A Book Review and Asian Meatballs

So, part of my plan to lower my carb intake come the first of the year involved becoming more familiar with the Keto, or ketogenic, Diet. I mentioned this to a co-worker back in December, and she promptly went out and bought me a keto cookbook for Christmas (she is so sweet like that)! The book is entitled “The Ketogenic Cookbook - Nutritious Low-Carb, High Fat, Paleo Meals to Heal your Body” by Jimmy Moore and Maria Emmerich and is, or at least was, available at Costco around the holidays. 

The book begins with the introduction of the 2 authors and their personal health journeys. Then it does a fairly good job explaining what the Keto Diet is and what it does to the body and why you would want to eat this way. Ketones were discovered in the 1920’s to help treat patients suffering from epileptic seizures. This style of eating was actually quite popular until the 1950s when researcher Ancel Keyes published a study examining the diets of middle-aged men in the US, Europe and Japan that claimed cholesterol was directly related to a risk of heart attack and stroke. Unfortunately, his research has since been discovered to have been quite flawed, but nevertheless, his study created the low-fat, high-carb diet that most of us have followed our entire lives. 

And many in the health and nutrition field today wonder if it wasn’t this way of eating that brought us where many people find themselves now.  Obesity affects nearly 40% and diabetes nearly 10% of the American population and people are looking for ways to reduce these numbers and gain back control of their weight and blood sugar. Following a low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet can possibly be one way to do it. That’s what the Keto lifestyle is all about. Since I follow a low-carb style of eating, when I hear testimonials of people that have not only shed tremendous amounts of weight, but have also gotten all sorts of ailments under control eating Keto, it sparks my interest.

After the obligatory introduction and explanation of the diet, the book then launches into the recipes which are broken down by section: Condiments/Dressings/etc., Breakfast, Appetizers, Meats, Fish and Seafood, Vegetarian Dishes, Sides and Treats. I haven’t read it cover to cover, but I have perused the recipes and overall do find some of the ingredients to be pricey. Many of the recipes call for things like MCT oil, erythritol, stevia glycerine and egg white protein, which can be costly. But then again, if you’re focused and determined to improve your health and lose significant amounts of weight, it might well be worth the investment!

The Keto Diet claims that it’s low-carb, “moderate” protein, and high in fat, and while I do find the recipes in this book to be low-carb and high-fat, I do not find them to be “moderate” protein; in fact, many recipes are significantly full of protein. I suppose you can control this by eating less meat and adding more vegetables, if you wish.

Some recipes in this book are a little strange. They use egg white protein to make pizza crust and “bread”. I guess when you don’t eat carbs you miss things like bread, but to  think that egg white protein would come anywhere close to tasting good and acting as a carb substitute is really asking too much of me. I cannot imagine this would actually taste good! I think I’d rather make an almond flour or cauliflower crust instead, which are also both low-carb. (BTW, we recently tried the cauliflower crust pizza at California Pizza Kitchen and it was quite good and not at all too cauliflowery. I asked what was in it and other than the obvious veg, they add a generous amount of cheese to the crust to get it to crisp up. Delicious.)

Despite these small complaints I have of the book, overall I think the recipes are doable and look good.

I am looking forward to trying some of their omelets, their “frico” cups which are essentially baked Parmesan crisps shaped into a cup to hold a filling, Spring Rolls wrapped in cabbage; and their Grilled Trout looks amazing, as do their BBQ Short Ribs. For dessert, I’m going to have to try their Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fat Bombs at some point, and maybe the Tiramisu Fudge or Lemon Curd Ice Cream!  

For the recipes I’ve actually made, the Herb and Ricotta Rotolo were tasty, as were the Smoky Pork Chops with Apple Glaze we made on Sunday (yummy)!

But this is the recipe I wanted to share with you. Maybe it was the picture that caught my eye, but there was something about it that said “try me”, so I did. And I loved it! I did make one modification to it - I do not use sugar alcohols, so I used 1/4 cup of honey instead. If you want to be 100% Keto, then by all means do it as listed below.

Asian Meatballs over Bok Choy

Ingredients
2 pounds grass-fed ground beef or ground turkey
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms
4 Tbsp finely chopped green onions
2 Tbsp coconut aminos or wheat-free tamari sauce
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced

For the sauce
1/4 cup bone broth (preferably homemade)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut aminos
1/3 cup powdered erythritol*
2 Tbsp chopped green onions
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp guar gum (if using store-bought broth)**
Black or white sesame seeds

Bok choy, chopped for steaming

Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together the ground meat, eggs, mushroom, green onions, coconut aminos, ginger and garlic. Mix until well-combined. Shape into 1-1/2” meatballs and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until browned.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: in a small saucepan, combine the broth, coconut oil, coconut aminos, green onions, ginger and garlic. Heat over medium-high heat until bubbling, stirring well to combine. Remove from the heat.  If using store-bought stock, sift in the guar gum and let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Add a pinch more guar gum if you would like a thicker sauce. If you’re using homemade bone broth and you’re following my directions, you are going to have a broth with plenty of gelatin in it, so the guar gum is not necessary. 

Wash, chop and saute the bok choy in a little coconut oil or just water (on medium low) for 7-8 minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the oven, place sauteed bok choy on your plate, then the meatballs over them and serve with the sauce. Garnish with black or white sesame seeds if desired.

* Some of the sugar alcohols, like erythritol and xylitol, can cause digestive distress in people that are sensitive, like me. So I avoid them. Instead, I would just use a little honey.
** Some gums can also cause digestive upset in sensitive types. Since I use homemade bone broth, which is beautifully gelatinous and therefore thick enough on its own, I would not use the guar gum.

Pulled Pork for Cold Weather

When colder weather hits, it’s only natural for us to want to make dishes that are warm, hearty and satisfying. Soups, stews, braised meats and vegetables are all good this time of year. The kind of food that “sticks to your ribs”, as my mother would say.

One of my favorite things is pulled pork. I don’t eat it very often because it’s higher in sugar than I like, so it’s a cheat meal we enjoy now and again. Best of all, it’s rich and warming on a crisp, cool evening.

The recipe I originally started with was a lot spicier than my version, calling for an entire can of chipotle peppers! Little did I know how immensely hot that was going to be. My husband and I could barely get it down, our esophaguses engulfed in flames. Unfortunately, we had to toss it. The next time I made it I made modifications, using barbecue sauce instead, but it lacked a bit of punch and all we tasted was the cloyingly sweet taste of BBQ sauce. The third time I made it (this is sounding like a Goldilocks story) I used chipotle BBQ sauce, combining, I hoped, the best of both worlds. Sure enough this added just enough spice without torching our lips and intestines. I think it’s just right the way it is now.

It’s a super simple recipe to make. All you need is time, as in all afternoon (5 hours) so it’s best made on the weekend. You could try it in a slow cooker and therefore have it during the week, but it won’t be the same. You could brown the meat before adding it to the slow cooker, but still you won’t end up with the caramelization you can achieve in the oven. Slow-roasting the meat in the oven is key.

Pulled Pork

Ingredients
1 large or 2 small onions, peeled and sliced
1 pork butt (pork shoulder roast), bone-in, about 4-5 lbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 1 can real cola with sugar (not diet)*
1/2 bottle chipotle barbecue sauce

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Place the onion slices in the bottom of a roasting pan with a lid. Trim roast of some of the fat but leave it whole and if it has a bone, be sure to leave that in. Sprinkle the roast all over with salt and pepper, and then placed it on tope of the onions. Your in just enough of the cola so that the liquid comes up to about 1/4 -1/3 up the sides of the roast. You don’t want it to swim in too much liquid. The add the BBQ sauce over the roast, rubbing it over the top and sides.

Cover the pot, put it in the oven and cook for at least 5 hours, depending on the size of your roast, For a 4-pounder, this is enough time. Turn the meat 2 or 3 times during the cooking process. The last time you turn it, leave the lid partially off in order to get that caramelization I was talking about. If you don’t want the caramelization (what is wrong with you?), put the lid fully back on.

When it’s done, the meat should be fork-tender and easy to shred. Do so completely with 2 forks while the roast is still in the pot. Leave the meat in the juice until you serve it. 

This is super easy and again, all it takes is time. Time you’re going to be spending watching a movie or reading a good book anyway. Maybe doing chores or taking a nap.

Pulled pork would go quite well with a bottle of Grenache. This lighter red wine would be perfect with the sweetness of the pork and its sauce. I’ll usually service this with coleslaw, but you could drain some of the liquid or maybe reduce it to a thicker consistency and serve it as a pulled pork sandwich. Or you can serve it stew-like along with the juice and put it over some boiled and slightly mashed potatoes to soak up the liquid. Yum!

*Note: you need the sugar in the cola to help with the caramelization process. 

A Tomato Basil Soup to die for

The holidays are behind us, we’ve eaten a lot of things we normally wouldn’t, and our pants are tighter. It’s the new year, which probably means you’re looking to clean up your act and make healthier choices.

For me, and probably most of you, that means refocusing on vegetables. The one universal rule of all diets has got to be that there is no vegetable off limits. I think no matter which diet you’re on, we can all agree that veggies are good and need to be eaten daily.

A great way to get your veggies in, while staying warm on these cold winter evenings, is to turn them into soup. It’s also a good opportunity to get some nutritious broth in us. Hopefully, I’ve convinced you to make your own every chance you get. Homemade bone broth is high in nutrients, heals the gut, and tastes better than anything you can buy in the store. Bone broths (as opposed to just “broth" or “stock") can be purchased at health and other food stores now, but they are pricey and some are not all that great tasting. Please read my post about making your own. It’s really easy, especially if you own a slow cooker and/or roast a chicken every now and again. It’s so totally worth it.

This is perhaps the best Tomato Basil Soup I’ve ever had. Even though it’s a simple recipe, the quality of the ingredients, just like in everything, matters. Get your canned tomatoes organic and in a non-BPA-lined can. They are thankfully becoming increasingly easier to find. I like the Muir Glen brand.

Tomato Basil Soup isn’t really the same without cream and here again look for organic, whole fat (not low fat or, good Lord, nonfat) cream or sour cream. Creme fraiche works too, if you can find it. You don’t have to add a lot, but without it, the soup lacks the mouthfeel that makes it both delicious and satisfying.

This recipe is also a little bit different in that there are some surprise ingredients. It’s also not going to take long to make. You could have it done in 25 minutes. Without further ado, on to the recipe.

Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter or ghee
1 onion, diced
3 pint sized cans of diced tomatoes (preferably organic and in a BPA-free can)
1 qt. chicken broth (preferably homemade)
salt, to taste
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp honey
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil (about 15-20 leaves)
1.5-2 cups heavy cream or sour cream
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Melt butter in a 2-3 qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they turn translucent. Add tomatoes and broth, cover, raise the heat, and bring to a boil.

When boiling, reduce heat to medium, uncover, add salt, vinegar and honey. Stir. If still bubbling too vigorously, turn to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Just before serving, remove from heat, add basil and cream and a little pepper. Blend soup with an immersion blender (or by transferring to a regular blender).

Enjoy!

Notes: Now, the quintessential pairing of this soup would of course be with a grilled cheese sandwich (I would go sourdough with cheddar), which would could whip up in the 20 minutes the soup is simmering. If you’re particularly hungry, add a small green salad. Or you could serve the soup at the beginning of a meal, like before Chicken with Pesto Sauce.

Leftover soup makes a great lunch the following day at work, where your co-workers will likely look over at your food with some jealousy.