The Paleo Pact

PALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!

5 Box Lunch Ideas For Back To School

It’s time for back to school and you might be wondering what to pack for lunch, or maybe what to pack your kids for lunch! Not to worry, we’re here to help.

Here’s 5 ideas for box lunches that everyone can enjoy! Not to mention that they’re easy to make and travel well.

Our 5 Box Lunch Ideas:

Mediterranean Gnocchi – The best part about this dish is that it reheats well and can be easily packed into a container, making a complete meal that will fill you up. Try switching up sauces and adding protein for an endless variety of lunch options that everyone will enjoy.
Paleo Smoked Salmon & Bacon Salad– This salad is hearty and delicious. The best part though…it doesn’t have to be re-heated! For a protein and veggie packed lunch, this is your go-to! Again it can easily be packed in a container for on-the-go convenience.
Simple Tuna Wrap– These wraps are delicious and have all the makings for a full rounded meal. Mix your tuna up before hand and bring your wraps on the side, you’ll be all ready to go when it’s meal time.
Paleo Lamb Gyro– While we recommend re-heating this you could absolutely eat it cold as well, we promise it’s just as delicious. Paleo Lamb Gyros are the way to go if you’re looking for a hearty and filling wrap to get you through the day. An added benefit…no utensils needed.
Quick & Fantastic Paleo Cookies– Nothing compliments the perfect lunch like a yummy, delicious cookie. Download a copy of our Quick & Fantastic Paleo Cookies cookbook to find the perfect cookie for you!

You’ve got your school supplies and ready-to-learn attitude! Now you’ve got your go-to Paleo lunch box recipes.

Happy Cooking,

Melissa Van Dover

PALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!

An Update From Melissa: Publishing Fiction & Traveling The World

Camilla and I always love hearing from our readers. The messages that they send us, help us make a personal connection that we may never have had the chance to make otherwise. While these messages are often Paleo related they also include stories from the lives of our readers.

We love learning about our readers so much that we decided it would be a great idea to share a little about what’s going on with us…outside of crafting Paleo recipes for you!

So here’s whats new with me…

Publishing Fiction

It’s been a dream of mine for a while to publish a fiction novel. Well…I finally managed to put my head down, work hard and get the job done.

My debut romance novel, The Marked One is currently available for pre-order on Amazon! I’m hard at work on the second book in the series and I’m looking forward to publishing more books before the end of the year.

If you like romance novels or know someone who does, I’d love for you to take a look at or share The Marked One with a fellow reader.

I’m even running a GIVEAWAY right now for a FREE Amazon Fire Tablet and 5 signed, copies of The Marked One. If you’re interested, click here to learn how to enter for your chance to win!

Traveling The World

From September 2015 – April 2016, my husband and I had the chance to go on one giant adventure! We sold our house, I quite my day-job and my husband graduate from school…then we were off.

We spent 8 months traveling around the world, we planned a little but most of our adventure was based off of last minute decisions. We ended up spending 4 months in Europe, 2 months in Asia, 1 month in New Zealand and tagged on South America and the Caribbean.

We hiked to the Base Camp of Everest, visited the Great Wall of China, hiked the Inca trail, rock climbed a waterfall and much more. It was amazing. We learned a lot. But most importantly we had a blast.

Here’s a quick look at some of our adventures, but if you want to see more you can check out or daily blog @ www.operationgotravel.com…

So that’s what has been going on with me. I’d love to hear about what’s been going on with you, sound off in the comments below!

Now…I’m looking forward to cooking up some great, new recipes.

Talk with you soon,

Melissa Van Dover

PALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!

Cucumber Lox Bites

When preparing snacks for he day I try to keep everything as simple as possible whether it be a piece of fruit or beef jerky. Keeping everything simple is the one sure way I know to stay on track with my health goals. When things are simple you are more likely to stick with them.

That being said, I do get board with my normal selections occasionally and it makes me want to try something outside my norm. Lox bites are a great way to spice things up without making things complicated. They are great as a snack or even an appetizer for a party.

INGREDIENTS

1 – 2 ounces lox
1/2 cucumber
coconut cream cheese (optional)

RECIPE

Wash and cut cucumber into 1/8” to 1/4″ slices, place on plate.
Top with coconut cream cheese (if desired) and/or 1 slice of lox.

The recipe is that simple but it’s a great way to change your normal snack or party appetizer. If you’re interested in adding coconut cream cheese to your lox bites you can find the recipe for it here.

Enjoy!

Melissa Van Dover

PALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!

Coconut Cream Cheese

I love cream cheese, unfortunately it doesn’t exactly align with the paleo diet. That love has led me to try and find a recipe for coconut cream cheese. I had no luck until I made it on accident in an attempt to make coconut yogurt more easily.

So here it is… how to make no hassle, coconut cream cheese.

INGREDIENTS

1 can of coconut milk (the fuller fat the better)
2 probiotic tablets (mine were rated at 10 billion), you’ll need to break these open as you’ll just be using the powder and be discarding the casings.
3 teaspoons of honey
1 teaspoon of gelatin
*you’ll also need 1 mason jar.

RECIPE

Turn your oven light on, just the light you do not need to turn on the oven. The heat from the light will be enough to incubate the mixture and give it the slightly sour taste that is similar to cream cheese.
Open the can of coconut milk and scoop out the thick coconut cream that has formed at the top of the can and place in a clean mason jar.
After you have scooped out the thick coconut cream, add roughly 3 tablespoons of the remaining liquid to the mason jar with the cream. (The remaining liquid can be saved and added to smoothies or other recipes.!)
Add the probiotic powder, honey and gelatin the mason jar and stir to combine.
Stick in the over with the oven light on for 24 hours (do not cover).
After 24 hours remove from the oven.
You’ll notice that the mixture has separated, a milky color liquid on the top and a clear liquid on the bottom
Spoon the milky top layer into a blender and blend(the clear liquid can be used for other recipes).
Place the mixture in a new mason jar and cover.
Place in the fridge and wait a couple days, the mixture will solidify.
After the mixture has solidified it is ready to eat.

This cream cheese is the perfect addition to many paleo recipes, it will give you the creaminess you’ve been missing. You may notice a similar recipe coming up soon on the blog as we learn how to make coconut yogurt with no hassle.

Enjoy!

Melissa Van Dover

PALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!

The Case For Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone

We have comfort zones for a reason. They help protect us from bad things and fulfill our need to be safe and grounded. For this reason comfort zones are great, however with everything there is a good and a bad. The bad with comfort zones is that they can lead us to being complacent and to act without thinking.

Complacency and acting without thinking are major contributors to becoming out of shape, having a poor diet and being generally unhealthy.

So it makes sense that if you find yourself in any state of living unhealthy that you may want to make a change and such a change will push you outside of your comfort zone. In this instance you have a great cause for stepping outside your comfort zone, that being said it could still be intimidating and scary. So to help make this change less intimidating we have 5 tips that will make stepping outside of your comfort zone to become a better you less overwhelming.

The 5 tips are…

Don’t do it by yourself, find someone to join your on your journey to a healthier you. In the Paleo Cleanse we call this an accountability buddy.
Have a plan. A guideline can be really helpful when you’re reaching for a health goal, spend a few minutes writing out what you plan to do.
Get some help from those who have done it themselves. In the Paleo Cleanse we share our journey to health, listening to others who have been through the same experience will help to alleviate stress regarding your journey to a new you.
Take it one day at a time. Rome wasn’t built in a day and the stress you may feel as you step outside your comfort zone and change will take time to ease.
Keep the end prize in mind. Whenever you have doubts remember what you’re fighting for, it will keep you going.

Stepping outside your comfort zone can be intimidating but rewarding. This is especially true when we’re doing so to find a healthier version of yourself.

Happy Transformation!

Melissa Van Dover

PALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!

A Gourmet Fish Topping

Fish is one of the most nutritious meals you can give your body. However, sometimes with fish we can get a little bored because we tend to repeat recipes that we know. We do this because fish can be one of those intimidating dishes to make. Don’t worry though; we have you covered with this great fish “marinade” which is really more of a topping. I prefer it on salmon but it goes great with most fish.

INGREDIENTS

1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard (Plaeo Leaps has a great recipe to make your own, take a look here)
1 tomato
2 basil leaves

*note: this is good for roughly two small fillets, you may need to double or triple this recipe depending upon how much you’re cooking.

RECIPE

In a small bowl mash together garlic and salt. You may need to use a spoon to grind the two together, you will end up with a mash consistency mixture.
Add mustard to mixture, combine thoroughly and place aside.
Wash and slice tomato, you’ll want the tomato to be thin, no more than 1/8” thick.
Wash and slice basil into strips.
Taking fillets, spread mustard mixture over top evenly.
Place tomato slices on top of fish, covering whole fillet. The tomato layer should only be one slice thick (do not place tomato slices on top of each other as this will cause fish to cook unevenly).
Cook or grill fish until fillet is cook through. (Temperature and length will depend on your fish and cooking method, because you are layering the mustard mixture and tomatoes on top of the fillet it may take a few extra minutes to cook all the way through).
Place fresh basil on top of fillets and cook two additional minutes.
Remove and serve.

This is one of the best ways to prepare fish for individuals who are not big fish eaters. It cuts down drastically on the “fishiness” of fish. For those of you who like fish, you’re in for a great treat.

Enjoy!

Melissa Van Dover

PALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!

Simple Pork Sausage Patties

The best way to start the morning off is with a hearty breakfast. I’ve found that there is nothing better than a sausage patty or a piece of bacon when I need to make sure to have energy for the day. The following is a simple recipe for sausage patties. The best part about it is that it can easily be customized to fit your taste buds. If you know that you do or do not like a certain spice try substituting your preferences in this recipe. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make a breakfast staple for yourself.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon mace
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 – 2 tablespoons coconut oil

RECIPE

In a bowl combine all ingredients except coconut oil.
Mix together with hands, cover and let sit overnight in fridge.
Remove from fridge and form into sausage patties.
Heat coconut oil over medium, high heat.
Place patties in pan and cook for roughly 10 minutes, flipping occasionally.
Your cooking length will depend upon what size you make your patties, I always recommend checking one patty to ensure it is cooked all the way through before consuming.
After your patties are cooked, remove and let cool.

I make these patties before my week starts and bring them with me to work every morning so that I don’t miss out on a much needed breakfast. They also double as a great snack to get you through to your next meal.

Enjoy!

Melissa Van Dover

PALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!

7 Tips For Paleo Living While Traveling

Trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle while traveling is a challenge. Let’s be honest, often times when we’re traveling it’s difficult to stay on track. Especially if you’re running around to meetings or have limited food options, lets say if you’re stuck in a theme park.

Don’t worry though, maintaining your paleo diet while traveling isn’t impossible. It just takes a little more work and determination.

The top 7 tips for staying paleo while traveling:

Don’t wait till the last second- make sure you have snacks on hand or start preparing for a meal before you’re starving.
Stay hydrated- often times we get so caught up with what we’re doing when we’re traveling that we forget to drink water. Your body can confuse thirst for hunger, so make sure you stay hydrated.
Visit the grocery store- buying snacks or food from a restaurant or the hotel gift shop can be expensive and often times there are no paleo options. Take a half hour break and run to the local grocery store and pick up some fruits and nuts to stay on track.
Preview the restaurant menu- before you go out to lunch or dinner spend 5 minutes online and find the best paleo option for your meal.
Keep it simple- when you eat out keep it simple, vegetables and protein are always a safe bet. If you don’t know what to get order a steak, chicken breast or fish fillet and pair it with some veggies.
Start off right- you’re much more likely to stay on track throughout the day if you start it off right. Make sure to eat a paleo breakfast and get in your morning exercise, you’ll be much more likely to stay on track for the rest of the day.
Think about your options- it’s so easy to say that you can’t, before you get their think about your options and think about what you can control. You’ll be amazed at what you can actual control if you don’t count yourself out right away.

Maintaining your paleo lifestyle while you’re traveling isn’t impossible, it just takes a little extra work. Don’t give up before you’ve started, you’ll be amazed at how manageable it actually it is.

Here’s To Staying Paleo!

Melissa Van Dover

PALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!

Pesto Simmered Portobellos and Tomatoes

This recipe is a simple yet delicious side dish. For those of you that have completed the Paleo Cleanse, you’ll also notice that it is similar to our Grilled Portobello Pesto dish. While I often serve this as a side dish it’s also a great option if you don’t feel like meat or have to serve someone who does not eat meat.

INGREDIENTS

Salt (optional)
1 cup of basil leaves
1 clove of garlic
1/8 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Portobello mushrooms
2 tomatoes

RECIPE

In a food processor place salt, basil, garlic & pine nuts.
Process mixture while streaming in 1/3 cup of olive oil.
Clean gills out of Portobello mushrooms, wash and slice mushrooms into strips.
Wash and cut tomatoes into slices.
In a frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.
Place mushrooms and tomatoes in frying pan and cook, flipping occasionally.
After 5 minutes add pesto mixture to mushrooms and tomatoes.
Continue to cook for about 5 more minutes or until mushrooms and tomatoes have reached your desired tenderness.
Remove from heat and serve.

This recipe is simple to make but it tastes gourmet. As a fun side note, you can make extra of the pesto and store if for other recipes that you’re planning to make in the coming week.

Enjoy!

Melissa Van Dover

PALEO Cleanse made the Amazon Best Seller list!