Cream of Broccoli Soup

Well, I've been slacking on my blog posts. Sorry about that folks! I've actually been busy with work! :) But I promise to resume regular postings!

I finally made something yesterday to get me far, far away from those daggum roasted veggies....cream of broccoli soup! Yay! It is so increditbly delicious, relatively inexpensive and EASY to freeze! I made a big batch and put half of it in the fridge and half of it in the freezer.

Cream of Broccoli Soup
1 head of broccoli
3 cans coconut milk, full fat
1 small white onion
fresh tarragon
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 cup coconut oil
pinch of celtic sea salt
1 tbsp black pepper

Put coconut oil in a large saucepan, turn heat on medium high. Add finely chopped white onion, garlic, tarragon (as much as you like for taste, i used about 2 tbsp), celtic sea salt and black pepper. Sauteed until onions are transluscent. Add 3 cans of coconut milk, turn heat to medium. Chop broccoli to desired size. I chopped it pretty fine. Add to soup. Simmer on medium low heat until broccoli is soft (about 15 minutes). Add celtic sea salt to taste. If you have a good organic chicken stock, adding 1 cup of that would be absolutely delicious, and then you could eliminate the sea salt. I was out of chicken stock, so I had to go with what was in my pantry.

Hope everyone survived the holiday relatively unscathed. I only cheated one day off of Paleo, and I felt so terrible afterwards that I will not be cheating again anytime soon!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!!!

Garage Crossfit Competition

Went to Atlanta this weekend for a crossfit competition, a Trader Joe's run, and a visit with friends! It was a great weekend overall! I was able to get a Paleo friendly marinara to go with my eggplant parmigiana that I made last night, and I will post the recipe very soon.

A coworker sent me the following article on fructose. It is a MUST read. Please pass it on to everyone you know! http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article6954603.ece
I have also pasted the text of the article below.

Here are some pics from this weekend.







From The Sunday Times December 13, 2009
Child diabetes blamed on food sweetener
Scientists have proved for the first time that a cheap form of sugar used in thousands of food products and soft drinks can damage human metabolism and is fuelling the obesity crisis.

Fructose, a sweetener derived from corn, can cause dangerous growths of fat cells around vital organs and is able to trigger the early stages of diabetes and heart disease.

It has increasingly been used as a substitute for more expensive types of sugar in yoghurts, cakes, salad dressing and cereals. Even some fruit drinks that sound healthy contain fructose.

Experts believe that the sweetener — which is found naturally in small quantities in fruit — could be a factor in the emergence of diabetes among children. This week, a new report is expected to claim that about one in 10 children in England will be obese by 2015.

Previous studies of the potentially adverse impact of fructose have focused on rats, but the first experiment involving humans has now revealed serious health concerns.

Over 10 weeks, 16 volunteers on a strictly controlled diet, including high levels of fructose, produced new fat cells around their heart, liver and other digestive organs. They also showed signs of food-processing abnormalities linked to diabetes and heart disease. Another group of volunteers on the same diet, but with glucose sugar replacing fructose, did not have these problems.

People in both groups put on a similar amount of weight. However, researchers at the University of California who conducted the trial, said the levels of weight gain among the fructose consumers would be greater over the long term.

Fructose bypasses the digestive process that breaks down other forms of sugar. It arrives intact in the liver where it causes a variety of abnormal reactions, including the disruption of mechanisms that instruct the body whether to burn or store fat.

“This is the first evidence we have that fructose increases diabetes and heart disease independently from causing simple weight gain,” said Kimber Stanhope, a molecular biologist who led the study. “We didn’t see any of these changes in the people eating glucose.”

Natural fructose represents 5%-10% of the weight of any fruit. Its use in processed foods stems from a discovery in 1971 that synthesised a 55% fructose and 45% glucose syrup from maize, creating an ingredient cheaper and six times sweeter than cane sugar.

High-fructose corn syrup, or glucose-fructose syrup, is listed as an ingredient in many food and drink products in Britain, although it is virtually impossible for consumers to know the quantity and ratio of fructose used. Barry Popkin, professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, and a US government adviser on health policy, said: “Historically, we never consumed much sugar. We’re not built to process it.”

Rejecting the California research, a spokesman for the Food and Drink Federation, a UK industry trade group, said: “It makes no sense to highlight one single ingredient as a cause of obesity.”

Cool website

Hi all! The weekend is upon us once again...yay!!!! and Booooo! I have a hard time on the weekends adhering to Paleo and lately I've been tossing around the idea of Intermittent Fasting! So how do these things relate? I was thinking that maybe Intermittent Fasting might help me through the weekends! Of course there were some other factors, but I thought the two might be beneficial for me! However before I commit to such a big statement as "I am going to fast" I thought I first must admit that I know nothing about it...sooooo I decided to do a little research.

Mark Sisson, author of "The Primal Blueprint," has a great website. www.marksdailyapple.com There are several great recipes, and it's just a fun site overall! I was able to find some solid info on the subject of IF on his site, and he was kind enough to respond to the questions I had via email. (I personally would like to thank him, because I know he is EXTREMELY busy!) I am not going to say whether I support it or not. I don't want to push my views on anyone here, especially to people who might have issues with food. I encourage you to research whether it's right for you. His article is making sense for me, especially on paleo....so here you go. Post your thoughts to comments if you feel like it, have some experience with it, etc. i'd love to hear!
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fasting/

Have a great weekend, and stay Paleo! The challenge is now a full 2 weeks under way! Halfway there!!!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Last night I decided I had had it with roasted veggies to accompany my meat of the night. I've had soooooo many roasted vegetables I might turn into one possibly tomorrow!

While perusing the net yesterday, I ran across a fried green tomato recipe...so I thought why not!? Even though I had a few mishaps when making these, they were a good change from the roasted veggies.

Take Note: A word of advice, do not, I repeat DO NOT, let the oil get too hot. Another word of advice - clean out the pan each time you make a new batch. I repeat CLEAN OUT THE PAN EACH TIME YOU MAKE A NEW BATCH.

To tell the truth, I was really trying to do too many things at once, and my second batch sort of got a little overcooked. Ok, well, overcooked might be an understatement. Can we say absolutely burned to he** and back!? The whole entire house filled up with smoke, and my hair still smells like burned fried green tomatoes even after washing it this morning!

But I digress, even though I had a small snaffoo, they turned out delicious. I highly recommend these little nuggets for something other than roasted veggies. They aren't too time consuming, however you will need to dedicate a little time so that you don't experience burned fried green tomato smell for days! The recipe and a review from my bf is below.

Fried Green Tomatoes
4 green tomatoes
1/2 cup almond meal/almond flour
1/2 cup flax seed meal
cumin to taste
pepper and cayenne to taste
3 eggs
EVOO

Slice the tomatoes to desired thickness. Whisk the 3 eggs in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the almond meal, flax seed meal, cumin, pepper and cayenne. Heat the evoo in a pan. Dip the tomatoes in the egg mixture, then place them in the almond/flax mixture coating both sides evenly. Place tomatoes in heated evoo. Fry roughly 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown. Sprinkle with celtic sea salt when done IF you use this. For strict Paleo folks, omit the salt.

REVIEW by Dave Johnson:
I would go with 2 thumbs up! Of course I haven't had anything similar to that type texture in a long time and I was hungry because of my 5 mile run at a 7:25 pace(had to brag just 1 more time-oh and that was a training run and not a race-feel free to include that. Also include that at The JCC on mile 5 I was at 34:28-yeh I'm fast). I loved the F.G.T.'s and can't wait til I get them again. Even the burned ones were good. I really mean that. I'm not just saying that for brownie points or anything! I guess I'm trying to say 2 thumbs up!

The Truth About Agave Nectar

So, recently, I have seen a ton of recipes that have agave nectar as a natural sweetener. No one can seem to answer my questions regarding this product, therefore I did a little research. I have taken the below article from Crossfit Fort Meyers by Coach Jason Cobb. I do not know this person, however he does site references for the information. If anyone can find out any other information contrary to the posting below regarding agave nectar, please let me know. I'd love to be able to use it, but for now, I'm going to stay away. Please note: this is a long one.

Thanks to Coach Cobb. A link to his blog is http://cffmcoachesblog.blogspot.com/. I have emailed him to request permission to post this...if he tells me no, I'll remove it immediately.

FROM BLOG: HTTP://CFFMCOACHESBLOG.BLOGSPOT.COM/

SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2009
Agave Syrup (Nectar) a.k.a. "Liquid Death"

Recently, some of you have switched over to Agave Syrup and I wanted to provide you with some information regarding this seemingly "healthy/natural/Paleo-type" sweetener. Last week when this first came up in conversation I remembered Robb Wolf saying something about Agave like it was "Liquid Death" or something?? Well, I revisited my lecture notes from the CrossFit Nutrition Certification Seminar and it IS Liquid Death! It can be rather confusing because people look at the low GI of the Agave syrup and think it's okay, but because Agave is almost entirely Fructose the problem is that it must be metabolized in your Liver and that has some rather drastic ramifications. The web-article I am providing you with is from John Kohler of www.living-foods.com and tomorrow I'll post a follow-up with information from Dr. Michael Eades.

The Truth about Agave Syrup: Not as Healthy as You May Think
by John Kohler

A relatively recent trend in raw food preparation is the use of agave syrup (also called agave nectar) as sweetener is called for in raw recipes. I am often asked about my views on this sweetener.

When I first switched to a raw food diet in 1995, agave syrup was unknown and was NOT USED IN RAW FOODS! I first learned about agave syrup back in 1999 or 2000 at a trade show for the health food industry, which I attend regularly to keep up with the latest in the health and nutrition field. I asked several questions, got some samples, and inquired on how the company processed the agave syrup. At that time, I learned that it was processed at roughly 140 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit11, so I certainly didn’t consider it a raw food by any means. Just like agave, some people consider maple syrup a raw food, but all maple syrup is heat-treated and is therefore not raw at all.

Unfortunately, there are no “raw labeling laws.” Anyone, anywhere, at any time can put “RAW” on their label and to them it can be supposedly raw since it is made from a “raw” material or simply not roasted. Just because it says “RAW” doesn’t necessarily mean that it was processed at a temperature under 118 degrees and still has all its enzymes, nutrients, and “life force” intact. For example, when you notice the difference between raw carob powder and roasted carob powder in the store, it is my understanding that the “raw” carob powder has been heated to about 250 degrees, whereas the “roasted” carob powder has been heated to about 450 degrees. The additional heat applied to the “roasted” carob powder causes the carob to “carmelize,” thus making it darker in appearance and different in taste as compared to the “raw” carob powder. Some stores sell “truly raw” carob powder, it has a more chalkier texture than supposedly “raw” carob powder. Jaffe Bros in Valley Center, California is a source of the “truly raw” carob powder. There are several raw food snack bars that say “RAW” but have ingredients such as cooked cocoa powder (that can’t be raw) and cashew nuts (most of which are not truly raw).

An excerpt on how Agave is processed

Agave plants are crushed, and the sap collected into tanks. The sap is then heated to about 140°F for about 36 hours not only to concentrate the liquid into a syrup, but to develop the sweetness. The main carbohydrates in the agave sap are complex forms of fructose called fructosans, one of which is inulin, a straight-chain fructose polymer about ten eight to 10 fructose sugar units long. In this state, the sap is not very sweet.

When the agave sap is heated, the complex fructosans are hydrolyzed, or broken into their constituent fructose units. The fructose-rich solution is then filtered to obtain the desired products that range from dark syrup with a characteristic vanilla aroma, to a light amber liquid with more neutral characteristics. Excerpt from: FoodProcessing.com

So agave needs to be hydrolyzed so that the complex fructosans are "broken down" into fructose units or it won't be sweet!! Great now im eating hydrolyzed raw agave syrup!

Let’s suppose for arguments sake, and to give agave the benefit of the doubt, that even with “new” technology companies are somehow able to process agave syrup below 118 degrees so it could be considered actually “raw”. We still need to ask the question, is it good for us?

Some foods, even if they truthfully are raw, may not actually be HEALTHY. Based on what I have learned about agave syrup, I believe it to be one of these foods.
My answer to the question, “Is agave nectar good for us?” would be “NO” based on my research. Here is a sample of my findings:

Agave Syrup is not a “whole” food. It is a fractionated and processed food. Manufacturers take the liquid portion of the agave plant and “boil” it down, thus concentrating the sugar to make it sweet. This is similar to how maple “sap” that comes directly from a tree is heated and concentrated to make maple “syrup.” Agave Syrup is missing many of the nutrients that the original plant had to begin with.

Agave Syrup was originally used to make tequila. When Agave Syrup ferments, it literally turns into tequila. The enzymatic activity therefore MUST be stopped so that the syrup will not turn into tequila in your cupboard. Raw or not, if there is no enzymatic activity, it is certainly not a “live” food. As Raw Foodists, we want the enzymes intact.

According to my research, there are three major producers of agave syrup. Some of these companies also have other divisions that make Tequila. For the most part, agave syrup is produced in the Guadalajara region in Mexico. There are those within the industry who I have spoken to at various trade shows who say that some of the agave syrup is “watered down” with corn syrup in Mexico before it is exported to the USA. Why is this done? Most likely because Agave Syrup is expensive, and corn syrup is cheap.

Agave Syrup is advertised as “low glycemic” and marketed towards diabetics. It is true, that agave itself is low glycemic. We have to consider why agave syrup is “low glycemic.” It is due to the unusually high concentration of fructose (90%) compared to the small amount of glucose (10%). Nowhere in nature does this ratio of fructose to glucose occur naturally. One of the next closest foods that contain almost this concentration of glucose to fructose is high fructose corn syrup used in making soda(HFCS 55), which only contains 55% fructose. Even though fructose is low on the glycemic index, there are numerous problems associated with the consumption of fructose in such high concentrations as found in concentrated sweeteners:

A. Fructose appears to interfere with copper metabolism. This causes collagen and elastin being unable to form. Collagen and elastin are connective tissue which essentially hold the body together.1 A deficiency in copper can also lead to bone fragility, anemia, defects of the arteries and bone, infertility, high cholesterol levels, heart attacks and ironically enough an inability to control blood sugar levels.2

B. Research suggests that fructose actually promotes disease more readily than glucose. This is because glucose is metabolized by every cell in the body, and fructose must be metabolized by the liver. 3 Tests on animals show that the livers of animals fed large amounts of fructose develop fatty deposits and cirrohosis of the liver. This is similar to the livers of alcoholics.

C. “Pure” isolated fructose contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals and may rob the body of these nutrients in order to assimilate itself for physiological use.4

D. Fructose may contribute to diabetic conditions. It reduces the sensitivity of insulin receptors. Insulin receptors are the way glucose enters a cell to be metabolized. As a result, the body needs to make more insulin to handle the same amount of glucose.5

E. Consumption of fructose has been shown to cause a significant increase in uric acid. An increase in uric acid can be an indicator of heart diease.6

F. Fructose consumption has been shown to increase blood lactic acid, especially for people with conditions such as diabetes. Extreme elevations may cause metabolic acidosis.7

G. Consumption of fructose leads to mineral losses, especially excretions of iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc compared to subjects fed sucrose.8

H. Fructose may cause accelerated aging through oxidative damage. Scientists found that rats given fructose had more cross-linking changes in the collagen of their skin than other groups fed glucose. These changes are thought to be markers for aging.9

I. Fructose can make you fat! It is metabolized by the liver and converts to fat more easily than any other sugar. Fructose also raises serum triglycerides (blood fats) significantly.10

Agave Syrup and other concentrated sweeteners are addictive, so you end up trading a cooked addiction (eating candy bars or cookies) for a “raw” addiction which is not much better. Eating concentrated sweeteners makes it harder to enjoy the sweet foods we should be eating – whole fresh fruit since they don’t seem as sweet by comparison.

Long-time raw foodist and Medical Doctor, Dr. Gabriel Cousens, M.D. says that agave nectar raises blood sugar just like any other sugar. Dr. Cousens wrote a book, "There Is a Cure for Diabetes".

Whole fruits generally contain a much smaller amount of fructose compared to sucrose and glucose. In addition, fruits contain vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber, and other nutrients. Our bodies are designed to digest a complete “package” of nutrition that appears in whole, fresh, ripe fruits. Could nature be wrong? For example, it’s always better to eat fruits whole or blend them rather than juice them. When you juice fruits you remove the fiber which helps to slow down the absorption of the sugars. Concentrated sweeteners also contain no fiber and have much greater concentrations of simple sugars than are found in fresh fruit or even juices.

References:
1. Fields, M, Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 1984, 175:530-537.
2. Klevay, Leslie, Acting Director of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, N.D.
3. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2002 Vol. 76, No. 5, 911-922.
4. Appleton, Nancy Ph.D., Fructose is No Answer For a Sweetener, http://www.mercola.com/2002/jan/5/fructose.htm.
5. H. Hallfrisch, et al.,The Effects of Fructose on Blood Lipid Levels, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 37: 5, 1983, 740-748.
6. J. MacDonald, Anne Keyser, and Deborah Pacy, Some Effects, in Man, of Varying the Load of Glucose, Sucrose, Fructose, or Sorbitol on Various Metabolites in Blood, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 31 (August 1978)): 1305-1311.
7. Hallfrisch, Judith, Metabolic Effects of Dietary Fructose, FASEB Journal 4 (June 1990): 2652-2660.
8. A. E. Bergstra, A. G. Lemmens, and A. C. Beynens, Dietary Fructose vs. Glucose Stimulates Nephrocalcinogenesis in Female Rats, Journal of Nutrition 123, no. 7 (July 1993): 1320-1327.
9. Roger B. Mc Donald, Influence of Dietary Sucrose on Biological Aging, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 62 (suppl), (1995): 284s-293s.
10. H. Hallfrisch, et al.,The Effects of Fructose on Blood Lipid Levels, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 37: 5, 1983, 740-748.
11. Method of producing fructose syrup from agave plants.

Holiday Paleo Treats

This time of year is especially difficult to maintain Paleo. If you work in an office environment, there is an endless supply of cookies, cakes, pies, and holiday treats that are extremely difficult to avoid. Fortunately at my office, the kitchen is located upstairs from me and the "treats" typically wind up in there. I can pretty much avoid these little demon items! Complete avoidance is my m.o. and very beneficial since, like many Americans, I am definitely a sugar addict. Once I start, I can't stop! If I am eating a doughnut or cookie or piece of fudge, I will actually be thinking about the NEXT doughnut or cookie or piece of fudge that I will devour....I won't even enjoy the treat I'm eating! I tell ya, it's extremely sick thinking, but more the reason to continue on the Paleo path!

My friend Cookie (no pun intended), a fellow CF'er from California and Paleo foodie extraordinaire, has a recipe posted today in regards to holiday Paleo treats! I thought I would borrow her recipe to pass on to all of you! Her website is www.paleochix.com. Please visit it often, as it has tons of great inspiration, motivation and Paleo friendly recipes! In addition, please let me know if you make this recipe and how it turns out. My thought was to add a little carob to lend a chocolatey flavor, however the coconut milk may need to be increased so it remains liquidy enough -- but my idea might need some tweaking. When I try out the recipe this weekend, I'll let you know how it goes! Enjoy!

PALEO FUDGE

13.5 oz can of unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup almond butter
dash of celtic seasalt
3 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups crushed pecans
1/2 c finely shredded unsweetened coconut (may need sifting - the finer the better!!)

Boil the milk and coconut until the coconut is not longer visible. Add salt, vanilla and almond butter. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Add in pecans and stir til thickens. Poor into wax paper lined pan. Chill for 24 hrs to set. Serve COLD!!

Lara Bars

Last night at CF, there was some discussion going on regarding some snack bars called "Lara Bars." Supposedly they are totally Paleo! How exciting is this!? I have not checked out these little gems myself...YET...but I hope to do so in the next couple of days. Here is what Alima says about them:

"Lara bars. They are by the other protien bars at publix and WF's. Publix has a better price but WF has a better selection. The apple pie, cherry pie and cinnamon bun are my favorites so far!!!"

Enjoy everyone!

New Recipe

I hope everyone survived their Paleo weekend unscathed...I know Saturday and Sunday are always the hardest for me as far as staying Paleo. Yesterday, I spent about 5 hours in the kitchen in an effort to "get ahead" on my Paleo cooking since next Sunday my time will be limited. No one ever said staying Paleo was easy, but the results are worth it!

I made a fabulous pork tenderloin. I rubbed olive oil, fresh rosemary, and cracked pepper all over it and stuck it in the oven on 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. (It was about a pound) And it was DELICIOUS!

Amber sent me a recipe last night...I'm guessing she made it yesterday. Here it is:

Paleo Spaghetti
bake spaghetti squash in place of noodles (salt, peper, garlic powder, olive oil. place meat side down in glass baking dish. bake at 375 for about 20-30 minutes)
olive oil
1 can of organic whole tomatoes
1/2 can of organic tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic
black pepper
sea salt
1 zucchini
1 squash
publix greenwise hot chicken sausage
thyme
rosemary
oregano

saute garlic in olive oil. cut the sausage out of casing (discard casing) add loose sausage to olive oil and garlic. rough chop can of tomatoes and add to chicken once it is cooked thoroughly, add some of the juice from the can of tomatoes as well. add herbs, salt and pepper to taste. cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes. add the 1/2 can of tomato sauce and chopped zucchini and squash. let simmer uncovered until sauce begins to thicken. stirring frequently.

scrape out spaghetti squash and add sauce. super yummy~

Thanks Amber!

Crashing on Paleo

Jackie, one of CF Rebellion's newest members, is running a half marathon tomorrow. She has run this distance in the past, but it will be her first time to do so on Paleo, since accepting the 28 day Paleo challenge which is now one full week under way.

Jackie did her last long run this past Sunday, which was a ten-miler and which was her third day on Paleo. Here is her experience:

"so, i took yesterday as a rest day and went for a long run this morning. i don't know if it's the change in diet or what, but i completely bonked at mile 4... which made the last 6 miserable (a run-walk to finish)... anyone have any advice? i'm in panic mode as saturday i'm running the st. jude's half. my typical pre-long-run fuel previously consisted of half a pb&j (jelly being the polaner grape) on whole wheat bread... what would be a good paleo substitute?"

I have experienced the exact same "bonk" that Jackie had on her last 10-miler. About two weeks into strict Paleo, I decided to run the Vulcan 10k. I had yet to dial into a solid, well-thought-out, pre-race diet. My thoughts were that I was stronger, fitter and faster than previous races...heck, I had been doing Paleo afterall on top of 5 CF wods a week! ;) The morning of the race, I had my usual 1/2 avocado and 2 eggs. The only thing I did differently was add a little celtic sea salt to my eggs as an afterthought that maybe it would help me retain a little water. (BIG mistake!) At mile 2, I completely bonked. My legs felt like they were made of lead. My mouth dried up like the Sahara Desert. My thinking during the entire race was a slew of negative thoughts. And I definitely did NOT PR that day.

Fast forward to Thanksgiving Day in which I ran another 10k. I had just delved into "Paleo for Athletes" so I was obtaining some very useful information about adequate racing fuel for my body. I had originally been shying away from fruit, petrified that I would gain weight. (Silly, I know.) But "Paleo for Athletes" was encouraging it, outlining how fruit was a must for the athlete, especially in combination with a fat and protein. The Thanksgiving Day 10k was a completely different race for me! I heeded the "Paleo for Athletes" pre-race nutrition plan, and it worked! Although I did not get a PR on that day either, the race was completely different both in MIND, SPIRIT and BODY.

So what did I do differently? The morning of my second 10k, 2 hours before the race, I had my usual 2 eggs and half an avocado, but I added a banana to that as well along with 16 ounces of water. The night before I ate a banana before bed with 16 ounces of water. I continously hydrated 2 days prior, forcing myself to drink as much water as possible. I also increased my seasalt intake a touch (I typically use NO salt, so using a little is an increase for me) 2 and 1 days prior. And then 30 minutes before the race, I ate another banana as suggested. And this is the regimen that seemed to work for me.

Jackie received a ton of advice regarding her half marathon tomorrow so that she insures that she fuels up adequately. I believe she's found a combination that will work for her without having to consume a glob of chemicals in order to keep her going. Food IS fuel if combined in the right way. I wish Jackie Godspeed, and I look forward to hearing about her experience!

What is your Paleo pre-race/competition/wod fuel? Have you experienced the bonk, and how did you change it the next time around? What foods do you find "fuel" you best? I look forward to hearing others experience in this regard.

Useful sites and tools and blogs

Here is a list of useful sites, tools, and blogs that I have acquired either through searching on my own or by friends passing along great info. It's an overload of information, so save these to your favorites and peruse as you can...and enjoy!!! My only warning is I have not been able to view all of these in depth. If there is a recipe that has agave nectar or honey, beware. But that is my personal opinion based on discussions with Amber and her info from other Paleo-wise peeps in addition to my own research...

http://www.paleochix.com/
http://performancemenu.com/recipes/index.php?action=recipe&recipeID=4
http://btbfitness.squarespace.com/nutrition-and-performance/?currentPage=9
http://www.thepaleodiet.com/
http://www.thepaleodiet.com/nutritional_tools/recipes.shtml
http://www.paleofood.com/
http://robbwolf.com/
http://paleotreats.com/
http://everydaypaleo.com/

The 28 day Paleo Challenge at Crossfit Rebellion is almost a full week under way! I hope everyone is faring well! 1 week down, 3 to go!

random thoughts

my mind is restless today. i have a ton of random thoughts floating around in my head that i can't keep still. i'm not sure why this is, but i'm feeling a little a.d.d.! (not to offend the a.d.d. folks) so since i'm feeling very random, i'm going to post very random....good luck following along...as dave says, i'm changing channels a lot today:

-i wonder how the other gym members are doing on the paleo challenge? my body has finally settled down and stopped craving sugar in the afternoons since my big cheat day. i wonder how the other gym members are feeling? i don't think my cheat day did me any harm in my wods, which makes me very happy.

-i wonder if alima made the paleo ice cream treats and if she liked them.

-moxie and i are doing a 5k on saturday...my sister is too. i want to remove moxie's fear that she has with it. i want to remove my own fear that i have with getting or not getting a pr. i wonder if dave is actually NOT going to run like he says he is now. i wonder what i should wear because it's going to be cold. i wonder if my dad really is going to go to cheer us on.

-i hope i didn't offend my boss yesterday.

-the main site is really getting weird. today's wod is super random and not very clear. there is a lot of debate on whether the one-armed pullups are supposed to be weighted with 60 pounds or not....i'm guessing not. i mean, that's INSANE! but CF is sometimes definitely insane. the article posted yesterday is also weird and controversial. and the stuff going on the robb wolf site talking about him getting fired from the CF nutrition certs....are the powers that be at CF central all on meth or something, because that's how it's feeling a little bit?

-i absolutely CANNOT forget to get my secret santa gift this weekend for the person at work since the holiday "gala" is dec 12.

-i wonder if i should do the intermediate or advanced level in the garage competition on dec 12? i also have a lot of fear in doing the advanced level...more fear on that than on getting a 5k pr.

-i need to post some recipes. guess i'll post one now. i hear this is delish, but i haven't gotten around to making it. anything fried and paleo sounds good to me...and it sounds good for this dreary, cold day we're having here in bham, al. amber vouches for this one.

Coconut Chicken
-In a med bowl combine almond meal and unsweetened coconut flakes (amount depends on how many pieces of chicken you plan to use)
-In a small bowl beat 1-2 eggs
-Dip chicken breasts or strips into egg, then coat with the almond meal and coconut flake mixture
-Pan fry in coconut oil

Have a great day everyone....sorry for the randomness today!

New Recipe!

I totally love the CF community! Someone (thanks Shane!) sent a link to me with the following recipe. Amber told me about this the other day, too...I will add it to the developing recipe book. It sounds super fab!!!!

Baba Ganoush
Credit to: Scott Hagnas, December 2009, http://performancemenu.com/recipes/index.php

Baba Ganoush is a dish of Arabic origin. It can take many forms, varying from region to region. It is usually a side dish, or it can make a great topping. Traditionally, it will be used on some kind of pita bread. I find it goes well with celery sticks, tomatoes, or just eaten by itself.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup parsley, plus extra for garnish
• sea salt to taste

Poke the eggplant with several holes to release steam. Place on a baking sheet or dish, bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from the oven; allow to cool.

Once the eggplant has cooled, peel it by simply pulling the skin off. If it has baked sufficiently, this should be relatively easy. You can also scoop out the pulp. Place the peeled eggplant into a food processor along with all of the other ingredients. Puree until you reach the desired consistency. Top with a few sprigs of parsley, then drizzle with olive oil. Chill before serving.

Zone info: 4 servings at .4 carb block, 4.5 fat blocks (3.5g carb, 7g fat)

Day 4

Paleo Challenge Day 4. I have to admit Saturday and Sunday afternoons I almost caved. The chocolate chip pecan pie was calling my name. I did everything in my power yesterday to avoid the Paleo pitfall, which means I ate continuously all. day. long. But at least it was all Paleo foods.

I made a beef brisket yesterday morning. I marinated it in a fabulous marinade courtesy of Amber. Here it is, somewhat tweaked to my tastes:

lime juice from 2 limes
lime zest from the above limes
minced garlic - 2 spoonfuls on each side
about 1 tsp of curry paste - 1 on each side
cumin
celtic sea salt and pepper
i rubbed all into the meat on both sides and refrigerated for a day.

I also got around to cooking the country sausage I ordered from Boutwell Farms. It is da*n good! I can't get enough of it! Although my ordering experience from them was not a good one, I might have to give them another chance simply so I can continue ordering the country sausage!

And then last night, I made the Paleo ice cream treats. I posted the recipe a few days ago, but here it is again:

1 can coconut milk, full fat
2 cups frozen blueberries
1 tbsp vanilla extract (I think this is Paleo?)
Mix together and freeze in muffin cups

The above recipe got me over the chocolate chip pecan pie hump last night.

Tonight will be the first wod since last Tuesday at the gym....we'll see how the Thanksgiving cheat day treats me!

Day 1 Paleo Challenge

Today is Day 1 of the Paleo Challenge at Crossfit Rebellion. I think most all of the gym members are on board. Yesterday (Thanksgiving) was a pig-out fest on my account, and I'm sure the other gym members did the same. I don't want to forget the miserable feeling I felt yesterday afternoon after eating WAAAAAAY too much turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, broccoli casserole, and then all of it smothered in giblet gravy. Don't get me wrong...it was mm-mm-good, that's fo sho! But the after effects were debilitating. I topped my Thanksgiving feast off with 2 pieces of chocolate chip pecan pie. Needless to say I did not have to eat dinner last night since I was still stuffed (no pun intended), but I managed to put one more piece of chocolate cake down the gullet for "last meal's" sake.

Today is a new day! And I'm looking forward to the 28 days ahead! My first improvement of today is I did not use heavy whip in my coffee, although I'm dying to do so. It's my one treat. But I will make every improvement I can for the challenge.

I'm going nuts for some new veggie recipes, other than roasted veggies, however everything I've found is time-consuming. Today I'm going to make a bunch of veggie fritters and I'll roast some butternut squash. They are both time-consuming, but I have plenty of time today since I am not working and I'm sure as heck not going to the mall! I'll post pics of my veggie fritters and butternut squash along with the recipes a little later.

Until then.....

Oops...I forgot

And Moxie Black, aka Robyn, is on the journey too! (She just doesn't have the google chat capabilities that Amber and I so enjoy during our "real job" hours!) I just needed to give Moxie a little plug...didn't want her to think I forgot her! She's new to CF, but she is making tremendous strides too! I'm super stoked to see the progress she makes over the next year with her strength!!!

Thanksgiving Eve

I have been doing Paleo since September 24, 2009, but I have been doing strict Paleo for the past month. (What is Paleo? If you don't know, go here http://www.thepaleodiet.com/ and here http://robbwolf.com/ ...hopefully these folks won't mind the plug!) Amber has been doing it since Labor Day, with a cheat here and there, especially for her wedding. We both do Crossfit. I'm mentioning Amber because she has been my Paleo buddy....and well, my Crossfit buddy, too. See, I'm very competitive against others, and she keeps me going. I don't know if she even realizes how much I want to beat her at every wod we do! But I digress...back to Paleo. So Amber has been my Paleo buddy. We share tons of recipes. We both scour the internet for anything Paleo food-related, and we have a few ideas knocking around in our brains about these recipes. She has no idea I'm doing this blog...maybe I'll email it to her. Maybe I won't. But I've decided to start blogging about our journey and hopefully successes.

Both of us have made tremendous strides with Paleo and our wods over the past couple of weeks. She was stuck on 17 rounds of Cindy forever, and I recently witnessed her get 19. She motors through her wods like a little muscle car (she's about 5'2" and a buck fifteen), and I believe her improvements are due to her diet. And me, well, I've seen some improvements too! I still don't beat her (yet), but....we'll see how this little experiment goes.

So today is Thanksgiving Eve. Our gym www.crossfitrebellion.com is doing a 28-day Paleo challenge starting the day after Thanksgiving. I think everyone is on board! Pics were taken and menus have been discussed, debated and dissected. We are READY! I had a debate going on in this noodle of mine about "cheating" tomorrow, so for those of you in the same boat as me, here is some wisdom from a fellow Crossfitter in San Diego, CA:

"The beauty of it all is knowing you can and will make the next meal Paelo even if you have a T-day dinner. Its not a defeat, but living life. Its not a reward or cheat but a celebration of family that you know will only be one meal. No matter what you decide you have much to be thankful for. Trust your body and know that you will come back to Paleo next meal and recommit."

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

My first recipe of the blog is as follows:

Paleo Ice Cream
1 can coconut milk (full fat)
2 cups frozen berries
1 tsp vanilla extract
Spoon mixture into muffin cups and freeze.

YUMMY! I haven't made this yet, but I will be sure to do this VERY soon!
My next post will be after Turkey Day....so until then. Have a GREAT Thanksgiving!