Ready Set Paleo

Wednesday Night, 2 weeks down!

readysetpaleo — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:01:25 +0000

How is everyone doing with the challenge so far? We (at least I) don’t get many questions, so hopefully that means I did a great job explaining things during the first meeting

Tomorrow night will be important for a few reasons. First, it marks 2 weeks into the challenge. If you’ve been doing things fairly true to the prescription, you should be noticing a change in the way you feel and hopefully the way you look. The groggy, lack of energy, always hungry feeling should be subsiding. Hooray for you.

The other reason tomorrow night is important is the topic of discussion. Like last week, we’ll take issue with the typical American diet, show you the health problems that can occur because of them, and then discuss how a paleo-type diet can alleviate those problems.

Tomorrow we’ll discuss the effect of grains, legumes, and dairy on your digestive system, and how gut irritability and permeability ties into your health, performance, and the way you look.

Until then, check out the attached reading:

Those Damn Dirty Grains…

Perfect Pork Pot Roast

readysetpaleo — Thu, 19 May 2011 02:54:56 +0000

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Sea Salt and crushed black pepper to taste
4-5 lb pork loin roast
1/4 cup coconut flour
6 carrots
5 celery stalks
2 leeks
2 yellow onions
2 cups red wine
1 1/2 cups organic free-range chicken broth
2 (14-once) can of diced organic salt-free tomatoes
6 fresh thyme branches
6 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons organic butter

Directions:
1. In a large soup pan or dutch oven add coconut oil and heat over medium heat
2. Sprinkle a bit of the sea salt and the crushed black pepper all over the roast
3. Roll the seasoned roast in the coconut flour
4. Sear the roast in the large soup pan for 4 minutes on each side
5. Then begin cutting up veggies, after roast is done searing take out of pan and sear the veggies in the roast droppings.
6. Add the wine, chicken broth, canned tomatoes, thyme branches, and a bit more pepper
7. With a flat knife crush the garlic cloves and add them into the veggies
In the meantime place the roast into slow cooker. Pour the veggie mixture over the roast, cook on high for 4 hours, and then on low for 1.
When Veggies and roast are done remove the thyme branches if you can and place roast and veggies on serving plate and pour all sauce from slow cooker over the plate. Serve!

Warm Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad

readysetpaleo — Thu, 19 May 2011 02:54:35 +0000

3 cut peeled and diced sweet potatoes
1tsp coconut oil
1 apple diced
8 strips of bacon, diced
2 leeks, thinly sliced
6 oz of fresh baby spinach
Handful of shaved almonds

Dressing:
1/4 c Olive oil
1tsp apple cider vinegar
1tsp spicy brown mustard
Fresh ground black pepper
1tsp dried basil
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Preheat 400
1. Spread out diced sweet potatoes on baking sheet and coat with coconut oil bake for 20 min
2. Cook diced bacon in a pan add leeks in once bacon is slightly crispy saute 4-5 min
3. Put spinach in a salad bowl and add bacon and sweet potatoes, then mix additional ingredients and cover with dressing.

Perfect for summer!

Pumpkin Nut Muffins

readysetpaleo — Tue, 17 May 2011 02:17:37 +0000

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spices mixture instead of individual spices
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cooked pureed pumpkin
6 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons coconut oil (or unsalted butter), gently melted
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet dark chocolate chips

Preheat 400

Mix dry ingredients into a bowl and set aside. Then take pumpkin puree in a medium bowl, then crack eggs into a bowl and mix well. Add melted coconut oil or butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.

Add flour mixture to egg blend well with whisk until most of the floury lumps have disappeared, but don’t stir more than necessary to blend. Gently fold in nuts, if using. Spoon into lined or greased muffin pans and bake for 18-20 min until lightly brown on top or use toothpick to check middles.

Bean-Less Chili

readysetpaleo — Mon, 16 May 2011 19:27:16 +0000

Chili Anyone

7-10 celery stocks, diced
1 white onion
6 garlic cloves minced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs grass fed ground beef
1 lb spicy ground sausage
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon cumin
3-4 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can (16oz) of diced tomatoes with juice
16 oz chicken broth

In a large skillet saute veggies in olive oil, then add beef and sausage and brown.
Season meat mixture with spices
Taste and add more seasoning if desired
You can let simmer in slow cooker and serve all day!

This is a great recipe for parties or to make in the morning and let simmer all day then serve for dinner!

Egg Muffins

readysetpaleo — Mon, 16 May 2011 19:27:00 +0000

Yummy Yummy Eggs!!

Ingredients:
6 Eggs
1/4 lb sausage or any favorite breakfast meat
1 red pepper, finely chopped, 1/4 c grated cheese (optional), salt and pepper to the taste

Preheat 350

Generously grease 6 muffin tins with butter or coconut oil, or for easier removal line with paper baking cups. In a bowl, combined eggs and beat, add other ingredients and spoon into muffin pan. Bake for 18-20 min or until knife stuck into the muffin comes out clean. These are really easy and a great twist on breakfast!!

Friday Reading

readysetpaleo — Fri, 13 May 2011 21:00:09 +0000

We had a great turnout on Wednesday night, with a lot of great info given out and questions answered. We will get a transcript of notes (and hopefully the video of the discussion) posted this weekend.

A few links to tie into what we talked about and keep you thinking and learning.

A link to the video I talked about Wednesday night, very interesting if you have the time:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4362041487661765149#

A link to a video posted by CrossFit Omaha’s Ricky Frausto, discussing fructose metabolism and the best time to eat fruit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ8dqYPhilw&feature=youtube_gdata

A blog post by Omaha Ricky, the speaker in the fruit video. This is an outstanding piece and you could be quite successful by following the advice in it alone.

http://www.sicfit.com/blog/26158-Health-Happiness-and-Food-for-Thought

Read up, eat up, and keep the questions coming!

-Casey

Know Your List

readysetpaleo — Mon, 09 May 2011 20:38:00 +0000

Paleo "Food Pyramid"

Before beginning the 30-day challenge on Wednesday with our first meeting, it’s a good idea that we get a head start with learning a few basic concepts.

When using your shopping list , it’s good to understand how all of this will being going together and actually forming meals. Don’t think about your diet as a new list of things you can’t eat, but think about it as the endless list of combinations you can make. The food matrix is an easy, fun way to make up dishes if you lack creativity.

When talking about diet, the first basic thing I generally explain to people is that you need to stop thinking of food in the “Food Pyramid Groups” of grains, dairy, vegetables, fruits, meats, etc. When you eat something, no matter what “food group” it belongs to, it registers and digests in your body as either protein, carbohydrate, or fat. It would make sense, then, that you form your diet in this fashion. Robb Wolf’s “Food Matrix” organizes your meals into protein, vegetable, and fat (and herbs/spices for help). If you want to get the most out of Paleo eating, keep this in mind.

When you go to the grocery story, fill up on vegetables, fresh meat, and good fats from the shopping list provided. Many people make the comment that you can keep to the outside edges and away from the inside isles of the store (other than coconut oil, herbs and spices of course). You’ll also notice that fruit isn’t included. “But I thought fruit was paleo-friendly?” Yes, it is. If losing body fat is one of your goals, though, fruit is a pretty significant roadblock; we’ll talk about why on Wednesday.

Between now and then, load up with the good stuff on the list (gluten-free cookies not included!), and come Wednesday night ready to roll!

–Casey

Getting All Set-up. The “Set.”

readysetpaleo — Fri, 06 May 2011 15:50:47 +0000

Welcome again! You all have completed the “Ready” at this point. ”Ready” was your decision to participate, coming to the informational meeting, paying your $31.80 ($30+tax) and scheduling you Bod Pod appointment. You all are “Ready” to participate.
The “Set” is getting the final details in order before we “Paleo” this Wednesday. This email will detail the “Set”.

1. Go to your BodPod appointment. Get it done. (do not eat, drink or work out at least 2 hrs prior).
2. Get your pictures taken at the gym. 1 front shot, 1 back shot.
3. Decide whether you are going to Food Journal “digital” (Google Docs) or “analog” (print 15 pages of the PDF and Journal it).

For those of you into the “Digital” aspect…here are the details. You can “analog” journal by the way and still be live in the discussions online. We want everyone involved.

1. We have a website just for Ready. Set. Paleo! (www.readysetpaleo.com – hey, you are here right now) with Blog Posts and Pages of information that will continue to be built as we paleo together. You can get to the website direct via URL or off the top navigation at CrossFit Sioux Falls.

– send recipes, topics and anything you want made into a Blog Post (vs forum) to Liza at liza@crossfitsiouxfalls.com and she will get it taken care of and place it in the right Category.

2. We have a “forum” for open member communication via Google Groups Ready Set Paleo. View this as your open “Support Group” if you have a question, concern, chat. Strike up a post and see who replies. (http://groups.google.com/group/readysetpaleo).

You need to Join! All you have to do is click the link above and then click “Join this Group” in the right side navigation and compete the steps.

Then PARTICIPATE!

[Please note, past CFSF Paleo discussion was held at this Google Group - CFSF Paleoholics - I encourage you to check out that page, read some past discussions and recipes and learn from in there as well. It is our goal to take the best of here and get it on the Website and then keep all new forum threads in the Ready. Set. Paleo! forum Group going ahead.]

3. ”Digital” Food Log – AFTER you have joined the “RSP” Group at Google, you can access your Food Log. There are 2 ways to do this..pay attention (I hope this works).

A) click on the very 1st Post in there “30-Day PaleoLEANingIII_FoodLog” and in there is a link to the Food Log. Click it.
B) In upper left on the document now, click “File”>>>”Make a Copy”>>>RENAME THE COPY HERE as YOURNAME_30-Day PaleoLEANingIII_FoodLog>>>then make the copy.
C) Under “Documents” YOUR FOOD LOG is now stored. You use the tabs at the bottom to enter info by Day. You have “Sharing” options. To share your Food Log with the entire RSP Group, add our email (readysetpaleo@googlegroups.com) to your sharing option. That is it.

So, get your Journal Ready, then Share it with us, and do it and we can keep everyone accountable.

Other option to get the Journal. It should already be under “Documents”. Access it there versus post #1 at the RSP Group and follow the remaining steps above. Questions…ask in the forum and see what happens

You now have your BodPod done, photos done, payment done, Journal ready. What next…

4. The final “Set.” Shop for success. Be ready. This starts first thing Wednesday morning. Do not wait until then to prepare your goods. Be ready!

That’s it. Here we go…Ready Set Paleo!

Welcome to the CFSF 30-Day Paleo Challenge. “Ready.”

readysetpaleo — Wed, 04 May 2011 20:57:20 +0000

The contracts are ready. Those committed have signed up. It’s time to get ready to kick-off the first Paleo Challenge of 2011 at CrossFit Sioux Falls.

Ready, Set, Paleo!

Official Start: Wed, May 11, 2011
Duration: 30-days
Requirements: You + $31.80 (includes tax)
What to do Next: Informational Meeting is Thursday, May 5 @ 7:30pm (after Oly class). Sign-up for BOD POD Time #1. Get your photos taken. Get your 30-day journal ready. Join the group. Watch the blog. Start shopping (or planning ahead).

More info…

We do need all participants to pay the 30 dollar entry fee with cash or check – total = $31.80 with tax. If you are unable to attend the meeting on Thursday please shoot me an email or stop by my office to get the printed information. The first official eating day of the 30 day Paleo Challenge is Wednesday May 11th and that is also the night of the first official meeting at 7:30.

Greg, myself, Casey and all of the training staff are very excited about this challenge and want to make this a great learning experience. Please bring all of your questions and concerns to the meeting on Thursday and if you are on the fense about doing the challenge please attend Thursdays meeting and get educated on why this is a great challenge for everyone.