Nell Stephenson, Paleo Nutrition & Fitness

Horseradish & Beef

Pretty common pair, isn't it?  And seemingly Paleo... or is it?

Well, horseradish itself IS, but most commercail preparations contain vinegar, which would exclude.

However, that doesn't mean you have to shun it!

I had an amazingly creative dish at lunch the other day and I just HAD to blog about it.  My main course was a petit filet (rare, or course), with a very interesting 'sauce' on the side.

Typically, I'm not one for sauces and as a rule, I'll ask for 'no sauce' or 'sauce on the side' (the latter, only because sometimes that seems to be an easier message to get across... go figure), but in this case, the restaurant was already aware of the fact that I would not be eating soy, dairy or gluten.   This had been confirmed by the host, the maitre'd as well as the server, by the way.

So, when I chose my entree, and double checked again with the server, she told me the ingredients: horse radish, d'anjou pear and baked butternut squash, all whizzed into a lovely puree and then heated just a touch, then served in a beautiful presentation atop my  meat...leaves underneath.

Voila! It was as delish as it sounds.

Give it a whirl- throw in a little of each, taste as you go and make up your own ratio of sweet to savory!  Could definitely work for Thanksgiving, too...in the event you're opting to serve a red meat in lieu of turkey!

 

 

Paleo Thanksgiving with a Mexican Spin

Hi Nell,

We just got invited to a friend's house for Thanksgiving, and she wants us to bring a Mexican-style dish. Any suggestions on what to bring that is Mexican and Paleo? She is making a TON of cheesy, non-Paleo foods so whatever I bring has to have lots of goodness in it since it's probably going to be all I end up eating.

Thanks!

 

I love the idea of a Mexican Food/Thanksgiving Food/Paleo Food fusion!  

I love Mexican Cuisine.  NO, it is NOT all about rice & beans, by the way... if you've been avoiding dining at this type of regional restaurant for fear that you wouldn't find anything Paleo suitable, I'm happy to tell you that you can!

I'd have to say my personal fave to prep would have to be fajitas.  Granted, some traditional recipes call for Worcester Sauce (I've been told off for not using it buy non-Paleo, die-hard-Mexican-Food-Aficionados) but since you're making it, you're in control!

Since there will quite likely already be turkey (hmm.... maybe), I'd opt for steak (shrimp is SO easy to overcook, thus the choice of red meat) fajitas.

So easy, too..

Since you're making the dish at home and bringing it (assuming this), just julienne cut assorted colors of bell peppers, onion, carrot and saute in garlic & olive oil. I'd marinate some grass fed skirt steak in garlic, lime and olive oil, then cut into strips and saute that, too.  Mix them all together and place on top of a bed of steamed kale in a large glass or ceramic baking dish.  Sprinkle some minced cilantro on top.. and cover with foil with the intention of serving it warm.

I'd also make some guacamole, which is a good idea any time of year!

Scared of Sausage? It CAN be Paleo!

No, I'm not giving license to head out to the local diner and pile up on the Farmer John's...BUT you can actually eat sausage AND keep Paleo, if you make it yourself.

AND, you don't HAVE to have a sausage stuffer; in fact, you don't even have to use pork casings if you choose not to.

If you think in terms of a 'sausage patty', you can easily get creative and make some at home with no special equipment (although, I will remind you that if you grind your own meat, you REALLY know exactly what you're getting), any meat you choice and whichever your favorite mixtures of spices might be.

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Combine ground meat (I used chicken most recently) with spices (I opted for minced garlic, onion, a dash of red chili pepper flakes and some turmeric- why not?) and press into a flat shape, less than an inch thick on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.    
• Douse with olive oil and pepper and bake for about 20 minutes- you'll see it's done when it looks nicely browned, and the internal temp has reached 160F.
• Remove from oven, let cool on a rack for about five minutes, then, when cool enough to handle, use an inverted cup or glass to 'cut' out circle shapes.  (Use the remaining crumbly bits to mix in with a salad or spinkle on top of some veggies).  Serve for breakfast with soft boiled eggs and sauteed spinach, or lunch on top some cress, sliced pear and pecan, or dinner with avocado, homemade salsa, shredded zuchini and lime!

Nose To Tail Dining!

Smart Parts, the title of a piece in the NY TImes on the second of November, was a refreshing article about people eating Paleo, 

OK, no, it wasn't.. per se... BUT it's generally the same gist.

EAT THE WHOLE ANIMAL

NOSE TO TAIL DINING

What?  Even the fatty bits?  Even the organs?  Aren't they way too high in saturated fat?

Perhaps, if that were ALL you ate, maybe so.  

I see absolutely nothing wrong and nothing 'not Paleo' about eating the ear of a pastured pig, the brains of a grass fed cow or the liver of a free range hen.

Of course, I love the more commonly served pork tenderloin, filet mignon and chicken breast just as much as the next (Paleo) girl, BUT the idea of only eating part of an animal (and leaving the rest to... what?) does not make sense.

Find the idea off-putting?

Have you ever eaten a hot dog, a sausage or a burger from a fast food joint?  What do you suppose might have been in those?

Read the article and heed the advice- get to know your local butcher, expand your palate and save a dollar!  Think of the price difference between dry aged grass fed filet and any of the remaining 'bits'!

If you need extra encouragement, check out some of the growing number of eateries, from fine dining to hole-in-the-walls that offer amazingly delectable preparations of many these cuts.

Time for dinner...marrow, garlic and, of course... garlic kale await!

 

Working With Young Coconut

I'll 'fess up; the first time I bought a young coconut, I did NOT know what the heck to do with it.  I admit- I took it outside and whacked it with a hammer, which kind of worked, but I lost much of the meat and water!

So- enter good old YouTube.  One can find many 'how-to' videos and amongst them, several to lots on how to break open a coconut.

Here's my little tutorial, with pics I took along the way.

1) Use your chef's knife to cut away at the top portion of the coconut (it typically comes wrapped in plastic with it's outer portion already removed.)

2) Then, give it a good whack with your chef's knife at a 45 degree angle to crack open a 'lid'.  Then, pry it the rest of the way open.

3) Pour out the water

4) Use a rubber spatula to scrape out the flesh

5) Make sure you get all that precious coconut meat!  Then, discard the empty coconut into your compost.  

More to come on some of the many options to make the water and the meat into coconut milk, cream and yogurt- all of which are completely Paleo... and incredibly decadent!

 

Paleo Restaurant in Berlin- LOVE IT!!!

Berlin's SAUVAGE Restaurant is the first ALL PALEO restaurant that I've heard of, personally.... what a concept!

A restaurant that serves... FOOD!

Where patrons can dine without a care that their grass fed beef has been tainted with soy, or that the jus atop that same lovely filet has been thickened with flour!

Speaking on behalf of Sauvage, Boris Leite-Poço stated, "Many people think the Paleolithic diet is just some hipster trend, but it's a worldwide phenomenon, with an online community that spans the globe. The trend is probably strongest in the United States, where people who have had enough of the fast food way of life and generations of illness have taken it up."

Further down, the article refers to a poll taken by US News and World Report which showed that "3,292 people said that the diet had worked for them, compared with just 85 who said that it didn't".

This concept has long been on my mind...I can see this working quite well here in Los Angeles, New York...watch this space!

 

Yipes! What IS That Fruit?

I thought it would be (kind of) in keeping with the fact that today's Halloween to write a blog post about a (kind of) surprising/startling (looking) fruit I saw for the first time last week:

Buddha's Hand, also known as Buddha's Hand Citron and Fingered Citron:

 is one of the oldest citrus fruits in the world and has no juice or pulp!  

The zest is extraordinary and the scent is quite strong, in a fresh, citrusy way.

The rind can give an equally citrus-flavor  to sauces or dressings as well as in tea, or other dishes calling for the use of lemon or lime zest.

It's also traditionally used:

a) as a good luck charm in China- it's placed on the table and left to bring good fortune

b) as a laundry freshener

c) as a 'sweet treat'; it's often sliced and coated with sugar and made into a candy

I think maybe I'll just try a bite of it?? 

As much as I love eating a whole orange, you see...

Garlic "GOLD"... Oh, Good Heavens!

Ever eat something that is SO good it seems unreal?  LIke, your eyes are rolling backwards, it's so good?

I picked up something called GARLIC GOLD the other day at Whole Foods; check this out- the ingredients are roasted garlic and olive oil. THAT"S it!

Granted, raw garlic has more health benefits than it does in its roasted form BUT, Oh, Dear God, this was delicious.  So far, I've mixed some into my salad, scattered some on top of some greens and mashed it up with some yam and soft boiled egg after a work out.

Must, Must Try!

Finally, A REAL, PALEO FOOD PYRAMID!

How COOL is this?

I was perusing Art Devany's website and came across an food pyramid schymatic that actually looks like, and recommends...

guess what?

FOOD!

Imagine that! 

 

Can't Decide WHICH Veg to Eat? Don't!

Why stop at one?  At lunch the other day, a few of use ordered several Paleo Friendly VEG options from the menu and received enough for each of us to partake of the bounty:

 

Sauteed Spinach, Steamed Broccolini, Arugula Salad, Avocado (with a free-range 100% turkey (as in - no breadcrumbs or other fillers) burger hiding underneath..

This was perfect for a post-long-run meal!