Twelve Hours and counting til the Walords of Draenor launch.
But really? Who is counting? Totally not staying up for the first push through the Dark Portal - my PC will NEVER forgive me.
Neither, as a side note will my boss who really prefers that I get more than three hours sleep. Never could pull it off even as a teenager.
So the WoW groups on Facebook all are talking about various preparation for the expansion launch, most include lots of junk food and Mountain Dew.
I look at it and groan just cause it will make me sick sick sick. I haven't even tried popcorn back into my diet yet - I am waiting until I get some organic non gmo corn - I have yet to really have good luck with corn except under those circumstances.
So what have I done?
Today there is a course of bacon wrapped apples in the fridge - I was going to do pineapple too but I ran out of bacon. That is a sad day. More bacon is needed.
I also bought the stuff to make my own trail mix - cashews, dried fruit (cherries, blueberries and cranberries), coconut and dark chocolate. It's pretty yummy.
We also are still working through a case of Toasted Nori. My lady mother and I absolutely love it.
Most of my guildmates in Templares Encarmine are working most of the day tomorrow so we'll hopefully be meeting to quest and RP our way through at least part of the expansion. My paladin and I can't wait.
Sunday, the Order of the Golden Cog will be dungeon running. My warrior and priest are in for that.
I don't know what Alahni lo Andu's plans are but with Bindy at the helm, everything will be fun albeit possibly gnomishly complicated and filled with cuppycakes, turtles and glitter!
I think my paladin will be first because I'm boring like that and the paladin is always first and I love paladins. And the stories are fantastic!
Off to disappear, see you in AZEROTH!
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Friday, November 7, 2014
Bacon Wrapped Apples, The Ultimate Gamer Food?
So next week, as I stated is the Warlords of Draenor release date. With this there are certain gamer rituals that are usually embraced. These include but are not limited to, staying up til midnight on release date to get out and play, power leveling your main toon, taking vacation days to level and embrace new content and oh yes, eating junk food and drinking LOTS of caffeine.
Now I never was one to stay up late - past midnight gaming and RP sessions have next day effects, if I don't sleep I get migraines and the dragons come out of hiding and I become a royal pain in the butt.
Beyond that, I don't see a reason to try to rush through all the content, I love the story lines of World of Warcraft and I'd rather quest through, see it all and enjoy it. As I belong to three RP guilds and raiding just is not what we do, there is no real reason to rush through ten levels and try to hit server first paladin 100. (or warrior or priest or shaman, I haven't made any decision on this topic yet)
I did manage to get a full day off on Wednesday next week, so there will be some marathon gaming taking place. This does bring on the munchies, though nowhere as severe as they were since I started paleo - pre Paleo I was usually hungry by ten or so, shaking and trying to find snacks. Now I don't snack as much, 10 PM usually sees me sipping on my Natural Calm and wearing my orange glasses chatting away on vent and in game. I do love to munch on toasted nori though and that is a pretty smart choice.
But yesterday as I'm cranking varied gamer anthems through my phone I came up with what I thought was quite the brilliant idea. This is almost too simple to be called a recipe but it does work through the concept of what a good healthy gamer snack should be in my opinion.
1. Mixing salty and sweet.
2. Still eating nutrient dense foods.
3. Contains satiating protein and fat
4. Can be eaten with the fingers as to not interrupt the gaming experience with a fork (if you are in the middle of an RP session this is not as great of an issue but for dungeoning it's a bit better)
5. Can be kept in the refrigerator or on the counter therefore not interrupting the flow in order to cook.
I'm well aware that too many marathon gaming sessions are NOT healthy but they are a special occasion experience and a social event for gamers in general, even though our friends might be in Wyoming, Colorado or Idaho.
This is a recipe that I'm almost ashamed to call a recipe but it works SO well. It does take quite a bit of time to cook but the hands on time is pretty short.
Take a slice of bacon and cut it in half with kitchen scissors. One half of a piece of bacon wraps around one apple slice. Put the ends of the bacon down on the cake pan, you should not need a toothpick.
Three apples will be a single layer in a 8x8 cake pan. Arrange them and put them in the oven. Cook until bacon is the required doneness for you - it's been over an hour here but your mileage may vary in your oven. (These can also be reasonably cooked in your wood cookstove if you have one)
Now I never was one to stay up late - past midnight gaming and RP sessions have next day effects, if I don't sleep I get migraines and the dragons come out of hiding and I become a royal pain in the butt.
Beyond that, I don't see a reason to try to rush through all the content, I love the story lines of World of Warcraft and I'd rather quest through, see it all and enjoy it. As I belong to three RP guilds and raiding just is not what we do, there is no real reason to rush through ten levels and try to hit server first paladin 100. (or warrior or priest or shaman, I haven't made any decision on this topic yet)
I did manage to get a full day off on Wednesday next week, so there will be some marathon gaming taking place. This does bring on the munchies, though nowhere as severe as they were since I started paleo - pre Paleo I was usually hungry by ten or so, shaking and trying to find snacks. Now I don't snack as much, 10 PM usually sees me sipping on my Natural Calm and wearing my orange glasses chatting away on vent and in game. I do love to munch on toasted nori though and that is a pretty smart choice.
But yesterday as I'm cranking varied gamer anthems through my phone I came up with what I thought was quite the brilliant idea. This is almost too simple to be called a recipe but it does work through the concept of what a good healthy gamer snack should be in my opinion.
1. Mixing salty and sweet.
2. Still eating nutrient dense foods.
3. Contains satiating protein and fat
4. Can be eaten with the fingers as to not interrupt the gaming experience with a fork (if you are in the middle of an RP session this is not as great of an issue but for dungeoning it's a bit better)
5. Can be kept in the refrigerator or on the counter therefore not interrupting the flow in order to cook.
I'm well aware that too many marathon gaming sessions are NOT healthy but they are a special occasion experience and a social event for gamers in general, even though our friends might be in Wyoming, Colorado or Idaho.
This is a recipe that I'm almost ashamed to call a recipe but it works SO well. It does take quite a bit of time to cook but the hands on time is pretty short.
Bacon Wrapped Apples
Three Large Apples (I used Gala for this batch but they're almost too sweet - I may use Granny Smith next time)
Uncured Bacon (I used the Kroger Brand from their Simple Truth line, but any bacon can be used)
Uncured Bacon (I used the Kroger Brand from their Simple Truth line, but any bacon can be used)
Preheat your oven to 350
Take your apples, peel (optional but as they are on the FDA's dirty dozen list for pesticides, I prefer to peel them), core and cut into slices. I use an apple slicer like the one here as it is just sooo much simpler to use! It cuts down the time significantly. Save the cores and peels for your compost pile or your chickens!
Take a slice of bacon and cut it in half with kitchen scissors. One half of a piece of bacon wraps around one apple slice. Put the ends of the bacon down on the cake pan, you should not need a toothpick.
Three apples will be a single layer in a 8x8 cake pan. Arrange them and put them in the oven. Cook until bacon is the required doneness for you - it's been over an hour here but your mileage may vary in your oven. (These can also be reasonably cooked in your wood cookstove if you have one)
The apples will be fairly chewy but not mushy and the bacon will be crisp.
The sweet and salty together just works!
Better and more sustaining gamer food than peanut butter M&M's and Mountain Dew! (though curses, I do miss those M&M's)
The sweet and salty together just works!
Better and more sustaining gamer food than peanut butter M&M's and Mountain Dew! (though curses, I do miss those M&M's)
Thursday, November 6, 2014
These are a few of my favorite Podcasts!
So I realized an ongoing issue with the creation of a cooking blog. I can create recipes, in fact, I can create WONDERFUL food.
Unfortunately that whole measuring thing? Yeah totally not so good at it. Add in the fact that the holiday season is starting aka retail mass chaos and it's going to get interesting.
BUT I have had people asking about my way of eating so I thought I'd share some of my favorite podcasts with you in no particular order. I'm a huge fan of podcasts as my hour drive to and from work makes life a bit boring in the jeep.
1. The Paleo View is run by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne of The Paleo Mom and Stacy Toth of Paleo Parents - It's a great combination of geeky science (Proudly explained in the Science with Sarah segments) and practical information. The back and forth banter between the hostesses make it one of my favorite podcasts.
2. The Primal Shift - this is a podcast out of Australia so fun accents HOORAY! Also loads of practical information and just overall very well put together.
3. Born Primal - with Kendall Kendrick of Primal Balance is also utterly fantastic. She takes different people from the Ancestral Health Community and engages them in conversation. The discussions are lively and there are always good takeaways.
4. Paleo Hacks Podcast - has a lot of great, practical information with practical takeaways, not just encompassing food but other aspects such as sleep, hygiene, etc.
5. The Gluten Free School Podcast - Jennifer Fugo of The Gluten Free School is amazing - her focus is on NOT just adapting the Standard American Diet to the Standard American Gluten Free diet. She focuses on whole foods, even though she is NOT strictly paleo. Also her rice porridge slow cooker recipe is amazing. Try it.
6. Modern Farm Girls Podcast - this is a riot. Both these ladies have farms and are paleo and it's a terrific way of seeing more about where food comes from.
In other news, the World of Warcraft Expansion Warlords of Draenor is coming out next Wednesday so there is a focus on gamer snacks that are healthy. I will add some in as I find them. They may or may not be just mass quantities of toasted nori - which is also a workable solution.
Unfortunately that whole measuring thing? Yeah totally not so good at it. Add in the fact that the holiday season is starting aka retail mass chaos and it's going to get interesting.
BUT I have had people asking about my way of eating so I thought I'd share some of my favorite podcasts with you in no particular order. I'm a huge fan of podcasts as my hour drive to and from work makes life a bit boring in the jeep.
1. The Paleo View is run by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne of The Paleo Mom and Stacy Toth of Paleo Parents - It's a great combination of geeky science (Proudly explained in the Science with Sarah segments) and practical information. The back and forth banter between the hostesses make it one of my favorite podcasts.
2. The Primal Shift - this is a podcast out of Australia so fun accents HOORAY! Also loads of practical information and just overall very well put together.
3. Born Primal - with Kendall Kendrick of Primal Balance is also utterly fantastic. She takes different people from the Ancestral Health Community and engages them in conversation. The discussions are lively and there are always good takeaways.
4. Paleo Hacks Podcast - has a lot of great, practical information with practical takeaways, not just encompassing food but other aspects such as sleep, hygiene, etc.
5. The Gluten Free School Podcast - Jennifer Fugo of The Gluten Free School is amazing - her focus is on NOT just adapting the Standard American Diet to the Standard American Gluten Free diet. She focuses on whole foods, even though she is NOT strictly paleo. Also her rice porridge slow cooker recipe is amazing. Try it.
6. Modern Farm Girls Podcast - this is a riot. Both these ladies have farms and are paleo and it's a terrific way of seeing more about where food comes from.
In other news, the World of Warcraft Expansion Warlords of Draenor is coming out next Wednesday so there is a focus on gamer snacks that are healthy. I will add some in as I find them. They may or may not be just mass quantities of toasted nori - which is also a workable solution.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Slow Cooker Baked Apples
So life is crazy at this household, I'm working nonstop and dealing with all the fun of numerous mobile phone launches and going into the Christmas season, which in working retail becomes more and more crazy.
This is also usually the time where self care dissolves into mush. Retail holiday season ends up living on junk food and energy drinks as in my boss provides the energy drinks and black Friday is a mass of pasta.
Working on a plan for dealing with that, as cheating is not an option - the gluten will slow me down and make me sick. My lady mother and I have discovered a brown rice based pasta at one of the localish health food stores (Fresh Thyme in Greenwood, Indiana) actually does REALLY well for both of us. I figure on making a batch and taking it with me - marinara sauce is usually pretty safe.
In the meantime, preparing World of Warcraft toons for an expansion (and trying to develop healthy gamer snacks) and prepare autocratting an SCA event.
Never fear though, I am taking care of myself even if gaming in the blue light blocking glasses DOES make trying to judge a good transmog interesting.
But to the point on this post...
Sometimes a girl just wants something sweet at breakfast. Doubt me? Pancakes, donuts, coffee cakes, etc - all examples of something sweet to eat with your eggs or bacon. Now, bacon, eggs, veggies and sausage? We have it all covered. (Current favorite breakfast with my lady mother and I is a combination of German sauerkraut from Aldis and fried eggs. Absolutely YUM!) The problem with cake and such is the gluten. And the fact that if I'm opening in the morning or if there is church, there is just no time to pull it off.
Enter these apples, which I started making last week when a friend gave us a BAG of seconds from the local orchard. I used my handy new pretty tool which is one of those apple corer slicer things to cut them into tiny wedges, mixed it up and boom! Baked apples when we woke up in the morning! These have gotten the Dad and Dude seal of approval as well. (I live with my parents and my little brother)
It's almost embarrassing to post a recipe, these are so simple. No picture because while they taste fabulous, they are not terribly impressive looking.
This is also usually the time where self care dissolves into mush. Retail holiday season ends up living on junk food and energy drinks as in my boss provides the energy drinks and black Friday is a mass of pasta.
Working on a plan for dealing with that, as cheating is not an option - the gluten will slow me down and make me sick. My lady mother and I have discovered a brown rice based pasta at one of the localish health food stores (Fresh Thyme in Greenwood, Indiana) actually does REALLY well for both of us. I figure on making a batch and taking it with me - marinara sauce is usually pretty safe.
In the meantime, preparing World of Warcraft toons for an expansion (and trying to develop healthy gamer snacks) and prepare autocratting an SCA event.
Never fear though, I am taking care of myself even if gaming in the blue light blocking glasses DOES make trying to judge a good transmog interesting.
But to the point on this post...
Sometimes a girl just wants something sweet at breakfast. Doubt me? Pancakes, donuts, coffee cakes, etc - all examples of something sweet to eat with your eggs or bacon. Now, bacon, eggs, veggies and sausage? We have it all covered. (Current favorite breakfast with my lady mother and I is a combination of German sauerkraut from Aldis and fried eggs. Absolutely YUM!) The problem with cake and such is the gluten. And the fact that if I'm opening in the morning or if there is church, there is just no time to pull it off.
Enter these apples, which I started making last week when a friend gave us a BAG of seconds from the local orchard. I used my handy new pretty tool which is one of those apple corer slicer things to cut them into tiny wedges, mixed it up and boom! Baked apples when we woke up in the morning! These have gotten the Dad and Dude seal of approval as well. (I live with my parents and my little brother)
It's almost embarrassing to post a recipe, these are so simple. No picture because while they taste fabulous, they are not terribly impressive looking.
Slow Cooker Baked Apples
Ingredients:
- 8 Apples, cored and cut into slices
- 2 tablespoons of butter, you can use other fats if you are dairy sensitive
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon or to taste
- A dash of salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons honey (we use local honey but you can use other sweetners)
This is LITERALLY the simplest recipe ever - as in the worst of the labor is to cut the apples. I use a tool that I bought at the local Aldis - the apple slicer makes life pretty fast.
Layer the apples down on the bottom of the slow cooker. Then sprinkle the spices on top of that. Cut the butter into small pieces and spread it on top and then drizzle the honey on top of the mixture.
Close the lid, turn the slow cooker on low and leave it for eight hours.
This is good hot or cold - around here Vanilla Salted Caramel Greek Yogurt is the favorite to top it. But good quality ice cream is nice as well.
Enjoy!
Layer the apples down on the bottom of the slow cooker. Then sprinkle the spices on top of that. Cut the butter into small pieces and spread it on top and then drizzle the honey on top of the mixture.
Close the lid, turn the slow cooker on low and leave it for eight hours.
This is good hot or cold - around here Vanilla Salted Caramel Greek Yogurt is the favorite to top it. But good quality ice cream is nice as well.
Enjoy!
Sunday, October 5, 2014
A New Name a New Start, Two Weeks Later
I realized after I got this blog started that I didn't want to singularly focus on the SCA, but with all of the geeky aspects of my lifestyle.
So I have a confession, I'm a girl gamer. As in Felicia Day style minus the whole gnome warlock showing up in the living room...
In fact, Felicia Day is kind of a hero of mine for her work with girl gamers and making female geekery more acceptable.
(And yes I ADORE The Guild)
I primarily World of Warcraft on Silverhand Server. It's an RP server where I run The Order of the Golden Cog, an all gnome rp guild as well as being active in Alahni Lo Andu and Templares Encarmine. Alahni lo Andu is an RP guild out of Stormwind which is great fun and Templares Encarmine is a Lightsworn guild.
I also love to play a lot of role playing games, trading card games, etc... All around I enjoy gaming, science fiction, fantasy, etc...
The problem with all of this is that the gamer community is NOT known for healthy eating - in fact, Mountain Dew and Pizza is the norm. GenCon this year pizzaless? Just not fun (I was not going to pay $12 for a small gluten free pizza).
So I have learned new recipes for snacks and I'll post links to them and to ready made snacks as we go.
Today I'm working on a sloppy joe on top of a potato. Last time I did this, we actually ate this recipe - Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon - with it. (And it was YUMMY)
I will post a recipe on the Sloppy Joes when I know I have the measurements!
So I have a confession, I'm a girl gamer. As in Felicia Day style minus the whole gnome warlock showing up in the living room...
In fact, Felicia Day is kind of a hero of mine for her work with girl gamers and making female geekery more acceptable.
(And yes I ADORE The Guild)
I primarily World of Warcraft on Silverhand Server. It's an RP server where I run The Order of the Golden Cog, an all gnome rp guild as well as being active in Alahni Lo Andu and Templares Encarmine. Alahni lo Andu is an RP guild out of Stormwind which is great fun and Templares Encarmine is a Lightsworn guild.
I also love to play a lot of role playing games, trading card games, etc... All around I enjoy gaming, science fiction, fantasy, etc...
The problem with all of this is that the gamer community is NOT known for healthy eating - in fact, Mountain Dew and Pizza is the norm. GenCon this year pizzaless? Just not fun (I was not going to pay $12 for a small gluten free pizza).
So I have learned new recipes for snacks and I'll post links to them and to ready made snacks as we go.
Today I'm working on a sloppy joe on top of a potato. Last time I did this, we actually ate this recipe - Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon - with it. (And it was YUMMY)
I will post a recipe on the Sloppy Joes when I know I have the measurements!
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Introduction
In the SCA I am known as Sister Constance Stoune, a nun of the 1100's. The day I let Mathilda into my family's keep instead of sending her away was the day that I decided that the convent was a far safer place for me. The 12th Century was literally a mini renaissance - the old and the new blending in England and the time of fascinating women such as Empress Mathilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine and especially Hildegarde von Bingen
Horrible Histories Norman Family Tree -- for those that don't know the sordid story.
In real life, I work in tech sales (selling cell phones but also computers, etc...), I also have PCOS which makes life interesting now and again. PCOS is a hormonal disease that among other things causes weight gain, cycle fluctuations and a number of other side effects. PCOS Overview - if you want more information.
I primarily eat a modified paleo/primal diet and try to live that lifestyle. When I first cut gluten out of my diet I noticed I was feeling so much better and then when I added it back I got very sick. Corn is another offender for me. I did however do quite well on rice. I haven't seriously tried to add oats or barley back in - I have an attitude of experimenting and listening to my body. I also am very much a Health at Every Size advocate - which means I eat healthfully and follow healthy habits and let my weight settle where it will. I do also eat some dairy - mainly cheeses and fermented dairy - and in season, raw goat's milk.
So, What Exactly IS Paleolithic Nutrition?
Horrible Histories Norman Family Tree -- for those that don't know the sordid story.
In real life, I work in tech sales (selling cell phones but also computers, etc...), I also have PCOS which makes life interesting now and again. PCOS is a hormonal disease that among other things causes weight gain, cycle fluctuations and a number of other side effects. PCOS Overview - if you want more information.
I primarily eat a modified paleo/primal diet and try to live that lifestyle. When I first cut gluten out of my diet I noticed I was feeling so much better and then when I added it back I got very sick. Corn is another offender for me. I did however do quite well on rice. I haven't seriously tried to add oats or barley back in - I have an attitude of experimenting and listening to my body. I also am very much a Health at Every Size advocate - which means I eat healthfully and follow healthy habits and let my weight settle where it will. I do also eat some dairy - mainly cheeses and fermented dairy - and in season, raw goat's milk.
So, What Exactly IS Paleolithic Nutrition?
But while it is easy enough to deal with food and sensitivities at home, when you are at events and dealing with things like the feasts and breads it becomes much more complicated. My focus on this blog will be working with substitutes for common stuff, building safe lunches and finding period recipes that are allergen free.
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