Roasted vs Raw
So, I’ve been educating myself about the raw food diet (some people refer to it as “live food”). I’ll get into what I’ve learned and its relevance to my health and well-being later, but I feel it’s time for a general health update.
As of today, I’ve been gluten-free for about 18 months and dairy-free for almost 5 months. Let’s start with gluten-free: before I began this particular experiment, I knew that it could take 6 months to a year for the benefits of a gluten-free diet to kick in. I must say that it’s incredibly difficult to embark on a journey involving a great deal of sacrifices, without any certainty that you will reach the desired outcome. But I stuck with it. I was 10 months in when I noticed I was feeling more achy and sore than ususal, which lasted for about 2 months. And while I can’t back it up with facts or data, in retrospect it felt like my body was going through the final stages of gluten detox.Then, as if by magic, I started feeling better. My mood and energy improved and my chronic pain went from severe to moderate. As a result, I was able to start exercising regularly; I have these wonderful exercise DVDs from the Oregon Fibromyalgia Foundation (http://www.myalgia.com/) which are designed specifically for people living with chronic pain. They offer 4 DVDs: gentle aerobics, upper/lower/core strength and balance training, stretching and relaxation, and their newest addition, a yoga/pilates routine. I’ve also begun to use a “Pilates for Inflexible People” DVD from http://www.bodywisdomdvds.com/.
Let’s move onto the return of the plant-based diet. When I tried to do this before, I made the mistake of including 3 servings of psyllium husks a day, which ended up being way too much fiber and caused way too much gastric distress. This time around I omitted the psyllium husks and that made a big difference. But I was still dealing with constipation and I’d been hearing about probiotics for a while, so I decided to give it a go. Fortunately, you can purchase probiotics in powder and capsule form without having to resort to eating a certain yogurt product (which I will not name here) 3 times a day. Almost immediately I attained regularity (it’s wonderful and I highly recommend it) and I’ve been taking it regularly for about a month.
As a result, I’ve been able to reach my goal weight of 150 LBs (I started out at 265 LBs) and have moved on to the third stage of the low carb regimen made popular by Dr. Atkins - pre-maintenance. According to Atkins, pre-maintenance involves increasing your carbohydrate intake gradually until you get to the point where you stop losing weight. How many net carbs (and calories) it takes per day to maintain your healthy weight varies from person to person, so there’s no magic number out there - you need to figure what works for you, personally. I used this opportunity to delve into the world of raw food and began to substitute various raw food staples for certain low carb standards, particularly in the area of fruits and sweeteners.
During my research I’ve discovered that the law governing the specifics of a raw food diet are not universal. According to Wikipedia:
”Raw foodism can include any diet of primarily unheated food, or food cooked to a temperature less than 104º F (40º C) to 115º F )46º C). The most popular raw food diet is a vegan diet, but forms may include animal products and/or meat. Raw foodists can be divided between those that advocate raw veagansim or vegetarianism, those that advocate a raw omnivorous diet, and those that advocate a 100% raw carnivorous diet.” (source)
Since I’m already vegan, I think you can figure out which group I belong to, but not all vegan raw food diets are alike. There are variations between what kinds of food - such as oils, vinegar and other condiments - are acceptable. When it comes to using a dehydrator for cooking, there are some raw foodists who believe that it’s OK to increase the temperature to 140º F. According to the really wonderful raw food website Rawmazing, the food throws off water and stays cool during at the beginning of the dehydration process so that temperature of the food temperature itself doesn’t actually go above 115º. I’m not certain that this is true, but dehydrating like this saves time and may prevent fermentation.
So why go raw? Well, according to Ani Phyo, author of Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen, unheated fresh foods (AKA living foods) are are full of enzyme activity. According to Phyo:
“Enzymes help you digest food and are the catalyst for for every metabolic reaction in your body. Without these enzymes, there can be no cell division, energy production, or brain activity.
[…]Only uncooked and unprocessed foods can provide us with the full range of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, oxygen, fiber, and other nutrients our bodies require to run like a well-oiled machine.”
In spite of the differences between the ideologies of the various raw food factions, they all seem to agree on one thing: that a raw food diet will help you reach a state of optimal health. Which is, quite frankly, the only reason why I even considered yet another set of dietary restrictions. I have read many personal accounts of patients whose Fibromyalgia symptoms have vastly improved after changing to a raw food diet and I needed to be abe to say that I tried every possible angle in my attempt to optimize my health - both physically and mentally. Now that I had the energy, I owed it to myself to try it at the very least.
In an attempt to make the transition, I took three recipes that I love and prepared each of them in a regular oven and in a dehydrator, to get an idea of how they compared. As far as my palate is concerned, the three vegetables, asparagus, zucchini, and kale, taste great when cooked, but are pretty much inedible when raw. I discovered that dehydrating them didn’t do much to improve their flavor. In addition, it takes several hours to make most raw food dehydrator recipes which probably isn’t very energy efficient. So, while I may use the dehydrator for certain recipes, like raw crackers and cookies, I don’t see myself using it for preparing vegetables. I’m including the dehydrator temperatures and times in the recipes below, if you want to give it a try, but for my own personal consumption, the raw veggies I’m sticking to are things like carrots, spinach and celery. I’m not going to be able to maintain a full-on raw diet, either because I can’t stomach the taste or because many raw food staples (like agave syrup, medjul dates, and bananas) aren’t compatible with my low carb diet. I found several recipes for raw bread and crackers I wanted to try, but they rely on flax meal, which I had to eliminate from my diet - flax contains phytoestrogens which wreak havoc with my menstrual cycles. But as a whole, I’ve decided to include more raw food in my daily diet, such as raw nut butter and homemade nut milk, and to a few things I’ve come to depend on, such as canned products like coconut milk and tomatoes. I’m not sure how much of a difference it will make, but I believe I’m doing what I can to improve my health without turning my meals into miseries.
Roasted Zucchini Fries
Zucchini is a an incredibly versatile vegetable and shows up in a variety of low carb recipes. I’ve seen it used as a substitute for potatoes, pasta and even chickpeas in a raw hummus recipe. It’s a good source of fiber, antioxidant vitamins C and A, and, in addition to calcium and magnesium, it contains a trace mineral called manganese which helps the body metabolize protein and carbohydrates.
Nutritional yeast is called the “vegetarian’s proteins.” It is considered a complete protein , with 18 amino acids, and the reported health benefits include: maintaing an ideal intestinal ecology, improving blood production, helping to maintain optimum cholesterol levels and improving the health and functioning of the liver. In addition, it’s a rich source of vitamin B-complex, which helps in managing stress levels, maintaining a healthy metabolic rate, and promoting healthy skin. Nutritional yeast also contains chromium, which is useful in managing diabetes, low blood pressure and fluctuating blood sugar levels. It also contains such trace minerals as manganese, copper, vanadium, molybdenum and lithium (source.)
It’s great for sprinkling on salads, adding to soups, and in the case of Zucchini Fries, serves as a coating in the place of breadcrumbs. I love the taste and it really makes this recipe stand out as one of my favorites.
Ingredients:
1 small/medium zucchini/ 150 g
1 T cold pressed olive oil
1 clove garlic, forced through press
pinch sea salt
pinch black pepper
1/2 T/5 g nutritional yeast (optional)
Preparation:
*Preheat oven to 425º.
*Cut zucchini into pieces ( about 1/2 x 1/2 by 4 inches)
*Combine garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl.Toss the zucchini until it is evenly coated. Place in a baking pan and roast for 15 - 20 minutes.
or
*Put prepared zucchini pieces on Teflex sheets and dehydrate for 30 minutes at 140º, then an additional 4-5 hours at 115º.
Makes 2 servings and each has 77.48 cal, 2.37 net carbs, 6.88 g fat, 1.27 g fiber and 1.77 g protein.
Roasted Asparagus
Asparagus is a member of the lily family and can be steamed, roasted or eaten raw. It’s rich in potassium, vitamins A and K, and is a good source of fiber. I prefer to use thinner stalks - they’re more tender and take less time to cook.
Ingredients:
90 g trimmed asparagus (just break off the ends of the tough stalks)
1/2 T cold pressed olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
*Preheat oven to 450º.
*Place asparagus spears in a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season and roast for 10 - 15 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork.
or
*Place asparagus spears on Teflex sheets and warm in the dehydrator for 30 minutes at 140º. Drizzle with olive oil and season and warm for another 2 - 4 hours at 105º.
Makes 1 serving and has 79.5 cal, 2 net carbs, 6.75 g fat, 2 g fiber and 2 g protein.
Baked Kale Chips
Kale belongs to the Brassica family of cruciferous vegetables, which includes cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. It is a green, leafy vegetable that comes in three varieties: curly, ornamental, and dinosaur ( I don’t know why it’s called dinosaur, but it’s my favorite, mainly because the leaves are flatter, making it easier to coat evenly with oil and seasonings.) In addition to being a good source of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, kale is rich in antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K.
Ingredients:
1/4 bunch/75 g kale, washed and dried
1/2 T cold pressed olive oil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp sea salt
Preparation:
*Preheat oven to 275º.
*Remove stems from kale, either cutting them out with a knife or tearing the leaves from the stem. Tear the leaves into pieces and toss with olive oil and seasoning. Arrange in a baking pan so no pieces overlap. Bake for 10 minutes, turn leaves and bake for another 10 minutes.
or
*Place kale pieces on screen trays and dehydrate for 4 -5 hours at 115º.
Makes 1 large serving and has 77 cal, 2.8 net carbs, 6.75 g fat, .7 g fiber and 1.05 g protein.
Vegetarian “Fried Rice” and Broccoli & Bok Choy: How I Learned to Live Without Take-Out, Part 3
I remember a time when Chinese food and pizza was pretty much all that was available for food delivery service and take-away. Now, if you live in a fairly metropolitan area, you can find a wide variety of restaurants representing food cultures from all around the globe, and many of them have take-away and/or delivery service. Thanks to the internet, ordering food online has become de rigueur and restaurants that normally wouldn’t provide delivery can now use the option of a food courier service. And with all the variety available, the majority of restaurants available for take-out with delivery seem to be Chinese.
When I first began to experience the symptoms associated with Fibromyalgia (namely, chronic pain and exhaustion), I relied heavily on food delivery. I didn’t have the energy to cook or wash dishes, so I ate of lot of prepared food. I used to get most of my groceries delivered and many of my meals from restaurants that provided delivery service.
One of the staples of my pre-low-carb-whole-food diet was Chinese take-out. My favorites were vegetable fried rice, garlic eggplant, dry-cooked string beans, and spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce. Once I started doing low carb, my days of overdosing on cornstarch, grease, and MSG were over. I was able to find a few low carb recipes that satisfied my desire for that particular taste. As a general rule I don’t eat soy (or flaxseed) products, as they contain phytoestrogens, but fermented products like soy sauce are supposed to be ok. And fortunately, with the currant awareness about gluten-sensitivity and celiac disease, it’s fairly easy to find gluten-free soy sauce these days.
Aa I mentioned in my previous post about Indian food, one of the many things I used to dislike about Chinese take-out was the rice. Don’t get me wrong - I love rice. It just doesn’t love me. Every time I ate rice, I felt bloated, with a thick lump of starch like a stone in my digestive tract. I had no trouble giving it up when I began low carb and I much prefer cauliflower rice. It’s considerably lighter fare, and my stomach has a much better time digesting it. By using gluten free soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions and fresh garlic, I was able to create a “fried rice” dish. While it may not taste exactly like traditional fried rice, it does satisfy my desire for that particular taste. If you’re going to use sesame oil, it’s important to know that it needs to be refrigerated - it goes rancid pretty easily and is often packaged in smaller bottles to keep spoilage to a minimum.
Vegetable “Fried Rice”
Ingredients:
1/2 T sesame oil
1 clove garlic, forced through press
2 oz bell peper, diced
10 g green onion (about 2 shoots), thinly sliced (about 2 T)
1 stalk celery (about 62g/3 oz), washed, trimmed, and using a vegetable peeler, strip the outside of the stalk.
100 g raw cauliflower, grated (use the one with the large holes)
1/2 T gluten-free soy sauce
sea salt, to taste
Optional:
1 egg, well-beaten
Preparation:
*Heat the oil in a medium-sized non-stick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, celery, and half of the green onions and sauté for 1 - 2 minutes.
*Add the garlic and cauliflower and blend and sauté, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes until cauliflower is tender. Turn off the burner and add the soy sauce and salt to taste, and stir mixture until well blended. Garnish with the remaining green onion.
Makes 1 serving and has 127.7 cal, 6.33 net carbs, 7.02 g fat, 5.55 g fiber and 2.83 g protein.
Variation with egg:
I’m not crazy about fried rice with egg, but if you want to use egg, follow the above instructions up until the part where you add the soy sauce and salt. After turing off the burner, use a spatula to move the vegetable mixture to one side of the pan, creating a space. Pour the beaten egg into that space and allow to cook for about 30 seconds. Then blend the egg and the vegetable mixture together until the egg is cooked to your desired consistency. Add the soy sauce and salt to taste and garnish with the remaining green onions.
Makes 1 serving and has 197.7 cal, 6.33 net carbs, 11.52 g fat, 5.55 g fiber and 8.83 g protein.
Broccoli & Bok Choy
Broccoli and bok choy is a fairly common pairing in Asian cuisine. Bok Choy (sometimes referred to as pak choi or just plain Chinese cabbage) is a pretty amazing vegetable. It’s a cruciferous vegetable, being a member of the cabbage family and it’s relatively low in calories, carbs, and has no fat. Bok Choy is an excellent source of the anti-oxidant vitamins C, A, and K. It aslo contains the following minerals: calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, magnesium and phosphorous. Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, nutritionally dense with folates, fiber, calcium and ascorbic acid. To give it a more authentic flavor, I use sesame oil, fresh ginger, and gluten-free soy sauce.
Ingredients:
1/4 C mushroom broth
1 T sesame oil
2.5 oz baby bok choy
3 oz broccoli florets
1 clove garlic, force through press
1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 T gluten-free soy sauce
sea salt, to taste
Preparation:
*Trim bok choy, separating the leaves from the stalks. Bring the mushroom broth to a gentle boil in a medium sized non-stick skillet over a medium-high heat and add the broccoli florets and the bok choy stalks.
*Cover and simmer for about 4 minutes over a medium-low heat. Uncover and cook until liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat and add the bok choy leaves, garlic and sesame oil. Return to the burner and cook, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and add the ginger and soy sauce, tossing thoroughly. Serve over cauliflower rice.
Serves 1 and has 172.01 cal, 6.13 net carbs, 14 g fat, 3.96 g fiber and 4.05 g protein.
Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients:
100 g raw cauliflower
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Preparation:
*Grate the cauliflower using the largest holes on your cheese grater.
*Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring constantly until cauliflower is soft and starting to get a little toasty, approximately 3 - 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
Makes 1 serving and has 85 cal, 2 net carbs, 7 g fat, 3 g fiber and 2 g protein.
Keeping Your Cool - No Cooking Required
Summer is almost officially over, but it’s still pretty hot out there. Even if you’re fortunate enough (like me) not to live in a place where the temperatures have been in the high 90’s to low 100’s, you probably don’t feel like using the stove right now. Especially if you’re not not fortunate enough (like me) to have air conditioning. The weather in Berkeley can get very strange: one day’s high temperature is 63º F and the next day it’s 87º F. So, I’ve been looking for new ways to make raw vegetables more palatable and I’ve come up with a couple of salads. The flavors of each one are very different, but they have something in common. Each salad uses ingredients I had never really used before: arugula and radishes, which happen to be related to each other.
I had heard of arugula before, but I’d dismissed it as something that you’d only find in upscale restaurants. In fact, I had eaten it without my knowledge: it’s commonly found in the “mixed baby greens” bagged lettuces that have become popular in the last several years. But I’d never had it on it’s own and had no plans to do so until I watched several of Gordon Ramsey’s cooking shows and was intrigued by something he kept referring to as “rocket salad.” One Google search later, I was enlightened by the excellent website WiseGEEK. Arugula (aka rocket, Italian cress, roquette and rucola) is a green leafy herb of the mustard family. It’s a good source of vitamins A and C, folate (a water-soluble vitamin B), calcium and magnesium. The flavor is hot and peppery and can be eaten raw or cooked. Paired with the slightly sweet balsamic vinaigrette and the slightly salty parmesan cheese, it’s really tasty and has become one of my new favorites.
Arugula Salad (Low Carb)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz arugula
1/2 T Balsamic Vinaigrette (Recipe below)
10 g freshly shaved parmesan
7 g lightly toasted pine nuts
Preparation:
*If you can’t find roasted pine nuts you can toast them yourself: Put nuts in a non-stick pan (with no oil!) and turn the heat to medium. Shake the pan every thirty seconds, tossing the pine nuts. When they are slightly browned, remove from heat and allow to cool. You can also roast them quickly in a toaster oven: pre-heat on 350º F for five minutes and roast for ten minutes.
*Put arugula in a salad bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and sprinkle with with parmesan and pine nuts. Eat immediately.
Balsamic Vinaigrette (Low Carb/Gluten Free/Vegan)
Ingredients:
1/4 C extra virgen olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, forced through press
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
*You can do this the old fashioned way, which involves combining the vinegar, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. Add the oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly, until the dressing emulsifies. Then season with salt and pepper.
Or you can do it my way: put all ingredients in a salad dressing bottle, secure lid, and shake like hell. I personally can’t tell the difference.
Before I took the time to educate myself about radishes my contact with them was limited to appearances at various buffet tables, always sculpted into little roses and perched on the edges of platters. Radishes are root vegetables related to turnips and horseradish. Spring radishes (aka Easter egg radishes, due to their shape and bright colors) are crunchy in texture and hot and peppery in flavor and are a source of vitamin C, folate, potassium and fiber. If you slice them thinly enough and pair them with something mild, like cucumbers, they retain their bite without being too overwhelming. You might want to invest in a knife sharpener if you don’t already own one, as thin slices require a very sharp knife.
Cucumber Radish Salad (Low Carb)
Ingredients:
70 g English cucumber, thinly sliced
28 g/1 oz spring radishes, very thinly sliced
14 g crumbled feta cheese
7 g lightly toasted pine nuts
1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 mint leaf, finely chopped (Pro-tip: crush the leaf before you cut it to fully release the aromatic properties)
a few dashes of dehydrated garlic granules
pinch of sea salt
Preparation
*Layer a bowl with cucumber slices and arrange the radish slices on top. Mix the olive oil, vinegar and salt and garlic granules with a whisk. Drizzle vinaigrette over the radishes and cucumbers, then sprinkle salad with feta cheese, mint, and pine nuts. Eat immediately.
Serves one and has 162.93 cal, 2.35 net carbs, 13.9 g fat, .75 g fiber and 6.25 g protein.
And then, of course, there is dessert, which is made possible by coconut oil. Unlike most other oils, coconut oil is solid at room temperature. It melts easily and can be mixed with a variety of ingredients and then chilled, to create cookies and confections that require very little time and heat. I like adding coconut manna to certain recipes, even though it’s a little difficult to work with. It doesn’t melt completely, even when you soak the jar in hot water, but it is necessary to try and stir it a bit when you get a new jar (the oil rises to the top). After that, I don’t bother trying to soften it up; just scrape it out with a spoon. In my opinion, it’s well worth the trouble and adds a rich creamy texture. But if you can’t find it or don’t want to use it, just substitute it by using a full tablespoon of coconut oil. My only caveat is this: once you take them out of the fridge they must be eaten quickly, or they will fall apart.
Icebox Cookies (Low Carb/Gluten Free/Vegan)
Here are two variations, but the possibilities are endless. Experiment with whatever ingredients strike your fancy.
Almond Shortbread
Ingredients:
1/2 T coconut oil
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp xylitol, powdered
1/4 C almond flour/meal (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
Preparation:
*Put coconut oil in a small glass or ceramic bowl and melt in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Whisk until thoroughly blended. Add the vanilla extract, xylitol, and flour, one at a time, until evenly blended. Spoon mixture into mold or drop spoonful of the mixture on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and press down to flatten cookies. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes and store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
Makes three cookies and each has 86.7 cal, 1 net carbs, 7.6 g fat, 1 g fiber and 2 g protein.
Cinnamon Coconut Hemp Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 T coconut oil
1/2 T coconut manna
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp xylitol, powdered
7 g unsweetened dried coconut, finely shredded
1 T hemp seeds
1/2 T chia seeds
Preparation:
*Put coconut oil and manna in a small glass or ceramic bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Whisk until thoroughly blended. Add the vanilla extract, xylitol, and the cinnamon and whisk until completely smooth. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut, hemp and chia seeds. Mix the dry and the wet ingredient together. Spoon mixture into mold or drop spoonful of the mixture on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and press down to flatten cookies. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes and store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
Makes 3 cookies and each has 76.95 cal, 1.03 net carbs, 5.11 g fat, 1.41 g fiber ans 1.7 g protein.
Chocolate Coconut Haystacks
Low
Ingredients:
1/2 T coconut oil
1/2 T coconut manna
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 T erythritol, powdered
1 drop liquid stevia
14 g dried coconut, shredded
Preparation:
* Put coconut oil and manna in a small glass or ceramic bowl and microwave on High for 30 seconds. Whisk until thoroughly blended. Add cocoa powder, erythritol, vanilla extract and stevia, one at a time and whisk until smooth. Mix in shredded coconut. Line a baking pan with unbleached parchment paper and drop mixture on by the spoonful on the paper. Chill in the freezer fro 10 minutes. Store in the refrigerator in a air-tight container.
Makes 3 haystack and each has 76.5 cal, 1.5 net carbs, 8 g fat, 1.53 g fiber and 1.53 g protein.
(Source: lowcarbwholefoodie.blogspot.com)
My New Whole Food Favorites(Low Carb/Gluten Free/ Raw Food
I’ve been using Navitas Naturals products for a while now, but I only recently discovered 3 of their products which I am now using on a daily basis. They are whole food/raw food/vegan items that are incredibly versatile. They are acai powder, hulled hemp seeds, and chia seeds. They are marketed as “super foods”, and while I’m not sure if that’s an accurate description (or if there are such things as “super foods”), but they all have definite health benefits.
The other item I’m promoting is coconut manna made by Nutiva. Unlike the others, it is not a free trade certified product, but it still falls under the category of raw, whole food and vegan.
Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are a good source of iron, omega fatty acids, protein, fiber, and essential amino acids.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are loaded with omega fatty acids, dietary fiber and protein.
Acai Powder
There’s quite a bit of controversy about acai berries - it’s been touted by many as being a weight loss miracle, a claim that has been debunked by many others. So, who knows if it helps you lose weight. But let’s not dismiss it out of hand - they are rich in anti-oxidants, essential amino acids, and omega fatty acids. It has a very distinct flavor and can be added to all kinds of recipes.
Coconut Manna
Coconut manna is a paste made from dried coconut flesh. When heated, it has a very creamy consistency and can be a delicious addition to many different dishes. Personally, I love this stuff - and I’ll be looking for more ways to incorporate it into my recipes. Coconut is a good source of fiber, healthy saturated fat, and is rich in nutrients.
Acai Protein Smoothie
Ingredients:
15 g (2 T) chocolate or vanilla whey protein powder
15 g (2 T) hemp protein powder
1 tsp freeze dried acai powder
1 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Preparation:
*Mix all ingredients together until smooth.
Makes 1 serving and has 170.5 cal, 2.5 net carbs, g fat, 5.5 g fiber and 21.5 g protein.
There are two variations that I’ve enjoyed as well:
Vanilla Whey Acai Smoothie
This one is good when you want something lighter with less protein.
1 tsp freeze dried acai powder
2 T vanilla whey protein powder
1 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Makes 1 serving and has 105 cal, 2 net carbs, 3.5 g fat, 1 g fiber and 15 g protein.
Acai Hemp Smoothie
1 tsp freeze dried acai powder
1/4 C hemp protein powder ( you can also substitute a raw food protein powder as well)
1 T erythritol
Serves 1 and has 185 cal, 3 net carbs, 5 g fat, 10 g fiber, and 14 g protein.
While I adore smoothies, I just can’t have them for breakfast every day- I need more variety and sometimes (when it’s cold) I’m just not in the mood.. They’re quick to make and are perfect for breakfast because that seems to be the time when we’re in the biggest hurry and in most need of energy. Mornings are hard for a lot of people - most of us don’t wake up everyday thinking, “I feel great! I can’t wait to get out of bed!” If you’re like me , waking up involves bargaining with yourself for more time in bed (can I sleep another 15 minutes and still take a shower, get dressed, not forget my bag…?). So, time is short and here is a very healthy ways to brave the challenges of starting your day.
Vegan Hot Cereal
This can be made very quickly and is delicious and filling. Hot cereal is a comfort food of mine (I used to love Quaker Instant Oatmeal - cinnamon, of course.) I know it’s getting warmer and many people associate hot cereal with cold weather, but this cools off quickly (you certainly don’t need to worry about burning off the roof of your mouth) and I just love the taste. It incorporates the remaining three ingredients on the list; chia seeds, hemp seeds and coconut manna.
Ingredients:
1/4 C boiling water
1 T chia seeds
1 1/2 T shelled hemp seeds
1/2 T coconut manna
1/2 T erythritol or 1 packet sweetener of choice
pinch of sea salt
Preparation:
*Mix hemp seeds and chia seeds together in a small bowl. Add water and stir. Add coconut manna, salt, and sweetener and continue to stir until you get the desired consistency.
Makes 1 serving and has 165 cal, 3 net carbs, 13.75 g fat, 5 g fiber and 8 g protein.
Add 28 g (1 oz) of fresh strawberries: 9 cal, 1 net carb, 0 fat, 1 g fiber and 1 g protein.
Chocolate Coconut Truffles
I love chocolate.
I’m not sure I could live in a world without chocolate.
I don’t think I could survive.
The best thing about chocolate is that it’s actually good for you. Dark chocolate is rich in anti-oxidants, iron and magnesium. Plus, it releases endorphins. No wonder it’s considered to be the number one food craved by American women - it makes you happy. Until you get on the scale. But it doesn’t need to be that way; there are hundreds of wonderful low carb/gluten free (and soy free) recipes that, when eaten in appropriate portions, will not vex you or your scale.
These truffles are wonderfully decadent and rich and at the same time, very healthy, low in carbs, vegan, and gluten free.
Ingredients:
1 T coconut manna
1/2 T coconut oil
1/2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 T erythritol
3 drops liquid stevia
7 g cacao nibs
(32.5 cal .25 net carbs, 3 g fat, 2.25 g fiber, 1 g protein)
Preparation:
*In a glass or ceramic bowl, melt coconut mann and coconut oil in a microwave, on high for about 60 seconds. Beat with a whisk until well blended. In a non-stick pan, melt the erythritol on a high heat. Add the vanilla, stevia and cocoa powder to the coconut mixture and blend thoroughly. When the erythritol is completely liquified, add to mixture and whisk vigorously. By this time, the mixture should have a paste-like consistency. If you don’t have a candy mold you can use teaspoon and press the paste into the measuring spoon to mold it. Place on a baking sheet lined with unbleached parchment paper and put into the freezer for about 30 minutes. Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.
Makes 5 - 1 tsp truffles and each has 42.94 cal, .68 net carbs, 4.3 g fat, 1.05 g fiber and 1.2 g protein.
burnmystardown:
Hit me up! I don’t always post about lc, and I’m not on paleo, but I love the blog Free the Animal and think both are great healthy ways of eating, and many people on these diets are also quite fit/work hard to be fit as well.
I see SO much of “OMG GUYS CHECK OUT THIS 100 CALORIE NO FAT CHOCO…
I’m doing low carb, whole food, vegetarian (and have eliminated soy, gluten and flax from my diet). I’d love to get rid of dairy, but I’m trying to take things slowly, getting rid of one thing at a time. And I’m still in ongoing weight loss - as of this morning, I have officially lost 100 lbs (I started out at 265 and in a year and after a half, I now weigh 165 pounds. So when I reach my target weight, and I’ve not yet decided what that target will be, I’ll do a dairy elimination diet to see if it helps make my fibromyalgia symptoms less daunting.
reblog if you’re a weight loss blog?
birrds:
my dash is so dead right now - i’ll follow you all!
I’m a low carb whole food gluten free food blog and weight loss is certainly a part of it. Check it out - it got loads of good stuff, something for everyone.
Cleaning The Cupboards - Going Gluten Free
Before I started this blog, I had been toying with the idea of going gluten free. My reasons for the gluten free trial are based on what I’ve learned about the benefits of removing gluten from one’s diet. According to Wikipedia , gluten is a protein found in wheat (including kamut and spelt), barley, rye, malts, triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye) and oats. Gluten is often used as a food additive to flavor, stabilize or as a thickening agent (dextrin). Gluten sensitivity can cause symptoms such as weight gain, digestive troubles and fatigue. It can also affect blood chemistry and the treatment of auto imune disorders. Loads of people swear by it and if it might make my Fibromyalgia easier to live with, I’m more than willing to give it a go. I’ve been warned by medical professionals that you need to very strict about the complete elimination of gluten from your diet and that it can take from six months to a year to feel the full effects. There’s a good article about fibromyalgia and it’s connection to gluten sensitivity written by The Gluten Doctors:
“Anecdotally we have witnessed over and over again the resolution of the classic muscle aches and tender points in regard to gluten elimination”.
http://glutendoctors.blogspot.com/2009/06/fibromy
To facilitate my next big step forward, a gluten free diet, I ruthlessly cleaned any and all gluten offenders out of my kitchen. Since I’m already doing low carb, it’s not a huge stretch but it will mean giving up and/or replacing certain items. Here’s a list of what got axed:
*regular soy sauce (which I will replace with gluten free soy sauce)*oat flour (which I already replaced with gluten free oat flour)*low carb bake mix (which I can replace with a recipe for homemade low carb gluten free bake mix, which I’ll be using in future recipes, I’m sure)*low carb pancake mix*miso soup*low carb tortillas*low carb pita bread*two kinds of oats, rolled and steel cut
The most of the un-replaceable items are also processed foods, which I’m trying to cut out completely. Which brings me to the world of whole foods. Wikipedia defines whole foods as: “those that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed” ( I love wikipedia, don’t you?). It should be very clear to everyone at this point in history that additives, especially chemical additives, are not good for a human being’s general health and well being. It doesn’t stop companies that produce food products they claim to be ”health food”, in all it’s various guises and most people just don’t read food labels carefully enough. I know there are a lot of Low Carb products on the market, available at least online. When I started reading the labels I was shocked at how much crap they contained. I can’t pronounce half the ingredients and all those chemicals can’t be good for you. Since my main goal is to try and be as healthy as possible, I think I have to leave behind prepared foods and get used to making everything from scratch. I don’t mind - it’s worth the extra work to know exactly what’s in my meals.
The other benefit of whole foods is monetary - most unprocessed food tends to be cheaper than processed foods in the end. I realize that organic food tends to cost more and I think that everyone has to decide for themselves how much you can afford to spend on food. So my motto in regards to this) is : don’t spend more than you can afford. In an ideal world, all the best would be affordable, but it doesn’t work that way. For example, if you can’t afford organic produce or dairy products that come from animals that are free range, growth hormone free, and are fed based upon their natural diets, don’t beat yourself up too much. Same thing for processed foods - sometimes it can’t be avoided. Only you can decide what’s best for you and your unique situation. So shop, prepare meals and eat as well as you are able. And try not to judge yourself too harshly - I’m certainly not going to judge you. It’s hard enough to make even the smallest changes in our lifestyles, so anything you do, no matter how small, it’s a gigantic step in the right direction. Be proud of yourself for even thinking about making these adjustments.
Baked Eggs Florentine (Low Carb)
One of my favorite vegetables is fresh spinach and I’m fortunate to live in a place where fresh organic produce is available year round. But out of season fruits and veggies can be expensive and you may live in a place where they are not available at all. The next best option is frozen produce and there’s a lot you can do with frozen spinach. It’s messy to handle, so I had to figure out a way to make it easier. I start by taking a 10 oz (284 g) bag of organic spinach and I divide it evenly between three containers while it’s still frozen. I use a digital food scale to determine size portions - it’s more accurate than a measuring cup and it allows me to adjust the portion exactly. According to the package, a single serving of frozen spinach is 81 grams or 1 cup and a 10 oz bag will give you 3.5 servings. Using the scale allows me to measure out three equal portions, each weighing about 95 grams.
If you store them in the fridge, you can allow them to defrost without cooking. When you’re ready to use it, all you need to do is drain the water. You can use a sieve, provided that the wholes are small enough, or you can strain it through unbleached cheesecloth. To cut down on waste, I rinse out the cheesecloth when I’m finished using it and dry it so I can use it as many times as possible. Once the spinach is drained, you’re ready to go.
Baked Eggs Florentine
Ingredients:
95 g chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/8 T butter
1 large egg
1 T heavy cream
1/8 tsp garlic powder
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
*Preheat oven to 400 F.
*Grease a ramekin with butter. To prepare the spinach, put it in a small bowl and add garlic powder and some salt and pepper and blend. Lightly pack the spinach in the ramekin and make an indentation in the center - I use a measuring tablespoon.
*Crack the egg into a cup, making sure to keep the yolk whole. Gently pour on top of spinach and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover evenly with heavy cream.
*Bake for 16 - 18 minutes, depending upon how well-done you like you like your eggs. Remove from oven (carefully, it will be very hot!).
I know it looks lovely in the ramekin (sorry for the lousy picture quality, but trust me, it looks amazing!), but it will be too hot to consume it you leave it in there. Run a knife around the edges to separate it from the sides and using a fork, lift it out of the ramekin and place on a plate.
And enjoy!
Makes 1 serving and has 173.63 calories, 3.25 net carbs, 10.85 g fat, 1.5 g fiber and 9 g protein.
So This Is My First Entry
Whoo hoo! Somebody alert the press! Seriously, welcome to my food blog. If I appear as if I don’t know what I’m doing, well, that’s because I don’t. But I’m not going to let that stop me. So, bear with me - I hope to be of some help to others out there. Dieting is hard - don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Naturally thin people are naturally thin; they don’t tend to have things like insulin resistance to contend with and often regard those of us to whom it comes less easy as lazy and undisciplined. Those of us who are not naturally thin (which is to say, most of us, even though almost any kind of media will tell you otherwise) find ourselves struggling. People who have the additional burden of chronic illness struggle even more - I have fibromyalgia as well as insulin resistance and it has been difficult to make the necessary changes in my lifestyle. I’m a work in progress - I have not reached my target weight and I am still very out of shape due to severe exercise intolerance, but over the course of one year, I was able to lose 80 lb’s by diet alone, have completely eliminated both aspartame and sucrolose (and many other things) from my diet and no longer need to take prescription medication for type II diabetes. Since I live alone I have modified the recipes for one person servings ( or in the case of sweets, the lowest number possible so as not to tempt myself ). They are also modified for people who have limited mobility, chronic fatigue or are just plain exhausted from being terminally busy. This means meals that are not too labor intensive - the fewest amount of ingredients and the least amount of prep work, designed to make life easier while still being nutritious and appetizing.
Now, on to the food!
