Jen's Collection of Spice Blends

All of these blends are Paleo and Whole 30 compliant. The sausage seasonings are AIP or can easily be made AIP compliant. If you have successfully reintroduced seed spices all of these will work for you with the exception of the Chili Powder recipe. In that case use the Nightshade Free Mexican Spice Blend in it's place.

Nightshade Free Mexican Spice Blend 

2T ground cumin
1T salish
1T onion powder
1T garlic powder
1/2t coriander
1t oregano
1/8t cinnamon

Sage Sausage Seasoning

For 1 lb of ground meat. I used pork.

3t dry sage leaves crushed
1t salt
1t onion powder
1/2t garlic powder
1/2t dry thyme
1t of smoked paprika (omit for AIP)

AIP Breakfast Sausage (recipe)

2t salt
2t nutritional yeast
1Tground oregano
1T fresh rosemary

Spice Blend for Smoked Nuts (recipe)

1/2t salish
1/2t onion powder
1/2t salt
1t ground cumin
1t garlic powder

Chili Powder

1T cumin
1T smoked paprika
2t salt
1/2t ground oregano
1/4t coriander
1/8t cinnamon

Bacon and Sage Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup

I began this blog because I want to help my friends find REAL FOOD to eat. I'm a stay at home mom with a 4 year old boy so my days are busy with a bundle of energy. Each afternoon we go to Taekwondo lessons and during the day I'm trying to sort our an attempt to homeschool. My husband works in emergency medicine so when he goes to work it's either for 12 or 24 hours. Sometimes he'll work at one of the bases outside of town and he'll be gone for a few days at a time. What I'm trying to convey is that I have a notebook of recipes but I don't always have the time to take perfect photos to go with each one. As the little one gets older I'm hoping to have more time but for now I'll share what I can. Some posts may contain photos taken from my cell phone camera and others may not have any photos. In the future my goal is to go back and remedy this situation but for now I'm going to share recipes as I create them.

These potatoes were FANTASTIC and I'll be putting them on my holiday menu for years to come. Since I gave up added sugar almost a year ago my taste buds have changed and most things that are sweetened for the regular population are entirely too sweet for me. I honestly can't believe that we add sugar and marshmallows to sweet potatoes. They are so incredibly sweet already. So, here is a savory version to balance out the sweetness.

4 sweet potatoes peeled and diced
7 slices of thick sliced bacon
2T of Nutiva shortening, ghee, bacon fat, or butter
12 fresh sage leaves
1/2t salt
3T maple syrup

I've found that the quickest way to cook sweet potatoes is to steam them because they seem to take all day in the oven. I also recently read somewhere that baked sweet potatoes have a higher glycemic index than boiled sweet potatoes. I'm not sure how steamed sweet potatoes rate on the scale but I'm guessing that it has to be less than a baked sweet potato.

Cut the potatoes into bite sized chunks and steam them just until they are fork tender but not mushy. I'm sure it would taste great either way but in terms of appearance and texture I think cooked chunks will work better. For reference, I steamed my sweet potatoes for 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are steaming cook the bacon in the oven. I put a cooling rack on a cookie sheet to catch the oil. That way there are not any splatters or a big mess to clean up. Time and temperature will depend on the thickness of your bacon and how crispy you like it. For thick sliced bacon I use 375F and let it bake 20 minutes or so. After it's cool I cut it into bite sized pieces about 1/2" thick.

When the bacon and sweet potatoes are almost done melt your fat of choice in a skillet and add the fresh sage leaves to fry. Using 12 sage leaves there were hints of sage in the dish but it wasn't overpowering. If you'd like more of a pronounced sage flavor simply use more leaves. Frying sage leaves can be tricky because it's a super quick process. If the leaves turn brown they are burnt whereas they will be dark green when they are crispy. I usually cook both sides for a total time of about 60 seconds, 30 seconds each side. A pair of tongs is very handy for this quick task.

In a bowl add the sweet potatoes, bacon, crumbled sage leaves, and salt. Pour the fat the sage leaves were cooked in over the potatoes along with maple syrup. Toss to combine and enjoy.

AIP Breakfast Sausage

When I think of breakfast sausage I always think of Jimmy Dean sausage. That's the flavor I grew up with and I've always been disappointed in the past when I've ordered sausage at a restaurant that didn't taste like theirs. So when I set out to create a breakfast sausage their flavor is what I was aiming for.

Whether you're following the auto-immune paleo lifestyle, whole 30, paleo, or are gluten free Jimmy Dean breaks the rules. For some of you it doesn't matter but I'm strictly autoimmune paleo for now so a cheat often means a reaction that could possibly affect me for days. I love your sausage flavor Jimmy Dean but it's simply not worth not feeling well. The ingredients on the original roll of sausage are:

INGREDIENTS: PORK, WATER, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF THE FOLLOWING: CORN SYRUP, SALT, SPICES, SUGAR, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, FLAVORINGS.

The only ingredients in the list above that I can tolerate are: pork, water, and salt. I understand that companies fear someone will steal their recipe but I REALLY need to know what the spices and flavorings are. The autoimmune protocol is all about healing the intestinal lining so nightshade and seed spices are not allowed. Furthermore I need to know how the pork was raised. If it spent it's life in a cramped cage unable to turn around then that isn't something I want to support with my money. Since I'm also trying to improve my gut flora I don't want a dose of antibiotics. That is my other motivation to making my own sausage, I know where the pork came from.

Breakfast Sausage

2 lb ground pork
2t salt (coarse) or 1t of finely ground salt
2t nutritional yeast
1T ground oregano
1T fresh rosemary

In a bowl combine all of the ingredients with your hands until mixed thoroughly. I know the nutritional yeast sounds weird but trust me. There is just a bit and it gives a hint of a cheesy flavor. If this isn't something you typically use in your kitchen buy a little bit from the bulk section in your local health food store instead of a large container.

Form the sausage into patties and use in a recipe or simply make patties and brown both sides in a skillet over medium-medium/high heat. My new years resolution for this year is not to buy anything for myself so I'm also looking for other ways to buy less. In the picture below you'll see that instead of putting the sausage on a paper towel to drain I put them on a cooling rack over a baking sheet.

Make a Batch of Meatballs

One of the things I have loved about paleo cooking is learning to make things in batches. Since there aren't many choices when it comes to finding something quick to eat that is also paleo, batch cooking is our lifeline. When I first learned of the concept I wondered why everyone doesn't employ this strategy. Would you rather spend an hour in the kitchen every night or a few hours on the weekend? The few hours on the weekend are used to cook things that require the largest time investment: Squash, sweet potatoes, beets, and of course meats. Then during the week all you have to do is heat up the time intensive foods and cook up a few quick vegetables.

Based on my friends and the comments I read online people:

• 1) don't have much time to cook
• 2) want something quick and easy
• 3) are working with a budget

So my goal has been to create recipes that are as close to meeting those criteria as I can. Ground beef is one of the cheapest cuts of meat on the market. When it comes to buying beef grass fed is significantly healthier than grain fed. Grass fed has more anti-inflammatory Omega 3's and nutrients whereas grain fed is low in Omega 3's. Grain fed is also high in inflammatory Omega 6's and is more likely to come with a hefty dose of antibiotics and pesticides. If you've never shopped for grass fed beef you're most likely going to be in for a sticker shock. Grain fed is significantly cheaper because our government subsidizes grain crops but not grass. Your cheapest bet is going to be a local source by cutting out the middle man. For me I'd rather eat less meat of a higher quality than an abundance of meat that creates inflammation. I found a local butcher, Meats Royale, that carries grass finished beef, without hormones or antibiotics, and no GMO feed. As it turns out meat cannot receive a grade from the USDA unless it is grain fed. Grains are necessary for an animal to create marbling, ie fat, in the meat. Be aware of tricky labeling, organic beef can still be grain fed so look for grass fed.

A few years ago I looked in Julia Child's, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, to see what she would do with ground beef. So I tried her Bifteck Hache a la Lyonnaise and I fell in love. I never knew that ground beef could taste so good. It was like a poor man's fancy steak dinner. Ever since then I have always gravitated towards that flavor profile because not only is it delicious it's also simple. In Julia's original recipe she sautees onions but I wanted this recipe to be quick and easy so I opted for onion powder instead. I also tried to make the math pretty with this recipe. I used 3 lbs of ground beef but all of the measurements can be easily converted to any number of pounds you use. Simply remember that 3 teaspoons equals 1 tablespoon and the math will always work out.

Bifteck Hache a La Lyonnaise Meatballs (cheater version)

3 lb of ground beef
3t of coarse salt or 1.5t of finely ground salt
1.5t of dry thyme
2T of onion powder
2T of bacon fat

Combine the above ingredients in a bowl with your hands. Then roll it into balls about the size of a golf ball. For this step I used a 3T sized scoop with a trigger and I placed the balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Parchment paper isn't necessary but it does make cleanup easier.

Bake the meatballs at 400F for 20 minutes. 

I have made this recipe more than once and I absolutely love it because the meatballs are delicious and they would pair with nearly any cuisine. You could cover them with barbecue sauce for a party, put them into a sandwich, use them with zoodles, spaghetti squash, or your favorite pasta, or you can eat them like I do just as they are with a side of your favorite vegetables. 

If you're going to freeze some of the meatballs I'd freeze them on a baking sheet and then put them into a storage container. To store them a bit longer put them into a zippered bag and zip it but leave room for a straw to be inserted. Inhale through the straw to remove as much air as possible and then finish zipping the bag as you quickly remove the straw. It's my attempt to vacuum seal without an actual vacuum sealer.

Let me know how you decided to use this recipe.

Bacon Kale Chips

Some things just make sense eh? Bacon and Kale go very well together. Also, good quality bacon isn't the cheapest on the shelf. I prefer to buy my bacon from a local source so that I know how the pig was treated. Recently Chipotle took pork off of their menu due to the ethical concerns of how pigs are raised. Between horrible treatment of animals and the questionable ingredients added to bacon I've been playing with making my own. Recipe to come. So if I'm going to go to the effort to source high quality pork, uncured, that doesn't have any nasty chemicals you'd better believe that I'm going to save the bacon fat. Bacon fat is great to cook with. Not only does it have a high smoke point but it also gives amazing flavors to anything you cook in it.

I keep my bacon fat in a mason jar in the refrigerator. For this recipe you'll need to heat the fat slightly. You don't want to turn it into a hot liquid. I popped mine into the microwave for a few seconds. (go in 10 second increments until you achieve the desired consistency) It was still white but was no longer solid.

Here is my bowl of kale chips. It looks a bit empty because I kept eating them while the second and third trays cooked. I wanted crispy chips so I made sure that none of the kale was touching another piece. There weren't many chips on the last tray but I suggest spacing them out instead of overcrowding the chips, no matter how many trips to the oven you have to make.



Bacon Kale Chips

8 kale leaves torn into pieces, stems removed
3T of bacon fat
1/2 t salt

Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. I'd always baked kale chips directly on a piece of parchment on a baking sheet but some parts of the chips came out over cooked from direct contact with the sheet whereas other parts were sometimes soggy. When I cook bacon I put it on a cooling rack over a baking sheet and it comes out perfectly crisp so I decided to give it a try with kale chips.






As you can see below they came out perfectly crisp and not burnt or soggy. The next time I make these I think I'll grind up some cooked bacon into a dust and sprinkle it over the chips before I bake them for an extra bacon kick.

Going AIP - The Beginning

Often abbreviated AIP, the autoimmune paleo lifestyle, is focused on healing intestinal damage known as leaky gut. When a person has a leaky gut they have food particles that escape the small intestine and make their way into the body cavity which then sets off an autoimmune response. Every person who has an autoimmune disease has a leaky gut. A few Facebook groups exist for those of us who follow the autoimmune paleo lifestyle. Here and there you will see comments from people asking questions about weight loss but autoimmune paleo is not about weight loss. Losing weight ends up being a perk but it isn't the focus. I've never owned a scale and I think all women should throw theirs out. We are so much more than what we weigh or don't weigh. Here is a scene on the weight subject from one of my favorite movies and books Eat Pray Love.

While you won't see Pizza Margarita on AIP I am thankful for the wonderful recipes I have come across. Last night I made turkey and dumplings that reminded me of the pot of chicken and dumplings I used to make with my grandmother. However, there are a number of us who struggle in the beginning. When I first began I did not have any withdrawal side effects because I couldn't really fall off of the Whole 30 wagon without a reaction prior to starting AIP. I also thought that because this was the third time I gave up foods that could potentially cause problems I thought it would be a piece of cake. Like anything else, it's tough at first and then you get the hang of it but after a month I hit a wall. My symptoms were gone and I was bored of eating meat and vegetables. Sure I'd make lemon coconut fat bombs or Russ's Flatbread from The Paleo Approach Cookbook but I began to miss foods that were paleo. I didn't want to cheat and throw in the towel but I was missing variety and my seed spices.

So one morning we went out to breakfast. Following AIP there is no dairy, eggs, or grains which pretty much eliminates 99.9% of any SAD breakfast menu. (SAD is the acronym Standard American Diet) I had become stressed and exhausted from watching every little bite that went into my mouth and so I just ordered. I ordered huckleberry gluten free pancakes, eggs, coffee, and bacon. None of it was AIP and I felt the effects of it for the next two days with a headache, achy muscles, and swollen and achy hands. A few days later I made a pot of chili. I knew that I over did it at breakfast so I thought I'd just add 1 non AIP thing to the chili, cumin, and a speck of tomato paste. That day I thought tomatoes and I were still friends. You're supposed to reintroduce one thing at a time but I was so tired of feeling deprived that I threw caution to the wind. From the people I've talked to online this seems to be common. Many of us have started, hit the wall, threw caution to the wind, and then we end up back at AIP with a much better resolve. I've missed cumin terribly, probably more than any other spice, and so I ate the chili with cumin and found myself in the bathroom within 30 minutes.

It's been a little over 6 weeks since I started following the autoimmune protocol and I've finally made peace with it. I think a huge portion of that is simply learning new ways to cook. Once you have some quick and easy ideas it doesn't seem so daunting. I've also added back a few foods which has helped. Black pepper doesn't seem to bother me. Yeah! I'm also fairly certain that almonds are still OK too. Cashews on the other hand made my mouth and throat burn within minutes of eating them. Having a nut reaction for the first time in my life was scary but thankfully nothing serious came of it and now I know not to throw back handfuls of nuts until I'm sure of where I stand.

Damage to my gut has occurred over numerous years so to expect it to heal in 30 days isn't likely. I have met people who have followed AIP and they've been able to add back foods that they were previously sensitive to. So far I don't think I've met anyone who has accomplished this in less than a year. I know that I can't go back, nor would I want to. I feel so much better, but I finally had the realization that this is going to be a marathon and not a sprint.

What is allowed on AIP?

http://autoimmune-paleo.com/paleo-autoimmune-protocol-print-out-guides/

That is a pretty good list of food but it comes with a number of challenges which I will discuss shortly.

Here is the list of foods to avoid from: http://autoimmune-paleo.com

http://autoimmune-paleo.com/paleo-autoimmune-protocol-print-out-guides/

Now if you were to walk into most restaurants and try to order something without grains, dairy, nightshades, or canola oil you'd have a tough time. Never mind the fact that the meat they are offering most likely came from a corporate farm and it's packed with antibiotics and high levels of Omega-6's because it was grain fed. All of my closest girlfriends have autoimmune diseases and when I look at the food that is being offered to all of us, everywhere, I get it. It's a challenge to easily find anti-inflammatory/paleo foods let alone AIP foods unless you cook it yourself. Whereas the foods that have the potential to work against us are the staples of the inflammatory Standard American Diet. (SAD is such an appropriate acronym.) In the December/January 2014 Issue of Paleo Magazine Jason Kremer DC, CCSP, CSCS states:

Besides excessive weight gain and difficulty losing weight, chronic inflammation has been linked to at least seven of the 10 most common causes of mortality in the United States, which include heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke, Alzheimers disease, diabetes, and nephritis.

So what is a girl to do? When it comes to eating breakfast in a restaurant I try to aim for a late breakfast at 11 or later because most restaurants are serving lunch by then. If that isn't possible I order a steak with vegetables and fruit as sides, no nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers). I'll also ask if they'll cook up some of their omelette veggies without the eggs as a side dish. At home I often have leftover roasted vegetables for breakfast either on their own or with a meat of some sort. I ask for the meat to be plain, no seasonings, no oils. Most restaurants don't have many vegetables on their breakfast menu which is why I try to aim for the lunch menu.

Since I've been at this for awhile I can now walk into most restaurants and finagle my way through a menu to find something to eat. It's often not exciting but at least I don't go home hungry and I can still keep a bit of a social life. My usual orders are a burger, if the meat is high quality, without a bun and AIP approved toppings with a side salad. I then mix the burger with the salad for a big hamburger salad. My other option is a piece of meat plainly cooked, no oils or seasonings, and vegetables. I'm thankful for the restaurants that offer baked sweet potatoes not only does it make me feel like I get to have dessert but otherwise it's usually a double order of steamed vegetables.

Will I ever cure my autoimmune disease? No. Once your body learns to attack itself it can't be unlearned. What I can do is avoid the foods that trigger my symptoms when they cross the wall of my small intestine. By doing that I can help my gut heal and reverse my symptoms. One of my favorite AIP bloggers Phoenix Helix has written a wonderful article on The Difference Between Reversing Autoimmune Disease and a Cure.


I began AIP over 2 months ago and I will tell you that it has come with challenges for sure. There are some people who begin AIP as a last resort. Many of those people don't have much difficulty sticking with the strict diet from the get go because so many find a sense of normal living that they have been searching for over a number of years. Let's face it, western medicine focuses on putting band-aids on problems by writing prescriptions to mask symptoms. If you have a doctor that focuses on your lifestyle and encourages prevention then you should hold onto them tightly. In The Paleo Approach Community on Facebook there are so many people looking for physicians who have read or at least understand The Paleo Approach. When I joined the group in January there were 33,000+ members and now it's nearly 35,779. There are so many people looking for help in this group but this group is also a wealth of support. The Paleo Approach Comminity is made up of people from all walks of life, with all sorts of autoimmune diseases, in various stages of recovery. Odds are that whatever you are facing there is someone in this group who will lend an ear and offer advice.

Asparagus With Mushrooms

When I walked past this asparagus in the supermarket I had to buy two bundles because the spears are so small. That may sound counter intuitive to some but the smaller the spears the more tender they are.


Looking for something different to do with asparagus I decided to add sauteed mushrooms. These aren't just any mushrooms, this is how Julia Child taught me to make mushrooms in her book Mastering The Art of French Cooking. Thinly sliced and browned on both sides, I think this is the closest any food can ever come to tasting like bacon. One of these days I may cook up a bunch just so I can snack on them.

 If you know anything about Julia you know that she cooked with lots of butter. Since I have a horrible reaction to dairy I thankfully have found a replacement. Nutiva makes a shortening (non-hydrogenated and sustainable) that is a combination of coconut oil, palm oil, and red palm oil. The red palm oil gives it a slight buttery flavor and it has a high smoke point. I've tried but I'm simply not one of those people who can use coconut oil in every dish, especially savory ones. Whether you use butter, ghee, bacon fat, or shortening my husband and I decided that THIS is the way to eat asparagus.

Ingredients
3T Nutiva shortening
6 cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
1/2t salt
1/2C water
bunch of asparagus with the woody ends trimmed off.



Melt the fat of your choice in a skillet. Add the thinly sliced mushrooms and 1/4t of salt to the hot oil and cook until browned on both sides.



Remove the mushrooms and add the asparagus and remaining salt to the pan. Stir the asparagus around so that each spear is coated in fat. Add water to the pan to steam the asparagus and cover with a lid.



Cast iron skillets don't typically come with lids. In the past I have used larger lids to cover the pan but condensation eventually begins to drip onto the stove top. One of my new favorite kitchen gadgets is this silicone sunflower in the photo below. You can use it for an airtight seal on bowls or on hot items such as a pot on the stove. I'm saving on plastic wrap and avoiding drips on the stove. Brilliant!

Remove the lid periodically to stir the asparagus. You are aiming for bright green and tender stalks that aren't mushy and complete evaporation of the water added to the pan. When the stalks are bright green there shouldn't be much water remaining. If there is a bit you can remove the lid to let it evaporate if the asparagus is nearly cooked. If the asparagus is completely cooked simply remove it from the pan and don't worry about the water. We don't want to overcook your asparagus.

Top the asparagus with the cooked mushrooms.

AIP Faux-tato Soup

The auto-immune paleo diet is strict for good reason but sometimes you just want a bite of something familiar and comforting. When I went to make dinner tonight all of the meat was still frozen and I wanted something quick because it was 6:30 an the little one goes to bed at 8. I learned tonight that parsnips don't cook as quickly as potatoes do so if you're pressed for time cut your parsnips smaller than I did. Like most nights this recipe was simply an experiment of mine and I had no idea how it would turn out when I began assembling ingredients. However, the final result hit the spot and I could barely eat it fast enough.

Faux-tato Soup

2 parsnips peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
2 stalks of celery diced
1/2 of a medium onion diced
4T of palm shortening
3 cloves of garlic
2C of vegetable broth
2C of water
10oz bag of frozen cauliflower
1 bay leaf
1/2t dry thyme
1t salt
3 lg cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
fresh sage leaves

In a large stock pot melt 1T of palm shortening over medium heat and saute the onion and celery until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and stir a few times before adding the broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, and cauliflower.

While the cauliflower is cooking heat the remaining 3T of palm shortening in a saute pan over medium heat and quickly fry the sage leaves. Remove the leaves and add the mushrooms, cooking until they are brown on both sides. When they are done place them on a paper towel or cooling rack to keep them from getting soggy.

When the cauliflower is fork tender remove the bay leaf, set aside, and puree the contents of the pot with a blender. Be careful of hot liquids and don't fill a blender more than half full. I used an immersion blender tonight. Return the liquid to the pot along with the bay leaf, salt, and diced parsnip. Cook over medium heat, the soup should lightly boil, until the parsnips are tender.

Garnish with mushrooms and sage leaves. I grow sage around our covered patio and it provides me with fresh sage almost year round. Since it's early in the year and I was just playing in the kitchen I only picked about 10 leaves. Next time I'll definitely find more leaves to fry up.

Here is a photo of sage I took last summer. It is nearly the only thing that grows here in southwestern Idaho without human intervention. If you have a dry place in your yard with poor soil I bet sage will grow there.

Julia Child's Bifteck Hache A La Lyonnaise Made AIP

After my first Whole 30 this past August I haven't been very successful in adding back the foods I gave up then. I never would have dreamed that giving up food for 30 days would cause my body to reject it in the future. This doesn't happen to everyone but it actually happens to a fair amount of people, especially if they have an autoimmune disease. I've followed the AIP lifestyle for the last 3 weeks and it finally getting to the point where it's becoming comfortable. For those who aren't familiar with AIP it stands for Auto-Immune Paleo.

I'm going to assume that you're familiar with AIP if you're reading this. If not check out The Paleo Mom, Sarah Ballantyne. She has a PhD in medical biophysics and has written a book titled: The Paleo Approach. With 1200 scientific studies cited Sarah goes into great detail about food and autoimmune disease. Did you know that everyone with an autoimmune disease has a leaky gut? That is, food particles escape the small intestine which leads to the autoimmune response.

These past few weeks the people of Pinterest have given me numerous ideas on what to eat. Thank you! Tonight I wanted something familiar. I wanted comfort food and I wanted something quick. When I first made Julia Child's Bifteck Hache A La Lyonnaise I was blown away that ground beef could taste so good. It's sort of like a poor man's fancy dinner. I knew the recipe wasn't AIP compliant so I tweaked it.

Instead of butter I used bacon fat and I omitted the pepper, egg, and flour. For the sauce I used organic mushroom broth, about 1 cup, and thickened it with a little arrowroot dissolved in cold water. I'd say a teaspoon or two dissolved in a splash of water. You can adjust the sauce quantity and thickness to your liking. Just make sure the broth is boiling as you stir in the arrowroot so that it thickens while you stir it.

1.5 lbs of ground beef
3/4 C of finely minced onion
2T of Nutiva Shortening
2T of bacon fat
1 1/2 t coarse salt or 3/4 t of finely ground salt
1/8 t dry thyme
1 C Mushroom broth
1T of Arrowroot starch

Saute the onions in the shortening until translucent and set aside to cool slightly. To the ground beef add the bacon fat, salt, thyme, and onions and mix thoroughly with your hands. Shape the meat into patties or meatballs, whatever shape you like. Cook the meat, preferably in a stainless steel skillet large enough to cook everything at once. Remove the meat and deglaze the pan with 1 C of mushroom broth and thicken to your liking with arrowroot. I use 1 part arrowroot to 2 parts cold water stirred together that I slowly add to the boiling broth.

Here is Julia's full recipe on Food.com. While the burgers were cooking I made a cauliflower mash to go with it. My recipe for cauliflower mash can be found with my Shepherd's Pie recipe.

Paleo Shepherd's Pie

If you're like me you've probably been burned by a few cauliflower recipes so I'm always leery of them too. You can use potatoes in place of the cauliflower or combine potatoes and cauliflower to increase the vegetable content. That's the great thing about cooking, you can alter it to your taste. I made this dish to take to a group of ladies I meet with once a month. Each month a different person brings dinner and this was my contribution. I'm sensitive to white potatoes so I used cauliflower mash instead of potatoes. That night 15 people sat around the room chowing down and no one suspected they were eating cauliflower instead of potatoes until I told them. Since the number of ladies who attend somewhat varies I only made one 13x9 casserole and it wasn't enough. I should have made 2. Since I was rushed by time I failed to grab any photos but I wanted to share this recipe because it went over so well with my friends. The next time I make it I'll be sure to take photographs.

Ingredients:

2 lbs of grass fed ground beef
6 carrots peeled and sliced
1 stalk of celery quartered and diced
1 large bay leaf
1/2 red onion diced
3 cloves of garlic minced
2t salt
4t arrowroot powder
2t paleo worcestershire sauce
1/3C red wine
~3C water

Bring a pot of water to boil to begin steaming the cauliflower. (see below) Turn the oven on to 350F. In a large saute pan begin browning the beef with the onion and salt. When the beef is cooked add the carrots, celery, bay leaf, and garlic. Stir for a minute or two until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the red wine to deglaze the pan, scrape up any brown bits from the bottom, and allow the wine to almost completely evaporate. If you're making this recipe Whole 30 simply skip to the next step and omit the wine. Dissolve the arrowroot powder in COLD water. The ratio above makes a sauce similar to a chicken or beef gravy you would put on mashed potatoes. If you want your sauce thicker add less water and add more water if you want it thinner. My advice is to start thicker because it's easier to add water to thin it out than it is to wait for water to evaporate. Turn the meat sauce to low while you puree the cauliflower.

Cauliflower Mash

2 heads of cauliflower chopped
6T of Nutiva Shortening, butter, ghee, your fat of choice
1/4C water
1 1/4t salt
pepper


Chop and steam 2 heads of cauliflower. When the cauliflower is fork tender put it into a food processor and puree. If you end up with a chunk that won't puree scoop it out. Add the shortening, salt, pepper, and water and puree. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Place the meat sauce into a 13x9 pan and pierce a few carrots with a fork to see how tender they are. If they are pretty firm the casserole will need more time in the oven than if they are fairly soft. Top the sauce with cauliflower mash and cover the casserole with foil. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the carrots are fork tender. Even if the carrots are cooked to your liking when you assemble the casserole 20 minutes in the oven will help marry the flavors of the two layers. 

Sausage Lovers Paleo Supreme Pizza

I first learned the concept of a meatza from Melissa Joulwan, author of Well Fed. While I can't take credit for the meatza concept I do take credit for these seasonings. Honestly, I think this is better than the traditional pizza served on a doughy crust. Instead of dough, my crust is made of homemade Italian sausage. I like to make my own sausage because not only can I control the seasoning but I can also assure the quality of meat and how it was raised.

For the crust:

1 lb ground pork
1t salt
pepper
1t granulated garlic
1t fresh rosemary finely chopped
1/4t ground oregano
1/2t fennel seeds
1/2t onion powder
1/4t crushed red pepper flakes

Combine the ingredients above with your hands and then press into a cast iron skillet. I used a 10" skillet. (11" at the top and 10" at the bottom) You could also use a 9" pie plate or something similar. Then put the crust into the oven at 400F for 15 minutes without toppings.

While the crust is baking mix up this no-cook pizza sauce:

2T of tomato paste
1C of strained tomatoes
1/2t salt
1/2t garlic

I know most people think that eating well is too difficult so I purposely made this sauce easy to throw together. You want the sauce to be thicker rather than thinner. If it's too thin it will get watery in the oven. It won't taste bad but you'll lose some of your sauce.

Remove the pizza crust from the oven and hold the crust in the pan with a spatula as you tilt the pan to drain the grease. Melissa transfers the crust to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Either will work.

Supreme pizza was my favorite before I adopted my paleo lifestyle and this pizza definitely fills that craving for me, and then some. Add as much sauce as you like. If any is remaining store it in the freezer for a quick addition to another dish. You can top this pizza however you wish. I thinly sliced green peppers, onions, and mushrooms and then layered pepperoni, the large size, from Applegate farms on top. Omit pepperoni for Whole 30 unless you can find pepperoni without sugar.

Return the pizza to the oven for another 15 minutes and then enjoy

Smoked Nuts and a Chemistry Lesson on BHT Butylated Hydroxytolulene

There are so many snack mixes available yet very few are paleo friendly. Most contain wheat, dairy, or an inflammatory oil like corn, soy, or canola. Even if you are not following the paleo lifestyle you will definitely gobble these up. I tested them on a few friends and they couldn't eat them fast enough. Hence, they are one of my kitchen creations that instantly became "blog worthy".

Make sure the nuts you use are raw and do not contain any inflammatory oils or salt. In the photo above you'll see that I used cashew pieces instead of buying the whole nut because they are significantly cheaper that way. You can also buy nuts in the bulk section of the grocery store so that you only have to buy what you will use in the near future. Oils in nuts can become rancid over time so store them in a cool place to slow down this process.

Combine a cup of each: almonds, pecans, cashews. Then add 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds. In a separate bowl combine cumin, garlic, salt, onion, and salish with 2T of oil using a whisk if you need to break up any spice clumps. Toss the nuts with the spice mixture and spread them evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat and bake at 350 degrees for 15 min.

Something I was surprised to discover was that the pecans roasted this way tasted a lot like pretzels. I love pretzels so it was a nice surprise to find a paleo friendly version.

Spice Mixture
2T Oil of your choice*
1/2t salish (smoky salt. I found it in the bulk spice section at Whole Foods.)
1/2t onion powder
1/2t salt
1t ground cumin
1t garlic powder

Flavor Variation (non paleo) but reminds me of Chex mix
reduce cumin to 1/4t
use 2T of ghee instead of oil
add 2t worcestershire

*When I first made this recipe I did the big no-no of using Olive Oil because it was the only neutral tasting oil I had available. Finding the perfect fat to cook with seems daunting these days because so many of our choices are inflammatory oils or oils, like Olive Oil, that break down at high temperatures. When I made the "Chex Mix" variation I used ghee because it has a smoke point of 450F. I've missed eating Chex Mix for years and so I ate quite a bit of this mix in one sitting. Then I had a reaction similar, but not as intense, as the one my body has to dairy, so ghee is off the table for me. So a neutral tasting oil with a high smoke point that isn't inflammatory looks to be avocado oil.

Worcestershire isn't paleo because it contains sugar and the ever questionable natural flavorings. I figured at 1g of sugar per teaspoon the impact wouldn't be that significant since only 2 teaspoons were being used. Looking for a better alternative I discovered Michelle from Nom Nom Paleo recommends The Wizard's Worcestershire sauce. Looking over the ingredients it still contains sugar, same amount as my Lea & Perrins, but at least the ingredients are all organic and there is a gluten free version.

The Chex Mix StoryI used to love Chex Mix but I quit buying it years ago when I discovered it was preserved with BHT. One day I had the pleasure of testing BHT in the laboratory and it's a very fine white powder that smells almost exactly like moth balls. Moth balls keep bugs away and BHT is a preservative which had me quickly wondering what BHT does on a cellular level. Working in a lab I had access to all of the MSDS sheets of the chemicals we worked with. That is when I began reading food ingredient labels with a very close eye. It's appalling what they allow into our food. The quote below is from section 11 of the MSDS. Follow the MSDS link to learn more.

MSDS Toxicological information of BHT (Butylated Hydroxytolulene)

 Routes of Entry: Absorbed through skin. Dermal contact. Inhalation. Ingestion.

Toxicity to Animals: Acute oral toxicity (LD50): 650 mg/kg [Mouse].

Chronic Effects on Humans:

CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: A4 (Not classifiable for human or animal.) by ACGIH, 3 (Not classifiable for human.) by IARC.

MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells. Mutagenic for bacteria and/or yeast. May cause damage to the following organs: blood, liver, central nervous system (CNS).

Other Toxic Effects on Humans:

Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of inhalation (lung irritant). Slightly hazardous in case of ingestion, .

Special Remarks on Toxicity to Animals: Not available.The Wizard's Worcestershire sauce

Special Remarks on Chronic Effects on Humans:

May affect genetic material (mutagenic). May cause cancer based on animal test data. No human data found. May cause adverse reproductive effects and birth defects (teratogenic)

Special Remarks on other Toxic Effects on Humans:

Acute Potential Health Effects: Skin: Causes mild to moderate skin irritation. Eyes: Causes moderate eye irritation. Inhalation: May cause respiratory tract (nose, throat) irritation. Ingestion: May be harmful if swallowed. The clinical manifestatioins of acute are not well known. May cause gastritis, vomiting, hypermotility, diarrhea. May affect behavior/central nervous system(dizziness, weakness, somnolence, slurred speech, ataxia, visual and auditory hallucinations, headache, confusion, temporary loss of conciousness), respiration (respiratory depression), blood (reduced ability to clot) Chronic Potential Health Effects: Ingestion: Prolonged or repeated ingestion may affect the liver, kidneys, thyroid, adrenal gland, behavior/central nervous system and learning ability, blood(reduced ability to clot), and may cause weight loss. Ingestion or skin contact may also cause allergic reaction (dermatitis, asthma)

Pork Chops With Mushrooms and a Rosemary Pan Sauce

Before I began this post I had to do a little research on whether or not wine is paleo so that I could figure out what labels to give this post. Technically alcohol isn't paleo but it doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule. From what I read most people avoid the drinks that contain gluten and they moderately enjoy red wine for the health benefits of resveratrol. I had to look it up because there is 1/2C of white wine in this recipe but it is reduced to remove the alcohol. So the way I see it you'll end up with a touch of sugar. For those on Whole 30 definitely don't add the alcohol but if you are paleo, it's up to you. If you omit the wine you may need to adjust the thickness of the sauce with a touch more stock.

This is one of those dishes that doesn't take much time to make so this would be great for a weeknight dinner and for those who do not eat pork, chicken would also work in this recipe.

Chop 6 cremini mushrooms and 2 cloves of garlic before you begin. If you'd like more mushrooms, a different type, or no mushrooms feel free to adjust the recipe.

Generously salt and pepper 6 thick cut pork chops. Over medium / medium high heat add just enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of a stainless steel skillet. If you add too much it just creates more splatters for you to clean up later. I also recommend stainless over non-stick because you'll get better browning. Cast iron would work if you are not using wine. I find that ingredients with a lot of acidity tend to develop a metallic taste when cooked in cast iron unless the iron is coated with ceramic.

Before you begin let me give you a heads up. While you are cooking, fond is going to develop in the bottom of the pan. These brown bits are going to help us create our pan sauce so keep on eye on them and turn down the heat if you need to to keep them from burning. If the fond burns then we won't be able to use them for a sauce. No worries, the stock and arrowroot can be heated together in another pan to create a sauce but the flavor won't be as good.

When the pan is hot place the chops into the pan laying them away from you so that any splatters will most likely jump away from you. If you do not hear a sizzle when the meat touches the pan then it is not hot enough so wait and try again. I find that if I move the chops a little after they are added they won't stick on the bottom of the pan as much. Either way, when they are brown and ready to flip they should release from the pan on their own.

After both sides of the pork chops have been browned transfer them to a plate and add the mushrooms. You may need to add more oil or ghee to the pan to cook the mushrooms. Initially the mushrooms will absorb the oil from the pan and when they are just about done you will notice that most of the oil will reappear in the pan. I prefer my mushrooms pretty dark but I think the fond will ultimately determine how brown you can get them. About a minute or so before the mushrooms are done add 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic to the pan and saute for the remaining minute.

Add 1/2C of white wine to the mushrooms and garlic and allow it to cook until nearly reduced by half. Use a wine that you enjoy drinking. For this recipe I used a riesling. In a measuring cup dissolve 2t of arrowroot in 2C of cold broth, either chicken or mushroom, and add it to the pan. It is fine if the broth is room temperature, just not hot, because the arrowroot won't dissolve properly in hot liquid. Using a whisk, or whatever tool you like, stir the broth making a point to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the sauce begins to boil it will thicken. If you'd like it a little thicker use just enough cold water to dissolve another teaspoon of arrowroot and add it to the sauce. Return the pork chops to the pan and turn the heat down to medium and let them simmer for a few minutes. If you suspect they did not cook completely during the browning process because they are a thicker cut, place a lid on the pan and let them simmer for a few minutes.

At the very end add a whole sprig of fresh rosemary about 3-4" in length to the sauce and submerge it. Let it simmer in the sauce for a few minutes and then give the sauce a taste. I only cook it in the sauce for a few minutes because I prefer it with a hint of rosemary so that it doesn't overpower the other flavors of the sauce. If you'd like more of a rosemary flavor simply cook it a bit longer. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if you need to.

Remove the rosemary and serve. I'd say this recipe is roughly 30 minutes start to finish.

6 chops
6 cremini mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
1/2C white wine
2C of broth, either chicken or mushroom
2t of arrowroot starch
sprig of rosemary
salt and pepper

My First Whole 30: Looking at Food Differently

While having lunch with a friend I told her about my decision to try a Whole 30 diet for 30 days. If you're not familiar with the diet the goal is to eliminate all inflammatory foods: sugar, grains, dairy, white potatoes, legumes, seed oils, and alcohol, in order to "reset" the body's immune response. By eliminating constant sources of inflammation the immune system is allowed to return to normal. She told me that she doesn't think she has the willpower to be that strict for a month and asked how I was going to do it. 

Source

Making the suggestion that people try the Whole 30 I feel like Laurence Fishburne in the Matrix. There is a red pill and a blue pill and you must decide. One will keep everything the same and the other will change your life and your health in so many ways that the odds of you turning back are slim to none. I must warn you though, as I've cleaned up my diet I've become sensitive to the things I've given up. That is, once I give something up I can't go back. I'm not saying this will be true for you but it has definitely been the case for me.

My motivation for sticking to the Whole 30 is the muscles of my body. They have been tight for as long as I can remember. Muscles in my back and feet crunch when you run your fingers over them and I'd give anything for them to let go. I'd rather have feet that don't hurt and a back that doesn't ache more than I'd have any of the things that I'm giving up. I'm not sure if a Whole 30 will work but I'm a firm believer that you are what you eat and chronic inflammation does not do good things to the body. So, I'll let you know.

Day 1: This morning we went to a funeral and in the mix of getting ready and picking up the babysitter I didn't have much time for breakfast. So I packed a pear and a bag of almonds to eat in the car. They got me through the service. After we left my husband suggested a lunch date since the little one was already occupied with babysitters. We don't have any family in town so dates are few and far between so I jumped at the chance. My husband chose the Yard House and over lunch I told him all about the Whole 30. The biggest challenge I had was deciding what to order. Everywhere I looked there were potatoes, soy sauce, wheat, sugar, corn, or cheese. I just assumed I'd get a salad with chicken but they all had one of these offenders. Sure I could have ordered it without _______ but I wasn't excited to eat a bowl of lettuce without dressing and very few toppings. Part of me simply wanted to leave. I'd ordered a burger there before without the bun but all of their burgers came with either fries or one of their salads. I had settled on a bunless burger with a boring salad when my husband orders steak and shrimp. Well heck, if you're having steak I might as well too. So I had the filet that came with a side of vegetables. If you can't tell I hate to be one of "those people" at restaurants who make many special requests but I'm learning that I might have to just get over that.

source

Like I've read on many blogs the first day isn't that big of a deal physically. Figuring out what to eat is the real trick. It seems that most things that are quick to eat fall into one of the do not eat categories. Since most people think they are short on time and often opt for convenience is probably why this diet seems like such a huge challenge. A piece of fruit, handful of berries or nuts, or a vegetable salad are all quick and easy. After reading that last sentence most of you are probably thinking that you will die of starvation on this diet. That is the gluten talking. The first week I gave up wheat I felt like I was going to starve and then it went away. Now when I get hungry it's more of a gentle reminder rather than an all consuming pain.

Although I'm writing about my day 1 experience, I'm actually on day 4 physically. Reading over about other people's experiences with the Whole 30 many feel horrible day 2-4~ish. (Read other takes on the first week to 30 days from: Whole30.com, brockpaperscissorsblog.com, and limitless365.com.) Day 2 and 3 were slightly rough for me but not to the extent that I think some people have experienced. My advice would be to give up gluten for a week before you start so that you're not hit by so many withdrawal symptoms all at once. What's most disturbing to me is that people have withdrawal symptoms when they stop eating many of the staples of the American diet. I don't think it should be that way. I only eat fresh strawberries in the summer and I don't have withdrawals over the winter.

Day 2: I have a headache and I feel like I could sleep all day. Just let me lay here and do nothing. Not going to happen, I have a 3 year old who starts his day jumping on the bed and maintains that level of energy all day. Tonight I wanted to rip into a bag of marshmallows. Instead I had pickled asparagus I bought at the farmers market wrapped in ham. I also have raw cacao nibs in the refrigerator that I'll eat a handful of when I get a sugar craving. So far it has worked. The biggest challenge has been eating out. It is very difficult to find something on a typical restaurant menu that doesn't contain: potatoes, cheese, soy, corn, gluten, grains, or sugar.

Day 3: Spices:
I've heard people say that eating healthy is boring. Instead I'm learning that I enjoy food so much more because everything isn't served on a starchy canvas. Today I cooked up a few dishes for the next few days and these are the spices I used:

• allspice
• cinnamon
• cumin
• arbol chili
• pepper
• curry powder
• smoked paprika
• coriander
• cayenne
• coconut aminos
• bay leaf
• mint
• garlic
• onion

Breakfast-Ratatouille with Poached Eggs

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10382/easy-ratatouille-with-poached-eggs

The Best Chicken You Will Ever Eat 
From: Well-Fed

http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2009/06/09/the-best-chicken-you-will-ever-eat-ever/

Oven Roasted Caluiflower
Emeril Lagasse(omit cheese)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/oven-roasted-cauliflower-with-garlic-olive-oil-and-lemon-juice-recipe.html

Day 4: Holy wow, I feel amazing! After going to bed at midnight I was up at 7:15 and ready to go without an alarm clock. In our house I'm known for coining the term: "sleepin'", as in, "leave me alone". So, for me to be excited to be awake that early is an anomaly. We'll see if it continues. The biggest change I've felt is an unbelievable sense of peace. I spend most days sun up to sun down alone with a 3 year old because my husband works 12 and 24 hour shifts. I've often wished I could trek to the Himalayas to go meditate with the Buddhist monks to find that inner calm you hear in their voice. I now feel like I have some of that and my body doesn't feel like someone has turned the electricity up too high. I don't really know how to explain it with words other than an amazing sense of peace.

Day 5: I think my husband thinks I'm crazy when I tell him about the sense of peace I have. I've tried to explain to him that you can't know what it's like or what you're missing unless you do it. I no longer feel like my body is fighting itself and my shoulder muscles that have always been incredibly tight are beginning to soften on their own. On the Whole 30 website they have an A-Z list of medical conditions and people have given their testimonials on how the diet has influenced them. So don't just take my word for it. Check into it. There is a lot of information and advice from people who have done this more than once.

I just used the word DIET and it reminded me that weight is not a factor during the Whole 30. In fact, you're not supposed to weigh yourself for 30 days. So please don't get caught up in the numbers. I've never owned a scale myself so this one was easy for me.

Day6-7: What I'm learning about paleo is that you have to have a plan. Your quickest snacks are going to be raw fruits, vegetables, and nuts but eventually you will want something substantial to eat. Whether you go paleo or not I think the paleo approach is genius. Why spend an hour in the kitchen every night when you can spend 2 hours and have food for the week that is ready in minutes? No plastic trays or ridiculously small portion sizes here, just real food.

Week 2: Removing sugar, dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol, and vegetable oils I continue to feel amazing and I have this incredible sense of peace. It's the #1 reason I'd recommend a Whole 30 to everyone. With this crazy world who couldn't use more peace in their life? Melissa Joulwan has a post on her blog TheClothesMakeTheGirl.com listing 30 Reasons to do a Whole 30. Initially I was skeptical but now, 2 weeks in, I completely agree with all 30. I'm excited to see what happens in the next 2 weeks but these first two have really made me think about the American Diet and it makes me sad. A month or so ago I joined a local city councilman in taking the FedUp Challenge. For 10 days I didn't eat any foods with sugar added to them. The biggest lesson I learned is that sugar is everywhere. Start looking around your pantry for the 309 names of sugar and remember that the ingredients listed first have the highest content in the product.  

When I go to a restaurant, walk through the grocery store, or I'm simply looking for a quick bite to eat is when I feel sad. There are very few choices that comply with the paleo lifestyle which is strange because I think without modern technology paleo is what everyone would eat. I know so many people who are sick and stressed out and when you walk through a supermarket the aisles are full of sugar, grains, dairy, and inflammatory oils. It makes me sad to see shopping carts go rolling by that are full of chemicals and inflammatory ingredients. I check out shopping carts because I'm a foodie and I'm looking to see if I missed something terrific. Then there is the part of me who used to work in a lab 20 years ago and I've been reading food ingredient labels ever since. The more you learn about the food on the shelves the less you will likely buy. Start paying attention. Start checking out shopping carts and see if you see a trend.

So not only is the majority of food on grocery store shelves working against most people, they are then told to borderline starve themselves and that they must also have a gym membership to see results. I know people and so you do. They have tried losing weight with this method for years and each time they resume eating normally, it's not natural to starve yourself indefinitely, they always end up with more weight than they started with. One of the ways I think diets sabotage people is that they allow for cheat days. With the Whole 30 I had cravings in the first week but once I broke down those chemical cravings by not eating, let's say sugar, then I no longer had those cravings. I think by allowing cheats in any diet people never get over their addiction to things like sugar. Sugar is addictive like a drug so if people don't give it up completely how can they ever break the addiction? Will I never eat sugar again? No. I'm too much of a foodie and I recognize that sugar is a key component to balancing flavor. For me the difference is that I'll be aware of choosing to add maple syrup or honey to a recipe and I won't load up on sugar like someone looking for a fix. If you've ever hit the leftover Halloween candy dish hard like I have in the past you know the feeling you get from binging on sugar.

Basically in 2 weeks it's all come down to one simple concept. If it doesn't make you feel good, why are you doing it?

The Testing Phase
I finished my Whole 30 a week ago and I've been in the testing phase; after the inflammatory foods have been removed you try them out individually and see how your body responds. So far I've had some pretty extreme reactions to dairy and potatoes. In my opinion, the testing phase has been the hardest for me. To eat something and in a few hours have a pounding headache, dizziness, and a funky taste in your mouth that makes you wish you could vomit, in hopes of ending your misery, is not my idea of a good time. That has been this former cheese lover's reaction to dairy. I didn't plan it but I'm thankful I chose to do my testing at dinner because if I don't feel well I can simply go to bed early and sleep it off. My symptoms aren't as intense the next two days but things are also not normal. 

Dairy is definitely off the table and I'm finding that other foods don't work either. I made a recipe that called for raw honey as a sweetener and I felt like I had a continuous hot flash for the next 4-5 hours. My sensitivity to sugar has definitely increased because I taste sugar in foods that I don't think are meant to be sweet and those that are sweetened for the American palate I now turn away. One morning I pulled the bacon package from the trash because I wanted to see if there was more sugar than bacon in what I was eating. The corn chips at Chipotle taste like sopapillas and I expect there to be a drizzle of strawberry sauce and whipped cream on top. A barista told me that the matcha was naturally sweetened which in a momentary lapse of judgement I thought she was talking about the matcha itself. I took one sip and ended up throwing my iced matcha away because it was sickening sweet. So a few paragraphs back where I said I'd go back to sugar, I haven't and I'm now 2 weeks past the end of my whole 30.

Potatoes now give me tummy troubles and I'm pretty sure my body is not a fan of the entire nightshade family (tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants). Nightshade elimination isn't part of Whole 30 but one morning I made a ratatouille (above) and I didn't feel great afterwards so I've been paying attention ever since. I'm finding it difficult to fall off the Whole 30 wagon and I'll most likely eat paleo-ish for the rest of my life because I feel so much better. I'm sure you've done something that gave you an ah-ha moment where you could no longer see life through the eyes you wore before the event happened. That is what Whole 30 has done for me and, yes, there are people who suspect I may be crazy (it's evidently common among paleo people), but it's opened my eyes to our food system in a way I never could have imagined.

Looking at Food Differently
I've been eating these foods for nearly 40 years and I only gave them up for a month. Now I'm finding that a number of them now make me sick. It's made me stop and think. If I had continued with my previous diet would my life expectancy have changed? Would I have developed some sort of disease? These questions can never be answered but it makes me think about the American diet. Grains, Dairy, Sugar, and Vegetable Oils are served at nearly every meal and snack. Did you know that 70% of Americans take a prescription medication? Antidepressants, and painkillers are 2 of the top 3 classes of drugs prescribed. There are people who genuinely need anti-depressants but seriously, read up on Whole 30; one of the reasons people recommend it is the overwhelming sense of peace it brings. 

I think painkillers are definitely called for in acute injuries but it's those who take them for chronic pain that have me concerned. Life shouldn't physically hurt everyday and food shouldn't make you sick. I wonder how the health statistics in America would change if everyone gave up inflammatory foods.

Of the ten leading causes of mortality in the United States, chronic, low-level inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of at least seven. These include heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and nephritis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2011; Bastard et al. 2006; Cao 2011, Jha et al. 2009; Ferrucci et al. 2010; Glorieux et al. 2009; Kundu et al. 2008; Murphy 2012; Singh et al. 2011).

It All Starts With Food

I'm sure some will say that I'm doing this in reverse by reading the book after making the changes but I'm 100 pages or so into the book written by the creators of Whole 30. I bought it because I wanted to learn their rationale and science for coming up with this eating lifestyle. It's really very simple:

The food you eat either makes you MORE HEALTHY or LESS HEALTHY. Those are your options. - It Starts with Food

We know that the majority of the American diet is inflammatory and we can also see the toll it takes on our health. So remove the inflammation and health conditions are either greatly reduced or eliminated. It's so simple. There aren't many books I come across that I think EVERYONE needs to read but It Starts With Food is definitely one of them. 

  

Ill health is not your fault. An inability to lose weight is not your fault. Our food system was designed this way by playing on the flavors our genetics make us crave in order to drive profits. Let's go with sugar as an example. If we were hunter gatherers sugar would be difficult to come across. So our taste buds are sensitive to it because it is a quick source of energy. 

There is a much greater explanation in the book but this is my summary of a chapter that was a huge eye opener for me:

In the modern world sugar is everywhere and chronically elevated levels of blood sugar lead to an accumulation of body fat and triglycerides. That in turn leads to leptin resistance. Leptin tells your brain when you are full and when your body is no longer sensitive to it your brain will drive you to eat more sugar/simple carbohydrates because it thinks that you are too thin and it is trying to put on weight. Trying to accumulate weight it also slows down your thyroid which plays a key role in the body's metabolism. (An active thyroid equals an active metabolism and vice versa.) Then you try a "diet" where you greatly reduce your calories and kill yourself in a gym and the body releases more cortisol, which also slows down the thyroid. Cortisol, the fight or flight hormone, directs the body to look for a quick source of fuel. That lands you back on to the simple carbohydrate diet and the cycle keeps repeating. 

My Results 2 Weeks After Whole 30

I can definitely say that I will be paleo for the rest of my life. I've done a few tests on the things I've given up and I can honestly say that none of them taste good enough for me want to feel that bad after eating them. The crunchy muscles have been gone in my feet for weeks and my feet no longer ache. My muscles have never been this loose. I still have some tight spots but I find myself craving a good stretch on the floor and in time I know that they will also let go. I sleep well, I still have a wonderful sense of peace and I have great energy.

The most surprising thing I've gained is great will power in other areas of my life. I don't crave any of the foods that I gave up so will power isn't an issue with food but I'm learning to apply the same outlook to other areas of my life. If it doesn't make you happy, why are you doing it? 

UPDATE

It has been 7 months since I started this Whole 30 and so far I haven't had much success adding foods back. Some things I react to right away and others hit me the next day. I began another Whole 30 in January but it wasn't working for the joint pain I had in my hands. Last year I had the same joint pain during the winter months but I attributed it to practicing massage therapy and turning 40. Now that I knew that my body was reacting to all of these foods I began to suspect it was an autoimmune problem, rheumatoid arthritis. So in the middle of my Whole 30 I switched to AIP (autoimmune paleo). It was tough to follow at first but then with a number of stumbles I think I've finally made peace with it. With AIP all of my rheumatoid symptoms disappear but I've learned that this process is a marathon and not a sprint. Now I'm just looking to see what version of paleo ends up working for me. Here is an article about the beginning of my AIP journey.