Time is a precious commodity for Josh and I - we seem to always be running out of it. Very frustrating.
We especially have very little time Monday - Thursday when I work 10 hours a day. When we first started our Paleo lifestyle, we spent hours each night cooking and cleaning. Not exactly the most relaxing thing to do after 10 hours of working.
Then suddenly, one day out of a mixture of sheer desperation and curiosity (and a desire to actually make use of the appliances we have), I decided to throw some food in the oven. I think I threw in something really easy, like a meatloaf (1 lb of ground beef, half an onion, salt and pepper) and POOF - we suddenly had time to work out. We had time to be together. We had time to do something other than cooking and cleaning the kitchen.
Angels sang and saints wept. It was a beautiful moment of why didn't I think of that before, dang it!?
So if you're thinking about going Paleo or maybe already are and are getting a bit burnt out with the same old time draining routine of cooking entire meals, try using your oven or crockpot, and try to prep veggies, spices, etc. ahead of time so you always have something quick on hand to grab and throw in the oven.
Need some ideas for what to fix ahead of time?
Onions - having a bag of chopped onions in the freezer ready to go is a HUGE time saver. Just designate maybe a half an hour one day to chopping up as many as you can, and store them in your freezer. Perfect for throwing into chili, meatloaf, stir fry, soup, stew, or anything else you can think of!
Peppers - if you're not avoiding nightshades (eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, etc.), dice up some peppers and throw in the freezer. Again, a great food for so many dishes, and it's so nice to just grab it out of the freezer and toss it in whatever you're cooking.
Carrots - I'm thinking I might throw some in the food processor and freeze it so I can use it for carrot breads and stir fry.
Sweet Potatoes - I haven't actually tried this, but it sounds like a pretty good idea. Cut up some fries, then toss them in a ziplock bag, and you can bake them whenever.
Zucchini - I think you're getting the idea here...
Recipe time! If you're low on time, give this recipe a go.
Paleo Meatloaf
1 lb grass-fed beef
1/2-1 small onion (to taste)
1/2 diced bell pepper (unless you're avoiding nightshades)
salt and pepper to taste
Put the oven on 375. Grab a baking dish and mixing bowl. Dice onion and pepper and toss in the mixing bowl with the beef. Salt and pepper as you'd like, and mix everything together thoroughly. Place the hunk of meat in the baking dish, and put it in the oven for at least 30 minutes. Basically, take it out of the oven whenever you want - I happen to like medium well beef, so I look for the bit of pink color, and then I take it out.
Aren't I an amazing recipe writer? Yeah...just oozing talent.
Anyways, play around with the recipe - is there a specific spice you love to throw into all your beef dishes? Give it a go! I love this very simple one; it's fast, easy, and versatile. Sometimes I toss some minced mushrooms in, which is really tasty.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Back to the forbidden, per the Doc's orders
So, we visited Josh's naturopath yesterday - yes, an ND. Now you might be thinking that we are seriously starting to drown in the pool of yuppy crap. You might be thinking that next, we'll start wearing yuppy clothes, get yuppy haircuts, bathe ourselves in patchouli, go live in a yuppy commune and grow yuppy herbs to heal all our woes.
We're considering it.
Anyways, this ND was not at all what I expected. I was a bit snarky myself, assuming that she would have us chant some stuff, pray to the nature gods, center our Chi and send us home with $200 in supplements. Call me Princess Cynicism. However, when we walked into her office and sat down, I was blown away by what she did and said. It...all made sense. She created a plan for Josh to follow to get him healthier - suffice it to say that he's got some imbalances right now that are really making him miserable. And no, it wasn't a plan filled with silly, expensive herbs, etc. It was a plan filled with careful thought and consideration for the individual and (gasp!) science.
I was blown away - never have I encountered such a genuinely concerned medical professional! She listened to every thought and concern Josh had; we talked for an hour straight. What doctor sits down and talks to you, I mean, really talks to you like you're a person?
At any rate, we found out that Josh's fabulous, massive weight loss in the last month has not been so fabulous after all. He's lost way more than he should, so the doctor prescribed...brown rice. No joke, I thought Josh was gonna lose it. He really didn't want to start eating it again, but she insisted it would help plateau the weight loss.
<3 I had spaghetti last night, and even with a sub par spaghetti sauce, I was in happy. Absolute happy. (Yes, you can be in happy.) Spaghetti one of my favorite comfort foods, and I haven't had any version of it in...3 or 4 months? I can't even remember how long it's been!
I also stopped by the store and got some brown rice flour, so I plan on experimenting with bread recipes this weekend - another thing I've never been able to try on Paleo (I don't count my favorite zucchini bread because it's seriously more of a cake than a bread).
Do you have any gluten/soy free bread recipes to share? I'd love to have some! I might post some this weekend when I have a chance to troll the Internet and search out the gems.
Until then, enjoy this awesome picture I took today - man, I love the sun. Wish I could inject it's warmth and happy right into me!
We're considering it.
Anyways, this ND was not at all what I expected. I was a bit snarky myself, assuming that she would have us chant some stuff, pray to the nature gods, center our Chi and send us home with $200 in supplements. Call me Princess Cynicism. However, when we walked into her office and sat down, I was blown away by what she did and said. It...all made sense. She created a plan for Josh to follow to get him healthier - suffice it to say that he's got some imbalances right now that are really making him miserable. And no, it wasn't a plan filled with silly, expensive herbs, etc. It was a plan filled with careful thought and consideration for the individual and (gasp!) science.
I was blown away - never have I encountered such a genuinely concerned medical professional! She listened to every thought and concern Josh had; we talked for an hour straight. What doctor sits down and talks to you, I mean, really talks to you like you're a person?
At any rate, we found out that Josh's fabulous, massive weight loss in the last month has not been so fabulous after all. He's lost way more than he should, so the doctor prescribed...brown rice. No joke, I thought Josh was gonna lose it. He really didn't want to start eating it again, but she insisted it would help plateau the weight loss.
<3 I had spaghetti last night, and even with a sub par spaghetti sauce, I was in happy. Absolute happy. (Yes, you can be in happy.) Spaghetti one of my favorite comfort foods, and I haven't had any version of it in...3 or 4 months? I can't even remember how long it's been!
I also stopped by the store and got some brown rice flour, so I plan on experimenting with bread recipes this weekend - another thing I've never been able to try on Paleo (I don't count my favorite zucchini bread because it's seriously more of a cake than a bread).
Do you have any gluten/soy free bread recipes to share? I'd love to have some! I might post some this weekend when I have a chance to troll the Internet and search out the gems.
Until then, enjoy this awesome picture I took today - man, I love the sun. Wish I could inject it's warmth and happy right into me!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Oh coconut...how I love thee.
Let me count the ways:
- coconut oil
- coconut flour
- coconut milk
- coconut beverage (not nearly as rich and dense as the cooking variety)
- coconut yogurt
- coconut water
- coconut ice cream
- coconut flakes
Yeah, you could say I have a new favorite food. There are so many things you can do with coconut products - it's incredible, it's dairy free, and it's good for you! Hurray!
I recently tried vanilla flavored coconut yogurt - I wasn't sure about it at first, especially since I found coconut coffee creamer to be so incredible wrong, but after taking a leap of faith and giving the yogurt a go, I was pleasantly surprised.
It definitely has the same consistency as your everyday dairy yogurt, but the color is...different. Different enough to make you think "Hm...why did I buy this again?" Be brave. You'll be glad you did!
I tried So Delicious, and so far (which the exception of the coconut coffee creamer) the brand name holds steady and true. The only downside? The price is Not So Delicious, which is typical of most coconut-based products. At our local PCC, I found it on sale for about $3.58 for a 16 oz. container.
What are some of your favorite Paleo-friendly foods?
- coconut oil
- coconut flour
- coconut milk
- coconut beverage (not nearly as rich and dense as the cooking variety)
- coconut yogurt
- coconut water
- coconut ice cream
- coconut flakes
Yeah, you could say I have a new favorite food. There are so many things you can do with coconut products - it's incredible, it's dairy free, and it's good for you! Hurray!
I recently tried vanilla flavored coconut yogurt - I wasn't sure about it at first, especially since I found coconut coffee creamer to be so incredible wrong, but after taking a leap of faith and giving the yogurt a go, I was pleasantly surprised.
It definitely has the same consistency as your everyday dairy yogurt, but the color is...different. Different enough to make you think "Hm...why did I buy this again?" Be brave. You'll be glad you did!
I tried So Delicious, and so far (which the exception of the coconut coffee creamer) the brand name holds steady and true. The only downside? The price is Not So Delicious, which is typical of most coconut-based products. At our local PCC, I found it on sale for about $3.58 for a 16 oz. container.
What are some of your favorite Paleo-friendly foods?
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Want to convert to Paleo? Here's some ways to begin...
I stumbled and fumbled when it came to starting this diet. I had no intentions of following the Paleo diet - I wanted to be on what I called "a whole foods diet." Wheat, other grains, legumes, dairy - you name it, and I was willing to eat it as long as it was unprocessed and organic. But once I realized what wheat, grains, legumes and dairy were doing to me, I was quick, though tearful, to rid my life of nearly all of them (except dairy, as you've read in a previous post).
If you've considered converting to Paleo nutrition (I really hate calling it a diet), here are some steps you might find helpful.
1.) Clean out your cabinets and fridge. This was BY FAR the most painful thing for me to do. I had a lot of delicious foods stored up, foods that I had made plans for, foods I had known since their infancy, foods I had started a college fund for (okay, I was ridiculously attached to these evil foods).
Gather up and get rid of:
- Food that is processed (read the labels - if the ingredients contain weird words that sound like chemicals, it goes in the toss pile)
- Food that contains wheat or grains (yes, goodbye oatmeal, spelt, quinoa, rice, etc.), legumes (no more beans, peas, green beans and peanuts), dairy, or corn in any form
- Flours containing corn, wheat or any other grains
- Sodas
- Anything with any added sugar high fructose corn syrup or any other kind of artificial sweetener
You can either donate this food or throw it away. Either way, it needs to get out of your house ASAP if you're going to stick with this. When I was finished, I had a couple of canned foods (organic pumpkin and coconut milk) and lots of nuts and fruit on my shelves. My fridge looked like a ghost town until we filled it with meat, veggies and fruit. Though, it took me a few months to throw away all the condiments in the side of the fridge.../sigh.
2.) Get thee to a grocery store. It’s time to start this, and start this right. Here's a list of Paleo musts.
- Buy organic/local food whenever you can. No pesticides and supporting local farmers = WIN
- If you can't buy a product that's both, go for local.
- If you can't find local, go with organic.
Great stores to frequent (if available in your area):
- Trader Joe's
- Earth Fare
- Whole Foods
- Local farmers' markets
- Fred Meyer
- Costco
- Kroger/QFC
Suggested foods:
- coconut oil
- extra virgin olive oil
- fish (especially wild pacific salmon)
- grass-fed ground beef (if it doesn't say grass fed, just say no)
- grass-fed beef (steak, roast, etc.)
- free range chicken
- free range eggs
- pork (no nitrates)
- salad
- onions
- mushrooms
- cucumbers
- yams
- apples
- avocados
- greens (kale, chard, spinach, etc)
- oranges
- grapefruits
- bananas
- strawberries
- blueberries
- blackberries
- raspberries
- celery
- cherries
- kiwi
- limes
- lemons
- plums
- pomegranate
- arrowroot (thickener)
These are just some of my favorite things – if you were to visit us and go through my fridge, it’s very likely you’d find well over half this stuff in it.
Here’s a great resource for Paleo-friendly foods:
http://altmed.creighton.edu/Paleodiet/Foodlist.html
Oh, and the link above says you can have beer in moderation. Most beer contains gluten, so that’s a no-no. Also, be careful with mercury content in fish. Search online to find fish with low mercury levels (salmon is one of the best).
3.) Have a positive attitude, and commit to it. Your body is addicted to grain, massive amounts of sugar, and a whole host of other things you’re used to eating. This is going to be difficult. Ask my husband how many times I’ve raved about pasta or Coke or bread or cupcakes. You’ll probably be like a drug addict and go through withdraws and insane cravings. DO NOT GIVE IN. These cravings pass in time. Commit to a Paleo lifestyle for at least a month, and see how you feel. I think if you really commit to it, you’ll love the results.
4.) Do your research. Most of what I have told you so far is based on my experience and my research, but it’s very important that you do some research for yourself. Here are some resources that I have found incredibly helpful:
Websites
Books
Please, as always, share any recipes, books, websites, stories, questions, comments, and anything else you think might be help to others.
If you have any questions, let me know. I definitely don’t have all the answers, but I’m always willing to search for them for you!
Happy Hunting and Gathering!
Sasha
p.s. If you have questions about the science behind all this, please read at least the first book referenced above - it explains it all.
*Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, so I’m not here to cure you or diagnose you. You should consult your doctor before starting a new diet if you have any concerns about it or any medical problems. I’m also just a fan of the websites and books I’ve mentioned, however, I’m in no way affiliated. They’re just awesome people with awesome info.
If you've considered converting to Paleo nutrition (I really hate calling it a diet), here are some steps you might find helpful.
1.) Clean out your cabinets and fridge. This was BY FAR the most painful thing for me to do. I had a lot of delicious foods stored up, foods that I had made plans for, foods I had known since their infancy, foods I had started a college fund for (okay, I was ridiculously attached to these evil foods).
Gather up and get rid of:
- Food that is processed (read the labels - if the ingredients contain weird words that sound like chemicals, it goes in the toss pile)
- Food that contains wheat or grains (yes, goodbye oatmeal, spelt, quinoa, rice, etc.), legumes (no more beans, peas, green beans and peanuts), dairy, or corn in any form
- Flours containing corn, wheat or any other grains
- Sodas
- Anything with any added sugar high fructose corn syrup or any other kind of artificial sweetener
You can either donate this food or throw it away. Either way, it needs to get out of your house ASAP if you're going to stick with this. When I was finished, I had a couple of canned foods (organic pumpkin and coconut milk) and lots of nuts and fruit on my shelves. My fridge looked like a ghost town until we filled it with meat, veggies and fruit. Though, it took me a few months to throw away all the condiments in the side of the fridge.../sigh.
2.) Get thee to a grocery store. It’s time to start this, and start this right. Here's a list of Paleo musts.
- Buy organic/local food whenever you can. No pesticides and supporting local farmers = WIN
- If you can't buy a product that's both, go for local.
- If you can't find local, go with organic.
Great stores to frequent (if available in your area):
- Trader Joe's
- Earth Fare
- Whole Foods
- Local farmers' markets
- Fred Meyer
- Costco
- Kroger/QFC
Suggested foods:
- coconut oil
- extra virgin olive oil
- fish (especially wild pacific salmon)
- grass-fed ground beef (if it doesn't say grass fed, just say no)
- grass-fed beef (steak, roast, etc.)
- free range chicken
- free range eggs
- pork (no nitrates)
- salad
- onions
- mushrooms
- cucumbers
- yams
- apples
- avocados
- greens (kale, chard, spinach, etc)
- oranges
- grapefruits
- bananas
- strawberries
- blueberries
- blackberries
- raspberries
- celery
- cherries
- kiwi
- limes
- lemons
- plums
- pomegranate
- arrowroot (thickener)
These are just some of my favorite things – if you were to visit us and go through my fridge, it’s very likely you’d find well over half this stuff in it.
Here’s a great resource for Paleo-friendly foods:
http://altmed.creighton.edu/Paleodiet/Foodlist.html
Oh, and the link above says you can have beer in moderation. Most beer contains gluten, so that’s a no-no. Also, be careful with mercury content in fish. Search online to find fish with low mercury levels (salmon is one of the best).
3.) Have a positive attitude, and commit to it. Your body is addicted to grain, massive amounts of sugar, and a whole host of other things you’re used to eating. This is going to be difficult. Ask my husband how many times I’ve raved about pasta or Coke or bread or cupcakes. You’ll probably be like a drug addict and go through withdraws and insane cravings. DO NOT GIVE IN. These cravings pass in time. Commit to a Paleo lifestyle for at least a month, and see how you feel. I think if you really commit to it, you’ll love the results.
4.) Do your research. Most of what I have told you so far is based on my experience and my research, but it’s very important that you do some research for yourself. Here are some resources that I have found incredibly helpful:
Websites
Books
Please, as always, share any recipes, books, websites, stories, questions, comments, and anything else you think might be help to others.
If you have any questions, let me know. I definitely don’t have all the answers, but I’m always willing to search for them for you!
Happy Hunting and Gathering!
Sasha
p.s. If you have questions about the science behind all this, please read at least the first book referenced above - it explains it all.
*Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, so I’m not here to cure you or diagnose you. You should consult your doctor before starting a new diet if you have any concerns about it or any medical problems. I’m also just a fan of the websites and books I’ve mentioned, however, I’m in no way affiliated. They’re just awesome people with awesome info.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Devastation
I've been so distracted lately. Japan is in an utter state of crisis - it's kinda left me a bit flat in the Paleo writing department. I've started a few times on some posts, but they were just lifeless. Meaningless, given what's going on.
So this post will deviate ever so slightly (okay, massively) from the norm, and it will touch on some questions people have been asking me lately.
Q: Did the earthquake/tsunami happen in or near the town you went to in Japan last year?
A: The epicenter of the earthquake is approximately a 3-4 hour drive from Tomobe (Ibaraki Prefecture) to Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture), so no. They very much felt and saw the effects of the earthquake, but the damage in Tomobe pales in comparison to the damage in Sendai, from what I understand. The missionaries we worked with say that there were messes to clean up inside the house and church (broken dishes, food, etc.), but the buildings are structurally sound. People around them sustained damage to their roof tiles and stone walls, but that's about it. They're slowly regaining their utilities.
Q: Has or will the radiation from the damaged nuclear plants reach WA?
A: I'm guessing absolutely not, based on what I've read so far. Right now, it sounds like the latest explosion has put the population within an 18 mile radius of the plant at risk to low-moderate radiation exposure. One of the plants is approximately 100 miles from Tomobe. Check out this article for info on radiation in general and the radiation problems in Japan http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12722435. But yes, Mom and Dad - if I hear of any problems, I'll hop on a plane and head home. :)
Q: I've heard so many things on the news - some of them sound so scary, and some of them sound, well...less apocalyptic. How bad is it really?
A: Not only have I asked that same question and talked about it with tons of other people, I also don't know the exact answer. All I can say is please, please acquire the ability to discern hyped up news garbage from real facts if you don't have that ability already. I've read some ridiculous headlines from some (arguably) respectable news sources, and I've heard/read some that just do their best to lay out facts. If you see some beyond-shocking headline somewhere, double check it. Triple check it. Don't spread it around until you're sure it's reasonably factual. Spreading false information about a crisis is about as helpful as not trying to help at all.
Q: What can I do to help Japan?
A: Okay, I haven't exactly been asked this (why would anyone ask me? I'm just some nobody from WA!), but I feel compelled to share some resources with you.
Help Japan:
http://american.redcross.org/
text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 from your phone
http://www.internationalmedicalcorps.org/Page.aspx?pid=332
text MED to 80888 to donate $10
Also, check out this article for more resources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/14/how-to-help-japan-earthquake-relief_n_834484.html
I've been trying to think of other ways to help - sometimes, it feels like throwing money at the problem doesn't always solve the problem. Maybe getting a group together and throwing a fundraiser for one of the churches we know of there (bake sale, knitted goods sale, knitting pattern sale, youth group auction, etc.), praying, spreading the word on how others can help...that kind of stuff.
If you have any great ideas or want to start something of your own, do share! :)
So this post will deviate ever so slightly (okay, massively) from the norm, and it will touch on some questions people have been asking me lately.
Q: Did the earthquake/tsunami happen in or near the town you went to in Japan last year?
A: The epicenter of the earthquake is approximately a 3-4 hour drive from Tomobe (Ibaraki Prefecture) to Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture), so no. They very much felt and saw the effects of the earthquake, but the damage in Tomobe pales in comparison to the damage in Sendai, from what I understand. The missionaries we worked with say that there were messes to clean up inside the house and church (broken dishes, food, etc.), but the buildings are structurally sound. People around them sustained damage to their roof tiles and stone walls, but that's about it. They're slowly regaining their utilities.
Q: Has or will the radiation from the damaged nuclear plants reach WA?
A: I'm guessing absolutely not, based on what I've read so far. Right now, it sounds like the latest explosion has put the population within an 18 mile radius of the plant at risk to low-moderate radiation exposure. One of the plants is approximately 100 miles from Tomobe. Check out this article for info on radiation in general and the radiation problems in Japan http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12722435. But yes, Mom and Dad - if I hear of any problems, I'll hop on a plane and head home. :)
Q: I've heard so many things on the news - some of them sound so scary, and some of them sound, well...less apocalyptic. How bad is it really?
A: Not only have I asked that same question and talked about it with tons of other people, I also don't know the exact answer. All I can say is please, please acquire the ability to discern hyped up news garbage from real facts if you don't have that ability already. I've read some ridiculous headlines from some (arguably) respectable news sources, and I've heard/read some that just do their best to lay out facts. If you see some beyond-shocking headline somewhere, double check it. Triple check it. Don't spread it around until you're sure it's reasonably factual. Spreading false information about a crisis is about as helpful as not trying to help at all.
Q: What can I do to help Japan?
A: Okay, I haven't exactly been asked this (why would anyone ask me? I'm just some nobody from WA!), but I feel compelled to share some resources with you.
Help Japan:
http://american.redcross.org/
text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 from your phone
http://www.internationalmedicalcorps.org/Page.aspx?pid=332
text MED to 80888 to donate $10
Also, check out this article for more resources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/14/how-to-help-japan-earthquake-relief_n_834484.html
I've been trying to think of other ways to help - sometimes, it feels like throwing money at the problem doesn't always solve the problem. Maybe getting a group together and throwing a fundraiser for one of the churches we know of there (bake sale, knitted goods sale, knitting pattern sale, youth group auction, etc.), praying, spreading the word on how others can help...that kind of stuff.
If you have any great ideas or want to start something of your own, do share! :)
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
When all else fails, make up something
Oddly enough, the title of this post sums up my college experience.
Nice, right?
Anyways, after enduring (thankfully only) two days of jury summons, which could also be renamed "Sitting in a Giant Waiting Room with Hundreds of People for Hours a Day Wasting My Life Away," and after riding the bus home (always a horrifying adventure for me in the big city), I was yearning to do something creative. You know, something where I'm not sitting on my butt for hours doing nothing. We had recently bought some organic chicken legs and breasts, and I was craving coconut. I tried looking online for recipes that were basically some kind of coconut product and chicken, but I kept finding coconut curry recipes. Not a huge fan of curry.
What's a Paleo girl to do? Answer: Make up something.
So I made up the following. Please note that some of the measurements...aren't measurements. I'm a Southern woman at heart - I make stuff up as I go when I cook, so just go with the flow, and get inspired. If you think you want more of an ingredient, just add it.
Jury Duty Baked Coconut Chicken with Coconut Mushroom Gravy
- 5 organic chicken legs (or 4 chicken breasts)
- 1 can of light coconut milk (Trader Joe's)
- 1/3 cup of coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp of salt (really, just as much salt as you like on your chicken)
- black pepper to taste
- 3 cups (or more if you like) of crimini mushrooms
- maybe a pinch of arrowroot powder to thicken the gravy
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grab a baking dish (one large enough to hold the meat). Place the meat in the baking dish. Pour the coconut milk over the chicken and into the dish. In a separate bowl, place the dry ingredients (coconut flour, arrowroot, salt and pepper), and mix together. Sprinkle dry mix over chicken and into the dish. Next, finely chop up the mushrooms and spread them onto the chicken and into the dish. If you like things salty, toss a pinch of salt on top of everything, then pop it into the oven. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.
Not bad for just making up something on the fly - my only regrets are
1) I didn't use enough mushrooms. I probably could have used the entire Costco-sized package in the dish, and it would have been amazing! Oh well - next time.
2) I didn't use enough coconut milk. And, I was using frozen coconut ice cubes from the last can I opened, so it was difficult to tell how much I was using, especially since I wasn't measuring anything along the way.
3) I used a little too much pepper. I did want it to be a bit spicy, but Josh was even a bit startled by the heat. Since he wants to stay away from night shades, he seemed suspicious that I had used cayenne or curry. Nope! Just got a bit excited with the fresh ground black pepper.
4) I didn't use arrowroot. It would have been nice to have a slightly thicker gravy.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy the recipe!
On a less food/jury duty note, Josh and I have started exercising again. Goodbye another 20lbs! I can imagine it melting off of me now...ah. How satisfying. Not to mention, I feel like I can actually run a mile straight - I haven't tried it yet, but I feel that good. Seriously.
Have I mentioned that the Paleo diet is amazing?
It is. If you don't believe me, try it.
Oh, quit whining about pasta and pizza, you big baby. If I can kick the addiction, then you can. And yes, you are truly addicted. You're about as bad off as an alcoholic or a meth head. Oh, and you're in denial. Trust me - I've been there.
We'll talk more about that later.
Let me know if you try the recipe, have some suggestions to make it better, or just hate it.
Craving pizza always,
Sasha
p.s. I respect and appreciate our civic duty as American citizens to serve on a jury in court. Doesn't mean I have to like it.
Nice, right?
Anyways, after enduring (thankfully only) two days of jury summons, which could also be renamed "Sitting in a Giant Waiting Room with Hundreds of People for Hours a Day Wasting My Life Away," and after riding the bus home (always a horrifying adventure for me in the big city), I was yearning to do something creative. You know, something where I'm not sitting on my butt for hours doing nothing. We had recently bought some organic chicken legs and breasts, and I was craving coconut. I tried looking online for recipes that were basically some kind of coconut product and chicken, but I kept finding coconut curry recipes. Not a huge fan of curry.
What's a Paleo girl to do? Answer: Make up something.
So I made up the following. Please note that some of the measurements...aren't measurements. I'm a Southern woman at heart - I make stuff up as I go when I cook, so just go with the flow, and get inspired. If you think you want more of an ingredient, just add it.
Jury Duty Baked Coconut Chicken with Coconut Mushroom Gravy
- 5 organic chicken legs (or 4 chicken breasts)
- 1 can of light coconut milk (Trader Joe's)
- 1/3 cup of coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp of salt (really, just as much salt as you like on your chicken)
- black pepper to taste
- 3 cups (or more if you like) of crimini mushrooms
- maybe a pinch of arrowroot powder to thicken the gravy
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grab a baking dish (one large enough to hold the meat). Place the meat in the baking dish. Pour the coconut milk over the chicken and into the dish. In a separate bowl, place the dry ingredients (coconut flour, arrowroot, salt and pepper), and mix together. Sprinkle dry mix over chicken and into the dish. Next, finely chop up the mushrooms and spread them onto the chicken and into the dish. If you like things salty, toss a pinch of salt on top of everything, then pop it into the oven. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.
Not bad for just making up something on the fly - my only regrets are
1) I didn't use enough mushrooms. I probably could have used the entire Costco-sized package in the dish, and it would have been amazing! Oh well - next time.
2) I didn't use enough coconut milk. And, I was using frozen coconut ice cubes from the last can I opened, so it was difficult to tell how much I was using, especially since I wasn't measuring anything along the way.
3) I used a little too much pepper. I did want it to be a bit spicy, but Josh was even a bit startled by the heat. Since he wants to stay away from night shades, he seemed suspicious that I had used cayenne or curry. Nope! Just got a bit excited with the fresh ground black pepper.
4) I didn't use arrowroot. It would have been nice to have a slightly thicker gravy.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy the recipe!
On a less food/jury duty note, Josh and I have started exercising again. Goodbye another 20lbs! I can imagine it melting off of me now...ah. How satisfying. Not to mention, I feel like I can actually run a mile straight - I haven't tried it yet, but I feel that good. Seriously.
Have I mentioned that the Paleo diet is amazing?
It is. If you don't believe me, try it.
Oh, quit whining about pasta and pizza, you big baby. If I can kick the addiction, then you can. And yes, you are truly addicted. You're about as bad off as an alcoholic or a meth head. Oh, and you're in denial. Trust me - I've been there.
We'll talk more about that later.
Let me know if you try the recipe, have some suggestions to make it better, or just hate it.
Craving pizza always,
Sasha
p.s. I respect and appreciate our civic duty as American citizens to serve on a jury in court. Doesn't mean I have to like it.
Monday, March 7, 2011
An unconventional chip
Baking kale and chard into chip form isn't a new thing, I'm sure. But never in my wildest dreams did I realize it'd be so good!
Snacking can sometimes be tricky when following a Paleo lifestyle. I mean, apples, oranges, broccoli, celery, and nuts are great, but after a while, it gets old. Especially when you're trapped in a jury room surrounded by vending machines and people munching and crunching on potato chips all around you. It tends to jog fond, misty-eyed memories of delicious fried chips of yore. Ahhh...chips.
Where was I?
Oh, healthy stuff, right. So the other day, I bought a mess of rainbow chard (love love love it!) and kale, and proclaimed to my husband that I would make chips. I really wish I could have made them last night and had them today at court to munch on - they are seriously divine!
Based on a blog I found (http://soursaltybittersweet.com/content/csa-2010-files-kale-chips-chard-chips-kohlrabi-top-chips) and my own laziness (let's keep these recipes simple and quick, people), I came up with this recipe:
Rainbow Chard Chips
- 1 bundle of rainbow chard
- Redmond Real Salt Ancient All Natural Sea Salt (or a lesser salt if you must) to taste
- 1 small lemon
- approx 2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 300. Remove the stems from the chard, and chop them up into chip-sized pieces. Rinse chard and spin in a salad spinner. Cover two cookie sheets with foil and coat the foil with olive oil. Lightly salt foil. Place chard onto the foil. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice over chard. Salt lightly to taste (loves me some salt!). Put cookie sheets in the oven for around 15-20 minutes until the chard looks crisp. Take out and let them cool.
Play around with the spices. If you find a good combo of spices, please share! :)
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go finish off my chips.
Greens never tasted so good!
<3 Sasha
Snacking can sometimes be tricky when following a Paleo lifestyle. I mean, apples, oranges, broccoli, celery, and nuts are great, but after a while, it gets old. Especially when you're trapped in a jury room surrounded by vending machines and people munching and crunching on potato chips all around you. It tends to jog fond, misty-eyed memories of delicious fried chips of yore. Ahhh...chips.
Where was I?
Oh, healthy stuff, right. So the other day, I bought a mess of rainbow chard (love love love it!) and kale, and proclaimed to my husband that I would make chips. I really wish I could have made them last night and had them today at court to munch on - they are seriously divine!
Based on a blog I found (http://soursaltybittersweet.com/content/csa-2010-files-kale-chips-chard-chips-kohlrabi-top-chips) and my own laziness (let's keep these recipes simple and quick, people), I came up with this recipe:
(Not pretty, but very tasty!)
Rainbow Chard Chips
- 1 bundle of rainbow chard
- Redmond Real Salt Ancient All Natural Sea Salt (or a lesser salt if you must) to taste
- 1 small lemon
- approx 2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 300. Remove the stems from the chard, and chop them up into chip-sized pieces. Rinse chard and spin in a salad spinner. Cover two cookie sheets with foil and coat the foil with olive oil. Lightly salt foil. Place chard onto the foil. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice over chard. Salt lightly to taste (loves me some salt!). Put cookie sheets in the oven for around 15-20 minutes until the chard looks crisp. Take out and let them cool.
Play around with the spices. If you find a good combo of spices, please share! :)
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go finish off my chips.
Greens never tasted so good!
<3 Sasha
Friday, March 4, 2011
The break up of the year
Milk. Yogurt. Cheese. Ice cream. Sour cream. Heavy cream.
Seriously, anything involving cream. Oh...excuse me. Drooling a bit.
Anyways, I've had a really hard time giving up dairy. I really should have given it up when I first started the diet, but I adore cheese - I have an almost-empty pack of feta in my fridge, and I've been rationing it out the last week, because I know it's coming.
It's coming.
I plan on breaking up with dairy this month. I just need some time, you know...to think things over. I need to know that this is a relationship worth fighting for, and I need to know if it's compromising the lining of my intestines. And if you think about dairy, it's actually kinda gross.
Eh?
I've been reading Robb Wolf's book, The Paleo Solution, and he talks about foods that can promote inflammation. These include dairy, night shades (bell peppers, hot peppers, tomatoes), and a variety of other foods we'll probably get to later.
Now, ask yourself a question: Is it natural to consume the "breast" milk of an animal? Yeah, not so much. I'm fairly sure our very ancient relatives didn't chase cows down and suckle at their teat. Gross much? I think so.
So we've nailed down that it's gross (seriously, it would make more sense to make ice cream, etc. out of human breast milk, even though that sounds even more disgusting). Next, I want you to open up a window or tab in your browser, and search for "dairy causes inflammation." Interesting, huh?
Of course, there are many people who don't have a problem ingesting dairy - their body doesn't have an auto-immune response to it. Quick thought: Why would our bodies have an auto-immune response to dairy? Quick answer: Cause our bodies aren't meant to digest an animal's milk. Just think on that for a bit.
I wish my relationship with dairy could last forever. Maybe one day we can be together again, but for at least about a month (starting once my feta and creamer are gone), I will keep my distance from this delicious lovely.
-Sasha
p.s. Don't tell dairy, but I'll be seeing coconut products behind his back. Hopefully he won't be too upset about it if we get back together next month.
Check out this delicious breakfast using organic coconut milk (vanilla flavored; $2.99 for a half gallon @ Fred Meyer), organic blackberries, organic banana chunks, and walnuts. Fairly cheap and quick to make.
Mmm...might have to make another bowl.
Seriously, anything involving cream. Oh...excuse me. Drooling a bit.
Anyways, I've had a really hard time giving up dairy. I really should have given it up when I first started the diet, but I adore cheese - I have an almost-empty pack of feta in my fridge, and I've been rationing it out the last week, because I know it's coming.
It's coming.
I plan on breaking up with dairy this month. I just need some time, you know...to think things over. I need to know that this is a relationship worth fighting for, and I need to know if it's compromising the lining of my intestines. And if you think about dairy, it's actually kinda gross.
Eh?
I've been reading Robb Wolf's book, The Paleo Solution, and he talks about foods that can promote inflammation. These include dairy, night shades (bell peppers, hot peppers, tomatoes), and a variety of other foods we'll probably get to later.
Now, ask yourself a question: Is it natural to consume the "breast" milk of an animal? Yeah, not so much. I'm fairly sure our very ancient relatives didn't chase cows down and suckle at their teat. Gross much? I think so.
So we've nailed down that it's gross (seriously, it would make more sense to make ice cream, etc. out of human breast milk, even though that sounds even more disgusting). Next, I want you to open up a window or tab in your browser, and search for "dairy causes inflammation." Interesting, huh?
Of course, there are many people who don't have a problem ingesting dairy - their body doesn't have an auto-immune response to it. Quick thought: Why would our bodies have an auto-immune response to dairy? Quick answer: Cause our bodies aren't meant to digest an animal's milk. Just think on that for a bit.
I wish my relationship with dairy could last forever. Maybe one day we can be together again, but for at least about a month (starting once my feta and creamer are gone), I will keep my distance from this delicious lovely.
-Sasha
p.s. Don't tell dairy, but I'll be seeing coconut products behind his back. Hopefully he won't be too upset about it if we get back together next month.
Check out this delicious breakfast using organic coconut milk (vanilla flavored; $2.99 for a half gallon @ Fred Meyer), organic blackberries, organic banana chunks, and walnuts. Fairly cheap and quick to make.
Mmm...might have to make another bowl.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Out of the dark, into the light
I can't help looking back at the last 26 years I've been alive in disgust.
Ouch.
When I think of all the processed food I've inhaled, all the sugar I've ingested, all the wheat I've eaten, all the chemicals I've consumed...oh. Hold on a sec. I think I'm gonna be sick.
But in all seriousness, I lived a little over 25 years with nutrition blinders on. I've never questioned the food pyramid, the teachers, the scientists, the doctors, the articles. Instead, I reasoned that having bread every morning was a necessity (my right as an American, dang it!), sweet tea was a must (at least three times a day at one point in my life), and if I didn't allow myself a "treat" every day (a candy bar, ice cream, pie, etc.), I'd be denying myself and would one day end up morbidly obese from finally giving in to the pressure and binging on everything in sight.
Here's my story - how I slowly crawled out of the dark and found the light.
But first, let me give you a not-so-quick background story on me (for those of you who have forgotten, didn't know me before WA, college, etc., or just don't know me in general). I was a decent size girl my senior year in high school - I weighed around 155. Not too bad for a band nerd of average height. My diet at that point was, what I would consider, fairly typical - maybe toast, butter and jam for breakfast, a breaded chicken sandwich or pizza and corn or breaded okra or a cookie from the cafeteria for lunch, and fried or grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a roll for dinner. This was a fairly common pattern for me.
Notice the lack of vegetables and fruit; notice the excess starch and carbs?
Fast forward a year - I'm a freshman at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. I'm living on my own for the first time, and I'm high on freedom and independence. My diet suddenly changes - I eat lots of pasta, Pizza Hut personal pepperoni pizzas (I never want to know how many I ate the three short months I lived in Knoxville, GAG!), more pasta, soda, sweet tea, and fast food. I might have had two salads and a smoothie the entire time I lived there. Any guesses on how much weight I gained?
If you guessed "the Freshman 15," you are correct. How great for you.
For me, not so much. By the time I graduated from ETSU, I had gained around 25 lbs. Yet I had convinced myself I was mostly okay - I just needed to work out more. Right.
So I started working out. And working out. And the scale didn't budge, and the fork to my face kept shoveling it in. Naturally, motivation begins to dwindle when you don't see instantaneous results (discipline and I hadn't formally been introduced yet), so I gave up working out, and embraced the fork to my face routine.
And would you believe it, I lost 30 lbs?!
Nah, just yankin' your chain. When I moved to WA and finally got enough guts to purchase a scale, I weighed about 183. The thought of being so close to 200 lbs horrified me - my parents have struggled with obesity for several years, and I knew if I crossed that 200 lb threshold, I might not be able to turn back. So I turned back to exercising. Josh and I would go to the park and play catch or we'd walk down to Juanita Beach Park and chase ducks. Unfortunately, Josh had a job where he had to travel. A lot. And what would Sasha do when the hubby was gone? Eat. Eat. Eat. My only friend in WA was food.
At the end of summer 2008, I got a job - yay! Oh, have I mentioned my previous jobs were all standing jobs? It's worth noting. Anyways, I got an office job, and I've got this great schedule! I work four days a week, 10 hours a day in front of a computer answering phones, emails, posting listings on our website...
Did you read that and let it fully sink in? I work four days a week, 10 hours a day. Awesome for weekends, no doubt. Not so much for my thighs...oh, and my fabulous coworkers are amazing cookers, and love to bring in things to share. Oh hello, temptation - I think we've met. Oh yes. We've met.
Fast forward from 2008 to 2010. I was fat. MOOO. At my heaviest, I weighed 197 lbs. Oh that's right. I bet not too many of you knew that. I was overweight, sluggish, and incredibly unhappy with myself. I had no energy, no drive, no self-esteem, and no idea how to climb out of the deep, dark hole I had sunk into. Throughout 2010, I had really tried changing my lifestyle - I purchased a heart rate monitor and started exercising very regularly, I tried counting calories, I tried adding in exercise throughout the day, I tried staying accountable with friends, family, spouse, etc. But oddly enough, I was still around 190 lbs for most of the year.
In December, I was compelled to make a radical change.
For years, my husband had tried to convince me to go on a gluten free diet. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Give up my bread, my cereal, my pasta, my soul? NO - NEVER!" was pretty much my answer every time he asked. But in December, I had a sudden shift of heart (not to mention lots of heart tests). I knew that in order to lose weight, I needed to radically alter my diet, so I planned on going on (what I called at the time) a "Whole Foods Diet." No processed foods, all organic, all as fresh as possible. But this still included wheat, grains, legumes, nightshades, and dairy. My husband decided to go on something called the Paleo diet. Psh...sounds stupid.
Was I really that immature just a couple of months ago?!
I think my epiphany came when I watched the documentary, Food, Inc. (if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it). I felt so betrayed and disgusted by modern, industrial food! I couldn't believe how horribly the animals are treated, how chemical our food is, and how unhealthy practically everything is! And what disgusted me more than anything is that I never thought to question the system.
The more Josh talked about the Paleo diet, the more I realized that I had to try it. I mean, it just makes sense - eat foods that early humans had access to (within reason of course): Meat, nuts, fruit, veggies. Eat only foods that can be eaten raw. That's not to say that I can't cook food, mind you. It means don't eat beans, cashews, peanuts, and a whole host of other foods I thought were healthy. And, you just eat when you're hungry. No counting calories (thank goodness - I suck at math, ha!).
After some more research and soul searching, I decided to take it on.
And in two months, I'm down to 172.2. Hello smaller pants size!
Join me on my journey - I'll post updates on me of course (lucky you) - how the lifestyle is going, how I'm feeling, recipes, Paleo info, and anything else I feel like putting on here.
Into the light we go. Dare you to follow.
Ouch.
When I think of all the processed food I've inhaled, all the sugar I've ingested, all the wheat I've eaten, all the chemicals I've consumed...oh. Hold on a sec. I think I'm gonna be sick.
But in all seriousness, I lived a little over 25 years with nutrition blinders on. I've never questioned the food pyramid, the teachers, the scientists, the doctors, the articles. Instead, I reasoned that having bread every morning was a necessity (my right as an American, dang it!), sweet tea was a must (at least three times a day at one point in my life), and if I didn't allow myself a "treat" every day (a candy bar, ice cream, pie, etc.), I'd be denying myself and would one day end up morbidly obese from finally giving in to the pressure and binging on everything in sight.
Here's my story - how I slowly crawled out of the dark and found the light.
But first, let me give you a not-so-quick background story on me (for those of you who have forgotten, didn't know me before WA, college, etc., or just don't know me in general). I was a decent size girl my senior year in high school - I weighed around 155. Not too bad for a band nerd of average height. My diet at that point was, what I would consider, fairly typical - maybe toast, butter and jam for breakfast, a breaded chicken sandwich or pizza and corn or breaded okra or a cookie from the cafeteria for lunch, and fried or grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a roll for dinner. This was a fairly common pattern for me.
Notice the lack of vegetables and fruit; notice the excess starch and carbs?
Fast forward a year - I'm a freshman at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. I'm living on my own for the first time, and I'm high on freedom and independence. My diet suddenly changes - I eat lots of pasta, Pizza Hut personal pepperoni pizzas (I never want to know how many I ate the three short months I lived in Knoxville, GAG!), more pasta, soda, sweet tea, and fast food. I might have had two salads and a smoothie the entire time I lived there. Any guesses on how much weight I gained?
If you guessed "the Freshman 15," you are correct. How great for you.
For me, not so much. By the time I graduated from ETSU, I had gained around 25 lbs. Yet I had convinced myself I was mostly okay - I just needed to work out more. Right.
So I started working out. And working out. And the scale didn't budge, and the fork to my face kept shoveling it in. Naturally, motivation begins to dwindle when you don't see instantaneous results (discipline and I hadn't formally been introduced yet), so I gave up working out, and embraced the fork to my face routine.
And would you believe it, I lost 30 lbs?!
Nah, just yankin' your chain. When I moved to WA and finally got enough guts to purchase a scale, I weighed about 183. The thought of being so close to 200 lbs horrified me - my parents have struggled with obesity for several years, and I knew if I crossed that 200 lb threshold, I might not be able to turn back. So I turned back to exercising. Josh and I would go to the park and play catch or we'd walk down to Juanita Beach Park and chase ducks. Unfortunately, Josh had a job where he had to travel. A lot. And what would Sasha do when the hubby was gone? Eat. Eat. Eat. My only friend in WA was food.
At the end of summer 2008, I got a job - yay! Oh, have I mentioned my previous jobs were all standing jobs? It's worth noting. Anyways, I got an office job, and I've got this great schedule! I work four days a week, 10 hours a day in front of a computer answering phones, emails, posting listings on our website...
Did you read that and let it fully sink in? I work four days a week, 10 hours a day. Awesome for weekends, no doubt. Not so much for my thighs...oh, and my fabulous coworkers are amazing cookers, and love to bring in things to share. Oh hello, temptation - I think we've met. Oh yes. We've met.
Fast forward from 2008 to 2010. I was fat. MOOO. At my heaviest, I weighed 197 lbs. Oh that's right. I bet not too many of you knew that. I was overweight, sluggish, and incredibly unhappy with myself. I had no energy, no drive, no self-esteem, and no idea how to climb out of the deep, dark hole I had sunk into. Throughout 2010, I had really tried changing my lifestyle - I purchased a heart rate monitor and started exercising very regularly, I tried counting calories, I tried adding in exercise throughout the day, I tried staying accountable with friends, family, spouse, etc. But oddly enough, I was still around 190 lbs for most of the year.
In December, I was compelled to make a radical change.
For years, my husband had tried to convince me to go on a gluten free diet. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Give up my bread, my cereal, my pasta, my soul? NO - NEVER!" was pretty much my answer every time he asked. But in December, I had a sudden shift of heart (not to mention lots of heart tests). I knew that in order to lose weight, I needed to radically alter my diet, so I planned on going on (what I called at the time) a "Whole Foods Diet." No processed foods, all organic, all as fresh as possible. But this still included wheat, grains, legumes, nightshades, and dairy. My husband decided to go on something called the Paleo diet. Psh...sounds stupid.
Was I really that immature just a couple of months ago?!
I think my epiphany came when I watched the documentary, Food, Inc. (if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it). I felt so betrayed and disgusted by modern, industrial food! I couldn't believe how horribly the animals are treated, how chemical our food is, and how unhealthy practically everything is! And what disgusted me more than anything is that I never thought to question the system.
The more Josh talked about the Paleo diet, the more I realized that I had to try it. I mean, it just makes sense - eat foods that early humans had access to (within reason of course): Meat, nuts, fruit, veggies. Eat only foods that can be eaten raw. That's not to say that I can't cook food, mind you. It means don't eat beans, cashews, peanuts, and a whole host of other foods I thought were healthy. And, you just eat when you're hungry. No counting calories (thank goodness - I suck at math, ha!).
After some more research and soul searching, I decided to take it on.
And in two months, I'm down to 172.2. Hello smaller pants size!
Join me on my journey - I'll post updates on me of course (lucky you) - how the lifestyle is going, how I'm feeling, recipes, Paleo info, and anything else I feel like putting on here.
Into the light we go. Dare you to follow.
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