The Paleo Diet - Loren Cordain [72]
There is great potential for abuse here, and you should do your best to avoid it. Do not consider these Open Meals as your chance to pig out on forbidden foods. For example, having two pints of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream for lunch would be a bad move and self-defeating. But if you’re invited to a party or go out to eat with friends, the Open Meal is your chance to indulge a bit. A single scoop of Chunky Monkey won’t hurt, particularly if you’ve been on the diet all week. Or eat a slice of toast with your breakfast or have some potatoes with your dinner entrée. But again, don’t eat six slices of toast or a pound of mashed potatoes. The basic idea is to ease the feeling of deprivation that generally accompanies the start of any change in diet. If you handle these Open Meals wisely—treating yourself, but not to excess—you’ll soon find that you don’t need to cheat at all.
At first, many people find it difficult to give up bread, cereals, and dairy products. But when you cut down on these foods gradually, you’ll eventually be able to replace them with more healthful fruits and vegetables. With Level I, you may want to use some “transitional” condiments. These contain sugar and salt but are low in fat. As you become accustomed to your new eating plan, you’ll want to reduce or eliminate them. Transitional condiments include:
• Low-fat salad dressings. Use these in moderation and read the labels. Stay away from brands that contain large amounts of corn syrup or salt.
• Commercial sauces. Mustard, hot sauces, prepared salsa. Note: No catsup (except for the Paleo version, the recipe for which is included in chapter 10); regular catsup is too high in salt and fructose.
If you are a coffee, beer, or wine drinker, you may continue to enjoy these non-Paleo beverages in moderation, working toward cutting back on them as you become accustomed to the Paleo Diet. Transitional beverages include:
• Sugar-free soft drinks. Use these in moderation. All of them contain artificial sweeteners, which are best left out of your diet.
• Alcoholic beverages. Use these in moderation.
• Coffee. Use it in moderation. Excessive caffeine is associated with a number of illnesses and health problems.
Sample Two-Week Meal Plan for Level I
SUNDAY
Open
Almond Chicken Salad*
Herbal tea
Tomato and avocado slices
Grilled skinless turkey breast
Steamed broccoli, carrots, and artichoke
Bowl of fresh blueberries, raisins, and almonds
Water with lemon slice
Basic Beef Jerky,* celery sticks
MONDAY
Bowl of diced apples, shredded carrots, and raisins
Poached eggs
Cup of decaffeinated coffee
Brockway Tuna Salad*
Handful of almonds
Mineral water
Escargots (prepared without butter)
Tossed green salad
Broiled halibut steak with lemon juice and dill
Steamed asparagus
Sliced. kiwi fruit and tangerine wedges
Glass of dry white wine
cold lean beef slices, carrot sticks
TUESDAY
Cantaloupe, strawberries
Broiled lean pork chops
Herbal tea
Spinach salad with choice of Paleo dressing*
Broiled orange roughy with fresh orange juice and oregano
Steamed cauliflower
Apple
Mineral water
Paleo Zucchini Soup*
Slow-Cooked Veal with Salsa*
Figs
Iced tea
hard-boiled eggs, walnuts, raisins
WEDNESDAY
Grapefruit
Strawberries with blackberries
Cold leftover Veal with Salsa*
Cup of decaffeinated coffee
Open
Avocado and tomato slices
Oysters on the half shell
Altamira Stuffed Chicken*
Ratatouille*
Fresh boysenberries, raisins, and almonds
Cup of decaffeinated coffee
mango, unsalted macadamia nuts, Dried Salmon*
THURSDAY
Raspberries with walnuts
Scrambled eggs with a small beefsteak
Herbal tea
Lime and Dill Crab*
Figs and fresh nectarines
Iced tea
Spicy Tomato Soup*
Green salad with black olives (rinsed of salt)
Burgundy Walnut Beef Roast*
Steamed cauliflower with lemon juice and paprika
Fresh peaches
Glass of red wine
cold chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks
FRIDAY
Blueberries and cantaloupe
Cold