What did you eat today?

[Catrin]

Crankin - glad you are feeling better!

Yesterday:
B: eggs scrambled with veggies, bacon, butternut squash/apple hash, coffee
1 hour kettlebell training session (different coach) Learned some good things about technique!
L: Last of the roasted chicken hearts and thighs over sauteed chard and other veggies, fermented veggies
D: West African Chicken Stew and Sweet-Salty Brocolli salad from Well Fed 2. This was the BEST chicken stew I've made so far from this recipe and I think it is because I gave up trying to find sugar-free sunbutter. I tried to make my own again, but THIS time it actually worked. Apparently it helps to roast the sunflower seeds first, apparently that helps persuade them to release the oils. I wanted to eat the entire recipe, but I did limit myself to one serving 1 beer

Today
Woke up to news of freezing rain and sleet before snow, so decided to stay home today.

B: made a huge veggie/ground pork/baked egg casserole/frittata (whatever it is), 1 slice nitrate-free bacon, coffee
Kettlebell workout at home - a 500-swing workout broken up with some work on my Jungle Gym
L: more of the West African Chicken Stew and Sweet-Salty Brocolli salad, last of the butternut squash/apple hash from yesterday
D: I've a pastured pork roast braising in the oven, and a couple of sweet potatoes are keeping it company. Will probably have some of both and saute some chard and, perhaps, roast some kale. Perhaps one beer and 1-2 squares of very dark free trade chocolate. I found a local source...which is a bit dangerous!

I want to say again how incredible that homemade fresh sunbutter is - it makes me want to toast some almonds I have and try my hand at almond butter. I won't, however, as I doubt I COULD resist that temptation with fresh almond butter. Sunflower butter isn't my favorite, but it goes SO well in the chicken stew recipe - and who can beat $2 for a huge bag of them? Certainly far less expensive than buying sugar-free sunbutter!

[Crankin]

Send me that recipe. Please.

[Catrin]

Send me that recipe. Please.

Your wish is my command Here is the recipe for the West African Chicken Stew.

I've tried to double up the recipe, but my spices must have been off because it just wasn't as good as making a single recipe. Very easy to make, though I must admit I've yet to use the Bay Leaf called for in the recipe. I mean to get it, but always seem to forget it.

[Pax]

Crankin - I seem to be getting to that same point with "other" foods. Eating clean at home I feel great, then we'll go out with friends and eat some Pub Food and I feel like I've been run over the next day! Guess my body likes real food.

[Catrin]

Crankin - I seem to be getting to that same point with "other" foods. Eating clean at home I feel great, then we'll go out with friends and eat some Pub Food and I feel like I've been run over the next day! Guess my body likes real food.

YES, agree with both of you! As our bodies adjust to real food, and well-sourced fats, they do seem to become less tolerant to bad foods and cra**y oils. Considering how much better I feel these days, it is worth it!

[Crankin]

Oops, i meant the recipe for home made sun nut butter. I have the Well Fed 2. It's already spattered up and I've had it about 3 weeks.
Sorry to have made you work.
I can eat good whole grain bread and not feel like crap, but too much cheese or other stuff, no.

[Catrin]

I wasn't sure which one, so I gave you the first one

The homemade sunbutter couldn't be easier. First of all, I cheated and bought a large bag of roasted-but-unsalted sunflower seeds from Trader Joe's. You can buy raw and toast them in the oven first if you want.

Turning them into butter couldn't be easier. I tossed roughly 1.5 cups of the sunflower seeds into the small bowl of my food processor. Let it run on low for 5 minutes. stir. 5 more minutes. stir again. 5 more minutes and when I opened it to stir/scrape down the sides I had sun-butter! The consistency was a bit coarse, probably because I was making so little, but it was indeed nut-butter, NOT the moist 'nut-flour' than I had last time.

[GLC1968]

YES, agree with both of you! As our bodies adjust to real food, and well-sourced fats, they do seem to become less tolerant to bad foods and cra**y oils. Considering how much better I feel these days, it is worth it!

I'm in 100% agreement, too! I rarely eat out these days and when I do, I stick to known items so that I don't pay the price later on.

I have another cookbook recommendation for your folks - The Ancestral Table by Russ Crandall. It's a little less traditional paleo in that he does include white potatoes, rice and some cheese. He also uses a lot of gentle cooking methods, so there are not too many short cuts to be made. Gorgeous book and I marked a TON of recipes that I want to try. I've only made one recipe so far and it was delicious! (Colcannon - essentially mashed potatoes with leeks, kale and butter) My husband gobbled up the leftovers and usually if something has kale in it, he avoids it after the first serving!

[Crankin]

Thanks, GLC, I'm developing a cookbook addiction! However, given the fact I work until 7 2 nights a week, not sure if I should get a cookbook that can't be modified with shortcuts.