What is 'Primal' Anyway?

Since I've been mentioning 'Primal' and 'Paleo' on here recently, I figured I should do a better job of explaining what this means.  Luke and I started eating a gluten-free diet about a month ago, but a week later, we decided to take it a step further and try cutting out all grains entirely. I use the terms Paleo and Primal interchangeably, although I feel that Primal more accurately describes how we eat.  You can read more about Primal living at this awesome website (which introduced me to the idea), or by reading 'The Primal Blueprint'.

Primal living can entail much more than just changing what you eat, but the dietary changes are what I will be focusing on in this post.  Here is a simple breakdown of how we eat the Primal way.


Eating the Primal Way
Basics - Eat a diet of quality, unprocessed foods that the human body can digest easily. Strive to eat Primal as much as possible, but allow yourself some guilt-free 'cheats.' Therefore, your diet can reflect a ratio of 80% primal and 20% non-primal.


Primal Foods - Meat (grassfed and local if possible), Fish (fresh and wild caught if possible), Vegetables and fruit (local and organic is even better), butter, coconut and olive oils, raw or aged cheeses, wine or 85% dark chocolate in moderation.


Non-Primal Foods - Grains, legumes, vegetable oils, soy, sugar, processed foods with additives and preservatives, anything that upsets your individual digestive system (for some people this means dairy, luckily for me I can handle cheese)


Benefits I've noticed so far:
-My energy level throughout the day is more constant, and I seem to have more of it
-I don't get 'hangry' any more when I don't eat 'on time.' I used to eat on a schedule everyday and if I was late making and eating dinner than watch out! I would become ravenous, irritated and emotional if I didn't eat right away, it was not fun
-I don't crave carbs or sugar in the evenings any more
-My sleeping has improved markedly, I get better quality sleep, and if I do awaken, I fall back into slumber with ease
-My stomach doesn't hurt and I rarely ever feel bloated
-My digestive system is more 'regular'
-Luke and I spend more time cooking and eating meals together.
-I am learning to slow-down and enjoy the process of making food.
-I have become a master at meal planning and creating grocery lists
-We have been exposed to many new food choices and interesting recipes
-I don't fear fat any more, this is HUGE for me!!!
-Eating and guilt are no-longer associated with each other


If I have peaked your interest, I encourage you to visit some other websites and blogs that are entirely focused on Primal or Paleo lifestyles.


Here are my favourites:
Mark's Daily Apple - This website was the first source of inspiration in my journey to living a Primal lifestyle. It is still my favourite resource by far.  Mark has a huge following, and for good reason, he is intelligent, writes extremely well, posts everyday, and has a very active forum


Nom Nom Paleo - If eating Paleo sounds like deprivation to you, please check out this awesome blog.  Her recipes are amazing and the photos will make you instantly hungry.


Paleo Parents - This is a family friendly site that covers most everything paleo, and more!


So far, we are absolutely loving our experience with going Primal, and we just can't help but want to share it!

Oh Circus, How did you get so Cute?

Now this is a Paleo Meal!

Wow, did I ever feel special last night :) Not only did I get to enjoy this delicious, home-cooked, paleo meal, but I had it made for me by my wonderful man. It sure is a treat to be able to sit back and just enjoy the final product.

 Luke fried up some fresh, wild-caught, Chinook Salmon with a side of bok choy that was smothered in garlic butter.  I was extremely impressed, and am now counting down the days until we have salmon again.

Yard Work and a Bon Fire

Primal Snack Bento

I look forward to lunch for hours when I know I have one of these babies waiting for me. Bento is such an enjoyable hobbie for me, not only do I enjoy eating them, but I also really love getting creative with delicious, wholesome foods. Making a bento that is fresh, visually appealing, and travels well takes some creative energy and I am always up for the challenge.

This one's for me.... 

 And this one if for Luke :)

Crafty Idea #18 - Magazine Holder

 This magazine holder was made out of a cereal box and some scrap book paper.  It was super easy and now serves a purpose - corralling our many magazines into a go-to spot.

I absolutely love using scrapbook paper while making crafts, the patterns are so beautiful and can easily be used during creative endeavours.

Quick Tuna Salad Bento

Contents: Tuna Salad (mayo, onions, celery, salt and pepper) baby carrots, cucumber and green grapes

I made two of these paleo-friendly bentos early this morning and didn't have time to snap a picture until lunch. I think I might do that more often so that I can take advantage of the natural light

Kitty Love - Many Adventures of Circus

Meatza

Yes, we tried 'Meatza', and it is by far one of our most favourite primal recipes so far. And yes, the crust is made of meat, a combination of ground beef and spicy ground pork. We chose to add a bit of cheese on top as we are okay with eating dairy, but that was not part of the original recipe.  You can see the recipe that inspired this creation here.  

This was the most filling (and tasty) pizza ever! I thought I'd be giving up pizza by going primal, but instead, we discovered an amazing crust substitute.