Tasmanian guide to buying LCHF friendly produce

One of the hardest things I have found with changing our lifestyle has been finding user friendly cafes and shops.  

There is a lot of footwork and internet stalking initially, to find what you want.  

The latter made even more difficult because, lets face it Tasmanian businesses just don't seem to get the internet thing.  They either don't have a website or the website they sent up in 2006 hasn't been touched since then.

So, to help other folk out I have come up with a document.  And, well, being a virgo this is what I do LOL

Because this WOE (way of eating) is relatively new to us Tasmanians the demand on businesses hasn't be high for the products we want.

However, I am not one to shy away from asking.  I figure the worst they can do is say no, and really that doesn't do them any favours does it!

I have been pleasantly surprised with most responses and am pleased to say that most places that I ask for a specific request either agree straight up or at the very least agree to consider my request. 

Only this week I put the challenge out to Conmurra Farm where I buy my meat to see if they would do some paleo sausages.  I asked that they be just meat, fat and seasoning with no filler at all.  They gladly took this on board and sent me a kilo of pork and a kilo of beef with my order to try out!  

And a great price of under $10 per kilo!

You can't get better service than that!

Also, if you are a first time buyer thru the link above you get a discount!

Obviously I can't buy all my food through Conmurra.  

Below is a run down of where I get most of my bits and bobs for the week:

Wholesome House - Mowbray

David and Lee are awesome!  They stock most of what I need and if they don't then they will do their utmost to source it and get it in for you.   

They stock all Ashgrove products, organic seasonal fruit/veg, MCT oil, coconut oil, ACV in bulk, bulk nuts/nutmeal/nut butter, herbs/spices loose, ghee, eggs, sauerkraut plus much more!  

They also have a great range of water filters, which is really important to keeping healthy.  I have a reverse osmosis filter that I bought from them and truly it is the best thing I have spent money on and has paid for itself in no time! 

If you don't filter your water I highly recommend researching the benefits and consider doing it. 

I also try and do my veg shopping at Harvest Market most Saturdays. There are two great stalls there that sell chemical free veg.  They are really reasonably priced and you are supporting local independent businesses at the same time.

I also buy my coffee at Harvest from Ritual Coffee.  Another local small business.  His coffee is great tasting and good quality so well worth the $$$

Steve & Grace's greengrocer out at Youngtown have avocados super cheap most of the time. I got some for 65c each this week!  And, the greengrocer in Mowbray often has cauliflower cheap too.

But to do the leg work for you

I have created a guide to buying LCHF/paleo.  

This is downloadable and printable for you to use.

Obviously it doesn't list every business in Tasmania.  It has many Launceston businesses who were contacted and a few in other areas around the state.

It also doesn't list every item.  I think most people know where to buy eggs or almond meal from.  The products included are the ones I see most people asking about on websites, forums and FB groups.  

If you have a product you find tricky to buy or you know of a business that stocks loads of good stuff then please leave a comment and I can add it to the list.  

I would love to be able to include more businesses out side of Launceston.

Launceston LCHF Buyers Guide

Pulled Mexican Chicken

OMG!

I promised I would blog this recipe ages ago and haven't been near the joint!

Apologies all round.

No excuses, well mostly because none required.  Real life has been hectic and finding the time to sit and blog has been difficult.

Anyway, one of our fave meals here is pulled beef from the Handle the Heat website.  It is a no fail totally amazeballs recipe and you really should do yourself a favour and try it sometime.

I usually get the biggest and cheapest piece of beef I can fit in my slow cooker and freeze meal portions of it to keep us going for a bit.

But I digress and really want to show you a winner winner chicken dinner I created.

This really was very simple and delicious.

All you need is:

6 large chicken thigh drumsticks

2 large onions sliced

3 cloves garlic

1/4c tomato paste

1tsp smoky paprika

2tsp chilli flakes

1tsp oregano

1/2c chicken stock or water

2tbs apple cider vinegar

In a fry pan fry your onions in the fat of your choice.  I use coconut oil but olive oil, ghee or butter will do.  Sweat them right down then add in all the other spices and tomato paste and fry well. 

  

Lastly add the stock and apple cider vinegr and stir until simmering.  

Pour this mixture over the chicken thighs in your slow cooker, cover and cook for at least 4hrs on high.  

This helps the chicken breakdown and brings the goodness out of the chicken bones.

When you see the chicken falling away from the bone you can pull the bones and gristly bits out of the pot with some tongs.  Then shred your meat.  I do this with two forks and just pull the meat apart.  I let it simmer for another hour or so with the lid half off to help the liquid reduce.

We serve with lettuce, baby spinach, tomato, cheese and big dollops of sour cream.   

Kids love theirs in wraps but I prefer to wrap mine up in big lettuce leaves.

This amount gives the three of us two main meals and I did have some of the chicken with eggs for breakfast the following day, so it is an economical meal too

ENJOY

old style salmon pate

Are you after something that has ALL THE FAT!

Look no further!

This stuff is the best.

My first ever job was in a cafe run by an old Polish man.  

He was ancient even back then (and a bit touchy feely if you get my drift!).

We are talking early 1980s and the cafe was pretty with it!!  

Toasties, tin soup, packet cheesecakes LOL

Having said that, I remember he used to make bone broth and drink it every single day.  Back then as a 13 year old I thought that was pretty weird.  Could explain why he was so active and still running a business in his late 70s

One of the things we served was salmon pate.

Now I know there are some flash smoked salmon recipes out there but this one covers the high fat quota beautifully!

What you will need:

2 x 130gr tins of salmon in springwater

250gr block of good quality butter, diced into small pieces

juice of half a lemon or about 1-2 tbs juice

1/2tsp dried dill

S&P to taste

Put all ingredients into a food processor/TMX/Bellini (oooh using those two in the same sentence, how cheeky)

Blitz until smooth and creamy.

So very simple and tastes divine.

This will keep in the fridge for about 4-5 days but I doubt it will last that long!

If you do refrigerate just remember to take it out and let it sit for a while to soften as it will have a dry crumbly texture due to the butter hardening. 

Serve on veg such as celery, mushrooms or cucumber or on raw crackers.  If you aren't watching your carb intake then go the crusty sourdough!!

Fat Bombs are Da BOMB!!

So, since transitioning from HCG Protocol to LCHF I have had to make some adjustments.  

This has included increasing my fat consumption. 

An easy way to do this is by making fat bombs.  

Not only are they a great way of upping your fat intake to the percentage you are after but they are  good for you and taste fantastic!

These can just be a tasty treat even if you aren't doing LCHF.

Very quick and easy to make, I swear they took about 15 minutes and if I can do them with a newborn in the house, anyone can!

Ingredients

1/3c coconut oil

60gr cacao butter

2tbs raw cacao

100gr crushed macadamias

1/4 shredded coconut

pinch of himalayan seaweed salt to taste 

1tbs stevia powder or you can use a liquid sweetener like raw honey

Method

In a double saucepan or a bowl over a saucepan of hot water melt the cacao butter, raw cacao, salt and sweetener.  Stir in the coconut oil making sure it is well combined then add the dry ingredients.

Spoon into chocolate molds or a baking dish and refrigerate until firm, I used a silicon ice cube tray.  You can freeze to speed up the process if you want.

Keep refrigerated, if they last that long!

I buy my ingredients from either changing habits online store or iherb where you can get great discounts, especially if you are a first time customer  

Do you eat your fermented veg?

I must admit I am new to the whole fermented veg caper.  

I was one of those people who always said sauerkraut was gross.  

Until I actually tried it! LOL

Once I tried it I realised just how awesome it actually is. 

But there are loads of veg ferments you can do. 

Beetroot is another fave here with my son and I am yet to try other veg.

I prefer sauerkraut myself and love love love it with beef!

Another thing that turned me off it was that I thought it was something terribly difficult to make.

The opposite couldn't be more true though.

If you can use a knife you can make kraut pretty much. 

That is how simple it is.

Slice some cabbage, actually you'll want loads of cabbage as it packs down quite a bit.  Take off the outer leaves (but keep them as you will use them later).

Once you have sliced it up thinly, cut it into inch long pieces and put in a large dish.  Then pound it with a meat cleaver or, as I used, a rolling pin.

This releases juices and sugars and helps get the fermentation process happening.  Once you can see it is wet move on to the next step of salting it all.

Sprinkle some salt and add some water and culture.

That's it!

The salt I use is the seaweed salt from Changing Habits.  I love himalayan salt at the best of times but like the added nutrition of seaweed in this one.   

I used 1/2 a medium cabbage for one large jar of kraut and I added two good pinches of salt to the cabbage and mixed it in well.

Once you have mixed the salt in well it is time to pack it into your jar.  Make sure you have a clean, sterile jar.  As you add the cabbage, push it down firmly with your  rolling pin or spoon etc   Make sure you push it down as hard as you can.

When you have all the cabbage in the jar add your water and starter.  I used about 3tbs of water kefir and filtered (no chlorine or fluoride) water.   Add enough water to cover the sliced cabbage.  You don't want cabbage sticking out the top as it will go mouldy and spoil.  

With those outer leaves tear them up and place them in the top, Pushing the sliced cabbage down under the liquid.

When it is all nicely packed in and covered pop a clean cloth over the top to keep dust/bugs out and sit it in a warm spot.  Just check reguarly that the cabbage is still under the liquid line.

Depending on the weather it will take between three days and two weeks to get all funky and tasty.

After the first couple of days just have a taste every now and then to see if you like it in.  

The texture should be firm but not raw crunchy and it should have a bit of a funky smell about it.

It really is personal taste as to how long you let it ferment but once it has reached the point you want pop it in the fridge to stop the process.

You can add some of the liquid from this one to your subsequent batches as a starter and if you don't have kefir to add don't panic.  You can add some probiotic, or buy a whey powder online to add.  You can also make it without any of these but the process may take a bit longer.

Enjoy!  

As I said, I love it with beef in particular. Fermented veg are so beneficial to your health and aid digestion.  The lactic acid released in the fermentation process help promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut too.

LCHF almond crumbed chicken with blue cheese dressing

My big two kidlets are away with their dad at the moment so I am cooking just for me.  

(if you don't count the bazillion bottles I seem to make)

This is a wondrous thing for a few reasons.

I get to eat what I want!

I can eat when I want.

I never hear negative feedback prior/during or after the meal

Very little washing up.

More for me :)

Don't get me wrong, I do miss them but this is a treat!

This meal was worthy of it's own post it was so amazing

I have been wanting to have a go at crumbing chicken but wasn't sure how it would go without the regular flour/breadcrumb combo. 

I was kinda making it up as I went and hit the jackpot..

If you make it let me know what you think.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

Chicken

6 chicken drumsticks (or any pieces you like really)

1/4c buckwheat flour

1 egg whisked with 2 tbs milk

3/4c of almond meal.  (I ground my own almonds but not too fine as I like texture)

Blue Cheese Sauce

1/4c blue cheese

3tbs sour cream

1tbs mayonaisse

1tbs lemon juice

pinch of salt

Coat chicken in flour then the egg mix.  Roll in almond meal and refrigerate for at least 30 min.  

I find this firms it all up and stops the crumb falling off when cooking. 

I oven baked mine but you could fry in coconut oil just as easily.

Pop on lined oven dish and bake at 200c for around 30min or until completely cooked through.

These released just enough juices/fat to help the almonds roast up and become crispy golden and totally delicious.

You could serve with anything you like.  I chose a salad with freshly pod peas, avocado, olives, fetta and greens.

Topped with the blue cheese sauce.

For the sauce pop all ingredients into a blender and blitz until combined, it is that easy.  

Trust me this sauce is amazeballs!

I also had enough for steak the following night.

Please let me know what you think :)

What did Christmas look like at your house??

Everyone talks about how hard it is at christmas time to stay on track with food.  Not to over indulge, eat crap, drink too much etc

I must admit I was in a bit of a quandary of what to do as I was host and knew that not everyone was on board with my food choices.  

I got the children to write a list of what they wanted.  I was surprised as their choices were pretty good:

potato bake (with white potatoes please mum!)

bean and avocado salad

mushrooms

chicken

ham

and cheese in our stockings!

So, I went to work.  The meat and salad side of things were the same as every year pretty much and simple.  All made with good fresh produce (other than tinned 4 bean mix), olive oil and fresh herbs.

I did a cheese plate with cheeses from Ashgrove (and yes the kids did get cheese in their stockings!) along with some naturally leavened sourdough from Apiece Bakery for the bread eaters.

I also got some smoked salmon and whipped up these beauties from Ditch the Carbs!

Salmon and cream cheese egg bites.  They are divine, although next time I will put more salmon in them.

I usually make up small platters for friends and family at christmas time but this year with a newborn in the house I was a little challenged for time and spare hands. 

I did manage to make this pale green christmas that was delicious 

                                                    along with some strawberry truffles.

My boy wanted real trifle (meaning processed cake, sugary jelly and packet custard).   

Um, no.

LOL

He wasn't actually home when I made this and on boxing day I asked him what he thought.  He told me it was amazing and he was so glad I made a 'real' one.  

Imagine his surprise when I told him how I made it!

This 'real trifle' was broken up paleo ginger cake, jelly made with juice, agar agar and passionfruit pulp, fresh berries, fresh mango, quirky's coconut caramel custard and ashgrove cream.

 No added sugars or grains and tasted divine!

Lastly was the request for a raw cheesecake, fast becoming a fave in this household but a treat due to the expense of nuts!

I use the I Quit Sugar recipe for this.  

The texture was quite stiff when making this and I was concerned about it but needn't have been. 

 I made it four days in advance and popped it in the freezer.  

Pulled it out christmas eve and left it in the fridge.  

I swear to god this is heaven in a baking dish!

So, christmas was sugar free, grain free (for me) and successfully low carb high fat.  I didn't feel like I missed out on anything or was deprived and I don't think my kids did either. 

What was your christmas like?

And we have a winner........

Congratulations to Kathryn O'Neill

Kathryn has won a copy of Luke & Scott's, 

Clean Living Quick and Easy.

Kathryn left her suggestions on the HCG Closet page on Facebook and Beren very much loved the idea of meatloaf, raw cheesecake and bliss balls.

I thought I should share some recipes for the above.  My latest fave meatloaf recipe is the one from Skinny Mixers.   I mean seriously, who can go past a meatloaf wrapped in bacon!!  

mmmmm

BACON

 This is a super easy recipe, And, although it is for thermomix it can easily be made without one.  

My go-to cheesecake recipe of late is the one from Luke & Scott's Clean Living Cookbook.  

This book is amazing and jam packed with awesome recipes.  I mean, my dad who is an old school meat and three veg kinda man LOVES this cheesecake!!

Lastly, from the same book comes the bliss balls.  

Now, I often will just chuck a range of nuts/seeds/fruit etc in the mixer, blitz and roll up but my kids love these ones.  

So, for a healthy treat this is what I make.  

Don't forget you can get Luke & Scott's books at all good stores or online thru amazon.  

So, even if you didn't win this time around you don't have to miss out!

Salted Caramel Chia Pudding

Sooo, I got to thinking. 

My kids love my caramel smoothie made with cashews and dates.  

So, what if

just 

WHAT IF 

I could turn that magic into pudding!  

I know, right!

Eat that baby right outta the pot!

I played around with proportions but finally got it right.

SALTED CARAMEL CHIA PUDDING

Ingredients

200ml milk of your choice (I used cashew)

3 medjool dates

1/4c cashew butter

1/3c chia seeds

1/2tsp sea salt (you can use himalayan but I prefer sea salt for sweet stuff)

Directions

Blend dates, cashews & salt together until pulpy then add milk and blend until smooth.  Pour into container and stir through chia seeds.  Refrigerate overnight or for at least 6hrs.  

We had this with berries but also great out of container, standing at fridge (so I have been told :P)

Also, don't forget to take a look at how you can win a copy of Scott and Luke's new awesome recipe book!!!!

Quick look!! A recipe book up for grabs!

I promised and I have delivered!

I have up for grabs a copy of this great book!

I am loving this.  

Not only does it have some great recipes perfect for summer, such as:

Chargrilled Lamb kebabs with coconut dressing

Barbecued pork belly on skewers

Green Mango salad

and paleo doughnuts!!!!!!  (I know, right!)

It also devotes the first half of the book to exercises.   

Luke and Scott share their knowledge to help you gain muscular strength and fitness from home or at work.

There is a large range of exercises to work on all your body.  Each one has an easy and hard version with clear instructions and a page of photos for you to follow.

You can follow Luke at:
www.trainerluke.com
www.facebook.com/thebondiPT
www.instagram.com/trainer_luke

Or Scott at:
www.scottgoodingfitness.com.au
www.facebook.com/ScottGoodingFitness
www.instagram.com/scottyfit

I am not one for the gym so I was really excited when this came in the post and wasn't JUST a recipe book.

So, how do you get yourself a copy???

Simply leave a comment telling me what your fave paleo/low carb high fat/primal meal is, come visit me over on facebook and share the love!

My son the foody will choose his favourite meal suggestion on 12 December so we can have your copy in the post before christmas.

It is that easy!

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This competition ‘is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.’  A copy of Clean Living Quick & Easy was supplied to me for review and a copy to give away by Luke & Scott and Hatchett Australia.

Open to residents of Australia only.

Question time with Luke and Scott

In my journey of reaching and maintaining good health I have come across some great people, recipe books and speakers.  I am loving the path I am on and love being able to share what I have learnt with others.

When I received a copy of Clean Living Cookbook by Luke & Scott 

for my birthday I was rapt.  

I have said previously what a fabulous book it is, filled with amazing recipes.  

I have since got their Paleo Sweets book (OMG!) and their Paleo Breakfasts book,both of which I would thoroughly recommend.

But, I wanted more.  I emailed the guys and told them how much I appreciated their books and asked if they would like to answer some reader questions.   These guys are awesome and very kindly agreed to not only a question/answer session but also a give away of their newest book Clean Living Quick & Easy.  

How great is that!!

So, to get the ball rolling, here are the answers 

to your questions.

1. Were you eating a paleo diet completely before MKR or did you develop more afterwards?

Luke: I was eating what I considered to be healthy, but certainly not paleo. It was a great and exciting learning curve for me once the show finished, as I really wanted to regain my health and look and feel my best, so I 100% completely embraced paleo upon completion of filming. My physical and mental transformation was quick and really quite exceptional. 

Scott:  Prior to MKR I was paleo but arguably not as purist as i now am.  My understanding of nutrition has evolved over the last 2-3 years and so has the foods I include and don't include in my diet.

2. Many sporting people will insist on eating carbs for energy.  What are your views on this?

Luke: I have trained my body to use ketones for energy. Which in its simplest form is when our body uses fat as energy as opposed to carbohydrates. If I need to exert myself in an intense way and need more of an energy burst, I will make smart carb choices such as a banana or some berries for the added boost my body needs. At the end of the day, you need to listen to your body and do what works for you.

Scott: Generally speaking we fixate on carbs being the source of our energy for training and sport. The fact of the matter is we can perform exceptionally well on a ketogenic diet, I would say that if you training volume include considerable amount of high intensity training then some safe starches are fine.

3. Will your sweets book come out in hard copy?

Luke: All of our books will be released in the same format as the others in the Clean Living Series. We look for uniformity across the brand. One day down the track we might bring out a massive hard copy collection. You will have to wait and see.

Scott: Our next book FAST FOOD has heaps of amazing sweet recipes, all of which can be made in no time, with little fuss.

4. You use a huge amount of seafood in your current book.  Will the next book have more land animals?

Luke: Yes, you will see lots of land animals ranging from grassed beef, organic free range chicken to free range pork, and of course, lots of different varieties of sustainable seafood choices.

Scott: It's not deliberate to include more seafood vs land animals, I guess it just works out that way.  We do try to keep the sources of protein as varied as we can and include some cheaper cuts to keep budgets low.  We feel its important that if you do choose to eat meat then you should respect the animal and eat nose to tail. 

5.  You seemed a bit reluctant to use high fat in MKR.  Do you still follow this principal as strictly or have you changed your views?

Luke: We were very reluctant to use bad quality food sources, but have always been really excited to use good quality fats that come from meat, avocados, nuts and seeds. On the show we really wanted to reflect making the healthier choice with the options on offer. And we certainly steered away from sugar.

Scott: I don't recall being reluctant to use fat - we often spoke of the benefits of eating full fat over reduced fat products.  Im a huge advocate for the high fat diet; we have lived in a world where saturated fat has been the bad guy for 40-50 years and now the tide is slowly turning which is good news for health.  The sooner we pull away from vegetable oils and trans-fats the better off we'll be. 

6. Will you be doing a book tour with the next book?  How about a visit to Tasmania?

Luke: We will be doing a series of pop-up restaurants around the country. Melbourne and Sydney are first of the block and we will announce more dates to follow. We love being able to reach our fan base and connect with people who really embody our clean living lifestyle.

Scott: We would absolutely love to come to Tasmania to do book tour.  Tasmania is one of my favorite places to visit and boasts some of the best scenery I've ever seen.

7.  Eating a paleo inspired diet isn't the norm for most people, particularly those who are active. What prompted the shift from a high carb diet to this for you?

Luke: In fact, we have seen the opposite to this statement. We have seen that highly active people are more so switched on to how they fuel there bodies and what effect food has on their performance. It is sometimes the supermarkets and advertising campaigns in health and fitness magazines that tell a different story that we still need high amounts of carbs to function. To me, it seems the healthier more active people are the more educated and informed, because they care.

Scott: The shift came from listening to my body and witnessing the telltale signs of a high carb diet - lethargy, mood change and energy dips.  The shift was also a consequence of reading as most as i could around the subject - arming myself with as much info to make informed choices around nutrition.

8. What are your thoughts on electrolyte replacements such as Hydralyte during sustained physical activity (eg 4+ hours of cycling, tri, ironman etc). Do you have any ideas on alternatives?

Luke: My choice is always to go natural. Coconut water is natures superfood sports drink, 100% natural and so good for you. A way better option.

Scott: Its imperative to ingest some form of electrolyte replacements during sustained exertion, otherwise performance will be impaired and diminish.

9. What are your thoughts on the HCG Protocol and the concept of reaching leptin sensitivity.

Luke: Not my specialty thanks x

Scott: My thoughts are that we should shift our focus from weight management to health.  Once we start eating for health then our weight will naturally revert to its optimum.  Forget quick fixes, fads and short cuts - food should be enjoyed with an eating plan which has longevity and one you can sustain indefinitely.  I encourage people that are hoping to lose weight to eat real food, minimise their intake of carbs/sugar and embrace a high fat diet.

Thanks to both Luke and Scott for helping out here and their generous offer of donating a copy of their latest book for a competition.  

Keep your eye on this space

 if you 

would like to win your own copy.

Primal Living Tasmania conference - part two

Now I know you are probably already a bit jelly that you didn't get to this event and you missed out on awesome food and stuff.  

Let me just say "but wait there is more.........."

Speakers!!

and what an array of speakers!

Gary Fettke

Christine Cronau

Jenna Lovell

Rohan Anderson

Alexx Stuart

Guy Lawrence

David Gillespie

Zee Arain

Rod Tayler

Gerard Chrochon

Chrystal Fieldhouse

Not all of them were my 'cup of tea' and I feel that a couple probably could have been left off the list and stuck to their trade table instead, but that is just my opinion.

Gary Fettke

I was really looking forward to Gary speaking as I have followed him for some time,  and I was not disappointed.  Although I believe sugar is the root of many evils and have cut it out of our diet I didn't feel he was preaching to the converted.  He spoke alot about the link between inflammation and glucose/fructose and the mitochondria which I found really interesting.  Another thing he highlighted was the need for seasonal eating.  He used paleolithic man (stoneage) as an example, describing their need to 'fatten up' in the good seasons (summer/autumn) to tide them over the harder months when food was more scarce.  This makes sense as our weight does change seasonally.  Anna spoke of this in her article recently.  And, because the focus of the day was mostly low carb, high fat (LCHF) he also spoke about good vs bad oils' and the study of 'blue zone longevity' which is something I want to read more on.

His last words really stuck with me  

"we need to be humble in our eating; local, seasonal, natural"

Christine Cronau

I am new to the Christine band wagon as I only just started following her the last few months.   Christine's talk focused heavily on the LCHF philosophy.     How our low fat culture has seen a rise in strokes, heart disease, diabetes and thyroid disfunction.  She highlighted many of the dietary myths that are spun around food promotion and the 'health' industry.  

Rohan Anderson

I loved this guy.  

Do yourself a favour and check out his blog.  

He is so entertaining and tells a story of tree change that is becoming very common.

 David Gillespie
David has written multiple books on sugar and oil.  His talk focused on oils and had some great information that was new to me.    Check out his books  (via link above) if you haven't heard of him.  I particularly found this chart informative.  It outlines how much polyunsaturated fat is contained in certain oils.  Obviously the ones on the left with least amount are the ones you want to use and avoid those on the right.  Sorry the photo quality isn't much better.

Although I suspect the speakers were in many cases 'preaching to the converted' I found this to be an informative and entertaining day.  I am really glad I went as there were many things I learnt, particularly from the speakers I have commented on above.
If you are bummed you missed out because you live interstate then please check out Jo's website as she is taking this national.  I am not sure if she will have the same speakers but keep your eye out for it in your part of the woods.  It seems to be the current trend in workshops and I have seen Changing Habits hosting similar as have Low Carb DownUnder

Primal Living Tasmania conference - Part One

I was fortunate enough to grab a last minute ticket for the Primal Living, Changing The Way We Eat conference held this weekend in Hobart.  Talk about spur of the moment and the planets colliding stuff! Tickets = no money, Money = no tickets and then someone had a ticket and couldn't go KAPOW!    

Hobart I am in you!!

I headed down to Hobart on Friday afternoon.  An 8am registration and icy morning roads didn't appeal to me.  Now, if you haven't heard of airbnb for accommodation I suggest you check it out!!  Some great places to stay and at a reasonable price.  I stayed with Sarah (and Ruby) in Harrington St.  Nice and close to the north Hobart eateries, quiet area and a lovely home.

Take your own water bottle!

Seriously, if you are going to the Wrest Point, take your own.  $4.70 for a small bottle of water is just crazy!  I had run out and forgot to go to the supermarket on the way, so was pinched.   I also thought the set up might have been tables to sit at with water.  It was theatre style auditorium so I was busted!  Fortunately, the conference had water filters dotted around the trade room so I could refill my bottle.

I am Bulletproof, hear me roar!

So, if you haven't heard of the bulletproof phenomena that is taking us by storm you have obviously been living under a rock.  Me, hadn't had one because I don't think any cafes serve them and I am basically lazy.  So I broke my cherry yesterday (twice)
The OptimOZ team providing the coffee use their brand of MCT oil to make their coffee.  I did find it incredibly creamy and tasty, however it did react and I was very bloated afterwards.  Will test with home made to see if it has the same effect or is just their blend.

There were around 20 trade tables and they all offered great deals on the day, samples and plenty of information about their products.  Many of them contributed to the food served which was great.
One thing I dislike when I go to something like this is being harassed by the stall holders and all but one avoided doing this.
I didn't buy a heap of stuff.
What I did indulge in was some raw honey from Miellerie,  King Island Beef Jerky 
and some Rumbles Paleo bars.

Who doesn't like a goodie bag!

I love a goodie bag.  Mind you my kids do even more.  This one didn't fail to please and had loads of samples (although a few were missing from mine so I am thinking they may have run out.  Which was a bit disappointing).
Loved the magazines included and the discount vouchers that last longer than a week.
A suggestion for future events would be that they avoid including brochures for trade table holders.  Because no one gets a chance to have a good look through until they get home they tend to grab brochures off the table.  This is a complete was of paper and money (on the business's part) because it is a double up that ultimately ends up in the recycling.  If I go past a table and am interested I will grab their brochures etc  I don't need them in the bag as well.
It was awesome to see Urban Farm Tasmania including seeds in the bags too!

The food!  OMG!  THE FOOD!!!!!

I only wish I had written it all down so I wouldn't have to go from memory.
Did I mention it was awesome!
OMFG!
I am sure it was quite alien for the hotel chef to cook this way and I hope it was a learning experience for him and his staff.
It truly was delicious.

Morning tea consisted of bone broth, pumpernickel bread with pesto and butter, Kind Island Beef Jerky,  Mt Gnomon sausages, organic apples, terrines, nuts, cured meats and more coffee!

A few hours later lunch was served.  Again, we were not disappointed.
It is so nice to go to an event that I can actually eat at and not have to take my own food.
I cannot remember all the dishes for lunch but the ones I do remember wet dishes of beef, lamb, offal, wallaby kofta (divine!), meatballs, veg, salad, sauerkraut, spiced cauliflower 'cous cous', sweet potato, chia puddings and raw coconut rough chocolates.

So much happening and I haven't even started on the speakers!  
Watch this space or subscribe for updates
and I will share my thoughts and notes on all the speakers on the day.