In Which I Gather Meat

Our indoor grill has stopped working a month ago, and during our search for the same model or a different model that would suit our needs, we came up empty handed. Luckily, it is getting warm around here again, making outdoor grilling much easier to be done. There is one problem: I procrastinate. I have been procrastinating this past week in taking the propane tank to get exchanged so that I can actually use the gas grill that my father bought me last year (two years ago?).

What moved me to actually do the deed? We had been consuming farm-fresh eggs for the past two weeks and last night we used up the rest in a quiche. Now, that we are out of eggs is not a problem, it is the fact that my wife has started to get sick from eating all these eggs, and mainly only eggs as her source of protein. Even felt sick to her stomach after eating the quiche that featured pork sausage.

Because of this, I promised her meat.

Paleo Quiche

Just finished making this, which went over extremely well. My wife, who had been getting tired of eggs lately loved it, and my children requested that make it much more often. It is very simple and since my camera is out of commission at the moment, the next time I make it I will take pictures of it for some food porn.

Ingredients
2 pounds pork sausage
11 eggs
7-8 ounces coconut milk

Heat the oven to 350. Brown the sausage. Beat the eggs. Add the coconut milk and browned sausage with the sausage grease to the beaten eggs and mix together. Pour into a 9x11 glass pan and bake for 30 minutes.

I was afraid the coconut milk would make it taste like coconut, but there was just a hint of flavor and it filled everyone up very well.

The eggs and sausage were actually gotten from a good friend of ours who has a small farm. We were pleasantly surprised when she loaded my wife down two weeks ago with farm-fresh eggs and 3 pounds of pork sausage from one of their pigs. The eggs are wonderful and the sausage is to die for. The last pound is being saved for a special occasion.

Sweet Primal Pumpkin Curry

Curry is an excellent go-to meal for anyone, but especially those following the Primal/Paleo lifestyle. Full of flavor, fresh ingredients, and yes, there is little protein in this dish, but if that worries you, just sauté some chicken/beef/mutton (mutton is EXCELLENT in this curry) to add and there you go.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
13 ounces pumpkin
1 onion
1 cup water
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, or Bacon grease
2 cloves garlic
2 slices ginger
1 bay leaf
3-4 chili peppers
pinch of cinnamon
chicken stock (homemade)
1 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste

The Craziest Thing that Paleo Eating Has Done to Me

I am very rarely hungry anymore. I get hungry and I can either let it pass within the next few minutes, or eat something small like a hardboiled egg. If I eat something small, something that is more like a snack, I feel full and am good for at least another 4 hours before I begin to feel hungry again. Because of this lack of hunger and my desire to only eat when I feel hungry, I have been eating only once a day for the most part. The only times that I eat more than once or snack is when I eat fruits... if I eat just a few pieces of fruit I get ravenous. Especially if I eat them as more of a desert. Consuming fruits before a meal works out rather well. Something similar occurs when I eat almonds, I eat 4-5 of them, then I eat another 4-5, and so on until I realize that i have been snacking on them and have eating a good 30+ almonds in one sitting.

So I am trying to cut out almonds and fruits from my diet, unless I eat them right before a large meal to increase my appetite.

Any other Paleo/Primal eaters out there experience anything similar, even with other foods?

Sensitivity to Non-Paleo Foods

Last weekend was Easter and we went to my parent's home for egg hunting, Easter dinner, and just general visiting. Dinner was grilled hot dogs for the kids and grilled pork tenderloins, raw veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower), and a coleslaw made with bacon, red wine vinegar, and some mayo (store brand). Though the mayo in the coleslaw was not what I would have preferred, having been only eating home-made Paleo-friendly mayo for the past 3 months, I figured that I could cheat on the store-brand mayo since I was not partaking in any of the various forms of candy throughout the house.

I was wrong, and so was my wife (who is 80% Primal and eats small amounts of grains occasionally).

We were both sick after eating to the point that we left much earlier than we would have normally. I got a raging headache, my stomach felt bloated and extended, and I worried about bathroom issues. My wife felt overly full and just generally crappy.

It just goes to show how the so-called "regular" foods interact with the body and how most people discount what they are feeling or blame it on something else, like stress.

No Soap/Shampoo and Recent Developments

I decided a month or so ago to take the plunge and stop using soap and shampoo to wash myself with. I still use soap on my hands throughout the day to keep them clean, but soap no longer touches my body, nor does shampoo. I went this route after reading about other Primals going the no soap/shampp route and thought why not. I have had some remarkable changes that can not be attributed to my move into Primal eating alone.

Before and during my Primal lifestyle change my scalp had this strange sort of cradle cap thing going on, which was disgusting to say the least. Luckily it was not noticeable unless your hands were actually running through my hair, but I love the feeling of hands through my hair and scalp massages, meaning that while I loved it I refused it because I was afraid of what my wife would think. Regardless of if she felt grossed out or not, I felt grossed out for her. Since I have put down the shampoo bottle, by scalp does not have this problem anymore. I feel a whole less self-conscious, amazing what something as small as scalp issues can do to one's emotional health.

The other skin problem I had was this strange rash across my chest, back, and arms. Almost like a precurser to acne, but it never got as bad as real acne does. Anyways, much like my scalp problems, I did not want my wife to have to come in contact with this so I tried not to ask for back rubs and back scratches as much as possible. I changed detergents, changed soaps purchased all natural soaps from health food stores that were even safe to drink. Nothing helped. Except for not using soap at all.

I know it sounds crazy, but it worked.

"But you smell, don't you?"

Sugar, What Is It Good For?

First off, what is sugar anyways? Sugars are carbohydrates no matter if you are speaking of a jelly bean or a bagel. The difference in terminology is because sugar is considered to be either one or two sugar molecules. Single sugar molecules are glucose, i.e. blood sugar, and fructose, which is commonly found in fruits. Sugars that have two sugar molecules are called disaccharides, an example of which is table sugar (1 molecule of glucose paired with 1 molecule of fructose). Trisaccharides and polysaccharides are three or more simple sugar molecules that have linked together. These are what we call carbohydrates or starches, you can take your pick, and are found in grains, legumes, and potatoes.

Trisaccharides and polysaccharides are indigestible, so the body breaks those links between the simple sugar molecules, liberating the glucose and fructose so that the body can actually do something with them. So, regardless of what you call them, carbs or starches, the body sees them as only one simple thing: Sugar. Holding off from eating candy to indulge in bread, pasta, bbq baked beans, or french fries actually doesn't seem so smart now, does it?

Quick Guide to Different Cuts of Beef