Kids Meal

Unexpectedly had my kids over for dinner last night.

So was short on time and did not get a chance to take some pics.

Here's what I made quickly.

12 ounce cut of grass fed rib-eye made in the cast iron skillet. I pound it a little bit flat so it cooks evenly and quicker. Sauteed yellow squash with garlic and a splash of tamari.

Dessert was melon and some blueberries. I had a glass of wine and some left over squash....no meat for dad as the kids enjoyed it to much to share ;-)

Breakfast yesterday was a delicious chicken sausage with some spinach.

Paleo eating boring?

Certainly not!

The next few posts will show that (at least in my opinion) eating the paleo/ef/primal nutrition way does not need to be boring or un exciting. O contraire mon frere (those french have a word for everything don't they?, thank you Steve Martin ;-)) You can make delicious gourmet meals. Still simple and quick to prepare but loaded with flavor and all the good stuff.

So instead of posting my everyday breakfasts, that I'm sure you are all sick of by now......I will change it up for a bit and post some evening meals.

Dinner tonight;

Fresh Cod, topped with garlic, pepper, habanero pepper, soy sauce salsa. Side salad with champagne vinaigrette dressing.

Total prep time is around 20 minutes.

Marinate the cod overnight in soy sauce,rice vinegar and a splash of oj. I honestly don't know in what measurements. But I don't use a lot of soy (I use tamari) for it will get too salty for my taste)

Side salad prep, red and green leaf lettuce, cucumber, scallion, cherry tomatoes and radishes.

Champagne vinaigrette; dijon mustard (careful what you buy, many have msg in them) garlic, scallion, champagne and olive oil. mix olive oil last and whisk until fully mixed together.

"salsa" saute cubanelle pepper (I had some left over purple pepper also) with garlic and 2 slivers of habanero pepper, add splash of soy at the end. Spoon over the cod.

Are these directions somewhat clear?

In case you're curious......Breakfast this morning was some canned smoked wild salmon with chopped red onion, tsp of vegenaise. Celery stalk to accompany. 1 small apple.

Immunity

Remember I told you I had that head cold? Well, it went away quickly and then my daughters got it. So when I had them for the weekend, I had to baby them a little. They gave it right back to me and by Tuesday I felt a chest cold/flue coming on. I'm convinced that when your immunity is cranking, these type of bugs sort them selves out very quickly. I felt my body responding to the onslaught with a severe cough, less of an appetite and thirst. Today I'm feeling great and the cough is almost gone. 2 and half days! I remember years ago if something like this came my way, I would be in bed for 5 days. One last thing, you know how when you feel a sore throat coming on or some other cold/flu like symptom? What's your immediate reaction? Usually it's like this "GGRRRR#@#@@#@#@&^^&&^& I can't believe I'm getting sick!!!!!!!!!!" I stayed very conscious of that negative thought coming in, and tried to positively redirect it. Thinking more along the lines of, "wow, how cool that my body is responding perfectly to this little virus"

It might be just placebo.........but then again.......body and mind are one right?

ANYWHO......sorry....back to food!

Last night made my version of chicken cacciatore. Chicken sauted in butter with loads of spicy peppers, one tomato and simmered in white wine. Of course I had some left overs. ;-)

This morning breakfast;

Red cabbage, onion, garlic, one small habanero and left over chicken cacciatore mixed in.

Garlic.

How much garlic do you go through in a week?

I'm finding I go through 3 bulbs a week.

Breakfast;

Salmon salad, collard greens sauteed with lots of garlic ;-) and crushed red pepper.

Star fruit. I've been getting this at the farmers market. It's one of the best stands there.

It's an old guy with a tiny little table and all he sells are about 20 starfruits and avocados that he grows in his back yard. So you got to get there early, cause when he sells out, he folds up his table and leaves ;-)

Bacon

One of my college room mates always says "Nothing like a bacon jones"

And Sunday morning I had one of those real bacon cravings to go with my eggs.

So went and got some none cured, no nitrate, nothing artificial $5 more expensive then the regular stuff packages. Well 2 actually, did I mention craving?

Even though this is more expensive, please splurge for it. It is so much tastier then the regular varieties and you'll be consuming a lot less additives and strange ingredients.

I satisfied my "bacon jones" and also have bacon and bacon grease left over to utilise in other naughty recipes.

Breakfast this morning was left over bacon (told you I had a serious craving) and melon. Also a small piece of left over lamb chop.

This is how I made the lamp chops. I gave them a rub of; cumin, coriander, pepper, paprika, onion and garlic powder. I then wrapped fresh mint all around the chops and wrapped it up in wax paper. Let sit in the fridge overnight. Also make a small bowl with soy/tamari sauce and chopped fresh garlic. Again. refrigerate this too overnight. Next day remove the mint and grill the lamb chops, drizzle on the garlic soy sauce while grilling.

Bacon, lamb abd melon below

Farmers Market.

There is most likely one in your area, try and find it!

Most of the farmers markets are; local, organic, fresh, friendly and much more affordable than your supermarket.

Here are some pictures from this Saturday morning. ( I did not take pictures of the fresh shrimp or grouper)

Peppers Galore

Great variety

Sprouts anyone?

Look at these Bokchoy

Red leaf lettuce etc

Dinner; lamb chops with grilled veggies and salad

"Breakfast of Champions"

You know what I realized this morning?
This type of eating most likely will never catch on.
Why? Because how can you mass market this?


Fresh piece of grouper, organic red leaf lettuce with some avocado and splash of balsamic and evoo. (in a little butter, put in the fish, (which I sprinkled with paprika, onion powder, ground pepper etc) when getting close to done, splash of chardonay and a squeeze of a lemon. cook another minute or so.
Like I said, Breakfast of Champions ;-)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!!!!

"Want to live an extraordinary life? Don't live it in an ordinary way"

I've always liked that quote. A very special man from Japan told it to me.

Breakfast;

Do you own a cast Iron Skillet? If not, get one. They are so versatile and you can really get that nice grilled flavor going on your veggies. They are not expensive you can find decent ones around $20.

Here's how I made an easy breakfast.

Grilled asparagus, red pepper, garlic, scallion and 2 small "peppa doo" peppers (spelling?) rubbed all of it with 1 tbs evoo.

While that was grilling in the cast iron skillet, I par boiled a sweet potato. When the veggies were done, I quickly put the sliced sweet potato in the grill pan also. Also made some tuna salad with a little vegenaise, olives and scallion. organic red leaf lettuce cut up and mixed in. Goes great together. Big meal, but was hungry from tennis last night and a quick workout this morning.

Chicken soup on steroids!

Dang, I'm like a little baby when I don't feel good! Typical male right?
A little head cold (no aches or pains) and I'm acting like my world is about to end.
Well, I guess I can't keep feeling sorry for myself. Time for action.
Remember I had made a huge pot of chicken soup? Happiness flooded my soul when I remembered that last night ;-) (I always freeze a good amount, when I make it)
So breakfast this morning;
Chicken soup WITH an additional, 3 cloves thin sliced garlic, celery, half a habanero pepper and 3 eggs (omega 3, free range).

Also some extra vitamin c taken with daily vitamins. (Mark Sisson's Master Formula www.primalnutrition.com if you're interested)

Comfort foods and the need to be bad

I caught a little head cold, unusual for me, but likely due to interaction with many many people from out of the area.

So last night was craving some type of comfort food. For me that means something fried ;-)

So this is what I did, instead of picking up french fries or something.

I roasted Kale with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea-salt. Really easy and taste is amazing.

Just toss kale leaves with some olive (remember to remove middle stem) put in the oven around 300 degrees for 5-6 minutes, remove and sprinkle with sea salt. Naughty, delicious, healthy and satisfying. Careful not to put too much olive oil or it will get too greasy. Also pounded out a chicken breast and made homemade breadcrumbs from a flax-seed bread. (Sammi's bakery)

Dipped very thin chicken in egg and breadcrumbs and fried it up in the skillet in some olive oil.

Breakfast;

Left over chicken, warmed with onion, cherry tomatoes and 2 eggs (free range, omega 3)

One clementine.

"Love, is my religion" Ziggy Marley

I was listening to that Ziggy Marley song this morning when I was working out.

It made me smile, simple little song, great message.

MURPHY'S LAW!

For all of you that were excited to see some pictures from the farmers market, murphy's law came into the picture (no pun intended) and the battery in my camera died Saturday morning.

So I will share some more pictures then normal, to show some of the goodies that I got.

Don't worry, I'll be back at the market next Saturday and will snap away!

Last nights dinner;

Grilled fresh local shrimp with a cilantro, lime, red pepper, green onion, garlic and olive oil salad.

Grilled portabello mushroom with same salad. Both served over fresh cucumber.

Side salad with some organic fresh tomatoes and grandma's dressing with a touch of balsamic in there. All produce and seafood except for the mushroom came from the farmers market.

This is the salad, as well as the marinade for the shrimp and the portobello. 30 minutes or so is all that's needed.

Take a look at these delcious looking organic onions and tomatoes. Also habanero peppers, a yam, garlic and wine ;-)

Breakfast this morning;

Grass fed ground beef, with onion, red pepper and a 1/4 of a habanero.

Fresh local strawberries and celery. I can't believe the way this celery tastes, compared to what's available in the supermarket. It needs a good washing, but the color is much greener and the taste much more subtle and refreshing

Lunch was left over shrimp from last night (about 10 or so) with cucumber and celery.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

I hope all of you have some nice plans for the weekend.
I forgot my camera at work yesterday, but like promised, I will take pictures at the farmers market tomorrow, and post those.

Breakfast this morning took some creativity because fridge contents did not improve from yesterday.
Guacamole with red onion, cilantro and some hot sauce. 3 strips of bacon that I took form the kitchen at work, some celery sticks. Blueberries.

Went for an early morning walk this morning. Sprinted a little, skipped a long a little, did some pushups, generally acted like a little kid playing outside. Left me feeling happy and energized.
My girlfriend took a picture with her iphone of her breakfast this morning. If she emails it to me, I will post it.

Open fridge and.... GO.

Close to end of the week and fridge is running on empty and I was short on time this morning.

So reached in grabbed what I could. Here's the result. Total prep time was 9 minutes.

Broccoli, red pepper, cilantro, salmon (small piece left over), 2 scrambled eggs.

Nuts for snack with, YES a small piece of chocolate to deal with office humdrum later in the day.

2 clementines.

Thank you to Chris (conditioning research blog) for introducing me via his blog to the Crossfit website.

This morning I tried the "Pullups, pushups, sit-ups and squat routine" 8 times 20 seconds and 10 sec. rest for all of them. WOW!

I have noticed, that those workouts get me VERY VEY hungry. I do wait at least an hour before I eat.

On that note, I'm going to eat NOW.

Act happy, feel happy, be happy, without a reason in the world. Then you can love, and do what you will.” DM

Thanks to http://www.mypaleokitchen.blogspot.com/

I had a wonderful piece of Basil Salmon last night.

So breakfast/early lunch this morning is left overs made into a salmon salad.

Salmon, 2 boiled eggs and a vegenaise mustard mixture to tie it all together.

Celery and cucumbers for green accompaniement

I think my cat likes salmon salad too. ;-)

Create a great day!

I found a nice blog today. I will put the link on the right shortly. Written by Naomi, it's a great blog on how to eat healthy the paleo way. She get's it! And her recipes are easy to follow and she demonstrates how simple it really is. She is a student, and clearly shows how to do it on a student budget. I really enjoyed reading it. http://mypaleokitchen.blogspot.com/

Breakfast simple and tasty this morning.

Tuna salad, avocado and some nuts, apple and a clementine. Those will be munched on but not finished. I'l save them for a snack later in the day. Nut mixture consist of raw cashews. raw almonds and pine nuts.

Tuna, tomato, cherry tomato, red onion, fresh basil, evoo, splash of lemon juice and fresh ground pepper. My girlfriend who was hungry after her morning workout, so had some lettuce with it also.

Underdogs

Always nice to see the underdog pull it off. That was an exciting superbowl.

Went to the farmers market again this weekend. I will bring my camera next Saturday for some pictures to post.

Breakfast;

6 fresh shrimp, 2 eggs, cherry tomatoes, cilantro and a pinch of feta. One small orange from the garden.

Cut the shrimp and saute in tbsp of evoo with some fresh ground pepper, squirt of lemon juice, then added sliced cherry tomatoes and cilantro. Put aside and quick scramble the eggs then add together for another minute or so and then a pinch of feta at the end. Stir together.

Question;

I've been posting later in the day, recounting lunch and dinner. But no pictures with those updates. Is it helpful to keep posting those updates? Does it give you some ideas for your dinner or lunch? If not no big deal and I will just post the breakfast/snack bag for the day.

Late lunch yesterday was my version of chicken cacciatore. Sauteed little pieces of chicken then added my left over red sauce and crushed red pepper. Total prep time 7 minutes.

Dinner; Garlic, yellow onion, baby bella mushrooms, bean sprouts and tempeh in a mustard and red wine sauce. Side salad. Romaine, cucumber, tomato and grandma's dressing. Let me know if you need the recipe again.

Breakfast;

Salmon salad with eggs, celery and capers. Try this instead of using lots of mayo or vegenaise.

Canned WILD salmon (I like Natural sea, no salt added) thin sliced celery, capers.

In a bowl mix 1/2 teaspoon vegenaise, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, splash of water. Mix well.

It's a nice change form the regular vegenaise/mayo consistency. Few slices of apple and celery to go with it.