Monthly Archives: February 2013
Santa’s gone primal
It was the night before Christmas ………… both my kids were so excited that Santa was coming that night to deliver their presents. Yes, my kids still believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Mouse. Quite special really.
Leaving a snack out for Santa and his reindeer is something that they love to do before they go to bed on Christmas Eve. So picture this……true story. Read the rest of this entry
Exercise like a caveman – Part 2
Mark Sisson – he is clearly doing something right!
In these posts (Exercise like a caveman Part 1 and 2) , I have attempted to summarise the important points from Mark Sisson’s book, The Primal Blueprint. I can highly recommend his book and his blog as excellent reads covering the primal lifestyle.
Ok – so let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. How should we be exercising to reap all the benefits of optimum primal fitness? Read the rest of this entry
Exercise like a caveman – Part 1
Ok everyone, it is time to deviate away from the food side of primal living and start looking at the primal exercise laws that Mark Sisson’s lays out in his fabulous book, The Primal Blueprint. I will attempt to summarise his most salient points in a few short posts.
These primal exercise laws will get you fit, healthy and will delay the aging process. Yes all you yummy mummies – did that get your attention? Who wouldn’t want to look younger ? Sign me up please.
The good news is that it only requires two hours a week of walking around, one mini-strength workout a week lasting less than 10 minutes, one complete strength workout a week of 30 minutes and a sprint session every 7 to 10 days. Doesn’t sound too onerous does it? Continue reading
Pork chops and colourful veg
This was a yummy, colourful meal that the whole family enjoyed this week.
I pan-fried the pork chops in a little bit of olive oil and seasoned well with herbs and spices, salt and pepper.
I stir-fried the red cabbage in a wok with knob of coconut oil (it gives food such a lovely and different flavour).
I boiled the green beans in some salted water and then added them to a pan where I had pre-cooked some chopped onion and garlic with a little butter.
I steamed the pumpkin and just seasoned with some salt and pepper. So all in all it was a very easy and colourful plate of food to prepare.
5 big fat lies we are fed
Unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation out there that continues to cause confusion for people with regards to what they should or shouldn’t be eating, e.g. butter or margarine ? I understand when people say to me, “Oh well opinions about these things change everyday, I can’t keep up!”
I understand that sentiment, but if we look at progress and research more positively we can begin to understand that new information becomes available every day thanks to the scientists involved in finding out the truth about things.
If you are old enough – think back to the days when doctors used to appear in print ads stating that smoking was good for you. Well, we know better now and have changed our behaviours accordingly.
We just need to approach new information with an open mind. Check the source(s) and do some of your own research until you are satisfied to accept or reject it . But please don’t throw it out from the get go just because it is new or different to what you have previously been told. Click here to read what the 5 lies are
Grass-fed beef fillet with a mixed salad
Saturday night’s supper consisted of grass-fed, free-range fillet steak we bought at the Earth Fair market (Tokai, Cape Town) on Saturday morning.
Surprisingly, it was less expensive than fillet bought from your regular large supermarket retailer.
I served it with a mixed salad and finished off the meat with a sauce concoction of garlic, whole-grain mustard, butter and fresh herbs. Click here to read more about grass-fed beef
Spare tyres and man boobs
Wow Shirley, congratulations! I didn’t know you were pregnant. When are you due?
What do you mean Mary? I am not pregnant!
Maybe you know exactly how Shirley feels, because you have found yourself in this same scenario. I know I have! It was 8 months after having my first baby and someone who I hadn’t seen in a while thought I was still pregnant – and the comment was made in a lift full of people!
Dr William Davis, in his book “Wheat Belly”, claims that foods made with or containing wheat make you fat. He further admits that sugary soft drinks and sedentary lifestyles add to the problem, but for those health conscious people who exercise regularly and watch what they eat – the principal trigger for increasing weight is wheat. Read the rest of this entry
Delicious primal banana bread
This recipe is super easy to prepare and is seriously yummy and guilt-free. You don’t find those three adjectives together in the same sentence very often. I baked these little tea time goodies for the first time today and they went down a treat with the family. I would think that they would work pretty well in the kiddie’s lunch boxes too from the way my two girls devoured them.
They took only 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to bake. So it was only 30 minutes from start to finish. You can find the non-standard ingredients at your local health store, Dischem or Wellness Warehouse. Continue reading to get this recipe
Lunch box ideas for the kids
Want to know what I put into my kid’s lunch box? Here are some ideas to help your kid’s make the transition to a grain free diet. Avoiding grains during the school day will help keep their blood sugar levels stable. Be sure to include a healthy protein to fill them up and keep their energy levels high.
I don’t get it right every day, but I strive for a few primal lunch boxes a week. One has to be a little more prepared and organised and it does take slightly longer to put together than squirting some honey onto two slices of bread. But I believe the effort is worth it. Continue reading
10 reasons to give up grains
Warm flaky croissants, hot buttered toast with jam, pancakes dripping with maple syrup. Sounds divine doesn’t it? Something that good can’t be that bad for you right? Life’s little pleasures and all that. I am hoping that what I have to share with you today, will help you see these foods in a different light.
I need to be honest at this point – I love these foods too. I am from Italian stock and was practically raised on pasta, ciabatta bread and Panettone. Unfortunately, I still often succumb to temptation. Put my sister-in-laws carrot cake in front of me and you won’t have to twist my rubber arm. I will gladly accept a slice and cite the 80/20 principle to justify the indulgence. Read the rest of this entry
Primal Perks 