As you may have noticed I am writing these the days after I eat them so you know exactly what I had, not just what I “planned” to have.

Meals for Day 2

Breakfast

2 x large eggs mashed in a cup with dash of salt and pepper

Lunch

Work Tuna Salad: I bring this into work myself in seperate containers and make it in work.

1 x tin of tuna

30g of Rocket

1/4 an onion

1 x tomato

Dressing

1 tbsp of olive oil, 2 tbsp of cider vinegar. 1 tbsp of dried chilli, dash of salt and pepper

Dinner

4 x slices of baked ham

2 cups of fried cabbage

1 cup of cauliflower

2 tsp of english mustard

Snacks

2 x granny smith apples

If anyone wants step by step instructions on how to make these please let me know.

Calories 1051 – I know its really a bit too low for the day but I was not hungry and did not want to eat for the sake of it.

Breakfast: Steak, sautéed leek & avocado

Sir went out for a long run (30km!!) so I did the groceries and smashed out meal prep for the week. I really feel like I spent the whole day in the kitchen, but I did really enjoy myself! I started to get hungry around 1:30pm, just as Sir called me to say he wanted me to pick him up, so I quickly ate what I had prepared for him!

Lunch: Ground beef with mashed sweet potato & pumpkin and broccoli (I used a new indian seasoning for the meat and put a little coconut cream in the mash).

Once we got home I then returned to the kitchen to finish off the prep and start dinner (literally all day in the kitchen!). Sir had a little nap while Pirates of the Caribbean played in the background.

Dinner: Roast Pork with “cheesey” cauliflower, pumpkin & green beans.

I even enjoyed some crackling! And now I’m off to bed..wishing I could be with my Mum tomorrow to make her feel super blessed! Make sure you spoil your mum!

Breakfast. The most important meal of the day.  It’s rather sad that most people underestimate how powerful this meal has. It makes or breaks your ability to function that day.

I see people eating sugar coated wheat, wheat with sugar in some sort of bread or dough that’s been baked into a muffin or banana bread.  Pancakes, waffles, bagels, biscuits, scones, English muffins you name it!

I used to be one of those people.  Today is my 13th day being 100% paleo (for the past year I’ve been about 80%) and I feel amazing. 
I am no longer controlled by hunger or sugar crashes. 

What is your favorite breakfast and why?
I usually like to eat a small portion of protein, a handful of nuts, a small serving of fat (usually in thr form of avocado) and few pieces of fruit. 

This is my favorite breakfast because it gives me an amazing amount of energy for the day. 

Firstly, how lame is it when you’re feeling great, nailing your nutrition, getting lots of sleep and then you go to workout and have no gas in the tank? Gah that was me this morning and man got frustrated at myself as I struggled to get out my power cleans for Elizabeth! (A timely word posted on CFA website about this frustration). To be fair (and some of you may bristle me for this..) I get up at 5am, and start Crossfit by 5:30am with an empty stomach. I have actually been sensing that I need to be eating something pre-workout, but that can be difficult when training so early. Additionally besides a banana I’m not really sure what to eat? Anyone have suggestions?

Secondly, I said yesterday I would tell you what I learned at our style workshop last night! I was a little cranky by the time I got there because I was late from it being ridiculously hard to find a park! But once I setled in I had fun. The outfits were cute and I learned I am a triangle (big hips, small bust), but other tahn that, I still walked away wondering how I put things together that are already in my wardrobe and how I add to my wardrobe with things that will go! Maybe its just because I just have no sense in home to make outfits work, I’m not an accessoriser and I don’t feel like I have a ‘style’.

Anyway onto eats:

Breakfast: We were out of eggs so I got into a delicious piece of Steak with a side of mash sweet potato & broccoli.

Snack: Little piece of chicken and 2 cubes of honeydew melon.

Lunch: This was a bit of a mix up.. Chicken & egg whites with sweet potato, broccoli, spinach & tomato. I totally forgot to take a picture of this because I was super hungry after a 12:30pm meeting.

Dinner: Again a bit of a mix up because I was just finishing off what was in our fridge. Turkey rissoles made with egg whites, leek & grated carrot with sauteed mushrooms, tomato & half apple.

Tonight we did a Partner throw down at the gym and it was so much fun! Random fun exercises like buddy carrys, walking lunges holding hands, burpee broad jumps over each other, two in the jump rope..it was great for team building!

Breakfast:

2 Large Eggs boiled and peeled mashed up in a cup – 1/2 tsp of olive oil( for fluffyness) – Dash of salt and pepper.

Lunch:

1 tin tuna with home-made Mayonnaise with onion and bell peppers.
1 kiwi

Dinner

1 serving of Paleo Almond Dusted Cod
Mixed Baby Leaf Salad with 2 tomatoes, 1/2 an onion, coriander herb, 1 TBSP of Olive Oil and 3 TBSP of Cider Vinegar

Snack:

2 x Granny Smith Apples

Drinks:

About 3 500ml bottles of water – was a bad water intake day for me.

Daily Calorie Intake:

1,298

First you start out with about 15 sweet potato tots.  You could also used mashed cauliflower in place of the tots…just spray foil really good.

Next add your fresh or frozen veggies.  I purchased a bag of frozen veggies, and forgot that I had them.  I used fresh here, but my original plan was to use the frozen version to make this even easier.  Can ya tell I wasn’t in my element that day?  Too many things on my to do list = blonde moments!!

Cook your burger, add to the tots and sprinkle with cheese.

Now comes the tricky part.  You need to fold like so to make sure you have a nice seal.

Fold up the ends.

Place on the grill, grate, or fire.

Cook for about 15 minutes.

Top with salsa & avocados, and enjoy!!

Cowboy Shepherd’s Pie

Serves 1 ~ 4P, 4C, 4F

• 12-18 sweet potato tots (you can use reg. potato tots if’n you want to as well) ~12= 2C, 18= 3C
• Fresh or Frozen Veggies of your choice (1-1.5C worth)
• Ground burger, seasoned (4.5 oz. ~ 3P)
• 1 oz. Cheese (1P)
• 1/2 cup salsa (1C)
• Avocado (4F)
• **Use mashed cauliflower in place of the tots if you are trying to stay away from the undesirables.**

Instructions

1. Grease foil with cooking spray.
2. Place tots on foil.
3. Add veggies, meat, and cheese.
4. Fold foil up tightly and place on grill, grate, or coals for approximately 15 minutes or until potatoes are warm.
5. Top with salsa & avocado.
6. Consume!

~Treasure

Jodi’s Recommendations:

1. Berkshire Massage- This was my gift from Matt last year and I can’t explain how wonderful it was. I used it after I quit breastfeeding and had my mother-in-law in town to watch Emmy. Angie went with me and we both had a very relaxing experience. We even treated ourselves to pedicures afterward. Especially when you’re a new mama, with hardly any time to yourself, this gift was priceless. It gave me that burst of restoration so I could keep going!

2. Lizzard Embossed Rubber Katie Bracelet- Marc by Marc Jacobs- Glam and practical. Oh and it’s on sale. Love!

3. Threshold Home Goods- I’d be over the moon with pretty much anything Threshold from Target! They have such great colors and interesting patterns with styles ranging from rustic to modern.

4. Edge Paint Satchel- This little Topshop bag could take any mama from housewife to “happening” in a second. It adds a fun pop of color to any look and can be thrown over your shoulder for a lightweight option. 

Angie’s Recommendations:

5. Nike Free Advantage- Flexibility, Support, and Cushion. Love these all around gym shoes because they give you both the feeling of training barefoot, but also have enough all around support so you can run a mile or two if you’re feeling brave.

6. Crystalline Hair Ties- We all know the typical “mom” hair ends up being a bun on top of your head or good ole’ ponytail. These are a super cute way to dress it up!7. Practical Paleo- I’ve been eating “clean” for almost 90 days now and have tried to drag Josh and kiddos along on the journey just a little bit. I love learning about new options for old favorites and the word “EASY” on the cover of this cookbook has me sold 110%!

8. Custom Finger Print Ring- Pricey and most likely out of range for a Mother’s Day gift, but truly the best “memento” gift I’ve ever seen. Ever since working my days of working at the hospital, I’ve wanted a thick gold ring to wear as an alternative to my diamond… this would be perfect! Norah, Jonah, and Josh’s finger prints all on one ring- absolutely perfect!

If all else fails, I’m pretty sure every mom could go for a peaceful nap or free babysitting. You don’t have to break the bank to show moms some love!

Gabe is feeling that too. Erielle seems to be doing all right – she only has a hard time when we are at events or when she’s with friends. Peer pressure is silly.

I have a big update. I woke up this morning and put my hands on my face and my skin! It felt so soft and smooth. It was amazing! I am curious to see if that continues to improve as the month goes on.

Breakfast the last couple of days has been fun, mexican scramble, mediterranean scramble with avos and protein packed paleo pancakes.

For lunch I have been getting really excited about protein packed salads. Just throwing meat and veggies, nuts and seeds together and eating. So good!

Dinner on Wednesday was Beef with Broccoli and Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice. Check out the recipe here.

Man, this was good!

Tonight for dinner I made roasted butternut squash, onions, pork tenderloin and apples. I seasoned with salt and pepper, sage and rosemary. Added pecans and crushed red pepper at the end. It was pretty good!

That’s all for now!

So here is another recipe to cool you down on those warm spring days we are having this year! It’s beautiful to look at and tastes great too! Best part is..you can eat the whole bowl without an ounce of guilt. Why? Well..because it contains: 255 calories, 3g fat(0g without topping), 21g protein & 5g fibre. This creamy delicious strawberry-banana ice cream is a play off of my original Coconut-Banana-Mango Ice Cream recipe. I decided to substitute strawberry for mango after my mom came home with probably the largest bag of frozen strawberries I have seen in my life(from costco of course). & I have to say, I can’t decide which kind I prefer! They are both completely delicious! Also if you didn’t hear..each bowl of ice cream contains a secret ingredient to increase the protein without changing the taste or texture(no protein powder!) read on to find out more…

Serves 1

Ingredients:
-3 small ice cubes (I use the mini trays)
-1/2 cup liquid egg whites (pasteurized! This is one of the secret protein ingredients!)**
-1/4 cup plain 0% greek yogurt (the other protein ingredient..)
-86g frozen ripe banana (about 3/4 of a medium ripe banana)
-100g frozen strawberries (about 3/4 cup)
-1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
-dash of sweetener (I used 1 drop of liquid stevia but feel free to add what you want to taste)
-1 drop of coconut extract (or more to taste)
-1/4-1/2 tsp xanthan gum (I estimate, probably put in a little over a 1/4 tsp but this is what gives the ice cream that soft serve texture!)

Topping:
-5g(about 2 tsp) desiccated coconut
optional: crushed pecans, grated chocolate etc.(be creative!)

*Note I measure in grams with a scale because I find if you don’t you end up using more or less than you actually should! (Ex. I would have used less mango had I not known what 100g looked like).

**You cannot taste the egg whites whatsoever. So don’t worry!

Directions: Combine all above ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Spoon into a bowl or tall glass and serve topped with coconut and optional crushed pecans! Enjoy!

There is some slight deviation from purest Paleo here. . . I’m okay with that.

This is yesterdays food log. . . I’m on a sugar detox again (oh joy!).  I’m determined to avoid the Glucose Tolerance Test that is standard at 28 weeks of pregnancy, so I will also be taking my blood sugars as soon as my supplies arrive.  This will allow me to be well armed when I visit the OB next time!  I’m not sure if this is a good ratio of calories/fat/carbs for pregnancy, but I will give it a few days of logging my diet and seeing how I feel and then I will decide if I need to increase or decrease anywhere.  My feelings are that I should be around 100 grams of carbohydrates each day and I wonder if at that amount I need to be decreasing my fat intake some?  This is my food log from day 2. . . today is day 4.  I’m irritable by late afternoon and just want to crawl into a hole.  . . I question if I’m getting enough to fuel my growing baby.  I definitely don’t want to gain a bunch of weight and I’d be happy to not gain another pound in the next 17 weeks. . . but, I want CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!

I welcome comments/suggestions from other paleo (ish) peeps who’ve gone through a pregnancy eating outside the S.A.D. box. . .  Keep in mind, I went into this pregnancy with an extra 25lbs (35 if you ask me, but my R.E. insisted 25 would have been the most I should have lost).  If I was a skinny girl, I’d definitely be eating more calories and aiming to gain 25lbs. . . but that’s not me.  In my past pregnancies, I’ve gained ZERO. . . however, that wasn’t due to my stellar eating habits (I was SAD back then), but because I was violently ill for the first 5 months which resulted in a loss of about 20 lbs which I then gained back at a steady 1lb/weekly average over the remainder of the pregnancy. Those babies all weighed between 7lbs8oz and 9lbs7oz.

Breakfast 7:30am- 2 egg scrambled (home grown) w/ 1 TBS Parmesan and 2 wedges of orange (half of a small orange) & water

Calories- 215  Fat- 13 grams  Carbs- 9 grams  THM would call this a S meal even with my small portion of orange, as the carbs stayed under 10 grams.

Morning snack 10am- 2 mozz cheese sticks, 1/2 cup carrots, and more water

Calories- 190  Fat- 12 g  Carbs 7 grams  THM- S

Lunch at 12:30pm- lean turkey burger, slice cheddar cheese, 1/2 cucumber, 1 TBS ranch, & water

Calories- 360  Fat- 19 grams  Carbs- 5 grams  THM- S

Snack 3:00pm- Banana Smoothie (banana, 2 Tbs heavy cream, cacao, vanilla, ice, water)

Calories- 205  Fat 12 grams  Carbs- 27 grams  THM- CROSSOVER

Dinner 6:30PM- Tri-tip steak, 1/2 c. black rice, pat of butter, green salad, 1 Tbs ranch, & more water

Calories – 544  Fat- 24 grams  Carbs- 42 grams  THM- CROSSOVER

Daily Counts- 1514 calories, 90 grams fat, 90 grams carbohydrate

I don’t really think it matters what fruits you choose, I’ve changed it up each time and it was equally delicious.

INGREDIENTS: (for the fruit salad)

• 1 pineapple, cored and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 6 kiwis, peeled and chopped
• 3 oranges, peeled and chopped
• 1 pound of strawberries, chopped
• 1-2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons of fresh mint leaves

INGREDIENTS: (for the dressing)

• Juice of two limes
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tablespoons honey (can use less depending on sweetness of fruit)
• 2 tablespoons of a lightly flavored oil (olive oil is what I used, grapeseed oil would work great, too)

METHOD:

1. Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
2. Toss gently with the fresh fruit and mint.
3. Garnish with more fresh mint.

*Use organic ingredients whenever possible.

**Taken (with permission) from Julie @ The Joyful Kitchens.

Check it out:

http://www.outlawfitnesshq.com/the-paleo-diet/

and this:

http://www.livenowthrivelater.co.uk/2012/05/diet-debate-the-problems-with-paleo-science-and-why-it-matters/

Ingredients
This Serves 1 large portion

2x Eggs
1x Sweet Potato
1x Red Pepper
1/2 – Red Onion
1tbs Coconut Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions
Peel and dice the sweet potato into 2cm sq pieces (make sure these are small so they will cook nice and quick)
Dice the onion
Cut the pepper into 2cm sq pieces

Add the coconut oil into a hot pan and add the sweet potato
Add the onion and allow both to cook for approx 4 minutes
Then add the pepper and allow for it all to come together nicely.
Once all the onion, sweet potato and peppers have browned off that part of the dish is complete just keep an eye on it,  turning frequently as not to burn but ensure sweet potato is soft and cooked through.

Now time for the Eggs, whack them in a non stick pan, i decided to cook them sunny side up as to have the best yolk possible so once it was served there was plenty of runny goodness ..

Now put into a bowl and top with the eggs, add salt and pepper to taste.

Wahhhhlaaaaaa

I hope you enjoy it as much as i did …

This morning i woke up and didn’t fancy the bacon and egg combo so decided to sit there and google some different options, keep an eye on an additional post from me today with a recipe for a  delicious  SWEET POTATO HASH. 

So heres to another day of eating clean and looking for the next fun Paleo concoction.

Breakfast:

Leek, Mushroom, Spinach and Eggs.

I had a mid-morning snack of chicken and honeydew melon.

Lunch was uninspiring, but tasty enough: chilli tuna with spinach, tomato and zucchini.

Dinner was Slow Cooked Mongolian Beef (recipe from PaleoJess) served with mash sweet potato and brocolli.

I am now about to go out to a Ladies night for church where we had a stylist discuss dressing for your body shape. I’ll let you know what I learn!

How was your Thursday? Anyboday else gearing up for meal prep on the weekend? (I may have started my shopping list today!)

Well, aluminum foil has got to be one of the best cooking creations on the planet!  You can roll all sorts of things in it, cook, and it comes out beautiful.  Plus easy clean up!  I’ll do the dishes that night…thank you very much!!  Give this one a try!  It’s a good one!!

Now this recipe calls for a bit of planning OR a dutch oven.  Some people love to start their meals early in the am and have it ready at dinner using their dutch oven, so it’s totally up to you!!!  I, on the other hand, would be the prepping queen, and just reheat these!

Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potato

Serves 1 ~ 4P, 4C

• Sweet Potato, cleaned and wrapped in foil
• Pulled Pork
• BBQ sauce (optional!!!  Sounds & looks delicious, but will really increase carbs)

Instructions

1. Place potato over warm coals and cook 1-2 hours or until done.  You can also bake these beforehand and heat them up on the fire.
2. Warm up the pulled pork in foil if you prepared it beforehand.  Or place in a dutch oven~season & pour vinegar over roast, covering 2/3rds of the roast.  Cook all day!  Once done, drain most of the vinegar and shred the pork.
3. Cut potato in half.  Top with 4 oz. pulled pork.
4. Top with BBQ sauce if desired.
5. Consume

~Treasure

I thought the best way to try and explain this at first is to show you a non-paleo recipe, mark what isn’t paleo about it, and then post the recipe that I created to make it a paleo recipe. And then I will list a few (emphasis on few) ingredients at the bottom of this post that will help change other recipes as well. This list will change as I remember or discover more ingredients so look back often if you need to reference anything.

Slow Cooker Sweet Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin Lettuce Wraps
(original recipe) (Please see ** beside the Non-Paleo ingredients)

Ingredients

Pork:
2 pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of large fat pockets
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced or crushed
1/2 cup water

Glaze:
1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark **
1 tablespoon cornstarch **
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce **

NOW FOR THE PALEO CHANGES AND DIRECTIONS!!
First of all, this was amazing and consumed very quickly by my family!

Ingredients

Pork:
2 lbs boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of large fat pockets
1 tsp ground sage
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced or crushed
½ cup water
Glaze:
½ cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp arrowroot Powder
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup water
2 tbsp tamari sauce

8-10 large lettuce leaves (see below for trick to separate without much tearing)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub the spices all over the roast. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker and pour in the 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Near the end of the cooking time for the roast, combine the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
2. Remove the pork from the slow cooker, shred and place on a platter or plate. Drizzle the glaze over the pork and serve over lettuce leaves or on it’s own served with steamed vegetables.

Approximate Total Time: 6-8 hours.

recipe courtesy of http://www.melskitchencafe.com

Ingredients replacement List (a work in progress, don’t forget):
(This list is small and some things are very obvious but I wanted to make sure to list even simple ones – to make my current list look a little longer!! hahaha)

Click on the list to enlarge.

Please note: If you want to take a non paleo baking recipe that calls for regular flour, and substitute it with almond meal (flour) is not the same consistency so it doesn’t work the way that flour works. I have yet to discover the trick to making a non-paleo baking recipe work!!!

The idea of knowing your limits is great, but when your limits are always changing it gets damn hard to walk that metaphorical tightrope. But we can’t stop trying. Or I can’t.  I won’t speak for you too, but I hope we’re on the same page.

Anyway, I want to talk about some of the whys and effects of my being a Paleo-ish person. I won’t talk about a myriad of reasons to eat this way. Just google Paleo or Primal. I want to talk about the two most relevant to me as a person with an unwell body. Just two. The most important two for me:

Nutrient density. Our fantastic bodies can make nails and nuclei from Twinkies, but it has to work stupid hard to do so. My body already doesn’t function properly, so I don’t need to fritter away my daily food consumption on nutrient-poor food that also requires extensive preparation to enhance the bioavailability of the nutrients. 

Gut health. I don’t want to eat food that does me harm or harms my gut. This is especially true for people like me who are predisposed to various GI issues. 

Except I don’t actually adhere to the strict Paleo Diet because on the one hand, the Paleo Diet is has a couple trademarks – Cordain, Robb Wolf and the folks of Whole30 come to mind. And then there are folks like the more lenient Sisson, who have blurred the purist Paleo Diet lines. Saying that you’re Paleo now includes adhering to the tuber-friendly Perfect Health Diet, or even including quality, minimally processed dairy. Both Chris Kresser and Paul Jaminet of PHD presented at the last PaleoFX… if that’s not a Paleo-name endorsement for a wider variety of food consumption than is allowed by the Traditional Paleo Diet TM, then I don’t know what is.

The problem is that Paleo is a catchy name. It sounds better than the Eat Real Food That Nourishes My Body and Doesn’t Harm It Diet. Who knows why? (I hear P-P-P-PaleOOOO and imagine someone dunking a basketball. Maybe that’s why). It’s just damn convenient. I like to say that I eat “Paleo” because it seems to me that the Paleo Diet has changed (for the good) into a Real Food/Ancestral Health Movement.

For the record, I don’t eat Paleo. I eat Paleo-ish. I eat a lot of white potatoes along with my sweet, and consume a half gallon of raw milk a week, plus a lot of other grass-fed dairy. Because that’s what makes me feel best. And I still call myself Paleo. What’re you going to do? Take away my birthday?

I dove into this lifestyle just over a year ago and did strict Whole30 Paleo for at least five months. For a while I felt great, lost weight (maybe too much), had a ton of energy, blah blah blah. The lack of carbohydrate in my diet made my appetite plummet. I was always full. I thought it was great. And then I started to notice some signs that things were off. My emotional status was a fluctuating mess, and my libido dropped. Mostly I was just a cranky, crying, crazy bunny. Lovely K, he does stick with me through a lot.

After perusing the digital skeleton of Kurt Harris et al., I added a lot more sweet potatoes and plantains. I felt great. I added white potatoes back, and eventually my raw milk again. And I felt better with each addition. Increased appetite, increased energy, and my mood stabilized quickly.  I gained a little over 10 lbs, and for once, I’m okay with that. Good vibes, peeps.

That’s all my n-1 experimentation with Paleo, though. Now to what this lifestyle and way of eating have done for me:

1. I feel better naked. I’m more confident. The ancestral health lifestyle is about health. It’s about nourishing our bodies, playing, moving, and getting outdoors. It’s vibrant. Thinking about my body as product of evolution and as a gloriously intelligent animal’s body, I started thinking more about what was best for my body, instead of my ego. Slowly, I’ve stopped worrying about looking like Candice Swanepoel. Or pronouncing her last name. It’s hard to let go, but it’s damn near gone.

2. I look better, too. I have more resting muscle mass, lower body fat, and no crazy cravings like I did while eating SAD, or even WAPF. I’m not rocking a six-pack, or even a two-pack, though. And I’m not trying to.

3. Immune system improvement. My whole life I’ve gotten some kind of cold or bug every 3-4 months. Seriously, ask my mother. It has now been over ten months since my last sickness. I have been amazed, to say the least.

4. Better relationship with food. See reason #1.

That’s my deal with Paleo and Paleo-ish. Plus, going gluten-free got rid of my crazy horrible nerve pain. Peloteando. 

In truth and beauty,
Keeli.

Check it out.  It’s the pasta of all pastas!  Well, it is for us Paleo people.  As most of you know, grains, carbs, and dairy are a no-no when eating Paleo, so what does that mean?  No pasta.  Say what?  You’re telling a 100% Italian gal that she can’t have pasta?  Try again.

I’m only kidding.  I know that was part of the choice we made when deciding to go Paleo, and I honestly don’t regret it.  Do I miss pasta every now and then?  Sure.  Do I feel better without it?  You can bet your bottom dollar I do.  So, when I came across Cappello’s in my Paleo Magazine, I thought, this has to be a joke…Paleo-approved pasta at the click of a mouse?  Done!

It took me sometime to actually order it though.  Their pasta is pricey since it’s fresh made and shipped on dry ice, but I finally bit the bullet, and am here to blog about it.  I went for the Taste of Each and got 2 fettuccine, 1 gnocchi (say ‘in-yok-ee‘), and 1 lasagna.  Don’t get me started on all the wrong ways to say gnocchi.  My hubby drives me nuts on purpose by calling it ‘n0-kee.’  He knows better than to argue with this Italian girl.

After some deliberation, and trying all 3 kinds, I would have to say the gnocchi is a bit mushy.  Maybe because it’s been forever since I’ve had it, but Josh did agree and he’s the non-gluten eating guy.  The fettuccine and lasagna both have a bit of a mushy texture to it, but it’s not terrible.  Just slather it with sauce, veggies, sausage, and grass-fed beef and it’s all good.

You can always keep is simple with just some homemade pasta sauce and shredded chicken.

Or go all out.

Here’s the lasagna I made the other day.  It’s completely dairy-free, as in zero cheese on it, and has kale instead of spinach.  I’ll be back to post the recipe of this mouth-watering meal, complete with two meats.  The cool thing about it, was I made two small pans, so we could eat one that night and freeze one for later, so it will be ready when baby comes.  Winner, winner, lasagna dinner!

Well there you have it, gluten, dairy, and grain-free pasta delivered to your doorsteps.

Have you ever tried Cappello’s or heard of it before?  Or will you continue to enjoy your big bowl of carbs while laughing at me for giving up pasta?  It’s cool, I made my pasta-free bed and will continue to lie in it.

Note: Photos are from here and here.

Breakfast was leek, sweet poatao and spinach topped with an egg and some egg whites (to save eggs for Sir).

I decided to pack a protein snack since I knew I have been getting hungry around the 11am mark particulary when I have trained- and it struck me just as predicted. I just snacked on some grilled chicken and a coulpe of sneeky chunks of honeydew melon. Yum!

Lunch came around nice and fast, but I didn’t rush. Surprisingly (or maybe not?) I was hungry by 1pm, which is my usual lunch date with Sir. He made it back in time today! It was just some Cabbage, Carrot, Zucchini & Ground Beef.

Okay – I have to fess up here. I know this goes against all Paleo & Whole30 guidelines but I may have looked at some calculations regarding calories and macros and while I love the idea of not using these tools, I have been concerned about eating too much/too little/not enough protein/too much fat.. So accordingly I had an afternoon snack to fill in some of the gaps I found in my day – just some tuna and egg whites. Plus this worked well as a pre-workout since I was going to train with the Soccer boys at about 7pm. And now I know what to fix up in my morning meals to make sure I don’t have a crazy deficit of any kind at the end of the day and my ‘intuitve’ eating can be done smarter!

Dinner was just baked salmon with veggies.

I realise that my food selection is seemingly boring, but boring/simple is working for now. What tools do you think are most important to achieve your nutrition goals in a day?

First things first don’t eat at white pasta,rice,potato,bread (as its absorbed nearly as quickly as pure glucose on the GI scale.

GET AT LEAST 8 HOURS SLEEP – as it can mess with your satiety hormone (in this case lack of sleep effects our ghrelin) & also affects our stress hormone cortisol ( cortisol leads to the spare tyre around the mid section, by raising blood sugar levels, breaks down muscle mass & effects our insulin sensitivity)

PROTEINS & FATS – protein & fats keep you fuller for longer, they release more peptide YY while carbs release very little

LAY OFF THE CARBS – many health officials want us to believe that we’ll pass out without carbs – NOT TRUE. our body only needs a little amount of carbs for our red blood cells and some parts of our brain. Our brain can create our ‘own’ carbs through gluconeogenisis and using our stored energy (fat) – ideal eat aprox 100grams (this will create a ketogenic diet – body runs off fat not glucose also maintains muscle mass) beware! If u work out a lot please eat more carbs

LAY OFF FRUIT – if weight loss is your goal limit fruit to 1/2portion per day

DON’T OVER EAT – if you over eat, your body thinks it’s ‘starving’

INTER-MITTING FASTING – this is where you don’t it for between 16/24/36 hour intervals (don’t worry you shouldn’t get too hungry as, when you don’t eat, your body releases less hunger hormones (ghrelin) you can drink which should really only be water (3,500 kcals = 1 pound of fat, so u don’t eat for 36 hours you’ve nearly burnt a pound of fat)

SATURATED FAT IS NOT BAD! – it is stable so it has a lesser chance of oxidising(less heart attacks) – has high levels of vitamin K2 which is good for cardiovascular health, that doesn’t mean to say go and eat kebabs etc! – so cook with olive oil – coconut oil is the best. AVOID all vegetable oil.

MOST EFFECTIVE WEIGHT LOSS FOODS –

Cayenne pepper, chilli ( they both heat the body up through thermogenesis)

caffeine, (this works by upping blood pressure making the body work harder however it release more cortisol)

RANDOM FACTS-

Between 25/30 % of calories consumed from protein are used by just digesting it,

Drink 4 litres of water per day, helps metabolise fat

Do check the back the packet, as they never tell you the carbs on the front

Here’s a handy paleo tool

Breakfast was a breeze, some scrambled eggs, curried pumpkin seeds and protein packed paleo pancakes. We drank our greens in the form of a smoothie.

Lunch was sort of a hodge podge of things in the fridge, salad for the grown-ups and finger foods for Elle. She has been doing amazing – amazing – on this diet. She does not bug me for junk at home at all. Never. The only time she seems to be interested in eating grains/sweets is when other people are doing it- parties, events, etc. She doesn’t understand how some people eat bad food but she can’t. That’s a hard one for this mom.

The afternoon got really busy for me. I had every intention of making beef with broccoli and cauliflower rice, but after a one hour training session from 430-530, I was not in the mood to prep a meal like that and deal with the screaming hungry babies in the mean time.

Enter Chipotle.

I didn’t know if I could do it – I knew almost everything on their menu was cooked in soybean oil. I was nervous about the sugar content of their salsas, etc. Well, after some research I discovered that, first of all Chipotle uses zero – none – sugar in any of their recipes, including their salsas and salad dressings. Secondly, their carnitas have no vegetable oil in them what so ever – however their sauteed vegetables are cooked in soy. So, we did it! And, I am going to share with you how to eat at Chipotle.

1. Order a salad no dressing. Ask for extra lettuce because you are getting no beans or rice. They will do it free of charge.
2. Order double meat (yes, you will pay more). Carnitas.
3. Order double mild salsa (no charge there) and then one hotter one of your choosing.
4. Double Guacomole (yes you will pay again – but remember, no chips or drinks, so you may actually SAVE money).

Voila!! Good!

Erielle had a side of carnitas, mild salsa and guac all mixed together. Happy campers here.

This upcoming weekend is busy and exciting one for me with a wedding up in Cape Cod (my first time there!), but in general I loooove weekends with no plans. I don’t love the weekend because it’s time that I get to go out to bars late at night, but because it’s time that I get to SLEEP.

If I’m not hosting a dinner party (which is my all-time favorite thing to do), my next favorite thing to do is to curl into bed with a good book or cookbook, go to bed super early, and head to an early workout in the morning. Ahh….bliss.

Going out to an early dinner reservation, going home, and hitting the hay early is fun too — this I can handle. I wish I could but I just cannot survive going out late at night.

Call me an old lady, but I cannot stay out at a restaurant or bar past 10:00 without hitting a wall.

Literally, it gets to the point where I don’t care if Michael Jackson is RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD, I cannot stay out any longer or else my eyes will start to droop and I turn into a crabby apple.

This is why I love hosting and attending dinner parties over going out to restaurants and bars. It costs so much less, the setting is so more intimate, my family and friends and I can call the shots on the timing of the night, and I’m not keeling over into my cocktail ready to pass out. Plus it’s so much more fun! Do you agree?

I made these broiled beef and veggie skewers for a little senior dinner (aka 5pm cook time!) for my brother, good friend, and hubby a few weeks back and boy did it make me happy.

Our bellies were full at the end of the night, providing us the fuel we needed to head to our jobs, the gym, and school in the wee hours of the morning. I love the idea of food as both fun and fuel. Win for all!

Speaking of dinner parties, I am now available for hire! That’s right, if you or anyone you know in the Chicago area and surrounding suburbs is interested in hosting a dinner party at home for as few as 4 or as many as 30 people, I am available for services including meal planning, grocery shopping, on-site cooking and meal prep, dining and buffet table set-up, and clean-up. I’ll even bring a playlist of good tunes, wipe down your bathroom, and set out tea towels! This service is perfect for busy moms and dads who need to focus their time on running errands and taking care of their kids, graduate school students who need to focus on studying, as well as young and mid-career professionals with full-time jobs who have little time to meal plan and cook but want to enjoy a fun evening with their friends or colleagues, without dropping a chunk of change for a private chef (or on the flipside, are tired of hosting keggers with chips and salsa). No kitchen is too small for me. Oh and did I mention? I will make GOOD, crowd-pleasing food (stuff your guests will actually be excited about and want to eat). Stay tuned for more details and an official launch. In the meantime, please contact peachesandcake@gmail.com for availability and pricing.

Cheers,
Meg

Broiled Spicy Beef and Veggie Skewers with Avocado Dipping Sauce
Makes 4 large servings, ~9 skewers

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For skewers:

• 1 ½ lbs. boneless sirloin or strip steak, preferably grass-fed, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. chipotle chile powder (omit if you don’t like spicy)
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced into 1-inch squares
• 1 orange bell pepper, cored and sliced into 1-inch squares
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced into 1-inch squares
• 1 red onion, cored and sliced into 1-inch squares
• 1 cup red grape or cherry tomatoes, seasoned with a little olive oil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 11-12 wooden skewers

For avocado dipping sauce:

• 2 large avocados, cored and peeled
• Juice of 2 limes and 1 lemon (about 1/3 cup citrus juice)
• Handful of fresh cilantro leaves (about ½ cup)
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of garlic powder
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste

To prepare avocado dipping sauce: Place avocado, lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, pinch of salt, pinch of garlic powder, and a few grinds of fresh ground pepper in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse until well blended and smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover with plastic, and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To prepare skewers: First, cover wooden skewers with water and let soak for at least 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bell peppers and onions in a bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil, dash of Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and toss. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, mix cumin, paprika, garlic powder, chipotle chile powder, and Kosher salt in a small bowl. Place meat in a Tupperware container or bowl. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil and toss. Add spice mixture and toss to cover all sides of meat cubes. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for at least 30 minutes or longer if possible.

Turn oven to broiler setting on HIGH and set rack to upper ¾ position of oven.

Skewer onions, peppers, tomatoes, and beef onto skewers, using 3 beef cubes per skewer. (I skewered the tomatoes on their own sticks because I had one guest who did not like tomatoes.) Season the skewers again with a little salt and pepper.

Place skewers on the foil-lined baking sheet. Place on rack set on upper ¾ of oven and broil for about 6 minutes or until meat is cooked through. Every oven is different, be careful not to overcook!

Transfer skewers to a serving plate and cover tightly with foil until ready to serve. Serve with avocado dipping sauce.