From the archive: the original 2011 post opened on a tired Friday night, after a long week and a body that was clearly asking for better fuel. The answer, the author decided, was a "primal" way of eating — and the first experiment was a crock pot Paleo Chili that made the whole house smell amazing.

Happy Friday — or Saturday morning, depending on when you're reading this. It has been quite a week. The original post was written on one of those evenings when you are d-o-n-e, done: worn down, achy, and very aware that something needs to change. When you feel like that, all signs usually point to one place — the fuel going into your body.

Listening to your body

For about a year before this post, the kitchen here had already been through a quiet revolution. Because of breastfeeding, dairy and soy had been cut out, and gluten was being watched carefully too. It worked, and it led to a lot of fun experimenting with new recipes and alternative ingredients.

But here's the honest truth the original post admitted: many of those "alternatives" were carb-heavy substitutes, and cheese had quietly become the go-to snack. Looking back, the author realized her body had been through a lot — nine months of pregnancy and a year of breastfeeding. Time for a change.

Discovering the paleo approach

What sparked the shift was following other bloggers who were eating "primal" — real, unprocessed food built around meat, vegetables, and healthy fats, without grains, legumes, or dairy. The original 2011 post mentioned being inspired by writers like Biz of My Bizzy Kitchen and AndreAnna of Life as a Plate, both of whom shared honest journeys with the paleo diet. (Both blogs are now archived, but their influence on this little corner of the internet was real.)

The takeaway was simple: eating this way takes planning. Before committing to anything, the sensible first move was to try a few recipes and get some favorite dishes under your belt. We've since put together an updated roundup of paleo websites worth bookmarking if you're starting down the same road today.

A quick, honest note from the editor's desk: no single way of eating is a magic fix. Paleo is a framework some people find helpful for eating more whole foods — not a cure or a guarantee. As always, talk with a qualified professional about what fits your situation.

First experiment: Paleo Chili

The very first primal recipe tested here was a slow cooker chili, adapted from a recipe by the blog Life as a Plate. It was an easy lunch dish that — according to the original post — made coworkers drool every time it was reheated at the office. The secret is pureed squash, which thickens the chili beautifully without beans or flour.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. ground beef
  • 1 can (24 oz.) diced tomatoes, unflavored
  • 1–2 small yellow onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup each of fresh peppers, chopped (bell peppers work well)
  • 2 jalapeños, chopped (keep or discard ribs and seeds depending on how much heat you like)
  • 2 tbsp. chopped parsley (save a little for garnish)
  • 1–2 cups pureed squash, for thickening (butternut or acorn both work)
  • 2 packets chili seasoning mix (Simply Organic was the original pick; any clean-ingredient blend works)
  • 1 cup beef or chicken broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Set your crock pot to low and plan on about 8 hours of cooking time.
  2. Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain off the excess fat.
  3. Chop the onions, peppers, jalapeños, and parsley while the beef browns.
  4. Put the meat in the bottom of the crock pot first and break it up.
  5. Add the diced tomatoes, broth, vegetables, pureed squash, and seasoning. Stir to combine.
  6. Cover and cook on low, stirring every few hours if you're around.
  7. Taste, adjust salt and pepper, and let it cook up to 3 hours longer for a thicker chili. Garnish with the reserved parsley.

Holy yum — those were the exact words in the original post, and they still hold. This chili fills the house with the kind of smell that makes everyone wander into the kitchen asking when dinner is ready. It also reheats beautifully, which makes it a strong candidate for your weekly meal-prep rotation alongside our freezer-friendly chicken fajitas.

Where the journey went next

The original post ended with a plan: read a few more books, keep testing recipes, and see how a primal way of eating felt in real life. That's still the best advice. You don't have to overhaul everything at once — start with one pot of chili, see how it goes, and build from there.

If chili night has you in a comfort-food mood, you might also like our BBQ cheese meatloaf, another reader favorite from the archive. Happy cooking!