Why go GMO Free?

Who cares if your food has been genetically modified? You feel fine, it tastes fine, and they're in pretty much everything you eat. Why take so many precautions to eat GMO free? 

Rats that were fed GMO’s for 90 days grew stomach lesions (growths that turn to cancer), liver damage, had higher death rates, and reproductive failures/infant mortality.   Not to mention that all of the tested GM products created immune responses and allergies in the animals. Rats that were fed lifetime supplies of GMO corn grew tumors. Clearly, the presence of GMOs is not natural and can be harmful.

So if GMO's are so toxic, why are we allowed to eat these products? As it turns out, the FDA does not require that biotech companies submit data about their foods. Instead, the biotech companies are allowed to determine if their own products are safe or not. Seriously. So Monsanto can literally add Round-Up to their crops, issue a report that their product is safe without ANY data, and the FDA will approve the crop. There is a complete lack of regulation on these products.

So we have a bunch of corporations funding biotech companies that produce massive amounts of harmful products, approving the safety standards on their own, and making incredible amounts of money by selling these products for way cheaper than Organics. 

Take a stand. Beware of the biggest 3 GMOs: Corn, Soy, and Canola. Remember, you vote with every dollar you spend. 

If you have questions you'd like answered about GMOs, post them, and I'll do the research for you. 

Here’s a quick guide to the health risks of GMO’s:

http://www.saynotogmos.org/flyer2.pdf

Highlights from Week 2

This week was so much easier. Planning ahead makes such a difference. Almost all my meals were planned and I only had to go grocery shopping once this week. My budget went down about $30 and I wasn't fighting horrible cravings. Except at the Synapse Halloween Party. Whoever brought the pizza and cornbread is gonna get a smackdown.

1. I made my own pizza. It was freaking amazing. Here is the recipe. Make it now.

This crust is heavenly. You use it to make bread, too!

In a bowl, combine 2 Cups of Almond Flour, 1 Cup of Arrowroot Powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregeno, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper. Mix. Add 3 eggs and 1/2 a cup of coconut milk. Stir together and spread on a greased cooking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

For your pizza, add any toppings you'd like. I added organic pizza sauce, some farmer's goat cheese, peppers, onions, mushrooms, bacon, and grassfed beef. Then I re-baked everything for about 10 more minutes. Jimmy could only eat half of it, and I've seen him eat an entire Whole Foods pizza in one sitting. I had 2 (large) slices and saved the rest for lunch (ended up being breakfast because it was so good).

2. Sweet Potato/Pumpkin Soup

Here's the link to the recipe I used: http://fastpaleo.com/pumpkin-soup/
I added 2 tbs of bacon fat and about 6 strips of cooked, chopped bacon. It made all the difference in the world.

3. Antelope/Beef Meat Balls: FAST and EASY!!!

I took 1 lb Antelope and 1 lb grassfed beef, combined them in a bowl with chopped celery, onions, garlic, almond meal, and 3 eggs, and made this beautiful meat concoction. I rolled them into balls and pan fried them in grapeseed oil.  I served them with mixed greens, sheepmilk feta cheese, heirloom tomatoes, chopped apples, and a dressing I made with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I also had enough meatballs for a few days after.

Heirloom tomatoes are my favorite right now. So beautiful and different tasting! Also, I dipped these meatballs in Harry's BBQ Sauce (found at Kaiser Farmers Market). Perfection.

4. Ribs. 

Those weird yellow things are apples. 

I screwed these ones up y'all. I put them in the slow cooker in the morning and it never got hot. So by the time I got home from work, I had lukewarm meat. GROSS. Luckily, Jimmy is a genius.

I put the ribs in a glass dish with chopped apples, salt, pepper, garlic, and some tuscan olive oil and baked those puppies for about 2 1/2 hours (while I went to the gym) at 250 degrees. When I got home, the house smelled like meat heaven.

Just for kicks, I sauteed some kale, beets, sweet potatoes, and carrots in raw cinammon honey and dipped my ribs in Harry's BBQ sauce. This stuff was so good that Jimmy, Dan and I finished the entire thing that night. Anyone who says grassfed is no different from grain-fed hasn't eaten these ribs.

This was about the time when I realized I was starting to have some fun with this stuff. Look at those colors! This meal was so easy and so good; there's no reason not to continue this.


5. Getting past the detox. 

Some of you guys may have known that as the first week drew to a close, I was having some hard times with this. My body was completely detoxing. My hair got really oily, my face was breaking out everywhere, I was (am) even a little bit more emotional than usual. Jimmy tells me this is normal, that I'm detoxing. Things are looking up though. It's about 2 weeks in, and I'm STARTING to feel a little bit back to normal. At least my face isn't as ugly.

I have noticed other changes. I worked out 5 days in a row this week which I haven't done in months, even while working 2 jobs and coaching when necessary. My energy is starting to go up. My workouts are getting faster. I've lost a little bit of fat. Hopefully this is just the beginning.

I'll leave you with this egg bake that saved my life this week. I ate it literally all week. All it contains are 5 eggs, farmer's goat cheese, 1/2 cup coconut milk, kale, onions, peppers, and sauteed sausage baked in a casserole for about 35 minutes.

Happy eating!

Week 1 Highlights

Top 3 things I've learned this week:

1. Bacon makes everything better. 

Whole Foods Pork is from Dubertown, Canada, where all their pigs are pasture raised. This means they have stress-free, freedom filled lives. They aren't solely grass fed; they eat a mixed diet of barley and other grains. Everything they are fed is organic (not that this means it's safe, but it's a start). With this knowledge, I've felt relatively safe purchasing Whole Foods pork, and I bought (and ate) about a full pound this week. My favorite is their coffee bacon, which has ground coffee on the pork. Perfect for breakfast.

This photo depicts bacon, brussel sprouts, caramelized onions and apple pears stir-fried. There's not even any seasoning on this amazingness.

2. Organic food is way more expensive than chemicals.

Last Sunday I went grocery shopping and spent a little over $100. This did not last me through the week. Apparently, I eat a LOT, or at least often. Prepared foods are hopeless. Even at whole foods the prepared foods have so many unhealthy things added (canola oil, sugar, flour...) that it's healthier and more beneficial to cook, and unfortunately, that runs up the bill. This week in total I spent about $150. My goal is to beat that next week with more foods prepared in advance and capitalizing on sales (Tip: Whole foods is having a 3 day grass-fed beef sale this weekend...better jump on it!). Despite budgeting and the planning I was able to do this week, organic foods simply cost more, and it's taken some will power to stick with it. 

My roommate looked inside our fridge when I was done putting everything away last week and said "What! It looks like a goddamn vegetable garden in here!" Sweet!

3. This week was really hard. 

Scramble of kale, carrots, onions, eggs, and bacon

Eating clean takes the convenience factor of food away. You cannot rely on other people. You have to ask questions. You have to cook. You have to plan ahead. And you really have to make it a priority.

Last night I wanted a pizza so much I was about to kill someone.  I was tired. It was Friday. There were so many excuses to give. But when it comes down to it, the reason I'm doing this is because it is really, REALLY important.  I want to know what it means to eat real food, to not be a slave to the industrialized food industry, to cast my vote for organic, healthy food every time i make a purchase.

I am still making mistakes as well- I haven't found a truly organic shampoo/conditioner (my hair is all f-ed up), and I haven't bought natural deodorant yet.  I'm buying too many prepared foods, and I didn't find out my chicken was safe this week until after I'd bought it (FYI- Whole Foods chicken is all Mary's Chicken, which are all pasture raised). Next week I'll be preparing more by shopping the sales and cooking in my (Jimmy's) crockpot. I can only hope that I continue to improve, cook more adventurously, and maintain my motivation. Help a girl out and stop drinking beer in front of her. Chances are, I really want it.

Best Product/Recipe/Resources Finds:
Coffee Bacon from Whole Foods
Vital Farms Pasture Raised Eggs
Pumpkin Pie Coffee Cake
LA Area Farmers Markets
The Healthy Skeptic

Day 5

What I ate:

-Beet/Carrot/Apple/Ginger Juice
-Leftover Potatoes
-Rotisserie Chicken
-Dried Mango
-Mini maccaroons
-Quinoa Salad
-Grilled grass-fed burger patty
-Parsley/Kale/Spinach/Apple juice

Day 4

What I ate:

-2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon
-Vitamin and Mineral Water
-Organic fair trade coffee
-Beet/Carrot/Apple/Ginger juice
-Kale Salad with cucumbers, cabbage, apple cider vinegar
-4 cocoa maccaroons
-B12 vitamin
-Fingerling potatoes, kale and beet stirfry, grass fed beef burger
-vitamin and mineral water

Day 3

What I ate, in order:

• 2 Eggs, 3 strips of bacon
• Vitamin and Mineral Water
• Beet/Carrot/Apple/Ginger juice
• dried mango
• banana
• leftover brussel sprout/bacon/onion mix
• scramble with 2 eggs, bacon, kale, carrots, onions

Day 2

What I ate, in order:

• Vitamin and Mineral mix with water
• Honeycrisp apple
• Banana
• Carrots dipped in organic hummus
• Chicken Breast with Guacamole
• Beet/Carrot/Ginger/Apple Juice
• 4 Small Coconut with raw cocoa macaroons
• Stir fry: Red onion, bacon, brussel sprouts, asian pear
• Vitamin and Mineral mix with water
• Banana, Almond Milk, and Raw almond butter mixed and frozen. YUM!

Chemical Free, Day 1

Here's what I ate today, in order:

-Vitamin and Mineral Drink, mixed with water
-Banana
-Beet/Carrot/Ginger/Apple Juice
-Dried Mango (LOTS)
-Lunch: Chicken Breast with Homemade Guacamole
-Tea
-Dinner: Ground Grass-fed Beef with Kale, Lemon, Grapeseed Oil, Hummus
-Vitamin and Mineral Drink, mixed with water

Daily Conclusions: I need more veggies. I do not feel like cooking when I get home at 9:30p.m. My grocery shopping from yesterday is not going to last me all week. Hm. This is going to be hard. I have a lot to say, but it will have to wait until Day 2 when I have any sort of energy. Also, I really, really, really want some coconut ice cream.

Sweet Potatoes Two Ways

1. Bacon Sweet Potatoes
Boil a large yam until it's soft. Drain and mix with 2 tbs goat milk butter (if you are against dairy, use coconut oil), 1/2 cup of almond milk, some cinnamon, and 1/4 pound cooked chopped bacon.  Mash everything together!

2. Mojito Sweet Potatoes (Yes, you're cheating)
Boil a large yam until it's soft. Drain and mix with chopped mint leaves, 2 shots of dark spiced rum, 2 tbs dark brown cane sugar, 2 tbs goat butter, 1/2 cup almond milk, juice of 1 lime.  Mash everything together and add flavors to your liking. This stuff is ridiculous good!

Crab Cakes

Alright, to make these bad boys I combined 1 lb. of lump crab meat, about a cup of red pepper and onion, a tablespoon of soy-free vegannaise, an egg, and some almond meal.  I mixed it all together and squeezed the crab cakes together in my hands. I pan-fried them in bacon grease and they turned out amazing. I served them over a kale salad with lemon and olive oil. Yummyy!!!!

The most interesting and non-bland salmon EVER!

The vegetable mix is beets, carrots and kale, sauteed with goat cheese! For the salmon, Jimmy picked up a cilantro-lime dipping sauce at the Farmers market, and spread it on one side of the salmon. Then he put it in a pan of hot coconut oil. YUM! Seriously easy and unforgettably delicious.

My Favorite Salad

Now that summer is coming- try this AMAZINGGGG fresh salad! It's a watercress salad with watermelon, cucumber, sheepmilk feta, and a tbs of balsamic vinegar drizzled on top. It would also be a delicious meal with some added bacon on top!

Fa's AMAZING Paleo Granola!!

Miss cereal? I do too. Fa made this EXCELLENT paleo crunch. Some of yall were lucky enough to try some at Saturday's class!! Add almond milk to it and you've got paleo cereal to enjoy as much as you like!!

Dry ingredients:
1/2cup ground flax seed
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 1/2 cups almond meal
3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
4 cups raw slivered almonds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Wet ingredients:
1 cup liquified coconut oil
1/2 cup raw organic honey
3 tsp pure vanilla extract

Optional:
1/2 cup unsweetened dried fruit

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well to ensure ingredients are evenly distributed
3. In a medium bowl, add wet ingredients and whisk together until well combined
4. Mix the wet ingredients thoroughly into the dry ingredients
5. Divide the mixture in a thin layer onto 2 rimmed baking sheets. It will fill about 1 and 1/2 jelly roll pans
6. Press mixture down with your hands or the back of a large spoon
7. Bake until lightly toasted, approximately 1 hour. Remove pans from oven and gently stir the mixture with a large spoon. Carefully return the pans to the oven and continue to coon for another 15 minutes
8. Remove from oven and stir in optional ingredients, if desired. Let the mixture cool completely in the pans
9. To store, place a folded paper towel(to absorb any excess coconut oil) in the bottom of a lidded storage con

Steve's breakfast cupcakes

Bacon baked on the bottom of cupcake liners, with scrambled egg and ham on top- perfect for a breakfast on the go!

Michelle's Citrus Stir Fry

Steak, carrots, bell peppers, garlic, onion, orange, and lemon

Claudia's Garlic Shrimp

Sauteed shrimp with garlic, spinach with bacon and onions, mixed vegetables

Claudia R's Chicken with Mushrooms, Sauteed Spinach and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Jimmy makes a "MEAN" Bacon and Eggs!!

Make sure the meat you are eating is GRASS FED and your eggs are PASTURE RAISED!!!

Dan, Lyra, and Heidi's Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus

Steve's paleo fried chicken