So I made spagetti squash last night for the first time ever, I had some leftover tomato sauce and beef that needed somethign to go with it. The sticker on the squash said I could microwave it for 7-10 min. It was fast, and turned out quite good, how does everyone else cook thier spag squash? I had made this for my lunch today but tried some last night, and the squash was still kind of crunchy but good, is that how it’s supposed to be or should it be mushy? I really enjoyed the texture and will defeinatly be making more of that! I made Brad try it (he hates all squash types and thier relatives) and he even agreed we could try it for a meal!

Does anyone have a fav recipe for spag squash?

Speaking of weekends, I find it really hard to hit the blog as during the week I sit at my computer all day and by the weekend, I am ready for a break. I do still eat paleo on weekends, but enjoy the additional time to cook and prepare meals. I dont’ find it much harder to stay on track on weekends, we have a bowl of nuts in shells if I need a tv snack I eat those, it takes forever to get 4 nuts. It’s a great work to calorie ratio. This weekend I’m heading to Carmen to have lunch with my Grandma for her 85 birthday. I have been generally avoiding such occasions as lunches in unknown restaurants, but I’m hoping they have a salad of some type that I can make work. I’m tired of trying to explain why I eat the way I do, it’s simpler for me to just avoid the situation.

I will make an effort to post my meals during the weekend for you MLC, I don’t want to dissapoint!

I’ve never microwaved spaghetti squash. I usually cut it in half, take some coconut oil, salt, pepper, and cinnamon on it and bake it for 45 minutes. I put it with the cut side up, but i’ve read in some places to bake it cut side down. then just scoop out the insides as a replacement for regular spaghetti

I’m here MLC!!

haha. It’s so funny how all of us cook our spag squash differently. I put mine face down in a casserole dish… with a little bit of water in the dish. Cook it for 45 mins at 350. I may try your way Harvey… sounds delish!

As for weekends… I don’t find them hard. This is my life now, so I don’t distinguish between week days or weekends. The weekends may bring more fun dinners where I can prepare more. Am at home today… so just finished putting some chili in the slow cooker. Yum. The cravings do come out a bit more on the weekend… but that’s only because I’m a boredom eater. So I’m not really craving anything particular… just want to snack. Nuts.. apple sauce… raisins.. my go to boredom foods. Better than a blizzard! lol

I am heading to my first social tomorrow since Paleo… so am bringing some nuts in my purse so I don’t reach for the pretzels or chips on the table.

I never microwave my sp. squash either. I bake it in the oven drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper, cut side down for 20 mins, then I turn it cut side up for another 20 mins or so. I like it a little crunchy still. Haven’t tried it with cinnamon but that sounds good so I definitely will. My favorite recipe is to just stir fry it with some other veggies and leftover meat and then throw some salsa ontop. Yumm!

Sorry MLC, don’t mean to vacate the blog on the weekend but I am rarely on the computer then. During the week I am working on the computer so it is easy to check in.

I don’t binge on the weekend either. This is my lifestyle now so it is what I choose to eat. I thought originally I would do this challenge and then allow myself to have toast once in a while but I find now that I don’t want it. I have cheated and had something that I really loved and discovered it doesn’t taste as good as I remembered it. Grains leave me feeling sluggish so they just don’t “taste” as good anymore. Binging just isn’t worth the “hangover” for me.

We are going out for dinner tonight and I usually order a steak and veggies with a salad. My one splurge is a glass of red wine with dinner.

Supper: chicken with veggies

I have to admit I’ve been going through some difficult times personally and unfortunately that has been taking over my life lately…am not fully paleo at the moment, but it’s not abandoned either. still really thinking about my choices if I fall off the wagon and am at least happy to report that they aren’t the worst choices compared to my previous life as a non-paleo-er

My name is Noel and I presently live in Taiwan (where there is no Crossfit gym) but I am moving to Winnipeg this fall. In a funny coincidence, I started eating Paleo about a month or so ago, about when you guys all started the challenge (though a bit earlier). I look forward to meeting you guys and working out at Winnipeg Crossfit.

I am wondering how full on Paleo you guys are going. Anyone more in the PaNu vein? It is more my approach, but I still love nuts.http://www.paleonu.com/

What is your guys take on nuts? Personally, nuts and nut butter are one of my main snacks. Maybe that is why my weight isn’t “flying off”, but right now I am trying to gain strength and a bit of mass with my lifting, so I try and eat a fair bit.

Supper: Salmon and asparagus…..The only time I am tempted to cheat is saturday night when the family has IE nachos, fries, popcorn etc. Again I think it is a routine thing, once out of it you tend to deviate from your diet. I have been trying to make my own “treats” for saturday night….beef jerkey, shrimp ring chicken finger with almond flour, chicken wings. So far so good.

@Noel
Nuts are great, if you can digest them. We’ve seen a number of people have trouble with them. Paul Chek actually takes people off of nuts at the same time as grains and has seen even better results than when he formerly just took them off grains.

Personally, I seem to do well on nut butter – probably because I don’t chew my food well. But I do WAY better when most of my fat is oil and avocado based….

Welcome to the blog! Look forward to meeting you when you get to Winnipeg!

Tonight was chicken wings, salad and an apple.

@Noel
Welcome Noel! Before the challenge I would eat all sorts of nuts, but for the challenge I took out peanuts and cashews as suggested in the nutrition guide that was posted for the challenge. So far I’ve noticed that I’ve been the leanest I’ve ever been but that might be because I’ve also dropped cheese and grains as well. There is a whole kg jar of cashews that my grandmother bought for me that I am saving until the challenge is over.

Weekends are difficult for me as I don’t pre-make my meals like i do on the weekdays. Secondly if I go out with friends, I find that is the hardest part as we tend to go to places that don’t have good eating choices.

Dinner tonight was 3 chicken drums, apple, strawberries, couple chunks of pineapple, some walnuts and almonds. (I know i’m missing my veggies here)

Chicken breast salad with mixed veggies. I agree that it isn’t any harder on the weekends then weekdays. Its either part of your lifestyle or it isn’t.

Over here MLC!!

Some weekends can blow for me. There are have been so many freaking kids birthdays, grown up birthdays, socials, you name it. Life is super busy. But i have been for the most part being really really good. Good means to me – making good choices. I still will have a few glasses of wine, a beer here and there. A couple of spoonfulls of icecream – when the kids feed to me.
But generally i will reach for the almond butter and celery, rasins, frozen grapes, etc. And that usually curbs my sweet craving.
My meals are always paleo, my snacks are always paleo, but i do deviate from time to time if it is an impossible situation. I find if i cook in the more difficult situations i will prevail consitently through day to day easily.
I guess a food challenge is exactly what it is – a food challenge.
I have recently started a love affair with avacado’s. I do not know why..but when i feel like a sweet – i crave the avacado.

Nat- i bake mine cut side down for 45 to an hour. I have microwaved it..but you have to mike the crap out of it.
I take a hot italian sausage, cut it down the middle to take the meat out of the casing.
Start to brown it (crumbled into tiny turds) in some EVOO
Mince some garlic with some salt and EVOO (the grit from the salt helps get a slury of garlic) – add to meat
chop or julienne some veggies (usually a red pepper and mushrooms) – add to meat and garlic
add your sauce – safeway has one that is all natural…i cannot remember the name but will get it and post on here.
simmer the sauce.
Enjoying is inevidable.

sorry for this long post..but i have not in a while so i am making up.

Tonight i tried making the same pecan dish as lastnight but with fish…it was terrible. Do not try it.

@mikep
Mike..how do you make your wings again? if you can let me know soon enought i want to make some for tomorrow.

Thanks for the little nudge MLC. Seems like some of us (me) needed a little verbal kick in the pants.

Dinner last nite when I got back from the gym was baked sausage and some broccoli slaw. I was experimenting with stuff to try to come up with an alternative to coleslaw dressing from a bottle so I added some red onion bits and gala apple bits. Not bad.

Tonite; all u can eat ribs (with a few veggies) at Montana’s with my family. YUMMY! I guess the sauce on the ribs is probably loaded with sugar but my goodness they make some darn good ribs.

I wish I had your juice MLC….Shi$ at work wuold get done like NOW.

I ate 7 oz chicken 4 cups mixed veggies, handful almonds….

Have increased amount of food lately and am doing well on it. Increased by probably 25%!!! I was feeling lethargic and upped it bit by bit untill energy levels became more even….

@steve a

With all due respect Steve…..Weekends for “normal” folk (non shift work) may be more difficult…..We (shift workers) have an entirely different set of issues.

E.