Monday, December 20, 2010

A Meaty Dish Sure to Please any Carnivore


In light of Tricia's recent post on coconuts.... presenting.... a dish using COCONUT MILK! Sure to please Crossfitters/non-believers alike, and perfect for this cold weather!




Super Steph's Scrumptious Shoulder Roast:
Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 3-4 hours




Ingredients:
1-3 lbs. of shoulder pot roast (or just your favorite cut of cow)
10 whole garlic cloves
1 yellow onion, chopped/sliced
1 can of coconut milk (~16 oz.)
1 splash of red wine vinagarette (~ 2 tsps... more if you're feeling frisky)
1 tsp. of thyme
1 tsp. of rosemary
1 tsp. of parsley
Salt and pepper over the whole dish when it's all put together
Optional: carrots (I don't particularly like cooked carrots, but I know they're sort of a staple with pot roast)




Combine all ingredients into a pan, stove top. I like to put the onion, garlic, and seasoning directly on the meat and then pour the coconut milk over the entire dish. I like to refill the can of coconut milk about halfway and swish out the remaining contents for some added liquid. Cover and cook on medium heat for ~30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then reduce to "low" heat setting and keep covered for 1 hour. Flip the meat over and then simmer on low heat for another 1.5 hours or so. You can't go wrong on cook time with this-- the longer, the better! But it's good to go after 3 hours.




Serve with some greens (my favorite is a brocoli/cauliflower stir fry cooked with coconut oil, or asparagus drizzled with free-range butter) and enjoy! This is, obviously, an awesome recipe for the crock pot but I just use what I've got. Feel free to experiment and get creative-- you can't go wrong with any of your favorite spices on a big hunk of meat, but this is just the concoction that I've fine-tuned and like the best.

Monday, December 13, 2010

The Truth about Coconut

Who does not like coconut??? It is a great way to kill a sweet craving, can be a dairy replacement, is used to create so many delicious paleo dishes, and the shell is a natural cup!

Coconut does contain a high amount of saturated fat, however about half of it is lauric acid that does not raise cholesterol level, it actually strengthens your immune system. (there are so many yummy paleo recipes that include coconut)

Coconut products help normalize blood lipids and protect against damage to the liver by alcohol and other toxins, it can play a role in preventing kidney and gall bladder disease, and is associated with improved blood sugar and insulin control and therefore the prevention and management of diabetes. It also has antiviral, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Superficially, coconut oil helps strengthen mineral absorption, which is important for healthy teeth and bones, and also helps improve the condition and appearance of the scalp, hair and skin when ingested or topically applied.

Ethnic Sections of your local grocery offer the most authentic products at the cheapest prices. Don't be fooled into buying the "light" versions they are only watered down.

For more information on coconut products check out
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-wonderful-world-of-coconut-products/ and http://www.thecholesterolscoop.com/chlesterol-coconut.php .

Random Fact
Water inside a coconut is so sterile that it was sometimes used in place of glucose in I.V. solutions for wounded soldiers in World War II.








Amazing Coconut Ice-Cream Recipe (warning: do not over consume)



http://paleodietlifestyle.com/paleo-coconut-vanilla-ice-cream/


Enjoy!
Tricia