03072009

Food Sources on the Net

There are almost too many sources on the net these days for just about any topic. For me, I look for empirical evidence based sources (.edu or based on research) or I like reading the opposite end of the spectrum, blogs (people real life explanations). I think I get a good mix of science and real life examples of the Paleo diet that way.

The first site I love is Nikkisblogspot.com. Nikki is a trainer living in Australia who the author of The Paleo Cookbook. What I like about her site besides the information is the menu samples she offers.

Paleo Breakfast Recipes
Quinoa recipes
Foccacia, Sandwiches and Cake Recipes

These are just a few of her downloadable PDF's. Take a look at her site for more nikisblospot.com

Anothe great source for recipes (although the site is very minimal in design) is the paleofood.com

Basicly its an ongoing archive of user generated recipes. Check it out at paleofood.com

Finaly a great research site with links to many known reserches is paleodiet.com. Here you will find everything you need to know about the Paleo diet followed by emperical research to back it up.

No go out and try somthing new for dinner tonight!

ROB CAN COOK

Dinner last night was a beef and vegtables goulash
Ingredients
- 1 lb stewing beef cut to inch thickness
- 3 carrots cut to bite size
- 3 cellery stalks cut to bite size
- 2 cups of quartered mushrooms
- 1.5 onions medium diced
- 2 tsps of garlic powder
- 1 tsp of pepper
- 1 tsp of thyme leaves
- 1 tsp of rosmarry leaves chopped
- 2 cups of beef broth (I like to substitute one cup with water due to salt content)
- 1 cup of dry red wine

Season the meat a little before browning it in a medium size pot. Remove beef then add onions, cellery and carrots and cook until onions are translucent (3 min.). Add the rest of the vegtables and seasoning and cook for an additional minutes. Finally at the liquids and bring to a boil, then set on low heat for 45-55 minutes.

Then grab a spoon and a bowl and go to town!
Enjoy!

02282009

Baby steps



So today marks the first month of a year on the Paleo! Ok, ok I said a 6 months at the beginning of the month, but I've starting to come over to the Paleo side.

I feel great, better then great, I feel amazing, more then I thought I would be on such a "drastic" change in consumption. I think most people would call change from popular demand "drastic". But sometimes the road less traveled results in greater discoveries.

So the change of food did lead to withdraw symptoms from the cold turkey stoppage of modern crack = starches/grains. Just tonight I walked past a bakery in Irvine with the line stretching out around the corner of the building, I'm talking at least a hundred people in line to buy bread and sweats at 9:00 at night! So I'm glad to say the cravings have subsided and the vice like grip that pasta/rice/breads/grains had on me no longer is as tight (believe me every now and then cake is very tempting). I feel like the guy on 40 days and 40 nights, except instead of boobs its french fries.

Another great effect of eating cleaner and more vegetables is my pallet has slowly changed. I feel like I can taste food for the first time. Instead of being cow fed food ala the fast food drive through window, I have more controll of what goes into my mouth, thus causing my taste buds to rejoice.
I mean vegtables actually have tastes of their own. I used to catagorize all vegtables as "vegtables" as in I don't eat "vegtables". They all tasted the same to me, I used to say "Oh, I don't like that it tastes to green for me". What I ment by that was it wasn't cooked for more then 10 minutes, killing off every vitamin possible and making it soft enough for babbies to enjoy it. Now carrots taste as sweet as chocolate, and I actually look forward to the various vegtable dishes out there.


Food in general just tastes better. I wonder if food conisours taste the same food I taste now with my new taste buds, because if they do, I would love that job.

My energy levels are back to full, and with the help of our friend Coffee they are at a all time high when it comes time for the WODs. I'm looking forward to setting some new PR's in the next couple of weeks. The weight started at 225 in December and as of today I'm at 210, with no sacrafice in strength or energy level.

More then anything, I'm changing, and I believe it for the better. If you are what you eat is true, then I'm looking forward to a stronger, healthier me!

ROB CAN COOK

I never drank coffee until this year, for many reasons, but now I appreciate the effect of the caffine, but I'm still struggling with the taste, since I don't put sugar or milk in mine.

So another example of a "Fridge" Paleo meal is the following.
Breakfest was a cup of joe, plus 2 hard boiled egges, half a bannana, and half a pear
Lunch was a cup of cantalope and pears, followed by mixed greens and left over rotisery chicken. (if your wondering where is the photo of the Veg's, well I ate them before the camera came out)

02152009

ME MYSELF AND PALEO

Its been 2 and half weeks on the Paleo and here are some updates:
- I started at 216lb and I currently am at 209 (plus or minus 2 pounds during the day)
- I have more energy during the day then I did prior to this system of nutrition
- The meals have gotten better both in the taste department and the variety
- My sleep is no longer disturbed by a gurgling stomach
- I've notice progressive gains in energy during WOD's although not at 100% yet
- My immune system seems to be in tack and in most cases stellar (given everyone else at work is sick)
- My wife has began to eat more of a Paleo system during the week along with me which makes cooking and planning easier. Plus she likes it and is feeling good on it
- My grocery bill has gone up marginally due to the fresh produce ever 2 days
- I never thought I would like protein for breakfast other then bacon

ROB CAN COOK

This recipe actually is a modification done by Maureen on a fish dish for dinner

02072009

IF YOU COOK IT THEY WILL COME

I find that half my battle is defending my food choices, especially when I'm out eating with family and friends. Its mostly:

Why are you eating that
Why don't you eat this
Why can't you eat this
Why are you doing that

I just shrug it off as being misinformed or the lack of knowledge and exposure to other systems. You see like many of my friends I grew up eating just about anything that was put on my plate by my parents, no if, then's, or buts. My parents grew up with the typical American food pyramid

So rice, pasta, noodles, potato's, breads, etc, were a staple of my adolescent eating habits. That carried over to elementary school. You stood in the lunch line waiting to choose from pizza, pasta, hamburgers, tacos, sloppy joes and many other poor choice food items.

So I can't get frustrated at them or angry since most people don't know "better" or alternatives. I feel that if you know more then others its your responsibility to inform and educate. If we are all crabs in a barrel, might as well be the crab helping others out of it then the one keeping them in!

This leads me to if you make it they will come. I know through a little education and example many eyes can be opened to a healthier means of dieting and food consumption. A little education goes a long way. The way I do this is by answering all types of questions when we eat out about my reasons for eating what I eat and why its better then the deep fried twinkie your eating. Not good or bad, but what works for me and what doesn't. Heck if I could eat twinkies all day, and pass a fitness and health test, then I'd go to town.

I also share my knowledge by cooking home cooked meals and inviting people over. Half the time the comments are "Wow this is really good". For the most part they don't even know what goes into preparing a meal, but most of us know when something tastes good and when it doesn't. I feel if you educate and show that food can be healthy, nutritious and taste amazing, people are more willing to try new things.

A by product of cooking my own meals is when I bring food to work, people can smell it in the office and are naturally drawn to me, with questions of "What is that, how did you make it, can i have some".

If at the end of dinner/lunch one other person at the table tried something new, and liked en ought to incorporate it in their food system, then good work has been done, and the fight against obesity and bad food habits in America continues on.


ROB CAN COOK

White Chicken Chili Stew

Cook time: 27 min. & makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1 tbs olive oil
1 onion, sliced or diced (3/4 to a cup)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 tbs chili powder
6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth (you could also make your own chicken broth)
1 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (if you cooking for yourself take these out, if you cooking for friends and family leave them in, but take them out of your own serving bowl)
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2-3 carrots, cut bias into 1 inch pieces (1 cup)
2-3 celery stalks cut into 1/2 inch pieces (1 cup)
1 or 2 chipotle in adobo sauce, sliced
1/2 rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded into large pieces
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped
1 avocado
salt to taste

Directions
Hat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, jalapeno, chili powder and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, potato, corn, carrots, celery, and chipotle and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook until the potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir to break up the potato and thicken the broth slightly.

Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, to heat and thicken, about 10 minutes. Cut up the avocado (place on top) and stir in the cilantro before serving.

Not only does this taste amazing, its filling, and holds just about everything you need to keep you engine running strong! Enjoy

-Rob

02042009

KEEPING STRONG


Both in the physical and mental sense, will power plays an important roll in fighting all the negative possibilities flagging you down on a day to day basis. Will power fuels determination, and through determination goals are achieved.

It is definitely a test of my will power when I see co-workers eating a plethora of fried sweets known to the natives as Do-Nuts, and yet there is no sign of any healthy nut product.

It is definitely a test of my will power when you go out to eat dinner with friends, and they order food that not only looks amazing, smells amazing, but is amazing in the number of additives and starchy products used to batter, fry, and encase some form of meat or vegetable.

It is definitely a test of my will power to get up an hour and a half early each day to prepare food for my family that will last the day knowing that its just as easy to buy lunch at work, or eat left overs from an executive meeting.

The great thing about all these tests, is that they make you stronger, they give you fuel when the times are tough saying " Ha, you said no to sweets and grains before, you can do it again, and again"

So when some one offers you a Do-Nut or your buddies are going out to eat a lasagna lunch, just say "thanks but no thanks, I brought FOOD"

ROB CAN COOK
Here is a a great lunch that you can either put in the slow cooker the night before or cook it over a flame the day of.

Chicken Cacciatore
1 whole skinned chickens, cut up and trimmed of visible fat ( I use chicken breasts, and thighs)
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, sliced
1 c sliced mushrooms
4 celery stalks, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 c water (or vegtable broth)
8 tomatoes, diced
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
1 tbs olive oil

Cut the chicken into bite size pieaces season to taste and place on the side. Place all other ingrediants in a slow cooker or a pot and medium-high heat. If you use the slow cooker put on low for 8 hours ( you will need to increae the water/broth you put in by 1.5 cups). Cook the mixture on medium-high heat for 20 minutes then add chicken and continue to cook for 2-4 minutes or until chicken is done.

For the slow cooker put the chicken in along with the vegetables over night.

01302009

PALEO AND MY BODY

Now I know the title sounds like we are going to talk about the birds and bees and how the body works (well in some sense, yes), but we are not, instead we will be talking about my bodies reaction to a cleaner diet.

Over the last five days I've noticed interesting side effects of the Paleo diet and I'm sure there will be more to come. Here are just a few:
- first off I'm not as hungry as I thought I would be eating mainly vegetables and meats
- Regular visits to the water closet are scheduled almost as if my colon was my personal secretary and for some reason didn't update me on all of my "meetings" for the day.
- I am a guy, and I think farts are hilarious, except when they are from me and can keep a beat
- I've been waking up in the morning without a problem, where as days of old it was a struggle to get up in the morning (I even have time to make breakfast!)

ROB CAN COOK
Speaking of food here is the recipe for dinner last night "Chicken minus the tortilla soup (with vegetables)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped, or 1 pasilla or green bell pepper
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 6 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound cooked chicken, shredded
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped, optional garnish
• 1 yellow squash
• hand full of baby carrots
• hand full of mushrooms
  

Directions

In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and stir well. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Slice up the Squash and place in a baking pan, then layer carrots and mushrooms on top. Season with salt and pepper and place in oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Once the vegatables are done serve on the side or put them in the soup.

Soup serves 4-6 or two hungry people!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT