Eight years ago I came across a new book called “It Starts With Food,” by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig (who is now Melissa Urban). It was back when the Whole30 website was called Whole9, before Whole30 was a label found on packaged food items, and long before white potatoes were allowed on the challenge. I was completely hooked.

I loved the idea of an elimination diet that prepared our bodies so that we could then test what foods actually work best in each of our individual bodies. We jumped in fully committed and passionate and have never looked back. The results were not small and we were in love with the new energy and gut health we found.

We transitioned into eating the Paleo diet after finishing Whole30 and I became consumed with learning as much as I could about how different foods work inside our bodies and which ones to stay away from and why. One food group we eliminated was legumes due to the concern of antinutrients.

Legumes are a seed contained within a pod such as lentils, peas, chickpeas and beans. The antinutrients (which just sounds unhealthy in name) are phytates and lectins. Phytic acid impairs the absorption of the minerals iron, zinc, and calcium and can cause inflammation, gas and bloating. Lectins are resistant to digestion, like to bind to the intestinal wall and are considered a cause of leaky gut syndrome. YIKES!!

The good news is these antinutrients can be reduced through simple soaking and cooking. I mean let’s face the facts here…meats require cooking in order to safely eat as well. And while I have never felt like my diet was missing anything from not eating legumes I don’t think it was necessary to eliminate them from our diet for the last eight years when soaking them overnight would have taken care of the health concerns they bring.

So fast-forward through eight years of paleo and CrossFit. Levi and I are 39 and 37 and we are healthier and in better shape and more prepared for the zombie apocalypse than we were in our 20s. I can tell you without a doubt that it is because we have stuck to eating real food that was created for our bodies by the one and only creator who also wonderfully made us. I very much believe in the Paleo diet because it is real food. It is not processed frankenfoods. It requires intention and focus on ingredients. It fulfills every macro and micro-nutrient need and naturally keeps our carbs at a healthy level without having to measure or weigh.

I also believe that every BODY is different and while one person may perform very well when eliminating one food another may not see any difference. So it’s worth taking the time to experiment with your body. Find what fuels you the most. Therefore our family has been making some slight changes to our previous meat focused diet.

I don’t know that I would call our current diet “plant based.” It is more like “plant focused” or “primarily plant.” We have made plants the main part of our meals which is still very much paleo but before, we often ate meat with veggie sides. Now we are eating veggies with some meat added…and only sometimes. The major differences is we have included soaked and well-cooked legumes into our meals as well as sprouted grain bread intermittently.

What we have NOT added is soy, sugar or synthetic substitutes, grains (with the exception of Ezekiel bread), vegetable and seed oils, or processed foods. If we want to eat a steak I buy a grass-fed and finished steak and not a combination of plant-based ingredients shaped like a steak. Our purposes for changing our focus from meat to plants is not about animal rights but I do understand that many make that their focus and I can understand the desire for these meat alternatives but it just isn’t our path.

Ms. Jacqui and Ms. Christine, the precious ladies that work in the shoppe, take plant-based to a different level and have taught me many things about a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. Again, while that is not my family’s path I have really appreciated and enjoyed the new food items we have begun carrying in the Sunshine Shoppe that are considered vegan or plant-based and have decided to make our theme for February’s basket giveaway PLANT-BASED!

We are including …

Real Salt
Primal Foods Alfredo Sauce- this is ridiculously good. I love to throw all my end of the week veggies that didn’t make it into recipes into the wok and cover in this sauce for a super quick meal. My kids love it too!
Organic Green Lentils- I love lentils because they are so small that they don’t require soaking overnight. Jacqui shared a little tip with me to add bay leaves to take the gas out so be sure to add that trick to your hat too.
Vegenaise- Mayo made with grapeseed oil and egg-free
Egg Replacer- I don’t use this product personally but recommend it to my nutrition clients that are on an autoimmune protocol diet.
Primal Kitchen Vegan Ranch
Organic Young Jackfruit- This canned fruit is cleverly disguised in meatless meals. Check out this Jackfruit Taco recipe from The Edgy Veg.
Primal Kitchen Classic BBQ Sauce-This could be mixed with the Jackfruit and put over baked sweet potatoes. Yum!
Siete Cashew Queso- Listen, we eat cheese in our family so we could eat queso made with cheese and not cashews but I don’t know why we would want to! This stuff is so delicious. I typically buy two jars at a time because my kids inhale this stuff.
Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats- For years I have made theses Energy Bites and have passed this specific recipe on more times than I can count! These healthier treats are perfect for that middle of the day pick-me-up, the teen with a basketball game right after school, and my CrossFit athletes during competitions.
Lily’s Dark Chocolate Premium Baking Chips- These are good to just nibble on a few to take care of that sweet tooth or to add to your Energy Bites!
Bragg Liquid Aminos- Use in place of soy sauce. Add to stir fry, marinades, soups and basically anything! I grew up dousing this stuff on everything!
Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil- This is my favorite oil for a quick salad dressing. It is so light and pairs well with a little squirt of lemon. So refreshing!
“Plant Strong” by Rip Esselstyn- Ms. Jacqui picked this one out so I know it has to be good.

I’m pretty in love with our Plant-Based basket. You don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to enjoy these recipe enhancing foods. This basket would be perfect for anyone sticking to a diary-free or AIP diet too! Or even just someone, like me, who is just wanting to change your focus a bit. Each time you come in to shop your name gets added to the drawing so stop in and see us as often as possible!

Paleo turned Plant Based?