5 Ways to Eat More Greens

Everyone knows that we should be eating more leafy greens, but sometimes it just seems so hard to fit them in our day. That’s why I’ve assembled this list of 5 ways to eat more greens so that we can all make some sort of attempt to get something green in our diet on a daily basis.

1. Shakes

This one’s pretty easy and it’s nice because when you make a shake with some berries, protein and fat – you can always throw in some frozen or fresh leafy greens.There’s really no thought to this one, throw as much in the blender as you like and you won’t even notice it in your shake. I normally prefer kale or spinach but when I had swiss chard in my garden, that was a nice addition too to a shake mixed with some Primal Fuel.

2. Big salads with primal dressing

This is my preferred way to get a bunch of greens. Every day for lunch I just throw a whole bunch of greens in a bowl and toss with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. When I get tired of that dressing I normally make my own Caesar with avocado oil and anchovies or I really like Primal Kitchen’s dressings or Tessemaes. All you have to go is find a dressing you love without industrial seed oils and you’ll have no problem eating a whole bowl of greens with seeds, cheese and meat.

3. Frozen bags of greens

This one is quick and dirty. Just cook some frozen greens with some butter/olive oil and garlic in a large pot or skillet and make it a quick side for your dinner (or breakfast). You can throw in a ham hock or something like that and make some traditional southern collard greens. If you’re looking for another side for your dinner, this is always a great choice.

4. Kale chips

Its so easy to eat a whole bag of potato chips but we should try to replace that habit of eating a whole bag of kale chips. The problem with that is a bag of potato chips is less than a dollar and those really good kale chips are like $5 for a small bag. So you should make your own. It’s a great way to eat a whole bunch of kale and they taste great. I normally follow a recipe similar to this but throw some dill, onion powder and garlic powder on them to give it a little “ranch” feel.

5. Omelets

Now I’m still perfecting my omelet technique but really all you have to do is cook a bunch of leafy greens on the side with some butter or lard and then toss them inside an omelet with a bunch of cheese or something. Whenever my wife and I are on vacation I love it when the places we stay have those build your own omelet bars because I ask if they can cook my omelet in butter, then I hand them the little cubes of butter normally by the rolls – then I just have them throw everything else in there making it a leafy veggie stuffed omelet.

There ya go, some very quick idea starters on how you can incorporate some more leafy greens into your day!

Baked Bacon

I hate cooking bacon in a skillet. It gets bacon grease everywhere and your stove is left a mess. We cook bacon so much in our house that we had to find a different way to cook it, otherwise our stovetop would be a permanent greaseball.

Mmm

After googling other ways to make bacon, the one trend I saw the most was to bake it. Now there’s a bunch of different ways to do this and a million posts on google about how to bake bacon, but I wanted to share my way of how we’ve been doing it for literally the past few years.

Ready to eat

This is the greatest way to cook bacon because you can literally set it and forget it (until the timer goes off). You don’t have to flip it or anything. Sure your oven will get really dirty overtime, but who cares at least it’s not the stovetop!

Load up the bacon on a foil lined baking sheet

Pull it out after 18 min or so

Place the bacon on some paper towels to dry, crisp up and drain

Baked Bacon

2017-01-30 10:52:56

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Ingredients

10–12 slices of bacon

Instructions

DO NOT PREHEAT YOUR OVEN. I’m not sure why this works so well but this is the way we do it and this works the best: don’t preheat your oven. You will turn it on when you put the bacon in the oven.
But first line a baking sheet with a big piece of foil so you can keep or dispose of the bacon fat once you’re done very easily. Once the baking sheet is lined, load it up with bacon. We pretty much fit as much as we can on there but 10–12 pieces is a good number to go by.
Then put it in the oven and turn the oven to 400°. Then set a timer for 15 min. After 15 min look at the bacon and see if you need to keep it in there longer. This time will totally depend on your oven because all ovens are different. My oven normally takes about 18–20 minutes. But I suggest checking first at 15 minutes if you’ve never done this before. Then just keep checking on it every 2 min until it’s golden brown or your desired doneness.
Once it’s done to your liking, pull it out of the oven and use some tongs to put the bacon on a couple pieces of paper towels to dry, crisp up and drain.. Give it a couple minutes, then dig in!

That's So Primal https://www.thatssoprimal.com/

3 Tips to Have a Happy New Year

As the year kicks off it’s inevitable to see new years resolutions posts all over the web by bloggers and news corps. This year Whole30 and Paleo has been ranked as the worst diet you could follow. Don’t believe them – I lost over 30 lbs a few years ago and have maintained my weight on the Primal/Paleo/Perfect Health Diet.

Without bogging you down with yet another post about how to start a New Year’s resolution or how to follow Whole30 or how to start the Primal Blueprint 21 Day Challenge – I just wanted to keep this short and sweet with 3 tips you can generally apply at the beginning of the year to help you start off on a better foot than you may have been on in the past. If you’re really serious about a structured plan I suggest you check out Whole30 or The Primal Blueprint 21 Day challenge. I however just want to lay out 3 simple tips you can apply for the new year.

1. Just Eat Real Food

We can get into specifics if we wanted to about what to eat by reading this or this but just keep this as a general rule as you’ve probably seen the hashtag #JERF – Just Eat Real Food. If you apply this principal to the food you eat this year, I guarantee you’ll be better off than you were the year before. What’s real food you ask? Well, it’s not Doritos taco shells from Taco bell, it’s not McDonalds, it’s not 99% of the stuff on the inside rows of the grocery store. Real food is all those veggies and fruits in the produce section and it’s all that meat at the meat counter. Just stick to real food this year and you’ll have a happy new year.

2. Move Frequently

The fitness tracker market has blown up like crazy with Fitbit, Apple Watch and Android Watches tracking our every move. But all these really are telling us is that we aren’t moving enough. When we live in a society that generally consists of people sitting in cars, to go sit at a desk to sit back in a car to sit on a couch then to lay on a bed – when is it that people are moving?! Check out this post about how to move more and just keep telling yourself this year to do those things like park further away, take the stairs, take a walk after dinner, go on hikes on the weekend, etc… We were made to move so don’t fall into the trap where we just sit in boxes all day.

3. Sleep More

I was really having to think to myself what are the top 3 priorities of my health and sleep just has to land here (with getting in the sun as a close tie). Sleep plays such a huge part in our lives (obviously) and I’ve written about it here and so have these people. But nevertheless we need to take sleep as a priority this year. The recommended amount is 7–9 hours. If you really look at how much sleep you get every night does it fall into that range? For myself it’s really tough to get that amount of sleep every night but I want to really work on it this year because of how huge of a role it plays in our health and I hope you place it as a priority as well.

There it is guys, I hope you read through this in less than 5 minutes, but that it sticks with you all year. It’s simple: JERF, Move, Sleep. Happy New Year everyone.

That’s So Primal 2016 Christmas Gift Guide

That's So Primal 2016 Christmas Gift Guide

I honestly feel like I just wrote a post about Christmas gifts, but that actually was a whole year ago. Time really does fly, I know everyone says that but I really believe it even more so this year. I think having kids somehow multiplies how fast time flies. Nevertheless I still wanted to put together a list of some gifts you can buy that Primal person in your life or soon to be converted Primal person in your life. I won’t make the list long I promise, but hopefully these may spark some ideas for how you can think of some gifts as a little more useful than just wool socks or prepackaged Axe dopp kits from Target.

Kitchen Gadgets

Instant Pot – Amazon
I had this on my list last year but I think it’s worth having on this list as well. Everyone on Instagram is always posting about this pot and raves about how great it is. There’s even great recipes out there that people post specifically for cooking in this pot. It’s great for if you don’t have the time to cook something that normally takes a crock pot – i.e. a batch of bone broth or pulled pork. If you don’t get this this year, make sure to keep your eye on it for next year’s Black Friday sale as the price on Amazon always drops dramatically around that time.

Boning Knife – Amazon
Now normally I’m the kinda home cook that only needs a chef’s knife and pairing knife, but there is that occasional time that I need a boning knife to cut meat away from the bone on those large inexpensive cuts of meat. I normally cut a pork shoulder that’s relatively cheap to make carnitas, but I always have to cut the meat away from the bone – doing this with a chef’s knife always makes me feel like I’m gonna cut off my finger or arm. Not a good idea, it’s best to use a flexible boning knife like this to tackle those large roast cuts of meat.

Dehydrator – Amazon
This is the same one I have and I love it. To be honest I really wish I could use it more in the kitchen. It’s great for making jerky or dried fruits. There’s a bunch of great recipes out there for homemade jerky, and the best part is that you really get to control your ingredients in your jerky. Say goodbye to added sugar, msg and gluten.

Exciting Books

Well Fed Weeknights – Amazon
I did a giveaway for this book after I interviewed Melissa, and I have the book myself, and man I love it! I have always loved Melissa’s books and her approach to meals. They are friendly, easy and practical – and most of all always taste delicious. Be sure to pick up this book!

The New Primal Blueprint – Amazon
You can read more about this updated book here. In short, if you haven’t read this book yet it would be a great time to because Mark updated it to include his newest research and to update his charts like the Primal Blueprint Food pyramid and the Primal Blueprint Fitness Pyramid. I love the added insight and updated thoughts in this book. Be sure to pick it up.

Practical Paleo Second Edition – Amazon
I loved her first edition of this book and I actually want to pick up this second addition myself. Her charts, illustrations and pure knowledge in these books are amazing for veterans and anyone starting out on Paleo. With this being the second addition I’m sure she just expanded on the things that already make this book a great staple for anyone who cares about their health and food they put in their bodies.

Workout Gear

Weighted Vest – Amazon
Adding weight to your workout and strength training is a great way to switch up what you’re already doing with typical bodyweight exercises. It helps build strength outside of what you can do with just your bodyweight. Even if you don’t pick up a weighted vest you can still just add weight somehow to your workout regimen. This follows the Primal principle of lifting heavy things every once in awhile, and in this case your “lifting” your body plus some. Heck you can even wear it around the house while your cooking.

Pull Up Bar – Amazon
How many people do you know that can do 5 pull-ups? 10 pull-ups? When I first went Primal I literally couldn’t even do one pull up. Now pull-ups are apart of my typical strength training of pushups, pull-ups, squats and planks. Pull-ups are essential! Pick up one for Christmas if you haven’t already.

Fitbit Flex 2 – Amazon
In the war to end all wearable wars, I bet Fitbit will be the brand to survive potentially. Many have already come along, even the big boys like Microsoft and Motorola have decided to step out of making wearables. If you can’t afford an Apple Watch Series 2, maybe pick up this Fitbit Flex 2 because you can wear it all the time, it’s waterproof and has a long battery life. Maybe not as long as the Misfit Ray, but I think it looks slightly better. It’s good for tracking all activity since you rarely have to take it off and it will give you a good picture of how active (or inactive) you were for the day. All of us need reminders of how great we’re doing or how NOT great we’re doing 😉

Play!

Frisbee – Amazon
This one is simple. Just get a frisbee. They’re great. They’re fun for everyone and they can really get your body moving if you take it out to a large field. Sure they may take a little getting used to if you’ve never thrown a frisbee before or if you’re just terrible at it but once you get the hang of it you’ll have so much fun. They’re also great to just leave in the back of your car for that random time you’re at a friends house or at the beach and you want something fun to do. Trust me, frisbees also come in handy when you’re looking for something fun to do on your lunch break.

Slack Line – Amazon
I’ve made progress from last year – I had this on my Christmas Guide last year and I didn’t get one until my birthday last month so I haven’t yet had the time to set it up and make the anchors in my backyard yet. BUT I just can’t wait to use this thing. Our daughter even seems interested in it, though I’m not sure how well she will be able to use it – either way it will still be fun to have set up in the backyard. It’s great to have for yourself or when people are over to test their balance, build your core and improve the functionality of your bare feet. Slack lines are awesome and you should definitely get one already if you haven’t yet.

Primal Snacks

Exo – Buy
This should come as no surprise to you. I love these bars and I think you should buy some, like now. Don’t worry about the fact that they’re made from crickets, you won’t even know they’re there. These bars are just a great value, they taste good and they fill you up. Read more about them here and pick some up today!

RXBAR – Get $5 off your first RXBAR order!
My second go to bar. If crickets freak you out just go ahead and pick up some of these bars. They’re made from egg whites and a bunch of other goodies. These too are a great value, they taste great and they have all the right ingredients in them. Read more about them here.

Handmade

Anything on Etsy. Just a plug for Etsy real quick. If you don’t want to buy traditional things like I have listed above, check out Etsy for amazing handmade things. I just bought my wife a cool copper ring on there for our 7 year anniversary last month. It’s nice to just buy directly from the person making it. I’ve purchased watch bands on there and shoes even. Just check it out for anything that interests you and I guarantee you’ll find something that you’ll want to pick up. Just move fast because since these things are hand made and they may take a little time to get to you.

That’s it guys. Another year another dollar – spent. But hopefully you can feel good about spending your money on the things listed above for that special person or persons in your life. Take hope in the fact that these things listed aren’t just junk that fills up your house, they’re things that can help you take hold of your health and things that can improve the quality of food you’re putting in your body. Merry Christmas everybody!

Roasted Miso Mushroom & Sweet Potato

Still looking for a last minute side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner? Look no further than this sweet and savory Roasted Miso Mushroom & Sweet Potato recipe.

Roasted Miso Mushroom & Sweet Potato

Awhile back my wife and I discovered a restaurant around us called Urban Plates. They have fresh sautéed and roasted side dishes, salads, soups and pastured meats. The food is delicious, but one side dish stuck out to me that they made that was absolutely delicious: Miso Mushroom Sweet Potato Sauté. I looked everywhere online to find their recipe or ingredients but I couldn’t find anything concrete. So I checked out this recipe and this recipe for some guidelines on cooking with miso, so that I didn’t add to much.

Miso

If you’re wondering if miso is Paleo or Primal, rest assured that even though it’s soy – it’s fermented soy – which changes things a bit. When soy is fermented it goes from harmful to less harmful/beneficial for your body. Read more about the benefits of fermented soy here and here.

Before the oven

After the oven

Roasted Miso Mushroom & Sweet Potato

2016-11-23 10:30:22

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Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes
8oz mushrooms
1T butter
1T olive oil
1T miso
Salt pepper
1 minced garlic clove
1t chopped parsley

Instructions

Heat your oven to 425.
Skin and cut up your sweet potatoes into bite sized chunks. Wash and cut up your mushrooms as well.
In a bowl melt the butter with the miso in a microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Put mushrooms and sweet potatoes onto a baking tray and toss on the tray with olive oil, the melted butter and miso, garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
Place tray in the oven for 30 minutes tossing once at 15 minutes.
After 30 minutes take it out of the oven and top with chopped parsley.
Enjoy!

That's So Primal https://www.thatssoprimal.com/

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