Paleo Dinner

RSS

Paleo Pasta

formats
Published on April 10, 2013, by in Paleo Recipes.

Hi folks, I’m back from a bit of a hiatus– I apologize, military life sometimes requires me to travel and be away from my hobbies/other affairs for quite some time, so I hope you’ll understand.

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about whether pasta is paleo or not. In fact it really isn’t the pasta that’s not paleo, but the sauces that we tend to put on them. If you go to the store and buy a can of Ragu, heat it up, and pour it on your pasta– that’s not paleo.

Why? Because these types of sauces come packed with sodium and other preservatives which are not only unnatural, but are also unhealthy. Take a look at this label from the back of a Ragu bottle:

 

paleo pasta dinner

Source: www.quitehealthy.com

In 1/4 cup of this pasta sauce there are 490 mg of sodium– that’s 20% of your daily value! And there are hardly any other healthy nutrients in the sauce; note the lack of vitamins and minerals.

So what can you do to make a healthy paleo pasta dinner with a sauce that is good tasting and good for you? I thought you’d never ask. Here’s a recipe courtesy of www.julianbakery.com

Courtesy of www.julianbakery.com

Ingredients (for the Meatballs):

• 1 lb ground beef (original recipe calls for ground turkey)

• ¾ cup onion, finely chopped

• 1 egg, whisked

• 2 tbsp Coconut Aminos

• 1 tsp each of garlic powder, salt, and pepper

Ingredients (for the Marinara Sauce):

• ¾ cup chopped onion

• 2 tbsp minced garlic

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 cans diced tomatoes, no salt added

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tsp oregano

• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Ingredients (for the Spaghetti):

• Spaghetti squash

Ingredients (for the garlic toast):

• 1 slice coconut Paleo Bread™

• 1 tsp minced garlic

• 1 tsp butter

Directions:

1)      Preheat oven to bake at 350 F

2)      In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine ground meat, onion, egg, coconut aminos, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

3)      Form ground meat mixture into 1-inch balls, and place on two parchment-lined baking sheets.

4)      Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes.

5)      In a sauce pan, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil on medium heat.

6)      Once onion and garlic have reduced and infused the olive oil with flavor, add two cans of diced tomatoes.

7)      Add salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley to sauce and stir, combining all ingredients.

8)      Bring sauce to a boil, turn down to simmer, and let simmer for 20 minutes covered.  If sauce starts to boil when covered, then remove lid.

9)      While sauce is simmering, cut spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds.

10)   Microwave each half for 10 minutes, and scoop out squash with a fork into a bowl.  Alternative cooking method is baking the spaghetti squash.

11)   Toss spaghetti squash “noodles” with sauce, top with meatballs, and serve.

12)   Toast Paleo Bread™ to your liking.

13)   Add minced garlic towards the end of toasting, and then top of butter.

Prep Time:

• 15 minutes

Cook Time:

• 35-45 minutes

Serves:

• 4

Tags: , ,
 

Paleo Items to Have In Your Kitchen

formats
Published on February 12, 2013, by in Paleo Recipes.

Paleo IngredientsYou may already know the basics of the paleo diet: if it’s processed and wouldn’t have been eaten by our paleolithic ancestors, don’t eat it. That’s an easy diet to follow, right? Well, not really when you think about it.

The general definition that I use to describe the paleo diet is extremely broad; it sounds simple, but when you really start thinking about it it encompasses so many different types of foods and ingredients that it may be hard to get going with the diet.

If you find the diet to be a bit confusing, you’re not alone. That’s why I decided to put together this little list of items that you should have in your kitchen if you want to follow the paleo diet– I’m calling them the building blocks of the paleo diet. Keep these main ingredients fresh and handy if you’d like to cook paleo meals.

In The Fridge

Before I get into the specifics, let me say that you should really have as many organic things as possible– artificial hormones are part of the problem, so stay away!

Here is my list of things that I always have in my fridge (always organic, when applicable):

  • Eggs
  • Vegetables (broccoli, carrots, celery)
  • Fish
  • Chicken
  • Red meats (ground beef) or pork
  • Lettuce and a little vinaigrette

I will usually have some milk, cheese, and yogurt in the fridge, which isn’t necessarily paleo, but they’re healthy in small doses nonetheless.

In Your Pantry

  • Almonds, cashews, and other nuts
  • Dried fruit mix
  • Granola
  • Potatoes
  • Coconut Oil
  • Honey
  • Cocoa powder
  • Canned tuna

I will also keep a few spices on hand, such as pepper, cinnamon, chili powder, and basil in case one of my recipes calls for it.

Now that you’ve got the basic ingredients, you’re ready to make some meals. Check out the rest of the site for recipes and don’t forget to check back often for updates!

Tags: , , ,
 

Is Coffee Paleo Approved?

formats
Published on January 29, 2013, by in Uncategorized.

Coffee is in many ways a very modern drink– as time has gone on and the modern day office job has evolved, humans have relied more and more on coffee to get them through the work day. Just look at this chart to get an idea of how much coffee consumption has increased worldwide since 1852 (source: unctad.info):

paleo coffee

As you can see, we have really become a world of coffee consumption. In reality, coffee by itself isn’t extremely unhealthy. In fact, there have been studies done which show the health benefits of consumption of a small amount of coffee each week. What makes our modern coffee drinks so unhealthy is that we add chocolate, cinnamon, cream, sugar, and all kinds of other things to our coffee (read: empty calories).

So, is coffee paleo-approved?

The short answer to this question is yes; coffee is found in nature– it comes from a plant and, as such, is something that (theoretically) would have been available to our paleolithic ancestors. Now, they most likely would not have had the technology that we have which allowed them to brew coffee in the traditional sense, but since it’s a natural substance I say it’s ok for the paleo diet.

I will add this caveat: when you start to add all kinds of chocolate, cream, sugar, etc to your coffee, it becomes non-paleo due not only to the fact that our ancestors would not have eaten these substances, but also because these things are generally unhealthy for you anyway and should be avoided.

I’ll admit that I slip up and put a little sugar in my coffee on occasion– I think that this is acceptable, as long as you don’t overdo it (everyone is entitled to a treat here and there).

One final note on coffee: the caffeine in coffee receives mixed reactions from many health professionals. On the one hand, small amounts of caffeine have been proven to increase alertness and improve cognitive performance; on the other hand, large amounts of caffeine can cause heart, sleep, and weight problems. If you’ve noticed a common theme to my writing on the paleo diet it’s that I am a big believer in moderation. On the same note, I feel the same way about caffeinated coffee. On occasion it is fine, but make sure you educate yourself on the pros and cons of drinking caffeinated beverages, especially in relation to paleo living.

Tags: , , ,
 

Paleo Dinner Recipe of the Month: January

formats
Published on January 11, 2013, by in Paleo Recipes.

Tomato Beef Broth RecipeHi everyone!

Sorry I’ve been gone for so long– I took a nice long sabbatical from work over the Christmas holiday and was quite honestly just enjoying spending time with my family.

Since it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything for you, I’m going to start a new monthly feature called the Paleo Recipe of the Month. Here’s this month’s recipe, I made it the other night and really enjoyed it. I hope you do too!

1 pound beef top round steak, cut into small pieces (about 1 inch)
1/3 cup flour
6 ounces portobello mushroom caps, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 onions, cut into thin wedges
2 cups fresh baby carrots
1 14.5 ounce can beef broth
2 14.5 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes with garlic & olive oil or 2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano
1 cup tomato juice
  Salt and black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons water
  • Preheat oven to 325o F. In a plastic bag combine beef and 2 tablespoons flour, seal and shake to coat beef. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add beef and brown.
  • Add remaining ingredients except water and flour. Mix well and cover. Bake for 1½ hoursor until the beef is fork tender. In a small bowl, combine water and ¼ cup flour; beat with wire whisk until smooth.
  • Remove stew from oven and gradually add flour mixture, stirring gently to blend. Cover and return to oven for an additional 30 minutes.

The whole thing should take about 2 hours to cook and 10 minutes to prep.

Makes 6 servings.

 

Tags: , ,
 

How To Cook Paleo For Dinner

formats
Published on December 5, 2012, by in First Posts About Paleo Dinner.

It’s no secret that modern eating habits have led to many so-called “diseases of affluence”– things like diabetes, obesity, etc. These were issues that our ancestors never had to deal with. In fact, many studies have shown that the modern increased intake of carbohydrates and sugars have directly caused many of these diseases.

Fortunately, the paleo diet seeks to address these types of issues. A big problem comes when trying to make dinner, since carbohydrates make up such a large part of our modern-day dinner menus.

I stumbled upon a lot of great recipes in the new cookbook that I bought (see the link on the right sidebar for more). I can’t really share the exact recipes with you due to copyright reasons, but I can give you a few pointers that I’ve found will help you think paleo when it comes to cooking dinner.

First of all, focus your dinner around the meat– the paleo diet encourages lots of meat consumption. Namely, choose a lean meat like chicken or low-fat beef. Feel free to add any spices you like (I like adding marinade to my chicken and Montreal steak seasoning to my steak).

The paleo diet really lets you get creative when it comes to vegetables. You really can add any vegetables you want to your dinner. You can cook the vegetables in the same pan as your meat, and even add some spices or marinades to them as well. I like making steak with sauteed bell peppers… I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

So there are a few basic pointers for you. For more recipes feel free to check out the cookbook, the link is on the right hand side of the page or you can just click here. The full review of the cookbook can be found here. Thanks for reading!

Tags: , , , ,
 

Review of a Paleo Dinner Recipe Book

formats
Published on October 15, 2012, by in Paleo Cookbooks Review.

Hey guys,

Mike here and you’re reading my uncensored review of what I really thought about The Paleo Recipe Book. You most likely are here because you are trying to figure out what foods are on the paleo diet.

Note that this a review though, if you’re looking for The Paleo Recipe Book’s website then click here.

Why am I writing this? Well, when I was thinking about buying The Paleo Recipe Book, a paleo cookbook, there weren’t many real reviews around and I didn’t even know if the foods included in the book were approved for the diet, so I thought I’d write up a quick review to help any of you who are in the same position I was. But be warned, I’ll be going into both the good and the bad points, so if that’s something you might not want to hear, then you may as well leave now.

There’s not really a lot of information out there about what foods fall under the paleo umbrella or the so-called “paleolithic caveman diet”, so I was skeptical right off the bat to try this paleo cookbook; in addition, there are other paleo cookbooks out there to choose from. But I figured for $27 I might as well give this one a try. First off, the book is an instant download which is absolutely wonderful. I didn’t have to wait to receive the book in the mail; I simply saved it to my computer and could reference it whenever I wanted. I even saved a copy onto my iPad so I can reference the book in the kitchen.

I never really enjoyed cooking much, but I also know that certain diet programs require you to spend hundreds of dollars a month on food, so I figured I’d better get to liking cooking or pay the price! The Paleo Recipe Book has a lot of REALLY simple recipes—even for a guy like me, I was able to understand and easily make the dishes.

Click here to visit the Paleo Recipe Book official site.

Everything is laid out nicely and the book is basically idiot proof. It really is a great paleo diet cookbook.

Another thing that is great is that there are 370 unique recipes involving different ingredients and meats, so you’ll never get tired of eating the stuff in the book. I’ve had the book for a few months now and I haven’t even tried everything yet since there are so many recipes. Oh, and did I mention that the food is actually pretty darn tasty? I didn’t know that foods for the paleo diet could taste so good.

Now for the negatives: If you’re looking for an actual, physical book to hold in your hand, move on. This book is only available as an eBook. Also, everybody tends to react differently to different diets, so there’s really no guarantee that the book will work for you, although based on my experience and other reviews I’ve read you’ll end up losing weight and feeling healthier.

I could list some of the foods/recipes that are in this paleo cookbook here, but I’d rather not be sued by the creators of The Paleo Recipe Book. Instead, I’m just going to link you to their site—it worked well for me and, hey, if you don’t like it you can always return it for a full refund.

Click here to visit the Paleo Recipe Book’s official site.

Tags: , ,
 

Paleo Diet For Athletes

formats
Published on October 11, 2012, by in First Posts About Paleo Dinner.

I’m an avid runner/weightlifter. I’m not going to act like I’m buff like Arnold Schwarzenegger or fast like Prefontaine. I’m just an average guy who enjoys breaking a sweat once in a while. But I got to a certain point where I sort of plateaued—this is a common phenomenon in the fitness world. Basically, in case you don’t know, plateauing is when you reach a certain level in your fitness that you just can’t seem to get past. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me, but then one day it hit me: my diet was poor.

Eventually I came across the paleo diet and figured I’d give it a shot since it involves lots of meats and vegetables, perfect foods for an active person. It turns out, the paleo diet for athletes is a great plan to stick to. If you start with paleo diet breakfast foods in the morning and paleo dinner foods in the evening, this is a great way to get your body the nutrients it needs to be fit. I’ll be honest, I’m pretty busy during the day so I cheat and don’t necessarily follow the diet for lunch. Oops!

Regardless, if you look at the foods in the paleo diet, they are very conducive to fitness. If you’d like to look at what kinds of foods you can cook and still stick to the paleo diet, you can click here for a great paleo recipe book.

I’ve felt healthier since starting a paleo diet routine, so I’d say so far the diet was a good decision.

The paleo diet is great for athletes. The trick is finding a good place to start and having a bit of guidance. If you get yourself a good paleo diet cookbook, you’ll have a good foundation for your diet and fitness. Combining the paleo meals in the book with an active workout program will no doubt help you feel healthier and lose weight.

Tags: , , ,
 

Welcome to the Paleo Dinner Blog!

formats
Published on October 11, 2012, by in First Posts About Paleo Dinner.

Hi, Mike here, and welcome to my site! I just wanted to write a quick first post detailing what this site is all about and why I decided to make it. First of all, I am a military officer, so fitness is of utmost important to me. I know that staying healthy not only involves exercising but also eating well. I decided to try the paleo diet when I was looking up what diets are good for athletes; it turns out the paleo diet is great for athletes, since it combines healthy meats and protein with vegetables that are rich in nutrients.

The paleo diet is short for paleolithic diet and is sometimes referred to as the caveman diet. It has become very popular lately due to the “grassroots” approach to dieting that it takes. The problem with the diet is that it is hard to find info on paleolithic nutrition; I had the same question that you probably have: what foods are on the paleo diet?

On this site I hope to point you in the right direction in order to find some paleo dinner recipes and info on paleo cooking. I will review a paleo cookbook and also discuss a bit of my story as well. Please feel free to leave me a comment under each post if you are curious about anything. I wish you all the best on your dieting quest!

Tags: , ,