Is Chocolate Paleo?

Posted on July 19, 2015

Hi Friends! Here’s a look at our week:

ALL THE FEELS. I came home from work to find that Matt had made a cake for his mom’s birthday in my paternal grandmother’s bundt pan. She died unexpectedly a few years ago but sometimes when I am not expecting to be reminded of her I get caught off guard by how much I miss her. She almost always had a bundt cake on her kitchen counter, and she had seasoned her antique bundt pan incredible well. It is one of my most prized possessions now. It was emotional to see Matt honor her with a delicious “coffee, coffee cake” earlier this week. We have –> more on that, plus a Bundt Cake Recipe HERE.

Other food that gave us the feels this week? These Restaurant Steaks (from Real Life Paleo) are beyond explanation. Especially when cooked in Tin Star Ghee and topped with horseradish sauce featuring Sir Kensington’s Mayo. YOU MUST MAKE STEAKS LIKE THIS, YOU JUST MUST! It’s so simple, and all the instructions are outlined in our book. This is how we really eat!

Healthy party food! For the potluck at Stacy’s work, she brought Spinach Artichoke Dip from Real Life Paleo. Making FOOD LOOK PRETTY makes veggies on veggies much more appealing. Swirl Serving Bowl —> HERE! Carrots were bought already cut into crinkle chips, but you can do the same at home with this Crinkle Cutter. Shockingly, people welcomed a healthy dish and were excited to try something so unique and pretty!

We spent last weekend in Hershey, PA again, riding roller coasters and having quality family time together. Bonus! We love being able to have date nights together (thanks Uncle Andrew for entertaining the boys!) so we could enjoy the Kelly Clarkson and Pentatonix concert together! It was our first concert in about a decade and it was incredible. We find that the key to a long-lasting, happy, healthy marriage is MAKING the time to spend together doing things that bring us joy and remind us why we love each other. When the kids fly the nest, we’ll still be bonded and close and ready to move onto the next phase in our life, rather than wondering what we still have in common – if not for the kids. Bonus, we brought home video footage of the concert and got to bond as a family about how cool Pentatonix is!

Updated One Stop Paleo Shop Boxes!

We teamed up with One Stop Paleo Shop again to bring you two more boxes with some of our favorite items! Our old boxes will be retired (MONDAY JULY 19TH IS THE LAST DAY TO GET THE CURRENT BOXES of our favorite recommended products WHICH ARE DISCOUNTED FROM IF YOU WERE TO BUY ALL PRODUCTS SEPARATELY), and the new ones launch this Tuesday. They’re filled with some awesome products! —> Check them out HERE! (Find Paleo Parents on the drop down menu).

Paleo to Go Box
We created this one because in five years of being Paleo we have learned to always stock “the plan B foods” – i.e. the snacks you keep in your purse, backpack, car, gym bag and desk for the hungry moments when you need something quick. We often get asked how we eat when we’re not at home – so these are our favorite ‘Paleo to Go’ items, and we know you will love things like jerky, meat sticks, protein bars, snack mix, pork rinds, and caramel chocolate bar. That’s right, I said chocolate caramel bar. And it’s paleo-friendly!

Paleo Pantry Must Haves Box
These are our absolute favorites that we always have in our pantry to help fill a number of needs- Simple Mills Muffin Mix for that baked good craving, Jackson’s Honest Sweet Potato Chips for those times you need some crunch, Paleonola Chocolate Fix to satisfy that sweet tooth, mayo for a quick tuna salad lunch, and coconut aminos for a one-pot stir fy dinner topping! These items literally cover all your bases!

worth reading

We LOVE Alton Brown… and the boys will do pretty much anything he says. Loving his idea for —> This Easy Condiment Caddy!

Ha! For all those people I met during the book tour and was hesitant to hug. I love you. I really really do. —> 22 Things Everyone Who Hates Being Touched Needs People to Know.

What did you think of Amazon Prime Day? You’re not alone if you felt a little lackluster disappointment. —> 25 of the Best Responses to Amazon Prime Day. These are seriously hilarious!!

worth eating

With being in Hershey, PA we’ve got chocolate on the brain. So, let’s make it this week’s topic. Chocolate is a surprising food for a lot of people that it is considered paleo. Here’s the thing: cacao beans are actually not beans at all – they’re seeds. High quality cacao (both butter and powder) can have many health benefits, likeantioxidants, magnesium, and even the good kinds of fat. The key is finding a product that is meets the quality standards needed to meet these criteria.Further, I would advise and recommend everyone buy fair trade chocolate whenever possible. The chocolate industry is one of the most ruthless and disturbing around – since our paleo lifestyle is as much for the generations that follow as well as our own health, we seek out fair trade to avoid supporting child slavery or other cruelty associated with commercial grade chocolate. Sustainable Dish has a great post on it and other “top cruel” foods I highly recommend you check out.

Hu Chocolate Crunchy Banana, Is Chocolate Paleo? Paleo Parents Weekend Wrap Up 7.19

Hu Crunchy Banana: an awesome artisan chocolate with crunchy bits of banana in it. One of my all-time favorite bars. I order it from Food to People (they have a lot of other unique chocolate products too!).

Paleo healthy chocolate, Is Chocolate Paleo? Paleo Parents Weekend Wrap Up 7.19

Equal Exchange Chocolate Chips: the only chocolate chips we use these days. Dark chocolate, fair trade, organic, and no soy lecithin. Plus, they taste great too! Love Bean Fudge: sooo good just straight from the jar. Or, spread on things like pancakes and fresh summer strawberries. Find it at One Stop Paleo Shop! Paleo Treats: one of our favorite Paleo sweets. We love the variety, and especially the almond butter coconut cups (The Bandito!). Alter Eco Blackout: another go-to, this super dark chocolate bar hits the spot whenever I need a chocolate fix and it’s so low in sugar it’s simply a great source of healthy fats, magnesium and antioxidants! Eating Evolved Crunchy Caramel Bar: find this one at a discount in our NEW One Stop Paleo Shop box! They use caramelized maple sugar in it, and it’s so good!!

Your Favorite Chocolate Recipes

Samoa Brownies

Paleo Chocolate Tortillas

Salted Chocolate Coconut Stacks

Creamy Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroons

Salted Dark Chocolate Truffle Cookies

No Nightshade Pumpkin Chocolate Chili

News & Events

Give Strong Man a Try!
It’s time to give lifting heavy things a try and this fun, friendly environment is a GREAT OPPORTUNITY! Come join me at The Edge 2.0! You do NOT need to be participating in the contest to come to the training sessions. Hope to see you there!
——> SESSIONS START TOMORROW (but you can come any Sunday!).

AUGUST 15: 2pm, Alexandria, VA
We’d love to meet you! Come to a book signing with Paleo Parents and Jennifer of Predominately Paleo and Down South Paleo! Details and RSVP —> HERE!

AUGUST 16: 4pm, Alexandria, VA
Woot woot! We luuurve this book and can’t wait for you to see it! Come down to launch party and help us celebrate with Jennifer! Details and RSVP —> HERE!

Meet Russ of The Domestic Man!
Meet Russ, known as THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN PALEO! For more information and to RSVP, visit —> HERE!

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