Ready, Set, GO PALEO!

So today is my first day on the Paleo Diet. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I have three friends doing it with me. It's great support (thanks Betsy for your email this morning!) and a resource for recipes (Liz, I can't wait to make those smoothies and pancakes). I am feeling in control, for today, but remain nervous about my week of travel Sept 19-27th. Luckily I am traveling to three of the healthiest cities in this country (if not the world) Denver, San Fran and Seattle. I am also lucky that I have already made contact at a crossfit box right outside of Seattle SnoRidge Crossfit - and am looking forward to working out there while in town. I am setting myself up for success and it feels good!

Some of you may have noticed that I removed the Delicious What-Not's page at the top of my blog - others may not have noticed ;) That's because, as I have recently learned, I can't post blogs to new pages; I can only update them with static information. And I would like to tag recipes for easy access - who doesn't love easy access?! So, here are my first two recipes, to be filed under BREAKFAST and Dinner. I capitalize BREAKFAST because it's the meal I have the most difficulty eating enough at on a paleo diet. I look forward to fixing that across the next 30 days!  Thanks again Liz for the pancake link!

Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon grilled on cedar planks and Sautéed Spinach with Bacon and Cherry Tomatoes  
You can find cedar planks (4 for $14) at World Market or Costco (and many other places, but that’s where I find them to be relatively inexpensive).  Someday I will share the story of how I carried a 20 lb Alaskan Salmon from Seattle to DC via plane.  Someday.

Soak your cedar planks for at least one hour, then dry in a hot oven for 5 mins. Coat your fish in olive oil, salt and pepper, then squeeze fresh lemon and slice placing slices on top of fish. If you buy a high quality fish, you won’t need much to season it - plus you want to taste to “smoke” from your planks. Grill or bake fish - it will take about twice as long on the planks as it does directly on the grill or in a baking pan.

Bake bacon or cook on stove top. If you cook on stove top, save some of the drippings for the spinach. Once bacon is cooked, sauté spinach in same pan (draining most of the bacon grease or use a very light olive oil coating). Once completely “wilted” add cherry tomatoes that have been halved and salt and pepper. Sprinkle spinach and tomatoes with crumbled bacon bits when ready to serve (if you add bacon too early it will soften).

You can really add any veges you want to spinach - mushrooms, garlic, onions, etc. I just happen to like the way the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes compliment the bitter spinach. I also squeeze fresh lemon over the spinach right before I serve it. Feel free to also sub in coconut oil instead of olive oil if thats your preference - in fact, that might be delicious on the salmon! It was all YUM! :)

Almond Banana Pancakes
2 bananas
1 egg
1 heaping tablespoon of almond butter

Mash the bananas. Add egg and mix well. Stir in almond butter, adding an additional tablespoon if you prefer thicker "pancake-like" mix.
Warm butter in pan on low heat, pour in mix making small pancakes. Brown (let them get crispy on edges BEFORE flipping). Eat.

I imagine you can sub lots of stuff for the bananas - almond flour, pumpkin, shredded apples, etc.