In the wake of the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, I'm sure many people are wondering how safe it is to eat the fish being harvested from that region. I eat a lot of fish so this has been a worry of mine. The fishing industry in the gulf is in a total panic, of course, and I haven't been able to find much in the way against eating fish from the gulf. However, I also haven't dived into it that deeply (no pun intended). The NOAA is stating that the fish are safe to eat and reminds everyone only 5% of the gulf is closed to fishing. As always, make sure you know where your fish and shellfish are coming from.
Part of being a carnivore is being a responsible carnivore and while we have the threat of tainted seafood fresh on the brain, here is a great guide from the Environment Defense Fund on picking sustainable seafood.
Picking sustainable seafood is no different from choosing pastured poultry or grassfed beef. Supporting healthy ecosystems through sustainable eating is how we keep our food quality high!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Hot Dog Lettuce Wraps
Summer is here! Viva la Hot Dog!
Makes Two:
2 Hot Dogs
2 Large pieces of Romaine lettuce, folded in half
1/2 Avocado
2 Handfuls of shredded cabbage
salsa, optional
Put the hot dog in each piece of lettuce, then layer the avocado, cabbage and salsa. Wrap it up and eat it!
(There are obviously A TON AND A HALF of variations that you can go with. The Romaine lettuce is pretty strong and can handle being over stuffed. It does get messy, and if you use drippy condiments they will travel down your arm, so be prepared!)
Makes Two:
2 Hot Dogs
2 Large pieces of Romaine lettuce, folded in half
1/2 Avocado
2 Handfuls of shredded cabbage
salsa, optional
Put the hot dog in each piece of lettuce, then layer the avocado, cabbage and salsa. Wrap it up and eat it!
(There are obviously A TON AND A HALF of variations that you can go with. The Romaine lettuce is pretty strong and can handle being over stuffed. It does get messy, and if you use drippy condiments they will travel down your arm, so be prepared!)
Friday, April 30, 2010
Easy Lunch (or Breakfast)
Red Bell Pepper Open Faced "Sandwich"
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and halved
1 avocado
4-5 oz deli meat (free of nitrates and crap, get the good stuff)
appx 1c broccoli slaw
Cut the avocado in half and fill up each half of the red bell pepper. Throw in a little broccoli slaw and slightly press it into the avocado mush so it doesn't fall out. Layer the deli meat evenly over each pepper half. Done!
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and halved
1 avocado
4-5 oz deli meat (free of nitrates and crap, get the good stuff)
appx 1c broccoli slaw
Cut the avocado in half and fill up each half of the red bell pepper. Throw in a little broccoli slaw and slightly press it into the avocado mush so it doesn't fall out. Layer the deli meat evenly over each pepper half. Done!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Mushroom and Walnut Pate
If you eat da buttah, go for it, otherwise I'm sure olive oil will work just fine. I'm going to use this as a stuffing for chicken, and thinking of adding in dried cherries.....is that crazy talk?
**Because I have super smart friends EDIT: Melicious aptly pointed out that the olive oil might be too much liquid and not provide enough in the way of saturated fat for the texture. She suggests subbing coconut oil, and she is absolutely right... While modifying recipes to meet your dietary needs, it's important to remember to match textures when finding a substitute ingredient. This will help you avoid a grosstastrophe. Thanks for saving the day Mel!!!
Ingredients
* 1 cup walnuts
* 1/2 cup minced shallots
* 1/2 cup unsalted butter
* 1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, chopped
* 1/4 pound crimini mushrooms, chopped
* 1/4 pound portobello mushrooms, chopped
* 1 tablespoon roasted garlic puree
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread walnuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Toast for 10 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned.
2. In a large saute pan, cook shallots in butter over medium heat until translucent. Then add chopped mushrooms, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Process toasted walnuts and olive oil in a blender or food processor until mixture forms a thick paste. Spoon in the cooked mushroom mixture, and process to desired texture.
4. Pack mixture into well-oiled ramekins or bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
**Because I have super smart friends EDIT: Melicious aptly pointed out that the olive oil might be too much liquid and not provide enough in the way of saturated fat for the texture. She suggests subbing coconut oil, and she is absolutely right... While modifying recipes to meet your dietary needs, it's important to remember to match textures when finding a substitute ingredient. This will help you avoid a grosstastrophe. Thanks for saving the day Mel!!!
Ingredients
* 1 cup walnuts
* 1/2 cup minced shallots
* 1/2 cup unsalted butter
* 1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, chopped
* 1/4 pound crimini mushrooms, chopped
* 1/4 pound portobello mushrooms, chopped
* 1 tablespoon roasted garlic puree
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread walnuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Toast for 10 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned.
2. In a large saute pan, cook shallots in butter over medium heat until translucent. Then add chopped mushrooms, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Process toasted walnuts and olive oil in a blender or food processor until mixture forms a thick paste. Spoon in the cooked mushroom mixture, and process to desired texture.
4. Pack mixture into well-oiled ramekins or bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Agave Nectar, Revisited
Jen Cardella asked me to revisit the agave nectar issue this morning.
Before I begin this post, please visit this post from Food Renegade and then come back to see me.
Ok, welcome back. Let me just say that agave nectar really pisses me off.
Our current notion of "sweet" is disturbingly far from what is truly natural and part of the process of switching to a primal diet is to get used to what is actually sweet. It sucks. I don't have any soothing words for you on this one. If you want to use agave nectar/syrup, go right ahead, but do not think that you are making a healthier choice. Desserts and sweets are not necessarily meant to be healthy, and really people, IT'S OK FOR THESE THINGS TO BE UNHEALTHY. Seriously. There is nothing wrong with a homemade cake that's actually just a homemade cake. It's all about the frequency that you eat The Cake. You have to take the personal responsibility to adjust your concept of "everyday" sweet, and what moderation of sweets is. Eating "paleo" brownies everyday after dinner means you are missing the point. You haven't actually changed your behavior, you've just switched it out for what you believe to be a more acceptable substitute.
Ok, now go out there and eat real food, question anything that says All Natural, and don't be another sucker for the quasi-natural food industry.
/rant
xox
Before I begin this post, please visit this post from Food Renegade and then come back to see me.
Ok, welcome back. Let me just say that agave nectar really pisses me off.
Our current notion of "sweet" is disturbingly far from what is truly natural and part of the process of switching to a primal diet is to get used to what is actually sweet. It sucks. I don't have any soothing words for you on this one. If you want to use agave nectar/syrup, go right ahead, but do not think that you are making a healthier choice. Desserts and sweets are not necessarily meant to be healthy, and really people, IT'S OK FOR THESE THINGS TO BE UNHEALTHY. Seriously. There is nothing wrong with a homemade cake that's actually just a homemade cake. It's all about the frequency that you eat The Cake. You have to take the personal responsibility to adjust your concept of "everyday" sweet, and what moderation of sweets is. Eating "paleo" brownies everyday after dinner means you are missing the point. You haven't actually changed your behavior, you've just switched it out for what you believe to be a more acceptable substitute.
Ok, now go out there and eat real food, question anything that says All Natural, and don't be another sucker for the quasi-natural food industry.
/rant
xox
Monday, March 8, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Heavenly Pairings
Helloo! Long time no talkie (postie?)! I hope all is well in your respective worlds. Here are some heavenly pairings for you to try on your own:
Ground Lamb + Dried Currants
Shredded Cabbage + Scrambled Eggs
Coconut Butter + Raisins
Chopped Kale + Raisins or Dried (Unsweetened) Cranberries
Bacon + Leafy Greens
Tuna + Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Tahini + Broccoli
Do you have a heavenly pairing to share? Leave it in the comments!
Ground Lamb + Dried Currants
Shredded Cabbage + Scrambled Eggs
Coconut Butter + Raisins
Chopped Kale + Raisins or Dried (Unsweetened) Cranberries
Bacon + Leafy Greens
Tuna + Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Tahini + Broccoli
Do you have a heavenly pairing to share? Leave it in the comments!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Eastside Showroom
Eastside Showroom has quickly become one of my favorite places to get my gluttony on. I love the exposed brick, drippy candles, and cute-as-a-button waitstaff with a painfully attractive sense of fashion. BUT! The best part is....their food is locally sourced.
There are paleo-esque items on the menu. You may have to ask for no mash, but if that is the worst modification to be done, it's not too bad. If you want to dive in and forgo the confines of the paleo structure, rest assured you won't be sacrificing quality. In the back of the menu there is a list of all the local farms they purchase their ingredients from.
Their menu changes, so check before you go.
...and wear something cute!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Tales From the "Duh" Files
I read this article over the weekend that had me in a full blown-360-degree-eye-roll...
“If you put on a meaningful portion size, it would scare a lot of people...”
To summarize, the FDA would like to increase common serving sizes to give consumers a more accurate idea of how much they are actually consuming...because most people don't read past the "serving size = calorie amount" to see that the serving size might be painfully small.
This excerpt caused me to almost snort my coffee all over my keyboard:
If the serving size for cookies rose to two ounces, from one ounce, for instance, some consumers might think the government was telling them it was fine to eat more.
WHAT? SERIOUSLY?
Oiy.
“If you put on a meaningful portion size, it would scare a lot of people...”
To summarize, the FDA would like to increase common serving sizes to give consumers a more accurate idea of how much they are actually consuming...because most people don't read past the "serving size = calorie amount" to see that the serving size might be painfully small.
This excerpt caused me to almost snort my coffee all over my keyboard:
If the serving size for cookies rose to two ounces, from one ounce, for instance, some consumers might think the government was telling them it was fine to eat more.
WHAT? SERIOUSLY?
Oiy.
Kale with Caramelized Kumquats
Melicious alerted me to this yummy dish via Pham Fatale. Remove the agave nectar, which you shouldn't eat at all and swap the soy sauce for some wheat free tamari... ENJOY!
3 cups kale, fresh
1-½ tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
8 kumquats
1 teaspoon fresh ginger (see tips), freshly grated
2 tablespoons orange juice (or lemon juice), freshly squeezed
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Prepping the kumquats: Wash the kumquats and thinly slice them using a sharp chef's knife. Discard the seeds and the white center membrane (if any).
Caramelizing the onions and kumquats: Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the onions. Cook over low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the onion from burning, until the color is evenly golden brown. Add the ginger and sliced kumquats. Cook for about 4 minutes until the kumquats are soft and tender. Add the orange juice. Transfer to a plate with the citrus-infused oil from the pan.
Cooking kale:
Wash the raw kale thoroughly in several baths. Remove and discard the fibrous and older part of the stems. Drain and remove all the excess water using a salad spinner. Roughly chop the kale leaves.
In the same pan, add the rest of the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic. Cook the garlic for a minute until fragrant. Add the kale to the pan, constantly toss the kale leaves until they're shiny (coated in oil). The leaves will start to wilt after 30 seconds or so. Season with salt (this will prevent the kale from changing color and help keep its bright green color). Add tamari. Turn off the heat. Stir well. Cover and let sit for about 2-3 minutes. Add the onions and spiced kumquats with the oil. Check seasoning and add black pepper.
3 cups kale, fresh
1-½ tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
8 kumquats
1 teaspoon fresh ginger (see tips), freshly grated
2 tablespoons orange juice (or lemon juice), freshly squeezed
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Prepping the kumquats: Wash the kumquats and thinly slice them using a sharp chef's knife. Discard the seeds and the white center membrane (if any).
Caramelizing the onions and kumquats: Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the onions. Cook over low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the onion from burning, until the color is evenly golden brown. Add the ginger and sliced kumquats. Cook for about 4 minutes until the kumquats are soft and tender. Add the orange juice. Transfer to a plate with the citrus-infused oil from the pan.
Cooking kale:
Wash the raw kale thoroughly in several baths. Remove and discard the fibrous and older part of the stems. Drain and remove all the excess water using a salad spinner. Roughly chop the kale leaves.
In the same pan, add the rest of the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic. Cook the garlic for a minute until fragrant. Add the kale to the pan, constantly toss the kale leaves until they're shiny (coated in oil). The leaves will start to wilt after 30 seconds or so. Season with salt (this will prevent the kale from changing color and help keep its bright green color). Add tamari. Turn off the heat. Stir well. Cover and let sit for about 2-3 minutes. Add the onions and spiced kumquats with the oil. Check seasoning and add black pepper.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Bison Meatballs
I had to keep myself from eating all of them in one go, so I figured NOT posting the recipe on this blog would be downright mean.
First off, when I make spaghetti squash I am on the hunt to find lots of things to mix it up in because usually there is an over abundance of the squash in my fridge for days. Lately, mixing it with ground meat seems to be really appropriate 1) because the small starch in the squash acts as a binder for things like balls, loaves, and patties 2) it adds a sweet flavor that melds in nicely with the savory of the meat.
However, bison is kind of gamey, no? I wasn't sure how the squash would hold up flavor wise with the bison, but figured, what the hell, the worst it could be was bland and I can deal with that. The outcome was delicious. DEEEE-eee-li-shus.
1lb Grass fed bison
appx 2c spaghetti squash (maybe less)
8 medium sized baby bellas
1 large shallot
1 tbs curry powder (I could have used a little more, taste got a little lost)
salt and pepper
1 egg beaten
I put the mushrooms and shallots into my food processor (which you should also have one by now) and diced them super fine. Don't make a pate with them, we just want them diced very finely.
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly into the ground meat and set a pan to medium with a little coconut oil. Ball 'em and put 'em in. Cook one side, then roll them onto another side. The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes.
I put them on top of diced cabbage, red and green, with green beans and artichoke hearts. Good stuff.
First off, when I make spaghetti squash I am on the hunt to find lots of things to mix it up in because usually there is an over abundance of the squash in my fridge for days. Lately, mixing it with ground meat seems to be really appropriate 1) because the small starch in the squash acts as a binder for things like balls, loaves, and patties 2) it adds a sweet flavor that melds in nicely with the savory of the meat.
However, bison is kind of gamey, no? I wasn't sure how the squash would hold up flavor wise with the bison, but figured, what the hell, the worst it could be was bland and I can deal with that. The outcome was delicious. DEEEE-eee-li-shus.
1lb Grass fed bison
appx 2c spaghetti squash (maybe less)
8 medium sized baby bellas
1 large shallot
1 tbs curry powder (I could have used a little more, taste got a little lost)
salt and pepper
1 egg beaten
I put the mushrooms and shallots into my food processor (which you should also have one by now) and diced them super fine. Don't make a pate with them, we just want them diced very finely.
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly into the ground meat and set a pan to medium with a little coconut oil. Ball 'em and put 'em in. Cook one side, then roll them onto another side. The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes.
I put them on top of diced cabbage, red and green, with green beans and artichoke hearts. Good stuff.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Almond Butter From Scratch
Almond butter is one of those foods that I hesitate to invite into my house because I am not responsible enough to eat it in moderation. One teaspoon becomes half a cup easily, and if it's at the end of a long and hard day, forggettaboutit. Whopping tablespoons right into my mouth, and then a horrible flood of remorse.
Do you have a food processor? If not, get one. Food processors really come in handy, both for convenience and saving money.
Yesterday I made my own almond butter. Two cups of almonds into the food processor and 2-3 minutes later, done! Now, I did not add salt, and it is more of a paste than a "butter" HOWEVER in spite of how simple it looks and tastes at first, it is extremely satisfying.
Next batch will have a bit of coconut oil added it to add a little more butter feel to the mix. I'll let you know how that goes...
BAM, just saved an additional $4.99/lb on my weekly groceries!
Do you have a food processor? If not, get one. Food processors really come in handy, both for convenience and saving money.
Yesterday I made my own almond butter. Two cups of almonds into the food processor and 2-3 minutes later, done! Now, I did not add salt, and it is more of a paste than a "butter" HOWEVER in spite of how simple it looks and tastes at first, it is extremely satisfying.
Next batch will have a bit of coconut oil added it to add a little more butter feel to the mix. I'll let you know how that goes...
BAM, just saved an additional $4.99/lb on my weekly groceries!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Steamed Broccoli with Kale and Tahini-Lemon Dressing
Steam a bunch of broccoli and kale, put in a bowl, drench* in tahini and the juice from one lemon then roll around on the floor, BECAUSE IT'S SO DAMN GOOD.
*Use your best judgment. Add spoonfuls until you reach a desired consistency.
*Use your best judgment. Add spoonfuls until you reach a desired consistency.
Grass Fed Lamb Burgers
Over the break I watched Food Inc and became completely disgusted with large meat processing plants. In accordance with my new pledge to eat good, quality food I hit up Boggy Creek Farm in East Austin for some grass fed ground lamb that came from Richardson Farms here in Central Texas.
Grass Fed Lamb Burgers
-1 lb grass fed lamb
-1 beaten egg
-diced mushroom
-diced artichoke hearts
-lemon juice
-2 tsp ground fennel
-salt and pepper to taste
Mix all together and form patties! Grill! Enjoy! I paired mine with spinach and roasted brussels sprouts.... you should too!
Grass Fed Lamb Burgers
-1 lb grass fed lamb
-1 beaten egg
-diced mushroom
-diced artichoke hearts
-lemon juice
-2 tsp ground fennel
-salt and pepper to taste
Mix all together and form patties! Grill! Enjoy! I paired mine with spinach and roasted brussels sprouts.... you should too!
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