A Much Better Day!

Today was the first Tuesday of my new work schedule, so I didn't have to be in until 2pm. It was a perfect day weather-wise, so I took the dogs out, then got back in bed, had breakfast in bed, dozed a bit, and then got up to prep dinner. For breakfast I had the avocado basil chicken salad and some fruit salad. I did NOT want eggs for breakfast, and the chicken salad is my new favorite food! That breakfast, eaten at 9am, kept me satisfied until I ate my lunch at about 3. I could've eaten sooner, but I wasn't hungry.

For lunch I had 3 hard-boiled eggs, some black olives, and some more fruit salad. A very random lunch, I know, but it's what I felt like having, it was easy, and it got in my protein, good fat, and some fruit. I did allow myself half of the sliver of carrot cake that was left for me at work to celebrate a co-worker's birthday. I LOVE carrot cake, and I LOVE LOVE cream cheese frosting! I was going to eat the whole thing, but after half I realized that the first taste of that cream cheese frosting was the one that would taste the best, so I threw the rest out. Go me :)

For dinner I had coconut chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce and cauliflower rice



The chicken was easy to make, although next time I will buy chicken tenders. Cutting up raw chicken breast is disgusting, unless you are a basset hound or a beagle. In that case, raw chicken is a delicacy, and you must sit right behind your mother's feet as she's trying to work in the kitchen, just in case she drops some. The chicken came out a little dry, but I think that had more to do with my cooking than the recipe. When I turned them over after 5 minutes, they looked pretty much done, so another 5 minutes, and then 5 minutes on broil was obviously too much. I will make them again for sure, and think they'd be a hit with kids. I used the eggs instead of the olive oil and I wish I had a wire rack to put on the baking sheet as suggested, because it would've been nice if the coconut had gotten a bit more crunchy. I had the honey mustard sauce, which I love. Keep in mind that honey is ok with Paleo, NOT with Whole30! The cauliflower rice was delicious, and I have a ton leftover, so I'll eat it for the next few nights as a side. It felt like I was eating carbs :) It took awhile to chop up all of the cauliflower, because I only have a 3 cup food processor. Other than that it was easy!

In non-food related news, Marty the Beagle tried to escape today. I had the sliding glass doors open and a gate up across the deck stairs. The dogs were going in and out, enjoying the beautiful weather, so I went up to take a shower. I had just gotten out and was half dressed when I heard my neighbor shouting to me that Marty had run off the deck...the gate had blown down. I threw on my bath robe, ran downstairs, and grabbed some cold cuts out of the refrigerator. Luckily he was just on my neighbor's deck, but he was afraid and wouldn't let her grab him. I got him to come to me with the turkey, and was able to pick him up, although he kept trying to wiggle away out of fear. My dad is coming down this weekend and is going to help me put up a real gate across the deck entrance, and some chicken wire around the rails. It was scary, but he's next to me sleeping right now, so all is good in my world tonight.