I have long been a fan of pan-searing steaks and finishing their roast in the oven. Previously, I'd either thaw the steaks in the fridge overnight or I would sous vide them instead of using the oven, and sear them at the end.
This technique: thawing the surface of the steak enough to hold seasoning and then starting the pan sear is wonderful. I have found that sous vide from frozen to be ok but not my favorite. Read the rest
I've lost weight with keto—the only thing that's worked for me—but face two ongoing problems. First, I get bored of eating fat and leaves. Second, keto clones of normal snacks tend to be weird, mealy or downright unpleasant to taste. Quevos [Amazon link] are the first keto chips I can just sit and eat and eat and eat until I realize I've gone though three packets. My toddler steals them, too, so it's not just the carb-starved incentives of a keto dieter making me like them.
They're made from egg whites, and come in two flavors: Sour Cream and Onion and Quevos Rancheros. There's 120 or 140 calories a bag and 2 or 3 net carbs (full nutritional info is at the website). There are other non-keto flavors (salt and pepper, sweet barbecue and cheddar) with 10 or 11 carbs a bag.
They work, I think, because they're honest to what they are, which is baked egg chips, and aren't trying too hard to taste like potato chips. They flavors are unusual as well, suggesting a lot of experimentation. What is "Rancheros" flavor, exactly? The taste of tests.
They're not perfect. The mouthfeel is dry and dusty, and you're getting a full load of sodium. The Quevos are small, probably because they're brittle and would arrive in fragments were they any larger. The latter point is a reviewer in search of a quibble, perhaps, so I'd like to stress that these are the first keto snacks I've tried that didn't taste like "keto snacks" and a must-try for people managing carbs. Read the rest
I've been on a keto diet for the past month and change. I love it! I can eat all the meat, dairy and nuts I want to! I snack on beef jerky, cured meats and nuts when I'm hungry. I can still enjoy a lot of the vegetables I love! I can--oh shit.
From Popular Science:
In a recent study in The Lancet as well as in prior work, including this 2010 analysis, researchers have found that people who eat few carbs and rely on plant matter for their fat and protein intake—think beans and nuts—tend to be healthy, long-living specimens, relatively speaking. Those who eat few carbs and rely on animal proteins and fats, especially red meat, are the only low-carb dieters who seem to suffer for it. They tend to be less healthy in terms of cancer and cardiovascular disease, which are often the primary outcomes measured in these kinds of studies, and as a result they live shorter lives. This makes sense—plant protein is better for you than many animal proteins because plants contain less saturated fat, which can drive heart disease, and often have more fiber and nutrients.
I suppose I should be investing in a little more of all those tasty things other than red meat. And maybe cut down on the chicken. Also, fish.
That said, as Popular Science is quick to point out, "these studies, like virtually all nutrition studies, are merely finding associations between groups of people who are often self-reporting data. Read the rest
What's in the water in one Canadian city? Uncooked hot dogs, apparently.
Last weekend, a reality-hacking hero offered bottles of unfiltered, "keto-compatible" "Hot Dog Water" at a Vancouver street festival for CAN$37.99 (~US$28) a pop. The vendor, performance artist/"foodie-troller" Douglas Bevans, claimed his special water (which included a real hot dog inside each bottle) had health benefits.
"Several" people "bought-and-consumed" his expensive meat water though his hilarious venture didn't turn a profit, according to the blog Vancouver is Awesome. The blog also shared Bevans' reason for selling it in the first place, which appeared at the bottom of the health claim:
If you get all the way to the fine print, you’ll find this: “HOT DOG WATER IN ITS ABSURDITY HOPES TO ENCOURAGE CRITICAL THINKING RELATED TO PRODUCT MARKETING AND THE SIGNIFICANT ROLE IT CAN PLAY IN OUR PURCHASING CHOICES.”
Bravo, well done!
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lead image by Bernadette Price, 2nd image by Franklin Sayre, both used with permission Read the rest
Michael Grothaus quit sugar, soon regretted it, but came through after a week or so. Read the rest
