I read a great article on the Huffington Post today. It really struck a nerve with me, since the Big Guy and i have been "complaining" to each other that since we eat so well and are both pretty darn good cooks - we now HATE going out to eat. It doesn't matter how fancy or plain the restaurant is.... we both end up feeling now so great or even flat out sick from eating food that isn't our own. We were wondering how bad people feel when all they do is eat out for every meal.... does it bother them? Are they affected? Do they not even notice that they feel bad because they ALWAYS feel like that? Is this one reason why every other commercial for drugs on TV is for some kind of stomach ailment? (Like that disgusting jingle for pepto? Yuck! " ... nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea!) So sad....
Please read the article here: How Eating at Home Can Save Your Life, by Mark Hyman.
Showing posts with label what would Ayla eat?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label what would Ayla eat?. Show all posts
Monday, January 10, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Catching up 12/2010 to present!
Blessed Solstice! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Oh....wait a minute... Did I miss all of that? Yup. Sorry about that.
I guess I got so caught up in he season I just never had time to post here.
Where to begin? It's taken about a month to recover from the Thanksgiving gluten exposure. I'm just now starting to feel better. That Thanksgiving debacle really made the Big Guy and I much more conscious of our food choices over the rest of the holidays, so we had no more bad episodes. Even The Aunt-in law was supportive and cooked up a gluten free feast that rocked. In fact, she went gluten free for the month of January, just to try it out and see if it helps her out. Huzzah!
Our usual junk food infested New Year's Eve was replaced with all home cooked, paleo treats: beef meat balls with fresh basil, garlic and home made sauce; skinless gyoza (pork dumplings) a la Mark's Daily Apple (there's a video of the recipe on youtube, just seach for 'skinless gyoza') and bacon wrapped chicken thigh pieces with honey mustard dipping sauce. Some hard cider for me to wash it all down. The Big Guy had 1 can of Coca Cola. He gave that up entirely this past year, so that was a huge treat for him.
We both felt great the next day, instead of bloated, gassy, tired and achy. So we hit they gym together and had a fantastic training session.
Also, I reached my goal for the 2010. I had decided at the beginning of the year that I'd shoot for a 1,000 lb leg press. I did a 1,038 lb press on December 19th! Whoot! Actually, I did a set of 10 presses. So happy! Then the Big Guy decide he should do a set also, and he did! Amazing!
I guess I got so caught up in he season I just never had time to post here.
Where to begin? It's taken about a month to recover from the Thanksgiving gluten exposure. I'm just now starting to feel better. That Thanksgiving debacle really made the Big Guy and I much more conscious of our food choices over the rest of the holidays, so we had no more bad episodes. Even The Aunt-in law was supportive and cooked up a gluten free feast that rocked. In fact, she went gluten free for the month of January, just to try it out and see if it helps her out. Huzzah!
Our usual junk food infested New Year's Eve was replaced with all home cooked, paleo treats: beef meat balls with fresh basil, garlic and home made sauce; skinless gyoza (pork dumplings) a la Mark's Daily Apple (there's a video of the recipe on youtube, just seach for 'skinless gyoza') and bacon wrapped chicken thigh pieces with honey mustard dipping sauce. Some hard cider for me to wash it all down. The Big Guy had 1 can of Coca Cola. He gave that up entirely this past year, so that was a huge treat for him.
We both felt great the next day, instead of bloated, gassy, tired and achy. So we hit they gym together and had a fantastic training session.
Also, I reached my goal for the 2010. I had decided at the beginning of the year that I'd shoot for a 1,000 lb leg press. I did a 1,038 lb press on December 19th! Whoot! Actually, I did a set of 10 presses. So happy! Then the Big Guy decide he should do a set also, and he did! Amazing!
Monday, November 29, 2010
The wheels fell off my Paleo Wagon when I got hit by the Gluten Bus.
I knew that if I went off the Paleo wagon for Thanksgiving I wasn't going to feel well at all. I had no idea that I was going to feel this bad. Planning ahead for how I was going to handle the holiday, I wasn't too worried. For me, Thanksgiving is one of the easiest holidays to accommodate a wide variety of food needs. (With the exception of v*gan, since butter seems to creep in to everything!) I was a vegetarian for years and never panicked about Thanksgiving, since there's such a variety of foods to chose from.
So, with that being said, the wide variety of food choices is only good if you have the sense to not eat the stuff that's going to make you feel like doodie. The food we ate was all super high quality, fresh, gourmet and delicious. It was also full of grains in a multitude of ways. From the cheese biscuits and gravy that I made, to the hot clam dip & crackers, to the desserts.... Oy. There was plenty for me to chose from that was "safe" but I chose not to do that.
I felt ok after I ate, no indigestion. I had a happy stomach. I didn't eat too much. I was satisfied. So far, so good.
Friday morning, the sharp hip pain that has been my enemy for many years was back with a roaring vengeance. My hands felt hot and swollen, hard to make a fist, shoulders sore, pretty intense back pain. General feeling of aching in my whole body.
I have learned my lesson. The take away from this experience is that I didn't realize how much better I felt eating Paleo. I knew it was good, but you kind of forget what the discomfort level was when it goes away gradually. I'm horrified that I used to feel like this all of the time. The big guy and I got right back on track on Friday. Lots of good healthy foods and good healthy fats. A big veggie & chicken stir fry for dinner. When we went out to the Roller Derby on Saturday, I packed a dinner of roast pork, sweet potatoes and asparagus with lemon. Sunday was our annual household "Thanksgiving, Part II, the Slaughter of the Lambs". (It's our private feast of Pommes Anna, rack of baby lamb, roasted duck, butternut squash & apples)
I can't wait to start feeling better!
So, with that being said, the wide variety of food choices is only good if you have the sense to not eat the stuff that's going to make you feel like doodie. The food we ate was all super high quality, fresh, gourmet and delicious. It was also full of grains in a multitude of ways. From the cheese biscuits and gravy that I made, to the hot clam dip & crackers, to the desserts.... Oy. There was plenty for me to chose from that was "safe" but I chose not to do that.
I felt ok after I ate, no indigestion. I had a happy stomach. I didn't eat too much. I was satisfied. So far, so good.
Friday morning, the sharp hip pain that has been my enemy for many years was back with a roaring vengeance. My hands felt hot and swollen, hard to make a fist, shoulders sore, pretty intense back pain. General feeling of aching in my whole body.
I have learned my lesson. The take away from this experience is that I didn't realize how much better I felt eating Paleo. I knew it was good, but you kind of forget what the discomfort level was when it goes away gradually. I'm horrified that I used to feel like this all of the time. The big guy and I got right back on track on Friday. Lots of good healthy foods and good healthy fats. A big veggie & chicken stir fry for dinner. When we went out to the Roller Derby on Saturday, I packed a dinner of roast pork, sweet potatoes and asparagus with lemon. Sunday was our annual household "Thanksgiving, Part II, the Slaughter of the Lambs". (It's our private feast of Pommes Anna, rack of baby lamb, roasted duck, butternut squash & apples)
I can't wait to start feeling better!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Coconut Pumpkin Soup
Here's one of my favorite soups. It's got sort of a Thai feeling to it. It's warming from the spices and if you make up a good sized batch, you can have a few meals out of it. Varying the add-ins will keep it interesting and keep food boredom at bay. Start with the basic ingredients (coconut milk, canned pumpkin, chicken stock) and add your own favorites as you see fit. I'm not one of those people who ever makes the same thing the same way twice. But that's what keeps life interesting, isn't it?
Start with:
1 can coconut milk (the real, full fat kind)
1 can pumpkin puree (do I need to say get the kind that it JUST pumpkin, not sweetened?)
2 to 4 cups of chicken stock, depending on how thick you like your soup. (Home made is best. Just save all your chicken bones in a bag in the freezer and make a batch of stock once a month. Your stomach and taste buds will thank you.)
Bring all that to a simmer and add some or all of the following:
Fish sauce, to taste
Diced red pepper
Fresh Ginger, diced finely
Tamarind Paste (unsweetened, adds a nice tart flavour. Optional, you can use lime juice instead. Or use them both.)
Lime Juice
Curry Leaves (if you can get these, they are divine! Located in the produce section of any good Indian grocer.)
Turmeric (adds an amazing yellow colour to the soup and is an anti-inflammatory in conjunction with the ginger!)
Simmer a bit longer. Adjust seasonings. Take off of the heat and add in some:
Scallions/green onions
Cilantro
If I'm making a big batch to eat later, I like to leave out the cilantro, scallions and lime. After I reheat whatever portion I am eating, I'll add those in to the individual serving. This keeps the soup from tasting flat and boring. Nothing like the pop from some freshly chopped herbs to make a meal sing!
You can add some shredded, cooked chicken or other meats to make a nice quick, vegetable filled meal. Makes a great breakfast on a chilly morning. Enjoy!
Start with:
1 can coconut milk (the real, full fat kind)
1 can pumpkin puree (do I need to say get the kind that it JUST pumpkin, not sweetened?)
2 to 4 cups of chicken stock, depending on how thick you like your soup. (Home made is best. Just save all your chicken bones in a bag in the freezer and make a batch of stock once a month. Your stomach and taste buds will thank you.)
Bring all that to a simmer and add some or all of the following:
Fish sauce, to taste
Diced red pepper
Fresh Ginger, diced finely
Tamarind Paste (unsweetened, adds a nice tart flavour. Optional, you can use lime juice instead. Or use them both.)
Lime Juice
Curry Leaves (if you can get these, they are divine! Located in the produce section of any good Indian grocer.)
Turmeric (adds an amazing yellow colour to the soup and is an anti-inflammatory in conjunction with the ginger!)
Simmer a bit longer. Adjust seasonings. Take off of the heat and add in some:
Scallions/green onions
Cilantro
If I'm making a big batch to eat later, I like to leave out the cilantro, scallions and lime. After I reheat whatever portion I am eating, I'll add those in to the individual serving. This keeps the soup from tasting flat and boring. Nothing like the pop from some freshly chopped herbs to make a meal sing!
You can add some shredded, cooked chicken or other meats to make a nice quick, vegetable filled meal. Makes a great breakfast on a chilly morning. Enjoy!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Grocery shopping
Tonight we head off to Wegmans for our bi-monthly grocery shopping. When I started changing my diet (mainly Nourishing Traditions in 2009, mainly Paleo/Primal in mid 2010) I was worried that I couldn't do it shopping at a "traditional" grocery store. I figured I'd have to mail order all of my food, and who could afford this, so why even bother? I just had to out my thinking cap on and figure it out. It all boils down to the standard advice of shopping the "perimeter" of the store to avoid all the junk. (Although, our Wegmans has toilet paper and the bakery on the perimeter....don't worry, I'm a smart girl, I can adjust!)
Here's what I usually pick up at Wegmans. In the "nature's marketplace" section I grab coconut oil, coconut milk (regular, not 'lite') coconut cream and coconut shreds and sunbutter. In international foods, I get my olive oil, fish sauce, PG Tips tea, sardines (Goya brand, packed in olive oil) and occasionally kippers (yum!). Also, there's a good selection of bulk Indian spices, like the anti-inflammatory Turmeric and ginger, and garam masala. Somewhere in the middle aisles is the tuna and canned Alaskan salmon.
The baking aisle has all the regular spices: black pepper, sea salt, Italian seasonings, paprika, etc. Also, dried fruit like dates to make my Ayla Bars.
In frozen foods, I usually get a couple of bags of greens - turnip greens, kale, collards, okra, etc. In dairy, I pick up a couple of dozen eggs (either organic free range or omega-3). Heavy cream, though I am thinking that is bothering me also, so I'm going to try knocking that off for a while to see if I feel less congested.
The meat department...hmmm, Wegs is a bit spendy on the meat. I'll usually grab a couple of whole chickens and chicken livers there but the majority of the beef I get is picked up on sale at Pathmark. We've been stocking up on $1.99 lb London broils since the Big Guy and i both eat them. Plus I make a ton of jerky using the London broil.
Near the meat department, with the fancy cheeses is my beloved grass fed butter. It's pricey but so, so worth it. Kerrygold, I love you!
The Veggies.... Again, Wegs is expensive on the veggies. With the sheer volume of vegetables I am eating, I just can't afford to buy all my produce there. (their produce is beautiful.) There's a local Korean veggie market near our house that opened back in the summer. I usually spend anywhere from 25 to 40 bucks there every week to 10 days. Their prices are great and since I buy so much they throw me the occasional discount or if they see me buying something that's a bit sketchy, they go in the back and get me a better/fresher/bigger one! Nice! They are my source for sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes, peppers, greens of all kinds, onions, fresh ginger, avocados, and amazing mangoes (which I have to really limit myself on until I lean out a bit. Wah! I could eat a couple of those babies each day.)
So, that's what's in my grocery bag. Now for my life updates. The Big Guy has been looking in horror (my perception, probably not really true) at the amount of fat that I've been eating. I kid you not, If I am feeling snacky I will go and eat some coconut oil or a slice of Kerrygold butter. I am so happy to report that with all this good fat eating and all the other changes I've made in my life, I've lost 7 lbs since early September. This is huge for me. I am so happy. Butter snacks rule!
Here's what I usually pick up at Wegmans. In the "nature's marketplace" section I grab coconut oil, coconut milk (regular, not 'lite') coconut cream and coconut shreds and sunbutter. In international foods, I get my olive oil, fish sauce, PG Tips tea, sardines (Goya brand, packed in olive oil) and occasionally kippers (yum!). Also, there's a good selection of bulk Indian spices, like the anti-inflammatory Turmeric and ginger, and garam masala. Somewhere in the middle aisles is the tuna and canned Alaskan salmon.
The baking aisle has all the regular spices: black pepper, sea salt, Italian seasonings, paprika, etc. Also, dried fruit like dates to make my Ayla Bars.
In frozen foods, I usually get a couple of bags of greens - turnip greens, kale, collards, okra, etc. In dairy, I pick up a couple of dozen eggs (either organic free range or omega-3). Heavy cream, though I am thinking that is bothering me also, so I'm going to try knocking that off for a while to see if I feel less congested.
The meat department...hmmm, Wegs is a bit spendy on the meat. I'll usually grab a couple of whole chickens and chicken livers there but the majority of the beef I get is picked up on sale at Pathmark. We've been stocking up on $1.99 lb London broils since the Big Guy and i both eat them. Plus I make a ton of jerky using the London broil.
Near the meat department, with the fancy cheeses is my beloved grass fed butter. It's pricey but so, so worth it. Kerrygold, I love you!
The Veggies.... Again, Wegs is expensive on the veggies. With the sheer volume of vegetables I am eating, I just can't afford to buy all my produce there. (their produce is beautiful.) There's a local Korean veggie market near our house that opened back in the summer. I usually spend anywhere from 25 to 40 bucks there every week to 10 days. Their prices are great and since I buy so much they throw me the occasional discount or if they see me buying something that's a bit sketchy, they go in the back and get me a better/fresher/bigger one! Nice! They are my source for sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes, peppers, greens of all kinds, onions, fresh ginger, avocados, and amazing mangoes (which I have to really limit myself on until I lean out a bit. Wah! I could eat a couple of those babies each day.)
So, that's what's in my grocery bag. Now for my life updates. The Big Guy has been looking in horror (my perception, probably not really true) at the amount of fat that I've been eating. I kid you not, If I am feeling snacky I will go and eat some coconut oil or a slice of Kerrygold butter. I am so happy to report that with all this good fat eating and all the other changes I've made in my life, I've lost 7 lbs since early September. This is huge for me. I am so happy. Butter snacks rule!
Monday, November 1, 2010
weights, meats and canine insanity
The dogs had an exhausting day barking at the trick or treaters. (there's a long rant about how out of shape we Americans are when your mom and dad have to DRIVE you from house to house...but that's another blog entry) In the middle of the night, the girlio had a nightmare or something and attacked the boy-o in her sleep. Insanity! She did no damage, in fact, I don't even think she made contact with him but the barking action was loud and fierce. After pulling her away from him, she settled down and went right to sleep. So, I really think she was dreaming.... so strange.
Beef was on a huge sale this week so I stocked up on 7 london broils, of which 6 are now in the freezer. Some will be cooked for lunches and some will be made in to jerky. It's so easy to make jerky in the oven. It's healthy, primal and delicious. I marinate it in Thai fish sauce (to avoid soy) and Sriracha hot sauce and lime juice. Yummy. Ayla likes it.
I also cooked for the week: 1 london broil, 2 meatloafs (1 is in the freezer for next week) and while not really cooking at all, I put up about 10 lbs of cabbage in my crock to make sauerkraut for the winter.
I misread my weight training log and accidentally leg pressed 948 lbs. I couldn't figure out why the lift was so hard. I still churned out a set of 15 but I was absolutely ruined for the rest of the training session. :-)
Let that be a multifaceted lesson to you -
1: be careful how you log your weights in your training log.
2: just because you wrote down the weight that you did...well, sometimes you are stronger than you think you are.
**edited to add: November 1st, 2004 I had my spleen taken out to try to put an end to the ITP. My scar still bothers me sometimes but the ITP is under control. I had to support of my friends and family and my Big Guy throughout it all. I am a lucky girl.
Beef was on a huge sale this week so I stocked up on 7 london broils, of which 6 are now in the freezer. Some will be cooked for lunches and some will be made in to jerky. It's so easy to make jerky in the oven. It's healthy, primal and delicious. I marinate it in Thai fish sauce (to avoid soy) and Sriracha hot sauce and lime juice. Yummy. Ayla likes it.
I also cooked for the week: 1 london broil, 2 meatloafs (1 is in the freezer for next week) and while not really cooking at all, I put up about 10 lbs of cabbage in my crock to make sauerkraut for the winter.
I misread my weight training log and accidentally leg pressed 948 lbs. I couldn't figure out why the lift was so hard. I still churned out a set of 15 but I was absolutely ruined for the rest of the training session. :-)
Let that be a multifaceted lesson to you -
1: be careful how you log your weights in your training log.
2: just because you wrote down the weight that you did...well, sometimes you are stronger than you think you are.
**edited to add: November 1st, 2004 I had my spleen taken out to try to put an end to the ITP. My scar still bothers me sometimes but the ITP is under control. I had to support of my friends and family and my Big Guy throughout it all. I am a lucky girl.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
"eat like a caveman" article
I saw this article online today. There were some amusing statements from 2 medical doctors. I asked some questions in the comments section. I am absolutely not expecting a reply from them but hopefully people will give some thought to what these guys had to say and it'll raise some questions for them.
Article is here. Please feel free to write your own follow up questions.
Article is here. Please feel free to write your own follow up questions.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Paleo Coconut Custard in a Pumpkin
Holy Smokes! I just baked a custard in a sugar pumpkin and it's amazing!
1 small sugar pumpkin
1 can whole coconut milk (not low fat)
4 eggs
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Cut top off of pumpkin and scoop out pumpkin guts. Mix 4 eggs with coconut milk, add cinnamon & nutmeg (Ginger and other autumnal spices would be great) Pour in to pumpkin. I got lucky and picked a pumpkin that this mixture fit perfectly. Place in a pan, preheat oven to 350, bake for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours, checking to see if the custard has set. It should puff up a bit in the middle and be slightly jiggly but not liquid.
Now, notice I added no sweeteners at all. When serving I drizzled a teaspoon of real maple syrup over it. And I mean a teaspoon. Measure it. That's all you need. Simple, easy, delish!
1 small sugar pumpkin
1 can whole coconut milk (not low fat)
4 eggs
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Cut top off of pumpkin and scoop out pumpkin guts. Mix 4 eggs with coconut milk, add cinnamon & nutmeg (Ginger and other autumnal spices would be great) Pour in to pumpkin. I got lucky and picked a pumpkin that this mixture fit perfectly. Place in a pan, preheat oven to 350, bake for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours, checking to see if the custard has set. It should puff up a bit in the middle and be slightly jiggly but not liquid.
Now, notice I added no sweeteners at all. When serving I drizzled a teaspoon of real maple syrup over it. And I mean a teaspoon. Measure it. That's all you need. Simple, easy, delish!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Paleo Solution
Ok, so - with money being so tight lately I was very sad that I just couldn't get the cash together to buy a copy of the book, The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf. Lo and Behold - the Aunt gave the Big Guy a gift card that she didn't want. Later that day I foolishly drank a glass of milk. Then was stricken with furious stomach cramps. That has never happened to me before but I haven't had a glass of milk in weeks (just a small amount in a cup of coffee) After I was done gasping, the Big Guy told me to put my shoes on, loaded me in the car and drove me to the nearest book store, handed me the gift card and said "go find that Wolf book. I don't want you getting sick like that again." Whoot! Is that a MAN or what? Love me some Big Guy!
Of course, I'm sure he's regretting it now because now I'm really chanting "Robb Wolf says..." even more than ever, in addition to wandering around with post-it notes, highlighters and index cards to take notes. :-)
Since there was mention of a Paleo Matrix for food choices/meal planning in the book but it wasn't there and doesn't seem to be on the website, I'll be putting one together myself to post here. (I'll probably call it the "what would Ayla eat Matrix" *grin*) I'm totally not trying to step on anyone's toes - It's just going to be a list of the things that I grab for when assembling meals. I can't imagine being bored eating this way, but I know that other people aren't foodies like me and need some inspiration. I'll post it soon, I promise.
OH, and by the way - I've lost a total of 2 lbs this month. Really. For little old Hashimoto's Thyroiditis me, that's HUGE!
Of course, I'm sure he's regretting it now because now I'm really chanting "Robb Wolf says..." even more than ever, in addition to wandering around with post-it notes, highlighters and index cards to take notes. :-)
Since there was mention of a Paleo Matrix for food choices/meal planning in the book but it wasn't there and doesn't seem to be on the website, I'll be putting one together myself to post here. (I'll probably call it the "what would Ayla eat Matrix" *grin*) I'm totally not trying to step on anyone's toes - It's just going to be a list of the things that I grab for when assembling meals. I can't imagine being bored eating this way, but I know that other people aren't foodies like me and need some inspiration. I'll post it soon, I promise.
OH, and by the way - I've lost a total of 2 lbs this month. Really. For little old Hashimoto's Thyroiditis me, that's HUGE!
Free Tiny Buffalo Curry
The name behind the recipe: the Big Guy loves Rock & Roll - which means he loves Ted Nugent. The Nuge, while being a phenomenal musician, is a little too conservative for my tastes so I tease the Big Guy about listening to him so much. Whenever He listens to Ted's song "Great White Buffalo", i sing "Free Tiny Buffalo"....Which is a joke from the book "Steal This Book" by Abbie Hoffman. Abby is/was about as far to the Left of Ted as possible. (while i never got to meet Abbie, i did spend a lot of time hanging out with Yippies during the early 80's.)
So, what does this have to do with food? I'm getting to that! I've been trying to eat better and one of the ways to do that is to eat grass fed/grass finished meats. Cows (and buffaloes!) are grass eaters, not grain eaters. The way we raise cattle in feed lots, eating grain, produces unhealthy animals. Eating grass, the way they were intended to, produces healthier meat with a fatty acid balance that is much better for us. So, i made a curry with my first foray in to buffalo.
Free Tiny Buffalo Curry
1 TBS COCONUT OIL
16 OZ GROUND BUFFALO
2 YELLOW ONIONS, DICED
2 CLOVES GARLIC, SMASHED
FRESH GINGER, PEELED, DICED FINE (i used about 2 TBS.)
1 heaping tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Turmeric
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Fish Sauce, to taste
2 Red or Yellow bell peppers, diced
2 zucchini, diced
A big handful of cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup coconut milk (not low fat, get the real kind, not sweetened.)
Melt coconut oil to pan, over medium-high heat saute the buffalo, breaking it up as it cooks. When it's about halfway cooked, add in diced onions, ginger, garlic. Keep it moving so you don't burn the garlic....After the onions become translucent, add the garam masala and the turmeric and black pepper. Stir that around and mix it in well. (Note - turmeric will stain your wooden spoons bright yellow. You are warned.) Add in the diced peppers & zucchini & tomatoes - sauté for a few more minutes then add in the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes. Give it a taste and add fish sauce. i used about a tablespoon. Simmer for a few more minutes and get ready to feast.
You could serve this over "riced cauliflower". (I'm not putting a link for that, you can google it yourself. And for all you cauliflower haters out there - Even the Big Guy eats this and He was not a fan of the cauliflower. Give it a try!)
I made this again last night using diced boneless chicken thighs, it came out great. I'm also pretty sure if you added a squeeze of lime and a handful of cilantro and chopped scallions you'd be in for an even bigger blast of deliciousness.
So, that's my grass fed, healthy fat, lots of veggies included recipe for today.Ayla would approve!
So, what does this have to do with food? I'm getting to that! I've been trying to eat better and one of the ways to do that is to eat grass fed/grass finished meats. Cows (and buffaloes!) are grass eaters, not grain eaters. The way we raise cattle in feed lots, eating grain, produces unhealthy animals. Eating grass, the way they were intended to, produces healthier meat with a fatty acid balance that is much better for us. So, i made a curry with my first foray in to buffalo.
Free Tiny Buffalo Curry
1 TBS COCONUT OIL
16 OZ GROUND BUFFALO
2 YELLOW ONIONS, DICED
2 CLOVES GARLIC, SMASHED
FRESH GINGER, PEELED, DICED FINE (i used about 2 TBS.)
1 heaping tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Turmeric
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Fish Sauce, to taste
2 Red or Yellow bell peppers, diced
2 zucchini, diced
A big handful of cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup coconut milk (not low fat, get the real kind, not sweetened.)
Melt coconut oil to pan, over medium-high heat saute the buffalo, breaking it up as it cooks. When it's about halfway cooked, add in diced onions, ginger, garlic. Keep it moving so you don't burn the garlic....After the onions become translucent, add the garam masala and the turmeric and black pepper. Stir that around and mix it in well. (Note - turmeric will stain your wooden spoons bright yellow. You are warned.) Add in the diced peppers & zucchini & tomatoes - sauté for a few more minutes then add in the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes. Give it a taste and add fish sauce. i used about a tablespoon. Simmer for a few more minutes and get ready to feast.
You could serve this over "riced cauliflower". (I'm not putting a link for that, you can google it yourself. And for all you cauliflower haters out there - Even the Big Guy eats this and He was not a fan of the cauliflower. Give it a try!)
I made this again last night using diced boneless chicken thighs, it came out great. I'm also pretty sure if you added a squeeze of lime and a handful of cilantro and chopped scallions you'd be in for an even bigger blast of deliciousness.
So, that's my grass fed, healthy fat, lots of veggies included recipe for today.Ayla would approve!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
858!!!
Whoot! smashed a 858 lb leg press today, 1 set of 20 reps. So Happy! The whole training session was really intense.
Sunday is usually a massive "cooking for the week" day to get all my meals in order, but i did so much cooking last week and packaged all the meals like a good thrifty gal should so i am covered for this upcoming week. In the bag for next week is: butternut squash with apples, roasted chicken, roasted pork shoulder, sweet potatoes, cauliflower curry with coconut milk. i'll mix that up those meal potentials with a ton of fresh greens, and the only thing i'll be cooking today is a pot of vegetable soup made with a fantastic home made stock.
The big guy, who is not paleo/primal, yet - will be cooking up a pot of brown rice for his lunches at work, a london broil (also for lunch) and a pile of chicken breast tenderloins for his mid-afternoon meals.
Off to eat my steak and sweet potato post training meal and then head off to my studio to get so Art made today.
Sunday is usually a massive "cooking for the week" day to get all my meals in order, but i did so much cooking last week and packaged all the meals like a good thrifty gal should so i am covered for this upcoming week. In the bag for next week is: butternut squash with apples, roasted chicken, roasted pork shoulder, sweet potatoes, cauliflower curry with coconut milk. i'll mix that up those meal potentials with a ton of fresh greens, and the only thing i'll be cooking today is a pot of vegetable soup made with a fantastic home made stock.
The big guy, who is not paleo/primal, yet - will be cooking up a pot of brown rice for his lunches at work, a london broil (also for lunch) and a pile of chicken breast tenderloins for his mid-afternoon meals.
Off to eat my steak and sweet potato post training meal and then head off to my studio to get so Art made today.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Back from the Olympia
What a great freakin' trip! It was perfect in every way. The only thing that would have made it better would have been more gambling/spending money in my pocket. :-)
The people who organize the Olympia and specifically the Ladies that we dealt with in registration/check in/questions because we were confused, etc, were fantastic. The athletes were, for the most part, super gracious and patient and willing to interact. Only one of them was a bit sketchy in the friendliness aspect and even he ended up apologizing to ALL of us on Sunday morning. So, I forgive him and, in fact, I won't even tell you which on it was. :-)
I managed to stick to my meal plan pretty closely, with the exception of forgetting my faux-Lara Bars, which I am now calling "Ayla Bars". The big guy and i hit the buffet for a majority of the meals. Breakfast was pretty darn good there. Lunch ok, dinner was also pretty good. I utilized the Mongolian stir-fry stations but also pulled vegetable items off the salad bar and the Mexican food stations to give me more variety. I was pretty happy with that. I also loaded up on fruit for snacks and breakfast for the couple of days when we were pressed for time. My only serious deviation from the plan was a few sips of root beer to accompany a tasty hamburger that was on a bun, sorry - I couldn't bear to wrap that puppy up in lettuce. I wanted the whole burger/bun/toppings experience that I haven't had in months. And it was delicious! :-) I never did have the dessert I planned for. Never found one that I wanted. I think the hamburger bun took the place of it.
We managed to hit the pool area 3 days out of 5, sat in the hot tub for hours. Lounged in the sun. It was like a real vacation. Started taking Vitamin D before the trip and I think between that and some massive sun exposure it helped big time with feeling so darn good. No aches and pains, no hip torture, awake early, not cranky.... overall feeling much better. (Plus the massive doses of fish oil! Magic pills!)
More later. Lots of photos to post too!
The people who organize the Olympia and specifically the Ladies that we dealt with in registration/check in/questions because we were confused, etc, were fantastic. The athletes were, for the most part, super gracious and patient and willing to interact. Only one of them was a bit sketchy in the friendliness aspect and even he ended up apologizing to ALL of us on Sunday morning. So, I forgive him and, in fact, I won't even tell you which on it was. :-)
I managed to stick to my meal plan pretty closely, with the exception of forgetting my faux-Lara Bars, which I am now calling "Ayla Bars". The big guy and i hit the buffet for a majority of the meals. Breakfast was pretty darn good there. Lunch ok, dinner was also pretty good. I utilized the Mongolian stir-fry stations but also pulled vegetable items off the salad bar and the Mexican food stations to give me more variety. I was pretty happy with that. I also loaded up on fruit for snacks and breakfast for the couple of days when we were pressed for time. My only serious deviation from the plan was a few sips of root beer to accompany a tasty hamburger that was on a bun, sorry - I couldn't bear to wrap that puppy up in lettuce. I wanted the whole burger/bun/toppings experience that I haven't had in months. And it was delicious! :-) I never did have the dessert I planned for. Never found one that I wanted. I think the hamburger bun took the place of it.
We managed to hit the pool area 3 days out of 5, sat in the hot tub for hours. Lounged in the sun. It was like a real vacation. Started taking Vitamin D before the trip and I think between that and some massive sun exposure it helped big time with feeling so darn good. No aches and pains, no hip torture, awake early, not cranky.... overall feeling much better. (Plus the massive doses of fish oil! Magic pills!)
More later. Lots of photos to post too!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
What would Ayla eat in Las Vegas?
How would Ayla handle Las Vegas? OK, OK, she'd run screaming from the din and sea of humanity, the dirt, noise and pollution, the lack of wild life (by that I mean animals, not humans running wild). She'd have no appreciation for the glitz and the lights and the sheer plastic beauty that is Las Vegas.
It is possible she might like the buffets. Maybe. But she'd be very picky. A lot of the stuff they have she might not recognize as food at all. So what would she select if she decided to stick around? Let's see....
When I was there last, I was blown away by the fruit that was available. Is it seasonal and local? I am sure it is not. They're not growing raspberries there in Las Vegas, not in that heat! However, I know I'm not going there for a local harvest of seasonal produce and free-range, pastured, grass-fed meats.
My intended prey at the buffets will be:
It is possible she might like the buffets. Maybe. But she'd be very picky. A lot of the stuff they have she might not recognize as food at all. So what would she select if she decided to stick around? Let's see....
When I was there last, I was blown away by the fruit that was available. Is it seasonal and local? I am sure it is not. They're not growing raspberries there in Las Vegas, not in that heat! However, I know I'm not going there for a local harvest of seasonal produce and free-range, pastured, grass-fed meats.
My intended prey at the buffets will be:
- Meat that still looks like meat. Which means hitting the carving stations for prime rib and perhaps turkey or other fowl if they have it. Some of the seafood choices might also be safe, if I can avoid the fried shrimp and the farm raised salmon. If it looks like a part of the original animal, I'll probably trust it as safe enough to eat for the short time I'll be in Vegas.
- Fruit that still looks like fruit. That means a fruit pasty or Ambrosia salad is out. As I said earlier, the last time I was there, the fruit was spectacular. So, I'll eat the plain fruit salad and be very happy. Hopefully some of the fruit will fall in to a small container that I'll have in my purse and I can eat that later in the day too. *grin*
- Vegetables.... well, I honestly am not sure what to expect. The salad bar should be good. I'm sure there will be a few good choices mixed in with a lot of really awful ones. I'll pick and choose carefully. I might bring a small bottle of my own extra virgin olive oil to make my own dressing, since the dressing/oil choices might be dubious at best. The Orleans Hotel where we are staying also has Mongolian BBQ available, which is sort of a pick-your-own-items-and-we-stir-fry-it-for-you type of thing. Usually I can make some good meals out of that and the vegetables tend to be super fresh and delicious. You can also pick your own sauces and seasonings (soy, garlic, ginger, etc) so you have some control over what goes in to your mouth. I think this will be a helpful addition to my meals.
- Snacks: I will be making a batch of my home made beef jerky before we leave. Super lean beef, sliced thin, marinated in fish sauce (not soy sauce), hot & black pepper, a little ginger, a little lime juice....dried in the oven on low until it's, well, until it's like jerky. Delicious, compact, protein filled, portable snack food that Ayla would recognize. Can't get more primal than that! For another portable snack, I'll also probably be bringing along some "crispy nuts" ala Nourishing Traditions. I find nuts to be much more digestible if I soak and then dehydrate them. I had a LARA bar for the first time this week. I have to say, I'm not really sure if I liked it. I can see their usefulness as something I could keep in my purse to snack on. However, it was way more dried fruit than I thought it would be. It was delicious for a "bar" but still more carbs than I'd like. If I paired it with some jerky it might be ok. My idea "bar" type snack would be some pemmican from U.S. Wellness Meats. But right now, it's out of my budget to order up a batch of that, as much as I'd love to! (If U.S Wellness Meats would like to send me some, I'd be eternally grateful!)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
First Post & Introduction
Welcome Oh Intrepid Readers! Welcome to my blog. Here I will write about lifting weights and the glories of food. I try to eat as primally as possible, with a smidgen of Nourishing Traditions thrown in. I strive really hard to eat things that my Grandmother would recognize as food - and I try to take it further than that: What would Ayla eat? W.W.A.E? Yes, I know she's fictional, but somehow asking myself that when someone is trying to present me with a bag of cheetos or a box of Dunkin' Donuts, which I call Dunkin' Death®, it helps me resist a little better. I picture Ayla wrinkling up her little primal nose and backing away, reaching for her spear so she can poke the offending, non-food item away.
With that being said - I am NOT perfect, I am not the food police, I like chocolate, I like bourbon, I like ice cream and if it's your birthday, I will most likely have a small piece of your cake. I'm also half Japanese, so I will have rice on occasion. I bake my own slow fermented sour dough bread and I am planning to build my own earth oven in the yard and I will be eating my bread, even if Ayla most likely didn't eat bread. I figure if I resist the Dunkin' Death® and the cheetos on a regular basis i can eat a moderate portion of home made, high quality, lovingly made non-primal food and it won't kill me. So, when I talk about baking bread or eating the dessert that I am probably going to have when I go to Las Vegas for Olympia weekend, please do not send me hate mail.
I'm also going to talk about my struggles with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The Hashimoto's is really the thorn in my life. You know how some people who are overweight will whine : "But it's my thyroid!" Well, it really is my thyroid. I have the tests to prove it. That doesn't make it any easier to deal with working my butt off, lifting heavy, eating clean, getting plenty of sleep and not losing any weight at all. I am experimenting on what works for me and I am finally getting my weigh/body fat to move in the right direction. When I tell you that I've lost about 9 pounds so far this year and I am thrilled, I'm sure you'll scoff at me, unless you've danced with this illness yourself.
That's all for now. Signing off to go batten down the hatches for Hurricane Earl!
Peace,
Strongest Girl
With that being said - I am NOT perfect, I am not the food police, I like chocolate, I like bourbon, I like ice cream and if it's your birthday, I will most likely have a small piece of your cake. I'm also half Japanese, so I will have rice on occasion. I bake my own slow fermented sour dough bread and I am planning to build my own earth oven in the yard and I will be eating my bread, even if Ayla most likely didn't eat bread. I figure if I resist the Dunkin' Death® and the cheetos on a regular basis i can eat a moderate portion of home made, high quality, lovingly made non-primal food and it won't kill me. So, when I talk about baking bread or eating the dessert that I am probably going to have when I go to Las Vegas for Olympia weekend, please do not send me hate mail.
I'm also going to talk about my struggles with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The Hashimoto's is really the thorn in my life. You know how some people who are overweight will whine : "But it's my thyroid!" Well, it really is my thyroid. I have the tests to prove it. That doesn't make it any easier to deal with working my butt off, lifting heavy, eating clean, getting plenty of sleep and not losing any weight at all. I am experimenting on what works for me and I am finally getting my weigh/body fat to move in the right direction. When I tell you that I've lost about 9 pounds so far this year and I am thrilled, I'm sure you'll scoff at me, unless you've danced with this illness yourself.
That's all for now. Signing off to go batten down the hatches for Hurricane Earl!
Peace,
Strongest Girl
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