Foods I learned to love thanks to paleo

Although I'm not a full on paleo eater any more, I still reap the benefits of the few months I spent exploring that lifestyle. When taking on a new way of eating that looks "restrictive" from the outside, it's good to focus on all you CAN eat, and explore some new options. There are a few foods I love now that I might not have embraced if I hadn't explored the paleo lifestyle, and I want to share them with you.

Eggs, every day, the whole egg:  Eggs have been hot and cold over the last couple of decades; either one of the worst or one of the best things you can eat. When I gave up grains, I started eating an egg every morning. I don't toss yolks, as I now know that man y vital benefits are found there. Read more about the health benefits of eggs http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/health-benefits-of-eggs.htm . I usually eat my eggs on mashed avocado, which brings me to my next favourite...

Avocado : I've loved avocado for a long time, but denied this delicious food to myself due to the fat content. I now know we need fat and avocados have the good kind. They are filling and for many applications, a great substitute for those of us who can't have dairy.
8 healthy facts about avocados

Coconut oil: Another component of my daily breakfast! It's also delicious, a great natural remedy for those of us who have digestive troubles, and also makes a great substitute for dairy.

Yams: I always thought yams were this mushy vegetable that people did horrible things to at Thanksgiving. It never would have occurred to me to cook it the way I would a white potato. The paleo community is split on white potatoes, and I do eat them; whether you eat white potatoes or not, yams are a great source of carbohydrates and dietary fibre.

Kale: A small part of why I avoided kale for so long was it's trendiness. Eventually, the health benefits, and all the wonderful things I heard about kale chips, wore me down. Like the other foods in my post so far, it has appeal to the ancestral eater, the vegan, and the more mainstream eater. Kale chips, sauteed kale, kale added to soups...the possibilities are endless.

Schmaltz : Like a good little health nut, I spent years draining all the fat from my meat as it cooked and throwing it away. What a waste! Schmaltz, which I think is Yiddish for solidified chicken fat, is delicious. Save it in a jar and use it to cook veggies, or in mashed potatoes.

And last of all...
Bacon! 
I won't try to tell you there are health benefits to bacon. I WILL tell you that what bacon you eat matters, and that one or two servings a week are a reasonable indulgence. In a typical week, we share one pound of  uncured bacon between our five family members.Most of the bacon lovers I know eat bacon way less than we talk about it: it's just that's been so forbidden for so long it's taken on mythic proportions.