Paleo Diaries: Blunders and Bests

Blunder Numero Uno:

Thought I was getting "raw" honey..... but I got what appears to be a bees wax candle. It's hard as a rock and not sure how I can use it. I am pretty sure I got the wrong thing.

update: I stand corrected. My paleo expert friend just informed me I have to submerge in hot water and then dip the top "comb" part into the liquid honey and will stay in liquid form for ever and ever. 

Who knew? Not me. I wonder how many other people send their raw honey back? 

Blunder Numero Dos: 

Coconut Milk - A big fat case of it - UNsweetened. I've been drinking rice milk and almond milk for years...but I can't hardly get a cup of this down. Darn. I wonder if the sweetened version will fare better.

STILL LOOKING for a coffee creamer.  Almond Milk seems to overtake the flavor of the coffee, which I drink ceremoniously every morning with great delight and not for the caffeine.

Fasting from it's daily pleasure this month. 

Really Good Finds: 

I am a dip and chip person. So not have something I can crunch and dip into salsa, avacodo or egg salad is a texture conundrum... 

This is the best almond butter I've tried. Closest thing to peanut butter so far! Sweet and smooth...very impressed.  

Worcestershire Sauce and Soy Sauce Replacement and a great bbq sauce...no sugars! 

All of these were ordered through Amazon so I get them in two days...sigh of relief in the cooking department.

Paleo: On A More Personal Note

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: 
This has opened a Pandora's box of self realizations for me. 

Andrew is amused I can think so much. But when you change a whole lifestyle....thoughts abound. 

Leave it to me to think too much....

1. How accustomed we are, especially as Americans, to be so privileged to have our pantries fully stocked, we can run to the store and food is ready and waiting. 

2. How often I take for granted opening a box of brownie mix or running to get a blizzard at DQ or on a busy day throw some chicken patties in my oven. 

3. In many poor countries I've been to, like Mexico, or all of South America, India, and China....the poor eat very simply. Rice and beans or mashed corn.  They don't eat go-gurts on a regular basis, nor can they afford grass fed organic beef and almond butter. 

I'm not saying: 
-  quick meals on a a bad or hard day is wrong, sometimes we have to access our realities and let other things take priority. 
- or feel guilty for buying healthy or guilty for eating a brownie

There are also appropriate and wonderful times to celebrate with good and delicious food if you can. 


4. But I can see how attached I am to convenience and indulging my every whim and fancy on what I feel like eating whenever I feel like eating it. 

5. It has made me take a second look at learning to be more simple in how I approach our eating habits. 

6. To be more grateful that I can put food on my table, no matter what it is. 

7. Sometimes fasting, even from good things, always gives more room for Jesus. I find so much comfort in cooking and creating, but when taken away, I find Him, for He always finds ways to get through to me.  

Like the prayer I said during lent, which I still find myself praying: 

"Father, train us in the ways of self-denial that we might awaken the hunger for Jesus that lies beneath the pleasures we seek." 


I've had to seek motivation....
Maybe I'm not motivated by loosing weight or having a better workout, but I do not have to "suffer" in vain...an end to abortion is always a good place to start. 

See how long this post is? Can you tell how much food must surround my day? 

Shoot, and it's only day 3!  

It has been such a good detachment process for me. Still learning....

Paleo Diet: Day 1 and 2

Day 1
My wonderful friend Sarah invited me over and gave me some of her favorite Paleo recipes. She also sent me home with a crockpot full of Italian Beef for dinner so I wouldn't have to worry about that night. I was so excited to hear it qualified, I've made it before, (view recipe here) so we just ate it bread-less with fried sweet potatoes and salad. 

I'm so very grateful that she sacrificed a morning to help me because it took so much anxiety away. I left feeling confident.  

Fried Sweet Potatoes with Onions...becoming a staple favorite.

Day 2 

Paleo Challenge would have made so much more sense to start during lent...all the fasting and abstinence. 

On my "30 Day Challenge" Food Log sheet...it says you get 4pts. if you did the whole day 100% paleo without any cheats. 

You earn the title "Hunter, Gatherer" and relate to the primordial methods of the ancestors who hunted animals (meat) and gathered berries and seeds. 

I may have a teeny bit felt this way today.....

"Hunter Gatherer"  so appropriate. 

I feel as though I hunted and gathered for hours or what felt like all day. 

I "gathered" lots of different recipes and websites and "hunted" for rare ingredients on amazon and trips to the store and spent an unusual amount of time in the kitchen....

 I appreciate and stand in awe at the ancient will to survive. 

I know this will get easier. 

Hard Aspects: Having the munchies, but tired of nuts and fruit. Trying to decide if living a healthy life is worth it OR just loving what you eat and peacing out at 60 is ok.  

Good Aspects: Food was very good, left each meal full and satisfied, tastebuds and all. 

"Sweet" Pork chops, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Vegetables 

Day 3 
Woke up NOT feeling tired, still not feeling tired. Amazed. If there was one "ailment" I suffered from it would be fatigue. 

Marvelous Meatballs via Everydaypaleo.com, smell amazing and are in the crockpot for dinner...

Maybe I do like paleo....Jury is still out as to whether I could do this as strict post the 30 day challenge....