New to paleo
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Sweet, thanks!
*GASP* I just realized that GRAVY isn't paleo. At least not the way I make it. Hmph. I love gravy! It's like my favorite food, second only to bacon. Maybe I'll have to figure out a different way to make it so I don't have to use the flour and milk.
Replicate an 'au jus' where to boil down juices to the essential flavor ... if you need to thicken, use arrowroot (my choice) ... there is no paleo law; you decide what works for you and let your body tell you what's worth it. For me, flour thickening isn't worth it but arrowroot works fine. Just don't use it to thicken milk based sauces (if you're primal) or it will be slimey.
Good to know! The milk is actually the part that's concerning -- I don't know how to make gravy without milk, and for my own health I really need to cut out dairy. I'll try to figure out how to make au jus. I've never done that before.
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Basic reduction sauce or pan gravy recipe:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/saucesandgravies/r/blmisc50.htm0 -
Basic reduction sauce or pan gravy recipe:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/saucesandgravies/r/blmisc50.htm
Awesome, thanks!0 -
By the way - love the photo! I laugh every time I see it.0
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By the way - love the photo! I laugh every time I see it.
haha thanks! I took it one day when I was hiding in the bedroom from my children. Because they are insane. I need caffeine to handle the craziness.0 -
I did something similar with zucchini (or courgette, as it is called here). Well Fed has a great recipe for something like spaghetti al olio. Yum. She uses almond flour to add a bit of crunchiness at the end.0
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Hi everyone, I'm new to paleo, a coworker recommended it earlier this week and the science behind it just makes so much sense. I really want to get my whole family eating this way, my husband does low carb so he will be easier than the kids, my daughter is 10 and my son is 8. I have a few questions about the recommended/restricted food list though. On some sites I read, things like bacon, butter and cheese are completely off limits, and they seem to be allowed on other sites. Have people had luck eating these things, is it one of those try it and see deals? I can also relate with the people who have to defend their diet to non paleo eaters. I'm already getting comments and I just started. I'm so glad I found this group on here, it will be so much easier to do this with other people who don't think I'm nuts! 0
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I don't care what anybody says, I will ALWAYS eat bacon.
In copious amounts.0 -
I enjoy bacon also but try to limit because it's processed. A friend is helping me with buying a pork belly and smoking it myself, then just to find a meat slicer. In the meantime I try to source bacon from a local butcher. Look for the best sources of protein you can find and afford.
Paleo is not written in stone; it's a guideline and if you focus on avoiding processed foods and shopping in the meat and produce depts. you'll do well. The biggest thing with kids is sugar which is in everything. Giving up baked goods including bread and prepared cereal also means no sugar. Some people have no problem with dairy but IMO it would be a good idea to exclude this for three weeks or so and see what happens if you reintroduce it. Eat lots of leafy greens if you're concerned about calcium--they have as much or more absorbable calcium than dairy which has a low ratio of uptake by the body by comparison. Substitutes of fake foods like soy milk usually have sweetener in them for taste. Another issue you'll face is what sweetener to use. Personally I stick to maple syrup, but some are happy with stevia (don't like what I've read about manufactured product, but might use leaves in tea) ; that's your call. The less you depend on sweetness, the less the craving for it.
There are good blogs done by parents who are paleo that you might want to look to for how to get kids on board.0 -
It's really shocking when you really read labels and see what products they add sugar to. Even bacon! I'm going to check in with my local butcher, I'm sure whatever I can get there will be worlds better than the slimy junk I get at the grocery store.
I'm definitely going to cut out dairy for a few weeks, I rarely drink much milk anymore and I've given up coffee for green tea so I don't think I'll miss it, except maybe cheese on my salad or in my omelets. I like baby spinach on my salad, which I have every day for lunch, so hopefully I've got the calcium covered. As for artificial sweeteners, I really don't like most of them. They leave a horrible aftertaste in my mouth, and stevia to me tastes like cardboard in my tea. I did throw a packet of equal into my oatmeal with walnuts today, but I considered it a decent tradeoff since I usually drown it in brown sugar. And sugar alcohols kill my stomach so I'm better off learning to leave things unsweetened.
I did read a few of the paleo parents blogs, and I'm going to order the Eat Like a Dinosaur book to read with my kids. I've talked about healthy eating with them, and I've already cut back on the sugary sweets in the house. Luckily there is lots of great fruit coming into season, so I think we'll be ok with snacks, but giving up the daily fluffernutters might be a bit harder. I'm bringing them grocery shopping with me tomorrow, maybe picking things out themselves will make it more fun.
I'm so glad there are people on here who have done this and can give advice. 0 -
I'm fairly new to paleo as well (day 35) and eat bacon. If you have access to a Trader Joe's you can find some of the best priced organic produce if you don't have the option of fresh local or farmer's market. They also have some pretty darn good nitrate/nitrite free, uncured bacon.
Chelll224 have you checked out Sarah Fragoso's "Everyday Paleo?" It has a great section on how to get kids on board with paleo.0 -
There's a Trader Joe's fairly close by, I'm definitely going to have to take a ride over and check them out. I'm looking for organic produce, especially apples since my son will eat 3 a day. I figure it's better than the cookies and chips he used to eat so I'm not going to limit him at this point. But I worry about the pesticides on regular fruit. And I'm glad to hear bacon is ok, especially if I can find the good stuff. My husband does low carb but is skeptical about paleo, but I think no bacon would be a total deal breaker. :laugh:
I have seen her name mentioned in other blogs, and I came across a recipe book she wrote when I was shopping on Amazon for some good paleo cookbooks. I'm really only starting this week, and until I can do a good grocery shop, I've done the best I can with what's in the house. It really has made me look differently at what we're eating as a family though.0 -
Bacon = LOVE.
That being said, I won't eat it unless my butcher slices it. They have nitrate free and low processed. I think trader joes does carry that, but I still prefer butchered meat. We have PCC here (Seattle) and they have an excellent butcher bacon.
Don't get too tied up on someone says black beans are the devil and someone else says they are ok. You know the basics - say away from processed, obvious grains, limit other ancillary grains, russetts, all sugars.
If you are going to eat non-grass fed anything - be sure you are taking lots of omega 3's - matter of fact, just do that anyway.
Get rid of bad oils and get excellent oils like butter, lard, ghee, high end olive oils, coconut oil.
And by all means, EAT EXCELLENT FOOD. It is so good.
I lately have been telling people, I am on the "No Monsanto Diet". If Monsanto profits from any part of the food - I don't eat it.
That pretty much cuts out corn, wheat, soy, HFCS and really anything in a box or can
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As crazy as it sounds, I've never been to a butcher shop. I'm actually not much of a meat eater, and when I did eat it, it had to be smothered in bbq sauce, or ketchup, or something else (sugar filled I'm sure). I'm a total carb addict who could survive happily on crackers, bagels, or toast with peanut butter. Which is how I got to where I am and why I'm on this site, looking for a better way.
I guess I was hoping for a definitive yes or no on the food list because so many times I've been eating what I thought was healthy, only to realize after that it wasn't as great as it seemed. Hello rice cakes.
I've never seen any meat anywhere that was identified as grass-fed, guess the trip to the butcher shop should be an enlightening one. And I did take fish oil supplements for a while, but I've been lazy about it. My dog, however, gets one twice a day. Funny how sometimes we treat our pets better than ourselves. And yay butter! I love butter. Lard still makes me squeamish but I'll give it a shot. And I'm serious when I ask, is canola oil good or bad? I hear both. Perfect example of doing something I thought was healthy, but maybe isn't?
Anyway, thanks for the info! I really appreciate the help. :happy:0 -
As crazy as it sounds, I've never been to a butcher shop. I'm actually not much of a meat eater, and when I did eat it, it had to be smothered in bbq sauce, or ketchup, or something else (sugar filled I'm sure). I'm a total carb addict who could survive happily on crackers, bagels, or toast with peanut butter. Which is how I got to where I am and why I'm on this site, looking for a better way.
I guess I was hoping for a definitive yes or no on the food list because so many times I've been eating what I thought was healthy, only to realize after that it wasn't as great as it seemed. Hello rice cakes.
I've never seen any meat anywhere that was identified as grass-fed, guess the trip to the butcher shop should be an enlightening one. And I did take fish oil supplements for a while, but I've been lazy about it. My dog, however, gets one twice a day. Funny how sometimes we treat our pets better than ourselves. And yay butter! I love butter. Lard still makes me squeamish but I'll give it a shot. And I'm serious when I ask, is canola oil good or bad? I hear both. Perfect example of doing something I thought was healthy, but maybe isn't?
Anyway, thanks for the info! I really appreciate the help. :happy:
If you're more comfortable approaching this with some guidance, check out here for menu plans http://www.paleoplan.com/
Personally canola is a highly processed oil and I don't care how much genetic mods they do to it to make it higher in omegas, it's still processed and deoderized. The processing makes it highly vulnerable to rancidity. Lard in grocery stores is usually hydrogenated so read the label. Some people think in terms of food: if your great grandparents wouldn't recognize it, don't eat it. Paleo will force you to learn to cook in a new way haha!0 -
I'm realizing how many of my healthy recipes that I've accumulated over the last couple of years are decidedly not paleo. I have no problem with breakfast and lunch -- eggs and veggies, salad, bingo, you're done. But dinner is harder, because I have to try to find things that the kids will enjoy. And they enjoy noodles. Bleh. I've been enjoying eating this way, but trying to plan tonight's dinner I've hit a major snag. Tonight's dinner might not be paleo. But I've been doing well this week (I think), so if I can't find something, I'm not going to stress over it.
Thanks so much for the advice and tips in this thread, everyone. I'm going to check out that Everyday Paleo thing too. 0 -
New to eating Paleo and this group. I would like to get to know others who are eating this way, losing weight, enjoying the health benefits.0
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When we do noodles or rice for the kids, I just use a julienne slicer and make zucchini noodles a la Clothes Make the Girl. Or I make cauli rice. I made Mel's cauli rice pilaf and the kids loved it. My 5 year old asked or it again yesterday. You can decide whether to eat the zucchini just for you and feed the kids noodles, or see if they notice. Mine would definitely notice (they are 14, 12, 5, and 3).0
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Well I am new to this website/board and to Paleo. I have been mostly Paleo since November and have lost about 25 pounds so far. My goal is lose a total of 35 lbs. I gained a bunch of weight after baby #2 so I needed something to kick start my metabolism. A friend suggested Paleo and it totally made sense. I also started running, which is something I have never been a fan of until now. I just completed my first half-marathon on Sunday, so I am feeling very proud :happy:
My struggles so far have been with cheese (I love cheese!), and with corn chips/tortialls, and pizza. Everything else I can live without, but these are my weaknesses. Suggestions??
Oh and add me as a friend too!0 -
congrats on the half. not a small accomplishment.
I have an occasional cheese (primal days), but make sure it is the best quality so I don't need much.
Corn chips & pizza, also love - just hate being fat more.
One trick on the chips. especially at a restaurant....
Really I consider the flavor in the salsa, and the chip is simply a delivery device (as most bad carbs are).
So, I take a couple corn chips, and make my OWN salsa cup/bowl. I use the chip as a scoop and will resuse it several times. Douple/triple/X dipping yes! As the chip starts to lose its crunch, I eat it. I usually am filled up on awesome salsa rather than empty nutrition from chips.
Pizza... ugh, other than some of the paleo versions, there is no good solution there.0
