Cream of Fresh Asparagus Soup

I had purchased a large bunch of fresh asparagus about a week ago and forgot about it. Still looked good but I could not eat all of it at one sitting. Needed to use it, so I went looking and ended up modifying this recipe for Cream of Asparagus Soup. Delish. Had two bowls full.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces. I cut off an discarded the woody ends.
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth or vegetable broth. Actually used more.
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Left this out.
• 1 teaspoon salt. This is to taste. The soup I had purchased was Low Salt so I added several shakes of Kosher Salt.
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 cup milk- I used cream
• 1/2 cup sour cream – full fat
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Use pre-prepared juice.

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine asparagus, chopped onion, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. I used the entire amount. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until asparagus is tender, about 12 minutes.

Process the mixture in a blender to puree the vegetables. Set aside. I scooped out the asparagus and added about ½ the soup.

In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining chicken broth, and increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils. Stir in the asparagus puree and the milk cream. Much less stirring without the flour.

Put the sour cream in a small bowl, and stir in a ladle full of the hot soup. Add the sour cream mixture and the lemon juice to the soup. Stir while heating the soup to serving temperature, but don’t allow it to boil. Serve immediately.

This turned out really good. I could have grilled up some of the asparagus tips and added it as garnish. Next time.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2020 Allrecipes.com, Recipe By: MARBALET

Pesto – Besto

What follows is the classic recipe for Pesto sauce.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (Optional) 
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts)
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
Special equipment:
A food processor

METHOD

1 Pulse basil and pine nuts in a food processor: Place the basil leaves and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times.

2: Add the garlic and cheese: Add the garlic and Parmesan and/or Romano cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.

3 Stream in the olive oil: While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor is running, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor.

4 Stir in salt and freshly ground black pepper, add more to taste.

Toss with pasta for a quick sauce, dollop over baked potatoes, or spread onto crackers or toasted slices of bread.

Now Me

I picked up a package of Basil at the supermarket. My goal was to add it to some dishes. I realized I had way too much and would never use it up.

Did not have pine nuts or walnuts. I did have raw cashew nuts.

I gave away my food processor since I was moving.

I did have a Magic Bullet

Picked off the basil leaves from the stems, and chopped it up.

Combined it with 3-4 cloves of garlic – sliced and chopped.

Approximately ½ cup of the cashew nuts.

Added some olive oil and got the Magic Bullet moving. Had to shake it while it was grinding. Took a while.

Added more olive oil.

Optional: Finally added shredded Parmesan Cheese. Ground some pepper into it. Allowed It to grind for awhile.

End result – a pretty tasty Pesto Sauce. Used it on some chicken and have some left for another meal.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

When I first started this Blog, there was a paucity of Low Carb recipes out there. Today – we are inundated with them. The world has changed. Still, when I come upon a recipe that I made and enjoyed, I will share it. I stumbled upon an easy recipe for Mushroom Soup. Here it is – with my modifications.

Ingredients:

• 9 dried Shiitakes (I used dried Morels)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 pounds (or more) fresh Creminis (Baby Bellas) sliced (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions:

Combine 3 cups water and the dried shiitakes in a small pot and set on the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, then take off the heat and set aside.

Add the butter to a wide, high-sided saucepan and set on the stove over medium heat. As soon as that’s melted, add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mushrooms are sticking to the bottom and deeply browning.

Season the browned mushrooms with salt and pepper, and stir. Remove a heaping ½ cup mushrooms and set aside on a plate, these will become a garnish for the soup. In the next batch, I am going to fry up more mushrooms and then save a full cup to be added back to the soup. I like having the texture of mushroom pieces.

Add the cream to the saucepan and scrape up the browned bits at the bottom. Simmer for a few minutes until the cream turns the color of chocolate milk.

Add the cream and mushrooms to a blender, along with the soaked dried shiitakes, and mushroom broth. Pour the mushroom broth through a very fine sieve to catch any particles that are at the bottom of the pot.

With the keyhole of the blender lid left open and a kitchen towel held firmly on top, blend on high speed until very, very smooth. This will take some time. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. If you’d like it thinner, just add a small splash of water, cream, or both.

Serve the soup hot with the browned mushrooms sprinkled on top, plus a drizzle of cream if you like.

Note: This makes 4 healthy servings. It can also be used as a sauce over meat or chicken

Also: One ounce of raw mushrooms have one net gram of Carbs – Do the math – 1 1/2 pounds raw have 24 grams. So stick to one serving a day.

Dinner with Friends

We had friends over for dinner. She has a multitude of health problems which restricts what she can eat. The thought of going out to dinner with her was way too painful. So I invited them for dinner.

Aside from a multitude of limitations – the biggest was salt. She is on not just a low salt – but a – are you kidding me – super low salt diet.

There are a number of Portobello Pizza recipes on line. Here is my mashed together one.

Portobello Mushroom Pizza!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese – (I had to shred my own to find one low salt enough for her.)
• 1/4th cup Parmesan & Romano Cheese
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 Portobello Mushrooms
• 2 Green Onions Chopped – I used Vedalia onions – about one cup chopped.
• 2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning – a mix with no salt.
• 4 Cloves Garlic – shaved.
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil or more.
• Fresh Basil Leaves
• Pepper – Salt (used none this time) – ground red pepper to taste.
• Optional: Mushrooms, bacon, sausage olives – whatever makes you happy.

Directions:

Chop and Mix all the Ingredients accept the Cheese…save that for later. Add Olive Oil to pan and bring to a Med-High heat. Add the Mix and simmer until it is almost a pudding like consistency. I simmered it for close to an hour.

While that is simmering….take a spoon and GENTLY scrape out the middle of the Mushrooms – that includes removing the stems and the “gills,”

Cover Baking sheet with foil  and lightly spray with Olive oil spray.

Spray the caps with olive oil. Bake the mushroom caps face side down for 8 minutes at 375. If you have a rack they can sit on – even better – helps them dry out a bit.

Fill the caps with the tomato mixture. Then add the Mozzarella cheese and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Top with chopped fresh basil.

Bake for 20+ minutes at 375.

March 12th – 2018 – 11 Year Anniversary

11 Years – Can you believe it? Never thought I’d be able to maintain my weight this long. Never thought I’d be able to eat Low Carb this long. It is amazing – just amazing.

No – I am not a Low Carb fanatic. Yesterday – went to a grand niece’s eight birthday party. There was an overwhelming amount of carbs and a paltry amount of protein. I relaxed and enjoyed – but did not overindulge.

Got up this morning and put on a pair of pants that I bought years ago – still fits.

Most all of my clothing fits. The only problem – working out – and having some clothing no longer fit my body – but not because I gained weight.

Still exercising. Still doing 50 push-ups a day. Still doing 240+ chin/pull ups a week. Still making progress. Still recovering from two hip replacements and a bad knee.

This is not just me – this can be you. Just set your mind to it and realize you can turn yourself into the person you want to be.

See you at the 52 DC Starting Line on Wednesday.

And The Winter 52DC Ends – not with a bang but a …………………

The Winter 2018 52 Day Challenge ended last Friday. Not my greatest effort – but I am still happy. There were a lot of bumps-in-the-road that could have thrown me completely off course. Instead – we soldered threw. Here are my final numbers:

My Final Numbers for Winter 2018 52 Day Challenge.

• CE: 96/102/96 (100%) This was the toughest goal to achieve.
• RT: 18/15 (120%)
• CT: 18/15 (120%)
• PG1 (Push-ups): 2600/2600 (100%)
• PG2 (Chin/Pull-ups): 1080/800 (135%)

The next 52DC starts on Wednesday, March 14th. I leave for another week in Florida on March 18th. When we get back – my daughter and grandson are here for a visit – and a couple of big family dinners are on tap. The I have a business trip during the first week in April. Damnation – this coming 52DC is going to be tough.

Add to that – March 12th is my 11th anniversary of eating Low Carb. Who said it is not maintainable?

I am not an experiment.

When you tell people that you are eating a LC-Normal Protein-HF or Ketogenic diet, the knee jerk reactions kick in. We’ve all heard them. They fall into several categories.

(1) This is just one more fad diet.

(2) Eating LCHF is unhealthy because ____________ Fill in the blank.

(3) You really only lose water weight.

(4) You can’t sustain this type of eating long term.

and the real reason –

(5) I could never give up pasta.

fad diet Any of a number of weight-reduction diets that either eliminate one or more of the essential food groups, or recommend consumption of one type of food in excess at the expense of other foods. Fad diets rarely follow sound nutritional principles for weight loss, which focus on ingesting fewer calories and/or consuming more energy through exercise; fad diets are generally not endorsed by the medical profession. Segen’s Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

This common definition of a Fad Diet could apply to eating a Low Fat diet that has been the be-all-and-end-all Doctor recommended eating plan for the last 40+ years. It would also include a vegetarian or vegan eating plan.  But it is the Low Carb – Normal Protein – High Fat diet that gets the pejorative “Fad” label.

It is now more than 10 years (21 days more) since I started eating this way. I guess that means that I am an oddity, since “you” can not sustain this way of eating.

A friend – who is on month 4 – commented that this is the easiest way of eating. She is really happy with it.

I have not sustained any health detriments – and I have a physical every 6 months, along with every other type of health check up that insurance will pay for. Here are my latest Lipid numbers as of 4/1/17:

• Cholesterol Total: 203 (100-199)
• Tryglycerides: 43 (0-149)
• HDL Cholesterol: 114 (>39)
• VLDL Cholesterol Calc: 9 (5-40)
• LDL Cholesterol Calc: 80 (0-99)

My Doc doesn’t give a hoot about my Total – given my HDL and Tryglyceride numbers.

My fasting glucose: 98 (65-99)

My pulse rate was 60. Actually when I checked it – 55.

And interestingly my blood pressure was 112/64 – pretty much the lowest it has been in ages – probably since my mid 20s. I commented – “Gee – maybe I don’t need the BP meds anymore.” These were prescribed when I was 80 pounds heavier and reduced when I reduced.

Nope – he wants to keep the pressure low so that it will not stress the aortic artery. Ok – a fog rolled over my brain when he started his explanation. Hopefully – continuing on the meds will not harm me.

But – a one person experience (experiment) is not enough to save the day from the nay sayers. 

10th Anniversary – Missed it!

 

Yikees! I missed my 10th Anniversary. No – not my wedding anniversary – but – March 12, 2007 – the day I started eating VLCHF and Exercising.

Wait – 99% of all Nutritionists and Dietitians claim that no one can sustain this type of eating for more than a couple of months and then they put the weight back on plus some.

Missing this important date – tells me one thing – this way of life – has become my New Normal.

Thank you one and all for joining me on this journey. 

Very Low Carb High Fat versus Diabetes

I hosted today’s 52DC. My topic was Clean Eating. What follows is some of the “discussion” that followed:

My Post: Clean Eating – By any other name – is really confusing. 10 years ago – it meant low fat. Today – who knows?

• Organic
• Grass fed
• GMO
• Whole Foods or Minimally Processed or Highly Processed Foods.
• Low Fat or Low Carb or Very Low Fat High Carb.
• Weight Watchers products
• Atkins products
• Alcohol
• Soda or Diet Soda or water
• 80-20 rule or 90-10 or 100%

QOTD: What is your personal definition of Clean Eating – at least for this Challenge.

My AOTD: Over the years, I defined CE as WW approved, then Low Fat – never paid attention to anything else. Today, eating VLCHF means that most of the foods I eat are whole or minimally processed foods that we prepare. I stay away from Atkins products and similar highly processed low carb foods. My main processed foods are – condiments. I will buy organic if I can find it at a reasonable price. Have yet to find grass-fed beef locally. Not really concerned about GMOs. I limit diet soda but do not eliminate it. Alcohol – red wines mainly – or – Vodka – or light beer. I’m probably an 80-20 guy.

Jessemaa responded:

AOTD: My lovely {wife} has been an insulin dependent diabetic for over 25 years. She was injecting 70-90 units of insulin per day. She had an appointment with a new MD on 12/19 and he told her if she followed his instructions she could be off insulin in 30 days. Long story short, she stopped using insulin and started a high fat very low carb diet the next day. 60% fat 15% Carbs and 25% protein. I have followed along with the same plan.

She has lost weight and has only used very small doses of 8-10 units of insulin 5 times to deal with a high morning test. Yes folks this is a BIG DEAL.

However she has had a hard time dealing with the transition. Going from very high carbs to no carbs cold turkey has caused some stomach aches, nausea and other side effects. She is doing better day by day and she is sticking with it and will continue. She is under close monitoring with her MD and he is pleased with progress.

I am amazed at the results for her and I am experiencing fewer side effects and enjoying the food plan and losing weight, so it is a win win!

My response: Nice progress – weight loss is happening – well done. 3 cheers for your wife – she is battling a massive change and her body is fighting back. The reduction in insulin shots is just amazing. My son stayed with us for 2 days – and since he ate as we did – his insulin shots went down. He still will not try an alternative.

Jessemaa responded: TNT MAN It is not surprising your son is hesitant, diabetics have been fed a load of propaganda their whole lives. Even the Diabetes Association refuses to accept that a low carb diet is a safe alternative. Follow the money, billions are spent on diabetes related drugs. Billions in R & D for drugs but very little in nutrition studies. Unfortunately some of the proponents of the low carb diabetic solution are labeled quacks. It took one doctor who was on the program himself to inspire my lovely and I to take this huge step.

My final statement: You hit the nail on the head. Well said!

And the War against Low Carb heats up!

Professor Tim Noakes, known for his controversial low-carbohydrate high-fat diet, has criticised researchers who have claimed that a balanced diet delivers the same results as a low-carbohydrate diet.

This is the opening paragraph in the story published on January 10, 2017, by News24Wire out of South Africa, entitled “Noakes slams study that aims to debunk low-carb diet benefits.”

Noakes went after the authors of a study that purported to show that a Low Carb diet had no greater effect that a “balanced” diet.

My take-a-ways:

• The opening paragraph  to this news article used the phrase “controversial low-carbohydrate high-fat diet.” This immediately sets the biased tone of what follows.

• It is a Meta Analysis of other studies – not a new study. Noakes points out in fancier terms the old adage – GIGO! Yep – Garbage In – Garbage Out.

• Noakes position that: The study did not analyse the effects of a low-carb diet because the carbohydrate intake used in the study was 35%, rather than the recommended 5% a low-carb diet should consist of.” 35% of a 2,000 calorie diet would be 700 calories or 175 grams of carbs. That may be lower than the usual – but is no where near VLCHF diet of 25-50 grams of carbs.

The Article gave no links or citations to the underlying study and how it was conducted. I believe this is the Article– but it was published in July 2014 – so I am confused.