Paleo "Oatmeal"

My daughter eats oatmeal every day. Her grandpa eats oatmeal every day. My mom can't stand oatmeal. I was never an oatmeal crazy person but I do miss having the option. Imagine my excitement when I found this gem!

To me this is sweet enough it almost could also be served as a dessert! To increase the protein content to your breakfast add a slice of ham or turkey, and if you're going in that direction you might consider using chicken broth instead of almond milk, cutting the vanilla, and replacing the banana with something else like smashed stewed tomatoes.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup almond meal*
2 egg whites
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 banana, mashed
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*Of course I use the almond meal left over from making Almond Milk - partly to avoid wastage but also because the coarser texture works better than blanched store bought almond meal/flour

Supplies:
Small saucepan/pot
Whisk
Small mixing bowl
Small spatula

Whisk together egg whites and milk first, then add the other ingredients and mix together very well. Bring to a low simmer on medium heat then turn down to low, stirring constantly with a small spatula (or you're likely to end up with a weird omelet/frittata thing). Cooked to your desired consistency.

Add any toppings you like.

Recipe adapted from Carrots 'n Cake

"Almost-Ranch" Simmered Chicken

We are crazy about ranch flavor, and really it's not ranch-y without buttermilk, and I didn't have any thyme which kind of threw this off, but cooking in real life for a real family when you have a real job is all about improvising. Also my kitchen is hilariously small - one day I'll take a photo and you can see what kind of space I'm working with (which is none - no space).

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 to 3/4 cups almond milk
2 tsp dried parsley
1.5 tsp ground black pepper
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp rosemary
Juice of 1/2 small lemon (optional)

Supplies:
Quart sized ziplock bag
Small/medium saucepan or pot

Serves: 3-4

Measure out the herbs and spices into the ziplock, add the almond milk, lemon juice if you're using it, then the chicken cubes last, and zip the bag letting out the air first. The amount of milk should be just enough to ensure that all the chicken is able to evenly marinate. Marinate for 30-60 minutes.

Pour contents into the saucepan/pot and bring to a medium boil, covered. Stir occasionally. Once the chicken reaches a boil, turn heat down to simmer. Simmer covered until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Simmer longer for moister, more fork-tender chicken pieces. Once chicken is cooked as desired, remove cover, remove chicken, and turn heat back up to medium- high to reduce the almond milk gravy. Thicken with flour if you're not eating paleo.

Replace the rosemary with thyme for a more ranch-accurate spice combination. (I just didn't have any in the cupboard.)

Serve with vegetables.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are super dangerous because since they don't have prunes, there's nothing stopping you from eating two or three or ten in one sitting. Except that nasty voice in your head saying you shouldn't. (No one can tell me what to do!)

I won't stop you.

Ingredients:
1 cup almond meal (left over from Almond Milk
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 banana, sliced
1/4 cup chocolate chips*
1/4 tsp light agave nectar*

Supplies:
Small food processor
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper

*It's up to you what type of chips to use. I used organic semi-sweet non-dairy chocolate chips, and I would not recommend using milk chocolate chips because the cookies will be too sweet. It's also up to you if you want to use the agave. If you would rather use raw honey I would reduce the chocolate chips or banana by half. You might also have to add some almond meal, to keep the dough from being too moist and falling apart.

Preheat oven to 325F. Combine ingredients in the food processor until well combined. Form into balls as with the Almond Date Balls and Banana Prune Bites. Flatten the balls gently (like a burger patty) and gently and place on parchment lined cookie sheet spaced 2 inches apart. Place on middle rack in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove and cool. Store in airtight container, refrigerate if desired.

You can also skip the baking part and make these into another form of snack bites.

Banana Prune Bites

As you may have noticed, I go through phases where a certain flavor is my main obsession. It was crunchy, salty snacks..now it's sweet bites of bliss.


Ingredients:

1 cup almond meal (again I used the leftover meal from making Almond Milk)
2 Tbsp chia seeds
8 prunes, roughly chopped
1/2 banana, sliced
1/4 tsp honey
1/4 cup almond flour or meal

Supplies:
Small food processor
Small bowl

Yield: 8-10 bites

Like the Almond Date Balls, combine all ingredients except the extra 1/4 cup almond flour in the food processor and mix well. Roll into balls the size of ping-pong balls. Roll in the extra flour. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

If you don't like or can't get chia seeds, leave them out and replace with more almond meal.

So good! I didn't include the picture because they look pretty much the same as the Almond Date Balls. Remember, these have prunes so don't eat more than one or two a day!

Almond Date Balls

Besides being an insufferable crunchy snack addict, I also have a wicked sweet tooth. I just can't break my habits of mind! Luckily, there are wonderful ways to answer that craving for sweet that won't totally send you off into the abyss. Remember - slight edge.

I make these into small balls because they are very sweet and should be eaten sparingly - like only when you feel yourself craving sugary evilness (also why the recipe makes so few). If you've ever had a Lara bar, these are like those. And they are so easy and quick to make it's absurd!


Ingredients:
5 medjool dates
1/2 C almond meal (left over from almond milk)*
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 C almond meal on the side

Supplies:
Knife
Food processor

Yield: 8 balls

*Depending on how moist your almond meal is from making the almond milk you may be able to use 2/3 C almond meal and make more balls. Or leave out the honey and thus lower the glycemic index.

Pit the dates and roughly chop them. Add all ingredients except the 1/4 C almond meal into food processor and run until evenly chopped and combined. Form into balls about the size of a ping-ping ball, and roll in the extra 1/4 C almond meal.

Dates can be expensive and are a pretty strong flavor so you can substitute prunes instead of dates, or even apricots (though make sure there's no added sugar) but depending how moist/dry the apricots are you might need to use more honey to hold the ball together.

Each choice is obviously going to lend a different flavor. I might try apricots and try using some banana to add moisture instead of honey. I'll keep you posted!

Chicken Broth

Chicken broth or chicken stock is used in so many recipes. But the stuff you buy in the store has so much sodium, so much fat, so many chemical ingredients meant to preserve it. The thing is, you can easily and very inexpensively make your own. I save the ingredients in the fridge or freezer until I have enough of everything to make it - there is a lot of recycling going on here - for the veggies I use the ugly parts we tend to trim away when making other dishes and add "pretty" ones only if needed, or if I've over zealously cut too many carrot sticks and celery sticks for snacks no one ate, and they've become not so crunchy, those go swimmin' too. The veggies don't have to be finely chopped or even consistent in size. The point is to simmer them to oblivion anyway.

Ingredients:
Chicken bones and carcass from roasted chicken
Water
Celery
Carrots
Onion
Garlic
Spices (oregano, thyme, bay leaves, whatever you have) to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Supplies:
Pot
Strainer

Put your chicken parts in the pot and add enough water to barely cover. Add everything else and simmer for 4-5 hours uncovered (or covered for part of the time depending how rich you want the flavor concentrated). Taste it a couple hours in and see if it needs more seasoning or to be reduced more. After 4-5 hours pour it into a container through a fine strainer. Cool in the fridge then skim off some of the fat that separates. Store in the fridge up to 48 hours - beyond that you should freeze it - if you do you might want to store it in small quantities like 1 or 1/2 cup or even ice cube trays.

That's it! Less sodium, no chemical preservatives that only fancy science people can understand! Cheap - I mean it's stuff you would probably toss anyway plus whatever spices you already have! Winner.

Ranch Chicken Strips

This was so amazing that I think it has become one of our at-least-once-a-week staples. So easy! So fast! SO YUMMY.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
Ranch mix*
Almond flour (approx. 1/2 cup)
EVOO (for the pan)

Supplies:
2 pair tongs
Large pan/skillet
Bowl or ziplock

Serves: 4

*If you're eating clean, ready made ranch mix is off the table but you can make your own - check out this "recipe" at http://www.food.com/recipe/ranch-dressing-and-seasoning-mix-47249 . If you're eating truly paleo you'll also leave out the dried buttermilk that recipe calls for.

Rinse and dry the chicken breasts. Slice into fajita-style strips. Mix your ranch mix and about 1/2 cup almond flour in a shallow bowl or ziplock bag. The almond flour is really just a way to stretch the ranch mix (otherwise the chicken ends up way too salty) so you can use any flour you prefer - tapioca, flaxseed, etc. Toss your chicken strips in the mix. Meanwhile heat a small amount of EVOO in your skillet on just-above-medium heat (not quite medium high!). Once pan is hot, put your strips into the pan quickly using your first pair of tongs. They'll form a crust fairly quickly - turn them using the same pair of tongs. Once strips are cooked through, transfer to a plate with the second pair of tongs. Serve with veggies of your choice - I steamed a bag of frozen veggies.

Paleo Pizza

I love pizza. If you don't love pizza...I suggest you get your head examined. But pizza - real, doughy, wonderful pizza - is not in the cards if you're trying to eat a whole food diet. Or is it? See below...

Ingredients (Crust):
2 cups almond flour
2 eggs
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp fresh rosemary chopped
(Picture 1)

Ingredients (Pizza):
Any toppings
Any sauce (like organic marinara or tomato sauce, or make your own)

Supplies:
Mixing bowl
Spoon
Cookie sheet or pizza pan

Serves 2-4 (depends on your appetite!)

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix all crust ingredients together to form a dough. (Picture 2) Form the dough into a ball using your (clean!) hands. (Picture 3) Lightly grease the pizza pan or cookie sheet (actually Husband said he recommends using a silicon baking sheet if you have one so you can avoid using the EVOO or coconut oil or whatever you typically use to grease the pan.). Place the ball in the center of the pan and push it out to be a thin crust. As thin as possible. (Picture 4) Bake the crust only for 20 minutes. In the meantime, prep your toppings. (Picture 5) Husband used left over roasted chicken, green bell peppers, and mushrooms. Since we're not strictly paleo we also added a tiny bit of mozzarella and parmesan. When the crust is done remove from the oven and evenly spread the sauce you chose over the whole crust, then top with your toppings. Bake again for 25 minutes. Picture 6 is the finished product.

Husband got inspired today and he was also craving pizza so he looked up this recipe online and diligently took photos so I could post this. I'm not sure where the recipe came from or I would credit it of course. It was pretty good - but the crust is really just a vessel for the sauce and toppings - not like a "real" pizza where the crust is truly the flavor foundation.

Husband suggested using the crust recipe for a pie crust as well - I agree it could possibly work especially maybe as a cobbler crust? Without the rosemary and garlic powder, haha!

Almond Milk

Almond milk is all the rage. If you are lactose sensitive, and you're concerned about the estrogen in soy products, you probably have a carton of almond milk in your fridge right now. But most of the almond milk options in the grocery store still have lots of additives. If you really want to know what's in your almond milk, you can make your own. It's time consuming but it's actually very simple.

Ingredients:
1 cup raw almonds
Water
2 cups water

Supplies:
Mixing bowl*
Blender/hand blender/emulsifier
Cheesecloth
Storage container

Yield: 1.5 cups almond milk

*You might use the mixing bowl for the blending or for the straining.

Soak the almonds overnight in enough water to cover them by at least an inch (see first photo). If overnight is not possible try to soak them for at least a few hours. They will expand and look "pregnant." Drain the almonds of the water and pour them into your blender - or into the mixing bowl if you are using a hand blender/emulsifier. I used my blender the first time but since it isn't a Vitamix and it's fairly old think the blades weren't sharp enough and although the yield was fair, I thought the milk came out a little "watery" and the almond pulp was rather coarse. Also last time I followed a recipe that called for 1 cup raw almonds and 3-4 cups water in the blender. This time I decided to use my hand blender, and lowered the almond to milk ratio to 2:1 and the results were much better. Recipes for almond milk abound on the Internet and you'll have to figure out the almond/water ratio and blending instrument that works to your taste.

I digress. So pour your almonds into your blending vessel and add 2 cups water. Blend away. It will froth quite a bit. Let it sit for a bit then blend again to be sure. See second photo. Then either pour your contents from the blender into a cheesecloth lined strainer or put cheesecloth over your storage container (see third photo) and slowly put your blended mix through the cheese cloth. Depending on your patience level this could take a while. I used the cheesecloth on the Blender Ball container so I did mine little by little and encouraged the process by squeezing the pulp with a spatula.

You will be left with about 1.5 cups of almond milk and a lot of almond meal. (See fourth photo.) I store my milk in the Blender Ball container to make it easy to shake before pouring. Use the almond meal in any number of recipes, like Almond Crusted Pork Chops - or almond crusted anything! Or Paleo Friendly Crackers . You don't have to decide right away - store undehydrated almond pulp in the fridge. More almond pulp recipes to come!

Omelette Without A Stove

I post this in preparation for the coming work week and in keeping with the "setting yourself up for success" line of thought. If you're like me you need to get to work early but don't feel like eating breakfast the moment you get up (and don't want to get up extra early to sit around at home when you could still be sleeping). Sometimes it's easy to use that as justification to eat something horribly yummy for breakfast like a muffin (which is just a cupcake without frosting). And a person can only eat so many hard boiled eggs. Not everyone has a microwave at work. But a lot of us do.

Ingredients:
Eggs or egg beaters
Whatever you want in your omelette

Supplies:
Bowl or coffee mug
Microwave

In your bowl or mug crack open your eggs. If you're making more than one egg I don't suggest using the mug. Add your other ingredients. Be creative. Your leftovers from the dinner the night before are useful. Microwave for 1 minute - if you like your eggs more "done" add 15 seconds at a time.

Add some fruit and this is a very well balanced breakfast!

Slight Edge

I want to talk a little bit about setting yourself up for success and using the Slight Edge in your favor.

Whenever we make a decision to make a positive change in our lives, not just about food but about anything really, it's sometimes very easy to make the decision...and then very difficult to find the path to the ending in mind. The goal seems so distant and difficult to reach, so different from our present reality, that sometimes we quit before we even begin. It's often easier to invent obstacles that seem pretty understandable to convince ourselves things are okay just the way they are.

A concept that has helped me is the idea of the Slight Edge. The concept comes from a book by world-reknown author, Jeff Olson, titled The Slight Edge (go figure). The book is an easy read and uses some great examples to illustrate the main idea - that small actions or decisions compound over time like interest until a very noticable outcome is realized seemingly overnight. And this can be true of poor decisions that seem not to matter ("just one slice of cake!") or small disciplines that also seem not to matter ("so I skipped the mashed potatoes at dinner - I don't feel any different yet"). And on their own, each one of these decisions probably doesn't matter. But compounded over time they are the difference between success and failure. It also becomes easier to make the better decision after you've already made a healthier choice earlier in the day. Likewise, it's easier to slip further down that slippery slope and eat dessert at dinner if you've already eaten some table bread at that business luncheon. Psychologists might compare the concept to the "foot in the door" phenomenon.

So when I come across a temptation (example: we had a bake sale this past Monday at my office and was very tempted by the wonderful homemade goodies that were floating around) I tell myself that I am going to make this one small decision to pass it up - not that I am giving up homemade peanut butter chocolate pie for the rest of my natural life, but that this time I'll pass. We live in a relatively abundant society - if you have the means to read this blog, you have the means to get that pie later if you really want it.

What has also made it easier is setting myself up for success. I try to never let myself get hungry. I have stocked my desk drawer full of healthy snack options - sweet and salty to match whatever I might crave. I have roasted whole almonds for that salty, crunchy, fatty craving I might have. I have organic (no sugar added!) dried fruits like apricots and raisins. I made an organic trail mix of similar ingredients. I also have Lara Bars for the ocassions where I really feel like I need a dessert (read the ingredients before you buy though - some flavors are not paleo-friendly). And if I find myself wanting something naughty to eat, I'll eat some of my healthy snacks first. Just a few almonds or half a handful of apricots. Then I tell myself, if I'm still really hungry and I still really want it, I will let myself have that naughty food. So far I haven't needed it, once I eat my healthy snacks and drink some water and let my body feel satisfied.

Wherever you work or what your schedule is like, I guarantee you there's a way to set yourself up for success like this. I am not always in the office with my safety net of snacks with me. Last week I traveled and left the house at 4:00am and got home at 8:45pm. I knew it would be a long day with minimal opportunity to pick up anything remotely healthy to snack on outside of lunch, so I packed a lot of almonds, a banana, and two hard boiled eggs.

It really just takes foresight and planning and a commitment to those small decisions - take it one step at a time. And if you slip, remember to get back on the path and let go of that one step you took in the wrong direction.

Below is a photo of my "stash" at work, and an illustration of the slight edge concept (Image source: http://blog.kw.com/files/2012/06/the-slight-edge.jpg).

Easiest "Guacamole" Ever

I'll admit. I'm not a fan of avocado. Like, at all. But I am a fan of dipping chips and crackers in something and eating it. And when you're trying to stick with non-processed, whole-food based eating...well, sometimes you need to compromise. I'll warn you - this stuff is not pretty. In fact it looks gross. But it's super delicious!

Ingredients:
Whole avocado
Salsa of your choice

Supplies:
Bowl
Knife
Fork

Cut open the avocado and scoop out the "meat" into a bowl (minus the seed obviously). Add salsa - the amount depends on your taste. If you're on Whole30 or going total paleo, use an organic salsa or make your own (though then this wouldn't be the Easiest Ever). Smash the avocado and salsa together. ¡El fín!

The reason guacamole is in quotes is because my husband is from Mexico and is horrified I would even consider using the word guacamole to describe something so inauthentic. Maybe one day I can post his Most Authentic But Not As Easy Guacamole recipe.

This "guacamole" is great with Paleo Friendly Crackers!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Growing up my dad would make pot roast pretty often. My best friend in middle school and high school would come over on the weekends and she loved his pot roast so much that to this day both my dad and my brother refer to her as "the one that likes pot roast." He made it a bunch of different ways, often with cream of mushroom soup for the gravy, sometimes with just a thickened au jus. I've started to experiment and see if I can both re-create his and also make it my own. Here's one version (not Dad's version).

You'll notice on the ingredients list I don't say what amounts to use. The recipe really works no matter what - it's about cooking the beef long and slow, and getting enough flavors in there so it's not bland. Go with your taste. If you're new to cooking this type of dish, be more aggressive with the seasoning than you think you should - use 1.5 times the herbs and aromatics (like garlic and onions) that you think you should.

Ingredients:
Chuck roast (or any beef roast cut that's on sale)
Chicken broth to just cover the bottom of your slow cooker
Vegetables
At least one onion, chopped in large chunks
At least several cloves of crushed garlic
Whatever spices you like on beef
Salt, pepper

Supplies:
Slow cooker

Season the beef on all sides with salt, pepper, spices. If you have time and want to be fancy, sear the roast in a super hot pan with just a touch of olive oil. Or skip that. Place in slow cooker. Place onions and garlic around the roast. Pour chicken broth (or beef or vegetable) in slow cooker just enough to cover the bottom so the roast sits in a very shallow puddle. Put the rest of the vegetables in. Today I used frozen mixed veggies and baby cut carrots just because that's what I had. Use whatever you want to eat with your beef (except white potatoes) and whatever amount that you will need to match your beef portions. Turn on your slow cooker to low and if you have a timer set it for 8 hours. If you're lucky like I am, your slow cooker will automatically switch to Warm after the time is up. No need for knives when you serve - the roast will fall apart on your fork.

I made this today and I think next time I'll try to do a peppercorn dry rub on the beef for a day or two in the fridge before I cook it.

Sweeteners and Metabolism over History

I am embracing low-glycemic eating and don't miss the starches from my meals much, if at all, but I still have a sweet tooth (probably partially because I never truly completed a Whole30) so I was looking at what sweetening options are "allowed" for paleo eaters and came across this on the PaleoHacks site. (http://paleohacks.com/questions/1457/artificial-sweeteners-is-stevia-primal#axzz2Mti5EXfB)

The main points I found most useful were (italics are my emphasis, bold is the author's):

"its use should be limited to foods or beverages that will inherently add something positive to the diet. In other words, if you aren’t getting anything positive from the meal or drink, you shouldn’t be taking the risk of the artificial sweetener. A better angle? Expand your cooking repertoire. Train your taste buds in the right direction, and don’t let the artificial stuff get in the way of that progress."

And:

"Thank goodness there is no paleo high priest to decree one way or another and excommunicate us for our sins. As Richard Nikoley has eloquently pointed out more than once "paleo is not a [insert expletive here] religion." It is a guiding principle."

And:

"The top of PaleoHacks is currently sporting a quote from Dr. Kurt Harris: "Metabolism first, history second." ... I anticipate that his answer to this question would be similar to the one he gave about pork rinds: "Are you planning on making it a staple?""

And finally:

"...if making your stevia sweetened soda helps you along in your transition from Neolithic SAD-eating human cattle to Paleo Man-god then I say on the whole it is positive. Even if you never make it to [eliminating sweetener], nutritionally and health-wise you will still be light years ahead of your former self."

The answer/comment was given by user KetoWarrior. I hope he doesn't mind my quoting but paraphrasing would have been more plagiaristic in my opinion. Plus since it's a comment from a forum it's possible the link may stop working eventually. 

Almond Crusted Pork and Sautéed Kale

One good thing about making your own almond milk is that you get to keep the almond meal that you end up with. It makes a great crust for any number of proteins. We've been doing a lot of chicken lately so I got some nice pork tenderloin and cut it into medallions for dinner tonight. It was a hit!

Ingredients:
8 thin cut boneless pork tenderloin medallions
1/2 cup almond meal*
EVOO for the pan
2 cups kale**
Herbs of your choice
Salt & Pepper
2 eggs

* I use the left over almond meal from homemade almond milk.
** I use wilted/non-crispy kale chips - you can tell in my photo there is a mix of that and fresh kale.

Supplies:
Medium pan/skillet
Plate
Cereal bowl
Scratch proof tongs (2 pair)

Serves: 4

Scramble two eggs in a bowl. You might be able to get away with using one egg depending on the size of your pork medallions.

Rinse and dry pork *very throughly*. Since you are not doing a flour dredge before the egg wash it is very important to make sure the pork starts out very dry.

On a plate mix your almond meal with salt, pepper, and your herbs. This time I used tarragon and parsley. Heat the pan to just above medium, with a very small amount of EVOO. The almond meal will absorb the oil quickly so use it sparingly to avoid a greasy taste.

As the pan heats, wash a medallion in the egg wash, then dredge in seasoned almond meal. Lay gently in pan with first set of tongs. After about one minute turn over. Add a few drops of EVOO to help establish a nice sear/crisp and help the coating cook/bond onto the medallion. Depending how quickly you can work and the size of your pan and medallions, you may be able to do two medallions at a time.

Cooking time will depend how thin your medallions are. These were about 1/4 inch and took no more than 4 minutes to cook through. If you find your outside burning but the inside still raw, turn your heat down a touch. Remove from pan using second set of tongs to avoid cross-contamination.

Once the pork is done, toss the kale in a drizzle of EVOO and a dash of salt, pour into the same pan and toss occasionally with scratch proof tongs. I love using one pan - less clean up! But be careful not to cross-contaminate! The tongs you used to remove the cooked pork should be okay and the pan should definitely be alright. Kale is done when its just heated through and no longer crispy like lettuce. I like mine a little "al dente" though.

I made this today - I loved the flavor the almond crust brought to the pork!

Chicken Breast and Sweet Potato

Even though there are hundreds of thousands of creative and interesting recipes on the interwebs and Pinterest, if you're a busy mom or just a busy person, you end up with a few go-to meals that are fast, easy, and eventually mindless. This is one of ours.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts (skinless boneless)
1/2 onion
4-6 mushrooms
3-4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 Tbsp chicken stock*
1 large sweet potato

*If chicken stock is not available, vegetable or beef stock is acceptable or even plain water.

Supplies:
Large sauté pan or skillet with cover
Non-scratching tongs

Serves: 4

Clean, butterfly** and dry chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper (other herbs and spices if desired - some suggestions: oregano, tarragon, rosemary) set aside. Slice onion and mushrooms, mince garlic. Heat skillet on medium with olive oil; once heated, add onions, mushrooms, garlic. Cook until onions begin to turn translucent. Make room for chicken breasts in pan. Place breasts in pan, cook for two minutes and turn. Add a few drops of EVOO if necessary. Cover chicken breasts with the mushrooms and onions using non-scratching tongs. Add 1 tablespoon chicken stock and cover, turning heat to medium low. After 5 minutes turn breasts. Chicken is done when juices run clear.

**For how to butterfly the breast see http://www.ehow.com/how_5023503_butterfly-cut-chicken-breasts.html

For sweet potato:
Wash and dry thoroughly, and prick several times. Bake in 375F oven for one hour on the rack; or microwave for 5 minutes, turn, microwave for 5 more minutes. Slice into rounds.

I am unashamed to say we eat this or a version of it about once a week (sometimes more). Super fast, simple, filling, fairly inexpensive. You could add sautéed spinach or kale using the exact same pan, or a fresh salad to get more veggies in. Yum!

Kale Chips

Again, I'm still obsessed with snacking on something crunchy. These habits are psychological constructs, patterns of thought and cravings built up over time. I suppose if I truly wanted to break this I could, but if you can find alternatives that are healthful, what's so bad about enjoying a crunchy snack?

Ingredients:
Kale
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea salt

Supplies:
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Salad spinner (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Trim the thick stem from the kale using a small paring knife or kitchen shears. Tear kale into "chip sized" pieces. Wash in cold water and dry *very* thoroughly. If you don't have a salad spinner i recommend leaving it in the colander for a few hours and tossing it every now and then. Once dry, toss in olive oil and sprinkle sea salt over it. If sea salt is not available table salt is ok too. Spread in a single layer over the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Don't overcrowd the sheet like I did in this picture (I was too anxious and excited). If you spread it out more, they'll get crunchier. Put in oven on middle rack for 15 minutes. Depending on the moisture in your kale it might be more or less time by a few minutes. Eat immediately - unlike the store-bought deep fried varieties with preservatives, it doesn't stay crunchy very long. But they are just as tasty!

Paleo Friendly Crackers

I'm a snacker, so knowing that I can't have chips or crackers has been killing me! It keeps me up at night. I stay awake staring at the ceiling having an internal dialogue about bingeing on Doritos and telling myself how awful my body will feel afterwards. To be honest, my saving grace has pretty much been laziness. Finally, I found a simple recipe for paleo friendly crackers and severely modified it to be even simpler. When I can whittle a recipe down to three ingredients I'm pretty proud of myself.

Ingredients:
1 cup almond flour
1 egg white
Your choice of herbs for flavor

Supplies:
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Rolling pin

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix together all ingredients. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper - try to roll it to fill the cookie sheet - paper thin! Remove the top layer of parchment paper. This part is important: score the dough into the cracker shapes/sizes you want to make. Place cookie sheet on middle rack - bake about 10 minutes. Crackers should turn golden. The edges might finish faster than the center - since you've scored them you can break off the edge crackers that are done and put the rest back. Check every couple of minutes to avoid burning the crackers (that almond flour can be expensive!).

That's it. The crackers are tasty and can be used to dip in guacamole or by themselves. The almond flour is more expensive than regular flour so this isn't meant to be a daily thing. But sometimes you just need a crunchy snack!

Definitions

Let's be clear, I'm not a nutritionist or fitness or wellness expert. I'm a working mom of an almost-two-year-old who is trying to set a healthy example for my kid. I work in the health industry but have no clinical training or expertise. The company I work for offers amazing wellness programs and incentives - including having a CrossFit trainer come to our workplace 3 days a week to not only conduct CrossFit classes but also to give us nutritional guidance. Coach has opened my eyes to a whole new world of diet philosophy and yet I'm still the same busy, lazy mom on a tight budget I was before. There's often a gap between the lifestyle we live and the lifestyle we know would be "best."

We don't need experts to tell us that fast food and sugary drinks are taking a toll on us as a society and as individuals. What we need is someone to sort through the plethora of (often conflicting) information out there and make it workable to our life demands. I'm just here to share my experiences and maybe provide a bridge between the diet someone follows now by default and the one they wish they had the time/money/energy/information/whatever to pull off.

The recipes I post will always be easy and have minimal ingredients because that's how I cook. I love cooking but at the end of the day I love my family and my books and leisure time more so I can't and won't spend hours in the kitchen every day. I figure most people feel the same way.

I also have to say - the diet I follow is just outside the true paleo definition. I allow myself cheese and other dairy occasionally. This is because I did the extraction diet and found that my body does not have an adverse reaction to dairy. Others may not have this experience. I have not yet reintroduced any wheat, grains, carbs of that nature but since its the only thing left to reintroduce, and I still feel so much better than before I did the Whole30, I am willing to bet I would have a bad reaction. I also don't eat exclusively organic or non-conventional. If I make a coconut curry I'll probably use conventional coconut milk which might have some additives. This is only because I know those additives don't have an immediate adverse effect on me. Down the road if I fall into a bit more money I'll be more selective. My point is things aren't always black and white. You have to start somewhere. I'll try to be clear in my recipes and other posts about the difference between what is "recommended" and what I actually do personally.

If you're exploring the idea of taking a more paleo or low-glycemic approach to your daily diet I strongly urge you to start by doing a Whole30 - or if that's too much right now try doing a Whole14. 14 days is not really enough to break your psychological response to food but its enough to feel most of the physical differences between eating like "everyone else" and eating clean. Then you have a starting point - you'll know how different foods affect your body and be able to make weighted decisions with that information. For info on the Whole30 program visit whole9life.com.

Here goes!