When life gives you pumpkins….

So what do you do when you are in desperate need of some paleo foodie goodness?

Enter the humble BUTTERNUT SQUASH.

These little lovelies are a massive bonus to have round the house because they are reasonably inexpensive, work equally well in both savory and sweet dishes AND they keep for aaaaaages in the cupboard. Peel and steam chunks for a proper paleo post/pre-work-out carb boost or try one of my easy squash recipes for dinner or sweets.

Beef and Pumpkin Stew

One of my favorite ways to use BS (or any other variety of pumpkin) is to throw chinks into beef-shin (or any other slow-cook cut of beef) stew with some tomatoes (one 400g tin or the equivalent of chopped raw) , onion, mushrooms and red wine (yes, red wine is WELL paleo!) or beef stock. Brown the chunks of meat in a large casserole dish first first, then add the onions and fry for a bit. Throw in everything else, some salt, pepper and minced garlic with any herbs and spices you fancy (rosemary, bay and paprika works well) and simmer for at least an hour with the lid on. To bulk this out even more you can throw in other veg such as carrots, celery, turnip or swede.

Butternut Squash Peel Crisps

Another favorite snack of mine (and Matt’s) is BS-peel crisps. I know it sounds weird, but trust me it’s YUMMY!

Just use a peeler to peel the thick skin off the squash. Then heat some olive or coconut oil in a frypan until hot. Enough so there is a few millimeters in the pan (this doesn’t work if you don’t use enough oil). Cook the peelings, yes the PEELINGS, in the oil until golden brown and crispy (be careful not to burn them!) and then drain on some paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and some smoked paprika if you’re feeling adventurous and enjoy.

I warn you now that getting hooked on these may leave you with an excess of uncooked, peeled squash lying around the house….

Which leads onto my next two recipes, which I must admit I have modified from the wonderful eat, lift, be happy blog by Neghar Fonooni.

Pumpkin Paleo Muffins

Ingredients:

180g cooked butternut squash (or sweet potato)
1/4 cup vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup almond flour*
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed/linseed
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
(* you can get ground almonds at most supermarkets, or really cheaply at Indian grocers, or you can just blend whole almonds in a food processor for a few minutes until fine to make your own when needed)
*optional – big handful dried fruit and/or walnuts

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients together well in a food processor or with a hand blender. If you don’t have either, just mash the pumpkin really well and mix it all together with a spoon. (Note: this makes a really wet mixture, don’t worry

2. Pour mixture into a well oiled muffin tin, 1/2 full for mini muffins and 3/4 full for larger muffins. Silicone muffin liners make this even easier.

3. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes until tops are golden. (Note: this recipe will make 12 mini, or 6 regular size muffins. Make sure you keep an eye on them during the last 5 minutes so as not to overcook them.)

Paleo is expensive!

So one of the cries we often hear when trying to convert people to the light side of Paleo eating is “Paleo is so expensive!” *sniff sniff

Well, I have a few answers for this.

What kind of price are you going to put on your health?

Have a look around Robb Wolf’s or Mark Sisson’s sites for PLENTY of evidence that a transition to Paleo eating will help improve your health in a myriad of ways both now and in the future.

It’s only expensive if you allow it to be.

Yes, if you only buy organic veg from Whole Foods and get some grass-fed fillet steak from that posh butcher up the road it is going to hit your pocket pretty hard, but there are plenty of ways you can stay clean on a budget.

1. Buy things in bulk.

Do you eat a lot of nuts? Go to a site like Nuts and Seeds where you can buy high-quality, organic nuts by the kilo. For example, 3kg of nuts will save you about £14 compared to the 100g bags. Don’t think you’d use that much? Find some buddies and order together. Love Jerky? Try buying it by the kilo from The Biltong Company and save up to £10. If you are really keen and have a big freezer you can contact your local butcher and ask about buying a quarter or half lamb/cow/pig.

2. Get yourself on a regular meat or veg box scheme.

Companies such as Devon Rose or Abel & Cole will deliver a weekly, fortnightly or monthly box of organic veg or meat to your home or workplace. The boxes work out cheaper than buying the items individually, you can ask them to sub things you don’t like and it saves you the hassle of going to the shop. The fact that you don’t choose the contents is a good way to force yourself to try new veg or cuts of meat too. Again, bigger boxes = bigger savings so try and get flatmates or friends to share.

3. Find and frequent your local farmers market.

Not only can you find some great bargains and haggle over prices, you often get to meet the person who grows, picks or raises the thing you’re buying. They can give you great advice about how to prepare and cook things you may be less familiar with. You’ll often find fresh fish and wild game if you are looking for variety too.The veg will be seasonal which will lower prices, and if you go late in the day you can often score a deal as the vendors will be trying to get rid of excess produce before going home. Have a look on www.lfm.org.uk or this article on timeout to find your local.

4. Select ‘lesser used’ cuts of meat.

Offal (organ meat) is ridiculously cheap and FULL of nutrition. You can pick up a half pig head for about £2 which will give you enough meat for several meals and more crackling than you have ever seen in your life (check out Michael and Nicole’s recipe here). If you can’t stomach the squishy or face bits of animals, go for cuts like beef shin, chicken thighs or pork knuckle. They are usually fattier (which you really want on Paleo) and may require longer slower, cooking but you would be amazed how easy it can be to make a delicious casserole or slow-roast. Master the delayed timer setting on your oven, or get a slow-cooker and you don’t even have to be in while it cooks.

5. Buy frozen fruit and veg.

Contrary to what you might think, frozen produce can be as good quality as fresh. It keeps for a LOT longer (duh) and semi-thawed berries make a great snack if you are craving something ice-creamy. If you tolerate dairy well, blend frozen fruit up with some organic Greek yogurt to make AWESOME fro-yo.

6. Take a packed-lunch to work.

If you are really making the effort, you should be doing this anyway. Get some click-lock plastic lunch boxes and make an extra serve of your dinner to take the next day. It’s super easy to quickly grill some meat, slice and throw it in a box with some leaves, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, avocados and fresh herbs. Take a mini bottle of olive oil to throw on at the last minute and get ready for some massive lunch-envy and HUGE savings over those sad little Pret salads.

So though it may be tough to transition to paleo eating, it doesn’t have to be a stress on your finances as well. Happy eating!

30 truths in 30 days: The first 30 days of Paleo and what to expect

Or just say hi and thanks in the box sometime.

1. The first 3 days do not expect miracles – Do not even expect a good mood. You will be having carb-withdrawal symptoms and feeling shitty and lethargic and like it’s all not worth it. Be a bitch if you need to. Have a cry. But push through, it’s worth it. Remember you are choosing to do this, because you choose life!

2. The first week your body will detox and you will find yourself flushing out - Don’t be too worried about the frequent bathroom trips. Your body will react strangely to increased fat consumption, but no fear, it’s only temporary.You may find crushing cravings hard, but just say no! - Every day you make it through without slipping off the wagon, the easier it becomes and the stronger your ability to exercise will power. Just do it.

3. You will not feel like exercising at all for about the first two weeks - Just do what you can. Your body is becoming fat adapted.

4. You will begin to analyse food labels and then realise, if it has a label, I shouldn’t be eating it – Shopping trips become shorter (and a bit more expensive and a bit more worth it!) as you only skim the outside of the supermarket for the fresh groceries and meat and fish supplies. You only brave going down the aisles when it’s time to top up your extra oils, herbs and spices.

5. As you begin to enter the third and fourth weeks, your energy levels begin to return to normal - In fact, you start to feel the beginning of what will become amazing, all day, constant energy. Say goodbye to three-thirty-itis!

6. Your emotions will stabilise – I haven’t really had any “low” days since I started. Not that I was prone to this particularly, but I just feel happy, all the time. I suppose no sugar influencing my state?? It’s nice.

7. Coconut was God’s gift to our Neanderthal ancestors. Seriously –  The milk is delicious, to drink, to cook with, and in coffee! The meat is a great snack and so filling! And the oil?! Where do I begin…makes everything tasty, is great to eat off the spoon for a snack (amazing if you have tendencies to binge, for it completely kills all cravings after just one spoon and 15 minutes!) and it makes your hair, skin, and nails so luxurious!

8. You learn to love fat - It adds texture and flavour and will keep you full for hours. Plus it’s a fantastic energy source!

9. Your stomach knows no time/meal constraints - You eat when you’re hungry, and you stop when you’re full. All the protein and fat usually means you don’t feel like snacking and you’re not bound by the clock (so liberating!)

10. All cravings for anything artificial, sugary, overly-processed literally disappear – You may feel discomfort for a week while you actively control your eating, but then it becomes second nature, and that ice cream or bag of chips you once craved now looks more like a day or two of insane intestinal discomfort and close proximity to a bathroom.

11. You learn to become quite a whiz in the kitchen – Step aside Jamie Oliver! The fresh and natural foods mean more prep time and more meal planning, but your performance in the kitchen improves exponentially and you learn to have fun turning old neolithic recipes into paleo-friendly feasts!

12. You never get bloated. Ever. Ladies, not even when it’s ‘that time of the month.’ Bring on the six packs!!

13. You don’t have to give up your social life – Caveman liked to seek pleasure too, and I’m sure they partied. Let me introduce you to the NorCal Margarita (but be warned it will stall your weight loss or fitness efforts).

14. You realise you can make any meal at a restaurant Paleo-friendly if you just swap a few sides and ask for no dressings. Easy!

15. Can anyone else smell that? – If you having gone Very Low Carb (VLC), like I have, and have started to supplement with Fish Oil and the likes you may find that your body odour changes and your breath may smell. If you need, try chewing on some peppermint leaves.

16. You need to consume water like it’s going out of fashion – The extra protein requires more water for your body to wash out toxins and waste. VLC will also find you need tons more water just to feel hydrated and to stop your mouth from drying. Drink up!

17. Go Sleep! Trust me you need it. – Without sleep everything else is basically not worth your efforts. Shut that screen off and go get your 40 winks. If you’re doing it right, you should sleep like a log every night, and be able to wake up without an alarm clock. Did anyone order a healthy dose of rest and recovery?

18. Going VLC may disrupt your sleep due to a decrease in insulin levels, try using Vitamin D and Magnesium just before bed time. Caution: Lucid dreams at own risk! (I never used to remember my dreams, but since using Vit D and Magnesium, it seems every night I have a whole nother life going on in my dreams…kind of awesome!)

19. Expect your skin blemishes to clear up, your eyes to brighten, your hair to be shinier and to feel an all round glowing feeling!

20. You’re not fit - No matter how many miles you can run on the treadmill, or how many zumba classes you attend, or how heavy you think that 10kg bar is in pump class; until you do Crossfit, you are not fit. ‘Nuff said.

21. Forget what it is like to have a pain-free body - Crossfit will force you to work hard. You will max out at every workout. You will also probably injure yourself. Often. But big efforts return big rewards. Remember, strong is the new skinny.

22. You may feel heavy after a big protein meal, or like you’ve put on 3 kg, but you haven’t – You eat less for the same feeling of satiety and while your meals may be more calorie dense, you are still losing weight! But forget the scales, take measurements and judge by the way your clothes fit. Also keep check of how your physical performance improves. Expect to be amazed!

23. In between scheduling more time for sleep and more time for exercise, you will also need to fit in time for socializing - The Paleo/Crossfit communities are so great and supportive, and you are bound to make a whole load of new friends!

24. Your phrasebook will expand to include popular comments like “Is it Paleo?” and “I can’t. I have Crossfit.”

25. Almost everything mass media ever led you to believe about health and nutrition is false – Apart from teaching your body a new existence, the Paleo/Crossfit world will be as much a challenge for your mental space. You learn to challenge commonly accepted social ideals, and you enter a whole nother league of health and fitness knowledge. If like me, you love to get your geek on, you will spend a lot of time reading blogs/forums/articles/journals so that you can get as much information as you can to make this the best experiment/lifestyle change you have ever completed for yourself.

26. You learn to deal with a lot of shit – You will be the recipient of many, confused stares, words of mis-informed abuse, and questions from the informed, the intrigued and the ignorant. People are threatened by what they don’t know. Some will say it’s a “fad,” and some will say it’s just complete crap. Just expect when you tell others of your choices you are welcoming a variety of responses. You’ve been warned.

27. Never excuse the choices you make – You shouldn’t have to make up false illnesses (e.g. gluten/lactose intolerant) to explain your new lifestyle. When did it become more acceptable in society to have an illness than it did to decide to do this for a better you?

28-30. You don’t regret the day you decided to start -

Day 31…and it only gets better from here.

The Paleo Pyramid

MK Alkalive

MK Alkalive can help boost your energy levels and vitality with a potent blend of super greens to help restore your body’s natural alkaline balance. Alkalive combines wheatgrass, barleygrass, alfalfa, chlorella and other superfoods to provide a rich source of vitamins, fibre and nutrients which combat the harmful effects of acidity in the body. Green tea extract and ginseng also help boost fat loss.

MK Alkalive helps cleanse your body and restore a healthy pH balance, increasing red blood cell count and the blood’s capacity to deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells. This will help improve performance, enhance your immune system and daily vitality by giving your body the nutrients and fibre it needs.

Why should you use this?

MK Alkalive works really well alongside the Paleo or Zone diets. The high animal protein and possible dairy content of these diets creates a huge amount of acidity in the body. This will have negative effects on energy levels and performance and potentially cause long term health issues. Although ‘greens’ and alkaline foods are eaten on these diets in reality it is really difficult to consume the amount needed to balance the Ph. in the body. Alkalive helps to address this imbalance, plus it contains digestive enzymes, anti-fungal ingredients and two natural fat burners.

Taste-wise, rest assured…  it’s absolutely fine, maybe a bit earthy but not at all unpleasant… (and that is the opinion of somebody who is not at all tolerant to grim tasting things like fish oil) …. however I do find that I need to mix it with a little bit more water than suggested. Soon to be released is a new orange flavour and I’ve been told it tastes really good, just like drinking cordial. This flavour should be available in roughly 12 weeks, perhaps sooner.

More information, including the science bit, can be seen on the website http://www.mklifefit.co.uk/mk-alkalive/ and some comments from people who’ve tried it can be found on their facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.229679093779756.56375.125907660823567&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=10150531167009273&set=o.137242303003842&type=1&theater

Several people at In2 have said good things about it too. My advice would be to perhaps introduce it gradually to check your body is happy with it, maybe taking half a scoop at first. Having only taken it for a few days I cannot yet comment on the effects however I did feel pretty energised. Questions / Comments? Just get in touch via their facebook page.

Paleo Chocolate

Yummy totally paleo chocolate! To make this: Melt 25g of raw cocoa butter and mix in 3-4 Tbs of raw cocoa powder (supplies from chocchick.com). Then put a teaspoon-full in the base of 6 silicone muffin cups and sprinkle some chopped cashews and cranberries in each. Finally divide the rest of the chocolate mix over the top and set in the fridge. EASY!

Bacon Egg Muffins

Check out these. Sounds fantastic - thanks Jacqui!

Makes 6.

Ingredients: 6 bacon rashers (I used streaky but you could use any kind) 5 small eggs (use 4 if they are huge) 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 tomato, finely diced 1 garlic clove, minced paprika pepper basil (or any other herbs you fancy)

Directions: Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees C and grease a muffin tray. Using silicone muffin cups makes cleanup soooo much easier and you don’t need to oil them. Heat a little coconut oil in a small frypan and soften the onions and garlic for a few minutes until translucent and golden.

Add the tomatoes to the onion mix and fry for a few more minutes, then set aside. (You can leave this step out if you prefer your tomatoes more on the raw side.) Break the eggs into a bowl, add about 1-2tbs of water, a dash of paprika, as much pepper as you like,  the herbs and whisk until well combined. Don’t add any salt, the bacon makes this salty enough. Line each muffin cup with 1 rasher of bacon. It’s fine if the bottom looks a bit scrunchy, it just means you get more bacon in the middle. Divide the tomato-onion mix evenly between the bacon-lined cups and pour the egg mix over the top. Bake in the oven for 15 or so minutes and enjoy!

You can also have these cold, but they are really nice fresh from the oven.