Simple Salmon Salad

At the ripe old age of 25, it seems I can't go a week sitting at an office desk with out walking away with some gripe about sitting all day, a grumble about having a stiff back, or whining about feeling tight. True story: I once went to Urgent Care because I was worried something in my back was seriously messed up 😳 Thankfully, they told me I probably just had a micro-tear in a muscle, and would be just fine. It's possible they were just being nice and trying to give me some credit, when they actually saw nothing wrong. 🤔 (Well, that was embarrassing to admit! Moving right along.)

After that little stint, I realized I really just need to commit to treating my spine better. 

First, I set a reminder on my work computer to work at a standing desk every day at noon. It was a cute attempt, but with in two weeks the alert became nothing more than a pesky piece of dust on my screen, which I would wipe away with a single strike of my track pad. "I'll stand later, when I'm less busy" (yea right). 

So the next thing I did was promise myself I would go to yoga once a week for the next two months. That's it. Once a week. Not long ago, when I was much more dedicated to yoga as a practice, yoga once a week would have been laughable. But we all evolve, right? And as I found new activities, I found I did yoga less and less. Daily practice diminished to weekly and then weekly diminished to "I'll just do some yoga at home in the living room" which almost always turn into "Ohhemmmgee, I had no idea there were so many dust bunnies under the couch! I need to clean them. NOW." and, well, there goes yoga practice. 

But this time, I kept my promise to myself: once a week for two months. No less (and I'll admit it: no more). What a difference it makes! By week 4 I was already telling Oliver I could feel the difference. The deep, impossible to massage or stretch tightness that I was experience week-over-week? Gone. It feels miraculous but it was really just a commitment. 

By week 5 I was really struggling to convince myself to go. By week 6 I was convinced I might go twice in one week. This is week 7, and we'll just have to see what happens. When my 8 week stint is up, I'm going to try hard to keep up my once-a-week pace going. If a skip a week here or there it's ok, I'll just tell myself to jump back on the train. 

Do you practice yoga? What does it do for you? What keeps you committed?

If you like this recipe, you might also like my tuna power salad recipe! 

Simple Salmon Salad

Paleo, Primal, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

I prefer salmon salad over tuna salad, as it has more flavor.

Serves: 2   |    Total Time: 10 active minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 six-ounce can of salmon
• 3 tablespoons mayo (try Sir Kensington’s, made with avocado oil) OR greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 stalk celery, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 dash granulated garlic
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Optional: sprinkle of dried oregano or 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• To serve: salad greens, cucumber, tomato, avocado, etc.

Directions:

1. Put salmon, mayo/yogurt, mustard, celery, onion, granulated garlic, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a bowl, and mash with a fork until everything is combined. Add optional oregano or parsley at this time, and stir in.
2. Serve salmon salad over bed of greens with your favorite salad add ons: cucumber, tomato, avocado, etc.

Fresh Mint Mocha Cold Brew Coffee

When there were only two coffee shops in town, you had your pick between Cup of Coffee, a large coffee shop with lots of seating and lots of windows (so many it feels fish-bowl-esque) and Vic's, which was downtown so you'd have to find parking or walk (or find parking and then walk). This was not, for any kid in their late teens, "the promise land." When you asked around, no one was looking towards graduation and saying, "I think I'll stay here." 

At first, things changed slowly. Too slow too notice even. A restaurant went in one year and just sat for a while, becoming an icon of main street in it's own time. A few years later a new coffee shop opened, and it was far cuter than the original two. They sold coffee from an old-timey house that was full of character, called their shop "Bitter Sweet" and encouraged you to sip your drink from their patio. Bitter Sweet turned on twinkle lights after sun down and served wine. 

Then it was like dominos. Almost the entire west side of Main Street was revamped. It feels like it happened over night but these things take time. I was in college, and every time I came back it looked different: A new barbeque joint replaced something that none of us remember. A taco shop went in next door (a second went in around the corner, because every small town needs a selection when it comes to tacos), and a new ice cream parlor opened up down the block. The old ice cream shop has since closed. The new shop serves flavors someone could've made up on a whim, like Honey Maple Grapefruit and Apple Pie. In terms of ice cream shops, it's pretty darn good. 

Next came, an artisan bakery that serves espresso and sandwiches. Pizza. A new yoga studio. A kitchen store 😍. You get the picture.

Living in the town you grew up in never had much appeal. Part of me never even considered it as an option. The way my mom spoke of her hometown probably reinforced this. The way my dad spoke of the suburbs certainly did. I was young, I had plans! I was going places. I wasn't sure where, but I was getting my degree in Spanish and that was certainly going to take me somewhere. 

It's a mixed bag when you tell people, "I'm from here," because part of you is so proud that you--yes, you!- are the one native left on the block. You are the O.G. Other than that small nugget of pride, part of you also shrinks inside: "Hi, I'm me, and I'm still right here where I've always been." 

Not a century ago, generations on generations stayed in the same home town. Today, it comes with such a stigma. And what for? This town has grown with me. I have grown with it. I have seen plenty of other towns. They were great. This one is too. So I'm taking all of the feelings that come with that stigma, and I'm balling them up, and I'm throwing them out the window. Will you join me? Toss out the heaviness you feel when you explain why you are where you are, and instead wear it with pride (this goes for anyone, where ever they are--home town or not). You worked hard for it, after all. (This is a technique a sports psychologist taught me: Bad day? Ball it up, and flush it down the toilet. Let go.) 

Mint Mocha Cold Brew Coffee

Paleo, Primal, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

Cold brew coffee is refreshing and less acidic than regular coffee. The addition of cocoa and mint add a smoothness to this cold brew and a note of freshness that will wake you right up.

Yields: 4 cups   |    Total Time: 10 active minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup ground coffee of choice
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or sweetener of choice
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
• 1 liter water

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a pitcher and put in fridge. Allow to seep for 24 hours.
2. Remove from fridge and strain coffee through a coffee filter or even a very fine mesh tea stainer into serving glasses/mugs. Serve with ice and milk or cream as desired.

Raw Paleo Brownies with Chocolate Mousse Frosting

It was like waking up from a dream. I took a bite of a chocolate-coconut date bar, and then another: these are amazing, I remember thinking. I was a sophomore in college and it was the first time I had made something like this. Up until that day, it was all brownies and cookies for dessert (an occasional cupcake thrown in). Something had inspired me to make a healthy version (not really sure what). It was easy, something that I remember being surprised by. Honestly, it was easier than making regular brownies, because all I had to do was pop everything in the food processor and press it into a pan.  

Chocolate-coconut bars were the first “real food” dessert recipe I think I ever made, intentionally at least. It was revolutionary, as evidenced by this blog. Today, fruit and nut bars are a dime a dozen at the grocery store and even more easily found online, but this recipe still stands out at me as “the one.”  

Over the years I’ve mixed things up, trying out different nuts, drizzling the bars with chocolate, or the ultimate treat: topping them with an avocado mousse frosting and a sprinkle of cacao nibs These are decadent. They are a fruit nut bar that feels like so much more. They are rich and sweet but honest and whole, still made only with clean ingredients. After you eat a bit of this bar, you’re going to feel the difference: it tastes like a guilty pleasure but there’s no crap in there!  

Raw Brownies with Chocolate Avocado Mousse Frosting

Paleo, Primal, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

The chocolate-coconut bars are easy to make and no-bake! They get the ultimate treatment with a layer of creamy chocolate mousse frosting.

Serves: 9   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried, pitted dates (I used med jool)
• 1 cup dried figs (remove stems)
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup unsalted cashews
• 1/4 cup cacao nibs
• 1/2 cup unsalted pecans
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/16 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract


For the frosting:
• 1 ripe avocado (or 1/2 of a very large avocado)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey (try 2 tablespoons if you prefer a lesser that is not very sweet, you can always add more as you go)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/16 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup cacao nibs for topping brownies

Directions:

1. Place dates, figs, coconut, cashews, pecans, 1/4 cup cacao nibs, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until stick crumbs form and begin to climb together. When you pinch the mixture between two fingers, it should easily stick together.
2. Fit a 9x9 pan with parchment paper and pour fruit nut mixture into pan. Use your fingers to press the mixture into a single, even layer. Cover and place in fridge.
3. Now, make the frosting: Place avocado, vanilla extract, coconut oil, honey, cocoa powder, and salt in the bowl of a high-speed blender (you can use a food processor, but you will need to scrape the sides frequently to get everything incorporated well). Puree mixture, scraping the sides of the blender as you go to ensure everything is incorporated and no green chunks of avocado remain. Feel free to taste for sweetness and add more honey as desired.
4. Once frosting is completely smooth, spread in a single layer over the brownies. Sprinkle with cacao nibs and allow to set in the fridge for 30 minutes. Slice into 9 squares and serve, or cut into small 1-inch bites if you prefer.