March paleo/primal/grain-free thread

[organicmidwestmama]

hi, i just thought i'd start a thread for tf-ers who are eating low/no grains, or paleo, or primal or whatever we call it!

what are some yummy lunches you make that are grain-free/sugar-free?

dinner tonight is porterhouse steak with kale sauteed in butter and rosti potatoes for dh, mashed butternut squash with cheve for me (and maybe a bit of the potatoes!).

[newcastlemama]

Back to grain-free! I trialed GF grains for 2 weeks and I seemed I have healed from IBS type symtptoms (yay) I got chronic Lyme symptoms back. I cut them out and the next morning I woke up with no inflammation. My cavewoman diet (as dh calls it) keeps me pain free so here I am

Lunches I eat meat on salads or leftover stew/soups (I know..so exciting of me)

Jen

[ps4624]

We're grain free! DD has gluten sensitivities and it was a lot easier for me to forgo all grains than remember what was "safe" and what wasn't. DH has dropped 40 lbs and looks smoking hot! I've lost 45 and still look gelatinous, but I also created a person so I'm cutting myself some slack.

Lunch today was a hodge-podge:

Salami and cheese
Leftover chicken with sauteed greens and onions
Chopped salad with Texas Cavier (my newest addiction)

[pjs]

burger salads with blue cheese, carmelized onions and homemade dressing YUM!
curried chicken salad w/cashews, celery, mango, and raisins (double YUM!)
egg salad on spring mix

[dogmom327]

Originally Posted by ps4624

We're grain free! DD has gluten sensitivities and it was a lot easier for me to forgo all grains than remember what was "safe" and what wasn't.

Thank goodness I'm not the only one. When I tell people grain free is easier than gluten free they look at me like I have two heads or something.

[Metasequoia]

Thanks for starting a new thread - I sooo need this right now. I was doing really well, feeling really good, blood sugar stable and then I suffered a loss and everything fell out of place. My Dad passed away a couple of weeks ago, very suddenly and unexpectedly. I've been MIA while trying to get through a lot of stuff and I really need to be here to focus on diet because I KNOW how important it is, especially during times of high stress.
Ultimately, it was his heart (despite triple bypass surgery in 10/08) caused by high blood sugar levels. He was a type 2 diabetic and became insulin dependent in 10/08. He also had a gigantic kidney stone blocking one of his kidneys that probably contributed to his death. His brother died the same way, and their mother (my grandmother) though she wasn't diabetic (that we know of), but she died during a heart cath procedure.
All of this is good incentive for me to be super careful about what my family eats and thank goddess I'm aware of the benefits of Paleo-type eating.

I'm dizzy a lot which is a result of my adrenals once again taking a hit which throws my blood sugar stability out of whack. I'm sooo senstive to sugar and carbs right now, it's enough to scare me back into going hardcore Paleo immediately.
After he died, we got a lot of meals from friends - which probably saved my children from starvation since my Mom and I had zero appetite or desire to cook/eat. It was such a blessing and the food was made with our diet in mind which I'm forever grateful for. But along with the nutritious food came lots of cakes and cookies - some even gluten free, but still so high in carbs/sugar. At times I'd just eat a slice of cake and I'd feel okay, but a couple of weeks of too much stress, sadness, not enough sleep and sugar = unhappy adrenals = blood sugar swings.

SO, thank goodness Spring is here. I'm looking forward to CSA pick ups, lots of fermenting, hopefully a cow share soon, another goat or two...!!

Our chickens have been laying plenty of eggs all winter long so we've had no shortage there and eggs have made up many meals. (We're kind of sick of them at the moment.) Need new ways to prepare them...

I'm going to be looking for ways to incorporate more magnesium, CoQ10 and heart healthy foods into our diet - suggestions welcome!

[organicmidwestmama]

Originally Posted by ps4624

We're grain free! DD has gluten sensitivities and it was a lot easier for me to forgo all grains than remember what was "safe" and what wasn't. DH has dropped 40 lbs and looks smoking hot! I've lost 45 and still look gelatinous, but I also created a person so I'm cutting myself some slack.

Lunch today was a hodge-podge:

Salami and cheese
Leftover chicken with sauteed greens and onions
Chopped salad with Texas Cavier (my newest addiction)

seriously, 40lbs! awesome! other then grain-free what did your dh do?

[ps4624]

He's cut down on dairy and alcohol a lot. We eat some cheese and drink some red wine, but it's a drastically reduced from where we were pre-baby. We don't have any processed foods and try to avoid sugar.

He says playing with the baby is like lifting weights all day, which is true.

Besides that, I think it's mainly the grains and sugar. He does look really good.

[FairyRae]

Metasequoia, I'm so sorry to hear about your dad! Hope you are all hanging in there!

I'm really glad this thread was started! I've not been on the comp as much lately, but I'm totally here!! Still loving paleo/primal/grain-free living/eating! And I totally agree on the 'it's easier to be grain free than gluten free'--for sure! I feel like eating mostly meat and veggies and fruit etc is WAY easier than the heap of allergen free subs I was making b/4. I still make whatever ds wants, but he and dh seem to love the more primal/paleo style of eating--typically a meaty entree w/ sides.

[crunchy_mama]

Metasequoia- so sorry for your loss, I cannot imagine.

I am another gf so might as well be grainfree. Too much work making subs on a regular basis and unless you do a fair amount of the refined starches and sugar they are pretty nasty anyway. Grainfree goods taste better w/ less sugar. Speaking of which I think I am going to be making some lemon curd today for a treat, I have wanted to try making it for at least a year now! I just made a ton of crispy nuts- hazels, walnuts and macademias. I hadn't been snacking much on nuts but have been craving them again. I desperately need to meal plan as it has been a mess lately!

lunch for us is often leftovers- or tunafish or salmon cakes- or liver(as dh doesn't like those things)

[Metasequoia]

How do you make salmon cakes? We eat sooo much salmon and could use a new way to prepare it. Yesterday's lunch-on-the-go was salmon salad.

[crunchy_mama]

I cannot remember where I originally took the salmon cake recipe from- but this is what I do. I take canned salmon- mush it all up of course and then add some sauteed veggies- like onion and maybe some chopped carrot or whatever- then add some egg-1 or 2- salt, pepper and whatever other spices. I just bake mine as it is easier for me usually. Sorry that isn't more specific- I go by how it looks.

[FairyRae]

One of my fave ways to do salmon cakes is Italian style--canned salmon w/ an egg, some garlic, onion (or onion powder/garlic powder), basil, parsely, salt and pepper all mashed together. If you feel like its too wet, a little coconut flour can help it solidify. Form into small patties (I scoop a bit w/ a spoon right into the pan then flatten w/ the spoon) and fry them up so they are super crispy (I fry them in the skillet in ghee), then top w/ marinara sauce (I'd so mozz cheese as well if you eat cheese!) My sis serves it w/ a side of pasta (and puts parm cheese in the salmon cakes too)--you could totally do it w/ zucchini or butternut squash pasta etc... (Reminds me of chicken or eggplant parm, although I do them cheese free so its just in the idea of it--but still soooo tasty!)

So good! I like to keep the sauce on the side for dipping--keeps the salmon cakes crispier!

[tanyalynn]

We've been borderline grain-free for months, but when I'm not feeling great or too busy, well, convenient grain-y and/or potato-y foods keep sneaking in. I think DH needs green veggies a lot more consistently than i do, though I'd probably benefit as well, and the chopping is just hard to keep up with.

The few weeks when I did good, DH felt good and lost weight. But I haven't been able to maintain that.

So, any ideas for breakfast? We've been gluten and dairy free (and soy free except for traces in convenience foods) for a couple years now. We're burned out on scrambled eggs. I've eaten more eggs in the past 2 years than in the previous 32 years combined!

Thank you for a new thread, it's helpful to lurk, maybe contribute, and get inspiration.

Ooh, one more question. Legumes or no? Not in the strict paleo/primal sense, I've read about that, but I think they're fine for me, but DH? Hard to tell, so any clues about how you could tell they're good/bad for you and yours? Figuring out DH is so much trickier than figuring out myself. Thx.

[Metasequoia]

Those salmon cake recipes sound soooooo good! We'd have no problem having those for breakfast.

Does anyone know of any canned salmon that's BPA-free? I did the coconut milk research a couple of years back and don't feel like doing the salmon, lol.

TL, me too about the eggs! Especially with having chickens now - and they laid really well over the winter, even with all of this snow!

A friend of mine made a really delicious dish with sardines and chard - I just asked her for the recipe & I'll share it once I get it. You know, I bet it would be really good with pine nuts on top....

[425lisamarie]

I have been grain free for ages, then decided to start eating a little quinoa like once a day, and also I've been eating lots of lentils.....which isn't a grain but some don't eat because higher carbs....

I LOVE salmon!! My dad and I are avid fisherman and we live in the Salmon fishing area, so usually we have a pretty stocked freezer. I am looking in to a big green egg which can double as a smoker.

I make salmon cakes and crab cakes about the same, and I ALWAYS make a tartar sauce and remoulade to go with it.

For the sauce: 1/2 cup mayo, couple spoons relish or chopped pickles, 1 tsp grainy mustard, 1 tblsp good white wine vinegar (I use white balsamic) salt/pepper to taste. Just mix it all up. Actually what I do is make a small batch of mayo, with my immersion blender then just blend everything else in

For the cake: This is a lot of ingredients but I often make a TON and freeze. I get the canned bone/skin on salmon from trader joe's if I dn't have fresh

2 tblsp butter/olivle oil
1 diced onion
1 cup or so diced celery
1 bell pepper diced
lots of parsley
1 tblsp capers
couple dashes tabasco
1/2 tsp worcestershire
1 tsp old bay seasoning or a homemade equivalent type
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 pound salmond, flaked and drained
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup mayo (i just use a little of the mayo I had made for the remoulade)
2 or 3 eggs, or if you can do 2 eggs and 1 extra white that is best. The fat from the yolks make them so tender, the extra white holds it together more. You can even do one whole egg two whites, and then use the yolks to make your mayo....this is what I do.

saute everything through the salt and pepper over lower heat until soft, not browning, maybe 20 minutes. Remove and cool a little

Flake the salmon, mix in the mayo/mustard/eggs, then add the cooked mix and chill for an hour or so, or overnight, whatever. Shape in to small cakes. Either fry in coconut oil or whatever oil, or just oil cookie sheets and bake at like 450. I think these have SO Much flavor, and because they don't hold together as well as a hamburger of course, I make them really small like finger foods. I use a small cookie/ice cream scoop ...I forget which number it is, it's probably the 2 tblsp one. Just scoop and press to slightly flatten.

I make lots of these at a time, they are ridiculously good. I use the FP to finely dice all the veggies. I don't try to mess with perfection and add greens or nuts or anything. I like to make a warm lentil salad whenever I make salmon.

I've been eating a lot of dips too. I keep zukes, peppers, carrots, celery all sliced in to sticks, and right now I have curried red lentil dip, sun dried tomato dip, and pan fried onion dip. I gotta say I could live on onion dip, seriously.

Last night I made a HUGE Greek feast as I often do on Sundays. I make them sometimes with chicken instead of lamb, anad make extra chicken for another meal. Tonight I'm making grilled lemon chicken with satay dip, sunbutter instead of peanut butter.

Now that I think of it I only have eaten quinoa a few times over the last week. I LOVE greek yogurt, and since i'm ok with a little dairy I'm adding that to my regular diet.

And speaking of salmon, if anyone has any fine grain free crackers they are ok eating, spread some homemade cream cheese, sprinkle raisins, and lay a slice of smoked turkey on top

I have been making some seed and chickpea creackers. I just NEED something to dip or crunch

[celestialdreamer]

: We are following our own version of the GAPS/SCD diet and totally grain & sugar free. We started this in late December and everyone is doing awesome My son who is ill with an autoimmune disorder looks amazingly healthy despite still being on his steroids to suppress his immune system (he will be off them by summer hopefully). So far he's had no relapses as he has started to taper off the steroids and we are hopeful that he will remain in remission since we are doing so much to heal the underlying issues with his immune system. Our almost 2yo that has had chronic diarrhea, eczema and severe behavioral issues is like a totally different kid - rarely any bowel issues, eczema is almost totally gone and he is just the sweetest, happiest toddler ever now. I have soooo much more energy, I don't get migraines/joint pain anymore and my severe seasonal allergies are dramatically better. DH isn't struggling with depression anymore and is steadily losing weight.

I'm so incredibly glad that we've made this lifestyle change for our family, its almost unbelievable. I was so scared to hope at first that it would really help as much as we needed it to, but WOW what a difference.

The only bad thing is I had a gallbladder attack last month that was a big wake up call that my body needs more Omega-3s and to totally avoid any grain-fed meats/eggs. It was extremely painful, honestly just as bad a labor At first I couldn't handle *any* fats and so I was having issues keeping my milk supply up for my 3mo. Now, when I eat any grain fed meats/eggs, I get gallbladder pain, yet I can eat organic grassfed beef with no issues. I'm realizing that for our family just grain free isn't enough, we need to stick to organic/pastured only until we are healthier. I cringe at the cost but we are just cutting back everything else we can right now to make it work.

Has anyone else dealt with gallbladder issues on a grain free/TF diet? I'd love to hear your stories/suggestions. I've found raw apple cider vinegar to be great symptomatically, but I'd love to have this issue totally gone.

[FairyRae]

Thrilled to hear about the GAPS/SCD success celestial dreamer! Fabulous! Now, are you doing the goat's milk yogurt? Do you make it raw if you do? And are you doing the probiotics and any other supps? If so, would you share which ones you do? (Sorry for all the questions--GAPS is what got me looking into grain free in the first place, and I'm still very interested in it as a path to healing...)

We've recently cut all seeds/nuts and peanuts (ds ate them a lot) along w/ strawberries out of ds's diet, (he was already gluten/dairy/soy/corn/chocolate/orange/almond free). (These are things I've suspected he reacts to for a while...) I can't BELIEVE the difference it's made in his happiness, attitude, and more than anything else, his (painful) rashes which are gone. Going TF helped w/ all of this a long while ago, but he was younger and had a much more limited diet then b/c he hadn't really tried all the solid foods yet, you know? I added in peanuts and some seeds (you can make so many awesome grain free baked goods using seeds!) a while ago and I think I just didn't see the reactions. And as they became such huge parts of his diet, I think his reactions to them started piling up and getting worse. (I really think a rotation diet would enable him to eat these foods w/out having reactions...I think he has just been eating soo much of them it caused issues...)

I don't really like limiting his diet so much, but one night when he was up in the middle of the night crying (something that happens when he eats some of the things he reacts to), and we were feeling like we didn't know where these continual reactions were coming from, dh said "Lauren, we should just feed him meat, veggies and fruit." Sounds like a primal prescription to me! We've basically been doing this, and he's been totally fine w/ it, b/c it's really what we all eat when we eat together. (He still eats some gf grains 1-2x a week w/ dh, but I'm not worried about it. He doesn't seem to have a problem w/ them.) I've been utilizing coconut flour more for making baked goods for him when he wants them instead of seeds (he doesn't seem to really crave them as much anymore though--we've been kind of cutting them out naturally w/ these diet changes--but I sure make them to bring to parties, etc.). I sneak in nuts and chocolate for myself during naps or after he's sleeping at night (I can't imagine my life w/out good dark chocolate. )

Anyway, I know this is totally a 'belongs in the allergies section' kind of post, but I'm loving how a kind of simplified, nut/seed free paleo-esque diet seems to really make my ds feel good (not to mention me as well!) Like I mentioned, I think in the near future he'll be able to have some of the foods we are keeping out occasionally--I think I was just relying on them too much (seeds esp.) and causing reactions b/c of it. GAPS *could* be in our future (we are still big tuber eaters, so the no-starch thing would be tough) but it seems like more and more of a possibility as time goes on. He's doing so we'll on the diet he's currently eating that I'm not feeling any urgency to do anything different right now, and am planning to just continue the good TF things like bone broth, fats galore, liver where I can add it (blech!--not my thing ) and fermented veggies to keep his little gut healing!

So, just wanted to join in on the love for grain-free, paleo-esque, tf living as a healing way of eating. I'm blown away, once again, by what dietary changes can do for us.

[425lisamarie]

that's so great fairyrae. It really is wonderful when something great comes out of all your hard work. You're a great mama.

MY DD"s diet is somewhat limited right now too. She's been dealing with the outdoor blooming crap, so I have her off all nuts/seeds, strawberries, cucumbers. I realized her favorite food in the world is tzatziki, and it is really fabulous with zucchini instead of cukes. SHe just wants to see the green flecks, really. I make so many different things to tailor each of the family members, but it works and I see the positive outcome so it's totally worth it.

[Adamsmama]

I'm grain free right now. I'm thinking gluten messed up my digestive system/immune system so I've stayed away for 6-7 weeks now. I seem to be sensitive to a lot of grains ... the only thing I can handle is a small amount of oats or maybe millet but a week or two ago I decided to get rid of all grains. Do you eat carbs still with every meal? I guess I should eat more beans/lentils...