Nell Stephenson's Blog, page 22

Play on Pesto

One of the easiest ways to jazz up veggies which might otherwise be a bit bland is to add fat… and flavor!

What better way to do that than to whip up your own signature Pesto creation?

Pesto alla genovese, the quintessential pesto recipe, is made with Genovese basil, coarse salt, garlic, Ligurian extra virgin olive oil, European pine nuts, and a grated cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano (1).

But what if you’re someone who prefers to avoid dairy?   Or maybe another nut is more interesting to you than pine nuts?  Perhaps you prefer a bit of bite in your blend?

The good news is there’s no wrong answer and whatever you prefer to throw into your Vitamix is fair game.

Arugula or spinach rather than 100% basil?  All good.

Less lemon and more garlic?  No problem.

Red or purple basil rather than green?   Perfection.

You’re the one eating the beautiful concoction you’re making, so your palate is the one which has the final say on what goes into the mix.

Get into the kitchen and play!

Click here for one of my favorites.

Save time in the kitchen by doubling up on the pesto and using half for a marinade and half for a sauce.  Simply leave the olive oil out of the marinade to avoid cooking this delicate fat with a low smoke point, and use the other ingredients for a 12 hr marinade for chicken.

Enjoy!

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pesto

Nose to Tail in the Truest Sense

Are you drinking bone broth?

Chances are quite good that at the very least, you’ve heard of it, are drinking it (and perhaps maybe even making it yourself?).

And we all need it.  Anyone who’s been subject to the Standard American Diet for any length of time can likely rest assured that he or she has at least some level of inflammation going on so it truly does benefit all of us to drink this nourishing elixir as part of our regime.

Here in LA, we’re spoiled with places to get the real deal: bone broth made from the bones of mindfully sourced animals ranging from grass fed beef to pasture fed pork to game.

And if it’s not fresh, we have packaged options, such as Kettle + Fire as well as Epic.

But why not really go back to basics and make it yourself?

I save bones from all types of animals in a freezer tight bag and when I have enough to fill the Slow Cooker, it’s time to make broth.

I do a slow cook at a low temp for a really long time and what I throw into the mix ranges from nothing other than the requisite spoonful of vinegar to a plethora of herbs, leaves, spices and even some leftover veg.

The other day when the cooking process was complete and I was straining it out, it occurred to me that it still seemed wasteful to toss out the bones.

By that time, they were so soft I could break them with barely the touch of a spoon.

A lightbulb went off.

What if I put those in the vitamix with some olive oil and a hunk of farmer’s market goat cheese?

Oh. My. Goodness.

The resulting concoction was heavenly.

Somewhat akin to pate and delectable enough to literally eat with a spoon, I simply scooped it into a couple of mason jars, gave one to a friend as a gift and kept the second one for myself, my hubbie and yes, the two fur children.

As my grandmother always said, waste not, want not!

Click here for the recipe (if you want to call it that!)

The Most Special Day

This year’s Umeke, representing last Saturday’s race, which was unlike any I’d done before, will serve as a reminder of what this particular event afforded me the opportunity to experience.

Digging deeper than I had before and proving to myself that I could, even when, in the moment, I didn’t actually believe it!

Typically, if I’m preparing to race a triathlon, I’m dividing my training between swiming, biking, running as well as stretching,  strengh and rest as well as some massage.

Going into a race with next to zero run training was quite a different way of going about things, shall we say?

The forced recovery phase due to injury that I didn’t plan for a few months back, while being a very hard pill to swallow, was clearly something my body didn’t just need, but craved.

My mind, of course, took just a tad longer to catch on to the plan.

I was in the immobilizing boot a good week before it even occurred to me to slow down and take it easy.

By the time the first of April rolled around. I’d accepted that I couldn’t just walk all over the place, that it wasn’t the smartest thing to do to spin on my bike on the trainer without the boot on and that even pushing off the wall during swim would not be an option.

I’d fallen in love with deep water running and I was uber cautious about preventing any injruies which might be caused by asymmetries (from the boot) and I was including acupuncture, physical therapy and even more mediation into my regular routine.

When it came time to see my doctor for my follow up appointment and he said I was ready to get out of the boot, I was a bit shaky.

No different from when I was getting back in the game six years ago after a torn hamstring rehab, with one exception- this time I was scared to walk.

Never in my life have I ever felt that way.

Sure, with a torn hamstring, it’s annoying to not be able to run, but I could still cycle and hiking or walking was a non issue.

But I found myself so desperately afraid of reinjuring myself that I was moving so gingerly, I looked like a cat burglar, as one of my friends said.

So how would this bode for the next race I had on the books, the 70.3 I love best, where I typically am able to perform so well?

With barely over a month to prepare, I tread so lightly on the run that my total run volume was less than 20 miles before the race.

Fortunately, the forced rest led to my cycling threshold power increasing, my 1k swim time trial to improve by over 40 seconds and overall, my body was feeling strong and rejuvenated.

With the help of a great doctor and an intuive chiropractor, I felt suppored and encouraged enough to be confident that I could go in to the race, have a strong swim, and even stronger bike and then when it came to the run, it would hopefully just come.

Once we landed in Kona, the moment we stepped off the plane, like always, I was overcome with the beautiful feeling of being part of something greater; a reminder that we’re all connected to something, a powerful force beyond trying to explain in words.

Walking around normally was pretty much back to 100%, despite the occasional odd sensation here and there but overall, nothing to be concerned about.

I checked in, I rested, I visualized and I prepared for the race as I would on any given year in the past.

The conditions were pristine. Not too hot, not too windy and I was pleased with my swim, T1, bike and T2.

My hubbie, who’d done the Belgian Waffle Ride just two weeks before, took a turn as sherpa, and was able to shout out my splits and position… always a blessing!

I worked my tail off on each of the first two disciplines, sighting every 3 strokes as my swim coach teaches us and stayed low in my bars for duration of the ride.

Then it was time for the run.

I zipped through T2 and hit go on my Garmin.

On this course, it always feels as though I should be running at a faster clip than what my RPE is, so I knew to expect that.

I was fairly sure I was in third position as one of the women in my age group had taken off so quickly in the swim and I’d never seen her again, and the other, who is a professional triathlete, had passed me early in the bike, having started behind me in her age group, as this race no longer has a pro field.

So when my husband, around mile 2 of the run, shouted out that I was in 2nd position and only 1:30 behind 1st, I was a bit surprised but happy. After all, I”d come close to winning overall at this course before, but hadn’t been able to.

I began to think and plot.

I could see the first place position ahead and I looked out for any signs or clues that would help me make my strategy.

I began to close the gap just a touch…and wait! Did I see her start to walk? Oh, never mind! It was only a few steps.

I’d never met her before but had seen her at many a race and knew how strong of an athlete she was.

Did I dare try to pass?

It was barely past mile two on the run.

If I surged then, would it be too soon?

I checked my run pace.

Slow.

7:42 average… but then I seemed to be narrowing in, so perhaps her pace wasn’t that much faster.

I decided right then I had to go for it.

It was going to hurt and without the normal run volume in my body I wasn’t sure what to expect apart from one thing: if I didn’t try, that would hurt far more and for much longer than if I gave up right then and there.

So I went for it.

Not that I surged, really, as my pace barely increased but there she was- right ahead! As I passed, she shouted, ‘go girl’ and gave me a smile and thumbs up.

I thanked her and shouted back.

OK.

No one was moving too fast here, so all I had to do was keep to my normal race strategy, one moment at time, mantras, laser sharp focus on the here and now and no room for any irrelevant thoughts to take up any bandwith in my mind.

One mile at a time.

Cups and cups of water at each aid station and an increased rate of taking salt.

Ice, sponges, more water. Keep going.

I never looked back. I never do. But I knew she was right there because of the cheering that would occur in her so well deserved honor.

The miles ticked away. I held fast to what I was doing. I couldn’t wait for the look of joy I’d see on Chris’ face when he saw me pass in the lead!

Wow. I could really win this time!

But then…. I started feeling a little bit off. Not too badly but not right. There were less than 4 miles to go and I began to feel cold, shivery and almost slightly confused.

No, no, no.

This wasn’t happening.

I began to slow and despite more water, more salt and the strategic gel, things were not feeling good.

My heart began to race and my breathing began to falter.

I could not will my legs to move any faster.

I couldn’t swallow water. I’d try, but it made me heave.

People were asking if I was having an asthma attack (I don’t have asthma) and did I need any help?

No, I tried to say, but nothing came out.

To say my breathing was labored was an understatement; I think I sounded like barking seal at best.

And there she was. Passing by, but with such grace and words of encouragement. I tried one last time… but no.

Then the darkness really began to tempt me.

Would this actually turn from the race I thought I’d win to a race I wouldn’t finish?

Would this really be my first DNF?

No, no, it couldn’t be.

The self talk I have in my mind during races went from being internal to being aloud.

In any other setting, I likely would have appeared as someone who needed to be insitutionalized. but there I was, willing myself to go on.

Every second the tempation was there to fall, to lie down on the ground and stop. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.

Somehow I found myself at mile 11.5 and had to kneel over to breathe, if only for a moment. A woman passed me. And another.

NO!!!!!!!!

Then a friendly guy began to chat and told me we were going to walk for a few minutes. Like a child being told what to do by their teacher, I listened. I walked. I was on the verge of tears but I didn’t even have the energy. He said I was so white he was concerned I’d faint so I listened. We gave it a few moments and when my breathing was a bit less labored, I asked if we could jog. We picked it up for a moment and had to stop again.

With less than one mile to go!

Finally, there was Chris. With a huge smile on his face, shouting how proud he was.

But why? I felt I’d failed!

There was the finish line.

I came across and heard my name…. first in age group. How? In years past, I’d expected it, but after all of this?

And there, at the finish line was Bree, who gave me a huge hug and kind words of encouragement, even wrapping the traditional Hawaiian Lei which she earned as her victory around me as we posed for a picture.

I was so overcome with feelings, so many different emotions and I surpised myself by not feeling like I’d failed.

I knew I’d given every last ounce of myself out there and I had nothing to regret.

I saw Chris and sunk into his arms before opting to lie on the ground….in absolute bliss.

Massage, shower, more lying around and then it was time to get my Umeki at the awards ceremony.

I believed in something before I could see it and that is the moral of this long story. And the best part is that this is something we can apply to our life, in all areas, not just sport.

Madame Pele granted me safe passage through her beautiful island and for that, I am always so grateful.

This race was so special and meant more perhaps that even some of the World Championships I’ve had the honor of competing in.

It reminded me of strength of will, focus and belief.

Interestingly, I never thought about my feet the whole time.

Authentic Paleo: Short, Simple and Right to the Point (it’s. just. food.)

Because we can all use a refresher sometimes, right?

I’ve come to realize that there’s just no one-size fits all approach.  There are just too many things to factor in, like our genetics, our ancestry, what lifestyle we’ve chosen to adopt and what our overall picture of health looks like.

However, I do still strongly support understanding and at least partially implementing an authentic Paleo approach as the starting point from which to decide if one wants to test foods out which may not actually be part of a true, strict Paleo approach.

Not that I’m suggesting regular pizza and beer; rather, for some, full fat grass fed butter might make sense (I’ve been trying this out myself over the last several months).

For others, incorporating strategic starch into an otherwise ketogenic-Paleo approach can work.

This doesn’t make butter Paleo, nor does it make that strategic starch part of being in nutritional ketosis….but who cares?

It’s not about forcing oneself into a label of how to eat; it’s about creating our own eating blueprint that supports all of us on our individual journeys toward optimal health.

Only we know how we feel!

Here’s a recent piece I did for Food Direct’s Blog outlining the basics (including a recipe for a special occasion treat…when it makes sense).

 

Eat Well on Vacation: Head to the Farmer’s Market

Aloha!

Gosh, it’s good to be back on the islands.

We missed the Wednesday market down on Ali’i Drive in Kona, but that doesn’t mean we’re totally out of luck.

Restaurants from high end to hole in the wall offer freshly caught wild fish, organic island veggies and coconut from right outside the door.

This makes it super simple to eat well, support the local community and stay on point for the race on Saturday with a nourished body and crystal clear mental focus.

While poke is one of the most common island options here in Kona, I tend to go for simple: sashimi. 

(Aside from not having to think about how much, if any, soy one might want to ingest, keeping it basic lets you enjoy the ono, the opah or the ahi all on its own- oh-so delicious!)

Typical eating in Kona for the days leading up to an event doesn’t change all that much with the exception of strategically adding in some starch to my meals the day before the race.

In particular, I love the blue Hawaiian Sweet potatoes we find here; roast them in coconut oil or duck fat with a sprinkling of himalayan pink salt and you’ll be in Heaven.

Click here to check out a recipe for this dish.

Aloha!

Eat Your Guts!

Thinking it sounds gross to eat guts?

Well, if you’ve ever eaten sausage or hot dogs, chances are quite strong you’ve eaten them.

Liver is rich source of iron, B-12 and vitamin A, which helps support healthy eyes and skin, boost your immune system and produce red blood cells (1).  It also provides choline, copper, folic acid, B vitamins, purines and natural cholesterol

Organ meats from grass-fed animals are safe and rich in high quality amino acids, fat, B vitamins and B12, CoQ10, minerals, and “fat-soluble activators” (vitamins A, D and K), important for mineral absorption

They are also extremely high in natural vitamin A, which is crucial for your health and may even prevent birth defects; unlike synthetic vitamin A, you cannot become toxic from natural vitamin A (2).

Granted, it may take some time to allow your palate to adjust to the different flavor and texture of liver compared to something we see more often, such as a piece of wild salmon or a chicken breast, but allowing yourself to be stuck in a protein rut is no better than being stuck in a redundant pattern of any other type of food.

Make it easy on yourself and go with the easiest way to get organ meats in a delicious preparation; my own personal favorite is the liverwurst I buy from US Wellness Meats.

It’s so savory and with such a lovely mouthfeel, it’s one of the simplest ways to include eating organ meats into your regular regime.

Get up the guts to eat some… guts!

(1) http://www.livestrong.com/article/142...

(2) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/art...

1,2,3 Cook: Why Not Make it Easy?

When I first started following an authentic Paleo approach, back in 2004, it was a rare occasion when someone had any idea what I was talking about.

The typical response was an odd expression on whomever’s face I happened to be speaking to and then sometimes, a comment about having to eat dinosaur meat.

If that person had the time, interest and bandwidth to actually listen to what it was, they’d then say that it sounded like a healthy, common sense way of eating.

But that it seemed like it would be very hard to follow.

This was one of the reasons why Dr. Cordain and I and his wife Lorrie teamed up to write The Paleo Diet Cookbook.

The goal was to illustrate how easy and simple it can be to create delicious meals even without gluten, soy, sugar (gasp) and many of the other additives and even toxic ingredients found in all too many products that fill kitchen pantries and grocery stores nationwide.

Back then, Paleocentric cookbooks were few and far between and now, there’s a plethora of them!

Beautiful presentations, outstanding photographs, some even offered by esteemed chefs with top credentials.

However, despite this and while these books appeal to someone like myself who absolutely loves cooking, I find many clients still come back with one common complaint: it still seems too hard.

This spawned an idea.

Why not create a series of recipes to share with you, all focused on minimal ingredients and few preparatory instructions?

The deal is that when we eat locally, fresh, in season and organic, we simply don’t need a ton of sauces, dips, toppings or fillings.

Follow along every Friday for a new recipe each week.

Gut Health for Dogs: What Are You Feeding Him?

In humans, disease starts in the gut. This isn’t likely a new flash to you and chances are even if you haven’t delved much into the research proving this to be true, at the very least you’ve probably at least heard of phrases such as leaky gut, the gut microbiome and gut disbyosis.

But did you know it’s not always traceable simply back to eating a diet, such as the typical Standard American Special?

And sadly, the Standard American Diet does not only pertain to those of us who are bidpedal; it applies to dogs, too.

Have a look at the picture above.

Little brown pellets.

Even the most premium little brown pellets are still…. little brown pellets.

So if you’re reading this and you’re eating real food, are you still giving your dog not food?

So many people wait until their dogs are fat and sick to change their diet (sound familiar?) because they feel it will be too complicated to make their food, take too much time or be too expensive (again- sound familiar?).

How much of a role does what we feed our dogs factor into how healthy they’ll be?

Studies show that in humans, gut health (or lack thereof) starts at birth, and that children born via Caesarian section are more likely to develop gut issues later in life.

After listening to a recent podcast in which Dr. Alessio Fasano (1) was interviewed on the topic of the gut microbiome and how it affects our health, one of the many things that piqued my interest was this very comment.

Not just how it may pertain to humans, but I wondered if there was a correlation between that and canines?

I did a bit of research online and while I came up with study after study validating the correlation between a healthier gut in human babies that were born naturally than those delivered via C section, I didn’t encounter anyting pertaining to canines.

Why was I interested in this?

For personal reasons.

Our two dogs, Preston and Pele, are 2 and 1 years old, respectively.

They’re not from the same litters and Preston was delivered via C-Section as his mother went into labor three days prior to her due date under emergency conditions.

While we don’t know exactly what happened, it was interesting to me to note that often, he doesn’t tolerate the very food I make for Pele. He tends to be more prone to stomach upset and general GI distress than his sister.

Just not finding research on the topic was no good reason not to create a gut-healing protocol for him which, in all honesty, isn’t even that different from what I was already feeding them,

With the guidance of Dr. Pitcairn’s book, it’s been easy enough to learn how to make pet food ensuring all the micro and macros were intact, far beyond just feeding them ground beef and hoping that was all it takes.

All that was left was to incorporate bone broth and probiotics.

Things have improved.

Could there be more that we could incorporate?

Probably, but given that he’s healthy, loves his food, is lean and active, not to mention that I don’t know if there even is a dog equivalent of some of the more comprehensive health testing platforms for humans, I’ll just keep using the empirical approach!

The bottom line is that while it may take you less than a minute to ‘feed’ your dog by way of pouring those little brown pellets into his or her bowl, in all honesty, it doesn’t take all that long to do a weekly prep of whole, real food (which you can then freeze in portions) for your dog.

Yes, it will be more expensive than grocery store kibble, but just as it is with humans, we either pay slightly more for the cost of real, fresh and organic in order to stay healthy and disease free, or we pay far more, and not just in dollars, for the ramifcations of what happens when we consume things that simply are not food.

(1) https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode-20/

Do We Really Want to Eat Something Labeled Fake?

Pseudo. Or Faux. As in Fake.

How much processing, refining and packaging can a food undergo before it’s no longer food?

I’ve taken to referring to this category over the years as non food, or fake food, but of course, they’re not labeled as such.

In fact, many have forgotton what food truly is, in its truest form (something we eat or drink as a source of nourishment to promote growth and development) as a by product of shopping in a hurry, eating what’s most convenient and not making what we eat and where it comes from a top priority.

Would it be easier in a world in which food were actually labeled fake?

Not that this would ever be the reality… or would it?

Candidly, we are already living in that very world; and even though not all fake food carries this label, some actually do.

This only recently dawned on me when I was thinking back to my vegan days.

While my own approach was in fact sound in terms of the amount organic local produce I ate, not putting too much focus on grains or vegan desserts but there was one gap: protein.

I relied heavily on all the “alternative” proteins which felt omni present back then, and even though I was getting a moderate portion of my own macros from protein at best, regular appearances of things like tofurky, “neat” (an alternative to meat made of tree nuts, beans, and grains) and “vegan egg” egg replacer happened on a weekly basis.

Now let’s consider this for a moment. There I was in my early 20’s, following one of many approaches to eating I’ve tried, both to address the years of GI distress I’d already been dealing with and also wanting (but not understanding how) to support animal welfare.

So why was I looking for food that tasted, looked like and was even labeled to mimic meat?

It makes no sense and it makes even less sense that I wasn’t bothered about eating something literally labeled ‘fake’.

Ultimately for me, as part of a very gradual transition and discovery from vegan to paleo, the realization that boycotting all fish, meat, poultry and preaching about how they were all so horrible for the planet and unethical did no service to further animals rights.

In fact, not supporting the local fisherman and ranchers who are mindfully raising these animals, was actually working against the very cause I thought I was supporting.

That epiphany came right around the same time I really had to take inventory about whether I felt I was thriving on a vegan diet.

I was not.

And in all honesty, my GI symptoms had grow worse.

Of course, I know now that it was far from helpful or health promoting for me to have been eating so many inflammatory foods: soy, grains, too many processed nut products, toxic vegetable oils and of course, too much texturized vegetable protein in the form of all those fake meats.

What we choose to eat is a personal preference and I respect each person’s choice to eat however they choose.

Yet I cannot and will not refrain from sharing what I’ve learned, both on a personal note as well as from having had the opportunity to have worked with such a diverse clientele over the years.

However you choose to eat, do it with authenticity.

Find out what the original regime you’re trying to implement consisted of, research whether or not it really is a good fit and then head to the best doctor you can find to get to work.

Doctor?

Yes, as in… Dr. You.

Only you know how you feel and the beautiful thing about having this food first appraoch is you can begin to dissect what you’re eating, how it makes you feel and begin to notice trends.

Zero risk here with this empowering exercise; what you can take away is how to choose the foods that make you feel fantastic, avoid those that cause distress and then have the education to choose.

Regardless of how sick or healthy you are now, if you’re not doing this, there’s a huge part of the foundation missing.

Whether you, like me, feel your best when you follow an authentic, high fat / Paleo approach, or you choose one which may be a hybrid of ancestral / mediterannean / paleo or even vegan, do it with intention and with integrity.

It doesn’t take a degree in nutrition or even any training in the field to know that something outwardly labeled fake is just a bad idea.

The Easiest Way to Make Shopping Simple: Go to the Farmer’s Market!

Finding it difficult to navigate the grocery store and determine what the healthiest options actually are?

You’re not alone.

Unless you really do adhere to the adage about shopping only around the perimeter, even in an upscale health food store, reading between the lines on labels is confusing, to say the least.

For one thing, there are so many variables to consider.  Macronutrients.  Added sugars (if we can even identify them).  How much salt is too much salt?  And what’s the ideal number of grams of protein we should be looking for in a protein bar?

There’s not a one size fits all answer, any more than there’s a one size fits all method of eating that suits everyone.

So how can we take gathering the groceries we need on a weekly basis from being a complicated chore which is just about as enjoyable as mopping the floor or cleaning the toilet and transform it into an enjoyable experience that even the whole family might enjoy?

We simplify.

And the easiest way to simplify your shopping is to get yourself to your local farmer’s market.

(Psst… not sure where to find one?  Check out Local Harvest. which will help you find one near where you live).

You’re supporting local vendors, those who are growing produce mindfully, catching fish in the wild and raising cattle eating grass in pasture, cutting down on the carbon footprint and eating in season, all by default.

But one other benefit of buying produce, wild fish, grass fed meats and a variety of interesting artisanal products at the local farmer’s market is that it’s quite possibly, it’s the easiest way you can ensure what you’re buying is actually food.

When you consider the definition of food (any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink, or that plants absorb, in order to maintain life and growth), we’re not talking about packaged items with labels.

Sure, there are times and places when we need to grab a bar on the go, or choose a protein powder because we don’t happen to have access to a piece of wild black cod, but if we let ourselves fall into a trend of eating these products on a regular basis, we’re selling ourselves shot on a very fundamental level.

Even the cleanest protein powder or the energy bar with the fewest number of ingredients is never going to provide the nutrient density that a salad,  an avocado and a a grass fed flank steak will offer.

Guess what you won’t find at the farmer’s market?

Labels.

Aside from the occasional artisanal curator of homemade jam or dressing, there aren’t even any packages.

If you look at a beautiful display of heirloom tomatoes, multiple colors of cauliflower and an array of kales from green to red to black, you know exactly what you’re getting, and there is no need to have a label to tell you what each food is.

And they’re all food, in the truest sense of the word.

Keep it simple, keep it local and see if those two steps don’t start you even a little bit further toward the path of making food shopping a tad more fun and engaging.