Paleo at Costco??? Let's Go!!

During the last couple of paychecks, I've sorta botched my grocery budget. I'm not sure what happened, or how it happened but I've found my food didn't last as long as I anticipated. I'm now looking for ways to save. Today my MIL asked if I wanted to go to Costco with her. I said yes, and grabbed a pen and paper to record everything paleo that I saw and the price to compare. I thought I would share my findings with you today....just in case you are interested. :)

Pacific Gold jerky (just beef and spices, but not grass fed beef) - (2) 8 oz. bags - $14.49

Dates - 48 oz. - $6.99

Kirkland brand marinara (no sugar) - (3) 32 oz. - $5.49

organic tomato sauce - (12) 15 oz. - $6.99

organic stewed and diced tomatoes - (8) 15oz. - $5.99

organic tomato paste - (12) 6 oz. - $5.99

canned mushrooms - (12) 4oz. - $6.65

pistachio in the shell - 48 oz. $15.69

pistachios shelled - 32 oz. $18.99

sliced almonds - 32 oz. $9.69

pecans halved - 32 oz - $12.89

walnuts - 24 oz. $23.99

almonds - 48 oz. $12.79

macadamia nuts - 24 ox. - $17.99

balsamic vinegar - 1 liter - $10.99

rotel - (8) 10oz. - $5.99

olives - (2) 21 oz. - $5.69

sun dried tomatoes - 32 oz - $8.89

hearts of palm - (2) 25 oz. - $8.99

artichokes jarred - 32 oz. - $5.39

organic salsa - (3) 32 oz. - $7.49

wild canned albacore tuna - (6) 5 oz. - $9.99

wild canned salmon - (6) 6oz. - $12.39

wild sockeye salmon canned - (3) 6 oz. - $10.99

wild sardines - (6) 5 oz. - $9.99

organic chicken stock - (6) 32 oz. - $10.99

unrefined, cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil - 54 oz. - $15.99

extra virgin olive oil bertoli - 3 liters - $16.99

kirkland brand EVOO - 2 liters - $11.49

pure vanilla - 16 oz. $6.89

minced garlic - 48 oz. - $4.29

sea salt - 30 oz. $2.79

almond butter - 26 oz. - $6.99

organic brown eggs - 2 dozen - $7.69

almond milk - (3) 64 oz. - $7.59

wild frozen salmon - 3 lbs - $26.89

frozen shrimp - 2 lbs - $12.49

coconut water - (6) 1 liter - $14.99

frozen stir fried veggie mix - 3.5 lbs - $7.49

avacado - 6 count - $3.99

onions - 5 lbs - $5.59

organic spring salad mix - 1 lb - $4.49

organic baby spinach - 1 lb - $4.49

bell peppers - 6 count - $6.99

organic carrots - 10 lbs - $6.79

peeled whole garlic - 3 lbs - $4.99

organic chicken breasts - 3.5 lbs. - $19.71

organic whole chickens - 2 - $22.39

Some of the things I didn't think to look for and I didn't see are coconut and almond flours, and guacamole. Other than that I was fairly impressed with what I found! They did have lots of organics there which I was happy to see and a LOT of paleo friendly fare. There was however no grass fed beef there. :(  I'm gonna be crunching some numbers to see if this is something that will help out the budget. I hope this post helps you with your paleo budget too!!

Paleo Heaven

So it's Monday.....and I'm sitting at the computer, multitasking. Chomping on my breakfast of bacon and cherry, spinach, coconut milk smoothie and getting my blogging duties done. Also in the process I will be trying to recover from one of the busiest weeks I've had in a long, long while.

I had the awesome opportunity to be in the audience at a taping of a show featuring Sarah Fragoso of Everyday Paleo fame. It was a loooooooong night, but well worth it. I met some wonderful people who all shared the same story. And that story was that was that Paleo nutrition has saved our lives.

I ended up being the first one there. I was traveling the farthest so I wanted to make sure that I was on time. When I walked in I was greeted by Sarah's husband John. Super nice, but so was EVERYONE! Next in was Sarah's assistant Dana. We chatted for a while about Sarah's new cookbook which I have but haven't really gone through it yet.

Then Jason Seib just strolls by after getting his make-up done, a hilarious thought just on its own!! Dana introduces us and I am so nervous and stuttering. If you don't know Jason let me tell ya a bit about him. He owns and operates Clackamas Physical Conditioning in Oregon. He has changed the lives of the dedicated people that have walked through the doors of his gym. He has written blogs on Everyday Paleo that are just so helpful while living this lifestyle. The co-runs www.eplifefit.com with Sarah. There and also on his FB he will answer and try to help you with any questions you may have. They also have a podcast that is chock full of wonderful information. And last but not least he is the author of the highly anticipated book, The Paleo Coach. Obviously I am a huge fan of this dude!

Well, we chat it up about Hashimoto and the differences Paleo has made in my life. He mentions that it is stories like mine that keep them doing what they do even when it goes against the grain, so to speak. haha! He leaves and about 5 minutes later comes back and sits next to me to ask if I spell my name with and A or and O. He gave me an autographed copy of his book that hasn't even been released yet. SO AWESOME!! I have been looking so forward to this book!!

Next I meet a pretty huge dude. Like...he is BIG! Fit....but BIG! He was very funny and super sweet. Then after talking to a couple of other people he walks out of the room and all the dudes in the room start getting giddy!?!?! What is happening? Why are all this dudes getting all flustered over that guy, who's name is Forrest Griffin. Come to find out, from my friend who is a fan, that he is a UFC fighter, and kind of a big deal. Now I can understand the reaction from all the men in the house!! haha!

So we taped 2 shows that night and each show had some guests and a cooking segment....MY FAVORITE!!! 

Sarah made some food for us too since we were STARVING! We had yummy, spicy Mexican Stew and some Chicken Salad in pepper boats and  on cucumber rounds. She also had some Bubbies Pickles, which Jason and I smelled as soon as the cart was rolled out. They are his favorite too. I mean seriously we just bought some yesterday and my two girls literally jumped up and down and cheered when they saw me get them off the shelf!! haha!

The next episode featured the story of a Nashville Cardiologist Thomas Cabell. This story was amazing. Long story short he recommends Paleo to his patients. Their were also a couple of his patients there who's lives where change by eating real food!! Also we met Miss Hawaii 2011 Christie Oclaray. Who come to find out has both Hashimoto and Graves disease. She keeps it under control by eating Paleo.

So at the end I finally got to actually meet Sarah. She was so kind and signed a copy of Paleo Pals to my kiddos! I am SO extremelly tired in this pic!!

Next up was a women's conference at my church. I was teaching in one of the breakout sessions on Paleo Nutrition. 

Pic of my white board. Showing the difference in eating S.A.D and Paleo, the vicious sugar/processed carb cycle, and that we actually DO eat carbohydrates. 

The sessions were so fun. People were so interested and had lots of questions. But my favorite time was at the end when people stayed over to talk about some of the personal health stuff they were going through. My goodness, I know all too well of the frustration they are going through when they are doing all that they are told to do and getting no results. I was blessed to be able to witness hope in their eyes after hearing my story. That same hope that I grasped onto when Teri Wingo told me that I need to eat this way. It was just a huge honor and blessing to be able to share things with people that could give them a better quality of life! If one person changes and becomes more healthy all the planning, prepping, and anxiety was worth it!! :) 

I want it NOW!!

My family and friends love to go out for pizza, but it is not my thing. Unless I want a salad. And who wants to eat a salad while you sit and watch every one else sit and eat gooey, cheesy pizza? Oh and then there is "gluten-free" pizza. But then that is usually made out of rice flour, so whaddya do? Well we have a local pizza place here called Tommy's Pizza. They have what they call Paleo Bowls. And they are awesome!! Basically you can get any pizza topping you want along with their sauce on a bed of spinach. Just let me tell ya....it is SOOOOO good. I think they are about 7 bucks but you totally get enough for 2 meals.....well, I know I do! haha! And you can just mix and match any ingredients and come up with drastically different flavors each time. I'm a traditionalist, so I tend to stick to the same thing each time, but who knows... I might venture out and change it up next time....probably not. Who am I kidding??? I'm not the least bit adventurous! lol! O.k here is a pic of the last Paleo Bowl I got at Tommy's Pizza.

I KNOW! How great does that look? I just ate breakfast but I think I could still take that down, cause it looks so good! This one has some spinach, sauce, chicken, onion, mushrooms and peppers. So GOOD!

Well this last week I was stuck at home due to that darn stomach bug that hit everyone in my fam except for me. Praise the Lord! And it just so happens I was craving a Paleo Bowl...MAJORLY! So what's a girl to do? Make my own....that's what I'll do.

So I took about 2 cups of fresh baby spinach and put it in the bottom of a bowl. Topped that with warm marinara sauce mixed with grass fed beef, onion, and green pepper. Topped that with sauteed mushrooms, 1 slice of chopped bacon, some diced jalapeno and VIOLA!!! I had a paleo bowl right in my own house! Craving crisis averted!

So your take away lesson here is......If you are near Tommy's Pizza....go there and getcha a Paleo Bowl! And if your not....make your own at home! Let your tastebuds be your guide! You won't be sorry!!

IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!!

Oh my, I am so excited about this one! And it is because I LOVE this product, and the message that the folks over at The Sox Box are sending. Today begins The Sox Box giveaway. And we are giving away a pair of sock that continuously runs out of stock cause they are SO popular.....the STRONG MAMA socks!!

We call these PR socks at my box. Anytime you are going for a PR you should be wearing your socks for good luck!! haha! Now If I know anything, I know we have some STRONG MAMA's here at Paleo Mommy, so get in on this giveaway!! I love this message and I love the quality and the way these socks fit!!

So here is what you need to do to get entered to win this socks.....

1."Like" Paleo Mommy on FB

2."Like" The Sox Box on FB and tell them "Paleo Mommy sent me!"

3.  Share this contest post on FB

4.  Leave a comment here telling me you have completed all tasks!

I will randomly draw a winner out of the lot that completed all tasks on Wed. Feb 27th. Let's make this a good giveaway. The more people that participate the more giveaways I can do for you guys! <3

My Favorite Smoothie

Hi guys,

How is the week going so far?? Well mine just keeps getting better and better.

So last night I felt pretty good about myself catching up on all the laundry. When your husband is an engineer by day and magician by night, and you have two little girls who like to change clothes every hour, you end up with a LOT of laundry. I was making a huge dent in the enormous pile when I started switching a load from the washer to the dryer. I see stuff falling off the clothes and I thought, "oh my, the girls must have gotten glitter in here somehow." Then I realized it wasn't glitter, it looked more like ice. So I thought...."oh no! The washer must be broken. How did ice get in here?!" I'm a genius....I know! Come to find out, it was all the water absorbent gel from the inside of a pull up. Yep. That's right. It was never ending and it would not come off. So after a total of 4 hours rinsing and re-rinsing clothes, wiping and re-wiping out the washer along with rinsing and re-rinsing the washer.....the horrible nightmare is over. I thought to myself this morning after I could finally sit back and laugh about it (scratch that, not there yet... After I could sit back and not be quite as angry about it) "look on the bright side.....At least it was a new, clean pull up........ It could have been worse.....MUCH worse."

Another thing I did this morning after finishing cleaning up that mess was make my FAVORITE smoothie. I crave this thing and could possibly survive on this alone and be perfectly happy. Look at this beautiful, tasty thing.....

This is what I use for it. Keep in mind, smoothies are so versatile and you can switch up stuff however you want. 

Paleo Mommy's Spinach, Blueberry Smoothie

1-2 cups of washed baby spinach

1 cup of frozen bluberries

3 ice cubes

1 Tablespoon of almond or cashew butter

1 Tablespoon of coconut manna (optional)

1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2-1 cup of unsweetened almond or coconut milk

This with a side of protein (usually a hard boiled egg for me) and it is a good meal. This monster keeps me full for at the very least 4 hours. 

Asian Spaghetti Squash

So if you read my blog yesterday you know I sent my oldest daughter to church with her dress on backwards. Well today I find out I send my youngest daughter out with her coat inside out. What is going on with me?!?! Anyway, here is a recipe for ya'll who love spaghetti squash. I hope you like it.

Asian Spaghetti Squash
serves appx 4

1 medium pre-roasted spaghetti squash
4 slices of bacon, thinly diced
1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 small onion, minced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons of coconut aminos
4 fried eggs

In a large pan over medium heat brown up the bacon
Remove from pan and add sesame oil, onion, garlic and pepper flakes
Cook until onions are translucent
Add coconut aminos, squash and bacon (reserving a little bacon for garnish)
Cook until squash is warmed through and all the ingredient are incorporated
Top each portion with a fried egg and garnish with crispy bacon crumbles and red pepper flakes

What the heck do you feed your kids for lunch everyday?!?!

That is a question I have gotten quite often. I will tell ya...it is not always easy. Right now I'm trying to blog about how to feed your kids healthy paleo meals and I really should be asking you guys how to properly dress my child. We just got home from church and I realized that her dress was on backwards all morning throughout church and during lunch out  at a restaurant with friends. Wow, where was MY head at this morning?

Anyway..... listen....I know....I get it mom's...It is super easy to grab some cereal, some granola bars, something prepackaged and quick to thrown down for your kids. I understand, I'm just here to offer some alternatives. Now, don't think I've got it all figured out. My kids aren't 100% paleo. When they eat at home, this is what I feed them. When they go to birthday parties...they eat cake. If you are a mom who feeds your child 100% paleo....Congratulations and good for you, I'm just not there yet. :) That being said....Let's get this started.....

If you have been around Paleo Mommy any length of time at all you know how much I stress the importance of preparation. Same goes with quick easy lunches at my house. I get home from the store and the first thing that happens is boil a dozen eggs.

Next make up some meat for the breakfast and lunch...this weeks I needed some sausage balls.

Prep veggies and fruit for easy grab and go snack and for meals.

Here are some veggie strips, washed peeled and cut. Some grapes, blueberries and apples washed and ready to go, pre-made graNOla, pre-made chicken salad, washed and shredded lettuce, prepped strawberries (not washed until ready to eat) and not pictured is the eggs and sausage balls which will be used for lunches and for breakfasts. Here is the menu for the week, I even gave you our breakfasts.....see how much I love you guys?!?! :)

Monday:

Breakfast- egg, bacon, bluberries

Lunch- chicken salad on lettuce, graNOla, strawberries

Tuesday:

Breakfast- NOatmeal with cinnamon and blueberries

Lunch- hardboiled eggs filled with tuna salad, apples and hazelnut butter with cocoa powder, and pickle

Wednesday:

Breakfast- Coconut yogurt with graNOla and strawberries

Lunch- Leftover spaghetti (zucchini noodles topped with sausage balls and sauce) and asparagus

Thursday:

Breakfast- NOatmeal again 

Lunch- ham roll ups with mustard and pepper strips, coconut yogurt, and blueberries

Friday:

Breakfast- Banana bread with strawberries

Lunch- Pick out what you want day- they chose hard boiled egg, sausage, pistachios, grapes, and pepper sticks.