Well, I did it. I pulled 8-hour days for the last few months, and I'm completely finished with my 1500 hours of school and graduating with my Cosmetology diploma tomorrow. I'm already signed up to take my first exam. Pushing through was extremely hard some days, but I made it. I let a few things slip and slide here and there on my diet; I have a few symptoms and reactions to show for it. Was it the best decision to eat some of the things I know I shouldn't? Probably not. But did it prevent me from eating some of the big no-no's that would have caused massive flares. Definitely. I'll definitely be cleaning things up starting the first of the month. I've already started making some progress in that direction.
My biggest progress? Consistent exercise! I told myself over and over again that I would exercise when I could during school, but not stress about it because it was too much on me. After I finished school, however, no excuses! So, NO EXCUSES! I've been walking several miles pretty much every day. My minimum that I've set for myself is exercising every other day. So far I've only missed one day, which means I feel like I'm on track for myself. I'm happy and proud of that achievement. You have to start at the bottom in order to move up, and I'm perfectly ok with that.
I have lots of different ideas that I've been considering for the blog, and it's time to start putting those into action too. I've also been researching and trying new products, and I'd like to share those with you via product reviews. I've already got a great one that I'm working on this week! If you have any ideas or suggestions for recipes or products, don't forget about the Suggest a Recipe tab at the top of the page. I love hearing from readers, whether it's constructive criticism to help me grow or praise that you liked what you saw.
And now for a recipe. If you can call it that. It's definitely not fancy. I feel like I can't even take credit for all the lovely flavors. But sometimes easy and simple and quick is exactly what's missing from an AIP lifestyle. So if you've had a long day or are in a rush or just don't feel like getting very fancy, this dish definitely fits the bill!
Rosemary & Mustard Veal Chops
1 lb veal shoulder blade chops
1 tbsp coconut oil or F.O.C.
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1-2 tsp crushed rosemary leaves, dried or fresh
Tessemae's Honey Mustard
Heat oil or fat in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, season veal chops with sea salt, black pepper, and rosemary leaves, coating each side well. When oil almost starts to smoke, add veal chops to the skillet and allow to cook on each side until well seared and cooked to desired inner temp. About 2-3 minutes per side for rare, 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare depending on thickness. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice into strips and drizzle with honey mustard over the top.
