So, with my 30 year HS reunion just over one year away, I've committed to weaning off carbs with a target date of August 1 for the induction phase and then balancing low-carb with portion control and increased exercise (besides walking a golf course). So, while I'm in the process of clearing out all the rice and pasta and other wonderful things in my pantry, I decided to beta test some recipes for when this kicks off.
Reverse seared Angus ribeye is nothing new, but adding an herbaceous chimichurri in lieu of a compound butter or a homemade steak sauce is an easy replacement. Subbing a reasonable portion of baked sweet potato fries for garlic mashed or a baked potato makes sense as well. Green beans ... well, they're a smart play no matter what type of diet you're on.
I also made some carb-friendly pig candy as a side as well. Thick cut hickory bacon, soaked for two hours in sugar free maple syrup and coated with a zero-carb homemade bbq rub, then baked at 350° for 45 minutes.
If my math is correct, less than 15 net grams of carbs are on that plate:
To finish things off, I decided to put together a knock off of a strawberry panna cotta made from low-carb Greek yogurt, sugar free Jell-O, a touch of Stevia, and topped with a little Extra Creamy Redi-Wip (which has no carbs ... I think it's made of magic). 5 net grams of carbs for this dessert ... not too shabby.
All in all, a very nice way to create a sustainable meal plan without losing too much of the "enjoyment factor". The pig candy was a risk (too much maltitol can play havoc with your digestive system) but it was almost as good as the real thing. Sweet potato fries are one of my favorites, and baking or air frying takes away some of the sting from the reduced carbs (as compared to regular potatoes). The faux panna cotta was AWESOME ... I'd eat this thing whether I was on a diet or not. As the entire meal (except for the beer pictured) came in right at 20g net, a manageable part of a low carb meal plan ... even easier if the sweet potato fries are an occasional treat.
Not too shabby if this is the shape of things to come ... hopefully this gets me to a more healthy state and I can roll into my HS reunion like I want to do.
