Taking (and making) Stock
Dear Past Me-
I want to apologize for the following things, in chronological order:
- Identifying spaghetti as my favorite food for the first 25 years of my life. Even after the second degree burns that resulted from ‘The Spaghetti Lap-full of ’89″. (Kids-don’t eat dinner in your bathing suit.)
- My 6th grade haircut. That was awful (And out of my control. Parents- let your 6th graders choose their own hairstyle-I beg of you.)
- All of the instrument switching in middle school. I know I was sub-par in the following: clarinet, bass clarinet, FRENCH HORN(shudder), oboe, and trumpet. Trumpet was fun, I can still play taps. (That is a bold-faced lie.)
- The Purple Powerade and pack of Grandma’s Double Chocolate Chip Cookies that I consumed after school every.single.day, for four years, at South Carroll High. (Do YOU know what your child is doing with their hard-earned money?!?)
- Meatball subs at the ‘late-night’ dining hall during the first two years of college. (Not because I missed regular dinner, clearly.)
- The Thursday night Pizza Boli’s tradition in 2006 & 2007. (And the orders of breadsticks.)
XOXO,
Current Me
Ok, that was corny-I agree. Like usual, I have a point, no matter how convoluted my delivery. We don’t knowingly make decisions in the hope they will make us pudgy around the middle and riddled with disease. There was a time when you chose your foods based on something else- and it was certainly not based on the information you now have. I bet that 95% of us used to eat in a way that would make your ‘current you’ shudder. Time to get over it. Just because you used to be one way doesn’t mean you have to stay there. Take the information, go forward, and use it. CHANGE. Don’t get ’stock’…make stock. (It’s good for you. Look here for reasons why. And it’s easy, easy, easy!)
Chicken stock will be your best friend…you can use it for everything. And if you have not already been looking at the label on your stock or broth-look now. There are VERY few that would be identified as paleo-friendly. Here is your solution!
Crockity Stockity
- Bones of a roasted chicken (Like whats left after your meal…this is the perfect time to make stock!)
- 1 onion, peeled and loosely chopped
- 1 stalk of celery, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh parsley & 1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1 Tblsp of whatever dried green spice mix you have on hand)
- 3 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Add all items to your crockpot. Fill to the top with water (leave approx 1/2”-1″inch at the top).
- Turn crockpot to low and cook overnight. Or, start it in the morning and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours
- Pour the liquid from the crockpot through a strainer to remove all bones, onions, carrots, etc. Discard all but the liquid you collect. You just made stock!
- Either refrigerate or freeze the stock for future use of any kind. (Once refrigerated, the stock will look like jello…this is because of the bones, and means it is awesome sauce, don’t be scared! Look into the above link for details on why this is SO good for you!)
You now have delicious, totally legal, no starch & no sugar added, stock. It will be ready to heat up for any recipe your pretty, paleo heart may desire. (Follow the above recipe for any bones you have-beef in lieu of chicken, maybe? Do it!) And for real-check out the link above.
How’s that for taking stock? Bring it, Fall and Winter!
Until Next Time…
Mallory
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A Cupcake…is a Cupcake
This is a blog about honest tea.
You’ve all seen that on the shelves, right? Of course you have. Well-that’s not what we are talking about today. I was just being punny.
It’s the 12th day of October. For many of you, that means there are more than 5 weeks left of the paleo challenge. It also means that there is plenty of time left to change the way you think about eating paleo. I’m just going to come out and say it: Some of you honestly need to do this. (See how I did that right there!?) Hang onto your hats, this could get ugly.
A cupcake…is a cupcake.
Paleo or Not Paleo?
No alarm bells ringing? Let me try again…
A paleo cupcake…is a cupcake.
Sure, you swapped things out and subbed things in until the ingredient list qualified as paleo, but lets not fool ourselves. You just bit into fluffy, sweet goodness. What about that isn’t a cupcake?
Don’t get me wrong, cupcakes are delicious. And usually very pretty. I dare say cupcakes even make people smile. Triple win for you, cupcakes.
However…
Cupcakes don’t grow on trees. They don’t have four legs and a mom (like most things we paleo people enjoy!!). A paleo cupcake is not helping you challenge the way you relate to food. It’s still a carb-heavy item that you probably ate in-between mealtimes. Why did you want a cupcake? Were you even hungry when you ate it? I bet not. That paleo cupcake is likely keeping you right where you were in how you relate to food…with more expensive ingredients.
Challenge can be defined as the following:
- to confront or defy boldly
- a calling to account or into question
- a stimulating task or problem
So. During this paleo challenge, I challenge you to challenge the way you see food (not in the visual sense, smart-alecs). Sound challenging?!?
It should. (See above definition!)
Instead of substituting the dickens out of your favorite cupcake recipe (or pancake, or muffin, or pizza crust, etc…which, I am really sorry to say, but will never, EVER, taste exactly the same), eat real food, and take the next 5 weeks to first identify and then start challenging. Instead of spending your time figuring out how to make ‘regular’ food paleo, use it to begin changing your relationship with ‘regular’ food.
Am I saying that you should never eat cupcakes again? No. Am I saying there is no room for anything other than perfect when you eat paleo? No. Am I saying I don’t indulge in paleo pizza or even a gluten-free brownie (gasp!!) now and then? No.
What I am saying it this. You’ve been at this for several weeks now. You know you can be grain, sugar, legume and dairy free. The hardest, and most important, part now is figuring out YOUR OWN reason(s) to stay paleo when the only one holding you accountable…is you. Without defining it for yourself, what will keep you from going right back to where you started…with too-tight pants, fighting acid-reflux with a purple pill…? Take the challenge.
Remember… in the world, there will always be cupcakes.
Until Next Time…
Mallory
No Jokes About It
Got 99 problems...being healthy ain't 1
2/3 of America is overweight or obese.
Let that sink in for a minute.
In a nation filled to the brim with low-fat, low-calorie, sugar-subsitituted, heart-healthy, diet-food choices, how does this happen?
What is our nation doing so wrong?
Seems to me this is too important of a question to not know the answer.
Luckily you at CFR not only know the reason, but have the solution.
Time to go tell someone about why you look and feel so fantastic.
Maybe make this and then talk about it over dinner. It will be hard for them to argue with you when their mouths are full. Sausage is no bacon…but it is still delicious. (Monumental thought, right there.)
Grilled Sweet and Savory Stuffed Chicken
*4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
*1/2lb loose sausage (Paleo Challenge Folks: check labels for added sugar. DEXTROSE IS SUGAR. Or make your own sausage with this recipe from Balanced Bites)
*1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped
Sweet with no Cheat
*Heaping handful blueberries, chopped
*1 egg
*1/2 Tblsp coconut flour
*1 tsp sage
*2 tsp garlic powder
*2 tsp dried oregano
*Pepper
*Toothpicks
-PreHeat grill to 500, lower heat before adding chicken (cooking temp ~350-400, preferably)
-In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken. (And toothpicks, clearly. Remember: paleo≠crazy!)
-Open up each chicken thigh, with the cut side of the thigh facing ceiling. (They should open and lay almost flat out, since the bone was removed.)
-Place a heaping spoonful of sausage mixture in the middle of each thigh.
-Gently wrap chicken around mixture and secure with a toothpick.
-Sprinkle stuffed thighs with additional garlic powder, oregano, pepper, and a pinch of salt.
-Reduce heat on grill, add chicken and grill 15 mins. Flip with tongs and grill 15-20 minutes more, until chicken and stuffing are both cooked through.
Pair and serve with your favorite vegetables. I chose roasted brussels sprouts.
Crowd Pleaser!
Until Next Time…
Mallory
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See Ya, Summer.
Adios. Ciao. Salut. Bonjour.
It confuses me when, in other languages, hello and goodbye are the same word. Could you work on the creativity, foreigners? Because I can’t tell whether you are coming or going. (I feel like foreigners was not a very nice word to use. It may even be politically incorrect. Now I am worried my mom is gonna get after me again. Crap. I am sure she raised me better than that.)
I digress. You already stopped reading. I would have, too.
Summer is over this week. I am fighting it pretty hard, but I have been close to frozen the last few mornings. And by frozen I mean it was 60 in the house. So that’s close…right?
Many of you are several days into the LuRong Living Paleo Challenge. How is it going? Are you dreaming of cream in your coffee? If you weren’t, I bet you are now. Oh, man. That was just mean. I KNOW I was raised me better than that one.
Be sure to stay tuned to the blog as we welcome fall with some heartier recipes, work through the paleo challenge by offering tips & hints, and continue to give insight into why it is awesome sauce that you choose to lead a weight-lifting, paleo eating lifestyle. Rock on, CFR. Rock on.
It’s sad, but lets wrap up summer with one final S.A.S.S.S recipe. A super easy, super delicious crowd pleasing side dish.
Marinated Asparagus
Bundles o' Asparagus
Ingredients
-
1 Bundle of Asparagus (I have no idea what to call these…bunches, packages..?)
- 3/4 Cup olive oil
- 1/2 Cup white balsamic vinegar
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Drizzle of honey (Paleo Challengers, OMIT THIS INGREDIENT!)
- Pinch of salt.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim asparagus.
Add asparagus to boiling water and cook 3 miute, then remove and immediately plunge into ice water (to stop the cooking process).
Whisk together ingredients, remove asparagus from ice water and place in a serving dish. Pour mixture over asparagus.
Cover and chill 8 hours or more.
Uncover and enjoy these marinated asparagus cold.
Awesome Sauce!!
It's worth it.
Until Next Time…
Mallory
ShareShake It Up Baby
TOTALLY NOT AWESOME SAUCE. That is all I can think to say for some of the information I am about to pass your way. Seriously…when have you known me to jump into a topic without some witty banter prior. I just cannot be funny about this shit.
According to the USDA, the magical source which brings us the oh-so-lovely food pyramid (*shudder*), the following definitions qualify as completely ok:
MECHANICALLY SEPARATED POULTRY
is a paste-like and batter-like poultry product produced by forcing bones with attached edible tissue through a sieve or similar device under high pressure to separate bone from the edible tissue. Mechanically separated poultry has been used in poultry products since 1969. In 1995, a final rule on mechanically separated poultry said it would be used without restrictions. However, it must be labeled as “mechanically separated chicken or mechanically separated turkey” (depending on the kind of poultry used) in the ingredients statement. The final rule became effective November 4, 1996.
There is an almost identical definition for MECHANICALLY SEPARATED MEAT. (Seriously. I wish you could see my face right now.)
FREE RANGE or FREE ROAMING:
Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside.
What.the…allowed access to the outside!?!?! That sounds just like being home, home on the range.
This post is to get you to think.
THINK BEFORE YOU EAT.
Check ingredient labels. Eat Local. Eat seasonal. Eat smart.
These are the things I want you to think about when you feel like the paleo way of eating means you are missing something. What on earth is there to miss about anything like the words MECHANICALLY SEPARATED ? You are shaking things up, and how could you not like the result?
If you still miss the idea of paste-like meat, well then…well then. I will stop there.
Those of you participating in the Paleo Challenge, enjoy your weekend and get ready for your results! Can’t wait to blog you guys through the next 9 weeks! You are awesome sauce!
Until Next Time…
Mallory
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