Starter Series: 3. Eat Fat.

Thus begins the third installment of our Starter Series about eating paleo-style: Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, little (or no) dairy, and no sugar, no grains, and no legumes.  I was going to call this "Eat Nuts and Seeds," as the above mantra would suggest, but then I took a step back and paused.  Question everything.   

What are we going for with "eat nuts and seeds"?  

Basically, we want healthy FAT sources.  It's the fat, not the nuts and seeds that matter.  Besides, many people are allergic to nuts and seeds, so this is a potential breaking point for those following a paleo-style eating plan.  This is especially true for schools.  You can't promote a diet placing nuts and seeds as prominent components when government standards disallow nuts from schools due to potentially fatal allergies.  I don't want this road bump to jeopardize the whole dietary plan!

Plus, nuts and seeds contain digestive nasties like lectins and phytates, just like grains, so I can't fully endorse them without some caveats.  While they have been a long standing resident in our diet, evolutionarily speaking, nuts and seeds can be hard on digestion.  If you've been down the paleo baking road or eat a lot of nuts, you know of what I speak.  Let's just say it can be messy...

So do we desire nuts and seeds for some unique benefit?  Are they contributing something vital?  Not really.  The vitamins and minerals they provide are great, but can be had through other sources.  The bigger picture is FAT.  We want to shift the paradigm to help the public, educators, and leaders accept fat as a NECESSARY (and freakin' tasty!) component of our diet.  It's okay, I know what they made you think all those years.  Contrary to popular belief, fat IS good for us and IS necessary.  For more on what I call Fatphobia, please read my post.

I've also taken on the infamous "arterycloggingsaturatedfat" in my post: Saturated with Fat.  

Here is what I can surmise from my research: 

• Fat is a necessary component to EVERY meal.  It slows glucose from entering the bloodstream to protect against blood sugar spikes and a runaway train insulin response.   It helps promote satiety after eating.  

• Fat is used for fuel.  It is a great source of energy.  Your brain NEEDS fat to function.  So does your heart.  

• Fat is necessary to absorb and store essential fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K.  You can't live without them or fat.  Period.  

• Fat cells secrete the hormone leptin that tells your brain, "Okay, I'm full!" Leptin also increases fat metabolism (using it for fuel) and metabolic rate in general.  It's not the amount of leptin that is key to losing and burning fat, but your body's sensitivity to it.  This mechanism mirrors that of insulin.  Just like how insulin resistance from perpetually high levels of insulin in a carboholic can lead to diabetes, leptin resistance can make the fat get fatter and may actually precede insulin resistance on the road to metabolic nasties like diabetes and heart disease.  The source of leptin resistance?  Surprise, surprise: Carbohydrates!  (Which, I might add, are also the source of insulin resistance.)  Looks like fructose is the culprit, another reason to ditch the agave, avoid HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) like the plague, and go low-carb.  Thus, fat is part of an integral feedback loop for weight management.  Read more about the leptin-obesity link at Whole Health Source.  

• Insulin actually inhibits using fat for fuel, so high insulin means storage of fat, not burning it.  What spikes insulin?  Say it with me now: Carbohydrates!  Blood glucose rises from carbohydrate metabolism.  Thus, if you want to use fat for energy instead of a seat cushion, eat low-carb to keep your blood sugar in check.  Read more about this at Hyperlipid.   

• UPDATE 4/26/2010: Scientific American just jumped on board with their article: Carbs Against Cardio: More Evidence that Refined Carbohydrates, not Fats, Threaten the Heart.  A MUST read and only a page and half commitment.  GREAT summary!

Can you see the big picture emerging?  Carbohydrates, especially fructose-containing ones, create leptin resistance and carbohydrates, especially those metabolized into glucose (see the glycemic index), create insulin resistance.  Betwixt the two, you are riding the roller coaster to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, you name it.  Sounds thrilling!

• Scary triglycerides that correlate with heart disease (unlike cholesterol in general or saturated fat--sorry to rain on the low-fat parade) have a glycerol molecule tying together three fatty acids.  That glycerol comes from carbohydrates you ingest.  More carbohydrate means more triglycerides, and limiting carbohydrate means fewer triglycerides.  Fewer triglycerides means less fat storage and increased ability to burn fat for fuel.  Hence LOW-fat, HIGH-carb diets lead to MORE triglycerides than HIGH-fat, LOW-carb diets.  You would think more fat in the diet leads to more triglycerides since they are made up of three fatty acids, but that just isn't what we see in the research (see The Heart Scan Blog for more details).  The authors of Hyperlipid and The Heart Scan Blog disagree on some aspects of this topic, so I suggest you read up on their viewpoints to make an informed decision of your own.  (Note: It is really quite a mind-trip to read such intensely in-depth discussions on the minutia of body chemistry.  Definitely makes me feel like a nutrition n3wb!)  

• The linear model of saturated fat leads to high cholesterol (in particular the "bad" LDL kind) leads to heart disease is just plain wrong.  Sorry to rock your world, but it is.  Read Mens Health Journal for more information on the evolution of this revolution to modern medicine that is still on the fringe of public acceptance.  In reality, it's the small, dense LDL we need to watch out for which INCREASE when saturated fat is supplanted by carbohydrate in the diet.  Sounds eerily familiar to the triglyceride story.  So total cholesterol, HDL:LDL ratio, and even total LDL DO NOT correlate with heart disease.  It's the triglycerides and small, dense LDL you need to worry about, and your carbohydrate intake that is directly linked to both.  If you are concerned about your cholesterol, check the particle size (there are tests for it, just ask) for the bigger picture.  As my commenter from CrossFit Fire of the Gods pointed out, check out Heart Scan Blog for more information about cholesterol and read their own summary of the current research: CrossFit Fire of the Gods.  

Thus:

• FEAR carb overload (particularly of fructose-containing foods and high glycemic foods), trans fat and other man-made frankenfats (i.e. anything hydrogenated), and omega-6 fatty acids that overbalance crucial omega-3 fatty acids.  (We'll talk more about omega-6 below, don't worry.)

• DON'T FEAR saturated fat, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, or monounsaturated fatty acids.  

Is your mind abuzz yet?  Need an interlude?  Here is a YouTube video from the movie Fat Head that puts fat in perspective in a silly, graphical way that I found really entertaining and simple to understand.  And it's short!  Thanks CrossFitKaty's Nutrition Blog for helping me find this resource!

The 'take away' so far?  Make sure you are eating healthy fat with every meal.  What is healthy fat?  Here are my suggestions:

• Eat animal fats.

I know, this goes against the paleo "eat lean meats" prescription, so let me explain.  Animal fat is high in HEALTHY saturated fat (yes, I know it is hard to swallow, and even harder for me to type, but it is true).  Dr. Loren Cordain, founder of The Paleo Diet himself, has been softening his take on saturated fat.  Originally, he was rooted in the Saturated Fat Bashers camp, but he is coming around, albeit slowly.  Healthy animal fats are embraced by the Primal Blueprint, including lard, poultry fat, tallow, and ghee, as described in a good primer at Mark's Daily Apple.  

Saturated fat really isn't that bad for us.  Re-read my post Saturated with Fat for more information.  And don't forget that great Men's Health article dispelling the myths.  For more, check out Dr. Eades author of Protein Power.  

NOTE: Eating animal fats does NOT mean eating bacon 24/7.  Sorry!  Despite that savory aroma-eliciting salivation and the electrifying melt-in-your-mouth crunch of meaty baconiness once you sink your fangs into its crumbly flesh, bacon almost always includes sugar (in some form or another, yeah I mean You, evaporated cane juice) and can also include toxic nasties called nitrates, a known carcinogen.  Choose your bacony indiscretions wisely and know that although divine, it probably isn't technically-speaking "paleo," unless of course you can actually find sugar-free, nitrate-free, paleo conforming bacon.  If you do, please let me know where you find it!

Butter is another grey area.  Dairy constantly has its kneecaps lobbed off by the Paleo Diet proponents, including founder Dr. Loren Cordain.  I can understand their issues with dairy: the growth hormones and inflammatory-response inducing proteins, plus the heavy dose of omega-6 and toxins from the grain-based diet of most dairy cows.  Makes sense.  But there is also some good about butter, namely: vitamins A, D, E and K, antioxidants, CLA, "anti-stiffness" factor, iodine, digestion-aiding fats, and cholesterol (yes, cholesterol is good for us, get over the myth already!).  These benefits are described in more detail here in an article by the Weston Price Foundation.  You may have stumbled upon that name before since he is often mentioned in the paleo/primal community.  Weston Price was an ethnographic researcher at the turn of the last century who studied the health of isolated, non-industrialized populations around the world to determine a healthy ancestral diet.  He came up with dietary guidelines somewhat similar to the Paleo Diet; however, he included dairy and sprouted/soaked/fermented grains amongst suggested foods.  Another discussion of butter is a post by Hyperlipid, a blog I mentioned earlier.  This is a VERY technical post that appears to come to the conclusion that butter is okay as long as your blood glucose isn't sky high (one more reason bread and butter is NOT a good idea at the nightly dinner table).  Another example, a study at Lund University found that butter produces less fat in your bloodstream than olive oil.  Why?

The primary explanation for the relatively low increase in blood fats caused by butter is that around 20 per cent of the fat in butter is comprised of short and medium-length fatty acids. These are used straight away as energy and therefore never affect the blood fats to any large degree. 

I think I will stop here and save our discussion of dairy for another Starter Series post.  For now, I would suggest excluding dairy initially from paleo-style and then reintroducing butter (and other high fat dairy) slowly and only from the best sources (raw, grassfed).  Does it make you sick?  If not, add some to your diet and enjoy the benefits.  May the paleo gods strike me down: I LOVE raw, grassfed butter!

• Eat healthy oils.

Fish oil is a biggie here.  You probably should be supplementing with quality fish oil because you just can't get enough from fish (yeah, you can try, but you'd probably wind up with more toxins too since the fatty fish with the highest omega-3 are also high on the food chain and accumulate a heavy dose of heavy metals--our gift to the seas).  Also, the omega-3 that used to be ubiquitous in the hunter-gatherer diet we evolved upon just isn't as readily available today.  Times have changed and we have moved on to feeding our animals boatloads of grains and changing their body composition to fit our preferences.  Even eating all grass-fed, pastured, wild caught meats isn't enough.  From our omega-3 discussion, you know that more omega-3 is better because we want to balance out that potentially nasty omega-6 bombarding our diet from processed foods, meat, nuts, seeds, etc. and although omega-6 plays important roles in our diet, it can also lead to the dark side of inflammation.  So we are trying to get back a roughly 1:1 balance of omegas;  thus, we can benefit from supplementation.  Yes, I know it is processed and creating dependency on something inherently unnatural.  That bothers me too.  But I see the benefits and don't think I can ever eat enough fish to get the omega-3 I need.  So, I try to reduce the evil of this suggestion by finding quality, purified (mercury and PCB free) fish oil without a long list of fillers and other substances like wheat and soy that chip away at the fish oil's anti-flammatory benefits.  The other benefits of fish oil?  How about better recovery from exertion and sickness/injury, a healthy brain (remember, your brain is fat fueled), heart health, better vision, and protection against cancer?

Possible side effects include fishy burps (the few I had initially went away quickly and haven't returned--if unnerved, try a flavored brand without chemical additives), possible bruising and blood clotting issues from thinned blood (rare, but possible especially with high dosages; however, this is challenged at the Heart Scan Blog), too much vitamin A or D if you take cod liver oil in high dosages, and the toxins from our lovingly polluted seas.  A lawsuit was recently filed that challenges the purity of well-known brands of fish oil.  Although purity may be in question, I have to trust that guarantee label on my bottle (not a tested brand, yet, unfortunately).  I still believe the benefits speak for themselves.  Still hesitant?  There's more detail at The Paleo Diet website,  Mark's Daily Apple, Hyperlipid, Heart Scan Blog, etc.

To calculate your recommended fish oil dosage, use this handy calculator from Whole 9.  Brilliant!

Other healthy oils: olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, avocado oil, macadamia oil, and in moderation: walnut oil and sesame oil.

Not so healthy oils: canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, grape seed oil, and soybean oil.

Check out Mark's Daily Apple for more detail on these oils including important information about heat and oxidation potential--a MUST read!  

• Eat nuts and seeds.

Nuts (no, not peanuts, silly--they're beans) and seeds are a healthy component of paleo-style eating because they add fat, along with some other nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.  Nuts and seeds are the storage form of energy for growing seedlings, so they are packed full of nutrition.  They are endowed with vitamin E, essential fatty acids, fiber, folate, plant sterols, magnesium, and potassium.  As a protein source, they are pretty poor because they are so much more fat than protein, and because they contain lectins and anti-nutrients, like phytates.  Soaking can help remove these toxins for easier digestion.  However, if you are looking to lose weight, limit nut intake (Cordain recommends 4oz a day max for those trying to lose weight).  Why?  Well, at first glance, he is just repeating the "fat makes you fat" propaganda and he doesn't like the high omega-6.  I can agree with the latter point.  At second glance, I realize that it is the CARBOHYDRATES in nuts that are the problem.  While you may think you have a great fat source, you forget those other macronutrients that the Zone allows us to sweep under the carpet.  Carbohydrates in excess of 50g a day WILL not allow you to lose weight, instead, they'll help you gain it and also lead to more problems down the line.  Here are the breakdowns: an ounce of cashews has 8.5g of carbohydrate (not counting fiber); pistachios are 4.5g per oz; almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts are about 2g per oz; and macadamia, brazil, and pecans are closer to 1g per oz.  Doesn't sound like much?  Try munching and see where it takes you, or dip into some nut butter.  It is easy to go overboard.  On a lower-carb diet, every gram is precious and most should come from veggies.

Valid question: Why eat nuts and seeds, which have lectins/anti-nutrients/phytates, but NOT grains, which also have them?

Answer: Basically, anti-nutrients are characteristic of all plants to some degree or another, especially their progeny!  The argument for the inclusion of nuts and seeds is their host of nutritional benefits and their evolutionary history with us.  We have been eating nuts and seeds far, far back in our evolutionary record (not that our history justifies our diet, but it provides evolutionary context at least) and our bodies can digest them easier than grains, especially those containing gluten (see Why No Grain and Cereal Grains: Humanity's Double-Edged Sword by Cordain for more).  Nuts and seeds require minimal processing and were an important fat in many hunter-gatherer diets.  To remove the digestive irritants, you can go soak your nuts (heh) and seeds to increase their digestibility.  Nut and seed oils have removed the anti-nutrients and lectins, but watch their level of processing, omega-6:omega-3 ratios, and dangerous oxidation at high heat.  Bottom line?  Take them or leave them.  I think you can make a solid argument against nuts and seeds as much as for nuts and seeds.  If you like them, don't overeat them, and don't feel digestive detriments, then by all means enjoy them.  You can get your fat from other sources, but having more variety is always nice, especially with a diet already slashing out whole food groups :)

Okay, so which nuts and seeds are best?  Cordain doesn't really like seeds (except flax, but he is changing his mind on that too) and definitely voices caution about nuts.  Here is Cordain's comprehensive chart on the types of fatty acids in different nuts.  What does all this mean?  According to most sources, try to minimize the omega-6 content, so choose nuts that have high omega-3 relative to omega-6.  But, you're pretty screwed no matter the nut, since they ALL have such high omega-6, hence limiting them in your diet.  Macadamia nuts do well, and coconut oil (super high in saturated fat) is my hero, despite Cordain's reservations.  My suggestion, minimize the carbohydrate and omega-6 whenever possible and go light if you are trying to lose weight, EXCEPT with coconut oil, since it's so darn special.

• Eat avocados.

Yes, they are a class of their own.  I couldn't find which other category fit them best.  They are technically berries, and named after a certain other "nut" found on human males--no joke!  Their flesh is rich in monounsaturated fat.  Avocados are also high in potassium (more than a medium banana); folate; carotenoids; vitamins E, B6, C, and K; fiber; copper; and phytonutrients.  They can be eaten raw as a delicious accompaniment to steaks, chicken breast, and salad, or blend them in puddings, smoothies, and shakes for non-dairy creaminess.  Pretty versatile! 

Bottom-line: Fat is good for you!  Make sure you have a fat source with every meal!

And now for the recipes

I included fat in almost EVERY recipe to date--so I will save you the exhaustive list.  Feel free to search and use the sidebar tags for my recipes.

Today's recipe is one I have been devouring lately.  It is so good that I think about it when I wake up and savor the memory when I go to bed.  No kidding.  But that is how paleo has been for me: an exploration of my tastes and adventure into the unknown, finding mouth-watering gems along the way.  Here is my latest, and the best part?  It's a five minute or less meal!!!

Salad from the Sea
I thought I hated canned fish, but when the necessity for a quick non-refrigeration-required meal hit me, I  put the past behind me and gave this a go.  OMG--It is SO delicious!!!  I can't get enough of it!


Serves one for a satisfying full-fat meal ready in five minutes or less!  Easily doubled, tripled, etc.


Ingredients:
1 can of wild caught mackerel packed in olive oil with sea salt and NOTHING else on the ingredient list*
1/2 lemon
lettuce

Method:
Wash lettuce and place in a large bowl.  Add the contents of the can of fish, breaking the fish into bite-sized hunks.  Add lemon juice to the empty can and swirl to try to get every last morsel out of that can.  Empty onto your salad.  Toss to incorporate the fish and dressing evenly.  Grab a fork and have at it!

Why is this a fat recipe?  Read the label (yeah, I know, "no labels in REAL paleo," but hardliners can get their head out of the sand and get real).  More fat than protein, oh yeah!  You get the benefit of fatty fish omega-3 and olive oil's monounsaturated fats, the lettuce and lemon's net basic load to balance the fish's acid, high-quality protein from the fish, and a slew of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to fuel your body nutritiously.  Such symmetry in such an easy paleo meal!

*One caveat: I have heard that eating canned fish is a "no no" due to toxins in the fish and from the canning process (and, yes, any processing is frowned upon).  Also, the high heat of canning reduces nutrients and oxidizes fat.  This study shows that consuming less than 350g of canned fish a week is safe toxin-wise, but children and pregnant women should use caution.  The take-away: canned wild-caught fish without added anything is probably best, if less convenient, and better yet: use freshly cooked, wild-caught fish you made yourself.  And try to eat fish that don't accumulate those toxins we've put in their water, so go small.  Add your own olive oil or another tasty healthy oil to make this salad even healthier!  For me, this'll do in a pinch and is damn tasty, dare I say, even crave-worthy!

Fish Salad
Fish Citrus Salad
Tuna Fish Salad

Get Real

Okay, let's get real.  I am human just like you.  I didn't cook that chicken; I bought it.  I feasted upon New York Style pizza last weekend and ate half a pepperoni and bacon pie myself.  And I enjoyed every delicious, cheesy, bready moment of it.  I also am addicted to chocolate.  I stray from paleo-eating at least once a weekend to varying degrees--a mocha here, corn chips there, creamy raw cheese when I can get it...  I buy at least a few no-cook meals a week at the grocery store.  I am human.  Does this make me a bad person or someone unfit to write a paleo blog?  I don't think so.  Life is a journey and by sharing my travels, I hope to give you ideas and recipes to take with you on your journey :)

So let's take a step back and get real about living paleo-style, which incorporates Paleo, Primal, and Zone eating ideas as well as physical (and mental) activity, like CrossFit.  I'll go into more specifics about paleo-style as I slowly make my way through the Starter Series, but for now, let's take a detour to clear up some questions and get real.

Is paleo-eating livable?  


Yes.  It is possible to nourish your body by feeding it what it needs.  Meat and veggies, nuts and seeds, and fruit are available everywhere in some form or another.  However, it is unrealistic to think the whole world can change or that paleo-eating is even possible for everyone.  YOU can make the healthiest choices for you and your family.  That much is possible.  I never said it was easy, though.  

Additionally, just because paleo-eating is livable doesn't mean I live that way each and every day.   For sanity's sake, I indulge.  I cheat.  It reminds me of why I don't live my life like I used to because I feel so crappy afterwards.  I fall asleep from my carb hangover and wake up bleary-eyed, puffy, and nauseous.  If I can't sleep within a few hours of eating, I am cranky and tired for the rest of the day.  I feel like I am set back inside myself, looking out through diaphanous curtains.  There is zero clarity and energy.  I am also either full enough to explode or hungry within a couple hours.  Usually both.  When Hungry Again hits, I get "snacky" and have to keep chomping on something, anything.  Sometimes it is hard to stop once I've started.  And if you've ever cheated or read any other paleo blogger, you know these results ARE typical.  I am not alone.  The saddest thing is that I used to live this way 24-7 before I changed my diet, and MOST people are still living this way day in and day out.  So you ask me why I get passionate about food?  I want to help those still living in their carb comas.  

Does paleo-eating work?  


Yes.  I believe this or I wouldn't dedicate my time and effort into making it work for my family and passing on important resources to the community.  There is a wealth of medical information showing how grains and sugar wreck havoc on your digestion and metabolism, leading to all sorts of fun side-effects like disease and death.   This isn't fringe science.  The facts are out there if you are willing to look.  Bogged down by the science?  Use N=1 to see what happens when YOU make the change.  Do you feel better?  Perform better?  Look better?  Give it time and you'll see positive changes.  Cheat and you'll experience the side-effects.  Why would you want to go back to that life?

Is paleo-eating easy?  


No.  It gets easier, but it is never easy to give up what 99% of the world eats.  It is a test of your willpower, resourcefulness, and financial situation to make it work.  But I believe it can be done by anyone.  The real question is: Is potentially living a longer, healthier life worth the effort of changing your diet and getting more active?  To me, it is.  I say you aren't giving up as much as you are gaining.

Does paleo-eating change your life?  


Yes.  You'll see positive benefits to your health if you maintain dietary diversity amongst meat, veggies, nuts, seeds, and fruit and get your fish oil and vitamin D.  You need protein, fat, and carbohydrate.  It will take some tweaking to see what works best for your body, but this is fine tuning in the bigger picture of revolutionizing your diet.  You WILL see results.  But I'm no doctor, so think for yourself.

You will also never be able to see food through innocent eyes ever again.  Try shopping at regular supermarkets and reading labels.  Look around at those shopping blindly around you, especially overweight families.  It is depressing.  You can never go back.

But you are not alone.  Paleo-eating can help you build friendships and lasting bonds with those sharing your worldview.  There are many of us in cyberspace and at your local CrossFit box.

However, also be prepared that eating so divergent from the rest of the world WILL alienate you from them.  Accept this as a reality.  It's not worth the effort and stress to try to convert everyone.  Trust me, you'll lose more than sleep if you get too personally invested.  When I get frustrated, I think of what happened in the Shawshank Redemption when the main character called the warden "obtuse."  It didn't go over well.  While the rest of the world may seem "obtuse" at times (like what the hell is HFCS doing in FRUIT juice?!?), I try to take a deep breath and remind myself how much paleo-fanaticism parallels religious fanaticism.  We both feel like we have something so profound and life-changing to share and want everyone else to join us in this revelation.  We both believe we are saving lives.  Doesn't that sound a little creepy and intrusive?  Zealotry is zealotry, even with the best of intentions.  Instead of preaching, lead by example and chat about your diet when it's brought up by others.  If they are open to change, they will find you for help.  This is a lesson I am still learning myself.

Is paleo-eating worth it?

For me, YES.  For you?

But I am busy.  What if I don't have the time to cook my meals?


Then don't.  There are other options.  Most people from the outside looking in think changing your diet takes a ton of planning and cooking, both of which are in high demand in our busy lives.  I can understand the intimidation.  I know I should be cooking bulk meals on the weekends, and then Sunday afternoon rolls around and I would rather be enjoying myself than cooking.  Weeknights come up suddenly with no food in the house and absolutely zero gumption to cook.  I know.  I have been there.  But I can still make paleo work.  Here is how:

1.  Grocery store meal shopping.
2.  Having a few go-to restaurants for paleo-friendly dining.  (we'll tackle this one in another post coming soon!)


Today, I am NOT going to give you a recipe.  Recipes are all good and well for those with the time and inclination to cook.  What about the rest of us who don't have time or energy at the end of a long day to go through the effort of cooking?  Can we still eat paleo-style?  Yes!

Shopping For Your Meal

It's as easy as hitting the local supermarket on the way to work, at lunch, or home from work.  Since they are almost everywhere and have great hours, they make a great meal option.  Just put together some meat, veggies, fruit, and fats from the lists provided below to feed yourself and the whole family with little or no prep.  Again, this is "in a pinch" eating, not ideal paleo, but it'll help you get by when you don't want to cheat but feel out of options.

There is actually a WIDE variety of foods you can eat in the supermarket.  Seriously!  But you need to read labels and know what to avoid*:

• sugar in all its devious forms (play it safe and avoid any sweetener and unpronounceable ingredients) 
• grains (also devious since many food additives are made from them, like the citric acid from corn that is in almost everything!)
• soy (you have never challenged your sanity until you've tried finding chocolate without soy lecithin)
• legumes (peanuts too)
• dairy (assuming you're taking that road)
• vegetable oils (like canola, sunflower, safflower, corn, soybean, and "vegetable" oil)

*Exception: Remember to be human.  Don't sacrifice your sanity for your diet.  You are trying to make paleo work, so if you really freakin' NEED your chips and the only ones available are made with canola oil, then don't start crying.  Be a paleo rebel and buy your chips.  Don't beat yourself up over every deviation from ideal paleo.  What is "ideal paleo" anyway?  Few of us can only eat seasonal, local, unprocessed, organic foods.  The rest of us are just trying to feed our bodies healthy fuel while keeping our sanity.  Make the best choices as much as possible and you'll get the results you seek.  Also, know the hierarchy of what makes you feel bad.  Personally, gluten and grain-fed dairy impact me the worst.  Listen to your own body.  Make compromises you won't regret.

Here are paleo or paleo-friendly foods you can find at the grocery store:

No-cook Meats:

• Rotisserie chicken
• Prepared meats in the Hot Foods section as long as they come as close as possible to paleo-style (remember grain and sugar are everywhere, if unsure, ask about the ingredients)
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Lox and canned/bagged cooked/smoked fish (check ingredients for hidden sugars and try to stick close to the Seafood Watch Guide and wild-caught fish)
• Deli meats (not ideal, but hey, better than most fast food frankenmeat.  Look for whole roasted chicken/turkey breast or roast beef made at the store.)
• Jerky (most supermarket jerky is highly processed and filled with salt and sugar, and even soy and wheat depending upon seasonings.  For real jerky, seek out a meat market or make it yourself.)

Very Little Cooking Required Meats:

• Eggs (heck, you can even microwave them)
• Fish (a fast, toaster-oven-while-you-get-changed meal)
• Steak (searing only takes a hot pan or grill and less than 15min start to eating)
• Pre-cooked sausages (check ingredient lists closely!)
• Bacon and cured meats (I haven't found a sugar-free bacon yet, but I still indulge every once and awhile.  When I do, I try to buy organic, avoid nitrate-containing products, and minimize ingredient lists and sugar.)
• Broth (check ingredients and sodium closely)--a great starter to a quick soup you can microwave, just add in cooked meat and grilled/roasted veggies from the prepared foods area--or you can boil it, turn off the heat just as you add a fine drizzle of lightly beaten eggs, and stir gently in one direction to make your own Egg Drop Soup--freakin' delicious!
• Pre-seasoned meats and fish can save some time, but 99% of those I have ever looked at contained grain, soy, or sugar, so I don't even bother looking anymore

Veggies:

• Salad greens (serve as a salad or eat unadorned like romaine hearts, which I rinse and snack on like chips)
• Carrots (although processed, "baby" ones are ready to eat and conveniently sized)
• Prepared cut raw veggies (or cut celery, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, etc. yourself in little time)--think you need dip, try nut butter instead!
• Prepared Hot Foods veggies (just, again, check the ingredients)--grilled and roasted veggies are usually good options
• Salsa (check ingredients)
• Tomato sauce (check its ingredient list carefully, you may have to compromise on the citric acid, but don't on the added sugar)
• Canned artichokes, hearts of palm, tapenades (technically fats) can all work if you check their ingredients closely
• Kelp noodles (these can make a hot or cold salad really fast with the addition of some meat, other veggies, and flavorings.  You can also make my Noodle Nosh with pre-cooked meat for a really fast meal.)
• Sweet potatoes can be baked in the microwave and are delicious with some butter or coconut oil slathered on after.  These are best for a recovery meal after high intensity exercise since they are so energy dense and high glycemic.  
• Frozen sweet potato fries are okay, but they usually take way too long to cook and often include sugar, wheat, and soy.  Not really a quick, go-to meal.  You can cook shredded hash browns quicker, in the pan, but browning takes forever and potatoes aren't ideal since they are so high glycemic.  If you really crave them, go for it, though!  There is worse you could do for your body than eat a potato...
• Sweet Potato, Beet, Cassava, Plantain, or Potato chips made with non-vegetable oil like olive oil or avocado oil (avoid canola, sunflower, or safflower oils)--definitely NOT ideal or for every day, but heck, once in a while live a little without straying too far from paleo ideals

Fruit:

• Raw choices like apples, peaches, pears, plums, berries, mango, banana, etc.  (note: try to stay as low glycemic as possible so that they are more filling and less sugary, unless you are recovering from a bout of metabolic activity).  Microwave sliced fruit for a warm alternative (add some Ceylon cinnamon for spice!)
• Lemon juice is great to use for salad dressing (along with a fat, see below) or add to water (especially sparkling mineral water for a delicious soda-replacement--no sugar necessary!)
• Dried fruit if you are in a pinch (remember it's very sugary, and check ingredients to avoid those with added sugar and sulfites)
• Kombucha (You know I don't like fruit juice very much, but the probiotics overbalance the little juice in there, promoting healthy digestion)
• Coconut water (weird that the coconut flesh is a fat, but the liquid is almost all carb with a lot of potassium and good electrolyte replenishment)
• Applesauce if unsweetened 
• Frozen fruit can easily be microwaved to defrost and heat if desired.  Add some cinnamon and you have a meal!  

Fats:

• Nuts (watch the ingredients in seasoned nuts since sugar, soy, and wheat are often used; also avoid peanuts--a legume)
• Seeds (ditto)
• Nut butter (remember peanuts are legumes, so stick with almond butter, cashew butter, decadent macadamia nut butter, and the rare find of coconut butter)
• Avocados
• Coconut oil (extra virgin, unrefined)--yes, you can eat this from the jar!
• Guacamole (check ingredients)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (drizzle it on!)
• Nut Oils (like walnut, hazelnut, almond, etc.  great on salads!)
• Animal fats like butter, ghee, lard, pork fat, bacon (who are we kidding, it's more fat than protein), etc. for quick cooking meals like eggs

Examples of Grocery Store Meals:

• Breakfast: hard-boiled eggs, fruit, and nuts

• Lunch: boxed salad greens, lemon for dressing, handful of nuts or avocado, Hot Foods meat or deli meat or smoked fish (don't forget a fork!  lemon juice stings when you eat with your hands!)

• Dinner: rotisserie chicken, romaine hearts, guacamole, and salsa for quick chicken tacos

Easy!  And don't worry.  We've all been there.  Eat mindfully and try to stay paleo-style as much as possible to reap the rewards.  And the rewards truly speak for themselves.  You aren't giving up as much as you are gaining.  Trust me.

Starter Series: 2. Eat Vegetables.

So this week we embark on the second guideline of our paleo-style mantra: Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some starch, little fruit, little dairy, and no sugar, no grains, and no legumes.  We'll identify some key attributes of veggies and get on to the all important discussion of how to get your kids to eat them.  Then, what you have all been waiting for--the recipe!  Onward, ho!

• Eat vegetables.

While some hard-core eaters might dabble in carnivory, I'm not one of them and still think that some foliage is good in your diet.  Vegetables are great sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  Most vegetables do not spike your blood sugar.  However, some starchier varieties like roots, tubers, and rhizomes are considered high glycemic.  Among these are carrots, parsnips, squash, and sweet potatoes (technically a starch).  Although packed with healthy nutrition, starchier/sweeter vegetables should be eaten in moderation so that you don't incur wild blood sugar fluctuations.  Don't forget the nefarious Always Hungry Carb Crash Zombie.  I've been there and am still getting over my carb addictions...

Some important vitamins, minerals, and compounds vegetables provide include fiber, magnesium, chromium, potassium, calcium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, and phytochemicals like antioxidants.  I was going to embark upon an in-depth foray into each of these, but it just got too damn boring.  I will spare you some brain cells.  If you really want to check them out, good sources for more information are: the Linus Pauling Institute from Oregon State University and the World's Healthiest Foods.  

Despite the numerous benefits of plant foods (and you are just going to have to take my word for it, sorry Levar Burton), I am having a hard time finding vegetables as the primary source for most vitamins and minerals.  Animal meat (including eggs and fish and especially liver) is right up there with most plant sources.  Okay, fiber and phytochemicals are only obtained through plants, but all of the others can be found in meat.  Why is this?  Well, animals eat plants, so the vitamins and minerals wind up in their tissues, just like they are in ours.  Since animal tissues closely match the array of nutrients we also need in ours, they are a great source for nutrients.  However, the forms of these nutrients are often different from those in plants.  Sometimes that is beneficial, as they don't require processing inside our bodies, and sometimes that source is too diluted or not as bioavailable as it is in plants.  We'll continue our discussion of vegetables (and meat) in "Why No Grain" coming up in our Starter Series.

Since fiber and phytochemicals are best found in vegetables, let's just discuss them briefly:

Fiber
Fiber is a biggie.  Plant cell walls cannot be broken down by our bodies--we CANNOT digest cellulose.  Realizing this fact was life-changing for me.  Like many, I went through a "cool" teenage vegetarian stage and based my whole worldview around eating plants (yeah, and some dairy--hard to give up cheese!).  It was mostly just to piss off my parents and not eat what The Man told me to eat.  I survived, just as I somehow survived my days of subsisting off of breakfast cereal for three meals a day in college.  Neither was ideal.  But realizing that humans differ from cows, that we cannot digest most of what a plant IS, came as a shock.  Paradigm shifted.

But that indigestible material still is important.  Cellulose along with other cell wall components works its way through our digestive tract and out the other end.  Healthy regularity ensues, much to our chagrin!  Fiber also feeds our very own tenants, residents of our digestive tract: bacteria.  For example, oligiofructose is an interesting plant sugar molecule that behaves as fiber--we can't break it down until it gets to the colon (large intestine).  This is where it undergoes fermentation through bacteria. Since it keeps our healthy bacteria well-fed and prospering, it helps them outcompete the harmful bacteria also living in our gut.  One for the good guys!  Oligiofructose's slow digestion doesn't spike blood sugar like most sugars, even though it adds sweetness about 30-50% the potency of table sugar.  Oligiofructose is best found in chicory root, raw dandelion greens, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, jicima, leeks, asparagus, and onions.  It is called a prebiotic for its benefit to digestive tract flora and has a synergistic effect when coupled with probiotics (beneficial bacteria introduced through the diet, like those clumpy, mucusy strands in kombucha) because it helps the additional bacteria thrive.  Yay!  Isn't it fun to think of your body as microscopic battle ground and home to a host of little beasts!  Really makes you wonder who's really in charge...

Phytochemcials

In addition to the vitamins, minerals, and fiber they provide, plants also provide phytochemicals like flavonoids and carotenoids, some of which are useful as antioxidants in our bodies to keep harmful, cancer-causing free radicals at bay.  Antioxidants also play a particularly important role in protecting against the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which has been linked to heart disease much more reliably than overall cholesterol, HDL/LDL ratio, or total LDL count.  More specifically, garlic has been found to reduce LDL oxidation.

There seems to be a correlation between eating more fruits and veggies and reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.  For example, cruciferous vegetables (brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, etc.) contain sulfur compounds that may protect against lung and digestive tract cancers.

Bottom-line: veggies are good for you.  Duh!

Eat Your Veggies

A BIG problem for most parents is getting the kids to eat veggies.  Sometimes they won't even try what you make.  I am not a big fan of the "hidden veggies" strategy some parents use to trick their kids into eating their veggies.  That defeats the purpose.  While you may be nourishing them, the kids aren't adopting healthy eating habits and aren't learning anything about nutrition.  In fact, you are merely strengthening their view that veggies aren't meant to be enjoyed, that they have to be drowned in other flavors to be palatable.  Vegetables need more appreciation and should contribute to (not detract from) a tasty, healthy meal.

Here are some ways to integrate more veggies in your family's diet:

1.  Unleash your kids in the produce department.  Allow them to find and bring back interesting veggies to take home and try.  Together, you can research recipes with them and agree on something that looks tasty.  This is a great way to get your kids involved in their health.

2.  Plan meals together, as a family, and agree upon vegetable preparations that will please everyone.  This method gets your kids involved in meal preparation and let's them take responsibility for eating what they agreed to make.  If they can't agree (surprise, surprise!), take turns choosing the veggie the family will eat and always have a backup veggie like carrots, celery, and salad that should be permanent residents of your refrigerator.  Ever try snacking on romaine hearts?  If not, you're missing out.  Seriously!

3.  Cook together.  I know this is a luxury for many families, but with whatever time you have however often you can manage, get your kids to cook with you.  Seeing what it takes to bring food to the plate is a great learning experience and builds their life skills.  These are lessons they won't learn in most schools.  Teach them how to cook.  It's a gift that will set them down the right path in life.

4.  Hedge your bets.  I never make an entirely new meal filled with all new ingredients we are trying out for the first time.  That sets the stage for disaster.  Instead, pair some old stand-bys with something new--this way, there is always something good to remember about the meal and most of it can be eaten, even if the new item is a flop.  For example, pair new veggie preparations with your family's favorite meats.  Always have a backup veggie for emergencies, like carrots or salad (sorry, potato chips don't count).  Encourage your children to try new veggies, but also allow them to fall back on healthy alternatives.  For example, I am sure we have all been through a "I'm not eating what my parents make" phase.  For me, I had bread and cheese every night.  Of course, now I realize what an idiot I was and that I should have just subbed out the meat and/or veggies with ones I could stomach, that were MY choice--take that Mom and Dad!

5.  Do as I say AND as I do.  You are your child's role model, whether they want to admit it or not.  If you make the effort to eat healthy, so will they.  Lead by example.  You can control the food in your house.  Take charge!

Prac App

I've already written a bunch of veggie recipes on my blog.  Here they are again:
Fig Salad with Lemon-Walnut Dressing
Spoon Salad courtesy of Simply...Gluten Free
Kale Chippies
Eggplant Chippies
Simple Roasted Cauliflower
Kristy's Cauliflower Rice with Cilantro-Lime Curried Rice and Indian Spiced Paella variations
Zucchini Pasta
Spaghetti Squash Pasta
Kale Salad

Today's recipe is Noodle Nosh.  Scared to give up noodles?  Fear no more.  Crave those stringy strands of deliciousness?  I have just the thing and it works perfectly.   Kelp noodles.  I know, I know, kelp?  Doesn't that just conjure up fishy, saltwater memories of getting tangled up in slimy ickness?  Well, today we're creating new memories.  Kelp is, as Alton Brown would say, "good eats."

So without further ado, here is our recipe!

Noodle Nosh
Crunchy, noodley and filled with delicious flavor--this subs for take-out any day!
Cooking Time: 1/2 an hour start to finish
Makes enough for at least 3 heaping bowls

Ingredients:

• 1T chopped garlic (4-5 cloves)
• Wheat-free Tamari sauce (you'll need at least a couple teaspoons, but we'll add it incrementally--or if you want to go full paleo, ditch the tamari)
• sesame oil (you'll need 2T, but each T is measured and added separately)
• stir-fry suitable grass-fed beef (this is NOT the application for ribeye/new york!--use crappier cuts :) ), cut into bite-sized hunks (use as much as you need to feed your family/self)
• 1 container/bag of brocolli slaw
• 1 c fresh shiitake mushrooms (not dried), cut in half
• 1 bag of kelp noodles (found in the refrigerated section by pseudo-meats), rinsed and drained
• optional: chopped ginger, other veggies

Method:
First, heat a skillet or wok over medium-medium high heat.  Add 1T sesame oil and all of the chopped garlic.  Once popping/sizzling, add the beef and brown each side.  Add some Tamari (like 1t or so) while cooking.  Once each side has some color but before it's cooked through (I hate overcooked beef), remove the beef from the pan into a bowl (keeping the juice inside the pan).  Now, add 1T of sesame oil and the mushrooms and give them a couple of minutes to lose their water and shrink.  Then, add the broccoli slaw and add more Tamari.  Cook for a few minutes to soften the slaw.  Then, add the kelp noodles, breaking up the clumping strands.  Stir into the slaw to incorporate.  Cook for a minute to warm the noodles and distribute them.  Then, add the beef back in, stir and adjust flavoring as needed (add more Tamari or sesame oil and desired).  Turn off the heat, remove the dish to a bowl, serve portions, and enjoy feasting upon some delicious, healthy noodles that trump Chinese take-out hands down!

Okay, so how does our recipe of the day exemplify Eat Vegetables?  For its veggies, we have kelp noodles, broccoli slaw (broccoli and carrots), shitake mushrooms, and garlic.  Kelp noodles are nutritional powerhouses, serving as a great source of iodine.  Sea vegetables are a sustainable resource.  In fact:

Seaweed doesn't require arable land, fresh water or fertilizer. Kelp grows swiftly -- 2 feet a day in some species -- and produces no runoff or erosion. It cleanses the water of excess nutrients and absorbs carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, which we mentioned earlier.  It is also high in vitamins and protective against an array of ailments.  Carrots are beta-carotene powerhouses, the richest vegetable source.  Being good for healthy eyesight is just one of their benefits.  Garlic also had an earlier mention as protective against LDL oxidation.  It is also a great source of B6 and vitamin C and selenium.  Garlic has cardiovascular health benefits and boosts immunity.  Shiitake mushrooms also have powerful antioxidants and promote a healthy heart and immune system.  Although their nutrient content is low, they are still sources of vitamin C and iron.  

Couple of caveats: the sesame oil is high in omega-6 fatty acids, so use it modestly and try to choose higher omega-3 fatty acids to balance it out: grass-fed beef and fish oil supplementation.  Wheat-free Tamari sauce is a paleo-cheat that I rarely indulge in.  While it doesn't contain wheat (yay!), it does contain soy (boo!) and lots of sodium (boo!); however, the fermentation process (like an 18 months-brine bath) strips the soy of most lectins and anti-nutrients, so it is considered safe for us to eat, in moderation.  I guess this is like sugars--ideally, ditch them, but we know that most people need to indulge every once and a while, so here is an acceptable cheat with minimized repercussions.

The processing required in this meal is more than I would like, but we need to be realistic.  The broccoli slaw could be home-made with a noodle peeler (see my zucchini noodle recipe), but this time I erred on convenience and bought the packaged slaw from the store.  Making everything from scratch and only buying local products is rough.  I respect those able to dedicate themselves to their food to that extent.  Unfortunately, at 7:30 on a weeknight, I am NOT one of those people.

So hopefully I have added a new meal to your culinary repertoire capable of meeting the everyone's basic requirements: a)  healthy and b) fast!   Let me know how you like it!

Saturated with Fat

This is a picture of my famous bread with raw, grass-fed butter.  Yum!

Spin You Right Round


One thing is for certain, today any dietary "facts" you once held have been turned on their head.  Take saturated fat, the Darth Vader of fats.  You once thought of him as a serious badass--destroying lives and worlds in the name of evil.  That is what we once thought about saturated fat--that it was a one-way ticket to coronary heart disease.  Then, along come the Star Wars prequels, and now we think of the ultimate evil Darth as just one of many darths and really a wimpy, moody kid.   Thank you George Lucas for emasculating such an awesome villain.  Back to fats, we can actually thank the current research into fatty acids that saturated fat has been de-villainized.  This is a lot to wrap your mind around, I know, but saturated fat...is...not...bad.  Let me explain why.

The Big Bad

First off, lets look at the research.  Here is an excellent summary of the current research for the layperson.  There are some basic points to address from the article:

1. The diet-heart hypothesis established in 1953 that set up saturated fat as the big bad has been questioned by a slew of contrary evidence.  
2. LDL/HDL ratios are more important than simply looking at LDL count.  
3. LDL particle size is more important than its total count since small, dense LDL are the only ones that correlate with increased risk of heart disease by clogging arteries.  
4. Saturated fat intake increases both LDL and HDL counts, and HDL is the "good" cholesterol that cleans up the LDL.  
5. When fats replace carbohydrates in the diet, the amount of small, dense LDL decreases.  
6. Low-carb, high-fat dieters compared to high-carb, low-fat dieters typically have reduced markers of heart disease: reduced small, dense LDL, better HDL/LDL ratio, and reduced triglicerides.
7. What happens to excess carbohydrates in your diet?  They are converted into triglicerides.  This is why low-fat dieters can still have high triglicerides.  
8. Triglicerides are equally relevant in risk of heart disease.  
9. The current American Heart Association guidelines did not address this LDL research when making their guidelines to reduce saturated fat intake from 10% to 7% or less of daily calories.  

More on the current research: a meta-analysis performed in part by Dr. Krauss (who is referred to in the previous article as founder of the particle size importance) made this conclusion:

A meta-analysis of prospective epidemiologic studies showed that there is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD or CVD. More data are needed to elucidate whether CVD risks are likely to be influenced by the specific nutrients used to replace saturated fat.

Even Loren Cordain, Paleo Diet founder, has softened his once hardline stance on saturated fats.  From his blog:

The bottom line is that we do not recommend cutting down saturated fatty acid intake but rather decrease high-glycemic load foods, vegetable oils, refined sugars, grains, legumes and dairy.

My conclusion: it seems that saturated fat isn't the big bad we had once thought.



Is it actually, dare I say the word, beneficial?

Here are the main points of a Dr. Eades interview at Four Hour Work Week entitled: 7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat.  Dr. Eades is a proponent of a high protein, high fat diet with reduced carbohydrate intake.  Go and read it for yourself to see the details.  Here are the benefits:
1. Improved Cardiovascular Risk Factors
2. Stronger Bones
3. Improved Liver Health
4. Healthy Lungs
5. Healthy Brain
6. Proper Nerve Signaling
7. Strong Immune System

However, if one has chronic inflammation, Dr. Ayers of Cooling Inflammation suggests limiting saturated fats, although he readily promotes saturated fats over vegetable oils and includes them as part of an anti-inflammatory diet.

Here is another take on the benefits of saturated fats from the Weston A. Price Foundation, a non-profit that distributes nutritional information from their founder, a nutritional guru.  Please read the site for more specifics and references to each point.  To quote his list of saturated fat benefits:

• Saturated fatty acids constitute at least 50% of the cell membranes. They are what gives our cells necessary stiffness and integrity.
• They play a vital role in the health of our bones. For calcium to be effectively incorporated into the skeletal structure, at least 50% of the dietary fats should be saturated.
• They lower Lp(a), a substance in the blood that indicates proneness to heart disease. They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, such as Tylenol.
• They enhance the immune system.
• They are needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids.
  Elongated omega-3 fatty acids are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated fats. 
• Saturated 18-carbon stearic acid and 16-carbon palmitic acid are the preferred foods for the heart, which is why the fat around the heart muscle is highly saturated. The heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of stress.
• Short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids have important antimicrobial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.

Bottom line: There seems to be more good about saturated fat than bad.  How about them apples?


Other Contributing Evidence


Here is another article, an older one, discussing saturated fats and their dietary role.  Unfortunately, it was funded by Nestle with agricultural interests to avoid having to reduce saturated fats in foods.

Mark's Daily Apple has a good discussion of saturated fat summarizing the background to the debate and why not to avoid them.

Free the Animal also has an extensive review of the debate and current research.  He is definitely not afraid to offend, so you are hereby warned.

Whole Health Source has a great post with a bunch of research articles to read about the topic.

I could go on and on.  The more I look, the deeper I get into research contrary to what I had previously assumed to be fact.  Thus, it looks like there is a lot out there turning the idea of saturated fats leading to heart disease on its head.  Bottom line: go ahead and eat your meat!

The Easiest Meat Preparation Known To Man: Seared Steak
Method taken from the America's Test Kitchen and applied to every steak I have eaten with great success.  In fact, I would rather cook my steak myself than buy one even at an expensive steak house! 

Ingredients:
grass-fed beef steak of your choice, room temperature is best, patted dry
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Get your cast iron or stainless skillet* "NASA hot" (to quote Alton Brown).  Salt and pepper your steak (one side is all that is needed, just put that side down and add seasoning** to the other side after its in the pan).  Once seasoned, place the steak in the pan and DO NOT TOUCH until you see the cooked coloration climbing about halfway up the side of the steak.  The timing depends upon the thickness of the steak, cut, and what type of doneness you prefer.  Google some charts for more information.  I love my steaks on the rare side because the tenderness and juiciness is lost with overcooking.  I have come full circle from my childhood abhorrence of any red whatsoever, so I can tell all you well-doners to just shut up and try it medium, especially a good cut like ribeye.  The experience will speak for itself.  Okay, back to the steak.  Seeing some creep of color up the side means flip, with tongs (don't be all sly and try to get away with a spatula or a fork--I have been there and suggest tongs).  Try to land the steak on fresh skillet space by turning the pan 90 degrees and then placing the steak down.  Then, let 'er sear for another few minutes.  You can check doneness using your fingers and palm as a guide, but err on the side of under-done.  The second side takes less time, so watch it carefully!  Once you are satisfied, remove the steak from the pan and place it on a plate to cool for AT LEAST 10 minutes.  You need to seal in those juices--don't worry, it won't get ice cold.  Once finished, feast upon your delicious, freakin' simple steak!

* For best results, don't use nonstick and avoid getting nonstick too hot due to its release of toxins--they can kill birds, so they probably aren't good for us either.

** Don't try to add all other sorts of spices to this--most will burn.  If you want them, add other spices after cooking or in a sauce.

Serving suggestions:

I LOVE my steak with avocado slices on top.  Try it--it's divine!
Butter was also a recent indulgence that was mind-blowing.
When playing it loose with dairy, I melt for blue cheese on my steak.

But all in all, it only takes a good cut of grass-fed beef to make the experience memorable.

Sweet Salad

UPDATE 1/13/10:  This salad is just as good without the figs!  I love the lemon-walnut oil dressing.  So simple, so good!  Give it a try!

Okay, I am off the crack.  I have been sugar free for over a week (minus whatever sugary sauce is on unagi and Japanese salad during my sushi cheat meal).  It has been hard.  I saw a great comparison of sugar to heroin--both come from a plant (sugar cane or beet/poppy), both are refined (molasses/opium), refined again (brown sugar/morphine), and a final time into pure, white crystals (white sugar/heroin).  They both have seriously addictive properties and alter your body--mentally and physically.  Seems extreme, but it isn't a bad comparison.  I have been cranky and craving sugar really badly.  So bad I even cried about it as my mind filled with "why me's" and tried to break me down.  But I have resisted.  I still have my fruit, but I am cutting back.  Today's fig salad was last week's indulgence and since I can't rule out its contribution to my tiredness and headaches by late afternoon (probably related to my sugar detox), I can't indulge on dried fruit as often.  It is candy, unfortunately.  Delicious, natural, healthy and even-better-than-sugar candy, but to my body it is candy nonetheless.

I definitely recommend this DELICIOUS salad.  It has helped curb my sugar appetite and has been a good segue food back into the lower glycemic living that is where I want to be.  Give it a try when you are craving a sweet salad with a lemony kick!

But first, let's talk ingredients: figs, walnuts, and lemons.  When I first laid my eyes upon figs, they scared me.  Outwardly they reminded me of pears, but butterfly when cut into gummy-looking flowers.  Exactly how do you eat them?  On my quest to boldly expand my culinary horizons, I bought dried figs. They looked safe.  Lovingly prepared by a motherly Turkish woman on the label and all tightly packed into a pretty disk-shape.  Safe.  At first nibble, I was sold.  When dried, they have such a sweetness, just like sugar, but with taste!  Reminded me of the fig newtons my grandfather always broke out when we came to visit as children.  I remember being slightly miffed that he didn't keep chocolate chips and oreos on hand for his grandchildren (what was he thinking?), but the "grown-up" fig newton cookies were pretty damn good.  I loved to eat the filling out of the cookie or eat the cookie without touching the filling.  Oh the games...  At least I was enjoying my food.  Too bad they were nowhere near healthy, "grown-up" or not...

Figs are my sugary treat when I am forgoing sugar (even honey and agave, they count as sugar too).  Figs are relatively high on the glycemic index (61) and glycemic load scales (16) (see my upcoming post for more details about those--I know, I know, I keep saying that, but I swear it is coming!  It is hard to whittle down such a huge topic to present it here).  Numbers over 50 for the glycemic index and over 10 for the load are considered high.  But that is to be expected when you dry a fruit to its sugary state.  The paleo diet doesn't recommend dried fruits for their candy-like nature, but when weaning off the sugar, to me at least, they are an acceptable crutch, in moderation (which I really have to remember!).  Figs are high in potassium, antioxidants, and fiber.  They have been studied in correlation with reduced bone density loss, and high fiber fruits such as figs have been correlated with reduced risk of breast cancer.  For more details on the health benefits of figs, check out this site.   When choosing dried varieties, try to avoid those containing sulfites, a chemical preservative to which some people are highly sensitive, especially those with asthma.  Go organic to make sure there aren't any sulfites used.  Some people also have an adverse reaction to oxalates found in some foods, including figs.  Oxalates are natural molecules in some fruits, nuts, and seeds that can form crystals with calcium and potentially harm the kidney and gallbladder.  The conditions requiring restriction of oxalate-containing foods are rare, as is overconsumption of oxalates.  Interestingly, oxalates usually move through the gut and are metabolized by your gut flora without incident.  However, when there are absorption issues from a damaged digestive tract, undigested oxalate can move out of the digestive tract and into the bloodstream, thus creating some problems when it crystalizes and gets lodged in tight places.  What is one cause of digestive tract damage leading to a "leaky gut"?  I will give you one guess.  More on oxalate issues here and at the low oxalate diet website.

Back to our ingredients.  Where were we?  Ah, yes, walnuts.  Walnuts pair superbly with figs.  They are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which account for their anti-inflammatory benefits, cardiovascular protection, and cognitive boost.  Walnuts contain antioxidants that inhibit cancer growth and promote immune function.  For more on the health benefits of walnuts, check out this site.  The Paleo Diet book by Loren Cordain advices us to eat walnuts because they are rich in monounsaturated fats which lower cholesterol, risk of heart disease, and risk of cancer.  They are also rich in polyunsaturated fats that also lower cholesterol.  Cordain recommends walnut oil second only to flaxseed oil* (and mustard seed oil, which is a hard to find oil in the US).  He promotes a balance of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids, trying to achieve a ratio of between 2-3 to 1.  Omega 6 is unhealthy in excess and accounts for too high a portion of our dietary omegas, coming from highly-concentrated sources like cereal grains, grain-fed meat, and vegetable oils.  Even on the paleo diet it is always a push-pull to keep omega 6 fatty acids low.  They are in nuts, seeds, avocadoes, and even lean, grassfed meat.  However, omega 3 is very beneficial as discussed above with its recovery boost and protective benefits.  So we are always trying to counterbalance the omega 6 in our diet by consuming more omega 3 in the form of fish oil, fatty fish, and nuts.  In general nuts have too high a ratio of omega 6 to omega 3, but walnuts are a good choice with a closer to ideal ratio of 4.2.  Read more about fatty acids and nuts on the paleo diet website.  Bottom line: walnuts are one of the best nuts to eat!

Finally, lemons.  Lemons are interesting when looking into acid-base balance, an important component of the paleo diet.  While they (and other citrus fruits) seem acidic, the body treats them as a base.  Why is this important?  Ideally, we want to balance the acids and bases in our diet because if we don't, the body has to compensate and pull what it needs from the body to balance it out.  Osteoporosis is a leaching of calcium, a base, from the bones.  Many of our foods are acids and only fruit and veggies are bases.   To quote Loren Cordain, paleo diet founder:

Bone health is substantially dependent on dietary acid/base balance.  All foods upon digestion ultimately must report to the kidney as either acid or base.  When the diet yields a net acid load (such as low-carb fad diets that restrict consumption of fruits and vegetables), the acid must be buffered by the alkaline stores of base in the body.  Calcium salts in the bones represent the largest store of alkaline base in the body and are depleted and eliminated in the urine when the diet produces a net acid load.  The highest acid-producing foods are hard cheeses, cereal grains, salted foods, meats, and legumes, whereas the only alkaline, base-producing foods are fruits and vegetables.  Because the average American diet is overloaded with grains, cheeses, salted processed foods, and fatty meats at the expense of fruits and vegetables, it produces a net acid load and promotes bone demineralization.  By replacing hard cheeses, cereal grains, and processed foods with plenty of green vegetables and fruits, the body comes back into acid/base balance which brings us also back into calcium balance.  The goal is to avoid a net acid load on your kidneys.

and

In addition to promoting bone demineralization, a net acid-producing diet also contributes to the following maladies and illnesses: calcium kidney stones, age-related muscle wasting, hypertension, stroke, asthma and exercise-induced asthma.

To read more from this article and check out the ratings of different foods, look here.  The bottom line: we are trying to load up on fruits and veggies to counterbalance the acidic load of meat and salt in our paleo diet.  When life gives you lemons, make salad dressing!

* Flaxseed oil intake is a topic under much debate.  Check out Mark's Daily Apple for some introductory information on the issues.  I will try to put together a post on the findings in the future!

Fig Salad with Lemon-Walnut Dressing
Crunchy greens and a sweet and tart dressing make this an elegant salad!


Prep time: less than 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lemon
walnut oil
dried figs to taste (I buy the light skinned dried fig rounds from Turkey--they are superior to the mission figs I have tried, to me anyway)
greens of your choice  (I am partial to peppery baby arugula, which takes this salad to a whole 'nother level)

Method:
This is crazy simple: just plop your greens in a bowl (the more the better).  Tear up the dried figs into small pieces (say 4-8 per dried fig) and add to the bowl.  In another bowl or sealable container to store leftover dressing for another use, squeeze the lemon juice and add at least 1T of walnut oil.  Mix or swirl to incorporate.  Taste it and add more walnut oil as desired to balance the lemon's acidity.  Once you are happy, drizzle your dressing over your greens, as much as you feel necessary for equal coating and taste.  Toss to mix.  Finally, devour your tasty, sweet salad!

Serving Suggestions:
Since I always have meat when I have carbs (something I took from the Zone), I usually add meat to my salad, such as rotisserie chicken.  DELICIOUS!

Figs