grains are gross

Now that I have your attention, let me tell you how I really feel. Strict Paleo/Primal eaters are hard core in their anti-grain beliefs. I take a bit softer approach but I did go gluten-free many years before I knew what Paleo was so, except for an occasional cheat, I stay away from wheat and I've reaped many rewards in return. 

I won't get preachy here but I want to include a couple of links to a fuller explanation, in case you want to know more about the thinking behind this crazy no-grain notion. Believe me, these people are serious about it and they don't mince words. But you may find them to be insightful. In our house, we haven't completely eliminated all grains but we've significantly reduced our consumption because we're pretty convinced that grains are very difficult to digest and, therefore, inflammation. And inflammation is ugly on every level.

Mark's Daily Apple 
Everyday Paleo 

Let's get one thing straight, though. I'm not anti-carb. We NEED them. We just don't need as many of them and we think we do and we want to consume the kind that will give us the most nutritionally dense bang for our buck. So let's talk about some good places to start. If you're not convinced yet (or ever) that you want to jump in with both feet, you can still test the waters with a few simple baby steps. 

Here are a couple of my favorites:

Anti-pasta

I've never been a huge pasta lover so at some level it was easy to cut it out and faggetaboutit. However, there are a few favorite recipes I wanted to keep in rotation and spaghetti squash is a good alternative. Now, when I make my beloved Cincinnati Chili, I simply serve it over baked spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti. It's different, yes, so don't try to trick your kids into believing it's the real thing. But it's good in it's own right and it's counts as another nutrient-dense vegetable serving, so how can THAT be bad? Give it a whirl under one of your own favorite sauces and see what you think.

Almond flour

Almond flour is a real staple for Paleo eaters and for those who suffer from things like Celiac and other digestive and/or auto-immune diseases. I've gathered quite a collection of favorite recipes from various sources that I will share with you in upcoming posts. Maybe this goes without saying but definitely you should NOT try to substitute almond flour for regular flour in one of your favorite cake or cookie recipes. I can pretty much guarantee you'll be disappointed. Use a recipe specifically designed for it.

I find that I miss my grains mostly at breakfast. I used to eat a slice of toasted millet bread with sunflower butter every single morning. I still do that on occasion but mostly I have an egg and a biscuit made with almond flour. The almond flour (made from 100% blanched almonds milled into a fine flour) is obviously grain-free and quite high in protein and good fat and all kinds of other nutrients. I order mine online from Honeyville Grains. Trader Joe's has almond meal for about the same price but the almonds aren't blanched so it has a coarser texture. One small biscuit is dense, super filling and satisfies my craving for bread. It may not look like much on your plate but I guarantee that if you eat it you won't be hungry an hour later. Oh, and if you like them, I suggest you do what I do: Always make a double recipe and throw them in the freezer so all you have to do in the mornings is pop one in the microwave for about 20 seconds and you're good to go.

Here's the recipe. Enjoy!!

Source: elanaspantry.com via Kathi on Pinterest