So I have these dreams of cooking meals like I grew up with. I’ve mourned it even, decided it would never happen for me, but then I think, his mom does it, so why can’t I? I have decided that my dream is to go Paleo- plus dairy/ Primal, whatever. I have dreams of cooking a roast for dinner and calling it a meal. Cooking a pot full of pork. Cooking a ham. Cooking a casserole full of beef. I’m going to do it. I’m going to love it. I hope it lasts! HA! I will continue to cook the rice/potato/noodle side he craves. I will do that and SHOULD do that for my husband, but I’m going to make MY meal. I’m going to buy quality meat and buy it in bulk. I’m going to cook big slabs of it and love it. I’m going to eat millions of veggies, and try new ones all the time. I’m going to raise my kids to eat food that normal mainstream adults eat and love plus those carby sides, powdered sugar donuts, poptarts, and chips, lol.
Now, the why's. Why would one want to let go of grains if one wasn’t truly intolerant or allergic to them? Well....the fact is- they don’t make me feel all that good. They make me more hungry in general. They make me feel like a slug. Tired, heavy, slow. I feel fat and unattractive afterward. I feel overfull and disgusting, but then starving about 2 hours later... So why am I eating them? I don’t know, but I quit! No more corn, no more pasta, no more white potatoes, no more bread. I’m done.
I am a sugar addict. In the worst way. Sugar is a slippery slope for me. I have been slowly weaning myself off of sugar and my dependence on it. Very small amounts of natural sugars are allowed on the diet- so some honey and syrup will be ingested, but small amounts. And I will enjoy things without sugar. Fruit is so amazingly sweet and delicious when you aren’t constantly ingesting sugar filled shit. This means saying no to artificial sugar too. No splenda, no aspartame, no diet things. Blah. That’s hard, but totally do able. And I’m better for it.
Dairy- so you can’t be “Paleo” and enjoy dairy. No ice cream? No cheese? No milk? Well, I’m not there yet. This is where the “Primal” diet comes into play! I will commit to paleo meals at least once a day and work on decreasing my dairy intake. I fully expect I will never eliminate all cheese and greek yogurt from my diet. I don’t want to, and I don’t have to. It’s MY diet, right? I want to sit at Sheridan’s and eat custard with my kids and enjoy it. I will. Sometimes.
Beans, peas, legumes? I don’t know yet. You can’t be “Paleo” and eat them. Right now I’m ok without them, except chickpeas. I can’t give them up. Not yet. I love hummus. I eat it at least 3 times a week, and I’m not willing to budge on that just yet. When my hummus is gone I will explore Paleo hummus made from zucchini and macadamia nuts, but for now, give me my chickpeas and leave me alone. I’m also just not ready to throw out the peanuts. I like peanut butter. Almond butter isn’t the same. I will get some and try to slowly transition, but I don’t have to like it, and I’m getting the roasted salted kind. And I’m still going to get some peanuts at the ballpark. I’m an American after all.
Now, the why's. Why would one want to let go of grains if one wasn’t truly intolerant or allergic to them? Well....the fact is- they don’t make me feel all that good. They make me more hungry in general. They make me feel like a slug. Tired, heavy, slow. I feel fat and unattractive afterward. I feel overfull and disgusting, but then starving about 2 hours later... So why am I eating them? I don’t know, but I quit! No more corn, no more pasta, no more white potatoes, no more bread. I’m done.
I am a sugar addict. In the worst way. Sugar is a slippery slope for me. I have been slowly weaning myself off of sugar and my dependence on it. Very small amounts of natural sugars are allowed on the diet- so some honey and syrup will be ingested, but small amounts. And I will enjoy things without sugar. Fruit is so amazingly sweet and delicious when you aren’t constantly ingesting sugar filled shit. This means saying no to artificial sugar too. No splenda, no aspartame, no diet things. Blah. That’s hard, but totally do able. And I’m better for it.
Dairy- so you can’t be “Paleo” and enjoy dairy. No ice cream? No cheese? No milk? Well, I’m not there yet. This is where the “Primal” diet comes into play! I will commit to paleo meals at least once a day and work on decreasing my dairy intake. I fully expect I will never eliminate all cheese and greek yogurt from my diet. I don’t want to, and I don’t have to. It’s MY diet, right? I want to sit at Sheridan’s and eat custard with my kids and enjoy it. I will. Sometimes.
Beans, peas, legumes? I don’t know yet. You can’t be “Paleo” and eat them. Right now I’m ok without them, except chickpeas. I can’t give them up. Not yet. I love hummus. I eat it at least 3 times a week, and I’m not willing to budge on that just yet. When my hummus is gone I will explore Paleo hummus made from zucchini and macadamia nuts, but for now, give me my chickpeas and leave me alone. I’m also just not ready to throw out the peanuts. I like peanut butter. Almond butter isn’t the same. I will get some and try to slowly transition, but I don’t have to like it, and I’m getting the roasted salted kind. And I’m still going to get some peanuts at the ballpark. I’m an American after all.
Though this means I'll be low carbish, I am certainly not embarking on Atkins or any other strict low carb diet. When I want a sweet potato I will eat one. Veggies and nuts have lots of carbs and I will enjoy them ALL.
The real premise of paleo or primal or paleo plus, whatever, is that nothing is bought from the center isles of the grocery except for oils/fats, and spices, and frozen vegetables/fruits. Nothing is eaten from a box or a brightly colored package. You eat fresh or frozen foods, in their natural form. You make all of your own dressings, spreads, dips, etc. Everything you eat is processed only by YOU. Not in a plant somewhere where they add God knows what to it. WHAT COULD BE BAD ABOUT THAT?!
Is it hard? Yes. It takes planning which I am excited about. I plan to get some new graters, skillets, and pyrex to store and prepare my prepared vegetables in! B and I are going to Philadelphia this coming weekend and I am guessing it will be tough. I will have to be careful with my choices. I have already started planning some foods I can take with me when quality choices are slim. I will take a bag of carrots, a bag of sugar snap peas, maybe some sliced cucumbers, hard boiled eggs, some beef or turkey jerky, almonds or other nuts, dried fruits with no added sugars, whole apples, raisins, peanut or almond butter packets, coconut chips, and celery. I may venture into making sweet potato chips before I go too. We'll see!
So I will keep you updated on my adventure. It will be fun. I have found thus far that paleo food is highly filling and really flavorful. I do so love vegetables paired with a big slab of meat! It’s adventurous. It’s EASY. Cooking meat is much more set it and forget it than any stupid casserole (although I saw a really delicious looking butternut squash lasagna that WILL be tried). I may start posting pictures of my favorite paleo meals. You’ll endure it just like you endure my sister’s weird food. Aren’t we amazingly opposite?!
Some OMG delicious looking Paleo recipe sites I have found.....
I have also ordered the books Well Fed and Practical Paleo to get started. Plus, scoured the internet as I most often do.
1 comment:
Rock on! You can totally do it!
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