Chili Chili Bang Bang

With fall right around the corner and rainy days ahead, I decided to make a classic crock pot chili.  Typically, chili includes beans, but with the Paleo diet, beans are forbidden.  My paleo take on this dish is below:

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground meat
3 cups of zucchini
3 cups of squash
1 large can of tomato sauce
4 jalapenos
2 cups of chopped onions
2 red peppers
1 small can of green chilis in liquid
4 tbs of chili powder
2 tbs of cumin
1 tbs of cayenne pepper
1 tbs crushed red pepper
salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Brown the meat in a skillet.  Drain.
2.  Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and cook for 4 hours.

Aside from the chopping, this is a super easy recipe.  One can even start it in the morning and cook it in the crock pot on low all day only to come home to a delicious meal.  The recipe serves 6-8 so invite some friends over and enjoy!

Stay Away From Poisons

Processed foods. The more ingredients in your food you pick up at the store, the more it has been tampered with, processed, and deviated from its natural state. If you do not already check the ingredients of what you have been eating, you need to start doing so right away. Not sure of one of the ingredients? Pick up your smart phone or go on the internet and search it. If you can't pronounce it, you probably shouldn't be consuming it. As part of the paleo diet, you must start eating naturally and more importantly, organically.

Do not let a label, like Diet Soda or Sugar-free gum, fool you. The sugar is probably replaced with something worse, like aspartame. Please, for your own piece of mind, do your own research on aspartame (or asculfame), monosodium glutemate (msg), genetically-modified organisms (gmo's), sodium nitrate (used to preserve meats), and high fructose corn syrup (which research has shown to be laced with mercury). There are many more poisons out there in food churned out by huge corporations who cut corners at the expense of your health.

And, don't think a soda-ban in NYC is anyway to go, because the soda ban does not apply to diet soda drinks! You all must realize that there are healthy alternatives out there, but for big corporations, there is not enough profit in those alternatives. "How can we prolong the shelflife of our product so we don't lose money? Preservatives!" Do you think these chemicals will eventually harm your body? Does anyone out there really think most diseases Americans face are natural and unavoidable? This is no BS. You will notice a world of difference when you begin to elliminate these toxins and poisons from your diet. When you stop consuming them, you will hopefully detox your body of them and become healthier - not only your body but your mind as well.

Last nights dinner!

When I was younger, my mom rarely made mashed potatoes and usually made rice (my sisters favorite). Well, after a while of no mashed potatoes, one day I arrive to the dinner table and see a big bowl of what looks like my favorite side item. I ate some, they were good but different. I asked, "What is this?" My mom said, "Do you like it? It's cauliflower." I was so mad and betrayed that left the table in disgust. We laugh about it now.

I cook food often. Although it is nice to go out to a restaurant, I feel a homecooked meal is always better because you know where all the ingredients are coming from and who is handling your food. This isn't to discourage anyone from dining out, it's a risk. But, so is making your own food, especially something you have never made before. Last night I made maybe, in my opinion, one of the best meals I've ever made.

Leigh and I went to the farmstands in Hoboken and picked up olives stuffed with almonds, garlic artichoke hearts, two green peppers, two yellow squash, mixed unsalted nuts, and spaghetti squash.

Last night for dinner, we decided to make the spaghetti squash. We took the entire squash and microwaved it (to save time instead of baking it) for 12 minutes. After that, we cut it in half and saved one halve for another night. We took the halve and removed the seeds (which you can toast like pumpkin seeds) and then with a fork scraped out the spaghetti. We put the spaghetti in a grill pan with shaved zucchini, the chopped olives with almonds, the garlic artichoke hearts, and extra virgin olive oil. No spices were necessary.

Simultaneously, we took cauliflower and chopped it up, put it in a pot with chicken broth and some water, chopped garlic, ground pepper, and rosemary. We let it boil, then on medium covered for 20 minutes. After they were tender, we put the cauliflower in the blender with some of the broth, adding a little at a time if necessary.

The end result was spaghetti squash and mashed cauliflower. Like I said earlier, it was one of the best things we've made yet. The funny thing is, it was better than what we were substituting. The spaghetti squash is like angel hair pasta which is my favorite pasta. My favorite side item from when I was younger did not even compare to the mashed cauliflower. After the meal, we were full and we felt good. It just goes to show you can still enjoy your favorite foods on the paleo 30 day detox. Sure, there are differences, and in this case, the healthy alternative also tastes better!

A Testimonial

A friend of mine sent me this message the other day...

"What's up bro? Yo I lost 14 pounds in one month and I didn't even exercise that much. I'm feeling much better now bro, I'm going to continue with the diet thanks."

It really makes me happy that I can just share some information that was shared with me and then that person uses the information in a way that benefits them and helps them become happier in life.

Feel free to use the comments section and just post anything: how your feeling, what you like/dislike, any difficulties, advice, help; anything. It can really help someone.

Down At The Farmstand!

The Paleo 30 Day Detox would not be the same without purchasing fresh produce from the source. In your local area, find the nearest Farmstand, preferably organic, and find the best deals for the best produce.

On Tuesdays in Hoboken, where some of us live, there are 5 or 6 farmstands set up on Washington Street. The prices are very good because they all compete for your business and the food is delicious. Make sure you stop by it today, it's on the corner of Newark and Washington.

If you live or work in NYC, the Farmstands at Union Square are top notch, there is such a wide variety of things they offer from seafood, to ostrich eggs, other unique proteins, crazy concoctions just waiting to be eaten.

You'll notice how much more expensive the organic stores and other supermarkets are compared to the actual farmers stands. Support your local farmers and keep up with your detox. For some of you, it is Day 2, others it is Day 30: you are all close to your goal, so keep it up!

Who's Making These?

"Not So Chunky Monkey Muffins"

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 heaping tablespoons almond butter
• 2 really ripe mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Cooking Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat eggs, coconut oil, vanilla, almond butter and bananas.
3. Add in the coconut flour, salt and baking soda and beat until smooth.
4. Stir in coconut and chocolate chips.
5. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until done


modified for the Paleo 30 Day Detox
original source: http://fastpaleo.com/not-so-chunky-monkey-muffins/

Day 1 Dinner

Post your Day 1 dinner pictures here!

Leigh made a salad with romaine lettuce, red cabbage, broccoli, red pepper, tomatoes, carrots, kalamata olives, and blueberries. We didn't have any tonight, but we made a lot and are going to have some for lunch tomorrow, and either dinner later on tomorrow night or lunch on Wednesday, or both! We have some leftover chicken so Leigh is going to have that in her salad and I'm going to have tuna.

Leigh baked chicken with red and green peppers, onions, and tomatoes. She baked it in apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, pineapple juice, and seasoned with smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, and garlic pepper. Leigh baked it in the oven on 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

So again, very simple. Easy ingredients, nothing crazy. You get full and yet you don't feel disgusting or have trouble moving around haha.

Get health and fitness tips at Greatist.com

Flow Chart

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Favorite Paleo Snacks

While doing the Paleo 30 Day Detox, you should never be hungry. You've heard the comparison before, but your body is like a furnace; it needs fuel to continue to burn. I knew someone in High School who only ate one meal a day. ONE MEAL A DAY! Why put your body through that? Look, we all love to eat, it is one of the best things in life. Don't deprive yourself from food! Just make sure it's the right kind of food and eat until your hunger dissipates. Aim for 5-6 meals a day and never be hungry. Here are some of my favorite paleo snacks.


Chips

"Oh no! I'm going on the Paleo 30 Day Detox! I can't have any chips... =[ " said one of you. Just don't eat the Lay's and the Sunchips and all of that other crap! You can make chips from anything: zucchini, sweet potatoes, kale (tastes like popcorn!), pumpkin, squash, (eat with the seasons!), plaintain chips, etc. Slice your preferred vegetable, toss with some coconut oil, and then coat with seasonings such as Trader Joe's All Spice, pepper, salt, spices, etc. and put the chips on a tray and in the oven. Cook the chips for 20 or so minutes on 375 degrees and there you go!


Guacamole

Take the chips you made and dip them into some guac! Take jalepeno pepper, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, lemon juice, combine all the ingredients and crush them up together in a bowl! Add your avocados and you have guacamole. I have had some guacamole with added mangos or pineapples, try it out!


Nuts

20 or so Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts (Superfood!), Pistachios, Chestnuts, etc. and enjoy! You don't even need salt on them! Add some raisens or craisens, dried blueberries or dried mango, and you have your own trailmix. Just a little FYI, peanuts are a legume and are therefore restricted from this diet. Avoiding peanut products is simple as many people live with peanut allergies. Instead of peanut butter, try Almond Butter (Superfood!) or Sunflower Seed Butter. You can use these to dip vegetables like celery or carrots and fruits like apples and bananas.


Lärabar

The ingredients are not processed and are raw. Lärabar uses only unsweetened fruits, nuts, spices, and dairy and soy free chocolate. Each bar contains no more than nine wholesome ingredients such as dates, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, unsweetened fruit (apples, bananas, blueberries, cherries, raisins etc.), cinnamon, ginger, cocoa powder, coconut, sea salt, etc. Most Larabar ingredients are paleo friendly, but you must check the ingredients (Peanut Butter and Jelly for example has peanuts). These are the best on the go snacks.


Chocolate Covered Bacon

The one you have all been waiting for! Weave each slice of (turkey) bacon on a skewer. Place a baking rack in jelly roll pan and line up skewers on rack. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done. Break up dark chocolate (65% or more cocoa) into small pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl. Melt for about a minute, whisk in coconut oil. With a basting brush, baste each skewer of cooked bacon, on both sides and place on a large sheet of parchment paper. If desired, sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans. Refrigerate overnight.


So you see folks, you can have fun while doing this challenge. Don't overindulge, but don't go hungry. What are some paleo snacks you want to try or enjoy?

Paleo Salad

Here's my lunch for today, grilled chicken with spinach, mushrooms, and artichokes with balsamic dressing.

Last Fridays salad...

Grilled Tuna steak with mango, tomato, and avocado with balsamic dressing over mixed greens.

Green Drink Smoothies!

Smoothies are amazing. I never used to like them until I tried one that was homemade. Huge difference. Rejuiceanation (not organic) doesn't add sugar, but other places do. You'll just have the Naked smoothies? Well, they never make me feel good, not even close to how I feel after I have had a homemade smoothie and they are also pasteurized. Whats the point?

If you don't have a blender, go to BB&B or Target and spend $20. It's a great investment. If you are attempting to ween yourself off coffee or caffeine in general but still seek energy in the morning and anytime during the day, smoothies are the best way to go.

Try to balance your smoothies with Vegetables as well as Fruits. If you add fruit to these green vegetables in a smoothie, they will be undetectable, and you'll still receive all of the health benefits. 

Broccoli is very rich in fiber — half is insoluble and half is soluble. Broccoli belongs to the cabbage family, collectively known as cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables, which naturally contain two important phytochemicals — indoles and isothiocyanates — are linked to lower rates of cancer.

Kale is part of the Brassica family, a group that also includes cabbage, collard greens and Brussels sprouts. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Also contains powerful phytochemicals called sulforaphane and indoles which helps the body release more detoxification enzymes, quickly clearing potentially carcinogenic substances.

Spinach is a huge source of Vitamins C, A, K, you name it. The flavonoids in spinach help protect against age related memory loss and the lutein in the little green leaf makes it one of the best foods in the world to prevent age related macular degeneration.

Other greens you can put in your smoothies are Arugula, Basil, Collard Greens, Parsley, Mint, Green Peppers, Cucumbers, Celery, and the infamous Wheatgrass. All of these ingredients have their own health benefits so it's up to you what should go in your diet.

Make sure to add fruit to your green drink. Better flavor and more vitamins, minerals, and sometimes fats (Avocado and Coconut - both are fruits).

Bananas, Apples, Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Pineapples, Mangos, Grapes, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Lemons, Limes, and many more fruits can make your smoothies more enjoyable. For that smoothie feel to your smoothies, make sure you add some kind of liquid such as Orange Juice or Coconut Milk.

Other things you can add to your smoothies are these Superfoods:

Acai Berries – extremely high in antioxidants.

Almond Butter – high in monounsaturated fats.

Aloe Vera – detox the colon.

Avocado – one of the healthiest sources of good fats.

Cayenne Pepper – improve cardiovascular health.

Chocolate (raw) – delicious and high in antioxidants.

Coconut (oil, milk, water, meat) – miracle food; good for the skin, healthy source of fats; replenishing.

Flaxseed (oil, seeds) – high in Omega-3 fatty acids.

Garlic – antibacterial and antiviral properties, flavor.

Ginger – great for digestive issues and prevents nausea.

Pumpkin – highe in vitamin E and beta-carotine; great for your skin.

Sprouts – tiny powerhouses of vitamins and minerals.

Wheatgrass – liquid energy; extremely nutrient rich.

Get creative - it would be very difficult to mess this up. No matter what combinations you come up with, it's sure to be good. Share your creations, what works and what doesn't, let us know!

Are You Suggesting Coconuts Migrate?!

Coconuts are paleo and they are a superfood as well. There are several benefits to including coconut products, such as coconut milk and coconut oil, in your diet.

• There are over 20 billion coconuts grown each year around the world!

• The saturated fats in coconut oil contain lauric acid, which has been identified as preventative of many diseases, including heart disease and cancer.

• All of the coconut tree (which can grow up to 90 feet tall!) is used for different purposes:

• Besides food and drink, the coconut tree provides fiber and building materials to make huts.
• The oil is used not only for human consumption, but also as fuel and in a wide variety of skin and hair products.
• It is often made into feed for livestock.
• Other products made out of a coconut tree include furniture, mats, clothing, baskets, hats, brooms, containers, musical instruments, and more.

• Coconuts are grown in ninety countries.

• The word, coconut, comes from the Portuguese. “Coco” means monkey and “nucifera” means nut-bearing.

• Coconuts originally traveled from the Pacific to Asia and then to Africa. It was the Europeans who brought the coconut from Africa to the Caribbean.

• The saturated fat in coconuts is NOT the kind that clogs arteries.

• Today, the health benefits of coconut oil include aiding in the prevention and treatment of kidney problems, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol, HIV, osteoporosis, pancreatitis, digestive, immune and metabolic difficulties. 

• The health benefits of coconut flesh include its vitamin and mineral content, which consists of large amounts of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, as well as some of the B complex vitamins and natural electrolytes.

• Coconut water, which is the liquid you hear when you shake a coconut, is also just as good for you if not more so - it rehydrates you faster than water and provides important electrolytes.

• The coconut contains plenty of fiber which helps with digestion and the treatment of constipation.

• The body more easily absorbs vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, when coconut oil is present (the job of a good fat).

• Coconut oil benefits have also included helping diabetics to control their blood sugar levels as well as preventing certain kidney and liver problems.

Now that you know some of the benefits of coconuts, go out there and stock up! Grab your coconut water, milk, and oil and try the coconut products for your skin and hair. It's all excellent.

Simple Food

Making life simpler is good advice. The same can be said about food. Here is an example of something we whipped up last week. Grilled chicken with spices (basil, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper) and grilled veggies. This is as simple as a paleo dinner gets, and I don't mind having this with some variance every night.

The veggies in this dish are zucchini, onions, kale, and eggplant. We could have easily used tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, etc. The possibilities are endless. The kicker? These ingredients were grilled with coconut oil, a good fat. After dinner, 20 or so minutes later, have some fruit or a square of dark chocolate, and you should be ready for a relaxing evening. You will notice, you don't feel bloated or groggy or even tired. That's the point. When you get rid of all the crap and simplify your food, it will lead to a happy and healthy life!

Ready, Set, Paleo!!!

Hello Fellow Paleo 30 Day Detoxers!

Whether it is Day 1, or Day 23, this blog is dedicated to the support and contiunation of your 30 Day Detox using the "Caveman Diet" also known as Paleo. The Paleo diet is more of a way of life and a mindset than a bootcamp diet. When you begin to think of the toxins and poisons that we consume, following a healthier diet is an easy choice. While an easier choice, logically, it can still be difficult to maintain, especially if you feel alone in your mission. Feel free to use this blog in whatever way that will help you through the process.

If say, you wanted something sweet. Well, did you know chocolate covered bacon is paleo? Seriously. Choose a healthy type of bacon, (turkey bacon, as organic as you can get) then get some dark chocolate (over 70% cocoa) and there you go. Just don't think for a second you can have 4 pieces of it! Put it away in the freezer, have only one small piece at the end of the day after dinner, and end it. You see? There are creative ways to eat a healthier diet while still having fun! In fact, there are many alternatives and creative ways to get around our past diet to make it paleo. Do you love pasta? It's not paleo. However, you can replace is with spaghetti squash! These simple adjustments will make the process much easier.

If anyone has any questions, ask them! We'll learn and create together and get to Day 30 in a breeze.

- Justin