Saturday Beefcake: Back to Basics
Yvonne Young Tarr wrote a very practical diet book in 1972, Natural Foods Dieting Book. It is easy to understand and gets to the point without an over the top sales job. Once again after the holidays, the airwaves will be flooded with adverts for weight reduction and every sort of diet program will prosyletize the consumer. Many will return to low carb dieting -- it's the easiest. Ms. Tarr's book actually presented both low calorie and low carb recipes side by side with some rational advice. The recipes were simple and good.
Column presents first one that can be used in holiday festivities as well as from January 2, 2007 on as part of a low carbohydrate regimen. According to the author, it's "Good ... Good ... Good!"
Ground Steak Balls with Goat Cheese Centers
Ground Lean Sirloin, 6 ounces
Goat Cheese, 6 half inch cubes
Ground Sage, a quarter teaspoon
Sea Salt, a pinch
Wheat Germ, a tablespoon
Almond Kernel Oil, a large spoonful
1. Form the meat into 1 ounce balls with the cheese cubes in the center
2. Mix the sage, salt and wheat germ.
3. Roll the steak balls in the wheat germ mixture and fry them in the hot oil until brown on all sides and slightly pink in the middle.
4. Serve immediately.
All the carbohydrates come from the wheat germ and they're the good kind.
CoL's variation -- ground lamb and Virgin Olive Oil.
Variety, Spice and Life is what it's all about and in that spirit, Men's Workout was raided to provide much of the same -- and in the same vein a low calorie beef recipe from Ms Tarr in addition to the low carbohydrate one above. Interestingly, it may also be very low in carbohydrates -- versatile meat, something to be encouraged.
Sweet & Sour Beef & Vegetables
Flank Steak, 4 ouncesApricot Kernel Oil, one teaspoon
Bell Pepper, cut inot one inch pieces
Carrot, sliced thinly
Onion, sliced thinly
Tomato, sliced thinly
Bean Sprouts, a quarter cup
Beef Stock, lean, one cup
Garlic clove
Soy Sauce, one tablespoon
Vinegar, one tablespoon
Raw sugar, two teaspoons
Cornstarch, half teaspoon
1. Cut steak into quarter inch pieces
2. Brown the meat on each side in a skillet for just a few seconds
3. Remove the meat, add vegetables to the pan and cook over medium heat for five minutes
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the meat and cornstarch and simmer for 4 minutes
5. Mix the cornstarch with two tablespoons of water and add, with the beef, to the pan with everything else
6. Stir constantly for two minutes more
7. Serve over brown rice, if the calorie count permits.
Without the rice it's 376 calories. Of course, when you invite the gentlemen over the amounts will have to be adjusted. Here's to adjustments wherever they may fall.
Saturday Beefcake, at least for today, has returned to its beefy roots. There is every intention of it remaining beefy even if the recipes themselves are otherwise.
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