Paleo in PDX

I don’t know about all of you, but it’s been one heck of a week for me. I honestly felt like I didn’t have enough time in the day to get everything done, and was tempted to give life a call and say that I wasn’t going to show up. It’s funny, because my yoga teacher said this exact same thing yesterday morning, and mentioned that she was tempted to call in and find a sub, because she wanted a break from life. But, she didn’t…she showed up anyway and shared her honesty. She remembered the bigger picture, and the notion that when we show up on the days we feel like throwing in the towel, we often have the richest experiences.

Everything she said was so reminiscent of my week. I was drowning in assignments, studying, writing, work and projects, and wanted so badly to stop everything. I wanted a reprieve. Instead, I moved forward and did the best that I could, knowing that giving up was not an option. What good w0uld it do, and how would it benefit me? I have goals and aspirations, but challenges and struggles are always going to present themselves. It’s part of the process, and how I face these challenges is reminiscent of my character. This journey is not meant to be easy, and this week especially, I needed that reminder from my teacher to embrace it.

What do you do when you are burnt out, under a lot of pressure and feel like giving life a timeout (that worked on Saved by the Bell, but doesn’t work in real life, unfortunately)?

Meanwhile, here’s a quick and tasty recipe for your Friday. It features garam masala, a warm spice blend that I sadly forget about more often than not. Thankfully, my dear friend, Macala has reminded me about it’s loveliness on numerous recent occasions. It’s one of her favorites to add to ground meat, and I can definitely understand why. I even thought of her when using it in this recipe. Miss Macala, I appreciate you, in more ways than one!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey thighs
• 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 14.5 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1-2 Tbsp grass-fed ghee or butter
• Steamed greens of choice for serving (I used kale)
• Cilantro for garnish, optional

Directions:

1. Melt the coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for a couple minutes. Next, add the ground turkey and break up the meat with a spatula.
2. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, and allow meat to brown for several minutes.
3. Next, add the spices,  diced tomatoes and coconut milk, and mix well. Continue to cook for a few minutes over medium-low heat, until mixture thickens up a bit. Then, mix in the ghee.
4. Serve over steamed greens of choice (I recommend kale) and garnish with cilantro, if using.

Yields: 3-4 servings