On Feb 01, 2006, at 10:47 pm, michael raiti wrote:

> For of you who regularly consume roots as part of your
> paleo diets:
> which roots do you favor?  How do you prefer to
> prepare them?

I love roots.  My favourite are parnsips and swedes.  Having said  
that, I don't eat a huge amount of them, no more than 3-5 depending  
on whether they are large or small, and that is not all days.

Parsnips I like to halve or quarter length-ways, and roast in beef or  
pork dripping.

I often eat a combination of parsnips and carrots mashed with  
cauliflower.  To do this I steam the veg for 15-20 mins then mash  
with animal fat.  It's a good way to increase your fat intake- the  
veg soaks up a lot of fat enabling me to eat much leaner pieces of  
meat than usual.

I always add plenty of salt to my veg.  I find it really brings out  
the flavour.


> I have found that I do best on a diet that emphasizes
> meat, some shellfish, roots and leafy greens.  One way
> that I like to cook roots is roasting with a little
> olive oil, or better duck fat, at 425 for about 1
> hour.  I am a little concerned about the high temp,
> although should I be?  The other way that I prepare
> roots is simmering in water or broth with a little oil
> or fat and salt for about 20 minutes.

I tend to cook everything at a low temperature, except when I do pork  
I blast it on a high heat at the start to make the crackling really  
crispy.  Everything else I do at a low-medium heat and just let it  
cook longer.  On the other hand, humans seem to have a taste for  
seared foods (think barbecues).  I highly suspect that whatever bad  
effects high-temp cooking has (if any), it's nothing compared to  
eating bread, cake, beans on toast etc.


Ashley