Cavegirl Cooks

This headline of this article,  What Happens In Your Body When You Eat Ramen And Gatorade, definitely caught my eye today.  Growing up, chicken flavored Ramen and gatorade were my go-to foods when I was sick.  And like most poor college students, I survived on Ramen for 4 years.

Stefanie Bardin, a TEDxManhattan 2011 Fellow, has been working with gastroeneterologist Dr. Kuo from Harvard University to investigate the human body’s response to processed foods versus whole foods.   The study involved swallowing a camera the size of a pill and observing the foods throughout the digestive tract.

Just a warning that you will not want to watch this video if you have a weak stomach.

This is one of those recipes that I like to make at the beginning of a week and re-heat throughout the week.  It can easily be modified to use different vegetables, or to exclude the Ricotta and Mozzarella if you are dairy-free (you could substitute cauliflower puree for the ricotta).  One thing to note, since this recipe is mostly fresh vegetables there will be a lot of liquid around the edges of the finished lasagna.  It’s best to make it a day ahead so all of the liquid can re-incoporate into the dish.  If you do choose to cut into it straight out of the oven, it will not look pretty but it will taste amazing!

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

1 Onion, diced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

2 lbs Lean Ground Beef

1 28 oz. can Crushed Tomatoes

Salt, Pepper, Dried Basil, Dried Oregano and Crushed Red Pepper to taste

2 large Eggplants

2 eggs, beaten.

1 15oz. tub Whole Milk Ricotta

2 cups Shredded Whole Milk Mozzarella

1 cup Fresh Spinach

1 cup Fresh Mushrooms, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1.  In a large pan, sauté Onion and Garlic in Olive Oil until onions turn clear.  Add Ground Beef and continue to sauté until browned.

2.  Reduce heat.  Add Crushed Tomatoes to the pan. Add spices.  Stir and cover, allowing the sauce to come to a boil.  Remove the pan from heat and set aside.

3.  Cut the stem off the Eggplant.  Cut into thin slices, lengthwise.

4.  Drizzle the bottom of a baking dish with Olive Oil.  Layer the Eggplant slices across the bottom, slightly overlapping.

5.  Beat the Eggs in a small bowl.  Mix in the Ricotta and stir until evenly mixed.

6.  Spread Ricotta mixture over the Eggplant and sprinkle 1/3 of the Mozzarella.

7.  Spoon the meat sauce over the Eggplant, then layer with spinach and mushrooms.

8.  Add another layer of Eggplant.  Repeat layering the other ingredients.  Sprinkle the last of the Mozzarella over the top.

9.  Place un-covered into the oven.  (I put a cookie sheet on the lower oven rack to catch any drips)

10.  Bake for 1 hour.

A 16 inch Snow Day in Colorado closed my office on Friday.  I was also still sick and wanted something spicy and comforting without putting a ton of effort into it.  So, I made this quick and easy Paleo Gumbo while working from home.

If you’re a culinary purist, you’re probably wondering how I make a gumbo “Paleo” when gumbo by definition starts with a dark roux (a deep brown mixture of melted butter and flour, used to thicken).  Well, purists, you may want to look away, because I simply didn’t use a roux.  *GASP*  Instead, I used canned crushed tomatoes to make this soup nice and thick. In comparison the the Bone Broth, this soup only takes about an hour to cook.  I tend to make this soup in a large batch and eat it throughout the week (or throughout a snow day when you can’t go anywhere else).  The photo below is from bringing a bowl to work for today’s lunch.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Pork Andouille Sausage , cooked and sliced

Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced

1 large Yellow Onion, peeled and diced

2 Green Bell Peppers, diced

2 15 oz. cans Crushed Tomatoes (make sure there is no sugar on the label)

2 cups Water

1 can Boiled Clams, undrained

Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, to taste

Dash each of dried Basil, dried Oregano and dried Parsley

Black Pepper and Crushed Red Pepper, to taste

1 lb. Shrimp, raw, peeled and de-veined

1 package Frozen Cut Okra

1.  In a large soup pot, heat Olive Oil on medium.  Add Garlic, Onion and Bell Pepper.  Sauté until Onions turn clear.  Add sliced Sausage and continue to sauté.

2.  Add canned Tomatoes, Water, Canned Clams (with Can liquid) and Seasonings.  Stir and cover, allow to come to a boil.

3.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Add Shrimp and Okra.  Continue to simmer until shrimp is cooked through and Okra is fully thawed.

4.  Serve over white rice if desired.

As Whole30 draws to a close, one of the major fears is that on Day 31 you will go off the deep end and binge on the worst foods ever.  Donuts, nachos, pizza, candy, everyone has their poison  (see what I did there?).  I was lucky enough that my main craving was for sushi, which is not Whole30 but relatively benign.  One thing Whole30 did for me was change my Sweet Tooth to crave fruit rather than chocolate or candy.  But there is one really, really bad food that has been in the back of my mind since Whole30 ended nearly 10 days ago.  Observe:

Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting.  This is a weird one for me.  Why?  Because I have never been a chocolate cake fan.  Growing up, my birthday cakes were always white or yellow cake with white or buttercream frosting.  In fact, I would even choose homemade flan rather than cake.  As for chocolate, I have always liked it in the form of candy bars or ice cream, but chocolate on chocolate has always been overkill for me.  I would typically look at this photo and want nothing more than a big glass of milk.

Why do I want it so bad?  Maybe because it defines the anti-strict Paleo mindset.  Sugar, dairy, AND gluten all topped with a layer of more sugar and dairy.  This cake is clearly an act of rebellion.  Of course, I have not had a piece of chocolate cake since Whole30 ended and I don’t think I’ll have an opportunity to have it anytime soon.  Unless I make it myself for only 1 piece, after which I would probably end up like Miranda in this classic Sex & the City clip:

So maybe I should order a piece at a restaurant, get super sick, and swear off it for good.  Or maybe I should just keep holding strong and avoid it until the next obligatory birthday cake rolls around.  Until then, I’m happy with this bowl of grapes.

Today was my first day moving into a new group at work.  Physically, not much has changed.  I am in the same office, same desk, same people around me, and the work is almost the same.  But I have a new supervisor, new team, and a whole new set of rules.  Unlike most people, I am actually pretty good with change.  I embrace it and try to see as much good as possible.  Unfortunately this change coincided with a couple of other changes- being sick and ending Whole 30.  Too many changes at one time turn me into a big ball of stress.

Let me start with being sick.  Yes, it’s the same sickness that I wrote about last week.  I went to the doctor today and was told that this year’s cold bug lasts about 9 days on average, with coughing continuing about another month or so (yay.).  To combat it, I’m dirnking a ton of water and taking over-the-counter medicine.  Unfortunately, the medicines are the problem, since I’m losing that wonderful clear-headed feeling I gained during that Whole30.  But it’d the only way I can still function without being a disgusting, snotty, mouth-breathing mess.

As for the end of Whole30, I am lucky enough that I have stuck with Paleo for the most part (with the exception of a Shamrock Shake- Yes, I enjoyed it immensely.  No, I surprisingly did not have any ill after-effects.  And no, I don’t plan on having another one this year).  I’m finding my relationship with rice has changed somewhat.  Previously I would have started eating and felt like something was missing.  Now it has become a “nice to have” rather than a “need to have.”  Without even thinking about it I have been ordering my sandwiches and burgers letruce-wrapped, substituting vegetables for white potatoes, and simply skipping dessert.

So, how am I dealing with all of the stress?  It’s not with sleep unfortunately- not by choice, my stuffy nose does not allow me to sleep.  And I can’t go to Zumba either right now.  I’m finding other creative outlets like crocheting, catching up on movies and new TV shows, and, well, keeping up with this blog.  I have started reading for fun again and making it a point to unwind by reading a bit before going to bed.  Pinterest has also been a major distraction and it’s givng me a ton of ideas.  Hopefully new recipes will be underway soon, once I can taste again!

Moving along on the post Whole-30 reintroduction, I really have not had that many “bad” reactions.  White rice is still fine, though I restrain myself to eating it in small quantities (1/2 cup once a day at most).  Dairy has also not been problematic.  I have not had alcohol or processed foods as of yet.  But yesterday while eating at an Indian restaurant for lunch I was feeling brave and decided to try a piece of naan.  When I say a piece, it was probably about the size of my palm.  Within the hour, I was absolutely miserable.  I know it was not any of the other foods, since they were all Whole30-friendly.  I had mild issues previously with gluten, so now I guess I can isolate as an absolute trigger.  Oh well, I prefer rice anyway!

It has been 2 days since I have completed Whole30, and I would say that I’m still feeling fantastic…however, I have a cold.  Luckily, I still have some bone broth left and it has helped me feel better, but I’m still congested and my head is stuffy.

I have only had 2 meals that were not Whole30-friendly.  Yesterday I had sushi for lunch and today I had Pho (Vietnamese Beef and Rice Noodle Soup).  I paid very close attention to how having rice made me feel after both meals, and I can honestly say I did not feel any different, but I also had much smaller amounts of rice than I would have had in the past.  Pho is a must-have when I’m sick, and I definitely felt much better after having it.  I also had a bite of milk chocolate yesterday (a fun size hershey bar) but I could not eat the whole thing, it was actually too sweet for me.  It was a weird feeling.  Other than that, the only sugar I have let back into my diet has been in the form of cough drops.

So other than those 2 meals, I have been eating leftover bone broth for dinner, and tonight I made roast beef with roasted root vegetables.  I’m still snacking on nuts and coconut flakes at work as needed, and breakfast has still been eggs and fruit.

Because of this and some work commitments I have not been to Zumba lately, hopefully I will be back next week when I am feeling better.

Overall, being sick sucks and I have definitely felt a lot less energetic because of it.  But I’m happy that I did not slip into old habits and eat a ton of fast food, with the excuse of “I’m too sick and tired to cook.”

I weighed and measured myself this morning (Day 31) and here are the results.  Gotta say I’m pretty pleased!!!

Qualitative Results:

• Increased sleep time average from 6 hours 43 minutes to 7 hours 37 minutes (I track using a FitBit)
• Fewer cravings
• More energy overall
• Increased stamina during workouts
• Calmer stomach

Quantitative Results:

• Weight:  -10.1 lbs
• Neck:   -1 inch
• Chest:   -0.75 inch
• Right Bicep:   -2 inches
• Waist:  - 2 inches
• Hips:  -1.5 inches
• Right Thigh: -2.5 inches
• Right Calf:  - 0 inches

When I started Whole30 and started telling people about it, I had some clear-cut supporters who have never let me down since.  I also had the doubters.  They would listen to what Whole30 was all about and I could tell they were thinking, “the big girl is doing another fad diet as a new years resolution.”

I have been overweight since around age 4, but I did not truly become “plus size” until my Senior year of high school.  I have topped out at a size 24/26, and gradually worked my way down to a size 18/20, where I still am today.  (Side note: I know that size is an arbitrary number and varies greatly depending on the clothing manufacturer, but I tend to wear an 18-20 in most stores).  That being said, I have been called fat by total strangers before, but I have never really been considered “Morbidly Obese”, despite what my BMI may say.  When one thinks Morbidly Obese, they picture the contestants on The Biggest Loser, or the ones on the TLC documentaries that cannot physically leave their homes.  I, on the other hand, lead a relatively normal, active life.  I don’t need a seatbelt extender on an airplane and can sit comfortably in an economy class seat with the armrest completely down.  However, on paper, I am considered obese.  A statistic.  Another consequence of the American way of life.

I find that even weight loss plans have their stereotypes.  If you picture a Weight Watchers meeting in your mind, even if you have never been to one, what do you see?  It’s probably a room mostly filled with women of all shapes and sizes, and maybe 2 or 3 men at most.  Paleo is the same way.  It is seen as a generally fit-person’s diet.  You mostly see men doing it, often times former weightlifters or marathon runners, and some women who are generally pretty thin in their before photos, but in their after photos they have chiseled arms and six packs.  To be honest, the before photos never matter, the after photos are always awe-inspiring to me, as are their stories.  If you dig a little deeper, you will find that the man who has run 20 marathons switched to Paleo because he had high blood pressure, subsisted on a diet of refined carbs and generally felt sick and tired all the time.  These people go on a Paleo lifestyle not to lose weight, but to improve their overall health.

I bring up these stereotypes for one reason: we are all so much more than meets the eye.   Whole30 has never been about weight loss, which is why the rules state that you may not get on a scale or measure yourself until Day30.  It has been about achieving optimum health.  It has been about research showing an upward trend between Obesity and High Carb/Low Fat diets.  It has been about figuring out which foods make you feel good, and which foods make you feel bad.  Heart disease and Diabetes both run my family, so if there is a way I can prevent that for myself, I will do my best.  But to be honest, I have already accomplished so much.  I can do an hour of Zumba without stopping and love every single minute.  I can walk up 3 flights of stairs without getting winded.  I can fall asleep and stay asleep longer.  And I have proven that I can go 30 days straight without my cravings getting the better of me.  So now that Whole30 is over, what comes next?  A lifetime of making sure I can achieve the best health possible, plus size or not. How’s that for a “fad diet”?

Sick boyfriend + Cold day= Bone Broth!

Bone broth is revered in the Paleo world as having almost medicinal properties.  The flavors and natural collagen from the bones melt together to create a rich, savory stock. The drawback is that it takes a long time to make it properly.  If you have a pressure cooker, you can cut the total simmer time in half.   The broth will not have a lot of flavor on its own, so be sure to add a blend of herbs and spices to build some flavor.

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Beef Short Ribs, Bone-in

2 lbs. Beef Soup Bones (The more cartilage and marrow the better!)

1/2 Large Yelllow Onion

1 piece of Fresh Ginger

1 Cinnamon Stick

1 tsp Black Peppercorns

1 tsp Whole Fennel Seed

1 tsp Whole Cloves

2 Bay Leaves

2 Leeks, White parts only, washed and finely sliced

2 bunches Swiss Chard, stems removed and cut into ribbons

3 cups Sliced Mushrooms

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place the Short Ribs and Soup Bones into a large baking dish.  Roast the short ribs and bones for 30 minutes.

2.  In a large Stock Pot, heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil on Medium heat.  Place the Ginger, Cinnamon Stick and Onion into the bottom, cut side-down.  Sear until the cut-side turns golden brown.

3.  Remove the Ginger, Onion and Cinnamon stick from the pot.  Cut the Ginger into 3 large pieces and dice the seared Onion.  Return them to the stock pot.  Add the sliced Leeks to the stock pot.  Saute until the onions turn clear.

4.  Add Roasted Short Ribs and Bones to the Stock Pot.  Fill the pot with cold water to cover.

5.  Create a Bouquet Garni.  In a small bundle of cheesecloth, combine the seared Cinnamon Stick, Peppercorns, Fennel Seeds, Cloves and Bay Leaves.  Tie the bundle at the top with butcher’s twine, leaving one end of the twine long enough to tie to the handle of the stock pot.  Drop the Bundle into the stock pot.

6.  Cover and allow the stock to come to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.  Continue to simmer the stock for 2.5 hours, occasionally skimming the foam off the top.

7.  After 2.5 hours, use tongs to remove the Bouquet Garni, Ginger, Soup Bones and Short Ribs.  Continue to simmer the stock on low.

8.  Using your hands, pick the meat off the Short ribs, it should fall off the bone easily.  Return the shredded meat to the stock pot.  Add Sliced Swiss Chard and Mushrooms to the soup.

9.  Continue to simmer the soup until the mushrooms are tender.  Adjust the flavor with salt and pepper as needed.

As with most soups, the flavors of Bone Broth taste better on the second day, after they have been able to meld together overnight.  You may want to consider making the soup a day ahead.  Enjoy!