Mark's Daily Apple

Make it a Primal Thanksgiving!

Given it’s Thanksgiving week, we thought we’d devote Monday to the big menu. (Check back tomorrow for this week’s Dear Mark!) Yup, we’re taking on the mother of all carb-laden holidays, and we aim to please. The truth is, you absolutely, positively can make Thanksgiving a primal success, and you needn’t compromise taste or tradition to stay on track this holiday. No franken-foods (Can we say Tofurky?) or flavorless “health” concoctions here. We think Grok – as well as William Bradford – would be pleased, and we hope you are too. Happy Thanksgiving to all our American Apples. And for our international readers: even if you aren’t joining in on turkey day this week, we offer up these recipes as a great menu for any upcoming parties or holidays. Bon Appétit, everyone!

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Banish Bake Sales?

‘Tis the season (almost) for those holiday bake sales, church/temple bazaars, and school fundraisers. Can’t you see them? Friendly folding table arrangements with impressive displays of frosted, glazed, and baked creations in all homemade varieties. The glossy brochures full of burgeoning tins brimming with gourmet chocolates, peppermint bark, and all manner of confectionery sweets. (Not that anyone is off the hook for the rest of the year. Think sports season candy bars, Girl Scout cookies, and so on.)

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Grain Pain

I’ve been grain-free for nearly three years now. Oh, every once in a while, I’ll have a bite or two of bread at a restaurant (it had better be really good bread though and even then I’ll still douse it with olive oil or real butter) or a couple of chips with guacamole – mostly just as a vehicle for delivering the precious emerald mixture to my mouth. I might even have a few sushi rolls with sticky white rice from time to time. But for the most part I stay far away from grains. No cereal ever, no pasta ever, no wheat, barley, rye, corn or anything of that sort. My exodus from grains was gradual, starting about five years ago, but it increased in fervor and resolve as I discovered more and more through my research how inappropriate grains were as a component of the human diet.

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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How to Make Dried Fruit

Dried fruit? Isn’t that kind of high in sugar? Well, the short answer is yes, but the long answer is that in small doses – such as in a nut-based snack mix, or sprinkled on top of a high-fat plain yogurt (e.g. Fage Total) for a sweet dessert – dried fruit can be a welcome addition to the Primal eating plan. With that said, it is called Nature’s candy for good reason, so be careful not to overdo it.

Before we get started, let’s first address why you should be drying your own fruit – especially when dried fruit is available just about anywhere (and by that we mean even the grimiest of gas stations are stocking it these days!). According to the folks over at Wikipedia, some commercially available dried fruit products are first treated with sulfur dioxide to enhance the color of the product after drying. The problem? Sulfur dioxide can trigger asthma symptoms in those with the disorder. You can avoid purchasing sulfur dioxide-treated fruit by always opting for organic dried fruit products.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Dear Mark: Muscle Building and Carbs

Dear Mark,

I am a loyal Daily Apple reader who’s just begun a full-scale primal + IF + HIIT lifestyle. My only worry is that of muscle loss or impeded muscle growth. As a friend of multiple muscle builders, I’ve been told that carbohydrates are necessary for that muscle growth. While I’m not about to go back to my high-carb ways, I am willing to make an exception for post-lifting meals (within an hour window). I’ve heard this is the optimal time for carb-intake as your muscles are depleted of glycogen stores. I am wondering if you could shed light on this. Is this method actually effective for muscle growth? If so, how many carbs should I consume, and of what kind? And finally, will making this one compromise induce inflammation or impede fat loss?

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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