Monday, March 30, 2009

No salt experiment

So I decided to try to eliminate salt completely from my diet for at least 1 week. I know that food may not taste the same. although I cut down on the use of salt already, I still add it too my cooking because its supposed to "bring out the flavor". I will focus on enjoying the taste of food that I eat for what it is. So far day 1 went well. Don't miss it much.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

enlightening Podcast

I encourage you to listen to a wonderful podcast with Dr. McGuff on excersize and nutrition.

common excersize and fatloss myths debunked.

http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/dr-doug-mcguff-episode-239/

Liver in lemon-dill sauce

Decided to try a very different liver recipe. And no salt.




Ingredients:


  • 8 oz beef liver
  • 1 tbs duck fat
  • pepper to taste
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1/4 tsp dry dill
Directions:


heat skillet and melt duck fat (the recipe called for rendering out bacon fat, but I did not have that, I did have rendered duck fat, which is also tasty.) Sprinkle liver with pepper and dill. Fry liver pieces until browned on both sides. ad juice of lemon and zest and allow to thicken to a sauce. ( the recipe calls for the crunchy bacon pieces to be added at this time).

Didn't miss the salt at all! I overdid it on the onions. The lemon sauce was interesting, not sure if I'd make this again. My favorite so far is the onion /apple/sage combo witht he liver.







Saturday, March 28, 2009

SALT

According to Lauren Cordain, the author of The Paleo Diet, Paleolithic people did not consume salt. It was just not available.

I have been trying to use salt very sparingly in my cooking, Just a dash here and there as it does seem to enhance flavor. As the weeks go by I am trying to slowly eliminate salt form my diet and enjoy food for its natural taste. What I have noticed is that if I eat out, or eat any processed food such as chicken sausage that I eat occasionally (all paleo ingredients) I find these foods overwhelmingly salty. Sometimes unbearably salty.

There is new research that salt may have another deleterious side effect on our bodies. Besides playing a role in raising blood pressure, salt may also make our blood vessels stiffer. Blood vessel stiffness is linked to a higher risk of heart disease.

The Study:
Researchers put 29 overweight people with normal blood pressure on a diet with typical US sodium intake (3,450 milligrams a day) or a lower salt intake (1,115 milligrams a day). After 2 weeks on the lower salt diet, arteries were less stiff than after 2 weeks on the higher sodium diet. In addition , the lower salt group lowered their blood pressure.
source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 89: 485, 2009

So now there is yet another reason to lower your sodium intake, and another reason why eating the way our paleolithic ancestors ate is a good idea.

Pan seared sea scallops

Sea scallops are pretty pricey so I eat them on occasion. If you order them in a restaurant you are lucky if they give you more than 4. I buy mine frozen at Trade Joe's. A little more than a dozen costs about $9. that's good for 2 servings. The key to cooking sea scallops is not to over cook them you want the outside to brown and the very center to be practically raw. At least that's how I like mine.



Ingredients:

  • 12 sea scallops.
  • salt.
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • canola oil.

Directions:


Heat a non stick skillet. add oil. wash scallops and dry well with paper towel. A Light sprinkle of sea salt and a dusting of paprika is all they need. Fry on med heat for 2 min flip and fry for 3 more (it takes longer the second side due to heat loss in the pan) .







Served here with broccoli spears and crushed garlic.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Beef liver with onions and apple

Here is another liver recipe with as different flavor



Ingredients:




  • 8 oz beef liver, cut into bite size strips
  • 1 med onion, julienned
  • 1 med green, apple quartered ans sliced thin
  • 1 /2 tsp dry sage
  • salt pepper
  • oil
Directions:

salt and pepper the liver. Heat a non stick skillet, add oil and the remaining ingredients. saute on med-high until liver is browned.


Paleolithic Diet tested by scientists

Recently there have been 2 studies of the Paleolithic Diet.

below is a link to a site that summarizes both studies with direct links to the actual studies.

In short the Paleolithic Diet kicked the Mediterranean Diets butt!

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/10/paleolithic-diet-clinical-trials.html

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Beef Liver with onoins

I defrosted about 2 lbs of grass fed Beef Liver today. I decided to start with a basic common recipe: liver and onions, its the only way I ever ate liver. However, I am looking forward to exploring a few new recipes...

Once for ounce , the liver is the most nutrient dense food:
  • An excellent source of high-quality protein
  • Nature’s most concentrated source of vitamin A
  • All the B vitamins in abundance, particularly vitamin B12
  • One of our best sources of folic acid
  • A highly usable form of iron
  • Trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium
  • CoenzymeQ, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function
  • A good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA.
NOTE: the liver is the body's major filtering organ. I wouldn't dream of eating NON-grass fed beef liver.



Ingredients:


  • 1/2 lb Beef liver cut into strips.
  • 1 med onion julienned (halved and cut thin)
  • 1/4 tsp dry thyme
  • 1/4 tsp dry rosemary
  • 1/8 tsp paprika
  • salt/pepper
  • canola oil

Directions:

Heat skillet, add oil. salt & pepper the livers, add to hot oil along with the onion and herbs. saute until browned, about 5 min.




Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Know your beef

Any serious cook should now his or her way around the animal you are cooking. Since we will be eating a lot of beef it is wise to get acquainted with this yummy animal. As a rule of thumb the parts of the animal that do the least amount of work are the most tender and do well with quick dry cooking at high heats such as grilling or pan searing. the cuts that do the most amount of work are the toughest and do well in braises or soups or moist, long cooking at lower heat.


For more details:

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/beefcuts.htm

Crockpot beef stew with root vegetables

Although potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes are not allowed on the paleo diet, other root vegetables are fair game. This dish makes use of three common root vegetables easily found in any grocery store: Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips.

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 lbs Chuck Beef, Grass Fed (if you can get that)
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into1/3 inch rounds
  • 5 Med Parsnips, peeled, sliced into 1/3 inch rounds
  • 3 Med Turnips, peeled and cubed
  • 6 cloves garlic , crushed and coarsely chopped
  • 3 Med onions, coarsely chopped
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1/2 Cup red wine

Directions:

Cut the chuck roast into 1 1/2 inch cubes, trim away any large areas of fat and bones. [The chuck cut of beef is from the shoulder. The bone in a chuck roast is the scapula or the shoulder blade. This part of the animal does a lot of work, thus it is a tough cut of meat with lots of connective tissue as there are many muscle groups here. This particular cut of meat lends well to braising (long moist covered cooking on lower heats). The further from the head cuts of chuck are more tender. Therefore, look for cuts with a longer bone (the scapula in cross section) these are the better cuts of chuck.] In a large cast iron skillet brown the pieces, remove and set aside on a large plate. Add oil, and saute onions until they begin to brown, add garlic and saute for another 2-3 min. Deglaze with red wine: scrub the bottom with wooden spatula to dissolve the tasty brown bits. Place bones on the bottom of the crock pot. [ If you do not have a crock pot use a heavy pot like a dutch oven. Bring liquid to a boil and simmer on low] Transfer the contents of the skillet to the crock pot. Place meat on top. Cook on high for 3 hours. remove bones, add root vegetables and mix well to distribute vegetables evenly. Cook on low for another hour. Drain liquid out of the crock pot and separate the fat out. (This can be done by skimming the fat off the top with a spoon or a bulb baster. Or if you are not eating the stew right away you can refrigerate the liquid and once the fat has hardened it is easily removed. The fat can be reserved for cooking or thrown away.) Add the liquid back to the stew and enjoy!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Fat-phobia

If you still need convincing about fats not being the evil foods they have been touted to be. I urge you to read Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. This is a facinating and at the same time disturbing read how biased researchers and media hype can influence common dogma. This reminds me of John Stossel's :Give Me a Break






here is the amazon.com link:



http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Gary-Taubes/dp/1400040787/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217292873&sr=8-1



you can listen to Gary's recent lecture on youtube as well.



http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4362041487661765149


I have to tell you, having spent most of my adult life eating non-fat plastic food, it is nice to finally enjoy food. Because simply put: Fat tastes good!

Monday, March 23, 2009

NUTS


Nuts are definitely part of a Paleo Diet. There is no doubt that our ancestors ate this rich energy source. You have to be careful though. many nuts are very high in Omega 6 fatty acids. If you are trying to maintain a good ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids (Lauren Cordain , the author of The Paleo Diet estimates are that our paleolithic ancestors ate a diet that was 2:1 or 3:1 in Omega 6 to omega 3 FA ratio. Walnuts come the closest 4:1 - Omega 6 to omega 3 ratio. all other nuts lean heavy into the omega 6 fatty acid category. For example Almonds are 20:1. So try to stick to walnuts.

I avoid buying shelled nuts.

It is easy to shovel hand fulls of shelled nuts onto your mouth and before you know it you have consumed a few cups worth of nuts.

By buying nuts in a shell it takes a longer time to eat them, and you will expand some energy in cracking the nuts, plus its fun! The nuts are also fresher in the shell.
I fondly remember my grandfather take 2 walnuts in one hand and crack them! This is a great way to crack them if you do not have a nut cracker handy. Of course you can get really paleo and use 2 rocks!

Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, something that is hard to get from common foods.

Nuts add a great crunch to salads sauteed vegetable dishes.

smelts with capers in lemon sauce

I bought a bag of frozen wild smelts. This is a great way to enjoy fish on a budget. These small fish are eaten with bones and a great way to get your calcium as well.


Ingredients:
12 smelts
zest of one lemon
juice of 1 lemon
tbsp small capers.
1/2 tsp garlic powder
canola oil


Directions:

heat oil in a pan. fry smelts for 2 min, sprinkle with garlic powder, add lemon zest, cook for another 2 min. add lemon juice, cook for 1 min.



Sunday, March 22, 2009

Rethining diet and excersize

A new book by Dr. McGruff, a physician who extensively researched diet and exercise has hit the bookshelves.

BODY BY SCIENCE

amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Science-Research-Program-Results/dp/0071597174/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237762458&sr=8-1

Here is the author himself hitting on the core concepts in the book.
there are 9 you tube snippets

Pay close attention to #5a and 5b

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-ufSYBcZa0&feature=related BBC1



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NxnywlDOb0&feature=related BBC 2




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiHhc7eLpQY&feature=related BBC3



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUaJxsLBaHY&feature=related BBC4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzA-E8zb-Ds BBC5a

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToGt_GYCUmY BBC5b

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSGCcjCjAlk&feature=related BBC6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eNBTZiZnLY&feature=related BBC7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1L9GamP2dA&feature=related BBC8


Bought my copy today!

A sad trend

As a society we are getting fatter and sicker. Last year the CDC reported that incidence of diabetes has nearly doubled.This number is considered an under estimate since 1/3 of diabetics are not even aware that they have the disease. Obesity is acutely on the rise especially in children. Yet the US government is still sticking to their outdated food pyramid whith grains being the primary energy source.

Our false ideas about the role that carbohydrates and fats play in our diet and "the calories in calories out" approach to weight loss have served to to fatten us and sicken us to epidemic proportions. Thes ideas are so engrained in our beliefs that evidence to the contrary is quickly dismissed or overlooked.

Similarly, in our not so distant past everyone believed the world was flat or that the earth was at the center of the universe. When new ideas came forth they were dismissed as ridiculous and as heresy.

Fat does not makeus fat, in fact carbohydrates do.

This was published in 1958 by Dr. Mackarness.

read on:

http://www.ourcivilisation.com/fat/chap1.htm

I highly suggest reading the remainder of the site as well. Although dairy was considered OK at the time this was a huge step inthe right direction. Seems like Dr. Atkins did listen.

Paleo Breakfast

We all grew up with breakfast based on high carb grain based foods, most of them sweet: Pancakes and waffles with syrup, Bagels with cream cheese, Muffins, doughnuts, cold or hot cereal most of the time spiked with sugar. This idea of breakfast choices is engrained in our brains. Eggs are pretty much the only exception.

One of the most common question when switching to the paleo diet is: "Am I stuck eating eggs for breakfast every time?" Followed by the statement. "Eggs are high in cholesterol and fat and that's bad for me".

Well eggs are not bad for you. see the link below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7882850.stm

I always buy the omega 3 eggs. they are a bit more expensive, but the health benefits are well worth it.

Fat is not bad for you either. More on this later...

You can have a varied breakfast menu with just eggs by changing the cooking styles and the veggies you add to your omelets. experiment and have fun.

There also needs to be a paradigm shift about breakfast. It is just a meal. So on the Paleo Diet you can have lunch or dinner for breakfast. Now the possibilities are endless.

Or you can do what I do. I skip breakfast all together. I am just not hungry when I wake up and I'd rather sleep the extra time away. I do usually have breakfast on the weekends with my family. And it usually consists of sunny side eggs with chicken breakfast sausages from Tader Joe's (all paleo ingredients). In fact these breakfast sausages are pretty much the only "processed" food I eat. They are a bit salty to my taste. more on that later...

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Paleo Drinks

Drinking plain water gets pretty boring. I decided to cut out diet soda and all the chemicals it brings. Drinking sugared soda or juices is not even an option due to the high sugar content, even watered down juices, is extremely non-Paleo. Although I do drink coffee occasionally , I really do not want the caffeine rush or to rely on it to wake up. So that leaves me with tea.



The tea realm is virtually limitless. There are many types of true teas: black, green, white and their subcategories. Then there are flavored teas such as earl grey or Jasmine Green and a myriad of herbal teas.



Currently I am working through a box of Oolong black tea. I also keep 2 pitchers of "Iced tea. One caffeinated. one decaffeinated. I usually brew 3 tea bags of either black or green tea and add a third for extra flavoring such as peppermint tea or mint tea. I have learned to drink all teas without sweeteners and enjoy the taste for what it is. At night I love to finish my day with a warm cup of Chamomile tea.



I find that Asian stores carry a variety of great teas at 1/3 or 1/2 the price of American supermarkets.

Paleo Diet in the news

Found this interesting article:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article4919415.ece

Broiled Red Large Eyed Red Snapper

I was told that this is a variety of red snapper by the Chinese fishmonger. somehow I doubt that it is related to American red snapper, but it is red.



ready for the oven


Ingredients:
  • 2 whole red snapper gutted
  • bunch fresh dill
  • 3 lemons
  • lest of 2 lemons
  • canola oil
  • salt, pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed and coarsely chopped


Directions:
place the stems of dill on oven pan that accommodated the fish. place slices of lemon on top the dill to create a "bed: for the fish. rub , salt, fish with canola oil. Mix zest, salt pepper, garlic with a bit of canola oil so it sort of holds together. and rub inside the fish. cut 3 diagonal slits on side of fish and place lemon wedges inside. sprinkle with salt. flip fish over and repeat. place on top rack of 425 deg. oven. watch closely crisp the skin. place on middle rack and finish cooking at 350 deg for another 20 min.



ready for dinner

My brother in law and I ate one fish each. even the cheeks!


Duck and broccoli

Living in Long Island, NY ducks are a popular item on the menu in many local restaurants. (Long Island is known for raising duck). Unfortunately every time I had it, the bird was very greasy and after several tries I asked my wife to never allow me to order duck again.

It wasn't until I saw an episode of Good Eats with Alton Brown on the Food Network that I decided to give duck one more try.

You can see the episode on you tube: parts 1 &2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSO_Ej2WwZU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frn-M8HnlP0&feature=related


Ingredients:

Brine:
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 pint Pineapple/orange juice or oJ works just fine
15 whole black peppercorns
1 bunch fresh thyme or 1 tsp dry thyme
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 (5 1/2 to 6 pound) frozen Long Island Duck, thawed
3 bunched of broccoly cut into floretts
2 cloves garlic minced

Directions:
Combine all brine ingredients in a plastic container with a lid. Place the lid on the container and shake to dissolve the salt.
Remove the pop-up thermometer, liver, gizzards, and heart. Cut off the wings.
Using kitchen shears, locate the spine at the base of the neck. Cut up the line of the backbone towards the neck cavity. Turn the duck and cut straight towards the rear cavity. Remove the backbone.
Turn the duck over and cut straight down the middle of the breast bone, leaving 2 equal duck halves. To separate the legs from the breast, flip your halves over so the flesh side is facing up at you. Using a knife, make a crescent shape cut between the leg and the breast. Lay your knife flat against the skin and make 3 marks in one direction and then in the other, making an X. Make sure that you are cutting through the skin and not the meat.
Line the inside of a plastic lexan or a pot with a zip-top bag. Place the duck quarters inside the bag, and pour the brine over the duck. Seal the bag, ensuring that all air is removed from the bag. Brine the duck for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the refrigerator.
Bring 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large pot. Place a colander or steaming basket into the pot and line the sides of the colander with the duck. I plaked any fat I removed during trimming into the collander as well to render it out for cooking. Do not stack the duck quarters on each other. Cover and turn the heat to medium low. Steam the duck for 45 minutes. Set oven to 475 degrees F. Place a large cast iron skillet into the oven.
Remove duck pieces from steamer and place legs, skin side down, into the hot skillet. Place the skillet into the hot oven immediately and cook the leg quarters for 10 minutes. Add the breasts, skin side down, and cook for 7 more minutes or until the duck takes on a deep mahogany color and the skin is very crisp.
Remove the duck from the skillet and rest under foil. Add the broccoli and the garlic to the skillet. Toss the garlic in the fat until it turns a bright green. Serve the duck with the broccoli.

It comes out with crispy skin and not greasy at all. And I saved the rendered goose fat from the steaming step to cook with. It adds a great flavor to any dish.



Crabs


Ingredients:


  • 12 dozen crabs

  • old bay spice seasoning

  • 3 bay leaves

Directions :


bring water to a boil in a large pot. 2-3 tbs of old bay spice seasoning and bay leaves. add crabs. reduce to simmer. cook until crabs float to the top about 10 min.

These crabs were on the small side. it tool A LOT of work getting at the meat. my favorite part is the roe.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Scored some good eats!

I picked my brother in law at the airport today. On the way home we passed by an Asian neighborhood. It is about an hour and a half from my house and I almost never drive in that direction. So I grabbed the opportunity to stop at an Asian grocery store. They have a myriad of foods that you will never find in American grocery stores. This place had it all! From live frogs to live sea turtles.

Here is what I picked up:

  • 2 rabbits
  • 1 duck
  • beef tripe
  • turkey gizzards
  • 1 tilapia
  • 1 Chinese tilapia
  • 2 large eye red snappers
  • 1 large porgy
  • 1 unknown fish, but it looked good
  • 2 lbs baby octopus
  • 2 dozen live blue claw crabs
  • jicama
  • baby boc choy

They had about 15 more variety of fish, many snails, mollusks and other beef and pork offal and meat cuts. This purchase will certainly make interesting upcoming eating. My brother in law OK'd duck and red snapper for this weekend. I just may make the trip to this Asian supermarket on a bi-monthly basis.

Reached a milestone!

I finally cracked the 200 lb mark. I am officially 199lbs and 28% body fat (original was 36%). Good bye 200's forever!!! That's 21lbs in loss in less than 3 months on the paleo diet. As I continue eating this way my body weight should normalize and reach a stable plateau. what it is I am not sure. I have a goal of 180lbs.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Making a great steak at home.

Cooking steak is an art. No wonder there are so many steak houses out there. Some people believe that a great steak can only be had at a high end steak house. I've been to a few. I've had the pleasure of eating some really good steaks. but not always...

I think that with the right hardware it is possible to make a really good steak at home.

I am fortunate to have acquired Grass Fed Beef and Lamb a few months ago and I am slowly making my way through my 80lb stash.

Steak is one of the few things my wife will eat that I cook these days (and the chicken wings)

Today I defrosted a porterhouse and a NY strip steak. My wife marinaded them for a few hours. When I got home from work they were ready for me at room temperature.

Marinade:
1/4 cup Light Soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Garlic powder
1tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Ground pepper

Directions:

Combine in a zip lock bag. add steaks. Squeeze out as much air as possible. and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

The key to a great steak at home is 2 stage cooking:
Stage 1: form a crust, that's the brown yummy goodness created by the Maillard reaction.
Stage 2: finish to Med- Rare in the oven.

The reason for 2 stage cooking is that by the time the internal temp reaches med rare the outside will be burnt and the nice brown crust ruined. 2 stage cooking allows you to develop a nice crust , then finish to the correct internal temp without burning the steaks.

Directions:

Heat a cast iron skillet in high for 5 minutes. Cast iron is perfect for this job as it does well in heat retention and transfer. Make sure the steaks are at room temperature. (take them out of the refrigerator 30 min prior.) rub all surfaces with canola oil. Do not all oil to the pan as it will smoke due to the high temp. The Key here it he high heat. place steaks on skillet. do not crowd them. This is where a 12 inch skillet comes in handy. reduce heat to med/high. Allow to sear checking every 2 min to see how the crust has formed by lifting up the steaks carefully. Once a nice brow crust develops flip steaks over. (about 3-4 min). Bring heat to high for 1 min to compensate for the temp drop. meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees. place steaks on cooling rack on top of parchment or aluminum foil lined cookie sheet. if you do not have a cooling rack place steak directly on the oven racks with the pan underneath. Finish cooking steaks until med rare (this is where a meat thermometer helps. Remove from oven. Cover steaks loosely in aluminum foil and allow to rest for 5 min. this step is critical as it allows the juices to redistribute and you will not have a puddle of meat juices on your plate sogging everything up. I recently ate at a streak house that had this happen. I had a puddle in my plate. they did not rest the meat. what a shame.

As far I am concerned , if you do not eat your steak Med-Rare, its not worth eating it.

NY strip steak with a side of sauteed spinach and garlic and mushrooms and onion.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

SALAD

Salads are very versatile and perhaps the embodiment of "Healthy Food"

I usually buy a big tub of "field greens" they are my favorite. small, bite size leaves of different colors and bit bitter. Occasionally I buy Romaine lettuce. Iceberg lettuce is not worth considerng: very low nutritional value. With the greens as a base I like to add what ever I have at hand. Adding berries or fruit gives it a great extra something. And I make my own dressing.Its easy, quick and I'm not afraid of the fat. So no "low fat" : high sugar and chemicals for me.





Today's salad included:

Field Greens

carrot

Daikon Radish

Raw turnip

cucumber

Strawberries
Salad Dressing:
  • 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tbs Mustard
  • 1 tsp dry oregano
  • 1 tsp dry basil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
I use a pre-measured container which comes with a built in paddle to mix it(my wife bought it at one of those "Pampered Chef" parties for $12. I keep it in the fridge and microwave it for 1 min to melt the oil. the warm dressing is very nice on the salad

Strictly Paleo Eating???

Paleo Eating today means we are trying to approximate the diet of our Paleolithic ancestors. The diet we have evolved to eat. There is no question that the fruits and vegetables available to us at our supermarkets are a far cry from the wild fruits and vegetables out ancestors gathered. The fruits are bred larger and sweeter, and the vegetables have been selectively bred for certain traits. For example, red cabbage, green cabbage broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts , Bocchoy, and broccoli rabe were all selectively bred from a wild plant that resembled kale. So unless you gather your veggies and fruits in the forest we are eating selectively bred plants. There are some things you may include in your diet that are not strictly "Paleo Food" that is our ancestors did not eat. For me they are:
  • vinegar in salad dressings and marinades
  • soy sauce or tamari for making jerky
  • Worcestershire sauce for making jerky and marinades
  • teryaki sauce for marinades
  • alcohol on occasion and in cooking
  • hot peppers and paprika for seasoning
  • mustard in salad dressing and as a condiment

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Baby octopus with baby spinach

Ingredients:
  • 1lb baby octopus (found it in the frozen section of Whole Foods)
  • juice of 4 small limes
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1tsp dry oregano
  • 5 cloves minced garlick
  • salt /pepper to taste
  • baby spinach
  • 1 bay leaf

Directions:

Bring pot of water to a boil, place in bay leaf and baby octopus (I put it in frozen). Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Combine herbs, spices,lime/lemon juice and oil. Remove octopus and run under cold water to stop cooking process. place octopus and marinade in a zip lock bag, remove as much air as posssible and refrigerat for 3hrs or over night. Heat skillet on high and place marinade and octopus into the skillet, turn heat to med and saute for 5-10 min until octopi are heated through and begin crisping up. place baby spinach on a large plate and place contents of skillet directly on the sinach. Enjoy! If using mature octopus boil for 1/2 to 2 hours.



Borcht (Russian beet soup)

This is one of my childhood favorite soups.

Ingredients:
  • bone in stew meat. Beef chuck, neck, ossobuco, tail all work well. (meat on the bone makes a good stock)
  • 2 med beets peeled.
  • 1 med onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 carrot shredded1/2 head small cabbage cored and shredded
  • salt pepper to taste
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • oil

Directions:

Place meat and beets into a large pot. Fill with 3/4 water, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. skim the scum. ,saute onions, carrots until golden brown season with salt and pepper while they cook. Then add garlic and saute for another few minutes. Remove meat and remove from bones. It should fall off easily if not return to pot and cook some more. Return meat to pot in bite size pieces or shredded. Run beets under cold water and shred. Add all ingredients to pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 30-45 min. some people like the veggies to crunch some like them softer. my mom always cooked them for 45 min so the veggies are soft. remove bay leaves. Traditionally this soup is served with a dollop of sour cream. I've eaten it without it and it is still great. I topped it off with fresh dill I'm trying to use up before it goes bad.



Monday, March 16, 2009

Eggplant veggie dip

eating plain celery gets old fast. here is a nice dip to make celery a bit more interesting! \

Ingredients:

  • Large eggplant or 4 Chinese eggplant
  • 3 yellow zucchini (squash) diced
  • 2 Med Onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 5 carrots finely shredded
  • small bunch dill
  • salt/ pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp dry oregano
  • 1 tsp dry basil
  • oil

Directions:

If using regular eggplant cut in circles and soak in salted water for 1 hour. then ring out like a sponge and cut into cubes. If using Chinese eggplant do not need to soak. saute onions, eggplant, zucchini, garlic in oil until soft. using a hand blender convert veggies into a paste or use a food processor. Add spices/herbs and shredded carrot. Refrigerate for 1 hour to have the flavors blend and mature. Makes a great dip or side dish. If you want to jazz it up a bit add a splash or two of hot sauce if peppers are on the menu.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Green "Brownies"

makes 9 squares


Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 pounds Kale thoroughly washed, Remove middle stem, very roughly chopped
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced2 eggs, whisked
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:


1. Wilt Kale in a large covered saucepan, over low heat (do not add water), until tender.


2. Drain and cool, then gently squeeze moisture out of the arugula. Really, get all the moisture out you possibly can. I think this is the most important step.


3. Place Kale in food processor and pulse until coarsely blended or finely chop by hand, then set aside.


4. In a small skillet, warm 3 tablespoons oil, add walnuts and saute until golden brown.


5. Add garlic to pan of walnuts and saute together an additional minute.


6. In a large bowl, combine walnut mixture, blended kale, eggs, cranberries and salt.


7. Spread mixture in a very thin layer into a greased 9 x 9 inch Brownie baking pan.


8. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes.


9. Cut into 9 squares and serve.


Makes a great snack.


Monday, March 9, 2009

Baked Whole striped Bass

Ingredients:
  • 1 whole sea bass, scaled and gutted.
  • 1 bunch of Dill
  • 2 lemons, sliced
  • salt/ pepper
  • Chinese Red Pepper***
  • Oil

Directions:


Rub fish with oil. Season on the inside and outside with salt and peppers. Cut 4 diagonal slits in the fish. Stuff lemon slices in the slits,stuff cavity with dill and lemons by laying the lemons against the skin and the dill in between. oil a pan large enough to hold fish. Lay down a bedding of dill and Lemon on top of that. place fish in pan and Broil in an oven on second to top most rack until skin crisps up, flip fish over and crisp up the other side. reduce heat to 400 and place on middle rack for another 15 min.I picked up a whole striped sea bass at an Asian market. to my dismay it turned out to be Farmed. (there was a metal tag inside the gills) the fish came gutted and scaled, but retained its liver and sperm sack which I fried up in olive oil as as appetizer. ***this is what the Chinese used before peppers were introduced to them. It is called Chinese red pepper corns. which is actually the outer husk of some berry, I think. it has a flowery, pungent flavor that seems to go well with fish. Here is a link about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sichuan_pepper I bought it at the Asian store for $2. I think it should last me a decade. I do not cook a lot of fish. This was easy and simple and the fish turned out amazing! Crispy skin and moist and tender on the inside. definitely making this again! You can vary the herbs. Many recipes call for rosemary or thyme, onions, Fennel, garlic. the possibilities are endless...

This photo is from a recipe site (my camera crapped out, but it looked pretty much like this)

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Short rib stew

This is yet another recipe from Alton Brown on the Food Network. It took a long time to cook and a bit more involved than a "regular" stew, but it was worth it!!!! Some may have a problem with the tomato paste and vinegar and Worcestershire sauce being "Paleo" ingredients.

NOTE: I altered the recipe a bit by omitting potatoes and adding carrots and celery and an additional onion.


Ingredients:


  • 1/4 cup tomato paste

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tablespoon paprika

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried herbs, any combination of thyme, oregano and rosemary

  • 3 pounds English-cut short ribs

  • 1 tablespoon plus

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

  • 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

  • 5 Carrots sliced

  • 2 ribs celery sliced

  • 2 cups beef broth

  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:


In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and dried herbs. Set aside. Season the short ribs with 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt. Place a large griddle(I used 12" cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat and once a drop of water bounces off, sear the meat until browned on all sides. So not crowd the meat. You may need to do it in batches. Once browned, remove the meat to the bowl with the paste and toss to coat. Transfer to a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and seal tightly. Place the package into a metal pan and put into a cold oven on the middle rack. Set the oven to 250 degrees F and cook for 4 hours. Remove the meat from the oven and carefully poke a hole in the pack while holding it over a heatproof container. Drain the liquid into the container and place it into the refrigerator to cool enough so that the fat separates from the rest of the liquid, approximately 1 hour. After 1 hour, transfer the liquid to the freezer and keep there until the fat cap has solidified, approximately 1 hour. Allow the ribs to sit at room temperature while the liquid is cooling or if serving the next day, place in the refrigerator until ready to finish. Retrieve the liquid from the refrigerator and remove the fat cap that has formed on top. Measure out 1 tablespoon of the fat and reserve the rest for another time***. Place the fat into a large saucier or a pot if making a more watery stew (like I did) and place over medium heat. Once the fat has melted add the onion along with the remaining teaspoon of salt and stir to separate the onions into rings. Allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining vegetables veggies and a pinch of black pepper and stir to combine. Next, add the liquid reserved from the meat, the beef broth and stir. Cover tightly and decrease the heat to low so that no heat is escaping the lid. Cook for 30 minutes or until the carrots are fork tender. Meanwhile, cut the meat away from the bone, removing the connective tissue and discarding. uncover and set the meat atop the vegetables. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes.


***The Fat created is so aromatic it is awesome to cook with! I used it in the sauteed cabbage.



Sauted cabbage

This is a great side dish.

Ingredients:

  • 1 small red cabbage , quartered and sliced into 1/2 inch strips
  • 1 large onion quartered and sliced into 1/4" stips
  • 1 green tart (granny smith) apple cubed.
  • 1 handfull of very coarsly chopped walnuts
  • 1 handfull of dried cranberries
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped.
  • oil/fat

Directions:

I used red cabbage today, but you can use any kind, even brussel sprouts! Melt/heat fat add all ingredients and saute on med heat until softened. the walnuts give it a nice crunch/texture



It made a great side dish to pan fried calf's tongue

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Fryless Chicken Wings

I'm a huge fan of Alton Brown and his Good Eats show on the food network. My wife loves chicken wings and although hot sauce may not be strictly paleo, I think occasionally enjoying chicken wings is all right by me. Here is the recipe that I used.

Ingredients:


  • 12 whole chicken wings
  • 1/4 cup Canola oil***
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup hot sauce (Franks)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Place a 6-quart or a tall pot with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Using kitchen shears, or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. Place the wings into a steamer basket, ( I used 3 disposable cake pans that I poked holes in and staked 3 one on top of the other). Cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 45min-1hr. If you skip this step, the wings are going to smoke due their high. steaming renders a lot of the fat out and prevents a smoked filled kitchen. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Replace the paper towels with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown. While the chicken is roasting, combine oil, minced garlic with hot sauce and salt in a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine. Remove the wings from the oven and immediately transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm. The wings stay crispy on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside! my wife and I gobbled them up fast!


***I substituted Canola oil for butter

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Beef and Okra Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs stew meat/bones (I used beef neck)
  • 1 package of Okra (maybe 1/2 lb)
  • 1 rib celery chopped
  • 2 carrots 1/4" slices
  • 1 large onion coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp dry thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dry sage
  • salt/pepper to taste
  • oil.

Directions:

Brown meat in oil. Place in a pot with water bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. Skim scum with spoon. Add the veggies and spices. Simmer for another 2 hours. The okra breaks up and the soup tastes very close to pea soup. (at least to me) if you want, add okra in the later hour of cooking so it stays together. sorry no picks

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Quail

I was able to find quail (4 per a package) at a Korean grocery store. Asian grocery stores area great resource for unusual meats. Especially offal.

Ingredients:
  • 2 quail cut trough the sternum
  • salt/pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • oil
  • cauliflower-broccoli hybrid veggie

Directions:

Wash dry quail, cut through sternum with kitchen scissors. Apply salt,pepper, garlic and onion powders. fry in oil, I use Canola. 3-4 min per side on med heat until skin browns. finis in 300 degree oven for 10 min.

consume quail with bare hands eating the small bones. Very Paleo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I steamed the cauliflower-broccoli. Since broccoli and cauliflower are selected breeds of a wild cabbage plant (Kale being something closest to it) I figured a little green in my cauliflower is a good thing and it tasted very good as well.


Sunday, March 1, 2009

Makin' Beef Jerky 2.0

Although making a homemade box dehydrator was fun, I decided to use the oven method and this time I decided to marinade.

Ingredients Marinade:




  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tsp liquid smoke

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • 1 tsp onion powder

  • 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

    Combine in a large zip lock bag.

    Meat: any lean cut of meat will work well. Good choices are Bottom round (its also the cheapest), Flank steak (already comes in easy to cut flat shape , but almost double the price of bottom round). I used grass fed bottom round.

    cut meat into 1 inch thickness slabs put in freezer for 1 hour to firm up and make cutting thin slices easier. Using your sharpest knife. Cut thin pieces against the grain as it will make the final product easier to chew.
    Place meat into zip lock bag with marinade mix well to distribute. remove as much air as possible by just about sealing the bag closed and letting out as much air as possible. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

    Remove meat pat dry with paper towel.

    Place on cooling racks and place in to the oven with a parchment paper/ aluminum foil covered cookie sheet below to catch any drippings. set oven temp at lowest setting. Mine was 170 degrees. Prop oven door open using aluminum foil crumbled into a 1 inch sausage to allow air to escape, remember it is the air flow that dries the meat.

    This method was very easy and made awesome jerky in 12 hours.



next time I will try the fan method. Just need to wait until the summer when window fans will be available.