Valentine's Day Curry!

This afternoon I whipped up a nice primal lunch: lean organic beef, raw cheddar, and seared tomatoes. I cooked up the beef and tomatoes in a skillet, then added a dash of salt and curry right before removing them from the heat. 

YUM! 

Super satisfying! 

The tomatoes added just the right amount of sweetness, and the curry was a fun and unusual twist on an otherwise simple meal. Total prep time? under 10 minutes.

Did you know that curry is actually a mix of spices? It traditionally has cloves, saffron, black pepper and turmeric, along with fennel, cinnamon and coriander.

Together, these spices provide some pretty excellent health benefits! Coriander, for example, reduces inflammation, prevents diabetes, lowers cholesterol, and is a good source of nutrients like iron, and magnesium, according to WHFoods.org

Cinnamon improves memory, and turmeric is antibacterial... Those reasons are good enough for me! :)  

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Quinoa Queen

I love quinoa. I love its slight crunch, its faint nutty flavor, and its high protein content. I appreciate the fact that it is a complex carbohydrate, which means it will take some time for my body to break it down into energy - so I'll be full for much longer! And did you know that some South American tribes use its chemical compounds to heal skin injuries?

Here, delicious quinoa is mixed with red bell peppers, red onion,
and broccoli (the veggies were sautéed in coconut oil).
I threw in a can of tuna for good measure - Lunch!

Lately, though, I've heard mutterings about the plight of the poor indigenous people who harvest the seed that America has come to crave. Right now, the families in Peru and Bolivia who used to live on it can no longer afford to eat what they harvest. A pound of quinoa costs more than a chicken. For now, they are eating a lot of fast food. Sad. Still, my mother bought a 60-pound bag of the stuff, so my boycott will have to wait another 57 pounds. Will you limit your consumption? Keep it the same? Boycott it completely?

Delicious avocados are an afternoon snack.
Here they're sprinkled with crunchy red salt! Yum!

Zoup and Zalad

Woke up today and didn't feel super hungry, so I heated up a bowl of broth and drank it, along with some coffee.

I ate again at around 2:00 p.m. - an avocado with salt. The high/healthy fat combo filled me up, and gave me enough energy run run and bike a few miles in the early evening.

I came home, chugged some water, and enjoyed this delicious salad: Mixed greens, beef, red onion, tomatoes, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. I topped it with olive oil and salt and pepper. YUMZ!

Nuts! Nuts and dates! Dates and nuts!

I'll never forget rolling up to that macadamia nut farm near Cairns, Australia... On board our tour bus was a jovial driver/tour guide, a tentative Asian couple, and the other half of my failing relationship. My relationship didn't survive the trip, but my new love for "macs" (as the Aussies call them) did!

Lately, with somewhat limited food choices, I've been drawn to more decadent snacks. Three plump dates and the same number of macadamia nuts gives me crunchy and chewy textures, and sweet and salty flavors - yum!

Not only are macadamia nuts delicious, they're great for you! They contain complete proteins, vitamin E, and a good dose of fiber. Dates, too, pack a delicious punch! Not only does eating them provide some protection against oral and breast cancer, but they are excellent sources of iron (great for the ladies when Aunt Flo comes for a visit), and vitamin A - which is important key to good vision!

Together, when eaten in moderation, they are a tasty way to satisfy cravings and do your body some good too!

Payback

After several days of eating things like pita bread, monkey bread, and banana bread, my joints were screaming! My body decided that it was payback time, and I paid big. Now, after a day at the gym, and a full day of nutritious foods, my knees are only slightly stiff, and my elbow's tendonitis isn't quite so painful.

For a long time I thought joint pain was something old people griped about. I didn't realize how debilitating and limiting it could truly be. The best way I can describe it is to say that it feels like the connective tissue is stripped and about to break. Regular movement feels like you're rolling on rusty hinges. No bueno.

If there is great news, it's that there is now such a clear link between that pain and my diet.

Today I enjoyed:

Breakfast: Bacon, 2 eggs, 2 squash, followed by coffee with coconut oil.

Lunch: Spring greens with a tuna salad (tuna, onions, Greek yogurt) topped with blueberries.

Snack: Macadamia nuts and 3 dates.

Post-workout: Protein shake.

Dinner: Beef patties with avocado, and plenty of roast veggies!

Feelin' good!

I hope you like clean things, because week 2 was a wash!

Did tons of travel and too little planning, which means that last week was a wash! However, I'm back home and back on track! 

Day 7: One week of awesome!

So I'm one week in, and I have to say this has been a relatively painless transition.

I'm enjoying healthier skin, a tighter tummy, and focus that has improved incredibly!

Since most of my previous "cheats" involved processed carbs (donuts, cookies, pizza, cake, too many slices of toast), removing it completely as an option has proved to be the most effective means of not cheating!

And in the absence of processed grains, I've found myself happily snacking on sweet fruits when I'm craving sugar, healthy fats when I want to feel satisfied, and veggies when I simply want to snack.


Seven days down, 53 to go! 

Day 6: Wolf Spirit

Truth is, this is the attitude I attacked today with. I really, really wasn't feeling the gym,

 or clean eating,

or food prep, 

but I did it all anyway, because isn't that what commitment is about?

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 3 pieces of bacon, 1 avocado, coffee.

Snacks: apple, broth, Brasil nuts.

Dinner: Chicken soup.

Day 5: Rest

Resting  present participle of rest (Verb)

Verb Cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength. Remain or be left in a specified condition: "rest assured."

Today is Sunday, and I've chosen to take it as a rest day. I'm not going to leave the house or put on makeup or wear uncomfortable shoes. I've been battling sickness for nearly a week, and before this next week kicks off, I want to be as rested and healed as possible.

Breakfast was a steaming mug of chicken broth, along with hot coffee.

Snacks since then have been an apple and some sautéed veggies.

Dinner will likely be a shake made with Swiss chard, frozen berries, and whey protein.

I'm also drinking some Synergy Kombucha, since fermented foods aid in digestion. Additionally, kombucha is filled with glucosamines, which increase the body's production of synovial acid. If that sounds scary, it's not! It's actually a good thing!

Synovial acid preserves cartilage, and aids in tissue moisture, lubrication, and flexibility - so your skin is healthier! Plus, healthy tissue retards wrinkle formation - especially appreciated as I approach 30. :)

Hope you have a restful day! Find time to engage is leisure today - that is, something you enjoy that is not passive... Savor a favorite poem; prepare a colorful meal, and take your time to enjoy the textures and flavors; mindfully drink a cup of tea; play a game of checkers; go for a walk in the country - the possibilites are endless!

Day 4: Broth for a Bruiser

A delicious chicken stock is simmering away on the stove, filling the house with incredible smells. It's going to be wonderful torture to wait a whole 24 hours for my first taste of it. :)

I love homemade chicken stock because not only is it fast to prepare (dump from jar to a pot, get ready for school, meal is ready), but it is also delicious and carries so many health benefits! From a boosted immune system (important during flu season) to improved joint health, chicken stock is where it's at!

For this stock, I covered a whole chicken in water, then added half a cup of apple cider vinegar to draw out flavor and nutrients. Then I added 2 chopped carrots, half a red onion, and 4 garlic cloves. I also added fresh parsley, herbes de provence, and oregano.

I brought the water to a simmer, skimmed the top of impurities, and then covered it and left it at a low simmer. During the next 24 hours I'll fill the pot with water a few times.

In other news, the unsmiley photo of me was taken this morning after my first trip to the gym in weeks. I did some serious leg work and ran an easy-peasy mile. I've gotten really, really weak. Squats, bench hops, hamstring curls, stepups and walking lunges wore me out! I guess all that yoga and walking wasn't enough to sustain my strength. :) So far I've been active every day of this challenge though - one way or another. I'm excited to get back to a regular gym routine!

Day 3: Play!

Last December I celebrated my 29th birthday, and since then I've thought often about how I want to invest this last year of my 20's. One of the things I've determined to do is to play more often. I think leisure - that is, things that are done for enjoyment, but are not passive - is an important part of the good life. So I've been intentionally including more play in my life, and I find that I'm much happier! From snowshoeing to swinging to reading, I'm being intentional about participating in my own life in a way that is fun!

My third day of this 60-day challenge is off to a great start. This morning I made a Paleo eggs benedict. I'm going to be honest and say that it looks beautiful, but I'm a big texture person, and it was a bit cold and slimy for my taste. :) The bacon saved it. If I were to make it again, I would sear the tomatoes to warm up the dish. Still, it was fun to experiment with a new recipe! I enjoyed this dish with two cups of french pressed Hazelnut coffee.

Also, call me crazy, but I feel tighter than I did three days ago! So far I haven't had to fight any major cravings. I feel so good and so satisfied (I'm attributing that satisfaction to the high fat content of my foods) that I'm not even tempted by nasty processed foods!

The weather was great today, so I went for a walk, and ended up on the swing, relaxing in the breeze and feeling satisfied and happy with life. :)

Day 2: Energy!

I have to say, I'm feeling great! By the end of yesterday, I had high energy and was feeling light and healthy. Started off this morning with an egg/veggie scramble, then snacked on coffee and an apple. Lunch is beef patties (seasoned with Hickory salt - food-gasmic!) with cheese, and a clean potato salad.

Clean Potato Salad:
- Boil 2 cubed sweet potatoes
- Combine with 1/2 diced onion, 2 diced hard-boiled eggs, and 3/4 cup of greek yogurt. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Enjoy!

Meal prep time: 15 minutes
Meal cost: $1.75 (that includes the meat, and a quarter the cost of the batch of potato salad, since my recipe easily made four servings).

Dinner will be a light snack - maybe nuts and chocolate covered espresso beans.

Since I've been pretty sedentary today, and my main activity has been yoga and homework, my caloric needs aren't super high.

Day 1: Truth

I'm feeling sick this morning - achy body and sore throat. The thought of prepping breakfast or working out made me dread getting out of bed. Fortunately, I'm remembering that this isn't a commitment to food, it's a commitment to myself, and it is spurred by good intentions that will have great results for my body.

So... a healthy breakfast looks like:

- 2 scrambled eggs with hot sauce

- 1 organic Fuji apple

- 2 cups of coffee with coconut oil (which boosts thyroid function, is anti-bacterial, and is full of Vitamin E - great for skin and hair!)

It was delicious!

Lunch: I'm prepping a great mix of greens, parsley and tomatoes for lunch, along with a tuna salad made with greek yogurt.

Dinner: The evening meal will be tons of roasted veggies and a ground beef patty with cheese.

Snacks: Organic trail mix from Sunspot Natural Market

So what is Paleo? And why am I doing it?

What is Paleo?

As simply as I understand it, Paleo is about eating lean meats, poultry, and fish, with plenty of vegetables, some fruits, and lots of nuts and seeds. I'm going to include some additional healthy fats in my diet (coconut oil, raw milk), but for the next 60 days I will be eliminating grains, processed foods, and refined sugar from my choices.

Why am I doing it?

I decided to undertake this Paleo challenge because in many ways it mirrors the way I've been trying to eat for the past two years. In the past, grains have inevitably snuck back what I eat; they're delicious and fast to prepare. Until now, I've never fully committed to a life that's about the totally natural way! 

I'm 29 years old, and 20 pounds heavier than I'd like to be. I'm also ready for a change. I consider myself fairly fit, and I could probably run three or four miles or lift something really heavy, but you can't see any of that powerful muscle because it's covered in excess that is not the essence of me.

When I've dropped weight before, I've felt deeply uncomfortable with my smaller frame. In my mind, small = vulnerable. And part of me wants the power of size. Hmmm. I'm seeking help with this mental roadblock, because I really do want to live a lean, healthy life! 

Tomorrow's the day!

Prep Work

Last night, as I was storing my new crop of fresh veggies, fruits and seasonings into the fridge, I was equal parts excited about providing my body with good foods, and kind of dreading the prep work. 

I stopped by Sunspot Natural Market and picked up some raw milk (because I don't plan to cut dairy out completely), organic veggies at a very reasonable price, and the following new (to me) products: grains of paradise, hickory salt, Himalayan salt, and chia seeds.

I stirred the chia seeds into water, and 15 minutes later had a gelatinous pudding with a slight crunch and distant nutty flavor. Within half an hour I felt full, and wasn't bothered by my usual late night snacking urges. I'll be using those again! Next time, I'll sprinkle cinnamon in the mix.

And finally, in the interest of transparency, I'll discuss the undiscussable - Smooth Move. My sister introduced this tea to me, and I've used it occasionally in the past. In my opinion, it's a nice way to cleanse after a few weeks of nasty processed foods, and the tea itself tastes delicious!

Shopping

Officially, I begin my 60-day Paleo challenge on Wednesday. So to prepare, I'm going to stop by Smoking Goose Meatery to pick up some smoked meats for breakfast and dinner! I know that some great bacon or salami will make all the difference in keeping me enthusiastic about this new life without processed grains. :)

I'm also going to swing by the grocery for fresh fruits and vegetables, and some yummy fish!