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.

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!