The Paleo Mama

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Paleo & Vegan Start 21 Day Sugar Detox!

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The 21-Day Sugar Detox

A few weeks ago I started mentioning that I was starting the going to start the 21 Day Sugar Detox after I moved into our new home and got settled. My Vegan friend over at Tan Toes Strong Woman messaged me and asked if we could join forces and do it together. I thought it was a fabulous idea! I think the thought of Vegan and Paleo coming together and doing the same eating plan is AWESOME. A Facebook follower said it perfect; it’s almost like Republican and Democrat coming together! The world needs more of us, different as it may be, joining arms. How boring would this place be if we were all alike.

So, here we are Vegan April and Paleo Jackie on our quest to detox our body from sugar and carbs. Why are we doing this? Well, if you jump over to April’s blog you will read that 6 months ago she made some incredible life changes. First of all, she quit smoking!!! That’s a huge accomplishment in itself. She’s lost 30lbs since becoming dietary vegan, 20% body fat, and she can run an ultra marathon. However, when she came off her high blood pressure meds, she is right back to +150/+100. So, she figures it is most likely genetic, but wants to give it one more shot without pills and see if sugar may be the culprit. I think she is pretty awesome already!

“I am already getting the “seriously?” questions. It is interesting how some folk’s first reaction to self improvement is defensive as if you are making a judgement against them versus a simple desire for progress in yourself.” – April

Why am I doing the 21 Day Sugar Detox? Well, I have, literally, been in transition for 6 months. I have not gained a pound. I have lost a few, but I still have 20lbs to go before I am at my healthy weight. I’ve lost 50lbs eating Paleo, and it’s still working. But, I have run into some serious plateau’s…and with the move, I have not ate the greatest. I need to refocus. I’m also doing it as part of Lent. I wanted to give something up physically, and I wanted it to be uncomfortable.

The 21-Day Sugar Detox

I am almost embarrassed to post my before pictures because I just have such a long journey ahead of me. However, I’m gonna suck it up and post them. I’ll include my before Paleo picture just to show you how far I have come (really to remind myself!). I am hoping to drop some more weight in doing this detox and to cut my reliance on stevia, butter, and baked Paleo goods.

I’ll share with you what I eat day-to-day basis. So far this morning, I have had a few glasses of water, 2 cups of coffee with full fat coconut milk, a little leftover chicken, and a spinach omelette with avocado and salsa on top. I am satiated and do not feel like I am on a diet!

Please follow me on Facebook for more interaction during this detox!

BEFORE Paleo
Before starting Paleo,Jan 2012

These next 3 pictures are my current. I do NOT think that 21 days will change my body much. However I do think that I will lose some bloat in my stomach. As you can see, I carry most my weight in my upper thighs and butt. I am muscular underneath the fat, so I’m also hoping I will become more defined as I lose a little more weight. Depending on my results, I may do the detox twice in a row. backreal frontside

 

50 Healthy Foods Found at Costco for CHEAP!

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costco paleo mama

YAY!!! There is finally a Costco near me now!! I have heard so many great things about the organic choices that Costco offers, but we didn’t have one near us in Georgia. Since we moved to Florida, I have 3 Costco’s near me!!! So, I went hunting today to see what they had to offer and I found a TON of great things.I’m going to list what I found and the price, but, keep in mind, that most of these are the organic option or other Paleo-worthy items.  There are much, much more non-organic options too that I did not take the time to write down.

Here’s 50 REAL food, Paleo, food items I found:

  1. Kerrygold Butter: 3/8oz bars for $6.79 ***Make a Bulletproof Coffee with Kerrygold***
  2. Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese: 2.18lbs for $12.99
  3. Aidells Sausage: 3lbs for $13.49
  4. Rotisserie Chicken (no pres., MSG free, gluten free): $4.99
  5. 2lb dates: $8.69
  6. Wholly Guacamole: 4/12oz for $8.49
  7. Zico Coconut Water: 6/1 litters for $14.99
  8. Organic Carrots: 10 lbs for $6.99
  9. Organic Spinach 1lb for $4.79
  10. Organic Spring Mix 1lb for $4.99
  11. Organic Ground Beef 85/15%: 4lbs for 16.99
  12. Kirkland Low Salt Bacon (no sugar): 4/1lb for $13.69
  13. Cascadian Farms Organic Frozen Berry Blend: 3lbs for $10.99
  14. Organic Green Beans: 5lb for $6.79
  15. Organic Broccoli: 4/1lb for $6.49
  16. Organic Butter Sticks: 2/1lb for $7.69
  17. Mayorga Organic Coffee Whole Beans: 2lbs for $13.99
  18. Organic Carrot Juice 100%: 2/1 liters for $8.59
  19. POM Juice: $8.99
  20. Carrington Farms Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: 54oz for ONLY $15.99
  21. Organic Quinoa: 4lb for $8.79 (yes this is Paleo “gray” food but it is a seed)
  22. Organic Blue Agave: 2/36oz for $9.99 (however I don’t suggest using Agave)
  23. Organic Honey: 2/24oz for $8.99
  24. Organic Maple Syrup: 1 liter for $13.99
  25. MaraNatha Roasted Almond Butter: 26oz for $6.29
  26. Organic Golden Flax Seed: 48oz for $7.99
  27. Organic Diced Tomatoes: 8/15oz for $5.99
  28. Organic Stewed Tomatoes: 8/15oz for $5.99
  29. Organic Tomato Paste: 12/6oz for $5.99
  30. Sun-Dried Unsulphured Figs: 40oz for $9.79
  31. Organic Sugar: 10lb for $8.99 (KOMBUCHA users!)
  32. Whole Almonds: 48oz for $12.79
  33. Sliced Almonds: 32oz for $7.99
  34. Sun Dried Tomatoes: 32oz for $8.99
  35. Fire Roasted Red Peppers: 35oz for $3.99
  36. “Natural” Olives: 6/60z cans for $7.29
  37. Wild Sockeye Salmon: 3/6oz cans for $10.99
  38. Wild Alaskan Tuna: 6/5oz cans for $14.99
  39. Sardines:5/3.75oz cans for $7.99
  40. Organic Chicken Stock: 6/32oz for $10.99
  41. Lara Bar: 18ct Box: $15.79
  42. Freeze Dried Fruit: 20ct bags for $14.99
  43. Macadamia Nuts: 24oz for $17.69
  44. Cashews: 40oz for $14.99
  45. Pistachios: 48oz for $15.79
  46. Mateo’s Gourmet Salsa (no sugar): 32oz jar for $6.49
  47. GoGo Squeez Apple Sauce: 16/3.2oz pouches for $4.69
  48. Kirkland Steak Jerky (gluten-free): 12oz bag for $8.99
  49. Organic Spices for cheap. Too many to list
  50. Organic Cage Free Eggs: 2 dozen for $5.99

That’s it! These are the BEST real food, Paleo deals I found and the price is amazing! The membership is $55 for the year and, definitely, worth it!

costco paleo mama vertical

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Asian “Scotch” Eggs

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I grabbed a dozen quail eggs from my local Asian market a few days ago because they were dirt cheap, but I wasn’t sure what I would do with them. I decided to boil them and stuff them inside my Asian meatballs! They turned out delish! You could also use small chicken eggs or you could just not use eggs at all and just make the meatballs! Whatever you would like!

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Ingredients:

1lb of ground beef/lamb/pork (I used beef)

4 oz of mushrooms, minced

½ cup of sweet potatoes or carrots, peeled and minced

1 small yellow onion, minced

1 TB of fish sauce (I use Red Boat)

1 TB sesame oil

1 heaping TB tomato paste

1 TB raw honey

1 TB coconut aminos (Paleo-approved soy sauce)

1 TB garlic powder or minced garlic

½ ts cumin

½ ts coriander

1 ts salt

1 ts pepper

Quail eggs, small chicken eggs, or no eggs at all!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Hard boil your quail eggs. I used my method for boiling eggs and they were easy, peasy to peel. Set your eggs in a small pot. Cover with cold water. Set on stove and turn the stove on. When the water starts to boil, remove the pot from stove and cover it with a lid. Wait 10 minutes and put the pot under cold running water. Peel while warm.

3. Mince the mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and onion. I threw them in my food processer and pulsed a few times.

4. Throw the minced veggies in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the ground meat. Mix, then add ground meat.

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5. Mix really well with your hands. Grab your quail eggs and wrap the meat mixture around it. It’s easiest to flatten the meat out on your hand like a pancake and then fold it around the egg. Make sure it is sealed around the egg.

6. Place on a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes.

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7. ENJOY!!!

Hidden Paleo Bargains at Ethnic Markets

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I absolutely LOVE going into Asian markets and finding Paleo food items for dirt cheap. I usually find a ton of stuff for nearly half the price. Today I wandered into one and went in to shop. I found some great things! I would have found more, but my 18 month old was, literally, screaming his face off. I will definitely be going back in there sans kiddos soon!

Here’s a few things I found:

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Aroy – D Coconut Milk ($1.59 for 13oz can!!!): the ingredients say it is 60% coconut extract and water! No other fillers, guar gum, or carrageenan!

Aroy – D Coconut Cream ($2.09 for 19oz can): the ingredients say it is 70% coconut extract and water! Another score!

Ginger Candy ($1.99)

Red Boat Fish Sauce ($8.79): this is the ONLY fish sauce that I have found that doesn’t have sugar. It is also Whole30 approved!!! I add this to my meat dishes for a deeper “unami” (the 5th taste which means “meaty”) flavor.

Tapioca Crackers ($3.29): I can’t read the ingredients on this so I thought I would give it a try anyways. My kids actually loved them and I topped mine with almond butter. They do taste like they have sugar in them though…not much, but a tiny bit.

Sweet Potato Noodles ($1.39 a package!): the only ingredients is sweet potato starch. We use this in place of spaghetti noodles and we love it on my homemade Paleo Mac n’ Cheese, Asian Lettuce Wraps,  and Ground Beef Stroganoff recipes.

Quail Eggs ($1.89) Honestly, I have NO idea what I’m going to do with these yet, however for that price (the sign also said local), I will figure something out. Any ideas?

Some other things that are super cheap there that I didn’t get:

  • sesame oil
  • seaweed noodles
  • Nori chips
  • various Asian spices
  • sesame seeds
  • tapioca pearls
  • tapioca starch
  • minced ginger
  • whole coconuts
  • whole frozen duck
  • Kimchi
  • fresh fish
  • pork belly (ask to slice like bacon)
  • chicken feet for adding to your stock for added gelatin
  • produce
  • fish crackers
  • …and just so much more!

You really do need to take a look for yourself and let me know what you find!

Paleo On the Go

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My family has been in transition for many months. First, we sold our house (surprisingly!), then we moved into a rental, now we are staying with family, and next week we are moving into an apartment. We will be in the apartment for at least 7 months while we house-hunt, then moving into a permanent (hopefully) home. Needless to say, it has been quite a couple of months for us. In spite of all this, we have maintained our way of eating about 75-80% of the time. Pretty awesome for the amount of chaos our life has had.

Here’s a few ways for you to stay the Paleo-course during transition:

1. Be very easy on yourself! It’s hard when you are moving to be 100% Paleo. I’m not saying it’s impossible, in fact if any member in our family had celiac disease, I would make it work. I would HAVE to put more of an effort into it. However, and thankfully, no one in my family does. In fact, other than noticeable temper tantrums by the little ones, some minor digestive issues, and gas, there is no major difference when we don’t eat Paleo. It’s sad. I wish there was to motivate me more!

2. Prepare food and snacks beforehand. Make my Fruit Gummies, order some beef snacks for yourself and some Berky for the kids,  grab some fruit leather, pack lots of bananas and apples, get apple chips for your toothless littles, and starve your kids until you leave, so that they just eat the whole drive. Hehe! Yes, my car is trashed… the price to pay for good kids who will do anything for food :).

My Fruit Gummies!
My Fruit Gummies!

3. Print out a copy of my dining out post with suggestions for what to order at top chain restaurants. There is also an app (of course!) for eating Paleo on-the-go. I have never looked at it so I can’t tell you if it’s awesome or not. But, it looks nifty!

4. If you are flying, order yourself a Paleo Margarita at the airport, instead of drinking beer or wine. That’s if you MUST drink.

5. If you MUST eat fast-food, instead of chosing one of the restaurants I recommend, then choose Chic-Fil-A. The kids can order grilled nugget meals and their grilled chicken salads are pretty tasty for the adults. If you think about it, pack yourself an oil and vinegar dressing mix, or just splurge on their balsamic vinaigrette.

6. When you get to your location, do your research! For local eggs, I always head to Craigslist to see if there is any local people with an overstock of fresh eggs. For meat, check out Eat Wild for recommendations for local, sustainable farmers. If your family does raw milk, check out Real Milk for local suggestions. Local Harvest also has great suggestions for fresh produce and local Farmer’s Markets!

7. If you get sleepy on the road, pull over at a drive-thru Starbucks and get a coffee. Ask for heavy cream and some honey!

8. Make some Pumpkin Breakfast cookies before you head out!!! These are sooooo good!

Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies!
Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies!

 

Do you have a hard time sticking with Paleo during times of transition or vacation? What are some ways you make it work for your family?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well Fed Cookbook Giveaway (CLOSED) & Jicama Home Fries Recipe!!!

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I don’t know if I’m more excited about the fact that the author, Melissa Joulwan, has offered to give this amazing cookbook away to one of you, or the fact that I get to share my favorite Paleo recipes with you! Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat is AWESOME! This is, by far, one of my favorite Paleo cookbooks!

Not only is it Paleo, but this cookbook is features tons of recipes that are Whole30 & 21 Day Sugar Detox approved! It is loaded with so many recipes and has opened up my tastebuds to a whole new world!

Some of my favorites (and I have pretty much made EVERYTHING from this cookbook) are Chocolate Chili, Meatza Pie, and her Meat and Spinach Muffins. Seriously, I could go on and on! However, my absolute favorite recipe that has rocked my Paleo world is the Jicama Home Fries!

Jicama Home Fries:

(posted with permission by Melissa Joulwan)

Photo by David Humphreys
Photo by David Humphreys

Diner home fries don’t discriminate. Their brown, crisp outside and warm tender interior are equally comfortable alongside eggs for an early morning (or midnight) breakfast and next to a beef burger. Seasoned with plenty of salt and just a whisper of paprika, these home fries transform jicama, the “Mexican potato,” into an all-American classic.

NOTE: This recipe requires you to pre-soak the jicama for 12-24 hours, so you’ll need to start the process the day before you want to eat.

SOAK 12-24 hours

PREP 5 minutes

COOK 20 minutes

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

The jicama:

1 pounds jicama

1/2 teaspoon salt

The home fries: 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

1/2 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

DIRECTIONS The jicama: Cut the jicama into 1/2-inch dice. Whether or not to peel it is up to you; I usually peel half and leave the skin on half to better impersonate a potato. When you’re done chopping, you should have about 3 cups of cubes. Place the jicama and salt in a slow cooker and add enough water to cover the jicama by about 2 inches. Cover and cook on high for 12-24 hours. The longer it simmers, the more tender it becomes.

When the jicama has finished its soak, drain, pat dry, and place in the refrigerator until you’re ready to start frying.

The home fries: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Add coconut oil and allow it to melt. Toss the onion in the pan and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Cook until nicely browned, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the onion to a small bowl and return the pan to the heat.

Add 2 tablespoons coconut oil to the skillet and allow the pan to get hot, about 2 minutes. Add the jicama cubes, shaking the skillet to make an even, single layer. Cook the jicama without stirring until the cubes are golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes, then carefully flip the jicama with a large spatula and make another single layer. Repeat this process until the jicama is browned on most sides, about 15 minutes.

When the jicama is appropriately toasty in color, add the onions, paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper to the pan. Stir to blend and heat through. Remove the home fries from the heat, stir in the parsley, and serve immediately.

Enjoy!