Ahhhhh, the "Paleo Diet" is for me!

[strawberryblonde]

My wife's been on the Paleo diet for a while and has lost a lot of weight & has been able to keep with it. I think the main thing that's helped is cutting out the bread,pasta, and beer. I still can't believe she was able to give up beer!

LOL!!! The beer thing made me laugh. The funny thing is just how good you feel when you eat all that fresh fruit and veg. Maybe it makes even beer seem less attractive? Oh and yeah, you can lose an awful lot of weight on this eating plan. My son in law didn't need to lose ANY weight, started on Paleo (he's a crossfit guy) and lost 35 pounds. He had to adjust his caloric intake in order to stop the weight loss. I told him to just send it over to me...lol

Tell your wife I said "way to go Glenn's wife!", ok?

[Ryan]

I'm a bit late to this post, but several people in my family have been eating Paleo and they've lost a lot of weight. My sister and I have been trying to eat healthier without doing the full paleo diet. My biggest loves are pasta, bread, and DAIRY, so it's obviously a diet I struggle with.

Do you enjoy bananas? Here are two really simple recipes that you can try out.

The first is 2-ingredient pancakes. http://theskinnyconfidential.com/201...s-full-protein
It's literally just a mashed, ripe banana and two eggs, beaten together and cooked in a skillet just like pancakes. We eat them with maple syrup or honey.

The other is banana soft serve. I am a huge ice cream fan and my favorite flavor is Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey. I found this recipe and it actually works pretty well. http://www.choosingraw.com/banana-soft-serve

You take just-ripe bananas, break them up into a tupperware container, and freeze them for a day or two. Once they're fully frozen, you throw them in a full-sized food processor (I tried this with the Bullet blender thing and it wasn't powerful enough to aerate it properly, so it turned out pretty soupy) and process on high for 5 minutes. This whips a ton of air into them and it ends up being the exact texture of soft-serve ice cream. I mix in a couple chopped walnuts and pieces of dark chocolate, and I have my own homemade Chunky Monkey.

My other go-to that has been a savior is spaghetti squash in place of pasta. You just cut a spaghetti squash in half, clean out the seeds and slime, rub it with olive oil, and bake it face-down on a sheet pan at 375F for 45 - 60 minutes until it's tender. Then it just shreds apart in long strands like angel hair spaghetti pasta. I make a red sauce with canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, and other spices, then mix in ground turkey in place of beef or sausage. It tricks me into thinking I'm eating a big plate full of fattening spaghetti when really spaghetti squash is only like 40 calories per cup and it's packed full of nutrition. There are also some decent organic pasta sauces in jars at the grocery store but you have to be careful because it seems like high fructose corn syrup/processed sugar is in everything these days, even things you wouldn't realize. For that reason I tend to just use canned tomatoes and make my own.

[Trier20]

I've been trying to do this for a bit now. Went to the Dr for chest pains and out I came with an entire new lifestyle and pissed that I really couldn't eat anything I truly lived much anymore. I been half a$$ing it for a month and lost 15#! I was amazed at how much better you feel when you cut carbs out of yor diet. I will have the occasional I don't care day and eat to my hearts content and then feel like crap te next day.

[strawberryblonde]

Way to go Brandon on the weight you've lost! Woot!!!

Have you started reinventing recipes yet? It's a LOT of fun! Fer instance, here's a pancake recipe that you can enjoy on the weekends:

1/4 Cup Coconut Flour - Don't go cheap on this stuff, read reviews and buy the finest milled flour you can get
1 Cup Almond Flour
2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
-----------------------
Stir the dry ingredients together in a medium sized mixing bowl. Set aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.

1 Can Coconut Milk
2 tbsp. Oil
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 Egg Yolks
3 Egg Whites

Separate the eggs, then mix together the milk, oil, vanilla and egg yolks in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites till stiff peaks form.

Now stir the milk mixture into the dry ingredients till it forms a smooth batter. Add more milk, or cold water, till the mixture is the texture of cake batter. Gently fold in the egg whites to add a nice airy lightness to the batter.

Cook like standard pancakes and top with an all fruit jam or slather with any nut butter except peanut butter. =)

Can't wait to see how you do next month!

[strawberryblonde]

I'm a bit late to this post, but several people in my family have been eating Paleo and they've lost a lot of weight. My sister and I have been trying to eat healthier without doing the full paleo diet. My biggest loves are pasta, bread, and DAIRY, so it's obviously a diet I struggle with.

Do you enjoy bananas? Here are two really simple recipes that you can try out.

The first is 2-ingredient pancakes. http://theskinnyconfidential.com/201...s-full-protein
It's literally just a mashed, ripe banana and two eggs, beaten together and cooked in a skillet just like pancakes. We eat them with maple syrup or honey.

The other is banana soft serve. I am a huge ice cream fan and my favorite flavor is Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey. I found this recipe and it actually works pretty well. http://www.choosingraw.com/banana-soft-serve

You take just-ripe bananas, break them up into a tupperware container, and freeze them for a day or two. Once they're fully frozen, you throw them in a full-sized food processor (I tried this with the Bullet blender thing and it wasn't powerful enough to aerate it properly, so it turned out pretty soupy) and process on high for 5 minutes. This whips a ton of air into them and it ends up being the exact texture of soft-serve ice cream. I mix in a couple chopped walnuts and pieces of dark chocolate, and I have my own homemade Chunky Monkey.

My other go-to that has been a savior is spaghetti squash in place of pasta. You just cut a spaghetti squash in half, clean out the seeds and slime, rub it with olive oil, and bake it face-down on a sheet pan at 375F for 45 - 60 minutes until it's tender. Then it just shreds apart in long strands like angel hair spaghetti pasta. I make a red sauce with canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, and other spices, then mix in ground turkey in place of beef or sausage. It tricks me into thinking I'm eating a big plate full of fattening spaghetti when really spaghetti squash is only like 40 calories per cup and it's packed full of nutrition. There are also some decent organic pasta sauces in jars at the grocery store but you have to be careful because it seems like high fructose corn syrup/processed sugar is in everything these days, even things you wouldn't realize. For that reason I tend to just use canned tomatoes and make my own.

These are great recipes! I love the soft serve banana ice cream one. My husband likes it when I put 2 tbsp. of cocoa in the food processor with the frozen bananas. Comes out tasting like chocolate ice cream.

Have you tried Garlic Mashed Cauliflower yet?

Take 1 whole bulb of garlic. Cut the top off of the bulb, but don't peel the garlic. Now wrap the bottom half of the garlic in foil to form a little bowl that leaves the top open. Heat the oven to 300. Drizzle a little olive oil over the garlic bulb, then pop it into the oven for at least 30 minutes. Check to see if the cloves are soft and mushy when you gently squeeze them. If not, roast them another 15 - 20 minutes.

Once the garlic bulb is fully cooked you can wrap it and pop it into the fridge to use as flavorings for dishes all week.

To make the "Mashed Potatoes"

Chop 1 head of fresh cauliflower into florets. If you don't like the strong flavor of cauliflower, don't include the stems, just use the tops of the florets.

Steam or boil the florets for 15 minutes. I like to steam them and sprinkle them with Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb mixture during the steaming so that they absorb some of that flavor too.

Now drain the cauliflower REALLY well. Just let it sit in a strainer till all the excess moisture has evaporated. Dump the cauliflower into your food processor, add 2 cloves of the roasted garlic. (You can just pinch the bottom of each clove and the garlic will pop right out).

Add 2 pats of butter - NO MILK - and process on high till the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add salt to taste.

This stuff mimics potatoes so well that my husband doesn't know the difference. Just be sure not to put any milk in them like you would for standard mashed potatoes. Adding milk (coconut milk) turns them into a delicious Creamed Cauliflower Soup. =)

[Skip]

PALEO BREAD!?!?

[strawberryblonde]

That bread is tasty! It's a very basic quick bread, so it uses baking soda instead of yeast. Yeast just plain doesn't work without gluten. LOL

I've made homemade crepes and a sorta version of flour tortillas that are pretty good too. For the crepes, I fill them with homemade italian sausage, mushrooms and fresh spinach, roll them up and then top with some homemade tomato sauce. Bake them up and they kinda like a cross between lasagne and manicotti, but without all the cheese.

All time favorite dish so far though is my "General Tsorta's Chicken".

General Tsorta’s Chicken
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups peanut or vegetable oil for frying, plus 1 tablespoon for stir-frying
8 dried whole red chilis, or substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 tsp. dried minced garlic
1 yellow onion, chopped or sliced very thin
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into small florets

Sauce:
1 can chicken stock, or substitute water
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce - I tend to like a bit more soy sauce, so add more to your own taste
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon chili paste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Chicken Marinade:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
2 egg whites

The easiest way to do this without last minute stress and tons of kitchen mess is to prepare the sauce first and set aside, then chop the onion and broccoli and set aside in a bowl, then make the Chicken Marinade in a medium bowl, then chop the chicken (makes about 9 - 12 pieces per chicken thigh and I use 6 thighs) and place it into the marinade bowl. Once all that is done, take time to clean up the kitchen and start the oil heating in a smallish pot with tall sides. A spaghetti pot works really well for this. Much less splattering if you use a tall pan!
While the oil is heating, coat the chicken pieces with the cornstarch/salt mixture and set it on paper towels so that it doesn't stick together. Once that's done, heat your non-stick frying pan and cook the vegetables over HIGH heat till lightly browned, then put them back into their bowl, reduce the heat on the pan and add the sauce mixture. Bring that to a boil, then reduce the heat and keep it warm while you fry your chicken. Bring it back to a boil when you're ready to coat the chicken with the sauce, then stir in the veggies after the chicken is all covered in that delicious saucy goodness.
Now on to the prep and cooking instructions. =)

Prepare the sauce:
In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sesame oil, sugar, and the 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Stir until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Set the sauce aside.

Prepare the Onion and Broccoli:
Chop the onion finely, or slice fine if you prefer longer pieces. Chop the head of broccoli into small florets. Place in a small mixing bowl and set aside.

Prepare the Chicken:
Cut each thigh into about 9 pieces. I find it works best if I place the chicken into the freezer for 1 hour before cutting. Place the chicken cubes into the marinade bowl as you cut them up.

Prepare the marinade:
In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, and egg whites. Coat the chicken to the marinade mixture and let sit for 10 minutes.

Prepare the Chicken Coating: On a plate, toss the 1/2 cup cornstarch with the salt and pepper.


Take a nice break now, clean up the messes in the kitchen and take up to an hour to relax before you make dinner! Yep, now you know, I make this stuff up ahead of time and go read a book for an hour till my stomach is hollering at me to eat dinner. =)

Making the dish:
Coat the marinated chicken in the cornstarch/salt mixture and shake off any excess before frying. Place on a paper towel. The coating will seem very thin, but trust me, it's magic and will puff up and stay crispy in the sauce!
Heat the 3 cups of peanut or vegetable oil in your pot or wok until it registers 350°F on a thermometer. Working in 3 batches, add the first batch of chicken cubes and fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
While the first batch of chicken is frying, cook the vegetables. In a non-stick skillet over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the base and sides. Add the dried chilis and garlic to the wok and stir-fry until just fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the onions and broccoli and saute just till golden brown. Put the veggies back into their bowl.
While the second batch of chicken is frying, make the sauce. In the same skillet, pour in the sauce mixture and stir until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat and keep warm till all the chicken is cooked, then bring back to a boil.
Add the chicken to the pan and stir well to coat with sauce. Add the vegetables to the chicken and stir just till combined.

I know the recipe itself looks very intimidating, but it's all broken down into easy steps, and you can make everything ahead of time, then grab it out of the fridge and fry it up at the last minute.

[Discus-n00b]

Thank you for posting that. Out of all of the pictures on the first page, the General Tsorta’s Chicken called to me the most LOL. I will for sure be trying that with a little modification perhaps....Vinegar is the bane of my existence LOL.

I think the hardest thing is to start any type of diet...once you get into that routine its fine, starting is the hardest part. All of you have more strength then me. Currently I am on the "just eat healthier then you have been" diet whether that be cutting down portion sizes, or choosing a healthy snack at night over butter popcorn or ice cream, etc. I'm working my way to a better lifestyle, just slowly lol. Some of the recipes and ideas in this thread has me intrigued.

[LizStreithorst]

It sounds excellent. I will serve it with rice since I eat whatever I want. I'm into food for the flavor, not the health benefits.

[strawberryblonde]

It sounds excellent. I will serve it with rice since I eat whatever I want. I'm into food for the flavor, not the health benefits.

I totally get that Liz, I made sure that the recipe was full of those pungent, spicy flavors that are in General Tso's chicken, but changed them up so that this recipe can be served on an Atkins Diet, the Paleo Diet, a Diabetic Diet and can even be enjoyed by regular folks who don't have restrictions.

My family is split about evenly into each of the diet type categories so when we get together there has to be stuff to please everyone. And my husband is the first to pout if there's no rice with his Tsorta's Chicken. LOL

[LizStreithorst]

I was on Atkins for a while when I weighed more that I should have. I lost the weight and never gained it back. I lost my taste for sweets which was something I never thought possible.