Yay! Still on track...and a recipe!

Well, it looks like I'm finally back in business. I was able to pass up pizza last night (Papa John's...my favorite) and saved myself the regret of a later stomach ache.  And since I'm on track, the paleo creative juices were flowing.  When I was thinking about what to make for the week, I saw my ground turkey and thought, "what could I make with that?"  I'm a big fan of the meatball and the holidays, so I thought, why not combine the two and make a Thanksgiving meatball?  Below is the result...it tastes like turkey and dressing.  Pretty darn good if I do say so myself.

Thanksgiving Meatballs

1 lb ground turkey

1 T Dijon mustard

1 egg

Drizzle of olive oil

1/3 cup almond meal

3-4 prunes cut into small pieces (could use cranberries…fruit is optional)

2 green onions cut into pieces (green & white parts)

2 tsp sage

1 tsp rosemary

¼ tsp thyme

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl.  With your hands, gently toss to combine.  Form into small spheres (I flatten mine so they look like disks/mini-burgers for more even cooking) and place in a greased dish.  Cook in oven on 350 for 20 minutes then turn heat to 400 and cook for 5-10 more minutes until they start to brown.

And because everyone loves pictures, here are some more pictures of great paleo food I've had this week or last.

Breakfast and lunch: broccoli and sausage quiche; grilled chicken salad with grape tomatoes and greek vinegarette

A past dinner: teriyaki chicken over cauliflower rice

Past breakfast: egg cupcakes (eggs, peppers, sausage...amazing!)

More recipes to come!!!

Back on the Wagon...for real this time...

Well, it took me a bit longer to get back on track than I had anticipated, but I back and that's what matters.  On that note, to prepare for the week (I got a job!!!) I just finished cooking a TON of meat.  That is also due to the fact that I bought a lot of meat on sale. Which leads me to...

BUDGET TIP: Look for meat that is marked down because its expiration date is in a day or two.  This means you will have to cook or freeze the meat within about 24 hours, but it is a great way to get meat you may not have been able/willing to buy for a reduced price.

Tonight, I cooked sausage for my breakfast quiche (enough for this week and next), browned a pound of ground hamburger meat (and froze), I cooked a pack of chicken on my fake George Foreman, made mini Italian meatballs (and froze), and defrosted and blitzed some broccoli for my quiche.

On the agenda for the week: create a "Thanksgiving" meatball and attempt a pumpkin custard.  Let the holiday themed cooking begin!

Tailgating

Well, I'm still working on getting back on track.  I did great for breakfast and lunch but then got off at a tailgate.  And why was that?  I wasn't prepared.  I brought carrot sticks and an apple, but those could not compete with sausage balls, brownie/oreo/chocolate bars, and buffalo chicken dip.  How will I approach this situation next time?  Bring paleo-friendly food that I want to eat.  In the coming weeks, I'll be thinking of recipes that have a "tailgate feel" but also fit within paleo guidelines.

As I said, lunch was on track.  Here's the recipe for a quick and easy vegetable soup made from leftovers from my pot roast.

Recipe: Vegetable Beef Soup
Ingredients:
Beef broth from pot roast
Beef from pot roast
Frozen chopped celery, carrots, onion
1 small tomato
1 cup water
Spices: thyme, sage, salt, pepper
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients, adding spices to taste (start with a pinch per spice...I prefer a little more sage), in a saucepan.  On the stove, bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are cooked.
Serves One

Getting Back on Track

So....this past week was not my best.  I chose to get off the paleo wagon multiple times over the past week.  I let my dedication slip during a family vacation, a funeral + traveling, and moments of unpreparedness.  BUT, I did learn a few things, which is all that matter.  If you get off the wagon, what is important is to hope right up and get back on track.

Things I Learned:
1. BE PREPARED.  I tried my best to bring enough "paleo-friendly" foods to get me through vacationing and traveling.  For vacation, I brought boiled eggs, apples, honeydew, baby tomatoes, carrot sticks, sunbutter, tea, and cinnamon raisin cookies (because my family loves to get sweet treats and I didn't want to be sitting there eating nothing).  For traveling to be with family during the funeral, I brought leftover chicken breasts, leftover spaghetti squash w/ marinara, eggs, apples, grapes, carrots, sunbutter, and tea.  These were great starts, but I should have brought more protein.  In the future, I will also be packing deli turkey and some nuts.
2. LOVE THE FOOD YOU BRING.  If the food you have to eat is adequate but not great, the other "nonfriendly" foods will be very hard to turn down.  I loved my squash w/marinera and chicken, but when my lunches became grapes, carrots w/ sunbutter, and a chicken breast, it was harder to turn down the other food.
3. KEEP THE FREEZER FULL OF FAST, TASTY OPTIONS.  I had nothing in my fridge to eat that did not require a good deal of prep.  I didn't have time to go to the store so I had to eat out for lunch...which I actually managed to eat paleo-ish (a salad at Subway).  However, it did not have the protein I needed, so I was starving by the time dinner rolled around and then let my blood sugar get so low I was almost lethargic.  So I ended up eating a personal pan pizza and a 5 pack of cinnamon rolls (not my proudest moment).  Lesson for the future...keep that freezer stocked!

So where am I on the 30 day challenge?  I've put it on hold.  I am going to try and finish out the month eating strict paleo, but I'm not going to try another 30 days until after the holidays...it's just not a realistic goal for me before then.  But as for today, I am getting back on the paleo horse, planning ahead (and making my grocery list while looking at sale papers), and looking forward to feeling good.

Leftovers...a must

Tip of the day: Be creative with your leftovers.

Eating leftovers is a must when it comes to saving cash and eating well.  However, there are many times where I think "I CANNOT eat this dish one more time!!!"  Hence, the need to get creative.  Take you leftover dish and kick it up a notch--add some different spices or turn it into a completely new dish.  For example, today I needed to eat some leftover pot roast.  It was a very good roast, but I was getting a little tired of eating it accompanied by a side of roasted veggies.  So today for lunch, I took a piece of frozen bacon from my freezer (see how that comes in handy) and put it in a skillet.  Once it began to render all of the yummy bacon grease, I added in some defrosted green beans (again, handy).  Once the beans began to cook down an brown a little, I added in some of the shredded roast and roast broth.  Once the meat was heated, I put it on a plate and enjoyed!

I'm off to enjoy a weekend in the Smokies, but I'll update you on whether I made it though the weekend on paleo...I'm prepared, so here's to hoping.  More on surviving vacation on paleo when I get back...

It's Bacon!!!!!

Tip of the Day: Use bacon wisely.

I LOVE bacon.  I can eat piece after piece.  But, bacon can be expensive (especially since its more of a fat than a protein) and you have to make sure your bacon is gluten free.  And since my grocery store bacon (which I will only buy when it goes on sale) is likely not grass fed, it is not the best on the range of healthy fats.  Therefore, I try to not let bacon be an everyday occurrence.  But, whenever the stars align and the bacon is on sale, I grab a pack and get cooking.  So far I have had bacon-wrapped chicken and bacon eggs...and there is more bacon in the fridge.  I'm thinking of cutting it up and freezing it to make more bacon eggs in the future.  They were SO good!  I've posted the recipe below.

Meals:
Breakfast: bacon eggs (2 eggs...I should have had 3), grape tomatoes with salt and pepper, Passion tea
Snack: a couple of slices of gluten-free deli turkey and carrot sticks
Lunch: the rest of the bacon wrapped chicken and brussel sprouts (I really did not want to eat the brussels but I stuffed them down) and a cinnamon raisin cookie
Snack: coffee w/ coconut milk and cinnamon
Dinner: leftover turkey chili and a cinnamon raisin cookie

Recipe: Bacon Eggs (for one)
Ingredients:
1 slice uncooked bacon chopped/cut into small pieces
2-3 eggs, beaten
pepper to taste
Instructions:
Cook bacon in a skillet, stirring and flipping occasionally until browned and slightly crispy.  Add eggs and pepper and scramble until done.  Enjoy!

Food for the Soul

Tip of the Day: Be a dinner guest. :)

I live near my Aunt E and some of my other aunts visit frequently.  I love my family and always try to see them when they are in town.  Today, my Aunt E invited me to join her and my Aunt L for dinner.  My family (both immediate and extended) are aware of paleo and do their best to help me stay on track when I so desire.  My sweet Aunt E graciously modified my meal so that it fit within paleo guidelines.  We had a wonderful meal and great conversation.  I am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.

Meals:
Breakfast: 3 omega 3 eggs, a necterine, and Passion tea
Lunch: leftover turkey chili
Dinner: honey baked turkey, steamed zucchini and onions, tomatoes and cucumbers, olives...and 2 cinnamon raisin cookies for dessert

The steamed zucchini and onions took the place of a zucchini casserole that looked AMAZING!  Just imagine zucchini, bread crumbs, cream of mushroom soup, and parmesean cheese baked in the oven until soft and gooey.  In these moments of temptation, I remind myself that this is not the last time I will ever encounter the dish AND as good as it looks, I know I will feel better and look better the next day if I pass.  [FYI--the steamed zucchini and onions were very good and a great alternative!]  Long term goals v. temporary pleasure.

Veggies and Cookies...what a combo!

Tip of the day: Frozen veggies are your friend.

Frozen vegetables are often cheaper than fresh and have the same if not better nutrients.  Also, they are already pre-chopped so they save work! As a side note, I know that an ideal paleo diet would be composed of only organic fruits and vegetables.  However, I don't know about you, but I don't live in an ideal world.  I live in how-far-can-I-streatch-this-dollar-so-I-can-pay-my-rent-(or-maybe-see-a-movie-once-a-month) kind of world.  So if your budget allows, go for organic.  But it is definitely better to eat non-organic fruits and vegetables instead of a cookie (ironic-ly, see below).

Meals
Breakfast: 2 scrambled omega 3 eggs with grape tomatoes.  Passion tea.
Lunch: leftover bacon-wrapped chicken w/ blackberry dipping sauce & curried broccoli (frozen then roasted)

Dinner: turkey chili and 2 cinnamon raisin cookies

Recipe: Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb ground meat (beef or turkey)

1 small chopped onion

1 T minced  garlic

 1 32oz can of crushed tomatoes
½ cup water

1 T cumin

2 ½ T chili powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1-2 cups okra (or other frozen veggie)

Directions:

Brown meat and onion.  Add garlic at the end.  In a slow cooker, add crushed tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and okra.  Add meat and onions to slow cooker.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours (longer if on low).

*A note about the cookies.  I am working on the recipe.  They were good, but still need a little perfecting.  Also, I know sugar is not a part of the 30 day challenge, and the cookies use maple syrup (which I fully acknowledge the body responds to the same as granulated sugar).  However, my intent in doing the 30 day challenge is to get back on track because I've been making lots of "exceptions" lately.  My biggest areas of  non-restraint are grains and dairy.  I'm pretty good about all of the other stuff.  So, I will probably consume the occasional small amount of natural sugar during my 30 day challenge.  While this makes it not an "official" challenge, what I love about paleo is that you can modify it to fit your body's specific needs.  I know that following paleo less than 100% means less than 100% results.  For my personal goals and needs, just below 100% is fine, so I will survive if I consume a little bit of sugar.

The Start of Somthing Good

Tip of the Day: Browse your local sale ads

Yesterday marked Day 1 of another 30 day challenge.  The key to success in these challenges is to always be prepared.  So, when I do my weekly grocery shopping, I'll make sure to think about quick meals and snacks that can be readily available.  During my challenge, I am trying to eat dried fruit and nuts sparingly, so I'll have to get a little more creative with my snacks.

Most of my money goes to produce and meat.  Even though I'm not buying all of the extra processed foods, I still try to be budget conscious with these purchases.  Instead of determining in advanced what I will be eating during the week, I arrive at the store and see what veggies, fruits and meats are on sale.  I learn what I can in advance by browsing the weekly sale ad for my grocery stores.  I don't get them in the mail, so I look online...most large grocery stores have them.  Once I arrive, I fill my cart with seasonal and sale produce.  I round the corner to the meat section and make my sale/low price selections.  I finish my shopping by grabbing some omega-enriched eggs and frozen vegetables.  Upon arriving at home and unloading the groceries, I survey my food and determine what I will be eating this week.  I'm still a little undecided, but right now I'm thinking turkey chili, bacon wrapped chicken, breaded chicken w/ spaghetti squash, and a roast.

Yesterday's Meal
Breakfast: 2 eggs and 2 cups of Tazo Passion Tea (this is a wonderful caffeine-free tea)
Lunch: leftover pork chop and frozen green beans cooked in some coconut oil
Dinner: bacon wrapped chicken with blackberry dipping sauce and  frozen brussel sprouts tossed in bacon and bacon grease then roasted in the oven

Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Ingredients:
chicken breasts or cutlets
bacon
pepper
Instructions:
Grease a glass baking dish and heat oven to 375.  Cut chicken into chunks (about 1 inch cubes) and sprinkle with pepper (the bacon will provide plenty of salt).  They do not have to be perfect, but you want them to be about the same size so they cook evenly.  Cut the strips of bacon in half.  Wrap the bacon around the chicken chunk and place it in the dish with the seam side down.  Repeat until all chicken is wrapped.  Place dish in the oven for about 20 minutes (I didn't watch the time...start checking it at 15 minutes and cook until bacon and chicken appear done).  Turn the heat up to 425 or broil in the last few minutes to brown the bacon.