Paleo Diet, Copycats, and Banana Pancakes

In three days, I will have officially completed a whole month of eating paleo! It was really hard, but I'm glad I did it. I feel so much better, and there's nothing better than a sense of accomplishment. I've decided to keep eating paleo, but on the first of every month I get one cheat meal. I won't be posting just about paleo anymore, but when I find good recipes I will definitely share them with you.

Speaking of food, this morning I just tried a new banana pancake recipe. I even fed it to my non-paleo friend and they were a hit! I added them with a side of bacon though, so maybe that was the real winner, haha. Anyways, here is the recipe I used. I would also recommend listening to Jack Johnson's Banana Pancakes song while you make them.

The original recipe (found here) for this "Primal Fudge" didn't call for a filling of peanut butter or anything and this was a little boring to me. I've changed it a little bit to make it more like a candy rather than just a fudge. I added some almond butter in some of the centers and a mint filling in others. They are VERY rich, very chocolatey, and extremely delicious. It makes for a very good after dinner dessert or something sweet to go with coffee. These are great because you feel like you're really pigging out on dessert but really they're actually healthy.

Paleo Blueberry Muffins

I'm into my second week doing paleo, and honestly it feels like it's been an eternity. It is getting easier as I find recipes to replace the foods I loved, but all the same it's hard. Like when my parents went through Taco Time and there was nothing there I could eat AND I was trapped in a car with the smell of mexi-fries and burritos. I just have to keep reminding myself that it'll be worth it! I do feel a lot healthier. There have been weird things I noticed too. For example I am almost never sleepy through out the day (even when I first wake up), my skin has cleared up completely, and I've lost 10 pounds! I think I might even keep eating primarily paleo even after this month is done. I'll probably  add in some things like oatmeal and peanut butter (I miss them just too much), but I'm really happy with the results.

One problem I've faced with this diet is breakfast. I can't just pop a bagel in the toaster and run out the door when I'm in a rush. I usually have eggs and bacon, but that was getting a little boring. So I found a paleo approved muffin recipe! The link is here, but I made a few changes when I made it.

I didn't have any blueberries, so I had to use black berries which was actually very good so I suppose you could use any kind of berry/small fruity thing. I've made them twice now, and to be honest I preferred not using bluberries. I'll probably just change this to a raspberry or blackberry muffin recipe instead. I also only cooked it for 22 minutes, and I actually prefer muffins a little drier, and if you do too I would suggest letting them cook a little longer. Last but not least, I like to reheat them when I eat one and then drizzle a little honey on it. It's delicious!! It's been a great substitute for bagels or toast.

Paleo Brownies

It's been a little over a week now and I'm still staying strong! I'm not saying it hasn't been hard, because it has been really, really hard. There have been many times when I wanted to just throw in the towel and make myself a cheesy quesadilla but somehow I've managed not to.

That being said, I was pretty sick this last week with some weird head cold or something. About half way through the week I finally caved and had some cough drops. They were almost 100% Paleo, except for the fact that they contained soy. Weird right?

Anyway, I realized that I really need to find a good dessert recipe for when the cravings hit. So I googled Paleo brownies and I found the best recipe! The original recipe is here, and I definitely recommend checking out this guys website. I was not expecting this to turn out that great, because when it comes to desserts the more unhealthy the better (in my opinion). That being said, it turned out amazing!! I actually really liked it!

I will say that next time I make it I'm going to add some stevia, and I'm going to try and find some sort of paleo chocolate syrup to drizzle on the top. I'm also going to look for some kind of Paleo ice cream recipe because that would be awesome!

Zucchini Noodle Dinner

I have to give credit where credit is due, and this recipe is thanks to my mother! Actually, the first couple times she made it I did NOT want to eat it. Noodles made out of zucchini?! I don't think so! However, now that I am on Paleo it has forced me to be more open to different foods that I normally would avoid like the plague. Once I actually tried it it was actually really good! She didn't use an exact recipe so I'll try to write it down as best I can.

First, you'll want to brown some sausage or hamburger (or I suppose tofu if you want vegan).
Then saute some onions and mushrooms if you want (I personally don't care for mushrooms).
I also like to add some bacon because duh, bacon!(unless you want it vegan, in which case I'm so sorry for your loss)
This next part might be a little more difficult. My mom has a special shredder that she uses to shred the zucchini into a perfect noodle shape but if you don't have one of these I suppose you could try a cheese grater?
I like to add a can of diced tomatoes because I like a big meal and want to add as much as possible, but my mom generally likes to use only fresh products so she usually leaves these out.
Last but not least, a little garlic for even more flavor!
And there you have it! A Paleo version of Spaghetti!

Today makes my fourth day being 100% on Paleo, and it's actually been pretty easy! Unfortunately I have a pretty bad head cold, but hopefully not overloading my body with sugar and white flour will help me get better faster.

Something I have noticed doing Paleo, (even in the short time I've been on it) is that not only is it easier to wake up in the morning, but I'm less sleepy throughout the day. You never notice how many food commercials there are until you start a diet, and Taco Bell has been tempting me all week! The food cravings are starting to slowly go away, so that helps a lot. I will say I miss peanut butter more than I was expecting to, but I'm going to be getting some Almond butter soon and that will help.

If you're looking for a (relatively) easy diet plan, I definitely recommend Paleo! Good luck!