Paleo | theclothesmakethegirl

Jan 2, 2013 Posted by Mel

Paleo Sweet Potato Soup With Bacon

I like my music to be either upbeat or angry (or, in rare cases, heart-wrenchingly sad), but never middle-of-the-road mellow. I like most of my clothing to be black or, alternately, vibrant colors like orange, neon green, hot pink, or red, but never pastels. And I like my soups to be either big, chunky bits of meat and vegetables — cooked separately then arranged in a bowl and covered with broth — or... read more

Dec 31, 2012 Posted by Mel

Savory Paleo Granola

You know what says “New Year’s Eve”? Chex Mix! You know what I’m not eating on New Year’s Eve? Chex Mix! Need something spicy, crispy, crunchy, flavorful, and totally snackable for a special occasion or, ya know, a random Wednesday? Let me introduce you to Serundeng Katjang, or what I like to call Savory Granola. Traditionally, serundeng katjang is an Indonesian condiment made... read more

Dec 26, 2012 Posted by Mel

Living Paleo For Dummies Giveaway

It’s here! I spent the summer sweating, typing, cursing, testing recipes, and fighting with the world’s most detailed and ornery Microsoft Word document template — and now Living Paleo For Dummies is on bookshelves. I wrote the book with my co-author Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, and like all the Dummies books, it breaks down the subject of paleo into bite-sized, easily digestible chunks of... read more

Dec 20, 2012 Posted by Mel

Pork Belly… Come ‘N’ Get It

The good people at Tendergrass Farms know just what to say to make a paleo girl’s heart go pitter-patter, stuff like… “We have a surplus of pork bellies right now. How would you like to offer them to your readers?” Are those, or are those not, magic words? (And do you remember when they let me give away a free, pastured turkey?! They’re a stand-up company with a cool premise;... read more

Dec 11, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: Paleo Gifts From The Kitchen

Way back in the day, when we lived on a houseboat in Sausalito, I had more time than money, so I made gifts from my kitchen from this Williams-Sonoma book. I made Spiced Nuts and Fancy Olives and buttery shortbread and pine nut brittle and chewy caramels. I wrapped everything in clear cellophane and tied it with curly ribbon. I stamped brown paper lunch bags with silver snowflakes and stuffed them full of... read more

Nov 28, 2012 Posted by Mel

Taj Mahal Turkey Curry

Sure, I could have just called this “Leftover Turkey Curry,” but where’s the fun in that?! In my search for worthwhile things to do with leftover Thanksgiving turkey, I found this recipe on Feed52, then messed with it to make it even tastier and paleo approved. Kind of like Country Captain Chicken, this dish combines curry, raisins, and poultry to make a meal that’s comforting and... read more

Nov 13, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: Dress Up Your Broccoli

I feel like I need to apologize to broccoli. Whenever I do one of my presentations on Paleo (like this one in Estes Park), the example I use for my soul-sucking, pre-Paleo food is always “chicken breast with steamed broccoli.” When I was a “dieter,” I ate a lot of chicken breast and broccoli. I mean: a lot. Like, truckloads full. I distinctly remember asking a sales clerk once if a... read more

Nov 12, 2012 Posted by Mel

Spice-Rubbed Turkey

[photo] Confession time: I’m not terribly skilled at roasting whole birds. In my life, I’ve made one Thanksgiving turkey (successful), roasted duck (disastrous in process; delicious to eat), and one roasted chicken (Boring as Hell; I don’t think I actually roast chicken.) So much as I’d like to lay some major hard-won wisdom on you about how to roast totally kickass Thanksgiving... read more

Nov 11, 2012 Posted by Mel

Laziest Cooking EVER

So it’s Sunday afternoon at 5:00. I’ve just finished watching the Giants get slammed by the Bengals while simultaneously testing two recipes for Well Fed 2. Tomorrow is “errands day” with trips to the post office and grocery store on the agenda. But then I remember: I need to cook chicken breasts and sweet potatoes for my breakfast tomorrow. My inner 8-year-old pouts, stomps her... read more

Nov 7, 2012 Posted by Mel

Mashed Cauliflower

Mashed Potatoes are creamy, comforting, delicious… and can be a bullet train to CrankyTown, thanks to their direct route over the craggy heights of Insulin Spike Peak. But bow your head in gratitude to the cauliflower. (What a friend we have in cauliflower!) Mashed with some coconut milk, coconut oil, and chives, humble cauliflower provides all the texture and comfort of mashed spuds, without the... read more

Nov 5, 2012 Posted by Mel

Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup

If someone asked me, “Do you like soup?” my answer would probably be a meh-ish, noncommittal shrug. (I don’t know why someone would ask me if I like soup. Just play along; I’m trying to make a point.) Generally speaking, I’m not a soup-a- holic. But then, if I think about it, there have been some memorably delicious bowls of soup in my life. Chicken soup with liver dumplings... read more

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Reading right now...

The Redbreast: A Harry Hole Novel
I'm about two-thirds of the way through this detective thriller, and I'm hooked. It's set in modern Norway with flashbacks to WWII (catnip for me!) and features a somewhat grim hero that engenders empathy. I can't help pulling for the guy as I watch him struggle with his case and his life. The cast of characters is a realistic but motley crew, and it reminds me of other favorites set in cold, snowy climes: the Millenium Trilogy and Smila's Sense of Snow.
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The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million
I picked up this book after reading an interview with Lee Child (author of the Jack Reacher thrillers). He referred to The Lost as "the book of the century" and since I devour as much as I can about the Holocaust to try to make sense of it all, I decided I needed to read it immediately. Part memoir, part detective tale, this book was thoroughly engrossing. It's intelligent, annoying, moving, frustrating, and ultimately, rewarding and beautifully written. It challenged me in ways I didn't expect, and I was sad when it was finished.