Easy Beef Roast

I wrote a critique for the Marin I.J. and was required to make several recipes to write about. This was my first recipe I tried and I LOVED it! This recipe  is courtesy of Elizabeth Barbone's cookbook "How to Cook Gluten-Free".

Ingredients

Celtic salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons oliv oil
1 boneless chuck roast (3-4 pounds), patted dry
4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 medium onions, quartered
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juices

Instrcutions

1.       Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Season the roast all over with salt and pepper.

2.       Heat the oil on a large (8 quart) Dutch oven over high heat until it begins to smoke. Brown the roast, undisturbed, for 7 minutes. Turn over with thongs and brown the other side for an additional 7 minutes. Turn off the heat.

3.       Add the carrots, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Cover and place in the oven. Cook for 3-4 hours. The finished roast should be very tender. Test with a fork. If the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, it is ready. If the meat seems tough when you test it, cook the roast longer.

4.       Remove the roast from the Dutch oven and place on a cutting board. Reserve the cooking liquid and skim off any excess fat, if you want to. Allow the roast to stand for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing.

5.       Place the sliced meat and the vegetables on a platter and spoon a little of the cooking liquid over the top. Serve with the cooking liquid alongside.

 *Use leftovers to make Shepard's Pie, and or turn into breakfast hash.

Garden Shake (green monster drink)

Although, this drink may appear to be tasteless and icky green, it is a drink that I use as a meal on the run, or as a way to get my extra greens into my die, and really, it does taste delicious.

Ingredients:

1 banana
6 frozen strawberries
1/4 cup frozen pineapple
1 1/2 cup raw spinach
2 large kale leaves with stems
1 carrot cut into smaller pieces
1/2 -1 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon honey (add more if you like sweeter)

Blend in blender until smooth.

Ingredients can be changed easily for your own taste buds, and I use frozen fruit to give this drink a smoothie texture.

Egg Mc Muffins- Have it Your Way

This recipe shows how you can make multiple flavor combos in one batch to please everyone's palette.

Ingredients:

6 tsp. feta cheese
1/3 cup shredded fresh spinach
3 tsp. chopped sun dried tomatoes
12 basil leaves torn
1 1/2 large fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
12 eggs, beaten -salt and pepper
(this combo was created by Antonia Lofaso's former Top Chef All-Star)

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin (or silicone non-stick cups) with nonstick cooking spray. Divide feta cheese, spinach, and sun dried tomatoes equally among 6 of the tins. Divide basil, fresh tomatoes and Parmesan cheese equally in the other 6 tins.
2. Pour the eggs equally among the tins. Mix with the other ingredients.
3.  Bake fir 15-17 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from tins.

OTHER ingredients that are yummy to use: (This is a great way to get rid of piddling leftovers)

- Mixed bell peppers, mozzarella cheese, basil, and sausage bits
( seasoned ground turkey or chicken is yummy)
- Saute shallots, and mushrooms, feta cheese
- Ham, cheddar cheese, and broccoli ( GREAT FOR KIDS)

NO DAIRY INGREDIENTS:

-Broccoli, onions, and red or green bell peppers
-Leftover veggie mix (zucchini, onions, cauliflower, peppers), fresh basil

Store in plastic bags 2 at a time for easy grab and go breakfast.

Breakfast Turkey Hash

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey (or ground chicken)
1 red bell pepper diced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 carrots peeled and diced
1 onion diced
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoon Adobo seasoning
olive oil

Instructions:

-season ground turkey meat with 
1 Tablespoon Adobo seasoning, and salt and pepper
-lightly oil pan
-brown turkey meat, and set aside
-saute onions until almost tender(keep slightly firm for re-heating) season with 1/2 Tablespoon Adobo, and salt and pepper, then and add to meat set aside
-saute peppers until almost tender, season with remaining Adobo, salt and pepper. Add back onions and ground meat to peppers.

I make this turkey hash recipe ahead of time, and serve out portions every morning. I just re-heat a fry pan, or microwave a serving size, and serve alongside a couple of eggs and fruit.

* I also sometimes add zucchini, and other veggie when I have them on hand.

Paleo vs. Primal: What is the Difference

The Paleo diet is based upon the idea of eating the foods our bodies were designed to eat through thousands of years of evolution. These foods were available to early people through hunting and gathering [meat and fish, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables]. During modern times, and advances in technology now have made other forms of food available for consumption [grains, dairy, and processed foods], which are suboptimal forms of nutrition. The foods recommended in the Paleo diet provide our bodies with long-lasting energy that also aid in burning fat.

What is the difference between Paleo and Primal?

‘Primal’ generally refers to Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint way of eating which is very similar to Paleo, but allows some leeway with certain types of dairy and has fewer restrictions on saturated fat intake. Sisson's mission was to provide a symptom where failure was no option. With an 80/20 goal, you may allow yourself a break in the path if needed. Primal followers don't need to feel emotionally bad for not eating perfectly Primal. In general, the Paleo Diet is a high protein, moderate fat diet, and the Primal Blueprint is considered to be a high fat, moderate protein diet. Many people who follow this way of eating consider the terms to be one and the same. How ever you personally decide to “title” the ancestral diet that you abide by, both stem from the core principle of eating the foods our bodies were designed to eat: plants and animals.

Enjoy	Avoid
Meats	Grains
Fruits & Vegetables	Legumes
Nuts & Seeds	Dairy
Healthy Fats	Processed Foods
Herbs, Spices & Seasonings	Alcohol
Other Key Ingredients	Starches

Eat Like a Predator

Why eating like a predator is beneficial to your health, and why I chose to convert.

Remember there is no such thing as perfect, but we can still practice. Practice what you preach, practice what you eat, and practice who you want to be. Practicing results in Success! You are what you eat!

Check out this awesome article I found on simplifying a Paleo diet. Although I practice and follow Primal Blueprint,    I found this website article  GNOLLS.ORG to be insightful, and straight to the point.

Glycemic Index, and Why We Should Care About It

Glycemic index and glycemic load offer information about how foods affect blood sugar and insulin. The lower a food's glycemic index or glycemic load, the less it affects blood sugar and insulin levels. Here you'll find a list of the glycemic index and glycemic load for more than 100 common foods.

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
BAKERY PRODUCTS AND BREADS
Banana cake, made with sugar	47	60	14
Banana cake, made without sugar	55	60	12
Sponge cake, plain	46	63	17
Vanilla cake made from packet mix with vanilla frosting (Betty Crocker)	42	111	24
Apple, made with sugar	44	60	13
Apple, made without sugar	48	60	9
Waffles, Aunt Jemima (Quaker Oats)	76	35	10
Bagel, white, frozen	72	70	25
Baguette, white, plain	95	30	15
Coarse barley bread, 75-80% kernels, average	34	30	7
Hamburger bun	61	30	9
Kaiser roll	73	30	12
Pumpernickel bread	56	30	7
50% cracked wheat kernel bread	58	30	12
White wheat flour bread	71	30	10
Wonder™ bread, average	73	30	10
Whole wheat bread, average	71	30	9
100% Whole Grain™ bread (Natural Ovens)	51	30	7
Pita bread, white	68	30	10
Corn tortilla	52	50	12
Wheat tortilla	30	50	8
BEVERAGES
Coca Cola®, average	63	250 mL	16
Fanta®, orange soft drink	68	250 mL	23
Lucozade®, original (sparkling glucose drink)	95±10	250 mL	40
Apple juice, unsweetened, average	44	250 mL	30
Cranberry juice cocktail (Ocean Spray®)	68	250 mL	24
Gatorade	78	250 mL	12
Orange juice, unsweetened	50	250 mL	12
Tomato juice, canned	38	250 mL	4
BREAKFAST CEREALS AND RELATED PRODUCTS
All-Bran™, average	55	30	12
Coco Pops™, average	77	30	20
Cornflakes™, average	93	30	23
Cream of Wheat™ (Nabisco)	66	250	17
Cream of Wheat™, Instant (Nabisco)	74	250	22
Grapenuts™, average	75	30	16
Muesli, average	66	30	16
Oatmeal, average	55	250	13
Instant oatmeal, average	83	250	30
Puffed wheat, average	80	30	17
Raisin Bran™ (Kellogg's)	61	30	12
Special K™ (Kellogg's)	69	30	14
GRAINS
Pearled barley, average	28	150	12
Sweet corn on the cob, average	60	150	20
Couscous, average	65	150	9
Quinoa	53	150	13
White rice, average	89	150	43
Quick cooking white basmati	67	150	28
Brown rice, average	50	150	16
Converted, white rice (Uncle Ben's®)	38	150	14
Whole wheat kernels, average	30	50	11
Bulgur, average	48	150	12
COOKIES AND CRACKERS
Graham crackers	74	25	14
Vanilla wafers	77	25	14
Shortbread	64	25	10
Rice cakes, average	82	25	17
Rye crisps, average	64	25	11
Soda crackers	74	25	12
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND ALTERNATIVES
Ice cream, regular	57	50	6
Ice cream, premium	38	50	3
Milk, full fat	41	250mL	5
Milk, skim	32	250 mL	4
Reduced-fat yogurt with fruit, average	33	200	11
FRUITS
Apple, average	39	120	6
Banana, ripe	62	120	16
Dates, dried	42	60	18
Grapefruit	25	120	3
Grapes, average	59	120	11
Orange, average	40	120	4
Peach, average	42	120	5
Peach, canned in light syrup	40	120	5
Pear, average	38	120	4
Pear, canned in pear juice	43	120	5
Prunes, pitted	29	60	10
Raisins	64	60	28
Watermelon	72	120	4
BEANS AND NUTS
Baked beans, average	40	150	6
Blackeye peas, average	33	150	10
Black beans	30	150	7
Chickpeas, average	10	150	3
Chickpeas, canned in brine	38	150	9
Navy beans, average	31	150	9
Kidney beans, average	29	150	7
Lentils, average	29	150	5
Soy beans, average	15	150	1
Cashews, salted	27	50	3
Peanuts, average	7	50	0
PASTA and NOODLES
Fettucini, average	32	180	15
Macaroni, average	47	180	23
Macaroni and Cheese (Kraft)	64	180	32
Spaghetti, white, boiled, average	46	180	22
Spaghetti, white, boiled 20 min, average	58	180	26
Spaghetti, wholemeal, boiled, average	42	180	17
SNACK FOODS
Corn chips, plain, salted, average	42	50	11
Fruit Roll-Ups®	99	30	24
M & M's®, peanut	33	30	6
Microwave popcorn, plain, average	55	20	6
Potato chips, average	51	50	12
Pretzels, oven-baked	83	30	16
Snickers Bar®	51	60	18
VEGETABLES
Green peas, average	51	80	4
Carrots, average	35	80	2
Parsnips	52	80	4
Baked russet potato, average	111	150	33
Boiled white potato, average	82	150	21
Instant mashed potato, average	87	150	17
Sweet potato, average	70	150	22
Yam, average	54	150	20
MISCELLANEOUS
Hummus (chickpea salad dip)	6	30	0
Chicken nuggets, frozen, reheated in microwave oven 5 min	46	100	7
Pizza, plain baked dough, served with parmesan cheese and tomato sauce	80	100	22
Pizza, Super Supreme (Pizza Hut)	36	100	9
Honey, average	61	25	12

The complete list of the glycemic index and glycemic load for more than 1,000 foods can be found in the article "International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008" by Fiona S. Atkinson, Kaye Foster-Powell, and Jennie C. Brand-Miller in the December 2008 issue of Diabetes Care, Vol. 31, number 12, pages 2281-2283.
An earlier version of this table appeared here: "International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002," by Kaye Foster-Powell, Susanna H.A. Holt, and Janette C. Brand-Miller in the July 2002 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 62, pages 5–56.