Just like any good Southerner, I am a BIG fan of Mayonnaise.  My personal favorite is Duke's.  BP ( before Paleo) , my favorite sandwich was, in fact, a mayonnaise sandwich - white bread and all. 

I had already given up bread completely when I started eating Paleo.  But I really didn't give my mayo a second thought - until I looked at the label.  The first ingredient was soybean oil ( soy is a no-no for Paleos) and the second was the dreaded high fructose corn syrup!  I stopped reading the label right there and threw my precious mayo away!

Thankfully, my Paleo for Dummies book had the solution.  Here it is, it all it's glory...

Ladies and Gentlemen, 
                                    I give you PALEO MAYO!

1 LARGE EGG

2 TABLESPOONS FRESH LEMON JUICE

1/4 CUP PLUS 1 CUP OLIVE OIL ( NOT EVOO)

1/2 TEASPOON DRY MUSTARD

1/2 TEASPOON SALT

In a blender or food processor ( I used my trusty VitaMix), place the egg and lemon juice.  Put the lid on and allow the liquids to come to room temperature together, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup olive oil, the mustard and salt, and blend on medium until combined.

With the motor running, drizzle the remaining olive oil into the canister by pouring a steady stream.  This takes a couple of minutes...patience, patience.  

If you are using a blender  ( or VitaMix), you'll hear the pitch change as the liquid begins to form the emulsion.

Transfer the mayo to a container with a lid and store in the fridge.  It will thicken more as it chills.  

* HANDY TIP- Mark your container with the egg's expiration date; that's the expiration date for the mayo too!

                                                                             source - Living Paleo for Dummies

So...how's it going?

Well, it's Day 3...and I have to say, it's going okay!  Sunday was a breeze!  Monday, not so much.  I hit the wall about noon.  Couldn't concentrate, couldn't keep my eyes open, couldn't even make a complete sentence without having to stop and think about what I was saying.  I had to break down and drink a small amount of the dreaded DC.  Within a few minutes, I was up and going.  I guess when you've had an addiction for 40 + years, you just can't walk away cold turkey.  But I won't give up. 

Today has been better.  I still had to drink a small amount of the poison around lunch time, but this morning I had a MAJOR victory.  I ran/walked 1.6 miles and then reset my tracking device to "walk" and walked another 1.5 miles.

                       I did a 5K this morning people! 

                                                       And I did it in 56 minutes!  


One step at a time
Don't give up
I am worth it

Well, here we are again...

And this time, things are focused .  If you look at my former posts, you'll see a hodge podge of directions.  I decided to do this blog again for several reasons:

1. I am driving my friends crazy on Facebook with my constant posting
2. I like sharing what I am learning about living a Paleo lifestyle.
3. I want to encourage others to find their path. 

and finally

    4.  I had a few friends ask to know more about what I am doing.  

So, here we go!  

The most important thing I can share with you is this.  You must be ready to do this.  I've tried every "healthy" diet program out there.  I gained weight, I felt tired all the time, I was a real bitch...  As you can see, they didn't work!  

 I was doing my "healthy" eating thing. I ate little meat ( if any), focused on fruits and veggies and whole grains, and peanut butter was a staple for a protein source.  By midday, I was foggy and at one point, after a lunch of two apples and a bunch of grapes, my co-workers thought I was having a stroke because my words were so slurred!  I even ran off the road three times one day going home at 3:00 in the afternoon because I couldn't keep my eyes open!  What was happening to me??? I had blood work done - I was perfectly healthy, including my hormones and cholesterol.  I walked every day at least one mile.  I was eating "right".  WHY was I so sleepy and irritable and WHY couldn't I lose weight and WHY were my asthma, allergies, arthritis and blood pressure such a problem?

I thought this was a great meal -Whole Wheat Pasta with fresh tomatoes, herbs, garlic and olives.
The PASTA was the culprit

Now I know.  My body couldn't possibly handle the amount of gluten and sugar I was loading into it, even if it was "healthy".  I was reacting as if I was a diabetic with too much insulin. 

So a couple of months ago, I decided to try a modified Paleo approach.  I started by following boards on Pinterest and learning the basics from there.  I found a few Facebook pages to follow as well.  The weight started to slowly come off.  I got excited people!! 

Two weeks ago I visited my local Books-a-Million and purchased my first copy of Paleo Magazine and I found the book I needed...Living Paleo for Dummies.  I read it cover to cover that day!  When I came to the chapter on the 30 Day Reset, my initial thought was, " No way.  I can't do this.  Give up my daily cocktail AND Diet Coke?  NO WAY!".  But I took several days to think it over, and while walking one day last week, I decided to try to run.  I RAN!  ( not a long way,mind you, but I RAN).  It was at that point, I knew that if I could make this old body move in a way it hadn't in years and years , I COULD DO THIS!  

So today, it has begun.  Last night, I poured the last of the 2 liter Diet Coke down the drain ( sniff sniff) and set my sights on a new day...Today.  One day at a time...One little victory at a time...

THIS is a healthy meal.  Free Range eggs with mushrooms, spinach, peppers, onions and bacon WITHOUT nitrates cooked in Coconut Oil!

I know there are going to be a lot of rough spots during the 30 days.  Headaches, grouchiness, aches and pains from my body releasing toxins.  But it will be worth it.  After being on a modified plan for these last few weeks, I'm already down 15 pounds and off my blood pressure meds!  I can move more freely and I've been able to dust off my yoga practice again after ten years of neglect.  

I will look for the positive, be honest about the negative and hope to inspire a few of you to join me!

THIS WORKED!   that didn't...

well, I've tried some of the homemade stuff on Pinterest.  here's my list of things I'll do again and those I won't!

• Lemon Enzyme Cleaner  

not again!  

I patiently waited for this, checking it daily and it was not worth it!  Once I diluted it and placed it in a spray bottle, I noticed a "crust" forming around the water line....yeast....yuck! Don't really think yeasty lemon spray is going to keep my house "sparkly clean"

• Bathroom Scum Remover 

yes please! 

I really like this one!  I used about half a cup of Dawn and filled the bottle 3/4 full of white vinegar and finished off with water.  It works great, even on my tile floors and my black stove!  Definitely a keeper!

• compost bin

 YEP!
 
  
It's working great and no smell!  The only problem I have is I use so many fruits and vegetables, it's already full!   

• body butter

MY FAVORITE!!!

 This recipe is the best!  I'm using it daily and the consistency has held up, just like a store bought body butter.  I even use it in place of facial moisturizers.  My skin is smooth and soft and looks healthy.  SOLD!




So, for the most part, the things you find on Pinterest actually work!  Nothing was too expensive to experiment with, and the one that didn't work cost just pennies, so no harm , no foul.  



Life is short!  Pray hard!

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.  Proverbs 3:9-10, ESV  

ISLAND SMOOTHIE

Perfect breakfast.  Smoothie and Shrimp!

1 NAVEL ORANGE, PEELED

3/4 CUP FRESH PINEAPPLE

1/2 PINK GRAPEFRUIT, PEELED

1 BANANA

1 CUP ORANGE JUICE

ICE TO BLEND

makes two generous servings 

life is short!  pray hard!

My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 NIV

HAPPY FRIDAY!


I was going to publish my melon salad recipe, but it needs more tweaking. 
Instead, I'll share my "fried" green tomatoes.  They turned out great!


"FRIED" GREEN TOMATOES

• Slice one green tomato thinly.  
• Dip into a mixture of milk (skim, soy, coconut, soy) and 1/4 cup lemon juice.
• Dredge in a mixture of 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1 1/2 cups panko crumbs, salt and pepper.
• Place on a cookie sheet that has been fitted with a wire rack ( the kind used to cool cookies) and bake at 400 degrees for twenty minutes, turning once.  

** Helpful hint:  spray the breaded tomatoes with olive oil spray.  this will help the crust brown.

Serve with sriracha mayo

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 T sriracha
• 1 t lemon juice

**Helpful Hint:  Sriracha is very hot.  Adjust the amount used to taste, or use Crystal Hot Sauce in place of the sriracha.  

Oven "Fried" Green Tomatoes with Sriracha Mayo

Life is short!  Pray hard!

Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.  Psalm 37:16 ESV

My June issue of Southern Living came two days ago...
and it got my Summer Recipe juices flowing.  I admit, I had to purchase a couple of things that weren't in my pantry.  I REALLY wanted some scallops and tabbouleh, so I caved in and bought them...and it was worth it!
















Then I decided to tackle a couple of recipes that won the summer cook-off contest, but I wanted to use what I had in the pantry.  So I'm going to share the original recipe straight from Southern Living and then my version.  

Photo by: Photo: Jennifer Davick; Prop Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Grandma Gwen's Beans

2012 Side Dish Smackdown Winner: Best Baked Beans

Southern Living JUNE 2012

• Yield: Makes 10 servings
• Hands-on:45 Minutes
• Total:2 Hours, 5 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (1-lb.) package bacon slices
• 4 medium-size yellow onions, sliced
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 (16-oz.) cans butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-oz.) can lima beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (16-oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (28-oz.) can baked beans

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cook bacon, in batches, in a large skillet over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving desired amount of drippings in skillet. (We reserved about 3 Tbsp.) Crumble bacon.

2. Sauté onions in hot drippings over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until onions are tender. Add brown sugar and next 4 ingredients. Cover and cook 20 minutes. Combine butter beans, next 3 ingredients, bacon, and onion mixture in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Now here's mine

Confetti Baked Beans

8 strips turkey bacon

1 T olive oil

2 c frozen onion and pepper blend

1/c firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 c apple cider vinegar

1 t salt

1 t dry mustard

1 T minced garlic

2 c large white lima beans, cooked

1 c kidney beans, cooked

1 1/2 c frozen corn and lima bean succotash

1 regular can "cheap" pork and beans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Cook bacon .  Remove from pan and chop .  Add olive oil to pan and then the onion/pepper blend.  Cook until the vegetables are tender.  Add brown sugar and next four ingredients.  Cover and cook 20 minutes.  Combine beans, bacon and onion mixture in a 13 X 9 baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. 

They are delicious!  

Tomorrow I will share a great recipe for a sweet and spicy melon salad!

Life is short!  Pray hard!

I pray that out of His glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  Ephesians 3:16-17, NIV