Eat Like A Caveman! Eating Healthy Foods!!

Caveman Foods Are Healthy!!

In prehistoric times, humans could eat well during warm months, store excess calories as fat, and thus survive during colder months. They cooked food over coals (grit/ash in food) and used salt/fat to preserve food for cold months.  There was no concern with whether they were eating high fat or high salt consumption. Cavemen (and women) had no concern at all as to whether their  foods were healthy.

Food, cooking tools and cooking techniques have evolved since the days of the healthy caveman’s diet. Now food is tastier and more readily available.  In the 21st century, food is entertainment and the fact that it is no longer healthy is secondary.

No Concerns Over Healthy Food Facts

Culinary arts really started to develop in the late 1800s and early 1900s,  when the emphasis on preparing food to appreciate taste became the “in” thing to do. At that time, like in the days of the cave people, there was no concern over whether the food was healthy or not.  Escoffier (founding father of modern culinary techniques) and the chefs on the Titanic did not study the nutritional facts of the foods they were serving.   The Titanic food service, the French cuisine that Escoffier is famous for, and other culinary examples were the beginning of the culinary entertainment industry. It is only in the past one hundred or so years that new techniques in preparation & presentation have been used to entertain and to impress friends and dinner guests.

Scientists began to study the effects of food on the body in the 20th century.  Now more than ever the “entertainment” facet of food is beginning to affect our health!

Simple Healthy Fruit & Nut Coleslaw Recipe

The following recipe is a simple, healthy good-for-you coleslaw recipe that uses ingredients that are closer to what the cave people used.

Low Fat Coleslaw

6 cup shredded cabbage
1 carrot-peeled and shredded
¼ cup slivered red onion

½ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup orange concentrate
¼ cup water
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. sea salt

½ cup toasted pecans
1 quart strawberries

1. Combine first 3 ingredients.
2. Combine next 4 ingredients.
3. Allow to sit overnight or several hours.
4. Before service: toss with chicken, grapes and bleu cheese and serve over lettuce cups.

Best Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes

Chesapeake Bay Crabs

The Chesapeake Bay blue crab is struggling.  News reports say that catches are reduced.  At a time when Maryland crabs are struggling we should all cut back on Chesapeake Bay crab consumption.  This recipe will satisfy your desire for crab cakes and not even use one crab!

Cooking The Best Crab Cakes

These are the best Chesapeake Bay crab cakes and they do not even have any real crab in them. Imitation crab is made from fish scraps and chemicals so we are using our own homemade imitation crab.  We call it “imitation” imitation crab. Try this low fat good-for-you crab cake recipe made with “imitation” imitation crab and you will agree that it is the best crab cake you have ever eaten.

Save The Chesapeake Bay Crab

Over-harvesting is a major factor affecting the crab population and so is loss of habitat.  The Bay has too many nutrients from pollution, fertilizers and other run-off entering the bay via the rivers that flow into it.  These extra nutrient are causing algae to grow out of control and consume too much oxygen. The bay is running out of oxygen and the crabs are suffering!

If you live “upstream” from the Chesapeake Bay you can help solve this problem. Here are a few things that will help the Chesapeake Bay and hopefully save the crabs.

• Pick a grass seed that is appropriate for your climate and soil
• Keep your lawn mower tuned up
• Use an electric lawn mower
• Fertilize with composted yard waste
• Reduce your lawn by adding native ground covers and plants. Reduce exotics.
• Cut your grass high. Taller means fewer weeds.
• Hand-pull weeds or use a corn-based weed killer

Chesapeake Bay Crab Cake Recipe

1 medium baking potato
1 lb. cod fillet
Salt and pepper
1 tsp. seafood seasoning
2 Tbs. sliced green onion top
1 Tbs. fresh parsley-minced
1 small garlic clove-pressed
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1 Tbs. red pepper-minced
1 Tbs. fresh minced oregano
2 oz egg white
1 clove garlic -minced
Whole grain cornmeal
Safflower oil

1. Peel and dice potato, microwave covered with ¼-cup water until tender, drain and mash.
2. Make your imitation-imitation crab: Cut fillets as needed so that they are all approximately the same thickness.  Season both sides with seafood seasoning, and sear until brown on both sides in a non-stick skillet. Cook until flaky, cool and flake.
3. Combine potatoes and flaked fish, and all other ingredients except the cornmeal and oil.
4. Spray pan with safflower oil, and heat on medium heat until hot.
5. Shape cakes and dust with cornmeal.  Sear on both sides until brown.
6. Finish in oven for 15 minutes, at dinner service.

Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe

Easy Chicken Piccata Recipe

Chicken piccata (or veal) is easy to make at home.  A friend recently asked me for the recipe and since I typed it up, I thought I would post it.  I love chicken piccata and it is so fast and simple that there is no reason not to make it at home.  You do not have to eat in a fancy restaurant to have chicken piccata.

1. In large saute or fry pan, melt butter.
2. While butter is melting, combine flour, salt and pepper in small bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in milk; shake off excess.
3. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and add to fry pan. (I like to cut chicken breasts in half before coating.)
4. Saute chicken in butter over medium to medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, turning. Add more butter as needed.
5. Remove chicken from pan and place on platter. Keep chicken warm while making the sauce.
6. In the same skillet, heat pan until hot then deglaze with the wine, stirring to get all of the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
7. Turn heat to medium low and continue to cook sauce.
8. While stirring squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon (no seeds please) into sauce.
9. Add capers and continue to stir until sauce has thickened slightly.
10. Taste and add more wine or lemon as to your taste.
11. When sauce is ready, add chicken back to the pan and turn to coat.

For serving: Remove chicken to serving platter and top with any additional sauce, parsley sprigs and lemon slices.

Healthy Simple Chicken Piccata

Almost anytime you make a recipe at home it will be healthier than a restaurant version.  You can improve the healthy aspects of it by using part olive oil.  The olive oil option, while better for your heart, will change the buttery flavor to a richer olive flavor and is not quite as delicate, yet still YUMMY! This butter sauce is simple to make and usually made ala minute meaning made in a minute after cooking your meat in the same skillet.

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