Let's Talk BBQ
Recipes => Recipes => Healthy Alternatives => Topic started by: SmokinKat on March 17, 2014, 04:53:53 PM
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I haven't re-read the "rules of the road" here for the site since joining, and this MIGHT be grounds for permanent banishment... But at least the faint of heart have been warned in the title.
James and I have been doing a low-carb diet for the last few weeks to shed a little of the extra padding we've accumulated over the winter. (It MIGHT have something to do with our friends starting up their own local brewery.....) But I thought I'd share a couple of items we made recently that turned out pretty darn great.
The first involves that four letter word in the subject line, so scroll fast if you're prone to fainting.
We have eggs coming out of our ears here on the farm, and eggs over easy on toast is one of our favorite ways to enjoy them for breakfast. Eating them without bread just didn't have the same 'enjoyment' factor for us, so I decided to make some diet-friendly 'bread'.
I took a block of tofu and cut four wide slices, put it on paper towels and pressed as much moisture out of it as I could, then salted both sides lightly.
I then threw it in a pan with some bacon grease until it got nicely brown and a little crispy on the outsides. We each had two slices of toasty tofu with OE eggs on top, with a nice helping of sausage and bacon.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/tofubread_zpsda174d04.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/tofubread_zpsda174d04.jpg.html)
As tofu is wont to do, it just picked up the other flavors surrounding it-- but it lent a GREAT texture change to just eating plain runny eggs.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/tofueggs_zps1c17d6da.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/tofueggs_zps1c17d6da.jpg.html)
ALL CLEAR FOR THE TOFU-PHOBIC!!! On to MEAT MEAT MEAT! :)
That night for dinner we decided to use up the last of our smoked bacon. We had a pound of grass-fed ground beef from our local meat shop, so I decided to make up some tasty burgers. I threw the meat on the MAK on "Smoke" for about an hour to thaw and get a little smokey flavor in it.
We knew we wanted caramelized onions on top, so I got those going in some butter while I figured out what the heck else we could put on them without missing buns or sugar-laden BBQ sauce.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/onions_zps2837ddbb.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/onions_zps2837ddbb.jpg.html)
Since we're getting a little fresh goat milk every day now, I'm working on incorporating more goat dairy items into our food (basically just easing James into it slowly). So I decided to use some goat cheese (chevre) that I had in the fridge, and mixed that into the burger meat along with the chopped up smoked bacon. I also added a few dashes of Tony's and some black pepper.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/meatwithgoatcheese_zps6ebca278.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/meatwithgoatcheese_zps6ebca278.jpg.html)
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/burgerbacon_zps9f7861ef.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/burgerbacon_zps9f7861ef.jpg.html)
The cheese and bacon made a nice texture together-- kind of a creamy smooth meat with some good chunks of bacon in there.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/patties_zps85f32b0e.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/patties_zps85f32b0e.jpg.html)
Onions were about done, and the burgers got tossed on the grill on HIGH to sear them up.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/caramelizedonions_zps94aaeffc.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/caramelizedonions_zps94aaeffc.jpg.html)
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/smokingburgers_zps7b23a533.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/smokingburgers_zps7b23a533.jpg.html)
I topped it with a little mozzarella cheese and the caramelized onions, and served it with sliced avocado. James thought it was absolutely delicious-- definitely something we'll make again!
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/finishedburger_zps7f8896f4.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/finishedburger_zps7f8896f4.jpg.html)
Thanks for lookin, I sure enjoyed the cookin'!! :)
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Some great cooking Kat!!! Pretty sure Tofu is allowed especially when fried in bacon grease and served with bacon! :D I like the way you served the burger, looks good!!! I love goat cheese and your homemade is probably better than bought. Don
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Looks great even with the TOFU. ;)
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I am going to pretend that those rectangular things are cheese. ;)
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I think you will be ok, this will be the More part of the site.
I think you said James is like 6' 7" so again "T" won't mind ;D
Great looking meal.
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Now that looks tasty Kat! Goat cheese burgers......I want one! :P
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Well I have been sitting here in the hospital room with my mom for 5 days now. So I figured it would be the best place to chance reading this!
Frankly it looks good to me though.
Mom didn't want to see the pics because she has been on a Nectar diet and it makes TOFU look pretty good even done by someone with much less skills than you clearly have...
Kerry likes it, she said she used to use it all the time. Most people didn't even know if they weren't told... :o :)
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That breakfast and those burgers look absolutely delicious Kat! I've never had tofu (at least I don't believe I have ;))
so I don't know what I am missing or not missing. I'd be willing to try that anytime!
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Great post, I'd Hammer all that food!!
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Looks real good to me..I don't mind tofu at all and it's like zucchini...takes on the flavors you add to it. The bacon didn't hurt it an either..good cook. Pam .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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If peas are tolerated then tofu should be also Kat ;)
That is some great looking food your making and James is a lucky man!
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Great use of the Tofu! I would take a plate of the breakfast and the burger anytime!