Apple crisp

Apple crisp
(paleo, grain-free)
Prep: 10 min
Bake: 50 min
Serves: 4

What you need:
4 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
Cinnamon, 2 tsp + 1 tbsp
pinch of salt
pinch of nutmeg
1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp grass-fed butter
5 pitted dates, diced
1 can chilled coconut milk, optional
1 vanilla bean or 1 T vanilla extract, optional

The Week Ahead: Staying dedicated to preparing meals at home

Last weekend, my dear friend Laura and I were at Walmart (that place is so much more tolerable with a friend) and we both spent even more than usual for our weekly groceries.  She had read that families our age spend $70 per week on groceries.  Seventy.  We would starve if we only spent that.  I think there are two reasons for this A)  people eat out way too much and B) if they are eating at home, they are probably eating way too much processed food.  I did not grow up eating out at restaurants very often, so that never has been my habit, and I am very thankful for that.  However, sometimes I still have to remind myself why we eat at home (mostly financial reasons and also for our health) and then use some of the below tips to keep up my dedication to cooking at home.

The Week Ahead: Getting back on track

This last week, I gave myself free reign on food.  That resulted in pizza on two different occasions, and lots of sugar.  I know every few months, I need a few days like that to remind myself why I try to eat healthfully the rest of the time.  Here's what I took away from the week:

Sausage, sweet potato, and hidden spinach hash

Going paleo created somewhat of a breakfast problem for Husband and I. He used to eat cereal and I ate oatmeal every. single. day. We liked that we automatically knew what was for breakfast and it required no thought at all. For the last several months, we have been eating eggs in a variety of ways, but to be honest, our stomachs just cannot handle that. I have searched the internet high and low for good breakfasts, but I am still looking for the perfect alternative. This breakfast is tasty, but I recommend making it ahead of time unless you have 30-45 minutes to kill in the morning.  And if you do, then I am really, really jealous.

Sausage, Sweet Potato, and (hidden) Spinach Hash

Serves: 4-6, or 1 for breakfast all week
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min

What you need:
1 lb pork sausage (see note below)
4 small sweet potatoes or 2 medium-large
2-4 cups spinach

Zucchini noodles

I am always talking about these zucchini "noodles," so I thought I would share how I actually make them. I have adapted this from The Clothes Make the Girl.

What you need:
4 medium zucchinis
Salt
Mandoline or julienne slicer (I use the Oxo mandoline slicer)
1 tbsp coconut or olive oil

What to do:
Dial the mandoline for thin julienne slices. With caution, slice about 1/2 to 3/4 way through the zucchini.

The Week Ahead

Hope everyone is having a great and joyful Easter!  Here is our meal plan for the week:

Fried rice

This meal is both versatile and nutritious. I try to plan ahead and pulse a head of cauliflower into rice size (usually 15-20 pulses) on Sunday so it is ready to go when I need it.  If you don't have a food processor, you might just spend a little more time chopping the cauliflower to the right size.

Buffalo chicken wraps, you never let me down

This is my go-to when I don't know what to make for dinner. Husband loves them (and he loved them even more before I paleo took away his flour tortillas).  These are quick, easy, delicious, and cheap!  We always have cooked chicken on hand (I make 1-2 lbs every Sunday during my cook-up), but you could easily cook chicken breasts in the oven, grill, or stovetop for these lovely wraps as well. This also works very well as an entree salad.

Tuna salad

Tuna Salad (Salad)
Prep time: 5 min
Serves: 1

What you need:
1 can tuna, drained
1-2 T mayo, ideally homemade 
1 T lemon juice
Red grapes to taste (I use about 10), sliced
1/4 green apple, diced
1 T chopped pecans
2-4 cups lettuce or spinach

What to do:
Mix it all together and enjoy!

Sneaky veggies

Vegetables are so good for you.  No matter what diet you follow, it seems they all recommend increasing your intake of fresh veggies.  They are full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and filling fiber.  From a medical standpoint, there is growing evidence that these nutritional powerhouses can help prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, certain cancers, and even Alzheimer's.  Many of us may be scarred from our childhood days when we were forced to eat our veggies, and this has shed a negative light on the food group.  In the last couple of years, I have come to find that, when prepared correctly, they can actually taste good.  Not to mention, they make you feel fantastic.  I have constructed this list to help us all rid veggies of their negative image and start reaping the health benefits.

Ten Ways to Eat More Veggies:

Two minutes thirty seconds

In 2 minutes 30 seconds, you can have delicious chocolate cake. Sound too good to be true? I found this recipe on PaleOMG last night, and naturally could not stop thinking about it since then.  Perfect for anyone unable to make a whole cake or pan of brownies secondary to risk of eating them all in one day...like me.  Built in portion control! 

On the go

Since we are traveling this week, I thought I would talk about how we try to eat right and stay fit while on the go.

We try to be prepared, otherwise, Husband may resort to this...

Food:
I think it goes without saying that traveling and vacation is a great time to cut loose and splurge a little. However, if you really ask yourself why you are eating this way, sometimes I decide I want to feel great on my vacation rather than be in a sugar hangover. I generally set out to be healthy, and have some cheats here and there. I have found eating out (in theory) more straight forward since going paleo. Here are some things I find helpful:
--Every meal is basically meat and veggies, and if you can resist the other tempting items on the menu, you can almost always find something that will work. I have found that Mexican (fajitas) and American (salads, grilled meats) are easier places to find something, and Italian and pizza are usually harder.
--When eating out, I just do my best and don't worry too much about the rest (i.e.-on the Whole30, they really emphasized what oils your food is cooked in and what it may have come in contact with) I find this to take all the joy out of eating out, and isn't that the whole reason why we eat out?? It is a meal that you don't have to plan, shop for, cook, or clean up after! Awesome! So while on paleo, I resist breads, most cheeses, salad dressings, and creamy sauces.
--Most chain restaurants have gluten free menus available, and even if they don't, it is generally safe to stick with grilled meats and veggies.
--I often ask if I can sub no-no foods for extra veggies, and no one has told me no so far!
--I would also like to note that one of the beauties of paleo is that you can pretty much eat as much as you want of the right kinds of foods. This is because your body's satiety signals work properly if you are eating nutrient-rich foods. So, this means that I don't feel bad when our waiter at Outback Steakhouse not-so-politely told me "wow, I've never seen a girl actually finish that whole salad." Yep. That's right. I guess I do eat a lot.
--Have snacks readily available. Nuts, dried fruits, jerky, and a few Lara Bars. I would also recommend some chocolate. Just sayin.

Exercise:
Also a great time to give your body some recovery time; but once again, sometimes it helps get your day off to the right start to get a little exercise in. Things Tom and I have done:
-Find a hill. Run it. Repeat.
-Run some sprints. This works wherever you are!
-Tabata. Pick a few exercises. Do 8 sets of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. Repeat for each chosen exercise. Some suggestions--squats, tuck jumps, push ups, sit ups, mountain climbers, jumping jacks
-CrossFit Omaha has a list of Workouts on the Road

Almost anything can be used to get a little exercise in!

Green smoothie

Spinach, Kale, and Fruit Smoothie

1 cup spinach
1 cup kale
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (for this I use the So Delicious refrigerated kind)
1/2 cup frozen mixed fruit (I have strawberry, mango, peach right now)
1/2 banana

Throw it all in the blender or magic bullet...

This is more tart than the pear version.  If you like smoothies sweeter, you could add a splash of orange juice or a little honey.  I will keep posting variations of this smoothie because it is such an easy and delicious way to get a serving of veggies in the morning. Kale and spinach are nutrient powerhouses, full of folate, vitamin A, fiber, and calcium. There are reports that the calcium in kale is actually better absorbed than from dairy! Yay, kale!

Enjoy!

~Lauren

Greek salad

I don't know how it took me so long to discover Greek food.  Well, actually, I do know:  it was the feta cheese (I know, I know, it seems most people love feta).  Once I figured out there is so much more to Greek, now I can't stop eating it! I particularly like Layla's, a little family run Greek restaurant in Little Rock.  When I make it at home, this salad is one of my favorites:

Greek Salad Recipe
Romaine lettuce and spinach leaves (as much or little as you want--I prefer a lot!)
Grilled chicken breasts or thighs
Sliced pepperoncinis
Kalamata olives
Red bell pepper strips
Cherry tomatoes

Lemon Dill Dressing:
2 tbsp homemade mayo
1 tsp lemon juice
Dill, garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste

I like to bring my salads in Glad containers with these little attachable cups. The cups are perfect for dressings and prevent soggy salads.  Because I eat a lot, I bring the 6 cup bowls.

For the salad, you might also consider hard-boiled egg, capers, or feta cheese (if you're a bigger fan than me.) The dressing also makes a fantastic dip for veggies. I recommend everyone tries making homemade mayo at least once. It is delicious, rewarding, beautiful, and a great lesson in patience!

Enjoy!

~Lauren

I'm in love...

with Trader Joe's. Seriously, you guys...this place is incredible! Wonder what the chances are of getting one in Little Rock before we move...

Some of my favorites from my TJ's haul:

Lots of dark chocolate and jerky!
This place really is fantastic for eating paleo on a budget.

 

Gluten free jerky! For cheap!

 

 

Chocolate.  Lots of chocolate.  And yes, half that one bar is already eaten...what's it to ya??

What other amazing things have you all found at Trader Joe's??

Paleo-ish

My paleo story is similar to my CrossFit story.  After years of counting calories and attempting to limit portion sizes, I was introduced to paleo around the same time as CrossFit.  I read several books and everything online that I could find.  I eased grains out of my diet, and have been (attempting) to eat paleo since October 2011.

What is paleo?
Paleo (also referred to as the Hunter-Gatherer diet or the paleolithic diet) is a way of eating as we have in centuries past.  We eat meat, tons of veggies, some fruit, healthy fats, and some nuts.  We steer clear of grains (wheat, corn, etc.), legumes (peanuts, beans), sugar, and dairy for the most part.  This lifestyle is designed to limit inflammation and minimize insulin requirements.  We eat this way because it makes us feel great and supplements our training in the gym.

Wanna learn more?
Here are some of my favorite paleo references:
-Robb Wolf. Many of the scientific aspects.
-Everyday Paleo. How to successfully get the whole family on the paleo bandwagon.
-The Clothes make the Girl.  This woman is a genius in the kitchen!  Her cookbook, Well Fed, has changed my life!
-Whole30 (see below)
-NomNomPaleo (lots of good recipes)
-Google.  There is a whole wide paleo world out there!

How I found a balance:
After easing myself into the paleo diet, and then going strict paleo on my first (and possibly only) Whole30 program, I feel that I have found a balance that works for me.  The Whole30 restricts all dairy, all sugar, all grains, all food additives, all alcohol, and much more.  I think it was a good experience to see how I felt without eating all of that junk, but I found for me personally, I do not react well to being so restrictive.  I have no major health issues, so since my Whole30 ended January 30, I have tried to stay away from gluten unless it is REALLY worth it (hello, birthday/wedding cake) and will occasionally have a piece of cheese.  Dark chocolate and fruit are now my sweet treats of choice.  I would encourage everyone interested in this way of eating to read up on the reasons behind what to eat and not eat, and then find your own balance that is compatible with a healthy, yet fulfilling life!

Another source of balance is grocery shopping.  In a perfect world, we would eat all grassfed meat, organic produce, and pastured eggs and poultry.  However, there are some major problems with this. A) It's dang expensive.  B) Many of those things are next to impossible to find where we live right now, and the ones I can find require me to go to multiple grocery stores each week.  So, I buy grassfed when I can find it/am at Whole Foods, buy cage free or omega 3 eggs, and don't worry about the rest.  We still end up spending quite a bit on groceries per week (mostly because Husband is a big eater!!), but I figure we save sooo much on eating out and future healthcare costs!  I would encourage you to eat to the best quality which your budget and lifestyle would allow.

I would love to hear how you all have found balance in your diet!

Fish tacos

I must say, it was rough working a full day after a whole week of vacation! Somehow, I survived the day and came home to make some tasty fish tacos.

I used flounder seasoned with salt, pepper, and a dash of garlic. The butter lettuce leaves replace tortillas, and the salsa is mango, jalepeno, onion, and a splash of lime.

Happy Monday!