Update, Recipes for a Paleo Week + shopping list

  (Impatient people: Go to end of post for shopping list)
Well, it's been about 3 months of my modified diet...I have to say that I remain happy with the results, and have been feeling good about the balance of my life with food right now.   Still sleeping well, my skin looks good, my flexibility is still improved, muscle pain decreased, energy where I want it to be.   I did fall off the sugar wagon HARD over the holidays, but started a second "whole 30" this month, and I am keeping the sugar dragon at bay (mostly :).  I sorta miss some foods, but in a distant, "oh-yeah, I used to really like that" kind of way.    Dairy has made me feel so gosh-darn awful that pizza and ice cream don't look like fun anymore, but I am trying to add back in some cheeses, just to see if I can opt to do that without feeling terrible for days (so far, chedder & parm = OK).   I have also started to acclimate myself to the whole cooking/cleaning regimen - that's starting to feel OK, especially with help from a super-sweet partner (although I've been on break, so we'll see when work starts up again).  One more unexpected side effect is that, since I've lost almost 20 lbs. (!), the changes in me have become super-duper visible to friends and family, and this diet has been spreading like a virus.   My noble Fiancee, who loves sugar almost as much as life, agreed to try giving it up for 30 days and follow the diet; my dad, who has Type I diabetes and a milk allergy that he has spent years finding soy alternatives for, also agreed to give it a shot!

   I'm so fully sold on this way of eating from personal experience, I'm really excited for other family members to feel the benefit.  I think it's really scary to start - something about changing your food and food routines is terrifying.   My dad in particular complained about wanting a consolidated "Start-up" package for busy people who didn't have time to sit around and read recipes, meal plan, and make complicated shopping lists.   So, because I DO actually have time to do this (and enjoy the living heck out of it), I made one for him!

One thing about paleo-everything is that it's a huge community, and people love to post recipes online - so instead of copying long extended recipes, I just asked him to look them up online.   They are easy to find and the ones below are me-tested and approved (except for the broiled chicken - we always grill).
I made this with my Dad in mind: not a griller, hates spice,  hates seafood, allergic to milk.  I also know that my dad has a freezer full of frozen grass-fed beef, so I made the recipes beef heavy.  I'd eat more shrimp and salmon and up the spice.
I also tried to plan the week so the more labor-intensive recipes on the "weekends", but this week does assume at least 30-45 minutes to cook on weeknights.   I tried to throw in some faster/crockpot recipes for busy days, but if you are truly pressed for time, look up Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan and her cookbook Well Fed for a truly speedy weekday cook up.



Here's the recipes - I'll put (*)s next to the recipes that are very easy to look up online!

Weekend do-aheads: 

Sauces:
Paleo Mayonaise (*) love the recipe in Well Fed
Stir-fry sauce (*)

Breakfast: Make a big frittata(*) for busy mornings

roast 1-2 spagehetti squashes(*) to eat for lunch (or whatever) with leftovers!


Some Paleo breakfasts: (for one small person, me!)
- 2 Fried eggs, bacon, pre-washed baby greens, avocado, olive oil & lemon  salad dressing, sweet potato hash (*)
- Veggie scramble: cooked veggies (ie: mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, green onions, etc.) scrambled with 2 eggs, 1 T coconut milk (flavor disappears!), salad/avo/dressing, bacon
- Frittata
- N'oatmeal (*) (a warm b-fast made of pumpkin, coconut milk, egg and spices)


Paleo Dinners:

Day 1 (weekend, when you have extra time!):   Czech Meatballs (from Well-Fed)  (serve with steamed cut up cabbage and dip in paleo mayonaise)
or make regular paleo meatballs (*) and serve with...
 Spaghetti squash
Classico Spaghetti sauce
(you could also pre-make some of the "sides" for the next night's dinner if desired)

Day 2 : Simple Chicken - Grillers: rub chicken parts with fat/oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder. grill.
  Non-grillers: http://www.amazingpaleo.com/2012/05/30/simple-chicken/ ( cheated and looked this one up for you! :)
Use breasts or also use thighs (which need to cook just a tad bit longer)
Eat with a "vegetable side" and, if desired, salad/avo/dressing OR starch (see below)
use paleo mayonaise as a dip
Make twice as much chicken as you will need and save leftovers....

Day 3:  Burgers in the grass
3/4 lb. ground beef - make into burgers (we cook on the grill!) (save last extra 1/4 lb. for chili)
serve over salad, with avocado, grilled onions, bacon, dressing, and possibly a fried egg on top (I LOVED this).
Serve with sweet potato fries (*) if desired.

Day 4:  Chicken Stir Fry
Use leftover chicken from "simple chicken"
Marinate it in Paleo stir-fry sauce (*)
cut up veggies you like, stir fry them, pour sauce over all, add chicken at the end to heat.
Serve over paleo cauliflower rice (*)

Day 5:  crock pot chili http://robbwolf.com/2013/01/06/ultimate-paleo-chili/  - make this, only make it in the crock pot for long-cooking!
I would add some cut-up sweet potatoes to the mix - yum!
(Next week you can substitute crock pot beef stew! :)


Day 6:   (weekend) make this whole meal:
http://everydaypaleo.com/budget-friendly-balsamic-mustard-chicken-and-oven-roasted-bacon-veggies-by-erika/ It's yummy!


Day 7: Skirt Steak Fajitas
http://www.primal-palate.com/2011/06/skirt-steak-fajitas.html
We wrapped ours in lettuce leaves (Dawn) or cabbage leaves that had been steamed for 2 minutes (Abby).   Both were very happy with the results :)

Lunches:  I usually eat leftovers over salad  or spaghetti squash or just heat them up!

"Sides" here's some things I like to add next to  meat if you are feeling like you want to mix and match!
-steamed green beans
- roasted brussel sprouts
-roasted or steamed broccoli
- pan-cooked kale(*)
(for more flavor, add cooked bacon, chopped almonds, lemon juice, mayonnaise or olive oil)
-roasted winter veggies (*)
-Roasted squash (*)
- sweet potato fries (*)

Abby's Happy Salad Dressing:
1 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice
3-4 T EVOO
salt, pepper &garlic powder to taste

SHOPPING LIST for one week:

I'm assuming that you'll have to check your spice cabinet and the recipes to make sure you have the required spices (and don't be shy about substituting if you don't like something!)

Special flavors for this week:  2-3 limes, a few inches of ginger, coconut aminos, fish sauce (also, this flavor disappears and I haven't had things taste fishy, but use your judgement), almond and/or coconut flour (for paleo meatballs).  Pumpkin pie spice for n'oatmeal and chili.  GARLIC POWDER for everything.

Meat/protein for 2 people:
1 -2 lbs. ground pork (for czech meatballs)
2-3 lbs. ground beef
1-2 lbs. skirt steak
6 (?) lbs. chicken - could be breasts, thighs or drumsticks
2 dozen eggs (pastured are the most delicious and healthy!)
1 lb. nitrate-free bacon
obviously, you'd want everything to be as high quality as you can afford.  Remember that the words "natural" or "cage free" don't mean much, you're looking for pastured, organic or 100% grass-fed - these terms are specific enough to mean something!

fats:
-your preferred cooking fat (ghee, coconut oil, organic bacon grease, rendered grass-fed beef tallow, etc.)
- high quality extra virgin olive oil (for salad dressing)
- LIGHT tasting olive oil (essential for yummy paleo mayonnaise - only sold at Stop n Shop, not whole foods)
-1 can coconut milk
-2-3 organic avocados (cause they taste better! - leave them out to ripen)
- sliced almonds


Veggies:
1-2 spaghetti squash
2-4 medium sized sweet potatoes
Canned/boxed pumpkin (NOT Whole Foods 365 version, blech.  Get the high end version)
Carrots, parsnips, onions etc. for roast veggies
1/2 -1 lb. green beans / kale / broccoli (for "side")
1/2- 1 lb. brussel sprouts
stir-fry veggies:  peppers, mushrooms, celery, zukes, etc.)
3-4 medium onions
1 head of garlic
1 small head of cauliflower
1 head cabbage (optional)
3 lemons
1 orange (for juice)
any extra veggies for frittatas (see stir-fry veggies)
1-2 boxes pre-washed baby greens (your choice!)
frozen broccoli or spinach, if you like those as "instant" defrostable veggies on hand.
Fruit, as you desire, for snacks and treats.
Some nuts....although they recommend some more than others.  (I have never been able to enjoy eating hazlenuts, though!)
http://paleoatcollege.com/paleo-friendly-nuts/