James and I have been on this total food education kick lately -- even more so than usual. He read Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes, a science writer who presents the research we have and have not heard regarding fat, cholesterol, calories and diets. What surprised me most about the book is that I thought much of our food wisdom regarding diet and exercise was fact proven by scientific studies. Since then, I've learned our food "wisdom" (that term should be used lightly as most of what we're taught regarding food is not wise but wrong) is a farce. I'm not writing this as a paid reviewer -- I'm just passionate about health and getting to good health via good nutrition.
A few things I took away from the book:
1. A diet rich in carbohydrates (sugar, refined flours, pastas, breads, etc) causes obesity.
2. Dietary fat and calories do NOT cause obesity. (Hello, bacon, nice to see you again!)
3. Low-fat diets and calorie-restricted diets are unhealthy. (Low-cholesterol diets have been link to increased cancer rates just as a side note.)
Although I already ate fewer carbs than the regular Joe out there, being gluten-free and all, I cut back on my carbohydrate intake a little bit more just to see what would happen. My energy increased greatly and my thought processes were much clearer.
So, my recipe is for Garlic Balsamic Glazed Carrots. Usually this recipe has a balance of vinegar and sugar, but I wanted to make this sugar-free (carrots are naturally high in sugar already). James had the amazing idea to use roasted garlic because garlic becomes sweeter once roasted. He threw this dish together for me and it was great!
Garlic Balsamic Glazed Carrots
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. red wine vinegar
4 cloves roasted garlic*
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken stock1 T. oil
2 lbs carrots, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick
salt and pepper to taste
*To roast garlic cloves, peel outer skin of garlic, keeping cloves intact. Cut 1/4-inch off the top of the bulb, place in a muffin tin cut-side up and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until soft. Roasted garlic has a sweet flavor which eliminates the need for sugar in the recipe. This recipe calls for only 4 cloves; use the rest of the cloves as a great spread or topping for baked potatoes, salads, dips, dressings, etc.
1. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, roasted garlic, minced garlic and chicken stock. Set aside.
2. In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until fork-tender. Whisk in vinegar sauce, stirring into carrots. Cook another 2-3 minutes until sauce has reduced and thickened. Serve.
A few things I took away from the book:
1. A diet rich in carbohydrates (sugar, refined flours, pastas, breads, etc) causes obesity.
2. Dietary fat and calories do NOT cause obesity. (Hello, bacon, nice to see you again!)
3. Low-fat diets and calorie-restricted diets are unhealthy. (Low-cholesterol diets have been link to increased cancer rates just as a side note.)
Although I already ate fewer carbs than the regular Joe out there, being gluten-free and all, I cut back on my carbohydrate intake a little bit more just to see what would happen. My energy increased greatly and my thought processes were much clearer.
So, my recipe is for Garlic Balsamic Glazed Carrots. Usually this recipe has a balance of vinegar and sugar, but I wanted to make this sugar-free (carrots are naturally high in sugar already). James had the amazing idea to use roasted garlic because garlic becomes sweeter once roasted. He threw this dish together for me and it was great!
Garlic Balsamic Glazed Carrots
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. red wine vinegar
4 cloves roasted garlic*
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken stock1 T. oil
2 lbs carrots, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick
salt and pepper to taste
*To roast garlic cloves, peel outer skin of garlic, keeping cloves intact. Cut 1/4-inch off the top of the bulb, place in a muffin tin cut-side up and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until soft. Roasted garlic has a sweet flavor which eliminates the need for sugar in the recipe. This recipe calls for only 4 cloves; use the rest of the cloves as a great spread or topping for baked potatoes, salads, dips, dressings, etc.
1. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, roasted garlic, minced garlic and chicken stock. Set aside.
2. In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until fork-tender. Whisk in vinegar sauce, stirring into carrots. Cook another 2-3 minutes until sauce has reduced and thickened. Serve.