[SaturdayNightLive]

For the last year or so I've been trying really hard to stick to a paleo diet. I've had mixed results, mostly due to this: http://cdn.indulgy.com/O9/7F/wE/1534...6jF9JSuOFc.jpg

Recently, I've had a long stretch of eating a whole lot of things I shouldn't. It's bad.

But I'm back on the wagon, and I'd love to hear about new recipes to try. One of my worst habits is finding one or two recipes I like and just making them over and over again.

So, favorite recipes?

[SuckerForHorses]

I am not strict Paleo, a friend follows the diet and pointed me to this website: www.paleomg.com and EVERYTHING I have made has been so delicious!

[eclipse]

What is a Paleo diet? I also find that if I try to "diet" I will fall off the wagon and eat foods that are "bad" much easier than if I just try to eat healthy and don't deny myself anything. I learned on weight watchers not to beat myself up if I slipped!

Ok went to see what it is, and the only thing I have an issue with is the "avoid dairy" mantra. Your body needs calcium........why on earth would you not want to eat dairy (in moderation of course) if you are not lactose intolerant?

[SaturdayNightLive]

Paleo really isn't a diet for most - more like a lifestyle. I'm trying to make it mine, but like I said, I'm easily distracted by cake.

The basic rules for Paleo are no grains, no dairy, no legumes. It can be more technical than that, but those are the basics. The idea is that we didn't really evolve to consume those things and they can, for some, cause havoc with your health.

I, for one, feel SO much better when I behave myself on the Paleo diet. More energy, happier, less achey, etc... I also tend to get leaner pretty quickly.

If you're interested, there are tons of books and websites available that explain the science behind the choice to go Paleo.

As an aside, I call it a diet, but I try to treat it like a lifestyle change. Like cutting out processed foods, it can be hard at first, but it's ultimately worth it.

[SaturdayNightLive]

Ok went to see what it is, and the only thing I have an issue with is the "avoid dairy" mantra. Your body needs calcium........why on earth would you not want to eat dairy (in moderation of course) if you are not lactose intolerant?

Sorry, just saw this. The short of it is, humans didn't evolve to eat dairy. We don't digest it well. Some handle it better than others, I don't handle it well. Love it, really shouldn't eat it.

You can get more than enough calcium from nuts and leafy greens, like spinach and broccoli.

Paleo definitely isn't for everyone, but it works for me.

[KateKat]

Another paleo eater here. And basically what SNL said...Paleo is trying to remove a lot of things that cause an inflammatory response in your body. Which for some, dairy does do. Now, there are schools of paleo that are ok with it-especially if its from grass fed cows and you eat/drink it in its raw, full fat form. Personally, I don't have a huge issue with dairy but too much of it definitely makes me feel bloated and messes with my digestion (takes longer for things to uh...move through me, lol). So on the whole I just really try to eat in moderation, probably once every couple weeks.

Check out Well Fed. I have enjoyed pretty much every receipe I got out of there. If you don't want to buy the book, just head over to her blog www.theclothesmakethegirl.blogspot.com

Also, if you're just coming back to eating like this I whole heartedly recommend doing a Whole 30! Nothing jump starts eating clean like that. Of course right before the holidays might be doubly hard...

[Long Spot]

easily distracted by cake.

Truer words have never been spoken. That damn cake. All cake-like. Just sitting there. Staring. Being all coy and smelling so good. Jerk.

[onthebit]

I have been eating Paleo for about 10 months now and I love it. I do eat very limited dairy and of course I eat dessert sometimes, but for the most part I feel so good eating this way I have no desire to stray.

[cowboymom]

I am not strict Paleo, a friend follows the diet and pointed me to this website: www.paleomg.com and EVERYTHING I have made has been so delicious!

Bacon and Chive Sweet Potato Biscuits?? She's got my attention! Great website!

[cowboymom]

actually some people did evolve and become able to digest dairy. It's a genetic factor. Luckily my family appears to be some of those that evolved as far as milk is concerned (if nothing else)-we have two milk cows and a dairy goat and dairy is one of our primary food groups here.

[theblondejumper]

My boyfriend and I are thinking about quitting grains (we currently eat/drink full fat dairy and have no problems with it) but we have a bunch in our kitchen! Oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa (which I love) and millet plus more random stuff in the freezer. We really want to use our flours up too and make bread an occasional thing (like 1x a month?).

Any suggestion for transitioning away from grains? I made a grain-free lasagna last week and really enjoyed it!

[theblondejumper]

actually some people did evolve and become able to digest dairy. It's a genetic factor. Luckily my family appears to be some of those that evolved as far as milk is concerned (if nothing else)-we have two milk cows and a dairy goat and dairy is one of our primary food groups here.

Do you drink raw milk? If I had a car I would have access to some (they only sell in at the farm) and would really like to treat it for the reported health benefits.

[cowboymom]

Yep, all our milk is raw-we know the critter, their history, and the history of the milk. The thing about milk is that it's a petri dish-if you've let it have access to germs and let it go long enough to really grow said germs, it's not going to be good for you. If I bought raw milk from someone I didn't trust with my life I would pasteurized it; I have pasteurized our milk in the past and can't taste a difference; just knew it had been heated. I don't really think raw milk is magical but it's easier and tastes better than processed.

[rustbreeches]

Yep, all our milk is raw-we know the critter, their history, and the history of the milk. The thing about milk is that it's a petri dish-if you've let it have access to germs and let it go long enough to really grow said germs, it's not going to be good for you. If I bought raw milk from someone I didn't trust with my life I would pasteurized it; I have pasteurized our milk in the past and can't taste a difference; just knew it had been heated. I don't really think raw milk is magical but it's easier and tastes better than processed.

Thank you so much for that disclaimer cowboymom. The milk shares around here are downright scary sometimes. I can't believe what some people will drink. I always say if it is your cow, your bucket and you are careful, go for it.

[theblondejumper]

Yep, all our milk is raw-we know the critter, their history, and the history of the milk. The thing about milk is that it's a petri dish-if you've let it have access to germs and let it go long enough to really grow said germs, it's not going to be good for you. If I bought raw milk from someone I didn't trust with my life I would pasteurized it; I have pasteurized our milk in the past and can't taste a difference; just knew it had been heated. I don't really think raw milk is magical but it's easier and tastes better than processed.

Thanks! We get our whole pasteurized milk from a local farm and are very happy with it so we don't really feel too left out of the raw-milk loop at the moment.

[theblondejumper]

Yep, all our milk is raw-we know the critter, their history, and the history of the milk. The thing about milk is that it's a petri dish-if you've let it have access to germs and let it go long enough to really grow said germs, it's not going to be good for you. If I bought raw milk from someone I didn't trust with my life I would pasteurized it; I have pasteurized our milk in the past and can't taste a difference; just knew it had been heated. I don't really think raw milk is magical but it's easier and tastes better than processed.

Thanks! We get our whole pasteurized milk from a local farm and are very happy with it so we don't really feel too left out of the raw-milk loop at the moment.