Yeeeeehaw! Guess who's going to Texas next week!!!
The land of the steer! The Lone Star Steak! I mean, 'State'. Where everything is bigger! Where BBQ and Burgers were perfected!
I am goring for a conference. I'm excited for the trip but I'm anxious about the diet. I want to be good, but I do NOT want to miss out on the cuisine! "Trying the food" is such a huge and enjoyable part of traveling. Plus, I'm going to be dining out with folks, trying to enjoy the local atmosphere to the fullest, and on top of the feeling of sadness I'd get from denying myself that experience, being 'that guy' on a trip is way worse than being 'that guy' at home.
Friends, let's face it. The LAST thing on my to-do list in the Land of Milk and Honey-Mustard is to order the House Salad with the Dressing on the side.
I think I've come up with a fair compromise:
I promise myself that when I'm alone, I will stick to Paleo. I won't splurge on beloved coffee treats or cinnamon buns at breakfast. Well, maybe if it's something local and authentic and I'll never see it again. But on the whole, if I'm alone and I'm hungry, I'm going to stick to the diet. I even packed up some dried fruits/nuts/etc to take with me in case of emergency.
But when I'm out with folks and the POINT of the outing is to try something local and famous and delicious, I am going to live a little and try something new!
I think that's fair. I figure this way, I'll still be 50% Paleo at the worst. I think that's decent :-)
And of course... I'm going to kvetch about everything!
Woohoo, readers! See you in Texas!
Friday, May 30, 2014
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Mad Scientist!
Mwahahahaha! It's aliiiiiiiiiiive!!!!!!!!
Or, you know, it was alive before it ended up on my skillet. (Apologies, vegetarian comrades. Poor taste. I mean, you know, the joke, poor taste. Not the steak. The steak was delicious.)
ANYWAY.
This past weekend, I set some time aside for those cooking experiments I promised myself (and you) I'd do. Here's a breakdown of what happened....
I tried finding a good recipe, but all of them use regular flour or corn meal. I saw one recipe that used guar gum, too. Guar gum would make the dough gooey, but it comes from a bean, so ...
Sigh. Who knew a paleo tortilla would be this elusive??
I will do it. *crosses arms defiantly*
This makes about 6-8 pancakes:
4 tbsp coconut flour
3 tbsp almond flour
2 tbsp agave syrup
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/3 stick of melted butter
4 eggs
1 pint raspberries
+ water (added bit by bit)
+ butter (to fry on)
Basically, mix everything. Make the batter syrupy so it's not runny, but a bit firm. Fry on low heat, on melted butter so your pancake doesn't stick.
I didn't add the raspberries until the pancake was on the pan. That way I could stuff them in without having to mash them, and I could have as many as I wanted ;-)
And by "seems", I mean, "is".
These are potato chips.
Potatoes are one of the veggies you have to be sparing with on this diet, but today was the first I'd had a potato in a while. I got two batches from about 3 medium potatoes.
I put olive oil on the pans and on each face, and then sprinkled salt where I wanted it. I even tried rosemary and thyme and other spices :-)
So far, I've also made chips out of sweet potatoes and eggplant (yes, readers! THAT eggplant!). I've had good results all around!
I tried bananas once, too, but the sugar in the fruit made them burn quicker, and the oven didn't dry the fruit. I don't know if chips are possible with sweet fruit. I think fruit chips are made through dehydration. I'll try again on a lower oven setting to see what happens. :-)
Recipe:
2 avocados (though, I ate a slice or two while making it)
1 plum tomato
1/3 sweet onion (or not sweet, if you like the tang)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt/spice to taste
Mash up the avocados (I did it with a fork. You can show off and use a blender.) Get the avocado as smooth as you can. Dice the tomato and the onion finely, but don't mash it. Add the vinegar. Or, lime if you have it. (I didn't, but I regret nothing.) Salt/spice to your liking.
It's also another kind of personal victory for me. I finally succeeded at picking avocados that ripened perfectly before I cut them open. *insert sweet dance here*
So, I'm giving myself TWO points for this win!
Plus, the guac went pretty darn well with the chips I made ;-)
I am so happy with the food I've made!
This weekend, I also made a cabbage dish which I'll talk about another time, and macaroons that burned and failed, which I'll talk about never again.
I can't wait to see what's next! Among other ideas, I've got apple chips and muffins in my cross hairs. So many experiments to be had! This Paleo diet is far from boring!
Or, you know, it was alive before it ended up on my skillet. (Apologies, vegetarian comrades. Poor taste. I mean, you know, the joke, poor taste. Not the steak. The steak was delicious.)
ANYWAY.
This past weekend, I set some time aside for those cooking experiments I promised myself (and you) I'd do. Here's a breakdown of what happened....
TORTILLA FAIL
Sadness. So many wasted ingredients. I'm pretty sure tortillas aren't supposed to look like this: |  |
| Attempt 1: Coconut flour, almond meal, water, salt, baking soda It looked fine on the pan but then crumbled to bits when I tried to flip it. Cue sad trombone. | Attempt 2: Coconut flour, salt, egg, water. I tried to make a firm dough and roll it out before frying. It held on the pan better, but was crumbly and hard. |
Sigh. Who knew a paleo tortilla would be this elusive??
I will do it. *crosses arms defiantly*
PANCAKE WIN!!
Super fluffy, too!!! Here's the recipe I invented. You can sweeten them more or less, according to your taste :-)4 tbsp coconut flour
3 tbsp almond flour
2 tbsp agave syrup
1.5 tsp baking soda1/3 stick of melted butter
4 eggs1 pint raspberries
+ water (added bit by bit)
+ butter (to fry on)
Basically, mix everything. Make the batter syrupy so it's not runny, but a bit firm. Fry on low heat, on melted butter so your pancake doesn't stick.
I didn't add the raspberries until the pancake was on the pan. That way I could stuff them in without having to mash them, and I could have as many as I wanted ;-)
MMM... CHIPS...
Seems easy enough to slice something thinly, slap some olive oil and salt on either side, and stuff it into the oven at 350 degrees until brown.And by "seems", I mean, "is".
Potatoes are one of the veggies you have to be sparing with on this diet, but today was the first I'd had a potato in a while. I got two batches from about 3 medium potatoes.
I put olive oil on the pans and on each face, and then sprinkled salt where I wanted it. I even tried rosemary and thyme and other spices :-)
So far, I've also made chips out of sweet potatoes and eggplant (yes, readers! THAT eggplant!). I've had good results all around!
I tried bananas once, too, but the sugar in the fruit made them burn quicker, and the oven didn't dry the fruit. I don't know if chips are possible with sweet fruit. I think fruit chips are made through dehydration. I'll try again on a lower oven setting to see what happens. :-)
GUACAMOLE-MOLE-MOLE!
I have few things of in my life I'm proud of as much as I'm proud of Saturday's guacamole. I... NAILED... it!Recipe:2 avocados (though, I ate a slice or two while making it)
1 plum tomato
1/3 sweet onion (or not sweet, if you like the tang)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt/spice to taste
Mash up the avocados (I did it with a fork. You can show off and use a blender.) Get the avocado as smooth as you can. Dice the tomato and the onion finely, but don't mash it. Add the vinegar. Or, lime if you have it. (I didn't, but I regret nothing.) Salt/spice to your liking.
It's also another kind of personal victory for me. I finally succeeded at picking avocados that ripened perfectly before I cut them open. *insert sweet dance here*So, I'm giving myself TWO points for this win!
Plus, the guac went pretty darn well with the chips I made ;-)
I am so happy with the food I've made!
This weekend, I also made a cabbage dish which I'll talk about another time, and macaroons that burned and failed, which I'll talk about never again.
I can't wait to see what's next! Among other ideas, I've got apple chips and muffins in my cross hairs. So many experiments to be had! This Paleo diet is far from boring!
Friday, May 23, 2014
MUST EAT ALL THE FOODS!
Unhinge jaw. Insert food. That's me today.
I coined a term for days like today. I call them "Rugaru" days.
What the heck is a Rugaru? It's basically a Werewolf-Chupacabra that eats and eats. In some stories, it eats people.
(I first learned about this creature on Supernatural. I do so love that show. Come on, you know you love it, too. ;-) )
Anyway, it's said that especially while in transition to monsterhood, the Rugaru will know insatiable and uncontrollable hunger. That pretty much sums me up today. A nom nom hurricane.
I read that fierce hunger like this can be indicative of a vitamin deficiency. If that was the case, I feel really good that all I had was healthy stuff near me. And I hit all the checkpoints on what's left of the food pyramid, so I think the right vitamins must have made their way into the chasm at some point. Yay, prep! All that planning totally saved me.
The fruit shake was especially satisfying. Deeeeeelicious! I blended bananas, pears, grapefruit and that pineapple I told you about. Absolute perfection! :-D It was the last thing I inhaled, too, and I haven't felt hungry since. Maybe that's what I needed. Some Vitamin Fruit.
So there you go. Day 5. Expect to become a fresh food vacuum cleaner.
I wonder if I'm going to feel the food crazies like that again, or if today's Hunger Games were just part of the initial detox my body is probably going through right now... I have no idea.
We'll see soon enough, I bet :-)
I had like four meals at work. I say 'meals' as if I can count out separate times of eating, which is misleading, since I pretty much just ate non-stop.
I destroyed a crown of broccoli, a pint of raspberries, a banana, an egg, some lettuce, chicken, bacon, and a fruit shake I made. I stopped just long enough to type this. And you know what? I don't know if I'm done!
I heard from my coworkers who'd tried the diet themselves that there would be days when I'd basically eat the contents of a grocery store. I've had days like that, I thought, so I wasn't surprised by the amount of food that just went in me.
What I was surprised by was the genuine ferocity of my appetite. All day, I'd feel really really hungry, eat, and then within two hours feel insanely ravenous again. Picture the Cookie Monster in a Mrs. Fields factory.
I coined a term for days like today. I call them "Rugaru" days.What the heck is a Rugaru? It's basically a Werewolf-Chupacabra that eats and eats. In some stories, it eats people.
(I first learned about this creature on Supernatural. I do so love that show. Come on, you know you love it, too. ;-) )
Anyway, it's said that especially while in transition to monsterhood, the Rugaru will know insatiable and uncontrollable hunger. That pretty much sums me up today. A nom nom hurricane.
I read that fierce hunger like this can be indicative of a vitamin deficiency. If that was the case, I feel really good that all I had was healthy stuff near me. And I hit all the checkpoints on what's left of the food pyramid, so I think the right vitamins must have made their way into the chasm at some point. Yay, prep! All that planning totally saved me.
The fruit shake was especially satisfying. Deeeeeelicious! I blended bananas, pears, grapefruit and that pineapple I told you about. Absolute perfection! :-D It was the last thing I inhaled, too, and I haven't felt hungry since. Maybe that's what I needed. Some Vitamin Fruit.
So there you go. Day 5. Expect to become a fresh food vacuum cleaner.
I wonder if I'm going to feel the food crazies like that again, or if today's Hunger Games were just part of the initial detox my body is probably going through right now... I have no idea.
We'll see soon enough, I bet :-)
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Welcome to being "that guy"!
I hear it all the time, that the first few days of this diet are brutal. I dunno. So far I feel.... fine.
Maybe hearing the rumor so much makes me wonder if I'm under-angry. Maybe the occasional slip-up keeps me feeling normal. I do know that staying on top of kitchen prep has helped a lot. :-)
Yesterday I almost had an angry moment. I was visiting a friend and she was having ice cream. She offered me some, like 4 times. I confess I had a teensy bit. I just couldn't take it! And only one spoon, I swear! Gotta tell ya, though, that spoonful curbed the impulse to kill. But still. Now I feel guilty.
I think part of the "I just started Paleo" anger stems from the feeling of isolation. So many snacks and desserts and meals are so ingrained in our lives, we don't even realize it. It's hard to realize it now and say no to it all. Some things aren't even that bad! Things like cheese or rice. I mean, come on! We're seriously carving out more than half the food pyramid here!
When I'm alone, it's not a big deal. But when I find myself out and about, that's when it happens... Someone generously offers me something, that -- let's be honest here -- was MORE than good enough for me last week, and now I have to say no. It stinks! I feel bad, they feel bad, everyone feels bad!
Food outings mean new sadness. No more burritos. No more pizza nights. No more rice pilaf on the side. No more fondue. (Ok, I had fondue, like, once. But still!)
What's worse, I feel myself becoming "that guy".
No one likes "that guy"!
Sigh.
Sigh again.
Sometimes at least, I get to not look like "that guy" even though I'm obviously having "that guy" thoughts. Example: Today there was a meeting at work. The lovely woman running the meeting enjoys baking. She brings in treats for these meetings, which, of course, is many kinds of awesome.
Today she made brownies.
From scratch.
The tin was right in front of me. The brownies hadn't even been cut yet. The smell of fresh delicious chocolaty goodness filled the room. The meeting started, the tray was passed around, and, thankfully, no one said anything when I didn't take one.
I felt happy. A little sorry, yes, but everyone else enjoyed them on my behalf, and I didn't ruffle any feathers. So, yay!
Durnit, now I can't stop thinking about chocolate. Technically the cocoa bean was around in caveman times, right? One thing about being on this diet nowadays is the ability to turn to the Google gods for answers in times of crisis like this... Because YES! I CAN HAZ PALEO BROWNIE!!! Oh, I'm so adding this to the experiment list...
Blessed be the entrepreneurial spirit. Just the prospect of experiments dissolves all anger!
I hereby declare that if I make any cool recipes of my own, I'ma put out a cookbook. I think I'll call it "That Guy's Guide to Treats" :-D
Maybe hearing the rumor so much makes me wonder if I'm under-angry. Maybe the occasional slip-up keeps me feeling normal. I do know that staying on top of kitchen prep has helped a lot. :-)
Yesterday I almost had an angry moment. I was visiting a friend and she was having ice cream. She offered me some, like 4 times. I confess I had a teensy bit. I just couldn't take it! And only one spoon, I swear! Gotta tell ya, though, that spoonful curbed the impulse to kill. But still. Now I feel guilty.
I think part of the "I just started Paleo" anger stems from the feeling of isolation. So many snacks and desserts and meals are so ingrained in our lives, we don't even realize it. It's hard to realize it now and say no to it all. Some things aren't even that bad! Things like cheese or rice. I mean, come on! We're seriously carving out more than half the food pyramid here!
 |  |
| BEFORE | AFTER |
When I'm alone, it's not a big deal. But when I find myself out and about, that's when it happens... Someone generously offers me something, that -- let's be honest here -- was MORE than good enough for me last week, and now I have to say no. It stinks! I feel bad, they feel bad, everyone feels bad!
Food outings mean new sadness. No more burritos. No more pizza nights. No more rice pilaf on the side. No more fondue. (Ok, I had fondue, like, once. But still!)
What's worse, I feel myself becoming "that guy".
Sigh again.
Sometimes at least, I get to not look like "that guy" even though I'm obviously having "that guy" thoughts. Example: Today there was a meeting at work. The lovely woman running the meeting enjoys baking. She brings in treats for these meetings, which, of course, is many kinds of awesome.
Today she made brownies.
From scratch.
The tin was right in front of me. The brownies hadn't even been cut yet. The smell of fresh delicious chocolaty goodness filled the room. The meeting started, the tray was passed around, and, thankfully, no one said anything when I didn't take one.
I felt happy. A little sorry, yes, but everyone else enjoyed them on my behalf, and I didn't ruffle any feathers. So, yay!
Durnit, now I can't stop thinking about chocolate. Technically the cocoa bean was around in caveman times, right? One thing about being on this diet nowadays is the ability to turn to the Google gods for answers in times of crisis like this... Because YES! I CAN HAZ PALEO BROWNIE!!! Oh, I'm so adding this to the experiment list...
Blessed be the entrepreneurial spirit. Just the prospect of experiments dissolves all anger!
I hereby declare that if I make any cool recipes of my own, I'ma put out a cookbook. I think I'll call it "That Guy's Guide to Treats" :-D
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Back in the Saddle!
I did it! We all know what to think when we hear the phrase "The diet starts Monday!" But I actually did it this time!
As you might have read in the previous post, I had a bit of a bumpy start to this Paleo endeavor. But every day is a chance for a fresh start!
Monday morning, the only things I had in the fridge were a head of lettuce and some fruits. I also like to stash almonds at work, so as far as scrounging days go, I've had worse.
I was good yesterday. I stayed away from temptation during the day and resolved to shop properly after work.
I rode my bike to and from work, too, which made me feel like a bonus level champ. A very TIRED champ. Day one of Paleo, I felt very drained for a good chunk of the day. I wonder if it was psychosomatic, or if I legitimately felt some sort of rice withdrawal. I have no clue. Maybe one monster head of lettuce isn't enough fuel for a person to live on for a couple hours. Whatever the reason, I felt really burned out after my ride home. So I took a day-nap, which I never do, and I didn't hit the food store until late on Monday.
But when I did, I hit it HARD!
Broccoli, green peppers, tomatoes, 4 cuts of steak, 2 pounds of chicken, bacon (YEEEESSSS!!!), lettuce, raspberries, pears, bananas, and a head of red cabbage. I've never cooked a red cabbage. It was on sale. What better time to try!
The shopping was the easy part. The subsequent "kitchen prep" was grueling.
But I was not deterred! I threw on the Nerdist podcast and for the next three episodes, I washed, sorted, cut, cleaned, packed, seasoned, and froze every last scrap of the treasures I'd bought. I'm pretty sure I'm all set for at LEAST a week. Definitely longer on the meat, but veggies don't keep as long.
For dinner, after all this work, I made myself a beef and green pepper stir fry with cut up tomatoes on the side. My only sin was soy sauce on the meat, which, woopsie, I didn't read until later was on the no no list. Agh! But it wasn't even a whole tablespoon, so I'm letting it go.
I also prepped lunch for work today -- broccoli and raspberries and bananas. Which, I guess sounds more meager than it felt like to me. Full disclosure, I'm wired funny when it comes to broccoli. Always was. I absolutely love the stuff. I bought 4 giant domes of it and it might not be enough. I like eating it just as it is. (Hey man, everyone's got their thing.)
Today was a good day, too. I had stuck to the lunch I prepared and I had a tomato salad for dinner. There was an event at work and I did have some chicken. Not a criminal sin, I think :-) I had tons more energy overall today, and the bike ride home was awesome. I rode pretty fast and I felt great.
I left some beef out from yesterday for dinner tonight, but I didn't feel like eating it. I read somewhere that eating Paleo was like that sometimes. Some days you feel like eating everything on the planet, while others, you don't feel hungry at all. They encourage people to eat when they're hungry instead of sticking to a schedule.
I don't agree with that. That's fine out in the boonies or on a hiking trail. But there is a lot of research that shows that eating just one meal at the same time every day can dramatically help improve your results for losing (or maintaining) weight. Over time, your body will learn when it's about to be fed, and you'll naturally retain less in fat stores as a result. It's a big help in regulating your metabolism.
I already eat a lot of my food on a schedule, just because that's what fits my day. I started it deliberately, years ago, and it helped me lose weight. It's a habit I never gave up. At this point, my metabolism is trained pretty well, so I genuinely get hungry at predictable hours. (I suppose that works out for me then :-)) But I definitely encourage anyone out there trying to lose weight to try eating at least one meal on the clock, no matter what your dietary poison is, and no matter how you're feeling. I promise you won't be sorry.
After work, I went back to the store today to pick up eggs, red peppers, avocados, onions, an eggplant and a pineapple.
I tried making a pineapple banana smoothie once a while back, and it was DELICIOUS. Incredibly filling, too. So when I saw the pineapple at the store today, I couldn't resist.
The eggplant, much like the red cabbage, is going to be a totally new experience. I like experiments!
Speaking of which, I'm thinking of trying to make a coconut and egg tortilla. I can't handle this 'no bread' thing forever, I'm going to start experimenting with what almond meal and coconut flour can really do! Someone mentioned omelets in one of the forums, it sparked an idea for a recipe I'm going to try later this week. I will, of course, report my findings. :-)
It feels good to be on track!
I mean, so far, right? It's only day 2. Har har har....
As you might have read in the previous post, I had a bit of a bumpy start to this Paleo endeavor. But every day is a chance for a fresh start!
Monday morning, the only things I had in the fridge were a head of lettuce and some fruits. I also like to stash almonds at work, so as far as scrounging days go, I've had worse.
I was good yesterday. I stayed away from temptation during the day and resolved to shop properly after work.
I rode my bike to and from work, too, which made me feel like a bonus level champ. A very TIRED champ. Day one of Paleo, I felt very drained for a good chunk of the day. I wonder if it was psychosomatic, or if I legitimately felt some sort of rice withdrawal. I have no clue. Maybe one monster head of lettuce isn't enough fuel for a person to live on for a couple hours. Whatever the reason, I felt really burned out after my ride home. So I took a day-nap, which I never do, and I didn't hit the food store until late on Monday.
But when I did, I hit it HARD!
Broccoli, green peppers, tomatoes, 4 cuts of steak, 2 pounds of chicken, bacon (YEEEESSSS!!!), lettuce, raspberries, pears, bananas, and a head of red cabbage. I've never cooked a red cabbage. It was on sale. What better time to try!
The shopping was the easy part. The subsequent "kitchen prep" was grueling.
But I was not deterred! I threw on the Nerdist podcast and for the next three episodes, I washed, sorted, cut, cleaned, packed, seasoned, and froze every last scrap of the treasures I'd bought. I'm pretty sure I'm all set for at LEAST a week. Definitely longer on the meat, but veggies don't keep as long.
For dinner, after all this work, I made myself a beef and green pepper stir fry with cut up tomatoes on the side. My only sin was soy sauce on the meat, which, woopsie, I didn't read until later was on the no no list. Agh! But it wasn't even a whole tablespoon, so I'm letting it go.
I also prepped lunch for work today -- broccoli and raspberries and bananas. Which, I guess sounds more meager than it felt like to me. Full disclosure, I'm wired funny when it comes to broccoli. Always was. I absolutely love the stuff. I bought 4 giant domes of it and it might not be enough. I like eating it just as it is. (Hey man, everyone's got their thing.)
Today was a good day, too. I had stuck to the lunch I prepared and I had a tomato salad for dinner. There was an event at work and I did have some chicken. Not a criminal sin, I think :-) I had tons more energy overall today, and the bike ride home was awesome. I rode pretty fast and I felt great.
I left some beef out from yesterday for dinner tonight, but I didn't feel like eating it. I read somewhere that eating Paleo was like that sometimes. Some days you feel like eating everything on the planet, while others, you don't feel hungry at all. They encourage people to eat when they're hungry instead of sticking to a schedule.
I don't agree with that. That's fine out in the boonies or on a hiking trail. But there is a lot of research that shows that eating just one meal at the same time every day can dramatically help improve your results for losing (or maintaining) weight. Over time, your body will learn when it's about to be fed, and you'll naturally retain less in fat stores as a result. It's a big help in regulating your metabolism.
I already eat a lot of my food on a schedule, just because that's what fits my day. I started it deliberately, years ago, and it helped me lose weight. It's a habit I never gave up. At this point, my metabolism is trained pretty well, so I genuinely get hungry at predictable hours. (I suppose that works out for me then :-)) But I definitely encourage anyone out there trying to lose weight to try eating at least one meal on the clock, no matter what your dietary poison is, and no matter how you're feeling. I promise you won't be sorry.
After work, I went back to the store today to pick up eggs, red peppers, avocados, onions, an eggplant and a pineapple.
I tried making a pineapple banana smoothie once a while back, and it was DELICIOUS. Incredibly filling, too. So when I saw the pineapple at the store today, I couldn't resist.
The eggplant, much like the red cabbage, is going to be a totally new experience. I like experiments!
Speaking of which, I'm thinking of trying to make a coconut and egg tortilla. I can't handle this 'no bread' thing forever, I'm going to start experimenting with what almond meal and coconut flour can really do! Someone mentioned omelets in one of the forums, it sparked an idea for a recipe I'm going to try later this week. I will, of course, report my findings. :-)
It feels good to be on track!
I mean, so far, right? It's only day 2. Har har har....
False Start, A.K.A., "The Bachelor Party"
This past weekend I got a chance to visit with friends and family I hadn't seen in forever and a day. So my grand, ambitious plans for food prep in committing to this Paleo thing got.... uhm, deferred.
What did I eat, you ask?
Oh, pretty much everything on the do-not-eat list. And it was GLORIOUS.
Ice cream, pizza, toast, maple syrup covered pancakes, sausages, sandwiches, rice, noodles, ravioli, sauces, more ice cream, more toast (PS, 15 grain), and then MORE ice cream. But there was salad and beef in there, too! THAT's Paleo, right?
Ok, ok! Let's just call it... the bachelor party before the wedding.
Everyone was totally calling me on it while I was enjoying all this deliciousness, too. Which I absolutely deserved. Among the quips, however, some interesting questions came up.
Dairy is verboten, so why is butter allowed?
According to this article I found, the structure of butter is very similar to healthy animal saturated fat. Interesting. Sounds like it could just be an elegant excuse to cheat, but if they say it's ok, I'm taking it.
Is Maple Syrup allowed? Technically, cavemen could chew on trees if they wanted to...
I had to look this one up. Yes, it's allowed. (Not that processed chemical stuff, though, obviously.) Real maple syrup, like Agave nectar and honey, can be gathered and is therefore allowed.
Oatmeal is healthy. So why is it not allowed on Paleo?
Turns out this is quite the debate! This article in particular has lots of voices chiming in about the pros and cons. Arguments against oatmeal include that it's technically a grain, it's high in carbs, fiber (how is this a con?), and it contains something called phytic acid, which most grains have and which is really bad for your digestive tract. Also, apparently, other wheat gluten contaminates oatmeal during the processing stages.
One proponent of oatmeal consumption offers a recipe for clearing the gluten out. (Same article above, second comment down.) It reads like a chem project and takes 24 hours to complete. I... I think I'll just skip the oatmeal for now....
To Salt or not to Salt?
Funny story, salt is another point of debate. The loudest anti-salt argument says that salt was technically not available to cavemen. My first thought is that I'm pretty sure anyone near any ocean knew that the big waters were salty. I like to think someone thought to dip a bit of dried meat into it and see what happened. Or maybe dropped it in by accident and was the first ever user of the '5-second-rule'.
And even if they didn't...
My second thought is that if we're determining whether foods should be labeled Paleo or not based on their availability, I could easily argue that any number of Paleo foods should be stricken from the list because of the limited regions in which those foods grow. So, booyah. I'm keepin' my salt.
As I run into more and more questions like this, I'm realizing that this diet's rules are somewhat open to interpretation. The whole idea that butter is okay because it's like an animal fat, sounds shady to me. If you think about it, isn't that how we got to this processed-food society in the first place? Splenda is like sugar and Lean Cuisine is like real food. Crisco is like Lard. (Crisco is also like plastic, but let's not go there.)
So I'll try to stick to the basics my own way and see what happens. Last weekend might have been a false start, but you know what? It wasn't a binge and I have absolutely no regrets!!!!!
Yesterday I went food shopping and got this project actually rolling as I planned. I'll report on that next. :-)
What did I eat, you ask?
Oh, pretty much everything on the do-not-eat list. And it was GLORIOUS.
Ice cream, pizza, toast, maple syrup covered pancakes, sausages, sandwiches, rice, noodles, ravioli, sauces, more ice cream, more toast (PS, 15 grain), and then MORE ice cream. But there was salad and beef in there, too! THAT's Paleo, right?
Ok, ok! Let's just call it... the bachelor party before the wedding.
Everyone was totally calling me on it while I was enjoying all this deliciousness, too. Which I absolutely deserved. Among the quips, however, some interesting questions came up.
Dairy is verboten, so why is butter allowed?
According to this article I found, the structure of butter is very similar to healthy animal saturated fat. Interesting. Sounds like it could just be an elegant excuse to cheat, but if they say it's ok, I'm taking it.
Is Maple Syrup allowed? Technically, cavemen could chew on trees if they wanted to...
I had to look this one up. Yes, it's allowed. (Not that processed chemical stuff, though, obviously.) Real maple syrup, like Agave nectar and honey, can be gathered and is therefore allowed.
Oatmeal is healthy. So why is it not allowed on Paleo?
Turns out this is quite the debate! This article in particular has lots of voices chiming in about the pros and cons. Arguments against oatmeal include that it's technically a grain, it's high in carbs, fiber (how is this a con?), and it contains something called phytic acid, which most grains have and which is really bad for your digestive tract. Also, apparently, other wheat gluten contaminates oatmeal during the processing stages.
One proponent of oatmeal consumption offers a recipe for clearing the gluten out. (Same article above, second comment down.) It reads like a chem project and takes 24 hours to complete. I... I think I'll just skip the oatmeal for now....
To Salt or not to Salt?
Funny story, salt is another point of debate. The loudest anti-salt argument says that salt was technically not available to cavemen. My first thought is that I'm pretty sure anyone near any ocean knew that the big waters were salty. I like to think someone thought to dip a bit of dried meat into it and see what happened. Or maybe dropped it in by accident and was the first ever user of the '5-second-rule'.
And even if they didn't...
My second thought is that if we're determining whether foods should be labeled Paleo or not based on their availability, I could easily argue that any number of Paleo foods should be stricken from the list because of the limited regions in which those foods grow. So, booyah. I'm keepin' my salt.
As I run into more and more questions like this, I'm realizing that this diet's rules are somewhat open to interpretation. The whole idea that butter is okay because it's like an animal fat, sounds shady to me. If you think about it, isn't that how we got to this processed-food society in the first place? Splenda is like sugar and Lean Cuisine is like real food. Crisco is like Lard. (Crisco is also like plastic, but let's not go there.)
So I'll try to stick to the basics my own way and see what happens. Last weekend might have been a false start, but you know what? It wasn't a binge and I have absolutely no regrets!!!!!
Yesterday I went food shopping and got this project actually rolling as I planned. I'll report on that next. :-)
Friday, May 16, 2014
The Adventures Begin!
So I decided to give this Paleo thing a try. I've heard a lot about it, a couple people at work tried it and report good things, so I was already interested. I started this blog to record my journey without being "That Guy" who spams my friends' Facebook feeds. :-p
The basic idea of the eating plan is that you eat what a Paleolithic caveman would eat. (Thus, "Paleo"). Basically, if you can hunt it or gather it, you can eat it.
There's so much more info about Paleo out there! Pages upon pages that go into all the sciency reasons for avoiding legumes and wheats and grains... articles describing processed sugars and carbohydrates and lipids in dairy... Some info I believe. Some I don't. (One page said cavemen didn't have wine. Come on! You know that almost as soon as the first berry was plucked off the first shrub, someone accidentally fermented it ;-p)
Anyway, every bit of that research was engaging for a bookworm like me. Enough to blow the mind and burn many hours in front of a computer. And, now that I know there's no one golden recipe playbook, I've at least done enough reading to build my own plan of attack :-)
Anyway, every bit of that research was engaging for a bookworm like me. Enough to blow the mind and burn many hours in front of a computer. And, now that I know there's no one golden recipe playbook, I've at least done enough reading to build my own plan of attack :-)
Rule Number One: Diet changes aren't supposed to be too crazy unless you're asking for yo-yo results.
My friends were giggling to me that this Paleo thing was going to be a bit hard to adopt. They're right.
Here's a shortlist of the stuff you can't eat:
- grains (including oatmeal)
- breads (unless you made it from a Paleo recipe! yay, loophole!)
- any type of alcohol (siiiigh)
- all legumes (including peanuts)
- junk food, sodas (which, well, duh)
- all processed sugars
- all packaged/pre-made desserts & meals -- basically, anything that comes out of a box or bag
- all dairy
- all nut oils, vegetable oils, and mystery oils (what the heck is 'canola' anyway?)
What you can eat:
- vegetables
- meats
- eggs
- fruits (not a lot)
- nuts (not a lot)
- coffee (black), tea, water
- coconut oil & olive oil & some nut oils.
(This site has more details if you like.)
I'm lucky to be starting where I am. For a lot of people, giving up cookies and chips and soda and crackers is a monstrous ask. I've been there. It took a while, but nowadays I try to eat healthier, so those things are already wired as "treats" in my brain.
I'm lucky to be starting where I am. For a lot of people, giving up cookies and chips and soda and crackers is a monstrous ask. I've been there. It took a while, but nowadays I try to eat healthier, so those things are already wired as "treats" in my brain.
For me, the biggest ask now is giving up oatmeal and peanut butter. And, of course, bread. I mean, bread??? Aaaaagh!
Last week I ate all the cereals and breads I had kicking around, all the leftovers of pastas and cookies, freezer-burned ice cream, and all the other delicious nom noms I either cooked or bought -- all gone. My kitchen is a bare canvas. I am ready.
This weekend I start my game plan. Phase one: food shopping! Veggies and meats and fruits. I'm going to spend a lot of time prepping my kitchen Gordon Ramsey style. Chopping up chicken, tossing supplies into the freezer so I don't have to invent every single meal this week. Pre-cutting veggies now so I don't grumble later. My goal is to plan out easy access to deliciousness so I don't feel like I'm dieting ;-)
Here I go!
Now What?
This weekend I start my game plan. Phase one: food shopping! Veggies and meats and fruits. I'm going to spend a lot of time prepping my kitchen Gordon Ramsey style. Chopping up chicken, tossing supplies into the freezer so I don't have to invent every single meal this week. Pre-cutting veggies now so I don't grumble later. My goal is to plan out easy access to deliciousness so I don't feel like I'm dieting ;-)
Here I go!
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