The Paleo Guide to Cooking Oils
In the Paleo world, we’re not scared of fat. Quite the contrary – we embrace healthy fats and encourage liberal consumption. We worship the health giving properties of coconut oil, olive oil and grass fed ghee. At the same time, we understand the danger of rancid seed oils with a scarily high Omega 6 content. All the information about fats can be somewhat confusing – so do you know what oil to use, and when to use it?
Coconut Oil
My personal favourite – and perhaps the all-round king of cooking oils, coconut oil really is a product that no Paleo kitchen is complete without. It’s shelf stable, rich in healthy medium chain triglycerides and doesn’t oxidise easily. It’s perfect for using in baked goods, for frying, for roasting vegetables – or just eating by the spoonful. Many people also use it as a natural moisturiser, hair product or lip balm. It’s also been proven to have antibacterial effects and is excellent for improving your gut health, boosting your immunity and improving your metabolism. If you’d rather not stock up on lots of different oils, coconut oil has to be the first on your list.
Make sure you buy the unrefined ‘extra virgin’ kind – it’s solid at room temperature and liquid at around 24 degrees C (76F). It can be pretty expensive compared to things like olive oil, which is why I buy mine in bulk!
Ghee
Ghee always throws up a bit of confusion for us Paleo folk, not least because it’s a form of dairy and dairy isn’t part of the Paleo framework. Yes, Ghee is clarified butter – but the process that makes it removes the problematic casein and lactose content. If you don't tolerate other forms of dairy, you'll probably still be ok with ghee. I’ve recently started including it in my diet, with excellent results – and it tastes amazing too!
It has a great omega 3 : omega 6 ratio (roughly 1:1) and is rich in vitamins A, D, E and K2. It’s one of the most stable fats for cooking at high temperatures, so is great for frying and roasting. However, it is expensive, and if you can’t buy it grass fed, you’re probably better off without it altogether.
Palm Oil
Similar to coconut oil in that it is shelf stable and rich in healthy saturated fats, palm oil is generally more expensive and harder to find. It also draws about controversy because of its sustainability and the impact palm oil farming is having on Orang-utan populations. If you can find it from a verified, sustainable source, and you can afford it – then use it much as you would in coconut oil (except in baking). If you can’t, stick to the good stuff above.
Olive Oil
Probably the most popular and well known healthy oil – olive oil is one of those that you can enjoy with your conventional wisdom friends without getting into an argument about the health benefits of saturated fats. It stands up fairly well to heat, so makes a decent oil for light pan frying – but it’s much better as a dressing, drizzled liberally onto salads, meats, or used in pesto. You’ll find lots of different flavours and colours of olive oil on the shelves; just make sure you always buy ‘Extra Virgin’ and ideally organic. In my experience, the darker the colour, the tastier it will be.
Animal Fats
Animal fats are much maligned in conventional wisdom, but why so?
Avocado Oil, Walnut Oil and Macadamia Oil
Experiment with these as dressings and enjoy their unique flavours – but don’t attempt to cook with them. They’re not the most heat stable, and besides, they’re expensive so why would you want to? Buy them in dark bottles where possible to minimise oxidation.
So tell me, what’s your favourite cooking oil? If you can’t see it listed here, it’s probably not Paleo. So that means stay away from the Canola oil, Sunflower Oil, Vegetable Oil and Margarine!
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YOUR Quick 20-Minute Paleo Dinner Ideas
I recently asked the followers of the Paleo Network's Facebook page for their favourite quick paleo dinner meals and got some great replies (and only one “McDonalds” comment!) – here are 70 of them…
Steak & beef ideas
This was by far the most popular meat people use for a quick dinner, here are some of the responses:
- Reheated beef stew that I make sure I have frozen
- Steak and salad
- Steak, eggs and broccoli.
- Steak and salad
- Steak and steamed veggies
- Steak with a side order of steak
- Sautéd kale & cherry tomatoes w garlic, onion & olive oil, sweet potato rosti & BBQ grilled steak – quick, easy & yummy
- Steak and sweet potato
- Grass fed beef broiled topped with egg. Sweet potato coins, Raw red onion slices on top of fresh spinach, grated carrots, sliced avocado with fresh lemon juice and thinly sliced elephant garlic. Yummy!
- Bbq steak sliced placed on a large salad topped with a soft boiled egg and crumbled blue vein. Yummo!
- Steak with Morton Bay bugs, Sweet Potato Mash and steamed beetroot and zucchini…..exactly what I'm having tonight!!
- Steak or pork chop, pan fried with cumin seeds … then cabbage, kale spring onions and broccolini all sauteed in the pan juices…. super quick and absolutely delicious!
- Steak on the BBQ on salad. That's what we are about to have.
- Bison burgers with caramelized onions and grilled zucchini slices.
- Steak and broccoli
Fish & Seafood
Another popular choice:
- Salmon cooked on the sandwich press and steamed veg
- Shrimp
- Coconut salmon and green salad!
- Tuna and salad
- Steamed shrimp with broccoli/cauliflower!
- Salmon with lemon, parsley and garlic, spinach and kale
- Salmon and salad, bacon & eggs, ham & salad
- Oven Grilled salmon or any other fish and greens or salad to go with it.
- Baked Salmon vegies and dip
- Half an avocado with fresh prawns
- Grilled salmon with green veg
- Salmon steak on a bed of English spinach with avocado and mango and drizzled with fresh lime….nom nom nom!!!!
Lamb Dinner
Lamb chops are so quick to cook, I thought a few more people would have suggested this:
- Lamb chops, cauliflower rice and sweet potato mash
- Lamb chops and sweet potato mash
- Lamb tangine
- Lamb chunks braised in onion garlic and ginger cooked with prunes
- Sliced cold lamb roast with salt and fruit/veggie juice.
Chicken & Turkey
Lots of great ideas here too:
- Chicken broccoli and kumara gets boring but fast and effective haha
- Baked chicken with kumara all in one tray
- Grilled chicken breast and sweet potato mash with steamed veggies.
- Paleo turkey nuggets pan fried in coconut oil. Yum!
- Baked chicken thighs with green beans & shallots sautéed in coconut oil.
- Chicken breast meatballs with herbs, sundried tomatoes, onion, garlic and Parmesan served with walnut salad. Or poached chicken breast and steamed veggies.
- Ground turkey, kale, Brussels Sprouts, bone broth fried over mashed parsnip
- Chicken (scrambled eggs with onion, spinach, bacon)
- Chicken Red curry on a bed of grated zucchini
- Salad & coconut chicken
- Salad and chicken Sandwich using lettuce instead of bread! Mmmm
- Chicken thigh marinated in my garden herbs and a big salad
- Spiced grilled chicken tenderloins on a mango, avocado, lettuce, tomato salad. With orange balsamic dressing… yummo…
- Chicken breast, grape tomatoes and shallots. Cook in oil of choice in a pan and any spices you like on top of stove. Easy peasy.
Eggs
I use eggs a lot when I need to prepare something to eat in a hurry, as do you by the looks of it:
- Eggs and almond butter
- Bacon and eggs
- spinach and mushrooms sautéed in ghee with soft boiled eggs= Heaven. It's the perfect meal.
- Eggs and shrimp for my daughter, eggs and salami for my son… lol. Add chicken broth to it and stir, microwave if you are in a rush. Cook over a pan if you have more time. Quick and easy. You can also add in frozen/non-frozen veggies, herbs, etc. Apple slices, Clementine, other fruit on the side.
- Squashed avocado with boiled eggs and steamed carrot and broccoli- all together it's DA BOMB
- Eggs and anything or everything.
- Eggs and sautéed sweet potatoes!
- Omelette!!
- Omelette filled with vegies, or meat and a big salad.
- Onion, sweet potato, mushrooms, turkey bacon, all fried up with two whole and two egg whites cracked on top
And the rest
A few paleo versions of non-paleo favourites cropped up to:
- Taco salad.
- Paleo fajitas.
- A salad with whatever meat I have cooked in the fridge.
- Jamaican curry
- Soup, salad, raw veggie tray, stir fry…
- Cabbage and bacon
- Fajitas and a great salad.
- Meat & veg. Who knew?
- A frittata loaded with veg, a chicken stir fry or Thai curry, grilled chicken and salad, or chicken thigh fillets marinated in coconut milk, ginger and chilli then grilled and served with steamed Chinese greens. So many quick, delicious, and stupidly easy meals to make!!
- Paleo chilli con carne
- Paleo bratwurst & sauerkraut
- Left over spaghetti squash with 3 over easy eggs…salt and pepper of course.
- I make a stir fry….ANYTHING!! use eggs, meat, veggies, coconut aminos and spices…. The great thing about paleo….you can make dinner quickly and it is ALWAYS great!!! I keep my veggies cleaned…ready to cook or make salad. Always have a meat ready to cook…whether it is beef, chicken, fish or deer meat.
- Whatever animal is unlucky and slow enough to be near my chompers
So over to you. Please share your answer in the comments below: “You've got 20 minutes to put dinner together – what's your favourite quick paleo meal to make?”
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Why You Should Get Rid of Your Microwave!
Microwaves – probably one of the most celebrated and widely used 20th century inventions in the western world. The chances are, even if you don’t use it, you’ll have one in your house and office. They’re quick and convenient, but they pose all sorts of health risks, and are best avoided at all costs. But just what is it that’s so bad about them?
They’re radioactive, and mess with your heart rate and blood cells
On average, microwaves produce 2.4 GHz radiation, which can have serious impacts on your body. A study by Dr. Magda Havas of Trent University has shown that this amount of radiation can cause ‘immediate and drastic’ changes to your heart rate. Another study by Dr. Hans Hertel shows that this radiation alters the balance of red and white blood cells. Research also indicates that microwave radiation can lead to blood sugar spikes connected with diabetes in susceptible individuals.
They zap nutrients right out of your food
Due to the dielectric heating of foods when cooked in a microwave, a startling amount of the nutrients are lost in the ‘cooking’ process. Studies have shown an approximate 40% drop in the levels of vitamin B12 in meat when heated in a microwave as opposed to traditional methods. Even more shockingly, broccoli was found to lose up to 97% of its antioxidants when microwaved, as opposed to just 11% when steamed. As the Paleo diet focuses on eating clean, nutrient dense foods, microwaving doesn't make much sense does it?
They transfer carcinogens into food
If you reheat your food in any kind of plastic wrap, or even in a plastic tub, all sorts of chemicals can leak into your meal. In a study by the Russian government, levels of BPA, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), benzene, toluene, and xylene were discovered in microwaved food.
And it’s not just the food itself you need to worry about..
Perhaps most shockingly of all, as microwaves are supposedly ‘safe’ to use in the home – they can leak radiation and electromagnetic emissions directly into your kitchen. You wouldn’t eat your food in an electromagnetic power plant, so why put yourself in the same danger in your kitchen?
Our hectic lives mean that sometimes we just don’t have the time to prepare healthy, delicious meals for the whole family every evening. Sometimes, meal planning and cooking food in large batches is one of the best ways of saving time whilst ensuring every one eats healthily. But what if you want to reheat that food? Personally, when I’m batch cooking, I tend to mainly make stews, curries, casseroles, even soups. These are really easy to reheat using a traditional saucepan and stove, and can be ready in minutes. Also, I tend to peel and chop my veggies when I have the time so they are ready to roast, boil or steam when I want them. I’ll often roast up some sweet potatoes or squash in their skin – and when I want to eat them, I’ll just throw them in a hot oven for five minutes to heat through before peeling. When it comes to meat, I’ll often chop this up and leave it in the fridge ready to cook. Stir fries are a brilliant way to quickly cook your protein, especially if you dice it finely. Steak, Lamb, Salmon and Tuna are also excellent choices if you’re in a rush, as they can (and should!) be eaten rare, so will only take a couple of minutes to cook each side.
What are your thoughts on microwaving food? Is it something you still do or did you give it up along with the grains and sugar?
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How to Make Jerk Pork Chops
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