A Bulletproof Thanksgiving
My husband recently started a new lifestyle eating plan... I steer away from calling it a "diet" as it has an indefinite timeline and its not as restrictive as it is adjustive. I am totally in support of his dedication to this. However, with the hubby's eating options limited, that means I get to get creative in my cooking. Now my every day meals didn't have to undergo drastic changes. But with the holidays coming up? I really had to so some soul-searching for "yummy" dishes that would allow him to stay on track. If it were up to me I would give him the one cheat day, but he's dedicated.
I guess I should elaborate on this lifestyle eating plan; he is following is the Bulletproof plan, by Dave Asprey. This plan is similar to the Atkins diet and other LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) diets. But Asprey discourages carb counting and encourages eating lots of fresh meats, veggies, and healthy fats.
One of the most well known aspects of this diet is the butter coffee for breakfast. One cup fresh brewed coffee, one tablespoon Brain Octane Oil (or coconut oil), and a half tablespoon gee. Yes, I first thought the same thing you are thinking. Butter... in my coffee? But it's really a decent mix. And my husband, who isn't typically a coffee fan, has his morning cup each day! The Brain Octane Oil helps you kickstart your day with energy from healthy fats, helps your body burn excess fat, and supports cognitive performance. The overall goal of Bulletproof is to "help people perform better, think faster, and live better using a proven blend of ancient knowledge and brand new technologies, tempered by research, science, and measured results from our customers, top athletes, and medical professionals." The coffee is no exception to this ideology, in fact it follows it perfectly.
Asprey is a believer that the origin and preparation of the foods your eating has a great impact on your body. He encourages you to buy your foods organic, local, and fresh... in that order. His recipe book goes into great explanation of the science of why he prefers cooking methods such as gentle baking, blanching and steaming, and sous-vide. I promise it's not as intricate as it sounds. And I've even found a way to use my Crockpot to make meals. If you would like to read on about this feel free to visit the Bulletproof website here. I actually found it a fascinating read.
With all the details out of the way, let's dive into the recipes I decided to make. I wanted to make a variety of dishes while minimizing the amount of actual dishes I would have to make. I decided on one main dish and two deserts. Okay, confession, the second desert was mostly for me. I get chronic migraines and a major onset is sugar. That being said I love my sweets. So if I made a dessert following the Bulletproof logic I would be able to fully indulge without a headache leaving me incapacitated for the rest of the day.
#1: Bulletproof Cupcakes - I found these directly in the Bulletproof Cookbook.
#2: Pumpkin Pie - You can't have Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie, right?
#3: Salmon Crunch Pie - This is an old family favorite, I just made a few adjustments to follow the Bulletproof logic.
Curious to see how they turned out? Follow the links above to find out how I made each of these dishes.
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