Think, Plan, Shop, Cook, Store, Repeat

A common concern that people have with going Paleo/Primal is how much time is spent shopping and cooking. I won’t lie; this is a pretty demanding way of living. But I can tell you also, truthfully, that it is ABSOLUTELY worth it. Even if you decide that Paleo’s not for you, moving from a diet of processed, packaged, pre-made foods to one of whole, fresh, real foods can be a bit jarring- if you don’t know where to start. This is where I come in: By giving you a basic plan and tips for efficient, successful planning, shopping, and cooking, you’ll be prepared to move from eating out of bags and boxes to preparing and enjoying your own fresh, healthy meals.

My Humblest Apologies...

Hey y'all. I know I promised you a lot of awesome content, but LIFE happened over the last couple weeks, and when picking my battles among all of them, sadly the blog lost. I'll still be posting, just more sporadically and (hopefully) with shorter posts. I know, right? I'm all too aware of how long-winded I can be, believe me! =) Again, I will keep the content coming, but until I get a more solid schedule ironed out and have a better feel for how things are gonna go over the next few months, I'll only be writing twice a week. If I can. Hopefully, you'll keep checking in for the new content, and I will announce new posts on Facebook, so stay tuned for what I hope will be more good, solid content that you can use in your kitchen, and maybe even your life.

Thanks for listening, everyone. Keep on Grokkin!!!

~Megan

Mount Vesuvius: Dish #4 in the Breakfast Series

 

Mornings are hectic, no doubt about it. But every so often, you get a few hours after rising to just… roll with it. Ya know? It’s mornings like those that I like to take my time with breakfast. I usually make banana muffins or coconut pancakes, simply because there’s a lot of time involved with making them, but sometimes I just want something hot and savory. Enter my semi-poached egg dish, Mount Vesuvius. Inspired by the volcano that destroyed the ancient Roman city of Pompeii in AD 79, my Mount Vesuvius is a bed of Italian sausage, shredded zucchini, and oregano-spiked tomatoes topped with semi-poached eggs that “erupt” when you cut into them. Sweet, creamy egg yolk flows down the sides of the sausage “mountain,” hence its volcanic nomenclature. Big words, this early in the morning? AND a history lesson? Stop, it’s too much!!! Lol =P

Basics: Eggs

 

Ah, the incredible, edible egg. Such a versatile little capsule of deliciousness. Crack one open, and the possibilities are practically endless. Boil ‘em, scramble ‘em, fry ‘em, poach ‘em… Yeah, I know. I sound like Bubba again. I’ll stop… for now. =)

Kitchen Safety

Last week, I covered what to keep in your kitchen as far as tools and staple foods. Well, that’s all fine and good, but if your kitchen’s an OSHA nightmare or a Hazmat zone, having all the right stuff isn’t going to make a difference. Today, I’d like to cover some basics of kitchen safety, particularly the stages before and after food is cooked. Though much of what follows is just common sense, not all of it is common knowledge. Take this stuff to heart, folks; it might mean your life or that of your loved ones…

Back to Basics: Broth & Stock

If you've ever wondered why restaurant soups & sauces taste so much better than most that are made at home, I got 1 word for you: stock. A lot of people don't understand the difference between broth and stock, and I don't really blame them. I didn't either, until I made some myself. The stock was soooooo much richer, and imparted an amazing flavor that I'd never been able to achieve using the canned broth I'd been buying from the store. The secret is in the bones and connective tissues; all that cartilage and bone marrow contain collagen, which turns into gelatin when heated... yeah, the stuff that Jello is made of? Beef bones. Betcha didn't see THAT coming. ;)

What to Keep in Your Cave, Part II: Staples

Yesterday, I wrote about finding yourself in a situation where you needed something and didn’t have it. We’ve all been there: You’ve got the coconut flour sifted with the salt, baking powder, and cinnamon; the eggs cracked, the butter melted, the almond milk added; you reach for the vanilla extract, and… gone. No vanilla extract. Well, there go the pancakes. =/

Today’s list is focused on the staple foods you should have in your kitchen on an ongoing basis; in other words, you should try to never be out of them. Though by no means exhaustive, what you’ll find below are some of the most common and/or most crucial recipe ingredients and meal “bases” that will not only keep you from running into a brick wall in the middle of cooking, but also ensure that you can make an entire meal without a recipe… if you’re feeling adventurous. =)