Watched "Fat Head" the movie this weekend. I thoroughly recommend it if you want to watch a funny, well researched and very straight forward documentary on how the way a lot of people eat today can lead to obesity and health problems.
Today I incidentally came across an article on the same topic, which argues that it is no mystery obesity is on the increase, just look at how portion sizes have changed!I don't know about you, but I can sit for hours and hours and stare on vats of food and I don't gain a gram. Quite the opposite.
The problem, as Tom Naughton so well points out in the above mentioned funnymentary, is not portion sizes. The problem is a) that people keep snacking all the time to keep blood sugar levels up since b) we consume more sugar than ever. Want to lose weight and feel healthier? Cut out the refined sugar and carbs and eat more fat.
Today was a soup day. How could I tell? Well, first of all I got no sleep last night, which is typical for a night before a soup day. Second, it was absolutely freezing all day. Nothing like a hearty soup to chase away the winter blues.
Found a nice creamy tomato soup recipe over at BBC Good Food which I without hesitation transformed into a more LCHF kosher piece of deliciousness.
Ingredients (serves 2, or provides leftovers for lunch)
1 pack of streaky bacon (250gr), chopped
1 small pack of button mushrooms (150gr)
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp sambal oelek (or chopped red chilli)
250gr carrots, roughly chopped
2 cans of peeled plum tomatoes
8-10 pieces sun dried tomatoes, chopped
250ml chicken stock
1 pot creme fraiche
butter for frying
chives for garnish
freshly crushed black pepper
dash of soy sauce
Method
Steam the carrots for 10 minutes while you fry the garlic and sambal/chilli in a knob of butter in a big pot for a minute or two to release the flavours. Add the sun dried tomatoes to the big pot along with the two cans of plum tomatoes and the stock. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 10 minutes.
When the carrots are done, add them to the big pot.
Nothing like bacon and mushrooms sizzling in lots of fat.
Originally uploaded by Manne.
While the pot is simmering away, fry the streaky bacon in a frying pan on a low to medium heat. When it is a golden brown, add in the mushrooms. Keep it on a low heat to get the bacon really nice and crispy without burning it or the mushrooms.
Take the pot of the stove and blend it all thoroughly with a stick blender while adding two big dollops (like, 4 tablespoons) of creme fraiche. Once it is all nice and creamy, put it back on the heat and bring it back to a simmer. Season to taste, I like a lot of crushed black pepper and some soy sauce.
When the mushrooms are a lovely golden colour spoon some of the mushroom and bacon mix in the bottom of a bowl. Fill up with tomato and carrot soup, then garnish with a small dollop of creme fraiche, some more of the bacon and mushrooms, chopped chives.
My work is done here.
Originally uploaded by Manne.
Serve with a nice cheese on the side, like a lovely manchego or a creamy, nutty comte.
In the BBC Good Food recipe they have a great suggestion for variation towards the end: fry some sliced chorizo and a sliced onion until golden. Blend soup as above but without adding in the creme fraiche, then add in chorizo, onion and 60gr paella rice. Simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is tender (adding some water if it thickens too much), then tip in 250gr mixed seafood and heat through.
Once piping hot, serve in bowls sprinkled with parsley. I think some grated lemon zest would be lovely as well, to get a fresh and tangy aroma steaming out of the bowls.
