Recipe: Taco Meat

Hello again, my clean-eating, crunchy lifestyle lovin' food peeps!

In my last post, I talked about prepping to make clean eating easier during your work week. Did you try it? How did it go? I'm betting that it was a relief not having to scramble or even think when you are running around getting everyone ready for the day.

Anyway.

I promised this recipe, didn't I?  It's because I love you...no really.

Way back in the day, when I was a baby cook, coming off the Lawry's packaged taco meat seasonings mix
 (remember that stuff???  Have you looked at the SODIUM content in those things?!?!?!), I learned from my mom that she used Pace Picante Sauce as the main flavoring in her taco meat, and IT. WAS. GENIUS. I did it that way for years.  Just brown up some ground beef, throw a jar of Medium Chunky Picante sauce, cook it down a little and call it done.

And one could still do that, if one was pressed for time, couldn't one? I should really stop talking in the "one" person, shouldn't I?

When I started my clean food journey, I was a little leery of this product. How many chemicals did it have? Surprisingly, the ingredient list was pretty clean. Now, I don't have a jar in my pantry, so I can't say for sure, but honestly, you could do worse.  If you are just starting out, have minimal time, or are just not into prepping EVERYTHING when you are cooking, I say try it. The Pace website doesn't have the ingredients fully listed, but this is what it does say:

Amount Per Serving (serving size) = 2 tbsp (30 mL)
Calories:10
Fat Calories:0
Total Fat:0g
Cholesterol:0mg
Sodium:230mg
Total Carb:3g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 2g
Protein: 0g

% Daily Values**
Vitamin A 2%
* The nutrition information contained in this list of Nutrition Facts is based on our current data. However, because the data may change from time to time, this information may not always be identical to the nutritional label information of products on shelf.
** % Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

So, adjust for the jar, add a pound of ground meat, be it beef, chicken, or turkey, and call it moderately clean eating.

However, I also have a full on recipe for those of you who like to know exactly what you are putting into your bodies, and it's pretty yummy.

Taco Meat

• 1 lb ground beef, chicken, or turkey
• 1 quart canned tomatoes (I use my own home-canned, but store bought will do fine)
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1-3 bell peppers, all colors of the rainbow!
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• Chili powder
• Cumin 
• salt and pepper to taste

 Directions

1. In a large skillet cook the onion and bell peppers in a little drizzle of olive oil until mostly softened.
2. Add the ground meat and your spices
3. Cook the meat until brown, breaking up the larger chunks to get the flavor of the spices all over
4. Add the tomatoes and cook down to desired consistency. 

Serve with with lettuce as wraps or over shredded lettuce or cabbage as a taco salad.

Holds for a week in the fridge.

Note: for those of you on the Auto-immune protocol, omitting the tomatoes and peppers will not adversely effect the taste of the taco meat. I'd also omit the chili powder, but the cumin? it would break my heart to leave that out.  Cumin powder is ground up seed from a plant in the parsley family, so I don't know if that will effect your protocol.  I'm thinking not, but I'm not an expert.

Go forth! Eat your Tacos! And then come back here and tell me about it!

It's been a while, huh?

I'm a huge fan of Dr. Davis AKA Wheat Belly and his teachings at http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/ 

Or you can find an Amazon link to his book in our bookstore here.

I am finally getting it threw my thick skull the evilness that is flour and grains. I don't swell or bloat like some people I know do. I can eat a moderate amount and not experience much weight gain.  But the long-term effects on my joints has become very apparent to me recently.

I was virtually pain-free in my joints for a good portion of last year.  Then I started incorporating a wee bit of flour products back into my diet, which unconsciously grew more and more. I didn't realize until very recently how much I'd started hurting again.  My main culprit is my "good" thumb.

You see, I had a thumb joint replacement on my right hand 2 years ago, due to total degradation of the base joint (the joint that connects your thumb to your hand).

Recently, the thumb joint on my left hand has degraded to the point that I was seriously considering starting the process of getting that joint replaced too. I have been wearing a brace almost constantly, and popping Advil or Tylenol (or both) at the end of the work day just to maintain function.

I made the decision to cut out the flour again last week.  I've been working hard to cut it down to virtually nil (think I had and english muffin and cookies over the weekend). 

Today is the first day in months that I've been pain free at the end of the work day. In my hand,  at least..let's not get crazy.


So no more denial. Wheat products contribute to my arthritis and eventual joint degradation.  I know this.  I must repeat it every day when tempted by something that I know will just lead me down the path of pain.

And that's why I made cookies tonight with almond flour and honey.  Recipe coming soon!  :)

Sara - Recipe: Primal Pumpkin Cheesecake

When preparing for Thanksgiving dinner, I knew I wanted to make a paleo/primal dessert or two.  My mom volunteered to bring over a cake, so I decided to just make pumpkin pie.  I had fresh pumpkins from Bountiful Baskets and wanted to try my hand at creating my own fresher, healthier version of this holiday classic.  At some point, I read a recipe that called for both pumpkin and cream cheese. That inspired me to make this dessert.

Christmas is just around the corner – I might just have to make this again!  It was a hit with kids and adults alike. 

Primal Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup raw walnuts
• 1 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tbsp honey (optional)
• 1 ½ c fresh pumpkin puree (or 1 can of pumpkin)
• 8oz cream cheese (can substitute ricotta, if you prefer)
• ½ c maple syrup (more or less, depending on how sweet you want the pie)
• 3 eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1tsp ground allspice
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine walnuts, butter and honey in a food processor and blend until there are no large nut pieces remaining. Press this mixture into the bottom and sides of a pie pan to form a crust.  Place crust in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the nuts begin to brown.  Remove crust and set aside.

For filling, mix remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Pour filling into the pre-baked crust and return to the oven.  Cook at 350 for 30-45 minutes, until a knife or toothpick can be inserted in the center and comes out clean.

Let pie cool before serving.

Whip this easy pie up and take it with you to a family gathering.  Having a delicious, healthier alternative to the sugar- and grain-filled pies normally found at holiday parties will help you stay on track.  When everyone else is moaning about how sick they feel from all the sugar and flour, you can sip on your cup of coffee (or water/tea/what-have-you) and smile to yourself. Making better choices around the holidays is much easier when you come prepared!

Rachael: Review of The Best Paleo Bread Recipe We've found to date

I think the one thing that most people miss when they go Paleo/Primal is bread. 

You just don't realize how much of a staple it is in your life, do you? Because what's easier than slapping a sandwich together for lunch, or popping a couple of slices in the toaster for breakfast??

AMIRIGHT?

On our Companion FaceBook page, we've been cheering over the "Best" and "Easiest" Almond Bread Recipe.

It started with Sara's blog post: Battle of the Breads! And has gone on from there.

We agree that the recipe for the best for bread-like consistency is this one from Cooking Caveman. 

(which I confuse all the time with The Civilized Caveman. I don't know why, but I need to stop it.)
 
Sara and I have both doubled our recipes for a more full-looking bread slice (there is baking soda in there, but no yeast, so there is very little rise.) A single recipe looks will look like a quick bread, such as banana bread or zuchinni bread. but it's yummier.

Trust me.

Or don't trust me....try it your dang self.  And then come back here and thank me.  Or thank Sara. Or thank Cooking Caveman, since he made the recipe what it is. I'm just crowing about that dude's success....

Being that it uses almond butter as it's main ingredient, it's a very dense bread. It's also pretty darn moist, and that works in our favor, because it means you can slice it vereeeee thin for toasts and sandwiches.

Mmmm....toast.  How I've missed you...

Sorry. Where was I?

Oh yes.

Bread.

Make it....and you'll never have to pine for toast again...