150 Days Paleo + Football carnitas

Today is my 150th days since I committed to a new way of eating.  I did it to combat a slowly increasing weight gain despite training for and running 5 half marathons in a year.  I did it to be a better runner.  I wanted to be stronger, faster and experience more rapid recovery.  Amazingly, Paleo has done all those incredible things.  150 days ago I held SUCH doubt that cutting out whole food groups was even good for you.  I was willing to join a friend on a journey, test it for 30 days and then make a decision.  I'm glad I did.   Those days where I just want pizza, or a cinnamon roll or fruit snacks . . . . I think about if I want to go back.  Back to bloated, frustrated and not satisfied with my results.  Nope, 150 days later and I still believe in Paleo.  I fall off the wagon and succumb to temptation but Paleo is forgiving and totally helps me drop those insta-pounds that come with eating forbidden foods.

To celebrate my 150 days, I've got a recipe for you!!!  This one comes from Momgonepaleo.com and its the BEST CARNITAS recipe I've ever tried.  Great for football games and I recommend topping it with a bit of mashed avocado mixed with Frank's Red Hot Sauce.  (Frank's Red Hot Sauce is my current obsession).  I did make a few changes to the original recipe, so if you'd like to see how it was originally suggested that you do check out the link.

CROCK POT PALEO CARNITAS from momgonepaleo.com

Ingredients

For the rub:

• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the Crock Pot:

• 3lb pork shoulder
• 1 sweet onion sliced in thin strips
• 1 small can of mild green chiles
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• A few shakes of sea salt and ground pepper

Instructions

1. Mix your rub together and rub onto all sides of the pork shoulder. 
2. Place the sliced onion, and bay leaf on the bottom of your crock pot.  Place the spiced up pork shoulder on top. Add the green chiles and the chicken stock along the sides of the meat. Avoid rinsing the spice off the meat. Sprinkle a bit more sea salt and pepper on top. 
3. Cover and let cook on Low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
4. Once done, remove pork from crockpot and shred with forks. Place in bowl of holding dish
5. Strain remaining crockpot contents, SAVING BOTH THE LIQUID AND THE SOLIDS. 
6.  Return the solids (consisting of bits of pork, and the cooked down onions and chiles) to the crock pot. 
7.  If you have a gravy separator, use it to separate the fat out of the liquid.  If you don't have one, allow the liquid to sit a bit and it'll separate.  Carefully skim off as much fat as you can.  
8. Put the PORK back in the crockpot and use the remaining liquid to add some flavor back into the carnitas.  I used just about a cup of liquid, you should use all of it.  
9. Serve on a bed of lettuce or however you wish to enjoy your carnitas!  

How can I say NO?

I'm a mother of two, which means most of my daily actions involve fulfilling the needs of those who I have created.  One of my children is extremely picky due to food sensitivities of autism.  As a foodie and someone who loves to cook, that's difficult for me to deal with at times.  Life blessed me with a second child who loves food just as much as I do and often has cravings.  HOW CAN I SAY NO when the fruit of my loins asks for a Manwich?  If she's asking for it, that means there's a positive emotional connection with that food.  And honestly, I want her to look back at her childhood and remember amazing meals that her mom used to make.  And when she asks me about it, I'll hopefully have a recipe book already made for her to use when cooking for her own family.  But enough about my musings of a perfect future . . . . HOW AM I GOING TO FEED HER A MANWICH?  It's loaded with high fructose corn syrup and other NON-PALEO ingredients.  After much musing, I plan to try a paleo version of a sloppy joe that the internet has kindly provided.  I'll definitely report back on my success/failure later.

This was the second meal requested in the same week.  The first request was for "Soft Meat".  That's what my adorable 9-year old calls Asian Beef Short Ribs.  I'd previously used a recipe from a friend that called for soy sauce, brown sugar and corn starch.  I don't blame my little one for loving that recipe so much.  I made them in a crock pot and the whole house would smell delicious all day.  So when she asked when I'd make "Soft Meat" again, I asked myself HOW CAN I SAY NO?  Not only does that meal mean something to her, it reflects the friendship I had with another person.  Emotional food connections mean a lot to me, obviously.  So off to the internet I went, hoping that someone had replicated the salty, sweetness of the recipe I had.

Luckily Paleo Spirit had done this feat.  I am so glad I found her blog.  I'm sure you'll see me replicating MANY more of her recipes on my blog (as I was writing this blog, I was distracted and inspired to make her Paleo Shortbread Teabag cookies).  I altered a few ingredients and I changed some of the prep and cooking to suit my needs.  To see the recipe in its original form, please visit the link to the Paleo Spirit website.

Asian-Style Beef Short Ribs (Paleo)

Ingredients

• 5 lbs beef short ribs (ideally from grass-fed/finished cows)
• 1 teaspoon fat/oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 hot pepper (I used serrano)
• 2 inches of fresh ginger root, peeled (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (make sure it is gluten-free)
• 
  
• 10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms 
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 3-4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Season the beef ribs lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large, oven-proof pan on medium-high heat and spread a thin layer of fat/oil to keep the ribs from sticking.
3. Sear the ribs for about 1-2 minutes on the meaty sides. You will probably have to do this in batches. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil.
4. Sauté the chopped onion for about 10 minutes in the same pan you used to sear the ribs.
5. Mince the garlic, ginger and pepper (or use a food processor as I did) and add to the pan with the onions, cooking while stirring for about one minute.
6. Place the beef ribs in a crock pot and add the stock, water, coconut aminos, and vinegar. Make sure the ribs are just covered in the liquid.  Cook on low for 6 hours
7. Remove the short ribs to a separate platter and cover them with foil to keep warm. 
8. Allow the sauce to cool somewhat and strain it through a mesh sieve. I like to use a spoon to press the juices out of the solids. Dispose of the solids. (You might want to skim some of the fat off the sauce at this point, especially if you are using conventional beef.) THIS PROCESS WAS MADE SUPER EASY BY USING MY PAMPERED CHEF GRAVY SEPARATOR.  I highly suggest purchasing this or something similar.  All I did was pour the crockpot contents through the top sieve and the fat separated out nicely.  
9. Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce to about 1 1/2 cups. It will be very rich. 
10. Add the shiitake mushrooms and juice of one orange and continue simmering until mushrooms are softened – 5-10 minutes. 
11. Pour sauce over short rib.  Serve the ribs warm, with the mushrooms and garnished with orange zest and sliced scallions. 

I served myself this as a salad, with the meat shredded and the sauce used as a dressing.  

A look back at 2012

My blog is only 4 months old, but all the cool kids are doing recaps of 2012. 2012 was a year of big things for me as a runner. It's the year that I really proved to myself and the world that "yes, a chubby girl can do great things". I really focused on educating myself about running and nutrition. I set lofty goals and did really adventurous things. I wanted to reach out to other runners and I wanted to inspire non-runners.

I wanted to run 3 half marathons in 2013. I ran five. I wanted to make running less expensive for my family's budget. I found groupons and deals, signed up for memberships that offered discounts and was awarded a sponsorship with The Girls On The Go race series. I wanted to move on from the run/walk/run method and run an entire half marathon. I ran the entire Silver Strand Half marathon.

I wanted my children to experience the rush of crossing a finish line. They ran their first races as 1ks and 1 milers. And I wanted to instill a sense of personal pride in taking control of their health. They both look forward to running 5ks with the whole family now. Running is part of who we are now. I've run 2 halfs with my momma, my first race with my husband by my side and both kids have a wall of ribbons, medals and bibs. What could be expected of a family descended from a man who ran over 700 miles of races last year. That's my dad, the crazy ultra runner and my biggest motivation during my runs.

I also ran with friends. I discovered that runners are the best people out there. Giving, enthusiastic about life, and real. I helped a friend run her first half marathon when she needed a race morning sitter. I've helped friends with training plans and through running issues. But they've given back tenfold this year. I signed up for two extra half marathons because they wanted me too. I ran faster with them by my side. And one special running buddy volunteered at the Finish Line to award me my medal. Running Buddies are special.

Late in 2012 I started my Paleo Diet. And about a month after, I started this blog. It's still young and I'm still uncertain of what I'm doing with it. But a few people have said that I've helped them start their paleo journey. I hope to continue to do so by sharing my own journey.

For 2013 I want to do it all over again. I I'm shooting for 8 halfs in the new year. Our family will be running the Firecracker 5k in LAs Chinatown to earn cool Year of the Snake medals. And I'll be running the SoCal Triple Crown to earn the challenge medals with my friend Dave. And I plan to continue to cook and eat like a caveman, since it's only brought good things to me and my running. Good Fortune to all of you in 2013! And I hope you're back here reading next year's recap with me!

ATTACK OF THE LEFTOVERS

Anyone else have a fridge FULL of leftovers?  I made BOTH a turkey and a ham for Christmas Dinner and now I'm paying for it with a fridge too full of food to justify eating out.  Luckily the internet is full of great ideas for leftovers, and a lot of them come from the paleo community.

I always serve Turkey Soup the day after I make a roasted bird.  It's something that most of my family loves and its easy to make, although takes all day because I make my own stock from the carcass, neck and giblets.  But the day of Christmas, while everyone is glued to their new gifts, there's no rush to be anywhere.

My favorite homemade stock recipe was posted by a Ms. Polcyn on allrecipes.com.  It makes use of the parts of a chicken or turkey that I dislike using, which makes me feel better than tossing them out.  It REALLY makes a difference when you use homemade stock in a dish than store bought.

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• the neck, giblets and leftover carcass (I usually just use the wings from my cooked turkey)

• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp peppercorn

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the neck and giblets (excluding the liver), 6 cups water, celery, carrot, onion, tangerine rind, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and continue to cook at a simmer, skimming the froth occasionally for 1 hour. Add liver and continue to cook at a bare simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
2. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl. There should be about 3 cups of stock. If there is more, simmer the stock until it is reduced to about 3 cups; if there is less, add enough water to measure about 3 cups.

MAKING YOUR OWN SOUP 

Making soup used to be a bit of a mystery to me, until I had used several recipes found online.  I realized that there are ___ steps to making a soup.

1. Cook your aromatic vegetables in fat.  These would be your onions, garlic, and celery.  These vegetables release their full flavor when they've been sauteed in butter/bacon grease/olive oil.  
2. Add your other vegetables in: tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, green beans, zucchini, broccoli and cook for just a few minutes.  This is also the time to add your COOKED meat.  Leftover turkey, ham, chicken, beef strips all work well in soups.
3. Add your additional spices (sage, thyme, rosemary for Turkey) (rosemary, oregano for beef) (I prefer nothing for ham soup) AND ALWAYS A BAY LEAF!  This is when you add your broth/stock too.  Enough to cover the ingredients.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 30-40 minutes.  
5. Remove from heat and taste.  Add your salt and pepper now, that way you have control over the saltiness and pepper levels.  Flavors concentrate in the soup making process and you can end up with a VERY salty or peppery soup!

Soup making is as easy as THAT!   You can experiment with different vegetables and broths and seasonings and make it exactly how you like it.  

A new one I'm trying is inspired by the Cabbage Soup with Leftover Ham from paleodietlifestyle.com.  I usually like to use my leftover ham in breakfast dishes, but a Christmas virus had me craving hot soup.

Ingredients

• 1/2 head cabbage;
• 2 tbsp fat (butter, ghee, bacon grease, olive oil, you pick)
• 1 onion, chopped;
• 1/2 lb green beans
• 2 carrots, chopped;
• 1 lb cooked ham, cubed;
• 2 cloves garlic, minced;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation

1. In a large saucepan over a medium-high heat melt the cooking fat. Sautee the onions and garlic in the cooking fat for 5 to 7 minutes, just until the onions are translucent and tender.
2. Add the cabbage, green beans, carrots and ham and toss with the onions and garlic. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, frequently stirring to prevent anything from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
3. Pour in the stock with the bay leaves. Allow the soup to come to a simmer and cook partially covered for 35 to 45 minutes. Season to taste with freshly cracked black pepper, but taste the liquid before adding any salt, as the ham will most likely give off enough saltiness on its own.
4. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Santa Came To Town

All the prep and good behavior worked and the Jolly 'ole elf visited us last night. He apparently loved the paleo cake pops we left for him, although his reindeers made a glittery mess outside.

Kris Kringle was very good to the paleo Mommy, bringing me a Kitchenaid Mixer in Onyx Black, a book of Paleo Desserts and Chuao Chocolate (a San Diego local chocolatier and a sponsor of the SD Half Marathon)

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas, filled with time with your loved ones and full bellies.

Christmas Eve Feast

My Christmas Eve feast took 2 days to prep and 20 minutes to eat. But having a special meal that was homemade and paleo was worth it. Not to mention all the yummy leftovers I get to eat for the next few days. This paleo mommy also achieved a small victory. My 11 year old son, diagnosed with autism, consented to trying his first bite of turkey EVER. And he LIKED it!!! Small steps towards big goals.

Twofers, marathons, and Wheat Thins

The Hubby and I are both runners.  He prefers the mud covered intensity of Obstacle Course Races (OCRs) like Tough Mudder, while I'm a dedicated Road Racer.  With two racers in the family though, we have have to have a MASTER calendar of all the events we're signed up for.  "Check the Calendar" is an often heard phrase in our house, and it's an instruction to go check the desk size calendar that's attached to our brag wall.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I'm running TWO races in the same weekend.  I often get carried away by race sign ups when they offer discount codes or when a bunch of fellow racers are all signing up.  That's what must have happened when I managed to sign up for BOTH the Electric Run in Del Mar, CA and the Cardiff Kook in Encinitas, CA on the same weekend.  I've never run a two-fer before, but there's a first time for everything.  And luckily my two-fer is just two 5ks.  Some day I might feel up to running a 5k followed by a 10k or even a half marathon the day after.  Right now I'll stick to accidentally registering for two small races.

During Thanksgiving Break my Daddy (a 100 mile Ultramarathoner) told me I'm ready to run a marathon.  Since I'm like him in every way (except for that crazy 100 mile race thing he's got going on), he must have known that his comment would circle around in my head until I couldn't ignore it.  I found myself checking the most "walker friendly" marathons at MarathonGuide.com  Perhaps this time next year I'll be planning to do one of those . . . if I haven't worn out the legs running 8 half marathons in 2013.

Runners need carbs and lately I find myself fighting against eating conventional processed carbs.  I miss the crunchy saltiness of crackers.  My flaxseed crackers are great, but they're quite delicate, which makes them useless for dipping.  Thank Goodness for inventive cooks who make low carb/paleo versions of brand name crackers!  This recipe for "ALMOND THINS" was found at a website called lowcarbfriends.com, a message board for those following the gluten free or low carb lifestyles.  And I am EVER grateful for this recipe!

Almond Thins

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 packet of Splenda
• 1 egg white
• pinch of salt, garlic powder, & onion powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven 325. 
2. Mix ingredients well. 
3. Place mixture onto a well greased piece of tin foil. Lay a piece of saran wrap over top of mixture. Use a rolling pin to roll out to a cracker thickness. Gently remove saran wrap. 
4. Sprinkle more salt on top if desired and press lightly into dough. Score with knife or pizza cutter into 1.5 inch squares. 
5. Lay tin foil on rack in oven. Bake until golden brown about 10 minutes. Makes around 30 crackers.

Nutritional info: serving size 7 crackers fat 13.1g  sat fat 0.9g  cholesterol 0mg  sodium 12.8mg  carb 5.7g  fiber 2.8  protein 6.4g

Running, maple syrup and brownies

As the end of the year draws near, I'm feeling the pressure to reach my milage goal of 600 miles in 2012.  I set that goal in January, feeling that it was a lofty goal and unlikely to be reached.  Color me surprised when I looked at my totals and found that I only had 21 more miles to go!  With 2 weeks left in the year, I definitely think I'm going to make it.  I've run about 1/3 of this year on the Paleo diet.  I definitely feel that my recovery is faster, which is ideal when I've got back to back half marathons in every month.  The weight I dropped going paleo has helped too.  Less weight is more speed and less damage done to my structural muscles.
Besides my milage goal, I also had a goal of running three half marathons in 2012.  My very FIRST half marathon was the San Diego Rock n Roll in 2011.  I thought I'd push myself and do 3 times that in 2012.  As of right now, I have SIX half marathon medals hanging on my Brag Wall. That means I ran 5 halfs in 2012.  I never thought I'd be so into a physical sport.  And paleo just makes it better.

I had to teach myself about Maple Syrup and the grading of it this week.  A recipe I wanted to make required GRADE B maple syrup.  And apparently maple syrup is NOT the stuff I've been putting on m pancakes forever.  Apparently that stuff is just corn syrup with flavorings added to it.  If YOU want to learn more about maple syrup, the Huffington Post has a great article on the differences in grades of the sweet stuff and what they are used for.

You may be asking yourself, "Well, what was the recipe??" I aim to please, so here it is.

Dark Chocolate Banana Bites by Paleo Parents

• 2 bananas
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 C coconut oil, liquified
• 1/2 C maple syrup, we recommend Grade B
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 C almond flour
• 1/2 C cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup ENJOY LIFE chocolate chips

1. Using an electric mixer or food processor, combine all of the wet ingredients (bananas should smooth out)
2. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients except chocolate chips
3. While mixing on low, add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined
4. Sir in chocolate chips to the dough
5. Using a silicon mini muffin pan or mini muffin liners on a metal pan, scoop the dough until almost full into mini muffin pan
6. Cook at 350 for 10 minutes

Makes 4 dozen; store chilled and let come to room temperature before serving or eating. 

Nutritional info
Serving size 1 mini muffin 107 calories 7g fat 4g sat fat  32mg cholesterol  11.6mg sodium  9.2 carbs  1.4g fiber  2.6g protein

Restaurant Review: The Linkery, North Park, San Diego, CA

For our 12th anniversary, the husband booked us a table at The Linkery, a hip urban eating establishment in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego.  There are three outstanding features of the restaurant.

1. They are Farm to Table, using only locally sourced ingredients.  It makes eating paleo pretty easy when you know exactly where the pork is coming from.  
2. They have a NO TIP policy.  There's an 18% service charge added to EVERY check.  You can read about their policy here.  And honestly, we got THE BEST table service that I've EVER experienced in a restaurant.  I can't wait to go back.
3. While not everything on the menu is so, they are a VERY paleo-friendly restaurant.

We started our meal with the two-year salt cured ham.  It comes with pickled cucumbers and pickled onions.  It was exceptionally refreshing, salty and briny.  A great way to ease our hunger pains while waiting for our entrees.  

For the main course I ordered the picnic plate which consists of 2 of their house made sausage links, coleslaw (made with housemade mayo), potato salad (again with their housemade mayo) and rye bread. The husband ordered the grass-fed beef burger and added cheese and bacon to it.  His burger came with housemade potato chips and their coleslaw.  For my links, I chose their alsatian and the Minnesota potato.  I totally recommend the Alsatian link.  It wasn't a completely solid link, which I prefer and the flavors combination of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg with the locally sourced pork were intoxicating.  The star of the plates were the coleslaw though.  It was light, unlike most coleslaws out there.  The cabbage was crisp and lightly dressed with the housemade mayo.  I'd go back JUST for that coleslaw.  

Hubby's burger

My Picnic Plate

The foodie pleasure continued with dessert.  The husband ordered the oaxacan chocolate ice cream, served with chilled oranges. I ordered the Migas Bark, a dark chocolate bark with bacon and vanilla.  It was absolutely amazing.  I already told the husband that I want him to go back and buy me some for next Valentine's Day.  Nothing says "I love you" like Migas Bark.  

Our tab (with the 18% table service charge) for 1 drink, 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts was about $80.  A bit pricy but completely worth it.  I cannot wait to go back.

Paleo Cake Pops

These are so good that a friend who tried them said "You lie! Those cake pops can't be paleo...they taste way too good. Gonna need the recipe for those."  You know it's a good friend when they can compliment you AND accuse you of being a liar at the same time.  But that friend is right, the cake pops I made ARE so good that you'll forget that they won't cause an inflammatory response in your body or cause you to ruin your ketosis.  Unless you're allergic to coconut, in which case I ask how you can possibly be paleo since almost everything I make has a form of coconut in it.

For the base of the cake pops I used the Coconut Chocolate Cake recipe found at civilized caveman cooking creations. I then followed the Cake Pop instructions found at Chewing the Fat with Paleo Brat. For the Chocolate, I used ENJOY LIFE vegan chocolate chips.  

Coconut Chocolate Cake by Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 Cup Almond Flour
• 1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips or Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Coconut
• 1/2 cup Slivered Almonds
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
• Coconut Oil for Grease

Process:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees
2. Melt your chocolate and coconut milk in a small sauce pan over low heat
3. Once the chocolate is melted, transfer to a mixing bowl or your stand mixer
4. Add in your eggs and mix well
5. Now add in your almond flour, shredded coconut, salt, and baking powder and mix well
6. Grease an 8×8 baking dish with coconut oil
7. Transfer your batter to your baking dish and sprinkle with your slivered almonds and some coconut if you would like
8. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean

How to make Cake Pops from Chew the Fat with Paleo Brat

Ingredients

• 1 chocolate and/or coconut cake, recipes follow
• 6 bars dark chocolate, I use Trader Joe's Organic Super Dark Chocolate it is 73% cacao and does NOT contain soy lecithin. 
• Bamboo skewers, sharp ends trimmed off and cut the skewers in half
• Chopped almonds
• Chopped pecans
• Unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Pull chunks off of the cake and roll into 1"-2" balls.  You may need to just eat the edges of the cakes because they may be too dry to hold the shape of the balls :) Place the balls onto a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 15 minutes.   In a double boiler, melt the chocolate over medium heat.  Take one skewer and dip it into the chocolate, about 1/2" down on the stick.  Immediately put a ball on the skewer.
2. Dip the ball into the melted chocolate, coating it completely (but not leaving it in the hot chocolate too long because it WILL fall off).  Gently tap the skewer on the side of the pan to allow the excess chocolate to drizzle back into the pan.
3. Roll the cake pop into your desired topping.
4. Allow the cake pop to cool, and enjoy! 

More Holiday Recipes

I wrote about my pre-Thanksgiving menu a while back and I hope it helped make a few dinners a bit more paleo.  Now that we're halfway through December I need to start planning my Christmas Dinner.  I haven't completely made my choice between a Rib Roast and a Turkey yet.  But regardless, my dinner will also include recipe like these.

Paleo Cranberry Sauce

The problem with traditional cranberry sauce is that it is made with an ENORMOUS amount of sugar.  Usually a whole cup for 12 ounces of berries.  And I've tried to replace it in the past (pre-paleo) with Splenda.  It just tastes all wrong.  So this year I did the following and it tasted wonderfully tart and complemented my herbed turkey really well.

Ingredients

• 12 oz bag of cranberries
• 1 cup of Orange Juice
• Honey 

Instructions
1.  Place the cranberries and orange juice into a sauce pan (that you don't mind having to scrub afterwards, this stuff is sticky!)
2.  Heat on high until boiling, then simmer for about 10 minutes.  The cranberries will make alarming popping sounds.  Don't worry, this is supposed to happen.  
3.  Let sit for a bit before scooping it into a pretty bowl or storage container.
4.  Enjoy with some honey added to taste to adjust the level of sweetness that you like.  I only added a bit, to help curb the tartness.  I didn't miss the canned gelatinous mass at all.





-southern style green beans
- green bean casserole

Flaxseed crackers

Crunchy.  Salty.  Dippable.  I totally miss chips when I'm paleo.  Actually, what I miss is dipping chips into things.  Salsa, guacamole, french onion dip . . . And it seems like where theres a holiday party, there are dips.  Some are totally paleo friendly, like baba ganoush, and go great with crudités (aka carrots and celery).  But salsa on carrots is lame.  You NEED something thin and salty to transport that cilantro-y goodness to your mouth.  That's where Flaxseed Crackers come in.

I first had flaxseed crackers at a dessert spot in San Diego called Extraordinary Desserts.  The Little Italy location has a savory menu as well and a well rounded Gluten Free and Dairy free menu.  Usually if an item is both gluten free AND dairy free, it's pretty close to being paleo.  I ordered the flaxseed crackers and the basil-walnut pesto.  They were mind blowing good.  I came home determined to recreate them.  Luckily I had purchased the Caveman Feast Cooking e-book, by George of Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations fame.  The walnut-basil pesto recipe in that book is IDENTICAL to the one at the restaurant.  I'd give you that recipe, but honestly, I think you should also purchase that cookbook.  The NY Marinade in it is COMPLETELY worth the cost of the book, as well as all the other wonderful recipes in it.

I know, that's totally mean of me to rave about the pesto and not share the recipe.  But I WILL share the flaxseed cracker recipe with you.  And then you can go purchase the cookbook OR ask Santa to bring it to you.


Raw Savory Flaxseed Crackers 

Don't mind the Target Receipt.  Hey,
It's the holidays, I shop a lot now

from Cooking with Trader Joe's

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups whole raw flaxseed (not a TJ's item)
• 3 cups water
• 3 Roma tomatoes (or 1 cup of heirloom tomatoes if it’s summertime and your TJ's carries them!)
• ¼ cup fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Soak the flaxseed in the water for 30 minutes (at which point it will have become completely gelatinous.).
• 2. While the flaxseed is soaking, place the tomatoes, basil, garlic and salt in a blender and puree. When the flaxseed is ready, add the contents of the bowl and the olive oil to the blender and give a few short bursts to combine everything.
• 3. Take 2 cookie sheets and cover with foil. Spray or rub olive oil on the cookie sheets—do not skip this step or your crackers will permanently adhere to the foil.
• (note: I use the Reynolds NON-STICK wrap and NO oil is needed.  That stuff is AMAZING!)
• 4. Drop half the mixture onto the foil on each cookie sheets. Wet your hand and then spread the mixture as flat and thin as you can, rewetting your hand as needed to make spreading the sticky mixture easier.
• 5. Place the cookie sheets in the oven at 170 degrees. In about 2 hours, the top of the cracker will have dried out. You should be able to loosen the edges of the flax crackers and flip the entire sheet and replace on the cookie sheet backside up. (If you can't peel the crackers off the foil, don't sweat it. Just leave it as is, or try again in another hour.) Turn the oven down to 150 degrees and leave it for about 8 hours. 
• (Note:  My oven is OLD.  It doesn't go lower than 200 degrees.  Upon experimentation I found that 200 degrees for 2 hours was enough to completely dehydrate the flaxseed.  I check it around the 1 hour mark and flip it.  If its still too wet, I leave it in for an extra half hour before flipping it)
• By then, the crackers should be completely dehydrated and stiff. Cool completely, remove from foil, break into smaller pieces, and store in a plastic bag. It should be fine for a couple of weeks. Serve with dips, tapenades, cheeses, or just by itself.

120 Days and a Reminder

I celebrated being 120 days Paleo on December 7th.  I then proceeded to fall SO FAR OFF the paleo wagon that I really feel like I don't deserve a celebratory post.  A cookie party, followed by my husband's Christmas Party, followed by a wedding, followed by my husband's catered re-enlistment reception, all wrapped up in eating on the road to and from LA.  I SHOULD give myself some slack.  It's the holiday season, where MOST people fall off their diet.  It was also one incredibly busy weekend, and I am definitely thankful that if I was going to be at THAT many catered events that they happened all at once.  I tried to stay away from Dairy and Legumes, since those would have made being social really impossible (yes that's a a reference to being gassy).  But I definitely indulged in wheat, and corn (with some AMAZING TAMALES) and sugar.  For my celebratory drinking I stuck with red wine and tequila.  But I still gained 5 pounds, and have terrible GI and bloating problems.  Some Dairy snuck through in the form of a guacamole "dip" that I think was probably made with sour cream.  I had a pretty bad asthma attack last night.

Lesson Learned Paleo, Lesson Learned.

So I think after this weekend, I need a reminder of WHAT Paleo is, and what it isn't.

A good friend of mine reminded me that the best place to start is at the Nerd Fitness article
"The Beginner's Guide to the Paleo Diet".  Legos make everything simpler.

Paleo is:

• NO grains, legumes (including soy and peanuts), processed oils (corn, vegetable, canola, soy), refined sugars, dairy (for me), starchy vegetables (like corn or white potatoes).
• Permission to eat bacon (its not really, but it sure feels like it is)
• An excuse to enjoy Meat, Poultry, fish, tree nuts, fruits and vegetables, eggs, good oils (olive oil, avocadoes), seeds (flax, chia, sunflower), and tubers like sweet potatoes and yams.
• A chance to stretch and grow as a cook.

I'm going to essentially start over and take this week one day at a time.  Hopefully by Friday I'll be back on track, have dropped these extra 5 pounds and will feel MUCH better.  

Trial Run for a A Paleo Thanksgiving

Looks like Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year, my little family will be traveling to join the big family to celebrate.  I'll admit that the idea of a road trip combined with a holiday centered around stuffing yourself with "once a year" foods has me anxious.  It is difficult to be Paleo on the Road.  I'm trying to be optimistic, afterall it'll be GREAT fodder for the blog.  I'm also determined to work on some family favorites, to alter them to be paleo and still be acceptable to my non-paleo family.

My new toy

On Monday, since I couldn't really walk due to the fact that I'd run a half marathon the day before, I cooked.  Almost all day.  It's what you do when you have a day off due to a National Holiday but can't really walk without grimacing.  So I did a trial run for Thanksgiving.  I made a 10lb turkey in my new 18qt Electric Roaster, tried the Paleo Stuffing from Julian Bakery, and just because I found the ingredients at my local Sprouts I made Caveman Cooking Creation's Almond Coconut Chocolate Drops.

roasted breast side down

The turkey came out SO great!  You can find the recipe at CookingCaveman.com.  The only changes I made were to mix my olive oil and herbs together to make a wet rub.  I'm a bit infatuated with wet rubs for poultry.  I'm just never convinced that herbs sprinkled on top of olive oil or butter will STAY long enough to infuse the meat with flavor.

fail

The stuffing was good, but not great.  I burnt my first attempt at making bread crumbs from the Julian Bakery's Paleo breads.  The second attempt was a success, but when making the stuffing I should have been less afraid to add MORE broth when asked.  The taste was GREAT, especially for my first meat based stuffing recipe, although the breadcrumbs were dry.  That recipe can be found at the blog for the Julian Bakery.

These are good right out
of the bag!

For "dessert", I made the Caveman Cooking Creations' Almond Coconut Chocolate Drops.  I had stumbled upon the ENJOY LIFE vegan chocolate chips that this recipe needs at my local Sprouts. They were on sale 2 for $7!  So I snagged a bag and then giddily bought almond butter, knowing that this recipe was about to happen.  These definitely benefit from a SOLID almond butter.  Mine was room temperature and a bit runny.  So when I tried shaping the balls they flattened out to more of a disk.  That did NOT stop me form enjoying them immensely.  SO good!  And easy!

I'll be doing another trial run of Thanksgiving dishes this weekend.  Up next is a paleo version of Southern-style green beans and cranberry relish!

When life hands you a neck bone,
make broth!

Paleo and Running: what has it done for me?

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face."

                                          --Eleanor Roosevelt

My 6th half marathon was the Silver Strand Half marathon.  It was also my second half marathon that I've run paleo.  I've been asked what being Paleo has done for my running.  I initially chose to start paleo for weight loss and to help with recovery.  I had heard that there were elite runners, like Dean Karnazes, who also run Paleo.  So for more than 90 days now, I've followed the restrictions of the Paleo diet: No soy, dairy, legumes, processed grains or sugars or oils.  And I have seen a difference.  

My legs felt incredibly strong on race day.  I had also included hillwork in the last 3 weeks (after half marathon 5, the San Jose Rock N Roll) so I'm sure that training helped build muscle in my legs.  I attribute the quick recovery and increase muscle growth to paleo though.  Its difficult to NOT be high protein on a diet based on fat burning.  

The high fiber, high water content that comes with eating a diet of whole foods, ensured that I was also well-hydrated on race day.  Dehydration can be such a huge factor in race day performance.

Knowing that my diet was well-balanced and HEALTHY led to a confidence that makes the biggest difference.  I didn't wonder if what I had eaten in the days before would lead to GI distress on race day.  Poor diet mixed with nerves can be a terrible combination when you're trying to run your best race.  You don't want to be stopping at every single port-a-potty on the course.  The paleo diet purposely eliminates all foods that can cause irritation and bloating.

Today is the second day after the race and I feel great.  I do have muscle soreness, but my legs feel STRONG.  This is in direct opposition to the halfs that I've run where my muscles are literally DYING because they were consumed in the effort.

I hope that my experience allows anyone who is considering to run paleo to feel confident that others have had positive experiences.

Race Review: Silver Strand Half Marathon

The Silver Strand Half Marathon - November 11, 2012

• Location: From Sunset Park in Coronado to Imperial Beach Pier
• Distance: 13.1 miles
• Surface: paved highway, city roads

I'm spending today gingerly lowering myself onto toilets, and grimacing every time I go up stairs.  But I'm also glowing with accomplishment and pride for having completed my 6th half marathon.  It was a great race for lots of reasons: The last half marathon in San Diego for the year, running it with some dear running friends, planning to have my family at the finish line for the first time.  Emotionally, it was a great race to wrap up 2012.  

Running with friends 

Even from a Runner's perspective though, it's STILL a great race.  

The sign up was easy, and two weeks before the race they sent a confirmation through the mail!  I don't think I've ever had a race send me the race day instructions in the mail before.  It was oddly sweet.  The parking was the most complicated part of the sign up.  You had 4 options for parking.  Since it's a point-to-point race you could either park at the start, park at the finish or be dropped off.  Having to make a decision WEEKS (or in my case MONTHS) before the race about parking was a little confusing.  The packet pickup at Road Runner Sports was efficient and quick.  The tech tee race shirt was of a good quality (although I'm not a fan of gender neutral shirts).  

The day of the Silver Strand came after 3 days of rainy weather.  This being San Diego, it kind of wigged most of us out and we had debates over what we were going to wear.  I decided on the "Ultra runners" uniform: split leg shorts with clothes to keep my core warm.  I had my Girls on The Go tech tee, my Sugoi sleeves and my new Nike runner's gloves.  I was definitely chilly when I got to the start area but as the sun came up I was fine.

The start area was well set up.  It was obvious where gear check was, and race day registration, and the port a potties.  I was glad that they offered gear check!  It seems like a lot of races aren't offering that perk anymore.  I like being able to have my favorite post-race treats (Honey Stinger Chews and Cherry Juice) at the end of a race.  The race announcer was easy to hear, and had lots of jokes, especially for those who had mistakenly come north for the 5k instead of being about 10 miles south!  The race did start a few minutes late, but once it did, the small crowd of 4500 went across the timing mats pretty quickly.  I started as far back as I would let myself, and it only took me 3 minutes to cross the start mat.  

So flat!

The course was one I was mostly familiar with.  I run the Silver Strand as part of my training runs. It's flat, and although its a bit windy, it's fast.  The majority of the course was run on the Silver Strand Highway and was indeed flat.  There were only 3 inclines, a bridge over wetlands, a slight uphill into residential homes and a long incline inside the Weapons Station.  Nothing that a little extra arm pumping and a good attitude can't handle, even at mile 10.  There was a bit of cambering to the highway, which I hadn't expected (having run only on the bike trails on the northbound side of the highway) but there was always a flat spot to be found.

The aid stations were excellent and well manned by volunteers.  They were stationed about every 1.5 miles of the course, usually right when I'd need them.  The volunteers seemed to consist mostly of high school or college students, and they were cheerful and encouraging the whole way.  They appreciated when I cracked my "Who's got the GLUTEN FREE water?" joke.  Or at least pretended to.  They offered energy chews at mile 6, which I chose not to take.  I carry my own fuel with me.

Every race has its challenge, and in the Silver Strand it has to be the miles 10-12, where you run into the Naval Weapons Station in Imperial Beach, and run a 2 mile switchback.  I had the benefit of running into my friends as they finished the switchback during my mile 11.  Having to run 1 mile out, only to run 1 mile back is definitely mentally difficult when you're so close to the finish.  Throw one of the only hills on the course into that mix and its a killer challenge.  We don't earn a medal for it being easy though! 

My amazing friend Dave volunteered at the Finish Line so he could award me my medal.  

You know its a great race when by mile 9 you're already thinking that you want to run it again next year.  I like the sentiment of the race, that its the LAST half marathon in San Diego for the year.  A nice bow to put on your accomplishments.  I'll be back Silver Strand, after I run some more hills, and I'll finish you faster.