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“It’s lovely to talk about the magic and mysticism of food, but it’s a lot of hard work and time invested,” says Tunde Wey in the first episode of the fifth season of Chef’s Table.

He’s talking about Cristina Martinez creating barbacoa, but for me, the quote provides a framework for these four new episodes. In Season five, there’s so much more than magic at the Chef’s Table.

Read more: Watch the Trailer for Season 5 of Netflix’s “Chef’s Table”

The beauty of food can be a powerful tool to create a space to talk about issues that are so much bigger than what’s on our plates. In the same way food calls us to the table, food television has the capacity to lure us in with lingering shots of a pile of fresh dumplings or a whimsical swirl of edible foam, and show us the people and systems that bring you to that shot. It can stoke our hunger for more than our next meal. It can stoke our hunger for change.

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Pumpkin pie, a member of the custard pie family, is sometimes challenging to bake correctly. No, I don’t mean getting the perfect pie crust or the right spices — although those things certainly don’t hurt — I mean that custard pies are most often under- or over-baked. Pumpkin in particular is hard to read because of its dark filling. We tend to avoid poking and prodding pumpkin pie so that we can have a picture-perfect one.

Here are three signs that all good pie bakers know for determining the doneness of your prized pumpkin pie.

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For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering four questions. First, is air-frying gentler than deep-frying? Does it produce less acrylamide? Second, what do I think of a reader’s Primal-style plant-based way of eating? It’s actually quite good. Third, why didn’t I mention the Perfect Health Diet in last week’s post on top trending diets? And last, did I make a typo or grammatical error when I wrote “bad rap”?

Let’s find out:

Russian squat thing is great.

Anyone know if air frying potatoes creates acrylamide to the same degree normal deep frying does?

Wasn’t it? It’ll obviously never happen around here, and it would raise all sorts of civil rights issues if adopted across the board, but man would it be effective.

Turns out that air-frying is way more gentle on potatoes than deep-frying. Compared to deep-frying, air-frying potatoes reduced acrylamide formation by 90%.

And if you “pre-treated” the potatoes with a solution of nicotinic acid, citric acid, glycine, and salt, you’d get a further reduction of 80-90%.

I don’t know. The initial 90% sounds good enough that I’d hold off on that strange pre-treatment. In fact, I bet you could get a decent approximation of the benefits with a simple marinade on the potatoes. Maybe lemon juice and thyme?

Great round up Mark!

I’m just wondering what you think of a very ‘primal’ 95% vegan like diet?

I have Chron’s disease, but despite the data showing a carnivorous diet helps IBD I have found through a lot of trial and error I cannot handle cooked muscle or organ meat of any kind without a lot of pain.

I eat a vast variety of gently cooked vegetables, massaged salads, cooked and cooled legumes (also potatoes) Seaweed, some cooked and cooled buckwheat & rice, plus the occasional raw dozen oysters or fresh sashimi (Around once a week, expensive & I find it feels like enough). I only use olive oil (I have a Mediterranean background and find I tolerate it better than Butter or coconut oil)

I feel best on this, but wouldn’t really quantify it as any of the above diets.

Anything you think I could be missing out on eating this way? I’m a slim female with a high glucose tolerance if that helps.

Cheers Sophie

That’s a solid way to vegan. It’s quite close to what I recommend plant-based dieters do. You’re eating real food. You’re eating actual plants, not plant-based junk food. You’re avoiding seed oils. You’re eating oysters and raw fish—that’s huge. You’re treating your legumes right, and you don’t appear to be overly reliant on grains. Rice is one of the more innocuous grains, and buckwheat is actually a pseudo-cereal (and quite a nutrient-dense one at that).

A few suggestions:

Supplement creatine. It’s only found in red meat and fish, and most vegans are deficient. Correcting the deficiency tends to improve cognitive function. Since you eat fish once a week, you won’t be quite as deficient as others, but it’s still a good idea (and really inexpensive) to take 5 grams a day. Here’s a good creatine supplement.

Supplement carnosine and taurine. These are two other nutrients found primarily/only in animal foods. They act as antioxidants in the brain and play big roles in health and disease. Here’s a good carnosine supplement. Here’s a good taurine supplement.

Eat some raw egg yolks. I love a handful of raw egg yolks. One of my favorite ways to get choline, a true nootropic. It’s a decent, gentle source of uncooked high quality animal protein, too, which you can probably use.

How could you not mention the Perfect Health Diet?

The Perfect Health Diet is a great way to eat. Back in 2012, I even wrote the foreword to The Perfect Health Diet book. The problem is that it doesn’t qualify as a “popular diet trend.” It should be. I’d love for Dr. Oz to plug the PHD, for Oprah to include it in her book club. The world would be a much healthier place. But that’s not where we are.

The article was designed to inform newcomers to the diet scene while still providing enough meat for the more advanced readers. There just aren’t all that many newcomers looking for info on the Perfect Health Diet.

Speaking of which, if you guys have noticed a dearth of activity on Paul Jaminet’s part, it’s for good reason: He and his wife have been developing a new cancer drug that, according to his preliminary animal research, looks to be effective against every tumor they tested. Even the really malignant ones. Phase 1 human trials are set to begin in 2020. I really, really hope it all works out.

Typo heads-up…
You said: “Atkins gets a bad rap”. It should be Atkins gets a bad “rep”. The correct word (rep) is short for reputation. Thought you might like to know. Loved the post though!

Thanks for the tip!

I actually intended to use “rap,” though, in the sense of “criticism.” Think of the “rap sheet,” a list of a person’s crimes or offenses. Or “rap” as in “sharp blow,” sort of a physical manifestation of criticism or reprimand.

That’s it for today, folks. Thanks for reading and be sure to comment down below if you have any input or additional questions.

References:

Sansano M, Juan-borrás M, Escriche I, Andrés A, Heredia A. Effect of pretreatments and air-frying, a novel technology, on acrylamide generation in fried potatoes. J Food Sci. 2015;80(5):T1120-8.

Antioxidant activity of carnosine, homocarnosine, and anserine present in muscle and brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 1988;85(9):3175.

Yamori Y, Taguchi T, Hamada A, Kunimasa K, Mori H, Mori M. Taurine in health and diseases: consistent evidence from experimental and epidemiological studies. J Biomed Sci. 2010;17 Suppl 1:S6.

The post Dear Mark: Air-Frying, “Primal” Vegan-ish, Perfect Heath Diet, and Bad Rep or Rap appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

In the last few years, the foam roller has become a staple in commercial gyms. 10% of every piece of equipment in a modern fitness facility is now some type of foam roller.

Not true, but they are indeed everywhere.

And with good reason: you can essentially give yourself a deep tissue massage with one of these bad boys. And if you fork out $20 bucks, you don’t even have to leave your home to do it!

So today we’ll chat about these new toys:

• The benefits of using a foam roller
• Some simple exercises you can do from home
• Common pitfalls we want to make sure you avoid
• What to buy should you want one
• Whether or not you should put a cat in one

That last one is definitely a hard “no.”

Let’s get rolling (the puns are only going to get worse from here)

What are the benefits of using a foam roller?

You’ll often hear using a foam roller as “self-myofascial release.”

You may be asking, “myofawhatnow?”

Don’t stress, because “fascia” is just the connective tissue covering muscle. Just know that “self-myofascial release” means giving yourself a tissue massage.

The type of massage you receive has a lot to do with the type of roller you use and the exercises performed. For example, the denser and firmer the roller, the more intense the massage will be. Think the difference between the relaxing touch of a masseur/masseuse and a deep tissue sports massage where you cry out in agony but feel great after.

We’ll start you off with the more relaxing sequence.

Now, it should be noted there is a debate on the actual benefits of “self-myofascial release.” There are some claims that myofascial release will help flexibility and muscle recovery. There are others that say that’s bogus.

What does the science say?

Some of it’s supported:

• A foam roller has been shown to help the range of hip motion in soccer players^[1].
• Rolling massages can help alleviate muscle soreness^[2].

Some of it is not supported:

• Foam rolling use doesn’t appear to impact the length of muscle^[3].
• A study found no help in relieving “tightness” in the hamstring^[4].

So yeah, the science isn’t definitive on this. But there does seem to be a lot of anecdotal evidence praising foam rollers.

My take? I think the foam roller is a great tool for temporary pain relief as long as it’s used correctly, but you can’t ignore what caused the soreness in the first place!

Want help getting started?

Beginner foam roller exercises

All you need is some type of roller and some floor space. A yoga mat would be helpful but not required.

We’ll go over four simple exercises to get you going with a foam roller. Think of the following as a relaxing sequence:

• Thoracic Spine
• Glutes (both sides)
• Quads (one at a time)
• Abductors

Take each move for about 20-30 seconds. Hold for major sore spots. Breath deeply, calmly.

I asked Matt Myers, one of our online coaches at Nerd Fitness – he’s hilarious but don’t tell him I said that – to guide you through these moves in this quick video.

Yes, that’s a T-Rex on a foam roller. You’re welcome:

That’s it. Keep it simple at first.

You can do this sequence after a workout. Or even before. Or all by itself. Go wild.

Common mistakes when using a foam roller

I want to make an important point on foam rollers:

As mentioned, one of the benefits is their ability to help with painful or tight areas.

However, it’s important to remember that using a foam roller won’t treat the root cause of the pain. It’s only going to help  treat the symptom by easing pain.

As the studies above point out, it’s not quite clear how myofascial release does this.

What I’m trying to say: If you’re working out incorrectly, or in pain because of a sedentary lifestyle, or some other type of issue, using a foam roller won’t fix it. It’ll only help you manage the discomfort. You’ll potentially need outside help to uncover the real issue that’s causing the problem in the first place.

The foam roller is the equivalent of using painkillers to help a broken foot, without first setting any of the bones correctly, or asking the question “Why did you think kicking that brick wall was a good idea in the first place?”

Eek.

So use the foam roller to manage discomfort, but know that it’s not a panacea (boy do I love that word) for all of your ailments and movement issues!

If you’re not sure if you are training correctly, or you’re struggling to not always be dealing with pulled or sore muscles, we are here to help. Matt from our video above, is part of the experienced, fun, non-judgmental staff that make up the Nerd Fitness 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program. Our team can help with many different types of exercises, with or without a roller. Plus, if you’re struggling with weight loss, they can help there too.

Want to see if we are a good fit for each other? Click on the big image below to schedule a free consultation with our Team (you’ll probably speak with Big Red, he’s good people):

Foam roller recommendations

You now know a foam roller can be a super helpful tool to manage pain and discomfort. And thanks to Matt, you even know how to use one.

Want to buy one? You need to think about the following:

• Density: the denser the roller, the more intense the massage you’ll receive.
• Texture: some rollers will have ridges and knots to help dig into your muscle and tissue.
• Shape and size: big ones, small ones, some as big as your head. You can get a foam roller in just about every size you could want.

There’s a lot to consider, but here’s some solid choices:

• Yes4All Premium USA Foam Roller. It’s cheap, not too firm, and comes in a few different lengths and colors. Not a bad first roller.
• LuxFit Premium High Density Foam Roller. If you are looking for a firmer roller for a more intense experience, the LuxFit is a good purchase.
• TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller. What something with some texture to help increase your ability to dig into muscle? The TriggerPoint will do just that.
• RumbleRoller. If you want to take texture to the next level, the RumbleRoller is the way to do it. Be careful.
• Hyperice Vyper 2.0 High-Intensity Vibrating Fitness Roller. Yes, the Hyperice Vyper is expensive. But it also vibrates. The major complaint against the Hyperice is it vibrates TOO much. If you want to go all in on your foam roller experience, this would be how to do it.

Boom. That’ll give you some options to… get rolling.

In appreciation of self care

Our lives are busy. It can be a real challenge to carve out time to take care of ourselves. But it’s important that we do. Outside of anyone else, we are in the best position to help ourselves (duh). Even if it’s only for five minutes and with a piece of foam.

Foam rolling is a great way to manage tightness and pain from the comfort of your own home. If you don’t have one, you can also use household items like a tennis ball to attack the “knots” that develop in our bodies. Or, go the other way and spring for a licensed massage^[5].

The importance is self care. Try the foam roller the next time you’re at the gym. Or get one sent to your home. It’s a fun toy to have around.

Breathe in now, breathe out, and as Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit taught us: “just keep rollin’ baby.”

What do you think? Love foam rollers? Or think they are a tripping hazard at the gym? Want more advanced exercises? Let us know!

-Steve

PS: I tried my hardest to not make a Limp Bizkit reference in this post. Almost made it.

PPS: If you want help playing with all the other toys at the gym, I’ll mention one last time our 1-on-1 Coaching program. We can help make all the equipment at any fitness facility way less scary. Or teach you how to workout from home so you can skip the whole place altogether.

###

ALL Photos Sources can be found in this footnote here^[6].

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As a food writer, I get scads of emails letting me know about new products, ingredients, trends, and so on. I skim them, and sometimes these pitches resonate, but more often they just slide on by (especially when they are for things like dog whistles; I don’t write about dog whistles). But sometimes a persistent publicist comes back a few times to really urge me to give something a shot. And sometimes I capitulate. And in this case I was surely glad I did.

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If you love poached or gently baked eggs as much as I do, this all-day egg skillet will be right up your alley. The yolky eggs and chunks of soft, briny feta make it a touch indulgent, but there’s just enough wilted spinach to keep it feeling light. But what makes this recipe stand out (and the a-ha moment I will most definitely borrow for many other meals) is the oil-kissed za’atar spice that’s brushed over the eggs right before serving. It’s so simple and greater than the sum of its parts, and serves as the extra touch that makes these eggs something truly special.

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Filed under things I didn’t know I had to worry about: the fact that the pretty finish on my new kitchen fixtures might not last.

When you’re dreaming about a new kitchen, it’s often the jewelry — those gleaming brass fixtures — that imprint on your mind. They certainly did mine. Pinning my little heart out, I began to see patterns in what I liked, and that included modern brass fixtures. I’d never had such a thing (but I’d never had a full-scale kitchen reno, either; all my kitchens had ever seen were standard-issue stainless faucets). They were always fine and I never thought twice about them.

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As the days grow shorter and colder, a creamy, comforting beef stew loaded with seared beef and savory mushrooms fits the dinner bill perfectly — especially if you’re a fan of beef stroganoff. The slow cooker works all day, tenderizing the beef and creating a flavorful sauce, and all you have to do is add some cream when you get home and figure out if you’d rather serve it over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

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Kitchn’s Delicious Links column highlights recipes we’re excited about from the bloggers we love. Follow along every weekday as we post our favorites.

Perhaps the most dubious thing about Mississippi pot roast is how it came to be called that in the first place. The investigative food journalists over at the New York Times identified the creator as Robin Chapman of Ripley, Mississippi — which is logical enough. The thing is, Chapman never called her roast “Mississippi roast” and still doesn’t to this day. She simply calls it “roast.” Somehow, as variations of Chapman’s recipe took off in the blogosphere, it took on an identity of its own.

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Just because you love two things more than anything else in this world, that doesn’t mean they should ever meet. In fact, in most cases, they shouldn’t. Take, for example, pasta and your new white sweater. Or dogs and chocolate. Or, um, cheese and pumpkin spice.

No matter how fanatical you are about pumpkin spice (we’re talking going to get the first latte of the season in August), we’re betting you are not going to like this new mash-up.

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