The Calorie Question

Clients and potential clients often ask me "do you list the calories in your food?".

A simple answer is "NO"

But to go a bit deeper I will explain why I don't advertise this information:

I used to be a strict calorie counter. I also used to be over 20 lbs. heavier and a whole lot less happy. Today I am at my optimum weight and have not looked at a single calorie listing in over 2 years.

I guess I should also disclose that most of the time I stick to a meat, fish and produce diet. Although I will have a carb every now and then it is definitely the exception and not the rule.

The thing I love so much about this food lifestyle (note I avoid the negative connotation of the word 'diet') is that I can eat as much meat, fish and produce as I want to without ever looking at a calorie count. I find this way of life so refreshing from the traditional restrictive dieting. And I feel healthy, vibrant and alive!

So back to the business...if a client requests the calorie count or other nutritional information I will happily hand it over. But I don't voluntarily post it simply because it is not what I like to focus on. Instead of running the numbers, eat fresh natural foods to your heart's content. Your body will thank you for it!

Read up on what Mark Sisson says about calorie counting here

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Grains- who needs them?

I read an interesting article from our friend Mark Sisson of the Primal Blueprint. He explains a step by step guide to weaning off grains. Check it out here

I cut most grains out of my diet because I feel amazing and energetic when I avoid them. But when I am at a party or social gathering I will often indulge in them, which leaves me lethargic, inflamed and craving more and more carbs- I call it a 'carb hangover'.

When recovering from a carb hangover I have learned to stop cold turkey and fill my body with as much meat and vegetables as possible. If I fill up on the good stuff, I am satisfied, and do not even want that carbohydrate anymore. The trick is to get through that first day of the carb hangover. And then I feel so healthy and vibrant that I don't even want to go back to the grains.

Try a grain-free diet for a few days and see how it feels!

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Camp Food Ideas

Camp Food

Everything tastes better when you eat it in the beautiful scenery of the great outdoors. And while preparing a meal with natural ingredients may seem like a lot of work it is just so much more satisfying than a can of Chef Boyardee Raviolis. I just got back from a camping trip over Memorial Day Weekend, and wanted to share some fun camp food cooking recipes.
We made all three of these meals with just the following:

• a campfire
• fry pan, cook stove
• olive oil
• s&p
• the ingredients in the recipe.

• Hamburgers: Buy pre-made burger patties, or make your own! Wrap them up in an air-tight container and stash them between plenty of ice. Bring onion, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, and anything else you might want. You can pre-slice the veggies ahead of time and pack them in plastic baggies. Grill the burgers right on the grates, or in a pan. If you use a pan, throw the sliced onion in there once you have a bit of burger grease built up. Add some salt and let those onions caramelize. Let everyone make their own burgers with whatever toppings they like best!

• Tacos: Make some meat ahead of time and shred it up with some spices like chile powder. You can use whatever you have, or whatever's cheap. Pack it up in vacuum sealed bags, or even a tupperware. Pack it in your cooler w/ plenty of ice. Shred up some cheese and slice some veggies ahead of time too. Bring salsa, guacamole, and tortillas. We even brought a can of black beans and pre-cooked brown rice from Trader Joes. And heated it up in the pan with the meat. To make the tortillas extra good, throw them on the grates over the open fire til they get a little charred on the outside.

• Egg Scramble: Bring sausage, bacon, onion, whatever you'd like, and cook it in a pan over the grates of the open fire. Crack the eggs into the pan and scramble it up! Pick up some instant coffee from Starbucks and heat up some water for a hot cup of coffee. Your camp-mates will be so thankful to wake up to a hot breakfast.

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