The Ninja and Fruit Ice Milk

The other day I bought one of these.  I hadn't used it until this morning! It's funny that the photo I got from the Internet is showing something in the container similar to what I made!! I made this, look below!

Fruit Ice Milk

I used a bag of frozen fruit.  I had a bag of strawberries, pineapple and mango.  Throw it into the pitcher container and add milk to get an ice cream consistency.  Sophia and I loved it.  Frank said it needed sugar, of course, he hasn't given up sugar like we girls did!  It's delicious, cheaper than ice cream and really good for you!!

Oopsie Rolls

I found this recipe for a kind of bread. I found this recipe and decided to try it. the are a lot of recipes, 250 in fact on her site, Your Lighter Side. 
I am trying to figure out things to pack in Sophia's lunch.  She can't have a salad every day. Now she can have a ham and cheese sandwich tomorrow.  I excited to find some AppleGate ham at Trader Joe's.

Here they are just out of the oven.  The rolls are very easy to make, considering I only have a stick blender.  They smelled divinely while baking.  In fact I can still smell them.  Yummy!  I can't wait to try them!!

Fruit Crisp

After we got home from shopping yesterday, I needed to use up some fruit.  Sophia did not like the grapes she decided to get so I said let's make some fruit crisp - the Primal way!

Fruit Crisp
1 cup muscadine grapes, halved, skinned and seeded
2 red delicious apples, cores removed, chopped
2 white peaches, stone removed, chopped

I heated the fruit in a saucepan for about 15 minutes at a simmer to soften the apples a bit. Let cool.

Crisp
1/3 cup almond meal
1/4 cup each of chopped walnuts and pecans
1 T softened butter
Mix together.

Place fruit into pie plate.  Sprinkle crisp mixture on top. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.

****You can use whatever fruits and nuts you have on hand.  Also the nuts can be toasted in the oven at 350F until you smell them, usually 5-8 minutes. Let them cool and then chop.  They are much tastier.  I would have done that but I wasn't thinking!!

This week's trip to the Farmers' Market.

We got:
muscadine grapes, plums, mushrooms, cabbage, 5 different peppers, 3 different kinds of apples, tomatoes, a butternut squash, yellow squash, zucchini, and sweet potatoes.
I have never had sweet potatoes before except in a pie.  I have also never had butternut squash either.  What am I going to do with these??

Scones

Sophia and I were looking through some of the recipes I mentioned in the last post.  She picked this one for Cranberry Orange Scones.

This is what we got. 
BUT I made a few changes.  Sophia doesn't like cranberries so we substituted chocolate chips and we did not have any oranges (for orange zest) so I added a splash of orange juice.  I really liked the scones but Sophia didn't because of the coconut.  The dough was a little sticky possibly because of the added juice.  I have never used almond flour before so maybe that is the way it is. 
I will make this recipe again sometime.

Portable Snacks

Sophia was told that she needs to have portable snacks to eat in the morning on her way to a class because her team eats the late lunch.  Her homeroom teacher told the kids to eat chips or a granola bar.  WHAT??  She told her teacher she cannot eat those items!  Good for her!!
Sophia is trying to eat primal with me. Today I sent mozzarella sticks for her.  I am slamming my head against the wall to figure out what else to give her. Yesterday she had cut carrots in her lunch but forgot about them so she didn't get a snack and was starving the whole morning, although she did have an egg and a little bit of fruit for breakfast.  Maybe I should hard boil a few eggs for her snack.
I found Caveman Crunch Bars or Cranberry Orange Scones from CivilizedCavemanCooking.com. AND
GrainFree Granola Bars and Grain Free Gluten Free Graham Crackers.
I am still waiting for my coconut flour to arrive. I must let Sophia check out these recipes and see what intrigues her.  If you have any suggestions, please comment!

My latest Penzey's Order!!

I got the bottle of Northwoods and also a Tuscan Sunset for free. I bought the Taco Seasoning, Italian Dressing, Country French Dressing, Fox Point, Tuscan Sunset and Beef Base.

Feta-Topped Chicken

Chicken breasts go uptown with a brush of balsamic, a sprinkle of herbs and a warmed feta finish. Simply sensational! From eatbetteramerica.

Prep Time: 10 min Start to Finish: 25 min Makes 4 Servings

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4	boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
2	tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1	teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4	teaspoon seasoned pepper blend
1	large plum (Roma) tomato, cut into 8 slices
1/4	cup crumbled feta cheese (1 oz)

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1.	Set oven control to broil. Brush both sides of chicken breasts with dressing. Sprinkle both sides with Italian seasoning and seasoned pepper. Place on rack in broiler pan.
2.	Broil with tops 4 inches from heat about 10 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Top with tomato and cheese. Broil 2 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese is lightly browned.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Broil chicken about 15 minutes. Top with tomato and cheese. Broil 1 to 2 minutes longer.

---

Nutritional Information

1 Serving: Calories 220 (Calories from Fat 80); Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 90mg; Sodium 260mg; Total Carbohydrate 3g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 3g); Protein 33g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 6%; Iron 8% Exchanges: 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 4 1/2 Very Lean Meat; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 0
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

WOW! look at these recipes...

I love it when I see recipes on my favorite food blogs that are also Primal!! There are a lot out there if you just look.
Check out this recipe for Turkey Chile Verde from SimplyRecipes.com. Elise also has a link for a pork version!!  Don't you want to dive right into this bowl!!

Mark Bittman also has this recipe for Fish, which uses summer vegetables.  If you are tired of the same ole thing, try it!!

Getting there...

Yesterday I bought some items from the internet.  As I learn more about eating Primal I realize there are food products out there that are not available in the stores here.
I ordered Almond Flour, Coconut Milk and Coconut Flakes so I can make some different recipes from people's blogs.
I broke down and ordered The Primal Blueprint so I will be able to understand more about this way of life.
I am enjoying reading what others are writing and if I like their blogs I will add them to my blogroll!

I am having a hard time finding regular sparkling water so next time I get to Trader Joe's I think I will get a case!!  Everything in the stores nearest me are already flavored and who knows what those flavorings are made of!!
The other day we went to BJ's and they didn't have the ground pork I bought the last timeto make my sausage recipe.  Today I lucked out and found it at Food Lion.  Big Surprise...

On Saturday, I was watching Aarti Party on the Food Network. She was having a burger party with homemade sauces.  I thought this would be a good recipe for the Primal Diet. I have to find pomegrante molasses or make my own.  The little bit of sugar in it cannot hurt that much.

Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip (Muhummara)

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 1/2 cups raw walnuts, halves and pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses*
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• *Pomegranate molasses can be found in the international aisle of specialty supermarkets and at Middle Eastern markets.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roast the red peppers. Place each bell pepper over the open flame of a gas burner or grill, cooking until the skin blackens and blisters. Rotate the peppers and blacken all the way around, about 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can roast the peppers in the oven by placing the bell peppers on a baking sheet and placing under the broiler, turning frequently, until the peppers are blackened and blistered all over. Put the blackened peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to steam.

Toast the walnuts. Spread the walnuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pop into the oven until light golden brown and aromatic, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Peel the red peppers using a paring knife. Discard the peels, stem and seeds. Throw the roasted red peppers, walnuts, garlic, paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and olive oil into a food processor with a teaspoon of salt, and run until the dip is smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Cool and serve.

August 10

What I ate:
I had no breakfast because we went to Frank's shop to help him for a few hours.
Hamburger, tomato, vegetables
Italian sausage, broccoli, cantaloupe
Stewed tomatoes and small piece of raw milk cheddar cheese

August 9

Breakfast

scrambled eggs, Trader Joe's Uncured Bacon,
half tomato and a plum












a small spinach salad
Shrimp and vegetables, cantaloupe
Fage Cherry Pomegranate Yogurt

"Soda"

Have you gone primal but miss the fizzy from soda? I do, sort of.  I had already weaned myself from soda except for one glass of Dr. Pepper, usually everyday.
(I am a water drinker except for coffee in the mornings. I do drink hot teas in the winter or in the evenings if I get cravings.)
We went to our local Trader Joe's on Sunday.  I got a bottle of Trader Joe's Sparkling Natural Spring Water.  I made an orange "soda" with it.  I filled a glass about a 1/4 full with OJ and then topped it off with the sparkling water.  It's very good and filled that fizzy craving I had!  I wasn't jonesing for sugar afterward!

You could use any juice or even some of the Strawberry Kiwi Sauce to make this "soda".

August 8

Today's menu:
Almond Banana Pancakes  from Mark's Daily Apple with some raspberries
My own Strawberry Kiwi Sauce  (see photo and recipe below)
Hotdogs - I know - not great nutrition but trying to use up food
Shrimp and oven fries

Strawberry Kiwi Sauce

1 peeled kiwi, sliced
12 strawberries, halfed
a splash or two of apple juice

I only have an immersion blender so I out these items in to the container and blended them until the fruit was pureed.
Easy and quick
Store in a container in the fridge!


Smoothie
I blended about a 1/4 cup of the puree,
a tablespoon of Fage yogurt
and some milk into a smoothie for Sophia.  She loved it!

August 7

Today's menu:
sausage patty, small tomato wedges, plum
a  spinach salad (see photo below)
2 pork ribs, green beans, grilled yellow squash and zucchini
celery and radishes and dip made with a couple of spoonfuls of Fage Yogurt, a few sprinkles of Penzey's Granulated Onion.


Spinach Salad

a couple of handfuls of spinach
grape tomatoes sliced in half
leftover broccoli from the night before
a few blackberries and dried cranberries
a chopped walnut


Yummy!!

August 6

Eggs scrambled with  crumbled sausage and an orange
Steak and broccoli  - This was yummy.  I parboiled the broccoli  - then put it into a hot pan with olive oil and a few sliced garlic cloves. When it was done I sprinkled a littleRomano cheese on the top!
Creamed spinach

August 5th

What I ate today was:
Scrambled eggs and sausage patty
don't remember eating lunch
Frank wanted lasagna so I made one.
I had a piece, about medium size, for dinner.
A peach, heated in a pan with a bit of water and some whipped cream on top

Sophia's Favorite!!

When she was little, she loved the fruit and yogurt parfait from McDonalds. She would have rather have the parfait than the hamburger!  We don't eat out very often and never to McDonalds so we make our own parfait.

It's really easy:
blueberries
strawberries
Fage Yogurt with a little honey added
2 walnut halfs shredded and put on top! 

August 4th

What I ate today:
I didn't get to eat breakfast.  Had to run to the post office and help my husband with a few things at the shop.
Lunch was a huge salad with a few cherry tomatoes, peppers and onions fried with some hamburger and a bit of taco seasoning, a dollop of greek yogurt and sprinkle of cheddar cheese
Dinner was a grilled chicken breast and some vegetables (mushrooms, carrots, yellow squash and onions)

August 3

What I ate today:
five thin slices of pancetta, scrambled eggs and half a small tomato
a Fage Greek yogurt
Italian sausage and a big salad
an apple and 3 slices of Cabot's Extra Sharp cheddar (my favorite)

Still going strong!!

August 1 & 2

On Monday I ate:
scrambled eggs, a peach and some strawberries
ahamburger patty w/a slice of cheese and half of a small tomato
a couple of slices of pork tenderloin (cooked on the grill, yummy!!) broccoli and grilled yellow squash
an apple for a snack

On Tuesday I ate:
a sausage patty and scrambled eggs
a peach
grilled steak and a little bit of boiled potatoes with oregano and olive oil
1/2 beer - it was a very stressful evening!

I haven't had any alcohol in a month at least!  Just haven't had any desire for it....

Sausage!!

Have you ever made your own sausage?  On this Mark's Daily Apple link, there is a recipe and instructions for making your own sausage.  Since I don't have a meat grinder I looked for some ground pork, which I found at BJ's.

So I made sausage.  It came out tasting really good!  I impressed myself! 
Thanks Sophia for taking this photo!

Homemade Sausage

• 2 lbs. ground pork
• 2 teaspoons ground sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, I used freshly cracked mixed peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar - a little won't hurt!
• 1 teaspoon red peppers flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried chives
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Mix well. (I used my best tools - my hands).  Form into patties. Enjoy!!

Have you heard of Paleo/Primal Eating?

You know what?  I am sick of feeling tired all the time. I get more pimples now than I did as a teenager.  Why??  Could it be what I eat?  I confess that I am not the best at eating what I am supposed to.  I love doughnuts and potato chips!!  I am not a sugaraholic but I do craves sweets at certain times during the month.  I have cut back to one Dr. Pepper a day.  I used to drink at least a 6 pack a day a few years ago.

On FB, I like a page called What's in your kitchen?. A couple of weeks ago Chris posted this http://desertcrossfit.typepad.com/Paleo_Food_List.pdf. I thought it was interesting.

Then I found this site thru a person from What's in your kitchen? http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ . Mark eats a primal diet, which is a little different from the paleo diet. I read more and more about this.

I had problems with migraines in the late 80's and the 90's.  In the early 90's I got checked out by doctors and ended up gaining a lot of weight from the medications that were prescribed to "help" my migraines.  These pills did not help at all.  I cannot lose weight and keep it off. Part of it is my age and part of it is I go back to bad eating!
Once I tried a diet recommended by my parents' doctor.  I gained 10 lbs in a week.  I think it was from all the grains on the diet.

SO ....I am attempting to eat the Primal way.  I started on Saturday.  I did very well.  But I still had that niggling in my head...I gotta eat, I gotta eat - even though I was not hungry.  Or I was feeling sick in my stomach.  Why?  Is it my brain trying to psyche me out because I am changing a few things? Crazy, huh!!

I will use this blog to document my progress!
I am going to eat differently and try to walk everyday (which I can do now that we have moved to a better area - let's hope the temps go down a bit.  It's hard when it is 100/37 degrees everyday.)

What to eat for breakfast?  I think I will have some scrambled eggs seasoned with Sunny Paris Seasoning from Penzey's.  I can have butter and not feel guilty.  I will probably have some fruit too, maybe some strawberries and a fresh peach we got at the farmer's market on Saturday!  Then I will walk over to the office and pay the rent!!