The Paleo Mama

Homegrown and Handmade

Jackie Ritz

Wait…You’re Christian and You Eat Paleo?!

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caveman

Throughout my week, I get quite a few emails and Facebook messages from my followers. The truth that I am a Christian bleeds out onto my blog posts and often into my daily encouragement to others. I just can’t help it! 😉 Many say to keep your beliefs and political opinions off your page, but I can’t sometimes, and never will change who I am…let alone what I want to say. I am not very good at holding my tongue…in good situations and in bad. A majority of my emails are from others who are confused on how I can be a Christian at the same time as being Paleo. Many give me encouragement for being the first Christian Paleo that they have ever known. And then others are, well lets just say, are not so nice. You see, people link Paleo to evolution.  You might be surprised to hear that I do believe in the evolution of some species. I do not believe in the evolution of our ancestors from mangy looking, hunched over, cavemen to straight and upright human beings. I don’t know how old the earth is, nor do I very much care or ever want to end up in a heated debate over it.  I do know how long it took to be created.

Whatever the case may be…

I am Christian.

I am Paleo.

You can be both.

You can be Christian and you can be Paleo because Paleo, is just a way of eating…nothing more.

So before I write anything else, here’s my disclosure: I am not writing this to debate religions, creeds, or claims. I am not writing this to convince you that Christianity is the only way. I am not writing this to start a fight or argument.

I am writing this because I want to encourage those who are Christian that eating Paleo can compliment a Christian lifestyle.

But how can I be a Christian and follow Paleo? 

1. Paleo is not a religion . First of all, I’ve never scrutinized this before…nor I have I ever thought that I couldn’t eat Paleo because I am a Christian. I don’t think Paleo is a religion, thus I feel I can be a Christian and follow the Paleo way of eating without betraying one-or-the other. Both are completely different. Christian is who I am. Paleo is what I eat. Christian is what I believe. Paleo is something I just credit as useful and makes my body feel good. One is something I cannot change…not even on a bad day. The other is something that DOES and CAN change, depending on if I want to indulge and eat a brownie. One I can’t walk away from. The other I can walk away from….and very easily.

2. “Well, didn’t Jesus eat grains?” I don’t hate bread, nor do I think it’s evil. I just don’t eat bread and grains because they are, to me, an inferior source of nourishment. They are, mostly, genetically modified and DO NOT resemble the grains that were spoke about in the Bible days. After eliminating them from my diet, then adding them back in moments of “indulgence”, I am now aware of the effects they have on my body. So, I choose not to eat them. This article at Wellness Mama talks in-depth about what, specifically, the Bible says about grains. A few points:

  • the grains of the Bible are much different from the grains of today
  • the grains of the Bible were prepared much different from the grains of today
  • grain consumption didn’t begin till after the Fall
  • grains were eaten in times of hardship
  • meat is linked with times of celebration or redemption
  • Jesus is the Bread of Life

3. I believe my body is a temple so I treat it well. I am attracted to eating Paleo because it is a very clean way of eating. Eliminating processed foods, growing and harvesting your own food, eating foods that are good for your body…all fall under the eating Paleo. Eating Paleo has grown in me a love for real food…a love for our local, hard-working farmers, and a love for cooking good, healing foods for my family. It has made me conscious about what I feed my children, about what I feed my pets, and about what I feed myself. I’ve had amazing results from eating Paleo. It has helped with depression, it has helped me lose over 60lbs, it has helped my energy levels and helped me sleep better. Should I discredit those results because some people believe that the Paleo diet is the same diet as our “pre-human” ancestors?  When you hear testimonies like mine, does it matter if I believe in evolution or creation? 

4. There is nothing in the Bible that tells me not to eat a Paleo diet. In fact, in Genesis 18 God, personally, sits down and has a meal with Abraham. What did he eat? He ate red meat, butter, and raw milk (He, also, ate very high quality, properly prepared bread…this is how things have changed). I believe that God has given us a perfect menu on this beautiful earth He has created. I believe He gave us things to eat that would nourish our bodies, grow our bodies, keep our bodies healthy, and build strong beings. I believe He created natural remedies for sicknesses and that the food He created should be our medicine. I don’t believe in changing the genetic molecule of our foods. I don’t believe in filling our foods with unnatural preservatives. And I don’t believe in filling our foods with garbage.

5. Eating Paleo complements my Christianity. It has taught me to appreciate the whole animal. It has taught me to consume all the animal and not waste anything. It has brought about a respect for God’s creation that just, simply, being a Christian never did. It has taught me to source our meat and love our food that we eat. The day will come that we will start butchering our own chickens, rabbits, pigs, and cows. Paleo has taught me to treat them well and to show gratitude to them for providing nourishment for our bodies; to give them a good life for the food they will provide for my family. As Christianity bleeds onto every aspect of my life, so has eating Paleo.

Conclusion

Paleo is not a religion and to treat it as one is just ridiculous. The main reason people cannot get over the whole “how can you be a Christian and Paleo?” is because of the evolution aspect. Once again, Paleo isn’t a religion, nor is evolution a religion. Just as grains should not be the focus of Christianity, evolution should not be the focus of Paleo. The beautiful part of eating Paleo is that you are eating the cleanest your body, probably, ever has. You are making steps towards limiting processed foods, sourcing good, sustainable meats, shopping as organic as possible, and, maybe, you are even growing a garden now.

Paleo changed my life. Christ has changed my life. Because of Paleo, we are now homesteading, raising goats, chickens, and growing organic food. Because of Christ, we are living our life to the fullest, acting upon our dreams, and celebrating the beautiful life God has given us. Christianity fulfills me spiritually, whereas, Paleo fulfills me morally and ethically when it comes taking care of God’s creation. It also fully fills my belly!

For more reading on this topic: 

 

 

 

25 Sizzlin’ Low Carb Pizza Recipes!

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If you were to ask me what my favorite food is, the answer would be pizza. Choosing to eat low carb or gluten-free or Paleo/Primal can leave someone wondering if they will ever be able to eat pizza again. If you are trying to stay strict and not indulge in a juicy, glutenous piece of pizza, then let me give you 25 HEALTHY suggestions for you to make!

If there is dairy in the crust, I do make mention of it for those who are avoiding all dairy.

25 Sizzlin’ Low Carb Pizza Recipes

1 – 7) 7 Delicious Recipes from Satisfying Eats (all the crust recipes are dairy-free with optional dairy toppings) Deep Dish Pizza Pie, Hawaiian Pizza, Flatbread Pizza, Meatza Pizza, Easy Pizza, Chocolate  Pizza, and Dessert Pizza – majority of the crusts are a mixture of almond flour and eggs!

pizza-collage

8) Organic Coconut Flour Pizza Crust from Whole Lifestyle Nutrition  – crust is a mixture of coconut flour, cheese, and yogurt.

Organic Coconut Flour Pizza

9) Taco Pizza  from Low Carb One Day at a Time  (dairy-free)- this recipe uses portabella caps for the crust!

taco-pizza one day

10) Easiest Cauliflower Pizza Ever from Mindful Mama – crust is cauliflower and a little yogurt!

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11) Pizza for One by Butter Nutrition – crust is parmesan cheese and cauliflower!

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12) Pizza Zucchini Boat from Whole Lifestyle Nutrition ( dairy-free) – crust is zucchini!

zucchini boats

13) Pizza Stuffed Chicken from Paleo Girl’s Kitchen (diary-free) – OMG, this looks delish! It’s a pizza mixture stuffed inside a chicken breast!

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14) Portabella Pizza from Ditch the Wheat (dairy-free) – crust is a juicy portabella cap!

portabella pizzas dtw

15) Easy Gluten Free Pizza from Your Lighter Side (crust has cheese in it) – I’ve had this one a few times and it’s amazing. The crust is a combo of ground chicken and cheese

chicken:pizza crust

16) Mexican Meatza from The Clothes Make the Girl (diary-free) – we love this one and we love her Paleo cookbook, WellFed. Crust is meat!

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17) Cauliflower Crust Pizza from Eat Drink Smile (has dairy) – crust is cauliflower and cheese!

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18) Meatza Pizza from The Healthy Cooking Coach (crust is dairy-free) – crust is meat!!!

meatza pizza healthycooking

19) Grilled Zucchini Pizza from Kalyn’s Kitchen (dairy-free crust) – made on the grill! Yum!!!

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20) Bacon Lovers Dream Pie from Fast Paleo – crust is bacon!!!

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21) Eggplant Pizza from The Domestic Man – crust is eggplant!

eggplant pizza

22) Pepperoni Pizza Zucchini Bake from Dashing Dish – crust is zucchini

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23) Paleo Pizza Crust from Caveman Strong – crust is a combo of coconut flour, eggs, and spices.

caveman strong coconut flour pzz

24) Proscuitto and Arugula Pizza – The Food Lovers Kitchen (dairy-free) – crust is almond flour and flax meal

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25) Paleo Pizza Dough from Foodie Cycles (dairy-free) – crust is a combo of almond flour and arrowroot!

paleo pizza dough foodie

Ok, now my mouth is WATERING! Have you made any of these delicious and healthy recipes? 

 

shared on: Nourishing Joy, Holistic Squid, Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Tasty Traditions, and Scratch Mommy

And the Winner of the Vitamix Giveaway is…

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Thank you everyone for throwing your hat in the bucket to win this amazing Vitamix combined giveaway!

Without these awesome bloggers, this giveaway would not have been possible:

DRUMROLLLLLLLL PLEASE………………….

THE WINNER IS:  Grey Sweeney Perkins!!!

Congratulations!!!  You have 48 hours to claim your prize!  Please email joyce.skinnypear@gmail.com!

 

 

Make Ahead No-Oatsmeal

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Some days I’m just tired of eggs for breakfast. I need something else to satiate me for the morning and I just can’t stomach another egg breakfast recipe. Been there? I love oatmeal. It’s so healthy. It lowers cholesterol. Right? ….wrong. I’m not going to debate why I don’t eat oatmeal because it is a better option than many things, but I will list a few cons of eating oatmeal and share with you my alternative Paleo oatmeal recipe!

Cons of Oatmeal: 

  1. Oatmeal is a avenin protein from the prolamine family, which also includes gluten from wheat, rye, barley, and zein, from corn. Avenin causes the same problems as gluten.
  2. Oatmeal rates a 55 on the glycemic index.
  3. It’s very high in phytic acid which blocks the absorption of vitamins and minerals.
  4. ”When you eat Oats, they breakdown to glucose which causes an insulin spike in your blood – if you test your blood glucose an hour after eating Oatmeal, you’ll see a big increase (perhaps as high as 140). Regularly allowing your blood sugar levels to increase like is very damaging to your body (and can also lead to conditions like diabetes).”  – The Paleo Network .

So, out goes my love for oatmeal and in comes an alternative. This recipe was creative for the oatmeal-Paleo-lover in mind! The best part about it is that you can make a large batch ahead and just scoop out of the jar when you would like No Oatsmeal for breakfast!

Unlike traditional oatmeal, this recipe is packed with protein from the nuts, seeds, and the egg yolk (optional). And we all know how important protein is to start out day!

Make Ahead No-Oatsmeal

nooatsmeal

Ingredients: 

3 1/2  cups of desired nut/seed mix (use whatever variety you would like!)

(Makes 4 cups or 12 servings)

Optional Add ins: 2 pastured egg yolks, coconut oil, banana, grassfed beef gelatin, almond butter, coconut butter

Topping: maple syrup/honey to taste, extra cinnamon, raw cream or coconut milk

Directions: 

1. Throw the nuts and seeds (don’t add chia seeds or flax seeds if ground already) into a food processor. Pulse a few times till it resembles the size of real oats.

2. Store your No-Oatsmeal in the fridge!

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When Ready to Cook:  

(Makes 1 large serving or 2 small servings and you will be full. This No-Oatsmeal is very filling because it’s very high in protein)

1. When you are ready to eat your No-Oatsmeal, scoop out 2/3 cup of the No-Oatsmeal and add it to a saucepan.

2. Slowly add in 1 cup of coconut milk and heat on medium heat on your stovetop.

3. Stir frequently to prevent burning until the mixture begins to thicken.

4. If adding eggs: while the No-Oatsmeal is getting hot, add 2 egg yolks to a small bowl and whisk. Now add a little of the No-Oatsmeal to the eggs and whisk. This prevents the egg from curdling when you add them to the pot.

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5. Now stir in your egg/No-Oatmeal mixture into the pot. Continue stirring for about a minute. I don’t like to fully cook my egg yolks because they are pastured, but you can cook them a few extra minutes if you would like.

6. Add in spices and optional add-ins.

7. Top with nuts, butter, and maple syrup/honey!

ENJOY!!!

**You can add the seasonings to the seed/nut mix if you would like to save time adding them during cooking. Here is the ratio that you would add: 1/2 teaspoon salt, 6 teaspoons of cinnamon, 3 teaspoons of ginger, and 3/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.**

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Baby Led Weaning the Paleo Way

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babyledweaning

My son was 4 months old when I started eating Paleo. I knew that I wanted to introduce solid foods to him at around 6-7 months or when he started showing signs of readiness. When he started grabbing at my plate and sticking my food in his mouth, I knew he was ready! I wanted to do baby led weaning with him…and I knew I wanted to do it the Paleo way (if there was one!).

What is Baby Led Weaning?

Simply put, baby led weaning means letting your baby feed themselves. You just put out the food for them to grab and they feed themselves. Baby led weaning, also, does away with puree foods. In essence, you give large chunks of food for the baby to gnaw on. No spoon is involved. No ice cube trays. No time spent making homemade pureed baby food. No money spent on expensive homemade baby food equipment. You give your baby what you are eating in pieces that they are able to pick up and eat. At around 6 months, most babies are ready for the small step into solid foods. By allowing them to control what they eat and HOW MUCH, you give them a jump start into appreciating and loving real food.

One of the negatives about spoon-feeding babies is that they do not control how much food is put into their bellies. Often they have issues with constipation, gas, and the feeling of being overfull. With baby-led weaning, the baby is allowed to suck and lick their food in large chunks. They control what they swallow. They are able to learn from the beginning how to properly chew their food. And just a forewarning, gagging is completely normal and you don’t need to freak out. I can’t even tell you how many times my son gagged on his food when he was learning how to chew and swallow. With spoon-feeding pureed baby food, the baby doesn’t learn how to chew their food from the start. You have to teach it to them much later in their toddlerhood, which can be very frustrating.

Why I Chose Baby-Led Weaning: 

  1. I was very attracted to this concept because we were eating Paleo. We were eating whole foods, no canned or frozen dinners. I knew I didn’t want to give cereal as a first food because of all the information I had read on how terrible cereal was as a first food for a baby. Not only does it replace more healthy foods, but babies, also, can’t digest grains well. Plus, I wasn’t eating grains because of their negative affect on my body, so why would I give my child grains as a first food?
  2. It is a lazy (easy) way to feed your child! Seriously, baby-led weaning was so easy. The concept is to give your child what you are eating. And the best thing about this is that it forces you to eat healthy because your baby is going to be eating the same food!
  3. Going out to a restaurant became so simple. And with a 2 year old and a infant in tow, I needed easy. I didn’t have to pack a small cooler with pureed foods for my son. I fed him off my plate!
  4. Baby-led weaning saved me time. Instead of spending hours pureeing his food, freezing it, and then thawing it to serve, I spent that time making a healthy meal for the whole family. There were times that I would mash the food up for him, but he never let me spoon feed him.
  5. The top 2 allergies of infants/toddlers is…drum roll…dairy and gluten. Egg whites is, also, pretty high. So, I wanted to avoid these altogether.
Feeding himself with a spoon at 8 months!
Feeding himself with a spoon at 8 months!

When I started eating Paleo, it wasn’t very popular. There weren’t many cookbooks or blogs about it. And there, definitely, wasn’t any information on doing baby-led weaning AND Paleo. However, I found that my son was naturally drawn to the taste of real food. And even though you may choose to do baby-led weaning, you still want to choose their first foods very wisely.

Eating steak and eggs (just turned 1)
Eating steak and eggs (just turned 1)

My Recommendations for First Foods in Order:

I recommend you, slowly, introduce solid foods to your baby. Reason being, you need to watch for any allergies. So, give it a good 4 days after you give your baby a new food before introducing another food. In those 4 days, if your baby shows any sign of allergies or extreme fussiness, hold off on giving that food again.

  1. Pastured Egg Yolk and Bone Stock – this should be the first food you let your baby try. Most babies, if allergic to egg, are allergic to the egg white. Softly cook this for them, add a little sea salt, and let them play with it and lick it off their fingers. Give them a small bowl of bone stock and let them suck it off their fingers. It’s filled with vitamins and minerals for them!
  2. Avocado – I loved avocado for my kids because it required no cooking. I slice them long so little hands can grab and gnaw on them.
  3. Sweet Potato – easy on the tummy and very tasty! We added a little butter (watching carefully for any allergies) and cinnamon. I served it in large chunks so he could hold them in his tiny hands and chew on the pieces.
  4. Squash of all kinds – I made squash the same way as sweet potato. Roasting them bring out a delicious flavor. Season the squash well and let your baby play!
  5. Carrots – peel and roast in stalks. Give whole stalks to your baby and allow them to gnaw on them.
  6. Broccoli/Cauliflower – be careful of gas! Leave in large pieces for your baby to hold. Add salt and olive oil/or butter to make it tasty!
  7. All other vegetables – give your baby all other vegetables from your plate! Now it’s starting to get fun, right?
  8. Meats of all kinds and organ meats – we started with roasted chicken legs…giving them to our son whole so he could gnaw on the end. He LOVED and still loves chicken legs! We then moved onto beef, then pork, then fish.
  9. Banana/Papaya/Pears – easier on the tummy than other fruits and softer.
  10. All other fruits – I preferred to introduce fruits last because I wanted my kids to not prefer the taste of sweet fruits. I wanted them to eat all other foods before they tried fruits.
Gnawing on a chicken leg
Gnawing on a chicken leg

After you have introduced all these foods and there are no present allergies, your baby can have whatever you are cooking! Yes, it really is that easy. You should wait till your baby is a year old before introducing egg whites or honey since those are also known to cause allergies.

As you can see, baby-led weaning the Paleo way is…

  • simple
  • less time consuming
  • extremely nutritious
  • and allows your baby to have control

As parents there are a few things in life that we just can’t control much, and one of them is what your children choose to eat. You can force feed, which I don’t recommend, but the more fun mealtimes will be if you just let your baby/child guide you in what they will eat. By starting them early on healthy foods, you give them a love for the real, whole foods.

Eating pieces of bratwurst and quartered cuts of grapes
Eating pieces of bratwurst and quartered cuts of grapes
I see a chicken leg and half eaten Scottish Egg!
I see a chicken leg and half eaten Scottish Egg!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paleo Meal Planning Made SOOOO Easy!

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Meal planning is a time-saver and a money-saver. It makes eating real food much easier when you have a plan and you have the food already in the fridge ready to go. Cause, let’s face it, real, whole, unprocessed food takes more time to make. Paleo meal planning  requires time to find recipes, sit down and organize, make a plan, shop, and then throw it all together. WHEW!  Some of us don’t have much time to spare with kids running around the house, working all day, and being exhausted on our off times. The last thing you may want to do is sit down and plan a weeks worth of meals.

Let me make your life easier by suggesting Paleo Meal Plans by Holistic Squid!! I started using these meals plans a few months ago when we were in transition and moving and it has saved me so much hassle. I, seriously, don’t even have to think about food for the week and what I’m going to make for my family. And a great thing about these meal plans is that there is a Real Food Meal Plan which is not 100% Paleo but it is 100% real food. So, if you are not completely Paleo, you still have a great option!

Click here for more info!

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Here’s what you get for subscribing to Holistic Squid Meal Plans:

  • A detailed shopping list to save you time and money
  • Your schedule for the week laid out day by day (with one main cooking day and minimal time in the kitchen)
  • Recipes for 5 dinners – plus an extra – with enough leftovers to cover most of your lunches too!
  • One double recipe each week to bank “fast food” in the freezer
  • Bonus recipes each week so you always have Real food handy
  • Gluten and dairy-free options – for those with special dietary needs

Click here for more info!

Go check out these great meal plans and download a free weekly sample!

  1.  Paleo Meal Plan
  2. Real Food Meal Plan!