Selenium: Why I'm Not Dead of Mercury Poisoning

I grew up in a family owned fish restaurant - my Dad owned a seafood market and cafe - and not only was it my first solid food, but I ate fish almost every day of my life for 13 years.  Since I am writing this, you can assume I have not died from Mercury poisoning.

"Selenium, an essential element in our diet, is vital to the body's antioxidant system and proper immune function. It has anti-cancer effects and is known to detoxify the body of mercury"

You can get selenium from other foods such as Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and onions.

You should be more concerned about the sustainability of the fish population than mercury toxicity.  

Paleo Jambalaya

We love jambalaya, but more often than not it has a lot of undesirable ingredients and leaves us cursing ourselves for putting our stomach through the ringer.  What we really enjoy about a dish like jambalaya  are the flavors, so it's fairly easy to recreate a much lighter version of this spicy cajun dish.

If you have the butternut squash puree on hand this dish is a pretty quick weeknight meal - less than 20 minutes from chopping to gorging - and the precooked Andouille sausage is key.  You won't get the same flavor if you use kielbasa.  Depending on how spicy you like it, you can kick up the cayenne. 

Paleo Words of Wisdom

I can't remember where I originally saw this quote (I'd like to say I was clever enough to coin it), but it's worth remembering when you buy your meat.

Paleo Good Fats: Rendering Lard

I know it's hard not to think lard ass when you read this post, but hold your eye rolls, this will not make your ass fatter (unless you sit on it 23 hours a day).  Lard used to be the go-to fat for most home cooks, how many grandmother's used coconut oil?  But it fell out of vogue during the microwave heyday and was replaced by some unsavory counterparts, can we say Crisco?  If you can find lard in the store, it's usually hydrogenated and pumped with preservatives, so do yourself a favor and make some yourself.

Still not convinced?  Lard is high in Vitamin D and just behind olive oil in monounsaturated fats (or MUFAs, which I have trouble saying without laughing), and tolerates high heat when cooking with it.   Monounsaturated fats are the 'good fats', and including them in your diet (according to the Mayo Clinic) improves "blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease.  Research also shows thats MUFAs may benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be helpful if you have Type 2 diabetes".

I got my pork fat from my Cook Pigs Ranch visit.  But you may be able to find it in specialty markets, or if you have a butcher they may carry it or can order it for you.  My suggestion, find a farmer.  They probably have tons.  

Eat Your Greens: Paleo Dijon Super Slaw

This is a delicious way to eat your greens... I made a huge bowl, expecting it to last a couple days, and we devoured it in one sitting.  By sitting, I mean standing at the kitchen counter, then leaving the fork in in the bowl and taking a bite every time we walked by.

Out & About: Cook Pigs Ranch

The picturesque drive up the mountain to Julian is two lanes most of the way, but as you start to climb up into the forest, past the pie places, egg stands, apple trees, and cider mill*, you almost forget you're in Southern California.  Julian is northeast of San Diego, nestled in the Cleveland National Forest and home to the new Cook Pigs Ranch.

Paleo Pork Chop with Chipotle Blueberry Glaze

I came home with some major pig loot after my visit to Cook Pigs Ranch, and since I have a small freezer, I got right to work eating some of that delicious heritage pork. If you have a great piece of meat, I always recommend going easy on the sauce - if not forgoing it altogether. My husband and I shared this GIANT bone-in pork chop and had a ton of the sauce left over, so this recipe can easily work for up to 6 pork chops. 

 

Primal Pastures Farm Tour

I'm sorry I have to miss this one!  I visited the guys out at Primal Pastures and enjoyed meeting them and their delicious chickens.  If you're in Southern California, you should check it out the farm tour this weekend and see what pastured chickens are all about. 

Paleo in the Mainstream

I was almost giddy when I saw a feature in my beloved Sunset Magazine about a Portland chef, who's also Paleo.  Gregory Gourdet, from Departure Restaurant + Lounge, did a very brief Paleo diet overview, and then added a little magic.

"Paleo food doesn't have to be stripped down.  I cook with bold Asian seasonings: lots of ginger, chiles, like jalapenos and and Thai, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime.  And I like to finish dishes with hazelnut, coconut, or pistachio oils to crate unique flavor profiles."

See...like I've been saying, it doesn't have to be boring!  (but good on those of you than can eat steak and steamed broccoli for every meal)

Gourdet is also a marathoner and reminded me a little of Steve Erkel....anyone up in rainy Portlandia eaten at Departure? 

Paleo Leek & Yam Latkes

Say that 5 times fast, leek and yam latke... I said lamb instead of yam every time.  Leeks look like a giant green onion, but they have a great mild flavor that works well in soups or even just solo with a little olive oil. These latkes are a spin off a traditional potato pancake, and they are quite addicting.  I ate 3 right out of the pan before I could even take pictures. 

Paleo Balsamic Pork Chops

This is a pretty easy weeknight meal, and I find that pork chops go on sale pretty frequently at my local grocery store.   This pan sauce only has 2 ingredients and isn't overly sweet.

Paleo Chicken Wings (Well Actually Drumsticks)

Since Superbowl XLVII is upon us (Go team!  I'll remain silent on this one for fear of pissing someone off) and it seems like every commercial is for beer or pizza,  I like to be prepared with some good meaty Paleo staples to keep everyone satisfied.  I didn't actually use chicken wings for this recipe... because they are small and wimpy and I wanted something that would count as a meal.  You can use wings, just adjust the cooking times.

If you feel like the sauce isn't totally Paleo that's ok, it's on the fence, but I'm eating it anyways.

Gluten Free Pork Tacos with Kale & Citrus Drizzle

It was taco Tuesday and I was craving tacos, the real kind, not the slippery lettuce wrapped kind, so I bought some tortillas from our favorite neighborhood Mexican market.  If you live in the Costa Mesa/Newport area and haven't checked our El Toro Bravo on W 19th,  do yourself a favor and check them out.

This is sort of a take on El Pastor with the little hint of pineapple mixed with a little heat. If you skipped the corn tortillas these would be paleo.

Paleo Asian Pork Lettuce Wraps

These are super tasty but not something you want to eat on a first date (if you know what I mean).  I tried to eat them as daintily as possible, imagining myself at Downton Abbey for tea with Grandmama, but I just ended up slurping a lot next to my husband with chili sauce running down my arm.  Thankfully I'm married and he's stuck with me.

If you have an Asian market nearby, I urge you to go explore!  They have some amazing spices and sauces, fish and produce.  I also like to buy at least 1 thing that I cannot identify and try it.  Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose.  If you don't have an Asian market, I tried to include links.

No Bake Paleo Lemon Ginger Tart

I know that I've posted a lot of sweets lately, but this one is worth it.  Probably more a summer dessert (my friend was quoted as saying "it's like key lime pie!"), but I could eat this any time of year.

It's like a creamy, citrus-y, sweet little reason to leave it in your fridge with a fork in it.  (not like I would ever do that.... err....).  It works best to take it out of the fridge about 10-15 minutes before you serve it, so it gets that smooth texture, but not enough to be too soft.   I liked that this wasn't super sweet, you really get that nice acidic, tart flavor from the lemons, but if your sweet tooth is borderline dangerous you may want to sub some agave for the maple syrup.

I adapted this tart from the Paleo Indulgences cookbook.

Paleo Collard Greens with Bacon

I planted a winter vegetable garden and I have more collard greens than my morning smoothies would ever need, so I've been making them in the evenings too.  If it's possible to OD on leafy greens (I'm growing spinach, beet greens, and kale as well) I'll let you know, because surely it will happen to me.

Having a garden is pretty awesome, you can go out and harvest them on demand, so if you live in an area than can handle a winter garden, plant yourself some greens!  They're super hardy and relatively low maintenance, so fear not if you find your green thumb missing.

This is by far my favorite way to prepare greens if you're cooking them.  It works with beet or dandelion greens too - or any bitter greens for that matter.

Where I've Been Lately

So if you've noticed my blogging rhythm has been less than stellar, my sincerest apologies, but I've been cooking a lot of my old standby's lately and that's hardly newsworthy.  I do however keep my instagram (@seasidekitchen) up to the minute (didn't you want to know what I'm eating/cooking/planting in real time?!?!).  So, head on over to the hipster hangout and give me a follow.