Grit By Name and By Nature

Margaret Phillips

My (Being Married to Someone In) Law (School) Education

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My C is graduating [insert all the emotions here] and as I do for all major beginning and endings (and force everyone else to do to for all major beginnings and endings (and that includes the beginnings and endings of most days (and most meals (and most courses (I love reflecting))))) IT’S TIME TO REFLECT.

Supporting C throughout law school shocked me in so many ways. I learned far more about myself and my relationships through supporting C than I did in my own undergrad and grad school educations. 

Look, it’s a LONG post (three years is a long time, okay?!) so I’m going to cut this intro short and jump right into the most pertinent lessons I learned from (being married to someone in) law school. Check em out below😊

1. REFLECT A LOT.

I’m going to be honest, I didn’t reflect much until semi-recently and I started because (color me #foreverinfluenced) of Instagram. And WOW serendipitous timing because things would have been a lot harder for us if we hadn’t.

Reflecting allows you to express how you’re feeling and recognize thought patterns which is SO IMPORTANT.

Prime example:

To be completely honest, I was kind of the worst during C’s first summer’s internship. His company BALLED OUT on sick intern activities. We’re talking Disney Land, suites at Dodgers games, surfing lessons, and dinners at every last one of the cost-prohibitive restaurants scattered throughout El Lay. And as the summer progressed, I became more and more of a cranky goose about it.

After working a long day, I’d reheat leftovers, turn on Netflix, and then be barely awake when C would FINALLY get home, high on life n full of exciting tales of indoor sky diving and museums dedicated to ice cream. My brain started storing all these passive aggressive thoughts like “I work so hard and C just plays and play and plays” and “I want to indoor skydive instead of going to work”. LET ME TELL YA, I became a Snarky McSnarky Pants. And C became a withdrawn and mysterious turtle man.

It wasn’t until C n I started reflecting regularly that we realized 1. I was really royally struggling with this, 2. I was beating myself up over it because pity parties are gross and, 3. C was communicating with me less because he was feeling guilty over the way his fun was making me feel.

Our reflections gave C the opportunity to give me space for feeling jealous of his summer activities, it gave me the opportunity to express those feelings of envy in a calm and productive way, and it allowed us both to LET GO of the feelings of guilt surrounding the situation.

Building a relationship is like putting together Ikea furniture. It’s confusing, there’s multiple languages going on, and you aren’t provided with any real tools for assembly. Half the shit you do is, at best, an educated guess and you’re constantly having to go back and fix the things that you thought you had gotten right the first time around.

In this analogy, reflection is a powered hand drill. Why struggle through a very long assembly with a fake and slippery screwdriver provided with the assembly kit if there’s a power drill sitting right in front of you? Don’t do it. Don’t use Ikea’s fake n terrible tools. Pick up the drill. Get the work done faster and better with half the anguish and despair. Just reflect regularly, okay??? Okay. I’ll be done.

2. Survival mode is a luxury.

For the past three years, getting C through school has been our number 1 priority. Law school, obviously, is a huge financial burden, and that’s on top of the expenses of living in LA (……. Long Beach). And the work associated with law school is brutal (s/o to C here). It’s been a very humbling experience and has required that we seriously cut back on our expenses and accept help from other (EASIER SAID THAN DONE AMIRITE).

But an affordable life is a simple life. We haven’t accumulated things that anchor us to our apartment. We don’t have any expensive belongings that we need to worry about (I haven’t even had my engagement ring on me in over two years due to the lack of security in our apartment). We aren’t responsible for maintaining a house or for the lives of others.

These have been really fun years for C n I, years where we shared one main focus and one main goal. It has allowed us to come together and rally as a team. The experience as newlyweds was truly invaluable and has really forced us to set a foundation of clear values and priorities as a couple. I mean really, all newlyweds should go to law school!

(Just kidding.)

(Seriously.)

(Don’t do it.)

3. There are few greater gifts in life than being depended upon by someone who loves you.

I’m not going to lie… before law school started, I was a #baller. I was single, I had a bomb engineering salary that I worked really hard for, and I didn’t have anyone to spend that money on expect my numero uno chica… myself [insert Grit with sunhat on here].

So when C n I got married and he started law school, it was kind of a shock to my system. Humans are expensive, and especially humans who are commuting to El Lay every day for law school.

People love to tell me all the time that “someday C will pay you back for these years”. But the truth is, I could never pay C back. Because he has given me a purpose for three years. Every day I know who and what I am working for. When something at work really sucks, I know I’ll get through it because what better motivation could there possibly be than working hard for my C?

Being depended upon adds incredible value to your life and holy smokestacks batman, when you can see someone else’s successes as your successes? GAME CHANGER—there just isn’t anything better. A huge thank you to C for depending on me for these last three years and for providing me with that value and that purpose.

4. There are 99 opinions, but you only need one. (And that’s yours)

I saved this one for last because it is 100% the most important thing that C n I have learned over the past three years.

People are amazing with amazing experiences and have amazing wisdom to share. It’s so important to have an open heart and take in that wisdom. But it’s also important to have a strong connection to self so that you can separate that wisdom from its associated opinion.

Because everyone and their mother has an opinion about your life. Every last part of it. But only one person has to actually live your life and spoiler alert, that’s you.

Both C n I are people pleasers by nature, so we spent a long time trying to accommodate the opinions of others. Unfortunately, that’s a really great way to lose yourself because in no universe do two people have all the same opinions (not even me n C). And trying to be someone else all the time is just EXHAUSTING and extremely detrimental to your self-worth.

When you’re true to yourself, all things get easier. That’s a fact.

People who truly love you, love you because you’re YOU. And they don’t want you to be someone else! So embrace you. Stop second guessing. Start taking on life-giving tasks. Start having more fun 😊  And if you have people in your life who are trying to force you to be someone you’re not, it’s okay to cut them out. It will be better for both parties in the long run.

Now, in conclusion (if you’re still with me here S/O to you!!! hope you brought snacks for the journey) C n I are, OF COURSE, still babies who know approximately nothing about nothing, but we’re striving to learn every day. And the last three years have certainly made me excited about what’s to come 😊

Key Lime Pies (gluten-free, grain-free, low carb, refined sugar-free, high protein)

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Sometimes I have weeks where I fire on all cylinders. I crank out my work, I tear it up at the gym, my apartment is effortlessly clean, and my blog posts go up seamlessly and cohesively.

And some weeks, I can barely function. I go to work without my key fob. I lock myself out of the apartment. I get to the gym, only to realize that my shoes are at home. I bake a double batch of chocolate chip cookies… sans the chocolate chips.

So what does one do with a double batch of chocolate chip-less chocolate chip cookies? I had a few ideas. Freeze them and hand them out as Christmas ornaments in December? Go to the park and feed the birds? Take my tennis racket and my cookies to the pier and launch them (along with my frustration) into the ocean?

I was definitely leaning towards the latter when I realized I had something else unique lurking in the depths of the fridge. Lime wedges.

I had them for… uh… a lime… salad.

So I pushed aside the tequila that was sitting in front of the limes and set them on the counter next to my very, very sad cookies and THAT’S when it struck me, Key Lime Pie.

Who doesn’t love a good key lime pie?? It’s refreshing, delicious, and hello, IT’S A PIE do I even need any other reasons?

Now it took a couple iterations to get this recipe right, but luckily, I had a double batch of cookies to experiment with… *sigh*… and the pies I ended up with are pretty magical. There is no refined sugar, the texture is spot on, and they’re high protein, low-carb, and made with cultured cottage cheese which is far nicer on the tummy than your standard dairy products. The fresh lime makes a world of difference and its solidified with gelatin, which is good for your skin and for your digestion. Also, they take approx. two seconds to whip up and all you need is a blender.

So without further ado: Key limes pies:

Key Lime Pie

(high protein, paleo, low-carb, gluten-free, grain-free)
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 6 pies

Ingredients
  

Pie filling

  • 1 cup Good Culture Cottage Cheese
  • 6 tbsp Ascent Native Fuel Vanilla Whey Protein
  • 2 tbsp coconut brown sugar
  • 1 scoop Vital Protein’s Gelatin
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil or butter
  • 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp lime zest

Crust

  • 4 crushed chocolate chip cookies (or cracker or cookie of choice)
  • 2 tbsp ghee

Instructions
 

Crust

  • Preheat your oven to 375F and line your muffin tin.
  • Crumble cookies in bowl and combine with butter. (I use my fingers because #yolo) Pack them into the bottom of your muffin tin (or mini cake pan) and back for 6-8 minutes.

Filling

  • Place all ingredients, except gelatin, in blender. Blend until well combined. Pour mixture into a small sauce pan and warm mixture on LOW heat. Once mixture is warm, add gelatin and stir until well incorporated.
  • Pour mixture into pan and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Remove from fridge and enjoy 🙂
Keyword gluten-free, grain-free, key lime pie, lime, low carb, low-sugar, pie

Um… Bread. (Gluten-free, grain-free, keto, paleo)

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Sometimes recipes are born of a touching life story. Sometimes they’re the result of a sticky, albeit entertaining, situation. Sometimes they come after an instantaneous moment of inspiration. Sometimes they’re gifted in the form of a stroke of complete dumb luck. Sometimes they’re guided by the favorite dish of a loved one.

And sometimes you just want a mother f***in slice of bread.

This one happens to be the latter.

You guys know that I have nothing against bread as a general population. Really, anything that can transport butter from my plate to my mouth is a friend of mine. But recently, C n I have just been CRAVING toast for breakfast and TBH eating carbs topped with a little bit of fat and a lot more carbs during the morning is a real recipe for disaster for the rest of my day.  

So for the sake of the general public, this keto n paleo bread was created. The bread is grain-free, gluten-free, and is shockingly moist (SORRY I CAN’T STOP USING THIS WORD I’VE TRIED). The first time I baked it, I was literally APPALLED because it provided such a rise (n such a bitch of an oven cleanup job—thx bread!). It has the real-life texture of a bread, which means you can actually slice it instead of weeping as you watch it crumble into a million pieces the moment your knife hits the loaf. (This has never happened in our kitchen.)

When you need to pack a serious fat punch in the morning, what’s easier than grabbing bread from the fridge, popping a slicarooski in the toaster, and dousing it with peanut butter upon completion? Nothing. Nothing is easier. In particular, cleansing your oven of burnt af keto bread dough is not easier.

So without further ado, for your consumption pleasure, I give to you . . . . bread.

Bread

Grain-free, gluten-free, keto, paleo, sugar-free, low-carb
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients
  

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/8 cup almond milk
  • 3 tbsp melted ghee (or butter)
  • 3 tbsp nut butter (I’ve used pecan and almond)
  • 3 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp xantham gum (can be omitted)
  • sesame seeds (for topping)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F and grease doughnut pan or silicon molds.
  • In a small bowl combine all dry ingredients (except seasoning). Set aside.
  • Separate egg yolks and egg whites. In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks, apple cider vinegar, nut butter, Greek yogurt, and melted ghee. 
  • Combine dry ingredients into mixture. Add almond milk and stir again. Whip egg whites and fold into mixture.
  • Pour into loaf pan (about half full), top with sesame seeds, and bake for 30-35 minutes. **Note, I used a glass pan, if you use silicon or metal, that will affect baking times.

The Chocolate Cookie Donut (paleo, low-carb, low-sugar, grain-free, gluten-free)

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We all deserve a little luxury in our life and TRUST ME when I tell ya, these Chocolate Cookie Donuts? They are LUXURY. Let me paint you a picture:

You know when you wake up on a Saturday morning and fresh sunlight has just begun to stream through your windows? They’re open, so your sheer white curtains are billowing in the breeze, creating dancing shadows across your plush linen-clad daybed, situated just adjacent to the open windows so you can feel the breeze on your skin as you move towards it at your leisure. You pour yourself a cup of coffee, select a freshly baked Chocolate Cookie Donut from your recently stocked repertoire of tasty treats baked just for you of only the finest ingredients, and make yourself cozy on your daybed. You take a bite into your chocolate cookie donut, close your eyes and suddenly, the birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and the whole world is waking up together <3

Okay literally I’m giggling as I type this because no, I don’t know.

Let’s try this again–the Long Beach version.

You know when you wake up on a Saturday morning and realize you fell asleep on Friday night without brushing your teeth? Your mouth tastes like its full of 100 copper pennies freshly picked off the floor of the NYC subway system. It’s a taste that literally shocks you out of bed and in your haste to get any, ANY form of cleansing chemical into your mouth, you slam your knee into your already slightly broken Ikea dresser, most certainly sealing its fate of destruction.

Not wanting to face your new need for a dresser purchase (and probably a knee brace) you refuse to turn on the light and use your hands to feel your way out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. After brushing your teeth with the ferocity of 1,000 barracudas, you unplug your TV, your computer charger, and your toaster so you can plug in your coffee machine and proceed with your morning routine of crossing both your fingers and your toes in hopes of a brewed cup of coffee without a side of blown fuses.

The windows are SLIGHTLY cracked because #whatsAC? But also you don’t want any more surprise visitors from the local transient population so you’re definitely not going to open them all the way. You hear your upstairs neighbor doing her morning routine of loudly dragging every piece of her furniture to the opposite side of the room multiple times (or at least that’s what you assume she’s doing based on the noises she makes) and the beautiful songs of police car sirens echoing in from somewhere out in Long Beach.

You pour yourself a cup of coffee (success!!!), select a freshly baked Chocolate Cookie Donut from your old, but functional, fridge and make yourself cozy on your second-hand Room and Board sofa. You take a bite into your Chocolate Cookie Donut, close your eyes, and suddenly, the police sirens fade into birds chirping, the smell of stale water is overcome by fresh blooming flowers, and the whole city is waking up together <3

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It’s really amazing what a luxurious baked good can do for you😊 There’s just something about the silky-smooth texture of the inside of this cookie donut that eases away the strain of your every day morning. The chocolate literally melts in your mouth and even though you feel like you’re tasting all the indulgences that life has to offer, this low-carb n paleo treat is actually full of heathy hormone supporting fats that are certain to keep you energized and your moods level all morning long.

This Frankenstein creation has the crunchy chewy exterior of the cookie with the fluffy and light interior of your typical donut. And did I mention it’s a one-bowl dish that takes mere MINUTES to whip up? So you’re welcome in advance for this divine dish and without further ado, I give you, The Chocolate Cookie Donut:

The Chocolate Cookie Donut

Paleo, low-carb, grain free, gluten free
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 donuts

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 2 tbsp cacao
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil (liquid)
  • 1/4 cup coconut butter (melted)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and line or grease your cookie sheet.
  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Take a small handful of dough and roll into a cylinder approximately 1.5-inches in diameter and turn the ends into each other so your cylinder forms a wheel. Use your fingers to smooth the crease where the two ends come together and meet. Repeat until you’ve used all your dough.
  • Bake for 9-12 minutes. Let cool and top with whatever your heart desires (I love using chocolate coconut butter and shredded coconut… it’s divine!) 
Keyword breakfast, chocolate, cookie, dessert, donut, gluten-free, grain-free, healthy, paleo

HIIT Routine #2: 30 X 30

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This HIIT Routine is simply a GR8 one because you only need to remember five moves (we all have those days, ammirite??) and the continuous pace of the workout makes it FLY by.

Now that being said… be prepared . It’s BREW TOLE.

The format for the work out is as follows: 4 Rounds, 5 moves per round. Each round is exactly the same. Perform Move 1 for 30 seconds, followed by a 30 second rest before you advance to the next move. Each round is 5 minutes long (including rest time) for a total of 20 minutes.

ROUND 1 through 4

BURPEES: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest

WALL PUSH-OFFS: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest

FLOOR TO CEILING JUMPS: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest

SQUAT KICKS: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest

TUCK JUMPS: 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest

Go back to the beginning ↟ and repeat for a total of 4 Rounds.

Below are instructional videos for the moves in the HIIT workout above:

MOVE 1: Burpees

MOVE 2: Wall Push-Offs

MOVE 3: Floor to Ceiling Jumps

MOVE 4: Squat Kicks

MOVE 5: Tuck Jumps

And that’s it! Per usual, if you have any questions or simply want to connect, feel free to shoot me an email or find me on Instagram: @gritbyname

HIIT Routine #1 : 20 X 10

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The layout for this routine, and all of my HIIT routines, is SIMPLE. After the description of the workout, there are instructional videos for all the moves. The format for the workout is as follows:

Perform 4 rounds total, with two different moves in each round. You will complete Move 1 of each round 4 times consecutively. Each time, you perform the move for 20 seconds, with a 10 second break in between reps, repeating until you have done the move 4 times. Then, you transition directly to Move 2, again completing it 4 times in a row for 20 seconds, with a 10 second break in between reps. After this, take a one minute rest, which completes the round. Following this one minute rest, begin the next round until you have done 4 rounds total. Each round is 5 minutes (including rest time). If this paragraph is beyond confusing 😊 just skip to the description directly below ↡

ROUND 1

Resistance Band Sprints : 4 X [20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest]

Wall Push-Aways: 4 X [20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest]

1 MINUTE REST

ROUND 2

Launch Jumps: 4 X [20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest]

Elevated Toe Taps: 4 X [20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest]

1 MINUTE REST

ROUND 3

Forward Jump,Run Backs: 4 X [20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest]

Samurai Pulls: 4 X [20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest]

1 MINUTE REST

ROUND 4


Half Burpees : 4 X [20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest]


Jumping Lunges : 4 X [20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest]

Below are instructional videos for the moves in the HIIT workout above:

Move 1: Resistance Band Sprints

Move 2: Wall Push-Aways

Move 3: Launch Jumps

Move 4: Elevated Toe Taps

Move 5: Forward Jump, Run Backs

Move 6: Samurai Pulls

Move 7: Half Burpees

Move 8: Jumping Lunges

And that’s it! Per usual, if you have any questions or simply want to connect, feel free to shoot me an email or find me on Instagram: @gritbyname

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dilly Bar Banana Bites (Grain-free, gluten-free, sugar-free)

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It’s very important in our home to have snacks. Lots and lots of snacks. Or chaos TRULY can ensue. Which is why I am making these Peanut Butter Chocolate Dilly Bar Banana Bites all. the. time.

I think the best way to illustrate the importance of this recipe is by starting this post with a little insight into our El Lay lives.

A few months ago, our apartment was broken into. The culprit really didn’t take anything, but he/she trashed the place, leaving mud everywhere and our doors wide open. I’m lucky because it could have been a lot worse, but it still left me feeling shaken and insecure in my apartment.

About a week after that, C had a school event that went late, so I went to bed before he got home. Right after falling asleep, I woke up to the noises of someone with mud encrusted boots on walking around in our living room. Instinctively, I threw my arm across the bed to wake up C but when I did, I immediately froze with fear. C wasn’t in the bed. Of course, I thought, I just went to bed… he won’t be home for a few HOURS. I grabbed the kettlebell I keep under my bed (I know, a 30-lb kettlebell is v intimidating to a ruthless murdery home invader), pre-dialed 9-1-1 into my phone, and slowly rounded the corner into the living room.

I was both shocked and appalled by what I saw next. An undies-clad C was sitting on the couch in the living room, eyes closed, holding a half-eaten baguette in his hands (I was carb loading for a marathon at the time so I bought that baguette for me)

Yes, my C was sleep eating a three-foot-long baguette.

I double checked the time on my phone, and realized that it was 3AM; I had been asleep for HOURS. I watched in awe as C consumed literally FEET of baguette in his sleep. I must have been standing there awhile because he eventually woke up and was equally as weirded out to find me in front of him in my jammies, clutching my kettlebell to my chest.

Marriage man… it’s a weird thing.

The point I am trying to get across here, is that C is a master snacker. The kid requires a LOT of food. I grew up with brothers, I thought I knew what I was in for, but feeding C is like throwing sand dust into an incinerator. No matter how big his meals are, he’s CONSTANTLY snacking. And I’m not exaggerating, I will wake up with crackers embedded in my shoulders (#sexi) because my husband even sleep snacks.

So as you can see, I need to keep our kitchen STOCKED with healthy snacks, because if I don’t, C dives into the world of prepackaged cookies, crackers, chips, and candies. And while those things are great once in a while, they don’t do any favors to the tummy of my Crohn’s-ridden husband. 

One of my favorite go-to’s (and probably C’s favorite) are my paleo Peanut Butter Cup Dilly Bar Banana Bites. It’s a lot of words, I know, but the treat lives up to all of them. First of all, they are stupid easy to make, the ingredients are cheap, and they are stored in the freezer, so I can make HUGE batches at a time. They’re a rounded-out snack of protein, fat, and carbs, so they actually fill C up and keep him full (at least somewhat full… it is C after all) and TBH, I love them too. If a Reece’s peanut butter cup and a DQ Dilly Bar had paleo a baby, this would be it.

Perhaps the best part is that C can sleep eat these bad boys all night long without leaving me afraid n kettlebell-armed on the phone with the police in our living room at 3AM. I’m sure you can relate.

So WITHOUT FURTHER ADO: I present to you, paleo Peanut Butter Cup Dilly Bar Banana Bites.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dilly Bar Banana Bites

(grain-free, gluten-free, sugar-free)
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Calories 40 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 banana
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp powdered peanut butter (or additional natural peanut butter)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp coconut butter (or additional coconut oil)
  • 2 tbsp cacao
  • toppings as desired

Instructions
 

  • Combine Greek yogurt, peanut butter, peanut butter powder, maple syrup, and gelatin in blender. Blend until well combined. Place in the freezer while you slice bananas into approx 1/2-inch slices.
  • Take mixture out of freezer and place one spoonful on top of each banana slice. Place banana slices back in freezer while you prepare the chocolate coating.
  • Melt coconut oil and butter until liquid (this takes approx no time so keep your eyes on it… I melt it in a mug in my toaster oven). Stir in cacao. Take your topped banana slices out of the freezer and cover them in you chocolate mixture. If you’re going to add toppings, add them immediately as the chocolate hardens pretty quick. I love topping mine in hemp hearts and coconut. Chris loves chocolate and paleo granola… you do you 🙂 
Keyword banana, chocolate, dessert, easy, gluten-free, grain-free, low-sugar, peanut butter

Peanut Butter Fat Bomb Muffins with a Peanut Butter Coconut Frosting (Paleo, Keto, Grain-free, Gluten-free, Sugar-less)

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Alright folks… the blog has been live for a couple months now, so it’s about time I talk a little bit about engineering.

I recently went on a work trip to Nashville, Tennessee. What a fun area, right? The live music, the beautiful mountains, the amazing food, the rich historical architecture, the top of the line boiler manufacturers, the revolutionary plastic pipe fabricators… oh, I’m sorry… Is that not what you go to see when you visit Nashville? Have I lost you? How strange.

Well if you’re as #lucky as I am, that IS what you see when you go to Nashville. Especially when a big fat fancy boiler company books your flight out there from LA, covers the hotel, and hosts a two-day long factory tour, with fancy equipment, fancy demonstrations, expensive show floors, and extravagant technical presentations… and boy oh boy, was I impressed. By the peanut butter.

On the first day, we were given a breakfast spread upon arrival. What is it about breakfast spreads? You could cut up cardboard, put it on plates, serve it with coffee, tell me it’s a breakfast spread, and I would ooh and ahh over the lovely and thoughtful treat. Needless to say, when it comes to breakfast spreads, I’m easy to please.

So when I spread some assumed run-of-the-mill no-name label-less peanut butter on to my cardboard (maybe it was toast? A bagel? PVC pipe? WHO KNOWS FRIENDS) and bit in, I was SHOCKED. Confused. AMAZED. Peanuts were dancing upon my tongue. My taste buds sang out in choruses of joy and worship. My mouth shone with the light of a thousand suns. This peanut butter didn’t belong in the breakfast spread. It belonged in a shrine. A temple. A pair of AGs.

I spent the rest of the tour thinking about this peanut butter, talking about my peanut revelation to anyone who would listen to my new heightened appreciation . Because HELLO, I already loved peanut butter. It’s cheap, it’s delicious, and all you need is a spoon and a jar for a delicious sugar-free dessert. Plus, it packs a fatty PUNCH with a gentle butterfly kiss of protein. I mean c’mon man. What’s not to love.

But this peanut butter—it was NEXT LEVEL. In fact, by the time I finished the tour, the boiler factory staff was so… aware… of my… appreciation… that before I left, they sent me home with the jar. “Perhaps if we just give her the f—ing peanut butter, she’ll shut the hell up about it and we can get back to boilers”.

OH BOY WERE THEY WRONG. Because I’m still going on about the peanut butter.

So when I arrived back home, a new fat bomb muffin was created. A muffin that properly packs the peanut buttery punch captured in that magnificent jar. Another #PHAT muffin that I can eat every morning without the sugar and carbs that make my energy levels crash and cause me to crave crap food in my cube.

These delicious muffins are grain-free, gluten-free, keto, paleo, fluffy, protein-powered, and feature a creamy paleo coconut peanut butter frosting. It’s a regular in my fatty muffin circulation (if you know, you KNOW) and they whip up so fast. Plus you can add whatever toppings you happen to be craving that day… I have featured some of my favorites here: banana and cinnamon (esp if you’re subbing mashed banana for pumpkin, see below), strawberries, blueberries, and OF COURSE coconut (this should surprise absolutely no one).

Plus, having this magnificent peanut butter in a muffin felt a little less weird than eating it out of an opened jar of peanut butter that had been shared by a large group of strangers and gifted to me by a factory floor worker. EITHER WAY, it’s worth the #healthrisks 😊

Ok no more engineering talk. Let’s get into the recipe.

Peanut Butter Fat Bomb Muffins with Paleo Peanut Butter Coconut Frosting

(Paleo, keto, grain-free, gluten-free, low-carb, high fat)
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

Peanut Butter Fat Bomb Muffins

  • 1/2 cup powdered peanuts (or powdered peanut butter)
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3 tbsp rice protein (I use vanilla)
  • 1/4 tsp xantham gum
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup ghee (or butter, melted)
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil (liquid)
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin (can sub mashed banana for a little sweetness)
  • 4 eggs

Paleo Peanut Butter Frosting

  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup coconut butter
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter

Instructions
 

Peanut Butter Fat Bomb Muffins

  • Preheat your oven to 350F and line or grease or muffin tin.
  • Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Separate the egg whites and egg yokes. Combine egg yokes and the remaining wet ingredients (I warm up my coconut oil, ghee, and peanut butter in a mug before adding to the yokes and pumpkin)
  • Whip egg whites until a firm peak forms.
  • Combine dry and wet ingredients and mix well. Gently fold in egg whites.
  • Spoon mixture into muffin tin (approx 3/4 full). Bake for 14-16 minutes. Let cool while you prepare the frosting.

Paleo Peanut Butter Frosting

  • Melt coconut butter. Add peanut butter, coconut butter, and Greek yogurt into a blender. Blend on low speed until all ingredients are well combined. Use to top cooled peanut butter muffins.

Notes

DISCLAIMER: I live in a shit apartment with a shit oven. When I preheat my oven, I also preheat my apartment. Remember this when considering my baking times.
Keyword gluten-free, grain-free, keto, low carb, low-sugar, muffin, paleo, peanut butter

Personal Pan (Egg) Pizzas (paleo, keto, grain-free, gluten-free, high protein)

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C and I don’t have any kids. We also don’t have any pets or nieces or nephews (YET). What we do have, is pizza <3

When we got married were considering what to do with our last names (Peterson + Phillips = Pete-lips #sexi), we seriously considered throwing caution to the wind and going with C and Grit Pizza (Except just the emoji because we’re meta like that). And when we told our family of the consideration, they were 0% surprised. Because our dedication to the ‘za is very real.  

I’m all for giving your body what it asks for, but C and my bodies are ALWAYS asking for pizza, and under no circumstances should you eat the same food for every meal on every day of the week (Right? Pizza for every meal is definitely bad. Or is it? No it is. It definitely is.) so it goes without saying that we have a lot of pizza variations in our repertoire.

Now I know there’s a lot of grain-free pizza options out there today. But sometimes I just don’t feel like ricing my cauliflower and blending it and cooking a cauliflower crust and then prepping toppings and THEN baking the pizza. Actually, I never feel like doing that. And a frozen cauliflower pizza at Whole Foods costs 9 dollars! NINE DOLLARS!!! One of those pizzas = MAYBE one meal for C. Listen Linda, I don’t have that kind of cash.

So for my brothers and sister who need the ‘za but also need an array of vitamins and nutrients like normal grown-up adults, I give you these Egg ‘Zas.

Like all my fav meal recipes, this one whips up in a flash, plus it’s totally scalable (so C can get enough food without eating all of my portion as well) and customizable (because C eats like a boring banana and I like a little greens in my life). It’s super high protein and there’s not a grain in sight.

I make my “crust” with egg whites and I make Chris’ with full eggs. Feel free to do a mixture of both! And double bonus, these paleo pizzas are adorable af. So if you need a cheap and easy dinner option to please all the picky eaters in your household, these Egg ‘Zas are 4u.

Personal Pan (Egg) Pizzas

Keto, paleo, grain-free, gluten-free
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Breakfast, dinner, lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

C’s ‘Za

  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 cup organic pizza sauce
  • 1 pack Belgioioso mozzarella snacking cheese (for topping)
  • 1/2 all natural chicken sausage (cooked, optional)
  • 1/4 avocado (chopped)
  • 1/4 green onion (chopped)

Grit’s ‘Za

  • 1 cup egg whites
  • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tsp crushed red peper
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • chopped red onion (for topping)
  • 3 tbsp pesto sauce
  • 1/4 avocado (chopped)
  • 1 handful arugula
  • 1/2 all natural chicken sausage (cooked, optional)

Instructions
 

C’s Za

  • Whisk your eggs, shredded mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic in a bowl. Pour into a non-stick frying pan and cook on medium low heat (just like an omelet) until the center JUST starts to solidify. Careful not to burn!
  • Flip omelet and let it finish cooking. While it finishes, top with pizza sauce, chicken sausage, green pepper, snacking mozzarella. To get the extra gooey cheese on top, sometimes I pop C’s pizza into the toaster oven on “warm” while I cook my ‘za. 
  • Right before serving, top with avocado.

Grit’s Za

  • Whisk your egg whites, shredded mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and garlic in a bowl. Pour into a non-stick frying pan and cook on medium low heat (just like an omelet) until the center JUST starts to solidify. Careful not to burn! It will take longer than C’s ‘za.
  • Flip omelet and let it finish cooking. While it finishes, top with pesto sauce, chicken sausage. After removing the omelet from the heat, top with arugula, red onion, and avocado.
  • Place on dish and enjoy 🙂 
Keyword egg, gluten-free, grain-free, low carb, paleo, pizza, whole 30

Macadamia and Coconut Donuts w/ White Cocoa Glaze (paleo, keto, gluten-free, grain-free)

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Look, I love and appreciate all three of the macro groups, but you are all probably aware by now that I am a huge proponent of a healthy daily dose of hormone supporting fats. I’m not afraid of carbs and I know that protein is great for muscle growth, but fat just has a special place in my heart. It keeps my blood sugar stable, makes me feel full, supports my hair and my skin, and frankly, it tastes great.

I consider myself a connoisseur of fats. I’ve tried them all. Every form of nut butter, oil, fat packs, avo mouse, coconut oil, keto cup, and seed butter… you name, I’ve probably tried it. People ask me all the time which ones are best but choosing my favorite form of fat is like trying to choose a favorite child because I love and appreciate them all differently.

Well, that is except for one.

Just between you and I, there is one fatty snack that I simply cannot live without. It is the yin to my yang. It’s what I think about when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I long for before I go to bed at night.

And that is FBOMB’s nut butters and oils packets.

I stumbled upon FBOMB totally by chance. C and I ran a RAGNAR with some coworkers last April and someone stuffed the free FBOMB nut butter packets into my backpack when we were hurriedly trying to clean out our van. Nut butter packets were never really my thing, but I also hate to waste food, so I packed them into the glove compartment of my car and forgot about them.

Fast forward to mid-June. Half of California is on fire and it is hotter than hell outside. Yours truly was trapped on the 405 trying to cross El Lay in the heat of the afternoon after a particularly long day spent crawling in and out of bug-infested manholes on a construction site. The fires were definitely not making traffic any better and I was tired, I was sweaty, I was stinky, I was hungry, I was cranky, I wanted to be home, and there was no way in hell I was getting off of the bumper-to-bumper freeway to grab a snack.

In a fit of self-pity and despair, I tore apart the interior of my Volkswagen bug in search of something, ANYTHING, that I could put into my stomach. I dug into the driver’s side door pocket, emptied the piles of napkins and used chap sticks out of the center console, and pulled out every single pair of sunglasses out from the nooks and crannies of the dashboard of the car. But it wasn’t until I flung open the glove compartment and pulled the entirety of its contents out onto the passenger seat next to me that I did find, lo and behold, those bright orange FBOMB macadamia nut butter packets, shining back at me.

As soon as that nut butter hit my taste buds, I knew that I could never go back. The sun shone a little brighter, the colors of the 405 freeway got a little clearer, strangers were smiling in their cars, the birds started singing, a mouse started collecting loose pearls from the ground to sew together my gown for the ball (… or something like that). I’m not trying to be dramatic, but let me tell you, my day TURNED AROUND.

Unfortunately, FBOMBs are not available in stores (at least as of recent in southern California). I try not to order things online, but FBOMBs are an exception. They’re worth it. It’s the first thing I eat every morning I’m at work. They taste AMAZING, the ingredients are so simple, and they prep my stomach for a full day of digesting.

After that life changing day in December, I fell hard for the macadamia nut FBOMB packs. I immediately became a loyal consumer. I really thought I knew what love was… BUT BOY WAS I WRONG. Because soon after I messed up an Amazon order (lol what’s new right) and accidently ordered myself the coconut macadamia nut butter combo packets. I didn’t think I could love FBOMBs any more than I already did. I thought I had it all. I didn’t. I had nothing. Because I didn’t have the coconut macadamia nut flavor.

But LOL this post isn’t even about FBOMBs so can we just move on already??

Inspired by my unfailing love of the flavor of the coconut macadamia nut FBOMB pack, the Macadamia Coconut Donuts were created. Although it PAINED me to put the FBOMB nut butter into the batter and not into my mouth, the reward proved to be worth the heartbreak.

These donuts have the perfect texture and come in at only 7 net carbs per donuts. They are so filling, and the rich macadamia nut flavor goes perfectly with your morning cup of joe. They also have 7 grams of protein, which is nothing to squawk at, and a whopping 21 grams of fat to keep you satisfied all morning long.

When I’m feeling spicy af, I top them with a paleo white chocolate icing that is unbelievably easy to whip up and adds a fun chocolatey flavor to the donuts. But trust me when I say this, these donuts really hold up on their own.

So lets stop talking about FBOMBs (jk I’ll never stop talking about FBOMBs) and get into the recipe!

Macadamia and Coconut Donuts w/ White Cocoa Glaze

Paleo, sugar-free, keto, low-carb, grain-free, gluten-free
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 18 mins
Total Time 28 mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 4 donuts

Ingredients
  

Macadamia Coconut Donut

  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil (liquid)
  • 1 Macadamia Nut F bomb
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp xantham gum
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 tbsp almond/coconut milk
  • 3/8 cup coconut flour

White Chocolate Coconut Icing

  • 2 tbsp coconut butter
  • 1 tbsp cocoa butter (or just more coconut butter if you’re not a bitter cocoa fan!)
  • 1 tsp coconut flour
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp shredded coconut (for topping)
  • 1 tbsp chopped macadamia nuts (for topping)

Instructions
 

Donuts

  • Preheat oven to 350 F and grease your donut pan.
  • Combine coconut flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, and xantham gum in a large bowl.
  • Separate egg yokes and egg whites. Add yokes, coconut oil, macadamia nut butter, almond milk and vanilla to your dry mixture. Blend well.
  • Whip egg whites until they form a firm peak. Fold into your donut mixture.
  • Spoon mixture into donut pan and bake for 17-20 minutes. 

Icing

  • Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan (except coconut sugar, shredded coconut, and mac nuts). Heat on low until melted (this doesn’t take long so keep your eyes on it!!). 
  • Pour over the donuts. Top with coconut sugar, shredded coconut, and mac nuts.

Notes

DISCLAIMER: I live in a shit apartment with a shit oven. When I preheat my oven, I also preheat my apartment. Remember this when considering my baking times.
Keyword breakfast, coconut, donut, gluten-free, grain-free, keto, low carb, macadamia nut, paleo