Detox - it's not for the feint of heart. For reals.

So it turns out I'm an addict.  My vices include but are not limited to: coffee, sugar, gluten, dairy.  So basically everything except fruit, vegetables and lean proteins - why can't my body crave those things?  I was going to throw wine onto the list but I didn't want to mock what is obviously a serious disease.  I have started a detox and I haven't been perfect (Um, I ate a taco tonight complete with cheese and tortilla because I just couldn't will myself to eat a taco in a lettuce "tortilla" with no cheese.  That's just rude.).  I have successfully kicked sugar and coffee (for three whole days, which feels like 300 days) but failed at kicking dairy - I've had cheese every single day, I've not had any wine, but I've had one tortilla.  I've learned to love smoothies with hemp protein powder, avocado and kale along with chia seed pudding.  Seriously.  I get excited to eat breakfast.  But I'm left a little cranky and foggy because my body has survived for so long supported by caffeine instead of nutrient dense food.  I honestly just want to eat eight cupcakes and wash them down with some bubbly.

Anyfood, I've decided to accept I'm going to cheat a little bit but make better choices.  Like this delightful Tuscan Kale Salad - it has cheese and gluten, but in moderation.  And for the record, I hate kale. Or I used to hate kale.  Maybe the silver lining of this whole experience is learning that I like kale prepared certain ways.

Tuscan Kale Salad
~ Adapted from www.drweil.com~

{Ingredients}

4-6 cups kale, loosely packed, sliced leaves of Italian black (AKA "dinosaur" kale which I found at our farmer's market - it is smooth and looks like what I imagine dinosaur skin would look like.) midribs removed juice of 1 lemon 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, mashed salt & pepper, to taste hot red pepper flakes, to taste 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Toscano cheese (this instruction seems fancy - I just used my Costco sized parm.) 1/2 cup freshly made bread crumbs from lightly toasted bread (or, how about some Trader Joe's bread crumbs? Let's not reinvent the wheel here.)

{Instructions}

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red pepper flakes. Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well. Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese. Happy Healthy Eating! Owen was stoked to stand by the pirate while Elliott couldn't handle the fact that he got the puppy - he was so stinking excited. And now for some family time.  We took they boys to mini golf and it was hilarious.  And hot.  Owen went after the ball like he was a baseball player - he hit that thing so stinking hard.  Elliott has a little work to do - I wish I had taken video.  He would squat, hold the club backwards and pretty much lost interest after the first whole.  The pictures will speak for themselves. A little lesson from daddy. So serious.  Too bad he has fully swung and the ball hasn't moved... I mean, he's got the follow through.  Now he just needs to make contact. He's like a little cave man. Whatever man.  He made contact and that is 9/10ths of the battle.

Zoodles for the Birthday Win

He's 5 and so pumped about it.  And also: he's now a SWAT member compliments of Mannah.

So we've had a busy couple of weeks counting down the days until my baby turned FIVE.  What the what.  I feel like we were just at the hospital (note: we were the ONLY ONES in the delivery wing of of Mercy in Manhattan, it was amazing and quiet).  Anyhow.  Everyday we counted down the days and discuss all the things he wants (ENTITLED MUCH?) and I think we nailed it and he had a great b-day.

Batman made it all the way from Gotham.  And so did eight thousand Legos.

We had plans to test his skills at mini golf but once he lined up all his lego sets, he wanted a "stay-at-home day."  So we stayed in jammies (or SWAT costumes, as the case may be) and built Legos ALL DAY.  It was awesome.  It was like Christmas morning, except for the fact that Elliott didn't get a gift and he was a tiny tyrant off and on all day long.

Owen took this picture.  Props to Aunt Katie and Uncle Zac because this has stayed by his side for a solid 48 hours thus far.

Ok, this is probs getting boring for everyone except my Mom (love you mom!) so I'll get to the food already!

For his birthday dinner we went to Brixx which is his #1 requested restaurant because they provide pizza dough for kids to play with at the table.  Winning.  So I told him I'd cook him whatever he wanted on Monday night as his birthday dinner at home; he chose shrimp (sometimes he calls them skrimps) and spaghetti because he wanted to try throwing the noodles on the ceiling to see if they stick.  They did.  (I distinctly remember my Auntie Val letting us throw noodles on the kitchen cabinets in their first house in Lafayette.  Cool aunt move that I need to tuck away for when my little lovies come to visit.)  So I made Greek Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles!

So zoodles were a total hit and we will be incorporating them regularly.

My cousins have been raving about zoodles and sending me links to recipes that I have yet to try.  I finally busted out my Gefu spiralizer and WHAT.  AWESOME.  It was a bit of a learning curve figuring out how much pressure I needed to use (esp'lly with little hands assisting me).  But our final product was awesome - one zoodle was about two feet long!  And the boys loved eating the left over zucchini pieces!  WIN!

 I married angel hair and zoodles for the winning birthday dish.

So I took the zoodles and tossed them in the last 15 seconds of cooking the angel hair (I detest the taste of uncooked zucchini.  Can't even handle it.) and the boys totally ate it.  Next time I'll add more zucchini and way less pasta.  Sneaky!  Next up: Chicken Zoodle Pho!

Greek Style Scampi with Zoodles
Recipe adapted from a dear law school friend Samantha Everette

{Ingredients}
1 t. olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 (14 oz) cans whole tomatoes, drained and chopped (I acutally used 2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes and tossed the whole thing in)
1 1/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (just realized I forgot this one, but we didn't notice it!)
1/4 tsp fresh ground place pepper
4 cups hot cooked spaghetti (8 oz uncooked)
2 zucchinis, spirlaized (next time I will do 3 or 4)

{Instructions}
Preheat oven to 400*.  Heat oil in large dutch oven or skillet over medium heat.  Saute garlic 30 seconds.  Add 1/4 cup parsley and tomatoes.  Reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes.  Add shrimp, cook 5 minutes (I didn't do 5 minutes because I was distracted by little people throwing spaghetti on the ceiling and cabinets but the shrimp turned out fine because you pop it in the oven for 10 minutes).  Pour mixture into oven-safe dish (I skipped this since a dutch oven is oven safe), sprinkle with cheese and bake at 400* for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup, parsley, lemon juice and pepper.

Cook pasta to desired doneness.  In the last 15 seconds of cooking, toss in your zoodles for a light blanch.  Drain and empty into your serving bowl.  Toss with 1 tsp of olive oil to ensure nothing sticks!

Serve shrimp mixture over noodles and enjoy!

Hoondly, noondy, froondy, umm bork bork bork! (Swedish chef, anyone, anyone?)

Bon Appetit friends!