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Grain Free/Primal/Paleo in November/December

6K views 96 replies 32 participants last post by  treehugginhippie 
#1 ·
Can we make this thread the Extreme Recipe Edition?


This will definitely be made again this year for the holidays, Seinfeld's Crab Bisque: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/canned-soup/

Scroll down for the recipe.

This was the first course for our Thanksgiving dinner last year, paired with a wild field salad with pommegranite, persimmons and a shallot vinegar dressing.
 
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#52 ·
Just have a second...having a 4.5 year old, 2.5 year old and a newborn makes for very little time!!

I wanted to post a couple of recipes that we had for Thanksgiving that turned out really well:

Balsamic glazed brussel sprouts: http://www.grouprecipes.com/54621/roasted-brussel-sprouts.html

If you don't like brussel sprouts, try these...you will love them!

Cauliflower and mushroom stuffing from Mark's Daily Apple was fantastic:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/breadless-cauliflower-and-mushroom-stuffing/

Biscuits from Elana's Pantry were great, too!:

http://www.elanaspantry.com/biscuits/

I made a great turkey soup yesterday...made it up. I'll have to post another time. Someone's rooting for the liquid gold.

Vaquita - feel you on the $$ issue. We're starting a garden in the Spring and are buying some cows too. We're on acreage, though. Pay off the debt. You'll feel great when you do!

Last thing: FUDGECICLES ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#53 ·
A keeper from T-day: Whipped parsnips(& turnips) & carrots (though my carrots did not get mushy enough to whip)

Boil in slightly salted water until _very soft_ This is the key!

Mash up, add butter, some cream (or chicken stock)

Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg

Whip up with beaters until light and fluffy, they are a nice alternative to pureed cauliflower if you are looking to sub out potatoes

Vaquitta - get out of debt first! We're making similar decisions and we do what we can but its in small amounts, right now I'll take my processed ground beef and etc. if I can eat this way and still get myself out of our crushing debt. I know down the line, and most likely sooner than later we can buy the food we should be feeding ourselves.
 
#55 ·
Honestly, even if you can't afford all organic, cutting out processed food, and eating a clean, whole foods diet is going to be better for you in the long run! If you can swing 50% organic, that's much better!

Quote:
Originally Posted by newcastlemama View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by crunchy_mama View Post

Vaquitta- I have the same struggles every time I try to cut the grocery budget though I end up feeling like crap. Being able to cook grains would make life easier and cheaper that is for sure though.
Me as well. When I start feeling blah sometimes my dh will ask if I have been trying to spend less on food. It is that noticeable!

Vanquitita, I struggle sometimes with wanting to buy all organic but we just cannot do it...I have been price comparing lately trying to find a way to make it work...for example, here it is $1/lb conventional chicken, $4/lb organic, $7/lb pastured. I cannot eat the amounts of meat I need to be okay and spend that (even though I know all the reasons organic is superior!) I do have a good very affordable source for pastured eggs (our friends) and butter though. I am finding some good deals on organic produce here and there. I figure if we are not eating processed/sugar/bad fat fake foods and food we can digest we are doing good enough.
 
#56 ·
I can't even hope to look at organic(unless its produce and on sale) meat, let alone pastured. There is a farmer that sells grassfed, pastured beef nearby for $6/lb which is still out of my price range :( I'm still primal though, dammit! I know that PB book actually says that if you can't get organic, pastured yada yada then its ok to get conventional meat as long as its lean and just cook in a lot of fat. What the heck, worth a shot
smile.gif
If I can manage to find some wild meat though (times like this I miss living up north by my family!) that would be amazing. The stress from debt basically cancels out any good that comes out from eating low carb/grain-free/primal/paleo.

On a lighter note, my local Walmart (I know, I know...
demon.gif
lol) sells clarified ghee and huge bags of goats meat. Also found young coconut juice with pulp and its mighty tasty(and only .98cents!! Ah, why did it have to be in Walmart though? Why couldn't the local Co-Op sell this stuff? *Sigh*
 
#57 ·
Hey all,

So I have a little less than a pint of creme fraiche that I made from heavy cream... but it didn't ever set up or thicken as it should. I NEED to use it up soon but am a bit at a loss as to what to do with it. It's essentially slightly sour/fermented cream at this point. YUM, but how to use it?

Any suggestions?
 
#58 ·
Thanks for the recipe reviews suzikiaustin!

I had a pregnancy craving for an orange julius so I blended coconut milk, OJ, ice, vanilla and honey--YUM! (I may add an egg next time to make it more nutritious and frothy)

Tonight I am making this for dinner for the first time: paleo coconut fried chicken

http://cfscceat.blogspot.com/2010/09/paleo-coconut-fried-chicken.html

I have been making "ranch" dressing with tahnini, acv, water, sea salt, chives, onion flakes, pepper....It has been a good sub for dairy ranch on chicken salads and such.

I made zuccini chips in the dehydrator and they were just okay.
 
#59 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by newcastlemama View Post

Thanks for the recipe reviews suzikiaustin!

I had a pregnancy craving for an orange julius so I blended coconut milk, OJ, ice, vanilla and honey--YUM! (I may add an egg next time to make it more nutritious and frothy)

Tonight I am making this for dinner for the first time: paleo coconut fried chicken

http://cfscceat.blogspot.com/2010/09/paleo-coconut-fried-chicken.html

I have been making "ranch" dressing with tahnini, acv, water, sea salt, chives, onion flakes, pepper....It has been a good sub for dairy ranch on chicken salads and such.

I made zuccini chips in the dehydrator and they were just okay.
Can I ask what your measurements/ratios are for the ingredients in your "ranch" dressing? It sounds yummy!

I'm so excited to find this thread! I'm newish to the primal/paleo/grain free lifestyle. We are a gluten/dairy free household already, so it hasn't been too hard of a change for me. I haven't gone fully grain-free yet, but I really want to! My DH and kids will still eat gluten-free grains (maybe I can ever so slowly wean them off!), but my personal goal is to be grain free. I need dinner ideas, so this thread is really helpful!
 
#60 ·
re: creme- we are df here, so no help, maybe ask on the main TF board?

I want the ranch dressing recipe as well.

Nothing new here, had the stomach flu over Thanksgiving break- took a while to recover from that, but I am finally back to normal. I ate grainfree for thanksgiving(well the bread for dressing had a bit of corn starch as I am out of potato) however that was a teeny bit of everything. Anyway, however, I did eat a ton of sugar. ICK, all that sugar made me so sick and then to throw it up- ugh!

I have been craving buttered bread though, I never crave that. I never even cook bread/grain-free or otherwise. I might actually make some grainfree bread to indulge the craving!
 
#61 ·
3rd for the ranch dressing!!! I love the stuff - especially on salads as I'm getting burnt out on Caeser dressing right now. I just need a switch!

I have a question for everyone as I am set to travel for work this weekend into next week. How do you manage to stay primal or grain-free when your options are restaurant fare?

I'm getting nervous for my trip and the last thing I need while I'm there is a big fat upset tummy and gi issues.

Ideas?
 
#62 ·
RANCH DRESSING

I think I do:

2-3 parts tahini

1 part lemon juice/acv

1 part warm water (to thin it out)

then I just add dried spices that I have on hand to taste: (I am very generous on herb amounts because I like the flavors)

onion flakes, chives, dill, parsely, garlic powder, sea salt,pepper...

sitr it with a fork until smooth...I just add more warm water when I take it out of the fridge to make it pourable again.
 
#63 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by _ktg_ View Post

3rd for the ranch dressing!!! I love the stuff - especially on salads as I'm getting burnt out on Caeser dressing right now. I just need a switch!

I have a question for everyone as I am set to travel for work this weekend into next week. How do you manage to stay primal or grain-free when your options are restaurant fare?

I'm getting nervous for my trip and the last thing I need while I'm there is a big fat upset tummy and gi issues.

Ideas?
It seems like steak house type places go the best so I get get some meat/fish and just double the veggies. I also get salads with meat (cobb or chef without cheese) and breakfast can be bacon, eggs, hashbrowns/fruit. You could go to the store and get some fruit and nuts when you arrive.

I really try and get rooms with kitchens when we have to travel because I don't enjoy eating out at every meal. Since we drive on our trips, we bring a lot in an ice chest with us (like salad dressing, coooked chicken, nut butter, fruit, soups ect) and then buy produce when we get there. If you fly it is a lot harder but you could still eat pretty good.
 
#64 ·
thanks for the recipe!

re: travel food: We like to stay places w/ frig/microwaves or well OR /and bring a cooler and bring things like fruits/nuts/ veggies/ hardboiled eggs/safe lunch meat

at restuarants I generally just do basic meat+salad+plain veggies
 
#65 ·
NAK

I did mostly paleo for a few years (4 maybe?) but started running into health issues with it. Then I got pregnant and just abandoned it for awhile, even though I stayed eating healthy (more WAPF-ish). Anyway, after the holidays I'm considering giving it another go, but with some major changes. This is what I think will help me be successful:

smaller quantity of meat (was previously eating ~1lb/day, which was wayyy too much protein for smallish sedentary me to eat for such a long period of time)

more organs/bones/animal fat

more seafood, inc shellfish, roe, seaweed

incorporate raw animal foods

minimize vegetable fat (was using way too much olive oil imo)

eat more carbs, favoring starchy tubers over sugary fruits

drink herbal infusions - loaded with nutrients and I bet h-g's utilized herbs way more than we do

minimize nuts/seeds except maybe hazelnuts and chestnuts

add some fermenty things (maybe h-g's didn't LF on purpose, who knows, but w/no refrigeration I bet they ate way more microbial beasties than we do)

no "paleo" baked goods

and maybe kind of silly, but I want to try to add in some mushrooms too, they seem like the ultimate foragable food and they have lots of beneficial compounds in them and I hardly ever eat them

Not sure what this will look like in practice yet. Already taking baby steps (added liver to my chili the other night and have had salmon roe on ezekiel toast for bfast). I also have an order in for 1/4 grassfed cow, hoping I will get a lot of the oogly bits no one else wants.

Does anyone have any advice to add on practices they've found essential to do paleo successfully long-term?
 
#66 ·
expeller pressed safflower oil mayonnaise...is it really bad on the TF diet? I just can't bring myself to make my own mayonnaise..it never turns out right, and I hate the taste of olive oil mayonnaise. I bought some hain mayo the other day and am thinking its a good compromise..It doesn't have a bunch of junk in it like hellmans or kraft. What do you all think?
 
#67 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by kallyn View Post

Does anyone have any advice to add on practices they've found essential to do paleo successfully long-term?
Hey kallyn,

I started paleo about 4.5 years ago almost on accident because I realized dairy and grains were contributing to my Lyme symptoms. I had been doing TF for about 6 months when I dropped grains/dairy.

When I feel best I am focusing on lots of bone broths (esp beef), liver/clo, coconut products, ferments (esp saurkraut and kombucha) with meats/fish, veggies, eggs, good butter, berries and a little raw honey. When I do this I have energy, I feel nourished, and easily maintain a good weight. Following a paleo/primal diet without the TF stuff (broth, liver ect) does not work so well for me. Plain paleo does keep my Lyme symptoms represssed but I am not in robust health if that makes sense. I don't feel satisfied/full without the TF elements either because I think they provide me with the necessary nutrients...I just want on keep eating on plain paleo and feel like something is missing...and I tend to gain a little weight too.

I have also found that using "baked" goods more than occassionally is no good, too much evoo/nuts is not great and I can only peroidically eat potatoes or my digestion gets messed up. Its all about experimenting. So, I think some of the problem with the paleo diet in general is that it forgets some important nutreint dense foods .....like you said, maybe they did not have ferments but they were getting lots of bacteria some how (and did not take abx ect) Thats' why I don't really care what paleo/h-g people ate..I can eat all non-dairy ferments (raw vinegar, hard cider, vegs, kombuchas ect) and feel great....I just do what works for me.

Do you feel fine on TF grains and dairy or are you having some issues? I personally think that TF grains/dairy can be healthy for people (I give them to my family and they are very well on them) but not for me since my health/digestion is still compromised.

Hope that helps!
 
#68 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrsBone View Post

expeller pressed safflower oil mayonnaise...is it really bad on the TF diet? I just can't bring myself to make my own mayonnaise..it never turns out right, and I hate the taste of olive oil mayonnaise. I bought some hain mayo the other day and am thinking its a good compromise..It doesn't have a bunch of junk in it like hellmans or kraft. What do you all think?
I get this when I can't make mayo but I don't think it is a great thing but probably an OK compromise food (better than soybean oil and all that other ick in the other ones).

If you want to try to make it again, I make mine with half evoo/ half mented coconut oil and find it very delicious (Evoo alone is gross IMO). I do egg, lemon juice, salt/pepper, sometimes a tiny bit of honey and then VERY slowly add the oils.
 
#69 ·
Thanks everyone for the travel tips - unfortunately I am flying (WI -> San Diego) and I'm checking my hotel to see what sort of options I might have in the room for storage. I love though going out and just trying to get my own food right away when I land (like bottled water, veggies, raw nuts etc.) so I steer clear of other less optimal options especially late at night. Oooh I should google for a whole foods to see if its nearby!

Just dining while flying will be tricky, but I think I'll try to keep with my usual in a pinch meals (cheeseburger, no bun, extra veggies, or caeser side salad with chicken) as a run through the airports on my layover.
mischievous.gif
 
#70 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrsBone View Post

expeller pressed safflower oil mayonnaise...is it really bad on the TF diet? I just can't bring myself to make my own mayonnaise..it never turns out right, and I hate the taste of olive oil mayonnaise. I bought some hain mayo the other day and am thinking its a good compromise..It doesn't have a bunch of junk in it like hellmans or kraft. What do you all think?
maybe try the mayo substitute that fairyrae posted a few months ago? i can't remember the recipe off hand. but it
's something like avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic (maybe). it's delish...but avos are out of season. :(

if you use a really good, light olive oil and lots of lemon juice, you will get a better olive oil based mayo. there's also bacon fat mayo that is posted on Mark's Daily Apple. Never tried it, though.
 
#71 ·
ktg - bring a small travel size cooler on the plane with some homemade stuff so you won't have to eat airplane food. i always do this...if you run into problems with security, tell them you have food allergies. :)

kallyn - welcome back! does this mean you will be posting recipes to your outstanding blog again? (Please say yes!) I found that Paleo works better for me when I stay away from fruit. I can do berries, but fructose really screws me up. I can eat root veggies without much of a problem, but the fructose puts everything out of whack. Everyone is different. There's some talk on the MDA forums about starches or fruit for carbs. Makes for interesting reading.

I also feel great eating lots of seafood, but I don't have a great source for it. Will learn how to fish one day soon...Oh, and eggs had to go on the back burner for a while, too. Isn't there some Paleo list from Robb Wolf about paleo foods that can cause problems (eggs, nuts, etc. = inflammatory). Baby crying...excuse typos.
 
#72 ·
Hi, kallyn- haven't seen you in forever-

As to long term success- I don't know- there are times I am more perfect than others. I dont' ever feel that wherever I am at is perfect forever. I try to minimize fruit as well, although lately I have been eating more than usual for me. I do try to do bone broth- a batch a week or so. I try to do liver once a week or so- although sometimes I might have it a lot and then not for a while. We take fermented clo and d3. As to what I eat I really try to minimize the baked goods as well. I might do them 2x a week at most- like coco flour muffins one day for b-fast and then some kind of pancakes on the weekend one day. That is my upper range of acceptable- I don't always eat it when I make it for the kids though. Some times I like to snack on nuts a lot but then sometimes I don't hardly eat them. The majority of my fat is animal. I like ferments but haven't been eating any lately- seem to go through phases with that as well. We don't do a lot of seafood as I don't have good access although I like to do it once a week or so. I just started eating mushrooms since my last pregnancy and now I adore them!

I guess we have been at it off and on for 5 yrs. I feel as I go it gets easier and there is less lapses. However, I also feel it is helpful to be flexible about what my diet is- sometimes I crave this or that and I just try to go with it. I ate a TON of meat after having my last baby but have slowly felt the desire to eat less, she is now 1 y.o.
 
#73 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrsBone View Post

expeller pressed safflower oil mayonnaise...is it really bad on the TF diet? I just can't bring myself to make my own mayonnaise..it never turns out right, and I hate the taste of olive oil mayonnaise. I bought some hain mayo the other day and am thinking its a good compromise..It doesn't have a bunch of junk in it like hellmans or kraft. What do you all think?
I've had success in the past using half macadamia nut oil, half olive oil. The nut oil is nice and neutral and doesn't have a terrible fatty acid profile. I would use all macadamia oil, but it's pretty expensive, so I just use it to cut down the strongness of the EVOO. You can also try using bacon grease, which is a totally different kind of mayo, but pretty good if you like bacon.

Quote:
Originally Posted by newcastlemama View Post

Hey kallyn,

When I feel best I am focusing on lots of bone broths (esp beef), liver/clo, coconut products, ferments (esp saurkraut and kombucha) with meats/fish, veggies, eggs, good butter, berries and a little raw honey. When I do this I have energy, I feel nourished, and easily maintain a good weight. Following a paleo/primal diet without the TF stuff (broth, liver ect) does not work so well for me. Plain paleo does keep my Lyme symptoms represssed but I am not in robust health if that makes sense. I don't feel satisfied/full without the TF elements either because I think they provide me with the necessary nutrients...I just want on keep eating on plain paleo and feel like something is missing...and I tend to gain a little weight too.

Do you feel fine on TF grains and dairy or are you having some issues? I personally think that TF grains/dairy can be healthy for people (I give them to my family and they are very well on them) but not for me since my health/digestion is still compromised.
Thanks so much for your input! I suspect it will be the same for me with respect to bone broth, ferments, etc. I've been running these ideas by DH too and he is calling my plan "nourishing paleo traditions." :) The way I'm thinking about it is that real h-g's would have had all sorts of practices we don't/can't do - eating organs we can't even buy because they're illegal, no refrigeration, doing weird stuff like burning marsh grasses and adding the ashes to their food - so with the absence of that in our modern lives it makes sense to take cues from food cultures we know that actually produced generations of healthy people.

I feel pretty good on limited TF grains/dairy, but I don't know how much of that is me naturally and how much is due to my crazy preggo/nursing metabolism. I also have a couple kind of autoimmune things that I think I can handle even better than I currently do. Plus the paleo nerd in me just can't give the idea up! I'm not sure what I'll do for DD when she's old enough for food, but I suspect I'll lean more towards TF as long as she doesn't have any issues.

Quote:
Originally Posted by suzukiaustin View Post

kallyn - welcome back! does this mean you will be posting recipes to your outstanding blog again? (Please say yes!) I found that Paleo works better for me when I stay away from fruit. I can do berries, but fructose really screws me up. I can eat root veggies without much of a problem, but the fructose puts everything out of whack. Everyone is different. There's some talk on the MDA forums about starches or fruit for carbs. Makes for interesting reading.

I also feel great eating lots of seafood, but I don't have a great source for it. Will learn how to fish one day soon...Oh, and eggs had to go on the back burner for a while, too. Isn't there some Paleo list from Robb Wolf about paleo foods that can cause problems (eggs, nuts, etc. = inflammatory). Baby crying...excuse typos.
I'm definitely considering starting the blog up again if I get back into paleo!

I feel the same way about fruit. Starches never seem to bother me, but too much fruit makes me feel kind of gross. I almost get the same feeling from fruit that straight up SAD candy gives me. Interesting on the eggs/nuts. I go back and forth on eggs. Sometimes I like them, sometimes they make me gag. I don't eat a lot even when I'm "on" them though - I'll buy a dozen and it'll last me for weeks. Nuts are kind of the same. Snacking on almonds will frequently give me a mild stomachache, so I tend not to do it, although I have occasionally fallen into the trap of almond flour baked goods. Yuck, eggs and nuts together. Guess I'm "off" them today.
pinktongue.gif


Speaking of Robb Wolf, I've been reading up on him for the past few days - I think he got big during my paleosphere hiatus - and the diet he advocates on his website is the one that made me feel pretty gross in the long term - lots of veggies, muscle meats, and plant fats.

Quote:
Originally Posted by crunchy_mama View Post

Hi, kallyn- haven't seen you in forever-

... I do try to do bone broth- a batch a week or so. I try to do liver once a week or so- although sometimes I might have it a lot and then not for a while. We take fermented clo and d3. As to what I eat I really try to minimize the baked goods as well. ... I just started eating mushrooms since my last pregnancy and now I adore them!
Hey! Those are all things I'm thinking of adding, so glad to hear they are working for you! I was taking FCLO/BO blend during my pregnancy, but the bottle ran out and I haven't ordered any more. Do you feel like it helps you? Also, do you have any yummy way to get your shrooms in? I'll admit I don't quite know what to do with them. :)
 
#74 ·
I have noticed a lot of people on MDA doing the Whole30. Is that the Robb Wolf diet?( I noticed people talking about how they were only allowed to eat plant fats and being confused by it) Plant fats? I couldn't do it, I love me some bacon fat.

which reminds me, anyone have a tried and true almond crust recipe? I'm thinking of making a pumpkin cheese cake for Christmas and I was theorizing on an almond crust idea. We have ground almonds in bulk where I work, maybe add eggs, vanilla(real vanilla!) some stevia and butter then bake? Would that work?
 
#75 ·
Mushrooms: I like them sauteed w/ beef or other red meat especially w/ carmelized onions. Chopped up and sauteed as a replacement for spaghetti.

I do feel the clo helps and the d3 in the winter. The only time I have had when I haven't felt great are times when I have let grain and sugar creep in my diet.

re: Whole 30: Is my understanding that this diet is the brainchild of 2 other Crossfitters that started their own health/diet/fitness plan. Wolff started with Crossfit but I am not certain how much he is still affiliated with them as iirc there was somewhat of a falling out there.
 
#76 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by _ktg_ View Post

3rd for the ranch dressing!!! I love the stuff - especially on salads as I'm getting burnt out on Caeser dressing right now. I just need a switch!

I have a question for everyone as I am set to travel for work this weekend into next week. How do you manage to stay primal or grain-free when your options are restaurant fare?

I'm getting nervous for my trip and the last thing I need while I'm there is a big fat upset tummy and gi issues.

Ideas?
Denny's for steak and eggs. replace the hash browns with steamed veggies.
 
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