Spring Rolls

This recipe can be a intimidating, but it is well worth the effort. Depending on the size of your family, this recipe may or may not be sufficient as a main dish. For just two people, this works as a main dish, especially if you have all the ingredients available for filling the spring rolls.

For a large family the spring rolls alone may not be enough. This particular dish will take an hour or more of your time to prepare, so if you are supplementing with a main dish then you might want to make sure the other dish can cook untended.

Also, the proportions in this recipe are not exact. I measure most of these by eye or by feel. As long as the relative quantities are not significantly different from each other (leading to a significantly unbalanced flavor), you are likely to get a great product.

Tools

• Several mixing bowls
• Cutting board
• Knives
• Large pan
• Spatula or soft tongs (metal tongs will tear your wraps)

Ingredients

• Salt or fish sauce (I prefer Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because fish sauce can easily overpower the dish)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (I just use a full, medium-sized lime)
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon honey (I don't measure this, I just drizzle it because it's easier to mix in)
• Grated carrot
• Thinly sliced lettuce/spring mix (approximately 1/4 - 1/2 inch wide)
• 1/2 cup sunflower/radish/broccoli spouts
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Thai basil leaves (I usually employ 3 to 4 leaves)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (I usually employ 6 to 12 leaves)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I generally just grab much more than this, about 1/5 - 1/4 of a store-bought batch)
• 1-2 cups yam/sweet potato/kelp/miracle noodles
• 8-16 spring roll wraps: ideally tapioca, or coconut, but rice may work
• 8-16 cooked shrimp (optional)
• 8-16 large cucumber slices (optional)
• 1-2 large avocados sliced, and cut into roughly equal-sized pieces (or shrimp-sized if you prefer, also optional)

Directions

If the shrimp is cooked but frozen then you should let it thaw; usually packages will have instructions on them.

If your shrimp is raw, you should cook it now. I recommend my sous vide shrimp recipe with an adjustment of omitting salt.

Filling

1. In a small bowl, mix the salt/fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and honey
2. In another much larger bowl (e.g. 4-quart)  mix the grated carrot, lettuce/spring mix, sprouts, Thai basil, mint, and cilantro
3. Pour the sauce from step 1 on top of the mix from step 2 and toss to thoroughly combine
4. Prepare the yam noodles according to their instructions

Assembling

I assume that the wraps are stiff sheets which you need to soften before you can create each spring roll

1. Fill a pan with 1-2 inches of water
2. Heat that water just enough to get bubbles on the bottom of the pan, but not boiling
1. Keep the pan at this temperature
3. Submerge a single stiff wrap in the water for 10-15 seconds
1. The wrap should be soft and pliable
4. Remove the wrap using the spatula or tongs
5. Spread out the wrap on a flat surface like a plate or cutting board
6. Place a small pile of the greens in the center of the wrap
7. Add a similarly-sized small pile of noodles to the center of the wrap
8. Add 1-2 shrimp (depending on size and preference)
9. Add a cucumber slice
10. Add some avocado (according to your taste preferences)
11. Fold the wrap around the filling like a burrito
1. You might need to rinse and dry your hands to do this
2. Pull from the far side toward yourself
3. Fold the right-hand side toward the left
4. Fold the left-hand side toward the right
5. Finish up by folding the near side over, away from yourself
12. Place the finished wrap to the side, possibly on a serving plate
13. Repeat steps 3 through 12 until your ingredients are consumed (You'll probably have leftovers of something)

Notes

I modified this recipe from a similar one in "The Paleo Approach Cookbook: A Detailed Guide to Heal Your Body and Nourish Your Soul". I've made some adjustments as I tried to make this recipe work. Below are some of the things I learned along the way.

Drizzle/Dipping Sauce

The sauce used for the filling works well as a dipping sauce. You can create another batch of that sauce and just dip in it.

Thai basil

You might not find Thai basil leaves in your store. Although they add good flavor, they are not essential. You might settle for regular basil or no substitute. It's up to you. With such a rich variety of leafy greens going into these spring rolls, omitting Thai basil will still get you a tasty dish.

Sprouts

You'll notice that I gave several options for sprouts: sunflower, beet, and broccoli. The original recipe calls for either sunflower or beet sprouts, which I suspect were chosen because they were both available to the author and compatible with the Paleo AIP diet.

I have been able to find mung bean spouts anywhere, so I suspect you can too. But I am not sure mung bean sprouts are compatible with my diet. Likewise, I'm not sure that sunflower sprouts are compatible. However, I suspect that the pro-inflammatory molecules (which are why I avoid seeds of all kinds) are only in the outer layer of the sunflower seed--the seed coat and not the husk which people typically spit out. Consequently, mung bean sprouts are probably okay because they would have also shed their seed coat.

However, to be on the safe side, I still avoid mung bean sprouts. Consequently, the only other sprouts I found in my local grocery store are beet sprouts. While out visiting family I could only find broccoli sprouts. I hope you find find something reasonable at your local grocer.

One thing to note about beet sprouts is that they have the same kind of kick that regular beets do. If you use beet sprouts then you may want to use fewer sprouts than requested. For example, when making a batch of spring rolls I only use half a batch of beet sprouts (A full batch has a 3-inch by 3-inch base, so I use a 1.5-inch by 3-inch cut).

Wraps

The original recipe calls for coconut wraps. I scoured my local grocer and several specialty stores in my area and could not find those coconut wraps.

Rather than give up on this recipe I started looking for alternatives. There are a lot of different kinds of wraps out there, most of which are not compatible with the Paleo AIP recipe. For example, there are many which have gluten in them, while many others use rice (which I avoid because it is a grain).

Finally, I found tapioca wraps which do not have any other forbidden ingredients. Although starchy, if eaten in moderation they are fine so they work nicely for me.

If you do not want tapioca wraps, and you are fine with some other wrapper, go right ahead! I had to experiment to make this recipe work for me, and I'm sure you can adapt it for your own needs as well.

Also, it might be tempting to prepare a dozen or so wrappers all at once and then fill them. I find that this results in an unusable ball of tacky tapioca starch. Assembling wraps was easier for me when I softened one wrapper, filled it, and sealed it up before starting another spring roll.

Noodles

You'll also notice I gave several options for noodles: yam, sweet potato, kelp, and miracle. The original recipe called for kelp noodles but I couldn't find them anywhere. I did find something called miracle noodles which work well. I also found similarly-packaged but easier-to-use yam noodles.

However, you might not be able to find either of those noodle types in your area. I couldn't find them while visiting family so I then picked up sweet potato noodles which also worked well.

Drying your hands

After piling fillings in the middle of each spring roll wrap you may find that your fingers are a bit slimy and so your wrap will not hold itself in place as you make the spring roll burrito. That is why I suggest quickly rinsing and drying your hands before closing up the spring roll so that you can maximize adhesion of the wrapper to itself. But you should see whether or not that effort is necessary.

Sous Vide Shrimp

Shrimp is notoriously difficult to cook; cooking shrimp in a wok, in a pan, or on the grill takes a strong sense of timing to get it right. Not enough time and the shrimp will end up under-cooked and could make you sick. Too much time and the shrimp will end up overcooked and rubbery. Getting perfect shrimp at a restaurant is hit-or-miss, and in my experience it typically misses on the side of overcooked.

With this recipe you can get perfect shrimp time after time. Your first attempt might be just barely under-cooked so you should add a minute. If you remember that adjustment then you should have a precise recipe for fantastic shrimp.

Note: for convenience, the temperatures in this recipe are already set 2 degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius) above the desired internal temperature of the shrimp.

Tools

• Sous vide cooker: this is essential, my cooker looks like a crock pot, but any kind will work
• Zip-top bags: name-brand will be better; off-brand may leak which results in lost flavor

Ingredients

• Uncooked shrimp: thawed or frozen
• Garlic Salt
• Mild-flavored oil or melted butter: I use a refined coconut oil which is liquid at room temperature

Directions

1. Start heating the sous vide to 142 degrees Fahrenheit (61 degrees Celsius)
2. Place shrimp in a single layer in a zip-top bag
3. Add some of the mild-flavored oil or butter to the bag
4. Add garlic salt to taste
5. Drive out the air from the shrimp-and-oil-filled zip-top bag by submerging all but the zipper in warm water 
1. The oil/butter is there to fill in the gaps instead of leaving bubbles next to the shrimp
2. Warm water should help keep the butter melted because it will congeal against cold or frozen shrimp
3. It's important to get as much air out of the bag as possible (see "Notes" below)
6. Seal the zip-top bag
7. Submerge the sealed bag in the sous vide
8. Once the sous vide is up to temperature, set a timer for 8 minutes (12 minutes if the shrimp is frozen)
9. When the timer is finished, remove the zip-top bag from the cooker
10. Enjoy!

Notes

Getting air out of the bag

Shrimp has a lot of crevices and it can be difficult to get all the bubbles out. Not only can bubbles prevent sections of the shrimp from cooking thoroughly, but bubbles can make the bag float which will cause the shrimp too cook from one side instead of two. Cooking on one side will make it take longer to cook the shrimp, and if only part of the bag is floating then you will likely end up with inconsistently-cooked shrimp.

To prevent bubbles I would recommend using more oil/butter than you might be comfortable with. You should use quite a bit more oil/butter than the minimum amount necessary to coat the shrimp. When filled, the zip-top bag should not be thicker than the shrimp; You should not need to use more oil/butter than what would make the bag that thickness. I personally use about 2/3 of the oil needed to get to an even thickness.

Sometimes I will use a spoon to weight the bag down, but you should only do this if water can still circulate around the bag (e.g. there is a rack under the bag).

Barely Cooked Shrimp

I like my shrimp to be just tender, but you might have a preference for barely-cooked shrimp. If you want that, then set your sous vide to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) and cook the shrimp however long it takes to get the center of the shrimp to 118 degrees Fahrenheit (48 degrees Celsius). You'll need a meat thermometer to measure this.

Firm shrimp

On the other hand, if you want firm shrimp, then set your sous vide to 178 degrees Fahrenheit (81 degrees Celsius) and cook it for 4-5 minutes (6-8 minutes if frozen).

Pineapple Limeade Smoothie

Pineapple loves this smoothie recipe. So does her mother and sister. I like it but I don't love it. Whether or not you like it is entirely up to your own tastes.

Ingredients

• Lime juice from 1 to 2 medium-to-small-sized limes (or 1 large lime), depending on desired tartness level
• 2 Pineapple Spears (cutting instructions below)
• Optional: 1/4 pineapple core
• 1/2 fully ripe avocado
• Approximately 3 to 8 heaping tablespoons cane sugar, depending on desired sweetness level
• Ice
• Water
• Optional: desired amount of unflavored protein/collagen powder
• Optional: Spinach

Directions

1. Add the cane sugar to the blender. I typically pour until the pile of sugar covers the top of the central post that holds the blade in the Blendtec. You can adjust this to your own preferred sweetness level.
2. Add the avocado, lime juice, and pineapple.
3. Add/Prepare the protein/collagen powder
1. If using a brand of protein/collagen powder that doesn't clump in cold water, add the protein/collagen powder to the mixture in the blender. (I prefer to use 2 or 3 scoops from this brand.)
2. If using a brand of protein/collagen powder that does clump in water, mix the protein/collagen powder with about 16 oz. of (preferably cool or cold) water following the directions on the container and set the mixture aside. (I use 2 or 3 scoops from this powder.)
4. Add about 500-750 milliliters of ice. (I add until the fluid level reaches the top of the Blendtec logo.) Add less ice if you want more potent flavor.
5. Add a handful or two of spinach, if you want.
6. Add water (or the mixture from step 3.2) until the fluid level is about an inch above the 1-liter mark.
7. Set aside an additional glass/cup with cold water.
8. Blend until smooth. (The Blendtec has a "smoothie" button for this.)
1. Warning: If the blender starts to struggle or spin freely--meaning the blender is running but the smoothie mixture is not moving or is sluggish--immediately start adding water from step 6 until the smoothie mixture starts to flow again.
9. Pour, serve, and enjoy!

Additional Notes

Cutting Pineapple

When getting pineapple, you should consider how big the pineapple is, how green it is, and whether or not it is canned. A canned pineapple will have a "tinny" flavor, and it seems to aggravate my immune system.

The greener the pineapple is the better. If the husk of the pineapple is yellow or orange then it may have started ferment or possibly rot. If the coloring of the pineapple stays in the yellow and orange range you are fine; it will likely add significant sweetness to the smoothie at this point. However, portions of the flesh start turning gray then the pineapple is rotting and should be thrown out; the flavor will not be good. For example, in the photo in step 4 below, notice the coloring of the flesh-side of the skin; this pineapple is bad and I threw it out the next day.

After purchasing a pineapple I try and carve it soon thereafter. I employ the following process so that I can minimize the work needed while still refrigerating the pineapple.

1. I cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple and throw those pieces away.
   
2. Looking at the top downward, I quarter the pineapple.
   
3. I slice out the core from each quarter and put it in a separate container. The core adds some fiber but sometimes it doesn't blend perfectly.
   
4. I take each quarter and slice it lengthwise into 3 spears or wedges
   
5. I carve off the husk/skin and throw the husk/skin away
6. Depending on the size of the pineapple I slice the spears in half so they will fit into a storage container.
   
7. Put the storage containers in the fridge to slow the ripening process.

When I prepare the smoothie I just grab 2 spears (or 4 chunks if I followed step 6) and toss them in the blender.

Blender

I use a Blendtec blender, but a similar professional blender like a Vitamix will work. 

Lime Juice

When preparing the lime juice, I try to use the lime pulp as well. I slice the limes off-center 3 times so that I get 4 chunks of limes that I squeeze by hand directly into the blender.

Washing Hands

Before I work with food I wash my hands with soap and dry them using a paper towel. Any time I do something which might contaminate my hands--such as interacting with non-food-related items--I rewash my hands. I use paper towels because they are inexpensive and more sanitary than hand towels.

Ice and Water

The ideal ice-to-water ratio will result in a smoothie which has the consistency of yogurt or soft-serve ice cream. If you find the smoothie is too watery then either add more ice next time or cut back on the water added. When there is not enough water then the blender will start to spin freely as mentioned in step 7.1.

Avocado

The ripeness of the avocado matters. If the avocado is not ripe, then the smoothie will be clumpy, will start to separate, and the flavor will be unsatisfying. If the avocado is ripe, then the smoothie will be satisfyingly creamy and will stay uniform for a long time--at least a half-hour.

I've attempted to use avocado oil in place of the avocado, but that particular smoothie doesn't have the right texture and starts to separate immediately. I've also tried to substitute coconut oil, but that also separates immediately and tends to be clumpy.

Spinach

The spinach is mostly for color, fiber, and nutrients. If you add a lot of spinach the smoothie will start to taste like grass, but a little spinach will improve the nutrition of the smoothie without altering the flavor much.

Bakin' Bacon

Do you want perfect bacon every time you cook it? I love this recipe because it requires minimal work and results in a high degree of success. Instead of having to constantly watch the bacon you can "set it and forget it" and end up with perfect bacon.

For my particular oven, I cook my Costco bacon (low sodium) in 2 batches for 17 minutes apiece. But what works for you will probably be different, so be prepared to experiment. However, once you know the right duration you will be able to create perfect bacon any time you want it. Yum!

I started baking bacon this way long before I started my diet. I adapted this recipe from Justin Warner's, "The Laws of Cooking: And How to Break Them".

Requirements

• Bacon
• Cookie sheet
• Silicone baking sheet or parchment paper (preferred for easy cleanup)
• Baking rack (optional)
• Plate
• Paper towels

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (350 or 300 for thick-cut bacon)
2. While the oven is warming, line the cookie sheet with the baking sheet or parchment paper 
3. If you have one, place the baking rack on top of the sheet/paper
4. Lay the bacon in a single layer on the sheet/paper/rack
1. You might cut the bacon in half
5. Bake the bacon for your perfect duration
1. While baking, line a plate with 2 layers of paper towels in preparation for later
6. Remove the bacon from the oven
7. Transfer the bacon from the cookie sheet to the paper towels
8. Enjoy!

If you need to cook another batch of bacon then:

1. Drain the liquid fat from the cookie sheet
1. If you use the baking rack, you do not need to drain anything
2. Repeat steps 3 through 7

Finding the Perfect Duration

To find the perfect duration for your particular oven and bacon,

1. First bake for 15 minutes
2. If the bacon isn't at the consistency you want, bake for 5 minutes and check again
3. Continue to check on the bacon every 5 minutes until it is perfect
4. Remember the total time it took to bake the bacon
5. Next time (or in your second batch) repeat this timing check, but at 1-minute intervals around the duration you found for step 4.
6. This final timing is your perfect duration

Notes

Preheating

It's important to let your oven finish preheating before putting the bacon in the oven. If you put the bacon in early then it will take longer for the oven to get to the desired temperature which means it takes longer to get to perfect bacon. In addition, if you make multiple batches then you will have a longer duration for the first batch than the second batch which means you need to remember 2 separate times and you have to remember which time goes with which situation.

Just learn a single perfect duration and make your life easier.

Thick Bacon

If the bacon is too thick you will find that it either blackens before thoroughly cooking, or that it doesn't seem to cook properly. In situations like this I recommend reducing the temperature (to 350 or 300, depending on what works for you). A lower temperature will mean it takes longer to cook, but the bacon will heat all the way through instead of just cooking the outside.

Single Layer

If you try and squeeze the entire pack of bacon onto the cookie sheet you will probably find that there is not enough space to fit the bacon into a single layer. You will also find that cramming the bacon will mean a longer cooking duration and inconsistent results--some of the bacon will cook quickly while other parts will stay uncooked for a long time.

For greater consistency and absolute bacon-y perfection, you should make sure the bacon is in a single layer and that there is some space between each strip. It might take more batches to cook all of the bacon but the results will be better.

Salt Levels

Following this recipe tends to concentrate the salt within the bacon. If you do not like that level of salt then I recommend using a low-sodium bacon.

Some bacon has inconsistent salt levels from batch to batch. You might get a bad batch which has little to no salt--in which case be prepared to salt the bacon after cooking.

Conventional Pork

I recommend employing pasture-raised pork, but finding such bacon can be difficult. So far, the closest I've found is bacon from pigs which are "allowed to root" meaning they live in pens with deep mulch that they can poke their noses into. Allowing a pig to root tells me nothing about the kind of food it ate (and thus the health of the pig). I have tried a few different brands of allowed-to-root bacon, but unfortunately I have not noticed the same big difference in flavor that I noticed with grass-finished beef. 

Consequently I still use conventional bacon I procure at Costco; it's inexpensive and tastes like bacon. The one big down-side for me is that an hour after eating I feel hungry again. I suspect this hunger is because the bacon is not as nutritious as my body would like.

If I can find a better brand of bacon I will let you know.

Fat is Good; Sugar is Evil

An extremely common modern misconception about food is that eating fat makes us fat. But the truth is: fat makes us thin, and sugar makes us fat. (There is a TL;DR at the end)

Dietary Recommendation History

The idea that fat is bad for us started after U.S. President Eisenhower suffered a heart attack and our nation was looking for an explanation for why he had the heart attack and how to avoid heart attacks.

Scientists quickly pointed out that such heart attacks were/are caused by a buildup of cholesterol within veins. However, no one knew for sure how the cholesterol built up within veins. Two theories were put forward. The first is that consuming a lot of sugar results in cholesterol buildup. The second theory was that consuming fat results in cholesterol buildup.

Scientists settled on the second theory and our society has been transforming itself accordingly ever since. It's an easy-to-understand theory and matches how we intuitively think our bodies work; eat fat and it instantly becomes a part of our bodies, permeating us through and through.

Because of our cultural expectation to reduce our fat intake and companies have been stripping fat out of foods to make them low-fat or non-fat. Removing fat often sacrifices flavor and because flavor predicts nutrients, stripping out fat means stripping out nutrients.

To compensate for the reduced flavor and to keep food appealing, companies often add sweeteners to their products, primarily sugar. That sugar might take the form of apple juice, grape juice, orange juice, or some other healthy-sounding ingredient, but it is sugar nonetheless.

Sugar is the true cause of cholesterol buildup, so substituting sugar for fat unwittingly compounds our national obesity problems.

Digestive Defenses

Our intestines are like our skin. The digestive tract is designed to keep unwanted or unneeded things out of our body. And by "body", in this case, I mean bloodstream. Once something enters the bloodstream it can travel anywhere in the body quickly and can start causing problems almost immediately. Having a strong protective barrier reduces the chances of something getting through.

Mostly this protection results in keeping bacteria out. The acid in our stomachs kills most bacteria which come along with food. To catch the bacteria which might survive the stomach, the intestines have a tight link with the immune system.

This protection also applies to keeping molecules which we cannot use outside of our bodies. Sometimes the intestines will neutralize molecules, sometimes it will transform molecules, and sometimes it will purge molecules (including violently).

On the flip side, the body needs nutrients in order to function. While the digestive tract is keeping bad molecules and bacteria out, it will allow good molecules into the body and will allow good bacteria to continue to live in the gut. Good bacteria will either transform larger or bad molecules into useful molecules, or will neutralize or absorb such molecules.

The intestines are lined with a tight-nit collection of cells which are the primary barrier protecting our bodies. Those cells will absorb molecules from within the intestines, transform the molecules if needed, and pass those transformed molecules through to the other side of the cell and into the bloodstream. When needed, those intestinal lining cells accelerate molecule absorption by loosening their barrier.

The body generates certain molecules which signal the intestinal lining to loosen. Normally those trigger molecules come from via the bloodstream. However, those trigger molecule can also come from external sources. External triggers can be good such as when we consume an NSAID-based pain killer. But external triggers can be bad when the trigger molecules enter our body unintentionally. For example, gluten is such a trigger for people who are either sensitive to gluten or have celiac disease; regular consumption of gluten causes a continual flood of unwanted molecules and bacteria which the body must continually fight. For people with an auto-immune disease, it appears that they are frequently (if not always) sensitive to gluten (although more formal scientific studies need to be performed).

But I digress. The real point is that the intestines are a barrier against unwanted bacteria and molecules and under normal conditions it has a significant amount of control over what molecules are allowed into the bloodstream. Some molecules which it doesn't have control over are those which trigger the intestines to loosen up.

Why Sugar Makes Us Fat

Most foods gathered in nature contain some sugar, and the levels of sugar are manageable by our bodies. We often consume food because we need energy, but it takes different amounts of time to extract the energy we need depending on the source of that energy: sugars, complex carbohydrates, fats, or proteins. Sugars are immediately usable but supply energy for about 20 minutes. Complex carbohydrates produce energy for about 2 hours after consuming them. Fats take about 2 hours to start getting energy from them and they can produce energy for roughly the next 2 hours. Finally, proteins take about 4 hours of processing before the body gets energy from them and they also supply energy for about the next two hours.

Our body absorbs sugar immediately because the body often needs some short-term energy. The energy supplied by an unprocessed food will be enough for the body before it starts getting energy from the consumed carbohydrates.

In modern times, however, humans can extract sugar, concentrate it, and add it to foods. That processing allows food to taste better but also supplies far more sugar than the body needs before the carbohydrates kick in. One of the signs of this oversupply is the so-called "sugar high" we might get, and the following "sugar crash" 30 minutes later.

So why do we get that high and the following crash? Let's look at how the body processes sugar.

Sugar is a molecule which the body readily absorbs into the bloodstream. Common table sugar (sucrose) is made up of 2 separate sugars in equal proportions: glucose and fructose. There are a lot of other sugars, but these are the two I will focus on here because they are the most common both naturally and within the standard American diet.

When we ingest sucrose our body immediately splits it into glucose and fructose. Then several separate proteins in the intestinal lining transport those molecules into the bloodstream.

The absorbed glucose is either consumed by other cells in our body or is transported via insulin into long-term fat storage. If our body detects too much glucose in the bloodstream then it will pump out a lot more insulin to push that glucose into fat cells.

Fructose, is typically absorbed by the liver and it must go through many long chemical processes to be converted into a more-usable structures.

But in short, it looks like glucose must be consumed immediately or driven into cells for later use while fructose sticks around attaching itself to other molecules.

The exact details of how sugar causes obesity are contested in the scientific community. Some studies of fructose have shown a correlation while others have shown no correlation, although the sources of the negative studies are somewhat suspect because they are funded by companies which are heavily invested in sugar as an ingedient.

By the way, carbohydrates (simple and complex, and especially starches) are really chains of sugars (this is a gross simplification, so pay attention to the general ideas here). Our bodies cannot immediately absorb these molecules so our bodies rely on bacteria in its gut to breakdown the carbohydrates into their component sugars. Then those sugars are absorbed into the body. Consequently, lots of carbohydrates will yield lots of sugars...just not as quickly as raw sugar.

Why Fat Makes Us Thin

Fat helps us get thin for a couple of reasons. Most importantly, fat is needed for us to feel satiated. Secondly, fat doesn't immediately cross the intestinal barrier into the bloodstream; the body can choose when to absorb it.

Satiety comes because our bodies feel like they have enough nutrients. Our body needs fats/oils so that cells can manufacture essential molecules (e.g. neurotransmitters). In addition, as mentioned earlier, fat allows our body to have longer-term energy. Because fat is a precursor to essential molecules and it can be used for energy, having enough fat in our food helps our body feel nutritionally satisfied.

When our body is nutritionally satisfied then it feels like its nutritional environment is safe, at which point it can start eliminating its fat reserves.

Bad Fats

Although fat can help us get thin, the kind of fat we consume is an important factor. Fats can also be bad when we consume them in the wrong proportions. There are several different fat categories: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated.

Saturated fats have a longer shelf-life than the other categories of oil. They also tent to be solid at room temperature. Saturated fats are not necessarily bad, but should be consumed in moderate quantities.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are considered unsaturated because there is room on the molecular chain to accept more hydrogen atoms. A single "kink" in the chain makes it monounsaturated. More than one "kink" makes it polyunsaturated.

Unsaturated fats have a shorter shelf life, are found more abundantly in nature, and are more usable by our bodies. Within the unsaturated fat category there are various sub-categories depending on where the "kink" is in the chain. In particular, the omega-3 and omega-6 variants are the most useful to our bodies because our natural cellular processes easily convert those two variants into other molecules.

We need omega-3 and omega-6 fats, but in a proportion of 1:1 or 1:2 whereas most Americans get a proportion of 1:10; an extreme disproportion. In particular, although omega-6 fats are necessary, they activate inflammatory pathways within our bodies, which is why their proportion should be kept low.

To get the right fat ratios, the recommendation is to get those fats from more natural sources (eat that fat from your steak!). In particular you should eat lots more fish; although you should avoid tilapia. Personally, since I learned how to cook salmon sous vide I get plenty of fish in my diet.

References

These points about fat and sugar have been reiterated to me from several places. The following books are great references for learning more:

• The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body (most helpful)
• The Calorie Myth: How to Eat More, Exercise Less, Lose Weight, and Live Better
• The End of Dieting: How to Live for Life
• Eat Fat, Get Thin: Why the Fat We Eat Is the Key to Sustained Weight Loss and Vibrant Health

I have not read the "Eat Fat, Get Thin" book, but based on the book's summary it appears to align with my understanding here.

A good movie which explains how sugar is processed by our body and causes weight gain is That Sugar Film.

TL;DR

The reason that fat makes us thin is that our body has control over how much it absorbs; It can control when to convert the fat into more useful molecules as well as when to break the fat down into fuel. On the other hand, sugar makes us fat because the body has trouble controlling how much sugar it absorbs; it will absorb sugars into the bloodstream pretty easily and must either burn it immediately or push the sugars into our fat cells for storage.

Cauliflower Mash

I follow the Paleo AIP diet, but I miss mashed potatoes. Below is a recipe for a sweet potato cauliflower mash which helps me get most of the mashed potatoes experience.

Pineapple, on the other hand, doesn't need to follow the Paleo AIP diet and she prefers the true texture of mashed potatoes which the sweet potato cauliflower mash can't match. Consequently, over several iterations, we built these two recipes together to meet the tastes and needs of our household. The first recipe is Paleo AIP friendly while the second is not.

I prepare both of these together, but with adjusted proportions; across both recipes I use the amount of sweet potatoes and cauliflower that each recipe calls for alone. In other words I use 3 sweet potatoes and 1 bag of cauliflower divided evenly across both batches and then half as much coconut oil and butter. To reduce cross-contamination I cook the medley potatoes in a separate pot--also prepared with water containing 3 pinches of salt. I also first prepare the sweet potato cauliflower mash using the counter-top mixer so that I do not need to clean the mixer before starting the medley-potato containing recipe.

Both of these recipes call for sweet potatoes (a.k.a. yams). There are several different kinds of sweet potatoes available, but what you can purchase varies by store. Typical sweet potatoes are orange but there are varieties which are yellow and others which are white. If you want the prepared food to look more like mashed potatoes then you should purchase Golden Sweet Potatoes which have a white flesh.

When mixing the final mash it is helpful to use a counter-top mixer but you can mix them with a fork, potato masher, or other tools.

Sweet Potato+Cauliflower Mash

Ingredients

• Water
• 3 medium-sized sweet potatoes
• 1 large head of cauliflower or 1-2 bags of cauliflower
• Salt
• Coconut Oil (solid at room temperature)

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with water
2. Add three large pinches of salt
3. Bring the water to a boil
4. While the water is heating
1. Peel the sweet potatoes
2. Slice them into 1-inch thick chunks
3. If you bought a head of cauliflower, chop it into smaller florets and chop the main stem into 1-inch thick chunks
5. When the water is at a boil
1. Add the chopped sweet potatoes
2. Add the cauliflower
6. Wait until the water reaches a boil again
7. Reduce the temperature to low
1. The water should have a slight boil from now on; If it isn't still bubbling then the vegetables will not soften much
8. Set a timer for 30 minutes
9. After the timer finishes, turn off the heat
10. Drain the water
1. I personally use a pasta spoon to scoop the cooked veggies out of the pot and I use a strainer to let them drain
11. Place the cooked veggies in the counter-top mixer (or some other large container for mixing in your chosen way)
12. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of coconut oil (2-3 heaping tablespoons full)
13. Mix
14. Serve
15. Salt to taste

Sweet Potato+Potato+Cauliflower Mash

Ingredients

• Water
• 3 medium-sized sweet potatoes
• 1 large head of cauliflower or 1-2 bags of cauliflower
• Small medley potatoes
• Salt
• 1-2 sticks Butter (depending on desired taste)
• Sour Cream

Instructions

1. Follow steps 1-11 above
2. At step 5 add roughly the same volume of potatoes as sweet potatoes
1. When I prepare my half-batches, I use a separate, smaller pot and I add just enough potatoes to cover the pot's bottom
3. After/while adding the veggies to the mixer, add the butter
4. Add a few heaping tablespoons of sour cream
1. I add 1-2 heaping tablespoons for a half-batch
5. Mix
6. Serve
7. Salt to taste

Comments

So that ingredients stay within the counter-top mixer while mixing, you may want to cover the mixing bowl after filling it. My in-laws have an attachment which covers the mixing bowl. I, on the other hand, just use 3 pieces of cellophane wrap to cover the bowl.

By the way, I simplified this recipe from a similar one in "The Paleo Approach Cookbook: A Detailed Guide to Heal Your Body and Nourish Your Soul".

Strawberry Limeade Smoothie

Here is another delicious smoothie creation. While on a family vacation, I was bored with their standard smoothie options, so I started requesting that the waiter bring experimental fruit combinations. One of my requests was for a strawberry limeade smoothie, and I loved it. The rest of the family members there ordered the same combination and continued to reorder it for the duration of our trip. Instant success!

Although I love my vanilla lemonade smoothie, I often want other smoothies as well. So, together with Pineapple's discerning tongue, I created the following strawberry limeade smoothie.

Ingredients

• Lime juice from 1 to 2 limes, depending on desired tartness level
• 15 average-sized strawberries
• 1/2 fully ripe avocado
• Approximately 3 to 8 heaping tablespoons cane sugar, depending on desired sweetness level
• Ice
• Water
• Desired amount of unflavored protein/collagen powder (optional)

Directions

1. Add the cane sugar to the blender. I typically pour until the pile of sugar covers the top of the central post that holds the blade in the Blendtec. You can adjust this to your own preferred sweetness level.
2. Add the avocado, lime juice, and strawberries.
3. Add/Prepare the protein/collagen powder
1. If using a brand of protein/collagen powder that doesn't clump in cold water, add the protein/collagen powder to the mixture in the blender. (I use 2 scoops from this brand.)
2. If using a brand of protein/collagen powder that does clump in water, mix the protein/collagen powder with about 16 oz. of (preferably cool or cold) water following the directions on the container and set the mixture aside. (I use 2 scoops from this powder.)
4. Add about a 750 milliliters of ice. (I add until the fluid level reaches the top of the Blendtec logo.)
5. Add water (or the mixture from step 3.2) until the fluid level is about an inch above the 1-liter mark.
6. Set aside an additional glass/cup with cold water.
7. Blend until smooth. (The Blendtec has a "smoothie" button for this.)
1. Warning: If the blender starts to struggle or spin freely--meaning the blender is running but the smoothie mixture is not moving or is sluggish--immediately start adding water from step 6 until the smoothie mixture starts to flow again.
8. Pour, serve, and enjoy!

Additional Notes

Blender

I use a Blendtec blender, but a similar professional blender like a Vitamix will work. 

Lime Juice

When preparing the lime juice, I try to use the lime pulp as well. I slice the limes off-center 3 times so that I get 4 chunks of limes that I squeeze by hand directly into the blender.

Washing Hands

Before I work with food I wash my hands with soap and dry them using a paper towel. Any time I do something which might contaminate my hands--such as interacting with non-food-related items--I rewash my hands. I use paper towels because they are inexpensive and more sanitary than hand towels.

Ice and Water

The ideal ice-to-water ratio will result in a smoothie which has the consistency of yogurt or soft-serve ice cream. If you find the smoothie is too watery then either add more ice next time or cut back on the water added. When there is not enough water then the blender will start to spin freely as mentioned in step 7.1.

Avocado

The ripeness of the avocado matters. If the avocado is not ripe, then the smoothie will be clumpy, will start to separate, and the flavor will be unsatisfying. If the avocado is ripe, then the smoothie will be satisfyingly creamy and will stay uniform for a long time--at least a half-hour.

I've attempted to use avocado oil in place of the avocado, but that particular smoothie doesn't have the right texture and starts to separate immediately. I've also tried to substitute coconut oil, but that also separates immediately and tends to be clumpy.