The First 30 Days

Okay, thirty days are done. Where am I at? Will I continue?

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Perfect as a side dish, a lunch, or part of a main dinner entree!

Paleo Creamy Coleslaw

Just in time for those end-of-summer barbecues!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

New Challenge: 60 Days



I did really well on the first 30 days. Piece of not-really-cake-cake. Then I got cravings for the sweet stuff, and it was fine; I satisfied it with some 80% cacao chocolate and paleo brownies. The paleo brownies turned into chocolate pieces that turned into coconut milk ice cream with agave. But those, sadly, sparked the fire that would not go away. Add to that the difficulty in finding a job, and the fact that the scale didn't seem to want to move anyway... and, well, I took my first humble dive off the wagon. 


Which is weird, and I'll tell you why. I don't really see being on paleo as being ON a wagon. It's good food! It's indulgence! I looked forward to eating every day, and I felt so satisfied! In fact, for the first 30 days I didn't miss bread or cake or sweets. It was annoying that the scale wouldn't change, but I was losing inches, and noticeably. Why would I even want to go back to all the processed crap and grains and sugar? 


I didn't, and I don't. It's funny to see the mental push an old habit will give you, even when you know it's not good for you, and when you eat something and feel like crap afterwards. The whole situation reminded me very much that sugar consumption is an addiction, and given your personality, you can't always have "a little bit", or even an alternative, because the alternative is too much like the real thing to give your brain a break.


When I had my first bite of watermelon after 30 days without sugar it was incredible. I had never tasted anything so sweet and delicious, and I don't even like watermelon! But by the end of my slide, it wasn't special any more. Common sugars had relegated it to the background chorus again. I want watermelon to be just as amazing every time I eat it. And it is: when I'm eating 100% paleo. Even the rich and indulgent coconut milk ice cream became sickly and un-awe-inspiring. It went from "oh my god this is so amazing, and delicious and rich!" and me eating 1/4 of a pint of ice cream to me eating an entire pint and thinking "meh." This is NOT how I want to feel about food, people!


I'm upping the ante this time. After all, 60 days isn't anything; it's not a diet, or a contest. It's a way of life, and I'm embracing it fully. I'm going 100% paleo, and, for 60 days, cutting all fruit and nuts. I'm also going to start supplementing slightly, with fish oil and a multi-vitamin. I'm also going to add in exercise, at least an hour each day. This is my challenge to myself; to take this "relapse" and turn it into me kicking addiction's ass.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

De-Lurk Wednesday: How did you hear about Paleo?

How did you come to this diet?


Now be honest. Did you think it was a load of bunk before you heard it out? Or was it something you intuitively knew to be right, but you didn't have a name for it? Did you research it nonstop before you began, or did you plunge headfirst?


I had heard about it from a vegetarian friend of mine who was making the switch. As soon as he began talking about the paleo lifestyle, I knew right away that it was what I had been looking for. For years I had been feeling "off", but not sure why. My weight was more or less okay (ranging between 125-135) but in the last couple months I had really begun to edge up to the 140s. I figured a lot of it was due to 'life stress', and in a way it was, but I couldn't deny that I had been feeling out of shape and unmotivated for years.


My friend had planned to begin soon. Before the words were out of his mouth, I swore I'd start with him. "It's always easier with a buddy system," I said, pretending that I was doing it for him. I couldn't bullshit for long. Within weeks, and before he was ready, I jumped the gun. I wanted to try it! And now I'm set. He began himself finally, not too long ago. Hopefully my "pioneering" has helped some of the initial hurdles. I can't lie though: I'm not doing this to help anyone out; except my own health, of course. :) 

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Featured Post 9/6



Later this week I have some fantastic recipes to post, but first I want to put up the featured post of the week. I don't have children, but I do think about what I ate as a child, and how I would feed children if I had them. I know a puppy isn't a child, but I have a maternal amount of concern over what Henry eats, and how his condition and behaviour are. I do strongly believe that his mood as well as his overall health is greatly affected by the raw diet he is on.


The same goes for myself. I know without a doubt that when sugars, lactose (unfortunately), and wheat begins to creep back into my diet, my mood begins to dip and I get cranky more often. In today's featured post, Stacy from Paleo Parents talks about their young son's behavioral changes, as well as his pro-healthy perspective in eating. If I ever have children, I would want them to be highly aware of what they eat and why. It's definitely something to think about, and why it's today's featured post!


Check out the post at Paleo Parents, by clicking here.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Your Cheating Heart



Yesterday Henry spent the day at a dog-daycare facility as a trial run for boarding him for this upcoming weekend (Music Fest North West!). He and Jeff's dog Jezebel spent the day romping about with canine pals, peeing on things, and generally goofing off. 


I spent the day eating bread. 


It wasn't a planned "cheat day" per se; I knew that during the 4-day music fest I'd likely have a beer or two, and that was planned. But yesterday was the first dog-free date day Jeff and I have had in a very long time, so I ended up indulging. I had pastries at St. Honore Bakery in the morning, along with wonderful coffee and cream. I had a mocha (and I don't even like mochas) at Ace Hotel. I had a Himalyan noodle dish from a food cart at Art in the Parks. And I topped it off with sushi from our old favourite sushi place.


It was so...unsatisfying. I hadn't realized that a big difference of what I feel when I eat paleo is satisfied. I eat my meat, and my veggies, and then I'm good for hours. When I ate all that bread not only did it not last (I was so hungry the whole day!), it felt completely disconnected from eating. My stomach was uncomfortably full, but I didn't feel energized or satisfied. For me, that was the most noticeable difference. I'm so happy that I cheated, because I now have a fresh comparison in my mind between how good it feels to be on paleo, and how crappy it feels to not.


No stomach upsets, thankfully. And, because life is worth living, I am still going to have a beer next weekend. But I don't need the noodles, or the sushi, or the bread. I don't even want them. Last night Jeff and I were at his place, dogs conked out on the floor, and I was still hungry (after a whole day of eating!). He whipped me up a Paleo chicken salad, and it was the best thing I'd eaten all day. 

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Stocking the Paleo Pantry





When I began Paleo, I was highly enthusiastic about starting. I cleaned out every scrap of sugar, processed food item, gran, bean... it was gone. Unfortunately, this left my cupboards exceedingly bare. Now I advocate taking this approach, because you're less likely to eat something non-paleo "just so it doesn't go to waste". To make sure my food items didn't go to waste, I donated everything unopened. The stuff that was opened went to friends who wanted it (some guys will eat anything ;) ). The rest? I ditched, and didn't regret.


After the Great Purge of 2011, I needed to restock from scratch. I had NO idea what would be good to have on hand. It took some trial and error, and knowing what my body needs and wants (for example: I had pecan nuts right away, because I've always thought that pecans are nice and sweet, and would help me get over that "need to have something sweet" after a meal).


So here are some ideas to get you started. And if you have any suggestions, let me know!  I'll add them to the list.







Meat Always on Hand:
  • Adelle's chicken and apple sausages. Perfect to freeze singly as well!
  • Frozen single patties of ground beef, fish, turkey. 
  • Bacon, if you allow it. I do, because it's so useful. I save all the grease and cook with it. 
  • Eggs. I always have eggs on hand. Some people do paleo without eggs. I personally would go nuts without fried, scrambled, hard-boiled, poached, or deviled eggs.  
  • Not everyone has the time to do this, but I typically go down to Safeway every day or every other day and pick through the clearance meat. Sometimes I'll freeze them for me, sometimes I'll freeze them for Henry, but often (the best choice), they're dinner that night and breakfast the next morning. Steaks for $2 and pork shoulder for $1 is not a bad thing. Most groceries have clearance meat, with good deals!
Vegetables:
  • The tip is to go for lower carb veggies. Greens are important, and add much-needed fiber to the diet. I try to keep a bag of spinach available at all times. Next year I hope to have some from my own garden!
  • Sweet potatoes are great carb sources for fueling before or after a workout, and I also find they help nip cravings in the bud. (See Sweet Potato Souffle)
  • Some people try to stay away from nightshades. The most common are potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers. Personally I allow peppers, but I like to give my body a break from them, time to time. I do notice a difference.
  • Zucchini and summer squash are staples in my fridge. I never get tired of the taste, and they can go in almost anything.
  • Garlic and onions add so much flavor, keep practically forever, and are good for you!
  • I love the heck out of mushrooms. 
  • Asparagus is fantastic, in season. I'll eat it every day, if I can! 
  • Broccoli and cauliflower are basic necessities. 
  • Beets are pretty sweet, but I do love to roast them up with other root vegetables. Mmmm, one of my favourite go-to lunches. 
Fruits:
  • Avocados! You'll want to stay light on them if you're trying to lose weight, but otherwise they are filling, and delicious. I love putting them on eggs now and again, or using them as a creamy "dressing" for salads. 
  • Berries are a great, quick-fix snack, especially if you're on the hunt for something sweet.
  • They are high on the carby end, so I try not to eat them often, but I do like how mentally alert I feel after eating bananas. I also try to have some for when I'm cramping and low on potassium.
  • I don't eat a lot of fruit, over all. It's gotten very sweet since I've given up sugar. This means that the now and again fresh watermelon in the summer is an incredibly sweet and wonderful treat!
Spices and Herbs:
  • My go-to spices are simple: fish sauce, chili peppers, ginger, sea salt, curry pastes, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and celery powder are the most common. When I get fancy I'll use mustard powder and onion powder. 
  • I love, love, love, love cilantro. I'll put it in damn near anything. It's got its own eventual plot in my eventual herb garden. Other features contenders are:
    • Rosemary
    • Thyme
    • Chives
    • Basil
    • Oregano
    • Tarragon
    • Sage
    • Dill 


Pantry Must-Haves
  • Bulk pecans, almonds, and walnuts. These are my emergency, pull the rip-cord, I need to eat these otherwise I will go out right now and buy ALL THE CAKE EVER. A handful satisfies. 
  • Toasted Seaweed. Sounds boring, tastes amazing. I like the hot and spicy, because the seaweed is sweet and briny and pairs so well with the heat. Perfect again when you just want the action of putting something crunchy and savory in your mouth.
  • Coconut Milk. Every curry needs this to be successful. Plus it tastes amazing. I want to learn how to use it more often. 
  • Coconut oil, olive oil, bacon grease, lard. Save all the delicious grease from your bacon for cooking! Your veggies will never be the same. I actually save all the scrap fat from whole chickens too. Tossed in with some broccoli, it's excellent!
  • I do have emergency 85% dark chocolate on hand. Again it's the "if I don't eat this, I will walk down the street and buy gelato" sort of aid. However some folks are of the "if it is in the house, I will eat it all" attitude. If that's you, maybe don't keep it around. :) I also have unsweetened baking chocolate for cooking, thankfully that's never been appealing enough to gnaw on. 
  • Asian supermarkets are your best friend. They carry such a variety of spices, snacks, and handy items that you'd be surprised are paleo. 

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

De-Lurk Wednesday: The "Who Are You?" Edition!

Who do you think you are? 


No, really. I want to know! Most of the folks popping by here seem to have come here from chowstalker, so I'm assuming that the bulk of you already eat paleo. I want to know about you all: so the big question I'm putting out there is


Who are you?


What blogs do you guys have? Are they paleo? Political? Whimsical? What is one thing you want people to know about you, or to associate with you? Other than site hits, I don't know who any of you are, and I'd love to change that. Every Wednesday I want to have a new question to ask everyone, but to begin with I'll keep it broad and simple: Tell me who you are! 


(You don't have to get detailed, I promise I probably won't stalk you, so no home addresses or telephone numbers. ;) If you don't want to leave a comment, e-mail me at curiouscarnivore AT gmail.com. I love comments and e-mails, and I've love to get to know some of you!)


Sweet Potato Soufflé



My boyfriend Jeff, and my good friend Ivan both have had a lot of trouble battling some paleo temptations. For Jeff, working every single day in a bakery was just too much, and he conceded to a 70/30 paleo diet. When we eat together, we eat 100% paleo. On his own though, he prefers the now-and-again pastry, Chipotle burrito, or sandwich. He's at a really healthy weight, so it works for him.


Ivan recently texted me confessing that he had trouble with breakfasts in particular. He wanted something quick, and a little sweet. I'm going to be experimenting with some recipe ideas along that vein, but before then I wanted to put up this recipe I've had laying around, in case you really need that extra carby sweet indulgence (perhaps before a hike, or a long day at work). I find these incredibly filling, and end up eating half at any given time.








Sweet Potato SoufflĂ© 


1/2 a large sweet potato
2 eggs
Crushed pecans
Cinnamon
Nutmeg


1. Bake the sweet potato through.
2. Remove the skin. (I like to eat it as is!)
3. In a small heat-proof bowl or cup, stir together the potato, eggs, and a little water.
4. Add spices to taste.
5. Top with crushed pecans.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the top begins to brown.









Stats and Perspective Update!

Here are the stats after the first 30 days on Paleo. I've lost a total of 8 pounds, and several inches. I feel more alert, less hungry, and definitely happier. Although I initially was 100% focused on seeing the scale change, that has become less important to me than how I feel day to day. Not to mention: I keep losing inches, so I'm definitely slimming down. I do wish I knew why the weight itself isn't changing. I am exercising more, but not enough to build equal amounts of muscle, or so I thought. 


This is my new perspective on Paleo, and how I've been explaining it to people of late: you remember when you were a kid, and you knew your body? Climbing a tree was no problem, because you knew what your body was capable of, you were in touch with it, you could control it well. The older I got, and as I went through puberty, then got less fit, then a little overweight--I began to lose that in-touch aspect. Looking at a tree suddenly seemed like too much effort to climb, swinging up on to something was bound to be embarrassing. I didn't know my body, we were two separate entities co-existing. With Paleo, I'm beginning to get my body back.


I don't mean just being fit, or healthy. I mean understanding how my body can move, and knowing I have control over it again. I have no idea if this makes sense to you, but it's what eating this way has done for me. I look forward to continuing this, and regaining that sense of ability that I used to have. After I get a job, the first thing I'll be doing is joining the local gym, and really put this newfound (re-found?) body communication to the test. I can't wait!


Now on to the stats! 



August 30




upper arm r            11.5''     (same)
upper arm l            11.25''   (down .5)
bust                         34         (down 2)
waist (smallest)      24.75        (down .75)
waist (tummy)       30.25        (down 3.25)!!
hips                          34.75         (down 1.25)
inner thigh left        22.5       (down 1)
inner thigh right      22.75       (down .75)
butt                       39.5           (down .5)


140 lbs  














August 16




upper arm r            11.5''     (down .5)
upper arm l            11.75''   (down .25)
bust                       36          (same)
waist (smallest)      25.5        (down 2.5) !
waist (tummy)       33.5        ( down .5)
hips                       36          (same)
inner thigh left        23.5       (down .5)
inner thigh right      23.5       (down 1)
butt                       40          (down 2) !!


142 lbs  












July 31



  • upper arm r          12''
  • upper arm l          12''
  • bust                     36''
  • waist (smallest)    28
  • waist (tummy)      34
  • hips                     36
  • inner thigh left      24
  • inner thigh right    24.5
  • butt                     42



Starting weight: 148 lbs,  height:  5'4''


Offal Good



I'm going to start posting food-related videos here as both a way for me to remember them, and as a helpful resource. In the video shown here, Chef Jason Bond prepares a pork heart in an appetizing way. This week I purchased some beef heart from my local Asian market, but had no idea how to prepare it. After some reading, I had decided to do a quick sautee with some vegetables. I think I'll still do that with half, but then prepare the other half as shown above. The thin chilled slices of rare heart look like an excellent way of trying it for the first time.


When I was younger, my mother would make liver. She'd cook up the onions, and the whole house would smell amazing. Then she would fry the crap out of the liver, rendering it into this gristly, awful tasting, gritty hunk of meat. Even the disgusting amount of Heinz 57 I poured over the top didn't do the trick. Since then, I've learned to really like the taste of liverwurst, especially on toast (although not any more!), but it will take a little work before I'm up for trying liver again. So I figure I'll start with heart, then move to kidney (Patty at Following My Nose has a fantastic sounding lamb kidney recipe!), then maybe tackle liver. I know how important it is for Henry to get organ meat as part of his raw diet, and it makes sense for us to consume organ meat as well, as it's so full of vitamins and minerals.


I'll update once I've cooked the beef heart with what I think. Offal may be off-putting to begin with, but I think it's probably more of a mental exercise than actual taste and texture. We'll see!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Bleak

I know I've been a bit quiet over here: thus far this week has seen no recipe posts, no featured posts, and no stats. To be honest, I've been avoiding a lot of things. Yes, still on paleo, and CC will pick up again now, but when life decided to be a pain in the ass, certain things get dropped first.

I've been on the job hunt for a little over a month now, and had just been called for a second interview at a place this week. It was a great nonprofit, and I felt pretty confident about the interviews. Sadly, it was down between myself and one other person, and the other person got the job. It's difficult to bounce back from that, but I'm moving on and continuing my search. This weekend, however, will see me making these brownies to help cope. Because everyone needs a little comfort food now and then.

I'll be putting up the featured post and some recipes soon, but will likely skip the stats. I haven't been paying as much attention to what I've been eating; just making sure that it's paleo.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

A Routine

Something I've wanted to add for some time is an exercise routine. Today I finally cobbled together something that I can keep up with until I join a gym later this autumn. Following youtube videos and blogs, I've put together an intro routine of jump roping (eventually double-unders, for now I'm simply trying to keep up jumping for an extended period of time), push-ups, squats, and box jumps. I also want to add running 3x a week, minimally.

I've begun adding links to inspiration and techniques that I'm personally incorporating. They're under the "Exercise" header at the top. Eventually I plan to add my own commentary on what works and doesn't work for me, as well as resources for at-home training.

I just finished my first "at home" workout (in the empty laundry room/basement of my apartment, no less!) with Henry watching bemusedly. Tomorrow will likely see a hike, and more of the same! For now I'm not counting so much, simply just doing each exercise until I run out of steam.

Today:

Jumped rope until I couldn't
Did Day 1 of 100 Pushups Program
Jumped rope again
Did as many box jumps as I could (little box, my friends, little box.)
Jumped rope one more time
Stretched (probably should have done this first, but I was so excited!)
Held a plank for as long as I could

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Paleo Creamy Coleslaw


 I love, love, love a good creamy summery coleslaw. With barbecue it's always my side of choice, even before potato or macaroni salad. Now all the coleslaw I used to make would have a bit of sugar in it, but since that's no longer allowed you can sweeten with a little apple or pineapple juice, if need be. I found that this didn't particularly need to be sweetened at all.



Paleo Creamy Coleslaw


2 cups shredded cabbage, 1/2 cup shredded carrot, 1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage, 
OR
1 bag coleslaw mix
1 1/2 t ground celery seed OR 2 T mustard OR 1 T ground horseradish
salt
pepper
apple or pineapple juice (if necessary)
1/2 C mayo
2 T water 

1. Mix all the ingredients and chill for at least an hour. If you like creamier coleslaw, add more mayo. Thinner, less mayo. 
2.The celery seed, mustard, and horseradish all lend that wonderful acidic bite, and I would use whichever one you happen to have on hand.

Meals for Week Two



Monday

Breakfast:
Mushroom, scrambled eggs, leftover pork from Sunday.

Lunch:
Sweet Potato "pudding" (recipe coming soon!)

Dinner:
5 deviled eggs, 1 cup Kim Chee

Snacks: 
None today

Notes: Breakfast was filling, and excellent. The sweet potato recipe test was a success as well!

Tuesday

Breakfast:
Beet Greens

Lunch:
Curry "failure": ground beef, cilantro, curry paste, coconut milk

Dinner:
Stuffed Poblano Peppers, Paleo Creamy Coleslaw, sauteed apples.

Snacks:
1/2 oz pistachio nuts

Notes: The curry was a failure because I didn't cook the ground beef before adding it to the curry paste/milk mixture. It turned into this meat slurry of porridge-like consistency. Also, no veggies!





Wednesday

Breakfast:
Salmon patty

Lunch:
Leftover "failed" curry from yesterday

Dinner:
2 large artichokes

Snacks:
7 almonds, 2 slices bacon and an egg


Thursday

Breakfast:
3 large eggs, scrambled, mushrooms

Lunch:
Leftover coleslaw

Dinner:
Pork curry with peppers and onions, cooked at Jeff's place

Snacks:
Banana "ice cream" (recipe coming!)

Notes: The curry was much better this time around! Jeff loved it, it might have been his favourite paleo meal thus far.




Friday

Breakfast:
Leftover stuffed poblano peppers I had frozen

Lunch:
Roasted beets

Dinner:
Pork curry again!

Snacks:
Remaining banana "ice cream"

Notes: Jeff was such a fan of the curry that he wanted it a second night!

Saturday

Breakfast:
Hamburger patty, summer squash

Lunch:
Swiss chard (blech)

Dinner:
"Fajitas" (recipe coming)

Snacks:
2 bananas
Handful pistachio nuts

Notes: I do not like swiss chard. 

Sunday

Breakfast:
2 slices bacon, 3 boiled eggs ("chopped egg" - recipe coming!), 2 mushrooms

Lunch:
2 Aidell's Chicken and Apple Sausages (!!)

Dinner:
1/2 a chicken breast, 1 large wing portion chicken, sliced zucchini

Snacks:
1/3 a Larabar, "Cashew Cookie"

Notes: Rotisserie ovens suck. 

Stats

So better than simply judging by a scale (which has been frustrating of late), I can gauge how the paleo diet is affecting my body with measurements. The night before I began, I measured every section I could think of with a tailoring tape measure. 


Now I'm not thrilled with the idea of putting measurements up in the public sphere, but 1.) I want this blog to be completely open and honest, and 2.) I want people coming into paleo to get an accurate idea of how paleo might change their physical shape, and how quickly that might happen. That's why I write up exactly what I eat, and include these stats: years from now when I'm far more learned on paleo eating, I can even look back and see how well I did starting off. I'm a sucker for detailed scientific experiments, and while this isn't exactly a controlled situation in all aspects, I do want to be able to note information that might be useful to me or to someone else down the road.


That said, here are the stats from the first two weeks:







July 31



  • upper arm r          12''
  • upper arm l          12''
  • bust                     36''
  • waist (smallest)    28
  • waist (tummy)      34
  • hips                     36
  • inner thigh left      24
  • inner thigh right    24.5
  • butt                     42



148 lbs








August 16




upper arm r            11.5''     (down .5)
upper arm l            11.75''   (down .25)
bust                       36          (same)
waist (smallest)      25.5        (down 2.5) !
waist (tummy)       33.5        ( down .5)
hips                       36          (same)
inner thigh left        23.5       (down .5)
inner thigh right      23.5       (down 1)
butt                       40          (down 2) !!


142 lbs  






Monday, August 15, 2011

First Frustrations

Tonight I'll be putting up the meals from Week 2, as well as stats for the first two weeks overall. My weight loss has decided to go elsewhere for the time being, but it's not helping that (fellas, look away) it's that time of the month (okay, you can come back now) and I've been undeniably stressed over the job-hunting that is taking a surprising amount of time. I think I had envisioned that once I announced to the world that I was ready for a new job, preferably in the non-profit field, that the world would open its arms and envelop me in an interesting, challenging, decently-paying and high interaction job-hug that I would love and grow in for a few years.


So that didn't happen.


I'm less frustrated with paleo as I am with, well, everything right now. In fact to be honest, aside from an intense desire for chocolate today (no surprise there), a vague craving for a bagel from my local Jewish deli on Sunday (Oh Kornblatt's...), and the "oh yeah..." dawning of No Candy Allowed for movie noshing (X-Men: First Class! Great flick! After it began, completely stopped thinking about gummi bears!), I haven't wanted to cheat, temper, or veer away from meat and veggies. This diet satisfies me. If only it would start reflecting on the scale. Perhaps tonight's measurements will show some behind-the-scenes work going on.


Jeff mentioned too that perhaps I should up the activity. That is, from none to some. And I do have some free time these days. I've just been too tired, too stressed, too mopey, too...


Well fine. FINE. Stop looking at me like that, Internet.


I'm doing it for Henry. He's getting a little chubby. *cough*























Featured Post 8/15



There aren't many "celebrity" paleo-ers out yet, although there's always the hint of so-and-so on a "limited grains" diet, or "high protein, high fat". Rumours abound of Megan Fox, Angelina Jolie, and Matthew McConaughey all being on the paleo diet. Whether these are true or not remains to be seen, but recently internet celebrity Heather Armstrong of Dooce wrote up a post about going paleo.


It's funny because I've been a long-time dooce reader, and watched a video on her site about how she works from home. During the video she clearly makes a lettuce wrap for lunch, and at that moment I thought "Hey! That's paleo! Mmmm, lettuce wrap..."


See how peer pressure works? She's an enabler, damnit.


After watching the video, I started catching up on older posts, and came across this one where she announces that she's following a new eating plan. I knew before she officially mentioned it that she was talking about paleo, and grinned as she described all the benefits she has been experiencing; they echoed my own experience as well. I love how Heather mentions that she's never hungry anymore, and I feel the exact same way. There has been such a joy in cooking and eating recently that I have not had in a long time, and it's wonderful to see the paleo diet reaching a wider audience, thanks to those who have a longer reach in the internet sphere.


To read the Featured Post for 8/15, click here.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Stuffed Poblano Peppers


So sue me, I like a lot of heat in my food. Sriracha is like ketchup to me (in my pre-Paleo days I loved box mac and cheese with sriracha on it. Oh man alive). And I love peppers of all sorts, shapes, and sizes. My best friend is beloved to me because he has his own garden where he reigns as King of All Things Pepper. He makes these amazing dried chilies and chili sauces and mails them out to me. My point is that if it's got peppers in it, it's a dish I like.

Which is why it's so surprising  that I never made stuffed peppers pre-Paleo. Not even the traditional beef and rice bell pepper variety. I've eaten them loads of times, but never made any, until a couple nights ago. And they were delicious. The poblanos are not very spicy, but add a nice low heat to the dish as a whole.


Stuffed Poblano Peppers


3 poblano or larger sized peppers
1/2 lb hamburger
2 t ground chipotle pepper
1/2 can tomato paste
1/4 cup red onion
2 eggs
2 T fish sauce

1. Mix all of the stuffing ingredients, then allow to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. Slice poblanos width-wise (otherwise you'll end up with less of a "pocket" for the meat.
3. Stuff with meat mixture, bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until meat is set.
4. Stick under broiler for 5 minutes to fully brown tops just before serving.

If your version of paleo allows cheese, go for it! I'm dairy-free, but a little queso would really go well with this. Additionally, you can freeze any extra for an easy go-to lunch!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Ode to Breakfast




"I'm bored with breakfasts!" is a comment I hear on some of the paleo forums I frequent. I always wonder why. Who made the rule that breakfast had to be composed of breakfast-y foods? Well I for one intend to break the rules!


Okay, so I admit... there are eggs up there, and eggs are still a traditionally breakfast food. But my point is that breakfast is a great time for leftovers from the night before! I had sliced up some pork shoulder that I couldn't finish for dinner, added mushrooms that had been part of the previous nights meal, and added the eggs to round out dinner for my rumbling tummy. Savoury and filling, it was just what I needed first thing in the morning.


Yesterday I had leftover "disaster" curry, the day before that I had beet greens, and the day before that it was deviled eggs. Sometimes I'll even leave a little extra dinner on purpose, because I'm already greedily looking forward to tucking into it in the morning.


To further push the issue, sometimes in the evening I get crazy hungry out of nowhere. At those times, my absolute favourite "go-to" quick fix is a couple slices of bacon and an egg. And when my friend Conor visited from out of town, our compromise "I eat Paleo - he wants to eat out" was a great local breakfast joint called The Roxy. So sure, maybe I've turned things upside down, but that's one of the best parts of eating this way--eating what you are craving when you are hungry, instead of following the traditional path of syrup-laden pancakes and gloppy oatmeal.


Viva la non-traditional breakfast!



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Week and a Half!

Nearly two weeks in, and I'm still raving (to all my friends, over and over, who no likely wish me to shut my trap by now...) about the Paleo diet! Although weight loss has stalled (lost 6 pounds, then gained a pound and held for the past three days), I'm still feeling more alert, energized, and motivated than I did pre-diet. I've actually been doing a lot of writing lately; both for CC and compiling a portfolio for "real" work stuff (attempting to land a new job in the nonprofit field). I'm not saying that paleo is a be-all-end-all cure for what ails you, but I truly am noticing a lift in my mood and productivity.


Part of that excitement is entirely related to me cooking more. I used to cook all the time: my cookbook collection is vast and takes up entirely too much space in my tiny kitchen. But during college all of that cooking came to a halt as the extent of my culinary activities extended to merely putting dried ramen in a pot of water. And we all know just how healthy that was. Even after graduating I was in the habit of not cooking; my cookbooks languished and I didn't even bother to assemble a half-ways decent set of cookware. After some gentle nudging from my boyfriend (his Christmas gifts to me were a whole new set of pro pans and a gorgeous Shun knife) I finally began to put together some of the dishes that I had loved to cook before. But it still was hit or miss.


On Paleo you really have to cook, or you will miss so much that this diet has to offer. If I were stuck in a rut of broiled steaks and pan-fried hamburgers all the time, I don't think I'd find paleo as exciting as I do. But yesterday I spent so much time in the kitchen crafting my very first curry (edible, but a dismal failure, sadly more on this later), stuffed poblano peppers, a paleo-friendly coleslaw (no dairy or sugar!), a sauce/side dish of sauteed apples and raisins, and a delicious pico de gallo that is currently waiting in my fridge for dinner. The challenge of farmer's market shopping, and then using those ingredients most effectively, and then managing leftovers in an interesting way, and then making sure that nothing goes to waste... it's a fun mental exercise that has inspired new dishes and cooking methods. Suddenly, and without warning, I am back in the kitchen, full steam ahead!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Beet Greens




Also known as oh-my-god-these-are-amazing! I had purchased a bunch of beets at the farmer's market, with full intention to roast the delicious root vegetables and tossing the rest. As I separated the first beets from the brilliant greens, I had a moments inspiration-couldn't I cook these as well? I tinkered with a recipe, and have to admit that it was a smashing success. I did mine in the slow cooker to help me out time-wise, but you could just as easily do it in a pot on the stove.








Beet Greens with Bacon


Bunch of beet greens
1-2 strips bacon
1/2 cup red onion
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how much heat you like)
1 can apple juice




1. Chop the bacon into bite-size bits and add to pan.
2. When the bacon begins to brown, remove it and add the red onion.
3. When the onion turns golden brown, add the garlic and bacon back into the pan.
4. Stir, add water, then toss in the beet greens.
5. Top with red pepper and apple juice.
6. Cook on low in slow cooker for three hours, or on low in a pan for one hour. The longer it cooks, the sweeter it gets. Delicious!


Another option is to add short ribs just before adding the water. I tried a couple in this batch, and they were phenomenally delicious. Then you would have an entire meal, as opposed to a side dish!

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