Who doesn't love a vacation? I know this girl does. But no one loves coming home with sand in their luggage and weighing 5 pounds heavier. In the past, I perceived vacation as a free-for-all and a time to eat whatever I wanted as I let my senses live a little more. After living more than a year following a Paleo lifestyle, I almost dreaded going on vacation with a group of people who eat the Standard American Diet. In fact, the trip organizer (who is our close friend) even called me in advance to make sure I was ok with the menu suggestions for our four-day Northern California houseboat adventure on Shasta Lake. Part of me felt bad that I had come to be known as such a 'food-diva' but at the same time I was glad to be able to make suggestions of alternative items for dinner.

Luckily, we flew in to San Francisco a day before our boating departure and I was able to stop at Costco (which trumps Sam's Club any day for the record) and help purchase the remainder of our produce and snack items. I must say, I am always jealous of going to this part of the country and seeing the selection of some of the freshest produce I have ever seen and tasted. It really makes a difference when food is transported over thousands of miles from where it originated. Sigh. I also stopped into a local Trader Joe's for a few items we didn't need to feed our 16 passenger army, but I wanted to have handy for me.

Of course, I did flex a little and did not eat strict Paleo, but I tried to limit myself to items that are "worth it" in my book. That would be a Neapolitan shake at In and Out Burger, this deliciously sinful red velvet truffle cake from Pinterest and a bun or two towards the end of the trip as result of one too many cocktails. Is there some kind of neurotransmitter that makes you crave carbs when you drink? I think so...

A week later, I'm feeling pretty much back to normal, but travel involving flying in general usually makes me feel pretty bad for a few days when I get back. If anything, I am craving kale more and addicted to Bulletproof coffee.

Here are a few snack and meal suggestions to anyone away from home this summer and looking for something Paleo they can enjoy and others who do not follow the lifestyle can too:

SNACKS

• The obvious veggies, nuts, jerky, and fruit. Pack small portions for flights or car trips to avoid gas station pitfalls of Cheetos and Little Debbie's. If you don't have anything handy, go for bottled water and mixed nuts or pork skins at the gas station, just read the labels for sketchy oils and ingredients before purchasing. It's always easy to run into grocery stores too for snacks as well.
• Boiled eggs peeled ahead of time and salt and pepper packets from carry out cutlery pair well with a side of guacamole and carrot sticks at a rest stop. For the fancy snackers, bring a long a few pieces of uncured salami.

BREAKFAST

• Anytime eggs are an option, go for it. I treated my vacation kitchen like "Chopped". What can I do with eggs, butter, spinach and bacon? Well, two eggs over medium on top of sautéed spinach and a little bacon on the side. Yummy. I even got requests for extra spinach from others.
• Don't let the muffin tray start talking to you. They really aren't that good. But, if there is some breakfast starchy item you sorta-kinda want to eat because it's vacation, at least know that a small bite is sufficient and move on -- It's not worth feeling crummy for something that's not ah-mazing.

LUNCHES

• Making your own lunches? My super easy tuna has become a hit with my California houseboating friends. Simply take a can of tuna and drain, empty into a bowl and separate chunks with a fork. Then, add some lemon juice and salt and pepper and serve on cucumber slices or eat solo with a fork. I like mine with a little zing so I add extra lemon. I also make this at home for lunches and like to add some dried dill and capers if I have them. For non-Paleo peeps, this is good on crackers or even tortilla chips.
• While everyone else is piling high on their sandwiches, make a roll up or lettuce wrap. I like to take a thick slice of roast beef or turkey and spread on some guacamole and sliced tomato and eat. Your friends might even ask you to make them one because they are so delicious and easy. It's also easy to take the hamburgers from the grill and put in between two lettuce leaves and make your burger Protein Style.

DINNER

• Steak, duh. But most any grilled meat will do. If you are not the one preparing, try and strike a deal with your traveling chef to leave you a piece of unadulterated meat to season yourself. I let this slide and ate some ribs that were seasoned with soy sauce and I paid the price the following day....super stiff joints and was incredibly thirsty. I just can't handle that much sodium. Don't be afraid to let someone know if you can't tolerate something. You don't go in a restaurant and let them serve you shellfish if you have an allergy. Of course, it's not this extreme for me, but you get the analogy. It made me grumpy and no one likes that person. After 7 bottles of water, I felt somewhat human again.
• Salads fancy-fied with leftover protein or whatever is lying around.
• For a side dish, roasted veggies are super easy and pretty much fool-proof. I served up two trays of roasted broccoli on our last night with leftovers. Simply place a layer of broccoli florets on the bottom of a baking sheet (or disposable metal pan as I did), toss in some kind of fat for cooking -- I did one pan with diced bacon for those who Praise the Lard and a pan tossed with melted butter, and then season with pepper and a little salt. Bake at 400 in an oven for 15 min then shuffle around in the pan and back into the oven for another 15 or until as crispy as desired. This same method works well for Brussels sprouts cut in halves, but alas, we did not have any precious little cabbages aboard the boat.

So, that's a little of what I was eating on vacation. I mean this in the most non-judgemental way possible, but I just don't understand how anyone can eat greasy fast food and processed products daily and not feel absolutely terrible. My husband agreed with me and he is not nearly as strict as I am dietarly speaking. If you are reading this and considering changing your eating habits, please consider Paleo and discover how many options really are out there for you that do not feel like deprivation. I mean, bacon alone should be a motivating factor to give it a try :)


San Francisco on day 1

Cruising Shasta Lake on the upper deck

Tess, Me, Tia and Erinn

Quite the vessel to vacation aboard

The cast of characters on a hike