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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 2017)
in other words january19 2017 9 An Unusual Culinary Column: Looking at Food Differently By Karen Kain I wanted to share with you a few low carb recipes for my fi rst column in 2017. For many, as the New Year be- gins, so does the search for a healthier diet regiment. Some of us want to lose weight and others just want to feel bet- ter. I know when I am in control of what I am putting into my body I am a much happier person. When you drastically cut back on your simple carb intake and re- place those foods with high protein and healthy fats, you might fi nd that you feel better and are more energized. In the be- ginning, eliminating comfort foods like bread and pasta may be diffi cult. Once you see the results of weight loss and boost in energy that a high protein diet gives you, it might just push you along. Some of the thinnest people I know are eating a gluten free low carb diet. Low carb diets have been around for years; they were designed to improve your health and help you to lose weight. Low carb, high fat diets, have also been used to help with seizure disorders and aid in diabetes. But not everyone eats a low simple carb diet for the weight loss; it also helps to reduce pain and infl am- mation. When you replace high carb foods with high protein and healthy fats you actually change your metabolism. The number of carbs that should be con- sumed daily is something you should speak to your doctor about. I know many people who have chosen a low carb diet and had great success in weight loss. You do not have to go far to fi nd a plethora of low carb options. Like the rest of you, I am shoveling a large amount of snow these days. I am ter- rible about eating breakfast in the morning and wanted to fi nd a healthy high pro- tein low carb meal. My good friend Jon Hill recommend- ed that I watch his video on how to make a low carb beef or turkey patty stuffed with shredded caulifl ower, topped with cheese and wrapped in bacon. Who doesn’t love ba- con? After watching his vid- eo, I decided to give it a try. You can fi nd Jon’s Kitchen Dinner #1 video on YouTube at (http:// youtu.be/TGp5bxDF0Cs). If you decide to watch the video, which I highly sug- gest you do, stay tuned to the end so you can see the bloopers. I started by making a beef patty stuffed with stir-fried shredded cauli- fl ower, mushrooms, and onions. First you form the patty, as large or as small as you like. Then, you make a “well” in the center, fi ll it with the stir-fry veggies, wrap it with bacon, and bake for about an hour. This meal was delicious, fi ll- ing and really helped energize me when eaten about 30 minutes before I started snow shoveling. I ended up making a large patty and cutting it into quarters, which worked out perfectly for the next days of shoveling. I liked the recipe so much I de- cided to make up my own version. I used minced lamb instead of beef or turkey then fi lled it with spinach that I sautéed in a bunch of Indian spices. The great thing about this meal is that you can add most any veggies you have on hand, making sure to stay away from potatoes, corn, yucca, parsnips, beans, yams and legumes. You also want to watch the amount of peas that you add because they have 21 grams of carbs per cup. I threw a handful of peas into my lamb mixture, but you can eliminate them or replace them with another low carb veg- etable. I have also included a sweeter recipe to help you survive your post- holiday sugar detox. This Bacon Banana Chocolate & Peanut Butter Dip dessert is not a salad replacement but it should help to ease you into your new healthier lifestyle. These ingredients are wonder- ful when eaten alone and I think this combination is the perfect sweet tooth fi x. These banana dips are super easy to make. One nice thing about this treat is that it does not sit on your counter tempt- ing you; but is kept hidden in your freezer, for that time when you really need a fi x. I wanted to ask a friend for some advice as I was writ- ing this column. Her and her husband have had great suc- cess eliminating carbs from their diet and have lost a com- bined weight of 100 pounds. Cassie jumped right in with some fabulous tips and want- ed to share one of her favorite recipes, “Bulletproof coffee” with you all. Bulletproof cof- fee i s an alternative to coffee with sweetened creamer with the bonus of a boost in healthy fats! She also mentioned that this is a HUGE fa- vorite in the keto world and misses her bulletproof coffee when she is not home! Thanks Cassie for the tips and the inspi- ration. I hope this year I am able to reach each of you with something fun and fabulous from the kitchen. Thanks to all of you who read and talk about food with me. Cheers! Jon’s Keto Meal Ingredients: 4 Tablespoons coconut oil 1 Small onion, diced ½ Head of caulifl ower, shredded 8 Ounces mushrooms, sliced Salt & pepper to taste 1 Pound ground beef 2 Cloves garlic, minced 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 3-4 Slices of bacon continued on page 17 Receive a $5 off coupon Bighorn Logging since 1981 Contract Logging 503-324-2422 Free Estimates Timber Purchases Timber Management Oregon Professional Logger certified since 1996 New Day Massage and Bodyworks Theraputic Massage Specializing in • Auto/Work Injury Rehabilitation • Medical Massage Cupping • Manual Lymph Drainage • Nutritional Counseling • Post Mastectomy Care • Oncology Support • Sauna on-site Heather Lewis, LMT, LMP, CLT, NT 847 Madison Avenue, Vernonia For appointments call: 503-429-4677 Insurance accepted RIDE INN MIKE PIHL LOGGING CO., INC #10732 Free Estimates Specializing in Private Timber 503-429-1470 cell 503.789.1268 fax 503.429.0252 NowOpen!•15rooms•Fullyremodeled 900 Madison Avenue, Vernonia 971-227-0462 503-382-9380 jeromecordell@gmail.com mplogging@frontier.com 1984 mist drive, po box 321 vernonia, or 97064