Nell Stephenson's Blog, page 33

Soup-To-Go Takes On A Whole New Meaning

Let’s face it.   We live in a hectic time and for many, squeezing in the time to eat is a luxury.

It can easily end up being more along the lines of a collection of random foods thrown together haphazardly and inhaled in a hurry, rather than an enjoyable meal.

While part of the strategy to fix this should absolutely include addressing the schedule and trying to incorporate meal time as a dedicated ‘appointment’ several times during the day, we can also target the solution by including some meals to eat on the go.

Like soup.

Don’t worry, I won’t be suggesting you try driving while ladling spoonfuls of bone broth into your mouth.

I’m talking smoothies.

Or you might prefer to call it a puree.

Why not?

After all, if we are talking about needing to get in some quality calories while being pressed for time, like, for example, all of you soccer moms out there that are whisking the little ones to and fro, why not have something you can drink while you’re in the car?

You likely already have a bottle of water, or a cup of tea when you’re behind the wheel; drinking a beverage doesn’t pose a safety risk while driving, so rather than trying to shove in too much food too quickly after going too long without eating and crashing…right when it’s time to get the kids to swim practice…you can prepare ahead of time and simply grab your chilled puree of soup in a thermos from the fridge and hit the minivan in no time flat.

In Pocket Paleo, Snacks, I give a few examples of just this type of meal, but anything goes.  Whatever soup you made with whichever veggies and any protein (sans bones!) will blend perfectly after its cooled down, making it conducive to separating it out into portions to go, and that’s that!

Blended Tom Yum with chicken, anyone?   (Won’t hurt to combat the cold season while you’re at it!)

What is a Snack, Really?

What do you think of when you think about a snack?  An energy bar?  A handful of pretzels?  A low-calorie packaged item of some sort meant to tide you through until the next meal?

According to Wikipedia, a snack is “a small portion of food eaten between meals. The food might be snack food—items like potato chips or baby carrots—but could also simply be a small amount of any food.”

Their definition goes on to tell us that ” Excessive snacking has been implicated in the increasing prevalence of obesity in many countries“, while “healthy snacks include those that have significant vitamins, are low in saturated fat and added sugars and have a low sodium content”.

My definition of a snack is slightly different.

I think a snack is, get ready for it, another meal.  I think it’s no different from breakfast or lunch or dinner.  Ideally, all meals should consist of real food, and it should be fresh, local, seasonal and unprocessed.

Sure, there are going to be times when this isn’t an option but if we simply rethink what a snack is, as well as all meals for that matter, we open up a world of possibilities.

One approach I often use with clients is to stop using the words breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and just refer to them as meals 1, 2, 3, 4 and so on.

By ceasing to classify foods as appropriate for certain  meals only, we then create far more options in terms of what proteins, vegetables, fats and fruits we eat at any given time of the day.

In Pocket Paleo Snacks, I go into detail with recipes for many a snack occasion, from in the workplace, to on the go as well as for those rare times when you actually have a bit of extra time and can create something a bit more interesting than you’d normally enjoy for a snack.

Check it out today!

 

Pocket Paleo, Breakfast, Snacks and Workout Available NOW!

It’s been a long time coming and I’m thrilled to announce my third publication is available today!

Pocket Paleo is a series of three cookbooks, with 50 recipes each, focused on three particularly challenging eating situations when it comes to keeping Paleo: breakfast, snacks and workouts.

Yours for the taking now from both iTunes as well as kindle!

Get your copy today or purchase it to someone else as a great New Year’s gift!

At only $2.99 each, you can have the whole set and 150 recipes for less than ten bucks.

Happy, Healthy New Year!

 

Pocket Paleo: Workout

Book three in the new ebook series, Pocket Paleo, Workout is yours for the taking. Pre-order today and start reading tomorrow when they all go live!

When it comes to eating paleo, pre- and postworkout foods are some of the most challenging meals.

What you eat when you’re training for a triathlon is far different from what you eat if you’re about to do a Crossfit workout, and both vary still from your snacks if you’re just going for a quick jog. Add to that your exercise goals, body weight and what time of day you’re working out, and you’ve got a lot to take into account!

From high-intensity training to mid-level exercise to low-key workouts, this indispensable book has the right paleo recipes for your regime, goals and body type.

POCKET PALEO: BEFORE AND AFTER WORKOUT RECIPES includes

— 50 recipes, like blue Hawaiian sweet potato and Maui onion hash, two-step banana and egg pancakes, chilled coconut breve latte, savory yam and apple Napoleons and more

— Fueling for volume training and racing, strength sessions and lighter workouts

— Quick and easy recipes

Get it on Kindle or iTunes today and click here to check out a sneak peek into this book with my recipe for Blue Hawaiian Sweet Potato and Maui Onion Hash!

Pocket Paleo: Snacks

Day Two of my little book promo is here!

When it comes to eating Paleo, snacks can be especially challenging; but really a snack and a meal should contain the same ingredients: fresh, real food and nothing else!

Start with a base of veggies, followed by some lean protein and finish off with some healthy fat and fruit, and you’ll have your perfect paleo (tem)plate. Whether you’re having a snack at home, work or school, following this schematic will ensure all your meals have the ideal paleo balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat.

Keeping on top of what you’re eating as a snack between the other meals in a day can truly be the deal-maker in staying on track with your paleo regime, and maintaining an even keel in your blood sugar is key to keeping your fat-blasting metabolism on high.

POCKET PALEO: SNACKS (for your Kindle as well as your iPad) includes

— 50 recipes, like homemade salt-free jerkies and savory smoothies

— Building paleo snack basics

— Quick and easy, in the office, kid-friendly, on-the-go, seasonal and holiday-inspired paleo snack recipes and more

Pre- order today on amazon or iTunes and click here for your sneak peek into a recipe from Pocket Paleo Snacks,  Superfood Delight “Trail Mix”!

Pocket Paleo: Breakfast

Three days until my third publication, Pocket Paleo, is live!

That equals three days of sneak peak recipes for you and one day each for the three mini Paleoista Books as the theme for a few days of blog posts, too!

Available on both  iTunes and amazon, you can preorder today.

Pocket Paleo, Breakfast,  focuses on one of the most challenging meals when it comes to going Paleo.

It’s the most important meal of the day, but why do so many of us have it all wrong? Skipping breakfast to save calories or because we don’t have enough time does nothing other than increase our chances of making poor meal choices. And when trying to eat paleo, it can be struggle to move away from old standards like cereal or oatmeal and still eat something easy to prepare but filling and healthy.

So what does a good paleo breakfast consist of? The same thing any other meal does—vegetables, protein and fat, like soft-boiled eggs over spinach with some avocado and a side of berries, or even a five-minute well-balanced smoothie. By starting the morning off the right way, you’ll set yourself up for sustained energy and focus day after day.

POCKET PALEO: BREAKFAST includes

— 50 recipes, like sun-dried tomato and basil Sonoma omelets, bacon and melon roll ups, breakfast Carpaccio and Paleoista’s breakfast  fajitas

— Building paleo breakfast basics

— Tips for adventurous eating, kid-friendly modifications, eating on-the-run and more

Check it out on iTunes or amazon today; and click here for a sneak peak into one of the recipes in the book, perfect for this time of year, my Paleoista Cold Buster Smoothie!

Happy New Year; Here’s To Your Healthiest Year Yet!

I woke up giddy for all this year has in store and I’ve got so much to share with you!

I’ve hinted here and there at some of the things I’ve been working on and over the next few weeks, you’ll be privvy to a lot of new and exicitng things that Paleoista as a brand brings to the table this year, beginning in January.

First and foremost and without further ado…Pocket Paleo, the book series, is availble now for pre-order and it’s yours to read, effective Monday.   Three ebooks, all about what to keep while keeping completely Paleo for Breakfast, Snacks, and Workout  are all available for all tablets.  Buy them now and get ready to read them in just four days!

I geared the books, each of which have 50 recipes, toward the eating situations that I’ve found over the years working with clients prove to be the most challenging: for breakfast, for snacks and around the time of a workout.

People get what to eat for lunch and dinner as in this day and age, a piece of wild slamon on a salad for lunch or a rare filet mgnon with a side of garlic spinach for dinner are two meals that most people would deem as being healhty options.

Where it gets confusing for many, however, is in the realm of eating that has traditionally been inundated with grains and dairy (breakfast), refined, processed pacakged items (snacks) and a host of foodtuff under the broad heading of ‘sports nutrition’ that encompasses anything from archaic recommendations to eat heaps of pasta the night before a run to adding tablets bound togerher with sorbitol (which acts as a binding agent, obviously…and is also clinically used as a laxative) to endless amounts of concoctions made with whey, soy, maltodextrin and good old fashioned, chocolate milk. (Not kidding).

I wrote these three books to provide some insight and ideas to create easy to follow and even easier to prepare recipes fitting all of the above.

Don’t have a kindle?  They’re on iTunes, too!  Pocket Paleo Breakfast, Snack and Workout are yours for the taking for your iPad as well.

Hint, hint: January is going to be full of surprises, giveaways, promos and more interesting debuts so stay tuned and spread the word!

Now off for your first bout of exercise of the New Year, followed by a healthy Paleoista style breakfast.  Pastured eggs over easy with garlic spinach, anyone?

Enjoy the day and may it be the start of your best and healthiest year yet!

New Year’s Eve Dining, Paleoista Style

Whatever your plans may be tonight, from attending a gala decked out in the most beautiful gown and tiara you’ve ever come across to a cozy evening spent at home with your significant other, today’s holiday is celebratory-worthy, without a doubt.

For me, there’s nothing more fitting to welcome in the New Year than to host a party at home with a small group of close friends with whom delicious food, good conversation and a a minute toast are shared.

Looking for some good ideas for hors d’oeuvre, side dishes, a main course and even a toast?

Here’s my favourite New Year’s Eve Menu:

Hors d’oeuvre

Fresh Figs

stuffed with toasted pecans, coconut oil caramelization

Uncured , Pastured Bacon Wrapped Dates (just one will do!)

Appetizers

Wild Salmon Carpaccio

served on a bed of arugula drizzled with olive oil and freshly ground black pepper

Radicchio Salad

sprinkled with fresh pomegranate, olive oil and avocado

Main

Alaskan King Crab Legs

simply steamed, served with lemon

Sides

Raw Kale Salad

Steamed Broccoli & Asparagus

Champagne Toast

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Happy 2015!  May it be your healthiest year yet!

Your Paleo 2015: Fine Tuning Your Paleo Goals and Choosing Top Priorities

Now that you’ve got your first run at your 2015 SMART Paleo goals lined up let’s fine tune a little.

Have you come up with 20 reasons why losing weight is finally going to happen this year, for instance? Maybe 20 is a bit of an exaggeration, but the point remains: if you cannot see good reasons, and I stress the plural here, to carry out what you’ve listed as your goals, think them through a bit more and perhaps but some on the back burner.

You’ve got to make sure that each and every action item on your list is first and foremost something you want to do, something you believe in and not something that you’ve reluctantly added on just because you ‘should’. Your doctor telling you to lose weight otherwise you’re going to have to start taking meds for hypertension, your significant other threatening to walk if you don’t get your butt off the couch and to the running trail and your kids being upset that you can’t keep up with them on a hike are valid, poignant reasons to enact goals, but ultimately if it doesn’t ring true to you, you’re not going to budge. (In this case, figuring out why you’re not bothered about these issues may be a goal in and of itself! Yoga…meditation anyone?)

So how many goals are on your list, then?

And how many mean something significant to you, to the point where you’re willing to be slightly uncomfortable (only inasmuch as it’s a bit of human nature to be uncomfortable with change…but that’s how we make change in the first place!) for a brief period of time to being to get through the rocky part with the trust and confidence that the outcome will be worthwhile?

Choose a few off your list, those that are most important, most realistic and save the rest for another time.

If you’re new to the Paleo arena and are about to start a new job on January 5th and have just moved into a new apartment, you may be better off having one first goal simply to learn what Paleo really is, rather than decide that on top of everything else, you’re suddenly going to begin grocery shopping, cooking and omitting all processed foods right away.

All forward progress is crucial, commendable and that in and of itself shows signs for positive change, much more so than a broad overview lacking detail which might present itself as ‘I tried Paleo at 100%, it was too hard and I’m still fat’.

Write up your top three, or perhaps even five and sit with them overnight. If anything doesn’t feel right, change it! And be sure to tune in tomorrow where we get to the fun stuff: how to celebrate New Year’s Eve, Paleoista Style! No deprivation, no ‘cheating’, no worries!

Your Paleo 2015, Part I: Setting Goals, Not Making Resolutions

Resolution: a firm decision to do or not to do something.

How many times have you ‘firmly decided’:

to exercise every single day

to never eat chocolate again

to stop drinking all forms of alcohol in one fell swoop

to get more rest

to…?

And for how many years have you make this firm decision with the intention that it would just so happen to begin on January 1st?

Finally, how many times did you allow making this firm decision to somehow make you feel you should then go completely off track for the remainder of any given year since, after all, you were going to get your act together in a short while, once the New Year begins?

Here’s an idea: how about not making resolutions?

How about goals instead?

Goal: the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.

And not just a goal, a “SMART” goal:

Specific – target a specific area for improvement.

Measurable – quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress.

Assignable – specify who will do it.

Realistic – state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources.

Time-related – specify when the result(s) can be achieved

Let’s play this out.

Scenario A:

You’ve been reading about Paleo, and are aware that you could really stand to benefit from it quite a bit. You firmly decide you are going to cut all grains, dairy, legumes and white sugar.

But you never really put two and two together to make the connection that when you eat gluten, you get a headache, and you also didn’t give it long enough of a trial, so three days into your first stint, you thought you’d implement a bit of the good old ’85% Paleo idea’ and have a sandwich for lunch. So, slowly but surely your firm decision to go Paleo turned into nothing more than a three day stint at adding a bit more veggies and making some better protein choices (still a good step in the right direction) but overall, not likely the amount of progress you’d have had if it had been positioned a bit more clearly, like a goal rather than a resolution.

Scenario B:

You set a goal to implement the Paleo diet into your lifestyle.

You then break it down into the five components of a SMART goal, but first, make sure you’re clear as to why you’re doing it, how long it’s realistically going to take for you to see results as well as being honest and kind enough to yourself to determine if you’re going to give yourself a chance to see it through. (The answer to ‘how long’, by the way, varies greatly from person to person and depends on what their individual reasons for trying to improve their food choices are. If you’ve got acne, you’ll begin seeing results very quickly as skin cells regenerate very quickly; autoimmune conditions, however, can take significantly longer as neurological tissue is much slower to respond).

Don’t misread this; any small steps you make toward being more Paleo are certainly worth acknowledging and incorporating. The key is to be sure to associate how big to how small the steps are in relation to what your desired end result is. Two people who are exactly the same height and have exactly the same amount of excess body fat to lose could arguably be two very different case studies if person A goes 100 % Paleo and adds more sleep and a consistent exercise routine to their life while person B simply goes gluten free, cuts down a little on sugar and goes outside a few times per week to walk.

There’s no wrong approach; just sort out which one is more applicable to you and set your goals accordingly.

Using person A, then, the SMART Paleo 2015 goal could be:

S: build into a completely Paleo diet over the course of one month to then test full Paleo for 30 days.

M: eliminate all gluten during the 1st week of January. The second week: cut out all grains. The third week: cut out all grains and all legumes. The fourth week: cut out all grains, legumes and dairy, (By February, you’ll be ready for a 100% 4-week Paleo trial!)

A: you must do it. If you’re not ready, it’s not going to happen.

R: since you’ve already gone through the exercise reviewed above, this should be clear. In a one month build to a second month of 30 days of 100% Paleo, it’s reasonable to feel more energized, have better digestion, improved quality of sleep and lose a few pounds. Set this up as though you were making suggestions kindly to a dear friend, rather than trying to come at it from an angle where you’re acting as a warden to yourself and trying to force the idea of losing fifty pounds the first week. Not fair. Not realistic.

T: In two months’ time, all of the above can realistically be achieved, but you’ll want to reward and remind yourself along the way, so set up a way to track, whether it’s by keeping records of sleep using an APP, your weight by weighing in once weekly on the same scale under the same conditions and so forth.

Keep both the big picture and the small picture in mind simultaneously, be present and focused and remember that you’re the one in control of what you put in your mouth and the subsequent positive effects or ramifications.

One thing I can promise you, without even knowing your goal, is that with rare exception, properly implementing a Paleo lifestyle is going to benefit you in the long run, even if you are feeling worried it’s going to be too painful to stop eating cereal or bread or tofu.

Go ahead and freestyle now; list out all your preliminary goals now and tune in tomorrow for more on fine tuning and choosing your top priorities!