Paleo Spirit

Paleo Quiche with Spaghetti Squash Crust

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Lea

Weekends around here are super busy now that Lacrosse season is upon us. Tennis is the sport I always envisioned my boys playing. They’ve had some lessons and seem to enjoy it and I will admit to having spent time imagining them as high school tennis stars. I reasoned that tennis is sensible because it not only works for school sports but it’s something that can be played well into adulthood. But while my boys may opt to continue tennis lessons at some point, Lacrosse has now come into the picture and my husband G couldn’t be happier. G grew up in Baltimore where Lacrosse is a major sport (unlike my home in Texas where Football reigns supreme). He started playing Lacrosse when he was a very young boy, played Lacrosse for The University of Massachusetts and went on to become a Lacrosse coach at a boys school in Manchester, England for a year. So, you see, our sons will play Lacrosse, it is fated to be.

I just wish Benjamin would remember to tie his shoes!

Both brothers seem to be taking a liking to the game. Tennis anyone?…anyone?

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous lately which is great considering all of the outdoor activities we have going on. After Saturday’s Lacrosse tournament I spent a little time admiring more of the natural spring beauty in our yard. Ginkgo tree with new leaves, tulips, rhododendron…dandelion (well, at least it’s pretty when you look closely).

Sunday was another busy day with church in the morning and an afternoon of fishing with the Cub Scouts…

Nathaniel caught a fish and managed to earn his fishing belt loop in the process. He was very proud.

While working hard at fishing, we spied a few Canadian geese keeping their goslings very close while patrolling a part of the lake.

Square foot gardening

After fishing we had a little time to work on our garden before it was time to make dinner. So far we’ve cleaned up our three 4′ x 10′ raised beds and amended the soil. This year we’ve decided to try “square foot gardening” (SFG) which is the practice of planning and creating small but intensively planted gardens. The idea is to maximize the yield by being super efficient with space. You follow guidelines for how much space and resources each plant needs to grow. For example, guidelines say you can get 16 radishes in one square foot while tomatoes should be planted one per square foot. This method also helps with weed control and can improve results of companion planting. In preparation for SFG we divided the beds into square feet plots. I’m sure we’ll post more through the season but here’s how it looked when we started two weeks ago.

We worked in our garden for a while before turning our attention to dinner. We were ready for something easy, hearty and healthy. Inspiration came from a photo I saw recently on Pinterest of a quiche with a spaghetti squash crust. I came up with a dish that adds grass-fed beef seasoned with chili powder and other “Tex Mex” spices combined with eggs and a few other veggies on a “crust” made of spaghetti squash. We also dubbed it “Taco Pie” because it sounded much more fun to my kids than the formal “paleo quiche with spaghetti squash crust.” (Funny how they respond to things based on the name!) The result is a grain-free, gluten-free, meaty quiche that works as a one-dish meal. My whole family loved it and I hope you will too.

Paleo Quiche with Spaghetti Squash Crust

Paleo Banana Pancakes and a Day in the Snow

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Lea

The snow started early on Friday and did not relent until the following morning. Upon waking, we were met with the sun peeking into our bedroom windows giving the promise of a beautiful day. The promise was fulfilled with sun, warmer weather and just enough snow to make sledding, snow ice cream and snowmen possibilities.

But first, before venturing out, we shared a special breakfast together.

We fortified ourselves with paleo banana pancakes made with almond and coconut flours, mashed banana and eggs. They were the perfect accompaniment to our wonder at the beauty of God’s creation in the snow.

After devouring pancakes and bacon, and feasting our eyes on the snowy morning outside our windows, we decided to head to a nearby estate-turned-park known as Natirar. The crystal blue sky, the sparkling white snow and the giant sycamore trees greeted us.

We thought it would be fun to make use of the pristine snow and venture sledding on the rolling hills.

It turned out a few others had the same idea.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Snowball

by Shel Silverstein

I made myself a snow ball as perfect as could be.
I thought I’d keep it as a pet and let it sleep with me.
I made it some pajamas and a pillow for it’s head.
Then, last night it ran away.
But first — it wet the bed.

Lea scarf

It was a fine day in the sunshine and snow filled with the beauty of nature and the joy of life exemplified by frolicking children and adults.

Continue reading →

Baked Eggs in Prosciutto-Filled Portobello Mushroom Caps

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Lea

It is COLD around here.

My friends and family in Texas tend to assume the weather in New Jersey is far harsher than it actually is. I sometimes find myself defending my adopted state insisting “the weather here is wonderful, not what you think!” And this is true…for the most part.

I love the four distinct seasons; the lingering, flower-filled Springs, the sunny Summers mild enough to allow ample, comfortable time outdoors and the crisp Autumns replete with colorful changing leaves and apple orchards brimming with produce.

But then there’s the winter.

It is not as snowy as other parts of our country – we are not covered in the white stuff for much of the season. And the average temperatures, relative to some other states, are reasonably mild. But my Texas blood has yet to completely acclimate to this cold. And this week is especially challenging. We have had temperatures in the single digits with below-zero degree wind chills. Some people love it. But I suffer through, dreaming of the days when the hyacinths and daffodils erupt through the soil giving a promise of more pleasant days to come.

But right now. It’s just cold.

Yesterday we ventured out to a local farm to stock up on meat and eggs. Their store was unheated. Sigh. Well, they did have one space-heater but it scarcely made a dent in the frigid air. The redundant meat freezers seemed almost comical. But it occurred to us the refrigerators were indispensable for keeping the eggs WARMER than the freezing room!

The grass-fed brisket, homemade pork breakfast sausage, ground venison and farm-fresh (not frozen) eggs were procured – QUICKLY – and we were on our way back to the relative warmth of our home. (Shout out to Ugg boots for improving my quality of life in the winter immeasurably!)

Now on to those eggs….

Did you know you can bake eggs in a portobello mushroom cap? Well, you can. It’s a little challenging because, depending on the shape of the cap, you might experience a mishap of an escaping egg. They can slide off the mushroom if you aren’t careful. But I have confidence we can do this thing.

Here’s how I did it.

Paleo Breakfast Porridge

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Lea

I came across this quote by Eleanor Roosevelt recently.

A lot of meaning can be drawn from this particular statement. But in the context of health, it reminded me how we often take our wellness for granted. In our youth we may treat our bodies in a way that is less than ideal because we can get away with it. Eventually, the signs of abuse and/or neglect start to take their toll. When we start eating better, exercising, taking time to pray and/or meditate we may have the best of intentions but still struggle to stick with our new resolutions. Let’s take heart that the things we are doing now to take better care of ourselves, mind, body and soul will eventually pay off. We are investing in a future of better health and wellness. We are creating works of art.

Paleo Breakfast Porridge

Two years ago our family started down the path of creating a better, more healthful future for ourselves. As part of that, we began transitioning* to a grain-free diet. This paleo breakfast porridge recipe really helped us out during that time. Most people have never considered the possibility of a grain-free “cereal” and before going paleo we had not either. Our first “paleo porridge” was in a simpler form – just bananas (or plantains), coconut milk, almond meal and flax meal. It was born out of desperation – the desperation to make something that remotely resembled oatmeal or other types of hot cereal to replace what we were losing.

Since those early days, our paleo porridge has turned into a more complex dish. We began adding spices and all different types of toppings to the porridge. We always eat it as a side dish with a source of protein like sausage or eggs. It’s great with added berries, unsweetened coconut flakes and nuts. The sweetness will vary depending on the ripeness of the bananas you are using. We don’t typically add any additional sweetener but you have the option of drizzling a little maple syrup or raw honey on the porridge before serving if you like.

This paleo breakfast porridge recipe is easy and serves anywhere from 2-4 persons.

Paleo Breakfast Porridge Recipe

Continue reading →

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Lea

Many of us started a month of Strict Paleo eating (aka Whole30) recently. This recipe for Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus helped our family get through day one and we hope it will find its way into one of your meals soon. One thing is clear, following a paleo way of eating is not going to mean deprivation. Just look at our breakfast. I mean, really. This is good stuff.

Before getting to the recipe I wanted to mention G’s last post. In it, my husband wrote about his fall off the “paleo wagon”. In order to enter his giveaway he asked that readers include a comment on one of their New Year’s resolutions. It’s been really interesting reading the comments and I know many of you are excited, like we are, to start with a clean slate in the New Year. Several people noted their resistance to making “resolutions” feeling this could be a set-up for failure. Instead, there are lots of people who set “goals” which is probably a better way to look at it. No matter what time of year, it’s always a good idea to strive for health and wellness.

Here are some highlights of comments we’ve seen so far:

Loss weight and/or add muscle
Complete a month of strict paleo eating (Whole30) without cheating
“Run an 8 minute mile”
“To believe in myself”
“Make our children healthier”
Be able to “keep up with” kids and grandkids
One random act of kindness once a week
and many more…

I’m really glad G posed the question because we have enjoyed reading the responses very much. So thank you to all who have participated so far. (There’s still time to enter as of this writing!)

Now for the recipe for these tasty morsels!

Coconut Flour Paleo Biscuits

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Lea

Several weeks ago my husband came home from work and happened upon a loaf of bread I had made. It was my attempt at a paleo bread recipe. Later, he told me how happy he was to see bread – something we ordinarily do not have in the house. He saw the bread, got excited and immediately reached for a slice. As G tells it, he was bringing the slice to his mouth when he remembered, “Wait a minute. Lea doesn’t eat bread. This must be Paleeeeeoooo breaaaaaad…” It was too late. He had already taken a bite and his trepidation was validated.

Not good.

We have been joking about this ever since. Not to say it does not exist, but we have yet to find a good recipe for paleo sandwich bread. And, honestly, while G may disagree, I’m not that bothered. After eating grass fed beef and vegetables and healthful fats for months the allure of bread is not quite what it once was.

The recipes in the paleo bread category I do appreciate are things like scones, banana bread, muffins, biscuits and the like. These recipes always seem to turn out much better when using dense flours like almond and coconut. The following recipe for paleo biscuits is the result of severals trials and errors. My son has a nut allergy and cannot eat almond flour so we often default to coconut flour. My husband is not a big fan of the coconut flavor. In order to keep these coconut flour biscuits from having too much of a coconut flavor I opted for vegetable shortening instead of coconut oil.

Coconut Flour Paleo Biscuits Continue reading →

Basic Paleo Egg Muffins

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Lea

Well, I managed to survive my first week back at work. Thank you to everyone who wished me well and offered a prayer. I really appreciate it. Making my transition a little easier was my pleasant surprise at the windowed office with a nice view. Yea trees and grass!

The drive is pretty substantial and it’s a good thing I drive a hybrid because otherwise a big chunk of my paycheck would go just for gas! The longish drive gives me the opportunity to listen to audiobooks again. This something I did years ago and really enjoy because it’s a great way to multitask. (I get my books either from the library or from www.audible.com) Right now I am reading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. It’s one of those classic novels that I somehow managed to NOT read during school years. There’s a movie coming out in November so I figure now is the time to do it. Hopefully, the 38 hours (yes, 38 hours!) of audio will make my commute more tolerable.

One of the things I have noticed about being back at work is how awkward it feels to sit for most of the day. I SIT in my car then SIT at my desk for hours then walk to lunch or to a printer occasionally but mostly….I SIT. For the last two plus years I have been active from sun up to sundown. Aside from sitting here at my computer writing or editing photos, I am almost always standing or walking. So this is going to take some getting used to. Hmm. Maybe a standup desk is in order….

Here’s a shot of my feet from Saturday morning. It felt so wonderful to get back into my Lululemon leggings and Vibrams after a week of high heels and business suits. Aaah, heavenly comfort on a frosty morning.

After this photo was taken I popped down to the local farmer’s market and found a few lovely ingredients for paleo breakfast. The following recipe for basic paleo egg muffins comes from those ingredients and my need to make breakfast fast and easy now that I’m more pressed for time. It’s one of those recipes that has the potential to get really fancy with the addition of various spices and veggies. I’m keeping it simple because this is the way my kids seem to like it best.

You can make these egg muffins ahead of time then reheat in the morning for a quick meal at home or on the go. All you need is a pound of (ideally organic pasture-raised) pork breakfast sausage and a dozen eggs. With just those ingredients and a little oil, salt and pepper you’ve got breakfast – double it and you have enough for a few days.

Paleo Banana Cardamom Bread

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Lea

Well, today a new chapter in my life begins. I’m starting a new job after being home full-time with my boys for almost two and a half years.

It’s a big day for me and I’m excited and a little nervous. Being home has been wonderful and I have enjoyed every second of the time with my children. Having the time to be able to focus on healing my body and soul has been priceless. With help from God, a few good friends and loved-ones, I have come a long way. Working on this website has been a creative outlet for me and I have enjoyed all the comments and emails I have received over the months. But, with new found health and vitality, the time has come to take on a new challenge. While I will definitely be busier than ever I fully intend to keep posting here.

In fact, I am quite sure I will need to come up with strategies for managing our paleo diet while working a very intense schedule. When I was preparing for my busy week ahead I decided to make some paleo banana bread to store away for breakfasts for at least a couple of days. We usually eat meatier fare in the mornings and I have had the luxury of time to devote to kitchen clean-up. Now, not so much!

The addition of cardamom came about mainly because I wanted to make something a bit different from the standard banana bread flavor. But the motivation to use this particular spice was the result of my own disorganization when it comes to grocery shopping. I was recently making a recipe that called for cardamom as one of about a zillion ingredients. When I was in the grocery store I could not for the life of me remember whether or not I had ground cardamom. So, of course, I bought a big jar of it. Come to find out, I already had two other jars! So I tried desperately to figure out what flavors go with cardamom. This spice has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic, resinous fragrance. In addition to being used in Indian cooking, cardamom is used in baking in many Nordic countries. Once I heard this news it occurred to me that it might compliment the flavor of banana – and I was right. Whew! That’s a relief. Something to do with the cardamom now.

When using almond flour I almost always add some coconut flour. Almond flour seems too wet and the addition of coconut dries it out a bit. The combination of the two seems to hit the “sweet spot” in grain-free baking. I had to make this a few times to come up with the right ratio as well as the best sized pan and oven temperature. The recipe for paleo banana cardamom bread you will find below is moist and aromatic – perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning or tea in the afternoon.