Skewering the meats
This post should be titled “What to do with the REST of the animal”!
I won’t pretend they’re my first choice when it comes to meat. A roast leg of lamb sounds more appetizing to me than lamb heart and lungs. Nevertheless, organ meats were a staple throughout history, and they’re still very much in vogue in traditional ethnic cuisines from all over. In Greece, one only has to look to “kokoretsi” – a dish often seen at Easter that is cooked alongside an entire lamb (both roasted on the spit). If you like liver and onions, you would like kokoretsi.
I wanted to learn how to make this traditional dish from scratch – and it’s quite a production. Getting familiar with the lesser known meats helps give one a greater respect for the whole animal, develop a taste for them, and to learn how to cook them confidently.
I obtained the necessary organ meats from a local Greek butcher: liver, spleen, lungs, and heart. These were trimmed, cut into large chunks and marinated well in good Greek olive oil, oregano, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. Also needed were two sets of fascia, or the connective tissue, and several sets of lamb intestines (which would normally be used for sausage casings).
Lamb intestines, or casings
Seasoning the meat
Thanks go to the Papoutsakis and Katrakis clans for helping me out here; because I never would have ventured to do this myself! I think I got some expert instruction. The most difficult and time-consuming part was to wash the intestines, as they must be cleaned very carefully. They are rinsed in water, mixed with vinegar or lemon juice, turned inside out and washed again. I learned a small trick to turn them inside out – use a single chopstick or similar tool. Washing them was kind of frustrating at first, but as you go it gets easier. Not the most pleasant smell to have in the kitchen – be forewarned!
Time consuming, not so fun
The connective tissues
The main stars of the dish
What a hilarious event. Not a typical way to spend a Saturday night. The house was noisy and full of adults and kids, who in typical Greek fashion, didn’t pay ANY attention to the fact that somebody was cleaning intestines in the kitchen during a child’s birthday party celebration (a simultaneous event). My “teacher”, Mrs Katrakis, wasted no time in reprimanding me if I made a mistake in my cleaning duties, and would grab the guts from my hands impatiently if I was too slow. “We don’t have all night”!, she said. If you can stomach it, here’s a little video on intestine cleaning:
Once the intestines are fully cleaned and rinsed, the organ meats are placed on the skewer (souvla), mixing the varieties up so that a piece of liver follows some heart, some lungs, etc. The whole thing is then covered with the fascia, which keeps the whole thing in place – and makes it look surprisingly attractive. Finally, the intestines are tied around the outside (which acts as a natural sort of kitchen string).
Covered in the facsia
Wrapping with the intestines
This is a going to be a two-part post, because the preparation process was quite involved (and I was slow, given that it was my first go-round at intestine cleaning). Next up will be preparing the actual skewer for the BBQ, cooking it, plating it, and enjoying the tasty outcome. OK, I know I may have lost some of you on this post – you’ll turn up your nose and go “ewwwww”! That’s alright – but keep in mind that Food & Wine Magazine has declared cooking odd bits the must-try trend for 2011!
Ready for the charcoal!
Tags: Greek cuisine, innards, kokoretsi, lamb, organ meats, paleo, variety meats
Robb Wolf's Paleo Solution
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of participating in the 2011 Ancestral Health Symposium (AHS), a fantastic gathering of academics, scientists, authors, doctors, and the wider paleo community at U.C.L.A. in Los Angeles. The Ancestral Health Symposium was organized under the mission of “Ancestry“, a nonprofit public benefit charity run by a group of dedicated volunteers.
The symposium presenters were first-class. The conference gave me the opportunity to go beyond their blogs and books to hear and see them first-hand…and there were so many! The most difficult thing was to have to choose between two speakers (presentations ran side-by-side all weekend in two separate campus locations). In addition to the well known paleo leaders such as Boyd Eaton, Loren Cordain, Robb Wolf, Gary Taubes, Michael Eades and Mat Lalonde, we heard from a cardiovascular surgeon (Dr Guy-Andre Pelouze), were introduced to a history of zoos courtesy of John Durant, got an introduction to evolutionary fitness through MovNat founder Erwan LeCorre, learned how to spot bad science, gained a perspective on Darwin and dentistry, discussed sustainability, looked at the gut as its own rainforest ecosystem, talked Vitamin D, studies the great apes, and even learned how MMA relates to ancestral health. It was a packed two days, and there were far too many topics and speakers to even list here.
While most attendees represented the paleo lifestyle fairly well, this wasn’t a symposium just to reinforce paleo principles to a crowd of pre-sold people. The topics I found most interesting were the side stories and sub topics. My favourites were Dr. BG, PharmD and Tim Gerstmar’s talk on gut health, Craig Standord’s presentation on chimps and gorillas and the evolution of our own human diet, and Emily Dean’s talk on using an evolutionary approach to mental health. Robb Wolf, Erwan LeCorre and Mat Lalonde were fantastic, but then again, I expected nothing less from them!
Erwan LeCorre explains MOVing NATurally
Notes from the presenters can be found via Slideshare on the AHS website.
Tucker Max speaking about the role of violence
Mat Lalonde lays down some organic chemistry
The other benefit to the symposium was the chance to meet and talk with colleagues and friends from all over. I got to say hello to friends from Iceland, Sweden, all over the United States, and of course Canada. We all enjoyed the beauty of the U.C.L.A. campus and the southern California weather.
The StrengthBox got some recognition
Thanks to Clif Harski for finding Damon & Pythias, a great little Westwood lunch spot with steak, chicken, sausage, turkey, vegetables, salads and other paleo friendly delights. I don’t think the Ackerman Food Court did much business from the Ancestry Health crowd that weekend…except for the odd sale of bottled water.
Tags: AHS, Ancestral Health Symposium, Ancestry, Conference, Los Angeles, UCLA
Climbing, an essential MovNat skill
We all need to spend more time in nature. Being disconnected from the natural world has been linked to a rise in all kinds of conditions, from obesity, to attention disorders and depression. The trend is particularly alarming amongst children and youth, who spend an average of 8 hours per day interacting with some kind of media screen (smartphone, computer, TV, gaming device, etc.)
“The future will belong to the nature-smart—those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”
—Richard Louv
Last Sunday, a small group of StrengthBox members and friends did a 2-hour MovNat training session at Taylor Creek Park (Toronto) in order to raise funds and awareness for mental health. The training session was held outside to show people how easy it is to re-connect with nature even in a large urban centre.
All funds raised will directly support mental health through the efforts of Dr Bryce Wylde and the Climb to Conquer Campaign. StrengthBox is sponsoring Dr. Wylde, who has committed to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, in order to personally raise $30,000 for Climb to Conquer. Ultimately, all money raised will go to the expansion of the Markham Stouffville Hospital (The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Clinic). A highlight of the new space will be an innovative Pediatric Day Hospital for youth in crisis, allowing patients to continue their schooling during short-stay treatment periods.
Lifting Heavy Objects
Walking on All Fours
Thanks to all who participated and who generously donated! While we were a small group, and only organized ourselves a few days earlier, we still managed to gather $400 for the campaign.
As to our workout, we certainly had fun! MovNat training involves movements and skills that are adaptive, primal, instinctive, practical and vital in nature. MovNat is unlike traditional strength and conditioning — it’s learning (or re-learning) how to MOVe NATurally. Our 2-hour trek was teamwork oriented (non-competitive), totally creative (there was no plan, no rep scheme, no stopwatches), and just plain playful. That’s not to say that it wasn’t tough! Personally speaking, I had to soak in a good epsom salt bath later that night to relax my aching muscles.
Here are some highlights of our training session:
If you wish to donate to Climb to Conquer, there is still time to personally sponsor Bryce Wylde on his climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro in July.
To donate, please visit his sponsor page here.
Tags: Mental Health, MovNat, Nature, Wylde on Health
What am I, Chopped Liver?
Innards have been a staple of the human diet since prehistoric times. It’s odd that in our society they are shunned, since they are part of many traditional and ethnic cuisines, but our modern society often associates them with poverty, not to mention the “yuuck” factor. However, if you’re new to paleo, now is the perfect time to re-assess your tastes and expand your food experiences. Chicken livers are a perfect start. They are delicious, so much so that even many liver-haters like them. And they’re easy on the budget, which can be a factor for many who have ditched less-expensive grains and starches for real paleo food.
When I was in high school, I worked in a deli – and prepared batches of chopped liver regularly. The recipe was simple – livers, eggs, onion, salt and pepper and oil (which was easier to use commercially than schmaltz a.k.a. rendered chicken fat.) In those days I used to eat it with a Montreal bagel. I’ve since swapped the bagel for fresh vegetables and added a few ingredients to the spread (most notably bacon), and it seems even better than I remember. No, this won’t be kosher….
Chopped Liver Spread
- 1 Container Organic Chicken Livers
- 3-4 Strips Bacon
- 2-3 Eggs (depending on size)
- 1/4 onion, peeled
- fresh parsley
- sea salt (optional) and black pepper
Fry the bacon in a cast-iron or heavy skillet and remove when cooked. Rinse the chicken livers, pat dry, and add them to the pan, and sauté them in the fat. While the meats are being cooked, hard-boil the eggs by placing them in a pot of cold water, bring them to a boil, and then simmer (covered) on low for about 5 minutes. Run the eggs under cold water immediately after cooking to make peeling easier.
Cook the livers until they are done, but still slightly pink inside — about 5-6 minutes.
Place the liver pieces, peeled eggs, onion, bacon, salt and pepper in a large food processor. Puree, scraping down the sides until well-chopped, but still a bit rough in texture. Chill before serving (the flavour will intensify).
Tags: chicken livers, innards, paleo, recipe
The MovNat Toronto Group
“Explore your true nature”. It’s a tag-line that sums up the whole MovNat experience, and the participants at the latest Toronto clinic dove-in to their own MovNat explorations wholeheartedly. The StrengthBox proved to be a great indoor training environment, with its balance beams, climbing platform, logs, precision jump stands and other unique training tools standing in for their natural counterparts. Workshop coach Clifton Harski made use of these elements creatively, and did a bang-up job of conveying the MovNat philosophy and of teaching the fundamental movements.
While MovNat skills are described as primal and intuitive: walking, moving on all fours, balancing, climbing, lifting, carrying, jumping, running, etc. — they don’t necessarily come easily to those of us who have become somewhat disconnected with nature. That’s why getting proper coaching is highly recommended. The clinic participants on Sunday represented a wide-range of fitness backgrounds and abilities, and I think it’s safe to say that everyone, from beginner to seasoned trainer, came away with a lot of knowledge and a solid introduction to the fundamentals. Those who attended are now ready to do some MovNat on their own!
Clifton brings quite a bit to the MovNat table: he’s got a wealth of training experience – both practical and academic, and makes a solid coach. We were proud to host him on his first visit to Canada!
Rain provided some additional context
Learning a New Skill
Climbing progressions
Attempting to 'stick' a jump
Here’s what some participants had to say:
I couldn’t have asked for anything more from my first official introduction to MovNat. Clifton was awesome. He was knowledgeable and entertaining but also brought a level of comfort to the whole experience. And since I was asking my body to do things I’ve never attempted or thought possible at my fitness level, feeling comfortable meant I wasn’t afraid to push myself.
That push helped me get over the StrengthBox climbing platform unassisted (something I had never attempted before), balance, walk and squat along an elevated beam without crashing to the floor. I did knee myself in the head while attempting to do a fancy tuck and roll –- not my best moment, but it was all part of the learning curve.
The MovNat clinic was like crossing a 7yr olds’ birthday party with special-ops training. Fun and hardcore. And instead of a loot bag, I walked away with a greater understanding of how my body works, an appreciation for MovNat principles, a plethora of bruises (I call them victory marks) and the simple notion that ‘play matters’.
As I walked home from StrengthBox today, I did something I hadn’t since I was a kid – I walked the whole way along the curb. I hopped over cracks and even tried walking sideways and backwards. It was fun. It was MovNat. And I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow.
Thank you for this experience. I can’t wait till the next clinic!
Cara Jackson, Toronto
Every fibre of my being is aching this morning. I’ve cancelled my regular workout for today which I rarely do. That (the MovNat clinic) was one of the best experiences of my life. Thanks Greg, and thanks also to Clifton for making it such a challenging and informative day. It was a lot of fun. Amazing!!!
Peter Boterman, Toronto
I participated in the recent one day MovNat clinic with Clif Harski at the StrengthBox, and it was fantastic. It took some of the principles of natural movement that I have been learning at regular StrengthBox classes, and put them together over the course of the day to give me a fuller tool-kit of mobility and strength concepts that I can bring into my workouts and my everyday life.
MaryAnn Scandiffio, Toronto (Holistic Nutritionist, Owner of Create Vitality)
The One-Day MovNat seminar with Clifton Harski was simply amazing. I think I have enough training ideas for the next five years…
Rich Sciolino, Buffalo (NY) – dedicated MovNat enthusiast
Having heard about MovNat a few months ago, we were really interested in trying one of the workshops. While hunting and gathering information on the web, we had also read about StrengthBox and really thought that the place was cool. Being from Montreal, we did not have a chance to try out the place, so when we learned that a MovNat workshop was being held there, we just jumped on the occasion.
It was a great day and MovNat trainer Clifton Harski was really fun to work with. Clearly passionate about spreading the “MovNat gospel”, he also is an incredible athlete who can show you that being fit is a very wide concept including a large number of skills, and is not just having big arms (although Clif can show you that too). This workshop makes you rethink the way you train, move, and view fitness in general. StrengthBox is also a very nice facility — one that allows people to train differently, and most importantly, which is run by people who know better than to just put you on a treadmill for hours. Although I was only there for a day, we could see that Greg’s view of fitness is really great and we can only wish to find a similar place close to home (or come back to Toronto more often…).
Frank and Louis Racine — Montreal, Quebec
Clearly not a zoo-human
Tag -- Play is Primal
Harder than it looks!
Running Skills and Drills
Look like fun? What are you waiting for? Check out the clinic and retreat options with MovNat and get your training on!!
Tags: Clifton Harski, Erwan Le Corre, MovNat, natural movement, one-day clinic, StrengthBox
Yota (l) with some other paleo peeps during our Easter Egg workout
I’m really happy to post some of our paleo success stories here. A little over a month ago, we challenged our members to “eat real” for one month, dropping processed foods, sugar and flour, grains, legumes and dairy. You guys not only took to the challenge, but you proved to yourself that it works! We’ve seen huge improvements in weight and body composition, energy, fitness levels and even in mood. Thanks for sharing your experiences; you will help inspire others to do the same.
Congratulations to Yota Lambrakos, who was the most paleo-compliant during the challenge (of those results we received)! Yota chose to track her results strictly with a diet-log so she could compare the way she felt with what she was eating. She learned that it was actually GLUTEN that was causing her stomach upsets, not tomatoes, as she originally suspected before taking the challenge (gluten has been implicated in a variety of modern health problems).
Yota mixed her paleo eating habits with some consistent exercise: MovNat (including swimming), kettebells, and StrengthBox workouts. Even in week one, she noticed that her digestive discomforts had disappeared and she had less water retention. Yota, you look great!
I really should have done measurements before I started because it would be nice to know that there were ‘measurable’ results…but I know that I’ve lost weight and feel much better. In week two I realised that I actually had a waist — who knew! Over all, I’ve noticed that I have a lot more energy — feel stronger/more able to perform physical tasks and don’t have any of the digestive discomfort that I did 30 days ago!
I really thought that I would miss bread…and cheese, but it turns out that I don’t! Once I realised how horrible I felt when I ate it, I quickly forgot any interest or desire I had to eat bread/cheese/pasta/etc. Its taken me 27 years to listen to my body — I don’t know why/how I could ever go back.
Thanks for helping my along my journey…
Yota, you’ve got a month of free training coming your way….
“I have made positive inroads in reducing my grains & sugar ladened food intake. I felt lighter, I’ve been able to tighten a notch or two with my belts!!“
Keep going Vito! Other mentions go to Peter Boterman, Garry Knifton and Christina Pagiatakis, all of whom were close to 100% compliant and who look great!
Andrew lost 8lbs even with being near-compliant at the start
Finally, we have to mention Terry McGurrin. While his numbers don’t reflect the official 30 day period in our EAT REAL challenge, they are too dramatic not to post:
Thinking of a Paleo diet? Here are the changes in MY blood work.
First numbers are from 11 months ago (not Paleo). March 26th I went 100% Paleo. New numbers are from last week (end of April).
CHOLESTEROL – went from 4.93 to 3.93
HDL (good cholesterol) – went from 1.22 to 1.36
LDL (bad cholesterol) – went from 3.25 to 2.30GLUCOSE FASTING – went from 6.7 (diabetes warning) to 4.5
Pretty awesome stuff! By the way, you can watch (or at least hear) Terry as his alter-ego Scaredy Squirrel on YTV, Sundays at 9:30am. Scaredy is paleo, isn’t he? Nuts anyone?
Tags: Eat Real Challenge, food, paleo, StrengthBox
Joe Rogan demonstrating a good KB lockout
Joe Rogan – stand-up comic, MMA fan/UFC colour commentator, and former host of TV’s Fear Factor – is in terrific shape. He’s functionally strong and super flexible, likely as a result of his Taekwondo and other martial arts training. Joe was in Toronto last week for his sold-out show at Massey Hall, and for UFC 129, where he came through with his usual detailed on-the-spot analysis. Earning his black belt in Taekwondo at age 15, and holding a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Eddie Bravo, this guy knows what he’s talking about!
Lately, Joe keeps up with his martial arts and supplements it with lots of strength training and yoga. When he’s on the road, he looks to the best to keep him in tip-top shape, and since renowned fitness coach Steve Maxwell was also in Toronto…the two got together at the StrengthBox facility so Joe could get in some training under Steve’s watchful eye.
Plank Kettlebell (Renegade) Rows
Clubbells - more old school training
Maxwell loves to use kettlebells (he was the first person to teach kettlebell classes in the U.S.), and used them to work on specific exercises before launching Joe into an intense conditioning circuit. Joe started slowly with “round the head” and “round the body” moves before moving onto more ballistic exercises like the one-arm swing. Coach Maxwell gave him some incredible windmill variations that really pushed Joe’s flexibility limits, and some specific kettlebell strength work.
Windmills
Getting the heart-rate up!
Once Joe had gotten comfortable with the movements and exercises, he went through several short (5-6 minute) workouts that really tested his conditioning. While these workouts were quick, they were intense — and it’s that kind of circuit that brings results. He would begin each one with some jump-rope (using a weighted rope) and then would go through a series of one-arm swings, deck squats, pull-ups, clean and presses, get-ups and more. The workouts all involved some kind of pushing and pulling motion, combined with some lower-body/hamstring exercise and some good core work. No isolation movements here, these were tough, full-body workouts that emphasized strength and endurance. Great training for grappling or any of the martial arts.
Whether you’re an MMA fighter or an average person just looking to get back into shape, kettlebells offer almost everything you could want for a functionally-fit body. Combine them with some intrinsic bodyweight exercises and some natural movement, and you’ll get an athletic lean physique and will see some great progress in terms of your work capacity.
With StrengthBox owner Greg Carver
Tags: celebrity training, Joe Rogan, Steve Maxwell, StrengthBox, training
Ready to devour
Ham hocks: from traditional German cuisine to American “soul-food”, they add some real smokey flavour to dishes and qualify as a definite comfort food. Hocks are cut from the ankle joint of a pig, and are sometimes referred to as knuckles. Smoked and cured versions are available from certain organic butchers, and you may find fresh ones as well. Used in soups and to season everything from kale to collard greens, they are fairly economical as a single hock will lend itself to several meals.
In creating a paleo version of hocks (they are often cooked with white or navy beans), I did bend one of the rules. I added a bit of potato to my stock, just to give it more body. I don’t eat them normally, but I was ‘gifted’ some beautiful spuds last week from a farm north of Toronto. I peeled them to remove the lectins and anti-nutrients common to most nightshades, so I was left with just the starch.
The cooked hocks
Ham Hocks and Greens
- 1 large ham hock
- 1 large carrot
- 1-2 stalks celery
- (1-2 large peeled and cubed potatoes, optional)
- 1 bunch kale or other greens, tough stems removed and roughly chopped
- whole peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- (1 leek, well cleaned and chopped, optional)
- bacon, cooked and chopped for garnish
Place the rinsed hock in a large Dutch oven or pot (skin and bones intact – they add much of the flavour), and cover with cold water. Add celery, carrot, bay leaves and a some whole peppercorns (up to 10). Slowly bring to a boil, cover and let simmer on low for about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool a bit and remove the celery, carrot and bay leaves (discard) and take out the hock, placing it on a cutting board to cool.
When the hock has cooled enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones. Cut the larger pieces of meat into smaller bits and place back in the pot. Add the potato pieces and leeks (optional) and kale. Return the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat and let simmer, covered, until the vegetables are cooked (will take only 15-20 minutes).
When serving, you can add some chopped bacon to the top of each bowl. Delicious! I also like to add a drop of two of habanero or other pepper sauce for some kick.
Jenn gets ready to attack
We had a fun morning at the StrengthBox this past Monday with Jennifer Valentyne and the Live-Eye crew from Breakfast Television Toronto! A huge thank you to Jennifer for braving a few challenges and to the BT gang for cheering her on back in the studio. There were a few hilarious moments…
Push My Butt!
CityTV was kind enough to put three of the segments online for viewing (we filmed four, plus several promo teasers). Have a watch using the links below…
BT Clip One — Intro and Rope Climbing
BT Clip Tw0 — Jumping and Getting Over an Obstacle
BT Clip Three – Martial Arts with Jenn and Edward Wilson
The second and third clips were clearly the most entertaining. Thanks to Boris Terzic for swinging the pink kettlebell in the background. And a huge thanks to Liz McGurrin, Cynthia Roulston, Andrew McKee, and Amber Dunford for helping out in the segments! You guys rock!
Tags: Breakfast Television, BT Toronto, CityTV, Interview, StrengthBox
“Paleo Solution” author Robb Wolf was in town last week to deliver one of his awesome road-trip seminars here in Toronto, which he aptly sub-titled “Fad Diet since 3 Million BC!!” It’s always exciting when Robb is in town — he’s part educator, part mentor, part friend and all-round good guy. Once again I had the pleasure and honour of joining him with host Bryce Wylde on the popular CP24 show “Wylde on Health”. This was the second time that Robb and I have been on — apparently the paleo topic is catching on!
The latest show (March 25, 2011) consisted of four segments. It’s shot live, but if you didn’t have the chance to catch it on-air, it can be viewed at the CTV website (click on the links below):
Wylde on Health Mar 25 Part 1 — Robb Wolf
Wylde on Health Mar 25 Part 2 — Gary Taubes
Wylde on Health Mar 25 Part 3 — StrengthBox (Paleo Fitness)
Wylde on Health Mar 25 Part 4 — Robb Wolf & Greg Carver discussion
With Bryce Wylde, Nicki Violetti and Robb Wolf
Robb’s seminar was attended by well over 130 people, all keen to learn more. Robb covered some basic science, the topics of digestion, gut permeability and autoimmunity, metabolic derangement, and lifestyle. The science helped people realize that there was more to paleo than just performance nutrition or body composition — it’s about health and longevity too. And Robb’s section on implementation strategies was very helpful. First thing on my own personal “to do” list: get more sleep! Which is why I’m ending this post right now…time to shut down!
Tags: CP24, Interview, paleo, Robb Wolf, StrengthBox, The Paleo Solution, Wylde on Health
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