NOODLES!!!!

Can a packaged product
make you happy? I say YES!

Like my enthusiastic title?  Really that's all I can think right now because I just ate noodles.  Real noodles.  Not spaghetti squash, not strips of vegetables.  REAL NOODLES.  And yes, my Paleo is still intact thanks to House Foods Shirataki noodles.  I grew up eating these in meals like sukiyaki and they were my favorite part of the meal, besides the tofu and cabbage and meat . . . and well sukiyaki has to be one of my favorite all time meals.  But besides with asian flavors and in pho (which I've never had but plan to have someday) what ELSE could I do with these noodles?  There aren't many paleo recipes out there using them.  A lot of people have issues with the fishy smell (which goes away upon rinsing and heating) and the texture.  They're closer to a rice noodle (think chicken long rice) than a wheat noodle.  They've got a gelatin-like texture that may turn people off.  BUT I think the act of twirling tomato sauced noodles around a fork may be enough to get people to try it.  So, I set about to making myself SPAGHETTI using shirataki noodles today.  And I succeeded.  And you all get to benefit from my experimentation.

I found my noodles in the refrigerator section of my SPROUTS market.  Any whole foods should carry it, and if not, asian markets are guaranteed to have them. Just make sure you don't buy the TOFU Shirataki.  Tofu is SOY, which is a legume, which is NOT paleo.  Also, for weight loss purposes, the yam-based shirataki has ZERO calories.  The Tofu ones do.  Shall I repeat that again?  ZERO CALORIES people and I am incredibly full from lunch.

Closest thing to REAL spaghetti 

Shirataki Spaghetti with Roasted Chicken
serves 1 cook time: 15 minutes

waiting for them to "crackle"

Ingredients

• 1 pkg House foods shirataki noodles 
• 2 oz roasted chicken
• 2 tsp bacon grease or olive oil
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper

Directions:

mmmm sauce

1. Open and rinse the shirataki noodles.  You just want to get rid of most of the fishy smell.
2. Using a NONSTICK pan, dry fry (NO OIL) the noodles on medium heat for about 5 minutes.  They're not going to get crispy, but they won't be as clear or slimy.  They'll start to crackle when they're almost done.  Remove noodles to a plate.
3. Heat up oil/grease in your pan on medium heat.  Add onions, garlic and tomatoes and fry for about 5 minutes.  The onions and garlic should be soft.  
4. Add tomato paste and herbs, and fry for about 2 minutes.  
5. Add the chicken stock and heat for about 1 minute.
6. Add the noodles into the pan and mix well.  Plate and serve topped with the roasted chicken.  

Nutritional information:  190 calories, 3.8g fat, 0.9g sat fat, 57.3 mg cholesterol, 900mg sodium, 31.6g carbs, 13.6 g fiber, 18.8g protein

Your Thyroid on Paleo

Hey guys!  I'm spending the weekend traveling to San Jose to run the San Jose Rock N Roll Half Marathon with my mommy and some of her crazy runner friends.  I couldn't leave those of you who enjoy my blog without something to read, so I've scheduled a few updates while I'm gone.  If you're interested in tracking my race, you can choose to use Runner Tracking at Competitor.com.  Just search for me, Juri Peterson.  I look forward to sharing my 5th half marathon and first Paleo race experience with you all!

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Thyroid health is a subject near and dear to my heart.  For you see, I don't have a thyroid.  I was diagnosed with goiters on my thyroid in Late 2009.  A surgery in early 2010 revealed that I had Thyroid Cancer and my entire thyroid and 2 lymph nodes in my neck were removed.  The process of learning to live on synthetic thyroid hormone has lead to a healthier and more active lifestyle.  Paleo is a new addition to this lifestyle, one that has brought changes that I didn't think were possible.  

My Paleo friends who do have a functioning thyroid should know that the Paleo Lifestyle does put them at risk of hypothyroidism.  As Sebastien from A Paleo Diet Lifestyle writes: "Iodine is a mineral that is really important for proper thyroid functioning and most people today have very low levels of iodine. You’re at risk of being even more iodine deficient on a paleo diet if you eliminated conventional salt from your diet. In fact, salt started to be iodized because goiters in North-America were a major health problem and most people were deficient in iodine because the soils are now almost universally deficient in iodine. Chronic low levels of iodine lead to the enlargement of the thyroid that we call goiter. Seaweeds are a great source of iodine." 

From my experience with hypothyroidism, you feel lethargic, have short term memory problems, weight gain, bloating, joint pain, hair loss, mood swings and depression.  I had all of those during a 30 day period before I started my synthetic thyroid hormone.  

It seems the iodine and the need to supplement is still debated in Paleo circles.  The folks over at Paleo Plan asked the question "Do you need to Supplement Iodine?".  Their article is inconclusive, but does state that "The recommended intake of iodine per day is 100-150 mcg."  They also link to a website that lists foods high in iodine.  

PALEO FRIENDLY FOODS HIGH IN IODINE 

Measurement is based on a 100 g or 3/4 cup portion

• 1 cup seaweed (hijiki) - 47000 micrograms
• 1/4 lb sea fish - up to 350 micrograms
• 1 cup Basil - 42 micrograms
• 1 cup watermelon seeds - 24 micrograms
• 1 cup Parsley - 22 micrograms
• 1 cup daikon radish - 19 micrograms
• 3 eggs - 15 micrograms

While most people following the Paleo diet do eat eggs regularly, you can see that good sources of iodine that fit into our lifestyle are few.  To get the iodine you need, you'd have to eat large amounts of certain herbs OR you can eat fish a few times a week.  Another option is to use iodized salt in your cooking.  Keeping your thyroid working properly is essential for you to be successful on the Paleo Diet.  You'll feel all the benefits of being healthier and stronger.

Paleo Recipe Makeover: Savory Mug Muffin with tomato-avocado salsa

paleOMG's recipe that inspired me!

I've mentioned before that I'm "recipe dependent", but last night I ate something that inspired me to make my OWN version!  I made the Sugar Detox Pumpkin Cake in a Mug with Chocolate Whip found at paleOMG.  While my family ate nutella pancakes with chocolate chips, I enjoyed my cake in a mug. It was less sweet than I thought it'd be, being my first try at a paleo dessert.  I really enjoyed the texture of the mug cake.  I was eating something that had the mouthfeel of a baked good!  So I thought, "What if this was a SAVORY muffin instead?"  It could be a complement to stews and soups.  I miss having a chunk of break or a corn muffin to go with those types of meals.  Here's my attempt at altering a recipe:


Savory Mug Muffin with Tomato-Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

It worked! 

• 1/4 cup grated zucchini
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 1 tbsp bacon grease 
• 1.5 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons canned coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 soft, ripe Avocado
• 1 medium tomato

Ugly, but SO nom topped
with the salsa

Instructions

1. Cook the onion and zucchini in the bacon grease until soft and translucent.
2. Mash the vegetables into a puree 
3. Mix puree in a coffee mug with coconut flour, egg and egg white, coconut oil, coconut milk, spices and baking soda.  
4. Cook for 2 minutes in microwave on high
5. While mug is cooling, dice tomato and mix with avocado
6. Top mug muffin with salsa and enjoy!

My Favorite Paleo Recipes: Lemon Garlic Herb Pork Chops

Strictly Paleo....ish! is a lacto-paleo blog.  Lacto-Paleos can and DO eat dairy products.  For those of us who are strictly paleo for reasons of lactose sensitivity or because we feel we aren't meant to ingest animal milk, we don't eat dairy.  (As a personal admission, it gives me terrible GI side effects.  Not the best thing for a runner, you know?)  Lucky for us, the blogger at Strictly Paleo....ish! does include the occasional dairy-free recipe offering since his flavor combos are excellent.  Another interesting side note about this blogger: He lives in Sweden.  There seems to be quite a growing community of Groks living in that part of the world.  

I originally found this recipe on Fast Paleo, one of my favorite Paleo recipe sources.  And in case you wondered, I served it with riced cauliflower on the side.  

Lemon Garlic Herb Pork Chops

Prep time: 2 hours  Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients 

• 4 Pork Chops, boneless (about 1-inch thick)
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil.
• Zest from one Lemon.
• Juice from one Lemon.
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic, minced.
• 1 tbsp dried Thyme.
• 1 tbsp dried Basil.
• 1/2 tbsp crushed Black Pepper.
• 1 tsp Sea Salt, flakes.

Cooking Steps

Make 3-4 cuts through the fat cap of each pork chop, and put them in a large plastic bag.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, and then pour it in the bag with the pork chops.

Try to get the air out of the bag and seal it close to the opening, leaving it with as little air as possible but still space for the pork chops to move around a bit.

Start “massaging” the bag, until the pork chops are evenly rubbed and covered with the marinade.

Place in the fridge for at least a few hours before grilling them over direct heat.

(Take them out of the fridge when you light the grill, so they are room temperatured when you start to grill them.)

Preheat grill to Medium and grill pork chops for 10 minutes on each side.

Nutritional info*: Calories 256.5  Fat 17.6g  Sat Fat 4.3g  Chol 51.1g  Sod 613.2g  Carb 5.1g  Fiber 2.0g  Pro 20.8g

*All nutritional info was not provided in the original recipe.  I use the Recipe Calculator at Sparkpeople.com to calculate nutritional value.