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.