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I’m Back & What a Year I’ve Had!

It’s been a little over a year since I last updated y’all. And oh boy what a year it has been!

Thanks for all the love and support Mom, I couldn’t have done this without you!

*Mom is on Keto now too!

I published my thesis, graduated with my Masters, and started my career as a Paleontologist! I spent most of the year working for a really neat company, travelling the Western United States, and meeting people from all over the world! I learned a lot about eating healthy while travelling too; how to stay keto in a hotel, suite with a kitchenette, or in communal housing with live-in recipe taste testers (er… I mean co workers)!

Work, work, work, and more work!

Being on the road, meeting new people, and seeing new places was fun for a while, but I really missed my boys.

Plus all my Instagram photos started to look the same.

So we packed up, said goodbye to beautiful Fort Collins, CO, and headed back to Washington, our home.

Shortly upon returning to Eastern Washington, I was offered a teaching job at a local college, teaching Dinosaur Paleontology! I did it! Less than 1 year after graduating, I landed my dream job!!! I would begin teaching in April, 2020. What a wonderful time for a career transition!

What should have been a smooth transition into my new life as Professor Belock, was turned upside down with COVD-19.

I now work from my home office, teaching college classes online and teaching my (soon-to-be 13 year old!) son from home also. Our toddler is now 2.5 years old, talks non stop, and loves everything I cook (so far)! The hubby loves having me home again and despite the odd circumstances, I am really enjoying working from home. I have time for my family, my students, and my passions!

I am back with tons of great recipes, tips for staying healthy while traveling, and other household tips from a working mom!

Are we done yet? It’s hot in South Dakota!
Featured

Cooking makes us human

Every breathing organism consumes some form of food. Humans are unique in that we cook our food.

This blog is a pet project, something to keep me grounded, a place to be creative, but most importantly, a place for me to stay honest about what I’m eating.

I am a mom of two boys, a Paleontology grad student, coffee fiend, and a hardcore foodie. When I am not digging in the dirt or writing research manuscripts, I’m in the kitchen, experimenting with spices, flavors and techniques.

Here is a collection of recipes, tips, and techniques that have helped my family eat healthier.

“I believe the transformative moment that gave rise to the genus Homo, one of the great transitions in the history of life, stemmed from the control of fire and the advent of cooked meals.” 
― Richard W. Wrangham, Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human

Sunset over the Missouri River in South Dakota (2016)

Quick & Easy Pork Chops with Asparagus

I used to hate pork chops growing up. They were always dry and lifeless! Even shake n bake couldn’t help. So when we started buying all our protein in bulk at Costco, I was clueless about how to make pork chops taste good and be appealing to my picky boys.

Turns out pork chops don’t have to be over cooked hockey pucks and they don’t have to be breaded to be edible either!

Here I will walk you through a full proof method of cooking juicy pork chops.

Nutrition is based on using a 4oz pork chop, 5 asparagus spears and some ingredients may vary by brand.

Nutrition
254 Calories, 5g net carbs, 16g fat, 25g protein

Ingredients

  • Bone out pork chops, 1 inch thick
  • Spices
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 lb asparagus spears
  • Shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Heat cast iron skillet over medium heat. While pan is heating, season pork chops. Suggested spices: Salt, pepper, paprika, turmeric.
  2. Add 3 tbsp of butter to hot skillet and sear the fat side of each pork chop. Once seared, lay the pork chop in the pan. Turn the pork chop when you see the cooked portion of the meat approach the middle of the pork chop.
  3. Smash 3 cloves of garlic and add them to the skillet. Flip the pork chops and let them continue cooking until they reach 145F. Baste with the butter as they continue to cook.
  4. Remove pork chops and allow them to rest on a cooling rack.
  5. Add the asparagus to the pan and saute in the garlic butter. Your asparagus is done when it begins to darken and pierces easily with a fork. Remove from the pan and serve with your pork chops.

Seasoning is key. Pork chops are pretty versatile and you can season them with whatever spice blend suits the flavors you’re going for. I love to keep it simple with whole garlic cloves, salt, pepper, paprika, and turmeric.

The problem with pork chops is they tend to be over cooked. When you begin to see the bottom half change color, from fleshy pink to a more lighter, white, flip your pork chops. Baste liberally with the butter in the pan and remove when internal temperature features 145F. Let them rest and they will be perfectly moist! Don’t worry if you see a little pink, pork chops are best served medium.

Serve with your favorite vegetable side dish and enjoy a quick and easy pork chop dinner!

Lettuce Taco Boats

Don’t let keto or low carb living keep you from enjoying Taco Tuesday! These are super fast and healthy! Skip the shells or tortillas and serve on leaves of romaine. Top with all your favorite extras and eat tacos guilt free!

Nutrition
Makes 6 tacos. Nutrition is per taco using 1 lettuce leaf, taco meat, and 2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese.

263 calories, 1g net carb, 18g fat, 22g protein

Ingredients

  • 1lb ground beef (or protein of choice)
  • Taco seasoning*
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Toppings: cheese, sour cream, avocado, olives, pico de gallo, hot sauce, etc

 

Directions

  1. Heat skillet on medium. While skillet preheats, prepare all your ingredients.
  2. Brown 1lb ground beef and stir in taco seasoning*. While beef is cooking, begin plating.
  3. Put two romaine leaves on each plate, like little lettuce taco shells.
  4. Drain taco meat on paper towel or use slotted spoon when serving.
  5. Place a spoonful of taco meat into each leaf. *Sprinkle with cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, and Tapatio* Enjoy!

 

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Stir in taco seasoning and brown meat.

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I serve directly from the skillet, just use a slotted spoon.

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You can buy the packs of Romaine hearts, these work well. Trim the base and separate the leaves for perfectly sized taco shells.

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Fill with taco meat, approximately 1/4 cup per.

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Top with your favorite taco fixings and you are all set! My husband is a simple man, olives and cheese are all he needs.

 

*Note about seasoning packets. Something we learned the hard way, is that Horseradish doesn’t have to be listed by the FDA as a spice on food labels. So, I used a taco seasoning packet last time and my husband, who is allergic to Horseradish, broke out in hives. After that, I make my own seasoning blend. Warning though, my spice blend is pretty spicy. Feel free to adjust what spices and quantities you use.

Spice Blend

I don’t measure any of my spices, I mix by feel. Feel free to use as much or as little of each spice. Everyone is different. Make this your own.

  • Cayenne
  • Paprika
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Cumin
  • Salt
  • Pepper

I mix all my spices in my mortar and pestle. They are a great tool, inexpensive, and versatile!

Dress these up however you would your favorite taco!

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

If you have picky eaters, or you aren’t the biggest fan yourself, have I got a recipe for you! I used to be the only one in my house that could stomach Brussels sprouts. Now they are a side dish at least once a week. Even my tween loves them!

Between you and me, the secret comes down to this, fresh Brussels sprouts. That’s it! Never again buy the frozen, bitter, and downright gross Brussels sprouts. I used to love frozen Brussels sprouts but I couldn’t get anyone else to eat them.

I decided to buy them fresh and oh boy what a game changer! Just make sure to trim them and peel off any sad looking leaves; you’ll know them when you see them.

Slice the sprouts in half and set aside. I usually prepare four sprouts per person, feel free to make more or less, the steps are still the same.

If you want to use the same knife and cutting board without cleaning them first, make sure to prep the veg before moving on to the bacon.

While a large skillet heats to medium on the stove, slice bacon into bite sized pieces. I typically use two slices per serving.

Place the bacon in an even layer in the skillet.

After the bacon has had some time to cook, add in your halved Brussels sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Depending on how done your bacon is, you can always speed up the cooking of the Brussels sprouts by placing a lid on your skillet.

Keep cooking until both bacon and Brussels sprouts are done. You should be able to easily pierce them with a fork. The Brussels sprouts should still have a vibrant green color and be a bit firm but not hard.

Serve hot and watch your picky eaters devour this! Both my husband and oldest are very picky about their vegetables but ever since I started using fresh Brussels sprouts they’ve enjoyed it! I would say the secret is the bacon but honestly, I’ve sauteed them with just a bit of butter and they are still delicious. Fresh sprouts + delicious fat = happy eaters.

I sincerely hope that if you don’t like sprouts, or you’ve only ever had the frozen ones, you give this a try. This is quite versatile and I would love to hear how you like them! What other vegetables do you turn your nose up to?

Banana Bread

Banana bread was the first recipe I learned to bake on my own. At 6 years old, I was given a Gold Medal kids cookbook. To this day, the recipe is the same. I have tweaked some of the instructions as I gained more knowledge and skills and I also like to add a bit of cinnamon in with my dry ingredients. Be careful not to over bake this, it goes dry quickly and greasing the pan with butter is essential, as the bread will easily release from the pan and keep your loaf looking beautiful!

These can also be turned into muffins, just make sure to reduce the bake time to closer to 25 minutes.

  • They make great muffins!
  • Yes! I love these banana muffins!

Keto Personal Pizzas

Friday night’s have always been pizza night in our house. When my husband and I decided to try a Keto lifestyle, we were in desperate search for a way to keep tradition without making every Friday a cheat day.

While the following recipe is pretty standard for a low carb dough, a lot of trial and error has gone in to adjusting ratios and steps. I also discovered that adding different blends of spices to the almond flour before adding it to the cheeses adds a depth of flavor unparalleled by any delivery pizza. Our oldest loves this pizza too and we haven’t ordered delivery since!

Enjoy this pizza with whatever toppings make your mouth water! Just be mindful to adjust cook times depending on how thick you pile it on. When I’m feeling indulgent, I make a personal pizza with a pesto sauce, artichoke hearts, spinach, chicken and feta cheese. The options are nearly limitless!

  • Chicken, pesto, artichoke pizza
  • BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger pizza