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America’s unicorn craze — the love for all things rainbow-themed and sparkly — is going mainstream. After lattes, bagels and grilled cheese, there will be a unicorn Frappuccino gracing the menu at Starbucks.

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You’re desperately craving Saturday morning pancakes, but the buttermilk in your fridge expired two weeks ago and you’re all out of milk. You do, however, have a tub of Greek yogurt — and, surprise! It can] do the job just as well.

Greek yogurt may be primarily a wholesome breakfast staple, but it’s also an incredible tool when it comes to baking. It can be used, just like other dairy products, to make moist and tender cakes, biscuits, breads, and more. Here’s how to get started in baking with yogurt.

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Crispy Chicken with Garlicky Spinach

(Image credit: Sarah E Crowder)

When it comes to buying chicken and getting a good deal for your money, the price tag doesn’t tell the whole story. Yes, it tells us dollar-per-pound cost, but if you consider price alone you miss one important thing: the bones. While bone-in options can be particularly economical and flavorful, a smaller percentage of the package you paid for is actually edible (stock-making aside).

Do you know which cut of chicken actually gives you the most meat for your money?

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You’d love to eat every meal sitting down, but let’s get real — you don’t even get to sit down to put on your shoes in the morning, so the idea that you’re going to enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the kitchen table or have a weekday lunch that lasts longer than 15 minutes is not likely.

Our busy lifestyles mean that we’re frequently eating meals or nibbles while in transit. So we’ve rounded up 10 delicious (and not-terrible-for-you) snacks that are perfect for on-the-go eating.

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Jane Brody wrote an article in The New York Times called “Learning from Our Parents’ Heart Health Mistakes.” She argues that despite decades of advice to change our diet and lifestyle in order to reduce our risk of heart disease, we still depend far too much on drugs and expensive procedures like stents.

She says:

Too often, the American approach to heart disease amounts to shutting the barn door after the horse has escaped.

To support this argument, she refers to a recent paper published on the Tsimane, an indigenous population in the Bolivian Amazon. The study found that the rate of coronary atherosclerosis in the Tsimane was one-fifth of that observed in the United States (and the lowest that has ever been measured). Nearly nine in 10 Tsimane had unobstructed coronary arteries and no evidence of heart disease, and the researchers estimated that the average 80-year-old Tsimane has the same vascular age as an American in his mid-50s.

I certainly agree with Ms. Brody so far, and her analogy that the American approach to heart disease amounts to shutting the barn door after the horse has escaped is spot on.

The problem is what comes next, as she attempts to answer the question of why the Tsimane have so much less heart disease than Americans:

Protein accounts for 14 percent of their calories and comes primarily from animal meats that, unlike American meats, are very low in artery-clogging saturated fat. [emphasis mine]

Does saturated fat “clog” your arteries?

Artery-clogging saturated fat? Are we still using that phrase in 2017?

As I’ve written before, on average, long-term studies do not show an association between saturated fat intake and blood cholesterol levels. (1) (I say “on average” because individual response to saturated fat can vary based on genetics and other factors—but this is a subject for another article.)

If you’re wondering whether saturated fat may contribute to heart disease in some way that isn’t related to cholesterol, a large meta-analysis of prospective studies involving close to 350,000 participants found no association between saturated fat and heart disease. (2)

Does saturated fat really “clog” your arteries?

Are “clogged arteries” the cause of heart disease?

Moreover, as Peter Attia eloquently and thoroughly described in this article, the notion that atherosclerosis is caused by “clogged arteries” was shown to be false many years ago:

Most people, doctors included, think atherosclerosis is a luminal-narrowing condition—a so-called “pipe narrowing” condition. It’s true that eventually the lumen of a diseased vessel does narrow, but this is sort of like saying the defining feature of a subprime collateralized debt obligation (CDO) is the inevitable default on its underlying assets. By the time that happens, eleven other pathologic things have already happened and you’ve missed the opportunity for the most impactful intervention to prevent the cascade of events from occurring at all.

To reiterate: atherosclerosis development begins with plaque accumulation in the vessel wall, which is accompanied by expansion of the outer vessel wall without a change in the size of the lumen. Only in advanced disease, and after significant plaque accumulation, does the lumen narrow.

Michael Rothenberg also published an article on the fallacy of the “clogged pipe” hypothesis of heart disease. He said:

Although the image of coronary arteries as kitchen pipes clogged with fat is simple, familiar, and evocative, it is also wrong.

If heart disease isn’t caused by “clogged arteries,” what does cause it?

The answer to that question is a little more complex. For a condensed version, read my article “The Diet-Heart Myth: Why Everyone Should Know Their LDL Particle Number.” For a deeper dive, read Dr. Attia’s article.

Here’s the 15-second version, courtesy of Dr. Attia:

Atherosclerosis is caused by an inflammatory response to sterols in artery walls. Sterol delivery is lipoprotein-mediated, and therefore much better predicted by the number of lipoprotein particles (LDL-P) than by the cholesterol they carry (LDL-C).

You might think that I’m splitting hairs here over terminology, but that’s not the case. It turns out that this distinction—viewing heart disease as caused by high LDL-P and inflammation, rather than arteries clogged by saturated fat—has crucial implications when it comes to the discussion of how to prevent it.

Because while it’s true that a high intake of saturated fat can elevate LDL particle number in some people, this appears to be a minority of the population. The most common cause of high LDL-P in Americans—and elsewhere in the industrial world—is almost certainly insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. (I explain why in this article.)

And what is one of the most effective ways of treating insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome? That’s right: a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet!

News flash: diets high in saturated fat may actually prevent heart disease

Perhaps this explains why low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (yes, including saturated fat) have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

For example, a meta-analysis of 17 low-carb diet trials covering 1,140 obese patients published in the journal Obesity Reviews found that low-carb diets were associated with significant decreases in body weight, as well as improvements in several CV risk factors, including decreases in triglycerides, fasting glucose, blood pressure, body mass index, abdominal circumference, plasma insulin, and C-reactive protein, as well as an increase in HDL cholesterol. (3)

(In case you’re wondering, low-carb diets in these studies had a null effect on LDL cholesterol: they neither increased nor decreased it.)

Saturated fat is a red herring

Instead of focusing so much on saturated fat intake, which is almost certainly a red herring, why not focus on other aspects of the Tsimane’s diet and lifestyle that might contribute to their low risk of heart disease? For example:

• They are extremely active physically; Tsimane men walk an average of 17,000 steps a day, and Tsimane women walk an average of 15,000 steps a day—and they don’t sit for long periods. Ms. Brody does mention this in her article.
• They don’t eat processed and refined foods. We have been far too focused on calories and macronutrient ratios and not enough on food quality. We now know that hunter–gatherers and pastoralists around the world have thrived on both high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets (like the Tsimane, who get 72 percent of calories from carbohydrate) and low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (like the Masai and Inuit). But what all hunter–gatherer diets share in common is their complete absence of processed and refined foods.

Perhaps if we stopped focusing so much on the amount of fat and carbohydrate in our diet and started focusing more on the quality of the food we eat, we’d be better off.

And of course we also need to attend to the many other differences between our modern lifestyle (which causes heart disease) and the ancestral lifestyle (which prevents it), including physical activity, sleep, stress, light exposure, play/fun, and social support.

The Tsimane study illustrates exactly why an evolutionary perspective on diet, lifestyle, and behavior is so important. It helps us to generate hypotheses on what aspects of our modern way of life may be contributing to chronic diseases like atherosclerosis and gives us ideas about what interventions we need to make to prevent and reverse these diseases.

Okay, that’s it for now. Let me know what you think in the comments!

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Protein is a word that carries a lot of weight. Packaged foods brag of their high-protein content; a whole aisle of the grocery store is filled with bars and powders that claim to be pumped full of it. We’re told that we need to eat it — that protein is good for us and we need a lot of it — but what exactly is it? Why do we need it? And do we need as much as everyone seems to think?

Welcome to Nutrition 101, a new series where we step away from the health fads cluttering our news feeds, and get back to nutritional basics — starting with that most glamorous and high-profile of nutrients: protein.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

(Image credit: Emma Christensen)

In comparison to a hardworking brine, marinades seems like a hard sell when it comes to flavoring and tenderizing meat and poultry. But there’s one option out there that’s a little different. Greek yogurt does more than simply flavor the surface of chicken. Thanks to its acidity — different from the kind you find in citrus or vinegar — it tenderizes the meat, keeping it juicy and never rubbery.

Give yourself 15 minutes, and Greek yogurt will reward you with tastier, more tender chicken. Here’s why it works so well.

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We live in the age of the dietary neologism, from the flexitarian to the freegan. So it was only a matter of time before the world was introduced to the veggan, or the egg-eating vegan.

Is that a contradiction in terms? You bet. But these meat-and dairy-eschewing vegetarians have four major justifications for making an occasional exception for eggs.

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Uncle Sam owes you money? Congrats! People say it’s actually better to owe money in April because otherwise it’s like you gave the government an interest-free loan, but who cares what those people say! You’re about to get some money. Money that you didn’t technically have before! Put that money to use in the place that matters to you the most: the kitchen.

Here are some ideas on how to spend that refund check if you’re getting a cool grand — or more! Wow, lucky you! — back.

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Hi, readers. I’m honored to announce the publication of the latest Primal Blueprint Publishing release, Kitchen Intuition, written by my daughter, Devyn. Much of this post is in the format of a guest Q&A where a worker bee caught up with Devyn to learn all about the book and the journey that led to the finished product. Devyn has been working on this project for several years now, originally as a component of her college coursework for a Master of Spiritual Psychology degree, and eventually expanding the concept into a full-length book.

It’s hard to marginalize this work by calling it just a book. I’ve observed my daughter over the past several years grow and mature in ways that leave me speechless as a parent, and the physical book that arrived recently in the mail (bringing the author and the author’s parents to tears on that occasion!) is a tangible representation of this beautiful journey.

It’s mind-blowing that this little being that I welcomed to the world in 1991 has become the adult creative force that stands before me today—blowing into my kitchen to create more culinary art when I least expect it, or dropping off her golden doodle, Ninja, as she heads out for another bold life adventure.

Kitchen Intuition is a deeply personal and vulnerable account of her journey of healing and enlightenment, inspired by the celebration of cooking and eating. The title conveys how Devyn awakened a greater emotional and spiritual connection to food, in the process peeling away layers of dysfunction and disconnect that most of us have when it comes to food—mindsets, attitudes, and behavior patterns that often spill out into other areas of life. I mean, if you’re too busy to take the time to enjoy a tasty, nourishing meal to fuel your important daily agenda, what does that say about your prioritization skills or even your self-respect?

As I spread my message to “Live Awesome!”, this book captures the spirit of that better than anything I’ve read in a long time. The delicious, whimsical and incredibly creative recipes help you awaken your intuitive side—a refreshing departure from the usual mechanical approach we apply when following recipes verbatim. The short stories that are interspersed throughout the book help you get to know Devyn, but even more importantly encourage you to get to know yourself a little better. It seems we often pay lip service to the concept of intuition these days. I hear athletes talk about it in trying to escape OCD training patterns to no avail. We dream of being creative and adventurous in the kitchen, but we lack the confidence and inspiration, or we tell ourselves that we don’t have enough time. Now you have a guide in Devyn, who will take you to places you’ve never been before in the kitchen—and in your relationship with food and eating overall.

The book has arrived in our warehouse ahead of schedule, and Devyn has agreed to sign 200 copies exclusively for MDA readers through the special promotion described after this Q&A—enjoy!!

How did you first come up with the vision for your book, Kitchen Intuition?

The first draft started as a project for my Master of Spiritual Psychology degree and quickly became my worst fear and my greatest accomplishment. I was certain I wanted to create a cookbook (due to my obvious love for cooking and enjoyment of food), but I was blissfully unaware of just how much work it would be or how much it would challenge me. Kitchen Intuition morphed into a project of self-awareness, and the vision soon took over. I wanted to help people by helping myself…by sharing the vulnerability in my relationship with food.

Describe what you think is unique about your book’s message.

I encourage my readers to make mistakes. The kitchen doesn’t have to be something you fear. It can be a scary place for most, but as long as you have some Band-Aids and a fire extinguisher on hand you should be fine. I want people to just get their hands dirty and give things a shot, to realize it can be creative, funny, even romantic. It’s all about getting comfortable in the kitchen, and that includes understanding your likes and dislikes as well as the likes and dislikes of those around you. I want people to pay attention to what they’re putting in their bodies by way of connecting with it as it’s being prepared.

What are some examples of the tips and recipes readers will find in Kitchen Intuition?

My favorite tip is Tip #1: Experiment. How do you know what you don’t like if you haven’t tried it? I’ve made some of my best dishes simply trying something out because that’s all that was left in the fridge. Experiment, break the rules, learn from your mistakes. Some of my favorite recipes in the book include a bunch of leftovers that I creatively repurposed.

The waffles are probably my favorite “Primal” recipe. Some might not call them Primal. I find it so easy for me to eat healthy/Primal all the time, but I feel like I don’t give myself a chance to indulge on things like decadent breakfast items, desserts, or heavy meals. The waffles give me a chance to feel like I can loosen up, join the crowd, and enjoy my food while eating something that is going to positively affect my body and spirit.

Do you have a couple favorite, go-to recipes that you knew had to make it into the book?

I knew I had to include some sort of eggy breakfast muffin. They’re so easy to make, so delicious, and can be made ahead to enjoy at any time of day. They can be fun to experiment with, they require no expertise, and I haven’t met someone who didn’t enjoy them. I also had to include some salads. I feel like salads have a bad reputation for being a “diet food,” but I LOVE a good salad. To me, a salad is just a bowl of goodness with a base of lettuce. You can put anything on lettuce, call it a salad, enjoy the heck out of it, all while getting some good quality nutrition.

How would you describe your personal approach to healthy eating, and what were the most important influences (Primal or non-Primal) in coming to that approach to well-being?

There are many things, people and experiences that have informed my eating and lifestyle choices. My personal approach to eating healthy is simple—if I can’t pronounce the ingredients, I usually won’t eat it. I eat as many things as I can that grow from the ground. Occasionally, I eat things that eat off the ground, and I rarely eat things from a package. Obviously, my dad informed my eating habits, but it was not until I studied with The Institute for Integrative Nutrition that I realized WHY I was eating the way I was. It no longer became “because dad does.” My decisions started to feel more like “I choose to.” When people ask if I’m paleo/Primal, I say “yes” but only because all the things I eat tend to fall in that category of “crap-free.”

What has creating this book meant for your personal journey with eating and cooking?

This book has exposed me, my family, and my friends to the public. Writing and cooking my way through this book allowed me to take a look at my relationship to and with food. I put myself under a microscope for the last few years as I discovered, dissected, ignored, and studied different parts of myself. I fell in and out of love in the kitchen, celebrated, cried, danced, laughed, and learned. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

What surprised you about the process of creating the book?

How much of my social life is surrounded by food. I paid close attention to my relationships and food experiences as I was in the process of writing the book. I was amazed at how often I met up with someone for a smoothie and great conversation, went on a romantic date where we shared food, met my mother for lunch or cooked for tons of people during a celebration.

Many of my interactions and development of new or old friendships revolved around food. The only time I spent with my whole family was for dinner. When I saw old friends, it was over lunch. When I met someone new, it was for coffee. I was amazed at how SOCIAL food is, and how each relationship changed the way the food felt in my body. The experience and conversation dictated how nourished I felt afterward—no matter what I ate.

What’s one of your favorite moments in writing and creating the photos for the book?

Seeing the first photo my photographer Austin and I took (I think it was a cauliflower dish). I have zero experience in food styling, and this was his first cookbook. The picture was nothing like I had imagined, but it looked amazing! I realized in that moment that I would do LIFE with my intuition, not just the cooking part.

What would you like readers to take away from the book for their journeys?

Be curious. Ask yourself questions. Get to know your body. What feels good, what tastes good, what looks good? Pay attention. Become more aware of your relationship to food (healthy or not, we all have one), and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Let your intuition guide you in the kitchen. Before you know it, you’ll notice that intuitive approach start to spill over into other aspects of your life.

Today, per Mark’s Daily Apple tradition, I’ve never been more excited to put together a limited-time offer for Devyn’s book release.

For the FIRST 200 ORDERS…purchase one or more copies of Kitchen Intuition from Primal Blueprint.com, and get a FREE bottle of PRIMAL KITCHEN® Extra Virgin Avocado Oil—the perfect complement to many of the Kitchen Intuition recipes. You’ll also receive a copy of the book personally signed by Devyn. 

You won’t want to miss Devyn’s creative and inspiring message—and this book’s potential to expand or even redefine your Primal eating. You’ll find more than 75 recipes—from dips and bites to scrumptious sides, savory soups to zesty salads, and plenty of main dishes to fill your Primal appetite.

You’ll find Kitchen Intuition for sale on Amazon.com as well starting today. However, this deal only applies to PrimalBlueprint.com purchases and expires when supplies run out or on April 28th at midnight, PDT. One offer per customer. Both domestic (U.S.) and international orders are eligible.

Thanks for stopping by today, everyone, and for sharing the moment. This blog and all that’s grown out of it has certainly changed my life. It’s an amazing experience to see it play a part in my daughter’s life and vision.

The post Introducing Kitchen Intuition by Devyn Sisson! appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.