Grain Free/Primal/Paleo for Spring!!! - Page 3

[CoBabyMaker]

"Don't let perfect be the enemy of good"

Perhaps I have been living in a cave but I have never heard that.  I love it.  I so needed to hear that!  Not so much with the grain thing but just life in general-and the quality of our meats.  We can't afford the best quality meats right now and I need to just let it go.  We're doing the best we can and overall eat very well.  Thank you for sharing that!

ETA:  Just found a blog with really yummy recipes!  Lots of them have eggs and/or dairy so they won't work for all of us but some will:http://www.jbsitedesigns.com/?cat=5

Edited by CoBabyMaker - 4/11/11 at 9:47pm

[karen1968]

Hello all!

Just wanted to make a quick post to subscribe. I'm 42yo and nursing my daughter who was born in Nov. and seems dairy intolerant. My DS (4) is gluten-intolerant. so Paleo makes sense to me.

I just started Paleo on Monday (4/11), after reading "The Paleo Solution" over the past week or so. I've done an anti-candida diet once and the "Transitions" plan once (which is mostly low-GI - it allows some grains) but couldn't stick with either past the two month mark. I'm really hoping to stay with Paleo (or my version of it, anyway) for a long time...like forever :)   When I am grain-free and sugar-free, I am leaner, have more energy, and my IBS symptoms go away. I am looking forward to reaching that point again in a couple of weeks.

I eat a lot of eggs and sausage for breakfast, but TPS has a "recipe" for chicken-apple hash that might be useful for some of you. Basically you heat up some leftover chicken, add a grated apple and a spice (cinnamon, allspice, what have you). I haven't made it yet, but it sounds yummy.

[CoBabyMaker]

Karen,

That hash sounds tummy!  I need to quit eating potatoes for breakfast, ugh.  I love them so.

How is everyone doing with their goals?

OK, not trying to toot my own horn but dinner last night was goooood.  Here is the recipe:  Mustard Apple Chicken

[Koalamom]

Wow Karen, that apple chicken thing sounds amazing. I will be trying that soon!

I am so glad I could add potatoes in. It took several months to get back in. I am still not great with sweet potatoes.

Meals yesterday-
Lunch: mashed potatoes (instead of cream it was bone broth), fried chicken, and steamed broccoli sprinkled with dulse.

Dinner: Ground beef and red peppers served with homemade refried beans (they were soaked extra to ferment and then cooked well with onions, parsley, celery, beef fat, and lots of great spices.) I served rice cooked in bone broth on the side for the kiddos. Salsa on the top made it a great meal.

Today:
pre snack: Orange with a few squares of dark chocolate and kombucha (so happy to have an orange since it has been atleast 6 months without them and no allergy reaction finally since drinking red wine daily!)

Breakfast:
leftover ground beef with red peppers, and butternut squash
Kids also had eggs from our chickens but my 22 month ds only would eat meat.

[CCJWGM]

I have figured out my DD's sudden leaky gut:  almond meal flour.  It seems almonds are sprayed with a chemical called auxigro.  Also known as MSG.  BINGO! 

At least I can add eggs back in.  Now I just have to find a gluten free low glycemic non bloating substitute for almond meal flour.  Or buy organic almonds and make my own.  I'm trying to research if Oregon Filberts are sprayed with it.  Anxiously awaiting Filbert season and do know of some organic Filbert orchards.  We might go that route. 

[yummus]

Originally Posted by beezer75 

I have figured out my DD's sudden leaky gut:  almond meal flour.  It seems almonds are sprayed with a chemical called auxigro.  Also known as MSG.  BINGO! 

At least I can add eggs back in.  Now I just have to find a gluten free low glycemic non bloating substitute for almond meal flour.  Or buy organic almonds and make my own.  I'm trying to research if Oregon Filberts are sprayed with it.  Anxiously awaiting Filbert season and do know of some organic Filbert orchards.  We might go that route. 

Almonds also get mold on the skins (which is why the monks peel them) via my "Chiropractor, Certified Nutritionist and Applied Kinesiologist."

This may be part of the reason or may not. Just thought I'd share the info with you 

[CCJWGM]

Thank you Yummus.  It was blanched almond flour.  Does that still have skins?  Also, I haven't ruled out a plain almond intolerance.  Either way the almonds are out and I have a happy friend who is getting 10 lbs. of free almond meal flour. 

[ocelotmom]

Originally Posted by karen1968 
I eat a lot of eggs and sausage for breakfast, but TPS has a "recipe" for chicken-apple hash that might be useful for some of you. Basically you heat up some leftover chicken, add a grated apple and a spice (cinnamon, allspice, what have you). I haven't made it yet, but it sounds yummy.

I just made this for lunch, with a bit of chopped bacon and a little bit of onion added, and apple slices instead of grated apple, and the kids really gobbled it up. Thanks! :)
 

[fluffywandering]

I'm here too!

Just changed my name on this forum... used to be stilllearning85.

I have been grain-free for about a year now I guess... WOW! I often fail, but jump right back on. I don't have any real health issues at all, so haven't noticed too much difference being grain-free, except that my hypoglycemia is GONE! My 16 month old is also grain-free and it works pretty well. Although finding snacks for her is hard! Why does everyone want to give my child cookies, bread, crackers etc?! ;) We do eat dairy (cheese, yogurt, sometimes cream) and just can't seem to give that up. I AM A YOGURT FIEND! Every night/day I have a big bowl of Strauss plain yogurt with a lump of almond butter and berries on top sprinkled in stevia... am I killing myself? LOL!

We spend a lot on food! Don't know what we are going to do when another baby comes along?! We have food stamps so I know we use all of that + about $100 at the market a month... so maybe $600/month for the three of us. YIKES! But food is super expensive here too... Hawaii.

Exercise- what's that?! LOL! Been trying to convince my mother to babysit two mornings a week so I can try cross-fit. anyone do this? We'll see.

Wow, that is a scatterbrained post. I need a nap. Night night.

[fluffywandering]

Oh yeah! I wanted to ask about smoothies! I really miss smoothies since cutting really sugary fruits from my diet. Anyone know of any good smoothie recipes. I can't afford protein powder or anything (which is what most recipes call for), but can get good eggs. And how about green smoothie recipes that are low in fruit?

[mamaspirit]

Hi!  Just subscribing to this thread.  We have been pretty grain free since January, although we can't seem to get away from potatoes and oats.  My husband and I and at least 3 of our kids seem to have gluten sensitivities and my DD1 is severely allergic to corn.  My DS2 is on the autism spectrum, although you wouldn't know it if we are consistent with the diet.  We have been totally gluten free for 2.5 years now, but that just wasn't enough.  I feel a ton better being pretty much grain free, but I struggle with what to make.  We are also pretty sensitive to nuts, especially nuts high in salycilates(I don't know if I spelled that right) like almonds.   We seem to do ok with a small amount of dairy as long as it is raw or cultured.

Anyhow... I've been reading this thread the past couple days and have already gleaned a ton of ideas.  Thanks  for being here!

[Koalamom]

Welcome mamaspirit! Have you checked out the sals thead in the allergy section? We have struggled with sals in the past and histamine foods for me. I give my kids molybdenum and it helps a ton with their tolerances but my dd is not really effected from sals after one visit to an energy perhaps NAET specialist. It was quite a miracle. I still don't know how it worked but she is all good now. Best 40 bucks I every spent!

[karen1968]

Did anyone get lots of headaches when they started on this path?  I've had one every other day it seems. I'm still drinking coffee, so I don't think it's caffeine. Blood sugar adjustments?

Also, I'm breastfeeding my 5-month-old, and wondering if digestive enzymes I'm taking could be affecting her. Anyone know? She's been super fussy the past few nights, like a 5-week-old with colic! And just now she passed a large, mucosy, half green and half yellow poop.  I've had no grains since last Sunday, no sugars since Thursday (when I ran out of coconut creamer), accidentally had dairy in some store bought meatballs (parmesan) on Tuesday. She also started wearing a teething necklace on Thursday, which had just arrived from Lithuania. I stopped the enzymes Friday and cut back on the fish oil to 2g (high DHA).

[karen1968]

I came across a blog called Lean Machine NYC, and she has some recipes:

Breakfast ideas: http://www.leanmachinenyc.com/paleo-for-breakfast.html

Smoothie: http://www.leanmachinenyc.com/paleo-strawberry-shake.html

[mamaspirit]

Karen - your baby could be going through withdrawls also since she isn't getting that stuff through your milk anymore.  Also, I got the worst headaches and still do everytime I eliminate something else.

[yummus]

Originally Posted by beezer75 

Thank you Yummus.  It was blanched almond flour.  Does that still have skins?  Also, I haven't ruled out a plain almond intolerance.  Either way the almonds are out and I have a happy friend who is getting 10 lbs. of free almond meal flour. 

You know, I haven't the slightest idea hahaha. Good news on the happy friend 

[neverdoingitagain]

The quote is from Voltaire, to anyone who was wondering 

 Karen, it could be part of the low carb flu stage of going grain-free. I'm not sure if the enzymes would be getting through to your breastmilk, you might want to check the Hale's forum or Kellymom.com to see if they have any info for about it. Most likely its from teething though. 

 There are a few good(quite a few lol!) blogs out there dedicated to paleo/primal/grain-free cooking like:

http://nomnompaleo.com/

http://thenourishingcook.com/

http://girlgoneprimal.blogspot.com/

http://www.elanaspantry.com/

 All full of deliciousness(you may drool on your keyboard)

 If anyone has dairy allergies, but can tolerate coconut, its possible to make water/coconut kefir and coconut yogurt and cheese(Inorite?! I had no idea) And the coconut ice cream? fuggetabotit! So yummy 

[Koalamom]

I so wish I could have coconut. I am dairy free too. I have found that I can eat all the mango sorbet I want so it is just fine with me to not have icecream. Off to check out those blogs...

[laohaire]

I've been grain-free (with a few hiccups) for a couple months, but the family just joined a week ago.

In that week, we have run up the grocery bill so that as of April 17, we've spent the whole month's budget already. Sigh. I really don't know how we're going to manage this, especially since we had other expenses this month (couple dentist visits, heating oil fillup, etc.). And if we have to dip into savings to pay for our food, that's just not gonna work.

(Although to be fair, $50 was spent on a CSA payment and it doesn't start till next month).

I had kind of worked out a decent, if monotonous, grain-free diet by the time the family joined, but it wasn't something they could have really eaten. DH went through withdrawal for days as it was, and my diet had gotten to be a pretty decent, relatively low glycemic diet with few substitutions. I mean, I wasn't just swapping wheat for corn. But now, in an effort to feed my family, I've swapped wheat for corn. And I don't think that's exactly ideal.

It's hard because we all want different things now. DH and I would actually be happy on a diet of franks and beans for dinner most nights, but DD won't touch those. DH and DD are hooked on corn bread that I bake (no flour or sugar) but I don't feel good after eating it. Plus DH sneezes like a maniac when eating it, but he doesn't care.

While both DD and DH have now adjusted, to a point, to wheat-free eating, I haven't noticed any wonderful changes in either (like I did for myself). So maybe this is kind of a waste for them. The big benefit seems to be that DD in particular is taking in a much wider variety of nutrition. For example, she will actually snack on raw veggies, whereas she would not even consider it before. But her protein intake has not increased, nor has her caloric intake AFAIK (she is low weight and I would like her to gain). She's held steady on her weight and not lost anything, but she still seems to have limited appetite. She will get so she's "starving to death," I will feed her, and then she'll eat 2 bites and be full. Drives me BONKERS. And that doesn't seem to have changed.

[karen1968]

I asked an IBCLC friend and she didn't think any of my dietary changes could be causing DD's issues. Another friend suggested maybe I was having low-level yeast die-off that was affecting her.

I bought full-fat coconut milk today to make strawberry shakes this afternoon. Yum!