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An American Elm

By Karen Berger

The most celebrated resident in Egremont may not be a person. A 150-year-old American elm, anthropomorphically known to locals as “Elma,” has been profiled in the British newspaper the Guardian; photographs of it are archived in the Library of Congress. And even though there are perhaps a million mature trees in Egremont’s approximate 6000 acres of forests (calculated using the USDA Forest Service estimate of 200 larger trees per forested New England acre), if you say “the tree” to an Egremonter, they know which one you mean. 

Elma holds court in a field at the junction of the four Baldwin Hill Roads — east, west, north, and south. On the northwest side of the junction is the white Proctor farmhouse juxtaposed against the sharp angles of red barns. A couple of miles west, Catamount Ski Area lights up like an airport on winter nights. Elma’s field, owned by Turner Farms, sits to the southeast, framed by the Jug End ridge and Mt. Everett. 

The tree stands alone, surrounded only by straight furrows of corn, or mud, or snow. That isolation – the arboreal version of social distancing — may be why she still rises proudly while most of her peers long ago succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease, an epidemic that arrived in the United States in the 1920s via a Dutch shipment of logs. In a mere 60 years, the beetle-borne fungus killed 75 percent of North America’s 77 million elm trees.

Richard Burdsall, a retired English teacher who grew up on a Baldwin Hill farm, compares Dutch Elm Disease to Europe’s Black Death, which started in the late 1300s. “Whole villages, called plague towns, would get it, and everyone would die, except for perhaps one person who would walk away,” he says. “No one knows why. That’s this elm tree – a survivor.”

According to an 1858 map hanging in Egremont’s Town Hall, Elma’s field was owned by the Kline family, but it was sold to pay poker debts. In the following years, the field was cleared and farmed, but the tree, growing in a hedgerow, was left standing. The field was also used as a charcoal plant, and more trees were cut; still, Elma remained. In 1950, the Turner family rented the field to farm, and in 1993, they bought the property. According to Carla Turner, while aesthetic reasons might have been one reason to leave the tree standing, it also sits fortuitously on a sinkhole that can’t be farmed. So, while blight-infested elm saplings along the hedgerows were cut back and other elms died, Elma remained, spectacularly – and safely – alone. 

Baldwin Hill is itself a postcard landscape of farms, fields, and hills. Elma is its focal point, a rare beauty in the center of the vista, its umbrella-like crown supported by twin trunks that rise 90 feet into the sky. “40 years ago, the tree wasn’t as celebrated as now,” Burdsall reflects. “Today, there’s always someone at that junction with their camera out.” 

Local resident Mike Mancini is one of them. “In 2018, I was painting the white farmhouse,” he remembers. “She was shrouded in fog. I thought she looked really cool so I took her photo.” The next day, he took another picture, then another. He has now been photographing the tree almost daily for nearly four years. Indeed, photographing Elma is almost a community hobby, with pictures of her framed by sunsets, sunrises, rain and rainbows, snowstorms, fog, autumnal foliage, and perfect Berkshire summer days posted on the town’s Facebook page and in the town’s annual report.

But it is photographer and tree conservationist Tom Zetterstrom whose work is helping Elma thrive in both art and life. Zetterstrom, whose father was an arborist, has combined a lifelong passion for photography and trees; his photographs of Elma have been included in a collection in the Library of Congress. In 1999, he founded Elm Watch, a group that protects elm trees in and around Berkshire County.

“I had preserved the tree in the national archives,” he says. “I wanted to do something to keep it alive here.” Elm Watch has worked with the Nature Conservancy and the Berkshire Natural Resources Council to protect more than 100 heritage elms in Berkshire County, many of which are adopted by local tree companies. The Egremont-based Haupt Tree Company volunteers as Elma’s monitor and maintainer, keeping Dutch Elm Disease at bay by injecting Arbotech into her every three years; the fungicide has a 99 percent success rate in protecting healthy elms. 

Why all this work and love for a single tree? Partly it is aesthetics: Egremont Selectman George McGurn, who grew up in Elmhurst, Illinois, remembers being told as a child that his hometown’s Prospect Avenue was the most beautiful street in America because its elms provided a cathedral canopy. “When I graduated high school in ‘62, there was not a single elm left standing,” he says. “So I am grateful for this tree and the care given to maintain it.” 

Carla Turner, whose family collaborated with Elm Watch to protect the tree and its field for the future, sees the tree as iconic to both the community and to her family. Her daughter was married in the field with the tree as a backdrop. But she also understands its importance to the wider community. “I see it as representative of the power a single individual can have, to be something special, to stand tall on your own,” she reflects. “You don’t have to be in a group, you don’t have to be like everyone else. I see at is a symbol of hope.” 

Low Carb Diet

On Being Willing

I had some sardines and an avocado for lunch today. With celery.

It was really good, even though I didn’t actually think I liked sardines that much.

I think my tastes have changed on the ketogenic way of eating. More than that, I think I’ve been willing to allow them to change.

I am eating sardines because they are keto friendly and because they have calcium. I am writing about them because they — more specifically, my reaction to them — is making me think.

Long story short: The medication I’m on for thyroid hormone replacement and cancer suppression threatens bone density, and my doctor and my research both agree that nutritional calcium is preferable to supplements. I looked up high-calcium foods. Sardines are way up at the top of the list.

I really don’t know what to do with them. So today, I had some with half an avocado and a stalk of celery. The celery tasted sinfully sweet, although that is probably only believable to people who are fully keto adapted. The avocado paired well with the sardines. Fat and salt.  Next time I’ll add some tomatoes, olives, and spicy mayonnaise, and maybe a couple of pieces of a hard, dry aged cheese.

It surprises how thrilled I’ve become at the taste of simple, whole foods.

It seems like there might be a life lesson in here about being willing to let go of what we think we think.

As a practical matter, it’s important to be both narrowly committed and open-minded when starting out keto because this way of eating at first seems impossibly restrictive. Ice cream, pizza, pasta, all junk food, diet soda, chips, french fries, bread…. all on the “do not touch list. But if we leave ourselves open to changing, change will come, and it may surprise us.

This happens all the time with kids: They hate vegetables or pickles or olives or beer, and then they grow up, and all of a sudden, they don’t.  Of course, almost all of us have things we really detest. For me, it was always only one food: peanut butter. I detested even the smell of it in anything — it in cookies, Snickers bars, M&Ms — and I have never had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in my life.

The first time I tried peanut butter in cooking, I was climbing Mt. Elgon in Uganda, and my husband had a jar of it. Our guides disappeared into the woods one evening and brought back a basket full of leaves. They said if Dan would contribute some of his peanut butter, they would make a stew to share, so Dan happily agreed. I only tried it because I was too polite to decline. Plus I was hungry from hiking all day, and we were  cooking over a fire with our guides, sharing a meal made from greens found in the forest…. Which means I was willing to like it. And so I did.

Since then, I’ve enjoyed peanut butter in satays and sauces, but never like most people eat it — out of the jar. But my tastes have changed with keto, so, all in the spirit of scientific inquiry, I thought I’d try and see if the change extended to peanut butter. The results: I can’t say I love it, at least not yet… but found that I could eat it for the first time in my life.

Tastes change… if we let them.

The ketogenic way of eating has changed my insulin cycle and my metabolism, and my body is responding accordingly. That’s certainly part of the equation. But change also seems like something that I have had to allow to happen.

And when tastes and ideas and opinions change, our world changes — whether it’s our nutritional world, our artistic world, our family world, or our interpersonal world.

It makes me wonder what else might happen, if only I could let it.

 

 

 

Dinner recipes, Low Carb Diet, Recipes

Chicken and Eggplant Curry

Makes four servings. About 8.1 net carbs per serving. Prep time: 15 minutes chopping and measuring. Cook time 20 minutes sauteeing + 40 minutes simmer + 10 minutes sitting time This recipe is low carb, gluten free, dairy free, and paleo, and can be part of a low iodine diet if you use iodine-free salt and serve over cauliflower. 

I am writing fast because I can’t wait to share this with you! This lovely curry can be as spicy — or not — as you want it. Like all Indian-influenced cooking, it benefits from cooking the spices in order and giving it the time to unfold.

Ingredients

  • 4-5 boneless/skinless chicken thighs, about 1 pound, sliced, flavored with salt and pepper (1/4 tsp each)
  • 1 pound eggplant (about one medium), peeled and sweated with salt then patted dry and chopped
  • 2 medium leeks,  chopped
  • 2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes (best results with three large ripe Roma tomatoes)
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 – 1.5 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 4  cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 red chilli, chopped fine (use discretion as to how much)
  • 2 tsps of cumin
  • 2 tsps of coriander
  • 1 tsp of garam masala
  • 1 tsp of turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds
  • Freshly chopped cilantro as garnish

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large pan  over medium heat.
  • Add the mustard seeds, and heat until they pop.
  • Add leeks and fry till softened and turning brown, about 10 minutes, deglazing pan with stock  if necessary.
  • Add more butter if necesary, then add the garlic and ginger and chicken thighs and fry until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the chilli and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric and tomato paste. Stir until the chicken is evely coated.
  • Add the eggplant, chopped tomatoes, and stock and stir.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until eggplant is softened and sauce has  thickened, about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Remove from heat and let sit for about 10 minutes.
  • Top with chopped cilantro and serve over sauteed kale or cauliflower rice.

Carb Count

(does not include the kale or cauliflower rice)

 

Low Carb Diet, Recipes, Soups

Low Carb Cream of Mushroom and Spinach Soup with Moroccan Spices

Makes six one-cup servings. About 9.3 net carbs per serving. Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: about 40 minutes. Easy dairy free version: just use all olive oil instead of a mix of olive oil and butter, and omit the cream at the end).

 

I grew up with mushroom soup: My dad was Czech, which meant he shared the European passion for fresh mushrooms straight from the woods. We made our mushroom soups with whatever we happened to pick. If we were “mushroom hunting” close to home, that meant field mushrooms or inky caps  (which we called “shaggy manes”). If we went out into the woods somewhere, we brought home paper bags filled with morels or large meaty mushrooms from the boletus  family.

But a warning: Our rule was always “When in doubt, throw it out.” Most mushrooms are non-edible, and some are poisonous. You learn mushrooms one at a time, and the only mushrooms you should eat are those you know for a fact to be edible — which, for most of us, means buying them at the grocery store.

The recipe below  combines my central European heritage (cream sauce!) with flavorful Mediterranean spices, although it can be enjoyed without the cream. Either way, it is delicious.

Ingredients

  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil: We recommend a half and half split.
  • 1 1/4 pounds chopped mushrooms. We recommend a mixture of your favorites, including some highly flavored ones such as cremini, oyster, and shiitake. If you only have button mushrooms, you can add a few dried mushrooms for more flavor.
  • 1/2 pound finely chopped shallots
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp fresh chopped thyme leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of allspice
  • 1  1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 5 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 5 oz baby spinach
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1 cup cream (combo of heavy and light cream is good)

Directions

  • Cook the shallots and mushrooms in two batches. Heat half the butter/oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add half the mushrooms and half the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned. (10 – 12 minutes). Set aside, then repeat the process with the other half of the oil/butter, the mushrooms, and the shallots.
  • Combine the cooked mushrooms and shallots in the pot. Add the tomato paste, thyme, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and allspice. Stir, then cook on medium heat until fragrant (about one minute).
  • Add the vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 20 minutes.
  • Stir in baby spinach, and allow it to wilt, then add the cream and adjust the seasonings.

Carb Count

Low Carb Diet

21 Tips for Starting a Keto, Low-Carb Way of Eating

N=1. Which means: We are all different. We all have to find what works for ONE person: Myself. Yourself.

I don’t think what works for me will work for everyone, but I’ve had a remarkably easy 85-pound weight loss, in part because I got a lot of advice from people who shared the strategies that contributed to their success. So — since I’ve now been doing this for just about 2 years — I am passing on some of the strategies I found most useful.  Your mileage will undoubtedly vary in the details, but here  are a few things that might help you begin your keto journey.

  1.  I cleaned out the kitchen. I did keep some standard kitchen items (sugar, flour, ketchup, oatmeal) because I have a lot of guests, and I don’t expect everyone to eat what I do. But all the flour, rice, pasta, cereals, sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup (etc.) went into its own cabinet where I don’t have to look at it.
  2. I kept track of my carbs for the first three months, writing down everything I ate or drank and the number of of carbs. Some people also track all their macros (ie, grams of protein and fat in addition to carbs) but counting carbs worked well enough for me. I kept carbs to 20 a day at first, sometimes going up to 25 or 30. I now range from 20 whole carbs a day to 30 net carbs.
  3. I scoured the Web for recipes that looked like I’d love them, and found more ideas that I can use in a lifetime. Nothing  makes a diet easier than loving the food and being satisfied with it.
  4. I bought new-to-me cooking supplies like flaxseed, coconut oil,  coconut flour, xanthan gum, psyllium husk powder, nut flours, and whey protein powder.
  5. I stayed away from dessert substitutes. Yes, I’m human, and I had, and have, a few of them once in a while. But while “fat bombs” and baked treats are all the rage on some keto sites, many of them use sugar substitutes, which are a whole issue unto themselves. (Some create an insulin response in some people; others can act as slippery slopes.) It’s important to start thinking differently about food and let yourself develop a taste for the core foods of this way of eating. Best to treat sugar and dessert substitutes with caution.
  6. I weighed myself everyday, but I understood that daily weight swings of one and two pounds were normal. So I averaged my weight every week. The weekly averages showed a nice, steady downward trend. Some people advise against daily weigh-ins, but it kept me focused and paying attention.  And — and THIS was a huge departure for me — I weighed myself after any days or weekends where I ate more than normal. (I used to avoid that kind of bad news; now I embraced it and met it head on.)
  7. I measured my waist, chest, and hips weekly. This is something suggested by folks who avoid the scale, on the theory that your body is changing but the scale sometimes doesn’t show it right away.
  8. I tried on clothes that used to be (or still were) too tight. I rearranged my closet by size, and got a huge morale boost as clothes that used to be too small became too big and had to be given away.
  9. I decided on a combination of supplements based on books I read, my blood tests, and my perception of what seems to work for me.h
  10. I poured olive oil on practically everything. It’s a healthy fat and it makes me feel full.
  11. I learned the rules and followed them. No grain, no pasta, no bread, no rice, no potatoes, no (or extremely rare and limited) starchy or high-carb (in-ground or root) vegetables, no added sugar, and very little artificial sweetener (I use Stevia). But I also realized that it was sometimes difficult to avoid absolutely all added sugar, and that tiny portions of foods with added sugar (like ketchup or steak sauce) wouldn’t undermine me — as long as I used them sparingly. (For example, a tablespoon of ketchup in a recipe that serves 6 people.)
  12. If I danced on the edge of the rules — starchy veggies like turnips, sugar substitutes for a desert, or a bigger than recommended portion of fruit — I made sure I kept the rest of the foods that day super strict.
  13. I cut back on going out to eat, because too much restaurant food has hidden carbs.
  14. I took low-carb goodies to dinners at friends houses — enough to share, and enough to be sure I wouldn’t feel deprived. I told people about my eating limits when invited out, and I made it clear I didn’t expect them to cater to my needs, but that I didn’t want them to feel bad if they made something I couldn’t eat.
  15. I kept keto snacks (mostly cheese and meat roll-ups or nuts and pumpkin seeds) with me when I traveled.
  16. I allowed my hunger to dictate new eating times and portion sizes, which ultimately led to eating only two meals a day: a late morning brunch and dinner in the early to mid evening hours.
  17. I joined online forums for recipes, mutual support, and information about supplements and nutrition science.
  18. I read about a dozen books on various aspects of nutrition and health… including books that challenge low-carb ideas. I wanted to immerse myself in the science and understand the pros and cons.
  19. If I had a weight loss stall, I went back to basics: Right now that means bacon and eggs in the morning, a medium sized portion of fish and meat with veggies and/or salad in the evening. And I keep pouring on the olive oil!
  20.  I read labels and learned all the sneaky words for sugar.
  21.  I bought “real” foods (single ingredients) instead of food products (multiple ingredients).

I’d love to hear what has worked for you. Please add comments.

Good luck, and remember — Nothing tastes as good as good health feels.

 

Breakfast, Low Carb Diet, Recipes

Keto Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Breakfast

Net carbs 1.3  per serving (sausage gravy only).  Prep and cooking time: 10 – 15 minutes. This recipe makes 2 servings. (Our breakfast included one biscuit, half of the gravy mix, one egg each, and 2 Tbs salsa). 

This is a two parter: Start by making a batch of keto soul biscuits. Ideally, you’d make a batch over the weekend, and keep them refrigerated and ready to use throughout the week.

Then whip up the sausage and gravy mix, maybe cook up an egg on the side.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1/4 pound Italian sausage, crumbled
  • 3/4 cup light cream
  •  1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Melt butter in a skillet, then add crumbled bits of sausage on medium high heat.
  2. When sausage starts to brown and bits of it start sticking to the pan, turn down heat and deglaze the pan with water, a couple of table spoons at a time. Continue adding just enough water as necessary to keep pan smoothly deglazerd. Cook until sausage is completely done (not pink), about 8 minutes depending on size of sausage bits.
  3. Slowly add cream, about 3/4 cup. Add about 1/4 cup of water.
  4. In a small bowl or glass, mix 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir until it forms a gel.  (There may be lumps; just do your best).
  5. Add the gum gel to to gravy and stir in. Stir on low heat and give it a minute to coalesce, then adjust amounts of cream and water to taste and preference for thickness.
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Microwave biscuits til they are warm, then pour gravy over them and serve with an egg on the side.

Carb Count

Baked Goods, Low Carb Diet, Recipes

Keto Soul Muffins with Sesame or Parmesan

\Net carbs. About 3 per muffin   Prep time: 10 minutes,  Cooking time: 30 minutes. I did not invent the idea of using whey protein powder as a substitute for flour: Low carber Gloria Koch did, and her invention has since spawned a flood of recipes from sweet to savory. (Search for “Low Carb Soul Bread” on Google or Facebook to get started.)

This variation, in muffin tins, works as a biscuit, a muffin, or even as a substitute (though not an exact match) for Yorkshire pudding. It works well as the biscuit part of biscuits and sausage gravy.  It can be made in a variety of sizes (Larger sizes need more cooking time) and shapes. Regardless, it needs a mold because the mixture itself is too liquid to hold a shape. Hence, muffin tins, muffin top pans, brownie pans, bread loaf pans,  are all worth exploring

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 ounces softened cream cheese
  • 3 Tbsp melted butter
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp whipping or heavy cream
  • 2 eggs + 1 egg white
  • 1 cup plus 3 Tbsp unflavored whey protein powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Sesame seeds or grated Parmesan cheese to taste

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Grease a muffin pan (or other baking pan)
  3. In a large bowl, mix  wet ingredients (cream cheese, butter, oil, cream, eggs, and egg white).
  4. In another bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (protein powder, baking powder, xanthan gum, garlic powder, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar).
  5. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and lightly whisk or blend until just combined.
  6. Fill each muffin mold about 3/4 full. You’ll probably get about 9 muffins, so fill the other cavities with about 1/4 inche of water
  7. Sprinkle tops with toasted sesame seeds and/or Parmesan cheese.
  8. Bake 30 minutes, golden brown on top and firm to the touch. Remove and let cool in pan 15 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Note that cooking times vary according to size of the mold. Thinner portions need less time.

Carb Count

Serves 9  (average muffin size).  About 3 net carbs per muffin.

Blog

Great Hiking Trails of the World: New Book is Out!

Update: June 15, 2018: Great  Hiking Trails of the World just won the gold in the nature category in Foreword Magazine’s 2017 Indie Awards  competition. The competition is judged by booksellers, librarians, and book industry pros. I’m honored that they chose this book, which joins America’s Great Hiking Trails (winner of the same organization’ 2014 Adventure Awards, as well as a Lowell Thomas gold). 

We keep hearing walking is the best exercise, right?  Some years ago, I wrote for a Family Circle magazine called Walk Off the Weight.  I noticed you could not pick up a women’s magazine without some cover title slug saying something about how walking is the dieter’s silver bullet.

So why not a walking vacation? Hiking has become THE number one adventure activity for travelers, according to Travel and Leisure. And really, you have to believe them, right? I mean, they’d much prefer to send their readers to luxury shopping streets and boutique spas.

My newest book, Great Hiking Trails of the World, (Rizzoli, 2017) will get you dreaming, I promise. And maybe walking, too. It’s a gorgeous coffee-table book (great for a gift!) that explores the essence of hiking trails worldwide. Whether you are interested in hiking for half a day or a month (or more), these trails offer opportunities to explore the world on your own two feet. Hiking provides an intimate experience of a landscape, and it helps burn off the extra calories we take inevitably seem to take in when we are traveling.

I was honored that Bill McKibben agreed to write the foreword. And of course, the design and editing team at Rizzoli is unparalleled. Nearly 60 photographers (including me) from all over the world contributed to the book, which contains hundreds of photos about dozens of trails, along with my essays about pilgrimage, historic hikes, alpinism, wilderness, natural diversity, and  long-distance foot-travel.

This might just be my favorite of my 17 books (although that’s a little like a mom saying which kid she loves best).

And if you haven’t already, please check out my previous book for Rizzoli, America’s Great Hiking Trails, (Rizzoli, 2014), which celebrates our national scenic trails. It won several awards, including the Lowell Thomas Award for best travel book, and it made it onto the New York Times best sellers list in travel books.

Baked Goods, Recipes

Low-Carb Flaxseed and Parmesan Crackers

Net carbs. 4.2 per serving of 5 crackers.  Prep time: 10 minutes,  Cooking time: 20-ish minutes. 

I’d been on keto for more than a year when I discovered flaxseed, and, more to the point, flaxseed crackers.  And unlike some substitutions, these are better than what I was eating before.

Crackers and cheese have never tasted better.

I was always picky about crackers. To me, most varieties tasted like gluey cardboard —  useful only as a cheese delivery device. I stuck to the few brands that I liked.

When I went on keto, one of the treats I missed most was cheese and crackers. To me, a specialty European cheese with crackers and wine is one of the best treats on earth.  Having discovered flaxseed (I know, I sound like a commercial — but there are no affiliate links here!),  not only can I have my treat back, but the crackers are better than anything I ever bought in a store.

Flaxseed crackers

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flax seed meal (golden or brown)
  • 1⁄3  cup grated Parmesan cheese. (I use a combination of the processed imitation stuff plus some real grated Parmesan.)
  • 1  Tbsp garlic powder
  • 1⁄2  tsp salt
  • 1⁄2  cup water

Vegans: Leaving out the Parmesan cheese still yields  a tasty cracker

Experiment with spices and amounts; you can add your selection of any or all of the following (I usually use them all):

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 Tbsp or more (up to 2 Tbs) sesame seeds
  • 1 Tbsp caraway seeds
  • 1 Tbsp gomashio (sesame salt)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
 Directions
  • Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
  • Mix all dry ingredients, then add water.
  • Form into a ball of dough and place on a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
  • Press down to form a rectangle, then cover with a second piece of parchment paper or saran wrap. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough.
  • Make sure the rectangle is evenly thin (about 1/8 of an inch) and straighten the edges: I fold the parchments paper over the dough, and press the dough into the straight crease  of the paper to form an edge. Make sure the edges are the same thickness as the rest of the rectangle.
  • Use a spatula to score the crackers into cracker sized pieces.  I usually get about 30 crackers out this recipe.
  • Bake until the crackers are no longer soft, about 15 minutes.  Then flip the whole rectangle and bake on the other side for about another 5 or 10 minutes.  (Your oven may vary so check carefully). Then I turn off the oven and, if the crackers look like they need more crisping, I let them cool and dry inside the oven.

Carb Count

Dinner recipes, Recipes

Dinner Recipes: Moroccan Fish Stew

Net carbs. 9.5 per serving. Prep time: 15 minutes, not counting marinara sauce. Cooking time: 30 – 60 minutes depending on temperature choice ((not counting marinara sauce, which can be commercial).

This is basically a fish-and-marinara stew  with Middle-eastern influenced spices. It is one of my absolute favorite meals, especially when I use fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes for the marinara sauce.  I like it best served on a bed of arugula, but you could serve it over zoodles or cauliflower mash.

Regarding temperature: Either slow-cook/low heat  or fast cook/high heat works. Slow cook is more traditional in a tagine-style dish like this, but I choose based on what else I might be needing to put in the oven. (The higher temperature and shorter cooking time works well with roasting accompanying vegetables.)

Ingredients

  • 2 six – eight ounce tilapia or swai fillets
  • 1./2 large red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 small leek, sliced
  • 1 small zucchini, sliced (optional)
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded (can be omitted, or leave seeds in for more heat)
  • 1 medium tomato, sliced
  • 2  tsp paprika
  • 1 chicken boullion cube, smashed
  • 1/4  tsp cayenne pepper(adjust to your preference); heat lovers can add 1/4 j- 1/2 jalapeno pepper.
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • a few sprigs of chopped parsley,  dill, tarragon, or sage (combine to your taste)
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese
  • 1/3 tsp  ground cloves
  • 1 cup marinara sauce (Commercial or your own, made from fresh tomatoes. Flavor with herbs like oregano, thyme, plus a little garlic and ground cinnamon)
  • Your choice of spiralized vegetables (zucchini  works well with this dish; about 1/2 zucchini per person, if you didn’t use it in the sauce) or a bed of arugula lettuce.

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 200 or 425  (see cooking times, below).
  • Pour a thin layer of olive oil on the bottom of a glass baking dish.
  • Combine the dry spices (paprika, bouillon cube, cayenne, coriander, and cinnamon) with the water and the remainder of the olive oil.
  • Spread the spice mix over  the fish.
  • Arrange the peppers, leeks, zucchinis (if using) and tomatoes in layers on the bottom of the dish.
  • Put the fish on top of the the peppers, leeks, and tomatoes.
  • Cover with  about 1 cup cup of marinara sauce (more, if you like)
  • Sprinkle with fresh herbs (parsley, dill, tarragon, sage).
  • Cover with lid or foil and bake for about 1 hour at 200 or 30 minutes at 425 —  in either case, until fish flakes.
  • While the fish is baking, sauté the spiralized vegetable noodles in a combination of olive oil and butter.
  • Serve the fish over spiralized vegetable noodles. Top with bits of feta cheese and more fresh dill or parsley.

Carbs

Carb count includes zucchini in sauce, but does not include the bed of vegetables/lettuce you might put the sauce on, which is optional.