DIY Food Adventure Menu: Lunch and Snack

Entering the Third Trimester


So now I am in my 29th week of pregnancy, just starting the third trimester.  I can understand how the second was the best (and third is the one with the hairy chest?  No, thankfully, no!) and now it starts to get a little more challenging to move around and do the things I am used to doing--like tying my shoes and sleeping :)  I am also a bit more tired and breathing hard easily, which often makes me laugh at the gym when 10 reps of even something light makes me pant.

But the little one is moving around like crazy and the movement is so much more interesting just in the last week.  I can see huge softball-sized pushes stretching out my belly and moving across and he taps, or seems to rhythmically softly kick or tap his hands too slow to be a heartbeat and too fast to be hiccups.  At least I think so.  He is still flipping around and squirming and loves to bop around in my belly whenever I am at rest and sometimes even when I am not, which feels really strange.  Imagine the entire contents of your belly flip-flopping while you walk.  There is nothing in the world quite like it...  He is quite the entertainment for me and my husband :)

I've been keeping active, although my gym workouts have been reduced to 3-4 days a week.  I love to take walks on West Cliff (pictured above) with my husband when he gets home from work and try to do something every day.  I definitely believe that diet and exercise are key to a healthy pregnancy.

I am still keeping up with the DIY Food Adventure through my gym: CrossFit Santa Cruz by making my own food for the majority of my meals and I don't plan on stopping.  It has been the best thing for me and my pregnancy.  My diet is the same, but I have been gaining weight pretty well after that initial slow period during the first to mid-second trimesters.  Now I have already gained 30lbs (!), but I am not eating significantly more and I have if anything tightened up my diet to include fewer weekend cheats on desserts.  I know they make me feel so crappy the next day that I have been trying to have some fruit instead, and the figs in season right now are my favorite.  I can't believe I waited so many years to have raw figs!  They are divine!

I've taken to having broth and a banana for breakfast, an egg scramble (with carnitas if I have some) or just eggs with grapes or apples for second breakfast/lunch, and then the lunches/snacks given below.  I make sure to get in some fresh veggies with at least one or more meals and to eat 3-4 meals a day.


Lunch 

One of my go-to lunches is basically pizza without the crust.  I broil heirloom tomato slices topped with cheese (whole milk mozzarella was a favorite, until my store switched over to part-skim :(--now I like the Farmer's cheese) and pepperoni (such as Applegate brand--a lesser of evils in the processed meat world) and then savor that ooey-gooey deliciousness.  I usually serve it alongside sliced bell peppers (I've found that the smaller they are, the sweeter, and the yellow seem to be sweeter than the red) and cucumbers (the smaller the better on these too).

I have also been known to indulge in Grain-free Biscuits from Food Renegade as sandwiches or open-faced sandwiches with Farmers cheese or an omelet.  I have it alongside loads of raw veg. and/or grapes or cinnamon apples cooked or microwaved with grassfed butter.  

As it gets chillier and cooler, wetter weather descends on Santa Cruz, I'll definitely be adding Heirloom Tomato Soup to my lunch repertoire.  

Snack

I often throw together something quick and take it on the road.  A roasted chicken leg and thigh, some home-roasted and salted cashews, and an apple is an easy meal-on-the-go.  This replaces that handy, delicious Perfect Foods bar I so often fell back on in the past.  Sometimes I'll switch this out with a couple hard-boiled eggs or leftover grassfed beef burger and sub carrots for the carb. 

Keeping hydrated is also something to think about, not just while pregnant.  Pregnancy dulled my love of teas, so I am down to water and this time of year, it can be tricky to guzzle enough cold water on cold days.

I used to like a can/bottle of coconut water post-workout as a great thirst-quencher addition to water with the added electrolytes, but I'll get over it.  I am not relying on even those probably minimally-processed, one-ingredient foods anymore.  Instead, I try to drink some lemon water with salty food or add a pinch of salt to lemon water to get electrolytes back.  I absolutely LOVE lemon water, but it does tend to make me thirsty for more--which is a good thing if I am dehydrated and just can't suck down enough plain, cold water.

Oh and while lemon seems acidic, it is actually a base to your body, so it can counteract some of the high acid load of meats and fruit as a base like veggies.  Founder of the Paleo Diet, Dr. Loren Cordain, has a wealth of information about the integral acid-base balance and how that super-acid diet is a recipe for metabolic disorder.  

For more on making your own sports drink for electrolyte replenishment, check out this post by Primal Girl in a Modern World: Easy Sports Drink Recipe (and skip the stevia--you don't need it). 

And a drink-snack:

When out and about on weekends or as a nice relaxing wind-down to the weekday, we make a trip to the local coffee shop Verve, which has become a destination for my husband and I.  Despite my love of their atmosphere, throughout my pregnancy I have had an aversion to coffee (which is fine since I shouldn't have caffeine anyway) and even my old favorite teas.  Instead of being lame and just sipping water there, I recently found a new love: the steamer--steamed organic milk with their homemade whip cream and a splash of sweetener (if any).  This is a fun indulgence for me at the coffee shop, and if you are in the Santa Cruz area and want the best coffee around, you HAVE to stop at Verve Coffee Roasters.  You won't be disappointed :)

Finally, check out your local meat market for some great ideas when you are stuck in a meat rut.  We have El Salchichero that specializes in grass-fed and pasture raised meats.  I absolutely love their chicherones (pork rinds) and have been known to indulge in their creative sausages as a change in the lunch/snack routine.  While not quite homemade, they are still local and use quality ingredients and I always cook the sausages, usually having them with eggs.  Quality meat definitely makes a difference!

Heirloom Tomato Soup

Heirloom Tomato Soup

Even though tomatoes are a summer treat, tomato soup brings back memories of cool weather foods that warm me inside and out.  I remember dunking soup crackers into tomato soup and trying to eat them while they still had some crunch, before they became piles of sludge at the bottom of the bowl.

After I changed my diet, I haven't really missed soup crackers, but I have missed the soup.  In my past life, before I clogged up the supermarket aisle inspecting labels, I might not have even thought twice about something called "tomato soup"--I mean, it's just tomatoes right?  Wrong.  Here is the ingredient list for Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup:

Ingredients: Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Wheat Flour, Water, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Flavoring, Citric Acid, Lower Sodium Natural Sea Salt, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Monopotassium Phosphate.

Call me an idiot, but I could NOT find the ingredient list on Campbell's website without some serious digging. While their Australian website had products with ingredient lists readily available, their American site only includes Nutrition Facts, not ingredients when you searched by product.  Nice.  After a search for "tomato soup ingredient list," half-way down the page, buried in a Schedule A pdf of all their soups, I found it.  But since it's a pdf, I couldn't copy and paste it.  So I had to use their "shop" online link to find the product there.  Can you say NOT so user-friendly...

We're sorry, there were no results that matched you're search term: ingredient list 

Not being forthcoming usually means you have something to hide--perhaps like that high fructose corn syrup, wheat, and "flavoring"?  And seriously--ADDED sugar?  To a soup?  To a soup already sweetened with one of the sweetest vegetables/fruits: tomatoes?  Um....  This sounds exactly like what Dr. Lustig was saying when he called foul on companies for pumping their products full of fructose to get people to eat more.  Remember, fructose by-passes the metabolic hunger turn-off switch, so you want more and more and more...and guess where all that excess goes?  Hint: it's bulking you up but unfortunately not your muscles!

Finally, the can is also part of the problem.  Not only does it denote a processed product we are trying to oust from our diet for a more "real food, slow food" lifestyle, but it also contains BPA, which according to Consumer Reports is in the cans (even some that say it isn't) and has been linked to:

infertility, weight gain, behavioral changes, early onset puberty, prostate and breast cancers and diabetes.

Mark's Daily Apple has a great doomsday post on that issue if you'd like more information.

Okay, so enough with the ranting over the sorry state of nutrition affairs. Now it's on to recreating all the wholesome goodness that I thought I could find in a canned vegetable soup, but I was clearly mistaken.

You Don't Need Soup from a Can

The cool thing is that my recipe is dead simple and freaking' delicious.  It is just as easy as reheating from a can and is a gazillion times better for you.  It hits the spot for a warm (or chilled) bowl of flavorful tomato soup.  All you need are heirloom tomatoes and some spices.  No wheat, sugar, oils, or "flavoring." The tomatoes themselves provide all the liquid you need.  It's like magic!

Why Heirloom Tomatoes?

The heirloom tomato part is important to get sweet, flavor-bursting tomatoes AND to support the alternative agricultural traditions that produce these not-so-mass-produced vegetable/fruits.  From the article: Why Heirloom Seeds & Veggies Matter on Robb Wolf's website, I learned a bit more about heirloom plants:

• Heirloom varieties are pollinated via insects and the wind and gardeners have chosen seeds to plant from those with the most favorable traits, usually taste and hardiness for their climate--usually passed down from 50-100 years. 
• This is opposed to mass-produced vegetables that are either uniform hybrids from carefully controlled artificial selection pairings or genetic modification, which is a whole 'nother cup of tea. 
• You can save the seeds from heirlooms and plant them to start your own gardening process. 
• Unlike hybrids, heirlooms ripen at different times and take on their own unique characteristics, adapting to your tastes and environment if you only choose to plant the seeds from plants that perform best. 

Unfortunately, while I DID by heirloom tomatoes for a pretty penny, they were not locally sourced and I feel bad about it.  I just really wanted to enjoy my soup for that taste of summer to come.  I suggest that if you can, buy local heirlooms and save some seeds to start your own garden. 

What about Nightshades?

Nightshades are inflammatory plants, so those with autoimmune disorders or sensitivities to inflammatory foods try to stay away from them.  Nightshades include potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers.  Since I have had issues with inflammation, I used to be deathly afraid of eating any of those except in moderation, like every once-in-a-blue-moon frequency.  However, Dr. Loren Cordain, author of The Paleo Diet, discussed the issue in his newsletter.  Here are his insights:

The primary tomato saponin which causes a leaky gut is the glycoalkaloid, α-tomatine. Table 4 below shows the concentration of α-tomatine in a variety of tomatoes and tomato food products. Note that smaller and unripe tomatoes have noticeably increased concentrations of α-tomatine, whereas this compound is barely detectable in a standard ripe, red tomato.

The referenced table shows the highest concentration amongst unripe, small green tomatoes (548mg/kg) and remarkably reduced concentrations amongst edible tomatoes: 2.7mg/kg for red cherry tomatoes, 1.1mg/kg for large yellow tomatoes, 0.9mg/kg for ripe red beefsteaks, and 0.3 for standard red ripe ones.  Heirlooms weren't on the list, but I can imagine they are in the ripe range.  While their low concentration of this saponin is good news, the bad news is that there are also lectins to worry about:

In addition to α-tomatine, tomatoes contain another anti-nutrient called tomato lectin (TL) which rapidly crosses the gut barrier and enters into the bloodstream in humans. The concentration of TL in tomatoes and tomato products is between 3.0 – 6.0 mg/kg.

He goes on to scare the crap out of me with his description of how these nasties lead to a leaky gut, but fortunately he ends on a high note:

However, because ripe red tomatoes have such low concentrations of α-tomatine, and because they are rich sources of vitamins, minerals and other healthful nutrients, only people with an autoimmune disease or allergies should consider limiting their fresh ripe tomato intake. 

Yay!  So while I still won't make tomatoes an everyday menu item, I also won't shy away from them when I'm beckoned by their dazzling, jewel-like colors perched so temptingly along the produce aisle.  

Without further ado, here is the recipe!

Heirloom Tomato Soup

Super easy and super delicious tomato soup perfect warm or chilled.

Cooking time: about 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 medium ripe heirloom tomatoes (soft to the touch) for each diner
• spices of your choice, such as:
• dried or fresh basil
• dried or fresh thyme
• dried or fresh rosemary
• dried red pepper flakes
• salt 
• pepper

Method:

Cut your heirlooms in half and place them cut side up on a baking sheet or broiler pan (you don't want to put the tomatoes directly on racks because they'll spill).  You could probably season them now, but herbs will just burn, so you can salt and pepper now and hold off on the herbs until they reach the bowl.  Broil or even grill until you see the tops start to crisp up a little and the flesh is softened.  This can take up to 15 minutes, depending upon your oven and how long it takes to get cranking.  Broiling is a good use of a toaster oven for the small space and faster heating. 

Slightly crispy, broiled tomatoes

Once you have soft tomatoes, carefully remove them one half at a time into a bowl and chop them up with a spoon and knife to break the chunks and skin into bit-sized pieces.  The texture is chunky, so if you like a smoother soup, use an immersion blender or regular blender/food processor to reach your desired consistency.  The tomatoes themselves supply all the liquid you need for the soup--be careful not to overflow your bowl!

Add salt and freshly ground black pepper plus any spices you desire and taste to find the right proportions.  Enjoy your tomato soup hot or chilled--it's delicious!  

This is a terrific carbohydrate for your meal (2 tomatoes is a Zone block) or an easy first course to a dinner.  You can easily make this a complete meal with the addition of some protein and fat.  For example, add some shredded chicken to the bowl and then have some berries and coconut milk (see my recipe: Berry Bowl) for dessert.  Yum!

A Dinner in the Zone: Hearty Paleo-Zone Chili on Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps with Crunchy Slaw

Those of you Zoning with me may be a little sick of the piecemeal, thrown together meals we often fall back on.  The ease of just finding a Protein source from the list, Carb source from the list, and Fat source from the list and combining odd choices just to get the balanced blocks can take it's toll on your meal-time satisfaction.

But I am here to offer another option: cooking a Zone meal that will make many dinners to come as easy as portioning and reheating.  And did I mention that it's filling AND delicious?  Sometimes with the calorie reduction inherent in the Zone Diet and the emphasis on fruit and starchier carbs for easier blockage, people feel hungry all the time and starved.  This meal utilizes lower glycemic ingredients (vegetables) to satisfy you at the end of a long day of weighing and measuring. And it's filling whether you're eating only a two-block portion or a five-blocker.  Yes, eating well CAN actually happen on the Zone!

THE MEAL

I began my Paleo-Zone challenge last Saturday and will post my food log soon, but for now, let me share with you this amazing meal I've had for dinner this week.  And with the amount my husband and I made, we'll probably still be having this meal well into next week :)  This meal is Hearty Paleo-Zone Chili on Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps with Crunchy Slaw spooned on top (all recipes follow).  It's delicious and hearty--which is no simple task when cooking and eating on the Zone.  At two blocks or five, this meal will fill you!

The chili is a rich and spicy mix of vegetables and grass-fed beef.  It is FILLING, which is the perfect quench for end-of-day hunger, and it's warming to combat chilly evenings.  I was inspired by paleo chilis that hold the beans, Alton Brown's amazing Pressure Cooker Chili (sans the pressure cooker for us) that turned us on to using chopped beef instead of ground beef, and the Chan's Chili recently posted in the CrossFit Journal, which helped us Zone proportion our chili. Whether you Zone or not, this chili is amazing and you definitely won't miss the beans. 

Instead of straying off the Paleo Diet for rice or tortillas, I serve the chili on Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps that add a meaty base.  SO much more filling than rice or tortilla, these mushrooms are a great base for any meaty sauce.  The chunky, silky texture of the chili is complemented perfectly by crunchy, lime and onion slaw I call Crunchy Slaw.  It is SO easy to make and adds that taste and crunch that definitely kicks the chili up another notch. 

For the recipes below, I used P, F, C to stand for Protein, Fat, and Carb, which the Zone Diet uses to balance food.  A block of Protein = 7g protein, a block of Fat = 1.5-3g depending on the fattiness of the Protein, and a block of Carb = 9g after fiber is subtracted.  For Zone Block charts, check out this compiled list: http://www.mitymous.net/weights/zoneblox.htm

NOTE: there is definitely some flexibility to these measurements as some of the foods I used below have different measurements based on different Zone block lists.  Since this meal is mostly veggies, I am not going to fuss about which count is correct and whether I have measured it precisely.  The Zone is enough effort just to weigh and measure everything.  In this case, allow yourself some leeway on the veggie counting and err on the side of MORE.  :)

Without further ado, here are the recipes!

Hearty Paleo-Zone Chili--this is only one of three containers we filled to the brim!

Hearty Paleo-Zone Chili

Definitely not for a quick meal, this endeavor will provide you with chili to feed an army or yourselves for a week (maybe two?) on the Zone.  The medley of grass-fed beef, assorted vegetables, and spices will heartily fill and warm your belly. 

Prep Time: 1hr give or take your mad knife skills and helpers

Cook Time: 2-3+hrs, slow cooker for the day/night or stovetop for a few hours until tender and delicious.

Quantity: see Our Totals below.  You can use the ingredients in your own proportions to make the quantity you desire.  We're going for a 2P:1C:1F ratio so you can serve this on Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps with Crunchy Slaw on top.

Ingredients:

NOTE: I'll give what makes a block and how much we used, but you have to be your own guide for making this Zoned to meet your desired quantity and taste.

• yellow onions, chopped (1.5c = 1C, 10 onions gave us 10c = ~6C)
• mushrooms, chopped (3c = 1C, one container of sliced mushrooms = 3C and we used 4 = 4C)
• can of crushed tomatoes (with Basil) (check your label, ours was 1/2c = 1C and we used (2) 28oz. cans or 10C)
• zucchini, chopped (2c = 2C, we used 6 small ones and got 8 cups or 4C)
• grass-fed chuck roast, chopped (1oz = 1P and we used 56oz = 56P)
• container of salsa (check your label, ours was 1/2c = 1C and we used 2c = 4C)
• cumin
• chili powder
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• olive oil (1T = 9B and we used 3T = 27F)
• optional: chili peppers or other heat multipliers (NOTE: the chili powder and cumin made this pretty spicy on their own, so play around with it to your taste)
• a writing instrument and sheet of paper to record your amounts and calculations

Our Totals: 56P, 28C, and 28F is a 2:1:1 ratio, so we need to add a Carb and Fat to every portion of chili.  That is perfect for a serving with Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps (1/2C, 1F) and Crunchy Slaw (1/2C) (see recipes that follow).  Our finished batch was 187oz. and dividing by the 56P that went into the pot gives us 3.33oz for 1P, 1/2C, 1/2F.  Your batch will vary on your ingredients and finished thickness and weight, so do your own math on this one.  Sorry, Zone cooking isn't a piece of cake, but it is well worth the effort to not stress about dinner for a week (or more)! :)

Method:

Chop till you are blue in the face.  You should start on the onions and add them to a large stock pot set over medium high heat and coated with olive oil (1T worked) and a little salt.  I like to season as I add new ingredients into the pot, a lesson learned from years of watching Emeril as he bammed the crap out of his dishes.  Stir the onions every time you add more to the pot and add more oil if they start to stick.  Record how many cups of onions you use and keep a running tally of the oil.  Remember to try to be frugal with the oil if you want to stick to plain Jane Zone. Those of you lean enough to be using Fat multipliers can have more flexibility--damn you ;).

Meanwhile, a second pair of hands can chop the chuck roast into tiny bits, cutting out any really awful sinewy parts if desired.  Once that's cut, weigh it to use your desired amount and write that number down so you can figure out total blocks later on.  Using another skillet, coat with olive oil (1T worked) and brown the beef (use multiple batches so you only have one layer of meat in the pan, add more oil for each batch--it took us two batches using a big skillet).

Next, to the onions in the stockpot, add the sliced mushrooms (I bought them already sliced, so no prep there!--measure them out if you want to be precise, but for each styrofoam-like container it was about 3c).  Stir and cook them down.  We're looking for translucent if not browning onions and reduced size in the mushrooms as they cook.

The first pair of hands can move on to chopping the zucchini or you can get to it after the meat is done.  Measure out how much you use by the cupful.

Once the meat is done, add it to the stock pot (batch by batch is fine), then add the zucchini, tomatoes, salsa, and spices.  For the spices, be your own judge based on how much you are making at once.  Remember, it's always easier to add more heat later than find Zoneable ways to reduce it after the fact. Unfortunately sour cream and guacamole are Fats that will easily devour your blocks unless you allot them.  Let your chili reduce over Medium heat until you like the thickness, then Low for as long as you like to meld the flavors and tenderize the beef and veggies.

Once done, you have one more fun task: measuring the result of your labor of love.  We tried to be sneaky and weigh the empty pot, then the full pot, but the pot was too heavy for the scale :(  So we weighed storage containers and then filled them, took their weight and got the whole picture the hard way.  You could also measure by Pyrex liquid measure as you remove the chili from the pot and place in storage containers.  Either way, from that number of total weight, divide it into total blocks of Protein and figure out ounces or cups per block of Protein.  From our ingredients, we came up with a 2:1:1 ratio and found that 3.3oz. gives us 1P, 1/2C, 1/2F.  Yours will vary based on the quantities and thickening of your chili.

We served ours over Simple Roasted Cauliflower (3c =1C, plus a little fat) or Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps (1/2C) (recipe follows) with Crunchy Slaw (1/2C) (last recipe) on top.  

Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps

For a meaty base perfect to hold chili, burgers, ragout, or anything else you desire, try better-than-bread roasted portobello mushrooms!

Cooking Time: 15min+, really as long as you like to get them tender and juicy

Quantity: 2-3 roasted caps, depending upon size, is about 1/2C if 3 cups = 1C

Ingredients:

• Silpat

or parchment paper and baking sheet

• portobello mushroom caps (rinsed and stems removed) (3c = 1C, so 2-3 caps after roasting seemed like 1/2C)--NOTE: make extra so that you have meals for a few nights.  The mushrooms will keep well sealed up in the refrigerator.
• olive oil (1/3t = 1F), optional
• salt 
• pepper

Method:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper so you don't have to use fat to grease the pan.  Place mushrooms on the sheet, gills up.  Sprinkle caps with salt and pepper and drizzle on the olive oil you need to accumulate your desired fat blocks.  If you don't have any fat to spare, the caps are fine without any oil.  The liner is our insurance :) Place the sheet in the oven and bake until juicy and tender.  These are perfect to make in bulk while you are preparing and cooking the chili!  Afterwords, you'll have a delicious base to your chili that is spoon tender, meaty, and filling!

Crunchy Slaw

The perfect crunchy slaw for your spicy dish!

Prep Time: 5-10min tops

Quantity: Made enough for at least 4-6 plates, so about 1/2C for each serving. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of cabbage (4c = 1C)
• 1/2 onion (1.5c = 1C)
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro (unless you are using a bucketful, it's unlikely you'll come close to a block)
• 1 lime, juiced (1C)

Total Blocks = 3C

Method:

Chop the cabbage, onion, and cilantro as finely as desired and mix well.  Add lime juice and mix again.  There you have it!  This is a perfect, crunchy, tasty accompaniment to tacos/chili/anything Mexican inspired!

So there is your meal: Hearty Paleo-Zone Chili served on Roasted Portobello Mushroom Caps with Crunchy Slaw on top!  Here's to enjoying what you eat on the Paleo-Zone Diet!

Pasta Sans Pasta

Nothing beats a heaping bowl of spaghetti when you want something filling, simple, and comforting.  I have the perfect substitution for pasta that is BETTER than pasta.

Here are just a few of the problems with wheat pasta (Disclaimer: this is MY take on the information out there I have gathered through my CrossFit Nutrition Certification by Robb Wolf, my biology and physical anthropology degrees, books on diet and health, and my internet searches.  I am NOT a biochemist, but I want to try to explain things as I understand them hopefully in a way YOU understand and can benefit from):

1.  It contains wheat, which is a grain, which has lectins and gluten that screw up your digestive system making it difficult to digest and absorb nutrients.  Grains put your digestive system in a state of battle with the food you are ingesting.  Gluten is sticky and lines your gut, promoting harmful bacteria growth and decreasing your ability to absorb useful vitamins, minerals, and nutrients into your bloodstream.  Plus, now your immune system has to fight that bacteria.  Lectins are mild toxins found in grains that inhibit the repair processes in your gut and leave the door open for particles from your gut to leak into the bloodstream.  These foreign particles illicit an immune response from your body to search out and destroy them.  Autoimmune disorders can result from an overtaxed immune system.  It is no wonder most of us are gluten sensitive to some degree and even if you think you are "fine," try going without them for two weeks and then reintroducing them.  They will likely make you sick in a not so pleasant way.

2.  Grains have a very high glycemic load.  They are sugar in disguise and release a ton of glucose (a simple sugar that all carbohydrate is broken down into) into your bloodstream, which forces your body to release insulin, a hormone whose job it is to get glucose out of your blood and into your muscle and liver cells as an energy source.  Once they are full, the overflow of sugar going to those cells must be stored  instead.  So excess carbohydrate becomes FAT.  Your body tries desperately to get glucose out of your bloodstream and into cells because it is toxic there--it binds to proteins and clogs arteries.  The cycle of fat storage is made worse by the fact that insult inhibits a fat-burning enzyme, lipase, so you can't use your fat for energy as efficiently.

A constant overflow of sugar also makes you insulin resistant, which means it takes more and more insulin to get the same response as if you had a lower glycemic diet.  This is because your body is trying to squish more glucose into cells that say "no vacancy," so more insulin is released to find other places to stick it, which are fat cells.  Your body learns that to get the glucose out of your blood it takes more and more insulin, so it releases more each time.  The production of insulin by your pancreas isn't cheap and high levels of it in your bloodstream are toxic, leading to more problems such as arterial clogging plague and cancer cell proliferation.   The disastrous cascade goes on and on...

Thus, by ingesting foods with high glycemic loads like grains, you are essentially breaking your digestive system and making its use of nutrients for energy less efficient.  And guess what happens when you crash after eating too much sugar--you get tired and hungry again.

3.  It isn't very nutritious.  The nutrients are bound up inside it and isn't a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber compared to going to the source: veggies.  Even meat has more available vitamins and far outweighs grains as a protein source.

4.  It is more processed.  We are trying to mimic a more natural diet of our ancestors.  Think outside the box.

5.  Finally, does it actually have a taste?  Is it something people can eat alone (without fat)?  Not really.  It is mostly just cheap, bulking filler to satiate you.

Vegetable pastas have taste, are grown and not processed, are nutritious, are low glycemic foods, and are natural back-to-the-earth foods.  You can support your local farmers by buying them fresh and local.

Here are two vegetable pasta varieties that will blow your mind and forever change your pasta perceptions.  Both are superb served with a meat sauce, but I encourage you to experiment with them and other sauce varieties.

Basic Meat Sauce
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes 

1 lb ground beef (preferably grassfed)
1 16oz can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 T each of oregano, basil, onion powder/dehydrated onions, garlic, kosher salt
1/2-1 tsp each of red pepper flakes and black pepper
(NOTE: You can get fancier, but this sauce is quick and easy for a weekday meal)

Brown beef over medium high heat in a skillet.  Once browned, add sauce and spices and simmer to mix flavors and reduce sauce to desired consistency (minimum of 10min).  Combine with pasta choice and enjoy!

Zucchini Pasta
Zucchini has a neutral, fresh veggie taste with a lovely crunch
Cooking Time: prep time is 5 minutes, cooking is ZERO (just warm)

1 med-large zucchini per diner
specialty equipment: serrated veggie peeler to make noodles when instead of peels (between $5-20 at a cookware store, looks just like a regular peeler just with teeth along the blade)

Wash the zucchini.  Cut off the ends.  Peel into noodles with the peeler.  NOTE: gets tricky at the end with the nubs that don't want to peel.  You can chop those and add them to the sauce.  Warm noodles in the sauce before serving.  They have a delightful crunch!


Spaghetti Squash Pasta
Spaghetti squash pasta has a nutty, buttery taste with a pleasing crunch
Cooking Time: less than 30 minutes

1 med-large spaghetti squash (oval, bright yellow squash)
(NOTE: one large one can easily feed the whole family!)

Punch holes in the squash with a fork or chef's knife (the skin is thick!).  Place in microwave with moistened paper towels circling it (one layer).   Microwave on high for 2-5 minutes, flip, and repeat for as long as it takes to be able to compress the top of the squash easily--about 20 minutes for really large ones.  Remove and place on cutting board.  Rest 5 minutes.  Then, using a chef's knife, carefully cut in half lengthwise being careful not to burn yourself on the steam.  Use a large spoon to remove the seeds and stringy seed casing.  Then use a fork or spoon to scrape the sides of the squash into noodles and separate them into another bowl, separating the noodles into strands once there.  Continue until you remove all of the noodles you can and add them to the meat sauce, coating them evenly.  Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash
Zucchini Noodles

Bread Worth Craving

As a paleo dieter, bread is out.  Grains are the enemy, and "eat meat, not wheat" is our battle cry.  However, I have found a bread to fill the void.  It is one that I actually prefer over all but the most crusty and homemade of breads.  Rival to naan in its simplicity, versatility, and delectability.  I give you Flaxbread!

Italian Flaxbread

inspired by Paleo Focaccia, Sandwiches and Cakes by Nikki Young.   
Cooking Time: less than 30 minutes

2 cups ground flaxseeds (store these in the freezer since they go rancid easily)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar (see NOTE)
4 eggs (room temperature is best, so put out early or warm in a warm water bath)
1/2 C water or chicken broth
1/3 C olive oil with Italian Seasoning Mix mixture leftover from Roasted Turkey Breast


Italian Seasoning Mix:

3 sun dried tomatoes (chopped), 1T each of rosemary (crushed), oregano, basil, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder/chopped dried onion, 1tsp each of pepper, red pepper flakes
(NOTE: make more of this seasoning than you need, add olive oil, and store in the refrigerator for other uses like salad dressing and Roasted Turkey Breast seasoning)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and combine the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in the other.  Mix each well.  Add the wet to the dry and mix to evenly incorporate the ingredients.  Using a baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat, scoop out the batter and distribute over the sheet.  Using a spatula, try to make a nice even layer without holes.  This is difficult since the batter is sticky!  Wack it in the oven for about 20 minutes and see where it is around 15 minutes in.  You are looking for browning on the bottom of the edges and a more golden look to the surface of the bread.  Once finished, cut into slices, cool on a rack, and then store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Uses:

Sandwich bread--this flavorful bread beats wheat bread hands down

Bread to accompany spaghetti night or curry night (try using an Indian spice mix instead of Italian)

Snacking

Open-faced sandwiches


Since this is nearly ALL fat, try to use it with meals that don't have any other fat or when you are splurging paleo style.  Making your meat without using fat such as on the grill or searing in a pan will allow you more leeway with fats in other parts of the meal, such as this bread.  This is definitely worth the indulgence!

NOTE: The original recipe from the paleo cookbook called for baking powder.  Baking powder is not technically paleo since it is made from corn.  Another alternative to using baking soda and cream of tartar is to whip the eggs into stiff peaks and fold them into the batter, or add baking soda and an acid to make it work, perhaps a honey bread, cocoa bread, or lemon bread.  The first picture is from an experiment in that realm using coconut milk.  I think this would make a great sweet application, so more experimentation is needed.

Lunch Time!

Now that school is back in session, parents and students alike need nutritious lunch ideas.  Here are some tips to keep you and your kids eating healthy lunches while not making you slave in the kitchen for their preparation.  The key is making sure each meal has healthy carb, protein, and fat.  The balance will create longer lasting satiety and won't leave you with highs and lows in energy.

Healthy carb choices: carrots, berries, apples, grapes, kiwis, salad greens, virtually any fruit and veggie you can think of except for beans/legumes of any kind, starchy potatoes (save those for an occasional dinner or post workout dish), and use high glycemic fruits rarely like bananas, melons, mangos, and the like.  High glycemic fruits will just leave you hungry a couple of hours later anyway, so keep them to a rare treat.

Healthy meat choices: fish, lean meats (including eggs, beef, poultry, game, pork, etc.), shellfish, sausages that don't have sugar (note: evaporated cane juice is still sugar), grains, or dairy in their ingredients.  Use fatty meats rarely rather than regularly (ex. bacon).  Soy products are out since they are soybean derived and highly processed.  Avoid deli meats for excessive salt and processing.

Healthy fat choices: nuts, seeds, olive oil, olives, avocado.  Avoid overly processed oils like canola or vegetable oil or oils from foods we avoid like soybean or peanut oil (peanuts are legumes).

Another key to eating paleo-style is eating minimally processed, whole foods.  If you buy a processed item in a bag, can, or jar--check the ingredients closely!  Don't allow soy products, grains, or sugar to creep into your diet.  Try to buy products with short ingredient lists and ingredients you can understand.  You and your family's health and performance will benefit from the effort you take to eat right.  

Here is a quick, easy lunch recipe that will give you meals for the week:

Roasted Turkey Breast

Great cold or warm and less than an hour to make start to finish!

ingredients:

1 split turkey breast, bone in, skin on (the bigger, the better) (NOTE: the picture shows two smaller ones I made for a double batch)

1-2 part olive oil

1 part seasoning mix (see choices or create your own!)

Potluck Seasoning Mix:

1T each of garlic powder, oregano, rosemary (crushed), thyme, basil, paprika, kosher salt

1tsp each pepper, crushed red pepper flakes

Italian Seasoning Mix:

3 sun dried tomatoes (chopped), 1T each of rosemary (crushed), oregano, basil, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, 1tsp each of pepper, red pepper flakes

(NOTE: make more of this seasoning than you need, add olive oil, and store in the refrigerator for other uses like salad dressing and flaxbread seasoning 


UPDATE 4/13/2010
Spicy Garlic Mix: 
(for one huge turkey breast or 2 small)
1T garlic powder (be generous)
20 grinds of black pepper (who really measures ground black pepper easily?)
1/2T kosher salt
1/2tsp or more of red pepper flakes/crushed red pepper
2-4T extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 or 450 degrees (depends on how accurate your oven is and trial and error results).  Mix seasoning with olive oil to create a paste.  Start with 1 to 1 ratio of seasoning to oil and increase oil if necessary to make it wet enough to spread.  To avoid contamination, if you are keeping any of the seasoning for another use, set aside in another container; don't keep any extra from turkey application!  Loosen the skin of the turkey by gently pulling it up and running your hand underneath to create a pocket.  Try not to tear more holes in it than the hand opening.  Also, open the cavity between the breast and tender with your hand to expose more surface area for the rub.  Get underneath or cut that layer of skin/connective tissue? on top of the tender.  For large breasts, I like to cut another layer in the thickest parts so that more seasoning can be distributed.  Rub oil mixture on turkey under skin, over skin, and in cavity between breast and tender--all over.  Roast uncovered in a baking dish for 45min (start checking at 35min for 150 degree internal temp or sooner if turkey is small) at 425/450 degrees.  I pull  mine at 150 degrees to allow for carry-over and juiciness, but most references say 165 minimum for safety.  For me that is dry as toast, but I strongly caution you to follow my lead only at your own risk.  I assume no responsibility.  I am pretty confident my turkey comes from a good source; I don't buy mine at Costco or Safeway.  Let the turkey rest before slicing/serving.  Refrigerate once cooled in an airtight container and it will last a week.

Uses:

Turkey Breast Salad--heap a ton of greens into a bowl/container, measure turkey and add to salad, add dressing (olive oil and balsamic vinegar or lemon juice is simple and delicious), and any other veggies, berries, or fruit or serve on the side.

Turkey Breast Sandwich--serve between flaxbread with some veggies and/or fruit on the side.

Turkey Breast a la carte--serve with cut up veggies and/or fruit and nuts/seeds/avocado to create a balanced meal

Turkey Breast omelet or frittatta--add as another protein source to an omelet or frittatta

Enjoy!