Day 6

Today, my food was a bit pork-heavy and beige. Beige in colour, not in flavour! To be honest, I was amazed by just how tasty my dinner was - it was like I had died and gone to pork heaven. I am loving my cooking right now. Yay!

I have noticed a weird potential side effect from the Whole 30: my legs keep going numb and tingly when I sit cross legged. Very odd. Otherwise nothing to report.

Breakfast
Scrambled eggs with creamed coconut, pork/beef burger, lettuce, tomato and sauerkraut
Coffee with egg, coconut oil and ghee

Lunch
Chicken liver and bacon with sautéed onions and cabbage, avocado, topped with a few capers

Snack
Coffee with egg, coconut oil and ghee

Dinner
Pork belly with the best crackling ever (recipe)
Celeriac, onion, courgette and apple, cooked in the oven with some stock
Lettuce
Sauerkraut

 

Whole Thirty Schmirty (Or How Condiments Saved Me From Committing Bacon Mutiny)

Six days in, and this Whole30 business is getting on my nerves big time. I am having awake dreams of frothy morning coffees and stacks of crispy bacon. But until I get my nitrite & sugar free bacon from the boys at Sheepdrove (or cash in on my first bacon delivery from Cat), I will have to resort to other pick-me-ups: condiments!

Salsa and baba ganoush plus Waitrose's leftover Xmas candles

My kitchen is still without any electrical lighting, and on top of that, smells of paint solvent, but I figured I could whizz up some lovely condiments to go with my MEAT AND VEG, MEAT AND VEG, MEAT AND VEG, MEAT AND VEG, ad absurdum.

Rough guide to not losing your mind I: 
3 eggplants
3 tablespoons of tahini
Salt
Olive oil
Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Garlic

1. Cut eggplants lengthwise, make a criss cross pattern across surface to avoid explosions
2. Roast at, uhm, I dunno, 180 degrees until they start to get color and the skin blackens further, maybe 30 minutes?
3. Scoop out insides of eggplants, or leave'em on like I did (how unorthodox!)
4. Whizz all ingredients together for a party on your plate

Rough guide to not losing your mind II: 
5-6 large tomatoes
Salt and herbs for roasting
Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Half an onion
Garlic
Fresh coriander
Some cumin to taste

If the tomatoes are gorgeous and in season, skip the first step

1. Cut tomatoes into halves, season, roast in a pan, see above Rough guide I, point 2 for exact instructions (ehem)
2. Cut the tomatoes into pieces, mix with loads of coriander, some vinegar/lemon juice, the chopped onion & garlic and dash of cumin

I'm still thinking of bacon though...

Day 5

Five days in! 1/6 done... I'm going to pretend like that is a milestone. I feel like I am repeating myself  when I say that I feel no different. I'm really enjoying the food though. Check out my pheasant pie!

Breakfast
Scrambled eggs with creamed coconut
Bacon
Salad

Snack
One hard boiled egg with mayonnaise
Mug of stock

Lunch
Massive salad with tin of tuna in olive oil, avocado, tomato, topped with capers and roasted nuts

Dinner
Pheasant pie* with salad and sauerkraut

*My own pheasant pie creation:
400g pheasant breast (or chicken)
100g bacon in bits
1 sliced onion
Smoked paprika
Rosemary
Salt
Pepper
Fat of choice
100ml chicken stock
100ml coconut cream

1 broccoli, 1 large carrot, 1/2 celeriac - steamed until soft
1tbs mayonnaise
Handful of chopped cashew nuts

Season the pheasant breasts with paprika, salt and pepper, then fry c 2 minutes per side. Set aside and slice into 1cm wide strips. Fry bacon and onion with rosemary. Add chicken stock and coconut milk to the pan, let it simmer for a few minutes. Transfer the pheasant, bacon, onion and liquid to an ovenproof dish.

Make mash topping by blitzing the steamed vegetables with stick blender, then add mayonnaise. Put on top of the meat and top with the chopped cashew nuts.

Bake in oven for c 20 minutes (until bubbling) at 175 degrees.

Cloth Nappies aka Real Nappies

My baby's bum is bigger than yours

I don't pretend to be an eco warrior, but at some point during my pregnancy with Lil T, I became obsessed with cloth nappies or 'real nappies' as we, the converted, like to call them. I shared my thoughts on nappies with everyone around me and sought advice, but no one I knew had any experience with cloth. To be honest, most people looked at me as though I was slightly deranged and were convinced that I would fail in my cloth endeavour.

I researched all the different systems (prefold, all-in-one, pocket, fitted with wrap, etc.), the different fabrics (bamboo, cotton, synthetic) and all of the pros and cons of each. I just knew that cloth was going to be better for Lil T's bum, the environment and my purse. There were plenty of write-ups that calculated both the environmental and economic benefits, which gave me confidence in my choice. And it just made sense to use natural fabrics on a baby bottom – no surprise that I opted for a mixture of bamboo and cotton nappies.

When Lil T was born, she was tiny, for cloth nappies anyway, so I waited a couple of months until she had gained a bit of weight. I knew I couldn't wait much longer than that or I would never get started. Honestly, it was a bit daunting in the beginning, but now it has become second nature.

Yes, I have to do loads of laundry. Yes, I have to deal with dirty nappies. Yes, Lil T's bum is bigger than most of her contemporaries'.

But... There are no chemicals on Lil T's bum. Lil T has not suffered from nappy rash. We don't fill bins (and land fill) with nappies. We don't run out of nappies and have to run to the shop. We don't even use disposable wipes. (I made my own from old towels and they go in the washing machine with the nappies.)

Overall, I would recommend cloth to anyone! If you are interested and have any questions, let me know, because I would love for more people to get involved.

Nappy wash day in the Bishop household

Day 4

According to the Whole 30 website, today I should feel like 'killing all things'. I don't though (at least not more than usual). I feel remarkably normal, I just lacked energy this morning. That was probably down to not having coffee with breakfast and instead having it between breakfast and lunch. I won't be doing that again! Oh, I've also noticed that my sleep is getting a bit worse. I haven't had any trouble falling asleep since Lil T arrived, but I have the last couple of nights.

So this was the menu today:

Breakfast
Frittata with spinach, cauliflower and the very last of the brisket
Served with sauerkraut

Snack
Coffee with egg, coconut milk and ghee

Lunch
Soup with left over mince meat
Side of fried egg and salad (grated celeriac, courgette and green cabbage, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil)

Snack
Mug of stock

Dinner
Pork and beef burgers with salad, tomato and mayonnaise

Day 3

Three days in... And feeling fine. Still struggling with broken sleep, but let's face it, that has nothing to do with the Whole 30. Today, I went to yoga, which means a 45 minute walk in both directions plus an hour of ashtanga yoga. All this felt fine, but my lunch was too early in the day to accommodate my activities and I was hungry before dinner, so I needed a snack.

Breakfast
Frittata with random leftovers (brisket and red cabbage)
Coffee with egg, ghee and coconut oil

Lunch
Tomato soup with a tin of mackerel, topped with sautéed brussel sprout leaves (I thought they would be nice and crunchy, but it really was not worth the effort)

Snack
Mug of homemade stock

Dinner
Cauliflower fried rice with pulled pork and carrots

Day 2

So it was day 2 today and I can't say I feel different from yesterday or the day before. Still tired after another night with many wakings and my stomach is as gassy as before. What made me feel better was that I managed to soak up some weak London sunshine while walking back and forth to Cecilia's pad (total 2 hours) and doing some sprints. Cecilia cooked up an amazing Whole 30 approved lunch, which kept us full for hours. Thank you!

This is what I ate today:

Breakfast
Tomato soup: the liquid from the pressure cooked brisket from last night, with some brisket and grated cauliflower added in
Coffee with egg, ghee and coconut oil

Lunch
Lamb burgers with sweet potato chips, tomato salsa, mayonnaise, baba ghanoush and red pepper.
Roibos tea

Dinner
Curry flavoured turkey mince with mushrooms, leek, garlic, fresh coriander and creamed coconut
Steamed carrots and brussel sprouts
Sauerkraut
Large steaming mug of stock

Doing the Whole 30

Our Whole 30 adventure starts today. So, what is it all about? The official site is here: http://whole30.com/new/ Essentially, it means cutting out all inflammatory foods for thirty days and eating clean, unprocessed, real food. Doing this for thirty days is supposed to heal your body and reset your health. These are the foods that won't feature in our diet:

Sugar and sweeteners, including natural sweeteners like maple syrup and honey.
Alcohol. None whatsoever, even in cooking.
Grains. No brainers like wheat, rye, etc, but also rice.
Legumes, i.e. beans of any kind, peas, soy.
MSG by any of its names (check this list: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/)
Dairy, apart from ghee which has had its milk proteins removed.
Paleo-fied goods like pancakes, muffins, bread, etc.

I feel like I am already following a good diet, but there always seems to be some exceptions and these sometimes sneak in on a daily basis; like a couple of pieces of dark chocolate or some soy sauce or those delicious banana pancakes that sometimes get a dose of maple syrup on top. I guess it all adds up and my gut has been unhappy for the last six months (read: loads of gases). I am also hoping that a couple of other things will improve. I have a seven month old daughter waking me up every couple/three hours a night, so can I gain more energy through dietary changes? My stomach still hasn't returned to its former shape. It has gone from flat to floppy. I also weigh 3kg more than when I became pregnant, although that is definitely my lowest priority.

Simon, Cecilia and my parents are joining me on the Whole 30, which is really exciting and will keep me focused and inspired, as I am sure I will face some tough situations when I will just want to have that little [insert goodie of choice] or when I am in a social situation and I have to go hungry because there isn't anything suitable available.

As for now, we are almost at the end of day one and ... so far so good. This was on the menu today:

Breakfast
Omelette with a side of sautéed green cabbage, leek, swede and left over roast chicken, 1/2 avocado
Coffee with egg, ghee and coconut milk

Lunch
Cauliflower fried rice with mushrooms, carrot, leek, left over braising steak, ginger, garlic and fresh coriander
Green tea

Snack (there was probably too little protein in the lunch)
1 hard boiled egg
Cinnamon tea

Dinner
Brisket in pressure cooker, adapting Jamie Oliver's recipe, by substituting red wine with 100ml balsamic vinegar and homemade stock
Roasted beetroot and butternut squash
Stewed red cabbage with apple cider vinegar

Last Night Out (Of Sorts)

I have wanted to introduce Cat to the Remedy ever since I first set foot there a few months ago, so for Christmas, I gave her a night out in the best wine bar in town (ever so slightly biased, I know).

The "before" picture, no "after" picture taken, he he

The Remedy is inspired by the Slow Food Movement, specialising in natural wines and seasonal food from small independent producers. And to people who know jack about wine (I know what I like and what I don't, that's it), David, Renato and Danny are angels.

With this very worthy send-off into Whole30, we now say goodbye to alcohol for the next 30 days*.

*I am telling a white lie. I will be making an exception for my one or two leaving dos that just might fall into February. Bad planning on my part! 

Sweet-Talking the Butcher

...but still no freebies!!! ;-) Just kidding. But it did get these lovelies for a pound or so. I know it is a bit unorthodox to mix the animals, but I am in experimentation mode.

Shin of beef and pig trotters

I roasted them for about an hour, together with vegetables, then plonked it all into my pressure cooker. Hoping for some awesome stock, we shall see!

I had a taste of the marrow after roasting. I believe it was the first time I've ever had marrow (knowingly) and it was rather tasty, if very fatty. I will just have to get over the initial ickyness of eating the insides of an animal's bones...

Stew for Breakfast

In preparation for the Whole 30, starting in two days (gulp), I have been trying some new breakfasts. This is the one from this morning. Left over beef stew, heavy on the chilli, with eggs and avocado. Filling and yummy.

Pork Adobo Tuition

While in the Philippines, we really enjoyed the local cuisine and we probably ate adobo six or seven times during our ten-day stay. We had it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, even a luxury version at our friends' wedding. Lucky for us, our newlywed Filipino friend Kate agreed to teach us how to make it this weekend. While not strictly paleo (due to the soya sauce), this is a tasty and filling stew that almost makes itself. That's how hands off it is.

Serves 4-5

1 kg pork belly

Marinade:
5 crumbled bay leaves
3 heaped tsp minced garlic
100 ml soy sauce
200 ml cane vinegar

Filipino soy sauce and cane vinegar

Cut pork into 1 inch cubes and marinade for c 15 minutes.

Pork in marinade

Drain the meat and reserve the marinade. Fry the meat in a large pan until the fat starts to melt and the meat browns a bit. Pour over the marinade, turn down the heat and cover with a lid. Simmer covered for c 1 hour, until the marinade has absorbed into the meat and the liquid in the pan is magically clear.

Pork adobo in all its deliciousness

Serve with vegetables of choice.

Holiday Workout

Looking for any opportunity to squeeze in a workout, we found a novel way of utilising the infinity pool on our recent trip to the Philippines…..tough I know!

Using the wall of the lower pool, we could jump up and grab hold of the top of the wall (overhand grip) and then complete wide and close arm pull-ups. Obviously, due to being half submerged in water this meant that we were not pulling our full body weight, but increasing the reps and super-setting with 5-10 lengths of swimming between each set, meant a decent workout.

A typical circuit was:

10 x wide arm pull ups;

10 lengths front crawl;

10 x close arm pull ups;

10 x lengths breast stroke;

10 x wide arm pull ups;

10 x length back stroke;

10 x close arm pull ups;

10 lengths front crawl;

Easy swim to warm down

We even managed to get other family members involved in some infinity pool pull-up action!

Ode to the Pressure Cooker

One of the most useful things in my kitchen is the pressure cooker - I use it at least once a week. As mentioned before, I am always on the lookout for cheap cuts of meat and they invariably need to cook for a long time. And as much as I love the lingering smells of a four hour roast cooking away in the oven, I also like being able to cook these meats in as little as 45 minutes or an hour.

This week, my pressure cooker has already made three appearances, to make braised lamb shanks (http://nomnompaleo.com/post/36962406393/pressure-cooker-lamb-shanks), stock and pulled pork.

Pulled pork is a favourite in our household, luckily it is really easy. This is how I make mine:

1.5 kg free range pork shoulder
Ghee or fat of choice

Dry rub:
1 chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 tbs salt
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp coriander
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper

Combine all the dry rub ingredients in a large bowl.

Cut off the crackling with a sharp knife and cook it separately for a yummy crunchy treat. Cut the meat into smaller, more manageable pieces (6 to 8). Toss the meat in the dry rub. At this stage, you can leave your meat covered in the fridge over night for more flavour.

Shake off some of the excess dry rub and fry the meat on all sides in small batches, either in your pressure cooker or in a separate frying pan. Pack the meat tightly in the pressure cooker. If you fried it separately, you can deglaze the pan and add that liquid to the pressure cooker. Then add any remaining dry rub and enough water to cover the meat 2/3. Lock your lid in place and bring to high pressure. Turn the heat down to a minimum to retain pressure. Cook for 1 hour then turn the heat off and let the pressure release naturally. Finally, spoon out succulent pork onto a platter and shred with two forks.

Serve with vegetables and some of the liquid from the pan. Make sure you keep the rest of the liquid to make some delicious soup!

The Curse of the Low Fat Lunch

What to do when the spectre of low fat-ness strikes?
You strike back with butter. Eat that!

Flight Fasting

Last week I "managed" to fit in two long haul flights, so I thought I would use it to get some fasting in. Fasting allows your body to repair and rejuvenate itself and can even help you lose a few pounds in the process, if you're keen on that. I was also hoping that my 13 time zone jet lag would be a little less beastly because of it, and I actually think it may have worked...

The key to being able to comfortably fast is to avoid messing with your blood sugar, hence I made sure to get in a huge breakfast with plenty of fat and protein and minimal amounts of carbs before the flight. The boys were impressed!

I reckon my colleagues' version with a 10 am beer was a little less optimal, ha ha.

My reward after 15 - 16 hours of fasting during waking hours (incorporating night time sleep into a fast is of course easier!) was room service.

Although I planned this particular fast, my usual approach to fasting is pretty haphazard. I simply use it as a handy way of avoiding crap food when on the road. If I don't find any decent lunch, I can easily go without food until dinner instead, or longer. This way I avoid eating things that will make me crash and burn a few hours later, often triggering an irritating cycle of hunger and pesky carb cravings that can stretch on for days.

Sprint Addiction

I don't always practice what I preach, I'm afraid. I was planning to go to the gym last night, but backed out when I saw the tiny cramped room. Doing weighted squats with someone's armpit in my face? Think not. This is a pic before the arrival of all my colleagues, but you get the idea....

Instead, I went for a run in the lovely surroundings, covering a golf course (some lovely grass to run barefoot on), a few side walks, and eventually turning up on the beach. And then I couldn't resist: I did some more sprints, this time in the sand.

It is perhaps a bit of a luxury problem, to get hooked on sprinting, but this is something I notice with a lot of exercise-related things. I end up wanting to do them every day because of the boost I get, then try to pace myself because I don't want to get injured, then fall out of the habit. This time I figured that Mosley will be my guiding light, as the sprints felt fantastic and there was no pain during exertion. Perhaps running up a hill and running through wet sand require the use of slightly different muscle groups?

I Love Leftovers

I love it when leftovers come together and are almost better than the first time you eat a dish. This time, we had roast chicken one evening and then I made this lovely dish for lunch: I stir fried some cavalo nero in coconut oil with ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Then I added the chopped up chicken, some fresh coriander and coconut milk. Easy-peasy and above all delicious!

Sprints, Yeah Baby!

I thought I would get in some High Intensity Training ahead of the flight today. Doing sprints first thing in the morning isn't exactly a pleasure, but I didn't really have a choice given the midday flight.

Warm-up along the canal:

Sprints up Primrose Hill, the hill was clearly mocking me:

The reward:

My paleo/ primal guru Mark Sisson advocates sprints every 7 to 10 days as a way to build stamina and strength, while others recommend doing it a lot more often for significant health benefits. However, I would personally mix it up between running, cycling, swimming etc if doing it more than once a week, as HIT running will involve significant impact on joints and muscles. Been there, overdone that, and it was painful.

I used to use business travel as an excuse not to exercise. Given that my choice of exercise usually involved jogging, it was easy to opt out for safety reasons. Now that I am more focused on "more bang for the buck" training, I have little excuse as long as there is a tiny gym or a short stretch of grass... Or a beach! Snorkeling will have to do this afternoon, though. :-)

Returning Home or "Borta Bra men Hemma Bäst"

While it is lovely to be away on holiday, there is also something special about coming back home with renewed energy. In Sweden we have the saying "borta bra men hemma bäst" (good to be away, but best to be at home), and I couldn't agree more. As always, my mind was on food long before we set foot in our flat: I sorted out our food delivery from Hong Kong international airport!

We left the fridge empty apart from some condiments, so I am almost starting from scratch in the kitchen. The first thing I did when we got home, was to get some stock going with the left over bones from the freezer. Next up was starting a fresh batch of sauerkraut. Then cooking some protein which can be used for either breakfasts and lunches. So far, I have steamed salmon fillets and roasted a chicken. Both will do really well with a salad or in a breakfast omelette.

Next on my list are burgers, liver pâté and mayonnaise. Can't wait!

Two day old sauerkraut bubbling away.

Taking Paleo on Holiday

Sun rise walk

The whole Paulsson Paleo gang, including Lil T is on holiday in the Philippines, soaking up some sun. This holiday, I am making a conscious effort to maintain some paleo principles. Otherwise, I find that it can be difficult to keep up healthy habits on holiday: it is so easy to use the holiday excuse, telling yourself that you'll restart again when you get home. Admittedly, I am using that excuse a bit (eating more fruit), but not to the extent that I normally would and I am feeling better because of it.

So, what bits of paleo have I taken on holiday with me? Well, because of the jet lag I have been waking up ridiculously early. So I have done some yoga at 6-7 am. How often do I get a chance to do sun salutations to the sun rise at home? One morning I threw in an early morning swim, another we took a lovely walk, interspersed with a short sprint. It feels good to get some exercise in before the day gets too hot.

I have also tried to keep food local and seasonal. This was as bit difficult in the big hotel in Manila where everything was available at the breakfast buffet. Once we travelled into the countryside though, we could see pineapple, papaya and bananas growing and being sold on the side of the road. I've been upping my intake of those lovely fruits each morning. It is also easy to tell by the prices on the menu which meats are local - we are eating pork, beef and chicken. I have spied salmon, Brazilian steak and New Zealand lamb on the menu, but why would I want to eat that?

I have been loading up on vitamin D, getting some direct sunlight on my pale winter skin... And then shying away into the shade to avoid burn and sun stroke.

Finally, I have been catching up on sleep. As a new mum, I am constantly sleep deprived. Being on holiday with baby watching back-up, I finally have the opportunity to nap. Forty-five minutes before dinner does wonders!

Sunscreen II

Update on the sunscreen avoidance scheme: it's going very well! 

We spent most of the day outside yesterday, but thanks to some nifty accessories (and plenty of shade) I have the start of a nice tan without even a hint of a sunburn. 

• I bought a rash guard off Surfdome before I left, with long sleeves and a collar (originally worn by surfers to avoid rubbing themselves raw against their surf boards, but excellent for blocking the sun as well). Apart from being a bit difficult to strip off without flashing (it sucked off my bikini top), it's a gem for swimming and just lounging about in the pool or ocean.
• Given my relative "largesse" compared to my Filipina sistas, I knew I'd struggle to find women's board shorts (again, originally for surfing, but double up well as sunblock). Ten pairs of women's triple XL later, I moved to men's, but to no avail. Luckily, I found a pair in the dusty resort shop in bright pink.
• Three hats were packed as well, with my Yankees souvenir being the usual companion in the water.
• Last but not least, I brought plenty of coconut oil to use as a basic natural sunscreen for those short walks into the sun. 

Given the type of holiday we're on (niece and grandparent-friendly destination wedding), perhaps it isn't too much of a feat to avoid the sun and stay unburnt. I am sure I would still have to resort to SPF 50 in the face if I were to opt for more intense water sports. Or perhaps try out the local T-shirt burka sported by the builders and boatmen?  

Sunscreen, Sigh

I detest sunscreen. It's expensive, it fools you into staying in the sun for too long, it makes your skin break out, it leeches into the water (check out the lovely oily film it leaves on the surface and pity the fish...), it stains your clothes, yada yada. 

So for our trip to the Philippines, I am aiming for minimal usage and trying a rash guard instead. I swear, if they had had a burkini from Billabong, I might have bought that too.  

Post-Christmas Circuits

Our first circuit work-out over the Christmas break was in the nearby woods where there is a small outdoor gym with pull up bars, sit-up table and shoulder press. It was a relatively simple workout focussing on core, leg and a small amount of upper body.

Circuit work-out included:

3km warm up trail run

10 x burpees

10 x overhead weighted squats

10 x box jumps

5 x chest to bar pull ups

AMAYC in 4 mins. We did the workout twice.

Cecilia pushing out some overhead weighted squats

The outdoor gym was perfect and we were able to forage in the forest for a recently cut log to use for the overhead weighted squats (not sure on the weight). We also used a rubber band (Christmas present for Cecilia) to aid with the pull ups.

The heart was racing by the end, but we both felt great afterwards.