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It’s always the simplest foods that end up throwing you a curve ball, and grains are the quintessential example. Thanks to their versatility, they make it into most meal plans — that pot of rice you make on the weekend working its way into lunches and dinners throughout the week.

But even if you’ve made quinoa a thousand times, there’s still that one day you burn it, over-salt it, or cook it until it’s a mushy goo. Here are five mistakes to avoid so you never lose out on the perfect pot of grain.

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A big part of the Primal Blueprint 21-Day Challenge happens in your kitchen, which is a good thing. Preparing your own meals is the best way to ensure you’re eating real food that your body needs to thrive. It takes the guess work out of what is or isn’t Primal in a world of ready-made meals. But if you don’t approach cooking 3+ meals a day with a strategy, you’ll start feeling like you’ll never get out of the kitchen, which isn’t such a good thing.

A collection of Primal recipes right at your fingertips definitely helps. But if you really want Primal cooking to be easy, convenient, and manageable in the long haul, then what you need most are some kitchen hacks that every Primal cook should know.

1. How to Cook With a Cast Iron Skillet

If you’re going to invest in one new piece of cooking equipment, buy a cast iron skillet. Cast iron is a safe, indestructible cooking surface that puts a crispy sear on meat like no other. It can go from the stovetop, to the oven, and even on the hot grates of a grill (the last option makes for awesome burgers, because allowing them to bask in the glory of their own fat, rather than dry up while the precious drippings fall beneath the open grating, is just brilliant).

Cast iron pans cook best when really hot. So heat up the pan, add some fat, and throw in whatever you’re cooking, be it meat or vegetable. Cast iron retains heat well even when cold food is added, so expect ingredients to cook a little faster than usual. Finish cooking on the stovetop, put the pan in a pre-heated oven to finish cooking meat all the way through, or cook vegetables until tender.

To season your new cast iron pan (which helps create a fairly non-stick surface), heat the pan up on the stovetop until it’s really hot, then rub a little neutral-flavored oil, coconut oil, or lard into it and let it cool. Do this several times before you initially cook with it and after each time you wash it. It’s fine to wash a cast iron pan with water and a little bit of soap if necessary—just make sure to dry it immediately and don’t use a metal scouring pad.

2. How to Cook Large Cuts of Meat

A large cut of meat is a gift that keeps on giving. Cook it at the beginning of the week and you’ll have meals for days. Slice off meat for breakfast, add it to salads for lunch, or reheat the meat with vegetables for dinner.

Be it beef (chuck roast, round roast, brisket), pork (shoulder/butt), or lamb (shoulder or shank), the following 3 steps can be used to cook large, and therefore less expensive, cuts of meat.

• Season liberally and bring up to room temperature. Season the meat and set it out 1 hour before you plan to cook it—meat at room temperature cooks more evenly than cold meat right out of the fridge. You can use your favorite spice rub, but salt and pepper are just fine.

• Sear. Searing the outside of the meat in a hot cast iron skillet or heavy pan will give you a delicious, crispy crust that’s always tasty (this step is optional if you’re short on time.)

• Put on low, slow heat and add a little moisture. Tougher cuts of meat become juicy and tender when cooked for a long time at low heat. To shorten the cooking time, cut larger cuts into 2 to 4 smaller pieces before cooking it.

Oven: Set the oven to 300 F. Put the meat in a baking dish that it fits snugly into. Add enough stock (or a combination of wine and stock) so the liquid comes halfway up the side of the meat. Throw in a chopped onion, a few garlic cloves and a bay leaf. Cover with a lid. Cook for 2 to 4 hours until you can pull the meat apart easily with a fork. If the meat is still tough when you check it, cook it longer.

Slow cooker: Set your slow cooker to low. Put in the meat, add ½ cup stock, plus a chopped onion and a few garlic cloves. Cook for 6 to 8 hours until the meat is tender.

Strain the cooking liquid into a pot after removing the cooked meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer to thicken into a sauce.

3. How to Love Lamb

If you always buy beef, pork or chicken and avoid lamb because you’re not exactly sure what to do with it, here’s a simple idea: Use lamb in your next stir fry. Or stew. Or chili. Easier yet, shape ground lamb into meatballs or burgers.

To enjoy lamb, you don’t have to get super-fancy or spend tons of money on expensive cuts. Just treat it like any other type of meat. Lamb loves herbs and spices, so break out the cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, curry powder, cilantro, rosemary and parsley.

4. How to Cook Fish Perfectly

Fish is a great alternative staple to land roaming creatures, especially if you get a wild caught variety packed with anti-inflammatory omega-3s. But you won’t want to make it part of your Primal menu if it’s bland, rubbery or dry. So next time you buy fish, choose a fillet with the skin on and try this simple cooking method for a perfect texture every time (it works for skinless fish too, but that skin is worth keeping on!)

Pat the fish dry. Better yet, uncover the fish in the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before cooking so it air dries. Wet fish sticks to pans and grills, and wet skin won’t get as crispy.

Season fish generously with salt and pepper.

Use a stainless steel or cast iron skillet and get it really hot. Right when the pan is about to start smoking, add a tablespoon or two of oil/fat–enough for a thin coating on the bottom of the pan. Lard works well for frying fish, or a combination of butter and olive oil.

Get the oil/fat hot, too. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the fish skin-side down (watch out for oil splatters).

Use a long, wide spatula to press the fillet flat against the hot pan as it cooks. But don’t move the fillet around! Cook until the fish is opaque, with just a thin layer on the very top that remains uncooked. Quickly and confidently slide the spatula under the fish and flip it over. If the fillet is ready to be flipped, it will release easily from the pan. Cook it just 1 minute more. Err on the side of taking fish off heat sooner rather than later. Remember, it will continue to cook a little once it’s out of the pan.

5. How to Eat More Seaweed

Seaweed is a potent source of important minerals that you’re probably missing out on. Some cultures consider seaweed a staple food, but in the United States it’s mostly just served with sushi. If you’re not packing nori full of rice anymore, then how else can you regularly eat what is essentially one of nature’s best multivitamins?

Sure, you can sauté dulse as a side for eggs or blend it with olives for a salty tapenade. You can buy bags of mixed seaweed, wakame or alaria and add it to regular salads and coleslaw. You can even use nori as a wrap for meat or eggs, or bake it in the oven to make your own seaweed snacks.

But the easiest way to bring seaweed into your life is to keep kombu in your pantry, since its formidable constitution helps it stay fresh forever. Whenever a pot of stock or soup is simmering, throw a piece of kombu in it. It’s one of the easiest ways to add nutrients to a dish without adding strong flavor (just remember to remove the strip of kombu before serving the soup.)

6. How to Replace Rice and Pasta

The great thing about replacing traditional rice and pasta with Primal “noodles” is that it doubles as an easy way to add a vegetable to your meal.

Cauliflower is the most common substitute for rice. Throw steamed cauliflower in the food processor and process until it’s chopped into rice-sized bits. Or, process raw cauliflower into small bits, toss with olive oil and salt, and bake in a thin layer on a large rimmed sheet pan for 20 to 30 minutes until brown and crispy.

In place of noodles, spaghetti squash and thinly sliced zucchini can be tossed with your favorite pasta sauce. Or, invest in a Spiralizer to turn just about any vegetable into noodles. Craving baked pasta? Try celery root lasagna.

Or, just skip noodles all together and simply dig into a bowl of hearty meat sauce.

7. How to Eat Sandwiches Without Bread

True, sandwiches are convenient for lunch. But putting your favorite sandwich in a bowl, minus the bread, is just as easy. Add lettuce, and you’ve got a great salad. Turkey, tomato, bacon and avocado over greens is a fantastic lunch. Who needs the bread? Keeping a bottle of olive oil and vinegar in your desk at work makes dressing the salad easy (or, if you don’t feel like prepping, stashing away one of PRIMAL KITCHEN™’s avocado oil based dressings will do the trick).

Then, there’s the Primal Egg McMuffin, Guacamole-stuffed Southwest Burgers, and Portabella Chorizo Burgers. All delicious, and all served without bread.

8. How to Say Goodbye to Chips (and Other Salty, Crunchy Junk Food)

Potato and corn chips have two things going for them: they’re salty and they’re crunchy. But the potato and corn part, plus many other questionable junk food ingredients (like industrial seed oils), not so great. Luckily, crunch and salt are easy to re-create with other real foods.

When a chip craving hits hard, steer yourself out of the junk food aisle and towards the meat section. Why? Because meat laden snacks like these chicken skin chips are as light, airy, crunchy and salty as any grain based chip you’ve ever had. (Also, the meat section has bacon, one of nature’s crunchiest, saltiest Primal favorites). If you’re not in a meaty mood, vegetable chips are also great for crispy, salty snacking. You’ve got your kale chips, cabbage chips, zucchini chips, and the list goes on.

A handful of nuts can also be a satiating and nutrient rich snack. Or, you could really go for it with a batch of Primal Bacon Trail Mix. Beef jerky, olives, spicy pickled green beans…all of them are snacks that will satisfy your cravings for crunchy and/or salty things.

So how’s that for a start? Are you ready to give some of these tips a try? Have you already tried some out, but want to give them a second go? Head over to your pantry or grocer today and start experimenting with some of these Primal hacks for your next meal.

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It’s well known that stress can cause the disruption or total loss of menstrual function in women. (1) And menstrual dysfunction, along with the physical symptoms of hormone imbalance, has become increasingly common over the past few decades.

It’s now estimated that up to 10 percent of reproductive-age women in the US have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a health condition that not only affects a woman’s fertility, but also causes frustrating changes to her physical appearance, including weight gain, male-pattern hair growth, acne, and water retention.

Women with PCOS also have higher rates of anxiety and depression, either caused or exacerbated by the embarrassing physical changes that often occur with the condition.

And while there certainly is a genetic component that increases one’s risk of the syndrome, PCOS is significantly affected—and possibly caused—by lifestyle factors including diet, exercise, and stress.

Unfortunately, in an age where high achievement and perfectionism are idolized and flat abs and “thigh gaps” are considered to be the standard of feminine physical beauty, there are thousands of women running their bodies and hormones into the ground in an attempt to lose weight and achieve this impossibly high cultural standard.

I’ve worked with dozens of women who were undereating, overtraining, and under constant stress and even fear related to their poor body image and a desire to be thinner and leaner by any means necessary.

Sadly, this extreme diet and exercise behavior can backfire when women start to develop “adrenal PCOS”: the elevation of androgenic hormones by the adrenal glands that causes symptoms similar to ovarian cyst-driven PCOS.

In this article, you’ll learn how excessive stress about your diet, exercise, and life in general might be driving the adrenal hormone changes that are causing your PCOS symptoms.

Myths and truths about PCOS

There are many misconceptions about PCOS that cause confusion, misdiagnosis, and mistreatment in women who are experiencing the multitude of symptoms associated with the disorder.

Despite the name polycystic ovarian syndrome, having cystic ovaries isn’t a requirement to be diagnosed with PCOS.

In fact, the NIH has concluded that the name PCOS should be changed, as the name causes confusion and doesn’t reflect “the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome.” (2, 3)

Many people, including healthcare professionals, also don’t even realize that being overweight is not a requirement of having PCOS. It’s estimated that one-third to one-half of women with PCOS are at normal weight or underweight and that being overweight or obese does not increase the risk of developing the condition.

While weight loss in women who are overweight may be beneficial, this recommendation isn’t useful for women with PCOS symptoms who aren’t overweight. And using birth control pills as a treatment for amenorrhea is often unnecessary and simply masks a deeper diet and lifestyle problem.

Believing that PCOS is solely genetic, due to excess weight, or simply caused by cystic ovaries that can be treated using hormone replacement is a dangerous assumption that prevents many women from getting the help they need.

Elevated androgenic hormones: not just an ovarian problem

One of the primary diagnostic criteria of PCOS is elevated androgens, “male” sex hormones that cause unwanted hair growth, acne, and reproductive dysfunction.

The two main androgenic hormones causing these symptoms in women are testosterone and androstenedione. Other androgens include dihydrotestosterone (DHT), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S).

It’s normal for women to have some androgenic hormones in their system; in fact, low testosterone in women is associated with low sex drive, bone loss, chronic fatigue, weight gain, mood disorders, and cognitive issues. Calling them “male” sex hormones is a misnomer.

However, when these hormones are elevated, as is pervasive in PCOS, symptoms of androgen excess begin to manifest. For some women, this affects their menstrual function and fertility. For others, they continue to menstruate but struggle with physical changes like unwanted hair growth, acne, and weight gain.

And one of the primary confusions over PCOS is which organ these androgens come from. While the ovaries are typically blamed for elevated androgens in PCOS, it’s estimated that 20 to 30 percent of women with PCOS have adrenal androgen excess. (5)

The adrenal glands produce all of the DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) and 80 percent of the DHEA in the body. The adrenals also produce 50 percent of androstenedione and 25 percent of circulating testosterone. Since DHEA-S and 11-androstenedione are not secreted by the ovaries, they are used as markers of adrenal androgen secretion. (6)

How your adrenals cause PCOS symptoms

The chart below shows how both the adrenal glands and the ovaries impact androgenic hormone production. It illustrates how the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, both located in your brain, release hormones that drive the cycle of high androgen output, insulin resistance, increased abdominal fat, and impaired glucose sensitivity. These systems are called the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal or -gonadal axes. (HPA/HPG.)

While insulin resistance and elevated insulin often drive the ovarian production of testosterone, it is the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis that stimulates the production of DHEA/DHEA-S and androstenedione. These hormones can be converted to testosterone by peripheral tissues in the body. This process can occur independently from the ovaries and any involvement with insulin.

This means that a woman with PCOS symptoms could have normally functioning ovaries with no cysts and no insulin resistance, yet still fit the symptomatic profile of the syndrome.

There is some controversy over whether elevated androgens cause insulin resistance or if insulin resistance happens first. The most likely answer is “it depends”; some women likely develop insulin resistance first, while others develop elevated androgens first.

Either way, it’s clear that not only is the brain heavily involved in the output of androgenic hormones, but that the adrenals may also be responsible for PCOS symptoms in a subset of patients.

How stress impacts your hormones

The pituitary gland, stimulated by the brain via the hypothalamus, secretes adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in response to stress. ACTH then stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. In addition to these stress hormones, ACTH also stimulates the production of adrenal androgen hormones, including DHEA, DHEA-S, and androstenedione.

ACTH follows a diurnal rhythm, meaning it’s higher in the morning and lower in the evening, but it also spikes in response to physical and emotional stress. Stress activates the HPA axis, raising ACTH and cortisol output. Cortisol release then down-regulates ACTH production in a negative feedback loop.

ACTH also stimulates the production of DHEA/DHEA-S and androstenedione, which help protect the brain from the negative effects of cortisol and other stress hormones. (7) But as you learned earlier, these hormones also cause the symptoms of elevated androgens seen in PCOS.

And these androgenic hormones do not affect the release of ACTH, unlike cortisol, meaning there is no feedback regulatory loop that controls androgen secretion in women. (8)

Research also shows that women who are under extreme chronic stress situations (for example, PTSD) have a markedly increased DHEA response to ACTH stimulation, as well as a higher ACTH response to stress and stimulation from the hypothalamic hormones. (9) They also have higher levels of baseline DHEA compared to healthy controls, and traumatized women with the highest DHEA had the least severe PTSD symptoms.

This means that women who are under chronic stress not only have more opportunities for elevated ACTH and thus elevated androgens, but their hormones may also start to react more severely to stressful situations. It also suggests that a higher amount of DHEA could be the body’s way of protecting the brain from the long-term effects of chronic stress.

Where does chronic stress come from?

To review, you’ve learned so far that:

• Elevated androgens like testosterone and androstenedione contribute to PCOS symptoms like menstrual dysfunction, unwanted hair growth, weight gain, acne, and mood disorders
• The adrenal glands are responsible for at least 20 to 30 percent of the elevated androgens seen in PCOS
• Chronic stress elevates ACTH, which stimulates androgen secretion, for which there is no negative feedback loop
• Androgen hormones are protective against the long-term effects of chronically elevated stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline

I hope it’s perfectly clear by now that chronic stress is a major contributor to the development of PCOS symptoms, especially in normal or underweight women with non-cystic ovaries and normal insulin sensitivity.

Elevated androgens, while causing PCOS symptoms, may be the body’s way of protecting the brain from the harmful effects of chronic stress.

And chronic stress is everywhere these days; from long work weeks and poor sleep to new babies and aging parents, to constant negative thoughts about our bodies and physical appearance, women are bombarded by stress from every direction.

Combine this with traumatic events, acute illness and infections, gut dysbiosis, and disrupted sleep, and it’s no wonder that so many women come to me complaining of reproductive dysfunction or amenorrhea, weight loss resistance, blood sugar fluctuations, anxiety and/or depression, acne, chronic fatigue, and hormonal imbalances.

The worst part is that the more stress drives up our androgenic hormones, the more our weight, skin, and hair growth is affected, and the harder we struggle to improve our appearance.

For some women, this drives them to restrict their diet further, diet harder, work out more often and more intensely, and push their bodies to the brink of exhaustion. It’s a vicious cycle that I see all the time in my practice. (I’ve even struggled with this problem myself.)

Don’t get me wrong: there are plenty of women whose PCOS is caused by a poor diet, inadequate exercise, too many refined carbohydrates and sugars, and a generally unhealthy lifestyle.

But if you’re breaking your back trying to follow the perfect low-carb Paleo diet, going to CrossFit five to six days per week, and finding yourself gaining weight, losing your menstrual function, growing hair in weird places, developing adult acne when you had clear skin as a teen, or simply feeling like a truck hit you every morning you wake up, it may be chronic stress causing your physical symptoms and hormonal imbalances.

How to kick stress to the curb

Getting your stress under control is a challenging task, and unfortunately, there’s no quick fix for the long-term effects of regular stress. Our culture thrives on stress and perfectionism, and many people push themselves past their physical limits in an attempt to “look better naked,” make more money, have more possessions, and live an envy-worthy life that looks great on Instagram.

If you’re ready to break the cycle of stress and fear-based health pursuits, here are a few tips to get you started in the right direction.

Diet

As I explained before, many conventional recommendations for PCOS involve losing weight and increasing insulin sensitivity, primarily through reducing carbohydrate intake, cutting calories, and increasing physical activity. These recommendations work well for the woman eating a typical American diet and not moving enough.

But if you’re already eating a low-carbohydrate Paleo diet and your symptoms are getting worse instead of better, you might be a woman whose body is responding negatively to the stress of inadequate calorie and carbohydrate intake.

First, start by assessing your total calorie intake. One benefit of a Paleo diet is a spontaneous reduction in calorie intake, but for women who are active, this can take their intake too low to support their exercise routine. Combine this with poor body image and a desire to lose body fat, and many women are taking their food intake even lower, either consciously or unconsciously.

Chronic calorie deficits over a period of months or years raise stress hormones as your body tries to conserve energy and keep blood sugar stable. Make sure you are not eating less than 80 percent of your estimated calorie needs on a daily basis if you are trying to lose weight, and consider taking a break from any calorie deficit for a few weeks or months.

Too little carbohydrate intake can have similar impacts as inadequate calories, especially for highly active women doing glucose-demanding activities like weightlifting and CrossFit. Use this article to guide your carbohydrate intake depending on your health needs and activity levels.

Eating a calorie-appropriate and macronutrient-balanced diet is a huge step for many of the women I work with in my private practice to improve their hormonal profile.

Exercise

Again, the typical recommendation for a woman with PCOS is to exercise more. But if you’re already hitting the CrossFit box five days a week, running 20 miles a week, or squeezing bootcamp classes in at 5:30 a.m. every morning, you might be damaging your hormones by exercising too much.

Overtraining is more of a symptom of under-recovery, so eating and sleeping enough and taking at least one to two rest days per week can help minimize the impact of a high training volume and prevent hormonal disruption.

If you’re concerned that overexercising is driving your hormonal imbalances, check out this article on exercising with “adrenal fatigue” (HPA axis dysfunction) for guidelines on how to appropriately scale back your exercise so that you’re maintaining strength and fitness while allowing your hormones to recover.

Sleep

Admittedly, sleep is one of those health behaviors that I still struggle to prioritize. And yet the benefits to my energy, performance, and cognitive function I experience when I get adequate, high-quality sleep are undeniable.

One of the most common factors impacting our ability to sleep well is our use of electronic devices after the sun has gone down. Check out the guidelines in this article for ideas on how to mitigate the effects of light exposure at night so that your sleep is more restorative.

And if you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep, review your diet and exercise program. Many of my clients with sleep difficulties find that stopping any excessive high-intensity exercise and eating adequate calories and carbohydrates help them sleep far more soundly and wake up feeling refreshed.

Stress management

There are dozens of different techniques that can help reduce stress on a daily basis. Some of the more well-known recommendations include things like meditation, deep breathing, yoga, and tai chi. These ancient practices are effective tools that reduce stress hormones, and meditation in particular is one that can easily be done daily.

However, there are countless other options for reducing stress, so pick one that works best for your personality and your life. That might mean you get a pet like a dog or a cat, start volunteering regularly, join a spiritual/religious community like a church or synagogue, join a meetup group, or even start coloring! (I love these coloring books!)

Whatever your stress management practice is, commit to doing it regularly. Meditation isn’t going to help you reduce stress if you only do it once a week, and a coloring book sitting on your bookshelf gathering dust isn’t going to magically cut your cortisol down.

Mindset

Changing your mindset is often the hardest part of stress reduction, but possibly the most important. There are a lot of mindset issues that women deal with, but one of the most common mindset issues I see in the women I work with is poor body image.

Research shows that women with the lowest body image also have the highest levels of cortisol. (10) Any woman who has struggled with poor self-image and body dysmorphia knows what it feels like to have negative thoughts and emotions every time you catch your reflection in the mirror.

Building better body confidence is a challenging process, and it doesn’t happen overnight. But if you are struggling with negative thoughts about your body, constant dissatisfaction with your appearance, and poor mood that is worsened whenever you break your rigid diet and exercise routine, you may be sabotaging yourself by causing the very problems you feel negatively about, including weight gain, hair growth, and problematic skin!

Start by shifting your focus to all the things you are grateful for in your life. This could be something as simple as the fact that you have running water in your house, or as significant as having a loving partner or children that you adore.

Celebrate the success that you’ve had in your healthy eating and exercise goals, and don’t be so hard on yourself for the areas where you’ve fallen short. Everybody fails, so look at failure as a learning experience and opportunity for growth.

Stop following anyone on social media who makes you feel worse about your body or your life. Surround yourself with friends and role models who promote self-acceptance and self-love, regardless of what they look like right now.

Find people who inspire you to shift your focus to the positive things in your life, including what your body is capable of rather than what it looks like. Self-acceptance is a practice, and it requires committed effort to shift your mindset from one of self-loathing to self-love.

If you need more help …

There’s no way a single article will be enough for you to make a 180-degree turn in your life and start living totally stress-free. This will be a lifelong process that you need to commit to on a daily basis in order to see lasting changes in your hormonal health and wellbeing.

If you’ve already implemented the recommendations I’ve mentioned above and are still struggling, there are a few ways you can get additional help.

Chris’s 14Four program is a fantastic, holistic approach to a healthy diet and lifestyle that eliminates extremes and focuses not only on diet and exercise, but also stress and sleep. This is a great basic program for resetting your approach to a healthy, low-stress lifestyle.

If you’re concerned that your HPA axis dysfunction is more serious than the average person, you’d be a great candidate for Paleo Rehab: Adrenal Fatigue, a program that will guide you through the diet, lifestyle, and supplement changes that can help you eliminate stress and support your body’s ability to respond to stress appropriately. Check out our free 28-page eBook to get started on repairing your HPA axis function.

Finally, if you are desperate to make major changes in the way you live your life, including the way you eat, the way you exercise, and the way you treat your body, and you want to experience the benefits of working one-on-one with a coach dedicated to your health and success, consider becoming one of my clients.

I love helping women just like you make evidence-based changes to their nutrition and fitness plans that not only help them reach their goals, but also eliminate the stress, confusion, and fear that comes with trying to do it alone.

Now I’d like to hear from you: Have you experienced hormonal problems or PCOS symptoms after a period of extreme stress? Has dealing with the stress in your life helped you overcome these challenges? Share your story below!

About Laura: Laura uses her knowledge of traditional and biologically appropriate diets to improve her clients’ health. Growing up with a family that practices Weston A. Price principles of nutrition, she understands the foods and cooking practices that make up a nutrient dense diet.

With her strong educational background in biochemistry, clinical nutrition, and research translation, she blends current scientific evidence with traditional food practices to help her clients determine their ideal diet. You can find her at AncestralizeMe.com, on Facebook, and Twitter!

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For quicker weeknight meals, packages of pre-portioned cooked grains stashed in the freezer are one of our secret weapons. No waiting for rice or other grains to cook while your dinner companions prowl hungrily around the kitchen. No need to plan ahead. No need to do much more than pull a package out of the freezer and carry on with making the meal.

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Prize: The Holy Grail of PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Care Packages!

3 Bottles of Avocado Oil: More heat stable than olive oil and a wonderful alternative for those who don’t like the taste of coconut oil, PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Avocado Oil is perfect for searing, drizzling, sautéing, stir-frying and dressing. Use to make marinades, finish sauces, or even in lieu of butter for all your baking needs.

6 Jars of Avocado Oil Mayo: PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Mayo is the perfect companion for your deviled eggs, coleslaw and chicken salad needs. Every dollop is chock is full of good fats, phytonutrients, and other antioxidants, so you can use it lavishly—not sparingly—to upgrade the flavor and nutritional profile of your meal.

2 Bags of Primal Fuel: Quick, easy, and convenient, Primal Fuel provides balanced, healthy doses of high-quality fat, protein and carbs in a delicious and incredibly satisfying shake. It promotes and maintains lean muscle mass with 20 grams of whey protein isolate—which has the highest biological value (BV) of any protein source—in each serving. It contains the finest coconut milk as its primary source of healthy fat, which takes the edge off hunger for hours and provides exceptional nutrition. With fewer than 6 grams of natural sugar per serving, Primal Fuel helps keep your insulin levels low and helps shift your body into fat-burning mode all day long. Moreover, it’s loaded with vital prebiotics that help rebalance and re-establish a healthy gut.

2 Bottles of Greek Vinaigrette: Using real, organic oil of oregano, organic apple cider vinegar and the freshest ingredients (avocado oil, organic red wine vinegar, black pepper and lemon) our perfectly balanced vinaigrette is a tantalizing and refreshing complement to any salad. Its lush herb flavor is balanced with a hint of sweetness, savory spices and the zest of fragrant lemon oil—the quintessential addition to roasted chicken…or drizzle some on top of your vegetable lasagna. It also pairs very well with heavier fish like mackerel or sablefish.

2 Bottles of Honey Mustard Vinaigrette: This succulent dressing packs in the pungency of stone ground mustard and the sweetness of organic honey, perfectly enhanced by a tangy bold touch of lemon. It pairs well with slightly bitter greens, like chicory, Belgian endive, escarole or radicchio, and is succulent enough to be used as a dipping sauce for veggies…or to flavor your favorite fish, chicken or beef dishes. Honey mustard-flavored braised short ribs, anyone?

PRIMAL KITCHEN™ Dark Chocolate Almond Bars: A healthy and tasty alternative to sugar-laden energy bars, Primal Kitchen’s Dark Chocolate Almond Bars boost energy with 15 grams of healthy protein (from grass-fed collagen), and just 3 grams of sugar. Indulge whenever you are on the go and your stomach is rumbling…or when your taste buds are jonesing for a treat.

The Contest:

An oldie, but goodie. Originally inspired by a Time photo montage featuring families from around the world surrounded by a week’s worth of their groceries, I told readers to surround themselves with a week’s worth of their Primal groceries. Check out last year’s submissions:

So round up the kids (or parents, or fiance, or roommates) and toss all the groceries on the table, because I want people to see “What Grok Eats.” The pictures don’t have to be fancy, nor do they have to be 100% Primal (or even 80%, just so long as people can see what you eat in a week). Mad props go to the most Primal family, but the winner will be selected in a random drawing, so don’t feel obliged to play “Keeping up with the Grokses.” Just post your photo to Instagram, tag @MarkDailyApple and use hashtag #PrimalHaul in the post text so the Worker Bees and I can see your entry.

Don’t have an Instagram account? No problem. Email me the picture instead. Please use the email subject heading “Grocery Submission.” Otherwise, there’s a good chance I may completely miss your submission.

As long as there are groceries on the table and smiling faces, you’re entered to win.

Examples:

From the NY Times:

The winner from 2015:

Now it’s your turn.

Who is Eligible:

This one is global, so anyone can enter!

How A Winner Will Be Decided:

A random drawing will be held among all entrants who submit adequate photos.

Deadline: January 24, midnight PDT.

Fine Print:

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http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

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Every time I cook farro, I kick myself for waiting so long to revisit it. Nutty and chewy, it’s a subtle but sophisticated grain, making it perfect to serve as a backdrop to strong flavors without getting lost. That’s exactly what it does in this grain bowl, proudly bearing the weight of crispy seared salmon and saucy sesame spinach.

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http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

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Every now and then, a recipe comes along that just makes so much sense. Take this cabbage and pork belly stir-fry, for example, which has just the right amount of sugar and fat to turn humble cabbage into an irresistable treat.

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http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

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Grain Sprouting Kit with Cedar Wood Stand

• $29.95

• Etsy

Eating more whole grains is a great way to start eating more healthfully, but if you really want to amp up your nutrition, adding sprouted grains is the way to go. Not only are sprouted grains easier for your body to digest, but the process also boosts the grain’s amino acids, B vitamins, and vitamin C content.

Making your own sprouted grains at home is easy, but you’ll want to have a way to let excess water drain out of the sprouts, while letting air circulate and prevent spoilage. That’s why I love this sprouting stand.

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Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

Recently, the CrossFit Games social media department reposted this video of Brooke Wells’ 345lb back squat double. Nice work, Brooke.

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Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

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