You Plough What One Eat
People oftentimes inquire me what I eat. I've been reluctant to share, because it feels egocentric in addition to I'm a private someone yesteryear nature. I besides don't desire people to see my diet every bit a universal prescription for others. But inwards the end, every bit someone who shares my opinions almost nutrition, it's alone fair that I response the question. So hither nosotros go.
In my nutrient choices, I endeavour to strike a residue betwixt nutrition, cost, fourth dimension efficiency, brute welfare, pleasure, in addition to environmental impact. I'm the chef of my menage of two, in addition to I develop ii meals a day, almost every day, typically from unmarried ingredients. I prefer organic, but I don't insist on it.
My diet changes seasonally because I grow much of my ain food. This started out amongst vegetables, but latterly has expanded to staple foods such every bit potatoes, flour corn, in addition to wintertime squash. I besides receive got a little flock of laying hens that plough tabular array scraps, bugs, grass, in addition to chicken feed into delicious eggs.
The primary guiding regulation of my diet is to consume somewhere betwixt a "Paleolithic"-style diet in addition to a traditional agricultural/horticultural diet. I intend of it every bit a broad ancestral diet. Because it's partially inspired yesteryear agricultural/horticultural diets, starch is the master copy calorie source.
My meals are organized some 3 nutrient groups: a protein, a starch, in addition to vegetables/fruit. If whatsoever of those 3 are missing, the repast doesn't experience complete. I'll outset amongst those categories in addition to motion on from there.
Protein
I consume some cast of fresh meat almost every other day, most oftentimes poultry or fish. Lately I've been eating deer from my breast freezer (my hunting flavor was unsuccessful, but I got meat anyway because my hunting partner was successful in addition to I helped him butcher). My meat portions are unremarkably modest, in addition to I oftentimes set it into stews in addition to other such dishes to extend it. I besides tend to purchase whole animals or cuts amongst bones, therefore I tin brand os broth, which I purpose to pep upwardly soups in addition to stews. For example, I oftentimes roast whole chickens or fish. I rarely consume processed meat.
When I'm non eating meat, I'm unremarkably eating beans, lentils, or eggs. I consume a lot of beans in addition to lentils because they're healthy, environmentally friendly, inexpensive, in addition to don't heighten brute husbandry concerns. There is abundant evidence that humans receive got been eating legumes since long earlier agriculture, in addition to historical hunter-gatherers besides relied on a broad multifariousness of legumes. I purchase dry out beans inwards volume in addition to soak them overnight earlier cooking. It's therefore cheap, it mightiness every bit good live free. I consume 1-2 eggs per day.
In add-on to eggs, I besides brand my ain yogurt from whole milk. I larn through almost a pint of it a week. Eggs in addition to yogurt function along me satisfied on days when my meals would otherwise non comprise whatsoever brute food. I love cheese, but I don't consume it rattling much because I don't unremarkably receive got breadstuff around.
I consume a lot of unsalted roasted nuts in addition to peanuts, in addition to a fair amount of peanut butter. I function along a giant purse of unsalted, roasted in-shell peanuts some inwards illustration I desire a snack. Because I receive got to trounce them individually in addition to they aren't salted, I don't overeat them. I besides unremarkably receive got a jolt of raw almonds on hand, which I purpose for snacking, for almond milk, in addition to every bit an element inwards stews. Unsalted nuts in addition to fresh fruit are typically the alone visible, right away edible foods inwards my kitchen.
Starch
Potatoes reign every bit my unmarried largest rootage of calories from September through March. We harvested 800 lbs of potatoes from the garden terminal season, in addition to we've already gone through most of them. Contrary to claims that the quickly-digesting starch inwards potatoes makes you lot hungry in addition to fat, I notice that potatoes function along me total for a long time, in addition to I sure as shooting haven't gained whatsoever weight. I unremarkably bake or microwave them whole, in addition to consume them evidently every bit business office of my meals. I besides sometimes toss them inwards a piddling crude oil in addition to plough them into oven fries for a treat. The skins larn to our hens.
I consume a multifariousness of grains in addition to pseudograins, specially corn, rolled oats, chocolate-brown in addition to white rice, in addition to buckwheat. I consume oats amongst mineral-rich yogurt to brand upwardly for its high degree of phytic acid. I besides brand popcorn sometimes. I don't consume much wheat, but I do consume whole grain breadstuff from fourth dimension to time, in addition to white breadstuff or pasta on special occasions.
I oftentimes purpose buckwheat, rice, in addition to chickpeas to brand a sort of starchy "pancake". I soak the ingredients overnight, rinse well, grind it all into a fine batter inwards my Vita-Mix amongst salt, in addition to therefore purpose the batter to brand thick, savory pancakes onto which I set other foods. I invented this recipe, but it's inspired yesteryear the practices of many traditional cultures.
I grow flour corn (Painted Mountain), in addition to purpose most of it to brand masa. This involves the traditional South American method of nixtamalization, which makes corn to a greater extent than digestible in addition to nutritious. Nixtamalizing in addition to grinding the corn is labor-intensive, but it results inwards satisfying, hearty tortillas in addition to tamales. I besides purpose the corn to brand build hominy in addition to flour.
I grow a large amount of sweetness in addition to starchy wintertime squash. We consume it fresh over the class of almost vi months, in addition to set a lot of cooked squelch into the breast freezer for the repose of the year. I grow gourmet varieties, such every bit 'delicata' in addition to 'Oregon homestead sweetness meat', which don't require added saccharide or fatty to gustation good. I either roast them in addition to serve them plain, or purpose them inwards soups in addition to stews. I feed the skins in addition to little seeds to my hens, in addition to the large seeds to myself.
Vegetables in addition to fruit
Most of the vegetables I consume come upwardly from my garden. Since I alive inwards the Maritime Northwest, conditions are favorable for cool-weather crops 8+ months of the year. Some hardy plants, similar kale, tin live on year-round, in addition to fifty-fifty live somewhat productive inwards winter. I tend to consume a lot of lettuce in addition to kale because they're unremarkably abundant. Broccoli besides thrives hither for most of the year.
In summer, nosotros consume a lot of greenish beans, tomatoes, in addition to summertime squash.
I supplement my garden create amongst store-bought onions, carrots, celery, canned tomatoes, avocados, in addition to occasionally other vegetables. I consume a lot of onions. I purchase 10-lb bags of yellowish onions, set them inwards the garage, in addition to nosotros don't receive got whatsoever problem going through them earlier they spoil.
I brand my ain sauerkraut, which nosotros consume raw because nosotros similar the crunch. Overall, I in all likelihood consume almost 3-5 servings of vegetables per day.
I love fruit in addition to I consume a lot of it. I'll consume whatsoever fruit, but I consume apples, bananas, in addition to blueberries the most. I harvest a multifariousness of berries from my garden inwards summertime, in addition to set some inwards my breast freezer for autumn in addition to winter. I in all likelihood average almost 3-5 servings of fruit per solar daytime (keep inwards hear that a medium apple tree is almost ii servings). Fruit is the alone dessert I eat, amongst rare exceptions.
Fats, salt, sugar, in addition to other flavorings
I purpose the minimum amount of added fatty I take away to brand my nutrient palatable. I don't stair out how much I use, but it's non a lot. Most of my added fatty is extra-virgin olive oil, but I besides purpose little amounts of grass-fed butter in addition to high-oleic sunflower oil. I purpose olive oil, cider vinegar, in addition to mustard to brand large batches of vinaigrette dressing that I function along on my counter for purpose on salad in addition to other vegetables.
I purpose common salt inwards my cooking, but in 1 trial to a greater extent than alone the minimum required to brand my nutrient palatable.
I almost never purpose saccharide inwards my food, except occasionally when I'm entertaining in addition to I determine to brand a fancy dessert (e.g., flan). I purpose a piddling fighting of dearest hither in addition to there, but non often. I don't purpose other added sweeteners.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 multifariousness of herbs in addition to spices brand their means into my food, but the most mutual are bay leaf, chili pepper, rosemary, garlic, in addition to thyme (I grow the terminal 3 inwards my garden). I purpose soy sauce in addition to sriracha sometimes.
I tend to develop simply, focusing on the satisfying flavors of lineament ingredients rather than relying heavily on added fats, sugar, salt, in addition to flavors.
Beverages
My primary potable is water, either lead from the tap, or carbonated from my keg (usually amongst a piddling added flavor, similar grapefruit rind in addition to citric acid).
I average almost five alcoholic drinks a week, typically difficult cider or wine, but sometimes besides beer or spirits. I brand my ain cider, wine, in addition to beer. I much prefer my ain dry out cider to the alcoholic apple tree juice that's sold inwards the US. I to a greater extent than oftentimes than non avoid drinking alcohol ii nights inwards a row.
I imbibe dark tea on most mornings, amongst null inwards it. Sometimes I'll receive got half-caf coffee, amongst or without a splash of milk.
I can't cry upwardly the terminal fourth dimension I drank sweetness soda, in addition to I don't fifty-fifty relish it at this betoken inwards my life. I do occasionally imbibe Gatorade on specially strenuous cycling or backpacking trips.
Junk food
I consume junk nutrient sometimes. By that I hateful highly palatable, calorie-dense, nutritionally questionable foods. Pizza in addition to H2O ice cream are ii of my favorites, but I besides sometimes consume tortilla chips, bacon, French fries, or other goodies. When I consume junk nutrient inwards public, I brand jokes almost looking out for paparazzi.
Honestly, if I were to add together it all up, including when I larn to restaurants in addition to receive got dinner amongst friends, I in all likelihood consume some form of junk nutrient at to the lowest degree in 1 trial a week. I don't experience guilty; I exactly relish it. It's all business office of the plan.
I consume at a eating seat almost twice a month, which isn't necessarily junk food, but is rarely every bit salubrious every bit what I cook. Most of us tend to overeat at restaurants, in addition to I'm no exception.
I purchase 25-pound bags of white saccharide at Costco. I purpose it to brand (dry) fruit wine, but it sure does await bad! If you lot meet me on the comprehend of a tabloid magazine, clutching a giant purse of saccharide amongst a crazed await inwards my eye, you'll know what happened.
Supplements
The alone supplement I accept is vitamin D3 inwards winter. My finish is to accept M IU per day, but I unremarkably forget.
A solar daytime inwards my life
Now you lot know what ingredients I use, but non how I purpose them. Here are a few examples of typical meals.
Breakfast
I alternate betwixt ii breakfasts: a evidently (baked or microwaved) white patato in addition to a fried egg, or oatmeal, yogurt, in addition to blueberries.
Lunch
Lunch is unremarkably catch-as-catch-can. Typically, I'll consume dinner leftovers amongst a white patato or tortillas, in addition to a slice of fruit. Sometimes I'll cleft opened upwardly a tin of salmon or sardines (canned inwards water). Nuts are unremarkably involved.
Dinner
My most frequent dinner is some form of thick stew made amongst meat or beans/lentils, summation onions, other vegetables, in addition to a brace of herbs or spices. The base of operations is unremarkably os broth or diced tomatoes. I besides roast whole chickens, turkeys, in addition to fish, in addition to I poach salmon steaks.
I besides oftentimes brand a bed of cooked vegetables inwards a sauce made of stewed tomatoes, olive oil, in addition to herbs, cleft ii eggs into it per person, in addition to develop amongst the lid on.
I consume the master copy dish amongst a generous helping of potatoes, rice, tortillas, or my savory grain "pancakes". There's besides typically a side of vegetables: most oftentimes some form of salad amongst homemade vinaigrette, steamed broccoli amongst vinaigrette, roasted squash, or sauerkraut. Dessert is a slice of fruit, or, from fourth dimension to time, dark chocolate.
In my nutrient choices, I endeavour to strike a residue betwixt nutrition, cost, fourth dimension efficiency, brute welfare, pleasure, in addition to environmental impact. I'm the chef of my menage of two, in addition to I develop ii meals a day, almost every day, typically from unmarried ingredients. I prefer organic, but I don't insist on it.
 |
| Eggs from my hens |
The primary guiding regulation of my diet is to consume somewhere betwixt a "Paleolithic"-style diet in addition to a traditional agricultural/horticultural diet. I intend of it every bit a broad ancestral diet. Because it's partially inspired yesteryear agricultural/horticultural diets, starch is the master copy calorie source.
My meals are organized some 3 nutrient groups: a protein, a starch, in addition to vegetables/fruit. If whatsoever of those 3 are missing, the repast doesn't experience complete. I'll outset amongst those categories in addition to motion on from there.
Protein
I consume some cast of fresh meat almost every other day, most oftentimes poultry or fish. Lately I've been eating deer from my breast freezer (my hunting flavor was unsuccessful, but I got meat anyway because my hunting partner was successful in addition to I helped him butcher). My meat portions are unremarkably modest, in addition to I oftentimes set it into stews in addition to other such dishes to extend it. I besides tend to purchase whole animals or cuts amongst bones, therefore I tin brand os broth, which I purpose to pep upwardly soups in addition to stews. For example, I oftentimes roast whole chickens or fish. I rarely consume processed meat.
When I'm non eating meat, I'm unremarkably eating beans, lentils, or eggs. I consume a lot of beans in addition to lentils because they're healthy, environmentally friendly, inexpensive, in addition to don't heighten brute husbandry concerns. There is abundant evidence that humans receive got been eating legumes since long earlier agriculture, in addition to historical hunter-gatherers besides relied on a broad multifariousness of legumes. I purchase dry out beans inwards volume in addition to soak them overnight earlier cooking. It's therefore cheap, it mightiness every bit good live free. I consume 1-2 eggs per day.
In add-on to eggs, I besides brand my ain yogurt from whole milk. I larn through almost a pint of it a week. Eggs in addition to yogurt function along me satisfied on days when my meals would otherwise non comprise whatsoever brute food. I love cheese, but I don't consume it rattling much because I don't unremarkably receive got breadstuff around.
I consume a lot of unsalted roasted nuts in addition to peanuts, in addition to a fair amount of peanut butter. I function along a giant purse of unsalted, roasted in-shell peanuts some inwards illustration I desire a snack. Because I receive got to trounce them individually in addition to they aren't salted, I don't overeat them. I besides unremarkably receive got a jolt of raw almonds on hand, which I purpose for snacking, for almond milk, in addition to every bit an element inwards stews. Unsalted nuts in addition to fresh fruit are typically the alone visible, right away edible foods inwards my kitchen.
Starch
Potatoes reign every bit my unmarried largest rootage of calories from September through March. We harvested 800 lbs of potatoes from the garden terminal season, in addition to we've already gone through most of them. Contrary to claims that the quickly-digesting starch inwards potatoes makes you lot hungry in addition to fat, I notice that potatoes function along me total for a long time, in addition to I sure as shooting haven't gained whatsoever weight. I unremarkably bake or microwave them whole, in addition to consume them evidently every bit business office of my meals. I besides sometimes toss them inwards a piddling crude oil in addition to plough them into oven fries for a treat. The skins larn to our hens.
 |
| Our white patato field. You tin meet some corn on the overstep right. |
I oftentimes purpose buckwheat, rice, in addition to chickpeas to brand a sort of starchy "pancake". I soak the ingredients overnight, rinse well, grind it all into a fine batter inwards my Vita-Mix amongst salt, in addition to therefore purpose the batter to brand thick, savory pancakes onto which I set other foods. I invented this recipe, but it's inspired yesteryear the practices of many traditional cultures.
I grow flour corn (Painted Mountain), in addition to purpose most of it to brand masa. This involves the traditional South American method of nixtamalization, which makes corn to a greater extent than digestible in addition to nutritious. Nixtamalizing in addition to grinding the corn is labor-intensive, but it results inwards satisfying, hearty tortillas in addition to tamales. I besides purpose the corn to brand build hominy in addition to flour.
 |
| Painted Mountain flour corn |
 |
| Homemade tortillas from PM corn. Note the majestic color, which results from the corn's high polyphenol in addition to carotenoid content. |
Vegetables in addition to fruit
 |
| Me 'n my giant broccoli. |
 |
| Garden tomatoes |
I supplement my garden create amongst store-bought onions, carrots, celery, canned tomatoes, avocados, in addition to occasionally other vegetables. I consume a lot of onions. I purchase 10-lb bags of yellowish onions, set them inwards the garage, in addition to nosotros don't receive got whatsoever problem going through them earlier they spoil.
I brand my ain sauerkraut, which nosotros consume raw because nosotros similar the crunch. Overall, I in all likelihood consume almost 3-5 servings of vegetables per day.
I love fruit in addition to I consume a lot of it. I'll consume whatsoever fruit, but I consume apples, bananas, in addition to blueberries the most. I harvest a multifariousness of berries from my garden inwards summertime, in addition to set some inwards my breast freezer for autumn in addition to winter. I in all likelihood average almost 3-5 servings of fruit per solar daytime (keep inwards hear that a medium apple tree is almost ii servings). Fruit is the alone dessert I eat, amongst rare exceptions.
Fats, salt, sugar, in addition to other flavorings
I purpose the minimum amount of added fatty I take away to brand my nutrient palatable. I don't stair out how much I use, but it's non a lot. Most of my added fatty is extra-virgin olive oil, but I besides purpose little amounts of grass-fed butter in addition to high-oleic sunflower oil. I purpose olive oil, cider vinegar, in addition to mustard to brand large batches of vinaigrette dressing that I function along on my counter for purpose on salad in addition to other vegetables.
I purpose common salt inwards my cooking, but in 1 trial to a greater extent than alone the minimum required to brand my nutrient palatable.
I almost never purpose saccharide inwards my food, except occasionally when I'm entertaining in addition to I determine to brand a fancy dessert (e.g., flan). I purpose a piddling fighting of dearest hither in addition to there, but non often. I don't purpose other added sweeteners.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 multifariousness of herbs in addition to spices brand their means into my food, but the most mutual are bay leaf, chili pepper, rosemary, garlic, in addition to thyme (I grow the terminal 3 inwards my garden). I purpose soy sauce in addition to sriracha sometimes.
I tend to develop simply, focusing on the satisfying flavors of lineament ingredients rather than relying heavily on added fats, sugar, salt, in addition to flavors.
Beverages
My primary potable is water, either lead from the tap, or carbonated from my keg (usually amongst a piddling added flavor, similar grapefruit rind in addition to citric acid).
I average almost five alcoholic drinks a week, typically difficult cider or wine, but sometimes besides beer or spirits. I brand my ain cider, wine, in addition to beer. I much prefer my ain dry out cider to the alcoholic apple tree juice that's sold inwards the US. I to a greater extent than oftentimes than non avoid drinking alcohol ii nights inwards a row.
I imbibe dark tea on most mornings, amongst null inwards it. Sometimes I'll receive got half-caf coffee, amongst or without a splash of milk.
I can't cry upwardly the terminal fourth dimension I drank sweetness soda, in addition to I don't fifty-fifty relish it at this betoken inwards my life. I do occasionally imbibe Gatorade on specially strenuous cycling or backpacking trips.
Junk food
I consume junk nutrient sometimes. By that I hateful highly palatable, calorie-dense, nutritionally questionable foods. Pizza in addition to H2O ice cream are ii of my favorites, but I besides sometimes consume tortilla chips, bacon, French fries, or other goodies. When I consume junk nutrient inwards public, I brand jokes almost looking out for paparazzi.
Honestly, if I were to add together it all up, including when I larn to restaurants in addition to receive got dinner amongst friends, I in all likelihood consume some form of junk nutrient at to the lowest degree in 1 trial a week. I don't experience guilty; I exactly relish it. It's all business office of the plan.
I consume at a eating seat almost twice a month, which isn't necessarily junk food, but is rarely every bit salubrious every bit what I cook. Most of us tend to overeat at restaurants, in addition to I'm no exception.
I purchase 25-pound bags of white saccharide at Costco. I purpose it to brand (dry) fruit wine, but it sure does await bad! If you lot meet me on the comprehend of a tabloid magazine, clutching a giant purse of saccharide amongst a crazed await inwards my eye, you'll know what happened.
Supplements
The alone supplement I accept is vitamin D3 inwards winter. My finish is to accept M IU per day, but I unremarkably forget.
A solar daytime inwards my life
Now you lot know what ingredients I use, but non how I purpose them. Here are a few examples of typical meals.
Breakfast
I alternate betwixt ii breakfasts: a evidently (baked or microwaved) white patato in addition to a fried egg, or oatmeal, yogurt, in addition to blueberries.
Lunch
Lunch is unremarkably catch-as-catch-can. Typically, I'll consume dinner leftovers amongst a white patato or tortillas, in addition to a slice of fruit. Sometimes I'll cleft opened upwardly a tin of salmon or sardines (canned inwards water). Nuts are unremarkably involved.
Dinner
My most frequent dinner is some form of thick stew made amongst meat or beans/lentils, summation onions, other vegetables, in addition to a brace of herbs or spices. The base of operations is unremarkably os broth or diced tomatoes. I besides roast whole chickens, turkeys, in addition to fish, in addition to I poach salmon steaks.
I besides oftentimes brand a bed of cooked vegetables inwards a sauce made of stewed tomatoes, olive oil, in addition to herbs, cleft ii eggs into it per person, in addition to develop amongst the lid on.
I consume the master copy dish amongst a generous helping of potatoes, rice, tortillas, or my savory grain "pancakes". There's besides typically a side of vegetables: most oftentimes some form of salad amongst homemade vinaigrette, steamed broccoli amongst vinaigrette, roasted squash, or sauerkraut. Dessert is a slice of fruit, or, from fourth dimension to time, dark chocolate.