Nell Stephenson's Blog, page 69

I Just Couldn’t Resist…

This was the opening statement of an email I received from a gentlemen relatively new to Paleo.  He’d written to inquire if it was ‘normal’ to give in on day three to chips and salsa at his favorite Mexican restaurant after feeling very, very bored of the food he’d eaten for the past half week.

Normal?

Hmmm… that’s a hard one.

Common?  Yes, perhaps, but here’s the thing:  if you’re not approaching Paleo with a playful and creative touch, it can, indeed feel boring and restrictive.

I wrote back and asked what he’d eaten for those three days.

As soon as I received his reply, I could see what the issue was right away.

“I had poached eggs for breakfast with sliced melon, steamed broccoli and broiled chicken for lunch and grilled salmon and asparagus for dinner.”

He confirmed that was all he’d eaten, period, for three full days. 

Are those healthy foods?

Of course, but eaten repetitively, and without any added, good fats, or fresh herbs at the minimum, it’s easy to see why he felt bored.

Does that mean everyone should implement the ‘cheat day’ strategy from the get go?

Not at all.

Rather, allow your cooking to become your creative outlet and go to town with any fresh herbs and spices, a huge variety of local, seasonal veggies, any wild proteins you can find at your farmer’s market and trust that the worst thing that would occur is a realization that it turns out you don’t actually love thyme with chicken and so, guess what?  Next time you’ll buy basil instead.

If you want this to stick, set it up in such a manner that you actually enjoy everything you’re eating and when we consider the vast array of healthy Paleo options we have, it’s not remotely difficult.

I would honestly not recommend that anyone follow a diet that is too restrictive and boring.  I wouldn’t do it myself.  Please keep that in mind when you consider I’ve been Paleo for nine years, am absolutely a foodie and being Paleo in no way compromises my ability to test and try all kinds of food.  Just takes a little creativity and investigation!

True Paleo may be a lot of things, but one thing it is not is boring!

The Most Natural ‘Thickener’

Blog readers and clients new to Paleo often ask me how they’re going to thicken their sauces, stews or soups since they’re no longer relying on flour.

Aside from using a reduction cooking method which works wonders for creating a sauce with more viscosity, there are ways to create a more full bodied soup.

Rather than rely on a processed, nut-based ‘flour’, which, upon being added, will also bring with it its inflammatory Omega 6s, why not add some less refined?

Enter okra.

While it may be something most commonly thought of in terms of something we’d only add to gumbo or an item to be breaded and deep fried, adding this (gooey) little plant to your soup will certainly result in a more dense finished product.

Since its flavor is rather mild, it won’t change the overall taste and you can rest assured it’ll be a safe bet for all your Paleo guests, as well as those who may be following the autoimmune protocol (for which nuts can be a no-go).

Could We Just Add A Little Common Sense?

Paleo is one of the worst diets, and Jenny Craig is one of the best.

Following an eating plan rich in local, seasonal veggies and wild proteins is dangerously low in fiber and calcium, so we’re better off including plenty of enriched bread and bovine bodily fluids, respectively, to make sure we get enough of these vital nutrients.

Avoiding white sugar is far too restrictive, so it’s a great idea to have just a little every day, so that we don’t feel deprived.

Finally, what we put in our bodies doesn’t play much of a role in whether we are healthy or sick, and certainly wouldn’t have anything to do with our ability to heal from debilitating illness, so if we are faced with any medical challenges, really all we need to do is take some pills but not change our eating or exercise habits.

You know I’m being facetious, I hope…

Statements like what I’ve written above, though they may  be an exaggeration (or maybe not), aren’t too far off what we’re told on a regular basis.  

We hear it in the news, as results of studies and clinical trails and, of course, in ads for the latest drug we can take with a host of horrible side effects, melodically announced by a fast-speaking narrator to tells us to stop taking X drug and tell our doctor,  should we experience uncontrolled bleeding, insomnia, heart attack or stroke.

Let’s just take a step back here and apply a little common sense.

Forget about the word “Paleo” for a second and arguments such as:

Cavemen ate wild meat that was of a superior quality compared to what we eat now therefore what we call the Paleo diet isn’t a real Paleo diet (does that mean that we should forget about eating wild bison and just not eat any meat?)
People around the world have been eating bread for thousands of years; bread and grains continue to be the sole food source for billions of people globally (ok, true… but that in and of itself doesn’t mean that those of us who are fortunate enough to live in the US or other first world countries should eat the stuff regularly…or at all)

Just think.  

Which arguments are relevant and how much significance should you apply to these statements?  How do we weigh what the latest study says compared to how we feel eating what we’re eating?

For example, if you’ve gone Paleo and have lost weight, improved your skin condition, reduced the symptoms you had as a result of the autoimmune condition you have or no longer have migraine headaches and then read a study which informs you that Paleo is a bad way to live, are you going to go with what your body tells or or take the advice of an ‘expert’ who tells you the exact opposite?

Sure, keep reading the research, but do so with a critical eye.  Who funded a particular study?   Who serves to benefit financially?  

When it comes to all the trash talking about Paleo, how it’s a fad, a trend, and certainly not sustainable, ask yourself if it really makes sense to say that living off a balance of fresh veggies, protein and fat is not the healthiest way to go.

If you’re don’t think that this is precisely what the modern day implementation of True Paleo is all about, then you’re probably following a different type of regime that is not Paleo in the first place.

 

An Absolute Must Have- The Slow Cooker

As much as I enjoy a trip to Williams Sonoma to stock up on the latest kitchen toys, one thing I’d never purchased, for no particular reason, is a slow-cooker.

My generous husband bought me one for Christmas and I must say I don’t know why I’d never recognized the convenience of it before!

I’m not exaggerating when I say that one can prepare a meal in less than five minutes at the start of the day, before heading out to the office, for example, by simply chopping up a few things and throwing them in, then pressing start.

The other day, I did just that; I chopped an onion and put it in the slow cooker, placed a raw, pastured chicken on top, covered it and pressed start.

Voila.

Of course, one can make far more elaborate dishes, too, but in the interest of time and considering how many people have ridiculously tight schedules, I think there’s a place for one in everyone’s kitchen!

Highly, highly recommend.

No Corn, Soy or Wheat in These Dog Treats

“No soy, gluten or wheat” stated the package of dog treats in the local pet food shop.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m thrilled when I find something to give our Daisy, the nearly fifteen year old Weimaraner, as a two or three times per day treat.  When I write treat, I mean what is essentially jerky.  She’s not getting pieces of bread, cheese and scraps of junk which we don’t even have in the house.    While most of her food is prepared from scratch, it does come in handy to have this type of portable dog treat, and the brand pictured above offers a superior product than most others.

The issue I have is that we have so many products so filled with junk that it has to be stated when something doesn’t have all those nasty fillers.

It’s pretty obvious why the state of pet food is what it is; it’s far cheaper to sell a treat made out of a trace of some kind of meat (and there’s no telling what is was or where it came from) and loads of corn, wheat and soy compared to selling a package of grass-fed bison jerky.

And then we wonder why our pets have allergies, joint pain and cancer.

And then we try and fix what could easily have been prevented.

Do yourself, and your dog, a favor and raise him or her as a Paleo animal.   Paying more for True Paleo Food now is far less than the emotional cost of seeing them become ill and the financial burden of tests, medicine and procedures.

 

Is That Rotisserie Chicken In The Market A Good, Paleo Option?

You’ve had a rough day at the office.  You didn’t make the time to grocery shop, or prepare any food so you know you’ve got to stop somewhere en route back home, as the alternative is going home to an empty fridge.

Ah!  That neatly packaged, rotisserie chicken you saw at the grocery store last time looked great!  

Why not just quickly grab one of those, some salad greens and create a perfect dinner?

Well, there’s no reason not to do that… as long as you don’t mind eating plastic.

Think about it.  

Not only do you not know where that chicken came from (most don’t even state whether they’re cage-free or not, which might be only slightly less inhumane than battery cages.  We need to make sure our poultry is pastured, not just cage-free), you also don’t know how long it’s been sitting under heat, in plastic containers.

The number one step, according to BreastCancer.org, in reducing exposure to BPA is “Don’t cook food in plastic containers or use roasting/steaming bags; the plastic residues may leach into food when heated in a regular or microwave oven.”

Feeling bummed because it seemed so simple?

Easy answer, even for the busiest of us.

Do you think you can find three extra minutes in the morning?   Chop an onion.  Put a raw pastured chicken in a slow cooker.  Add more stuff if you want (garlic, fresh herbs, other veggies).  Press slow-cook start. Leave for the office.

Not kidding. That’s all it takes to ensure a lovely, completely Paleo, plastic-free dinner will await you upon your return after a long day.

 

Paleo-Confusing

I’ve always been quite vocal about my feelings about the growing prevalence of pseudo Paleo when it comes to promoting ‘kinda/sorta Paleo’ to ‘not really Paleo at all’ foods to the masses.  Sure- if you personally are mostly Paleo and opt to add grass fed butter to your diet, well, go ahead and do your thing.  Just don’t say that’s Paleo and please, don’t sell books and products with grass-fed butter and call them Paleo.

You see where I’m going with this.

Just yesterday, I received the following email from a blog-reader turned friend who is based in the UK:

“I picked up a new book on Paleo being heavily publicised in Waterstones. The front cover had a picture of lean steak with kale and blueberries.  So, I picked it up thinking how nice it looked and the first chapter on breakfasts was “pancakes with maple syrup” or “paleo granola”!   It’s a really confusing name because all the books that have these types of food are surely missing the concept of paleo of using seasonal, local produce.   For me part of the attraction and what helps me to feel good about eating is that it seems the most natural way that we as humans are meant to eat. “

Sure, if we pretend that pancakes, syrup and granola are part of the Paleo regime, more people would be inclined to buy books about it and more inclined to eat this way.

But guess what?

That’s not Paleo.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:  Read Dr. Cordain’s quote, straight from his site:

“The Paleo Diet mimics the types of foods every single person on the planet ate prior to the Agricultural Revolution (a mere 333 generations ago). These foods (fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood) are high in the beneficial nutrients (soluble fiber, antioxidant vitamins, phytochemicals, omega-3 and monounsaturated fats, and low-glycemic carbohydrates) that promote good health and are low in the foods and nutrients (refined sugars and grains, trans fats, salt, high-glycemic carbohydrates, and processed foods) that frequently may cause weight gain, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and numerous other health problems.”

Can someone explain to me how pancakes, syrup and granola mimics what ‘people on the planet prior to the Agricultural Revolution’ ate?

Come on, now.

If you want pancakes and syrup, go ahead and eat them but pretending that’s Paleo is akin to what we did in the early 90′s when we pretended that low fat and fat free meant we could eat all the Snackwells we wanted or when we pretend that gluten-free means it’s health food.

It’s not.

Eat food. Don’t eat things that aren’t food.  And move.  And you can quote me on that!

Dark Chocolate, Walnuts and Wine?

Can chocolate be a part of the True Paleo regime?

Without a doubt.

If you choose a dark, raw chocolate, preferably fair trader and organic, you can create the perfectly decadent treat for that special occasion without having to resort to adulterated versions (faux paleo) of cakes, cookies, muffins and other sweets.

Real chocolate (dark- at least 85%) has health benefits, according to a study done at the Cleveland Clinic, including their content of:

Flavonoids help protect plants from environmental toxins and help repair damage.
Antioxidants are believed to help the body’s cells resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes, such as breathing, and from environmental contaminants, like cigarette smoke. 
Flavanols are the main type of flavonoid found in cocoa and chocolate. In addition to having antioxidant qualities, research shows that flavanols have other potential influences on vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart, and making blood platelets less sticky and able to clot.

When shopping for chocolate, be diligent about reading the label to make sure your choice does not contain the following non Paleo ingredients:

Soy lecithin  (an emulsifier)
Butter, cream or whey (remember, there is no such thing as Paleo friendly dairy, even grass-fed)
Refined sugars
Gluten or grains of any kind

Personally, I’m a fan of 99% or 100%- the darkest one can get without any sweetness.

Decadent and delightful, one small square usually weighs out at about 70 calories and with a glass of fine red wine or melted over some raw, sprouted walnuts, you’re in for a treat so rich, you’ll only want that one bite or two!

Some of my favorite brands which offer varieties that fit the Paleoista guidelines include:

Taza Stone Ground
Righteously Raw
Fearless Organic Raw

All of which I’ve found at large stores like Whole Foods, as well as smaller manufacturers that might not be in your radar (yet) like:

Raw Chocolate Love
HU Kitchen’s Chocolate Bars
Mast Brothers

Be sure to double check the ingredients, though, as some flavors or varieties may indeed contain foods we’d want to avoid.

 

Shrimp Shells- Use Them, Don’t Lose Them!

I absolutely love shrimp.   It’s been my favorite since I was a little child and first tasted shrimp scampi when my grandpa took me to my first posh restaurant as a special treat.

Now I make it Paleo style (sans the butter) and always make sure to buy wild caught shrimp.

I leave the shell on for this, and most shrimp dishes I make, as doing so renders a moist finished product which I think supersedes the hassle of getting a little messy peeling off the little legs while you’re eating…

Recently, I came across a recipe for a new way to use the shells, in my favorite cooking magazine, Cook’s Illustrated.

 They always do a fantastic job of explaining why they do what they do and the takeaway about using the shrimp shells is that since they’re high in flavor boosting nucleotides, browning them to create the Maillard reaction (a flavor reaction, which also happens to be a browning reaction) that is often used in seafood bisque recipes, proves to impart a powerful flavor contribution to what might be an otherwise ho-hum dish.

Try it next time- peel your shrimp and sauté the shells perhaps in coconut oil (if you’re using a higher heat for an Asian inspired theme), or olive oil (lower heat) perhaps with garlic, lemon, white wine and parsley for scampi, then discard the shells before adding the shrimp and see if you don’t notice a significantly more delish flavor!

Are Alfalfa Sprouts Paleo?

“I am happy to report that I have sparked my brother’s interest in Paleo, and he has started eating this way on Jan 1 in hopes of improving his health“, stated a blog reader a week or so ago.  She continued along to say, “He has lots of questions since he is just starting – one of which had me stumped. Are alfalfa sprouts Paleo? I know that of course Brussels sprouts are, and bean sprouts are not. But I was not sure about alfalfa sprouts, which he loves on his salad.  Aret they OK?“

You may be surprised to learn the answer: no.

Alfalfa is actually a member of the legume family, thus high in those anti nutrient properties we try to avoid when following a True Paleo regime.

The upside is that there are so many other lovely foods to choose from that are Paleo friendly and that are true veggies, there’s no issue eliminating this one!