Cook This: Paleo Recipes

Who’s ready for some recipes? Oh, that reminds me! Have you signed up for our Paleo Recipe E-Book Contest yet? Get to it!

Seven Layer Bars

Crispy and Creamy Avocado Fries

Sweet Potato Bacon Cakes

Spice Rubbed Chicken

Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Frozen Banana Bites

Bacon Apple Smothered Pork Chops

Walk the Talk: Paleo Lifestyle

Hey there, good lookin’. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes! Is this working? Do you forgive me for not posting for an entire month? Sorry about that.

Kelly has been busy with some amazing concerts (she is a badass flute and piccolo player) and things like being a mother and such, and I (Emily) have begun a master’s degree, so I’ve been working on finding a nice work/life balance. Things have started settling down in my neck of the woods, so I’m happy to begin connecting with you all again.

If you’re new to cavesisters.com, let me give a brief overview of what we do here. Kelly and I are sisters, and we both happen to live a paleo lifestyle, do CrossFit, and we try to be grateful, loving, and happy in general. Our goal with cavesisters.com is to gather paleo/primal resources from around the Web and put them in one place. Each week, you can expect to find articles about general paleo lifestyle, nutrition, recipes, etc. and we like to throw in some personal posts as well.

So, to start off this week, I want to share some lifestyle resources I’ve found to be particularly interesting. Since we’re on good terms again, could you do me a favor? Let me know if there are some bloggers/podcasters/speakers that you would like to see here. Do you have a personal story you would like to share? We are open to that, as well.

Escape the Grocery Jail: Tips for Time-Saving Paleo Shopping – This hits home for me! I actually live right behind a grocery store, so I find myself in there almost every day, because I am usually not good at planning. It’s something I need to work on!

Why You Should Book a Massage Today – You don’t have to tell me twice!

Performance Up! Inflammation Down!: Professional Baseball Pitcher Goes Primal and Sees Immediate Results – I love these personal stories. I also love hearing about athletes who dare to go primal and actually benefit from it!

Food Freedom: Super Size Me 10 Year Anniversary Summit – Please don’t tell me I’m the only one who feels old knowing Super Size Me was released 10 years ago.

My Personal Food Philosophy

I (Kelly) have been doing a lot of thinking over the past year about the whys behind what I put in my body. When you really dig down into it, it’s quite a bit more complicated than just eating to live. There is so much emotional weight that food carries, for better or for worse. If you really know the whys, it makes hard choices much easier. I just got done writing an article about how you can develop your own food philosophy which you can find over at Strong Body Whole Heart, my new whole body health coaching company.

My personal food philosophy:

• I eat beautiful, healthy food – organic and local if possible, because it makes me feel healthy and beautiful and strong.

• I buy food from local farmers if possible because it makes me feel vibrant and connected to the community.

• I buy organic if possible because I believe it is better for me, and it also makes me feel like I am doing my own small part to contribute to long-term sustainability.

• I think about how food is going to affect me short-term and long-term before I eat it.

• I limit grains and sugar in my diet because I know my body functions better without them.

• I do not eat cereal because it is a trigger food for me.

• I include a lot of healthy fats in my diet and am not afraid of that because I know my body runs well on them.

• I am always learning and refining what is best for me. I am not afraid to try new ways and ideas and remain open to innovative (and often scary) ways of thinking.

• I eat vegetables every single day.

• I will not feel guilty about eating chocolate – ever!

• I believe in the way I eat and commit to it because my health is important, and I can’t afford to let it go.

• I listen to my body and give it what it needs, particularly in regards to training.

• I indulge periodically, with intention and without guilt.

• I do not eat mindlessly. I eat with full awareness of what I am putting into my body.

• I do not eat something “bad” because I have already indulged on a particular day. I avoid the “whatever” or “oh, well” or “all-or-nothing” mentality.

So, do you have a personal food philosophy? I’d love to hear what are some of the main points of yours!

Cook This: Paleo Recipes

I have one word this week: YUM. Seriously. There are some wonderful people out there with incredible palates and creative minds. How do they come up with these recipes? Amazing. -Emily

Banana Bread Macaroons

Chocolate Coconut Butter

Fruit Juice Gelatin

Oven Omelet

Scallop Tartare with Strawberries

Soft & Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies

Super Cheesy Kale Chips (dairy free)

Taco Fries

White Hot Chocolate

Happy New Year 2014!

I hope you had a great New Year’s Eve, and that 2014 has started off well for you. Here’s a funny picture I found that describes paleo perfectly:

 

If you’re on the fence of trying paleo, why don’t you give it a try? Try not to think of things you’re giving up, but instead focus on what you’re gaining: a new appreciation for different foods, health, energy, good sleep, happiness, a long life, and so much more. 🙂  -Emily

You Are What You Eat: Paleo Nutrition

I’m gearing up for my elimination diet to begin in two days. I haven’t been doing any crazy binging or anything, but I do still have a few eggs in the fridge, and I might have just sprinkled a little red pepper into my Curried Carrot Sweet Potato Soup. I’m really hoping to figure out the last few nuisances I’ve honed in on since going primal: things like persistent acne and crackly joints. I’m betting there are a few primal foods that are causing these reactions, and I’m determined to figure out exactly which ones. Now aside from me, there are a few really interesting reads about paleo nutrition this week. Enjoy! -Emily

• Dairy Intolerance: What It Is and How to Determine If You Have It
• Dear Mark: Are Supplements Useless?
• Does the Vitamin and Mineral Content of Food Influence Our Food Intake and Body Fatness?
• Health Benefits of Spices

   

• Meat Leads to Inflammation?

Walk the Talk: Paleo Lifestyle

Ok, time to get back on track with some regular posts! I’ve got to say, I’m always excited at this time of the year to reevaluate my goals, and I seem to have a lot of motivation to achieve them. For some reason, 1/1 just seems like a great launching point for so many different things, especially if I’ve been stalling on something. There’s something about the beginning of the year that just screams, “blank slate.” Here are some posts that will kick start your year in a healthy way. -Emily

• 5 Free and Healthy Habits to Adopt This Year
• 5 Tips for Helping Your Friends Go Paleo
• 8 Foods Even the Experts Won’t Eat
• A Month of LOCAL!
• Introducing Death by Food Pyramid
• Uncovering the Roots of Emotional Eating (And What to Do About It)
• What’s Happening: Healthy Obesity?
• Why Do You Want to Lose Weight?

Cook This: Paleo Recipes

O.M.G. There are soooo many great paleo holiday recipes! I seriously wasn’t really sure where to start. Here are just a few that really stood out to Kelly and me. I think I MUST make that hazelnut fudge and gingerbread muffins this weekend. MUST.

Breakfast Salad

Butterflied Roasted Chicken

Candy Cane Cookies

Cinnamon Cake Bites

Dark Chocolate Almond Bark with Sea Salt

Grain Free Loft House Style Sugar Cookies

Grain Free Zucchini Gingerbread Muffins

Hazelnut Fudge

Maple Cinnamon Ice Cream with Gingerbread Cookie Dough

Primal Mocha

Walk the Talk: Paleo Lifestyle

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted. Do you find yourself “busy” this time of year, and not really sure what you’re doing to stay so “busy?” This holiday season is going so fast! Anyway, here you go!

• 12 Holiday Gifts for Your Primal Tribe– I wish I had seen this post before I gave my wishlist to my mom!
• Animal Cruelty is the Price We Pay for Cheap Meat– This article is not for the faint of heart, or stomach.
• Do You Use Food As a Crutch?
• How Much Exercise is Too Much? Ask Your Immune System.
• In the Pursuit of Health, Should You Aim for Progress or Perfection?
• Money-Saving Tips, Revisited– Excellent tips!
• Paleo for the Holidays, Part 1: What Science Actually Says About Holiday Weight Gain
• Paleo Gifts for Real Food Lovers– Some more great gift ideas, in case you are still shopping. All of these are under $30!

You Are What You Eat: Paleo Nutrition

I don’t know about you, but this section of cavesisters.com always appeals to my scientific side. I guess after you’ve been at paleo for a while, it’s easier to dive in to the why and what of different nutrients and surrounding arguments with better clarity.

• 3 Reasons You Should Be Skeptical of the New Cholesterol Guidelines– I can picture the t-shirts now: Got statins?
• A Tale of Two Salmon– Even before I started learning about farmed salmon, I was disgusted when I read “color added” on the package. Gross! Is that where Crayola gets its “salmon pink” from?
• Should You Be Eating High-Fat Dairy?
• Should You Trust the RDA?
• What’s Happening: Statins in Review