Paleo Experiment Day 8 April 9, 2012

Yesterday I waxed on about how amazingly energized I feel with a little meat in my system after years of (mostly) abstaining.  I rec’d loads of responses, comments, and questions via email, Facebook, etc.  First of all, I’d like to ask my readers to please subscribe if you’re not already, as it will ensure that you stay caught up, and also, that you consider posting your comments here so we can get a real discussion going.  Okay, enough housekeeping!

Today, I want to reflect and remind myself about balance.  I generally avoid any and all eating plans that have a name, which is why it took me so long to give in to Paleo despite how much its concepts coincided with my food choices and my body’s needs.  There is danger in prescribing to eating plans with names because they can represent a host of “supposed to’s” and a move away from listening to our body’s needs but towards listening to an other as expert.  The core of my coaching philosophy is about helping us tune in to ourselves, not how to follow the latest prescriptive diet.  I feel great on Paleo and I still insist that DIETS DON’T WORK.

This meat feels awesome to me because I am deficient.  Raw vegan feels amazing when we first take it on as an experiment because we are toxic and really needed the clean out.  The truth is, I may eat like I am now indefinitely, or I may find in a few months that I am eating meat a couple of times a month or week.  I may be experimenting with adding in certain gluten-free grains again and discover, from the inside, how they make me feel.  The 30 day experiment, however, is valuable to me because it takes some time to see how a new way feels.  Certain immune responses can take up to a couple of weeks to show up after eating said allergen, and it takes the body time to learn to reboot its fueling system from primarily plant sources to animal sources.

While I am eating “Paleo” I am holding steady to the process of listening.

On to the nuts and bolts, I thought some of you might be interested in what a “day in the life” might look like:

Morning smoothie:  Frozen blueberries, almond milk, whey protein, broccoli sprouts.

Mid morning:  Dandy Brew liver cleansing coffee substitute with a couple of tablespoons of full-fat coconut milk and a few drops of chocolate liquid stevia.  (don’t forget to visit dandelion-coaching.com to look for specialty products on my store).

Lunch:  A salad of romaine, celery, shredded clean chicken breast, olive oil, and Frank’s Red Hot.  A few bites of a raw, vegan, nut-based cannoli (I know, it was amazing, thanks Raw’r Laboratories).

Afternoon snack:  about a TBSP of cashew cacao butter (homemade)

Dinner:  Hungarian Mushroom Soup from Andrea Livingston at Phytofoods. With Paleo Bread.

On this plan I am finding myself less hungry and eating less frequently than I was before.  When I DO get hungry, I don’t experience my typical feelings of shakiness, panic, irritability, and cloudy thinking, but simply feel hungry.  It’s a pleasant change.

Thanks for reading! subscribe to follow the saga!

Bridge

Magic Cinnamon Rolls April 8, 2012

So this morning (Easter Sunday) I set out to make these Cinnamon Rolls from Paleo Perfectly.  We don’t do the whole easter basket routine anymore, but I still wanted something special, so I woke the family with fresh, hot cinnamon rolls delivered to bed! Of course I had to tinker with the recipe some, so I’m including my version.  Not only were they fabulous, but I liked them better than any standard cinnamon roll I’ve had.  Also, they were simple enough to have them finished by the time everyone else woke up!

Preheat your oven to 350, then make the dough.  In a large bowl (I used my kitchen aid with regular mixer attachment), combine:

1 egg

1 flax egg (1/4 c warm water with 1/2 tsp flax meal)

1/4 melted ghee

1 Tbsp Maple Syrup

Then Add:

2 1/2 c almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Turn the dough out onto a large sheet of parchment, cover with a second sheet of parchment, partially flatten into a rectangle, and roll it out with your pin between the parchment until it’s a little bigger than 9×13, and between 1/4-1/2 inch thick.  Make the filling:

3 Tbsp melted ghee

2 Tbsp cinnamon

3 Tbsp granular coconut sugar

1 Tbsp coconut nectar (or maple or honey, but a liquid sweetener).

Spread this filling evenly over the dough. It’s a little dry to spread evenly.  I globbed it on in evenly spaced dollops, then smoothed it out, being sure to get it to the edges, especially the shorter edges.  Sprinkle with:

1/4 to 1/2 cup ground pecans

Beginning with a long edge, using the parchment to help you, roll it into a nice log.  Slice into about 1.5 inch pieces, mine made 8 pretty small cinnamon rolls.  Pop in the oven and bake 17-20 minutes, until beginning to turn golden.  While it’s baking, whip of the frosting.  The frosting was AMAZING!  I made it up, but I think it will be the beginning of whole new approach to dairy and sugar free frostings.  seriously.   You’ll need the following ingredients:

1/3 cup maple syrup, gently warmed

1 1/2 tsp arrowroot, whisked into the maple

about a 1/3 cup of melted coconut butter (not oil).

 I warmed the maple and whisked in the arrowroot by placing it in a small stainless bowl over the oven vent while they were baking.  Not sure if this mattered to the ultimately perfect icing or not, but at least use it a room temperature. I added the warm, melted coconut butter a little at a time until it suddenly all thickened a bit and became more opaque.  Besides being a different color, it was the actual consistency of a traditional, creamy icing.  Spoon the thickish icing over the hot rolls and serve.  I will be amazed if they make it till lunch time.  I didn’t photograph these, but the family is lobbying for a batch next weekend, so who knows, I may be adding a photo VERY soon!

My First REAL Pumpkin Pie! October 2, 2011

Fall is in full swing here in Portland and I am inspired to read, write, bake, and be at home with a fire going. Yesterday I made my very first pumpkin pie form an actual pumpkin…no can needed. As canned goods (except Native Forest and Eden brands) all contain BPA leached from the can linings, I have been avoiding other brands of canned goods. I also made this pie gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. As a first attempt I was prepared for it to all be chalked up as an experiment, but it was actually incredibly delicious, and so healthy, we finished it for breakfast.

Bridge’s Pumpkin Pie

One GF 9-inch single crust pie shell (I used a store bought brand, but homemade is great, too)

For the filling:

2 small pie pumpkins
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup coconut milk (I used light b/c that’s what I had)
4 medjool dates
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves

Preheat the oven to 350
slice pumpkins in half, scoop out seeds (save for toasting), place open side down on a baking tray with 1/2″ of water.
bake 30-40 minutes until soft.
Allow pumpkin halves to cool until they can be handled.
While Pumpkin is cooling, line one pie crust with parchment and a pile of dry beans to weigh down the crust.
Bake 15 minutes, remove beans and paper and bake another fifteen minutes.
Remove from oven and cool completely.
Scoop out 2 cups of pumpkin and place in bowl of food processor.
Add four dates, and process until smooth.
Add remaining ingredients and process until thoroughly combined.
Pour into prebaked, cooled pie shell.
Bake in center rack for 40-45 minutes until set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
If there is extra filling, it can be baked separately in a ramekin.