Grain Free/Primal/Paleo in September!!! - Page 10

[pampered_mom]

I read through the thread...sometimes. :0) We're supposed to be taking part in the 30 day challenge, but tbh it's been more of an experience where our 80/20 is flipped. My biggest challenge is our budget - most of our meals had some sort of bean, but most likely grain filler. I'd never serve just burgers for dinner as I'd need somewhere north of 2lbs of ground beef just for the one meal. Which leaves me struggling with what to swap out for the beans/grains. And then of course there's the fact that neither my dh nor my dd can have eggs which kicks out yet another cheap meal idea. It's been frustrating.

rhianna813 - I've struggled a bit with this, but one option that I've used somewhat successfully would be some sort of lasgna type dish, but replace the noodles (or grain in this case) with zucchini or eggplant slices. It's a bit pricier (at least for us), but I was fairly surprised at how well my kids responded to it.

[californiajenn]

Originally Posted by rhianna813

Hey kinda looking for a Mexican no grain casserole. I have ones that use either corn meal, rice or tortillas. Most also use beans which I am ok using along with ground beef. Just not sure how to make layers? What veggies would you use? We eat dairy too.

I like mexi casseroles because whenever I make single serve Mexican food all the toppings/diced veggies end up going in the fridge as leftovers. In teensy little containers. And never get eaten!

Thanks!

Rhianna

Use cauliflower instead of rice. Just run the head through your food processor with the grating disc. You can also do this by hand but it takes a while.

Use lettuce instead of tortillas.

[NatrlCatholicMama]

[QUOTE=pampered_mom;15885102]I'd never serve just burgers for dinner as I'd need somewhere north of 2lbs of ground beef just for the one meal. Which leaves me struggling with what to swap out for the beans/grains.
QUOTE]

I feel your pain - all our meals involve 2-3lb of meat. But on a per person basis, it's really low - we spend about the same amount per person, per meal, as is allocated on food stamps, typically - $1. Meat is the least expensive option for protein, per ounce, and in my calculation, there is just no skimping on protein. So if I want to get a full serving of protein in each adult and a half (1-2oz) in each child, each meal, meat is the cheapest way to do it. We sourced and sourced and have found great places to buy our grassfed whole cows, pigs, lambs, chickens, goats, and rabbits, lol. And our standalone freezer to hold it all.

I skimp every where else - I haven't really bought household cleaners or personal care products in years; we make them all from simple, inexpensive ingredients. We almost never eat out. We have simple birthdays, Christmases, and vacations (the rivers and woods are free!) But for us, we don't skimp on meat.

For the egg issue, I would strongly recommend for anyone with a food tolerance to check out GAPS. It is intended to heal the underlying leaky gut and damaged gut lining that is causing your food intolerances (here, I'm not referring to anaphylaxis) so that you can eventually be able to have these nutrient-dense superfoods like eggs again. And it works.

[ihugtrees]

How much does everyone generally spend on groceries? I haven't done a fully primal grocery trip it, but on my low carb (aka high meat) trips, I've spent $200ish per week for 2 adults & a toddler. I live in Seattle,so expensive cost of living here. I probably could have bought similar amounts of food in Florida, my homestate, for around $125-150.

[Feb2003]

Originally Posted by rhianna813

Hey kinda looking for a Mexican no grain casserole. I have ones that use either corn meal, rice or tortillas. Most also use beans which I am ok using along with ground beef. Just not sure how to make layers? What veggies would you use? We eat dairy too.

I like mexi casseroles because whenever I make single serve Mexican food all the toppings/diced veggies end up going in the fridge as leftovers. In teensy little containers. And never get eaten!

Thanks!

Rhianna

I think the cauli-rice would be good for a rice-y base or chunkier for a potato-like texture (or just potatoes, but they hurt my tummy). Egg pancakes*, leafy greens, zucchini, or eggplant (I typically cook the last two first to get out most of their liquid) can be used for layers. you can also make a 'breakfast casserole' type thing with meat, veg?, and eggs (use up all those taco bits!) and then serve with salsa, green chilis, etc to give you the Mexican flavor you're looking for.

* Mark has an enchilada recipe in his Primal Blueprint Cookbook that worked fabulously with egg 'pancakes' that held together and could be used for layers instead of a tortilla or pasta.

Honestly, I bought the nicest (ie best oil and organic/non-GM) corn chips I could find recently b/c ds2 really, really wanted nachos and I'd rather him fill that need here where they'd be covered in healthy meat, avocado/guac, and veggies than somewhere else. So I guess what I'm saying is that if your diet will not be regularly *based* on the casserole, decide how worth it it is to you/your family to make the small amount of corn in it part of your 20%, enjoy your choice, and move on.

[rhianna813]

Interesting update!

Last Friday I came home from work, made dinner and then craved something sweet. Made *cough* brownies from a box mix. DH was out and when he came home he told me out of the blue that he couldn’t eat the brownies because…. He wasn’t doing grains right now. What the?!?!

I have to 2 reactions. 1) Uhhhh when did this start, why did this start and it’s better if you tell me before changing your diet LOL 2) Yippppeeee!

DH will just do random food changes but not tell me. Then sometimes be annoyed if I make food he “can’t” eat. And even though I have been on and off not eating grains, eating more primal in recent months, he has never shown much interest in this. He has mentioned his body probably does not like gluten, especially since his mom has that intolerance.

So why the change now? Of course someone posted how grains are not good for us on his Facebook! Nevermind all the bantering I have provided for months LOL Ya know if the wife ( or mom) bring it up it’s not cool, but if a friend does….

He said he thought his joints felt better but otherwise no major feedback. I do not want to push the topic and scare him away. But it would make it easier to go grain free if we both were. Or at least if he understood more about it. This is a good step forward

Also, made stuffed acorn squash for dinner with beef, bit of pork sausage, onions and celery. We both loved it!

Rhianna

[_ktg_]

Quick drive by but I'm making a crock pot chicken (slathered with leftover bacon grease!) It smells divine right now in my house and I'll pop back with an update after dinner!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

[NatrlCatholicMama]

Originally Posted by ihugtrees

How much does everyone generally spend on groceries? I haven't done a fully primal grocery trip it, but on my low carb (aka high meat) trips, I've spent $200ish per week for 2 adults & a toddler. I live in Seattle,so expensive cost of living here. I probably could have bought similar amounts of food in Florida, my homestate, for around $125-150.

For 2 adults, 2 big kids, 2 little kids, and a ravenous baby, lol, $200-250/wk, nearly all organic, pastured, local. We could easily cut back by limiting the dried fruit, nut flours, storebought yogurt, & dh's beers, and have, in the last week since starting GAPS. Bill went down by a lot last week! We're in Atlanta - do groceries vary much regionally? I've only been on the East Coast (FL to Maine) and Utah, but haven't seen a huge variation in those places. I know there is some, and of course, I haven't sourced food straight from farmers any place but here.

That total is including our annual & bi-annual bulk meat purchases, divided out, and covers nearly all of our meals, b/c we don't really eat out.

[ihugtrees]

Tonight I am making http://www.marksdailyapple.com/butte...a-silky-sauce/ with cauliflower and bok choy. My first time making Indian food, and my first meal that is actually from MDA...we will see how it turns out! I guess tomorrow it is October, so we are going to have to start a new thread, eh?