This morning, Pete was on Fox 5 San Diego discussing the Paleo lifestyle and the importance of a 50 mile meal. The idea behind a 50 mile meal is pretty straightforward, attempting to eat complete meals made with ingredients that can be found within 50 miles of where you are located. But the bigger question is why is this important?
For us, it encapsulates what Paleo is really about. Eating seasonal food, as locally as possible. Up until around 60 years ago, it wouldn't have been common to eat items that were grown or harvested more than 50 miles away unless there was a special occasion. You ate what was around when it was around.
This is not only ideal for a healthy and nutritious diet, but it's also the responsible behavior for both the environment and local economies.
Below is the recipe that Peter prepared for the morning show's example of a 50 mile meal:
Coffee Rubbed Cook Pigs Pork Tenderloin, Roasted galeux d’eysines with herbs from Primeval Gardens, sautéed Suzie’s Farm Beet Greens w/ Rhubarb and Onion
Serves 4
For the Roasted galeux d’eysines (or any kind of eating pumpkin, baby pam, sugar, Long Island Cheddar):
1 Whole Roasted galeux d’eysines (this will make a ton, easily used as a side, or scrambled into eggs for breakfast)
2 T olive oil
1 T salt
1/2 T Black Pepper Ground
1 T Fresh Herbs (whatever you like, thyme, rosemary, parsley, tarragon, dill or a mix are all delicious)
Split pumpkin into quarters and then scoop out seeds, they come out super easy with this variety. If you’re using it for a soup or puree, some recipes I’ve seen call for reserving this pulp to enhance the flavor, food for thought.
Place pumpkin in large roasting pan, add half a cup of water, you can eyeball this, the olive oil, salt and black pepper. Cover and roast at 400F for 70 minutes. Remove, very carefully uncover after pan has sat for 10 minutes, let rest another twenty uncovered before scooping out flesh, mixing with chopped fresh herbs, add more salt to taste if necessary and serve.
For the beet greens:
Greens from 2 bunches of beets, roughly 12 cups chopped and cleaned
2 cups sliced rhubarb (approx 2 full stalks)
1 spring onion bunch
1 T avocado oil
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
Rough chop and wash the greens from fresh beets, thinly slice the rhubarb and onion and begin heating the oil in a large sauté pan on medium high. After three minutes add the rhubarb and onions. Add a pinch of salt and sauté for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn heat to high and add greens. They will cook down in 3-4 minutes, do not season until they are cooked down as you’ll end up with much less than you started and you don’t want salty greens. Enjoy
For The Pork:
2 # Cook Pigs Pork Tenderloin (this pork is so tender and so well taken care of, a full loin split in two works just as well, is more readily available and is less expensive, but if you can get it, tenderloin is preferred.)
1/2 T Calabria Mad Russian coffee finely ground
1/2 T Salt
1 t paprika
1 t garlic powder
1/4 t clove powder
1 T Avocado Oil
Mix spices together in a bowl and then rub onto the pork loins. Let sit covered for at least 30 but preferably 60 minutes. Turn oven to 400F and heat a large cast iron over medium high heat. After 4 minutes or so add the tenderloins and sear for 3-4 minutes per side. Tenderloin should have three usable “sides” for searing.
When you’ve had the pork searing on the last side for roughly two minutes, turn the heat off and if you feel comfortable with the weight move the whole thing to the oven. If that seems a tall task weight or logistic wise you can transfer them to a sheet pan (cookie sheet) to finish.
Leave in oven for 5 minutes for a medium pork, 8 for medium well and 10 to be cooked all the way through. Rest for five minutes, slice, serve.
As always, please check out our weekly menu here or go directly to buy our Paleo meals that can be shipped fresh nationwide, here. While this produce might not be local to you, it was the most local to where it was prepared and cooked, picked at the peak of freshness and prepared the SAME DAY!