(Paleo) Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies

I don’t even know how to break the news to you – but these Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies are my new obsession...soon to be yours too.
Not only they are decadent in flavor and they taste kind of naughty - with all that rich dark chocolate; but they are paleo-friendly and kind of healthy.
Now, I could easily go on, and on, and on for the whole post citing the reasons why you should eat these cookies. Because they’re gluten-free, refined-sugar free, because of this, because of that, etc.
For once let’s focus on the delicious instead...as these cookies are pure perfection.

Cauliflower Crust Spinach White Pizza

Habit is powerful: things are done a certain way because that’s how they’ve been done before, and because that’s the way the people expects them.
Such as pizza.
Since you were 5 you’ve been told that pizza is basically bread with tomato sauce and cheese on it, and maybe some other stuff.
You liked pizza because it came in huge quantities and it could be easily divided into equal parts; satisfying your obsession with fairness.
You liked pizza because there was no chance for your mom to trick you into eating veggies by hiding them — and if she tried, you could pick them out, one-by-one.
You liked pizza because it’s basically inoffensive food made with few, reassuring ingredients.

Pomegranate Chocolate Chia Pudding

I'll promise I'll stop with these avocado+chocolate+chia puddings. I just had to share this very last one.
Then I’ll stop.
But you see, the other day I made pomegranate juice and wanted to do something else with it besides - you know - drink it, making smoothies, cocktails or popsicles (yes people, I make popsicles!)

The Easiest Way To Make Pomegranate Juice

OK, maybe the easiest way to make pomegranate juice is going to the store and buy some, I’ll concede that.
But oh, it is pricey. A little 16 ounces bottle goes for over $4, easily. That’s a LOT of money.
So if you find pomegranates when they’re in season (and maybe on sale), you can make your own juice at a reasonable cost. It’s easy, quick and tastes so much better than store bought —
you have no idea how much better it actually tastes.

Easy Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms

Let’s keep things delicious, people.
Because it’s Wednesday and that means you (and I) need some yummy to get through the rest of the week.
Personally, I hate Wednesdays because, well...they’re not Fridays (and the only cool day of the week is Friday).
On top of that, today the weather is gloomy and we’re expecting snow (again!)
That isn't helping either, considering that I should go on a 2 hours bike workout.
And if I can’t ride outside, I need to train on the indoor bike trainer — which makes me feel like I’m a hamster on the wheel. Pedaling like crazy for 2 hours and not moving an inch...so many things are wrong with it.

Orange Thyme Pork Kebabs

Nothing makes me hungry like swimming does.
After completing my laps I get so ravenous, I could eat everything in sight. More so than after the other vigorous cardio workouts I routinely do for triathlons (i.e., running and biking).

Cauliflower Crust Hot Pockets

Guys, this recipe is phenomenal. Truly, madly, deeply phenomenal.
But let’s start from the beginning.
Let’s start from Hot Pockets.
For those of you unfamiliar with Hot Pockets, they’re wildly popular microwaveable turnovers, made of dough and stuffed with a LOT of cheese, meat, and/or vegetables.
They probably are the quintessential microwaveable food.
I actually can’t think of any other food that screams “microwave food” as much as Hot Pockets do.
Grab one from the freezer, remove the wrapper, pop it in the microwave, nuke it for 2 minutes, and voila’ a steamy Hot Pocket ready to be devoured.

Easy Soy-Ginger Chicken (Low Carb & Gluten-Free)

Funny things happen while you run 13.1 miles on a lazy, freezing, dark February Tuesday evening.
Such as bumping into your high school math teacher; darting to avoid collision with double-wide stroller driven by a firm-handed mom down the sidewalk; seeing a Doberman wearing a pink tutu [and - just for the record - why forcing your dog to wear uncomfortable costumes, people? Is there really a need for this?]; AND craving Chinese food at around mile 10.

Vanilla & Honey Avocado Pudding

This pudding is the result of me being lazy or better yet, of me been completely swept away by the Olympics.
Like everyone else, Saturday morning I was glued to my TV watching US hockey team win over Russia. An amazing game decided in the shootout. [For the record: T.J. Oshie you've just made it onto my list of heroes!]
It was breakfast time and I wanted this chia chocolate mousse. But as I was about to start making it, I discovered I had no cocoa. I had hot chocolate powder, real dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, but no cocoa. A total impasse.
And leaving the apartment...let me rephrase that...leaving the TV, and that awesome Hockey game, to get cocoa? Not gonna happen.
So I went with what I had on hand and that was avocado, honey, vanilla, almond milk and chia seeds.

Cheesy Baked Spinach

When I was 6 I used to carry a can of spinach around my back pocket, mimicking Popeye.
I would even borrow one of my grandpa's pipes, pretending to gobble spinach through it (sometimes even pretending to suck in the can itself along with the contents) and acting afterwards as if I had become super-strong, flexing my biceps and all.
Then I would set off for great adventures with Bruto, Olive Oyl, baby Swee’pea and stowaway Wimp (all impersonated by my sisters’ old dolls).
Ah, those were the good times...