Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Now don't use it as an excuse to gorge yourself on beans, rice, tortillas and super sugary margaritas!  Tonight, if you find yourself at a Cinco de Mayo happy hour or dinner here are some tips:

• Don't show up starving - you will find the chips irresistible.
• Order fajitas (any kind) and ask them to hold the tortillas and the side of beans and rice.  Most fajita dishes come pilled with meat and veggies and will definitely fill you up.
• For a little treat, allow yourself some quacamole - eat it with a fork or with your meal and stay away from the tortilla chips.
• Order a skinny margarita. Most restaurants use margarita mix or sweet and sour loaded with sugar.  Ask your bartender to make you a margarita with fresh squeezed lime juice.  If they happen to have agave syrup, ask for a splash.  If not, ask for a splash of triple sec (it's got a bit of sugar, but hey - much better than going with the regular margarita).

If you're getting into the Cinco de Mayo spirit at home, treat yourself to a skinny margarita or a "margarita flaca" as Max and I referred to them throughout our honeymoon in Mexico - we got many a chuckle out of our Mexican bartenders :)  Max also refers to them as Fungaritas - I guess because it was so fun when we discovered a way to bring margaritas back into our life.  And also, margaritas just go with fun, summery, relaxed times...

Margarita Flaca or Fungarita
Shot of tequila
Fresh squeezed lime juice
Drizzle of agave or stevia to taste
Top with sparkling water or soda

Another trick: Indulge in some guacamole (if you're out of the Teardown Phase), but serve it with endive leaves or bell pepper scoops.

Have fun celebrating 

and keeping it Gundry!

Pork Meatballs with Lemon Drizzle

While I love, love, love eating healthily, admittedly this lifestyle can sometimes feel like i don't get to enjoy some of life's culinary indulgences.  So, I get very excited when I come across recipes for foods that aren't generally considered "healthy" that are either Gundry-friendly or can be tweaked to be.  (See some of my favorites here, here and here.) When I saw a Tasting Table recipe for meatballs, I thought, "Max would really enjoy that".  Truth be told, what he'd really enjoy is meatballs on a huge plate of pasta doused in red sauce, but I figured that even sans the carb load, these savory little treats would go a long way toward satisfying some of his cravings.

Like most meatballs, the recipe included bread - most call for bread crumbs, this one called for bread soaked in milk.  I used a trick that my mom taught me when she modified a recipe that called for a bread crumb topping (see her Brussels sprouts in my Gundry Thanksgiving post) - I threw low-carb tortillas into a food processor and made "tortilla crumbs" - they worked just as well to help bind the meatballs.  These Gundry-friendly treats were no different than the real thing.  Max loved them as did a lovely, new friend that came over for dinner and a Lakers playoff game.

The recipe below is for about 32, 1-inch meatballs.  I made only a half recipe.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon (about 6 sprigs) marjoram, chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3 lemons squeezed)
Dash Stevia
1/2 teaspoon (or more) crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Pinch dried oregano
4 low-carb tortillas (regular, not burrito, size)
1 pound ground pork
1 whole egg plus 2 yolks
1 cup Pecorino Romano, grated
1/2 tablespoon chopped fennel seeds
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 teaspoon salt

Marjoram has a wonderful floral, lavender-like flavor.

Fennel seeds have a light licorice or anise flavor, similar to the frondy vegetable.

DIRECTIONS
Pulse four tortillas, torn into large pieces, in a food processor, until crumbly. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, saute the onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and marjoram and continue cooking until soft, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice and dash of Stevia and reduce over medium heat until the consistency is thickened and syrup-like, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the crushed red pepper, parsley, oregano and the remaining two tablespoons olive oil and set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, egg, egg yolks, Pecorino, fennel seeds, wine, tortilla crumbs and cooled onion mixture.  Season with salt.

Form the mixture into approximately one-inch balls.  Heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat and add meat balls.  Pan fry the balls until browned on all sides and cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Place on a serving dish and drizzle with lemon sauce.

Maybe someday soon I will try these meatballs (sans lemon sauce) in a pasta dish that Max would really flip over.  I have not tried it yet, but on page 216 of Dr. Gundry's book, he says that FiberGourmet makes a low-carb pasta which is high enough in fiber to reduce the impact on your blood sugar level.  He recommends only a one cup (cooked) portion.  I've been looking for this pasta in the store with no luck, so I'm going to order some on-line.  I promised Max on our honeymoon that when we returned home we could relax a little from the pre-wedding regimen and enjoy a few treats like low-carb pasta.  

Kale Salad - Sort of Obsessed

For the past few months I've been sort of obsessed with kale.  While Max and I often enjoy kale roasted, I've been eating a ton of raw kale salad.  Kale is pretty much a super food, full of vitamins, antioxidants and goodness.  When I found a pre-chopped kale salad with cabbage and carrots at Whole Foods, I immediately snatched up a bag.  I loved it so much, I now go through about five bags a week. 

The recipe on the back of the bag recommends dressing the salad with extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, sugar, salt and pepper.  I followed directions the first time (sans the sugar, of course).

But, at this point, I just empty the bag of kale salad into a large mixing bowl, drizzle with a healthy amount of extra-virgin olive oil, splash with several dabs of rice vinegar (make sure to get unseasoned - it has less sugar), sprinkle with sea salt and dribble with just a little bit of toasted sesame oil and then toss to coat all the leaves.

The key is to let it sit for at least 30 minutes to let the leaves soften a bit.  I often mix the salad the night before I eat it. Mixed, raw kale salad will hold up for several days in the fridge.

For a super easy, full meal, I like to eat kale salad with a couple of chopped up hard-boiled eggs.

Super Quick Stir Fry with Homemade Peanut Sauce

I started working on this recipe before leaving for our wedding, when time was rather scarce and the importance of a slim waistline was at an all-time high.  I've been consistently making this dish each week and it has become my favorite, busy-weeknight meal.  I don't even have to get out my favorite global for this meal - this is a no-chop dish people!

INGREDIENTS

1 12-16 oz. bag broccoli

Salt

1/2 16 oz. bag snow or snap peas

2 garlic cloves (optional)

1 10 oz. bag shredded cabbage

1/3 cup raw peanut or almond butter*

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon rice vinegar (unseasoned)

Dash stevia (optional)

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (optional)

Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling

*Buy peanut or almond butter that does not have added sugar or other ingredients, like Trader Joe's Raw Almond Butter made solely from raw almonds.

DIRECTIONS

Cover the bottom of a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil and heat on medium.  Add bag of broccoli, breaking up any extra large florets.  Sprinkle the broccoli with salt and toss to coat with oil.  Cover the skillet and steam until broccoli is just tender, approximately 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Combine nut butter, soy sauce and rice vinegar in a bowl.  Thin with water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is pourable.  If desired, add a dash of stevia and/or 1 teaspoon of ginger.

When broccoli is tender, add peas and garlic (if using) and stir fry an additional 2 minutes.

 Add the cabbage and turn to mix.

Pour sauce over vegetables and turn to combine. Cook until desired tenderness, 2 to 5 minutes longer. Season with salt if needed.  Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and serve warm.

In Phase 1 feel free to add some additional protein, such as shredded chicken.  In Phase 3, you can make the dish as is, without the cabbage and serve the stir fry on raw, shredded cabbage.  Max and I are able to finish most of this dish, but you could probably stretch it to 3 servings (or more if you add other protein).

Balsamic Braised Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

I found this recipe, apparently adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques, a couple years ago on smitten kitchen - a yummy, very non-Gundry, home-cooking weblog.  However, lucky for us, with the exception of the bread crumb topping (omitted here), this recipe works for us Gundry'ers.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (grass-fed)
2 lbs Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and halved
Salt and pepper
6 oz pancetta, small dice (approx. 1.5 cups)*
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1.5 cups veal stock, rich chicken or vegetable broth, more if needed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
*I used about 4 oz. pancetta.  Be sure to ask for a thick slice of pancetta (approx. 1/4" to 1/2" thick) to dice into cubes.  I asked for a 1/4"-thick slice and received 1/4 lb of sliced pancetta.  The taste was still delicious, but I was a bit disappointed with my thin slices.  Trader Joe's sells a package of diced pancetta that would work well for this recipe.

DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter looks foamy.  Add Brussels, turning to coat in butter and olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute, turning frequently, until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Add diced pancetta, saute, turning frequently until sprouts are fully browned, slightly softened and the pancetta is crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes more.  Reduce heat, add shallots and garlic and saute until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Increase heat to high, add balsamic and stock.  Cook, turning frequently, until Brussels sprouts are glazed and tender, about 20 minutes.  Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.  Serve sprinkled with fresh, chopped parsley.

The result is a delicious, almost stew-like side dish.

I served it with smashed cauliflower.  Max wanted some more protein, so I served his plate with a sausage as well (recommended for those in Phase 1).  I thought the combination of the braised Brussels and smashed cauliflower was reminiscent of a rich Italian dish of stewed meat atop polenta.  It was a bit more work than simple roasted Brussels (which we also love), but well worth the effort.  

 I believe this recipe was intended for whole Brussels sprouts.  So, if you find this recipe too "smooshy" either use whole Brussels or cut down the cooking time.

Spring Salad with Mint & Grilled Shrimp

Upon returning from our oh-so-wonderful-didn't-want-to-come-home honeymoon, I noticed that our mint plant had flourished in our absence.  After not cooking for three weeks, I was inspired to conjure up a dish with this beautiful herb.  I dreamed up a refreshing spring salad with grilled shrimp - no doubt still thinking of all the delicious seafood we ate in the Yucatan.  

INGREDIENTS

3 oz. baby spinach

3 Persian cucumbers, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 can artichoke hearts, chopped,

1/2 small red onion, minced

2 Tbsp mint, coarsely chopped

6-8 shrimp

High quality olive oil

Juice of half lemon

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Serves 2.

DIRECTIONS
Peel, de-vein and rinse shrimp.  I left the tails on for a nice presentation.  Skewer the shrimp.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

I got these gorgeous, large shrimp at Whole Foods.
I always look for wild-caught seafood.

Chop cucumber, red bell pepper, artichoke hearts and red onion.  Combine chopped veggies, spinach, and most of the mint in a large bowl.  Drizzle generously with a high-quality olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and squeeze with juice of half a lemon.  Set aside.

Grill shrimp until cooked through and opaque - approximately 2 minutes per side.

Divide salad on two plates and top with grilled shrimp.  Garnish with the rest of the chopped mint, drizzle with a bit more olive oil and a splash of fresh lemon juice.

Spring on a plate - enjoy!