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Showing posts with label low carb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label low carb. Show all posts
Thursday, September 10, 2020
Monday, April 1, 2013
Wild Planet Canned Tuna
What to get: many cans of tuna, Wild Planet
Where to get it: Pavilions,healthfood stores, online
Why we approve: tuna is a satisfying and rich source of protein. This little can is 5 oz and packs around 30 grams for hardly 200 calories. Which means your fat loss diet will love it. Which means you can have it often. It's not fishy. It's sustainably caught. The can is BPA free. There is no extra oil or extra water in it. It packs omega 3s. Best of all - it's not fishy. The same company makes amazing sardines, however, they ARE fishy (well, they are sardines). Another thing about those sardines - you can get them for about 3 dollars. Same sardines at healthfood store - 8 dollars. Just saying. Check prices online before you put a can of golden anything in your basket. For 8 dollars you can have a grassfed steak.
Preparation: open the can and chop on top of salad, or mix with avocado (my favorite way).
Variations: In most grab and go scenarios, you will need to eat this fast. Squeeze lemon and season with pepper and salt, spread on seaweed, enjoy in salad, or if you eat wraps and sandwiches, use that as a filling. If you have more time, you can make tuna cakes or casseroles. It's that awesome.
Pros: no cooking, tons of protein, delicious.
Cons: you don't like fish? You are afraid of too much mercury?
Enjoy and let us know what you think on Facebook!
Where to get it: Pavilions,healthfood stores, online
Preparation: open the can and chop on top of salad, or mix with avocado (my favorite way).
Variations: In most grab and go scenarios, you will need to eat this fast. Squeeze lemon and season with pepper and salt, spread on seaweed, enjoy in salad, or if you eat wraps and sandwiches, use that as a filling. If you have more time, you can make tuna cakes or casseroles. It's that awesome.
Pros: no cooking, tons of protein, delicious.
Cons: you don't like fish? You are afraid of too much mercury?
Enjoy and let us know what you think on Facebook!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Rosemary ham
What to get: Trader Joe's Rosemary Ham
Where to get it: Trader Joes cold section
Most supermarkets have a deli section, where you can grab some cold cuts if on the go.It's fast, delicious and convenient and as close to packing some meat from home as it gets.
Why we approve: it's convenient, ready to eat and high in protein. Other than ''natural flavor'', which we will never be able to determine the nature of, it is pretty clean of bad guys and it's an acceptable snack. The rosemary really gives it a nice touch!
Preparation: just open the packet and enjoy
Variations: If you are low carbing, serve it with some avocado and nuts of cheese for extra calories, and maybe some veggies on the side. Otherwise, you can roll it up in a tortilla wrap or use it in a sandwich. I have shown my low carb version above. That ham would be pretty good in an omelet, too!
Pros: easy to grab and eat right out of the bag when in a hurry
Cons: as usual, there is natural flavor in it (^&^%%#!!)
Where to get it: Trader Joes cold section
Most supermarkets have a deli section, where you can grab some cold cuts if on the go.It's fast, delicious and convenient and as close to packing some meat from home as it gets.
Preparation: just open the packet and enjoy
Variations: If you are low carbing, serve it with some avocado and nuts of cheese for extra calories, and maybe some veggies on the side. Otherwise, you can roll it up in a tortilla wrap or use it in a sandwich. I have shown my low carb version above. That ham would be pretty good in an omelet, too!
Pros: easy to grab and eat right out of the bag when in a hurry
Cons: as usual, there is natural flavor in it (^&^%%#!!)
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Bacon wrapped scallops from Target
What to get: a box (or more) or Archer Farms bacon wrapped scallops
Where to get it: Target frozen food section
Why we approve: it's a good source of protein and fats, and the ingredients are ok. All the nitrates you see are coming from the bacon and if you have been keeping up with recent studies, you would know they are not a big deal at all. Just make sure you don't eat this every day 3 times a day and you will be fine. Honestly it's very convenient if you want a quick appetizer or even if you want to make this your main protein source for the meal. 250 cals and 14 g protein for one serving or double up for a meal!
Preparation: preheat the oven to 375F. We transferred the frozen bits to a cast iron pan, but you could do it on a cookie sheet or a foil covered pan (to save time from washing). Cook for 20-25 min or until you see the bacon is golden brown.
Variations: Like I said you can serve these as an appetizer, before your meal, or eat them as a main protein source alongside some salad or soup. They would be amazing with some tomato basil soup and rice crackers on the side (if carbs permit). Another good option would be to combine them with split pea soup (Trader Joe's have an excellent canned version). For the person in a hurry, while they are cooking, you can just toss some salad greens with balsamic dressing and top your salad with the bacon and scallops.
Pros: Good amount of protein, satisfying, great taste. Moderately easy to prepare and great for company.
Cons: Price is around 5$ which is a bit much for the amount of calories, but the quality was good for a frozen product so we are still giving it a positive review!
Where to get it: Target frozen food section
Why we approve: it's a good source of protein and fats, and the ingredients are ok. All the nitrates you see are coming from the bacon and if you have been keeping up with recent studies, you would know they are not a big deal at all. Just make sure you don't eat this every day 3 times a day and you will be fine. Honestly it's very convenient if you want a quick appetizer or even if you want to make this your main protein source for the meal. 250 cals and 14 g protein for one serving or double up for a meal!
Preparation: preheat the oven to 375F. We transferred the frozen bits to a cast iron pan, but you could do it on a cookie sheet or a foil covered pan (to save time from washing). Cook for 20-25 min or until you see the bacon is golden brown.
Pros: Good amount of protein, satisfying, great taste. Moderately easy to prepare and great for company.
Cons: Price is around 5$ which is a bit much for the amount of calories, but the quality was good for a frozen product so we are still giving it a positive review!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Trader Joe's Mahi Mahi Burgers
What to get:
Trader Joe's Mahi Mahi Burgers
Where to get it:
Trader Joe's
Why we approve: Fish is good for you. It has no nasty ingredients and lots of good-quality protein. Has the coveted Omega 3's we all need, albeit a pretty small quantity as this is a fairly low-fat fish.
Preparation:
Heat oil of your choice in pan. I used coconut oil, but olive oil would be fine. Pan fry until lightly browned on each side--be careful not to overcook. Easy! Add any vegetable of your choice and you have a great lunch or dinner. I had two for dinner and was very happy; the picture shows the burger atop a pile of sauteed "broccoslaw".
Variations: Try with broccoslaw: saute broccoslaw in some coconut oil, add salt and pepper. Dill seeds or other spices would be nice.
On that note, adding a touch of fish seasoning such as Old Bay seasoning is very tasty.
If you're a guy, on maintenance, or if this is a post-workout meal, try adding a potato or rice. Putting the patty on top of Ezekiel Bread, adding tomato and lettuce, is a great meal as well.
One time, I added Trader Joe's frozen Kale along with some other leftover veggies I had in the fridge and ended up chopping up the fish with my spatula since I was kind of in a hurry. Add some soy sauce and you have instant stir fry!
Pros: Nice slug of protein (15 grams per patty), easy to prepare, tasty, gets your servings of fish in. The Mahi Mahi is mild and has a good texture, even my fish-hating teenage boy liked this one.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Cashew Kale Chips - a new snack from Trader Joes
What to get: A bag of Kale chips from the packaged snack isle, close to the toasted seaweed
Where to get it: Trader Joe's
Why we approve: we must admit veggie chips are a disappointment 99% of the time, but not this time. The recipe kicks ^$$!. This bag gives you two servings of delicious kale and dried veggies, some cashews and no nasty ingredients. There are not too many calories (150) and plenty of satiating fiber.
Preparation: Open the bag and try not to eat the whole thing. Someone with a sense of humor put a zipper on top to keep it fresh assuming the one who tries this stuff actually has self control. It's crunchy, it's delicious and you won't be sealing the bag so find someone to share it with.
Variations: You can eat this as a snack alongside some blander foods like string cheese or some Greek yogurt, or tuna for that matter. Other than eating it straight from the bag, you can use the chips to top some green salad or as a way to top an appetizer, such as goat cheese bites or roasted stuffed mushrooms. As a meal survivor item, I would pair this with a convenient source of protein: cottage cheese, hard boiled egg, fish...
Pros: This snack saves you a lot of time - just imagine cleaning, drying, and roasting the kale chips, let alone coating them in delicious salty-sour nutty mixture like TJ's have done! No way! This is a great way to get dried veggies in and add crunch to your lunch, snack or salad.
Cons: Most people would frown at the price of 3 + dollars since this bag only has 2 servings. May I kindly remind them that buying kale and adding the other ingredients + time would definitely come up to more than 3 dollars. Yet price is a limiting factor when it's only 2 oz of food. Another negative is that it's hard to stop at just one serving ;) No cons indeed.
Let us know what you think and enjoy!
Where to get it: Trader Joe's
Pros: This snack saves you a lot of time - just imagine cleaning, drying, and roasting the kale chips, let alone coating them in delicious salty-sour nutty mixture like TJ's have done! No way! This is a great way to get dried veggies in and add crunch to your lunch, snack or salad.
Cons: Most people would frown at the price of 3 + dollars since this bag only has 2 servings. May I kindly remind them that buying kale and adding the other ingredients + time would definitely come up to more than 3 dollars. Yet price is a limiting factor when it's only 2 oz of food. Another negative is that it's hard to stop at just one serving ;) No cons indeed.
Let us know what you think and enjoy!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Trader Joe's Marinated Chipotle Chicken Skewers
Trader Joe's Marinated Chipotle Chicken Skewers
What to get: Trader Joe's Marinated Chipotle Chicken Skewers
Where to get it: Trader Joe's
Why we approve: Easy to cook, versatile, and high in protein. Very few bad guys, and what little there is (canola oil) is very little (only 1g of fat per skewer, which means hardly any oil at all). It doesn't really taste a lot like chipotle, so you can eat it with almost any style of cuisine.
Preparation: It's right on the box; roast them for under 20 minutes at 400 degrees. I also pan fried them in a non-stick skillet (after thawing) and they came out pretty good!
Variations: I ate it with a simple chopped salad and a packet of Wholly Guacamole, from Target.
Simple Chopped Salad Recipe
4 small, ripe tomatoes (TJ's Kumatos pictured), chopped
4 Persian cucumbers, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
salt to taste Stir all ingredients together before eating.
Cons: A little salty.The picture gives you the idea that you'll get some sort of sauce, but there's no sauce (just chicken skewers).
Pros: Tender and juicy chicken. Fast and easy to cook. Goes well with almost any veggies and starches. Doesn't come with any horrible, bad-guy laden sauce.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Flat iron steak and veggies from New Seasons Market
What to get: A quart of steamed mixed veggies and flat iron steak with herb salsa verde
Where to get it: New Seasons Market, Portland and around
This is another guest post, and we thank our good friend, fitness trainer, Chris Bathke, for the contribution. Chris is a super busy guy, owner of the Elemental Fitness Lab, who has a super active lifestyle and has learned how to be a real meal survivor.
We love the freshly made organic food at New Seasons Market and we are glad that Chris keeps sharing delicious meals from there that are also fast and convenient.
Why we approve: Chris chose mixed steamed veggies and steak - a high protein, well balanced meal, with the carbs coming from veggies - that would be a great choice if you are on a fat loss diet.
Preparation: none is necessary, just open the package and enjoy :)
Variations: You can choose to add potatoes or rice, or a corn tortilla, if you just had a hard workout and if you have space for carbs in your menu
Pros: quick, delicious and fast, rich in protein, 15$ for two people
Cons: I really cannot think of any :)
For anyone who lives in Oregon, know we are jealous you have New Seasons Market. Enjoy!
Where to get it: New Seasons Market, Portland and around
This is another guest post, and we thank our good friend, fitness trainer, Chris Bathke, for the contribution. Chris is a super busy guy, owner of the Elemental Fitness Lab, who has a super active lifestyle and has learned how to be a real meal survivor.
We love the freshly made organic food at New Seasons Market and we are glad that Chris keeps sharing delicious meals from there that are also fast and convenient.
Why we approve: Chris chose mixed steamed veggies and steak - a high protein, well balanced meal, with the carbs coming from veggies - that would be a great choice if you are on a fat loss diet.
Preparation: none is necessary, just open the package and enjoy :)
Variations: You can choose to add potatoes or rice, or a corn tortilla, if you just had a hard workout and if you have space for carbs in your menu
Pros: quick, delicious and fast, rich in protein, 15$ for two people
Cons: I really cannot think of any :)
For anyone who lives in Oregon, know we are jealous you have New Seasons Market. Enjoy!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Spinach, poached egg and cheese - 5 minutes to your plate
What to get: a bag of organic spinach, eggs, butter, cheddar cheese
Where to get it: your local supermarket or Trader Joes
I love tossing a few fresh ingredients in a pan and getting a delicious dinner in a matter of minutes. Sometimes Roland feels like having some meat, and I prefer to eat a lighter dinner, and last night was one of those nights. This meal also makes great breakfast, or a delicious stuffing for a lunch wrap or breakfast burrito.
This is a super simple recipe for 1 :) To feed more, simply double, triple, etc, the suggested amounts:
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh spinach
1 tbsp butter
1 egg
1 oz cheddar cheese
pepper to taste
To make, place the leaves with a few tbsp of water in a pan, and let them cook until the leaves have wilted. Add the butter, season with the pepper and stir. Add the cheddar cheese in small pieces, crack the egg on top and cover with a lid. Let it cook until the white has hardened completely.
Move to a plate, let it cool off and enjoy!
Where to get it: your local supermarket or Trader Joes
 |
| 5 minutes to a yummy dinner |
This is a super simple recipe for 1 :) To feed more, simply double, triple, etc, the suggested amounts:
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh spinach
1 tbsp butter
1 egg
1 oz cheddar cheese
pepper to taste
To make, place the leaves with a few tbsp of water in a pan, and let them cook until the leaves have wilted. Add the butter, season with the pepper and stir. Add the cheddar cheese in small pieces, crack the egg on top and cover with a lid. Let it cook until the white has hardened completely.
Move to a plate, let it cool off and enjoy!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Kefir on the go
What to get: a bottle of plain Kefir
Where to get it: your local supermarket or Trader Joe's
What is it? a yogurt-type drink, result of natural fermentation
Why we approve: Kefir is an ancient fermented drink that provides protein, fats, carbohydrate and a modest amount of calories. One cup has 10-14 grams of protein depending on the brand and the thickness. Another really really cool thing is that due to the activity of the bacteria that turn milk into kefir, most lactose is almost entirely eliminated and it can be consumed even if you don't tolerate dairy very well.
Preparation: this is the ultimate on the go dairy product. Just open the cap, pour in a glass or enjoy directly from the bottle. Why share?
TIP: always buy full fat or reduced fat versions, stay away from non fat / zero fat.
Variations: I like Kefir on its own, but you can enhance the flavor by mixing it with fruit. Blend it with strawberries, blueberries or pomegranate. Yes, you can buy it flavored at the store, BUT that comes at the price of sweeteners and additives. No thank you! For a complete meal on the go you can pair some kefir with a fruit and nut bar, or a handful of nuts.
Where to get it: your local supermarket or Trader Joe's
 |
| This is the Lifeway brand, which has a nice zing to it! |
What is it? a yogurt-type drink, result of natural fermentation
Why we approve: Kefir is an ancient fermented drink that provides protein, fats, carbohydrate and a modest amount of calories. One cup has 10-14 grams of protein depending on the brand and the thickness. Another really really cool thing is that due to the activity of the bacteria that turn milk into kefir, most lactose is almost entirely eliminated and it can be consumed even if you don't tolerate dairy very well.
Preparation: this is the ultimate on the go dairy product. Just open the cap, pour in a glass or enjoy directly from the bottle. Why share?
TIP: always buy full fat or reduced fat versions, stay away from non fat / zero fat.
 |
| make your own flavors with real ingredients at home, do not fall for the gazillion flavors at the store. get plain and upgrade it yourself. |
 |
| Trader Joes Kefir is very smooth and good for beginners. It's not too sour |
Cons: can be a bit expensive, and some varieties may be way too sour; for some people just Kefir may not be enough of a meal, unless they combine it with other foods
Enjoy and be healthy!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Voskos Greek Yogurt + a strawberry parfait idea
What to get: a small box of Voskos plain greek yogurt, strawberries, stevia and vanilla from your pantry
Where to get it: your local supermarket chain
Why we approve: A serving of this yogurt provides a whooping 23 grams of protein. This particular one was low -fat, but feel free to go for a full fat version. The portion
is self limiting. That means no going back to the tub to get second
helpings and sabotage yourself. The ingredients are natural and there are no nasty thickeners and fillers.
Pros: This particular kind of Greek yogurt is very smooth and it's not bitter or tart like other varieties.
Where to get it: your local supermarket chain
Preparation: You can eat Greek yogurt on its own, with a handful of nuts or fruit, or use it to make dessert like I did. To make strawberry parfait, mix the yogurt with a few drops of vanilla extract and a small pinch of stevia. Beat it well until it mixes thoroughly. Top with strawberries.
Variations:You can use Greek yogurt to substitute for sour cream in your regular recipes, or you can use it to dip veggies and fruit. I sometimes throw it in a blender with some fruit and spices and make a smooth dessert. Peaches, bananas, pineapple, and berries, all work very very well!
Cons: It can be more expensive than making your own at home. To do that, just place regular plain yogurt in a cheese cloth and let it strain for a few hours.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Light string cheese
What to get: a package of light mozzarella string cheese
Where to get it: your local supermarket; we get ours at Target (Market Pantry) or Safeway
Pros: Really, the only reason you want this is convenience and portability and it has both!
Cons: It is wrapped in plastic wrap and we want to minimize our exposure to wrapped packaged products. As with other meal survivor items, this is your alternative when you have no time at all. There are brands like THIS ONE, who claim that their string cheese is packaged in a BPA free wrap.
Enjoy!
Where to get it: your local supermarket; we get ours at Target (Market Pantry) or Safeway
Why we approve: String cheese is just cheese packaged in a way you can take it with you where you go. It's the ultimate way to confront the drive through! At 8 grams of protein per serving it's a blessing for the active and busy person. The light version is a great choice if you are dieting, but please feel free to go full fat if you can allow the extra calories.
Preparation: Just tear open a packet and take out the string cheese. That's all.
Variations: You can have these as your main protein source, choosing 3-4 or 5 with lunch, or use them as a snack eating 1 or 2. Add them to 1-2 oz of nuts, or have them alongside a banana to build a complete meal. Here are our favorite combinations: string cheeese + walnuts + raisins; string cheese + almonds + banana, string cheese + 1/2 avocado + bell pepper; string cheese + apple.
Cons: It is wrapped in plastic wrap and we want to minimize our exposure to wrapped packaged products. As with other meal survivor items, this is your alternative when you have no time at all. There are brands like THIS ONE, who claim that their string cheese is packaged in a BPA free wrap.
Enjoy!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Wholly Guacamole at Target
What to get: Wholly Guacamole, box of six 2oz packets (also available as one large family size packet)
Where to get it: Target Stores (and Fresh & Easy, too).
 |
| Each box contains six of these packets |
Why we approve: Guacamole
is almost pure avocado, and super healthy. Guacamole makes almost
anything taste better, including leftover chicken and raw veggies!
Preparation: Just tear open a packet and squeeze the guac onto your food or plate.
Variations: Great on meat, chicken, veggies, or eggs. It takes everything to the next level. Guacamole should be enjoyed with breakfast foods, lunch foods, snack foods, and dinner foods!
Pros: Avocado is a practically a superfood. A measured amount means controlling portions and calories is easy. Vacuum sealed packets keep it fresh and green. Just enough salt and peppery zing. 100 calories is more than you expect. As you can see in the above picture, it's quite a little blob of awesome.
Cons: More expensive than making your own, but still not bad. Garlicy...
Enjoy!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Trader Joe's Salmon Burgers
What to get: A box of Trader Joe's Frozen Salmon Burgers (box of 4)
Where to get it: Trader Joe's
Where to get it: Trader Joe's
Why we approve: The salmon burgers have a modest amount of ingredients and they provide a very good amount of protein and calories: two patties will give you 220 calories and 30 grams of protein. Two of these patties with a small side salad are surprisingly satisfying.
Preparation: Cook the patties from frozen. Heat the pan and gently coat it with either light olive oil or expeller pressed coconut oil (tasteless). Let them cook for 7-8 minutes per side.
Variations: You can serve these with a side salad, with steamed vegetables or with a dash of Parmesan cheese. Feel free to add extra lemon pepper as these are just fish, not seasoned with anything.
Pros: These are low calorie, high protein and taste good. These are great if you are the only fish eater when everyone else is eating burgers and you don't feel like beef.
Cons: I can't see how these are better in any way than just having fish. We really don't know what natural flavor is, so while these are very easy, maybe you can opt for fish instead.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Trader Joe's Frozen Turkey Burgers (and green beans)
What to get: A box of Trader Joe's Frozen Turkey Patties (box of 4), a bag of Trader Joe's frozen green beans
Where to get it: Trader Joe's
Where to get it: Trader Joe's
Why we approve: The turkey burgers have few ingredients; just turkey and spices. The green beans are just green beans, already cut to a nice length, and cook up nice and crisp.
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| Green beans are green beans |
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| Turkey burger ingredients |
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| Turkey burger nutrition |
Preparation: Both can be cooked from frozen. The turkey patties were cooked on a hot skillet and were still pretty juicy after cooking. The green beans were steamed, then tossed with Himalayan salt and lemon zest (dried lemon peel from Penzley's, in this case).
Variations: You can eat it just like a burger. I had two for dinner with some TJ's pesto, a salad, and steamed veggies. Awesome.
Pros: The turkey has lots of protein, low calorie, no bad guys, tastes good to me (Roland). The green beans are as good as fresh and better than canned. I will buy these again! Both are extremely cost effective. Quite a deal!
Cons: Galya didn't really like the turkey, but love the green beans. She claimed they had a weird aftertaste, but I just think they taste like turkey burgers. I will buy them again. Cons of the beans? None.
Note: I marked this as both paleo and vegetarian, but you'll have to think; the turkey is paleo and the green beans are vegetarian and paleo enough for me (green beans are mostly pod and hardly any bean).
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Cottage cheese pesto dip
What to get: a tub of cottage cheese and a jar of basil pesto, carrots, snow peas, celery, etc, for dipping
Where to get it: Your grocery store
Where to get it: Your grocery store
Why we approve: Most people would not consider savory cottage cheese, yet it's awesome in combination with vegetables. You will get both protein and veggies, fiber, flavor, and long lasting satisfaction. This dip also makes the texture very smooth - and takes care of the fact that some people hate cottage cheese exactly because of the texture. Get it to look like cream cheese and you can use this as a snack between meals or a meal in itself, along with some veggies, or if you are very hungry, also along a cup of soup. I really like it pre-workout because it's not heavy at all and keeps me full for hours. One cup has 30 grams of protein and depending on the type of cottage cheese, this dip will have between 300 and 400 calories.
Preparation:Measure 1 cup of cottage cheese and 1 tbsp basil pesto and blend in a blender (better to use an immersion blender - easier to clean). Chop up some veggies, such as carrots, celery, snow peas, and use for dipping.
Variations: You can make a sweet cottage cheese parfait if you want something sweet - here is a RECIPE.
Pros:great taste, reasonable calories, lots of protein, very easy to make! It literally takes 2 minutes to make something super delicious.
Cons: You still have to blend and wash your blender, but you will probably burn some calories doing so, so don't complain ;)
Bon apetit!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Chub Rub Meatloaf
Chub Rub Meatloaf – A little play on words as I experiment with this super easy meatloaf.
What to get: One 3 pound chub of 80% or 85% lean beef, spice rub or dry rub
Where to get it: your close to home chain-type supermarket
Why we approve: This meatloaf takes very little hands on time to make days worth of leftovers.
You may notice that I'm about to, yet again, deviate from our standard Meal Survivor format. That's because this time I'm going to cook something. But, I'm going to cook it using the Meal Survivor methods of using things that you can easily purchase, making your healthy eating easy and convenient!
There's nothing less convenient to me than mixing ground meat in a bowl. As much as I love meatballs and meatloaf, I hate to squish the ground meat around with my fingers. Hate it. I pondered this fact as I held a full 3lb chub of ground beef in my hands at the supermarket. If I really bought something this big, I'd almost have to get my hands dirty.
Or would I?
Could I not apply the same dry rub principal that we often use for steaks and roasts to an entire, unadulterated chub of ground beef? Perhaps...
What's a chub?
What is a chub, anyway? It's this...
They also come in 70% lean at one extreme and 90% and 97% at the other. I never buy the leaner ones because they are too expensive and dry out when cooking. The 70% one just sounds gross. I already get a lot of fat from the 85% lean beef!
I typically buy the 80% for burgers and meatloaf because it tends to stay more moist, but if the 85% is a better deal (on sale) I'll pick that one up, instead. In this case, I believe the 80% was $8.99 for 3lbs, while the 85% was $12.99.
Nutritionally, they aren't dramatically different, especially when you see how much of the 80% beef's fat renders out.
And remember, the slightly fattier beef tends to stay more moist during cooking.
What's a rub?
A rub or dry rub is a mixture of spices that you rub (of course) over the meat. You let it sit on the meat for several hours to "all day long" absorbing the flavor into the interior of the meat.
You can buy many ready to use rubs at the supermarket.
Just beware the use of MSG (monosodium glutamate) and other strange ingredients like "natural flavor" and Red Dye #40, neither of which are natural. I would say that 75% of the dry rubs in the supermarket were filled with this type of junk.
Emeril's Essence, while not actually labeled a rub, is a good choice, as are several of his bottled rubs.
Strangely, also decent were the high end "store" brand rubs, while the perceived high end rubs of the major labels were filled with fake stuff and artificial flavor enhancers.
A note about salt. Salt is not to be feared in these rubs, in fact if you don't get one with salt already in it, you're going to have to salt your meatloaf yourself. Salt is essential to keeping a meatloaf moist. Really! It's science! You didn't know that? Now you do, so use salt.
Chub Rub Meatloaf
Makes 3 lbs of meatloaf, or 9-12 servings
Ingredients
3 pound chub of 80 or 85% lean ground beef
table salt (nothing fancy)
spice rub
Directions
Carefully unwrap the chub by slitting the package lengthwise and peeling it off. Sprinkle the chub with salt and the rub, using your hands to make sure it's covered evenly. Some of the rub will fall off onto the work surface, so don't be afraid to roll the chub around to pick up the those spices!
Loosely wrap the rubbed chub in some plastic wrap or foil, place it on a platter, and stick it in the fridge. Let it rest (and the rub do it's work) for several hours or all day. This is important for both flavor and moistness. Time is of the essence! ...Emeril's Essensce, in this case! ;)
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the unwrapped chub on a baking pan or cast iron skillet and bake for about 90 minutes. If a tube shaped meatloaf is weird to you, then feel free to flatten it a bit before cooking.
I inserted a meat thermometer into one of the ends of the loaf and cooked it until it was about 140° F. After a few minutes out of the oven, the temp was up to 150°. It was certainly done, but still a bit pink inside, which kept it moist. If you like it more cooked, then give it more time.
By the way, never cut right into a meatloaf after pulling it from the oven. Always let meat "rest" for 15-20 minutes before cutting into it, otherwise the juices will flow out onto the cutting board and all your careful salting will have been in vain.
Variations: Eat it cold or reheat it in the microwave. If you're on a higher fat diet, please try pan frying the slices in a little bit of oil or fat. Try topping it with salsa or a tapenade instead of the typical ketchup.
Pros: high in meat and protein. Easy. Lots of leftovers. Meatloaf seems to be one of those foods that's even good cold.
Cons: if you don't salt it enough on the outside, the inside can be bland. Because you don't kneed the meat into a loaf, the inside texture can be a little crumbly in spots. Not bad, just inconsistent. It's a big tube of cooked meat, and might seem weird, although you can flatten it out a bit before cooking if you like.
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| chub rub meatloaf |
What to get: One 3 pound chub of 80% or 85% lean beef, spice rub or dry rub
Where to get it: your close to home chain-type supermarket
Why we approve: This meatloaf takes very little hands on time to make days worth of leftovers.
You may notice that I'm about to, yet again, deviate from our standard Meal Survivor format. That's because this time I'm going to cook something. But, I'm going to cook it using the Meal Survivor methods of using things that you can easily purchase, making your healthy eating easy and convenient!
There's nothing less convenient to me than mixing ground meat in a bowl. As much as I love meatballs and meatloaf, I hate to squish the ground meat around with my fingers. Hate it. I pondered this fact as I held a full 3lb chub of ground beef in my hands at the supermarket. If I really bought something this big, I'd almost have to get my hands dirty.
Or would I?
Could I not apply the same dry rub principal that we often use for steaks and roasts to an entire, unadulterated chub of ground beef? Perhaps...
What's a chub?
What is a chub, anyway? It's this...
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| economical 85% and 80% lean beef chubs |
They also come in 70% lean at one extreme and 90% and 97% at the other. I never buy the leaner ones because they are too expensive and dry out when cooking. The 70% one just sounds gross. I already get a lot of fat from the 85% lean beef!
I typically buy the 80% for burgers and meatloaf because it tends to stay more moist, but if the 85% is a better deal (on sale) I'll pick that one up, instead. In this case, I believe the 80% was $8.99 for 3lbs, while the 85% was $12.99.
Nutritionally, they aren't dramatically different, especially when you see how much of the 80% beef's fat renders out.
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| 80% lean beef |
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| 85% lean beef |
And remember, the slightly fattier beef tends to stay more moist during cooking.
What's a rub?
A rub or dry rub is a mixture of spices that you rub (of course) over the meat. You let it sit on the meat for several hours to "all day long" absorbing the flavor into the interior of the meat.
You can buy many ready to use rubs at the supermarket.
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| rubs, galore |
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| BAM! |
Just beware the use of MSG (monosodium glutamate) and other strange ingredients like "natural flavor" and Red Dye #40, neither of which are natural. I would say that 75% of the dry rubs in the supermarket were filled with this type of junk.
Emeril's Essence, while not actually labeled a rub, is a good choice, as are several of his bottled rubs.
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| granulated and powdered spices are still spices |
Strangely, also decent were the high end "store" brand rubs, while the perceived high end rubs of the major labels were filled with fake stuff and artificial flavor enhancers.
A note about salt. Salt is not to be feared in these rubs, in fact if you don't get one with salt already in it, you're going to have to salt your meatloaf yourself. Salt is essential to keeping a meatloaf moist. Really! It's science! You didn't know that? Now you do, so use salt.
Chub Rub Meatloaf
Makes 3 lbs of meatloaf, or 9-12 servings
Ingredients
3 pound chub of 80 or 85% lean ground beef
table salt (nothing fancy)
spice rub
Directions
Carefully unwrap the chub by slitting the package lengthwise and peeling it off. Sprinkle the chub with salt and the rub, using your hands to make sure it's covered evenly. Some of the rub will fall off onto the work surface, so don't be afraid to roll the chub around to pick up the those spices!
Loosely wrap the rubbed chub in some plastic wrap or foil, place it on a platter, and stick it in the fridge. Let it rest (and the rub do it's work) for several hours or all day. This is important for both flavor and moistness. Time is of the essence! ...Emeril's Essensce, in this case! ;)
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| rubbed chub |
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the unwrapped chub on a baking pan or cast iron skillet and bake for about 90 minutes. If a tube shaped meatloaf is weird to you, then feel free to flatten it a bit before cooking.
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| ready for the oven |
I inserted a meat thermometer into one of the ends of the loaf and cooked it until it was about 140° F. After a few minutes out of the oven, the temp was up to 150°. It was certainly done, but still a bit pink inside, which kept it moist. If you like it more cooked, then give it more time.
By the way, never cut right into a meatloaf after pulling it from the oven. Always let meat "rest" for 15-20 minutes before cutting into it, otherwise the juices will flow out onto the cutting board and all your careful salting will have been in vain.
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| ready to eat |
Variations: Eat it cold or reheat it in the microwave. If you're on a higher fat diet, please try pan frying the slices in a little bit of oil or fat. Try topping it with salsa or a tapenade instead of the typical ketchup.
Pros: high in meat and protein. Easy. Lots of leftovers. Meatloaf seems to be one of those foods that's even good cold.
Cons: if you don't salt it enough on the outside, the inside can be bland. Because you don't kneed the meat into a loaf, the inside texture can be a little crumbly in spots. Not bad, just inconsistent. It's a big tube of cooked meat, and might seem weird, although you can flatten it out a bit before cooking if you like.
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