All recipes were created and photographed by Bethany Tapp

Copyright ©Adventures in Partaking 2016All rights reserved.

Published by Bethany Tapp

No Part of this publication may be reproduced or copied without prior permission from Bethany Tapp.

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The word SAFARI comes from the Swahili language of East Africa, where it simply means journey. But, since the 1850’s when an explorer used it to describe his travels in Africa, it has made it’s way into the English language, usually with connotations like the above pictures.

Growing up in East Africa, SAFARI was a regular part of life as we traveled across country for days at a time in our trusty land rover. These weren’t quick day trips, or leisurely drives along super highways, with convenience stores and rest areas along the way, but instead were five day treks along rough dirt tracks. We enjoyed the trips (most of the time) as we spotted animals along the way and played car games. BUT, these trips required lots and lots of pre-planning. For days, or weeks before a trip we’d be busy freezing water bottles, making bread, frying lots of meat, making survival bars and other treats, and making sure we had everything we needed for five days in the car. There would be no gas stations or supermarket stops along the way. If we needed it, it went in the car with us.

I know you’re wondering what this tale of African Safaris has to do with you and your AIP/ Paleo journey. Right? For most of us today, our journeys and adventures take us along well traveled paths where we’d have to try to avoid rest areas, gas stations, supermarkets or airport food courts, but traveling as part of the AIP/Paleo lifestyle often means a great deal of preparation and planning as although modern conveniences are everywhere, they’re rarely a benefit on our healing journeys. So, whether your adventure takes you to the carpool lane or the city park or on an airplane to Grandma’s house or further afield, the recipes and tips in this book will help you survive and thrive on your AIP Safari.

Safari Njema! (Have a good trip!)

AIP Safari:Fast, Friendly Foods for Any Adventure

Table of Contents:AIP Basics

1. Plate & Fork Recipes• Asian Chicken Slaw• Blueberry Tuna Salad• Grape & Chicken Salad• Spiced Carrot Slaw• Tuna Salad Apple Sammich

2. Hand Held Recipes• ABC Turkey Roll Ups• Bacon Date Bites• Moroccan Spice Burgers• Southwestern ‘Sushi” Rolls• Smoked Salmon California Roll• Sticky Orange Chicken• Tuna Broccoli Bites

3. Dips & Dip-Able Recipes• BBQ Burger Pinwheels with ‘Strawberry BBQ Sauce’• Lamb Kofta with Avocado Tzatziki• Summer Salad on a Stick with a Strawberry Dipping Sauce• Tropical Guacamole

4. Travel Treat Recipes• Anti Inflammatory Green Juice• Banana Bread Bites• Cowboy Cookies• Fig Bars• Ginger Ale Jiggers• Safari Survival Balls• Sweet Potato Paratha

EXTRAS: Traveling While on AIP Packing AIP Foods, Road Trip Tips, Air Travel Tips, Convenience Foods, Road Trip Games, Travel Tools and MORE

AIP BasicsWhat exactly is the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)? There are many books and resources that answer this question, so I’m not going to recreate the wheel, but here are some of the answers I give people when they ask about my ‘unusual’ diet.~ AIP is Paleo with a twist.~ AIP is a low inflammation diet.~ AIP is a nutrient dense way of eating.~ AIP is a decision to eat vegetables, quality meats and seafood and some fruit.

Those answers are usually good enough to placate my friends (or strangers on the airplane), but if you’re new to AIP, here are the BASICS. The autoimmune protocol is a diet template that removes high inflammation causing foods and replaces them with nutrient dense and gut healing foods. This healing protocol is designed to help people suffering from auto immune conditions to remove the inflammation from their bodies and relieve many of their auto immune related symptoms. AIP isn’t a cure for auto immune disease, but is designed to help you figure out what triggers your flares and set you out on a healing journey.

The first thing that most people want to know when they get started on any sort of healing protocol (or any new diet plan) is ‘what can’t I eat?’ I prefer to think of what I can eat and you’ll see an AIP plate on the next page showing all the wonderful foods that you can enjoy on AIP.

But first, here are the FOODS that need to be AVOIDED on the elimination phase of the AIP:

• ALL Grains - wheat, corn, rice, quinoa, oats, etc.• ALL Dairy - milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc.• ALL Nuts and Seeds - this includes nut milks, nut flours, nut oils and seed based spices• Nightshade Vegetables - potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, all peppers (sweet and hot peppers), tomatillos,

paprika (other chili based spices)• Eggs• Legumes - beans, peanuts, soy (all soy based products)• Coffee• Chocolate• Refined sugars• Modern vegetable oils• ALL processed foods - all emulsifiers, thickeners and food additives• Black pepper• Alcohol

The key behind the AIP diet is that it’s not just a list of foods to remove from your life. It’s also about the addition of nutrient dense foods. AIP meals are comprised mainly of vegetables along with grass fed meats, seafood, offal, and bone broth. See the graph on the next page for a visual look at what makes up the AIP diet. Notice how great a role vegetables play.

Note on Treats:Although there are ‘treats’ in this book and they are made with AIP compliant ingredients, this doesn’t make them a typical part of an AIP diet. Treats are just what they sound like - a special food reserved for occasional consumption and special occasions.

Vegetables: The AIP diet is vegetable dense. Fill your menu up with a variety

of vegetables. Try to get 8-14 cups of vegetables a day - Green vegetables, colorful vegetables, starchy vegetables,

cruciferous vegetables, sea vegetables.

All vegetables are compliant except nightshades.

Grass Fed orPasture Raised

Meats + Seafoods: Beef, lamb, pork, bison, venison, chicken, turkey,

duck, fish, shrimp, mussels, crab, etc. Seafood should

be eaten 3x a week.

Fruit: Limited to 20 gr. of

fructose a day

Offal: liver,

kidney, heart, etc.5x a week

Healthy Fats: coconut oil, avocado oil,

olive oil, palm shortening, lard & other animal fats

What’s on my AIP Plate?

Extras. . .

Seasonings - - pink himalayan salt- aromatics like ginger and garlic- fresh and dried herbs- non-seed-based spices (cinnamon, cloves, saffron, turmeric & mace)- vinegars (apple cider, balsamic & wine vinegars)- coconut aminos- sweeteners in moderation (honey, molasses, maple syrup, dates)- coconut products in moderation- carob

Probiotic foods - fermented vegetables, kombucha, etc.

Glycine-rich Foods - like bone broth, gelatin, collagen

Teas - Black, green & rooibos in moderation

PlateandFork

Recipes

Ingredients:• 1/2 pound cooked chicken-

shredded - about 1 1/2 cups• 4 cups slaw mix ( OR 3 cups

cabbage & 1 cup carrots -shredded)

• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro• 3 spring onions (white & green)

- finely chopped

• 2 mandarin oranges - peeled and divided into segments

• 2 T olive oil

• 3/4 T honey

• 1 t fish sauce

• juice of 1 mandarin orange

• 1/2 inch piece of ginger - grated

• juice of 1/2 a lime

• 1/2 t sea salt

Time: 15 minutes Serves: 2-3

Method:

• mix chicken, slaw mix, cilantro and spring onions in a large bowl

• make dressing - mix olive oil, honey, fish sauce, mandarin juice, lime juice, ginger & salt with a whisk

• pour dressing over the slaw mix, then gently toss in the mandarin segments

Hitting the Road:Store in an airtight container and keep in a cooler with an ice pack for as long as the ice pack stays cold. For longer trips, leave the mandarins out of the salad, store in a cooler (or fridge) and add the mandarins right before eating. Salad (including mandarins) will stay fresh and crunchy in the fridge for 3 days.

Asian Chicken Slaw

Fun Fact:

Mandarins are native

to the

forests of China an

d are only

harvested in winter.

Ingredients:• 1 can tuna• 1 haas avocado• 1 lime - juiced• 1/2 t pink himalayan salt• 2 T parsley - finely chopped• 1 spring onion - white & green -

finely diced• 1 cucumber - seeded and finely

diced• 1/2 cup blueberries• 1 handful of baby spinach

leaves - finely chopped

Time: 5 minutes Serves: 1 or 2

Method:• Mash avocado with lime juice and salt• mix in parsley and spring onion• add cucumber, tuna and blueberries and mix to combine

(cucumbers are seeded to limit liquid in the salad)• serve on top of a bed of baby spinach or pack

separately to take with you

Hitting the Road:The flavors blend well and the salad holds up in a jar or container for 12-15+ hours as long as it’s kept cool. If you need to eat this the next day, add the cucumbers right before serving or swap for celery.

Blueberry Tuna Salad

Let’s go fly a kite...

a jar of

‘blueberry tuna sala

d’, a few

plantain chips and a

sparkling

water make for a pe

rfect

spring picnic...

Ingredients:• 1/2 haas avocado• 1 T apple cider vinegar• juice of 1 lemon• 1/2 t sea salt• 2 T chopped cilantro• 6 mint leaves - chopped• 1/4 pound chicken - about

3/4 cup cooked chicken• 1/2 cup of chopped raw

baby asparagus OR/and finely diced celery

• 1/2 cup of red grapes - cut in half

• 1 spring onion (green & white part) - finely diced

• 2 slices of bacon - crumbled

Time: 15 minutes Serves: 2

Method:• in a large bowl, mash avocado with a fork and mix in apple

cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt & chopped herbs• add chicken and veggies and stir well to combine• if eating today, cut grapes in 1/2 and mix them in along with

the crumbled bacon• if eating tomorrow or later, plan on cutting the grapes and

crumbling in the bacon on the day you’ll be eating

Hitting the Road:This salad keeps well for up to 3 days in the fridge. Pack in an airtight container and put in a cooler with an icepack. If you won’t be eating it within the next 12-15 hours, put grapes in one bag and bacon in another and mix in the day you’ll be eating it.

Grape & Chicken Salad

Fun Fact:

Did you know that Ch

ina is the top

grape producer in th

e world?

My favorite grapes com

e from South

Africa, which oddly

enough is 10th on

the list.

Ingredients:salad• 3 cups shredded carrots• 3 T raisins• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

dressing• 3/4 cup chopped pineapple• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro• 1 inch piece of ginger -

rough chopped• 1/4 cup shredded carrots• 1/4 t sea salt• 1/2 T olive oil

Time: 15 minutes Serves: 3

Method:• make dressing by placing all dressing ingredients in a

food processor or blender and running until smooth• shred carrots and chop parsley• combine carrots, parsley, raisins and dressing in a large

bowl and mix well.

Hitting the Road:This salad holds up well in the fridge (or a cold cooler) for a couple of days. Pack in individual serving zip top bags or air tight containers. Don’t forget the forks. This is an excellent choice to eat with the “sticky orange chicken.”

Spiced Carrot Slaw

Did you know that par

sley is

more than a decora

tive

garnish? It’s high in

vitamin K,

vitamin C, vitamin A

, folate

and iron.

Ingredients:• 1 haas avocado• 1 lemon - juiced• 1/2 t sea salt or pink

himalayan salt• 1 T apple cider vinegar• 1 T parsley - chopped• 10 mint leaves - chopped• 1 can tuna• 1/4 cup raisins• 2 celery ribs - finely diced• 1 small red onion (about 1/4

cup) - finely diced• 2 apples - sliced thinly

Time: 15 minutes Serves: 2

Method:• mash avocado with lemon juice and salt and then add in

apple cider vinegar and whisk to form a smooth dressing• chop parsley, mint, celery and onion• mix all ingredients except apples• if eating immediately, slice the apples and serve tuna

salad on apple slices

Hitting the Road:Pack the tuna salad in a sealed container or even a zip top bag and store in a cooler with ice pack. If possible, pack your apple whole and slice right before eating. If you can’t pack a knife, slice apples and dip in lemon juice and store in a zip top bag.

Tuna Salad Apple Sammich

According to the ‘ur

ban

dictionary,’ a SAMMICH isn’t

your ordinary sandw

ich, but is

the perfect combinat

ion of

ingredients combined

into a

hand held meal.

Imagine the situation - or maybe you don’t have to because this was you on your last trip - you look at your flight itinerary and you have 7 hours in an unknown airport. How will you spend your time? What about your kids? No need to panic. With a little creativity your airport time can easily be the start of your adventure instead of wasted time. Here are some fun ideas to keep you entertained at the airport.

(1) People Watch - Make up stories about the people you see - where they’re going, who they’re traveling with, etc. The arrivals lounge is especially fun for this game as you get to see who’s being picked up by whom.

(2) Photo Scavenger Hunt - Make a quick list of random items (a flag, someone sleeping, an orange backpack, french fries, a flight time screen, a notice of a delayed flight, the front page of today’s newspaper, etc.). Divide into 2 teams and set off to find the items and take pictures of them.. The winning team is the first team to get pictures of everything on the list. The added bonus is the entertainment of each other’s pictures.

(3) Airport Bigger or Better - The goal of this game is to end up at the end of a set amount of time with the best item. Divide into teams (with young kids your teams are obviously determined by the number of adults). Each team is given something basic - a paperclip or a small coin. Teams spread out and approach people, explain the game and ask if they have anything they can trade with them that’s either bigger or better than what they currently have. For example, a paper clip might be traded for an empty cup which may be traded for a bag of chips which might be traded for a magazine and so on. At the end of your time, meet back up and compare your finds. Who knows, you might end up with a book to read on the next flight or something even more exciting.

(4) Explore the Airport - You’d be amazed at some of the treasures you’ll find just by walking. It takes time, It’s free. AND, moving around before and after a flight will help prevent blood clots. Here are some of my airport favorites from around the world:

•Amsterdam - fancy some culture? Check out the current art exhibition in the airport museum. • Atlanta - "Zimbabwe: A Tradition in Stone" - a permanent collection of African sculptures, along with

photography & music in the walkway between the T gate and terminal A.•Austin - If you time your flights, you may be able to catch some live music at one of the airport’s four

dedicated stages.•Chicago - Science buffs can check out a dinosaur skeleton as you rush between flights.•Hong Kong - Within the airport grounds you’ll find a 9-hole golf course, if that’s your thing.•Kuala Lumpur - take a stroll through the rainforest. In the middle of the airport terminal you can step

outside and into a rainforest. Listen to the birds, feel the warm air and there’s even a small waterfall.•San Francisco - Feeling tight & stressed out from the flight? Well, then head over to the yoga studio.•Singapore - take a break in one of the free (24 hour) movie theaters where blockbuster movies are

constantly being played. This airport also has indoor kid’s play grounds, a 4 story high slide (for big kids), a butterfly garden and lots of indoor green space and water features, as well as a rooftop pool (don’t forget your swimsuit).•Taiwan - Finished your book? Head over to the ebook library with English & Chinese selections.•Vancouver - spend some time with the fish at their 30,000 gallon aquarium that’s home to 5,000 + marine

animals.•Zurich - have a long layover? Rent a bike or skates or head outside on foot to enjoy the green areas

around the airport.

Airport Entertainment

HandHeld

Recipes

Ingredients:• 8 slices of Turkey or Ham

lunchmeat (watch spices and extra ingredients)

• 8 slices of precooked Bacon• 1/4 cup of chopped Cilantro• 1 cup baby Spinach leaves• 1 Haas Avocado - sliced

thinly

Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4 (2 roll ups each)

Method:• cook bacon - if not already cooked• lay out slices of turkey or ham• in the 1/3 of the slice closest to you place the following:

✦ 6-8 spinach leaves✦ a slice of bacon✦ some chopped cilantro✦ 2 slices of avocado

• roll up starting with the end closest to you

Hitting the Road:Roll each roll-up in a piece of cling film or place in a snack sized zip top bag & store in a cooler with ice. These will keep for two days, as long as they are kept cold.

ABC Roll Ups

Legend says that the

first sandwich was m

ade to

allow the earl of s

andwich to continue

gambling

without taking a bre

ak to eat. He asked

for his

meat to be put betwe

en 2 pieces of bread

so he

could hold it in on

e hand and keep gam

bling.

These roll-ups don’t

have bread, but stil

l

allow for one hand

ed meal time.

Ingredients:

• 12 large Dates• 1/2 Haas Avocado• 6 pieces of Bacon

Time: 35 minutes Serves: 6 (2 pieces each)

Method:• preheat oven to 375F/ 190C• line baking sheet with parchment paper• slice open the dates and remove the pits• place about 1 t of avocado in each date• cut each piece of bacon in half (by length) to make 12 1/2

size pieces• wrap each avocado stuffed date with 1/2 a piece of bacon

and place on baking sheet seam side down• cook for 20-25 minutes until bacon is crispy - turn once

during cooking to assure all sides crisp up

Hitting the Road:Allow date bites to cool and then pack them in a small zip top bag or other container. If eating within a couple of hours they’ll be fine unrefrigerated (if the bacon is fully cooked). For longer storage, keep in a cooler with an ice pack

Bacon Date Bites

Dad joke - I dare you to

walk up to a cute gu

y and

ask him if he wants

a date...

then hand him one o

f these.

Ingredients:• 1 pound ground beef (grass

fed)• 1 small onion (1/4 cup diced)

sauteed in 1/2 T olive oil• 12 mint leaves - finely

chopped• 2 T finely chopped cilantro• 1/2 t dried oregano• 1/2 t dried rosemary• 1/2 t garlic flakes• 3/4 t cinnamon powder• 1 t sea salt

Time: 35 minutes Serves: 4

Method:• saute’ onion in olive oil• preheat oven to 400F/ 200C• place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well - using your

hands - make sure all spices are evenly distributed through the meat

• place a baking rack above a lined baking sheet• form 8 mini burgers out of the meat mixture• place on the rack and bake for 25 minutes - until meat is

cooked through.

Hitting the Road:Wrap burgers individually in plastic wrap or foil or place in zip top bags and store in a cooler with ice. Burgers will keep for 4 days when kept cold. Bring along a bag of lettuce leaves to wrap burgers for eating. For air travel, pack frozen and they’ll be thawed by the time you’re ready to eat.

Moroccan Spice Burgers

Fun Fact:

Traditionally the live

r (not the

heart) is considered

to be the

symbol of love in M

orocco.

Ingredients:• 1 nori sheet• pieces of smoked salmon

slightly smaller than Nori sheet

• 1/8 of a haas avocado - thinly sliced

• thin strips of cucumber (about 1/4 of a cucumber

• kitchen supplies - a sushi rolling mat

Method:• cut nori sheet in 1/2 to make 2 pieces about 4x7 inches• cover your sushi rolling mat with plastic wrap• prep your veggies by cutting them into very thin slices• place nori sheet on rolling mat (with a long side facing you)• place slices of smoked salmon on the nori sheet, leaving 1/4

inch on side closest to you and 1/2-3/4 of an inch on the opposite side

• place a few slices of cucumber & avocado in the middle• use the rolling mat to help you tightly roll the sushi away

from yourself• once rolled, press hard with the mat to keep it in a tight roll• cut with a sharp knife into 1 inch pieces

Hitting the Road:If possible, pack the roll whole (tightly wrapped in cling film/ plastic wrap) and plan on cutting right before eating. Otherwise, pack in an airtight container and place a layer of cling film directly over the slices. Store in a cooler with ice pack for up to 8 hours.

Time: 10 minutes Serves: 1

Smoked Salmon California Rolls

Fun Fact:

It takes 10 years or

more to

become a sushi chef

....5 years

before you’re even a

llowed to

make the rice. Good

thing there’s

no rice in this AIP sushi and

the

salmon comes ready

prepped.

Ingredients:• 1 nori sheet• 1/3 cup cooked & cooled

sweet potato flesh• 1/4 cup shredded chicken • 1 piece of spring onion greens• 8 baby spinach leaves• 1 T cilantro• 2 slices bacon

Time: 5 minutes (with cooked ingredients) Serves: 1

Method:• Wrap your sushi rolling mat in cling film & place nori sheet on

rolling mat

• spoon sweet potato onto the nori sheet, leaving 1 inch on your side and 2-3 inches on the opposite side (see picture below). Spread out the sweet potato to the edges of the mat.

• place bacon, shredded chicken and spring onion on top of the sweet potato

• finely chop cilantro and sprinkle it over the sweet potato

• top with spinach leaves

• using the sushi rolling mat, carefully roll the nori sheet away from you

• Press firmly on the roll as you finish rolling to seal the edges.

• slice into 1 inch pieces

Hitting the Road:Pack the roll whole (tightly wrapped in cling film/ plastic wrap) and plan on cutting right before eating. Otherwise, pack in an airtight container and place a layer of cling film directly over the slices. Store in a cooler with ice pack for up to 8 hours.

Southwestern ‘Sushi’ Rolls

Since the word sush

i refers to the

rice...this isn’t sushi

by any stretch of

the imagination, but

the nori wrapper

provides the perfect

portable method

for enjoy these sout

hwestern flavors!

Ingredients:• 8 chicken legs• Juice of 1 orange• 2 T grated fresh ginger• 3 T chopped cilantro• 1/2 t sea salt

Time: 70 minutes Serves: 4

Method:• place all ingredients in a large zip top bag and place in the

fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes• preheat oven to 425F / 220C• place a rack over a lined baking sheet• place chicken legs on the rack• spoon some of the marinade over the chicken• bake for 30 minutes - turn the legs over and bake an extra

10 minutes

Hitting the Road:Pack in air tight containers or wrap in foil and keep on ice. These will keep for up to 4 days if they are kept cold. The ginger in the chicken pairs well with the “spiced carrot slaw.”

Sticky Orange Chicken

Chicken drumsticks a

re a kid

friendly favorite, an

d let’s face

it. . . no matter how

old you are

it’s juts plain fun to

pick up your

food and eat it.

Ingredients:• 2 cans of tuna• 1 cup broccoli florets -

chopped• 1 medium sweet potato -

about 1 1/2 cups• 1/4 cup Cassava flour• 1/2 T mixed dried herbs

(herbs d’provence)• 1 T garlic flakes• 1 t sea salt• 1 T gelatin + 3 T hot water

Time: 35 minutes Serves: 4 - 5

Method:• preheat oven to 400F/ 200C• remove cooked sweet potato from skin and place in a

bowl• roughly chop broccoli - with a knife or in the food

processor - until it’s in small pieces• add all ingredients except gelatin & water and mix well• sprinkle 1 T gelatin over 3 T hot water and stir until

dissolved• stir gelatin mixture into sweet potato mixture• form into 1 inch balls and press into a greased mini muffin

pan• bake at 400F/200 C for 20 minutes, then broil for 3-4

minutes to crisp up the top• let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a

cooling rack

Hitting the Road:Once cooled, place in small zip top bags and store in a cooler with an icepack as long as it stays cold (up to 3 days) Or, freeze and place frozen in the cooler. Once thawed, they’ll be ready to eat.

Tuna Broccoli Bites

The flavor of tuna ca

sserole, the

portability of tuna c

akes and the

ease of baking in a m

uffin

tin...what more coul

d you ask for?

Whether you’re traveling across town or across country, 20 minutes or 20 hours, having a few games up your sleeve can make all the difference in the world when it comes to having happy little travelers. When I was growing up and we were traveling across Tanzania, a favorite of my brother and I was to do multiplication problems in our heads. But, in case your little ones aren’t math geeks, here are some ideas for keeping smiles on faces and helping the time to pass a little faster.

(1) Spot the Sign - At the start of the game, choose a sign that you think you’ll see often. . . a rest area sign, a certain fast food restaurant, stop sign, etc. The basic rule of play is to keep track of who spots the signs first. You can make this an all day game keeping track of who spots each of the rest area signs, or the first person to spot the designated sign gets to choose the sign for the next round.

(2) Don’t rule out all the traditional road trip favorites.... License Plate ABC Game - Once someone says start, everyone starts looking for the letter ‘A’ on a license plate, once A is found, everyone starts looking for ‘B’ and so on. Play continues until you make your way all the way through the alphabet in order. I Spy - One player chooses an item in the car that’s visible and makes a statement of ‘I spy something red or I spy something starting with the letter M.’ The rest of the players take turns guessing and trying to figure out what the item was. 20 Questions - Similar to ‘I Spy,’ one player chooses an item. The rest of the players get 20 yes or no questions to guess the item. Items chosen could be things in the car or you could decide to choose places or foods or some other category. Quiet game - This is the favorite car game of parents everywhere. As a kid I always wondered if this really was a game, but then the competitive side of me would kick in and I would be determined to stay quiet longer than my brother. Basically the goal is to stay quiet the longest.

(3) Rest Area Scavenger Hunt - Before stopping at a rest area or other pit stop, decide upon a random item or two. The first person to find the item is declared the winner. The more random the better. These items could be - a coin on the ground, someone walking a dog, gum stuck behind a sign, graffiti of the name of someone in your family, etc.

(4) Never Ending Alphabet Game - This is by far my favorite ‘no supplies needed’ game. You choose a category (places, cities, foods, sports teams, etc.). The first player names something in that category. The next player has to name something in the category that starts with the last letter of the previous item (with no repeats). Play continues until someone can’t think of an item. Example for places - atlanta- athens - south dakota, etc.

(5) Craft wars - Bring along a collection of simple craft supplies - pipe cleaners, magnet tape, rubber bands, etc. Players are given a set amount of time to create something using a theme. Themes could be something you’ve seen on the trip, famous people, etc. When you think about packing crafts, make sure to choose things that are reusable (like pipe cleaners) and things that can be used without creating a mess. No one wants glue spilled all over the back of the car. That does not make for a fun road trip.

(6) Add a Sentence Stories - Work together as a family to create the great American novel - okay, maybe not a novel, but a few creative short stories. Someone starts a story and you take turns adding a sentence. Depending on the ages of the kids you’re playing with, adults may need to jump in at regular intervals to keep the story from going off track. Some story starters you might want to try are:

Road Trip Games

Once upon a time, there was a family driving to Grandma’s house. . . The airplane took off on time and then. . . It was a beautiful day to go to the park. . .

(7) Road Trip Bingo - Before heading out on your trip, create a different ‘bingo’ board for each traveler (like the following board). As players see something on their board they can cross it off. Have a prize ready for the first player to get five in a row. If you want to play multiple times, consider laminating boards and using dry erase markers. Other options for bingo games - car colors only, restaurants, states cars are from, animals you might see on the way, etc.

ROAD TRIPB I N G O

FIRE TRUCK MAIL TRUCK STOPLIGHT BLUE CAR MOTORCYCLE

STOP SIGN PLAYGROUND TRAIN TRACKS AIRPORT SCHOOL BUS

POLICE CAR GAS STATION FREE SPACE

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT HITCHHIKER

CONSTRUCTION ZONE

RED CONVERTIBLE

GROCERY STORE REST AREA HORSE OR

COW

VW BUG GREEN CAR CAMPER/ MOBILE HOME MAIL BOX HISTORICAL

MARKER

(8) Car Hunt - This game is especially fun for your young vehicle experts. Give each player a piece of paper and something to write with. The goal is to be the person at the end of the day with a list of the most different car makes/ models. They can either write them down as they see them, or make a list early in the day and mark them off when they see them.

Dipsand

Dip-AbleRecipes

Ingredients:• 1 cup + 1 T cassava flour• 3/4 cup mashed sweet potato• 1/2 t sea salt• 1/2 t baking soda• 1 t apple cider vinegar• 2 T olive oil• 2 T water + 1 T gelatin

FILLING• 1 T olive oil• 1/2 pound ground grass fed beef• 1/2 T garlic powder • 1/2 T herbs d’provence• 1/4 t sea salt• (BBQ sauce - next page)

Time: 55 minutes Serves: 4

Method:• mash cooked sweet potatoes to get rid of any lumps

• add cassava flour, salt and baking soda to the sweet potatoes and mix well. Add in apple cider vinegar and olive oil and stir to combine

• make gelatin egg - sprinkle 1 T gelatin over 2 T hot water and whisk until completely dissolved and stir the gelatin egg into the dough

• place dough in the fridge to chill briefly

• preheat oven to 350F/ 180C

• Make filling - heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add ground beef, garlic powder, herbs and salt. Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Remove from heat and stir in 3 T of the BBQ sauce (from next page)

• roll dough out on a piece of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thick - about the size of a cookie sheet

• top with the filling mixture, spreading it out across all the dough

• use the parchment paper to help you roll the dough tightly along one of the long edges - to form pinwheels

• use a sharp knife to slice into 1 1/2 inch pieces

• place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 350F/180C - then top each roll with some of the BBQ sauce and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Hitting the Road:Allow to cool completely, then pack in airtight containers. Pack extra BBQ sauce for dipping the rolls. Rolls will keep for several days if kept cold and keep in a lunch bag with ice pack for 6 to 8 hours..

BBQ Burger Pinwheels

BBQ sauces with th

eir

combination of swee

t, sour,

bitter, pungent, and

salty date

back to 239 BC in C

hina. Guess

neither TX or NC can claim

the original BBQ sau

ce.

Ingredients:• 1 1/4 cups diced

strawberries• 2 T balsamic vinegar• 1 T herb d’provence• 1 T olive oil• 2 green onions (white &

green)• thumb sized piece of ginger

- chopped• 1 t garlic flakes• 1/2 t pink himalayan salt• 1/4 t cinnamon powder• 1 T honey• 1/2 t ground ginger

Time: 25 minutes Serves: 4

Method:• preheat oven to 450F / 230C• place strawberries, balsamic vinegar and herbs d’provence in

a baking dish and roast for 15 minutes• meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan and saute’ the

ginger and green onion for 2-3 minutes• add other ingredients (including roasted strawberries) to the

saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes• allow to cool for a few minutes• transfer to a blender and blend until smooth

Hitting the Road:Store any unused BBQ sauce in an airtight container and use to dip your ‘pinwheels’ or burgers in.

Strawberry BBQ Sauce

53% of 7-9 year olds

pick strawberries as t

heir

favorite fruit.

Ingredients:• 1 pound ground lamb

• 1/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro/ coriander leaves

• 2 T chopped mint leaves

• 1 T dried oregano

• 1/2 t sea salt

Tzatziki• 1/2 cup fresh dill

• 1/2 cup chopped red onion

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1/2 haas avocado

• 1 large cucumber - about 1 cup chopped

• 2 T chopped mint leaves

• 1/4 t sea salt

• juice of 1 lemon

Time: 25 minutes Serves: 4

Method:• Make Tzatziki by placing all ingredients in a food processor

and processing until smooth• Make Kofta. - Place all ingredients except lamb and sweet

potatoes in a food processor and pulse until chopped finely and well mixed

• combine herb mixture, lamb and sweet potatoes in a bowl and incorporate all ingredients together using your hands

• heat a grill pan or skillet over a medium heat • form lamb mixture into 8 sausage shapes (3-4 inches long)• heat olive oil in the skillet or grill pan and add kofta• cook on each side for about 3 minutes - total of 12-15

minutes cooking time (until lamb is cooked through and no longer pink)

Hitting the Road:Store Tzatziki in an airtight container for dipping your kofta. It’s also good for dipping plantain chips and veggies. Store kofta in zip top bags. Both kofta and tzatziki can be kept in a fridge for 4 days or cooler with ice for up to 10 hours (as long as the ice stays cold).

Herbed Lamb Koftawith Avocado Tzatziki

Lamb is a good sourc

e of

vitamin B12, selenium

, zinc

and iron.

Ingredients:• 3 limes • 1/2 t garlic flakes• 3 T chopped cilantro• 1 t salt• 1 1/2 T olive oil• 1 T honey• 1/2 T balsamic vinegar• 2 cups strawberries -

chopped in bite size pieces• 12 mint leaves• 1/2 pound chicken - cut into

1 inch cubes• 2 cucumbers - bite size• 1- 2 cups baby spinach

Time: 50 minutes Serves: 2 -3

Method:• Marinate the chicken -chop into 1 inch pieces and place in a zip

top bag containing - the juice of 2 limes, 1/2 t garlic flakes, 3 T chopped cilantro & 1 t salt

• Make the dressing/ dipping sauce - blend olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar, juice of 1 lime, mint leaves & 1/2 cup chopped strawberries

• After chicken has marinated for 30 minutes, heat about 1 T of olive oil in a large skillet and add the chicken pieces

• Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through (about 8 minutes)

• Allow chicken to cool and then skewer chicken, cucumber, strawberries & spinach.

Hitting the Road:• If possible, bring ingredients separately and make skewers right

before eating. Otherwise, make skewers with cold chicken and wrap in foil. Bring dipping sauce along in a separate container. Chicken will last 3 days if kept cold. Pre-cut cucumbers will get a little soggy by the end of the first day. This also makes a good chopped salad.

Salad on a Stickwith Strawberry Dipping Sauce

There’s something about putting foo

d on a

stick that makes it more fun. Makes me want

to ride the ferris wheel and play

some

carnival games.

Ingredients:• 2 small or 1 large haas avocado• juice of 1 lime• 1/2 t pink himalayan salt or sea

salt• 1/2 mango finely diced (about

1/2 cup mango)• 3 spring onions - white & green

parts- finely diced• 3 pieces of cooked bacon -

crumbled• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro• 10-12 mint leaves - chopped• a 1 inch piece of ginger -

grated finely

Time: 15 minutes Serves: 4

Method:• mash the avocado with the lime juice and salt• chop all the other ingredients and mix in well• GINGER TIP - store your ginger in the freezer and grate

while frozen using a fine grater• serve with plantain chips, sweet potato chips or veggie

sticks or use to top burgers or grilled fish

Hitting the Road:Store in a cooler in a sealed container with a piece of plastic wrap pressed right onto the guacamole (to prevent air from getting to it). Bring dippers along in zip top bags

Tropical Guacamole

To quote a Mexican frie

nd

of mine... “I can’t ca

ll this

guacamole, but I lik

e it....can

I have some more of

the

avocado stuff.”

TravelTreat

Recipes

Ingredients:• 3 handfuls baby spinach

leaves• 1 1/2 cups cubed fresh

pineapple• 1/2 of a cucumber

chopped into chunks• thumb size piece of

ginger- chopped• 1/2 cup water

Time: 5 minutes Serves: 2

Method:• Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until

smooth

Hitting the Road:Pour into glass bottles and pop in your lunch bag. Or, freeze the juice (leave space at the top of the bottle) and use it as an ice pack in your bag while out and about. Once it thaws, shake it up and enjoy. Don’t forget to pack a straw.

Anti -Inflammatory Green Juice

I would drink it in a

car.

I would drink it near

or far.

I would drink it on a

plane.

I would drink it on a

train.

I would drink it here

or there.

I would drink it anyw

here.

Ingredients:• 2 VERY ripe bananas• 1 T coconut oil• 1/2 t pink himalayan salt• 1/4 t cinnamon• 1 1/4 cup dried shredded

coconut• 2 T coconut flour

Time: 25 minutes Makes: 15-18 cookies

Method:• preheat oven to 350F/ 180C• if coconut is large shredded pieces, place in a food

processor and pulse a few times to make the pieces smaller

• in a mixing bowl, mash bananas with a fork and mix in coconut oil

• add salt & cinnamon and mix well• add coconut and coconut flour and stir until well

combined• line baking sheet with parchment paper• use a 1T scoop to form cookies - press into the

scoop to keep balls uniform• bake at 350F/180C for 18 minutes until bottom

edges are golden brown - turn pan once 1/2 way through

Hitting the Road:These keep well in an airtight container for 4 days, or can be frozen and eaten straight from the freezer.

Banana Bread Bites

When life gives you

bananas... make ban

ana

bread. That’s always

been my philosophy!

Ingredients:• 1 cup cooked sweet potato

• 1 1/2 T coconut oil

• 2 t maple syrup

• 1 t vanilla (alcohol free)

• 1/4 cup cassava flour

• 1 t baking soda

• 1 t pink himalayan salt

• 1/2 cup dried/ shredded/ unsweetened coconut

• 1 gelatin egg (1 T gelatin and 1/4 cup hot water)

• 1/4 cup carob chips

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 2 slices cooked bacon - crumbledCAROB CHIPS• 1/2 coconut oil, 2 T carob powder & 1 T

coconut palm sugar• combine ingredients in a small saucepan over

medium heat and stir until melted & well combined

• pour onto parchment lined tray and freeze for 15 minutes - then break into chips

Time: 55 minutes Serves: 6

Method:• bake sweet potato - quickest method is to pierce with a fork and place in

the microwave wrapped in paper towel for 6-8 minutes• make carob chips - see left• cook bacon • remove flesh from the sweet potato and let it cool • preheat oven to 350 F/ 180C• once cool, mash sweet potato well to break up any clumps and mix in

coconut oil, maple syrup & vanilla• mix in dry ingredients- baking soda, cassava flour, salt and coconut• make gelatin egg - pour 1/4 cup hot water into a small bowl, sprinkle 1 T

gelatin over water and stir with a fork. Then, mix it into the dough• stir in carob chips, raisins and bacon• scoop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet - Makes 12 cookies with a

rounded tablespoon or about 18 smaller cookies. Press cookies down with the back of a fork.

• bake until brown on the bottom - 25 minutes for larger cookies or 15-18 for smaller. They should look cooked & be springy to touch

• let cool about 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack until completely cooled. 

Cowboy Cookies

These cookies hit the

spot when it comes

to the sweet & salty

flavor combo. The

reason we love this

combo so much is a

brain experience cal

led ‘sensory specific

satiety’ which makes

us want to come bac

k

for more.

Hitting the Road:

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up

to 4 days.

Ingredients:• 1 cup + 1 T cassava flour• 3/4 cup mashed sweet potato• 1/2 t sea salt• 1/2 t baking soda• 1 t apple cider vinegar• 2 T olive oil• 2 T water + 1 T gelatin

¨FILLING• 4 or 5 dried figs- chopped• 3 dates - pitted• 1 1/2 cup water• 1/4 t cinnamon powder• 1/8 t clove powder• 1/4 t sea salt• zest of an orange

Time: 1 hour Makes: 10-12 bars

Method:• place all the filling ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a low boil - simmer

until all of the liquid is cooked off, then transfer to a food processor and process to a paste consistency. Place in the freezer to chill

• in a large mixing bowl, use a fork or a pastry blender to blend together cassava flour, salt, baking soda and mashed sweet potato

• in a small bowl, whisk gelatin into 2 T hot water

• add apple cider vinegar, olive oil and gelatin mixture to dough and stir until the dough pulls away from the bowl and forms a ball

• place the dough on a floured (cassava) piece of wax paper, top with a sprinkle of flour and another piece of wax paper and use rolling pin to roll out to a rectangle about the size of a baking sheet. Place the dough so the wide side of the dough is facing you.

• spoon the filling mixture into the middle third of the dough and use the back of a spoon to spread it out to the edges

• use the wax paper to help you fold the side closet to you over the filling, then turn the dough and do the same with the other side. and pinch closed

• place roll in the freezer for about 20 minutes

• preheat oven to 350F/ 180F

• Slice roll into 3/4 inch pieces and place on a parchment lined baking sheet

• bake for 25 minutes at 350F/180C until the bottoms of the bars are golden brown

• cool on the tray for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack

Hitting the Road:Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Fig Bars

Fig stuffed cookies

were first

made by Charles M. Roser a

cookie maker in Ohio

.

Ingredients:• juice of 4 lemons

(about 3/4 cup)• thumb size piece of ginger

(grated)• 3 T honey• 1/2 t turmeric powder• 3 1/2 T unflavored gelatin• 1 1/2 cups sparkling water

Time: 5 minutes + 90 minutes chilling Serves: 6

Method:• heat lemon juice, grated ginger, honey & turmeric until

simmering and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes• add 1/2 cup sparkling water and bring back to heat• remove from heat and strain the liquid to remove lemon

pulp & ginger pieces• sprinkle gelatin over the hot liquid 1/2 T at a time and

whisk vigorously until it has all dissolved• whisk in remaining 1 cup of sparkling water• pour into molds, or simply into a 9x13 baking dish and chill

in the fridge for at least 90 minutes - until set• unmold or cut into 1 inch squares

Hitting the Road:Store in a zip-top bag or an airtight container in a cooler with an ice pack for up to 4 days. These hold up for about 4 hours off ice (room temperature), so you could pack a couple in an insulated lunch box for the day.

Ginger Ale Jigglers

Ginger is a proven an

ti-

inflammatory, as is

turmeric. Plus,

lemon, ginger & hone

y are natural

remedies for colds.

That makes

these the perfect tr

eats to ward

off all the travel b

ugs.

Ingredients:•4 dried apricots•3 T raisins•4 dates•6 T dried shredded

unsweetened coconut•1/8 t cinnamon powder•1/2 t sea salt

Time: 5 minutes + 15 minutes chilling Makes: +/- 12 balls

Method:• place all ingredients in a food processor and process

until all are combined and a ‘wet sand’ consistency starts to form

• use your hands to help form into balls and roll the balls in more shredded coconut

• place in freezer for 15 minutes to set• store in the fridge for up to a week or in a sealed

container at room temp (they’ll soften & be slightly greasy)

Hitting the Road:Pack in a zip top bag and keep in the cooler.

Safari Survival Balls

These energy balls a

re an homage to

something my mom us

ed to make for

safaris in Tanzania ca

lled ‘survival

bars.’ Before trips a

cross Tanzania,

these things would b

e made in giant

batches to fuel us o

ut on the road.

Ingredients:• 1/3 cup mashed sweet potato-

bake (or microwave) til soft & scoop out the flesh

• 1/2 cup cassava flour• 1/2 t sea salt• 1 T chopped parsley• 1 T coconut oil (liquid)• 2 T water

Time: 30 minutes Serves: 3

Method:• mix sweet potato, salt & parsley and then add in cassava

flour and mix into the sweet potato mixture using a fork• add the coconut oil and stir to form a sand like consistency• add water 1/2 T at a time, mixing until the dough pulls away

from the bowl and forms a ball• the dough should be wet - sprinkle in the remaining 1 T

cassava flour and begin to mix it together with your hands - at this point you might need to add 1/2-1 T more flour if the dough still feels too wet or sticky

• divide into 3 pieces• place a piece of parchment paper on the counter, dust a

piece of the dough with cassava flour, cover with another piece of parchment paper and roll out to about 5 inches

• heat a small amount of coconut oil in a skillet • fry parathas for about 2 minutes on each side until they

begin to brown around the edges

Hitting the Road:Place parchment paper between parathas and keep in a zip top bag in your cooler. These are great filled with mini burgers or tuna and avocado .

Sweet Potato Paratha

Paratha is a flat bre

ad that

originates in the nor

thern part

of India. It literally

means

layers of cooked dou

gh and can

be plain or stuffed.

The most

common paratha stuf

fing is

potatoes.

MEATbaconbeef - ground- grass fedchicken - breastchicken - cooked/ shreddedchicken legsdeli meat (turkey or ham)lamb - groundsmoked salmon

PRODUCEappleasparagusavocadobaby spinachbananasblueberriesbroccolicabbagecarrotscelerycilantrocucumberdillgarlicgingerlemonlimemandarinsmangomintorangeparsleypineapplered grapesred onionslaw mixspring onionsstrawberriessweet potatoes

PANTRYapple cider vinegarbaking sodabalsamic vinegarcanned tunacarob powdercassava flourcinnamon powdercoconut- dried/ shreddedcoconut flourcoconut oildates - driedfigs - driedfish saucegarlic powder/ flakesgelatin unflavoredginger - ground/ driedherbs d’provencehoneymaple syrupnori sheetsolive oiloregano - driedpink himalayan saltraisinsrosemary - driedsea saltturmeric powdervanilla

KITCHEN ITEMSbamboo skewerscitrus zestercookie scoop - 1Timmersion blenderparchment paperlime juicersushi rolling mat

Recipe Shopping List

Traveling While on AIP“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.” – Babs Hoffman

Do you remember the 1987 movie, ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’? In this movie, Neal Page (played by Steve Martin) is trying to get home to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with his family and his trip goes every which way except the way he planned. One travel mishap after another disrupts his plan.

Having spent most of my life traveling, I remember watching the movie in a crowded high school hall and being unable to control my laughter at all the travel antics, and thankful that I wasn’t on that trip. The goal of this section of “AIP Safari” is to help you navigate the challenges that might come up on your AIP journeys and hopefully get you (and your AIP lifestyle) to your destination in one piece.

I’m not presenting myself as an expert traveler in any sense, but I have done my fair share (or maybe more than my fair share) of traveling in my life, so I hope that the tips and tricks and wisdom I’ve gained over the years will benefit you as you set out on your next adventure. Since being AIP, I’ve enjoyed several long flights and a week long European cruise, as well as numerous days trips and adventures around town. I’ve figured out how to pack food for the day and how to navigate international air travel and everything in between.

PART ONE - “Plan, Plan and Plan Again”

Winston Churchill said, “Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning.” Too often, we never end up taking the trip, because of fear and worry. Instead of letting fear sideline your plans for adventure, make a plan and then get out there and see the world. In order to dismiss the worry and fear, ask yourself what you’re scared of when you think about traveling while on AIP (or paleo) and face those fears one at a time

As you plan for a trip, here are some questions to ask yourself:(1) How will I get there?

. . . .(See part 2 & 3 for some tips and suggestions specific to plane and car travel)(2)Where will I stay?(3)What do I need to take with me and what can I buy there?

Let’s look at each of those questions and see if we can’t turn your travel worries into actionable travel plans.

Choosing Where to Stay

Our first area of business is deciding where to stay. Sometimes, that decision is made for you. The boss arranges a place to stay when you travel to give that client some face time or flying around the world to visit family usually indicates that you’re staying with them. But, most of the time you have some say about where you’ll stay and your choice of accommodation can make all the difference when it comes to the success of your trip.

HOTELS/ MOTELS - Hotels and motels can range anywhere from roadside stops with ‘vacancy’ signs lit up to all inclusive resorts and everything in between. Your best bet for a hotel stay is going to be finding a place with a kitchenette. When looking for a hotel with a kitchenette, all you need to do is include it in your search criteria on your favorite travel booking website. If you’re traveling in the USA, the following chains claim to have rooms with kitchenettes: Homewood Suites,

Residence Inns, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Hyatt House, Townplace Suites and I’m sure there are others. Some of these kitchenettes are fully stocked kitchens and some are a simple microwave, fridge, toaster, sink and a few dishes.

Once you’ve booked a room with a kitchenette, call the hotel and confirm what all is available in your ‘kitchen’ and then you can make your plan. ~ Full kitchen - you can bring a few supplies and then plan on hitting a local grocery on arrival ~ Microwave & Fridge - bring prepared foods from home or order from ‘Paleo on the Go.‘ If you’re bringing lots of prepped foods from home, confirm the capacity of the fridge before your arrival.

If you’re unable to rent a hotel with a kitchen, don’t despair, there are still options for you. Most hotel/motel breakfasts are going to be mainly pastries, but you might be able to grab a piece of fruit, or if you’re lucky maybe a slice of bacon or two. (I’m sure that most of the time this isn’t AIP compliant bacon, but I find that the lessened stress of being on vacation allows me a few small slips). Sometimes, these breakfast areas have microwaves where you could heat up a cup of broth or a meal from home. Or, you might want to bring along a mini crockpot or a hot logic portable oven (more on these cool travel tools in the last section).

RENTAL APARTMENT/ CABIN -The closest thing to being at home, is to rent your own place. With your own place, you’ll have you’re own kitchen and the ability to stay as close as possible to your normal routine. Rental apartments or cabins are also ideal for families and large groups traveling together, because you’ve got plenty of space and you can set your own schedules.

Now, I’m sure you’re thinking. . . ‘I’m on vacation and don’t want to cook.’ A couple of ideas are:(1) bring batch cooked foods(2) make it a family activity to visit local markets and try new foods(3) order from ‘Paleo on the Go’ and enjoy their AIP foods while you have

a kitchen vacation. All you have to do is heat them up and enjoy.

AIR BNB - One type of rental accommodation that’s growing in popularity is ‘Air BnB.’ If you’re not familiar with ‘Air BnB,’ it’s a service that connects people with apartments (or sometimes just rooms) with people who need a place to stay. There are listings all over the world at all different price points. Want to stay in an apartment next to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai or a loft in walking distance from the Eiffel tower or how about a beautiful home on the beach of the Outer Banks of North Carolina? No worries, there are listings in all those locations. Staying in an air bnb rental gives you the comforts of home and will make meal prep and staying on plan a lot easier.

WITH FAMILY - You might be tempted to think that staying with family would be the easiest, but for many people this is actually the most difficult choice. Your aunt you haven’t seen in several years may not understand why you no longer want to eat her homemade peach ice cream every night after

AIP on a Cruise

Taking a week long cruise while on a restrictive diet might not sound like the best idea, but one of my best AIP travel experiences has been on a cruise.

After booking the cruise, I checked the website and it said for special dietary needs, please contact the cruise line several months in advance. I only had a couple of weeks, so decided there wasn’t any use in worrying about it and would hope for the best once on board.

Having been on a Royal Carribbean Cruise in the past I knew from experience that steaks are available every night in the main dining room, so thought if nothing else I’d be enjoying steak and figured I could make do. I also remembered that the menus always list which dishes can be prepared gluten and/or dairy free.

The first night I ordered a steak and asked some questions about the sides and appetizers and found a salad that would work and I asked for a fruit plate for dessert. I thought this would be my nightly fate.

At the end of dinner, our very gracious server came over and asked about my food restrictions. She took notes and said that she couldn’t promise anything, but might be able to have something special prepared for me. I thanked her, but also assured her I was fine as long as I had some meat and some vegetables.

Each night from then out I was offered a choice of steak or one of the other mains (duck, salmon, scallops) and every night they provided me with a whole plate of steamed vegetables. On the two formal nights, the chef prepared me a special dessert. Bananas Foster one night and wine poached pear the other. . . both had too much sugar and not all of the alcohol had cooked off, but I enjoyed them none the less. I figured I was on vacation and this was small slip considering how well I was handling the rest of the meal.

I also discovered on the second day, after walking in town all day, that the pool snack bar offered ‘build your own salads’ and had tuna. Perfect afternoon snack/ early dinner.

dinner and grandparents may have a hard time resisting the urge to give in to all of your child’s whims. The trick to staying compliant while staying with family is communication, communication, communication. The only way you’ll make it through time in a kitchen full of all your ‘no-way’ foods is to be clear about what you will and will not eat. The next step is to offer to cook some meals or all meals. If you don’t think there’s any way to make AIP meals work in the home you’ll be in, consider bringing frozen meals or ordering from a service like ‘paleo on the go.’

Now, What do I Pack?

You’ve chosen where you’re going to stay. What’s next? Now comes the fun of actually packing. This might be a cooler full of meals for a week, groceries to cook at your destination, or just some simple snacks to survive the road without breaking down at the convenience store. If you’re taking all your meals pre-made, you might want to consider freezing as many as possible so that they act as their own ice pack for the journey. Plus, you want to make sure that your large cooler doesn’t have to be opened on the road to assure things stay frozen.

Next, pack a ‘reachable’ bag. This would be the food for the trip (snacks, water bottles, etc.). Your reachable bag can be a smaller cooler, a couple of insulated lunch bags or even a few non-perishables to snack on in the car.

If you’ll be staying somewhere with your own kitchen, even if the kitchen is stocked you might want to bring along a few things. These will help with food prep, help to prevent cross-contamination in a shared kitchen and make your meals feel more like home.

• cutting board & knife• new sponges for clean up• your own skillet or favorite pan for cooking• some parchment paper - to line baking dishes that you might be using• olive and/or coconut oil• seasonings - coconut aminos, pink himalayan salt, dried herbs, fish sauce, etc.

Store Bought Convenience Foods:Just because picking up chips at the gas station is no longer an option, that doesn’t mean that convenience foods are out the question. A couple of years ago, I traveled to Venice and met my mom for a week long cruise. I had carefully planned and packed foods for the flight and had made a plan for the meals on board, but one thing I didn’t think about was the 8 hours in Venice before we boarded the ship. I can’t tell you how thankful I was for the can of tuna (and fork) that I had in my backpack. With pizza shops and gelato stands all around us, my mom and I stood along the grand canal; her with a slice of pizza and me enjoying my tuna.

Whether traveling for a few hours, or days, knowing what you can pick up on your way out of town or at a grocery store along the way can be a real lifesaver. The following items are great to have around for snacks or ‘emergency’ meals wherever you might be.

Fresh Fruit Veggie Sticks (celery, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini)

Epic Bars (there are a couple of AIP Varieties)

Wild Zora Bars Plantain Chips Paleo Angel Power Balls

Olives (watch for hidden ingredients) Dried Fruit (last resort due to high sugar content)

Coconut Chips or Coconut flakes

Bare/ Plain Roasted chicken from a grocery store (like Whole Foods)

Canned Tuna or sardines (probably not best for a confined space like an airplane)

PART Two - “Hit the Road, Jack. . .”

In most cases, traveling by car will turn out to be easier when it comes to sticking to your AIP diet and lifestyle. You can choose how far to drive each day, you get to determine when and where you’ll sleep, you can stop and take stretch breaks whenever you need and most importantly you aren’t restricted by airport security when it comes to how much and what kind of food you can take with you.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when heading out on a road trip:• Unless you’re in a huge hurry to get to your destination, consider breaking up your trip over a couple of days

and enjoying the journey. This will cut down on the stress of travel and likely provide some fun family memories.

• As you map your route, make a plan for when and where you’ll stop for food. Make a note of rest areas, parks where you could have a picnic and grocery stores where you could pick up a can of tuna or a plain chicken.

• Food stops shouldn’t be your only stops. I like to have a 5 minute stop every hour or so. This allows me to stretch my legs, move around a bit and get a bit of fresh air. This is especially a good idea for those of us with autoimmune conditions as many of us find great relief from gentle movement.

• Consider involving your kids in the route planning process and choose some stops along the way that might interest them. Do your kids really like waterfalls or covered bridges or historical sights? Choose stops that allow you to move around a bit as well as providing them with some entertainment and education along the way.

• Make a decision about ‘road-trip entertainment’ that works for your whole family. How much time do you want your kids on electronic devices? Do you want to play games as a family? (check out the ‘road trip games’ ideas on pages 22-23). Are you going to listen to audio books?

Fun Travel Games and Activities for Kids

If you have pint sized travelers with you, you’ll probably want to bring along a few travel games or resources. Here are some of my favorites.

Lap Desk - desk To-GoMadlibs ‘On the Road’

National Geographic Kid’s Road Trip Atlas

Eating Out on AIP Road Trips

Those of us on AIP know that the ideal is to cook all our meals in our own kitchens where we can control ingredients and rule out the risk of cross contamination. But, we all want/ need a break sometimes. Be it a dinner out with family, a business lunch, or the convenience of stopping at a road-side restaurant while on a family vacation. So, what’s an “AIP Adventurer” to do?

For starters, with a little preplanning and LOTS of questions, it is possible to find something to eat in a restaurant and remain AIP (or mostly so).

These tips should help you navigate the eating out process:

• Search online for paleo friendly restaurants in the area. If that’s not an option, try a local run restaurant where you might be able to speak to a chef (either over the phone or when you arrive at the restaurant).

• If you end up needing to find a chain restaurant, your best choices are going to be non-fast-food burger joints, steak restaurants or sushi places.

• If possible, call ahead and speak to a manager and confirm whether or not they’ll be able to accommodate you.

• When you arrive at a restaurant, start by asking for the gluten free menu and informing your server that you have some food allergies and will be high maintenance. Some people I know say that they also inform the server that they tip well too.

• Look at the gluten free menu and choose an item that you can customize. My choices generally are... steak, burger or grilled seafood. Then, I look at options for sides and ask questions... (a) How are the steamed vegetables seasoned? (b) Are the meats pre-seasoned? (c) Is it possible for meats to be grilled with no oil or butter or seasoning? Based on their answers, a standard order for me might sound like this - “I’d like the 6 oz. steak grilled with no oil, butter or seasonings. Please note that I’m allergic to gluten and dairy and ask the chef to clean the grill first. For sides I’d like 2 servings of the steamed vegetables also with no seasonings.”

As an added bonus, I asked some of my favorite AIP peeps about their favorite AIP-friendly food joints and what they order at these places - these were the responses I got. Be sure to still ask questions and confirm that these orders are safe, as various locations have different practices and menus are regularly changing. Just because these orders have worked for people in the past, doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they’ll always work for you. PLUS, please remember that any time you eat food from a public kitchen you are risking cross-contamination. This is a risk that you’ll need to weigh for yourself. My decision has been that the fun of eating out with friends on occasion (especially while traveling) outweighs the risks, as long as I’m careful.

• Whole Foods - buy a naked rotisserie chicken and then head to the freezer section and grab a bag of steam in the bag vegetables and use the microwave in the cafe to cook them

• Elevation Burger - lettuce wrap burger with onions (bring your own avocado or other toppings). Often they also sell fresh fruit (an apple or a mandarin)

• Outback Steakhouse - ask for a gluten free menu - then order (1) sirloin steak with no seasoning, steamed broccoli with no butter or seasoning and a plain sweet potato OR (2) grass fed burger (bun less) with steamed broccoli & sweet potato

• Red Robin - burger (bun less) with sweet potato fries (they have a dedicated gluten free fryer) and broccoli. They also have an app where you can tick your food allergies and they’ll suggest what to order.

• Any Sushi Restaurant - order Sashimi and make it clear that you can’t eat gluten, soy or seeds. Bring along your own coconut aminos

• Five Guys - tell them you have a gluten allergy and they’ll change their gloves. Then, order a bunless burger. Bring your own avocado or other toppings

If your travels happen to take you to AUSTRALIA

•Grill’d - order a grass fed burger (bun less) with kumara/sweet potato fries

•4fourteen - in Sydney - this restaurant has a nose to tail philosophy and are very careful with dietary needs

•Egg of the Universe - in Sydney - they have a whole foods cafe and will come out and discuss your dietary needs

PART Three - “I’m Leaving on a Jetplane. . .”

Having lived overseas since I was in preschool, plane travel almost comes naturally to me and I feel more at home in international airports than most other places in the world. I know that sounds completely bizarre, but it’s true - airports are my happy place. I love the sights and sounds and all the amazing people watching - I especially love the thought that I’m one step away from anywhere in the world.

Basic Long Flight Survival Tips

•Before boarding the flight, instead of using your airport time to peruse the duty-free shops, use your time to get some last minute exercise. This will help you rest better once on the flight and will help to prevent the formation of blood clots.•Hydrate - drink a bottle of water before boarding and every time a flight attendant comes by offering something to drink, take a cup of water. PRO TIP - You don’t have to wait for the flight attendant to get something to drink. In the hours between food service, you can always find a couple of flight attendants in the galley. Walk on back, ask for a cup of water (or two) and chat with them for a few minutes. They always have great travel stories.•Don't sit still. Get up and move around as much as possible. I try once an hour to stand up and move around. My tip is, walk to the toilets at the back of the plane and stand in the galley and stretch for a few minutes. If you have a bulkhead seat you can stand and keep watching movies if you're careful. •Do some seat exercises. My greatest nightmare is getting stuck in a middle seat, next to a sleeping passenger, with absolutely no way to get out. If you can't easily get out of your seat, do shoulder lifts and shoulder rolls, roll your ankles, stretch your legs, etc. •Bring a toothbrush and toothpaste. Brushing your teeth after eating and before 'bed time' will help you relax and hopefully get some sleep. Bring teabags of your favorite herbal tea to help you relax before sleeping as well.

Sleeping on the Plane

We all know that there is more to the AIP/ Paleo lifestyle than diet and exercise. Sleep (or lack thereof) and stress are major triggers for most of us with autoimmune conditions. Don’t deny it...you know your friends make fun of you for going to bed at 9 pm and you don’t care. But, how do you balance your need for good sleep with the 15 hour flight. No matter how great your plane food plan is, a long flight can still derail you because of lack of sleep.

Here are a few tips to help you get the sleep you need:

(1) Don’t stress out about how little sleep you’re getting. You know the drill. . If I fall asleep now I’ll get 5 hours. . now I’ll get 4 hours. . now I’ll get 45 minutes. This will only make it harder to sleep.

(2) Follow the same sleep routine you use at home. . . drink some soothing herbal tea, brush your teeth, wash your face, change clothes (or maybe just add a comfy sweatshirt), read a book. Give your body the cues that it’s time to sleep.

Food for 15 Hour Flight

Living in Dubai, I do a lot of traveling. The Dubai airport is a major travel hub and it’s easy to hop a flight to anywhere in Europe, Asia or Africa. These flights are just a few hours and don’t take much pre-planning.

However, once a year I head back to the States to visit family for a couple of weeks. And, this means that I pack all my food for the 15 hour flight plus layovers and domestic flights...usually 20 hours in total.

My food bag usually has:- 2 full meals (burger patty and salad, sweet

potato salad, chicken or tuna salad)- 2 pieces of fruit- a bag of carrot & cucumber sticks- a bag of plantain chips- some sort of AIP treat- an empty water bottle- a frozen solid ice pack (note - you’ll probably

have to throw away your ice pack when you go through security on the other end)

(3) If possible upgrade or pay a little extra for a seat with more leg room (emergency rows or bulkhead seats). The potential downsides to these seats are that some emergency row seats don’t recline and some bulkhead seats don’t have moveable armrests, so if you’re lucky enough to have an empty seat next to you, you can’t really spread out.

(4) Choose a seat somewhere in the middle of the cabin. The front is where the families with babies are and the back is where people will be congregated by the galley and toilet. The middle will be the quietest.

(5) Think about which side (right or left) you usually sleep on. Choose a seat that will most easily allow you to lean in that direction. This is especially true if seated by a window.

(6)A lot of people recommend choosing a window seat if you plan on sleeping as it gives you something to lean up against. I don’t like window seats because they are colder and I like to get up a lot - especially on long flights. But, if you have a 6-8 hour night flight it might guarantee the best rest.

(7)Wear loose fitting/ comfortable clothing and enough layers to control temperature. Bring a pair of warm socks and shoes you can easily slip on for trips to the toilet (or midnight strolls down the aisles if sleep alludes you). Long flights are not the time for a fashion show.

(8) Look around for empty seats and politely ask the flight attendant if you can switch seats. If you can get 2 seats you might be able to curl up a bit and get more comfortable. If you are stuck in your one seat, (unless the person behind you is eating or working on their table) recline as much as your seat will allow you.

(9)Avoid watching TV as the light from the screen will keep your brain awake. Instead, choose quiet, relaxing music and noise canceling headphones. Most airlines have plenty of music to choose from, or you can bring your own relaxing playlists or sleep sounds or use an app like ‘sleep machine’. If you don’t plan on listening to music, bring some comfortable earplugs to help block some of the noise. It’s also helpful to wear an eye mask to keep you from checking out what you’re neighbor is watching. Many airlines provide them, but having one that’s always part of your travel kit will help.

(10)Bring your own pillow. Something familiar that reminds you or your bed at home is always a good idea. While you’re at it, bring your own blanket and use the one provided rolled up behind you for lumbar support. A good travel blanket is a sleeping bag liner. If you use one of the u-shaped travel pillows, wear it on the front of your neck for the best support. And, to help your drift off into la-la-land, spritz your pillow with some lavender oil right before sleep.

Flying with Babies and Little OnesNot being a mom myself, I don’t have firsthand experience of traveling with babies, but on each and every flight I see the stress on the faces of the moms seated around me and know that this is a trying time.

A friend of mine who often travels internationally alone with her four small children once said - - “Think of it—you are about to walk inside a metal tube holding a baby and sit on a tiny foam square in rows with a few hundred other people who are sitting on tiny squares and spend the next twelve to twenty-ish hours of your lives together. You may have a brief (or not-so brief) respite on a layover, but for now 37F is your new, temporary parenting cubicle while jet engines propel you through the air over oceans and continents.” - Gloria Furman

Traveling with little ones is an added challenge as you can no longer focus just on your own sleep and dietary needs. But, as with most things, with a little bit of planning you’ll make it to your destination without too many scars. Here are some tips and ideas that I’ve picked up from friends and observed on flights. Hopefully they’ll help to make the travel time as smooth as possible.

• Most airlines don’t require children to have their own seat until they are 2 years old. But, consider the length of the flight, and if you (and the little one) will be able to get comfortable sitting together. Most children do better in their own seat. It’s going to cost you a full price ticket, but it might be worth it for your peace of mind.

• Acknowledge the fact that things will be different than they are at home. Try not to stress about the fact that your baby’s feeding and sleep schedule will be off. You can try to help this by choosing a flight time when you think your child might sleep. It’s still not guarantee, but it works for some people.

• Make sure you have something for them to eat or drink during take off and landing (to help them pop their ears) and pack plenty of other snacks to keep them occupied on the flight.

• Baby food and bottles can be brought on board (in most cases exceeding the liquid limitations). Place all baby food liquids in a large zip top bag and present them to the security agent for inspection.

• Make sure you have enough supplies (diapers, wipes, changes of clothes, etc.) for the flight, but try not to over- pack. Remember that you’ll have to lug all of this stuff on and off the plane with the baby too. A good rule of thumb is to think about how many changes you need at home for that amount of time and add 2 extra. As far as food/ bottles, bring 2 more than you think you’ll need -in case the flight is delayed, or you mis a connection. Better to be prepared.

• For babies or young children you may be wondering about their car seat. . .

✦ If you have a separate seat for your child and they are comfortable in their carseat, bring it along and bring it on the flight. This might help them sleep better. For more information on flying with carseats, check out this helpful article.

✦ If you’ll be traveling by car at your destination - either a rental or a family member’s - bring it along. There are some options for renting carseats, but I’ve also heard horror stories of availability and cleanliness of carseats at car rental locations.

✦ If you don’t need to have the carseat on the plane with you, most airlines will let you check it at the gate and it will be returned to you at the gate upon your arrival. Just make sure you have a carseat travel bag to protect your carseat.

✦ If you’re traveling to a large city where you’ll only be traveling by subway or metro, you might want to just leave the carseat at home instead of having one more thing to lug through the airport with you.

• Plan for some special treats along the way - wrap a favorite book that they can open at a certain point, load a new song or video or app on your phone that they can look forward to (maybe while you’re waiting for everyone else to get on the plane). Or a new toy to open at the airport can help considerably to ease the anxiety your child may be feeling.

• If you are traveling with 2 parents (or 2 adults), consider having 1 parent board early to get everything on board and get the seats ready. The other parent can stay in the gate area letting the kids run around as long as possible.

PART Four - “The AIP Travel Toolbox”

There was a time in my life where travel seemed like the easiest thing in the world to do. As long as I had my passport (and maybe some fuzzy socks) I was ready to board a flight anywhere. And, the only planning I used to do for road trips was to fill up the tank and choose a direction. There was even one road trip where a friend and I had no directions and no plans. We just hit the road and had an adventure. The days of spontaneous travel may be over, but with a little advance planning and a few resources, adventure can still be around each and every corner.

Whether you’re jetting off around the world, going on a business trip or getting away for the weekend with family, here are some resources that will make your adventures a little easier. I haven’t tried all of these, but they are all things that I would love to try and several are on my wish list.

(1) Hotlogic Portable Oven - I haven’t personally used one of these, but they look like the perfect travel companion. It kind of reminds me of my ‘easy bake oven’ although the heating element doesn’t seem to be a lightbulb. When I first saw these advertised and being used by some of my AIP friends I thought that it would be so cool to go to a hotel for a few days with a cooler full of all my favorite breakfast soups and AIP meals and be able to heat them up and enjoy the comforts of home in my ‘home away from home.’ This isn’t designed to cook your food, but instead slowly warms up your already prepared food.

(2) 12 Volt to 110 Power Adapter - This simple little tool will allow you to use your “hot logic” or other small appliance in your car.

(3)Mini Crockpot (food warmer) - This product is designed with a crock that food can be stored in and refrigerated and a base that is plugged in to slowly heat your food. This is a great tool to keep in your office or use in hotel rooms while you travel. I’m thinking a warm cup of broth when waking up in a hotel sounds like an excellent idea.

(4) eBags Crew Cooler - This cooler bag (honestly it’s so cool I think it deserves a name other than cooler) was originally designed for the unique food needs of flight attendants and pilots. It has a large cooler section, an extra section for non-perishable food items, pockets for other items, pouches for water bottles and more. Plus, it slips over the trolley handle of your suitcase, so it’s perfect for travel. According to the reviews it will keep foods cool for a full day and is roomy enough to hold a couple of meals.

(5) Kid’s Car Seat Organizer & Cooler - This car organizer/ cooler is designed to fit on the backseat (between 2 passengers). The cooler portion is large enough for your food for the day, there are water bottle pouches on the front and side pockets for storing games, sunglasses, etc. The top can also be used as a tray for food or for backseat game play.

(6)Car Seat Back Organizer & Cooler - a handy car organizer that hangs on the back of a car seat. It has pockets for snacks and water bottles and an insulated cooler that’s large enough for several water bottles or snacks that need to be keep cool and handy at the same time.

(7) Purifyou Glass Water Bottle - One of the things you can’t do without when you travel is a good water bottle and I love the glass bottle with the protective silicone sleeve. It’s pretty and practical. Just make sure it’s empty before going through airport security or you’ll be airport entertainment as you stand barefoot next to the bag screeners chugging 12 oz of water.

(8) Stanley Vacuum Mug - This travel mug takes me back to childhood on safari in Tanzania....it’s such a classic design. The advantage to this stainless steel mug is that it’s vacuum sealed (so won’t leak) and it will keep your hot drinks hot for up to 9 hours. Your favorite tea or broth can be sipped on all day long.

(9) Trtl Travel Pillow - This travel pillow got rave reviews on amazon. It fits on either side of your neck and provides support, as well as a microfleece covering on the the pillow and a scarf that goes around your neck. This sounds perfect to me, because not only do I need something to lean on while flying, my neck is also always cold.

(10) Travelrest Travel Pillow - This inflatable pillow supports your head and neck in several different positions and keeps your head from falling forward when you fall asleep. This pillow can easily be used in a plane, car, bus or any other location where you need to sleep sitting up.

(11) Premier Class Travel Blanket - This particular blanket folds into a pouch that can also then be used as a pillow for lumbar support. It has has an opening at the top, to allow you to wear the blanket over your head and it will stay in place. (no more airplane blankets sliding off and ending up on the floor - gross!). Plus, it has a pocket you can keep valuables or things you like to have close (for me that would be chapstick).

(12) Go Pod Portable Baby Activity Station - This is a must have for families on the go with little ones. It’s a lightweight, foldable (folds up like a travel chair) activity station. It’s also has loops for connecting small toys.

(13) Go Go Babyz Travelmate - If you travel frequently with a carseat, this is a great option as it kind of converts your carseat to a stroller

(14) Child Airplane Travel Harness - If your child is weighs between 22 & 44 pounds and has their own seat (but you’re not planning on bringing a carseat), this is the perfect option for you. It installs quickly and easily on all airplane seats and is FAA approved.

(15) Paleo on the Go - a paleo meal delivery service with a full AIP menu. If you’re traveling to a place with a kitchen (or staying with friends/ family), consider placing an order to be delivered to your destination so you have quick and easy meals while on vacation.

About MeHi and welcome to "Adventures in Partaking!"

Now you might be asking yourself about the name Adventures in Partaking. Or possibly you couldn't care less what this blog is called as long as the recipes are good. Either way, the way I see it, life is an adventure and I love adventure!! Unplanned road trips, scrambling over rocks, climbing to the top of whatever happens to be in my way...adventures are good.

And, when you follow a restricted diet of any sort, eating becomes an adventure. Am I right?

My name is Bethany and I'll be your guide (or one of many now that the AIP world is expanding so much) on this adventure called The AutoImmune Protocol. Together we'll face the hurdles of egg free baking, sugar free desserts and making all of our family favorites without the processed convenience foods that have become such a huge part of the food scene of this generation. We'll figure out fun uses for sweet potatoes and dates and coconut and hopefully we'll have a good time doing it. We won't always do it perfectly, but we'll support each other along the way, do the best we can and enjoy the adventure.

So, who am I and why should you join me on this adventure. I'm a Christian, single, 40 year old woman who loves to cook and always has. I'm not a professional cook, photographer or writer, but have always loved dabbling in all three and they combine well when it comes to a food blog. I don't have all the answers, but I'm happy to help you find them, and more often than not I'll just point you to "The Paleo Mom," as she was my main resource as I started this journey. When I'm not busy cooking yummy foods to share with you, I'm working as the Director of Children's Ministries at the United Christian Church of Dubai, writing about children's ministry, hanging out with my friends, or out on an adventure around Dubai, around the United Arab Emirates, or around the world. Travel is my favorite kind of adventure.

The final thing you should know about me is the why behind the AIP diet. Ever since high school I've suffered with back pain and doctor after doctor told me there was nothing wrong with me. Finally I went to an eye doctor and was diagnosed with uveitis and she sent me to a rheumatologist who ran some tests and told me I have spondyloarthritis. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life on medication, so I got online, did some research, found the AutoImmune Protocol and have been medication free for 14 months. Yeah!

Get your aprons on and let's get on with the adventure!