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.