Is Chocolate Paleo?

Chocolate is another one of those areas of debate in the Paleosphere.  Even though there is debate most people that claim to be "Paleo" accept dark chocolate as an acceptable food.  But wait, that doesn't mean just any dark chocolate.

Just to reiterate some thoughts in the Brady Nutrition Paleo Philosophy. A Paleo philosophy is meant to be a framework that coupled with science and self evaluation bring each individual to his own optimal lifestyle.

So where does that leave chocolate from a Brady Nutrition perspective?  The answer is, it depends. Chocolate has been linked to a whole host of positive health benefits. So it's backed by science but there is a catch. Sweet treats, Paleo or not, can be a trigger for many people. Be honest with yourself and if there is a risk that a piece of chocolate is going to send you into a cheat binge of epic proportions, then don't do it. If you do not fall into this category then an occasional piece of the right chocolate can be a great healthy treat.

Not all chocolates are created equal. First look for a cacao percentage somewhere north of 70%.  I try to stay in the 80-85% range.  You also should check out the ingredient list and make sure there is not a lot of added junk.  Many people cringe at chocolate this dark but if you have been Paleo for more than a month or so you are becoming more sensitized to sweet tastes and dark chocolates like these will actually taste much sweeter than you might think, not to mention all the other wonderful complex flavors.

My favorite chocolate is the Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lovers Chocolate Bar.  It's 85% cacao and it is half the price of similar chocolates. A favorite treat of my wife and I is taking a couple squares and dipping it in some fresh ground almond butter.  It is a wonderful treat that is perfect medicine to curb a craving and good for you at the same time.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Thanks
Chuck

Simple Paleo Pancakes

During our first month of Paleo this was our number one snack food.   Now days it is a bit more of an occasional treat. It is really important when you are starting out to have a few go to items that can get you through a craving or extreme hunger moment.  This is a great one.  These are great as a desert or snack hot and fresh off the griddle but also good chilled for snacks during the week.

There are a lot of Paleo pancake recipes out there but the beauty of this one is how simple it is but there are a few things you need to know for success. The thickness of the batter is critical in getting pancakes that set up good and are relatively easy to flip.  Green bananas will give you a nice thick batter that will hold form a little better.  If your batter is a little thin try adding more almond butter it will thicken things up.  It is also important to cook them slowly and wait for the flip as long as possible. I usually set are griddle around 280 degrees but am always tempted to crank it up to 350 for quick results.  These can be a challenge to flip especially if the batter is thin or if you have cooked them too fast.  I usually use two small spatulas on either side to decrease the occurrence of disaster . Try adding mixed fruit, blueberries, chocolate chunks, or virtually anything you have laying around to make these interesting.  I am always trying some new combo.

• PREP5 mins
• Cook
  10 mins
• READY IN15 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 big green banana
• 1 big spoon full of fresh ground almond butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp butter
• Optional
• mixed berries
• 85% chocolate pieces
• cacao powder
• fresh nutmeg
• cinnamon
• etc

Directions:

1. Add the banana, almond butter, and egg to a mixing bowl
2. Blend with an immersion hand blender until smooth 
3. Fold in whatever optional ingredients you have laying around
4. Heat up the griddle and melt the butter
5. Pour batter out into 3" pancakes on the griddle 
6. Flip when pancake is firming up good
7. Cook an additional couple minutes and serve immediately or chill for latter

Awesome Curry Burgers

Since we recently took possession of half a grass-fed beef our consumption of ground beef has increased drastically.  So it seemed time to throw up our curry burger recipe.  We have found that getting crazy with spicing your burgers keeps them interesting and you never know what king of glorious combo you will find.  You may want to try things like cacao powder, cinnamon, or virtually anything you might have in the spice cabinet.  This is one of our go to combos.  Of course you can never go wrong throwing some bacon, maybe an egg, avocado mayo, or even fresh ground almond butter on top of these or any burger creation.

• PREP10 mins
• Cook
  10 mins
• READY IN20 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 Lb. grass-fed hamburger
• 1/2 tsp. Himalayan sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. cracked pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. red curry powder or more depending on your preference
• 1 Large minced clove garlic

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a Large mixing bowl and mix until combined. 
2. Form into 1/4 lbs patties 
3. Pan fry or grill to medium
4. Add your favorite toppings and Enjoy!