My Paleo Life: Update

Most people are used to breakfast food for breakfast and lunch and dinner food for well... lunch and dinner. Since traditional breakfast foods are usually laden with gut disrupting grains and salacious amounts of sugar, I've definitely had to rethink my breakfast routine. For some the transition away from sweet breakfast is simple. They crave eggs and bacon or a veggie omelet. For me, it was honey drizzled oatmeal, toast with butter and cinnamon, or a yogurt parfait with granola. Instantly satisfying, spiking up my glucose levels and quelling my sweet tooth, but as far as long term gratification and energy levels, I was in the dumps by 10 wanting coffee or a donut. Probably both. Definitely both. And on really stressful days my will power was about as strong as a 6 year old with a bag full of halloween candy.

My point is making changes isn't easy. Life is all about transitions and some are easier than others. I've been eating paleo for about 6 months now and though some might say, how could you give up bread?! The transition has been fairly simple. I said simple not easy. This is why: Eating this way is second nature to me now. I've reached the point of no return as some dramatist might say. I honestly feel like I cannot go back to my grain based diet. LIKE EVER. (Shout out to Taylor Swift!). I feel an emotional pull towards this way of eating. It's more than a head decision. It's a heart decision.

I've been reading an amazing blog lately called The Minimalists and it's finally given me a satisfying answer to why I've chosen a paleo lifestyle. I mean, there are lots of (mostly shallow) reasons why I chose to eliminate certain foods-health, energy, better skin and hair, weight loss etc. But this reason tops them all: I chose Paleo because I wanted to eliminate unnecessary food from my daily diet. The key word here is unnecessary. It's really simple actually. Take away your emotional attachment to bread and what's left. Bread. IT'S BREAD. Your mother threatened you with bread and water for dinner and admonished you to your room when you were misbehaving! It's not God's gift to this Earth. Butter is a different story. But BREAD?

What I'm trying to get across is this: I still enjoy bread sometimes. But it's different. The need to have (insert your addiction here) is gone. Paleo has been a way for me to delve deeper into myself. To allow only foods that are nourishing and whole. Who am I without childish emotions surrounding food? Or things, or people? This applies to ALL aspects of your life. Think about it.

I Made Him Beef Stew & Then I Got Dumped Via Text Message

I feel confident in the kitchen. I feel at ease and I feel sure that I can produce something worthy of sharing with others--like the beef stew recipe I will share below. Other activities, however, create a tightness in my chest and a welling up of anxiety that makes me want to run for the the hills. Like conversation lessons with my Spanish tutor or going on a first date. But I am brave. So I do these things because I know that they will open doors for me professionally and personally.

I was dating this guy I met on Match.com. Yes, I'm on Match.com. Are you done judging? Moving on. So after a couple dates, I decided to make him Ina Garten's Beef Stew because he was from Ohio and I thought he'd like that kind of thing. I made it with filet instead of stew meat. Over the top I know. For some reason, I thought this guy was worth the $20/pound filet and the 2008 bottle of Cabernet that went into it. He ate two bowls of it, naturally. It was so damn good. Food is the way to every man's heart, right?

Fast forward 2 weeks- things are going well and he is planning on coming to meet your family the second weekend in December. It's Sunday and you are getting ready to meet him at a restaurant for a date and your wearing this awesome pair of jeans you just bought that hug your ass perfectly. Your phone buzzes and you're sure it's him letting you know he is on his way because he has never cancelled on you before and is incredibly reliable. You swipe open your text messages and you read "I don't think my life and work schedule are going to be conducive to a constructive dating life." And then this deep feeling of blankness washes over you.

Okay, I'm sick of writing in 2nd person like a mediocre Goosebumps novel. This happened to me people.

So, I'm sitting on my bed dumbfounded and all I can say back is... "I agree. Good luck with everything!" Wow. All the meditation I do really has paid off. Was it that simple? Did I not even care to know why I was dumped so abruptly?

I've been pondering this for the last few days. And the fact is, there could be a million reasons why he gave me the "please be seated" text. But in reality do any of them really matter? Do I really want an explanation from someone who doesn't even have the decency to tell me in person? Do I really want to show that I even give a damn? No, no, no. Then I remembered the wise words of the barefoot contessa, herself, "Never let 'em see you sweat." And I thought, yes, yes, yes.

Cooking is a sure thing. I know a bottle of good wine and filet is going to take beef stew to the next level. Dating, however, is a different story. The lines are blurred and taking your relationship to the next level is never guaranteed. I will make this beef stew again, but next time I will make sure it's for someone who really deserves it.

Click on the link below for the complete recipe:

Parker's Beef Stew


Enjoy!