WHERE'S MY BREAKFAST // sugar, gluten and dairy free ideas

First things first: HAPPY NEW YEAR! Now that's out of the way, onto my first post of the year.

I’m going to tell you, like many others with food blogs, that eating breakfast is very important. However, I’m also going to advocate that the type of foods you choose to eat can have a direct impact on your short and long term health.

Bad point number one: if you regularly skip breakfast you send signals to your brain that your body needs to conserve energy and not burn fat. Bad point number two: you may also feel so hungry by the time you eat that you choose foods based on your cravings, which are likely to be combinations of sugar and fat – doughnuts and sausage sandwich anyone? As soon as you this start carbohydrate and sugar binge, you may feel the need to top up every couple of hours, thus creating a downward spiral of crave, eat, crash…

Arguably, if you instead choose to eat healthy whole foods first thing you are more likely to create a good platform to springboard from for a day of healthy eating.

Official (and non-official) nutrition guidelines recommend Western ‘staples’ such as wholegrain bread and porridge for our first meal of the day. I like to call food stuffs such as these ‘beige foods’. Essentially, these are filler-uppers which, when you take away the tasty accompaniments, are not very appetising alone. Foods in this group include pasta, rice, white potatoes and processed grains. From personal experience I notice that when I eat a breakfast where the main ingredient is a complex carbohydrate, such as porridge oats, I am hungry again soon after eating. Why might this be? Here are a few reasons.

1. We often couple these foods with sugary toppings, such as jam, honey and sweetened nut butters. Sugar creates an insulin response (and that downward spiral), which will leaving you wanting more in just an hour or two after eating.

2. These foods are not very nutritionally dense, and are not easily digested, causing discomfort for many people and only short term satisfaction.

So, now that I’ve made my disdain for beige foods clear, let me show you real breakfasts. These are tried and tested, and guarantee a happy digestive system if you suffer from IBS like me; no bloating or sluggishness. When I eat these meals at any time of day I feel healthy, satisfied and satiated. What more could you ask for? Oh okay, they are also refined sugar free, grain free and nutritionally dense. You want more good news?

There’s bacon involved.

RECIPE // rotisserie roast chicken and bone broth

If chicken is a regular staple, you may find it much cheaper to buy a whole bird once a week, than to buy individual portions all the time. This also saves time in the kitchen, as I've discovered. If you do all your cooking on one of your days off, you can have plenty of meat and stock to use a base for some really delicious meals. I would recommend buying small organic chickens. Even if you have a family, cook two at once instead of one large one as they cook more evenly - plus free range always seems to taste better.

 

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
Pictured here is my rotisserie roast chicken (recipe below), which can be shredded and tuppawared to enjoy throughout the week in things like salads, wraps or on jacket potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

1 whole chicken, giblets removed, washed and dried

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning i.e. Cajun

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

 

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees/gas mark 8;
2. Place chicken in a roasting dish;
3. Mix all other ingredients together in a small bowl;
4. Use a spoon to separate the breast meat from the skin;
5. Use your hands (glove covered if you don't want to get messy) to rub a teaspoon of the marinade under the skin;
6. Rub the remaining marinade all over the rest of the bird;
7. Tuck the wings under the bird, and tie up the legs if not already done;
8. Put the chicken in the oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees/gas mark 5. Cook for 20 minutes per pound, or until breast meat is 180 degrees;
9. Allow it to rest for 20 minutes before serving and/or shredding.

You can use the juices to make a gravy if you like.
Recipe adapted from Taste Love & Nourish.

 

BONE BROTH
With the leftover bones the best thing to do is make some stock, or bone broth, so nothing is wasted. Broth is extremely nutritious packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, collagen and keratin which are easily absorbed. Its benefits are well documented, particularly of late - there seems to be a bit of a trend going on. Here are a few:

1. The gelatine helps fight against degenerative joint diseases, and promotes healthy nail and hair growth;
2. Aids digestion - great if you suffer from leaky gut or IBS;
3. Alleviates allergies and respiratory infections such as colds.

 

You can make it in either a slow cooker or in a pan on the hob. For convenience I find leaving it simmering away on a low heat in the slow cooker overnight, then straining and leaving to cool the next day works for me. You only need a few hours if you are cooking on the hob.

 

INGREDIENTS

chicken bones/carcass

1 large onion, quartered

2 carrots, chopped

4 garlic cloves

2 celery stalks, chopped

10 whole peppercorns

salt, to taste

water to cover

METHOD

1. Place the chicken bones, vegetables, peppercorns, and salt into a large pot or slow cooker. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the contents by 1 inch.
2. Bring to a gentle boil and decrease the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 3-5 hours on the hob, or just leave on 'low' in slow cooker for 8-12 hours (it doesn't matter if you go over).
3. Carefully remove and discard any large pieces of vegetables or bones from the pot. Set a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth-covered colander over a large bowl. Pour the stock through the strainer.
4. Chill the stock bowl (in an ice bath if pushed for time), cover, and refrigerate until the fat has risen and solidified on the surface. Skim off the fat with a spoon; discard. Use or store in the freezer.

Recipe adapted from Frugal Living NW

RECIPE // quick sweet potato + eggs

I have been Julienning everything lately.

Sweet potato is my new favourite vegetable to shred, as it makes it so fast to cook! Though the same can be said for butternut squash and courgette, sweet potato is my first love. Happy Valentine's my lovely ♥

For this dish I elaborated on a simple three ingredient recipe by edible perspective, so head over to her page for the instructions.

Hint: you just need coconut oil, a julienned or grated sweet potato and a couple of eggs.

I then added red onion, feta, bacon, avocado and coriander, but you could also add chicken, spring onion, other cheeses, parsley...the list goes on; you get the idea.

Perfect weeknight dinner!

PALEO CHOCOLATE MUG CAKES // two gluten-free low-carb recipes

I didn't intend to go mug cake-mad last week, it just sort of happened. Driven by my desire for chocolate cake and brownies, I frantically searched Pinterest (of course) and discovered two recipes which could be made in under 3 minutes with ingredients from my cupboard.

I won't take the credit for the brownie one, but the second one is adapted from a recipe in my head.

The brownie one was my favourite, which may be because it was smothered in ice cream and it actually makes two, but the other one comes up trumps nutritionally and is therefore the better option if you are after something guilt free.

Enjoy! x

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE MUG CAKE

See the recipe here. I added mixed dried fruit instead of nuts and served it with salted caramel ice cream. Serves two; split the mixture into two ramekins and pop one into the fridge for the next day. When it comes to eating the second one just stir a splash of water into the mixture before microwaving.

SUGAR FREE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE FOR ONE 

Oil a mug then add a mix of:

1 egg
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp honey/coconut sugar/stevia
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp cream/almond milk
a pinch of salt

Microwave for 1min 20. Pop onto a plate and top with cacao nibs and chocolate whey protein mixed with water.

PALEO FLAXSEED BREAD // here's to a week of sandwiches!

GF   SF   DF   PALEO

This recipe has got me pretty excited for a few reasons:

1. It uses whole ingredients i.e. no premixed gluten free flours;
2. It's a great vehicle for getting melted nut butter onto the tastebuds;
3. There is no kneading or rolling required;
4. It's 100% grainless.

It is from my new food bible 'The Art of Eating Well' by Hemsley+Hemsley. I picked up the book last Saturday from the post office, queuing down the road in the freezing rain - one disadvantage of working Mon to Fri is missing out the convenience of the post man. Another is missing sunlight throughout the entire month of January, but I digress. Since that morning I have not used a recipe from anywhere else, nor to I intend to for another week or more. It was definitely worth queuing for.

Back to the bread. The taste, texture and appearance are quite similar to rye bread if you've ever tried it; nutty, dense and pleasantly salted. It makes quite a large loaf, particularly if it's just going to be you eating it, so I'd recommend slicing it up and freezing it into portions, then taking them out and warming them through when needed.

INGREDIENTS

80g ground almonds
250g ground or whole flaxseed
4 eggs
50g butter at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
pinch of black pepper
optional: 1 tsp oregano, caraway or fennel seeds

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to fan 170°C/gas mark 5. Line a metal loaf tin with parchment paper, or grease a silicone mould.
2. Mix all the ingredients with 100ml of water by hand or in a food processor. It will thicken as you mix. If using whole flax, wait a few minutes for it to absorb the water. 
3. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the top with the back of a wet spoon or spatula. Bake for around 45 minutes until firm but springy to touch. 
4. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Turn out. Enjoy!

You can find more recipes by Hemsley+Hemsely here.

COMFORT FOOD // Honey Seared Salmon + Sweet Potato Mash

DF   SF   GF   PALEO

This is healthy comfort food which, unlike many other dishes in its category, will not make you feel like a roly poly pudding. Love winter dishes like these.

I decided I was going to eat this less than half an hour before it was hot on the plate, so it would work well for a weeknight dinner.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

2 salmon fillets
2 small sweet potatoes or 1 large
50mls coconut milk
1 tbsp chopped chives
pinch black pepper
1 tsp honey

METHOD

1. Peel and chop potatoes into cubes and cook in a pan of boiling water until soft.
2. Drain potatoes then mash in a medium bowl with the coconut milk. Stir in the chives.
3. Drizzle the honey on the salmon fillets and season with black pepper.
4. Heat a non-stick pan and sear the salmon fillets, approx 2 minutes each side or until slightly blackened. It's fine if the middle is still a bit pink.
5. Serve and munch.

Recipe originally found here.

REVIEW // MyProtein Almond Butter + Stevia Whey Protein

I recently had the chance to try a couple of products by MyProtein.com, Europe's number one sports nutrition brand. I was already a customer of theirs, having tried and loved their popular Impact Whey Protein powder in their chocolate and vanilla flavours, so I looked to try something different.

The Primal Diet that I committed to over summer has really stuck with me; already being gluten free it was the next step down the path of healing my gut, and I've never felt better than I do now. More energy, never lethargic and best of all cramps, bloating and skin problems have all but disappeared *please don't jinx*.

Cutting down on carbohydrates such as rice and grains is one of the Primal Diet's most important principles. As they are however a large source of calories in a standard diet they need to be replaced by extra fat and protein for the body to function and thrive. Whilst meeting these goals at mealtimes is becoming more intuitive for me, it is snack times where I'm most likely to slip up and eat a chocolate bar or lots of sushi.

With that in mind when choosing healthy snacks, it makes sense to create meals with ingredients high in healthy fat and/or protein whilst keeping the sugar content low. So I picked these two products: Smooth Almond Butter and Impact Whey Protein in Vanilla (Stevia).

In the above photo you can see that I first used both products to make breakfast pancakes, which were fantastic. For the topping I mixed the nut butter with some raw cacao powder and water, and sprinkled on some coconut. The protein powder contains stevia, a great natural alternative to sugar which doesn't produce as many negative effects.

So is whey protein primal? Mark puts it best:

"It isn’t strictly Primal (and certainly not paleo) in that it wasn’t available to Grok, but it can be an effective, occasional high-protein meal replacement with most – if not all – of the potential allergens mitigated or negated."

That's good enough for me.

Next up I made the ultimate dessert for when all you want is ice cream and chocolate. It really hit the spot without making me feel like I had nose dived or over indulged.

Just layer:

• Greek yogurt mixed with vanilla whey protein
• 70/80% dark chocolate
• Raspberries - heated to make a compote
• Almond butter
• Dried fruit
• Mixed nuts
• Chia seeds

This was served in a wine glass to make it feel a bit more special because I'm worth it. The Smooth Almond butter added some unexpected texture to the dish and, I have to warn you, is very moreish. Honestly, right now I have it next to me while I type this and I keep sneaking little bites. I'm going to go put it back in the cupboard now...okay just one more bite.

Phew, thank God that's out of sight. I love almonds and this butter is 100% nuts as well as being naturally high in healthy fat and protein.

My final recipe could either be transported into a cup for portability or served in a bowl topped with yummy things like I did below.

Blend:

• Frozen raspberries
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 heaped teaspoon almond butter

When comparing the stevia blend to the standard vanilla, I have not noticed any noticeable difference in flavour. There's no bitter aftertaste or unblendable clumps, so all in all I would recommend this product to anyone who wants a great all-round protein powder without adding any unnecessary sugar.

For more recipes using these products and other primal-approved foods, please check out my instagram @blondeandgrainless

Happy snacking!

Thanks to MyProtein.com for sending me delicious food - have a look at their discounts page!

PRIMAL LAMB STEAKS WITH ROSEMARY VEG

This one is a bit Jamie Oliver style. You know; lob it in the oven and come back to heaven on a plate.

I simply had to share this recipe. It is by far one of the easiest, and yet most delicious, weekday meals ever made. Next time I have a dinner party, this is being produced en masse so that I have more time to socialise and drink wine.

This is a proper I-can't-be-arsed lamb steak dinner with rosemary, sweet potatoes and red onion. This recipe serves 2 but it is easily multiplied.

(DAIRY FREE) (PALEO/PRIMAL) (SUGARFREE)

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil

2 lamb leg steaks

1 sweet potato, finely sliced

1/2 red onion, halved & sliced

1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 tsp of dried

1 tbsp mustard

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5.
2. Sear the lamb steaks on each side in a bit of oil and set aside.
3. Chuck the potato, rosemary, red onion and the rest of the oil in a oven proof dish. Lay the steaks on top.
4. Brush the mustard over the steaks.
5. Pop in the oven for 45 minutes or until the potatoes and steaks are cooked.

Totally nicked from this Good Food recipe

21 DAY PRIMAL CHALLENGE - REVIEW

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE PRIMAL CHALLENGE

What kept me going throughout the 21 days was the fact that the daily challenges went beyond diet and exercise. My favourites included reminders to be present (basically, put the phone DOWN), listen more, relax and play more.


THE PRIMAL DIET

While I have indulged a little since my three weeks finished (see below), many of the habits I developed I would like to stick with. Why? Because they worked. Here are several examples:

1. No legumes: I avoided beans, peas, pulses and peanuts and there was definitely umm less gas #tmi? Now when I eat beans, I notice more bloating. I'm not going to be really strict with this one, because sometimes peas are the healthiest thing on a plate, but it is good to know that I can reduce gas by avoiding legumes.
2. Eating local organic food: This is because I felt better about supporting local farmers and it tastes better. Sure, it may be more expensive but I felt like it is worth it.
3. Cutting down on sugar: Resulted in fewer cravings, feeling more balanced mood-wise, and less headaches. It is very very hard though and I definitely wasn't perfect.
4. Homemade everything: I really enjoy experimenting in the kitchen, and to keep this going I have invested in some really pretty tupperware which I can't wait to arrive.

As I said before, I have indulged a little by making ice cream, cocktails and drinking beer.

The ice cream was a traditional recipe using egg yolks, double cream and honey toasted almonds.

Bramble cocktail made with blackberries and tequila

My favourite gluten free pizza in Pizza Express

THE WORKOUTS

I particularly enjoyed how much energy I had all the time, and how much better I slept. The workouts were never longer than half an hour, which was perfect as it meant more leisure time in the evenings and not feeling so 'burned out' from exercising for too long.

The PEM workouts (pull ups, squats, push ups and plank) I found to be really effective, and there's nothing more motivating than improving on these moves. I've gone from not being able to do a pull up, do managing 10 in a row!

I didn't manage as much sprinting however, mainly because I felt like a tit.

RESULTS

Overall I would say that I am satisfied with the results, both in body and mind, although I wouldn't necessary call it a complete transformation. As I mentioned at the end of my previous post, I believe that a transformation would require a lot longer.

I didn't lose any weight, but then I wasn't planning to, however I did notice an improvement in my skin which is so apparent now that I have been eating and drinking rather badly and it's all gone wrong! I suffer from rosacea and it pretty much disappeared in the first week which was bloody marvelous. I came across this article about how the primal diet and using coconut oil banished rosacea for one woman, and I did find this to be true. Since reintroducing sugar (albeit less than before), beer and milk my skin looks worse than ever*. I am really really hoping that my next challenges will clear it up again....

*Not: I'm not completely certain that it's not hormones and/or just bad luck. But I can hope there's a cure!

SO...NOW WHAT?!

I intend to continue tweaking my diet, keeping it mainly primal and working on reducing my alcohol consumption. More on that another time..!

It may be my age, but as I'm approaching 30 I have been thinking of who I want to be when I get there. I think self-improvement is essential to our enjoyment of the journey through life; it not only benefits ourselves but also others around us. With that in mind I am setting some goals for the next few years which I will discuss in the next post.

21 DAY PRIMAL CHALLENGE - THE FINAL WEEK

I have completed my 21 Day challenge! I am incredibly happy to report that we have raised £222 for Crohn's & Colitis UK in memory of my late father Dave Cowley. Crohn’s and Colitis are bowel conditions which can devastate lives and have no known cure. Thank you so much to all who contributed to help find a cure while improving lives in the meantime. ❤

THE FINAL WEEK

My last week my challenge went by like a whirlwind; I found myself incredibly busy with work and social events, and any time to myself I used to relax with a book and a glass of wine. It is only now, a week after I finished, that I feel enough removed from the experience to complete my journal.

DIET

I definitely experimented more this week with food. I made ice cream, cake bars, courgetti, pancakes and chia seed pudding. Okay so now I've listed one I realise I must have had a hankering for sweet foods! Here are photos which show a few of the savoury dishes I enjoyed.

Steamy breakfast of eggs, bacon, courgette, spinach and blackberries

Thai green prawn curry on roasted red pepper (who needs rice?)

Baked salmon with 'courgetti' (courgette peeled julienne style and immersed in hot water)

Baked potato, tahini, mackerel and salad

Jerk chicken drumstick with beetroot and salad

EXERCISE

Most of the workouts I did during the last week were at the gym, although I did do a sprinting session too. I've found myself having more energy for my workouts in general, and feel myself getting stronger - particularly from practicing jumping pull ups.

SUMMARY

Generally, I feel quite guilty that I haven't found this challenge very...well...challenging! I was still able to drink alcohol (I even joined The Wine Society!), eat dessert and really enjoyed the exercise routines.

So while I did actually take a 'before' photo, I have not yet taken an 'after' photo. Don't get me wrong, I did notice a few improvements myself in my body - mainly my abs looking a little flatter. But it was only 3 weeks. As this image points out, I may need to wait a bit longer or challenge myself further.

Stay tuned for my final review of the experience and my answer to the question of 'what's next?'

BEYOND GRAINLESS: DAY 15 JOURNAL

- Please visit here to see why I'm challenging myself to live as a modern cave-woman for 21 days -

DIET - INTERMITTENT FAST

Today's challenge was to go as long as possible without eating. I should only break the fast when experiencing strong sensations of hunger or diminished energy levels. I lasted until 10:10am #fail.

This was because I had woken up at 7am and then caught a train. On this train everyone was eating hot breakfasts from the catering carriage and they smelled completely irresistible. In a way I suppose I didn't fail, because I was experiencing strong sensations of hunger, and I didn't succumb to a bacon sandwich at least. Instead, I ate a primal bar by The Primal Kitchen who make snacks that are 100% grain and sugar free.

I indulged in a proper meal once I reached Newcastle at The Naked Deli. I ordered a really healthy tuna steak with poached eggs and steamed veggies, which I ate all of minus the green beans. I also had a bulletproof coffee, which is espresso blended with coconut oil and grass-fed butter. The fat reacts with the caffeine to maintain high energy levels, so you avoid the spike and crash. Tastes surprisingly creamy.

REST DAY


I listened to my body and had another rest day today. Back on it again tomorrow.



SUMMARY



Daily energy levels 1-10: I still felt pretty chilled out from the weekend but not too tired -7-

Hunger level between meals 1-10: after that meal I didn't eat much else actually. My body silently thanked me for the nutrients and shut up -0-

Satisfaction level with meals 1-10: Man, I love eggs -10-

Struggles today with Primal efforts: I did really want bacon after seeing everyone else tucking in, but who can resist bacon? Not even vegetarians surely! -5-

Best part: Feeling completely unstressed, even on public transport.

Benefits noticed from Primal efforts: It feels like the new 'normal', and I can't imagine going back to eating grains and cake etc. Maybe I'll try introducing some rice and see how I feel.

Daily highlight(s): The Naked Deli.

Success score : 6/10

BEYOND GRAINLESS: DAY 14 JOURNAL

- Please visit here to see why I'm challenging myself to live as a modern cave-woman for 21 days -

DIET - SWEET SPOT

Sunday was another macro-nutrient analysis of everything I ate, and unfortunately I failed to stay under 100 grams of carbohydrates. I'm not making excuses but I was a guest in someone else's house, and ate what was put in front of me. It was kind enough that they took my preferences into account.

Protein: 75g
Carbs: 134g
Fat: 81g
Total calories: 1726

Areas to improve: it was interesting to see that more carbohydrates (in this case potato and red wine) tends to equal more calories consumed.

Best part: the food was all home cooked, straight from the garden or farm shop. Delicious!

REST DAY

I did no exercise today except for taking the pug for a walk and walking from the car to the pub...

SUMMARY
  Daily energy levels 1-10: really relaxed today -5
 Hunger level between meals 1-10: I was too engrossed in my book to think about food -2-

Satisfaction level with meals 1-10: Really lovely food, I had a day away from my phone so took no photos, so here's a stolen photo of what my dinner was -10-

Struggles today with Primal efforts: No struggling today, just calm.

Best part: Calm.

Benefits noticed from Primal efforts: Calm.

Daily highlight(s): Calm #sorrynotsorry

Success score : 7/10

Here is Day 15

BEYOND GRAINLESS: DAY 13 JOURNAL

- Please visit here to see why I'm challenging myself to live as a modern cave-woman for 21 days -

LIFESTYLE - GET ENOUGH SUNLIGHT

The weather last Saturday could not have been more perfect for this challenge, which was to gain adequate sunlight. I was also in the East Midlands which helped. There is a lot of stigma surrounding the sun and it's health benefits. Here is what I think (taken from The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson):

"Vitamin D plays a critical role in regulating healthy cellular function, yet widespread deficiency occurs in the developed world due to sedentary lifestyles and irrational fears of skin cancer. Failure to obtain the bare minimum of sun exposure and vitamin D production actually increases your risk for a variety of cancers, including melanoma."

Here are a couple of photos from the day; one of my mum and sister with my step-nephew Tommy and one of my mum's pug puppy Dudley worn out after playing all afternoon.

SUMMARY COMMENTS:


Daily energy levels 1-10: started off a bit sleepy but woke up after a drink or two..oops! -7-

Hunger level between meals 1-10:ate consistently throughout the day, a nice breakfast followed by BBQ meat -6-

Satisfaction level with meals 1-10: Particularly good breakfast today, particularly as it was cooked my my step Dad! -9-

Struggles today with Primal efforts: I missed out on cake and ice cream, but happily settled for strawberries and cream. So no I didn't struggle at all really!


Best part: literally playing in the garden all day.



Benefits noticed from Primal efforts: lots of energy.

Daily highlight(s): the whole day. Aww.

Success score : 7/10

Here is Day 14

BEYOND GRAINLESS: DAY 12 JOURNAL

- Please visit here to see why I'm challenging myself to live as a modern cave-woman for 21 days -

DIET - PRIMAL RECIPE PART 2

I enjoyed yesterday's breakfast so much that I made it again on Friday. This one was enjoyed in a much more leisurely fashion as I had the day off to travel back down south to visit my family. Take me back!

GO COCONUTS

I won't bang on about the benefits of coconut oil, because literally everyone else has blogged about it. What I will tell you is that in the morning I smothered it on my dry hair and left it on as a mask for an hour. I was a bit dubious and totally expecting to have to spend half an hour washing it out.

My hair had been suffering lately, or rather I had been abusing it with bleach, straighteners, products and not getting regular cuts for years. Coconut oil gave it a new lease of life! I washed it out (once) and it was beautifully silky and shiny. Totally thrilled to have discovered another use for my favourite product, and I definitely recommend it.

It turned out to be a coconut themed day as I bought a Chi Coconut Milk with Espresso from the newly refurbished Central Station. There are some really great paleo-friendly options available now :-)

LIFESTYLE - NURTURE YOUR INTIMATE AND SOCIAL CIRCLES

Funnily enough today's recommended challenge was to schedule a family social gathering with no digital stimulation or distractions. I had booked the train tickets home to see family ages ago, honest! I enjoyed conversation, food and wine and completely ignored my phone. Perfff.

SUMMARY COMMENTS

Daily energy levels 1-10: pretty good, didn't even feel an afternoon slump after one of these! -9-

Hunger levels between meals 1-10: totally fine -0-

Satisfaction level with meals 1-10: We had my step-Dad's homemade cottage pie for dinner which was uuuhmazing -10-

Success score: 8/10

BEYOND GRAINLESS: DAY 11 JOURNAL

- Please visit here to see why I'm challenging myself to live as a modern cave-woman for 21 days -

DIET - CREATE A PRIMAL RECIPE

Today's challenge was to create a primal recipe, so I created two.

Banana, peach, coconut water and double cream blended and topped with more banana, blackberries, Punch Foods Superseeds in Raw Cacao Boost, and chia seeds.

'Courgetti' bolognaise: traditional beef bolognaise served with julienned courgette and sweet potato

EXERCISE - PEM WORKOUT

The second challenge of the day was to sprint a few hundred metres followed by a PEM workout.

Location: Exhibition Park, Newcastle
Success score: 8/10
Reps completed: 2 sets

Push ups: 15 and 10 full push-ups
Squats: 100 and 100
Pull ups: 7 and 7 jumping pull ups
Plank: 2:04 and 1:30
Sprint: 2 reps of 100 metres

Comments: Sprinting felt so funny, but exhilarating. I forgot how quickly you can go from chilled out to out of breath! Thought the PEM would be easy but it was pleasingly challenging.

Sorry it's a short one today, but I'm actually writing this on Day 16 because I spent some time away from media over the weekend. All I remember is just feeling happy all day :-)

Success score: 10/10

Click here for day 12

BEYOND GRAINLESS: DAY 10 JOURNAL

- Please visit here to see why I'm challenging myself to live as a modern cave-woman for 21 days -

DIET - EATING ENVIRONMENT

Today's challenge was to focus on creating an optimal eating environment for all meals by eliminating distractions such as computers, television and high-energy music. It was suggested to also slow down the pace of eating by chewing each bite completely to facilitate good digestion and maximum satisfaction.

My breakfast was enjoyed in a leisurely fashion:

I ate out twice today. Once at NinetyNine for lunch, where I had Portuguese chicken with sweet potato fries, coleslaw, salad and mango. It was delicious!

I also went out for dinner at Sambuca's, where it was nice enough to sit outside for my friend Nikki's birthday. I forgot to take photos of my food but I had belly pork and then a plate of mussels. Yum!

LIFESTYLE - EMAIL FAST

The second challenge of the day was to engage in email correspondence only during specified morning and afternoon periods of 30 minutes or less. The idea behind this is to maintain positive working and social relationships without draining excessive time from high priority tasks.

Unfortunately my job is literally to spend the day in an 'Inbox' answering emails - so I couldn't oblige here or I would have been in trouble! I can see how this may work for other people though.

SUMMARY COMMENTS

Daily energy levels 1-10: pretty consistent -9-

Hunger levels between meals 1-10: lunch was very filling and at the gym after work I still felt full! -0-

Satisfaction level with meals 1-10: I really enjoyed being able to eat out today. Shows that with a little research it can be done -10-

Daily needs to improve: tomorrow I am going to the park for a sprinting session and a PEM workout!

Success score: 8/10

Day 11 is here.

BEYOND GRAINLESS: DAY 9 JOURNAL

- Please visit here to see why I'm challenging myself to live as a modern cave-woman for 21 days -

DIET - TRACK MACRONUTRIENT INTAKE

Today's challenge was to track my calorific and macronutrient intake through an online calculator. I chose to use MyFitnessPal as it has the most accurate database and decent graphical representation. According to a number of 'primal' dieters, the ideal grams per day for carbohydrates are between 50-150 (lower end for fat loss).

Daily protein grams: 84
Daily carb grams: 89
Daily fat grams: 104
Total calories: 1502

I also weighed myself and I've lost 2 lbs.

Here's what some of my calories looked like.

LIFESTYLE - TIPTOE INTO THE BAREFOOT WORLD

For me this required no effort. The aim was to go barefoot for at least 60 minutes today, so I triumphed as I spent the whole evening bare-footing it around the house between 6:30pm and 10:30pm (obviously when sleeping too; though in the winter am I the only person who gets cold enough the wear socks in bed..?).

EVOLUTION ORGANICS HAUL

On Sunday I placed an order at Evolution Organics, which is a brilliant one stop shop for all things primal like super-foods, nut butters, supplements, organic pet care and home care etc

It arrived super quick and this photo makes me excited!

I can't wait to try everything!

- primal snacks for the weekend when I'm staying with family.
- coconut palm sugar
- organic cacao powder
- Pukka tea for work and home
- kombucha to replace alcoholic drinks every night
- macadamia nut butter - supposed to be nutritionally superior to other nuts
- Punch Superseeds in Raw Cacao Boost to sprinkle on...everything.

SUMMARY COMMENTS

Daily energy levels 1-10: no yawning today, felt consistently energised all day. I'm probably annoyingly chirpy -10-

Hunger levels between meals 1-10: My lunch wasn't big enough, so ended up buying some rollmop herrings (again I know), roasted red peppers and calamari from M&S for snacking on. But then I was fine. -7-

Satisfaction level with meals 1-10: Still yummy, though it might be time to discover some new recipes -7-

Benefits noticed from primal efforts 1-10: My gym session was good again today, I'm pleased with my pull up progression -8-

Struggles with primal lifestyle: I've had sweet potato every day even though I said I wouldn't. I'm also overdue a sprinting session...and tomorrow looks like rain!

Daily needs to improve: I still haven't eaten out at a 'regular' restaurant so doing that tomorrow.

Success score: 8/10

Click here for Day 10