New year, new you, right? A new year is one of the best excuses to start new things to ultimately improve yourself for years to come. If you’ve considered going Paleo before, all of us at Evolve Paleo Chef urge you to take advantage of the new year and go Paleo in 2015! If you’re new to this, or if you’re currently Paleo and need some extra motivation, here’s a few of the best reasons to go Paleo:

Weight Loss (Obviously)

Going Paleo is one of the healthiest, most sustainable ways to lose weight, and keep it off. Going Paleo is really a lifestyle change, so the pounds will not fall off the way they can with a crash diet, but unlike a crash diet, they will stay off. On Paleo, you’re never hungry, and the pounds will shed. That’s what we call a win-win.

Better Skin

The Paleo lifestyle can vastly improve your gut health. With a healthy gut and digestive system, your skin can actually heal itself from common conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, and more!

Balance, Balance, Balance

Life is all about keeping everything in perfect balance. When it comes to your body, balance is especially important. Adhering to the Paleo lifestyle helps keep your systems in balance, and can help relieve the symptoms of diabetes, depression, Chron’s and celiac disease, allergies, inflammation, and so much more.

Let Evolve help you go Paleo in 2015!

At Evolve Paleo Chef, we try to keep going Paleo as easy as possible on you. With our weekly meals, delivered to several Midwestern areas, and our Paleo Pantry with Paleo snacks and ingredients, we are here to be your resource for all things Paleo.

Keep these incredible benefits in mind and go Paleo in 2015! You’ll be glad you did.

Christmas is this week, which means that the food is coming! If you’re still unsure how you’re going to manage to stick to your Paleo lifestyle this Christmas, Evolve Paleo Chef has some helpful survival tips for you! We posted a useful article about staying Paleo over Thanksgiving, and while all of those rules will help you too, we thought you may need a few more! Remember that Evolve is always here to be your ultimate Paleo resource, and all of our delicious foods and snacks, shipped nationwide, are a wonderful way to help satisfy your cravings at the Christmas table this year.

Learn how to just say “No”

Grandmothers and aunts are notorious food pushers, no matter the family. So, while they will inevitably try to shove carbs, and lots of sugar, down your throat, it’s best to learn beforehand to firmly say, “No” and stick to your guns. If they keep pushing, explain how much Paleo has helped improve multiple facets of your life and how you aren’t willing to waste all your hard work on a few days of indulgence.

Keep your immune system in check

Getting sick, especially this time of year, is not good for anyone. When you keep in mind how much the Paleo lifestyle supports your immune system, and how much many other foods can drag you down, you’ll be inspired to stick to your Paleo lifestyle this Christmas!

Exercise and eat before you go

Before you head out to your Christmas get-togethers, eat a big, nutritious Paleo breakfast! If you’re not hungry when you arrive, you’ll be way less likely to indulge on any non-Paleo foods. It also makes a great excuse for those food pushers if you simply explain that you’re stuffed from the meal you ate before you came. We may be biased, but these are a few of our favorite Paleo breakfasts.

Let Evolve help you out this Christmas, and in the new year!

Sticking to your Paleo lifestyle this Christmas is easy, if you just prepare beforehand! Remember how much hard work you’ve put in and all the progress you’ve achieved and realize that in the long run: eating all that bread and those pies is just not worth it.

It’s almost time for the New Year, which means that we’re all about to make the exact same cliché New Year’s “Resolutions” we do every year, that we inevitably totally give up on by February and will not even remember by May. But, what if this year, you could make a resolution that you’ll actually enjoy, all while working towards achieving all those goals that you could not seem to fulfill every other year? If you answered, “Yes! Tell me more!” then here’s your answer: go Paleo, and let Evolve Paleo Chef help! Here’s just a few of the ways that going Paleo can help you feel better and achieve all your New Year’s Resolutions in 2015.

Resolution 1: Get Active

The Paleo lifestyle is the perfect complement to an intense workout routine, like CrossFit. When you eat Paleo, your endurance naturally increases from all the clean, healthy food you are treating your body to. Your muscles also have the best advantage to get lean and toned, due to the heightened protein intake advocated by the Paleo diet. If you’ve promised to get more active in 2015, going Paleo is your best bet!

Resolution 2: Lose Weight

This is a resolution that nearly everyone makes, yet no one seems to achieve. To lose weight, and keep it off in the long run, the Paleo lifestyle is the way to go. You will never feel hungry or deprived, and there’s so many ways to cook your favorite foods, Paleo style (If you’ve ordered from Evolve, you know exactly what we’re talking about). Thankfully, you won’t be sharply cutting your calorie intake, you’re just going to take in better, fresh foods without dairy, sugar, gluten, or carbohydrates—all the things that weigh you down.

Resolution 3: Get Healthy

Leading a Paleo lifestyle offers SO many health benefits, outside of getting toned and losing weight, that we would be going on all day if we listed them all here. The Paleo diet can help increase your heart health, decrease your cholesterol, boost your immune system, decrease inflammation, allow your body to more effectively absorb nutrients, and so much more. If you’re ready to boost your overall health in 2015, Paleo can help you!

If you’re ready to go Paleo, make it as easy on yourself as possible with Evolve Paleo Chef. We provide affordable, convenient weekly meals to clients all over Kansas City and Wichita, with more to come! We also have a great online pantry for anyone to order our Paleo snacks and foods nationwide. Have a great New Year’s everyone and remember to feel better, live Paleo!

Learn how going Paleo can help alleviate the effects of Celiac disease

At Evolve Paleo Chef, many of our clients come to us and order our food because they are interested in reaching the pinnacle of health. However, the Paleo diet is not only good for building muscle, losing weight, and being generally healthier, it can also serve as the best nutrition plan for those who suffer from gastrointestinal issues like Celiac disease. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, “Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications.” If left untreated, Celiac disease can lead to the development of other autoimmune disorders, anemia, osteoporosis, intestinal cancers, and more.

Why is Paleo great for Celiac patients?

The Paleo lifestyle is one of the best options for those who suffer from Celiac disease because Paleo is gluten-free, carb-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free. Foods containing gluten, sugar, and dairy, are especially likely to make a Celiac patient extra sick and at risk for the development of other disorders. Once a Celiac patient has their disease under control, adapting to the full Paleo lifestyle is a great option because not only is gluten eliminated, but other foods that may promote the growth of bad bacteria in the gut are also eliminated, like carbohydrates and sugars. When the small intestine’s health improves and is maintained, those suffering from Celiac disease can begin to absorb nutrients properly again.

Let Evolve help you eat Paleo for Celiac disease!

While you should always consult your doctor before beginning a new diet, especially if you are a Celiac patient, going Paleo is an option you should definitely consider. If you live in the areas we deliver our meal plans to, start ordering Evolve meals today!

You can also visit our online shop to check out the incredible Paleo food options we have available for nationwide shipping!

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!