Slowly Getting in a Rut

[kate_ce1995]

Well, I'm no where near even the first level of a paleo diet, but I am trying to modify my eating habits in that direction. Last week I ate salads with grilled chicken for the 3 days of work from the local pizza joint (I've wondered on occasion about these, but most of the time I don't feel I react to them).

But this week, I bought chicken tenders to cook up for lunch, and summer squash and zucchini. Same as I did a couple weeks ago. I mixed it up a bit this time in that I cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and sauted it with the veggies, then I added spaghetti sauce to jazz it up a bit and a smidge of fresh grated parmesan cheese for flavor.

What other quick, easy, dishes with veggies do you all eat. I am not very creative when it comes to veggy cooking.

Also, hints for a good paleo breakfast? I'm still going with my long drawn out juice, coffee and yogurt.

Katy

[Polly]

Allll riiiiight, Katy!

You are definitely on the right track. Now if we could only get you to think about this as an "exciting opportunity" and not a rut! LOL!

I find the best breakfast is leftovers from the night before. Either separately or stir-fried together with a little olive oil. Eggs are easy - you can hard-boil a bunch at night and eat them for breakfast/lunch over several days. Do you tolerate V-8? It's an easy and filling way to get more veggies during the day.

I found some new frozen veggies (brocolli and a mix of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots) where you just put the whole package in the microwave for several minutes. They are really good - and do NOT have that frozen taste.

Keep up the good work. I am proud of you for perservering. The biggest obstacle to the paleo diet is finding time to plan and cook ahead, but you seem to be doing it.

Love,

Polly

[kate_ce1995]

It's only a rut in that I've done chicken and summer squash/zucchini both weeks I've tried to make lunch ahead. Last time I pan fried the chicken with gf bread crumbs, which were quite good. This time I mixed it all together.

I've thought about hard boiling eggs. Maybe I'll do that tonight to try for a couple breakfasts this week. We are definately headed for fresh veggie hell now...very little that looked appealing in the grocery store this week.

Katy

[tex]

Katy,

When I was in the process of healing, virtually every morning, my breakfast was a couple of hardboiled eggs. Now, I eat 'em poached, usually with a patty of pork pan sausage, or occasionally, bacon. Sliced hardboiled eggs are a good way to add protein to a salad, also.

If you like sandwiches, and can find some "decent" GF sandwich bread, fried or poached egg sandwiches aren't half bad. I've never tried it, but they would presumably make a good substitute for a breakfast burrito, by making a "wrap-around" of an egg and a corn tortilla. Or, you could slice hardboiled eggs and wrap them in a corn tortilla, instead. (I'm assuming that corn doesn't cause any problems for you).

Tex

[kate_ce1995]

Thanks for the reminder about egg sandwiches Tex. I do like a poached egg and grilled cheese sandwich and its been a while. I don't usually do that during the week, but its a good weekend meal. During the week, I like quick and on the road. Its hard enough getting me out of the house in the morning, and now I have the kids to get on the bus every day (until 2 weeks ago, their stepdad did tues-wed, but now he works mon-fri like the rest of us). Okay I take that back...Geoff does Friday morning bus duty since he works mon-thurs. Anywho. I'm lucky if I remind them to eat! One morning Erin sat there with a yogurt next to her and realized at the bus that she hadn't eated it (she got watching tv...we don't allow that anymore until breakfast is eaten and shoes are on). Oh well, they get snack and she is the early lunch...around 11 I think.

Katy

[Matthew]

Katy

Polly and Tex have given you some excellent ideas. Although I don't eat a lot of eggs they are quick, easy, and can be cooked in a myriad of ways. They are always my back up for an emrgency meal.

I buy breakfast sausage from The Boulder Sausage Company. It says in bold letters Gluten Free. Soy Free. Natural Meat. No Additives. Maybe you could find something similar in you area or make you own. It comes in one pound packages that I divide into eight patties and cook all at once on the barbecue or, now that it is getting cold again, on the stove top. I wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze them. If you take one out the night before and put it in the fridge it is thawed by morning. It is an easy breakfast to heat the patty on the stove top or microwave and eat with some fresh fruit , egg or vegetables.

Soup is an easily portable lunch and you don’t have to start from scratch. The boxed soups and stocks that others have found acceptable can be just a start. Add some fresh vegetables or left over pork, beef, or chicken. Anything that sounds good and simmer for fifteen minutes. A few shrimp and a piece of white fish can make a very reasonable chowder. Bring the soup to a simmer and drop in the pieces of fish . They will cook in a matter of fifteen or twenty minutes if not sooner. Along with some fresh fruit, a vegetable or salad it is about as easy as it gets since the soup can be done ahead of time and even be varied on a day to day basis with the same base.

Keep up the good work.

Love

Matthew

[harvest_table]

Katy,

Here are a few Paleo recipes that might inspire you. I'm also one that usually eats leftovers from dinner the previous night for my breakfast but often have eggs in the mornings with steamed veggies.

You might want to try Matthews pancakes.

http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/paleo/index.html

Love,
Joanna