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15 Food Companies that Serve You ‘Wood’ Food Freedom

Veggie 101, and more...

With the Autumn season in full swing and harvests abounding just about everywhere, I thought it would be a good time to start featuring certain veggies that may be currently available.  My goal will be to show a vegetable every week with preparation tips and maybe some cool recipes to associate with.  So we will start with a little intro, then it's off to VEGGIE NIRVANA!!!

Vegetables are definitely Mother Nature’s gift to mankind. Once considered a luxurybecause of their high water content and relatively low energy value, many vegetables are increasingly recognized sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Vegetables acquire their own nutrition from the ultimate sources of vitamins and minerals – the soil and the sun. We then acquire these by eating vegetables.

The edible portions of vegetables vary from the root, stem, leaf, flower structure,fleshy fruits, seed, or a combination of such parts. Vegetables can also have nonedible parts that need to be removed or disposed of before eating.

Aside from nutritional value, vegetables are esteemed food for many reasons.
Because of the color, shape, texture, consistency, flavor, and aroma, vegetables
appeal to man’s sense of taste, smell, vision and touch and add to the enjoyment of eating a rich, varied nutritious diet! Flavor, aroma and tastes vary from the subtle to the overpowering, with some vegetables prized for their “crunch” and unique taste and others for the way in which they combine with or complement other foods.

Vegetable preparation is not at all confusing. Although over 200 kinds of vegetables are known, most vegetables require little to no special preparation for a meal. Most vegetables contain a high water content and usually require no food processing or special preparation before cooking or serving raw. This makes preparing vegetables all the more useful, handy and fun.

Enjoy!

LET'S TALK PUMPKINS!!!!!!!!! (And other squashes too...)

 

Pumpkins are a popular and very common large and globular vegetable available all year round.

Their stems are firmer, more ridged and squarer than squash stems which are generally more rounded, softer and flared. The pulp is edible and used commonly in soups and curries.

Pumkins and some other squashes have edible and very nutritious seeds (soetimes called "pepitas")  which contain healthy oils that can be included in your daily food intake.

The overall nutritional list for squash is - Vitamins A(Beta-Carotene), B1, B3, B5, B6, C.  Minerals - Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, Phosphorous.
Pumpkins and Squash also offer a high dietary fiber content. 
So, this is basically one of the best varieties of foods to help fuel your life!!!!

Varieties of Pumpkins and Squash

 Sugar pumpkins are considered the best for cooking.  These are also known as "Pie Pumpkins".  "Carving" Pumkins can also be used, they just have a softer skin and less "meat" inside.

Summer Squashes include yellow squash and zucchini  and are generally available year-round.  The skins of these are thinner than winter squashes and edible and can be prepared in many ways from grilling, sauteing, frying, to roasting, or steaming, depending on what you wish to accompany them with.  You will notice at most restaurants the "chef's vegetables" will generally always have a type of summer squash included.

Winter squashes include butternut squash and spaghetti squash which are harvested to their maturity. The skins of butternut squash and spaghetti squash are thick and resilient. The delectable flesh is orange-color, stringy and filled with seeds.

Japanese pumpkin or kabocha is short and squatty with dull knobby deep-green skin with streaky white stripes and bright yellow-orange flesh. The kabocha is naturally sweet with a smooth mushy texture similar to that of combined pumpkin and sweet potato.

The bright-orange golden nugget pumpkin has golden-yellow flesh and is usually eaten

with its skin. Its bright orange-yellow color adds to the appeal of many different vegetable meals.

Preparing Butternut Squash

Remove the squash’s skin using a knife or a vegetable peeler. Use short and strong

strokes to penetrate the squash’s tough waxy skin.

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Cut off the stem with a knife.

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Cut the squash in half by almost-equal lengthwise sizes.

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Scoop out the seeds and discard them.

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Chop into 1-2-inch pieces.

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Boil pumpkin in water for around eight minutes.

Preparing Spaghetti Squash

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Pierce the squash in several place to allow the circulation of steam before baking.

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Bake the squash in a dish for 40-60 minutes until the squash is tender enough to be easily

depressed with a finger. Cut the squash in half to stop the cooking process.

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Scoop out the squash seeds and discard.

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Comb through the spaghetti strand-like pulp from the squash.

Preparing and Cooking Pumpkins
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Steam pumpkins by first cutting the pumpkins in half; removing the seeds, stringy parts,

fibers and pulp. Peel the pumpkin and chop into small pieces. Place the pumpkin over the

boiling water, cover the container and leave to steam for fifty minutes until soft and tender.

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Boil pumpkins by cutting the pumpkins in half; removing the seeds, stringy portions and

fibers and pulp. Peel the pumpkin and chop into smaller pieces. Boil in salted water for

twenty to thirty minutes until soft and tender.

Mash or Puree soft steamed or boiled pumpkins with the use of a food processor or
blender. A higher, finer setting must be used in preparing pumpkin puree.

EE'S PALEO CHILI!!!! Enjoy!

Hey all, back again!  Sorry 'bout the delay in my blogging venture, the summer was quite busy!
Here's a quick recipe to get you into the cooler weather and sporting season - I put this together for my friend and CROSSFIT SEVEN CITIES trainer Cody Smith's birthday WOD AND GRILL.  It passed the test of quite a few discerning folks!  Remember - the key to a successful Paleo dish is the layering of available flavors, so  you will see this in my recipe.  ENJOY!!!!

EE’s Paleo Chili

The key is building layers of flavor, and cooking over low heat for awhile after you put it together.

1.5 – 2 lbs clean meat, ground (I used 1 lb hamburger 80/20 and almost a pound of ground turkey – turkey sausage works well with this too.)

2 green peppers sliced lengthwise and then cut in half

2 big onions sliced

2 cloves garlic, pounded then diced fine

OPTIONAL – 2 CELERY STALKS DICED –

One 28 oz can diced organic tomatoes

One 28 oz can peeled-or-crushed-or-pureed- organic tomatoes

One 14.5 oz can fire-roasted Organic tomatoes (I used Muir Glen)

1 TBS, plus 1 tsp paprika

1.5 TBS, plus 1 tsp Chili powder

1 rounded TBS, plus ½ tsp Ground Cumin

1 TBS ground black pepper

½ TBS Cocoa powder… yes… the magic ingredient

-In a BIG POT - brown the meat and season with the ½ tsp cumin and some black pepper as it is cooking.  Set aside and DON’T Drain the liquid out of the pan!

-Add the veggies to the pan, season with the 1 tsp paprika and 1 tsp chili powder.   Cook over Medium heat until tender, about 4-8 minutes.

-Put the cooked meat back in the pot with the veggies and get all the stuff to the same temp over the medium heat.  Add the 1 TSP Paprika, 1.5 TBS Chili powder, 1 TBS cumin, and the black pepper.

-Add the canned tomatoes and stir. Bring all the ingredients to the same temp over medium heat and GIVE IT A TASTE> you can add more spices if you wish, BUT BE CAREFUL!  AS THE CHILI BLENDS THE FLAVORS WILL BECOME MORE APPARENT.

-Add the Cocoa powder.  watch the chili change color and the Magic begin!!!

-It is ready now, or you can put it on low heat and sit for the game or meal...  IT GETS TASTIER OVER TIME!

Enjoy!

BE STRONG TO THE FINISH!!!

Ahh, summer!  One of the best parts of this season is the abundance of available veggies to help supplement your food intake, whatever shape that may be.  I'll be trying to highlight some of the main veggies included in most "diets" thoughout the rest of this season.  If you have questions about any, drop me a line!

 What is Spinach? Spinach is very popular in European and Middle Eastern cuisine, yet is eaten all over the world. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is an edible flowering plant of the Amaranthaceae family. It is native to central and southwestern Asia, and grows to a height of up to 30cm.

Nutrition: Both spinach and its cousin Swiss Chard, AKA Silverbeet, are rich in vitamins A, K and C, fiber, folate, iron, calcium and potassium.

Types of Spinach: English Spinach has long leaves with the roots still attached. It is best served lightly cooked or steamed, depending on personal preference. Baby spinach, on the other hand, has flat, soft leaves, and is milder in flavor. Baby spinach is more commonly served in salads.

Selecting: Steer well clear of spinach with limp and/or yellowing leaves. When buying English spinach look for thin stems - this indicates youth and tastiness.

If you are after Chard then look for produce with smaller leaves and firmer stems. Spinach is often confused with Chard, and subsequently interchangeable in many recipes. Chard, however, has harder stems and takes longer to cook.

How about some soup flavoring tips?

Soups often need a little something extra to bring them to life, however, with many sauces and stock flavorings rendering themselves non-paleo, people often struggle for ideas.

Here are 6 flavorsome tips for enhancing the flavor of your soups without stock!

1. The Best Vegetables To achieve a similar level of flavoring to that of stock, use onion, celery or carrot as one or more core parts of your soup ingredients. These aromatizing vegetables provide big, natural flavors.

2. Go Easy On The Water Perhaps the most common mistake people make with homemade soup is going overboard on the water content. Don't end up diluting your flavors with too much water. Pace the water as you go; it is better to end up with a thicker soup you can thin out rather than a thin soup that lacks flavor.

3. Add Pepper and if NECESSARY, Some Salt An under-seasoned soup will taste bland, yet an over-seasoned soup can taste bitter. Add salt and pepper as you go, testing the flavor after each addition to ensure you don't overpower the taste by being too generous. Take baby steps with salt until you realize the delicate balance of flavors you are looking for (always use salt sparingly as it should not be consumed regularly on the paleo diet).

4. Tamari (Wheat Free Soy Sauce) With normal soy sauce out of the paleo equation, add a tablespoon of tamari to your soup dish. This can be done during or after the cooking process, depending on how integrated you want the flavor to be.

5. Get Spicy Chili brings to life almost any soup lacking in flavor. Cumin, coriander and paleo-friendly curry powders are also excellent additions, bringing your soup to life and exciting the taste buds. These spices also make for a pretty top sprinkling, adding to the aesthetics of your dish.

6. Lemon & Vinegar A splash of lemon or squirt of vinegar can be just the ingredient needed to take a soup from average to great. Lemon works particularly well with mushroom soup, and carrot soup benefits from a touch of lemon or vinegar, taking it from bland to boisterous.

For more great, natural food flavoring tips, and a plethora of paleo-friendly recipes, make sure you have a copy of the Paleo Cookbooks:

=> www.paleocookbook.com

Storing Vegetables 101

Hey everyone, it's been quite a busy summer so far, but I'm back to provide you with as much good info I can find to help you make quality decisions about your nutritional intake!

First off, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL YOU FOLKS WHO DID THE 30-DAY PALEO CHALLENGE at CROSSFIT SEVEN CITIES!

I hope that as you progressed through the "challenge"(I just can't see how eating MORE and BETTER food can be a challenge!), you learned important points and helped yourself to increase in physical and mental ability.

My goal was succeeded, I "balanced out" at 14.5 pounds lighter and improved my 8K (@5.3 miles) run time from 52:50 to 45:37.  Now I can't wait to hit some big rocks to climb around on!

Apart from the measured results, I am commited to NOT eating many things that I now know have no place in my cupboard, such as processed sugar, salts and foods.  This will be with me for THE REST OF MY LIFE, and I hope that you all have taken something positive from this experience.

That being said, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, and I will continue to provide interesting and useful(I hope!) stuff for all of you readers out there.  Let's GET IT ON!

I got this little helper from Nikki Young, editor of many paleo cookbooks, and with the PLETHORA of veggies out there this season, I thought this would help:

Vegetables make up a staple part of the paleo diet, therefore, it is vitally important that you know the best way to store your vegetables to promote long life and optimum taste!

1. Treat Vegetables With CareBruises and cuts damage cell walls and expose the vegetables to spoilage by microbes. Worst thing is, one piece of rotten vegetable can start to contaminate others around it. If you do see a rotten piece, get rid of it quickly.

2. Don't Cut UnnecessarilyMany people have a tendency to cut pumpkins, squash and other vegetables down to a manageable size when they get them home. Thing is, a cut vegetable goes bad twice as quick as an uncut one. Where possible leave vegetables whole.

3. Keep Vegetables Out of Sunlight Vegetables, once picked, need to be kept out of the sun and ideally stored in the dark. This will promote longevity
4. Know Your TemperatureVegetables are seasonal, although you might not know it looking around a supermarket. Do your homework and find out the optimum temperature to store each vegetable you buy. For example, avocados will ripen faster in the fridge.

Dairy, the Cave, and You

Not everything can be substituted (this goes without saying). Unfortunately, there really isn't a paleo substitute for bread and butter pudding, where the main ingredients are bread, milk, and sugar - three ingredients that should be avoided at all costs when following the paleo principles.

In saying that, some recipes can work out well with paleo substitutions where cream, yogurt or milk is an ingredient.

For curries:Where cream, yogurt or milk is added to a curry sauce in small amounts, coconut milk, almond milk or no substitute at all can work out really well.

Within cakes:Small amounts of milk can be substituted as well with coconut milk or almond milk to provide the moisture needed.

How about custards?You can make delicious paleo friendly custards with coconut milk, egg yolks, and a vanilla bean.

Learning to live without dairy becomes extremely easy when it's put into practice. Try not to focus too much on reinventing your favorite non-paleo meals, and focus on creating delicious paleo friendly meals.

Don't continue to stress over cravings or missing your favorite meal of lasagna, or creamy cabonara, instead focus on finding a paleo recipe that can take its place - because I can guarantee there are plenty of recipes that don't consist of dairy, grains, processed foods and sugar that you will enjoy eating time and time again.

Don't believe me? check out the Paleo Cookbooks.


=> www.paleocookbook.com

What NOT to have in your pantry!!!

To give you a helping hand in clearing out your cupboards of non-paleo friendly foods, here is a quick 6-point list of things you don't want to find in your kitchen.

Once you have expelled these demons from your kitchen be sure no-one tries to sneak them back in!

1. Corn-Fed Beef - Cattle evolved to eat grass, not corn. This is no secret, but something that is generally hidden and not spoken about by government health agencies. Many farmers feed animals corn, grains and soya beans to fatten them up faster for slaughter, all at the detriment of our nutrition. Grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, Omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; and lower in saturated fats.

2. Milk (Dairy) - Milk is not part of the paleo diet, simply because the human body isn't biologically designed to consume dairy. Dairy cattle are treated with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) to boost milk production. Milk also contains IGF-1, which contributes to breast, prostate and colon cancers.

3. Farmed Salmon - Salmon are not meant to live on a diet of grains and soy, neither are they supposed to be crammed into pens. Farmed salmon is nutritionally weak and contains carcinogens, PCBs and pesticides. For safe and healthy salmon switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon.

4. Sweets - Refined sugar causes a plethora of health problems, not limited to causing a spike in insulin and playing havoc with your hormones and energy levels (causing unnatural peaks and lows).

5. Grains - Our ancestors thought of grains as starvation food, only to be considered where death by starvation loomed. Historically grains were near impossible to eat because it takes a ton of manual work just to make them edible. Then there is the gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley. This is causing 1% of the population celiac disease and a further 40% problems with bloating and digestion.

6. Snacks - Be careful of snacks that appear paleo friendly on the surface but underneath are coated with corn syrup or added preservatives. Beware of banana chips dipped in vegetable oil or dried fruit with added sugar. If you are unsure about which snacks to buy then why not make them yourself?

Go for nut bars and other healthy on-the-move paleo friendly snacks such as those found in the Simple Paleo Recipes cookbook.

Here's the link:
=> www.paleocookbook.com/simple-paleo-recipes

YUM! Berries! RAW Berry Pie with Macadamia Nut Crust!

Ahh, SUMMER!  One of the best parts of the summer feeling is getting fresh berries to snack on (in moderation, of course) and all those DELICIOUS DESSERTS that come with them.  For this outdoor grilling season and get-togethers, sometimes a good dessert just tops off the evening; so I’ve found a recipe that meets the PALEO standards and truly satisfies the “sweet” bicuspid (should I have said Canine?).  I’ve also listed some properties of locally grown berries so you can put “proof to the pudding”.  ENJOY and share with your friends, save as a power snack, but CAUTION!!! THIS PIE MAKES 12 SERVINGS, SO SLICE IT THIN!!!

Here are some numbers – per slice; 299 cal, 19g fat (9gmono,5gpoly,3gsat), 7g protein, 32g carb, 5g fiber, 5mg sodium naturally derived, 0mg chol.

 

Berries first: 1 cup fresh or frozen = … and what they help fight against!

Strawberries              Raspberries                Blackberries               Blueberries

Cal-49                          Cal-64                          Cal-62                          Cal-84

Vit C – 149%dv            Vit C – 54%dv              Vit C – 50%dv              Vit C - 24%dv

Fiber – 12%dv             Fiber – 32%dv             Fiber – 31%dv             Fiber – 14%dv

Folate – 9%dv              Fiber – 6%dv               Fiber - 9%dv                Fiber – 2%dv

Atherosclerosis           Colon Cancer              Cancer                         Aging Brain cells

RAW BERRY PIE WITH MACADAMIA NUT CRUST

(Taken from “Delicious Living”, June 2011 edition, writer Lisa Turner, check out her site– www.inspiredeating.com )

This is kind of a complex dish, but worth the work!  The Key to this is FRESH NUTS AND MOIST DATES – THIS HELPS MAKE AN AWESOME CRUST.

If Macadamia nuts are expensive or hard to find, substitute cashews in the crust.  Fresh mixed berries are the best, but if necessary substitute two 10-oz packages of frozen mixed berries, thawed.

2 Cups  Raw cashews

10 pitted dates (soak in water if firm or dry), cut into quarters

½ Cup raw Macadamia nuts

¾ Cup Raw Walnuts

½ cup Raisins (soak if dry, drain)

½ tsp Coconut Oil

1-1/2 Cups (6-7oz) Strawberries, sliced

3 Cups (14oz) mixed fresh berries

2 TBS Raw, unfiltered Honey

½ tsp Vanilla extract, (or scrape the inside of ½ Raw Vanilla Bean, add to 1 tsp water and blend)

¼ Cup Whole mint leaves for Garnish

1.      Soak Cashews in water for four hours, rinse and drain.

2.      Place 3 dates in a bowl and cover with ½ Cup water, let stand for 30 minutes, SAVE THIS WATER.

3.      While they’re doing their thing:

In a food processor combine the remaining 7 Dates, Macadamia nuts, Walnuts, and Raisins.  Process on high until mixture STARTS TO FORM A BALL, SCRAPING SIDES AS NEEDED.  Lightly coat a 9 inch pie dish (Glass dish if you have one) with the coconut oil; press the nut mixture evenly into the dish, crimp the top edge for looks.  Chill for a bit to firm it up, maybe 15-20 minutes…

4.      FILLING – Remove Dates from soaking water, saving the water.  In a Food Processor, combine the soaked and drained Dates and Cashews, 1 Cup Strawberries, 2 Cups Mixed Berries(Saving 1 cup for the next step), Honey and Vanilla.  Process 3 minutes until smooth and creamy, adding the reserved water from the dates if necessary.  Add remaining 1 Cup of berries and PULSE until berries are chopped up but still visible.  SPOON FILLING INTO CRUST, SMOOTH TOP, FREEZE  FOR 1 HOUR.

5.      Remove pie from freezer and arrange remaining ½ Cup strawberries around the perimeter.  Place mint leaves between the strawberries (make it pretty, like maybe 1 strawberry and one mint leaf per slice) Remember 12 SLICES.  (If making ahead, remove from freezer at least 30 minutes before serving.

Tell me what you think! 

Next, my very crafty wife came up with an AWESOME IDEA for A Sheppard’s Pie dish.  I’m gonna whip it up and let you know how it works.  Talk to you then!

Finding the right oils- Plus- "Huevos Salsito"

Did you know that saturated fats are the healthiest oils to cook with? It is because they are the least reactive to heat/light and are more stable than polyunsaturated oils.

Applying high heat to delicate oils such as almond oil or macadamia oil will likely cause them to turn rancid, quickly destroying a lot of the nutritional qualities these oils have.

Selecting the right oils to use within your cooking can ultimately improve your intake of good fats and nutrition, so to ensure that you know which oils stand up best in keeping their nutritional profile intact for the type of cooking that you will be doing, here is a quick list of common oils and when they are best used:

High Heat/Frying/Browning
Coconut oil
Palm Oil
Lard

Medium Heat/Light Saute
Olive Oil
Sesame Seed Oil
Hazelnut Nut Oil
Pistachio Nut Oil

Low Heat/Baking
Pumpkin Oil
Sunflower Oil

No Heat
Fish Oil
Flax Seed Oil
Cod Liver Oil
Hemp Seed Oil

My version of a great breakfast, without the salt, dairy and glutens!

4 eggs

4 pieces of Canadian bacon

"SALSITO":

4 diced fresh tomatoes

1 diced green pepper

1 diced sweet onion

1 clove garlic

OPTIONAL: 1 diced Jalapeno pepper(with seeds and veins, hotter/without seeds and veins, milder)

About 2 TBS fresh chopped cilantro, (more or less to taste, start with 1 TBS and go from there)

Black Pepper to taste

Juice of 1/2 Lemon or Lime (Hint: if you're out of citrus, use 1/2 TBS ACV(apple-cider vinegar); different taste but awesome results nonetheless)

Combine in a bowl and let sit for about ten-fifteen  minutes.

HERE'S HOW IT COMES TOGETHER!:

In a small non-stick frying pan, lightly brown the Canadian Bacon, remove to a plate.  Add JUST A BIT(less than a tsp) of Olive oil to help break up the little browned bits, add the eggs and cook them ANY WAY YOU WANT (I made mine over medium).  Place the eggs on the Canadian Bacon and cover with as much salsa as you want.  Extra hot sauce is optional!

Serve with 1/2 a sliced banana and 3-4 sliced strawberries on the side.

SIMPLE AND QUICK!  ENJOY!

Awesome Marinades for the summer grilling season!

Hey All, here are the marinades I came up with for maximizing the PALEO guidelines, I hope you find them enjoyable!

CAVEMAN JERK SEASONING

• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ FINELY DICED HABANERO OR SCOTCH BONNET PEPPER(OPTIONAL)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Great for Fish, Chicken and Pork.  Combine all the ingredients except the oil; rub the meat with the oil then rub the mixture on the meat.  Refirgerate for AT LEAST 20 minutes, then grill to desired doneness.

SOUTHWESTERN-STYLE MARINADE

2 TBS Garlic Powder

2 TBS Onion Powder

1/2 TBS Ground Cumin

1/2 TBS Ground Coriander

1 TBS Dried Oregano, rubbed

1 TBS Ground Black Pepper

1 tsp Celery Seed, rubbed

1 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp Paprika

OPTIONAL- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper for heat.

1/8 cup Olive Oil

1/8 cup Apple-Cider Vinegar

Combine all the Indredients and let sit for about an hour.  Rub liberally on Beef, Chicken, Pork.

(I REALLY LIKE USING FLANK STEAK FOR THIS).  Grill to desired doneness.

UPSTATE NY FIREMANS BARBEQUE CHICKEN!

1-3 Chickens, each one cut in half

1 TBS Garlic Powder

1TBS Onion Powder

1 TBS Paprika

1 TBS White Pepper

½ TBS Black Pepper

½ tsp Dried Thyme, rubbed

½ tsp Dried Sage, rubbed

1 cup Canola Oil

2 cups Apple-Cider Vinegar

Rinse the chickens and set aside; combine all the other ingredients and mix until blended well, let sit for AT LEAST 20 MINUTES.  Put just enough of the marinade to coat the chickens in a big bag, add the chickens and shake to coat.  Put in refrigerator FOR AT LEAST TEN MINUTES. 

CHARCOAL IS THE BEST WAY TO GRILL THIS CHICKEN, BUT GAS CAN WORK TOO.  THE “UPSTATE LOCALS” USE ROYAL OAK COALS.

Once the grill is ready, start with the chicken Bone-side Down, cover and grill for 5-10 minutes.  Turn the chicken over and baste with the remaining marinade, cover and grill for 5-10  minutes.

Turn the chicken and baste again, and REPEAT THE PROCESS UNTIL THE CHICKEN IS COOKED THROUGH TO AN INTERNAL TEMPERATURE ON 180 DEGREES.

BASTING WITH THE MARINADE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE FIRST FEW SETS OF TURNS.

ENJOY THESE RECIPES, LET ME KNOW HOW THEY WORK FOR YOU THIS SUMMER!

Now that you're on your way...

Hey all,  I got this very interesting link sent to me and I thought this would be excellent for sharing!  Some very good key points are covered; I actually learned a very important fact about eating nuts that has been affecting me for the last couple of days.  Here it is, read and hopefully gain knowledge:

http://www.livingpaleo.com/guest/achieving-optimal-health-on-the-paleo-diet.html

How was that cucumber-tomato salad?

Wednesday - FOR THE BARBECUE!  My adaptation of Jerk seasoning, a Southwestern-style Marinade and my childhood favorite (upstate, NY), "Firehouse chicken" marinade!  (Think BROOKS' BARBECUE in Oneonta, NY, without the salt)

COOL as a CUCUMBER Salad

Mediterranean style, this dish is EASY TO MAKE and sure to please on a summer day!

1 "english" cucumber(may be peeled or not), sliced (I like to alternate a peeled line with the skin all the way around, looks good sliced);

 or 1 regular cucumber, peeled, sliced lengthwise and de-seeded with a spoon, then sliced.

5-6 Plum tomatoes, sliced

1/2 onion sliced

5-6 FRESH Basil Leaves, rolled and JULIENNED (French term for "Sliced Finely")

DRESSING

1-2 small cloves Garlic,  smashed and diced FINE
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 TBS  Olive Oil
2 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar


For the dressing, add all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix briskly until EMULSIFIED (well-blended).

Add all the Veggies and Basil and toss to blend the dressing.  Let sit for at least 20 Minutes.

ENJOY with Any Grilled  meat item, and some grilled zucchini/summer squash!

Let me know how it went...

PALEOLITHIC PROPORTIONS

I recently got this e-mail from Nikki Young,  creator of many different Paleo Recipe books, and thought I’d share it with you while you are on your way to Success of “Paleolithic” proportions.  I’ll be sharing more of her stuff along the way, if you like what you read, you can purchase her cookbooks at the link provided below.   I bought them and got a LOT of extra recipe page from her.  They are downloadable only, .pdf files, and often use “European”  measurements and food references (bacon=Irish or Canadian bacon; Capsicum=bell peppers.)  But there are conversions to American standards.

CIAO BELLA!

Although we consistently refer to eating paleo as "the paleo diet", it is in fact much more than a diet.

Paleo living is a lifestyle, a modern day version of thehunter-gatherer way of living. It doesn't always seem easy to continue paleo in a world which promotes TV dinners and foods which cause pain and illness in the body. However, the longer you stay paleo the more natural it becomes.

Here are some essential paleo lifestyle tips to help you keep working towards that goal of ultimate health.

1. Keep Your Cupboards Fully Stocked - One of the worst things that can happen is to run out of food. Don't get caught short with empty cupboards, go out and gather your supplies! Keep fresh fish and vegetables as well as pre-cooked meals in your freezer, these are not only easy to store over a longer period of time, but are easy to cook up for a healthy paleo meal.

2. Cook Big - Following a paleo diet means regular food preparation and cooking. Save time on cooking by cooking big batches of food which can be refrigerated.

3. Eliminate Junk Food - Temptation is a distraction you don't need, and "out of sight out of mind" is very true when it comes to chocolate, crisps and sweets. You may miss these things initially, but once you can't be tempted you will quickly adapt to their absence. That said, there is nothing wrong with having the odd piece of birthday cake or other non-paleo food on a special occasion (personal preference of course), just make sure you are aware of what you're eating and don't let it become a habit.

4. Paleo Need Never Be Boring - Add herbs and spices to your meals for increased taste sensation. Basil, ginger, paprika, chili, mint, parsley and curry leaves are all fantastic ways to make your paleo meals flavorsome and exciting.

5. Mix Up Your Vegetables - For maximum nutritional intake make sure you cover a wide spectrum of vegetable colors.

6. Always Have a Back-up Plan - There will be times when you need paleo friendly food but can't locate any. Be sure to carry a can of tuna, some dried fruit or beef jerky to keep you going until you reach a paleo friendly domain.

7. Plan Ahead - Devise a weekly meal planner to help ensure you have the required ingredients at home to cook paleo. This will save you time and frustration when you return home from work during the week to cook your evening meal.

8. Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy! - Eating should be enjoyable and the paleo diet is no different. Keep experimenting with different recipes and combinations of food.

If you are struggling to keep things exciting or you simply need some more paleo friendly recipe ideas then get your copy of the Paleo Cookbooksconsisting of hundreds of delicious paleo recipes.

Click here to get your copy of the Paleo Cookbooks today:

=> www.paleocookbook.com

CF7C PALEO CHALLENGE BEGINS!

GOOD LUCK  ALL YOU CROSSFIT SEVEN CITIES PALEO CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS!

Today begins the challenge, and I hope as you go through and feel the transformation that you get the satisfaction you are looking for.  I have noticed, after my first month of “Paleo Intense” dietary intake, HUGE changes in the way I view nutrition as the necessary FUEL for daily living and advancement. 

Bottom line: THE CLEANER THE FUEL, THE CLEANER AND MORE  EFFICIENT  THE BURN!

I would Love to hear from you guys on how your challenge is going as you progress.  As far as food preparation, I hope my tips earlier on will help in your  ENJOYMENT OF THE FOOD YOU EAT!

So, Let’s roll:

Breakfast:   ZUCCHINI OMELLETTE (easy)

3 eggs                       1 small Zucchini squash, shredded and pulp squeezed dry(as much as you can)

2 Slices of bacon, diced- or – 2 slices of CANADIAN/IRISH BACON, DICED

1 Green Onion, sliced  -  or  - ¼ Onion, diced

½ Bell Pepper, diced

¼ tsp Black pepper

¼ tsp Basil

1 FRESH TOMATO, DICED

OPTIONAL- 1 SMALL JALAPENO, DICED –OR- ¼ HABANERO, DICED

IN A NON-STICK SAUTE/FRYING PAN, OVER MEDIUM HEAT;   COOK THE BACON TO DESIRED CRISPNESS.  ADD THE ONION, PEPPER, HOT PEPPERS, AND ZUCCHINI, COOK FOR TWO MINUTES.  SCRAMBLE THE EGGS WITH A FORK WHILE THE VEGGIES ARE COOKING.

SEASON THE VEGGIES WITH THE PEPPER AND BASIL, STIR.  ADD THE EGGS, STIR TO MIX EVERYTHING UP,  AND COOK ‘TIL  THE EGGS ARE JUST GETTING FIRM.  FLIP THE OMELLETTE, TURN OFF THE BURNER AND LET PAN SIT FOR ABOUT A MINUTE ON THE COOLING BURNER.  THERE WIIL BE ENOUGH HEAT TO FINISH THE COOKING PROCESS.  FLIP THE OMELLETTE BACK OVER, FOLD IN HALF.

MOVE THE OMELLETTE TO A PLATE, TOP WITH THE DICED TOMATOES.  IF YOU WANT, TOP WITH A LITTLE HOT SAUCE OF YOUR CHOICE.  SERVE WITH ½  SLICED BANANA AND 5 SLICED RIPE STRAWBERRIES.

The first recipe!

Hello again all, I've got a little more thought to provide for you before the "Paleo Challenge" kicks off at CF7C June First.

Andrea Rice, Crossfit Seven Cities Associate, has shared some valuable insight on the changes resulting from a Paleo Dietary Lifestyle. Her words ring true and may help out during the first few days of your journey. 

So, check it out, hope you like it.  And Thanks for your input Andrea!

After the discussion, I have posted my first recipe...

"I know; you weren’t raised Paleo"

"So, my goal was lofty; ninety days of Paleo. It is the end of week one and here is what I have learned. If you take the time to learn about Paleo and you stick to it, you will feel better and look better. Of that, there is no doubt.

I stumbled from time to time, but I tried my best to stick to the Paleo diet. My husband has been doing it for several months and he makes it look effortless. This is what I have learned. When you start the Paleo diet you become very aware of everything that you are consuming and suddenly realize that you consume a lot of sugar. This awareness is probably the most important thing that I will take with me from this week. We grow up eating carbs and candy and think nothing of it. We never even stop to think about how much sugar is in that Grande Mocha coffee. Take it away, and you suddenly realize how much sugar you consume in a week. I used to think nothing of going out and ordering a burger and fries. After all, this is what I was raised on. Very few fruits and vegetables were consumed at my dinner table growing up. How many fruits and vegetables did you or your children consume this week? Don't we want better for our children?

I am thin, so this “challenge” was not about losing weight, but about being healthier and stronger. I did lose weight, however, it is hard not to. This diet requires you to consume a higher quantity of food in order to get your required daily caloric intake. Good news, eat as much as you want and still lose weight. You just have to eat the right kinds of foods. It is not about cutting calories. It is about taking in clean, healthy foods. After eating a Paleo diet, counting calories seems silly. Who cares if you consumed the “right” amount of calories if those calories came from pastas, breads and cookies. Our bodies need nutrients; many and varied.

I cannot say that I will be one of those people that adhere to a strict Paleo diet, but I will definitely have Paleo days and I will eat much more “clean.” I assure you that if you do the Paleo diet for just one week, even if you falter here and there, your mindset about food and what you consume will change. You will not want to go back to your “old ways” of mindlessly eating your meals. You will now put thought into what goes in your body. You really are what you eat. If you want to look great and feel great, try Paleo. What do you have to lose, besides some unwanted pounds?

Andrea"

AWESOME!  And thanks again for your thoughts.

Now, here's a recipe I put together and it came out Really Delicious!

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs With a Mushroom Marinara

An easy preparation, and excellent flavor combinations.

Ingredients -

1 Spaghetti Squash:  They are yellow, almost shaped like a football with rounded ends. Generally the  same size. 

To prepare it, I poke some fork holes around it so it doesn't explode while cooking in the oven.  Cooked alone, you would bake it whole in a shallow pan at 350 degrees for one hour; remove from oven, let cool a bit.

Slice in half length-wise, clean out the pulp with a spoon(discard this); TAKE A FORK AND SCRAPE THE INSIDES OF THE SQUASH, YOU WILL SEE "VERMICELLI" TYPE STRANDS FORM.

Tastes like yellow squash, so it will blend well with any other item.

NOTE: FOR THIS DISH, I COOKED BOTH THE MEATBALLS AND SQUASH TOGETHER, JUST LET THE SQUASH STAY IN THE OVEN LONGER.  SEE BELOW IN THE MEATBALL DIRECTIONS...

Meatballs:

1lb       hamburger (I used 73%; YAY FAT!)

1lb      Ground Chicken

1/2     Bell Pepper, any color Finely DICED

1/2     Onion, Finely DICED

3 cloves Garlic, Minced or Finely Diced

1 TBS   Dried Basil Leaves

1 TBS   Dried Rosemary

1 t        Black Pepper

1 egg

2 TBS Flax Seed Meal (Optional, just extra binder)

1 pinch of Nutmeg (trust me on this; careful though, just a small pinch will do)

1 TBS cooking oil of your choice

-Saute the Pepper, onion, garlic, herbs and pepper over medium heat until JUST BARELY TENDER,  Let Cool for a few minutes.  Make sure to rub the herbs with your hands to break them down and release the FLAVOR before you add them to the mix.  Smells awesome!   In a LARGE Bowl, add all the ingredients, Mix everything together; The best way to get everything mixed up right is to use your hands and KNEAD AWAY!  Once mixed, Let this sit covered in the 'fridge for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors blend.  Pull the mixture out and Start to roll them up

I made 16 Slightly-Mutant Golf Ball Sized Meatballs, fit on a large shallow pan.

Pre-Heat Oven to 350 degrees;   Add the squash for 1 Hour, Cook the meatballs for 25-30 minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the oven, drain the fat, place the meatballs in the marinara and let cook for about 20 minutes on LOW heat. 

The MARINARA!

2 celery stalks, chopped (you can even use the celery leaves, trust me)

3 carrots , diced

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 Bell Pepper, any color

5 cloves garlic, diced

1 to 2 cups chopped mushrooms (really, as many as you want; I used baby bellas)

1 TBS Dried Oregano, or about 3 TBS fresh chopped

1 TBS Dried Rosemary, or about 2 TBS fresh, chopped FINE

1 t Black pepper

1 pinch red pepper (to taste)

ONE 28 oz can of plum tomatoes (or whatever you like, any kind - crushed, whole, diced)

(Mine had 180 g of sodium in it, so be aware of that.)

Two 14.5 oz cans REDUCED SODIUM DICED Tomatoes (15g sodium each)

- OR IF YOU HAVE FRESH, 8-10 RIPE TOMATOES, CHOPPED!

IN A LARGE POT, HEAT THE RED PEPPER IN THE COOKING OIL AS THE PAN GETS HOT.  SAUTE THE CELERY, CARROTS, ONION AND PEPPER  OVER MEDIUM HEAT FOR ABOUT 1 MINUTE.  ADD THE MUSHROOMS AND COOK FOR 2-3 MORE MINUTES.  ADD THE GARLIC, HERBS (RUBBED, OF COURSE) AND PEPPER, STIR AROUND UNTIL THE GARLIC JUST STARTS TO GET TENDER.

YOU'LL KNOW BY THE SMELL WHEN IT'S READY!  ADD THE TOMATOES, STIR; BRING TO A LIGHT BOIL, STIR REGULARY;  REDUCE TO LOW, COVER THE POT;  SIMMER FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES AND UP TO 30 MINUTES, STIR REGULARLY.

ADD THE MEATBALLS WHEN THEY ARE DONE, THEN LET THE SAUCE/MEAT COMBO COOL AND REST FOR A WHILE, THIS REALLY BLENDS THE FLAVORS.

Put about a cup of shredded spaghetti squash on a plate or bowl, add 3 or four meatballs, cover with marinara and enjoy!

Hope you find this recipe useful and TASTY!  Also, let me know how tough it is the get this recipe off of the page; as I said before, this is an EVOLUTIONAL TOOL!

EE