Paleo Granny

Travelling and being able to find "good" food is not easy.  We were catching an early flight to Alberta, so instead of counting on airport food, I packed up some pumpkin muffins, pumpkin granola, bananas and organic beef pepperoni sticks.  Picked up coffee at the airport Starbucks and we were set.

We didn't eat all that for breakfast - too much food all at once even for us.  I had my dark roast coffee, a pumpkin muffin and a banana and I was full.  Paleo Grandad had a muffin, a pepperoni stick, his coffee and a banana but was still not able to resist those sugar and bad fat bomb cookies they hand out on the plane - blech.  So far so good - for me.

After a short flight to Alberta, and a "discussion" with the Budget Car Rental people (why go to the bother of reserving a car ahead of time if it is not ready when you get there?), we arrived in the Ponoka in time for lunch.


My parent's routine includes lunch at the local golf course  on Fridays so we headed there.  They have a large menu with almost every item you can get between two slices of bread or on a bun but they also had a lunch buffet of Ukrainian food - an Alberta staple and an old favourite of mine and something I grew up with, so that was my choice.  I am still trying to remember to take pictures before I eat - I'm not trying to hide anything - much really.  The cabbage, roll, kielbasa, sauerkraut, red cabbage, potato salad (spoonful) and one pirogi with a dab of sour cream were really good.  So except for the rice and sugar in the cabbage rolls, unknown ingredients in the kielbasa, sugar in the red cabbage, unknown oil and white potatoes in the potato salad - and we won't even talk about the pirogi OK? it was all good almost so not Paleo.  Oh well, I would do better for the rest of the day.  Did you know that they have Dairy Queen in Alberta too? And it was a almost hot day?  Need I say more?  Here Paleo Grandad beat me out - he declined a chocolate dipped cone.  I think we will pass on the remainder of Friday and start fresh on Saturday.

My Dad loves to make breakfast, so I did OK with hard boiled eggs and two strips of bacon for breakfast, lunch was sausage, pickles, tomatoes and three cherries.  Paleo Grandad opted for sandwiches (to go with the toast he had for breakfast, so he was out of the game.

Dinner was spareribs. sauerkraut and potato salad and a visit with a favourite aunt and uncle.  Fortunately, unfortunately, the favourite aunt brought rhubarb crumble for dessert - have you ever had my aunt's rhubarb crumble?  It is a perfect blend of sweet and tart - again a childhood favourite.  All in all, it was a good thing the day was over - my diet was exhausting me (literally) and all Paleo Grandad wanted to do was sleep.

Breakfast back at the golf course the next day with a different favourite uncle, a ham and cheese omelet filled me up.  I was able to give the hashbrowns a miss as they were wimpy - not crisp.  I stole the strawberries off everyone's plate for dessert.  Paleo Grandad knows to just hand his strawberries over without argument.

All in all - it is difficult to be 100% compliant when you visit family and childhood favourite foods, so do your best and get back on track as soon as you can.  I really noticed a difference in how I felt (like the tiredness) and my energy level was low, so I was happy to make a Paleo meal of beef, kale and cauliflower hodge podge, with carrot "fries - aah - home again.