Free Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso

a healthy lifestyle—make the choice to do it! We can choose to always wallow in the challenges that life throws at us or we can embrace life’s challenges, grateful for all of the good in life that we do have. Bad stuff happens, every day, all of the time, but managing your health first is the most important factor in surviving the bad and coming through it thriving!

Kitchen Essentials and a Paleo Survival Guide
     
    F or lots of folks in the twenty-first century, cooking simply does not happen. Reality check time: you have to cook in order to eat paleo. Cooking does not mean hours upon hours in the kitchen. It means being prepared, planning ahead, staying committed, and, most importantly, having fun. Successful cooking also means having a well-stocked kitchen equipped with the essentials for making fast, easy, and delicious paleo meals. In table C I have included a list of the items you will need to run a well-equipped paleo kitchen.
    Once your groceries are bought and your kitchen essentials are on hand, it is time to closely examine what it means to “plan ahead and be prepared.” Most of the recipes in this book are designed so that you can make plenty and save for later. For example, slow cookers can usually prepare a large amount of food, so when you see a recipe that is made in a slow cooker, plan to make enough for several meals. Leftovers are lifesavers because they can seriously cut down on the time you spend in the kitchen.
    When eating paleo, one must think outside the lunch box. For example, breakfast does not always have to look like breakfast. Oftentimes the easiest breakfast is leftovers from dinner! On the flip side, dinner can just as easily be breakfast. Omelets in the evening taste just as good as they do in the morning, and they are fast, nutritious, and can be made 10 million different ways.
    The point is, do not be afraid of breaking the traditional rules. I have heard time and again, “Sarah, I don’t know what else to do for lunch but to eat a sandwich!” The truth is, you do know. Planning ahead and being prepared is part of holding yourself accountable. Almost every day my husband and I eat leftover dinner for lunch, and I cannot express to you how much time, money, and stress this one simple trick can save you. Most importantly, having those leftovers handy leaves you with zero excuses to eat something unhealthy.
    YOUR PALEO SURVIVAL GUIDE BEGINS NOW
    Being prepared and planning ahead also pertains to when you leave your home. Every modern-day hunter and gatherer must have a survival kit handy at all times. Our days are crazy and often take unexpected twists and turns, especially when children are involved, and if you have a car full of hungry, cranky children and a hungry, cranky parent in charge, disaster is sure to strike.
    The first item in your survival kit should be an emergency stash of food that you either carry with you or in your vehicle at all times. There are several paleo food items that travel well, and making your own paleo version of trail mix is a must. Here is how to do it:
    1. Fill a large portable container with 3 cups of raw almonds, shelled pistachios, cashews, and pecans.
    2. Add in ½ cup of unsweetened dried cherries, blueberries, or cranberries, and top it all off with 4 cups of gluten-free beef jerky cut into bite-size pieces.
    You can portion out the mix into smaller portable containers that fit easily into a purse, backpack, or briefcase, and you should always keep one large container of this mix in your car. When hunger strikes the on-the-go family, there will always be a snack on hand.
    The next part of your kit should include other kid-and parent-friendly items. Keep apples, oranges, mandarins, and packages of beef jerky in your car for after-school snacks. Kids are always starving when you pick them up, and offering something immediately will help you avoid the habitual drive-through. Other kid-friendly on-the-go snack options include baby carrots, celery