Feat
2.) Eat Wild
There are a lot of exciting back-to-basics diets running around these days. Think Paleo, Raw, and Feral. We hear good things about all of them, but our definition of "wild" is much simpler. To complete this feat, you must eat 12 meals over the course of the month that do not contain any "processed" foods. Huh? If it was made in a factory and packaged before it got to you, it's no good. If it's straight from the earth or sea or pasture, without additives, it's good. Organic eggs, meats, produce, and seafood: All good. McDonald's obviously out. Your favorite Trader Joe's hummus? Also out! Make it yourself from scratch, or procure/consume your meal in a venue (restaurant, friend's home, artisinal Venison Jerky boutique ) where you can be sure the ingredients are natural and unprocessed.
(Image: Mushrooms!)
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2.) Eat Wild Related Posts
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I'm assuming butchered meat does not count as "processed"? But if it does, I have a friend who's been trying to talk me into going to a live meat market to buy an "unprocessed" chicken for dinner...
Submitted by nfolkert on 02.27.10 at 10:44.
I'm super excited for this challenge, because I just signed up for Basis Food delivery. It is somewhere between Fresh Direct and a CSA. Last week's deliveries across the city included red leaf lettuce, red radishes, green leaf lettuce, mini gourmet potatoes, Lacinato kale, Nantes carrots, leeks, Pink Lady apples, golden delicious apples, bosc pears, and sapodilla.
Does anyone know what to do with sapodilla!?!?
Submitted by gotigers2003 on 02.27.10 at 11:48.
Will home-baked bread count, or is flour considered processed for this?
Also, is anyone else seeing the optical-illusion hedgehog at the bottom of that picture?
Submitted by lizh on 02.27.10 at 02:21.
yea, i'm definitely seeing the hedge hog!
Submitted by kornflowers on 02.27.10 at 04:29.
Try this site: http://www.virtualherbarium.org/tropicalfruit/sapodilla-recipes.html
Submitted by volcane09 on 02.27.10 at 06:38.
what about...like...olive oil...can I cook w/ that???
Submitted by sassletics82 on 02.27.10 at 11:37.
is milk processed...i need real specifics since I don't get it...
Submitted by sassletics82 on 02.27.10 at 11:38.
Hey everyone, I'm new to the community. Decide to join just to do this challenge.
@sass... I'm doing all my cooking in coconut oil or butter right now. Those are the most unprocessed cooking fats I could find. Don't forget about uncured bacon! Eggs, too! Lots you can do with those. Milk is tricky because you could say that pasteurization is a process. If you're going to be really strict go with organic raw whole milk.
I've also taken to eating lots of raw vegetables. This is going to be fun!
Submitted by tandoorichicken on 02.28.10 at 01:53.
what about cheese? maybe i'll make my own.....but that involves vinegar (also processed)....
Submitted by sarahz on 02.28.10 at 05:26.
Anything pasteurized should still count because it's a sterilization process even organic foods go through. So cheese should be okay, but I would buy the cheese that comes without annato or other food colorings. Breads should be okay too, if they don't have high fructose corn syrup, or partially hydrogenated anything. I think this is more about making the things you could buy out of convenience and eating whole so we can examine how much unnnatural stuff we're really eating.
Submitted by Evangeline on 03.01.10 at 11:53.
breakfast - free range chicken, brocolli, asparagus, white mushrooms, ginger and shallots, avocado.
Submitted by kornflowers on 03.01.10 at 11:58.
So I reread this, and I think bread is out unless you buy it from someone who didn't make it in a factory. Cheese though... who makes cheese? What if we get it from the farmer's market? Does Paleo exclude cheese? I guess I can live without cheese for 12 meals, but man..
Submitted by Evangeline on 03.01.10 at 01:04.
@evangeline I don't know too much about paleo, but I think all dairy is out because it didn't exist way back when.
Submitted by Fraidy on 03.01.10 at 03:40.
I guess soya mince is out too then?
Where do we stand on chick peas? They either come in a tin or dried round here - both 'processed'!
This feat is stressing me out!
Submitted by CakeOrDeath on 03.01.10 at 05:31.
cake - I was assuming dried beans are ok. That's no more processed than butchered meat.
Submitted by Butwhatifido on 03.01.10 at 05:39.
this whole thing can get a little tricky because I make everything from scratch but I use a lot of canned things like beans and coconut milk they are organic so there isn't a bunch of extra crap in it but it does come in a package which they say no to I'm at a bit of a loss
Submitted by LaLasha on 03.01.10 at 05:41.
Mung bean stew
Fry
Add
Add mung beans and cook.
Remove 1/3 and blend with a bunch of dill or coriander.
Return to pot
Add a package of frozen spinach
Cook 4-5 minutes
Add the juice of a lemon
Stir
Serve over brown Basmati rice with a dollop of yogurt on top.
Enjoy
Submitted by @HereNow on 03.01.10 at 08:10.
LaLasha, I'm having the same problem! Especially in winter. And I try to get a LOT of protein, mostly from yogurt. Argh.
Submitted by sarahz on 03.02.10 at 01:17.
I made slow cooker oatmeal that I tried for the Whole Grainy feat. It has become my breakfast of choice these days... Instant oatmeal packets are so disapointing to me now.
Submitted by gleam on 03.02.10 at 11:29.
So two more thoughts on this:
-what if we make a LOT of something and eat if over the course of a few days--one meal or many?
-what if i have yogurt on the side--does this disqualify the meal?
Submitted by sarahz on 03.02.10 at 02:40.
Lunch: grass-fed chopped meat mixed with brown/wild rice blend (bought in bulk from health food store); string beans; mushrooms, onions, garlic, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes. (I did use spices that I did not grow or grind myself, so if this doesn't count let me know) If we're really going for it, then I'd have to cook with fresh herbs, garlic, ginger... that kind of stuff.. OY! But the spirit of non-processed - i.e. cooked from scratch, nothing from a can is in this meal!
Submitted by kornflowers on 03.02.10 at 02:41.
I baked some egg muffins over the weekend and I have enough for four breakfasts, so I'm counting it as four meals.
I'm also trying to keep processed food separate from my feral meals, e.g., I'll have my muffins, uncured bacon and carrots/celery for breakfast, then have something processed like yogurt or peanut butter a little later as a snack.
Submitted by tandoorichicken on 03.02.10 at 05:53.
cake or death...i'm allowing dried chick peas and beans!!! no?? drying does not consitute processing!! ok so they came in a bag, but so did my darn lettuce (the shopping bag).
i'm stressed by this feat too!!!
Submitted by urbansherpa on 03.03.10 at 12:52.
I do raw breakfasts of fruits, veggies and nuts every other morning for breakfast. This should be nice and simple to rack up the number of meals required.
Submitted by FrogOmnibus on 03.03.10 at 02:32.
baked 3 loaves of whole wheat bread today. Made a marinated beet salad and a couscous with veg salad so I'm all set for wild lunches for the week to come. And during the week I'll make apple crisp for dessert.
locavore and feralcious
Submitted by jan1965 on 03.07.10 at 05:48.
The easiest thing for me here is to just have fruit for breakfast. Surprisingly satisfying. But dinner last night: a roasted chicken (free-range, organic, etc.), steamed asparagus, and salt-roasted potatoes. Pure and delicious. In my book olive oil and ground spices are ok. The point is to get away from the processed, packaged stuff.
Submitted by prairieportia on 03.08.10 at 11:28.
yesterday: kale/spinach/red peppers/scallions with sesame seed oil and sliced turkey breast
today: sliced chicken, quinoa, french lentils, brussel sprouts, string beans, mushrooms, tomatoes
Submitted by kornflowers on 03.08.10 at 06:20.
wild meals thus far:
3/1
3/2
3/3
3/5
3/6
3/7
3/8
Submitted by msh258 on 03.08.10 at 10:06.
I wish someone from socialworkout would chime in here on some of these questions people have posted . . . but I guess at this point it's up to us to determine our own guidelines regarding things like olive oil and spices (which are definitely "processed" according to the guidelines) . . . for now, I'm just going with simple simple simple. I often eat just fruit for breakfast anyway, so I guess I'll go with that until there's a bit more clarification.
Submitted by rachelnyc on 03.09.10 at 10:00.
breakfast: sliced pork chop; salad: kale, spinach, red pepper, scallion, radish sprouts tossed with sesame oil
lunch: grass-fed beef; french lentils, millet, brocolli, tomatoes
Submitted by kornflowers on 03.09.10 at 11:39.
So far, lots of feral breakfasts. Somehow it seems easiest, especially because I don't really like cereal.
Submitted by gotigers2003 on 03.10.10 at 05:27.
feraliciousness
2 lunches: homemade bread, marinated beets, ww couscous and veg
breakfast: oatmeal with banana ( I eat this often and I didn't even think about it being feral)
Submitted by jan1965 on 03.10.10 at 08:32.
breakfast: 2 eggs, zucchini, mushrooms, scallions
lunch: chicken breast, ginger, onions, brussel sprouts, lentils, quinoa
Submitted by kornflowers on 03.12.10 at 12:11.
So how about the beer my husband brews in my house? Does that count if I have it when I eat wild?
Submitted by vajardin on 03.13.10 at 12:37.
The rest of my wild meals...
3/9
3/10
3/11
3/12
3/13
3/14
3/15
3/16
3/17
3/18
3/19
3/20
3/21
3/22
3/23
3/24
3/25
3/26
3/27
3/28
3/29
3/30
3/31
Submitted by msh258 on 03.31.10 at 08:48.