Sweet Potato / Kale Hash

Here is another recipe for you. Matty made this one the other day for brunch. It was our very first time to not only purchase, but eat kale. I think we may try a little less kale next time (not that it is an acquired taste or anything) and ease into the concept! 

Here is the recipe. Give it a try and let me know what you think...

The Most Expensive (Pumpkin) Granola Ever

Yes, that is the title I am giving this new granola recipe I found online. Clearly all I do now in my free time is google #paleo #healthyeating #glutenfreedairyfree recipes. While I have never, EVER, been in to cooking pre (let's call it) the epiphany...I have decided that if I am going to commit, I need to really jump head first onto this bandwagon! So yes, I am pinning the crap out of recipes and, wait for it, actually making them! Matt is #sosurprised! We made an incredible pasta-free (gasp) lasagna for some friends the other night, a turkey chili last night (recipes to follow) and my incredible unique, frustratingly-expensive granola bars. I am not going to lie to you...the recipe sounds better than it tastes. But to caveat, this is coming from the girl that LOVES gluten and dairy. So for a no gluten/no dairy dessert - it is probably great. At least it had chocolate on it!

I feel like I could easily say - oh wow, paleo, you are just as good as my regular recipes. Two things: 1. That would be a lie, and 2. Please, like I had any recipes before now. But seriously, are we going to try to compare a chili with ground turkey, carrots and celery to the buffalo mac and cheese dish I ate in Chicago a mere 3 months ago!?!? No. Obviously mac and cheese wins every.time. But I have decided it isn't fair to just say "blah" to these delightful new recipes I am finding, and rather, enjoy the new flavors, foods and combinations I never even realize existed.

So - back to the granola. I call it "the most expensive granola ever" because, well this first batch really was. $67! Matt nearly had a cow when he realized the entire bill was for one "snack". But to be fair, and as I reminded him, (hopefully) these are ingredients we will now be using going forward for several different recipes. Ingredients such as...Coconut oil (did you know it comes in a solid form - yuck), pumpkin seeds (who knew you could buy these and not just get them from your carving pumpkin), flax seeds (don't get me started) and so on! We are Italians in Lundeland - so the only oil we were cooking with was olive oil. Honestly though, I could buy into these new ingredients. Everything I read about these "super healthy new, slightly less delicious" ingredients seems quite positive. Also, how can you dislike something that makes you feel better. So earthy grocery stores that used to make me uncomfortable because I didn't know any of the foods you were selling - watch out - I'm coming in, wallet and all!

Here is a look at - and recipe for - the granola. Hopefully you have more of the ingredients already in your pantry so it is just a Pumpkin granola - and not a budget breaking snack! It is growing on me though. I will probably switch out the golden berries next time and go with dried blueberries. Something a little less tangy! Thanks to the internet and all of the very talented chefs that make snacks like this a possibility!

Gluten: Fad or Forever

The Lundes are going Paleo. Well Lady Lunde is - Matt is just being a team player. Today I went to one of those "all natural" grocery stores and bought things I never even knew existed, such as...Coconut Milk, Flour and Sugar. This has been a long time coming for me and I think I have finally accepted the fact that gluten and dairy, while ah-mazing and unbelievably delicious, are not welcome in my digestive system. After a 2 month cleanse (cleanse in the truest sense of the word) I have been migraine and stomach-trouble free. I took two weeks "off" and went immediately back to a war zone of nausea, stomach trouble, headaches and so on.

So at some point - I guess a person just has to accept the truth, put their big girl pants on and suck.it.up. I used to think this whole gluten-free fad - was just that - a fad. To quote Seth Rogan in "The End of the World" when asked, "What is Gluten?"

"Gluten is Calories! It is fat!" IT IS EVERYTHING!

In a nutshell, it manages to be in everything that tastes good, and in some form or another seems to appear in almost every dish I have been eating the past 30 years of my life! And don't get me started on dairy withdraws. What is a good bottle of wine without cheese? A latte without milk? Chips without rotel?!?!?!? If I could pick between the two - I think I might choose cheese over gluten. But alas, I don't have that option and must resign myself to giving up both. (Insert small violin playing a pity party for me here!)

So for the girl who ate cereal for dinner when Matt was away and candy for lunch - this is a whole new world of having to "care" about what I eat. French fries at happy hours, donuts for breakfast, warm fresh bread at dinner - no more! Now I eat more lettuce than anyone can possibly need, have learned of at least 3 new vegetables and can make dark chocolate chips "feel" like an entire dessert plate!

Until now I spent the past two months sulking and eating the bare minimum - meat, veggies and fruit. Matt tried out several new recipes for me - but I just wasn't into it. Well after my two weeks off, feeling as though my head was going to implode and regularly curled up in the fetal position...I am going to face the facts. More importantly I am going to embrace the facts. So I have been researching recipes and am pleased to report - it might be okay. In fact, it could be better than okay, it could be great!

So Paleo - here I come. Sour patch kids, Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes, cereal, peanut butter/jelly sandwiches, soft drinks, and so on - adios! Healthy and delicious foods I have never heard of...let's do this!

Costumes, Chili & (Pumpkin) Carving

The 4th Annual Lundeland Halloween Party was a success. Saturday we had 30 of our good friends over to celebrate one of my favorite holidays!  Not that we need an excuse to dress up, but yes, costumes were mandatory. 

Matt and I went as Sheldon and Amy from the Big Bang Theory. I was not overly impressed with our effort this year; however, hard to argue with a total cost of $10. Lucky was an adorable little prisoner, and my dad brought his A-game as Clark Kent. 

Other costume highlights included...

Pilot & Air Traffic Control. Side note...happy birthday Mark!!!

Buzz Light Year and Jessie

ANCHORMAN Couple!!! Joe won "Most Committed" by shaving his beard. First time in the 4 years I have known him I have seen his chin and sweet dimples! Joe, you looked adorable!!! 

Rainforest Animals & National Geographic photographer

 Molly made the cutest Dorothy!

Polar Bear, Penguin and Daft Punk. Chuck may have scared all if the little kiddos with his costume. 

Duck Dynasty

Coming in at 2nd place was Breaking Bad.... And our number 1...winners of the evening...

The Jamaican Bobsled team from Cool Runnings!!!

Besides the costumes, the food was amazing, company great, and the rain (almost) held out the entire evening. 

Thankful for another year of dressing up, over-eating and hanging with friends!