Is Chocolate Paleo?

Chocolate is another one of those areas of debate in the Paleosphere.  Even though there is debate most people that claim to be "Paleo" accept dark chocolate as an acceptable food.  But wait, that doesn't mean just any dark chocolate.

Just to reiterate some thoughts in the Brady Nutrition Paleo Philosophy. A Paleo philosophy is meant to be a framework that coupled with science and self evaluation bring each individual to his own optimal lifestyle.

So where does that leave chocolate from a Brady Nutrition perspective?  The answer is, it depends. Chocolate has been linked to a whole host of positive health benefits. So it's backed by science but there is a catch. Sweet treats, Paleo or not, can be a trigger for many people. Be honest with yourself and if there is a risk that a piece of chocolate is going to send you into a cheat binge of epic proportions, then don't do it. If you do not fall into this category then an occasional piece of the right chocolate can be a great healthy treat.

Not all chocolates are created equal. First look for a cacao percentage somewhere north of 70%.  I try to stay in the 80-85% range.  You also should check out the ingredient list and make sure there is not a lot of added junk.  Many people cringe at chocolate this dark but if you have been Paleo for more than a month or so you are becoming more sensitized to sweet tastes and dark chocolates like these will actually taste much sweeter than you might think, not to mention all the other wonderful complex flavors.

My favorite chocolate is the Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lovers Chocolate Bar.  It's 85% cacao and it is half the price of similar chocolates. A favorite treat of my wife and I is taking a couple squares and dipping it in some fresh ground almond butter.  It is a wonderful treat that is perfect medicine to curb a craving and good for you at the same time.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

Thanks
Chuck

Quick Mixed Seafood Snack in Cream Sauce

I got up had a few eggs for breakfast, went for a mid-morning run, had a delicious post run shake, and a few minutes later was still starving.  The peanut gallery suggested I make something quick and random for a snack and the blog.  I grabbed a bag of Trader Joe's seafood blend I had recently picked up but wasn't sure what I was going to do with.

This ended up being a pretty tasty snack, although I think the recipe could be refined a lot.  If nothing else this will give you an idea of non-traditional snacks you can whip up quickly when you need a solid Paleo option.

• PREP5 mins
• Cook
  5 mins
• READY IN10 mins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bag of Trader Joe's seafood blend
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup pastured cream
• 1 tbsp homemade butter
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• A pinch of curry powder
• A pinch of lemon zest
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Note: all these measurements are approximate since this was truly on the fly.

Directions:

1. Thaw the seafood in cold water for a few minutes
2. Saute the minced garlic in the coconut oil, butter, thyme, cayenne, salt, and pepper until garlic is browning
3. Add the seafood and cook for about a minute
4. Add the cream, coconut flour, and lemon zest, mix thoroughly and simmer for 5 minutes
5. Pour into a bowl, top with a pinch of curry powder, and tear it up.

The coconut flour made it a little grainy. I might try and find another way to thicken the sauce in the future. All in all it wasn't to shabby.

Enjoy!

Chuck

What's with the Olive Oil Imposters

Once you go Paleo there are some things that become essential staples around the house.  While olive oil is pretty popular in general it is a must for Paleo households.  We cook with it, put it on eggs, put it on salads, put it on just about anything.  Good olive oil with some salt and spices is just plain heavenly. Olive oil is so good that it has become big business and with big business comes profit, marketing, cost cutting, and sometimes fraud. The news over the last few months has been flooded with stories about the prevalence of counterfeit olive oil. This piece Extra Virgin Suicide - NYTimes.com gives an entertaining high level on the problem. UC Davis clearly puts a lot of research into olives and in a 2010 study found that 69% of imported extra-virgin olive oils bought in California supermarkets including some very popular brands failed to meet international standards. The worst part of all this is the olive oil you thought was healthy is in many cases the exact same omega-6 laden highly refined oil you were trying to avoid.  

From my high level scrub of the news and research it seems the best way to ensure your olive oil is pure is to either stick with oil that is produced in the US or do a little extra work to verify that a specific olive oil has a seal of approval from a bonafide independent testing organization.  If you want to dive deeper into this rabbit hole, search for "olive oil" on Google News and you will find dozens of articles calling out specific brands good and bad.  

We have decided to give Trader Joe's California Estate Olive Oil a try. It is reasonably priced and was referenced in numerous articles as one that passed the purity tests.  We'll let you know what we think.  

Thanks for stopping by!
Chuck

Photo 1:Wikipedia Olive Tree
Photo 2: Trader Joe's

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/21/4925146/how-extra-virgin-is-your-olive.html#storylink=cpy