Creamy Curry Spaghetti Squash - Paleo

One of the most difficult things for me to stop eating on the Paleo Diet was pasta! It's such a quick and easy food item to prepare, especially being a busy wife, mom, nursing student.... Thus, in addition to how good pasta tastes, it's easy to make when time is not on your side. This is a challenge that dieters often face is knowing what to cook in a short period of time, while still being healthy.

I have heard people rave about how good spaghetti squash is as an alternative to traditional spaghetti, and since it's Paleo-friendly, I decided to see for myself.  Now, although baking the squash takes more time than boiling traditional pasta, the health benefits, great taste and ease of popping the squash into the oven make this step worth the additional time.  Not to mention the fact that you can easily bake, separate and refrigerate/freeze this ahead.  Pasta does not do well as a left over... Bonus!!


Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 small yellow onion
• 1/4 red bell pepper
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 1-2 tsp Coconut oil
• 1/2 (16 oz) can coconut milk
• 6 white mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley (optional)
• Tony Chachere's seasoning (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

With a large knife and a steady cutting board, cut the spaghetti squash in half length wise. The exterior is extremely hard so be very careful.

Once you have cut the squash into two halves, remove the seeds and stringy interior.

Yo can reserve the seeds to toast in the oven and use them as a garnish or snack.

Drizzle each half with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.

Place both halves inside down onto a baking dish.

Place into the oven to bake for 35-45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool just enough to handle.

Using a fork, separate the squash from its shell in a raking motion. 

Empty into a large bowl and discard the shell.

For your sauce, dice up your veggies, and grate your garlic and ginger.

In a wide sauce pan, sauté the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Add tomato paste, followed by the coconut milk, and the ginger.

Add the spaghetti squash to the mixture. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.

I personally think that Tony  Chachere's adds the perfect balance of flavor to any dish, so you can add it to this dish to round out the favors, or you can omit it.  Remember to factor in the sea salt that you've already added so as not to over-salt.  Less of both is better.

You can also choose to finish this dish with a tablespoon of fresh flat leaf parsley.

I hope you enjoy this meal.  If this is your first time trying spaghetti squash, you may be thrown off by the consistency of it if you're expecting it to taste like traditional spaghetti. Once you overcome that, you will be hooked! Ask my husband!

How to start the Paleo Diet

The goal of this post is to try to simplify how to start the Paleo Diet.  The first day I set out to start the diet, I felt great about the endeavor and felt that I was very prepared.  I did my research, did some shopping and was on my way. I remember speaking to my brother on day 2 and telling him how I thought I would die!! Not literally, but I realized just how unprepared I really was.

Now that I am a couple of weeks in, and after being asked by a couple of people to give them some information on how to shop to get started, I compiled a list.

First, there are some things to keep in mind before starting this diet:

1. Don't expect to lose a ton of weight just because someone else did. I strongly believe that this diet does benefit most people, however, the results are going to vary from person to person.  Please, however, be patient because I am confident that you will see very positive results (weight loss, energy level, overall feelings of well being, etc.)!
2. Keep track of your eating patterns before starting the diet.  If you have trained your body to eat at certain times (for instance, if you are a big snacker), your body will expect those meals/snacks and almost goes into shock if you take that away.  Instead, be prepared to replace, or add (if you're not much of a snacker), bad snacks with healthy ones.
3. As we've been taught since grade school, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and part of a balanced diet.  If you don't normally have breakfast, or never have time, change that!  I'll give you quick and easy pointers and ideas on how to incorporate breakfast, even on the go.  Also, our culture has patterned itself to eat a small meal at the beginning of our day (though we have fasted all night and perhaps need the most amount of fuel to get through the day), and eat progressively larger meals throughout the day.  Work to change this habit by fueling your body with a larger breakfast, a medium lunch, and a lighter dinner portion.  This way you have the entire day to burn off your breakfast and you're not sleeping on a heavy dinner portion.

Here are some basic staples that will get you started:

• Coconut oil - Great for cooking and healthier than vegetable or peanut oil.  Combine this with ghee to add flavor and keep it from burning if you need to cook something at a higher temperature.  There are a variety of other good oils that can be purchased which are still Paleo (olive, almond, etc.)
• Ghee - This is a great alternative to traditional butter since it does not contain milk solids and it is very stable at high heat. Ghee is also Casein- and Lactose-Free (see more information here).  Now I know you may find the container small, and expensive at that, but you have to remember that you won't be using the same amount of butter as previously since you don't need to butter your bread (no bread), or waffles (none of that either).  Your diet will be changing and you won't even miss it much. And when you do, you have a better alternative!
• Protein - Chicken wings, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, chicken legs, steak, pork shoulder, bacon, turkey, turkey bacon, turkey sausage, salmon, tilapia, pork chops.... You get the idea here.
• Eggs - (Cage free, hormone free, antibiotic free) In addition to shell eggs which are great for boiling in large batches to eat on the go, grab some egg whites which are lower in calories and cholesterol and taste WONDERFUL with some fresh spinach, mushrooms, bell pepper, garlic and onion!  You'll learn to prepare these quickly and frequently so stock up.
• Fruits - Since watermelons are in abundance right now, my husband and I have be loading up on this sweet and juicy treat! Grapes, oranges, peaches, plums, pineapple, cantaloupe, strawberries, kiwi, mango, papaya... These are all wonderfully tasty to snack on during the day.  Also, bananas!! These are our go-to fruit for breakfast on the go.
• Vegetables - Broccoli, green beans (hericot verts are particularly mild and very flavorful), carrots, bell peppers, spinach, swiss and rainbow chard (I'm hooked and will add a simple recipe for you to try them if you never have), spaghetti squash, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant (try this easy and inexpensive Ratatouille recipe), brussel sprouts (which I just learned to prepare), asparagus, and of course SALAD!!
• Sweet Potatoes - These, my friends, will become some of your best friends!  I'll be honest, if you are anything like me, you will probably crave some type of starch with your meals (since the rice, white potatoes, pasta, and bread have been removed from your diet).  And while you can't make traditional sweet potato souffle, you can make things like baked sweet potato fries, sweet potato mash, and sweet potato chips.
• White Sweet Potatoes - I prefer the taste of white sweet potatoes (or yams), over orange yams since they're less harsh in flavor.  Disclaimer - Although better than white potatoes, eat these in moderation since they do still contain a high starch content.
• Almonds (or other nuts such as pecans, which are my favorite) - These are a great snack on the go. I enjoy eating pecans with organic raisins and it tastes just as good as a candy bar or trail mix without the calories or work to prepare.  Remember to avoid peanuts which are non-Paleo and high in fats.
• Coconut water (sugar free) - This has vitamins and electrolytes and few calories.
• Water - While coconut water is great, I'll be honest, it's taking a bit of getting used to so nothing beats good ole' water! Not only does it keep you hydrated, but it filters the body of unwanted toxins.
• Almond Mill/Flour - Although this may be expensive for a first trip item, almond mill or coconut flour are a must-have for those of you who like to bake. I sometimes crave something sweet that feels like its not a "diet" food. Almond flour is a awesome substitute to white flour since it allows you to bake desserts that fulfill your sweet tooth without all the sweet. With that thought in mind, agave nectar is also a must-have for baking and overall sweetening if needed (see my Paleo Banana Bread recipe).
• Sea Salt - Now although some will say that salt isn't Paleo, I say "SERIOUSLY!" I am not an extremest by any stretch of the imagination so I won't expect anyone to completely cut salt out of their diet.  But I will say that if and when you do use salt, use a good quality, and definitely reduce the amount of salt in your diet.  Remember that high sodium levels cause the body to retain unnecessary water.

All of these items can be found at your local Whole Foods Market but I will suggest visiting your local Farmer's Market for fresh, seasonal, and locally grown/raised/caught meats, fruits and veggies since they tend to be more reasonably priced.  Plus, you help support your local farmers and businesses.

I really hope this helps you to get started.  Remember to buy organic, grass-fed, hormone free, antibiotic free, pesticide free, no or few preservatives, etc. where ever possible.  Leave me your feedback and questions...

Paleo Ratatouille

So if anyone has children or is a child at heart (ME), you've seen the movie Ratatouille.  As cute as cartoon mice are, I know that no one in their right mind can stomach the thought of them being associated with anything on our plate!

Ratatouille is actually a French dish that many have heard of but most Americans have never tried.  In an attempt to expand my list of Paleo-friendly meals, I decided to do some research on this dish, and formulated a recipe of my own.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1 cup organic tomato puree
• ¼ tsp. oregano
• ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small eggplant*
• 1 zucchini*
• 1-2 yellow squash*
• 3-5 Roma tomatoes*
• 1 red bell pepper*
• Few sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

            * When shopping, make sure you purchase veggies that are about the same width for uniform cooking and layering

.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a small sauce pan,start by sautéing the onion and garlic in 1 tbsp. of olive oil until they are slightly softened, but not completely translucent.  Add the tomato puree, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour this mixture into bottom of round or oval baking dish.
4. To prep your veggies, start by trimming and discarding the ends of each.  Core and seed the red bell pepper.  Using a mandolin, or a sharp knife, slice the eggplant, zucchini, squash, red pepper and tomatoes evenly into 1/16 to 1/8 inch slices.
5. As you slice your veggies, place them into a large bowl to coat and toss generously with salt, pepper and the remaining olive oil.  Arrange the slices of prepared vegetables on the tomato sauce starting from the outer edge of the pan, working your way around to the center of the pan, alternating veggies (e.g. eggplant-> zucchini-> tomato-> yellow squash-> bell pepper).  Depending on the size of your veggies and the pan you use, you may have some veggies left over.
6. Sprinkle the leaves from the thyme sprigs, omitting the stems, atop the veggies.
7. Although it may look like you don’t have much sauce, it will bubble up while baking so cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit within the pan.
8. Place in the oven to bake for between 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables are cooked, but still have some bite (not mush).

This dish is great as a side dish with chicken, turkey, steak… I found that if you like avocado, this pairs perfectly with a few slices of avocado!! Yummmmm! Nom-nom-nom! I can eat an entire pan of this with avocado so I hope you enjoy it!

Paleo Banana Bread

One of the main reasons why diets fail is because people are hungry!  That hunger often drives them to eat whatever is in sight, which usually means processed foods that are high in calories.  So I've challenged myself to find a way to satisfy my sweet tooth, while still remaining healthy.

This banana bread recipe is so good for you and down right delicious that you HAVE to try it!! Not to mention how easy it is to make! I literally made this within enough time to satisfy my sweet tooth, without defaulting to something non-paleo.  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 4 ripe bananas
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 3-4 tbsp agave nectar (optional)
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
•  1 cup raisins (optional)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.
2. Mix all wet ingredients together in one bowl (almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and raisins). You may also choose to mix in your pecans here, but I prefer my bread topped with them instead.
3. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas. Then mix in the wet ingredients (vanilla, coconut oil, eggs, and agave nectar).  Make sure your eggs are at room temperature so that your bread bakes evenly and doesn't cause your coconut oil to solidify.
4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix well.
5. Pour the mixture into a well greased loaf pan. You can even line your pan with wax paper for easy removal.
6. Sprinkle the pecans evenly on the top of the mixture.
7. Place in the oven to bake for about 35-45 minutes. Check the bread by placing a tooth pick into the center to ensure it has baked completely. If it comes out dry, your bread is done and you may remove it from the oven.  Wait a few minutes until you can handle the bread before placing it on a cooling rack.
8. Enjoy!

Starting Paleo

Hi everyone! 

Thanks so much for taking the time to read and follow my blog. This blog will include details on how I am making my transition to cleaner living like Paleo-friendly and Gluetin free recipes, where to find high-quality foods on a budget, workout routines, and more!

To give you a little background on why I decided to start this blog, I was inspired to start my Paleo journey when I saw the transformation that my older brother Tony made after years of what he thought was a fit and healthy lifestyle. My Haitian-American family has always been into sports, outdoor activities, and well... if anyone knows anything about the Haitian diet, rice and beans are a staples, to say the least! Although citizens of Haiti are among the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, they do have the pleasure of eating the freshest seafood, unmodified plants and animals, and the lack of modern conveniences like cars (I don't mean all Haitians), limited electricity, and money to buy processed foods means that the population survives off the land and use manual labor to go about their daily lives. So while we in the US drive our cars to work, or occasionally to a gym to walk on a treadmill for 15 minutes, Haitians walk to the fields to work for what they eat, then walk home to cook their food, hand wash and dry their clothes, walk to the local market, etc. I can go on quite a bit comparing and contrasting the differences between Haiti and the U.S. But I'll get off of that soapbox for now.

After having my daughter Sanaa 14 months ago, and having trouble losing those last few pounds (while balancing nursing school, being a mom, a wife and devoting time to the ministry as one of Jehovah's Witnesses), my brother told me about the Paleo diet.  Truthfully, he described it as more of a lifestyle than a diet. And so began my Paleo quest.

For me, Paleo is a way to reach back to a way of living and eating that our creator originally designed for us. Paleo is centered around eating a diet similar to that of the "caveman." Now I won't get into my thoughts about evolution vs. creation, but I will say that I believe in the bible and that this diet lends to the fact that there was an era when humans didn't eat processed foods. Instead, people had to work the land to grow and raise the foods they ate with little or no preservatives.  With that said, I am going to keep it simple and let you all know up front that I take from my research what makes the most sense to me, what is appropriate for my life, my budget, my medical condition (please consult your doctor before starting this diet since some medical conditions may require additional modifications to fit your nutritional demands), and personal opinions about certain things.

In short, the goal of Paleo is to avoid grains, pastas, processed foods, refined sugars, dairy, legumes (beans), candy, juice, coffee (sorry StarBuckers), white potatoes, granola bars, bread, dried fruits, etc. What the diet does encourage is the consumption of fresh (preferably organic) fruits, veggies, nuts (not peanuts), grass fed (hormone & antibiotic free) beef, pork, fish, shrimp, chicken, turkey, lamb, and other meat and seafood products.  One of the big changes for me was the oils I used to cook with.  Paleo-friendly oils include coconut oil, Ghee, almond oil, bacon fat, and more.  Below you'll see a basic guide to many Paleo foods:

As mentioned earlier, I would like to lose a few stubborn pounds, but beyond that, I am looking to live a healthier life, promote organic and humanely raise livestock, and hopefully inspire others to take care of their bodies by improving the fuel that they put into it. I know that in addition to improving my eating habits, I also need to exercise regularly.  One is only as effective as the other, so in addition to my Paleo journey, I will also highlight my workouts.

So with all of this said, I'm dedicating my blog to my brother Tony, who is such an inspiration to me on how to stay true to who I am and live life out loud!  Please check out his motivational videos Tony Delerme Speaks.  I also dedicate this blog to my husband and daughter, Stephan and Sanaa, and my father Raynald.  I hope it inspires at least one person to take charge of their life, and their body (temple) by keeping it clean and in optimal condition.

Please leave me your feedback and any success stories as you go! Blessings!