Primal Egg Muffins / Cupcakes

As a busy law student, I love food that I can prepare ahead of time and eat all week.  My primal protein bars area perfect example.  I've been making a big batch every couple of weeks.  Today I came across a great time saver for breakfast.  Typically I have an omelet or scrambled eggs for breakfast.  But sometimes I'll hit the snooze button a couple times too many and don't have the time to cook breakfast.  Today I found the solution: primal/paleo egg muffins.  These are really simple to make and can save you valuable minutes each morning.  Here is how to make a batch of 6:

• Grease a muffin tin with olive oil or coconut oil (GREASE GOOD OR USE MUFFIN TINS OR THEY WILL STICK TO TIN)
• Whisk in a large bowl 5 eggs
• Chop up 2 handfuls of spinach (or break up in hands as I did) and add to egg
• Chop up 3 roasted red peppers
• Cook 3 strips of bacon in microwave, crumble up bacon, and add to egg
• Pour mixture into egg tins
• Cook at 350 degree for about 15-20 minutes

The egg muffins came out excellent.  They are like mini quiches or omelets.  I may try freezing a batch and see how well they hold up.  Also feel free to mess around with other ingredients such as ground beef, ham, onions, salsa, tomatoes, cheese (if you eat cheese), other spices, etc.

Here are all of the ingredients/supplies that you will need:

Before going into the oven:

Final project:

Primal Protein Bars / Paleo Protein Bars

Today I made some Paleo Protein Bars / Primal Protein Bars based off the recipe on Mark Sisson's Blog.  I doubled all of the ingredients called for and made some changes.  WOW.  These were awesome.  I was tempted to eat the whole batch in a day.  Here is the basic recipe:

• Toast 1 cup of almonds and 1 cup of pecans in oven
• Pulse almonds and pecans to a bread crumb texture
• In a separate bowl add 1/2 cup coconut oil and 1/2 cup almond butter
• Then heat coconut oil and almond butter for 30 seconds in microwave
• Add to liquid mixture 2 eggs, 2 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 tsp honey and some salt and mix
• Add almond and pecan mix to liquid mix
• Fold in 1/2 cup of almond meal (can be made by pulsing raw almonds)
• Fold in 1 cup of chocolate protein powder (I used ON chocolate whey)
• Fold in dried cranberries or blueberries or any other flavors you like (cinnamon, chocolate chips, etc.)
• Press mixture into a loaf pan
• Cook for 10-15 minutes at 325 degree (MAKE SURE NOT TO OVERCOOK- A GOOD AMOUNT OF OIL WILL RISE TO THE TOP - THAT IS GOOD)
• Place in fridge and then cut into bars

The bars came out very good.  I plan on making a few changes next time I make them, such as adding another egg and possibly some other fruit (apples and bananas).  The bars were a bit crumbly and difficult to cut, but overall I would definitely recommend them.  Also I spent about 15-20 dollars and got around 25-30 bars out of it.  So well under one dollar a bar, which is much cheaper than any bars out there.

Here are pretty much all the ingredients I used:

Here are the almonds and pecans after toasted:

Almond butter and coconut oil mixture:

Complete Mixture:

Primal Protein Bars:

Primal Pancakes (Banana Nut)

Today after running the Shamrock Run 5 mile race in Connecticut (more to come later), I was craving a hearty meal.  I decided to give paleo / primal pancakes a try as I had all the ingredients (except bananas, but conveniently I took a couple after the race).  I winged most of the recipe but here is what I did:

• Mash 2 bananas
• Add 1 or 2 eggs and mix together
• Add a heaping tablespoon of almond butter
• Pulse a hand full of almonds (can use pecans and walnuts too) and add to mixture
• Add cinnamon to taste (can also add vanilla, honey, fruit)
• OPTIONAL - add a scoop of protein powder - use another egg if you do this
• Throw some butter on a frying pan and pour in pancake mix (don't make them too large, they may be hard to flip)
• Top with butter, cinnamon or any other topping you choose

Overall they came out really good.  I was a bit nervous about how they would taste, as they did not look real appetizing.  I also didn't pulse the nuts all the way so there were some big chunks of nuts in the pancakes.  However, I couldn't be happier with them.  They almost have a banana bread taste to them, but with the texture of pancakes.  Here are some pics:

Egg Frittata

If you are sick of having your typical eggs for breakfast, a nice variation is a Paleo / Primal Egg Frittata.  You can pretty much use any combination of veggies and meats that you like.  Here is the recipe:

• Heat olive oil in frying pan (use a medium to small frying pan based on how big and thick you want the frittata)
• Add in onions and spinach/kale and cook until wilted
• Add in peppers, tomatoes and any other veggies
• Add in ground beef, sausage or any other meat
• Add pepper and oregano
• Spread out meat and veggies evenly in frying pan
• Mix 5 eggs
• Pour eggs into frying pan
• Cook for a few minutes, then add a lid to frying pan and cook for another 5 or so minutes

My First Attempt at Primal Bread

One of my favorite breakfasts is Eggs Over Easy.  But without a slice of toast to dunk in the yolk, it is not quite the same.  I came across a VERY simply primal / paleo bread recipe on Marks Daily Apple that I figured I would try.  It might be the easiest recipe you will ever come across.  Alot of people have chimed in with different variations which I may try.  Anyways, here is the recipe:

• Mix in bowl 1/4th cup flax meal, 2 tbsp coconut oil or butter, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 egg
• Pour mixture into a flat plastic or glass container about the size of a slice of bread
• Microwave for 1 minute 20 seconds
• Pop it out of the container and let it cool off

Easy as that.  So was how the bread?  It was average at best.  It was a little too dry for my liking.  Soaked in egg yolk it was good, but without the yolk it was very dry.  This may be a result of me estimating all of the ingredients.  I couldn't find measuring spoons/cups, so I just estimated everything.  I think I may have put in too much flax meal, so I may give it another try.  Here are some pics:

Not So Primal

I was watching ESPN and a commercial for DiGiorno Pizza & Cookies came up.  I wouldn't recommend eating this, but I thought it would be funny to capture some of the not so Primal meals that I come across.

Ultimate Primal Burger

The other day I was really craving three of my favorite foods: a burger, an avocado and bacon.  I decided to mix them all together, and top if off with a fried egg.  The result was an awesome burger.  Here is what I did:

• Cook bacon in frying pan
• After bacon is done cooking, place on paper towel
• Fry egg in bacon fat in same frying pan
• At the same time start frying burger on a separate frying bacon
• Once bacon is done cooking, top with egg, bacon, avocado, and tomato

Primal Coconut Salmon Cakes

Today I cooked up some Primal / Paleo Salmon Cakes.  I used a recipe from Pragmatic Paleo with some modifications based on the ingredients I had in my kitchen.  Here is the recipe:

• Combine the following ingredients in a bowl:
• 2 eggs
• 2 servings of salmon (I used Atlantic Salmon, but it probably would have been easier using canned salmon)
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup of coconut flour
• 1 tbsp unsweetened coconut
• Salt and pepper
• Melt coconut oil in frying pan on medium heat
• Shape mixture into patties and cook until brown on both sides

Primal/Paleo Substitutes for Non-Primal Foods

This article by Mark Sisson is  good read for people trying to go Paleo/Primal, but don't think they will be able to give up high carb foods like bread, rice, pizza, etc.  For me, the two best substitutes are almond meal and coconut flour.  You can make pretty much anything by subbing these 2 ingredients for flour such as pancakes, pizza, cookies, and bread.

Primal Coconut Shrimp

The other day I made Primal / Paleo coconut shrimp which were AWESOME.  It was a really simple recipe and I will definitely be making them again.  It probably took me less than 15 minutes to prepare and cook the shrimp.  I also plan on making some coconut chicken this week.  Here is the recipe:

• Mix 1 egg, 1 tsp paprika, 1tsp garlic powder in bowl
• Mix 1/4 cup of almond flour and 1/4 cup of UNSWEETENED coconut in separate bowl
• Dip shrimp in the egg and coat with almond flour/coconut mixture
• Fry in coconut oil

Chicken Stir-Fry

This is just another variation of my steak stir-fry.  I usually make one of these stir-fry recipes once a week.  All you do is cook some meat in a frying pan and throw in your favorite veggies.  Here I added chicken, peppers, onions, tomatoes and spinach.

Turkey Chili

The other day I made some turkey chili.  I pretty much winged the whole recipe but it came out pretty good.  Here is what I did:

• Brown 1 pound of turkey sausage in skillet
• Put turkey sausage in crock pot
• Cut up 1 green pepper, 1 red pepper and 1 onion and add to crock pot
• Add a jar of salsa to crock pot
• Add a can of diced tomatoes to crock pot
• Add spices to your liking (cayenne pepper, hot sauce, chili powder, or you can just get a chili mix powder)
• Cook on low heat in crock pot for 8 hours
• Serve in bowl with avocado

Almond Breaded Chicken

I had some almond meal left over from my primal pizza so I decided to make some almond breaded chicken.  It was really simply and a great Primal/Paleo alternative to your typical breaded chicken.  Here is the recipe:

• Preheat over to 400 degrees
• Mix together in bowl almond flour, cinnamon and coconut 
• In a separate bowl beat mix together 2 eggs
• Dip chicken breasts in egg and roll in almond mixture
• Place on frying pan heated with olive oil or coconut oil
• You can cook all the way on the frying pan, but I stuck them in the over to cook because I was having trouble flipping them on the frying pan.

Overall the chicken came out great.  I made a big helping, so one day I had the chicken over a salad for dinner, and the next couple days I had the chicken dipped in hot sauce for lunch.  

Primal Pizza

This past weekend I made Primal Pizza based on the recipe from Everyday Paleo with a few modifications.  To be honest, I wasn't crazy about the crust.  It tasted like a combo of a graham cracker and pie crust.  It didn't have the consistency of a typical pizza dough.  I probably would not make this recipe again.  It was definitely edible (I ate the whole pizza), but I don't think it was worth the preparation.  Anyways, here is what I did:

• Mix 2 cups of almond meal, 2 eggs, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp rosemary
• Mix pretty good until thick and roll into a ball
• Place the ball of dough on an oiled cookie sheet
• Using your hands, push the dough into a circle as thing as possible (wet your hands so the dough doesn't stick to our hands)
• Cook just the dough for 15 minutes
• Top the cooked dough with a natural sauce (I picked one up from Trader Joes)
• Top with any other toppings of your choosing (I used mozz. cheese, bacon and clams)

Tuna Avocado Bacon Salad

I've been trying to work more tuna into my diet as it is a cheap source of protein, but to be honest, I'm not crazy about the taste.  So I look for ways to subdue the tuna taste.  Here is one good way I came up with last night:

• Drain can of tuna and pour into mixing bowl
• Add 2 tbsp of olive oil
• Peel one avocado and add to bowl
• Add 2 strips of crumbled bacon
• Add salt and pepper
• Mix these ingredients pretty good into a tuna salad type consistency
• Add mixture to a bed of spinach
• Add tomatoes, peppers and any other veggies
• Top with olive oil and vinegar or your favorite primal/paleo dressing

The salad came out really well.  The addition of avocado and bacon eliminated the taste of tuna.  The salad didn't look too appetizing, but it was very good.  Next time I might try adding the tuna salad to romaine lettuce and make lettuce wraps.

Simple Primal Meal: Steak Stir-Fry

Another simple go to primal/paleo favorite of mine is steak stir-fry.  Here is the recipe:

• Heat olive oil on frying pan on medium heat
• Add your favorite steak (I use sirloin tips) to pan and cook for a couple minutes
• Add your favorite veggies to pan (or you can use a bag of mixed veggies which makes it easier)
• Season with your favorite spices or sauces (I usually just use salt and pepper and maybe some soy sauce)

You can sub in different meats and veggies if your like.  Here is a good post by Mark Sisson on stir-fry ideas.  I usually make a few servings for leftover lunches during the week.  Here is a pic:

.

Simple Primal Meal - Scrambled Eggs with Veggies

One of the hardest things about eating a primal/paleo diet is thinking of meal ideas.  I am going to continue posting what I think are very simple paleo meals that can be cook in less than 10 minutes.  There really are a ton of options out there.  Here is a very basic breakfast or lunch option:

• Mix 3 eggs in bowl
• Add spinach, bacon, peppers, tomatoes and any other meats/veggies of your choosing
• Throw on a frying pan and scramble.

Easy as that.  You have a hardy and healthy primal breakfast in no time.

Blog moving in different direction

After some reconsideration, I will be moving my blog in a slightly different direction.  As I was thinking of topics to post about, I realized that running was only a fraction of the blog, and many of my posts were more geared toward nutrition.  While running was a major part of the blog, it was not necessary the focal point.

I have long been contemplating make the jump to a paleo/primal lifestyle.  I already pretty much train primal.  I no longer have a gym membership.  I run, do body weight exercises and kettlebell workouts.  I eat a somewhat primal diet.  However, I do eat a decent amount of processed foods (protein bars, yogurt, grains, etc.)  I am going to slowly try to ease myself into a more primal diet, not sure how it will go.  I recently ordered a couple books from Amazon I am anxiously awaiting on:

Deadly Harvest: The Intimate Relationship Between Our Health and Our Food, by Geoff Bond

The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy, by Mark Sisson

Chicken stuffed with Mozzarella and Spinach

Tonight I made a somewhat paleo dinner (minus the cheese), chicken stuffed with mozzarella and spinach.  It is pretty simple to make:

• Fillet a chicken breast in half
• Stuff it with spinach and mozzarella.  You can also use other cheeses or veggies like tomatoes
• Line a baking sheet with some olive oil and cook at 350-400 degrees

PS: be careful with the cheese because it will melt quickly and maybe burn...I almost set off my smoke detector...I think this has to do in part to my ancient oven (see pic below).

Here is the end result:

And here is our nice General Electric oven:

Paleo?

I've been reading up about the Paleo diet and it is something I would like to try.  Anyone try the paleo diet before.  I need to pick up a book/recipe book to get some more info.  I don't think I will be able to do a strict paleo diet, but I am going to give it a try starting today, but I will continue to eat some non-paleo foods (yogurt, protein bars, whey and oatmeal).