You might be asking yourself, “Why all the paleo recipes, lately?”. It’s usually around this time of the winter where lethargy sets in and our diets need a clean up. I know I can’t be the only one who’s barely eating vegetables and, instead, stocking up on processed foods and lots of carbs (which is easy when you can hide under long layers and blanket scarves).
Determined to get back in control of my diet and wake up my system, I’m kicking off a paleo cycle today: two weeks following a strict paleo diet, followed by one week of your run-of-the-mill clean eating before back at it again. Of course, there’s a weekly cheat meal thrown in there, and I’m already looking forward to sushi next weekend. After some initial planning, we started at the grocery store where we picked up lots of healthy eats before cooking up some roasted bacon and butternut squash soup and our favorite paleo bread over Valentine’s Day.
Bacon Butternut Squash Soup (adapted from Damn Delicious): I add more bacon than the recipe calls for (because, bacon) as well as 1/4 cup canned coconut milk to make it a bit thicker and add a touch of sweetness.
Paleo Bread (recipe adapted from Elena’s Pantry): We always add a whole banana into the batter at the end. The flavor is just sweet enough without being overpowering. We’ll occasionally throw in 1/4 cup of raisins or craisins and 1 tsp of cinnamon as well. **Topping with almond or peanut butter is a must.
A bit on Paleo eating:
- Paleo do’s: Meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, eggs, tubers (sweet potatoes and yams), nuts & seeds
- Paleo don’ts: Dairy, grains, processed foods, sugar, legumes (beans, peanuts)
Deciding to stick to a paleo diet is not solely about losing weight. While that does happen at first, it’s more about getting myself in the mindset of making healthier choices that are better for my body. I don’t mean to demonize grains (after all, I love bagels, mac and cheese, and CEREAL, despite the fact that they don’t love me back), but since I’m choosing grains more and more over fresh vegetables and fruits, something needs to change. For now, I’ll be retraining myself to make conscious (instead of easy) choices about what I eat and taking note of how that makes me feel.
Paleo Resources:
- Interested in learning more? NerdFitness.com has a clear, and funny Beginners Guide to the Paleo Diet.
- Elena of Elena’s Pantry has been grain-free since 2001, and has authored a NYT best selling cookbook on the subject. Her list of the best paleo recipes of 2015 includes a lot of sweets, like caramel brownies and cinnamon coffee cake, proving that paleo doesn’t mean feeling deprived.
- Lost when it comes to lunch or dinner? The Greatist has some mouth-watering ideas, including a California Turkey and Bacon Wrap I’ll be eating for lunch today!
Amelia's Musings 