It Starts With Food: My Review

When I checked my mailbox on Friday evening, I found a package that contained Whole9‘s new book, It Starts With Food.  I have to admit that I shrieked [numerous times] in delight, and that I squealed to my husband [numerous times] over how excited I was to read it.

I have a HUGE amount of respect for Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, and I am extremely indebted to them, as my own “Good Food” journey (and thus, this website) began with a Whole30 challenge almost one year ago… which was before I even knew what “Paleo” meant, by the way.  When I heard that they were writing a book, I knew that it would be amazing.  I actually pre-ordered my own copy as soon as it was available for pre-order.  A few weeks later, I got an email from Melissa, asking if I would like a pre-view copy.  Um… YES!  How exciting!

How did I know that the book would be amazing?  Well, mainly because Dallas and Melissa do everything with excellence.  They only make claims that are backed by extensive personal research, they stand firmly on their principles, and they don’t take crap.

I began reading that night (Friday), and I finished the book last night (Monday).  I can sum up my thoughts in one bold statement… are you ready?  Okay, here it is:

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This is, hands down, the best REAL FOOD book on the market today.

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Bold, right?  I know.  But I mean every word, and I’ll tell you why below.  But first, let me tell you that I have read almost all the Paleo books out there  (cookbooks included), and I have enjoyed almost all of them.  But It Starts With Food takes the gold medal for so many reasons!

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Top 15 Reasons I LOVE this Book:

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1. Dallas and Melissa left nothing out.  Maybe you are like I was in the beginning, and you know that you feel better without dairy/grains/sugar/legumes/etc., but you aren’t sure why you feel better.  So you continue to avoid them, but you cannot explain your reasoning to those around you.  If that is you, you must read this book.  It covers all the “less healthy” foods, and provides plenty of reasons to stay away from them.

2. They make everything easy to understand.  There is a lot of “science-y stuff” that backs up the reasons we should eat this way… and I’m glad!  This means that our food choices are not based on wild claims, government-sponsored programs, or personal agendas!  But science is a tough subject for me, and I do not typically enjoy it.  However, Dallas and Melissa did an outstanding job making sense of it all!  I can confidently proclaim that I understood every sentence in the book, and that it all made perfect sense.  They used a ton of useful analogies, included great illustrations, summarized the tough stuff at the end of each chapter, and described everything thoroughly.  I cannot tell you how happy I was to have so many things suddenly “click” inside my head (“oh, so THAT’S how that works…”).  I used 1.5 entire highlighters as I read.

3. They answer your questions before you have to ask them.  As I was reading, there were so many times I thought “Oh, someone is going to ask about _____.” And then, in the next sentence or paragraph, they’d say “Now, we know what you’re thinking…,” and then address the issue.  It’s like they really do know what you’re thinking!  This is not just a basic “here are the basic facts” book.  It delves deep into the issues, and covers all the related topics that you’ve been pondering for so long.

4. They have not written it as “a Paleo book.”  I absolutely LOVE that Dallas and Melissa have chosen not to brand themselves, or the book, with the “Paleo” name.  They do mention that their ideas fall right in line with the Paleo diet, but they are not defined by it, and I appreciate that!  So many people have suspicions that Paleo is just another fad diet (which is hilarious to me), and it is nice to have a book that is not standing on that platform as a base.

5. They have not written it as “Caveman Diet book.”  This one is huge for me.  I am a Creationist, so while I do believe that Paleo is the natural way that we should eat, I do not believe that it’s because it is how our ancestors ate.  I believe that God created the world, and that He put plants and animals on the earth for our food.  I believe that the way human beings have altered and adjusted His good creation is shameful, and that God knew what was best for us when He created humans and placed them in the midst of plants and animals.  I realize that this is a very different stance than most “Paleo people” take (including Dallas and Melissa), and I’m okay with that.

I love that they based their book on the premise of “biology and the natural patterns of behavior.”  They even have a section in the 2nd chapter that is entitled “Creationists Welcome.”  When I read this section, I was so thrilled!  Finally, a book that doesn’t go on and on about our paleolithic ancestors!  Finally, a book that doesn’t make definitive claims about the origination of the human race!  Finally, a book that gives Creationists the scientific facts that they have been craving, without clouding things up with talk of ancestors!

Explaining the Paleo diet to friends and family has been tough for me because I do not believe in the idea behind the name “Paleo” itself (see how I’ve explained it here).  This is a book that I will gladly pass along to everyone I know… whether they believe in evolution OR creation.

6. They write beautifully.  This may not be important to you, but I absolutely hate reading a book that still requires a red pen.  I am an English major, and, unfortunately, my tendency is to edit everything I read.  I typically find numerous “mistakes” in every book I read, but that was not the case with It Starts With Food.  In fact, I was so excited that I could not find one thing to edit, that my heart dropped when I thought I’d found something.  However, after re-reading the sentence in question, I realized that I was the one who had made the mistake.  Kudos to Dallas and Melissa, and to their editors!  The no-mistake streak continued to the end, and I enjoyed it immensely!

7. They use some fantastic humor.  This is not just science and facts… it is also REAL LIFE, and it is surrounded by humor.  Dallas and Melissa tell some great stories in this book, and those stories related to me on so many hilarious levels!  Just as an example, in the section where they describe how to “build your plate,” they describe measurements in terms of palms (like the palms of your hands).  For protein, they suggest that you have 1-2 palm-sized servings with each meal.  This is the quote that cracked me up: “Also, for the record, these are not your only options.  You’ve also got 1.25 palms, 1.5 palms, 1.942 palms, and every possibility in between.  This should not be overwhelming.  You all have palms.  Choose your protein, look at your meat, look at your palm, call it good.”  HAHA!  Love it.

8. They inspire simplicity.  As you know from the title of my website, I am all about helping people realize that whole-food-eating does not have to be difficult.  Dallas and Melissa underline that fact over and over again throughout the book.  If you come away from it thinking “well, that sounds so hard,” then you have not really read it.  Prepare to have things simplified for you.  This stuff is not hard.

9. They tell it like it is.  Yes, that famous Whole9 tough love is present in their book!  I am a very “black-and-white” person.  I hate excuses.  I believe that you can do anything if you really want to do it.  I don’t respond well to wishy-washiness or weakness.  If you have excuses (“but my kids need their goldfish!”), wishy-washiness (“maybe I’ll try eating good food one of these days…”), or weakness (“but it’s too hard!”), then get ready to get over it!  I was basically shouting “AMEN!” during the entire tough love section.  I have heard just about every excuse in the book, and apparently Dallas and Melissa have as well!

10. They get it.  Even though there is some tough love in the book, Dallas and Melissa write it from a perspective of understanding.  They know that many of these ideas are [tragically] foreign to most of the modern world.  They explain concepts in ways that are easy to grasp, they pre-empt your questions before you even have to ask, and they help you figure out how to get started and KEEP GOING!

11. They give you a clear goal.  Since I started eating this way, I have always encouraged everyone interested to start with a Whole30.  It is the absolutely BEST way to detox your system and learn how specific foods affect you.  This book clearly defines the Whole30 program, provides detailed instructions, and gets you excited to get on board!  I have completed two Whole30‘s in the last year, and I am beyond excited to start another one soon!  If you want inspiration and motivation to get strict and healthier than ever, this book is exactly what you need!

12. They tell you what happens next.  One of the biggest problems I have seen from people who complete any 30-day challenge is that they don’t know what to do when it’s over.  They will either be ultra-paranoid about testing their system with a few things they omitted, or they go hog-wild and binge on everything from pizza to cupcakes.  It Starts With Food provides clear instructions on what to do next… how to re-introduce things and how quickly, and what to expect when you do.  Dallas and Melissa leave you completely equipped to make the most of your 30 days, and beyond.

13. They provide an abundance of resources.  Aside from the fact that the book is dotted with numerous great, practical ideas, Dallas and Melissa compiled some amazing appendices.  You will love their Meal Map (designed by the fabulous Melissa Joulwan), recipes, cooking conversions, cookbook and website recommendations, and suggestions on where to find sources of local meat and produce.

14. They did their homework!  They have 20 pages of master references at the end of the book.  And I’m talking small-print, multiple listings, etc.  This book was not written solely on the basis of opinion.  They have backed it all up with research studies, journals, and well-known authors and scientists.  Amazing.

15. They have challenged me.  I finished the book feeling more enthusiastic than ever about why I eat the way I do (and that’s a big statement for me!).  But the enthusiasm is different this time… Dallas and Melissa have made me more of a purist when it comes to food.  This way of eating is simple, and even more so when you aren’t trying to convert all your old, unhealthy choices into “paleo-friendly” treats.  I am done with that phase of my Paleo life, and, in fact, I have some cleaning up to do on my website.  A lot of the snacks, treats, desserts, etc., that I have too often enjoyed are about to disappear.  Does this sound sad to you?  Well, just wait until you’ve read the book, and you might be just as excited about it!

Aside from my new purist mentality, Dallas and Melissa helped foster a greater appreciation of food itself than I have ever experienced.  I am more eager than ever to find the best sources, prepare it purely and simply, and then give it the appreciation it deserves by enjoying it, undistracted, with those I love.  Beautiful.

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.As you can tell, I really enjoyed the book, and I can hardly contain my enthusiasm and gratitude for the effort that Dallas and Melissa put into it (and it was obviously a lot).  This will be a tool that I use in my kitchen, a gift that I give to friends and family, a motivational piece to which I will return, and a guidebook that I will treasure.  This marks the beginning of my NEW Good Food journey, and I am crashing through the starting gate!

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This book needs to be a NY Times Bestseller!  

Click here to see how you can get on board!

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*Note: I do not make any commission from the sales of It Starts with Food.  I’m just that excited about the way it’s going to change your life!

On the Menu {week of May 28}

When I first started eating Paleo-Style, I really benefitted from seeing a few weekly meal plans.  I knew that I could make “meat and vegetables,” but I needed some examples of how to make those things take shape on our plates.

 Every weekend I sit down and plan my meals for the week.  I usually go to the Farmer’s Market first, and then make a plan based on what is in season. 

 This is mainly just a dinner menu.  We usually have a no-egg breakfast, frittatas, smoothies, Primal Oatmeal, diced chicken, etc., for breakfast.  

 We always have leftovers from dinner for lunch the following day.

 I hope this helps you as much as it helped me!

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Monday

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 Tonight we’re having Fried Chicken, sweet potatoes, and green beans.  Yum!

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Tuesday

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Tomorrow night we will have slow cooker chicken, cauliflower rice, and broccoli.

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Wednesday

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 On Wednesday night, we have some friends coming in town, so we’ll be eating out with them… not sure where yet.

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Thursday

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 On Thursday, we’re having a celebratory dinner at PF Changs – they have a great gluten-free menu!

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Friday

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On Friday we’re having  Mexican food…  Never gets old!

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Saturday

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On Saturday, I’m going to the Practical Paleo Seminar, and I am so excited to learn from Diane Sanfillipo and Liz Wolf!

For dinner, I’ll make a recipe from Make it Paleo… Red Curry Chicken Skewers.  Delish!

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Sunday

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On Sunday, we’re picking up a BIG grass-fed beef order, and some pork from a local farmer.  I think we’ll have Spice Rubbed Roast, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, and a salad for dinner.

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What’s on your menu this week?

Interview Series: Primal Palate, Part 2: Bill Stal...

As I mentioned yesterday, I LOVE The Food Lovers Primal Palate.

Check out my glowing review of their cookbook, Make it Paleo, here.  Not only do these folks know how to make AMAZING Paleo-friendly food, they also have amazing creative flair, and they shoot beautiful photos!

A while back, I started a fun blog project called “The Interview Series.”  So far I’ve enjoyed some great interviews with The Civilized Caveman,Melissa Joulwan (author of Well Fed),  The Paleo Parents, Clean Eats in the Zoo, Ginger Lemon Girl, The Domestic Man, and Paleo on a Budget.  What fun!

 It has been really interesting to learn some little-known facts about some of these Paleo Powerhouses!

Now it’s Bill and Hayley’s turn!  We heard from Hayley yesterday, and we’re talking with Bill today… enjoy!

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Part Two:

Bill Staley

The Food Lovers Primal Palate, and Make it Paleo

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Easy Paleo (EP): If you had to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?

Bill Staley: I’m a landscape architect and musician turned food photographer and cookbook author.

EP: Tell us about you… anything you want to say!

Bill: Well, I’m sure a lot of your readers know our back story (and if you don’t you can get more than your fill here: http://beta.primal-palate.com/us/). What people may not know about me is that I have so many other hobbies and interests besides the paleo stuff. I’ve been a drummer for 16 years – well over half of my lifetime. I had two times in my life when I was really good at playing – once was in high school and the other was the last few years. When I was 18, I had a chance to play in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland – that was pretty cool! I didn’t get to play much during college and the first few years after, but when I moved back to Pittsburgh, I picked them up again and played in a few bands. That was actually how I ended up meeting Hayley – on the set of a music video.

I’m also really into autocrossing, which is a form of racing that is focused on driver skill. It’s sort of like a time trial, and drivers navigate a course laid out with cones. I’ve been doing that about 10 years, so I’m starting to get pretty consistently good at it. All of the guys I race with know about the cookbook Hayley and I wrote – it’s kind of funny when these gearheads come up to me to inquire about Paleo, rather than car talk. I love it!

EP: How did you discover Paleo, and what is the BIGGEST difference it made in your life?

Bill: Hayley introduced me to Paleo when we met. The whole idea of it made sense, so I was totally down with changing my diet. I was only slightly reluctant, because I didn’t necessarily want to lose any weight (crazy, right?) I did end up losing about 10 lbs in the first month, but my physique definitely improved, so I can’t complain. The biggest difference if has made for me is the clarity of my skin. Before paleo, I used to have pretty bad back acne. I will still get flare up’s if I cheat (a recent bachelor party comes to mind), so it is good incentive to stay on the wagon. I love the way it makes me feel, in terms of energy levels.

EP: Do you have an all-time favorite recipe?

Bill: Not really – like many people, my tastes constantly change. Right now, I’m really digging this bbq sauce recipe I recently came up with. I’m using it on everything from fish, to pork, to chicken – but it’s best grilled on chicken wings. We’ve had it a few times this week with grilled chicken thighs… it’s SO good.

EP: What has been your biggest Paleo challenge, and how did you overcome it?

Bill: I think my biggest challenge has been (and continues to be) sugar. Doing Diane’s 21-Day Sugar Detox has definitely helped kick my sugar habit, but I can’t help but always let it back in. I’ve come to the conclusion that I genuinely enjoy things that taste sweet. Right now, I’m in a pretty good place where I eat fruit when I need something sweet, and will occasionally have something a little more “conventional”. Oh, before I forget, we have this great meal plan on our website that goes hand-in-hand with the 21-Day Sugar Detox – everyone should check that out!

EP: What do you wish EVERYONE knew about Paleo?

Bill: I wish everyone knew how good they would feel if they would stick to it for a few months. Some of the best parts of living a paleo lifestyle are also some of the slowest to be fully realized. I think we’d have a lot more people in our ranks if they knew what their quality of life could be like.

EP: Paleo-eating does not have to be difficult… how do you make this lifestyle an easy element of your life?

Bill: Well, we’ve always based our recipes on a few core ingredients that any good kitchen should have. We also try to keep the recipes simple, and for the most part inexpensive too. We’ve been working on a set of features on our new website recently that shoot to make Paleo eating even easier. We’ve created a set of tools called “My Kitchen” which allows our site users to add notes to recipes, save them as favorites, and then compile shopping lists (which they can even edit). In addition, all of the recipes on our site have nutritional information, and we’re just getting started. We also plan to launch a meal planner sometime this summer which is already in the works, and even allow registered users to post their own recipes which use our database of ingredients and My Kitchen tools. All of this we’re providing to the community for free, with the focus of making Paleo cooking easier than ever before.

EP: What is your favorite Paleo memory?

Bill: Two really stick out. The first was the dinner Hayley and I shared at the beach two summers ago that was SO GOOD that we decided to start a food blog. Looking back, we’ve had plenty of better meals since then, but that first one will always be special – the one that kicked off our journey. The other was the night we got an email from Victory Belt, asking us if we’d consider doing a cookbook with them. We were both over the moon, and literally got to work on it the next day!

EP: If you could drop everything right now and take a month-long vacation, where would you go, and which recipes would you want to be sure and make while there?

Bill: I’d love to rent a house somewhere in the tropics. Living in Pittsburgh, we don’t always have the best seafood selection (nor do we have the worst, either), but there is something amazing about caught-that-day seafood. I’d love to have more good quality fish in my diet!

EP: Tell us about a bad recipe experience you’ve had… if there have been any!

Bill: Last year while we were making the book, we decided to try our hands at a sunbutter bar recipe. We had no idea, but the chemical reaction in the sunbutter turned it DARK green. It looked atrocious, but still tasted good. You can’t help but laugh when stuff like that happens.

EP: Tell us what you thought of PaleoF(x). What was the best part?

Bill: The best part of any of these events is always the social aspect, in my opinion. Our little blogging community is a tightly knit one, and it’s really nice getting to know our people beyond their blogs. We stayed in a big house in Austin with a bunch of friends: Diane from Balanced Bites, George from Civilized Caveman, Henry and Michelle from Nom Nom Paleo, Stacy from Paleo Parents, Laura from Ancestralize Me, Bobby Gill (the man, the myth, the legend)… and Liz from Cave Girl Eats even stayed a few nights. We had a blast hanging out together, cooking fun food, and taking foodie field trips to restaurants. Of course the talks at the conference were great too, and we gained quite a bit of critical insight into our own health issues (thats a story for another time though.)

EP: What made you and Hayley decide to start blogging? And what made you decide to compile a cookbook?

Bill: Hayley and I decided to make a fresh commitment to Paleo during a long weekend at the beach. We were cooking all of this great food, and taking photos for facebook. On the last night, I declared that we should try to write a cookbook. Looking back, it was extremely naive of me, but the ambition was there from the beginning. Hayley suggested that we start a blog, but 9 months later (haha, this is sounding like a baby story), along came Victory Belt with a real-life book deal.

EP: What is your FAVORITE kitchen tool or appliance, and why?

Bill: Nothing is more essential than a good quality knife. We have a few nice knives – an 8″ chef’s knife and a 7″ santoku, and a whole assortment of those colorful little Kuhn Rikon knives. Without good knives, cooking would be pretty tough!

EP: What is something we might be surprised to find out about you?

Bill: Hm, interesting question. Well, it’s a bit of a confession. I’m just not that wild about offal. I know, It’s sort of disgraceful. I just do not like liver, and heart isn’t all that swell either. However, I’m totally down with beef tongue – that stuff is excellent. I’ve been trying to incorporate more offal (in things like burgers and meatballs), but it’s a slow process getting into it. Hayley is so much better at eating that kind of stuff – I admire that about her.

EP: Anything else you’d like to add?

Bill: I believe I’ve said it all… and then some. Thanks for having us!

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Thanks Bill!  You and Hayley have been such an inspiration to me, and I’d be lost without Make it Paleo!

Okay, if you haven’t already, be sure to read more about Bill’s FIANCE (that’s right!!), Hayley.

Interview Series: Primal Palate, Part 1: Hayley Ma...

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE The Food Lovers Primal Palate.

Check out my glowing review of their cookbook, Make it Paleo, here.  Not only do these folks know how to make AMAZING Paleo-friendly food, they also have amazing creative flair, and they shoot beautiful photos!

A while back, I started a fun blog project called “The Interview Series.”  So far I’ve enjoyed some great interviews with The Civilized Caveman, Melissa Joulwan (author of Well Fed),  The Paleo Parents, Clean Eats in the Zoo, Ginger Lemon Girl, The Domestic Man, and Paleo on a Budget.  What fun!

 It has been really interesting to learn some little-known facts about some of these Paleo Powerhouses!

Now it’s Bill and Hayley’s turn!

Bill’s Interview: check it out here!

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Part One:

Hayley Mason

The Food Lovers Primal Palate, and Make it Paleo

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Easy Paleo (EP): If you had to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?

Hayley Mason (HM): Quiet, relatively shy, girly girl turned dirty hippie – but still girly sometimes, patient, artistic, happy.

EP: Tell us about you… anything you want to say!

HM: Well, I think everyone pretty much knows all my dirty secrets, so I don’t think there is much left to say… haha.

Let’s see…Bill is actually my very first REAL boyfriend. I dated a few guys off-and-on, but I always had this gut feeling that I would never be in a real relationship until the right guy came along, and that is exactly what happened. I used to be super independent, and now I really can’t go anywhere without Bill. Partially because I hate driving and he has a fun red convertible that I can’t drive because it is a stick, and also just because I miss him even when he is in the other room. Sounds mushy, but it’s the honest truth. We are ALWAYS together, and we have definitely found a way to keep it that way by building a business together.

Other things about me. I’m pretty artistic. I love painting and drawing, usually peoples faces, which would make sense because I am a high definition makeup artist. I love wearing crazy, bright-colored nail polish, I love working out, and I am pretty obsessed with CrossFit. I can back squat 205 lbs at 5 foot 1 and a half, but I can’t do an unassisted pull up.

I LOVE chocolate and anything sweet really, which is pretty much a curse since I try to avoid that stuff as much as possible. I have crazy curly hair that I try to keep as tame as possible, usually with a flat iron. I love animals, and little kids (especially babies). That’s about it for now I think

EP: How did you discover Paleo, and what is the BIGGEST difference it made in your life?

HM: I first heard about Paleo from a friend of mine who is a CrossFit coach here in Pittsburgh. I was trying to follow a vegetarian diet at the time, so I had absolutely zero interest in eating animal protein. I couldn’t maintain my weight very well, and was extremely frustrated. I changed my diet to more of a paleo diet (not realizing it), but I was eating low fat, lean protein, and watching calories. I lost a ton of weight very quickly, but was hungry and miserable. I learned more about Paleo from my cousin who has been following the Paleo diet for about 12 years or so, and it really clicked with me. I knew this was what was best for me. I eventually lost my fear of fat, started eating fatty meats, red meat, saturated fats, gained a bit of healthy weight, and felt way better.

The biggest difference Paleo has made in my life is that it has restored my relationship with food to a much more healthy one. I now love everything I eat, and I no longer resent the food I eat or feel deprived. I have so much love and passion for good food and cooking, and I have found a way to enjoy food, feel good, and feel proud about how I nourish my body.

EP: Do you have an all-time favorite recipe?

HM: That’s actually a really hard question for me to answer. We have made so many delicious things, and there are so many different types of meat that I love. Currently we are pretty obsessed with our par-boiled and then grilled pastured pork ribs recipe, which is a recipe that Bill created, so for now I will say that is my favorite recipe…ask me again next month and I will give you something different

EP: What has been your biggest Paleo challenge, and how did you overcome it?

HM: My biggest Paleo challenge has been trying to figure out the right Paleo diet for ME. Paleo is actually not a one-size-fits-all approach. There are general guidelines, but you really have to dig deep through trial and error, and be aware of which foods make you feel good, and which foods make you feel badly, which foods cause inflammation, which foods make you feel sad, and which foods make you gain weight. It has definitely been a long journey for me, and I’m still learning and growing as each day passes.

EP: What do you wish EVERYONE knew about Paleo?

HM: How good it feels to eat this way. So many people walk around feeling ill, and not even knowing it. I am so in tune with my body now that I know when I eat something that hasn’t agreed with me. Eliminating grains from my diet was one of the best things I ever did, and most days I feel great, unless of course if I have a grain-free treat or indulge in some alcohol

EP: Paleo-eating does not have to be difficult… how do you make this lifestyle an easy element of your life?

HM: I think the way we have made it easy is by not making any exceptions. We don’t even consider eating another way, so we make it work however we can. Our cheats are homemade treats, local grass-fed ice creams, wine, or dark chocolate. We never have grains, and we don’t feel deprived because we don’t allow those foods to even be an option for us. Of course, preparation, planning, and precooking foods always helps. You should see us going on a road trip. We pack our cooler bag with chicken thighs, hard boiled eggs, some fruit, and paleo kits. We are always prepared when we are going on a long trip. One benefit to this lifestyle, though, is that we aren’t often caught overly hungry without something to eat. When your body burns fat instead of sugar, you can go much longer without food, so even if we don’t have anything made, we can quickly cook up some food without being totally ravenous by the time it makes it to our plate.

EP: What is your favorite Paleo memory?

HM: The very first time Bill and I went to the beach together. It was his first weekend trying out Paleo full time. We were able to get fresh fish locally, and produce from the farmers market each day. We would cook out, and eat on the porch of the beach house each day. That is definitely my favorite memory.

EP: If you could drop everything right now and take a month-long vacation, where would you go, and which recipes would you want to be sure and make while there?

HM: I have always wanted to go to Greece. I think it is absolutely beautiful there, and I love lamb, so we would definitely have to cook up a lot of lamb in Greece!

EP: Tell us about a bad recipe experience you’ve had… if there have been any!

HM: I am actually pretty good at burning things. Often because I don’t usually set a timer for foods, and just cook by feel, but sometimes that does not work to my advantage. I can’t really think of any specific kitchen nightmares we have had, but there was one time when I tried to light the grill and it blew up in my face. Luckily I only singed some eyebrows and the ends of my hair a bit, but that was a close one for sure!

EP: Tell us what you thought of PaleoF(x). What was the best part?

HM: PaleoF(x) was great. It was my first time visiting Texas, and I really enjoyed listening to all of the speakers and the masterminds. The best part of our trip was definitely trying out fun restaurants in Austin with some of our blogger friends that we don’t get to see everyday. A bunch of us stayed in a house together, so there were lots of laughs, lots of good food, and lots of chocolate

EP: Tell how you and Bill met and got together.

HM: Haha, I think everyone is sick of this story by now so I will keep it brief… As I said I am a makeup artist, and Bill has been a drummer for about 11 years or so. He was playing in a band in Pittsburgh for fun, and the lead singer is a good friend of mine. They were filming their first music video, and the lead singer asked me to do his makeup for the video. Bill and I spent 15 hours together on set the day we met, and after some conversation we both knew we were interested in each other. He was the sweetest guy I had ever met, and the first to really treat me with a lot of respect, even in the short bit of time we spent together. We talked for a while after the video, but didn’t see each other or go on a date for about a month after we first met. The rest is history.

EP: What is your FAVORITE kitchen tool or appliance, and why?

HM: Hmm…that’s a tough question. I really love our Le Crueset cookware. You can do so much with it, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. I love my Le Creuset!

EP: What is something we might be surprised to find out about you? I am very short (5 ft 1 and a half) and I have huge feet. I wear a size 9 womens shoe. I actually have scoliosis, about a 25 degree S-curve in my spine, which takes two inches off my height. Even so, my feet would still be pretty big for 5’3” if my spine were straight…

EP: Anything else you’d like to add?

HM: I think thats about it. Thanks so much!

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Thanks Hayley!  And thank you SO much for contributing so much to the Paleo community.  We appreciate you!

Okay folks, get ready to learn more about Hayley’s other half, Bill, tomorrow (check it out here!).

Food Diary: EASY Mashed Cauliflower

I sometimes miss mashed potatoes.

Let me re-phrase that… I used to miss mashed potatoes.

A few months ago, I discovered the magic of mashed CAULIFLOWER!!  Have you ever tried it?  It is amazing!

I actually prefer the light creaminess of this recipe to regular mashed potatoes.

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Easy Mashed Cauliflower

Chop cauliflower florets off the base of the vegetable (I use two heads of cauliflower so we’ll have some leftovers).

Place in a steamer over boiling water, and steam until the cauliflower is soft (around 7 minutes).

Drain, and dump florets into a high-powered blender (you can do this with a hand mixer, food processor, etc., but I really believe that the secret to the smooth results I get (see picture above) is my Vita-Mix Blender).

Add about 4 TBS of grass-fed butter per head of cauliflower, a dash of salt, and a dash of pepper.

Blend until smooth.

ENJOY!

EASY Sweet Potatoes

We LOVE sweet potatoes.  Like, with a passion. 

They are great in almost every form… sweet potato fries, baked sweet potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes, sweet potato cookies, sweet potato hash, sweet potato pies… I could go on!

However, most of the time I find that sweet potatoes take some effort.  Most of the time they have to be washed, peeled, and then diced/chopped/julienned/speared, etc.  Sometimes I just don’t feel like spending that much time on one vegetable!

Last night I tried something new, and it definitely tops the list as the easiest way to prepare sweet potatoes.

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Easy Sweet Potatoes

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Chop each potato into three equal parts (or 4 if you have a large sweet potato)… you don’t even need to peel them!

Place the potatoes in a pressure cooker with about 1 inch of water.

Seal the cooker, and heat on HIGH until the regulator begins to rock.

Reduce heat to medium, and set a timer for 15 minutes and walk away!

Place the pressure cooker in a sink full of cold water to release pressure.

When the pressure releases, remove the potatoes, top with a generous portion of grass-fed butter, and a little salt.

DELICIOUS and EASY in 15 minutes!

On the Menu {week of May 21}

When I first started eating Paleo-Style, I really benefitted from seeing a few weekly meal plans.  I knew that I could make “meat and vegetables,” but I needed some examples of how to make those things take shape on our plates.

 Every weekend I sit down and plan my meals for the week.  I usually go to the Farmer’s Market first, and then make a plan based on what is in season. 

 This is mainly just a dinner menu.  We usually have a no-egg breakfast, frittatas, smoothies, Primal Oatmeal, diced chicken, etc., for breakfast.  

 We always have leftovers from dinner for lunch the following day.

 I hope this helps you as much as it helped me!

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Monday

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 Tonight we went out for mexican food!  This is a favorite go-out-to-eat option for us.  We usually split a huge order of fajitas, and replace the flour tortillas with corn tortillas, or just omit tortillas at all if we’re being strict.  Delicious, and no clean up!

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Tuesday

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Tomorrow night we will have Paleo Spaghetti.

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Wednesday

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 On Wednesday night, we’re having baked chicken, sweet potatoes, and a big salad.

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Thursday

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 On Thursday, we’re having sliders with tons of veggie toppings!

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Friday

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On Friday, we’re having breakfast for dinner!  Bacon, eggs, and maybe some pancakes…

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Saturday

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On Saturday, we’re having slow cooker chicken, cauliflower rice, and green beans. .

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Sunday

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On Sunday we’re having homemade mexican food… YUM!

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What’s on your menu this week?

Food Diary: Coconut-Almond Crusted Chicken

COCONUT-ALMOND CRUSTED CHICKEN

Combine 1 cup of chopped almonds with 1 cup of coconut flakes and a dash of sea salt in one bowl.

In another bowl, melt 3 TBS coconut oil.

Heat some coconut oil on the stove in a medium sauté pan.  

In the meantime, dip 4 fresh chicken breasts into the oil bowl (to moisten it), and then into the almond/coconut mixture bowl (you will have to press the mixture into the chicken, and then pile it on top when you put it on the stove). 

Cook (covered) until proper temp is reached. 

So juicy and delicious! Definitely a favorite!

A Visit With a Grass-Fed Beef Rancher

Two weeks ago, I took a little trip out to the farm that provides me with AMAZING grass-fed beef.

Little Creek Ranch is about an hour from my house, and I actually order it to be shipped most of the time.  This was my first trip out to the ranch, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!  The drive out of “the city” and into the more rural areas of North Carolina was refreshing in itself.  I grew up in “the country,” so it was nice to be back in surroundings that resemble my childhood.

When I arrived at the farm, I was greeted by Ronnie Teague, who owns the place.

His house is actually on the land as well, so he spends a lot of time near his cows! I pulled up to the big red barn, and walked inside to look around.  There was only one cow in the barn… a tiny new baby named Lucky.  Lucky’s mother wasn’t feeding him as expected, so he was hanging out inside, waiting for a bottle.  What a CUTIE!

Where were all the other cows?

Out in the pastures, eating grass, of course!  Ronnie invited me to take a ride on the Gator with him for a tour of the farm.  What a wonderful place!  The farm is quiet, well-maintained, and very peaceful.  It used to be a dairy farm (owned by Ronnie’s grandfather), so there is a long history of happy cows here.

We rode through the lush green pastures and I heard all about the cows… their days on the farm, their personalities, their names, etc.  What fun!  I was so impressed by how content the cows seemed.  They didn’t care that we were riding through their pastures on a loud vehicle.  They just munched on their grass, took naps, and played around in the fields.  They weren’t skittish at all… just care-free!

As I looked around at all the GREEN, almost as far as the eye can see, I kept thinking “this is how it should be!”  In comparison to the feed lot situations you’ve seen in documentaries like “Food Inc.” and “Fresh,” these cows are living the high life!  It was almost like stepping back in time… back to a place that existed before humans decided that meat should be mass-produced for ease and convenience, with no regard for the health of humans OR cows.  It was nice to see that things can still go on traditionally, even in today’s fast-paced, unhealthy world.

After my little tour, I got to meet Ronnie’s wife, Pam, and I had the privilege of asking a few questions.  These questions are a compilation of things I have wondered myself, and things I have been asked on the subject of grass-fed beef.

Enjoy!

Tell us about the life of a cow at Little Creek Ranch.  What does the timeline look like for most of your cows?

Almost all our cows are born here on the farm, and they grow up playing in the fields and eating grass to their heart’s content.  We usually wean the babies when they are around 6-8 months old to give the mothers adequate time to recover before her next calf is born.  We want the babies to be nursing from their mothers as long as possible because it makes them stronger and healthier.  We typically breed females for the first time when they are around 18 months old so that they are 2 years old when they deliver their first calf.  The Animal Welfare Association actually recommends that cows be at least two years old when they have their first calf, so that’s important to us.  The steers are usually around two years old when they go to slaughter.  

There’s no real time frame or time limit for our cows.  We watch them to determine the best time for slaughter, and we’re not in a rush.  

As far as daily life, we have very contented cows.  Our cows are spoiled, and they get a lot of attention.  They aren’t afraid of us… in fact, when we go out to move the fencing around, they’ll stand nearby and wait because they know that fresh grass is coming.

How does stress affect a cow’s meat?

When cows are stressed, their muscles are chronically tense, and that shows through even after slaughter.  A stressed cow’s meat is nowhere near as tender as a contented cow’s meat.  

What happens on the farm during winter when the grass isn’t as plentiful?

We do what’s called stock-piling.  During the summer, we rotate the cows on the pastures to keep the land fertilized, and to give each pasture time to re-grow.  We also try to save parts of the pasture as long as we can before winter arrives.  This year we had enough grass that we were able to wait until December before we started feeding hay.  But once we start feeding them hay, the cows are happy with that until fresh grass starts to shoot up during spring.

That’s a lot of grass!  How many acres to you have?

The pasture is about 140 acres.

Why is grass-finishing so important?

You can tell a huge difference in flavor between a grass-fed cow and a grain-fed cow.  What a cow eats during their last few weeks of life highly influences the way they will taste.  Some people actually put their cows on the sweetest grass right before they go to slaughter.  The flavors really come through.

But if you finish a cow with grain, you basically have all the effects of a cow that was grain-fed its whole life.  So you really defeat all the benefits of having a grass-fed cow if you fatten them up with grain at the end.  It won’t be as healthy, it won’t be as lean, and it definitely won’t taste as good.

And besides that, your meat will have traces of gluten in it.  And for some people (for example, folks with Celiac disease, etc.), even trace amounts of gluten can cause significant health problems.

When you stop to think about it, unless cows are on a feed lot, they are all “grass-fed” to an extent, and thats how some farmers get away with calling their meat “grass-fed beef.”  But cows are ruminants… they were not made to eat grain for any amount of time.  Grain-finished cows’ meat is really no more nutritious than cows who have been on a feed lot their entire lives.

Why is grass-feeding a more humane way to raise cows?

Cows were made to eat grass and roam free.  When cows are raised at feed lots, they are all crowded together, they are unable to move around, and they are forced to reside in their own waste.  That’s now how cows were meant to live, and it is tough on them.

Cows are fun to watch; they have quirks, they have things they like and things they don’t like, etc.  The happier they are, the better… and that is obviously much more humane.

And finally, grass-fed cows are eating what God designed them to eat.  They would probably love to eat some grain… they would really enjoy the taste of it.  But they would not be as healthy, and their digestion would not be nearly as good.

On the Menu {week of May 14}

When I first started eating Paleo-Style, I really benefitted from seeing a few weekly meal plans.  I knew that I could make “meat and vegetables,” but I needed some examples of how to make those things take shape on our plates.

 Every weekend I sit down and plan my meals for the week.  I usually go to the Farmer’s Market first, and then make a plan based on what is in season. 

 This is mainly just a dinner menu.  We usually have a no-egg breakfast, frittatas, smoothies, Primal Oatmeal, diced chicken, etc., for breakfast.  

 We always have leftovers from dinner for lunch the following day.

 I hope this helps you as much as it helped me!

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Monday

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On Monday evening, we’re having a big salad topped with grilled chicken, local goat cheese, and tons of fresh veggies!

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Tuesday

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On Tuesday, we’re having Secret Liver Burgers and Roasted Turnips.

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Wednesday

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On Wednesday night we’re having Brisket, sweet potatoes fries, and roasted zucchini.

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Thursday

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On Thursday, we’re having pork chops (seasoned with rosemary, turmeric, and pumpkin pie spice), mashed cauliflower, and roasted carrots.

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Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

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Next weekend, I’ll be going on a girls’ beach trip!  I’m really excited about a chance to take a long weekend to rest and relax (although I will miss my sweet husband like crazy!!).  I’ll be leaving my hubby with some meats and bags of frozen veggies (at his request), and some sausage/sweet potato hash for breakfasts.  I will be taking some food for myself as well… probably some chicken breasts, diced veggies to sauté, and the same sausage/sweet potato hash for breakfasts.  Fun!

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What’s on your menu this week?

Food Diary: Secret Liver Burgers

I have heard so much about LIVER lately!

Check out this article by Chris Kresser… Liver: Nature’s Most Potent Super-Food.

Click Here for another great article from Balanced Bites.

Why does liver seem so gross?  Maybe it’s the texture… maybe it’s just because it’s an actual organ… I don’t know.  But I’ve been pretty intrigued, and very eager to incorporate this super-food into my diet.

I found this recipe, and we gave it a try last week.

It was DELICIOUS.  We actually couldn’t even tell that any liver was in it at all.

We served the burgers with lettuce, sauerkraut, homemade ketchup, tomatoes, avocado, and bacon (of course!).

I’m still on a quest to find more ways to incorporate liver on a more regular basis.  I’ll be sure to share ideas as I run across them!

Paleo Ketchup + a tip!

I haven’t really had ketchup since July of last year (when I started eating Paleo-style).  I have been pretty appalled by the ridiculous list of ingredients (not to mention sugar content!) of the brands I used to consume, so I dumped the container(s) that were in my fridge, and never bought more.

But I have definitely missed ketchup!  I love to slather it on a big, grass-fed beef burger… there is nothing quite like it!

I was pretty thrilled to see that Paleo Comfort Foods, my all-time favorite Paleo cookbook, has a fantastic recipe for homemade ketchup.  It is easy to make, and it has a deliciously sweet after-taste, with no hint of chemicals (as you will probably find in typical store-bought ketchups).

The only problem?  We consumed most of the batch right after making it. 

A Ketchup Tip

Next time I make ketchup, I’ll be doubling (or tripling!) the recipe.

Then I’ll portion the batches into ice cube trays and freeze for later use.  These sizes will be perfect to defrost and slather all over something delicious.

Love it!