"The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” And my thoughts on grocery shopping....

If you want to eat healthy you have to cook for yourself, and if you want to cook for yourself you have to grocery shop (if you can afford to have someone shop and cook for you.... no need to read further).  The quote above is from Dr. Ann Wigmore, and if you've decided that healthy eating is the best medicine, you may have noticed your weekly grocery bill get a teeny bit higher.  I'm no shopping expert, but I thought I'd share a few of my little tips that help keep my fridge stocked and save some money.  Because saving money is making money, right? 

• Stay on the sides at the market - that's where you'll find produce and proteins.  Venture to the middle only for things like coconut flour, nuts and oils
• Eat in season - have you ever had a home grown tomato in July? Tastes waaaaayyyy better than something trucked in from Mexico in December and will be much more reasonable.  Check your local farmers markets or try Field to Plate to see what's in season in your area. 
• Check the sales - Buy proteins when they go on sale and freeze them.  We haven't run out of chicken in over a year.  Side note - I rarely ever buy chicken breast.  Thighs are much cheaper, and more flavorful in my opinion
• Be prepared - yes, that means make a list.  Pick some recipes you'd like to try out for the week and add those ingredients to your list.  It's much easier to eat healthy when you have a plan!  I use this app to keep organized when I'm food shopping.
• Forgo the organic - Hold your gasps, while I would love to eat everything organic, my budget cannot accommodate.  Dr Weil has some lists what you should always buy organic (aka, the 'dirty dozen'), and items where it's no big deal.   
• Frozen fish isn't that bad - Not all fish is created equal.  There's plenty of info out there about the nutritional differences, but what about the environmental impact?  I love fish and want to continue eating it, I also want my future children to enjoy it, so check out the  Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood watch app to see what's a good, sustainable option.  For example, Bigeye tuna (also called ahi, maguro, toro) is a great choice if it comes from the Atlantic and is troll or pole & line caught, but if it comes from anywhere else avoid it!)
• Stock the spice! - make sure you always have a lot of spices, onions, garlic, and lemons/limes on hand. On a busy weeknight, some ground beef in a pan with onions and spices can be a lifesaver.   Citrus juice and zest can also add a lot of flavor without adding calories or price.

This list is hardly complete but some food for thought.  What are your tips for finding good food and not breaking the bank? 

Paleo Mojito Watermelon

Watermelon is 5 lbs for a dollar right now people (cheap!)... and while we don't eat a ton of fruit, this is the perfect paleo summer dessert.  The lime really cuts the sweetness of ripe watermelons, and this can be whipped up in minutes! 

1 large watermelon (cut into wedges, cubes, balls or skewered)

Juice from 2-3 limes

2 tbs chopped fresh mint

Chop, squeeze, top and serve!  Try experimenting with types of mint (I grow spearmint, apple mint and even chocolate mint).  You can use this for all kinds of fruit salad - pineapple mojito skewers look and taste great at parties.

Eating Paleo on Vacation

We've been on vacation the last couple weeks, and I'm not going to lie, it was rough coming back to the real world.  We ventured to Nicaragua for a little surf trip, and while one of the staples is 'Gallo Pinto' (white rice and black beans) for most meals, there were plenty of paleo options.  

Walking back to our hostel* from checking the surf at Santana one afternoon we watched some locals try and get their panga up on the beach - the boys helped them out and we ended up buying a whole tuna off them for $5.  We were tempted to get that dorado you see in the cooler, but we didn't think we could eat it all.  After picking a few limes off a nearby tree and getting some salt we had an epic sashimi lunch! 

If you're in the market for a trip to Central America, please do yourself a favor and stay at Buena Onda - even the non surfers will love it!  http://www.buenaondaresort.com/ 

BBQ Sauce

I love grilling things on the BBQ, but I don't really like BBQ sauce.  It always seems overly sweet* & sticky... just overly sauce-y.  I always prefer to taste the protein I'm eating (unless it's chicken feet - then bring on the sauce!) rather than drench it in something else.  Sauces should highlight your dish, not hide it. 

This recipe is from Mark's Daily Apple and it is good.  I made a few modifications, but stuck pretty true to the original.  This will make enough to split in half, with about 1 cup to marinate and just under a cup for extra dipping.  

Primal BBQ Sauce

1 6oz can tomato paste

4 tbs melted butter

1 tbs hot sauce (use your favorite)

3 tbs honey

4 tbs apple cider vinegar

1 tbs Tamari

1 tsp dijon mustard

2-3 tbs water

1 tbs minced garlic

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

Whisk wet ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined.  Add in dry ingredients and whisk/stir until everything is incorporated.    This was enough to marinate 8 large chicken thighs, plus about 1/2 cup leftover for extra dipping. 

*The reason it seems sweet is probably because it is... take a look at the sugar content in that bottle in your fridge.  I'd rather eat some chocolate!