Keep it Local, Okla.

You've heard me say it before, Oklahoma City is the bomb dot com. I fall more in love with my little urban paradise on the daily.

Just another reason why OKC is the star to my burst: Keep it Local (web, twitter).


As we all know, I love exploring Oklahoma, I have a passion for delicious food, I have a shoe fettish and I adore boutiques. That being said, throw in some cash money savings (I'm also kind of stingy, my mom called me a "smart spender" growing up), and this girl's in heaven. Keep it Local does just that: card holders receive special discounts at local merchants (ie: cute boutiques, local eateries and more). So right up my alley.

Keep it Local Mission Statement: To give people the tools and incentives they need to find and support independent, locally-owned businesses. 

Win.

Follow @KeepItLocalOK on Twitter. Do it. They'll supply you with plenty of re-tweets to let you know what's going on in the OKC community, where you can save and where specials are going on. Oh my, Keep it Local, you guys are the bee's knees.

Why should you become a card holder? Let me list a few reasons:

Just to name a few... To see the entire list of merchants (which includes other cities in the area), check out their website.

You want a card, right? Who am I kidding, you NEED a card! You can buy your 2013 card at many of the listed merchants as well as on the Keep it Local website for only $10. What a steal. Think of all the money you'll save!

Now that I've listed off several of my favorite local restaurants, my stomach is growling like crazy. I think its time for lunch.... Now I just have to decide where to use my card today!

Over & Out. 
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Health Nut Status.

I'm nearing the end of my Paleo journey....or at least the slotted amount of time I designated as "Paleo." I'm assuming you all want the low-down and my thoughts on the matter, correct? I knew it.



What I liked:
  • I was forced to cook. This meant more variety and tastier food (really tasty!).
  • I could eat as much as I wanted (no starving yourself) as long as it fit the Paleo criteria.
  • There are so many substitutions for my favorite foods (ex: Paleo cookies
  • I got creative, made up my own delicious recipes, and discovered new recipes and new foods that I really like.
  • I felt better about myself. I felt healthier, lighter, and enjoyed challenging myself in a new way.
  • I never had that post-meal bloat. I was never too full and never had a tummy ache or heartburn after eating (something I struggled with pre-Paleo). 
  • It really transformed my eating habits. I crave good, clean food and love veggies. Who knew?!
What was hard:
  • I was forced to cook. No more freezer meals in the blink of an eye or cereal for dinner - I had to set aside time to cook. 
  • I had to plan ahead. This was hard. I don't know what will sound good to eat tomorrow, let alone Friday!
  • I didn't lose those "last five pounds" like I wanted to. But I also didn't workout very hard due to the extreme Okla. heat and humidity.... Don't worry, Paleo, I'll take the blame on that one.
  • I felt guilty after indulging in cheat meals. This should probably be a positive....
  • It was really hard to stick with Paleo on the weekends. Going out to eat with friends or visiting someone....you don't want to be "that person" that people cater to, or be rude by turning down what you're offered.
  • No cupcakes or ice cream. Ah, the struggle was real, people... I cheated a few times. 




















Thank goodness bacon is Paleo.
So what now? I'm bound and determined to lose those last five pounds before I head off to Mexico with my tall drink of water for a beach vacation (!!!!!). But I also really want a cupcake..... So, I'm going to try to get the best of both worlds. I will continue being about 90% Paleo - I'll stick with the basics (meat, veggies, fruits and nuts) but not be quite as strict with it (ie: cupcakes are allowed on occasion and in moderation). That works, right?!

It was weird to me that the foods I expected to struggle with (goldfish, yogurt, oreos and creamer in my coffee) haven't phased me. I found Paleo substitutions that work just fine. The daily desert struggle was tough, I'm not gonna lie, but maybe if I found a great Paleo cupcake recipe, I'd be satisfied? Nahhh.....

Here's to being a health nut. I drank the kool-aid and I can't turn back now.


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If any of you are interested in Paleo (or just some delicious clean eating!) check out the following blogs and sites. They are full of fantastic recipes and Paleo information, tested and approved by yours truly.


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You can't have cookies for breakfast.

Its no secret that Cookie Monster had a large influence on my life. I adore cookies. I can't say no to cookies. I love every kind of cookie (with the exception of white chocolate macadamia nut - bleh). My life motto is:

"Today, I will live in the moment...unless its unpleasant, in which case I will eat a cookie." (see gif at right)

**You can also replace the word "cookie" with "cupcake" and the above statements would still be true.

That being said, I was a little worried when I first decided to go paleo. What would I bake on Sunday evenings? What would I eat for desert? More importantly, how would I survive?! I'd made a few paleo cookie recipes before, but they were never mind blowing. They always cost too much money (almond flour is not a cheap), some went bad too quickly (banana based cookies need to be kept in the fridge, FYI) and they just didn't do it for me.



No fear, the perfect paleo cookie is here. Its name implies that its a "breakfast cookie," which immediately made me think of the early '90s Cookie Crisp commercial, "You can't have cookies for breakfast!" with the old school cop and robber mascots. Presh. In this instance, however, I suppose that rule is out the window. You can totally have paleo cookies for breakfast.

editor's note: they are delicious any time of day.


Paleo Breakfast Cookies
1 cup almond butter
1 egg
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
3 cups total mix-ins of choice (ie: dried fruit, nuts, coconut, dark choc chips)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt 
Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients and mix until blended. Drop by tablespoons onto a greased baking sheet. Press down slightly with hand. Bake 12-15 minutes. 


I've made them with dried cranberries, coconut and dark chocolate chips. I've also made them with dried cherries, coconut and pecans (I've used honey both times). Both ways are delicious, but the outcome is completely different. The versatility and ease of these cookies is what makes them great (and, of course, the fact that you can eat them for breakfast!).

Enjoy!

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