PALEO EATING a paleo diet blog

1 week results on the Zero Carb Carnivore diet

2010-01-08T18:03:00.002-05:00

typical meal

water

1 week results on the Zero Carb Carnivore diet

I lost 10 lbs! and feel so much better. This way of eating is simple and easy. I am never hungry, lost all carb cravings, my clothes fit a bit better and I am able to buckle my belt one notch more! I am wearing my 34 size jeans again! This way for eating is not for everyone, but is works for me as I have no willpower when it comes to carbs. so eliminating them is a good thing.

restart

2009-12-31T02:21:00.004-05:00

I just came across the Zero Carb concept.

see: this site:

www.zeroinginonhealth.com

the basics are simple:

drink water, eat meat and fat until full.

combine with high intensity muscle building exercise

I will discuss the science/biology of this in later posts.

reboot

2009-12-29T23:04:00.003-05:00

It's the one year anniversary of my resumption of going on the paleo diet. By May 2009 I had lost almost 30 lb. fealt great and went down 2 pants sizes. Unfortunately, a hernia operation and elbow tendinitis gave me the excuse to stray off the diet completely. Now I'm back to 220 lb., and back to 36 waist size pants that are feeling extremely tight. My office is starting the Biggest Loser weight loss contest. Here I go again!

The rules: avoid the 7 deadly sins of obesity

The 6 deadly food sins:

1. Grains (all grass seeds including corn) white or brown

2. Refined Sugars

3. Legumes

4. Dairy

5. Potatoes (white, Yams, sweet Potato)

6. Processed foods

and

7. Not exercising (especially weight bearing exercise or muscle building exercise)

Braised Rabbit with onion

2009-06-26T09:06:00.003-04:00

Ingredients:
2 Rabbits cut into sections
4 Med Yellow Onions
1 Bunch Green onion
4 strips uncured Nitrate Free Turkey Bacon(Trader Joes)
1/2 tsp Dry Sage
1/2 tsp Dry Thume
1/4 tsp iodized sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 large bay leaf
1/4 cup red wine
cooking oil/fat

cut up rabbit by slicing it in 1/2 length wise, remove les, cut torso into 5 pieces horizontally. This makes manegable pieces. slat peper the rabbit. Brown rabbit in oil using a large cast iron skillet. brown the onion. add oil and fry the bacon. cut bakon into small bits. In a dutch oven or a heavy metal pot layer the rabbit over some onion and sprinkle with herbs and bacon bits, continue layering. place bay leaf in the middle layer. deglaze skillet with red wine. pour over the rabbit.
cook on low (braize) for 1.5 hours.

Set backs

2009-06-21T13:05:00.002-04:00

I am ashamed to say that I have not been very strict lately. A hernia surgery and an elbow injury has kept me from the gym in the past 7 weeks. I have also been indulging in desserts and noodles as well as cheese (which form a diet perspective is not bad, from a Paleo Diet perspective a no-no). All together this culminated into a weight gain of 6-7 lbs and it shows. Time to get back on track. going hard core again.

Cherry crop

2009-06-21T12:59:00.004-04:00

The cherries ripnend on our little cherry tree! this is the whole crop.

They were a bit sour and a litle sweet, a far cry from the JUMBO Cherries we buy at Costco.

It was fun picking them with my son.

More of my Paleo Garden:

2009-06-14T19:42:00.013-04:00

Pear tree

the berry patch: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries

mellon patch

cherry tree

appple tree, kind of sad looking

assorted veggies

more veggies (I have no idea what I planted)

My Paleo Garden

2009-06-14T19:26:00.005-04:00

This year I started 3 gardens from seeds and palnted 3 fruit trees so I can forage in may back yard.

My loittle cave man foraging! (hates raddishes)

first crop! Raddishes

Last year's goose berry bushes

Eating my way through Chinatown

2009-05-20T07:47:00.020-04:00

Last Friday I spent the day with my little sister exploring Chinatown

New York City. The rule was: Paleo friendly food.

We have something very special in common: We love to eat! We are definitely "foodies". Unlike my wife, my sister is culinarily adventurous. I see many more culinary adventures in our future.

Our first stop was a Chinese BBQ joint. There are many of these all over Chinatown. very cool "window shopping"

BBQ duck, BBQ pork skin on/skin off versions, BBQ pigs ears and tripe, side of veggies

close up of the tripe and pigs ears.

definitely interesting and different, but it all kind of tastes the same as they use the same flavorings for everything. my favorite was the pork with crispy skin.

having gorged ourselves we decided to walk around and let the tasty meal digest. there are many stores and street stands with a myriad of seafood, fruits and trinkets.

fruit stand with mangoes, cherries , lechee and several other related fruits whose name I forget.

we bought a little of every fruit to take home, but wound up snacking on the cherries.

To quench our thirst we shared a roasted young coconut. the vendor just pokes a hole, hands you a straw. Not bad for $1.50 and very Paleo.

We ended the day in a Vietnamese restaurant:

veggies
Pork intestines with sour cabbage. I've had pork intestines before and after having it twice I can definitely say this was my last time. To me they taste awful. My sister agreed.

Snails in ginger sauce. this was my favorite dish both for flavor and the fun factor. you have to suck, pick, and extract the tasty morsel.

Suck

Pick

Extract

My sister's favorite dish was the Grilled Beef with Green Mango salad. it was phenomenal.

we also had fogs legs in ginger and scallion sauce. I was so busy with the snails I forgot to take a photo. They were very tasty!

Mother's Day the Paleo way

2009-05-15T08:28:00.011-04:00

For Mother's day I had my family over. It was all paleo food.

Sauteed mushrooms and onions in goose fat.

Sauteed asparagus and almond slivers in canola oil

Cauliflower faux couscous

grilled zucchini, pickled mushrooms Russian style

mamarinated chicken and pork shishkabob

Field green salad

Plaoe wife

Paleo Parents

Not so Paleo son.

Paleo sister and boyfriend (working on him)

It was a fun day, and we all ate well.

Pork Shoulder Roast stuffed with garlic

2009-05-02T19:03:00.006-04:00

Today my Mom came over for a visit. I asked her to help me make one of her signature dishes that I never made before: Garlic Stuffed Pork Shoulder Roast.

Ingredients:

1 pork shoulder roast (pork Butt)
1 tbsp freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp koser (coarse) salt
6 clove garlic sliced into wedges

Directions:

Using a boning knife remove skin. Poke a 1 inch hole with the boning knife. Dip index finger into pepper and shove into hole, dip index finger into salt, shove into hole. Stuff garlic wedge into hole. Repeat all around about 1 inch apart. Rub with canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. place into a roasting pan. Cover with aluminium foil. Place into preheated 375 degree oven for 1.75 hours. Remove foil and roast for another 10 min on Broil until golden brown and delicious!

remove from oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for 15 min.

Makes great leftovers!

Cauliflower curry "coucous"

2009-05-01T21:22:00.003-04:00

Cauliflower is a relatively bland vegetable closely related to broccoli. It has the ability to take on flavors and can be made to resemble starchy foods. For those who have been low carbing for a while may be familiar with faux mashed potatoes made from boiled and purees cauliflower and heavy cream. This dish is inspired by a dish I had in Atlanta Georgia at the Upstairs Room Restaurant. Its texture is very close to couscous, a Middle Eastern grain dish.

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower de-stemmed and coarsely chopped

1 large carrot peeled and sliced

1/2 cup canola oil

4 tsp yellow curry powder

Directions:

working in small batches run the cauliflower and carrot in a food processor on high until all of the veggies are super-finely pulverized. transfer to a mixing bowl and add oil and curry powder. mix well to combine.

Easter Brunch

2009-05-01T19:08:00.006-04:00

I left my camera in Atlanta, just got it back. Here are some pictures from Easter Brunch Buffet:

Appetizer: shrimp and crab claw cocktail and raw oysters and clams. I had 3 helpings of this!

Salad, duck liver pate' and some cold cuts

Roast leg of lamb and grilled veggies and cucumber salad

Mixed berries for dessert

Muscle developing exercise more important for women.

2009-04-27T07:45:00.003-04:00

Read the below link on why weight bearing exercise (weight training) is more important for women than low intensity, steady state exercise (such as running, walking, cycling or stair climbing).

http://www.bodybyscience.net/home.html/?page_id=301

The Dose-Response Relationship of Exercise

2009-04-27T07:41:00.004-04:00

Below is a link to a very interesting writing regarding exercise. I highly recommend reading it it better understand how exercise works on our body.

http://www.bodybyscience.net/home.html/?page_id=221

MythEGGology

2009-04-25T21:54:00.003-04:00

After decades of misinformation and poor research eggs are about to be 'rehabilitated' in the UK as well as the USA.

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

now you can eat your eggs without guilt and fear, whew!

I would recommend buying the Omega 3 eggs if you can get them to improve your omega 3 to omega 6 ratios.

A tale of two peoples

2009-04-25T21:43:00.002-04:00

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/...nter-gatherers/

This is an interesting comparison of agriculturalists and hunter-gatherers. The two groups of people are compared from the same region (same hunting grounds) and probably the same genetic heritage, just at different points in history. One group were farmers the other hunter gatherers. care to wager which group was healthier??? Read on...

low intensity stedystate excersize, are we built for it??

2009-04-23T06:47:00.002-04:00

One of the points that Doug McGuff, the author of Body By Science makes is that low intensity, steady state exercises(walking, jogging, stair climbing, cycling, rowing, etc...) is not our optimal way to get fit and stay healthy due to accumulative damage to our joints and ligaments or chronic wear and tear. One of the premises of the Paleo-Lifestyle is to eat and move in tune with what are bodies are naturally evolved for. Our bodies are made for intense explosive motion, not steady state low intensity motion. Think about our hunter-gatherer ancestors, and how they hunted and lived. Case in point a recent post by Mark Sisson of Mark's Daily Apple Blog:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/did-humans-evolve-to-be-long-distance-runners/

Happy Birthday to me!

2009-04-22T08:49:00.003-04:00

Well, today is my 39th birthday! My lovely wife nad son got me a Kayak! I am really excited. if the weahter is good I will make my maiden voyage! All I need now is a life vest and a fishing pole holder.

More Body By Science

2009-04-19T16:42:00.003-04:00

This is a great short, 6min, interview of Dr. Doug McGuff on youtube giving you a brief synopsisof the Body By Science excersize and diet principals.

I have been following this regimen of excersize for the past 3 weeks. I will hold off on posting my results, but I will tell you, have already seen strenght improvemnts!

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

here is another interwiew and workour demo of the author

http://www.kens5.com/news/health/stories/KENS20090209-BodyByScience.35a4bbf6.html

Enjoy!

Collared Greeens

2009-04-19T15:40:00.004-04:00

Inspired by my recent trip to Atlanta Georgia!

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown's Good Eats

Ingredients :

1 quart chicken stock
1 1/2 pounds smoked turkey or pork parts*
2 pounds stemmed collard or turnip greens
1 teaspoon salt, plus extra if desired

Directions :

Place the water and turkey legs in an 8-quart pot over medium-high heat. Cover, bring to a boil, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, remove any large stems from the greens and wash them thoroughly; do so in a sink with at least 5 inches of water. Moving the leaves around in the water and allowing them to sit for a few minutes to allow the sand or dirt to fall to the bottom of the sink. Once clean, chop pieces in half. You should have 2 pounds of greens once they are stemmed. (Weigh the greens after stemming, but before washing.) (I bought 4 bunches, that seemed to be about right.)
Once the turkey legs* have simmered for 10 minutes, add the greens, salt reduce the heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer gently for 45 minutes or until the greens are tender. if using a smaller pot, you can add the greens in batches as the leaves cook down a bit. Move the greens around every 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt, if desired. Serve immediately. The southerners like to add hot sauce to the greens for a little kick.

* I used smoked pork necks, but any smoked pork or turkey parts will do, I have seen smoked turkey necks and wings as well. I like the flatter pieces as they sit better at the bottom of the pot.

Family going Paleo!

2009-04-19T08:43:00.002-04:00

I am happy to announce that my wife has been doing well on the Paleo Diet. In fact, I am surprised how strict she has been. she occasionaly allows herself to cheat with dessert and has been much stricter than I thought she would be. My sister has also began Paleo Eating.

This weekend I had a sit down with my parents and expressed my concerns about their diet and poor health. Both of my parents are overweight, and high blood pressure. In addition, my father has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. they both agreed to change their diets and eliminate grain, refined sugar, dairy and legumes form their diet. I gave my mother my copy of good calories bad calories in the hopes that it will motivate her further (as she is the cooke in the family). I alos offered to train them every sunday at my gym using the body by science principals.

Crock pot BBQ Beef

2009-04-19T08:04:00.007-04:00

Ingredients:

5 LBS bottom round
4 med onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup low salt chicken broth or other flavorful liquid
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
3 Tbsp mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
cooking fat

Directions:

Slice bottom round into 1.5 inch rounds. Heat an iron skillet. (I used the trimmed fat from the bottom round and rendered it as the skillet heated to use as the cooking fat) brown the meat on both sides. Pour 1/4 contents of crushed tomatoes at bottom of crock pot, place a layer of meat on the bottom of the crock pot. Brown the onions and garlic, place over the first layer of meat, pour 1/2 the contents of the crushed tomatoes over the onions. Brown the remainder of the meat and layer over the onions. cover with remainder of tomatoes. Deglaze the skillet with chicken stock and pour contents into crock pot. Set on high for 6 hours. Pull meat apart with 2 forks until shredded, add mustard, BBQ sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Cook on low until liquid is absorbed, maybe another hour. This recipe works great with pork loin or pork shoulder as well.

Lebanese Kaftas

2009-04-16T19:20:00.004-04:00

I had some leftover groud lamb, so I decided to make traditional Lebanese Kaftas. very paleo!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground Lamb (beef can be used as well)
1 med onion, minced in food proccessor
4 cloves garlic, minced in food proccessor
2 cups tighly packed washed and picked parsley
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves or 1 tbs dry mint leaves
1/4 tsp each ground cinammon, cloves, nutmeg
saltto taste
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
wooden skewers

Directions:

In a food processor finely mince onion and garlic, add parsley and mint. Remove nad fold into the meat along with the spices. take a habd full of meat mixture and apply to the skewers making a sausage with skewers in the middle. Heat an Iron skillet, add cooking fat, and cook the Kaftas untill golden brown all around, turing every 2-3 min.

Nutrition Data

2009-04-15T23:12:00.002-04:00

this is a great site to investigate the nutritional data of food. I use it to check glycemic load and net carbs. Just plug in the food name and category. very simple and informative.

http://www.nutritiondata.com/

beef stew with carrots and radish

2009-04-15T22:56:00.005-04:00

this is a low carb stew using low Glycemic Load root vegetables The lowest Glycemic Load root vegetables are radish and turnip (GL 1 per 100g) followed by carrot (GL 2 per 100g)

I just happened to have a Dakkion radish laying around. (also known as Chinese radish)

Ingredients:

1 lb stew beef cut into 1.5 inch cubes
3 med carrots sliced into 1/3 inc rings
1 dakkion radish, cubed
1/2 cup chicken broth (or other flavorful liquid)
2 med onions chopped
5 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1/2 tsp dry sage
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
cooking fat

Directions:

In an iron skillet render fat (I used beef fat, but you can use canola oil or any cooking fat). Brown beef, transfer to heavy pot such as a dutch oven. Brown onion, then add garlic and cook for 2-3 min longer. Transfer to pot. Deglaze with broth, or red wine. Pour liquid into pot. Add herbs to pot. Bring to a boil, cover with lid and simmer for 2 hrs on lowest heat possible. I had to transfer to a small burner to keep it at a gentle simmer. This is technically a braise cheaper cuts of meat with lots of connective tissue such as shoulder cuts (chuck) work best in braises. Add carrots and radish. Cook for another 45 min - 1 hr until veggies soften. The radish looks and has the texture of potatoes without the carbs. Turnips may be used as well, but they have a stronger flavor. Next time I will try it with regular radishes.

Adverse effects of horomones found in cow milk

2009-04-14T00:03:00.003-04:00

The following isw an excerpt form Dr. Cordain's PaleoDiet news letter.

Insulin
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which immune cells (T-lymphocytes) mount an attack on the cells of the pancreas that produces insulin (beta cells) resulting in its destruction. These patients have to rely on insulin replacement therapy to live. Last week, we discovered that bovine insulin (BI) is present in commercially pasteurized milk and infant formulas. We also learned that BI has good oral bioavailability since antibodies to BI are a common phenomenon among children who have consumed infant formula containing cow's milk. This is very important information for children who have a genetic predisposition for T1D because BI differs from human insulin by only three amino acids. The immune response induced by BI in these children may react with human insulin and lead to β-cell destruction, especially if children are exposed to infant formula containing cow's milk before the age of 3 months. This is a period of high intestinal permeability or leaky gut. As expected, various epidemiological studies have associated cow's milk consumption with T1D in genetically susceptible children, especially when the initial exposure begins in the first months of life. Thus, exclusively breastfeeding during the first 6 months and avoiding formulas based on cow's milk is highly recommended.

IGF - 1
We already know that cow's milk is associated with increased plasma IGF-1 concentrations in both children and adults. Furthermore, there is evidence that cow's milk increases the IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio, setting a hormonal cascade that may ultimately result in epithelial cell cancers and acne, among other diseases.

Betacellulin
Humans have a hormonal receptor called the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (in the skin, gastrointestinal tract, lung, kidney, mammary gland, pancreas, prostate gland, ovary and other tissues) that binds the EGF family of hormones, including Betacellulin (BTC). BTC is a hormone found not only in liquid cow's milk, but also in whey and cheese. Why is this relevant? There is a very good probability that BTC may survive degradation by gut enzymes, bind the luminally expressed EGF receptor in the gut, and thereby enter circulation. If this chain of events occurs, then BTC may also bind the EGF receptor bound in all epithelial cells. This is where it might contribute to the pathogenesis of epithelial cell cancers and acne since up-regulation of the EGF receptor pathway occurs in acne31 and in a wide variety of cancers including breast, prostate, ovarian, lung, pancreatic, gallbladder, stomach, testicular, kidney, and head and neck cancers.

Estrogens

Various milks contain estrogen metabolites and that the most prevalent form of estrogen in cow's milk is estrone sulphate, which has high oral bioactivity. This is potentially alarming for the following reasons:
In vitro and animal studies support the notion that estrogens are implicated in prostate cancer.
Estrogens may adversely effect the ovarian epithelium.
The use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with an increased incidence of corpus uteri cancer in the United States, and it should be remembered that estrone sulphate comprises 45% of the conjugated estrogens in Premarin and Prempro. These are the most frequently prescribed hormone replacement therapies for menopausal women.
Estrogens can initiate breast cancer and promote the growth of existing tumors in breast tissue.
Elevated plasma concentrations of endogenous estrogens are associated with increased risk of breast cancer.
Exposure to estrogens through HRT and oral contraceptives is associated with an increased breast cancer risk.
Whole and low fat milk were found to promote 7,12-dimethylbenz(a) anthracene induced mammary tumors in rats.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) precursors As mentioned last week, commercially pasteurized cow's milk contains progesterone, 5α-androstanedione and 5α-pregnanedione that are dihydrotestosterone (DHT) precursors, and DHT is implicated in acne and prostate cancer.

Unfortunately, we aren't aware of any study that has looked at the absorption of these hormones, so we don't know if this is really a problem. Nevertheless, evidence that other hormones have good oral bioavailability suggests that it may indeed be a cause for concern. As expected from the evidence presented, dairy intake is strongly associated with a higher incidence of acne, moderately associated with prostate cancer, and mildly associated with ovarian cancer. Dairy consumption has also been associated with an increased incidence of testicular, kidney, and head and neck cancers. There have been very few studies looking at this, so it is difficult to draw more significant conclusions. Although epidemiological evidence can't show cause and effect, and clearly, many more studies need to be conducted, the current evidence strongly suggests that cow's milk may be implicated in a variety of cancers as well as acne.

The Paleo Diet, by emulating the nutritional characteristics of hunter-gatherer diets, avoids the consumption of milk and other dairy products. Thus, the Paleo Diet protects us from the potential problems inherent in dairy consumption. Yet, when combined with sufficient sun exposure and proper exercise, the Paleo Diet still optimises bone health because it:
1. Provides all the micronutrients (including calcium, which can be obtained from green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and kale) needed to optimize bone health and prevent osteoporosis
2. Includes enough fruits and vegetables to be net base yielding (a net acid yielding diet can cause calcium and magnesium losses
3. Includes sufficient protein (which increases intestinal calcium absorption and has an anabolic effect on bone, particularly in the context of a net base yielding diet
4. Has a lower omega 3/omega 6 ratio (a diet with a high omega 6/ omega 3 ratio can cause bone loss and a low glycemic load/insulinotropic effect (high insulinemia causes calcium loss)

To subscribe to The Pale Diet Newsletter go to:

http://www.thepaleodiet.com/newsletter/

Understanding fat loss

2009-04-12T11:02:00.004-04:00

Obesity is a reaching epidemic proportions in the US. Just look around. I sat in the Atlanta Mall yesterday, just people watching. The majority were fat, there were few lean people. Much of the problem is our misunderstanding of energy metabolism due to decades of misinformation from our government. This is in part due to recommnedations by scientists with large egos barking up the wrong trees, making incorrect assumptions and sticking to their flawed hypothesis despite poor support evidence and evidence to the contrary.

Fortunately, our understanding of energy metabolism has improved and the misguided scientists with big egos either retired or died.

It is critical to understand nutrient metabolism in order to understand the science of fat loss.

Body fat storage is dependant on the macro-nutrient that is least available. For the past 2 million years of human evolution the least available macro nutrient for our hunter gatherer ancestors was carbohydrate. When the least abundant macro-nutrient is in greaqt supply it is a signal for the body to store fat. This occurs in the late summer and early fall months for omnivorous mammals: us. The hormone insulin's largest role is in energy storage, therefore body fat storage is dependant on the hormone insulin.

Insulin's function is to move sugar from the blood to storage organs. The biggest glucose (sugar) storage organs in our bodies is MUSCLE, and to a much lesser degree the liver. Once the muscle cells are full to capacity with glucose, the insulin receptors on the muscle cells will decrease in insulin sensitivity so that no more glucose will enter the cells. This raises the sugar levels in the blood which in turn stimulated an increase in insulin which now causes the storage of the excess sugar in the form of FAT in adipose (fat) tissue (since muscle and liver are full to capacity). As you can see when there is an abundance of available carbohydrate fat storage results.

Fat is mobilized from adipose (fat) tissue via the hormone insulin sensitive lipase. This can only occur when insulin levels drop, since insulin sensitive lipase is inactivated by insulin. This can even occur at a calorie deficit as seen in low calorie/high carbohydrate diets. Basically whenever insulin levels are elevated you will not loose fat. And carbs raise insulin levels, especially the refined carbohydrates such as sugars and grains.

Once you understand the above scenario food metabolism. you can appreciate the fallacy of low fat/ high carb diets that are still encouraged by our government agencies. Carbs are the culprit, especially the unnatural carbs we consume today in the form of dairy, beans and the greatest of all culprits: grain (including corn and rice). Which were never part of our NATURAL DIET.

If you have not had it yet, I hope this has been your eureka moment!

Something else to ponder: Our bodies are able to manufacture sugar for energy from fats and proteins, but we cannot manufacture all the necessary proteins and fats. This is why we have essential fatty acids (fats) and essential amino acids (protein). So why would a diet that restricts fats or proteins be healthful???? We can survive without carbohydrates, but we cannot survive without protein and fats. This is the flaw in vegetarian and low fat diets.

Today's Eats

2009-04-10T20:55:00.011-04:00

Today's culinary excursions are better documented...

Breakfast was once again at the hotel

egg omelet with mushrooms and onions, side of sausages and bacon, bowl of mixed fruit, ice water infused with splash of cranberry juice. (beats drinking boring water), hot earl grey tea.

Lunch was a simple staple: grilled chicken breast over mixed field greens in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. this can be had in any basic eating joint any time any where.

Dinner was at Aja, an Asian fusion restaurant in Atlanta. The decor and atmosphere were top notch. and the food was amazing. This is Twist's sister restaurant.

Appetizer of chicken wings in some Asian dressing and Coconut shrimp soup

Tofu with sauteed spinach in garlic sauce (I skipped the tofu)

Seafood and vegetables in spicy sauce

pepper steak with vegetables. my favorite!

Diabetics Improve Health with high fat/low carb diet, decade old evidence gone unnoticed!

2009-04-09T22:46:00.004-04:00

SAN DIEGO, CA -- June 15, 1999 -- A very high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet has been shown to have astounding effects in helping type 2 diabetics lose weight and improve their blood lipid profiles.
The results of three studies involving such a diet, which is similar to, but has a few key differences from the famous "Dr. Atkins Diet", were presented today at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.
Dr. James Hays, an endocrinologist and director of the Limestone Medical Center in Wilmington, DE, admitted that the concept of a high-fat diet in people who are already at higher risk of cardiovascular disease might seem incongruous. Nonetheless, this study of 157 men and women with type 2 diabetes showed an impressive benefit in body mass index (BMI) triglycerides, HDL, LDL and HbA1c.
Most people are encouraged to reduce the amount of fat in their diets, particularly saturated fats, and diabetics in particular are advised to reduce their overall caloric intake, Dr. Hays explained in an interview in San Diego during the conference.
Whereas a normal diet would be in the order of 1800 to 2100 calories, with 60 percent of calories coming from carbohydrates and 30 percent from fat, patients in this diet were restricted to 1800 calories per day and were encouraged to get 50 percent of their caloric intake from fat, and just 20 percent from carbohydrates. The balance of 30 percent would come from proteins.
A whopping 90 percent of the fat content in their diets was saturated fat, compared with just 10 percent that was monounsaturated fat.
"I think this is at least worth considering for any diabetic," Dr. Hays said in an interview. "The thing many diabetics coming into the office don’t realize is that other forms of carbohydrates will increase their sugars, too. Dietitians will point them toward complex carbohydrates ... oatmeal and whole wheat bread, but we have to deliver the message that these are carbohydrates that increase blood sugars, too."
Higher-fat diets, on the other hand, seem to make the person feel full faster so they eat less; higher-fat diets also tend to reduce postprandial hypoglycemia so the patients feel better after eating.
“Every diabetic comes home from the doctor with instructions as to what their diet should consist of, but they’re not getting the information from dietitians about what complex carbohydrates they should eat,” Dr. Hays said.
“The important thing here is no ketosis. We absolutely don’t want people to become ketotic, and so we said they had to have so many exchanges of fresh fruits and vegetables and we specified the ones they could eat.”
They were able to eat all the meat and cheese they wanted, but as for carbohydrates, they are restricted to eating unprocessed foods, mainly fresh fruit and vegetables, he added.
Subjects recruited into the study (84 men, 73 women) were all type 2 diabetics and were required to undergo a standard American Diabetes Association modified diet for one full year before entry into the trial. Over the course of one year, the subjects achieved a mean decline in total cholesterol of between 231 and 190 mg/dl. Triglycerides declined from 229 to 182 mg/dl.
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol) fell from 133 to 105 mg/dl, while HDL increased from 44 to 47 mg/dl.
HbA1c, which at the start of the study averaged 3.34 percent above normal, declined to the point that at one year, the mean was just 0.96 percent above normal.
The average weight loss among subjects in the study was in the order of 40 pounds, Dr. Hays said.
By the end of the one-year study, he added, 90 percent of the patients had achieved ADA (American Diabetes Association) targets for HbA1c, HDL, LDL and triglycerides.
Even among juvenile diabetics, he said, they might not be overweight and they might have more or less normal lipid levels, but when they are on this kind of diet it is possible to treat them with lower doses of insulin and make their lives a little safer, he said.
As for the response from cardiologists who see a high-fat diet as anathema to what they have been instructing their patients for years now, Dr. Hays said he has three cardiologist patients who are now on the diet.
"If you have a diet that results in weight loss, lower cholesterol, and a better lipid profile, eventually, everybody will be eating that way. It’s going to come whether we like it or not."

By Cameron Johnston for Doctor Guide News

This is essentially the Paleo Died with the exception of cheese

Wifey has seen the light

2009-04-09T22:34:00.003-04:00

My wife finally succumbed to my requests to try to switch to my way of eating. She is a big Italian food and dessert girl. She agreed to go low carb for breakfast and lunch and have a "free meal" at diner. She will include dairy for now. Hey it's a start. She also agreed to have me train her using the Body By Science principles for 6 months.

new pants size!

2009-04-09T22:24:00.003-04:00

After dinner we hit the mall. My jeans are so big on me now that I can only keep them up with a belt and they are getting really baggy. 3 months ago, when I started the Paleo Diet, I had to hold my breath to squeeze into these jeans. They were very uncomfortable, but it was the last pair I could wear without going up a size. I had to air dry them so they did not shrink. Now it looks like I am wearing a potato sack. I wound up buying a pair of jeans 2 sizes lower and there is a little room left. I probably could have gone down one more size. It felt so great!

today's eatings in Atlanta

2009-04-09T22:03:00.006-04:00

Today breakfast was at the hotel. I had the buffet: wild mushroom and red onion omelet with bacon bits, a pork and a chicken/apple sausage, 3 strips of bacon, and mixed fruit.

Lunch was at Hudson Grill. I feasted on lemon/pepper chicken wings (not breaded) and a shrimp and field greens salad with a spicy vinaigrette dressing.

Dinner was a read culinary adventure. We went to TWIST, a hip restaurant in Buckhead area of Atlanta. They have an amazing tapas menu as well as sushi and an entree menu. You can sample a lot of different food for the price of a single meal. I stuck with the tapas, which are small appetizer size meals. This time I had enough sense to snap a few photos:

chopped salad with crumbled egg

chicken liver with onions - best I ever had!

baked cauliflower in a cream/Parmesan cheese sauce. (I let as much sauce drip of as possible)

asparagus in garlic and oil sauce. again, best I ever had

Korean bulgoki beef and kimchi (upper left)

BBQ pork ribs with red cabbage slaw (upper right)

Beef fillet medallions (bottom) I picked off the cheese

I drank so much unsweetened iced tea today, my teeth turned yellow!

When to eat organic

2009-04-09T16:07:00.007-04:00

The cost of organic produce can be quite high. This is especially an issue during these tough economic times. The benefit of eating organic is to reduce the amount of pesticides we consume. But not all produce is laden with pesticides. Recently The Environmental Working Group rated pesticide residues of fresh produce. It claims that you can lower your pesticide exposure by 80% by avoiding the 12 most pesticide laden fruits and vegetables. So if you are willing to shell out bucks for organic produce do it for only these 12. Also referred to as "the dirty dozen":

peaches
apples
pears
nectarines
imported grapes
strawberries
cherries
bell peppers
kale
celery
lettuce
carrots

There are vegetables that were rated as the cleanest in regards to pesticide contamination. Save your hard earned cash and forgo the organic versions of the "clean dozen":

avocados
pineapples
mangoes
papayas
tomatoes
eggplant
watermelon
kiwi
onions
asparagus
broccoli
cabbage

stikin' to paleo diet on vacation

2009-04-08T21:19:00.004-04:00

I'm spending 4 days in Atlanta Georgia with my wife's sister and family. We'll be eating out every meal. It is tough to be super strict around all the southern food. Lunch was collared greens, grilled chicken over salad. Dinner was fried chicken, BBQ ribs, fried okra and boiled collared greens. Except for the breading I did well considering that dinner ended with ice cream, which I abstained from. finished the day with a pear and a plum. Going to the zoo tomorrow!

scored a new book

2009-04-07T22:57:00.004-04:00

Although eaten by many cultures, Offal has literally fallen by the way side in the US today. There is no doubt that our Paleolithic ancestor wasted no part of the animal. I found this used book by chance. Published in 1974. Can't wait to explore it.

Preparing offal is making a comeback, even is some upscale restaurants.

Like executive chef, Chris Cosentino of Incanto Restaurant in California.
you can visit his blog: Offal Good at http://www.offalgood.com/site/

paleo eating at the fair

2009-04-06T05:32:00.004-04:00

Its pretty easy to stick to paleo eating when eating out. We had dinner with friends at a steak house. my dinner consisted of tuna carpaccio (quickly seared sushi grade tuna), NY shell steak and escarole sauteed with garlic. Yesterday I took my son to a local carnival. for a snack I had a grilled smoked turkey leg and for dinner we went to a local Friday's. grilled shrimp skewers and steamed broccoli was on a low carb menu. I was able to stick to the diet despite a table full of french fries, burgers, brownies and ice cream.

Lamb chops

2009-04-05T21:55:00.004-04:00

This is the last of my grass fed lamb stash. As you know grass fed meat is much higher than in Omega 3 than the grain fed variety.

Ingredients:

lamb shanks (I happen to cook about 10 for the week)
salt/ pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1/2 tsp dry sage
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dry rosemary (I omitted this as my wife hates rosemary)

Directions:

Heat a large cast iron skillet. while the skillet is warming up (3-5 min) pat the lamb chops dry. salt and pepper both sides. brown both sides on med-high heat , about 5-7 min. The second side takes a bit more as the skillet has cooled. You do not need to add oil as this meat gives off enough fat to cook in. heat oven to 350 degrees. combine herbs in a small bowl to mix well, sprinkle both sides liberally with herb mixture,( this is where metal tongs are your friend) cover loosely with aluminum foil shiny side down. and finish cooking in the oven for another 20 min. drain the fat (a lot will be rendered out)and save it if you like to cook with it. I love lamb!

Flattened chicken

2009-04-05T21:41:00.003-04:00

This is my mom's best chicken dish. She used tons of fresh garlic and used to pound the chickens flat with a mallet. I ran out of garlic and did not use a mallet. This recipe is also known as "chicken under a brick"

Ingredients:

Cornish game hen
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dry thyme
salt/pepper to taste
canola oil

Butterfly the chicken: using kitchen scissors cut along the back bone on both sided removing it entirely along with the tail. clip off the end joint of the wings. (save these cuttings for stock) Flip the bird around and remove the keel bone by scoring along it with a boning knife. it takes some work but with care and patience this can be done without destroying the meat too much. Rub with canola oil and season with the spices on the breast side. be generous with the garlic powder. heat a non stick skillet on high. add oil to cover the base in a thin layer. Place the chicken breast side down. place a plate over the chicken so it covers it completely. lower the heat to med-low and place a heavy weight on the plate to flatten the chicken further. (I used a pot filled with water.) cook until browned. season the uncooked side, flip over and cover with a new plate to prevent cross contamination. Cook until browned and cooked through.

this can feed one or two people(half the chicken) depending on how hungry you are. As you can see I was very hungry.

HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING

2009-04-05T12:24:00.003-04:00

Today was my first day of a training routine as outlined in Body By Science by Doug McGuff. I was very impressed by this book as it not only backed up by the scientific literature and is highly referenced it takes into account our body biology, our evolution and dispels some very common excises and fitness myths. If exercise is part of your health and fitness regimen then I highly encourage this book.

Today's workout consisted of 5 exercises and was completed in 13 minutes.

Horomones in our dairy

2009-04-05T11:38:00.002-04:00

This excerpt is from the latest issue of The Paleo Diet News letter. to get your copy of the newsletter emailed to you as well as references to this article go to

http://www.thepaleodiet.com/newsletter/

HOROMONES IN MILK
The existence of hormones in cow's milk that could be problematic for humans. Before we discuss the potential adverse effects of each of those hormones, it is important to know that in order for any of these milk hormones to potentially cause or promote a certain disease, it must:
1. Survive the pasteurization and processing methods
2. Survive the human digestive processes intact
3. Cross the gut barrier intact

It is normally believed that protein shearing enzymes in the human gut breakdown proteins and hormones before they can get to the small bowel where absorption occurs. This is what happens when you eat protein-containing foods, such as beef or fish, and this is the reason why some diabetics have to take insulin intravenously and not orally.

Nevertheless, we should remember that milk's main purpose is to accelerate growth in weaning mammals, who have a low endogenous production of hormones. Milk contains not only the necessary hormones to promote growth, but also catalysts, transporters and stabilizers that ensure their maximum bioactivity. Cow's milk also contains peptidase inhibitors that could prevent proteolytic breakdown of various peptide hormones and growth factors, such as IGF-16 and the EGF family of hormones (like betacellulin).

The evidence suggests that most of the hormones mentioned last week fulfill, at least, the first two of the above requirements: surviving the pasteurization and processing methods, and surviving the human digestive processes intact.

Insulin:
Cow's milk, as well as human milk (and presumably milk from all mammals) contains insulin.
We know that bovine insulin (BI) (which differs from human insulin by three amino acids) survives pasteurization because immunity to this hormone is common in children who consume cow's milk or infant formulas containing cow's milk. This not only confirms that BI is present in commercially pasteurized milk, but also in infant formulas, and perhaps other dairy products (although direct evidence is lacking). These studies also provide evidence that BI survives the human digestive processes and crosses the gut barrier intact, although this could be related to the fact that infants have higher intestinal permeability than older children and adults. Nevertheless, var ious factors may cause the so called "leaky gut" in virtually everyone, so we shouldn't dismiss bovine insulin altogether.

IGF-1:
Cow's milk contains active IGF-1, but this has been largely dismissed as irrelevant since pasteurization and fermentation appear to reduce its content. Yet, cow's milk consumption is associated with higher plasma IGF-1 concentrations in humans (both children and adults). This could be due to the calcium in milk (that has been shown to increase IGF-1 in boys and girls), the effect of milk upon insulinemia (the high elevation of plasma insulin caused by drinking milk could lead to higher plasma IGF-1 ) or residual IG F-1 in milk

Betacellulin:
Betacellulin (BTC) belongs to the epidermal growth factor family of hormones, and it is found not only in cow's milk and whey, but also in cheese. It survives both pasteurization and processing. Although no direct evidence exists yet, bovine milk contains peptidase inhibitors that prevent human gut enzymes from degrading EGF5 and most likely BTC. Additionally, a low ph, such as may be found in the gut, does not impair or prevent BTC from binding its receptor.5 Finally, there is a luminally expressed EGF receptor in the gut through which BTC may enter circulation.

Steroid Hormones:
The major sources of animal-derived estrogens in the human diet are believed to be milk and dairy products, which presumably account for 70-80% of the total estrogens consumed. Furthermore, it has been pointed out that most milk for human consumption is obtained from cows in the latter half of pregnancy when estrogen metabolite levels are greatly elevated. To confirm this, US researchers Daniel Falow and colleagues have measured estrogen metabolites in various milks and have shown that buttermilk contains the highest total amount of estrogen metabolites, followed by skim milk, 2% milk, and whole milk. So, estrogen metabolites appear to survive pasteurization, but do they survive the other necessary steps? It is highly possible because estrone sulphate, which comprises 45% of the conjugated estrogen in Premarin and Prempro (the most frequently prescribed hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women), has high oral bioactivity, and it is the most prevalent form of estrogen in cow's milk.

There are also other steroid hormones in commercially pasteurized cow's milk, such as progesterone, 5α-androstanedione, and 5α-pregnanedione, which are dihydrotestosterone (DHT) precursors. Unfortunately, we aren't aware of any study that has looked at the absorption of these hormones, so we don't know if they can survive steps 2 and 3: surviving the human digestive processes intact and crossing the gut barrier intact.

Lauren Cordain Podcast

2009-04-04T22:15:00.001-04:00

Here is an interesting podcast with Lauren Cordain the author of The Paleo Diet book and a long time researcher of the diet of our hunter gatherer ancestors.

http://www.podfeed.net/episode/Super+Human+Radio+Show+-++283+-+The+Paleolithic+Diet+Revisited/1744620

FORAGING IN MY BACK YARD

2009-04-04T17:26:00.004-04:00

I just planted 3 trees: pear, cherry and apple.

I also planted blueberry, raspberry and blackberry and gooseberry bushes, and strawberries.

And I stared a garden on 3 plots. The garden is started from seeds. I think I bought every vegetable they had except for beans and tomatoes. Just finished the March plants. I will plant the April plants in 2 weeks.

Looking forward to foraging in my back yard!

No salt experiment

2009-03-30T20:46:00.003-04:00

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.

enlightening Podcast

2009-03-29T17:39:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-29T11:03:00.003-04:00

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.

SALT

2009-03-28T19:33:00.003-04:00

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

2009-03-28T14:45:00.004-04:00

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.

Beef liver with onions and apple

2009-03-27T17:24:00.006-04:00

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

2009-03-27T12:32:00.002-04:00

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

Beef Liver with onoins

2009-03-26T22:45:00.004-04:00

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.

Know your beef

2009-03-25T21:00:00.005-04:00

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

2009-03-25T20:19:00.005-04:00

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!

Fat-phobia

2009-03-24T19:00:00.005-04:00

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!

NUTS

2009-03-23T19:53:00.005-04:00

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

2009-03-23T19:06:00.003-04:00

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.

Rethining diet and excersize

2009-03-22T19:01:00.000-04:00

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

2009-03-22T17:07:00.005-04:00

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

2009-03-22T11:24:00.004-04:00

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...

Paleo Drinks

2009-03-21T15:35:00.000-04:00

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

2009-03-21T14:59:00.000-04:00

Found this interesting article:

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

Broiled Red Large Eyed Red Snapper

2009-03-21T12:33:00.001-04:00

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

2009-03-21T09:19:00.000-04:00

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

2009-03-21T09:14:00.000-04:00

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.

Scored some good eats!

2009-03-20T15:55:00.000-04:00

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!

2009-03-20T14:26:00.000-04:00

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.

Making a great steak at home.

2009-03-19T23:27:00.000-04:00

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.

SALAD

2009-03-18T21:48:00.000-04:00

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???

2009-03-18T14:40:00.000-04:00

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

Baby octopus with baby spinach

2009-03-17T02:05:00.001-04:00

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)

2009-03-17T02:01:00.000-04:00

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.

Eggplant veggie dip

2009-03-16T01:55:00.000-04:00

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.

Green "Brownies"

2009-03-10T01:50:00.000-04:00

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.

Baked Whole striped Bass

2009-03-09T01:44:00.000-04:00

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)

Short rib stew

2009-03-08T01:38:00.000-05:00

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

2009-03-08T01:23:00.000-05:00

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

Fryless Chicken Wings

2009-03-07T01:14:00.000-05:00

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

Beef and Okra Soup

2009-03-05T01:11:00.000-05:00

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

Quail

2009-03-03T01:04:00.000-05:00

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.

Makin' Beef Jerky 2.0

2009-03-01T01:02:00.001-05:00

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.

Paleo Diet while on Vacation

2009-02-17T19:45:00.000-05:00

Vacation is a time to relax and enjoy life. Its easy to make the excuse to "cheat" on vacation. Actually it was pretty easy to stay on track. I ate a lot of grilled fish and salad. The fresh fish was awesome! They had a fresh catch on the menu every day. I must confess I did allow myself apple pie with ice cream on Valentines day. Although it was very tasty, it really was not worth it. I will not be making that mistake again.
The weather was perfect and my hotel offered unlimited kayaking. I went out every day for at least 30 min and once for 3 hours with a guide. It was so much fun! I think I will purchase a kayak and do some fishing. Exercise camouflaged as fun and I may bring home dinner!

Beef Tongue

2009-02-10T00:55:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

1beef tongue
1 carrot
1 rib celery
1 med onion
5 cloves garlic

Directions:

Take a large pot that accommodates the tongue, place all ingredient in and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cover with lid and cook for 3 hours. Remove tongue and when cooled peel tough outer skin. You can eat it cold, or (what I prefer) fry it in a pan, I generally do not add any oil as it renders its own fat. Fry it until nice and crispy/brown on each side. I is one of my favorite dishes.

Boiled beef tongue on a bed of Kale

Fried tongue slices with a side of mushrooms and onions sauteed in duck fat

Calf Heart

2009-02-08T00:46:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

1 calf heart trimmed and cut into thin bite size strips
balsamic vinegar (splash)
salt pepper
1 tsp dry thyme

Directions:

This is where your boning knife comes in handy. For a video of how to trim a beef heart go to:

http://www.offalgood.com/site/videos/how-to-butcher-a-beef-heart

Marinate heart strips in a splash of balsamic vinegar/salt/pepper/thyme mix well and marinate over night in the fridge. Drain liquid and grill or saute in a hot iron skillet. I had sauteed broccoli rabe with mine and a glass of chilled green tea.

Braised honeycomb Beef tripe

2009-02-06T00:40:00.000-05:00

This is another of my favorite child hood dishes i love it when my mom makes it.

Ingredients:

2 lbs honeycomb Beef tripe
6 med onions
8 cloves garlic
salt pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
fat/oil to cook

Directions:

Boil tripe for 15 minutes. discard water, rinse tripe under cold water to cool. Ring tripe out (like a towel) to remove excess water. Cut tripe into bite size pieces. I cut 2-3 inch strips and cut those into triangles. while tripe is boiling rough cut onions and saute in fat/oil (I used duck fat that I rendered and have sitting in the fridge). Saute onions on med heat until browned. When onions are almost done add chopped garlic. I use 2 med non-stick pans and saute simultaneously. add salt/pepper to taste to onions as they are sauteing. Take a heavy iron pot like a dutch oven and placed browned onions in it. using the onion pans saute tripe until browned. if a lot of water is rendered out, just drain and continue, otherwise it will take a long time to brown the tripe. Place tripe in the heavy pot along with 3-4 bay leaves. Mix to distribute the onions. deglaze pans with water or stock or white wine if you have it around, add liquid to pot. there should be about 1/3 liquid in the pot. place on med heat and reduce to low heat in 5-10 min. cook on low heat for 3 hours or until the onions have dissolved forming a sauce and the tripe is tender. if there is a lot of liquid open the lid a bit an allow the liquid to reduce to a thick sweet onoiny sauce.

Makin' Jerky 1.0

2009-02-01T00:35:00.000-05:00

Drying meat has been around for a very long time. It is probably one of the earliest ways ancient man was able to store meat without spoiling. It also makes a great travel food as it is relatively light compared to the original thing. And it makes a great snack! Unfortunately Beef Jerky is expensive. Its possible to make good jerky at home. There are a number of methods.

1. Commercial Dehydrator - a good dehydrator will set you back a few hundred dollars.
2. Homemade dehydrator - can make your own for a few bucks
a- Fan method
b- box method
c-oven method

Contrary to popular belief Jerky is made by drying via air traveling over meat and evaporating the moisture, not heat. in fact as long as you have wind, heat is unnecessary. where heat does come into play is when it creates an air current between heated and unheated air. this is how wind is formed, FYI

Then there is the question of the marinade. Theoretically, True Paleo Jerky was just dried meat. cut thin and allowed to hang in the breeze until mummified.

pretty much all the current Jerky marinades include soy sauce and Worcestershire sauces, technically not very Paleo. So I decided to experiment.

I found a schematic for making a home dehydrator for around $10

http://www.rawpaleodiet.com/uploads...nstructions.pdf

Here is my version:

Hanging meat strips.

I dried it in my basement using a 150 watt bulb. I only used fresh ground pepper and garlic powder. It took about 24 hrs.

The meat tasted like crap. Next time I will definitely marinade.

Paleo Kotletki

2009-01-31T00:32:00.000-05:00

My mom makes a Russian dish called "kotletki" they are basically oval meat patties that are that are fried. she adds onions and bread to them and rolls them in bread crumbs, then fries them. they are a great meal and a great brown bag lunch.It is one of my favorite "mommy" dishes.I decided to put a paleo twist on them. instead of bread I used minced onions, carrots and chopped spinach.

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs ground meat (I used 1 lb of ground turkey and 1/2 lb lean ground beef) you can experiment with different meats and meat combos for different tastes!
4 small onions finely minced
2 carrots finely shredded
1 bag of chopped spinach
Canola oil
1 egg
salt / pepper to taste

Directions:

Sweat the onions and carrots in canola oil, set aside in a large bowl to cool. add the spinach to the skillet to dry it out a bit an cook for about 10 min. add to the bowl of onions and carrots. Once the veggies are cooled add the ground meat and egg, salt pepper. my mom puts the mixture through a meat grinder to create a very fine texture, but I did not. Mix by hand. this is the important part: while mixing scoop and fold the mixture by hand 100 times to aerate the mixture and make fluffy. Heat canola oil in non-stick pan. Wet hands (I kept a small bowl of water next to me) shape the mixture into an oval by hand, place in pan and flatten a bit. looks like thick oval burger patties. Cook on both sides until browned. I flipped them over twice.I have varied the veggie content several times. I really like the onions, carrots and zucchini combo.

Grass Fed, give your self the best

2009-01-20T00:03:00.000-05:00

If you really want to emulate the Paleolithic Diet, eating Grass Fed meat is the way to go. there are many health benefits. Here are a few links to get you pointed in the right direction:

http://www.eatwild.com/basics.html

http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm

http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/grass-fed-natural-beef.asp

http://www.bisonbasics.com/pastured/fully_grass_fed_and_finished.html

Grass fed beef is more expensive, so to cut down cost you have to buy in bulk. Then there is the problem of shipping costs.. If you are fortunate enough to live a reasonable drive to a grass fed farm, you cam pick up your own in what ever quantity you want. Then there is the problem of storage. This is where a separate freezer becomes handy.

Well I finally bought a separate freezer that resides in my garage.

I found some Grass fed farmers using http://www.eatwild.com/ close to me. Unfortunately, the closest one was about 5 hours away. Now I had to consider traveling costs/time vs. shipping costs. Fortunately for me, my father in law lives 10 min from a grass fed farm. Unfortunately for me he lives 6 hours away in Upstate NY. As it turns out there are many farms in his area, some grass fed farms! We visit him a few times a year, so now its no-brainer.

After calling around I finally found a farm that had meat for sale.
Although it was "out of season" this farmer kept a reserve for her regular customers. And she was pretty stingy with the meat. I practically had to beg her to sell me the meat.

I wound up buying a 50 lb variety pack for about $4/lb, 20 lbs of (beef/calf tongue, liver and 1 pair of kidneys) at $2/lb and 30 lbs of grass fed lamb variety pack. at $8/lb

Next time I will buy 1/4 carcass butchered to my specifications. I think this is the way to go. Ideally I would like to buy meat once per year.

I think the best gift you can give your family is investing in their health by buying grass fed meats.

Snails in garlick sauce (Escargot)

2009-01-17T00:26:00.000-05:00

For me the Paleo Diet is about variety. Our Paleolithic ancestors ate whatever the could catch or find. Insects are a staple source of protein in many cultures. I love eating different kinds of food. While at a local grocery store I noticed a can of snails. 4.4 oz dry weight made by Roland. packed in water, salt, pepper and citric acid. cost $1.85 pretty paleo and affordable. Escargot anyone????

Ingredients:

1 4.4oz can of large escargot snails (12 snails)
5 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
1tsp dry chives
1tsp dried parsley
pepper to taste.

Directions:

Saute Garik in olive oil on med heat until it begins to brown. lower heat and add herbs and snails. Saute for a few minutes until the snails are heated through. Makes a great snack with a side salad!

Braised Chicken gizzzards and hearts

2009-01-16T00:15:00.000-05:00

I grew up in Russia. People were poor and they cooked "poor" or Pesant food. People could not afford to be picky and ate every part of the animal. Most cultures have poor peoples dishes made from cheaper cuts of meat and offal. I ate a lot of offal in Russia. There is no doubt that our Paleolithic ancestors used to eat the whole animal. nothing was wasted. Here is one of my favorite childhood dishes:

You can find chicken gizzards and hearts in almost every supermarket in US, right next to the livers. and they are cheap:$1.50 per lb.

Ingredients:

3 packages of chicken gizzards and hearts or just gizzards.
5 medium onoins, chopped
5 cloves garlic,chopped
canola oil
salt/ pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash gizzards an remove any hard lining (usually yellow-green). In a cast iron Dutch Oven sauite onions in canola oil, when onions softened add garlic. Saute until onions are browned on med-high heat. Heat skillet and canola oil and brown gizzards/hearts. they will give of some liquid at first. cover pan with lid and pour off exess liquid into pot with onions, otherwise it will take forever to brown. I browned each package at a time. Deglaze with water (1/4 cup) or stock or white wine if you like by scrubbing the brown goodness on botttom of pan with a wooden spatula. Add deglazing liquid into pot bring to a boil and simmer. you want the liquild to slowly reduce until the onoins become mushy and liquified. This makes a very tasty sauce. simmer for about 3 hours or until meat is tender and almost all the liquid is gone. after 2 hrs I opened up the lid and let the liquid reduce a lot , then semicovered the pot and let it simmer on low.

New Twist on the Old Chicken Soup

2009-01-15T23:00:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

1 chicken, skinned and joined
1 med onion ,whole,
1 stalk celery, cut into 3rds
1 large carrot, cut into thirds
4 slices of fresh, ginger root.
salt pepper to taste.

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a large pot cover with water, bring to a boil and turn the heat off. The chicken will cook very tender as it cools. Skim the scum as needed with a slotted spoon. Remove chicken from pot, after about an hour. Remove meat form bones and shred with fingers to bite size pieces. remove vegetables and strain liquid into a second smaller pot. return chicken to pot, add strained liquid reserving about a cup in the second pot. add vegetables to smaller pot, discarding the ginger root. using a hand blender puree the vegetables and return to original pot. simmer for an additional hour or until the chicken meat is tender. The ginger gives this soup a little something extra and the pureed vegetables give the soup a little body.

The Hardware

2008-12-22T21:23:00.000-05:00

If you want to do some serious cooking you need some hardware. Investing in good implements early will make your cooking life a lot easier, enjoyable and versatile.

Chef's Knife: The most versatile knife in the western kitchen is the chef's knife. It is used for cutting, slicing, chopping, and mincing. The curved blade allows rocking back and forth for fine chopping and mincing. Chef's knives come in blade lengths from 6 to 12 inches. The longer the knife, the more you can cut, but the more difficult it is to control. If you've got small hands ( you may want to stick with the 6 to 8 in. variety. If you've got one of these and a board scraper, you won't need or want to use an Asian cleaver.

I treated myself to a wide bladed Santoku by Kershaw:

The Shun Classis Santoku Chef's Knife.

Its Damascus-look blade profile reduces sticking and results in less damage to the food being cut and faster prep times.
VG-10 stainless steel is clad with 16 layers of SUS410 high-carbon stainless steel on each side, producing a rust-free Damascus style. The VG-10 "super steel" is composed of Carbon, Chromium, Cobalt, Manganese, Molybdenum, Silicon and Vanadium.
VG-10 holds an incredibly sharp 16 degree edge.
Black PakkaWood handles with the ergonomic and stable"D" shape design.
Stainless Steel bolsters and end caps for beauty and durabilityMade in Japan.
Limited Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty.

Here is a great video with Alton Brown on this knife seres: http://www.altonbrown.com/shun/shun_flv_sm.html

Boning Knife: This thin, usually flexible, knife allows you to remove membranes from meat and meat from bones easily. Typically, this will be the sharpest knife you own because it will also be the thinnest knife. Use this to cut anything soft that needs fine precision work, but don't cut semi-frozen meat with this blade (use a chef's knife for that).

Victorinox or RH Forschner brand boning knife with Fibrox handle

This is one of the best boning knifes available and is 1/5 the cost of most high end knives. This is the one I own.

Cast Iorn Skillet: Bare cast-iron vessels have been used for cooking for hundreds of years. Cast iron's ability to withstand and maintain very high temperatures makes it a common choice for searing or frying , and its excellent heat diffusion and retention makes it a good option for long-cooking stews or braised dishes. Because cast iron skillets can develop an extremely "non-stick" surface, they are also a good choice for egg dishes, particularly scrambled eggs. It transfers well from the stove top to the oven for two phase cooking. Cast Iron is very economical and cooking with it supplies us with dietary iron, which many of us (especially women) tend to run short on. I opted for a pre-seasoned 12" version since I only wanted to have one. It will definatley train your bicepts! Make sure you keep it away from soap and the dishwasher and season it regularly. Take care of it well and it will last generations.

Spring Loaded Metal Tongs: Very versatile grabbing and holding implement. As good in front of a hot stove or a grill. Great to use to mix your food on a non-teflon pan.

Dutch Oven: This will be your basic soup and stew pot. Its great for braising as well. It will hold up well on the stove top or in the oven. Get the one with the iron lid. As with the cast iron skillet if you take care of it well it will last for generations.

Hand Blender: Relatively inexpensive verastile tool that makes quick work of pureed soups, dips and sauces right in the cooking vessel. Many versions come with a small cup and attachments that can be used as a small food processor. Get the on with the chord so you do not skimp on power. Look for one with a metal end, its sturdier. This one costs only $30.

Hand Grater: I like hand greaters. I use mine all the time. It's like a mini workout, when you go through a few carrots! Why allow machinery to do all the work? Get one with a comfortable handle and 6 sides for all of your needs. This one is only $20. http://www.fantes.com/graters.html

Cutting Board: If you want your knives to stay sharp never cut on glass, stone, metal or ceramic. Wood cutting boards can harbor nasty bacteria if not cleaned properly and thoroughly, In addition wood cutting boards need to be sanded and oiled regularly to maintain them. I recommend getting a large plastic cutting board with anibacterial protection. Flexible cutting boards also give you the advantage of bending them to funnel food into bowls or cooking ware.

What is the Paleo Diet???

2008-12-21T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Paleolithic Diet is based on eating foods that our Paleolithic ancestors ate. The "Paleolithic" refers to the Paleolithic Era, which is a formal time period on Geologic Time Charts from about 2,500,000 years ago to about 10,000 years ago. The premise is that during the Paleolithic, we evolved a specific genome that has only changed 0.01 per cent in these last 10,000 years. However, during this recent time span mass agriculture, grains/grain products, sugars/sugar products, dairy/dairy products, and a plethora of processed foods have all been introduced as a regular part of the human diet. We are not eating the foods we are genetically and physiologically adapted to eat (99.9% of our genetic profile is still Paleolithic); and the discordance is an underlying cause for much of the "diseases of civilization", "syndrome X", obesity, autoimmune diseases including eschemia, diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis as well as "diseases of old age" that are so epidemic in our society today. As Dr. Cordain and others' scientific research reveal - the evolutionary, genetic, and clinical evidence point to a natural (i.e., unprocessed foods), omnivorous diet as the healthiest way to eat. Dr. Cordain's research shows that 70% of the average caloric intake of Americans is from foods that did not even exist for our Paleolithic ancestors. This discordance is having tremendously negative health consequences for our society as a whole.Our genes determine our optimum diet, and our genes evolved according to the environments in which our ancient ancestors lived, including the foods they ate. Our Paleolithic ancestors did not eat just one single diet, but rather they ate within a range of natural, unprocessed diets - depending on variables like geography, climate, competition, ecologic niche, season, and glaciations. All of these Paleolithic diets did share some universal characteristics, though:

Paleolithic Diet - the ingredients
1) The vegetable sources were:
· Plants
· Roots and tubers
· Berries
· Fruits
· Nuts
The most obvious plant food missing is grains and grain products. If you can concentrate on fresh versions of the plants above - and eliminate or drastically reduce grains, grain products, sugars, and sugar products - you will be well on your way to eating the plants that fit your genetic consitution.
2) The animal sources were:
·Wild terrestrial animals (including the muscle tissue, fat and organs, although the total amount of fat and the fatty acid composition were quite different than that found in modern domestic animals).
· Fowl
· Insects
· Fish and seafood
· Eggs

Paleolithic Diet - an outline from Dr. Loren Cordain
Below is a short excerpt from Professor Cordain's book, outlining and summarizing some of the salient points about what Paleolithic Era people's ate:
• Paleolithic people hardly ever ate cereal grains. This soundsshocking to us today, but for most ancient people, grainswere considered starvation food at best.
• Paleolithic people ate no dairy food. Imagine how difficultit would be to milk a wild animal.
• Paleolithic people didn’t salt their food.
• The only refined sugar Paleolithic people ate was honey,when they were lucky enough to find it.
• Wild, lean animal foods (relative to today) dominated Paleolithic diets, sotheir protein intake was quite high by modern standards,while their carbohydrate consumption was much lower.
• Virtually all of the carbohydrates Paleolithic people ate camefrom nonstarchy, wild fruits and vegetables. Consequently,their carbohydrate intake was much lower and their fiber intake much higher than those obtained by eating the typical modern diet.

In many historical accounts (i.e., Ethnography), European explorers and early settlers are amazed at how healthy native people were, how vital their old people were, and how ailments such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, auto-immune diseases, and obesity didn't exist (or were extremely rare). These cultures were without exception each on a "Paleolithic diet" ...until colonists, missionaries, Trading posts and western food goods, invaded their societies and they started switching to our "modern", western diet and the ailments it brings.

In the beginning....

2008-12-20T23:44:00.000-05:00

"PROGRESS..."

I stumbled on the Paleo Diet accidentally six years ago as I was channel surfing the radio on my car ride home from work. I had decided to "eat healthy" a month before that. "Eating Healthy" for me at that time was low fat food that was less processed. I was eating a lot of legumes, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread and non-fat or low fat dairy. and staying away from the dreaded red meat. I felt awful! I had chronic diarrhea and gas that entire month and could not understand why, after all I was eating healthier!

My revelation came in the form of a radio interview with Lauren Cordain, the author of The Paleo Diet. What he spoke about made a lot of sense. We are evolved to eat a certain diet and for the past 10,000 years we have strayed farther and farther from our natural diet. The next day I bought the book. I also bought Neanderthin by Ray Audette.

I went cold turkey strict Paleo Eating. I did not cheat for 9 months and did not exercise, ate as much as I wanted and my weight was melting off. Then my wife became pregnant and I used it as an excuse to cheat. It started with chocolate and I went down hill from there. Six years later with a few failed attempts to get back on the Paleo Diet I am at my heaviest 220 lbs!

I feel uncomfortable in my clothes and in my skin. I feel bloated and lethargic, My feet hurt when I walk, even my 5 year old son called me fat! I've had enough. Time to change my way of eating and living. Time to eat healthy again, the right way. the way our bodies are evolved to eat.

I hope that this blog will help to keep me on track.

My wife thinks I'm crazy to "start a diet" before the holidays, I figure if I can get thought the Holidays without cheating it will be easier to stick with it going forward.