Pumpkin Cake! (Yeah not Paleo, YET)

I really am sorry to post this on my blog in which I talk about healthy eating and living Paleo, but for those who read this that just have MS, or just want to read it because I'm crazy, I thought this might be something for them.

I am going to do a recipe make over on this Pumpkin Cake and once I find the right combinations I will post it on here!

A little background. My mother loves Pumpkin Bread and when I was small she made it all the time. Fast forward to me being an adult and us living in Florida. She had forgotten her recipe but had the basics of what was in it. I started playing around and I finally got it exactly the way she remembered. I was doing this for her so making it Paleo wasn't in the books at the time. Plus I can't eat raw Pumpkin because I'm allergic to squash and it seems raw pumpkin. What? Why are you looking at me like that? FINE I'll tell the story.

I'm allergic to squash and zucchini. Yes it's a random food allergy and yes it's real. Sweet potato pie looks a lot like pumpkin pie right? One year by mistake my parents bought a pumpkin pie and when my dad and I had a piece  he realized what it was to late, I had already shoved some in my mouth. So, because of that unplanned experiment, I know I can eat pumpkin. I realized I could not eat raw pumpkin taste testing a recipe when I first started cooking. That one taste with my finger tip had me sick for 3 days (BIG SMILE).

OK, back on track. I can't taste test when I bake with pumpkin. So it's hard for me to see if I got it right when I mess with ingredients. This recipe is great though because I had some after I made it (laughing)!

Pumpkin Cake 

1 1/4 Cup of Coconut Oil (Yeah I know it's a lot. Use Applesauce if you would like to cut it)
2 Cups Sugar
4 eggs
2 Cups Pumpkin
2 Cups of Flour (this is where I need to make it paleo but I need to play with Coconut and Almond Flour)
1 Tsp of Vanilla
1/4 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp of Baking Soda
1 Tbl Baking Powder
2 Tsp Cinnamon (my mother does not like nutmeg but I've added 1/2 of nutmeg and it's great or 2 Tsp of pumpkin pie spice)

Preheat your oven to 350'.

Combine the coconut oil and sugar. I heat my coconut oil up just a little to make it liquid for this.

Once completely combined add in one egg at a time and make sure it is thoroughly combined before you add the next. Repeat for all four eggs

Add Vanilla and salt and mix well

Add pumpkin and mix well

Sift the Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder and Cinnamon together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients I break it into four parts making sure each part is thoroughly combined before adding the next part.

I use a bunt cake pan for this. It takes 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. If you use a cake pan the time will be less so please adjust. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Tada! Happy New Year!  (my mother had already eaten some and cut it up by the time I let it cool)

It's the End of the World and I Feel Fine!

Wow two months huh? Sorry about that. The Mayan thing had me prepping for the end of the world and I had to make sure I had enough eggs stored. Speaking of...Have you people EVER seen Doomsday Preppers  Yeah, I didn't know you could oil up eggs and keep them for years EITHER. So, that's my tip for the day. 

Actually, I've just been crazy busy! I am happy to say I have a new job that doesn't eat my soul away (YAY), still loving paleo 100% (YAY), and am MS flare free (YAY)! I'm even feeling just good in general except some fatigue now and then. Big step up from lasts years "Bronchitis that lasts two months" fiasco.

I've been trying out some Paleo recipes and I'm going to post them here in the up-coming weeks. I've also just started to run again. My broken foot really kicked my bottom and I've just now been able to do 4 miles without pain. If you break your foot GO TO THE DOCTOR AND LISTEN TO HIM. If I wouldn't have I have no idea what I'd be like right now - probably unable to run again. 

A tip for my peeps (like that?) in the Orlando area - Freshfields Farm  is my new go-to place for produce and some of my meat! They don't have grass fed (yet) but they do have hormone free chicken, and I've had a hell of a time finding good chicken in the area so this works in the long run. Either way the produce is fresh and the meat is also fresh and cheap. Good things in my book! 

I love my new job! Doing the same thing I was before but again no soul sucking! Having a soul is a plus in my book and I want to keep mine around for awhile. 

Oh, and as a side note. I started a PhD program (big smile). Not doing much AT ALL. 

 

The Paleo Experiment

Hi everyone! Yes, it's me again and I've had a lot of stuff happening on my end of the world! New job, new things, new travels, and new problems (smile). I start my new job soon and I am very excited! I however am here to discuss Paleo!

As most know I started eating Paleo around May of this year. Two months ago I feel off the wagon. Well, to be honest I feel face first into a big huge bowl of pasta and sugar, happily making sugar angels in the powdered sugar with a stupid smile on my face.

I decided to go back to my Paleo ways two weeks back. I wasn't feeling as good, I was having weird heart burn, and I wanted more veggies in my life.

I have to say this, I am amazed how different I feel when I phase the grains and processed foods out. Some people respond to Paleo better then others and for some it's not a good diet choice, but I must say for me I think it's the perfect diet.

Consequences

I think that some people get so used to not having consequences that they become complacent in life. If nothing you do, good or bad, illicit any consequence, how will you learn?

I think this is a problem with our society in general. So many whiny people who except things to be exactly how they like it, and instead of being told "No" they are placated. This only teaches them that if they whine enough they will get what they want.

I think this breeds an environment of entitlement. Why, as a nation would we accept this as the status quo?

I find it ridiculous that I am about to provide someone with a consequence because they have never had one.   How does this get this bad?

The Rut

Well it's official I'm in a rut. A rut or maybe a mid life crisis (laugh).

No, just a rut.

I am a happy positive person and I enjoy my life but I've felt like things are stagnant lately. I know exactly what is contributing to it. The problem is how do you change things?

I have for awhile thought that this is just life. You fall into a day in and day out routine and that's how it is. I've realized in the past couple of months that that isn't the case. You just have to get rid of the stuff that's weighing you down.

I'm trying to rectify one situation as we speak. It's not that easy because I need to have certain things because of my MS. So, this might be a little tricky but I'll get it done.

My second situation is my own fault. I've changed my way of thinking about it and already my rut seems to be better. It's fun how when you tell someone to man up how much your perspective changes (smile).

I've also started walking (fast walking) more. This is my compromise to not jogging or running for awhile. In two months I'm going to start running again. No running since the neck arthritis/pec minor issue. I sorta got lazy and I've finally shook myself out of it.

The exercise may push me out of the rut all together. I enjoy registering and prepping for a race. So, I think my next thing is to look for a race. Mwhahahaha

Keeping up with the MSers

Hi Peeps! It's been awhile I know. Life gets in the way what can I say (smile).

I'm going to get back to my daily posting starting with this one.

As some know (or don't know) I am a MS Advocate. We recently had our forum meeting and let me tell you it was amazing to see everyone again! It's also a great restarting and re-energizing point for us advocates.

This links back to MS in general. There were over 180 of us at the forum. Some of us are disabled (in motorized chairs or walking with canes) but most of us are not. I have to say the all of who were there are OK. By that I mean that while we have our issues we are living and having fun! We went to Lajolla and climbed around an Aircraft carrier; even those who had mobility issues were on that aircraft carrier.

This brings me to a point that I have to reiterate. How you deal with your disease and how it effects you is VERY contingent on your perspective. We all walked, laughed, danced, were silly, and enjoyed ourselves. So many people consumed themselves with what ifs and woe is me thoughts that they miss out on their lives.

Is it kinda crappy that I have to give myself a shot? Yeah sure it is, but honestly it's just part of my routine now. I get fatigue and other cruddy little things but most people get that.

I was traveling for over 12 hours the other day and I started thinking about how exhausted I was. Well, anyone would be exhausted after that much travel.

I find a lot of people with MS just want to complain and wallow. Yes it does suck sometimes, but for the love, life isn't always sunshine and puppy dogs!

Words of tough love now - Get over yourself. It's life. Good and bad things will happen and you have to deal with it. Try not to drag everyone else down with you! 

A Whole MONTH!

Wow, June has been crazy! I just got the desire to blog and looking at my last post I realize it's been a month! How crazy is that!

The month of June has been crazy for me personally. I'll do a quick rundown and then I'll blog more about my fitness and diet stuff as time allows!

1 - Florida is hot. REALLY HOT and I lost AC for about three weeks. Now, when you have MS no AC in Florida = torture. Luckily it's fixed now and the sweet good of cold air favors me again! Do not anger this person!

2 - Florida is also full o'rain. Rain rain rain this month. So much rain that On June 25th I got a little flooded. YAY. No AC and Flooding. Hmmm

3 - June 25th was also my birthday YAY. No AC and Flooding on my birthday. Hmmmm

4 - I have been diagnosed with Arthritis in my neck. SO, on June 21st I had my first PT appointment. Where I found out that my shoulders are all kinds of fucked up because of pain (I was electrocuted that day to try to make the muscles behave), I can't run until we get it fixed (because of compression), and I'm going to have PT every Monday and Wednesday until the end of the world (which is Dec 21st). That was a busy Thursday.

5 - I'm on a new project at work! This is good because now I have something to do at work! Yay!! This is very exciting for me!

6 - I have proof I live in hell (floodings, fire, and no ac).

WHEW what a busy June!

I've also been continuing on with my whole, nutritious, and locally grown foods lifestyle. It makes me feel 'so' much better. I'm also going to post a review of a book I just read called It Starts With Food by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig. I also got a fitbit and will be talking about that.

This second half of 2012 should be exciting for me!

Have I ever mentioned MS doesn't like stress....yeah (smile).