If you have a chance to visit Italy, you will treasure your dining experiences. The amazing food, relaxing atmosphere, and friendships that Italian restaurants offer are unique to that country. There are so many wonderful restaurants with great food that it can be hard to choose which one to visit. They each have something unique to offer their guests. I suggest trying as many different Italian restaurants as possible to make the most of the Italian dining experience.
ABOUT THE PALEO LIFESTYLE
As noted previously, this book assumes that you are familiar with the Paleo lifestyle. Whether you’re already following the Paleo diet, are living gluten free, or just want to eat healthier, I hope this book helps you make authentic Italian dishes you and your family will enjoy. Your decision to eat better is a great start! You’re probably already familiar with the large number of cookbooks, food blogs and other information available about the Paleo lifestyle. Be sure to visit my blog at CindysTable.com. I’m not a nutritionist, just a woman who has been cooking since I could reach my Nana’s kitchen counter—but I hope my experiences give you more ideas that will help you stay on track.
We all love Italian food, and I hear complaints that you can’t enjoy Italian food if you’re following the Paleo diet. That’s just not true! I have found it easy to do, and often making a recipe Paleo-friendly makes it taste even better.
AT THE GROCERY STORE
You have the recipes for the week and your list is made! Make sure you’re not hungry when you go shopping. If necessary, make a quick smoothie before you leave. As you shop, follow your list, and don’t stray from it unless you find high-priced items like seafood or nut butters that are on sale. Avoid the center aisles with all of the junk food—remember that you’re preparing to create wonderful Paleo Italian fare. Also, don’t stop at the endcaps, as tempting as they may be. The vendor pays for that endcap, and their goal is to get you to purchase their product and look no further! The same items will be available in the aisle, and you may find another brand there that’s less expensive. Have fun while you’re shopping; let your imagination run away with you while you consider the incredible healthful meals you’re about to create.
IT STARTS WITH A PLAN
All you need to succeed with Paleo or any other diet is commitment and planning. It’s really that simple. I was a single mother for over ten years, and I always served my kids healthy meals. I would sit down and go through the advertisements every Sunday morning, and we would have a “family meeting” to decide what we wanted to eat in the coming week. Then I would drive around to the various markets and gather my ingredients. Now I can go to one or two markets, or even the farmers’ market alone, and get what we need. Even though my kids are now grown and have left the house, I still plan the week’s meals in advance. The first thing to consider when planning your meals is what’s in season. Then review recipes—whether in this cookbook, other cookbooks or online sources—for those main ingredients and make a list of other items you’ll need. Before you shop, do an inventory of your pantry, refrigerator and freezer and see what you have on hand, so you won’t buy food you don’t need. Then go online and find out what’s on sale at your local grocery stores, so you know where to get main ingredients on sale. Now you’re ready to shop!
ESTABLISH A COOKING DAY
When you have all the necessary ingredients on hand, take one day that works for your schedule and cook a few meals in advance. They can be stored in serving containers in the fridge, or frozen to be reheated during the week. Alternatively, you can do basic prep for a few meals—chopping vegetables, slicing meat, or premixing sauces or marinades, for example—to make cooking during the week a little easier. It may seem like a lot of work to do in one day, but it will make your week easier when it comes to mealtimes. If you have kids, get them involved. If they feel like they’re part of this process, they may even want to help you shop, cook and clean up!
THE GROCERY LIST
I like to shop from left to right, because that’s how I enter the door at my local store. I know the store so well that I can write my shopping list to follow the order I’ll find things in as I go through the aisles. You can create a method that works well for you. No matter what you are preparing for the week, though, your list will include protein, carbohydrates and fat.
When shopping for protein—i.e., meat, fish, or eggs—try to select products that are sustainably raised, such as grass-fed beef or free-range poultry. Always choose wild-caught fish if available, whether fresh, frozen, or canned.
| PROTEINS SHOULD INCLUDE: | Bacon (nitrate free); Beef (flank, chuck, sirloin, tenderloin, or other lean cuts); Eggs; Game Meats; Fish (fresh and canned); Lean Veal; Lean Pork; Poultry; Rabbit; Quail |
| CARBOHYDRATES SHOULD INCLUDE: | Dried Fruit (unsweetened); Fermented Foods; Fresh Fruit (apples, apricots, berries, figs, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, melons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, pomegranates, tangerines, watermelon); Green and Colorful Vegetables; (asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, eggplant, endive, fennel, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, peppers, pumpkin, spinach, tomato); Mushrooms; Root and Stem Vegetables (artichokes, carrots, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, onions, parsnips, sweet potatoes/yams, turnips) |
| FATS SHOULD INCLUDE: | Avocados; Butter (unsalted, or ghee—clarified butter); Coconut Oil; Coconut flakes (unsweetened); Nuts and Seeds (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts); Nut Butters (almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower butter); Olive Oil |
KEEPING YOUR ITALIAN KITCHEN PALEO
As an Italian following the Paleo lifestyle, there are pantry and refrigerated items I keep handy at all times. The following are some of my best stocking-up tips, shopping ideas and other helpful hints.
THE WELL-STOCKED PALEO ITALIAN PANTRY
Almonds Available raw, whole, sliced, chopped, smoked, in paste, blanched, and roasted and salted. Almonds are loaded with good stuff ; they contain calcium, fiber, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin and vitamin E. Toast them to intensify flavor and add satisfying crunch.
Anchovies Whether you love them or think you’re not a fan, keep a container in the pantry and have a jar or tube handy in the refrigerator. Anchovies make a great pizza topping, go well on antipasti, and add depth to dressing,