Once upon a roadtrip, my mother and I stumbled upon a brightly painted cafe in the blink-and-you'll-miss-it town of Stites, Idaho. Inside, we found a menu that included one of the best pizzas I've ever eaten. "Hottie Hen with a Pig" featured a handmade crust topped with the usual sauce and cheese, plus strips of roasted chicken, slices of jalapeno, smoked bacon, and fresh pineapple. It's a meal I've duplicated many times...but not since going primal.
Even Conventional Wisdom knows that pizza is an indulgence, but for the primal eater, it becomes even more so. All that dairy and, worse, all that bread! Many of us are willing to excuse dairy, on occasion, but the carb-laden bread can be, um, harder to swallow. The fat wouldn't be a big deal, except for all those carbs waiting to open the insulin floodgates and shuttle both carbohydrate and fat energy into storage as bodyfat.
Primal and low-carb forums abound with recipes for primal pizza crusts. Some are comprised of baked parmesan, others of grated cauliflower, coconut flour, or almond flour. The only one I've tried was made from shredded zucchini and cheese. It was tasty, but extremely high-calorie (I don't usually worry about calories, but this thing was ridiculous!) and not particularly effective as a substitute crust.
Now, I'm not big on low-carb substitutes for high-carb foods. I'd rather build my meals around foods that are naturally low in carbohydrates than engage in culinary gymnastics with mediocre results. On the rare occasion that I decide to to eat something high carb, I plan for it and enjoy the real thing. But this weekend, when I got to thinking this weekend about Hottie Hen with a Pig ... and my planned Christmas indulgences ... I decided to try something new.
Another primal blogger (can anybody remind me who?) has written about his experiments with meatzza, a pizza-like concoction with a "crust" of ground beef. What would happen, I wondered, if I turned that Hottie Hen into a crust instead of a topping? The answer? Good things. You gotta try this.
(Sadly, I am still having video card issues with my desktop computer, so you'll have to take my word for it that this primal pizza looks tasty indeed!)
Hottie Hen with a Pig
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup tomato paste
1.5 tsp dried oregano
2 oz cheese, shredded (I used mozzarella and parmesan)
2 slices bacon, crisped and broken into pieces
1/4 cup pineapple, diced
2 Tbs jalapeno, diced (leave the seeds if you like it hot!)
1 Tbs red onion, diced
Place the chicken breast between two sheets of waxed paper. Using a mallet, pound it to 1/4 inch thickness. Saute chicken breast in butter over medium heat until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Place chicken breast in a pie plate and spread with combined tomato paste and oregano. Top with cheese and remaining ingredients. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Slice into wedges and serve hot. Serves 1.
575 calories, 21g carbohydrate, 26g fat, 66g protein.
(Compare that to 726 calories, 66g carbs, 30g fat, 55g protein if you put half the chicken breast, along with the other toppings, on 1/3 of a Boboli whole wheat crust.)
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Pumpkin-Banana Noatmeal
Giving up grains wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The vast majority of the time, I'm quite content to build my meals of vegetables, meat, fruits, eggs, and nuts.
All the same, there's something about 0-degree weather than can make a woman want a huge, steaming bowl of oatmeal swimming in cream. A nice omelet will kill that craving, of course, but today I tried a different route: Noatmeal.
Yes, yes, this concoction is relatively high carb. Winter squash, including pumpkin, and bananas are outliers in the primal eating world because, as produce goes, they're both quite high in sugar. A bowl of this noatmeal will run you about 55 grams of carbs. PANIC! Um, no. I'm having a Melissa Urban moment on this one.
Besides, this meal fits nicely into into a day during which I consumed only about 30 carbs up until dinnertime, slammed out a tough metcon workout, and manually hauled 80 gallons of water from garage to horse paddocks because the outdoor spigots are frozen. Deal with it.
I can't claim all the credit (well, okay, I can claim hardly any of the credit) for this recipe. I got the idea from another poster at the MDA forums. I even stole the term "no-atmeal" from a different non-cereal recipe Mark posted recently. Worse yet, I don't even have a photo for you because my desktop computer is currently languishing with an expired video card, which means that while I can, technically, access my photo processing software, I can't actually see anything on the screen. So. Use your imagination.
Pumpkin-Banana Noatmeal
1 medium banana
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 tsp coconut oil (the MDA poster noted that cream cheese works, too)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp salt
pinch cloves
chopped nuts
Chop the banana into very small cubes (the size of corn niblets). Mix together all ingredients except nuts. Cook in a heavy saucepan over low heat until hot, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Serve topped with chopped nuts and more coconut milk, if desired. Serves 1.
All the same, there's something about 0-degree weather than can make a woman want a huge, steaming bowl of oatmeal swimming in cream. A nice omelet will kill that craving, of course, but today I tried a different route: Noatmeal.
Yes, yes, this concoction is relatively high carb. Winter squash, including pumpkin, and bananas are outliers in the primal eating world because, as produce goes, they're both quite high in sugar. A bowl of this noatmeal will run you about 55 grams of carbs. PANIC! Um, no. I'm having a Melissa Urban moment on this one.
Besides, this meal fits nicely into into a day during which I consumed only about 30 carbs up until dinnertime, slammed out a tough metcon workout, and manually hauled 80 gallons of water from garage to horse paddocks because the outdoor spigots are frozen. Deal with it.
I can't claim all the credit (well, okay, I can claim hardly any of the credit) for this recipe. I got the idea from another poster at the MDA forums. I even stole the term "no-atmeal" from a different non-cereal recipe Mark posted recently. Worse yet, I don't even have a photo for you because my desktop computer is currently languishing with an expired video card, which means that while I can, technically, access my photo processing software, I can't actually see anything on the screen. So. Use your imagination.
Pumpkin-Banana Noatmeal
1 medium banana
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 tsp coconut oil (the MDA poster noted that cream cheese works, too)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp salt
pinch cloves
chopped nuts
Chop the banana into very small cubes (the size of corn niblets). Mix together all ingredients except nuts. Cook in a heavy saucepan over low heat until hot, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Serve topped with chopped nuts and more coconut milk, if desired. Serves 1.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Unfettered
It's been nearly two months since I last posted. Life went crazy for a while, and it's only now that I'm able to downshift long enough to consider how my primal journey was affected by a combination of office-induced stress and long hours. I'm delighted to note that the changes have been both dramatic and positive:
1) I'm content without eating for long periods.
For as long as I can remember, I've hauled healthful snacks everywhere lest I be beset by a "hypoglycemic moment." You know the feeling -- that sudden, lightheaded, weak, must-eat-NOW-or-I'll-gnaw-off-my-own-bicep, carb-crashing hunger.
So ingrained was my assumption that if I didn't eat every few hours, I'd be in for some serious suffering, that it took me most of these past two months to trust my body not to do that anymore. But it doesn't. It really, truly doesn't. I can happily metabolize body fat for energy for fifteen hours or more, workouts included. Hunger is a gentle nudge instead of a raging beast. I am boundless!
2) I no longer need to count carbs.
Using Fitday and My Fitness Pal for my first few months of primal living had value. It enabled me to memorize the carb content of the foods I eat most frequently, and it gave me a good feel for primal macronutrient balance. However, tracking food intake is undeniably time-consuming, and when I saw myself running short on hours, I figured I ought to try flying solo.
It works. I haven't counted carbs in two months, except mentally, but I know I've dropped my daily intake from about 150g to 90-100g per day. Usually, my food days look something like this (yesterday's menu):
Breakfast -- Spinach salad with apple, fresh cranberries, walnuts, pecans, 6 oz canned wild salmon, and lemon-olive oil dressing.
Lunch -- Leftover Thai chicken and coconut soup with veggies.
Dinner -- Hamburger (no bun) with a melted cheddar, half an avocado, butter-sauteed onions and mushrooms, and a dill pickle slices. Peppermint tea with coconut cream for dessert.
Today, I had eggs and bacon for breakfast, an apple with almond butter for lunch, and I'm roasting a turkey roasting for dinner, to be served with lightly steamed green beans and mashed cauliflower.
3) My workouts are more flexible.
Everyone who knows me well (or even not-so-well) knows that I thrive on structure. I am the queen of lists, spreadsheets, and self-discipline. Granted, this is a positive quality...but it can be taken too far and become a stressor in its own right. The past couple months of business and winter weather have forced me to flex not only the timing of my workouts, many of which moved from 4:30 a.m. to afternoon or evening, but often their nature as well.
Lack of sleep, extra meetings, and high stress levels convinced me of the value of listening to my body from day to day. As Mark Sisson notes in his definitive work The Primal Blueprint (have you read it yet?), it's often best to pay attention when I don't feel up to the killer workout for which I'md scheduled -- or to throw in a few unplanned sprints on my evening walk, if I feel particularly energetic.
I haven't worked out any less than usual, but I have certainly worked out less rigidly. My heavy workouts are as heavy as ever, my push-up and pull-up counts continue to climb, and despite a travel-induced shortage of sprint sessions, today's hill repeats were up to par. The message? Keep the self-discipline. Lose the schedule.
Ok, the changes are good. Thank you, Life. I heard you. Now, could we please settle back down to normal? Please?
1) I'm content without eating for long periods.
For as long as I can remember, I've hauled healthful snacks everywhere lest I be beset by a "hypoglycemic moment." You know the feeling -- that sudden, lightheaded, weak, must-eat-NOW-or-I'll-gnaw-off-my-own-bicep, carb-crashing hunger.
So ingrained was my assumption that if I didn't eat every few hours, I'd be in for some serious suffering, that it took me most of these past two months to trust my body not to do that anymore. But it doesn't. It really, truly doesn't. I can happily metabolize body fat for energy for fifteen hours or more, workouts included. Hunger is a gentle nudge instead of a raging beast. I am boundless!
2) I no longer need to count carbs.
Using Fitday and My Fitness Pal for my first few months of primal living had value. It enabled me to memorize the carb content of the foods I eat most frequently, and it gave me a good feel for primal macronutrient balance. However, tracking food intake is undeniably time-consuming, and when I saw myself running short on hours, I figured I ought to try flying solo.
It works. I haven't counted carbs in two months, except mentally, but I know I've dropped my daily intake from about 150g to 90-100g per day. Usually, my food days look something like this (yesterday's menu):
Breakfast -- Spinach salad with apple, fresh cranberries, walnuts, pecans, 6 oz canned wild salmon, and lemon-olive oil dressing.
Lunch -- Leftover Thai chicken and coconut soup with veggies.
Dinner -- Hamburger (no bun) with a melted cheddar, half an avocado, butter-sauteed onions and mushrooms, and a dill pickle slices. Peppermint tea with coconut cream for dessert.
Today, I had eggs and bacon for breakfast, an apple with almond butter for lunch, and I'm roasting a turkey roasting for dinner, to be served with lightly steamed green beans and mashed cauliflower.
3) My workouts are more flexible.
Everyone who knows me well (or even not-so-well) knows that I thrive on structure. I am the queen of lists, spreadsheets, and self-discipline. Granted, this is a positive quality...but it can be taken too far and become a stressor in its own right. The past couple months of business and winter weather have forced me to flex not only the timing of my workouts, many of which moved from 4:30 a.m. to afternoon or evening, but often their nature as well.
Lack of sleep, extra meetings, and high stress levels convinced me of the value of listening to my body from day to day. As Mark Sisson notes in his definitive work The Primal Blueprint (have you read it yet?), it's often best to pay attention when I don't feel up to the killer workout for which I'md scheduled -- or to throw in a few unplanned sprints on my evening walk, if I feel particularly energetic.
I haven't worked out any less than usual, but I have certainly worked out less rigidly. My heavy workouts are as heavy as ever, my push-up and pull-up counts continue to climb, and despite a travel-induced shortage of sprint sessions, today's hill repeats were up to par. The message? Keep the self-discipline. Lose the schedule.
Ok, the changes are good. Thank you, Life. I heard you. Now, could we please settle back down to normal? Please?
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
You Are Here
I realized something the other day: For the first time in my life, I feel completely satisfied with my physique.
At 31, I am fitter than I have ever been. Leaner. Stronger. With a BMI of roughly 18, I'm in the "low-normal" or "athlete" range for females (who, me?). I have a six-pack and obliques and (according to Ironman, who might be biased) a pretty nice butt.
But it isn't about looks, is it? It's about health. Longevity. Vitality. Ability.
I love being able to lift heavier and run faster than ever before -- not for numbers on a chart, though visual progress is satisfying, but because it's practical, here on the farm, to be able to lift ranch panels and buck hay and haul water.
I love being able to hike up a mountain, row down a river, camp in the wilderness, ride a horse 50 miles in a day.
I love feeling as though I have, for once, actually arrived.
Not that I'll stop striving. I'll still add weight, still try to make each hill sprint faster than the one before. All the same, it's high time I settled back a bit, mentally, so as to enjoy not just the doing, but the sense of having done.
Fitness is freedom, my friends. It ought to be earned -- and once earned, it ought to be enjoyed.
Seize the day.
___________________________
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Saturday, October 3, 2009
Primal Hamburger Casserole
Raise your hand if you've ever eaten Hamburger Helper. (Yes, I confess that my hand is up. But I haven't touched the stuff in at least 4 years, and I rarely did so before that.)
Because my family lived on a small farm and raised a beef cow every year, I grew up eating a lot of ground beef. Though I never have come around to liking meatloaf, I do have fond memories of meaty spaghetti sauce, thick burgers, and hamburger casserole.
The problem with most hamburger casseroles, however, is that they tend to include pasta and/or beans, either of which renders them high-carb and un-primal. Fortunately, a dose of big flavor (in the form of herbs, olives, and especially sundried tomatoes) can primalize this meal with ease.
I've enjoyed this quick, one-dish casserole several times lately, including once over spaghetti squash fried in butter for a large dinner, and once for breakfast with an egg over easy on top. If you eat dairy, a sprinkle of parmisan or cheddar would make an excellent garnish. I used fresh herbs because my garden is bursting with them, but dried will work too if they're all you have on hand.
Primal Hamburger Casserole
1/3 lb ground beef (not lean -- we want those saturated fats!)
1/3 cup onion, julienned
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 mushrooms, sliced
10 black olives, sliced
10 sundried tomato halves, chopped
1 Tbs each fresh basil and oregano (or 1 tsp each dried)
Pre-heat skillet over medium flame. Add beef, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir to crumble beef, and occasionally until meat is cooked. Add olives, sundried tomatoes, and herbs and cook about 1 minute until heated through. Serves 1.
Because my family lived on a small farm and raised a beef cow every year, I grew up eating a lot of ground beef. Though I never have come around to liking meatloaf, I do have fond memories of meaty spaghetti sauce, thick burgers, and hamburger casserole.
The problem with most hamburger casseroles, however, is that they tend to include pasta and/or beans, either of which renders them high-carb and un-primal. Fortunately, a dose of big flavor (in the form of herbs, olives, and especially sundried tomatoes) can primalize this meal with ease.
I've enjoyed this quick, one-dish casserole several times lately, including once over spaghetti squash fried in butter for a large dinner, and once for breakfast with an egg over easy on top. If you eat dairy, a sprinkle of parmisan or cheddar would make an excellent garnish. I used fresh herbs because my garden is bursting with them, but dried will work too if they're all you have on hand.
Primal Hamburger Casserole
1/3 lb ground beef (not lean -- we want those saturated fats!)
1/3 cup onion, julienned
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 mushrooms, sliced
10 black olives, sliced
10 sundried tomato halves, chopped
1 Tbs each fresh basil and oregano (or 1 tsp each dried)
Pre-heat skillet over medium flame. Add beef, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir to crumble beef, and occasionally until meat is cooked. Add olives, sundried tomatoes, and herbs and cook about 1 minute until heated through. Serves 1.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
On the Road Again
It's vacation time! Ironman and I are spending six days in Idaho's Owyhee canyonlands -- a vast, scenic expanse of rough canyons, steep hills, sagebrush, antelope, and sky.
I'm spending much of my time horseback, participating in the Owyhee Canyonlands Pioneer multi-day endurance race. Technically, my mare and I are doing Limited Distance (30 mile races) rather than endurance (50+ mile races) because this is her first year in the sport and she's not quite fit for endurance yet. Still, we hope to rack up 85 miles throughout the week.
Ironman, meanwhile, is splitting his time between volunteering in ridecamp and exploring the glories of Idaho with a fly rod in one hand and his rifle in the other. Hmm...maybe we'll get another meal of trout and chukar out of the deal!
If not, we're still eating well and as primal as possible. Planning primal meals for a whole week in camp is a bit tougher than it was for just the weekend race we attended last month. I've packed a variety of cold, cooked meats, tinned and smoked fish, avocados, eggs (hardboiled and raw), Primal Energy Mix, nut butters, Larabars, sliced veggies, fresh fruits, primal dressings and dips, and possibly some adult beverages, just in case.
We take our vacation food seriously, Ironman and I...but not too seriously. ;)
I'm spending much of my time horseback, participating in the Owyhee Canyonlands Pioneer multi-day endurance race. Technically, my mare and I are doing Limited Distance (30 mile races) rather than endurance (50+ mile races) because this is her first year in the sport and she's not quite fit for endurance yet. Still, we hope to rack up 85 miles throughout the week.
Ironman, meanwhile, is splitting his time between volunteering in ridecamp and exploring the glories of Idaho with a fly rod in one hand and his rifle in the other. Hmm...maybe we'll get another meal of trout and chukar out of the deal!
If not, we're still eating well and as primal as possible. Planning primal meals for a whole week in camp is a bit tougher than it was for just the weekend race we attended last month. I've packed a variety of cold, cooked meats, tinned and smoked fish, avocados, eggs (hardboiled and raw), Primal Energy Mix, nut butters, Larabars, sliced veggies, fresh fruits, primal dressings and dips, and possibly some adult beverages, just in case.
We take our vacation food seriously, Ironman and I...but not too seriously. ;)
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Tuesday Tallies: Primal Menus & Movement
Welcome to Tuesday Tallies, my weekly answer to the FAQs: What do you eat? and Good gravy, woman, how much do you work out?
(For those who prefer not to slog through the details, the brief answers are, respectively, a lot and not as much as you'd think.)
Primal living is hardly a matter of dietary deprivation or physical exhaustion. To paraphrase primal guru Mark Sisson: Eat real food. Move around a lot at a slow pace. Lift heavy things. Sprint occasionally. Get enough sleep.
In other words, it's a simple matter of living well, eating the right foods, and working out smart instead of long. Below are samples of my attempt to do precisely that:
Wednesday's Food as Fuel:
Vegetable and sausage omelet. Cherry tomatoes with olive oil and lime.
Apple with almond butter.
Spinach salad with black olives and hard boiled eggs.
Sardines in mustard sauce. Sundried tomatoes.
Chukar fried in butter with fresh herbs. Pork tenderloin. Sauteed vegetables. Spinach salad with avocado, artichoke hearts, and olives.
A couple beers and some whiskey.
2,464 calories, 113g carbs, 145g fat, 122g protein
Wednesday's Workout:
Rest day from formal workout. Slept in instead!
12 mile equine endurance conditioning ride with some running beside the horse.
Farm chores and general activity.
_____________________________________
Thursday's Food as Fuel:
Spinach salad with avocado and hard boiled eggs. Grapes.
Coconut and White Fish Stir Fry.
Primal nut and coconut mix.
Two hard boiled eggs. Cucumber slices with feta.
Chicken breast with peach chutney. Spaghetti squash sauteed with butter and crisped sage leaves. Cherry tomatoes.
Dark chocolate and coconut milk.
2,217 calories, 107g carbs, 157g fat, 123g protein
Thursday's Workout:
5x rotation of push-ups, heavy squats, and overhead presses
3x renegade rows
2x pull-ups
_____________________________________
Sunday's Food as Fuel:
Coconut milk.
Primal Hamburger Casserole (recipe coming later this week). Egg over easy.
Spinach salad with tuna.
Apple with almond butter.
Turkey drumstick and thigh, with skin.
Dark chocolate and green tea with coconut milk.
2,034 calories, 71g carbs, 137g fat, 147g protein
Sunday's Workout:
6x rotation of incline push-ups, weighted walking lunges, pull-ups, and weighted hanging leg raises
Primal living: So easy, a caveman could do it! ;)
(For those who prefer not to slog through the details, the brief answers are, respectively, a lot and not as much as you'd think.)
Primal living is hardly a matter of dietary deprivation or physical exhaustion. To paraphrase primal guru Mark Sisson: Eat real food. Move around a lot at a slow pace. Lift heavy things. Sprint occasionally. Get enough sleep.
In other words, it's a simple matter of living well, eating the right foods, and working out smart instead of long. Below are samples of my attempt to do precisely that:
Wednesday's Food as Fuel:
Vegetable and sausage omelet. Cherry tomatoes with olive oil and lime.
Apple with almond butter.
Spinach salad with black olives and hard boiled eggs.
Sardines in mustard sauce. Sundried tomatoes.
Chukar fried in butter with fresh herbs. Pork tenderloin. Sauteed vegetables. Spinach salad with avocado, artichoke hearts, and olives.
A couple beers and some whiskey.
2,464 calories, 113g carbs, 145g fat, 122g protein
Wednesday's Workout:
Rest day from formal workout. Slept in instead!
12 mile equine endurance conditioning ride with some running beside the horse.
Farm chores and general activity.
_____________________________________
Thursday's Food as Fuel:
Spinach salad with avocado and hard boiled eggs. Grapes.
Coconut and White Fish Stir Fry.
Primal nut and coconut mix.
Two hard boiled eggs. Cucumber slices with feta.
Chicken breast with peach chutney. Spaghetti squash sauteed with butter and crisped sage leaves. Cherry tomatoes.
Dark chocolate and coconut milk.
2,217 calories, 107g carbs, 157g fat, 123g protein
Thursday's Workout:
5x rotation of push-ups, heavy squats, and overhead presses
3x renegade rows
2x pull-ups
_____________________________________
Sunday's Food as Fuel:
Coconut milk.
Primal Hamburger Casserole (recipe coming later this week). Egg over easy.
Spinach salad with tuna.
Apple with almond butter.
Turkey drumstick and thigh, with skin.
Dark chocolate and green tea with coconut milk.
2,034 calories, 71g carbs, 137g fat, 147g protein
Sunday's Workout:
6x rotation of incline push-ups, weighted walking lunges, pull-ups, and weighted hanging leg raises
Primal living: So easy, a caveman could do it! ;)
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