The Avocado and Me

Dinner parties are always rather fun. The only aspect that I am not so fond of is the rigorous cleaning that takes place beforehand. While I adore cooking for other people, my love for scrubbing the cook top, polishing the counter, and washing the dishes happens to be drastically less. My family also has more cooking magazines than we can count - my mother started something of a collection years ago, and I have taken up the hobby. The chore of stacking Food Network, Rachel Ray, and Eating Well magazines nicely deserves an award. I also happen to know that some people have a hard time accommodating their guests; admittedly, I am typically the subject of this irritation. In fact, the renowned Ina Garten recently captioned an Instagram, stating "I love having summer parties but it's gotten harder to plan a menu now that it feels like everyone is on a special diet." This is completely understandable. However, I try to view diverse eating habits as a challenge. Today,...

Every year, the students at my school can be counted upon to do one thing. Not to turn in their homework or remember their lunches. Certainly, that one guarantee is not the honor roll for everyone or a victory in each volleyball match. No, the one thing that the students at my school will always do is count down the moments until summer. Emma used to count by class period, while Taylor tracked the days. A summery feeling always seems to settle around us before the holiday actually comes. It is agony to sit in a stifling science class when the breeze and the sunshine call to you through the windows. Pure agony, my friends. And then summer break does roll around, everyone screams and cheers as the final bell of the day rings. We exchange numbers and sign yearbooks, and revel in the pure joy of two months' freedom! Our glee that homework has come to a close lasts a while. No more geometry! No more verb conjugations! But then, we become outright bored, miserable in the 10...

Yoga is phenomenal. My old social studies teacher (hi, Mr. Schmitz!) always joked that yoga is for tree lovers and hippies. He was completely kidding, mind you. And that's good, because if I hadn't known that he was teasing, I probably would have boldly contradicted him - for a change. You see, I believe that everyone can benefit from stretching their body. According to the article " The Importance of Stretching " from the Harvard Health Publishing, " Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints." Moreover, yoga and mobility exercises can be both meditative and fun! In my experience, yoga is a stress reliever and increases my awareness of the world. Now, dear reader, please answer me this: why would anyone avoid an activity that is healthy, challenging, AND fun? Entertaining and rewarding? I just don't get it. So, Mr. Schmitz, if you're reading this - maybe g...

Ah, pizza. While I was never a huge  fan, the dish certainly played an important part of my childhood. I remember meeting my grandparents at Frank the Pizza King when I was but a wee lassie; my parents would order the Frank's special, and I would gobble up the pieces with extra mushrooms. Abby, my little sister, always requested the luncheon special with pineapple. Bleh. Frank's was a big treat - there was a Galaga arcade machine in one corner, and a jukebox in another. And after every hearty meal, the kids would scramble up to the front counter and get a bubble gum lollipop. Pizza is also a hit at parties. From birthdays to back-to-school celebrations, you are sure to find a large, greasy pie lounging on the counter, tempting everyone in the vicinity. But Primal eating means no more Domino's. No more Black Jack's. No more Pizza Hut, Little Caesar's, or Papa John's. No more Frank the Pizza King. Of course, one can always scrape the cheese, sauce, and topp...

Hello, everyone! I am so very sorry that I have not posted anything new for a few days - I've been busy babysitting the five-year-old twins next door. We've had a blast together, jumping on the trampoline and playing hide-and-go-seek, but I've missed my blogging time. But now, I'm back. There's been no harm done. In fact, I'd say that something rather miraculous came out of my temporary silence. When I first started The Avocado and Me, I wondered how my mentors were able to come up with so many recipes... all on their own! It's hard enough to create dishes when you are using wheat flour and sugar. Almond flour, coconut flour, and monk fruit just provide more challenges. So how is it that Carolyn Ketchum at  All Day I Dream About Food  and the staff at  The Bulletproof Blog  crank out new recipes so quickly? And how is it that they are almost  all  delicious? Then I realized that fashioning scrumptious food is their job . And my job, as my parents a...

First of all, Happy Father's Day! Make sure to give your old man a big hug to celebrate; maybe you could even make him this Primal Toad In The Hole for brunch! There are two typical ways that people around the world think of a Toad In the Hole. The first way is the traditional English dish, in which sausages are cooked in Yorkshire pudding batter. Here in America, however, we associate the title Toad In The Hole with a different meal altogether. Picture instead a thick slice of bread that has a hollowed out circle in the center. An egg is cracked into that hollow, and the American Toad In The Hole is pan fried until the egg is cooked through. I'd imagine it's pretty good, but I've never had it. As with avocado toast, I had stopped eating bread before I could try it. But today, I thought I should change that. Why shouldn't I be able to enjoy this scrumptious dish? So I reinvented it, as you can see in my picture to the left. Aren't you proud of me, dear reader...

Hello, everyone! How's your week been? Hopefully it's bursting with wonderful food, energizing exercise, mindfulness, and everything that brings you joy. I know my week has certainly been grand. A few days ago, I attended a pool party with several of my friends. We played flashlight tag once darkness fell, and that was a blast! My friend Maddi (surely you remember Maddi?) and I hid under a pine tree, which was both a clever and extraordinarily painful spot. But now, the week on June 11th through the 15th has nearly come to a close. It's the weekend, and that means... (drum roll please)... it's time for a new edition of Maya's Menu! Below, you can find everything I ate during the week, including recipes and tips. Please note that in addition to what is listed, I often had a snack of bell pepper slices and baba ganoush. Oh, and tea. Lots and lots of tea. Monday Breakfast: Morning A rugula Salad a rugula, fried egg, olives, 1/2 red bell pepper, 1/2 avocad...