Paleo lunch ideas suggestions primal diet recipes-min

Paleo Lunch

Last year I got pretty bad about bringing my Paleo Lunch in from home.  This meant, most days, I went to one of the many food courts near my office.  Whilst I always went for the Paleo, gluten-free options – roast meat and vegetables or salad for instance, it really wasn't the best option.  I'm careful with the ingredients I use and how I cook things.  If I make it, I know exactly what’s in it.  When I eat out, it’s probably a fair bet that the meat isn’t organic/ free range/ grass fed.  The meal could even have been cooked with seed oils – if not it’s likely to have come close to foods that have.  Food I buy in the city is always served in far too large portions – this is either a waste of food, or leads to me eating far more than I should!  The other issue with buying lunch in the city is the cost – I’d usually end up spending $10 a day on a not completely Paleo Lunch.

I therefore decided to start bringing pre-prepared lunches into work every day.  I'm normally really busy during the week, so need minimal effort each day.  As good as a salad would be I know I’d run out of time to make it – and end up having to buy lunch.  I have a fridge and microwave at work (I don’t even own a microwave at home, but in the absence of a gas stove, a microwave will have to do) – this means home made frozen lunches are a good lunchtime solution.

Paleo Lunches -680-min

Last Sunday I had a huge cooking session where I made soup, beef hash and bean-less chilli, giving me a few different options to pick from each day.  I used the largest pots I had to ensure I was making as much as possible.  Once finished, I separated the dishes out into individual sized potions and froze them.  I managed to make enough for 20 lunches in just a couple of hours of cooking.  I take lunch out of the freezer in the morning, run to work – and by lunchtime it’s just about defrosted.

Other than microwaving my lunch, the only thing I'm not happy about is freezing the food in plastic bags.  Whilst the bags I use contain no phthalates, polycarbonate or use Bisphenol A (BPA) – it’s still plastic.  Glass or metal containers would be an option, but might result in freezer burn.  I’d also be concerned about my lunch leaking over my suit as I run into work – not to mention the fact my tiny running bag wouldn't have space for a bulky container.

This solution is working well for me – but perhaps you have an even better lunchtime routine?  How do you keep your work/ school/ home lunch paleo?

Paleo lunch ideas suggestions primal diet recipes-min

8 Criticisms of the Paleo Diet-min

8 Criticisms of the Paleo Diet

So, whilst I regularly write about the benefits of following a Paleo diet, it wouldn't be fair for me not to be completely honest.  Sadly, as with lots of things, there are negatives to this way of life.

I thought I’d share my list of 8 bad points of my Primal journey.

8 Criticisms of the Paleo Diet-min

1. I've lost my productive time between midnight and the early hours of the morning.  Since I've been Paleo I'm now fast asleep far earlier in the evening and I naturally rise early, full of energy

2. I've been forced to donate lots of perfectly good clothes to charity – and spend a small fortune replacing them with smaller sizes

3. I'm really behind on my reading, as I no longer get to read on the bus to work, as I always walk or run in due to having so much excess energy

4. I get funny looks from adults and children point at me when I wear my Vibrams

5. Shopping takes so much longer because I have to read the ingredients of everything – even things I have no intention of buying.

6. I've not had the need to have any sick days from work for a very long time

7. I often don’t notice it’s cold until I see people around me in many more layers than I have on

8. I can’t walk past a fast food outlet without looking in, in amazement at the people “eating” there

Have you also experienced down sides to Paleo?  Please share your complaints in the comments, below.

Paleo Interventions

Paleo Interventions

Like me, I'm sure you frequently hear people discussing their ill health.  Sometimes it’s so glaringly obvious that they would likely benefit from a 30-day Paleo trial.  So what do you do? Are you in favour of an Intervention?

Last week I was preparing my lunch in the shared kitchen in my office, when I was joined by a lady complaining to another colleague about her terrible stomach problems.  She’d seen so many doctors and specialists, had so many tests – but nothing was found and none of their suggestions helped.  She went “low-gluten” and “almost dairy free” a few days ago and was feeling a bit better, which she put down to avoiding pasta in the evenings.  She wasn't feeling great, so was just preparing some toast (wholegrain bread, obviously) with margarine, to settle her stomach.  I spent ages in the kitchen, waiting for a chance to intervene, looking for a chance to tell her about Paleo and suggest she just tries it for 30 days.  But no chances arose and I'm always really unsure whether or not it’s wise to intervene.

I generally take the stance that if I'm asked anything about what I do, that’s an opportunity for me to tell someone about it.  But in a situation like this, where I'm not asked – and don’t even know the persons name, I normally don't intervene.

Hopefully another opportunity will arise.

What do you do in situations like this? Have you ever performed a Paleo Intervention?

PaleoConnect

Introducing… PaleoConnect

We have a great local Paleo meet-up group here in Sydney, but I know there are many, many areas in Australia and around the world without such groups.

The meet-up groups are a great way to meet a lot of other people together who are interested in a similar Paleo lifestyle.  I love the meet-ups and am so glad I found out about them – I get to talk about Paleo all night and learn so much from the other attendees.

I’ve long felt there was a gap between the thriving online Paleo communities and the few Paleo meet-up groups that are currently in existence.  As great as online communities are, I think there is often no substitute for meeting people in real life.  I’ve spent the last few months working hard on PaleoConnect, which is a site that I hope will close this gap and enable you to find and meet with people who have the same Paleo/ Primal interests as you do – and happen to live in your neighbourhood!

Perhaps you want to meet up with someone to do some Primal exercise at lunchtimes?  Maybe you don’t know of any other Paleo families, but would love to meet some.  Travelling for business and interested in going out for a Paleo meal with a local?  Or you might be trying to lose weight and like the support of someone doing the same – through Paleo rather than the latest fad diet.  I’m keen to use the site to try out local restaurants that have Paleo options – whilst meeting new friends!  Of course, if you’re a member of the single Paleo community, you may be keen to go on a date with someone like minded, instead of the unhealthy potentials who plague online dating sites!  I hope PaleoConnect will address all of these needs and more.

This is very much an international site, with members from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Europe and Asia – and many new people joining every day.  The site is, and will remain completely free to sign up to and use.

So what are you waiting for?  Have a look at PaleoConnect, sign up and spread the word!

I’m looking forward to hearing your feedback!

Vibrams and Evening Gowns VFF Five Fingers Dressed up smart paleo-min

Vibrams and Evening Gowns

Well, I've never considered wearing mine with an evening dress – but it’s great to see Shailene Woodley wearing Vibrams at a high profiled event!

How do you wear yours?

Vibrams and Evening Gowns VFF Five Fingers Dressed up smart paleo-min

Paleo Vitamin A Soup Recipe-min

Vitamin A Soup Recipe

Well, actually, it’s Butternut Squash, Carrot and Sweet Potato soup – but these three are loaded with Vitamin A and Beta-carotene as well as many other vitamins and minerals.

I love soup – even though it’s summer here in Australia at the moment, I still eat it regularly.  I find it really filling as a meal on its own and easy to make in advance.  This is something I make in the largest pot I have and separate out into lots of individual portions, before freezing.  I make lots of different soups, but this one is my favourite as it’s sweet and has a great texture.

Vitamin A Soup Recipe
Recipe type: Soups
Ingredients
  • 1 Butternut Squash
  • 6 Carrots
  • 1 Small Sweet Potato
  • 2 Small Onions
  • Chicken Stock
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • Nutmeg
  • Corriander
  • Salt & Pepper
Instructions
  1. I slice the onion and sauté it in the coconut oil in a large pot. Once it’s ready I add the chicken stock (this is something I make up in advance and take out of the freezer to defrost).
  2. I roughly cut all the vegetables into chunks before adding them to the pot. I then turn the heat down to a simmer and allow the vegetables to cook for 30 minutes or so, adding the seasoning. I add the nutmeg and coriander at the end and turn off the heat.
  3. I don’t drain the pot, but instead transfer it all into my blender (in several batches) and blend it until it reaches a nice constituency. Once it’s all blended I separate it into individual portions and freeze.

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Paleo Vitamin A Soup Recipe-min

Paleo seaweed-min

Seaweed

I love looking around my local Asian supermarket.  I found a whole section of seaweed and seaweed related products (though the products seem to contain lots of ingredients that are far removed from Paleo).  Seaweed is something I've never had at home before – and certainly haven’t cooked with – and I'm curious to try.

Seaweed paleo-min
Seaweed is supposed to be a great source of iodine that is otherwise hard to obtain through diet, but which plays a crucial role in the thyroid.  It contains lots of different health promoting minerals.

I've been looking into what I can do with different types of Seaweed.  Apparently dulse granules can be sprinkled on many foods and nori can be used to make paleo wraps!  Kelp is supposed to be good as a snack on its own.

Next time I venture near the Asian grocery store, I'm definitely going to buy some!

Have you incorporated Seaweed into your diet?  What is a good type and dish to start experimenting with?  I’d be very interested to hear your seaweed comments, below!

Paleo seaweed-min

Butter-or-Margarine-min

Another Margarine or Butter “Health” Article

I was reading the Summer 2012 edition of “Woman’s Weekly Health” earlier, when I came across this double page spread debating whether Margarine or Butter is better for your health.  Fighting the corner for butter was a cook, Fran Abdallaoui.  Arguing the case for margarine was Barbara Eden, Nutrition Manager at National Heart Foundation of Australia.  I'm not sure how pitching a cook against a nutritionist (especially one representing the national heart foundation) is a balanced debate.  I don’t think they want their readers to side with butter, do you?

Butter-or-Margarine-min

Eden says “It comes down to your health and that’s the main factor your (SIC) considering when choosing between margarine and butter, there’s really no choice to make”.  She also tells readers that “A regular butter is made up of… more than four per cent trans fat”, which I find frustratingly misleading, since natural, completely inert trans fats – as found in animal products – are completely different to the harmful trans fats found in many processed foods.

This is all because Eden believes “It’s the saturated fat and trans fat in our food supply that elevates your blood cholesterol levels which increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, and that’s one of the leading causes of death in Australia”

The article also adds “there is the convenience factor of the immediately spreadable product with a longer shelf life” as another reason we should go for margarine instead of butter.  Well, using that argument, shouldn't we all have frozen pizza for dinner – it’s a lot more convenient and has a far longer shelf life than whole food…

In a “health” magazine, readers are going to place much more confidence in a nutritionist (especially one representing the national heart foundation) than they would a cook.  If they really want to present a debate, surely they should present both sides, equally?  Or better still, finally run an article about how wrong they've had it for the past few decades.  I must stop reading “health” magazines – they raise my cortisol levels more than almost anything else and that’s definitely not good for my health!

Paleo diet chicken stock bone broth how to make recipe-min

Chicken Stock

I had a big cooking session at the weekend and thought I’d use the leftover chicken I had to make some Chicken Stock.  When I have the time to cook I like to make things like stock or bone broth, as I can freeze large amounts and use them as the basis for many dishes over the next two or three months.  Stock forms the basis of so many meals, such as soups, sauces, stews and curries.  I always separate the stock into small batches before I freeze so I can just defrost the amount I need.Bone Broth Recipe Book Chicken Beef StockThere seem to be a lot of different ways of making stock and bone broth.  I like to keep mine as uncomplicated as possible as I’d rather add herbs and spices into the meal I use the stock for – not be limited by how I made the stock.

Out of interest, I had a look at the ingredients in the ready-made supermarket Chicken Stocks.

Campbell’s Real Chicken Stock

Chicken Stock (97%) (Water, Chicken, Herb Extracts), Glucose, Salt, Yeast Extract (Contains Barley), Natural Flavour.

Continental Stock Pot Chicken

Concentrated chicken stock (67%) (vegetables (onion, carrot, garlic), water, chicken, herbs, spices), salt, flavours (contain wheat), sugar, vegetable fat, yeast extract, thickners (xanthin gum, locust bean gum), natural colour (carotene)

Massel Chicken Stock

Water, Maltodextrin (Corn), Sea Salt, Natural Vegetable Flavours, Dehydrated Vegetables (Onion, Red Bell Pepper), Vegetable Proteins (Soy), Sugar, Yeast Extract, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Black Pepper.

Coles Chicken Stock

Chicken Stock* (97%) (Water, Chicken, Onion, Carrot, Celery, Bay Leaf), Natural Flavours, Yeast Extract, Sugar, Salt, Vegetable Powders (Onion, Garlic, Sweet Corn), Black Pepper, Vegetable Extract Powder

*Reconstituted from concentrated stock

The shop-bought varieties have so many more ingredients than my home-made version.  I can’t understand why sugar and flavours need to be added to stock, never mind “vegetable” fat, soy and colours (dare I ask what colour is it before they add the colouring?)  I might be wrong, but I’d be surprised if the manufacturers went to the same lengths I do to get good quality free ranged chicken…

I much prefer making my own as it uses up leftovers that could otherwise be wasted – and as it pretty much looks after itself, it isn’t much effort to make at all.

Chicken Stock
Recipe type: Poultry
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • Left over roast chicken carcass
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 onions
  • 2 sticks celery
  • 2 bay leaves
Instructions
  1. I had already roasted a chicken and had a few other pieces left over, so I broke it up and put it in my largest pan.
  2. I roughly chopped up a couple of carrots, a couple of onions and some celery – without peeling them.
  3. I added a couple of bay leaves to the pot and added water until the pot was almost full.
  4. I then bought it to the boil, before reducing the heat to a simmer and then I reduced the heat further.
  5. Every so often I skimmed the top with a spoon to get rid of any residue that rose up.
  6. I let this continue for three or four hours whilst getting on with the rest of my cooking, adding water as required.
  7. I then strained the mixture and discarded the bones and vegetable remains, leaving the stock.
  8. I cooled this quickly by putting the pot in a sink of cold water before refrigerating it.
  9. Once cool I separated it into individual sized portions to freeze until I need them.

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I’d love to hear how you make stock and what you use it for?

Paleo diet chicken stock bone broth how to make recipe-min