With Sarah out of town for the filming of Primal Chef, it was my job to create this recipe and share it on Everyday Paleo.  Well, technically I didn’t create this recipe, Sarah told me what to cook, how to cook it and in what order, prior to leaving!  Our boys absolutely love the enchilada sauce from Everyday Paleo and what better way to enjoy a sauce than on meatballs!  Sarah and our son Jaden (8yo) actually created this recipe for Jaden’s book report project earlier this week.  What I did create however, was a fun time for me and the boys in the kitchen while preparing this great meal, and believe me, it’s pretty amazing.  Hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!

The Sauce (Seafood enchilada sauce from Everyday Paleo)

Note: prepare sauce or have it simmering prior to putting meatballs into the oven.

1 medium onion, minced

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 cups tomato puree (make your own-about 4 large tomatoes pureed in a food processor)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp sea salt

Saute the onions in coconut oil until limp.  Add tomato puree, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt.  Mix well and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often.  Pour the sauce into a food processor and process until smooth.

Meatballs

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 garlilc cloves

1 tbsp oregano

1/2 small onion, minced

2 tsp cumin

Mix together all ingredients and form golf ball size meatballs.  Place meatballs into a glass dish (will probably need 2- makes about 24 meatballs) and bake at 375 for 15 min.  Then spoon sauce over the meatballs and bake for another 10-15 minutes.  

As always, enjoy!!

Mexican Meatballs is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

If you haven’t yet heard, there’s a new documentary in the works called, “In Defense of Fat: Rethinking the Bad Science Eating at America’s Health.”  The film, created by Kennon Hulett of Falling Whale Films, will focus on obesity, nutrition, and the politics of health. Yesterday was a big day for “In Defense of Fat” with Kennon’s launch of a Kickstarter campaign to help with the creation of this important film.

I’m also pleased to announce that I have been asked to participate in the film, and I am honored to have the opportunity to do so. This documentary will bring together many of the most respected scientists, nutritionists, trainers and authors in the Paleo and Ancestral Health communities. In doing so, “In Defense of Fat” clarifies the complex relationship between human evolutionary history and the science – and politics – of nutrition and health.

The film is firmly rooted in current scientific research on Ancestral Health, a theory which proposes that the human body is not adapted to an agricultural diet, and especially not to the many processed foods in our daily lives. “In Defense of Fat” turns the microscope on media and medical research, deconstructing the “diet talk” that informs and misinforms while shaping our understanding of bodies, size, health.

Please help Kennon in her quest to help the public realize the importance of the ancestral movement as we all stand together “In Defense of Fat.”

In Defense of Fat!! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Everyday Paleo Workshop Coming to Palo Alto, CA on June 9th!! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

When I first decided to give Paleo a try, I made it a national declaration in our home….I called the family together, stood tall and boasted we were all going Paleo. Gave them the details and told them this was how we were going to eat from now on…Hmm not the greatest approach when I look back now.

I am usually a much easier going person with life’s changes. I usually laugh at everything. In fact, I confess, I can’t even get mad at my kids with out laughing. Nothing in life to me is ever that serious. Unless it’s serious….if you follow that one!?

Anyway….they all kind of looked at me like who are you, where is our mom, and while you’re at it, please get rid of this Sargent major, we don’t like her.

Now don’t get me wrong they were all totally one board for me doing this, feeling better, and all for supporting me..…But that was about it. It was kind of like the proof is in the pudding thing. You show us it works, and then we will talk.

Out the door that family event went. At first I was very disappointed, but as time went on, I was glad. I quickly realized it was kind of like “put the oxygen mask on yourself first” theory.

Cleaning up my eating protocol was a bigger change and challenge than I had thought. I was having a hard enough time trying to survive, figure out what to eat, and fight those nasty carb cravings..…The thought of a whole house full of carb craving, crazy people all at one time. Well, I can’t even bear the thought.

As the weeks and months went on my family started noticing things. I had more energy, I was happier, I laughed all the time, I say ALL the time because as I mentioned, l laughed a lot to begin with…..I wanted to be outside walking, talking, gardening, anything. I just wanted to enjoy and live life.

Slowly I notice the kids where saying, “What are you having tonight mom, we want the same” Hmm, good sign.

Then I noticed the “yucky” foods where sitting in the fridge and cupboard longer and longer, and “my” foods where disappearing faster, and faster….Hmm, great sign.

Now it is just a natural family affair. I did not have to beg, borrow, or steal to get them on board; I just had to live it, love it, and show by example.

So going Paleo alone at first is not all bad, in fact it just might the best thing ever.  Just like they say on the airplane: put your own mask on first…..

Until next time,
Much joy and happiness
Lisa

Put Your Own Mask on First. is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

How can we possibly teach proper form at EPLifeFit?  That question has come up enough times that I thought it was finally time to show you.  With the help of an anonymous member, I am going to walk you through the process of learning proper squats.

To begin, our members film themselves doing a few reps of the movement for critique.  We provide detailed instructions of the angles from which we need to see each specific movement.  They may ask a friend to film them, or simply set their phone to record, walk into the shot, and perform their reps.  We aren’t looking for amazing cinematography.  We just need a clear view.  Once they have their video, they upload it to Youtube and set the privacy setting to “Unlisted”.  This means nobody can see it without the link.  We offer detailed instructions for the entire upload process, as well.  Then they post the link in our private “Critique My Movements” forum.  Each thread in this forum is visible only by the moderators and the person who posted it, so we aren’t asking anyone to share their videos with the world.

The following is an example of how the process unfolds from there.  This member had some frustration because she had worked with a trainer in the past and was convinced that she had good squat form.  I took the screen capture below at the bottom of her squat in her first video.

The red line indicates her thigh angle at the bottom of each rep, and the yellow line is the approximate angle we need to see for full depth.  The two red arrows point to her hip crease and the top of her knee.  For full depth, we need the hip crease to end up below the top of the knee.  I gave her a link to another EPLifeFit instructional video that contained box squat drills designed to help her achieve full depth and I asked her to send another video after a little practice.  The screen capture below is from her next video submission.

Once we got her closer to full depth using a box, another deviation showed itself.  Her thigh angle and foot angle did not line up and this was creating torque at her knee.  This is definitely not a safe situation for the knee, especially under heavy loads, so I went back over the subtle details of the box drill video with her again, emphasizing the importance of knee and foot angle.  After some practice, she submitted another video and I grabbed the two screen captures below.

She is now reaching full depth without a box, but her thigh and foot angles are still off and the knee is still under torque.  This is a tough concept for most people to get their heads around, and we see this deviation to some degree in nearly every beginner (and a lot of seasoned pros, too, if their coaches weren’t meticulous), but it absolutely cannot be ignored if you want healthy knees.  At this point I knew she needed some better visuals of proper form, so I grabbed a couple of screen shots from our instructional videos.

I used this screen capture as an example of proper foot position in the bottom of a box drill so she could see that her foot angle was far too wide in the screen capture above.

Then, to really drive the knee/foot angle point home, I used the screen capture below from our “Squat Deviations” video to show her a different angle of the problem we were seeing in her squats.  (This picture is an example of improper form.)

Once she completely understood what she needed to do, she only needed some practice.   Before long, she sent a video containing the squats below and we got excited together.  With nothing left but removing the training wheels (box), perfect squats were dead ahead.

There is sometimes some frustration along the way because most people try to convince themselves that their bodies don’t move like this, but we know they can do it and we don’t take no for an answer.  Many people also tend to get a little upset if they realize that they performed thousands of bad reps under the tutelage of inexperienced coaches.  Eventually, everyone settles into great movements with our service, you just have to let us help you.  We hope to see you over at EPLifeFit!

Go forth and be awesome.

Learning Proper Form at EPLifeFit is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

We, The Fragoso Family, live a paleo lifestyle; therefore avoiding grains, dairy, legumes, and sugars.  We also happen to live in an extremely non-paleo world.  However, as a family we have overcome some serious and some minor health issues; all thanks to cutting out large portions of the food pyramid from our diets. Yes, the food pyramid, that thing that hangs in all of the classrooms across our great nation.

As a family; our lives are obviously and vastly different than our neighbors, friends, teachers, and family members.  And yet, everyday we stay strong, healthy, active, and vibrant in a world that is waiting at every corner with food that used to makes us sick, weak, and trapped in our lives.  Our lives that we considered to be “normal.”

Now my kids are getting older and we are almost half way to the five year mark of our paleo journey, or pardon me, or LIFE journey, or our REALLY LIVING journey, and let me tell you; kids are really really smart and insightful and not at all blind to what’s happening in our society.

My oldest son Coby, the light of my life, my hero really, will be entering his Junior year of high school next year and we are talking about exciting stuff like which colleges he would like to apply to, what direction he wants to head in career wise, what his friends want to do, where he might want to live.  All that normal almost done with high school stuff BUT my son has some serious questions and some serious concerns.

He feels really good eating paleo and has made a concious decision to keep it up, all on his own, no nagging from the Everyday Paleo lady which happens to be his mom.  But he rightfully want to know; why?  Why is our food supply riddled with foods that are making people so darn sick.  Why?  Why does HE HAVE to be so careful with every food choice when not at home to avoid being doubled over with abdominal pains.  WHO would want to do this to him?  WHY don’t I –  as his MOTHER – have those answers for him?

Why would the people who are supposed to be taking care of us; those who are supposed to guide us; the folks who are in charge; my son would like to know: why don’t these people care about where our food is coming from, why is our FOOD making people sick, and why do some of his teenage friends have to rely on  things like pharmaceuticals to stay healthy when HE knows at sixteen that all it really takes is REAL FOOD?  

Does this not make you want to scream? Does this not make you want to grab your children and run for the hills?  My bags are half way packed and my kids are already loaded in the car.  That’s how it makes me feel.  Do I have all of the answers?  No.  Do I have the power to change or solve all of these gigantic questions that my son has? Not on a global level; but I have the power to create change in my own little world, in my own home and on this blog. Hopefully we all can someday realize our own small influence can make a huge impact and that my friends is the one thing that keeps me from packing it all up and pulling out of the driveway to go get lost on a deserted island somewhere.

And what about my littler boys? My eight year old Jaden, my four year old Rowan.  I tear up just typing their names. They trust their mom and dad.  They feel good. They are happy.  They don’t want their friends to be sick.  They are also sometimes scared.  ”Why does “insert family member name here” eat gluten mom?” “Why don’t you tell them how bad it is for them?”

Just the other day on an innocent trip to Target to pick up toilet paper; Rowan asked me in the store after noticing for the first time a bag of gold fish crackers, “Mom, why do they make “gluten cheese fish” for kids?”  He KNEW if was for kids because of the damn packaging.  So yes, someone please explain to my four year old WHY?? Why is this happening???

This blog post unfortunately is not filled with answers; obviously it’s filled with questions.  Questions that my own insightful, hopeful, dream-filled, lovely, sweet precious boys would like to have answered and it chokes me up that this is just how it is but I’m filled with hope that they are asking!  It makes me march with resilience to the GRUB farm every Tuesday to show my boys where OUR food comes from.  It makes me hold my head up high when people ask me in a snarky sort of way, “How are those book sales going, are people still really interested in the whole cave man thing?”  It makes me proud when I’m in my garage with little Rowan teaching him how to do pushups and he asks me to race him one more time around the block when not so very long ago it was all I could do to get up off the couch.  It makes me angry that I have to work so hard to keep on keeping on but that anger is backed by the joy of knowing that we won’t quit.  I’ll say it again simply because it feels good, we won’t quit!

I want every family to ask these questions that my kids are asking me.  I want EVERY kid to look up at mom or dad and ask, “Why are they making gluten cheese fish for kids??”

Even though I don’t have all the answers I believe that the answers lie in all of us continuing to ask these important questions also and finding the answers that work for US!  Shopping local, demanding meat that is from animals that are raised how they are intended to be raised. Teaching our children WHY we eat the way we do.  Making paleo a lifestyle and not just another way to attempt to fit into that elusive pair of jeans because honestly, if this world is crumbling around us and our kids have questions too big for us to answer, who really cares how our jeans fit anyway??

And now I’m off to hug my children.  The only people who’s lives I am truly responsible for. The biggest reason why I keep on keeping on. The big brown eyes that hopefully will someday  not have to answer the same questions from their own children that I am faced with.  They are reason that I am writing this to all of you. Please folks, let’s look at the bigger picture through they eyes of our children.

Looking at the Bigger Picture – Through the Eyes of my Children is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Yes, it’s a big name but way easier than it sounds and holy cow; so darn delicious I’m making this dish twice in one week!!!  I made this for lunch yesterday and although I haven’t yet tried the following option; I’m confident that the Salsa and the Cilantro Sauce would also be just as good over other seafood options besides halibut or served on top of chicken!

As summer approaches, I find my taste buds longing for light and fresh meals versus the heartier stews and roasted meats that sustained us through winter.

I hope you all enjoy!!

Pan Seared Halibut with Ginger Mango Salsa and Cilantro Sauce

Ginger Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled and diced

½ small red onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ red bell pepper, finely chopped

Juice from ½ a lime

1/2 a bunch of cilantro, diced

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together the above ingredients and set aside.

Cilantro Sauce

½ cup home made mayo

½ cup cilantro

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons lime juice

Hot sauce to taste (I used Tapatio)

In a food processor or blender add all of the above ingredients and blend together until smooth.

The Fish 

1 pound halibut (Or however much you want to make!  One pound served two adults.)

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. Season both sides of the fish filets with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan over medium to medium high heat.

3. Once the oil in the pan is nice and hot, place the fish filets in the hot coconut oil in and cook for 3-4 minutes per side

4. Serve the fish topped with the Mango Ginger Salsa and drizzled with the Cilantro Sauce.

As always, Enjoy!!

Pan Seared Halibut with Ginger Mango Salsa and Cilantro Sauce is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

You care about what you eat, and we care about what you drink!

Our coffee is hand roasted in small batches to order with YOU in mind. Mass produced coffee is roasted in huge batches and can take over a month before it gets into your cup. One Drop will ship your coffee within 12 hours of roasting in ensure that you are always drinking the freshest and most delicious coffee.

Our coffee is so good, you may find that you are no longer tempted to turn your coffee into a “cheat” in your paleo lifestyle because it can be enjoyed black. You can also drink coffee responsibly, knowing that you are drinking organic and fair trade trade coffee. Also, a portion of our profits will be donated to help keep oceans and rivers clean.

Let us be part of your day, everyday!

{Disclosure: Sarah Fragoso, while not compensated for this post, is an investor with One Drop Coffee}

One Drop Coffee is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

A Bicep….

I found one; I have one!!! Actually two, I have two biceps.
I am not talking about the photo I saw from Google images of the human anatomy.

Noooo, I have an actually bicep. It comes out and plays, and it magically forms itself when I lift my arm.

Unlike the Easter crème egg fiasco, I was pleased and excitingly surprised to see this unexpected thing pop up one day.

Many moons ago, pre-children. I was an avid runner, cheerleader and competitive gymnast for my high school. So I knew the competitive drive was in me. I knew the younger version of me had drive, kick and compassion for fitness. But “younger” is the key word.

Somewhere along the way of becoming a wife and mother, my drive for fitness and a toned fit body disappeared. I mean come on; I had given birth to 2 children, and nursed them both, I was entitled right!? Things where bound to shift and hang in places they were not meant to be…. Life took over, some autoimmune issues kicked up and I got lost.

As time went on and I got more out of shape, I became more afraid to push myself. I think deep down, I always wanted that fit toned person back, I just did not know how to find her.
I tried the gym thing too many time to mention, not for me. Too many sweaty people, in spandex, in one spot. Tried Yoga, and did enjoy it, but one class was enough, I kept waiting for the get up and go part; way too slow. I realized then and there I needed fast pace and action. So I tried upping the pace. Over the years there was Zumba, Pilates, Richard Simmons (whom I love by the way), biking (not for the faint of heart here in NYC), step class (with the cool leg warmers), and the list goes on, all with no success.

Then I came across Sarah, and her book Everyday Paleo. The workout pictures in the back of her book made me think, Hmmm I could do that. But as the Paleo journey had been progressing, one thing I learned, very quickly was that for me to succeed, I needed a constant voice in my ear, some major handholding and somewhere to be accountable. (Sadly being accountable to myself at this point was not enough).

Along with the great support and videos from EPLifeFit, I also chose to work with a local personal trainer. I told her all about the Paleo way and EPLifeFit, how I wanted to look, and workout, and she was totally open and on board. Now I had two powerful women in my corner believing in me, convincing me I was strong!

It took time and a few sessions of hard work to believe in myself again. I was scared to hurt myself, to work my heart to hard, even though it was in small bursts; the fear was overwhelming. I was basically just scared of the unknown and of what was to come. I was out of my comfort zone once again (this keeps happening a lot on this Paleo journey) and I did not like it.

Fast forward, I am happy to report; I now work out for ME. I would not think of missing a work out, and on my days off I am so pumped with energy my kids are like, ”really mom?”
I work out hard and have grown to take my training time very serious.

I have become one of those huff and puffers. I feel empowered. I never thought I would be able to lift weights over my head, or balance on one foot while working my backside!!
My outside still might look a little marshmallow-y (probably not a word, but I like the way it sounds) and I know it won’t be that way for long, but the inside of me, my mind, body and soul feels like buns of steel!!!

Paleo is so much more than just food. It is “life”, and what I mean by that is, it gives you one back.

Hugs and happiness, until next time
Lisa

Sarah, once again thank you for supporting this life changing challenge, without you there would have been no begging. To all of your readers, who have taken their time to follow and post wonderful supportive thoughts, thank you. When I look back at me before this Paleo challenge, it brings tears to my eyes. I am now such a different person. No, actually, I am now finding the new version of the old me. For that there are no words of thanks.

A Bicep! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

If you have never heard me extol the virtues of lifting heavy weights, we have only just met.  For health and fat loss goals, heavy lifting and a solid paleo diet are unparalleled.  Unfortunately, women and heavy lifting is the hardest sell out of everything we preach around here.  Some of you who frequent this site and our Facebook pages are doing everything else perfectly, but you are not lifting weights and you are not getting the results you want.  If you are worried that you will get too muscular and masculine, we covered that with Katie and the Women and Muscle post.  If you are intimidated by the meat heads in the gym, we covered that in this post.  If you just don’t know what to do or where to start and don’t know any good trainers, we created Everyday Paleo Lifestyle and Fitness for you and we have had amazing success interactively teaching proper form to our members over the internet.  So if, you’re still not sure about the benefits of lifting heavy weights,  maybe I can win you over with some science!

Bone density and osteoporosis have been hot topics for women in the last couple of decades, but the only answer most women have been given is to supplement with more calcium.  Interestingly, nobody is talking about the potential causes of all this bone demineralization women are suffering and the fact that maybe neolithic foods like vegetable oils are a problem, but today we are pretending that all of you already eat the way your genome expects you to eat.  In my opinion supplements always need to be looked at with some serious scrutiny because we did not need them to be healthy for the last 2 million years, and a great many supplements that were sure to save us from ourselves and the terrible way we treat our bodies have resulted in more problems.  Calcium is no exception.  While many studies have shown that calcium supplementation provides a bit of protection against bone loss, calcium supplementation has also been implicated in an increased risk of heart attack.

What’s left?  Heavy weights!  Here comes some science.

From this Italian study:  “These results suggest that even a short-term weight training program can either maintain or improve the BMD of the femoral neck and lumbar vertebrae in premenopausal women.”  So according to this study, lifting weights has a quick return on investment when it comes to the health of your bones.

From the abstract of this review paper:  “High-intensity resistance training, in contrast to traditional pharmacological and nutritional approaches for improving bone health in older adults, has the added benefit of influencing multiple risk factors for osteoporosis including improved strength and balance and increased muscle mass.”  In other words, lifting heavy weights (high-intensity resistance training), not to be confused with those cardio classes with tiny dumbbells at the big box gyms, is better than drugs and supplements because it addresses more of the risk factors for osteoporosis.

For those of you that may be trying to ignore the word “heavy” every time you read it here, check out this study of postmenopausal women, the group at the highest risk of bone mineral loss.  Researchers had this to say: “Postmenopausal bone mass can be significantly increased by a strength regimen that uses high-load low repetitions but not by an endurance regimen that uses low-load high repetitions. We conclude that the peak load is more important than the number of loading cycles in increasing bone mass in early postmenopausal women.”  This means your 5 lb dumbbells and a lot of reps won’t do it.  You need to lift some big weights.

This meta analysis looked at 6 studies to see if aerobic (cardio) exercise had a positive effect on bone density in postmenopausal women and came to this conclusion: “The overall results of this study suggest that site-specific aerobic exercise has a moderately positive effect on bone density at the hip in postmenopausal women. However, a need exists for additional, well-designed studies before a final recommendation can be made regarding the efficacy of aerobic exercise as a nonpharmacologic intervention for optimizing bone density at the hip in postmenopausal women.”  In other words, aerobic exercise might offer a little help, but we need better data.  Hmm, it seems to me that the researchers in the resistance training studies were more confident in their results.

Currently, about 70% of the women in my gym deadlift 200 lbs or more and not one of them looks like a man or could even be described as carrying too much muscle.  If I have done my job here today, you’ll at this point be running to the gym to lift something heavy!  The one temporarily valid excuse is lack of knowledge, and we get that.  We don’t want you to hurt yourself, but there are great trainers out there if you know where to look, or you can come to EPLifeFit and we will be happy to help you ourselves.  So what do you want?  Limitations or results?

If you are a woman who already lifts weights, please share your experience in the comments.

Go forth and be awesome.

Women, Weights, and Bone Density is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

*Be sure to also visit Katie over at Wellness Mama!

The wonderful Amish farmers who we get a lot of our produce and meat from are predicting a record season for bugs in our area.

As someone who seems to be a magnet for mosquitos, I am less than enthused about this!

I’m also not a fan of chemical bug sprays. In their case, the cure seems worse than the disease, since the chemicals in many bug sprays have been linked to hormone imbalances and different chemical toxicities.

At the top of the list to avoid is the harmful chemical DEET, which is present in many commercial insect repellents. According to this site:

One of the most widely used ingredients in store-bought conventional bug sprays for personal use is N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide, or DEET, as it’s commonly known. DEET, which is designed to repel, rather than kill, insects. DEET is used by an estimated one-third of the US population each year. Although DEET is approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is a known eye irritant and can cause rashes, soreness, or blistering when applied to the skin. Additionally, DEET has been linked to neurological problems; according to the EPA, at least 18 different cases of children suffering adverse nuerological effects, as well as the deaths of two adults, have been associated with DEET. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found that DEET causes diffuse brain cell death and behavioral changes in rats.

DEET has been shown to have a negative impact on wildlife and water sources in production and during use. DEET is toxic to birds and aquatic life. DEET has been found in approximately 75 percent of U.S. water sources, including the Mississippi River.

Fortunately, there is a natural alternative that is fast and easy to make at home (catching a trend here?).

The easiest way to make natural insect repellent is to use concentrated essential oils in a water and witch hazel base.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup distilled water
• 1/3 cup witch hazel
• 1/2 tsp vegetable glycerine (optional)
• 30-50 drops (total) of essential oils for desired strength: Citronella, Clove, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Cajeput, Eucalyptus, Catnip, Lavender, Mint        (I use 10-15 drops of each of: Rosemary, Clove, Cajeput, Lavender, Cinnamon and Eucalyptus)

(All ingredients are available here)

How to Make: 

Combine all ingredients in an 8 ounce or larger spray bottle (glass is best). Shake well and shake before each use.

How to Use:

Spray on the skin before exposure to areas where you will come in contact with insects. Repels mosquitos, gnats and other small insects. Re-apply every 2-3 hours or as needed.

Other Options:

There are also ways to make homemade insect repellant from fresh or dried herbs or as a vinegar based formula which is highly effective (all of those recipes here).

You can also find DEET free natural bug sprays that are pre-made (including kids versions)  if you don’t want to makle your own.

Do you use bug spray? Ever made your own?

Natural Bug Spray Recipe is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Spicy Bison & Sausage Meat Muffins!

2 lbs. bison (or ground beef)

1/2  lb. mild Italian sausage (US Wellness Meats)

1 egg

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano  (be sure to drain the juice!)

1 diced onion

1 T. garlic powder

1 T. Italian seasonings

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (Please Note: I set my oven to Convection, so it cooked these more quickly!  You will need to watch your cook time carefully, depending on your oven)

2. Lightly grease muffin pans with coconut oil.  I used regular and mini-muffin pans, just for fun, and also to make more leftovers: Ready for lunchboxes, afterschool snacks, and fuel for when they come home starving after baseball practices!

3. Once you’ve drained the juice from your tomatoes, put them in a food processor with your onion.  Add this mixture to all your other ingredients in one big bowl and knead it all together.  Make quick meatballs and put them in your muffin tins.

4. I took the mini-muffin sized cupcakes out after 15 mins.  I cooked the regular sized cupcakes for an additional 8 mins.

5. We served these with a side of steamed brocolli and cauliflower.  ( My kiddos love their veggies, but they’ve got to be Plain!)

OH !   And it’s really fun, after dinner, to show this picture…

and say…   “HERE’s WHAT YOU JUST ATE! “

I hope this recipe helps you save time, tickles your tastebuds and encourages you in your own busy life!

Easy Weekday Meal: Spicy Bison & Sausage Meat Muffins! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Howdy all. Paleo Talk episode 25 is our first full-length since being “back”

Inside Episode 25

The group of idiots chats about whats been going on, projects, Chrissy’s baby broccoli and Dain’s new wardrobe. Then we get into

• Very active daughter. Swimmer. How best to keep this rapid grower fueled and hydrated?
• Got any book suggestions that I can give to friends / associates that best explain what this lifestyle is and why we do it?
• Paleo friendly chocolate and water consumption?
• Natural mosquito repellant
  http://wellnessmama.com/2565/homemade-natural-bug-spray-recipes-that-
  work/
• Since I don’t follow a conventional diet, I am wondering if conventional pregnancy wisdom is still appropriate? Talk of your experiences please!
• Wondering if you would know anything about leaning out for figure competition.
  http://cavewomanfigurecompetitor.blogspot.com/
  http://www.paleobrands.com/2010/03/figure-show-on-a-paleo-diet/

Paleo Talk Episode 25 is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Robb Wolf’s Paleo Budget Shopping Guide is much more than the name implies.  This book makes you look at your life, yourself, and your choices and re-examine your priorities.  Robb’s sentiment is a “no joke, no excuses one” that I appreciate to the fullest based on years of experience working with people who want to be healthy but continue to find comfort in being stuck behind a list of excuses.

As Robb expresses in this book, and I agree; there are plenty of people out there who are legitimately flat broke; but all of us paleo professionals face a never ending stream of people who can’t seem to bring themselves to buy quality food that would dramatically effect the way they look, feel, and perform, yet they have car payments, active social lives, and a horde of expensive electronic devices that keep them plugged in to social media 24/7 lest they fall out of the loop and not know when a distant acquaintance bought a new pair of pants on sale. I think sometimes we need to ask ourselves what we really want out of this life.  Do we want to love ourselves or do we want to love our stuff?  Do we want to love every minute of living in our bodies or do we want to constantly seek distraction?

All of us, especially those who need some priority help, could use a little direction when it comes to the practical application of menu planning, shopping, and cooking so that we can more quickly form the new habits that will lead us to success AND allow us to still enjoy our lives away from the dinner table.

Enter Robb Wolf and his new e-book, The Paleo Diet Budget Shopping Guide, and suddenly we have the answers that will make us all happy, even if you truly are in the flat broke group.  Robb has all the bases covered in his typical fashion that says, “you don’t have to do this stuff, but don’t pretend your excuses are valid.”  The ability to include links to websites and videos is one of the benefits of e-books and this one is loaded with them.

In Chapter One, Robb covers all the common roadblocks from “paleo is too expensive” to “I can’t afford grass-fed or organic” to “I don’t know how to cook”.  I think most of us will have to admit that we have at least been a little intimidated my some of the points he makes here, even if we never let them be deal breakers for us.

Chapter Two is for those of us who struggle in the kitchen.  If you are going to make this paleo thing work, you need to at least know some cooking basics and this chapter is awesome!  It is comprised mainly of instructional videos by some serious pros, and it wraps up with “10 easy recipes to know by heart” that truly are indispensable in my humble opinion.

Chapter Three is all about meal planning and it is nothing short of brilliant.  No stone is left unturned.  After a few helpful caveats Robb delves in to food lists, theme nights, and an especially excellent section on eating seasonally complete with links to find out which fruits and vegetables are seasonal where you live.  Then it’s time to actually create a menu and go shopping beginning with the handy Meal Panning 101 flow chart, link to sites specifically designed for meal planning, a starter menu, food lists for shopping and meal suggestions by ingredient, and printable sheets for making the whole menu planning process easy.  Like I said, no stone unturned!

Chapter Four includes money saving tips that will help you pinch every penny while still eating the best possible paleo foods.  Admittedly, my wife is better at finding deals than I am, but I can not think of a single money saving option that is not listed in this chapter and the majority would have never come to me in a million years.  (Maybe this chapter is aimed at us boneheaded men?)

Chapter Five, Budget Shopping Priorities, begins by educating us on the definitions of  the sometimes dubious “green lingo” tags like Grass Finished, Organic, and Cage Free, and follows this up with reasons why you do/don’t have to buy foods with these labels.

Chapter Six contains some excellent advice from some great paleo food bloggers, as well as tips and tricks for the kitchen and being prepared.

Chapter Seven wraps the book up with resources and an extensive list of sites to visit for paleo recipes.

Overall, I just can’t think of a single person who doesn’t need this e-book and I’m not kidding.  I respect Robb Wolf and am ever grateful for his influence on me, but I would never have written this review if I did not feel that this e-book was a much needed contribution to the paleo world and all you beginners who are struggling to get off to a good start.  It is priced at $19.99 and I honestly believe it will pay for itself on your first trip to the grocery store.  So why are you still reading this?  Scroll up and click on one of the links above.  You have more important things to read now. 

Also be sure to visit Robb’s site here.

Go forth and be awesome.

Robb Wolf’s Paleo Budget Shopping Guide – A Review!! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Paleo…. Focusing on HEALTH!!

It’s funny, when I began this Paleo journey I never really gave thought to where it was going to go. I just knew I needed to feel better and that I was not willing to spend one more day, losing to my autoimmune issues.

I wanted to lose weight and find some part of the old me again. I needed to get out from the black hole that I was in, and that’s all that mattered.

I never really gave thought to how others around me might feel, or how they would react to what I was doing.

I was trying to better myself, get healthy, feel good again, and win the autoimmune battle. Why would anyone not cheer that on??

Boy was I naive; because let me tell you that was not necessarily the response I got. Oh sure, my hubby, kids, and my mom all thought it was great. They wanted the wife, mother and daughter back they knew pre-autoimmune; so they were totally on board. (Well at least till my kids and hubby, realized that meant no junk food in the house, except maybe for the rare special occasions)…. But the reactions from others usually went a bit more like this….”You eat what? You eat how? What about the grains?  You can’t be healthy without oatmeal!!!” Blah, Blah, Blah. Hmmm all the fresh fruit, veggies and protein you want equals not healthy, OK!?!?

It IS weird to have people looking at your plate; to see what you are, or aren’t eating, and then judge smirk and snicker about you. They try to push food on you they KNOW you don’t want. “Have some bread” they say, as they try to shove it on your plate. “No thanks”,”Oh come on Aunt Betty made it; you don’t want to make her mad do you?” “Well, I don’t know about Aunt Betty, but I know you are pissing me off!”

I have come to think this strange aggressive behavior by people comes from their own anxieties, insecurities, and thoughts; as you make them, think, look and address what they might be putting in their mouths, and doing to their own health.

And yes, I understand we are a society brainwashed by advertising and those pretty colored boxed foods. Hey I was one of them, I get it, and believe me, I still have days I want to be that person again. It was just easier, more accepted and comes with much less talk about yourself. You just blend in, instead of stick out.

But on this journey, the pros definitely out weight the cons. My last blood tests showed autoimmune antibody numbers, gone. Not down but GONE!! Yes they can bounce back up, but hey I will take what I have for now.

My celiac symptoms, GONE. Weight loss is not moving as fast due to the hashimoto’s, but I sure can kick butt in the gym again. My butt could probably crack a walnut (might not look like it and can’t say I have ever tried it) but it sure feels like it! I can hold a plank while doing a cross over hand slap with my gym partner (I am pretty sure that is not the technical term, but that’s my version!!! and I can do sit ups till the cows come home.

So in my eyes. I have beaten this autoimmune thing, gotten back in the gym, I am back in school for nutritional coaching, I no longer have fatigue and now I LOVE telling everyone that will listen, what and how I eat to beat Autoimmune Disease. Heck, stare at my plate all you want!!!……

To me, all of that is worth more than all the weight loss in the world; and I know that that will come too!!

Until next time,

Hugs and Happiness

Lisa

Paleo….Focusing on HEALTH!! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

So maybe it will take you a little bit longer than two minutes; but this salad was crazy fast to make and crazy good to eat!  If you already have eggs hardboiled, and your chopping skills are refined, this might just be the fastest meal you’ve ever made – and tasty too!!

This salad fed three hungry adults.

Two Minute Tuna Salad

4 – 6oz cans tuna, drained and crumbled (I use Wild Planet Brand which I happily found at Costco!! Also feel free to use canned or fresh wild caught salmon)

4 hardboiled eggs, diced

1 large head red leaf lettuce (or other lettuce of your choice), torn into small pieces

2 big handfuls of spinach

5 celery stalks, diced

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2-3 garlic cloves minced

3 tablespoons capers

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. In a large salad bowl add your torn lettuce, spinach, and celery.

2. To the salad bowl, top the lettuce with the crumbled tuna and diced eggs.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the the olive oil, vinegar, sea salt, pepper, and minced garlic.

4. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, add the capers, toss together and serve!!

Enjoy!

Two Minute Tuna Salad is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Hello readers and listeners. It has been a long LONG time since the three of us have been in the same room to record one of these things. For episode 24, we simply go over what we have been up to for the past 5 months. Playing a little catch-up and keeping it light. It’s good to (hopefully) be back. Send in those questions and comments and you’ll be hearing from us again real soon.

Paleo Talk Episode 24 is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

At Costco yesterday John found some wild caught sea scallops at a pretty darn good price and I found some decent prosciutto; and a delicious partnership was born.  Here’s how we prepared the scallops with a twist on the basic pork wrapped gems from the sea.

Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops

Scallops

Prosciutto (look for a brand that only has pork & salt like Citterio)

Italian Seasoning

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Cut the prosciutto in half lengthwise so you have enough strips of prosciutto for each scallop.

3. Take each scallop and sprinkle lightly with the Italian seasoning and wrap a piece of prosciutto around the outside of the scallop like this:

4. Place each seasoned and wrapped scallop on the foil lined baking sheet, making sure to leave space in between the scallops so that they cook evenly.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, turning the scallops over when there is 5 minutes left in the cooking time.

6. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and serve.

Enjoy!!

Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

As summer approaches, sun-protection is definitely something that must be considered, but as with many other things Paleo, the best solution may not always be the conventional one.

If you’ve read this blog or others like it, I’m sure you are well aware that diet plays a pivotal role in overall health, energy levels, digestive health and weight. Logically, diet also is an influencing factor in skin health and sun protection.

The conventional method of sun protection is much like the conventional method of many types of illness: Treat the symptoms or prevent the symptoms from occurring.

In the case of sun exposure, the general idea is to prevent the sunburn (or all sun exposure) rather than address why the skin is burning in the first place.

In the paleo-sphere, we are well-aware of the importance of Vitamin D, and we are capable of producing the amounts our bodies need through our skin. Unfortunately, even low-SPF sunscreens can block almost all Vitamin D production.

As links have been found between low-vitamin D and skin cancer (among others), the cure may be more dangerous than the disease in this case!

It’s also interesting to note that while rates of sun exposure are decreasing, skin cancer rates are steadily rising and melanoma rates are getting worrisome.

There are theories that the chemicals in most sunscreens can be as damaging or more so than sun damage itself. Either way, I use the same rule with sunscreens as I do with foods and beauty products: If I can’t pronounce an ingredient or buy it without a chemical license, I don’t use it.

The Role of Diet:

Sunburn is a type of inflammation. It is caused by an external factor, but a lot of internal factors come into play as well.

Inflammatory foods like grains, sugars and vegetable oils (especially those!) can cause inflammation in the body and make the skin more prone to inflammation (burning) as well.

In the same way, anti-inflammatory foods can help prevent inflammation in the body or on the skin from sun exposure.

If you’ve been Paleo for a while, you might have already noticed an increased sun tolerance, or that you are tanning better. It isn’t your imagination. In fact, Mark’s Daily Apple addressed natural ways to prevent sunburn, and all of the suggestions were diet/supplement related.

The most problematic foods for your skin when it comes to sun-exposure are: processed foods, processed grains, sugars and vegetable oils (no surprise there!).

The most beneficial foods for your skin when it comes to sun exposure are: healthy saturated fats, green leafy vegetables, omega-3 rich foods like fish, and antioxidant containing foods like berries (and dark chocolate). No surprises there either!

I’ve also found that some key supplements can increase sun tolerance even more. The combination of these supplements (which I’d recommend anyway) and a Paleo diet let me go to the beach all day last summer without burning (a first) and come away with a golden tan (also a first!).

The Supplements:

• Fermented Cod Liver Oil/High Vitamin Butter Oil Blend  (also great for remineralizing teeth)-Probably the most important supplement for sun protection. I take double doses during the summer and the kids take it too. Since adding this and the coconut oil daily, none of us have burned. It’s also great for digestive and oral health. (Amazon finally has the capsules back in stock)
• Vitamin D3 (I take about 5,000 IU/day)- Emerging evidence shows that optimizing blood levels of Vitamin D can have a protective effect against sunburn and skin cancer. I highly recommend getting your blood levels tested prior to beginning Vitamin D supplementation and talking to your doctor, as too much can also be a bad thing. Also, not needed if you are getting at least 30 minutes of sun a day.
• Vitamin C (I take about 2,000 mg/day)- A potent anti-inflammatory, and it is good for the immune system too.
• 1/4 cup coconut oil melted in a cup of herbal tea per day- the Medium Chain Fatty Acids and saturated fat are easily utilized by the body for new skin formation and are protective against burning.
• Astaxanthin- A highly potent antioxidant which research shows acts as an internal sunscreen. It’s also supposedly an anti-aging supplement. I don’t give this one to the kids though.

Natural Homemade Sunscreen:

I’m definitely not suggesting that you do anything that could lead to sunburn, which is harmful! For prolonged sun exposure past your sun-tolerance, protective clothing is best, but for times you’ll be out in the sun for long times and don’t want to wear long sleeves (the beach), you can make a natural homemade sunscreen that doesn’t have the chemicals of most sunscreens.

Here’s the recipe I use. You can also use plain coconut oil on the skin for shorter times, especially if you’ve already built up a tan.

Your skin, like the rest of your body, will benefit from a healthy diet and a few key supplements. Rather than turning to chemical laden sunscreens- give the natural versions a try! You might be pleasantly surprised!

Do you use any natural sun protection options? Has your sun tolerance increased since you’ve gone paleo? Tell me below!

Natural Sun Protection From the Inside Out is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

To wrap up the weekend in Seattle, on Sunday May 20 at 5:00p.m., there will be a catered banquet that is open to the public.  During the banquet there will be entertainment, speakers (myself included), and prizes.  For more details and to register, please click here. I hope to see you there!

You are Cordially Invited! Primal Chef Banquet in Seattle, WA on May 20! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

An Old friend….ME

I recently had the great pleasure of meeting an old friend…..ME

The me I was a long time ago, the me I had actually forgotten.

I guess in some ways after becoming a wife and mother I lost me. Actually I think I forgot about me; there was just never any time, between changing diapers, making meals, and alleviating home pressures so my husband had more time and energy to focus on his job. I simply got lost. My stuff just did not matter anymore. Everyone else came first, and by day’s end, I was too tired to care.

As time went by and the kiddies grew, it became about driving to sports, after school activities, play dates, sleep overs, and more. Again I was just too tired to focus on myself.

When I first started the paleo journey I really just focused on the food.  The work out portion never really appealed to me. I was still too tired and still had all those things on my plate; but we had to eat, so that was an easy fix. As the weeks and months went one what I began to notice was that although I was eating Plaeo I was still really sluggish and still did not feel that great about myself.

Let me tell you, it had been a very long time since I had worked out, and honestly I was very scared. Scared I was not capable any more, too old, to weak, too out of shape, you name it and it scared me…. but I knew it was in me because I had always been an athletic person. In middle school I was on the track team and in high school on the gymnastic and cheer team. After that I became a rampant runner and a step aerobics enthusiast!!! Anyone remember the 80’s?? The one piece body suits and leg warmers?!?!

What I noticed over time after beginning my paleo journey was that without even trying my food cravings began to change; I was working too hard to want to put crap into my body. I began to crave different foods, I wanted my fresh green juices, my protein and greens at lunch, the mid-day sugar cravings began to fade, it just all naturally fell into place. I guess you could say that paleo began to be a lifestyle!!!

As time went on and I became healthier, the fears began to disappear and I started to see the old athlete in me. The one I thought was gone. The next thing I knew I was doing planks and sit ups, like the kid I was many years ago….where did that person come from? I guess she never left, I just put her on a shelf somewhere… and now I’m asking you; please don’t forget about who YOU are! Get yourself off that shelf, dust off and do it!!!

Believe me if I can do this anyone can. The first few weeks of exercising, I huffed and puffed, but I never gave up on myself, for the first time in a very long time I was too important.

I have learned that circling yourself with a great support group means the difference between success and defeat. I have been blessed enough to have Sarah give me this chance, she believed in me before I even believed in myself. She saw something in me, I could no longer see in myself….yes I had to be the one to do the work but you can’t always do it alone. To get that support you can join EPLifefit for the great fitness support, talk to your friends, tell them your hopes and goals, and get the kids involved. My daughter loves to see if she can hold a plank longer than me.  And finally, know that you are not alone!

Believe in yourself, I am here for you, I want to help you!  Be sure to visit me on my Facebook page!  You can do this! I have grown to learn that exercise is a huge part of health, you just have to take the first step. Due to the fatigue from my autoimmune issues; I started out doing nothing more than 20 min of casually walking around the block, but it was a start.

YOU can do this too!

An Old Friend…. ME is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Here’s a video and a few fun pics from our last event!

Less than 2 Weeks Away: Everyday Paleo Workshop in Redding, CA : Register Now! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

So, let me guess.

You know lack of sleep leads to hormone disregulation and increased cortisol. You’ve read that Robb Wolf says “Just one night of missed or inadequate sleep is sufficient to make you as insulin resistant as a type 2 diabetic.” You know it leads to possible weight-gain plus you just feel plain crappy.

But you’re still sleep deprived.

You delay bedtime by procrastinating, fall asleep early in the evening then wake up, and maintain habits that are the antithesis to a good night’s sleep. And then you feel awful in the morning.

That’s not paleo, you know. We need to get a restful night’s sleep. It is essential for our health, our thinking, our weight-loss.

But what to do? How do you shove yourself off the sofa and get yourself off to bed on time? Try these 15 tips:

1. Set yourself a bedtime. Seems simple but so many people don’t give themselves a deadline. They spin it out for as long as they can. It’s so easy now that we have light and distractions twenty-four hours a day. But instead, tell yourself you will go to bed at a certain hour and plan backwards from there. And keep the same bedtime night after night.

2. Stop lights and major action one hour before bedtime. Dim the lights, slow your activity. Don’t watch TV. I read by torchlight – this way I’m winding down towards sleep and my body is mostly in darkness, making the melatonin that will send me to sleep.

3. Get ready for bed early. We often stay up because we’re too tired to go to bed! We often snack for that reason too – we eat to give us the energy to stay up. Perverse when you think about it. Get into your bedclothes, clean your teeth, take out your contacts. Whatever you do before bed, do it well before bedtime so you’re ready to just fall into it when the time comes.

4. Know your caffeine limit. When I drank caffeine, I couldn’t drink it past 4pm or it would keep me awake. Chocolate in the evening also did the same thing. If you are a person kept awake by caffeine, know your limit and keep to it. Same goes for alcohol.

5. Think ahead to the next morning. Remind yourself how it will feel to wake up refreshed, without an alarm, getting ready for work without a rush, with time to make breakfast and keep a calm family. The benefits of a good night’s sleep are enormous and the avoidance of early morning stress is huge for the family unity.

6. Create a bedtime ritual. Make it the same every night. It can be a ten-minute getting the house ready for the next morning, setting breakfast, a hot drink, a book, dim lights, bed. Whatever works for you but keep it the same night after night.

7. Get up at the same time each day. No matter what time you go to bed, get your day started on the same schedule every day. Routine, routine, routine. Plus, your wake-up time determines your bedtime sleepiness. Don’t put it off.

8. To adjust to daylight savings, alter your bedtime by 15 minutes each day for four days. Too often we are discombobulated by daylight savings. This is what I did with my kids when they were little and it works great for adults too!

9. If you get sluggish after dinner, do something slightly stimulating. It will keep you awake – try picking up toys or washing dishes. Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep early in the evening only to wake later shortly before your bedtime. If you tend to fall asleep with your kids, keep yourself upright and leave them if you notice yourself getting sleepy (or simply sleep on their schedule, if that works for you. )

10. Exercise (or not.) For some it helps to exercise before bed, for others it keeps them awake. It doesn’t make any difference to me but if I struggle to get to sleep, this exercise helps me every time. I’m asleep in minutes.

11. Blackout the room. Melatonin, the hormone that induces drowsiness, is produced on darkness. Blue light inhibits production of the hormone so no strong light bulbs, TV, laptops in bed – that kind of thing. Cover the windows to prevent light pollution from outside. And if you use an electronic reader make sure it doesn’t use light that will disrupt your sleep.

12. Take melatonin as a supplement for jetlag. I often travel to Europe and the time change can be a bear. My trips are often short and I can be jet-lagged the whole time I am there so I take 3mg of melatonin before bedtime. It is pretty quick acting and makes me feel drowsy enough to sleep. That way, I offset some of the effects of the 8-hour time difference and can hit the ground running.

13. Use an alarm! I hate alarms to wake me up and haven’t used one in years but I do use an alarm to tell me to go to sleep. I have a timer I carry around and when it goes off (in a non-startling way,) it triggers me to pack up what I’m doing and head off to bed.

14. Use an app. There’s an app for everything including getting yourself to sleep. Guided meditations, soundtracks, breathing cues – there’s something for everyone. If you are a smartphone junkie, this may be just your thing. 

15. Give sleep priority in your life. Some people think sleep is a waste of time. There’s also a thought process in our society that being able to live with less sleep is a noble endeavor enabling you to do more, (and therefore be more.) I argue against that. If you can somehow truly thrive on just a few hours sleep, well, I guess that’s great. But if you can’t and you need more, then make it a priority. It serves no-one to skimp on sleep. Studies have shown over and over how important sleep is for our health. It’s more important than your Facebook friends, cleaning up,  and your favorite TV. So make a date with yourself. In bed.

Is lack of sleep a problem for you? What have you done to combat it? Let us know in the comments!

Alison Golden has two kids, two cats, but only one husband who thankfully agrees with her on everything, eventually. She likes to get lots of sleep and blogs about living paleo in a non-paleo world over at PaleoNonPaleo.

Get Your SLEEP!!! is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

I feel like I just posted last year’s Easter Menu and I’m not sure what happened; but here we are again!!

My favorite things about this time of year is seeing the almond orchards in bloom and the foothills turning green and knowing that my kids are in the home stretch towards summer vacation.  I also love having holiday conversations with my kids; for example, our 4 year old Rowan asked me yesterday, “Mom, why does the Easter Bunny go “boing, boing, boing,” and my lame reply, “Well, because he’s a bunny??” Rowan pondered this for a minute, looked up at me with wide eyes and said brightly, “Oh, ok!!”  Sweet sweet innocence.

Now on to the eats! I think I’ll be making several things from last years menu but I wanted to share with you a delicious Tri-Tip Roast recipe that would be perfect for a Sunday dinner (if you want to avoid the traditional ham, or even in addition to) and also I’ll share a recipe for what you can make with the leftover ham and all those hardboiled eggs!

I hope whatever you decide to do or eat this weekend; Easter related or not, that it involves family, fun, friends, and delicious food!!

Tri-Tip Roast

1 (3 lb) tri-tip roast

1 onion, thinly sliced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup coconut milk

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Coconut oil

1. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. Heat a spoonful of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  When the pan is nice and hot, place the roast in the hot oil and sear on all sides until browned all over.

3. Transfer the seared roast into a slow cooker and pour the vinegar over the roast.

4. Drizzle the top of the roast with the honey, sprinkle with the minced garlic, and top with the sliced onions.

5. Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours or until the meat is tender and shreds easily.

6. Remove the roast from the slow cooker and use a fork to shred the meat.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions from the juices in the slow cooker and spread evenly over the top of the shredded roast.

7. Pour the juices from the slow cooker into a medium saute pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

8. Add the coconut milk to the pan and whisk together.  Bring back to a simmer and reduce the liquid down by half, whisking occasionally.

9. Pour the sauce over the roast and the onions and serve!

Sweet Potato and Egg Salad

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small 1/2″ pieces

2 tablespoons coconut oil

5 hardboiled eggs, peeled and diced

1 cup leftover diced ham

2 tablespoons diced chives

2 tablespoons home made mayo

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the cut up sweet potatoes and saute until the the potatoes are browned and fork tender.  Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl add the diced eggs, ham, and chives.

3.  Add the cooked sweet potatoes, mayo, salt and pepper and mix well.

4. EAT!!!  YUM!!! GOOD!!!

Have a happy, wonderful, fun-filled weekend and as always, enjoy!

Easter 2012: Tri-Tip Roast & Sweet Potato Salad is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

When we first started eating paleo, what I found most challenging was simply figuring out what would work as a lunch box for fresh foods!!  Years ago I discovered Planet Box and we love this container!!!

Jaden has had the same lunch box for almost 3 years and it’s still just as good as new.  The only thing we have had to replace is the actual carrying case and magnets (only because we lost one!) but otherwise the actual lunch box is in excellent shape and has more than paid for itself in both quality and money saved NOT buying school lunches!

I also love insulated thermoses to keep stews and soups warm for school lunches and we use one made by Citizen Pip which is pictured below but now  I can’t seem to find them anymore but I recently picked up an amazing insulated thermos from Klean Kantean that both Coby and Jaden love.  It keeps hot food or drinks hot for hours!

Now, what to pack INTO these cool containers?  I have documented Jaden’s last several school lunches that I will share with you now.

Applegate Farms ham slices wrapped around avocado, celery with Ammin Nut almond butter and raisins, dried apple rings, carrot sticks.

Cucumber “sandwiches” (ham in between 2 cucumber slices), cherry tomatoes, pickles, apple slices, almond butter.

Turkey, avocado, cucumbers and tomatoes wrapped in a Improv’eat Pure Warp (we just discovered these and they are pretty darn awesome!  Made with just coconut meat, coconut water, and Himalayan sea salt), pear slices, celery with almond butter and raisins, carrots, and garlic stuffed green olives from Trader Joes.

Turkey slices wrapped around cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, black olives, carrots and banana slices.

Leftover beef stew and sweet potatoes, mandarins.

Salmon salad “cucumber sandwiches” made with homemade mayo and dill pickles, banana chips, black olives, kiwi slices.

Ham and turkey slices, guacamole, carrots and cucumbers, apple slices.

Last but not least, we often will pack beef jerky from Steve’s Originals and that’s what Coby, my 16 year old will bring with him for his lunch!

What works for your family?  What are you packing in your school lunches?  The more ideas the better!!

School Lunch Ideas is a post from Everyday Paleo - licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License