Straddling the Paleo and S.A.D. diets

Hello dear readers!  Oops, I unintentionally took a summer hiatus, so now I wanted to put a post out here on my eating habits of late...

How have I been eating this summer?  Paleo?  Or Standard American Diet (SAD)?  Or somewhere in between?  Yes.  Yes.  And Yes.  For right now, I am straddling my new Paleo intentions and my old SAD ways (haha!).

I have now come to realize that changing my eating habits (and health, and life) is tricky, time consuming, and often part of a longer journey.  Some people can come upon a new diet/"lifestyle choice" and just jump off the deep end and do it fully, from the moment they hear about it onward.  You know, dump all the "vile" foods from their freezer and cupboard and gallop off into their new, perfect sunset.  I wish I could charge off in the Paleo direction fully without a backward glance, easily giving up dairy, grains/gluten, legumes, and refined oils and sugars.  However, I am clearly not one of those people.

I definitely have a few hold-ups that are keeping me not-totally-Paleo.  In the spirit of my list making, here they are:

1. Dairy.
We still eat it, and in my heart-of-hearts, I wish we didn't.  But boy, we have reduced our dairy consumption, and my "gut" is calmer and happier about it.  When I really think about it, we have come a long way: we are not buying milk, sour cream, or yogurt.  Now you'll find coconut milk and (homemade) almond milk in the fridge instead.  And I used to have multiple cheeses in my fridge at any given time (cream cheese, cheddar, parmesan, havarti, mozzarella, ...).  Instead, I recently had a non-dairy cream cheese instead (made from cultured almond milk--I'd love to learn how to make it!).  But yes, I have an unopened package of parmesan cheese for making one last batch of garden-grown basil pesto (I still MUST have the parmesan cheese in it, it needs the umami, people!).  And yes, I did buy a 1/2# brick of a local 3-year cheddar for a camping treat (boy, it sure tasted salty--but good--after not having that for awhile).  And I even have organic heavy whipping cream and butter.  And we've been on a weird vanilla Haagen-Dazs ice cream kick lately.  Progress has been made, and yet, I would like to do another 30- or even 60-day non-dairy trial sometime soon...

2.  Grains/Gluten.
Again, we are still eating wheat/gluten, and I REALLY wish we didn't.  As I do more and more reading on the negative health affects of gluten, it really scares me.  (Feel free to read this and this and this.)  In good news, we are making strides away from eating it daily, and are definitely not having it at every meal anymore!  We haven't made homemade bread (either hand-mixed, like my Sourdough, or bread-machine-made) in months.  Months!  That's pretty amazing.  Another meal staple that we've almost eliminated is pasta: I haven't bought a package of pasta (ANY kind, gluten-y or otherwise) for months.  I've had a few bites here and there (at my in-laws, or a bite of a friend's dish out at a restaurant), but it's pretty cool that I have just said NO to it in our house, and we've survived just fine.  It helps that both me and JK enjoy eating spaghetti squash and spiralized veggies as a pasta alternative!

As far as other grains go, we have eaten some corn lately (hello, Sun Prairie's Corn Festival!), but way less than we would in years/summers past.  We made some garden-grown salsa and had to have some corn tortillas with them (for crunch!).  We are slowly working our way through a bag of white Jasmine rice that I had bought pre-Paleo, but we equally enjoy eating Cauliflower Rice as a substitute under a good stir fry or other dish we'd normally want rice with.

The biggest problem that we have with completely eliminating grains is when eating out and eating a quick meal on-the-go (or getting take out for eating in, when you're exhausted/busy/harried with other things in life!).  That's when the sandwiches on bread, pizza with a regular crust, and other grain/gluten no-no's still slip into our lives.  And for now, I'm learning to be OK with that as long as it's not super frequent.

3. Legumes.
I used up our last jar of peanut butter, and gave away my legumes and most of my other "non-Paleo" dry goods to a dear friend, for better or worse for her (haha, sorry, @BadgerReader!).  I do miss black beans in my ground beef chili, and making homemade chickpea hummus (or buying a container of hummus and a bag of pita chips for a quick and easy "cheater" appetizer when friends are coming over).  We have cheated and had peanut butter in purchased baked goodies and Thai dishes out, but at home we've converted to other non-legume nut butters (almond, cashew, and sunflower butters are very good!).  We are slowly going through a bottle of soy sauce, but will probably completely convert to coconut aminos when we finish that up.  We're eating plenty of poultry and meat, so we don't really miss the tofu we occasionally had.  So, overall, we've not eaten or missed legumes too much!

4. Refined Industrial Seed Oils.
I no longer purchase or have in the house any "refined industrial seed oils" that I formerly thought were healthy and good for us to consume ("vegetable oils" such as canola, corn, peanut, soybean, etc are NOT health foods, read this for more info).  Of course, we still eat them whenever we eat out (by default, since that's what restaurants use for their fats).  And we eat these oils whenever we buy a non-Paleo processed food at the grocery store (I have yet to find an organic corn tortilla chip that is fried in olive, avocado, or coconut oil, though I think avocado oil would be an awesome flavor combo!).  Instead, we go through LOTS of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), to the tune of 1 liter per month between the two of us!  I buy a pretty expensive brand (Lucini Premium Select, from our local grocery store), and I stick with it, because we have tried other brands, but we prefer this one's flavor.  I know there's a controversy regarding whether or not any of the olive oils in our country are actually "real" (read this) and whether they are even good for us per the Mediterranean diet (check this out), but I can't worry too much about that now.  Maybe I'll do more research in the future and/or buy my EVOO from a California producer (if I can find one I finally like).

When we were strict Paleo for that first month, we ate through a lot of EVOO, coconut oil, bacon fat, palm oil shortening, and ghee for our cooking (and baking) as well.  Now I've let that slide a bit, and we are cooking and baking with butter too.  I'd like to move away from this more in the future.  As far as other fats go, we are eating plenty of "healthy" fats in our grass-fed/organic meats and poultry, coconut products, avocados, and raw (then soaked/dehydrated) nuts.  I feel pretty good overall about our fat consumption.  I'm finally used to the idea that "eating healthy fats is healthy"!

5. Sugar, processed and otherwise.
Ok, sugar is my arch-nemesis.  I can give excuses all day long:
a. I am a "super taster", so I need the sweetness to help cover up the extra bitter notes that my sensitive tongue picks up (well, maybe!),
b. I grew up eating lots of sweets and it's in my genetics (thanks, Grandpa Buchholz!), and
c. I am now eating "healthy" sweeteners (honey/maple syrup/fruit), so it's ok (WRONG!).

The bad news: I am still addicted to sugar, both "natural" and processed.  The good news: I have dialed back my palate so that I can eat less-sugary items, and they seem much sweeter (such as fruit, and dark chocolate, and lightly sweetened goodies made at home).  I still fight a battle every day: I want something sweet with every meal--fruit with breakfast and dessert with lunch and dinner!  I am realizing this is my particular struggle, and I will have to continue to rein myself in.  At this point, I am not eating ridiculous amounts of fruit, so I am not going to cut back on that.  I need to just keep myself eating fruit as my only sweet for breakfast and lunch, and maybe a SMALL portion of a Paleo dessert for dinner.  And then maybe wean myself off to having dessert only for special occasions, holidays, or when we're with friends or family.  But I'm not there yet...  Right now I can celebrate the fact that I am not baking as much, and when I do, I am not baking with CUPS of white and brown sugars (and corn syrup, etc) like I used to.  Honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and bananas, dates, and dried fruit are my current sweeteners, and I feel a little better about them, used in moderation, for a weekly baking escapade.  However, I'm not under any illusion that these are "healthy" sweeteners, or that they are lots better than white sugar.  They all affect blood sugar levels and insulin in a bad way.  But I'm still working on it, and moving in a better direction...

As I've said before, cooking and baking completely un-processed foods using Paleo recipes is pretty time-consuming (and expensive).  It's been a challenge to prepare for our camping trips when I can't just throw together peanut butter, a loaf of bread, and cheese and crackers.  I now have a salad spinner (!) packed in our camper.  Eating "healthier" is a journey, and every step in the right direction should be celebrated, I believe.

So, that's what we've been eating lately.  I'll do a separate post soon with fun food pics.  Thoughts, suggestions, comments?

Forward Flavor!

Paleo Food Pictures--salads, entrées, and savory foods

BBQ Chicken Salad (made with homemade Paleo BBQ sauce), with balsamic vinaigrette

...and Take 2 with different toppings (yay for leftovers!)

BLT and avocado salad (OMG delicious)

Hard-boiled egg, bacon, and nut salad


Hard-boiled egg, avocado, and nut salad (see a trend here?), with NessAlla Kombucha


Homemade Paleo Sausage Patties on greens with mustard, and cooked apple with pecans


Broccoli pureed soup with bacon bits and Paleo crackers


Paleo Chili with cilantro (and avocados, not pictured)


Ground Pork and veggies with Asian-style sauce over cauliflower rice


Slow-cooker Orange Sesame Chicken Thighs with over cauliflower rice with a side of kale and carrots


Chicken Coconut Curry with green onions, basil, and cashews over cauliflower rice


Paleo Greek Lamb Meatballs over spiralized roasted zucchini, with dairy yogurt tzatziki sauce and tomatoes, kalamata olives, cukes, and red onion (YUM!), with NessAlla Kombucha

Salmon Bake with cabbage, sweet potatoes, onions, hazelnuts, butter, and thyme

Bone-in Pork Chops with pan gravy, Faux-tatoes and broccoli (delicious!)

Pulled Pork Mexican-style with spiralized roasted zucchini, avocado, sweet potatoes, salsa, lime, and cilantro

Paleo Italian Meatball in the pressure cooker (served over spiralized roasted zucchini, not pictured)

Oven-roasted caramelized fennel bulb (like CANDY!)--served with Italian meatballs

Homemade Paleo Crust pizza with Italian sausage and veggies (and topped with mozzarella), with spiralized roasted zucchini

Saté-spiced Chicken Kebabs with roasted sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli

Grilled garlic brats with faux-tatoes, fermented pickles and kraut, and steamed asparagus.  Yes, on a paper plate (we were camping!!).  And all of the asparagus in these photos is from our own backyard garden!

Grilled hamburger with cheese, Paleo bun, caramelized sautéed onions, pickle, tomato, and lettuce (and grilled asparagus, not pictured).  I even did the grilling since JK was out of town!

Grilled hamburger, asparagus, pickle, and potato chips (while camping).

Homemade Paleo BBQ Ribs (brined, with a homemade Paleo BBQ sauce), sweet potatoes, and asparagus--sorry for the blurry shot.

Forward Flavor!

Paleo Food Pictures--breakfasts, baked goods, and desserts

Paleo Banana Pancakes (topped with coconut cream), hard-boiled egg, and fresh orange slices

Paleo Granola, Paleo Banana Bread with Cashew Butter, and Oranges (and tea with coconut cream)

Paleo Granola, Paleo Coconut Milk Yogurt (homemade!), egg with bacon and tomato, and fruit

Modified-Paleo Blueberry Streusel-Topped Muffins (made with butter)

...with The Works Scrambled Eggs and oranges (and a little butter and cheese too!)

Paleo Granola (it is SO delicious!)


Paleo Breakfast Cookies

Modified-Paleo Rhubarb Coffee Cake (made with butter)

Paleo N'Oatmeal Cookies


Paleo Almond Rosemary Raisin Crackers (using spent almond pulp remaining after making almond milk)

Paleo Hamburger Buns

Paleo Chocolate Sauce with fruit, pecans, and coconut cream

Paleo Vanilla Coconut Frozen Custard with Paleo Chocolate Sauce, pecans, and strawberries

Paleo Mousse with coconut cream and berries

Paleo Rhubarb Crumble

Cute camp dog...and s'mores made with homemade Paleo Graham Crackers

Forward Flavor!

Paleo Food Pictures--meals eating out

"Noodle Bowl" at Graze in Madison (minus the noodles, plus extra veggies)

"Santa Fe Salad" at Market Street Diner in Sun Prairie, with my own balsamic vinaigrette (minus the ranch dressing and corn/bean salsa, plus olives and roasted red peppers)

Burger and side salad from Culver's, with my own balsamic vinaigrette (minus bun, croutons, cheese, and condiments)

"Chopped Chicken Salad" at Cafe Hollander in Madison (minus the cheeses and cheese dressing, plus a balsamic vinaigrette)

Forward Flavor!

Paleo Challenge continued...

Here's my update on how our 30-Day Paleo Challenge finished up...

The highlights:
-Overall, it was a huge success!
-We followed a pretty "strict" Paleo Diet from 4/2-5/1 (see my previous post for food do's and don't's that we followed).
-At its conclusion, we both felt "better": clearer heads, fewer cravings, less ache-y, and overall greater sense of well-being.  Yay!
-We both loved the food and rarely felt hungry, and I got used to planning and cooking meals without feeling stressed out about its new-ness.
-We both lost pretty significant weight for us in just a month's time: me, 8 lbs; JK, 15 lbs!  Plus, my clothes fit better, and I swear I looked more "fit" in the mirror!  And I didn't do any additional major exercising--just a daily 30-minute walk.
-We have improved motivation to continue losing weight, and not to just "throw it all away" by jumping right back into the SAD (Standard American Diet).
-We followed a modified Paleo Diet from 5/2 to the present, with JK being a little more "liberal" with the foods he ate (and drank) than I was.  ;)

I spent the beginning of May (post-Paleo) very carefully subjecting myself to one new "trial" food at a time, once every three days, and carefully monitoring myself for any new "symptoms".  Then, as the month progressed, I got a little lazy and started mixing multiple new foods in the same day, or not waiting a full 3 days before trying a new one.  Regardless, I don't think I have any major food allergies or issues, but I think I do better without a lot of those SAD foods!  We are currently eating through some "trial" foods that we have left--mostly dairy--but we decided that I will likely not re-buy most of them.

Specifically, I have reintroduced (in this order--I have my priorities, haha!):
-Chocolate (cocoa, and 55-85% dark chocolate bars)--no symptoms,
-Butter (organic and cultured, pasture raised--but not exclusively grass-fed)--no symptoms,
-Alcohol: hard cider, white rum--no symptoms; but a careless beer sample gave me negative-symptoms big-time (I should have known better!),
-Organic Half-and-Half and Heavy Cream--no symptoms,
-Yogurt (organic, whole-milk)--perhaps a little constipation (sorry if TMI!),
-White rice--no symptoms,
-Cheese: cheddar, havarti, and mozzarella--no symptoms, and
-Organic whole milk--no symptoms.

I have also eaten several "no-no" (processed/gluten-containing) foods, with mixed results:
-Cheese- and Gluten-laden (homemade, at least) Lasagna, frozen from pre-Paleo days (kinda soggy and not as delicious as I remembered/expected it to be)--no obvious symptoms,
-a Schwan's ice cream cookie sandwich from a concession stand while camping--ugh, I felt like crap after eating that one--not surprising, considering the horrifying ingredient list, full of hydrogenated oils, soy, corn, and additives galore,
-Chips made from corn/brown rice/black beans, and Fireside marshmallows (oops, slip-ups while camping!)--no symptoms, just felt a little guilty,
-Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream custard--I felt fine after eating that, thankfully, hee hee,
-Kettle potato chips--no symptoms, and
-probably some other foods I can't remember right now...


I've drawn the following conclusions based on these past 2 months of mostly Paleo eating:
1. Paleo foods are more nutritious overall than SAD foods.  We are eating so many more vegetables, nuts, and healthy fats that we did back when dairy, grains, and legumes (and processed sugar/flour-laden foods) were a part of our daily fare.  We used to eat SO MANY gluten-/wheat-containing products, and lots of added sugars.  Even though most were items were homemade, and some were even made with "healthy whole grains", we have concluded that these are NOT healthy foods for us to continue basing our diet around!

2. The whole spirit of Paleo is to NOT eat grain-based foods, or pseudo-grain-like foods made with Paleo-approved ingredients.  But, since I am a real-life human, living in the real world (and, come on, I love to bake), I am going to make Paleo crackers, cookies, cakes, and what-not.  It's fun to experiment with new ingredients and the end results taste pretty good!

3. It's a slippery slope: once you start eating those pseudo-grains again (even if they contain only nut and coconut flours), it's so easy to want to eat them every day.  Then I want to get my hands (and mouth!) on some yeast (and wheat-containing) bread.  And I want to have dessert (aka sugar) after every lunch and dinner.  Yikes!  Perhaps I will try to limit how often I bake goodies to maybe once or twice a week.  We'll see.

4. Most processed goodies and foods are SO sweet--one-dimensional with no other flavor.  Yucky!  I am going to stick with more "natural" sweeteners in my Paleo-type goodies for now: honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar.  If-and-when I use white/cane sugars, I am going to use way LESS than I would have before!  And I have to remember how addictive any type of sugar is for me and be careful...

5. Cheese and processed meats are SO salty, and potato chips too.  They are all incredibly addictive and NOT healthy.  Coincidence: salt = addictive?  I think not!  So I'm going to be avoiding these as much as possible going forward.  I'm sure I'll have my exceptions (aka bacon).

6. Many people would have a hard time spending the time and money cooking Paleo.  The meats and produce is expensive (especially if you buy organic/grass-fed/local) and the baking ingredients are definitely pricey too.  And cooking from-scratch is wonderful, but I know how stretched for time people get...  BUT people should TRY it!!!  Start with one Paleo meal a week, and build up to more often.  It feels wonderful to eat healthy, from-scratch foods that are so tasty, satisfying, and filling, and still lose weight.  It's amazing!  And I bet you will lose weight and feel better too!

7. Going Paleo is a journey, and I'll probably never do it 100% of the time.  I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with all the wheat-based flours I have in my pantry and freezer (and several breads and things already made from it).  Since I still want to lose more weight, and I know how addictive gluten- and white sugar-containing products are to me, I think it probably is best to avoid these now.  We'll see what JK thinks.  Maybe we'll eat through them, slowly and occasionally, mostly surrounded by Paleo meals.  Chris Kresser talks about trying to maintain an 80/20 rule of mostly Paleo, most of the time.  I am totally OK with that.

8.  Paleo foods aren't the whole picture.  I still need to exercise more (we've got a 5k race in 3 weeks that we haven't gotten off the couch to train for yet--and yes, I do need to "train" in order run 3 miles in 30 minutes!  heh heh).  I definitely need to sleep more (time to get back to the 10PM lights-out rule).  And I need to de-stress more (maybe I should try daily meditation?).  But Paleo is a good jumping point for taking care of myself and us!


Time will tell--I'm hoping we can lose more weight and feel better with Paleo than we have in a LONG time.  I'd like to feel comfortable wearing a bikini this summer!  <gasp, hehe!>  I'll do my best to keep posting updates as we continue on this journey.  Hooray for trying new things!


Forward Flavor!

Breaking News: Baking Addict in Madison, Wisconsin Survives 14 days on Paleo Diet!

...and I'm just getting started!  16 more days to go.  ;)

That's right, folks, JK and I took the plunge and started a 30-day Paleo Challenge on April 2nd.  We're currently on Day #14.  And we're doing great!

I know, I know.  Paleo?!  That's old news, right?  Well, yes and no.  There have been people doing the low-carb diet thing for decades, and a few years ago Paleo got really big.  Now it's probably a little less popular, but that's just about the time I get interested in things (when they are no longer popular, that's my lot in life, haha).

I've been doing a lot of "health reading" lately (I know, I am a nerd), and one book in particular was really interesting and I couldn't ignore the advice.  I wanted to try it.  It's called Your Personal Paleo Code: The 3-Step Plan to Lose Weight, Reverse Disease, and Stay Fit and Healthy for Life, by Chris Kresser.  He's got a really different take on food, and I like how he cites medical studies but also "traditional cultures" who are eating certain foods that he then recommends.  Also, he's got a really good website with lots of information too (chriskresser.com).  I bought his book at Half Price Books (see, good thing I'm 3 years behind!), but it's also on Amazon.com for a pretty good price (in paperback, the same book is titled The Paleo Cure).  I could go more into it, but you should just check it out.  Literally.  From your library.

According to Kresser's 30-Day Paleo Diet, here's what we're NOT eating:
-No sugar (of any kind--including honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, agave, stevia, etc)
-No dairy (except ghee)
-No grains (including rice, oats, corn, wheat, etc)
-No legumes (beans, lentils, and even peanuts/peanut butter)
-No chocolate/cocoa powder/cacao
-No alcohol (what?!)
-No "industrial seed oils" (corn, soybean, canola, etc)
-No "processed" foods / junk foods

What CAN we eat?  We are doing most of our cooking at home (of course) from scratch (out of necessity), and we eat:
-All veggies (except white potatoes)
-Nuts (raw, then soaked and dehydrated) / nut butters / nut milks
-Coconut: milk / oil / unsweetened flakes
-Eggs
-"Healthy"/"Traditional" fats: avocados, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, organic ghee, bacon fat (controversial maybe, but we use it a little), and fattier cuts of grass-fed/organic meat.  Macadamia, avocado, and almond oil in homemade mayo/vinaigrettes.
-Condiments: vinegars (balsamic, champagne, apple cider), coconut aminos (instead of soy sauce)
-All spices, and lots of fresh herbs and scallions to top entrees (instead of cheese!)
-All fruit, including dates and raisins for sweetness in a few things (Paleo BBQ sauce!)
-Beef/lamb/pork/chicken/fish (including salmon, my previous arch-nemesis--yay me!)
-Fermented foods (kombucha, unprocessed pickles/sauerkraut, non-dairy yogurt, etc)
-"Bone broth" (yeah, yeah, whatever.  It's just a good homemade stock, like what I learned to make in culinary school y'all!)
-Organ meats.  OK, we should be eating them, but eww, liver.  I'm working on this one.

The Pros:
-It's been fun and yummy so far, a fun "cooking challenge" for me!
-We haven't felt too deprived or full of cravings.  The food is really, really tasty!
-I know what's in our food because I'm making it from scratch--even homemade mayo and almond milk.  And they are much cheaper than the processed versions that would meet Paleo standards.
-It does seem like a really healthy way to eat (all those veggies!), since we're not just loading up on processed foods, sugar, and white flour.  Yes, I did love to make all those delicious pancakes, cake, cookies, muffins, breads, etc.  Now, without them, I realize that they were almost the foundation of what we ate before.  That just wasn't good for us!
-Our clothes are getting a little looser (though we aren't weighing ourselves until the end).
-I swear, my joints hurt less.  Interesting.
-I don't have a sugar/carb crash in the afternoons.  Or after brunch on the weekends.  Or, like, ever.
-I feel plenty full--and  I don't really feel hungry much.  But I rarely feel over-full, or like I overate.  Even when I eat a LOT.  I just don't get that heavy gut-rot feeling with these foods.

The Cons:
-Eating out is a challenge.
-It's also challenging to be around other people who are eating cheese and drinking beer, etc.
-It involves a lot of planning ahead and shopping for fresh veggies, and cooking from scratch (not necessarily a bad thing--just something to get used to!).
-It's pretty expensive to eat this way because we're trying to do as much organic/grass-fed produce and meats as possible (but I'd rather put my money into food than medicine/surgery later from health problems down the line!).
-I can understand how it would be a difficult diet for some to follow: aside from the time and money constraints, most of us have huge cravings for non-Paleo foods constantly, because wheat/dairy/sugar are SO ubiquitous in our society!

Let me know what you think of this!  Crazy?  Cool?  Somewhere in between?  I'd love to hear back from someone (pleeeeease?!).

Forward Flavor!


And now, for your viewing pleasure, here are some of the meals that we've had:

Fajita steak salad, with homemade guacamole (grass-fed beef skirt steak).

Italian sausage, cauliflower and leek frittata.

Paleo meatballs and homemade red sauce, over zucchini "noodles".

Grilled salmon, roasted root vegetables and squash, sautéed mushrooms, and side salad with vinaigrette and pecans.  We are not going hungry.

Egg scramble with kale, bacon, and red onion.  Cooked apples with coconut oil, cinnamon, and walnuts.

Cobb salad with homemade creamy herb dressing.  Carrot puree soup.

Chicken Club "Sandwich" wrap (in romaine lettuce)

Homemade Ribs, BBQ sauce, sweet potato fries, and coleslaw.  Yeah, it was THAT delicious.

Spent almond pulp (from the almond milk)--made into coconut/almond macaroons sweetened with dates.  And a juicy pear.  OK, I baked a little bit, but come on, it's healthy/whole-foods!

Greek lamb meatballs, zucchini noodles, baba ghanoush and olives, and non-dairy yogurt tzatziki sauce topped with red onion/tomato.  All so delicious!

Paleo almond flour pancakes topped with peaches, bananas, and coconut cream.  Sweet potato, bacon, and kale hash topped with a fried egg.

Marinated grass-fed steak, with roasted cauliflower, green beans, and caramelized onions.  Thank you, Caramelization, for you have turned my veggies into CANDY.

Mexican-spiced ground pork on sweet potato and kale, and topped with avocado, salsa, green onion, and cilantro.