The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle Read Free Page B

preferences evolved in the first place. In other words, there’s a reason we crave fatty, salty foods—it’s because they are good for us (assuming that they come from natural whole-food sources).
    With this book I hope to satisfy your innate food preferences while guiding you to better health. Here are the principles I use to guide my recipe development:
    1 Nutrient-rich and low-toxicity foods. Foods should be nourishing and support a healthy gut. Foods from happy, naturally raised animals are important. Fermented foods and bone broths should be daily meal staples, and other nutrient-rich foods, like egg yolks, organ meats, and seafood, should be consumed frequently. These ingredients are heavily represented in this cookbook, but in reality I’ve shown only the tip of the iceberg. Meals should be free of major toxins, like those found in most cereal grains, legumes, and processed foods (see “Prioritizing your food choices”  here ).
    2 Ideal macronutrient ratio. I like to think in terms of plant foods versus animal foods, and I try to portion my plate to be three-quarters plant foods and one-quarter animal foods: one meat, one starch, and two vegetable sides. My two vegetable sides tend to be a hearty vegetable (carrots, broccoli) and a leafy vegetable (salad). Macronutrient (carbs/proteins/fats) ratios are highly individualized, but a ratio of 50% fats, 30% proteins, and 20% carbs is a good general figure. If you are looking to lose weight, I would suggest lowering your carbohydrate intake and increase your fat intake as appropriate. I have kept portion sizes purposely vague in this book so that you can build your meals to fit your own health goals.
    3 Historically appropriate dishes. Many traditional and international foods are naturally gluten-free and Paleo-friendly and have been developed and perfected over hundreds of years. I prefer to make these dishes with minimal tweaks instead of re-creating them using offbeat ingredient substitutions. I also support gentle cooking methods akin to those that were historically available; you’ll find a lot of recipes that involve simmering and roasting at low temperatures.
    4 Natural umami flavors. I use a heavy amount of natural flavor enhancers like broths, tomatoes, seafood, fermented foods, and acids to make dishes tasty. This has been done throughout history. Combining fats, acids, and starches is a common culinary practice, and a lot of evidence suggests that this combination aids in digestion and nutrient absorption.
    5 A variety of plant parts. Our ancestors often ate every edible part of any plant they could find and used a variety of cooking techniques to keep dishes interesting. We should do the same. Not to mention that if we ate only leafy greens or carrots all the time, we’d go crazy. In general, plants can be divided into seven main sections: tubers (potatoes), bulbs (onions, garlic), roots (carrots, parsnips, turnips), stems (asparagus, celery), leaves (cabbage, lettuce), flowers (broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes), and fruits (tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, squash). Botanically, tubers, bulbs, and roots are all considered roots, but you get my point. I make sure to eat a variety of plant parts each week. Eating a variety of fungi (mushrooms) is also ideal.
    6 No shortcuts. It’s a hard truth to face, but if you’re too busy to properly cook a meal, you may want to find out what’s making you so busy and reprioritize. There are several reasons for my belief that cooking is a challenge that should be faced head-on. First and foremost, cooking is a beautiful art that anyone can enjoy, and it’s something that mankind has embraced for thousands of years. Truly understanding how your food is prepared provides immense satisfaction. Next, foods often are at their most delicious when cooked for extended periods, as evidenced by the fact that many of the most delicious meals out there require a significant investment of time. They’re also often more