Nell Stephenson's Blog, page 72

Boxing Day, Paleoista Style

When my husband and I spend the holidays with his family in the UK, we get to enjoy another holiday right after Christmas- Boxing Day!

Boxing Day is the 26th of December and was traditionally  when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts, known as a “Christmas box”, from their bosses or employers.

Granted, my in-laws Boxing Day Dinners tend to be on the healthier side of what a traditional menu might consist of, but I find it to be yet one more example of how easy it is to choose wisely and keep Paleo without missing a beat during the festivities.

As a typical menu might consist of pork pies, leftover Christmas bird with a little added warm gravy, a dollop of cranberry sauce and bread sauce or perhaps smoked salmon, it’s easy to see how almost Paleo it already is.

Simply skip the pie part of the pork and the bread sauce, swap the store bought, high-sugar cranberry sauce for homemade and unsweetened add loads of fresh veg and you’re set!    Locally, here in the North of England, I’ve found Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Carrots and Kale to accompany every meal.   

A holiday appropriate toast with a glass of Cab is most fitting on this day, too.

Surrounded by family round a warm fire while it’s cold and crisp outdoors, this was the perfect way to wrap up our Christmas holiday.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays from My Home to Yours!

May your day be merry and bright!  Here’s to a lovely time spent with family or friends or any combination thereof, celebrating health, happiness and togetherness.

Merry Christmas!

Paleoista Holiday Tip of the Day: Carrots for Santa, Too!

It resonated with me quite strongly the other day when I heard an advertisement for a fast food pizza company suggesting children leave out some pizza for Father Christmas, as he’s called here in the UK.

When I was growing up, I’d bake cookies and leave one out for Santa along with a cup of warm milk and a carrot for the reindeer.  

In the morning, I’d see he’d have taken one bite, left some crumbs and the carrot would be gone completely.

Being that Santa’s not all that svelte, (sorry, but just saying’…), why not leave veggies out for the whole lot?

He’ll get enough cookies, and pizza, apparently, so why not start a new tradition in your house with your kids to leave out something healthy for old Saint Nick to balance out all the sugar he’s getting from everywhere else?

Make a lovely arrangement out of crisp red peppers, crunchy white cauliflower and some bright green arugula, topped off with some shredded carrot for accent and create a way for your kids to leave something out for Santa that really will keep him alert for his long night’s work!

Paleoista Holiday Tip of the Day: Paleo Wherever You Are

I thought it would be quite fitting to write about how easy it is to keep Paleo during holiday travel, even in places where one might mistakenly think it’s tricky.

For the past five days, I’ve been traveling throughout England with my husband and from a quick lunch at a pub to a gorgeous meal at a fine dining restaurant, eating local, fresh proteins along with organic seasonal produce as been remarkably easy.

Grilled dover sole with steamed broccoli and cabbage was ordered nearly straight off the menu from a pub in West Wittering, along the shore in the South of England, a tandoori chicken, lamb along with aubergine and charred broccoli was a delectable offering at an Indian place (The Red Fort)  in London and local chicken served with kale, broccoli and Brussels Sprouts for dinner and poached eggs on spinach and tomato with avocado were both ordered straight off the menu at an estate in the English Countryside (Babington House)  in Somerset.

Do your own research, ask the right questions and be a little adventurous and you’ll likely find it’s far easier than you thought to keep your body (and your stomach!) happy and Paleo even while traveling.

Paleoista Holiday Tip of the Day: Keeping Paleo While Staying with Not So Paleo Friends and Family

Staying with friend or family during the holidays who are slightly less than understanding about your ‘crazy’ Paleo diet?

It can be tricky, to say the least, to stand your Paleo ground when you’re in someone else’s house, especially if that house tends to be stocked with chips, cakes, cookies and candy and completely void of anything green or fresh.

Don’t worry, you’re not destined to doom!   Following are a few ideas to help you stick to your True Paleo lifestyle without stepping on toes or risking offending anyone.

Offer well in advance to help shop and cook Paleo friendly side dishes so as not to appear as though you’re trying to ‘take over’ the whole meal or be a burden at all in terms of changing what the host is planning on serving for a family dinner.
You may find it better to not even mention the word “Paleo”; half the time people don’t even know what it really is and as such, it may be best to skip classifying the way you eat as anything in particular
Spin any conversation about food positively.  Sure, if someone asks why you’re not eating gluten, you can tell them, but it may not be a great idea to tell everyone who’s eating bread that they’re causing inflammation and leaky gut in their bodies as a dinner conversation topic.  Rather, when offered a slice of pie, simply decline politely and finish with a comment about how lovely the dessert smells or something along that vein.

Ultimately, do your own thing, welcome others to join you and don’t feel the need to give unsolicited advice about what everyone else is eating.  Don’t be surprised if one or two unexpected people ask about what you’re doing to have lost that weight or have increased your energy level; and then, feel free to tell them all your Paleo ‘secrets’!

 

 

Paleoista Holiday Tip of the Day: Over the River and Through the Woods…Snacks to Eat on the Way to Grandma’s!

If a long car journey to see the family is part of your holiday plans this year, planning ahead to be sure to include some snacks for the little ones as well as the adults is a great way to keep everyone’s mood festive and upbeat instead getting too hungry and turning into a grumpy grinch.

Pack a cooler with some ice and fill it with:

Sliced carrots, cucumbers, red bell peppers in zippy bags
Raw walnuts, macadamias and Brazilnuts
Leftover sliced turkey
Fresh fruit, whatever happens to be local and seasonal in your area

Save the rest stops for  break for everyone to get out and stretch their legs, keep the coffee shops along the way for a cuppa hot tea or a black espresso for the driver and the gas station marts for bottled water.

When you get to grandma’s, though a little fidgety from sitting still, the kids and the spouse will be in far better spirits than if you’d made pit stops at McDonalds or Dairy Queen along the way!

Paleoista Holiday Tip of the Day: Less Fruit, More Veg!

If you find yourself working out a bit less than normal during the holiday hustle, you don’t need as much fruit as when you’re in your regular, more active mode.

We can use natural sugars found in fruit when we’re doing long bouts of exercise, but if that’s a bit compromised at the moment, we can focus solely on fast training and lower the overall glycemic load of our meals by upping the veg and eating a little less of the sweet stuff.

Not to be confused with the idea that we should never eat fruit, of course, just to balance out our Paleo plates with our Paleo activity…even more so when it’s limited!

Paleoista Holiday Tip of the Day: Hustle Your Bustle

Dreading that last minute shopping?   Make it into an activity!

Park farther away from the shopping center, or better yet, walk there all the way!  Climb the escalator, take the stairs and get there early to avoid the masses.

It may sound cliche and like something you’ve heard a million times, but if you take on anything with a clear(er) head which you may be able to render via physical activity, not only will you be more productive, you’ll have a better overall, and more calm shopping experience.

Ah… deep breathe!

Holiday Tip of the Day: Get Busy Baking…Fruit!

Who said baking had to be all about cookies, cakes & pies?

Baking or poaching fruit is a lovely, and Paleo friendly manner to prepare a warm, naturally sweet dessert suitable for a holiday meal or a cozy evening on a cold winter’s night.

You can make an easy, Paleo dessert by baking or poaching many different types of fruits. Granted, apples and pears do come to mind first, as they tend to be locally available and quite seasonal, but if you’re in an area where you have access to other fruits- try them, too; poached peaches or baked plums can be fabulous additions to the holiday table!

TO BAKE:

-Peel, then core your fruit. Place upright in a baking dish with water, and (optional) some white wine, or real vanilla extract, and perhaps a cinnamon stick or two. Bake at 400 til soft, then choose whether you’d like to serve warm,  garnished with a sprinkling of toasted walnuts is you like, or chilled.

 TO POACH:

-Similar prep, but this time you’ll be doing the task on the stove top. Place upright in a heavy bottomed pot and simmer til soft. I like to poach pears, then serve along side some fresh coconut cream A dash of nutmeg on top is a nice addition!

Far healthier than a Psuedo-Paleo baked item!

Holiday Tip of the Day: Keep Your Snacks Handy!

Keep in the holiday spirit by including holiday tastes and flavors in your snacks without resorting to the cookie tray that someone brought into the office!

Make your own spiced nuts by toasting walnuts and pecans and tossing them with cinnamon and nutmeg.  Enjoy a a handful as a snack along with a crisp, red apple.
Dice some leftover roast turkey and combine with olive oil, sage and rosemary , a few naturally dried cranberries, shredded kale (of course) and wrap in a romaine lettuce leaf.
Make ‘holiday’ jerky at home by using some meats you may not consider during other times of the year… like turkey!   A great source of portable, Paleo protein!

In addition, brew a cup of your choice of one of the many holiday teas which are a natural way to enjoy the flavor with zero sugar, gluten or dairy. One of my faves is apple cinnamon; naturally sweet without adding a thing.  By keeping ahead of the hunger curve, you’ll find it far easier to turn down those treats that may still be tempting you.  ”Hunger is the best sauce”…. so if you’re too hungry, it’s going to make things that would otherwise not be worth considering all the more interesting.