Check this out!!! New and upcoming great cookbook to add to collection

 I am always looking at other paleo blogs and cookbooks to get inspired for my own ideas or just to try something new.  You can pre-order from the link below.  It has a forward from Robb Wolf which usually means its a good thing. 



http://paleocomfortfoods.com/

Paleo Cashew Almond Butter

So I decided to get creative with what I had in my pantry.  Surprisingly with a little patience it turned out really well. It was a nice change to just almond butter.  You can spread on bananas, or apples for a little bit of a treat. This will not have the consistency of almond butter it will be a bit more dry that is why I added the coconut oil.

Ingredients
1 cup cashews

1 cup raw almonds

3-4 tbs coconut oil

Few cracks of sea salt

extras ( honey, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice etc)

Directions

Have patience because it takes a bit to get the consistency that you want.  Place in a food processor and blend till the right consistency.  You may need to change the amount of coconut oil to help with dryness if you see fit. 

I read this and thought it was perfect !!!

Wow someone sent this link to me and I could not relate better.  This is me to a "T".  I work my butt off and could hear everyone say that I look great or wow they wish they could be as strong or lean etc.  But in my head I keep thinking how if only I could be better.  Will my body ever be good enough?  I thought about it and even if my body looked the way I thought I wanted it would still be a never ending battle of it is just not good enough.  At times like these I have to take a step back and be thankful for the things I do have, the positives. I realized this weekend when I am surrounded by positive people and in a good spot my body image and feeling about myself completely changes.  It is amazing how that carnival mirror in my head works. I hear so many people talk about what they would change about themselves.  I am so lucky to get to see amazing people change everyday in the gym.

so I share this article with you from everydaypaleo.com, as it is perfectly fitting and Jason could not have said it better.

Funny How a great weekend can change whole outlook!

Always nice to have someone who brings out your positives!

You Can’t Fix A Body You Hate

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Jason

*Note from Sarah:  Here is a new and eye-opening post by Jason Seib.  It all begins with loving who you are, inside and out.  This post could have been written directly to me only 4 short years ago and not until I changed my goals and focus to obtaining good health rather than working towards obtaining some fantasy of what I wanted to see in the mirror was I able to switch to a more realistic and healthier perspective and learn to love and appreciate myself for who I am and not for what my ideal body image might be.  

You Can’t Fix A Body You Hate

For those of you with purely aesthetic goals, you absolutely must understand that you are playing a game that you will only win if your head is in the right place.  To put it more bluntly, (insert post title here).  In all my experience, with all types of people at nearly every possible fitness level imaginable, I have yet to see even one person turn a body they hate into a body they love.  To be honest, I don’t think it can be done.  I am not saying people don’t end up appreciative of their gains, but many will never be satisfied with their bodies, even when they far exceed their original goals.  You don’t want to be one of these people.

(Brace yourself, here comes some finger pointing.)  If you have been on a thousand diets, lost 10 or 20 pounds more times than you can count, weigh yourself a minimum of once per day, can’t see yourself naked without disdain, and absolutely loathe clothes shopping, you probably won’t win this battle without some serious soul searching.  Don’t get me wrong, you can certainly build a body that crushes others with envy, but you probably won’t see it.  You already know people who are exactly who you will become.  They have that amazing body that you wish you could have, and they are insecure about every inch of it.  Of course, this is the extreme example, but any amount of this behavior saddens me.  It’s so frustrating as a trainer to watch someone make unbelievable gains only to nitpick their bodies under a magnifying glass while the rest of the world admires their success in awe.

I have seen as much as 40 pounds of weight lost in only a few months go seemingly unnoticed by the person doing the losing.  I have seen people become a primary source of inspiration for the new people in my gym, yet I have to walk on egg shells when I talk about their goals lest I bring them to tears.  I have seen bodies evolve into absolute magnificence and remain as covered as tolerable on hot summer days.  What is the point of all this?  Why go to all the trouble of busting your ass in the gym and eating right if your goals are actually unattainable?

I’m asking nicely, please stop and think about these questions.  What’s riding on this?  What will you have when you get there?  For that matter, how will you know when you are there?

My goals for you are all about health and the physical capacity to enjoy your life.  I have come to understand that bodies that feel great and perform great usually look great by accident.  But my goals for you don’t matter.  So, health and performance aside, what do you think you would gain if your body looked exactly the way you see it in your dreams?  Do you think you would be happy?  Be honest now.  In my opinion (and experience), if you are the type of person who spends a good portion of each day miserable because you hate your body, you will not reach a point where your body suddenly becomes a source of great pride.

I have theorized, but have no proof, that this might be how some people develop exercise addictions.  Insecurities that run deeper than skin level are addressed by changing the body instead of changing the head.  When this futile strategy doesn’t work the assumption is that more exercise must be the answer.  If food takes the blame for low self esteem, the result might be decades of yo-yo dieting or, in drastic cases, an eating disorder.

Am I calling you out?  Again, I don’t want to hurt your feelings.  I just want you to win.  So what should you do?

First off, love your body.  It’s the only one you have and it’s actually a pretty amazing example of biological engineering, performing astonishing biochemical actions millions of times per day despite the fact that you don’t appreciate it.  Get educated and treat it right.

DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE INTO YOUR LIFE WHO HARMFULLY CRITICIZES YOUR BODY!  EVER!  Life is too short to let assholes take anything from you, and your self worth is no exception.

And finally, change your goals.  If you can force yourself to focus on your fitness capacity and health instead of the size of your thighs or belly, you will find that it is much easier to stay motivated and confident.  Then one day you will wake up to a body you love, and the change will have happened while you weren’t paying attention.

I sincerely wish I could lay out a step by step plan that would guarantee you a new outlook, but sadly I can not.  My hope is that you will catch yourself in depreciating thoughts and put things back into perspective.  Being fit and healthy is awesome – don’t rob yourself of these things by dwelling on the stuff that will come naturally when your mind is right.  And truth be told, it’s probably not too bad in that skin of yours.

A New Kind of Coconut water I'm addicted to!!! Great for Post Workout!!

I

I have a majorly sensitive stomach so for my post workout I have a hard time taking in Progenex as much as I love it.  The dairy in it does not agree with me.  Over the last week I have decided to try the above brand of coconut water post workout to help get fluids back in since it has been so hot.  I really like it and I immediately feel like I have taken in a gatorade minus the sugary chemicals.  This brand is also really good mixed with Progenex instead of water to help had some carbs in as well.  If you choose to give this a try you can find this brand at Whole Foods and Mother's market.  It really does taste like you cut open a coconut and pored out the water inside. 

Paleo "Crack" Granola

Steve's Club makes a really good Paleo Crunch cereal.  I decided that I could make my own better version to serve a granola or cereal substitute.  It is a great snack to grab and go.  For those of you that still drink almond or coconut milk it is great on top.  I have made this about 10 times now and I constantly keep tweaking the recipe,  It gets better and better every time!  I have to warn you it is hard to eat just a little bit.  So I would carefully measure out serving sizes.  Also I never measure anything when I make this so you will have to excuse my guesstimates.  :)

Paleo "Crack" Granola 

Ingredients 

• 1 Cup raw chopped Pecan Pieces 
• 1 Cup walnut halves and pieces 
• 1 Cup raw almond pieces 
• 3/4 cup almond meal  
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 
• 1 tbs pumpkin pie spice or to taste
• 1 tbs pure vanilla
• about 2 tbs honey or (coconut nectar or both depending on how sweet you prefer)
• 1/2-3/4 cup coconut oil (enough to cover mixture)

whatever unsweetened dried fruit you prefer such as dried apples, cherries, apricots, pears, etc 

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 275 
2. In a bowl mix together all ingredients except dried fruit which you will add at the end to baked mixture. 
3. spread over a baking sheet covered in wax paper.  
4. You will bake for anywhere from 20-30 mins depending on oven.  I would use a spatula to mix around sheet occasionally.  You will know it is done when mixture starts to lightly brown. 

Directions 

Beet, Tomato, Apple, and Avocado Salad with Basil Balsamic vinegrette

I am all about Random.  Since my new obsession with beets I threw together this salad and it was surprisingly good. 


Beet Tomato and Avocado Salad

• 6-7 Beets Red or Golden (depending on size)
• 1-2 Tomato 
• 1 pink lady or granny smith apple
• 2 avocados 
• 2 limes 
• 6 pieces of bacon 
• 5 large basil leaves
• 2 Table spoons balsamic vinegar (I went and bought Pomegranate Balsamic)
• 2-3 table spoons Garlic Olive Oil (found at 5 Olives at Spectrum or specialty Oil store)
• a pinch of sea salt
• Cracked pepper to taste

1. Boil beets in water with skin on until tender.  Fork should be able to go all the way through when done.
2. Peel skin off beets and allow to cool in  Fridge before quartering.
3. cook bacon until crispy allow to cool.  Crumble into small pieces and set aside.
4. Cut apple, avocado and tomato and place in bowl with beets.
5. Chop basil into small pieces and mix with balsamic, lime juice, olive oil and spices. 
6. Mix all together and serve.  

It is a totally Random Combo with a great flavor. Enjoy!!!

Okay Now I am obsessed..... Health Benefits of Beets

 In order to keep things Interesting on Paleo I make myself try new vegetables all the time.  My new favorite vegetable is a beet.  I love even more now after reading all the health benefits that I looked up.  I do have to warn you though it has some interesting side affects that I will let you find out on your own lol.  I will follow up this post with a good beet recipe.  Try something new!

 

 http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/health-benefits-of-beet.html

 Health Benefits of Beet

The health benefits of beet include anemia, digestion, constipation, piles, blood circulation, kidney disorders, skin care, dandruff, gall bladder disorders, cancer, and heart diseases.

Beets or beetroots, as they are called, belong to the Chenopodiaceous family. Health benefits of beet roots can be attributed to their richness in nutrients, vitamins and minerals. They are a source of carotenoids and lutein/zeaxanthin. Beets are also rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. Beet is a source of beneficial flavonoids called anthycyanins. They are very low in calories but have the highest sugar content of all vegetables. It is also used to make refined sugar.
Beetroot is also added as an ingredient to salads, soups and pickles and also used as a natural coloring agent. Even though beets are available throughout the year they are still seasonal vegetables.
The roots and leaves of beets have plenty of medicinal uses like:

• Good for heart: Beet fiber helps to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides by increasing the level of HDL. High level of triglycerides increases the risk for heart related problems. The presence of the nutrient betaine lowers the levels of homocysteine in the body which can be harmful to the blood vessels. Thus, consumption of beetroot helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
• Avoids birth defects: Beet is good for pregnant women since it is a source of B vitamin folate which helps in the development of infant’s spinal column. Deficiency of folate could lead to the condition called neural tube defect.
• Prevent certain cancers: Studies revealed that beet are good in preventing colon cancer, as it contains the pigment betacyaninis, which counteracts cancer. Nitrates used in meats as preservatives, cause the production of nitrosamines compounds in the body resulting in cancer. Studies reveal that beet juice inhibits the cell mutations caused by these compounds. Researchers in Hungary have also discovered that beet juice and its powdered form slows down tumor development.
• Good for liver: Betaines contained in the beet juice stimulates the functions of liver.
• Prevent respiratory problems: Beetroot is a source of vitamin C which helps to prevent asthma symptoms. The natural beta-carotene in beetroot also helps to prevent lungs cancer.
• Boosts energy: Beetroot contains a significant amount of carbohydrates that provides fuel for energy and prolonged sports activities.
• Prevent cataract: The presence of beta-carotene (vitamin A) helps to prevent age related blindness called cataract.
• Capillary fragility: The flavonoids and vitamin C in beets help to support the structure of capillaries.
• Macular degeneration: The beta-carotene present in beetroot avoids macular degeneration.
• Stroke: Low level of potassium in body increases the risk of stroke. So potassium-rich beetroot is recommended in that aspect.
• The presence of the mineral Boron in beetroot juice helps in the production of human sex hormones.
• In ancient times Beetroot was used to cure fever and constipation. In the Middle Ages, beetroot was also used as a remedy for digestive disorders.
• Beet leaves are also good for curing wounds.

Precaution: Beets contain oxalates, which when in excess, can cause body fluid to crystallize. So people with kidney or gallbladder problems should avoid beetroots.