Gearing up for the 21 Day Sugar Detox

I have decided it is time for my tastebuds to get a reset.  The whole family needs this actually.  See, even though we eat real food/healthy/paleo, we still can get wrapped up in all the sweet treats and delectable local honey goodness, ripe fruit and the cravings for carbs and sugars set in.  Yes, Its the holidays, but I don’t want to spend my holidays lethargic or moody.  I want to feel full of energy and well, hungry for real food.  I am starting this 21 Day Sugar Detox on December 1st and I hope you will join me.  I will be modifying it slightly to gain extra gut healing, but you are more than welcome to just follow the program.

Why would I want to Detox from Sugar? There are many reasons to do a sugar detox, whether you are new to the lifestyle or you have been eating real food for awhile or even if you consider yourself “refined sugar free” this program is more than just a “detox” or a “sugar free diet” This program is a great step by step way of integrating more healthy habits into your life.  This program may be a wakeup call for some and a breeze for others.   You may be a bone broth professional, kitchen whiz, or perhaps you can’t even roast a chicken.  Regardless, we all get stumped sometimes.  This program will help teach you skills to plan healthy meals, understand real nutrition, learn how to eat out, and best of all…That food is thy medicine.  If you are dealing with an auto-immune condition, severe inflammation, or Candida then this is a great place to start and stay.  These conditions are primarily caused by environment.  Only 1/3 of your risk for developing auto-immune disease is hereditary, the rest is solely environment.  Suffering from any of these conditions means you have gut damage, more specifically leaky gut which also means you are malnourished, no matter how much you eat.  Your gut cannot absorb nutrients properly.  Due to this, your immune system will be confused (our immune system is in our gut) and can begin attacking your body.  Its a horrible and vicious cycle and there is only 1 way to stop, through healing your gut with a real food diet.  One of the first ways to begin this is by eliminating all processed foods and sugar from your diet.  Whoa, I know…I know…Tons must be running through your mind.  “You don’t have time” “Im too tired to cook” “I hate cooking” “I love sugar/carbs””What can I eat then” blah…blah…blah.. I know, Ive been there. Ive questioned myself daily, but you know what has me going one day, one step at a time…The feeling. Yup, the feeling…I can feel, I can think, I can function.  Sometimes you forget how good you used to feel.   Eating real food, not only reminds you but it haunts you. I love getting nutritionally high. The rush from a shot of raw liver, the energy of some butter in my tea/coffee, or the pleasure of biting into crispy bacon. So, don’t be scared.

 We start living when we step outside of our comfort zone.

Either way, the results will be amazing.  What are some typical results?

The Paleo Moms 21 Day Sugar Detox        Stacy from Paleo Parents     Whats that Smell

So, I have you convinced yet?  What do you do next?

Start right away, Don’t wait until December 1st.  I will have your hand the whole way, do not worry.  Stressed? Im Here. Have a question? Im anxious to find your answer.  Just dive right in because thats how we learn, by trying…and sometime failing, but regardless..getting a head start and being prepared is always a great idea!  I know it can be daunting…but I know it can be life changing.  Ready!!? Lets “GET YOUR LIFE, YALL”

Here are my tips/ideas on getting started:

• Grab the 21 Day Sugar Detox Book via Amazon/Library/Bookstore: Yes I will be posting daily information, encouragement and also meal plans and recipes, but this book really breaks it down.  Its important to REALLY REALLY know in your heart why you are doing this. Knowledge is power, once you realize the effects of sugar on your body and how it affects you daily, you will feel empowered to change.
• Gather up your cooking tools: Essentials would be; Crockpot (my favorite), Plenty of Bones/Chickens (Okay, this may be a tough one if you hate handling meat/chicken etc. Bite the bullet. It gets easier with practice. Plus, I have found that I don’t mind handling pastured chickens from the farm but cringe when I handle conventional chicken. Conventional chicken feels slimy and smells funny to me, It makes me cringe. Farm Fresh chicken, no smell, no slime, its fresh and my hands can tell.) Food processor Not completely necessary, but will make chopping 8 onions much easier.
  
• Make a list of foods/dinners you normally eat. Lets make substitutions to your favorites so that you don’t feel deprived. Plus, if you keep a diet log, you will realize how well (or not) you may be eating.  I realized that I don’t consume enough calories which is stressful on my adrenals and thyroid, not good.
• Check your pantry and fridge. Start packing and donating.  Gather a few tubs/boxes. (Detailed post on this tomorrow)  Its the holidays, don’t feel bad about donating all that boxed/canned food like product that you may have found (get a tax receipt), hey…some may not be that bad, but it may not work for the 21 day SD, lets not make this an overwhelming thing…Just start becoming MINDFUL about what you are selecting as you cook and are at the grocery store.  If you find yourself reaching for some swansens chicken broth or just like boullion, then note that you won’t buy that anymore and instead will batch cook broth for the freezer.  At the grocery store, start reading ingredients. If you need to make a substitute on the fly, google it. “Real food substitute for salt”= Himalaya or Sea Salt.  When eating out, ask them if they have a gluten free/allergy menu (Most places do now).  We are always learning and thats a great thing.
• Start stocking your freezer!! Right Away:  Put 2 large ziploc bags into the freezer.  You can even label them based on what you eat.  These bags are for bones and leftover veggie peels etc for bone broth.  When you roast a chicken or meat with a bone, when done eating, put the bones in the freezer…yup..ALL of them, everyones all together now.  Okay, Okay…this is science people, freezing and cooking the bones like we do..there are no germies. When cooking and cleaning vegetables, place the leftover onion ends/peels, any carrot ends/peels, celery, peppers, parsley stems in the vegetable bag.  Look for pastured chicken and grassfed beef on sale.  Are you cooking for Thanksgiving?  Great!! Lets make dishes that are Grain Free and Sugar Free! Freeze for later and use the leftovers!

I am so excited to be doing this with you! Its going to so valuable to have this group of friends supporting each other!

Beginners Liver Recipe

How are you doing with adding more liver in your diet? Is it a struggle? This recipe for Chicken Liver Pâté is amazing. Honestly, the bacon adds a wonderful depth that masks any horrendous “livery” taste. This is my first time both making pâté AND eating it. I give it 5 stars! It’s delicious and I just licked the spoon…I am sure it’s much much more delectable with some crackers or almond flour bread. Don’t have any crackers or toast available? No worries, try jicama, squash, or cucumbers for an easy, quick and nutrient dense lunch!

This recipe is inspired from Sarah Pope, The Health Home Economist and Diane from Balanced Bites. I made my own combo of the two and I think you will agree..it’s the best of both worlds. Bacon, thyme, rosemary and mustard go so well together, try it..let me know what you think!

Chicken liver, bacon and thyme pâté

Chicken Liver Pâté

1 lb Pastured Chicken Livers
1 small onion (chopped)
1 cup of bacon (chopped)
2-4 garlic cloves (chopped)
1/2 c. Of red wine
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp of mustard (Dijon or regular)
1 sprig of rosemary
1 sprig of thyme
1/2 c. Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauté chicken livers until brown in 1/4 cup of butter, remove from pan, add to food processor
Combine onions, garlic, and bacon and cook until golden and onions are carmelized, add to the chicken livers.
Simmer wine, mustard, herbs, and lemon juice in pan until most liquid is reduced, add to food processor.
Add remaining 1/4 c. Of butter to food processor and purée till smooth.

Refrigerate and then serve with crackers, toast, cucumbers, veggie sticks, or as a spread for sandwiches/meats. This would be amazing in a collard wrap!

Enjoy the B vitamin rush!

Happy Monday! My Favorite Fish Broth Recipe

Our weekend was a busy one! We gardened and I stocked up on Bone Broth’s to prepare for..Gasp, Gaps! That is what I will call it. Gasp Gaps because I tend to gasp a little every time I mutter those words. Although I am nervous and excited to begin our healing journey on the Gaps program, I am appreciating the benefits in the meantime of Bone Broths. I particularly love the benefits and effects I have felt from Fish Bone Broth. It gives me immediate energy and alertness AND helps me sleep deeper. Winning! I won’t reinvent the wheel here because that is not necessary, I have learned from the best. I watched Sarah at The Healthy Home Economist’s prepare her red snapper broth, reviewed a few recipes in nourishing traditions, added in my own personal taste and VIOLA! I did this in a few days because that was easiest for me, however this can be done in one day rather easily. I hope you adore the creaminess and love the effects as I have. Cheers.

How to Prepare Fish Stock

This Fish Stock Recipe

2 Red Snapper Whole Fish (Purchased from Pearson’s Port)
1 Pound of Shell on Shrimp (Wish the heads were on, but its not shrimp season. If you can get them whole, please do!)

What to do with the snapper and shrimp!?

Roast It: Drizzle with oil/bacon fat, and sprinkle with salt, pepper. If you have some fresh herbs and bay leaves make a bead on a piece of parchment paper, chop some lemon slices, place on top of the fish, fold up the parchment as best as you can and Roast on 350 for 15-20 minutes.

or

Boil It: Cover it with water, turn on high, get it boiling, skim, then turn on low, simmer till shrimp/fish is done and remove shrimp meat and fish meat for later use. Let the head and shrimp shells remain in water, cook on low for 2 hours.

Boiled Fish Head Broth

You still here!? Good! Sorry, Had to shock you.  Now that is over, you are ready to tackle this yourself, I assure you.  If that made you want to run for the hills, Read a little more about the Benefits of Fish Head Broth and then work back around to it.  Ill be here. 😉

 

I opted to roast the snapper with Salt, Pepper, Dill and fresh parsley. We had Roasted snapper and veggies for one Dinner. I scrapped all remaining juices and bits from roasting sheet/pan and placed in stock pot.

I kept the shrimp shells and snapper head/bones, placed them in the stock pot with a piece of Kombu and a Bay leaf and simmered on low for about 2 hours. I let cool and placed in the fridge. (You can skip this and go directly to adding veggies and spice) It gelled nicely. That is a sign of a great broth!

Place a couple of chopped carrots, celery and onion in the bottom of the stock pot with the juices and bits and heat on low till onions are translucent. I added my spices at this point also. Chop the garlic as well, but save to add later

Spices: (I use a dash of this and pinch of that, so my spices will say to taste because my taste are different than yours. Even a beginning cook needs to understand the importance of tasting your cooking throughout the process. It surprisingly took me a long time to understand this as I always wanted to follow the recipe exactly. I finally became a decent cook after I learned to forgo the “recipes”) Don’t be Scared! Use my guesstimates as a guideline.

Masala spice mix: 1/2 tsp Mine is store bought, but you can also make your own (preferred) Homemade Masala Recipe
Paprika or Chiptole Pepper: Pinch

Add

1/2 can coconut milk

and a dash of salt

Creamy Fish Broth

Taste, Need anything?

Adjust to taste.  Guess what!! NO FISHY SMELL..Except in your home. *Sorry about that.

At this point you can strain and drink as broth (Ohh..So creamy in the morning), blend and have as a pureed soup, Or serve with leftover fish and shrimp meats, paired with beans, rice and kale for a Curry Bowl.

Creamy Coconut Fish Broth