Thursday, February 13, 2014

Saying goodbye to processed food...

Pantry

 

Something is happening at our house that is life changing.  Hubby, not me, who had already decided several months ago that this was a game changer, but LC, has decided that he wants to continue eating low carb, to the point that he no longer wants our pantry filled with food we no longer eat.  We took everything white and processed out of the pantry, and we’re getting rid of it.

We’re saying goodbye to his favorite Kraft Mac’ and Cheese, pastas, prepackackaged mixes, it’s all going.  He’s not even tempted by this food, which is really shocking.

This is totally lifechanging at our age, to not eat the way we have our entire lives.  But I’m discovering a new way to cook, really good recipes, they’re not the same as we’re used to, some are not as good, but some, actually are better.

LC feels good, his weight is lower than it’s been in years, we don’t have to worry about the possibility of diabetes, his doctor approves, and he’s totally onboard with this, not temporarily, but long term.  And yours truly, it’s so easy for me to eat this way, I did miss beans, but now that  I’ve discovered black soybeans, and have that 25 lb. sack in my garage, I’m able to substitute them for my favorite pinto and limas. I no longer have heartburn, I have more energy, I don’t struggle to zip my pants, my muffin top is deflating, it’s such a good thing.

We do have a few meals a month with carbs, for me it’s usually pizza, for him, pasta, chinese or his favorite Deerhead breaded tenderloin, and then we go right back to it.  It’s harder when we visit the kids, but we indulge a bit and then come home and immediately start eating low carb again.

So this is what we’re up to this pretty, but cold winter day.  Purging our pantry of the bad, stocking it with the good, lots of nuts, coconut oil, items like wheat protein isolate, resistant wheat starch, xanthan gum, carbolose flour, and psyllium husk powder, strange  things I had never heard of before, but are actually pretty darn good.

It will be a year in May for me eating this way,  July for him, I’ll update you on my anniversary as to how it’s going and what’s in our pantry.  

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And what’s on the menu tonight?  George Stella’s Marinara and Mozzarella Meatloaf, garlic and thyme sautéed zoodles (yellow squash cut into spaghetti strips), green salad with that great Western dressing I made yesterday and strawberries with low carb ice cream for dessert.  Not bad, huh…  Nope, not bad at all...

~ Bon Appetit Low Carb Style ~ Jan

Marinara + Mozzarella Meatloaf
Recipe courtesy George Stella

Prep Time 15 min/ Cook Time 75 min/ Serves 8

Shopping List
2 pounds lean ground beef
11⁄2 cups marinara sauce, no sugar added
1⁄4 cup diced red onion
3 large eggs
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1⁄2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
3⁄4 cup mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and ready a nonstick 9x5 loaf pan for baking. (Or spray a regular loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.)

2. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, 1 cup of the marinara sauce, diced red onion, eggs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. (This is easiest done with your hands.)

3. Evenly fill loaf pan with the meatloaf mixture, patting with your hands to form an even top. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

4. Remove loaf from oven; drain any excess fat or liquid, and then top with the remaining 1⁄2 cup of marinara sauce, and all of the mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees. Drain fat from pan once more and let rest 10 minutes before cutting into 8 equal slices.

George’s Tips | When buying marinara sauce, it is very important to read the labels! Look for the sauce that is the lowest in sugar. While tomatoes contain some natural sugars, check the ingredients list for any sugar or corn syrup that may have been added. With so many jars to choose from, there’s no need to buy the one with added corn syrup! 

Variation | If you do not have a loaf pan, simply form a rounded loaf by hand in a large baking dish. Also, you can make an Italian Vegetable Stuffed Meatloaf by adding 1⁄4 cup of diced roasted red peppers and 1⁄2 cup of diced fresh zucchini.

calories:425| fat: 28g |protein: 29g |fiber: 1g |net carbs: 6.5g

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