Before starting the Plant Paradox program, I loved cheese.  In fact, I’d say I loved everything dairy.  Several years ago, the first specific eating program my daughter introduced me to was the Ketogenic Diet.  At first, I thought she was going to kill herself (and me) by eating so much fat.  (The program is all about eating high fat, medium protein, and a very small amount of carbs.)  I was amazed about how well I felt after just one week following the program.  I felt more energy, less brain fog, and my memory seemed to be better than it had ever been!  But the level of cholesterol made me very nervous.  I read various other books claiming that one shouldn’t worry about the actual cholesterol numbers, but it still made me uneasy.

In the book, Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore and Eric Westman, they point out that some people notice that their cholesterol may climb quite high.  (I happened to be one of them, which freaked out my doctor! She insisted I was a heart attack waiting to happen.)

It’s impossible to know which program is actually right.  I think there is still so much that is unknown about our bodies, and how nutrition affects our health.  Researchers are always discovering new things.  Remember when we were told that eggs were bad, and now they’ve backed off on limiting them like they once did?  I guess that’s why many people feel comfortable with the notion of “most things in moderation.”  That may be an oversimplification, but I can see how that type of thinking may be at least better than complete abandon.  (Let’s face it, no one will deny that fried foods and sugary snacks are not on any healthy diet program!)

In any event, this blog has me focused on doing the best we can with the information that is currently available.  I think there seems to be a lot of sense in what Whole 30 and the Plant Paradox is promoting.  Since Ed has experienced so much improvement in his health, (especially since he has almost eliminated heartburn),  I think this is a step in the right direction for us.  To maintain our healthier diet, and make it tasty–I keep trying and adapting more recipes.

Going back to the topic of dairy for a second.  I loved cow’s milk products–Cheese, Ice cream, Yogurt! Oh MY!  But on the Plant Paradox program–those products from most American cows are off limits.  I have slowly started to branch out and try alternative products. Coconut milk yogurt is actually quite tasty!  I was amazed how good Buffalo mozzarella cheese is.  And although I was NEVER a fan of goat cheese, I found a product at a farmer’s market recently that had blended goat’s cheese with blueberries.  It’s fabulous, and not too strong tasting.  So I came up with a simple recipe using goat cheese, great for lunch or dinner. Another one of those “no recipe” recipes you can modify to your liking!

Salad Greens with Apple slices, Sliced hard boiled egg, and Blueberry Goat cheese. (I used EVOO and Balsamic vinegar to dress this salad, but you can add whichever you choose!) You can add chopped nuts, too!

Enjoy!