Man on Top book update – master of your domain

Dear friends,

How are you? I am fine.

As many of you know, Galya and I have been working furiously on our book for quite some time. We are extremely proud, excited, and nervous to be on the verge of publishing it; nervous to the point that my hand was shaking as I forced myself to finally click "send" to get it off to our pre-readers. Talk about scary!

Thankfully, our pre-readers have been generous with their praise, [seemingly] honest in their critiques, but loving enough to actually call us out on the bloopers, typos, grammar mistakes, and outright blunders in the book. I couldn't ask for a better group of critics and editors, but I'll be honest and tell you that I said a little prayer before opening each email back or before answering their phone calls. I said this was scary, right?

Well, now that all the comments, corrections, and critiques have been gathered up and processed, it's just come down to some design and formatting work, the reshooting of a few exercise photos, and then my hand will be finally shaking as my finger hovers over the "publish" button. Now that's really going to be scary!

The publishing date is not yet decided, but we're getting close. Like close close. In fact, if you want to be one of the first to hear the news, just fill out the little form up in the right margin or down at the bottom of this very post!

Um, Man on Top?

Meanwhile, we've gotten a few comments about the title; "Man on Top." What's up with the title? What's this book about? 

Here's a bit from the introduction, and I think it will clear up the the title for those of you with your mind in the gutter. Jeez, it's not like we picked a suggestive title just to be suggestive... ;)

Introduction

What’s my inspiration to write this book? The 30,000 foot answer is that I feel like I can help you. If you’re reading this, it’s very likely that you’re overweight and out of shape. Well, that was me for most of my life. I’ve been there, lived there, and finally got out of there, just a few years ago. I’d never been a man on top of anything.

My journey out of “there” began in earnest about 10 years ago, and while I have done a lot of looking back, for the most part it was to take note of how I did it and to wonder why I hadn’t done it earlier. For the first time in my life, I feel “on top.” Why did I wait so long?

Man on top

Yeah, don’t think I’m something I’m not, or worse, don’t think that I think I’m something I’m not. I’m not really the alpha male type, so I’m not "on top" like that. I’m not a business leader, infomercial salesman, or cult leader, either. I’m not even the type of husband to proclaim “I’m in charge!” (although I am when she lets me). No, my version of being on top is being on top of things; taking charge of my own life and health as high level goals, down to the specifics on exercise and diet to support those goals.

This book is to inspire you, the reader, to get lean, slim, ripped, jacked, buff, tight, huge, or even (if it’s your thing) healthy. It’s to teach you a thing or two about yourself, while keeping you sane, happy, and healthy – all the while, keeping your family and friends sane and happy. That way, they’ll be happy for you and all will be right with the world.

This book was written to build or rebuild confidence, as only a man confident in his abilities to change will enact lasting change. This book is to put you on top, whether it’s on top again, or on top for the first time.

So, that's the gist on the name.

By the way, I meant what I said in paragraph two, up there; the goal is to keep the reader sane, happy, and healthy, but it's also to get or keep family and friends on the reader's side, as one of the biggest obstacles to lasting weight loss is lack of social support. It's not that they don't love you, but when it's hard on them, it becomes hard on you, and that's all it takes to ditch it all and go back to old ways.

How do we keep the reader and family simultaneously sane? By only changing what's really necessary, and only when it's time. Diets that ask the dieter to change their world are also asking the dieter to change their family's world; if the wife and kids are already slim and trim, they don't need to change, now do they?

Master of your domain

Be the master of your domain, control what you can control, and manage the rest – these three simple phrases give a man the power to make his own lifestyle changes without taking the family unit down in flames.

Be master of your domain - Every man has some lone wolf inside of him, even when surrounded by cubs and his b... er, mate. You're the alpha male of your own little pack, after all. Most of you find your own food for breakfast, then it's off to work. At work, there's lunch, and that's all you, brutha; your domain! Man on Top will teach you to master these moments, and mastering your domain is critical to your success, and it's really not hard.

Control what you can control - There will always be situations where choice is taken from you ("Happy Father's Day, Daddy! Here's breakfast in bed."). You will learn how to enjoy them, get back on track, and not let them kill your weight loss momentum. It's not hard, when you know the little tricks.

Manage the rest - It's not worth micromanaging your whole day. You've mastered breakfast and lunch and learned to control most of what pops up unexpectedly and get right back on track. No guilt and no second guessing yourself, because that's just not manly.

News updates

I'm gathering names and email addresses for those who want a heads up on the book. If you haven't already signed up, just fill out the form below. I promise not to sell your names, but I will be sending you updates on the book now and again!

Sign up for upcoming news on the new book!

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Thanks for reading!

Roland

P.S. Remember, that to be a man on top, you really need the support of your spouse, girlfriend, family, and friends. 

I just wanted to post this pic of gal and me that I found when I was looking around

I got mine!

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Day 2012 – Stone Soup Party

This past weekend, Galya and I hosted a Real Food "day in the park" on Saturday, and a Stone Soup Party on Sunday, all to celebrate Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Day, and the beauty of real food.

On Sunday, we invited friends to bring some simple, fresh, whole food ingredients, while we provided the metaphorical soup pot and the stone.

It was a resounding success, as we not only made a large variety of dishes, but we showed that good food can be simple and easy, particularly when the ingredients are fresh a healthy, and surrounded by a fun and positive attitude.

I can't remember all the dishes we made, because many weren't "dishes" at all; simple foods like seared steak don't need a name. Steamed green beans with ginger are simply steamed green beans with ginger, and no fancy recipe name is required.

As people arrived, Galya, our friend Rupina, and I started chopping, cleaning, and cooking, and in the end, course after simple, delicious course was laid out in front of our friends. Of the top of my head, I remember the simple steak, a chicken and mixed veggie stir fry, mango, citrus, pomegranate, and jicama salad, green beans and ginger, a chopped veggie salad, sauteed "flying saucer" summer squash, citrus glazed chicken with rosemary, and a variety of cut up fruits and veggies.

Good food was had by all, and I promise that there are great food pictures and recipes coming soon (I'm just waiting for the "film" to be "developed.").

In the end, all of this "Food Revolution" stuff is about the kids, right? Imagine how Galya and I felt when we got this message from our friend Jenna.

"Okay so Kaitlyn was really impacted by this weekend. She has incorporated what she learned into her play time. She was making healthy treats. When she delivered my order she said it was a donut with strawberry sprinkles. Confused, I asked her how that was healthy. She responded, "I used all natural organic ingredients and the "donut" is actually an apple, and the sprinkles are from fresh strawberries." It is so cute!! Thank you and Roland for your positive influence."

You gotta love that! It's definitely the kind of inspiration we need to keep pushing the Food Revolution message to more kids and families. Thanks, Jenna, for passing this along!


The Stone Soup Story

I don't remember when I didn't know the story of "Stone Soup," but over the past few weeks I've come to realize that not everyone has heard it yet. So, here it is!

Stone Soup

Once a great famine swept the land. The starving people jealously hoarded whatever food they could, hiding it even from friends and neighbors. One day a wandering minstrel happened to pass through a village; he asked if he could stay for the night.

“You had better keep going,” he was told. “There’s no food here.”

“Don’t worry,” he said, “I have all that I need. I’ll be making stone soup tonight, and I have more than enough to share, should you be hungry.”

The minstrel walked off and pitched camp near the town square, made a large fire, and placed a pot full of water over it. When the water started to simmer, he drew a smooth stone from inside a soft bag, polished it carefully, and slipped it into the water. The villagers had never heard of stone soup, but they were now very intrigued. They watched from a distance, as the minstrel tended the pot, stirring occasionally with a long spoon, and licking his lips with anticipation. Soon, growls of hunger began to come from the stomachs of the villagers.

“I do love stone soup,” the minstrel said, loud enough for the eavesdropping villagers to hear. “Stone soup with onions is good when you can get it too, of course,” he added. He continued to stir, humming as he liked to do.

Soon one of the villagers slowly approached, offering out a few small onions. He gestured toward the pot. “Onions!” cheered the minstrel, adding them happily to the pot. “This reminds me of the salt beef and onion stone soup that I had last year. Now that was a soup to remember.”

After a few minutes, the village butcher stepped forward, smiling as he offered the minstrel some salt beef for the soup. ...and so it went, adding carrots, potatoes, cabbages, mushrooms, sausage, herbs, and spices, until the soup pot was brimming with a delicious soup; enough for all to share.

The villagers gathered around the soup pot, and the fire, staying long into the evening, eating, telling stories, singing, and dancing, while the minstrel played for them, but in the morning, they found that the minstrel had gone. Years later, long after the famine had ended, they still hummed his tunes, shared stories around the fire, and told their children about the finest stone soup that they’d ever had.

 

Chili colorado

It's been a while since I posted a recipe, but only because the pictures usually are either forgotten or simply look like crap. Many of the things I cook are brown, and brown isn't pretty in a bowl unless it's gelato.

I'm not going to look up the history of chili colorado, but I'll hazard a guess that it's the original bowl of red that's the ancestor of the Texas bowl of red (aka chili con carne). Texas Red is more complicated, while this is simple. Texas Red has other stuff in chunks and pieces, while this is just beef and chili sauce. Simple.

As with a Texas Red, if you put things like beans, corn, and chunked vegetables in chili colorado, it's not longer the real deal; chili colorado should be beef (not pork) and a fairly smooth sauce, with any spices finely ground, and vegetables? On the side.

  
Chili colorado

This is a simple recipe, and can be as mild or as hot as you like. Many people don't realize that paprika is a chili, and as long as you don't get some fancy paprika from the Hungarian section, it tends to be sweet and mild and readily available. I buy mine in a large pack at the local Persian market, where you get fresh and sweet paprika at the price of $4 for about a pound!

Alternately, look for ground California (mild, but not as mild as paprika), Anaheim or New Mexico (tends to hot), or Ancho (tends to hot).

Just make sure not to buy chili powder, which is usually a spice mixture, not just ground chilis!

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1.5 lbs beef (like chuck roast)
1 tsp fat (I used pork fat)
1 medium onion
1 oz dried and ground chili, such as paprika, California, New Mexico, ancho, etc.
1 tbsp cumin, ground
1 tsp salt
2-3 cups water

Directions

Cube the beef chuck or roast. Brown the meat in a heavy skillet, then place it in the slow cooker.

Add fat to the skillet and brown the onions. Add the onions to the slow cooker.

Spinkle the powdered chili, cumin, and salt over the meat and stir to coat.

Deglaze the skillet with water. Taste to make sure it's not bitter, and if not, add it to the slow cooker along with the rest of the water. Stir, and cook for the day on the low setting, or several hours on the high setting.

If you don't have a slow cooker, just simmer for a couple of hours in a heavy, covered pot over low heat until the meat is tender.

Salt to taste, and serve with grilled or roasted vegetables, such as zucchini, squash, peppers, and onions. If you're not a paleo, do what you will with this; I will not be responsible...

We ate our salads before I remembered the camera, so you get no pics of them, but I'll post the recipes. No extra charge.

Free Bonus Recipes

Avocado Lime Salad

Makes 4 servings

2 red bell peppers, seeded, quartered, then cut into slivers
3/4 large ripe avocado, cubed
1 lime, juiced
1/4 tsp cumin, ground
salt to taste

Mix everything together and let it sit out for 30 minutes to an hour. Eat.


Mexican Chopped Salad

Makes 4 servings

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped into bite size pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
3 Persian cucumbers, chopped into bite size pieces
salt to taste
1/4 large ripe avocado, mashed
1-2 tsp lime juice

Add all veggies to a large bowl. Salt to taste, and stir. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes until it's good and juicy. Stir the mashed avocado and lime juice together. Stir well, incorporating the avocado and vegetable juices into a dressing. Eat.


Pan Grilled Zucchini

Makes 4 servings

6 medium zucchini, cut into circles
2 tsp expeller pressed coconut oil
1 tsp paprika
salt to taste

Heat oil in one or two large skillets, Add zucchini, cooking until browned on one side. Flip and brown the other side. Sprinkle with paprika and salt. Eat. Everything.

Cheesecake with orange cranberry walnut crust

I don't really like "stuff" in my cheesecake, but the crust is always fair game. Toppings are sketchy, but there are solutions; here, we have a regular cheesecake, in the style of a cream cheese pie, with a grainless crust of walnuts and orange flavored cranberries. A nice marmalade on the side lets those who will enjoy the topping, enjoy, while those who won't will be looked up with disdain by the rest of us...

This is not a diet food, this is a full blown cheesecake. If you're on a diet, eat less.

Cheesecake with orange cranberry walnut crust

If you can't find orange flavored cranberries, feel free to substitute regular dried cranberries, which are equally awesome, yet different. Search out an awesome marmalade, but I confess that most marmalades are better than no marmalade.

Do your best to find sour cream without thickeners and gums. It will spread easier over the hot cheesecake, while thicker ones will be harder to spread without tearing the cheesecake.

Now, go forth and bake!

Ingredients

The crust
1 1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup dried Trader Joe's orange flavored cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp butter, melted

The cheesecake proper
3 8oz packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup half and half

The sour cream topping
24 oz good sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar

On the side
A jar of awesome marmalade, like Bonne Maman's Orange or St. Dalfour's Kumquat
or, as we had in the morning, fresh blueberries


Directions

Preheat oven to 375°

In small batches, pulse the walnuts in a blender until chopped and semi-powdered. It's okay to have some chunks. Remove to a bowl and do the same for the cranberries. Go for chopped only, not powdered. Stir in the sugar and mix well. Stir in the butter and mix well, once more. Press into the bottom of a 10" spring form pan. Put the crust in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.


Reduce oven to 325° and allow crust to cool for 10-15 minutes.

Cream (mix until creamy...) the cream cheese and sugar using a mixer. If you must do it by hand, do it a long time and really try to get some air into that thing! Add vanilla and 1 egg, mixing well until smooth. Scrape down and repeat with the 2nd egg. Scrape down and repeat with egg #3. Add the half and half and mix well.

Pour the creamy filling over the crust and return the pan to the 325° oven for 60-75 minutes (check it at 60, please) or until the middle is jiggly, but no longer runny. The top may also become slightly golden, which is a good sign, but probably a sign to take it out of the oven, too.

In a separate bowl stir the room temperature sour cream and sugar together, mixing very well. It should be smooth and easily poured. When the cheesecake comes out of the oven, immediately pour the topping over the cake, and gently smooth it over the surface. Return the cake to the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool to room temperature, then run a thin knife around the side to free it from the ring. Chill for about 3-4 hours before covering so it doesn't get condensation. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and chill for 3-4 more hours or until the next day.

Serve plain, with marmalade, or with berries.

Happy birthday, Stela!

Chicken tortilla soup

Years ago, I learned to make matzo ball soup from a little book of easy soups. It was very easy, and I've since taken that simple recipe and converted it to chicken vegetable soup, chicken noodle soup, chicken pozole, and chicken tortilla soup.

Once you figure how to make this soup, just swap out the vegetables, spices, and extras to make the soup you want. Easy.

I don't eat many tortillas, so sometimes this is tortilla soup without tortillas. My kids like the tortillas, so I either fry up some strips or use some leftover tortilla chips. Tortilla soup was originally a "leftover" soup, so even chips that are a little stale are perfect for soaking in this soup.

chicken tortilla soup

Chicken tortilla soup

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

4-5 pound chicken
16 cups water
6 bay leaves
1 medium brown or white onion, peeled and quartered into wedges
2 stalks celery, cut into bite size pieces
4 carrots, cut into bite size pieces
10 allspice berries, cracked
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cumin, ground
1 tbsp coriander, ground
4 yellow summer squash, cut into bite size pieces
1 tbsp paprika or mild, powdered chili
1 tbsp Mexican oregano

chicken & veggies

herbs & spices

Extras

tortilla chips
fried tortilla strips
red or green salsa
lime wedges
sliced avocado
sour cream
cubed cream cheese
shredded cheese
hot sauce

Directions

Rinse the chicken and place in a large pot. Cover with the water and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and skim off any foam that collects on the surface.

Return to a slow boil and add the bay leaves through the coriander. Simmer for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is falling from the bone.

Remove the chicken from the broth and allow it to cool enough to handle. Remove the skin and bones, saving them for bone broth, if you like.

Tear or cut the chicken into bite size pieces and return to the broth. Add in the yellow summer squash and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, until the squash is just tender. Remove from heat, remove the bay leaves, and stir in the oregano and paprika.

Serve with a variety of condiments at the table.

If using chips or fried tortillas, let them soak in the soup for a few minutes before eating. Top with cheese or some avocado cubes, and maybe stir in some salsa.

Enjoy!

Curried cauliflower soup

My friend Ashley came up with the original version of this awesome soup, then Galya and I tweaked it based on not reading the recipe fully before shopping what we had in the house.

Curried cauliflower soup

This soup is even better the next day, so feel free to make it yesterday, so you can eat it today.

4 servings


Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower
1 large tart apple (like a Granny Smith)
1 clove garlic (optional, but highly recommended)
1 tbsp garam masala (aka curry powder)
1 tsp turmeric (optional, but makes for a nice color)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter
salt to taste

Directions

Discard the greens and leaves of the cauliflower. Roughly chop the entire cauliflower, including the core. Peel, core, and chop the apple. Peel the clove of garlic, if using.

Place the apple, garlic, and cauliflower in a soup pot, with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for about twenty minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Blend with an immersion blender. Alternately, you can use a regular blender, just make sure to allow it to cool for a few minutes first, then blend it in batches.

Bring the soup to a slow simmer, and stir in the garam masala, turmeric, vinegar, salt, and ghee. Allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes. If necessary, add enough water to bring the pot to eight cups of soup.

Makes four, 2 cup servings, assuming you added enough water.


Nutrition

Per 2 cup serving – 120 calories, 3.5g fat, 21g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 5g protein

Christmas Gifts and White Elephants

If you're looking for something unusual to take to a White Elephant Party or give your food loving friend, here's my list of ideas, all food related and easy to get online.

I've got 4-5 cookbooks here, followed by a few gourmet ingredients that are sure go be a surprise!


Cookbooks

I'm going to tell you about the cookbooks, first. Not one of them is a healthy eating or diet cookbook. I don't really own many of those, so it's hard to comment on them. I do own Bobby Flay's Grilling for Life, which is a good father's day gift for dads who like to grill. It is a healthy cookbook (that's good anyway) and it's got some great tasting recipes that unsuspecting guests wouldn't even recognize as healthy. I love that book.

Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

This is a great book for someone who's new to cooking or moving out on his or her own. This was my go to book for cooking any cut of meat, any vegetable, or figuring out whatever cooking technique the other books failed to fully explain.

When I moved out on my own, people gave me The Joy of Cooking, but I always referred back to this book because it's easier to use, has better explanations, and good pictures. It's available in paperback or in a ring binder version, which lets it lay flat on the counter. I like that best. I love this book.


Best Ever Three & Four Ingredient Cookbook

I don't know about "best ever," but it's good and we own it. It's actually amazing how many great dishes they do with just three or four ingredients. The dishes are simple and tasty AND simple to make.

The pictures are good, too. I like cookbooks with pretty pictures.


Jamie's 30 Minute Meals

The most common complaint that I get from people who don't cook often is "I don't have time to cook." Jamie Oliver shows you how to make 50 complete meals, in 30 minutes each. He teaches techniques and organization, which we all probably need.

The recipes are real food meals, but this is no diet food. If your gift recipient is on a diet, then beware the calorie load. It's the learning experience, more than the meals themselves.

One huge plus is that Oliver is one messy chef, and even his presentation is messy. It looks delicious, splatters and all, and makes me feel better that I'm not so good at "clean as you go."



The Flavor Bible

The Flavor Bible is not a cookbook, but it's a great book for those who cook. It's a really big book on flavors that go great together. If you know someone who loves cooking and experimenting with food, I can't recommend this enough. Just look up some of the ingredients that you have on hand and you'll get quite a list of flavors and combinations that go great with it.

I use this book almost every day, as does Galya.



Gourmet Ingredients and Foods

Some of these foods are treats, but high quality, healthy treats. All of these foods are special in their own way, and deserve a place in your own pantry in addition to going under the tree. Might as well buy multiples and treat yourself to some of these amazing foods.


Truffle salt

I'm not a truffle expert, but if you've never had them, this could be a good starting point. Truffles smell amazing on things as simple as scrambled eggs! A little truffle salt is an easy and inexpensive way to try it out.

Exotic vanilla beans

Tahitian vanilla is a great gift for someone who loves to cook. This is really a lot of vanilla beans, so hopefully the person that you give them to will share a couple. Bakers will appreciate these beans, though. Tahitian vanilla is different from the ones you typically find at the grocery store. These are fruity and heady, and you can just stand there and breathe it in...

They will last a long time if stored properly, so send them this link, or maybe one for making their own vanilla extract or vanilla rum or vanilla vodka!


Real saffron

Each half gram of this saffron was made from the stigmas of well over 75 crocus flowers, all hand picked and dried in the same day.

Saffron is very expensive, and I don't use it often. That's why I love the way this powdered saffron comes packaged. Each half gram comes in four .125g capsules, which can themselves be resealed if you don't use it all in one day. This allows the saffron to last for a long, long time and still be pretty fresh and tasty.


The best chocolate, ever

Patricia started Choco-Vivo in her kitchen, selling at Farmer's Markets in Southern California, but she just recently opened her shop in Venice, CA!

Mayan Tradition is my favorite blend. It reminds me of mole, my favorite Mexican sauce.

“Tastes like Christmas” or “…like red hots”.  This is one of the most popular blends.  If you think you know what spicy chili and chocolate tastes like, you haven’t tasted this.  The depth of flavors from the various ingredients makes it taste like the mole of chocolate.  You’ll taste that cinnamon first and then those chilies will kick-in at the end.

These are the ingredients of Mayan Tradition, and the reason this is such an amazing blend.

Cacao nibs, Unrefined Cane Sugar, California Almonds, Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks, Guajillo Chilies, Pasilla Negro Chilies, Chipotle Chilies

Other Choco-Vivo bars (they are all good!)


Cacao nibs (also from Choco-vivo)

A cacao nib is the raw ingredient for chocolate.

When "they" say dark chocolate is healthy, it's the nib that's the healthy part of it. They are not sweet yet, because no sugar has been added. They are crunchy, nutty little guys that are good on a lot of things. Nibs are great ground up and used like cocoa powder, sprinkled on ice cream, tossed into trail mix, eaten as a treat, stirred into yogurt or oatmeal, blended in smoothies and shakes, mixed into a cheesecake's nut crust.

If you're going to go with nibs, I will once again recommend Patricia at Choco-Vivo. Patricia is a passionate craftsman of chocolate. She goes to Mexico and works with her farmers, who are craftsmen themselves. This stuff is carefully harvested, fermented, and dried, resulting in an amazing little treat. I've had the Choco-Vivo nibs and compared them to the ones from "health food stores." There's no comparison; these are seriously better.


Coconut

Coconut and coconut products are a health craze these days, and for good reason – they are actually healthy. Just beware that coconut flour is so good that you will still eat a whole pan of brownies, and healthy or not, that's a lot of calories. Don't think it's a free ride because it's healthy.

It might seem like a weird gift for some, but take it to a White Elephant Gift Party and explain to who gets it how awesome it is. If you have a health conscious friend or relative, coconut is a great gift, particularly because good coconut products and raw ingredients can be hard to find, locally. Shredded coconut found in stores, for instance, is often ruined sweetened.

Tropical Traditions is my favorite place to get my coconut products, although they don't carry coconut milk. :(

Coconut flour

If you're going low carb, paleo, or gluten free, this stuff is a life saver. Gal makes all sorts of stuff with it. It's so good I might have to tell her to stop.

Shredded coconut (and flakes and chips)

From shreds, to flakes, to chips, you get whatever size you need. Shreds and flakes are great for baking, but the chips are good for snacking or in a trail mix, sprinkled on cereal, ice cream, made into granola, or even eaten as cereal.

Coconut oil

The Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is the one that smells and tastes like coconut. It's amazing for cooking, and for imparting more of that great coconut flavor to your foods.

I also love their Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil, which has no flavor. I use this instead of normal cooking oils like canola oil and the other unhealthy seed, nut, and grain oils that we typically find in cupboards.

Both are amazing for frying, because you can really crank up the heat without smoking the place out.



Comments and ideas?

If you have any great ideas along these lines, please share!

Pumpkin seeds – spiced three ways

I've had a lot of pumpkin these past few months, and therefore a lot of pumpkin seeds. On top of pumpkins , there have been a number of spaghetti squash, plus a couple of acorn squash and one butternut. Suddenly you have lots of "pumpkin" seeds. Seed size aside, a pumpkin is still just a winter squash. Seeds is seeds in my house.

My recipe for pumpkin seeds is not revolutionary, just simple. The best part about it is that it allows you to easily make a variety of flavors as easily as you would normally make a big tray of the simple and salty ones.

Clockwise from left; smokey, salty, & mole

Pumpkin seeds – spiced three ways

First, scrape the seeds from one or more pumpkins or squash. A big pumpkin will generally yield about a cup or more of seeds, but often those small pie or sugar pumpkins can hold more than that. Most small squash have smaller seeds, but lots of them. Feel free to mix and match, too. You can collect and dry them over a week or more, then roast them when you have enough.

Directions

Scoop the seeds from the pumpkins or squash. Separate the seeds from the strings and pumpkin flesh by putting it all in a big bowl of water and rubbing things between your hands, dislodging the seeds from the miscellaneous.  Strain it all and drain it all in a colander for a while. Spread the seeds to dry on clean dish towels and place it in a warm area, preferably with warm, moving air. The top of my refrigerator works great for me. Stir and turn them a couple of times a day for best results and less sticking. When they are dry, it's time to roast them.

Dry roasting sounds good, but it's going to mean the spices don't stick, so just give up on that idea right now. It's not as tasty, but you can dry roast salted seeds by soaking them in brine, drying them out, then dry roasting them, but that's all the instruction you'll get from me on that.

Before the roasting happens, we have to get the seasonings ready. Ready?

You'll need three bowls large enough to stir your seeds and some spices without making a mess. Cereal bowls work well, and they will appreciate the company now that you no longer eat cereal! haha! I kid... sorta.

In a perfect world, just use three jars with lids, which you can use to shake the seeds and spices instead of stirring. Less cleanup, too, since you'll use them to store the seeds.

Each of the following spice mixtures is to season about 1/2 cup of seeds, so adjust accordingly depending on how much you've got.

I'm listing the spice mixtures first because you need to have them ground and already in the jars or bowls before you've roasted the seeds. So get the three mixtures ready now, then get to roasting.

some of the spices used today

Salty

I don't know about your kids, but most kids are boring when it comes to pumpkin seeds and only like the ones that are seasoned by salt only. I can add "exciting" variety by using more or less salt, coarse salt, fine salt, Himalayan salt, sea salt, and butter, sometimes, instead of coconut oil, but aside from that, pretty basic stuff.

Even though my own kids tell me to make all the seeds with just salt, I do not. First, who's in charge here? Second, they won't eat them all anyway. They just think they will. So nod your head, and wait a minute. They'll put their earbuds back in and go away, and you just do what you will.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (ish) roasted pumpkin seeds (directions to follow)
1 tsp plain or sea salt OR about 2 tsp coarser salts like Himalayan salt

Directions

Put the spices and seeds in a bowl or jar and set aside until you've roasted the seeds.



Smokey

I like spicy. I grew up mild, but at around 20 years, I was suddenly thrust into the world of chili cookoffs and hot salsas via my old boss, Mike. Mike cooked chili that burned. Because of Mike, I'm a chili fan, a chili purist, and I also enjoy really spicy foods. My family, however, not so much. That does mean that I get to keep my bottles of devil sauce to myself, yet rarely get to make foods that are spicy in and of themselves.

Today, I made mine smokey but not too spicy, using smoked paprika, which is hotter than the sweet paprika, and tastes deliciously like a milder chipotle chili.


Ingredients

1/2 cup (ish) roasted pumpkin seeds (directions to follow)
1 tsp spicy powdered chili (smoked paprika, powdered chipotle, New Mexico, etc.)
1 tsp plain or sea salt OR about 2 tsp coarser salts like Himalayan salt

Directions

Put the spices and seeds in a bowl or jar and set aside until you've roasted the seeds.



Mole

Yeah, I think I know you. You like the sensual touch. A bit of spice in your food, balanced out by something sweet maybe. A bite of ginger in your cheesecake rather than a drizzle of overly sweet topping. You can be lured in by a promise of mouth feel, a tingle on the tongue, or that flush of temperature that mysteriously comes from some ingredient in the dish or from somewhere deep within yourself; we don't always know.

You are the reason I make mole sauce from scratch, put luscious mango slices along side cheesecake, and use foods like crème fraiche instead of whipped cream. For you.

You don't need to know what mole (pronounced 'molay') is, but just know that it's a Mexican sauce that's typically made of chocolate, spices, and fruity ancho chilis. It can be sweet, spicy, savory, or all of these at once. It looks and tastes beautiful on anything and everything. While it's a decadent and sensual little sauce most of the time, as a spice on your pumpkin seeds, it warms the mouth and leaves your lips tingling from the spice on your fingertips, all the while almost satisfying that inner desire for chocolate, and encouraging bite after bite.



Ingredients

1/2 cup (ish) roasted pumpkin seeds (directions to follow)
1 tsp powdered ancho chili (or California chili or sweet paprika, if ancho isn't available)
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1-2 pinches of powdered cinnamon
1 tsp plain or sea salt OR about 2 tsp coarser salts like Himalayan salt

Directions

Put the spices and seeds in a bowl or jar and set aside until you've roasted the seeds.


Pan roasting the seeds 

1/2 to 2 cups of pumpkin/squash seeds
1 to 2 tbsp butter, ghee, or coconut oil

In a large skillet, heat the fat over medium high heat. Be especially careful of the butter, because it can brown if too hot. When in doubt, do with lower heat and roast longer.

Add the seeds and stir to evenly coat with the melted fat. Stir and shake periodically, until the seeds are puffed up a bit and have browned spots throughout. Cool one, periodically, and try it. It should be crisp, hollow, and tasty. That's called "done."

Final steps

Divide the seeds into three portions. One at a time, mix the seeds and the spices by stirring in the bowls or putting the lids on the jars and shaking well. After shaking, remove the lids and allow the seeds to fully cool before covering them again.

The seeds keep well for days, covered tightly in their jars.

Tomato Persimmon Chopped Salad

"Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad." - Brian O'Driscoll

Fruit salad?

There are some foods that walk a fine line between fruit and vegetable. The tomato is one. Let's just acknowledge a few things here. All fruits are vegetable(s), because they are the fruits (or seed bearing portions) of plants, which... wait for it... are. vegetable. Remember the animal, vegetable, and mineral thing from when you were a kid?

The bottom line is that if it's sweet, treat it as a fruit, and if it's not, treat it as a vegetable. If it's starchy, it can still be either one (plantains are fruits and turnips are vegetables, for instance). From a dietary standpoint, try to treat starchy foods like you would a potato and don't count them as your serving of vegetables.

Most fruits and veggies are clearly used as one or the other, although a hard green mango or papaya is pretty good eaten as a vegetable, while the sweet ripe ones are eaten as the fruits that they are. Likewise, the fuyu persimmon in this recipe can be either one. However you slice it (or eat it), this is your invitation to relax on pigeonholing your produce.

Please understand that this salad must use a fuyu persimmon, which is a non-astringent variety, even when firm. Other non-astringent persimmons do exist, but use of most other hard persimmons will likely ruin your salad unless you really know what you're doing. Do you?

Not a tomato

Tomato & Persimmon Chopped Salad

1 medium tomato (the fruit that always starts fight about "fruit or veggie")
1 hard fuyu persmimon (a fruit)
2 Persian cucumbers (a fruit used as a vegetable)
1 red bell pepper (a fruit used as a vegetable OR a spice)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (the oil of a fruit)
1 green onion (a vegetable sprout)
salt (a mineral)
2 oz goat cheese (an optional animal product)

Chop all of the fruits into similar sized pieces and put it in a large bowl. Mince the green onion and add it to the salad. Salt the salad and toss well. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to an hour. Stir in the olive oil and toss before serving.

If you like, you can crumble some goat cheese over each bowl as you serve the salad. Now that's good stuff!

I think after eating this simple vegetable salad made mostly of fruits, I'm ready to try some more adventurous fruits in my salads. The farmer's market is tomorrow, so I'll see what I find!

Win some grass feed beef!

You just have another day or so to enter the contest, and hopefully win a huge box of grass fed steaks!

The Marx Foods Grass-Fed Steak Sampler

four 6oz Grass-Fed Filet Mignons

four 12oz Grass-Fed NY Strip Steaks

four 10oz Grass-Fed Ribeye Steaks

Head over to Marx Foods and let them know your favorite kind of steak, even if it's not in the sampler. You have through Sunday, October 30th to make your comment and enter the contest.

What's so special about grass-fed beef? It's delicious, and because it's fed on grass rather than corn and other grains, it tastes the way steaks tasted when your grandfather was grilling them. The fat is healthier, too. You know those fish oil capsules that you pop? Well, omega-3 fats are in this steak, so you can pop less.

Get over to Marx Foods, and after you're done commenting (and crossing your fingers for the big win), check out all the other amazing things that they have on the site. You just can't find this stuff at your local stores; antelope, elk, venison, and even more. Here are the links to Marx Foods Meats & Poultry.

Remember to subscribe to their blog and get updates on all the great recipes that they create, like this Provencal-Style Antelope Stew, just posted today!

Lutfiye biyaldi

This is inspired by Imam Biyaldi, which is a dish my ex-girlfriend taught me to make, years ago. The name Imam Biyaldi means "the Imam fainted" in Turkish, but there are versions all over the Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Balkans, and the Internet. There are as many stories as there are versions of this dish, but the gist of it is that in ancient days, an Imam's new wife made for him a dish of eggplant, tomatoes and other vegetables, fragrant spices, and tons of olive oil. It was so good that he fainted.

I've made the original version many times, and I can see, smell, and taste the attraction, although I have never fainted, having always made it myself, of course.

For this version, I left the eggplant at the farmer's market and used pumpkin, instead. I still have 10 pounds of pumpkin to eat my way through, after all.

It's amazing how the spices are so perfect for the pumpkin, and I didn't really need to change much from my ex's Imam Biyaldi recipe; cinnamon and cumin are the perfect spices here. Oh, don't skimp on the olive oil. I say 4 tbsp, but it is even better with a couple more. I know you, and you won't do it, though. ;)

Enjoy!


Lutfiye Biyaldi

Makes 4 side servings (meatball, optional)

Ingredients

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 cups raw pumpkin or squash, cubed

1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tbsp cumin seeds, whole

1 clove garlic, minced

6-8 roma tomatoes or 3-4 large tomatoes, chopped

1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Saute the cubes of pumpkin until they are browned on all sides. Remove from heat and put the pumpkin in a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven.

Add another tbsp of oil to the skillet. Saute the onion and bell pepper until the onion is lightly browned and translucent. Place the onion and peppers into the pot with the pumpkin.

Add another tbsp of oil to the skillet and cook the cumin seeds until fragrant. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for about 1 minute. Do not let it burn. Quickly stir in the chopped tomatoes and lower the heat to low. Combine well to stop the cooking process of the garlic and then scrape the mixture into the pot.

Stir in the cinnamon, pepper, salt, and water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and allow to cook for 30-45 minutes, until the squash is very tender and almost falling apart.

Serve with meatballs and maybe some feta cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!

I dedicate my latest twist on Imam Biyaldi, which I've named Lutfiye Biyaldi, to my ex-girlfriend.  ...who's now my wife, Galya. What or who is Lutfiye? A famed princess turned spy, a strong and sleek warrior, and a woman who's beauty was enough to start wars. When she faints, look out.

Chili con carne with grilled pumpkin

After posting this recipe the other day, a more "primal-eating" pal of mine asked me about the grilled pumpkin that I had mentioned in the recipe. It seems the interest in the new Primal Blueprint book is stirring up questions about what are some good vegetables to eat on a primal or paleo diet. Hint; pumpkin is cool. ;)

I hate to keep pushing it, but you still have time to get a great book, the free bonuses, and help get Mark's healthy eating message into the mainstream. Getting on the New York Times Bestseller List makes it more likely to make the news, get doctors talking about it, and more people healthy and fit. I really believe in this message, and if can bring to discussion to the mainstream, so much the better. It's under $14, and if you purchase it before midnight, Monday October 24th, you can help out, get healthy, AND get free stuff.

And now, back to the recipe...

The other day, I pretty much glossed over the pumpkin near the end of the recipe, but pumpkin (or winter squash) is actually my own go-to starch for chili in the fall and winter.

Here's the pumpkin that I'm currently eating my way through...

21 pounds of pumpkin

21 pounds... That's a lot of pumpkin. I've already eaten almost half of it, my freezer is now stocked with a huge bag of fresh cubed pumpkin, and my fridge is filled with 11 cups of pumpkin puree for soups and whatever. That's a lot of pumpkin...

I got this big dude at Trader Joe's ($5.99). It's one of those Fairy Tale Pumpkins that have been populare for Halloween the last few years. When I went to Bulgaria last summer, these guys were all over the place. ...as food. Who knew? ;)

This wedge alone weighed 5lbs

This is a pretty cost effective squash, even if I can't eat it all. At the grocery store, a tiny one pound sliver of that yellow banana squash is two or three dollars! A tiny whole butternut squash is three to five dollars! A sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin is anywhere from $3 to $6, depending on whether they think you are going to eat it or use it as decor. Go big or and go home (and start cutting)!

Please note that some of my recipe info is duplicated from Sunday's, but there's a definite lack of beanage today. Chili doesn't have to have beans to be chili. In fact, enter a chili cookoff and you'll find they usually have a strict, no bean policy for judging. Like cookoff chilis, my chilis tend to be merely chili con carne, or chili with meat. ...and each of us in the family will do with it what we will, whether it's adding squash, pumpkin, eggplant, summer squash, or just eating it as is with some stuff on the side.


Braised chili con carne with grilled pumpkin

The meat is simply braised - either in your slow cooker, a dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pot. It uses thinly sliced meat that shortens the cooking time and leaves it extra tender. It looks good arranged on the plate, too.

The sauce is a simple chili puree, it would normally be stirred into the chili, but drizzled on top, it looks great!

As to the serving size and the amount of pumpkin, please note that I usually eat a large serving of pumpkin (over a pound) at a sitting. A pound (peeled and weighed before cooking) has only about 120 calories and 30g of carbohydrate, so it's not a lot of calories, but it is a lot of food. Feel free to tone it down. I suggest four pounds for serving 6-8 people, but go up or down, depending on appetites.

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

Pumpkin
4 lbs raw, peeled pumpkin

2 tbsp bacon fat, coconut oil, or olive oil
salt to taste

Chili
2 pounds boneless cross rib roast
1/4 lb salt pork or bacon, chopped
1 tbsp bacon fat, olive oil, or coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
water to cover meat
1 tbsp cumin, ground
2 tbsp paprika

Chili puree
6-9 chili japones
2 chili guajillo
6 chili california
salt to taste
water

Directions

Chili con carne

Slice the meat into two long pieces, then across into thin slices. If your chunk of meat doesn't fit this shape, just go for it. Thin, manageable slices are the key (see picture, below).

Brown the salt pork or bacon in a large skillet, dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pot. Remove to a bowl or your slow cooker.

In small batches, lightly brown the beef, removing the browned slices to the bowl or slow cooker.

Add the oil to the pan, then the onions, cooking until translucent and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. If cooking in the pot or dutch oven, immediately add water so that the garlic doesn't burn, otherwise remove the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Pour in just enough water to cover the meat.

Sprinkle with cumin and paprika and lightly stir. Cover and simmer for 1-3 hours, until just tender.

Meanwhile, make the chili puree.


Chili puree

Tear or cut the woody stems from the chili and shake any loose seeds out. A few won't hurt (they will be strained out later). Place in a covered pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and allow them to simmer for 20 minutes, then let them cool.

Blend the cooled chilis in a blender, and pour them into a strainer over a large bowl.

Using a spoon or spatula, stir and push the mash around until the puree is in the bowl and all you have is thick fiberous mash and seeds left in the strainer.

Salt the puree to taste.


Pumpkin

Slice the peeled pumpkin into long slices (pictured at the top of the page).

Heat the fat or oil in a non-stick pan and add the pumpkin slices. Cook over medium high heat until the pumpkin is tender, but not falling apart. I think it took 5-8 minutes per side.

Arrange the slices on the top half of the plate, leaving room for the chili in the center, and any other vegetables along the bottom.

Arrange slices of chili con carne down the center of a plate. Serve with some simple sauteed, grilled, or steamed vegetables, like zucchini or grilled bell peppers, or maybe a chopped salad.

chili con carne, with pumpkin slices and chopped salad

Drizzle the chili puree over the meat before serving.

Enjoy!

Remember, you have only a couple of days left to pickup the Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation AND get these freebies.





1. Free ebook – “Primal Living in the REAL World”: A 130-page eBook where 100s of Primal enthusiasts share their challenges, solutions and practical tips for how they get – and stay – Primal.

2. Free audio interview – "21-Day Total Body Transformation" Audio Q&A: Download a 60 minute podcast in which Mark discusses the 8 Key Concepts that everyone needs to know to go Primal.


3. $10 Gift Certificate to PrimalBlueprint.com: Spend it like cash and order whatever you want, perhaps a cookbook to go with the 21-Day Transformation book?

Marx Foods Random Blogger Contest - Slow braised chili con carne

I'm happy to be playing in the latest Marx Foods blogging/cooking contest!

A few weeks ago, I got my package of random items in the mail; coconut sugar, cannellini beans, black trumpet mushrooms, guajillo chilis, and chilis japones. To accept the challenge, you pick at least two of the ingredients, add your own, and create!

I decided to make chili, put put a different spin on it. I like my chili one way (with veggies), my son likes it his (with beans), and my daughter likes it hers (with hominy). So, my chili is merely chili con carne, or chili with meat. ...and each of us will do with it what we will.

The meat is simply braised - either in your slow cooker, a dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pot. It uses thinly sliced meat that shortens the cooking time and leaves it extra tender. It looks good arranged on the plate, too.

The sauce is a simple chili puree, it would normally be stirred into the chili, but drizzled on top, it looks great!

Slow braised chili con carne

Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients

Cannellini beans

1 lb cannellini beans
1/2 tsp baking soda
water
1 tsp salt
water



Chili
2 pounds boneless cross rib roast
1/4 lb salt pork or bacon, chopped
1 tbsp bacon fat, olive oil, or coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
water to cover meat
1 tbsp cumin, ground
2 tbsp paprika

Chili puree

6-9 chili japones
2 chili guajillo
6 chili california
salt to taste
water

Directions


Beans

Soak the cannellini beans overnight in water and baking soda. Drain and rinse.

Put the beans in a covered pot and cover with water. Bring to a low simmer and stir in the salt. Simmer for 1-3 hours until just tender. Don't overcook, so check periodically and remove from heat when done.



Chili con carne

Slice the meat into two long pieces, then across into thin slices.

Brown the salt pork or bacon in a large skillet, dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pot. Remove to a bowl or your slow cooker.

In small batches, lightly brown the beef, removing the browned slices to the bowl or slow cooker.

Add the oil to the pan, then the onions, cooking until translucent and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. If cooking in the pot or dutch oven, immediately add water so that the garlic doesn't burn, otherwise remove the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Pour in just enough water to cover the meat.

Sprinkle with cumin and paprika and lightly stir. Cover and simmer for 1-3 hours, until just tender.

Meanwhile, make the chili puree.


Chili puree

Tear or cut the woody stems from the chili and shake any loose seeds out. Place in a covered pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and allow them to simmer for 20 minutes, then let them cool.

Blend the cooled chilis in a blender, and pour them into a strainer over a large bowl.

Using a spoon or spatula, stir and push the mash around until the puree is in the bowl and all you have is mash left in the strainer.

Salt the puree to taste.

Arrange slices of chili con carne down the center of a plate. Use a slotted spoon to add the beans alongside the meat. Serve with some simple sauteed or steamed vegetables, like the summer squash pictured at the top, or maybe some grilled pumpkin and chopped salad.

Drizzle the chili puree over the meat before serving.

I hope you enjoy my simple twist on chili con carne!