The Paleo Mama

Homegrown and Handmade

gluten-free

Thai Shrimp Salad

by 5 Comments

I miss and love good Thai food. I lived in Thailand for a year and grew to love the flavors and spices involved in making delicious Thai food.

One of my favorite dishes ever is “Som Tam“, which is green papaya salad. You take a unripe papaya, peel it, and then shred it. Add in some more veggies, shrimp, and special ingredients, and you have a very refreshing salad. I used to buy this salad off the street for less than $1! I loved my “Som Tam” Thai lady who thought it was funny to test my Thai language. The first time I ordered from her she asked me how I would like the salad…”spicy or a little spicy? ” she asked me in Thai. I responded to her in what I thought was proper tone (Thai has 5 tones) and said “no spice please.” I said the word spice with the wrong tone and it ended up coming out, “no sex please.”

She gave me the most memorable face, corrected me, and then we both roared with laughter. It was a joke from that day on that I don’t like no sex!

Anyways, I swapped out the papaya and am using shredded cucumber instead, which makes recipe  Whole 30 and 21 Day Sugar Detox approved. Green beans are ok on Paleo even though they are technically a bean, because they are more of a pod than a bean!

Shrimp Thai Salad

_MG_4917

1/2lb of cooked shrimp

2 cups of shredded cucumber or 2 cups of shredded green papaya

1 cup of very firm green beans (don’t overcook); cut in 1 inch pieces

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

4 TB of sliced or mashed almonds

3 cloves of garlic, minced

juice of 2 limes

2 TB of fish sauce (or soy sauce)

handful of cilantro

1 TB apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: red chile pepper

Directions:

1. Lightly steam your green beans or eat them raw. Mine green beans were from the freezer so they were not too hard so I didn’t have to steam them. You want them to be crunchy.

2. Shred your cucumber and then place it in a colander to drain. Leave it to drain for like 15 minutes, then pat dry with a towel.

3. In a large bowl add your green beans, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, cilantro and chile pepper (if using).

4. Then add your wet ingredients: fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, and garlic. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper.

5. Add cucumber to the bowl and mix. Taste and adjust seasonings.

6. Top with mashed or sliced almonds!

 

 

Paleo Foods on Sale at Publix (3/7-3/14) with Coupon Matches!

by 4 Comments

Every Wednesday I’m going to do a quick write-up for all the Paleo foods that are going on sale at certain stores for the coming up week. This week I am choosing Publix because there are a lot of great deals. Publix starts their weekly ad and new sales on Thursdays.

Please note that I do not only include organic items. However, all the items I choose will be Paleo-approved and affordable and list any coupons that you can use to save EVEN MORE!

publix-400x400

Buy One Get One Free Deals This Week!

1. GreenLine Fresh Green Beans, 12oz at $2.99 ($1.49)

2. So Delicious Frozen Dessert, 1pk, at $5.99 ($2.99) – if you feel like indulging in a coconut ice cream

-.55 cents off So Delicious dairy free item PRINTABLE

-$2 off So Declicious Dairy Free Dessert in the Publix Yellow Advantage flyer (EXP 3/8)

3. Caribou Ground Coffee, 12oz at $9.99 ($4.99)

-$2 off Caribou Coffee in Smart Source in the 3/03 Sunday Paper

4. Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 32oz, at $11.29 ($5.64)

-$1 off Pompeian Olive Oil PRINTABLE

5. Del Monte Tomatoes, 14.5oz, at $1.59 (.79cents)

-.50cents of 2 Del Monte tomatoes, PRINTABLE

Other Sales Worth Noting

6. Publix Greenwise Whole Chicken, $1.99lb

7. Earth’s Best Organic Smoothie or Baby Food Puree, 4.2oz, $1

-Buy 3 get one free Earth’s Best baby food (Target coupon), Target Baby home mailer *

8. Yellow or Zucchini Squash, $1.29lb

9. Green Cabbage, .49 centslb

10. Fuji or Red Delicious Apples, $1.29lb

11. Premium Tomatoes, $1.49lb

12. Navel Oranges, .99centslb

13. Russet Potatoes, 5lb, $2.99 (if you eat white potatoes)

14. Florida Strawberries, 16oz, $1.67

15. 4 Grain Eggs, 12ct, $2.29

-.35cents & a .55 cents off 4 Grain Eggs, Smart Source printed in 10/14 Sunday paper

16. Cascadian Farm Organic Frozen Strawberries, 10oz, $3.49

-$2 off 2 Cascadian product (Publix coupon), Yellow Advantage Buy Flyer (EXP 3/08)

17. So Delicious Dairy Free Soy Free Coconut Milk Ice Cream, 1pt., $5.99

-.55 cents off So Delicious Dairy Free item PRINTABLE

-$2 off So Delicious Dairy Free Dessert, (Publix coupon), Yellow Advantage Flyer (EXP 3/08)

18. Cascadian Farm Frozen Broccoli Florets, 10oz, $3.49

-$2 off 2 Cascadian Farm product (Publix coupon), Yellow Advantage Flyer (EXP. 3/08)

19. Filippo Berio Olive Oil, 25.3oz, $6.69

-$1 off Filippo Berio Olive Oil PRINTABLE

-$1 off Filippo Berio Olive Oil, (Publix coupon), Yellow Advantage Flyer (EXP 3/08)

20. Muir Glen Tomatoes, 14.5oz, $1.33

-$1 off 2 Muir Glen products, look for sticker on the can

21. Spice Islands Pure Vanilla Extract, 1 oz, $2.99

*Publix accepts competitor coupons! So save those Target coupons!

Let me know if you find any other great Publix deals this week!!!

 

 

 

Affording Paleo & Fruity Kombucha Jell-O Bites

by 3 Comments

Affording Paleo: On Any Budget

chickenI have a few guest posts out that I wanted to direct you all too. The first one is on the Paleo Parent’s blog and is about affording Paleo and making Paleo work for your budget. Included is my frugal technique of stretching 4-6 meals out of ONE CHICKEN! Please go check it out and get some great tips on affording Paleo for your budget.

Paleo Parent’s was my lifeline when I started Paleo over a year ago. They had kids and a baby and they were making Paleo work. After 30 days of eating Paleo, I, also, wrote this guest blog for them on how Paleo changed my life, helped my depression, and lowered my husband’s cholesterol so much that he is now STATIN drug-free!!!

Fruity Kombucha Jell-O Bites

_MG_4905

My awesome and hilarious REAL LIFE friend, Summer, over at The Dirty Floor Diaries asked me post for her. I love Summer and I love her blog. It’s so real and I just want to be like, “thank you…I’m not alone in how I feel.” Summer speaks my language!

I posted on these awesome Kombucha Jell-O bites that I had recently made for my kids. My kids keep devouring them and they are so healthy! Go check out my recipe on The Dirty Floor Diaries!!

Where can I get Kombucha? You can either buy Kombucha at health food stores, or you can easily make it yourself at home!

Click here to get Kombucha cultures to make at home.

 

36 Paleo Foods Found at Sam’s for CHEAP!

by 10 Comments

You may have read my post on 50 Paleo foods I found at Costco for cheap. If you didn’t, then go read it, especially  if you live near a Costco. If you don’t, then, maybe, you have a Sam’s Warehouse nearby. Today I found 36 Paleo food items at Sam’s. There isn’t nearly as much organic options at Sam’s, but there is some budget-friendly food options!

(Disclosure: in writing this list and my Costco list, I never expect for people’s convictions to stop at the door. If you are uncomfortable buying non-organic foods, non-free-range chickens, and non-grassfed meats, then please know that I support that decision. However, for the people who are trying to fit Paleo into their budget and make it work for their families, these foods may be their best and only option. And these unprocessed foods are far superior to frozen country-fried steaks and boxed macaroni and cheese which so many are coming off of. So, please double-check the ingredients and don’t buy anything you’re uncomfortable with. )

36 Paleo Foods Found at Sam’s for CHEAP:

1. Organic Baby Spinach 1lb: $4.48

2. Organic Spring Mix 1lb: $4.47

3. Organic Raspberries 12oz: $6.25

4. Organic Carrots 3lbs: $3.98

5. Sweet Potatoes 5lb bag: $3.48

6. Avocado 5ct.: $3.98

7. Rotisserie Chicken (gluten-free) 3lbs: $4.88

8. Ground Beef 90% lean: $3.48lb

9. Chicken Breast: $1.88lb

10. Whole Chickens: .99 cents per lb

11. Frozen Cod Loins (wild-caught) 2.5lbs: $12.48

12. Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Frozen 2.5lbs: $24.98

13. Frozen Mahi Mahi (wild-caught) 2lbs: $12.98

14. Cape Hake Fillets Frozen 2lbs: $9.98

15: Farmhouse Cage Free Eggs 18ct.: $3.72

16. Medjool Dates 2lbs: $7.48

17: Pom Juice 60oz: $9.98 (I use this to mix with my Kombucha!)

18. Silk Pure Almond Milk 3 half gallons: $7.98

19. Pistachios 3lbs: $15.98

20. Pecan Halves 2lbs: $16.38

21. Whole Almonds 48oz: $11.76

22. Sliced Almonds 32oz: $10.38

23. Shelled Walnuts 32oz: $11.74

24 Pecan Pieces 24oz: $10.68

25. Pure Clover Honey 80oz: $13.88

26. Maple Syrup Grade A 32oz: $13.28

27. Baking Soda 13.5lbs: $6.34

28. Omaggio Imported Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 liter: $7.98

29. Minced Garlic 48oz: $5.48

30: Black Olives 6pk: $6.18

31. Artichoke Hearts 2lbs: $6.38

32 Lara Bar 18ct box: $16.28

33. Clif Fruit Rope 24ct box: $10.58

PRIMAL OPTIONS

34. Kerrygold Spreadable Butter 17.6oz: $6.98

35. Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese: $5.97lb

36. Kerrygold Ballyshannon Cheddar Cheese: $5.97lb

Here my receipt from my latest trip. I do have a few non-Paleo indulgences on there like the Veggie Sticks and Veggie Chips. And the walnut and pecan pieces were over my budget so I had the cashier put them back. I only bought the meat that was on sale because our Farmer’s Market was closed this weekend and I didn’t have a chance to shop around much for sales on more sustainable meats. Oh well, you win some, you lose some. This should last us over a week and, hopefully, into the 2nd week.

sams receipt

 

 

 

Salmon Patties with a Creamy Lemon-Dill Sauce

by 34 Comments

I’m always looking for budget-friendly ways to get seafood into my family. If I have the money in our budget I will buy fresh salmon, cause we all know that is the best. But, if I don’t have the money, I don’t stress, I just grab some canned WILD-caught salmon and find creative ways to use it. I get my salmon from Costco for a good price, along with a bunch of other things.

Last night, I made a great salmon patty with a cream sauce worth sharing. These are Whole30 and 21 Day Sugar Detox friendly!!! Hope you like it!

Salmon Patties with a Creamy Lemon-Dill Sauce

_MG_7200

Ingredients:

2 (6-ounce) cans of wild salmon

4 eggs

1 TB of mustard

1 cup of almond flour

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion, finely diced

1/2 ts pepper

1/2 ts salt (optional)

1 ts dill

2-4 TB of coconut oil/or butter/or lard

Directions:

1. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat with your fat/oil of choice.

2. In a bowl, whisk your eggs, then add the onions, garlic, almond flour, salmon, pepper, salt, dill, and mustard.

3. Shape into 8 patties. Fry them on both sides; about 3-4 minutes per side.

4. Transfer to a plate. If you would like, you can pop them in the oven for an additional 10 minutes (450 degrees F) while you make the cream sauce. This will make sure the middle is cooked through.

Creamy Lemon-Dill Sauce

1/2 cup of thick, full-fat coconut milk (I used the thick part off an unshaken can). If you do dairy, you can use sour cream.

2 TB of lemon juice

1 ts of dried dill

Few shakes of black pepper

Directions:

Whisk all the ingredients together. Pour over the Salmon Patties and enjoy!

_MG_7195

 

PlanetBox Lunchbox Review & PlanetBox GIVEAWAY!!!

by

…and the winner is……….. Lisa D. Lisa you have been notified!!! Congrats and thank you everyone for entering!!!

 

I can’t say enough good things about the PlanetBox lunchbox. And if you follow me on Facebook, then you see all the healthy lunches I post using our PlanetBox lunchboxes. They are an eco-friendly way of packing healthy lunches for your kids…and even for yourself! The PlanetBox is made of stainless steel which doesn’t smell, doesn’t stain, and doesn’t have any toxic chemicals in it. It’s so easy to clean and it’s also dishwasher safe. The little compartments are the perfect size for little hands to reach in and grab something healthy.

I love making my daughter’s lunches so much that I created a Pinterest page that has pictures of all the different, healthy lunches that I make. My daughter has The Rover PlanetBox. It comes with a large, stainless steel bowl and a smaller bowl. Here’s a few of my daughter’s lunches I have made with The Rover PlanetBox:

See the big dipper bowl and the little dipper bowl? They don't leak AT ALL!
See the big dipper bowl and the little dipper bowl? They don’t leak AT ALL!

559788_488976064499259_1767911346_n

Not too long ago, PlanetBox announced that they had created a larger lunchbox for those with bigger appetites and larger serving sizes. The PlanetBox Launch system is 30% bigger than the Rover and has a tall, stainless steel dipper for dips and sauces, a magnet set for the outside, a glass Satellite Dish for re-heating foods, as well as a really neat carry bag.

PlanetBox gave me this Launch System to use and review and, let me tell you, I am in LOVE! I have been so caught up in making food fun for my daughter, I didn’t know making food fun for me would be so exciting! If you work and pack a lunch, have older kids who eat a little bit more, or pack a lunch for the hubby…this is the lunchbox for you. PlanetBox, also, recently launched a Plan-It-Box, which is a web-based app meal planner.  This meal planner is awesome and it lets you share your lunches with other users and get ideas to plan healthy lunches for your kids!

Let me show you a few things I love about this new Launch PlanetBox…

It comes in a cute carry bag that you can swing across your body.
It comes in a cute carry bag that you can swing across your body.
The outside magnets come off and can be swapped out for other styles! Kids love this!
The outside magnets come off and can be swapped out for other styles! Kids love this!
_MG_4828
The Launch comes with a big dipper for salad dressings, nut butters, and sauces and a glass container that can be taken out and heated up!

 

See! This is the coolest thing...the glass container comes out to reheat leftovers!
See! This is the coolest thing…the glass container comes out to reheat leftovers!

And here’s The Launch in action…

Lots of room!
Lots of room!
Fits my healthy, Paleo lunches!
Fits my healthy, Paleo lunches!

Pretty cool, huh? Well, if you like The Launch, then I have GREAT news for you!!!!!! PlanetBox has offered to giveaway ONE complete Launch System to a lucky winner!!!!!!!!!

Here’s a few ways to enter to win a FREE LAUNCH SYSTEM (open to US residents ONLY):

1. Go “like” PlanetBox on Facebook and tell them, “The Paleo Mama sent you“. Leave a comment ON THIS BLOG POST saying that you did.

2. Go “like” The Paleo Mama on Facebook. Leave a SEPARATE comment saying you did (or do already).

3. Subscribe to The Paleo Mama’s blog. Leave a separate comment saying you did (or do already).

4. Share this post on Twitter or Facebook! You can share it once a day till the giveaway ends. Come back and say you shared it (each day).

That’s it! You have the chance of leaving 4 SEPARATE comments with bonus entries everyday you share this.

(Giveaway ends: Saturday, March 9, 2013 at 9pm. I will use a WordPress plugin, “And the winner is” to choose a comment at random. Good luck!)