In “The Ultimate Paleo Cleanse,” cookbook writer Amelia Simons offers four weeks of easy-to-follow Paleo recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner; there are even some desserts. Paleolithic eating, for those of you who live in a cave and haven’t heard of it, is supposed to mimic how our ancestors ate. Ancestors with a capital A – we’re talking Paleolithic times. Specifically, that translate to a low-carb, grain-free and gluten-free diet. Refined sugars are off limits, too, but you can eat seafood; eggs; healthy fats; leafy, green vegetables; and fruits – though not too many of the last if you want to lose weight. Eating this way can lengthen your life and make you healthier and more fit, adherents of the diet say.
If you are trying to convert to a Paleo diet, as I am, “The Ultimate Paleo Cleanse” is a good starting place. The roughly 120 recipes (many with photographs) look scrumptious and – for the most part – pretty easy to make. Also, conversion charts in the back of the book and information about other resources will help guide you on your Paleo path.
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I decided to test the slow-cooker Aromatic Pork Loin, because the warm spices the recipe pairs with the meat – ginger, cloves and cinnamon – intrigued me. The recipe was easy enough, but for one tricky step, namely massaging the pork with the spices; I think it would have been easier to infuse the oil with the garlic, rub the garlic oil over the loin and then roll it in the spices (they’d have adhered better). Also, sometimes she is relaxed, to put it kindly, about the details – in this recipe giving no direction on how thick to slice the carrots, how to prep the garlic, or how many people the pork loin feeds.
The house smelled wonderful while the meat was cooking, which was a good thing, because I needed to cook it longer than 3.5 hours called for. (Next time, I may tinker with the temperature, too, as I like fall-apart pork loin.) In the end, though, I was pleasantly surprised at dish’s flavor, and I made a lovely gravy with the meat and carrot juices. That gravy may not be strictly Paleo, but I couldn’t resist.
We’re more than halfway through January, but I haven’t given up on all my New Year’s resolutions. I’m eager to try more recipes from “The Ultimate Paleo Cleanse,” hopefully letting the book lead to a healthier, leaner me.
SLOW COOKER AROMATIC PORK LOIN
I think this would feed about 4. When I made it, I sliced the carrots ¼-inch thick, and I minced the garlic.
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
1½-pound pork loin
Prepare a slow cooker by placing the carrots in the bottom and turning the heat to high for 3.5 hours. (A low setting will require 6 hours of cooking time.)
Mix the spices and the garlic together. Rub the pork loin all over with 1 tablespoon of oil. Using your hands, massage the spices into the pork loin.
Place a large frying pan on high heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the pork loin and brown it on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the pork into the slow cooker, placing it over the carrots.
Return the now empty frying pan to the stove. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and heat briefly, scraping up any brown bits that were left behind in the pan. Pour the water into the slow cooker. Fasten the lid and cook for 3.5 hours or more until the pork loin is tender.
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