tbsp Spice Rub (see recipe below)
1 20oz Can of Crushed Pineapple

Spice Rub** Recipe:
1 Tbsp Paprika (I used sweet, the recipe called for smoked, you can use whatever you have)
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Crushed Chipotle Pepper
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
1/2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp Pepper (I used white, original recipe calls for black)

Combine all spices and mix thoroughly.

Pulled Pork Directions:
1. Either spray your crock-pot well with non-stick spray or line with one of those fancy crock-pot liners (I've never used one but I hear they work wonders).

2. Cover the bottom of crock-pot with a layer of bacon. Sprinkle one side of roast with 1 1/2 tablespoons of spice mix (or to taste), lightly rub into pork. Place spiced side down on top of bacon. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons spice mix (or to taste) onto other side of roast and lightly rub in. After roast is seasoned, cover with another layer of bacon. This is where you could put more or less bacon, depending on your obsession with bacon.

3. Dump crushed pineapple over the top of roast and bacon. Cover crock-pot with lid and set on low for 10 hours.

4. After 10 hours pass, take forks or tongs and shred pork. Stir around in the juices so everything is nicely combined.

5. (This step is optional). Let shredded roast sit mixed in the juices for at least a half hour. (I left it for 2 hours, but I was super busy doing other things. The longer it sits in the juices, the better it gets.)

If you use four pounds it makes a LOT of pork. I made that much because we always make meals ahead of time to have for the week. After 10 hours in the crock-pot the meat just fell apart with my tongs. It was glorious. This was SO good, I WILL be making it again in the not-so-distance future.

I have a feeling this would be equally delectable with a beef roast!

Eat. Drink. Squat.

**The spice rub recipe is from the book Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo.

Yoga Festival!

If there is one thing you do this summer, you must go to the Big Bear Yoga Festival. Whether you're new to yoga or been on the mat for years, their line up us amazing! The classes are incredible, offering Kundalini (you know I'll be in there!), Christian-based, Hiking, and dance-included to name a few. And the musical line up is tremendous (I'll be volunteering over there, of course!). 

For more information, visit http://www.bigbearyogafestival.com . Tickets are still available, including single day passes. Come say hi if you see me!

This festival marks the end of my summer hiatus from regular blogging, but don't be surprised when all my posts are yoga-based.  I know I'm in for an inspirational weekend!

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts

I am (not-so) new to Paleo.  I recently joined Crossfit (more on that at a later date) and am jumping back into a Paleo diet. The hub and I ate Paleo for about four months before we embarked on our year long vegan adventure. We loved it! We found quite a few recipes that were stupendous. (One of those being the crockpot green chili pork I blogged about before.) The transition from vegan to paleo has been smooth for us. Plus, I'm a happy camper since I can now eat eggs :)

I have such a horrible, nagging sweet tooth. It tortures me day and night. Eating a delicious, sweet piece of fruit just doesn't cut it. Although a wonderful alternative, it just doesn't do it for me. I like to play around with baking which is great but also not a good idea if you don't want all the yummy baked goods lying around the house. If they are there, I WILL eat them! Simplest solution to that: bake wonderful yummies, eat one or two, quickly give the rest away. It's win-win-win, right??

Here is a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that is also paleo! Make them. Eat them. Enjoy them.

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts**

Ingredients

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1/4 cup palm shortening (or butter)
• 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (gluten, dairy, soy free)
• 1/2 cup walnut halves (optional but encouraged!)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Sift almond flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.
3. In a stand mixer cream shortening and palm sugar together. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts (if using).
5. Use a small cookie scoop or large spoon to scoop out balls of cookie dough – each cookie approximately 2 tablespoons. Roll into balls.
6. Place on a Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet and flatten out the dough into the thickness you like – the dough does not spread when cooking.
7. Cook for 10-12 minutes.

Makes roughly 2 dozen cookies

**This original recipe can be found over at Paleo Spirit

Summertime Blues

Summertime and its joys of laughter and sunshine are coming to an end for many of us!  For some of the writers here at MM&M, kids will be heading back to school soon, making way for more hours available in the gym for the stay at home moms, for others the end of summer means returning to work as dedicated teachers and finding less time for themselves.

As for me, I really have no excuse not to make it to my box as my hours are the same regardless of the time of year.  I have the same job at the same company that I have had for the last 7 1/2 years, however I can't figure out where my time goes!

Time management is one of my biggest downfalls, especially since graduating in December.  I have no more homework and after work I have a tendency to not want to do anything unless it involves hanging out with my hubby!  This week my time has been sitting on the couch doing absolutely nothing trying to get rid of the migraine I have had since Saturday.  But what about next week?

What do you do to keep you motivated and on track with your workouts? 

On a side note, I am making progress at my box and am appreciative of the dedication that my coach has to push me as hard as possible.  I went out with friends last week in a dress that I would never have worn before.  I felt great!