Supermarket Fun!

Hi Everyone,

I've had some requests to discuss everyone's favorite past time, grocery shopping! You know you love it, going to 3 different stores to gather ingredients for 1 recipe, good stuff! I have a couple suggestions to make everyone's life a little easier. I also will share with you a couple references that are worth taking a look at.

How do I shop.....

Like most of you I have a full time job, I workout regularly, have a dog and try to maintain somewhat of a social life so how to get the most done in the smallest amount of time when it comes to shopping?

Tips to shopping:

• HAVE A PLAN AND MAKE A LIST. This will literally cut your shopping time in half. Usually I will see what the CSA has to offer or what I have in my freezer or left over from the last week and make a menu around that. If somewhere is having a sale on pastured chicken or grass-fed beef, I'll stock up and put some in the freezer, then the next week make it for lunch.
• Try to find a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)- they can gather all the veggies you'll need for the week and all you have to do it submit your order online and pick up from various locations around the city. Here's the one I use .If you don't live in one of the areas this one serves you can look for another one by just searching google or try Local Harvest. (The vegetable selection is limited to whatever is in season and local so you may have to adjust a recipe to accommodate)

• Try the local farmer's markets. They are popping up all over the place. I know of 3 within a 10 mile radius of my house. Just search for them online. Not only can you get great produce but most will have a grass fed meat vendor and eggs. Literally the best eggs I've ever had came from a woman who just has a few chickens running around and a ton of eggs she didn't know what to do with. So she started selling them at the farmer's market 2 dozen for $5. It's a steal!!! The markets are usually open from 8:00-9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Saturdays. I usually will pick up the rest of my produce there, some eggs and beef, even if I'm not planning a beef dish its great to have in the freezer.

• Try finding a local farmer that sells high quality, humanely raised and slaughtered meat, sometimes you can buy a portion of an animal or they may have variety packages and you should be set for a while. If you have a large freezer or a chest freezer this is a really great, money saving option. You can go in on a half a cow with friends or family and split the cost. Or they may have home delivery options. Lots of farms have different deals and delivery methods. If you don't know of one, you can try a great website: Eat Wild. Or maybe you have a good friend who likes to hunt and can sell you some of their meat :)

• Know your stores! Know what kind of meat and produce your local grocery store has that way your not running to three different ones because store A didn't have the right kind of spaghetti sauce or doesn't carry organic free-range eggs. I know that if all I have left on my list is meat, Whole Foods is my safest bet but if I'm missing a vegetable that doesn't need to be organic, Kroger works just fine.

So, what should you buy organic and what can you get away without organic?

Here's an awesome chart that shows you which foods should really be bought organic.

A good rule of thumb is anything you are eating the skin should be organic

There's a lot of marketing going on in grocery stores, and sometimes its difficult to figure out which brands are good and which ones are a bunch of BS. The FDA has certain requirements to get its certified organic stamp but there are other ones out there so just because something says organic does not necessarily mean its the best option. There is an AWESOME book that gives you a little help, Rich Food, Poor Food by Mira and Jayson Calton, in this book you will be given rating system of different brands of foods so that you can make the best decision possible. They let you know what you should buy organic and what not. I highly recommend it and using it when making out your grocery list.

So that's it for this post, feel free to post questions, comments, suggestions and don't for get to subscribe to the blog so you will get notified when I post something new!!

Happy Shopping!!

Curry Chicken Salad

There are lots of chicken salad recipes out there in Paleo World but I am partial to this one! The curry flavor and the toasted almond slivers give this one a unique flavor. Of course if you don't like the curry flavor you can leave that out and its still an awesome recipe. This recipe is super easy but does require a little bit of prep but I tried to make it give you a few tips to keep it less labor intensive. This make a great lunch or snack, I like to add some avocado and make mini  wraps with Bibb lettuce and eat along side some veggies.

Curry Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

Whole Chicken- cooked and shredded- you can buy cooked chicken and use that or make your own, see below.

Side story:
When cooking your own whole chicken, I like to put my chicken in the crock pot in the morning with some Curry powder, onions powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. I put some water in (enough to almost to cover the chicken). Homemade chicken broth is great liquid to add in with half the amount of water but I was out so I will save the liquid after the chicken is cooked and have chicken broth for next time or another recipe. I set the crock pot on low heat for 8 hours.
Other options: You can set the crock pot on high for 6 hours or you can cook it in the oven.

4 Stalk Celery- chopped
1 small red onion- diced (I use a mini chopper)
5-6 Dates- chopped
2 ounces Almond slivers- toasted
1 tablespoon Curry Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup home made mayo-Home made mayo does not last as long as store bought (about 2 weeks) so I make sure to have another recipe lined up to use the remainder like a cole slaw or tuna or egg salad. See below for a simple mayo recipe.

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

Simple Mayo Recipe- You will need a blender or food processor. If you don't have one, get one, I promise its worth it!!

Ingredients:
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon  Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cold water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup light olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Preparation:
In the blender or food processor add egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, water and salt and pulse on high until frothy.

On a medium speed slowly add olive oil, one drop at a time for about 1/4 cup until mixture begins to emulsify (thicken) then add the rest in a SLOW steady stream. Mayo will get thick if it gets to thick and does not mix add the cold water and continue to add oil.

Keep in a air tight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

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~Don't forget to leave your comments and questions in the comments box below!

Something To Think About.....

Hi Everyone,
I don't normally post twice a week, but I recently read this article on Mark's Daily Apple and I really wanted to share it with you. It talks about how society consciously and unconsciously judges obese and over-weight people. It's really sad to think we live in a world where society tells that the right way is to be thin or skinny and that fat and especially obesity is wrong and those individuals should do anything and everything to conform to what our society deems an "ideal weight". All these products and diets you see all over TV and in magazines promoting weight loss are next to diet coke ads, cereal full of "healthy grains" and all sorts of food product making you that way in the first place. I'll admit it, I have judged someone based on there size and  I shouldn't I know, I have no idea that individuals background, what ailments they may have or maybe its just they don't know what to do. With all the conflicting information out there its easy for anyone to get confused and overwhelmed. No matter what shape or size a person is, EVERYONE deserves respect not judgement and we all need to work a little harder on this, I know I do.

I encourage all of you (all 7 of you) to read this article (its short) and ask yourself if you have wrongly judged someone based on weight.



Hey.....
If you're liking these posts or don't like them, I want to know so don't be shy and leave me a comment!
If you have suggestions, questions or something you would like to see on here (besides paleo marshmallows, those will come) let me know and I will do my best!!

Blueberry Cobbler with Caramelized Peaches and Whipped Cream

You've asked me to post a Paleo treat from the beginning of my blog, I was hesitant at first because I want everyone to understand that these treats are just that, a treat, and should not be eaten regularly. This is a great dessert for a summer evening dinner party. It can be made ahead of time and reheated before serving. I would suggest making the whipped coconut cream right before serving. That way, it's light and fluffy! You can also change out the fruit to whatever is seasonal. I've adapted this recipe from a new cookbook I bought, "Gather" by Hayley Mason and Bill Staley. Pick it up ASAP, it's awesome!! I want to make everything in this book like right now!!

** Remember, if you are doing a Sugar detox or Paleo challenge, this is not an approved recipe so wait till your done then enjoy! **

Blueberry Cobbler- Serves 8-ish

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Almond Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Zest of half a lemon
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup Grade B Maple Syrup
2 tablespoons butter, melted
12 ounces fresh blueberries

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size mixing bowl combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, and lemon zest.

In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs, vanilla extract, maple syrup and butter with a hand mixer until smooth. (Or you can use a whisk and get a good arm workout).

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Add the blueberries to the center of the mixture and then gently fold in the blueberries.

Pour batter into slightly greased 9x9 baking dish (I used coconut oil to grease the dish). Cover and bake for 50 mins.

Use a small kitchen torch or Broil at 500 for 5 mins until brown on top before serving.

** To re-heat, place in over at 350 degrees for 20 mins then turn oven up to broil at 500 degrees for 5 mins. Or use your small kitchen torch to brown the top.

Caramelized Peaches

Ingredients:
2 medium sized ripe peaches
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 tablespoons Maple Sugar- or other paleo approved sweetener.

Preparation:

Slice up peaches.

Heat a medium saute pan to medium heat. Add butter first and then the peaches.

Stir occasionally to melt butter over peaches and sprinkle maple sugar over top.
Lower heat to med-low and cook till soft, about 15 mins.

Pour peaches over top of cobbler.

Whipped Coconut Milk

1 -2 cans Full Fat Coconut Milk (from the can)

This is the easiest recipe EVER!! All you do is put the cans in the refrigerator for minimum of 5 hours before using. I pretty much always keep a can of coconut milk in my refrigerator for this purpose.

DO NOT SHAKE THE CAN!

Scoop the coconut cream out of the top of the can (about the top 1/3 to 1/2 off the can) You don't want the watery part.

Put into either a mixing bowl attached to a standing mixer or a regular mixing bowl.

For stand up mixer and hand mixer: Mix on high for 3-5 mins.
**Mixing by hand may be a little tricky but just keep whisking till the cream gets light and fluffy.

Put a dollop on top of each serving of blueberry cobbler.

Sorry I don't have more picture of this process, next time I make it I will update this!

Enjoy!!!

I know this may look like a lot of work, but its not, trust me, it's super easy!!!