Perfect Healthy After School Snacks

I'm a fan of milkshakes, smoothies, and other foods that are now considered to be junk-foods, so when I was a kid, I'd often make myself an ice-cream shake or an ice-cream smoothie, or a big fat glass of Nesquik or have brownies or some other really tasty, but really junky food product. Now, as an adult who's desperately trying to eat healthier, ice-cream isn't a large part of my diet anymore, and sadly neither are brownies, even Paleo brownies. It's hardly on the list of things I'll eat at all simply because of the sugar content. Although, today, to be honest, I am in the process of making some homemade organic Bacon Chip Ice Cream, made with real sugar. (Shhhh!)

After school today, I thought I'd make a smoothie for both my son and myself for our mid-afternoon snack. And the only reason I'm even posting the recipe is because it was probably the best smoothie I've ever had, or ever created.

Strawberry-Banana Protein Cloud

8 oz Organic Whole Milk or Organic Hemp or Almond Milk
4 Whole Organic Frozen Strawberries
1 Whole Organic Yellow Banana (not spotty, but not green)
1 Tbsp Organic Whey Protein

Blend on high. Serve and drink. Note, there is no ice. It's what makes the cloud. Add ice if you prefer but it won't be as fluffy. It's also only as sweet as the banana, which makes it less likely to cause as big a glucose reaction from your body as it would if you used a ripe banana or added sugar or any other sweetener (besides stevia, which in this case I have not tried).


No added sugar, no ice-cream. Just real food and a dash of protein. It's not even sweet like those totally bad for you but yummy fruit smoothies you buy at that so-called "healthy" smoothie place down the street with all their added sugars, candies, sweeteners, chemical products, preservatives, and non-organic foods. *shudder*

On other days, and with a Paleo/Primal diet, when you're not having an uber yummy smoothie like this, or if you want something a little more substantial, freshly cut veggie sticks, apple slices with cheese, and deli-roll lettuce wraps are really great options.

© 2013, Giovanna Mealer, GiovannasPaleoKitchen.com

All Rights Reserved.

Deli-Roll Lettuce Wraps (that your kids will like)

The problem I've experienced with lettuce wraps is that they're often not on the "what I like to eat" lists that kids have. This is a successful wrap, that my finicky children devoured and begged for more. The lettuce choice I used is a soft lettuce, and doesn't have a green taste or a leafy taste to it. It actually has very little taste at all, on the flipside, it's a healthy lettuce, green and rich with nutrients


Deli-Roll Lettuce Wraps

Organic Living Bibb or Butter Lettuce Leaves
Organic Preservative-Free Deli Turkey - each slice rolled up
Organic Cream Cheese - Softened
Organic Deli Cheese Slices (cut into 1/4 wide strips) - Muenster a.k.a. Monster Cheese is what we used, but any cheese will do, especially if it's a cheese they like.


In each leaf, spread about a tablespoon of cream cheese on entire side of leaf.
On one end of the leaf, lay one 1/4 inch strip of cheese, and rolls of turkey.
Beginning with the end that contains the turkey and cheese, roll up the wrap.

Serve and enjoy.


Because there is no mayonnaise, this makes a perfect snack to take in the car to pick up your kids so they can eat right away, and makes for a quick and easy picnic or hike snack. For longer distances or for warm weather, I do recommend using an ice-pack if you're taking it out of the house.

© 2013, Giovanna Mealer, GiovannasPaleoKitchen.com

All Rights Reserved.

Parrillada Mixta - Recipe

From the heart of Mexico itself, this dish is full of authentic flavors and tastes. I think you'll find this rich with layers of flavor. This is my comfort food, so hopefully you'll experience the warmth I do when I eat it. At home, it is made using meats & fresh veggies you have on hand from the week. And so that's part of what this recipe will call for. This recipe also makes a large quantity of food, enough for four people to eat heartily and have plenty of left overs. This dish requires quite a bit of prep work, and also requires spice layering, so take your time; prepare it on a day that you're not rushed. It's perfect for a weekend meal.


2 lb. Grilled Beef - cubed 1" (I use flap, which is from the bottom sirloin cut, and is rather inexpensive and tender)
2 lb. Large Raw Shrimp - deveined, tails removed
1 lb. Raw Bacon - cut into approximately 1" squares (grease reserved)

2-3 Medium White Onions - chopped 1" 
2 Large Green Bell Peppers - chopped 1"
3 Large Tomatoes - cubed 1" with juice (I prefer vine-ripened or heirloom, but Beefsteak Tomatoes work fine)
6 Large Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Small Fresh Habañero, minced (seeds may be removed if you prefer)

2 Tbsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Chili Powder (Good quality, as fresh as you can obtain)
1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Kosher Salt or Sea Salt

1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (or more to taste)
1 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro - finely chopped
1 tsp. Dried Oregano

1 c. Beef Broth - Homemade (If you have no homemade broth, just use water, packaged broths add an undesirable flavor.)
1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil (Olive will work fine)
1 Tbsp. Butter

----------------------

• In a very large sautée pan, cook bacon until barely crisp. Leave bacon grease in the pan.
• Add and sautée the onions until translucent, adding about 1/2 of your salt and pepper.

• Add bell peppers and habañero and sautée 1-2 minutes 
• Stir in garlic.
• Lower heat to medium. Cook 1-2 minutes, then turn off.

• In a large stock pot, melt coconut oil. Add beef, and cook on high until warm through.
• Add cumin and lower heat to medium.
• Cook 5 minutes, then add chili powder.
• Cook another 5 minutes and add broth.
• Simmer the beef in the cumin/chili broth for 15 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes and oregano. Simmer 15 minutes.
• Add bacon and vegetables from the sautée pan (keep the pan handy). Simmer 15 minutes. 
• Stir in red pepper flakes and remaining salt and pepper.

• Heat butter in the large sautée pan that had the vegetables.
• Once hot, add shrimp and do a quick sautée so that shrimp are almost done (grey is gone and a very slight curve appears).
• Remove from heat and immediately add shrimp to the mixture in the stock pot.
• Add fresh cilantro.
• Stir everything together and simmer on medium until shrimp are cooked but still tender - about 1-2 minutes. (shrimp will be loosely curved and have a pinkish color in spots - there should be no grey)
• Turn off heat and dish directly into large bowls.

If you're eating grain, this is a great dish to serve with homemade fresh flour or corn tortillas.

© 2005-2013, Giovanna Mealer

All Rights Reserved.

Sauteéd Mushrooms Recipe

With a picky family, and restricted diet, sometimes it can be difficult to find a side dish that's both grain-free/legume-free that tastes good.

I've always had a thing for sauteéd mushrooms, and this is how I've cooked them since I was a teenager (don't worry, the wine was supervised).

Sauteéd Mushrooms

8 oz Crimini Mushrooms - stems trimmed to the cap
8 oz White Button Mushrooms - stems trimmed to the cap
1 c Red Wine - whatever wine you have around that's not expensive works well
3 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper


In a large sauteé pan, heat butter. Add mushrooms, bottom side down and lower heat to medium. Allow to cook on that side about 5 minutes, or until that side begins to look a little more translucent. Flip and cook caps about 5 minutes, or until that side begins to look translucent. Add salt and pepper. Stir in wine. Allow to simmer until wine is reduced by two-thirds, stirring occasionally. When they're done, the mushrooms should be al dente and cooked through. Taste one if you're unsure. If you taste raw mushroom or a slight pungence, continue to cook. Remove from heat. Serve.

They should be served piping hot, with some of the reduction. The reduction is so good, you'll want to drink it.

Great with a grilled or braised beef dish.

© 1987-2013, Giovanna Mealer
All Rights Reserved.

Weight Loss Update and Recommedations

It's been a total of 7.5 weeks since committing to going 100% grain-free.

And I figure that if I'm going to blog about the experience, I should include all the facts.

I made a math error and miscalculated the loss in the original post, dated 12/31/2012 and will have corrected it by the time you read this. Originally I was counting the weight dropped in the total time between beginning my food journal and making the commitment to go grain-free, so it wasn't completely wrong, it was just skewed because of conflicting dates. I've lost a total of 12 pounds since November 26 when I made the firm choice. And am now, just barely under 150 lbs.

It certainly can be quite frustrating when you're sitting at the same weight for a while. After dropping about 7 pounds, it seemed like I hung out for a little over a week at 155-ish before there was any further movement toward lower numbers on the scale. But I've hung in there. I'm determined to see this through and very committed to reaching my desired outcome of 125.

I've had to be aware of my inner dialogue and emotional state, because when we're feeling unhappy about our bodies, most people naturally make comments or have emotional reactions to our bodies, especially when looking in the mirror or shopping for clothes. I might not say or think, "Gross" but my emotional reaction might be exactly that. So being on top of my inner dialogue and emotions has been a huge help.

What happens when we're disgusted or unhappy with ourselves is that we put our energy into what we don't want, rather than what we do want. So if you're also in this process, make sure you're not putting conflicting energy into your outcome. Everything should align; your thoughts, your actions, your desired outcome, and your speech must all reflect what you DO want. This goes for any change you want to make in your life, not just weight-loss goals.

So today, I'm 149.8 and have been hanging around the 149.5 mark for several days now. I'm hoping for another drop soon.

I'm going to create a list of foods to avoid and share that here - look for it in a couple of days. Also, remember that water storing can also skew your results. So if you eat a salty diet, you're most likely retaining water regularly. Likewise, if you have an unusually salty meal, you can retain water for a few days.

The last thing I will say for now, is to make sure you're drinking plenty of water. If you're not peeing between 6 and 15 times a day, you're not drinking enough! And if you're thirsty, your cells are already dehydrated. I drink lots of water. It will not help to add flavor to it as that has chemicals as well as a glycemic number that will work against you - even sugar substitutes like aspartame, sucralose and the like are very bad for you... especially for a diabetic! If you've gotta sweeten something and can't use real sugar, I recommend Sweet Leaf Stevia - it's the only brand I've found that has no aftertaste, and calculates to Zero on the glycemic index.

But back to water... it helps to have a designated water container with a lid - either a water bottle, or like I use, a large Starbucks reusable tumbler with a straw. It keeps my water cool and it's ever available and easy to refill.

Thank you for following me here!

© 2012-1013, Giovanna Mealer
All Rights Reserved.