paleo

Less than 4th grade.

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It’s official.

As of this morning, I weigh less than I did in the 4th grade. The scale reported 132.8, which, to the best of my knowledge, is the least I’ve weighed since I was nine years old.

I attribute this to a combination of being ill, of working out 5-6 days per week, and my continued commitment to Paleo, not counting the dairy-obsession I’ve had on and off for the last four weeks.

My graduation is this Friday and, roughly six weeks ago, I purchased a size four dress to wear to the event (under the giant, shapeless gown, of course). When I purchased it, I could zip it – but it was like the casing on an andouille sausage. Not attractive.
As of this morning, it not only zips, it has wiggle room.

Delightful, beautiful wiggle room.

I will post a picture of myself in the dress on Friday, assuming I opt to take off the cap and gown I’ve worked 2.5 years to earn the right to wear. Meanwhile, I’m going to be avoiding salt for the next 72 hours and pray to God that the 6am alarm clock on Friday doesn’t get snoozed too frequently. Otherwise, I’ll be rocking a size four dress with my hair in a messy bun and mascara under my eyes.

On that note, bon appetit my friends!

~ Tori

Benefits to Illness?

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While no one looks forward to being ill, I’ve learned over the past three days of sneezing, coughing, and intense sinus pressure (seriously, think elephant-squatting-on-your-head type pressure, folks) that there are some benefits to being ill:

  • I’ve finally stopped cheating on the Paleo diet. I’d been inhaling Chobani Greek yogurts for the past two weeks, a big no-no on the Caveman Diet, and I finally broke my addiction on Friday. I was eating 2-3 cups of the white toxin per day and it wasn’t until my sinus/respiratory infection settled in that I realized the dairy was a HUGE contributor to mucous-production. I’d always known dairy and colds don’t mix but GOOD GOD, I became a snot-factory after I ate my yogurt on Friday. I had a sore throat and thought it wouldn’t hurt but the subsequent muculence leaking from my face assured me that milk was a very, very bad idea.

 

  • When food has no taste, it has no power over me. Anyone that has followed this blog for more than a few weeks understands that I have a tendency to binge, especially on sweets, so the fact that I have VERY little olfactory capacities right now means that my taste buds are practically paralyzed. I can taste spicy and sour – and that’s about it. So, that being said, I’ve just eaten enough to take my medicine (like a good girl) and that’s about it.

 

  • Your body burns HOT when you’re ill. I’ve been rocking a fever between 99.1 and 100.6 for three days, which means my body is fighting this infection like a champ. Another benefit to kicking some bacterial asses is that you burn more calories with a higher core temperature. I’ve been guzzling Gatorade like it’s my job and yet my weight on the scale – fully dressed and with shoes – was just 135 at the doctor’s office. Yeah. That’s kind of nice.

So, even though I’m hacking up a lung and feel like death warmed over, there are a few benefits to this whole “being sick” thing.

Bon appetit, friends! Or, in my case, NyQuil dreams!

~ Tori

Paleo Coconut Fried Tilapia

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My husband and I both like fish, but we find tilapia to be a rather dull-flavor and spend most of our dinners choking it down or smothering it in unhealthy sauce.

Last night, I decided to experiment and attempt to recreate coconut breading and “fake fry” some tilapia filets. The dish came out so good, we inhaled it before I could take a photo! Now I have to pass on the recipe to you.

Preset oven to 300 degrees.

Breading Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup finely ground tapioca flour
  • 2 tbsp yellow curry powder
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp flax seeds
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

(I totally made that up on the fly. I had the ingredients laying around and hoped for the best. It worked.)

“Wet Wash” Ingredients:

  • 1 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk (just 45 calories!)
  • 1 tbsp raw agave syrup
  • 2 tbsp yellow curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

I rinsed and patted dry six tilapia filets, which was roughly 1.5 pounds. I then laid them in the milk bath for about 10 minutes, letting them soak up the flavors and sweetness from the wet wash.

Taking one piece at a time, I tossed them in a small dish with the flour mixture until they were LIGHTLY COATED, then shook off the excess. On a very lightly greased (I use PAM olive oil spray) cookie sheet, I spread the filets out so there was about 1/2 an inch between them.

Bake at 300 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and flip the tilapia over. (Mine were about 80% cooked; still a little soft in the center.)

Raise the temperature to 500 (BROIL) and replace the tray of fish into the oven. Allow to cook about 5-6 minutes.

They should get nice and browned, crunchy and delicious. They had a natural sweetness to them from the coconut and agave syrup, so neither my husband nor I needed a sauce. They stayed moist because of the fast cook time, but I will admit that deep-frying them would have likely made them even better!

I served them alongside Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes and steamed broccoli. A very healthy, Paleo-friendly meal to start the work week!

Bon appetit, my friends!

Tori

Related Articles:

Quick Paleo Dinner: Coconut Crusted Tilapia & Garlic Broccoli

Paleo Vegetable Side Dishes

Paleo Recipes (www.nomnompaleo.com)

Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater!

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Remember that old adage from elementary school?

“Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!”

Never has it been more true for this yo-yo. Not only have I been cheating on my Paleo diet, I’ve been cheating with… you guessed it… PUMPKIN!

The Pumpkin Spice Latte is back at Starbucks and it happens to be my greatest weakness:

This is the same sign that will adorn the gates of Heaven. Or Hell. Probably both, except it's calorie-free at the Northern gates.

This is the same sign that will adorn the gates of Heaven. Or Hell. Probably both, except it’s calorie-free at the Northern locale.

I normally try to avoid both pure sugar and dairy, yet I find it nearly impossible to this time of the year.  Late August through the holidays = kryptonite to us pumpkin-lovers!

Why, oh why, did a cruel Barista feel the need to introduce me to this decadent temptation two years ago?

I’ve been an addict ever since.

If you can resist the lure of these sirens, you're a f*cking saint. Image Source: http://media.northjersey.com/images/1028F_starbuckspumpkin40p.jpg

If you can resist the lure of these sirens, you’re a f*cking saint.
Image Source: http://media.northjersey.com/images/1028F_starbuckspumpkin40p.jpg

And, since I’m cheating with these dairy killers (even ordering the nonfat version with no whipped cream, it’s still over 260 calories for a grande – and I never get less than a venti!), I’m allowing myself to have my other dairy favorite:

SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD!!!

SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD!!!

Chobani Nonfat Plain Yogurts!

At least these protein-packed dairy-bombs feature far less sugar (just 7g!) and deliver a whopping 18g of protein – so it’s probably one of the healthiest of all cheats. Of course, dairy is normally eliminated from the Paleo diet due to the mucus-development that ensues and the gastrointestinal disdain your stomach feels for you after it’s passed through… but damn, it’s so good.

So, yeah, between PSLs and Chobani dream-cups (my new nickname for ’em), I’ve been cheating my way right to the scale the last 48 hours. Although, I don’t plan to weigh myself this week until Friday (I’m really trying to get down to 1-2x per week versus daily), so I won’t actually know what damage I may be causing to my Paleo weight loss success for a few more days.

On that note, I can really go for a latte before my workout tonight!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~Tori

Labor Day Breakfast!

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With a fridge full of Farmer’s Market goodies, I knew breakfast was going to be delicious today. I just had no idea it was going to be FOODGASMIC.

I started off by sautéing a fresh, sweet red pepper. You know, one that I got for just 25 cents at the market yesterday!

Focused on protein, I sliced up an Alfresco Sweet Apple Chicken sausage, which are currently BOGO at Publix until Wednesday:

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I added them to the pan with the seared red onions and quick cooked them until everything was browned and smelled intoxicating.

Seriously, it's a work of art!

Seriously, it’s a work of art!

 

One fried egg over top and a slice of toasted Rudi’s Original Bread and I was in LABOR DAY BREAKFAST HEAVEN!

Under 400 calories, all freshly prepared in under 10 minutes, and packed full of protein and flavor for a fun day off!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Easiest Eggplant Recipe EVER!

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One of my favorite dishes in the WORLD is Eggplant Parmesan. Of course, that’s basically one of the least healthy preparation methods for vegetables you can think of.

My alternative to that is the following recipe, which tastes DELICIOUS, is super cheap (under $5), and super quick.

Ingredients:

  • Giant, fresh eggplant, sliced about 1 inch thick.
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Garlic Powder
  • Dried Basil
  • Dried Oregano
  • Kraft Romano Parmesan Shaker
  • Sliced cherry, Roma, or beefsteak tomatoes (your preference.)
  • Breadcrumbs (optional)

As a VEGAN option, replace regular Parmesan with a soy or almond-milk alternative. There are several to choose from!

The night before, slice your eggplant and throw it into one of those giant (gallon) plastic bags. Add the olive oil (I use roughly 2 tbsp) and the balsamic vinegar (roughly 1 tbsp) to the bag. Target also makes an awesome mixture of the two which is only 90 calories per serving, great for those of us who find using two bottles of sauce too complicated.

Shake well to evenly coat the sliced eggplant, then add the garlic powder, basil, and oregano. Allow to marinate overnight.

Ignore the broccoli. I was prepping another meal simultaneously. I'm nothing if not a multi-tasker!

Ignore the broccoli. I was prepping another meal simultaneously. I’m nothing if not a multi-tasker!

The next day, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

While it’s preheating, lay out the marinated eggplant on an un-greased cookie sheet. Cover each slice of eggplant with tomato (I prefer beefsteak, as they create a nice silhouette on the eggplant) and then shake some Parmesan over the top. If you like breadcrumbs, now is the time to add them, as well. In addition to this, I normally sprinkle on a little extra basil, salt, and pepper – totally optional.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until desired softness. If you’re feeling crazy, feel free to add some 2% mozzarella cheese (or Daiya, if you’re Paleo like me!) and broil at 500 degrees for an additional 3-5 minutes to melt the cheese.

I eat these as is but I serve them alongside marina sauce for my husband, who likes to dunk everything (including babies, I’m sure) into some sort of sauce.

Each slice of eggplant is roughly 65-75 calories if you DON’T add the extra cheese and breadcrumbs. With the additional items, each is probably increased to 90-100 calories. Which is totally worth it, considering two big slices fills me up and a third slice makes me STUFFED.

A great dinner or side dish and perfect for those on Paleo, vegetarian, or calorie-cutting diets! 🙂

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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Farmer’s Markets – The Way to Go!

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One of the most common things I hear from people hesitant to “reform” their eating habits is that it’s “too expensive” to eat more fresh fruits and veggies. A few years ago, I likely would have believed that. Anyone who goes into their local Publix to stock up on fresh staples knows that you can easily drop $50 on a week’s worth of fresh fruits and veggies – and that’s if you go for what’s on sale and/or in season.

Fortunately, most cities – big or small – feature a weekend Farmer’s Market which is the BEST place to go if you’re focus is to get healthy on a budget.

My grandmother stayed the weekend with me (she just turned 71 on 8/30 – wish that lady a Happy Birthday, would ya?!) and we made it a point to hit TWO Farmer’s Markets this morning.

The first market, featured at Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando, I picked up the following:

  • One GIANT eggplant: $2
  • Yellow squash (5): $2.50
  • Carton of fresh cut, organic watermelon: $4
  • Fresh mango, skinned and sliced: $4
  • GIANT sweet onion: $1 (see picture below)
  • Poblano peppers (2): $1
  • Organic apples (4): $3
  • Organic pears (2): $1.50
That is one of the biggest onions I've ever seen. It must weigh two pounds.

That is one of the biggest onions I’ve ever seen. It must weigh two pounds.

At the second market, at the beautiful Lake Lily in Maitland, I was thrilled to discover the prices were EVEN LOWER:

  • Sweet potatoes (2): $1.25
  • Bunches of green onion (4): $2
  • Mixed peppers (4): $1 (what a steal!)
  • Fresh, chopped broccoli: $1.25
  • Limes (4): $1
  • Kale: $1.50
  • Bunch of Chives: $1

Seriously, look at this haul:

I forgot to take a picture BEFORE I started prepping the veggies, so don't judge the plastic baggies in the back corner.

I forgot to take a picture BEFORE I started prepping the veggies, so don’t judge the plastic baggies in the back corner.

This is EASILY enough fruit and veggies to last me a week (minimum) and I spent less than $30 in total for everything. To be honest, the pre-cut watermelon and mango were splurge items, as the Lake Lily market had whole mangoes for just $0.75 each. The same goes for watermelon: I could have purchased a WHOLE watermelon for just $3, but I know how lazy I am when it comes to preparation, so the $8 I spent on those two items was more out of expected apathy than thrift.

For less than it costs for a meal out for two (no cocktails, no appetizer), I literally have enough fresh fruits and veggies to eat for two weeks on my own. As a reformed vegetarian, I could happily live on veggies myself for weeks, but my husband, a die-hard carnivore, begs for steak, chicken, or fish as an accompaniment. Still, factoring in a package of organic chicken at Publix (currently on sale), a bag of wild Alaskan salmon, and the BOGO on baby back ribs at Fresh Market, I will literally feed my husband and I for less than $60 this week and it’ll all be fresh, mostly organic, and HEALTHY.

So… what’s your excuse for NOT eating well again?

I’m pretty sure this is significantly cheaper than dining out 3x per week and picking up fast food the other days.

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

My New Obsession: Rudi’s Original Gluten-Free Bread

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Despite staying under 1,300 calories per day and working out 5-6 days per week, my weight has creeped up a tiny bit this week. I’m back up to 135.8 as of this morning.

I’m not freaking out, though, as there are a lot of factors contributing to it:

  • I’ve doubled up on strength workouts. And we all know that muscle weighs more than fat. Cheeky bastard, that muscle tissue.
  • Don’t want to get into TMI-territory, but I’m at the special time in a lady’s cycle that causes her to eat chocolate, cry unnecessarily, and gain a lot of water weight. And punch people. Yeaaaaah, punch people.
  • I’ve discovered the most delicious “cheat food” in the world: Rudi’s Original Gluten Free Bread!
Can I pull a Lady Gaga and make a dress out of this? I want to just roll around in a massive pile of this bread and eat my way out of it.

Can I pull a Lady Gaga and make a dress out of this? I want to just roll around in a massive pile of this bread and eat my way out of it.

Seriously, this sh*t is crack to me.

Last week, as I perused the aisles of Publix, bored and hungry, I happened to spot a beloved BOGO sale in the frozen section for the bread. Normally, I try to stick with my Paleo-approved coconut bread from Julian’s Bakery, but at $6.99 per loaf and $15 shipping (not to mention a six loaf minimum order!), I haven’t been able to restock lately. Not that I don’t like $12 turkey sandwiches packed into my lunch-pal and all, but for $4.99 for TWO LOAVES of this Rudi’s Original Gluten-Free (plus dairy and soy free!) bread, I decided to try it out (and excuse the fact that it included the forbidden rice flour) this one time.

Best decision ever.

Skeptical as I was, I decided to have my first slice of this bread on Monday night as I ate my leftover pasta (miracle noodle) dish from the weekend. I toasted a single slice (90 calories, 17g carbs) in the toaster over and used it to lap up the remaining tomato sauce.

HOLY CRAP.

This bread has a fluffy, wonderful Wonder-bread (sinful!) texture and the flavor of the ever-fattening picnic staple: POTATO bread. It melts on your tongue with a very buttery flavor – which explains the 90 calories per slice – and I could barely stop myself from wolfing the slice down in three bites.

Rudi’s, you’ve outdone yourself here. This is the BEST gluten-free product I’ve had so far. It perfectly replaces the texture and flavor of even the richest glutinous bread and I feel no depravity using this for a sandwich over any other freshly-baked option out there.

Needless to say, I sent my husband out to buy SIX MORE LOAVES (come on, they’re BOGO – I’m not being obsessive) to stock up my freezer and I’ve been eating 1-2 slices daily this whole week. Considering I’m normally VERY low on my sugars, this could be a contributing factor to my two pound weight gain so far this week.

You know what?

The bread is damn worth it.

Even though the BOGO sale at Publix is over, I did find a $1.00 off coupon for it (you’re welcome!) in case any of my readers now feel compelled to test it out. I promise, you won’t be sorry. DELICIOUS!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Steady Progress

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For the second weekend in a row, I maintained control.

CONTROL.

No binge eating or drinking. No diet failures. CONTROL.

This morning, I was 133.8 on the scale.

I really ought to wipe down my glass scale once in a while.

I really ought to wipe down my glass scale once in a while.

MY LOWEST WEIGHT SINCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

I worked out Saturday. I took a long walk on Sunday. Outside of a HUGE dinner (with friends) on Saturday night, I watched my calories, ate clean, and didn’t splurge.

My goal is to be under 128 by October 4th, 2013.

While it is a bit frustrating that I can’t “spot-reduce” this weight loss (my weight all seems to be coming off of my rib cage/waist and not the much needed thighs/hips area), I’m still making steady – and HEALTHY – progress.

Seriously. No more weight needs to come off of my rib cage. These thunder thighs would love to see some trimming, though.

Seriously. No more weight needs to come off of my rib cage. These thunder thighs would love to see some trimming, though.

Just 5-6 more pounds until I hit my goal.

GYM. CLEAN EATING. GYM. CLEAN EATING. GYM.

I can do this.

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori