Sneaky "Fast-Food" Options at Panera...

I don't like fast food, I don't get any pleasure out of stopping somewhere and grabbing something to-go, and if I'm going to a restaurant, I generally prefer that it is something quite special. However, I ran across something online today that impressed me: Panera Bread has a Paleo Menu. Actually, the dishes are called "Power" dishes. It is secret. It looks pretty delicious, and definitely a compromise that might be useful when dad-just-wants-a-quick-bite or friend-wants-to-meet-to-practice-her-upcoming-interview times. They definitely look higher quality than your typical make-shift fast-food salads. I don't see any ice-berg and the site identifies "extra virgin olive oil" and lemon juice...... sweet.

Perhaps its worth checking out... well played, Panera. Secret Menu found online or apparently can be asked for in-store.

Product Pick: Tessemae's Dressing

Alright. Something very good is happening in foodland right now. Within weeks of one another, two brilliant, clean, safe products have graced the shelves. Tessemae's is one of them.

One of the easiest things you can do is make your own salad dressing. It really is one of the number one most simple things to do. Yet, for years, I have taken the journey from hunting for to giving up on the perfect commercially available salad dressing. I'm all for doing something yourself, I'm all for simplicity-- but really, sometimes I just want to grab a bloody bottle of salad dressing and not worry about soybean-canola-oil-corn-syrup-sugar-and-crap within. I JUST WANT SOME SALAD DRESSING!

A gentleman named Caleb introduced me to the bottle that (finally) fits the bill. Dipped elegantly in red wax (taught to the company by Maker's Mark), the glass bottle with its popping, clean packaging contains only the finest of ingredients. There are a few varieties that shine brighter than the others-- Lemon Garlic, Balsamic, and Southwest Ranch stand out to me. For example, Southwest Ranch contains:

Olive Oil, Organic Lemons, Organic Garlic, Mustard, Sea Salt, Spices, Cracked Black Pepper

The most bizarre thing about the Ranch is how good it is and yet-- it isn't anything near the creamy-white substance we hold near and dear. Nope. It is neon orange and translucent. What? Whatever. Eat it. It would make a perfect marinade, too. I mean, I imagine all the things, dripping with this dressing. Shut up, it is an entirely reasonable image. I imagine chicken marinated in the ranch. I imagine avocado chunks tossed in the lemon-garlic. I imagine swimming in-- wait. Not that.

Please support this incredible family and their delicious, safe, healthful foods. Please please please make yourself some good things, and pour this all over it. I asked Caleb what it was that he wanted everyone to know. He responded: "We keep it real."

This might be the look that a dull salad receives before dousing.

TOPS. Winnah. On a scale of 1-10:

Ingredients: 10
Ease of use: 10
Nutrition: 9
Convenience: 10
Price: 7
Over-All: 9.2

WHY AREN'T YOU BUYING THIS ALREADY???

Product Pick: Epic Bars

For our product pic today, we have Epic Bars, a novel snack that I'd best describe as a sort of jerky-bar. Yes! A snack! A protein-filled snack without any questionable oddities inside! Absolutely delightful to have something that I can throw into my gym bag in anticipation for errand-running, or take on a hike with me, or nibble secretly in the pantry at 2:30am. What?

This comes in Turkey, Bison, and Beef. It is made with Grass-fed meat (in some form or another) and each variety has something awesome in it, like bacon, or almonds. Really. I would call them a modern version of real pemmican, but without the tallow. Because hey, we aren't literally living only off of them while trekking across the great plains. And hey-- another secret-- the turkey one is my favorite. Yeah, really. I was surprised, too. They're all EXTREMELY good, though. I can proudly hold these and strut around with them. Also, eat them.

Portable delights. I mean, just getting back to the beef-jerky goodness of dehydrated meat is an "Epic" thing. They do ring in at $2.50 each, though, so be prepared.

On a scale of 1-10:

Ingredients: 7
Ease of use: 10
Nutrition: 8
Convenience: 10
Price: 3
Over-All: 7.6

Eat your meat!

Five shoes in one: the Nike Studio Wrap

Five shoes in one: the Nike Studio Wrap

Just calling out the most awesome, innovative barefoot thing I've seen a company do since Five-Fingers. Instead of looking at what other companies did (and did right), ie: Making another five-fingered shoe (like Fila, etc), they came up with something brilliantly new, ancient, and minimalist. I'm a big fan of wrapping my feet-- but these solve the problem of wrap slippage, kinks, etc. Kudos to them. The price is insanity, though. Good job, Nike... you surprised me. I want these. 

Minimilist Shoes for Work: Zem O2 vs Minimil

Zem O2 vs Minimil, a photo by CaptainShen on Flickr.

Ding, ding! That was a boxer's bell. You got that, right? As you may know, I have had quite a time finding minimalist shoes that are "Slip-Resistant" to wear at work. Today I finally am able to speak with the authority of someone who has purchased two pairs of slip-resistant shoes and worn them to work. Actually, I don't know that this gains me much authority. But here it is:

ZEMgear Oxygen 2 VS Belleville Mini-Mil

First and foremost, a huge shoutout to the folks at ZEMgear. I never saw an actual name, but the ZEMgear support team blew me away with their attention to inquiry #553191. Not only did they address my question with knowledgeable responses, they weren't afraid to tell me that something 'might not work' for my particular situation. They didn't try to make a hard-sale, they didn't try to trick me, they were just honest, prompt, and complete. They kept up communication and even emailed me a few days later to see if I'd found one, how I liked it, etc. What a follow-up. I mean, they were really brilliant to work with. These little shoes do not come cheaply, though, so I waited a little bit and-- to my surprise-- saw them pop up on my secret addiction Fab.com, with whom I had a small amount of credit for something, and grabbed them there. It took a long time for them to come in.

Minimil: 5mm Drop

Belleville Mini-Mil

In the meantime, I had purchased my Belleville Minimils online, for more than double the price of the Zemgears. I expected them to perform well and be tough-- definitely boots-- as Belleville knows what they're doing with military gear. When I received them, however, I had quite a shock. It has been a very long time since I had to break-in a pair of shoes. And boy oh boy, was this a break-in. I mean, these shoes have a deep, painful, stiff heel cup. They have all kinds of ankle-support. They are sturdy and rugged-- I don't think I'll have (another, cough cough) mesquite thorn enter the arena of my foot while wearing these guys. But HOLY BLISTERS, Batman, this was a painful break-in. I referred to my favorite military-man, who told me to soak them in hot water and wear them while they're wet. I did this twice. I hiked in them, walked in them, wore them around the house. It was a long and painful journey. At the point they're in now, they're alright-- but still not very flexible. They look great and I feel safe in them, but I need you to know: This is not an easy transition for someone used to minimalist shoes. Be prepared. Also, they're a little tight-- I wear a size 38 Fivefinger and I'd probably have been better one size up.

ZEMgear Oxygen 2

These guys took forever-and-a-half to come in, probably due to my buying them on Fab.com (meaning that the company ships to Fab after a certain period and then Fab sends them to me). I finally got them today and wore them for the first time tonight. First impressions: WOW!! Awesome! Great! I felt totally aligned and honestly, quite energized. Simultaneously, I observed: These probably won't last me very long. As you can see in the photo below, the fabric on the edges doesn't actually touch the ground, but only by a scarce millimeter or two. If you're walking on anything with less clearance than linoleum, this could be problematic. For example, simply walking up concrete stairs with grit on them for grip, I worried for my shoes. These feel great. They are snug and comfortable, neoprene, and feel like Fivefingers without the toes (I do truly wish I could've gotten the tabi 'Ninja Style' shoe as well, for my own daily wear, but that wouldn't be legal for a work-shoe. Sad day). They're comfortable and super-light. I love them very much and felt like dancing all day. I mean, I may or may not have skipped everywhere I needed to go at work. Quickly, with zest, fervor, and a happy back. Be aware, though: These will indeed soak up the moisture the moment you mop the floor or drop an ice-cube on your foot (yeah, that happens). They felt like water-shoes on the drive home but I didn't care. I feel like hugging them. After all, they feel like secure little foot-hugs. Did I mention they made me prance? I got a lot of double-takes, so they're not subtle shoes (though I thought they would be) and many people asking about them. Lots of people thought they were "cool," lots of people thought they were "sooo cute!" I even had an enthusiastic "Shut UP!" (I hope that was the New Orleans style of "Shut up" that really means "with all due respect, chum, this is unbelievably neat.")

Please ignore the swollen scarred ankle. It ignores you.

Final Notes

All in all, I'd say that I am actually quite pleased to own both of these, even if it put me out quite a bit of money. My vote is both. I know I'm not supposed to do that, blah blah, and its not like I owe anything to either of these companies. I am pleased that they both had something available and helped me figure out if these shoes would work. I feel able to work better and within the guidelines of my workplace. I vote the ZEMgear O2 for daily wear, ease, cost, and minimalism. I vote the Minimil for durability and protection. They both have very sure niches: If you work in a wet or dangerous enviroment, go with the Minimil. If you have a softer job that can handle a light shoe, go with the ZEMgear. I'd say its my favorite, but I fear the day when I wear it out. Fortunately, my job rides the line between the two so that both have their benefits-- but both definitely have their quirks. I'd be happy to work with some company somewhere to develop the perfect work-shoe. Until then, mi amigos, enjoy the images of my dirty floor and silly little foot. Keep on truckin... and let me know if you need to know more! Certainly if you'd like to send some shoes my way............ mwahahaha. 

Lifestyle and Something Publicly Paleo: A tangent?

You know, something that I've come to realize is that when people can categorize something they tend to analyze how they feel about it and either approve or shut it down. Categorization makes things easier. OK-- so that is a little vague. I believe the "paleo/primal" crowd tends to be more quiet about their eating than many of the other (categorized) eaters of any particular food-choice, but it seems that the general public has this instant urge to tell you how they feel about it. If you met someone and said "I prefer chocolate pudding to vanilla," they would probably take it at face value. If you told someone "I don't eat spicy food," same gig. As soon as yous start with "I try to avoid grain..." or anything of the sort, they will immediately become defensive and, surprisingly, quite self-righteously expert on the subject. Can you imagine in the first case if you told someone that you prefer "Chocolate Pudding" if they quickly scowled and said "What are you, on a diet? You are wrong and Vanilla Pudding is perfectly fine and actually it is better for your health. I'm just saying. You are wrong."

For some of us (I'm trying to avoid the self-righteous, hipsteresque "I did it first" feel here) Paleo living is a nice kind of thing to have a name for because it organizes and categorizes what we largely already believed. It makes it easier to find your lifestyle compadres and recipes you trust or activities you'd like. I remember when I was a little kid, growing up with mom's old Tabi socks and an affinity for Tabi-boots, designing three-toed (like a paw) boots that would help you run while letting your toes spread out, and then a foot-shaped shoe as well. Cool, Vibram made a move years later and made such things available. I remember making my favorite dinner, Salmon and Broccoli, as soon as my parents had somewhere to go in the evening. It doesn't mean I knew everything, or that I "was there first," but that primal living definitely was not a difficult transition for me. I always wanted to be strong and I believe my best-friend and I were the only girls in the high-school weight-training class. I went dove-hunting with dad. I live the way I live because it is my lifestyle, tried and true, and I would hope that most humans can say the same-- though every day we are faced with things that make us wonder.

Now why is it that the general public seems bent on belittling the choices of the other part of the general public? I don't mind if you're a boxer. I don't care if you like country. I'm alright if you're a vegan, just don't preach to me. Part of what I like about 'this' 'lifestyle' is that I have seen, thus far, the lack of general evangelism-- but as time progresses, and popularity increases, there will inevitably be those radical 'Primal Preachers' that give us a bad name. Please, guys. Leave the preaching in your dining room and eat with the world in peace. And certainly-- if you and I eat differently-- either have an intelligent, open-minded conversation, or better yet... shut up and eat.

Work-Safe, Slip-Resistant, Approved Non-Slip Minimalist Shoes. Or the lack thereof.

I have again been re-faced with the seemingly constant challenge of finding "work-approved" footwear. Maybe that is what has started my pondering. It seems that if you have any kind of problem with "normal" shoes, you are "being difficult" or it is because of "that thing you're doing." Of course, the fact that I spend more time at work in those shoes than I don't, and the fact that I am in great pain in my legs, my kness, my hamstrings, my back, and my neck-- those things don't matter.

I feel so fortunate to exist in a time when zero-drop, minimalist shoes have become widely available, when much of the population has awoken to the facts involving body-alignment and foot-strength and all that jazz. However, it hasn't been a large enough portion of the population to become the norm. This is unfortunate-- for them and for us. I have been told a number of times about the "arch support" in the work-available shoes and how if the shoes I'm wearing hurt me then I need more support. Brilliant.

Run Amoc

Mini-Mil

Dash Glove

If a minimalist company would manufacture and focus on work-approved footwear requirements, they would bank. I have been hunting, and hunting, and hunting for any minimalist shoe that met the requirement. I did find one that absolutely strikes my fancy-- congruent with both my current requirements and my own sense of style (pffft. That suggested I had a sense of style). Belleview, the trusted maker of American military and law-enforcement boots for a ridiculous amount of time, offers a minimalist combat boot called the Mini-Mil. The only limiting factor is the price. They're lightweight and only have a 5mm drop, which is pretty good for what they are offering you. I also think it would be nice to have a minimalist shoe that I didn't feel like I was going to destroy (my Vivobarefoot mesh has begun to show tears from simple, every-day use, the sole of my KSO Sports began to come loose a week after purchase, the top fabric of my Jayas got a hole busted through them when I tripped at the LAX airport).


Other shoes that may work, such as the Merrell Dash Glove and the Softstar RunAmoc, and the incredible Zemgear shoes, do not actually post a claim of being slip-resistant, which is a requirement for approval in many workplaces. Including mine. Great. I'll keep you guys up to date on what I discover and see if I can't get a guide going.

UPDATED

Claypot Trout

There is no way that the person who took this photo has a cinematography degree. 

First of all... apologies for the lighting. I didn't realize how awful the photo was until I ate all of the foods. Hungry times, what can you do? You can eat.

This was a simple meal tossed together on the simple inspiration of taking out my claypot the other day. If you haven't tried this method of cooking, please do. Its delicious, comforting, and simple... delivering results much like a slow cooker but without the slow part, and especially without the hard-to-clean part. Soak it, cook, rinse, and put away.

Into the claypot I tossed (in order, from the bottom layer):

Thinly sliced onions
slivered garlic
2 small trout fillets
1/8 cup light red wine (it was what I had in the fridge)
1 TB coconut aminos (or shoyu if you like soy)
slivered celery stalk
julienned green onion
Juice of 1/2 lemon
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

I soak my clay-pot every time under warm water before using. I don't think you have to, but I'd rather not find out later that I should have, when the contents of my dinner are under broken pottery inside the burner. I served this with some steamed bok-choy, daikon, and blood orange.

If only I had made volumes more...

Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled Eggs, a photo by CaptainShen on Flickr.

Mostly, the little sprout is just adorable. Secondly, I may have perfected scrambled eggs. I don't usually scramble eggs-- I prefer them poached or soft-boiled-- but I did fancy a good fluffy breakfast that morning, and achieved a moist and fluffy scramble like never before. I also had a few vegetables, a bit of spinach, cherry tomato, onions, that I softened up in a skillet and tossed with the eggs after they were set. This worked much better than cooking them all together at once. Radish sprouts finished the dish and a lovely morning it was.

Pomegranate October Summer Salad

Pomegranate October Summer Salad, a photo by CaptainShen on Flickr.

Yes, that is right. I live in Texas. It is indeed an October Summer Salad. This is a nice, simple, refreshing thing to sprinkle atop salads or have as a snack on its own. I usually use crumbled Coconut Butter (which hardens pleasantly when chilled) but this time I felt moved to try sheeps milk feta.

1 Pomegranate, Peeled
1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/8 cup cocoa nibs
1/8 cup crumbled feta/chilled coconut butter

Chill, stir, and chill again before eating. Also good with chipped mint and orange-zest.