Paleo Mama

Today on the docket, I have a lovely transcript of me and Kat Goldberg (AKA- PaleoMama). Kat writes an absolutely ridiculously wonderful blog, PaleoMama, of Paleo recipes that I feel guilty using because they are so good. Run, do not want, to check PaleoMama out.

AB: Tell the readers a little about yourself

KG: Besides being a part-time masochist at Crossfit, I sing in a band in which my husband plays bass, and I enjoy cooking, painting, and diving. I am not a nutritionist or a professional chef. I just really like being able to provide healthy, tasty food for my family and friends and want to share my recipes with others looking to make healthy changes in their lives.

AB: When did you begin to eat Paleo? Why?

KG: I started CrossFit when I was about 5 months pregnant. Through my pregnancy, I gained quite a bit of weight (I refused to look at the scale so that I wouldn’t become depressed). After my son was born, I lost a bit, but seemed to hang onto weight as well.

I was doing CrossFit three times a week, but I still felt like the fat kid in gym class. My eating habits were erratic. I would forget to eat meals and then be starving by the time the next one came along, so I’d eat whatever was quick. Measuring and weighing everything for Zone didn’t really seem like a viable option, especially as my son became more mobile and I was constantly keeping up with him.

Once my son really started getting into solid foods, and decided everything on my plate was yummy, I wanted to start him off right. So many “kids” foods are full of sugar and junk, and I wanted to shape his palate to want healthy options. Plus, I wanted to look good naked again. So, I started following a Paleo diet in August of 2009 as part of a nutrition challenge at CrossFit Oahu.

AB: Where do you come up with these recipes?

KG: Usually in my kitchen.

I figure that in order to be successful, a “diet” needs to be sustainable. Comfort foods are a necessity. So, I try to make delicious paleo makeovers to comfort foods. I also like simple dishes that won’t be intimidating to someone who isn’t necessarily a cook. Some people would look at the constraints of what you can’t eat when you are following a paleo diet and give up. I see it as a challenge on how to create a familiar dish using different ingredients.

I have several influences in my cooking and recipe making. My mom is an amazing cook. She’s always trying new things and I learned to cook from her. I grew up in the South and lived in Texas and California before settling in Hawaii. All these regions have shaped my recipes. I am also fortunate enough to have a willing husband and friends who don’t mind being guinea pigs.

AB: How important is fitness in conjunction with eating Paleo?

KG: I believe that while nutrition is the biggest chunk of the equation, you HAVE to have an active lifestyle in order to be healthy. I personally feel that fitness and a generally active lifestyle not only keep you healthy physically, but are really good mentally and emotionally. I love CrossFit because it is different every time (and therefore interesting), I really feel like I accomplished something afterward, and I don’t have to come up with the workouts myself. Apart from some quality time at the gym, taking my son to the park, dancing with him at the house, and swimming at the beach help me stay sane and happy.

AB: Is there a cook book coming out?

KG: That’s a really good question. Right now, I’m trying to build up enough recipes for a book. I haven’t looked into the exciting and scary world of publishing yet. I am a stay at home mom with an 18 month old son. I have a loving husband and we are lucky enough to live in Hawaii.