May 20th...Discovering "Carrot & Dill" soup while preparing for MOMAR!

My partner in crime, Alison and I, had the perfect day on Friday for starting our MOMAR(Mind over Mountain Adventure Race)training.  We hopped on our mountain bikes and headed towards Sooke via the Goose trail.  I have to say, I was a weee bit hesitant about getting on a bike because it's been so long.  I reminded Alison of this as we road our bikes out of her yard and headed down a very steep dirt trail...did I mention I had only one brake and did I mention I hadn't been on a bike in YEARS!  I borrowed one of Alison's bikes and was totally unfamiliar with the gearing system, let's just say I walked the bike up all the hills and skidded down the steep hills...at one point I was so excited because I thought I had it in the right gear but as I turned the corner I suddenly realized I was going up a hill, not down.  So off I got, before I fell off and walked the bike up the hill...AGAIN!  We stopped by The Stickelback West Coast Eatery to replenish ourselves since we had been riding for at least 35 mins.! We had the most Delicious Carrot and dill soup and all I could think of is how could I make this Paleo friendly...so here it is...

Low-sodium chicken broth, low-fat coconut milk, one pound of carrots, green onions, garlic clove, one onion, and fresh dill...

 Peel and chop one pound of carrots, place into pot and boil until tender.  Saute one onion and 1 tsp crushed garlic in a bit of olive oil until onions are clear...

 Once carrots are tender, drain out water and add 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth. Add your onions, garlic and simmer on low with the lid on, for about 25 minutes...

Then, you can either puree the soup in a food processor or in the pot with hand mixer...

Add 3/4 cup of light-Coconut milk, 2 tbsp chives or green onions and 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill.  Mix in and simmer on low for about 5 minutes...

And here you have it, yum!  I really liked this soup even though it's not as rich and thick as the one at the restaurant.  I preferred my "lighter" version which I choose to substitute the cream with light Coconut milk.  What I love about my soup is that it's light on your waist-line and that the richness doesn't over power the fresh dill.

What a great way to kick off our training!

May 15th...Coconut creamer...the official taste test!

Everyday I start my Boot Camp class with the "circle of love" question of the day...today it was, "what do you put in your coffee?"  I'm proud to say I have weened myself off the "crack-like" International Delight 100% chemical creamer!  I moved onto a splash of half and half, because I can't do just black coffee and yes I have tried, Almond milk, Coconut milk out of the can, you name it, I've tried it!  

 Then one of my awesome clients told me that she found Coconut Milk "creamer" for your coffee at the Red Barn.  So I went and got me some!  This little carton costs $3...my half and half is about $2  and the chemical goodness called International Delight is about $5.  I did the official taste test and have to report that I didn't really notice a difference between the Coconut milk and the half and half.  I had thought the Coconut creamer might have been a little bit sweeter, but not so...

As you can see I posted the nutritional info and ingredients of each.  The Coconut milk and half and half have TWO ingredients...the Int.Del. creamer has 14 ingredients...hmmm tough call, NOT!  I think if your a hardcore Paleo fan then you might choose the Coconut milk, but for myself, I'll save some cash and go for the half and half.

May 14th...Paleo eggs stuffed with tuna salad!

The one thing I tend to do when I'm on an "eating clean" kick is, eat the same thing over, and over, AND OVER.  So I'm kicking chicken to the curb this week!  Bring on every other source of protein possible or what's ever in my cupboard or fridge!  So I'm starring at a can of tuna, some very ripe avocados and craving pickles...what to do?  I remembered back at Easter, one of my clients Kathleen, made these amazing stuffed guacamole eggs with a piece of bacon on top, they were sooo good.  So here's my version...

Here's what you'll need...2 eggs, 1 can tuna, 1 avocado  1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 tsp mustard, 1 pickle finely chopped and 1 green onion, just the green ends...

Get your eggs boiling, at least six minutes, put into cold water to chill and place in fridge...

Mix all ingredients into a bowl, go easy on the mustard as it can be over-powering...

My secret weapon...Epicures' Guacamole dip seasoning, 1 tbsp...my friend Fiona, says it's like "crack-dip" because it's so tasty and addicting...I have to agree!  If you like a more intense flavor, squeeze a little lime juice into the mix...

So instead of chips, I made red pepper boats.  You get the sweet from the pepper and the crunch, just like chips! 

This is a great post workout meal.  The tuna and egg whites are high in protein, which help to replenish your muscles.  The avocado is a healthy fat which make you feel full and the carbs from the peppers are a great source of fiber!  Use the avocado mixture as your base and fill it with whatever your craving!

May 13th...Paleo Pigs in a Blanket with a Mango twist, plus are your fitness goals realistic?

How realistic are your fitness goals?  

I know I often say, "go big, or go home" and I'm not trying to be a "dream killer" here.  I just think that each of us needs to really take a moment, and calculate exactly what it is you want and how you're going to get there.  I like to encourage my clients to think outside the box and believe in themselves, that anything IS POSSIBLE...but you have to be willing to work for it.  I totally believe in "baby-steps"...a friend once told me, the shortest route is ALWAYS, the longest way...By setting smaller goals, your setting yourself up for success.  How?  By building confidence both mentally and physically and not running into burnout or injury.  If you have no plan, even with the best intentions, your willpower will run out and you'll be more likely to fail.  So do your research, talk to people who have achieved a similar goal, pick their brain and ask for their advise.  Plan it out on paper, write the details down, post your goal somewhere you can see it daily, so you can track your success.  The exact amount of effort you put into achieving your goal, is a direct result of the final out come.  

OK so this pile of ingredients might look familiar, as it's from last weeks recipe for Paleo Coconut flour Blue Berry muffins...notice I have some pepperoni sticks in there.  Well I decided that I could use the Coconut flour recipe as my base and treat it like a bread substitute...the possibilites are endless for what you could create and stay with thin the Paleo guidelines...so I was craving me a little "pigs in the blanket", that's where the pepperoni comes in...

Then I spotted my Mango sitting on the counter and thought of a sweet and savory mixture...

I thought this sounded sooo good, but just to cover my butt, I decided to split the mixture three ways...4 muffins have just pepperoni, 4 have have just Mango slices and 4 have pepperoni AND mango mixed together!

OMG the sweetness of the mango and the savory from the pepperoni, heaven in every bite!  I'll list the recipe below, for the "how to", go back a couple of posts to May 2nd and the complete recipe is there...I'm so excited to start my next batch hmmm what am I craving now?  Send me your ideas!

-4 ½ tablespoons of Coconut Oil

-6 Eggs

-4 tablespoons of milk (coconut milk, etc. or if can have dairy) or water

-1/2 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar

-1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

-1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

-1 teaspoon Cinnamon

-1/4 teaspoon sea salt

-1 tablespoons Honey or Stevia (optional)

-1/2 cup of mango, finely chopped

-2 small pepperoni sticks, finely chopped

May 8th..."wrap" up your lunch!

OK so I'm notorious for eating the same thing over and over.  I will discover a new recipe and eat it to death.  Right now I'm hooked on the Paleo friendly Bacon and Broccoli salad, yummERS!  I always try the original recipe, then by luck run out of ingredients, which forces me to get creative and use what I have in the fridge or cupboard...i.e. todays lunch!

 Below are tuna wraps.  I used Romaine "pre-packed" leafs, tomato and onion tuna out of a can, fresh avocado and mango...I love mango's and put them on everything!  TIP...mash up your avocado into the tuna to make it creamier and then there's no need for mayo and extra calories.  You could use any protein here, turkey slices, chicken and even tofu.  The Romaine leaves give it the crunch your looking for instead of bread...

 The broccoli salad has the sweet from the fruit and savory from the bacon.  The dressing is 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt and 1 tbsp light mayo (optional...I did not make the homemade Paleo mayo...scooped mine out of the jar!) 1 tbsp lemon juice...you might want to add more or less lemon juice depending on how "tart" you like it.  And a dash of salt and pepper.  I used about 3 heads of broccoli, the size of my palm.  1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 2 tbsp sun flower seeds or sliced almonds, 5 pieces of chopped BACON!  You can use either 1/2 cup chopped red grapes, apples or mango...whatever you have lying around...go easy on the nuts, seeds and dried fruits as they can pack a lot of calories...use them just to give a little extra crunch or to just make it look pretty!

May 7th...Summer Salads, Zucchini time!

Well I think summer is officially here, I actually have a tan on my arms and Monday morning's Boot Camp class, the ladies were all over-heating!  Not that were complaining but it was pretty freak'n hot.  Since the warm weather has arrived it's time for summer salads.  I prefer homemade salad dressings, little bit of your favorite oil, mine right now is a Avocado oil and a Pistachio oil, mixed with any kind of citrus juice and some fresh herbs and spices.  You can pretty much put in on anything for a burst of flavor.  I have my fancy new wide peeler, sooo many cool things you can do with this...I know many of you have already discovered this tool...OK so I'm a late bloomer, anyhow I've seen zucchini salad recipes on so many magazine covers, that I thought I better try this.  So here we go...   

 In a bowl mix 1 tbsp of your favorite Oil, 1 tbsp Lemon juice, 1 tsp Parsley flakes, 2 tbsp finely chopped Red onion ( I forgot to put it in the picture), 1 tbsp chopped Sun-dried tomatoes(packed in oil), 2 tbsp chopped Black olives and a dash of salt and pepper.  Whisk together... 

 I decided to cut my Zucchini in half, then peel it...trying to figure out how to eat this salad somewhat gracefully...

Pour your dressing over the zucchini, toss together and leave in the fridge to chill for about 30 mins...

And here you have it!  This salad was so tasty, the longer it sits, the better.  I could have eaten the whole bowl because it's so refreshing and so light.  This recipe is based on a serving for 2 people...if you have to share it.  Be sure to measure out the oil.  Many recipes just say to just drizzle it over your salad but that can be dangerous cause your more likely to over do it and have extra unwanted calories.  You could add almost anything to the salad, peppers, sliced almonds right before you serve it for added protein and crunch, and water chestnuts for added crunch as well.  Think of this as your base to start with and let me know what you come up with!

May 2nd...Why Coconut flour is so good for you and Paleo friendly Blueberry muffins!

Nothing like your morning coffee and a muffin.  If your new to the Paleo diet and just getting started, you might think that is something your going to have to give up, muffins, bread and wraps etc...well I'm happy to report that you can have your "muffin" and eat it too!  How?  by using Coconut or Almond flour  as an alternative to white or whole wheat flour.  I always like to know what's in my food and why I it's good for me, so here is some of the health benefits of Coconut flour.  Coconut flour is made from the meat of coconuts after the milk has been removed, and it's loaded with nutrients that offer numerous health benefits.  Such as being Gluten free. Gluten is a protein molecule found in certain grains, such as wheat, barley and rye. Gluten is highly allergenic, and even potentially deadly to those who have celiac disease, which is a condition where the gluten destroys the intestinal celia. However, even if you don't have celiac disease, you can still be negatively affected by the gluten protein. The National Institutes of Health report that exposure to gluten, especially wheat flour, can cause an inflammatory response in the body, even in healthy individuals.  Coconut flour contains almost double the amount of fiber found in wheat bran. Fiber has numerous health benefits, from reducing the absorption of sugar into the blood stream, to lowering cholesterol.  Coconut flour is high in protein, it contains just as much protein as wheat flour, even though it doesn't contain the gluten protein.

The great thing about the internet is that you can punch in Paleo muffins and instantly you have a wide variety of "Paleo friendly" choices.  So I chose one of my all time favorite muffins, Blueberry!  I was inspired to make these after one of my clients Joleen, brought me one of hers to try.  It was so yummy and moist, that I finally got my butt in gear and made them!  Here's what you need...

-1/2 cup of Coconut Flour

-4 ½ tablespoons of Coconut Oil
-6 Eggs
-4 tablespoons of milk (coconut milk, etc. or if can have dairy) or water
-1/2 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
-1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
-1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
-1 teaspoon Cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon sea salt
-2 tablespoons Honey or Stevia (optional)
-1/2 cup of blueberries

(so in my picture above, I missing the salt and apple cider vinegar...opps not enough coffee today)

The recipe calls for Coconut oil, make sure you melt it on low on the stove, DO NOT MICROWAVE the oil as it breaks it down!  AND let it cool before adding to the wet mixture as you don't want to cook the eggs!

Mix wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls, be sure to whisk the wet ingredients well...put some muscle into it!  Then combine them together, add blueberries last so they don't get mushed by your powerful whisking!  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15mins...I ended up baking them for 19 mins...all ovens are different.

OK I'm a fan of lining my muffin trays because I have lost too many pans from burnt on food!  I got 12 muffins from this recipe...

 Loaded with blueberries and a fresh cup of coffee, I'm a happy camper!

I left a crumb here so you'd know how good these were...I actually ate that crumb!