I’m frequently asked about protein powders. I have never been able to recommend one because, honestly, I eat enough protein without the needing a supplement. But my son Tate could probably use a little more protein in his diet in the mornings. And since he likes smoothies, I figured that might be an easy way to add some.
The other reason I am now addressing protein powders is because they are an excellent glutathione precursor. “What is glutathione?” you may ask. It is the “master antioxidant”meaning it’s the most powerful antioxidant in your body. The main function of glutathione is to protect your cells from oxidative damage, and as we get older, our body’s ability to produce glutathione decreases.
Lack of glutathione has been associated with:
Autoimmune diseases
Arthritis, asthma and other inflammatory conditions
Cancers
Mitochondrial dysfunction
Muscle weakness and fatigue
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
The tricky thing about glutathione is you can’t just take a supplement because your body can’t absorb it that way; even though they make and sell “glutathione” supplements. High quality whey protein is the top food for maximizing your glutathione levels according to at least two studies here and here as well as many other reports. So, if you are going to use a whey protein, be sure to look for one that is:
Cold-pressed
Free of hormones like rBGH, chemicals, casein (hard to digest milk protein), and added sugar
Fed by grass-fed cows (this one is debatable whether it matters or not for WHEY (not meat of course) but that’s for another post, another day)
Here are four protein powders, in no particular order, that supposedly cover all of the above recommendations and taste fairly good, according to the reviews I’ve read. I haven’t tried any of them, so I can’t give my two cents on taste but would love to hear from you (in the comments section please) if you have tried any of these or found one you like and would be willing to recommend.
I don’t know which are best for kids but just be sure if it is for your kids, it is mainly just whey protein and it doesn’t contain any extra amino acids. And, if you are look for a guideline for how much to give your kids, check out this link from the Mayo Clinic.
On to Tate’s Smoothie/Popsicle…
I have come around to the fact that I need to let my kids cook, even though I know it’s going to be a huge mess…period. But the good news is not only are they learning and taking pride in what they make, but also they are building confidence in preparing food completely by themselves.
Anyway, while Alice has been cooking for a bit on her own (well, with a little help from me), today Tate made his own smoothie completely by himself. He actually guessed on most of the ingredients, and with only a little guidance from me on the quantities, it actually turned out great.
This is all you need for Tate’s smoothie:
1 cup spinach, fresh (we didn’t use this because it was Tate’s concoction but I would have. The blueberries hide the spinach well.)
1/2 canned coconut milk
1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened
1 cups blueberries
1 bananas
2 tbsp almond butter
small handful ice cubes
add protein powder, if desired
By the way, Costco not only had frozen organic blueberries but they have fresh ones as well right now, too.
Here are a few of our other favorite smoothies/popsciles:
What we had leftover smoothie we turned into popsicles. These BPA-free popsicle holders are awesome. They actually even work for school if you wrap it up in a paper towel and put it in a small lunch cooler, assuming they eat by 11:30.
Okay so here is the other ultra easy meal we are having this week. I tend to do many variations of this recipe so it might seem similar to some of my others, but this one is even simpler to make, and that is the goal for this week, right?
What makes this recipe especially good is not only the delicious Tessemae’s dressing, but also the mushrooms. I love those things! When I was little, and we would go out for Chinese food, mushrooms (and of course the baby corn), were my favorites to eat. For this recipe, any type of mushroom will do.
All you need for this Broccoli Bison Bowl recipe is:
you could also add chopped onions, spinach, or whatever you have around…
Start by browning your meat on high, then turn the stove down, and add your mushroom and Tessemae’s (about 1/2 the bottle or more) and keep stirring. I did mix about 2 tsp arrowroot with 2 tsp with water in a small bowl and then added that to the mix so it would thicken the sauce a little, but that is optional.
I also used some fresh ginger. You can never have too much ginger, in my opinion. By the way, do y’all know the easiest way to use ginger? I grew up on it so not sure if it’s common knowledge or not but you can store it in the freezer. Then when you are ready to use it just take it out and with a sharp knife scrape off what you want and then throw it back in the freezer for the next time.
By the way, doesn’t this recipe below look good? Those were pork egg roll-less. I’ll share that soon, too.
Then for the broccoli, if you use one in a bag and want it to steam quickly, just throw it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Then, put it in the pan and carefully chop it (or place in colander/cutting board to chop) with a ulu knife or any other knife to make the heads into smaller bite sized pieces. Mix everything together and enjoy!
Anyway, what is so great about this simple recipes is it is very versatile. You could squeeze an orange for some extra sweetness, or add onions, scallions, cilantro, baby corn, water chestnuts, spinach, squash, zucchini…really anything you guys like, or have on hand. I hope you enjoy it!
Quick side note: For those of you kind of freaking out about the microwave thing…I know, I get it and I too have heard for years not to use it. But, my most trusted source, Chris Kresser, who always has the latest, most up-to-date information says “the balance of studies seem to suggest that microwaving is safe, doesn’t reduce nutrient levels, and may even reduce nutrient levels less than some other forms of cooking, although the studies did seem to suggest that using lower settings on the microwave is probably better for preserving nutrients.” The Ancestral Chef even goes so far to say it may even “increase nutrients” according to her post here. I’m not sure I’m ready to go that far on the microwave debate just yet, but I’m glad to know I can use it every once in awhile without the guilt.
I love these things! When I was little, I use to think they were like little Smurf houses…Mmmmm Smurf Houses.
Ann -I had never heard the freezer tip for ginger. Do you shave back the outer part and then shave or just shave it all? Thanks so much…love this tip!ReplyCancel
Landria -Hey Ann! I just cut or scrape off the outer part and then keep scraping until I get the part/amount I need. Hope this helps!ReplyCancel
May has to be busiest month of the year! Between trying to juggle sports, end of the year activities, and swim team practice every day, seriously, who has time to cook? We get home by 7:00 most nights, just in time to prep dinner, eat, shower, do homework, read and get to bed…all by 7:30 (my kids typical bed time). Yeah, right…
So for all of your crazy-busy hard working people out there, I’m going to share two ridiculously easy recipes to help get you though this final week of school. Both include using Tessemae’s so if you’re making a trip to Whole Foods tomorrow, get a bottle of their Southwest Ranch and a bottle of their Ginger Soy. They’re good to have on hand anyway!
Here is one meal that has become a weekly occurrence because it is so easy and tasty. All you have to do is marinate some chicken with some Tessemae’s salad dressing for at least 1 hour or overnight)—we love Southwest Ranch—and either grill (I can’t give you cooking times since my husband is the one who grills, and I just asked him and he said “cook it until it’s done”. So helpful, right??) or you can bake it at 350F for 35 or so minutes if whole/half pieces or 25-30 minutes if you cut it into bite sized pieces. Done and done. Add some roasted broccoli, sauté some asparagus in some ghee, or whatever and you’re good to go. One meal down.
Alice has really gotten into baking lately, which I have to say, makes me proud. While she can cook an entire recipe on her own, we are still working on the cleaning up part.
Anyway, we were trying to figure out a good Easter morning breakfast and came up with these donut holes. For the first time, in 6 years since I’ve gone paleo, I got a treat that is actually squishy (like a donut)!! While I LOVE paleo treats (probably a little too much) and I am completely satisfied by them, I do miss things like donuts once in awhile. But I don’t even try to make them into a healthy treat because the texture is just too different…until now!
While I was hesitant to use something new, which I’m not sure why, I now realize it was so worth it. So do yourself a favor and go get some Psyllium Husk Powder at Whole Foods or a nutritional store, or online immediately. It’s just a water-soluble, natural fiber which can add valuable bulk to the diet. Who couldn’t use some extra fiber in their diet anyway? And, it makes things like these donut holes squishy!
Just out of the shower and on to baking…
And now, to enjoy the reward for her work…
You can see that they are actually chewy!
But I never said they weren’t messy…
Happy Easter!
I bet you didn’t know my husband was in the Master’s golf tournament, did you? Neither did I….
This recipe only makes 14 donut holes. I would recommend doubling it. For our family of 4, we certainly didn’t have any leftovers.
2 tbsp coconut palm sugar (this is my favorite brand)
½ cup dark chocolate, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven 325F.
Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Then in a small pot, boil water and add butter to melt.
Pour water/butter into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix well.
Once it starts to become dough like, you will likely need to use your hands to knead it all together.
Then, tear off golf ball sized pieces and form into balls with your hands.
On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, place the balls on the sheet and cook for 25 minutes.
A few minutes after that has cooked, melt your chocolate so it has some time to cool.
Then once the donut holes come out of the oven, dip them halfway or cover them completely with chocolate, and devour!
3.2.1275
Please ignore any typos or grammatical errors. I am working to meet a project deadline, one I look forward to sharing with you all this fall (and it may have something to do with yummy treats like this one). But I really wanted to get you all this fun recipe in time for your Easter breakfast treat, before Easter.
landriav -I’ve been craving them ever since Alice made them. I just told her this morning I wanted more! I hope you get to try them soon. Have a good one Elizabeth!ReplyCancel
Maria -My 5 yr old son has a soy allergy, so donuts have been off limits. Prior to reading your blog, I had purchased the “babycakes” donut maker for him and just used your recipe. The mixture turned out awesome in the donut maker (4 minutes!), and he loved them! He even said “they’re so good, I like this soy allergy thing.” Lol.ReplyCancel
Maria -Btw, I used dark chocolate morsels with no soy lecithin to make your recipe soy free.ReplyCancel
Landria -Maria, thanks so much for sharing that! I’m so happy your son loved them. And I just added the baby cakes donut maker to my amazon cart, so thank you!!ReplyCancel
Stephanie -Thanks for the great recipe! I used this recipe tonight with a few alterations to make “bread” sticks. I doubled the recipe, omitted the palm sugar and the chocolate and doubled the salt. I didn’t have enough butter so I ended up using 1/4C butter and 1/4C coconut oil. In place of the sugar I added italian herbs. We dipped them in leftover homemade marinara sauce and it was to die for! I can’t believe how much this recipe really resembles conventional bread in it’s texture! Thanks again!
landriav -Stephanie, that is SO great to hear!! We love it too! So glad to hear yall love it as much as we do. Thank you so much for sharing!!ReplyCancel
Would you believe it was 33 degrees here in Atlanta this morning?! It is Spring…right? Anyway, I thought it would be a good day to make a final winter stew.
When I was little, I would go with my dad to get brunswick stew at a place called Old Hickory House. I still remember the taste and that was about 25 years ago. Anyway, while I continue with my pork kick (can you tell once I find something I like, I stick with it?), I thought I would try to recreate the stew with a Paleo version. While it doesn’t taste exactly like I remember, after all, it’s hard to do without sugar, white flour, corn, beans, and BBQ sauce, it’s still turned out really good. My daughter loved it! My husband and I did too. But, my son said “just so you know mom, I really don’t care for it.” Um, okay Tate. Fair enough. Of course he still ate it, because, well, it was what was for dinner, but he may not be begging me to make it again anytime soon. Regardless, the rest of us enjoyed it!
Rather than use pork loin, feel free to substitute with a whole chicken or pork shoulder. I think Boston butt is typically used in Brunswick Stew. But as much as I love pork butt (does anyone else hear a 6 year old boy laughing in their heads?) when cooked on the Big Green Egg, I am really kind of grossed out by it when cooks in a slow cooker.
Anyway, here is what you need for the Paleo Brunswick Stew:
2.5 lb pork roast or shoulder/butt if you prefer
28 ounces canned, crushed, tomatoes plus their juices
about 1 cup frozen precut, or fresh okra
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3-4 stalks if celery, finely chopped
4 tablespoons grass fed butter
3/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust accordingly)
2 tbsp Celtic sea salt, or to taste
2 tsp fresh garlic or powder
2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
bay leaf
1 tbsp arrowroot powder and
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (look for low sugar)
coconut oil, for searing pork
Rub some salt, pepper and cayenne pepper on the roast. Then heat up your dutch oven or large pan on high, pour some coconut oil and sear the meat for about 3 minutes on each side, until it’s a nice golden brown. Searing isn’t absolutely necessary, my husband argues it doesn’t matter, so you can skip this part if you prefer…
Then, in a food processor, shred your celery and onion.
Now, put that in your dutch oven (or slow cooker) on top of the meat. Then add the tomatoes, bay leaf, butter (you can just place it cold in the center of your food), all of the spices, BBQ sauce (if you use it), apple cider vinegar and coconut palm sugar.
Now in a small bowl, mix the arrowroot powder and chicken broth and then pour that on top of your stew.
Cook on 200F for 5-6 hours. If using a slow cooker crock pot, cook on low for about 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Then cut up the pork on a cutting board or just tear apart meat and place it back in the pot with the sauce. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes to soak up the flavor, and enjoy these last bites of winter!
If you want it to have more of that traditional BBQ brunswick taste, add 1/2 cup of a low sugar, all natural BBQ sauce.
I didn’t use the BBQ sauce, but instead I did use a little of this new amazing hot sauce my good friend gave me the other day. Mmmm…
Happy Easter everyone! Well that certainly doesn’t sound right…
28 ounces canned, crushed, tomatoes plus their juices
about 1 cup frozen precut, or fresh okra
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3-4 stalks if celery, finely chopped
4 tablespoons grass fed butter
¾ tsp black pepper
¾ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust accordingly)
2 tbsp Celtic sea salt, or to taste
2 tsp fresh garlic or powder
2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
½ cup BBQ sauce (look for low sugar)
coconut oil, for searing pork
Instructions
Rub some salt, pepper and some cayenne add some to roast, aside from measurements from above. Use enough to lightly coat the roast.
Heat up dutch oven or large pan, pour some coconut oil and sear the meat for about 3 minutes on each side, until it's a nice golden brown.
In a food processor, shred your celery and onion.
Now, put that in your dutch oven (or slow cooker) on top of the meat.
Then add the tomatoes, bay leaf, butter (you can just place it cold in the center of your food), all of the spices, the apple cider vinegar and coconut palm sugar.
In a small bowl, mix the arrowroot powder and chicken broth. Pour that on top and stir everything together until well blended.
Cook 200 5-6 hours. Then cut up the meat on a cutting board or just tear apart meat and place it back in the pot with the sauce. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes to soak up the flavor, and enjoy these last bites of winter!
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.jpg "Protein powders and Tate makes a smoothie")
.jpg "Protein powders and Tate makes a smoothie")
.jpg "Protein powders and Tate makes a smoothie")
.jpg "Protein powders and Tate makes a smoothie")
.jpg "Another simple recipe (and is the microwave killing our food?)")
.jpg "Another simple recipe (and is the microwave killing our food?)")
.jpg "Another simple recipe (and is the microwave killing our food?)")
.jpg "Another simple recipe (and is the microwave killing our food?)")
.jpg "It’s May…who has time to cook??")
.jpg "It’s May…who has time to cook??")
.jpg "It’s May…who has time to cook??")
.jpg "For Real Donut Holes…")
.jpg "For Real Donut Holes…")
.jpg "For Real Donut Holes…")
.jpg "For Real Donut Holes…")
.jpg "For Real Donut Holes…")
.jpg "For Real Donut Holes…")
.jpg "For Real Donut Holes…")
.jpg "For Real Donut Holes…")
.jpg "Brunswick Stew Paleo Style")
Then, in a food processor, shred your celery and onion..jpg "Brunswick Stew Paleo Style")
.jpg "Brunswick Stew Paleo Style")
Now in a small bowl, mix the arrowroot powder and chicken broth and then pour that on top of your stew..jpg "Brunswick Stew Paleo Style")
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.jpg "Brunswick Stew Paleo Style")
.jpg "Brunswick Stew Paleo Style")
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