Food and Learning Go Together

First week of groceries!

Peach-Mango and Raspberry
Leaf Tea Gelatin

We are officially one week down and in our second week of Paleo living! I'm still not certain as to whether we are going to be lifers, but we are learning SO MUCH! About our eating habits, about what we put into our bodies, and even some delicious new recipes that we never would have tried before!

Did You Know?

...that Italy, the land of pasta, has one of the highest rates of Celiac Disease (gluten allergy)
...that soy can affect estrogen levels in the body (take it easy there, vegetarians!)
....that gluten is in A LOT of things... soy sauce, hot dogs, make-up... for real.

What We've Learned So Far...

• Romaine lettuce leaves make for a surprisingly delicious replacement for bread on a sandwich. Seriously. I am addicted to this. 
• Cauliflower Rice is REALLY good. Who knew, right?
• Since taking artificial dyes out of our diet a couple of years ago, I have been really missing my occasional bowl of Jello. Guess what -- it is just as easy to make with a packet of real gelatin and some of your favorite real fruit juice. Any kind! Try it out. And it is really good for you!
• I have incorrectly fallen for the American taboo that every other part of the animal, aside from the traditional meat, is "gross" and bad for you. It seems like every other country is out there utilizing and eating the rest of the animal, while we shun it. I have tried organs and even bone marrow in other countries and was surprised at how much I liked them! Bones and organs are particularly healthy for you! Try bones in the form of gelatin (see above), bone broth (super easy and delicious), or bone marrow (trying this out soon!). Jeff loves liver because he ate it as a kid. Me? Not so much. This is also something I have committed to trying out soon.
• Probiotics are all the rage. Yup. Fermented things are good for your gut! As much as I hate to admit it... sauerkraut is good for you! I am not a fan, but have only ever tried it out of the jar. I made my very first batch yesterday. I will let you know how it tastes in about two weeks! This also means that my love of pickled beets, okra, cucumbers, etc, is well-grounded. My mom and sister will be happy to hear that!



Homemade Sauerkraut



Yum

• Gluten is a filler. Everything with gluten in it does a great job of stuffing you to the point of bloated discomfort. Not true with a simple meat/veggies/fruit diet. We have felt full after every meal, but never uncomfortably so. As you read above. Gluten is in A LOT of things. That's because it makes an excellent filler.

Our Biggest Challenges in Week One...

• Snack time. I miss my almost nightly bowl of cereal or glass of chocolate milk. While there aren't many alternatives for cereal, there is actually some really delicious dark chocolate almond milk to get me by!
• Expense. Almond flour, coconut milk, organic produce... not cheap. I can see why this, plus convenience, ranks at the top of the list of why people eat a diet of mostly processed foods. When Jeff and I were first married and struggling to get by, it was tuna casserole, ramen noodles, and hamburger helper most nights! That was also a time when I was having some serious stomach issues and vicious GERD flare-ups. Anyone see a correlation there??



Blueberry Crumble




Beef Lettuce Boats

• Convenience. For me, I'm the one trying to chop up fresh veggies and prepare these meals with a one-year-old running between my legs, going through my kitchen cabinets. For Jeff, he eats out a couple of times a week for work and it is just convenient for him to eat what everyone else is having!  

We were lucky enough to get to borrow the book Practical Paleo from a new friend and we have been following most of the 30 day meal plan recipes. Really, there have only been about two recipes we've tried that we didn't care for. The rest has been so good! My recipe stash is definitely growing. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in learning about the diet.

Bennett trying his first kale chip!

On the more normal side of things, my next term of classes starts up today! One of them is Young Adult Literature and I have to read Divergent and The Hunger Games for class. Tough stuff, right? ;)