Easy Week

Who loved last week's stir fry? Oh man, it was good and will definitely make a future appearance. This week is all about simplicity. Easy, easy, easy. And, time to break out that crock pot!

Sunday Dinner

Chicken Chili Verde

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos (10-11)
5 garlic cloves, not peeled
2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
2 Anaheim or Poblano chiles
1 bunch cilantro leaves, cleaned and chopped
2 chicken leg halves and 1 bone in chicken breast
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 Tbsp of dried oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
Pinch of ground cloves

Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down, along with 5 unpeeled garlic cloves, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin. Remove from oven, let cool enough to handle.
Roast the poblano or anaheim chilis over a gas flame or under the broiler until blackened all around. Let cool in a bag, remove the skin, seeds, and stem.
Place tomatillos, skins included, into blender. Remove the now roasted garlic cloves from their skins, add them to the blender. Add chopped Jalapeño peppers, other chilies, and cilantro to the blender. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.
Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed dutch oven over medium high heat and brown chicken well on all sides. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, lift chicken out of pan and place in bowl, set aside.
Pour off excess fat, anything beyond a tablespoon, and place the onions and garlic in the same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until limp, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan. Add the oregano to the pan. Add the tomatillo chile verde sauce to the chicken and onions. Add the chicken stock (enough to cover the meat). Add a pinch of ground cloves. Add a little salt and pepper. (Not too much as the chile verde will continue to cook down and concentrate a bit.)

Bring to a boil and reduce to a slight simmer. Cook for 1 hour or so uncovered or until the chicken is cooked through.
Prep tonight: pre-chop the veg for the pot roast and pre-brown the meat. I put my browned roast in my crock pot and put that in the fridge. That way, I just pull out the crock pot, dump in the veg and stock and push start before running out the door to work.

Monday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over chili verde

Snack: radishes

Dinner:

Italian pot roast

3-4 lb pot roast
1-2 turnips cut into cubes
10-12 cremini mushrooms
1-2 yams or sweet potatoes cut into cubes
1-2 cups of baby carrots
1 onion cut into chunks
1T dried thyme
Salt and pepper
1 large can San Marzano tomatoes (or other organic tomatoes)
2-3 cups beef stock

Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. Brown the roast on all sides in a little olive oil. Put the roast, thyme and all the veg (including tomatoes—undrained!) into a crock pot. Add enough stock to where the roast is almost covered. Set the crock pot on low and cook for 8 hours.

Tuesday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over pot roast

Snack: radishes

Dinner:

Seared pork loins with kale

4 pork loin chops
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup golden raisins or dried currants
1 bunch kale, tough stem centers removed (if any) and discarded, greens chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Roughly 1/2 cup dry white wine or water
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large sauté pan hot on medium-high heat and add the pine nuts. Toast them until they are fragrant and begin to brown. Pay attention as pine nuts burn easily. Stir or toss the nuts frequently. Once they are toasted, remove from pan and set aside.

Add the olive oil to the pan and swirl it around. Brown the pork on both sides. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm. To the pan, Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds; the pan should already be hot, so it won't take long for the garlic to begin to brown. Add back the pine nuts, add the currants or raisins and the greens and mix well. Sauté, stirring often, until the greens wilt and begin to give up some of their water, 4-5 minutes.

Sprinkle a little salt and red pepper flakes on the greens. Add the white wine (can substitute water) and add the pork (and all accumulated juices) back to the pan. Toss to combine and let the liquid boil away. Once the liquid boils off, remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Wednesday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over pork with kale

Dinner:

Salmon en papillote with zucchini

3 salmon filets
1-2 lemons sliced (zest one of the lemons and reserve for Thursday dinner)
½ onion sliced
Fresh dill fronds
Salt and peper

Preheat oven to 400. Cut two (or three) parchment paper hearts. Salt and pepper the fish, lay two slices of lemon on one half of the heart and put the fish on top, place onions around fish. Lay some fresh dill fronds on top of the fish. Slice a little butter and put on top of the dill, place lemon slices on top. Splash a little wine on onions. Fold edges of parchment paper and put fish on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

In the meantime, slice the zucchini into half moons and sauté with some butter, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Thursday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over salmon salad

Snack: fruit

Grilled sirloin steaks with spinach

3-4 sirloin steaks
1 bunch spinach
1T lemon zest
Dried currants or golden raisins
¼ c white wine

Season steaks with salt and pepper, then brush with olive oil. Grill for approximately 4 minutes each side, or to desired doneness.

While steak is grilling, put spinach in hot pan, wilt briefly, add wine and raisins/currants. Once wilted and water has cooked out, add lemon zest, salt and pepper.

Friday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over steak salad

Snack: fruit

Dinner: free night out!

Grocery List

1 ½ lbs tomatillos
Garlic bulb
2 jalepenos
5 anaheim or poblano chilis
Cilantro
2 chicken leg halves
1 bone in chicken breast
4 onions
Chicken stock
3-4 lb pot roast
1-2 turnips
10-12 cremini mushrooms
1-2 yams or sweet potatoes
1 bag baby carrots
1 large can San Marzano tomatoes
Beef stock
4 pork loins chops
Pine nuts
Golden raisins or dried currants
1 bunch kale
3 salmon filets
2 lemons
Fresh dill
2 zucchini
1 bunch spinach
3-4 sirloin steaks
Bag salad
Peaches
8-10 yogurts
Plums
1 bunch radishes

First Week of Fall

I don't know if it's officially fall, but it sure feels like it's here. Lots of hearty food this week but incorporating the end-of-summer produce.

Sunday Dinner: Paleo Lasagne

1 diced onion
4 cloves minced garlic
½ lb lean ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage
1 lb ground veal
2 T dried oregano
1 T Italian seasoning
1 t cayenne pepper
1t sea salt
1t pepper
1 14 oz can diced san marzano tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
5-6 zucchini thinly sliced lengthwise with a mandolin
1 can sliced olives
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese

In a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan, sauté onions and garlic in 1T olive oil until translucent. Add meat and brown. Drain fat from meat. Add seasoning and stir. Add olives, drained diced tomatoes and tomato paste. In a lasagna pan (9x13 sprayed with pam) ladle some sauce and layer with tomato mixture. Add a layer of zucchini. Repeat layers ending with meat mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle some shredded parm on top. Broil until brown.

Monday

Breakfast: Yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over lasagne

Snack: fruit

Dinner: Chicken Piccata with sautéed zucchini

Chicken Piccata
(courtesy of Everyday Paleo)

4 butterflied boneless skinless chicken breasts
2T butter
Salt and pepper
6 minced garlic cloves
3 diced green onions
¼ c white wine
½ cup chicken stock or broth
Juice from 1 lemon
3 T capers

Pound out butterflied chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise and season both sides with salt/pepper. Heat butter over medium-high heat. Cook chicken on both sides for 3-5 minutes each side. Put on a plate and cover to keep warm. To the same pan, add a teaspoon of olive oil, garlic and onions. Sauté for two minutes, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the wine, chicken stock, lemon juice and capers. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until reduced. Put chicken back into pan for about a minute to reheat. Serve with sauce.

While chicken is browning, sauté 2-3 sliced zucchinis in a separate pan with 1T butter and 1T olive oil, salt and pepper.

Prep tonight: if you didn’t buy pre-sliced stir fry beef, slice your beef very thinly and put into marinade (see recipe below). Pre-chop broccoli into florets

Tuesday:

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over chicken piccata

Snack: fruit

Dinner: Five Spice Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry (courtesy of Primal Blueprint)

1 lb stir fry beef
3T wheat free tamari
1 T sesame oil
2t ginger paste
1 minced garlic clove
1 head broccoli in florets and steamed
6 oz bean sprouts
1 red pepper sliced
Red pepper flakes or Thai chili paste

Mix together a marinade of tamari, oil, five spice powder, ginger and garlic. Marinate the beef for at least 15 minutes. Heat up a sauté pan or wok. Add meat and marinade and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add pre-steamed broccoli and red peppers. Sauté for a couple more minutes. Add the sprouts and remove from heat and serve.

Prep tonight: butterfly your chicken breasts for tomorrow night. Make homemade mayo

Homemade mayo (courtesy of Primal Blueprint)
2 egg yolks
1t mustard
1T lemon juice
1c oil
Salt to taste

Whisk (or use an immersion blender with the whisk attachment) yolks, mustard and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in the oil until it has a thick consistency. Season with salt. Will keep for a week in the fridge.

Wednesday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over stir fry

Snack: fruit

Dinner: BLTA Chicken Breast Sandwich (courtesy of Primal Blueprint) with sweet potato fries

2 chicken breasts butterflied (skin on or off)—seasoned with salt and pepper
2 T mayo
4 slices cooked nitrate free bacon
Mixed baby lettuce
1 tomato thinly sliced
1 avocado thinly sliced

First, cook your bacon and set aside. Heat 1t olive oil and 1t butter and sear chicken on both sides. Cover and cook through. In the mean time, slice the tomato and avocado. Place mayo, avocado, tomato and bacon into the butterflied chicken and fold over to make a sandwich.

Sweet Potato Fries

1 large sweet potato cut into thin wedges
1T olive oil
Thyme
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss wedges with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 10 minutes then toss and bake until browned.

Prep tonight: Cranberry Tuna (or Chicken) Salad (courtesy of Primal Blueprint)

12 oz canned tuna (or chicken), drained
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
¼ c finely chopped red onion
¼ c mayo
½ c dried cranberries.

Mix all ingredients together

Make short-rib marinade and marinate short ribs (see below)

Thursday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: Cranberry tuna salad

Snack: fruit

Dinner: Korean-Style Blackberry Short ribs

½ c sesame oil
1c blackberries (fresh or frozen)
¼ c tamari
¼ c ginger slices
1 garlic clove
2T rice wine vinegar
2 lbs beef short ribs
1 bunch scallions
2 red peppers cut into wedges and skewered

Combine ¼ c of sesame oil plus next five ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until a smoothie like consistency. Put ribs into marinade (unless done the night before). Toss scallions in remaining sesame oil. Cook pepper skewers, ribs and scallions on grill 4-6 minutes each side.

Friday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over short ribs

Snack: fruit

Dinner: free night out!

Grocery List

Nitrate free bacon
Eggs
Kerrygold butter
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 lemons
Jar of capers
1 sweet yellow onion
½ lb ground beef
1 lb ground veal
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 14 oz diced San Marzano tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
5-6 zucchini
1 can sliced olives
Parmesan
1 lb stir fry beef
Wheat free tamari
Sesame oil
Ginger paste
1 large head broccoli
6 oz bean sprouts
3 red bell peppers
1 avocado
8 2% Fage Greek yogurt
Almonds
Macadamia nuts
Jar minced garlic
Bunch green onions
Chicken stock
Mixed greens
1 tomato
1 large sweet potato or yam
1 12 oz can tuna or chicken
Celery
1 red onion
Dried cranberries
Blackberries
Rice wine vinegar
1 large piece of ginger
2 lbs short ribs

Indian Summer Week

It's going to be wonderfully sunny and warm this week (at least the first part). So, this week I picked nice bright flavors.

Sunday

Dinner: Flank steak with romesco sauce and side of sautéed mushrooms and onions

Flank steak with romesco sauce
(courtesy of Primal Blueprint)

1 flank steak
1 c cherry tomatoes
¼ c sliced almonds
2 garlic cloves
1 roasted red pepper (from a jar)
¼ c olive oil
1 T red wine or sherry vinegar
½ t red pepper flakes

Put the flank steak on the grill. In the mean time, toast tomatoes almonds and garlic in a pan for about 5 minutes. Put all three in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Pour over steak.

Sauteed mushrooms and onions

2 onions sliced
2 package of pre-sliced mushrooms
2T butter
2T balsamic vinegar or red wine
Salt/pepper
1t dried thyme

Melt the butter in a pan, add mushrooms and onions and a little salt and pepper. Once the onions and mushrooms are softened, add 1T of balsamic vinegar and some thyme. Save half for dinner tomorrow.

Tonight: make the tzaziki sauce, protein fruit balls

Tzaziki sauce:

Dice an English cucumber into small cubes (1/4 inch or smaller). Mix with 1t of salt and set in a sieve to drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water. Mix one 16 oz 2% Greek yogurt with the cucumber, 1-2 T dried dill, 1T red wine vinegar, 1T olive oil, and 1T garlic mash (use minced garlic from a jar, smear with the side of a chef’s knife until paste-like).

Protein fruit balls
(courtesy of Primal Blueprint)

4 dates, pits removed
1 cup walnuts
½ cup macadamia nuts
2 T coconut oil, melted
½ fresh berries
½ c unsweetened shredded coconut

Pulverize dates in food processor until a paste—about 40 seconds. Add nuts and blend until very finely chopped. With processor still running, drizzle in coconut oil and sop as soon as the oil is blended. Turn out into a bowl, add berries and ¼ c coconut. Roll into 12 balls and roll in remaining coconut.

Monday

Breakfast: two protein fruit balls

Snack: cucumbers with tzaziki sauce

Lunch: flank steak salad

Snack: fruit

Dinner: Turkey Burgers and sautéed mushrooms and onions

Turkey burgers

1T olive oil
1T butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1.5 lbs ground turkey
¼ c light soy sauce
1T sambal oelek or other Asian chili paste (siracha would work too)
1t ginger paste (look for it by the fresh herbs at the store)
1 8oz can of water chestnuts drained and diced
½ c of fresh cilantro leaves finely chopped
¼ c chopped scallions
Large butter lettuce leaves
Avocado slices

For the burgers: Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and butter. Add the onions, season with salt and bring to a medium-high heat. Cook the onions until they are soft and very aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, soy sauce, sambal oelek, ginger, water chestnuts, cilantro, scallions and the cooked onions and garlic. (Reserve the onion pan to cook the sautéed mushrooms and onions in later.) Add one-quarter to one-half cup water; this will help the burgers stay nice and moist. Using your hands, squish everything together until they are really well combined. Form the mix into 4 equal size patties. Grill for approximately 15-20 minutes, turning once, until cooked through. Wrap in lettuce leaves and top with avocado slices.

Sauteed mushrooms and onions (left over from last night)

Tuesday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: one protein ball

Lunch: Turkey burgers

Snack: cucumbers with tzaziki sauce

Dinner: Halibut crusted with chorizo and almonds
(courtesy of Primal Blueprint)

3 skinned halibut filets
1/3 cup blanched almonds with no skin
1 ½ T roughly chopped parsley
1/3 c (appx. 2.5 ounces) of chopped chorizo salami

Preheat oven to 400. In a food processor, chop chorizo, almonds and parsley until almonds are in small pieces. Drizzle some olive oil in a pan and set the fish on top. Spoon the chorizo mixture on top patting it down to stick. Roast in the oven for 12 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork. Turn the oven on broil and boil for 2-4 minutes until the nuts are brown.

Wednesday

Breakfast: two protein balls

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over halibut salad with balsamic and olive oil dressing and ½ avocado

Snack: fruit or any remaining cucumbers and tzaziki

Dinner: chicken fajitas
4 chicken breasts cut into strips
1 onion
2-3 peppers
Mushrooms

Sear chicken in a hot skillet with a little butter and olive oil. Remove and set aside. Saute veg until just crisp/tender. Add steak back in with accumulated juice, add taco seasoning and sauté until done

Thursday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: one protein ball

Lunch:

Snack: fruit

Dinner: Sauteed pork loins with apple compote and steamed broccoli
(courtesy of Pioneer Woman)

6 boneless pork loins about ½ inch thick
1T olive oil
1T butter
2 diced apples
1 diced sweet onion
½ c dry white wine
2t apple cider vinegar
¾ c pure maple syrup
1t dried thyme
Salt and pepper

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter and heat until butter in melted.

Salt and pepper both sides of pork chops. Brown them on both sides until nice and golden. Remove pork chops from the skillet and set on a separate plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add apples, onion and thyme, and stir to combine them with the oil, and butter that remains in the pan. Pour in wine and vinegar, then whisk along the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Pour in the maple syrup, then add a dash of salt and pepper. Stir, then return pork chops to the pan. Cover the pan and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes.

Friday

Breakfast: Yogurt with fruit

Snack: nuts

Lunch: left over pork and broccoli

Snack: fruit

Dinner: free night out!

Grocery List

1 flank steak
cherry tomatoes
sliced almonds
garlic cloves
jarred roasted red pepper
sherry vinegar
4 onions
3 package of pre-sliced mushrooms
2 English cucumbers
16 oz Greek yogurt
Medjool dates
walnuts
macadamia nuts
coconut oil
fresh berries
unsweetened shredded coconut
1.5 lbs ground turkey
light soy sauce
sambal oelek or other Asian chili paste (siracha would work too)
ginger paste (look for it by the fresh herbs at the store)
1 8oz can of water chestnuts drained and diced
cilantro
scallions
butter lettuce leaves
2 avocados
3 skinned halibut filets
blanched almonds with no skin
chorizo salami
4 chicken breasts
2-3 peppers
6 boneless pork loins about ½ inch thick
2 apples
dry white wine
apple cider vinegar
pure maple syrup
melon
peaches
6 2% fage Greek yogurt

Labor Day Week

I'm out of town this weekend and this will present unique challenges. First, relying on the husband to do my grocery shopping. Second, after a weekend of traveling, I need to make sure my weekly menu is easy enough to mesh with the business of getting back into a routine after being out of town. So, there's no lunch plan for Tuesday...Blue Water Taco salad will have to work in a pinch.

Tuesday

Dinner: Pork tenderloin fajita stir-fry

4-5 pork loins
Bell peppers
Onion
Sliced mushrooms
Fajita seasoning

Slice all veg and set aside. Melt 1T of butter and 1T of olive oil. Season both sides of the pork with some fajita seasoning. Brown both sides of the pork loins—put on a plate, cover with foil. Add another teaspoon of olive oil and sauté the vegetables for about 6 minutes until barely cooked. Add about 3 T of taco or fajita seasoning to the veg and mix around. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until crisp tender. Add the pork back into the pan and cover. Cook until pork is cooked through—may only be a minute or two.

Tonight: pre-chop all veg for Wednesday's meatballs

Wednesday

Breakfast: greek yogurt with fruit

Snack: mixed nuts

Lunch: pork fajitas

Snack: fruit

Dinner: Meatball marinara and spinach greens

Garden Fresh Meatballs
(courtesy of www.everydaypaleo.com)

1.5 lbs ground turkey
1 lb ground beef
2 zucchinis
1 yam
2 big handfuls of spinach
1 12 ounce jar of roasted red peppers
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs
½ to ¾ cup of almond meal
1 jar marinara sauce (sans sugar!!)

Grate zucchini and sweet potato. In a food processor, finely mince spinach, roasted red peppers, and garlic. Hand mix all ingredients and form into meatballs (I made mine a little bigger then golf ball size). Bake at 375 in a large baking dish tightly covered with foil for 40-45 minutes. Or melt 1T of butter and 1T of olive oil and brown the meatballs then bake for about 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Makes 20-25 meatballs. Pour warmed up marinara over meatballs.

Sauteed Spinach

Melt 1T butter. Add ½ diced onion and cook until translucent. Add 2 slices of bacon chopped into lardons—cook until almost crispy. Add 1 to 2 big handfuls of spinach in the pan. Cook until wilted. Add 2 t lemon zest, salt and pepper

Thursday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: mixed nuts

Lunch: meatball marinara

Snack: fruit

Dinner: Grilled chicken breasts with chive lemon butter and grilled zucchini

Season the chicken breasts with salt/pepper, brush with olive oil—grill. Mix 2T of softened Kerrygold butter with minced chives and 1t lemon zest. After chicken is cooked, transfer to a plate. Smear some of the butter on top and tent with foil until melted

Friday

Breakfast: yogurt with fruit

Snack: mixed nuts

Lunch: grilled chicken with zucchini

Dinner: Cod en papillote (or a free night, or save it for Saturday night)

2 cod filets (or other firm fish—halibut, salmon, mahi mahi, etc)
1 pepper
1 lemon
Fresh dill
White wine
1 bell pepper sliced into 1/4 inch strips

Cut two hearts out of parchment paper, big enough to fit a filet of fish (just like a kindergarten valentine project). Season the fish with salt and pepper. Place two lemon slices in the middle of one heart half to serve as the "tray" for the fish. Set fish on top of lemon slices. Arrange sliced peppers (about ¼ - ½ a pepper depending on how big your parchment is) on the bottom half of the heart. Lay a frond of fresh dill on top, put a small amount of butter on top of the dill, top with lemon slices. Pour a touch of white wine in the packet before wrapping. Take a long drink from the wine bottle. Fold the other end of the heart over the top. Starting with the round end of the heart, start folding the ends together working your way to the top of the heart. Put on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes or so until the paper starts to brown. Transfer the entire packet to a plate and open to enjoy--clean up is super simple if you eat right out of the packet!

Shopping List

4-5 pork loins
4 bell peppers
2 onions
1 package sliced mushrooms
Fajita seasoning
8 2% fage plain greek yogurt
1.5 lbs ground turkey
1 lb lean ground beef
4 zucchini
1 yam or sweet potato
1 bag pre-washed spinach
1 12 oz jar of roasted red peppers
Cage free eggs
Almond meal
1 jar marinara (sugar free!)
Nitrate free bacon
2 lemons
Fresh chives
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Kerrygold grass-fed Irish butter
2 fish filets (cod, halibut, mahi mahi, etc)
Fresh dill
Berries
Melon
peaches

What To Expect

I'm new to the Paleo Diet and recommend reading The Paleo Diet by Dr. Loren Cordain. If I didn't have a full time job, it might be easier for me to stick to the principes Dr. Cordain outlines--but, I do, so I can't. And there's just some things that make life more fun and easier. Based on my research, all of the add-ons that Dr. Cordain wouldn't approve of are still within the Paleo parameters. Most importantly, my add-ons are still non-processed. So, here are the principles I follow:

No grains--none, this means no beer too
No processed food
No legumes
No soy*
No dairy*
No refined sugar*

Here are the caveats:

Whole milk. I use a little whole milk in cooking and my coffee. I buy the local milk sold at Metropolitan Market that is produced by a local Washington farmer. It's delicious.

Full fat plain Greek yogurt. Some Greek yogurt is allowed on the Paleo diet. I found that I got used to the whole milk variety--but it took some time. Usually, I only have it for breakfast two to three days a week, just so I don't get completely sick of eggs.

Grass-fed Kerrygold butter. Just for cooking. It's Irish and heavenly.

Raw goat or sheep milk cheese. Very, very rarely only in a dish that must have cheese.

Low sodium wheat-free tamari sauce (like soy sauce). Only if I'm making Asian food and it just has to be in there

Honey and pure maple syrup. Again, very rarely and only in baking if I must have a sweet treat.

Dark chocolate. 72% dark or higher. Actually, the 86% goes very nicely with red wine. Also delicious melted and drizzled over nuts. Sometimes, I just need some chocolate.

A note about snacks: figuring out what to snack on was the hardest part. I found that if I made myself eat fruit or mixed nuts in between breakfast/lunch and lunch/dinner, my need to snack virtually vanished. But, I still keep mixed nuts around, some deli meat and lots of Lara Bars (which are also great for a meal on the go).

A note about the meal plans: They start on Sunday night so that there is left-overs for lunch on Monday. This is how every day works--dinner becomes lunch the next day. So, if you're modifying portions, keep this in mind. I'll also put plan-ahead tips at the end of each day's plan. So, if you should prep something the night before to make the next day easier, it'll be there.

Weekend eating. So far, weekend eating hasn't been to hard to stick to the principles. On Saturdays and Sundays, I make a brunch with eggs, some kind of breakfast meat, and fruit. And we usually have a ton going on the rest of the time, so I just eat around things and haven't had a problem yet. Going out to eat and ordering Paleo is much easier than I thought. And avoiding the bread basket has been a sinch. At this point, the thought of putting bread in my mouth sounds icky. Plus, I'm going easy on myself and sticking to a 90/10 ratio of 90% on Paleo and 10% cheats--it's ok and I'm happy with my accomplishments.

Everything posted here is what I'm personally making and eating for the week. Many recipes I haven't tested--just found along the way. So, if there's a way to improve anything, if instructions didn't work, or any other suggestions, please let me know! I also regularly recycle some meals, so you'll see some things reappear (i.e. we love tacos in my house, so they make regular appearances).

Look, I'm no expert and have no formal nutrition training. But, what I do know, is that I feel better and am eating healthier than I ever have. This will be fun! I can't believe the change I've already experienced in my energy level, confidence, and love handles (they're slowly disappearing)! It's awesome. I can't believe I haven't been eating like this for forever.