i've been thinking 'bout the straight and narrow

Okay, kids. It's on. I just realized that as of yesterday, I only had 3 weeks of prep time left for my triathlon. That means no more cheating on my pseudo-Paleo, no bread/pasta/dairy rule. That means rice and tortillas are out of the picture (well, after Tuesday - I still have a Blackboard Eats code to Tinga). That means no more having flour in the form of batter since I'm sure a resourceful Paleolithic caveman would have found a way to heat oil to 350 degrees and throw a chicken in it (or Dinah would have showed him how). And for sure, no more pie. No. More. Pie.

That also means more swimming, but a fitness blog this certainly isn't. Just trying to keep myself accountable here.

I just need to remember that food without bread/pasta/dairy is not awful. It could be completely satisfying like tonight's dinner. I could eat this Chorizo-Crusted Cod for days (if cod wasn't so expensive). It seems like the robust chorizo would overwhelm the delicate fish, but they actually worked really well together.

Chorizo-Crusted Cod
slightly adapted from Serious Eats
Serves 2

1 lb. cod fillets
2 Spanish chorizo sausages, sliced
2 T. olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Layer the slices of chorizo on the top of each fillet.

2. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully place the fish in the skillet. Cook for two minutes on the stovetop, then transfer to the oven and bake until the fish is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

And the side was a full blast of summer freshness. Four more tomatoes from our garden tossed with basil and mint from the garden and topped with a coconut milk granita. Frankly, the granita was a little fussy, adding too much prep time to a gloriously simple dish. I think next time, I'll just toss in a couple spoonfuls of coconut milk to create a dressing and top the salad with the crushed peanuts I forgot from the original recipe, and then it's happy coconut-tomato salad any time I find another ripe tomato on the vine.

Tomato Salad with Coconut Milk Granita
adapted from Tasting Table
Serves 2

1 c. coconut milk
4 small tomatoes, diced
1 sprig basil, chiffonaded
1 sprig mint, chiffonaded
salt to taste

1. Pour the coconut milk into an 8x8 baking pan. Place in the freezer for 2 hours, raking the mixture with a fork every 30 minutes, until shards of coconut ice form.

2. Toss the tomatoes with the basil and mint, and salt to taste. Divide the tomatoes between two plates and top with the coconut milk granita. Serve immediately.