21-DAY
PALEO
CLEANSE
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR
PEOPLE WITH AUTOIMMUNE
DISEASES, FOOD ALLERGIES,
AND GUT HEALTH PROBLEMS
TO REDUCE INFLAMMATION,
REVERSE SYMPTOMS, AND
LOSE WEIGHT.
Important Note:
OK. This work is copyrighted. And US copyright law says we can get really
mad at you if you share this with anyone, even your sister or your mom. And
that we can sue your pants off for stealing, just like if you had broken into our
house and stolen our TV. Jason personally hates US copyright law. He thinks
it’s prehistoric and desperately needs to be updated. But we also have a product
today, one that we’ve worked hard on, and would like to be protected. Puts us
in somewhat of a bind.
So, we’ll make a deal with you. This product is copyright © Paleo Plan 2012.
Just like normal. But, if you know one or two people who you think could really
benefit from using this, but would never buy it on their own, then maybe we’ll
look the other way for a minute*. But we ask, if you’ve gotten this for free and it’s
helped you, please consider buying a license yourself. Or buy a copy for a friend
and pay it forward.
If you’re a health practitioner gym owner, a trainer, or CrossFit affiliate and
would like to share this with your customers, we have a special license just for
you, and you can get more information by emailing us at [email protected].
We’re trying to be human here, and introduce some thought and compassion into
a law that seems to have none. Please be cool and help us grow a business aimed
at helping people improve their lives.
Thanks,
Jason and Neely
Paleo Plan
PaleoPlan.com
© Paleo Plan 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
redistributed in any form without the prior written permission of the publishers.
* Note, this does not condone sharing, and we reserve all rights associated with
our copyright.
paleoplan.com ii
About the author
Neely Quinn, Nutrition Therapist
Neely is the nutrition therapist and blogger
at Paleo Plan. She has been experimenting
with nutrition on herself seriously since
2001 and received her certificate as an
Integrated Clinical Nutrition Therapist in
2007. In 2009, she realized she could not
tolerate grains or dairy and thus adopted
a Paleo diet, absorbing all the information
about ancestral diets she could, using her
solid base in nutrition science to help her
decipher fact from nonsense.
Since then, her health has improved dramatically, as have her rock climbing
performance and overall outlook on life. When her nutrition clients began
responding just as well to a Paleo lifestyle as she did, she knew she had to make
it her life’s work to spread the word about this ancient way of eating. She joined
Jason Glaspey at Paleo Plan in 2011 and has not looked back since.
She is the co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Paleo with Jason.
They also wrote the Quickstart Guide and Paleo Challenge eBook and provide free
Paleo recipes to all and weekly Paleo meal plans to their thousands of subscribers
at www.paleoplan.com. Neely’s mission is to make eating Paleo simple to do and
easy to understand.
In her personal world, she is happily married with one neurotic border collie
mix. She lives in Boulder, Colorado, where she is a slightly obsessed rock climber,
having achieved personal bests of 5.13c and V9. She hopes to one day climb 5.14
and is using the Paleo diet to slowly but surely attain that goal. She also enjoys
reading books about mythical creatures and any game involving words.
paleoplan.com iii
Table of Contents
An Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
CH 1. Where Our Western Diet Went Wrong . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
CH 2. Extra Foods You’ll Remove for the Cleanse . . . . . . . 15
CH 3. Paleo Cleanse Food Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
CH 4. Oils and Fats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
CH 6. Putting it into Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
CH 7. What to do After the Cleanse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
CH 8. Meal Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
paleoplan.com iv
There are all kinds of cleanses out
AN INTRODUCTION
there. Some would have you only
drink water for a week, while others
have you eating only cabbage soup
or some cayenne pepper concoction for a certain amount of
time. Doesn’t sound like too much fun to us. We at Paleo Plan
don’t think those kinds of cleanses are necessary. In fact,
they can be damaging and even set you back from reaching
long-term goals.
If what you’re looking for is to lose weight or decrease inflammation in your
body, sure, some of those cleanses can help in the short term. But what about
after the cleanse is over? You go back to eating the way you always have, griming
up your innards and gaining the weight back that you just laboriously lost.
Instead of the crash-diet cleanses out there, we’d rather see you do a “cleanse”
that will lead to a sustainable way of eating and living—a cleanse that will
continue to keep inflammation at bay, help you lose weight, and prepare you for a
lifestyle of eating that will let you keep that new svelte body forever.
That’s just the kind of cleanse this is. This ebook contains three weeks of meal
plans and recipes that include real, delicious food—not powders and concoctions,
which can leave you feeling unsatisfied. This cleanse is designed to combat
inflammation and improve blood sugar balance, both of which can improve all
kinds of symptoms and diseases, including digestive problems, autoimmune
disorders, joint issues, being overweight or obese, diabetes, heart disease, skin
problems, anxiety, fatigue, and more. This cleanse is one that we think people
can happily sustain not just for a week or two but, if necessary, for a lifetime
of happy eating. This leads to health, sustained weight management, and
revitalized energy.
We know, we know. These claims should be saved for pop-up screens and detox
supplement bottles: “This cleanse will make all your problems go away and create
world peace!” A lot of people’s biggest health problems do actually disappear on
this diet, but we’re not going to make any promises. We just believe very strongly
that this is the way humans were meant to eat, as laid out by millions of years of
evolution. This meal plan and ebook will show you how to “cleanse” your body
and cupboards of the detrimental foods you’ve been told to eat your whole life
and will replace those with the ones you actually evolved to eat.
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We’ve made a mouthwatering meal plan that removes the foods that commonly
cause inflammation in people:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grains
Beans (including soy)
Refined sugar
Dairy
Vegetable oils
Artificial additives and preservatives
Sound familiar? That’s the Paleo diet in a nutshell, but for this cleanse we’ve also
taken out some other foods that have been shown to contribute to leaky gut,
which is the basis for a lot of inflammation. If these extra things we’ve removed
for this cleanse don’t contribute directly to inflammation, they’re foods and
drinks that can mess with your blood sugar and mood, and that you might be
addicted to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Caffeine
Sweeteners (artificial and natural)
Nuts and seeds
Nightshades
Eggs
Alcohol
Dairy
So what’s left to eat? We’ll get into that in detail later, but basically:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Meat
Seafood
Fish
Veggies
Fruits
Good fats
Why are we suggesting you throw away your cheesy bread and sweets? Like we
said, those foods can contribute to leaky gut, which causes inflammation.
What’s Leaky Gut?
Leaky gut is when your intestinal lining gets wrecked by the foods you eat, lack
of sleep, and/or too much stress, and particles of food find their way through
the gut lining into the bloodstream. Your immune system isn’t a big fan of that;
food is supposed to stay in your digestive tract from the time it enters your
body until it leaves. So it launches attacks on those food particles, often creating
uncomfortable symptoms for you and long-term inflammation in your body.
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Autoimmune Disorders
People with autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis,
Crohn’s, and celiac are dealing with a special kind of inflammation that also has
its roots in leaky gut. People with already compromised guts might be better off
without eggs, nightshade plants (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant), nuts,
and seeds. We’ll explain why throughout this book.
Our hope is that you feel (and look) like a different person after following this
guide for the next few weeks. After that, our advice to you is to either stay on this
kind of diet for a while if it seems to be working for you (or forever, if necessary),
especially if you have food sensitivities or an autoimmune disorder. Or you
can ease into a Paleo diet that includes eggs, nightshades, nuts, seeds, some
sweeteners, caffeine, and alcohol.
Who Should Do This Cleanse?
Anyone who has any of the following should consider this way of eating.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
utoimmune disorders (MS, RA, type 1 diabetes, lupus, Crohn’s,
A
any type of IBD, Hashimoto’s, celiac, etc.)
Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes
Hypoglycemia
Skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis, etc.)
Fatigue
Insomnia
Depression/Anxiety
Heart Disease
Joint or muscle pain
High blood pressure
Digestive problems
Cholesterol or triglyceride issues
Extra fat to lose
Muscle to gain
A desire to make a fresh start
Unfortunately, there aren’t many people in Western cultures who don’t suffer
from at least one of these things, and most of them are caused by inflammation
and improper diet.
This cleanse will provide you with all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants,
protein, fat, and carbohydrates you need to help heal your body. Moreover, some
of the foods you usually eat that are not part of this cleanse will no longer plague
your body with inflammation or physical/emotional pain.
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Cleanse Quiz
Let’s find out if you are a good candidate for this cleanse. Ask yourself the
following questions and tally up your “yes” answers.
Are you overweight or underweight?
Do you get fatigued often or easily?
D
o you have an autoimmune disease like celiac, lupus,
rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s, or type 1 diabetes?
Do you depend on coffee or alcohol to get you through your day?
Do you have pain in your joints?
Do you get bloated or have diarrhea or constipation regularly?
Is your skin inflamed with acne, eczema, psoriasis, etc.?
Are you feeling older than you actually are?
Do you have mood swings often, especially when you’re hungry?
Do you have heart disease or any signs of it?
Do you have type 2 diabetes, high blood glucose, or insulin resistance?
Are you depressed?
Are you or your partner having trouble getting pregnant?
Do you want more muscle tone?
Are you addicted to sweets and “can’t live without them”?
Do you have heartburn, ulcers, or GERD?
Are you on any prescription drugs?
Do you have seasonal allergies?
Do you have thyroid issues?
If you answered yes to even one of the questions above, you have nothing to lose
by giving this cleanse a try. If you answered yes to more than three, then we
strongly suggest you cleanse that body of yours for good. These symptoms and
illnesses aren’t just part of life, and they’re not just what happens as you get older.
They’re brought on by poor diet, stress, and other lifestyle factors, and you don’t
have to suffer anymore.
There’s plenty of evidence to show that traditional cultures who eat similarly
to the way you will on this cleanse have far fewer (and often none) of these
complaints through their entire lives. These are the people we’re trying to
emulate on the Paleo diet. Check out these blog posts from Paleo Plan on the
glowing health of the Kitavans and the Inuits for more information.
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Weight Loss
This cleanse will likely help you lose weight because you’ll feel satisfied eating
the foods you were evolutionarily designed to eat over millions of years. Feeling
satisfied after every meal will make you less likely to overeat, and you will have
fewer cravings. The healthy fats, protein, and fewer carbs will help you balance
your blood sugar, which will potentially reverse type 2 diabetes (yep, reverse
it), improve your energy levels, mood, addiction to sweets and caffeine, and
potentially even help with thyroid issues, among many other things.
Inflammation
Inflammation starts in the gut, is driven by the immune system, and ends up
all over your body. That means it starts with what we eat. Seasonal allergies,
autoimmune disorders, ulcers, acne, aging, heart disease, joint pain, and even
weight gain are all a product of chronic, systemic inflammation. Even infertility
can be a product of inflammation and hormonal imbalance.
Taking certain foods out of your diet and replacing them with foods your body
loves can decrease inflammation of all kinds.
paleoplan.com 5
Testimonial
(Michele’s multiple sclerosis symptoms get wiped out!)
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I am a fifty-three-year-old woman who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis just
over fifteen years ago. In that time, the disease has degenerated considerably,
affecting everything from my brain to my legs, my skin to my digestive system.
Recently the episodes of weakness and fatigue, as well as bouts of irritable
bowel, had become so intense and debilitating that I was desperately searching
for some healthy ways to take my life back. Enter Paleo Plan!
After educating myself, I committed fully to the plan. Please know as a fullblooded Italian woman, I love my food. Pizza, pasta, and cannoli are a typical
Sunday meal. But the pain had gotten so intense and the digestive issues so
intrusive, I knew I had to make some big changes.
Thirty days later, I am nothing short of amazed. Honestly, I have tears in my
eyes as I type this note. I have not had one MS episode (which can consist of
trembling, burning, and even falling, on a daily basis.) I have not had one
flare-up of irritable bowel.
Considering that I have been known to be stranded in a public restroom for six
hours, doubled over in pain, this is huge! I am sleeping every single night for at
least seven straight hours. This is a significant change. Thirty-one days ago, I
would sleep two hours and then wake up in such pain I could no longer stay in
bed. I have energy to spare. I am walking two miles every day. I actually feel like
a fog has been lifted from my head. I am thinking clearer and having much more
productive days. And the icing on this gluten free/dairy free (DELICIOUS) cake is
that I have lost ten pounds!
If I feel this good in thirty days, I can only imagine how amazing I am going to
feel in sixty. I feel such hope: Hope that I will no longer need to take steroids.
Hope that I will no longer need to take chemo treatments. Hope that I can share
this information with people who I have come to love and who also struggle with
MS. Hope that my family will be healthier because I am shopping and cooking in
a whole new way. Please know that your work is appreciated. In thirty days, this
has become a passion.
I set out to take my life back. Thanks to Paleo, I actually have a whole new life.
Thank you,
Michele Klepac
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We asked Michele for an update eight months after she wrote this, and here’s
what she said.
I have followed Paleo faithfully for seven and a half months now. I’m NEVER going
back. I have never felt better. I’m stronger, healthier, and happier than I’ve been
in over thirty years. Additionally, my MS symptoms have subsided and in some
cases even disappeared completely. I’m sleeping better and have even gotten
compliments on my skin!
Getting healthy was certainly my focus, but I have to admit that my thirty-fivepound weight loss is really exciting! Paleo has become a bit of a passion for
me. I research articles, try recipes, and read blogs. Thank you for teaching me
something new all the time. You are instrumental in my life change.
Fondly,
Michele Klepac
P.S.: The one modification I’ve made is I do eat organic, Greek, full-fat plain
yogurt. It seems very beneficial in combating some of my digestive issues.
Take care.
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It turns out that the
USDA’s Food where our western diet went wrong
Guide Pyramid,
with its six to
eleven requisite servings of grains, its exclusion of important
(saturated) fats, its inclusion of unhealthy fats (processed
vegetable oils), and its paltry servings of meat, fish, and eggs,
was mostly wrong. Even their updated MyPlate guidelines
recommend that adults eat between six and eight servings of
grains a day. That’s six to eight slices of bread per day, and
only half of that “should be whole grains,” in their opinion.
chapter 1
They also say, “To lower risk for heart disease, cut back on foods containing
saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol,” and that all of your meat should be
lean. That’s not necessarily true, except for the trans fats bit, and we’ll go into
that a little later.
It doesn’t take a genius to see that these recommendations are not working,
considering the fact that heart disease and type 2 diabetes are still the top killers
in Western countries, and at least two thirds of Western people are overweight.
Something isn’t right.
Enter the Paleo Diet
Also known as the Caveman Diet, Ancestral Diet, Hunter-Gatherer Diet, or
Paleolithic Diet, and similar to the Primal diet. With this way of eating, we
are going back to our evolutionary roots. Humans have been evolving for about
2.5 million years (much of which occurred during the Paleolithic era, hence the
term Paleo diet) while eating game meats, fish, seafood, and insects, with plant
foods (fruits, veggies, root veggies, and herbs) filling in the gaps when they
were available. Most of our evolution as a species didn’t happen while eating
agricultural foods like grains, beans, dairy, sugar, and vegetable oils, much less
brightly colored food dyes, artificial sweeteners, and unnatural preservatives
and additives.
We only started growing those crops and domesticating animals for their milk
and meat about ten thousand years ago, when the Neolithic era began, which
has given us relatively little time to fully adapt to those new foods. Not to
mention that in the last one hundred years, our diets have become worse than
ever, with way too much sugar, vegetable oils, trans fats, factory-farmed animal
foods, GMO’s, artificial flavorings and colorings, super-sized everything, and
pesticides. Thus the dramatic increase in chronic diseases of all kinds in the last
paleoplan.com 8
century.
So what do all of those new foods do to your body? Why are we not including
wheat, rice, white flour (which is wheat), oats, corn, spelt, amaranth, quinoa, or
any other grain on the cleanse? Why no soy, no beans, no vegetable oil, sugar,
dairy, or additives, even though you’ve been told for so long that many of those
foods are the keys to your good health? And what about those extra foods we’ve
taken out for this cleanse, the eggs, nuts and seeds, and nightshades? Let’s start
with the grains.
Grains
Grains or grain-like foods include anything made from wheat (white flour, wheat
flour, all-purpose flour), rice, rye, barley, corn, millet, oats, buckwheat, kamut,
teff, spelt, and amaranth. That includes bread, cereal, pasta, pastries, cookies,
beer, grain alcohols, crackers, bagels, tortillas, oatmeal, and corn chips, to name
a few. Even the gluten-free varieties of all of those things still almost always
contain grains. A lot of foods, like some soups, use flour as a thickener, as do a
lot of other prepackaged foods you find in a normal grocery store. You will need
to look very carefully at ingredients to make sure it’s free of grains from now on.
Grains make up at least 50 percent of most people’s diets, though, so we better
have good reasons to tell you not to eat them.
Gluten
The first good reason is gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, spelt, barley,
rye, and oats (but only because oats are usually contaminated with gluten during
processing). Because it’s found in wheat, gluten is in most baked goods in the
United States. White flour is just refined wheat flour, so when the ingredient list
on a package says just “flour,” that means wheat.
It’s also added to foods in the form of hydrolyzed protein, starch, modified
starch, malt, natural flavorings, and binders.
Gluten is becoming a household word because so many people have a hard
time digesting it. It can cause digestive problems like diarrhea, constipation,
bloating, acid reflux, and cramping. Your immune and endocrine systems can
also get involved, causing symptoms like fatigue, skin inflammation, joint pain,
infertility, and abnormal menstrual symptoms.
No one knows for sure how many people have problems with gluten, but some
experts believe that anywhere from 30–80 percent of people in the United States
have some intolerance or immune sensitivity to it. At least 1 percent of the US
CH 1. Where Our Western Diet Went Wrong
paleoplan.com 9
population has celiac, which is an autoimmune response to gluten that damages
the small intestine.
You don’t have to be diagnosed as celiac to have an immune reaction to gluten,
though. The gluten can wreak havoc on your gut lining, causing or contributing
to leaky gut, and then cause an immune response, whether or not you technically
have celiac.
Certain Lectins
Most foods—and living things, for that matter—contain lectins. They’re proteins
that help protect animals and plants from diseases or invaders, such as humans.
For instance, wheat contains a lectin called wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). Other
grains, beans, and even nuts and seeds contain lectins similar to it. Lectins are
sticky little buggers. The WGA goes into your small intestine and gloms onto its
lining. It then tricks your body into taking it across the border of your intestine
intact, where it is seen as a foreign invader by your immune system. Antibodies
are created in response to the lectins, and unfortunately lectins often look a lot
like other parts of your body. They may look like cells in your pancreas, thyroid,
etc., so the same antibodies that were created to attack the lectin will actually
launch attacks on your own body. This is where autoimmune issues arise, like
type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.
Phytic Acid
Phytic acid is present in grains, beans, nuts, and seeds, and we lack the enzyme
phytase to digest it. Phytic acid binds to the magnesium, calcium, zinc, and iron
in those foods and takes them out of your body unabsorbed. So even if you’re
eating foods containing those nutrients, you’re not necessarily absorbing all of
those nutrients.
Legumes
Legumes, or beans (lentils, black beans, pinto beans, soy, peanuts, etc.), also
contain lectins and phytic acid, just like grains. They absolutely must be cooked
for long periods of time, soaked, sprouted, and preferably fermented to remove,
at best, most of the lectins and phytic acid. This proper processing and cooking
of legumes has all but been forgotten in modern food preparation. Legumes are
a mediocre source of protein and a large source of carbohydrates and therefore
produce a big glycemic response.
Soy, a legume, isn’t prepared well enough in this country to remove most of those
toxins (it should be fermented), and it’s a major source of plant-based estrogens,
CH 1. Where Our Western Diet Went Wrong
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which can wreak havoc on men’s and women’s hormonal balance. Sally Fallon
of the Weston A. Price Foundation wrote an excellent article on soy if you’d
like more details and references about the problems of soy. Soy is also one of
the biggest genetically modified (GM) crops out there, and studies proving GM
crops’ health detriments are mounting. Moreover, legumes give a lot of people
gas. We think they’re a waste of calories.
Refined Sugars
Refined sugars are sweet, simple carbohydrates made from foods like beets and
sugar cane, corn, honey, and maple syrup. Respectively, they’re more commonly
known as white sugar, cane sugar, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup,
dextrose and maltodextrin (both also made from corn), refined honey (as
opposed to raw honey), refined maple syrup, and there are many others. As you
know, white sugar and corn syrup are in everything from soft drinks to candy
bars to marinara sauce.
Refined sugar wouldn’t be such a big issue if we didn’t eat so much of it. When
you eat sugary foods that spike your blood glucose, it stresses your body. Too
much sugar in your blood is toxic, and your body releases the hormone insulin to
cope with the glucose. The insulin acts like a key to your cells, and it allows the
glucose to enter your cells for use and storage. Glucose gets stored as glycogen,
and when your glycogen stores get filled up, the sugar is stored as fat.
The faster your blood sugar spikes, the faster it plummets as the glucose is taken
up into your cells. So while you may feel energized for a while after eating that
donut, you might feel tired and sluggish less than an hour afterward. That’s about
the time you reach for the coffee or other caffeinated drink, which shocks your
body into releasing cortisol and adrenaline (or epinephrine) from your adrenal
glands. Cortisol stimulates stored glucose to be injected into your blood stream
to give you energy, and adrenaline makes you feel more awake by making your
body think it’s in a super stressful situation, as if you’d been shocked awake by
a car crash or a vicious dog.
There are several problems with this constant cycle of eating sugar, having a
blood sugar spike, and then plummeting blood sugar due to insulin. First of all,
your cells become less and less receptive to insulin, so it takes more and more
insulin to get the glucose into your cells. After a while, you can become insulin
CH 1. Where Our Western Diet Went Wrong
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resistant and eventually diabetic. That’s why many diabetics need to take insulin,
since their own insulin isn’t enough to handle all that sugar.
The other problem is chronic cortisol secretion when you consume caffeine or
when your blood sugar drops too low. Cortisol is a major player in your immune
system and endocrine system. Too much of it can all but shut down your immune
system and reproductive system, and perpetuate chronic inflammation of all
kinds. The answer is simply to stop eating the foods that spike your blood sugar
in the first place.
It’s fine to have a little fun with sugar on occasion, but when you’re spiking
glucose, insulin, and cortisol levels over and over every day with cookies,
cereals, granola bars, sodas, juices, pastries, caffeine, and white flour, you’re just
promoting weight gain, insulin resistance, diabetes, chronic inflammation, a sick
immune system, fatigue, and moodiness. Not to mention rotten teeth.
“Vegetable” Oils
The oils we know as vegetable oils are not actually made from vegetables. They’re
typically made from seeds. The most commonly used oils in the Western diet
are canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil,
peanut oil, and some sort of conglomeration of those in margarine form. They’re
often hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, which creates heart diseaseinducing trans fats. Because oil is very difficult to extract from seeds, they’re
almost always highly heated during processing. Then they’re often chemically
refined and deodorized, because they smell pretty bad otherwise. In other words,
they’re usually on their way to becoming rancid by the time they hit the shelves.
That’s because all those oils are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are
very susceptible to becoming oxidized, or rancid, when exposed to heat, air, and
light. Oxidized fats create inflammation and contribute to heart disease and all
other chronic inflammatory conditions.
It was thought that these oils were better for heart health than, say, lard, and
that’s what you’ve been told for most of your life. However, it turns out that
vegetable oils are very high in omega-6 fatty acids (one of those polyunsaturated
fats), which are highly inflammatory. It turns out that heart disease is a disease of
inflammation. Omega-3 oils, the kind you find in coldwater fish, are highly antiinflammatory, while omega 6 fatty acids, the kind you find in corn oil, sunflower
oil, and cottonseed oil, nuts, seeds, and grains, are highly inflammatory. Cutting
out vegetable oils and eating fish once or twice a week takes care of a lot of the
CH 1. Where Our Western Diet Went Wrong
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imbalance between omega 6’s and omega 3’s. You need both of them for proper
health, but you need them in the right proportions.
Instead of these vegetable oils, you should eat healthier fats and oils that don’t
contribute as much to inflammation or heart disease, like the oils from coldwater
fish, coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil, tallow, and lard. Yep, we said that lard is good
for your health, and we meant it. We’ll talk more about that in the FAQ section.
Dairy
There are some differences of opinion about whether or not dairy is Paleo. It’s
definitely Primal, which is the diet Mark Sisson at www.marksdailyapple.com
has laid out. But as for its strict Paleo-ness, it’s not such a sure thing. In any case,
it’s not on this cleanse.
We all agree that before the advent of agriculture, dairy was not something
people would have consumed after the first few years of life, when they would
have been breastfeeding. After all, milking a wild mastodon would have been a
little tricky. For that reason alone, dairy’s not Paleo in its truest sense. Moreover,
Loren Cordain, one of the fathers of the Paleo diet and author of The Paleo Diet,
believes that dairy is one of the causes of many of our current health maladies,
including some cancers, insulin resistance, and acne. Cordain keeps a blog, and
this blog post in particular is a fantastic resource for more information on his
camp’s beliefs about dairy.
However, since almost all of the studies on dairy cited by Cordain and many
others have been done using pasteurized, homogenized, low-fat, factory-farmed
dairy products, part of the story is missing. There is a lot of evidence that
supports whole-fat, raw milk’s health benefits to humans, including anti-cancer
and anti-acne effects. “Raw” milk hasn’t been heated or tampered with in order
to pasteurize or homogenize it. You can find all kinds of information about its
safety and sources of it at www.realmilk.com. There have been indigenous
groups all over the world who’ve lived vibrant, long lives on diets that include raw
dairy products as staples.
Pasteurization and Homogenization
Some people may have better luck with dairy than others, but we think that all
people should avoid eating pasteurized and homogenized dairy. The heat applied
during the pasteurization process destroys enzymes that are used for digestion
and assimilation of the nutrients in the milk. The homogenization process not
only heats the milk further but it wrecks the fat globules. Many people have
CH 1. Where Our Western Diet Went Wrong
paleoplan.com 13
an immune response of some kind to the protein casein in milk. When milk is
homogenized, the fat globules end up containing milk protein, including casein,
which increases the allergenic potential of all homogenized milk products.
Lactose Intolerance
Most people are at least somewhat lactose intolerant after they’re weaned,
meaning they lack enough of the enzyme lactase, which helps digest the lactose
in milk. After all, we evolved for millions of years only drinking milk from our
mothers and never again after that. As we said, the pasteurization process gets
rid of that helpful lactase already present in milk. However, fermenting milk—
making yogurt, buttermilk, kefir, and other fermented dairy foods—helps to
get rid of the lactose that’s so difficult to digest. That’s why if you’re going to eat
conventional dairy, fermented dairy is best—just not for the next three weeks.
After the cleanse, if you want to, add full-fat, unpasteurized, unhomogenized,
fermented, grass-fed dairy back in to your diet. If you do try it, take note of
how you feel: how your skin looks, whether you get a yeast infection, how your
digestion feels, and any other symptom you may not have attributed to dairy in
the past. To find a source of raw dairy in your area, go to www.realmilk.com.
Unnecessary Additives
It’s excessive to drink sports drinks with fourteen teaspoons of sugar in them, but
there’s absolutely no reason whatsoever to make those sugary drinks fluorescent
yellow. Yellow 5 and other synthetic food colorings fall into this “unnecessary
additives” category. There are entire health regimes now based on removing
additives from people’s diets to improve problems like ADHD and autism.
There are also plenty of published articles about the reasons artificial additives
are so bad for us. Aspartame and other synthetic sweeteners, nitrates and nitrites,
potassium sorbate, and BHA are among the preservatives and sweeteners that
have been shown to have either cancerous effects or negative impacts on nervous
system health. Keep away from ingredients you can’t pronounce, and read A
Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives if you’re interested in knowing
more about the woes of food additives. And here’s a website that has a great
rundown of some of the most common harmful additives.
CH 1. Where Our Western Diet Went Wrong
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Eggs,
nightshades,
EXTRA FOODS YOU’LL REMOVE FOR THE CLEANSE
nuts, seeds,
alcohol,
caffeine, and some sweeteners are all normally part of a healthy
Paleo diet. In moderation, most people can tolerate them.
However, all these foods have properties that can contribute to
inflammation and/or unwanted symptoms.
chapter 2
You may have seen information online about how to modify a Paleo diet if you
have chronic inflammation, including autoimmune disorders like celiac, type 1
diabetes, Crohn’s, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple
sclerosis, lupus, and others. They usually call for taking out these foods.
That’s because even if you don’t have an autoimmune disorder, you may be
sensitive to these foods and not know it. For instance, you may have joint pain,
asthma symptoms, or even depression, and it’s all because you eat potatoes
or almonds. In our experience, all of these foods come up commonly on food
sensitivity tests, and many of our clients and readers have benefitted by taking
one or more of them out of their diets.
Taking these foods out of your diet for a few weeks will help you find out if you
are or aren’t sensitive to them. If your symptoms go away during the cleanse,
you’ll know you’re onto something. We’ll talk more about what to do with the
information you gain during this cleanse in the “What Do I Do After the
Cleanse?” section.
Nightshades
Nightshades are a family of foods that includes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tomatoes
Tomatillos
Potatoes
Peppers (bell peppers, paprika, habanero, chili peppers, cayenne
pepper, but not black pepper)
Eggplant
Tobacco
Goji berries
Garden huckleberries
Nightshades are a group of foods that many people are sensitive to for one reason
or another. They’re especially associated with arthritis and joint pain in general.
In fact, there’s even an Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation that
focuses on spreading awareness to people about these foods.
paleoplan.com 15
You may never have gone long enough without eating tomatoes or potatoes (after
all, they’re in so many common foods) that you’ve never had the opportunity to
find out if you’re affected by them.
We could go into the anti-nutrient profile of potatoes and other nightshades,
citing studies that say that the glycoalkaloids in potatoes can cause leaky gut just
like gluten can. But there’s a lot of debate about that right now; many of those
studies were subpar, done on mice, and sometimes only on mouse tissue in vivo.
For more information, Mark Sisson did a great write-up on the potato
debate, saying that there may not be enough evidence to keep them off a Paleo/
Primal diet. But he doesn’t eat them because he gets joint pain if he does, just like
so many other people. Loren Cordain wrote a post on why potatoes should be
avoided due to their anti-nutrient content. And Chris Kresser talked with Mat
LaLonde about why Cordain is wrong about potatoes. He concludes they’re
totally fine to eat unless you have a sensitivity to nightshades in general.
We think there’s enough evidence of people having joint pain and other
symptoms from nightshades that it warrants an experimental three weeks
without them.
Eggs
The first reason we took eggs out of this cleanse is that they are a very common
food allergy. While many people grow out of this allergy, many others don’t.
When you think of an “allergy,” you probably think of hives, swollen lips, major
diarrhea, or anaphylactic shock. While an allergic response can be as serious as
those symptoms, it’s not always so obvious: some people who have an immune
reaction to eggs have symptoms that are more mundane, like intestinal cramping,
diarrhea, constipation, skin irritation, asthma, runny nose, sinus congestion, or
fatigue. Know anyone with those symptoms? We sure do. That’s why we’re giving
you this opportunity to see if eggs are a problem for you. Take them out during
these few weeks, and we guarantee that if you have a problem with them, you’ll
know when you try them after that time.
The second reason is that egg whites contain a protein called lysozyme, which
itself is pretty benign, even though it can cross the intestinal barrier. But
lysozyme bonds with other proteins in the egg whites, and when it carries those
proteins over the intestinal barrier into the blood stream, some people have an
immune reaction. That immune reaction can cause symptoms and can contribute
to autoimmune disorders. Cordain has written a very thorough explanation
of that process if you want to geek out a little more on it. Basically, egg whites
may contribute to leaky gut, and leaky gut leads to inflammation, including
autoimmune disorders.
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We think you can live without eggs for a few weeks, and the meal plan will help
you do that. If you try eating eggs after the cleanse and you have no symptoms
from them, then congrats! You can eat eggs! If you eat them and you have old
symptoms, you might want to cut them out of your diet, at least for another six
months to two years while your gut heals.
Caffeine
While you’re doing this cleanse, you are strongly encouraged to stop drinking
caffeine. Wait! Don’t stop reading! A lot of people use caffeine as a crutch. It’s
the way they get through their day, and if they didn’t have it, they’d take naps at
the wheel. This diet will give you more energy than your old diet. We promise. It
might be a rough couple of weeks when you’re first changing your diet, but you
may as well cleanse your whole system at once and give up caffeine while you’re
at it, right?
Remember that caffeine is in coffee, espresso, decaf coffee and decaf espresso,
maté, “energy drinks,” kombucha, caffeinated sodas, caffeinated diet sodas,
caffeinated sports drinks and gels, white tea, green tea, black tea, and brown tea.
Herbal teas that don’t have any of the above added to them, as well as rooibos tea,
are caffeine free. If you need to wean yourself off caffeine, try drinking green or
white tea to start.
If you just can’t give up your coffee and want to drink decaf, remember that it
does still contain caffeine. Plus, coffee in any form is often cross-reactive with
gluten, meaning it sets off the same immune response that gluten does.
You may be surprised by the massive effect caffeine can have on your quality of
sleep, your level of energy through the day, your stress levels, and possibly even
your weight.
Once you’re through these few weeks, go ahead and add your beloved caffeine
back to your diet if you want to and see how it really makes you feel. Then you
can decide how often you want to drink it.
You can do this.
For more info and statistics on how caffeine affects people, read Paleo Plan’s
blog post on “The Cruel Calling of Coffee.”
Alcohol
If you really want to go diehard with this cleanse, don’t drink alcohol for the next
three weeks. It’s a waste of calories for those people who want to lose weight, and
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it’s poisonous if you want to be honest. You’re trying to remove the poisons from
your diet to see how much better you can look, feel, and perform, so why not go
all the way?
However, if you do find yourself unable to resist the temptation of taking
the edge off, opt for more Paleo choices, like tequila made from pure agave
(the expensive kind), mead (honey wine), or wine. All the other spirits are
questionably gluten-free, so for now, stay away from them. Beer is full of gluten
and other grains, so do yourself a favor and abstain for this time period. After
you’re done, have a beer or whatever alcohol you’re fond of and see how it makes
your newly cleansed self feel. Your hangover might be worse, and you might feel
other symptoms while you’re drinking it now that your system is clean. Take note
and act accordingly next time you decide to imbibe. For more on that topic and
more detailed info, read this blog post at Paleo Plan about which alcoholic
beverages are Paleo and why.
Nuts and Seeds
During this cleanse, you won’t be eating any nuts or seeds—no almonds,
cashews, pumpkin seeds, etc. However, on a normal Paleo diet, nuts and seeds
are acceptable in moderation.
Nuts of all kinds are another one of those very common allergens, and just
because you’re not having attacks of anaphylactic shock every time you eat an
almond doesn’t mean you don’t have some immune response to them. Take a few
weeks to find out if you’re better off without them. We’ve seen people decrease
joint pain and digestive problems just by not eating nuts and seeds.
You may be wondering why nuts and seeds are allowed on a normal Paleo diet
when they too house these little molecules of phytic acid and lectins as we
learned in the “Where Our Western Diet Went Wrong” section. The truth is that
it’s always better to soak or sprout nuts and seeds. Soaking and sprouting helps
to get rid of the phytic acid and lectins, and makes them more digestible. Amy
from Real Food Whole Health made a great video on how to soak and dry nuts
and seeds. It’s unfortunate that this practice has all but been forgotten when all it
takes is a little water and a little time to do it.
If you adopt a Paleo diet after this cleanse month—and we strongly suggest you
do—you should eat them in moderation, no more than a couple of ounces (small
handfuls) a day.
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Sweeteners
There are some sweeteners that are acceptable on the Paleo diet. There are
hunter-gatherer tribes who’ve stated that their favorite food is honey, and they’ll
climb to great heights, risking their lives, to get at it. Those hunter-gatherers are
not overweight, and they don’t have diabetes. So humans are certainly capable of
processing simple sugars and sweeteners. It’s just that we in the West have gone
a little overboard with them, so we only eat them in moderation on the normal
Paleo diet.
For this cleanse, you’ll be removing sweeteners completely so that you can
attain the most sustained blood sugar levels and so you can rehab your sweets
addictions. Sorry, but it must be done! That means no raw honey, no coconut
sap or coconut crystals, and no maple syrup, even if it’s straight out of that tree.
Also, even though it doesn’t contain sugar, we want you to give up your stevia for
the cleanse (and absolutely your fake sugars like Nutrasweet and whatever comes
in that little blue package!). It’s best that you switch your taste buds into primal
mode and give sweets a rest.
Let your fruit be your sweetener, and if you really need to scratch a craving, eat
a date or two. They’re super sweet. And remember, it’s just for a few weeks.
*Note to endurance athletes: If you are doing this cleanse and you run, bike,
swim, or do some other endurance activity more than a few times a week, you
might want to leave some raw honey in your diet. See the section for athletes
for more information.
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Testimonial
Well, all I can say is WOW. Really. Wow.
I lost 9.4 pounds in four weeks thanks to Paleo Plan. While that may not sound
like a lot, to me it is huge. You see, I am a cancer survivor, having lost my thyroid
to cancer thirteen years ago. As you know, no thyroid = no “natural” metabolism.
So my synthroid and I have a necessary love/hate relationship.
I also have a recently diagnosed allergy to wheat. This gave me a reason to kick
the wheat for good. I can’t believe how much better I feel. Oh, and I guess I
should also mention the addiction to caffeine, which I also gave up.
So yeah, I lost 9.4 pounds. No wheat. No caffeine. No dairy. No beans/legumes.
No added sugar. I cheated once with some popcorn and a diet soda at the
movies with my hubby.
But what did I gain? Oh, let me list what I gained in this month:
I sleep through the night for eight hours a night! That’s right. I, the queen of
insomnia, fall asleep between eleven and eleven thirty every night. Doesn’t
matter what I’m doing. When my body says, “It’s time for sleep,” it just happens.
I also no longer wake up during the night to pee or to just look at the clock. From
the time I close my eyes to sleep, they stay closed until seven or seven thirty
a.m. I am using no alarm clock at all. Oh, and I don’t have that “just five more
minutes” feeling either.
I wake up refreshed with no aches or pains. Plantar fasciitis? Gone. I have
suffered and had worn inserts in my shoes for over eighteen months. Not
anymore. Gone. No achy knees, no achy hips, no achy back. I feel good. The
funny thing is, I didn’t realize I felt bad until I got here.
My skin is better. Clearer. No more of those little bumps on the backs of my
arms, no more dry patches, no more “winter dry” legs. Each and every day my
skin gets a little better, a little suppler. My hair too! It feels thicker somehow, and
my scalp doesn’t itch.
My stomach is flatter than it’s been in forever. I have no gastrointestinal issues.
I haven’t had a stomachache even once since eating Paleo. And I am starting to
see flatter, sexier abs without having to suck in my gut. I am starting to not have
a gut at all to suck in!
My pants fit better, which is a rarity for me. Being very pear-shaped, if I did lose
weight, it was always my face and chest that took the hit. Not this time! This time
my pants are looser in the waist, in the hips, and in the thighs. It makes me want
to dance with joy. My bra size hasn’t changed a bit. Could I be on my way to
finally being proportioned like a “normal” person?
The biggest thing I have gained is a change in mood. I feel lighter of spirit,
happier, calmer, not as short-tempered or intolerant of those around me. I find it
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easier to laugh, to love, to just be content wherever I am. The little things don’t
bother me as much. I can only attribute it to nice, level blood sugar. I’m sure my
labs will show improvement!
Oh, and did I mention I lost nearly ten pounds?
In short, I gained a path back to me, a path I never even knew I had lost. I am
going to be sticking with the Paleo way of eating and incorporating some
consistent movement every single day. Parking farther away, taking the stairs,
using my treadmill for a leisurely walk along one of the “trails” programmed
into it.
I’m even looking forward to bathing suit season for the first time in my life. I’m a
long way from a bikini body, but I’m closer now than I was a month ago.
So, I lost 9.4 pounds, and I gained so much more. Thank you for challenging me
and giving me the opportunity to succeed beyond my wildest imaginings.
See you on the beach!
Stacy
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Below is your guide to
chapter 3
eating for the next three
PALEO CLEANSE FOOD GUIDE
weeks—and hopefully for
the rest of your life. The
green headings mean go: eat those foods all you want. Red
means no: for this time period, you should avoid those foods
completely. It couldn’t be simpler.
Eat Wild
We want to eat foods that are in their wildest state possible, as if we were hunting
and gathering them ourselves. It sounds cheesy, but foods really do contain
more nutrients if they’re grown naturally and locally.
Go Organic
In general, we highly recommend that you buy organic foods whenever possible.
Check out the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean
15” lists to find out which produce contains the least and most pesticides. No
one needs to eat pesticides. And local produce is better than shipped-in produce
because nutrients literally get lost in transit.
Go Grass-Fed,
Pasture-Raised, or Organic with Meats
Whenever possible, buy grass-fed or pasture raised animal products. Those terms
mean the animal was given species-appropriate food and allowed to spend time
outside as opposed to being fed grains in a feedlot. Organic is the second best option,
but those animals are often still fed grains; they’re just organic. Buy meat in bulk to
save on costs from a local rancher. Find one in your area at www.eatwild.com.
Remember, this is not a normal guide to eating Paleo. You can find a complete
guide to eating a normal Paleo diet at www.paleoplan.com/resources/paleoplan-food-guide. This ebook you’re reading describes a modified Paleo diet that
removes additional foods (eggs, nightshades, sweeteners, caffeine, alcohol, nuts,
and seeds).
paleoplan.com 22
GrEEN-LIGHT FOODS
Vegetables
You can eat all of them without limit, except: Nightshades: tomatoes, potatoes,
eggplant, peppers (all peppers except peppercorns)
Weight Loss Tip: Limit tapioca, sweet potatoes and yams, and taro for weight
loss to a few times a week (we’ve done that for you in the meal plan).
Athlete Tip: If you are an endurance athlete doing three or more days of vigorous
training, do not limit those starchy veggies even if you’re trying to lose weight.
You may actually need to add more.
Fruits
Eat all fruits freely during this cleanse.
Weight Loss Tip: Limit fruit intake to one or two pieces a day and one ounce of
dried fruit a day. We’ve done that for you in the meal plan.
Meats
Eat meats freely (even bacon, within reason), but in order to mimic our ancestors
best, eat products from animals that were grass fed or pasture raised. If you
can’t find those, opt for organic products. At the very least, steer clear of meats
with unnatural preservatives, wheat and corn additives (anything with a “dext” in
the name), and synthetic color or flavor enhancers. Just plain old meat is what
you want.
Fish and Seafood
All seafood species are fine. Just be conscious of mercury levels and
ecological practices. Know that smaller fish generally have fewer heavy metals
and toxins, and high levels of anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids. The five
fish highest in omega 3 fatty acids are salmon, sardines, smelt, shad, and
anchovies, but all fish that are low in mercury are fantastic.
Sea Vegetables
They’re all good—great, in fact.
Kombu, wakame, other seaweeds, algaes
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GrEEN-LIGHT FOODS CONT
Fats and Oils
The list below includes lard and tallow, but we don’t mean the kind you buy in a
regular grocery store, which is almost always from factory-farmed animals. Plus
it’s hydrogenated and therefore contains trans fats and a completely different fatty
acid profile than what would come from a pasture-raised, properly-fed animal.
We mean tallow and lard from pasture-raised animals that you can buy online or
make at home. Alternatively, you can make some high quality (pasture-raised or
organic) bacon and save the drippings to use later and/or buy some high quality
beef fat from your butcher and render it into tallow. We wrote a blog post at
Paleo Plan called “Make Your Own Tallow” that explains the process of making
tallow in more detail.
Tallow
Coconut oil/milk
Unrefined red palm oil
Beverages
Filtered or spring water
Herbal tea
Coconut water
Freshly juiced juice if you are not diabetic or pre-diabetic
Weight Loss Tip: Go easy on the fresh juice and coconut water if you’re not very
active and you’re trying to lose weight.
Coconut Products
Unrefined coconut oil
Coconut butter
Coconut flour
Coconut milk/cream (canned or freshly made, not in a carton)
Coconut aminos (tastes like soy sauce)
Vinegar (high quality, no additives)
Apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Red wine vinegar
Coconut vinegar
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RED-LIGHT FOODS
Remember, it’s only a few weeks!
Alcohol (all kinds)
Caffeine from Any Source
Coffee, decaf coffee, cappuccino, decaf cappuccino, espresso, decaf
espresso, black tea, green tea, white tea, brown tea, kombucha, sweet tea,
tea from restaurant spigots, caffeinated soft drinks, caffeinated diet soft
drinks, Lipton tea, Red Bull, Monster drinks, all “energy” drinks, anything
containing guarana, energy beans/gels, chocolate, etc.
Chocolate
(It contains sweeteners and caffeine)
Dairy
Butter, milk, yogurt, kefir, cream, ice cream, powdered milk, cottage cheese,
whey powder, and anything else from an animal’s teat
Eggs
Egg substitutes, egg whites, and egg yolks
Fruit Juice
Unless it comes straight from your juicer at home, and even that should be
consumed sparingly
Grains or Grain-Like Foods
Wheat, rice, millet, oats, spelt, kamut, quinoa, buckwheat, wild rice, amaranth,
sorghum, rye, barley, corn. Also, any flour, noodle, or other food or drink
made out of any of these, including white flour, pastry flour, all-purpose flour,
and all cookies, crackers, chips, cereals, breads, pastries, and other foods
made from them.
Highly Processed Oils
Any oil that is hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, fractionated, refined, or
otherwise adulterated
Legumes
All beans: black, pinto, red, soy, lentils, peas, peanuts, adzuki, garbanzo, navy,
mung, lima, black-eyed peas, etc.
Exception: Snowpeas, sugar snap peas, and green beans are acceptable.
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RED-LIGHT FOODS
Remember, it’s only a few weeks!
Nightshade plants
Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers (except peppercorns or black pepper)
including bell peppers, chili peppers, hot peppers, cayenne, etc., goji berries,
tobacco
Nuts and Seeds
Plus any oil, butter, or flour made from them
Preservatives and Other Additives
Sodium benzoate, sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite, BHA and BHT, propyl gallate,
Yellow 5 or any other food coloring, monosodium glutamate (MSG), etc.
Refined, iodized salt
Use unrefined sea salt instead.
Soft Drinks
See “Sweeteners”
Sweeteners Although some of these are acceptable on a normal Paleo diet,
you won’t be using them during the cleanse.
Raw honey, agave, refined honey, coconut sap, molasses, coconut sugar,
sugar cane, white sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, refined honey, aspartame,
sucralose, Nutrasweet, Splenda, stevia, and anything else (besides whole or
dried fruit) used for the purpose of making something sweet
“Vegetable” Oils
Any oil that comes from a seed, grain, or legume, such as corn, soybean,
sunflower, safflower, flax, walnut, almond, macadamia, hemp, sesame,
cottonseed, grapeseed, peanut, and others
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One of the most important parts of
chapter 4
OILS AND FATS
eating Paleo is cutting out harmful
oils that are all too common in the
typical Western diet. There’s a lot
that goes into what makes an oil or fat harmful or not, including
whether its fatty acid composition is inflammatory and whether
or not it is wrecked if heated too high. By the way, “fat” (lard,
butter, etc.) is solid at room temperature and “oil” (corn oil,
hazelnut oil, etc.) is liquid at room temperature. Here’s a primer
on fats and oils. Use this guide to pick which ones you cook
with, pour over salads, or avoid all together.
First, all fats and oils are made up of a combination of fatty acids. None is
completely saturated or unsaturated—not even lard—as you may have thought.
In the upcoming charts, we’ve laid out the most common fats’ and oils’ fatty-acid
concentrations, as well as the highest temperature we suggest you cook them at.
Saturated, Monounsaturated,
and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including omega 6 fatty acids (O6) and
omega 3 fatty acids (O3), are delicate and easily oxidized by light, air, or heat.
Oxidized fatty acids are what make an oil or fat rancid. Saturated fatty acids
(SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) are less susceptible to being
oxidized and can stand up to more cooking heat than PUFAs can.
Omega-6 and Omega-3
While both O3s and O6s (remember, those are both PUFAs) are necessary
nutrients for human health, O3s are anti-inflammatory, but O6s are
inflammatory and can contribute to everything from heart disease to joint pain
to skin problems. The key is to balance them. A good ratio of O6:O3 is 1:1–4:1.
The typical Western diet has devolved to around 20:1–40:1, hence our inflated
incidence of chronic inflammatory diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancers,
digestive disorders, etc. It’s interesting to note the differences in not only the
amounts of O6 and O3 in all the oils in the charts below, but also the O6:O3
ratios. You find much higher amounts of O6 and generally higher O6:O3 ratios
in the non-Paleo oils than the Paleo ones.
paleoplan.com 27
Saturated Fatty Acids
We know, we know. You think saturated fat is bad. Well, it’s time to start
believing that we grew up evolutionarily eating exactly the things you’ve been
told your whole life to avoid: lard, fatty meat, coconut oil, and saturated fat in
general. Heart disease and obesity are only increasing in the Western world,
and it’s not because we’re all eating too much saturated fat: it’s because of
inflammation caused by Western foods, including the corn oil, safflower oil, and
others on that list. For more information on the myths about saturated fat, go to
the FAQ chapter in the Quick Start Guide and Paleo Challenge eBook.
Cooking Temperatures
Notice the cooking heat for all of these oils and fats. (By the way, we didn’t
include the cooking temperatures on the non-Paleo oils because you won’t be
cooking with them.) Some of the Paleo oils should never be cooked with at all
because they’re so high in PUFAs and are easily oxidized. Thats why some of
them are marked “None” in the Cooking Temp column and should just be used
as salad dressings, etc. In general, use tallow, lard, or coconut oil for cooking and
extra virgin olive oil for lower-heat cooking. Also, for all those high-PUFA Paleo
oils, make sure you keep them in a cool, dark place and discard them six months
after opening them.
Lard
Where do you get lard, and what on earth is that stuff? Lard is just clarified,
or rendered, pig fat. You can save your precious bacon drippings in a glass jar
and cook with that, or you can find a local source for pasture-raised animal
fat (eatwild.com, localharvest.com) and render it yourself. Here’s a great
instructional blog post on rendering lard to cook and bake with. You can also
buy lard from pasture-raised pigs online (prairiepridepork.com), but it’s pretty
expensive with shipping.
Tallow
Tallow is rendered fat from meat other than pork, often beef. You can make
your own by buying some high-quality (no pesticides, preferably grass fed) fat
from eatwild.com or localharvest.com and read this instructional blog post
on rendering your own beef fat into tallow. You can also buy grass-fed tallow
online from U.S. Wellness Meats here. Most tallow you can buy in the store
is hydrogenated, so you’ll want to stay away from that. And unless tallow or
lard comes from a grass-fed source, you’ll want to avoid it, since its fatty-acid
composition won’t be totally favorable.
CH 4. Oils and Fats
paleoplan.com 28
Acceptable Paleo Oils and Fats
Oil or Fat
SFA%
MUFA% PUFA% O6%
O3%
Cook Temp
O6:O3 (Highest)
Avocado oil
12
70
13
12
1
12:1
None
Butter*
51
21
3
2
.5
4:1
Med
Coconut oil
92
6
2
2
0
n/a**
Med High
Cod liver oil
23
47
23
4
19
.2:1
None
Flax oil
9
20
66
13
53
.2:1
None
Ghee*
65
32
2
2
0
n/a**
High
Hazelnut oil
7
78
10
10
0
n/a**
Med
Lard
40
45
11
10
0
n/a**
Med High
Macadamia oil
13
84
4
2
2
1:1
Med
Extra virgin olive oil
14
73
11
11
0
n/a**
Med
Palm oil (unrefined)
50
39
9
9
1
9:1
Med
Tallow
50
42
4
4
0
n/a
High
Walnut oil
9
23
63
53
10
5.3:1
None
*Butter and ghee are dairy and should be avoided during the first month of eating
Paleo. Even after that month, they should only be eaten if your digestive system and
immune system can tolerate them.
**n/a = These oils are not a source of omega 3 fatty acids.
CH 4. Oils and Fats
paleoplan.com 29
Non-Paleo Oils
The following is a list of oils you should avoid. They contain more PUFAs,
especially omega-6’s, and fewer SFAs and MUFAs than the Paleo oils in general.
They’re also usually highly processed, heated, and chemically treated because
they come from seeds that are difficult to extract oil from. That means that by
the time the oil is packaged, it’s at least partially oxidized or rancid. Restaurants
usually use these oils, and they often use the lowest grade of them to boot.
That means they’ve probably been chemically refined at high temperatures,
hydrogenated, and chemically deodorized, or some combination of those. Also,
many of these oils come from genetically modified (GM) crops, which are
suspected to be seriously detrimental to our health.
OILS AND FATS TO AVOID
Oil or Fat
SFA%
MUFA%
PUFA%
O6%
O3%
O6:O3
Canola oil*
7
63
28
19
9
2:1
Corn oil
13
28
55
54
1
54:1
Cottonseed oil
26
18
52
51.5
.5
103:1
Margarine**
15
39
24
22
2
11:1
Peanut oil
17
46
32
32
0
n/a
Safflower oil
8
14
75
74.5
.5
150:1
Soybean oil
15
23
57
50
7
7:1
Sunflower oil
10
20
66
65.5
.5
131:1
*Canola’s fatty acid composition isn’t that bad, but there are other problems with it: it’s
often highly processed, and it contains erucic acid, which has been found to have an
allergenic effect on people.
**Margarine is made up of 15 percent trans fats, which are associated
with heart disease.
CH 4. Oils and Fats
paleoplan.com 30
The following are very chapter 5
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
common questions we’ve
gotten through the years.
You can either click
on the question to be taken to the answer, or even better just
read through all of them. If you’re new to Paleo, we highly
recommend reading about detoxification near the end. It’ll
provide some good information on what to expect the first
few days.
Diabetes and Paleo
Q: Is eating Paleo safe for diabetics?
Protein Powder
Q: Can I use protein powders?
VEGETARIANS
Q: Can a vegetarian do this cleanse?
Budgeting for the Diet
Q: What is the approximate cost of the weekly menu?
Breakfast and Intermittent Fasting
Q: I’m not a breakfast person. Why should I eat breakfast?
Q: W
hat about intermittent fasting? Isn’t it a good thing to skip meals
sometimes, according to some Paleo experts?
High-Protein Diet Myths
Q: Isn’t eating too much protein bad for your kidneys?
Q: Doesn’t eating too much protein cause gout?
Nutrients
Q:
Q:
Q:
Q:
Will I get enough nutrients?
Will I get enough calcium?
Will I get enough fiber?
Should I take supplements?
Dairy
Q: Is dairy Paleo?
paleoplan.com 31
Saturated Fat, Bacon, and Cholesterol
Q: Isn’t saturated fat bad?
Q: What about bacon and other processed meats?
Q: What about the cholesterol content in this diet?
Nut and Egg Allergies
Q: I have a nut allergy. How will that affect me on this diet and meal plan?
Q: I have an egg allergy. How will that affect me?
Troubleshooting
Weight Loss and Cravings
Q: I’ve been on the diet for a while now, but I am still having cravings and
giving into them for bread and sweets. How do I handle that?
Q: I stopped losing weight; what should I do?
Q: Should I count calories on this diet?
What to Drink
Q: Can I drink caffeine?
Q: Can I drink alcohol?
Fatigue and Detoxification
Q: I feel fatigued on this diet. What am I doing wrong?
Q: Is there a detoxification period on this diet?
Diabetes and Paleo
Q: Is eating Paleo safe for diabetics?
A: Absolutely! Diabetes is what happens when your body’s cells become
desensitized to insulin, the hormone that allows glucose to be taken out of
your blood stream and released into your cells. Since eating Paleo eliminates
refined sugars and grains (the foods that spike your blood sugar the most), it’s
actually very effective for diabetics. Many diabetics get off of their medications
completely with this diet.
Eating a diet rich in good fats and proteins is one of the best things you can do
for your blood sugar control. If you are diabetic and you do decide to make this
change in your diet, you’ll want to make sure you watch your blood glucose levels
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 32
very closely in the beginning, especially if you take insulin or medications for
it. Do not take too much insulin, or your blood sugar may get very low. There
are far fewer carbohydrates on this diet, which are what make your blood sugar
spike. Consult with your doctor if necessary. A lot of people are surprised by how
quickly their blood glucose levels decrease after starting this way of eating.
Protein Powder
Q: Can I use protein powders?
A: For the purposes of this challenge, you should follow the meal plan and only
use protein powders if you are temporarily desperate for food and have no other
option available. Protein powders are highly processed foods, and you’re trying
to stay away from those. Plus, the most common protein in powder form is whey,
and whey is dairy, which you’re avoiding for this challenge.
Other protein powders are made of egg, soy, pea, or hemp, or some combination
of those. Eggs are certainly acceptable Paleo foods, but the eggs in protein
powders are not going to be in any way pasture raised, since they’ll be from
factory-farmed chickens. Plus, protein powders only use the egg white, which
means that most of the nutrients are stripped out with the yolk. It’s also highly
heated and sometimes chemically processed.
Hemp is okay, but it has an awful lot of delicate fatty acids that undoubtedly get
wrecked and turned rancid in the heating and drying process, which is not good.
Pea and soy protein are both legumes, and therefore are not part of the diet.
Just stick with good, old-fashioned meat, fish, and eggs for your major protein
sources, at least for the duration of this challenge. Later, you can experiment with
whey and egg proteins to see how they make you feel.
VEGETARIANS
Q: Can a vegetarian do this cleanse?
If you eat fish, then yes. You’ll have to modify the meal plan drastically, but
you can make it work. I wouldn’t go the protein powder route even under these
circumstances, because the only ones that are Paleo compliant are egg-white and
whey protein powders, and the whey is questionably Paleo at best.
You will not get much protein, but there are entire cultures who are quite healthy
without eating gobs of protein every day. Just stay within the guidelines of the
cleanse Green-Light Foods and you should be good.
After the cleanse you can try adding eggs and dairy—other vegetarian sources of
protein—into your diet and see how you feel.
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 33
Budgeting for the Diet
Q: What is the approximate cost of the weekly menu?
A: It depends on whether or not you’re buying organic produce and grass-fed
meats. Those are the ideals, but they can be expensive, so a lot of people choose
not to buy them for their budget’s sake. Maybe you only buy some organic and
pasture-raised stuff when it’s on sale to save money.
It also depends on how active you are and what size you are, which determines
whether you’re eating 1,200 calories or 6,000 calories per day. I’d plan to spend
anywhere from $200 per person per month all the way to $500 per person per
month, depending on your choices and what grocery store you’re buying at.
There are plenty of ways to save money, though. You can buy meat in bulk from
local ranchers. Having a garden always helps, too. Visit eatwild.com for local
sources of meat and produce.
Breakfast and Intermittent Fasting
Q: I’m not a breakfast person. Why I should eat breakfast?
A: Before we begin to answer this question, we have to point out that some
people who are on very high-fat Paleo diets already or who are practicing
nutritional ketosis may not need or want to eat breakfast. Those people have
adapted to going long periods without eating, and there are benefits to that. But
for the people who are coming into this from a “sort of ” Paleo diet or a standard
American diet, we encourage you to read on.
When you aren’t hungry in the morning, it’s often because your blood sugar is
whacked out. It’s gotten so low during the night that adrenaline and cortisol have
kicked in to get you through the night, and the result is nausea (or at least a lack
of hunger) in the morning. Trouble sleeping is another symptom of the blood
sugar craziness at night. The only way to fix it is to start making yourself eat in
the morning. Balanced blood sugar starts with a balanced meal in the morning,
which helps set the scene for your day (and into the next days).
Your body should want to eat first thing in the morning. You’ve been fasting for
six to ten hours by that point, and your body needs food to start the day off right.
When you start getting your blood sugar back to normal by eating in the morning
and then at regular intervals throughout the day, you’ll start to feel different, and
you’ll most likely start being hungry in the mornings. It shouldn’t take more than a
week or two for the hunger to kick in after you start eating in the mornings. Paleo
Plan has more information on the importance of breakfast.
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 34
Q: But what about intermittent fasting? Isn’t it a good thing to
skip meals sometimes, according to some Paleo experts?
A: Intermittent fasting, or regularly going for longer periods than usual without
eating in order to gain muscle and lose fat, is something you should work up to,
and only if it’s appropriate for you. After eating a typical Western diet for so long,
you’re likely going to have some blood sugar issues that will take some time to
heal.
This cleanse will help you normalize your blood glucose levels and get your
insulin working how it should by eating breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner every
day. A regular eating schedule jogs the body back into normalcy.
Once you’ve done that, then you can experiment with skipping meals every once
in a while or keeping shorter eating windows every day. We wrote an awesome
series at Paleo Plan all about intermittent fasting.
Know that for some people, intermittent fasting will just never work. If you’re
prone to extreme hypoglycemia (fatigue, weakness, dizziness, or headaches
if you don’t eat regularly), then you may never be a candidate for this. Your
hypoglycemia symptoms will surely improve as you continue to eat Paleo, but
they may never completely disappear. That’s okay, though! You can still lose
weight and feel fantastic eating Paleo meals at regular intervals every day.
High-Protein Diet Myths
Q: Isn’t eating too much protein bad for your kidneys?
A: That is a myth. All the research that has concluded that eating lots of protein
is bad for your kidneys was done on people who had already been diagnosed with
kidney disease. The National Kidney Foundation states that not a high protein
diet but “diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease,” which means that too
much sugar and refined grains are what you should actually stay away from for
your kidneys’ sake because those are the foods that cause diabetes.
Paleo doesn’t necessarily mean high protein, but in this meal plan, you’re getting
about 25% protein to help you build muscle and lose fat. The liver’s upper limit
of protein intake is about 200–300 grams per day, or about 35–40% of caloric
intake. Eating 25% protein keeps you below the upper limits of protein intake. So
yes, the Paleo diet has a higher protein percentage than the 10–15% in the typical
American diet, but the American diet is exactly what is not working.
For more information, Paleo Plan wrote a blog post called “Meat Is
Not the Devil” concerning the myths about high protein diets.
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 35
Q: Doesn’t eating too much protein cause gout?
A: No. That’s another myth. Gout is a painful condition that occurs when uric
acid crystals accumulate around a joint, often the big toe, ankle, or knee. Gout
is often associated with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance
because all of the above decrease the kidneys’ ability to excrete uric acid from
the body. Because eating Paleo helps to reverse insulin resistance, metabolic
syndrome, and diabetes, it would therefore decrease the amount of uric acid that
is in your body. Your kidneys can’t do their job when they’re overloaded with an
acid-forming, sugar-coated standard American diet.
The liver plays a role in gout by creating too much uric acid. Consumption of
sweeteners, including the ubiquitous high-fructose corn syrup, increases the
liver’s production of uric acid. The Paleolithic diet, which is incredibly low in
sweeteners, would help to decrease the amount of uric acid being produced by the
liver. Therefore, it would potentially help gout.
For more information, Paleo Plan wrote a blog post about high-protein diets
and gout.
Nutrients
Q: Will I get enough nutrients?
A: Yes! Paleo Plan did a comparison of the nutrient levels from a typical
day on the Paleo diet with a typical day on a Western diet, and the results are
undeniable. From the Paleo diet, you get the same amount or more (often way
more) of every nutrient except for calcium, sodium, and vitamin D, the last of
which you should be getting from the sun and not synthetically in milk products
anyway. The omega 6 to omega 3 ratio is way better in the Paleo day, at around
4:1 as opposed to 27:1 in the typical Western diet.
Not only are there more nutrients in a Paleo menu, but you absorb more of
those nutrients. The phytic acid in grains and legumes robs your food of crucial
minerals like calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron. So even though you may
technically be getting more calcium from your food in the Western diet (711 mg
compared with 614 mg in a day), you’re not absorbing all of it.
Q: Will I get enough calcium?
A: Yes. Here’s a paradox for you: the United States has one of the highest rates
of osteoporosis and one of the highest rates of dairy consumption. The fact is, it
actually takes many nutrients—not just calcium—plus protein, weight-bearing
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 36
exercise, and sunlight (vitamin D) to make healthy bones. Even though dairy
contains a lot of calcium, so do edible fish bones, dark leafy green vegetables,
and nuts.
The most important thing about calcium consumption (and where we so often go
wrong) is that you need to keep what you eat. Dairy is an acid-forming food in
your body, but calcium requires an alkaline environment to be absorbed properly.
So if your body is acidic from eating too much dairy, you will leach calcium from
your bones and excrete it in your urine. Goodbye, calcium.
Another way you lose calcium is by eating grains and legumes (and too many
nuts and seeds), which contain a lot of phytic acid. Phytic acid binds to calcium
in your intestines and carries it out unabsorbed. To make things worse, taking
in too much calcium can inhibit the absorption of magnesium, another very
important nutrient for bone and muscle health. Paleo Plan has more information
on calcium in a Paleo diet.
Q: Will I get enough fiber?
A: Yes, you will. In fact, in an analysis comparing Paleo to a Western diet,
there were 42 g of fiber in the Paleo diet, as opposed to a paltry 16 g in the
Western diet. There is a ton of fiber in vegetables and fruits, despite what you’ve
likely been told your whole life about the need for whole grains to make you go
number two.
What may surprise you is that fiber is not as crucial as you might think. There
are plenty of extremely healthy hunter-gatherer groups who’ve survived on
nothing more than animal foods through long winters. To prove that this was
a perfectly healthy way to eat, an Arctic explorer named Vilhjalmur Stefansson
ate only muscle and organ meat (no fiber) for an entire year and was perfectly
healthy at the end of it.
Q: Should I take supplements?
A: You will get quite a lot of nutrients in your Paleo diet and on this cleanse.
However, most Westerners are lacking in vitamin D, which is mostly obtained
from sitting out in the sun at the right time of day during the right times of the
year. Since we’re all sunscreen-slatherers, we don’t get much of that. So consider
supplementing vitamin D3 at about 1,000 or 2,000 iu a day.
Also, if you don’t eat very much fish, you can supplement with omega 3 fatty
acids to get your fatty acid ratio back into range. However, the typical day on a
Paleo diet will put your fatty acids back into a very healthy range of about 3:1
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 37
omega 6:omega 3, so you don’t necessarily need to supplement those forever.
They’re just good to jump start things. If you do supplement with omega 3’s, be
sure to get them from a healthcare practitioner or a reputable source. Do not get
them from Walgreens or even a prescription from your doctor. The prescription
capsules often have egregious food colorings and other totally unnecessary
additives mixed in. Since omega 3’s are so susceptible to oxidation, they need to
be from a good source and encapsulated correctly. Marksdailyapple.com has a
good option.
Saturated Fat, BACON, and Cholesterol
Q: Isn’t saturated fat bad?
A: This is another one of those very confusing topics. Let’s clear up some of the
misinformation right now.
In his first edition of his book The Paleo Diet, Loren Cordain says that saturated
fat is bad in general and that you should stay away from fatty or highly processed
cuts of meat and eat only lean meat. He also stated in that book that you should
stay away from coconut and palm oils, both of which are high in saturated fat. On
the other hand, there’s Mark Sisson of marksdailyapple.com and other Paleo/
Primal proponents who highly regard fatty meats, coconut oil, palm oil, butter,
and full-fat dairy, all of which are loaded with saturated fat.
It seems there’s a schism in the community, but it’s actually not that pronounced.
Cordain has recently loosened up on his initial guidelines in light of newer
research. It turns out that saturated fat doesn’t cause heart disease. It doesn’t
“clog” your arteries like grease does to your kitchen plumbing. We’re not sinks.
They were wrong about that. A large meta-analysis (this one was actually
done well) evaluated almost 350,000 people and 21 studies and concluded that
intake of saturated fat has no bearing whatsoever on coronary heart disease or
cardiovascular disease.
Saturated fat can sometimes cause an increase in LDL cholesterol (or what was
known as the “bad” cholesterol), but there are different kinds of LDL. The large,
fluffy kind, which can be increased with saturated fat consumption, does not get
oxidized easily and therefore doesn’t contribute to heart disease. Some saturated
fatty acids increase HDL, the “good” cholesterol, too.
What actually causes heart disease is increased inflammation in your arteries,
which is caused in part by too many omega 6 fatty acids (vegetable oils, grains,
too many nuts and seeds) and other inflammatory foods that we remove in this
cleanse and on the Paleo diet in general. On top of that, stress, lack of exercise,
and obesity are major risk factors for heart disease.
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 38
Paleo Plan has more information on saturated fat, cholesterol, and coconut
oil. Also, Chris Masterjohn is the saturated fat/cholesterol/heart disease
researcher and guru in the Paleo world, so check out his website,
Cholesterol-and-Health.com.
Q: What about the cholesterol content in this diet?
A: In a nutrient analysis comparing a day in the life of a standard Western eater
and a Paleo eater, it was found that there were about 134 mg of cholesterol in the
Western diet and 593 mg in the Paleo day of eating. There is less in the meal plan
for this cleanse because there aren’t any eggs in it, but that is neither here nor
there.
Yes, there is more cholesterol in a typical Paleo diet compared to a typical
Western diet. Once again, though, we’ve seen what the Western diet does to
our health.
Cholesterol is found exclusively in animal foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.
The whole cholesterol craze is yet another myth. In a study done in the early
1900s, rabbits were forced to eat high-cholesterol foods. Most of them ended up
dying of cardiovascular disease, and those results were extrapolated to human
beings. Well, it turns out that humans are not rabbits, and they should never have
made that giant leap in logic. Rabbits are physiologically vegetarians. We are
anatomically omnivores, so we can handle eating cholesterol much better than
rabbits can.
We use cholesterol in every single cell of our bodies. We need it to make cell
membranes, bile, brain cells, skin, hormones, etc. We produce about 1,200 mg of
it every day, which is way more than the 180 mg that are in that forbidden egg. If
we eat cholesterol and it’s more than we need, our intelligent bodies excrete the
excess. There’s only a small percentage of people whose bodies keep more than
they need, and their blood cholesterol levels will increase in response to eating it.
However, that may not be a bad thing. High cholesterol levels are not even a
reliable marker for heart disease. If that were the case, wouldn’t there be less
heart disease now with so many people (54 percent of adults over the age of
twenty in the United States) on cholesterol-lowering pharmaceuticals? In fact, the
incidence of heart disease is only increasing.
It’s not high cholesterol that causes heart disease. Like we said above regarding
saturated fat, it’s about the kind of cholesterol coursing through your blood and
the amount of inflammation those cholesterol molecules are susceptible to. If
you have a lot of the small, dense LDL caused by eating a Western diet and not
exercising, then yes, you’re likely to develop heart disease. Small, dense LDL
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 39
particles are easily oxidized, and it’s the oxidation that contributes to heart
attacks and strokes. If it’s the large, fluffy LDL caused by eating a Paleo diet,
then you’re okay because those don’t oxidize as easily. Eating cholesterol (and
saturated fat) raises the large, fluffy kind, and it raises your HDL, which is
considered your “good” cholesterol. For more information on this, read Chris
Masterjohn’s website and his article entitled “Good Fats, Bad Fats: Separating
Fact from Fiction.” Also, Chris Kresser did a fantastic write-up on the myths
about cholesterol and the truth about statins.
Q: What about bacon and other processed meats?
A: Since one of the main arguments against bacon is that it’s high in saturated
fat, read the Q&A above on saturated fat. So is there a problem with bacon and
other processed meats? Not if you get really high-quality bacon, preferably
pasture raised or at least organic. Conventionally raised pigs are arguably the
most poorly treated animals in the meat industry, sometimes being fed their own
feces as bulk and almost always being kept in crates the size of their body so they
have no choice but to become obese. Beyond the fact that it’s downright immoral
to endorse an industry such as that one, the fatty acid profile of those pigs is not
healthy for humans. And the pork is full of pesticides. Yuck.
Bacon and ham companies that buy pork from pig farms like that are often
lacking in morals themselves and will inject their products with totally
unnecessary preservatives, corn products, wheat, coloring, and nitrates.
Nitrates and nitrites have gotten a bad reputation as contributors to cancer.
However, there’s new information summed up nicely in an article by Chris
Kresser, stating that celery and our very own saliva both have way more
nitrates in them than bacon or other cured meats ever will. Still, if a company
is still using nitrites and nitrates to cure their bacon, they’re obviously not into
making a healthy product. After all, companies like Applegate and Niman’s that
are concerned about the health of their pigs and the health of their consumers
stopped using nitrates and nitrites a long time ago.
You can certainly buy very good, pasture-raised bacon without all that crap
in it, and it’s perfectly healthy to eat it. Just read the labels or ask at your grocery
store to know what you’re getting. There shouldn’t be much in your deli meats
and bacon besides the meat, salt, spices, and sometimes a natural anti-microbial
like sodium lactate. For instance, here are the ingredients for Applegate Farms
Organic Roasted Turkey, which is a high-quality meat that you can buy in many
grocery stores:
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 40
Organic Turkey Breast, Water, Contains Less Than 2% of the Following: Sodium
Lactate (from Beets), Salt, Carrageenan (from Seaweed).
Because it might be higher in salt than your standard roasted turkey breast would
be and it contains carrageenan (a binder made from seaweed) and sodium lactate
that people wouldn’t normally eat, some would argue that processed deli meat
shouldn’t be something you eat very often. However, it’s realistically very easy
and convenient, and it’s absolutely not the worst thing in the world you could eat.
As for bacon, we say eat clean, organically raised bacon in moderation. Every day
for breakfast counts as moderation.
However, if you’re an athlete and you’re trying to fuel your muscles after a
workout with lean protein, bacon is not the way to go. It has more fat than
protein. You’d want to go with leaner cuts of meat that have more protein than
fat. So eat your high-quality bacon and deli meat, just don’t depend on it as your
only protein source.
Nut and Egg Allergies
Q: I have a nut or egg allergy. How will that affect me on this
diet and meal plan?
A: There are no nuts, nut products, or eggs in this meal plan, so you’ll be
totally safe!
Troubleshooting
Weight Loss and Cravings
Q: I am still having cravings and giving into them for bread and
sweets. How do I handle that?
A: People often don’t eat enough fat because we’re a fat-phobic culture, but fat
can be incredibly helpful in curbing cravings. It will add more calories to your
diet, but after a while when you’re done detoxing and your body is better at using
fat as fuel, you’ll be able to taper down the fat and still not have cravings.
For a while, use a bit more fat or oil for cooking and salads, and eat more
avocados, coconut products, and fattier cuts of meat. Carbohydrates will also
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
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help curb your cravings. Sometimes you have cravings for sugar or bread because
your body actually needs carbs. This is especially the case if you’re an endurance
athlete. And that’s okay! You can eat fruit and starchy veggies more regularly in
order to take care of those cravings so you don’t fall off the wagon.
Have baked sweet potatoes on hand in the fridge that you can just warm up
when you get cravings. Put some coconut milk and cinnamon on it, and it’s an
awesome treat.
Q: I’m not losing weight; what should I do?
During this cleanse and throughout your Paleo experience, you may or may not
lose weight. It really depends on if you need to lose weight, if you really follow
the diet, and if you have hormonal imbalances in your body. Having said that,
many people do lose weight. If you’re in, say, your second week of the cleanse
and your weight loss hasn’t begun or it’s plateaued, don’t freak out. You may still
be detoxing, and anything can happen when you’re detoxing. Give it another
week or so, then continue with the diet or some version of a normal Paleo diet
afterward and see if the weight doesn’t start to fall off.
If you do that and you’re at week five or six and you’re still not seeing any weight
loss, consider the following.
1.Do you need to lose any more weight, or are you at a good weight and you’re
just obsessing? This diet helps bring you to your optimal weight, which doesn’t
necessarily mean model-thin. Be real about your ideal weight.
2.If you legitimately need and want to lose more weight, try to introduce more
carbohydrates into your diet a few times a week, especially after workouts. Have
sweet potatoes, fruit, or muffins on hand to get those dense carbohydrates.
Sometimes after not eating many carbs, your body gets a little stressed out and
starts retaining the fat it has in order to keep you from starving. Sometimes
these carb “refeeds” can help kick start your body into continuing the
weight-loss trend.
3.If that doesn’t work, consider intermittent fasting (see FAQ above) and/or
nutritional ketosis. Very high fat, very low carb, and moderate protein helps
people whose systems really can’t deal with sugars lose weight.
4.If that doesn’t work, look at your life. Are you stressed? Sleeping enough?
Exercising at least a few times a week? Are you actually sticking with the diet,
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 42
or are you cheating often?
5.If you look at your life and find that you’re perfect, start counting calories.
See the next Q&A for more info on counting calories. Paleo Plan has more
information on this topic.
6.If you need help with honing in on why you aren’t reaching your weight-loss
goals, you might need to seek professional help. Paleo Plan’s Neely Quinn does
Private Paleo Coaching and has helped many people resolve the mysteries of
their weight loss plateaus. Also, she wrote a very useful guide to figuring out
how many calories you need and how to modify a meal plan to meet those needs.
Q: Should I count calories on this diet?
A: No. Not unless you have to, that is. If you find that your weight loss has
tapered or come to a screeching halt after being on the diet for at least a couple
months, or that you never started losing weight, you may be forced to count
calories. However, this is not a lifelong endeavor. You will not be logging those
pesky calories forever, just long enough to figure out how much you’re overeating
and to get to know how many calories are in your favorite foods. Sometimes, even
on a Paleo diet, you overeat. And sometimes, even counting calories doesn’t solve
the problem. So it’s not a sure thing, but it’s worth a shot.
To figure out roughly how much you should be eating, sign up for fitday.com,
nutritiondata.com, or myfitnesspal.com and enter in your statistics. On those
same sites, you can then record everything you eat for free in order to find
out how many calories and grams of carbohydrates, fat, and protein you’re
consuming. Nutritiondata.com actually tells you about a lot of the nutrients
you’re getting, too. The programs let you decide how many pounds a week
you want to lose and then spit out a number of calories you should be eating,
determined by your size, gender, age, and activity level. It’s a rough estimate, so
act accordingly. For more information on counting calories on the Paleo diet, see
the Paleo Plan website.
Fatigue and Detoxification
Q: I feel fatigued on this cleanse. What am I doing wrong?
A: In the beginning, fatigue is often caused by the detoxification process. See the
question below for more info on that. Fatigue can also be caused by not eating
enough food or not eating enough carbohydrates or fat. There are a few other
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 43
things that may be contributing.
Are you drinking enough water? Try drinking a couple liters of water every day
and see if that helps.
Are you exercising a few times a week? Moderate exercise ironically can improve
energy levels.
Are you eating regularly? In the beginning, when your blood sugar is still reeling
from the abuse you’ve subjected it to all these years, you need to eat regularly.
During this cleanse, it’s important that you eat breakfast when you wake up,
lunch a few hours later, a snack a few hours after that, and dinner a few hours
after that. Eat regularly; it will heal your blood sugar craziness and assuage
your sfatigue.
Are you drinking caffeine? It may be contributing to your fatigue, so cut it out.
Are you sleeping enough? If you’re not getting seven to nine hours of sleep every
night, your body is likely running on fumes. Get those z’s!
Are you cheating on the diet? Those old foods (bread, pasta, sugar) make a lot of
people tired, so cut them out.
If none of these is the culprit, then you may want to get tested for food
sensitivities. At this point we recommend you contact a nutritionist who is
willing to work with you to help find what’s ailing you.
Paleo Plan has more detailed info on combatting fatigue.
Q: Is there a detoxification period on this cleanse?
A: Yes, and it’s why you might feel like you’ve been hit by a train every day for
the first week or so of this big diet change. Some people only go through detox
for a day or so, while others detox for up to a month. Unfortunately, there’s no
way to predict how long it will last or how intense it will be. Headaches, fatigue,
dizziness, irritability, mood swings, nausea, intense cravings, sinus drainage,
flu-like symptoms, body aches, and increased urination are all signs of detox.
You might have to pee seventeen times a day and feel like you’re walking through
oatmeal for the first day (or thirty) of this diet.
Just like when an alcoholic or drug addict quits cold turkey and feels awful, you
will likely have symptoms from giving up a toxic Western diet, or even from
giving up nuts or eggs if you’ve been Paleo for a while. You’re tough as nails and
you can handle it, and when it passes you’ll be happy you persevered. Just be
diligent, drink lots of water, eat all the right things, and have some self-control.
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 44
Remember, this is a sign of your body’s addictions. Be encouraged by the fact
that you’re cleaning out your system and you’re on your way to health. You’ll feel
better very soon. We promise. There’s more on the dreaded detox at the Paleo
Plan website.
CH 5. Frequently Asked Questions
paleoplan.com 45
chapter 6
PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE
Cleaning Out Your Kitchen
Changing It Up for the Athlete
Eating Out
Tracking Your Progress
Cleaning Out Your Kitchen
It’s time to start fresh and throw away those foods that are causing your
symptoms and keeping you from being at your optimal health. The following
is a list of foods in your pantry and kitchen that you’ll need to get rid of. You
can donate unopened foods to shelters or your willing friends and throw
away the rest.
You may hesitate in doing this all at once, but you will thank yourself for
throwing away those cookies three days from now when you’re detoxing and
craving sugar!
If you have a family you’re feeding and they’re not doing this with you, we
strongly suggest you separate your foods from theirs so they know what they
can and can’t eat, and so you have some boundaries for what you can eat too.
Pantry and Cupboards
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•
•
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•
•
•
•
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Bagels, English muffins, and pastries
Beans (black, garbanzo, pinto, lentils, etc.)
Bread
Breakfast cereal
Cake/brownie baking mixes (even gluten-free kinds)
Candies
Cereal
Cheese products (Cheese Whiz, etc.)
Chips (potato, tortilla, pita, etc.)
Cookies
Corn products (tortillas, popcorn, flour, corn chips, cereal, etc.)
Crackers
Ghee
G rain flours (white, all-purpose,
whole-grain, oat, wheat, rice, millet, etc.)
Granola bars
Most energy bars (they contain oats, soy, refined sugar, etc.)
paleoplan.com 46
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nuts (almond, walnuts, macadamias, pistachios, etc.)
Oatmeal
Pasta
Peanut butter (eat almond butter instead)
Potatoes
Refined olive oil (extra virgin is fine)
Rice (wild, white, brown, etc.)
Seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, flax, hemp, etc.)
S lim Jims or any other jerky with nitrites, grains, corn,
preservatives, or unnecessary ingredients
Soups containing flour, beans, corn, or dairy
Soy sauce, tamari, Bragg’s Aminos, and wheat-free tamari
Sugar (sugar cane, brown, etc., except raw honey and coconut nectar)
Tomato products (salsa, marinara, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste)
Vegetable oils (corn, soy, sunflower, canola, etc.)
Fridge and Freezer
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Butter
Cheese
Coffee creamers
Condiments: ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressings, etc.
Any meats containing nitrites or nitrates or other unacceptable additives
Eggplant (nightshades)
Egg replacements
Eggs
Frozen prepared meals
Fruit juice, sports drinks, sweetened teas—
almost all beverages except filtered water
Hummus
Ice cream
Jellies and jams
Margarine and other butter substitutes (Smart Balance, etc.)
Marinara sauces (nightshades)
Milk (including soy milk and rice milk)
Peppers (bell peppers, chili peppers, habaneros, any other spicy peppers)
Salsas (nightshades)
Soda (including diet soda with artificial sweeteners)
Tofu/tempeh
Tomatoes (nightshades)
Yogurt
Pretty much everything else in the freezer except frozen fruits and
vegetables, meat, and seafood
CH 6. Putting It into Practice
paleoplan.com 47
Changing It Up for the Athlete
If you’re an active person—and that could include anyone from a city dweller
who walks four miles a day to someone who’s training for a marathon—you may
need more fat, protein, or carbohydrates (or all three) than a sedentary person on
this cleanse.
When you start eating fewer carbohydrates and more fat like you will on this
diet, your body will become better at using dietary fat (fat from meat, avocados,
coconut milk and oil, olive oil, nuts, etc.) more immediately for energy instead of
the carbs.
However, some people just need more carbs than others. To figure out how many
grams of carbs you need to perform your best, start the diet out as we’ve laid it
out in the meal plan. We include starchy veggies about three times a week, as we
assume that many of you are at least mildly active.
After your detox is over (it could be a few days or up to a month—you’ll know
when it’s over), assess how you feel throughout the day. If your energy is crashing,
you need naps, you’re feeling grumpy or lightheaded, you’re getting headaches,
or your athletic performance is waning, then start adding more carbohydrates
in the form of fruit and sweet potatoes to see how you do. This is not Atkins. It
doesn’t have to be super low-carb.
Endurance Athletes
If you’re an endurance athlete (runner, swimmer, cyclist, etc.) training more
than eight hours per week, then add a serving of heavy carb sources (fruit, sweet
potatoes, tapioca flour) to at least two of your meals on workout days. If you have
a big race, add heavy carb sources to every meal and snack for about two days
leading up to the event. If you’re a long-distance athlete, you may need to turn
to sports drinks or gels to keep you going during your workouts that last over
ninety minutes.
As an aside, there are long-distance athletes who eat a very high fat, very low
carb diet and do well because they’re in nutritional ketosis and using fat instead
of carbs to fuel their workouts. That system of doing things is great, and you can
learn more about it from the coaches at CrossFit Endurance.
Either way, most people’s digestion doesn’t work so well while on long runs or
rides, so eating solid food is often out of the question. You can make sports
drinks yourself if you want; we’ve included a recipe below. Also, Nell Stephenson,
Paleo nutritionist, IronMan athlete, and co-author of The Paleo Diet Cookbook,
has great resources, recipes, and information for endurance athletes on her
website, nellstephenson.com.
CH 6. Putting It into Practice
paleoplan.com 48
Honey Lemon Thirst Quencher
Yields 8 cups. Recipe courtesy of the National Honey Board.
Ingredients
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
7-1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/2 tsp of sea salt
Instructions
1. Combine honey, sea salt, lemon juice,
and lukewarm water and stir to dissolve honey.
2. Let cool or chill before serving.
The drink is comparable to other sports drinks in its nutritional values, including
electrolytes like sodium and potassium. We compared this drink with Gatorade,
which contains undesirable ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, yellow 5,
and blue 1.
Honey QuencherGatorade
60 calories
17 g carbohydrates
0 g fat
0 g protein
119 mg sodium
85 mg potassium
63 calories
16 g carbohydrates
0 g fat
0 g protein
110 mg sodium
37 mg of potassium
Power Athletes
If you’re a power athlete (weight lifter, CrossFitter, rock climber, martial artist,
etc.) working out more than three hours per week, you’ll want to keep the
meal plan in this book as it is, but make sure you get a meal high in animal
protein within thirty minutes to two hours after your workouts. This is when
your muscles are primed to be refueled and can use the extra protein to help in
recovery and growth. That might mean adding a small meal to the meal plan
on some days or adjusting it to fit your workout schedule. Also, in general, be
generous with the amount of avocadoes and fats you eat, and choose fattier
(pasture-raised/grass-fed, of course) cuts of meat. The fat will help fuel you. If
you’ve done all that and you’re still not feeling amazing after several weeks, you
may need to add some carbs a few more times a week.
CH 6. Putting It into Practice
paleoplan.com 49
Which Carbs to Add
If you’re using the meal plan, this might mean adding things to your grocery list
every week, but it shouldn’t be too hard. If you’re adding carbs, below are some
suggestions about what to eat and what to add to your shopping list.
In general, you want to go for the starchy veggies and roots, like sweet potatoes,
squash, and tapioca flour. Most fruit provides more carbohydrates than leafy and
crunchy veggies, so eat more bananas, apples, and other fruits too.
Juice
Stay away from commercial, pasteurized, devoid-of-nutrients juice, but you can
drink freshly juiced juice, especially right before or after a workout.
Smoothies
These are a good way to get more carbohydrates in, since you can pack smoothies
full of frozen or fresh fruit. If you want some smoothie ideas, Primal Toad has a
whole ebook full of smoothie recipes at primaltoad.com.
Sweet Potatoes
Below are a couple sweet potato recipes from Paleo Plan:
Sautéed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes with Coconut, Pomegranate and Lime
Squash
Below are some recipes from Paleo Plan:
Butternut Squash with Garlic and Thyme
Roasted Acorn Squash
Butternut Squash with Cranberries
Tapioca
Tapioca flour and “pearls” contain almost no vitamins or minerals, but tapioca in
all its forms is a dense source of carbohydrates. You decide for yourself whether
you want it in your diet. One thing you can do with tapioca is to heat up some
fruit and coconut milk in a little pot and add a bit of tapioca flour to make it
taste like pie filling—gooey and delicious.
What to Eat at Restaurants
While we strongly suggest that during this cleanse you cook all your meals for
yourself, we know that things happen and sometimes that’s not possible. If you are
caught out at a restaurant this month, here are some strategies for staying on track.
CH 6. Putting It into Practice
paleoplan.com 50
•
et a salad and order extra meat (not breaded or fried) if it doesn’t
G
already come with enough protein. Ask for olive oil and vinegar as
dressing, and add avocado or guacamole to make sure you’re getting
enough fat. Usually, it’s easiest to start with a house salad or dinner
salad and add the fat and protein necessary rather than work backwards
from a fancy menu salad. Don’t forget to request no croutons or bread
with the salad.
•
rder a burger—no bun—and a salad with a side of guacamole or plain
O
avocado.
•
rder a beef, chicken, or fish entrée with extra veggies (they’ll usually be
O
willing to steam the veggies rather than cook them in butter if you ask).
•
t Asian restaurants, especially Thai, you can order curry without the
A
rice, but curry often has nightshade veggies, so watch for those.
You’re going to have to ask your waiter some questions, like:
•
•
•
What kind of oil are the veggies sautéed in?
Is the chicken battered in flour?
Is there milk, butter, or cheese in that?
Pretty soon you’ll get to know what things you can order at your favorite
restaurants, or you’ll find new favorite restaurants.
Sometimes it’s difficult or even inappropriate to hammer the waiter with a bunch
of specific food queries. Maybe you’re at a business lunch, and you need to seem
easy-going. In those cases, it’s often easy to order individual sides rather than a
normal meal from the menu. For instance, for breakfast you could order some
sausage, a side of steamed veggies, a side of avocado, and a side of fruit. It’s often
easier to order what you want than what you don’t want. Remember that most
restaurants are in the business of serving food you enjoy, so don’t be afraid to ask
for changes if you need them. Just make sure you are polite, smile, and tip for the
extra effort you’re requesting.
There’s also a really cool app for the iPhone called PaleoGoGo that provides you
with meal suggestions for over three hundred of the nation’s top chain restaurants.
Tracking Your Progress
It’s important to know whether or not this is working for you. Success is a
powerful motivator, so we think you should record your progress in order to help
you keep going this month (and beyond). Here are a few things you can do to
keep track of how you’re doing.
1.Write down your weight and measurements (waist, hips, thighs, arms, etc.) the
day before you begin.
CH 6. Putting It into Practice
paleoplan.com 51
2.Take before and after pics.
3.Write down any symptoms you have (joint pain, wheezing, skin irritation,
whatever it might be) and describe where they are, how often you feel them,
and how bad they are on a scale from 1 to 10.
4.Write down your goals. How much weight do you want to lose or gain during
this time (be realistic)? Do you want to sleep better by the end of it? Anything
you want to happen, just write it down. Well, within reason.
5.Weigh and measure yourself once a week to see how you’re doing.
6.L ook back on those pictures, measurements, and symptoms and see what’s
changed at the end of the cleanse!
CH 6. Putting It into Practice
paleoplan.com 52
First, give yourself
chapter 7
WHAT TO DO AFTER THE CLEANSE
some credit and
celebrate a bit. Maybe
not with pizza and
beers, but acknowledge somehow that you made a commitment to something, went through with it, and now you have
something to show for it. Then ask yourself some questions:
Do you feel different? If you feel better, was it worth it to change
your diet? Is it worth it to continue on a similar path so you can
continue to lose weight or be free of symptoms? If it is, then
here’s what you do.
You’ll need to figure out which, if any, of these foods you’ve taken out of a
normal Paleo diet (eggs, nightshades, nuts, seeds, dairy, alcohol, and caffeine)
was contributing to your symptoms. For some, just taking grains and dairy out
of your diet will make all the difference in the world, and you can add all those
extra foods we took out for the cleanse back in to your diet. Scrambled eggs, here
you come!
Sometimes it becomes obvious to people through the month what was causing
what. For instance, “My cup of coffee in the morning was affecting my sleep,”
or “When I ate tomatoes, my joints hurt and/or I got heartburn.” But sometimes
it’s not so obvious which food was doing what, so you’ll have to be a sleuth and
figure it out.
In order to be as scientific about this as possible, try to add foods back in one at
a time and give yourself a few days to feel the effects. Sometimes people eat foods
they’re sensitive to and they don’t get symptoms for up to three days, so eat nuts
and seeds (and eat a lot of them) and wait three days. Then eat nightshades (a lot
of them), and wait three days. And so on. It’s going to take a couple weeks to do
this, but trust us: it will be worth it in the long run. Otherwise, if you get to the
end of the cleanse and celebrate with a pizza, a beer, and some cappuccino ice
cream, you’ll never know which ingredient made you feel terrible afterward.
Once you’ve figured all that out, the only thing left to do is to stick with it!
Be true to yourself and choose to put your health before that pizza or eggs or
caffeine or whatever it is that’s causing you discomfort. You are worth it.
paleoplan.com 53
More Products by Paleo Plan
If you’re looking for a meal plan like the one in this ebook but using a normal
Paleo diet, Paleo Plan has a meal plan subscription service that uses our
trademark meal plans and grocery lists and the hundreds of recipes on our site.
Those meal plans include the eggs, nuts and seeds, etc. that aren’t on this cleanse.
We also wrote The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Paleo, which has some
meal plans in it too and tons of fantastic Paleo recipes. Plus, we have another
ebook, our Quickstart Guide and Paleo Challenge, which contains six weeks
of meal plans for a normal Paleo diet and over 150 recipes that might help keep
you on track.
Whatever route you choose to take, we wish you the best of luck and good health!
CH 7. What to do After the Cleanse
paleoplan.com 54
chapter 8
MEAL PLANS
Following the Meal Plan
Meal Plans, Shopping Lists, Staples List, and Recipes
Following the Meal Plan
The three-week meal plan in this ebook provides recipes, shopping lists, and
explicit menus for two people. The goals of the meal plan are to make the entire
process as easy as possible and to make the cleanse a seamless part of your life.
However, understanding a few things about the meal plan will make this easier.
Meals
The meal plan provides breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner every day. The focus
is on providing relatively simple-to-cook meals that can be prepared quickly
without sacrificing quality. The weekday meals are often fast and easy to prepare,
and leftovers from dinners are almost always used as lunch the next day to save
you as much time in the kitchen as possible.
The plan tries to take advantage of weekends to allow for more complex and
interesting recipes. You’ll also sometimes make large recipes, like stews or
Crockpot dishes, on the weekends to use for meals and snacks throughout the
week. If your week isn’t Monday through Friday with weekends free, adjust the
days as necessary. Be careful to notice next-day leftovers so you’re not unprepared
for a day’s lunch.
Prep List
Each week we’ve provided you with a prep list to go along with the meal plan,
which will alert you to certain things that can be done in advance and when it
would make sense to do them. These are just suggestions; do what makes sense
for your schedule.
Shopping and Staples Lists
There are three weekly shopping lists and an optional staples list. We suggest you
print out the weekly shopping lists and take them with you to the grocery store
every week. The staples list exists because there are lots of items that you may
not need to buy every week and that have a long shelf life (think coconut milk or
paleoplan.com 55
coconut flour). This list includes all of the staples you’ll need for the entire three
weeks so you can buy them all up front. However, it’s optional because we realize
that buying all these items at the same time will be a bit costly.
If you choose to use the staples list and buy all the staples you need up front,
there is an asterisk (*) next to those items in the following weekly grocery lists.
The asterisk denotes that you do not need to buy those items because you already
have them.
In the weekly shopping lists, there’s a small area where you can fill in the amount
of each ingredient you already have in your kitchen before you head to the store.
Recipes and Quantities
Number of people
The meal plan is designed for two adults following the plan. The shopping list
and the recipes themselves provide guidance for what two average, mildly active
people would eat. You may want to adjust the quantities for your specific needs.
If you’re trying to feed a whole family, multiply the amounts as necessary.
Cost
The first week will probably be more expensive than the following weeks
at the grocery store, since you’ll need to buy staple items like flours, spices,
coconut milk, etc. You’ll be able to use many of those staples for weeks without
replenishing, so it’s just an initial investment.
Proteins
In general, each main meal is focused around four to six ounces of meat or eight
ounces of fish per serving. This depends slightly on the meal’s other ingredients.
In some cases, there aren’t specific portion sizes (for instance, a breakfast may
advise to add ham but not give a portion amount). In those instances, you should
assume four or five ounces is average and adjust up or down based on preference.
Generic Foods
Sometimes “fruit” or similar terms are listed in the meal plans as snacks or sides.
In these cases, it’s up to you to decide which types of fruit you would prefer. It
allows you to keep it interesting and seasonal, based on your location. Again, the
shopping list will merely say “Fruit: 4 servings.” This is to inform you that you will
have two servings each of fruit that week, and you should purchase accordingly.
CH 8. Meal Plans
paleoplan.com 56
Leftovers
Many dinners are designed to have enough for leftovers later in the week. Unless
explicitly stated, the recipes themselves will be enough for leftovers without
modification. The shopping list will be appropriate for the amount of food
necessary.
Weekends
You will be able to use the week’s leftovers as weekend lunches and snacks. There
may be a few pieces of fruit left, some extra stew, some leftover meat, or a salad
from the week’s lunch. Take this opportunity to finish the week’s groceries so
you’re not throwing anything away.
CH 8. Meal Plans
paleoplan.com 57
CLEANSE MEAL PLAN 1
SUNDAY
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SNACK
ham stir-fry
breakfast
tuna salad (15 minutes) bananas and coconut;
chicken
(20 minutes)
chicken, yam and
chard soup
(60 minutes)
(20 minutes);
prep—see list
Tex-Mex breakfast
DINNER
leftover chicken, yam
and chard soup
simple bone broth; fruit Chez Lorraine’s
baked salmon;
mixed greens;
MONDAY
simple salad dressing
(30 minutes)
green smoothie;
ham (10 minutes)
leftover chicken, yam
and chard soup
TUESDAY
simple soup with bone leftover gingery
broth (chicken version); broccoli and beef
WEDNESDAY
gingery broccoli and
beef (45 minutes);
fruit
optional prep—see list
berries with coconut
and lime (5 minutes)
easy pork loin chops;
sautéed fennel and
carrots (50 minutes);
(20 minutes)
optional prep—see list
breakfast smoothie;
chicken (10 minutes)
THURSDAY
sautéed sweet
potatoes;
FRIDAY
flex
leftover simple
bone broth;
sausage links
(15 minutes)
leftover easy pork loin
chops;
leftover sautéed fennel
and carrots
paleo hummus;
leftover grilled chicken
with rosemary and
bacon;
leftover paleo
hummus;
veggies (50 minutes)
grilled chicken with
rosemary and bacon;
spinach salad
(35 minutes)
veggies
mixed greens;
bun-less burgers;
butternut squash with
currants;
mixed greens;
simple salad dressing
simple salad dressing
(40 minutes)
ham and applesauce;
avocado (10 minutes)
SATURDAY
leftover bun-less
burgers;
leftover butternut
squash with currants
graze leftovers
from fridge
lamb and spaghetti
squash;
mojo verde (60
minutes)
© 2012 paleoplan.com
CLEANSE SHOPPING LIST 1
Meat
need meals
1-3/4 lb ham
____
1
-1/4 lb boneless,
skinless chicken breasts or thighs
____
4
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
(4-6 oz each)
____
____
1/2 lb lean ground beef
____
2
salmon steaks (6 oz each)
____
4
boneless pork loin chops
need
5 chives
____
4 sprigs rosemary
____
1 bunch cilantro
____
6 handfuls (cups) mixed greens
____
1 head butter lettuce
2
lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs ____
1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
VEGETABLES
(or an additional 2 handfuls mixed greens)
1 bunch fresh spinach
2
____
(or 4 handfuls baby spinach)
____
1 bunch Swiss chard
____
1 bunch kale
____
2 lbs broccoli
____
8 medium carrots
____
2 fennel bulbs
____
2 medium zucchinis (6"-8")
____
1 celery stalk (or 1 additional fennel bulb)
____
(4-6 oz each)
____
1
lb petite sirloin steak
____
1 lb ground lamb, elk or bison
____
4 thick bacon slices
____
1/2 lb breakfast sausage links
____
1 cup sugar snap peas or pea pods ____
(optional, or just purée it yourself in a food processor)*
____
2 medium white button or
1
cremini mushrooms
____
lbs chicken bones, wings,
2
necks or feet*
____
2 sweet potatoes
____
2 (4-5 oz each) cans albacore tuna*
____
1 large yam
____
1 head cauliflower
____
1 medium butternut squash
____
1 small spaghetti squash
____
3" fresh ginger root
____
4 yellow onions
____
2 bunches green onions (scallions)
____
1
/8 lb ground liver
OTHER
2
need meals
____ many
____ many
olive oil*
coconut oil*
lard or tallow
____ many
1 cup green or black olives (pitted)
____
2
3 Tbs capers*
____
2
2 (403 mL each) cans full fat coconut milk* ____
____
1/2 cup coconut* unsweetened, shredded
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar*
____
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar*
____
2 tsp Dijon mustard
____
2 cups unsweetened applesauce*
____
____
4 cups vegetable scraps or veggies
(2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 4 mushrooms,
1 parsnip recommended)
____
dill weed
fennel seed
3 bay leaves
granulated garlic
FRUIT
need
meals
8 lemons
____
2
____
2 limes
____
black peppercorns
Oregano
1 apple
____
ground cinnamon
Sage
1 pear
____
ground cumin
Thyme
1 cup fresh berries
____
2 bananas
____
1/2 cup dried currants
____
1 (10 oz) package frozen berries*
____
snack servings (per person)
2
fruit of choice
____
© 2012 paleoplan.com
2
snack servings veggies of choice
2
____
to eat with Paleo Hummus
4 avocados
black pepper* freshly ground
*Item on Staples List
2
2
SPICES
sea salt*
13 garlic cloves
meals
2
2
CLEANSE PREP LIST 1
Here is a prep list to help make cooking according to the meal plans as easy as possible. It includes
any meals that need to be prepared ahead of time (with marinades or longer cooking times), as well as any
optional prep tips to help make weeknight meals easier to manage. Count on Sunday as a big cooking day
to help prepare for the rest of the week.
Begin Simple Bone Broth.
12-1/2 cups will be needed for the week, so be sure to add at least 22 cups of water to the stock pot,
and keep it covered. If you do not own a stockpot that large, just split the ingredients and cook it in
two containers. You will begin to use the broth for Meal , so make a version with a shorter cooking
time to be sure it’s done. Refrigerate leftovers for use in Meal , Meal , Meal , and Meal .
Prepare Simple Salad Dressing.
SUNDAY
AM
Prepare chicken for Meals
Chop 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs into 1/2" slices.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1 Tbs coconut oil when hot.
Sauté chicken for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until fully cooked; season with sea salt and freshly
cracked black pepper if desired.
Store cooked chicken in the refrigerator.
If you want to incorporate organ meats into the cleanse, now is a great time to puree 3/8 lb of liver
in the food processor. Divide it into three equal containers and freeze for use in Meal
of Week 1,
of Week 2, and Meal
Meal
of Week 3.
TUESDAY
PM
WEDNESDAY
PM
If you are rushed in the mornings, make the Simple Soup with Bone Broth for Meal
and simply warm it up in the morning (optional).
Prepare Paleo Hummus and refrigerate for use in Meal
and Meal
ahead of time
(optional).
© 2012 paleoplan.com
CLEANSE MEAL PLAN 2
SUNDAY
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SNACK
chicken stir-fry
breakfast (25 minutes);
leftover lamb and
spaghetti squash;
leftover mojo verde
graze fridge for leftovers baked sea bass with
prep—see list
capers and lemon;
butternut squash with
garlic and thyme
(40 minutes); optional
prep—see list
simple soup with
bone broth (beef
version); (20 minutes)
orange and avocado
salad;
leftover turkey
vegetable meatballs;
leftover simple soup
with bone broth
MONDAY
TUESDAY
DINNER
chicken
(10 minutes)
green smoothie
(10 minutes)
steamed broccoli (45
minutes)
endive salmon
poppers (15 minutes)
avocado; fruit; prep—
see list
leftover simple soup
with bone broth
crockpot pork loin;
roasted acorn squash
with coconut (45
minutes aside from
morning prep)
leftover crockpot
pork loin;
leftover turkey
vegetable meatballs
leftover roasted
acorn squash with
coconut
WEDNESDAY
turkey vegetable
meatballs;
chicken with
rosemary and
mushroom glaze;
mixed greens;
simple salad dressing
(40 minutes)
sausage stir fry
breakfast (20 minutes)
THURSDAY
leftover chicken
with rosemary and
mushroom glaze;
leftover crockpot
pork loin;
stir-fry beef salad
(20 minutes)
veggies
mixed greens;
simple salad dressing
breakfast smoothie;
FRIDAY
flex
bacon; optional prep—
see list
leftover stir-fry beef
salad
bacon wrapped
dates
salmon with coconut
cream sauce;
(25 minutes)
spinach salad
(40 minutes)
bacon stir-fry
breakfast (25 minutes)
graze fridge for leftovers leftover bacon
wrapped dates
coconut lamb;
cauliflower rice (60
minutes)
SATURDAY
© 2012 paleoplan.com
CLEANSE Staples LIST
The staples list exists because there are lots of items you may not need
to buy every week and that have a long shelf life. This list includes all of the staples
you’ll need for the entire three weeks so you can buy them all up front. However, it’s
optional because we realize that buying all these items at the same time will be a bit
costly. If you choose to use the staples list and buy all the ingredients up front, there
is an asterisk (*) next to those items on the following weekly grocery lists. The asterisk
denotes that you do not need to buy those items because you already have them.
Meat
need
OTHER
need
1-3/4 lb ham
____
750 mL extra virgin olive oil
____
2 (4-5 oz) cans albacore tuna
____
12 fl oz coconut oil
____
2 (4-5 oz) cans yellowfish tuna
____
17 fl oz balsamic vinegar
____
3/8 lb liver (frozen)
____
16 fl oz apple cider vinegar
____
8 oz smoked salmon
____
8 fl oz coconut aminos
____
2
-4 lbs chicken bones, wings,
necks or feet (frozen)
55 oz unsweetened applesauce
____
____
2
-4 lbs beef knuckle or long bones
(frozen, cut to expose marrow)
60 grams (or about 6 oz or about 2 ½
1
cups) unsweetened, shredded coconut
____
____
6 (403 mL) each cans full fat coconut milk
____
2 (4-5 oz each) cans albacore tuna*
____
2 (3.5 oz) each jars non-pareil capers
____
toothpicks (optional)
____
FRUIT
3 (10 oz) package frozen berries*
need
____
SPICES
sea salt
fennel seed
basil
granulated garlic
7 bay leaves
italian seasoning
black peppercorns
oregano
ground cinnamon
sage
ground cumin
thyme
dill weed
© 2012 paleoplan.com
CLEANSE SHOPPING LIST 2
Meat
1
-1/4 lb boneless,
skinless chicken breasts or thighs
4
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
need meals
____
(4-6 oz each)
____
1
lb ground turkey or chicken
____
(or any other firm white fish available)
____
2
-3 lb pork loin
____
1
-1/2 lb boneless beef steak
____
1
-1/2 lbs beef tip steak
____
1
lb salmon fillets
____
1
lb lamb tenderloin
____
4
oz smoked salmon*
need
3 sprigs thyme
____
2 sprigs dill
1
/8 lb ground liver (optional) or just purée
it yourself in a food processor*
____
1
lb sea bass fillets
VEGETABLES
(1 tsp dried dill weed may be substituted)
____
1 small bunch parsley
1 sprig rosemary
____
(2 tsp dried rosemary may be substituted)
2 sprigs basil
1 small bunch cilantro
4 handfuls (cups) mixed greens
____
____
____
____
7 handfuls (cups) baby spinach
1 bunch spinach
____
(or add an additional 4 handfuls baby spinach)
____
____
1 bunch kale
1-2 small heads endive
2 medium heads red or
green leaf lettuce
____
1
/2 lb breakfast sausages
____
1/4 lb asparagus
____
22 bacon slices
____
7 medium (6"-8") zucchinis
17 large white button or
cremini mushrooms
____
7-8 medium carrots
3 celery stalks
____
2 lbs beef knuckle or long bones
(cut to expose marrow, if possible)*
OTHER
____
need meals
coconut oil*
____ many
____ many
lard or tallow
____ many
olive oil*
1
/2 cup green olives
(pitted, Castelveltrano recommended)
____
2 Tbs capers*
____
2
3 (403 mL each) cans full fat coconut milk* ____
____
3/4 cup coconut* unsweetened, shredded
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar*
____
balsamic vinegar*
____
coconut aminos*
____
toothpicks (optional)*
____
FRUIT
need meals
6
avocados
____
1
apple
____
1
pear
____
1
banana
____
5
lemons
____
2
large oranges
____
1
6 Medjool dates (pitted)
____
1
(10 oz) package frozen berries*
____
1
snack serving (per person)
fruit of choice
____
© 2012 paleoplan.com *Item on Staples List
4 cups sugar snap peas
or pea pods
meals
____
____
____
____
____
7-8 green beens
1 lb broccoli
____
2 large heads cauliflower
1 medium sweet potato
____
medium butternut squash
1 acorn squash
____
1" fresh ginger root
1 large shallot
____
yellow onions
4
1/2 red onion
____
4
green onions (scallions)
10 garlic cloves
____
____
____
____
____
many
____
____
many
veggies of choice 1 snack serving per person ____
4 cups vegetable scraps or veggies
(2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 4 mushrooms,
____
1 parsnip recommended)
SPICES
sea salt*
fennel seed
black pepper* freshly ground
granulated garlic
basil
Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
oregano
black peppercorns
thyme
ground cinnamon
CLEANSE PREP LIST 2
Here is a prep list to help make cooking according to the meal plans as easy as possible. It includes
any meals that need to be prepared ahead of time (with marinades or longer cooking times), as well as any
optional prep tips to help make weeknight meals easier to manage. Count on Sunday as a big cooking day
to help prepare for the rest of the week.
SUNDAY
AM
Prepare chicken for Meals
Chop 1-1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs into 1/2" slices.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1 Tbs coconut oil when hot.
Sauté chicken for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until fully cooked; season with sea salt
and freshly cracked black pepper if desired.
Use 1/2 lb of chicken right away in Meal , and refrigerate the rest for use in Meal .
Begin Simple Bone Broth.
Twelve cups will be needed for the week, so be sure to add at least 22 cups of water to the stock
pot, and keep it covered. If you do not own a stockpot that large, just split the ingredients and cook
it in two containers. You will begin to use the broth for Meal , so make a version with a shorter
cooking time to be sure it’s done. Refrigerate leftovers for use in Meal , Meal , Meal , and
Meal .
SUNDAY
PM
TUESDAY
AM
FRIDAY
AM
If you are rushed in the mornings, make a triple batch of Simple Soup with Bone Broth for Meal
Meal
and Meal
ahead of time and simply warm it up in the morning (optional).
,
Prepare Crockpot Pork Loin so it will be ready for Meal
Soft cook 16 extra slices of bacon alongside the 6 needed for Meal
(optional). Reserve these
16 slices to prepare Bacon Wrapped Dates for Meal , Meal
and 2 more meals next week. Go
ahead and prepare the dates if you wish, and refrigerate until needed. Cook remaining bacon to
desired crispness for Meal .
© 2012 paleoplan.com
CLEANSE MEAL PLAN 3
BREAKFAST
LUNCH
SNACK
DINNER
ham stir-fry breakfast
leftover coconut lamb;
leftover cauliflower
rice
leftover bacon
wrapped dates
cod with arugula
tapenade and celeriac
kale salad with ham
leftover bacon
wrapped dates
(20 minutes); prep—see
list (bone broth
SUNDAY
smoked salmon and
fennel with dill (15
(15 minutes)
(35 minutes); optional
prep—see list
minutes); prep—see list
(30 minutes aside from
morning prep); optional
prep—see list
MONDAY
breakfast smoothie;
ham (10 minutes)
TUESDAY
leftover beef pot
roast;
leftover rosemary
green beans
simple bone broth;
fruit (5 minutes)
chicken and sweet
potatoes with
shallots;
cranberry relish (45
minutes); optional
prep—see list
leftover beef pot
roast; fruit
WEDNESDAY
leftover chicken and
sweet potatoes with
shallots;
leftover cranberry
relish
simple soup with
bone broth (bacon
version); (20 minutes)
simple soup with
bone broth (bacon
leftover cilantro turkey ham; veggies
burgers;
version); (20 minutes)
mixed greens;
THURSDAY
simple salad dressing;
cilantro turkey
burgers;
orange and avocado
salad (25 minutes)
lamb and spaghetti
squash;
olive tapenade
(60 minutes)
avocado
ham and applesauce;
avocado (10 minutes)
FRIDAY
flex
SATURDAY
beef pot roast;
rosemary green beans
leftover lamb and
spaghetti squash;
leftover olive
tapenade
bananas with coconut baked
(5 minutes)
portobello and tuna;
mixed greens;
simple salad dressing
(25 minutes)
sausage stir-fry
breakfast;
sautéed sweet
potatoes (25 minutes)
graze fridge for leftovers leftover sautéed
sweet potatoes;
ham
steak of the caveman;
creamy chard
(30 minutes)
© 2012 paleoplan.com
CLEANSE SHOPPING LIST 3
Meat
need meals
3
lbs ham
____
4
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
VEGETABLES
need meals
1 bunch dill
____
3 sprigs rosemary
____
____
(4-6 oz each)
____
1 small bunch cilantro
1
lb ground turkey
____
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
1 lb cod fillets
____
1
(5 lb) lean beef pot roast,
rump roast or chuck shoulder
____
1
lb ground lamb, elk, or bison
____
(or use leftovers from parsley purchased last week)
____
3 sprigs basil
____
4 handfuls (cups) mixed greens
____
4 oz arugula
____
7 handfuls (cups) baby spinach
____
1 bunch Lacinato kale
____
1 small bok choy
____
1 large bunch Swiss chard
____
1
/8 lb ground liver (optional), or just
purée it yourself in a food processor)*
____
2 beef steaks (5-6 oz each, about 1” thick)
____
1/2 lb breakfast sausage links
____
5 medium carrots
____
12 bacon slices
____
4 celery stalks
____
4 oz smoked salmon*
____
1 lb green beans
____
____
2 cups sugar snap peas or pea pods ____
____
2 small fennel bulbs
2 cans yellowfin tuna in oil* (4-5 oz)
lbs chicken bones, wings, necks or
2
feet, or 2 lbs beef knuckle or long bones*____
medium white button
2
or cremini mushrooms
____
2 portobello mushroom caps
____
need meals
5 sweet potatoes
____
1 large celery root (celeriac)
____
coconut oil*
____ many
____ many
1 medium spaghetti squash
____
lard or tallow
____ many
4 shallots
____
5 yellow onions
____
1/2 red onion
____
2 green onions (scallions)
____
9 garlic cloves
____
OTHER
olive oil*
1
-1/2 cup green olives
____
(pitted, Castelveltrano recommended)
1
cup Kalamata olives (pitted)
____
____
1 (403 mL each) cans full fat coconut milk*
____
3/4 cup coconut* unsweetened, shredded
6 Tbs capers*
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar*
____
2 cups unsweetened applesauce*
____
FRUIT
5
avocados
need meals
____
4 cups vegetable scraps or veggies
(2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 4 mushrooms, 1 parsnip
recommended)
____
snack serving (per person)
1
veggies of choice
____
SPICES
2
bananas
____
1
sweet apple
____
sea salt*
fennel seed
4
lemons
black pepper* freshly ground
granulated garlic
3
large oranges
____ many
____
2 bay leaves
oregano
1
cup fresh cranberries
____
black peppercorns
thyme
____
ground cinnamon
1
(10 oz) package frozen berries*
2
snack serving (per person)
fruit of choice
____
© 2012 paleoplan.com *Item on Staples List
CLEANSE PREP LIST 3
Here is a prep list to help make cooking according to the meal plans as easy as possible. It includes
any meals that need to be prepared ahead of time (with marinades or longer cooking times), as well as any
optional prep tips to help make weeknight meals easier to manage. Count on Sunday as a big cooking day
to help prepare for the rest of the week.
SUNDAY
PM
Prepare Simple Salad Dressing if you are out. You will need it for Meal
already have enough left over from Week 1.
MONDAY
AM
Prepare Beef Pot Roast so it is ready for Meal
MONDAY
PM
Begin Simple Bone Broth. Ten cups will be needed for the week, so be sure to add at least 18 cups
of water to the stock pot, and keep it covered. If you do not own a stockpot that large, just split the
ingredients and cook it in two containers. You will begin to use the broth for Meal . Refrigerate
leftovers for use in Simple Soup with Bone Broth for Meal
and Meal .
TUESDAY
PM
Cook and chop 12 slices of bacon to use in the Simple Soup with Bone Broth – Bacon Version
for Meal
and Meal . If you are rushed in the mornings, make a double batch of Simple Soup
with Bone Broth ahead of time and simply warm it up in the morning or at snack time for those
meals (optional).
and Meal
, so you may
.
© 2012 paleoplan.com
Beef Pot Roast
Makes 6 servings. Approximate cooking time: 3-8 hours.
Ingredients
1/2 tsp freshly ground
black pepper
1 (5 lb) lean beef pot roast, rump roast,
or chuck shoulder
1 Tbs thyme
2 yellow onions, sliced
3 carrots, quartered
2 celery stalks
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp oregano
R ECI PE S
2T
bs beef tallow (coconut oil may
be substituted, but must be used carefully
to avoid smoking and burning)
1 tsp sea salt
3 cups water
beefgame
poultry
Instructions
1) M
ix freshly ground black pepper, thyme, oregano and sea salt (optional)
together in a small bowl.
2) Rub mixture into meat on all sides of roast.
3) H eat a medium skillet (if cooking in a crockpot) or heavy-bottomed ovenproof pan (if cooking in the oven) over high heat. Add 2 Tbs tallow when hot.
4) Immediately sear all sides of the roast and set aside.
5) Wash and prepare vegetables.
6) P
ut roast in crockpot, add vegetables, bay leaf and water, and cook on high
until tender (6-7 hours). Or, preheat oven to 325°, add the vegetables, bay
leaf and water to the heavy bottomed oven-proof pan with the meat, cover
and roast for 2-3 hours.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 6 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories509
Fat
14g
Carbohydates 22g
Protein64g
paleoplan.com 68
Bun-less Burgers
Makes dinner for 2, with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 25 minutes.
Ingredients
R ECI PE S
1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
1) M
ix meat, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper together with a fork.
Form into 4 patties.
beefgame
poultry
2) Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil when hot.
3) Cook the burgers until desired temperature is reached.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories154
Fat
7g
Carbohydates
0g
Protein
22g
paleoplan.com 69
Coconut L amb
This hearty meal serves 2 adults for dinner, with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 45-60 minutes.
Ingredients
2 cans
1 lb lamb fillet (tenderloin), cubed
3 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
1 tsp sea salt
1 large carrot, in 1/4" slices
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 medium zucchini, in 1/4" slices
*served with cauliflower rice
(403 mL each)
Instructions
R ECI PE S
organic coconut milk
1 Tbs coconut oil
beefgame
poultry
1) C
ube the lamb and prepare the vegetables.
2) O
ver medium-high heat, melt coconut oil and wait for pan to heat.
3) W hen pan is hot, add the onions and carrots (they should sizzle slightly).
Cook until onions are slightly translucent.
4) Add lamb and coconut milk. Simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes,
while preparing cauliflower rice.
5) Add zucchini and continue to simmer for 5-10 more minutes.
6) S
eason with salt and pepper. Add cilantro and serve over cauliflower rice.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories453
Fat
26g
Carbohydates 32g
Protein33g
paleoplan.com 70
Gingery Broccoli and Beef
Makes dinner for 2, with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 45 minutes.
Ingredients
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup leftover
Simple Bone Broth
1 lb petite sirloin steak, cut into
very thin strips
2 cups broccoli, cut into florets
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 green onion, thinly sliced
R ECI PE S
2 Tbs coconut oil
beefgame
poultry
Instructions
1) H
eat the 1 Tbs coconut oil and garlic in a large skillet over
medium-high heat.
2) A
dd the sliced beef and 1/4 tsp sea salt, and brown. Remove beef from pan
to a side dish, and get rid of excess juice left in pan.
3) In a small bowl mix lemon juice, grated ginger, and freshly ground black
pepper with 1/4 cup broth.
4) H eat pan again over medium heat. Add 1 Tbs coconut oil when pan is hot.
5) A
dd broccoli and carrots to pan. Pour liquid ingredients on top
and toss to coat.
6) C
ook over medium heat until broccoli is tender.
7) R eturn the beef to the pan and add the green onions. Add the extra
broth if preferred.
8) S tir beef in until it’s coated with sauce, and let simmer for a few minutes
until beef warmed through.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories317
Fat
9g
Carbohydates 15g
Protein
33g
paleoplan.com 71
L amb and Spaghetti Squash
Makes dinner for 2 with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 60 minutes.
Ingredients
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 lb ground lamb, elk, or bison
1/4 tsp oregano
1/8 lb ground liver (optional, or just puree
it yourself in a food processor)
8m
edium white button or
cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 Tbs coconut oil
R ECI PE S
1 small or medium spaghetti squash
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
Instructions
beefgame
poultry
1) Preheat oven to 375°F.
2) Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise with a large knife or cleaver.
3) Place cut side down in a shallow baking dish. Add 3/4” of water to the dish.
4) Bake for 45 minutes or so, until the squash is soft to the touch.
5) A
fter about 30 minutes of baking, heat a large sauté pan over
medium-high heat.
6) A
dd lamb, liver, onions, sea salt, granulated garlic, and oregano, and cook 5
minutes, stirring frequently.
7) Add mushrooms and continue to cook until lamb is fully done (10-12
minutes). Set aside.
8) W hen squash is done cooking, remove it from the oven and cool until it can
be comfortably handled.
9) T
urn the cut side up, and remove from the rind with a fork. This should be
done crosswise, so the strands of squash fall out like spaghetti.
10) Spoon lamb mixture over spaghetti squash to serve.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories501
Fat
34g
Carbohydates 24g
Protein
25g
paleoplan.com 72
Steak of the Caveman
Makes 2 servings. Approximate cooking time: 20-35 minutes.
Ingredients
(rib-eye, sirloin, strip, tenderloin)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic, minced
R ECI PE S
2b
eef steaks–5 oz-6 oz, about 1" thick
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
1/4 cup coconut oil or
tallow, melted
Instructions
1) P
reheat broiler to high.
2) In a small bowl, combine oregano, black pepper, garlic, sea salt (optional)
and oil or tallow.
beefgame
poultry
3) Place steaks on broiler pan and brush both sides with oil mixture.
4) B roil 2"-3" from heat source (usually the very top of the oven) for
7 minutes for medium-rare (8 minutes for medium). Remove from oven
and turn steaks. Return to oven and broil the other side an additional 5
minutes for medium-rare (6 minutes for medium).
5) W
hen desired internal temperature is reached, remove steaks from
oven, cover with foil and let rest 5 minutes. Serve with your favorite
vegetable or side.
NOTE: To cook steaks on the stovetop, heat a heavy bottomed skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add 1 tsp oil or fat when pan is hot. Add steaks and cook for 10 minutes
for medium rare. Turn and continue to cook for another 14 minutes. Remove from
heat, cover with foil, and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories525
Fat43g
Carbohydates
0g
Protein38g
paleoplan.com 73
Stir-Fry Beef Salad
Makes a light dinner for 2 with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients
balsamic vinegar
2 tsp coconut oil, lard, or tallow
extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp coconut aminos (tastes like soy sauce)
sea salt
1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced
freshly ground black pepper
large handful of pea pods or sugar snap peas
1 avocado, diced
2m
edium heads lettuce of choice or the
equivalent amount of mixed greens
R ECI PE S
1-1/2 lbs beef tip steak, sliced into thin strips
beefgame
poultry
Instructions
1) H
eat skillet over medium heat. Add the coconut oil, lard, or
tallow as soon as the pan is hot.
2) A
dd sliced onions and sauté until they begin to soften and
turn translucent. Stir often.
3) Turn the heat up slightly and wait about a minute for the pan to heat up.
4) Add the beef and the coconut aminos, and continue to stir often.
5) W hen beef is close to done (however you prefer it) add the peas.
6) S
eason with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed.
7) S erve over chopped lettuce or mixed greens and drizzle with balsamic
vinegar and olive oil to taste. Top with avocado.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories574
Fat
47g
Carbohydates 12g
Protein32g
paleoplan.com 74
Tex-Mex Breakfast
Makes breakfast for 2. Approximate cooking time: 20 minutes.
Ingredients
2 medium zucchinis, diced
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1 avocado, diced
1/2 tsp cumin
cilantro to garnish
R ECI PE S
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/4 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
1) Heat large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
2) A
dd ground beef, onion, cumin, and sea salt, and stir until meat is almost
fully cooked (about 10-12 minutes).
beefgame
poultry
3) Add zucchini and cook until meat is done and zucchini is just slightly tender
(about 5 minutes).
4) Top with avocado and cilantro to serve.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories353
Fat
21g
Carbohydates 17g
Protein
29g
paleoplan.com 75
Chicken Stir-Fry Breakfast
Makes breakfast for 2. Approximate cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
1/2 lb cooked, diced chicken breast
1/4 lb asparagus,
1/2 cup sliced olives
1 medium zucchini, diced
sea salt, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 avocado, sliced
washed and cut into 1-2" pieces
(optional, Castelveltrano recommended)
Instructions
R ECI PE S
1 Tbs coconut oil, lard, or tallow
1) Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add coconut oil when pan is hot.
2) A
dd asparagus, zucchini, and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes,
or until slightly tender.
poultry
3) A
dd chicken and olives. Stirring constantly, cook until vegetables are slightly
tender, and chicken is heated through.
4) Season with sea salt and top with avocado to serve.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories397
Fat
26g
Carbohydates 16g
Protein
31g
paleoplan.com 76
Chicken and
Sweet Potatoes with Shallots
Makes dinner for 2, with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 45 minutes.
3m
edium (5"-6") sweet potatoes,
peeled and cut in 2" pieces
4 (4-6 oz each) boneless,
skinless chicken breasts
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper, to taste
4 shallots, sliced into thick rings
4 Tbs coconut oil
2 Tbs fresh rosemary, chopped
R ECI PE S
Ingredients
poultry
Instructions
1) W
ash and chop sweet potatoes. Place in a large pot and
cover with cold water.
2) B
ring pot to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tsp sea salt and reduce heat to
medium-low. Simmer until tender (about 14-16 minutes).
3) R eserve 1/4 cup of cooking water. Drain remaining liquid and return sweet
potatoes to pot. Mash with reserved cooking water.
4) M eanwhile, season chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly
ground black pepper.
5) H
eat 4 Tbs coconut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
6) W
hen pan is hot, add sliced shallots and rosemary and cook for a minute.
7) Add chicken breasts to pan and pan-fry until golden brown and fully cooked
(7-8 min per side).
8) S erve with mashed sweet potatoes on the side.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories295
Fat
15g
Carbohydates 13g
Protein27g
paleoplan.com 77
Chicken with Rosemary
and Mushroom Glaze
Makes dinner for 2, with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 40 minutes.
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
(4-6 oz each)
se a salt and freshly ground
black pepper to taste
4 Tbs coconut oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh or dried rosemary leaves
12 w
hite button or
cremini mushrooms, sliced
Instructions
R ECI PE S
Ingredients
poultry
1) Season chicken with sea salt and black pepper.
2) H
eat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbs coconut oil
when pan is hot.
3) Add chicken and cook until internal temperature reaches 165° F, or
until there is no pink in the center.
4) M eanwhile, add remaining coconut oil to a medium sauté pan over
medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add rosemary and garlic. Simmer
together for 5 minutes.
5) A
dd mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes, or until mushrooms
are browned. Season with sea salt and black pepper if desired.
6) Pour mushroom mixture over chicken to serve.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories264
Fat
19g
Carbohydates
4g
Protein22g
paleoplan.com 78
Chicken, Yam and Chard Soup
Makes 8 servings. Approximate cooking time: 60 minutes.
Ingredients
4 cups Simple Bone Broth
1 yellow onion, diced
6 cups water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp sea salt, divided
1 large yam, diced
1b
unch swiss chard, chopped
(or kale or any greens you love)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1b
unch green onions, sliced
(whites and greens)
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
juice of 1 lemon
R ECI PE S
2 Tbs coconut or extra virgin olive oil
poultry
Instructions
1) H
eat large pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add oil, onion, garlic,
carrot, thyme, and oregano, and sauté until onion is softened and slightly
translucent (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
2) M
eanwhile, mix 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in
a medium bowl. Cut chicken thighs into 1” cubes and toss in sea salt and
black pepper mixture.
3) Add chicken to pot and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
4) R educe heat to medium, add broth, water, bay leaf, yam, chard, and green
onions and simmer for 20 minutes.
5) J
ust before serving, season with remaining sea salt, black pepper, and fresh
lemon juice.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories257
Fat
17g
Carbohydates 12g
Protein
21g
paleoplan.com 79
Cilantro Turkey Burgers
Makes 4 burgers. Approximate cooking time: 20 minutes.
Ingredients
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1) P
repare the grill, or turn the broiler on low.
R ECI PE S
1 lb ground turkey
2) C
ombine all ingredients in a bowl and use a fork to mix well.
3) D ivide into 4 portions and shape into patties.
poultry
4) G rill or broil until cooked to desired temperature.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories287
Fat5g
Carbohydates
4g
Protein57g
paleoplan.com 80
Grilled Chicken
with Rosemary and Bacon
Makes dinner for 2, with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 25-35 minutes.
4 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 thick slices bacon
R ECI PE S
Ingredients
Instructions
1) P
reheat outdoor grill for medium-high and oil grates (or use a
heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat on the stove or oven).
poultry
2) S
eason chicken breasts with garlic powder, sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper.
3) L ay one rosemary sprig on top of each chicken breast and wrap a slice of
bacon around to hold the rosemary in place. Secure each piece of bacon
with a toothpick or another rosemary sprig.
4) C ook the breasts about 8 minutes per side on the grill, or until juices run
clear and there is no pink in the middle. Note: If you are cooking chicken
in a pan on the stove, more time is needed per side. Cook until internal
temperature reaches 165° F. If you are roasting chicken in the oven, place
chicken on baking tray at 350F for 40 minutes, or until fully cooked.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories186
Fat
6g
Carbohydates
3g
Protein
30g
paleoplan.com 81
Sausage Stir-Fry Breakfast
Makes breakfast for 2.
Approximate cooking time: 20 minutes.
Ingredients
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 lb sausages (nitrate/nitrite free), sliced
4 cups of spinach or other greens
R ECI PE S
1 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
1) Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add coconut oil when hot.
2) Add diced onions and sauté until slightly translucent.
poultry
3) Add sausage and cook until browned, tossing frequently.
4) Add greens, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover.
5) Serve when the greens are wilted and soft (about 5 minutes).
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories421
Fat
35g
Carbohydates 11g
Protein16g
paleoplan.com 82
Simple Bone Broth
Approximate cooking time: 7-24 hours.
Ingredients
2 lbs chicken bones, wings, necks,
or feet, or 2 lbs beef knuckle or
long bones
2 bay leaves
1 y ellow onion, peeled and
roughly chopped
1 Tbs fennel seed
4c
ups vegetables (use scraps from
carrots, celery, kale, mushrooms,
parsnips, fennel, peppers, parsley)
R ECI PE S
Making bone broth is easy. Use this as a rough guide, and don’t be nervous
about doing it wrong. The broth will be a little different each time you make it.
This bone broth will provide you with nourishing electrolytes, collagen, and
other nutrients throughout the cleanse. Plus it adds flavor to everything you
make with it!
1 Tbs black peppercorns
1 Tbs oregano
poultry
1 tsp thyme
2 Tbs sea salt
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
water
Instructions
1) C
ombine all ingredients in a large crockpot, and fill with water to the top.
Cover and cook on low for 7-24 hours.
2) S
train to a clear broth and refrigerate leftovers.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 6 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories80
Fat
20g
Carbohydates
0g
Protein
7g
paleoplan.com 83
Simple Soup with Bone Broth
Makes 2 servings. Approximate cooking time: 20 minutes.
Ingredients
1 carrot, sliced into 1/8" slices
1 stalk celery, sliced into 1/8" slices
1 cup sugar snap peas or pea pods
1 c up leafy greens, chopped
(kale, chard or bok choy)
1/2 lb cooked, chopped
chicken, beef or bacon
Instructions
R ECI PE S
4 cups Simple Bone Broth
1) C
ombine broth, carrots, and celery in a large saucepan (covered)
and bring to a boil over high heat.
2) R
educe heat to simmer, add peas, greens, and meat, and simmer
5 minutes more.
poultry
3) S erve warm.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories247
Fat
21g
Carbohydates 12g
Protein
37g
paleoplan.com 84
Turkey Vegetable Meatballs
Makes dinner for 2, with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 45 minutes.
Ingredients
1/2 yellow onion
1/8 lb ground liver (optional) or just
purée it yourself in a food processor
1 clove garlic
2 medium carrots
2 Tbs Italian seasoning
1 medium zucchini
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp granulated garlic (garlic salt)
R ECI PE S
1 lb ground turkey or chicken
5 large mushrooms
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
poultry
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
2) C
ombine carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and seasonings in a
food processor and blend until well chopped.
3) Empty the food processor into a large bowl, add the ground turkey and liver
(if desired), and mix together completely.
4) Form meatballs and place on a non-greased baking sheet (about 1 1/2"- 2"
each). Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until completely cooked.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories209
Fat
4g
Carbohydates 10g
Protein
35g
paleoplan.com 85
Bacon Stir-Fry Breakfast
Makes breakfast for 2. Approximate cooking time: 25 minutes.
Ingredients
7-8 green beans
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 avocado
1 medium sweet potato, diced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium zucchini, diced
Instructions
1) C
ook chopped bacon in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.
Drain fat when done and set bacon aside.
R ECI PE S
8 bacon slices, diced
pork
2) M
eanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbs of
drippings from the bacon pan, onion, and sweet potato.
3) S tirring often, sauté until onions begin to turn translucent and
sweet potato softens slightly (about 10-15 minutes).
4) Add zucchini and green beans to the sweet potato mixture and
cook just until they turn bright green.
5) C
ombine bacon and vegetables. Season with freshly ground black
pepper, and top with avocado to serve.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories429
Fat
31g
Carbohydates 30g
Protein13g
paleoplan.com 86
Bacon Wrapped Dates
Makes 16 dates, or 8 servings. Serving size is 2 dates per person,
per snack. Approximate cooking time: 25 minutes.
Ingredients
16 large Medjool dates, pitted
toothpicks (optional)
Instructions
R ECI PE S
8 bacon slices, cut in half
1) Preheat oven to 375° F
2) W
rap each date with half of a bacon slice. Secure with a
toothpick if necessary.
pork
3) Place on a shallow baking sheet and bake, bacon seam down,
for about 7 minutes.
4) Flip and bake for another 7 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
5) S
erve warm or cold, and store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 8 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories163
Fat
3g
Carbohydates 36g
Protein3g
paleoplan.com 87
CrockPot Pork Loin
Makes dinner for 2, with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 7 hours.
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 medium carrot, sliced
2 medium (6"-8") zucchini, sliced
Instructions
1 h ead cauliflower, separated
into medium florets
1-2 Tbs dried basil
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
R ECI PE S
2-3 lb pork loin
1) Add all of the ingredients to a large crockpot.
2) Cook on high for 6-7 hours.
pork
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories331
Fat
19g
Carbohydates 11g
Protein41g
paleoplan.com 88
Easy Pork Loin Chops
Makes dinner for 2 adults with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 50 minutes.
Ingredients
4 boneless pork loin chops
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried sage
1T
bs lard
(coconut oil may be used, but be
careful it doesn’t burn)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 onion, sliced thin
R ECI PE S
1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 425°F.
2) In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, sage, and thyme together.
pork
3) Sprinkle both sides of each pork chop with the seasoning mixture.
4) Add lard to a skillet over high heat.
5) When good and hot, brown both sides of each chop.
6) P
lace the browned chops on a large piece of heavy foil and layer
with sliced onions.
7) Close the foil into a tight pouch and place on a baking sheet.
8) Bake for 30 minutes, or until pork reaches desired temperature.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories234
Fat
4g
Carbohydates
8g
Protein
34g
paleoplan.com 89
Ham and Applesauce
Makes breakfast for 2. Approximate cooking time: 10 minutes.
Ingredients
(nitrate/nitrite free, Boar's Head or
Applegate Farms recommended)
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
Instructions
R ECI PE S
12oz ham
1) S
lice the ham and warm in a skillet on the stove (optionally you
can serve the ham cold). Serve with applesauce.
Nutritional Information
pork
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories320
Fat
5g
Carbohydates 36g
Protein
33g
paleoplan.com 90
Ham Stir-Fry Breakfast
Makes breakfast for 2. Approximate cooking time: 20 minutes.
Ingredients
1/4 yellow onion, diced
4 mushrooms, sliced
1 small sweet potato, diced into 1/2" cubes
1/8 tsp thyme
R ECI PE S
1 Tbs coconut oil
1/2 lb ham, diced
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 avocado, diced
pork
Instructions
1) H
eat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot,
add coconut oil.
2) Add onions, mushrooms, and thyme. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
3) Reduce heat to medium and add sweet potato.
4) S tirring frequently, cook until sweet potatoes are tender but
firm (about 12-15 minutes).
5) Toss in ham until heated through.
6) S
eason with freshly ground black pepper, if desired, and top
with avocado to serve.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories413
Fat
25g
Carbohydates 25g
Protein
27g
paleoplan.com 91
K ale Salad with Ham
Makes lunch for 2. Approximate cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
(enough for about 6 cups of chopped leaves)
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 small lemon
3/4 lb ham, diced
1 avocado, diced
1/8 tsp sea salt
R ECI PE S
1 bunch lacinato kale
Instructions
1) W
ash kale and remove leaves from woody stems. Slice leaves thinly.
2) In a large bowl, combine kale, olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and freshly
ground black pepper. Toss to coat leaves completely.
pork
3) Divide kale into two bowls. Top each salad with ham and avocado to serve.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories537
Fat
33g
Carbohydates 25g
Protein39g
paleoplan.com 92
Baked Portobello and Tuna
Makes 2 servings. Approximate cooking time: 25 minutes.
Ingredients
2 Tbs capers, rinsed
2 (4-5 oz) cans yellowfin tuna in oil, drained
2 tsp fresh dill, chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
coconut oil to grease baking sheet
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
R ECI PE S
2 portobello mushroom caps
1) P
reheat oven to 450° F.
2) M
ix tuna, garlic powder, black pepper, dill (optional) and capers together in
a bowl, then stuff into portobello caps.
fish/seafood
3) Place caps on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes (or
until tops are browned and portobello cap has softened slightly).
4) Top with sliced avocado and serve warm.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories567
Fat41g
Carbohydates 13g
Protein41g
paleoplan.com 93
Baked Sea Bass
with Capers and Lemon
Makes dinner for 2 adults. Approximate cooking time: 25 minutes.
1 lb sea bass fillets
(or any firm white fish available)
1 lemon
2 Tbs capers, rinsed
2 sprigs fresh dill
(dried may be used if fresh dill is unavailable)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
R ECI PE S
Ingredients
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
fish/seafood
2) Place sea bass fillets on a broiler pan.
3) Thinly slice lemon (1/8" slices).
4) S prinkle the fish with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Top with capers and dill sprigs. Cover with fresh lemon slices.
5) Bake for 10-15 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories243
Fat
5g
Carbohydates 12g
Protein
41g
paleoplan.com 94
Chez Lorraine’s Baked Salmon
Makes dinner for 2. Approximate cooking time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs chives, minced
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1 lime, cut into wedges
R ECI PE S
2 salmon steaks (about 6 oz each)
Instructions
1) P
reheat oven to 350° F.
2) P
lace individual salmon steaks on pieces of aluminum foil large enough to
wrap each steak.
3) Pour a tablespoon of lemon juice over each steak, sprinkle with dill, and sea
salt (if desired).
fish/seafood
4) Fold over the edges of foil to seal each steak in an aluminum pouch.
5) P
lace the sealed steaks in a glass dish and bake for 12-20 minutes, or until
the fish flakes easily with a fork.
6) S
erve salmon with sprinkled chives and lime wedges.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories327
Fat
14g
Carbohydates
5g
Protein
48g
paleoplan.com 95
Cod with Arugula
Tapenade and Celeriac
Makes dinner for 2. Approximate cooking time: 35 minutes.
1 large celeriac root
(also known erroneously as celery root)
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
1 lb cod fillets
1 lemon
1 small bunch (about 1/4 lb) arugula
1/2 cup green or black olives, pitted
2 Tbs capers, rinsed
R ECI PE S
Ingredients
1-2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
fish/seafood
Instructions
1) P
reheat oven to 450°F.
2) C
ut the celeriac into 1/4” strips (like french fries) and place them in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper if desired.
3) B ake the fries for approximately 10 minutes.
4) M eanwhile, place the fish in another oven-proof dish and season with sea
salt, freshly ground black pepper, and the juice of 1 lemon.
5) A
fter the celeriac has baked for 10 minutes, decrease the temperature to
400 and bake the fish together with the fries for another 8-10 minutes.
6) W
hile the fish bakes, combine the arugula, olives, capers, and garlic in a
food processor and chop until it resembles a tapenade.
7) S erve the tapenade on top of the cod, with the celeriac fries on the side.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories286
Fat
11g
Carbohydates 24g
Protein26g
paleoplan.com 96
Endive Salmon Poppers
Makes a snack or side for 2. This recipe also makes an excellent appetizer.
Approximate preparation time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
sea salt (optional)
4 oz smoked salmon
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 red onion, minced
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 avocado, sliced
Instructions
R ECI PE S
1-2 small heads endive
1) Wash and separate endive leaves.
2) Top with smoked salmon, red onion and avocado.
fish/seafood
3) S prinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste,
and drizzle with olive oil.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories312
Fat
20g
Carbohydates 13g
Protein
24g
paleoplan.com 97
Salmon with Coconut Cream Sauce
Makes a hearty dinner for 2. Approximate cooking time: 40 minutes.
Ingredients
1/4 tsp sea salt
(wild caught)
(optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
zest of one lemon
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
juice of one lemon
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk
1 large shallot, diced
2 Tbs fresh basil, chopped
R ECI PE S
1 lb salmon fillet
Instructions
fish/seafood
1) Preheat oven to 375° F
2) P
lace salmon in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle both sides
with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3) H eat a medium sauté pan over medium heat. When pan is hot,
add coconut oil, garlic, and shallots. Sauté until garlic and shallots
soften, about 3-5 minutes.
4) Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and coconut milk, and
bring liquid to a low boil.
5) R educe heat and add basil.
6) P
our over salmon and bake uncovered for about 10-20 minutes,
or until salmon has reached desired temperature.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories400
Fat
22g
Carbohydates
8g
Protein43g
paleoplan.com 98
Smoked Salmon and Fennel with Dill
Makes breakfast for 2. Approximate cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
2 small fennel bulbs, diced
4 oz smoked salmon
2 sprigs fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
R ECI PE S
2 Tbs coconut oil
Instructions
1) H
eat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add coconut
oil when pan is hot.
fish/seafood
2) Add fennel and sauté until slightly tender (about 10 minutes)
3) Add smoked salmon to heat through.
4) Season with black pepper and top with fresh dill to serve.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories333
Fat
18g
Carbohydates 21g
Protein29g
paleoplan.com 99
TUNA SAL AD
Makes a light lunch for 2 adults. Serve on a bed of mixed greens or butter
lettuce for a larger meal. Approximate cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
20 (about 1 cup) green or
black olives, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
3 Tbs capers, rinsed
1 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
juice of 2 lemons
splash of extra virgin olive oil
1h
ead butter lettuce or
mixed greens (optional)
1 avocado, sliced
R ECI PE S
2 (4-5 oz each) cans albacore tuna
(oil-packed recommended)
fish/seafood
Instructions
1) C
ombine all the ingredients and serve over lettuce,
with sliced avocado on top.
2) S
erve immediately, or store it in the fridge for a day for more flavor.
NOTE: Add the avocado just before serving.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories486
Fat
27g
Carbohydates 16g
Protein
29g
paleoplan.com 100
Bananas with Coconut
Makes a snack for 2. Approximate cooking time: 5 minutes.
Ingredients
2 Tbs full fat canned coconut milk (or use just
the cream from the top of the can)
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
(toasted, if desired)
R ECI PE S
1 banana
Instructions
1) Slice banana and divide between two small bowls.
2) Top with coconut milk and shredded coconut
veggies
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories164
Fat
10g
Carbohydates 19g
Protein
2g
paleoplan.com 101
Berries with Coconut and Lime
Makes a snack for 2. Approximate preparation time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
1/4 cup whole fat canned coconut milk
(preferably the cream at the top of the can)
1/2 of a fresh lime
Instructions
R ECI PE S
1 cup berries
1) Divide berries between two small bowls.
2) Add coconut milk, and sprinkle with lime juice.
veggies
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories84
Fat
6g
Carbohydates 10g
Protein
1g
paleoplan.com 102
Breakfast Smoothie
Makes 2 smoothies. Approximate cooking time: 10 minutes.
Ingredients
R ECI PE S
2 cups frozen berries
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 banana
1 cup full fat canned coconut milk
Instructions
1) F
ill a blender with the frozen berries and quickly pulse with a little
hot water to break them up.
2) Add shredded coconut, banana, and coconut milk.
veggies
3) C ontinue to blend until smooth, and divide into two glasses.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories484
Fat
35g
Carbohydates 44g
Protein
4g
paleoplan.com 103
Butternut Squash with Currants
Makes a side dish for 2, with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 35 minutes.
Ingredients
1/2 cup dried currants
1 Tbs coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 (403 mL) can full fat coconut milk
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
Instructions
R ECI PE S
1 s mall butternut squash,
peeled and diced into 1/2" pieces
1) Preheat oven to 425° F.
2) P
lace diced squash on lightly greased baking sheet and bake for
15 minutes. Remove from oven.
veggies
3) H eat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
4) W hen pan is hot, add coconut oil, squash, and garlic, and cook an
additional 5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent garlic from burning.
5) A
dd currants, coconut milk and spices, and stir frequently until milk is fully
heated (another 5 minutes).
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories270
Fat
14g
Carbohydates 38g
Protein
3g
paleoplan.com 104
Butternut Squash
with Garlic and Thyme
Makes 4 servings. Approximate cooking time: 40 minutes.
1-1/2 lbs butternut squash,
peeled, seeds removed, flesh diced into 1/2" pieces (about 4 cups)
2 Tbs coconut oil
(or bacon grease, tallow, or lard)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs fresh thyme leaves
R ECI PE S
Ingredients
Instructions
1) Heat large sauté pan over medium heat. Add oil when pan is hot.
2) W
hen oil has melted, add squash, thyme, and garlic, and stir to coat
completely with oil.
veggies
3) S pread squash in an even layer in pan and allow to cook without stirring
until lightly browned (about 3-5 minutes). Stir, then evenly spread out again,
allowing to cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.
4) A fter browning, stir squash, reduce heat to medium, cover pan and continue
to cook until squash is tender (about 10-15 minutes more).
5) Season with sea salt and black pepper, and serve warm.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories146
Fat
7g
Carbohydates 23g
Protein
2g
paleoplan.com 105
Cauliflower Rice
Makes 4 servings. Approximate cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
R ECI PE S
1 head cauliflower
2 Tbs coconut or extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, garlic, ginger, coconut aminos, garlic or
freshly ground black pepper (optional seasonings)
Instructions
1) P
lace the cauliflower into a food processor and pulse until it has a grainy
rice-like consistency. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2) M
eanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Add coconut oil when hot.
veggies
3) S auté cauliflower in a pan with oil and any additional seasonings
desired (sea salt, garlic, ginger, coconut aminos, or just freshly
ground black pepper).
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories113
Fat
7g
Carbohydates 11g
Protein4g
paleoplan.com 106
Creamy Chard
Makes a side for 2. Approximate cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
R ECI PE S
1 large bunch chard
1/3 (403 mL) can full fat coconut milk
1 Tbs coconut oil
juice from 1/2 lemon
sea salt
Instructions
1) M
elt coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
veggies
2) Meanwhile, rinse and roughly chop chard (stalk included for more fiber).
3) Place the chard in the pan with coconut oil and cover. Cook for about
3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4) Add coconut milk, lemon and sea salt to taste. Stir in completely.
5) Cook for a few more minutes and serve hot.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories189
Fat12g
Carbohydates 10g
Protein7g
paleoplan.com 107
Green Smoothie
Makes 2 smoothies. Approximate preparation time: 10 minutes.
Ingredients
juice of 1 small lemon
1 pear
2 Tbs coconut oil
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 cup water
R ECI PE S
1 apple
6 large kale leaves (take out woody
stems), or 4 handfuls of spinach
Instructions
1) Quarter apple and pear, remove stems and seeds and put in blender.
veggies
2) Add remaining ingredients to blender and puree. Add more water if needed.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories297
Fat
15g
Carbohydates 42g
Protein
6g
paleoplan.com 108
Olive Tapenade
Makes about 2-1/2 cups. Approximate preparation time: 20 minutes.
Ingredients
handful fresh flat leaf parsley
few fresh basil sprigs
1 cup large green olives, pitted
2 Tbs capers
(about 1/4 cup)
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
R ECI PE S
(about 1/4 cup)
Instructions
1) R
ough chop fresh herbs and garlic.
veggies
2) A
dd remaining ingredients to a food processor and
pulse until rough chopped.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories163
Fat17g
Carbohydates
4g
Protein0g
paleoplan.com 109
Orange and Avocado Salad
Makes 2 servings. Approximate cooking time: 10 minutes.
Ingredients
R ECI PE S
2 large oranges, segmented
1 large ripe avocado, diced
3 handfuls spinach, arugula, or watercress
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
1) P
repare both oranges by cutting off the rind and outer membrane and
slicing out the wedges of fruit between the segments. Do this over a bowl
and set the remaining juice aside.
veggies
2) D
ivide the greens up between two plates, and top with oranges, and
avocados.
3) Add a drizzle of olive oil and any juice left over from the oranges. Season
with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories300
Fat
22g
Carbohydates 38g
Protein
5g
paleoplan.com 110
Paleo Hummus
Makes approximately 1-1/2 cups. Approximate cooking time: 50 minutes.
Ingredients
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
3c
loves garlic, smashed and minced
into a paste
1h
ead cauliflower, cored and
cut into 1-1/2" florets
1/2 tsp sea salt
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp sea salt
R ECI PE S
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 500°F.
veggies
2) T
oss cauliflower, olive oil, cumin, sea salt, and black pepper
together in a large bowl.
3) Transfer mixture to rimmed baking sheet and spread out evenly.
4) B ake until cauliflower is browned and tender, 25 - 30 minutes,
stirring occasionally.
5) C
ombine garlic, lemon juice and roasted cauliflower in a food processor.
Blend until a smooth paste forms (add additional olive oil if desired). Season
with additional sea salt.
6) Serve warm or cold with assorted vegetables
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories119
Fat
7g
Carbohydates 13g
Protein
4g
paleoplan.com 111
Roasted Acorn Squash
with Coconut
Makes 4 servings. Approximate cooking time: 55 minutes in the oven,
or 15 minutes in the microwave.
R ECI PE S
Ingredients
1 acorn squash, cut in half length-wise
1 Tbs coconut oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup unsweetened,
shredded coconut (toasted)
veggies
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 400° F.
2) P
lace squash cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet
or shallow baking dish.
3) Add 1/4" of water to the baking sheet or dish.
4) B ake for 45 minutes, or until peel is soft to the touch.
5) R
emove from oven and carefully turn over. Remove squash
from peel and add coconut oil, cinnamon, and sea salt.
6) T
op with toasted coconut to serve.
7) To cook squash in microwave, place squash flesh down in a microwave safe
dish. Add 1/2" of water, and microwave for 8-12 minutes. Check often, as
each microwave will vary cooking time.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories182
Fat
7g
Carbohydates 31g
Protein3g
paleoplan.com 112
Rosemary Green Beans
Makes 2 servings. Approximate cooking time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 tsp salt, divided
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp lemon rind, grated
Instructions
1) H
eat 1-1/2” water in a medium pot with a steamer basket insert to a boil.
2) S
prinkle green beans evenly with 1/4 tsp sea salt (if desired) and place
in the basket.
R ECI PE S
1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
veggies
3) C over and steam 10 minutes or until crisp-tender.
4) Immediately plunge green beans into ice water to stop cooking. Drain.
5) M
eanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add oil when hot.
6) A
dd green onions and rosemary, and sauté 2-3 minutes or until softened.
7) Add green beans, lemon rind and remaining sea salt (if desired), stirring
until thoroughly heated.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories48
Fat
1g
Carbohydates
9g
Protein2g
paleoplan.com 113
Sautéed Fennel and Carrots
Makes a dinner side dish for 2 adults, with leftovers for lunch.
Approximate cooking time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients
4 medium carrots
2 Tbs coconut oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
R ECI PE S
2 fennel bulbs
Instructions
1) Wash the vegetables and cut into 1/4" - 1/2" thick slices.
2) Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.
veggies
3) W hen the pan is hot, add the fennel and carrots. Cook until
tender, stirring occasionally.
4) Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories99
Fat
7g
Carbohydates
9g
Protein
1g
paleoplan.com 114
Sautéed Sweet Potatoes
Makes a side or snack for 2. Approximate cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
1 Tbs coconut oil
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
1) H
eat a skillet over medium heat. Add coconut oil.
R ECI PE S
1 large sweet potato, grated
2) O
nce skillet is heated, sauté grated sweet potatoes until
tender (a few minutes or so).
3) S prinkle with cinnamon and mix well.
veggies
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories140
Fat5g
Carbohydates 23g
Protein2g
paleoplan.com 115
Spinach Salad
Makes a side salad for 2. Approximate cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 green onions, chopped
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
4 thick slices bacon
R ECI PE S
1 bunch fresh spinach
Instructions
1) Wash spinach well, drain, and chop.
2) Let leaves sit for a few minutes, and then squeeze out excess water.
3) Put spinach in a medium bowl and add green onions, lemon juice,
oil, and pepper.
veggies
4) Toss and serve.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories142
Fat
14g
Carbohydates
5g
Protein
1g
paleoplan.com 116
Steamed Broccoli
Makes 4 servings. Approximate cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
R ECI PE S
1 lb broccoli
water
1 Tbs coconut oil
juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
Instructions
1) Cut the broccoli into individual florets. Also chop the stalk if desired.
2) Add 1" of water to the bottom of a medium pot, and insert a steamer basket.
veggies
3) Fill the steamer basket with raw broccoli.
4) C over and cook over medium-high heat until bright green and softened,
around 8-10 minutes.
5) T
oss with coconut oil to coat, and drizzle with lemon juice (if desired) to
serve.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories63
Fat
4g
Carbohydates
6g
Protein
4g
paleoplan.com 117
Cranberry Relish
Makes about 3 cups. Serving size is 3/4 cup.
Approximate preparation time: 10 minutes.
Ingredients
R ECI PE S
1 sweet apple, cored and quartered
1 orange, quartered
1 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions
1) Add all ingredients to a food processor. Chop until a relish is formed.
Nutritional Information
condiments
Recipe makes 4 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories58
Fat
0g
Carbohydates 15g
Protein1g
paleoplan.com 118
Mojo Verde
Makes approximately 1 cup. Approximate cooking time: 10 minutes.
Ingredients
1/4 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
R ECI PE S
1 bunch cilantro
1) B
lend all ingredients in a food processor until desired
consistency is reached.
Nutritional Information
condiments
Recipe makes 2 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories176
Fat
18g
Carbohydates
3g
Protein
1g
paleoplan.com 119
Simple Salad Dressing
This easy salad dressing makes enough for about 16 side salads (2 Tbs per
salad). Adjust the seasoning as you like. Approximate cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 t sp dried herbs of choice
2 tsp dijon mustard
(basil, thyme, chives, rosemary,
oregano, tarragon)
R ECI PE S
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
Instructions
1) W
hisk (or put in blender) balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, minced garlic, and
lemon juice until blended.
condiments
2) Gradually add olive oil while whisking (or blending).
3) Mix salt, pepper and dried herbs in to taste.
4) Store in the refrigerator.
Nutritional Information
Recipe makes 16 servings. Values are per serving.
Calories254
Fat
28g
Carbohydates
4g
Protein
0g
paleoplan.com 120