PaleoChix

I own several health and wellness companies and I constantly get approached to sell supplement products.  Phooey I reply, we get our nutrients from the food we eat!  I will not name corporate names, but I do not want your pills, powders and magic creams!

Personally, I take fish oil daily, hang out (with sunscreen) in the Arizona sunshine and get my daily nutrients from the food I eat.  Let me tell you what I know about fish oil: Fish oil comes from fatty fish like  Salmon, Tuna, and Hoki.  Fish Oil is recommended for a healthy diet because it contains omega 3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic  acid (EPA), and  docosahexaenoic acid(DHA), precursors to eicosanoids that reduce inflammation throughout the body. Fish do not actually produce omega-3 fatty acids, but instead accumulate them from either consuming microalgae that produce these fatty acids, or by eating prey fish that have accumulated omega 3 fatty acids from microalgae.

There are so many studies about the benefits of fish oil that I could go on for days. In my research I found studies supporting fish oil  protecting men from prostate cancer on one end of the spectrum to  supporting  good brain health in preventing Alzheimer’s on the other end of the spectrum.  Personally, my joints benefit from it and I can tell a real difference in my mobility.

But wait you may ask, “Have you heard of the Mercury warnings?”  Yes, and I do spend a few extra dollars to purchase pills that are  purified of mercury, PCBs and many other contaminants.  What should you look for in the product you choose:

Fish oils actually contain two types of omega 3 fatty acids: EPA and DHA.  While they are both important nutrients, you should actually look for a supplement with higher concentrations of EPA.  EPA and DHA are two slightly different forms of omega-3 fatty acid. The body uses them in different ways. There is some debate over which ratio is most therapeutic, but the evidence leans toward more EPA being beneficial. This is because the body is able to convert EPA into DHA as needed, but the reverse is apparently not true.

One exception may be pregnant and nursing women, whose bodies require much more DHA than normal; they may want to go with a supplement containing more DHA.  IF YOUR PREGNANT OR NURSING don’t listen to me TALK TO YOUR DR!!!

For a fish oil supplement to be free of dangerous chemicals, it should be molecularly distilled to remove any additional impurities.

You should  look for products that say they are pharmaceutical grade.  A product that lists that it is pharmaceutical grade and molecularly distilled is much more likely to be free of any potentially harmful chemicals.

Also, look for fish oil supplements that are in capsule form and enteric-coated.

There are two reasons why enteric-coating is a quality you want in a fish oil. One is that it will spare you from experiencing fishy-tasting after-burps, a harmless but unpleasant side-effect experienced by many people who supplement with the oil.

A second reason to look for enteric-coated capsules is that your  body absorbs them more efficiently. Enteric coating is a special material which safely escorts the delicate oils through the acid of the stomach and into the intestines, where they are then safely released. In this way, less of the oil is broken down by the acid, meaning that fewer pills are required for your body to absorb the same amount.

RESEARCH and be a SMART CONSUMER for YOURSELF don’t just take my word!

Do you take fish oil supplements??  Do you agree with me?

Make Tuesday a GREAT day!

Rebe

Last week I wrote about making shakes. This week I’m doing the same thing, only different! This week is all about juicing. I love my veggies, but I just can’t seem to consume enough of them and since I want to increase my vegetable intake, I decided to investigate Vegetable Juicing. I have to say, that my initial thoughts upon contemplating the word “juicing” turned immediately to either steroids or the old Wheat Grass/Carrot Juicer I used to have to use way back in my first job as a waitress at the Garden of Eatin’! As I’m not into any of those things, I never really thought that Juicing could be anything I’d want to get into, but here I am!

Step One – Acquire a good juicer.

I’ve discovered that my normal blender just doesn’t cut it (literally!) when I want to juice more than a bit of fruit and coconut milk. I have a citrus juicer, but that’s not appropriate for vegetables (and boy, is it messy!), so I went exploring to see what was available that might be appropriate. If any of you dear readers have experience with these or other products, please chime in!  A great choice seems to be the Vitamix mixer which is, shall we say, not cheap. A less expensive, although less powerful, option is the Healthmaster. Both of these allow you to use the whole vegetable, rather than just the juice (with the pulp separated out as a byproduct to throw out) because they are actually blenders, not juicers. There are three kinds of juicers: centrifugal, twin-gear, and masticating. The centrifugal juicer spins the food to separate the liquid from the solid, and results in a smooth juice. The Twin-gear juicer squashes the food in between gears to squeeze the liquid out, and Masticating juicers push the food against a mesh which then squeezes the liquid out. There are MANY kinds of juicers available, some less expensive than these two and some more expensive, so you’ll have to do a bit of your own exploration to determine what might suit your budget and your juicing plans.

Step 2 – Start Juicing!

There are many ways to start life as a juicer. Dr. Joseph Mercola has a great guide to juicing which includes how to progress from “easy to tolerate” veggies to other, more nutrient-dense veggies here.

Best Green veggies to juice include:

Celery
Fennel (anise)
Cucumbers
Leeks
Asparagus

Green leafy vegetables:

Red leaf
Green Leaf
Romaine
Endive
Escarole
Spinach
Cabbage
Chinese Cabbage
Bok Choy
Parsley
Cilantro
Kale
Collard Greens
Dandelion Greens
Mustard Greens

Best red/yellow/orange veggies to juice include:

tomatoes
peppers
carrots
parsnips
radishes

Some important tips are:

Don’t throw away the pulp! You may not be able to consume ALL of it to start with, but it’s an important part of the vegetable and contains plenty of fiber, so start with a little and find the amount that suits you best. If you keep ALL the pulp in, you get a very thick concoction that doesn’t pass well through the tiny opening of a portable drink bottle and might actually require a spoon!  I actually like to vary how “thick” my drinks are.

Make it when you’re going to drink it. Most veggie juices don’t last very long when exposed to air, so don’t plan on making it in the morning and drinking it in the afternoon.

Vary what you juice. Don’t get stuck on the same things over and over – there are so many things you can juice, so many ways to combine ingredients, and it’s really better for you all around if you have some variety.

Go easy on the sweet things. Carrots and beets are very popular, but that’s because they are high in sugars.

Throw in some fat. You can add oils (Omega 3s to balance out your Omega 3 and Omega 6 ratio), coconut milk (everything is better with coconut milk!), and nuts & seeds (macadamia nuts are yummy, as are pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds). Seeds might need to be ground up first, depending on your mixer.

How about a dollop of protein? I have my trusty EggWhites from EggWhites International; you could, if you are still eating Dairy, add a scoop of Whey-based protein powder.

Go wild! Add more weird stuff! You can toss in herbs, spices, a clove of garlic, lemon juice, ginger, vanilla, a spoonful of Chlorella or Spirulina.

Here’s a great recipe from HealingDaily.com, which has a ton of juicing recipes here (not all are Paleo-friendly so read carefully!).

Super 8 juice

1 kale leaf
1 collard leaf
small handful of parsley
1 stalk of celery
1 carrot, greens removed
1/2 red pepper
1 tomato
1 broccoli floret
celery stalk for garnish

Step 3 – Expand your horizons!

There are many good books and websites that are all about juicing. Go exploring, read their ideas, try some of them out, and see what you like. Remember, most of those sources are not coming from a Paleo perspective, so you’ll have to wear your critical reading hat and ignore or modify recommendations or ingredients that don’t suit the Paleo lifestyle; nevertheless, there are some great sources of information and inspiration available, including these:

JuicingBook.com

Herbal Home Remedies

Health Benefits of Vegetable Juices and how to prepare them for juicing

Let’s hear some “juicy” comments today, all right Chix?

Hope you all have a wonderful day

As with Crossfit training, the Paleo diet can be scaled down accordingly for every individual. Most people cannot just jump right in with 100% strict Paleo. In my gym, CrossFit Evolution, I have found that a better way is to dial in each individual. Seek to improve upon your current diet and strive to make it cleaner & better, by setting new food goals, every 1-2 weeks.

First, A Few Ground Rules

You must start a food log. You will always get to your destination faster if you have a map, know where you are starting, and know where you are going. You need more than a lofty goal, you need a game plan. Keep the food log simple. Use 1 page per day. Record the time you ate, what you ate, and how much of it you ate. This is the very basic and first requirement.

Get yourself a regular notebook or journal to work as your logbook. Pick up a cheap food scale from the “household” aisle of your local grocery store, it’s about $10.00. Read up on the “Paleo cliff notes” to get a basic starting point, buy the book “The Paleo Diet” (the only one I recommend because it is written by the World’s leading expert on Paleolithic diets), or visit his website for the best current information and published scientific research.

If you want to know WHY you should eat Paleo, here’s the “WHY Paleo cliff notes” . Start recording everything you eat & drink into your log, start NOW. Even if you don’t know what you’re supposed to be eating. You need to see clearly what you are actually eating every day. After about 3 days of recording, you should be able to see where your trouble spots are. Now, let’s improve your diet.

Pyramid of Danger

The Paleo diet end goal is to eliminate Processed Foods, Sugar, Grains, Dairy, & Legumes/Beans from your daily diet. And I placed them in a specific order I call the Pyramid of Danger. Eliminate these groups a step at a time.

Processed Foods

Real food doesn’t come from a box or a can. The toxic chemicals used to preserve it, the added salt and/or sugars do not need to be in your body. Frozen dinners… read the ingredients label. If you cannot pronounce something or you don’t know what it is… don’t eat it. Simple ingredients are always better than chemicals. Eliminate the processed foods from your diet first. Cook large batches of quality foods and then pack into tupperware. Store in the fridge or freezer and now you have a healthy frozen dinner that YOU made.

Sugar

There is nothing good about sugar. NOTHING! It spikes your insulin levels, making you more susceptible to becoming diabetic, having high cholesterol, stunted growth, inability to absorb nutrients, getting hyperinsulinemia, or just plain old getting fat. Where am I getting this stuff? Go HERE and read the references at the bottom. Sugar is bad stuff! Get it out of your diet. This is #2, because at least it’s not a toxic chemical (unless you eat/drink that made-made sugar, then see #1 above), but it will still lead a sure path to disease and sickness.

Grains

Also called cereal grains, include wheat, corn, rice, barley, sorghum, oats, rye, & millet. Grains are used in cereals, breads, pastas, and used in almost ALL processed foods (read the label!). Grains are not nutritionally balanced compared to fruit, veggies, nuts, and even meat! Our digestive systems and bodies are flat-out not designed to process grains, no more than it can process dirt (and there are some nutrients in that too but why would I want to eat it?).

Grains contain anti-nutrients (phytates) that rob your body of nutrients, like affecting calcium intake. And then there’s gluten containing grains (wheat, oats, rye & barley) and Lectins. Those cause intestinal permeability, which means that your gut lining weakens and food bacteris etc can pass out of the intestines and start floating around the body. All this causes inflammation of nerves & tissues, causes intestinal distress, and can lead to disease when consumed in excess. Read the full article HERE from Loren Cordain, PhD. Lose the grains!!

Dairy

Babies are meant to get milk from their mother, not a cow or a goat. And adults don’t need milk. Most of us lack the enzymes to process it anyway. On top of that, dairy raises insulin levels. I don’t care what the Dairy Council says or even Mark Rippertoe. You don’t need milk!

Why do you think you need it anyway? The protein? You’ll get better quality protein from animal sources. The vitamins & minerals? That’s why you should eat nuts, veggies, & fruit. Worried about osteoporosis? Worry less about calcium intake (you get calcium from fruit & veggies) and worry more about calcium excretion (caused by grains!). Read HERE for more info. Get the dairy out of your diet.

Beans & Legumes

This includes: peas, beans, black beans, kidney beans, green beans, lima beans, soybeans, tofu, peanuts, anything ending with bean or peas. This group contains phytates and lectins, that you read about above in the grain section. So, same problems. They gotta go too.

Level 1 Paleo

It’s tough. That’s why there’s a pyramid to ease you into this. Just keep in mind, I always allow 3 “cheat meals” or “open meals” per week. This allows you to reap the benefits of staying healthy while allowing for a couple indulgences to keep your sanity and have fun, because life is meant to be fun. But you have to be healthy enough to enjoy it!

This is what I call Level 1 Paleo. It’s systematically eliminating unhealthy foods from the daily diet and recording food intake, whatever it is, in a logbook. It’s the first step to success. Eliminate one group at a time. This could be daily, weekly or monthly. Whatever will keep you consistent, on track, and moving forward. If you fall off, just get right back on track. No one is perfect, but we must strive to be healthier, not just for ourselves, but for our families.

At Level 1, I don’t restrict calories. I want the focus to be on food quality. I also advise everyone to eat a minimum amount of protein. The easy method: take your bodyweight; the first 2 digits is the amount of ounces of protein you must eat at a minimum. For example: I weigh 150 lbs. I need to eat at least 15 oz of protein per day. In actuality, I eat about 30 oz of meat (yes, about 2 1/2 lbs). This is because right now, I am training very heavy in prep for the CrossFit FL Sectionals. After competition, I will go back down to about 20 oz. But all that is another level.

Next Friday, I will post Part II. I’ll be talking about Level 2 Paleo and beyond.

~Monique

I’m curious as to how you approach cooking.  For me, it’s all about the process.  If you saw the movie Julie & Julia, with Julia Child walking around the market stalls in France, delighting in all the different textures and fragrances, well, that’s me.  Except for the clothing.  I dress WAY better.

I’m short too.  I’m also getting distracted.  The point here is that I truly enjoy everything about cooking.  Figuring out the recipe, either by selecting one or making one up.  Shopping for fresh ingredients.  The prep work all the way to the finished product.

But I wasn’t always so in love with cooking.  In fact, ten years ago I wasn’t in love with cooking at all.  I was a decent cook,  barely feeding my family marginally healthy food and just figured cooking wasn’t my thing.  My mom, love her dearly, wasn’t a great cook and I grew up eating bland, overcooked food.  To her credit, my mother raised 11, no- that’s not a typo, that is eleven, as in one short of a dozen, children.  Can you imagine the logistics of planning dinner for such a swarm of children?  To accommodate all the picky palates, she had to appeal to the lowest common denominator, and so it was.

I got warm fuzzies listening to friends who shared stories about their favorite meals, that their moms would make for them on special occasions.   I wanted to give that gift to my daughter.   But that wasn’t in me, or so I thought.    I cooked at that point to provide- because it was cheaper than eating out, I knew it was healthier, as well as the “right thing to do”.  Deep down, though I wished it were different, I hated it.

I BURNT a hard boiled egg, how’s that?  Pretty bad (though funny) if you ask me.  Hard rice, undercooked pork, bland veggies… wow , was I a mess.  I hated having company over and would rush to order takeout if unexpected company showed up.

Now, I don’t know how it happened, it’s not like Hestia, the Greek goddess of hearth and home, struck me with a lightning bolt.  I didn’t fall asleep one night after reading Like Water For Chocolate and woke up with a passion for cooking.  It happened slowly, and when it dawned on me that I was starting to enjoy cooking, I started to incorporate a few things that accelerated the process into a full fledged love affair with the kitchen.  I can now proudly say I have a culinary legacy for my daughter.   There really is nothing sweeter than hearing her ask for a favorite meal.

So what did I do, and what can you do to either change your attitude if it isn’t so positive, or to enhance it and make it even better if you already like cooking?

• First set your attitude.  You can’t have bad attitude and create a masterpiece.  You don’t have to be Mother Theresa about it, but doom and gloom don’t work.

• Then set your atmosphere.  Um, is your kitchen a mess?  Ack!  Well, tidy up a bit here and there as you have little chunks of time, or if you aren’t pressed for time, clean before you cook.  Don’t go overboard, just give the floor a quick sweep with the broom, clear and wipe down the counters, and PUT STUFF AWAY.  Feels better already, right?

• Next, get your apron, or tuck a clean dish towel into a belt loop, or wrap it around your waist.  Think like a pro.  Watch any cooking show.  They have GEAR.  Put on some music, doesn’t matter what kind.  I set my ipod to shuffle, or listen to WQXR or WRXP.

• Supplies are next.  Colander, cutting boards, knives and sharpeners, spices, cookware- these are your tools.  Pull out what you will need.  Think like a surgeon, line up your instruments down on the counter.  Do the same thing with your ingredients.  Take them all out and make sure you have everything.  Nothing like having freezing cold hands with bits of greasy meatloaf on them and you realize you forgot to add the shredded coconut!

• Clean up as you go.  When something needs to simmer or bake, set the timer and resist the urge to collapse.  Spend a few moments clearing away dishes to the sink, let bowls and utensils soak.   If you have the energy,  do them and wipe the counters down again.  Not too bad, right?

I mentioned in an earlier post about forgetting perfection when it comes to cooking.  Relax, and enjoy the process.  Enjoy the chopping, measuring.  Get lost in the sounds and smells.  Cookie reminds me often that our journey is one of progress, not perfection.    I know, there are days when the old baking soda volcano experiment is being constructed on the kitchen table, and the Boy Scout Pine Wood Derby is tomorrow and the kitchen is now a woodshop.  Yes, these things happen.    You are exhausted from a long day at work.  Your feet hurt.  The toddler cracked a dozen eggs on the dog’s head while you ran downstairs to change the laundry over.  (Boy, do I wish I had a picture of that now.  I wasn’t thinking of running to get the camera, I’ll tell you that.)  It doesn’t always have to be perfect.  In fact, it can’t be.  So on one of those days, make the best of it, and make do.

When you are feeling up to it, give this approach a whirl.  Tell me, how do you approach cooking?  With enthusiam?  Disdain?  Dread?  Boredom?  Do you feel daunted?  Overwhelmed?  I am running out of adjectives.  Please post to comments!

XOXOXO

Aileen

   Hi. My name is Patty, and I’m a Diet Coke Addict. Okay well, let me correct that….. WAS  a Diet Coke addict.  By the time this posts I will be on my third full day of kicking the habit.   

     I should probably back track a bit.  Like most people who have taken up the diet soft drink habit, I started downing it while “dieting” back in the 80s.  It’s CALORIE FREE ya know!!!  Oh boy!!!  An open invitation to fill up on the delicious, bubbly beverage.  At the time, the fact that it was also  nutrition free didn’t seem to matter.  After all, I was “saving calories” by drinking by lovely carbonated joy.  And I can recycle the cans and pay for yet more of it!!!  How could this go wrong???

   Now fast forward to today.  I know that it’s pure crap.  I know the dangers of aspartame, and thanks to   www.sweetpoison.com I am a lot more educated.  I had no idea that it erodes tooth enamel, is linked to cancer, causes kidney stones, vision problems and host of other ailments.  Nothing like purposefully injecting poison into my otherwise healthy body. So why has this Paleo princess continued to hold on to her beverage of choice?  I’ve been asking myself that same question for 7 months now.

    Oh I’ve quit before, and attempted to quit on numerous occasions.  Upon my first Paleo Challenge I tried to go cold turkey.  At the very same I gave up coffee.  It was painful to say the least!  I decided at that time one withdrawal at a time was all I could handle.  I knew once  I was ready I could tackle this beast and move forward.  After all, I recommend that clients battle the enemy one at a time, why sholdnt I.  It’s only two little cans a day, right?  How much damage can I be doing.

    During each of my pregnancies and while nursing each of my daughters to nearly 2 years old I didn’t touch the garbage.  It was easy then.  I was doing it for these precious angelpies because I knew it wasn’t good for them.  Now it’s time to do the same for myself  – love myself enough that I quit putting this poison in a body I have worked so hard for.  I am 7 months Paleo strong as I say to people. I fuel my body with quality food, and train my body with regular workouts.  I owe this to myself to take the last step here   I committed along with the other Delta5Fitness coaches to do this.  I view it as a challenge to myself.  How will this change my Paleo?  How will this change how I feel?  I can’t wait to share the process.

  Whether you have one last vice to quit or a few to go, we are here to support and help you through the process.  I’d love to hear your experiences!

Blessings

Patty 

aka Cookie

Hello ALL!!!  First off everyone on the team of Paleo Chix would like to THANK YOU for welcoming us into your LIFESTYLE!!

Your response to us on this site and Face Book is very humbling.

Our friend Tyler gave us a young perspective on Paleo Nutrition and we loved it.  Due her busy schedule she is no longer available to work with us and stepped down.  Myself and all the girls want to THANK YOU TYLER for your contributions to our site!

As the ADMIN of this site it gives me great pleasure to welcome our newest CHIX to the team, please welcome MONIQUE AMES.   Monique is the Owner/Manager/Head Coach at CrossFitEvolution in Central FL.

Check out her page and read her bio it is VERY impressive!

Monique will be taking over the FRIDAY spot and contributing as needed on the weekends with the rest of us!

Please WELCOME MONIQUE AMES to Paleo Chix!!!

“Ya put your good stuff in, ya keep the bad stuff out, ya put more good stuff in and you shake it all about!”

Lots of people LOVE shakes.  For many folks, shakes are the way to get a quick and easy meal while on to go or at work. Most start with some ice,  fruit, orange juice and a couple scoops of protein powder, or fruit, yoghurt and juice. But wait!  We’re eating food the Paleo way now, so what can we do to make a good shake that follows the Paleo rules?

First, we ditch the juices, the yoghurts, and the protein powders. We might even ditch the fruit if we’re limiting fruit intake to support weight loss. Umm… that doesn’t leave much, does it?

So let’s break down the components of a shake.

1. We like it creamy. We’re not doing dairy, but we have coconut milk or almond milk, or even almond butter. We have to be careful to read labels though, as some varieties of these are sweetened, and we don’t want that!

2. We like flavor. Let your imagination run wild! Any combination of fruit will do, but that’s not the only choice. One of my favorite shakes is green, made with handfuls of whatever greens I could snitch from my rabbit (chard, dandelion, parsley, kale etc). There’s a “Green Shake” recipe at the end of this post that combines greens and fruit. I will even go as far as to  mention that sweet potatoes in shakes are tummy, as are avocados.

3. We may like it cold. This one is pretty easy – either add ice, or frozen fruit, or frozen coconut slices. Here’s where I can say that sometimes, warm is yummy too! I have been known to take leftover veggies and toss them in a blender with some coconut milk to make a veggie shake (aka cream of veggie soup!) to take along.

4. We often want it to have protein. Now, if you’re not eating STRICTLY Paleo, then you probably don’t mind using a protein powder. Even so, I’d suggest choosing your powder carefully. Most are made from Whey, which will introduce Dairy into your system again; it is also possible to find whey-based protein powders that are produced from grass-fed cattle, which would be a better option, although it can be expensive (Source Naturals and Defense Nutrition are two of many; I can’t recommend any as I don’t use them.)  Some are soy-based (but there we are eating legumes again). A few are egg-white based, which is a better option. My preference and recommendation though, is to invest in liquid egg whites from EggWhites International; extremely digestible and high in “bio-availability”, completely safe to eat in liquid form (no salmonella etc). NOTE: these are NOT raw eggs!

Mark’s Daily Apple has 5 yummy Paleo shake recipes here.

Here’s my rather weird-looking but really good Green Shake:

Ingredients

3-4 Cups greens, torn into small pieces
2 peeled & cored apples, or 1 apple and 1 pear
6 pumps Liquid EggWhites or 6 Tbs EggWhite powder (add 1/4 extra water)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 cup filtered water
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 cup of ice if you like it cold (reduce water to 1/2 cup)

If you have a favorite Shake recipe, please post it! And if you have other ideas about combinations of things, such as this Banana Avocado & Coconut Milk Shake from PaleoPals, let’s hear it!

Shakin’ thing up around here

Cynthia

The weekend is almost here and perhaps you, like me, have a little additional time to prepare something a bit special for dinner. The PaleoChix have contributed four different recipes to inspire your creative cooking juices and give you some ideas to bring a fresh and yummy meal to the table.

The Photo here is of a Birdseye Chili, which I had never known the name of until today! Watch out, it’s a hot one (but you can sub a less intense chili in its place if you like).  It’s part of the Fish recipe, which I haven’t made yet myself but plan to do on Saturday night as I’ve heard rave reviews from others. It originally came from Maya Salazar’s Blog. Happy Cooking!

Macadamia Crusted Salmon with Citrus Steamed Vegetables

Ingredients

2 pieces of salmon
2 handfuls of macadamia nuts
1 clove minced garlic
1 Birdseye chilli
1/2 leek chopped roughly
1 orange/lemon
1 lime
-handful of spinach chopped roughly
bunch of Chinese broccoli chopped roughly
chunk of cabbage chopped roughly

1.) Crush macadamia nuts (either with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor) until they are finely chopped. Coat salmon pieces with the macadamia nuts. Press firmly as they tend to fall off pretty easily

2.) In a wok heat up a little bit of olive oil, add garlic and chili and stir for a minute. Add leeks and cook until translucent, like you would with onion. During this time heat your skillet up to medium with a little oil. Put your fish in (You want to make sure that you don’t burn the macadamia nuts, which will happen very easily, keep an eye out and make sure that your pan isn’t too hot)

3.) Add vegetables and orange and lime juice mixture to wok. Toss and put wok lid on. Let is steam until the juice has evaporates and the Chinese broccoli is tender but still crisp. Flip your fish, cook it for a minute or two – once you take it off it should still have enough heat in it to keep it going and it also depends really on how you like your fish, it should still be fairly pink, but deliciously flaky.

When you serve it, top it with cilantro leaves.

Rebecca’s Cha Cha Pulled Pork

Ingredients

1 Pork Tenderloin
1 Large Jar of Salsa (read the jar NO SUGAR)
1 small Jar of Salsa
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic
½ cup water
¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper

Marinate pork in dry rub

Optional add a jar of pepperoncini’s (pour entire jar in crock pot and omit the ½ cup of water as listed above*)

Place pork in Crockpot, add water*, large jar of salsa, onion and garlic.  Sprinkle Red Pepper & Cayenne to spice (optional).  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Remove meat from crock pot and use TWO FORKS to shred the meat.  Heat contents of 2nd jar of salsa in microwave and cover pulled pork with salsa.  If you have Guacamole made, top meat with it.  Or add this spicy pork to a salad with as many vegetables as you desire.  The pork is a great next day leftover!

Stuffed Mushrooms

24 Medium White Button (commonly found in grocery store)
1 roll of spicy hot sausage (your option to buy mild)
1 8 oz pkg of Cream Cheese (dairy alert)

Cook sausage as directed on package be sure to crumble sausage into small pieces.  Cut stems off mushrooms, wash them and hollow out the center (gently).  In a bowl mix cream cheese and sausage.  Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.  Fill mushrooms generously with sausage/cream cheese mixture and bake for 12-14 minutes.

Patty’s bacon spaghetti

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash
2 roma tomatoes diced
1 cup mushrooms diced
2-4 tsp garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
4-6 strips of bacon
dash of salt & pepper
2 tsp EVOO

Bake spaghetti squash and let cool. Scrape out “spaghetti” and set aside. Prepare bacon and set aside.  Heat EVOO and garlic in med saucepan.  Add in tomatoes & mushrooms and sauté about 2 minutes.  Add in squash and seasonings. Stir until heated all the way through.  Crumble in bacon and mix well.

Aileen’s Hungarian Chicken

Ingredients

3-3 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, (thighs, drumsticks and/or breasts), skin removed, trimmed (see Tip)
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon butter (or ghee)
4 cups finely diced onions
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley, dill and/or chives

Preparation

Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and light brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in bell peppers, tomato paste, paprika and crushed red pepper. Add the chicken and stir it gently into the onion mixture. Sprinkle with marjoram and add broth. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer over medium-low heat until the chicken is very tender, about 50 minutes.

OPTIONAL!!!! DAIRY——Just before the chicken is done, whisk sour cream and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until smooth. (NOTE: you could easily substitute coconut milk here, especially if you’ve let it sit in the fridge long enough to separate the water out)

When the chicken is done, remove it to a plate. Stir the sour cream mixture into the sauce; return to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce coats the spoon. Reduce heat to low, return the chicken to the sauce and reheat, about 1 minute. Serve garnished with parsley, dill and/or chives, if desired.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3, cool to room temperature and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Finish with Steps 4-5 before serving.

I am so glad that  Jezwyn brought up the fruit issue from last week’s post.  When one looks at paleo at first glance, it seems too good to be true.  No rules.  It is touted as a way of life.    “Oh Paleo, yippee, unweighed, unmeasured, I can eat whatever I want as long as it’s gluten free, grain free, dairy free, sugar free….” Well, I know *I* thought that.  I had long considered retiring from my career as a professional dieter.  Like professional boxers, after a while professional dieters become quite addled in the head.  The difference is that we fight ourselves.   Well, Paleo sounded like just the ticket for me.  I was tired of  dieting, measuring, counting blocks of carbs, skinning the Zone, “tweaking my fat” (sidebar: that is a CrossFit expression I abhor.  Also “dialing in your Zone”.  It’s like nails scraping a blackboard.  Seriously) So here is this de-lovely new way of eating.  Eat things found in nature.  Cool.  That’s easy.

But wait.  What about fruit?  “Fruit is healthy, right?  It’s unprocessed, God made it” or whatever.  And nuts.  Nuts, unlike money, really do grow on trees!  Add to this the seeming abandon with which one can eat, because it’s paleolithic, right?  Not neolithic, right?  And calories don’t count, right?  The whole Good Calories, Bad Calories thing, right?

I say that because before I had a firm grasp on this, which was largely in part to Jack (Goat) breaking it down for me in kindergarten terms, that’s what *I* thought.  When I was *strict* Paleo, a few months ago, I gained weight, and was not crossfitting well.  Is crossfitting a verb?  Well, it is now.

How on earth did I gain weight?   I believe my metabolism was a bit screwy from the years of ED, and on a purely spiritual level, I believe  I screwed up my spirit.  I didn’t listen to my inner voice, telling me when I was hungry or full.  I was too busy rejoicing that I could eat tons of almonds.  “Woo-hoo, I just ate 48 almonds!  That’s 4 Zone blocks!  And it doesn’t matter!   And tonight I’m going to eat an entire pineapple!  And it doesn’t matter!  Ha ha, you Zone suckahs!!!!”

Well, calories DO count, just in different ways.  Sigh.. Just because certain foods are in the “Green Light means GO” category, does not mean it’s a free for all for everyone.  Some, I suppose, can eat whatever they desire and have no weight issues.  They have no problem with body image, they can stray from paleo with no ill effect, neither physical nor  psychological. Eating without regards to hunger, satiety and fullness, eating just because you can without regard to a block prescription, is a recipe for disaster.

Oh the crooked path of my life!  I used to regret my years struggling with my eating.  Now I see it as just part of my path.  It didn’t take me away from where I was going, just took me in a zig zag pattern ’stead of a straight line.  I think some people call that the scenic route.

And now, as part of my scenic route, my Paleo diet is a little crooked.  According to some, my nutrition is not Paleo because I eat butter, put cream in my coffee, and eat cheese.  Hmmm, what is that all about?  I have not weighed myself (I’ll take those small victories, thank you very much) so I can’t say that I’ve lost weight for certain.  I am still too weak emotionally to weigh myself- I know that I will care tremendously what my weight is.  Numbers that I can handle are in the gym.  My PRs are unbelievable.  Deadlifting nearly TWICE my bodyweight is rather cool.

What is working for me (ditching most carbs, adding tremendous amounts of fat via dairy) may not work for everyone, which is why I love the expression Your Mileage May Vary.  It is so wonderfully vague!  What that means is that, back to my inital musing, Paleo has no rules.  Paleo is indeed very freeing.  It forces introspection, experimentation, and adaptation.  What is working for me may very well wreak havoc on you.  (I would love to get my fat from avocados. I love the creamy taste. Unfortunately, more than two bites and my digestive system becomes indignant.  It is unpleasant.  For me.  And those around me, ahem….  I prefer not to turn into one of those lonely housebound old ladies with lots of cats.  So no avocado.)  Goals factor into what constitutes YOUR perfect Paleo.  Jack began his success with nutrition coaching by working with several non CrossFitters.  Now he has an athlete aspiring to compete in the CrossFit Games.  Very very different goals.

While there is a book, The Paleo Diet, a website, and hundreds of blogs with the paleo prefix, there is not one single path,  a perfect path for all.  Yes, there are guidelines, there are recommendations.   There are pros.  And then, in the midst of it all, here we are, the Chix.  Moms, business owners, coaches, and athletes.  No one here has all the answers, even the experts are divided!  So we are doing the best we can, as joyously, and in my case, as goofy as I can!  Please share your perfect Paleo, your thoughts on the different paths, and what you think of the vagueness of Your Mileage May Vary.

My, this was a long post.

“Strength is the ability to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands – and then just eat one of those pieces” -  Judith Viorst