What I Eat as a 34-Year-Old Paramedic Making $80K in Avon CO Culture - Lifestyle HEAD TOPICS

What I Eat as a 34-Year-Old Paramedic Making $80K in Avon CO

10/21/2022 9:35:00 PM

Between 48-hour shifts and weekend camping trips here' s how I eat

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Bon Appétit

Welcome to The Receipt , a series documenting how Bon Appétit readers eat and what they spend doing it. Between 48-hour shifts and weekend camping trips, here's how I eat. I picked up an extra 24-hour shift today at short notice. I stop by Starbucks on my way to work to pick up a mobile order for a tall decaf Americano ($4.95 after tip). For some reason I still need coffee in the morning, even sans caffeine. We do our ambulance check. I head into the station kitchen and cook up a simple breakfast sandwich from ingredients I already had in my meal box from a previous shift: two eggs over hard Swiss cheese, some sliced ham from the deli, and garlic aioli sandwich spread on a simple roll. Read more:
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On Friday's 'John Bachman Now,' Former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker reacts to the sentencing of Steve Bannon.Watch Newsmax on Directv 349, Xfinit... Read more >> WBC champion Fury to fight Chisora for third time in DecemberWBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will take on Derek Chisora for the third time in his career at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December Wake held for Bristol Police Officer Alex Hamzy, shot and killed in last week's ambushThe 34-year-old was shot and killed responding to a call in an ambush attack last week. Brooklyn subway attack suspect linked to separate groping incidentDonald Sutherland, 34, was taken into custody after he was allegedly caught on video punching and robbing a 43-year-old woman inside the Avenue I subway station in Midwood around 6:30 a.m. Throw away the keyes forever never give this scummy human a second chance The concrete jungle Tom Brady, 45, Swears by These Healthy, Fit HabitsForty-five-year-old Tom Brady is total goals when it comes to keeping up healthy eating and impressive fitness habits. Bitcoin Could Skyrocket to $270,000 by 2030 (Finder Research)Finder's experts envisioned BTC will reach almost $80K by 2025 and $270k by 2030. Virginia Mother Charged With Murder After 4-Year-Old Son Dies From Eating THC GummiesTanner Clements died two days after he ate marijuana edibles at a home in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. A pediatric ER doctor has advice for what parents should do if their child gets hold of THC gummies. Lol at the fools attempting to still put weed in a bad light. Hey guess what...a kid will also die if they drink too much water. That's how weak this weed defamation story is. Cute attempt though, made me giggle. Oh my god what a great sadness ..also a good idea for parents to lockup their firearms, alcohol, prescriptions and hazardous household chemicals too.. The diary Monday My paramedic partner and I hop in the ambulance and head to the grocery store so he and I can grab lunch supplies.Fury is unbeaten in 32 fights while Chisora, 38, ended a run of three successive losses when he beat Kubrat Pulev in July.Mourners were able to pay their respects at the Lyceum on Main Street in Terryville.Sutherland then fled out of the train station. 07:45 a.m. The 34-year-old Fury will face veteran Chisora on December 3 having beaten him comfortably in 2011 and 2014. I picked up an extra 24-hour shift today at short notice. Connecticut State Police an ambush attack . I stop by Starbucks on my way to work to pick up a mobile order for a tall decaf Americano ($4. Talks between the Fury and Joshua camps broke down last month with Fury's co-promoter Frank Warren saying fellow Britain Chisora was the highest available contender, although leading bookmakers immediately made him the 10-1 underdog.95 after tip). For some reason I still need coffee in the morning, even sans caffeine. Usyk holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles.m. We do our ambulance check. I head into the station kitchen and cook up a simple breakfast sandwich from ingredients I already had in my meal box from a previous shift: two eggs over hard Swiss cheese, some sliced ham from the deli, and garlic aioli sandwich spread on a simple roll. READ MORE:. 12:40 p..m. My paramedic partner and I hop in the ambulance and head to the grocery store so he and I can grab lunch supplies. I picked up a tray of sushi from the deli, a “Crunch Roll”—basically a California roll with various fish on top, with a sprinkling of tempura crunchies and a spicy sauce. Our local City Market has a surprisingly good selection of sushi for the mountains of Colorado ($25.27 total for sushi, a pack of “Black Razzberry” LaCroix, and a Vita Coco coconut water). When we get back to the station I grab some frozen pork dumplings that I've had in the freezer from a previous shift. I’ve learned the best way to cook them is to boil them until they're just about ready, then throw them in a pan with olive oil to crisp them up a bit. Tasty lunch. 6:30 p.m. Dinner doesn’t take much thought. I have some extra angel hair pasta and garlic marinara pasta sauce from the other night. I slice up some and throw it all together. Monday total: $30.22 Tuesday We share chips and salsa and a queso dip appetizer, and I order four carne asada tacos and smother them with their house-made cantina-style salsa—this stuff is to die for. 7:00 a. m . I head home from work, microwave a slice of leftover pizza from the refrigerator, and just relax for a bit until it warms up enough for me to get on my motorcycle to ride to my favorite coffee stop, . It’s a café during the day, bar til 2 a.m. 9:15 a. m. I sip on a decaf Americano ($5 with tip) and chat at the bar with the baristas and locals until I’m ready to take a small cruise outside of town to check out all of the aspen leaves changing color. Fun fact: Aspen trees are connected through their roots, making the largest single organism on earth an aspen grove in Utah. 12:00 p.m. Once home, I switch to my mountain bike and head to the same area for a short pedal with a friend. I try not to eat while exercising, but I throw a in my bag just in case—these make for great trail energy. The single-serving packets are lightweight, plus they’re a tasty mix between sweet and salty, like a chocolate peanut butter cup. 4:15 p.m. Agave for a snack and beverages: I have two margaritas and a mahi-mahi ceviche appetizer ($33 with tip for my portion). I don’t want to eat too much because, coincidentally, I’ve made plans with friends to come back to this same spot this evening for Taco Tuesday. We ride our bikes home. I don’t end up needing the emergency almond butter. 6:30 p. m. My roommates and a couple friends meet at our house for a glass of whisky before dinner. Last week, on a surfing trip on Vancouver Island, BC, I picked a bottle of J.P. Wiser’s 18-year-old Canadian whisky ($66 Canadian dollars, or about $48 US dollars) at the duty-free with my leftover currency. I’m not one to consider myself having a “distinguished palate,” although I do drink my share of whisky. This one was smooth, with a note of honey and fruits, a perfect pre-dinner sampling. 07:15 p.m. Back at Agave, the tacos are cheap ($2 each) and tasty. They make their own tortillas in house and fry them to shape the tacos, which end up being a soft hard-shell or a hard soft-shell…Either way, it makes the taco a little more unique and crunchy than those at your standard joint. We share chips and salsa and a queso dip appetizer, and I order four carne asada tacos and smother them with their house-made cantina-style salsa—this stuff is to die for, it’s a blended salsa with hints of smoky chipotle, onion, and just the right amount of spice. I added a house margarita and a Modelo Negra draught beer for a fulfilled evening. ($50 for my portion) Tuesday total: $88 Wednesday It’s a gamble to cook a big meal at work because you never know if you’ll get called out to an emergency, so anything that saves a bit of time is helpful. 7:15 a. m. I start my 48-hour shift, but this time I’m based in a station at the hospital. I boil some water and toss in some Folgers instant coffee crystals that I keep in my station food bin and then go to tackle our morning duties of ambulance checks and moving into our bedrooms. I know it’s not the best coffee, but it’s better than making an entire pot of decaf at work that nobody else will drink. 08:45 a. m. I hop downstairs to the hospital cafeteria for breakfast: scrambled eggs, cubed potatoes, and bacon. I slice half of an avocado to cover the eggs. Plus, I add my favorite condiment: sriracha. (I forgot my wallet in my jeans in our station quarters, so the cashier at the hospital told me not to worry. When I returned later to pay, he only charged $1.91 to my card. He’s a good guy.) 10:00 a.m. We’re planning a “family dinner” tonight with the other ambulance crew and our supervisor. My partner and I go to City Market to pick up vegetables and chicken to make chicken pad thai for the group. As well as some personal food items for the rest of my shift: a pack of Bubly water, chips and salsa, and a bag of Halloween candy to bring the nurses and staff downstairs in the emergency department. I also do some gathering for a camping trip this weekend—some bread and meat for sandwiches plus some more chips and salsa. ($61. 99 after a $30 dinner contribution from the crew) 4:03 p.m. I cover the leftover half of avocado with sriracha and scoop it right out of the skin for an afternoon snack. 6:40 p.m. We all sit down to eat—pad thai with chicken, carrots, yellow and red peppers, and onion, topped with cilantro and green onions and peanuts. I used a store-bought pad thai sauce instead of making my own just to save some time. It’s a gamble to cook a big meal at work because you never know if you’ll get called out to an emergency, so anything that saves a bit of time is helpful. We luck out and are able to enjoy the meal without interruption. The flavors are great, the salty peanuts mixed with the sweetness of the vegetables and tangy marinade making for an easy group meal that leaves everyone satisfied. Wednesday total: $63.90 Thursday For a light breakfast, I smash an avocado in a bowl and pour in some sriracha. 6:15 a.m. There’s a Starbucks in the hospital, but it's not open yet, so I boil some water and drink some instant coffee. We woke up for a call around 5 a.m. It took about 40 minutes to get back to the station and I consider going back to sleep, but I have a report to write and I figure I may as well just stay up. 9:20 a.m. For a light breakfast, I smash an avocado in a bowl and pour in some sriracha. I dip in some Nut Thins crackers that I have in my food bin from a previous tour. 11:55 a.m. We made way too much pad thai last night. I think I’ll be reheating this all day. 4:20 p.m. I find some Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked ice cream in the freezer that has my name on it. So I scoop a couple bites for a little snack. 6:30 p.m. You guessed it, the crew and I finished off the pad thai tonight. This stuff is great even as leftovers. The noodles have gotten a little dry, but that doesn’t stop us from going in for seconds. Thursday total: $0 Friday At our side of the camp, we cook up some ravioli, red sauce, and some Italian sausage from a pig my mom and stepdad purchased from friends this past season. 7:30 a.m. I get home from work and go straight to our Mr. Coffee espresso machine for a homemade latte. I sip on that while packing and loading up the truck for a camping and dirt bike trip. 10:30 a.m. My roommate comes out with a breakfast sandwich she had made for me. Egg over hard, orange bell pepper, Swiss cheese, smashed grape tomatoes, and a spicy mayo that she made by mixing in some hot sauce (Chilero Caribeño) we brought home from Costa Rica a few months back. The sandwich comes on a plate with a side of watermelon and mango. There’s so many flavors in this sandwich it’s unreal—the tangy spice of the hot sauce mixed with Swiss cheese, egg, and bursting tomato. I pack up a bunch of items from our refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. One of the best parts of camping is that you have to plan your meals ahead of time and you don’t end up spending a ton of money. My friends and I camp with each other often, so we usually just task each person to be in charge of a certain item or meal, and then it all works out in the end. 2:00 p.m. While we’re on the road to the camping site, we decide to stop in the town of Salida for some food. We’re told through friends that Moonlight Pizza is a “must try” pizza place. We share a Caesar salad and a large Cosmic Hawaiian pizza—a BBQ/red sauce blend, Canadian bacon, pineapple, jalapeño, and cream cheese. It’s spicy, sweet and savory up to the last bite. Moonlight is also a brewery, so of course we wash the pizza down with a couple of beers. I figure we’d have some leftovers for such a large pie, but it’s so good we end up eating the whole thing. ($24.57 including tip for my portion) 4:40 p. m . Another quick stop in Salida for gas and a couple bottles of Gatorade for the weekend. My friend and I love the Lime Cucumber flavor, so I choose two of those for her. I see the new Gatorade Fit and decide to get two different flavors for myself to give them a try. Later I wish I’d read the ingredients list because I’m not a stevia fan and should have just stuck with the real sugar option. ($9.60 total for four Gatorades) 6:00 p.m. After setting up our campsite, we drink a couple beers and cook some dinner. Some friends camping with us have cooked up some Bear Creek dehydrated cheddar broccoli soup . They add some extra broccoli fresh for texture, and share some with us. It’s surprisingly good for a “just add water” camping dish. The warmth of the soup was perfect for the chilly fall camping weather. At our side of the camp, we cook up some ravioli, red sauce, and some Italian sausage from a pig my mom and stepdad purchased from friends this past season. When I visit them, they always send me home with a cooler of frozen meats that they’ve smoked or prepared. Friday total: $34.17 Saturday We boil some rice and add some precooked shredded chicken, cut vegetables and teriyaki sauce for an easy stir-fry meal. The key to a good camping meal is minimum cleanup, so single-pan dishes like this allow for plenty of flavor with minimal work. 8:30 a.m. We wake up to a cold morning. I put the kettle on the burner and prep the French press for my campmates’ coffee, while I pour my Folgers crystals into my cup. We’re heading out on a long out-and-back dirt bike ride on a section of trail none of us had ever ridden, so we make sure we have a hearty breakfast: eggs, breakfast sausage from my parents, avocado, and toast. We load the bikes in the trucks and head out. 1:30 p. m. Halfway through our ride we stop by a creek and enjoy the views. I snack on a couple for energy while washing them down with some water. 3:40 p.m. The ride took a bit longer than we expected and I’m starving when we made it back to the trailhead. Thank goodness I find a single-serving packet of Goldfish in my car back at the trailhead while driving back to the campsite. 5:00 p.m. Back at camp, we snack on some chips and salsa and prepare dinner. Our friends who made the broccoli soup have previously cooked up a big batch of beef chili with beans, corn, and veggies that they warm up and share with us. It’s spicier than I expect, but a good kind of heat, including jalapeños, onion, and ground beef. 7:00 p.m. We’re still a bit hungry, so we boil some rice and add some precooked shredded chicken, cut vegetables and teriyaki sauce for an easy stir-fry meal. The key to a good camping meal is minimum cleanup, so single-pan dishes like this allow for plenty of flavor with minimal work. Saturday total: $0 Sunday I force down a couple bites of a Luna chocolate coconut energy bar and drink half of a Watermelon Strawberry Gatorade. 8:00 a.m. We woke up early this morning to prepare for a dirt bike race that we’re competing in. I drink a cup of decaf and prepare my bike and gear for a long ride. A friend cooks up the rest of the eggs, sausage, and avocado to eat. 11:15 a.m. The dirt bike race is about 90 miles of difficult single-track and loose rocky road. It’s an exhausting race and I’m not hungry at all as I enter my third and final lap, but I force down a couple bites of a Luna chocolate coconut energy bar and drink half of a Watermelon Strawberry Gatorade—too bad it tastes like fake sugar. 1:00 p.m. After finishing the race, I wait for the rest of our group at camp. We drink some beers and set out a spread of snacks because nobody wants to cook or make anything. I grab the spinach artichoke dip and Nut Thins that I brought and friends set up a cheese and salami plate. Once we finish, another friend breaks out some Oreos while we relax. 5:30 p.m. The group I’m with doesn’t have to work the next day, so we decide to just stay and camp one more night. A friend and I hop in my truck and drive to the Cotopaxi Store about 10 miles down the road to pick up some more firewood for the evening. While there, I grab two strawberry croissants, hand one to my friend, and scarf down the second one. The market is one of those all-in-one grocery/deli/bakery/convenience stores in the small rural town. The croissant is flaky, moist, and has just the right amount of strawberry filling and giant sugar granules topping the crust. ($4. 50 total) 8:15 p.m. After sitting by the fire for a couple hours, we realize we should probably eat something. We don’t have anything planned for dinner since we weren’t supposed to be camping that night, but we’re able to whip up some grilled ham and Swiss cheese paninis on pretzel rolls from the remaining supplies. I add some mustard, and it’s a great night cap for an exhausting weekend. The sandwiches are soft and sweet with a bit of spice from the mustard, and the gooey cheese and salty ham gives it a little something extra. Sunday total: $4.50 .