Paleo Bullet Proof Chai Tea

Do you know about Bullet Proof Coffee?

Go ahead and follow that link. I'll wait.

Right, got it? Yes, for real, I drink coffee with a few tablespoons of organic butter melted in it. I don't add the MTC oil, just because I don't have any, but I intend to try it with coconut oil when we get back to Jundiai. For now, here in England, it's just butter.

The problem is, I don't like unsweetened coffee. The butter is not a problem, and I think it tastes pretty good as a substitute for cream, but the coffee itself is still just too bitter. I love me some sweet coffee.

What to do?

Chai tea, of course.

What I did:

12 oz hot water
1 black chai tea bag
2-3 tbs Kerry Gold butter

How it tastes:

Like a non-sweetened chai latte. I love me a chai latte!

The only thing I like better than a chai latte, is a sweet chai latte, but it still tastes better than non-sweetened coffee.

What I'll try in the future:

Adding some hazelnut milk and frothing it all up with my hand blender. I may add a bit of raw honey, and maybe even a drop of vanilla.

Why it's good for you:

The tea itself is loaded with antioxidants, and has about 1/3 as much caffeine as strong coffee. Some studies have shown that black tea has anti-viral and anti-cancer properties.

The spices in the tea are:

• Cinnamon - helps regulate blood sugar, helps reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and pain relief properties, has small amounts of calcium, iron, and manganese, helps balance female hormone levels, helps reduce chronic inflammation, the smell boosts brain function,
• Cardamom - full of antioxidants, has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties, is related to ginger and has many of the same anti-nausea and digestive benefits, mild diuretic, helps lower blood pressure
• Star anise -
• Fennel - full of antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, boosts the effectiveness of other compounds with antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, helps ease menstrual cramps, aids digestion by stimulating digestive liquids, helps relieve constipation and gas, mild diuretic and expectorant
• Cloves - has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties, good source of manganese, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin K, vitamin C, and calcium
• Black pepper - contains vitamin K, manganese, copper, iron, and antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory properties, shown to increase gastrointestinal enzyme secretions and absorption of other nutrients
• Nutmeg - antiseptic, antimicrobial and pain relief properties, contains myristicin which helps protect against Alzheimers, stimulates brain function, yet can also help you sleep, helps lower blood pressure, helps activate serotonin and dopamine which reduce anxiety
• Ginger - aids digestion, helps with circulation, and reduces inflammation, reduces nausea and studies show that some of it's properties are effective at preventing skin cancer and treating ovarian cancer

yes, I think I have sold myself on Bullet Proof Chai Tea. How can I pass up all of those possible health benefits? Especially when it tastes so dang good.

(Please note, I am not a doctor, nutritionist or any other kind of health expert. I found all of this information via Professor Google. Do your own research if you want to know more!)

Quick Paleo Scramble With Ground Beef

What to do when you don't feel much like cooking and wish you had something easy to throw together? (As in, every day for me.)

Grab what's in the fridge and scramble it into some eggs.

What I did:

4 eggs
1/4 lb ground beef
1/4 chopped red onion
1/2 lime
1 sm tomato
dash of salt

Throw the ground beef and red onions into a pan on medium heat until the beef is just brown. The onions will still be a bit crunchy, and that's how I like them.

Scramble and add the four eggs, and a dash of salt*. Whirl them around until they're cooked how you like. I like my eggs well done and dry. No runny goo for me, thanks.

Cut the tomato into bite sized pieces and add them to the top of your scramble, squeeze a little lime juice over them and top it off with some spicy sauce. I found this Louisiana Gold in a nearby grocery and it's my favorite find. No preservatives, no chemicals, just tasty pepper sauce that's not too hot for my wimpy tongue.

Enjoy!

How it came out:
Quite tasty, and more than one person can eat.

What I would do different next time:
Nothing. Quick, easy, tasty. Just how I like it, and it's not just a breakfast dish. I had this for dinner tonight, and will eat the second half for lunch tomorrow.

*Note to self. Buy sea salt in England, I can't find it here in my Brazilian town.

Paleo Roasted and Curried Cauliflower

When I made the chicken curry in the crock pot today, I had about half a head of cauliflower left over. What to do with it? Hmm...

Since I had the curry spices out already, I threw them on the cauliflower and whacked it in the oven.

Here's what I did:

1/2 head cauliflower, broken up into florettes
1 tbs curry powder
1/4 tsp cumin
salt
olive oil

Line a baking pan with foil and spritz the foil with olive oil (I brought a handy-dandy oil sprayer with me from the States).

Put the cauliflower in a zip lock bag with the curry powder and cumin and shake it up until well coated.

Dump the spiced cauliflower into the prepared pan and spritz it with more olive oil. Throw some salt over it, as much as you prefer.

Place it in the oven under the broiler (not too close) for about 15-20 minutes until it's just a little bit brown.

Take it out, eat it up.

How it came out:

Tasty, with just a bit of spicy heat. I had to go downstairs for a while after I pulled it out of the oven, so it was cold when I got back. 30 seconds in the microwave fixed that.

This would make enough for a side dish for two people, or one nicely sized afternoon snack for one person.

What I would do next time:

Make more! Also, it would probably be really good with some shredded coconut.

Paleo Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Curry

Speaking of slow cookers, they are nearly impossible to buy in Brazil. Someone said they found one online, but it was several hundred dollars. I've tried to find one, but it's difficult because they don't even have a name for it. The closest I can come is "forno electrico" which means electric oven, but really that is more of a toaster oven than a crock pot. I was lucky enough to be back in the US a few weeks ago and picked one up for $30.

So, if you're moving to Brazil and like to cook with your crock pot because you're lazy like me, bring it with you! Just make sure to check your voltage in your new Brazilian home before you plug it in and fry the wiring. There is no way to fix that.

A fellow blogger here in Brazil (Qualidade da Vida) just recently returned from a trip to the US and brought home a crock pot. He made up this recipe and called it a success, and was nice enough to send me the recipe. I took out a few non-paleo ingredients, but the basic recipe remains the same*. (Thank you Jim!). He has a four quart crock pot, but I have a six quart and adjusted his recipe up a bit. Yay for leftovers!

Hello little blue caterpillar hiding inside my cauliflower!

Here's what I did:

2 full skinless chicken breasts, cut into medium chunks**
2 white sweet potatoes, scrubbed, cut into medium chunks
2 onions, chopped
2 red peppers, cut into medium chunks
3 lg carrots, scrubbed, cut into medium chunks (diagonal cuts look nice)
2 cups cauliflower florets (remember to check for caterpillars)
5 cloves garlic, minced
400 ml coconut milk
2 cups chicken broth***
4-5 Tbs. curry powder
2-3 tsp cumin
2 tbs grated fresh ginger****
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 cup raisins(optional)

Saute onions and garlic in a bit of coconut oil until nearly clear. Add chicken and brown it up a bit**. Put it into the crock pot and cover with chopped vegetables, hardest types first.

Combine liquids and spices. Pour over the rest and stir a bit, but do not mix all your soft veggies down into the mix. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or so (I’m still getting the hang of the time thing). High for 3.5 - 4 hours or so. 

Add the raisins shortly before serving, or even sprinkle them over the top of each dish.

*Jim's recipe called for regular potatoes and peas. I substituted sweet potatoes and left out the peas.

**I used a bone-in whole skinless breast and didn't brown it first (because it's what I had).

***I happen to have chicken bone broth leftover which I made from the leftover liquid and bones of my whole roasted chicken. Win!

****Jim used 1 tsp ginger powder

How it came out:

It's been cooking for about two hours and it smells so good.

A few hours later...
OK, I just finished a bowl and it was fantastic! SO GOOD.

I had to remove the whole chicken breast and shred the meat while removing the bones. Once I put the meat back into the pot, it was ready to go. Took me about five minutes.

What I would do different next time:

Put the carrots and potatoes in first, before the chicken. I almost forgot about the potatoes (oops) and had to put them on top. I don't think they took on as much of the flavor, but they're still really good.

Starting with boneless, skinless breasts as Jim did would be much easier to serve. 

You could also make this without the potatoes and serve it over rice (if you eat rice).

The Cost of Paleo Groceries

I went to the mercadao with a list, and got almost everything I wanted. Score! I also added the impulse buy of those figs because do you see those beauties? I LOVE figs, and those are the biggest, fattest figs I have seen yet. I ate four of them right after I took this photo.

So, here's what I got:

Coentro - R$2.50 per bunch = Cilantro - US$1.18
Batata doce - R$3.50 per kilo = Sweet potato - US$3.62 per pound
Cebola - R$5.00 per kilo = Onions - US$5.17 per pound
Dedos de Moça - R$3.00 per pack (7) = Red hot peppers - US$1.41
Ovos caipira - R$6.00 per dozen = Organic free range eggs - US$2.82 per dozen
Cebola Roxa - R$8.00 per kilo = Red onions - US$8.27 per pound
Banana prata - R$4.80 per kilo = Bananas - US$4.96 per pound
Figo - R$7.00 per pack (8) = Figs US$3.29
Atemoia - R$5.00 each = Atemoya - US$2.35
Amendoa crua - R$45.00 per kilo = Raw almonds - US$46.53 per pound
Castanha do pará -R$35.00 per kilo = Brazil nuts - US$36.19 per pound
Cacao em po - R$13.90 per kilo = Coco powder - US$14.37 per pound

In total, I spent R$62.81 which equals US$29.52

Looking at the receipts for the prices I am gasping at the cost of onions. Seriously? $8.27 a pound for red onions? Are they imported and coated with gold? Wow. Also, $46.53 a pound for raw almonds. Ouch. Good thing that .29 kilos will last me a couple of weeks.

How does it compare to buying this stuff in the US? Well, I don't know. I haven't lived there in nearly a year and I can't find any US grocery stores which list their prices. How about we try the UK?

Here's what I found on a Newcastle, England grocery store's website:

Cilantro - £.80 per 30g bunch = $1.24
Sweet potato - £1.25 per kilo = US$4.26 per pound
Onions - £1.24 per kilo = US$2.73 per pound
Red sweet peppers (closest equivalent) - £.88 each = US$1.37
Organic free range eggs - £2.50 per dozen = US$3.88 per dozen
Red onions - £.80 = US$2.73 per pound
Bananas - £.68 = US$2.32 per pound
Figs £5.36 per (8) = US$8.31
Atemoya - can't find it
Raw almonds - £15.00 (roasted) per kilo = US$51.15 per pound
Brazil nuts - £10.72 = US$35.38 per pound
Coco powder - £9.10 per kilo = US$31.03 per pound

So here in Brazil onions are about twice the price, red onions are three times the price, bananas are double, figs are more than double, almonds are cheaper and coco powder is half the price. Everything else looks pretty comparable.

Granted, I could shop at a cheaper grocery store, but I've tried that and they either don't have what I want or the quality is really bad. I'm talking about tiny unripe plumbs full of fruit flies, questionable squash and bruised up apples.

I'm glad I made this list today and compared the prices. I was feeling like everything was more expensive, but it's really not that bad. Except for the red onions. Holy cow.

I'll do this again when I go to the butcher. I'm really interested in the comparative cost of meat.

Paleo Whole Chicken and Sweet Potatoes in the Crock Pot

I didn't lug that crock pot five thousand miles for nothing.

Yesterday I picked up a whole chicken in the market with the express purpose of roasting it in my crock pot. This will be the first time I've used it, so I have all my fingers and toes crossed that the plug adaptor does it's job properly, and that I don't hear a POP-ZZZZ while the circuit fries.

Don't worry, I have verified that the power in our apartment is compatible with the slow cooker. I'm too emotionally attached to it not to be as careful as I can.

Now I just need to find a good recipe. I got poking around online today and found this one from Bless This Food as inspiration, and figured out the rest on my own.

Here's what I've done:

1 whole chicken
1 lg white sweet potato
1 white onion*
Onion powder
Garlic flakes
Celery salt
Salt
Black pepper

Peel and chop the sweet potatoes and onion into big chunks and season with as much of the above seasonings as you want. I sprinkled a bit of each (minus the onion powder) all over the top of the lot. Fold the whole pile into a foil packet which will fit into the bottom of your crock pot.

Rinse and pat dry your chicken. Combine about 1/4 tsp of each seasoning into a small bowl (you may want to use about 1/2 tsp of the salt, totally up to your tastes) and rub it all over the beastie, including inside the cavity.

*If you really like onions, you could quarter a second one and stuff it inside the cavity at this point

Plop it in the crock pot on top of the potato packet.

Let it cook on high for 4 to 5 hours. If you have a meat thermometer, or the little pop up button to tell you when it's done you could use that. I don't have one, so I'm winging it.

The juices from the chicken (and there will be a lot of juice) will drain down and cover your potato packet, and if you're like me and poked a couple of accidental holes in it while wrapping it up, they'll soak into the potatoes as well. I think this is a good thing.

How it came out:

Fantastic! I left it in for 4 hours and 45 minutes, and the whole thing fell to pieces when I tried to take it out. So tender! The sweet potatoes and onions were really flavorful. It turns out that keeping them inside the foil packet keeps them from discoloring. The two potato chunks which escaped turned black, but tasted just fine.

What I would do different next time:

More seasoning. I might even put the uncooked chicken in the fridge (with all the seasonings all over it) overnight to absorb the flavors.

What I did next:

I left all the extra juices in the crock pot, added the bones and skin back in, added water and will make soup out of it. I still have about half the meat and will chop it up along with some green onions and add those in as well. I'll let you know how it comes out.

Added bonus:

My crock pot works perfectly here. Yay!

Paleo Progress Report - 2 Months In

The day after we arrived in Brazil, I went Paleo. That was two months ago (March 29th, 2013 to be exact).

So how's it going?

Remarkably well! Considering that I was making most of my food out of a microwave and mini-fridge for most of that time, I think I did alright. I'd say I was about 85% on track. It wasn't really possible to go 100% right off the bat, partially because I'm still learning about how to even do this, and partially because caipirinhas have so much damn sugar! I don't drink much, but maybe every week or ten days I'll have one or two.

Also... sushi.

We've had sushi four times in the last two months, and I think that's totally acceptable. White rice be damned.

Now that we're in the apartment I'm cooking more. I have a stove, an oven, a wok and yes, a microwave. My kitchen tools are still limited until I can get some more decent cookware, but I have most of what I need. I'd say we're now 95% paleo and that's a pretty comfortable place for me.

So how do we feel? Really good. I've dropped somewhere between eight and fifteen pounds. I don't know for sure because I was too discouraged to weigh myself for the past six months, especially when my jeans were all way too tight. Now, those same jeans are loose and I've moved one to two belt notches smaller. I don't have to tell you how good that feels! I'd say I'm half way to my goal, which is to lose another ten to fifteen.

I usually get some acne along my jaw line and chin, and that has nearly disappeared.

So far, those are the only changes I've noticed. I have a couple of other issues I'm keeping an eye on, but it's too soon to know if those have been affected. Maybe in a month or two I'll have more info.

As I sit here eating my breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon with pineapple salsa, I'm feeling really good about this decision. It's not really difficult, I'm not hungry, I don't miss bread and sweets like I thought I would, and Brian is on board which makes things very easy for me.

And an added bonus? My cooking is really improving! I've been able to figure out some really easy recipes that we both like, and I'm looking forward to finding more.

Things to work on:

Do more yoga. Ideally I'd like to practice four to five times a week for 45 minutes. Right now I've been doing two or three times a week for 30 minutes.

Find reliable food sources. We've made progress by finding the mercadao and the farmers market. I need to talk to the butcher next. I'm afraid finding grass fed butter might be a lost cause unless I can find a local dairy farmer. I don't see that happening any time soon.

Stock up the freezer. Once I find the best meat source, I'll portion it out and freeze it up so I'm ready to make anything at home.