“Ava Grace”

5 rounds for time of:

20 Lateral Jumps (over parallettes)
20 Dumbell Push Presses (35/20)
15 Knees to Elbows
10 Ring Dips

 
“Convenience and Compromise”
via Eat.Move.Thrive.

Much to my dismay, cooking is stressful for many people. I’ve been shocked at how many folks are willing to work their asses off in the gym but simply refuse to cook at home. They invariably state that life is too hectic and schedules are too stressful for them to spend time in the kitchen.

This is one of the best reasons to cultivate an interest in cooking, it turns something that is stressful for many people (Out of my way! I’ve got to get food on the table!) into something pleasureful (Watch this! I’m gonna cook something that will blow your mind…).

Nevertheless, and due to popular demand, I’ve decided to begin posting some strategies for eating Paleo-friendly when you can’t (or won’t) cook.

Few shelf-stable packaged foods will be anything other than a compromise with your Paleo eating plans. But with some careful perusing of ingredients lists, and a willingness to redefine “convenience,” you can walk away from a well-stocked grocery store with a ready-to-eat meal that’s not too far from a healthy, Paleo meal.

Robb Wolf, has suggested a rotisserie chicken and an avocado as an excellent low-carb, Paleo-friendly meal. I’ve done this many times for a rapid-fire dinner on nights when there’s no time to cook. Not perfect in Paleo Terms – there’s a lot of salt there – but a damned good compromise.

Canned fish has long been a shelf-stable food that I keep on hand for days when things are too hectic to cook or when I’m pinching pennies. All too often, canned fish can leave you smelling like an opened can of cat food for the rest of the day. But canned herring in mustard sauce (see photo) is much less fishy and is quite tasty. I’ve zeroed in on a delicious German brand that I get from my local ethnic food store. A quick glance at the ingredients reveals that the main ingredients (Herring, Water, Dijon Mustard) are Paleo-friendly, while the Neolithic crap (Salt, Sugar, Corn Starch) is present in small amounts, at the end of the list. Again, this is a compromise, but a pretty good one.

A few mornings ago, I had a bare pantry, a low bank account, and a lack of time. I picked up a can of canned herring in mustard sauce, a package of strawberries, and an avocado. I ate the entire can of fish with 1 Tablespoon of the mustard sauce spread over it, half of the strawberries, and the entire avocado for a high-fat, low carb, and fairly Paleo-friendly lunch, all for about 5 bucks. Not a bad compromise at all, just be sure you have knife on hand for the avocado.