The Paleo Diet Cookbook: More than 150 recipes for Paleo Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, Snacks, and Beverages (9 page)
Authors: Loren Cordain
BOOK: The Paleo Diet Cookbook: More than 150 recipes for Paleo Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, Snacks, and Beverages
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RAW NUTS• Almonds• Brazil nuts• Hazelnuts (filberts)• Pecans• Walnuts
DRIED SPICES• Allspice• Anise• Basil• Bay leaf• Cayenne pepper• Chili powder• Cinnamon• Cloves• Cumin• Curry powder• Dill• Garlic powder• Ginger powder• Nutmeg• Onion powder• Oregano• Paprika• Parsley• Peppercorns, black. Always use fresh peppercorns and a good pepper mill rather than preground black pepper. There is no comparison.• Rosemary• Sage• Thyme• Turmeric
STARCHY ROOT VEGETABLE• Sweet potatoes or yams
DRIED PROTEIN POWDER• Powdered egg whites
While the following foods are not items you’d want to keep indefinitely in the refrigerator, buying them every week or two will allow you to keep things fresh, safe, and ready for use at a moment’s notice. Keep in mind that these basics are listed not because they are nutritionally superior to all other Paleo foods but because they are familiar to most people and offer versatility while preparing fresh, healthy meals. See chapter 1 for more comprehensive food lists.
OIL• Flaxseed oil
FRESH HERBS AND SPICES• Basil• Chives• Cilantro• Dill• Parsley• Tarragon
VEGETABLES• Bell pepper• Broccoli• Carrots• Cauliflower• Celery• Cucumber• Lettuce• Mushrooms• Onions• Radishes• Scallions• Spinach
FRESH FRUITSMost fruits do not require refrigeration, but except for bananas, they may be kept cold to extend their shelf life. Feel free to branch out from the basics listed below and try more exotic fruits like papaya, guava, starfruit, passion fruit, dragon fruit, or African cucumber.• Apple• Avocado• Banana• Cantaloupe• Grapes• Grapefruit• Lemon• Orange• Strawberries• Tomato
MEAT, SEAFOOD, AND EGGSWe find ourselves replacing these staples on a weekly basis. For more information about purchasing, cooking, and preparing wholesome meat, eggs, and seafood, see chapter 1.• Omega 3 eggs• Fresh fish• Fresh shellfish• Free-range chicken• Grass-fed beef
Preparing your kitchen for healthy foods requires proper tools. To get you started, we have compiled a list of indispensable utensils, appliances, and paraphernalia that will make Paleo preparation and cooking a breeze. However, just as you purged your kitchen of food items, you must also eliminate certain non-Paleo utensils.
First, get rid of all pots, pans, vessels, and cookie sheets that have an aluminum surface. If aluminum touches the food during cooking, preparation, or dining, pitch these utensils. When you cook in aluminum pots or pans, small amounts of aluminum leach into your food and eventually find their way into your body, which is not a good thing. Although we don’t completely understand how aluminum adversely affects human health and well-being, a number of studies suggest that it may impair the intestinal barrier, thereby promoting chronic low-level inflammation. Aluminum also seems to preferentially bind to nerve tissue and the brain. Whether it impairs cognition or nerve function is still unclear. We recommend that you replace all of your aluminum pots, pans, and cooking vessels with either stainless steel or Pyrex. It will be money well spent.
Along these same lines, do yourself a favor and replace your plastic water bottles, storage jugs, or plastic containers with stainless steel or glass (not aluminum). Besides polluting the world, plastic containers frequently contain BPA (bisphenol A), dioxins, and phthalates, which can leach into the liquids or foods that are stored in the containers. These chemicals may adversely affect your health and well-being in numerous ways.
One of the most indispensable items in a well-stocked Paleo kitchen is good cutlery. High-quality stainless steel knives can save you hours in cutting, chopping, and preparation time. If you don’t already own first-rate cutlery, consider it a lifetime investment for your health and that of your family. Look for high-quality stainless steel knife sets that retain their edge, with sufficient knives to allow you the freedom to chop, cut, slice, or core any Paleo food.
ESSENTIALS• 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup• 4-quart stainless steel saucepan• Stainless steel steaming basket• 6-quart stainless steel stockpot• 12-inch cast iron skillet• Garlic press• Glass or ceramic baking dishes• Set of quality chef’s knives• Food processor, small (3-cup)• Food thermometer• Fruit and vegetable peeler• Set of stainless steel measuring spoons• Ceramic, glass, or stainless steel mixing bowls: small, medium, and large• Spatulas• Wooden spoons• Two wooden cutting boards: one for raw meats, poultry, and fish and another for fruits and vegetables• Blender• Wire whisk
OPTIONAL (helpful and fun)• Citrus juicer• Digital food scale• Kitchen mixer with meat grinder attachment• Large food processor• Mortar and pestle• Mandoline food slicer• Dehydrator, or food dryer• Nut grinder
If you find yourself a bit worried about eating or serving raw or undercooked meat, poultry, or fish, a food thermometer works wonders. Use the following chart as your guideline.
USDA RECOMMENDED SAFE MINIMUM
INTERNAL TEMPERATURES
INTERNAL TEMPERATURES
| Dish | Recommended Internal Temperature (˚F) |
|---|---|
| Steaks and roasts | 145 |
| Fish | 145 |
| Pork | 160 |
| Ground beef | 160 |
| Egg dishes | 160 |
| Chicken breasts | 165 |
| Whole poultry | 165 |
All ovens vary, so use your food thermometer as the final decision maker when you’re following our recipes. As you become familiar with your oven or grill, try to develop a sense of the time required to safely cook meat and fish. Some of our recipes include instructions to “tent” before serving. Tenting is a method of stopping food from browning too quickly in the oven. It is typically used in cooking a turkey but can also be employed with almost any dish that is cooked in the oven. It’s sort of like putting a makeshift lid of aluminum foil over a food dish that doesn’t otherwise have one. Tenting allows foods to continue cooking at cooler temperatures without burning.
It may sound trivial or even clichéd, but proper hand washing is crucial to prevent bacterial contamination and potential food poisoning. Keep a bottle of hand-pump soap next to your kitchen sink and use it regularly. Equally important is keeping work surfaces clean and sanitary to avoid cross-contamination. Use one cutting board for meats, fish, and poultry, and another for fruits and veggies. Plastic cutting boards tend to harbor bacteria and are more difficult to keep sanitized than wooden chopping blocks, which naturally discourage bacterial overgrowth and subsequent food contamination. Even still, every few weeks, you should sterilize your cutting board by dousing it with a thin layer of bleach for about five minutes and then thoroughly rinsing it.
Try to clean up simultaneously while you’re cooking and preparing foods. It makes your final cleanup tasks a lot easier and ensures a healthy meal without the risk of contamination or food poisoning. Make it a habit to rinse and cut fish and meat in separate areas from fruits and veggies. Wash your hands frequently as you move from one food to another. Be sure to keep knives and utensils separate as well, not just for the preliminary preparation steps but also for cooking and serving.
Fundamental in keeping a safe and sanitary kitchen is your refrigerator. Raw fish and meat should be kept in a separate location from fresh fruits and veggies. Store eggs on the interior shelves, rather than on the door, where the temperature frequently is not quite cool enough to keep them safe. Take advantage of the crisper drawer to store leafy greens and other veggies in sealed plastic bags, which will double their shelf lives. A few times a month, or when necessary, wash the interior of your refrigerator with warm soapy water. Once a week, try to discard any food that looks past its prime or is starting to wilt or spoil. Although fresh is always better for you than frozen, it is impractical and expensive to eat fresh fish, meat, and poultry every day. Take advantage of sales and buy these foods in bulk. Divide them into meal-sized portions and freeze them in sealable plastic bags. These simple steps will go a long way in preventing spoilage or contamination of meat, fish, and poultry.
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