Recently we decided to make some diet modifications. For years, we’ve tried to avoid extra fat. We read labels on all kinds of foods and choose those that contain fewer fats but manage to retain flavors. I remember when we made that shift and moved away from the old “college diet” where anything goes.
So in this round, we’ve been trying to cut some of the carbs in our diet. There doesn’t need to be a generous serving rice or potatoes at every meal. Instead, I’ve been working on various vegetables in different combinations.
Here’s one example.
The meal consisted of some lower fat chicken sausages from Costco, which we were trying for the first time. Then came the bowl with fresh sliced tomatoes and some leftover green papaya salad from our last take-out visit to Chao Phya Thai Restaurant in Kaneohe. Finally, I threw some chopped onion into a pan with a bit of olive oil, added a pile of kale and some baby bok choy, garlic, and a few sweet peppers, cut into a bite size pieces. I let them steam while the vegetables cooked down, drizzled some fresh squeezed lemon juice over the vegetables, and served.
I think the inexpensive red wine was a Barefoot Malbec, sometimes available on sale for under $5.
It all went together very well. Better than I expected. Did I miss a scoop of brown rice? Maybe when we sat down at the table. But by the time we were done, definitely not.
Oh, the second photo shows the full scene, complete with cat. That’s Ms. Kili standing by, even though she doesn’t really want people food.
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The cat may not care about human food but it is certainly eyeballing that Malbec.
gazpacho is one of the best veggie meals but it has to sit overnight in the fridge for the vinegars to work. goes great with vodka. stay thirsty.
in ahdah news, avoid supermarkets and gas stations in Hawaii for the next 4 days. da twaffic jam has stawted again.
Moderation in all things, Ian. With this meal, you appear to have abandoned carbs — or at least starch — for uku plenty fiber and a little protein on the side. If you want low carbs, go for good carbs that are low glycemic, have at least some protein (e.g., brown rice or quinoa), and will leave you sated (from the slow digestion of the complex carbos).
The hidden sugar carb bomb here is those high glycemic fruits: tomatoes. Whatever advantage you think you gained by skipping complex carbs like brown rice was completely lost when you ate the tomatoes.
As an aside, and as much as I love the cats in my life, I can’t see how you permit animals that tread in their own feces and urine do the same on your food prep and consumption surfaces. In Jules Winnfield’s book, it’s a filthy animal that does that, and filthy animals and food don’t mix.
Whole CARBS are GOOD and should be the staple of human diet; refined carbs (white flour, sugar) bad. At Vegetarian Society of Hawaii meeting last night, must have been 500+ people came to hear T. Colin Campbell speak about his research that supports whole food plant-based diet. He was like a rock star to people who knew of his work. You can read his book (The China Study, 2004) or watch the video (Forks Over Knives, 2011): “Dr. Campbell, a nutritional scientist at Cornell University, was concerned in the late 1960’s with producing “high quality” animal protein to bring to the poor and malnourished areas of the third world. While in the Philippines, he made a life-changing discovery: the country’s wealthier children, who were consuming relatively high amounts of animal-based foods, were much more likely to get liver cancer. Dr. Esselstyn, a top surgeon and head of the Breast Cancer Task Force at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic, found that many of the diseases he routinely treated were virtually unknown in parts of the world where animal-based foods were rarely consumed.
These discoveries inspired Campbell and Esselstyn, who didn’t know each other yet, to conduct several groundbreaking studies. One of them took place in China and is still among the most comprehensive health-related investigations ever undertaken. Their research led them to a startling conclusion: degenerative diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be prevented – and in many cases reversed – by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet. “
P.S. According to Dr. Campbell, “based” in “whole foods plant-BASED diet” means 75-80% whole CARBS. If you just ate more veggies and fruits, you wouldn’t get enough calories and would be too hungry. (Yeah… a new way of cooking… I’m trying to figure out what to eat too.)