Cabbage and Salami Scramble

Despite the huge snowstorm yesterday, I was determined to make it to my doctor appointment, my one month follow up at ReforMedicine, where I have been working Drs David Usher and Christina Funk and their medical weight loss program. So far, I have been more than pleased. I knew that I was feeling better physically and that my thinking was sharper. My clothes have fit better as well.

Even with all of those benefits, what I have been most pleased with--because it is an entirely new experience for me--is that I no longer have cravings for sweets. I don't recall a time in my life when my sweet tooth was so thoroughly quieted and that foods that were triggers for me were not only not temptations, but frankly unappealing. I have no desire to eat a doughnut. Let me say that again...I have no desire to eat a doughnut.

Now, some folks will be interested in numbers. I started 29 days ago weighing 328.5 pounds. Dr Usher did body composition analysis at my first appointment and my "body fat mass" was 132.1 pounds. I recognize that is more than many adults weigh.  Yesterday, my weight was 305.6 pounds; in other words, I lost 22.9 pounds*. Interestingly, yesterday's body composition revealed a loss of 1.3 pounds of skeletal muscle and 1.5 pounds water weight. If you're good at math, that means I lost 20.1 pounds of body fat.

The last month has also allowed me to play with different foods and recipes. I have picked up many great ones on Pinterest, though I am also creating quite a few of my own. Today, for example, I made up a wonderfully tasty recipe, which I have interestingly labeled "Cabbage and Salami Scramble" (Trust me, the recipe is better than the title).

Cabbage and Salami Scramble

1 T. Butter
1-2 T. Olive Oil
1 c. chopped cabbage
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
~10 pieces of salami, quartered (I used the pieces that were about the size of a 50-cent piece).
Salt & Pepper to taste
shredded Parmesan cheese

1) Heat butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2) Cook cabbage until tender. Add mushrooms and salami to the pan. Cook until browned (that's how I like it). Season to taste.
3) Top with shredded cheese.

*Results not typical, but it does work really awesome for a lot of people. 

Want to learn more? Check out ReforMedicine

Pizza casserole

Well, I survived the first weekend on HFLC (High Fat, Low Carb). Even though the flu invaded our house, rendering our children feverish and horizontal, I enjoyed learning as much as I could about this new adventure. I read science, testimonials, and recipes. Lots of recipes.

For the uninitiated, an HFLC diet limits carbohydrates to less than 20 grams per day. Instead, the majority of calories come from fat (its called high fat, not high protein). Briefly running the numbers for Saturday and Sunday, I was eating approximately 70-75% fat. Needless to say, the food has been quite tasty.

Briefly, yesterday I had a t-bone and sauteed onions for breakfast, dried beef and a mixed green salad with blue cheese dressing for lunch, and a hamburger, salad with dressing, and green beans with herb butter. Today, I had a 4 egg spinach omelette and 2 slices of bacon, sauteed cabbage and kielbasa for lunch, and pizza casserole with roasted cauliflower for dinner.

So, about that pizza casserole...

For several years, with very few exceptions, in the Kanz home, Sunday nights have been for pizza and movies. But how does one eat pizza following a HFLC plan? So I decided to throw together a pizza casserole.

Pizza casserole
-1 pound Italian Sausage
-1 pound ground beef
-8 oz tomato sauce (make sure to check for carb level).
-1 T. Italian seasoning
-1 t. salt
-1/2 t. ground black pepper
-8 oz shredded mozzarella
-14 pepperoni

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. While oven is preheating, brown the sausage and the ground beef in a large cast iron pan. When the meat is browned, add the sauce, italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper and let simmer for a minute or two.
3. Turn off the heat and spread the cheese evenly over the top of the pizza (if you are wondering about our uncovered section, my wife doesn't like to eat dairy). Top with pepperoni.
4. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes until cheese is browned.
5. Let cool for a few minutes when it comes out of the oven. It helps the cheese set up.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!