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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Fries
2 servings
Ingredients:
  • 2 sweet potatoes 
  • 2 teaspoons oil - olive or grapeseed
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees
  • Peel and cut potatoes into thin sticks [the thinner, the crunchier!]
  • Put potatoes, oil, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix until all the potatoes are coated
  • Spread on a non-greased tray and bake for 15 minutes. 
  • Be sure to check on them every 3-5 minutes because depending on the thickness of the fries, the baking time will vary
Makes two 150-calories snacks

You can add other seasonings to make a new twist on this classic, like lemon pepper, or greek sasonings, or dried mint, or italian seasoning...etc. you get the idea.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Chocolate Whipped Berries - featured recipe

So it's no secret, I'm a huge fan of sweet things...and salty, and spicy...but I digress. So imagine my sweet suprise when I found a rich chocolate dessert recipe online that I can eat without a single twinge of guilt. Here is the original recipe post
  • One 15-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk
  • A handful of berries
  • 4 ounces of cooled, melted dark chocolate
Instructions:
Put the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for several hours (or overnight).
When you open the can after it’s chilled, scrap off the solid top layer of creamy coconut, careful not to include any of the liquid on the bottom of the can.
(Don’t waste the liquid left in the can – drink it or add it to a smoothie.)

Whip the coconut cream with an electric mixer until it has the airy texture of whipped cream,
 about five minutes.
Layer the whipped cream in a glass with berries.
whippedcreamberries2

For a coconut milk chocolate mousse gently mix the melted chocolate into the whipped cream. Chilling the chocolate mousse before serving will give it a thicker texture, if desired.
adding chocolate
chocmousse2

 

Sunday, May 27, 2012

More Paleo Research

Ok, I should start this post, first by saying - we are Practically Paleo...which means, we believe the Paleo mentality is a great way to start. It's also an amazing way to get where you want to be. It will bring your body to 'Optimal' because it eliminates the foods with issues in our society.

However, I still believe that truly Whole Grains or Good pure dairy can still have a place in our lives, as well as pure legumes. I do find that they need to be my "sometimes" foods. I strive for a 80-90% Paleo diet simply because I can feel myself function at a higher level...

But, this being said - you will never know the how great you can feel without all that crazy 'fogginess' that these food create until you dedicate some time living without them. Try it with us July 1st for 30 days and see the difference it makes. THEN slowly add the other stuff back in and see what you tolerate well and what you'd rather do without.

Ok, so onto the research...this is straight from the Paleo Website

Science & Research
One of the most common questions we receive is “what research is there on the Paleo Diet?” That’s a great question and I’d recommend thoroughly reading ALL of the material listed on this page if you have questions or curiosity about the Paleo Diet.
Prof. Loren Cordain has a remarkable number of peer reviewed papers on his site.
Prof. Staffan Lindeberg has conducted research on both free living hunter gatherers and in clinical settings.
The Protein Debate is a project we funded in which Prof. Loren Cordain debated China Study author T. Colin Campbell about the role of protein in degenerative disease.
We talk a lot about nutrition on this site but exercise is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. Prof. Frank Booth’s paper is a phenomenal exploration of the importance of exercise and health.
PUBMED is one of the largest repositories of human learning in existence. Put in a search term like “Paleo Diet” or “Hunter Gatherer” and get ready to learn! And check out Scientific Research 101 if you need a tutorial on how to read research studies.
Paleodiet.com full of paleo diet goodness.
The dangers of Soy

Other common questions:

Calcium
Acid Base balance
Fatty acids (including omega 3’s and 6’s) - My rough recommendation on fish oil supplementation is 2-4g per day.
What about the fructose/glucose content of fruits?
What about Ketosis? Dr. Mike Eades has a fantastic blog and here is an amazing primer on Ketosis: Metabolism & Ketosis. What about ketosis and exercise? Here is a great piece detailing both anthropological data and modern laboratory data on the subject: Ketogenic diets and physical performance. The bottom line? No glycogen, no glycolytic activity!
Aren’t beans good for you? No.

Ok - one more diclaimer, this is a relively new idea...so there is still a lot of research to go. But hey, that's why around here, we generally stick to the 5 Healthy Habits...but hey, we can do ANYTHING for 30 days? right!?