theprimaldesire

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New Year's Resolutions Or Not?

New Year’s Resolutions Or Not?

[theprimaldesire]

Smashed Potato Bacon Benny with Creamy Fenugreek Sauce

Holiday-worthy gluten-free version of eggs Benedict, you'll want to have a Smashed Potato Bacon Benny with Creamy Fenugreek Sauce EVERY day. #breakfastlove

[theprimaldesire]

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Raj just returned from enjoying a month in Bali – beach, food, and healing.  Read about some of his stories, tips, and recommendations for exploring Bali.  

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Spread the Love

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I just spent a month in Bali!  I love traveling and have wanted to do some travel blogging, but for some reason, I wasn’t planning on sharing my Bali trip with you.  I think part of it was just selfish reasons:  I wanted to be there enjoying my time without worrying about taking photos or documenting things.  But a lot of this trip’s experiences were around connection and I realized, “Duh!  Of course, I need to write about Bali!”

This isn’t a “How to Travel Bali” or even a “Where to Eat in Bali”, though I will throw in a few of those tips.  No, this is more about to interesting experiences I had and general tips.  I’ll also be focusing mostly on Ubud, Bali.

First of all, there are a ton of ways to see and Bali.  Want to stick to the resorts, spas, and perfect sand beaches?  Easy.  Do you want to snorkel and scuba dive?  Beauty.  Are you interested in moving there as a digital nomad?  There are a few different areas where this is very popular.  Want to surf?  You got it.  Interested in healing energies or yoga retreats?  Your options are unlimited.  And yes, you can learn about the indigenous culture and lifestyle, and how it’s different than the rest of Indonesia.

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General Tips

My biggest recommendation is to be open to whatever finds you.  Food, people, healers, classes, yoga, meditation, surfing – whatever!  Go for it.

Right away there are a few things that you notice.

There are temples everywhere you look. This is because the Balinese Hinduism (unlike the rest of Indonesia which is the largest Muslim-dominated country in the world, approximately 85% of people in Bali are Hindu) really shapes the culture in Bali.  You will see house, business, and community temples all with statues, decorations, incense, and offerings.

As with most tropical places, there are a lot of intense smells – both good and bad. My favorite flower, frangipani (aka plumeria) is abundant everywhere, but the smell of hot garbage can sneak out of seemingly anywhere.

You can find delicious food at any budget. Eating at a local warung with locals will have you satiated for only a few dollars, but there are high-end restaurants where you can spend $100s for a multi-course meal paired with wine or cocktails.

It’s hot. I asked a buddy how to stop sweating so much.  He jokingly told me to stop drinking liquids and just let my body run out of sweat.  Even though the high was right around 30°C (86 °F) every day, the sun was quite intense – DO NOT forget your Beautycounter sunscreen.

Do not drink tap water. The water is not treated and even locals do not drink the water.  The nice thing is that you don’t need to worry about ice in drinks (regulated by the government), and most expats find that they are ok brushing their teeth with the tap water, but make that choice for yourself.  But if you take a water bottle with the right kind of filter, like Clearly Filtered Water Bottle or Life Straw Water Bottle, you can safely drink the tap water (or use it to filter the plastics out of bottled water).

Garbage. This is one of the problems I really struggled with in Bali.  Bali does not have the infrastructure to deal with garbage – their own garbage, let alone the increased garbage from tourists.  I did get a little hope for the future when I was told about some programs in place to improve the situation.  Fingers-crossed.

Scooters are the preferred mode of transportation. If you’re comfortable with driving one, this is the easiest and most affordable way to get around.  Do so at your own risk though:  traffic patterns are not like those in the western world.

Cool cafes and “good vibes” spaces are abundant. There are tons of really cool spaces to eat and hang out in.  Don’t limit yourself to just one!

On my trip to Thailand 6 years ago, I did some local cooking classes which help introduce local traditional dishes and a better understanding of local ingredients.  I think this is a great way to learn about areas and cultures and did the same thing in Bali.  There are many options and a wide range of prices, so pick something that is appropriate for you.  But definitely, do this!  They are really good about adapting to dietary needs, but I like to try everything in their true form and then adapt afterward when at home.

Bali Belly

“Bali Belly” is the term for travel diarrhea in Bali.  Sure, you may lose 5-10 lbs in a hurry, but is doing it on the toilet for days really the way you want to do it?  Of course, there are the standard ways of avoiding travel diarrhea (eg. only drink bottled/filtered water, be careful with street vendors *not my style*, be careful with fruits and vegetables washed with tap water, eat at places that are popular with a high turn-over to avoid foods that have been sitting around and reheated, etc.), but I also recommend taking Just Thrive Probiotic with you.  I am an adventurous eater and I am rarely cautious about street vendors.  Just Thrive boosts the good bacteria in your gut and helps protect you from microbes that cause travel diarrhea.

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Canggu

I started off on the West coast and spent a few days in a beautiful villa with friends in Canggu (pronounced “Chang-gu”).  “The Gu” has a very So-Cal feel.  “Balifornia” has surfing, beach clubs, and tons of expats – many from Australia, so you can find a lot of paleo food options here.

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The South

This is probably where you’re going to go for the perfect white sand beach resorts.  I only spent a day to relax on Nusa Dua Beach.  I didn’t go to a ton of beaches, but I found a site with more information about top beaches in Bali.

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Ubud

I knew before getting to Bali that I wanted to spend a lot of my time in this area.  I have a friend who lives in Ubud and knew that this was the region that attracts yogis, healers, and bohemian-hippie-type energies.

There are many touristy things to do in the area – Monkey Forest, sunrise volcano walk, souvenir shopping in the markets, photos in the rice fields, as well as waterfall hikes, and day-trips to beaches.  But what attracted me to this area was the spiritual energy and self-improvement/healing culture.

Beyond Tourism – Tapping into Local Communities

Getting past the tourism and finding the community that exists in Ubud was my main reason for being here – that and to experience the healers.  Ubud exists as this magical bubble full of open-, like-minded people.  There are many entrepreneurs, healers, connection and health teachers, and yoga instructors.

The Yoga Barn is a very cool hub of the community.  I was blown away while walking through the grounds for the first time.  I refer to it as Mecca for Yogis.  There are yoga classes, yoga instructor programs, ecstatic dances, mala making workshops, breathing workshops, musical performances, heart talks, cacao ceremonies, Ayurvedic therapies, meditations, and all sorts of other events and opportunities here.  It’s a great place to find out about other things going on in Ubud and to connect with other people in this space.

I found it difficult to get any work done in cafes because I would always end up in fascinating conversations with the people next to me.  Interesting events, recent discoveries, entrepreneurial endeavors, experiences with healers, and mind-blowing experiences that can be pretty woo-woo – but that’s the thing:  everyone has incredible stories and it feels like a safe place to tell your stories to strangers without judgment!  That in itself was one of the highlights about Ubud for me.

Be Open to Experiences

You’re probably wondering what kind of experiences and therapies I checked out.  Anything that I could fit into my day!  Guided meditation with the priestess Manis, Shiva Shakti Devotion Workshop, yoga and Ecstatic Dances at The Yoga Barn, a couple healers, blessing from a priest, cacao ceremony, breathwork workshops, water purification ceremony at the Hindu temple, past life regression therapy (tell Esther I sent you), splurging on myself at an Ayurvedic spa, and… pedicures lol.  It was quite the adventure!  Did I feel cured of my pain by the healers?  No, but that’s not to say that I didn’t benefit from seeing them.  And regardless of the result, all of these activities were cool experiences.

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And those cafés I mentioned?  There are so many really cool spaces!  Clear Café is a great example.  Seriously:  click on that link to look at photos.  It seemed like every-other café had the kind of esthetic that would crush it here at home.  I would spend all my time at a place like this at home.  Do you know what one of the key features is that I find makes an enormous difference?  It’s not even about esthetic: comfortable seating.  Why does that seem to be such a difficult thing to figure out in North America?

Food: Obviously

The raw-vegan culinary scene is impressive.  Like, I was left without craving meat after a meal, and wondering how to make a lot of the things I had.  For example, Sayuri, a raw food café had a “Reuben” sandwich that I probably had 5 or 6 times!  It’s not my style to eat the same thing over and over – I’d typically explore the menu – but this eggplant based sandwich with cashew pesto, avocado, sauerkraut, and 1000 island dressing was amazing!

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Don’t worry:  There is no lack of incredible meat dishes.  And if you’re looking for high-end culinary experiences, I have two recommendations:  Locavore and Hujan Locale.  You can find photos of food from each on our Instagram stories.

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Everywhere you look there are gelaterias.  Yeah!  Gelato everywhere.  I grabbed sample bites from a bunch of them.  But what I did have all the time, was milkshakes and smoothies.  At like every-other meal…  And I still lost 5 lbs while I was there hahaha.

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Amed

The area I did go to for snorkeling was Amed.  It’s on the coast, east of Ubud, close to the volcano Mount Agung (which erupted in July of this year).  It is a beautiful drive to Amed, through the jungle, along the coast, with views of the volcano and far fewer tourists.  Amed was described to me as an area that resembles what the rest of Bali looked like 5 years ago – before Bali grew to become the number one tropical tourist destination in the world.

The key reason that I wanted to see Amed was the ocean life and coral.  I snorkeled the whole time I was there.  It’s healthier with less pollution than some other places around Bali.  I saw some lionfish, beautiful corals, and many colorful fish that I haven’t seen before including a fish I called a Holley-fish because of its pattern including black and white strips and black and yellow leopard print.  Holley claims that it’s too many patterns for her to wear at the same time but a) I’m sure I’ve seen her do it and b) this fish made it work.  I found out later that it is called an oriental sweetlips fish.

photo credit: Simone Carletti

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Island Hopping

I had initially wanted to hit up the Gili Islands for a few days for snorkeling, scuba diving, and exquisite beaches.  Google images of this area are amazing!  But…  There have been a number of earthquakes in Indonesia in the past few months (including one on my last night in Bali – which I think I was the only person on the island who slept through it) and the Gili Islands have been affected by them.  I would love a quick visit to the Gili Islands some day.

I did do a day trip to Nusa Penida.  If you have more time, stay there or one of the neighboring islands for a night or two – the day trip was a little disappointing for a few reasons:  a) the day I went it was too wavy to get to Manta Bay (which was the main thing I wanted to do) and the other snorkel sites that we were supposed to go to, and b) the rest of the day was mostly spent driving through the jungle on a very rough road to see some beautiful spot which we then didn’t have much time to spend enjoying.  Photo, drive, photo, drive…  Check out this site for ideas of activities and places to explore on Nusa Penida – and give yourself the time to actually enjoy it.

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It’s only been a few weeks since I’ve returned to Canada, but my tan is already almost gone, I got strep throat the day I got back, and my body has given up on the early mornings I was doing in Bali.  Ubud and Bali, in general, is a place that I would love to spend a lot more time in in the future.

What do you think?  Will you join us if we put on a wellness retreat on this beautiful island?

Where to next?  I don’t know.  The only thing planned is Austin TX for PaleoFx 2019 next April, which we would love to hang out with you there (get your tickets now! Use discount code BOGO75 at checkout).  Iceland?  Vietnam?  Greece?  Or return to one of the amazing places I’ve already been?  We’ll see.

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Please Share This Article

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A Month in Bali – Beach, Food, and Healing Raj just returned from enjoying a month in Bali - beach, food, and healing.  Read about some of his stories, tips, and recommendations for exploring Bali.  

[theprimaldesire]

Pesto Steak and Eggs - Keto Breakfast 🥩🍳

Start your day off strong with a wakeup call for your taste buds from Pesto Steak and Eggs.  #Keto #breakfast in under 7 minutes! 

[theprimaldesire]

Rosemary Potato Pancakes

Crispy potato-y goodness!  If you're like Raj, you just can't get enough of these Rosemary Potato Pancakes.  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner...

[theprimaldesire]

Grilled Zucchini with Rhubarb Glaze

Grilled Zucchini with Rhubarb Glaze is such an easy way to add another dimension to zucchini.  Sure, grilled zucchini with a little garlic and S&P is amazing as it is, but the added sweet freshness will be a pleasant surprise for your taste buds.  

[theprimaldesire]

Fill Your Cup / Connect with Your Tribe (& Us!) at Paleo f(x) 2019

Fill your cup with your Paleo People! Join us and buy your tickets for Paleo f(x) 2019 now! #PFX2019 @paleofx

[theprimaldesire]

Fenugreek Mango Tropical Wedge Salad

Fenugreek Mango Tropical Wedge Salad

[theprimaldesire]

Interview with Keith Norris of Paleo f(x)

Interview with Keith Norris of Paleo f(x)

[theprimaldesire]

Interview with Darryl Edwards

Darryl Edwards of "Primal Play" shares his journey from being overweight and unhealthy to becoming passionate about promoting health through movement and reclaiming their child-like approach of fun exercise. @fitnessexplorer @DarrylFEdwards #PrimalPlay

[theprimaldesire]

Creamy Curry Fenugreek Sauce

Creamy Curry Fenugreek Sauce - This sauce is amazing on EVERYTHING: lamb, pork, beef, chicken, eggs, seafood, BBQ, vegetables, fruit, your lover, maybe even hair.  Is there really anything else to say? #bestsauceever

[theprimaldesire]

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Holley and I both went to an adult summer camp this weekend that also included a music festival component at night.  We both unplugged from our phones, but I did take a few photos and videos on the last night….

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Spread the Love

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What a fun weekend!  Adult camp for adults!  I mean, come on!  Why don’t adults do this every year?  No cell phones, connecting with other people, enjoying nature, playing capture the flag and other games, having intriguing conversations, embracing the spirit of art and creativity, doing crafts, dancing to music, hiking, hitting the swimming hole, making new friends, taking mini workshops such as acro-yoga and chakra breathing….

With all that and much, much more, there aren’t a lot of photos, but I wanted to share some of the art and images that I did collect on the last night, while the music festival was on.  Unfortunately, I don’t remember the names of the artists involved.

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Obviously, we were each camping in Purple Camp:

I really loved this piece (but I can’t remember the name of the artists who made it):

Along with the camp activities, there was also the music festival aspect:

I absolutely loved this portal by Eric In The Circle:

https://theprimaldesire.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/20180702_005001.mp4

https://theprimaldesire.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/20180702_005027.mp4

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Kubb – Viking Chess

Aside from meeting new friends, enjoying music, making and admiring others’ art, I got to play some fun games.  A new one to me is called Kubb (pronounced koob, rhymes with tube), also known as Viking Chess.  Without getting into the details, essentially you’re throwing sticks to knock over your opponent’s blocks.

I played Kubb for hours.  This morning I have been looking online for local leagues, instructions and dimensions to build my own, or where to buy a set (there are a bunch of cheap mini versions on Amazon, and most of the full-sized ones I found are over $100, but I found that this Kubb has the full-sized pieces).

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Summer camp was so much fun!  What do you have planned this summer?

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Share & Show You Care

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Adult Summer Camp Festival Photos Holley and I both went to an adult summer camp this weekend that also included a music festival component at night. 

[theprimaldesire]

My birthday was this past weekend.  I’m old enough that many people my age lie about their number.  I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the different paths people’s lives take.  How different our experiences are.  Even though most people my age are married with kids, have bought a house, and have set up or are on their way to building the American Dream, I’m ok with where I am right now.  I am fine with my age; so that has nothing to do with my view on birthdays.

But I don’t put much stock into celebrating my birthday.  Being a December-baby, it’s hard to get people together between Christmas parties and holiday trips.  Having done 8 years of post-secondary education, I have spend a lot of birthdays in the heart of university final exam season.  There’s nothing like spending your birthday studying until your eyes feel like someone has sandpapered them.

All I need is some good food with a friend or two, and a text message or phone call from those closest to me within a week of the day.  I few people offered to organize a little to-do for me but I knew it interfered with their previous plans, so I told them “No!  Don’t be ridiculous, we can just do dinner another night.”

So I ended up spending the majority of the day by myself, working on the site, getting a haircut, and went out for a great clam chowder before heading to a friend’s Christmas party.  One of the highlights of the day:  the voice-mail message that my nephews left me!  Cutest thing ever.  

You know what’s funny?  When it comes to other people’s birthdays, I always push to have a big party.  Funny.

My birthday present to you: Portobello Mushroom Paleo Tacos.  If you’re primal, go ahead and throw some cheese on it, but just so you know, it doesn’t need it.  I’m super jacked about this tasty easy recipe.  I love Mexican style food.  Enjoy!

  [tasty-recipe id=”12162″]

  A little paleo Mexican, no cheese necessary: Portobello Mushroom Paleo Tacos http://wp.me/p4Aygm-1d4 My birthday was this past weekend.  I'm old enough that many people my age lie about their number.  

[theprimaldesire]

Breakfast Salad with Sausage is a great way to start the day with an injection of flavor and extra vegetables.  You don’t usually have vegetables with your breakfast, do you?  Maybe you should.  Do it like this.  And add some actual probiotics in the mix.  So healthy you may need to do something unhealthy to make up for it…

Disclosure: Just Thrive Probiotic sponsored this post with some product and a bit of financial support, but all opinions are our own.  We are personally excited about the potential of Thrive Probiotic use.  We hope to continue working with them in the future.  As always, check with your healthcare professional(s) before starting, stopping, or changing any treatments.

Spring Flowers

My favorite local flower is finally blooming:  Lilacs.  Not only do they smell amazing and look beautiful, but they’re basically a sign that summer is right around the corner!  Finally.

I know how that sounds.  Whining that summer isn’t here yet.  I grew up further north.  I saw -40 degree days (-40 is the same in F and C:  cold).  But after only a season or two in the gentler climate of the Okanagan (BC’s wine country – which, if you haven’t heard about wines of Western Canada, you are missing out, friend), I’ve become soft.

I’ve been laying on the beach some Springs here before the snow is finished melting back in my hometown.  The last few years have had even earlier than normal growing seasons.  It’s easy to get used to this.  I’m spoiled now.  I have to remind myself that most people don’t get to hit the beach in April…

Lilacs…  Have you ever cooked with them?  We have!  Lilac Iced Tea and Lilac Whipped Coconut Cream.  Spring in your mouth and nostrils.

Spring Health

You know what else comes with Spring?  The desire to lose the winter weight.  This winter was more than most for me due to injuries and sickness.  It’s convenient then, that fresh local produce and the farmer’s markets start now, as well!  Time to get more fresh vegetables into me.

What meal is typically lacking vegetables?  Breakfast!  So it makes sense that we add some, right?  I made these every day for a week.  I like salads that have a warm element to them.

Just Thrive Probiotics

This is the second recipe that we’ve shared using Just Thrive Probiotics to make the food extra healthy and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (when was the last time you saw that word?  Is the song in your head now?  For the rest of your day and into your dreams?  Sorry ’bout that…).  It just so happens that I’ve also tried the first recipe, Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing with this breakfast salad.  Is “too healthy” a thing?  What about “too yummy”?  I don’t think so either, which is one of the reasons Breakfast Salad with Sausage is so slick.

Just Thrive Probiotics are unlike any other probiotics out there on the market.  You can actually cook with it and the bacteria will still be alive when it reaches your colon!

I hope to interview the microbiologist, Kiran Krishnan, who came up with the formulation in the near future.  He’s an inspiration, and we are very excited about their supplement and the potential for improved health through it’s use.  There are so many chronic health issues that may be improved by strengthening the microbiome that I had a hard time deciding what to talk about.  But, May is Celiac Awareness Month and National Digestive Disease Awareness Month, so let’s mention that Just Thrive can be helpful in improving symptoms.

Leaky Gut Syndrome

You’ve probably heard about Leaky Gut Syndrome.  Maybe you’re even dealing with it.  Essentially, your gut wall, when healthy, protects against toxins and other foreign particles that shouldn’t be in our bodies from entering.  But in a leaky gut, the wall is more permeable than it should be.  Toxins are able to cross which causes our immune system to respond, trying to protect us.  The result can be increased system-wide inflammation.

Systemic inflammation has been linked to many chronic illnesses (hearth disease, autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases, behavioral and mental diseases, digestion issues and sensitivities.

Just Thrive claim that they can cure Leaky Gut Syndrome in 30 days of treatment with their probiotic supplement.  You can find the key study that supports this on the Just Thrive website.  This is just one mechanism of many that makes Just Thrive Probiotic a powerful supplement for improving general health.  There are many more, but that’s for another time.

Breakfast Salad with Sausage

There you have it!  An almost magical recipe: Breakfast Salad with Sausage – and probiotics!  Plus it’s so adaptable to whatever vegetables are available – just add sausage and eggs to whatever vegetables you what to include in the salad.  Almost too many options.  I get it, I get overwhelmed by options as well.  Maybe just stick with what I’ve done here for now.  I’m totally looking out for you!

[tasty-recipe id=”12846″]

Breakfast Salad with Sausage is a great way to start the day with an injection of flavor and extra vegetables. You don't usually have vegetables with your breakfast, do you? Maybe you should. Do it like this. @thriveprobiotic #celiacawarenessmonth #ad Breakfast Salad with Sausage is a great way to start the day with an injection of flavor and extra vegetables. 

[theprimaldesire]

Tell me that these words all put together means something to you: Johnny Chimpo’s The Snozzberries Taste Like Snozzberries Pancakes.  Here’s a hint: one of Holley’s favorite movies has a sequel coming out this Friday (4-20).

A Super Troopers Recipe

We decided that it was imperative that we create a recipe as an homage to the original Super Troopers.  But what?  There are so many options…  Almost every line in the movie is hilarious, so we had to narrow it down to some of the most memorable scenes and jokes.  We decided that Johnny Chimpo’s The Snozzberries Taste Like Snozzberries Pancakes just made sense, but decided to watch the movie again.  You know… to be thorough… And to prepare for watching the new one on Friday – which we understand Canada is playing a large role in.  We’ll see how that goes.

Let us know how many of these ring a bell (to make it easier, I’ll list these in the order of the scenes behind the recipe ideas):

The Whole Bag Hashbrowns

Almost Made It Poutine

Real Canadian Maple Syrup Straight Up

Bar of Soap Coffee

Giant Ass Pink Cotton Candy

Triple Schnitzle

Banana Mustache Ride

Litre of Cola

“It’s for a Cop” Double Bacon Cheese Burger, aka “Hold the Spit” Burger

Delousing Powder Donut

Bulletproof Cup Coffee

Bear Buggery Stew

Too much fun!  Seriously.  We came up with half of these before re-watching the movie.  Which Super Troopers Recipe would you have chosen?

The Snozzberries Taste Like Snozzberries

Which brings us to the obvious question:  What the hell is a snozzberry?  Well, friends, your buddy Raj was on the case.

Do you remember the children’s story that referenced it?  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (written in 1964).

But the author, Roald Dahl, mentioned this imaginary snozzberry in two other stories: Some Time Never: A Fable for Supermen (1948, 16 years before Charlie) and My Uncle Oswald (1979, 15 years after Charlie).

In Some Time Never, the first time snozzberries were mentioned, creatures called gremlins (not the don’t-feed-them-after-midnight-or-get-them-wet gremlins, but the type that were forced to live underground as a result of human presence) eat a sweet, juicy, red fruit called snozzberries.

Dahl includes snozzberries in his list of fruits flavors on the lickable wallpaper in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

BUT, in My Uncle Oswald, Roald refers to male genitalia as snozzberries:

Are they really dicks, Google?  Are they…?

To put this into context, My Uncle Oswald is an adult book about Oswald, the “greatest fornicator of all time”.  Not to give too much away, Oswald and his partner in crime, Yasmin Howcomely, acquire and sell semen from Europe’s famous men to women who want to have their children.

The line in question is a quote from Yasmin describing putting a condom on one of the men:

“There’s only one way when they get violent,” Yasmin said. “I grabbed hold of his snozzberry and hung onto it like grim death and gave it a twist or two to make him hold still.”

“Ow.”

“Very effective.”

Roald Dahl Was Dark

Children’s author, huh?  OK, sure.  Back to that children’s book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory…

His main character, Willy Wonka, has been described as “an insane recluse casually murdering a group of children” with “a pretty f#’d up sense of humor” by Anthony Scibelli.

There’s more that we didn’t know:  In 2014, the 50th anniversary of the story, an unpublished chapter was released by The Guardian.  It would have been the 6th chapter of the book and was called The Vanilla Fudge Room.  The misbehaving children, jacked up on sugar and ignoring Wonka and their parents end up in “The Cutting and Pounding Room”, which is exactly what it sounds like.  (You can read this “new” twisted chapter for yourself).

In case you’re wondering, yes:  Roald did have children.  FIVE of them!  I have so many more questions now.  What in the world would it have been like to grow up in that house??

So?  What did the back of the police cruiser taste like?  Fruit or penises?  Was Dahl using his fruit as a euphemism for a guy’s banana and/or avocados?  (See what I did there?  Don’t get the avocado reference?  There’s a photo at the bottom of this avocado page that will help.)

Yes, we are planning on catching Super Troopers 2 on opening night.  And tonight we will be having Johnny Chimpo’s The Snozzberries Taste Like Snozzberries Pancakes!  What about you?

[tasty-recipe id=”12825″]

You've never had a Super Troopers recipe like this: Johnny Chimpo's The Snozzberries Taste Like Snozzberries Pancakes. Delicious and entertaining. And what is a snozzberry anyhow?!? Find out...! @SuperTroopers #supertroopers2 #snozzberries #pancakes Tell me that these words all put together means something to you: Johnny Chimpo's The Snozzberries Taste Like Snozzberries Pancakes. 

[theprimaldesire]

Incredible Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing with Actual Probiotic Yogurt – our Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt and Just Thrive Probiotics!  Tasty and healthy!

Finally!  We’re sharing some recipes based on Holley’s very popular dairy-free Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt recipe!  Our apologies for not having shared some of these sooner.

Disclosure:  Just Thrive Probiotic sponsored this post with some product and financial support (though it didn’t cover the tux rental, lol), but all opinions are our own.  And we are personally excited about the potential of Thrive Probiotic use.  We hope to continue working with them in the future.  As always, check with your healthcare professional(s) before starting, stopping, or changing any treatments.

Buffalo Hot Wings and Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing

I’d like to go on record and say that whoever came up with the hot wings-blue cheese combo was a friggin’ genius!

A quick Google search tells me that Teressa Bellissimo was the original Buffalo wing creator and apparently was also responsible for serving them with a blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.  Perfect from the start, thanks to the fact that the bar she worked in used blue cheese dressing for their house salad.

Since I’m still doing a Keto-Challenge, it’s challenging us to be creative within ketogenic parameters.  How lucky, then, that Holley’s Primal Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing is low net-carb.

How much more brilliant is it that it’s sooooooo flavorful?!

When you have a magic flavor bomb like this in your back pocket, doing a Keto-Challenge is a synch!  Vegetables and meats are all more enjoyable with Primal Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing.

What secret flavor-enhancers get you through the day/challenges?  Have you done a Keto-Challenge?  What was your experience?

Actual Probiotic Yogurt

There’s something else.  Something that may change everything for you.  It will probably make you uncomfortable, but maybe it’ll make you excited…

They’ve been lying to us for years…

The supplements that have been sold to us labeled as “probiotics” are not probiotics!  WHAT?  It’s true.  There are a number of requirements, according to the WHO, to make a probiotic:  “Live microorganisms confer a health benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts” (FAO/WHO, 2002).

Almost all “probiotic” supplements are not alive when you get them, and very few of them can survive your stomach acids and bile salts, therefore they are not alive when they reach your colon (where they can be helpful).  Unless the bacteria being used build endospores, which protect them from your digestive tract, they simply cannot survive and reach the desired site of action.

By the way, it seems that fermented foods have the same issue….  But not this yogurt!

Incredible, Cookable Probiotic

Just Thrive Probiotics do form endospores, which not only allow them to survive your GI tract, but they can also survive temperatures of up to 450F, so you can COOK WITH THEM!

Don’t like swallowing capsules?  Can’t get your family to take them?  You can enrich your food by sprinkling Just Thrive Probiotics, like magic fairy dust!  Which means:

This is the healthiest Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing you’ve ever had!

I am really excited that we met the crew from Just Thrive in California in February.  With my background in pharmacy, I knew that there was massive potential benefit from probiotics, but there were some major holes in the story that made it impossible for me to get behind.  After talking to Kiran and the team, it all makes sense now!  And Just Thrive Probiotics is the answer.

Healthy Powerhouse

There is a lot of scientific research coming out with potential health improvements seen with improved gut flora.  Sensitivities, digestive issues, IBS, systemic inflammation, autism, and chronic diseases of all types (even mental health!) may all be improved with actual probiotics.  The strains contained in Just Thrive have been shown to reduce the symptoms of leaky gut within 30 days…!  That’s huge.

In the short time that we’ve been sharing Just Thrive Probiotics with friends and family, we’ve been witness to an improvement of a c.diff infection, Parkinson’s symptoms, and general health and digestion!  We’ll be sharing more information about spore-based probiotics If you’re interested in trying it out yourself, our readers get a 10% discount when using our affiliate link and the code “primal10”.

It’s time to make your mouth and body happy with Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing with Actual Probiotic Yogurt and maybe some hot wings!

[tasty-recipe id=”11596″]

This Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing with Actual Probiotic Yogurt is really tasty.  It’s not hard to find foods that it goes well with.  I used some on a breakfast sausage salad (lol, sausage salad sounds funny):

Incredible Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing with Actual Probiotic Yogurt - our @InstantPot Coconut Yogurt and Just @ThriveProbiotic!  Tasty and healthy! #keto #IBSawarenessmonth #autismawarenessmonth Incredible Blue Cheese Yogurt Dressing with Actual Probiotic Yogurt - our Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt and Just Thrive Probiotics! 

[theprimaldesire]

Keto, keto, keto.  You don’t have to be keto to enjoy this, but if you are, you’re in luck!  Keto Salmon Frittata is out of the oven in 35 minutes!

Keto Challenge

I did it.  I finished my keto-challenge.  It was even primal-style (seriously, a diet challenge that lets you eat cheese is what I’m talking about!).

It went alright, especially with Holley’s help:  challenges help motivate us to be creative with our recipe development, which is how the Keto Salmon Frittata came to be.  Thanks, Holley!  Yes, this is Holley’s recipe, but she’s working on a book review at the moment.  A book review of “Green Enough” which I highly recommend you read because it is eye-opening about what we’re being exposed to from surprising places and products.  It’s the perfect example of why Holley and I think that Beautycounter is incredible.  So I’m telling the story today, sucka!

Oh shoot, I shoulda had some story to follow that up.

What About You?

Sooo…  how’s it going?

I kinda just want to learn about you!  Can I ask you a bunch of questions and you share your stories?  Big stuff, like what are you passionate about?  What are you working towards?  Little stuff, like what’d you have for breakfast?  Where are you next traveling to?  Or anything in-between.

Sunroom Sanctuary

Wait, wait!  I got it!

Holley, another friend, and I moved into a house together before Christmas.  Of course, this has made it even harder to convince people that we’re not a couple.  And I’m slightly regretting it now because, in this small town, I live with most of my local friends.  Which means that I work on the website from home, live at home, and also “visit” my friends at home.  I don’t have anywhere to go anymore!

As for the house itself, from the outside, it looks like a hole, but the inside is getting better by the day.  This past weekend while I visited with friends in a neighboring town for St. Patrick’s Day (did you see Holley’s must-try Irish Creamer?!  So good, and so much better than the crap from the stores!), Holley cleaned out the sunroom.  When I got back, we made this happen:

It’s pretty dope.  The twinkling lights, sunlight, disco ball reflections, and draped saris make this space super comfortable.  Just wait til we get some plants in there!

Have you created a sanctuary space in your home?  We’re still working on the other common areas a bit, including the back deck/BBQ area (which was just hooked up last week as well!!!).  Does it ever make a difference to mental well-being having spaces that feel good to be in?

Keto Salmon Frittata

Side note about the Keto Salmon Frittata, we are super lucky to get line-caught, wild salmon from my dad.  And let me tell you about Dad and his ice-fishing:  he’s the guy that shows up to the lake last, catches his limit, and leaves before the other guys are even close.

Needless to say, we should be making more canned salmon recipes.  Do you have any favorite canned salmon recipes?  Open-faced salmon-melts?  Greek Salmon “Shepherd’s” Pie?  Keto Salmon Frittata?

[tasty-recipe id=”11864″]

Keto Salmon Frittata Keto, keto, keto.  You don't have to be keto to enjoy this, but if you are, you're in luck!