Wednesday, February 29, 2012

shmaleo biscuits

     Because my family is so fond of the homemade sausage gravy and biscuits I've been making (with regular unbleached AP flour) I have been hesitant to change it up, letting that be our once a week detour from a paleo diet (still, even so, we're not legalistic).  The past two weekends, however, I got permission to experiment with it a little.  I have a great book on my Kindle, called Paleo Comfort Foods, which I highly recommend, so I came up with a biscuit hybrid, and as of this morning, a gravy hybrid.  When I think of hybrid I think of saving money, and since cooking with almond flour is more costly than with regular flour, sometimes I find a way to use a little of both (adding the health benefit of using less grain flour, while still being easy on the wallet...also, this eases my family into the transition to the completely paleo biscuits and gravy, which is my secret goal, mwahahahaha!).  So, what I did was the following recipe:

The biscuits:
  • 1 cup blanched almond flour
  • 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp butter (chilled)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, with the rack in the middle.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Mix the above dry ingredients with a whisk. Add the coconut oil and butter, mixing in with fingertips until you've worked it in and the flour mixture is meal-like.  I usually grab small handfuls and rub it between my hands at the fingertips to break it up.  Then, make a well in your dry ingredients and add the buttermilk.  Stir until mixed well, then put about 1/3 cup size blobs onto your baking sheet and sort of shape them into biscuit-looking shapes, just not real flat (I'd say mine are about 1- 1 1/2 inches high).  They're basically drop biscuits that I give a little shape to.  I usually fit about 8 on my sheet, they will spread out a little.  Pop them into the oven for about 13-15 minutes, until they're slightly browned on the edges.
The gravy:
  • 1 pound extra sage (or whatever) pork sausage (in our neck of the woods we use Neese's)
  • 1 tbsp almond flour
  • 1 tbsp unbleached AP flour
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
  • 1 1/2 - 2 cups milk, or coconut milk
Completely brown the sausage, getting it good and crumbly.  Add the three dry ingredients and stir until dissolved, then slowly add the milk.  I'd say start with the lesser amount and add more to get the gravy the consistency you prefer.  You may want to sprinkle a little salt over it, as well, depending on preference, I usually do a little.  Stir constantly, then remove from the heat.  

Cut the biscuits in half (you're actually just cutting the top off), and put a big spoonful of the sausage and gravy on each half.  Or, do like I do and put gravy on one half and some homemade preserves on the other, to get both sweet and salty!

Once I get my coconut flour I'm going to make these paleo all the way, so I'll report back on how that goes later.  Happy Leap Year, everyone! (Is that a thing?)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

this week's eats

     What's better on a snowy day when the kids are all home from school?  Chicken zoodle soup!  I didn't have any thyme, but the chicken base that I dilute for stock was plenty flavorful, plus I added a couple dashes of crushed red pepper.  Also, I pretty much doubled the amount of broth/stock that the recipe called for, otherwise it was more like stew, and I wanted to have some for leftovers.  My eleven-year old has probably eaten half of what all I made, and even took some to school for his lunch!  I love the idea of the julienned zucchini in place of noodles, and I got to learn how to use the julienne blade on my new food processor, very cool.
     So, this morning I got up early and made another batch of the paleo granola bars, this time with Sunbutter, and they turned out delicious.  They sort of want to fall apart more than last time, perhaps because I was a little short on shredded coconut, but I think if I individually wrap them like before and toss them into the freezer they'll come together better.  I found some interesting websites that tell you how to make homemade coconut milk and flour, if anybody is interested.  Jon (hubby) thinks it sounds like a lot of trouble, but I may experiment with it once to be able to say firsthand whether it's worth the trouble.  You can find the website here.  I do not share her sentiments on other topics, but that is neither here nor there, some of what she has to say is useful.  That is all.  I'm going.  To say.  About.  That.  Without pissing somebody off.
     Since hubby was not here for dinner last night, the boys had cheeseburgers (with buns, they all felt sick later...interesting), baby girl had chicken zoodle soup, and I had these leftovers (which I'd actually made with a cup and half of cooked quinoa since I inadvertently used my cauliflower in another recipe, and that seemed like a good fill-in, which it was!).  Breakfast this morning was bacon and eggs, I'm getting ready to feed them lunch (most likely turkey, cheese, and some fruit), and for dinner tonight I am making the Thai green curry dish I posted about before.  Other meals I've got planned are the sausage and cabbage "noodles," salmon cakes with green bean casserole, without the cracker topping, and probably one of my kids' favorites: bun-less bacon cheeseburgers with the fried apples recipe I mentioned in a previous post.  You literally don't miss the bun, and eat it with a fork and knife like a big juicy steak!  I will probably make Elana Amsterdam's almond flour chocolate chip scones out of her almond flour cookbook (find her here), sans agave nectar, I use sugar instead.  Plain old white sugar, because I will be taking back the bag of evaporated cane juice I just bought at BJ's yesterday (unopened) after reading this, and several other articles.  Hubby has been trying to tell me this, but what can I say other than that I can be gullible?  Trying to be less so, though.
     I have probably linked you to death in this post, and you probably think all I do is pirate other people's creativity, but as a busy mom of four I am more comfortable at this stage of my life with benefitting from the wisdom and know-how of people who have the time and resources to experiment with ingredients to come up with fabulous recipes for the rest of us.  I would much rather eat and enjoy, and still have time to sit on the couch with kids piled all around me while we read together (right now it's the Gregor the Overlander series, we're almost finished with book four!).  Plus, I cite my sources, thus all the links...

Saturday, February 18, 2012

paleo granola bars

     Just so I don't get into any trouble, let me make it clear that I'm not claiming this recipe as my own, as I'll include the link.  I'll just fill you in on how I made these as "shmaleo granola bars," and by all means make these as the recipe calls for.  First, the recipe.  What I did change was I used up the last of some natural peanut butter that I had, my sesame seeds smelled old so I omitted them, and what I had on hand was whole roasted almonds (BJ's), which I pulsed for a bit in the processor along with the pepitos and sunflower seeds.  I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips, and the result was so yummy!  I cut them somewhat small, probably 1 1/2 by 3 inches or so, which sounds small but they've got some heft to them.  Also, I was trying to be as economical about the whole production as possible, and I think it made somewhere around 30 bars.  My big boys (11 and 14) requested 2 bars in their school lunches, however, so perhaps I will cut them a little bigger next time.  The size I cut them seemed to have about 15 grams of carbs, because of the honey, mainly, and Zach's blood sugar did well with them.  My oldest, Mychael, said he felt like they gave him more energy (yay!), and my 11-year old, Nathan, said they made him have to use the bathroom (yay for fiber!).  Both loved them, and they are my pickier eaters.  I will probably make one batch a week, but when you consider the cost of other protein bars per weight, I would say this is much more economical.  I did purchase some Sunbutter (Company Shops in Burlington didn't have the organic no sugar added variety, this jar has 7 grams per 2 Tbsp, identical to Skippy peanut butter), which my kids dramatically gag over, but I think I can hide it in these bars and truly make these paleo.  I'll report back on how that goes!
     My sister-in-law reports that the paleo crackers found on the same website as the granola bars are delicious, as well, so I'll be trying that in the near future.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Monday, February 13, 2012

getting started

     I had a conversation with a friend last night that reminded me of some good points that need to be made, especially in the starting out phase of adopting a paleo-ish diet.  For one thing, she wanted to know, if you are doing away with things like potato chips and bread (especially with lunchtime in mind), what do you replace those things with?  One suggestion I had, especially if bread is going to be a hard thing to give up, is to start out by just cutting in half how much bread you use.  Even now, if I have a turkey sandwich, it's only a half.  I also told her that I like having something with a crunch to it, giving chip-type things their appeal, so we do crisp apple slices instead.  You won't miss chips (and I thought I couldn't live without Veggie Straws!).  Some of us also like celery with peanut butter (or other nut spread), or carrots, and I always have some kind of nut on hand when I'm in a snacking mood.  I tend to graze all day long, given I have the luxury since I'm a stay at home mom, so having good stuff to snack on has been the key to success for me.  Prunes, almonds, pistachios, leftover vegetables from the night before, Slim Jims, and cheese are my snacks during the day, although I try not to overdo it.  We haven't done bread/rolls with dinner for quite some time, although we would consider it a treat to get a freshly baked crusty baguette on occasion.  Cutting back almost completely on that sort of thing has not caused me to crave or even miss it, strangely enough, which I consider to be progress.  I confess to still using a little sugar or Splenda in my coffee, but not all the time, sometimes a little half and half is sufficient (since we do dairy).
     Another trick of ours since my son was diagnosed with diabetes is to keep a bag of dark chocolate on hand.  That way, when we have a craving for something sweet I don't necessarily make a pan of brownies (the almond flour recipe I mentioned in a previous post...forgot to mention, by the way, that I usually substitute arrowroot powder for cornstarch as a thickener), and one piece of Dove dark chocolate is only 4 grams of carbs.  Not having stuff in your pantry that you're trying to avoid is at least half the battle!
     Since I alway try to include a recipe in each post, I will tell you what we had with dinner last night.  I buy a big bag of Green Giant Brussels sprouts at BJ's, and typically we've done the oven roasted version.  Since we had something else cooking in the oven my husband decided to stir fry them in 2 Tbsp of coconut oil, a little butter, a few splashes of soy sauce (coconut aminos can be substituted for people trying to strictly follow a paleo diet), sea salt and pepper.  Jon got the oil super hot before adding the Brussels sprouts (cut in half), and allowed them to brown pretty well (especially on the cut side).  They were so delicious, and the kids all said they liked them better that way.  So, good to know!
     One more thing I want to mention is that we are definitely observing that Zach's insulin sensitivity is much improved after making the changes we've made to our eating habits.  If I underestimate how much insulin he needs for something and he goes high, with a correction he comes right on down, as opposed to showing resistance and staying high (therefore requiring more than one correction...he wears a pump).  I will say that pasta and pizza crust are like kryptonite when it comes to insulin, so if you're a diabetic or are cooking for a child with diabetes, you can make your life a whole lot easier by avoiding these two things.  Also, Mexican food falls into that category, as well, in case you haven't made that discovery for yourself.  The times my son has worn a continuous glucose monitor have been very eye-opening, in terms of how different foods affect his blood sugar.  Pay attention to glycemic index, for sure.
     Tomorrow is that dreaded Valentine's Day (should be called Pancreas Day), glad we've avoided the big kid parties with all that mess.  We're heading to a yogurt place with some family where we can enjoy a good no sugar added treat!  There are plenty of paleo recipes out there for cut-out cookies you can do in the shape of a heart, if you're feeling more festive, like this one:  Orange-strawberry nut-free cut out cookies.

Friday, February 10, 2012

baby steps

     So, we have been taking baby steps toward eating a paleo diet, and one of the first things I did (right after Christmas) was to stop buying anything potato chip-y, white potatoes (I confess, I have bought one bag to do some mashed potatoes, my kids were ecstatic), rice, pasta, and cereal.  We have a good supply of plain Cheerios from a BJ's trip, but that's about the only thing my Zach can have without having a super spike with his blood sugar.  Still, I typically will make omelets, bacon, scrambled eggs, or a recipe I absolutely love that I recently discovered, almond flour coconut waffles.
     That's breakfast.  Lunch is a little more challenging, especially as far as what to pack my two older boys that attend middle school at a nearby charter school, and I confess they're a bit spoiled.  Every couple of weeks I make a huge batch of chimichangas (using flour tortillas...I know, I know), so that I can send them with one of those, a piece of fruit, and some kind of treat, whether a piece of chocolate or homemade almond flour brownies.  I have come across some recipes for making homemade tortillas with coconut flour, which I just need to take the time to make.  Sometimes they get leftovers, and as a matter of fact, Nathan took leftovers from last night's dinner, the curry dish I mentioned in my last post.  I would love some ideas on what to pack in kids' lunches that are paleo-friendly, so feel free to leave comments.
     Dinner is when I really get to play, and it has been a tremendous amount of therapeutic fun to explore and prepare new, healthy meals for my family.  Can I just add, too, that to get the most out of preparing dinner for your family, it should become a special time of day to look forward to.  What I mean by that is pour yourself a little wine, if you enjoy wine, cut a piece of cheese or two, put on some music that you feel adds to the mood, and let cooking for your family be a wonderful experience.  Oh, and did I mention that you should ban children to another part of the house?  This can make it less than relaxing and rejuvenating...although I do make exceptions to my own rule since my daughter also enjoys that time of day to be with me and help in the kitchen.  Sometimes, however, it is necessary to have that time be alone time to get the full benefit.  I find that if I can be focused, I am aware of the aromas I am creating on a completely different level...this has to be experienced, it can't really be explained.  I guess you could say it is my Zen time, much like folding laundry at night when the house is quiet and still.
     Snacks consist of raw fruit, nuts like pistachios (or as my nephew adorably calls them, mustachios) and almonds, cheese, lunch meat (nitrate and nitrite-free, except we occasionally indulge in beef jerky, yum!), and popcorn.  Also, might I add that I almost always carry bottled water with me anywhere I go, because thirst is often mistaken for hunger, and we're less likely to drive through somewhere or pick up other snacks because we feel like we're hungry.  Plus, it gives you energy.
     You can probably gather from recipes posted thus far the types of things in my pantry.  I use coconut oil if a coconut-y flavor is okay in a recipe (you can buy more refined coconut oil that doesn't have the flavor, but we really like the organic extra virgin stuff), even replacing butter in brownies with it.  We recently bought 5 big jars of coconut oil from vitacost.com at a great price, FYI, and we buy blanched almond flour in bulk from Honeyville.  Next on my list to get is coconut flour, coconut sugar, and Sunbutter, and I buy a big container of Hershey's baking cocoa about once a month at BJ's for homemade brownies.  Obviously, that's not the extent of what I have on hand, but I thought I would just mention some of the staples.
     I will leave you with a recipe that we all love, make substitutions or changes to suit your preferences (my husband adds a splash of soy sauce, which I realize is not paleo but again, we're not purists...yet).  The fried apples are so yummy, no added sugar, and my kids literally fight over them.  Happy cooking!

Sausage-N-Cabbage Noodles With Fried Apples

Thursday, February 9, 2012

welcome to our world

When my son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes almost five years ago, our family was already taking steps toward healthier eating.  Perhaps it was watching Supersize Me that gave us the initial jolt, motivating us to begin making changes, or maybe we had experienced that sensitization that people experience when they become parents where they want to raise their children in the healthiest environment possible.  For us, that didn't just mean our kids' external environment, but, like a lot of people, we began to examine our choices in light of what a lifetime of eating ultimately translates into.  While we don't subscribe to the contradictory practice of worrying about everything that goes into our mouths (let me clarify, because I am overly aware of my grammar these days, that we each have only one mouth, in case that part wasn't clear!), we do know that healthy eating does require more planning and preparation than stuff out of a box.  Over the past five years we've experimented with grinding our own wheat and making homemade bread, eating a vegetarian diet, low carb eating, and then relapsing into good old southern cuisine such as chicken pie and grits.  Okay, here's where I switch over to first person singular (see what I mean about the grammar preoccupation? I must be a homeschool mom...).  My plan/goal for this particular blog is simply to share what we've learned, and continue to learn, on this food journey.  I have chosen to call this blog Paleo Shmaleo because while we've recently embarked on eating a paleolithic diet, we are not strictly adhering to it.  For one thing, we love peanut butter.  For another thing, my husband is a died-in-the-wool southerner, he's got to have his pinto beans.  Also, dairy has been our go-to food group for the past five years, especially when my son is hungry, yet can't have carbs because of a high blood sugar.  It's called string cheese, people.  I have posted on Facebook a bunch of paleo recipes fairly recently, always with huge interest on the part of my Facebook friends, so I sort of feel like this blog has been created with this interest in mind.  Not that there aren't a gazillion blogs out there about paleo, with so many amazing recipes you could spend all day perusing.  But I would like to share about how we've approached this, how it relates to diabetes, what cost might look like, with the hope that my readers will find their own personal way of adopting healthy eating that is easy on mind, body, and wallet.  In my next post I will give you the low-down on how my pantry has changed, so stay tuned.  For now, it's off to cook this amazing dish:

Thai green curry