We've started building a map of restaurants, grocery stores, special open-air markets, health food stores, and other treasures of Chiang Mai. Here's our work in progress. What should we add?
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Kimchi
More on fermented foods.
Fermented vegetables are the answer to the question: How can I stock up on cheap, healthy raw vegetables that keep for weeks in the fridge, go well with anything, and don't require any preparation?
Kimchi is a good place to start. You can find small containers at grocery stores, but if you're serious, find a Korean restaurant and buy it in bulk.
Fermented vegetables are the answer to the question: How can I stock up on cheap, healthy raw vegetables that keep for weeks in the fridge, go well with anything, and don't require any preparation?
Kimchi is a good place to start. You can find small containers at grocery stores, but if you're serious, find a Korean restaurant and buy it in bulk.
At Full House Korean Restaurant near Nimmanhaemin (see the map in the next post), you can buy whole heads of kimchi cabbage for 100B/kg. They might even chop it up if you asked.
Here's what a kilo looks like.
I mostly eat kimchi as a side dish. But I also put it with beef in a bowl with hot water and call it soup. Or scramble it with eggs. Easy, healthy, delicious.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Probiotics galore!
If you've been paying attention, more and more emphasis is being put on the need for regular consumption of fermented foods -- foods rich in probiotics.
There is ample evidence that ancestral diets from many different regions included fermented foods, from hunter-gatherers eating the stomach contents of large herbivores, to contemporary diets that still include ancestral traditions -- from sauerkraut to kimchee.
Southeast Asia is one of the fortunate places that still has fermented foods -- Thai, Burmese, most hill tribe cultures, Chinese and others all have a place for fermented foods. In Thai, this is food that is "ดอง" or "dtong" -- cabbage, paak kanat, etc.
You can get it in most markets, as that is your best bet for really good stuff.
Or you can go to the Friday morning market on Soi Islam, in the night bazaar. You turn down the soi with the large mosque on it, and it will be on your right. The market is huge, lots of Burmese and tribal folks selling all sorts of highland and exotic vegetables.
And while you can get ดอง food in a number of places, one vendor stands out for her variety and quantity. I'll be going back for a taste test of EVERYTHING she sells.
There is ample evidence that ancestral diets from many different regions included fermented foods, from hunter-gatherers eating the stomach contents of large herbivores, to contemporary diets that still include ancestral traditions -- from sauerkraut to kimchee.
Southeast Asia is one of the fortunate places that still has fermented foods -- Thai, Burmese, most hill tribe cultures, Chinese and others all have a place for fermented foods. In Thai, this is food that is "ดอง" or "dtong" -- cabbage, paak kanat, etc.
You can get it in most markets, as that is your best bet for really good stuff.
Or you can go to the Friday morning market on Soi Islam, in the night bazaar. You turn down the soi with the large mosque on it, and it will be on your right. The market is huge, lots of Burmese and tribal folks selling all sorts of highland and exotic vegetables.
And while you can get ดอง food in a number of places, one vendor stands out for her variety and quantity. I'll be going back for a taste test of EVERYTHING she sells.
Friday, July 26, 2013
More adventures in reading labels...
You'd think that something like almonds or cashews would be an easy paleo snack.
And they are.
IF you buy the right brand.
One brand gets it right, one doesn't.
Roasted cashews. Pretty hard to screw that up, right?
Wrong.
And they are.
IF you buy the right brand.
One brand gets it right, one doesn't.
Roasted cashews. Pretty hard to screw that up, right?
Wrong.
So while it is obvious to avoid the cashews encrusted with brown sugar and sesame, even the Camel brand roasted cashews have WHEAT and SUGAR in them. So do their almonds.
However, Tong Garden gets it right:
No wheat. Just almonds. Their cashews also don't have wheat, and while they use palm oil, that is generally okay for most folks.
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| Good nuts... |
So always check your labels when buying something that seems to be as easy as almonds or cashews for a palo snack. Wheat in Thai is ข้าวสาลี, so while most labels are in English, be sure to check (sometimes it will be in the ingredients list as just สาลี or แป้งสาลี).
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
More adventures in packaged coconut water...
We've seen this around for awhile, and while more expensive than an actual young coconut, it seemed pretty good:
- 100% coconut water
- No need to carry a big knife with you to open it.
The website seems legit, and talked about organic and sustainability, and the packaging was even listed as biodegradable, made out of compressed cassava!
No sugar in it (we checked the label), and easy to open -- you just pull a string on the top and put the straw in the hole.
We tried it, and decided it didn't taste that good. So thumbs down on that. But then I decided to tear apart the packaging to figure out how they were keeping the coconut water fresh, and from keeping the compressed cassava from getting soggy.
So after peeling the thin plastic off, the "biodegradable" packaging came apart and inside is a can.
With a string tied to the pull tab.
While you have to give them props for innovative and eye catching packaging, this is greenwashing at its finest. While the can IS something you can recycle, the excess packaging fails the green test in two ways:
- If you just peel off the plastic and toss it in the compost, it won't work, since it hides an aluminum can.
- If you are concerned about sustainability, and being green (as they seem to want to be), you don't add excess and unnecessary packaging -- a fake "coconut" looking cover adds weight and space -- meaning you burn more fuel and can transport less product in the same space. That's not only making your carbon footprint go up, it's bad business since it adds to your expense.
So, another failure to find decent pre-packaged coconut water in Thailand outside of an actual young coconut. Lousy packaging, and it didn't even taste very good.
Still need to carry a big knife for coconut water on the go...
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Read your labels!
It is easy to get excited about finding new things in the supermarket in Chiang Mai. We're going to highlight a few things we've found that look great at first, and then turn out to not really be what they seem.
While we all know that getting fresh coconut water is pretty easy (go to Kat Muang Mai, buy a bunch of fresh coconuts, and get handy with a machete), it would be nice if there were some easier ways to do it on the go.
So were were excited to see this in the cold drinks section of the supermarket in Chiang Mai, since we've seen this sort of product in the US at Whole Foods, but from other companies.
Our excitement didn't last long, however, as soon as we read the label.
2% sugar isn't a huge amount, but still it is there -- and isn't necessary to make it sweet . And, if you can do math, you can figure out there is 28% missing in the ingredients list -- we assume that's just water to dilute the coconut water.
But, it isn't just in coconut water in bottles. If you're buying it on the street, and not getting it from a fresh young coconut, be sure to ask, as sugar (น้ำตาล ) is almost always added to it to make it extra sweet!
While we all know that getting fresh coconut water is pretty easy (go to Kat Muang Mai, buy a bunch of fresh coconuts, and get handy with a machete), it would be nice if there were some easier ways to do it on the go.
So were were excited to see this in the cold drinks section of the supermarket in Chiang Mai, since we've seen this sort of product in the US at Whole Foods, but from other companies.
Our excitement didn't last long, however, as soon as we read the label.
2% sugar isn't a huge amount, but still it is there -- and isn't necessary to make it sweet . And, if you can do math, you can figure out there is 28% missing in the ingredients list -- we assume that's just water to dilute the coconut water.
But, it isn't just in coconut water in bottles. If you're buying it on the street, and not getting it from a fresh young coconut, be sure to ask, as sugar (น้ำตาล ) is almost always added to it to make it extra sweet!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Paleo meals...
...not in Chiang Mai actually, but we're in the States for a few weeks and I'm reminded about how much easier it is to eat out and keep to a paleo diet in Thailand.
In Thailand, you've always got options that are grilled, use no wheat, little if any sugar, and are always made with fresh ingredients. Even the worst Thai restaurant in Thailand won't use canned veggies!
Eating out in America is awful. I'm remembering now why there are so many guides to "eating clean while eating out" and so on. Everything has flour in it, and breaded and fried seems to be the way to do everything. We've forgotten to ask about how food is prepared, and get surprised at least half the time.
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| One thing we love in the US -- black berries and blue berries... |
That said, we've been feasting on berries and grass fed beef where we can, and cooking with family who are also paleo (and have pastured bacon!). That has been great.
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| Grass fed beef, and organic veggies from a local CSA in the US. |
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Everyday Paleo Italian!
Great book out from our friend Sarah Fargoso of Everyday Paleo, Everyday Paleo around the world: Italian Cuisine.
Sarah's books are invariably easy to use, very practical, and the recipes adapt well to what we have available in Thailand.
Sarah, John and her boys, along with Mike (who does their great food and cookbook photography) dropped by CrossFit Chiang Mai recently, and we were able to spend a day together exploring the markets and talking about Thai culture and Thai food. And yes, she's got another cookbook in the works -- guess what kind of food!
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| John, Miriam and Sarah at CrossFit Chiang Mai. |
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Coconut flour at Rimping!
FINALLY!
Rimping has coconut flour! We've been asking for this at Rimping for awhile, and it looks they have decided to carry it. If you want to support them, and keep it in stock, head over and pick some up. We saw this at the Rimping location along the river, so I don't know about the other branches -- but they had a lot.
Rimping has coconut flour! We've been asking for this at Rimping for awhile, and it looks they have decided to carry it. If you want to support them, and keep it in stock, head over and pick some up. We saw this at the Rimping location along the river, so I don't know about the other branches -- but they had a lot.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Guest post: Eating paleo in Chiang Mai (JohnnyFD)
I first heard of the Paleo diet years ago, but since I've been living and traveling around Chiang Mai, I always had excuses why I couldn't start it. I started eating what I called a "modified" paleo diet, or a Thai Paleo diet, which was basically Paleo with rice. Months passed without good results until one day, a good friend I met at CrossFit gave it to me straight. He told me to stop making excuses and to set goals on what I wanted to achieve.
Three months ago I decided to get in the best shape of my life, work towards getting six-pack abs and take back my health, energy and finally start eating true paleo.
Turns out, it's actually a lot easier to eat Paleo in Chiang Mai than I once though. Here's how to do it.
You have two choices, eat at home or eat out. As I live in a small room without a kitchen, I thought my only choice was to eat out and it became difficult to try to communicate with the Thai restaurant owners what I wanted and didn't want in my food. So I made the decision to set up a small cooking area in my room. For 400 baht ($13.33US) you can buy a small table top burner, and it's been the best decision I've ever made.
What to eat for Breakfast:
I cook up some bacon or thinly sliced pork belly and use the bacon oil to scramble a few eggs. To change it up I often eat it with a side of Kim Chee which is a Korean side dish full of probiotics which I buy at Full House Korean Restaurant on Nimmanhaemin for 150 baht ($5) per kilo.
What to eat for Lunch:
At the Tesco Lotus Supermarkets or even the smaller Express versions you can buy all the Vegetables and Meat you wish. I cook everything in Anchor New Zealand Grass-Fed Butter which I buy in bulk at Markko Cash & Carry. The easiest meals are cooking up a prewashed and prechopped 30 baht ($1US) package of veggies with a few eggs or some chicken breast. I cook it all in one pan and it only takes me a few minutes to cook and clean up.
What to eat for Dinner:
I go out for dinner every night, mainly to unwind and socialize after CrossFit. A group of us alternates between eating Southern Style Ribs at Three Little Pigs 280 baht ($9.33US), or All You Can Eat Thai BBQ Buffet for 150 baht ($5US)
If you stay away from the free ice cream and desserts and just eat the grilled meats, and boiled vegetables, you'll be eating Paleo easily and get more than enough protein.
The Results:
With a combination of doing CrossFit regularly, and eating a Paleo diet without rice, grains or wheat for the past two and a half months I've lost 2 inches on my waist, gained muscle, and am more fit than ever! If you're serious about eating Paleo in Thailand, it's easy! You just have to decide it's important and stick with it.
About the Author:
Johnny FD has been living and traveling around Thailand for the past four years. Originally from San Francisco, after reading the 4-hour Workweek, Johnny quit his job, sold his car and decided to travel around Thailand Scuba Diving and training Muay Thai Professionally. You can read more about his 4-hour Workweek lifestyle and get his book, "12 Weeks in Thailand: The Good Life on the Cheap" on his blog at www.JohnnyFD.com
Friday, June 14, 2013
Shredded dried coconut (มะพร้าวอบ)
Shredded dried coconut is very useful for a lot of paleo dishes, but it often has sugar in it here in Thailand. To make sure it doesn't have sugar, you can ask the vendor or look on the package. Sugar in Thai is "น้ำตาล" and is usually -- but not always -- listed. Rimping, Yok, and Kasem all carry dried shredded coconut that doesn't have sugar in it. (มะพร้าว is coconut and อบ is "baked" or "dried".)
But the labels don't always make sense in English...
But the labels don't always make sense in English...
Thursday, June 13, 2013
CSA -- Community Supported Agriculture in Chiang Mai (and a CSA in Bangkok!)
One of the fastest growing movements in sustainable agriculture is the move to link farmers and consumers directly through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). And we've got a great CSA in Chiang Mai!
The way most CSAs work is that people join the CSA and pay a monthly fee for a share of the farm's produce. This benefits the farmer by giving them a regular income, and benefits the consumer by giving them farm-fresh produce that is in season.
Chiang Mai has its own CSA run out of the community of Mae Tha, about one hour south of Chiang Mai. This is the same community where the International Sustainable Development Studies Institute (ISDSI) runs part of its university course on sustainable agriculture, "Sustainable Food Systems." We've been to the farms and know the farmers (some since they were kids), and they are doing a great job of transitioning out of cash-cropping baby corn to organic farming.
The CSA in Chiang Mai has several drop points (among them Chiang Mai International School and CrossFit Chiang Mai). In addition, at the JJ market near the Tesco on the superhighway (on Astsadathon Road) the community also sells vegetables and other products every Saturday and Wednesday morning (but get there early as they sell out fast!).
The produce is excellent, and fully organic. One of the great things about the CSA is it is also encouraging young farmers to stay in the community and continue farming -- reversing a trend of young people leaving the rural villages.
The vegetables and sometimes fruit varies with the season. Lots of greens, and other sorts of vegetables depending on the season. Both greens and vegetables familiar with Westerners as well as unique Northern Thai vegetables are in the box each week. It is a great way to cook seasonally.
The CSA in Chiang Mai has a Facebook page at kanlayanamitgroup.csa. If you want to join the Chiang Mai CSA, give Aun a call at 087-191-5595 (he speaks English and Thai) or email him at Farm_un@hotmail.com.
For those of you in Bangkok, there is a very well run (and growing!) CSA, "csa munching box" with Raitong Organics Farm! You can find them through their website. Highly recommended, and a great way to access organic and farm fresh fruits and vegetables in Bangkok.
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| The delivery truck. |
Chiang Mai has its own CSA run out of the community of Mae Tha, about one hour south of Chiang Mai. This is the same community where the International Sustainable Development Studies Institute (ISDSI) runs part of its university course on sustainable agriculture, "Sustainable Food Systems." We've been to the farms and know the farmers (some since they were kids), and they are doing a great job of transitioning out of cash-cropping baby corn to organic farming.
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| Packing the boxes. |
The produce is excellent, and fully organic. One of the great things about the CSA is it is also encouraging young farmers to stay in the community and continue farming -- reversing a trend of young people leaving the rural villages.
The vegetables and sometimes fruit varies with the season. Lots of greens, and other sorts of vegetables depending on the season. Both greens and vegetables familiar with Westerners as well as unique Northern Thai vegetables are in the box each week. It is a great way to cook seasonally.
The CSA in Chiang Mai has a Facebook page at kanlayanamitgroup.csa. If you want to join the Chiang Mai CSA, give Aun a call at 087-191-5595 (he speaks English and Thai) or email him at Farm_un@hotmail.com.
For those of you in Bangkok, there is a very well run (and growing!) CSA, "csa munching box" with Raitong Organics Farm! You can find them through their website. Highly recommended, and a great way to access organic and farm fresh fruits and vegetables in Bangkok.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Paleo Beef Jerky is in stock!
The original inspiration for starting this blog is in stock -- grass fed paleo beef jerky, with all natural ingredients, no MSG, no wheat, no sugar. Drop by CrossFit Chiang Mai to pick some up!
Traditional Thai dried beef or pork (เนื้อแดดเดียว) usually is sweet, and has sugar in the marinade or sauce. Ours doesn't.
Chiang Mai Paleo beef jerky comes from grass fed cows in Sukhothai, and is hand made by Pui's mom, Mae Noi, in small batches. She sends it to us here in Chiang Mai, where we vacuum seal it, label it, and ready it for sale.
Currently, each packet is 50 Baht, and if you've bought grass fed in the US or elsewhere, you know what a great deal that is.
We've been asked about online sales, bulk sales, or selling in grocery stores. That is coming! Mae Noi is scaling up, and wants to make sure she can maintain quality while increasing production. So we'll let you know!
Here are the ingredients for the beef jerky:
Grass Fed Beef
Black Pepper Beef
Pineapple Beef
All of the jerky is fried in palm oil (a natural oil) and not vegetable oil (an industrial oil). We're looking into using solar dehydrators, but that's going to be difficult in rainy season, so oven drying is also in the works. Mae Noi has lots of ideas for paleo takes on traditional Thai food, including dehydrated bananas and other snacks. Let us know what you want!
Traditional Thai dried beef or pork (เนื้อแดดเดียว) usually is sweet, and has sugar in the marinade or sauce. Ours doesn't.
Chiang Mai Paleo beef jerky comes from grass fed cows in Sukhothai, and is hand made by Pui's mom, Mae Noi, in small batches. She sends it to us here in Chiang Mai, where we vacuum seal it, label it, and ready it for sale.
Currently, each packet is 50 Baht, and if you've bought grass fed in the US or elsewhere, you know what a great deal that is.
We've been asked about online sales, bulk sales, or selling in grocery stores. That is coming! Mae Noi is scaling up, and wants to make sure she can maintain quality while increasing production. So we'll let you know!
Here are the ingredients for the beef jerky:
Grass Fed Beef
- Beef
- Pepper
- Cilantro seeds
- Salt
Black Pepper Beef
- Beef
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Garlic
Pineapple Beef
- Beef
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Pineapple
All of the jerky is fried in palm oil (a natural oil) and not vegetable oil (an industrial oil). We're looking into using solar dehydrators, but that's going to be difficult in rainy season, so oven drying is also in the works. Mae Noi has lots of ideas for paleo takes on traditional Thai food, including dehydrated bananas and other snacks. Let us know what you want!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Restaurant recommendation: Salad Concept
Salad Concept, on Nimmanhaemen Road, is a great place if you eat paleo.
Salad Concept lets you build your own salad, and also has several "set" salads that you can order. Meat and other toppings can be added or taken off, and you have complete control over what you're eating. You can also add extra meat or other ingredients to any dish, and if you want to modify a set salad (e.g. no croutons) that is easy to do as well.
While most of the dressings will have sugar in them (you can ask about specific ones), you can always as for olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
A favorite is the "Northern Thai" salad, with Chiang Mai sausage, pumpkin, pork rinds, and more.
Here is a link to their website: http://www.thesaladconcept.com/
Here is a map:
View Larger Map
We are working on a larger crowd sourced map of all the paleo resources in Chiang Mai as well as elsewhere in Thailand and Asia. If you've got a great place, let us know! Email mark@crossfitchiangmai.com.
Salad Concept lets you build your own salad, and also has several "set" salads that you can order. Meat and other toppings can be added or taken off, and you have complete control over what you're eating. You can also add extra meat or other ingredients to any dish, and if you want to modify a set salad (e.g. no croutons) that is easy to do as well.
While most of the dressings will have sugar in them (you can ask about specific ones), you can always as for olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
A favorite is the "Northern Thai" salad, with Chiang Mai sausage, pumpkin, pork rinds, and more.
Here is a link to their website: http://www.thesaladconcept.com/
Here is a map:
View Larger Map
We are working on a larger crowd sourced map of all the paleo resources in Chiang Mai as well as elsewhere in Thailand and Asia. If you've got a great place, let us know! Email mark@crossfitchiangmai.com.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Some paleo/primal resources
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| One of the biggest plusses to eating paleo in Asia -- fresh coconut! |
- The Whole 30 -- a 30 day plan to get started on the paleo approach to nutrition. This is our recommended approach. See also the Whole 30 Success Guide.
- Great list of resources at Nom Nom Paleo's website. From articles to lists of good cookbooks.
- Another site we love is Everyday Paleo. Recipes, advice on paleo living, and more.
- What Is The Paleo Diet? is a good place to start. By Robb Wolf. Be sure to sign up for their newsletter and get other great sources of information.
- Everything you need to know (and more) on one page, with Mark Sisson's easy going and clear approach to primal eating and exercising: Primal Blueprint 101. See also The Definitive Guide: The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. Lots of good information, and links to how to get up and running quickly with a paleo/primal approach.
- Another great "getting started" article is Eat Like a Predator, Not Like Prey: Paleo in Six Easy Steps. Predators gorge and fast, prey grazes.
- For an article on nutrition and the history of how the relatively recent idea of "low-fat high-carb" got started see "What if It's All Been a Big Fat Lie?" in the New York Times by science journalist Gary Taubes.
- Good article, Carbs against Cardio: More Evidence that Refined Carbohydrates, not Fats, Threaten the Heart from Scientific American reviewing the recent literature on carbs and heart health in particular, including weight loss and cholesterol.
- For an excellent article on sugar specifically, read "Is Sugar Toxic?"in the New York Times by science journalist Gary Taubes.
Our approach
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| Organic veggies and free range organic eggs from our local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)! |
Our approach is based on the emerging body of evidence that points to an
approach that is loosely defined as "paleolithic" or "primal" as the
best way to fuel the human body. Based on medical case studies, clinical
trials, anthropological studies of hunter-gathers, paleoanthropological
data, evolutionary biology, epidemiology and the best insights from
current studies on human nutrition and physiology, this approach
emphasizes eating real food, avoiding processed foods, as well as
avoiding foods which are shown to increase inflammation and an insulin
response (primarily wheat and sugar).
Saturday, June 1, 2013
And we're on!
Welcome to Chiang Mai Paleo!
We've been preparing for awhile, and now it is June 1 -- time to launch the site.
This site is an initiative of CrossFit Chiang Mai, and is intended as a community resource for people who are following the paleo/primal ancestral approach to health.
There are currently lots of variations of the paleo/primal approach to health and nutrition, which is fitting, given how much paleolithic diets varied based on geography, food availability and the seasons. This site isn't about figuring out the "exact" or "correct" approach, but rather is very very practical in nature.
How can one live (and thrive!) in Chiang Mai (and Thailand and Asia for that matter), if you follow an approach to health based on an understanding of ancestral (paleolithic) nutrition?
How can you adapt the traditional rice-based Thai diet (and the increasing growth of processed food) to a health paleo approach? While a lot of Thai food is already good to go, there is very often wheat or sugar in it in surprising places.
We don't have all the answers, but the goal of this site is to share information and ideas based on our years of living in Chiang Mai, from how to make sure people don't put MSG in your food to where to source grass fed beef.
This is just the initial iteration of the site — we're going to be adding maps and locations of good stores and shops, among other things.
If you've got ideas and want to share them, please email us and let us know!
You can contact us at mark@crossfitchiangmai.com.
We've been preparing for awhile, and now it is June 1 -- time to launch the site.
This site is an initiative of CrossFit Chiang Mai, and is intended as a community resource for people who are following the paleo/primal ancestral approach to health.
There are currently lots of variations of the paleo/primal approach to health and nutrition, which is fitting, given how much paleolithic diets varied based on geography, food availability and the seasons. This site isn't about figuring out the "exact" or "correct" approach, but rather is very very practical in nature.
How can one live (and thrive!) in Chiang Mai (and Thailand and Asia for that matter), if you follow an approach to health based on an understanding of ancestral (paleolithic) nutrition?
How can you adapt the traditional rice-based Thai diet (and the increasing growth of processed food) to a health paleo approach? While a lot of Thai food is already good to go, there is very often wheat or sugar in it in surprising places.
We don't have all the answers, but the goal of this site is to share information and ideas based on our years of living in Chiang Mai, from how to make sure people don't put MSG in your food to where to source grass fed beef.
This is just the initial iteration of the site — we're going to be adding maps and locations of good stores and shops, among other things.
If you've got ideas and want to share them, please email us and let us know!
You can contact us at mark@crossfitchiangmai.com.
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