Paleo Mermaid

Please view our Recipe Index

2016-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Life is crazy right now, so until we can add more recipes, please check out all the recipes we’ve already posted.

We’ll be back soon with a lot of fabulous dishes!

Click here for: OUR COLLECTION OF DELICIOUS RECIPES

Parmesan Herb Faux-Zotto

2014-05-25T20:30:00.000-07:00

Crazy name, true. Fabulous dish, yes!
Morgan is here with us this weekend. He's now 18. The last time I 'attempted' to serve cauliflower when he was here I made twice baked cauliflower casserole. You'd have thought he was having a seizure or something the way he acted when the serving spoon filled with warm, cheesy cauliflower goodness headed towards his plate!
This time was different. He looked at it. He smelled it. He smiled. He tasted it. He savored it. He went NUTS about it! Hearing his description was like winning a cooking show! He said the consistency, texture and flavor was incredible!
That, coming from an eighteen year old ... I'll take it!

INGREDIENTS:
1 large head of cauliflower
2 tablespoons Rosemary Infused Olive Oil
1 teaspoon chopped Garlic
6 fresh leaves of Lavender plus the buds off a large stalk
2 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Half & Half
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)
Sea Salt
Fresh ground Pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Wash cauliflower and cut it into small pieces. In a food processor, pulse the cauliflower into the size of rice grains.

2. In a heavy pan, heat olive oil, adding salt and pepper and garlic. Sautee garlic until it's golden and aromatic. Add cauliflower, mixing well, to coat evenly.
3. Add lavender and more salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat, cover and allow to cook for 5 -7 minutes.

4. Add half and half, butter and parmesan cheese. Mix well and cover. Allow to cook an additional 5 - 7 minutes.

After the liquids have thickened ...

5. Serve and enjoy!

RECIPE: Turkey Vegetable Soup

2013-12-02T20:00:00.000-08:00

Tired of looking for recipes of casseroles for leftover turkey? I'm not sure what Turkey Tetrazzini is, but it sounds like it's loaded with carbs.

After Zumba today I stopped by a local grocery store and picked up a few things to throw into a pot and call soup. I wasn't sure what I wanted, so I bought a few things I knew would be safe … Cabbage, Yellow squash, and spinach. s luck would have it, what I made was quite good and worthy of blogging.

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups Trader Joe's Turkey Broth (or equivalent)

3 cups cooked and chopped leftover turkey

2 cups chopped cabbage (I used one small head, minus the core)

2 cups fresh baby spinach

2 yellow squash, sliced

1 teaspoon garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 sprig each of fresh rosemary, sage and thyme

1/4 cup Trader Joe's quick cook barley (optional)

5 - 6 croutons

A few sprinkles of fresh parmesan

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pour broth into a soup pot and bring to a boil, adding cut cabbage, squash and turkey as they are ready. Cover.

2. Add fresh herbs, salt and garlic … Stir.

3. Reduce heat and simmer soup for an hour.

4. Add spinach, then the quick cook barley, if you choose to add it.

5. Simmer for 20 more minutes.

6. Place soup into bowls, add a few crunchy croutons, then lightly sprinkle parmesan on top.

Serve and enjoy!

RECIPE: Broccoli Salad

2013-12-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

BROCCOLI AND BACON SALAD

Dressing:

1 cup Best Foods Real Mayonnaise or you can make your favorite homemade mayo
3 - tablespoons raw honey
1 - tablespoon real maple syrup
1 to 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
Mix all ingredients above in a bowl add vinegar to taste starting with 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing, and adding more if your taste requires. It should be a bit sweet and tart.

Cook 8 to 10 slices of bacon, cut into thin slices about 3/4" to 1" thick and fry until crisp. Set on paper towel to drain off all grease. Set aside

In a large mixing bowl add;
2 large or 3 medium size crowns of broccoli, cut into small florets, chop and peel stems. (I personally, don't use that many stems, but if you like they can be used.)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup almond slivers
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 fresh blueberries
1 large Fuji apple sliced in small to medium chunks ( before adding apples to salad drizzle with fresh lemon juice to prevent the apples from browning.) then add to the rest of the ingredients.
Add cooked bacon pieces and mix.

Combine salad dressing with all the ingredients, refrigerate for a about 2 to 3 hours and serve.
It is delicious... Enjoy!

RECIPE: Thanksgiving Dinner Trader Joe's Style

2013-11-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

Every year of my life I have had Thanksgiving dinner with my family in Tennessee. Well, all but a couple of years when we were flying there on Thanksgiving Day. This year we are at home in California. Since I've always been in Tennessee, we've always spent the day with my family. My sister-in-law wasn't there this year either. Her daughter just gave birth to a beautiful baby earlier this week, so she's at their home helping them. She said this was the first time in 27 years she's not been with our family, too. Not to mention this was the first Thanksgiving without my dad. Anyway, we will be getting together soon, so we'll make up for lost time then. Dad definitely was the glue that held our family together. I miss you, dad.

So, with many changes in traditions, it's time to try new things and start our own traditions. Conrad and I talked over options of what to do for Thanksgiving dinner and we quickly ruled out making reservations at local restaurants. We discussed ordering a meal from a local restaurant or grocery store and quickly ruled that out, as well. We ended up cooking at home. We bought a 12 pound turkey ...

I rinsed it, dried, it, put salt, pepper, fresh sage, rosemary and thyme inside, along with the neck and the organs and a slices sweet onion …

I also placed a couple of slices of bacon inside the cavity, as well. I rubbed the skin with olive oil, then generously salted and peppered the skin.

I added a few more fresh herbs …

Then covered the bird in BACON! I had preheated the oven to 500°, so I put the bird in for 30 minutes before reducing the temperature to 350° for the duration of the roasting time. As you know, cooking time varied by oven and size of the bird, but it's done when the temperature reached 161 degrees in the thickest part of the breast. After it's done, take the bird out of the oven, place it on a large platter, cover it with foil and let it rest for 30 minutes before carving.

While the bird was roasting I made dressing. Some folks call it stuffing, but I grew up calling it dressing. I had never tried Trader Joe's Thanksgiving dinner fixin's before, but I will definitely use them again. To sum it up in one word … DELICIOUS!!!

I added a few of my own ideas to their stuffing mix recipe, including a pound of sage sausage, chicken broth instead of water for a richer flavor, and an egg to hold it together better.
First you empty 4 cups of water (or broth), 4 tablespoons butter, and the seasoning mix packet into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir often and let it gently boil for 3 - 5 minutes. I let it go 6.

Fry the sausage …

Oh, and I added poultry seasoning! What stuffing/dressing is complete without it!

Ready to go in the over … 350° for 50 minutes.

Yum! Finished product!

We also had grilled asparagus with olive oil, fresh thyme, salt, pepper, and fresh grated parmesan. In the background there's a triple crock pot with mashed potatoes for Conrad, mashed sweet potatoes for me, and Trader Joe's turkey gravy in the third one.

Ding! And, the bird is ready! The bacon kept it moist, golden brown, and crispy skin with tender meat throughout!

Conrad made his famous deviled eggs, too. We splurged a little by having the dressing, a small piece of homemade rosemary bread, and cranberry sauce … Also from Trader Joe's.

The table is set and dinner is served!

Definitely a member of the clean plate club tonight!

RECIPE: Cinnamon Roll Waffles (NOT Paleo or Low Carb!!)

2013-11-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while we find recipes for things that are just too decadent to pass up. I've been very good following a Low Carb lifestyle and staying extremely active, so I decided to allow myself a cheat day. Yes, that would be a 24 hour period where I can, within reason, allow myself to deviate from my regular lifestyle choices. I ate a fully loaded pumpkin muffin for lunch yesterday and within minutes I was dealing with a major hot flash. For dinner I mostly ate low carb ... Raclette and steamed broccoli, but I did have a few strands of pasta, and that really pushed me over the edge. Hot flash city! (I will have to admit, though ... I was FREEZING, so the added heat wasn't totally unappreciated.)

So, this brings me to breakfast this morning. Before I vowed to stick to low carb eating, I had purchased one of those tubes of pre-made cinnamon rolls. You know the kind ... You unwrap the label and the tube splits open making sounds similar to a gun going off ... The kind that contains a small pot of sugary cinnamon glaze that seeps put inside the tube and creates a huge mess before you even realize it. Yes ... You know the one. Many of us grew up smelling them as they baked in the oven and we just about burst with excitement waiting to taste their yummy goodness. (Then paid dearly for it later!)

Today was no different from those childhood memories. Well, almost. The big difference was that the waffle iron was involved and the baking time was shortened considerably. Here's what happened ...

I started with a hot waffle iron, butter flavored grape seed oil and Pillsbury "Grands" cinnamon rolls.

After spraying the heated waffle iron, I placed the raw cinnamon rolls inside and closed the lid.

Once the green light came on, indicating they were done, I opened the lid and ...

Sure enough ... They were perfectly done!

I warmed the cinnamon glaze and drizzled it on top of the waffles and served with fruit, meats and a spot of cheese.

Makes for a beautiful breakfast!

HIKE - Sweetwater Creek to Salmon Falls Bridge - November 7, 2013

2013-11-09T15:00:00.000-08:00

Conrad and I have been exploring and researching the Folsom Lake/American River area. Now is the perfect time to do so because the lake level is VERY low. We are currently able to see structures, dams, roads, and ditches that were constructed during the olden days of panning for gold.
We're in the parking lot readying our gear ...

First view of Hidden Bridge ...

Zoomed in a bit with my trusty Olympus Sz-12. I love that little camera!

We're doing a "selfie" at the beginning of the hike. We do a lot of these ...

Autumn is definitely here, but you wouldn't know it by the temperature and all the sunshine!

Conrad's standing on Natomas Ditch.That, and Negro Ditch are what we are here to see. See the tree line in the far off distance? That's the water line when the lake is at full pool. It's down about 60 feet right now.

Lots of Canada Geese around. Lots.

I've never seen this part of the river/lake when it's full, but I will come back in Spring and see how different it is.

This is the Natomas Ditch. It's greatly filled in with silt and rocks, but it's pretty easy to follow ... For now ...

Also part of the ditch. Basically a shallow wall to hold the water in as it slowly descends to Folsom.

An old water wheel. Not sure when this was added, but definitely later. You can now see Salmon Falls Bridge off in the distance. We'll cross it soon.

A lock. This was used to divert the flow of water.

Conrad has located the diversion dam. It's amazing how well constructed these things are considering how primitive the area was at the time.

A BEAUTIFUL Autumn day!

We've made the climb up the rocks to get to the bridge.

Now we're on the north side of the American River and are about to make the 3.5 mile trek back to our car.

Okay, so it was quite rough, rugged, rocky and treacherous, so I put my camera away. Conrad shot some using his iPad, so I will add them below.

As we approach the end out our hike, so does the sun approach the end of it's day.

Hidden Bridge.

One last display of vivid colors before saying good night ...

An absolute stunning day.

Here's Sweetwater Creek. We have to cross it, then we're less than a mile away from the car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now for Conrad's photos ...
Sweetwater Creek Dam

I'm ready for the adventure. I didn't have time to change clothes after an hour of Zumba, so here I am!

A close up of the construction of the diversion dam. Unbelievable.

There I go ... Trekking across the rocks ...

Salmon Falls Bridge as seen from the shoreline on the south side of the American River.

We've turned into true mountain goats today!

This is part of Negro Ditch. Some serious construction happened here!

WHEW! We've made is over lots of rocks and boulders!

The road ahead loots more inviting, though rocky.

The ditch.

An interesting placement of rocks? Who did it? When? We have no idea, but I pulled out my compass and it's spot on!

Part of an old motercycle, perhaps?

The south side of Hidden Bridge. Even after being underwater for the better part of the last 60 years, this appears to be the only damage.

RECIPE: Yummy Hot Chocolate!

2013-11-05T18:00:00.000-08:00

We were going hiking today at Echo Lake. There was rumor of cold weather and possibly snow. We all think "PB&J" when we hike, but today I also thought hot chocolate! My version of PB&J is almond butter and sugar free jam on low carb bread, by the way!
So, I bought a thermos yesterday in hopes of using it today for either hot chocolate or soup ... Hot chocolate won out. Here's how I made it ...

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup half & half
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 heaping tablespoons Hershey's Cocoa powder
Your choice of sweetener to taste. (I used about a tablespoon of Splenda.)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a light boil on the stove OR microwave for approximately 5 minutes, depending on the power of your microwave.

This was simply trial and error, without the error. It's a huge hit, in my opinion, and I will be making it a lot more often. It made about 2.5 cups, so it's enough to share. Here's the nutritional data according to My Fitness Pal ...

Enjoy!

RECIPE: Twice Baked Cauliflower Casserole - Low Carb!

2013-11-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

This recipe is for those watching carbs ... It's not true Paleo because it has dairy products in it, but since I replaced all sea creatures with dairy, it's perfect for me. This is by far one of the most decadent vegetable recipes I've ever tried. By far.

INGREDIENTS:
1 head fresh cauliflower
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
6 slices cooked, crumbled bacon, divided
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1 beaten egg
sea salt and pepper to taste
Chives or other herbs (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Boil enough salted water to cover cut up cauliflower.
2. Wash and cut cauliflower into smallish pieces and remove any leaves.
3. Place cauliflower in boiling salt water and return to boil. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until soft.
4. Drain well, keeping in warm pot.
5. Mash cauliflower with a potato masher or equivalent.
6. Add 1 cup cheese, 4 slices of bacon, butter, sour cream, then add beaten egg and seasonings.
7. Pour mixture into a casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese and 2 slices crumbled bacon on top.
8. Return to oven for approximately 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Here's the nutritional information according to My Fitness Pal. Each serving only has 2 net carbs!

RECIPE: Fresh Kale Salad

2013-11-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch kale, remove the center stem
1 medium size fresh lemon, for freshly squeezed juice
1/4 cup Certified Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, you can also you lemon flavored olive oil
5 to 6 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon or to taste sea salt
1/4 cup slivers, chopped or sliced unsalted almonds
1/4 cup fresh aged Asiago, Parmesan and Romano Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Wash kale leaves thoroughly, dry or use salad spinner, then remove center stem and chop up.
Using a medium size bowl , add lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic & salt, mix well. Add kale leaves to the marinade/seasonings. With your hands work all the marinade into the kale. Massaging the kale leaves ensures coverage and helps to tenderize. Let stand for 30 minutes.
Before serving add almonds and cheeses and toss... Keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator.

Nutritional information on Kale:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-kale

PHOTOGRAPHY: Morgan's Senior Environmental Photo Shoot

2013-11-04T08:41:00.002-08:00

Hi Sally,

Here are 70+ photos I shot of Morgan on Saturday. There are literally hundreds more, but Conrad, Morgan and I sifted through them and pulled out our favorites. Afterwards I tweaked them a bit. We had a beautiful day for a shoot with fall colors and just enough wispy clouds to make the sky interesting.

If you click on the first photo it will take you to a slideshow where you can take your time and see each one full-screen. They will be numbered 1 of 73, so make a comment (or email me) with your selections.

I miss seeing you! I hope all is well.

Carol

Here are a few more ...

RECIPE: Low Carb Pumpkin Clafoutis

2013-10-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

Well, my pumpkin craving extends through all parts of the day and I vowed to only make the muffins for breakfast, so it was time to once again make a Pumpkin Clafoutis! I have altered my Paleo version just a little. I used butter rather than coconut oil to reduce the calories ... I used almond milk and pecans rather than coconut milk and walnuts, due to availability ... And, I used Splenda and a little water rather than honey to reduce the calories, and most importantly ... The Carbs.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter
1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
1/3 cup Splenda
4 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons grated unsweetened coconut
(I prefer to use Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spices, so I just put 2+ teaspoons rather than the individual spices. You may prefer less spices, but I prefer experiencing their flavors mixed with the pumpkin!)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in the microwave.
3. Blend together all ingredients with the exception of the walnuts and coconut. I use my blender to make sure everything blends well. Taste for sweetness and add more Splenda, if you feel it needs it. I also added 2 tablespoons of water to offset the moisture loss from using Splenda instead of honey. Add the chopped walnuts and coconut then pulse a few times to mix.

4. Pour into a well greased 9" deep dish pie plate and bake for roughly 45 minutes - until center is set.

5. Allow clafoutis to cool before placing it in the refrigerator. It's tasty warm, but it is AMAZING cold!

I mentioned above that this recipe is altered from my original posted recipe from some time ago. (The differences per serving ... Calories: 186 vs 219 and the net carbs: 2 vs 14!!)
Below you will find the nutritional data as per MyFitnessPal:

The Low Carb Version ...

The Paleo Version ...

RECIPE: Carol's Low Carb Pumpkin Nut Muffin

2013-10-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

The leaves show the slightest hint of color change and I start craving pumpkin! I've been sticking to low carb lifestyle for a while now, and so I've been working on some low carb (net 4 carbs!) pumpkin recipes to help pacify my cravings.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons pumpkin purée
1 egg
1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2+ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons Splenda
A handful of chopped pecans (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
In a coffee mug stir the egg and the pumpkin purée together. Add almond flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and Splenda then stir well. Add pecan pieces, if desired.

Place coffee mug in microwave and cook on high for a minimum of one minute. Because of the extra moistness of the pumpkin purée it takes about two minutes in my microwave. (The muffin in the photo has been cut in half and put in a toaster for a crunchier texture.)

I altered the basic recipe to include pumpkin. If you want to delete the pumpkin add 1 tablespoon of butter instead. This recipe can also be made as a savory muffin by eliminating the Pumpkin, nuts and Splenda and adding herbs of your choosing.

Here's the breakdown from the recipe I added on MyFitness Pal ...

RECIPE: Carol's Famous Coffee Drink

2013-10-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

For a while now everyone has seen me carrying around one of those Tervis-type insulated acrylic cups (with a straw) filled with creamy-brownish liquid goodness. Everyone who has tasted it says it tastes WAY better that "That Famous Coffee House" drink! Little do they know it's got a lot less calories and carbs that just about anything else on the market ... Well, that's I've found, anyway!

I tried many combinations over a few weeks and finally fell head over heels for this one.

1 cup dark roasted coffee (Conrad drinks Sumatra, so that's what I use. I don't know how to make coffee!)
2 ounces of Torani Sugar-Free French Vanilla syrup
2 ounces of Half and Half (for a creamier, fuller texture)
8 ounces of Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
Ice

The options of flavors are endless since Torani has lots of yummy flavors in sugar free, plus you can use other coffees, as well. This is what works best for me.

I'm a firm believer in logging foods and exercise on MyFitnessPal as it helps me stay accountable. Here is the recipe I added there. After adding each ingredient daily I decided making my own recipe entry would save me lots of time and improve accuracy in my daily logging meals.

HIKING - Echo Lake - October 18, 2013

2013-10-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

Gail and I were itching to go hiking the other day. We had signed up to go on a hike to Lake Margaret, but the hike leader suffered an injury and had to cancel the hike. We had already decided we wanted to go to Echo Lake before it snows, so the change in plans was fine with us!

The water level is quite low compared to when Conrad and I were there earlier this summer ...

Crystal clear water! I wonder if we can take dive gear and jump in ...

Frogs?

The view from atop the mountain as we started along the trail. You can see Lake Tahoe off in the distance. That's Highway 50 winding along between the mountains down below.

Then there was the trail along Echo Lake ... Stunning!!

Such interesting flora and fauna ...

We had one of those days where everything is crisp and clean, crystal clear and every color pops. It's like the entire day was in high dynamic range!

I can't help it ... I like interesting shapes and textures!

Gail. Enjoying a quick break as we stop to take some panoramic shots.

Moi.

The water taxi dock at the north end of the lake. our stopping place for lunch.

I guess a few quarters thrown into your backpack wouldn't be a bad idea ... Just in case ...

Can you believe the colors?

Breathtaking.

Shapes and shadows ...

More textures ...

And angles ...

Amazing trees!

And, yes, we will be going back there ... More than a few times! I've scheduled a hike for 12 ladies on November 5th, weather permitting. Let's keep our fingers crossed for another awesome day!

HIKING - Jenkinson Lake - October 11, 2013

2013-10-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

PHOTOGRAPHY: Experimenting with Apps

2013-10-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

I was browsing through apps for iPhones and iPads and came across some photo editing apps that looked interesting. I decided to share some of the images I have created over the past couple of days. The vintage apps crack me up ... Many people pay top dollar to have old, torn, discolored photos restored. In a few touches of the screen you can take a photo, edit it and you'd swear the outcome was at least a century old.

I shot these photos in Switzerland in April 2011 while we were visiting Conrad's mother.

I shot these photos during a scuba diving trip aboard the Rocio Del Mar in the Sea of Cortez. Obviously, not all are edited to look vintage, but some are altered to add color, textures, etc.

Underwater critters, but not seen while diving in the Sea of Cortez ...

... And then there are the fun with flowers and textures selections ...

Here's an original and an edited version of the same tulips. Huge difference, huh!?

Original ...

Edited ...

Original ...

Edited ...

I will be in Tennessee for a couple of weeks, so perhaps I can capture some interesting shots while I'm there!

Walk - Mosquito Trail Placerville - August 27, 2013

2013-08-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

With the worst fire in Yosemite history still going strong, the winds have brought lots of smoke north into the Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains. We didn't go hiking yesterday as originally planned, but we still wanted to get out, get some exercise and enjoy nature. So, Mary Ellen and I headed up to Placerville to go for a walk along the Mosquito Trail with our friend Gail.

This is how it looked in Cameron Park at 8:15 this morning ...

And, in Placerville shortly afterwards.

I promise there are mountains in the background!

Looks like Bigfoot stepped in paint and walked the same trail!

No need for sunglasses this morning.

Oh, dear ... Is Fall just around the corner?

Common Madia

Crazy! There are mountains back there!

Goldenrod with a visitor ...

Buzzing off to the next flower.

Queen Anne's Lace seeds

Blanket Flowers

Purple Coneflowers

This is heading West on Highway 50 between El Dorado Hills and Folsom. Normally the skyline of Sacramento is crystal clear and the mountains of Napa are off in the distance. Today we were lucky to even be able to see Prairie City exit!

Hiking - Grover Hot Springs in Markleeville - August 19, 2013

2013-08-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

Monday. A planned hiking day. Peggy, Gail and I were super excited about finally getting to hike to Twin Lakes. But there was a problem ... Or two ... Everything I've read said to not go when it's super hot. Wait till the weather is cooler because there is no shade. The second problem was thet the weather predictions for that area were for thunder storms. None of us really wanted to practice our skills at being lightning rods, so we decided a change of plans was in order.

Peggy and I met at 8:00 then drove up to pick up Gail. We were missing our other hiking buddies, and we talked about them during the drive up. Nothing bad, girls, I promise! (Actually, we talked about how we wished y'all were there with us and hoped Lynn and Mary Ellen both feel better soon!

I sent Conrad a text to let him know we changed our plans. We had decided we'd hike to Eagle Falls and Lake, then hike to Cascade Lake and back if we still had time. His reply read, "Not a good idea, honey. It's raining there now and expected to rain all day."

So, we decided to wing it. We discussed options and decided to head south to Markleeville. Here's a visual diary of how our day went ...

Old Webster School House.

Alpine (or Western) Paintbrush

Purple Milkweed

A beautiful thistle! The plant was on its way out, but the blooms were still going strong.

Neat old machinery and equipment used when they mined for silver.

More Thistles ...

Gail and Peggy enjoying learning about the history of this area.

Here they are in front of the old school house door.

Red Stemmed Filaree.

Looking into the schoolhouse.

It doesn't take much to fascinate me ...

Common Mullein.

Fun with Snap Dragons ...

I used Photoshop to manipulate this photo and make the colors pop.

A California Poppy seed pod.

An authentic antique outhouse!

A two seater, no less!

Reckon this is where the term "Mooning" came from?

And then we arrived at Grover Hot Springs Park ... What a view!

(Even with all the cloud cover!)

Occupied up until 1959.

Nope. We didn't see any mountain lions.

Nor did we see the momma bear and two cubs we were told about.

Gail's having lots of fun shooting pictures with her smartphone!

Interesting to know ...

Thistles in various stages

Here we are at the beginning of our hike.

Not a long one, but definitely worthy of being called a hike!

Lots of beautiful thistles

... And bees.

So very sweet ... A heart made of pine cones!

How often do you see a tree literally growing out of a boulder??

Dwarf Mistletoe

Mary Ellen probably wouldn't have liked this part of the trail ...

We saw lots of lizards around the rocks and downed trees.

Here we are nearing the farthest point of our hike. Not much water in the waterfall, but we all agree we'll come back in the spring when it's flowing strong from all the snow melt.

A pair of lizards. The male was displaying his colors to attract our attention while his mate made her escape.

Gorgeous teal markings! Quite the looker, eh?

Elderberry

What's that?

Could it be Waldo?

Where is Waldo? There he is! On the tree stump! Hard to see in this huge forest!

A friendly California Ground Squirrel.

What a view! What a day!

Another hot mineral spring.

On the drive home we stopped off to see Silver Lake.

That's Thunder Mountain in the background. It's called that because when the wind howls atop all the craggy rocks on the top of the mountain, they say it sounds like thunder. It was pretty quiet while we were there.

Us crazy girls having fun!

Gail was worried about her brand new (6th Samsung Galaxy S4 in 35 days!!!) smartphone getting wet!

She absolutely could NOT stop laughing!

As you can tell by the shadows, it's getting late in the day.

Must. Head. Home. Soon.

Until next time ...

Hiking - Bloodsucker Lake - August 15, 2013

2013-08-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

Gail and I had such a wonderful time hiking around Wright's Lake on Monday that we just HAD to go back! We seem to be on a mission to hike all the trails in that area, so away we went! This time we chose the trail to Bloodsucker Lake.

What an adventure!

Gail walked across the log to get to the other side of the creek, but I decided to hop across rocks instead ...

Quite shallow, but not shallow enough for non-waterproof boots!

So, I took my boots and socks off in the middle of the creek ... Testing my balancing skills ... It's obvious I could have walked across the log, too!

Mountain Pennyroyal

I have NO IDEA what kind of flower this is, but I'd really like to find out!

Amazing views at every step!

Western Bistort AKA Lady's Thumb

Monstrously large Ponderosa Pines all along the trail!

Bush Chinquapin

Looks like neon green/yellow lichens took over this majestic giant.

Ferns are everywhere up there!

Pearly Everlasting (Aster)

Western Asters with a Great Basin Fritillary Butterfly

One of the creek crossings ... This time by bridge!

Lewis' Monkeyflower

Sierra Gooseberry. Edible, but difficult to get to!

Where we were headed ... Lots more elevation climbing ahead!

Where be had been ...

Blue Mountain

Blue Mountain, Mount Agassiz and Pyramid Peak ...

The highest point in the Desolation Wilderness at 9983 feet above sea level.

Oh, and this is Bloodsucker Lake! Appropriately named for the leeches that reside within.

Blue Eyed Dragonfly

An Alpine Gentian

Western Aster

This is for my sweetheart, Conrad. I love you, honey!

Thank you for letting me explore the wilderness with my girlfriends!

Western Aster

Pussypaws

A Ripe Sierra Gooseberry!

Another Great Basin Fritillary Butterfly. These beautiful creatures were all over the place in pairs. Delightful to watch!

***NOTE*** Gail and I made an important discovery during this hike. Sometimes there are more than one trail leading to the same place, and sometimes there seem to be even more trails on the way back. We were within a mile from the parking lot where my Audi awaited, but we had a bit of an issue finding our way back! I had practically memorized the trails on the topo trail map, but we encountered a couple that were not on the map ... Hence, we got a little displaced temporarily. Obviously all worked out because I'm at home writing this post, but things sure could have turned out differently.

Here are some very important reminders when hiking ...

1. Plan your hike and hike your plan. (I'm borrowing that from scuba diving guidelines!)

2. Always know what direction your destinations are, both heading out and returning.

3. Take photos of where you're going and turn around and take photos so you can identify where you will be heading on your way back.

4. Don't skimp on provisions. Take extra food and water, and make sure your cell phone is 100% charged.

5. Always take a map and use hiking apps whenever possible. Take a GPS, if you have one, but make doubly sure you know how to use it! That goes for a compass, too!

6. Always, ALWAYS make sure someone knows where you are hiking and how long you plan to be gone. Make sure that person has emergency contacts for everyone in your hiking group, too.

7. Hike with people with similar or more advanced hiking experience and skills. By making your plan in advance, make sure every member of your party are in agreement of your plan.

8. When hiking with a group, always have a leader and a sweeper so nobody gets left behind.

9. Always ALWAYS stay together.

10. If you find yourself in a place you don't recognize, realize you might be lost and return to the point of least lostness and assess the situation. Make stacked rock "ducks" as reference points at trail junctions. Take chalk with you so you can make markings on trees or rocks when changing course, or if the trail seems unclear. (Chalk isn't permanent and doesn't cause pollution!) Use the sun as a reference point. If you've been following a body of water and it's continually been on, say, the right side, on the way back it will be on your left if you're backtracking the same trail/direction.

11.Remain calm. You'll get way more accomplished if you remain calm, rather than by freaking out.

12. And by all means ... Use good common sense.

Hiking - Wright's Lake, Beauty Lake & Dark Lake - August 12, 2013

2013-08-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Eight of us journeyed up to Wright's Lake for a day of hiking, picnicking, relaxing, swimming and socializing. And, what a day it was! It's always great spending time with good friends!

This tree caught my eye on the way in.

Our first view of Wright's Lake. WOW!

Unbelievably clear water! And, what a view!!

The beginning of the trail to Beauty Lake.

We leave "bread crumbs" all along the way. Stacked rocks, called "ducks", are commonly found marking the way along trails, especially along the granite slabs known as the Sierra Sidewalks. The stacked rocks are also known as "Cairns". Here's a link with more information about them: Cairn

Thick-Stemmed Aster

Desert Dandelion

I cut up watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries and grapes as part of our lunch.

A huge Ponderosa Pine

Bush Chinquapin

Our first sighting of Beauty Lake ... Appropriately named!!

Beauty Lake

Gail and her sweet little pup, Pink.

Off we go to!

Interesting stuff!

Mountain Spiraea

Which way do we go?

Breathtaking views of trees, ferns, flora and fauna!

... And water!

Art in Nature.

Queen Anne's Lace

Our picnic site.

Dark Lake

According to Wikipedia: "Wrights Lake is in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, west of Lake Tahoe on the western border of the Desolation Wilderness. It can be reached via Wrights Road off U.S. Route 50 and the Ice House Road. It provides hiking access to the western portions of the Desolation Wilderness via the Twin Lakes trailhead. Wrights Road is not plowed and is inaccessible during the winter."

Hiking - Loon Lake - August 9, 2013

2013-08-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

Mary Ellen and I hiked a beautiful trail along the south rim of Loon Lake. We went almost to where the trail splits off to Spider Lake and we realized we hadn't allowed enough time to complete the entire route, so at the three hour mark we enjoyed our lunch while looking as breathtaking scenery and headed back. We will definitely be going back sometime soon AND we will allow more time!

A Callippe Fritillary Butterfly. (Speyeria callippe macaria)

These bright red/burnt orange plants are Pinedrops (Pterospora Andromedea)

Pinedrops (Pterospora Andromedea)

Pussy Paws (Cistanthe)

I'm a big fan of amber, so I was totally fascinated by all the sap on this felled tree!

I don't think this boulder is going anywhere any time soon!

A beautifully maintained trail filled with amazing views!

Sierra Gooseberries AKA Roezl's Gooseberry (Ribes Roezlii variation Roezlii)

I found a half-eaten pod on the ground. I hear they're good raw, cooked or dried.

I will never get tired of the HUGE redwood trees!

Absolutely breathtaking.

Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja)

Loon Lake and Pleasant Lake join here.

Waxy Checkerbloom AKA White-Veined Mallow (Sidalcea Glaucescens)

Topography map of the trail

Hiking - Horsetail Falls - August 1, 2013

2013-08-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

As part of a meet up, nine of us went for a hike to Horsetail Falls. I've seen it many times on the drive back from Lake Tahoe, but never ever dream I'd actually hike up to it! Yet, here we were ... At the parking lot suiting up for our trek up the hill. What makes this hike different from most that we've done is that the trail is virtually unmarked!

Some parts are dirt paths through wooded areas ... Those are pretty obvious ...

But the parts where you make your way across huge granite slabs ... Not so much!

There are a few "Trail" signs, but very few.

Can you see the waterfall off in the distance???

That's Horsetail Falls!

We are entering the Desolation Wilderness.
I'm quite fascinated with it these days!

We followed along the river all the way up.
Even when we weren't that close to it we could hear it off to our right.

Beautiful, crystal clear water and skies! Who could ask for more?

Here's where we got our permit, filled it out, and deposited the stub so the park rangers know we are there. It surprises me there's no place to list an emergency contact and number!

We took a quick breather to fuel up and/or quench our thirsts while enjoying the scenery ...

Gail was carrying a double load ...

Her backpack and a front pack with her dog, Jacqueline, AKA Pink

Peggy jokingly decided she had had enough!

(This woman can out-hike the rest of us with her hands tied behind her back!)

Getting closer!

I had to have proof I was there! :-)

And, now for the trek back down the mountain ...

Closing in on the end of the trail.

What a beautiful trail! Beautiful day! Beautiful waterfall! Beautiful friends!

RECIPE: Paleo Banana Nut Bread Scones

2013-07-31T18:30:00.001-07:00

I admit it ... I'm a scone lover. Crunchy, delicious scones. Vanilla bean scones. Pineapple coconut scones. Cranberry walnut scones. Orange scones. I crave them. This morning we went for a six mile walk. We ate brunch while we were out. I had a salad of mixed greens, chicken, bleu cheese crumbles, cranberries, walnuts and broccoli. I finished lunch off with a pluot and a big bottle of water, then we made our way home ... The long way.
We got back home and sitting there on the counter in the kitchen was a couple of sad looking bananas. Way past their prime for peeling and eating, but well within the range of using them in banana bread. I decided to combine the two ideas ... Scones and Banana Bread while keeping it Paleo.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Almond Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon G round Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 tablespoons Honey
1 Very Ripe Banana, mashed
1,2 cup Chopped Pecans
Topping:
3 tablespoons Honey
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
3. Add vanilla and honey and mix well.
4. Fold in the bananas and pecans and mix again until everything comes together in one big massive ball of dough.
5. Place the dough on the baking sheet and flatten. I used my hands.
6. Bake for 16 - 18 minutes (depending on your oven).

7. While the scones are baking, make the glaze.
8. Once they are golden brown remove them from the oven to cool. Using a serrated knife, cut into 8 equal pieces.
9. Combine the honey and cinnamon in a small bowl, whisking until smooth.
10. Drizzle the scones with the glaze.
Makes 8 scones.

Hiking - Rubicon Trail: D.L.Bliss to Vikingsholm and Back - July 19, 2013

2013-07-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

So, Peggy has been telling us how beautiful the trail is to Vikingsholm from DL Bliss State park. We finally got our schedules coordinated and we went! Absolutely breathtaking! I must admit, most of my photos look a little "dreamy" because I accidentally had my camera is some funky setting. I didn't realize it until it was too late because I was wearing polarized sunglasses ... Duh! Anyway, we had a wonderful time in a magnificent place!

Me and the girls ... Lynn, Peggy and Gail!

An eagles nest!

This is a Thimbleberry. The ripened fruit is red and it is edible. The plant looks like grapevines with strawberry blossoms ... Quite interesting!

A Sierra Tiger Lily

Oxeye Daisy

Someone go creative and made this enormous rock look like a critter! A shark, perhaps?

The Life.

I took the following photos with my iPhone, so hopefully their color will be more true.

Vikingsholm. What an amazing place!

To learn more about Vikingsholm click HERE.