Paleo Chicken Alfredo

Voila!

When I first saw this recipe, I thought "There is no way. I mean, Alfredo sauce is super creamy!" I was WRONG!! Granted, it's not exactly like Alfredo sauce, but it was pretty freaking good.  I found Kelp noodles at Natural Grocers (Guadalupe and 39th) but I'm sure you can get them at any Whole Foods-type store. 

Taken from The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf

Use kelp noodles but if you cannot find them where you live, use spaghetti squash as an alternative. However, there will be much less sauce with spaghetti squash.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1 12oz package of kelp noodles
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp tarragon
• 1 cup cashews
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp paprika

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the olive oil to a large skillet. Saute the garlic over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes, then add to the skillet and cook until all sides are brown.
2. Rinse and chop the kelp noodles. Add them to the skillet along with the tarragon, cover and cook on low for 30 minutes. Then, pour the liquid from the skillet carefully into a small container for use in the sauce.
3. Add the cashews, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and paprika to a blender. Cover and blend into a powder. Add the reserved pan juices slowly, blending into a thick sauce. You'll have to use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender periodically. Add the juices until the mixture reaches the desired consistency.
4. Add the sauce to the skillet, then mix well. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes longer, until the kelp noodles have become tender.
5. Zone info: 4 servings at 1 carb block, 4 protein blocks, 10 fat blocks. (9g carb, 28g prot, 15.5g fat)

What Should I Eat?! Getting Started

Browsing the Nutrtition section of your local bookstore can be a real nightmare. There are literally hundreds of books out there about what to eat (or not eat). There are so many schools of thought as to diet and exercise. It's hard to know what works and how to incorporate it into our lives.

Most people hear the word "diet" and immediately get anxious.

What do I have to give up?

What weird things do I have to eat?

Will I be hungry all the time?

Will I have to make separate meals for my family?

I'm here to tell you that it can all be done quite easily. It does take a little planning, a little patience, and some trust!

My family and I follow a Paleo-ish diet. What does that entail?

Here's the shortened version: Eat Meat, veggies, fruit, good fats (avacado,nuts, coconut oil/milk, etc.)

Avoid: Grains, dairy, legumes, sugar, and processed/fake foods

Yes, it was hard at first! I used to LOVE cheese. And bagels. And tortillas. And sugar!

Do I completely avoid all these things all the time? NO!!

Do I avoid these things about 90% of the time? Yes.

I urge you to try this out for a month. See how you feel. Maybe this way of eating is for you. Maybe it isn't. But I tell you what happened to me...

After a month of eliminating dairy and grains, that heartburn-y, gass-y, bloated feeling I thought was just a normal part of my life- was gone. The constipation I thought was normal- was gone. The weight I'd been holding on to- GONE!

I will be posting recipe ideas to help you get started. And it is a little tricky at first, but it does get better. And pretty soon, like my husband said after his Chimichanga at Maudie's last night:

"Screw this. It makes my body hurt too much to eat like this! It's not worth it..."

Here are a few websites to get you started:

Robb Wolf

Primal Eating Modern Table

Mark's Daily Apple

Remember: Baby steps! We all have to start somewhere...

Have a great weekend :)