and always a hit when I host
dinner parties. My guests are
shocked to find that low-carb
food is not typical diet food –
it is real food that is filling.
A lot of people think that it
can’t be that simple, but it is.
Another frequent criticism of
low carb is that it’s expensive.
In all honesty, my grocery bill
has decreased since I started.
A big chunk of those savings
is from using lard instead of
butter or oil for frying. Simple
changes like that make such
a big difference.
Many of my friends and
family still believe that this is
an unhealthy way to eat. They
wonder how one person can
consume so much fat and not
keel over from a heart attack.
But it’s rooted in the latest
scientific research! This healthy-
fat low-carb diet feeds the
body exactly what it needs tothrive: healthy fats and protein.
Everybody laughs at me when
I say this, but in The Vegetarian
Myth: Food, Justice, and
Sustainability, Lierre Keith says
that vegetarian-based diets
are among the unhealthiest
diets around. Human bodies
aren’t made to digest plant
matter alone, and certain
plants and legumes inhibit
some functions. Soya products
are often recommended as
a replacement for meat, but
soya beans are said to stop
our bodies from absorbing
essential nutrients.
I really hate veggies. I’ve
always eaten them because I
was taught that I have to. The
low-carb lifestyle encourages
the kind of food I love to eat,
and allows me to eat until I
feel satisfied – without guilt.
It’s also easy to incorporate it
into the South African lifestyle.LOW-CARB BOBOTIE
This makes a huge amount- enough for eight generous
portions. Divide it in two
before adding the topping and
freeze half for another meal.
FOR THE BOBOTIE- 1kg mince (I use a mixture
of pork and lamb) - 30g lard (or whatever fat
you’re using) - 100g celery, diced finely
- 100g carrots, diced finely
- 160g onions, diced finely
- 30g dried cranberries
- 250–300ml chicken stock
(preferably home-made) - 1 tbsp mild curry powder
- ½ tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- salt and pepper
- 2 eggs
FOR THE TOPPING- 2 eggs
- 250ml cream or cream cheese
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- salt and pepper
- bay leaves
- Brown the mince in the fat, then
add the vegetables, cranberries,
stock, spices and tomato paste.
Turn down the heat and simmer until
the mixture is fragrant and the liquid
has been absorbed. Season, and
leave it to cool for 10–20 minutes.
Add the eggs and stir to combine.
Pour the mixture into an ovenproof
dish and let it cool further. Preheat
the oven to 180 ̊C. - For the topping: Mix all the
ingredients and pour it on the mince.
Bake for 45 minutes or until browned.
Serve with a green salad.
inspiration