Interview with a Cavelady

INT - CROSSFIT GYM - DAY:

SANS stands with her hair tied neatly in a bun, wearing a grey sweatshirt that reads, "Lake George Triathlon Festival". She's perched behind a large video tripod, holding several sheets of paper in her hands. She occasionally adjusts the camera lens. The AMBIENT SOUNDS of weights being lifted and dropped can be heard. A small fit, SHEILA, early 20's, brunette, tee shirt representing "Crossfit Dewitt", stands in front of her. Next to Sheila crouches, JULIA, 19, her attention is concentrated on a microphone she holds in her hands and the sounds in her ears, being heard through a large set of headphones. 

I am working on my final project for the semester, a short documentary film based on the Paleolithic Lifestyle.

Screenshot of Sheila, the Paleo and Crossfit Super Star.

I just transcribed our 12 minute interview/conversation and am in the midst of baking a pumkpin pie....... I mean, storyboarding what's left to be shot, and what B-Roll I can shoot while I'm home.

I need to interview myself as well as record a skype interview with a fellow Paleo Super Star. 

It's really amazing though, the mentality behind the "Paleo Person". That personality, it's this immediate likeness between people. Sheila and I hit it off almost immediately, we both gushed over recipes we had tried and what various blogs we follow and what books we've read and how people react to our eating habits in social scenarios. It's a cool thing, seeing as I don't often run into other Paleo types. I'm mostly surrounded by vegetarians, even my own parents are vegetarian for the most part.

   "Throughout the Paleo experience, the Paleo lifestyle, I’ve found how dedicated and how strong willed I can be…because there are temptations everywhere, when you walk into a grocery store and they’re having the free samples…and it’s been a long day and you’re really hungry and you want to grab it and you just walk by. I’ve learned that, no matter what, challenges I face, I can overcome them and that little things like diet, and lifestyle, can absolutely be changed."

This is just one of the many gems Sheila spewed out throughout the interview. I certainly agree with her, once you start applying consistency and the ability not to give in to temptation with food...nothing seems unconquerable. I didn't eat that cake today, or that pizza yesterday. I could probably do an Olympic Triathlon this weekend. Yeah, that's my thought process. Not really, but on a larger scale, kind of...yeah. That's virtually how it happened. 

CUT TO: BLACK

Pumpkin Seed Snack

Let's talk about pumpkin seeds. After you've carved your pumpkin, or are prepping it's goodness for a future pie -- you are left with a mass of slimy seeds.

Don't throw them out! Either save them and plant some pumpkins, or eaaat them.

the incredible edible, uh pumpkin seed

Now that we're talking about pumpkin seeds, let's get fun and factual.

Did you know? That pumpkin seeds are a great source of zinc, and vitamin E! They're also a great source of healthy fats, proving to have about 13 grams of fat per one ounce serving.

Anyways, let's hop to it.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

Set your oven to bake at 400°.

I melted 1/2 tbs of coconut oil, and poured it into a small bowl.
Then place your seeds into the bowl (I had about a handful, increase/decrease measurements based on how many seeds you have). Add salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves and 1/2 tsp sea salt.

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spread seeds evenly across the foil. Put 'em in the oven for 15-20 minutes. They'll start to pop, check on them occasionally, stir. Do your thang.

Take them out and let them cool! or eat them. Howevz

Paleo Cramberry Sauce

INT - KITCHEN - DAY:

SANS PIZZA, 5'8", stands facing the stove top, stirring a small pot filled with a steaming red mixture. She pours some dried cranberries into it, MIKA'S "POPULAR" can be heard streaming from her iPhone, with an occasional interruption indicating she's received a text message. Stella, the small black and white pit bull, sniffs around at Sans' feet. The countertop behind Sans is covered with spices, measuring spoons,  various jars, and a tall glass bottle that reads, "Creme De Cassis". In between stirrings, Sans takes a modest shot of the liqueur. 

"Don't tell Grandma, but I spiked the cranberry sauce."

Let's get real for a second here, cranberry sauce is awesome. It's...sauceome, sawesome. Itsawesome. But! Why is everything else virtually made from scratch (at least that's how it is at my Thanksgivingz) and the cranberry sauce remains abandoned? Can shaped and plated. I mean, don't get me wrong. It's delicious. But, why is it so neglected? Well, leave it to me to customize this Thanksgiving classic to my own (not so) secret preferences.

I made this last week at my apartment for a "Fakesgiving" Dinner we had, but that recipe required a lot of sugar and it hurt my stomach so I'm splicing and dicing that recipe with some paleo alternatives, and orange zest. Whatever.

Cramberry Sauce:

"Cramberry" in the sense, that, you uh, cram ingredients in there.

12 oz cranberries

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup Orange Juice

1/4 cup Creme De Cassis, a black currant liqueur (or try Kirschwasser Cherry Liqueur, both gluten-free!)

1/4 cup raw Honey

1/4 cup Agave Nectar

1 tsp Ginger

1 tsp Orange Zest

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground Cloves

Bring the 1/4 cup of OJ, 1/4 cup of liqueur, orange zest, and ginger to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, add the fresh cranberries, cover. Occasionally stir, for about 7-10 minutes. The cranberries will burst! Once they've burst, add the 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Stir for about 3-5 minutes, then stir in Agave, and honey. They should melt. 

Remove pot from heat, add two more tablespoons of Creme De Cassis. Refrigerate! It's best made 2-3 days ahead of time to let all of the flavors soak in. Although, I've made it less than 24 hours ahead of time and it was still great.

The recipes I spliced were Bon Appétite's Cassis-Spiked Cranberry Sauce and Paleo Effect's Paleo Cranberry Sauce.

dat zest

Thingskilling: Rant II

Int - Home Office - Night:

Same old same old. I smell like spices.

Let's talk about breakfast, let's talk about you and me.

I started my day off "right". I heated a pat of coconut oil in the frying pan, threw some cayenne pepper, 3 slices of a tomato, and some capers. Let 'em fry for awhile. I whisked two eggs in a separate bowl with a little coconut milk and probably about half a tsp of hot sauce. Once those tomatoes looked fried real nice, I poured the egg mixture onto the pan and, that's it really. From pan to plate to paleolithic palette. Ooh, that was clever. Biite me.

A tall cup o' pumpkin spice joe, sans lactose/and sugar.

Blasted off to this here home office suite, and did some "school work" and by that I mean, downloaded Mika's two recent albums and listened to them on repeat while designing and redesigning the layout for this silly page. 

See Also: Grew antsy, found old spandex pants and old running sneakers and blasted out my front door and down the street and around the lake for 2.5 mountainous miles, and then I turned around. Mika sang to me the whole way. 

I've been pretty awful about keeping up with running lately so as I left my house, I acknowledged that I may not be able to make it all the way up the ridiculously steep hills I knew were to come...but then, I saw another girl along the way who couldn't make it all the way up the hill...and naturally, I needed to one up her. So, I ran the entire 5 miles. It's nice to know my muscles and endurance don't just evaporate into the heavens.

Thingskilling: Rant I

INT - HOME OFFICE - NIGHT:

SANS PIZZA, 21, is curled up on an office chair facing two large computer screens, typing away. The bags under her eyes symbolize exhaustion, her  dark brown hair is tied messily on top of her head. She looks casual, the left leg of her sweatpants reads "SYRACUSE". The distant sound of claws SCRAPING against hardwood flooring can be heard as STELLA, the 8 year old spotted pit bull, climbs the stairs behind Sans Pizza.

It's that time of year again. The time of year where it gets dark real fast and it's hard to get out of bed because the idea of letting any air touch your body that's been outside of your comforter sends an electric shock of chills down your spine.

Yeah, you know, that time.

This is the time where typically my exercise routine falls apart, everything between Halloween-Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Years is justified with, "Well, I can eat 4 pumpkin pies in one sitting because, I'll just start over once [insert upcoming holiday] is over."

Self-sabotage and torture aren't worth even that first slice of pumpkin pie, ain't goin' lie.

I've already managed to trip and fall and slide down this slippery winter slope. Halloween started it.

Idiot

I'd like to acknowledge that I am imperfect and that I make mistakes and am constantly surrounded by temptation, and that it's okay.

The upcoming short documentary, "Prehisteria", has inspired me to suck less. A 5-7 minute documentary on the Paleolithic Lifestyle and how to do it as a 20-something in college. The title of the documentary predates the title of this blog/was the inspiration for the title of this blog.

In the next few days, you best be looking forward to a Very Paleo Pumpkin Pie (gluten-free/dairy-free/grain-free) recipe accompanied by some food pornography as well as some inspiring quotes from an interview with a Jacked Cavewoman.

that pumpkin preview, though

CUT TO: BLACK

Other Things:

--> Currently working on applying to study abroad in Florence over the summer. This will involve taking several food/photography/lighting related courses and possibly an internship with a winery. 

--> Upcoming indoor triathlon, do it, PU$$Y.

--> Pittsburgh, PA and reasons I don't want to be there.

--> Trying to get department's permission to take a 1 credit swimming course next semester.

--> NECTC Nationals in April, and the money/body I need to do it.

See Also: "abnormal sleeping patterns", "thankskilling break", "crossfit membership"

Things

INT - HOME OFFICE - NIGHT: 

SANS PIZZA, 21, long dark hair, and dark eyes to match; sits in an office chair at a desk. At her feet sleeps a large spotted pit bull, and to the left of her sits her FATHER, 60, grey hair and thin, at a separate computer. She's typing.

I don't know how to use Blogger

I do know what I want to say though.

Things involving twisted food related thoughts, progress on films, my day, my meals, recipes, poetry, education, life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.

Here, watch this super ambiguous/profound vid I made for class. 

"Experimental Self Portrait"

I woke up this morning, in the house I grew up in, on the mattress I've had for the majority of my life, and I went for a short 3 mile run. I came home, lifted the heaviest weights I could find in the house and then enjoyed a protein packed recovery meal. Scrambled eggs and left over gluten-free Paleo stuffing. 

It's been barely 24 hours on Thanksgiving Break and I'm ready to return to the Cusey.

CUT TO: BLACK