Category: Paleo

Whole 30 Diary Entry: Day 1

General Attitude/Mood:
I woke up this morning feeling just a bit “foggy” due to last night’s NYE festivities, and got a later start to the day than usual, however feel like my Day 1 went pretty well in general.

My energy levels were okay throughout the day, with a bit of an energy lull in the afternoon around 4pm.

I’m ending the day in a generally good mood and feeling optimistic about the 30 days in front of me.

Meals:
Meal prep was no problem because I knocked out all of my shopping and “weekly prep work” over the weekend. Also, today was a holiday, so I didn’t have to work, which of course made everything easier!

I felt like I had plenty of variety to my meals today – none of them were bland or boring, and I felt satiated after each meal (happy dance!)

Cravings and/or “Issues”:
I did find myself craving sugar throughout the day, but the cravings weren’t very strong or long-lived, and I was (pleasantly!) surprised to find that I really wasn’t that hungry in between meals.

Exercise:
I’m still unable to do much working out due to my shoulder injury and knee issues, but I did do my shoulder PT and a few floor bridges (hamstring strengthening exercises) . I also spent about 15 minutes rolling out my legs really good (quads, hamstrings, IT bands and calves), and stretching my hamstrings & quads.

Injury Update:
I iced my knees 2x today – unfortunately my left knee is still bugging me – really, really hoping that cutting the gluten out will help eliminate the knee issues I’ve been having.

My shoulder, on the other hand felt really great, and only got a little tweaky once as I was throwing Jake’s toy for him 🙂

Other:
I didn’t drink nearly enough water today – I need to work on making this more of a habit. I find that when I’m not exercising as much, I forget to drink throughout the day.

Whole30 Diary Entry: Day 0

The

 Well – I’m back. . again. . . at least for 30 days!

You see, I’ve decided to do another Whole30, and I realized looking back that I’ve never really chronicled any of the Whole30s that I’ve done in the past, so after a while my memory gets a little foggy, and I forget about all of the little milestones and feelings of accomplishment that are experienced along the way – and that’s really the best part of a Whole30 – at least for me! So I decided that this time around, I’m going to do 1 blog entry every day. Most will just be very short and will simply summarize my feelings, cravings, thoughts, and experiences as I move through my Whole30 Journey.

For my Day 0 Entry, I thought I’d lay out why I’m doing another Whole30, what my goals are for the next 30 days, and what benefits I hope to see by the end of it.

Why am I doing the Whole30?

  • I’d rather ride my bike pain free than eat cookies and cakes 
    • I’m hoping that my knee pain will go away after I cut out all of the gluten & processed foods again
  • I went a little “off the rails” during the holidays, and I feel SO much better in general when eating “Paleo”, so I’m pressing the reset button
  • I’d like to become fat-adapted again before the start of the race season, so now is the time to make it happen
  • I’ve had great success with the Whole30 Program multiple times in the past – I KNOW it works 🙂

Goals for my Whole30:

  • Log every bite that I eat in my pictoral food log
    • Will help with accountability and 
    • Will make me think twice about whether I’m satisfying a craving or eating b/c I’m actually hungry
    • May help others see that this is really very doable and/or provide meal ideas for other
  • Comply 100% with the Whole30 guidelines (Including staying off the scale!!)
  • No SWYPO Snacks. For me, this means not even the 100% Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Squares
  • Help provide support for my group of friends who are also doing a January Whole30
  • Completely Lay off any exercises that could aggravate my knee for at least the next two weeks
    • Giving my body time to heal/recover is just as important as putting it through rigorous training, and I have to remind myself of this (regularly!)
Benefits that I hope to see at the end:
  • Knee Pain Gone or significantly diminished
  • More consistent energy levels (no afternoon crashes)
  • Reduced or Eliminated Sugar Cravings
  • Fully Fat Adapted (hopefully eliminating the need to “carbo-load”)
  • Clearer Skin
  • Get back to my “fighting weight” – just lean out a bit to improve my performance on the bike

Tropical Sushi Rolls! (w/ Cauliflower Rice)

I think this is my first blog post in over a year! Life has just been sooo crazy, and I had to prioritize my “have to’s” and my “want to’s”, and cut a few things out. . . 

Anyway, I recently created the most amazing Sushi using Cauliflower Rice, and it turned out so well that I just HAD to share 🙂
I have been craving the heck out of sushi lately, but have been feeling SO good following a 99.9% squeaky clean Paleo Diet that I just didn’t want to cave and risk taking a few steps back on the health front to satisfy a craving. So I decided to get creative and try my hand at Sushi made w/ Cauliflower Rice. The idea popped into my head about a month or so ago when I made my first batch of Juli Bauer’s Coconut Caulflower Rice (If you haven’t checked out www.PaleOMG.com yet – do it now!)

Anyway, I made her version of Coconut Cauliflower Rice, and found that the texture reminded me a little bit of “sticky rice” – I think due to the use of a little raw honey. Sticky Rice made me think Sushi, and a month later I finally got to play with the idea!

You can use whatever fillings that you’re in the mood for – I chose to use Sashimi Grade Wild Tuna, Avocado, Pineapple, and a little bit of Spicy Paleo Mayo. I know . . most people will see the pineapple and go eeewwww. . but I had some leftover Grilled Pineapple from another recipe of Juli’s that I made earlier in the week – and I saw it in the fridge as I was grabbing the ingredients to assemble my rolls, and thought – “Why Not?” – I love sweet and spicy stuff, and the sweetness of the pineapple w/ the spiciness of the mayo really made my taste buds sing!
Ideas for other fillings would be matchstick carrots and/or cucumbers, smoked salmon (if you’re not into raw fish), or crab meat (REAL Lump Crab mixed w/ spicy mayo would be yummy! Just avoid the overly processed gluten filled fake stuff).
This Recipe is kind of like a 3-in-1. I’ll include the Sushi Roll Assembly Instructions, a recipe for the Cauliflower Rice (pretty much straight off Juli’s site w/ just a minor modification), and a recipe for the spicy mayo.
Tropical Sushi Rolls:
Suggested Ingredients:
1 batch Cauliflower “Sticky” Rice (recipe below)
3 Tb Spicy Paleo Mayo (optional – recipe below)
Sashimi Grade Tuna or Salmon. . or Both!
Fresh Pineapple (sliced into long, slender strips)
1 Large Ripe Avocado
Instructions:
Place 1 Nori Sheet on a Flat, Dry surface 
Spread 1/4 cup (give or take) of Cauliflower Rice up and down the center of it
Slice off a strip of Tuna about 1/4 inch thick, and lay down the center of the rice
Lay 2 slices of Avocado alongside the tuna down the center of the rice
Lay a strip of pineapple down the center along the other side of the tuna
Drizzle a little bit of Spicy Mayo over the Tuna/Avocado/Pineapple
“Smear” a little avocado along one edge of the Nori (this will help seal it)
Watch This Video from 6:45 to 7:20 for “rolling” instructions
Once rolled tightly, use a very sharp knife to slice into 6-8 pieces
Additional Options/Variations:
Spread a little Wasabi Paste along the edge instead of or in addition to the Avocado (if you like it SPICY!)
Sprinkle individual pieces with toasted sesame seeds
Make a Spicy Crab Roll by replacing Tuna w/ Lump Crab Meat that has been mixed w/ the Spicy Mayo
Serve with Wasabi Paste, Pickled Ginger, and Coconut Aminos for dipping
Coconut Cauliflower “Sticky” Rice
Ingredients:
1 Head Cauliflower
1 Tb Coconut Oil (or sesame oil would be good too, I think!)
1/4 – 1/3 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk (depending on size of cauliflower head)
1/8 cup finely shredded coconut (unsweetened)
2 Tb Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Raw Honey
Instructions:
Remove Stems and Roughly Chop Cauliflower. Place florets in Food Processor and Pulse until you get a rice-like consistency. 

TIP: Don’t Over-do it! If you pulse too much, you’ll end up with a bit of a “mush” instead of a “rice” and the consistency will be a little to wet for the sushi rolls. 

Warm 1 Tb oil in large pot – dump in “rice”, sprinkle with sea salt, stir until well combined, and cover with lid to let steam. Steam with lid on for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Honestly? I didn’t set a timer. . . it’s not an exact science though – 8 to 10 minutes should do the trick!). 
Remove lid and stir in coconut milk, vinegar, and shredded coconut. Then drizzle w/ honey and mix well. Let cook about another 8 minutes without lid, stirring frequently. It should be about the consistency of sticky rice when it’s done. 
Remove from heat and set aside

Spicy Mayo (Optional)
Ingredients:
3 Tb of your favorite Paleo Mayo (I like Melissa Joulwan’s recipe)
1/ 2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (more or less to your taste) 
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
splash of coconut aminos (optional)
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well (or blend w/ a hand blender if you’d prefer)

Rough Chopped Cauliflower in Food Processor

“Riced” Cauliflower

Ingredients for Coconut Sticky “Rice”

Sticky “Rice” (after cooking)

Assembled Sushi Roll before Rolling
Basic Sushi Roll 1
Basic Sushi Roll 2
Tropical Sushi Roll!

Hello World . . . Again!

I am well aware that it’s been a little bit over 3.5 months since my last blog post, in which I proclaimed to “have my routine back”. . . but I guess I spoke a bit to soon! To anyone and everyone out there following my blog – I really am sorry to have been MIA for so long!
Over the last few months, I’ve been on a bit of a roller coaster – one that I know I haven’t been riding alone. I would eat really well for a few weeks, and then get sucked back under by one of many different “justifiable reasons” (insert sarcastic tone here!). Among the things that have derailed my good intentions – high-stress periods at work, business trips, birthday parties, summer bbq’s, and a plain old-fashion lack of will-power. I temporarily lost sight of the REAL reasons behind my decision to stick to a Paleo “diet”, and without those reasons as motivation, I “fell off the wagon” repeatedly.

On a positive note, I have managed to stick to my training, but on the flip side, my nutrition has definitely been lacking.
But, I’ve finally come to the point where enough is enough. I need to get back on the right track, and I’ve recently been reminded of exactly why it is that I decided this path in the first place. The primary reason that I have chosen to follow the Paleo “diet” principles for life is that I want to live a long and healthy life, as free from illness as possible. As many of us have a tendency to do, I’ve taken my health for granted to date. Up until about a year ago, I’d always been very healthy, and the most severe ailment I’d ever had was a case of appendicitis. This has made it easy to ignore the fact that some of the things that I’ve chosen to put into my body very likely could contribute to health problems in the not-so-distant future, especially if I continue to consume them on a regular basis. It’s so easy to ignore the facts about gluten’s involvement in auto-immune disease, among other things, when there isn’t much of an immediate consequence upon consuming it (other than maybe some gut discomfort which can easily be chalked up to overeating, and over time is barely even noticed as anything outside of “normal”).
So I’m making my good intentions public once again. Beginning right now, this minute – I plan to clean up my act and eliminate all gluten, grains, dairy, soy, legumes, and processed foods. I’ve got a fridge full of veggies, chicken, fish, and Grass Fed Beef. Food Prep for the week (Spinach muffins, guacamole, etc) is done. My Meal plan for the week is complete, and I’m ready to go 🙂
This week’s meal plan includes:
Breakfasts:
Omletes stuffed w/ tons of veggies and homemade guacamole
Lunches:
Salads w/ wild tuna, tons of veggies, avocado, HB eggs, homemade may dressings
Leftovers from previous nights dinners
Snacks:
Spinach Muffins w/ Guacamole
Limited fresh fruit & raw almonds
Raw veggies & Paleo Hummus (zucchini & tahini based rather than chick pea)
Dinners (M – F) are:
Crock Pot (Grass Fed) Meatballs & Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Wild King Salmon w/ Tomato Basil Relish and a salad of field greens
Chicken & Broccoli Coconut Curry Stirfry (From Paleo Recipe Book by Sébastien Noël)
Curry Shrimp over Zucchini noodles
“Salsa Chicken” over Shredded Cabbage topped w/ Avocado
I’m not starting another Whole30 just yet, but plan to do so within the next few weeks. I’m working to get back into the routine of planning and prepping all of my meals first. After a week or two of 95%, I’ll be jumping back into another Whole30 head first!
Training is going to stay about the same. I’m going into my second cycle of Wendler 5-3-1 Training, which I’m combining w/ bodyweight assistance exercises and complimentary CrossFit WODs. I’m also really focusing on my “goats”. I got my first HSPU about a month ago (BIG happy dance!!), and have been working them regularly ever since to increase the # that I can do in a row, and decrease the amount of rest that I need in between sets. I’m also working on improving my ring dips (I can still only do 2-3 in a row, and after a few sets of 2-3, I’m done. . . I’m still working on my Olympic Lifts also, but not as regularly. I’m really focusing on increasing my strength first and foremost. Once I get some of my baseline #’s up a bit (squat, shoulder press, deadlift), I’ll switch my focus back over to improving my technique and form on the Olympic Lifts – I truly enjoy training the Olympic Lifts more than just about anything . . . but I feel that I’ve hit a wall and won’t break through it until I increase my strength.
I’m really going to try to check back in regularly in the upcoming weeks and months to share my successes & struggles, ask for advice, and maybe even give a little from time to time 😉 If all goes according to plan, I’ll also be sharing some new Paleo Recipes as I get back into the routine of “playing w/ my food”.
One last thing that I have to share – and this little bit of news has got me grinning from ear to ear – we’re talking Cheshire cat grin here. . . My wonderful Hubby has decided to give CrossFit a try! He started about a week ago, and so far he loves it. I am so very proud of him and excited for him, and it is SO wonderful to be able to share something with him that has become such a large part of my life.
Well, I’m signing off for now – but will do my best to post again before another 3 months roll by!

Ode to Guacamole

I L-O-V-E Guacamole.

Anyone that has been checking out my food blog can attest to this.

I eat Guacamole with everything. On top of Eggs, Chicken, Steak, and Salads. Mixed in with canned Wild Tuna or Ground GF Beef. Scooped onto Raw Jicama Strips, Carrots, and Celery. Spread on top of a Spinach Muffin. It is my firm belief that guacamole would make just about anything taste better!

So in an attempt to profess my undying love for this creamy, delicious, wonderfully chock-full-of-good-fat condiment, I have written a brief poem.

Ode To Guacamole

Guacamole is so Yummy
I love to put it in my Tummy
When I run out I feel just Crummy
My fingers start to get all Drummy!

Don’t have to share it with my Honey
Because he thinks that it tastes Scummy
(But I think he’s a big ‘ol Dummy!)
His taste buds must be wired Funny 🙂

That’s right Folks – A Poet I am not!

Well, after all that talk of Guacamole, I figure it’s only fair that I share my recipe. Please note that I rarely measure spices when making guacamole. I typically just sprinkle until it looks right, taste, and then sprinkle some more if neccesary. So the spice measurements below are estimates – adjust to your own tastes 🙂

Christie’s Homemade Guacamole Recipe

Ingredients:
4 large Avocados (or 7-8 small)

Juice of 1 Lime (sometimes 1.5 – 2 limes if I’m in the mood for a more tangy guac -play with it to match your tastes)

3 Cloves Garlic, finely minced

2-3 tsp Ground Cumin

1.5 tsp Chili Powder (Substitute .5 tsp for Cayenne Pepper if you like it spicy)

Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped (I buy mine from the farmer’s market, and it’s really strong because it’s picked w/in 12 hours of purchase. If you’re using “grocery store” cilantro, you may need to adjust this amount up)

1/4 – 1/2 of a small red onion, finely diced

3 Serrano Peppers, seeded and finely diced (Omit if you don’t like any spiciness at all – this just adds a little “kick”)

1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered (Optional – I usually leave out b/c they seem to make it brown faster. Sometimes I’ll stir them into a single serving)

Directions:

I start by chopping/prepping all of my veggies, peppers, and cilantro ahead of time so that I can just stir them in when I’m ready. You don’t have to do this, but if you mash your avocados first, and then they sit out while you chop your veggies, they will have a greater chance of browning due to exposure to the air.

Peel and Remove Seeds from avocados. Mash together with lime juice in large plastic or glass bowl , using wooden spoon. Mash until desired consistency. I like to leave mine pretty chunky.

Stir in Cumin, Chili Powder, Cayenne Pepper (if using), Garlic, Cilantro, Sea Salt, & Pepper. Mix Well.

Taste. Add Spices as needed.

Stir in Red Onion & Serrano Peppers. Mix Well.

Fold in Tomatoes Gently (if using).

Chill and Serve.

On Everything.

Really!

Recipe: Grilled Broccoli

I LOVE vegetables 🙂 But sometimes I get tired of eating “sauteed this” or “roasted that” and I want to do something a little bit different.

I recently discovered “Roasted Broccoli”, and it is absolutely delicious, but it stinks up my house something aweful whenever I cook it. Enter Grilled Broccoli!

Grilled Broccoli tastes very similar to roasted broccoli, and it gets nice and crispy outside but soft inside, like roasted broccoli as well. The advantage is that the cooking is done outside, and my house doesn’t smell like dirty socks for 3 hours after I’m done preparing it 🙂

I also like the fact that I can cook this alongside some steaks, chicken breasts, or turkey burgers on my grill, and not have to worry about monitoring both a grill and a stove simultaneously.

And Great News! This is yet another recipe that even Picky eaters will likely eat without complaints (Yes, I know this from experience . . . . )

Grilled Broccoli

Ingredients:

Several Heads of broccoli cut into florets (but leave about 1 – 2 inches of stem intact)

EVOO (the amount will depend on how much broccoli you are using. I’d guesstimate about 1 Tb per full head of broccoli)

Freshly Minced Garlic (1 clove per head of broccoli)

Sea Salt to taste

Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice (1/2 lemon per head of broccoli)

Instructions:

Toss Broccoli in a big bowl with EVOO, Sea Salt, and Minced Garlic. Mix well (toss for at least 2-3 minutes to make sure that all florets are coated w/ Olive Oil. The longer you toss, the better the end results will be!

Spread Broccoli out on a Grill Pan (I use disposable grill pans like the one pictured below. If you don’t have a grill pan, you can cook without, but you’ll want your stalks to be a little bit longer so that you don’t have to worry about them falling through the grates)


Grill Pan

Place Grill Pan with broccoli on Grill over low heat, and cook for about 5* minutes, or until underside begins to brown/crisp.

Using Thongs, flip each piece of broccoli over, and cook for another 2-3 minutes**

Remove from the Grill, Sprinkle with Lemon Juice, and Serve!

*If you like crisper (less cooked / al dente) broccoli, turn after about 3 minutes. I like my broccoli pretty “well done”

**You don’t absolutely have to cook both sides if you’re in a hurry – grilling just one side is fine – that side will just be a little crispier while the other side will be a bit softer.

Recipe: Pressure Cooker Middle Eastern Chicken

I’ve continued to have fun playing with food and my new toy, the Pressure Cooker over the last week, and have come up with another winner!

I’m by no means a Pressure Cooker Expert yet, but I’m definitely getting the hang of this thing, and I really love the fact that foods cooked in it seem to be so much more flavorful – I think that Jamie (my hubby) has actually licked his plate after every single pressure cooker meal that I’ve prepared – and that’s saying something considering he typically is not a huge fan of any “Paleo Meals” that I prepare for him.

The following recipe took a lot of modification from the original, which called for yogurt, flour, potato starch, and rice – so I knew I was taking a “risk”, but it turned out great – so good that I felt it was “share-worthy”.

I was a little hesitant to add the mint because it just really seemed like an odd combination, and I’ve never used mint in a recipe before, but it was very good and I don’t think the dish would have been the same without it.

Pressure Cooker Middle Eastern Chicken (Paleo Version)

Ingredients:

3 lbs Chicken Breasts or Tenders
1/4 cup Olive Oil
6 Green Onions, Minced
5 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
1/2 cup Parsley, Minced
1 Tb Dried Mint
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 cup Organic Free Range Chicken Broth (read label to avoid sugar/soy/gluten/etc)
3 Tb Fresh-Squeezed Lemon Juice
3/4 Cup Full Fat Coconut Milk (Divided into 1/2 cup & 1/4 cup portions)
Sea Salt to taste
1/2 tsp White Pepper (ground black pepper would work if you don’t have white)
2 Egg Yolks
1.5 Tb Arrowroot Powder

Instructions:

Heat Olive Oil in bottom of pressure cooker, and then briefly brown chicken on both sides (in batches).

Remove chicken to a plate, and set to the side.

Add Green Onions, Garlic, & Parsley, and saute in hot oil for 2 minutes, then add Chicken & Stir.

Sprinkle with Mint & Cumin.

Add Broth, Lemon Juice, 1/2 cup Coconut Milk, Salt, & Pepper, and stir well.

Secure lid and bring to pressure over high heat (will take approx 10-12 minutes).

Reduce heat to medium (but maintain pressure), and cook 10 minutes.

Remove Pressure Cooker from heat and let pressure release naturally (natural-release method).
Remove lid, Remove Chicken, and set on a plate (leaving sauce in pressure cooker).

Ladel out 1/2 cup of the broth, add remaining 1/4 cup coconut milk, and whisk into egg yolks.

Whisk ArrowRoot Powder into the egg yolk mixture, and then stir back into cooking liquid in Pressure Cooker.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until thickened (about 10 minutes?)

Spoon over chicken, and serve.

This dish is tangy, savory, and creamy all at the same time!

I served mine with grilled broccoli and Mel’s Creamy Spicy Greens, and this was a great combination.

Recipe: Pressure Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Another Pressure Cooker Success!!

I am absolutely in love with my Pressure Cooker, and wondering why in the world I waited so long to break down and buy one! I have never in my life had chicken breasts and tough cuts of meat (like stew meat) come out so tender, and with so little effort, and in such a short amount of time! If you’ve never used a Pressure Cooker – Warning – there is a small learning curve, but I highly reccomend purchasing one. I don’t know that I’ll ever cook chicken or roasts any other way again!

One of the first meals that I made in my Pressure Cooker was Chicken Cacciatore. I was craving Italian and Olives, and this meal fit the bill. I searched a ton of websites, pulled multiple recipes, and used a little bit from here and a little bit from there to come up with my own creation.

The result was absolutely phenominal (If I do say so myself!). I literally shredded the chicken w/ a fork when it was done – it was that tender!

Pressure Cooker Chicken Cacciatore:

Ingredients:

Olive Oil
3 Shallots, Chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
1 Green Bell Pepper, seeded & diced
1/2 cup Organic Chicken or Vegetable Broth (be careful of sneaky sugars/soy/gluten/etc)
1 8-10 oz package mushrooms, sliced
5-6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (good sized ones, not midgets – you’ll want leftovers!)
2 Cans Organic Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tb Organic Tomato Paste
1 Can Pitted Black Olives (I used Whole Foods Brand – just olives, water, salt)
Fresh Parsley
Red Pepper to taste (I used a healthy 1/2 tsp, but I like spicy!)
Sea Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a 4-quart or larger cooker. Add the shallots and bell pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the shallots soften slightly, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the broth and boil for 2-3 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the cooker.

Stir in the mushrooms and garlic. Set the chicken on top. Cover the chicken with crushed tomatoes. Do not stir. Plop the tomato paste on top.

Lock the lid in place.

Over high heat bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 8 minutes.

Turn off the heat.

Allow the pressure to come down naturally. Remove the lid.

Stir in the olives, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

I served mine over a heaping serving of shredded cabbage, and it was AWESOME!

Recipe: Pressure Cooker Pot Roast

I am FINALLY getting the chance to really put my pressure cooker to work, and loving every minute of it! The new Pressure Cooker works like charm. The very first time I used it, I started to freak out just a little b/c it seemed to take FOREVER for the regulator to start to rock, and steam was coming out of the lid lock/air vent even though it was in the “up” postion. . . but after a few minutes of this it rattled into place, and then the regulator started rocking a few minutes later – YAY- Pressure Cooker Success #1!

I’ve cooked several meals in my pressure cooker over the last week or so, and every single one has turned out AWESOME!:

~Paleo-ized Chicken Cacciatori – A-Freaking-Mazing! (recipe coming in the next week 🙂

~Paleo-ized Chili (Mel’s recipe w/ some revisions to cooking method and meat type)

~”Salsa Dancing Chicken” (stolen from the Everyday Paleo Website – YUM!!)

~Sweet Potatoes

~Beets

~. . .and lastly – a Pot Roast-esque Dish that turned out so good I had to force myself to stop eating it after one serving – I totally wanted to go back for more!

I can’t keep this amazing discovery to myself – so here it is!

The backstory: I promised my hubby I’d cook him pot roast this weekend, but when I opened my box freezer to pull out one of my GF Roasts . .**Gasp!** . . .there were none to be found! I dug to the very bottom because I swear I still had at least one roast in there. . . but no such luck. So what’s a girl to do? I couldn’t bring myself to go a buy sub-par grain-fed roast, but I don’t live in an area where you can just drive to a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s and pick up a piece of GF Meat!

So I improvised – it’s funny – I’ve noticed that some of my best creations have come out of improvisation when I’m out of something that I thought I had! I used 3 packages of GF Stew Meat instead of a roast (approx 3 lbs)

Then, as I was getting the veggies out to prep, I realized that I didn’t have any sweet potatoes either! **Palm-Face** So I scoured my fridge to try to figure out something I could sub for the Sweet Potatoes. . .Brussel Sprouts to the rescue! So I ended up making an “odd” Pot Roast-esque dish with Stew Meat, Farmer’s Market Carrots, Brussel Sprouts, Onions, & Celery – and I swear that it is the BEST “PotRoast” I have ever had in my entire life!

Please forgive me – I tend not to measure spices and such when I’m “creating”. . .so the measurements below are my best estimates!

Pressure Cooker “Pot Roast-Esque Dish”

Ingredients:

3 lbs Grass Fed Stew Meat
2 Cups Organic Beef Broth (Read Label – make sure no “sneaky” sugar or gluten or soy)
1 Bunch Carrots (5-6 medium), cut into chunks
1 bag Fresh Brussel Sprouts (15-20?)
3-4 Stalks Celery
1 Large Vidalia Onion
6 Cloves Garlic (or less if you’re not a big garlic fan
Cumin
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
2 Bay Leaves
Coconut Aminos (2 Tb?)
Olive Oil

Directions:

Prep Veggies – Cut Carrots, Celery, & Onions into good-sized chunks, mince garlic, halve brussel sprouts.

Pour Olive Oil in a large skillet, add Stew Meat, and sprinkle meat with Cumin, Sea Salt, and Pepper. Mix around really well so that spices cover all of the meat, and then lightly brown it (approx 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly).

While browning meat, saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 3-5 minutes (until onions start to soften) in bottom of pressure cooker. Once the meat is slightly browned, toss it with the onions an the garlic in the pressure cooker. Add 2 Cups Beef Broth, 2 Tb Coconut Aminos, and 2 Bay Leaves.

Secure Lid and bring to pressure. Once Cooker builds pressure, start your timer, and cook for 17 minutes.

Release the pressure under running water, remove Pressure Cooker lid, Dump in veggies, stir, and replace lid.

Return Pressure Cooker to heat, & bring back up to pressure. Once Pressure is built, reduce heat to low (but make sure regulator is still rocking). Cook for an additional 7 Minutes.

Use the Quick Release Method once again, remove lid, and serve. If you’re a softy like me, reserv the broth to sprinkle over your dog’s food 😉 If not, I recommend draining it – The meat and veggies wil be fall-apart tender with no need for additional “juice” 🙂

And yes – this one even managed to past the “picky hubby test” with a request for seconds!

Pressure Cooker Adventures #1

Yes, my initial Pressure Cooker adventures were an Epic Fail!

I attribute this to the fact that I bought a $19.95 Pressure Cooker at HEB. . . I tried several times to use it, but it never seemed to build up pressure correctly.

According to the instructions, I was supposed to put it on the stove on high heat until the regulator began to rock, and then reduce the heat to medium or low so that the regulator continued to rock gently. The instructions also said that I shouldn’t start timing the cooking until the regulator began to rock (meaning that the pressure had built up enough to do it’s job).

Well, my regulator never rocked, but tons of steam leaked out from around the handle each time that I tried to use it, and water dripped down the side of the Cooker – so I’m pretty sure that it never built up the proper amount of pressure because so much steam was leaking out.

I tried steaming cauliflower, but because the regulator never rocked, I didn’t know when to start timing it. I ended up WAAY overcooking it and ended up with a soggy mess!

So, you live and learn I guess! I refuse to quit on my attempts at pressure cooking because it looks like such a healthy alternative and the convenience and speed of it is really appealing to me also.

So I upgraded to a $40 Presto 8 Qt Pressure Cooker over the weekend, and am very much looking forward to trying it out next week – I only hope that I have better luck this time, and that the previous Pressure Cooker really was faulty and that it wasn’t just “user error”!

I’m going to start scouring the web this evening for some yummy Paleo Pressure Cooker Recipes, but if anyone out there reading this has some “winners”, (Or Pressure Cooking Tips!) please share!

Recipe: Prawn Cakes

I found this recipe in an old cookbook from my Figure Competition days – I tried it out tonight with a few minor revsions, and it turned out GREAT! My picky hubby even asked for seconds 🙂 That makes it a keeper in my book!

These are kind of like a healthy non-fried, non-breaded version of Crab Cakes.

I also made roasted garlic for the very first time tonight (Yay Me!), and made some sauteed spinach w/ caramalized onion and roasted garlic – This was the perfect compliment to the Prawn Cakes!

Prawn Cakes – From Gourmet Nutrition: The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover by Dr. John M. Berardi, Michael Williams, & Kristna Andres (with minor revisions by your’s truly)

Ingredients:

12 oz Raw & Peeled Chilled Prawn (I used HEB Wild Gulf Shrimp – Frozen, but thawed them)
1 T Olive Oil
1/4 cup Leeks, sliced
1/2 cups Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tb Coconut Milk
2 Whites
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
Handfull of Fresh Cilantro, choped
Sea Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Directions:
Dry any moisture from the prawns with a paper towel and return to fridge.

Saute Leeks & Mushrooms in 1 tsp of olive oil until leeks are lightly browned.

Remove mixture from pan and completely chill in fridge.

Add All ingredients, including the raw prawns, to a food processor and puree until combined but not smooth.

Preheat oven to 350. Preheat a cast iron skillet on medium heat w/ remaining olive oil.

Scoop heaping tablespoons of the mixture into your hands and form into round cakes approximately 2 inch diameter by 3/4 inch thick.

Add to Pan, leaving a little room in between each cake.

Sautee until lightly browned, flip and then brown the other side (2-3 mintues per side).

Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven.

Bake until cooked through (8-10 Minutes).

My “Whole102” Starts Today!

The Whole30 Program, created by Whole9

That’s Right! I’m officially re-starting today and making my intentions public. I’ll be eating squeaky-clean-love-my-body-Whole-30-Compliant foods for the next 102 days. No, that’s not a typo – that does indeed say One Hundred and Two!

My “Whole102” will run from today (January 1st) through April 12th. My Birthday is on April 13th, and I’m looking forward to celebrating this one feeling the healthiest that I’ve ever felt, both inside and out!

As I mentioned in the previous post – I will be keeping a Pictorial Food Log at http://www.christiesfoodlog.posterous.com/, and will be posing snapshots of every single bite that goes into my mouth. There’s a Link to my food log in the top right-hand corner of this page, so feel free to check it out if you’re ever curious what I’m eating on a day-to-day basis while on the “Whole30”. There are a few reasons for my decision to keep this pictorial food log on a separate site:

  • Perhaps the most obvious reason – it will help to keep me accountable
  • I find myself “grazing” a LOT lately with a little bite here or there in between meals. While those little bites may be Paleo Compliant, they still add up, and I need to get out of the habit of mindless grazing due to boredom or stress. Additionally, these “little bites” are usually carb-dense snacks (like lara bars or sweet potatoes or fruit) that I really don’t need to be munching on mindlessly anyway! If I have to take a picture and upload it to my food log of every single one of these bites, I’m guessing that it will help me to be much more mindful of when I’m mindlessly grazing, and will reduce the frequency that I do it.
  • I’m want to give any “newbies” a glance inside the “real world” of Paleolithic eating so that they can see that it’s REALLY not that hard! It’s usually just meat, veggies, and fat thrown together in a stir-fry and tossed on a plate, or a salad, or something super easy and quick. I do get “fancy” every now and then to keep things interesting, but it’s not necessary – hopefully by seeing the simplistic meals that I eat and enjoy “newbies” will be a little less hesitant to give it a try.
  • I’m pretty sure that my friends and family are getting a bit sick of seeing all of the food pics that I’ve been obsessively posting on Facebook lately! By maintaining a separate Pictorial Food Log, no one will have to be forced to view pictures of my food if they don’t want to 🙂 Only those people who actually want to see what I’m eating will click through to the link (Your Welcome Facebook Friends!! LOL)

I’m also very excited to be attending the Whole9’s Foundations of Nutrition Workshop and Trainers Workshop January 8th & 9th in Houston!!! I’m sure I’ll learn all kinds of great stuff and I can’t wait.
So my blog posts in the upcoming days/weeks will most likely document some struggles as I work to lock up my sugar demons again, and also the small victories that I notice along my Whole102 journey. I’ll still be posting Weightlifting and CrossFitting stuff of course, and any new recipes that I come up with as I’m “Playing with my Food”!