Elite BBQ

For those of you who missed last nights party, don't worry, there will be more. For the people that were able to attend, I hope I made many new friends and I hope you all took something away about how to eat, what to eat and how to cook. Here are some points that I hit last night as a recap:

• Typical BBQ sauce is loaded with sugar and preservatives, two ingredients that will turn your diet upside down
• Red Meat can be organic, but moderation is key to keeping healthy.
• Organic, All-Natural and Conventional. Key words to know when shopping. Organic, no additives and naturally handled, always. All-Natural, refers to proteins that never had hormones or antibiotics added however, they were fed conventional feed or raised on non-organic land. Usually more price effective and still better than conventional which is the traditional method of using chemical science to maximize growth and yield in all categories of farming
• Organic Food typically has better, more natural flavors because of the care taken in the soil. Fruits and vegetables are similar to growing grapes for wine. They are all influenced by the earth and climate that they are grown in.
• Be smart in planning your ingredients, avoid high-glycemic foods like white flour and corn, carrots and parsnips.
• Sulfates are slowly gaining competition by products that are naturally cured. Hormel is making deli meats like Ham, Roast Beef and Turkey with natural cures containing Celery Juice, Simple Sugars and Sea Salt. They are also making bacon the same way. Look for "Uncured Bacon" on the label technically Bacon isn't bacon unless its chemically induced.
• Always try and eat raw vegetables with every meal. The nutrients remain intact when vegetables are in their natural state. Marinades and Soaking are two ways to add additional flavor to your food without breaking down the nutrients.

Check back here very, very soon for recipes from last night. We enjoyed making Ceviche, Charred Vegetable Gazpacho, Grilled Artichokes, BBQ Oysters and Shrimp Kabobs. We finished off the night with Seared Ahi Tuna with Napa Cabbage, Cilantro and Watermelon Radish Raw Salad with Cashews and Sesame. The dressing was a Tahini Vinaigrette.