With the beginning of December, cold and flu season is in full swing. While everyone is scrambling to shove as many supplements down their (and their children’s) throats, many do not realize that boosting your immune system to combat cold and flu season is as simple as the food they are putting in their bodies. Evolve Paleo Chef has some Paleo foods and suggestions that you should be focusing on this cold and flu season to make sure that you stay as healthy as you can be!

According to this article from Paleo Leap, “There’s a lot you can do to keep your immune system functioning as well as possible, and most of it has nothing to do with Emergen-C and Air Borne. A Paleo diet reduces the strain that modern toxins place on your immune system, letting it focus on staving off the flu going around the office instead of worrying about gluten in your bloodstream.”

Eat healthy fats

Healthy fats are full of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that are essential to your health. They help with weight loss, improve heart health, and are key to boosting your immune system. Be sure to get these healthy fats from avocados, eggs, fatty fish, and Evolve’s Trail Mixes and Paleo Balls

Build up gut-friendly bacteria

Foods full of probiotics, or good bacteria, are key to boosting your immune system this cold and flu season. This gut-friendly bacteria helps increase your body’s absorption of calcium, iron, vitamins A, D, E, K, and much more. Foods that are full of gut-friendly bacteria include kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut.

Get vitamin D

Vitamin D is huge for your immune system, maybe even more so than vitamin C. Ways to increase your vitamin D intake include spending time in the sun, taking supplements, eating fatty fish like salmon or tuna, eating certain mushrooms (like Portobellos), eating eggs with the yolks, and eating beef. Try Evolve’s delicious Paleo jerky to help get your daily dose of vitamin D!

Let Evolve help you boost your immune system the Paleo way!

At Evolve Paleo Chef, we want everyone to be able to handle whatever cold and flu season throws them, the natural way. Focus on eating Paleo foods that boost your immune system and you’ll be feeling great all year round!

At Evolve Paleo Chef, we like to think of ourselves as creative geniuses. While we do make some pretty brilliant Paleo dishes (if we do say so ourselves), we also have a collection of our personal favorite Paleo resources that can offer a lot of support, guidance, and recipe ideas for cooking Paleo. The entire team at Evolve strives to make abiding by the Paleo lifestyle something you want do do because you love the food and you love the way it makes you feel, so the more motivation and selection of foods you have, the better. Here’s a few of our favorite Paleo resources and why we love them:

Anything by Robb Wolf

Robb Wolf is basically a Paleo god. He’s written numerous books and is a major Paleo authority. Picking up any of his books, whether it’s his 30 Day Paleo Transformation, Paleo Dining Out Guide, Paleo On A Budget Guide, or The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet, Wolf will guide you to Paleo success. Some of you may have joined Evolve in the 30 Day Challenges which followed Wolf’s plan, so you have seen first-hand how effective his plans can be. Click here to visit his online shop. Click here for a great infographic on “Troubleshooting Paleo.”

Paleo Blogs (Besides our own)

The best way to get useful tips and recipes for the Paleo lifestyle is through other Paleo-ers. The Institute for the Psychology of Eating compiled a list of the Top 50 Paleo Blogs for you to check out as an incredible Paleo resource. Our own blog also frequently offers helpful tips, recipes, and other news about Paleo so be sure to check back often!

Nom Nom Paleo

This book, by Michelle Tam and Henry Fong, is a fun approach to a Paleo cookbook. This book is visually gorgeous and offers up dozens of Paleo recipes along with over 900 step-by-step photographs and cartoons to make cooking Paleo absolutely fool-proof. Click here to check out the website and order the book!

21 Day Sugar Detox

This is an incredible resource to use when you’re getting started with Paleo to help you cut out processed foods, carbs, sugar entirely from your diet in a healthy, natural way. This book provides tips for success and motivation while also educating you on the toxic effects of processed sugar in your body. Click here to visit the website.

Use Evolve as a resource too!

At Evolve Paleo Chef, we don’t just cook Paleo, we also live Paleo daily. We have years of experience and expertise that you can always take advantage of. In addition to our personal knowledge, our online shop that’s full of snacks and Paleo cooking options is also one of the best Paleo resources you can find! Visit our online shop today!

As most of us know, the holidays can be a strain on everyone’s waistline. With all the decadent feasts and desserts, it can be really hard to stick to any diet. At Evolve Paleo Chef, we want to make living Paleo as simple and enjoyable as possible; we want you to love the food you are eating and also love providing your body with the best nutrition available. We’ve got a few survival tips to help you make it through the holidays without losing total control and keep in mind that if you live in the Kansas City area, Evolve Paleo is offering holiday catering to provide you with totally Paleo, gluten, sugar, and dairy free main courses and side dishes.

Make Your Own Food

By bringing your own food, you can ensure that you have good Paleo food to eat and you can also encourage family members to see what the Paleo lifestyle is all about. Or, you can offer to be the host of the get-together this year and you can be entirely in charge of the majority of the menu. Even if you can’t stop your grandma from bringing her famous stuffing, you will know that there will be plenty of Paleo options for you. Try making a Paleo-style version of that delicious stuffing recipe with Evolve’s Paleo Bread!

Don’t Expect Perfection

If you’re going to be successful in staying on the right track this holiday season, you must accept that you may give into temptation, and it will be okay. If you plan out a small cheat beforehand, you will be more likely to eat something that you really love and be satisfied than if you deprive yourself and then pig out on carbs and desserts when you can’t resist any longer.

Intensify Your Workouts

Consider spending more time at the gym, whether you increase the frequency or duration of your workouts so that you can stay ahead of the extra food you’ll be eating over the season. Boost your protein intake to help make your workouts more effective with Evolve’s delicious beef jerkies!

Find a Buddy

Chances are, you have a family member who is also trying to stick to a healthier lifestyle through the holidays. It’s much easier to take on a nagging or nosy family when you have someone else to weather the storm with you. Finding someone who shares your pain and can sympathize with you will help you feel better and will help you avoid temptation.

Let Evolve help you make it through the holidays!

At Evolve Paleo Chef, we know how difficult it can be to stick to your healthy Paleo lifestyle through the holidays. You do not have to go at this alone. Our online shop features some of the best Paleo foods and snacks you’ll find! With Evolve, it’s easy to survive the holidays, Paleo style.

This is NOT Paleo!

Many people like to place controversy where there isn’t really any to be found and the Paleo lifestyle is no exception. By now, we have all heard about common Paleo myths that are typically spread by people who really have no particular expertise in health or nutrition, despite the numerous medical studies that have shown the numerous benefits living Paleo can provide. At Evolve Paleo Chef, we want to take a moment to address some of these common Paleo myths and show you how easily they are debunked.

The Paleo diet encourages too much protein

While yes, protein toxicity is a medical issue that puts stress on one’s kidneys and liver, no one who truly follows the Paleo lifestyle should ever experience protein toxicity. According to this article, “Eating a variety of proteins as a part of a well-balanced diet will keep you within a healthy range of protein. Nowhere in a well-planned Paleo diet do you find a recommendation to eat tons of protein all day; it’s simply not the Paleo way.”

Remember, no one who truly knows the Paleo lifestyle will recommend that you eat steaks the size of a serving tray each day. The Paleo lifestyle is all about balancing portions and diet, which means getting an appropriate amount of protein for the perfect balance.

Whole Grains are necessary

Our Paleolithic ancestors got along perfectly fine without grains for millions of years before agriculture began. As nearly all of the Paleo food groups are overflowing with beneficial nutrients and vitamins, grains just simply do not have enough nutrients to justify the negative side effects of consuming them. However, if you are craving a Paleo sandwich, you can use some of Evolve’s Paleo Bread without feeling any guilt.

Eating Paleo doesn’t offer enough calcium

While we agree that everyone needs lots of calcium for strong bones and teeth, there are SO many sources of calcium that don’t involve squeezing a cow’s udders. Besides, dairy tends to cause inflammation due to the hormones given to the animals. Just a few of the alternative Paleo sources of calcium include: kale, spinach, figs, fish, and so much more.

Paleo food is expensive

If you know anything about Evolve Paleo Chef, you know that this common Paleo myth just isn’t true. We provide delicious, chef-inspired foods at incredibly affordable prices. Many of our clients end up spending less on their food per week when they turn to Evolve!

At Evolve Paleo Chef, we want to take the guesswork out of Paleo. We make eating Paleo easy, and we know that it is one of the best things you can do for your health! Quit believing these common Paleo myths and check out our online shop to try our delicious Paleo snacks and foods today!

Ready for a Paleo Thanksgiving to remember?

If you have doubted that you can cook an incredible Thanksgiving meal that everyone will love, and is also Paleo, Evolve Paleo Chef is here to tell you that you’re wrong! At Evolve, we want to take the guesswork out of living Paleo, and we want you to actually enjoy being Paleo, because our message is always that you can have delicious food while being healthy. If you are trying to come up with some ideas on how to turn traditional Thanksgiving side dishes, Paleo, we’ve got a few ideas for you!

Paleo Potatoes

Traditional white potatoes are not Paleo, but there’s many options that are just as good as white potatoes, that are way better for you! The simplest Paleo alternative to white potatoes? Sweet Potatoes! Substitute sweet potatoes into your Paleo Thanksgiving dishes, or make a big helping of mashed sweet potatoes and give them some extra flavor with some Evolve Ghee!

Paleo Stuffing

Traditional stuffing is absolutely full of carbohydrates. If you’re following the Paleo lifestyle, you know that grains and gluten are an absolute no-no, which can make stuffing a bit complicated. However, you can substitute carb-loaded bread with Evolve’s Paleo Bread in your stuffing, or you can explore some options for stuffing that has no bread, and instead relies on meat and potatoes to create the backbone. Check out this Paleo Thanksgiving onion and sausage stuffing recipe!

Paleo Green Bean Casserole

Take a pass on the dairy-loaded, fairly unhealthy traditional green bean casserole and buy some fresh green beans to roast instead. Roasted green beans taste incredible, they are healthy, and you have a lot of options for seasoning. You can add bacon and onions, mushrooms, and a variety of spices to give then a kick of flavor that everyone will love.

Paleo Pumpkin Pie

You may not believe us that this Thanksgiving staple can be made Paleo, but it absolutely can! Paleo pumpkin pie is gluten, dairy, and processed sugar-free, and it still tastes pretty fantastic. Make a tasty crust from pecans and almond flour, and focus on bold roasted pumpkin flavor for the filling. Check out this recipe for Paleo pumpkin pie—you’ll be glad you did!

Let Evolve help you have a wonderful Paleo Thanksgiving!

At Evolve, we want you to enjoy the holidays to their fullest, which includes being able to feast on the finest foods. A Paleo Thanksgiving is easy, you just have to put your mind to work on substituting and coming up with great alternatives to classic Thanksgiving dishes. Check out our online shop today to browse our delicious Paleo foods and snacks. From all of us at Evolve, we hope you have a great Paleo Thanksgiving!

As all of us in the Paleo world know, the only beverage we can drink and know for sure that our Paleolithic ancestors were also consuming it is water. Without the option to drink soda, tea, alcohol, or (gasp!) coffee, Evolve Paleo Chef knows how boring drinking only water can get. While there are some ways to add flavor to your water through fruit infusions, Evolve has found a delicious breakthrough for Paleo beverages: cold-pressed juice.

While you should still get most of your hydration by drinking lots and lots of water, cold-pressed juice is a great healthy treat to enjoy every once in a while. We have been exploring Paleo beverages like cold-pressed a lot lately at Evolve Paleo Chef and we’re here to share with you some reasons why you should be juicing!

Why cold-pressed juice?

According to Dr. Norman Walker, juice extracted by a masticating (“cold-press”) juicer has almost three times the nutrient quality than the juice provided by another juicer. Packing as many nutrients into your delicious juice Paleo beverage is clearly important, and cold-pressed juice has proven itself to be most nutrient-dense, as it retains the pulp and fiber in vegetables and fruits. Another key benefit of cold-pressed juice is that it stays nutrient dense for days, rather than minutes.

What are the benefits of juicing?

With juicing, you can save your body a ton of energy. While 70% of our body’s energy is depleted through the digestion of whole foods, juice is all ready for digestion. Within 10-15 minutes, your cells are being impacted by juice, receiving the incredible micronutrients like antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins, and other minerals, while also retaining much-needed energy for your body. By getting rid of the digestion process altogether, juicing also allows your body to absorb more nutrients from fruits and vegetables.

With cold and flu season approaching, juicing can provide you with a helpful immunity boost while also reducing inflammation. The nutrients in the juice help return the body to an alkaline state, meaning that the acidic environment that disease flourishes in is neutralized.

What can I juice?

SO many foods can be juiced! From cucumber, to celery, sweet potatoes, lemons, ginger, kale, carrots, beets, watermelon, and much more, you are sure to find something you love in juice form. Mixing in spices like cayenne pepper can also be incredibly beneficial to your body, while providing a kick of flavor.

In Kansas City? Come to Evolve to get your Paleo beverage fix!

At Evolve Paleo Chef, we want to encourage everyone to try their hand at cold-press juicing. The benefits are numerous with few drawbacks. If you happen to be near our Kansas City location in Lenexa, come by and try the delicious juices offered by Simple Science Juices. We know you’ll be hooked!

Cold weather is right around the corner, which means that cold and flu season is coming. While many people bombard their bodies with cold medicine and supplements that their system cannot even absorb properly, there are some great Paleo foods that boost your immune system naturally that you should be taking advantage of instead. Here’s some ideas from Evolve Paleo Chef on immunity-boosting Paleo foods and a few of our delicious Paleo snacks to try to keep you safe this winter!

Grass-Fed Beef

Grass-fed beef is high in vitamins A and E, omega-3s, beta-carotene, zinc, and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). Many Americans are zinc-deficient, so they don’t get enough of this incredibly beneficial mineral. Even a slight zinc deficiency can increase your risk of infection, so be sure to grab some of Evolve’s delicious grass-fed beef jerkies to snack on to make sure that your zinc levels are up!

Coconuts

Coconut has an abundance of lauric acid, which can help significantly strengthen a person’s immunity. Make sure you’re eating organic coconuts that are unrefined, unbleached, and are non-GMO to fully take advantage of this immunity-boosting Paleo food. If you’re looking for a way to get coconut in your diet quickly, and deliciously, try Evolve’s Key Lime Paleo Balls today!

Blueberries

As is frequently advertised, blueberries are packed with antioxidants, while also being especially Paleo, as they are much lower in sugar than other fruits. These little berries contain powerful phytochemicals that make it a particularly potent immune system booster. Pick up a bag of Evolve’s Double Berry Paleo Balls to really take advantage of the immune benefits of blueberries.

Herbs and Spices

Most herbs and spices are the very best immune boosters. Garlic is incredibly beneficial to an immune system because it is antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal. Garlic has also proven itself to be anticarcinogenic, it can lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and reduces the risk of stroke. You should be eating garlic every day, which is great news because who doesn’t like garlic? Herbs, like oregano, are also powerful immune boosters. For a delicious way to incorporate garlic and herbs regularly, get a few jars of Evolve’s Paleo Ghees!

Let Evolve help you!

You don’t have to fight off cold and flu season alone! Evolve Paleo Chef is here to provide you with easy, effective ways to boost your immune system naturally with incredible Paleo foods. Visit our online shop and see what other Paleo foods we have waiting for you today.

As we all know, many adherents to the Paleo lifestyle incorporate a strict fitness routine into their lives. High intensity workout programs, like CrossFit, are more successful when paired with a Paleo diet due to the high protein and low carb intake that the lifestyle promotes. Those who combine a workout program like Crossfit with the Paleo diet are likely to see more, faster results than doing one or the other by itself. At Evolve Paleo Chef, we strive to take the guesswork out of the Paleo lifestyle, so here’s some of the best before and after workout Paleo food tips from Evolve Paleo Chef. Be sure to check out our online shop to see how we can help you on your way to fit!

According to a Paleo expert, Robb Wolf, “The Paleo diet is the perfect solution for both performance and recovery. Lean protein sources such as chicken, lean beef, turkey, pork loin and sea food are ergogenic (performance enhancing) because of the large amount of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) which have been proven to be crucial in rapid recovery after hard training, both for strength and endurance athletes. So all of your meals will start with 4-8 oz of lean proteins.”

Pre-Workout Paleo Foods

Make sure to incorporate lots of protein and fiber before your workout. Eat some hard-boiled eggs, almonds or walnuts, grilled chicken, apples, and some of Evolve’s Chef Inspired Trail Mixes to make sure you have high energy levels going in to an intense workout. Your body will definitely thank you!

Post-Workout Paleo Foods

Post-workout, your body and muscles need to recover and recuperate. One of the best options for after your workout is Evolve’s grass-fed Beef Jerkies. These protein-packed snacks are not only delicious, but also have plenty of the best nutrients that your body requires to adequately recover. Other good options for post-workout Paleo foods include: fish, bright vegetables (peppers, spinach, kale, etc.), and avocados (for the good fat).

Let Evolve Paleo Chef help you!

At Evolve Paleo Chef, we want to help our clients along the way to living a fit, healthy lifestyle. Come to us for our expertise, information, and most importantly, our delicious foods, and you are sure to look and feel your best!

When the brisk fall weather sets in, no one feels much like leaving the house. Many people want to cuddle up and indulge in their favorite comfort foods like fried chicken, pasta, rich desserts, and more. What do all these foods have in common? High, high fat, lots of sugar, tons of carbs, and processed foods. Absolutely none of this food is Paleo, yet at Evolve Paleo Chef, we believe that those of us who adhere to the Paleo lifestyle deserve to enjoy our meals just as much while also staying on the Paleo track, because sometimes, we are all in need of a little comfort food. Here’s a few ideas for Paleo comfort foods and a few of the ways some of our delicious Paleo products can help!

Paleo Mac n’ Cheese

On a chilly day, a nice warm meal is a great way to be comforted. With this Paleo mac n’ cheese recipe, you can indulge all you want and not feel any guilt. This dairy, sugar, and gluten free dish will have you craving Paleo comfort foods all the time! Instead of noodles, it uses spaghetti squash (you can substitute zuchinni noodles as well), coconut milk, and a great assortment of spices to give it a great kick of flavor. Add ground almonds or toast up some of Evolve’s Paleo Bread and sprinkle on top for a nice homestyle crunch!

Paleo Nachos

This is a dish that anyone—Paleo or not—will be drooling over. Try this awesome recipe as soon as you can! The chips are made from baked, crispy sweet potatoes and topped with chicken breast, salsa, and a variety of spices and other toppings to make one of the best Paleo comfort foods out there. This is a dish you can truly customize and make your own, so have some friends over for a healthy nacho bar and enjoy!

Mashed “Potatoes”

We’ve mentioned how versatile cauliflower is and we’re here to say it again. Using this recipe, you can throw together some roasted cauliflower, chicken stock, garlic, and salt and pepper, you can make a delicious, simple mashed potato dish that everyone is going to love. For an extra kick of flavor, spread on a bit of Evolve’s roasted garlic or herb Paleo ghee!

Paleo nachos

If you are in need of some Paleo comfort foods, it’s not too hard to do. In some ways, Paleo comfort foods should be even more comforting, because you can indulge in a delicious dish while staying on the Paleo track. As always, Evolve Paleo Chef is here to make Paleo easy for anyone, so visit our online shop today to check out our awesome Paleo food collection!

Vegetables are a key component of the Paleo lifestyle and like them or not, they are absolutely essential to a healthy, balanced Paleolithic diet. If you are not a big fan of vegetables, the Evolve Paleo Chef team has some great ideas for creative ways to prepare vegetables in order to make sure you are getting the most out of the Paleo lifestyle! We’ve chosen a few creative ways to prepare vegetables for meals or yummy snacks throughout the day. For even more Paleo alternative foods, be sure to check out our online shop as well!

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is so named because it can be cooked right up as a delicious (carb-free) replacement for pasta. When utilizing creative ways to prepare vegetables, spaghetti squash should be an automatic go-to for those who adhere to the Paleo lifestyle because you can just substitute it for pasta in your already-established favorite dishes. Use spaghetti squash as an awesome, seamless way to boost your vegetable intake on your Paleo diet! For a great Pasta Primavera recipe that teaches you how to properly prepare spaghetti squash, click here!

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is hands-down the most versatile vegetable out there. There are a variety of creative ways to prepare cauliflower (take a look at this article), but a few of Evolve’s favorite ways are a crunchy cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower mashed potatoes, and cauliflower rice! An entire head of cauliflower can also be roasted to make a vegetable dish that the whole family will enjoy! If you’re interested in creative ways to prepare vegetables, cauliflower simply cannot be overlooked.

Zucchini

Zucchini is a vegetable that many people enjoy because it is delicious raw, roasted, fried, or any other way it can be cooked (and there’s a lot of them). In the quest for creative ways to prepare vegetables to boost your Paleo diet, try a few of these delicious ways to make zucchini: first, zucchini makes a great replacement for pasta, as it has a similar texture and consistency. You can grate zucchini into ribbons right into your favorite pasta dish for a carb-free dinner. If you’re looking for a healthier snack, and don’t have any of Evolve’s Paleo Balls or Jerky on hand, make some crunchy zucchini chips! (You can find a recipe here)

It’s easy to use creative ways to prepare vegetables to boost your Paleo diet, it just takes some extra research and testing to find what you like best. Use these all-time favorite creative ways to prepare vegetables above and see the success of your Paleo diet skyrocket!