Brussels Sprout Slaw

I highly recommend this dish for summer barbecues, as it can be enjoyed hot or cold (I prefer it hot).  It's a great alternative to the tradition cole slaw and the mustard and vinegar really add a great flavor to the sprouts.  I found this recipe in what has become my bible for all Paleo recipes: Paleo Comfort Foods.  This book (and it's accompanying website) is almost too good to be true.  Even the not-so-amazing recipes I've made are amazing.

Special Equipment Needed:
baking sheet
large skillet
food processor with slicing disk (not 100% necessary but saves you a lot of labor)

Ingredients:
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 lb. thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil (NOT extra virgin!)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1.5 lbs. Brussels sprouts
2 scallions, cut on the bias

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 325°.  Spread pecans on baking sheet and bake until toasted (about 5-7 minutes).  Keep an eye on them so they don't burn!
2. In a large skillet, cook bacon pieces over medium-high heat until crispy.  Drain on paper towels and set aside.  Pour the bacon fat into a container and set aside.
3.  Whisk mustard, vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Whisk in the oil and season with pepper.
4. Chop the browned ends off of the Brussels sprouts, then, using your food processor (or a sharp kitchen knife and a steady hand), slice the Brussels sprouts.
5.  Add 1-2 tbsp. of the reserved bacon fat back into your skillet and place over medium heat.  Add Brussels sprouts and saute until softened and slightly brown (takes about 15 minutes).
6.  Turn down heat and then pour the mustard and vinegar mixture over the sprouts.  Coat the sprouts in the dressing before mixing in the bacon, scallions, and half of the toasted pecans.  Remove from heat and transfer to serving bowl.  Top with remaining pecans.

If you know someone that thinks they hate Brussels sprouts, THIS is the dish that will convince them otherwise.  Plus it has bacon, and who doesn't like that? 

Mexican Chicken Soup

 

It's been far too long since I last posted.  It started with a lazy summer.  Then I moved into a new apartment.  Then Thanksgiving happened.  So I have a stack of recipes that I've been looking forward to sharing.  This one has definitely become a staple in my house.  I make it about once every two weeks and it lasts me at least 6 meals (it makes a TON!).  I even used the baked chicken technique I learned in this recipe and came up with my own Chicken Linguine Pesto recipe (made with zucchini and squash noodles!)  One of my earliest memories is of my Mexican maternal grandmother serving up the most amazingly flavorful chicken soup.  While I will never be able to replicate that childhood favorite (my grandmother never committed any of her recipes to paper), the flavors in this soup always trigger that same nostalgia.  In place of the traditional tortilla strips, I garnish this dish with chopped avocado (a vast improvement, in my opinion - I love avocado).  The original recipe is from Paleo Comfort Foods.

 
Special Equipment needed:
13x9 baking dish
large dutch oven or stock pot
blender (not 100% necessary, but recommended)

Ingredients:
3 lbs free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp + 2 tbsp coconut oil (or your favorite cooking fat/oil)
3 tsp fajita or taco seasoning*
1 large onion; diced
6 cloves garlic; minced
2 jalapeno peppers; de-seeded and diced
2 poblano peppers; de-seeded and diced
2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock**
28 oz. can fire-roasted chopped or crushed tomatoes (or regular chopped tomatoes)
juice of 2 limes
1 cup cilantro; chopped
avocado and fresh cilantro for serving

*homemade taco seasoning: 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper (enough seasoning for 1 lb. ground beef)

**4 cups free-range chicken broth plus 4 cups water is how I do it

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°.  Place chicken breasts in 13x9 baking dish and cover with 1 tbsp of oil.  Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken and toss to coat.  Bake for 30-45 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°.  Prepare your other ingredients while the chicken is baking.
2. When chicken is done baking, remove from the oven and shred with two forks*.  This process is a bit labor intensive so, if you’d prefer, you can chop the chicken into small pieces.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes).
4. Add garlic and peppers and saute for a minute or so, until fragrant.  Add chicken stock and fire-roasted tomatoes and bring up to a medium boil.
5. Optional step: With a slotted spoon, remove some of the vegetable solids to a blender and puree.  Add pureed veggies back into pot.
6. Add chicken, cilantro, and lime juice.  I usually turn off the heat at this point but you may want to add salt, pepper or hot sauce depending on your personal taste.
7. Serve with fresh cilantro and chopped avocado.

*Super awesome side-note!  I found the most ingenious way of shredding chicken recently and I will never go back to the 'two forks' method.  All you need is a large food processor with a slicing disk attachment.  Place a whole cooked chicken breast in the chute and pulse until the chicken is shredded.  You don't need to use the plunger since gravity does all the work for you.  Plus, if you do use the plunger, you're more likely to end up with chicken slices instead of shreds.

I LOVE this recipe.  And I was so surprised how much the chopped avocado added to the final dish as a meal.  Another practically foolproof recipe.  I even forgot to add the jalapenos one time and the dish still turned out delicious.  Happy nomming!

PryMel's Guide to Eating Like a Caveman

The following advice is based on my own personal experience eating Paleo, following the Primal Blueprint, and observing/taking part in the online community.  I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or anything of the sort.  I am simply a fascinated participant constantly thirsty for more knowledge about food sources, dietary habits, and lifestyle choices.

How do I start?
There are two routes you can take to self-experiment with Paleo (actually, there are tons - plenty of people who follow these dietary principles add or subtract foods based on their own bodies' reactions).

1. Eliminate "poisonous" foods a few at a time, over 3-6 months.  This is a way to avoid the shock to the system a drastic change in diet can cause.  A 3-month plan that I recently wrote up for my stepmom* went something like this:

Month 1: no wheat or wheat-containing foods (bread, pasta, baked goods*, tortillas, basically anything fried, pizza, etc.); no refined sugar (no candy bars, ice cream, pudding, you get the idea)
*gluten-free versions are acceptable during this month only
Month 2: (in addition to foods in month 1) no grains (corn, rice, quinoa, oats, etc.); no dairy (milk or cheese); no processed foods (products containing additives, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, etc.)
Month 3: (in addition to foods in month 1 and 2) no legumes (soy, peanuts, chickpeas, etc.); no white-fleshed potatoes; no factory-raised meat (free-range/grass-fed/pasture-raised only); no pesticides or unsustainable produce (organic and local produce only)

*funnily enough, my stepmom got so amped after her first couple of days on the diet, she decided to jump straight to Month 3!  She's been going strong for 4 months and she's even baking (something I've never seen her do before).  So proud of her!

2. Go "cold turkey" and enjoy the challenge of living for one month without sugar, grains, dairy, legumes or processed foods. 
Although if you want to see/feel some real results, you should commit to at least 3 months.

How do I make the transition as easy as possible?
1. Get comfortable in your kitchen.  You are going to be spending a lot of time here.
     -  Re-organize your pantry.  Put all of your cooking oils, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut and spices front and center and hide away all of the non-approved ingredients/foods (or better yet, throw them out/give them away).  The important thing here is to get the temptation out of the kitchen/house.
     -  Stock up on some helpful cooking tools.  You don't have to break the bank with Cuisinart swag.
          ~ borrow a neighbor's mandoline slicer
          ~ pick up some large, durable pots and pans (preferrably NOT non-stick) at your local thrift store/garage sale
          ~ buy a cheap food processor at Target
However, if you want to make a SERIOUS CHANGE and commit to this way of eating for more than just a little while (like I did), I would definitely suggest investing in the following:
          ~ 12-cup food processor (with grating attachment)
          ~ large cast-iron dutch oven (I bought mine at a local flea market for $30)
          ~ slow-cooker/crockpot (at least 6 quarts)
     - Don't be afraid of foods you've never heard of.  Although this diet may seem to only take away foods, in actuality it opens up a whole new array of whole food ingredients to choose from.  A list of some of the foods I had never tried before going Primal: turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, okra, kale, pluots, rabbit, bison, tuna steak, shrimp, crawfish, crab legs, catfish, chicken liver,  chicken heart, beef tongue, beef heart, bone marrow, pig's ear.  And all of it was delicious!  (Except for the beef tongue). 

2. Do your research!  This is not merely an extracurricular activity or hobby, it's a way of life and takes some serious self-education to implement effectively.
     - Go online and look up the menus to restaurants in your area (or areas you frequent) and find entrees that fit within your new way of eating (or can be made as such).
     - Discover your local farmer's market or sign up for your neighborhood CSA.  Seek out local butchers (or better yet, hunters) that offer game meat and offal.
    - If you're the websurfing type, regularly visit or subscribe to websites like:
          ~ marksdailyapple.com (for motivation, scientific studies, testimonials, recipes and more)
          ~ robbwolf.com
          ~ nerdfitness.com (for motivation, workout tips, testimonials)
          ~ reddit.com/r/paleo (if you're curious about how real people deal with this lifestyle change*)
*beware of the hardcore commenters that frequent this thread; don't let their stuck-upedness discourage you
    - If you're the reading type, check out
          ~ The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson
          ~ It Starts with Food by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig

3. Share your new nutrition goals with those around you.  Tell your co-workers, family and friends about your new way of eating.  This will give you a built-in support group to share in your successes and struggles.  This will also keep temptation away at work and in your social life.  If your friends and co-workers know about your new dietary restrictions, they are less likely to suggest pizza for lunch or offer leftover cookies from their kid's birthday party.

4. Don't try to be perfect, just try to improve.  Everyone strives to be healthy but each individual's experience is different.  Some people lose weight quickly, some don't.  Some people find it easy to say no to temptation, some struggle.  Your journey is your own and no one else's and comparisons will not help you achieve your goal any faster.

Exercise is important!
While your diet will be responsible for about 80% of the weight you lose, that last 20% depends on exercise.  And no, I'm not talking about hours spent in the gym, running on a treadmill.  I'm talking about upping your daily activity level with just a little self-awareness.

1. Walk.  A lot.  Make it a point to walk whenever possible.  Walk to the bank instead of driving the half-mile.  Go for a walk after dinner with the family to help digest and spend some quality time connecting with your loved ones (instead of staring at the television in silence).

2. Do bodyweight exercises in your living room, in your backyard, at a nearby park or (if you need to justify the expense) at the gym.  You don't need any fancy weightlifting machines and STAY AWAY from the treadmill/elliptical/stationary bike.

3. Your workouts should not last longer than one hour.  You don't need to spend 2-plus hours sweating out every calorie you ingested that day.  Short, high-intensity workouts with complex exercises that mimic your body's natural movements are far more effective than several hours of low-intensity exercises that focus on isolated muscle groups.

4. Play!  Remember what that is?  Just because you work instead of going to school, doesn't mean you don't deserve some play time.  Play pickup soccer.  Go on a hike.  Ride your bicycle into downtown for the day.  Take dancing lessons.  Be active and have fun!

How to KEEP GOING when the going gets tough.
The only component of this "diet" that is ANYTHING like conventional diets is the importance of willpower.  You must be honest with yourself about the role food plays in your activity level, social scene, and overall happiness.  If cutting out your favorite food-like substance (Doritos, McDonald's french fries, Papa John's, Marie Callendar's, Ben & Jerry's) brings on legitimate feelings of depression, then you have a much bigger problem to address than simply being overweight.  Take control of your nutrition and your life!  Here's some common complaints from newbies (including yours truly about a year ago):

1. "I don't have enough TIME to cook at home."
YES you do.  It's all about priorities.  Turn off the TV, don't join the girls for drinks for the second time this week, maybe skip game night just this once, put down the laptop and cook yourself (and your family) something amazing!  If your schedule isn't overflowing with entertaining activities but you still can't find time to cook every night - YOU DON'T HAVE TO.  Casseroles, soups, stews, whole roasted chicken - these are things that can last for several meals a week.  Plus there's always the slow-cooker.  I find weekly meal-planning  (see below) to be a very effective way to stay on track and avoid temptation.

2."But I thought saturated fat (like bacon) was bad for your heart"
It is becoming more widely accepted in the scientific (if not the agri-business) community that saturated fat is not nearly as influential to one's risk of heart disease as other factors.  There are also some recent studies that are finding simple carbohydrates (like bread and refined sugar) to be a risk factor for heart disease.  Bottom line: cholesterol is not the enemy.  A high fat PLUS high carb diet equals high risk.  A high fat plus low-carb/non-processed diet does NOT equal high risk.

3. "I'm tired of salad/chicken/tuna.  This diet offers me no variety in meals."
Bullpucky.  You have to be willing to expand your palette beyond what you grew up eating.  Peruse the produce aisle (or better yet, the stands at your local farmer's market) and find a new vegetable/protein source that you've never tried.  Type "Paleo [unknown vegetable/protein]" into Google and you'll find tons of recipes to inspire you. Also, embrace the spice rack.  It is your arsenal against bland food.

4. "I can't afford to eat organic vegetables and meat all the time."
You don't have to.  There's always ways to improve your diet but if your budget doesn't allow for the cleanest ingredients, don't sweat it.  You'll still be doing your body a huge favor by simply cutting out grains and processed foods.  I do suggest that if you buy conventional produce, make sure to wash it in Veggie Wash before cooking or eating.

5. "There's too much food left over and I can't finish it all in a week before it goes bad."
Stop buying so much produce.  You need to PLAN YOUR MEALS.  There are some gifted individuals out there who can simply look at a produce aisle, pick up random things and put together amazing dishes.  I am not one of these people.  I rely on meal-planning.  Also, if there's leftovers from a dish you made up to 7 days ago, FREEZE IT!  Frozen leftovers have been a lifesaver during those nights where I'm just too busy/exhausted to cook.  I also freeze leftover ingredients to avoid waste.  Several recipes I make include 1 cup of red wine and since I don't drink wine, I freeze the rest of a bottle using ice cube trays.  Once the wine is adequately frozen, dump the cubes in a freezer-safe Ziploc and store until you need more red wine (1 cube = 1 oz.).  I use this same process for beef and chicken broth.

Anything else?
1. How I plan my meals:
      - Look up what's in season in your area that month (produce in season is usually more plentiful, cheaper, and more likely to be locally-sourced)
     - Find recipes (either from cookbooks, your collection of online recipes or straight-up Google search) that feature the in-season produce.
     - Plan to devote two weeknights to cooking or one full day on the weekend.  If I'm planning weeknight meals, I usually make sure I have leftovers or takeout* available to eat while cooking, so I'm not starving by the time the meal is done.  I get off work at 6 (or later) and sometimes the meal I'm cooking isn't done until 10 or 11 at night so having leftovers/takeout is essential to avoid eating dinner right before going to sleep.  If I'm devoting a whole day of my weekend to cooking, I usually do more involved, slow-cooked recipes (like chili, gumbo or pot roast).  I will also make anywhere from 3-4 dishes so that I won't have to cook during the week.
*My go-to pre-made Paleo-approved meals include: a steak salad from one of my favorite local restaurants or the hot food bar at Whole Foods.
     - Write up your grocery list.  If you shop at farmer's markets, realize that you will most likely need to make a trip to a brick and mortar store as well for staples like spices, oils and vinegars, canned goods, etc.

2. Some great recipe websites:
     - paleomg.com
     - civilizedcavemancooking.com
     - paleodietlifestyle.com
     - chowstalker.com
     - fastpaleo.com
     - paleoplan.com
     - nomnompaleo.com
     - everydaypaleo.com
     - dessertstalker.com

3. How to clean cast iron*:
Step 1: Wash the dirty cast iron in the sink with water and a scrub brush - NO SOAP
Step 2: Put the cast iron on the stove over low heat until dry
Step 3: If there are bits stuck to the bottom, add a generous sprinkling of salt to your cast iron and scrub (I use a paper towel).  Clean out salt when it turns brown and repeat process until salt no longer turns brown.  You may not get every bit off but it will certainly help.  And the remaining bits shouldn't affect cooking with it in the future.
Step 4: Dip a paper towel in cooking fat (lard or oil) and grease the entire cooking surface of your cast iron.  If you are trying to "season" your cast iron, cook the greased dish in your oven on very low for 30 minutes, then re-apply oil and repeat as many times as you like.
*if you leave your cast iron dirty overnight, simply re-heat the dish to liquefy the fat and proceed with steps 1-4.


4. Nerdgasm (revelations I've had since going Primal)
     - Vegetables taste GOOD!  Everything tastes good.  I appreciate the flavor and texture of a meal so much more now than I ever did before changing my diet.
     - Physical activity (especially when coupled with sunshine) is fun!  It's gotten to a point where I get antsy if a week goes by without doing something active outdoors.
     - Researching and seeking out quality ingredients, as well as cooking a delicious meal with said ingredients, really does encourage you to enjoy the act of eating.  I appreciate every bite instead of absent-mindedly filling my gut as quickly as possible.
     - As often as I think about the sugar-laden baked goods of my pre-Paleo days, every time I indulge in one, it never lives up to the taste I remember in my mind.  I end up feeling disappointed and can rarely finish a whole pastry because it's just too sweet.

Cavegirl in Austin 2012

I went on a cheap (ish) vacation to Austin, Texas with my Mom for Labor Day Weekend 2012.  And it was the best vacation I've been on in quite awhile.  I hadn't been to Austin in about 5 years and after spending a weekend there, I fell in love all over again.

I did lots of research on places to eat, fun things to do and cool places to hang out and relax.  We achieved about 85% of places to eat, 40% of fun things to do and 100% of places to hang out and relax.  I was really excited about the challenge of trying to stay Primal throughout my vacation, especially since my research found TONS of restaurants sporting local, organic produce and meat.  I did let some less-than-Primal foods sneak in here and there (mostly corn and potatoes) but I probably was about 75% successful in my attempt to stay Primal, which I am definitely happy about.  The longer I eat this way, the easier it is to maintain and the more joy I get out of the TASTE of food.

Thursday, August 30
6:30am - After arriving at LAX, I purchased and Odwalla "All-Natural" (who knows what THAT means, nowadays) Orange Juice and Resource "Natural + Electrolytes" (whut?) water.  I snacked on mixed nuts (raw almonds, walnuts and pecans) that I brought from home along with a banana and a clementine.  I'm optimistic that hunger will not be a problem today, especially since flying makes my stomach a grumpy asshole.

4pm (2pm, LA time) - My (hopefully) one cheat meal of the week: Spring Creek Barbecue in Houston, Texas.

not pictured: delicious, buttery dinner rolls (I had already eaten them before I thought to take a picture)

While the meat may not be cheating, the devilishly sweet barbecue sauce and melt-in-your-mouth dinner rolls definitely are.  I've been going to this chain of barbecue restaurants since I started frequenting the original Spring Creek in Richardson, TX at age 7.  The taste of the food immediately reminds me of my childhood and eating here is my way of signifying that I have, indeed, arrived home.  I loaded up my plate with brisket and (mild) sausage, one small container of barbecue sauce, half an ear of corn (which isn't Paleo, but doesn't seem to have a negative impact on my digestion), green beans, two dinner rolls and a bottle of IBC root beer.  I was, at least, mindful of all my food choices: I grabbed the green beans instead of the gooey mac and cheese and I showed IMPRESSIVE restraint by limiting myself to just two of the ridiculously addictive dinner rolls.  I even managed to stay away from the Blue Bell Ice Cream being advertised all over the restaurant.  It didn't take long for me to feel the weight of my decision in the form of a dull, persistent stomach ache but fortunately, it did not keep me up all night, which is what usually happens when I eat wheat.  So, I'm counting that as a success.

9pm - I snacked on more mixed nuts and clementines (oh, and one oreo).

Friday, August 31st

1pm - After a 2.5-hour drive from Houston, we were starving.  As soon as we arrived in Austin (before even checking in to the B&B), we stopped to eat at Wholly Cow.

After passing the location twice we finally spotted the tiny sign on the storefront of a strip mall.  Once inside, I realized that this was THE perfect first stop in Austin.  The general store, independently-owned vibe was characteristically Austin, and everything about the place made you want to slow down and chill out - from the super-friendly waitstaff to the relaxed bench seating to the large selection of Artisan and Gluten-Free Beers, Organic/Local Wines, Organic/Local Fresh Produce and All-Natural/Local Bath Products.

I ordered the Fit Cross (Paleo) Burger and a small basket of sweet potato fries.  I grabbed a Ginger Brew while I waited for my burger.  First off, the burger LOOKED amazing.  While I'd seen lots of recipes for burgers with portabello mushrooms as buns, I'd never eaten one myself.  It came with a grass-fed beef patty, lettuce, pickles, tomato, grilled onions, bacon and the most delicious mustard I've ever had.  The portabello mushrooms did make eating a lot more messy than a traditional burger - especially since mushrooms retain a lot of water - but it was completely worth it.  The meaty taste of the mushrooms with the juiciness of the burger was so satisfying that I barely touched the sweet potato fries (which weren't the best and probably would've benefited from time in the oven rather than the fryer).

7:30pm - After checking in at the Star of Texas Inn and taking a short nap, my mom and I were ready for dinner at the newly-opened "head-to-tail" restaurant Salty Sow.

The place was surprisingly big and sprawling with two complete dining rooms and two areas of outdoor seating as well.  It was fairly crowded inside but thankfully we had a reservation so we didn't have to wait.  The overall mood of the other diners was fairly relaxed and most people were dressed casual.  The service was excellent, attentive and very friendly.  After glancing over the menu, I was reminded of my birthday dinner last year at LA's Animal restaurant.  The portions were small but packed with some of the most mind-blowing flavors I've ever tasted.  My mom and I ordered several small plates and shared everything.  We started with Roasted Bone Marrow with a parsley salad (I set the toast aside).  We then shared a refreshing Arugula Salad with Pecorino tossed with lemon juice and olive oil.  Next, we ordered some Crispy Brussel Sprout Leaves with golden raisins and paired that with Petite Bone-In Filets with the best mushroom sauce ever.  Not wanting to leave without having tried a little of everything, we ordered a Mexican Vanilla Bean Pot Du Creme with biscotti for dessert.  The final bill came out to about $70 which isn't the cheapest, but certainly worth the experience and flavors and would be a perfect location for a special occasion.

 

Saturday, September 1st

8:30am - I worked up an appetite doing my bodyweight workout on the balcony (a combination of Nerd Fitness's Beginner's Bodyweight and Mark Sisson's Grok Workout).  My mom and I discussed plans for the day over some Green Chile Egg Casserole, Texas-sized bacon and green grapes.

9:30am - We drove into downtown to check out the weekly Farmer's Market in Republic Square and it was a delightful experience.  The farmer's market was spread out over the entire park and didn't feel nearly as crowded as the Santa Monica Farmer's Market.  There was also lots of live music, areas for kids to play and local merchants selling everything from t-shirts to soap to compost bins.  I munched on some complimentary toasted hemp seeds and washed that down with a Cantaloupe Rosemary Agua Fresca.  I also picked up some jerky from locally-raised Bison.

1pm - We had planned to spend the afternoon shopping and people watching on South Congress but after 2 hours of walking in the blistering Texas heat we decided to stop for lunch despite not being very hungry.  There were two places on South Congress I wanted to try: Hopdoddy Burger Bar and South Congress Cafe.  Hopdoddy had a line out the door (with no shade) and while South Congress Cafe was equally crowded, at least we had access to seating and air conditioning while we waited about 30 minutes for a table.  The restaurant was actually quite small but worked like a well-oiled machine - constantly stream of busboys and waitstaff cleaning off tables and seating hungry customers trying to escape the heat.  I ordered some Texas-Raised Quail wrapped in bacon and served with a blackberry gastrique and habanero jelly.  Thank goodness I wasn't all that hungry because, despite the lovely presentation, the portion size left something to be desired.  The menu mentioned that the quail would come with watercress and radishes but these ended up being more of a garnish than a salad.  It didn't even seem worth mentioning on the menu.

 

9pm - I met up with an old college friend downtown and we stopped in at the Texas Chili Parlor before heading to a concert.  One of the things I miss most about Texas is the chili.  I've tried several times to recreate the tastes of authentic Texas chili in my own kitchen in LA but I just can't seem to get it right.  I ordered a small bowl of mild Texas chili (or "bowl of red") topped with diced onions.  The beef was so tender and saturated with chili sauce that it almost had a creamy texture.  It was definitely one of the most definitively Texas meals I had on the trip.

Sunday, September 2nd

8:30am - Our courtesy breakfast consisted of Eggs Florentine, more bacon, grapes and strawberries.

1:30pm - After catching a matinee at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz downtown, we ventured into East Austin for lunch at Blue Dahlia Bistro.   The restaurant was a cute little cafe tucked in between boutique shops.  It was overflowing with people and after waiting half an hour we were crammed into a space hardly big enough for two people to stand in, let alone sit and enjoy a meal in.  The restaurant was incredibly noisy (it wreaked havoc on my mom's hearing aid), making it almost impossible to have a conversation.  Ten minutes after we were seated, our waitress arrives and takes our order (two entree salads).  While we were waiting for our lunch, we tried desperately to ignore the big and tall server for the next table over whose rear end hovered over our table on multiple occasions.  40 minutes after ordering, we finally receive our salads.  Our waitress never came by to check on us and I practically had to tackle her in order to ask for the check.  After receiving the check, I informed the waitress that my mom never received the bowl of soup she ordered or the dressing for her salad.  The waitress muttered "I'll take it off" while hurrying away to deal with other customers.  This whole experience was the only unpleasant dining experience of our entire trip.  What was most disappointing was that the food was actually really tasty but the terrible service and atmosphere almost made that a moot point.  I ordered a flavorful Black Bean Salad with corn, onions, avocado, bell pepper, cilantro and lime (not 100% Paleo, but no unwanted side effects, nonetheless).  Their sustainable pedigree was also impressive (making it the primary reason I wanted to eat there to begin with).  It's a shame that all of those benefits were completely overshadowed by poor customer service.

7pm - Another college friend of mine joined us for dinner at 24 Diner.  This place was such a welcome change from our lunch locale.  The place was spacious and much less crowded (although we still had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated).  While ordering drinks, my friend mentioned something called a "Doppelganger" and proceeded to fill me in on Dublin Dr. Pepper's sad conclusion and how a local Austin company made "Doppelganger" as an homage to Dublin Dr. Pepper.  I had a taste - it was pretty darn close, but alas, not the real thing.  We started off by ordering the Market Plate (local, seasonal vegetables, chef's choice of preparation) for the table: Golden Tomatoes and Zucchini with oil and black pepper. For my entree, I had an inspired Charred Bitters Salad with radicchio, mixed greens, mushrooms, gorgonzola, walnuts and a roasted shallot vinaigrette.  I added chicken to it for an extra protein boost.  I enjoyed the charred radicchio so much that I'm already looking at recipes to recreate the delicious taste at home.

10:45pm - While attending a special screening of "True Romance" in honor of the late Tony Scott, I succumbed to the influence of my favorite libation (Jameson on the rocks) and ordered 3 giant peanut butter and caramelized banana cookies with a scoop of chocolate ice cream.  I only ate 1 and 2/3 of the cookies but I devoured all of the ice cream.  I was rewarded the next morning with a crippling stomach ache and absolutely no appetite for breakfast.

Monday, September 3rd

10:15am - Since my inebriated dining decisions of the night before were currently wreaking havoc on my digestive system, I decided to forgo the complimentary breakfast and opted for lighter fare.  We found a smoothie and juice bar called Food 4 Fitness.  I ordered a smoothie called "The Greenland": coconut water, mint, coconut oil, chia seeds, hemp seeds, spirulina, pineapple, mango and banana.  It was exactly what I needed.

1:30pm - Fearing that this may be my last opportunity for Texas barbecue before heading back to the West coast, we grabbed lunch at Lambert's Downtown Barbecue.

We called ahead and made a reservation about an hour before showing up and we were seated right away.  The place was spacious and relaxed and the waitstaff was wonderful.  I started off with a Yucatan Burro cocktail: Wahaka Mezcal, Tenneyson Absinthe, Pineapple, Lime, Cointreau, Ginger Beer.  For our entrees, my mom and I both ordered the Two-Meat BBQ Lunch Plate with different sides and meats so we could try a little bit of everything.  I ordered the pork ribs and chicken with sides of carrot and jicama slaw and spiced waffle fries.  The barbecue was solid, but not spectacular, the tastiest meat being the Jalapeno hot link.

11pm - Having overdone it a bit at lunch, I wasn't hungry for dinner until quite late (luckily I was out fairly late so I didn't go to sleep right after eating a big meal - never a good idea).  After enjoying a Jameson Gold at The Highball, a fantastic vintage bowling alley and live music venue, I knew I should eat something so as not to become overwhelmed by the alcohol.  Since my partner in crime this evening was an Austin local who was intrigued by the notion of a hearty 24-hour restaurant, I was happy to return to 24 Diner.  I had a perfectly delicious, light and flavorful Pork Belly Salad with spinach, radicchio, green beans, new potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and an herb-lime chili vinaigrette.

Tuesday, September 4th

9:30am - After a late night out, I crawled out of bed at 9am and sleepily scarfed down a plate of complimentary breakfast my mom brought up to the room: a gluten-free pancake, bacon and grapes.

1:30pm - We once again traveled the 2.5 hours back to Houston and once again, we arrived at our destination completely famished.  We headed to one of our favorite restaurants, Pappasito's.  My mom and I decided to share the "Pappasito's Grill": Grilled skewer of steak, chicken and shrimp, served over grilled onions and pineapple pico de gallo.  I left the tortillas, beans and rice untouched but I did have quite a few corn tortilla chips with salsa.

7:30pm - Stuck with the bland choices available in the airport, bummed to be leaving Texas and my mom, and frustrated by the increasingly delayed flight, I guiltily snacked on Doritos Cooler Ranch chips and an Izze Blackberry Soda.  I arrived at LAX a little after midnight and thus ended my Texas adventure.