Salt isn't supposed to be white Mineral Celtic Sea Salt Pink Himalayan

Salt isn’t supposed to be white…

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What type of salt do you use in your cooking?

Salt isn't supposed to be white Mineral Celtic Sea Salt Pink Himalayan

Despite all the warnings about how we should limit our sodium intake, if you eat a healthy unprocessed, natural diet, you may actually need more salt in your diet.

Salt shouldn't be the sodium chloride – a highly refined, processed white substance devoid of nutrients – which so many people consume. The common processed table salt that most people use in their cooking and to season their meals with, is missing over 80 minerals. Yet they only put ONE mineral back into processed table salts, and that’s iodine. So the only real benefit of table salt could be argued to be the iodine content (read what can happen if you get an iodine deficiency – and what to do to avoid it).

Natural Mineral Salt

Natural mineral salts can have as many as 84 minerals and trace minerals. That’s 84 minerals you might not get elsewhere.

There are so many different natural salts available, how do you decide which one to use? I like to try different types. I'm currently using Celtic Sea Salt in my cooking, and I have a Pink Himalayan Sea Salt grinder that I use to season my food.

I usually buy salt from iHerb as I find them so much cheaper and they have a much bigger range than my local health food store. IHerb currently have a Pink Himalayan Sea Salt grinder on sale for $3.24 – on which you can get a $5 discount* (or $10 if your order is over $40) using the promo code duv741.  So if you've not tried mineral salts, why not give them a go and let me know what you think.

Which salt are you using at the moment? I’d love to hear about your favourites in the comments below.

*Don't blame me if the price goes back up!
Recipe Sticky Chilli Apricot Salmon Sautéed Sesame Collards paleo network-min

Recipe: Sticky Chilli and Apricot Salmon with Sautéed Sesame Collards

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Looking for a recipe that's a little different? This recipe for Sticky Chilli and Apricot Salmon with Sautéed Sesame Collards is certainly that! The apricots and chilli create a great hot but sweet combination – this will be a huge hit with whoever you decide to cook it for!

Recipe: Sticky Chilli and Apricot Salmon with Sautéed Sesame Collards
 
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Recipe type: Dinner
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Ingredients
  • 8 ripe apricots
  • 100ml orange juice
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • 2cm fresh root ginger, minced
  • 2 salmon fillets
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 6 – 8 large collard leaves, shredded
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
  1. Dice the apricots and place them in a saucepan, taking care to retain all the juices. Combine them in the pan with the orange juice, honey, vinegar, coconut aminos, garlic, chilli and ginger. Bring gently to the boil, and simmer for 10 minutes or so until it reduces by about half.
  2. Heat your oven to 180C. Place the salmon fillets on parchment paper, and spoon over half of the apricot glaze. Tightly wrap the parchment paper, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, gently heat the sesame oil in a wok. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or so, until soft. Add the collards and stir fry until tender, before tossing in the sesame seeds.
  4. Remove the salmon from the parchment paper, and serve on top of the sesame collards. Drizzle with the remaining glaze and a handful or so of fresh coriander.

Recipe Sticky Chilli Apricot Salmon Sautéed Sesame Collards paleo network-min

Recipe carrot citrus salad paleo network-min

Recipe: Carrot Citrus Salad

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Why have a boring salad, when you can have this zingy brightly coloured salad instead? With a few oranges and lemons still left on the tree, this is a great way to enjoy them! The main ingredient is carrots, but the herbs and spices and citrus make it quite unlike any other carrot you've had before!

This is a great side dish for a summers day, or even enjoy it on top of a paleo burger.

Recipe: Carrot Citrus Salad
 
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Ingredients
  • 4 large carrots
  • pinch of cumin seeds
  • pinch of mustard seeds
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • splash of extra virgin olive oil
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • juice of ½ an orange
  • small bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
  • sea salt & fresh pepper
  • pinch of orange zest
Instructions
  1. Peel and grate the carrots
  2. Heat the seeds in a pan to release the flavours, then grind them in a pestle and mortar. Add in the cinnamon and mix in with the carrots over the heat for a couple of minutes
  3. Add in the olive oil, citrus juice and coriander (cilantro) as well as the zest and mix in thoroughly.
  4. Allow the flavours to marinate for an hour before serving.

Recipe carrot citrus salad paleo network-min

Recipe foaming zucchini courgette paleo network-min

Recipe: Foaming Zucchini

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Don't you just love a two ingredient recipe?! This is a great side dish if you have an abundance of zucchini, as I did. Next time you see it on special offer – buy it all! This dish is guaranteed to be a big talking point!

This is a great side dish and a really good way to get more veggies into your diet, without them being repetitive and a chore to eat. If you're going to eat more vegetables, you might as well enjoy them!

Recipe: Foaming Zucchini
 
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Recipe type: Sides
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Ingredients
  • 3 zucchinis (courgettes)
  • 70g (3 oz) butter*
  • Yep, it really is just a two ingredient recipe!
Instructions
  1. Coarsely grate the zucchinis, discarding the ends
  2. Melt the butter slowly in a pan, then add the zucchini and put the lid on the pan.
  3. Shake the pan often to move the zucchini and prevent it from sticking
  4. After a couple of minutes, you'll have steaming zucchini and beautiful zucchini foam.
  5. Serve immediately
  6. *I used butter for this, but if you don't use dairy replace with olive oil, or for a taste sensation, try bacon grease.

Recipe foaming zucchini courgette paleo network-min

9 surprising ways to get your five a day

9 surprising ways to get your five a day

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We all know we're supposed to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Apparently it doesn't really matter what you choose for your five portions, more fruit than veg, it makes no difference. Whether your portions are frozen, canned, dried or part of a drink – it's all good.

Agree?

Well, in the interest of your health, I now present nine different ways you can get to your five a day. And of course once you've got there, you can eat whatever you like for the rest of the day!

1. A bottle of fruit juice

That's right, 150ml of processed fruit juice is enough to tick of one of your 5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables. So they may have up to 8 teaspoons of sugar in a bottle – but that's not important enough for us to worry about.

Paleo diet five a day fruit veg orange juice

2. Baked Beans

Who knew? Apparently the sauce alone is nutritious enough to count as a portion. Don't worry yourself about the added sugar, they're clearly a health food.

Paleo-diet-five-a-day-fruit-veg-heinz-baked-beans-min

3. Fruit Chips/ Crisps

Just replace the potato chips with fruit chips and you're winning! The best thing is that as they're dried, the sugars are concentrated making them even more appealing!

Paleo-diet-five-a-day-fruit-veg-apple-crisps

4. Sweets/ Lollies/ Candy

Why have broccoli as one of your portions when you have have the sweet stuff!

Paleo-diet-five-a-day-fruit-veg-sea-snacks-min

5. More Sweets/ Lollies/ Candy

Best to have two packets, rather than one, to get you closer to your five a day…

Paleo diet five a day fruit veg raspberry crispie tiddlers
6. Fruit Juice

Water you say? No – that won't help you get to your five a day target. Have a fruit shoot instead. (Ingredients: Water, Sugar, Orange Juice from Concentrate (8%), Citric Acid, Natural Flavouring, Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate, Dimethyl Dicarbonate), Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum), Natural Colour (Carotenes) – that's all healthy good stuff, right?)
Paleo diet five a day fruit veg robinsons fruit shoot

7. McDonalds Soda

You know those days when it's really hard to find anywhere to buy fruit and vegetables? Well luckily for you McDonalds can help you get your five a day.
Paleo diet five a day fruit veg mcdonalds soda fruitizz

8. Pasta Shapes

Pasta. Shapes. Are. Good. For. You.
Paleo diet five a day fruit veg heinz pasta shapes

9. Strawberry Bars

Marketed directly at school children make sure you incorporate these in your diet. They've even got healthy vegetable oil them.

Ingredients: Concentrated Apple Puree (an average of 282g Apple used to prepare 100g of School Bars®), Dehydrated Apple (20%), Maltodextrin, Oligofructose, Vegetable Oil, Concentrated Juices of Apple (3%), Strawberry (1.8%) and Pear (1%), Gelling Agent (Pectin), Natural Colour (Anthocyanins), Natural Flavouring, Malic Acid, Preservative (Sodium Metabisulphite)
Paleo-diet-five-a-day-fruit-veg-fruit-bar-school-bars-min

I hope this post has helped you out. Have you had your five a day today?

9 surprising ways to get your five a day

Seared Pork, Pear and Fennel Salad paleo lunch recipe-min

Recipe: Seared Pork, Pear and Fennel Salad

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This recipe is fresh, light, and oh so summery – perfect for an Al Fresco lunch or a light evening meal. I love how well the sweetness of the pear compliments the pork and the fennel; and I hope you do too!

Recipe: Seared Pork, Pear and Fennel Salad
 
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Ingredients
  • 75g watercress
  • 75g rocket
  • Small handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 ripe pear, diced
  • 6 radishes, sliced
  • 2 pork chops
  • 1 bulb fennel, outer layer removed and chopped into slices 1cm thick
  • Olive oil
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Handful crushed walnuts
  • Sea Salt
  • Black Pepper
Instructions
  1. ) In a bowl, toss together the watercress, rocket, parsley, pear and radishes. Divide this between two salad bowls.
  2. ) Roll a rolling pin over your pork chops to flatten them to about 2cm thick. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and season liberally with salt and black pepper.3) Heat a cast iron griddle to a high heat. Place the pork and the fennel slices on to it at the same time, and sear for 2 / 3 minutes each side, until the pork is cooked through and the fennel nicely golden.
  3. ) Allow the meat to rest for 2 minutes, before cutting into strips with a sharp knife. Scatter the pork strips and the fennel slices over the salads. Finish with a good drizzle of olive oil, lemon zest, and a handful of crushed walnuts.

Seared Pork, Pear and Fennel Salad paleo lunch recipe-min

Brussels sprouts made nice paleo recipe bacon primal-min

Recipe: Brussels sprouts made nice

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Didn't think you liked Brussels sprouts? Hold back your judgement until you've tried this recipe!

Brussels sprouts are such an amazing source of nutrients packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, folate and so much goodness, if you've not liked them so far it's definitely worth giving them another try.

This recipe is a great side to a meaty dinner, or perfect on its own, with a serve of cauliflower rice.

Recipe: Brussels sprouts made nice
 
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Recipe type: Sides
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Ingredients
  • 100g (3.5 oz) Brussels sprouts
  • Splash olive oil
  • 8 rashers bacon, diced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled & diced
  • Knob of butter (or use extra olive oil, if you don't do dairy)
  • Sea salt & black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander (cilantro)
  • 1 tablespoon of hazelnuts, chopped
Instructions
  1. Peel the exterior leaves off the sprouts & remove the tough ends. Cut the sprouts in half & finely slice them.
  2. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the bacon for a few minutes. Add the carrots and cook for a further 5 minutes, making sure you keep stiring to prevent it from sticking.
  3. Add the butter (or extra olive oil) to the pan along with the sprouts, and stir for another five minutes. You need to keep heating until the sprouts have started to soften, but still have some crunch in their texture.
  4. Season and serve, garnishing with the coriander (cilantro) and hazelnuts.

Brussels sprouts made nice paleo recipe bacon primal-min

I'd love to hear how you cook Brussels Sprouts to make them taste amazing! Please share you secrets in the comments below!

Recipe Garlic and Tamarind Chicken Thighs-min

Recipe: Garlic and Tamarind Chicken Thighs

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If you’re looking for a ‘stir fry’ recipe with maximum flavour, look no further. This recipe is quick, easy, and comes with incredibly deep and complex flavours. Garlic, Tamarind, Mushrooms, Fish Sauce, Peppers, Shallots and Ginger all work in harmony and make this stir fry incredibly unique. As you’ll know if you've used tamarind before, it can be very sour – so if you’re cooking with it, you’ll need a little sweetness just to balance it out. I find a 1:1 ratio works well, but you may need to adjust this depending on your palate.

The key to this recipe is the gentle cooking. Don’t go mad and raise the heat too high, or the garlic will burn and turn bitter.

Recipe: Garlic and Tamarind Chicken Thighs
 
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Recipe type: Dinner
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Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 4 skinless and boneless chicken thighs, diced
  • 3 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3cm chunk root ginger, finely chopped
  • 4 shallots, finely sliced
  • 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded and slices
  • 8 mushrooms
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 2 tsp tamarind paste
  • 2 tsp raw honey
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
  • Handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
Instructions
  1. ) Gently heat the coconut oil in your largest wok. Add the chicken thighs, garlic, ginger and shallots, and cook gently for around 10 minutes, until the chicken is browned and the shallots start to caramelise. Add the peppers and mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  2. ) Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a saucepan. Add the tamarind, honey, fish sauce and sesame, and mix together until thoroughly combined. Keep on the heat for a few more minutes, until it starts to reduce down. Taste, and adjust to your liking.
  3. ) Check the chicken is thoroughly cooked through. Add the tamarind sauce to the pan, and toss the ingredients together. Serve garnished with a little fresh coriander.

Next on my list is using fresh tamarind fruit, rather than the paste. I’d love to know if you've ever tried it, and how it turned out!

Recipe Garlic and Tamarind Chicken Thighs-min

Crazy fad diets paleo network

The 9 Craziest Fad Diets

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It always amuses me when people describe the Paleo Diet as a fad diet. Given that we’ve only been eating our current diets of junk and processed foods for the last two or three generations, isn’t the Standard American (or Australian) Diet the real fad?!

You can’t really argue with paleo, I mean who could possibly say not eating processed foods is harmful? The true fad diets out there – well, that’s a whole different story! Here are my all time favourite Fad Diets. Warning: some of them are seriously weird – and outright dangerous…

Crazy fad diets paleo network

The Cabbage Soup Diet

Perhaps the most popular diet on my list, it amazes me how many people have tried this. I guess it’s only popular because it’s viewed as a quick-fix thing. I mean who wants to actually eat healthy long term?

Cabbage soup diet

Basically, for 7-days you eat cabbage soup, drink water and can also add in a bit of fruit (not into the soup – that would be even more disgusting), veg, skim milk and a bit of brown rice. After seven days, people of the cabbage soup diet are promised that they’ll have lost loads of weight, though in reality it’s going to be water weight, not long term fat loss.

The Fletcherism diet

Basically lose loads of weight and avoid ill health, by Fletcherism. All you have to do is chew every single mouthful 32 times (not 31, or 33, or presumably it won’t work). I gather it works just as well whether you chew your grass-fed beef, or your Big Mac – so long as it’s 32 times.

Fletcherism What It Is Or How I Became Young At Sixty chew 32 times

The Baby Food Diet

Instead of eating normal, age appropriate food swap some, or all of your meals for a jar of baby food. I’m not kidding, people actually do this. What’s suitable for a baby, probably isn’t so good for a grown-up….

The Master Cleanse Diet

This was so popular a couple of years ago, remember? Another short-term fix, you’re supposed to swap eating, for a drink made from lemon juice, water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. It supposedly detoxes the body and magically removes excess fat. Yeah, sounds very sustainable.

The Hallelujah diet

Oh yes, there’s even a religious diet. All you need to do to lose weight is eat what Adam and Eve ate in the garden of Eden. Raw fruit and vegetables are in, wholegrains are good, and bizarrely vitamin B12 supplements. They must be a whole lot older than I realised….

Hallelujah Diet Religious bible fad diet

 The Vision Diet

Eating too much of the wrong thing? All you need to do is wear blue lensed glasses, to make food look as unappealing as possible and stop you eating it. Obviously. You don’t do this?

The Cotton Wool Diet

Dieting plans been led astray by feelings of hunger? Apparently some people actually eat cotton balls to fill their stomach and prevent them from eating real food. On what level is this supposed to be a good idea?

The Parasite Diet

Believe it or not, you used to be able to buy pills that were claimed to contain tapeworms! You’d swallow the pills, with the intention that your new parasite infection would eat all the food in your stomach, before you could digest it.

Breatharianism

Eating’s cheating… Breatharianists believe you can live on just spirituality and sunlight. They claim not to ever need any type of food, or even water. Scientists have not been able to confirm the claims… surprised?

Breatharianism Food-Free at Last How I Learned to Eat Air

Have you ever tried a crazy fad diet? I’d love to hear about it – please share your experiences in the comments below!

Bacon coleslaw paleo recipes-min

Bacon Coleslaw

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Trust me, you've not had coleslaw until you've had bacon coleslaw!

Bacon Coleslaw
 
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Ingredients
  • ½ a green cabbage, shredded
  • 2 grated carrots
  • 3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
  • 4 rashers of bacon*, cooked until crispy, then finely sliced
  • For the dressing:
  • 150ml (1/2 cup) paleo mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • sea salt & black pepper, to taste
  • *Use a good quality organic bacon for best results
Instructions
  1. First, combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl thoroughly.
  2. Add in the vegetables and bacon, and mix together well. Season to taste and serve.

 Bacon coleslaw paleo recipes-min