Tag: recipe

Low Carb Instant Pot Bulgogi Bowls

Categories RecipesLeave a Comment on Low Carb Instant Pot Bulgogi Bowls

We’ve been on a Korean kick lately – and it’s been delicious. This recipe comes together relatively quickly, can be eaten hot or cold, and can accommodate a bunch of different eating styles.

Gluten-free, paleo-ish, keto-ish

Low Carb Instant Pot Bulgogi Bowls

For the Beef

3 – 4 lb. chuck roast
4 Tbsp. ginger garlic paste (or the equivalent chopped fresh)
1 small apple or pear, cored (I used Granny Smith, but I’ve heard Fuji is closest to a pear)
4 Tbsp. gochujang
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/4 c. tamari, soy or coconut aminos
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. avocado or other neutral oil
1 date, pitted

Whiz all ingredients but the beef in your blender. Cut the roast into bite sized chunks and marinate 2 hours to overnight.

To prepare, pressure cook 12-14 minutes.

Bowl Fixins

Baby asparagus (I lightly sauteed in sesame oil)
Enoki mushrooms (I lightly sauteed with the asparagus)
Green onion slivers
Shredded carrots
Fried eggs
Bowl filler – I tried to “rice” cucumber, which ended up with cucumber pulp – which was a hot mess, but wasn’t bad when drained — DH had sushi rice, which he also pressure cooks and makes in big batches. Cauli rice would be great here, as would broccoli rice. Zoodles would work, too

Bulgogi Sauce

1 Tbsp. gochujang
2 Tbsp. tamari, soy or coconut aminos
1 Tbsp. ginger/garlic paste (or equivalent)
2 Tbsp, sesame oil
3-5 drops stevia

Whisk together and drizzle over the top of each bowl.

Keto Pad Thai

Categories keto, Recipes1 Comment on Keto Pad Thai

Mmmmmmm … pad Thai. Oh, how I love thee. Buuuuuuuuuuut, my waistline is saying no to all the carbs. So, a compromise. This isn’t authentic by any means, but it’s delicious. And low carb. Check and check.

Pad Thai comes together in a flash – be forewarned before you start adding things to the pan: prep your veggies, get your liquids ready in a dish, and crack your eggs.

Gluten-free, paleo, keto

Keto Pad Thai

1/2 small head cabbage
1/4 cup frozen peas (optional if you don’t have the carb budget)
shrimp (I used 6 ounces pre-cooked canned shrimp)
2 tsp. tamarind paste (check your labels!)
1 tsp. shrimp paste (optional, check your labels!)
2 Tbsp. + sesame oil
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (check your labels!)
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar (again with the labels)
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp. sambal olek (labels!)
2-4 eggs
1/2 inch ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 small shallot
1 green onion
1-2 Tbsp. fresh basil (optional)

First, prep all your stages.

Stage 1: peel and mince the ginger, garlic and shallot.

Stage 2: in a small dish, combine the tamarind paste, lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, shrimp paste, and sambal olek.

Stage 3: add to a large bowl the cabbage shredded into ribbons, peas if you’re using, and shrimp.

Stage 4: crack your eggs into a small bowl.

Stage 5: chop the green onion and basil if you’re using.

After your stages are prepped, add 2 Tbsp. sesame oil to your largest pan over high heat.

Add stage 1. Stir frequently and cook until softened.

Add stage 2. Stir to make sure the shrimp paste is broken up.

Add stage 3. Toss to combine and let cook, stirring frequently, until the cabbage is softened and the mixture kind of dries out. Hollow out a well in the center of the mixture, pushing the cabbage and stuff to the sides.

Add stage 4. Let the eggs cook halfway through. Stir to break the yolks and make large curds. Cook until eggs are firm.

Top with stage 5 and serve.

If you’re keto, also top with a teaspoon or so of additional sesame oil to increase the fat ratio.

Serves 1-2 for dinner — 1 if you’re alone in the house and like to eat; 2 if you’re not

What to do with a box of vegetables – Box 1

Categories CSA Shares2 Comments on What to do with a box of vegetables – Box 1

So, you’ve joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) and have gotten your first box of vegetables. Now what? This series will attempt to answer just that by illustrating what I have done with my CSA shares. There’s good news: I first joined a CSA over a year ago, and have found uses for approximately 90% of all the fruits and vegetables I received. I get a half share every other week, which feeds two people 4 to 5 dinners a week plus fruit snacks perfectly.

Here is what was in my first box of the new year:

2011 Box 1

  • 1 Local FL Grapefruit
  • 5 Satsuma Mandarins
  • 5 Bananas (this item was not originally supposed to be in a half share, but I usually swap the romaine out for bananas)
  • 6 oz. Fair Trade Blueberries or Strawberries or both
 (we got blueberries)
  • 7 Granny Smith Apples
  • 7 Carrots
  • 2 5-inch pieces Daikon Radish
  • 1 bunch Curly Kale
  • 1 bunch Rainbow Chard
  • 2 heads Broccoli
  • Romaine*
  • 1 Cucumber
  • 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
  • Ginger# (this item was given to full share recipients only)
  • 1 head Celery
  • Beets# (this item was given to full share recipients only)

*Note: I almost always swap out lettuces in my CSA shares, usually for bananas or something with more nutritional value. I eat leftovers for lunch most days and have found that lettuce just goes to waste too easy.

How I Used My Share

I used the mandarins, blueberries, apples and bananas in a fruit salad for my nightly snack.

Ginger-poached tortellini with rainbow chard

Grated daikon and carrot salad with coconut curry rice and coconut poached red snapper

Soba noodles with kale and radish

Pork tenderloin with cucumber-mango salsa

Broccoli, carrot and celery stir-fry

I also made a batch of black-eyed peas with collard greens and onions… the collards were left over from my last CSA box of 2010, as was the mango from the pork dish.

At the end of the two weeks, I have the grapefruit left over and fell down on the job with the tomatoes. I totally forgot about them, and they went bad.

1 Year Ago

  • 1/2 pint local FL strawberries
  • 3 local FL pink grapefruit
  • 8 Pink Lady apples
  • 1 big and 4 small sunchokes
  • 1 pint sweet mini peppers
  • 1 head green leaf lettuce
  • 1 pint local FL grape tomatoes
  • 1 local FL cucumber
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • 1 big bok choy
  • 5 in. finger ginger

Made: Cherry tomato cous cous, port meatball banh mi, daikon with tahini, sesame bok choy and carrot stir fry, linguine with sunchokes and spinach, and chili