So many passions, so little time!

I am new to blogging and didn't want to just pick one passion since I have so many! I love cooking gourmet and ethnic foods for family and friends. I have been low-carbing (Atkins or low glycemic diet) for 15 years. I have four young children ages 8, 7 , 3 and 1. I try to be environmentally conscious. I use cloth diapers, make my own non-toxic cleaners, and have a compost bin in the suburbs. I am a healthcare professional, working part-time, so I have plenty of advice on health, sometimes unsolicited. I also love to save money. I clip coupons, shop at discount stores, and I am an avid online shopper. I can find the best deal around! I am sure that is not all, but if I get the hang of this everyone will be privy to what I am passionate about...(doesn't this thing have spellcheck?)

Friday, April 15, 2011

Day three: 7 day Vegan/Eco- Atkins challenge

Day 3:

 By this time, our bowels are really moving, which surprises me since we do eat a lot of vegetables and fruits on Atkins anyway, but maybe the meat has an opposing constipating effect that is now unopposed?  As I mentioned before, the whole family participated.  The baby was allowed breast milk.  I figured I was eating vegan, so it was within the rules.  My three year old pooped her pants today, and in the potty four times.  She never has accidents.  I think she thought she was having gas, and had an accident while trying to pass gas.  We are all really gassy. 
The Seitan Masala was loved by all.  The seitan stood up to the low cooker- was still firm and meat-y and the spices of the curry permeated into it, and it tasted great!

Breakfast: Flax low carb microwave muffin (double recipe) with vegan margarine spread – leftover pancakes for the kids

Lunch: Ham (not ) salad with Veganaise and mustard with 1 slice of low carb bread (Gabi’s recipe)

Dinner: Seitan tikka masala made with Patak’s curry paste and coconut milk instead of heavy cream or yogurt.  Indian Broccoli.

See previous posts for muffin and pancake recipes.

Ham (not) was made per directions on package.  This was not really a hit with my husband or kids.  The chicken (not) was much more tasty.  The smoke flavor was imitation tasting or something- maybe too smokey?

Gabi's World-Famous Bread  (from Lowcarbluxury.com)



Ingredients:
  • 1 pkg dry yeast (Rapid Rise/Highly Active)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar *
  • 1 1/8 cup "baby bottle warm" water (90-100°F)
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Splenda
  • 1 cup vital wheat gluten flour
  • 1/4 cup oat flour
  • 3/4 cup soy flour
  • 1/4 cup flax seed meal
  • 1/4 cup coarse unprocessed wheat bran
Pour yeast into bottom of bread machine pan. Add sugar and water. Stir, and let sit. (This is "proofing" your yeast to see if your yeast is alive. If it's not bubbling, it's dead and you can replace it without wasting all of the other ingredients).

In the meantime, mix all other dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add oil to bread machine pan. Add mixed dry ingredients. Set your machine to the basic cycle (3-4 hours) and bake.

Cool on a rack and enjoy.

SEE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING BREAD WITHOUT A MACHINE AT BOTTOM OF PAGE

* The sugar is totally consumed by the yeast and does not contribute to the carb count. I keep a few packets of restaurant sugar on-hand for this purpose so I never have to have a supply of actual sugar in the house.

Makes 16 slices. 3.4 grams net carbs per slice.

ADDITIONAL NOTE FROM LORA: The above basic instructions are Gabi Moeller's original ones. Please remember that your machine may require changes. Refer to the instructions that come with your bread machine — making note of any special instructions for specialty or "gluten" breads. I own a West Bend Deluxe with horizontal baking pan. To get mine perfect, I add water and oil to bottom of pan, then dry ingredients, then yeast sprinkled evenly on top. After initial kneading cycle (about 40 minutes), I stop the machine's kneading paddles so as not to over-work the dough, then finish baking in bread machine. The loaf comes out picture perfect, high and traditionally bread-like. With low-carb bread, I definitely discovered that practice makes perfect.

TO MAKE BREAD WITHOUT A MACHINE:

Follow the recipe in the same order as for the bread machine.

After you mix and knead all of the ingredients together, put the dough in a clean bowl and set it into a warm, draft-free place for about 45 minutes to an hour (one option is to turn on your oven for a pre-heat for a minute and a half to get it warm, then turn it completely off before setting the dough in to let it rise in the oven.) The dough should rise to about twice its original size. Afterward, knead slightly (do not over-knead — the gluten content will keep this bread from rising well the second time unlike "regular" bread! You'll want to be careful not to handle the dough too much after it rises the first time.) Put it in a loaf pan, cover and set in warm draft free place for another 30 to 45 minutes, and then bake at 380 degrees until done. (35-45 minutes — depending on your oven, you may have to shorten or lengthen the time.)



Seitan Tikka Masala (made in slow cooker)

Make per Patak’s Tikka Masala Curry paste (available in the international section at most grocery stores and at specialty stores)  I bought 2- 8oz packages of Seitan.  You can also make it (supposedly easily) if you Google a recipe.  I found one at theppk.com which has many vegan recipes to boot.

2- 8 oz pkg Seitan

2 tbsp vegetable oil

½ jar Patak’s Tikka Masala Curry paste (10 oz jar)

1 large onion

1 cup water

1 cup fresh or canned tomatoes

½ cup coconut milk

Sauté onion and seitan until golden.  Place all ingredients except coconut milk in the slow cooker.  Cook for 8-10 hours on high, 5-6 hours on low.  Right before serving, add coconut milk to make creamy.  You may serve this with basmati rice and/or naan if you are not doing low carb.



Indian Broccoli (I usually make this with cauliflower)

2 broccoli crowns, chopped

1 tsp vegetable or olive oil

¼ tsp mustard seeds

1/8 tsp cumin seeds

1 clove garlic

½ tsp turmeric

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

Heat oil and seeds in pan until they are popping.  Add garlic, and broccoli, and rest of ingredients.  Cook until desired tenderness.  I like mine a little tender and carmelized (you may have to cover to get more tender).

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