Paleofied Chocolate Lava Cake

Well, I guess since Tanya has shared her love for the Chocolate Lava Cake, we should share our recipe. I always top mine with a little fresh fruit (Ok, a lot of fruit)! 
There are just some times in a women's life when WE NEED SOME CHOCOLATE!  Well this little cake has NO FLOURS!

 

 

Here are the ingredients:

 



1 ripe banana

1 egg

2 Tbsp. Almond Butter

1 Tbsp. Pure Cocoa Powder (Not sweetened)

1 Tbsp. Honey (optional or other sweetener of choice)

A few dashes cinnamon

A few chopped nuts of your choice (I used Pecans)

 

Directions:

 

Mash banana with the back of fork.

 



Add all ingredients in bowl.

 

Mix until blended well.  (Or, if your arms are too sore from Crossfit, just put it in the Ninja!)

 



 



At this point, you have two choices.  You can microwave the entire batter in the bowl you mix it in, which will make one large cake.  Or you can divide into two small dishes and have two small cakes.  I like to cook one and cover the other one in plastic wrap and save in the fridge to cook later.

 

 



 



Cook time

For one cake: 2 mins. to 2 mins. 15 secs.

For two cakes: 45 secs.-1 min.

Note:  I love my center to be a little gooey.  It is almost like a chocolate sauce in the middle.  If you do not like gooey, try the max cooking times.  I will tell you that cooking too long will make it dry.

 

 

 

And just in case you need more "CHOCOLATE", you can always add a teaspoon of these!  I love the Enjoy Life Mimi Chips!  They are carob chips free of dairy,nuts, and soy!  Not "Paleo Perfect", but will give you that fix you need!

 

ENJOY!!

 



 

Tanya: So My Thirty Days Are Up, Now What?

I have officially finished my first 30 days of Paleo.

I wanted to share my thoughts. First, I know everyone is interested in knowing if I lost any weight cutting out all sugar, grains and processed foods; but I am going to wait until the end of this post to reveal that.

What I have noticed most, is that I feel good. So much better than I did 30 days ago. I don't know if it is solely due to going Paleo, because I also moved to a part time job eliminating a huge stressor in my life, I also really worked on taking my thyroid medicine consistently because my TSH was so out of whack for the last 6 months I felt awful. Those levels are now back in the normal range. However, I am certain of one thing, the lack of processed foods and sugar (especially) and the addition of quality meat, fat, and organic fruits and vegetables, has been a totally positive thing. It makes me feel like I am in control of what I choose to put into my body. It has help me shift my thinking. I can choose to drink a "fake" diet soda, or I can choose to drink clean and healthy water; or I can choose to have that glass of red wine that isn't so nutritionally dense, but does (in my mind) add value to my life.

I notice that my skin seems a little clearer, I notice that I am more "regular" (wink wink), I notice that I don't feel as anxious, I notice that I am happier, I notice that I have more energy. I notice that most days I don't feel like I have to have a nap to function (although I love napping and I could nap most days just for fun!)

So, has it been hard? Well yes and no. The hardest thing was trying to completely give up red wine. I love red wine and the thought of life completely without it is dismal to me. Now, that said, I do notice my shoulder joints ache a little when I sleep after I have it. But to me that is a fair trade off for the enjoyment I get out of having a glass with my hubby while cooking dinner or socializing together. What was not hard was dairy, grains, bread, or sugar. I've had my share of honey and fruit to combat the few sweet cravings for chocolate. I have eaten more than a few chocolate lava cakes (done Paleo). It does become more difficult when traveling, eating away from home etc. I am on a plane to Vegas right now, and already lunch was a compromise, salad with deli meats, cheese and a balsamic vinegar made with canola oil, but I picked around the cheese, said oh well, it is better than a sandwich and ate it. I'll be fine. The rest of the trip I will continue to make the best choices that I can within the Paleo parameters and move on. Will I purposefully cheat? I haven't decided yet. That is for another post.

Well, have I lost weight? The answer unfortunately is no. However, my coach and co-blogger Sherri assures me that if I stay the course, it will come. I do tend to believe her, because in 6 months she did. She never was focused on weight loss, only on overall health. This has always been her strong point ( after knowing her for 10 years! ) So, I am trying to shift my focus from solely on the purpose of weight loss, but more toward overall health and wellness. I am not only focusing on this concept here with my eating, but I also have signed up to join a class called Uplevel Your Life, which will support the mindset of shifting my focus to overall wellness and growth in all areas of my life.

I know I am just starting on the road to health and wellness, and I have a long way to go. I hope you will stick around and see how the journey plays out!

Hugs and High Fives From Me!

Making My Own Bone Broth

So why make bone broth?  Bone broth will boost the immune system, improve digestion, help allergies, improves brain health, and so much more. It is an awesome source of calcium and magnesium. Bone broth will also support your joints, hair, skin and nails.
I totally did not need to reinvent the wheel and come up with a new recipe because there are so many great ones out there.  I researched a few and decided to combine my favorites.  I used one with a few veggies this time, but next batch will be without them.

 

60 ozs. Filtered water

2-3 lbs. Marrow bones (Order 2 lbs. marrow bones from US Wellness and used bones from our short ribs)

2 Tbsp. Bragg's unfiltered Apple Cider
vinegar>2-3 Stalks celery

1 large onion

One small bunch of organic carrots

Parsley (Didn't have fresh, so I use dried organic)

1-2 cloves of garlic

1 Tbsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper corns

 

 

Here is the easy directions!  Toss in crockpot and set on high until you bring it to a boil.  Turn to low and cook up to 24 hours.  Since I've added veggies, I'm going to check mine in the morning to ensure they are not bitter.  Check back soon for the results!!

 

Going to be straining and freezing this for use in soups and other recipes calling for broth!

 

Eating Out Paleo Style....

Dining out Paleo in the south can be very difficult!  Almost everything is deep fried, swimming in a roux, or smoothed/covered in sauce and cheese.  So how do we do it you ask?  Well, first let me say that it may NOT be perfect Paleo, but there are things that will work for you.  Tanya and I are going to post our favorites places and items.  For those of you that may not be local, I'm sure you can find tips to use where you are as well.  Remember to check this blog post often because it is a work in progress and it will continue to grow as we dine out and remember to take pictures of our food!  ;)

Sushi-I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE sushi!  So how do you eat sushi without rice?  It is possible!  I will say that we all know that the crab meat is not REAL!  But again, we are making the best choices we can.  Some places are better than others.

Cate Street:
Note that Cate Street Sushi & Seafood Station is across the street from a Crossfit Box.  So a WONDERFUL person there went across the street and helped them design a Paleo Roll.  It is filled with crawfish, crab stick, and avocado; wrapped in nori paper (seaweed); and topped with salmon!  I also add asparagus b/c it is my favorite!  YUM!



Bonzai Sushi:
My favorite is a King Roll with a few adjustments!  The roll comes with no rice, but I change out the soy paper for nori (seaweed) and order without sauce.  The roll has salmon, tuna, crab, and avocado.  Bonzai is close to my work and easy to when I don't have lunch.  They really will work with you to adapt to any of your needs.

Most sushi places will allow you to make your own roll!  Look for meats, seafood, and veggies that you know work for your body.  I have to watch the sauces due to soy!  I LOVE eel sauce, soy sauce, and Ponzu sauce too, but they do not love me back.  I will sometimes take my bottle of Coconut Aminos with me to the restaurant.  I add a little to the dish that you would normally pour your soy sauce.  I always ask for the waiter for a few lemon and lime wedges to squeeze in your Coconut Aminos.  Stir.  There you have it, a soy free Ponzu sauce! (Paleo peep Tanya chiming in here...I plan to try sushi in Vegas this weekend or for Valentine's Day dinner. Don't know if I can bring my Amino's on the plane to Vegas, but I will definitely be bringing them to dinner for Valentine's day!)
There are times when I don't have my our sauce and will add a little to the end of my chopstick before picking up the roll.  I will tell you that I pay for it later.  I like soy, but it does not like me!


Steakhouse-What else does a Paleo person think of but steak, right?  Sirloin, ribeye, filet mignon, or my personal favorite~~N.Y. Strip!!  It is very unlikely that you are going to find grass fed beef in a restaurant.  However, you must work with what you got and with where you are!

Santa Fe:
I love the sirloin there, but order the cut you like the most.  I order it medium rare (It will come out med. in my opinion).  I also order a plain sweet potato (I add salt and pepper only) and broccoli with no butter.  I always ask for lemon and lime wedges to squeeze over my broccoli.  It will add a "pop" to your veggies!  Give it a try.



Texas Roadhouse:
I love the sirloin here too!  I order my steak medium here (it is a true medium here).  I also order the sweet potato plain here.  I order a great side salad here with no cheese, no croutons, add extra bacon!

Mexican:
Ninfa's:
Gotta love the meat at Ninfa's in Baton Rouge, LA! My family LOVES fajitas! So I had to figure out how to "Paleofy" them as much as possible for myself. As a family, we order the Fajitas for Two. I ask them to please not add extra butter over steak before serving. I also ask for them to ensure everything is in its own separate containers (ex: sour cream not touching my guacamole, etc.)  I eat the steak, grilled onions, grilled veggies, pico de gallo and avocado/guacamole. I will either toss it all onto a salad or ask for some lettuce leaves to use as my "shell". I will top my meal with a ton of cilantro and some salsa. YUM!

LaCaretta's:

So I'm not really a fan of the meat here at LaCaretta's, but they make an awesome Avocado Chicken Salad!  This salad has a bed of romaine lettuce and baby spinach.  It is topped with grilled chicken breast, fresh sliced avocados, cherry tomatoes, and roasted sesame seeds.  The dressing is an Cilantro Vinaigrette! 

If I'm not in the mood for salad or just want an appetizer, I order their Ceviche Al Oregano.  They have small chunks of pineapple that just makes it yummy! (This is paleo peep Tanya chiming in here...they have a rockin' ceviche! I love it so much I often order this for my meal!)

Chicken

Zea's Rotisserie

1/2 Rotisserie Chicken with some awesome broccoli hits the spot every time here!  A little squeeze of lemon adds a pop to the broccoli!  I always put sauce on the side just in case I would like a little (not Paleo).

Fat Cow

This is a fabulous place, and they have amazing burgers and salads. Any burger can be done without the bun. Saturday I had the Salmon Napa burger without the bun. (Sorry I forgot to take a photo of it!) But it was yummy, however, I was still a little hungry when I left. They also have fabulous salads that you can add grilled chicken or salmon to. The restaurant is casual, urban funky with upscale burgers. A must try near LSU.

Superior Seafood

Love starting off with some Gulf Coast Oysters!  I think I could have just eaten two orders of these by myself!

 

 

Although the following taste really AWESOME, stay away from the Frozen Pomeranate Mojitos!  LOL, trust me, the rum is NOT PALEO and I'm paying for it today!  Swollen and stiff joints, which I have not had since starting Paleo! 

 

 

Filet Mignon Salad was pretty awesome.  The steak was very tender and melted in your mouth.  The bed of mixed green was fresh and the texture was great mixed with the meat!  Watch your dressings!  Oh, no cheese!  Wonderful! 

Also, the Ahi Tuna Salad looked great!  I did notice that it has a Ponzu sauce, which contains soy!  Watch out for that and croutons and cheese!

Albasha

Of course, I love the Gyro Salad with their yummy dressing.  Oh, the dressing is Olive Oil, garlic, and seasonings whipped until creamy.  There is NO DAIRY in the dressing.  However, you must order without Feta cheese and no scoop of Grecian sauce on top.
 

Please comment and add your favorites!!!

I Survived.....My first crossfit workout!!

Today was our first Crossfit experience.  We decided as a family that we wanted to begin Crossfit together.  Most people who eat Paleo, Crossfit!  And most people who Crossfit, Paleo!  Considering this, I felt that this was my next step, since I already have converted my lifestyle to Paleo.  I'm praying that this will take me to that "next level" of health and fitness.  I'm also hoping that working out so hard will convince my family to Paleo more and more.

I know that Crossfit will be difficult, but so is changing your eating habits/lifestyle.  Oh wait, I'VE ALREADY DONE THAT!  My "baby/beginner" WOD took me 14.59 minutes to complete, but I completed it!  We all did!  So glad our trainer called and told us not to eat before the morning workout.  Felt alright after workout and then the taste of my morning meds (Armour Thyroid--which I dissolve under my tongue) came back to haunt me!  The taste was VERY strong and filled my mouth and nasal cavity!  If you are unaware of what Armour Thyroid is, it is pig hormone.  I can assure you that it does not taste like BACON!  That taste made me sick feeling for about 1 hour after workout.  This has now passed and I'm POSITIVE soreness will set in by morning.  Thinking we may sit on the floor level at church tomorrow!  LOL!  Not sure I can handle the stairs in my cute heels!  Walking in my four inch heels is a workout all on its own!   LOL!  Some positive things I've noted so far:  My lymphatic system is PUMPING!  I have felt better circulation in my ankles and feet all day.  Trust me, when your lymp system is totally wack, you can really feel the difference when it is moving.  I have desired (after the yacky feeling was gone) to drink more water today.  This coming from a person who can go without drinking anything.  Urine elimination has increased GREATLY!  This was even before the increase of water today.  My body will hold some major fluid normally, but not today!  Pretty impressive for the first day really! 

Looking forward to our next WOD and taking small steps each time to improve.  Excited to one day soon, look back at our first "baby" WOD and laugh at how easy it really was!  Many thanks to our trainer, George, who pushed, guided, and encouraged us!

You have "Leaky Gut", so now what?!?

So I was diagnosed with "leaky gut" and other autoimmune issues (thyroid).  I'm sure some of you are wondering what is "leaky gut"?  There is a ton of information in medical terms out there that you can read up on.   I'm not going to give you any medical jargon, but I'm going to explain to you, in everyday language, what was happening to me.  As most of you know, I have been off of dairy for years now.  As long as I can remember, I have always had problems dairy.  The last time I had a bite of cream cheese, my eye lids began to swell, my nasal cavity closed up, and my friend began frantically searching the house for Benedryl!  LOL--You know who you are and I'm sure she will comment if she reads this!  It is funny now, but it was not funny that day!  I have also been "gluten" free off and on for years.  I have never really noticed any difference/improvements being gluten free.  I'm sure it was due to the fact that I still had "gluten free" products during this time.  The gluten free market now offers TONS of item, but what I didn't know was they are filled with SOY!  I also went VEGAN for 3 1/2 months, which I believe pushed my body into a failing state (hair was falling out by the hand fulls, my skin was horrible, I was filled with fluid, sickness, fatigue, thyroid issues, digestion problems, etc.)  Vegan was poisining my body!  The extra soy I was eating was killing me slowly.

After some time, I noticed that foods that I was not "allergic" to was causing problems.  The problems continued and the food list of allergies were growing by the day.  Finally, I was sent to have food allergy testing.  The results were back and I was really scared to look at it.  I just knew it would be LONG.  Well, to my surprise, there was nothing major listed!!!!!!!  This just can't be!  I knew food was making me sick and it was not just in my head.  Well, I was right, but it was not allergies.
So, what was happening you ask?  Leaky Gut!!  When I eat grains, wheat, corn, soy, and other processed foods, it causes small holes/openings/tears in my stomach and intestinal walls.  When I eat, small food particles get trapped in those openings/holes and absorb into my blood stream.  Once in the blood stream, the body has an autoimmune response and attacks it, since it does not belong there.  This can cause hives, swelling, rashes, and many other reactions.

I have heard people tell me, "You just need to eat a balanced diet in moderation."  Well, I've done that for years and this is where it has gotten me!  Leaky Gut will not heal itself while eating grains.  It will also not happen overnight.  It takes time for your body to repair itself and it requires that you fill it with "nutrient dense/healing" foods.  There are a lot of people suffering from autoimmune issues (thyroid, Lupus, Leaky Gut, etc.) that have not made the connection yet.  I encourage you to give this a try!

I have lost weight, improved thyroid function, reduced inflammation (from feet, legs, neck, etc.), improved hair and skin, improved digestion, eliminated arthritis in my fingers, increased metal clarity, and improved my mood!  ALL BY EATING FOOD THAT I LOVE!

Paleo Orange Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry with Kelp Noodles

I wanted to post a yummy recipe that I made up last night! Even the hubby gave it a thumbs up!

Paleo Orange Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry with Kelp Noodles

5 cups of stir fry veggies of choice
2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
1 1/4 cup of Orange Juice
2 tablespoons grated ginger
3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
3 tablespoons of coconut aminos
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 lb shrimp
pinch of kosher salt
sprinkle of black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder
2 bags of kelp noodles

I used up lots of veggies in the fridge! 

I used various stir fry vegetables including, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, sliced mushrooms, matchstick carrots, green and red bell peppers sliced, snow-peas and sliced onions. In total I had about 5 cups of veggies. This can be any combination of these, omit the ones you don't like, dial up the ones you do. It isn't an exact science!

I had juiced 2 oranges and a carrot the night before so I used 3/4 cup in a small bowl whisked with 2 tablespoons of fresh grated ginger and 3 cloves of garlic. I added a teaspoon of sesame oil, a 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce, and 3 tablespoons of coconut aminos. I used a 1/4 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper (be careful with this ingredient, it dials the heat up really fast!) Set aside.

I thawed and drained 1 pound of large peeled shrimp. I marinated them in 1/2 cup of OJ and seasoned them with a pinch of kosher salt, a good hit of black pepper and generous dusting of garlic powder. Set aside.

The odd orange color is from the carrot juiced with the oranges!

In a wok pot, I used 2 tablespoons of ghee (clarified butter), but you could use coconut oil as a substitution. Heated the pot and added all of my vegetables and let them cook for about 10 minutes, stirring to frequently. I removed the vegetables back to the large bowl and heated the wok up to sear the (drained) shrimp quickly. This takes only 1-2 minutes. I then added the marinade and a squeeze of honey,  2 bags of kelp noodles and tossed around. (Lesson Learned here, cut your kelp noodles first! They are more manageable that way...) I then returned the veggies and tossed everything around together more until evenly distributed.  I then turned off the heat to let it sit for a few minutes until the kelp noodles were thoroughly heated through.

Available At Whole Foods