I started to title this blog “cheat night” but I don’t even want to start that or that idea. The way we are eating is not considered a diet with cheat times but a new way of life. BUT, we wanted to go on a date and go out to dinner and a movie. I heard the PF Changs had a gluten free menu so I checked it out online and we went there.  We both thought the food was really good. We had lettuce wraps and two chicken entrees. Obviously these dishes are not made Paleo because they contain things like corn starch and sugar. But the carbohydrate count was very low on our ordered items and we did not order any rice so it was just the main entree which was protein and vegetable. We decided we would eat there again in the future or if we are ever traveling or really “stuck” to have a quick dinner one night we could do take out.I have attached a link to the menu and some specifics about the gluten free food below. We stuck to red wine and water for our drinks and we then saw “The Blind Side” which was REALLY good.

PF Changs Gluten Free Menu
Click here to view our menu

The menu lists this information about the GF food items:

They grow no food, raise no livestock, and live without rules or calendars. They are living a hunter-gatherer existence that is little changed from 10,000 years ago. What do they know that we’ve forgotten?

Photograph by Martin Schoeller

National Geographicin sivuilta löytyy mielenkiintoinen kuvaus vielä nykyaikanakin “metsästäjä-keräilijä” -elämäntapaa noudattavasta tansanialaisesta Hadza -heimosta. Alla muutamia poimintoja Hadza -heimon parissa muutaman viikon elelleen Michael Finkelin tekstistä. Koko tarinan voit lukea täältä.

Mitä sellaista hadzat yhä osaavat, jonka me olemme jo unohtaneet?

Years aren’t the only unit of time the Hadza do not keep close track of—they also ignore hours and days and weeks and months. The Hadza language doesn’t have words for numbers past three or four.

Onwas was interested in a picture of my cat. “How does it taste?” he asked.

He could not name the leader of his own country.

But approximately one-quarter of all Hadza, including those in Onwas’s camp, remain true hunter-gatherers. They have no crops, no livestock, no permanent shelters.

What the Hadza appear to offer—and why they are of great interest to anthropologists—is a glimpse of what life may have been like before the birth of agriculture 10,000 years ago.

Jared Diamond, the UCLA professor and writer, has called the adoption of agriculture nothing less than “the worst mistake in human history”—a mistake, he suggests, from which we have never recovered.

Photo Martin Schoeller

Hadza women gather berries and baobab fruit and dig edible tubers. Men collect honey and hunt. Nighttime baboon stalking is a group affair, conducted only a handful of times each year; typically, hunting is a solo pursuit. They will eat almost anything they can kill, from birds to wildebeest to zebras to buffalo. They dine on warthog and bush pig and hyrax. They love baboon.

People sleep whenever they want. Some stay up much of the night and doze during the heat of the day. Dawn and dusk are the prime hunting times.

Onwas, as he repeatedly told me, doesn’t worry about the future. He doesn’t worry about anything. No Hadza I met, in fact, seemed prone to worry. It was a mind-set that astounded me, for the Hadza, to my way of thinking, have very legitimate worries. Will I eat tomorrow? Will something eat me tomorrow? Yet they live a remarkably present-tense existence.

This may be one reason farming has never appealed to the Hadza—growing crops requires planning; seeds are sown now for plants that won’t be edible for months. Domestic animals must be fed and protected long before they’re ready to butcher. To a Hadza, this makes no sense. Why grow food or rear animals when it’s being done for you, naturally, in the bush? When they want berries, they walk to a berry shrub. When they desire baobab fruit, they visit a baobab tree. Honey waits for them in wild hives. And they keep their meat in the biggest storehouse in the world—their land. All that’s required is a bit of stalking and a well-shot arrow.

The school-age kids I spoke with in Onwas’s group all said they had no interest in sitting in a classroom. If they went to school, many told me, they’d never master the skills needed for survival.

Photo Martin Schoeller

The Hadza cooking style is simple—the meat is placed directly on the fire. No grill, no pan.

Pure fat, rather than meat, is what the Hadza crave…

There are no televisions or board games or books in Onwas’s camp. But there is entertainment. The women sing songs. And the men tell campfire stories…

Onwas then reaches into the fire and pulls out the skull. He hacks it open, like a coconut, exposing the brains, which have been boiling for a good hour inside the skull. They look like ramen noodles, yellowish white, lightly steaming. He holds the skull out, and the men, including myself, surge forward and stick our fingers inside the skull and scoop up a handful of brains and slurp them down.

While Hadza have a word for body odor, the men tell me that they prefer their women not to bathe—the longer they go between baths, they say, the more attractive they are.

Their entire life, it appears to me, is one insanely committed camping trip. It’s incredibly risky. Medical help is far away. One bad fall from a tree, one bite from a black mamba snake, one lunge from a lion, and you’re dead. Women give birth in the bush, squatting.

Lisää Martin Schoellerin ottamia kuvia heimosta National Geographicin Tha Hadza -kuvagalleriassa.

Jonna kyseli jokin aika sitten mun päivän ruokalistaa. Lupasin sellaista näkösälle laittaa, vaikka en välttämättä olekaan niin kovin ylpeä siitä. Paremminkin voisi syödä, mutta mä en edelleenkään ole mikään kokki Kolmonen, vaan yritän selvitä hommasta mahdollisimman vähällä vaivalla. Ja nopeasti!

Kalorit – I`m done!

Alla ruokapäiväkirjan tulokset kuluneen viikon keskiviikolta. Intouduin jopa laskemaan kalorit ja makroravinteet!!! Uskomatonta, että tein sitä usean vuoden ajan käytännössä every single day! Ei se silloin pahalta tuntunut. Oli osa arkipäivää, rutiinia. Mutta enää en samaan lähtisi. Mun kalorit tässä elämässä on kutakuinkin laskettu. Silloin tällöin on tietysti hyvä tehdä tsekkauksia, jos tarpeelliseksi kokee. Nyt tein sen lähinnä mielenkiinnosta. Ja koska tarpeelliseksi koin

Supersize me ja lisää suklaata

Mulla ei ole ollut hajuakaan paljonko olen viimeisen vuoden aikana paleolla ollessani sapuskaa naamaani mättänyt. Nyt on hajua. Ja ihan hyvä niin, sillä sen jälkeen kun lisäsin viherpirtelöt noin kuukausi sitten mukaan ruokavaliooni on paino hilautunut tasaiseen tahtiin ylöspäin. Ei mua niin paino huoleta, mutta pehmennyt ulkoinen olemus ja sen saama julkinen huomio hiukan kaivaa takaraivossa . En usko, että nykyinen viherpirtelöillä buustattu ruokavalioni olisi ongelma, jos pystyisin edelleen treenaamaan intensiivisesti crossfit -tyyliin. Valitettavasti koipeloinen ei sitä vieläkään salli. Milteinpä pelkät yläkehon bodytreenit eivät vaan kuluta energiaa tarpeeksi. Jotain on siis tehtävä! Ellen halua jatkaa tasaista turpoamista .

Vaihtoehdot ovat melko vähissä. Aerobiset tai intrevallit, edes kävely, eivät onnistu. Kunnon bodyjalkatreenit eivät onnistu. Crossfit ei onnistu. Ruoan vähentäminen… onnistuu! Suklaalakossakin olin jo miltei viikon päivät, mutta tänään innostuin kokeilemaan kaakaovoipohjaista raakasuklaata. Josta ei tosin tullut vieläkään mitään taivaallista tuotosta. Mutta kyllähän se vähitellen tuolta jääkaapista häviää. Vein vanhemmillenikin maistiaiset. Vastaanotto ei ollut mitenkään loistava (kuten ei viherpirtelönkään ). Äippä on tottunut tumman suklaan kitkerään ja karvaaseen makuun, joten raakasuklaa ei ollut ihan hirmuinen shokki. Jos ei nyt ilmeestä päätellen kovin… nautinnollistakaan. Isukki ei ymmärrä tumman suklaan päälle ollenkaan, joten… niin no, mitäs sitä kiertelemään… Haukut sai mun omin kätösin valmistettu terveyssuklaati! Ei tarvinne toiste tarjota. Tai ainakin makeutusta pitää siinä tapauksessa lisätä huomattavasti.

Ruokapäivyri ja laskelmia

Josko vihdoin asiaan.

10.00 Pre-aamiainen

…jokseenkin heti heräämisen jälkeen

• iso lasi vettä
• glutamiinia lusikalla suuhun ja vettä päälle
• nestemäinen kalaöljy
• D-vitamiini
• goji -marjoja
• kaakaonibsejä
• parapähkinöitä

11. 00 Viherpirtelö + sinkkilisä (tabuina)

Viherpirtelössä..

• mustikkaa
• sitruuna
• varsiselleriä
• inkivääriä
• Romaine -salaattia
• lehtikaalia
• avokado
• luomujogurttia
• seesaminsiemeniä
• pinaattia
• tuoretta minttua
• hamppuproteiinia
• spirulina -jauhetta
• vehnänorasjauhetta
• pieni banaani
• vettä

Annoksessa ~200 kcal, prot 9, hh 12, rasva 13

14.30 Brunssia (?) pukkaa

• puoli pussia Finduksen Espanjalaisia vihanneksia pannulla paistettuna (kookosöljyssä)
• vihannesten seassa paistettua lampaanmaito Halloumia kuutioina noin 1/4 pakettia eli 50 g
• paistettu luomu kananmuna
• valkosipulimajoneesia eli aiolia vihannespannun mausteeksi
• kirsikkatomaatteja

16.30 Pre-workout -latausjuoma

• heraproteiinia
• BCAA
• beeta-alaniini
• maca -jauhetta
• tyrosiini
• vihreä tee -puriste

17.00 – 19.00 Treeniä (lämppää, soututestiä, kuulia, olkapäitä, ojentajia ja hauiksia)

19.00 Post-workout -palautusjuoma

• heraproteiinia
• BCAA
• glutamiini
• viherjauhe (Emerald Balance)
• kreatiini
• ALA
• fosfoseriini
• kalsium-askorbaatti
• kalaöljy (vasta kotona)
• D-vitamiini (kotona myöskin kalaöljyn kaverina)

20.30 Päivällinen / Illallinen

• höyrytettyä kukka- ja parsakaalia
• paistettua vähärasvaista luomu jauhelihaa
• valkosipulimajoneesia eli aiolia ja himalajan suolaa mausteeksi
• kirsikkatomaatteja

23.00 Iltapalaksi viherpirtelö

Samaa kamaa kuin aamupäivällä.

Jossain välissä vielä sinkkiä tabletteina ja magnesiumia jauheena suoraan suuhun veden kera. Jep, mä tiedän, olen laiska

02.30 ZZZZZzzzzzzzz……

Juomana pullotetua lähdevettä(?) pitkin päivää aterioiden välillä.

Yhteenlaskut

Päivän pöperöistä sain yhteensä…

• ~1795 kcalria
• proteiinia 133 g (~30 E%)
• hiilihydraatteja 63 g (~14 E%)
• rasvaa 112 g (~56 E%)

Loppupäätelmiä ja toimenpiteitä

Ruokaa on liikaa. Kyllä, 1800 kcal/vrk on mulle edelleen liikaa. Mistäkö tiedän sen? Vaa`asta ja vaatteista. Peilistäkin näkyy ja muiden kommentit eivät ole menneet ohitse korvien, vaikka niitä huumorilla onkin heitelty enkä niitä mitenkään vakavamielisesti ole itseeni ottanut. Mulla on itsetunto kohtalaisen kohillaan. Siksi ulkonäköäni aika avoimesti uskalletaan kommentoidakin. Hyvällä toki. Monen silmää aavistuksen pehmeämpi look on vain miellyttänyt. Tiedän, etten ole “läski”

Proteiinit ja hiilarit ovat kohdallaan. Rasvoista on varaa vähentää. Aloitan leikkaamalla rasvoja viherpirtelöstä, jotka ovat tuoneet kuukauden ajan ruokavaliooni 300-400 lisäkaloria päivää kohden. Tästä löytynee syy kunnon pehmenemiseen. Olen kuitenkin jäänyt viherpirtelöihin koukkuun, joten en aio niitä missään tapauksessa eliminoida kokonaan. Lisäksi uskon niiden olevan terveyden kannalta tärkeä elementti näin talvisaikaan kun salaatit eivät uppoa kesäiseen malliin. Viherpirtelöt ovat myös eräänlainen koeprojekti. Tutkin niiden vaikutuksia olotilaan vielä ainakin parin kuukauden ajan. Toistaiseksi en ole huomannut mitään muuta merkittävää kuin painonnousun. Esimerkiksi väsymykseen ja jaksamiseen eivät ole tuoneet helpotusta (alussa jopa väsyttivät entistä enemmän). Eivät myöskään PMS-oireiluun tai ihon ongelmiin, jotka molemmat liittynevät estrogeeniin. Kortisoli lienee myös olosta (ja nukkumisesta) päätellen edelleen koholla.

Muutoin olen tyytyväinen ruokavalioni laskennalliseen puoleen. En tiennyt mitä odottaa. Olen kuitenkin tehnyt kaikki ruoka-aine- ja -määrävalintani täysin intuitiivisesti keskittymällä vain “oikeisiin” ruoka-aineisiin. Lepopäivinä jäävät tietysti lataus- ja palautusjuomat pois, mutta silloin tulee nautittua välipaloina esim. pähkinöitä enemmän.

Thanksgiving was delicious. We ate a totally grain free, gluten free,dairy free meal. Since we decided to start eating this way a couple of weeks ago I wanted to really be successful at it by even doing it at THANKSGIVING! My husband and my mother were totally on board so I made up the menu listed in the post below. My  favorite things were the cranberry nut bread (Ryan,age 3, loved this bread), the chocolate pie( thanks to Elan’s Pantry website) and the sweet potato apple bake which was kind if made up.Our menu was incredibly different from years past at our home or at relatives. We were used to having stuffing, rolls with butter, mac and cheese, desserts galore!!!! This was a big step for us to change one of the biggest meals of the year to a Paleo type dinner. I wanted to do this diet 100% so I knew if we could do it on Thanksgiving and everyone be happy, we could continue to do this in every situation.

Gluten Free and Dairy Free Cranberry Nut Bread
½ cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
5 eggs
½ cup grapeseed oil
½ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup cranberries, frozen
½ cup walnuts, chopped

1. In a medium bowl combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda
2. In a large bowl blend eggs, grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
3. Blend dry ingredients into wet, then fold in cranberries and walnuts
4. Pour batter into (2) greased 6.5 X 4 inch loaf pans
5. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes
6. Cool and serve

Chocolate Cream Pie Link!!!

http://www.elanaspantry.com/chocolate-cream-pie/print/

For the sweet potato apple bake I just peeled and cut up about 6 SMALL sweet potatoes, 2 crisp apples and put them in a glass baking dish with a lid. I sprinkled on some cinnamon,grape-seed oil and chopped pecans on top(about two handfuls). I then drizzled on maple syrup and baked for about 35 minutes at a 350 degree oven. Yum!!!!

Roasted Balsamic, Rosemary and Apple Turkey
Apple and Cranberry Stuffed Squash
Salt and Peppered Cauliflower Mash
Green Salad with Balsamic Dressing
Sweet Potato and Apple Bake topped with Pecans
Coconut Macaroons
Fudge Brownies
Chocolate Pie

And YES….it’s all grain free dairy free with no refined sugars!

So back to spending lunch hour in the ICU with a friend. This time I hope I don’t pick up the plague.

We are completing week one of our transformation to this grain free, dairy free,Paleo like diet. We have some things to work on but all in all this was a fantastic week. Garrett and I remained almost 100% gluten and very close to grain  free. Only a couple condiments threw us off the 100% in remaining gluten free and we had some gluten free beer one night which include rice (grains) but other than that we did great and REALLY enjoyed all our food. The kids are doing awesome. I need to mention that about two weeks before getting certified by Robb Wolf , CrossFit Nutriton  and starting this way of eating….I took all vegetable oils and peanut butter out of their diet so they have had some large changes. No potato chips, baked frozen fries, corn chips, peanut butter crackers ect. All of this was always natural, organic, gluten free but I really felt the need to subtract these things out. I am seeing the benefits of this in Collin (age 7 with autism). His “belly” is not as bloated and he is appearing more focused. Whew!!!

Garrett and I have both dropped weight. I agree with Robb Wolf that you should throw out the scale and I am going to learn to use calipers to determine our body fat throughout the process, but I have jumped on the scale just to see what’s up! I feel great. I wake up everyday on my own shortly after 5am and I am not tired. I am not CrossFitting right now due to a shoulder cuff tear/problem AND plantar fasciitis  (2 more reasons to start this way of eating) but I can’t wait to start again and see the results.

My Mom started eating this way about a week ago too. She dropped 6 lbs the first week. She works out 3 plus times a week with a trainer in her home town in South Carolina.

Here is her dinner from last night. It looks fabulous! Way to go Mom!

Salmon dill burgers with tomatoes, squash, and YES avocados!!!

I really really like pizza. Like, not-gonna-give-it-up like pizza. Not even on this Paleo Challenge, you hear me pizza gods? So I figured out how to make my own.

The best part? It definitely tastes decadent and delicious, but it doesn’t leave the dreaded carb-bomb-brick in the stomach that traditional pizza tends to leave (I’ll suffer through it for you anyway, Mangia, but only you).

Anyway, Lisa and Georgia both asked for the recipe, so I’m going to make one up for it, since I just sort of threw together some stuff …

Pizza crust:

4 egg whites

1 c. almond meal

1/2 c. pecan meal

1/2 c. cauliflower “rice” (food-processor the cauliflower)

1/4 c. flax meal

1/4 – 1/3 c. olive oil

1 tsp. baking powder

garlic salt to taste

To do: Mix it up in a bowl. If it’s sort of gooey, you’re good to go. You should be able to pour it out of the bowl, but it should not stream easily, you have to scrape, if that gives you any sense of the consistency. If it seems too runny, add more of any of the flours. Don’t add more cauliflower, because I did and I think it makes it too squishy. You can also leave out the cauliflower entirely with great results, but I like to sneak in more veggies wherever possible.

Pour it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. I’m pretty sure the parchment is essential for the crisping, but I’ve never made it without parchment so I can’t be too sure. Anyway, spread it out as thinly as possible, without gaps, on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, right before it starts browning.

Toppings:

Layer, in this order:

1) Raw pumpkin seed cheese from Whole Foods

2) Pizza sauce (canned tomato, garlic salt, liberal amounts of basil, 1/2 as liberal amounts of oregano)

3) Steam-sauteed kale (olive oil in a pan, add chopped kale, put a lid on it. When it turns bright green, it’s steam-sauteed)

4) Ground beef (98% lean Springerhill Ranch is available at Randall’s for $5.79/lb. Dump that in a pan. Salt and pepper. Make it brown, but still pink in the center since you’re cooking it more on the pizza.)

5) Raw cabbage chopped into tiny pieces (erm, chop the cabbage. Not very much of it … like a 2×2x2inch square was all I had left and was a good amount)

Put the pizza back in the oven for 5-10 minutes. The crust will get golden brown edges. Everything else is pretty much cooked, so you just want the flavors to meld together.

Bonus points if you make it, wait 20 minutes for someone to bring over wine, put it back in the warm oven, and THEN think it’s the perfect meld of flavors.

The Early Toarcian was characterized by two large perturbations to the carbon cycle: a positive trend associated with increased organic matter burial and ocean anoxia, and a pronounced negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE). We contrast the geochemical evolution in the carbonate phases of two successions: one from the Paris Basin (Sancerre core, comprising black shales), the other from the Lusitanian Basin (Peniche section with very minor lithological expression of bottom water anoxia). Our aim was to identify whether these carbon cycle perturbations were related, and differentiate between the common (global) versus regional expressions of the biogeochemical response and ocean chemistry. Our results highlight contrasts in timing of different phases of anoxia in both locations through the widely documented negative CIE. Widespread anoxic conditions were not a necessary prerequisite for generating a pronounced CIE, as required by the recycling (so-called “Küspert”) model. The production of carbonate simultaneously dropped during the δ¹³C negative shift in both locations, likely in response to lowered seawater saturation rate induced by substantial absorption of CO₂ from the atmosphere. The recovery interval was accompanied by a rapid reestablishment of seawater alkalinity, and primary and carbonate productivity in epicontinental seas, as evidenced by high δ¹³C and Sr/Ca, in contrast with the more open ocean regime in the Lusitanian Basin. Our results confirm that parallels can be draw between the ocean productivity response and feedback during the Toarcian CIE and the PETM. Both events are characterized by ocean acidification and reduced pelagic calcification followed by a peak in nearshore coccolith productivity, which could have helped the recovery from the perturbation.



Hermoso, M., Minoletti, F., Le Callonnec, L., Jenkyns, H. C., Hesselbo, S. P., Rickaby, R. E. M., Renard, M., de Rafélis, M. & Emmanuel, L. 2009. Global and local forcing of Early Toarcian seawater chemistry: A comparative study of different paleoceanographic settings (Paris and Lusitanian basins). Paleoceanography 24: PA4208 (doi:10.1029/2009PA001764). Article (subscription required).

I made ceviche for dinner this evening. I started last night as you have to marinade it or “cook” it for 24 hours. I kind of followed this recipe……….

Shrimp Ceviche

————–

1 lb. popcorn shrimp, thawed (or fish, scallops, oysters, etc.)

Juice of 3 limes

Combine these together thoroughly in a ceramic or glass bowl. Cover, pop in

the fridge and ignore for 24 hours. The lime juice “cooks” the seafood and

preserves it.

1/2 red onion finely chopped

1 or 2 jalapenos chopped, depending on taste (for hotter use habanero)

3 fresh tomatoes chopped

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Juice of 3 limes

Salt and pepper to taste.

Take the shrimp from the fridge and drain thoroughly. In some of the

ceviche recipes we’ve found, they do not call for pouring off the first

lime marinade. But, we found the flavor is much fresher when you do.

Add the remaining ingredients and refrigerate for at least two hours before

serving. The thicker the seafood the longer it takes to marinade. Place

in tall cocktail glasses for a pretty presentation or over a bed of salad

greens with slices of avocado.

Posted by Judith Stone to rec.food.recipes

Totally stolen but slightly adapted from http://makeeverydayraw.blogspot.com/2007/06/zucchini-hummus.html

1 large zucchini in summer or 2 small zucchini in winter (I ended up using 1 large and 2 smaller zucchini because the tahini flavor was too strong)
1/2 cup Tahini (I’d lessen significantly, then add back in to taste)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Large Garlic Clove (I used three or so)
Sprinkle of Paprika (for garnish)

Peel the zucchini until all the green skin is removed. This is very important! Not peeling the zucchini will make it chunky and green, not like hummus at all. Slice peeled zucchini into smaller pieces.

Combine all ingredients except Paprika into food processor and blend until creamy and thick. Taste. Add things if needed. Done!

If not desired consistency add a little bit of water while blending. Sprinkle with paprika for garnish.

Last night I used some pre-made food for our dinner. I bought a BBQ beef brisket form Trader Joe’s and we made coleslaw as a side. I used a pre-made dressing for the slaw that I got at Publix in the produce section. The kids had chicken burgers and fries with catsup. I realize that one of my next projects will be to experiment with Paleo condiments. So many of our dressings, catsup, BBQ sauce ect. have SUGAR as the second ingredient. Many of them also contain maltodextrin form corn starch and vinegar which can contain gluten.

These condiments made our meal not in line with our diet but I was not in a position to be able to make catsup and dressings last night!

I am going to research these recipes and try them out and I will post some of the ones  I try soon.

So if you are cleaning up your diet and making a change to gluten free, grain free, no sugar ect. you really need to take a look at your condiments and dressings. There can be lots of sugar and grain products in them!

So Ryan has a birthday party today too. We made grain free dairy free brownies (in blog below this week) for his party on Friday and today he is going to PLAY for another. Ryan and I made cupcakes following this recipe.

Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Vegan Chocolate Frosting
½ cup coconut flour, sifted
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
6 eggs
½ cup grapeseed oil
½ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda
2. In a small bowl, blend together eggs, grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry and blend with a mixer or hand blender until smooth
4. Pour batter into well oiled muffin tins
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
6. Cool completely
7. Top with chocolate frosting

We made these in kind of a hurry. I was rushing out to go teach CrossFit. As I poured the batter into the muffin cups I realized there was lots of flour on the bottom of the bowl. So they did NOT turn out great. BUT they have a delicious flavor. I will try them again, probably this morning b/c I still need cupcakes for the party.

What I usually do with my kids is make a dozen or two of cupcakes that are gluten free and dairy free then freeze them and when a party comes up or an event at school where the Mom’s are bringing in cakes ect. I send in one cupcake for the boys. The teachers and staff are all aware of their “allergies” and are always good about asking me what they can and can not eat.

Yesterday one of Collin’s teachers brought in apple pie and knew to e-mail us to ask if he could have some (“NO”). If I know in advance what they are going to serve I can pretty much duplicate it with the ingredients I choose.

Parents ALWAYS ask me “how in the world do you keep up with that, find time, figure it out ect?” I have been doing this so long for Collin who has been on the GFCF diet since age 20 months due to autism, that I really don’t know any different. I do it for Ryan (age 3) just the same and it really is not that difficult. Ryan’s school has pizza day every Wednesday and I send in a gluten free pizza for him every Wednesday. I either make it or buy a frozen one form a specialty store. I just try to stay prepared.At Collin’s and Ryan’s school the parents send out an e-mail to the class list and will let us know a day or two in advance when they are going to come in and bring a “treat” for a child’s birthday. I just grab a cupcake out of the freezer and add it to their lunch.I use these little carriers. My kids are fine with this and so far it has never been a problem!

So, I am finally back. I spent a week in the field on an exercise. Most of it was spent being incredibly nasty and eating MREs. I went out to there hopeful that I could stick to my diet. Unfortunately, I was entirely wrong.

There is absolutely no way you can eat MREs and call it healthy. It is a paleo nightmare. Everything in a Meal-Ready-to Eat is processed and scientifically engineered. They follow the usual government food diet pyramid. A rough breakdown of the maconutrients inside would be about 80% carbohydrate, 10% protein, and 10% fat. Wheat bread, crackers, pound cake, and candy do not exactly round out the healthiest meals, but they are all a big part of field rations. Surprisingly, the 2000+  calorie meal in a bag has instructions that say that food gives you energy and you need to eat all of it.

No. No no no no!

I threw most of the stuff out, but even eating protein is hard, because they will usually put carbs in with it in the main meal. The bottom line is that if you are trying to eat healthy/paleo, an MRE is impossible to stomach.

That being said, I came back and checked out Melissa Urban’s blog and saw that she was donating Paleo Kits (with your help) to Soldiers in Afghanistan. An amazing and worthy cause and I wish her the best.

Workouts

I didn’t do too many workouts while I was there, but the ones that I did do involved my 24 kilogram kettlebell, which I brought with me. I know that Pavel would be proud of these fine workouts:

21-18-15-12-9-6-3 reps for time, of:

Walking lunge steps

Kettlebell swings

My time: 5:00

150 kettlebell swings

Every minute that passes, stop and do 5 burpees

My time: 6:34

3 rounds for time:

10 air squat

10 burpees

10 kettlebell clean & press (right)

10 kettlebell clean & press (left)

My time: 6:50