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Let’s Get Real Here

30 Apr

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I love being creative in the kitchen. In fact, the inspiration for this post came from an experimentation half gone wrong making fake noodles out of chicken. Yes. Noodles out of chicken. Leigh told me about this recipe she saw on TV a while back for “no carb noodles” and I had to give it a go. I was secretly hoping to share some awesome news about how easy and fun it was to make protein packed chicken noodles, but I ended up with a big mess and an hour (or two!) of my life I’ll never get back.

Eating clean does not require crazy creativity, hours of preparation, or recipes two pages long. I cook every night for my family, but every night is certainly not show-stopping or photography worthy. For me, cooking is an outlet so I do experiment quite a bit. This is because I want to and not because I have to in order to eat clean. I love all the recipes on our blog, many of which are rotational staples for us. I also love the simplicity of being able to choose whatever protein I have on hand, steam up a huge bag of frozen veggies and call it dinner. One of the best parts about going primal is forgetting about the fifty million ways to dress up rice and noodles, and making protein the centerpiece.

Here are what typical week night dinners look like for us when I’m winging it:

  1. Spaghetti squash or broccoli slaw with sautéed ground beef or sausage and a jar of gluten-free/no sugar added marinara.
  2. Easy tuna or salmon burgers with a big spinach salad (my personal salad always starts with 4 cups spinach or raw greens).
  3. Taco seasoned ground beef with big spinach salad and salsa. Kids usually eat their meat in a bowl chili style with some fixings on top.
  4. Chicken stir fry with a ton of whatever fresh veggies I have on hand. Usually not following a recipe–throwing in gluten-free soy sauce, ginger, etc until it tastes good enough to serve.
  5. Sample tray platter of: rolled up nitrate free deli meat, cut up raw veggies, cut up cheese, and sliced fruit with ranch or mustard for dipping and frilly toothpicks, of course.
  6. Some form of meatballs (sometimes just ground beef, salt and pepper if I’m in a big hurry) with sautéed cabbage or broccoli slaw.
  7. Scrambled eggs and nitrate free sausage or bacon.
  8. Straight from the freezer: oven baked chicken, steamed veggies and a bag of sweet potato fries.

Here are my favorite go-to recipes that appear on a rotation when I actually manage to plan a bit:

  1. Quick Ground Lamb Kheema
  2. Honey Nut Salmon
  3. Paleo Pad Thai
  4. Quick Shrimp Curry
  5. Marinated Flank Steak from Marks Daily Apple #2
  6. Stuffed Peppers
  7. Chicken Masala
  8. Coconut Flour Pizza
  9. Unwrapped Gyoza
  10. Sausage Spinach Meatballs with Zucchini noodles

As for side dishes, veggies don’t need to be dressed up. Steamed, oven roasted, or raw, they’re the only sides you’ll ever need. Also, double the recipe when you can. Leftovers from yummy clean dinners make breakfasts and lunches easy, and keep you from making bad choices when you’re low on time or energy.

In the end, remember that no one is perfect and you have to pick your battles. I don’t care for splitting hairs over a bit of added sugar in my breakfast sausage or canola oil in my frozen sweet potato fries that we enjoy from time to time. All you can do is aim to make the best choices for your family, your body and your budget– and don’t forget to enjoy life!

Happy Tuesday,

Heather

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Lessons Learned from a Trench of Loss.

24 Apr

Some of you may know that I experienced another miscarriage in March. I was 17 weeks.

Here is a photo of our little baby at our 15 week ultrasound, apparently healthy and kicking :) Sadly, two weeks later, I learned she had passed away.

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The private side of me wants to keep all this experience to myself. However, I have a strong conviction to share the story. It’s really been a bad-news/good-news situation.

Bad news: no baby, and all the second & third order effects from that loss. Good news: rich life-messages that cut straight to my heart. So here you have peek into my diary…a few of the thoughts. Just the good ones. (Nice and cleaned up. My actual journal is unreadable chicken-scratched thought-fragments, coffee and tear-stained.)

1. My former trials are my resources to deal with today’s trials. Heartaches from years ago have clearly become redeemed, because they prepared me to shoulder this. Those hardships laid today’s foundation of perspective and strength, and if nothing else, isn’t that evidence that the Romans 8:28 promise is true?

2. Some people chose to say nothing, presumably because they thought it was nicer. One thing I quickly learned about myself: I felt most consoled when people expressed their sympathies. Acknowledgement gives dignity to the grief, and it honors the life that was lost. I took it pretty hard when friends and family chose silence; I had to choose forgiveness with Proverbs 14:10 in mind. Has anyone preferred for people to say nothing? I am asking with honest sincerity. If ever I have been, I won’t be a nothing-sayer again. Proverbs 12:25 says “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. “ How. True.

3. Memorized scripture passages were invaluable. Often I am not near my Bible (and using my Bible app makes the kids think I am looking my phone constantly). Calling on memorized passages drowns out the confusion, the lies of fear, the “what ifs,” and the inner voices of discouragement and defeat. You can’t think two thoughts at the same time.

4. God is LOVE. Love is the beginning of the story of humanity. Love is why we were created. Love is also why we all cower at the pain (evil) around us–we are not wired to simply shrug it off. Here in the land of the living, Love ALWAYS costs grief. But take heart, Love has the last word, and one day everything sad will come untrue. John 16:33.

5. Among the many strong women surrounding me, there has been tremendous suffering. I am humbled.

6. The social media do not give me a soul-fix. It usually brought me a few steps back in my progress. Great tools, horrible therapy.

7. Caving to fear will keep me from experiencing life to the fullest.

8. The name Gabrielle means “God will strengthen.” Raphael means “God Heals.” When this came to me, I knew our baby was named. It was my confirmation that the Lord does know the unborn, that Psalm 139:14-16 is true. He knows.

9. The gift of fertility is not something to fear, take for granted, or dismiss. See it as an honor and an opportunity, don’t necessarily turn it down. After almost 8 years, my husband and I can already see the evidence that each of our children are prestigious Godsends. Granted, having (more) children requires a step of faith, because it feels safer to maintain the status quo. But you only live once, and though it’s a tireless adventure, we’re after the richest experience–which entails taking the good with the bad.

Thanks for letting me share these thoughts.
Warmest Regards,
Leigh

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Thriving in Motherhood (and other demanding seasons of life).

25 Feb

THRIVING in motherhood.

Moms, did this title grab you?! Surely by now, they have come up with just two or three steps that I can adopt, which will help me pull it all together, so that I can proudly say “I got this.” And THEN, I’ll sit down, put my feet up and read my book with my coffee in peace, while things around here are off and running effectively. Perpetually.

My heart claws for something, ANYTHING to make this motherhood journey more graceful, clear, predictable, and if possible, that I remain largely undisrupted. Regrettably, there is always more. More laundry, more groceries, more dishes, more clutter. More spit-spray on that bathroom mirror. All this endless hassle-work when our souls are screaming for rest, solace, order. (When you think about it, everything under the sun constantly moves toward disorder, and we can only do so much to subdue the process.) Not only does it feel as though I am simply biding my time, but I am starting to develop this rather awful martyr mentality.

I want to enjoy THIS, to thrive IN it, to draw strength FROM it, rather than just bear it. I want to do this well.

Sorry, I don’t have that many answers, but I have found one thing.

This is as life-altering as discovering clean eating in that epic Urban Gets Diesel post back in July ’09.

About a year ago I read a beautiful book: One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where you Are by Ann Voskamp. I am now doing the corresponding devotional that accompanies it.

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Life’s pain, disappointments, inconveniences come at us like a fire hose. Voskamp artfully conveys there is really only one response that makes any difference: Gratitude. Meticulously and purposefully taking stock of everything that blesses you, in the MIDST of the chaos. The dare: to pen 1,000 gifts, WAKE UP to God’s everyday blessings, and “embark on a transformative spiritual discipline of chronicling gifts.”

So I took her up on her dare. Listing gifts…not gifts I want, but gifts I already have. A few excerpts from my personal journal:

  • Squeals of joy over a bubble bath.
  • Pounding feet on the stairs when I call “breakfast time!!”
  • The smell of that first cup of coffee greeting me in the dark hours of the morning.
  • Peaceful warblings of our parakeets.
  • How much they love those parakeets.
  • Baby kisses.
  • Her one golden curl that always flies away in the same spot.
  • Broad shoulders in his Army uniform.
  • Reddish glow on the backyard as the sun rises over the mountains.
  • Snow ice cream.
  • Happy songs coming through the baby monitor.
  • Little fingers playing the piano.
  • Freshly laundered pullover, still fragrant and warm from the dryer.
  • Five-year-old boy hands.
  • Steam rising from 5 piping hot dinner plates.
  • His returning motorcycle’s thunderous growl
  • Really crunchy red apples.
  • French linen chairs.

Can I tell you what has happened to my outlook ever since I began this discipline? A complete paradigm shift. Chaos waned. The mundane and tedious is seasoned with surprises and blessings that make every day fresh, and far more fulfilling. As the list grows, these “little” things begin to take on big significance. This is living. This is enjoying. This is grace.

It’s a constant stream of gifts from the Lord just for me. I have become obsessed with looking for them. It’s seeing the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13). And, it’s the only way I have been able to successfully apply 1 Thessalonians 5:18– give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Laundry will never be done, the dishes will always pour in. Legos, broken crayons, birdseed and matchbox cars scatter everywhere, and fingerprints smear all the way up and down the walls of the stairwell. But, LIFE is happening all around me. And it is beautiful.

This discipline of gratitude is crucial to counter life’s brokenness, disappointments, frustrations, disorder. We are surrounded by innumerable graces and glories. Actively noticing is how we enjoy it, or else we are at risk of becoming very bitter, worn out, and jaded.

Just like we are striving to eat clean, we must think clean. Grab a notepad, or get the app! Tune in to the amazing beauty and grace around you, and start really living. Every season can be the prime of your life!

Marvel in your journey,
Leigh (with plenty of discussion with my dear friend Wendy)

I live here, and I am blessed to see this view on a daily basis.

I live here, and I am blessed to see this view on a daily basis. The graces captured in this image are countless.

Some things are so beautifully pure. Find them, and let them bless your whole day

Some things are so beautifully pure. Find them, and let them bless your whole day

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Getting Started 2nd edition

19 Jan

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My local gym is about to embark on a 6 week paleo challenge so I thought it would be an appropriate time to re-visit some how- to-get-started tips and tricks. The process does not always have to be “cold turkey,” but I’m going to focus on that strategy this time. Plus, I’m a very all or nothing type of person. If I have a purpose (a WHY!), clear instructions, and a plan, I am all over it. Hopefully this will help you wherever you are on your journey. No one’s perfect, I know I could use a little re-set to knock out the little things I’ve let creep back into my life.

1. Read, read, and read some more. For those of you know me well, I’m not a big read for pleasure kind of gal but the minute I opened Mark Sisson’s The Primal Blueprint, I couldn’t put it down. The same thing happened when I started reading the Hartwig’s It Starts With Food. The key for me is knowing the science behind WHY eating a primal/paleo diet is beneficial and HOW it’s going to help me build lean muscle, burn fat, and fight silent but deadly inflammation throughout my body.

2. Understand it, share it with your loved ones, and OWN it. Be able to explain to your loved ones and co-workers (in an excited, yet not overpowering or demeaning way!) why eating real foods will heal you from the inside out. Don’t pass it off as a trend or only do it because “CrossFit people are into it.” Own it for yourself and know how it will change your life.

3. Purge the pantry, fridge and freezer. Don’t let yourself be tempted by past vices. Start fresh and don’t give yourself the option to fail.

  • processed, packaged, or preserved foods
  • grains and grain products (pasta, rice, breads, frozen pancakes, flour)
  • sugar and all artificial sweeteners
  • chemically altered fats and certain oils (vegetable oil, margarine, anything that says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated)

4. Donate non-perishables. A couple of years ago my local Salvation Army was readily accepting of my Costco stock pile of whole wheat pasta and Goldfish crackers.

5. Immediately (if not sooner!) stock up on staples. We updated and organized our shopping list staples just for you!

6. Develop meal plans to ease transition. Pick 6-7 meal ideas and make shopping lists for the week. Or, make ahead meals for busy nights and easy access.

7. Have no/minimal prep snacks readily available. Arm yourself so you don’t have the option to make bad choices.

  • hardboiled eggs
  • fresh fruit
  • trail mix with unsweetened dried fruit
  • nitrate free beef jerky
  • nitrate free deli meat rolled up with some mustard inside
  • cut up veggies/fruit-our dear friend Suzanne always has a big Tupperware type tray of pre-sliced veggies and fruits stocked in the fridge when the snack bug hits–brilliant!
  • larabars
  • canned tuna and salmon
  • egg cupcakes

8. Keep it simple. Stay away from the baked goods and desserts tab for now. Don’t immediately try to re-invent old favorites, start new habits first.

  • Eat lots of meat and veggies first. Then, add some fruit, nuts, and seeds.
  • It doesn’t always have to be fancy. Sauté a couple of pounds of ground meat, throw in some spices, and steam a huge bag of frozen veggies. Or, pick up a rotisserie chicken and serve it on a huge bed of spinach. Done.
  • “Paleo” desserts and baked goods have their place for special occasions, but a muffin is always a muffin unless it’s made out of meat. While the almond flour and honey may not spike your insulin quite as much or cause inflammation from gluten, they are still calorically dense and will not help you if you have any weight loss or body composition goals.
  • Pack your lunch, even if you’re not going anywhere. Make a big salad with lots of veggies and protein in a Tupperware and eat it at lunch time. Fuel your body when it’s not crying out for food, and you will always make better choices. It’s kind of like never going grocery shopping on an empty stomach!
  • Think of food as fuel. Don’t get emotional with it. Let go of the need to use food to satisfy cravings, calm your stress, or fill some sort of void. 

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OK, enough information overload. Bookmark this post and refer back to it as you continue on your journey. I’ll leave you with a statement from It Starts with Food that I repeat to myself many times throughout the day…

“The food you eat either makes you more healthy or less healthy.
Those are your options.”

Happy weekend,

Heather

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Start with the WHY

31 Dec

simon-sinek-the-golden-circleI watched this video clip the other day that inspired/spiraled into a long conversation with my husband about goals for the New Year, habits, and getting on the same page as a couple and as parents. New Years Eve is stressful for me and probably a lot of other people. Yes, it’s a perfect time to set goals, dream dreams and start fresh on the things in your life that you wish you could change or you don’t like the direction that they are headed. At the same time though, it leaves me reminded of past goals and resolutions that were abandoned, which in turn makes me want to weep. Every year we say, “this year is going to be different,” but is it usually?

This year I challenge you to set  your goals from the inside out like Simon Sinek from the video challenges leaders to do in business. Start with the WHY. Start with a purpose. Start with a belief. The very things that keep us from sticking to the goals we so desperately want to keep, like trust, loyalty, heart and soul are on the inside, and completely responsible for decision-making in our limbic brain. Once you truly believe in the WHY, then you can move on the how and what.

Why is not a result. Why is not, “I am going to eat 100% paleo this year” or “I am going to lose ten pounds.” Why is a purpose. Why is, “I believe that my diet is directly related to my fitness and wellbeing,” “I know that eating clean is the best way to balance my hormones and achieve optimal health for me and my family” and “I know that (fill in the blank) causes stress in my life that I don’t need.”

For diet, I’m going to re-visit the root of the WHY behind clean eating: the science. For fitness, I’m re-evaluating my WHY.  I’ve realized my inspiration to pursue fitness doesn’t stem from linear progression towards new numbers-based goals, personal records, winning competitions, or comparing myself to others.  Those are all worthy reasons to exercise, and they work for a lot of people.  However, I am motivated to pursue fitness because being strong and fast brings me to my happy place, and makes me feel like a good role-model for my kids. I also truly believe in general physical preparedness, whether that is hiking with my family, stepping onto a 5.8 climb on the rock wall, knocking out whatever CrossFit WOD comes my way, or going along with whatever hare-brained adventures my husband comes up with for fun.

Happy New Year,

Heather

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Permission to Grieve Freely

12 Nov

I have walked through my share of very disappointing situations recently.  (Hence, my recent lack of innovative recipes and motivational tidbits.)  One thing is for sure: the stuff I have been going through is NOTHING compared to what other people have gone through in their respective lives.  I’ve tried to maintain perspective and not really let myself get too  down–because I know that my frustration is somewhat small, relatively speaking.  Take a look around the world, people are dying of starvation, losing children, experiencing natural disasters, and suffering debilitating poor health with no reprieve.

I felt this was the proper mindset to take on as I waited for the stress to pass.  Unfortunately, I started sinking into a place of emotional breath holding.  It felt like I had no air, all while talking myself down with internal self-talk:  ”It’s not even bad” and  ”You really don’t know the meaning of suffering” and “I just need to drive on–be thankful that it’s not worse.”

Nothing was helping.  The pain, disappointment was there, in spite of the head-knowledge that my circumstances are a relative cake-walk.  (mmm…cake…yes, I tried cake.  And no, it didn’t relieve the vice grip.)

Providentially, I came across a bit of enlightenment.  Grief and joy alike are both relative.  People will respond to someone’s grief-story with, “Oh, that’s nothing–you should hear what happened to my neighbor’s brother-in-law’s cousin.”  But no one would ever say to a high-schooler who just won first place at his swim meet, “Eh-maybe you are feeling happy, but it’s nothing compared to how Michael Phelps would have felt after winning 8 gold medals in Beijing!”

We don’t scale victories and celebrations on a who-has-had-it-better basis.  So why are we so quick to rate their griefs?  We can only measure our disappointments against our own experience; therefore, we have a right to grieve our losses.

Roll with it.  It’s hard, and personal.  In some situations, I didn’t even expect to react the way I did.  I had no idea I would feel that way, and with that came an awkward internal angst that was hard to reconcile.

It is important to validate your heartache adequately.  Share it with your loved ones, allow them to support you where you need it.  (But don’t hold it against them if it seems like they don’t get it–remember, all grief is relative.)

The world is full of horrible experiences.  This is just the condition of humanity.  Everything is broken and dying.  Without the hope that salvation offers us, it is scary to think that this world is the best it will ever be.  Take heart!  Dig into the truth–one of my dear friends shared this Proverb, and it reminded me to pour through the scriptures for “breath.”

 When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations soothe my soul.  Psalm 94:19 ESV

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Do You Feel Me?

19 Oct

Food for thought:  Each Heart Knows Its Own Bitterness, and No One Else Can Share In Its Joy.   Proverbs 14:10

I can totally identify with this.  Over the years,  I have experienced various dark valleys in my journey.  Then there have been seasons where my heart has exploded with exhilaration over a fortunate blessing.  Life waxes and wanes with ups and downs.  I am still learning to receive both, gracefully.

When I have been in the dark days, I am so quick to convey my grief, sadness and angst to my family and friends.  I expect them to know exactly how it feels, and to “go there” with me.   It feels better if they can truly understand my depths of despair.  The sharing, (or–complaining) has fallen on gracious ears over the years.  In return, I receive words of confirmation and validation.  I have been heard.  They got it.

But, sometimes, I continue to feel unheard.

I have been particularly hard on my husband in this area.  In my times of frustration and angst, I really want him to feel what I feel.  I guess it means I want him burning as I do…I literally want him to feel my pain.  How’s that for showing my true colors?  Really.  My misery has LOVED, LONGED for company, and when it didn’t get some fellowship, I’ve felt desperate.  I have even criticized: “You just don’t get it!!”

Something quietly dawned on me:  That’s right, he doesn’t.  Of course this man–in spite of sharing every detail of my life–can never truly feel how I feel.  And just because he doesn’t, does it mean his concern is insincere?

I have come to terms with the disconnect.  I gotta let people off the hook–and forgive, for not “getting” it.  I savor these words of Solomon, which pointed me toward emotional maturity.

1.  I extend more grace to people who appear unconcerned.
2.  The desire to share my grievances, and the temptation to complain has diminished.
3.  In the occasion of overwhelming joy, I can share the good news sensibly, without sounding boastful.
4.  Most of all, it helps me to remain in a meditative place when I experience life’s peaks and valleys.

Your joy is your own; your bitterness is your own. No one can share them with you.

It sounds harsh, but on the other hand, sometimes raw selfishness needs to be confronted.

Meanwhile, this bit of freedom might actually improve your relationships.

Enjoy your journey,
Leigh

photo credit

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Pregnancy and Clean Eating

5 Oct

This is our baby girl, Adair.

Quite a few people have asked me how to eat clean while pregnant, particularly with gut-wrenching morning sickness, or very strong aversions.  Eating various mixtures of spices, meat and eggs can seem completely out of the question.

Here is my opinion on this matter: Relax.

If you’ve already established habits of clean eating, that foundation will serve you well.  The “cavewoman” didn’t have variety to suppress the prego-yuckies.   Luckily, we do.  If you have an aversion, make food selections that give you reprieve.

I had been eating clean for about 6 months when I got pregnant with our third child.  After the initial elation, I swung over to fear of losing ground…going back to my old ways of eating.  Sure enough, first trimester aversions hit me hard.  I fought and fought.  To be honest, eventually I got hungry enough and waved the white-food flag… white rice, grits and plain oatmeal, hard-boiled egg whites, and toast with butter.  I wish I had Heather at the time…she has so many ideas that would have been appealing.  Check out her fabulous post about eating clean when sick.

Also–don’t be afraid to consider white potatoes.  They are not grains, and not packaged.  They are rich in vitamins (keywords: folate, iron!) and so perfectly plain.  I attended a Whole 9 Seminar last month–it was fabulous!  We learned that their exclusion of white potatoes in the Whole30 was arbitrary, because Americans like to use them for tater tots, chili cheese fries, waffle-fry nachos, and potato chips.  White potatoes do have a relatively high glycemic index.  However, if plain potatoes help you fight the fight, then eat with gratitude!  Mash them up, let them nourish your sick tummy, and your sweet growing child.

Stay in tune with your body!  If you cannot tolerate high doses of protein, that is okay.  Increase your healthy fats and your carbohydrate intake.  The main goal is to stay away from a grain-based, packaged-foods-centered diet.

Bottom line: it was not hard to get back on track when my morning-sickness symptoms subsided.  I felt relieved to eat free again, and my good habits revived for the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.   So, eat what makes you feel better, and don’t worry about it.  Trust your old habits to welcome you back on the wagon.

Caveat…don’t cave to sugar–it will grab hold of you!  Sugar (of all kinds added in) should be off your list of choices.  Pregnancy demands enough from you without gestational diabetes.  Additionally, you may expose your baby to abnormally high blood sugar levels at birth.  (This happened with my first child.  Perhaps it was the two-day-cookie-dough-therapy-bender while I impatiently waited to deliver.)

If you have unquenchable sugary-carb cravings, enjoy whatever plant source you can palate: grapes, pineapple, watermelon, bananas.  Mashed sweet potatoes are very substantial as well–try stirring in a little vanilla extract and cinnamon.  If you are truly in a dessert-emergency, check out this awesome mousse, our “lara” balls here and here, muffins, more muffins, even this fruit-sweetened chocolate “pudding”.

Continue to nourish yourself and the baby well.  This is the single greatest thing you can do for yourself during this time.  Not only will it sustain you physically, but also it helps with mental clarity and emotional stability.  If you have experience eating Primal or Paleo while expecting a baby, please share!  I am curious to know what worked for you.

Good luck and congratulations to all you beautifully expectant mothers!!  Don’t wish this time away, because you are actively partnering with God in a miracle:  out of two hearts that beat wildly and passionately for one another–a new heart now beats.

Enjoy the journey!
Leigh

33 Weeks. 5 y/o Meg, posing very seriously…Liam, 3 in the bkgd trying to run away.

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What’s in your kiddo’s lunchbox this year?

4 Sep

School is in full swing now (or, it has been since July if your kids are year round like mine!) and this year I had the added challenge of packing lunches for two budding primal eaters. My second grader is easy. She knows the drill and loves leftover dinner meats. My Kindergartener, on the other hand, is a bit pickier. She doesn’t like leftover meat cold and she likes very few vegetables raw. Luckily for me though, she doesn’t mind repetition.

Many thanks to our readers who requested more lunch box ideas and especially to Nicole who gave me the awesome idea of assigning each compartment of the lunchbox a macronutrient to help teach the kids. I still get a few odd comments about how “Suzy A. or Johnny B. told me my lunch was weird,” but I take those opportunities to remind them about healthier choices that help them grow big and strong and perhaps re-read Sarah Fragoso’s Paleo Pals together!

I usually don’t stray far from the basics below. My best advice is to keep it simple, always make extra dinner meat for leftovers, make large batches of healthier treats when you have some extra time and stock them in the fridge or freezer, let your kids buy lunch every once in a while if allergies are not an issue, use the treat box for both something sweet and non-food items like sticker or notes, and don’t be afraid of repetition.

Proteins:

  • nitrate-free deli meat
  • leftover meat from dinner
  • rotisserie chicken (buy one over the weekend, clean it up, and use it all week here and there)
  • hard-boiled eggs
  • nitrate free beef jerky or homemade beef jerky
  • greek yogurt (if your kids do dairy like mine)
  • full fat cheese

Carbohydrates:

  • fresh berries
  • sliced apples
  • dried fruit
  • baby carrots
  • sliced cucumbers
  • raw spinach
  • sliced sweet peppers

Healthy Fats:

  • nuts of any kind your kids like (aim for dry roasted or raw)
  • pumpkin and sunflower seeds
  • nut butter (almond, sunflower seed, and sometimes good ol’ PB because you can’t win every battle!)
  • organic ranch dressing
  • almond flour primal crackers

Combo items:

Small treat box items:

  • gummy vitamins
  • mini m&ms
  • stickers
  • special mini notes
  • candied nuts (or “sweet nuts” as my kids call them)
  • yogurt covered raisins

Here’s a sample week full of lunches from our house. What are your favorite go-to lunchbox ideas from your family?

Have a happy and healthy school year,

Heather

Related posts:

Lunchbox ideas
Your Primal Family
Paleo Pals Book Review

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“Lara”balls Meet Cookie Cutters and the Only Paleo “Cookie”

16 Aug

       

The other day my little buddy was begging for a “bar” as a mid-morning snack.  In our house, “bar” means Larabar and I still haven’t found a grocery store in our new town that carries them. It was rainy and there was already a bit too much whining before noon, so I decided that we would make “Lara”balls with a new twist. We broke out the cookie cutters! My plan worked. It was a fun activity to do together and the leftovers made perfect lunchbox treats for my girls.

It’s really this simple:

  1. Use one of our “Lara”ball recipes found here or here.
  2. Flatten out the mixture on a piece of parchment paper to desired thickness.
  3. Use your favorite cookie cutters to make shapes.
  4. Re-smoosh the mixture and flatten again until it’s all used up.
  5. Sneak scraps from cookie cutter edges along the way!
  6. See your kiddos face light up as if you just thought of the most amazing idea ever!

     

These little cuties led me to try the same thing with last week’s easy homemade beef jerky. The result was equally adorable pieces of beef jerky that are best described as the ONLY TRULY paleo cookie there ever will be. Sorry. I’m as guilty as anyone whipping up health-ier versions of treats from a past life, but in the end they are still treats. Treat them that way, don’t make them a staple, and in the mean time enjoy some meat in the shape of a heart. Who can resist? Watch out Christmas sugar cookie cutouts!

  1. Follow our beef jerky recipe or your own version to make meat mixture.
  2. Roll out to 1/4″ thickness.
  3. Use your favorite cookie cutters to make shapes and place on parchment lined baking sheets. It works best if you lift the cookie cutter up with the meat mixture inside, push in any meat mixture hanging around, and then take it out to put on the baking sheet.
  4. Re-smoosh the mixture and flatten again until it’s mostly used up (I cooked up the final scraps in a quick sauté as a snack!)
  5. Bake at 200 with wooden spoon cracked in oven door for 4-6 hours, turning once halfway through.
  6. Eat within 1-2 days or refrigerate for the week.
  7. Surprise your kids with a one of kind lunchbox treat.

         

Enjoy,

Heather

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