PALEO CHEATS DAY 1 of the WHOLE30

I know how enticing that blog title is. I first want to say how proud I am of everyone doing a 30 Day Paleo challenge right now. Today is Day 1 and probably the hardest day of all. My husband is doing the challenge and was a ravenous beast at the BBQ joint where we ate lunch today. He is angry and craving carbs and I know we have all been there. I have been doing this Paleo thing for almost a year now, so the Whole30 isn't going to be much of a challenge for me, except that I will not be drinking (yikes!) or sneaking goat cheese and popcorn. So little changes for me, big changes for you. I can't wait to hear how people feel after this is all over!

I'm so sorry for the lack of blogging lately. As some of you know, we just moved from Lexington, VA to Austin, TX. We are staying with my husband's godfather in his beautiful home on the lake. Conveniently, he is also doing this 30 Day Paleo Challenge!

My new workspace!

The dining room overlooking Lake Austin

So today I thought I would introduce a couple of "cheats" that aren't really cheats. These things might make your life a little easier and help you feel more normal about this big shift in your diet.

Lets start in the morning. So you have eliminated cream and sugar from your coffee. The sugar part is key. You really want to rid your body of it so that you will begin to lose your taste and craving for it. The cream can be replaced! Two options here in my book:

 

The original SO Delicious Dairy Free Coconut creamer and milk. Make sure you are buying the unsweetened versions of these as there are some out there that contain a bunch of crap. These two are safe bets in my opinion.

Second, drinks. I know water can be so boring. I was a Mio, Crystal Light and Diet Coke addict for a while after starting Paleo. This past February, after gaining a few holiday lbs, I decided to cut out the crap. I saw amazing results by just cutting out the artificial sugar. The one thing that helped me when I craved something sparkly and artificial was La Croix. It is carbonated water with the essence of a flavor. No sweetener but enough of something to satisfy that itch. It comes in a bunch of flavors, my favorites being coconut and cran-raspberry. This is also a great mixer if you are still drinking alcohol.

Butter: I know, I know, dairy is not paleo but if you need butter, this is it. Grassfed yummy butter that is lower in Omega 6 fats than regular butter. KerryGold

 Ketchup. Westbrae Natural Vegetarian Unsweetened Ketchup. This is the most natural, low carb and sugar free ketchup I can find. I like it with sweet potato fries and on burgers. You can find it at Whole Foods and most Organic Markets.

Finally I have to recommend that you make a few staples yourself. I made Paleo Mayonnaise yesterday and burned out my godfather's blender doing it. Look! It is melted together. Gross.  I would love to give a recipe for it, but I kind of forgot how much of what I put in it. I can say that it is very important that your ingredients are at room temp and that you use an extra light (not virgin) olive oil. I think next time I will use avocado oil or something. Another tip: The expiration date on your mayo will be one week past the expiration date of your eggs.
Anyways, here is a recipe for a good basic Paleo Mayo:
Paleo Mayo

I will soon be working on a Ranch Dressing and BBQ sauce. Stay tuned and good luck.