My Paleo "Must Have"

Hello! 

Gosh, I missed this little blog! I went back home to Kentucky and left my computer at home--the horror! Actually, it was amazing. To "unplug" for 4 entire days felt really good! And it has made me excited to get back into the metaphorical saddle. 

Today I wanted to talk about one of my paleo "must-have's." 

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The glorious CHIA SEED! 

I am unfortunately deathly allergic to shellfish. Numerous doctors have *STRONGLY* cautioned me to avoid all seafood, as my allergy appears to be getting worse. 

This is unfortunate on both the level of taste, and even more so, nutrition. My diet is lacking in vitally important omega-3s. I have low HDL levels, so I really would like to up the omega's in my diet. Enter, chia seeds!

While I call this my paleo "must have," this TOTALLY pertains to any and all--regardless of your eating style. The benefits of increasing omega-3 fatty acids in your diet is undisputed. Omega-3s reduce inflammation in your body, thus reducing chances of heart disease, arthritis, and cancer. PLUS, it helps your brain. Holler.  (For more info, go here.)

So, I picked up these at the grocery store:

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You can find them in the "organic" section of many conventional grocery store or in the baking/seed aisle of Whole Foods/Fresh Market/Wegmans. These little beauties are stocked with omega-3's and they are an easy addition to my morning smoothies. They also add thickness to the smoothie which I definitely appreciate. 

 This article expounds on the wonderful nutritional info on chia seeds. Most importantly, it refers to them as a "functional superfood with 20% Omega-3 in each seed."  Um, AWESOME! 

I bought the bag for around $7. While I thought it was expensive, it is darn cheap compared to wild-caught seafood! Plus, all I need is a tablespoon. This bag is going to last quite a while! You can also sometimes buy them in the bulk food aisle, which would save you a dollar or two. 

I am excited to get my HDL level checked in a couple of months and see if my HDL's are improving. I will definitely keep you posted! 

How do you get your omega-3's? Have you ever had chia seeds? Any good recipes to share? 

Paleo Pumpkin Smoothie/Milkshake!

I am a person who LOVES anything and everything autumnal. I love fall. I realize that it is merely August; however, Back-to-School season is in full swing, and new fall collections have hit all of my favorite stores—thus, to me, it is as good as fall! 

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I actually stocked up on fall decor today. I have decided to GO BIG this year and have foliage, scarecrows, and pumpkins GALORE!

One of my favorite things about autumn is pumpkin everything! I love pumpkin decorations, pumpkin carving, and pumpkin foods of any and all varieties.

This will be my first fall as a paleo eater. Almost all of my savory soups, stews, and dishes will be easy to adapt paleo standards. However, my favorite pumpkin goodies are desserts—more specifically—Pumpkin ice cream and milk shakes. I LOVE pumpkin milkshakes with all of my heart, but I do not like what they always used to do to my tummy. I ALWAYS had agonizing stomach pain after partaking in my favorite seasonal dessert, but never connected the dots! 

However, this shall be a problem no more! Today I struck gold. I created a pumpkin (coconut) milkshake smoothie that is nutritious, filling, and paleo! It is a perfect pre or post workout snack as it contains a nice blend of fat and carbs. Or if you have a hankering for something sweet--I promise this will cure any craving!

Paleo Pumpkin Smoothie

1 frozen banana

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup pumpkin (fresh or canned)

Garnish with coconut and cinnamon

1)      Place everything in a blender and blend away (about 1 minute)

Seriously, this smoothie tastes like such a treat! It fulfills all of my great pumpkin expectations.  Plus, unlike my old pumpkin milkshakes, this one does not come with a crippling stomach ache! YAY!

If you like pumpkin, you MUST make this ASAP!

Are you a pumpkin fan? What is your favorite autumnal food? 

Paleo Eating on Vacation Part I

This is my first vacation as a Paleo eater and it is going well. At first I was a bit stressed out because I am a perfectionist and SUPER type A, so I always want to obey rules. However, I am learning that life is all about balance and flexibility. I keep hearing the words of Sarah Fragoso (author of Everyday Paleo), echoing the importance of 80/20. I can eat solid Paleo food 80% of the time, but sometimes this is not possible or preferable--enter the important 20%. Vacation is definitely a time where 20% is going to come into play.


For example, my eats yesterday were pretty solid. I tried to choose Paleo options as best as I could. Two things I really recommend is to 1) Try to have access to a fridge/kitchenette and bring your own food and/or 2) Seek out Whole Foods! I did both yesterday!

For breakfast, we found Whole Foods mecca on our way through Bethesda. Not only was I able to FINALLY find coconut butter (YAY), I was also able to score some yummy paleo eats at the hot bar.
Here is my Paleo breakfast/brunch:

This meal plus a banana kept me satiated for a good long time.

I also made sure to pack Paleo snacks so I had an apple and some almonds later in the day.

For dinner, we went to one of our favorite places in Williamsburg, The Blue Talon Bistro. It was actually fairly easy to order Paleo here.

I was starving for some veggies, so I ordered a side of broccoli (steamed with a bit of butter--no big deal), and the asparagus salad (hold the cheese and croutons). The vinaigrette was simple oil and sherry vinegar. This meal was PERFECTION. It seriously hit the spot.

For any non-Paleo eaters, you can see the splendid dividing line between Paleo and SAD (Standard Americen Diet). Chase, my husband, ALWAYS orders "The Burger."

This entails a GIANT hamburger complete with cheddar cheese, bacon, a fried egg on a giant brioche bun. He always orders the burger "Without the salad." AKA do not give me the Lettuce, Tomato, or Onion. Tonight he also ordered the Macaroni and Cheese on the side--decadence at its highest heights.

(Chase is not throwing gang signs; this trip is a late celebration of our 4 year anniversary).


So where did the 20% come in--Yesterday I met some old college friends at a cafe for iced tea and biscotti. I enjoyed every bite of that little biscotti and reminisced with friends. This was our tradition and there was no way I was going to deprive myself of this moment!

Later, I also enjoyed a small cup of FroYo. It was delicious and refreshing and an important memory. This is vacation--time to live a little. Happily, my stomach did A-ok with the tiny dose of dairy.

Today, I have started the day with a banana and almond butter and a dash of coconut butter. It will be perfect Paleo fuel for my run this morning. As for the rest of the day, I am not sure, but I feel confident that I can enjoy the day to the fullest.

What are some of your vacation tips? Do you get stressed out about maintaining your eating style? Are you an 80/20 eater?