Hey everyone,
I wanted to share a few recipes and staple meals that I come back to again and again. In my experience, being able to cook on just a basic level can improve quality of life so much. It also gives you a lot more control over the quality of your food and how much you eat. I notice my recovery, performance, and psychological; health is always better when I’m cooking at home consistently. I try to keep in mind four simple principles when I cook.
Keep it simple. I know myself, and while I enjoy experimenting with elaborate dishes once in a while, I don't find it sustainable to cook time-consuming dishes. It’s a lot like physical training: if I want to enjoy the progress that comes from daily consistency, I can’t crush myself every time I do an exercise. I have to moderate the intensity and volume to the degree I can recover and come back to do it again in a reasonable amount of time. Same with cooking.
It needs to be tasty. If it’s dry and flavorless, I won’t look forward to eating it—and thus I won't look forward to cooking it, so I probably won’t. There’s absolutely no reason food needs to be so plain and flavorless. It can be nutritious, easy, and enjoyable at the same time.
Stick to the fundamentals and repeat. Also like physical training, it’s generally a mistake to turn your accessories into primary staples. Most of the good stuff occurs when you repeat the fundamentals for a long time. Find the essentials that makes the machine purr real smooth, and organize everything around that. Also, don’t fall into the trap of looking for variety for variety’s sake. Food can and should be delicious and wonderfully stimulating, but be aware of when you’re using food as a stand-in for an absence of fulfillment in other areas of life. It’s okay to eat the same thing for dinner three days in a row. If it’s good food, in fact, it should actually be enjoyable to eat it on repeat. This also reduces decision fatigue. Not sure about you, but I work a lot. It feels fulfilling to accomplish a lot in the space of a day. So that means by dinner time I know I’m inclined to just say fuck it, and drink a protein shake or order something less than ideal, if I don’t have leftovers. This brings me to point 4.
Make enough for three leftover meals. In most cooking sessions I try to make enough for 6 portions (I cook for two people), which means three meals. This is the sweet spot for me, as I also don’t like the meal prep approach, spending 1/2 to 2/3 of a day just prepping and cooking. Firstly, I like to have a fresh meal more often than once a week. Secondly, if you don’t have enough time to spend 30-45 minutes cooking 3-4 x per week, you’ve got other problems. Food prep and cooking is a human activity; it helps us to connect with the source of our nutrients and to actively value nourishing ourselves. It’s also a great medium for pause, self reflection, and healthy social activity. It’s a chance to step away from technology and be with yourself. Instead of “going out” and organizing social interaction around drinking alcohol and eating out, try cooking together, put on some good music, have a chat. And if you don’t want to share space with your friends in this way, maybe reconsider your friend standards.
Cookware is also something worth noting. Ceramic or cast iron is best, as these don’t contain chemical and carcinogens that end up in your food. I prefer ceramic, just because cast iron is so high maintenance, and that’s not how I prefer to spend my time. But either way, if you’re going to cook regularly it’s so, so worth it to invest in cookware that lasts so you don’t have to replace it all the time. Trust me, it’s actually more expensive in the long run to buy cheap cookware. It also sabotages the cooking experience when your shit doesn't work—the eggs and pancakes are sticking and burning, the coating is flaking off into the food, etc. If you only buy one thing, I recommend a big ceramic wok style sauté pan.
The recipes below are based on foods I like to eat and have found make me feel great, after years of experimenting and changing specific variables. They’re not a prescription for you. So feel free to substitute or cut out any ingredients that don't work well for you. I’m personally inclined to focus on staple foods that are very easily digested, don’t cause bloating, and cultivate strong, steady energy for my very physical life. You’ll notice that I don't really measure most ingredients. Never have. Get over it. You’re going to mess up a couple of times. It’s part of the learning process. Much like GPS maps, I find it nurtures a passive and lazy mind to rely on exact measurements in cooking. Feel it out. Make mistakes, then make adjustments to your taste. The lessons learned will stick with you. It’s not like we’re trying to create flawless five-star dishes at a chain restaurant; we just want nourishing, tasty food that we can make sustainably on a budget. It’s okay if it comes out different each time. Enjoy the experimentation process; it accounts for half the fun.
Beef soup/stew
Soups and stews are best when cooked slowly at low temps. So I recommend either getting a slow cooker, or a pot with a lid. The slow cooker is nice because you can leave it to cook while you go about your day. The pot you’ll have to babysit a bit. One of the main reasons I like soups and stews so much is because they are both extremely nutritious and inexpensive. Because the meat cooks slowly and for longer, it’s okay to use cuts and parts of the animal that would normally be chewy or tough. This is also a great chance to incorporate a bit of organ meats if you don’t enjoy their taste, as their flavor tends to blend with the rest and become more mild or disappear altogether. If you’re using a slow cooker or you have the time to keep watch of a pot for 6 hours or so, I recommend also using bones for their minerals, collagen, and other nutrients. If using a pot over low heat, make sure to simmer the soup for at least an hour after it comes to a boil. All of these ingredients can be added at the same time, unless otherwise noted. This is good to eat at any time of day. I actually like it for breakfast because it’s so easy to digest before training.
Beef. Try going to the butcher and ask for the cheapest cut, see what he gives you. I also tend to go with leaner cuts, as the soup stock gives flavor, moisture, and nutrients. So the extra fat isn’t necessary. if you kill and clean your own animals, you’ll already know which cuts I mean.
Bones (optional). Look for the big ones with hollow spaces, as that’s where you’ll find the collagen. Bones are also typically really cheap to buy, and keep well in the freezer.
Organs (optional). Start with little bits until you figure out if you like the taste. Add in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Especially liver shouldn’t be cooked for very long.
Carrot. Peeled unless organic
Onion. I prefer white, but any is fine.
Potato. White, and peeled unless organic
Spices. These depend on taste. If you’re looking for a little spicy: try red chilies (de-seeded and left whole so you can pick them out if you want), fresh chopped garlic and ginger. If you want milder, more south asian vibes (think Vietnam, Indonesia, etc.): try cardamom, cinnamon, galangal, then add a squeeze of lime juice upon serving. If you like it simple and mild, just fresh garlic and a touch of grated ginger should do the trick. Feel free to get crazy.
Tomatoes. Add in the last 20 minutes of cooking
Salt. Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt are best.
If you want extra carbs in addition to the potato and carrots, then serve over white rice. Feel free to substitute other animals like sheep or goat (strong pungent flavors), bison, elk, yak, or venison (more gamy flavor).
I put this first because it’s really a staple. I could eat this every day, easily.
Poached eggs and oats w/ side of fruit.
This is mostly a breakfast meal for me. Alternatively to oats, I often like to combine 3-5 poached eggs with a side of leftover rice dish from the night before.
Poached eggs are easier than most people think. When I poach eggs, I combine salt and apple cider vinegar liberally in a small sauce pan of water deep enough to barely cover the eggs. You can also use a small pot if you only have big saucepans. Once water boils, turn the temp down so the water forms bubbles on the bottom but is not boiling. Crack the eggs very low over the pan and drop them as gently as possible so as not to break the yolk. You can test to see if the eggs are cooked to your liking by touching the top of the yolks gently with a spoon.
If you prefer scrambled eggs, here are some tips for a really good scramble. Whisk the eggs together with a touch of raw whole milk. Melt ghee generously in the pan, then cook over low-medium heat, stirring/folding every 15 seconds or so. Leave the eggs a bit soft—not liquid, but also not quite solid. Salt to taste, and optionally add brown butter, chopped green onions and caviar. Add bits of smoked meats and cheeses for a different twist.
You can create a lot of variety by playing with these simple options. If you want a change or feel bored with the flavor, maybe you don’t need to eat an entirely new dish. Try changing a couple of variables first.
Oats. I don’t respond well to gluten so I try to make sure my oats are gluten free, as most oats are processed on machinery that also processes wheat. My favorite way to cook oats is to slightly overcook them so they’re more like gruel. The key is to be conservative with the water, then add more hot water as they cook and you check the consistency. When they’re done I stir in grass-fed butter, a pinch of salt, and brown sugar or honey. If you don’t want to use sugar or honey, try fresh fruit like grapes sliced in half. Sometimes it’s nice to eat them plain/savory, too. Just add a bit extra salt and butter.
Some fruits I like and find help with my digestion are papaya and pineapple. I also like blueberries, but make sure they’re organic, and watch out for mold as they tend to mold quickly. Soft pears like red pears are also a favorite.
This is another one I could eat pretty much every day, and do, more or less.
Xīnjiāng yáng tuǐ fàn (Xinjiang Lamb Leg Rice)
Xinjiang is a region of northern China that really might as well be a separate country. They have their own language, a very distinct culture, and also distinct cuisine. I first tried lamb leg rice in the north of China, I believe when I was visiting Xi’an. I was instantly shocked by the perfect combination of savory and sweet with the rich, pungent, fatty lamb. After that I made it a point to try it whenever I saw it on the menu. In the end I think I must have tried it in 15 different cities over my five-year stay in China. Lamb is not for everyone, as the flavor is quite strong. But this is my favorite way to eat it. And I find even those who are not a huge fan of lamb on its own tend to like this dish.
This is the only relatively complex dish I’ll share here. But it’s well worth it. And in the end, its not really that complicated, and only takes abut an hour to make. There are some variations between the way this is traditionally made and the way I make it. First, for example, they don’t tend to use onions. Second, they don’t use cinnamon. Third, they normally use the lamb fat/drippings to stir-fry the rice. I’ve made adjustments based on my preferences. Also, please note that it’s totally fine to use ground lamb or other cuts of lamb as alternatives.
Ingredients
Lamb. The leg is preferable. And it should be roasted in an oven, though other methods are possible. Depending on size of the sheep, you’ll have to judge how much you’ll need to make enough for leftovers. The size of the leg varies too much for me to give you a recommendation. Worst case, you’ll have too much lamb meat and you can use it for other dishes or share it with neighbors, friends, etc. on the first round. You’ll figure it out after one time through.
Carrots.
Onions.
Raisins. White, and preferably large and fragrant. In the traditional dish they use dried grapes specifically grown in Xinjiang. These grapes are very large, and they have a strong, almost floral smell and taste. But any white raisins will do.
Spices. Cumin, Cinnamon (Ceylon), Black Pepper, Ginger (fresh, peeled, finely minced), Salt.
Rice. Basmati or other long grain white rice.
Red Chilles. Very small amount, de-seeded and minced very small. This is not a spicy dish. The chilies are just to accentuate and embolden certain favors.
To cook the lamb leg, simply rub with salt, wrap in tin foil and place in oven at 325ºF, with a pan underneath to catch the fat drippings.. The most important thing is that the internal temp of the leg (you’ll need a thermometer) reaches 160-170ºF at the center. To check manually, use a fork and knife. If it’s red or pink in the middle, cook it longer. Probably it will take somewhere between 50-60 minutes, depending on the oven.
In the meantime, while it cooks, prep the carrots and onions. Chop them very thin and small. After fat has collected in the pan nearing the end of the lamb’s cooking, use the fat generously to cook the carrots on medium temp in a saucepan until they begin to become very soft and even brown a bit. We want the carrots very sweet, almost at the first stages of caramelization. Somewhere about halfway through cooking the carrots, add the onions and finely minced fresh ginger to the carrots (you should also be starting your rice about now). If you’re using ground lamb or a leaner cut, feel free to use ghee instead of lamb fat. And if you do use ground lamb, I recommend cooking it in a saucepan (no extra oil needed, as lamb it fatty), and I mix the spices right into the meat from the beginning of cooking.
At the same time you add the onions, you can start the rice. This will ensure everything finishes roughly at the same time. When the rice is done, add the raisins to the rice pot, then fluff gently until mixed. Leave uncovered. The raisins will soak up moisture from the rice, becoming plump.
When all has finished cooking, and after the rice has cooled for maybe 5 minutes, add the carrots/onion/ginger to the rice along with the cumin, cinnamon, black pepper (just a touch), and salt. All to taste. Drizzle in as much lamb drippings as you like. Then stir gently until mixed.
Serve rice mixture in a bowl and hand-shred the lamb leg on top. If you’re using ground lamb (to which you’ve already added the spices), just stir it into the rice with the rest of the ingredients.
Gluten Free Collagen Pancakes w/ Fruit Topping
Whole eggs 7
Full cream milk or coconut milk 1/3-1/2 cup
GF flour (buckwheat/potato/rice flour or a mix), 2/3 cup. I don’t recommend using just rice four on its own. I also don’t recommend cassava flour, as its high in goitrogens. I also stay away from nut fours. Buckwheat has so far proven to be the best.
Collagen, If powder, 1 serving. Preferably grass-fed. If you’ve isolated collagen jelly, just 2-3 tablespoons will do.
Vanilla extract and lemon juice (optional), just a touch of each.
Topping: Frozen berries of choice, honey, cornflour
Makes two servings (not great as leftovers). To make one serving, cut ingredients in half.
Pancakes. Combine Ingredients in a blender. Over low-medium heat, melt ghee into saucepan generously. Pour batter into saucepan, cover until flippable. Covering makes it cook faster at lower temps and prevents burning. Flip and let cook maybe an additional 30 seconds. Do not overcook. Better to undercook these.
Topping. In a saucepan or small pot, cook frozen berries over medium heat until completely unthawed. Sprinkle in cornflour slowly, stirring continuously until desired consistency. Add in honey to taste. Fresh berries are also great, as is. No need to cook them. I just use frozen and make compote because they keep for a log time in the freezer. Fresh berries are expensive and go bad quickly.
Plate pancakes, top with berries and serve. Best hot. If you wanna get fancy, sprinkle with lemon zest, or add it to the batter.
Congee
This is another one I picked up in China. And man did it change the recovery game for me. I first found it when I had a wisdom tooth extracted and needed something I didn't have to chew. Then I rediscovered it when I was living in the mountains of rural Guangxi in farming village. I had come down with the flu—probably the worst I’ve had. This was maybe four years ago now. I had just finished a long workshop tour, probably 12 workshops in 12 cities over a three-month period. As soon as I settled into my room, I came down with the worst body aches and the whole works.
Anyway, my neighbors in the village had chickens and ducks. They also ran a small restaurant across the street. So I had them make me big batches of this congee with all of the chicken and duck parts, including organs and skin.
Congee is basically rice porridge. You make rice with too much water and cook it until it breaks down into a gruel. And as it cooks you add in whatever you want: bone broth, organs, minced meat, fine chopped veggies, salt, garlic, ginger, really whatever you want. It’s very simple to make, the variations are endless, and it’s probably the best recovery meal you could imagine. The Chinese tend to eat it at breakfast, or when recovering from illness.
Steak w/ Roasted Potatoes:
Nuff said, am I right. I prefer mine medium-well, usually sirloin. Experiment with rubs, marinades, and homemade sauces to spice it up. Smoked salt can also be a nice lil bump. Oven roast some veggies in the oven with your potatoes if you want, then brush with melted butter. In the end this meal is a staple for me because it’s easy, requires almost no prep, and is nutritious af.
Shakes and Snacks
Post-workout, go-to shake: Raw whole milk or homemade rice milk (store brands are usually full of seed oils and emulsifiers), grass-fed goat whey protein or egg white protein (no flavor, no additives), raw honey or maple syrup, sometimes collagen.
Oat gruel. Outlined above.
Glass of milk: raw, whole milk from goat or cow.
People overthink snacks. Sometimes when you’re hungry, a protein shake, bowl of oats, or a simple glass of milk will do the trick. Sticking to a simple, nutritious list of snacks can also prevent falling into patterns of seeking sweets or savory junk food. Sometimes its smart to just have glass of water and wait a few minutes to see if you’re still hungry; thirst signals can get crossed with hunger. And if you find yourself needing three or four snacks per day, probably just eat bigger meals. Add a bit of extra protein per meal and that should keep you better satiated.
Please feel free to comment with thoughts, questions, and feedback as you apply these in practice. I hope these meals bring vitality and provide opportunity for connection with yourself and others.
D