Tag Archives: vegetable

All Produce Is Not Created Equal

Posted by paleomominsalem in Paleo lifestyle and tagged with , , , ,

I am a big proponent of eating organically and locally produced foods as much as possible.  Pesticides should be avoided as much as possible in one’s diet.  Why?  Well, let’s face it, most pesticides at use today were originally developed as neurotoxins for chemical warfare.  They can’t possibly be contributing to our health and well being.  In short, they impact our immune system, brain chemistry and metabolism.

However, eating organic produce does have a drawback.  Organically grown produce can be very expensive and not everyone has an unlimited food budget.  I strongly believe that it is best to purchase organic produce whenever possible to reduce your exposure to the many pesticides that are in our foods.  Pesticides that cause lasting health issues and stay in your body far longer than the food they came with.

Can washing and peeling food help?  Yes, it certainly can.  However, even good washing does not remove all pesticides from food and you lose valuable nutrients when you peel foods.

What are some realistic remedies for the high cost of organic goods?

  • Grow your own – even if you have limited space, you can grow a lot of vegetables and fruits in containers (sometimes even inside).  Tomatoes, carrots, radishes, blueberries, greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, chard), and many more grow well in containers
  • Join a CSA.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  A CSA subscription gives you weekly access to organic produce throughout the growing season.  Membership in a CSA also has the added benefit of supporting local agriculture.  You can search for a local CSA at http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
  • Use your organic foods budget to purchase those foods most likely to be contaminated by pesticides using the list provided by foodmatters.org below:For more information check out their site at http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/a-shoppers-guide-to-pesticides

You Say Potato, I Say Replace It!

Posted by paleomominsalem in Paleo lifestyle and tagged with , , ,

One of the most commonly eaten vegetables in the United States today is the potato.  Worldwide over 314,140,107 tons of potatoes were produced in 2008 alone (statistic thanks to the National Potato Council).  In the US and Europe there are popular potato dishes that go with every meal: hash browns, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, french fries, potato chips or crisps, etc.  In fact, it is not unusual to see potatoes at almost every meal.  And they are frequently served in their least healthy forms: french fries and potato chips.  In the United States alone, the consumption of potato products averaged to 116.8 lbs per person.  The National Potato Council broke this down into 36.6 lbs fresh potatoes and 80.2 lbs processed potatoes (50 lbs frozen, 17 lbs chips & shoe strings, 12.4 lbs dehydrated, .8 lbs canned potatoes).

Much controversy surrounds the potato and whether it is appropriate for the Paleo Lifestyle.  On the plus side, the potato is a whole food.  It requires very little processing to eat, and contains a lot of nutrients.  On the down side, for people who struggle with blood sugar and insulin challenges, potatoes have a very high glycemic index.  While the Paleo Lifestyle is generally very good for diabetics, hyperglycemia,  and people suffering from metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes), including potatoes in the Paleo Lifestyle adds high-powered carbs that will cause blood sugar fluctuations.  Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, have a much lower impact on glycemic index and are a better choice.

So, should you eat potatoes in the Paleo Lifestyle?  Well, that’s an individual choice.  If you are healthy and not at risk for or suffering any blood sugar related illnesses, then it is probably Ok to occasionally include potatoes in your diet.  I would recommend sticking with baked or roasted potatoes.  Heavily processed potato products like fries and chips are definitely not Paleo!

However, if you are looking to replace potatoes in your diet, here are some options to consider:

  • Mashed cauliflower
  • Baked sweet potato
  • Sweet potato wedges
  • Salad greens (I serve sauce based dishes that would normally be served over potatoes over salad greens instead)
  • Steamed broccoli (see comment under salad greens)
  • Cauliflower grits
  • Cauliflower rice
  • Grilled kohl rabe

Another way to replace potatoes on your plate is to just add another vegetable.  Often we’re trained that a meal comes with meat, vegetable, and potato.  Pick any one or more vegetables to fill in the potato spot.  Finding new items to fill the potato spot can be fun and challenging.

Cauliflower “Rice”

Posted by paleomominsalem in Recipes and tagged with , , , ,

This is a recipe that I make to take the place of rice.  It is actually the result of me misunderstanding the directions for a recipe my sister gave me over the phone.  However, having made it incorrectly several times, we’ve decided my version is pretty good.

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to saucepan
  2. Bring to boil and then turn down to simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed by the cauliflower
  3. Serve!

Hot & Sour Winter Greens

Posted by paleomominsalem in Recipes and tagged with , , , ,

I spend a lot of time looking for recipes that my family will enjoy, but every once in a while I try on just for me.  Usually the one’s I try for myself are spicier and feature interesting or unusual vegetables.  I thought I’d share this excellent recipe with you.  I got it from Denison Farms, an organic farm in Corvallis Oregon that frequents local farmer’s markets and has a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription program. If you check out their “Newsletters” link they have a great supply of recipes featuring seasonal vegetables.  Just be aware, not all of the recipes are paleo.

Hot & Sour Winter Greens

Ingredients:

1/2 pound mixed greens including kale, collard, mustards, spinach, your choice
2 TBS Olive Oil
2 TBS minced shallot or onion
2 cloves minced garlic
dash of red pepper flakes (if you like it hot, add more!  I accidentally poured about 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes on mine and it was terrific)
2 TBS rice vinegar
1 TBS coconut aminos (original recipe calls for soy sauce which is not paleo, coconut aminos are a really good substitute. Not sure what they are?  Check them out in my store under Food & Staples)

Directions

  1. Rinse greens and shake off excess water. If using bunched greens, slice into 1/2 inch ribbons
  2. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat
  3. Saute shallot, garlic and pepper flakes for 1 minute
  4. Add greens. Stir to coat with oil
  5. Combine rice vinegar and coconut aminos.  Add to saute pan
  6. Cover, lower heat to medium, and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring every minute or so.

Serve & enjoy!