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!

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