52 Pick-Up Challenge: Week #5

*This series of Friday posts is inspired by the blog entry--52 Pick-Up Paleo Style by Amy Kubal via robbwolf.com. Each post is based on this premise that Dietary Ruts = Kitchen Boredom -> Healthy Eating FAIL! So each week, I plan to share with you one meal from the previous week that I tried and enjoyed to help me stave off the boredom in my weekly meal plan.

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Whew! This has been a week of stress. It started out so peacefully with talks of reducing stressors by sleeping well and taking naps, but life at work blew up in my face. Life as a public-school teacher sometimes reaches these points which is why we celebrate Fridays so much. In fact, I am willing to put money down to bet that the motto “Thank God it’s Friday (TGIF)” originated from a teacher. 

For a little more insight on one stressor, just check out this article from the Chicago Tribune. Why? Who knew censorship was still alive & well? What were they thinking? Must we really start hiding or locking up our books in order to protect their freedom to read freely? I am glad I work for a principal in this school district that is level-headed and willing to protect that same freedom.

To relieve my stress, this weekend is going to be filled with a nice daytime date with my wife and cooking. And in the spirit of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, I am going with a green theme in this week’s 52 Pick-Up Paleo Style. No new foods, just creativity to keep things alive and well in the kitchen.

52 Pick-Up Challenge: Week #4

*This series of Friday posts is inspired by the blog entry--52 Pick-Up Paleo Style by Amy Kubal via robbwolf.com. Each post is based on this premise that Dietary Ruts = Kitchen Boredom -> Healthy Eating FAIL! So each week, I plan to share with you one meal from the previous week that I tried and enjoyed to help me stave off the boredom in my weekly meal plan.

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Ah, the humble tomatillo...what art thou? Art thou a tomato?  ¿Por qué llevas esas hojas? Why must I char you along with this jalapeño? You are so intriguing; therefore, I am making you part of my 52 Pick-Up Paleo Style. So I fired up my slow-cooker, fired up my cast-iron skillet, and got to work with this recipe from Sarah Fragoso at Everyday Paleo. 

White Powder & Rocks

No, I am not talking about illicit drugs. I'm talking about sugar. Though sugar is not illegal like the white powder & rocks you may have assumed I was talking about, it is amazingly as addictive.

Amy Kubal (@AmykRd) calls it "crack." Dallas & Melissa Hartwig (@whole9life) call sugar a "demon" that "bombs" your weakened gut system. Dr. Robert Lustig acknowledges that "sugar is as addictive as cocaine" because of it's dopamine-enducing euphoric effect (NY Daily News report by Lindsay Goldwert). And the tidal-wave of evidence against sugar consumption threatens to sweep us away. Some just stand there amazed at the sight and feel powerless against it. Others try moving to higher ground to escape the overwhelming flood.

And it's hard to escape! It comes in many forms and seems to be in everything. Just pick up a package of anything, read the ingredients, and you are bound to come across sugar in one form or another:

-The Demonized High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
-Cane Sugar
-Molasses
-Honey
-Apple Juice Concentrate

And even when we pick up a "healthier" choice, sometimes we lean toward the things with concentrated sugars--the "sugar rocks": Raisins, Dried Cranberries, and Dates (yes, I have my occasional date with dates in our pantry...shocking!)

All of this adds up to an average American consumption of "a third of a pound of sugar every day--130 pounds a year" (Goldwert). Amazing!

So what do we do if we want to escape this sweet tidal wave? There are options, but each one requires self-control, sacrifice, and hard work. But if you are not afraid of these three things, there is a high likelihood that you can save yourself from being swept away. Here are a few options:

1) Hardcore, Cold Turkey: Get it out of your house; yes, throw that hard-earned money into the garbage. Go to the grocery store and read labels. Stay on the out-skirts of the store. Buy meat, veggies, nuts, & fruit that fill you up on the nutrients that matter most.

2) Detox: There are programs out there that work on the philosophy that it takes a minimum of 21 days to break bad habits and establish better ones. That's why there are successful programs like the Whole30 & the 21-Day Sugar Detox. Another reason these work for some people is because of the power of the collective: when a group of people act together, it is easier to accomplish the goal. In fact, today marks the beginning of the 21DSD hosted by Diane Sanfillipo (@balancedbites). If action is in your plans today, check out the program here or by clicking on the 21DSD to the right.

3) The Gradual Ween: Decrease your intake of sugars slowly over time with the hopes of eliminating a large chunk of it by a certain time. Some think this works, others do not. Some see it as a gentler way of learning a new habit; others see it as a crutch. The main point here is that you have to find out what works for you.

So in the name of establishing a healthier lifestyle, consider moving to higher ground to escape the flood of the sugar tidal wave. I went pretty hardcore, cold turkey after being diagnosed with high blood pressure. Every day that I look in the mirror, I see the benefits of this choice. And if you'd like to know more about my progress, read about it on this post ("Progress").

Sugar-Related Resources:
It Starts With Food by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig
Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfillipo
The 21-Day Sugar Detox: Bust Sugar & Carb Cravings Naturally by Diane Sanfillipo (Advance Order)

52 Pick-Up Challenge: Week #3

*This series of Friday posts is inspired by the blog entry--52 Pick-Up Paleo Style by Amy Kubal via robbwolf.com. Each post is based on this premise that Dietary Ruts = Kitchen Boredom -> Healthy Eating FAIL! So each week, I plan to share with you one meal from the previous week that I tried and enjoyed to help me stave off the boredom in my weekly meal plan.

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I have come across some weird food-stories this week. Soil Soup was the one the piqued my interest the most. Did you know a Tokyo chef, Toshio Tanabe, has a whole tasting menu that features soil as an ingredient? I suppose I shouldn’t judge it before I’ve tried it, but I don’t think it will be featured here any time soon.

And who missed the story of horse meat in IKEA’s meatballs? But I digress…

This past week was full of new recipes, so I had a hard time narrowing my choice down for this week’s 52 Pick-Up post. But I finally decided to share a semi-“paleo,” grain-free, & gluten-free recipe that our family is bound to repeat for special occasions. And since it is my wife’s birthday tomorrow, I figured I would share her requested meal for our Family Movie Night tonight. 

This recipe comes from one of my favorite blogs, The Domestic Man. His food photography is wonderfully mouth-watering. Please visit his blog & realize that he receives all the credit for this recipe. I just followed directions.

Recipe #3 of 52: Cast Iron Skillet Grain and Gluten Free Pizza (Modified Recipe)

52 Pick-Up Challenge: Week #2

*This series of Friday posts is inspired by the blog entry--52 Pick-Up Paleo Style by Amy Kubal via robbwolf.com. Each post is based on this premise that Dietary Ruts = Kitchen Boredom -> Healthy Eating FAIL! So each week, I plan to share with you one meal from the previous week that I tried and enjoyed to help me stave off the boredom in my weekly meal plan.

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One of the most interesting lessons I’ve learned over the past few months of eating a “Paleo-ized diet” is how prominent sugars are in the modern American diet. You’ve probably heard about the evils of high fructose corn syrup and the lack of anything positive from processed white sugar. So when someone wants a “healthy sugar” (is there such a thing?), they often turn to honey and maple syrup. They’re natural, right? So when I saw this recipe on PaleOMG’s blog while suffering a sweet-tooth attack, I knew I had to try it.

Recipe #2 of 52: Maple Blueberry Bacon Breakfast Carnitas with Fried Egg (Modified Recipe)

Laughter: The Best Medicine

I know it’s Monday (Happy Presidents’ Day!), but I am already looking forward to Friday. Fridays are unique because I look forward to them so much, but by the time I get to them, I am so tired that I just want to plop myself down in front of a flickering blue screen and zone out. I am sure some of you share this same sentiment. The stress of the week (work, relationships, health) all build up and wear you down.

So when Friday nights roll around, I need a diversion. More specifically, I need a laugh. And a good hearty laugh is the best. By the time I’m finished with a good Friday-night laugh, I feel like the weight of the world is off my shoulders, and I am able to breathe more deeply before heading to bed. So I have concluded…

Hearty Laugh -> Less Stress = Healthy Heart

By no means am I a doctor, nor have I done a huge amount of research into the health benefits of laughter, but there seems to be enough evidence that laughter is a necessary part of the Healthy Lifestyle equation. Perhaps this is nothing new to you. But as I have become keener with my health, I have noticed that the healthy lifestyle goes far beyond the two typical focal points: Eating Habits & Exercise. In fact, here are a few quotes from my recent “laughter research.”

52 Pick-Up Challenge: Week #1

I woke up this morning and began a routine that I have practiced for three months now. Part of that routine is a nutritious breakfast…cooking fat, veggies, eggs, salsa verde, & fruit (usually grapefruit). It’s nice that it is routine because I don’t have to think about it too much, but I have noticed a rut beginning to form. So as I was reading my favorite blogs this week, I came across an eye-opening post:

52 Pick-Up Paleo Style by Amy Kubal via Robb Wolf

Kubal challenged readers to play a game of 52 Pick-Up (I fell for that trick once thanks to my sister). But this challenge is to try one new recipe each week for an entire year so dietary ruts don’t form. 

Ruts = Boredom -> Healthy Eating FAIL!

So I decided to take up this challenge to provide a little spice in my life and variety on my table.

“[W]hat if every week you added just ONE new food or ONE new recipe to your grocery cart or menu? Think about it – by the end of the year, you’d have 52 NEW taste adventures for your ‘bored buds’ and it doesn’t even seem like a lot of work now does it? ONE new food or recipe every 7 days – if you can’t commit to that, then you have more issues than my last boyfriend…  I’m not saying something new EVERY day but throw caution to the wind once a week.” –Amy Kubal

So each Friday for the next year, I am going to post my favorite 52 Pick-Up Meal of the Week. I cannot wait to share all the fun, new recipes I find and try. Cheers to Healthy Eating without Boring Ruts!

Recipe #1 of 52: Flank Steak with Lime-Garlic-Ginger Marinade & “Nature’s Spears” Asparagus