Folks, just a quick note to show off some of the cool stuff I’ve been working on behind the scenes here at The Domestic Man. This illustration was drawn by my friend Alex Boake and highlights my approach to meal planning. For future reference, this plate will be featured on the About page of this site.
There is no one way to eat that is perfect for all of us. That being said, I developed this plate above over the past several years as a way to ensure that my meals are healthful, diverse, and satisfying. This “four corners” plate is based on traditional and historic cuisines (what I would expect to see on a plate during an episode of Leave it to Beaver), and meal portions that humans seem to naturally gravitate towards.
Starchy foods: rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, plantains, yuca, taro, squash
Hardy veg: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, radish, turnip, cucumber, green beans, eggplant
Leafy veg: lettuce, cabbage, kale, spinach, greens, herbs (side salad or braised greens)
I treat fruits, berries, chocolate, and nuts as treats (first articulated in the Perfect Health Diet), to be eaten seasonally and sparingly, and not factored into meal building. Healthy fats (olive oil, coconut oil, lard, tallow, duck fat, butter, and ghee) and acids (citrus fruits, vinegars, alcohol, and acidic vegetables like tomatoes) are added during the cooking process to taste.
That’s it. Have a great weekend.
Russ
The Domestic Man 
I like to cook and you have very good meals for me to try
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Pretty much how I do it! I tend to have my veggies raw though, in salad or smoothie form. I do enjoy cooked veggies and have them when I eat out. I don’t enjoy cooking as much as you so I’d rather throw them in the blender when home. These are great guidelines.
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A great visual guide!
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Like you said, everyone is different. This is a great visual. For me, I would probably put the protein at 1/4 on a typical day, double the veggies and salad and eat the starches sparingly. That is just what works for me!
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The meat and veg, I can do although I eat at least 2 lb of veg per day, but 1 lb of starch per day? I’d be so fat, and sick, and miserable. I can do maybe 1 lb of starchy foods per month.
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I thought the same thing at first glance, but I was surprised to see how little 1 lb of starchy foods actually are, since they are generally heavy in terms of weight.
1 lb of boiled potato is 91g of carbs, while other veggies are much lower (beets are 45g, squash is 48g, peas are 65g). Less than 50g of carbs a day is considered very low carb, and can often induce ketosis. Rice is pretty high (130g) as well as sweet potatoes (110g), but they’re still below the 150g usually associated with weight gain:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-primal-carbohydrate-continuum/
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I am learning something every time you “E” me. I have NEVER given my email address to anyone other than my close friends and family. You are the only one. Your talent is pleasing to the taste. HA! Thanks.
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I try to do this, but it’s just hard to have time to prepare such a plate all the time. And since I usually eat lot of times during the day, I’m not usually starving enough to eat all of that in one meal. But it is a beautiful plate! Congrats ;)
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1lb. of starch a day is a lot! Maybe a bit less….?
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I commented on this a few comments above, but here it is in a nutshell. 1 lb of starches seems like a lot, and I thought the same thing at first glance. But since they’re so dense, they take up a smaller share of a physical plate. The majority is filled with hardy and leafy vegetables.
1 lb of boiled potato is 91g of carbs, while other veggies are much lower (beets are 45g, squash is 48g, peas are 65g). Less than 50g of carbs a day is considered very low carb, and can often induce ketosis. Rice is pretty high (130g) as well as sweet potatoes (110g), but they’re still below the 150g and above usually associated with weight gain: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-primal-carbohydrate-continuum/
Starch consumption is very individualized, and there are many factors involved: activity level, genetics, metabolic history, sleep, and gut flora. But I’ve found that this approach works best for our family.
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