F.A.Q.s

Am I giving up any rights to my photos by submitting them to Chowstalker?  

Nope.

So how do I get my photo published?

Register.  Read the submission guidelines detailed on the “SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES” page.  Take a good picture.  Post about it or your website or blog.  Log in to Chowstalker and submit the picture and a link to the related post via the “SHARE YOUR CHOW” page.  As soon as we review your submission you will get an email letting you know if it was published or not.

And how long will that take?

In most cases, it will be published within 24 hours.  But if you submit more than one recipe, we will spread them out to maximize your time on the front page.

Can I submit recipes in a language other than English?

Absolutely! With instant online translation freely available, we love the opportunity to share recipes from around the world.

Since submissions with gluten containing grains are not accepted, why is there a “gluten free” category?

We do accept recipes with ingredients containing small amounts of gluten, like most soy sauces, some vinegars, natural flavorings, etc.  But those recipes will be excluded from the “Gluten Free” category.

So what kind of foods are you looking for?

Dishes made with meats (especially grass fed, including game meats and organ meats), vegetables, seafood, and homemade condiments from healthy ingredients, eggs, and foods that are primal/paleo friendly. Many people include dairy, tubers, some nuts, and a little rice or corn in their healthy diet. So we will include some of those too, as long as it doesn’t become the majority.

But definitely no cupcakes… not even the “Paleo” kind.

What is a “Paleo” diet?

 

 

Despite what some say,

this isn’t it,

although you could do a lot worse

with a large pizza and a big gulp.

 

 

 

 

 

Paleo refers to a diet that is based on avoiding toxins while consuming appropriate amounts of nutrient dense vegetables, animal protein and fats.  Fruits and nuts are part of the diet as well, but in smaller quantities.  Most limit dairy or avoid it completely.   Seed oils, grains, excessive sugars, legumes and food additives are not. ”Paleo” can be modified to fit your specific needs, so a forty-something mom with a broken metabolism from years of dieting may need to avoid dairy, limit fruits and nuts, and pay particular attention to the most nutrient-dense foods available.  And a young man of European decent that is an active cross-fitter may thrive on a paleo diet high in starches, greater quantities of dairy, lots of fruit, dairy and a few weekly indulgences.  We want to cover the gamut of “paleo” food choices so that anyone looking for gluten-free real food, low in toxins will find recipes to fit their needs. For a more in-depth answer, check out some of the websites and books on our resource page.

What is a “Primal” diet?

By “primal”, we are referring to the way of eating as described in The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson.  The diet is basically paleo, but slightly more liberal with dairy, especially raw, full-fat, fermented dairy. 

What is “Whole30″?

Whole30 is 30 days of clean, hard-core paleo.  We have a category for recipes that meet the criteria.  You can read more about the program for free on the Whole9 website or get all of the details in their comprehensive Whole30 Guide.

What is a Low FODMAP diet?

A low FODMAP diet is recommended for those suffering from IBS due to malabsorption of “rapidly fermentable carbohydrates” such as fructose. Following a paleo diet eliminates many of the foods high in FODMAPS, such as wheat, most grains, legumes, and sugar. However many paleo-friendly foods are also high in FODMAPs such as Alliums (onions, garlic, shallots, leeks) and Brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts).

Other paleo vegetable favorites that can be problematic are artichokes, asparagus, avocados, beets, fennel, mushrooms, okra and young peas such as sugar and snow peas. Fruits that are high in FODMAPs are apples, apricots, mangoes, cherries pears, peaches, plums, watermelon and any dried fruits. Concentrated tomato products, honey and most dairy should also be avoided when trying to minimize FODMAP consumption.

Why do you accept recipes with white rice?  Rice isn’t paleo, and besides, brown rice is healthier.

We are big fans of Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet, authors of The Perfect Health Diet, which is basically paleo + rice.  And here’s what they say about rice:

“Rice is very low in toxicity. Most rice toxins reside in the bran, so milled white rice is already low in toxins. The great majority of white rice toxins are destroyed in cooking.”

Why do you accept recipes with corn?  That’s not “paleo” either.

You’re right. Corn is technically a grain, but can be eaten as a vegetable.  And when grown without harmful chemicals and consumed in moderate quantities, many people tolerate it as well, if not better than nuts.  Corn itself is not the problem for most; it’s what we’ve done to it with industrial farming and processing.  But if you’ve ever had the pleasure of dining on a freshly harvested, naturally grown ear of Golden Bantum, then you know why we have made an exception to the rule. Sadly, most of the corn and corn products available through the U.S. food system is genetically modified.  As with all food, quality matters, and we encourage you to purchase well-raised food from local sources as often as feasible, especially when it comes to corn.

So what’s your problem with cupcakes??

Lots of sugar, white flour, artificial coloring, etc. And they already get enough publicity on the other food photography sites.

But what if they are “healthy” cupcakes made with approved ingredients?

Call them “muffins”.