Day Thirteen..time to get lean

Meatballs and sauce to go with your spaghetti squash!

Spaghetti and meatballs have been a staple in our house for as long as I can remember. There was also some kind of pasta dish at least three times a week. Spaghetti, rigatoni, lasagna, you name it. And surprisingly leading the charge was my Irish mother. What else was easier and cheaper to feed a family of six. My mom grew up in a large family and survived off of white bread and tuna noodle casseroles, so where she learned to cook, we're still trying to figure that one out. Over the years, my mom became one of the best cooks (just some brownie points) in my opinion (or at least the best an Irish girl could become). I think the day my mom started cooking Paleo, Tommy thought he died and went to heaven. Today's recipe is my mom's sauce (or gravy) and meatballs.

Meatballs
This recipe is made for one pound of ground meat, so tailor it to how much meat you have. For instance, I had 6 pounds of meet so I multiplied the whole recipe by 6. (6 pounds, which should last the boys here about 3 days, if were lucky) We usually use ground beef. An 80%-20% blend seems to work well. Any leaner and your meatballs will be dry. Also, try out using a mixture of meats, such as ground turkey, pork, or veal. These meatballs also freeze well. Either freeze them in a Ziploc bag or mix them with the sauce and freeze the sauce and the meatballs together.

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 clove garlic-minced
• 1 small onion or 2 Tbsp.. onion powder
• salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (makes them a lot better, but omit during the challenge)
• 1/4 almond meal (in our former lives be did use breadcrumbs)

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. (the only really way to do this is with your hands, the spoon is just for show)

 Next spoon the dough onto a sheet pan in about 3 Tbsp. pieces. (I use my cookie dough scoop). Roll the dough between your hands to make a ball.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  I usually split one open just to be sure it's cooked all the way through. (but then of course I have to eat it)

When the meatballs come out of the oven, drain some of the fat off of the sides. If you are not a fan of the fat puddle around the meatball, you can cook these over a cooling rack on a sheet tray. I then pick up the meatballs and slide them right into the pot of sauce.


Sauce
I tried and put this recipe together, although this one like most of my recipes haven't really ever been written down.

• 3 cans tomato sauce (look for one that is just tomatoes, no sugar) ( I know Tuttorosso has one and so does Wegman's)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 2 green bell peppers
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 onions
• 4 or 8 cloves of garlic (probably closer to 8)
• 1/4 cup of dried parsley (fresh works as well, just add a little more)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. of cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper 

Basil works well in the sauce as well and usually I like to add some copped fresh tomatoes and a jalapeno pepper or two.

First sweat the peppers, onions, garlic and bay leaves in the bottom of your pot with some olive oil. (when you sweat you want to turn the vegetables translucent, but not add any color or carmelization. To do this keep your temperature medium-low)

 When your vegetables are soft and translucent pour in your cans of tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. I usually let this cook down for about an hour or so at a low simmer.

 Finished tomato sauce with the meatballs.

Just be sure to take out the bay leaves before you dig into the sauce. The sauce freezes well and also is good over top of chicken or vegetables. With how simple and easy it is to make, you have no excuse to ever eat that jarred shit again. Just make sure you make yesterday's spaghetti squash recipe first so that you resist the urge to crack open a box of spaghetti. 

Day Twelve

Hopefully some of you are doing some pre-planning for the week today. So, I wanted to give you guys this recipe for spaghetti squash. Spaghetti squash can be found at any grocery store (but they can get a little pricey when they're not on sale), but Produce Junction usually has them for a pretty good deal. The texture of spaghetti squash is pretty different than regular spaghetti, but when you pour tomato sauce over it, you may actually fool yourself and get that satisfaction.

Spaghetti Squash

First cut the squash in half lengthwise (hotdog style, not hamburger) The raw squash is usually pretty hard, so I usually put a knife through it and slam it against the cutting board (not even joking).

 (not such an even cut, but the knife got reckless)

Next take a spoon and scoop out the seeds and flesh in the middle of each half. (similar to gutting a pumpkin)

Then, place the two halves cut side down in a baking dish. Fill the dish with about an inch or two of water.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until the flesh becomes soft.

When the squash is still warm,, but cool enough to handle, take a fork and scrape it against the flesh and the squash should flake off into "spaghetti-like" strands.

Feel free to top your spaghetti squash with tomato sauce (just make sure to check that there is not sugar in the sauce that you are using) I'll put up our tomato sauce recipe in the next few days. If you're looking to make a meal of this or add some extra protein add a few meatballs or add some ground meat t your sauce. Or try a pesto sauce, with some basil and pine nuts. If you're looking for a quick fix, heat up your squash in a saute pan with some olive oil, garlic, and some fresh herbs, basil or parsley.

Day Eleven

When eating Paleo, salads are a quick and easy option to take to work or school for lunch. When you make your salads try not to get tunnel vision and stick with the basic lettuce mixture. Try a combination of romaine lettuce, cabbage, and baby spinach leaves. In terms of vegetables, go WILD! Add in anything you want, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, squash, radishes, celery. Then pack your salad full of protein, with some chicken, leftover steak (wait, what's a leftover),salmon, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, and of course it's not a meal if there isn't bacon. In our house we usually dress our salads with a drizzle of olive oil and some balsamic vinegar.

A good ratio for a basic vinaigrette dressing is 1/4 cup vinegar to 3/4 cup oil. Combine your vinegar with spices if you desire (salt, pepper), and then slowly drizzle in the oil while mixing. If you have the right 1:3 ratio, then your dressing will emulsify and you should be able to keep it in a Tupperware container or a mason jar works as well. Feel free to add minced vegetables, such as onions, or Dijon mustard to your vinaigrette.

Here are some suggestions for different oil and vinegar combinations that I've tried out.
Raspberry Wine Vinegar and Walnut Oil
Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil
Apple Cider Vinegar and Olive Oil

olive oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, almond oil are all good. Just be sure to steer clear of vegetable oil, canola oil, or any olive oil/canola oil blends.

Here's an article on some Paleo salad dressings, some more complicated than others
Mark's Daily Apple: DIY Salad Dressings

Day Ten

Sorry for the late post. I was out all day and didn't get home until later. Come to think of it, after yesterday I am probably not even qualified to write this post. haha Just a quick run-down. I woke-up yesterday and worked out before class. A few minutes into it my back tightened up and it suddenly became a game to just get through the 12 minutes. I was doing good with food choices, until I went out with a few friends. I ate fajitas without the shells, but felt the need to eat a french fry. I was just trying to be normal (although I should give up hope that that will never happen) and the worst part was it didn't even taste good. (I blame the bacon on top of the fry for causing this lapse). Next I had ice cream and mousse class. I didn't expect to come out unscathed, and I didn't. Overall, it was a successful day.

My goal in writing this is to hopefully show that mishaps will happen. Sometimes you have a hectic or crazy day or week and your nutrition and lifestyle slip to the back of your mind. It's easy to eat well, work out, and take care of your body, when you have nothing else going on. In reality, if you are having a rough day, you will feel better by taking care of yourself, not sleeping in and missing your work out or eating a whole package of double stuff Oreos. Changing our lifestyles isn't just about toning our bodies or losing weight, it has a lot to do with changing how we feel and our perspective.

Here's Steve's recipe from the potluck that everyone was asking about.

Chorizo Mini Meatloaves with Chipotle, Tomato Relish

Yield: ~18 mini loaves                           

For the Meatloaves

·         1 lb fresh chorizo, casing removed

• 1 lb ground beef from grass-fed cows
• 2 T adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo, read the labels, some contain gluten)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 c almond flour
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, finely diced
• Tallow

For the Sauce

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 chipotle in adobo sauce (1 pepper, not 1 can)
• 2 T olive oil
• handful cilantro, chopped
• salt
• lime
• avocado

Preheat your oven to 350F. Saute the onion and garlic in tallow, until translucent. Place 1/2 the onion/garlic mixture in a large mixing bowl and the other half in the smallest bowl of your food processor.

In that same large mixing bowl that you just added the onion and garlic to, add and mix together the chorizo, ground beef, eggs, adobo sauce and almond flour. Your hands will do the best job of incorporating the mixture, so don’t even bother trying with a utensil. Get out 2 normal sized muffin tins. Dollop the meatloaf mixture into the muffin tins, filling them up about 3/4 of the way. If you fill them to the brim, the rendered fat will spill over and make a terrible mess in your oven. Place the tins in the oven and bake until you see rendered fat in each muffin tin, along with a slightly browned, crusty bottom on each loaf, about 25 minutes.

While the meatloaves are baking…To the saute pan, add the tomatoes. Let them cook until the skin starts to blister and blacken and you see them pop open. Add the tomatoes, along with the chipotle pepper, olive oil and some salt to the food processor (Where the onions and garlic have been patiently waiting for you.) and pulse until a nice saucy consistency forms. If the sauce is too wet for your liking, you can pour the contents into the saute pan and let it simmer down until some of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the cilantro.

Garnish the meatloaves with a spoonful of relish, sliced avocado, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Post your points for friday on this post and I will put another post up for today, later on.

Day nine..feelin fine

Hope everyone's having a good day. Here's a pretty good recipe.

Baby Carrots..Num.

 Open up bag. Insert carrots into your mouth and enjoy.

*I know i suck..expect some videos and quality posts this weekend.

Day Eight..don't hate

Congratulations! Everyone has made it through the first week (some a little better than others). Over the next week or two, thing should become more normal. One of the biggest changes will probably be present in your tastebuds. The next time you think that you actually want that Hersehy bar and you eat it, it will most likely be too sweet. By eating clean, your body begins to appreciate how good, good food tastes. A nice piece of steak some grilled vegetables will be satisfying, without those four Oreos afterwards.

Many people who first ask about eating Paleo, always ask, "Well what can I eat then?". When they here the response that they can eat basically any meat or vegetable they want, there first thought is usually that this lifestyle is limiting. For those of use who have been experimenting with all these recipes, we know that the choices are endless. Often, we get stuck in a rut eating the same grilled chicken and steamed broccoli, when we could be having so much more (without too much additional work). Here's a simple recipe that I made for the potluck that adds some variety to your diet.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

1. Line a baking sheet with asparagus
2. Drizzle oil over the asparagus and sprinkle with salt and pepper
3. Take each asparagus spear and wrapped a piece of prosciutto around it
4. Broil in the oven for about 8-10 minutes or until the prosciutto becomes crispy and the asparagus becomes tender

(I bought 3/4 lb. of prosciutto which covered the whole bunch of asparagus.)

I ran out of prosciutto, so one little naked guy at the bottom. :o

American Heart Walk

I know Tom has posted this on facebook, but I'm just sending out one more reminder. A friend of ours is setting up a team for the American Heart Association Walk in honor of our mom. She plans on getting some t-shirts and planning a hang-out on the beach afterwards so she's asking for a headcount. Everyone at the gym really means a lot to Tom and me. I don't think some of you have realized how much you have all helped us over the last year. It would be really awesome if any of you wanted to come out for the walk on May 19th. Here's all the information. You don't need to make a donation, just add your name to the team list, so we know that you're in. Thanks everyone.

Join us in the American Heart Association Walk/Run in honor of Geri Alfinito!
Saturday May 19,2012 Ocean City NJ

Walk/Run 1.5 ,3 or 5 miles (a distance for everyone)

Please register today on our team "4GERI"
http://heartwalk.kintera.org/southernnjspring/4geri

more information to follow on team shirts and we plan on spending that afternoon on the beach with volleyball,baseball and just some fun in the sun!

bring family and friends .....everyone is welcomed to walk with us in memory of Geri
http://heartwalk.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=487218&team=5027026

Day Seven

Smoothies are a good snack or breakfast substitute, just as long as you monitor the amount of fruit. An easy way to do this is to add vegetables. This recipe is for a kale smoothie, although usually I use baby spinach instead. The fruits are pretty much interchangeable. It is ideal to use berries, as they are lower in sugar. (just be warned that the green of the spinach and blueberries will make an unappetizing color, but still delicious)

Kale Smoothie

• half of a banana
• A few strawberries (about 3)
• half a container of coconut yogurt
• a splash of coconut milk (you can substitute almond milk)
• 5/6 ice cubes
• a handful of kale or spinach greens
• two scoops of protein powder (makes this smoothie a good option for breakfast, by adding the protein)

This recipe is as simple as tossing everything into a blender and blending it until smooth.

The above recipe always makes more than I intend. Just half a banana, the strawberries, and half the yogurt makes enough to feed two people.

So try out your own combinations and let me know how they turn out. Some good ones are almond butter, almond milk, and banana. Mango strawberry, mixed berry, or strawberry banana with a few 72% chocolate chips. Just keep in mind that there are certain fruits that are better for you. So be wise when choosing your fruits in terms of your dietary goals.
Best and Worst Fruits

Some of you have been asking for videos. I just started school up again, so i haven't even had time to brush my hair, but expect some this weekend and I'll also post the recipes from the potluck, so everyone can make Steve's meatloaves.

Day Six..pick-up sticks

A lot of people are always wondering if sweet potatoes are Paleo friendly. They are starches, but probably the best starch you could consume while following the Paleo diet. If you are looking to lose weight, then I would not recommend adding in sweet potatoes in your diet, or limiting them to one every few days. The best time to eat sweet potatoes would be post-workout. I know some of you runners were saying how you needed carbs to run. It's normal to feel tired or fatigued during your workouts, when you first switch over to a low carb diet. (It's exactly what we talked about the other day. Your body needs to adjust to turning protein and fat into glucose instead of sugar) So if you are feeling these effects, try adding in a sweet potato every other day or so.


Sweet Potato Fries
Cut your sweet potatoes into strips, however thick or thin you like them. Wedges will give you a more meaty fry and matchsticks will make a crispier fry. Drizzle the fries with olive oil and a blend of herbs and spices. I like to use salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Fresh herbs also work well and if you're craving something sweet, sprinkle on some cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss the fries so that both sides are coated. Cook in a 450 degree oven for about 30 minutes. At about the 20 minute mark, when the fries start to brown on the bottom, flip the potatoes.

Above: Cut Fries, just add olive oil and seasonings

If you're wondering the difference between sweet potatoes and yams, there really is no difference. In America yams are members of the sweet potato family. Here's an article that will pretty much answer every question you've ever had about sweet potatoes and more.
Mark's Daily Apple: Sweet Potatoes and Yams

I went to the super market after class today. So coming up this week, spaghetti squash, meatballs, tomato sauce, pesto sauce, and salad dressings.

Day Five..feeling alive

Hope everyone had a good time at the potluck. Hopefully it showed some of you that you can still have good food while eating Paleo. We had a lot of great dishes, many of which are very simple. (I will post everyone's recipes up under the recipe tag this week. Some of you said you forgot your recipes at home so you can just e-mail the recipe if you'd like. magalf@comcast.net) Many of you have found pre-planning your key to success, so hopefully you made double of your recipe or got to take some home for the rest of the week.

We've made it through five days and the first full weekend. By listening to every one, I think most of you have started to find a good balance. Many people eat clean during the week and devote one weekend night to having a drink or a few. The goal is to make this lifestyle sustainable even after the 60 days is up, so it is good to find a rhythm and balance early on.

 Good job everyone and see you tomorrow!

Day Four

 In the comments and at the gym, some of you have said that you are experiencing fatigue. Many people in the Paleo community like to refer to this as carb-flu. Carbs and sugar are made of glucose, which is easy for our body to use as energy (but also easy to store as fat). The goal that we are trying to get our bodies to accomplish is to turn fats and proteins into glucose to use as energy. (this process is a little more complex, but our bodies are completely capable) During those first couple of weeks you may experience carb-flu while waiting for our body to get up to speed. Overall, this process will take time and everyone's body is different. There is no solid diet (I mean 'lifestyle", sorry Tom) that will work for everyone. Experiment with eating more protein or including some starches, such as sweet potatoes into your diet. Here's a article from Mark's Daily Apple, that goes a little more in depth on the carb-flu.

Mark's Daily Apple: Carb Flu

"As any Primal buff would attest, this temporary setback pales in comparison to the benefits once the transition has passed. Without the persistent carb-induced peaks and crashes, you should enjoy a measurable boost in energy – steady and stable – in no time."

I wanted to share this recipe from Chris in the 9 a.m. class. 

Citrus Baked Tilapia 

Chris said she didn't have oranges, so she substituted the oranges for a mixture of lemon and lime juice. So try this one out!

Just a few things. The first weekend is here and this always gets brought up. The day consists of when you wake up to when you go to sleep ( not 12:00-12:00) So if you go out on Saturday night and have your fourth drink at 1:00 in the morning it still counts for Saturday, not Sunday. So if you want to lose the minimum about of points, go out Friday night and drink as much as you want and just don't go to bed until Sunday morning.

Potluck is tomorrow at 1:00 pm at our house. 34 Kyle Ct. Mount Laurel. Bring a dish and come out, even for just an hour or so!

Day Three...Yipppee!

FAKE OUT FRIDAY
(way better than freeball Friday)

Especially in the beginning, I know most of us are missing certain foods. Fake-out Friday is here to show you that eating Paleo doesn't just mean grilled chicken, broccoli, and sweet potatoes; there are ways to make your favorite dishes and still be Paleo. Today's recipe is coconut shrimp, which many of you (especially you fried food fanatics) will probably like. Over time, the Paleo version of these meals, will probably be more favorable to you than the normal version.

Coconut Shrimp

• 15-20 shrimp (31/40 count size)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3 Tbsp. coconut oil

First combine the egg and spices in a bowl. Next combine the almond meal and coconut in a shallow bowl or plate. Devein the shrimp and pat them dry. Set up your dredging station in the following order: shrimp, egg mixture, almond meal/coconut mixture.



Take your shrimp and dip them in the egg mixture, followed by the almond meal/coconut mixture. Set them on a plate and allow them to rest for 15 minutes, so that the coating stays on when they are fried. Heat up the coconut oil in a saute pan on medium heat. Cook the shrimp on one side for about 2-3 minutes, flip and cook on the other side. If the pan start to run dry, add some more coconut oil.

Coconut Shrimp

Cocktail sauce is off limits because there is not ketchup on the challenge (unless you make your won), but a quick salsa is easy to make. Cube a mango, add some cucumber, red pepper, red onion, and cilantro for a quick mango salsa.

Just a reminder: The Paleo Potluck is this Sunday at our house, 34 Kyle Ct in Mount Laurel, at 1:00. Don't be afraid to come out, the last one was a lot of fun and really showed everyone that you can eat Paleo and still eat good food. If you are not a cook, you can even bring something as simple a fruit salad. (Just a warning: the potluck will be canceled if a certain someone does not make ants on a log again) Hope to see you all Sunday!

Day 2..Whoop De Doo

Hope every one's first day went well. You know when the challenge has started, because suddenly you're facebook with be taken over by your friend's pictures of food, or non-stop statuses of complaints of no carbs. The first week or so will be the hardest. I know for me, I came downstairs yesterday and instantly wanted marshmallows, jelly beans, and chocolate chips, just because I couldn't have them. Before the challenge my cravings for sweets were starting to let up, so I knew I didn't really want those things.

Sweet Potato Hash
believe it or not I got this recipe from Tom

• 1 sweet potato
• 4 slices of bacon
• ground cinnamon

First bake your sweet potato about 80%. You can either put it in the microwave (which is what we do), or bake it in the oven. Another prepping tip is to bake 5 or 6 potatoes in the oven on the weekend and just reheat them during the week. While your potato is cooking, cut the bacon into about 3/4 inch pieces and fry them in the saute pan. When the bacon is done remove it from the pan, but keep the grease in the pan. Cut your potato into slices, spears, cubes (any way you like) and sear them in the saute pan with the bacon grease, until they start to get some color on the outside. Add in your cooked bacon and sprinkle on a few teaspoons of cinnamon. This is a great recipe for a breakfast, snack, or side to your dinner.

Last night Kelly sent me a picture of her stuffed peppers and mushrooms and they look great!

Keep up the good work everyone and stay with it through these first couple of weeks!

Day 1

Feeling the Burn

Hope everyones breakfast turned out good. The main complaint people have during the challenges is other than nuts, they don't know what to snack on. Other than nuts, there is coconut milk yogurt, almond butter and vegetables/fruits, fresh berries, and this recipe for guacamole deviled eggs.

First here's the recipe for the guacamole:
Guacamole

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 small onion (yellow or red, your choice)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• half a lemon
• 1 tomato
• 1 jalapeno
• salt and pepper

Peel the avocados and put them in the food processor with the onion, garlic cloves, juice of the lemon, and jalapeno. Pulse until the mixture becomes a creamy paste.  Pour into a bowl and stir in the salt and pepper. Dice the tomato into small pieces and stir into the guacamole.

If you don't have a food processor, you should probably get one. Kidding, but not. It will make your life a whole lot easier, with a lot of these recipes. right now we have a baby one and I'm working on getting a big kid one. If you do the guacamole recipe by hand, mince the garlic, onions, and jalapeno by hand. Then mash the avocados with a fork and add the vegetables into the mash.

This recipe is very simple and can be used as a dip for vegetables or we like to pour it on grilled chicken and use it as a sauce (instead of bbq sauce or ketchup).


Deviled Eggs

Hard-Boiled Eggs
Put you desired amount of eggs in a saucepan and add water just so the tops of the eggs are covered. Turn the stove to medium-high heat and wait for the water to boil. Once it begins to boil, turn it down to medium-low heat, so that it is simmering (small bubbles). Let the eggs simmer for 10-15 minutes.

When the eggs cool, peel the shells and discard them. Cut each egg in half and remove the yolk into a bowl. Continue to make you guacamole , but add the yolks into the mixture at the same time you add the onion, avocados, and garlic. Spoon the guacamole mixture into the egg halves. Top with bacon bits, because everything is better with bacon.

The credit for this recipe goes to Denise (I think), she made these for the last potluck. These eggs are a good source of a lot of all the good fats. Like I mentioned before, if you have extra guacamole, it is really good with chicken or steak. (especially if you're already starting to miss ketchup)

When you post your points today under the comments section, also if you have any snack ideas, post them as well.

Just a reminder, the potluck is at our house this Sunday at 1:00. Let me know if you need any ideas or recipes, I have some pretty simple ones.

3...2...1...GO!

Tomorrow is the day that everyone has been waiting for...or dreading. If you're worried about staying on track food wise, the easiest way is not to have access to any temptations. Get rid of any bread, cookies, leftover Easter candy, and take out of view and hide your children's gummy vitamins (at about week two right before the carb flu is finished, these too will become tempting and start to look like a hot fudge sundae) (this has happened, don't be ashamed). I'm not saying to deprive your children of cookies or occasional candy (that would just be cruel), but don't be afraid to begin to cook Paleo for your whole family. (you don't even have to tell them, and they probably won't even notice) For instance, if I am to survive this challenge I will need to follow Mr Softee into a dark alley and make sure his music never haunts my neighborhood again.

At the moment most of you are probably partaking in your last meal. I know Tommy does not condone this behavior, but it's something everyone feels like they have to do before each challenge starts. (basically Tom's just in denial that he has no control over any of us) So eat that spaghetti and garlic bread or slice of chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. You may even not even feel the need to eat that ice cream sundae or even be into ice cream anymore (this will happen, i promise), but you may still feel like you need it, so you should probably just eat it. Here's a recipe to try for tonight.

 The Last Supper

Good luck everyone and remember your fish oil tomorrow. And remember if you fall off a day, its okay (the world probably won't end) just get back at it the next day. For the challenge everyone will post their points on the post for the day. Tomorrow i will write up another post and by the end of the day, you can comment will your points and why you lost the points that you did. This is the fourth (i think) challenge that Tom has done so far and I have yet to stay on track past the two week mark, regardless of the awesome results I see everyone end with, challenge after challenge. I give all of you permission to beat me if suddenly I just stop posting or start dropping consecutive 3's and 2's.

Tips and Tricks
A few tips and tricks for starting the challenge. A few good ones, use your peers. This blog is for everyone. Don't be afraid to tell some one they're doing a good job or to help them back up after a bad weekend. (the same as we would during a wod at the gym) The second good point is that you can still eat out.(just make good choices) We will talk some about that in a few posts.

Egg Bake

Time and time again Tom pushes all of us to eat a real breakfast, usually eggs and bacon or eggs and sausage. I promised we would talk about preparing meals in advance instead of cooking three plus meals every single day. So this recipe is for an egg bake that you can reheat every morning for breakfast or really anytime for a snack. You can make this recipe on Sunday and it should last you for breakfast for the whole week. (unless you live with someone like Tom, then there is no such thing as advanced meals or leftovers...everything is eaten on the spot)


Egg Bake

First crack some eggs into a bowl. For this recipe I usually do 3 eggs x the number of days. So if I was preparing breakfasts for the week, I would use 15 eggs. Just crack the eggs then whisk them together. I also like to add a few spices. Feel free to use whichever ones you like. I used some salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Basil, parsley, and thyme (all fresh or dried) also work well.

Shop-Rite has a carton of 2.5 dozen eggs that often goes on sale for $3.49 (I'm going to use the fact that I'm in culinary school not that I'm a nerd be the excuse that I know the exact sale price) When these go on sale, we usually buy a couple cartons and keep them in the garage refrigerator.

Start off with about 5 sausages (i usually do about 1 sausage per serving, so 5 days= 5 sausages). This is the same kind of sausage I used for the stuffed peppers. Remember you want a sausage that is just pork, water, and spices in the ingredients. (no corn syrup ,sugar, or maltosucropoopocrap) Again this recipe is interchangeable so use whatever meat you have on hand. (leftover turkey, chicken, sausage, ham, bacon, ground beef) Brown the meat in a saute man on the stove top until it is just about cooked throughout. (some pink is okay) Take the sausage out and put it into the egg mixture, leaving the juice and oil in the pan.

Next, pick out some vegetables. The choices are pretty much endless. Here I have some kale, jalapeno pepper, red and green bell peppers, garlic, and red and yellow onions. Baked sweet potatoes also taste really good in here, too. You can use, squash, zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, or anything else you come across. Again, the idea is to not let your meals get redundant and boring. Just by swapping the meat or vegetables in a dish, can create a whole new meal.

Chop up your vegetables into bite size pieces. (these are a little on the larger side) Cook the vegetables in the sausage grease in the same saute pan that you browned the sausage. (I know some of you may be cringing at this, but we all need to clear our minds of the brain-wash that fat makes us fat. Go on use that bacon grease, don't let it sit in a coffee mug to harden) If you are doing a vegetarian version of this egg bake, then you can use some olive oil to saute the vegetables.

You want to cook the vegetables just until they begin to get soft, but so that they are still tender. When the vegetables are done pour them into the bowl with the eggs and sausage.

For the 15 eggs, I use a pan that's about 11"x8", which seems to work. Brush a thin coat of olive oil, just so that it is easier to get the eggs out of the pan after they are cooked. I made this recipe in a pan, but you can also make them in muffin tins for individual servings.

Pour the whole mixture into the prepared pan and bake it for about 25 minutes. The top should be a little brown and it should no longer jiggle in the pan. (it should be fairly stable) Refrigerate it and you can cut a square each morning for breakfast and heat it in the microwave.

Here's a good article by Robb Wolf about pre-planning meals
http://robbwolf.com/2011/01/16/pre-cooking-paleo-diet-food/

Where to Buy?

Many of you are probably looking up recipes and seeing ingredients like, coconut flour, almond meal, and coconut milk and wondering where on earth you get these things. The good news is that they can be found locally and not too expensive.

Almond Meal-can be found at Shop-Rite, Whole Foods, Wegman's but is extremely cheap at Trader Joe's (if you want to make your own, almond meal is just ground up raw almonds)
Coconut Flour-can be found at Shop-Rite, Whole Foods, Wegman's, and Trader Joe's
Unsweetened Shredded Coconut- can be found at Shop-Rite, Whole Foods, Wegman's, and Trader Joe's
Almond Butter-can be found at Whole-Foods, Wegman's, and Trader Joe's (Maranatha is a good price and a doesn't need to be stirred)
Coconut Water-can be found at Shop-Rite, Whole Foods, Wegman's, and Trader Joe's
Coconut Milk -can be found at Shop-Rite, Whole Foods, Wegman's, and Trader Joe's
Coconut Milk Yogurt-can be found at Whole Foods and Wegman's (good as a snack or to make smoothies)

I wanted to give everyone an idea on where to find some of these things, because they will come up often in the recipes that I will post. As you get more use to cooking Paleo, you will become more familiar with substituting almond flour instead of white flour, when you see it in a recipe.

Also, obviously you don't want to waste your whole weekend shopping at multiple stores. Don't think you have to go to all these different stores to get special ingredients. We shop primarily at Shop-Rite and usually hit Whole Foods or Trader Joe's once in a while to stock up on some almond butter or almond meal. (probably less than once a month)

In terms of produce, you can get in anywhere. I know a lot of you rave about the produce at Whole Foods and many Paleo people only eat organic produce. We buy our produce based on what's on sale at Shop-Rite or we try and head out to produce junction.

We were able to buy all of this at Produce Junction today for just under $20. One of the ways to stay motivated and eating Paleo is not to be spending your whole paycheck every week on groceries.

*suppose to say deadly at the end* (I'm reckless with the typos in case you haven't noticed. spell check only gets you so far)
**supposedly Whole Foods employees frown upon customers dropping flour on the ground, even if flour is toxic and disgusting

Are you sure I should be taking fish oil?

First a few things. Some of you have been asking about side effects of fish oil supplements. Tom answered some of your questions in the comment section. The reason we take fish oil is to counterbalance the omega-6 acids in our system. For most people the daily dose of fish oil will do the job. There are claims out there that excessive omega-3s can cause blood thinning or liver complications. I put up this article from Mark's Daily Apple to show that as long as you are eating a diet low in sugars and carbohydrates, and do not abuse fish oil supplements, then you have nothing to worry about. In the short, eat clean, take your supplements, and you have nothing to worry about.

Some of you have also been asking about burp-less fish oil. Most fish-oils now a days have formulas that do not produce "fish-burps" or any fishy smells. It also helps, especially in the summer when it's warmer, to keep your fish oil in the refrigerator.

Mark's Daily Apple-Fish Oil Benefits

Just one more clarification. For the challenge, Tom is allowing the Steve's Club Paleo snacks that are in the gym. Both the bars and the cereal do have honey, (which is not allowed otherwise), but Tom is allowing it because it is controlled and consistent across the board. For most people, trying to find Paleo snacks is one of the hardest parts. In the next few day I put up a post with some snack options. If anyone has found any snacks that work for them, feel free to post them as well.

Stuffed Mushrooms and Peppers

Stuffed Mushrooms and Peppers

A lot of people have been asking for the recipe for the stuffed peppers from the bbq, so here it is. Originally, I made stuffed mushrooms in my appetizer class at school and decided to Paleoize the recipe. I took out the bread crumbs and added almond meal and more meat.(nothing complicated) This is a fairly easy recipe that you can make for a snack or even use regular bell peppers and large mushrooms and make it as a meal. There aren't really any measurements for this recipe or most of my recipes, but the idea is that it's suppose to be easy and fairly basic. As I explain in the video, you can substitute any kind of meat or any vegetables and spices. There is a wide variety of vegetables and many spices, and by interchanging them it helps to keep things interesting. Eating Paleo should not be bland or boring.

Ps. I hate being on video so at least someone better get something out of this video and actually make these damn peppers.

Point System

Point System
For the challenge you have the opportunity to earn up to six points a day.

The first set of points is for food. Everyday you start with three points and lose a point every time you eat or drink anything non-Paleo. For example, if you eat ketchup, you lose a point. Or if you drink two beers, you lose two points. Use some commonsense here too. (a whole cookie cake does not count as one point, it's not the same as one cookie) Once you eat three non-Paleo items, you cannot lose any more points. If you lose all three points try not to get reckless and just eat and drink whatever you want for the rest of the day. The challenge is not just about the 60 days, but about changing your lifestyle permanently. By binging the whole day, you're not a coy devil gaming the system. just a sorry excuse of a man, who's further from his goals. So, the goal is to end each day with 3 points for food. Overall, you're not expected to be perfect during this challenge. The goal is to create an improved and sustainable lifetime. The bar crawl is coming up and you're not expected to drink water and unsweetened iced-tea all night. Kick butt in your workouts and eat clean during the week and enjoy the occasional drink when you go out.

One point is devoted to your fish oil supplement, which we discussed yesterday. I find it easier to take them right with breakfast, but feel free to take them whenever you want throughout the day. It's stupid to lose a point for not taking the supplement, so try and remember to take these. Some days this could be the easiest and only point you get.

Another point is given for stretching for 10 minutes a day. The stretching you do after the wod in the gym counts for the 10 minutes. I know i hate to stretch ( probably because I'm horrible at it) but it really does make a difference. Stretching will help with your lifts and increase your flexibility.
Here's a great website for mobility and stretching that I know Tom likes, too.
Mobility WOD

The last point for each day is for your daily workout. If you come into the gym for a wod, then you earn a point. If it is your rest day or you can't make it into the gym that day, you can do any kind of physical activity. You can go for a run, walk your dog, pogo stick, dance, or even make up your own wod. The idea is to stay active. Overall, we should all be trying to spend less time sitting and more time on your feet. Only a small percentage of our time is actually spent working at full intensity, such as a daily workout. The majority of your time should be spent "moving frequently at a slow pace".

                       
So, that's the deal with the point system. The goal is not to end the challenge with 360 points. The goal is to help make people consciously aware of how to take care of their body and to hopefully make some changes for the better. Especially if you're a a new member, don't be discouraged. Start by eliminating sodas and juices. Then move on to switching your breakfast of oatmeal to eggs and meat. For some people this can be a dramatic change from their own lifestyle. Ideally, this should all be permanent changes that we are making, so if you are looking to better yourself then accept that this is your new norm. (this will come in handy when you refuse a bun with your hamburger and get approached by the haters (yes this will happen), who want you to feel just as shitty as they do). There are people who think that what you are doing is crazy, but there are also people that will be just as into it as you are. For example, Sonya cooks Paleo and the last challenge her husband lost 12 lbs. eating mostly Paleo and not even working out. The best part was when our mom got into Paleo and dinner every night was Paleo. It's a personal choice so don't push anyone into this lifestyle (not everyone is a crazy nut job like us), but it definitely helps to have the people around you have similar views.

This week I'll get a post up about preparing meals in bulk for the week and I'll try to get a few recipes up here to get you going for next week.

FIsh Oil

Fish Oil
During the challenge, you can earn one point a day by taking your recommended dose of fish oil. Small people should consume around 2 grams of omega-3s and larger people should consume around 3 grams. Just a short conversion review for everyone, 1000 mg= 1 gram. For instance, the fish oil at my house has 300 mg of omega-3s per pill. In a day I would need to take 6-7 fish oil pills. Cheaper brands have a lower percent of omega-3s which require you to take more pills  Some of the better brands would only require you to take 2 or 3 pills. The cost difference of taking more cheaper pills or less more expensive pills is pretty small. It's a personal preference and what's on sale that week. ( I think Tom just feels cool popping 10 fish oils a day) When you are figuring out how many pills to take, make sure you read the back of the label where it tells you how many omega-3s are in each pill. Most of the time the front will say something like "1000 mg fish oil pills". This is not the amount of omega-3s, just an annoying marketing ploy. Once you figure out your does, taking fish oil will become an easy part of your daily routine. Fish oil supplements contribute to heart health and joint health. So go buy some bottles of supplements, open them up and breathe in that wonderful fishy smell.

And if you ever run out of pills, it is sometimes acceptable to drink the water out of a couple of tuna fish cans.

So What Can I Eat?

8 days until the challenge begins! Today I'm posting about the different foods that are allowed on the challenge. Many new members have been asking what is considered Paleo and I know some of the veteran members need a refresher too. Because popular to contrary belief, Chewy bars are not Paleo...(well maybe the ones dipped in chocolate but that's it.)

Protein
Ideally, you want to aim for 1 gram of protein per body weight. So a 150 pound person would aim to consume 150 grams of protein. Simple enough. Just to give you an idea, one egg contains 6 grams of protein and each ounce of chicken has about 10 grams of protein. So a 4 lb chicken breast would be about 40 ounces. Do not stress about counting grams. Chances are none of us consume enough protein, so try and eat protein at each meal and just eat more meat! Any type of meat, fish and eggs are all acceptable. Grass-fed meats are always better.

Vegetables
Vegetables should be a large part of your diet. Legumes are not allowed so be sure to not get vegetables and legumes mixed up. Be creative with your vegetable choices and how you cook them. (roasting, grilling, steaming, sauteing) Peas and green beans are technically legumes, but they are allowed since they are closer to vegetables. Do not eat any beans, such as kidney beans, chickpeas (no hummus), black beans, or any type of bean for that matter. And just to ruin everyone's day...no peanut butter. Peanuts are considered a legume and are not allowed. The only vegetable to stay away from is corn, which has no value.

Grains
Stay away from any type of grain. No pastas (don't even complain that you're Italian, that excuse doesn't work here), no rice (unless your name is Soo), no breads, crackers, or anything of that nature. When you are cooking, do not use any flours, breadcrumbs, or cornmeals, or cornstarches. Within the next week I will explain some flours that you can use and how to incorporate them. Just be patient, we're not taking everything away. In terms of starches, stay away from white potatoes, but if sweet potatoes are fine.

Soy and Dairy
Do not consume soy unless you are a man who wants to become a women or if you are a women who wants to turn into a whack job. (There are other ways to keep in touch with your feminine side and soy is not the answer). Just don't eat it. You should also stay away from dairy, it isn't as scary as soy, but still stay away. Coffee and Tea are approved foods, as long as you drink them without dairy or sugar. In place of cream or milk, you should try coconut milk or almond milk, or just drink it plain black. For the challenge, butter is okay to have. Grass-fed is preferable and can be found at Whole Foods. I've yet to try it, but have heard it tastes awesome.

Sugars
I may shed a tear or two at this part. No sugars. The first part is admitting it and the second part is not eating cake for breakfast. Sugar in any form is not allowed, including corn syrup. Natural sugars such as agave nectar or honey are not allowed during the challenge either. (sorry Syl, no Paleo cookies) You will be surprised how many things have sugar in them. Read the labels on everything you eat. Ketchup and barbecue sauce are loaded with sugar and corn syrups.Fruit are loaded with natural sugars and should be kept to a minimum, two fruits a day or so should be good. If you are goign to eat fruit, berries are the lowest in sugar and are the best options. With summer right around the corner, they should also be readily available. Obviously fresh fruit is better than dried. (dried fruit is basically candy bars in disguised...so you mine as well get the good stuff and just eat a snickers) Stay away from fruits if you are trying to lose wait. Similarly, nuts, other than peanuts, are okay, but should also be kept to a minimum. (a little birdie once said only 14 almonds a day)...(ps that's not a reliable source, just don't eat that many) For the challenge Tom is allowing 72% chocolate or higher. Your taste buds will get use to the higher percentage of cocoa and soon milk chocolate will taste like complete crap. Try not to go overboard with the chocolate and make it part of the 20%. (not everyday)

Condiments and Fats
Ketchup, barbecue sauce, and any other sauces or dressings with added sugar are not allowed during the challenge.Mustard, though, is okay. For a simple salad dressing try mixing three parts olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar. In terms of oils, coconut and olive oil are fine, as are avocados. Canola and vegetable oils are not allowed.

Dranks
...there's no alcohol. I know some of you think you can not function without your daily wine or beer, but you will survive, the rest of us around you just might not.
Well you can have water. Unsweetened iced-tea and hot tea, and coffee are all allowed and i guess you could drink carrot juice if you really wanted. No fruit juices, milk, sport drinks, or sodas.

Just some reminders:
The majority of your diet should be comprised of meats and vegetables. You don't have to weigh your food or eat at certain time intervals. It's simple; you eat good,. pure foods when you're hungry and don't eat when you're not. If you're not sure if you should be eating something take a minute to think about whether what you're about to eat could have been hunted or picked and if it could then you're in good shape. We could all embrace the mindset of Evan G and "treat our body like a temple".

In case you haven't noticed, the idea of Paleo, besides eating real foods is to limit insulin spikes in our body. Sugars, starches (which basically turn into sugars), and dairy all pack nasty insulin spikes. Whole grains are no better and may actually be worse, because the fiber in whole grains prolongs these spikes.There is a whole process, but for the basics insulin promotes fat storage.

So about 6 paragraphs later and that's the basics haha. I tried to just get all of the facts out there. This post has a lot of "this isn't allowed and don't do this", but you're all reading this blog because you've accepted the challenge for 60 days to improve your lifestyle and to feel better. I don't want this list to intimidate anyone, once you get the hang of it Paleo is simply going back to the basics.

30 Truths in 30 Days

It's this simple

WELCOME!

Welcome to our blog, everyone! Tom had me create this blog in order to help everyone through the 60 day challenge and beyond. The 60 challenge is just a start to get you on the right track, but the changes you make should transform into your new lifestyle. One of the goals is to show that eating clean is not as difficult or extreme as many people think. I will write a post everyday throughout the challenge and everyone will write their points for the day in the comments section. Although many of us are familiar with the Paleo or primal diet, there are a lot of new members who have never heard of it before. To get everyone on the right page, I will write a post explaining everything by Monday. On the blog I will incorporate some articles as well as some recipes and for your entertainment, a few videos possibly. This is meant to be a resource for all of us, so feel free to contribute and share anything you come across or send in any requests of what you want to see on here. Happy Easter and get your last fill of jellybeans and Reese's eggs...only because eggs are Paleo of course!