Last weekend I invited my parents over for a three course dinner.
A dinner in true paleo-stile, that is.
So for starters I made a salad made of shrimps and tangerines, mixed with some sweet chili sauce (great stuff) and just a bit of black pepper powder. I served this on large leafs of iceberg lettuce.
(and was buried under compliments and 'oohs' and 'aahs'... it was really well received. Thanks Cornell for the recipe).
The main dish was prepackaged fish (pangasius) in a curry sauce (sometimes I go for the easy solution).
With that I served stir fried vegetables (onion, chestnut mushrooms, sweet pointed bellpeppers and courgette) with oister sauce, and a salad of iceberg lettuce, pieces of peach (from a can) and feta-like salad cheese, seasoned with some olive oil, dark vinegar and a bit of sweet chili sauce.
I served this with a really nice white whine. Delicious.
For desert I offered some sharonfruits (my parents had never tasted those before, but really liked them) with nice red grapes.
and then coffee with chocolate (no it's not paleolithically correct, but hey, medicinal reasons, as Cornell would say).
It all goes to show that a delicious three course dinner is possible paleo-style.
Friday, 7 March 2008
Thursday, 6 March 2008
Amazing salad
And now for my first blog post made from my laptop ...
In my search for easy to make, yet fulfilling meals, that are not pizza's or microwave meals, in a sudden flash of inspiration I made up a delicious salad.
Well, it was not all inspiration. Actually I had one can of tuna left, and wanted to eat something with tuna in it to reduce cost. Yes, wast not, want not is my motto. Well, actually it's not my motto, but I haven't figured out what my motto is yet, so it might as well be.
Anyway: I bought a 300 grams bag of mixed salad, added two tomatoes in cubes, added the tuna (not the can), and while adding I broke it up in pieces. Then I added some extra vierge olive oil, some red vinegar and a bit of sweet chili sauce. I stirred it all and voil'a ... in less than five minutes I had an amazing salad.
Cornell can testify to the amazingness of this salad, as I made it for him too last weekend.
It was great, wasn't it?
In my search for easy to make, yet fulfilling meals, that are not pizza's or microwave meals, in a sudden flash of inspiration I made up a delicious salad.
Well, it was not all inspiration. Actually I had one can of tuna left, and wanted to eat something with tuna in it to reduce cost. Yes, wast not, want not is my motto. Well, actually it's not my motto, but I haven't figured out what my motto is yet, so it might as well be.
Anyway: I bought a 300 grams bag of mixed salad, added two tomatoes in cubes, added the tuna (not the can), and while adding I broke it up in pieces. Then I added some extra vierge olive oil, some red vinegar and a bit of sweet chili sauce. I stirred it all and voil'a ... in less than five minutes I had an amazing salad.
Cornell can testify to the amazingness of this salad, as I made it for him too last weekend.
It was great, wasn't it?
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
Easy solutions
Sometimes you don't want to spend a night in the kitchen, at least I don't.
Then it's good to know fast, easy and cheap alternatives exist.
I found this recipe on the back of a 500 gram package of prepackaged (and precooked) sauerkraut (zuurkool) with wine and bacon (wijnzuurkool met spek):
warm the saurerkraut as described on the package (3,5 minutes in the microwaveoven suffices), add a banana in slices and some spoons of shredded cheese. Mix. Eat.
It's good!
Then it's good to know fast, easy and cheap alternatives exist.
I found this recipe on the back of a 500 gram package of prepackaged (and precooked) sauerkraut (zuurkool) with wine and bacon (wijnzuurkool met spek):
warm the saurerkraut as described on the package (3,5 minutes in the microwaveoven suffices), add a banana in slices and some spoons of shredded cheese. Mix. Eat.
It's good!
Monday, 18 February 2008
new combinations ...
As Cornell is busy preparing his new batch of delicious looking pictures (I don't know if he is busy doing that, but maybe this post will instill in him a sense of obligation, not that feeling obliged is good or making others feel obliged is very moral, so I probably shouldn't manipulate Cornell in this way. On the other hand I know Cornell is an INTP, so not easily manipulated, and I think he will take this remark the way it was intended, that is, as a joke, which by now has been thoroughly spoiled by this unnecessary explanation, which has become too lengthy by far too, though not by any fault on my part as I am only doing what a blogger is supposed to do on the world wide web, that is: describing every part of his life in detail on his little spot on the net, but because that is not what this blog is about (that is: not all details of our lives. It is about food) I will terminate this ongoing string of words before you all lose your attention and go on to the main attraction of today: the description of some new combinations of paleolithically approved meals) I will describe some combinations I tried out the past weeks.
- White cabbage
- mushrooms
- onion
- cubes of ham
(very good, I had this twice (three meals each time) and will have this again...)
- red cabbage
- mushrooms
- onion
- lean minced meat
spiced with sambal
(not very original (compared to the above one) but good none the less. Goes well with some apple compote).
- the dutch vegetable 'koolraap', which took some time to clean and cut up due to its very tough exterior.
Stir fried with some onion and some cubes of smoked bacon.
Good! The 'koolraap' gets softer and tastes quite sweet after stir frying.
These meals are cost efficient as all these vegetables are cheap in winter.
I can eat for approximately 5 euro's a day (if I don't count the luxuries I sometimes afford myself for later in the evening, like a bit of port or bailies with some cheese or somethign). 5 euro's a day. That's quite cheap to me.
- White cabbage
- mushrooms
- onion
- cubes of ham
(very good, I had this twice (three meals each time) and will have this again...)
- red cabbage
- mushrooms
- onion
- lean minced meat
spiced with sambal
(not very original (compared to the above one) but good none the less. Goes well with some apple compote).
- the dutch vegetable 'koolraap', which took some time to clean and cut up due to its very tough exterior.
Stir fried with some onion and some cubes of smoked bacon.
Good! The 'koolraap' gets softer and tastes quite sweet after stir frying.
These meals are cost efficient as all these vegetables are cheap in winter.
I can eat for approximately 5 euro's a day (if I don't count the luxuries I sometimes afford myself for later in the evening, like a bit of port or bailies with some cheese or somethign). 5 euro's a day. That's quite cheap to me.
Experiment number 893-93857
It seems what characterizes the paleolithic diet most is its spirit of experimentation. To eat the cavemen way is to tread uncharted paths, to sail unknown sees, to boldly venture out where no modern man has gone before ... at least, that's how it seems to me. From microwave dinners, pizza and pasta to a diet consisting of only fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and nuts (and some cheese 'for medical reasons' (to quote Cornell)), that's something else entirely. And there are no guidebooks, recipes and so on for this. No 'Sonja Bakker'-books that spell out menu's for nine weeks total up to the 1 apple and 1 slice of bread with cheese allowed in between. No, no programs, or detailed regimes for these brave men and women, venturing forth in this unexplored territory.
As Cornells pictures have shown he is quite the experimenter... I'm a bit more conservative I think (or used to make my choices the easy way (never change a winning combination)), but once in a while I try out something new.
So this evening I tried a new combination:
- onions (4 of them, cut in pieces)
- brussel sprouts (500 grams, cleaned the Cornell-way, cut in half)
- pre-cleaned carrots (500 grams, cut in slices)
- minced meat (300 grams)
all stir fried and seasoned with some curry, paprika and pepperpowder, and some sweet chili sauce.
Tasted good! The sprouts and the carrots go well together. I had enough for two extra meals, so I will eat this again tomorrow and the day after ...
Oh, and it's reasonably priced too!
As Cornells pictures have shown he is quite the experimenter... I'm a bit more conservative I think (or used to make my choices the easy way (never change a winning combination)), but once in a while I try out something new.
So this evening I tried a new combination:
- onions (4 of them, cut in pieces)
- brussel sprouts (500 grams, cleaned the Cornell-way, cut in half)
- pre-cleaned carrots (500 grams, cut in slices)
- minced meat (300 grams)
all stir fried and seasoned with some curry, paprika and pepperpowder, and some sweet chili sauce.
Tasted good! The sprouts and the carrots go well together. I had enough for two extra meals, so I will eat this again tomorrow and the day after ...
Oh, and it's reasonably priced too!
Sunday, 17 February 2008
TV dinner
Even though according to most recent research there was no television in the olden days, the days when men were brave and women were beautifull (as in the movie '10.000 BC', in cinema's shortly. Wait for the review)it doesn't stretch the imagination too far to picture cavemen and -women enjoying some diverting entertainment. Like a story told at the campfire, or a particularly exciting series of cave drawings. Who knows? Maybe all those pictures of deer, bears, mammoths et cetera were the equivalent of modern day cartoon network.
Anyway, although most meals are easily exchanged with a healthy cavemen-approved equivalent, there are some area's that require a bit more creative thinking on the part of the would-be-cavemen (and -women). As Cornell wrote some posts back, snacks is one of those area's. And I woud add: pizza. You should know pizza is great when you watch a movie, or if you have guests watching a movie with you, or two or three movies (Which I don't get to do that often, but I did last friday with my younger brother).
So what can you do when you want something to eat with your movie, and you don't want to spend time in the kitchen?
Easy: You make a TV buffet.
We took a cucumber in long strips, cherry tomatoes, snack paprika's, green olives with pesto, slices of servelaat-sausage (salami-esque, see last post), and cubes of gouda cheese. We put it all on the table in some containers, and had our dinner watching 'Pan's Labyrinth'.
mmmmmm ....
Next time I think I will add some kind of a dip to go with the cucumber.
The snacks Cornell described would also go well with this, I think.
Anyway, although most meals are easily exchanged with a healthy cavemen-approved equivalent, there are some area's that require a bit more creative thinking on the part of the would-be-cavemen (and -women). As Cornell wrote some posts back, snacks is one of those area's. And I woud add: pizza. You should know pizza is great when you watch a movie, or if you have guests watching a movie with you, or two or three movies (Which I don't get to do that often, but I did last friday with my younger brother).
So what can you do when you want something to eat with your movie, and you don't want to spend time in the kitchen?
Easy: You make a TV buffet.
We took a cucumber in long strips, cherry tomatoes, snack paprika's, green olives with pesto, slices of servelaat-sausage (salami-esque, see last post), and cubes of gouda cheese. We put it all on the table in some containers, and had our dinner watching 'Pan's Labyrinth'.
mmmmmm ....
Next time I think I will add some kind of a dip to go with the cucumber.
The snacks Cornell described would also go well with this, I think.
Comfort food
Yes, even cavemen need some comfort once in a while, when they've battled dinosaurs all weekend, or had to club their particular female conquest on the head with a bone one time too many (cavemen weren't politically correct), or had to fight over who ended up with the chore of cleaning up after disembowelling a mammoth.
(Please note, as G.K. Chesterton wrote in 'The everlasting man', the cavemen imagery used above has nothing to do with the actual cavemen, but is an artefact of nineteenth, early twentieth century popular imagination)
(Also note: even though it isn't true, it's still cool. And that's what counts ...)
(Last note: See? I can even find a way to quote Chesterton, even on a food blog).
Anyway, I was writing about comfort food.
And I had a good comfort food today. Not particulary low in calories, mind, but it followed the paleolithic concepts to a tee.
First I fried an onion in small pieces in oil, added quite a lot of curry powder, paprika powder and powdered pepper.
I then added a largish piece of cervelaat, a kind of salami-esque sausage, lots of fat but quite tasty , I think 200 grams, cut in pieces. I fried that in the onion until it had colored brownish. I do not have a lisp. I just like to use 'ish' a lot. Or should that be 'a lotish'?
And finally I added one courgette, cut in pieces. Yes, some healthy stuff too.
I fried it all for a couple minutes more, added a copious amount of sweet chili sauce, shoved it on my plate and mmmm ....
Satisfying, spicy and a good stuffed feeling afterwards.
Definitely comforting after a hard days night eh ... work inside the house (or cave).
(Did you get the beatles reference? Chesterton and the Beatles in one post. This is getting weird).
(Please note, as G.K. Chesterton wrote in 'The everlasting man', the cavemen imagery used above has nothing to do with the actual cavemen, but is an artefact of nineteenth, early twentieth century popular imagination)
(Also note: even though it isn't true, it's still cool. And that's what counts ...)
(Last note: See? I can even find a way to quote Chesterton, even on a food blog).
Anyway, I was writing about comfort food.
And I had a good comfort food today. Not particulary low in calories, mind, but it followed the paleolithic concepts to a tee.
First I fried an onion in small pieces in oil, added quite a lot of curry powder, paprika powder and powdered pepper.
I then added a largish piece of cervelaat, a kind of salami-esque sausage, lots of fat but quite tasty , I think 200 grams, cut in pieces. I fried that in the onion until it had colored brownish. I do not have a lisp. I just like to use 'ish' a lot. Or should that be 'a lotish'?
And finally I added one courgette, cut in pieces. Yes, some healthy stuff too.
I fried it all for a couple minutes more, added a copious amount of sweet chili sauce, shoved it on my plate and mmmm ....
Satisfying, spicy and a good stuffed feeling afterwards.
Definitely comforting after a hard days night eh ... work inside the house (or cave).
(Did you get the beatles reference? Chesterton and the Beatles in one post. This is getting weird).
Sunday, 20 January 2008
Carotty sweetness
The recent resurrection of this blog and Cornells enthusiasm increased my drive to experiment a bit more with paleolithic meals.
Another reason to experiment a bit more is the cost of the meals. Eating paleolithically tends to be a little bit more expensive than eating neolithically. Vegetables and fruit is more expansive than potatoes, rice or pasta. And as I found that since starting to eat this way I spent more each month than I gained I had to reduce costs. And I found that it was quite easy to spend 4,5 euro's less each day on my food.
One good way to get a costreduction is using vegetables of the season. They are often national products (not imported), and way cheaper...
So today I chose carrots. Not the little ones you get in summer, but real, large carrots. We call them 'winter carrots' in Holland (or Winterpenen).
I had a kilogram of those for less than a euro! So I cut them in little slices.
I cut 250 grams of mushrooms in quarts and I sliced up two onions.
I fried the onions, added 280 grams of lean minced meat, and seasoned with curry powder, paprikapowder and pepper. When the meat lost its red color I added the carrots and mushrooms and stir fried those a couple of minutes. Then I added some curry powder, some sweet chili sauce and some ginger sauce.
The result was very good.
The carrots are sweet of themselves, and stir frying them until they were a bit softer really brought that taste to the front, I think thu sugars in the carrots caramelizes a bit. A good combination with the sauces.
I had enough for three portions! So I know what I will have for dinner tomorrow and the day after!
Another reason to experiment a bit more is the cost of the meals. Eating paleolithically tends to be a little bit more expensive than eating neolithically. Vegetables and fruit is more expansive than potatoes, rice or pasta. And as I found that since starting to eat this way I spent more each month than I gained I had to reduce costs. And I found that it was quite easy to spend 4,5 euro's less each day on my food.
One good way to get a costreduction is using vegetables of the season. They are often national products (not imported), and way cheaper...
So today I chose carrots. Not the little ones you get in summer, but real, large carrots. We call them 'winter carrots' in Holland (or Winterpenen).
I had a kilogram of those for less than a euro! So I cut them in little slices.
I cut 250 grams of mushrooms in quarts and I sliced up two onions.
I fried the onions, added 280 grams of lean minced meat, and seasoned with curry powder, paprikapowder and pepper. When the meat lost its red color I added the carrots and mushrooms and stir fried those a couple of minutes. Then I added some curry powder, some sweet chili sauce and some ginger sauce.
The result was very good.
The carrots are sweet of themselves, and stir frying them until they were a bit softer really brought that taste to the front, I think thu sugars in the carrots caramelizes a bit. A good combination with the sauces.
I had enough for three portions! So I know what I will have for dinner tomorrow and the day after!
Friday, 18 January 2008
Simple, but satisfying ...
Good combination:
Stir fry one onion, cut in small pieces. Add strips of smoked bacon (150 grams), add a rather large amount of curry powder and some paprika powder.
When the bacon is ready, add 500 grams of brussels sprouts, cleaned and cut in half. Stir for a couple minutes more, until the sprouts are coloring. Add some sweet chili sauce.
Mmmmm....
(sadly it took me twenty minutes to clean and cut up all the sprouts. But it was worth it...)
Stir fry one onion, cut in small pieces. Add strips of smoked bacon (150 grams), add a rather large amount of curry powder and some paprika powder.
When the bacon is ready, add 500 grams of brussels sprouts, cleaned and cut in half. Stir for a couple minutes more, until the sprouts are coloring. Add some sweet chili sauce.
Mmmmm....
(sadly it took me twenty minutes to clean and cut up all the sprouts. But it was worth it...)
Monday, 14 January 2008
The Spice of Life
Last time I was over at Johan's for some Playstation fun, we spiced up our game with a few snacks. Some were paleo-proof, some were pushing it a bit and some were downright neanderthin nasty. But hey, they all were yummy, so who cares? We did decide to think up some more caveman snacks though, because after all, what's a healthy diet without snacks?
So here's my first addition to our after eight repertoire. It's dates rapped in Schwärzwalder Schinken, which I'll name "blind dates" and dates filled with garlicky cream cheese. Eat these all day and you won't be giving your body the real caveman treatment, but as an occasional snack, they're fine.
So here's my first addition to our after eight repertoire. It's dates rapped in Schwärzwalder Schinken, which I'll name "blind dates" and dates filled with garlicky cream cheese. Eat these all day and you won't be giving your body the real caveman treatment, but as an occasional snack, they're fine.
Sushi Salad
A friend of mine works at a sushi restaurant. Every now and then I'm lucky enough to get some leftovers. The fish is fabulous and I love the salmon eggs with yaki nori. The herring is my doing of course... so I might have to stay away from the chef. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd get insulted by my freestyling. Especially if he knew I didn't eat half of the rice...
This is a nice spinach, tomato and andive salad with some olive oil and a bit of balsamico vinegar. The main dish is chicken, paprika, Brussels sprouts and white cabbage.
Stir fried pollack and veggies, with a big salad featuring egg, tomatoes and seeds and dressed with some olive oil and balsamico vinegar.
This is a nice spinach, tomato and andive salad with some olive oil and a bit of balsamico vinegar. The main dish is chicken, paprika, Brussels sprouts and white cabbage.
Stir fried pollack and veggies, with a big salad featuring egg, tomatoes and seeds and dressed with some olive oil and balsamico vinegar.
Sunday, 13 January 2008
nice breakfasts
I've been experimenting with different combinations for breakfast too, the past few months.
A nice one to start the day is a salad of half a cucumber, cut in pieces, three tomatoes (also in pieces), and a can of tuna (on brine, the tuna with oil has more calories). I also add some mixed nuts, and eat an apple when I'm in the train on the way to work. This breakfast keeps me going until lunch time ...
In the weekends I tend to take a little more time for my breakfasts. The past two weekends I made myself an omelet with some bacon (50 grams), mushrooms (approx. 130 grams), cut in small slices) and two eggs (stirred), I sprinkle the omelet with rasped cheese ... No it's not paleo-approved, but it's great none the less! After some experimentation (and complicated by my absent sense of smell) I found the right way to make the omelet without letting it burn. Delicious! And I take an apple for the vitamins.
For lunches at work I still tend to take carrots (500 grams, it's cheaper than the packages with 300 grams. It's a strange world we live in...), and some meat.
Johan
A nice one to start the day is a salad of half a cucumber, cut in pieces, three tomatoes (also in pieces), and a can of tuna (on brine, the tuna with oil has more calories). I also add some mixed nuts, and eat an apple when I'm in the train on the way to work. This breakfast keeps me going until lunch time ...
In the weekends I tend to take a little more time for my breakfasts. The past two weekends I made myself an omelet with some bacon (50 grams), mushrooms (approx. 130 grams), cut in small slices) and two eggs (stirred), I sprinkle the omelet with rasped cheese ... No it's not paleo-approved, but it's great none the less! After some experimentation (and complicated by my absent sense of smell) I found the right way to make the omelet without letting it burn. Delicious! And I take an apple for the vitamins.
For lunches at work I still tend to take carrots (500 grams, it's cheaper than the packages with 300 grams. It's a strange world we live in...), and some meat.
Johan
Another winter dish ...
Ah ... A new year, and new resolutions: to keep this blog up and running ...
And when Cornell posts fifteen new posts filled with pictures of delicious, inventive and tasty cave-person approved dishes, I cannot shirk my duty ...
The month december was a hard time for me to keep to the paleolithic diet. First because I was on vacation in Australia for two weeks, then the christmas and years' end festivities ... And to be honest, last weak I had bread at lunch at work... But instead of feeling guilty about all that, I will just enjoy life and eat what I like, and that is this paleolithic thing.
Also nice to find I didn't gain much weight over the festive season. That is, I didn't weigh, but my pants (size 34!) still fit, and even seem a bit wide. So that's progress ...
I've bought a digital camera a month ago, so in theory I should be able to add pictures to my posts. But I have to change the batteries, so not tonight.
But even without pictures to accompany my posts, I will inform you of the winter dish I made this evening:
I took two chopped onions and stir fried those in oil, added lean minced meat, and mushrooms, and then a package of 'zuurkool' (german: sauerkraut), a kind of fermented cabbage, and I stir fried it all. Then I added sambal to spice it up. I had half of this with half a can of apple-compote. Stir fried 'sauerkraut' tasted rather good, especially with the sambal. And the sweet apple went well with the rather salty cabbage.
Johan
And when Cornell posts fifteen new posts filled with pictures of delicious, inventive and tasty cave-person approved dishes, I cannot shirk my duty ...
The month december was a hard time for me to keep to the paleolithic diet. First because I was on vacation in Australia for two weeks, then the christmas and years' end festivities ... And to be honest, last weak I had bread at lunch at work... But instead of feeling guilty about all that, I will just enjoy life and eat what I like, and that is this paleolithic thing.
Also nice to find I didn't gain much weight over the festive season. That is, I didn't weigh, but my pants (size 34!) still fit, and even seem a bit wide. So that's progress ...
I've bought a digital camera a month ago, so in theory I should be able to add pictures to my posts. But I have to change the batteries, so not tonight.
But even without pictures to accompany my posts, I will inform you of the winter dish I made this evening:
I took two chopped onions and stir fried those in oil, added lean minced meat, and mushrooms, and then a package of 'zuurkool' (german: sauerkraut), a kind of fermented cabbage, and I stir fried it all. Then I added sambal to spice it up. I had half of this with half a can of apple-compote. Stir fried 'sauerkraut' tasted rather good, especially with the sambal. And the sweet apple went well with the rather salty cabbage.
Johan
Saturday, 12 January 2008
Black is Back!
I'm very happy to have black plates again. The colours look nicer and it makes my job of taking pictures a bit easier.
We have eggs, tomatoes and pesto, then a filet of Victoria bass marinated in pesto rosso, after that comes minced lamb and a walnut salad and finally a nice winter dish of chicken, dried tomatoes and Brussels sprouts.
We have eggs, tomatoes and pesto, then a filet of Victoria bass marinated in pesto rosso, after that comes minced lamb and a walnut salad and finally a nice winter dish of chicken, dried tomatoes and Brussels sprouts.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Quick and easy
Some very quick meals. The paprikas were very tasty, so I decided to eat them as they were. The meat you see on the mango is the organs of the chicken that went into my soup. The soup was stone soup, without the stone...
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
Marinated shrimp
Two dishes with Norwegian shrimp. The first is marinated shrimp (bought them that way), stir fried with paprika, cucumber and red onion, simple and tasty. The second is a salad featuring shrimp, avocado, egg, romanesco cauliflower, paprika, spring onions and celery stalks.
The third is pollack (koolvis), stir fried with paprika, courgette, mushrooms and spring onions. For some reason or other this combination turned out to be (naturally) savoury and very well balanced. A winner!
The last two dishes are fast food - I only had minutes to cook. It's lamb and salmon.
Monday, 7 January 2008
Christmas crisis
I just came home from my aikido class. Several of my classmates had visibly! put on weight during the holidays. Christmas dinners and New Year's snacks have taken their toll on their bodies. I was quite surprised that it's possible to grow your gut so fast. Then again, I remember how bloated I felt after the holidays in previous years. More than once I have sat in the train on my way home after spending christmas and boxing day at my mother's and vowed to fast for at least a day and probably two because I felt like a stuffed turkey. Of course the next morning those vows would soon dissolve when I woke up famished.
This year was different. I ate a lot, but it was (mostly) paleo-approved. My mother's divine roast chicken and turkey, trout and eel and lots of greens and fruit. I skipped the roast potatoes and beans and only had a very tiny helping of ice cream as desert. Even though I cheated and ate a few cookies and some crisps, going easy on the empty carbs made all the difference. I felt lean and fit instead of bloated and didn't gain any weight. My tummy is flatter than it's ever been, so no new year's resolutions for 2008...
This year was different. I ate a lot, but it was (mostly) paleo-approved. My mother's divine roast chicken and turkey, trout and eel and lots of greens and fruit. I skipped the roast potatoes and beans and only had a very tiny helping of ice cream as desert. Even though I cheated and ate a few cookies and some crisps, going easy on the empty carbs made all the difference. I felt lean and fit instead of bloated and didn't gain any weight. My tummy is flatter than it's ever been, so no new year's resolutions for 2008...
Trout and Coconut
1 Yes, it's green beans again. They are not paleo-proof...
2 Forgive the grainy picture, it was overcast and dark. The chicken is pretty spicy, but to soften it up a bit, there's lots of coconut on it.
3 Cactus fruit for breakfast.
4 A beautiful salmon trout baked with some sea weed to add flavour. Yummy...
5 The last of the cactus and the first Sharon fruit of the year. It wasn't ripe yet, but even then sharon fruit tastes great.
More trout
The tryout trout was a treat, so I decided to do more of those. This time I used lost of koriander, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and some kurkuma and pepper to spice it up. Delicious! Serve with lemon or lime juice.
My most popular dish...
... turns out to be mussels. It's the only dish I keep repeating, as it's something I often cook for friends. They're a treat every time.
Trout and lime
1 This trout was as tasty as it is pretty!
2 I found that green cabbage has a nice deep colour, strong taste and great texture when stir fried.
3 Sea robin and chinese cabbage
Don't forget to take your own picture!
I've been eating "cave-style" for about eight months now. I have only one very big regret and it's something that bugs me all the more because I'm a photo enthusiast. In a blindingly stupid lack of foresight, I forgot to take a picture of myself in the (almost) nude when I started my paleolithic lifestyle. This really annoys me to no end because now I can't show people before and after pics. Or enjoy them myself for that matter, as the difference is quite stunning.
Only a few people have commented on me looking trimmer, mostly because my loss of weight was just starting to show when the weather got cold enough to make me wear sweaters. At the time I bought them, I chose clothing that would flatter my figure and basically hide the flab. And since those clothes don't hug my form they don't show off the progress either. But the scales don't lie, I've lost more than 10 kilos and gone from a fat percentage of 30% to below 20%. My gut seems to be melting away and my love handles have become affection handles. I look healthier - I really, really hate that I don't have a good "before" picture - and feel a lot better and stronger.
So if you are considering going neanderthal, for goodness sakes, get an early stone age polaroid taken!
Only a few people have commented on me looking trimmer, mostly because my loss of weight was just starting to show when the weather got cold enough to make me wear sweaters. At the time I bought them, I chose clothing that would flatter my figure and basically hide the flab. And since those clothes don't hug my form they don't show off the progress either. But the scales don't lie, I've lost more than 10 kilos and gone from a fat percentage of 30% to below 20%. My gut seems to be melting away and my love handles have become affection handles. I look healthier - I really, really hate that I don't have a good "before" picture - and feel a lot better and stronger.
So if you are considering going neanderthal, for goodness sakes, get an early stone age polaroid taken!
Sunday, 6 January 2008
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Winter blues
Yummy yum yum... more food. Wait, where's my camera? Don't want to forget to take a picture for all our blog readers. Speaking of which, I just checked op on Google Analytics and noticed we recently had a visitor from La Victoria in Peru. Hi there! It's always nice to meet new global neighbours.
Where was I? Ah, yes, my camera. You know, one thing I don't like about the winter days we have over here, is that it gets dark so soon. By the time I've cooked my food, there's hardly enough light to take a good picture. I try to have supper a bit earlier than I would in summer, but it's overcast quite often, so you'll have to forgive the occasional dreary and noisy looking shot. I could do better if I used my tripod, but letting my food get cold just so I can put up another pic on the blog seems like overdoing it a bit.
Anyway, you didn't come here to listen to me rant about low light and cold dishes, so here are some new plates. And they don't even look dark!
And stir frying cucumber in a little oyster sauce like in the second picture is a big hit.
Where was I? Ah, yes, my camera. You know, one thing I don't like about the winter days we have over here, is that it gets dark so soon. By the time I've cooked my food, there's hardly enough light to take a good picture. I try to have supper a bit earlier than I would in summer, but it's overcast quite often, so you'll have to forgive the occasional dreary and noisy looking shot. I could do better if I used my tripod, but letting my food get cold just so I can put up another pic on the blog seems like overdoing it a bit.
Anyway, you didn't come here to listen to me rant about low light and cold dishes, so here are some new plates. And they don't even look dark!
And stir frying cucumber in a little oyster sauce like in the second picture is a big hit.
Win some, lose some.
1 Chicken, white cabbage, leaks and paprika.
2 Chicken, spinach, dried tomatoes and Brussels sprouts
3 This is salmon wrapped in Schwarzwälder Schinken (a German smoked ham). Delicious!
4 Sea robin. The cauliflower and leaks were not to die for, I won't be repeating this combination
5 Sardines in tomato sauce
Orange
1 A simple dish of chicken, leaks and pumpkin. I really can't recall what spices I used, sorry...
2 I'll let you figure this one out on your own
3 Chicken and broccoli, witlof (or Belgian endive) and melon
4 Don't try this at home! The green beans are not cave-person proof - how deliciously p.c. of me ;) - and the cinnamon I put on the witlof is not something I'd try again. Can't win 'em all...
5 Those aren't potatoes, just apple. And unpaleo green beans again. I didn't realise at the time that these weren't "green". Legumes (including all kinds of beans and peas) are apparently not cave-man cool. Errmmh, that's cave-person cool, of course.
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