I don't know about you, but when it's hot as hell the last thing I want to do is stand in the kitchen and cook (and then eat) something hot. I'm all about salads in the summer, but they can get boring really fast (luckily for you I have a cookbook coming out in September with lots of exciting recipes!), so I whipped up these raw cucumber noodles with a Paleo sesame vinaigrette. 

I love cucumber noodles because you don't have to cook them and they're a great alternative to zucchini noodles (which you can also eat raw but I usually don't). These are great on their own as a quick snack or in lieu of greens as the base to almost any salad--I'd love it with some chicken or shrimp on top.

Ingredients: 

• 2 large cucumbers
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice or red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Thai garlic chili paste
• 1-2 teaspoons sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions: 

1. Wash and spiralize the cucumber (I use a hand-held one like this but I really want one like this) and place the noodles in a bowl.
2. In a small dish, combine sesame oil, vinegar, and garlic chili paste. Mix well and dress the noodles with it. Top with sesame seeds and enjoy.

You can add some extra red pepper flakes if you like it hotter (I certainly do).

Since November, I've had two people tell me, in some way or another, that having a BRCA mutation is scary and all; but I have a lot more control over my likelihood of getting breast or ovarian cancer than I think, because of my diet and exercise. Paleo will save me, they seem to believe.

And listen, I'm not going to be someone who writes one of those "15 Things You Should Never Say to a ____ Person" (pregnant, short, BRCA+, you know the drill) pieces, because I know these people aren't being offensive or stupid on purpose--they're just trying to help.

“A positive BRCA test does not mean a leap to surgery. I have spoken to many doctors, surgeons and naturopaths. There are other options. Some women take birth control pills or rely on alternative medicines combined with frequent checks. There is more than one way to deal with any health issue. The most important thing is to learn about the options and choose what is right for you personally.”

— Angelina Jolie Pitt, Diary of a Surgery

I believe that eating whole foods, exercising regularly, and staying away from sugar has a lot of benefits, but telling people that they should replace a preventive double mastectomy with a healthy diet is not just stupid, it's dangerous. I've been working out a lot more this year but it's not to kettle bell-swing my breasts away from cancer, it's to get my body ready for (hopefully) pregnancy, labor, and delivery; then (hopefully) a few years later surgery and the recovery that follows. And that's how I'm going to avoid getting cancer.

I grew up in a household that was very naturopathically inclined. We didn't really take antibiotics, if we were sick we doubled down on Vitamin C and chicken soup; and I still don't run to the doctor for every little ailment. I'm not into flu shots and I drink kombucha, but I also know you don't fuck with cancer. 

Angelina Jolie called it "My Medial Choice," and that's exactly what it is. I have a lot of anxiety in my life about a number of irrational things, but then this one--the most rational fear that could be--doesn't really bother me that much. I think about it a lot but it's not keeping me up at night or anything. And that's because I have a plan. I will be making my own medical choice.

I know that the BRCA and cancer thing is a lot, and it's kind of a new topic here on Freckled Italian, but it's been a big part of my life the past year, so I'm going to keep writing about it periodically. I want people to know that they have options, and I want to encourage people to know as much as they can about their family histories and genetic mutations, so they can be empowered to make the best decisions possible for themselves and their families. It's funny how your passions present themselves to you over the years. 

I've quoted this piece before and I'm sure I'll do it again, because it rings true to me on so many levels:

“Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of.”

— Angelina Jolie, My Medical Choice

I hope that, no matter the type of trials you may be facing, you can find the strength and courage to tackle them head on. It's something I'm working on every single day. And if I really want a donut, I'm probably going to have one. Paleo or not. Cancer or not. Life is here so we can live it.

So let's live it.

It was a balmy 92 degrees this weekend in Charlotte and my brother and his girlfriend were staying at our house. Everything about it was cozy and sweet--exactly the kind of thing I picture when hosting out-of-town guests: pouring iced coffee in the morning, sitting on the back patio with our dogs, making burgers and guacamole before all of our friends came over for a cookout, taking them to our favorite places for lattes and crepes and gluten-free grilled cheese sandwiches, sprawling out on the couch together under blankets after a long day of entertaining. Ender loves Sean so much so every morning I would wake up to him crying outside of the guest bedroom door, hoping his uncle would either come out and play or let him in to snuggle.

And then Sunday evening arrived and my brother and Jane packed up their stuff and loaded the car as big dark rain clouds rolled in, and I found myself getting so incredibly emotional that they were here and now were leaving. Summer is so exciting sometimes, and even though it's not my favorite season I can feel the magic in it, and the emotional highs and lows that rise and crash like waves on a beach. Long weekends slam into work weeks, and sunny mornings are wiped out by afternoon thunder storms. Summer is so joyful and fun and charged with energy, and for an incredibly sensitive person like myself, it can be exhausting. 

Lately I've been feeling a little burnt out, so I'm trying to look at this summer as a highly creative experiment in being kinder to myself, and allowing the room to get what I need. Working from home often makes me feel like I need to be hustling 24/7, but I've found that these weekends where I don't even pick up my computer have been so good for my soul and my mind, especially when I'm relaxing with people I love. So I'm going to do more of that, and I hope that something beautiful will follow. 

It's almost summer. It's time to slow down.