Paleo Part 2 & Shad with Carrots and Peppers

In the words of Greg Glassman, CrossFit founder, ‘Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.” Or as stated in Mark Sisson’s words of MarksDailyApple.com rules for living, “1. Eat lots of meat, insects, and plants”. Even the theme of Michael Pollan’s book In Defense of Food, "Eat Food. Not too Much. Mostly Plant",. basically sums it up. Personally, I just eat food. Whole food. I mean food that looks like its ingredients. Like eating carrots (ingredients: carrots). Or grilled steak (ingredients: beef (or venison, bison, caribou, whatever works…)) Even almond butter (ingredients: almonds, processed until smooth). Simple. Delicious. Nutritious.

There is a pretty good reason we, as a human race, are here today. Our ancestors got the whole nutrition thing down. They did not have to question much what was going to be good for them; they really didn’t have the option. Survival of the race meant that humans had to be nourished from infancy to support reproduction, travel, and hunting/gathering. If it wasn’t nutritious, they would eventually die. No modern medicine, hospitals, doctors, etc. to run to.

Eventually our ancestors learned better hunting methods and the ability to cultivate crops. Travel became less necessary and extreme diversity in diet was less common. About 10,000 years ago grain crops became more common with their ease of growth and harvest and versatility of use. However, prior to this, our ancestors did not consume them. We started to force our bodies to digest a foreign substance. And thus starts the perils of the modern world.

So if you haven’t figured out by now, Paleo, or Primal (usually used interchangeably, however there are some minute differences, a discussion for later…), is a diet consisting of all foods that our earliest ancestors had access to. So no grains, legumes, dairy, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, or Red No.5, among other things. I will give you the benefit of the doubt to figure out that much of the American diet is “off-limits” to the Paleo diet style. I will also give you the benefit of the doubt that you know exactly what those things are: processed foods with added sugars, salt, and other unpronounceable preservatives and flavinoids.

Whole foods. Food that is in its natural state. Or minimally processed so that we can have access to it (i.e. olive oil, ground bison, coconut milk). Meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Now we are not crazy enough to say that you must eat these foods in their raw state or minimally prepared the way our ancestors would have been able to do. Letting your ingredients start in this state and is the point of this plan. Feed your body the foods it has been digesting for millions and millions of years and watch the ales of the modern human race melt away. Sound good to you?

Simple. Delicious. Nutritious. 

Shad with Carrots and Peppers
The Food
- 10-12oz Filet of shad
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Carrots
- 2 Peppers, red, orange, or yellow
- 2 tbs Sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 tbs Olive oil
- 1-2 tbs Tamari sauce

The Prep
Preheat the broiler
Season the shad on both sides with salt and pepper to taste
Toast the sesame seeds
- Put in skillet over medium heat until light brown and fragrant, shaking so they don't burn
Cut the carrots and peppers in 2" long strips

The Method
SHAD
Place on foil lined baking sheet
Broil until done, about 7 minutes, until fish flakes easily

CARROTS AND PEPPERS
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat
Add peppers and carrots
Saute for 3-4 minutes
Add tamari sauce and cook another 3-4 minutes
Add sesame seeds and toss

Serve shad with side of carrots and peppers
Meal serves two

Enjoy :)