My Whim is Law

…where a single parent in Portland still believes that wishing will make it so…

Meal prep for the week of 1/15

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Betsy Richter

It’s another busy week ahead of us, with evening events that won’t get us home until at least 6 pm at the earliest most nights. So we need meals that can fill in around the edges – things I can grab for myself only after Wednesday evening’s marathon, when we leave the house at 7:15 am and don’t get back until 8:45 pm (#SheTeen gets dinner at her middle school event, at least), for example. Or items I can point #HeTeen at if/when we’re not home (not that he’ll typically eat leftovers – but it’s always worth a try…)

Complicating things even further? My picky requirement that at least 90% of the food be paleo-friendly (before kid adaptations close to finishing time, that is). Yes, that’s also part of the weekly shopping/procuring drill. But at least I have my weekly box from Organics to You that helps provide fruit for #SheTeen (she’s on a major citrus kick these days) and both inspires and challenges me on the cooking front! (This week’s challenge – what to do with all of the baby celeriac roots I now have!)

So here’s the plan:

  • Sunday: Chicken rubbed with spices, stuffed with aromatics (lemon, onion, apple), & roasted on a bed of cabbage & leeks. (Need to use up weekly veggie allotment before the Organics to You box arrives tomorrow night!) We’ll use leftover chicken during the week (& I’ll take some to work for salads), while the carcass will be used with veggie scraps to make chicken stock.
  • Monday: Meatloaf (inspired by Richard Nikolay’s Gluten-Free/Nearly-Paleo meatloaf recipe, except – not really by the time I was done…!) Used leftover mashed potatoes as filler instead of his dry white rice (the non-Paleo part), plus a handful of dried veggie soup mix & a healthy dose of the leftover wine/herb braising liquid from last night’s chuck roast (have more of that elixir to use during the week, in fact). Also skipped the dried fruits part & added in sage pork sausage from New Seasons for part of the meat. Plus a squirt or two of sun-dried tomato paste (love the pastes that come in a toothpaste-esque tube).

    Come to think of it? I completely bastardized Richard’s recipe, didn’t I? (It’s what I do…) But his post did inspire me to make meatloaf (which is what counts in the end, right?), that’s now already mixed together & ready for the oven tomorrow night. Since the kids have the day off for the MLK holiday? #SheTeen just needs to pop it in the oven at the right time. (If there are leftovers, they’ll go to work with me for lunch later in the week…)

  • Tuesday: Kids have dinner with their father; I have plans with a bunch of my female friends. Kitchen is: CLOSED.
  • Wednesday: It’s a heavy #momtaxi day for yours truly after I get out of work. Depending on how the week’s going, may start the chicken stock to do its thing in the AM & then strain/refrigerate in the PM. Also – leftover chicken will fill in dinner gaps if needed for me/#HeTeen…
  • Thursday: Potato-leek soup (or possibly matzoh ball soup if #HeTeen gets his way), made w/chicken stock for the kids (either from this chicken or what’s already been frozen from before) – and I’ll forage for myself. (Roasted brussels? Sure…) Of course, all veggie scraps during the week get saved to replenish the regular stock-producing mode I’m in during winter months.
  • Friday: #SheTeen heads to her dad’s for the weekend after jazz band practice, while I may have evening plans with friends, since it’s a kid-free weekend in theory. #HeTeen? There should be plenty of leftovers by this time – or else he’s free to nuke one of the burritos I keep stocked in the freezer, just for him!
  • Saturday: It’s probably a ‘steak at home’ night if #HeTeen is around (he’s been urging me to stick to steaks as a general rule when I buy meat for the week). Since I’m not independently wealthy and he’s a voracious steak eater? Um, not doing that, kid. But I might just spring for a decent grass-fed cut or two on Saturday. (For those of you wondering just why #HeTeen’s going to be around on a kid-free weekend? Stay tuned – there’s an update to this story…)
  • Sunday: Kitchen typically closed on kid-free weekends…

Of course, this is entirely modifiable as whims dictate. (Yes, I’ve been known to drive through Taco Bell to bring crap back for #HeTeen, or skip dinner-making in favor of an evening with #SheTeen at Sweet Tomatoes.)

And nope – I don’t plan out breakfasts or lunches in any major way, ever. Planning dinners out *should* be enough, no?

Posted in Caveman Eating, Chef Whims | Tagged | Leave a comment

Of weighty matters

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Betsy Richter

It’s January. There are sales. So I’ve been re-buying stuff I already had lately (or that the kids already had as well). Things like pants. A new bathroom scale. Underwear. Bras. Socks. You know the drill…

Yes, it’s always a nice idea to do an underwear purge – and it’s helpful to have pants that don’t fall down around your ass with a sudden movement, too. But it was the bathroom scale that had both of my teenagers all giddy yesterday. (The old one gave up the ghost a few months ago; I’ve been depending on gym weigh-ins and/or doctor’s office visits to figure out just where I’ve been getting to, weight-wise ever since.)

#SheTeen was first up – loaded it up with fresh batteries & bounded on the pad with glee. “106 – I’m finally over a hundred pounds, MooooooooOOOOM!” She then looked expectantly at me – “c’mon, you go!” So I jumped on the scale (fully clothed, including Converse) & beheld a number that I was happy to see – sure, I’ve been plateauing for the last few months (or so I thought, anyway), but at least I haven’t been gaining weight, either, as the scale happily confirmed. Even with the Converse on, no less!

#HeTeen was next to catch the weigh-in fever – and when I saw his number, well – my world shifted sideways as I did some mental math calculations. Sure, he’s lighter/thinner than he’s been in a couple of years (he blames it all on me since “all you ever make for dinner is meat and some #*$*#*@ leaves!” Yes, he leaves in the profanity, just to make the point.) Sure, he has half-a-foot on me now. And sure, he’s going to take the snarky road 9 times out of 10 when joking around about the whole weighing-in process for women.

But he also now weighs more than I do – a fact that sobered us both up when I commented on it.

See, he’s always known me as the mother who’s always been bigger than he is – even when he was growing up and/or out over the last few years. And now? I’m not. Bigger than he is, no matter how you slice it physical size-wise (I’d assert that my personality is still fairly outsized in comparison). And I think we’ll need a little bit of time to let that shift sink in.

This morning, I jumped back on the scale, pre-shower (the Converse & every scrap of clothing didn’t come along for this ride) – just to make sure I hadn’t been dreaming and/or hallucinating. Um, nope – saw an even lower number that it’ll be harder for him to hit any time soon (even with the meat and/or leaves).

As of this morning, I’ve lost 42 lbs since April ’10 – including another 5 or so pounds throughout the holiday season (where, to be fair, I didn’t go off the Paleo wagon much – save for that eggnog, perhaps…)

Yes, I know it’s not just about a number on a scale – and I’m happy with all of the other metrics I’m using as well (the way clothes fit, etc.) Yes, I still have more to lose – and I’ll do so by re-adding exercise back to the mix (see, the weight-loss plateau coincided with a drastic drop in the amount of exercise I had been doing. Funny how that works, eh?)

But the fact that I’m still losing weight, still needing to replace outsized clothing* – even without exercise – is a testament to my whole ‘clean eating’ (read: Paleo) lifestyle these days. (Despite critiques from the teens about my ‘meat and twigs and branches and other crap’ meal preparation habits.)

So. I’ll be one of the January hordes ‘re-joining’ my local gym. With any luck, I’ll still be there in February, March and beyond.

‘Cause the only way #HeTeen could pass me up at this point would be by lopping off his outsized head…! (A task his sister would be oh-so-happy to assist with, depending on the day/time…)

* More on buying clothes at ‘regular people’ stores next – it’s been a pleasant revelation, it has!

[This is part of a series documenting the pleasant physical changes over the last year or so. See the preamble, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7 and Part 8 for the backstory...]

Posted in Boss Lady, Caveman Eating, Get Betsy Healthy, The Mogul | Tagged | 1 Comment

Part Two: “So what’s this whole Paleo thing about, anyway?”

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Betsy Richter

(I’ve written and re-written this post about a hundred times over – in my head, that is. Time to get it out, imperfections and all…)

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. In short, paleo = eating real food, not manufactured or modified or ‘transformed’ into food(stuffs). “Eating paleo”, for me, means not eating grains, for example. Or anything made with added sugar. Or almost all dairy (I make an exception for pastured butter, heavy cream – as a treat in coffee – or full-fat Greek yogurt from time to time.) Or beans – yes, this includes anything made with soy (one of the more, um, irradiated and chemically-altered foods out there, thanks to Monsanto & Co.).

I am eating plenty of protein – mostly in the form of meat or eggs. (Yes, my cholesterol is better than it’s been in YEARS, thanks for asking…) All kinds and hues and textures of vegetables. Fruits and nuts, in moderation. And plenty of good fats, whether as an entire avocado diced into my lunch salads, pastured butter used to scramble eggs in the am, or coconut oil to saute dinner stuff.

Can I eat out? Absolutely! Dick’s Kitchen is a paleo-friendly restaurant here in PDX, while my friend Meagan-Kate collected a whole plethora of great places to find paleo options. And my fellow Paleo ‘steak buddy’ Sue pulls me out to go eat rare red meat with her around town, don’t you know…

Do I ever feel deprived? Hungry? Left out? Nope. Really. Because I’m eating enough protein & fats to keep me satiated, and I’ve switched my body to burn fat instead of glucose. (So my blood sugars don’t drop and spike any more before or after meals, for example.)

Huh-wha? I’m not on the blood sugar roller coaster? Nope – and here’s proof positive. I’ve never been able to fast for Yom Kippur before (which requires a 25-hr fast if you’re going to be observant) – I’d always caved early because I was ‘ravenous’ or ‘lightheaded’ or had ‘low blood sugar.’ Not this year – sailed through the entire 25 hours without missing a beat & with plenty of energy. And nope, I didn’t believe I could do it, either.

What else has ‘going Paleo’ done for me? In six months time, I’ve dropped 40 lbs. Eliminated all of those negative labels on my health record (Pre-diabetic? Gone. High blood pressure/high cholesterol? Ditto.) And my insomnia, leg cramps & other health annoyances are all a thing of the past. Finally, I’ve also dropped several sizes & had to replace my entire wardrobe by now (am not a big fan of that ‘Flashdance’ look after all…)

I had plenty of help along the way, thanks to the burgeoning Paleolithic community that goes by several different names: Primal (as represented by Mark Sisson), Paleo (my favorite Caveman, Robb Wolf), and Archevore (Dr. Kurt Harris). I devour the questions (and answers) provided by the PaleoHacks.com contributors.

And the Paleo movement is going mainstream, thanks to media outlets willing to take a closer look & actually try it out for themselves (this 5-part series by a local SF CBS station reporter & medical professional is fascinating – I believe she originally set out to debunk Paleo, but couldn’t when all was said and done!)

Have I completely overloaded you with links and information and stuff to tag to ‘read later’? Are you sick to death of hearing that ‘Paleo’ word by now? Sorry, I’m not done yet.

Paleolithic Diet Explained - courtesy of PaleoHacks.com

click twice to see the ginormous graphic in full glory!

This excellent graphic from the folks behind PaleoHacks lays out the entire primordial story, along with how our supposed health improvements (canola oil? trans-fats? fiber, fiber, fiber?) led us down the wrong path.

Finally – is this a temporary diet? Will I ever go back to eating birthday cake, bagels, or ice cream? Nope and nope. It’s now a way of life for me. Sure, I may tweak it from time to time – but I’m in control now – which means I can indulge in a birthday bourbon instead of cake & ice cream. And I like it better that way.

Or to twist that old expression just a tad: “Once you go Caveman, you never go back…!”

Update: Want to see a clearer version of that graphic? Look below the fold…

Continue reading →

Posted in Caveman Eating, Get Betsy Healthy | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Part One: “So what’s this whole Paleo thing about, anyway?”

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Betsy Richter

I’ve been reluctant to talk more about my food practices these days – in particular, the Paleo lifestyle I’ve embraced wholeheartedly.

Why?

I remember the days where I was gung-ho about Atkins – only to fall silent when I eventually did the Frankenfood crash & burn. Have been a cheerleader for the Mediterranean Plan, the ‘eat real food’ plan, and the ‘locavore’ model.

Have toyed with vegetarianism, raw foodism, and every other kind of food-related -ism you can shake a turkey leg at.

So yes – I freely admit that I was a) gun-shy and b) afraid of (maybe? eventually?) having to eat my words one day.

And yes – I don’t much care any more. Because I’m getting good results. Feeling healthier, stronger, in better physical condition than I have in years – even though I still have a long way to go. So my children? They can laugh at me all they want to. (I’m betting I’ll have the last laugh…)

The latest proof? Eating a diet of lots of red meat, fowl, eggs or fish, saturated fats (avocado, coconut milk, butter), nuts, vegetables, and minimal dairy (greek yogurt over berries on an infrequent basis, for example) – plus lifestyle change including exercise, decent amounts of sleep, etc. – moved my cholesterol from 203 to 169 in 5 months. (Want more numbers? Read back through the posts in the ‘Get Betsy healthy’ category…)

Lower cholesterol while eating steak, bacon & eggs? You betcha…!

So yes, I’m “doing Paleo”. Which means that I’m reverting back to a contemporary version of what our cavemen ancestors might have eaten, before the birth of agriculture as we know it.

Yes, I know cavemen probably didn’t eat avocado. Greek yogurt – or any yogurt – was a foreign concept. And I’m pretty damned sure my great-great-great-great umpteenth great-grandfather wasn’t using coconut milk (!!!) in his coffee (double !!!).

But I am. And I’m in it for life.

…look for a Part Two post shortly pointing to resources & pulling in other voices…

Posted in Caveman Eating, Get Betsy Healthy | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Comments from the snarky teens…

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Betsy Richter

While the rest of the world may be impressed with the healthy changes I’ve made, my own children remain blase, unimpressed, and/or snarky.

(One would think they’d be happy about the fact that they may not have to provide expensive medical care for me way down the road someday – but apparently they weren’t going to do that anyway.)

Here’s a sampling of what I’ve heard from them lately…

On what I’m currently making for dinner:

  • “Ugh – who in the hell would eat that?”
  • “Don’t you know by now, Mom, that you don’t really know how to cook meat. It’s always dry, tough & way too chewy.” (might have something to do with the fact you want your steak medium-well, no?)
  • “Are you sure that isn’t already spoiled?” (said about a perfectly-fine pepper from the farmer’s market that wasn’t perfectly polished/waxed first)
  • “Um…no thanks, I’ll make my own (insert packaged, overly-processed pile of crap) instead.”

    • …and the ever popular

  • “When are you going to make something we’d like to eat, too?”

On what I look like these days:

  • “It looks fine, Mom.” (said about the shirt that’s hanging off one shoulder, Flashdance-style)
  • “I figured that was my package of new underwear ’cause you hate pink.”
  • “You look the same to me. Only you have [more grey hair/are wearing too much black/your clothes don't match/a hideous shirt on/shouldn't be wearing those shoes]“
  • “I really don’t want to hear about the size of your new pants, Mom. Ever.”

And in general (when I say this is a lifestyle, not a temporary ‘diet’ I’m on):

  • “Aren’t you ever going to have [doughnuts/brownies/ice cream/sushi rolls/pasta/bourbon/etc.) again? That’s just STUPID.” (accompanied by optional eye roll or dismissive shrug)

That said? I haven’t seen either kid consume a bowl of cereal in weeks. My daughter’s now gravitating to my breakfast food of choice (Aidell’s chicken-apple sausages). My son’s cut way back on the pre-packaged dried chow mein. My roasted veggies mysteriously disappear from the pan when I turn my back. And I’m seeing things like ‘lettuce’ ‘tomatoes’ and ‘fruit’ show up on the grocery list whiteboard on the refrigerator.

And I was never doing this to impress either (staunchly resistant) teenager anyway, was I?

Nope, never ever was.

So I’m making what I want to eat for dinner most days. Buying the pink underwear for me, not my daughter. And keeping the teflon teenage-impervious suit on 24/7.

Posted in Bossing the Kids, Caveman Eating, Get Betsy Healthy | Tagged , | 3 Comments