As you know if you've been following this blog for a while, obesity risk has a strong genetic component.  Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) attempt to identify the specific locations of genetic differences (single-nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs) that are associated with a particular trait.  In the case of obesity, GWAS studies have had limited success in identifying obesity-associated genes.  However, one cluster of SNPs consistently show up at the top of the list in these studies: those that are near the gene FTO. As with many of …

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Have I told you that I have an apple tree? It lives on my front yard. Small children come and steal apples from it as I stare out at them in excitement that I can provide fresh food for the neighbourhood. I try not to look creepy, but something tells me that peering out from behind a curtain inside the house is not the way to go about this. Don’t leave now! I have something yummy to share!

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Tangy Apple BBQ Cocktail MeatballsThese cocktail meatballs are the perfect combination of BBQ flavors with sweet tangy apple! They are perfect as an appetizer since they will please most guests.Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 20 minutesServes: 3 (as a meal) or 6 (as appetizer)Ingredients:Meatballs1 pound ground beef¼ onion, finely diced1 egg1 teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon sea saltSauce½ onion, chopped1 apple, chopped1 teaspoon olive oil1 cup tomato sauce¼ cup apple cider vinegar3 tablespoons coconut aminos1 tablespoon honey2 teaspoons mustard½ teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon sea saltdash red pepper (optional1. In a large bowl, mix …

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my daughter was thrilled to find a tiger lily on the same day she was watching the movie Peter Pan(that’s the princess’s name in case you didn’t know)Thursday:It might be a 2 cups of coffee kind of day. Or not. Maybe a nap instead. Yeah, right, I think my kids will prohibit that.The dark rain makes me just want to curl up with a good book.A nice contrast once in awhile in the normally sunny summer.I’m reading Eat the Yolks right now. (affiliate link)I need to finish …

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I’m not ready to start posting recipes yet, but I thought it would be fun to have another installment of “what I’ve been eating.” In the last week I’ve had…Roasted chestnuts – this is the only time of year I ever see fresh chestnuts in the store, so I got about half a pound to try them out. I liked them best fresh from the oven, but cold is ok. They definitely have a unique flavor and texture.Fresh pomegranate – this is the time of year for fresh pomegranates, …

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Goodmorning! I love sleep.I took an excursion with the kiddos this weekend to do some shopping at the new-to-me Aldi and Costco on this side of town. Tax on food is cheaper here, yay! Of course, both stores were humming on a Saturday.On the left, $43.25 at Aldi. On the right, $75.93 at Costco. I’ll probably pick up a few more things mid-week.forgive my hasty photo. didn’t realize it was blurry until later.As you can see, I bought some shelf-stable snacky stuff …

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I keep meaning to get back to regular posting, but 4-month old babies keep you surprisingly busy. 😉 There’s not much time for cooking, much less writing blog posts! Luckily this pork shoulder has minimal hands-on time and will feed a small army. You prep it the night before you want to eat and just stick it in the oven the next morning.SLOW ROASTED PORK SHOULDERserves: lotsingredients:8-10 lb pork shoulder3 small onions or 1 large onion, sliced2 oranges, peel left on, sliced6 cloves of garlic, minced1 T fennel seedssalt …

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So, um, hey guys. It’s been awhile. What may have happened in the intervening year, you ask? Well, several things. I moved and had a baby, for starters. I also completely abandoned paleo for multiple reasons, including morning sickness, stress, and burnout on food in general. I really wasn’t doing well on paleo near the end of it (around the time I wrote the shrimpy new year post back in Jan 2010) and the time off this past year has given me space to sit back and think about why …

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This past weekend, I turned 30. Officially in the dirty thirties now. And I feel great. Fantastic, in fact. My awesome hubby took me on a helicopter flight for my b’day! It has been 1 year since I wrote my postabout putting on weight to restore my fertility. It has been 3 years since I lost my period due to under-eating, over-exercising, taking the birth control pill and being a

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In recent posts, we've explored the association between calorie intake and the US obesity epidemic, and the reasons why this association almost certainly represents a cause-and-effect relationship.  I also reviewed the evidence suggesting that carbohydrate and fat are equally fattening in humans, calorie for calorie. One valid objection that came up in the comments is that calorie-controlled diets in a research setting may not reflect what happens in real life.  For example, in a context where calorie intake isn't tightly controlled, diet composition can impact …

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I frequently encounter the argument that obesity research has failed because it hasn't stopped the global increase in obesity rates.  According to this argument, we need to re-think our approach to obesity research because the current approach just isn't working. Grant funding for obesity research keeps increasing in the US, and the prevalence of obesity also keeps increasing*.  What gives?  Maybe if we just scrapped the whole endeavor we'd be better off. Let's take a closer look at this argument and see how it holds …

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It is rare that I will get a client who is eating too much food. Often, it’s the other way around. Which makes sense, given what we have been taught about weight loss. It’s simple, really:  “Eat less. Exercise more”. Hmm. OK. My job (in terms of weight loss clients) really should be obsolete then, right? If it really were as simple as eating less and exercising more, most of my clients

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I recently have had the pleasure to be in contact with Russ Crandall from thedomesticman.com! If you haven’t checked out his site yet, it’s a must see. He has a new book coming out too called The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle. He agreed to give us an exclusive sneak peak into his book and is letting me feature a recipe! I found this recipe to have flavors that I love! Don’t let the spices scare you off, because I use many of them in my…

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