Nell Stephenson's Blog, page 26

Spring Fennel, Apple, Radish Citrus Salad

Spring is here!   What better way to take advantage of the abundance of produce than to create something that embodies the essence of spring:   a light, easy to prepare, crisp salad that’s ready in less than five minutes.

Being a fan of some heat, such as what you might enjoy when dining on a piece of Blackened Cajun Salmon, I like to balance of this type of dish with something that is naturally cooling to the palate, yet doesn’t compete with all the decadence of the lovely, oil fish and the fiery chili.

Enter fennel. And radish.  And why not throw in a little green apple, while you’re at it?

Light, crisp and lovely to look at, it’ll go perfectly with that meal you’re trying to whip up when you’ve got no time to spare!

Click here for the recipe!

Oh! So Saucy!

Looking for an easy, fast way to turn boring carrot and celery sticks into a more interesting snack?  How about a way to jazz up broiled wild Halibut?

Do you like roasted red peppers, almonds, a twist of lemon and some cilantro?

Check out my recipe for Paleoista’s Romesco Sauce; perfect as a dip for crudités, a sauce for a hearty, white fish or a marinade for pasture raised poultry!

Say good bye to boring and welcome in flavor, taste…and health!

Livening Up Bland Proteins with Some Pizzazz!

I’ve never been a big fan of dousing steak sauce on a beautiful grass-fed filet or covering an arugula and pear salad with a wad of gorgonzola.

I tend to like simple, local and fresh… all of which make for an opportunity to enjoy the real taste of the food you’re eating instead of masking an unsavory meal with some type of veil.

However, that is certainly not to say that there aren’t times when we’d all like something with a bit more flavor when we’ve grown tired of eating what feels like same old, same old.

One easy fix to this dilemma is to create a sauce out of herbs, spices and some good fat, like olive oil or avocado, and create a concoction that can be used as a sauce, dip or base for a stew!

Check out my recipe for one such easy to make recipe:  Spicy Cool Cilantro, Lime and Spinach Sauce.  

While a vitamix is handy, you can also use a mini prep food processor.

Ready in less than five minutes, boring food won’t stand a chance!

Paleo at San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito

It’s been a lovely getaway here at the San Ysidro Ranch; the perfect place for some R&R after Sunday’s marathon.

This is a particularly special place for my husband and me, having spent the days leading up to our wedding here, as well as several birthdays and anniversaries.

I could go on for hours about the accommodations, the nearby hiking and running trails and the simple serene nature of the place, but since I’m not a travel writer but Paleoista, I may as well get straight to the point:  the dining here is incredible.

With their own, on-site organic garden at their fingertips, and local wild protein sources, the chef and kitchen easily prepare a vast array of wonderful options.

From the Sauteed Garlic Chard, Farm Fresh Eggs over-easy and bowl of berries we enjoyed for breakfast to the Kale Salad with House-Smoked Bacon, Heirloom Cauliflower and Soft Poached Egg , followed by the Venison chop, Baked Sunchokes with Roasted Asparagus and Braised Endive, Kumquat  and Fennel Pollen I enjoyed at last night’s dinner, there is no lack of options for fine dining that is at the same time decadent, delicious, delightful…and Paleo, whether or not the menu says it in so many words.

In fact,  I’d almost argue that the menus I’ve seen that follow this template versus those who have ‘Paleo-ized’ a recipe, such as making almond flour noodles and serving it with cashew ‘cheez’ in order to serve ‘Paleo Fettuccine Alfredo’ are far closer to the real deal in the first place.

When in Montecito, regardless if if you’re staying at SYR or not, you’ve simply got to dine here at the Stonehouse.

You’ll be glad you did!   

Another Fun Day at the Races

Perfect race conditions.  

Despite a prediction for a mega heat wave that was certainly in effect yesterday in LA, the race began today just before 7 and temps felt significantly lower than yesterday, although, being a fan of racing in hot, humid Kona, I wouldn’t have minded if it had been even warmer.

I’d had my typical pre-race smoothie at home, along with an espresso, then headed up to Dodger Stadium around 5:15. Another nice feature of LA Living- no travel necessary for this particular event!

Inspiration is everywhere:

It’s always a treat to start right behind the professional men and women; athletes with lithe bodies and correspondingly beautiful running gates; those who finish around the ballpark of 2:10 and 2:30, respectively.

In addition, the Legacy Runners at this race, a group of runners who have completed every single ASICS LA Marathon since the first race in 1986 and strive to continue their streak, are always inspiring to watch as their dedication to a lifetime of fitness sets an outstanding example for all of us, as do the challenged athletes as well as the Students Run LA group.

And overall, the simple fact that 26,000 of us came together to share in an event that, in my opinion, is one of the two most natural forms of movement (the other being walking) to bipeds.

Moving, eating real food (or as we know it, Paleo food) is the recipe for a long healthy life and the single most important factor I was able to transition from a rather average age group athlete to competitive runner.

And while I still didn’t achieve my goal of breaking three hours today, I gave it all I had on this particular day and continue to feel inspired, happy to be a part of this running community and incredibly grateful to be able to engage a the sport I love the most: running.

What to Eat The Day Before a Marathon?

In a word…food.

You’ll want to perform, so you’ve reduced training over the course of the week, increased rest and truly primed the pump in order to toe the line as though you’ve got springs in your feet.

Starchy root veggies such as yam or sweet potato play a role in the diet of a Paleo endurance athlete.  When we’re getting ready to go long, these are two perfect examples of real, clean food that can serve to load the body with glycogen.  

So, when you’re got a long run, ride or whatever activity it is that you do, coming up, it makes sense to eat this starch.

And it’s simple- all you need to do is add small quantities of yam or sweet potato (depending where in the world you live and what’s available locally) to your Paleo template of each meal.  No need for three cups of pasta in one sitting or to inhale two bagels.  The body won’t process those carbs in that manner most efficiently anyway.

Here’s my typical day before the race day (which is pretty similar for marathoning, ultra running and ironman) meal run down:

Breakfast (after my quick, 25 minute run with 5 minutes of strides)

Steamed broccoli, two runny eggs, avocado, blueberries

Snack

Arugula, Nori, leftover salmon, avocado, yam

Lunch

Sauteed Garlic Spinach, leftover steak, olive oil, banana

Snack

Mashed yam, sliced turkey, coconut oil, applesauce, shredded raw kale

Dinner

Roast chicken, salad, broccoli, yam

Straightforward, isn’t it?

For more…

Pocket Paleo WORKOUT on itunes or amazon

See you out there on the course! 

USDA and Athlete Recommendations

Wondering what the USDA suggests for athletes?

Let’s see.

First, we head to the parent site and do a search and are greeted with a list of resources, starting with such references as MedlinePlus and Australian Institute of Sport and then…there it is. 

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute.

“Founded in 1985, the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) is committed to helping athletes optimize their health and performance through research and education in hydration and nutrition science.

GSSI scientists study the effects of nutrition on the human body before, during and after exercise. For more than two decades, hundreds of amateur, elite and professional athletes have participated in testing with GSSI and in studies with university research partners around the world. GSSI’s headquarter lab, mobile and satellite laboratories and on the field testing enable GSSI to do leading research with the aim to provide athletes with advice and products that help their performance and achieve their goals.“

I can recall back in my days at USC that the GSSI was referred to quite a bit both from my professors and their teaching assistants.

Clearly regarded as one of the go-to sources of reliable information on subject pertinent to athletes including hydration, fueling and performance.

My question is, how unbiased can the research be if the whole organization is funded by Gatorade?

Something I cannot answer, but it does beg the question.

So, with their affiliation with the USDA, what is the recommendation for athletes?

The guidelines from Colorado State, also posted on the USDA’s site suggest:

“For events that require heavy work for more than 90 minutes, a high-carbohydrate diet eaten for two to three days before the event allows glycogen storage spaces to be filled. Long distance runners, cyclists, cross-country skiers, canoe racers, swimmers and soccer players report benefits from a pre competition diet where 70 percent of the calories comes from carbohydrates.”

70%.

Wow.

I used to subscribe to that idea, in my pre-Paleo days.   And while the high-carb diet I ate wasn’t the reason I was sick all the time (that was thanks to the gluten in the bagels and pasta I thought I needed to fuel and the whey in the protein powder I thought I needed to recover), it was certainly the reason I never looked as lean as I wanted despite training 25 – 30 hours per week for Ironman.

So when I switched to Paleo for health reasons and experienced the nice side effect of reaching the lean body weight I’d been working towards, I also began to train myself to become efficient at using fat as my fuel.

Over time, the body can learn to function quite optimally this way and simultaneously, the risks of many health concerns like diabetes, insulin sensitivity and simply being over-fat drop tremendously.

So now, even the thought of eating a 70% carb diet to prep for an event, and a short event at that, is enough to make me feel  a little sleepy!

My own diet hovers between 40 – 50% fat and it’s proven me well time and time again, both in racing as well as in day to day living.

If you’re mulling it over, check out Pocket Paleo workout (on iTunes or amazon), endorsed by renewed triathlon coach Joe Friel (also a Paleo proponent) and try your hand at letting your body become more reliant, firstly on food rather than refined sports nutrition products, and at the same time learn to be a better fat burner.

Curious to see what my diet actually looks like?

Tune in tomorrow, the day before my next race (the LA Marathon this Sunday) for an outline of a day in the life.

 

USDA, How About More Farm to Table in School Lunches?

Marketplace.org featured a great article on this very topic in late fall of 2014; which is a far cry from what many children are served during lunch at school.

Of course, the idea is great, but how would it be paid for? It’s obviously far more economical to serve highly refined, mass produced  food versus farm to table and according to the article, California public schools serve 560 million lunches a year, so it’s no small number.  

Plus, it’s not as easy as just deciding to change the menu in any particular school as school lunch is bound by federal requirements and a strict budget.

So what’s the answer?

Creativity.

According to Alexandra Emmott, Oakland, California’s Unified School District’s farm-to-school supervisor stated in the article, “Sometimes the district balances the extra cost over the course of the lunch calendar, or hits the price point by replacing a second piece of chicken with, say, red beans and rice. It involves some creativity, but this type of thinking is starting to catch on.”

A perfect example is illustrated by what Chef Jamie Oliver is doing with his Food Foundation, whose mission is “to replace processed junk food with freshly cooked meals in schools all over America. They’ll be made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients and cooked from scratch by properly trained cooks in well-equipped kitchens.”

We’ve got to all do our part to make a positive impact wherever and however we can.   Jamie even offers a ‘toolkit’ on his site which helps outline the steps to get involved, including:

Get the facts. See for yourself what’s being served on the breakfast and lunch trays and in the snack lines. Find out what’s working and what’s not.

Find support. If you think things need to be improved, find other parents in your school who feel the same way and work together.

Start your campaign. Get informed and make a plan, make friends with your school
nutrition director and ask for their help and support, go to PTA meetings, get the kids involved, send emails, make noise, track change and share your progress. Take every opportunity to keep discussions about school food on everyone’s agenda.

Let your school, and the USDA know that it’s not a matter of sitting back and expecting them to snap their fingers and make a change; rather, if we approach it collectively and move forward with a plan of attack together, that’s where the real progress lies.

After all, you can catch more flies with honey, and honey is Paleo…sort of…

 

Tips for Weight Loss During National Nutrition Month…From the USDA

Wondering how to lose that weight, once and for all?  Let’s tune in to see how the USDA recommends you go about doing just that.

Visit their site and do a search for weight loss, and you’ll be taken to this page, where you can scroll down a to the bottom to find a link entitled Winning By Losing- 10 Tips to Reshape Behavior.

Some of the advice includes some rather straight forward tips which I agree with completely, such as increasing physical activity, not relying on quick fixes and aiming for a reasonable goal of something along the lines of one pound per week.

On the other hand, however, there are some glaring problems with what they’re suggesting, including:

All foods and beverages can be consumed in moderation.

How about people who are addicted to sugar?   And those who have celiac disease or autism, for whom gluten and cross reactive proteins found in dairy, and possibly coffee should not be a consideration…ever?  How about a tiny acknowledgement to at least present this caveat?

Use ‘light’ foods and beverages in order to make ‘eating fun’.  “More and more good-tasting, reduced-calorie dinner entrees, desserts, diet soft drinks and other foods are now available. Also, the development and use of a wide variety of low-calorie ingredients known as fat replacers are making many new reduced-fat and light foods and beverages possible”

Did we learn nothing from the whole Olestra fiasco?  Are people still wanting a fat replacer that may have that slight little side effect of, and I quote what I recall was printed on the packaging, “anal leakage”?

“Low-calorie sweeteners, as part of an overall weight-control program, can help you reduce calories and therefore reduce weight”

No, no, no.    Sipping diet cola with fake sugar is not the answer to addressing a sweet craving.  How about looking at what was eaten, how much and whether or not it was balanced to figure out why there’s a blood sugar crash in the first place?

Weight can be maintained by saving calories, which you may or may not “spend” later in the same meal or the same day. As long as the calories are not overspent, you will maintain your weight;
help you stay on your weight-control program by keeping your diet interesting and enjoyable.
Low-calorie and reduced-fat foods and beverages can easily be made part of a lifelong, sensible weight-control program. Recent surveys indicate that many people are consuming these products as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

This one is backwards, too.  Eating a heftier, albeit balanced out with veggies, protein and gorgeous fats earlier in the day helps promote balanced blood sugar levels, improved mental focus and is correlated with weight loss versus skimping in the morning and eating too much later on.

Here’s the grain of salt: I know the USDA is far from offering a Paleo recommendation; in fact, likely quite the opposite as they’ll classify it as a fad diet which should therefore be avoided.

However, if they’d at least begin to acknowledge that certain populations might benefit tremendously by at least being aware that particular foods are really making them sick, it could be tremendous in helping people begin to heal themselves…

3 Cups of Skim Milk

Drink it up and meet your daily recommended needs for Calcium, according to the USDA.  

And to clarify, it’s not just milk, it’s low fat milk.

That’s it.  The whole suggestion in its entirety doesn’t mention anything about how if you’re consuming dairy, it should at least be grass-fed, organic and local.    

Granted, I’m not a fan of dairy myself as I prefer to keep True Paleo, but my advice to clients who are transitioning into Paleo is to at least go from fat free to full fat as part of the process.

But let’s get beyond this.

Why drink milk?  Is it really helping to ‘build strong bones’ and provide us with all that calcium it claims to?

No.

First of all, you must read Chapter 5 of Dr. Cordain’s book, The Paleo Answer, in which he shows how dairy consumption is linked with GI distress, ulcers, heart disease, insulin resistance, acne and asthma and succinctly sums it up with a closing sentence “Bottom Line: Avoid Dairy Products”.

Another great resource that fits in well here a favorite blog post on this particular topic which comes from Marion Nestle’s Food Politics, in which she includes some interesting tidbits such as:

Nearly half of the milk supply goes to make about 9 billion pounds of cheese and 1.5 billion gallons of frozen desserts–two-thirds of which is ice cream
11 percent of all sugar goes into the production of dairy products.

We also learn about the ‘dairy checkoff program’ which is

“a USDA-Sponsored programs, paid for by dairy farmers through checkoff fees, but run by the USDA.

U.S. Department of Agriculture employees attend checkoff meetings, monitor activities, and are responsible for evaluation of the programs. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the legality of the checkoff programs as “government speech”, finding: “the message … is controlled by the Federal Government.”

The report has some interesting findings about the checkoff. Although checkoff funds are supposed to be used for generic marketing, the dairy checkoff helped:

McDonald’s make sure that dairy foods play an important role in product development.
Taco Bell introduce its double steak quesadillas and cheese shreds.
Pizza Hut develop its 3-Cheese Stuffed Crust Pizza and “Summer of Cheese” ad campaign.
Dominos add more cheese to its pizzas as a result of a $35 million partnership.
Domino’s “Smart Slice” program introduce its pizza to more than 2,000 schools in 2011.
Promote “Chocolate Milk Has Muscle” and “Raise Your Hand for Chocolate Milk.”

Unless you’re a calf, there are simply no benefits, and a huge number of consequences, to your health, the health of society, the health and humane treatment of cows to drinking milk.

And unless you’re the Dairy Board, there’s no benefit to recommending its consumption.

I suppose they’re simply acting like any business would, trying to sell its product.  Unfortunately, however, their product causes a lot of harm and no good.