So, yesterday we established that while you do in fact eat like Grok, what you really mean is that you eat the same types of food as Grok, but your use of a knife, fork and spoon means that you aren’t actually eating like Grok.
Here’s the challenge: For just a day, ditch the eating utensils (we’ll even let you pick the day so that you don’t find yourself drawing stares at your spouses fancy schmancy office party!) It’s a fun way to get in touch with your inner Grok (as well as save up some valuable space in your dishwasher!)
The following is a dinner menu you should consider getting your hands on…literally.
Before you scoff at the simplicity of this menu (are they really giving me a recipe for a simple garden salad?) know that the beauty of eating Primal is that dishes can be both utterly simple and absolutely delicious. Enjoy!
The cornerstone of every good meal, let’s kick off with a hearty salad!
Ingredients:
2 cups greens
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 green pepper, seeded, chopped
1/4 cup chopped sweet onions
3 small radishes, sliced
1 medium tomato, seeded and cut into eighths
Sprinkle of garlic salt
Fresh ground pepper
Dressing of choice
Method:
To make this a hands-on experience, it’s best to chop the various vegetables into bigger pieces – the lettuce, for example, can be used to scoop up all the other good stuff and by having bigger pieces, you won’t be left chasing an errant slither of onion around the bowl. Also, you can forgo the dressing if you would like – this will keep you nice and tidy and besides, when you are using fresh vegetables, all you really need to bring out the flavor is a little seasoning.
Drumsticks, wings, thighs and all. Tearing into a whole chicken will make you feel just like Grok!
Ingredients:
4-5lbs whole chicken
2 large Vidalia onion coarsely chopped
6 celery stalks, cleaned and chopped
3 apples, unpeeled and cut into wedges
Salt and Pepper as desired
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash the chicken and pat dry. Remove any giblets and remove any large deposits of fat from the inside if desired. Fill the cavity with chopped apple, onions and celery. Place chicken in a deep, pre-greased pan or roasting dish. Cook for about 2 hours (depending on oven and temperature of bird before placing in the oven) or until a meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of 180 degrees. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before diving in! We recommend removing the limbs first and tearing into those and then using torn pieces of the body of the chicken to scoop out the “stuffing” (but be warned, the inside gets piping hot, so proceed with caution!)
Prepared this way, you’ll never again feel the need to use a fork when dining on asparagus!
Ingredients:
Bunch of asparagus
1 large white onion, sliced
Olive oil
Sprinkle of sea salt and coarse ground black pepper
First, wash the asparagus and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Snap off the ends of the asparagus (which tend to be a little bit tough). Place in a Zip-lock bag or shallow container with the sliced onions and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Now, you can either throw these on a (foil-lined) baking tray a la the Barefoot Contessa or you can sauté them in a frying pan. Cook until they are just tender.
Have a little time on your hands? Artichokes make for a fun – although labor intensive – finger-lickin’ good time!
Ingredients:
3-4 Artichokes
Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method:
Use a large paring knife to trim the stem and cut the tops of the pointed leaf tips on the remaining leaves. With your hands, gently open up the leaves to expose the inner choke and carefully remove (heck, you can even use your fingers with this – even the prep is getting Primal!) Squeeze lemon juice into the heart and place in a bowl of water and lemon juice to prevent browning. Repeat for remaining artichokes.
To steam the artichokes, fill a large saucepan with about two inches of water. Then, over a medium heat, bring the water to a boil. Add artichokes in, stem side up, lower heat to medium-low and cover pot. Steam 25 minutes or until leaves pull off easily and the heart appears tender. Drain well and set aside to cool to room temperature. To eat, dip a leaf in a fine balsamic vinegar (or homemade butter or mayo) then bite down to remove the flesh of the leaf with your teeth. Discard remainder and repeat until all the leaves are gone. Then, you get to enjoy the heart!
Sure, eating this one is Primal, but the really fun part is preparing it with your hands!
Ingredients:
Pomegranates
Water
With a sharp knife, make a cut through the top of the pomegranate. Set knife aside and use your hands to pry apart the fruit. Cut the fruit again so that you now have it in quarters. Using your fingers, separate the peel and membranes. To do this, place the whole fruit in water to allow the seeds to fall to the bottom. You can then skim the membranes (which float) from the top and then strain the seeds. Rinse, place in a bowl and dig in!
Have fun playing with your food!
Going Grubby: The Primal Benefits of Dirt, Dust and Dishevelment
More Primal Recipes
If you'd like to add an avatar to all of your comments click here!
Ⓒ 2023 Mark's Daily Apple
