I Cooked My Way Through WELL FED!

As part of my 43-Day Challenge, I decided to cook my way through Well Fed, a fabulous, Whole30-approved cookbook by Melissa Joulwan.  Have we enjoyed it?  Well, maybe the photos and commentary below will answer that question…

(I have also labeled my top 10 FAVORITES along the way.)

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Salmon a L’Afrique du Nord - favorite!

Cumin-Roasted Carrots

Turkish Chopped Salad

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Good grief, this was good!  Just looking at the picture makes my mouth water!

First on the list, Salmon a l’Afrique du Nord (Well Fed, p. 103).  Wow.  That’s basically all I have to say.  To be honest, I’ve never cooked salmon on my own before, so this was really a challenge!  And to top it off, the recipe has you cook the entire 2-pound filet in one piece… yikes!  So when I went to Whole Foods to pick up a few things, I stopped by the fish counter and spotted a beautiful piece of wild-caught Alaskan salmon.  The clerk was even able to tell me exactly where in Alaska it was caught (Anchorage), and who the fishermen were… very cool!  This was not a cheap piece of fish, so I was a little nervous about botching the recipe!

I followed Melissa’s instructions to the letter (except for the fact that we don’t have a grill… I used my oven broiler instead), and the fish came out beautifully.  I’ll tell you how it tasted in a moment.

Next up, we had Cumin-Roasted Carrots (Well Fed, p. 115).  Wow again.  Who knew that carrots could taste so freakin’ good?  The spices blended perfectly with the salmon, and the carrots were juicy and succulent with the tiniest little crunch deep inside.  Amazing.

Finally, we added Turkish Chopped Salad (Well Fed, p. 141).  This blend of chopped, raw veggies is perfectly spiced, full of flavor, and so good for you!  And I loved the excuse to use raw radishes… YUM.

All in all, this was seriously the most gourmet-tasting meal I have ever cooked.  My husband and I were saying “wow…” with almost every bite.  And the best part?  None of it was difficult!  The most time-consuming part was probably chopping all the veggies for the salad… but turn on a good podcast, and you’re good to go.

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Meatza Pie

Greek Broccoli

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First off, Meatza Pie (Well Fed, p. 77).  Now, this is what I call a pizza crust… MEAT!  This recipe does not look complex, but the flavors are insane.  I started off by making Melissa’s blend of Italian Sausage Seasoning (Well Fed, p. 49), and then pressing it into the beef before forming a crust in the bottom of a baking dish.  Once that is cooked, you make up the simple sauce recipe, which includes Pizza Seasoning (Well Fed, p. 49), and just toss on whatever veggies you have available.  I have ALOT of yellow squash right now, so I used that, some broccoli, some onions, and some bell peppers.  This dish was easy, spicy, and delicious!

As a side dish, we had Greek Broccoli (Well Fed, p. 117).  What a cool recipe!  I would never thing to toss broccoli with tomato paste and a bunch of fabulous spices, but it totally works!  We really enjoyed this dinner.

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Grilled Chicken Thighs

Steam-Sauteed Veggies

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Our dinner of Grilled Chicken Thighs (Well Fed, p. 29) over Steam-Sauteed Veggies (Well Fed, p. 33) was delicious.  As I mentioned above, we do not have a grill, so I followed Melissa’s “No Grill?” instructions… very handy!  Why in the world have we not been eating more chicken thighs??  They are DELICIOUS!  I don’t know why, but we usually spring for boneless, skinless breasts… and now I know that those are far less flavorful!  I picked up some organic thighs from Costco, and boy, they were tender and juicy!

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Creamy Italian Dressing - favorite!

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Several times this month, we made a big salad with Creamy Italian Dressing (Well Fed, p. 59).  Most amazing salad dressing I have ever had.  Period.

My salad consisted of mixed greens, baby spinach, raspberries, blueberries, oranges, avocado chunks, slivered almonds, and cucumbers.  So, so, so good.  The dressing was so amazing that we actually “sopped it up” on our chicken thighs and scarfed it down.

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Ras el Hanout

Creamy Spice Market Kale

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We didn’t get enough chicken thighs the first night (seriously, we both wanted them again!), so I baked this again, but with a different spice mixture: Ras el Hanout (Well Fed, p. 47).  What an amazing spice blend!  It contains cumin, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.  Can you smell it already?  I can!  It is amazing.  I sprinkled the seasoning over the chicken before baking, and it gave it a beautiful flavor.

As a base, I also made Creamy Spice Market Kale (Well Fed, p. 111).  Have you ever had moist, juicy kale?  I hadn’t before tonight… the coconut milk in the recipe truly does make it creamy and wonderful.  But be prepared – it is definitely spicy!  We loved every bite.

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Shepherd’s Pie

Mashed Cauliflower

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 Shepherd’s Pie (Well Fed, p. 97) was homey and yummy… Mashed cauliflower (Well Fed, p. 113) topped it, and that is a favorite of mine!

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Waldorf Tuna Salad

Olive Oil Mayo

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Check out this beautiful Waldorf Tuna Salad (Well Fed, p. 67).  I have recently fallen in love with tuna, so this was awesome!  The crunchy, tangy apples make the recipe a perfect flavor blend.  And, of course, you can’t go wrong with Olive Oil Mayo (Well Fed, p. 43).

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Caramelized Coconut Chips - favorite!

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Caramelized Coconut Chips (Well Fed, p. 153) are now a FAVORITE snack of ours.  I cannot believe how much these crispy little goodies taste like popcorn!  I made this and took it to a recent movie outing, and it was so much fun to crunch along with all the popcorn-eaters around us.

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Berries and Whipped Coconut Cream

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Berries and Whipped Coconut Cream (Well Fed, p. 149) was so good!  Fresh, wholesome, and full of delicious summer flavors.

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Cocoa-Toasted Cauliflower

Ranch Dressing

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In case you’re wondering, the amazing-looking steak in this picture is a recipe from It Starts With Food… “Mocha Steak Rub.”  The Cocoa-Toasted Cauliflower (Well Fed, p. 127) was pretty good.  Not a favorite, but pretty good!  And the Ranch Dressing (Well Fed, p. 59) was delicious!

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Pad Thai - favorite!

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Sunshine Sauce

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The Pad Thai (Well Fed, p. 63) recipe has been one of my favorite meals of all time.  It is creamy and delicious… the closest thing I’ve had to real, slurpy pasta since before I started eating Paleo-style.  I love the method for preparing Roasted Speghetti Squash (Well Fed, p. 123) for this recipe.  And the glue that held it all together was Melissa’s incredible Sunshine Sauce (Well Fed, p. 45).  This is just too easy and delicious to be real.

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Czech Meatballs

Roni’s Creamy Cucumbers

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I have to be honest and tell you that we were not big fans of Czech Meatballs (Well Fed, p. 89).  I think we just really don’t like caraway seeds.  However, Roni’s Creamy Cucumbers (Well Fed, p. 135) was absolutely phenomenal.  I have actually made this recipe several more times since we first tried it.  Wonderful flavors!

Also pictures, Yellow Squash Latkes from The Food Lovers!

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The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat - favorite!

Moroccan Dipping Sauce

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 This recipe doesn’t lie.  Melissa wasn’t joking when she named this The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat (Well Fed, p. 69).  In fact, I must apologize for the quality of the picture… it’s terrible because the chicken smelled SO good that I just snapped one and said “forget it… I gotta eat this now!”  There is quite a process to make this recipe, but every step is well worth it.  I have never tasted a more tender, juicy chicken breast.  Wow.

To top it, I made Moroccan Dipping Sauce (Well Fed, p. 55).  This is a perfect pairing, and my husband loved it as much as I did.  So fun!

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Bora Bora Fireballs

Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

Coconut-Almond Green Beans

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This photo is pretty awful, and does not do justice to the deliciousness of this meal!  We had this on the 4th of July, because I thought Bora Bora Fireballs (Well Fed, p. 99) sounded festive and fun!  Boy, were they!  These meatballs were spicy, juicy, and good.  I will definitely be making them again.

As for the Coconut-Almond Green Beans (Well Fed, p. 125), well, there are no words… This is our new FAVORITE way to consume green beans.  The sauce is both sweet and spicy, and it pairs perfectly with the crunch of the almonds.

The Cauliflower Rice Pilaf (Well Fed, p. 121) was good, at least to me.  My husband did not like it at all… but he’s never been a big fan of cauli-rice, anyway.

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Best Stir-Fry Sauce Ever

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This recipe almost needs a separate post of its own.  It’s just chicken breasts, but it’s sautéed in Best Stir-Fry Sauce Ever (Well Fed, p. 51), which truly is the BEST stir-fry sauce EVER!  I love anything with Chinese 5-spice powder, so I was excited to try this!  It also contains orange juice and coconut aminos, which proved to be a seriously winning combo.

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Blue Ribbon Country Captain Chicken

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I was pretty surprised at how easy Blue Ribbon Country Captain Chicken (Well Fed, p. 107) was to make.  It’s one of those “throw it in the oven and let it take care of itself” types of recipes.  There are a few additional steps, but overall, it’s very simply.  The flavors are awesome.  I’ll be making this one again, for sure…

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Citrus Carnitas

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Wow.  That’s all I have to say about this.  Just… wow.  We served Citrus Carnitas (Well Fed, p. 95) over roasted spaghetti squash, with a side of fresh cherokee purple tomatoes.  The recipe is unbelievably tangy and juicy.  I loved the flavors of lemon and lime on pork, and my husband now loves it too!

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Scotch Eggs

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Scotch Eggs (Well Fed, p. 83) have become a favorite little breakfast package for us.  I actually took a shortcut and used some local spicy pork sausage to wrap the hard-boiled eggs, and they were SO good.

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Cinnamon Beef Stew with Orange Gremolata

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This was a crazy recipe.  Cinnamon Beef Stew with Orange Gremolata (Well Fed, p. 65) is packed with amazing, complex flavors.  I can’t say that it was a favorite, but we did enjoy this very different dish!  We served with sautéed kale.

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Basil and Walnut Pesto - favorite!

Jicama “Potato” Salad

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The Basil and Walnut Pesto recipe (Well Fed, p. 53) knocked our socks off.  I served it over grass-fed filet mignon, and we felt like we were in food-heaven.  I absolutely LOVE basil, and Melissa’s recipe does not have you missing parmesan cheese (a typical pesto ingredient) at all!  So, so, so good…

Alongside, I served Jicama “Potato” Salad (Well Fed, p. 137).  It was pretty crazy to discover how much jicama resembles potatoes after it’s been softened in the crock pot for 24 hours.  I will be making this again for picnics and cookouts, that’s for sure!

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Sri Lankan Curry Sauce

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I served Sri Lankan Curry Sauce (Well Fed, p. 57) over some cubed steak, and it was really good!  There are a lot of vegetables packed into this recipe, not to mention the good coconut fat from the milk!  This meal was warm, hearty, and filling.

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Machacado & Eggs with Avocado Relish - favorite!

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This was a fantastic lazy-day breakfast for us.  It was easy to make, but it tastes gourmet.  Machacado & Eggs with Acovado Relish (Well Fed, p. 79) is definitely on our “favorite breakfasts” list.  With a side of bacon, breakfast just can’t be much more delicious.

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Ginger-Lime Grilled Shrimp

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Ginger-Lime Grilled Shrimp (Well Fed, p. 75) is one of those recipes I probably would not have made had I not challenged myself to cook through a recipe book.  Shrimp is a lot of work… I spent a lot of time cleaning and deveining, and it smelled… shrimpy.  However, the outcome was outstanding, and my husband LOVED it!  We don’t have a grill, but the recipe worked wonderfully under the oven broiler.

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Egg Foo Yong

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This picture makes me want to run to the kitchen right now to make Egg Foo Yong (Well Fed, p. 87).  What a delicious Asian-flavored meal!  Served with “Spicy Secret Sauce,” it is really incredible.  I did not have pancake rings, but these turned out just fine poured into the pan like regular pancakes.

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Baba Ghanoush

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 As beautiful as this photo is, I have to admit that we did not love Baba Ghanoush (Well Fed, p. 139).  I think it’s just because we’re not huge eggplant fans.  We’ve never had a recipe for Baba Ghanoush that we’ve liked.

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Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) - #1 favorite!

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This recipe stands out as my FAVORITE one in the book.  Char Siu (Well Fed, p. 91) is sweet, tangy, tender, and delectable.  I have never tasted pork like this.  It may even be better than bacon (say what??).  We silently enjoyed every bite… and I think I actually took a few too many bites.  It was very difficult to stop eating this.

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BBQ Pork Fried Rice

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I made this just before a little weekend getaway to bring with us.  It re-warmed beautifully, and tasted like authentic Chinese food.  We LOVE BBQ Pork Fried Rice (Well Fed, p. 93), and I will be making it again very soon.

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Sesame-Garlic Nori Chips

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I’ve been looking for ways to eat more seaweed lately (seriously…), so I was excited to give Sesame-Garlic Nori Chips (Well Fed, p. 129) a try.  I thought they might be similar to SeaSnax (the pre-packed version you can find at Whole Foods, etc.), but they were WAY better.  Melissa actually has you double up on the nori, so they feel more like a crunchy chip (rather than tasting like sea-flavored tissue paper).  I really enjoyed these.

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Maki Rolls

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As you can see from this not-so-great picture, I do not have a sushi mat, and my rolling skills are not great.  However, Maki Rolls (Well Fed, p. 81) were a fun project, and I liked them!  My husband was not a fan.  Sadness…

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Italian Sausage and Eggplant Strata

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This was GOOD.  Italian Sausage and Eggplant Strata (Well Fed, p. 101) was a really cool version of lasagna.  And the eggs  mixed with the tomatoes gave it a very (dare I say it??) CHEESY flavor and texture.  Really… it tasted like it had cheese in it!  Even though we’re not huge eggplant fans, we did enjoy this a lot.  In fact, this photo was taken after I made it last night, and we’re having leftovers tonight!  Yay!

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NOT PICTURED:

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Garlic-Browned Ground Meat (Well Fed, p. 31) – I will never “just brown the meat” again.  Cooking grass-fed been with moisture from coconut oil and onions, with added flavors from black pepper and garlic powder, take this simple component to a whole other level.

 Moroccan Meatballs (Well Fed, p. 71) - favorite! - I am so sad that I did not take a picture of this meal!  We actually made it twice… the first time one of my best friends and I cooked it together, and enjoyed it together, and it was so fun!  The flavors go so well with ground lamb… I already can’t wait to make it again.

Chocolate Chili (Well Fed, p. 73) – I blogged about this recipe once before… check it out here.

Rogan Josh (Well Fed, p. 85) – We didn’t have lamb meat that could be cubed, so I used ground lamb instead.  While my husband loved it, the flavors were a little too rich for me.  I could only take a few bites, and I was done.  this would be good served with a neutral flavor, as Melissa suggests, like mashed cauliflower, cauli-rice, roasted spaghetti squash, etc.  Unfortunately, I had none of that on hand, so we just ate it plain (like stew).

Meat and Spinach Meatballs (Well Fed, p. 105) – I really enjoyed this recipe.  It was easy to make, and very tasty and filling!  A great breakfast option…

Velvety Butternut Squash (Well Fed, p. 119) – I actually tried Melissa’s suggest variation for this one, and used sweet potatoes instead.  It was SO good!  I do plan to try it again with the real ingredient… butternut squash!

Jicama Home Fries (Well Fed, p. 131) – This recipe is best if you soak the jicama for the entire 24 hours (the recipe suggests 12-24 hours).  I whipped it up after only 12 hours, and it was still really crunchy… not the way I envision home fries.  I’m looking forward to trying this again.

Zucchini Noodles Aglio et Olio (Well Fed, p. 133) – favorite! - This is another one where I really wish I had a picture.  We served these amazing noodles with the Moroccan Meatballs, and they have to be another FAVORITE recipe from this cookbook.  I could eat them every day.  They have an incredible spicy creaminess that taste restaurant-calibur.

El Minzah Orange Salad (Well Fed, p. 143) – Unfortunately, I cannot eat oranges, so I did not have the pleasure of tasting this recipe.  However, I did make it for my husband and my parents, and they really enjoyed it!

Fried Apples with Bacon and Pecans (Well Fed, p. 147) – I mean… what else needs to be said?  There is no picture because this bowl of insanity was gobbled down in 2 minutes flat.  Yum.

Peach Almond Crisp (Well Fed, p. 151) – Because it is so dessert-like, this recipe is not Whole30-approved.  However, I look forward to enjoying it very soon!

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I am so grateful to Melissa Joulwan for this fantastic culinary masterpiece.  It made our month VERY delicious, broke me out of my little cooking rut, and gave me an amazing list of items that I cannot wait to make and share again.

Mission accomplished.

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Book Review: Practical Paleo

I am so thrilled for the opportunity to review this book.  Let me begin by telling you that you are seriously missing out on some fantastic Paleo wisdom if you haven’t listened to Diane Sanfilippo and Liz Wolfe on the Balanced Bites Podcast.  These ladies know their stuff, and I have learned a ridiculous amount from them.  I also loved meeting these two in person when they came to my area to teach a workshop, so I have been looking forward to Diane’s new book for quite a while.  I am thrilled and honored to have received an advance copy.

The book was dropped [loudly] on my doorstep one day last week.  When I opened the package, my initial thought was “wow… this thing is no joke!”  The book is BEAUTIFUL.  The photography is stunning.  The design and layout is genius.  And, as I expected, it is packed with great stuff.

From the title, we know that Diane’s mission was to make this Paleo thing practical.  And as you browse through the pages, you will see that she has accomplished that mission.  The book starts out as practical as you can get by answering this question: “what is Paleo?”  In easy-to-understand, not-too-sciency language, Diane explains the why behind this way of eating.  Next she tell you how to do it, and includes instructions on stocking your pantry, food quality, cooking oils choices, ways to understand how standard thinking on “nutrition” is all wrong, etc.

The book gets even more practical with tips for staying Paleo when you go out, and when you travel (this was hugely beneficial for me!).

But don’t worry… she digs deeper, going beyond just “practical,” and explains exactly how food affects the body.  If you want simple explanations to help you understand digestion, leaky gut, blood sugar regulation, and more, then this is the book for you.  She even describes (in a completely hilarious way) how your poop tells secrets about your digestion.

The next section of the book is the one that impressed me the most: the meal plans.  Diane has done her homework, and has prepared specialized, ingredient-driven plans and recipes specifically for people struggling with particular health problems, including autoimmune conditions, thyroid conditions, cancer recovery, neurological issues, and more.  She even has plans for folks concerned with fat loss, or with athletic performance.  And in each of these plans, she explains why you should follow the ingredient recommendations, and how particular ingredients affect particular health issues.  Wow.  Even if you don’t have any of these health concerns yourself, this is such a valuable tool to use to help others get better results from their diet.

And finally… the recipes!  To be honest, I didn’t know that I was getting a book AND a cookbook, so seeing the enormous recipe section was very exciting for me!  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the photos are STUNNING (major props to Bill Staley, co-author of Make It Paleo!)  Diane has thought of everything from breakfast foods to treats. I’ve been drooling over these pages since the book arrived, and tonight I finally had a chance to place the book on my recipe stand and use it for dinner!

I made Citrus and Herb Whole Roasted Chicken.  It was super easy to make… just stuff the bird with onions, garlic, and lemon, surround with a few carrots, sprinkle with herbs, and bake!

The house smelled delicious while our dinner took care of itself, and I prepared a big salad to accompany it.

The flavors of the lemon and the herbs really soak into the flesh during the baking process, and the result was so yummy!  We piled the tender cuts high, and throughly enjoyed every bite.  I will definitely be making this one again!

After we finished, I took the little meat that was left on the carcass (we basically devoured most of it), and dropped it into the crock pot for some Mineral-Rich Bone Broth.  I’ve made Diane’s bone broth recipe many times before (it’s on her website here), and it is one of my favorites.  I was thrilled to see that it made the cookbook!

What’s on my list to make next, you ask?  Here are some that I can hardly wait to test: Sweet Potato Pancakes, Quick & Easy Salmon Cakes, Butternut Sage Soup, Baconnaise (yes, you read that correctly!!), and Flourless Mocha-Bacon Brownies (oh goodness…!).

 

This book will has already been a fantastic addition to my kitchen…

Pre-order your copy here (release date is August 7th).

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AN UPDATE: My 43-Day Challenge

I saw this quote on Pinterest, and I really love it!  Are you working through some goals right now?  Don’t quit!

If you have been keeping up with my 43-Day Challenge, then THANK YOU!  For more information on what I’ve been doing, click here.  I am still pressing on, and really enjoying some fantastic benefits!

You have probably noticed that I have not been blogging as much lately.  In fact, I just took a look at my history, and I’ve only published one post in the last TWO WEEKS!  This is probably the longest stretch I’ve gone since starting my website.  So what has been keeping me so busy?  Well, aside from the fact that I do work a full-time job and run a household, I’ve had a lot of extra projects to do with the goals I’ve set for these 43 days!  Cooking through a cookbook is no joke… it takes extra time to prepare for the store, to shop, and to cook.  The results are well worth it, but this endeavor has definitely taken a good amount of time!  Also, I have done really well with my “go to bed early” goal!  However, turning off the computer at 9:00 has really cut into my late-night blogging time.

So how about an update on how all this is going?

Big Goal #1: Clean Eating:  We are still in the midst of our Whole30 (which I am extending through the end of July for a Whole43), and it is going really well!  It always amazes me how my husband and I always improve our body composition within just a few weeks of starting a Whole30.  We eat really clean most of the time, but just cutting out those occasional treats (frozen yogurt, corn chips, alcohol, etc… NO GLUTEN) makes such a huge difference.  This experience, and reading through It Starts With Food, has persuaded me that those occasional treats should actually be less occasional.

Big Goal #2: Be Well Fed:  As I mentioned above, I’m cooking through an AMAZING cookbook that is Whole30-approved (except for one dessert recipe).  This has been so much fun!  I’ve definitely made some dishes that I probably would not have tried if I hadn’t set this goal, and man, am I glad I did!  I have a gigantic picture post coming up soon… highlighting my favorite recipes from Well Fed, etc.  UPDATE: HERE IT IS!

Big Goal #3: Natural Skin Care/Oral Care: This has been a really cool experience.  My goal has been to use the Oil Cleansing Method for facial skin care, throw out all my chemical-filled body products, take lots of epsom-salt baths, etc.  I have to admit, the first time I tried the Oil Cleansing Method, I felt really crazy!  I mean, really… I’ve always gone out of my way to find oil-free facial products, and here I was smearing 100% OIL all over my face.  It was a little insane!  But since then, my face has been unbelievably smooth, never itchy, and almost radiant!  Except for a few blemishes that I believe were part of the detoxing process, I’ve also had an even-clearer-than-usual complexion.

Big Goal #4: Natural Hair Care: I recently did a post on the results of my natural hair care project, and I’m definitely still enjoying these benefits.  I have started using 1/2 the amount of apple cider vinegar (1 TBS. instead of 2 TBS.), and this has really cut down on the vinegary smell that I so dislike!

Big Goal #5: Go to Bed:  I have done much better with this goal than I expected.  I usually detest going to bed early, but after the first week of these challenge, my body and mind decided that this might be a good idea after all!  I’ve started feeling nice and sleepy around 9:00 when I turn off my computer, and then I take about an hour to wind down even more… and then falling asleep is easy!  The best part this goal has been how I feel when I wake up.  I can now wake up as early as 8:00 (I know that’s not really early, but it used to feel REALLY early to me!), and feel energized and ready to take on the day.  Before this challenge, I would sleep until around 11 AM or so on my days off, but now I naturally wake up by 9:00, and this gives me two extra hours to enjoy my day!

Big Goal #6: Meaningful Workouts: This has been the one goal that I haven’t stuck to as much as I probably could.  There have definitely been afternoons where I have just felt a little tired, and have taken opportunities to do other things rather than work out.  But what amazes me is that I still look and feel better than I did before starting this Whole30, even without working out as much.  Further proof that “it starts with food.”

Big Goal #7: Supplements: Not much to share in this area… I’m following through with all facets of this goal, and still experiencing great results!

Big Goal #8: Stress Less: This has been an amazing goal.  You can read more about how I’ve maintained it here.  One of the best ways for us to keep the stress levels low in our home is to make fewer plans on our weeknight evenings.  In general, knowing that we don’t have any place to go most nights helps so much!  We are home-bodies, so we look forward to just being home together.  Other than that, I have really fallen in love with my herb/spice-filled neck-wrap.  So relaxing and calming!

 

So there you go!  I’m not done yet, but it’s going so well so far!  

Have you been pursuing any of these goals with me?  If so, let me know how you’re doing!

Natural Hair Care UPDATE: Pros and Cons

I’m in the middle of a 43-Day Challenge!  Read all about it here.

One of my goals for these 43 days is to transition to all-natural hair care.  For details, check out this post.  What this means is that I’m washing my hair with baking soda and water, and conditioning it with apple cider vinegar and water.  Since it’s been a few weeks, I thought I would give you an update…

 

The Pros

Overall, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well my hair has reacted to this drastic change.  I’ve always been a cheap-chemical-filled-shampoo-and-conditioner kinda girl, so I figured I might look like a greasy squirrel waiting for my hair to adjust to its natural pH balance.  However, I am pleased to report that I have only had two really grungy days.

• The biggest pro to this whole thing is pretty obvious, and slightly redundant: it’s natural.  I really love knowing that I’m not coating my hair and body with chemicals.  I just feel healthier.  Call me crazy.
• Another pro is that my hair feels incredibly soft.  I can’t believe what a great job baking soda does to work out the grime!
• Softness isn’t even the word… Apple Cider Vinegar takes that “squeaky” part out of the “squeaky clean.”  My hair feels really velvety, even when it’s still wet!
• My hair is much lighter (in weight, not in color).  I have very fine, thin hair, so I was worried about how I would do without my “volume boosting” shampoo and conditioner.  Well, turns out that those products may have been weighing my hair down.  It maintains lightness and fluffiness all day now.  I have to admit, I do still use a little hairspray to hold it in place (I’m growing out a short hairstyle… what’s a girl to do?), but the texture is fantastic!

 

The Cons

Yes, there are a few negative effects of this wonderfully natural method.  The good elements FAR outweigh the bad, but I’m going to share these with you anyway for kicks.

• Apple Cider Vinegar stinks.  Like really… it smells vinegar-y.  Weird, huh?  I’ve read on lots of other blogs that the smell quickly dissipates as your hair dries, but this is not the case with my blonde mop.  I can still smell it bold and strong after an hour, which makes going out lots of fun.  After blow-drying it, I can tell that it’s a little better, but still not gone.  By the way, don’t use more than one or two drops of essential oil to mask the smell… you will only create a very strong, slightly sweet vinegar-y scent.  Trust me.  I know.
• This relates to the previous point, but I really do miss smelling like tropical fruits.  Little things, people… little things.
• You have to be careful to not wash too often.  Once I did two days in a row, and the baking soda definitely gave me a little itchiness on my scalp (and yes, I rinsed VERY well).  If you must rinse and re-dry two days in a row, do it without the baking soda.
• I only had two bad days, but they were BAD.  My blonde hair turned an odd shade that I believe is called “grease pit.”  Thankfully, I was able to avoid leaving the house on these days.  But I’m glad there were only two!

 

Conclusion

Overall, I’ve been very pleased with my new hair habits.  And don’t think for a moment that the cons have swayed my decision to keep going!  There is so much more value in the pros, so I’m sticking with this old-fashioned “craziness!”  Who’s with me?

Paleo Friends: A Cool Story

A few months ago, I posted something about my grass-fed beef source, Little Creek Ranch, on my Facebook page.  One of my “fans” commented to say that she lives about two minutes from the farm… small world!  We got to talking right there in the comments section of that post, and decided to get together for lunch sometime.

A few weeks later, we met at a local lunch spot, and enjoyed a good meal and great conversation!  Her name is Blair, and we totally hit it off.  So many things to discuss… bone broth, cooking methods, supplements, family food “roadblocks,” etc.  We talked for at least two hours about food and health, and it was so amazing to see all the things we had in common, and to talk through things with someone so like-minded.

At our next lunch date, we decided that we should plan a time to get together for dinner, and that we should involve our husbands.  Well, last Saturday was the day, and Blair and Korey generously invited my husband and me to come over for dinner.  They live about an hour away, so we hopped in the car after my husband left work, and enjoyed the long drive into the country.  Blair and Korey live on a huge plot of land, and they have an amazing garden, lots of chickens, and plenty of sunshine!  They are also just a few miles from Little Creek Ranch, and around the corner from a pastured pork source!  I have to admit, I’m just a little jealous!

And the best part of our evening?  The amazing meal that we shared as new friends.  Check out the amazing selection that graced the table…

 

Blair made an amazing grass-fed top round roast, and topped it with a fantastic balsamic-merlot reduction.  It was perfectly cooked, and so tender!

I brought Cumin-Roasted Carrots (a recipe from Well Fed, of course!).

Blair whipped up some delicious Rosemary Green Beans…

…and some Yellow Squash Latkes (so good!).

I brought a Turkish Chopped Salad (with a few substitutions, as Blair can’t do FODMAPS).

What an amazing meal!  Dustin and I felt like we were eating at a gourmet restaurant.  People who think that a Paleo diet limits your food choices need to think again!  I wouldn’t have changed a thing about this meal.

I think we talked about food almost the entire time… and it was so nice to eat with people who not only don’t question why we eat the way we eat, but who also AGREE!

I want to extend a huge THANK YOU to Blair and Korey for having us over.  We had a wonderful time.

And not just that… we left with one dozen fresh eggs, a jar of pickles, a jar of pickled cabbage, and a bag full of cucumbers and squash from their garden.  WOW!

Three cheers for Paleo Friends!

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If you have some Paleo friends who appreciate REAL FOOD as much as you do, be sure to take advantage of the opportunities you have to cook for each other and enjoy the things you have in common.  What fun!