Day 6: April 16th, 2016

Day 6 Agenda:

1. Try a new aerobic exercise! Go cycling, hike a new trail {like my above pictures - photo credit to my sis @lynetteb.photography} try rock climbing, play tennis, or whatever else it is that you would like to try. 
2. Forage. Go out to dinner with your significant other, best friend, or entire family to a nice restaurant and eat primally. This might seem hard, but I have found it actually isn't. Most places serve meats/fish/poultry and vegetables, right? If needed, just ask for olive oil and lemon for that side salad or to hold the non-primal sauce on that steak. Some places I like that have cage-free chicken meat, grass-fed beef, etc is Chipotle or Moe's Southwestern Grill:) I usually get the meat on a salad with guacamole, cilantro, tomatoes, etc.

Meal/Snack Ideas:

Breakfast- sausage quiche with sweet potato crust 

{A participant shared this with our primal group a few months ago because she and her family loved it so much! This recipe comes from Danielle Walker's cookbook 'Against All Grain'.}

Ingredients:

• extra-virgin olive oil for greasing pan
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1/2 pound sugar-free breakfast sausage, casings removed and crumbled
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 10 eggs
• 2 Tbs coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread a very thin layer of olive oil around the bottom and sides of a pie plate. Scrub the sweet potato and dry it with a towel. Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, thinly slice the potato into 1/8 inch thick disks. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a concentric pattern, slightly overlapping them so they completely cover the bottom of the pie plate. Spread the sausage in a thin layer over the potatoes, trying to cover the entire surface. Press the rosemary gently into the sausage. Place the eggs, coconut milk, slat and pepper in a bowl and whisk vigorously. Pour the beaten egg mixture into the dish, gently pressing down any sausage bits that float up. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the center is set and the eggs have puffed up. 

Lunch- meatloaf topped with guacamole & fried eggs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of ground beef
  
  {This is what I picked up from my local grocery store. That's right! No need for fancy stores:)}
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp celery seeds 
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 white onion minced finely 

Mix all ingredients together with a fork. Line a baking sheet with tin foil, shape meatloaf using a bread pan and then put on baking sheet. Bake on 400 degrees for 40min. or a higher temp for less time to make it a little crispy. Let cool and add my toppings mentioned above or one of your own:)

Guacamole Ingredients:

• 2 avocados
• 1/4 cup of minced purple onion
• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• a few dashes of salt

Mix together!

Dinner- sausage and kale soup

Ingredients: {5+ servings}

• 1 lb paleo approved sausage {I used 1/2 lb Applegate hotdogs + 1/2 lb Irish banger sausages}
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp whole fennel seeds {best if toasted prior to using in dry pan for a couple of minutes}
• couple pinches of sea salt and cracks of black pepper
• 1 bunch of leeks, sliced 1/4 inches thick
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 1/2 cups celery, diced 1/4 inches thick
• 2 cups chicken broth or other type of broth {if store bought, read labels-no sugar/additives/etc}
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 big handfuls of kale, chopped and most of the stems removed

Heat up olive oil in large pot over medium high heat on stove. Add onions, garlic, fennel seeds, salt and pepper and stir constantly for a few minutes until onions become translucent. Then add sausage and sauté until browned. Once sausage is browned, add all vegetables except kale and cook for about 15 minutes or until vegetables start to get tender. Add broth and bay leaf and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until vegetables are completely tender. Turn off heat, add kale and stir for a few minutes until it starts to wilt. Add more sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve!

Snack- sweet potato chips

Ingredients:

• 2-3 sweet potatoes
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• sea salt

Cut up your sweet potatoes to a chip width {or use a mandolin if you have one...it will make your life easier!} and toss in a bowl with olive oil and sea salt. Use a cookie rack to place on top of a baking sheet to spread the chips out on - this way they cook evenly. You could also just flip the chips halfway through baking. Bake in the oven for 15min - 20min at 350 degrees.

Take some notes!
-how did you increase your daily movement?

-new aerobic exercise tried?

-forage experience?

-relaxation techniques tried?
-energy level {POOR, AVERAGE, GREAT}?
-satisfaction level with meals?
-hunger level between meals?
-struggles?
-benefits?