Today is the first in a series of Q&A’s with members of the Kettlebell Kitchen team. We chose Jess Pamanian to start because she’s a great woman to chat with both on the paleo/food side of the equation (she designed one of our snacks!) and the crossfit/competition side of things (she’s placed 4th at the Games AND she coaches!). Hope you enjoy the Q&A as much as we enjoyed putting it together for the blog!
KBK blog: How long have you been eating paleo? Was it a gradual or quick transition for you?
Jess Pamanian (J.P.): I have been eating paleo (on and off) for almost two years. It was definitely a gradual transition, but once I reaped the benefits of clean eating there was more incentive to follow paleo more closely and often.
KBK blog: When did you first create the Pamanian Paleo Granola recipe? Was it something already in your repertoire before Kettlebell Kitchen was on your radar?
J.P.: I first created the granola recipe after sampling some of my friend, Scott’s, nut clusters last Halloween. He brought them, oddly enough, to one of the Lurong Paleo Challenge WODs and I thought they were great, but thought of ways to tweak it more to my liking. Thus the recipe was born, but I revised it specifically for KBK.
KBK blog: Your Kettlebell Kitchen “Fun Fact” states that you love country music. So if you were going to throw a big paleo dinner party, what songs would pair with it?
J.P.: I suppose my music selection would depend on what we were having for dinner. A summer day party warrants country music, absolutely. An evening party needs something more mellow, maybe some weird hipster-ish music like Little Dragon or SBTRKT (I love them).
KBK blog: You’re a highly competitive crossfitter but also a pastry chef. How do those two very different aspects of your personality/background inform your take on paleo-style eating (for deliciousness, for health, for performance)?
J.P.: This is true. I was classically French trained in cuisine and pastry and I find it extremely difficult for paleo life and foodie life to coexist. I don’t believe paleo food tastes as good as non-paleo food, but we can always try. I eat paleo mostly, but I cheat everyday and use my grueling workouts as an excuse to do this. If I had a competition I might only have one cheat day a week. My mind goes crazy when my food choices are too limited. I love food. However, I have seen the positive results of eating paleo, so I know it works for weight loss, decreased inflammation, and increased performance…in that respect, paleo eating is better.
KBK blog: Why should everyone know how to cook? And what’s the best way for a non-cook to start to learn how to cook?
J.P.: We eat everyday, many times a day, and we will have to do so until the day we die. Why not eat delicious things always? That’s my plan. To learn to cook, one can buy a simple cook book and start cooking dishes from it. Watch the food network and listen to what the chefs say about the food they are cooking and why they are doing certain things to different food. I learned to cook like that before I went to culinary school. Or, shadow a friend who cooks well!