My Favorite Paleo Recipes: Bacon Crock Pot Roast

Lots of women impulse buy things like shoes or purses.  I tend to linger at the butcher counter, which inevitabley means I buy meat that I have no plans for.  Which means I then have to scour the internet looking for the perfect recipe.  Luckily one of my first "go-to" websites is Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations.  Not only does he create amazing recipes, he's funny as well.
From Twitter:

21hCivilized Caveman ‏@CookingCaveman

I just changed my own life. I fried avocado in bacon fat and then ate it with hot sauce. OMFG

My most recent impulse buy was a Beef Chuck Roast that was 50% off and just looked so pretty I had to have it.  I decided to use it in CCCC's Bacon Crockpot Roast recipe, which was a GREAT idea.  I'd never stuffed garlic and bacon into a large slab of meat before, and it turned out to be surprisingly entertaining.  And nothing beats putting in a large slab of meat into the crockpot, knowing that by 5p you're going to be digging into it.  This is a perfect Football Sunday recipe, in my opinion.

BACON CROCK POT ROAST

Servings: 5
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 7-10 Hours

Ingredients:

Pot Roast served with
Sliced tomatoes and steamed broccoli

• 3lb Chuck Roast
• 1 White Onion, sliced
• 3-4 Slices of bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
• 6 Garlic cloves halved
• 2 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1/4 olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Smoky Paprika
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley
• 1 Tsp Oregano
• 1 Tsp Thyme
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar 

Process:

1. Using a thin knife create about 12 holes deep into the meet about 1/2 inch wide, you need to be able to fit some garlic and bacon in the hole
2. Now place bacon and garlic in each hole
3. In a small mixing bowl, mix your Sea salt, paprika, parsley, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, EVOO, and red wine vinegar and mix well
4. Rub your spice mixture all over both sides of your roast
5. Line the bottom of your crock pot with your sliced onions and whatever left over pieces of bacon you have
6. Place your roast on top and cook on Low for 7-10 hours.  Remember chuck roasts are tougher cuts of meat so the longer it cooks the better

Paleo Chop Suey

Nothing makes me more proud than making a whole new original recipe. I'm normally recipe dependent so when I create something from random ingredients that actual tastes good, I'm surprised.  This recipe for Paleo Chop Suey was inspired by a need for a side dish and I just didn't feel like having a salad.  I had chosen to keep the stems from three heads of broccoli and wanted to use them.  I peeled the coarse outer layer from the stems and sliced them into strips to make the basis of this dish.  I think this dish manges to get an "asian" flavor without the use of soy sauce or Coconut aminos.

PALEO CHOP SUEY
Serves 4 prep time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1.5lbs chicken breast, sliced thin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 broccoli stems, peeled and sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup broth
• 3 celery stems, sliced

Directions

1. Heat Olive Oil on med-hi heat.
2. Cook chicken, stirring frequently for about 3-4 minute or until no longer pink
3. Add in garlic and onions, cook for 3 mins
4. Add broccoli stems, carrots, and salt & pepper, cook 3 minutes
5. Add in celery and broth, cook until broth had reduced (about 5-8 minutes)
6. Serve alone or on top of prepared shirataki noodles.  

My Favorite Race Gear

The night before a race is fraught with anxiety and excitement.  Did I eat right?  Hydrate enough? Has my training been adequate? DID I FORGET ANYTHING???

 Brooks put out this adorable checklist for race day, but I have my specific FAVORITE race day items that I HAVE to have.  I'd feel naked without them at the Start Line.

My Favorite Race Day Gear:

1. Brooks Glycerin 9 - This is an older model of the Glycerin 9s.  And they are my favorite shoe.  I buy them at clearance sales or at once worn sales.  I ALWAYS have a "new" pair waiting for when I've worn down my current pair.  To find YOUR favorite show, you should go to a running store where they offer you a personal fitting.  Yes, they cost twice as much as nikes from a shoe store.  But you're paying for the expertise and the gaurantee that you're running in a shoe that is made for your foot and running style.  Good fit = Less injury!

I love my shoes

2. Glide - This is a skin lubrication to prevent friction and the heat and pain that come with friction.  If you're new to running I reccomend investing in a tube of this.  It makes a WORLD of difference.  I put in on the entire bottom of my feet and sometimes at the waistband of my pants.  Many women need it for chafing that happens from sportsbras and men use it on their nipples to prevent those dreaded RED badges of courage.

3. And while we're on the topic of lubrication: CHAPSTICK.  I'm a mouth breather when I run.  It helps me maximize oxygen intake.  I don't care that I sound like a freight train coming up behind you.  It should just make you run faster.  I'm pretty sure I've helped people PR just because they didn't want to listen to me.  But chapstick protects my lips from the sun as well as from the effects of 3 hours of mouth breathing.

This belt has saved my
phone more than once

4.  iFitness Belt - I bought my first ifitness belt in Hawaii at the expo for the Diva Half marathon.  Bucking all race wisdom about NOT using brand new equipment on race day, I was so glad I had it.  The day was so hot and humid that in order to finish 13.1 miles I had to continuous;y dump water on myself.  My phone, tucked into the waterproof belt, survived!  I love my iFitness and now have several.     They all have a handy bib holders too, which mean NO safety pin holes in your favorite tech tees!

Can't run without a
bondi Band headband!

5.  Bondi Band Headbands - I LOVE LOVE LOVE this product!  The sweat wicking ones definitely live up to their promise!  I can run without getting sweat in my eyes and they are SUPER cute, with images and sayings for every runner.  

If you have a piece of essential gear, please share it with me!  I'm always looking for new ways to make race day and training more comfortable.  The better you feel on race day, the better you perform!