All posts tagged: low carb

The Better Pasta

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Recently I had an appointment with my Nutritionist, who is responsible for millions of people getting healthy.  Kathie Swift, MS, RD, LDN is the practitioner who introduced Mark Hyman, M.D. to both functional medicine and food as an avenue to health.  She was the person who taught half of my week long workshop in 2008 when I began my wellness odyssey and I am eternally grateful to her for her wisdom and guidance. She is the person I turn to when I get stuck in my weight loss journey, and she is brilliant and up to date on all things regarding food and medicine.  We were recently talking about the “holes” in eating gluten free (things we miss) and I mentioned that my husband and I occasionally ate Einkhorn pasta (a wheat pasta using the original wheat from Italy that hasn’t been hybridized and modified the way our wheat has, thereby making it much less reactive).  She suggested we try some of the low carb pastas made from alternative beans (black bean and mung bean). …

Low Carb Meatloaf

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My husband and I have been in a  ground beef rut.   Sick of making hamburgers (grass fed only), spaghetti sauce, tacos, and chili.  But Meatloaf had been off limits to us because of the fillers in it.  It often has bread crumbs and/or oatmeal, which have carbs.  So, here’s our version of meatloaf with a lower carb load.  Yes, it has some cheese, but one serving doesn’t amount to very much. Serves 4-6    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Ingredients: 2 lbs. grass fed lean ground beef 2 whole eggs, beaten 2 pieces of cooked bacon, chopped up 1 cup tomato sauce, preferably organic – we used one with basil and garlic in it 3 T Wheat Free Tamari Sauce (or soy sauce if you can’t find Tamari) 4 cloves of garlic, minced ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 T onion powder 1 T dried parsley ground black pepper to taste Mix everything together in a bowl, using clean hands to combine it well.  Create a loaf shape in a 9 x 13 inch glass pan …

(Almost) Dairy Free Lasagna

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I wanted to make some lasagna last week, but I just can’t eat ricotta, mozarella or any dairy to speak of.  I decided to set out and try to adapt a recipe using cashew cream as my “ricotta” replacement.  I used pasta that was fresh (no, I didn’t make it, I got it in the refrigerated section at my local organic store), made my own sauce, and added veggies to make it really healthy.  Yes, this is not carb free, but for when you want something with pasta, this is pretty awesome!  You can get really strict and leave out the parmesan, and then it would be totally dairy free. My husband, Doubting Thomas that he is (he should trust me by now, we rarely throw anything I concoct out!) said (insert skeptical and unhappy tone of voice here) “Cashew cream in lasagna?  ewwwww, uck”.  Needless to say, he was not only amazed, but gobbled this up.  And pronounced me a genius.  So, I guess that is praise enough to post it on this blog! …

Middle Eastern “Sliders” with Sumac Onions

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This is a really fun and very healthy “take” on the American slider – a tiny fat and carb heavy cheesburger that many restaurants have.  I’ve adapted this recipe from the cookbook “Orient Express” by Silvena Rowe.  She used veal, I use only grass fed ground beef and made some modifications. Middle Eastern Sliders These mini burgers are cooked and placed atop rounds of pita or naan bread. If you’re gluten free, use rounds of GF bread.  Topped with sumac onions, they are a fabulous taste variation on our old hamburger.  Make them healthy by using grass fed beef.  (why?  read why here)  Yes, it is more expensive, but the health benefits are worth it –  you are worth it! Ingredients Sumac Onion Topping 1-2 large sweet yellow onions sliced (if very large, use 1 onion) 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon ground sumac* Burger Filling 1 lb. grass fed ground beef (if you aren’t using grass fed, be sure it is lean) 1 egg 1 heaping teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I buy it in …

Healthy Ginger Carrot Soup

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This recipe is amazing because it tastes BETTER than the usual carrot soup with dairy.  And the thai red chili paste can add a kick or add HOT depending on your preference.  You can even put it on the table for those who love spicy to add a bit more.  The secret in addition to the red chili paste is coconut milk.  This soup is amazing! This is almost identical to the recipe in The Ultrametabolism Cookbook by Dr. Mark Hyman.  Like I said previously, that book is one of my most used cookbooks. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons coconut oil or light sesame oil (don’t use toasted sesame, the flavor is too strong) 1 large onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 2 pounds diced carrots – don’t fret the size, you’re going to blenderize it anyway 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth if you’re vegan/vegetarian 1 cup light coconut milk (canned) ¼  to 1 teaspoon Thai Red Chili Paste, like Thai Kitchen or Dynasty brands (comes in a jar, a …