CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Most of us try to do the right thing by our children and spouses, especially when it comes to feeding them. But we are confused by the conflicting messages. We are inundated with a plethora of diet books and cookery manuals claiming to show us the way to health and happiness. So what is so different about this one? The difference is fundamental. It is none other than feeding ourselves the way Mother Nature intended! That way we avoid stressing our bodies with foods it was never designed to handle. You will draw comfort from the knowledge that, by cooking our way, you are building the foundations for long, healthy lives.

We have designed all these recipes to conform to the principles of The Bond Effect. That is, they are in accordance with the basic guidelines formulated by nutritional anthropologist Geoff Bond. (See later). So when you follow these recipes you know that you are doing the right thing by yourself and your family. 

This way of life does not need you to eat in an outlandish way. Your dinner guests will be surprised to find that they have been eating what seem like conventional dishes. Only you will know what subtle, yet vital changes in ingredients – and in cooking – you have made.

The principles behind the recipes of Paleo Harvest

Nature fashioned our bodies to be nourished in a particular kind of way – one that is special to us humans. However, for many generations, we have meddled in a state of ignorance with our food supply. The results have not always been happy ones, leading to ‘diseases of civilization’, like cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes.

Geoff's book ‘Deadly Harvest’ (see back page) describes how this happened and how we finally know the right way to feed us humans – or as he puts it: “how to put the right gas in the tank”! There are many surprises. We learn that many foodstuffs that we take for granted are secretly undermining our health. But the message is an optimistic one: we do not need to be ‘food fascists’ – we just need to prioritize what is important and what is not.

In this cookbook we focus on the important issues. Thus you will find that the emphasis is on removing ‘bad carbs’ and ‘bad fats’ and privilege the ‘good’ ones. Consumption of fruits, salads and vegetables should be high. We aim to keep the intake of these up at around 75% of the diet and protein-rich foods down to 25%.

Of course sugar is a recent menace in our food supply and we substitute it with safe alternatives.

We strive to keep sodium (salt) low and potassium high. This happens quite naturally with the high intake of plant food but, in addition, we avoid processed food and keep added salt to a minimum. On the other hand, we obtain sumptuous flavors from the liberal use of aromatic herbs, fresh if possible.

We avoid ‘non-human’ foods that give our bodies trouble with allergic substances (like ‘gluten’ and ‘lactose’), and ‘antinutrients’ in plants that are foreign to our bodies. (Antinutrients are naturally occurring poisons that plants make to fight off germs and funguses.)

All this might seem quite unusual, but in practice all we are doing is clearing out foods that have been making us sick for generations and replacing them with ones that work in harmony with our bodies. We invite anyone who is interested in knowing the background to these guidelines to check out Geoff's book, ‘Deadly Harvest’ (see back page). 

Goals

We want you to feel comfortable with this new way of eating. We have devised recipes that follow the guidelines and are simple to prepare. As Geoff says, “we go hunting for our food in the same supermarket, we just hunt smarter!”

Nicole has tested each of the recipes many times to make sure they work well under all kinds of circumstances. We eat them regularly both for our family meals and when we are entertaining. They do not require huge expertise, just basic cooking skills and a willingness to try out new ways of preparing familiar dishes. Be prepared to be adventurous too! Try variations: experiment with different herbs and flavors!

What’s in the Cookbook?

We set the scene for you in the segment, called ‘Basics’. Here we help you with some of the basic equipment, ingredients and cooking techniques.

Then, with Chapter One, we get into the recipes with simple sauces, dressings and dips. These, from ‘Fig Tapenade’ to ‘Red Onion Relish’ or ‘Vinaigrette’, are always important to give great taste to salads, raw vegetables and other dishes. So often, conventional recipes are loaded with ‘bad fats’ and ‘bad carbs’. But they don’t have to be! Here we show you how.

Consumption of large quantities of plant food, preferably raw, is an important feature of the Bond Effect. That is where salads come in – we should all eat at least one good salad a day. Chapter Two focuses on these (e.g. ‘Mock Potato Salad’, ‘Moroccan Carrot Salad’ or ‘Green Taboulé’, as well as a variety of starters, like ‘Avocado Salad’ or ‘Chia Seed Porridge’ and ‘Paleo Muesli’ for your breakfast.

And not forgetting in Chapter Three our special Bond breads like the ‘Garlic Flat Bread’, our different crackers, basic crusts, and many more.

Chapter Four provides tasty recipes for soups of all kinds, from ‘Chicken Goulash Soup’ to an ‘Oriental Cauliflower Soup’.

In Chapters Five, Six and Seven we come to dishes which can be meals in themselves.

Chapter Five is vegetable-based, like ‘Cauliflower Risotto’, ‘Broccoli Quiche’ and many more.

Chapter Six is animal-based (poultry, game and meat), like ‘Chili Con Carne’ and ‘Hunter’s Stew’.

Chapter Seven is seafood-based, like ‘Avocado and Crab Cake’, or ‘Prawn Tails in Coconut Sauce’.

Believe it or not, it is quite possible to devise wonderful desserts that conform to the Bond Effect. So, last but not least, with Chapter Eight, we provide a range of remarkable, sugar-free sweetmeats, like cakes and tarts, cookies and muffins, ice creams and even our ‘Rich Christmas Cake’. And not to forget our ‘Turkish Coconut Delight’. 

These dishes are for everyone! Whether or not you decide to live the Bond Effect way, you can be sure that dishes, prepared from this cookbook, will be the healthiest and tastiest that you can offer to your family and guests. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS, EQUIPMENT & METHODS

For photos of the recipes in this cookbook go to: 

www.paleo-harvest.com 

SPECIAL PALEO HARVEST INGREDIENTS

It would be wise to have all the basic ingredients available, which are needed to realize the recipes in this book.

Some of the ingredients we use are a little unusual and sometimes they are easiest to buy on the Internet. Or ask your health food store to order them for you. Here we itemize these ingredients and give some explanation as to what they are and why we use them.

Almond Flour (also called Almond ‘Powder’, Almond ‘Meal’ or Ground Almond):

We use almond flour in a number of recipes, notably in our bread recipes, to replace wheat flour. As such almond flour is a ‘staple’ ingredient for eating the Bond Effect way. 

Alternatively it is easy to make your own almond flour, simply by grinding raw, blanched and unsalted almonds in a food processor.

You can make a nut-flour from most other kinds of tree nut, particularly hazelnut and cashew.

Adjust the quantities of almond flour in the recipes according to:

- the actual size of the eggs, and

- the texture and density of the almond flour. It makes a difference in volume if it is finely or coarsely ground and if the almond skins are included or not.

Our recipes use exclusively blanched and finely ground almonds.

The consistency should be as described in the recipe. Be patient – you might have to make a couple of trials before you get the right result.

Chia Seeds and Chia Flour:

Chia is the highest known vegetarian source of omega-3 and it also contains powerful antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Chia is rich in healthy fiber and absorbs water which helps with thickening of dishes. It bulks well, so saving on almond flour and other special ‘Bond flours’. The fiber has a gelling property which helps the dough to rise. We find this particularly useful in our bread recipes.

Chia helps to keep your heart healthy, keep your brain sharp, keep your digestive system healthy, enhance your energy, keep you slim and free from joint pain.

Flax Seed & Flax Flour:

Flax contains omega-3, antioxidants and fiber, all essential for a healthy heart, brain and digestive system. We use it in our bread and cracker recipes.

Hemp Seed Flour:

Hemp is another good source of omega-3 essential oil, and it is rich in dietary fiber. 

Coconut Flour:

Coconut flour is high in protein and extremely high in healthful dietary fiber. It is relatively low fat (around 15%). It bulks well thus saving on almond flour and other special ‘Bond flours’ - and it absorbs liquids.

Desiccated/Shredded Coconut: 

Desiccated shredded coconut is similar to the flour, although it has a much higher fat content – up to 50%. The chief fat is ‘lauric acid’ which is an unusual saturated fat. As such it is not harmful like common saturated fats and, moreover, it is not especially bio-available. That is, the body doesn’t absorb it well and it passes out, largely undigested, in the stools.

However, it is possible to find defatted desiccated coconut which has a much lower fat content – some 15%. This would be the choice for those wishing to cut down on their fat intake.

The weight per cup of the shredded coconut can vary considerably according to brand. Be prepared to adjust the amounts according to the results you get.

Xanthan Gum:

We use xanthan gum as a binder in baking – in this regard it replaces the role of wheat gluten in helping baked goods to rise. It is quite potent and its efficacy is very sensitive to quantity. You might need to adjust amounts in the light of experience. Xanthan gum is usually made from natural sources.

We use it especially in our bread recipes. 

Coconut Milk, Almond (and other tree nut) Milk:

Note: in many countries, including the European Union, the terms ‘milk’, ‘cream’ and ‘butter’ can only be used for dairy products "secreted by milk glands and obtained by milking". However, in the United States, there is no such restriction on these terms.

We use coconut milk and almond milk in a number of recipes. It takes the place of cow (or soy) milk, both of which we need to avoid. Coconut and almond milk are commercially available but do read the labels carefully to avoid those brands that are loaded with added sugars.

Alternatively, you can make your own almond milk or cream. Soak blanched almonds overnight und pulp them, with the liquid, in a food processor. Add water to obtain the consistency desired.

Almond Butter (also Hazelnut Butter, Cashew Butter etc.):

In some recipes we call for nut ‘butters’. They can be found in health food stores or online. They are made by grinding the nuts into a fine paste and serve as a spread or substitute for dairy butter.

Stevia:

Stevia is a natural extract of the stevia plant. In its pure form it is an intense sweetener, a pinhead is equivalent to a teaspoon of sugar. Mostly however, it is combined with a filler to bulk it up. 

Xylitol:

Xylitol is a ‘polyol’ (see Diabetic Jam below) and is a natural extract, usually sourced from birch tree bark or other vegetation, including sweet-corn. It is a resistant fiber and it gives the sweetness of table sugar without the sugar rush. It doesn't lose its sweet taste during the baking process.

Diabetic Jam:

We use diabetic jam which, instead of sugar, uses a low glycemic substitute, usually an ‘indigestible sugar’ known as a ‘polyol’, like sorbitol or maltitol. Polyols are natural dietary fibers with a sweet taste. See also xylitol above.

A WORD ABOUT:

Bicarbonate of Soda and Baking Powder:

Because our baked goods contain no starch there is nothing for conventional yeast to work on. That is why we use either bicarbonate of soda or baking powder as raising agents. Bicarbonate of soda needs an acid environment to work; baking powder works all by itself – either way allow 10 minutes for the dough to rise.

Salt:

Many of the recipes suggest using salt “to taste”. We urge you to keep this added salt to a minimum (the purist will not add any). You will find that, as you retrain your taste-buds, smaller amounts of salt have just the same powerful effect.

Instead of salt learn to use herbs to flavor your food. Lemon juice can give a similar taste sensation to salt. Garlic is good for this too. Mustard is great to give a kick to vinaigrette.

Eggs: 

We use eggs a great deal in our recipes. They are always ‘large’ and always ‘omega-3’ rich. As such, eggs are a ‘staple’ ingredient in cooking the Bond Effect way. Contrary to common prejudice, eggs are a natural and healthy component of human nutrition. Fears about their cholesterol content are entirely misplaced: the body handles it in a healthy way. However, always choose eggs that are ‘omega 3 rich’ (they are more difficult to find – read the labels). They have a much better fatty acid profile: the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is excellent. In addition, choose eggs from free-range hens (often labeled ‘organic’ and free of antibiotics.) that have been allowed to lead healthy, sanitary lives, 

Raw Eggs: 

In the last 20 years our food chain has become so polluted that raw battery hens’ eggs are now considered a health hazard. The good news is that organic raw eggs are much safer. This is important in the case of raw eggs, which we use just in a few recipes. Healthy people will have immune systems that cope well with the naturally occurring microorganisms present in eggs. However immune-compromised persons are nowadays obliged to avoid raw eggs.

Oils:

For cooking, we recommend that you use olive oil. It has better heat resistance than omega-3 rich oils like Canola. Always use oils frugally. Think about using an olive oil spray and/or a brush. Learn to sauté with very little oil. See ‘Stir-fry and Sautéing’ later. Avoid the ‘heat resistant’ version of Canola oil. That means that the good omega-3 has been stripped out of it.

For cold uses, such as salad dressing, use the omega-3 oils, for example Canola oil. To obtain the full benefit from Canola oil it needs to be cold pressed (you might need to look in a health food store for it). Other good oils are walnut (which must be made from raw walnuts) or flaxseed oil.

Vegetables:

Leave the peel on whenever practicable. Frozen vegetables are often fresher than the so-called fresh vegetables in the supermarket and make a perfectly acceptable alternative. The quality of fresh vegetables is more variable, so the cooking times can vary from those shown in the recipes. The weight of vegetables shown is gross, before cleaning and trimming. The portions of vegetables are larger than you are used to. It is always better to use organic fruit and vegetables if you can. But if you can’t, don’t let that stop you using regular ones. 

Sautéing Onions:

Many recipes call for onions to be gently cooked but not browned. This is the way to do it: spray a non-stick saucepan with olive oil and sauté the onion briefly on medium-high heat. When they start to stick, add some water and cook covered, on low heat. Once in a while, as they dry out, add a little water, to allow the onion to get a very soft consistency. But don't let them brown. 

If you have frozen onion, the excess liquid needs to be driven off. Sauté, without oil, until the juices have evaporated. Then add the oil and proceed as mentioned above. Frozen onion cooks much faster. 

Sautéing Mushrooms: 

Place the sliced mushrooms in a non-stick frying pan without any oil or water. Stir-fry on high heat, stirring constantly until the mushrooms suddenly soften and release their juices. Reduce the heat and add a little olive oil. Optionally, add a little crushed garlic, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. 

Salads: 

Don’t forget that a salad can make an excellent meal in itself. (It is also a good standby when eating out.) Take plenty of mixed salad vegetables together with a portion of the following: salmon, sardine, tuna, mackerel, chicken breast, turkey breast, eggs, etc… It is all right to use canned fish. 

Make your own salad dressings (for example vinaigrette page 32 ), using one of the ‘good’ omega-3 oils (see ‘oils’ above). 

Tomatoes: 

To ‘seed’ tomatoes, cut them in quarters and carefully squeeze out the pips and juice. 

Herbs and Spices: 

Use fresh herbs wherever possible. Cut the leaves up with scissors as necessary. For seed spices like pepper, cumin and coriander, the ideal is to use a mill for each and freshly grind them. 

Cooked fruit: 

Fruit in general is to be avoided at the end of a meal. However, fruit which has been cooked or dried loses its ability to cause digestive upsets and most people can safely consume it at the end of a meal. For this reason, our dessert recipes can include ingredients like raisins or cooked banana. 

Vegetable Broth or Juice: 

Some of our recipes, notably soups, call for vegetable broth. If you cannot find it, then vegetable juice will do instead. Always go for a low salt version. 

You can also make your own vegetable juice by liquidizing your own selection of raw vegetables. 

Dark, High Cocoa Mass Chocolate: 

Some of the recipes call for chocolate. It must have a minimum of 74% cocoa solids. 

Melting of Chocolate: 

Some of our recipes call to melt chocolate. We suggest doing it in a microwave oven, but it can also be done in a Bain Marie (porringer). 

Cocoa Powder: 

Make sure you get pure cocoa powder and not some kind of ‘chocolate’ mix. Pure cocoa powder is high in antioxidants, especially flavonoids, well known for improving cardiovascular health. Cocoa also contains vital minerals and vitamins such as magnesium, iron, chromium, zinc and vitamin C. 

Cheese:

Dairy products are generally to be avoided in ideal human nutrition. Of all the various dairy products, cheese is the least bad: the bad fats pass through the body largely undigested and the lactose has been fermented out. However, the cheese proteins and other compounds still leave a residual nuisance to the body. Some of our recipes use small, condiment quantities of cheese for flavor. However, the purist will leave it out. 

Mock Mashed Potato Purée (recipe page 92 ) as Thickener: 

In conformity with the Bond Effect principles, we avoid the use of grain flour, corn starch, potato starch, arrowroot, etc. for thickening. A useful trick is to use instead ‘Mock Mashed Potato Purée’ (recipe page 92 ). See how to use it, for example, in the recipe for ‘New England Clam Chowder’ (recipe page 69). 

Ingredients of Animal Origin: 

In accordance with the principles of the Bond Effect, a serving of fish, poultry or meat should not exceed 6 ounces. 

Game Meats: 

We use game meats, such as venison, in some of our recipes. Because they conform to the Bond Effect criteria, they are rather different in nature from farm meats like beef and pork. Game meats are very low fat (less than 4%), and particularly it has no fat within the muscle fibers (as seen as ‘marbling’ in farm meat). For these very good reasons, venison, and most other conforming game meats, are best tenderized by marinating for 24 hours. We give the instructions in the recipes. 

Nutritional Yeast Flakes: 

Yeast is popular with the health conscious, where it is often referred to as ‘nutritional yeast’. It comes in the form of flakes, or as a yellow powder, and can be found in most health food stores. Because it has a nutty, cheesy, creamy flavor we use it in a few of our recipes for its flavor and thickening properties. It is also a good source of nutrients, particularly B vitamins. 

EQUIPMENT 

Receptacles: 

Because you are now preparing large volumes of plant foods, scale up your ideas of receptacle size. Procure really large salad bowls, mixing bowls, woks and pans. 

Ovens: 

The recipes in this cookbook are based on baking with conventional ovens. 

Fan-assisted (convection) ovens: 

Most modern ovens have a fan-assisted option. By blowing the heat around the inside of the oven, it maintains a more even temperature everywhere and the food usually cooks more evenly and more quickly at a lower temperature. 

It is good for meat, fish, vegetables and also dishes that are cooked covered. Good for baking bread, cakes and other desserts. It is not so good for dishes that easily splutter.

Microwave ovens:

Contrary to many alarmist reports, cooking with a microwave oven is perfectly legitimate. Depending on the food, it is less aggressive than boiling, frying or roasting, but more aggressive than steaming or sautéing.

COOKING TECHNIQUES

Stir-fry or Sautéing:

Stir-fry is a frequently used 'healthy' cooking method. It may come as a surprise to know that traditional Asian stir-fry doesn't use oil at all. Chinese cooking just uses a couple of teaspoons of water. This is the ideal for us too but it is fine to use an olive oil spray, or a tablespoon (or less) of olive oil. We give quantities in the recipes.

Oil and Water Stir-fry Method:

Try this quick (5 minute) method of cooking vegetables. It starts by steaming and finishes by sautéing. Many vegetables soak up oil and this method greatly reduces the quantity of oil absorbed. Put ¼ inch of water into a large saucepan. Add the vegetables. (If they are frozen they might not need any water at all.) If you like, add a clove of sliced garlic and a bay leaf or a pinch of oregano. Add a teaspoon or two of olive oil according to the volume of vegetables. Cover tightly and cook on high heat. Stir frequently and re-cover. The vegetables cook fast, partly by boiling and partly by steaming. After three or four minutes, remove the cover and stir-fry continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula until all the liquid has evaporated. Continue until the vegetables are tastily browned on the outside. Do not overcook – this is a quick process – all done in 5 minutes. The vegetables should still be crunchy and be a beautiful golden brown. Always use plenty of herbs.

This is a healthy way of cooking: the vegetables are done quickly and gently in their own steam.

Oil and Water Roasting Method:

This is a sister method for roasting. It is much less aggressive than normal roasting, yet gives a delicious roast-like look and flavor.

Prepare the vegetables for roasting and put them in a roasting pan. Lightly spray or coat them with olive oil and put them in the middle of the preheated oven. Now for the new part: take a baking tray, half fill it with water (about ¼ inch), and place it in the bottom of the oven. Cook at the temperature indicated in the recipe for that dish. What happens is this: the water in the tray starts to boil and make steam. The dish is partly steamed and partly roasted. It cooks in about half the normal roasting time and the vegetables come out a lovely golden color.

The high oven temperature boils the water which in turn keeps the cooking temperature at the water’s boiling point (212°F, 100°C). In this way the vegetables are cooked more gently. They are also cooked more quickly in the steam. For these two reasons they retain more of their nutrients. Finally the high radiant heat browns the surface of the vegetables.