The Primal Blueprint Cookbook Review

This cookbook was just what I needed, thank you Mark! After losing so much weight I have kept to fairly basic primal fare with the odd experimentation, now I'm not going to lie I have definitely had a few weekends of too much 80/20 which I have talked about previously and many times felt it hard to get on the straight and narrow of primal. It's so easy to get drawn into eating bread, fried foods and sweets and sometimes the willpower of just wanting to eat well doesn't always work.

Enter the Primal Blueprint Cookbook, this book has given me new found motivation to say no to the crap foods that every now and then enter my mouth and keep me from getting to my desired goal weight. I've had my primal blueprint cookbook for just over two weeks and have tried out the Walnut Brownie, which was the first thing I made :) Coconut Icecream, Salmon Cakes, Coconut Pancakes, Almond Crusted Poached Eggs.

I love this cookbook so much, it gives me the much needed inspiration to add some great meals to my diet and you definitely won't get bored with the array of recipes. You can tell how much time and effort has gone into this cookbook, all the recipes have full color pictures and such precise instructions.

I'm so impressed with this book and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone, even if you aren't following primal yet you soon will be once you get your hands on this cookbook, there is no need to eat grains once you've discovered this way of cooking.

Well Done Mark and Jennifer!!

Below are a few sample pics of some of the recipes I've made...

Walnut Brownies

Coconut Pancakes
Almond Crusted Poached Eggs

Salmon Cakes

NZ Nutritionist and Former All Black headline TV3's 60 Minutes

Here's a video of last night's TV3's 60 minutes segment, New Zealand Nutritionist Ben Warren and former All Black Taine Randell team up to improve the health of Flaxmere, a small town in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

Ben Warren initiated a health programme to 25 people to tackle type 2 diabetes and obesity and has astounding results following a high fat diet. Very Inspiring!

To see the video clip click on the link below:

http://ondemand.tv3.co.nz/Randells-Revolution/tabid/59/articleID/599/MCat/22/Default.aspx

or http://www.mediapeople.co.nz/releases/article.php?id=32271

or http://www.tv3.co.nz/ and do a search

Meatza! Oh yeah!!!

Well here's my first attempt at Meatza and it tasted amazing! Definately a hit with the two men who tried it out one being my husband ;) It has so much flavour and to avoid being over meaty just add tons of vegies and cheese on top.

Here's pics of my first one, I have since made two more, it's a weekly occurence now and one that dh looks forward to! The best one I've done so far is using a cream cheese/ sundried tomato pesto for the sauce base, makes it super creamy and delish!! Enjoy....

The original recipe is here: http://www.thehealthycookingcoach.com/2009/09/paleoprimal-pizza.html

For mine I used:
1 large egg or 2 small
700gms Pork Mince
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
Italian Seasoning

Combine all, spread out evenly and remember it will srink when cooked, bake for 10mins on 450F oven and drain off liquid/fat.



Then top with whatever you please...I used tomato paste, italian seasoning and worchestershire sauce which makes into a BBQ without tons of sugar, caramelized onions, bacon, chorizo, pineapple, green capsicum, cherry tomatoes and a LOT of mozerella

Then grill for approx 5-10mins

PS Sorry about the terrible quality photos, camera phone!

Quell any sugar craving

These are posted on the MDA forum, they are called Batty's Blueberry balls and they are awesome! I adjusted mine a little just to include a little 85% chocolate and ground almonds. Here's the link to the recipe. They are seriously awesome, very rich and obviously you have to like butter. I found they fill you up and hit the spot when you are craving pudding.

Here's the orginal recipe as posted at Marks Daily Apple:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/showthread.php?8256-batty-s-blueberry-butter-balls.-with-b-coconut..

this is a fun and tasty way to get your fat on. beware, these are addictive, and should only be consumed in moderation.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, unsalted
1/2 cup blueberries
2 egg yolks
3 T shredded coconut, unsweetened
1T vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
let the butter sit out until soft. puree your blueberries in a food processor. if they are frozen, defrost them first otherwise they'll give you all kinds of issues when you mix them in with the butter. in a medium mixing bowl, add egg yolk, butter, vanilla, and blueberries. use a hand mixer to combine everything until fluffy and peak-y.

you *can*, if you want, add some honey, but it is absolutely not necessary if you have good quality blueberries and vanilla. you can probably add a dash or two more vanilla, too, to taste.

fold in the coconut until well combined. stick the entire bowl in the fridge and let sit for 45 mins to an hour. you want the mixture pretty solid.

take the mixture out and form into one inch balls. roll in extra shredded coconut to coat.

store in an airtight container in the fridge, otherwise they'll get all melty on warm days.

VARIATIONS:
these are awesome as is, but you can also add ground almonds, walnuts, shredded dried figs, etc, for added texture and flavor. i didn't because i am avoiding that stuff

enjoy!

Food Nazi...

Last month was my 29th birthday and yes I did have many non primal foods including my favourite cheesecake. No matter how many times recently I have had 80/20 moments I have always felt like absolute rubbish!! I somehow have managed to turn 80/20 moments into full blown eat whatever I please becuase I can, well I can't!

I haven't really gained weight but lately when I have these foods I have felt really bloated, tired, unfocused, moody, dizzy and generally just really awful.

I used to be such a food nazi and watch absoultely everything that went into my body and now I have just relaxed too much and I'm paying for it!

So I am recommiting....purely primal and if I am to have any treats it's only going to be for an actual worthy celebration as opposed to every birthday I go to or any weekend treat, I am going to get back to my food naziness as it's the only way that I feel my optimal best and that means more to me than treats, not saying it's going to be easy but it's something I need to do and it's not about weight loss anymore it's truly about feeling the best I can so I can get the most out of my life. Watch for some future recipe posts while I get 100% primal...