My great Italian bread/pasta experiment

I've been gluten-free for about 8 years now. What that means in reality is that 99% of the time I eat only foods that are gluten-free, with about 1% of the time, having some sort of exposure to wheat-based grains. I don't mean that I have "cheat days" but I'll consume something at a restaurant that may not be completely wheat/gluten-free. Not breads, pastas, nor pastries... those have always been off-limits.

But that all changed when my husband and I decided to honeymoon in Italy. I knew that they used a different species of wheat in Europe, and had heard that those with gluten/wheat sensitivities often can tolerate bread and pasta way better there than in North America.

I was intrigued and excited to eat real bread and pasta for the first time in almost a decade. My goal was to eat and drink my way through Italy and see what happened. I was going to eat real baguette bread; I was going to enjoy a pastry at a cafe; Focaccia in a market. Hell, maybe even pizza!

So I did. I ate it all and for the most part I loved it all, but there were lessons that I learned with each meal:

First, not every restaurant or venue gets their flour from Italy. I made an incorrect assumption that our Mediterranean cruise would be serving local foods. I soon found out that even their beef came from Chicago (which induced a huge "WTF?!?" moment for me). Pasta, I learned, had to be labeled specifically as "durum wheat" pasta. But the breads and pizza still left me bloated, gassy... my insides were not happy even if my taste buds were.

Off the boat, food was much easier. I wasn't having reactions from independent/family run restaurants. Anything that was non-touristy seemed to be fantastic, and my gut agreed. I was able to eat focaccia in Venazza, pasta in Taormina and Genoa, and croissants in Florence with no issues. It was glorious. I was able to enjoy heavy starches that didn't feel so heavy.

I felt like I had an excuse to be indulgent; and perhaps I did. But that feeling wears out after a while. By the end of our 2-week vacation I was craving protein and vegetables. I was craving leafy salads and steamed broccoli drenched in olive oil. Not to mention that my waistline definitely widened being on a predominately carbohydrate-based diet.

They were gloriously happy-making meals for the time being, but it wasn't something that I would be able to continue. The body - my body - can only take so much. The challenge now is switching back. Getting my body back, reducing my carb and sugar cravings, and regulating my blood sugar.

The Aftermath of my Gluten Experiment

The last croissant I had was at the airport before we left Europe. It was everything I had hoped it would be, until I stopped to pay attention to my body. All of a sudden I felt anxious, my heart beating fast. What was going on? I realized it was my blood sugar. Having only had a croissant, my heart was racing and I felt like I needed a run. I knew this was a pattern I'd have to get out of. This spike in blood sugar was uncomfortable, but all too common.

Secondly, the residual carb cravings after having come back. I almost forgot how strong they could be! Telling me to go bake a batch of cookies, or eat more of that sunflower seed bread, or, how about a third serving of rice? It's so hard to battle that voice; even more so when you're feeling exhausted.

Thirdly, by the end of the two weeks, and more so in the two weeks upon our return, my skin broke out like crazy! Not just facial acne, but eczema!

What gets me through this part is knowing how good I can feel on a low-carb diet. My tastebuds and brain were spoiled in Italy. We deserve it! To enjoy the food of another country and culture is an experience not to be taken for granted, but for my own personal health, it's not a lifestyle I can thrive on long-term.

I'm so happy I took a chance (with the help of probiotics and digestive enzymes) eating Italian wheat products, but I'm even happier to be home so that I can stuff my face with veggies and proteins again.

Changes in Digestion: Hope for those with IBS

I was trying out two new recipes last night: one was a Moroccan-style chicken stew (done in the slow cooker), and the other was this insanely good lentil recipe from "Oh She Glows, Everyday"

Three things crossed my mind during this process:

1) Is this stew going to be as good when I transform it into a "Low-FODMAP"-friendly recipe? With no onions or garlic??

2) Will these recipes taste as good if I omit the sugar (maple syrup, honey, etc) in both of them?

3) I can't believe I can eat lentils! This is amazing and weird at the same time; like when I brought back white potatoes into my diet a few months ago. 

First off, onions and garlic bring loads of flavours and health benefits to our food, so not being able to enjoy them - and even more accurately, having them exacerbate my IBS symptoms - has been a real struggle; for both cooking at home (especially for a fiancé who LOVES both garlic and onions) and when we dine out.

Staying disciplined as much as possible is not only empowering, but you're preventing the pain that these food compounds cause. Pain is a signal telling us that something is wrong in the body. And it's a signal that we shouldn't ignore.

For those with food sensitivities or reactions, you absolutely can omit ingredients that aggravate you, and still have amazingly tasting food. Both dishes turned out incredibly well, considering what was missing. In this case, the added sweeteners were completely unnecessary.

Secondly, our bodies change as we age, and what worked for you in the past may not work in a few months or years. I spent about a year on a strict paleo diet and loved it! I had a hard time digesting potatoes and legumes (in addition to gluten and dairy), so paleo was the perfect solution for me. Even my "hangry" moments decreased in frequency.

Fast forward 6 years, after the inclusion of gluten-free grains back into my diet:  My once great digestion had returned to being stormy. My body was giving me distinct signals that something was terribly wrong and that the foods I was eating were aggravating me. I had a gut feeling (pun intended) what was causing it... sugars, including certain fruits and honey, onions, garlic, cauliflower, and even too much sauerkraut which I thought was supposed to be a great fermented food for gut health. It bothered me that these things that I had eaten for so long were now a huge issue for me.

Following up with my IBS research and treatment protocols, I realized that all of the foods I was reacting to were high in FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols), and started my plan to follow a low-FODMAP diet. This wasn't an easy feat. This is a crazy strict diet but I was tired of suffering.

And the truth is that I feel so much better than I did just 4 months ago, but it's not easy for many of us to completely change our diets. We get caught in habits and knowing what we have to give up can really bring a person down. It is absolutely a challenge.

But my point is that the gut changes over time. Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways always exist in the body, but we can modify their activation. The gut itself is a type of semi-permeable barrier that can become damaged. Our GI tract is like a whole other world, containing trillions of bacteria, all living within us. These are living organisms that secrete molecules that our body uses or obtains a signal from. They feed on what we ourselves are eating. There are so many factors involved that can change what your body reacts to and how it reacts.

There is always hope for IBS. There is always a chance that you may be able to eat things in the future that you're not able to now. But remember that there is a purpose for these signals - your symptoms - and it's your responsibility to truly listen to them and then modify your diet to best serve your body. Not only will your overall health improve, but you will actually feel better acutely. Seriously. Imagine eating a delicious meal and not feeling bloated, gassy, or having abnormal or painful bowel movements. That's what you have to look forward to :)

The importance of how we view food

Food is incredibly important to many of us. It serves as a means of gathering family and friends together. It's nourishment; It's tradition; It's comfort; and so much more.

Where we can get into trouble with our health is when we stop making conscious decisions with what we put in our bodies. Food is so incredibly important to me personally because I've had such a difficult time with foods. My diet is constantly evolving, changing with what my body needs and what it is able to digest.

With a slew of digestive troubles since I was a teen, food has been a constant battle. There was the Candida diet, the diet based on Food Sensitivity testing, the Vegan diet, the Paleo diet, a modified Paleo diet, and now, a low-FODMAP diet. Some people might say I've been cursed with a severely dysfunctional immune system, with multiple autoimmune reactions and conditions, but to me, all of these "problems" serve as a way of making sure I make conscious decisions with what I feed my body.

It's unrealistic to say that those of us with dietary restrictions are perfect with our diets 100% of the time. And no, in general, we're not depriving ourselves. Of course there are some foods I wish I could enjoy, and then there are ones that I'm glad I'm not tempted by because I know how terrible they can make me feel (typically, anything deep-fried). The reason being that when you eat "bad" (ie pain-making, pro-inflammatory) foods, you learn that sometimes the mouth-pleasure you get from eating something isn't worth the consequences (IBS symptoms, eczema breakouts, acne breakouts, energy crashes, migraines, ... etc) that come with it.

This is why I'm so passionate about food and diet. We all have the capacity to choose what we eat, and it can be incredibly empowering to understand this concept. But it's also a wonderful challenge to create meals and snacks that are healthy, that our bodies can easily digest and be happy with.

There is great joy in being able to show others how many options there actually are for those with dietary restrictions. Food is a part of our culture, a part of our everyday lives. At the same time, we need to understand that it's impossible to create a single diet that's best for everyone; We're all so different. So instead, I implore you to listen to your gut. Experiment with foods. Pull away from ones that don't make you feel great, and incorporate the foods (maybe even new foods) that you know you should incorporate (like more vegetables, or good-quality proteins). Remember that the signs and symptoms of food sensitivities are there to give us an indication that something isn't right, internally.

Nourish your body, love your body, and create something delicious in the kitchen today!

Paleo Coconut Lemongrass Shrimp

One of the many things that I love about my partner is that often times he'll go to the market/grocery store and come home with something that we've never cooked with before. This week it was lemongrass. We both love Thai food and we've seen lemongrass enough times to know it smells incredible and it tastes awesome in curry dishes; But we've never cooked with it (from scratch).

Seeing it in the fridge, I knew I had to do something with it. So I went to a few paleo recipe sites, picked one that sounded easy enough, and went to work.

Check out the link below for the recipe that I used as a base for my cooking last night - the author deserves credit - thanks "Steph"! However, the dish that I created looked absolutely NOTHING like this picture. There's something called "breaking the coconut milk" which I obviously didn't do so my "sauce" looked well, not silky smooth, but viscous and thick.

Not going to lie though, it was so delicious, I'd make it again in a heartbeat.
Here's the link, but check out below for my modified version of it: http://stupideasypaleo.com/2012/06/16/shrimp-in-coconut-broth/

Paleo Coconut Lemongrass Shrimp (makes 2 servings)

1 lb raw shrimp (with shells/not-peeled)
1 can of coconut cream (I used Blue Monkey coconut cream which is the best I have found so far!)
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 stalk of lemongrass, (chop off the top few inches, peel off the outer rind, then "bruise"/slightly crush the lemongrass with the flat surface of a chef's knife and slice it in half length-wise.)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced into halves or thirds
1 green chili pepper, chopped
1/3-1/2 cup chopped leeks
1 shallot, minced
1 1/2 cups stringless sugar snap peas 
1 tsp butter or ghee

NOTE: remove the seeds from the chili pepper if you only want a mild/medium spice. Otherwise, keeping all the seeds in will make this dish super spicy!

1.  Peel the shells off the shrimp and put them aside. Put the peeled shrimp in a bowl and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.
2. Place the coconut cream/milk in a large skillet. Add the shrimp shells, wine, lemongrass, thyme and garlic. Let simmer on medium heat for 10-15 minutes (shells should turn pink). 
3. Remove the shells (I used the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out all the juices) and discard. 
4. Add the shallots, leeks, sugar snap peas. Cook on medium heat about 5 minutes. Then add the shrimp and continue cooking another 5 minutes or until shrimp is pink and cooked. 
5. Add the butter and stir. Remove the lemongrass and discard. 
6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!

Farmer's Market meals

One of my favourite things about June is the start of the Farmer's Market. I've been helping with our clinic's booth at Fairmount park in Toronto (details HERE) and it has easily become the best day of the week!

The fresh fruit and vegetables are always enticing, especially when the farmers cut the grown sprouts right in front of you. Many vendors have gluten-free and vegan food options ranging from cookies and nanaimo bars to spinach lentil curry with rice. The coordinators and other vendors are some of the nicest people I've met and there's a true sense of community all around.

So how do you make a meal using farm fresh ingredients? Or how do you improvise a meal with very few ingredients? Well, knowing I'd be starving after a long day and a nice evening run, I grabbed a few items totaling $20:

Bag of arugula
Bag of sunflower sprouts
6 Hot Turkey pepperettes
and a bundle of multi-coloured tomatoes

When I got home I rinsed the greens and put them in a bowl. On top I added:
one ripe yellow tomato, chopped
1.5 turkey pepperettes, chopped
Some fresh basil and a few blueberries

The dressing:
About 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
a splash of orange juice
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

The salad turned out great! Light enough for the end of the night, but filling enough that my tummy is happy. The only thing I'd change would be blueberries. The other flavours went great together. And the best part is that I still have so much left over. I guess we'll see what next week brings and what new combo I'll put together :)

Power snack muffins!

I've had a request to post this recipe for a good "portable" snack that's full of nutrients (vegetables and nuts and healthy fats). It's a great snack for on-the-go as well as a post-workout boost when you've just depleted your energies.

Today was one of those amazing fall days, perfect for running in shorts. The trails that I run on were ridiculously busy today and I usually get super annoyed with people who take up the whole entire path and who ignore my running footsteps, but today I saw it as a pretty awesome obstacle course.

I was zipping past people like my legs just couldn't be stopped. What? There's a mountain up ahead? That's not going to stop me. Watch me run up it while you leisurely stroll along with your entire extended family and your individual walking sticks. Today I was unstoppable. I got to the top of that hill and just kept going. It's days like this that give me the motivation to run as often as my legs will let me.

I think we all need that. That success of working out and feeling amazing afterwards. It doesn't matter what you do to get that feeling. Maybe you get it after an hour of hot yoga when you're laying on your mat at the very end of class; All sweaty and your muscles are buzzing with happy vibes. Find it. Find that happy post-workout bliss and remember it!

Now after you have that amazing blissful feeling, it's time to recharge and give back to those muscles that just worked so hard for you. Here's my post-workout portable snack, full of deliciousness.

Veggie power paleo muffins

Makes 6 muffins (for 12 muffins, double all ingredients, but use 3 extra large eggs instead of 2 large ones)

1 1/4 cup almond flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated carrots (peeled)
1 large apple, peeled, cored and grated (OR substitute for 1/2 cup diced strawberries)
2 large eggs
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or avocado oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional: 1 scoop protein powder - add a splash of almond milk to the mix to make up for the extra powder/dry ingredient

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with muffin cups.
In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Add zucchini, carrot, apple/strawberries and combine well.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, honey and vanilla.
Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.
Spoon into muffin cups (right to the top) and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. The tops will be nice and toasted brown.
Remove from pan and let cool.

The muffins can be stored in the fridge (the muffin cups peel off nicer when they're kept in the fridge, but the muffins themselves stay softer and more moist at room temperature).

As pictured, I like cutting them in half or thirds and smearing almond butter on top. Delicious!!

Dealing with Cravings

The hardest part of changing your dietary habits is exactly that: getting used to the change. Our bodies often give us signals of what it wants - sometimes those signals come from an emotional place. Sometimes they're from a "biological need" type of place, and other times it's the bacterial flora in our guts that is speaking to us.

Many of us have grown up as "emotional" eaters. We seek comfort foods to comfort our souls.
This isn't always a terrible thing. The smells from a kitchen remind us of being younger. Maybe your relatives had a secret family recipe that still makes you smile. And I think it's fine to give in to that "comfort" on occasion. More detrimental issues seem to come up when we start using food too often as a crutch for safety or as a shield for our emotions.

So how do we protect ourselves?

1) Treat yourself on a special occasion. Thanksgiving is this weekend in Canada. I tend to move away from paleo and indulge in gluten-free stuffing with my turkey. And I might do a bit more baking than I normally would. The point is that it's okay to give yourself a special occasion in which to enjoy a tradition or a comfort food. Each year on my anniversary with my boyfriend we go out to an amazing restaurant in Toronto and I actually order and eat restaurant dessert. For some reason, when I pair it with digestive enzymes and I keep myself low-stress that day, knowing that I can "cheat" for one day, by body is generally okay with it. The point is not to guilt-trip yourself over one cheat meal.

2) First things first, take care of your basic needs: When did you last eat an actual meal? Like with veggies and protein. Do you need real food first? Do you need to drink some water first? Do you need to put your feet up and rest with eyes closed for 5 minutes before running to the fridge? Take a breath and ask yourself what you actually need in that moment. Sometimes I find I just need comfort, and that could be in the form of a hug or contact with a loved one. Check in with yourself before going to the kitchen.

3) No slippery slopes! Maybe you're craving salty or sweet. If you need to curb that craving, do so in small amounts. When I'm feeling like I need chocolate so badly, I only get dark (dairy-free soy-free, 70-85% cocoa) chocolate and I break off only small squares and fully enjoy one piece at a time. Let it melt in your mouth, or chew slowly. Mindfullness eating will help you to not scarf down massive amounts of sweet or salty. I also find it helps to "cleanse your palate" in between. Drink water or herbal tea between bites. By "rinsing off" the chocolate residue from your tongue, you tend to crave it less and less.

If I crave salt, I go for a healthier alternative: Homemade kale chips or slices of cucumber lightly sprinkled with salt (or with homemade guacamole).

4) Don't make one cheat day into everyday cheat day. So you've had a really rough day. Like a seriously shitty day and you just want to go home and forget about the rest of the world. That's totally cool, but fill your personal space with things that will make you bubbly and not just weigh you down. This is especially true if you're finding that every day seems to be a really shitty day. Try not to form habits of going straight to foods that satisfy those cravings everyday. Otherwise your body may start to expect it and it will make it harder for you to resist!

5) Don't listen to your bad gut bacteria and yeast: As mentioned above, the more sugar you consume, the more you tend to crave it (this also goes for bread... grain carbohydrates get broken down into sugars!). This is when your bacterial flora - if populated by Candida yeast or bad gut bacteria will start to feed on the sugars you consume and they LOVE it! The more you give them, the more signals they'll send you to keep it coming!

We all have cravings, and it's okay to satisfy them occasionally. It's how you do it and what habits form from those cravings. Stay in full control of your body, but also make sure to tune into yourself to find out what you might actually need. And as always, other means of stress reduction always helps! Although it's easier said than done, just keep an open mind to other comforts than food and think about what your cravings might actually be telling you.

What about cravings to food sensitives like gluten and bread??
It helps that if there is a food that you don't react well to (ex. gluten), yet you keep having cravings for it (like bread), remember what it feels like to consume that food. For me, gluten makes me bloated, gassy, heavy; I feel like I have less energy, and it often comes with abnormal bowel movements. Remembering how terrible that all feels makes me not want bread and pasta. Give yourself those reminders if you need them.

The secret to losing weight

I'm so proud of myself for how far I've come. After having gained the "freshman 15" and another 5-10 lbs on top of that in the years that followed, I've put to use the secret of losing weight.

Want to know what it is? You're not going to be super impressed. It's not a cleanse, or a fad diet. I never starved myself or purged with laxatives. I never even stepped on a scale all summer because I was afraid of being obsessed with my progress.

The secret is a lifestyle diet and exercise. I called it a "lifestyle" diet because I HATE the word "diet". When I was a kid, the word diet was used to describe the types of foods that animals ate to live. For human beings, the word diet has become just the opposite: it's all the food you either do or don't eat, that is so far from our naturally required foods.

Let me explain and then I'll tell you how I got myself back to a healthy weight and body composition.

Here's an example:
The diet of the black bear: berries, fruits, insects, plants, fish, and sometimes small rodents
The diet of the gardner snake: small rodents, frog eggs, slugs, worms, amphibians, lizards
The diet of North American humans (what it should be): plants, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, fish, birds/poultry, other mammals such as elk, deer, cow, bison.
The diet of humans (what it actually is in North America): maltodextrin, canola and/or corn and/or soybean oil, corn syrup, preservatives, caramel colour, artificial flavour, natural flavour (WTF??)

That last list is what is found in Cheez Whiz and in pretty much anything packaged on the shelves of your grocery store. There isn't even cheese in Cheez Whiz. Just some whey and "milk ingredients". I remember eating that stuff as a kid, putting it on celery and on crackers.

I also remember packing Fruit Gushers for school. Want to know what's in them? Pears from concentrate, sugar, dried corn syrup, corn syrup, modified corn starch, fructose, grape juice from concentrate, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, maltodextrin, cottonseed oil, carrageenan, citric acid, glycerin, monoglycerides, sodium citrate, malic acid, ascorbic acid, natural flavor, potassium citrate, agar-agar, Red 40, xanthan gum.

You can bet that no self-respecting bear would ever eat "Red #40" And yet this is what we feed our growing children.

The reason we're all gaining those pounds is that we're eating something that's not even real food. Processed foods shouldn't even be called food. They're addictive and destructive substances and just like the music industry is exploiting Miley Cyrus, the FDA, government subsidies and companies like Kraft and Betty Crocker are exploiting your taste buds by making you addicted to this garbage.

The police want drugs off the streets?! What about getting processed foods out of our stores! The biggest addiction out there isn't to a street drug, it's to processed foods, and the result of this nationwide addiction has left our health care system crumbling over the costs of obesity and all of it's consequences.

What I did to lose my 25 lbs in a slow and controlled manner (meaning, over several months to a year): I went 80% paleo - sticking to as natural of foods as possible, and giving myself the treat of gluten-free bread occasionally, or using baking soda to make gluten-free/dairy-free zucchini and carrot muffins. I put almond milk in my coffee, which has xantham gum in it, but you won't find canola oil or corn syrup in there.

And most importantly: exercise. I found the secret to making my body strong and building muscle without bulking: throughout the week I alternate yoga, weight aerobics/weight lifting, and my cardio (running). Mixing it up throughout the week allows me to increase my endurance but also my strength.

So the real secret to anyone wanting to lose the extra weight and to get strong again is simple:

1. Stay away from processed foods and eat a more natural diet focusing on vegetables and limiting your grains. Grains help you keep on the weight. And don't forget your healthy fats like coconut, walnut, avocado and fish - they'll support your body's tissues - NOT cause you to gain more fat.
2. Exercise: a good combination of cardio, weights and balance (with flexibility as a bonus!)
3. Give yourself some days to rest and work on your ability to manage and adapt to stress. 

I'm living proof that it works. Don't expect Dumbledore to appear on your doorstep, wave a wand and give you a healthy body by magic. This takes dedication and will-power - the power to overcome the addiction to garbage foods.

Your metabolism doesn't rule you. You rule your metabolism. Eat a protein-rich breakfast every morning and exercise regularly (4-5x/week) and you will begin to gain control over your body. And most importantly, don't starve yourself! If you start calorie-counting and depriving yourself of food, your body will go into starvation mode and you will hang onto every ounce of fat as a protective mechanism.

Favourite Paleo Salad

Today's post is a recipe. This salad tends to be a favourite of mine, as we often make it while on vacation. That's because it's super easy to make and it's inexpensive. 

Salad is NOT just lettuce. Anyone who thinks that salad is rabbit food is just crazy... or perhaps I'm half rabbit... if rabbits ate garlic and avocado. 

Avocados are full of healthy oils- great for your skin too! And garlic is totally antimicrobial - a lifesaver when colds and flus are still going around.

I also love the difference in textures: the mixture of crisp Asian pear with the mushier ripe avocado. Sometimes a bowl of raw veggies just doesn't cut it. Especially when some restaurants drench your salad in disgusting canola or soy-based dressings with all of their sneaky milk ingredients, sugar and preservatives. 

The great part is that if you want it as a meal, just add some chopped grilled chicken or salmon.

What you need for 2 servings:

1 bunch of Red leaf lettuce, washed and chopped

1 avocado, scooped out of the rind and "chopped"
1 Asian pear, peeled and chopped

2-3 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice from 1/2 lemon
few globs of olive oil

about 1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
salt and pepper

Toss everything together and enjoy. Oh! you could also add a small handful of sunflower seeds or hemp seeds for some extra protein, which would make it even better! And if you're really more partial to sweeter dressings, you can add a small drizzle of honey.

That's all for today fox friends. Happy Wednesday!

Paleo cooking adventures: Okra and more recipes

I was in a kitchen adventure mood yesterday and decided to try okra for the first time. There are about four okra recipes in my Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook and as I happened to see it at the grocery store, I thought it's time to try something new.

So I modified the recipe in the cookbook (because my instincts are usually better) and made delicious okra. Surprisingly, it was a very mellow greeny vegetable seeing as how it looks a little... let's say "rough". I expected it to be tough and tarte but was pleasantly surprised with how those things turned out. Even more surprising, they're filled with these cool little pods which tasted just as delicious! Total score on the dinner front!

I apologize for the bad presentation on the plate, but honestly, it was so good that I started eating and completely forgot to take a picture of it before I starting cutting into my pork rib eye.

Today's paleo dinner in 30 minutes:

Spiced pork rib eye steak and okra with sauteed zucchini, kale chips and a tomato basil salad

Preheat oven to 400 C

Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat with about a tbsp coconut oil. Add a couple chopped shallots and a chopped zucchini. Cook for a few minutes until shallots begin to soften.

Meanwhile, make your spice blend (and make enough for both the pork and the okra):
In a small bowl toss together some paprika, dry mustard, cumin, a pinch of curry powder, a bit of powdered ginger, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne if you like.

Sprinkle over pork steaks and massage it in a little, making sure to get both sides. Once your zucchini and onions are starting to soften, add the pork to the skillet and sear nicely on all sides. Then just pop the cast iron skillet (with the pork and veg) right into the oven for about 10-14 minutes depending on the thickness of the pork and how long you seared it.

Okra: Wash okra, pat dry and place in a mixing bowl pour about 1/2 cup or so of olive oil over the okra and toss to coat. Lay out on a baking sheet with parchment paper in a single layer and sprinkle with the remaining spice blend.
Cook in oven for about 10 minutes - flipping them after 5 minutes.

Tomato basil salad:
Take one package of grape tomatoes and slice each tomato in half. Add to bowl. Take a nice handful of fresh basil, chop and add to bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (I used a fig balsamic which is so ridiculously delicious). Season with salt and pepper, then gently toss to mix, and serve!

This was an extremely satisfying meal and somehow the meat gods smiled on me and allowed the pork to come out of the oven cooked perfectly! Hence why there's already a bite out of it on the plate in the picture. I will definitely be experimenting more with okra in the future!

Smoothies and protein powders

Colleagues and friends often ask my opinion on protein powders, and many patients are always looking for smoothie recipes. I don't even understand why you would need a recipe when you're just blending a bunch of yummy stuff together. It's not like you're baking the smoothie afterwards or are serving it to your Ladies Who Lunch group. But regardless, everyone needs a starting point, so I'm today I'm teaching the basics on smoothie-making.

A smoothie is your quick protein and carb fuel after a good workout. Your muscles need that fuel to repair themselves after any damage that might have occurred from workin' them so damn hard (relative to each person's individual fitness level, of course).

First things first, you need a Magic Bullet or a blender. I love the Bullet because it's fairly inexpensive ($30 at Canadian Tire right now), and it makes a nice sized single portion. Plus, you drink out of the container that you're blending in, so that's one less glass to wash later - total bonus! (especially if you don't have a dishwasher like me).

Here is my post-workout smoothie with "variations." I'm not listing a bunch of recipes because that's stupid... you can easily swap ingredients in and out of a smoothie and it's still going to be delicious, and it's still going to do it's job to fuel your muscles.

Start with your Magic Bullet "cup".
Fill halfway with Silk True Almond milk (original or vanilla - vanilla is much sweeter if you really like your sugar)
Add in 1-2 handfuls of frozen fruit
Add 1 scoop of protein powder: I prefer either Sunwarrior Protein Powder (natural or vanilla), or Arbonne Essentials Vanilla Protein Shake Mix
Add 1 heaping tsp or 1 tbsp of almond butter
Fill remainder of cup with either water or pure (no sugar added) orange juice.
Blend for about 10-15 seconds and enjoy!

Both protein powders listed are vegan, which is great for us non-dairy/non-casein people. Some people love their lactose-free whey powder, so if you're fine with milk protein (casein) but just not lactose, then I'd opt for Provitalex by Cytomatrix.

What about if you just ran out of protein powder?! What a crazy world we live in... but you can still make a smoothie even if you don't have protein powder on hand:

3-4 ice cubes
Almond milk (chocolate, vanilla or original), or water
2 tablespoons of almond butter
2-3 handfuls of frozen fruit
top with water and blend away.

Feeling like shakin' it up a bit? Add a 1/2 banana! Have protein powder but not almond butter? Leave it out and make your smoothie anyway! Get in your kitchen and pretend you are Bill Nye! Experiment! As the Frizz would say "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!"

We need to stop being afraid of cooking and making food. We live in a world so filled with "conveniences" that sometimes we forget to actually work at something and take the easy road. I'm not saying to boycott Booster Juice for the rest of your life, but paying $10 for a smoothie that you can make at home is just not as rewarding (for you or your bank account).

Paleo challenge accepted

I feel like IBS is a lifelong battle. Most days I feel great (owning to my already 90% clean diet), but that other 10% is so variable. As far as gluten-free grains go, my body can tolerate it's fair share, however, my body has been putting up a fight recently.

The worst part is that I don't actually know what I'm reacting to. Sometimes it's nightshades, and other times I can eat tomato sauce without any consequences.

So least to say I'm getting a bit frustrated. And there's only one thing to do when I get this frustrated: Go back to Paleo.

My "modified paleo" from an earlier blog post is getting an upgrade to "semi-serious paleo".

It means going back to preparing and cooking most meals. My glorious burger at Paradise Farms Beef Bistro will have to be bunless (not even the gluten free buns will suffice). My Mennonite-raised chicken plates will now have to be rice-less. My breakfasts will no longer light up my morning with brown-rice toast. I am toastless.

I'm going back to my paleo recipe books, and a grocery shopping "spree" at Ambrosia in North York has fulfilled my breakfast woes.

Paleo Rules:
1) No grains. At all. Not even rice (which is super heartbreaking... almost as heartbreaking as when a clinic colleague told me that rice is contaminated with arsenic. Not meaning to start a revolt here, but if anyone has this research info, please pass it my way.)

On the upside, just found a company that makes Grain-free cereal. I'm not kidding. Ironic since the company is named JK Gourmet. I saw the packages on the grocery store shelf and it was like I had found the holy grail of cereal. Just nuts, seeds, figs with hemp and chia... pour a little almond milk on top and I have a little bowl of protein and fiber heaven. 

2) Legumes are out. That's an easy one since I really don't appreciate being really gassy and bloated. It's just not my style. I still crave hummus, but it's not worth it if I can't digest it properly. GI tract, you win this battle.

3) Eating lots more fresh veggies. I crave them daily anyway, so now it's just about committing the time to go to farmer's markets and picking up fresh produce every few days.

4) No dairy. Easy peasy. My dairy replacements have always held a special place in my heart... which is basically attached to my stomach... metaphorically of course. I'd be pretty worried if they were anatomically connected. No one wants a hiatal hernia with two fused organs. That's serious BNB (bad news bears).

My latest dairy replacement joys: 

• Cultured coconut milk - just like yogurt, only better.
• Silk True Almond milk - all varieties. The dark chocolate flavour is so delicious! You can even use it when making a protein shake
• Coconut Bliss chocolate coconut ice-cream bars. Dairy Queen, you can't even compare... go drown yourself in the pool. Seriously. If vanilla soft serve is Justin Bieber, then Coconut bliss bars are a genetic hybrid of Rosemary Clooney and Justin Timberlake. Bieber... you are way out of your league. Plus apparently he keeps spitting on people which I really don't understand. Perhaps he's just watched "Titanic" one too many times and is practicing how to "spit lik'a man."

5) Keeping out the potatoes, and limiting tomatoes. Except for sweet potatoes of course. Yams make excellent meal additions or snacks on days when you've had a great workout. Work up a sweat, eat a yam (make sure to sprinkle with cinnamon! Because really, you'd be crazy not to.)

6) Be creative with eggs. I'm so used to eating eggs over-easy with toast that now it's time to switch it up. They're a great source of protein and are Gaston-approved (though I do not recommend eating 5 dozen eggs.... or raw eggs in general... that's just ridiculous.)

7) My goal is to stick to only the following oils: coconut, olive, and walnut

8) Try my best to only buy meats from one of my butchers. Or try to find someone that sells like 1/4 of a whole pasture-raised cow. If anyone knows where to get meat from happy farm animals in the greater Toronto area, let me know :)

So this is what it has come to. I'm going to commit to this challenge as much as humanly possible, but we all know that life is unpredictable. I'll post anything that I find to be ridiculously delicious, and I may blog about any failed meals - just to be fair.

It's hard when your GI tract runs your life, but really, how is the body suppose to run (figuratively and literally) properly if it's not fueled properly? Or if it's chronically damaged and doesn't get the chance to heal properly? It's not rocket science to figure out... just a tough battle with food habits. 

My modified paleo diet

Some of you will recognize this post of mine from FB yesterday. Right before making this delicious lunch I watched the TED talk on "Debunking the paleo myth" which just annoyed me.

Paleo lunch... it's not caveman food, it's delicious whole, homemade food: free range eggs, organic shallots, brussel sprouts and side bacon from my butcher.
Brussel sprouts are full of I3C - protection against cancer *POW!* They promote estrogen metabolism and helps its elimination, for all of those lady problems! *BAM!* It's a low glycemic index food and is full of fiber!! *KABLAM!* Not just a triple threat, it's a quadruple threat!

My delicious lunch. Took 20 mins to make... perfect for a study break.

 So my annoyance with Dr. Christina Warinner is that 1) she doesn't quite understand what "paleo" means.... 2) I know this because she actually advocates for many of the principles that paleo stands for. 3) Worst title ever for a TED talk... I'm pretty sure she only did it to get views.

In truth, I follow a modifed paleo diet. It's modified to my life as a reasonable lifestyle that I will continue for the rest of my life. When you have as many food intolerances as me, you never consider going back to eating gluten and dairy - period. 

For anyone who's interested in paleo, I tell them to go at it hardcore for 30 days. That means, following every "paleo" rule for 30 days and no cheating. After that 30 days you can decide how you want to modify it. Maybe you want to follow the 80/20 rule (80% of your days are paleo, and the other 20% are "cheat" days). For me, it's an 70/30 on a daily basis. 

Wait.. newsflash: some creepy guy literally just walked up on my yard, pressed his face against our kitchen window and started peering into the house. Yeah, okay, I did the stupid thing by opening the door and asking what he was doing (but I had my game face on and was ready to punch him if he attacked me)... to which he said he was looking for someone... seriously??? Who does that?! I can't wait to get out of Toronto...

Okay, back to my original point. I love my brown rice toast in the morning with either almond butter or eggs. I also eat rice at our school's cafeteria, and I love sushi. Really, those are my cheats. I've gotten past the days where I clarify every single ingredient with my waiter at restaurants and just order as clean as possible, but stuff gets in. The amount of unnecessary soy, MSG and sulfites in our restaurant food is astounding; but a girl's gotta eat and sometimes I'm just too exhausted to cook. 

I'm often asked what my paleo rules are. Everyone can follow their own version of paleo. I suggest doing your homework and reading up on it from a few different sources and then follow the diet. Here are the basics:

Guiding principles of Paleo:

- Eat lots of veggies- as many as you want really. I love steaming them.

- Potatoes do NOT equal vegetables. Except for sweet potatoes. White/yellow potatoes are just starch with no real nutritional value. It's like eating a bunch of empty calories.

- Eat protein everyday. This doesn't mean gorging yourself on steaks, but you should be eating clean lean meat everyday: free range chicken, turkey, game fowl, grass fed (pasture-raised) beef, bison, lamb, wild-caught fish (not tuna.. tuna are the top of a fish food chain and therefore are laden with toxins), pork is fine, but again, know your sources.  Go to a butcher and ask where the meat comes from. Oh! and don't forget your free-range eggs (if tolerated)

- Have some fruit. If you're trying to loose weight, limit yourself to one serving per day. 

- Nuts and seeds are nice snacks. I LOVE almond butter on celery and cucumber slices. Peanuts don't count... they're a legume. 

- No beans or legumes (including soy). Too hard to digest and soy is just a terrible crop owned by Monsanto, and is modified beyond belief. It's also a top food allergen.

- Use oils like EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and coconut oil. 

- Coconut everything is amazing... coconut water (for hydration), coconut milk (for baking with or as creamer), coconut flour (for baking cupcakes or as a thickener). 

- No grains, no gluten. At all. I'm not kidding. You'll be amazed at how you don't feel so "weighed down" after a meal. You'll also feel full faster if you just have veggies and some meat for your meals.

- No dairy. Dairy in Traditional Chinese Medicine is "damp"-forming. It makes you gassy and bloated; it builds up mucous, it can depress your immune system, and you can get calcium from other sources. Milk does NOT do a body good. 

- No corn. It's a useless crop that Monsanto mass-produces. That includes corn oil, corn syrup... if a label says "sugar" or "glucose/fructose" and doesn't give the source of said sugar, it's likely going to be corn-based. Scrap it. It's inflammatory!

- No sweeteners... I use real Canadian maple syrup or honey as sweetener or for baking. Aspartame is toxic. I have an article I can post if you don't believe me. MSG is also toxic. Read all of your labels!

Those are the basics. Eat clean food, know where it comes from. Opt for locally grown foods if you can. Eat mostly veggies and make sure to include protein everyday, especially in the morning! It's not rocket science; it's not a restricted way of life. It's a happy tummy and a healthy body. Take care of yourself! You only get one body in this lifetime - treat it well!

Underutilized and Unappreciated kitchen ingredients.

Are you bored with your cooking? Tired of cutting yourself while peeling carrots? Has lettuce lost its appeal? Potatoes aren't giving you the flavour you need?

We all come across those cooking slumps where you feel like you've made the same dish over and over again, and you need some new inspiration. For me, that usually that means it's time to hit Chapters/Indigo and sift through the cookbook section. Or I consult with my friend T who will always present me with the most amazing food I've ever had and gladly hand over the recipes (like the duck and bacon soup).

Most of the larger grocery stores will usually carry quite a variety of fruits and vegetables, but how often do we just walk past them and only go for the ones we've had a million times?

Feel like being risky? Or maybe you just need to spice up an old favourite? Here are my top 10 ingredients that I think are underutilized and under-appreciated:

1) Not a veggie, but a spice: Star Anise. They're like cute little wooden twinkle starts that don't twinkle. If you like licorice, the smell is almost intoxicating. T also told me that when I'm making anything with ground beef and onion, to put 1-2 stars in with it because there is some magical chemical reaction that happens with the cooking onion and star anise and it seriously makes everything taste magical.

Star anise (image from www.theperfectpantry.com)

2) Parsnips: I like to think Parsnips are carrots' cousins. they kinda look the same except that parnsips are white. But don't let the colour fool you! They aren't like potatoes where white = bland. Parsnips are sweeter than carrots. I like to julienne them and put them in with my Fish en Papillote. Drizzle with EVOO, lemon and honey before baking, and they are incredible!

3) Turnips (aka turnups). Not only used by Italian plumbers who throw them at their enemies to kill them, turnips have an amazing transformation when you cook them. Just peeled and cut raw, they smell like horseradish, but once you cook/roast them fully, they turn into this incredible sweet and soft vegetable, perfect for stews, soups and sheppard's pie.

4) Kale: Kale is like the Zac Effron of vegetables. It's becoming more trendy, with kale chips being all the rage. The best tip about sauteeing kale, steaming it or baking it into chips is to massage the kale! Drizzle with EVOO and massage it into the leaves. And really, who wouldn't want to rub oil all over Zac Effron? Want to make kale chips? Cut the kale into smaller pieces, massage with oil, sprinkle with salt and then bake in a single layer on parchment paper for about 25 minutes at 350 F - flipping once half way. Bake until crisp, but not brown.

5) Okay this one isn't quite a "new" or interesting veggie, but I think it's completely different. Remember that episode of Friends where Pheobe tries to list all the different kinds of celery and she can only come up with "Regular celery"? Well Pheobe, there is another kind of celery which is unlike Regular celery and it's called "Organic Celery". I don't know why organic celery is so different, but it's amazing. It's firmer, not as cracked or damaged; It has more flavour and is greener (like the colour... not like the saving the planet) . It's like celery that has been on a paleo diet and been doing P90X for the past 6 months. It's super celery. Incorporate more celery into your diet and make it Organic!

6) Leeks. Leeks are the basketball players of the onion world. Like a giant green onion. Although they're not a crazy vegetable, we don't use them enough. Sautee them in a pan with cut up bacon (the real smoked side bacon kind, not the stuff you buy in a package at the grocery stores... go find a butcher.) and like star anise, the smell is intoxicating. You can also mix bacon with brussel sprouts and taste the magic.

7) Cauliflower. Again, not an exotic vegetable, but it is pretty boring. And what kid really says that they love cauliflower? So here are my tips: Steam it and mash it like potatoes, except that it will be superior to potatoes because it is actually filled with real nutrients. Make it creamy with a touch of coconut milk/cream and grind fresh pepper over it. OR take the raw cauliflower, grate it with a cheese grater, then cook it with coconut oil over medium heat for "riced" cauliflower - an excellent paleo alternative to rice in any rice dish you make.

Okay, I realize that there are only 7, but I'm having brain fog. I think it's time to go eat something before I get the "Kingitis" (low blood sugar in my family).

I never thought I'd be upset about losing weight...

This week I had to try on my Maid of Honor dress for my sister's wedding. I was excited yet a little uneasy at the same time. I mean, you want to fit into your dress the first time - sans alterations.

I have to admit I was pretty upset when I tried on the dress and realized it was like 6 sizes too big for me. I mean, the dress is beautiful, but without it fitting properly, my mood had seriously declined... especially since alterations would cost another $60 on top of the already frightening price of the dress.

In all honesty, I've bought beautiful formal/party dresses from Forever 21 for $35, so spending more than $150 on a dress feels like I'm being stabbed and gutted.

So how did this happen?! I mean, it's been 2 months and I've shrunk that much? I should have seen it coming.. I wore a size 2 dress from David's Bridal for our school's formal, so I should have said something when the lady at the dress shop ordered me a size 10 for this wedding.

The truth is that there is no "herbal magic" or miracle weight loss drug. It's not even stress-induced weight loss. Shocking! I know! It was simple diet and exercise. I'm very lucky to not have any underlying medical conditions that affect my metabolism or make it difficult to loose the weight naturally. But don't hate me yet - this has been a huge struggle all my life.

I've always had a gut, ever since I was a little kid. It has stayed with me all my life and I never thought I would be able to change. In undergrad I worked out all the time, I tried eating healthy, I made almost all of my own meals. I ate my Special K with skim milk every single morning, and yet although I was in good cardio shape, I still couldn't see the changes in my body fast enough.

So what was the secret for me? I think the best thing that I've done was go gluten-free, dairy-free; I also eliminate (to the best that I can) soy, corn, refined white sugar, nitrates, nitrites, food additives/preservatives, food colouring, and non-organic meat or corn-fed beef. Again, it's not ALWAYS possible. I try to stay 70% paleo, with the other 30% being rice. I can't help my sushi addiction or get rid of my brown rice toast in the morning. I mean, a girl's gotta eat! And if I go long periods of time without eating I'm the grumpiest grumpy-pants ever! In my family we call it "Kingitis" (since our last name is King). We're all very good at diagnosing it. As soon as one of us gets snappy at the others, we order them to go eat something otherwise they are banished from our presence. 

But diet alone didn't change everything. I have to workout 4-5 times per week, doing an hour of my weight aerobics (strength training with tiny intervals of cardio). I say "I have to" because I'm addicted to working out. I get really antsy if I miss working out for more than 2-3 days in a row.

So really, I blame the combination of diet and exercise on my latest weight loss. It's funny that this is truly what can make you get into shape but everyone wants an easier answer. Never waste your time on diet fads or products that claim to be a "weight-loss miracle". If you don't have any medical condition that prevents you from it, diet and exercise truly can change your body. It takes time and dedication. Like I said, I've been fighting my belly my entire life, so I understand the frustration. But when you start to see results, it makes it all worth it. Every time someone goes out for takeout or fast food and you can't order anything... it's depressing. But in the end, it's actually a blessing. Yes, you can't have that fast and easy meal, but you can make better things. More delicious things! Things that your body will take and love you for.

My goal is to keep my body in shape for our vacation in May. To show my dedication, I'll post my before and after beach body (the before shot being a vacation pic from 2008).

Where there is will-power, there is a way :)

False Advertising... it's all around

So today was the day I had my annual appointment with my banking person.  Looking around I started to notice a trend...

Do you ever notice that in all bank advertising, the people featured are overly happy? The brochures and pamphlets are about mortgages and loans, and the couples are smiling and laughing. Sometimes they're sitting at a table crunching numbers and they're smiling from ear to ear. Who seriously is that happy about their banking? Usually when I think about money or my bank I start bursting into tears. But I guess that wouldn't sell as well.

This one (below) features two girls at a baseball game.

photo from The Toronto Star

Seriously, does your bank account manager have anything to do with you being ecstatic at a baseball game? It's like they're taking credit for the happiest moments in your life.

Sometimes I wonder who dreams up this stuff. Who works at these advertising companies and decides to blast whatever they want in order to influence the public. It's actually fairly scary what society believes, just because of advertising.

Here's another example (and my latest rant): We all think of Canadian Chinese food as containing MSG and we're all so proud when we find a restaurant that bluntly advertises "No MSG", but did you ever think of all the other places that MSG hides? Like your Lays and Ruffles potato chips? Your pre-mixed seasonings? It's scary how much of this stuff is out there, but no one ever talks about it.

Even foods that are branded as "Gluten Free" - you still need to check the labels... just because it says "low-fat" or "gluten-free" doesn't mean it's healthy. That's the advertising companies trying to lure you in to buying their product.

This is straight from the Heinz Canada website: "Our philosophy on food is simple. We use only the finest ingredients...  Heinz has been providing high quality products to Canadians for more than 100 years." I've bolded the words that the company has used to trick you.

Do you really want to know what's in your Ketchup? (from: http://www.heinzketchup.com/Products.aspx):
TOMATO CONCENTRATE FROM RED RIPE TOMATOES, DISTILLED VINEGAR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, SALT, SPICE, ONION POWDER, NATURAL FLAVORING.  

Well, we all know that high fructose corn syrup is killing us and contributing to the obesity "epidemic". And what exactly is "natural flavouring"? What does that even mean??? Usually it also means MSG or something else sneaky that these companies don't want to disclose. (side note: Heinz' "Organic" version actually contains more sugar than the original - 5g vs 4g per 1 tbsp... again, how does this make any sense?).

It's time for us to get smart. Let's outsmart the advertising companies. Let's outsmart them all! Look past the pretty pictures on billboards and at the bus station; start reading your labels thoroughly and question everything. If something sounds sneaky, or there are ingredients that don't make any sense... well, that's probably your primal instinct kicking in. Every product you buy is a vote for that product and that company. Make your vote count.

What's "heat" got to do with it?

Well, I have to say that putting any type of meat into a slow cooker turns it absolutely amazing.
It's like putting coal into an alchemy machine (yes, I just made that up), and in 8 hours on low you get solid gold.

I've found "Paleo Slow Cooking" by Chrissy Gower to be really hit or miss. The sweet potato jalapeno hash with sausage was by far my favourite dish. This is definitely going to be a repeat breakfast! I used Sundried Tomato and Basil Gluten-free sausages from McMaster's Meats in Georgetown, and it was the perfect flavour! However, according to my spice-enthusiast boyfriend, there just wasn't enough "heat".

Okay, story time: I have an amazing boyfriend, who can cook pretty decently, but we have a difference in opinion when it comes to flavouring and spice. Now, I do love Indian food and a little "kick" to my food is always welcome, but unfortunately, my mouth is not equipped with a fire extinguisher like his. One morning he offered to make me breakfast - and really, who am I to refuse food being cooked for me?! That would just be crazy; So I let him do his thing in the kitchen, making me frittata to which he said he added just a tiny bit of jalapeno.

I braced myself because I knew we had a difference in palates. He can chug a bottle of Sriracha like it's a refreshing splash of morning dew and lemon drops and a gentle wind would blow across his face. Meanwhile with me, even just a taste of the hot sauce in my world would cause thunder to take over and giant dinosaurs would rampage the earth, crushing houses!, crushing mountains!, tossing lightning bolts into the ocean and electrocuting all of the fishes! The earth would open up and liquid hot magma would unfold from the tectonic plates, slowly devouring the planet as we know it! That is what hot peppers do to me. I turn into the unhappiest dragon of all.

So after my wonderful boyfriend presented me with this lovely looking vegetable egg frittata, I took a few bites and immediate I could hear the roar of the dinosaurs. I looked at him and asked him how much jalapeno he put in it... Turns out that my piece of frittata had all of the pepper and he didn't bother to remove the seeds because apparently "that's where the heat comes from."

Least to say, I never let him forget that moment and from then on he understood that when making me any dish, he had to "sarah-fy" it. So making this sweet potato and sausage hash was amazing for me. But when I make it again, I would use either two jalapenos - instead of just one (with seeds removed) or, add just a couple of the seeds to bring a tiny bit more heat into the dish. I also modified it slightly by adding a bit of cayenne for the boyfriend too. It still wasn't hot enough for him, but I loved the flavour!!

So if you decide to buy this book, realize that not every recipe is perfect. She also uses a LOT of tomatoes in her recipes, so if you're following an anti-inflammatory diet, your recipe selection becomes much slimmer.

I also didn't appreciate her use of Penzey's spices since they aren't available in Canada and trying to substitute with something here just isn't going to give that exact flavour. But for all you 'Muricans out there, go nuts - I'm totally jealous that you have access to Penzey's products.

I'm pretty sure the saying is "Champions eat breakfast"

When did everyone stop eating breakfast? Seriously.

I mean, I remember being a teenage girl and would feel kinda nauseous at the thought of food in the morning, but I was 15. I remember my dad (when he found out about this and that being the reason I wasn't eating breakfast) telling me that he would get me ANYTHING I wanted for breakfast, as long as I ate something. He even offered to bring me a box of doughnuts from Tim Hortons if I would eat it... Which is disgusting, but I love my dad and I appreciated his concern and thoughtfulness more than he'll ever know.

I had this intuition though that I needed to eat something. I mean, I couldn't go my entire life without eating something first thing in the morning. Otherwise my body wouldn't be able to function properly - or at least, that was my understanding. And at 15, this was very philosophical of me.

So I did my best. I tried different things and eventually fell in love with Special K and skim milk. Both of which would make me sick now being Gluten-free/dairy-free, but that was my breakfast food and I loved it every single morning for about 5 years.

The word "breakfast" literally means to "break fast" - as in, we fast our bodies all night while we sleep, which is good and healthy, but as soon as we wake, our bodies need fuel. When we're "fasting" we're resting, but when you get up and go you're now using up energies that you haven't given your body yet. And really, I work incredibly hard to build and maintain my muscle mass, so why on earth would I want to deprive my body and tell it to start breaking down my muscles for fuel? Granted, this only occurs after longer periods of fasting, but it seems incredibly counter productive, and there's no way I want to stress out my body like that. 

Food is magic. I truly believe it's the most amazing thing for our bodies (exercise comes in a close second... or it might be a tie... oh man, it's so hard to decide which one I love more!). What you put into your body can completely change you: your mood, your energy, your body composition, your mental capabilities. So if there's a chance that eating breakfast will give you more energy and make you feel happier, why aren't we all doing it? Why is it such a chore to force ourselves to eat something in the morning, and yet we're all happy to scarf down a huge meals late in the evening when our body needs it the least?

If you're not eating breakfast right now, I want you to experiment. For 2-4 weeks, eat breakfast everyday and see the difference for yourself. Worried about time constraints and actually making something? Here's a list of some of my favourite things to eat for breakfast, though there are so many other dishes you could also choose from:

• Eggs!
•  If you're not intolerant, there is sooo much you can do with eggs. Frittata takes 10 minutes. Just scramble raw eggs in a bowl, throw into a heated skillet with coconut oil, top with whatever veggies or met you like, then cover on very low heat for 10 minutes until the eggs have completely cooked.
• Scramble them, they're delicious. Top with fresh dill or your favourite herbs/spices.
• Make them over-easy and eat with toast. Food For Life makes my favourite brown rice (GF) bread. 
• Hard boil them and take them to go!
• Soft boil them and dip pieces of toast in the nice soft yolk - which is something my mom would do for me as a little kid.

• Gluten-free toast - really, if you're not intolerant you can have real wheat toast, but I always recommend GF over wheat because the gluten is not friendly to all of our GI tracts. 
• Smear some nut butter over it - almond butter is my fav! But sunflower butter is equally amazing. 
• Skip the Smuckers and opt for a sugar-free jam like Crofter's. Again, I'm happy if you eat anything in the morning, but if you're looking for healthier options, always read your labels and choose products without all the extra sugar. I mean, fruit is made of frutose, so why do we need to add even more sugar to it? It just doesn't make any sense people.
• Heat coconut oil in a pan, slice a banana, and place it in the pan on medium heat until the banana pieces soften and get slightly brown and crispy on the outside. Then put that on your toast. It's the most incredible banana creation where it's crispy on the outside, but soft and mushy on the inside. You could even combine it on toast with almond butter and bacon to make an Elvis.

• Left overs!
• Stews, soups, anything hearty that you had the night before, eat it for breakfast! That truly is a breakfast of champions - as long as it doesn't consist of fries or pizza. Though I don't know anyone who keeps fries as leftovers... they get all soggy and gross in the fridge. 

• Cereals - my mom swears by Quinoa flakes with honey and berries
• Smoothies - the best part about smoothies is that you can mix anything together and it will taste good.
• Blend almond milk with some water/ice, frozen fruit and a protein powder
• Fav protein powders: Sunwarrior (vegan), Provitalex by Cytomatrix (whey - but lactose free), Arbonne protein/meal replacement powder.
• Add 1/2 banana to make it even thicker and creamier.

• Ground pork sausage patties - HOMEMADE. Pick up some ground pork from you butcher so you know it comes from healthier and happier pigs. Put it in a large bowl and add seasonings like garlic, cayenne, chili powder, anything you like! Make them into small patties and just fry them (in a tiny bit of coconut oil) in a skillet. Eat them with avocado slices for an incredible breakfast!

Really, nothing here that I've mentioned will take more than 15-20 minutes to make. If you're worried about time (like with the pork patties), prepare everything the night before and just cook it in the morning. And if nothing above appeals to you, just grab a piece of fruit to eat on your way to work/school. Bananas are amazing because they come in their own packaging :)

Remember: Food is Fuel! What you put into your body will determine how it runs. If you have a Ferrari, you want to drive it around - which requires fuel. You also wouldn't fill it up with mud because Ferrari wouldn't like that and wouldn't work properly. Treat your body like a Ferrari.

Recipe Book Review: Paleo Slow Cooking

I've been considering going back to being 100% paleo for a little while now, and to get myself back into it, I bought a new cookbook. My dad bought me a slow-cooker for Christmas and I've been putting it to good use! I was really hoping this book would give me new "slow-cooking" inspiration.

I'm also very serious about cookbooks and recipes, so I'm going through this book and am giving my honest feedback. Checkout my website www.thehealthyfox.ca for my already approved cookbook list, and we'll see if this one makes the cut.

The book is Paleo Slow Cooking by Chrissy Gower. I've already tried a few recipes, with mixed results, but I can't judge a book based on only a handful of recipes. So tomorrow I'll be heading to McMaster's Meats in Georgetown to stock up on some free range chicken, grass-fed beef and gluten-free sausage and trying out 3-4 more recipes.

This book has been really hit-or-miss so far. The apple almond cereal was one of the worst things I've ever made. But I've never been a fan of cream-of-wheat (which is what the author compares it to) to begin with. Who would have thought?! You have apples, honey, almond flour, blueberries... it sounds delicious! Unfortunately, when you put it into a slow cooker for 6 hours, it comes out as slop that has burnt a nice layer of black sugar right onto the stoneware and tastes so bland that not even the berries could make it taste better. I ended up throwing the entire thing in the trash which is heartbreaking! I hate wasting food!

I also tried the Hot and Sour soup - you'll notice I have my mom's recipe listed on my website - so I thought that by having the chicken cooked slowly would just make this soup melt in your mouth. Again, I stand corrected. There was just way too much chicken for this recipe and not nearly enough chicken broth for it to be a soup. It turned out to be chicken mush. Like soggy shredded chicken. It was also severely lacking in the chili-garlic department.

But I have to give Chrissy credit, the Spaghetti Meat Sauce was amazing!

It's just unfortunate that many of her recipes contain spice mixes from Penzeys - a product that's not carried in Canada (to my knowledge) and there are sticky rules to having it shipped here. So I have to improvise.

My goal for the next week is to make these recipes (which depends on what's available from my butcher tomorrow):

Jalapeno Sausage Hash - a breakfast dish made with sweet potatoes
Chipotle Chicken Stew
Minestrone Soup - we'll see how this one stacks up to my recipe (keeping in mind that my original recipe isn't quite Paleo)
Orange Maple Glazed Pork Chops

Backup recipes to try:
Slow Cooked Ham
Fire-Roasted Pork Loin

I'll be posting my completed review next week! Wish me luck in these new kitchen adventures!