Day 21: Muffins and More...

Breakfast: My sweet tooth has been kicking lately, so for breakfast we made some Paleo Apple Muffins (Everyday Paleo, 214). The recipe called for almond meal, and included some apples and bananas. The kids thought they were great, though Scott was not a fan. I enjoyed them very much. Generally the texture of gluten free grains is different than that of gluten grains so it can take a bit to get used to. I think that so much of how we eat is habit and preconceived notions of what we like and don't like. I also believe it is possible to retrain our mind and our taste buds to accept a new way of eating. Things like this challenge and even fasting help our minds and taste buds to reprogram and get used to a new way of eating. After eating this way for just 21 days, I am able to more fully appreciate the sweetness of fruits and vegetables on their own (even steamed broccoli). I am also able to appreciate the sweetness of dark chocolate (with a really high percentage of cocoa), where as before I needed the highly processed and highly sugared milk chocolate to satisfy my cravings. If you don't believe me, try it for yourself. You can try it with the heavy hitters like salt or sugar. Make a commitment to eating less processed or better yet no processed food for 2 weeks (it doesn't have to be Paleo or gluten free) and see how you feel. Also, check out this site my friend sent to me. It is not a Paleo/Primal site, but it has plenty of ideas for eating healthier in general. I believe in the Paleo and Primal lifestyle, but for those who don't buy in yet or are just not interested in it, here are some other ways to improve your nutrition. The site is called 100 Days of Real Food. Let me know what you think! By the way, if you do want to know more rationale behind the Paleo template a great site to check out is FitBomb: Why I Eat Paleo.

Eating Well
Fitness Blackbook

Snack: Avocado and blueberries

Lunch: Boar's Head Gluten Free Lower Sodium Turkey, fresh beets, and steamed veggies

Dinner: Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breasts (Everyday Paleo, 55)- This recipe was a hit with the kids. It contained butterflied chicken stuffed with ham pieces and asparagus. The recipe called for some butter, but we used ghee (clarified butter). The butterflying of the chicken was a bit scary as I prayed Scott wouldn't slice his hand, but it was well worth it. We made 4 chicken breasts for our family and should have made more. We also had Baked Curry Cauliflower (Everyday Paleo, 121), which was fantastic. It had a great flavor and a bit of a kick. Alexis did well with it, AJ wasn't a fan and Scott and I couldn't get enough. The ingredients were super easy: cauliflower, coconut oil, curry powder, garlic powder, and turmeric.

Dessert: Sliced mango. It really hit the spot after the kick in the cauliflower dish

Day 20: And 10 to Go!

It's hard to believe it is time to plan another menu for the week. 20 days have come and gone.

If you notice on many of the recipes we use coconut flour, coconut oil or coconut milk. There is also coconut water that even comes sweetened in different flavors like mango and chocolate. Not sure if coconut oil is Paleo or just Primal, but in my mind it doesn't really matter. Coconut had a bad reputation for awhile, but many of the experts are starting to come around and recognize some of the health benefits it can provide in moderation. I personally will use some coconut milk in my coffee and I really enjoy drinking coconut water.

A few links:
 Huffington post
 Livestrong.com
 Mark's Daily Apple
 Mark's Daily Apple (2)

Breakfast: Paleo Pancakes. The recipe is from the book Paleo Pals: Jimmy and the Carrot Rocket Ship by Sarah Fragoso. Alexis and my dad loved helping to make these yummy very kid friendly pancakes made with coconut flour, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs, coconut milk and even bananas. They were definitely a hit. Alexis and AJ helped mash the bananas and Alexis added most of the ingredients in the bowl and loved to mix it all up! Sometimes it is hard for me to let her help because it usually ends up more messy, but I know it is so important and she loves doing it. It is also a great way for us to bond. AJ was a little grumpy this morning so he wasn't as interested in helping as usual. I don't force it. It took a few tries to get the feel for how long they needed to be cooked, but once we did they were great!  I also had leftover turkey stir fry with them to get some extra protein.

Lunch: Canned salmon and a salad with some fresh beets. I also had a banana.

Dinner: Homemade bison burgers made from ground bison meat, garlic powder and a little oregano. We also had some steamed zucchini, a small salad and some sweet potato fries (sliced sweet potatoes cooked in the oven with a little olive oil and a little cinnamon). It was a very simple, yet easy dinner to finish off the week.