Next Level Nutrition

Freedom Fries!

I know it's the same pic but Brian Rouse sent in a great Parsnip recipe. Even better is the story to go with it. I'm going to be trying these soon! I miss my fries! Download Freedom Fries

 Check out the picture.  No, they are NOT French fries.  They are, in fact, parsnips!  Here’s the conversation I had when I gave my 17 year old daughter, aka my toughest critic and most outspoken opponent to my paleo-no-icecream-no-treats-in-the-house lifestyle a sample: 

Maddie: “Ugh…WHAT is THIS?”

Me: “Try it. I’ll tell you what it is after you try it.  Looks like a French fry, doesn’t it?”

Maddie: “Fine.”  Takes one…chews with a skeptical look…

Maddie: “Let me try another one…”  Said in a tone of that-last-bite-must’ve-been-a-fluke…

Me:  “Those are parsnips.”

Maddie: “Now THOSE…are good.”

Me: “Want your own plate of them?”

Maddie: “Yes.”

 Sold.

I hope everyone is still going strong in our Challenge. By now we've all had out moments of weakness and yes, any particular eating plan can get stagnant. It's important to stay focused and keep on trying new things. At this point you should have discovered what is working for you and what is not. I can't stress this enough. We are all individuals and nothing can be generalized over large groups. You should be playing around with your macronutrient ratios. The first thing you will pay attention to is how it makes you feel. Then you can see if the body composition changes are happening. Thanks to everyone who's been bringing in recipes and interacting on the blog! Yes, I am keeping track of every comment and submission, all which go towards your final score. Hint Hint!

 

I've been a little slow on posts lately. There just seems to be alot going on and sometimes it's just lack of subject matter. If you have post ideas, feel free to send them my way.

We had some great turkey recipes from this past week. Lynn Wilkes brought in an Asian style Turkey Slaw and Melissa Kron made some Turkey Meat Balls. Both were delicious and get the judges vote! 

This week's secret ingredient is......"Parsnips!" I made my first Parsnip puree tonight and it was awesome! Often purees call for heavy cream so we are dosing some dairy fat. However, if you are keeping sugar levels low, some added saturated fat shouldn't be a problem. I also made a batch with 1/2 Parsnips and 1/2 Butternut squash. Yummy!

Christy Fisher sent me a link to get a huge variety of online coupons. Online Coupons. Thanks Christy!

We also have some info. on "Bison vs. Beef" comparisons.Download Bison vs. beef 
 

Lynn Wilkes sent me a great article. Take a minute to read it. How To Eat Out Paleo. Here is a part of the article.

  

7 Tips for Paleo Eating in a Restaurant*

1. Meat or chicken. Order it without sauces, or with sauces on the side.

2. Sides: replace potatoes/rice/beans/etc. with extra veggies. If they won't do it, ask for no sides. (Story time! I recently tried to order a pasta dish at a really nice restaurant without pasta and with extra vegetables. The waiter indicated it wouldn't be enough food without the pasta but I insisted that I wouldn't eat the pasta, so he said, 'I really don't think this will be enough food for you. Why don't you order this other fish dish, which comes with vegetables, and I can remove the potatoes for you?' The new dish was amazing, and I was very grateful that the man worked with me.)

3. Seafood often comes in creamy sauces, often dairy-based. Order them on the side, or ask for your prepared way of cooking--grilled, seared, or baked.

4. Mexican food is actually really easy. Order the tacos/burrito with the best ingredients. Then MAN UP AND DON'T EAT THE TORTILLA. Even better, order it without the tortilla--they might even give you more filling. At Hula Hut, I order the Tubular Taco without the tortilla and get a HUGE pile of veggies and protein. Add in guacamole and you're totally set with fat, protein, and good carbs!

5. Italian food got you down? They ALWAYS have a high-quality steak or chicken dish and I nicely-done fish on the menu. Think of all the crap you would have put in your body with pasta, then get really excited that you're getting the intense Italian flavorings on a tasty protein canvas.

6. Sushi is always a win, just order without rice. Some places (Sushi Zushi, Kenichi) will even make you some cool rolls (or at least hand rolls) without rice, using thinly-sliced cucumber to fill the wrapper. JUST ASK.

7. My go-to eating out option? Ahi tuna. It's widely available as an appetizer, salad, or entree, even at sports bars.

*I'm going to go ahead and assume you KNOW not to eat the bread or chips and salsa beforehand; you KNOW not to order anything fried; you KNOW butter is dairy and eggs and mayo aren't. If you don't, you should probably start HERE or HERE. Also, visit a Farmer's Market. Don't eat anything you can't buy there (which is NOT the same as saying that you can eat anything you can buy there).

We've talked about Fast Food before. We won't make a long post on this but it is worthy to consider what kind of food you get at the drive through. There is no doubt each of us will be tempted to get that quick fix at some point....especially if you are on the road with children! So I found an interesting link that addresses the contents of a "chicken nugget." Throughout this article you will find several other links to fast food cuisine. What's Really in Your Food? Appetizing for sure!

Another link I found interesting suggests that fast food standards for the meat they serve may be better than school lunch standards. Fast Food Vs. School Cafeteria

Lastly, I read a bit on how beef is "graded" by the USDA. Here is some interesting information.Meat Grades. So....meat is either "pass/fail." There is no such thing as Grade A meat. As an option, a meat producer can have meat graded. I find this next statment perplexing. "The 3 lowest grades, USDA Utility, Cutter, and Canner, are seldom, if ever seen in stores but are instead used to make ground beef and other meat items such as frankfurters." So we eat it anyway? If ground beef and hot dogs are not sold in stores, where are they sold?

 

Long But Worth a Listen

Why Wait For Thanksgiving?

This week's secret ingredient is....Turkey! Turkey has the highest protein content of any meat or seafood. I find most turkey deli meat to be unappealing and if it's not Thanksgiving, I'm usually not roasting one. However, this is a great way to cook alot of protein for a reaonable price. You will have plenty of leftovers to make food for the week. Simple right? Throw it in the oven! We all know that creating moisture is the key to a good Turkey, and leftovers, unless smothered in gravy, end up dry. We'll be looking for some creativity here. If your recipe calls for salt, pepper, and a toss in the oven, don't bother. That's too easy! We have 22 people competing in the Next Level Challenge and I believe we have recipe submissions from only 6 people so far. They are earning some valuable interaction points. 
 

Veggies From the Sea!

So I came across an interesting product. Kelp Noodles are made of Kelp, a sea vegetable that is gluten-free and very low in carbohydrates. 4 ounces has 6 calories. Aside from rice, oriental noodles were a big part of my upbringing. Udon soup anyone? Good stuff! Noodles stir fried with a little sesame oil and soy were a big hit in my house. With some good reviews I decided to order a case of Kelp Noodles. I am pleasantly surprised! Give them a try! This company also makes a Sea Vegetable mix. Here is my short review.

Kelp noodles are clear (not the most appetizing out of the package). Although they are clear, they will take on the color of whatever you cook them in. They virtually have no taste. Does any noodle really have much flavor? They are very tough and hard to pull apart. They are packaged with some water so you will want to drain them. They are edible right out of the package or can be cooked to soften. They have an original "crunch" that is appealing...at least to me. I imagine that crunch can be taken out with some more cooking time. I think this texture will make them great for raw salads. Here is my first recipe with Kelp Noodles. 

Stir Fried Kelp Noodles with sliced sirloin

-Heat a little olive oil and sesame oil in a skillet.

-Add some chopped garlic, ginger, scallion, and parsely. Cook for a few minutes.

-Add the kelp noodles. Chop them unless you like to twist your noodles on a fork.

-Add a dash of low sodium soy sauce and cook for about 5 minutes.

-Add your sliced protein. 

Our winner this week for "Battle Brussel Sprouts" is Bridget McCollough! Sometimes simple is best. Her recipe for Roasted Brussel Sprouts is easy to make and delicious. I can't believe something I hated as a kid went down so well. She brought in samples and my confession is that I ate most of it. I am sold on sprouts. Brian Rouse submitted: Download Brussel Sprout Fricassé

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

-Preheat Oven to 375

-Prepare sprouts by trimming the ends, removing yellow leaves, and cutting in half.

-Mix them in a bowl with olive oil, dried basil, sea salt, black pepper, minced garlic, and dill.

-Cook on next to lowest oven rack for 30-40 minutes.

I would like a few volunteers. If you are struggling with body composition changes and are willing to try it, let me know. Also, if you are stil feeling run down this may be worth a try. The Paleo plan will shift by cutting back on fruit and increasing protein and fat content. Use fruit sparingly and only in the morning and mid day. Also, you will want to try a few days a week of no fruit at all. This means you MUST increase vegetable intake to get your carbohydrates. Increase protein intake by eating it more often, not always in bigger portions. Increase your fat intake. You can do this through eating more avocado, ideal oils, nuts, and meats. With fattier cuts of meat it's going to pay to get grass fed products. As I research other athletes using the Paleo diet, there is more and more people who are claiming to do well with this shift in macronutrients.
 

Hhmmm......

Christy Fisher sent me a link to an interesting article. Read: Kids and Constant Eating. This is thought provoking. They are pointing to "snacks" as a major contribution to childhood obesity. The 6 meal a day program is making them fat. We all know that snacks and eating often is not a problem but a benefit. It keeps our blood sugar stable and metabolisms revving. I would guess that they problem here, as with adults, would be not frequency but quality. Kids will migrate towards junk. Period. Combine this with unhealthy, overly processed food as main meals, and it's no wonder. The director of the U.S. Center for Disease Control has proposed taxing sugary drinks and junk food, zoning restictions on fast food outlets around schools, and bans on advertising unhealthy food towards children. I see. Tax sugar based on grams! Brilliant! So instead of having parents establish some control over what goes in their kid's mouths, he would rather "control" the American system of free enterprise? There is a disturbing trend towards not taking responsibility in this country. We cannot shield our children from evils in the world. We can only educate them and enforce our authority as parents and role models. Ok, that's my opinion. Let's hear your thoughts.  
 

Here are some tips to create tasty veggies. Viva Vegetables. Have you hit a Paleo wall? I know I experience some burnout in 2 departments. First of all, I just don't want to rinse, chop, or prepare any more vegetables! Secondly, nothing healthy sounds good! I don't mean to cause any bad vibes and thankfully these feelings are seldom and don't last more than a day or two. I found that releasing some bad karma through eating less than ideal foods (in moderation), helps me stay focused. I get that "fix" and as weird as this sounds, I feel generally junky after eating it, which pushes me to get back on the right path. So, the last breakdown was a half rack of ribs (very salty I'm sure). I felt sick after eating them.  I also enjoyed (not really) some diet Mountain Dew. There is NO doubt that Sucralose causes insulin response and further sugar craving! I know better than to consume Sucralose but it was interesting how I just wanted more and more. So there are my confessions. I think the point is that it will be hard to stay on track all the time.  The important thing is that you find a way to deal with it that doesn't derail you.

I'm too excited about our next cooking event so here are the details. It looks like the March 27th vote is majority. We are going to have this set up at the gym. There will be 3 cooking stations. Each coach will have a station set up with ingredients, tools, and recipes. There will be 2 recipes on each station. You will form teams and begin to prepare our food for the night. We would like to see team assignments to each recipe. Each station will also have a "secret ingredient" (Iron Chef style) that you will use to create a "wild card" dish. There will be no recipe for this and you can use any of the other ingredients to create it. So, in short, there will be 3 offerings from each station. Should we stay with the Iron Chef theme and allow 1 hour exactly to finish the dishes? Yes the 3 coaches are your official judges and we will pick 3 dishes as "supreme cuisine." We will be looking for people to lend us tables, chairs, and table cloths. Please e-mail me a list of what you can bring.