My Paleo Plan

My Paleo Food Arsenal

By Mike on May 1, 2012 in Food

Here’s a list of Paleo-approved food you might find at my house on any given day.

Pantry

Almonds
Beets
Black olives
Capers
Diced tomatoes
Fish oil capsules (we are NOT a fish-eating family, so I’m using supplements)
Low-sodium chicken broth
Multi-vitamin
Olive oil
Sardines
Tomato paste
Tuna
Vinegar (apple cider; balsamic)

Spice Cabinet

Basil
Cayenne pepper
Celery seed
Chili powder
Cinnamon
Coarse black pepper
Cumin
Garlic pepper
Lemon pepper
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Peppercorns
Thyme

Refrigerator

Apples
Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Blueberries
Bottled water
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Dijon Mustard
Eggs
Garlic
Garlic paste
Ginger
Grapefruit
Grapes
Grapes
Green onions
Green, red and yellow peppers
Ground beef
Jalapeno peppers
Lemons
Lettuce (iceberg, Romaine, Arugula, etc.)
Limes
Mushrooms
Nectarine
Onions
Oranges
Parsnips
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plum
Pork (roast, chops, loin)
Raspberries
Salad mix in a bag
Sausage
Shrimp
Spinach
Steak
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Turkey breast (from the meat department; not the deli)
Turnips
Watermelon
Yellow squash
Zucchini

Freezer

Blueberries
Boneless/skinless chicken breasts
Broccoli
Diced green pepper
Strawberries
Tilapia (rarely)

While I think this is a pretty comprehensive list, I’m sure I’ve forgotten something.

Help me out: does your Paleo kitchen have something in it that’s not on my list?

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New Recipe: Paleo Goulash

By Mike on April 30, 2012 in Food

You’ll need:

Large, deep skillet [mine was a 4.5 quart-size (4.3L)]. It measures 10-1/2 inches in diameter and is 3-1/2 inches deep. If you don’t have a skillet that large, then use a dutch oven or stock pot because this recipes makes 4-6 large servings of goulash.

Mandoline – or a sharp chopping knife and cutting board

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (mine was 80% lean and worked great)
1 lb Italian sausage
1 T Italian seasoning
3 zucchinis (the standard food market 3-pack size) sliced very thin
1 onion – chopped
2 cloves of garlic – minced
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes (drained)
12-15 pitted black olives sliced in half (optional)
jalapeno peppers (optional)

Make it!

Add the ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, garlic and Italian seasoning to the skillet.
Brown the meat, stirring often.
When the meat is about 1/2 way done, add the zucchini and continue to stir.
Once the ground beef and sausage are no longer pink, add the diced tomatoes and olives. Stir.
Continue to cook and stir for another ten minutes or so allowing the liquid to reduce.
Remove from heat.
Spoon into bowls. Add more olives and jalapeno peppers if desired.
Enjoy!

Try this and let me know what you think.

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Baked Chicken. Roasted Asparagus. Big Salad. Delicious.

By Mike on April 28, 2012 in Food

Lunch was absolutely delicious today.

My wife baked chicken [with lemon-pepper] and roasted asparagus. The rest of the family also had potato wedges with olive oil and herbs. I opted for a big salad [lettuce mix + tomatoes + mushrooms + hard-boiled egg + olive oil and vinegar dressing] instead.

I used Ina’s recipe for the asparagus. So easy. So good.

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My “Go-To” Breakfast Meal: Microwave Egg Creation

By Mike on April 28, 2012 in Food

This is, by far, my favorite breakfast meal. There are lots of variations to it, so I can change things up a bit and not get bored.

Here’s the basic recipe. You can add ham, bacon, or mushrooms (like I did this morning). Just get a little creative with it.

Radishes pack a big flavor punch and I love them. The earthy flavor of the mushrooms paired with the radishes is a fantastic way to start the day.

I’ve found that key to a great breakfast starts with planning. Gotta make sure you have the ingredients in the house.

Four steps for a success program:

Plan
Go Food Shopping*
Cook
Eat

A Whole Foods Market is coming to my area later this year. I am VERY excited. Now, if we could get a Trader Joe’s around here, I’d be a VERY happy caveman. Ugga Bugga!

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First Meal Back on the Ultra-Low Carb Diet :: Salad from Subway

By Mike on April 26, 2012 in Food

I’m back on the plan.

This was meal number one on the ultra-low-carb (almost Paleo) diet plan that has worked so well for me in the past.

I’m looking forward to more great meals.

I can loose some serious weight. The high-protein / low-carb diet doesn’t give me the bloated feeling I get with carb-y foods. And my energy level will be much higher. It always is when I eat the right foods.

Maybe I’ll even start running again!

Ok, one step at a time.

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Note to Self: The Paleo Diet only works when you stick to it.

By Mike on April 26, 2012 in Staying the Course

I have become a complete food-plan failure.

My food choices have been horrible the past several weeks. I hang my head in shame.

I will begin to make better choices immediately.

I remember how great I felt when I was following the ultra-low-carb diet.

I will make this happen. Again.

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Roasted Asparagus

By Mike on March 4, 2012 in Food

Here’s the recipe.

Source: addapinch.com via Mike on Pinterest

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Paleo Breakfast: Microwave Egg Creation

By Mike on March 3, 2012 in Food

Today’s Breakfast

Microwave Egg Creation

2 eggs
splash of 1/2 + 1/2 (optional)
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
a few baby spinach leaves
2 pieces pre-cooked bacon, chopped
freshly ground black pepper

In a four-cup glass measuring cup (or other microwave-proof bowl) whip the eggs and 1/2 + 1/2 until well-beaten.
Add the green pepper, spinach leaves,bacon and ground black pepper.
Cover the container with wax paper and microwave on high for about 3 minutes (or until eggs are cooked completely).
Carefully remove the wax paper and serve with your choice of Paleo-approved vegetable (like radishes).

Enjoy!

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Old (Bad) Eating Habits are Hard to Break

By Mike on February 29, 2012 in Food, Staying the Course

Planning is Essential to Your Success

Weekday mornings are pretty hectic at my house. With two us getting ready for work and the other two prepping for the school day, it can be crazy. After I finished my breakfast this morning, I quickly turned my attention to what I was going to have for lunch. It’s not that I’m some sort of food freak (well, okay…I am), but we all know that planning is SO essential to making this (or any other) eating plan a success.

Yesterday was my “cheat meal” day, so today and the rest of the week have to be clean-eating days.

I made good Paleo choices and packed a salad (Romaine lettuce with carrots and red cabbage) along with a handful of fresh spinach leaves. Also tossed into my lunch bag were two hard-boiled eggs, an avocado, and a zip-top bag of raw, sliced mushrooms, a bag of sliced green pepper, and two organic pears from Trader Joe’s (love that place!). I also (thankfully) remembered to pack my homemade oil + vinegar salad dressing. In fact, I put the whole shaker-bottle in my bag!

My early morning snack was the sliced green pepper.

I had a cup of coffee (with ½ and ½) for breakfast, so I drank iced-tea pretty much all day at work. (And made several trips to the restroom as a result.) An ultra-low carb diet WILL force the water out of your system. That is a fact.

There was a Fight at Lunch Today

My lunch time is flexible, but I usually go from 11-12. Today was no different. As eleven o’clock approached, the emotional side of my brain was trying to convince the logical side of my brain that it would be okay to have more Chinese food today (as long as I skipped the mei fun and lo-mein). The emotional side of our brain can get the best of us some times. Can you relate?

The plan was that I would grab my lunch bag and head to the employee lunchroom. Unfortunately, my brain was still fighting with itself and in addition to the lunch bag, I grabbed my coat and car keys. I carried my lunch bag to the car and headed for the Chinese restaurant. All the way to the restaurant I kept telling myself that this was a bad idea. A few days ago I committed to a new plan and I was already falling off the wagon. I literally said out loud, “This is really not a good idea.”

Logical-brain finally came to life and the car was diverted to the thrift shop just a few hundred feet from the Chinese restaurant. I strolled the aisles, looking for nothing. But I was happy to be there. And not at the restaurant. I only stayed a few minutes, then got back in the car and returned to work.

We’re Not Perfect

Back in the lunchroom I found an empty table and made my salad. I felt pretty good about the choice I had made. In fact, I think I surprised myself. In the past, I would have said ‘screw it’ and would have gone to the restaurant.

Bottom line, we’re all going to screw up and make bad choices once in a while. And as long as it’s infrequent, then I feel okay with it. That’s why I’ve built in an escape clause with my ‘cheat meal’. But…I have to keep the cheating to one meal. On one day of the week. Two or three bad choices in a week will not get me where I want to be.

I am committed to the Paleo plan because I know it works. But only when I follow the rules.

Share Your Thoughts

How do you stay on your program? What do you do when you fall off the wagon? Please…leave a comment!

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Snack Time: Sliced Cucumbers with Garlic Pepper

By Mike on February 28, 2012 in Food

Tonight’s snack is a sliced cucumber with garlic pepper. We find most of our spices at a store in a quaint Amish community not too far from our house. They sell all sorts of herbs and spices. You can buy a little, or a lot. The prices are excellent (low!).

Instead of salt (a Paleo no-no) I chose Garlic Pepper to top my cukes. If you’d like to try it, send me an e-mail and I’ll send you a sample in a zip-top bag. No charge — because that’s how I roll.

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