Holidays in the kitchen...

Thanksgiving is over and I am assuming that everyone has recovered from their food coma... No? Well get ready, because now we have to contend with holiday parties, cookie exchanges, and still more holiday dinners.

Man, do we love to eat... I love the excitement of trying something new, as well as the feeling I get when I introduce a new food to a friend.

I, however, do not love the way I tend to overextend my belt, during this season... I mean that in the best possible way, but temptation is everywhere.

Fudge, cookies, cider, hot chocolate, turkey, ham, potatoes, rolls, and the hits just keep coming. 

How do you maintain a healthy relationship with food during this crazy time?

Relax! Do not associate food with love, friendship, respect, etc. Food is still fuel. Go out, have fun, get together to see each other and make sure we appreciate our friends and family, but it does not have to include bad food.

Have a treat, indulge your sweet tooth, but be aware of what you are putting into your gas tank (for some of us that is a little too accurate).

OMG... You over did it during the holidays???? How could you? Off with your head!

But seriously folks... What would happen? You put on a pound or two? I am sure it will be fine. Enjoy your holidays, don't fret too much and make choices going forward that you can accept.

Here are a couple holiday indulgences that are quick and easy:

3-2-1 Cake (This recipe is perfect for the office)

3 eggs

2 cups sour cream

1 cake mix

Mix all together and pour into an oiled/floured microwaveable bundt pan.

Microwave on a turn table for 15 minutes and remove from the microwave.

Cover the pan with a sturdy plate and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.

Turn the cake and plate over and the cake should come right out.

Garnish with whipped cream, fruit, chocolate syrup, etc. Enjoy

Primal friendly Grok rocks! (courtesy of Mark’s Daily Apple)

60% cacao Ghirardelli chocolate chips (this are very rich, dark chocolate)

Dried plums, (prunes) cut in half

Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals (stirring every time) until melted.

Dip plums in the chocolate and place on parchment to cool.

These sound a little weird, but they are amazing. They are a decadent candy with two ingredients.

Now go celebrate! See you next year, unless the Mayans were right...

Connect with me at www.facebook.com/cookingwithtrace, or at www.cookingwithtrace.com

Happy holidays!

I am eating like a caveman...

I know that some of you that have had the pleasure of sharing a table are not surprised by this revelation... but I am talking about the food, not the way I look when I eat it!

Primal, paleo, caveman... (insert Tim "The toolman" Taylor grunts here) is a change from the way most of our country eats. 

Food that “Grok the caveman”* would not eat: Flour, oats, refined sugar, pasta, processed food, high starch vegetables, beans (including peanuts), etc…

Food that “Grok the caveman”* would eat: Meat (grass fed beef, pork, chicken, fish), low starch vegetables, mushrooms, tree nuts, unsweetened coconut, butter, etc.

Fruit is allowed in moderation as well, making this a fairly low carb plan. Which is good for me as a diabetic (type II)… but traditional dietary guidelines would say that I need grains, and I need to cut out/limit beef, coconut, butter, etc. 

For every study that you can find that shows that high fat diets are bad for you, we can find a study that shows that high carbohydrate diets are just as bad… I think it comes down to you.. yes you! Take some time, determine what foods agree with you, what foods make you feel bad, adjust and keep moving forward. I would have never thought that wheat was giving me any trouble, but when I stopped eating it, I stopped taking ibuprofen every day for my aching joints… 

(http://nourishedkitchen.com/against-the-grain-10-reasons-to-give-up-grains/ check out number 4).

Is it easy? Ummmm kinda-ish? It is easy at times, at home, I have a reasonable portion of beef, or pork, and a side dish of cauliflower (mashed, or roasted, or steamed… ), but when I try to eat at a restaurant it becomes more difficult.. I have to order foods that are not easy to hide ingredients in (order 2 eggs over medium and you get two eggs, order and omelet and you could wind up with pancake batter to make them fluffier).  

Snacking is interesting, because I love peanut butter, and that is technically roasted bean paste… but there are alternatives such as almond butter, eggplant dip, etc.

The screams I hear are: No cereal? No pasta? No convenience foods? My response… quit your bellyachin’! Give it a try, do some research and maybe you will find a better way to fuel your body… 

Check out a couple of these sites for inspiration:

www.againstallgrain.com

www.marksdailyapple.com *(creator of Grok the caveman)

www.nomnompaleo.com

Let me know if you are trying something.. and I will be posting some ideas and recipes soon on www.cookingwithtrace.com

Now go forage something.. Trace