First, a disclaimer: YOU CAN EAT PALEO WHEREVER THE HELL YOU PLEASE. Literally. You can order your food however you want it. You’re paying for it. Don’t be shy.

That said, there are places where it is much EASIER to eat paleo and where you won’t be as tempted by thin crust pizza or the most delicious bread in the whole world or whatever it is that you love that isn’t paleo. There are also normal places where you want to sneakily eat paleo without making a fuss. I also place an emphasis on local, grassfed meat, some people don’t. Links take you to thisislifeinaustin.com, where this is cross-posted. Leave your faves in the comments!

Paleo Eating Out:
24 Diner – 24 hour diner on 6th & Lamar. Grassfed beef, local produce when possible. Owner is a CrossFitter, they’re used to making things paleo.
Bess – West 6th, Sandra Bullock’s restaurant, local meat, great entrees. Sides aren’t always paleo and they bring out a huge bread basket, so just ask them not to.
Buenos Aires Cafe – East 6th Street (e of 35), local meat, heavy on the meat portions

Pick Up/Quick:
Snap Kitchen - to-go food. Vegetable lasagna (no noodles!) is the best thing ever. Very conscious of paleo.
Whole Foods - sounds like a cop-out, but no other WF has the salad bar and other food bars of the flagship at 6th & Lamar.
Chipotle - also a cop-out, but the meat is grassfed and they do salad bowls with extra servings of guac!

Sushi/Bar:
Bar Chi (2nd & Colorado) is the sushi place I just wrote about and they are really flexible, making you cucumber-wrapped rolls without rice. Reverse happy hour, all day Sunday happy hour.
Piranha Killer Sushi (Rio Grande & 3rd) is also usually really accommodating and they have AWESOME fish prepared without rice anyway. Great mussels too.

Thoughts, paleos?

Turkey/Feta/Spinach/Bacon Meatloaf

• 2 pounds ground turkey thighs (I prefer thigh meat.  Not only is it cheaper, but the higher fat content keeps your meatloaf moist.)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 cups spinach, finely chopped
• Feta cheese (optional, of course)
• Bacon slices
• Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients (except bacon) in a bowl and mix until combined with hands. Divide mixture in half and form into two loaves. Place on baking sheet with drip rack.  Cover each loaf with strips of bacon. Cook at 325 degrees for approximately 1.5 hours, or until done (ground turkey should reach an internal temp of 165 degrees F, according to this flyer).

Grandma Rhyne’s Traditional Meatloaf

• 2 pounds meatloaf mixture (bison, pork, beef, veal)
• 6 saltine crackers, crushed
• 1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce + 2 Tbs. (I typically don’t stress over the small things. However, I understand that some of you out there are super strict either by choice or necessity, so feel free to either make your own or use plain ketchup instead–I know that most supermarkets now carry organic ketchup free of high fructose corn syrup).
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 Tbs fresh parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 325.  Mix ingredients with hands. Form 2 loaves. Place on baking sheet with drip rack. Cover with additional 2 Tbs. Chili Sauce or Ketchup.  Bake for 1.5 hours or until done (according to the link above, ground beef should reach an internal temp of 160 degrees F).

As a side-note, I recently made another trip to MooJesus! with my good friend,  Lyssa Myska Allen.  As a result, I have a wonderful supply of raw dairy products–some of which are used in this recipe.  As always, if you don’t have access to raw dairy or if it doesn’t fit into your diet, you can easily omit it.

‘Breaded’ Tilapia

• Tilapia filets
• Eggs (1 egg per 2 pieces of fish)
• Nut flour of your choice (I grind my own, and you can see the highly controversial…wink, wink, nod, nod…. post here)
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• Coconut oil (enough to coat entire pan)
• Non-stick pan

Place your nut flour–store bought or homemade–in a plate.  I make my own not only because it’s cheaper, but also because the nuts oxidize and go rancid quickly once ground.  Add seasonings of your choice.  For this recipe, I suggest salt, pepper, and garlic powder–the amount depends on the quantity of fish you’re making, so just season to TASTE.  In another plate, break your eggs and mix with a fork to combine the yolk and whites.  In your non-stick pan, heat coconut oil or some other heat stable oil over medium-high heat.  I emphasize this because too many people cook with oils that are not heat stable, and therefore oxidize when exposed to heat and become toxic (do you hear me you olive oil lovers???).  While the oil is heating, dredge your fish filets first in the egg, and then in the flour.  Once the oil is hot (it should sizzle when you drop a  piece of the breading in), place your filets in the skillet and reduce to medium heat.  Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until breading is golden brown and fish is flaky.  Once done, remove from pan and place on serving plate.

Tomatillo  Sauce

• Tomatillo Salsa
• Raw heavy cream
• Raw butter

While your fish is cooking, heat raw butter in sautee pan over medium heat. Add tomatillo salsa, and then cream.  Heat through until warm, and then spoon over fish.  I’m all about quick meals, so I actually cheated and bought my salsa from Whole Foods. If you so desire, you can easily make your own by combining tomatillos, jalapenos, onions, and cilantro in a food processor.  Also, if you want to skip the dairy, the tomatillo salsa would make a nice sauce in its own right.

Mexican Salad

• Baby Spinach, chopped
• Avocados, chopped
• Red Onion, sliced
• Jicama, julienned
• Cilantro, chopped
• Feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
• Lemon or lime juice
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Pepper

Combine all above ingredients in bowel, mix, and then serve!

Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures when I made this the other day, but it is a beautiful presentation and equally delicious.  It also shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes to prepare.  I will post pictures next time I make it.

Also, if you’d like more information about MooJesus! and their fabulous cafe and working farm/ranch, please visit them online at Moojesus.com.  I can’t say enough wonderful things about the family that runs this place. Furthermore, who wouldn’t want to visit a place called MooJesus! located at Everything Jesus Ranch?!!

Although I love to cook, and would gladly spend an hour in the kitchen preparing a meal, the reality is that I don’t always have that kind of time.  I use several strategies to tackle this dilemma, two of which include:  planning ahead (I often cook large meals on Sunday that will last throughout the week), and creating simple recipes–an easy task when you use high-quality, fresh ingredients. I also try to keep homemade sauces/dips/chutneys in the fridge that can be used spice up any meal.

Emeril Lagasse’s Remoulade Sauce

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup walnut oil, 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 Tbs chopped garlic
• 2 Tbs prepared horseradish
• 3 Tbs creole whole grain mustard
• 3 Tbs prepared yellow mustard
• 3 Tbs ketchup
• 3 Tbs chopped parsley leaves
• Sea salt to taste
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and process until combined.  Use immediately or store. Will keep for several days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Baked Salmon

• 4-6 oz. salmon filet/person
• Fresh dill, chopped
• Salt
• Pepper
• Butter, or oil of choice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place salmon filets on baking dish or sheet, skin side down.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh dill.  Place a small tab of butter on each salmon filet.  Bake at 425 degrees, for 8-10 minutes or until fish is flaky when tested with fork.  Serve alone, or with remoulade sauce.  See Ryon’s post on fish.

Boiled Kale

• 1 bunch kale, stems removed
• Butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes

Once fish is in the oven, bring a pot of water (with sea salt added) to a boil.  Once boiling, place kale leaves in water, making sure to submerge all leaves.  Boil in water 1-2 minutes, or until tender.  Once tender, remove from heat and pour kale into colander to remove water.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  If you so choose, stir in a tab of butter.  Serve.

Without further adieu, below you’ll find a recipe for my most favoritest (yes, I know that’s a double superlative and ‘favoritest’ isn’t a real word) hors d’oevure/snack/small meal:

Smoked Salmon Tartines

• 1 recipe All-Purpose Primal Crackers
• Smoked Salmon/Lox (Costco carries an excellent-tasting, wild option)
• Cream Cheese
• Red Onion, sliced thinly
• Fresh Dill
• Capers
• Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper

Take a cracker, layer with cream cheese (you can simply skip this step if you’re avoiding dairy), salmon, red onions, capers, fresh dill, and sprinkle with salt/pepper.  Enjoy!

• 1.5 cups nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, etc.)
• 4 egg whites
• 2 Tbs. oil (melted butter, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, etc.)
• Dried spice(s) of choice:  dill, parsley, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, garlic
• Salt, pepper to taste

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Grind nuts in food processor until you have a relatively fine cornmeal-like texture, and place in mixing bowel.
3. Add dried spice(s), salt, and pepper to nuts and mix to combine.
4. Add egg whites and oil of choice to nut mixture, and mix to combine.  The mixture should be moist and sticky, but not liquidy (think pancake batter).  If your mixture is too dry, add more oil.  If it is too wet, add more ground nuts.
5. Place mixture on center of parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Place a peace of wax paper or plastic wrap on top of the mixture, and use a rolling pin to roll out the mixture until it is 1/8^th inch thick.
7. Remove top sheet (wax paper or plastic wrap), prick dough with a fork and place in preheated oven.
8. Bake at 325 degrees F, for 10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
9. Remove from oven, and cut into desired size/shape while still warm.
10. Set aside, and let cool
11. Serve as an accompaniment to your favorite dips and cheeses, or my personal favorite—with smoked salmon.

]]> http://thelabelsayspaleo.com/2010/04/18/all-purpose-primal-crackers/feed/ 13 http://thelabelsayspaleo.com/2010/02/28/paleo-diet-101/ http://thelabelsayspaleo.com/2010/02/28/paleo-diet-101/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:43:34 +0000 ejwood79 http://thelabelsayspaleo.com/?p=608 Originally written for Red Licorice Events… you can find the original, here.

After the 1.1. Run, I was talking to a friend who told me that she’s going gluten-free this year.  This Ironman athlete made an intriguing find during her 2009 season: she planned gluten-free meals in the weeks leading up to her races, and she performed and felt better than she ever had before.  Through the season, she killed her age groups, and is looking at making a more permanent diet change.  While her training is of course key to her success, her diet is more important, as we only perform as well as the fuel with which we race.  Why did the move to gluten-free work?  Read on…

The Paleo Food Pyramid (from The Paleo Diet)

There’s been a ton of press lately around a “new” kind of diet. The Caveman Diet, Paleo Diet, Primal Diet – they’re all used to describe similar diets, yet none of them are particularly new. Instead, these diets take an evolutionary perspective, and look back in time to see what we ate before modern agriculture came around. The theory is simple: genetically-speaking, modern-day humans are not much different from pre-agricultural humans, and since agriculture really hasn’t been around too long, we should eat like we’re genetically built to.

Researchers around the world have found the following: in modern-day hunter-gatherer societies, people are healthy. There is very little evidence of obesity, heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disorders, or any of the several other health issues plaguing industrialized societies.  These societies eat meat, the entire animal (seriously, just about the whole thing); vegetables as they can find; berries are a treat; nuts and seeds are around.  What’s missing from this list? Any kind of processed food: bread, protein bars, bagels, oats, refined sugars.  In other words, they eat what man has always eaten, before the advent of grains and processed foods.

What about science and medicine, you say? This flies in the face of the Food Pyramid, of almost everything we’re taught, and certainly contradicts the endurance athlete’s carb-loading traditions.  Look no further than your waistline to see what’s going on.

Extra fat around the waistline, the kind that you just can’t seem to get rid of, is a sign of insulin resistance. Processed carbs and sugars, particularly those found in gluten-bearing foods like breads, are known to spike your insulin levels, leading to systemic inflammation and resultant chronic disease.  For those of you not only looking out for your health, but also your figure:  wild fluctuation in insulin levels leads to the storage of excess energy as fat (the culprit of those extra inches around your waistline.

Want to look better, perform better, and feel better?  Regulate your insulin levels by eliminating processed foods and focusing on high-quality foods that we were meant to eat: meat, vegetables, some fruit, nuts and seeds.  Try it for a month.  Replace the missing carbs with high-quality vegetables and fats.  The first two or three weeks may be tough, but your body will adjust, leaving you with more energy, a slimmer waistline, and better biological markers like the following: reduced inflammation (recover from your workouts faster!), improved cholesterol readings (healthier hearts!), reduced body fat (look good in those cycling kits!), and improve the immune system (no swine flu for you!).

Granted, there is no PB or J, but as someone who used to make the sandwich sans one piece of bread so I could get more of the PBJ goodness in my mouth, this is an AMAZING discovery.

See, you never have to miss out on childhood faves … you just have to get creative!

Nut-Breaded Fried Fish with Spinach Medley

Fish

• 1 White Fish Fillet Per Person (I like tilapia for this recipe, but I’ve also tried it with drum)
• Course nut flour of your choice  (My favorite mix is pecan + almond)
• Fat of your choice (I prefer raw, pastured butter; but coconut oil would also be a good choice)
• Salt and Pepper

1. Sprinkle both sides of fillet with salt and pepper, before dredging in nut flour mixture.  Set aside.
2. Heat desired fat in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Be generous with your fat–you want to coat the entire pan.
3. Once oil becomes hot, place each fillet in the pan.
4. Turn heat down to medium,  and cook fish approximately 4 minutes on each side.  The fish is done when it becomes flaky when prodded with a fork.
5. Remove fish from skillet, and set aside (I put mine in the oven to keep it warm).

Spinach Medley

• Fat of your choice
• 2-3 cups baby spinach, washed
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1-2 roma tomatoes, diced  AND/OR  roasted red peppers, diced
• Salt
• Pepper
• Splash of white wine (I prefer sauvignon blanc)
• Raw goat cheese, crumbled (can easily be excluded if you like)

1. If necessary, add a little more fat to the pan you fried the fish in (it should still be over medium heat).
2. Add the onions, garlic, salt and pepper.  Sautee, being sure to scrap browned bits from bottom of pan.
3. When onions become transparent, lower heat to medium-low and  add tomatoes and/or red peppers.
4. Add  spinach.  Turn to coat in fat.
5. Add a splash of white wine, and once reduced, remove pan from heat.
6. Sprinkle with goat cheese if you so choose, and combine.
7. Serve over or beside fried fish.

I’ve always been a bit of a cheater when it comes to potluck style dinner parties. The “family secret” was stopping at the grocery store to pick something up, swapping containers, and calling it homemade. This tactic was a direct result of two things: fear of bringing over a flop and lack of time (i.e. procrastination). Enter Carla to the rescue. Her Bacon Wrapped, Almond Stuffed Prunes are TO DIE FOR!!! To. Die. For.

1. Heat the oven to 450°F.
2. Stuff the prunes with the almonds.
3. Cut the bacon in half and wrap a piece around each date.
4. Set on a baking sheet and broil* about 10 minutes, turning once, until the bacon is crisp.
5. Serve…or risk eating them all yourself (and then being very regular…you’ve been warned)

This is so easy I can preheat while prepping. Throw into the broiler while showering. Turn over with hair in towel, drying. Get dressed, do make-up. Take out of oven. Dry hair. Put in container. Step into shoes, throw the dog a biscuit and head to the party.

Guess what Team TLSP is getting as an appetizer at our dinner this Friday…

*Hint: A broiler is a grill turned upside down. So, feel free to grill these if you either A) don’t have a working broiler, or B) simply prefer the grill. Thanks to Melicious for that tip!