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Top Apps in 2012 for the Paleo Diet

FEBRUARY 24, 2012 BY TOAD 13 COMMENTS

Do you have an iPhone, Droid, Blackberry or other smart phone? I don’t. I can’t even check email on my phone. I guess this is one reason why I would be the last person in this world to write this post. This is why when Melanie contacted me via email about publishing this article on my blog I agreed. Let us know in the comment section what primal/paleo apps you use!

I’ll let her take it from here!

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6 pieces of technology to satisfy your inner caveman

The Caveman Diet, also called the Paleo Diet, focuses on the theory that to attain optimal fitness, we should be looking to our ancestors and eat what the cavemen did. It’s true; as far as processed, sugar-laden foods, and fast food menus—cavemen had none of it. Instead, the Paleo Diet focuses on mostly lean meats, certain vegetables, and nuts for added muscle-building protein.

Members of the CrossFit exercise program adhere to the Paleo Diet in order to first, shed unwanted pounds, and second, to enhance muscular physique. CrossFit is a grueling exercise program that requires a serious nutrition plan, like Paleo, to fuel workouts.

Because we have a lot more on the go than our cavemen ancestors (no offense to the innovation of the wheel), present day Paleo Diet aficionados are able to turn to a variety of iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android apps downloaded on T-Mobile HTC Phones, and any other mobile devices, to keep your inner caveman happy…

1. Paleo Diet Recipes: A Cookbook for a Modern Paleolithic Diet ($3.99 – for iPhone)

A current day caveman diet follows many of the principals set forth by the Gluten Free Diet, the Dairy Free, and the Soy Free Diet (what proper caveman eats soy anyhow?). This means your diet will consist of mainly fresh lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, and fish, poultry, as well as certain fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts, and seasoned with only natural herbs and from-the-earth spices. Many find it hard to abstain from grains, dairy, salt, refined sugar, and processed foods for the first few months. That’s where the Paleo Diet Recipes app comes in. Chalked full of delicious and nutritious recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus, you’ll find a smorgasbord of dessert, salad, and snack ideas as well.

2. Paleo Caveman Diet ($2.99 – for iPhone)

Body builders and athletes alike love the Paleo Diet because it helps burn body fat while building body muscle. Who can argue with hundreds of thousands of years of evolution of the human species? Just in case you get stuck, the Paleo Caveman Diet app offers a concise guide on what foods you can and can’t eat, but better than that, it explains why your body requires certain foods over others. This app also features a Weight Tracker tool that helps track body weight and daily meals via a daily food journal. And you’ll also have the support of thousands of fresh recipe ideas, a 24-7 discussion forum of other Paleo dieters, and a handy food planner that will keep you kosher with your hunter-gatherer ancestors.

3. Xercise ($3.99 – for BlackBerry)

Since many Paleo Dieters are also CrossFit exercise enthusiasts, why not download this BlackBerry app that will connect you to hundreds of demo videos for the most effective CrossFit exercises? Not only that, the Xercise app functions as a workout log that tracks your maximum lifting effort and personal records on speed and number of repetitions, a workout timer, as well as a tool that can export your workout logs from XML to your BlackBerry smart phone.

4. Workout Timer (Free – for BlackBerry)

Want a real challenge for your CrossFit workouts? Download this configurable count-down workout interval timer to help you improve the speed of your CrossFit Endurance, Navy Seals, and Special Tactics workouts. Keeping track when you’re sweaty, this timer comes preloaded with a Tabata workout that you can customize to your own time, rest, and repeat preferences.

5. Paleo Diet Shopping List ($2.00 – for Android)

When you first start a new diet, grocery shopping can be really confusing. The Paleo DietShopping List app takes the guess work out of grocery shopping and keeps you on track with your caveman ways. Just download the app and you’ll have instant access to a shopping list that includes every item you can eat via an easy-t0- use, customizable grocery shopping list.

6. PaleoGoGo ($4.00 – for Android)

Sometimes eating out is totally unavoidable even for cavemen. The PaleoGoGo app was created, providing instant access to over 2,000 caveman-approved meal options at over 300+ familiar U.S. restaurant chains. When eating out can’t be helped, you can count on PaleoGoGo to help you stay on track when you’re traveling, eating out with family and friends, or dining out for special occasions. Take the guesswork out of eating out with PaleoGoGo’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner options on the go. Plus, you can create a list of favorite restaurant items so you’re never caught in a primal pinch again.

Author bio: Melanie Gray is a writer for Andgeeks, a popular site that provides Android news, commentary, reviews and beginner Android tips for Droid newbies.

whole 30

There are lots and lots of websites for both makers and whole 30. I will do my best to post lots of each so you can make the best decision for YOUR life.

http://whole9life.com/2011/10/whole-30-v5/

http://paleobetty.com/

http://nomnompaleo.com/

Whole30: Day-By-Day!

Is it possible to get through 30 straight days of strict Paleo eating? Can an obsessive foodie with a lifelong addiction to sugar, grains, dairy and legumes manage to completely ditch the stuff for a full month without breaking down and bingeing on pizza and cookies? And if so, will she look, feel and perform better as a result?

Yes, yes, and yes.

The Whole30, of course, is Whole9’s super-Paleo protocol. The objective of this monthlong nutritional “reset” is to strip all the Neolithic crap — “the inflammatory, insulin-spiking, calorie-dense but nutritionally sparse food groups” — from your diet, thereby allowing you to “heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be provoking.”

Full disclosure: For a good half-year before starting the Whole30, I’d already been pretty good about staying on the Paleo straight-and-narrow. I’d stopped eating all the sugary delights that used to taunt me from bakery windows and supermarket shelves. I’d mournfully tossed all the dried beans I’d stockpiled from Rancho Gordo. I’d even given up pizza. Still, I indulged in a few things here and there that — while acceptable under certain Primal/Paleo guidelines — weren’t going to cut it under a strict regimen of ancestral eating. I’m talking about goodies like bacon, super-dark chocolate, ghee, grass-fed butter, Tanka Bars and homemade beef jerky marinated contaminated with soy sauce. In other words, some of my favorite stuff.

The promise of the Whole30, however, was compelling:

This will change your life.

We cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact – the next 30 days will change your life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings.

I was sold.

So what can a modern cavewoman eat while on the Whole30?

Real, natural, unprocessed food: Meat, fish, eggs, veggies, a little fruit, and lots of good fats.

And what can’t be eaten under the Whole30 plan? Here’s the skinny, straight from Melissa and Dallas:

• [No] added sugar of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc. Read your labels, because companies sneak sugar into products in all kinds of ways.
• Do not eat processed foods. This includes protein shakes, pre-packaged snacks/meals, protein bars, milk substitutes, etc.
• Do not drink alcohol, in any form.
• Do not eat grains. This includes (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, millet, oats, corn, rice, sprouted grains and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa. (Yes, we said corn!) This also includes all the ways we add wheat, corn and rice into our foods in the form of bran, germ, starch and so on. Again, read your labels.
• Do not eat legumes. This includes beans (black, kidney, lima, etc.), peas, lentils, and peanuts or peanut butter. This also includes all forms of soy – soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all the ways we sneak soy into foods (like lecithin).
• Do not eat dairy. This includes all cow, goat or sheep’s milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, whey, ice cream, etc.
• Do not eat white potatoes. It’s arbitrary, but they are carbohydrate-dense and nutrient poor, and also a nightshade.
• Most importantly… do not try to shove your old, unhealthy diet into a shiny new Whole30 mold. This means no “Paleo-fying” less-than-healthy recipes – no “Paleo” pancakes, “Paleo” pizza, “Paleo” fudge or “Paleo” ice cream. Don’t mimic poor food choices during your Whole30 program!

MAKERS: food you CAN eat!

So if you want to get on the makers plan then this is the post for you. This is the food you CAN eat during phase one. Phase one is the hardest/worst. You gradually will introduce new foods in phase 2 and 3 and in the process you are training your body to stop craving crap (sorry but there is just no other word for all the delicious things we love so much).

Approved Maker's Diet Food List

For your reference, here is the total list of approved foods from Jordan Rubin's The Maker's Diet. These are the eating guidelines that I follow.

Notice that there are 3 phases. Phase 1 is very restricted in order to cleanse the body of toxins. Phase 2 is still fairly restricted, but some new food items are added in. Phase 3 consists of how to eat for the rest of your life in order to maintain optimal health.


Phase I: Foods to Enjoy (2 weeks)

Meat (grass-fed/organic is best)
Beef
Lamb
Venison
Veal
Buffalo
Elk
Goat
Meat bone stock/soup
Liver and heart (must be organic)
Beef or buffalo sausage or hot dogs (no pork casing—organic and nitrite/nitrate free is best) (Use sparingly in phase 1.)

Fish (Wild freshwater/ocean-caught fish is best; make sure it has fins and scales!)
Salmon
Tuna
Halibut cod
Scrod
Brouper
Haddock
Mahi mahi
Pompano
Wahoo
Trout
Tilapia
Orange roughy
Sea bass
Snapper
Mackerel
Herring
Sole
Whitefish
Fish bone soup/stock
Salmon (canned in spring water)
Tuna (canned in spring water)
Sardines (canned in water or olive oil only)

Poultry (pastured/organic is best)
Chicken
Cornish game hen
Guinea fowl
Turkey
Duck
Poultry bone soup/stock
Chicken or turkey bacon (no pork casing—organic and nitrite/nitrate free is best) (Use sparingly in phase 1.)
Liver and heart (must be organic)

Eggs (high omega-3/DHA is best)
Chicken eggs (whole with yolk)
Duck eggs (whole with yolk)

Dairy
Goat’s milk yogurt (plain)
Homemade kefir from goat’s milk
Soft goat’s milk cheese
Goat’s milk hard cheese
Sheep’s milk hard cheeses

Fats and oils (organic is best)
Ghee
Goat’s milk butter
Cow’s milk, butter, organic
Avacado
Extra-virgin coconut oil (best for cooking)
Extra-virgin olive oil (not for cooking)
Flaxseed oil (not for cooking)
Hempseed oil (not for cooking)
Goat’s milk butter (not for cooking)
Raw cow’s milk butter, grass fed (not best for cooking)
Expeller-pressed sesame oil
Coconut milk/cream (canned)

Vegetables (organic fresh or frozen is best)
Broccoli
Asparagus
Squash (winter or summer)
Beets
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Eggplant
Garlic
Okra
Cucumber
Pumpkin
Onion
Lettuce
Spinach
Mushrooms
Peppers
Tomatoes
Peas
String beans
Artichoke (French, not Jerusalem)
Leafy greens (kale, collard, broccoli, rabe, mustard greens, etc.)
Raw leafy greens (endive, escarole, radicchio, arugula, frisse, etc.)
Sprouts (broccoli, sunflower, pea shoots, radish, etc.)
Sea vegetables (kelp, dulse, nori, kombu, hijiki)
Raw, fermented vegetables (lacto-fermented only, no vinegar)

Beans and legumes (soaked or fermented is best)
Small amounts of fermented soybean paste (miso) as a broth
Lentils

Nuts and seeds (organic, raw, soaked is best)
Almonds (raw)
Hempseed (raw)
Pumpkinseeds (raw)
Flaxseeds (raw and ground)
Sunflower seeds (raw)
Hempseed butter (raw)
Almond butter (raw)
Sunflower butter (raw)
Pumpkinseed butter (raw)
Tahini, sesame butter (raw)

Condiments, spices, seasonings (organic is best)
Salsa (fresh or canned)
Tomato sauce (no added sugar)
Guacamole (fresh)
Apple cider vinegar
Celtic sea salt (or Real Sea Salt by Redmond)
Mustard
Herbamare seasoning
Omega-3 mayonaise (Spectrum)
Umeboshi paste
Soy sauce (wheat-free), tamari
Raw salad dressings and marinade (recipes in book)
Herbs and spices (no stabilizers)
Pickled ginger (preservative and color free)
Wasabe (preservative and color free)
Organic flavoring extracts (alcohol based, no sugar added), i.e. vanilla, almond, etc.

Fruits (organi fresh or frozen is best)
Blueberries
Strawberries
Blackberries
Raspberries
Cherries
Grapefruit
Lemon
Lime

Beverages
Purified, nonchlorinated water
Natural spring water, no carbonation added (i.e. Perrier)
Herbal teas (preferably organic)—unsweetened or with a small amount of raw honey or
Stevia
Raw vegetable juice (beet or carrot juice—maximum 25 percent of total)
Lacto-fermented beverages (recipes in book)
Certified organic coffee—buy whole beans, freeze them, and grind yourself when
desired; flavor only the organic cream and a small amount of honey.

Sweeteners
Unheated, raw honey in very small amounts (1 Tbsp. per day maximum)

Miscellaneous
Goat’s milk protein powder (Goatein by Garden of Life)

Jan. 2nd

Ok people. It is here. THE day. You know...the day when everyone else in the world starts to diet? This is the day when everyone gets out their dusty work out clothes and throws away everything in the panty and starves themselves for 14 days and then binges on a sonic blast. Then it is over.

So what are WE doing? We are starting fresh. Lifestyle changing fresh. Real food fresh.

Makers Diet starts again January 2nd!

Why not the 1st? Because it is against the law to start eating right on a Sunday.

So you have 3 shopping days to get to the grocery store and get some REAL food.

Another option is the whole30 (paleo version of makers).

Here is the challenge.

Eat clean for 30 days. Use this time as a fast. When you would normally pull through sonic or grab a taco on the way home...stop and pray. If you need some things to pray about, please call me. I have a list.

So while you may seem like you are depriving yourself from all the yummy non-God made things...you can actually be strengthening your prayer life! What a snazzy little deal that is!

I will be posting scriptures and specific prayer requests from us and others along the way. I will also post grocery lists and recipes.

What happens after the 30 days? Well that is up to you. You can either decide you like the way you feel and buy smaller pants OR you can just go sit on the couch with a donut.

THREE MORE DAYS PEOPLE!!!! So hurry up and eat an enchilada.

recipes from makers diet mom!!

recipes from makers diet mom!!

So Easy Slow Cooker Beef Tacos (Serves 6-8)

3 pounds organic, grass fed ground beef
1 16 oz. jar organic salsa (I prefer medium heat salsa)
1 28 oz. jar organic diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons organic cumin
1.5 teaspoons sea salt, to taste
Organic black pepper

Place the ground beef into the slow cooker and put the seasonings on top. Add the salsa and diced tomatoes. Put the lid on and cook on high for 2-3 hours, then separate the ground beef with a spatula, fork, or potato masher, and put back on low heat. I usually start this around 10 or 11, separate it around 1 or 2, and let it cook on low until about 5 p.m. If it starts to boil too much, just turn it down to the keep warm setting. :)

Serve in sprouted corn tortillas with diced onions, diced tomatoes, and sour cream. Guacamole is amazing too! :) Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken with White Wine Sauce

1 whole organic chicken, or 4 organic chicken breasts, shredded or cut into 2-3 inch pieces (I will usually cook these in the slow cooker all day, shred them and then add the sauce)
1/2 cup dry organic white wine
2 cups organic chicken broth (if you’re using your slow cooker, just use the broth/juices that accumulate in the bottom of the pan!)
1 cup organic sour cream
Sea salt to taste (I’d say about 1/2 -1 tspn)
Black pepper to taste
2-3 teaspoons organic dried tarragon
Optional: 2 organic onions, cut into rings & caramelized in a pan separately

In a 6-7 quart crockpot, cook the chicken on high until it is done. (Usually 6 hrs) Shred the chicken and return to pot. Add salt, pepper, sour cream, wine, and dried tarragon. Let the sauce cook with the chicken at least 2-3 hrs, stirring occasionally. Serve with steamed green beans and brown rice for a lovely dinner!

Note: you can also cook this in the oven- just cook the chicken until it is done on about 350, then shred or cut into pieces, and return to the oven with the ingredients for the sauce at about 250-300 degrees for another hour or so.

Bon Appetit!

Super Satisfying Slow Cooker Chili (Serves 6-8)

3 lbs organic grass fed ground beef
2 medium organic onions, chopped
2 organic medium sized bell peppers, chopped
3 cloves organic garlic, diced
1 & 1/4 cups organic beef broth
1, 28 oz. organic diced tomato can, with juice
1, 8 oz. organic tomato sauce ca
1/2 tspn. organic cumin
1/2 tspn. dried organic oregano
2 tbsp. organic chili powder
2 teaspoons sea salt, such as Real Salt
1 cup organic uncooked pinto beans (like the kind you buy in bulk to cook yourself)
1 cup organic uncooked kidney beans (see above)

Directions:

The night before, soak the cup of pinto beans, and cup of kidney beans in enough water to cover them, with 2 tbsp whey, yogurt, or lemon juice.

The next morning, cook the beans in a separate pot, in a separate slow cooker, or soak them during the previous day & cook them in a slow cooker the night before you make the chili, so that they are ready to go. I just did them in a second slow cooker.

To start the chili: In a pan, saute the onions and bell peppers in organic butter or coconut oil until soft. Add the pressed garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the slow cooker. Add the ground beef to the slow cooker, breaking it up into little balls with your hand. You can always make these pieces smaller as it cooks, if you’d like.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, & spices, and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until the ground beef is cooked through. Add the beans and turn the slow cooker to low, until you are ready to serve.

Garnish with organic sour cream, ( I like Organic Valley’s full fat version) organic avocado slices, and organic raw cheese. I love cutting the cheese into cubes, and putting about 1/4- 1/2 cup in the bottom of each bowl. It tastes so lovely melted, and just wraps everything in yummy cheesiness.

Enjoy!

Seasonal Pumpkin Bread
Serves 10-12

Ingredients:
3 cups of freshly ground spelt flour
1 ½ cups of mashed pumpkin
1 cup of water
3 Tablespoons of kefir, probiotic-rich yogurt, or raw apple cider vinegar
¾ cup of extra virgin coconut oil
3 omega-3 eggs
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
¾ teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
½ teaspoon of baking powder
1 cup of raisins
1 cup crispy nuts (chopped)

Directions:
Mix together the flour, mashed pumpkin, water and kefir (or yogurt or apple cider vinegar) in a large bowl. Cover the bowl and let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours.

When you’re ready to bake the pumpkin bread, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two loaf pans with coconut oil. Uncover the pumpkin mixture and add the remaining ingredients—except for the raisins and nuts—and mix well. When mixed, then add the raisins and nuts. Pour the batter into the two loaf pans and then bake them for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Recipe courtesy of Extraordinary Health Team

So Sweet Sweet Potatoes (Serves 4-6)

(I don’t follow this precisely by any means, so feel free to add more butter, or more salt or cinnamon if you think it needs it!)

10 medium sized organic yams
1-2 tspns. sea salt, to taste
1-2 tspns. organic cinnamon, to taste
1-2 sticks organic butter, like Organic Valley’s cultured, unsalted butter, or use homemade raw butter!
1 cup organic raisins
1/4-1/2 cup Rapadura, or raw honey

Wash sweet potatoes and prick holes all over them. Bake in a 350 degree oven (put some foil on the bottom of your oven for easy cleanup) for about 2-3 hours, or until very, very tender when pierced with a fork or knife.

Take the sweet potatoes out of the oven when very tender, and cut them down the middle. Scoop out the flesh into a large bowl. Add in the butter, and stir until thoroughly melted and evenly distributed. Then add the sweetener, sea salt, cinnamon and raisins. Stir thoroughly.

Serve right away, or reheat in a dish in the oven, or in a crockpot on Thanksgiving day.

Enjoy your sweet, sweet potatoes!

Blender Batter Pancakes: (Can also be used in a waffle maker)

Here is the recipe: (Single batch)

1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup oat
1/2 cup wheat berries (or rice, or millet, or barley)

Place in blender and blend for 3 minutes – let sit on your counter overnight

Next Morning:

Add:
1 egg
1 Tbsp flaxseed
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 tspn. baking powder (I recommend Rumford’s Aluminum Free)

Blend for 3 -5 minutes. Now it’s ready to use! If it seems too thick, just add a bit more milk.

Enjoy!