Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (10 page)

C
over your ears, Paleo people. I’m about to let you in on a deep, dark secret about
slow cookers
: when it first came to market in the early
1970
s, the beloved appliance that we routinely use to simmer savory, meaty stews was originally intended for cooking beans.

L
uckily, slow cookers have proved much more versatile. This cheap, no-frills countertop appliance offers an easy way for us to cook food at a low, steady temperature for hours. There’s no need to babysit the pot—just set it and forget about it. After working a long night shift, I like to chuck the components of a hearty stew into my slow cooker before conking out; eight hours later, I wake to the intoxicating aroma of a delicious, ready-made meal. My family gets a home-cooked supper, and I get to sleep in. Win-win.

B
est of all, the slow cooker’s low temperature and prolonged simmering helps to break down the collagen in meat; as a result, even tough cuts end up perfectly tenderized. But remember:

1. U
   nless you’re a fan of overcooked food, don’t use the “high” setting; it’s much too hot for low, slow cooking.
   
2. R
   esist the temptation to add more liquid to the pot than the recipe specifies. Your ingredients will release (and cook in) their own juices, and the slow cooker will trap all the liquid, so there shouldn’t be any need to add extra moisture to the dish. For example, my
   Slow Cooker Kalua Pig
   is prepared with no additional liquid at all. 
   

Okay—you’ve tossed out all your dried pasta and beans. Your vegetable oil’s been relegated to the trash bin of history, and that unopened tub of peanut butter’s in the garbage, next to all your boxes of crackers and sugary cereal. Now what?

Simple: fill your kitchen with the good stuff that’s going into your family’s bellies.

Your kitchen should be well-stocked with real, whole, nourishing grub: grass-fed and pastured meats, fresh vegetables and fruit, healthy cooking fats, seasonings, spices, and condiments.

Here are some key ingredients to help you get started:

Leafy Greens

Pick your favorite greens, and keep plenty of them on hand. Butter lettuce is great for wraps, spinach and kale are wonderful in salads, and cabbage is terrific in stews. Choose fresh, bright, in-season greens, and find ways to incorporate them into your main dishes or sides. Or if you’re super-lazy (like I can be), buy a few bags of pre-washed greens—it’s better than not eating your veggies.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, and other cruciferous vegetables (a.k.a. “brassicas”) are incredibly versatile: roast them in fat, stir-fry them, throw them in stews and braises, or steam and mash them.

Avocados

I always stock up on bags of avocados at our neighborhood warehouse store. Once they’re ripe, I put them in the fridge where they’ll keep for at least a week. Avocados are a great source of monounsaturated fats, and they’re just plain yummy. We keep them on hand to quickly make guacamole (see
here
) and to top lettuce-wrapped tacos or scrambled eggs.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms—both fresh and dried—are rich in glutamate, making them a first-rate flavor enhancer. Toss them in your savory dishes for a blast of umami. (By the way, you should always store fresh mushrooms in a paper bag in the refrigerator. No one likes slimy mushrooms.)

Asparagus

I know spring has sprung when I spy these perky green spears at the local farmer’s market. Asparagus is easy to prepare: lop off the woody ends, coat them with ghee, season with salt and pepper, and broil for a few minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, and you’ll have an instant side dish.

Nightshades

Nightshades like tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers add deep, rich flavors to cooked dishes, but they’re also high in alkaloids, which can cause problems for some folks. I’ve never felt any ill effects from eating these foods, so I incorporate them in many of my cooked dishes—but if you find that you’re particularly sensitive to alkaloids, avoid them.

Gourds + Squashes

No matter the season, squashes play a big role in my cooking. In the summertime, cucumbers and zucchini take center stage, and when it starts getting chilly, I turn to the warm, comforting flavors of butternut squash, pumpkins, and kabocha squash.

Roots + Tubers

Need to feed your glycogen-starved muscles after a hard workout? Forget the sports drinks; grab some root vegetables instead. I prefer sweet potatoes, but you can also go for taro, carrots, beets, turnips, or whatever your heart desires. Bake ’em or roast ’em or nuke ’em or boil ’em or steam ’em, and you’ll have a handy and tasty source of post-workout carbs. Frankly, I eat them even when I’m not exercising. They add sweetness and depth to all sorts of dishes, from braises and stews to purées and salads.

Ginger

Always keep fresh ginger root in your freezer. When you’re ready to use it, just break off a knob, peel off some skin, and slice it into coins or finely grate it.

Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs add brightness and flavor to your meals, so make sure you have plenty on hand. At the market, pick herbs with a clean, fresh aroma and vibrantly colored leaves. Better yet, grow your own herb garden. Make sure you always keep some fresh Italian parsley, cilantro, thyme, basil, and mint in your kitchen. I store my herbs wrapped in paper towels and sealed in an airtight bag. Kept this way, most herbs will last for up to a week in the fridge.

Alliums

The word “allium” is derived from the Greek for garlic, and refers to the family of aromatic vegetables at the heart of my favorite savory dishes. Onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives all belong to the allium family of plants, and I can’t imagine life without them.

Assorted Frozen Vegetables

Sometimes, you just need vegetables
stat
. That’s why I keep bags of broccoli, spinach, carrots, winter squash, and green beans (yes, green beans are Paleo-compliant) in my freezer. It’s easy to add them to stews, soups, and other dishes to round out my meals.

Fermented Vegetables

Containers of sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles are always in my refrigerator. I love the tangy crunch these condiments add to my dishes. Plus, these lacto-fermented vegetables help promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut.

Fresh Fruit + Berries

I don’t often eat fruit as a snack—I don’t crave the sugar, and there are plenty of other ways I can get my fill of fiber and phytonutrients. But that’s not to say that we don’t enjoy fruit. Fresh, organic strawberries and blueberries are wonderful in the summertime, as are apples in the fall. If you’re looking to shed body fat, I suggest limiting your fruit intake, but otherwise, ripe, seasonal fruits can add a bright note of sweetness to your diet.