Episode 149: Arriane Alexander: Elle Russ chats with Arriane Alexander, a “rock your life coach” and actress who helps women discover their dreams, lay the foundation necessary to realize them, and succeed on the journey to their new lives.
Each week, select Mark’s Daily Apple blog posts are prepared as Primal Blueprint Podcasts. Need to catch up on reading, but don’t have the time? Prefer to listen to articles while on the go? Check out the new blog post podcasts below, and subscribe to the Primal Blueprint Podcast here so you never miss an episode.
Announcement I’d like to make: Primal Kitchen, Primal Kitchen Restaurants, and Primal Health Coach will all be at TheFitExpo, coming Jan 7-8 (next weekend) in Los Angeles.
“You don’t like the Udi’s Gluten-Free crumble cakes that they call bread? :O”
– Amen, zach rusk. Gluten-free bread is the best argument against bread consumption.
Happy New Year, everybody! I’m looking forward to digging into 2017 together. And FYI: our annual 21-Day Challenge begins January 9. Look for more info this week!
In this Persian-inspired recipe, chicken and cauliflower are perfumed with saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper and other spices, then roasted until crisp. The cauliflower is dotted with goji berries, pistachios and slivered almonds, and the chicken is finished with a dusting of parsley and mint. Combined, this is a fragrant, deeply flavorful meal.
This richly spiced dish isn’t just flavorful though. The spices also contribute antioxidants and protection against microbes. This recipe gives measurements for both whole and ground spices – you can choose which to use. Buying whole spices and grinding them (a coffee grinder works well) often means more potent flavor and health benefits. Pre-ground spices are more convenient. Just make sure they’re organic and less than a year old.
Time in the Kitchen: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Chicken
6 to 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, or 1 tablespoon ground (15 ml)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, or 1 tablespoon ground (15 ml)
4 whole cardamom pods, or ¼ teaspoon ground (1.2 ml)
1-inch/2.5 cm piece cinnamon stick, or 1 teaspoon ground (5 ml)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (2.5 ml)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (1.2 ml)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (5 ml)
Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, or 1 teaspoon ground (5 ml)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric (2.5 ml)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (1.2 ml)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (2.5 ml)
1/4 cup goji berries, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes and drained (30 g)
1/3 cup slivered almonds, raw or lightly toasted (50 g)
1/4 cup raw pistachios (40 g)
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (60 ml)
1/4 cup finely chopped mint (60 ml)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425º F/218 C.
In a small bowl, mix together the ground spice blend for the chicken: cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, salt. *
*If using whole spices, first grind the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick in a coffee grinder until finely ground
Rub the spice blend into the chicken pieces.
In a 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat about a tablespoon of avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil over medium-high. When the oil is hot, brown the chicken in batches so the skillet isn’t too crowded. Cook 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until skin is starting to get crispy and golden brown.
Place all the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
To make the cauliflower, first warm the olive oil in a small pot. Pour the warm olive oil in a bowl and add the saffron. Let sit 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, pour the saffron oil over the cauliflower. Toss well.
In a small bowl, combine the spice blend for the cauliflower: cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, black pepper and salt. *
*If using whole spices, first grind the cinnamon stick and cumin seeds in a coffee grinder until finely ground.
Sprinkle the spice mixture over the cauliflower, tossing to evenly coat.
Spread the cauliflower out evenly in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet. If one baking sheet is crowding the cauliflower, then use two baking sheets so it can be spread out more.
Put the baking sheets of chicken and cauliflower in the oven. Bake 25 to 35 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165º F /74 C and the cauliflower is darkly browned around the edges.
Toss the cauliflower with the goji berries, almonds and pistachios. Spread out on a platter, and lay the chicken on top. Sprinkle parsley and mint over everything.
Hollywood producer/filmmaker Lee Daniels (The Butler, Empire, Star) recently spoke with the New York Times about expanding after the success of Fox television series, Empire. And while Daniels touched on many things, it's one comment that's got many people in an uproar. It's his remarks about #OscarsSoWhite and it's purpose. In the interview he says:
"Go out and do the work," he fumed over oatmeal at his apartment. "Oscars so white! So what? Do your work. Let your legacy speak and stop complaining, man. Are we really in this for awards?"
"If I had thought that way - that the world was against me - I wouldn't be here now," he added. "These whiny people that think we're owed something are incomprehensible and reprehensible to me. I don't expect acknowledgement or acceptance from white America. I'm going to be me."
But Daniels seems to totally miss the mark on this one. This is the same guy who's built his career off the success of Black actors, often times exploiting the community through hyper-extreme representations of our culture. He's also the same guy who started a professional boycott after actress Monique failed to mention his name during her 2010 acceptance speech for best supporting actress.
He also seems to ignore hat #OscarsSoWhite was started due to for the second year in a row, all 20 actors nominated for awards were White. 2015 saw the release of record-breaking Straight Outta Compton and Creed, two films that definitely deserved to take home Oscars but didn't.
What's problematic about this is, too often times, Black creatives like Daniels achieve a certain level of success, usually off the financial contribution and viewership of Black people, only to betray them once reaching said level of success. Daniels, a director who centers his entire career on our culture, has no room to throw us under the bus.
Mike "Orie" Mosley is a freelance writer/photographer and cultural advocate from St. Louis. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Entertainment & Media Management from Columbia College Chicago and a Masters in Higher Education Administration from LSU. He is also the co-founder of music and culture website http://ift.tt/1QXC23X. In his spare time, he's probably listening to hip hop & neo soul music, hitting up brunch or caught up in deep conversations about Black music. You can follow him on Twitter @mike_orie or on Instagram @mikeorie
from Natural Hair Care | Curly Nikki http://ift.tt/2hD3slN
The Associated Press released its annual AP Athlete of the Year Award, naming Simone BilesFemale Athlete of the Year and LeBron James Male Athlete of the Year. Earlier this year, Biles became the first woman to win four Olympic Gold medals in a single Olympics Games since 1984. She would become only the fifth gymnast to win this honor.
According to AP News, Biles received 31 out of 59 votes, beating out U.S. Olympic Katie Ledecky and Serena Williams.
Tuesday, she tweeted a response to some of the cyber bullying she's been experiencing around body-shaming. “You all can judge my body all you want, but at the end of the day it’s MY body,” she wrote. “I love it and I’m comfortable in my skin.”
In November she released her memoir, Courage To Soar: A Body In Motion, A Life in Balance. The book expands upon her life growing up in Spring, Texas, winning 19 medals, 14 being gold, and how she relied on her faith and family to do what she loves.
Not too long ago, she opted out of a verbal commitment to join UCLA's gymnastic team in order to compete professionally. Her decision paid off. Congratulations to Simon Biles.
What was your favorite moment from Simon Biles this year?
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Mike "Orie" Mosley is a freelance writer/photographer and cultural advocate from St. Louis. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Entertainment & Media Management from Columbia College Chicago and a Masters in Higher Education Administration from LSU. He is also the co-founder of music and culture website http://ift.tt/1QXC23X. In his spare time, he's probably listening to hip hop & neo soul music, hitting up brunch or caught up in deep conversations about Black music. You can follow him on Twitter @mike_orie or on Instagram @mikeorie
from Natural Hair Care | Curly Nikki http://ift.tt/2iq90jl
It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. In fact, I have a contest going right now. So if you have a story to share, no matter how big or how small, you’ll be in the running to win a big prize. Read more here.
Hi, I’m Sarah, and I am 39 years old. I’ve always been interested in science. I loved the experimentation, tweaking little things and the precision required. I studied biochemistry at university and started working in a lab diagnosing illnesses, and later doing cancer research. I moved away from it as a career, but I became interested in nutrition and exercise, trying different ways of eating and training to lose weight for my wedding. I found some that worked – but were really hard going and just not sustainable. As soon as I married I started to put weight on again.
We had two children in a year, which was amazing – but a huge challenge, and I had literally no time for myself. My health suffered, and I ate really poorly, literally living on chocolate spread sandwiches and other easy processed food. I binged on sweets and chocolate almost every day, feeling out of control of my cravings. Over a couple of years I added to the weight gain, topping out at 195 pounds. I was disgusted with myself.
I hit a low when I ordered a pair of 16 (US size 14) trousers online, and they didn’t fit. My legs rubbed together when I walked. I had a photo taken for my passport, and my face looked like a moon. I knew I had to act.
I started attending aerobic classes twice a week, and tried juicing. The weight did start to come off slowly, but it was hard going, and I felt really hungry and unstable on the juices. I looked for a better way.
I stumbled onto the 21-Day Total Body Transformation book on Amazon, and thought I would try it, although the “Primal” thing seemed fairly extreme at the time.
I felt pretty awful and had some really bad headaches the first week, detoxing all the sugar out of my system and becoming a “fat burning beast.” The food was completely different from what I had been used to eating.
After a few weeks I started to feel outstanding. More energy, more connected to my body, and the weight started to fall off without getting hungry at all. I started lifting weights, and walking all the time. We are fortunate living in Surrey (UK) – there are lots of forests and countryside on our doorstep. I would just find myself breaking into a sprint in the rain and feeling crazy and free – grinning like a loon.
My husband and I decided to completely revaluate our lives. He gave up his corporate job, and we set up a personal training company – I was his first client!
I lost four stone over two years, and have maintained at around 140 pounds. I have a condition called Endometriosis, which from me caused crippling period pain a couple of days of the month. I had no idea that sugar and refined carbs cause systemic inflammation – cutting these out mean I generally get by each month without even taking an ibuprofen. I also very rarely get sick – despite 2 children bringing bugs home from school. I don’t crave sugar anymore and feel in control of my relationship with food.
I find it hard not to preach to my friends about the lifestyle – but I want to pay it forward. So I studied Nutrition and Weight Management, and became a certified Primal Health Coach. I wanted to help people who were like me – busy, stressed, overweight, with nagging health issues, just feeling “blah” all the time.
I turn 40 this year, and am in better shape now than I have ever been in my life. Adopting the Primal lifestyle has made such a difference in my health, outlook and well-being that I am really thankful – and will try to help other people achieve the same.
Sarah
For more information on Primal Health Coaching with Sarah, visit her website.
As the calendar draws toward the close of another year, I’m inclined to take stock of where the Primal vision stands. Are people slowly warming to the idea of Primal eating (and living), or are we merely seeing inconsequential, lateral shifts within the same old confines of conventional grain-based, saturated fat-averse, dietary “wisdom”?
All right, all right. It’s fair to say that, without examining the numbers, the majority of people are still stuck in their same detrimental ways. But are the cracks in CW I noted a few years ago deepening and expanding? If we look closely enough, could there be a bit of whole-food common sense shining in there? Or is it just some refracted marketing gloss that catches the right angle from time to time? Or just wishful, starry-eyed delusion?
All good questions with their own claim on truth. Still, are there any substantive takeaways from 2016? And how are things shaping up for the next year at that? Let’s take a brief look.
2016 in Review: Where did Grok fit in?
Last month, Google released its report on 2016 Food Trends. (PDF) With its window into public curiosity, it gives us a refreshing take on how the (Internet-connected) world views food, highlighting popular interests rather than dietitian recommendations. And while I’m always a little hesitant to jump into the brain of your average calorie-counting consumer, it’s useful to get an overall idea of what people are thinking with regards to food.
For one, it appears “gluten-free” is dropping in the charts. With Google reporting a decline in searches for “Gluten Free Cupcakes” and “Wheat Free Bread,” it appears that perhaps the average Joe/Jane has lost interest—at least in non-gluten bake goods. (Somehow I’m not too optimistic that they’re being replaced with the likes of Primal stew and Big A$$ salads.)
There was also a significant decline in interest for classic “healthy” examples of kale chips, quinoa, and agave nectar (sorry, there’s no such thing as guilt-free).
But enough of the “has-beens”…. What about the up-and-comings of the great Google food query?
It appears that the world’s love affair with pasta, bread and rice continues to flourish. Of the 7 Sustained Risers of the 2016 Google food search, 3 fit the pasta category (ramen, rigatoni and linguine), 2 relate to wheat and baked goods (empanadas, bundt cakes), and 1 was a rice-heavy (but admittedly delicious) Korean dish (bibimbap). I have to say that, minus the bibimbap, I’m a little disappointed.
Uncured bacon was a slightly promising trend. I wouldn’t have put that at the top of the concern list, but maybe beggars can’t be choosers.
Still, credit to Internet searchers everywhere, there were some genuine bright spots. According to Google, the new rising stars of the food world include turmeric, jackfruit and cauliflower rice. I’ve shared my thoughts on turmeric recently. I hear jackfruit is a superfood contender—and a sustainable food source to boot. Cauliflower rice has long been a staple for many in the Primal/paleo and low-carb crowds.
So, a few wins here, and a few losses there. I like to think that we all got something out of the trendy gluten-free stint though. While searches might be down, I don’t think there’s any going back to total denial at this point. And from where I’m sitting, the market has been changed by gluten-free “fadism”—for the better. (Just don’t fall for the gluten-free sugar.)
The “experts'” crystal ball…Hints for 2017?
Despite some of the aforementioned dietary pivoting, Americans will plunge into 2017 with a bit more food know-how under their belts. While the “gluten-free” movement may appear to be losing some steam, there’s undeniably a growing recognition of food as medicine.
The final query in that grouping was “health food stores near me,” suggesting that more people are actively seeking out sources for nutrient-dense, minimally-processed foods. Who knows? Maybe a few of them stumbled on Thrive…or PRIMAL KITCHEN™ in the process.
This newfound food research fanaticism may or may not guide people towards a more Primal way of eating. To get a glimpse of the not too distant edible future, I’ve skimmed some of the more notable predictions for 2017 floating around the net. Here’s a small taste:
Plant-based protein will be all the rage.
Apparently 2016 was the International Year of Pulses. Who knew? It certainly did see a return of the legume back to the kitchen table—even among the Primal and paleo circles. Personally, I’ve got no beef with legumes. I’ll throw them in for taste and texture sometimes. That said, I wouldn’t ever depend on them for my protein base. Sure, there’s nutrition there, in some more than others, but let’s be honest, too—the carb count hasn’t changed.
Brace yourself for an onslaught of beans in the coming months, people.
(Good) fats may catch a welcome reprieve.
At last, a prediction to truly get excited about! After a casual 4-plus decades of hating on fat of any kind, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has grudgingly admitted that certain fatty foods may in fact not be the devil incarnate. Avocado, almonds and salmon all get the thumbs-up from these dietary sticklers, which may herald a new golden age for the fat-starved masses. Grok’s nodding in approval.
But don’t be fooled: most dietary bigwigs are still convinced that fat is the enemy. A skim (pun intended) through the 2015 Dietary Guidelines reveals an immovability with regard to saturated fats, and I don’t think a year has done much to budge them. Note that we’re still getting the same old recommendations for “fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages.” Here I was thinking we’d finally hit a home run.
Progress: We’ll take it where we can get it.
Despite the apparent dietary see-sawing, maybe it’s not too much to suggest there’s less disagreement when it comes to what constitutes healthy eating. Those who are willing to do the research agree that low/moderate carbs and high fat are good, as long as it’s healthy fat. The rising stars of 2016 showed that nutrient density is quickly becoming a benchmark for healthy eating, along with the growing notion that maybe eating so much sugar isn’t the best decision ever.
If ancestral logic isn’t getting the credit, it’s perhaps because we remain uncomfortable looking to our uncivilized past for direction. As a tech-savvy consumer society, most people prefer to believe sources for dietary wisdom are situated in cutting edge science rather than innate sense. We’re more inclined to trust “progress” than history.
Still, if popular interests and, brace yourselves, conventional wisdom are indeed inching toward ancestral principles (even as they disown them by name), the overall direction perhaps creates new entry points for more folks to discover a larger picture of health in the Primal Blueprint or paleo models.
And, btw, let’s not overcomplicate things.
All said, it’s refreshing to see an increase in people actually showing some degree of consciousness regarding the ingredients in their food. Yet, it’s also frustrating to discover that most people still believe being healthy is hard. Among the commentary and observations offered with the report is the notion that “to eat healthy, you have to pay a lot of attention.” To me, we walk a fine line with these kinds of statements and may actually deter people from trying to get healthy in the first place.
People think that eating healthy is complicated, that the rules change all the time, and the mainstream media chronically perpetuates this misconception.
That’s the beauty of ancestral logic. The Primal Blueprint diet is, at its core, very simple. Healthy fats, fresh produce, high-quality meats. It’s not rocket science, and that’s why it works. Perhaps 2017 will see a continuing shift towards dietary simplicity. For the sake of public health, I certainly hope so. I’m ready to do my part.
Thanks for stopping by everyone. Is there anything food-related that’s made a big difference to your life in 2016? What are your predictions for popular food trends in 2017?
A hot oil treatment is the perfect option when your hair has become dry and damaged because of chemicals, heat tools, and the environment. The purpose of these treatments is to strengthen the hair and restore moisture so it’s back to being healthy and shiny.
The treatments are also good for the scalp because it’ll soak up the oils and increase blood circulation to the follicles. Massaging the scalp with oils containing Amla, Brahmi, Olive, and Avocado oils is effective, especially for reducing hair shedding.
Other benefits include:
1. Prevents frizz
2. Prevents drying of the hair shaft
3. Great for scalp issues and dandruff
4. Better elasticity
5. Length retention
Hot oil treatments are super easy to do and can be done in the privacy of your own home. They’re easy to apply and aren’t time consuming at all. Of course there’s always the classic VO5 bottle, but, of course, there are alternatives to everything.
Some great oil alternatives are:
1. Coconut-stimulates growth, softens hair and scalp, and eliminates dandruff
2.Olive-high in vitamins A and E for anti-aging and disinfectant; also moisturizes, soothes, and heals
3. Castor-adds strength and is great for those with thin hair that breaks easily.
4. Almond-helps condition, nourish, and softens hair while stimulating growth
5. Jojoba Oil-leaves hair light and soft
Depending on your hair’s needs, you can do them either weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
What do you use hot oil treatments for? How often do you use them?
from Natural Hair Care | Curly Nikki http://ift.tt/2ilbIGT
RESEARCH OF THE WEEK
In this Persian-inspired recipe, chicken and cauliflower are perfumed with saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper and other spices, then roasted until crisp. The cauliflower is dotted with goji berries, pistachios and slivered almonds, and the chicken is finished with a dusting of parsley and mint. Combined, this is a fragrant, deeply flavorful meal.
As the calendar draws toward the close of another year, I’m inclined to take stock of where the Primal vision stands. Are people slowly warming to the idea of Primal eating (and living), or are we merely seeing inconsequential, lateral shifts within the same old confines of conventional grain-based, saturated fat-averse, dietary “wisdom”?
