For quite a while now, I’ve been eating food based on the Paleo Diet… in fact it’s been about 9 months since me and my girlfriend first started trying this out.  If you’ve never heard of this, I’ll give you a quick rundown now, although I’m in the process of writing a very in-depth book about it as we speak.

The Paleo Diet

It’s mostly based on the concept of humans as hunter-gatherers, collecting our food from the land and sea (rather than out of packets!).  Before the agricultural revolution came along and added grains into our diet, humans were strong, lean and fit, we were a lot smarter, and we were all natural!

When I speak about diets, it’s really a loose term.  I hate the word “diet”, as it conjures up images of starving or restricting yourself from having certain foods, for short periods of time until a goal is achieved.  I prefer to think of it as a “paleo lifestyle”, as fitness and exercise is also a very important factor, plus this is designed for a long-term approach.

Our grain based diet over the past 10,000 years has led to our diminished capacity in many areas, including physical fitness and brain size.  There is a great deal of scientific evidence to back this information up, and over the coming days, weeks and months, All EasyFood Recipes will continue to update you with some of this information, as well as some of the delicious recipes I’ve been cooking up at home.

You see, I’m a chef, and taste is definitely important to me (not something you necessarily achieve in the average diet).  Plus portion size can go out the window.  If you do eat the right foods, you can actually eat as much as you want and still maintain an optimal weight level.  For proof of that I only have to look at myself.  My girlfriend often refers to me as a ‘garbage guts’, as I love to eat so much, but because I do eat the right kind of foods lately, last time I checked my weight I was down to only 69kg, and my body fat percentage is in single figures! 

The White House Garden

For now, it’s important to know that eating fresh food is really the only way, not food out of packets, or food that has been highly processed or frozen.  It might be more difficult to achieve, but it’s worth striving for.  Even Michelle Obama has turned the White house garden into a vegetable patch to help get this message out there!

It’s been quite a while since the last time I updated this food blog, and I recently took my girlfriend out for her birthday.  We had a great night out and I decided that it would be an appropriate way to get back into blogging by starting off with how our night went and a bit of a restaurant review.

African Food

Emma Eating Ethiopian Food

Recently Emma had gone to Africa for a month on holiday, and when I started thinking about places to take her out for her birthday, African food was the initial inspiration.  I have not eaten a lot of African food, and Emma had raved about her adventures on safari and all the wild meats she had eaten whilst over there.

Delicacies including ostrich, crocodile, warthog (her favourite), camel, impala and cudu (a kind of antelope), were all mentioned with the kind of wide-eyed excitement that comes from eating wild game that the average Australian rarely has a chance to taste, let alone the inclination in many cases.

While you may think that many of these game meats could be very tough and chewy, she was surprised that it’s not necessarily the case.  Her description of the warthog was my favourite, “soft and tender meat stew that just melted in the mouth”, making me wish even more so that I could have joined her on this great adventure.

Eating African Food In Perth

Even though Perth isn’t particularly far away from Africa, in relation to the rest of the world (a trip to Johannesburg is about the same distance as a trip to Melbourne), African food isn’t really a common feature in Perth.  Having said that, I was actually surprised by the number of options there really are, hidden away in dark little corners of suburbs.

So my search for African food in Perth began. Using Urbanspoon.com, I narrowed down their options, using the very modern social trend of reading customer reviews about each African restaurant.  I knew that none of them were likely to be super authentic, and that of course being in Perth it was surely going to be pricey, but I made a decision, and then our booking for the fateful night…

Ethiopian Cafe And Artifacts

The place I chose was called Ethiopian Cafe And Artifacts, based in Hamilton Hill, near Fremantle.  It took some time to get out there, but it was definitely worth it!

I would say the main impression that most people (including myself) get from Ethiopian food, is that they are very poor, in severe drought-stricken areas, and good food is hard to come by.  I made our dining decision without seeing a menu, knowing only that we were not going to be offered utensils.  In other words, we were going to get our hands dirty.  I liked this concept, and obviously it makes for a very different night out compared to the mundane overpriced restaurants usually on offer.

Authentic Ethiopian Food

Mick Reade At The Ethiopian Cafe

My other theory was that it would provide as close to an authentic Ethiopian dining experience as were likely to get.  We were both quite excited upon seeing the restaurant, it was a very quaint looking little place hidden on a corner with a couple of other small shops.  It was dimly lit, and sparsely furnished with brightly coloured chairs, cushions, pictures, and all sorts of African ornaments and memorabilia.

There was a small little alcove beside the main restaurant which had all sorts of trinkets available to buy, and the display just added to our experience as we were totally immersed in Africa while inside the restaurant.

As we walked in we could see staff buzzing around in the open kitchen, although I get the distinct impression that it’s very much a family affair, with daughter, mother and father all involved in the operation.  We were shown menus, sat down, and given a chance to see what Ethiopian food is all about.

There were several meat options, and about half the menu was vegetarian.  There were no exotic meats, the choices basically came down to beef, lamb, chicken and fish.  None of this surprised me a great deal, however I was a little disappointed I didn’t get to try some warthog or antelope.  I guess that will have to wait until I make the trip over to Africa myself!

Each dish was accompanied by injera, the local staple food of Ethiopia.  Injera is basically a kind of flat bread, and is used to scoop up the various foods, which helped to make up for the lack of utensils.

Having recently removing gluten from our diet, it was pleasing to know that injera is made of rice flour and was gluten-free.

Ethiopian Mesop

Digging Into Ethiopian Food

We went for the Ethiopian Mesop for two as our dinner of choice, which was basically like a sample plate of 4 dishes, plus injera.  We chose a spicy chicken dish, a lamb dish, some chickpea fritters, and a vegetable stirfry.  It arrived to the table on a very impressive plate with a big woven straw lid, almost looking like some funny hat.  Our large plate was placed in the middle of the table and lid removed to reveal the injera – flat bread rolled up to resemble pink pancakes.

Tasting the injera first, I thought the texture was quite like pancakes too, very soft and fluffy, and there was quite a nice sweetness to their taste.  After that I went straight in to scoop up the various dishes that had been randomly placed around the plate with the injera.

Aside from the pinkness of the injera, my first impression of the food was that it all mixed together to become one great big brown mess.  Don’t get me wrong, it still looked quite appetising, however it was definitely a stark contrast to the bright colourful backdrop provided by the restaurant setting.

I tasted the lamb dish first (unfortunately I can’t recall the name of it, much less how it was spelt – I didn’t even attempt to pronounce it while ordering either!), and this was easily my favourite.  It was quite tender, just thin little strips, and almost melted in the mouth.  It had been cooked together with a variety of veggies like capsicum and onion, which brought out some sweetness, particularly when combined with the injera.

The chicken dish was great too, a little too spicy for Emma, but just right for me, as I love hot food.  Although to be honest I found the spices didn’t so much add a punch, as it was undertones of subtle heat melded to create delicious flavours with a mix of spices probably not often used in Australian kitchens.  It was a little tricky to get the chicken off the bone with injera in hand, but we actually managed to do so without creating too much of a mess.

The chickpea fritters didn’t look much like I anticipated, although they were delicious and full of flavour, if a little on the dry side.  The feast was rounded out nicely with the veggie stirfry, which was the only other part of the meal that wasn’t just lumps of brown.

We were quite full after all of this, but I did also manage to squeeze in some dessert.  There were two options on offer, and I decided to go with the creme caramel.  It was a little different to what I’m used to, the caramel was quite thin, and the whole dish was very soft.  I love making the creme caramel jiggle, and this one turned out perfectly, and just dusted lightly with a hint of cinnamon, it was a fantastic way to end the meal.

Ethiopian Food – The Verdict

I don’t usually go out to dinner with the aim of reviewing the food, and I definitely didn’t in this case either.  I think if you spend too much time analysing the food and your night out then you’ll probably lose out on some of the experience during the night.  This is probably also partly why some of the details can be a little fuzzy for me, but overall we had a great time and it was definitely worth the trip out to Fremantle.

It seemed to be reasonably authentic as far as an African dining experience in Perth can be, and if you don’t mind getting your hands a little messy then I think you would really enjoy the experience.  The staff were very friendly and helpful, the restaurant is quite small and intimate, and the price is reasonable (it was $50 for the mesop for two, and $4.50 for dessert).

If you want an enjoyable night out with a difference, take that special someone or a small group and I’m sure you’ll have a great time.  I’ve tried to find their website, I’m not entirely sure they have one, but you can find their contact details on Urban Spoon at Ethiopian Cafe And Artifacts.

I just wanted to take a quick break from my current sequence of diabetic recipes and information to wish you, my friends, a safe, happy and prosperous New Year in 2011!

This is often a time where we all pause and reflect on the year that has passed.  To be quite honest, this year has been extremely hectic for me, with barely a day off, but it’s also been very rewarding!  I’ve achieved a couple of things this year that I’m very proud of, such as winning my 1st pizza cooking competition a couple of weeks ago, as well as getting my own Pizzas And Parmas Cookbook self-published on Amazon.

New Years Resolutions

This is also a time where many people make a New Years resolution for the coming year.  I rarely make new year resolutions, but a couple of goals that I have for the coming year include getting back into peak fitness again, and adding a Breakfast Pizza chapter to my pizza cookbook.

I would love to hear about any resolutions you have, whatever it might be, in the comments section.  I would especially love to hear if you have made any great achievements during this year that you are particularly proud of, and would like to share with me and the rest of our readers.

Have A Safe And Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Most importantly, I wish you all the best for the New Year, may 2011 be a prosperous year for you and your loved ones… and make sure you have a glass of champagne for me!

Mick Reade

All Easy Food Recipes

Dirigibles Recipe Preparation: cooking and baking

Dirigibles Recipe Serves: 4

Ingredients for Dirigibles Recipe

Dirigibles - Filled Baked Potato Boats

4 lg Baking potatoes
1/2 c Diced cooked turkey or chicken or pork
1/2 c Diced cooked ham
1/4 lb Sharp Cheddar Cheese; diced, (1 cup)
1/4 lb Provolone cheese; diced, (1 cup)
1 lg Green pepper; seeded and diced
1 med Onion; chopped
1/2 c Butter or margarine
Commercial sour cream or yoghurt, for topping
Chopped chives
Crumbled cooked bacon

Dirigibles Recipe Preparation

Scrub potatoes under cold water and place, wet on a baking sheet. Begin baking potatoes at 400F until done, about 1 hour. Let potatoes cool to the touch.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out pulp, leaving nice little boats. Divide pulp in half, reserving half for other use.

Put a pat of butter in each shell. Mash remaining potato pulp and mix with onion, pepper, meat, half the cheese and a spoon or two of the sour cream. Spoon into each shell, leaving a well in the middle.

Divide remaining cheese into the wells and put a pat of butter on top. Chill overnight.

Heat at 375F until heated through.

Top with sour cream, bacon, and chives and serve with a nice green salad and a crusty bread.

Visit www.alleasyfoodrecipes.com to download a cookbook, full of great easy food recipes for free just like this one!

Mick Reade

All Easy Food Recipes

Free Recipe Minted Lamb Ribs

Recipe Preparation: cooking & baking

Recipe Serves: 1

Ingredients for Minted Lamb Ribs Recipe

4 lb Lamb Ribs
1/4 c Brown sugar
1 c Orange or Pineapple Juice
1/4 c Lemon Juice
4 tb Fresh or dried Mint, Chopped
1/2 ts Onion Powder
1/2 ts Garlic
1 ts Seasoned Salt

Minted Lamb Ribs Preparation

Blend seasoning ingredients and pour over mean in pan. Marinate 2 to 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Pour off marinade for basting sauce and cook ribs 45 minutes to an hour, either on spit or on grill, 5 to 6 inches above coals.

Add 1/3 cup olive oil to marinade and baste meat every 15 minutes, turning at the same time if grilled.

Meat is done when well browned and pulls loose from ends of rib bones. Serve with fruit-type sauce or grilled pineapple slices, garnished with additional fresh mint.

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Recipe Preparation: cook

Recipe Serves: 4

Ingredients for Lamb Steaks with Beans Recipe

2 tb Olive oil
4 Chump chops
1 Rosemary sprig
2 Cloves garlic; crushed
4 oz Haricot; cannellini or flageolet beans; cooked
4 oz Baby onions
4 tb Dry white wine
1/2 pt Stock
1 Knob of butter
Salt and pepper
Parsley to garnish; chopped

Lamb Steaks with Beans Preparation

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the lamb and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side according to taste. Season with salt and pepper while cooking and sprinkle with the rosemary.

Remove and keep warm. Add the garlic, beans and onions to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes.

Pour in the wine and cook until reduced a little, then stir in the stock. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in the butter.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve with crusty bread and salad.

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Free Recipe Marinated Ham (Spanish-Style)

Recipe Preparation: cooking & baking

Recipe Serves: 30

Ingredients for Marinated Ham (Spanish-Style) Recipe

15 lb Fresh, uncured ham
Salt
4 cl Garlic; 3 cut in slivers, 1 minced
1 c Fresh lemon juice
1 c Fresh lime juice

Marinated Ham (Spanish-Style) Preparation

Prepare ham the night before by trimming away some of the excess fat, but leave as much skin as possible. Salt the meat to taste; cut small slashes into the ham and wedge in the slivers of garlic.

Mix a marinade of minced garlic, lemon and lime juice. Pour over meat, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to start cooking and baking, heat the oven to 300F. Roast the meat about three hours, basting every half hour.

Bring the center of the ham to 165F degrees (use a meat thermometer to check temperature). Just before removing the ham from the oven, raise the heat to crisp the skin.

Based on 30 servings: 627 calories, 60 g protein, 40 g fat, 1.5 g carbohydrate, 216 mg cholesterol, 439 mg sodium.

To check out tons of easy recipes for free, as well as great cooking tips you can use to impress your friends and family visit http://cookeryking.net

Free Recipe Jack Daniel s Grilled Chuck Roast

Recipe Preparation: roast

Recipe Serves: 6

Ingredients for Jack Daniel s Grilled Chuck Roast Recipe

1/3 c Jack Daniels Whiskey
1/2 c Brown Sugar
1/3 c Soy sauce
1/3 c Water
1 tb Worcestershire Sauce
1 ts Lemon juice
1/8 ts Garlic powder
1 Chuck roast (2-3 lb)

Jack Daniel s Grilled Chuck Roast Preparation

Combine whiskey, brown sugar, soy sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and garlic powder; mix well.

Place roast into a plastic bag; add marinade and seal.

Place in a dish; refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.

Grill over medium coals (with Jack Daniels Barrel Chips, soaked in water-if you can find them), about 20 to 25 minutes per side for medium.

Baste occasionally with marinade. To serve, cut into thin slices. Serves 4 to 6.

Place in a dish; refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.
Grill over medium coals (with Jack Daniels Barrel Chips, soaked in water-if you can find them), about 20 to 25 minutes per side for medium.
Baste occasionally with marinade. To serve, cut into thin slices. Serves 4 to 6.

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Recipe Preparation: boil

Recipe Serves: 6

Ingredients for Meatballs with Noodles Tossed in Yogurt Recipe

MEATBALLS
2 lb Ground beef
1/2 ts Ground cinnamon
2 ts Ground coriander
1 ts Ground turmeric
pn Cayenne pepper
Salt – to taste
Black pepper – to taste
2 Cloves garlic – crushed
1 tb Vegetable oil
1 Spanish onion – finely chopped
6 lg Ripe plum tomatoes – core, peel, chop
4 Sun-dried tomatoes – finely chopped
NOODLES
1 lb Fresh fine egg noodles – in Asian markets
1-1/2 c Plain yogurt
2 Cloves garlic – finely chopped
1/2 c Fresh mint – chopped

Meatballs with Noodles Tossed in Yogurt Preparation

At The Helmand, a new East Cambridge restaurant that serves Afghan food, the specialties are highly seasoned, sophisticated, East-meets-West preparations – like these meatballs. Called aush, these tiny meatballs are simmered in a tomato sauce made with plum and sun-dried tomatoes.

That saucy mixture is spooned over fine noodles tossed with yogurt, and the dish is sprinkled generously with mint. When the tomato and yogurt mix together, the sauce turns rosy.

For the meatballs: In a bowl, combine the beef, cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, salt, pepper, and half of the garlic. With clean hands, mix thoroughly, then shape the meat into 3/4-inch meatballs. Set them aside.

In a large, flameproof casserole, heat the oil, add the onion, and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until it is very soft.

Turn the heat to medium-high and add the meatballs. Cook, turning them often, until they lose their pink color. Add the plum tomatoes and remaining garlic.

Cover the pan, turn down the heat, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook the mixture for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring once or twice.

For the noodles: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until they are tender but still have some bite. Drain the noodles and transfer them to a bowl.

Stir in the yogurt, garlic, and salt. Toss thoroughly and transfer to 6 wide bowls.

Spoon meatballs around the edges of each bowl of noodles, add the mint to the center and serve at once.

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Recipe Preparation: Cooking & baking

Recipe Serves: 8

Ingredients for Mexican Tortilla Special Recipe

1 lb Ground beef
1 tb Chili powder
1 ts Cumin
1/2 ts Salt
1 cn (12-oz) corn and green peppers drained
1 cn (8-oz) tomato sauce
1 ct (12-oz) Ricotta cheese
2 Eggs
3/4 ts Dried oregano leaves
12 Corn tortillas
1 pk (8-oz) sliced mozzarella cheese
1 Green onion; sliced

Mexican Tortilla Special Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brown beef until browned. Stir in chili powder, cumin and salt and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in corn and tomato sauce. Mix ricotta, eggs, and oregano and set aside.

Arrange 9 tortillas on bottom and sides of a greased, shallow 12-inch round or 13×8-inch baking dish. Spoon 2/3 beef mixture into dish.

Top with ricotta mixture, remaining tortillas, then cheese and remainder of beef. Place in the oven and begin cooking & baking for 40 minutes, until hot and cheese melts.

Sprinkle with green onion.

For heaps of free recipes, fantastic cooking tips, as well as dietary advice, please check out http://cookeryking.net