Not too low GL..but festive :-)

step 1 Buy some nice pork (on offer)

step 2 sprinkle sea salt, black pepper and ginger (no idea if it goes with pork...but i have it in the cupboard)

step 3 leave it there for 20-30 mins, turn it over, sprinkle again then add some water and olive oil on top

step 4 make sure the oven is hot, leave it there on 200-225 degrees until brown-ish

step 5 turn the steak on the other side and start preparing the side dish - some mashed potatoes and a cabbage salad

step 6 put some candles on, add a gin and tonic and enjoy it!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

My Low GL Pancakes

Lately I can't be bothered with recipes.

I'm bored on keeping an eye on quantities and sequences...so I have decided to improvise. There are just a few cooking methods in the end, and those who invented any recipe were just experimenting themselves, right?

So why not me experimenting too? You can always add to any food some more salt , or sugar, and make it edible...

I have started a while ago my experiment period with soups...I'll share them in a post...

But this morning I thought: Pancakes

Recipe? No way..just go with the flow :-)

some whole flour - not too much, not too little, just imagine that how much you put there will get into your stomach this morning...feel how hungry you are and you know when to stop pouring.

add an egg - my mom told me that the egg is the one that makes ingredients stay together...and we need the pancakes to stay in one place in the pan.

then add milk...until it gets thin as cream....they say...too thin for my taste...I don't want a thin pancake...so I should add some more flour...but I change my mind...I'll add some sesame seeds...still not thick enough...mmmm...I'll add some oats....mixing I add until I think it's the right thickness.

Now pan, a little olive oil, when hot I add a ladle of batter in the middle of the pan...wait one minute maybe, turn it on the other side for another minute...done.

repeat the pan stuff until the batter ends...and here they are, my very low GL, no preservatives or nasty things (bag oils, bad E's), fresh, good smelling, yummi...

who needs recipes???

- on top maybe some honey and cinnamon...

How calcium can help weight loss

According to Smith (2008), when you dont have enough calcium in your diet (via diary and dark leafy greens mainly) then, your body starts conserving it.

Here is the mechanism:

• not enough dietary calcium, body produces higher levels of a hormone called calcitriol, which triggers an increased production of fat;
• as a result all the fat cells get bigger and ready to store more fat

Enough dietary calcium supresses the calcitriol production, the body breaks down more fat and fat cells shrink.

How much calcium? About 1gram a day. Calcium must come together with vitamin D, which helps the calcium absorbtion.

(foto credits) 

Smith, K (2008) - Feed Muscle Shrink Fat Diet, Meredith Books

Food for health - Immunity

The immune system is body's natural defence mechanism, that protects it from infections and against the damage from free radicals (a normal by-product of energy production and metabolism in general).

The immune system needs certain components brought in through food ( vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants) to fight enemy viruses, bacteria or free radicals and neutralize them.

What do you need to eat in order to bring in the elements needed for immune system's good functioning?

• vitamins: vitamin A and betacarotene rich foods - found in carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes (love them), melon, small amounts of liver 

                       vitamin E, vitamin D - found in oily fish (and exposure to natural light  for vitamin D); found also in olive oil, nuts, avocados, wholegrain cereals

• minerals: very important for immunity is zinc.Eat shellfish, pumpkin seeds, lean beef, oysters to prevent the zinc deficiency
• essential fatty acids : mono and poly unsaturated ones - found in fish oils, linseed oil.
• natural probiotic bacteria - they live in the gut, 2 kg of them when you are a healthy chap. The source of it: fermented foods: live/bio-yoghurts, probiotic yoghurt, or natural supplements

Recap - what to make sure you find weekly in your food choices for a good immune system:

• oily fish for omega 3 fatty acids, 
• poultry and lean meat for good protein, 
• spinach and sweet potatoes and carrots for betacarotene,
•  chickpeas and wholegrain cereals for B vitamins (including folic acid), 
• olive oil, seeds, nuts for vitamin E, fresh fruits (citrus, berries, cherries) for vitamin C, 
• diary for calcium and vitamin D, 
• garlic and onion for sulphur and other components that help liver in eliminating toxins

Easy, right? And far from getting boring.

Not expensive at all too.

You just need a little planning.

I will publish immunity related recipes under tag #health-immunity

Raw stuff - Avocados

Potassium in avocados relieves fatigue, depression and poor digestion.
It contains vitamin A, B, C and E which make it an anti-cancer food.
Contains monounsaturated oil. It stimulates production of collagen. Good for circulation, skin and fertility.

Raw stuff - Oats

What do you find in humble oats? Protein, polyunsaturated fats, B vitamins, calcium, potassium, magnesium, silicon and vitamin E. Soothing to the digestive tract, they are easily digested, being one of the best low-GL food ever, helps in regulating sugar metabolism, so supergreat for diabetics.
It will fight your depression, will reduce your cholesterol - about 20% if you go with a daily bowl of oats.
Dont't buy the instant ones...choose the whole version.