Coconut Flour Pancakes Anonymous 12:41 PM

Until today I have never made anything with coconut flour; I have wanted to, but my husband loathes coconut, and I hesitate to make anything that we can't all enjoy. Last weekend I took a trip to the health food store and picked up a bag of coconut flour anyway, just to do some experimenting, figuring if I am the only one who eats what I make with it, well, more for me...although I was pretty sure my two children still at home wouldn't mind some coconut flour treats. I wasn't counting on them both being gone this weekend, however, so whatever I came up with was going to be all mine if my husband wouldn't eat it, or I'd have to freeze some of it for later. No big deal and worth a gamble, especially since a little bit of coconut flour goes a long way.

Today was the first opportunity I had to make something with it, and I wanted to try to make coconut flour pancakes as the almond flour pancakes I made several months ago were disappointing, and occasionally I want a pancake, darn it, but not enough to cave in and eat wheat flour.

I looked up several recipes online for coconut flour pancakes. Most of them called for raw milk (which I don't have access to), or coconut milk, which I did have. I had discussed with my husband that I was making these and that I wanted him to try them, and knowing how much he detests coconut it just seemed like I'd be adding insult to injury by adding coconut milk. What to do? As absorbent of liquids that I'd read coconut flour was I couldn't just leave out the liquid and add more egg (that might have been a rubbery, nasty mess), so I used water. It worked out fine.

I also used my own proportions and didn't follow a recipe online, just to see what I could come up with myself. Longer story a little shorter, my husband thought they were great and didn't think they tasted like coconut. I know he's telling me the truth because there were no dry heaves after he took a bite. He ate the whole plate I served him, three pancakes total*. And me? I thought they were delicious and ate the rest of them. =) There was nothing left over to freeze for later, ha!

Lisa's Coconut Haters Coconut Flour Pancakes

Ingredients:

4 Large eggs

1 1/4 C water

1 t organic vanilla extract

1 t baking soda

1/2 C organic coconut flour

1 t sweetener of choice (I used Xylitol), or omit

1 pinch salt (omit if not using sweetener)

Instructions:

Combine wet ingredients and beat well with a whisk. Whisk in dry ingredients until well combined. Drop 1/4 C dollops (or a little less) on a pre-heated, well greased griddle or in frying pan using a healthy fat (butter, ghee, coconut oil, etc.). Keep the pancakes small for ease of flipping. Flip pancakes when edges look sort of cooked. Cook second side, then serve with your choice of toppings.

Makes approximately 14 smallish pancakes.

Nutritional Information

Entire recipe:

Per Pancake:

Calories: 38

Fat: 2

Carbohydrates: 2.42

Fiber: 1.4

Protein: 2.4

(The alcohol is the vanilla extract)

*I had also made him eggs, just in case he wouldn't eat the pancakes, so he had both. I only had pancakes...I'm not really a selfish pig, but I may have to make a double or triple batch of these next time, especially if the kids are home! ;-)

Wheat Belly Sighting Anonymous 11:44 AM

There are actually a lot of wheat bellies around, but that's not the sighting I am talking about. I noticed the latest edition of Woman's World Magazine has an article featuring Dr. William Davis, of the Heart Scan Blog, whose book Wheat Belly is soon to hit the shelves.

You would think with a blog name like No Pain, No Grain that Dr. Davis would be a man after my own heart, and for all intents and purposes, he is...I just happen to believe there is more to health and weight loss than cutting out the wheat, though it's a pretty good start. Grains are evil.

Do I think you can lose 30 pounds in 30 days by cutting wheat from your diet? Well, it happened to me, so I'd say it's possible, but your mileage may vary. If you cut the wheat and find that you're not losing much you may also try cutting starchy vegetables (like potatoes) and dairy and see how things progress after that. Regardless of any weight lost, you will be doing yourself a favor by not eating wheat. Dr. Davis highlights some of the benefits in the WW article:

I am definitely putting this book on my wish list, it should be a good read.

Oh, Sugar Sugar... Anonymous 8:30 AM

Lately there seem to be several voices crying in the "healthy eating" wilderness that we need to turn our attention away from simply stating low carb eating is the panacea for all of our health and obesity woes. They are urging us to look beyond what many of us have come to take as gospel: carbohydrates make us fat and sick, and if you reduce your carb intake to a bare minimum you will lose weight and improve many of the diseases of modern civilization you may be afflicted with.

It has been hypothesized that it is simply a matter of too much sugar in our diets that is causing the increase in obesity and diseases of modern civilization, and perhaps the highly processed grains, and maybe the vegetable oils, too. But really, they question, is it the whole of the carbohydrate macronutrient group that we need to be wary of? After all, other groups of natives that have been virtually untouched by Westernized ways of eating do quite well with eating diets very high in carbohydrates, with no ill effects whatsoever (1, 2).

And is it anything to do with insulin resistance, or leptin resistance? Is the jury still out on the whole insulin resistance issue? Many in the upper stratosphere of the Paleo movement would like to argue (and do) that the Carbohydrate Hypothesis is erroneous, and lacking in scientific backing.

It is statements like these which make me scratch my head and say, "Oh really?!"

I absolutely agree that sugar is bad, especially in the abundant quantities in the American diet. I don't eat grains, and I try to avoid vegetable oils at all costs, but are these people serious when they say they think we obese Americans can lose weight just by avoiding sugar alone?

Obviously, any change toward cutting sugar is going to reflect a positive change on the scale and in the tape measure. I have had friends in the past who swore off their favorite sugar laden food and lost weight. But what about those of us who for many years, even decades, bought into the notion that we were supposed to eat low fat, with lots and lots of "healthy" grains and carbohydrates, became obese, then cut our calories and portions, thus starving ourselves to lose pounds, damaging our metabolisms and probably frying our adrenal glands and thyroids in the process? Yeah, and many of us are women. Has it not always been obvious, and a scientific fact, that men typically lose weight faster than women? And, honestly, with the exception of less than a handful of these Paleo scientific experts in the blogosphere, not many of these gentlemen have ever been obese, or even a little overweight.

I have been on so many different weight loss diets in my lifetime. I have lost a significant amount of weight on low calorie, low fat diets, only to gain all the weight back and more because I was starving. The only eating plan that allowed me to lose weight, improve my health, and never feel hungry has been a low carbohydrate eating plan. I lost 60 pounds from my 5' 2" frame, and maintained that for quite some time. It wasn't until I decided to do my own N=1 experiment after reading many Paleo bloggers who believed that we humans were designed to be able to handle carbohydrates like potatoes and rice, that I gained some of that weight back. I am now eating "clean" again, avoiding those Paleo-approved starches, and losing weight.

My take on this is obviously based on my own personal, anecdotal experiences, but my experiences and applications of low carb eating have been backed up by science, so I am counting them as valid. While I believe that people who have never damaged their metabolisms may indeed be able to eat these starchy vegetables and ancient grains without any detrimental effects, I, and so many others in my same boat, may never be able to incorporate these foods into our daily eating plans.

Do I think low carb is a panacea for all the maladies that present themselves in modern civilization? Pretty much, but my definition of low carb may not be everyone's ideal definition, either. We all need to find out for ourselves what our bodies are capable of handling with regard to the damage we've already done.

Mini Rant on the Insanity Anonymous 5:06 PM

She who shall remain nameless (and linkless) posted a comment in response to someone who commented on her latest post:

"...it would appear that many of the success stories on LC are from folks who have dieted many times -- often extreme diets -- and this finally worked. There are many who report on the disco boards that they have had their gall bladder's removed thus they have reduced fat absorption. This may well be behind what's going on here. They have fewer calories in to the body. I'm not sure this is optimal for health and such folks should probably be consuming more coconut and palm kernel oil."

She doesn't seem to know ANYTHING about human anatomy and physiology, yet there are people who fawn all over her and think she's the greatest thing since sliced white bread.

Just because one has had a cholecystectomy does not mean one cannot absorb (or digest) fat. I guess she doesn't have a clue that after the removal of the gallbladder that a bile duct becomes enlarged and basically compensates for the lost gallbladder. After all, bile is still being produced, so the function of bile is still active in the body's digestion of fat.

Her "theory" doesn't hold water, or bile.

/rant

I just refuse to comment on her blog, and I find her pseudo intellectual B.S. revolting.

That is all.

Egg, Ham and Cheese Take-a-Longs Anonymous 11:00 AM

I am always looking for new things to make that are portable and low carb. Sunday morning I woke up thinking about making eggs in the oven in cupcake cups or a muffin tin with some low carb throw-ins. They turned out nicely and they are approved by my youngest, Jaden, as being extremely yummy!

I am planning on taking some of these to work with me this week for breakfast, if they last that long. *wink*

I also think this will be an ideal recipe for my daughter, Cat, to try...and anyone else who wants to keep some grab-and-go food on hand!

Egg, Ham and Cheese Take-a-Longs

Ingredients
1 C diced ham
1 dozen large eggs
1 C shredded cheese
salt
pepper
garlic

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners, or grease the tins liberally with bacon grease, lard, or tallow if you do not wish to use the liners.

Instructions:

Place enough diced ham in each liner to cover the bottom.

Break one egg into each cup over the ham.

Season the tops of the eggs with salt, pepper, and garlic.

Top with shredded cheese.

Bake in a 350° F oven for 15 minutes for a less done yolk, 20 minutes for a more solid yolk.

Allow to rest for 3-5 minutes.

These were baked for 20 minutes. Serve warm,
or place in storage bags or containers
to refrigerate or freeze for later !

Change the recipe up a bit by using bacon, sausage, prosciutto, or corned beef instead of ham. Substitute or add seasonings to please your own tastebuds. Most of all, enjoy!

Train up a child in the way he should go: Anonymous 4:05 PM

...and when he is old, he will not depart from it. ~ Proverbs 22:6

Had I known about eating a low carb, ancestral diet when I was young I could have saved myself, and my children, a lot of grief. But I didn't know...even though my grandmother and mother "did Atkins" from time to time when I was young, all that information I was bombarded with when I was a teenager told me that was sure to lead me down the road to cardiovascular disease. Now I know better, and my children have seen the results of their mother's low carb lifestyle, and they hear me talking about it all the time, and see my posts online. I had been hoping that even though this way of eating wasn't something we did since they were babies that some of it was rubbing off on them, and they were learning what to do to be healthy.

At home I cook low carb, high fat, moderate protein meals now, but when my eldest, Cat, was young, I did not. She has paid the price for my ignorance and has become morbidly obese. I have been gently urging her through these last few years to hop on board the low carb bandwagon with me, but there have always been obstacles that seemed pretty insurmountable from her point of view. Her husband doesn't really want to eat low carb, and that's his option, but it does make it difficult at meal time when one has to cook two different meals to satisfy them both. I thought it might not ever happen, and then this past Saturday I saw her status update on Facebook:

(I hate this) fat around my tummy and thighs...  I'm not tolerating it any more... I'm going low carb. If it's not meat, I'm not eating it....

Then, one of her Facebook friends replied:

That is really not a good long term solution....but you will see some pretty incredible short term results....good luck.

To which she replied:

lol (name removed), you and my mother, Lisa, should talk some time.. Low carb/high* protein is the kind of diet humans were made to eat. It lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes... among many other things. Healthier hair, nails and skin, more energy. It is a rewarding long term solution, one that will add years to your life. To each their own tho...

I just happened to be at the Low Carb Meet-and-Greet at the time I read this, and shared the exchange with the group, to cheers, after I explained I had wondered whether any of my kids were really hearing me. Obviously, they are! I couldn't be more proud!

Saturday marks the day of the beginning of her low carb journey. I hope to continue to point her in the right direction and support her in this any way I can.

If any of you would like to offer advice, encouragement, links to things you think might be of benefit to her, please leave them in the comments of this post. I really think knowing she has the support of others (in addition to her old mom) will be of benefit to her. Thanks in advance!

*I have since explained to her that the optimal diet for a human is high fat/moderate protein/low carb, but she wasn't too far off!

Meeting Old Friends for the First Time Anonymous 12:57 PM

Saturday my husband, youngest child and I  went to the Low Carb Meet-n-Greet hosted by Dana Carpender and her husband (that nice boy she married), Eric Schmitz. There was fabulous food, great conversation, and I got to meet so many people whom I consider friends online for the very first time in person; a friend from Facebook, Jimmy Moore, Amy Dungan and her husband, John, and others who share the same way of eating. For this low carb lady, it was a dream come true!

Jimmy has contacted me and has asked if I would like to do a Low Carb Conversation with him in the future. I'm game!

I would like to thank Dana and Eric for their hospitality. My family and I enjoyed ourselves very much. I took some photos during our visit, and a few turned out well enough to share. I am already looking forward to next year!

Jimmy Moore and Amy Dungan

Amy, Eric Schmitz, and there's Dana Carpender in the background!

One happy, smiling dog!

Beautiful lilies in front of Dana and Eric's. Surprise Lilies, maybe?

Cock of the Roost in Dana's chicken coop!

Road Trip Anonymous 7:33 AM

Headed out soon to the Low Carb Meet-N-Greet at Dana Carpender's in
Indiana. Be back later with photos (hopefully) and an update!

--
Lisa Crawford-Geiger

Can You Hear Me From Way Up There? Anonymous 7:24 PM

The chasm between the Paleo community and the low carb community seems to be growing wider by the day. There has been a lot of flap about Gary Taubes giving a curt smackdown to Stephen Guyenet during the Q&A after Stephan's presentation on "Food Reward." I just watched the video of the incident, and I must say, up till the very end when Taubes made his flippant remark, it sounded like a good debate.

In the comments section of Dr. Guyenet's post about the "drama," many seem to want to equate Taubes' zeal and opinion about low carb with Ancel Keys disastrous advice that low fat diets prevented heart disease.

I think this is a big mistake, and while I don't think Gary Taubes' final statement in his response was necessary, or kind, I can see the point he was trying to make. Should Taubes take a dose of his own medicine? Perhaps, but I can't agree with everything the "big shots" in the Paleo community have come up with, either.

I've said before and I'll say again, I do not follow any particular "group." I am not Paleo, or Primal; I am not a follower of Atkins, and I had hoped that "Ancestral" might have been a good way to describe my way of eating. However...it seems that "Ancestral" is just another term for Paleo in the mind of the Paleoites. And even though, compared to the SAD, Paleo can be considered low carb by default, they rail against "low carbers" as if they were from another planet entirely, and just utterly stupid.

I have gained a lot of knowledge and wisdom from the Paleo movement, just as I have from Primal enthusiasts AND low carbers, but I don't think any of these groups will ever agree on an optimal diet between them. And that's okay. You all keep debating, and railing against one another. I will sit back, observe, and pick the good parts out of the slop you're making by bashing one another over every little detail.

Isn't the vision to be a unified front against the decades of insane advice from the powers that be? Can't we leave the sensitivity at the door and keep the real discussion going? Admit that there is right and wrong on both sides, and move on? Or is this going to be a huge pissing match - - a challenge between Alpha Males?

Some of the Paleoites need to get over themselves and realize that just because someone considers themselves low carb doesn't mean that they are retarded, and just because we consider one of the macronutrient groups to be pretty much verboten, doesn't mean we don't see value in your criticism about certain aspects of our way of life.

And about the Paleo/Primal people being in better shape than general low carbers? Well, I will bet you a dollar to a coconut flour donut that many of those beautiful, well-built people never had a weight problem in their lives. (Jump back, I didn't say ALL!) There are people in every lifestyle who are at different stages of their journey. To judge someones eating choices by ones appearance from seeing them one time does not a valid observation make.

In addition to that, if someone who has wrecked their metabolism for the majority of their life (not someone who is still in their youth - you know, 20s and 30s) discovers a low carb/Paleo/Primal way of living helps them maintain their health and accomplish weight loss, there is nothing saying that they will ever be able to eat the occasional potato or piece of fruit without it being detrimental to their weight or well being. Gary Taubes is right about many things, and so is the low carb movement. By the same token, there is a lot of good science abounding on all sides. I just hope this dies down and the bickering and caterwauling is kept to a minimum.

I realize my thoughts are sort of disjointed and all over the place in this post, but many of these points are in response to the particular blog post I linked above. I prefer to not involve myself in the discussion on Stephen's post directly. I feel more comfortable addressing them on my homefront. So, pardon my scatteredness, please!

Go Big or Go Home? Anonymous 8:16 AM

We certainly have a lot of fabulous, zealous people in the low carb/paleo/Primal community, ready jump to tell those interested how to eat in a truly healthful way. But do you think it's a better idea to tell those wanting to start one of these lifestyles to ditch the bad stuff cold turkey, or to ease into it? Just wanting some feedback, give me your opinion, and why you feel that way...

Are We Making An Impact? Anonymous 7:14 PM

Excuse my lack of posting, but my computer is down and I am sharing a computer between myself and three other people in the household. I am at work all day and by the time I get home it doesn't leave me a lot of time to do much of anything, and if someone else "calls" the computer I may as well hang it up for the day.

Anyway, this past week, as I was browsing a new edition of First Magazine I noticed it was chock full of low carb, high fat bits of wisdom. The articles weren't always 100% right, but much closer than what has been touted as being healthy. In interest of time (and so I can relinquish the computer to the next in line), I will post photos I took with my phone of the articles.

Really, I was shocked (in a good way)...do you think the tide is turning? Are we low carb/Paleo/Primal advocates making an impact in the mainstream? (click to enlarge)

A doctor who lost weight low carbing.

The doctors good advice.

The inset on the previous page, talking about the
importance of controlling blood sugar, and how
eating low carb preserves muscle mass.

Good advice about dairy fat. If only they had mentioned
that the best place to get that is from RAW dairy.

Healing a fatty liver. More excellent advice!