I got a Vita-Mix Blender for Christmas (EEEEEEEP!).
Tonight I made my first blend… it was delicious, so I decided to share!
1 C unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 C frozen blueberries
1 tsp honey
1 frozen banana
Put all ingredients in the Vita-Mix and blend on HIGH for 30 seconds, or until 4 “mounds” form.
Note: This recipe definitely requires a high-powered blender. A regular ol’ blender just won’t do the job.
On Saturday night, my husband and I went to a local sports bar/restaurant to watch our favorite team play some basketball. We had a great time, and had some pretty good eats! While we were there, I had a few thoughts about eating out while trying to eat Paleo-style, and I thought I would share them with you.
First of all… what did we eat?
Dustin got 15 chicken wings in a homemade sauce (it probably contained some sugar, unfortunately).
I ordered a bacon-burger (with no bun) with a side of sauteed vegetables. Don’t worry- I did remove the cheese before I ate it! It just didn’t look as “pretty” after that.
Overall, the food was okay. One thing both Dustin and I noticed was that everything tasted VERY salty. It is amazing to see how your palate changes when you go strict Paleo for an extended amount of time. Before we started eating this way, we were eating loads of salt/preservative-filled processed foods, and we craved it! Once we cut all that out for 30 days, and allowed our palates to come off the salt/sugar-”high,” we started enjoying the natural flavors of meats and vegetables SO much more.
1. Look at an online menu first. When you are planning where to go, take a few minutes to google the restaurant. Most places have websites with their menu posted. This will save you some frustration… We have been to so many restaurants where the only Paleo options are side salads. This is never a fun experience!
2. Tell the waiter/waitress to hold the pre-meal bread. If you are starving, and a loaf of steaming bread with butter is sitting in front of you, it is far more difficult to resist.
3. Gluten hides in so many places! It is easy to sit back and think “as long as I don’t order bread or pasta, I’m good to go!” Well, unfortunately that’s not true at all. If you order chicken tenders, they will likely be breaded with a flour mixture. If you get a salad, there will likely be croutons on it. If you order soup, there will likely be breadcrumbs, crackers, or croutons already added to it. If you choose meatloaf, it is likely held together by breadcrumbs. And the list goes on… Do not just assume that it is not there just because you cannot see it.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask! Very often, I ask the waiter/waitress if there is any gluten in a particular menu item. Sometimes they do not know, so they will go and ask the chef. My opinion is this: I am paying good money (sometimes too much money!) for the food I am ordering, so I want it the way I want it! Keep in mind, we should not be unreasonable about this… I would never ask a chef to make a whole meatloaf without breading simply so I can have a slice, but I will absolutely get a burger without the bun, a salad without the croutons, etc. If you have to, let the waiter/waitress know that you do not eat gluten for health purposes.
5. Watch out for dressings and sauces! Most salad dressings are dairy-based. And almost all of them contain ridiculous amounts of sugar. When I order a salad, I ask for olive oil and vinegar, or fresh lemon juice, on the side. You can also ask for sauces on the side so you can control the amount that goes on your food.
6. Choose lean meats when you can. Since most restaurants do not serve grass-fed beef, you will get more anti-nutrients from grains in the fatty cuts.
7. Don’t be afraid to request extra servings of vegetables to make up for your lack of bread!
8. Beware of omelets! One of the things I learned from the folks at Whole9 is that many restaurants infuse their omelets with pancake batter to make them fluffier. Disgusting!
9. When all else fails, order a huge salad. If I am having trouble finding a decent Paleo option on the menu, I am almost always safe ordering a huge salad. I usually choose one with grilled chicken and a ton of vegetables. As I said above, just ask for oil and vinegar on the side.
10. Enjoy! Do not stress out over eating out. It should be a relaxing break from your own kitchen, so sit back and enjoy it! If you start freaking out because there may be one speck of sugar on your plate, you are taking the diet a little too seriously. While gluten is VERY important to avoid, items that contain dairy, corn, sugar, or similar non-paleo ingredients will not cause serious damage if rarely consumed, and in very small quantities. Take a chill pill, people (unless you are on a Whole30… if that is the case, freak out all you want. It is important, and it will be worth it!)!
The GREAT News!
Every time I eat out, I think about how much better my own food tastes now that I’m using fresh, whole ingredients. While we were eating our wings and burgers on Saturday night, I kept thinking “I could make these items taste so much better than this!” And I like that thought…
Feel free to add to these tips in the COMMENTS section below!
This question has been rolling around in my head for a while now… Which is better: coconut milk or almond milk?
From a taste standpoint, I enjoy drinking both. Coconut milk feels more hydrating and refreshing to me, but I love the rich flavor of almond milk.
From a health standpoint, I have come to the conclusion that coconut milk is better for my health. Have you heard of the N-3/N-6 ratio (better known as Omega-3/Omega-6 ratio)? Both Omega-3 AND Omega-6 are necessary for good health, but they should be balanced. (For a more scientific explanation, check out this post on Robb Wolf’s website.) To quote Robb Wolf, “With the adoption of grain feeding our cattle and the use of seed and vegetable oils heavy in the short omega 6 fat (linoleic acid) we have witnessed a dramatic shift away from the essential fatty acid profile we’d expect to see from an ancestral diet of ~1-1 or 2-1 N-6/N-3 to more than 10-1. The health implications of this shift have not been great. The N-6 family tends to produce “pro-inflammatory” cellular signaling, while the N-3 family tends to produce “anti-inflammatory” signaling. This is a simplification, but it get’s the idea across. More accurately, with excessive N-6 we see cellular signaling profiles that tend to promote pathology including cancer, autoimmunity and glucose dysregulation. I see this more like a band or orchestra playing out of tune than too much of one thing vs another thing, but the fact remains: folks likely get too much of the short form of N-6 fats. ”
So basically, we get MORE than enough N-6 fats in our diets. That is why many of us supplement with fish oil (high in N-3 fats) to counter-balance… imbalance results in inflammation, as mentioned above.
Because nuts are high in N-6 fats, they should be a limited part of our diet. In fact, the folks at Whole9 suggest that a serving of nuts should be limited to one closed handful.
Coconut milk should also be limited (read: you shouldn’t drink a can at a time), but not as limited, and only because it will fill you up quickly, leaving little room for all the meats and veggies that should surround it!
Therefore, because I am more concerned with my n-3/n-6 ratio than I am about my fat intake, I generally choose coconut milk over almond milk. I already enjoy some nuts as regular snacks, and I like to use almond meal for several baked items, so if I can avoid MORE almonds in the form of milk, I will!
While we’re on the subject, let’s consider your purposes for using either milk.
*If you are just drinking either as a regular beverage, you are better off with water, unless you are trying to gain or maintain weight. Both are easy to overdo because they are liquids.
*In coffee, either will work. I prefer full-fat coconut milk in my coffee. The creamy chunks melt into the dark elixir, and make a delicious treat. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and you’ve got it made!
*For baking, I have found that most paleo recipes requiring milk do call for coconut milk. But a glass of almond milk with my favorite chocolate chip cookies is AMAZING!
Forms Available:
I buy several forms of coconut milk…
1. The full-fat version comes in a can. Be sure to choose one with no added ingredients (except guar gum, which acts as a stabilizer, and is even “okayed” by Whole9). The cream usually rises to the top, so you will have to stir it really well before pouring. For storage, pour the remaining milk into a glass jar and refrigerate.
2. The lite version is just watered down a little. I keep a few cans on hand for smoothies. You can simply add extra water to your bottle/mason jar of full-fat coconut milk if you prefer to water it down yourself.
For more info on coconut milk, click here.
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There are also a few different forms of Almond Milk.
1. The best way to obtain almond milk is to make your own. Simply soak 2 cups of almonds in water overnight, strain them, and then blend thoroughly with 2 cups of water. Once the mixture is completely liquified, pour it through a very thin strainer (like the one pictured above). I actually purchased a $2 paint strainer from Lowes Hardware, and it works beautifully. Store in the refrigerator for one week.
2. You can also find almond milk in cartons with brands like “Almond Breeze” or “Silk.” These do contain some preservatives, and you should look for the UNSWEETENED version to avoid added sugar.
Hope this helps you!
I love cooking. There have been many days that I have cooked all day… just for the fun of it. My husband works on Saturdays, so sometimes I will wake up, do my grocery-shopping, and then just make one recipe after another, after another, etc. By the end of the day I am ready to be off my feet, but I have had so much fun! However, there are other days where cooking falls last on my list of ”things I’d like to do right now.” On these days, I am especially thankful for the quick and easy Paleo meals… These three meals are super-quick, and super-healthy! I keep the ingredients stocked so I can pick one to make any day of the week.
Paleo “Fajitas”
This was actually our dinner tonight! I came home exhausted, and my back yelled at me when I mentioned cooking a big meal. We love Mexican food, so this meal is ALWAYS a welcome sight at our table.
Saute an onion and some peppers (tonight I only had 1 green pepper, so it got tossed in). Brown some ground beef, or cook some diced chicken- whatever you’re in the mood to eat. Season with some chili powder and cumin, salt and pepper. While the meat is cooking, whip up some quick guacamole (my super-simple version here) and dice some tomatoes. When the meat is done, lay down a bed of spinach or lettuce, pile the meat/onion/pepper mixture on top, accessorize with some tomatoes (I had yellow tomatoes tonight- pretty!!), and top with big blobs of guac and salsa (I love salsa from Trader Joe’s).
Done! Easy Peasy, right?
Breakfast!
Whether you are trying to whip up a quick breakfast OR a quick dinner, frittatas are a quick and easy choice. This is also a great way to get rid of some miscellaneous items in your fridge. Tonight, while my beef was browning, I whipped this up so we’ll have a ready-breakfast for the next few days. Just whisk together 10 eggs, salt, pepper, your choice of spices, and whichever vegetables you wish to add (tonight I used red tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, broccoli, and spaghetti squash). Pour into a HOT skillet and allow it to cook for about 2-3 minutes (do not stir). Then put the entire pan under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Done! Cover, and store in the refrigerator if you are saving it for breakfast. If not, be sure you start some bacon before your frittata starts cooking!
For more frittata combo ideas, click here.
Paleo Spaghetti
This is probably my favorite Paleo meal right now. Not only is is fast, it is mind-blowingly delicious! There are several ways to make it… pictured is the simplest version- sliced zucchini rounds, sautéed with onions and spices, and topped with ground beef and marinara. You can also julienne the zucchini if you like it to feel more like noodles. But my favorite way to make it is with the fabulous spaghetti squash. Cut the squash in half, and microwave one half for 9 minutes. When done, scrape the strands onto plates using a fork. Top with ground beef that has been browned with sauteed onions, and then add a generous scoop of marinara. I use a delicious pre-made marinara that is made from all-natural ingredients.
So good!!
I hope this makes your life a little easier! For 21 other SIMPLIFYING tips, check out my eBook…
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Robb Wolf describes it as “fantastic!”
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Check out the 5 Runner-Up Winners:
MARK TAYLOR
CARLEEN MURRAY
MALYSSA BRANNON
MELISSA FRITCHER
KEITH DE SYLVA
Send me an e-mail to claim your prize: Jennie@EasyPaleo.com
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The Grand Prize!
Here is what you will receive if you are the Grand Prize Winner… a Paleo Gift Basket!
1. Nope, I’m not kidding! This is my all-time FAVORITE cookbook, so it had to be part of the Grand Prize! For more information about this amazing resource, click here. For a few posts that include items I’ve made from Paleo Comfort Foods,click here. The pictures in the book are stunning (who doesn’t love looking at pictures of Paleo food?), and everything I have tried has been delicious!
2. Melissa Joulwan has just released her BRAND NEW eBook, Well Fed. It is full of wonderful information and mind-blowing recipes. I absolutely love it, and I’m sure you will love it too! Click here for more information.
3. A copy of my own eBook, Easy Paleo: 21 Practical Ways to Simplify your Paleo Life. I have heard lots of great feedback from those who have already purchased the eBook, and that makes me so happy! For more information about it, click here.
4. This is the best honey I have ever tasted, and it comes straight from my local Farmer’s Market. The farmers who sell it are super-nice and very passionate about their honey. You will love this.
5. My favorite item from Trader Joe’s… Salsa Verde! If you have tried it before, you know why… it is delicious, and it tastes great on nearly everything. For more information and ingredients, click here.
6. Plus more! I have a few other things I just may throw in… I’ll keep you posted!
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5 Runner-Up Prizes!
If you do not win the Grand Prize, don’t worry! There is still a chance for you to get something! 5 lucky people will receive a Runner-Up Prize…
A copy of my eBook, Easy Paleo: 21 Practical Ways to Simplify Your Paleo Life. See above for details.
As if we need more reasons to eat grass-fed beef, here is a fantastic article to provide them. To see my original post on grass-fed beef, click here.
The first part of this article talks alot about vegetarianism. As someone who was a vegetarian for 12 years, I found it fascinating. And I’m also please to report that I look, feel, and perform FAR better now (as a lean meat-eater) than I did then (as a vegetarian).
Check it out!
“… [T]he latest form of animal activism is … only eating ethical, sustainable meat … Sustainable meat-eating is particularly suitable for those who return to omnivorism because of health problems”.
There’s tremendous controversy about what type of diet is best – and whether or not meat is an essential part of anyone’s diet. Many promote vegetarianism for everyone, but this one-size-fits-all diet advice will do some people far more harm than good.Personally, I would never argue with someone refusing to eat a particular food based on their spiritual convictions. It’s your right to choose what you want to eat. However, I strongly believe there are health consequences for opting to avoid all animal protein. There’s strong clinical evidence indicating that few people can maintain optimal health on such a diet.To me, a major anecdotal clue is the observations of people who actually seek to implement this practice. If it were what their body needed and they were thriving why would, 75 percent of vegetarians revert back to eating meat—oftentimes due to declining health? This does not mean that many who follow a vegetarian diet aren’t healthy and thriving, but it certainly is a major indication that many find problems with it.
While I’ve previously discussed my own experience with vegetarianism, I’m not the only one who has experienced a decline in health as a result of shunning all animal protein. As mentioned above, many vegetarians who revert back to eating animal protein do so because they start having health problems. This isn’t all that surprising, considering the fact that protein is one of the basic building blocks your body needs to build, maintain, and repair your body tissues.That said, I am not saying that everyone needs red meat, fish or poultry to stay healthy either… Other sources of high quality protein include raw organic dairy and eggs, which would not violate any ethical concerns about sacrificing animals for meats.And regardless of your ethical leanings on animal rights, I strongly recommend avoiding meat from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). This type of meat is significantly inferior in quality and nutrition, and the harm will likely outweigh the benefit for most people.When making a decision about which foods to eat, there are a number of factors to consider:
- Everyone needs fats, carbohydrates, and protein in order to thrive. However, the ratios of each of these will vary from person to person. For example, some thrive on very large amounts of vegetables and very little animal protein, while others need more protein and less vegetable carbs. The people who fare the worst on a vegetarian diet are those who require higher amounts of protein, as they’re depriving their bodies of essential fuel.
- The quality of the meat (which is primarily determined by the way it was raised), and the way it is cooked will impact its health benefits.
- The types and amounts of vegetables chosen, because not all vegetables are created equal either. For example, increasing your vegetable intake with salads is a good start, but iceberg lettuce has minimal nutritional value. Red and green leaf lettuce, along with romaine lettuce and spinach, are more nutritious options. Eating a wide variety of vegetables is also important to ensure optimal nutrition.
The movement toward “ethical and sustainable meat eating” is in large part fueled by former vegetarians, who have realized there’s a better way to promote humanitarian treatment of farm animals than total abstinence. After all, if you avoid meat because you object to factory farming conditions, you’re not really helping to change the system at all. Your decision has very little impact… But by supporting small farms that raise their animals in a humane fashion, you’re promoting the proliferation of such farms, which in the end will benefit everyone, including all the animals.Organic, grass-fed meat that is humanely raised and butchered is really the only type of meat worth eating, if you want to maintain your good health.I’ve previously written about the atrocities that take place in some U.S. CAFO’s (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), where animals are raised in filthy, crowded conditions, and I think we can all agree that such animal abuse is inexcusable, even if they’re “only” being raised for food. But that’s not the only reason why I recommend avoiding these types of meat. Most CAFO’s pump the animals full of hormones and drugs, and feed them unnatural diets consisting of pesticide-laden and oftentimes genetically modified (GM) grains.It would be foolish to think that the end result—the meat from these animals—would have any major health benefits…In fact, the differences between CAFO beef and organic grass-fed beef are so vast; you’re really talking about two different animals, and two separate industries with entirely different farming practices and environmental impact. The latter also tends to favor far more humane butchering practices, which is also a very important part of “ethical meat.”
Grass-based feeding is a very efficient and ecologically sustainable method of farming. Instead of producing tons of grain for feed — which requires extensive land, fertilizer, pest management, and large equipment for cultivating, harvesting, drying, storage and feeding — pasture-based farming lets the cows do the work. They harvest, fertilize, and feed themselves, overseen by the farmer in a carefully managed system. The net result is significantly less fuel consumption, less erosion, less air and water pollution and greater soil fertility. The animals also get to live a natural life outdoors, grazing off the land as they were intended to.Most importantly, this natural and harmonious way of raising animals also leads to a superior food product. Grass-fed beef, for instance, is lower in fat than regular CAFO-raised beef. It also contains three to five times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid. The milk from grass-fed cows is also higher in many nutrients, including CLA, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and omega-3 fats.Why Choosing ‘Grass-Fed’ Beef is More Important than Choosing ‘Organic’
Keep in mind that grass-fed, and particularly grass-finished, beef is almost always preferable to certified organic. There are two primary reasons for this:
- Most grass-fed cattle are fed on grasslands with limited pesticides, fertilizers, and other harmful chemicals, and the animals will never see the inside of a feedlot. Hence it’s often comparable to organic even if it’s not marked as such.
- Most organic beef is still fed organic corn, which is what causes the myriad of health problems associated with eating CAFO-raised beef. Grain diets create a much higher level of acidity in the animal’s stomach, in which E.coli bacteria can thrive.
The term “grass-finished” means the animals were grass-fed throughout their life. Some producers feed their herds grass only in the beginning, and then finish them off on grains.Grass-fed and finished beef not only trumps grain-fed beef in terms of nutrition, but also in food safety. It has a minimal risk of contamination compared to grain-fed beef due to the difference in stomach pH in the two diets. And since grass-finished animals live in clean grass pastures, this superior level of sanitation greatly reduce the risk of E.coli infection as well. If you can find certified organic, grass-fed and grass-finished meat, you’ve essentially struck gold…
On November 15, 2007, the USDA enacted new standards for the grass-fed label. According to this new USDA marketing claim standard:Grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass (annual and perennial), forbs (e.g., legumes, Brassica), browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state.Animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season. Hay, haylage, baleage, silage, crop residue without grain, and other roughage sources may also be included as acceptable feed sources…This sounds all good and well. However, there are few loopholes. Most importantly, these standards are voluntary, so in order for you to confirm that this standard is actually being met, and the animals were indeed grass-fed until the end, the meat must also carry the “USDA Process Verified” label in addition to the “grass-fed” label.Additionally, as pointed out by the American Grassfed Association, the definition of “growing season” means that animals could be confined indoors for long periods, and can be kept off of pasture even when there is grass growing. The rules also do not restrict the use of antibiotics and hormones in the animals.Another issue frequently overlooked is that of cost to the farmer. USDA certification is costly, which prevents many small farmers—who are often raising food in traditional, healthy ways anyway—from legally calling their products “USDA grass-fed,” because they can’t afford to pay for the certification. However, if you go to your local farm and talk to the farmer, you can determine whether or not they fulfill the criteria of ethical and sustainable grass-fed and finished meat production for yourself. By going straight to the source, you’re likely getting the absolute best meat there is, USDA-certified or not.
If you’re currently a vegetarian, and your diet allows you to function at the highest level of energy and fitness and you rarely feel hungry or crave sweets, then you’re likely on the right track. These are signs that you are eating foods that are appropriate for you.However if you avoid animal protein for ethical reasons, and are struggling with health challenges, then I encourage you to consider changing your diet to include ethically-raised animal proteins. That may actually be the best form of animal activism, because it benefits not only yourself and the animals, but your entire community and the environment as well. The more people start demanding humanely-raised, grass-fed organic meats, the more farms will spring up to meet the demand, which will make it easier and less expensive for everyone to get access to these superior foods.If you happen to live in an area that doesn’t have at least one local farm, look for a farmer’s market or community-supported agriculture program in your area. LocalHarvest.org is a good source. Simply enter your zip code to find nearby farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food.Switching from supermarket to local farmer allows you to get superior food from a safer, more humane source, while supporting your community and the environment at the same time—it’s truly a win-win-win-win proposition, and what could be better than that?
