So this one is NOT low-carb but it does work for paleo-diet/gluten free cooking. I absolutely LOVE this meal and it is the perfect answer to the endurance athlete (or anyone) who asks “how do I get carbs on Paleo?” Gee-whizz, lets think here…fruit, tubers such as yams, sweet potatoes, turnips.
For the compote, peel and cube the sweet potatoes into approximately equal sizes. The intention here is to cut things a uniform size for even cooking. Core your apples and cut them into 1/4’s. Throw the whole mess in a pyrex cooking dish with a lid (or cover with foil) and cook for 45min-1hr at 350*F.
While that is cooking brown your pork loin in a pan with olive oil or coconut oil. Sear and brown each side then cook each side on medium for 10 min.
This is delicious served hot or cold. Garnish the compote with cinnamon and you are set. Can you say post workout carb repletion!!???!
This meal isn’t paleo because of the sweet potato. In addition, you mention that yams are allowed on the paleo diet, whereas they are not (as no tubers are allowed due to the consumption of tubers by humans being a neolithic phenomenon).
Simon-
Oi-vey. The olive oil I used is not paleo, the off season fruit I used was not paleo, the pyrex cookware I used was not paleo, neither was the ground cinnamon with which I garnished the meal nor the espresso I drank to accompany the whole mess.
Now a key feature of this meal is that it will NOT promote metabolic derangement nor will it cause systemic or gastrointestinal irritation due to lectins or other anti nutrients. Said another way it’s a healthy, delicious meal using an understanding of our paleolithic ancestors to guide our choices, not shoot for Paleo Perfection. As a side not tubers were consumed in every hunter gatherer culture that had access to them. Some tubers are safe to eat raw (like jicama) others are not.
Robb
Looks very yummy. Another recipe to post at work to show co workers how easy it is to eat “clean” food that is good for you.
Thanks Rob.
Robb,
Has your opinion of PWO glycogen replenishment changed any after reading DeVany’s post about low muscle glycogen promoting muscle growth? I saw that you posted a comment on his site, but it didn’t really address whether or not one should refill glycogen stores PWO in light of DeVany’s claim.
Craig-
What I took from Art’s post is that one needs ENOUGH glycogen to produce lactate in large quantities but not so much that the atrogenes are initiated. In this case one might sneak a good amount of glucose into the muscles in the PWO period, taking advantage of the increased insulin sensitivity. 50-100g of carbs seems reasonable here and this is certainly for someone who has a performance bias AND I think it still makes sense to vary the PWO glycogen repletion to force utilization of fat as a recovery substrate. Maybe alternate higher vs low carb each workout? Every 3rd workout?Tweak it on a seasonal basis such that in the fall and winter we do more carbs every 5th WO, whereas in the summer we only do low carb every 5th WO? I think all of this is good depending upon ones goals and they all offer interesting adaptations.
Great question! Something I have been thinking about lately.
Robb
The fork is not paleo either, nor are your clothes.
Ditch the fork and eat naked.
Brad
My computer is Paleo.
LOL Brad….I guess a true paleo guy would spend time eating bugs naked with other naked men.
….not sure how far I am willing to go with this whole paleo thing.
Ok Robb so a question here, if wild fish isn’t available seasonably in your geographic area (not a prob in CA I know) or while traveling, would you forego the fish? Or would you still have a piece on occasion?
Sarena-
Totally up to you. Farmed fish is fed the equivalent of low grade cat food soo…not great quality there. Not much different than standard grain fed meat so I’d say go for it if you like.
Robb
Will give it a go over the week end, looks good.
Brad H. makes me laugh.
I love pork. Did cavemen raise pigs or just chase them about?
Ron-
Brad need to leave the lab and take his nutrition based comedy on the road. No info yet on the cave-man/pig relationship.
Robb
Robb you can be sure I will eat a lot of that fish now!! Although our kitty’s food does look tasty some days!!
Robb,
Thanks for an interesting, independent-thinking blog. I was wondering what your take is on lipoprotein lipase? Taubes writes about it (towards the end) as a key factor in getting fat. It’s elevated post exercise, so it seems like the body uses LPL to replenish the fat you lost while working out. And LPL loves carbs of course. So PWO carbs would be a bad idea? Do you have an opinion on this?
Thanks again, all the best.
Johan-
Thanks for the kind words. LPS is super important in fat gain but we have some other dynamics at work here. If we are insulin sensitive, particularly in the muscle mass we partition carbs to glycogen synthesis preferentially to fat synthesis. Post workout the body is trying to restore EVERYTHING to pre-training levels. How hard we hit those carb re-feeds and how much we are looking to performance vs health and longevity will greatly influence how aggressively we might use post workout carb feedings. I see it more as trade-offs and comparative advantages than a cut and dried “this is better than that” scenario.
Robb, will you move to Canada and be my personal chef? I will pay room, food, and let you use the car once in awhile. 😀
Seriously though, recipe looks awesome. I’m going to try it out next grocery trip.
I’m in! Packing our bags tomorrow!
Robb