Are Cheezels a carb? Even on Australia Day?

Welcome Peabodies to part 3 of my Paleo Peas Series

(you can read part 1 and part 2 here and here )

The year is ticking away so quickly already. Schools back, most are back at work, 

peak hour traffic is back the hum of 2015 is in full key.

We have been doing really well on our paleo adventure.

 I kept mostly to the meal plan this week which made things a bit easier in the prep for school.

There were two significant things that stood out for me this week.

1. I’m not hungry, in fact I’m eating less overall as I'm feeling full until meal times. 

The I quit sugar kids talk a little about why this is here.

2. This paleo diet uses a lot of eggs. So many eggs!! But thats ok. We don't have any allegories and the kids like egg so all goog! (see what i did there?)

So i was being a good little Pea ...That was until…….

(its mushy confessional time...)

I'll let the pictures to the talking. I’m too ashamed to type it out.

When good paleo kids go bad

thats instant noodle - Mi Goring to be exact.

OMG.

Total binge fest.

I don't know what came over me.

Ok I do know what came over me:

It was a long weekend,

The kids were having a sleepover with their grandparents so I had some freedom.

Because. Cheezels.

Plus I'm pretty sure you can go to jail for being un-Australian and not eating Cheezels on Australia day so I didn't want to risk breaking the law.

But oh…….OH.

OOOOOOHHHHH

The hangover.

Not long after  - within the hour I started to feel really sick.

I got the shakes.

And felt anxious. And gross.

I didn't even get the fun night out with the girls to make the suffering bare-able. 

Just me alone. 

Scoffing like crazy feeling like a rebellious school girl sneaking lollies into the boys dorm on school camp.

I have only been clean eating for 3 or 4 weeks and already my body can feel the difference and it doesn’t like being put in the naughty corner it seems.

Apart from this  erhum …misdemeanour….. I've actually been pretty good.

I've even lost weight,

Whhaaaaaat? Thats right. I so skinny.

Ok not super skinny but I've lost 4 kilos…. which is exciting because all I've done is cut out the processed food, sugar and kept carbs to a minimum. No pasta or rice and only a potato here and there.

Ok so our week 3 meal plan looks like this:

Monday - Fakeaway slow cooked kebabs.

Tuesday - Lamb shanks, veg, pumpkin mash

Wednesday - Roast chicken

Thursday - Pork chop, coleslaw, hand made chips

Friday - Chicken pie ( with left over roast Ill probably make the pie on wedensday and freeze)

Saturday - ok i haven’t actually figured out what to have on saturday or sunday - Ill probably just make them leftover nights and cook omelette or we will have breakfast for dinner - bacon and eggs, tomatoes mushrooms!!

Sunday- ??

Sometimes you just cant be bothered ya know?

And thats OK!

I hope your getting into the swing of the new year and getting down to business.

Don't forget to stop and shell the peas!

Peas Out,

Jane.

Is Kale a carb? Paleo Peas part 2.

Paleo Peas - part 2

How did we go on our first week of official Paleo eating plan?

Good and bad. 

Welcome Peabaodies.

Last week I spoke about our family ( or tribe as Pete loves to say) moving to a paleo way of eating. You can read all about Part one here.

You can even find out more aout what Paleo eating is here and extra meal plans and extra info here

I should have included some more resources last week - Sorry.

Well How did we go….

Well in terms of actually eating clean and healthy we did really well.

In terms of sticking to my very carefully thought out menu plan. Pretty bad.

But thats ok. I planned and shopped for our menu so all the ingredients we had in the house were fresh and healthy.

But we didn't really stick to the menu plan for a variety of reasons - the main one being the weather.

Its been really hot here in the ‘Ol West so we spent a couple of nights eating at my mums house. She has a giant sparkly bue pool. 

and we do not. Plus the weather has been in the high 30’s.

So not only did I not feel like cooking extra in the heat for our snacks but I wasn't home for tea.

But we still ate really well, mostly meat and salad or veggies

A lot of the meals I had planned are meat and three veg.

It sounds boring and very retro but thats what my kids like.

It's simple, fast to cook and doesn't look too threatening on the plate.

 If it ‘aint broke right?

My kids eat veggies so thats easy, But I'm still having problems getting them to eat a salad.

They eat raw carrot and thats about it.

Don’t get me wrong - they aren’t freaks, its not like they are chowing down on kale chips or brussels sprouts. I'm not delusional.

(While we are on the subject of kale chips - does anyone else have trouble believing that these foodie peoples kids are actually eating kale chips. I mean beacuse. Kale.)

But they will eat peas, corn and carrot. and a bit of pumpkin and sweet potato with some persuasion.

Sometimes I can even get them to eat purple carrots and beets. It helps that its purple I think!

Overall I would give our first Paleo week a 7 out of 10. However its time for a new segment within this Paleo Peas series. Its.....

Mushy confessional time:

I did have a bit of a mental health day and got stuck into Red rooster and some coke.

But other than that I've been angelic to point of annoying everyone else around me, so I must be doing it right.

But just like our cavemen and women I discovered some things.

I feel lighter - I think this is because I'm not eating bread, rice or pasta.

Cooking with ghee brings out the natural taste in food and makes your food tastier - it also makes cleaning the pan or pot you've cooked in easier. If the food isn't sticking to the pan then its definaltey not sticking to your ribs.

I’ve lost a bit of weight! YIPPEE!

And it doesn't have to be complicated or totally to the letter to get results.

So our week 2 Menu looks like this

Monday - Sausage and Veggies

Tuesday - Butter chicken ( paleo friendly)

Wednesday - Paleo burgers (where a giant mushroom is used in place of the bun)

Thursday - Beef strog. with cauliflower rice

Friday - Chicken nuggets and veggies

Saturday - steamed veggies and Fish

Sundays - Steak and salad - Pasta for the kids.

Snacks this week include -

Paleo Lamingtons ( for Australia day)

Protein balls

Banana Bread ( paleo friendly)

Pretty simple.

I'm feeling lazy this week already, and it hasn't officially stated yet so I haven’t popped my meal plan in a pretty graphic for you. Sorry Peabodies.

You might have noticed that we are still giving the kids pasta and rice, we are slowly slowly easing them into it - but no pasta or rice for the husbeast and I.

Also this week I'm going to concentrate on doing three extra things for my health.

Lemon water every morning. You can read about the benefits here. I also feel like I’m running on all cylinders when I drink this every morning,

Yoga ( just in the lvivng room with a dvd  - nothing too fancy pants - has anyone clocked the price of yoga in Perth at the moment? Redick!)

Drinking more water - I even bought myself a fancy glass water bottle to tote around with me all hipster style and s**t. *clicks fingers*

Do your kids eat kale?

Do your kids eat Salad? I'd love any tips Peabodies on how to get them to munch on down.

Wish us luck on our next paleo week!

Peas Out

Jane.

Quitting the white stuff - a little about the beginning of my journey to cutting sugar.

Hi Pea-bodies!

I quit sugar. Yep. Me. I did that. Me. The Timtam squarfing, juice drowning, chocmilk bathing, cake face planting me.

I signed up with Sarah Wilson and did her 8 week quitting sugar detox program.

If I’m honest with you I didn't do the whole 8 weeks, I fell off the wagon about half way through, then just for good measure the wagon backed up and reversed over the top of me. 

But I got back in the wagon and I think thats a credit to Sarah Wilson's program. I’m usually more of a ‘“Oh well there goes that wagon” as I stand up and mill around while the dust clears waiting for the next wagon to come by’ sort of a girl. But I seem to be staying on this wagon and I think its because of the detox program.

The first week was easy! This is a piece of cake. Or not-cake as it turns out.

The second week became harder, and I got tired, so tired. 

But although I was tired at the same time I was starting to feel more energetic, and I was sleeping better. So. Much. Better.

In fact I didn't realise how badly I was sleeping until the quality of my sleep improved.

Then other benefits starting sneaking in, my teeth improved: no aching or sensitivity. 

My skin cleared up and people started to comment on how good I looked.

And I’ve lost some weight and a lot of bloating!

I’m calmer. I’m more relaxed. No nightmares. My reflexes have improved too - I’m catching stuff that Pipsqueak is dropping like some kind of a Super Mumma Ninja.

And people can see the difference,

They ask “What are you doing?”  and I think they are expecting responses like: 

“I got myself a Himalayan guru” or ; 

“Im using mud packs from melted Fijian snow.” Or;

“I ordered a juice off the late night shopping channel that is made from the fossilised DNA from the DODO bird.”

They expect anything thats easier than giving up sugar, because when I tell them, I cut out my sugar. They looked surprised.

And thats because the more than half the time, we don't even realise that we are eating the sugar we are eating. Its in everything.EVERYTHING! Even Weetbix! Weetbix! I always thought it was just wheat. Silly me.

Sarah Wilson takes a gently gently approach and advises to treat it like an experiment.

And I think thats the best way to go about it. Gently gently. Because once you start feeling the improvements, your motivated. Motivated and converted - so theres no need for the bootcamp do it or die approach.

Its been a good few weeks since I finished the detox and the sugar has crept back in at times, but overall I would consider my diet to be low sugar, and hopefully I can get it even lower.

My next challenge is to tackle the kids, and get them off the white stuff!

Would I recommend you quit sugar?

Yes. DO IT.

Its scary, but thats ok, start small and slowly cut it out, you will feel the difference and wonder why you didn't do it before. Or if your still scared sign up for Sarahs program like me - just try it and see how you go.

So don’t be scared, just give it a go. If I can. You can.

Peas Out

Jane.