Lunch: No Longer the Forgotten Meal + Paleo Power Lunch Celebration

Back when I first discovered my numerous food sensitivities – it’s been about 6 years now – I went through what everyone seems to go through when they suddenly can’t or choose not to have food they’re accustomed to eating.  Things like disorientation in my kitchen and at the store, frustration with having to learn how to cook all over again, and cravings followed by discomfort and guilt if I ate something I knew I shouldn’t.

My biggest struggle, though, was how to eat well away from home during the work day.

Between my job and committees, I often worked 50-60 hours a week.  I always had some running or cycling event I was training for.  And, of course, I wanted to spend time with my husband, family and friends enjoying the things we love to do.  So food – especially the lunches and snacks I packed – had to be simple, not take a lot of time to prepare, and keep me going throughout the day.

At first, lunches were random experiments in leftover management and fridge-find fiascos

But, being the process-oriented, systems-thinking person I am, I slowly came up with a better way to manage the planning, preparation, and packing aspects of making meals that were healthy, fresh, and delicious – and that didn’t have any grains, dairy, or legumes in them.

After being stopped in the hall at work numerous times with questions and recipe requests, I realized I was on to something.  My co-workers were envious of my meals.  It’s not that they had to eat a special diet.  What I ate just looked good and fresh, and they wanted to know how I did it without spending hours in the kitchen.  The seed for this book was planted.

Working from home this past year, I realized that these lunch practices were just as helpful to staying on track when the fridge is within reach or the day has a tendency to get away from you.  Instead of grabbing whatever is in the fridge, my husband and I still pack our lunches together in the morning; he takes his with him and I eat on time and in the right way for me.

This system – with the flexibility of all of the ingredient combinations we enjoy – has become a standard in our lives.

Fast-forward: Paleo Power™ Lunch is Born!

Last week, I quietly released Paleo Power™ Lunch.  It’s an eBook I wrote – one part strategic meal-planning guide, one part cookbook – to help other corporate warriors/esses and workaholics-from-home pack healthy, filling & delicious workday meals.

It includes strategies for eating better, ideas for shopping creatively and efficiently, tips for storing and packing ingredients and lunches, and a system for preparing great lunches using the numerous recipes in the book or the ingredients you have on hand.  All of the recipes are Paleo-based, and are therefore real-food focused and naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and legume-free.

The book took a year from start to finish, created chaos in our kitchen, and required that I learn a technical skill or two.

So, I really, really mean it when I say I am excited to finally share it with you, along with a companion guide (with checklists and planning sheets), 5 Quick Guides for other easy meals, and 8 how-to videos highlighting parts of the book