Mark's Daily Apple

Aromatic Vegetables with Savory Flank Steak

Zucchini, eggplant, onions and bell peppers are in the summer spotlight at the farmers’ market. With so many of these vegetables available, we are always looking for new ways to use them.

The following recipe adapts the traditional ratatouille, and instead of tomatoes includes a delicious marinated flank steak. It’s a pleasant shift from the usual salad or plate of steamed broccoli to go with your dinnertime filet of salmon or other meat. The zucchini and eggplant comes out of the skillet slightly wilted but chunky, its flavors and herbs full of the marinade and juices from the beef.

Posted By: Worker Bee

283

Moroccan Chicken Casserole

We all know the saying: variety is the spice of life.

Everyone craves variety on some level, especially when it comes to what we’re eating. What is the easiest way to add variety to your meals? Turn that phrase around and you’ll have the answer: Spice is the variety of life in the kitchen.

Take a look at your spice rack. Salt, pepper, maybe some dried oregano. How about paprika and cinnamon? What about cumin, turmeric, or coriander? These aromatic seasonings can enhance anything you’re cooking. If you’re overwhelmed by all the options in the spice aisle, consider using a spice blend such as curry powder, Cajun rub or Chinese five spice. A tablespoon or less sprinkled over meat before you cook it will add a whole new dimension of flavor. If you’re feeling adventurous, buy a bunch of different spices and play around with combinations.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Primal Substitutes for Non-Primal Foods

It’s perhaps the most commonly asked question, both here in the forums and around the Primal/paleo blogosphere: what about bread/rice/grains/mashed potatoes/fish-and-chips/sweets? That is, what Primal foods can I eat that will satisfy my nascent urges for conventional “comfort foods”? In a perfect fat-adapted world, these urges would be non-existent. We would all be sated on nothing but meat, fat, vegetables, and a bit of fruit, and on a normal day I would stress the importance of desiring truly Primal foods rather than Primal approximations of high-carb, conventional fare.

Today isn’t a normal day, though. We’re in the middle of a particularly intensive Health Challenge, one that centers around making small (but doable) positive changes. For all our new members, finding alternate low-carb versions of the classic high-carb foods can be just the ticket to maintaining their personal health commitments under duress – and for that reason, I rounded up every low-carb food alternative source I could find. Strict PB pros and Primal stalwarts, forgive me, but I’m doing it for everyone’s collective good. Consider this my 80/20 moment. (wink)

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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Simple Celery and Almond Salad

Celery has never really enjoyed the starring role in dishes that other vegetables do. It’s not that celery isn’t worthy. The vegetable is inexpensive, stays fresh for weeks, has a mild and pleasing flavor, a nice crunch and is a great source of vitamins and fiber. But it’s sort of the Chris Cooper of the kitchen, always an amazing supporting actor but never a leading man.

With this salad, celery finally gets to be the star. You’ll be surprised how tasty the crisp, clean flavor of celery is, especially during the hot days of summer. The leaves on the top of a celery stalk are usually discarded and this is a shame. Filled with vitamin C, calcium and a lot flavor, the leaves can be added to the salad as well. Almonds are a key ingredient, adding the richness that celery lacks. The parsley dressing adds additional flavor and fat. These ingredients are incredibly easy to find at any grocery store and take only a few minutes to toss together. The recipe is a simple way to both stay on track and try something new during the Primal Blueprint Health Challenge.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Pork Loin with Mango Salsa

I was so excited to bring home my first organic pork tenderloin from the Rhinebeck farmer’s market that I couldn’t quite process the incredulous faces waiting for me when I got back. “It’ll take so long to cook,” the faces-at-home said, directing their eyes to their stomachs, which audibly growled.

I don’t know where the misconception about pork loin came from – probably from other round, “loaf”-like meats, which are notorious for being part of bigger dinner-time productions, typically seen around the holidays; meats that require  thermometers, significant prep time, and all kinds of extra gadgets to make sure they cook the whole way through. But pork loin doesn’t require a lot of fussing. It just needs a little attention, because it is a very lean cut. And while it doesn’t take years to cook, it can cook too quickly, and come out very dry. If you do it right, though, it is perfect in less than 30 minutes.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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