Low-Carb Vegetable Pasta and Meatballs

We live in a grain (carbohydrate) dominated society. We are told to have our toast and cereal for breakfast, our sandwich for lunch, and pizza or pasta for dinner.  We are told by nutritional boards that  our main nutritional component should be carbohydrates and that we need 6 -8 servings of carbohydrate and grains per day, including potatoes, cereals, rice, breads, rolls, porridges, fruits etc. This dietary equation however is the reason why we are living in society where people are struggling with excess weight, obesity and diabetes.

Carbohydrates (eg breads, pastries, grains, cakes, alcohol, sweets etc) are broken down quickly within the body into simple sugars, which initiates an insulin response in order to store and eliminate this harmful sugar from the bloodstream. When a person has excess carbohydrates in the diet, the body will first replace glycogen stores in the liver and then convert the excess/leftover sugars into fatty acids for storage as fat. Carbohydrates and sugar can be thought of like a rocket-fuel type of fuel source, which gives you quick energy but fails to satisfy your hunger for very long, and very quickly you will turn again to high sugar/high carb foods to satisfy this hunger.  

Carbohydrates and grains are a cheap source of quick energy, but they are far from nutrient dense, and in alot of cases are actually nutrient depleting on the body. Then why are we told to eat so much of it? Unfortunately, this comes down to the issue of profit over health. Grains can be grown very very cheaply in mass amounts, which can feed lots and lots of people at next to nothing. The profit margin for our large food production and processing companies is HUGE, in comparison to something like a grass-fed free-range beef which is highly nutrient dense, rich in omega-3 fatty acids but requires alot more time and attention and thus has a small profit margin for the farmer. It would be nice to think that our government and food regulatory bodies have our best health interests at heart, but unfortunately making money is the highest priority on their agenda.

Carbohydrate is also a non-essential nutrient for the body, meaning we don’t need to consume it to survive. So if we are eating so much of something our body doesn’t need to function and survive, then what should we be eating? Actually in terms of an evolutionary perspective, our bodies function best when eating animal meats and fats (in a natural and healthy form), free-range pastured eggs and dairy, nuts and seeds, and low starch and sugar fruits and vegetables.

99.9% or our genes were formed before the development of agriculture”- Primal body primal mind.

By reducing and removing processed carbohydrates and foods high in sugar and from your diet, and replacing them with whole fresh foods the way nature intended for us to eat, we will not only be supporting our metabolism in a healthy way, but this will promote weight loss.

Below is a great and tasty pasta alternative recipe.

Vegetable pasta with Meatballs, and a tomato capsicum sauce.

Serves 3-4. Gluten Free

Ingredients:

• 500g ofgrass-fed free-range beef, lamb or pork mince mixed with your choice of herbs and spices and rolled into meatballs. Alternatively you can use some good quality sausages for this recipe, like the ones that we supply at the Studio from Grass Roots  Urban Butchery 
• 2 large carrots
• 2 large zucchinis
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1 large brown onion
• 5 medium tomatoes
• 1 red or green capsicum
• Mix of herbs of your choice (We like to use Ovvio Organics Tuscan blend with oregano, basil, marjoram, pepper and garlic)
• 1-1 &1/2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• Coconut oil
• Fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: grated cheddar cheese or parmesan

1) Roughly chop your onion, garlic, capsicum and tomatoes

2) In a medium size saucepan heat up a few tablespoons of coconut oil on a medium flame. Once hot, add your onion and garlic and gently fry for a minute. Then add your capsicum and continue to gently fry off until soft. Then add your tomatoes.

3) Pour your balsamic vinegar into the pan and allow to burn off the vinegar slightly over 30 seconds. Reduce the saucepan to a simmer, place the lid on and allow all the vegetables to slowly cook down into a sauce over 15 to 20 minutes.

4) Cut your carrots and zucchinis lengthways, and julienne in to even size strips which will become your vegetable pasta.

5) Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove, with a steamer attachment, and steam your carrots and zucchinis for 5 minutes until they are just al-dente (not overly soft)

6) Heat up a fry pan with some coconut oil and cook your meatballs

7) Once the sauce has softened down, take off the stove. Add salt and pepper to taste, and flavour with your Tuscan herbs or herbs of choice, and then food process to your desired consistency (either very smooth or still slightly chunky.

8) To serve, place a bed of the strips of carrot and zucchini in a bowl, lightly drizzle with some good olive oil or a small knob of butter. Place a spoonful of your tomato and capsicum sauce, followed by your meatballs, some more sauce, and some fresh parsley and grated cheddar or parmesan. Enjoy!