The Paleo Mama

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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!

 

Ridding Yourself of Paleo Guilt

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As mothers and fathers, we carry a tremendous amount of weight on our shoulders. We provide, we nurture, we nourish, we educate, we protect, and we impact our children’s lives. However, at times, we fail, we give in, we give up, we don’t care, we make mistakes…we throw up our hands and feel like the biggest losers. We aren’t perfect, nor will we ever be perfect. We know this. We feel this. But, can we ever learn to accept this?

When we choose to change our family’s nutrition, we go through waves of highs and lows…and towels thrown on the floor in frustration. We so want to change our nutrition. We SOOOO want to give them the best. We SOOOO want to provide the top-quality products that we can. We try and we try to make room for it in our budget, but when things get tight and bills come in, we have to make choices.

Oh, the guilt. I know it, cause I feel it too. I remember making the most delicious, roasted chicken legs for my kids one night. They LOVE chicken legs. They love getting their fingers dirty and not being forced to use a fork. They relish every delicious bite. I hear my 18 month old going, “Mmmm,” slurp, “mmmm“, over-and-over that night, literally licking the bone…sucking on the delicious cartilage. I remember my daughter saying to me, “These are the best chicken leggies ever, Mommy”.

Enjoying his chicken leg
Enjoying his chicken leg

I should smile and be happy, right? My kids are eating chicken! They are eating Brussel sprouts. They are eating asparagus, for God’s sake! However, happy is NOT what I felt.

You see, we had just lost A LOT of money. I’m talking thousands and thousands of dollars. We had to make some serious budget cuts and buying grass-fed meat, free-range poultry, farm fresh eggs, organic produce, expensive raw milk…this stuff was the first thing to get pushed to the back burner. We just couldn’t afford it.

I know they tell you to make quality food a priority, but we were, literally, having to save any extra penny we could. Buying the best quality was not attainable for us.

So, as my son is gnawing on a chicken leg, I’m thinking about all the hormones, antibiotics, and preservatives that he probably was ingesting. Oh, the mommy guilt. Mommy guilt will crush you. It will crush your confidence in an instant. It will break every good thing that you have done for your family and tell you…you’re…just…not good enough. You’re just not smart enough. You don’t try enough.

LIES…

We make the best choices we can for our family and no one else can tell you that you could make better choices.

You see, our best, is relative to each person. You can relate this to lifting heavy weights. I often talk to other women about how I love to lift heavy weights. Some ask what my numbers are and when I tell them, they say they could never lift heavy weights. Then I explain to them that heavy is relative to each person. Heavy to me may not be heavy to you. Heavy to you may be heavier than someone else. However it’s all still heavy! However it’s all still our best!

When people start eating Paleo they think that they MUST buy organic, free-range, grass-fed, pastured foods. I don’t know how many have even been detoured from eating Paleo because they know that can’t afford this. More important than this, should be eating REAL foods. More important should be moving off of processed foods. More important should be that WE ARE ACTUALLY TRYING.

So, I bought my factory farmed chicken legs and I watched my kids eat them…and I felt it. I felt that guilt. But, when I saw my kids enjoying it and I knew that I had done my best to put the best food on the table that I could…I smiled.

I smiled back at them and said, “thank you” and I meant it. I kissed their greasy lips, and I really did mean it. And, you know what?

My kids still love me. Love me to the core.

 

Steps to making wiser choices when your budget is limited:

Check out how I save money here.

Buy whole chickens and make stock with the bones.

Shop at meat markets where preservatives are not used.

Order from Amazon.

Check Craigslist for local people selling farm-fresh eggs.

Shop at Farmer’s Markets. Remember local is, sometimes, better than organic that has come from across the country.

Don’t make meat the highlight of the meal. Incorporate it in to your meal.

Do the best you can and let go of the guilt!

 

 

 

 

 

On the Road to Faleo Paleo?

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Eating Paleo has sustained me and my family for over a year. The longest that any diet change has lasted me, before Paleo , was 2 months, and that was when I was doing Weight Watchers. I was a diet nomad wandering from place to place trying to find a way of eating that would stick. Eating Paleo works. It sustains. I will never eat another way.

I want you to be able to say the same thing. I often hear that someone has “tried” Paleo but they couldn’t keep up with it. I’m often bewildered by this because eating Paleo has become a simper lifestyle for my family. I don’t want you to fail. I want you to thrive on Paleo.

Here are some signs that you might be on the road to becoming a “Faleo Paleo”:

  1. You try to just eat just lean meats (because you don’t believe fatty meats are good for you) like chicken, turkey and fish, yet when you head to TGI Fridays with your friends you order a burger and hungrily eat it like you haven’t had food in ages. Then you decide that the Paleo diet is ridiculous and you give up.
  2. You stress over every little bit of food, if it’s Paleo or not, and after a while, the stress frustrates you so much that you say, “screw this” and go back to your old way of eating.
  3. You are ill-prepared when starting out and cravings get the best of you. You give in to the remains of your kids mac n’cheese, engulfing them like a starved vulture. You think, “oh how ridiculous is this,” and then proceed to eat the rest of the mac n’cheese on the stove, a half bag of sour cream and onion chips, and the half-eaten corn dog.
  4. You, literally, believe we should eat like a caveman…literally. Caveman didn’t eat almond butter. Caveman didn’t eat coconut flour. Caveman didn’t eat canned tuna. Cavemen didn’t eat Paleo cookies.
  5. You criticize other Paleo-eaters. You criticize their butter, their heavy cream in their coffee, their white potatoes, their quinoa, their non-organic meats, their store-bought eggs, their frozen veggies, their raw dairy…how could they call themselves Paleo, you wonder?
  6. You change your diet to Paleo, yet you keep feeding your kids garbage. This garbage makes its way into your mouth and you give up.
  7. You leave no room for grace, pizza or beer. You think that you must be 100% Paleo for it to work.
  8. You’re not losing weight. You quit the first week because you didn’t lose any weight.
  9. You think Paleo is too expensive. You compare the expense of eating Paleo to your old, coupon-clipper days and decide it’s too expensive.
  10. You stay away from healthy fat. You can’t, for the life of you, see how eating healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, palm shortening, and butter/ghee is healthy, so you resort to baking your chicken breasts without any flavor.

Before you quit, try this…

  1. Plan ahead for dining out and, also, realize that all kinds of meat bring nourishment in their own way! I have a great guide written up here that includes suggestions for top chain restaurants.
  2. Don’t stress. Make the best choices you can and when you want to indulge, do it! I have pizza once a week. It’s my dirty, little, Paleo secret. But it keeps me grounded. Just don’t do it everyday.
  3. MEAL plan, meal plan, meal plan! Take a look at my Pinterest page for lots of recipes and, also, consider eMeals.com! eMeals.com is a meal planning service that does all the planning for you. All you have to do is buy the food and make it! They have a Paleo plan, which is what I use and I love it. The dinners are easy to make and only require about 20-30 minutes in the kitchen!
  4. Paleo is a guideline. Please don’t compare us to cavemen. Yes, Paleo replicates their style of eating, but c’mon! We use KitchenAids and food processors and mandolin slicers. We got it easy…let’s appreciate and accept that and stop thinking you have to do everything like a Neanderthal.
  5. Not everyone is as rich as you, dude! Some of us don’t have much money to work with and we make the best choice we can. Yes, we know grass-fed beef and free-range chicken is ideal…we, also, have some guilt that we can’t give our family that option. We do the best we can. And, stay away from my butter in my coffee! Read my suggestions for saving money!
  6. Stop giving your kids garbage and feeding yourself like royalty. I know changing a child’s diet is hard, but make some effort to rid processed foods from their diet as well. If you need help take a look at what I feed my daughter. It is possible! One small step toward this is all that is needed. Then keep building upon that.
  7. I am about 80% Paleo. I will NEVER, and I repeat, NEVER be 100%. If I was Paleo would feel like more of a diet than a lifestyle. I prefer to leave room for some indulgences because it keeps me balanced.
  8. Your body needs time to adjust to a new way of eating. It also takes time to find that balance and learn what foods your body can handle and which ones restrict weight loss. For me, it’s nut butters. I have to be very careful with nut butters and nuts, in general. Now, I rarely, eat them. BUT, it took me months to figure this out! Months of plateaus. Months of the scale not moving.
  9. You will have a hard time finding coupons for meat, produce, almond flour, and healthy oils. It just doesn’t happen much. However, you need to realize that your health, and your family’s health is worth the extra expense. And it might not even that much extra. I think I spend around $100-$130 a week on our family of 4.
  10. You must have heard it by now that fats are healthy. Well, take it to heart. Fats are good for you. Stop being scared of them. Take a look at the proper portion-size is for healthy fats here.

I hope this posts helps you realize that Paleo does NOT have to be all or nothing. Paleo is a guideline. It is not a diet. Yes, many people do it to lose weight or because they have allergies to gluten/dairy/soy. Be easy on yourself and make the best choices you can! This will help you succeed. This will help make Paleo become a part of you.