Are Raisins Paleo?
I was recently asked this question on Facebook, and I thought it would be good to write a short post on it so that everyone can benefit from the knowledge.
Raisins are grapes that are often sun-dried or dehydrated. They are naturally high in sugars (33.8% fructose and 31.2% glucose according to Dr. Cordain’s data), and so they usually don’t have extra sugar added to them (like some other dried fruits).
So, Are Raisins Paleo?
Continue reading
Pan-Fried Tilapia Meal
This post should really be titled “My love affair with pan-fried fish” because I can’t stop making it! I think I’ve had pan-fried fresh fish 3 times already in the past week!
I’ve generally been cooking wild cod, but I started thinking about tilapia after visiting Costa Rica. You’re probably confused – what’s Costa Rica got to do with tilapia? Apparently, tilapia is a huge export from Costa Rica, although my friends didn’t catch anything but red snapper when they went deep sea fish there. As it happens, tilapia is also one of the cheapest types of fish you can buy in the US. I got these tilapia filets for $6.99 at my local fishmonger and cooked them with some coconut carrot mash and egg fried zucchini slices. It was a really easy meal.
If you’re concerned about eating farmed tilapia, then please replace it with another fish – this recipe still works! And if you’re buying farmed tilapia, then look for US ones as the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch rates them as the Best Choices. Also, I was surprised to learn that tilapia has been farm-raised as far back as ancient Egypt.
And I also wanted to address the concern that tilapia has been shown to have higher omega-6 concentrations and lower omega-3 concentrations compared to many other fish. This was found in a 2008 study, and while this is very true, it’s also best not to immediately vilify tilapia. (See this article to read the director of that study explain that “We never intended to paint tilapia as the cause of anything bad.”) Tilapia is not the best fish option, but tilapia’s omega-3 levels are actually comparable to many other types of seafood including mahi mahi and yellowfin tuna.
Continue reading
2-Ingredient Paleo Pancake
I sadly have yet to discover any Paleo crepes (super thin versions of pancakes), but I have made several different versions of Paleo pancakes now. And this 2-ingredient one has to be the easiest ever!
Spinach Almond Stir-Fry
Funnily enough, I actually quite like spinach, especially cooked in this way. It’s really easy to prepare, and it gets rid of the anti-nutrient, oxalic acid (which is present in raw spinach). This is actually what I made to go with the pork tenderloins (goes really well together).
Continue reading
Pan-Fried Pork Tenderloin
I’m vacationing in the beautiful and sun-filled (and fun-filled) country of Costa Rica right now but really wanted to share this pork tenderloin recipe with everyone!
I have never had great success with pork tenderloin before now…somehow it always seemed to end up dry and not very tasty. But I was inspired to try again by a recent meal my neighbor cooked for us and also by a video of Michael Mina showing Tim Feriss how to cook pork tenderloin in a frying pan (edit- I removed the link to the video since that website disappeared!). Ok, so my pork doesn’t look quite as pretty as Michael Mina’s, but I’m not feeling too bad that my cooking isn’t quite up to Michelin-star chef standards!
This dish requires zero prep and uses very very few ingredients. So, how do you cook delicious pork in a frying pan?
What’s in the Foods You’re Buying?
Are you sure you know what’s in those foods you’re buying?
Even if you only buy non-packaged foods (e.g., fresh fruits and veggies or meat from the butcher), you might still be surprised to learn what’s really in your foods!
Your coconut milk, apples, and nuts may not be the bastion of healthiness that you currently believe.
This is what I’ve been discovering while reading Rich Food Poor Food – a superb new book from Mira and Jayson Calton, which you can purchase on Amazon.com).
Here are just a few things I discovered:
Which Brand of Coconut Milk is Best?
Cauliflower Rice Recipe
It was Lunar New Year last Sunday, so this “rice” recipe is sort of timely. Rice is a huge part of many Asian cultures, and I’ve actually had quite a few Asian friends proclaim that they couldn’t ever go Paleo because they would never give up rice.
Well, if you’re a rice fanatic, this cauliflower rice recipe will be a tasty and satisfying non-grain alternative. Even several of my non-Paleo friends admit that this dish is pretty delicious despite being made almost entirely out of vegetables (in fact, you can omit the eggs and make it vegetarian)!
For another version of this Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe, check this one out.
Continue reading
Paleo Chocolate Truffles Recipe
I know this photo is of J holding the truffles out to me…but I made those truffles!
And you can too!
I’m going to give you 3 variations on these truffles, one of which requires just 2 ingredients! And no cooking (no pots or pans) – but you do need a microwave and a freezer.
This means that even if you have very little time to come up with a Valentine’s gift, you’ll still have plenty of time to make these truffles. But it also means that if you don’t make these truffles, then you’re clearly not willing to expend even a little bit of effort! So, I guess the conclusion is: Make these Truffles!
Continue reading
Pan Fried Hake
Fish is probably one of the easiest things to cook. It takes just a few minutes to fry up a nice fillet with some seasoning.
So that’s what I decided to do when J’s grandmother was here since she loves fish.
Quick and Easy Paleo Chicken Pepper Stir-fry [Keto]
Sometimes there’s just no time to prepare an elaborate or even semi-elaborate meal!
It’s tiring to have to come up with creative recipes involving tons of exotic ingredients after a long day at work. So, I like to have a few quick and easy recipes up my sleeve for when I just want a quick but yet still delicious and nutritious dinner. This is one of those recipes…
Continue reading
Paleo Diet Quick Spiced Up Roasted Vegetables
I often feel that people are confused about the Paleo Diet. They either think we only eat raw foods (which I guess there are some Paleo people that do so) or else we only eat meat!
If you’re one of those confused people, then I’m sorry to disappoint you…I eat plenty of cooked foods, and I LOVE vegetables (I know it’s shocking)!
Most people on a Paleo diet (like me) believe that vegetables do provide us with a huge amount of vitamins and minerals that we might not otherwise get (especially if we only eat muscle meats rather than liver, kidney or other organ meats). Plus, I grew up eating tons of vegetables and simply love the taste of them. Note that does not mean I enjoy bland boiled vegetables (like the sides they used to serve me at school for lunch).
I believe in flavorful foods, and this roasted vegetable side dish is truly flavorful!
The Definitive Guide to Recipes and Copyright
Are you scared that someone will steal your recipes (or perhaps someone already has)?
Or are you scared that you might break the law when you post a recipe you read somewhere else?
There’s a lot of confusion out on the web about what you can take from someone’s recipe and what you can’t take, so here is a definitive guide to finally put this sizzling issue to bed! (The caveat, of course, is that the law constantly changes, so it will never actually be put to bed completely.)
This is the first of several articles that will address different aspects of protecting recipes, blog posts, and culinary discoveries. This particular article addresses whether or not there is actually copyright law protection for recipes (we look at the actual law not just speculations), as well as concrete steps you can take to enforce the rights you do have!
First- surprise, surprise – here’s my legal disclaimer: nothing in this article (or at ) is legal advice, and you should consult your lawyer for any legal advice! (And, also, this is from the perspective of US copyright law.)
This is a length article, so here’s what in store for you (click to jump to that section):
- What is Copyright Law?
- A Brief History of Recipes and Copyright
- Are Recipes Protected by Copyright Law?
- So When is a Recipe Protected By Copyright Law?
- So Should You Copy Everyone’s Recipes and Pretend They’re Your Own? It’s Legal, Right?
- So What Does This Really Mean for Cooks and Bloggers?
- But Ethically, How Should You Use Other People’s Recipes?
- How To Figure Out if Someone Copied Your Recipe
- What Can You Do if Someone Steals Your Photo or Recipe?
- Do You Need a Copyright Symbol on Your Website?
- What if You Want People to Copy Your Work?
- Should Copyright Law Protect Recipes?
Apple Sweet Potato Mash
This is how my evening went:
10.00pm: Washing dishes and thinking: “the crockpot is sitting empty…what can I cook in it tonight? Chicken? Nah, sweet potatoes? Hmmmm. With what though?”
10.05pm: Looking to see if there are any other dirty plates on the counter and thinking: “must finish off all those honey crisp apples soon.”
10.10pm: Light-bulb going off (figuratively) and thinking: “apple butter with sweet potatoes!”
10.20pm: Peeling apples and sweet potatoes and chopping them up.
10.30pm: Placing apples and sweet potatoes into crockpot along with cinnamon, pure chocolate powder, ground nutmeg, ginger powder, and ground cloves. Mixing together.
10.35pm: Setting crockpot to low temperature for 10 hours and then relaxing in massage chair with a kombucha!
Paleo Beef Bacon Bourguignon (Red Wine Stew)
This is a delicious beef bourguignon dish that’s easy to make for dinner any night! If you don’t know what beef bourguignon is, it’s just a beef stew with bacon, vegetables, and red wine.
Actually, when I first made this stew, I didn’t know that bacon was a common ingredient in beef bourguignon – I was just adding in bacon because it’s bacon!