Dear Reader,
I hope you are well and eating well.
I feel well myself and am enjoying the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet. When I weighed myself this morning, I noted that I had lost 5.2 kilograms since commencing the program.
My jeans and some of my T-shirts now feel loose.
While TWD is more than a low carbohydrate approach to eating and living, reducing unnecessary carbohydrate consumption and replacing it with lean protein is crucial.
I’ve been eating a small portion of granola with unflavoured and unsweetened yoghurt most nights and still losing weight.
I thought this week, I would explore some low-carbohydrate bread options.
Recipe
Special equipment
- Water bath
- Water heater and circulator
Ingredients
- Pork scotch fillet steak – I found some steak that was about 150 grams.
- Salt – Iodised salt because I support the ongoing need for it. Iodine supplementation prevents cretinism. Anyone who tells you that products like Himalayan rock salt are good for you may not have had enough iodine in utero and during their early childhood.
- Pepper – I like using whole peppercorns, and with some of the salt, pound it with a pestle in a mortar. Freshly pounded pepper is superior to pepper which has been cracked or ground and then packaged and sold.
- Coles 85% lower carb rolls – One roll has 751 kJ, 19.5 g of protein, 8.4 g of fat, and 2.8 g of carbohydrate.
- Egg
- Tomato
- Lettuce
- Praise whole egg light mayonnaise
Instructions
Pork
- Season a piece of pork with salt and pepper.
- Place the pork into a bag, apply a vacuum, and seal it.
- Cook the pork at 54 °C for 2 hours.
- Remove the pork from the bag and pat dry the surface with absorbent paper.
- Sear the steak in a hot cast-iron skillet.
Burger
- Cut the bread roll transversely.
- Spread some mayonnaise on the bottom piece of bread. Make it a thin smear; too much is too much.
- Toast the bread in a hot skillet until it takes on some colour.
- Layer some lettuce leaves on the heel of the bun.
- Add some slices of tomato.
- Add the pork scotch steak to the tomato.
- Lay a poached egg on the steak.
- Complete the burger with the top of the bread roll and gently compress the top to break the egg yolk’s membrane so that the egg yolk oozes over the pork to form a rich, luxurious sauce.
- If I were still doing YouTube videos, I’d cut the burger in a coronial plane and then pull apart the halves to reveal the cross-section. I did it so you have a still shot in the photographs.
- Give thanks to the Lord.
- Eat with your hands.
Final thoughts
This pork burger is a basic sandwich. It has minimised the carbohydrate component by using specialty bread. It is high in protein, and therefore it is filling. What it is not is lean. I did not remove the fat from the pork, and while I did use “light” mayonnaise, it is still mayonnaise.
The Coles 85% lower-carb bread is pretty good. It toasted nicely, and it tasted good.
Photographs
You are looking noticeably thinner. How much more are you aiming to lose?
Hi Katharine,
Thanks. I’m happy not to go too much further. The next phase involves turning this into a lifestyle and beyond a habit. When I look at myself critically, I know my body fat percentage can still be improved, and that’s what I hope will happen.
Yummylicious 🤤
That looks like a really filling meal–perfect for lunch or dinner!
It was filling 😊
Am impressed with how well you are (a) holding to your food changing and (b) how you are looking healthy and not scarecrowish (some folks do, when they start to lose). Am also going to look up Scotch Pork Steak. Your presentation and meal (and self) are stunning!
Hi Kris,
Thanks. I don’t want to look gaunt. It’s basically the fillet and fat cap like with beef.
I’ll be jiggered!!!!!!!!! You look GREAT, not gaunt! :o)
Thanks, Kris
That’s fantastic Gary!! You look younger and healthier. And great that you get to still eat tasty food like this too 😀
Hi Lorraine,
Thank you so much, you are so very kind. 😊
Oh, you’ve made that look beautiful, Gaz, and congratulations on the weight loss (though you didn’t need it).
Hi Emma,
Thanks. It tasted pretty good too. I think next time I’ll mince some beef and make a pattie for a burger.
That looks delicious! And you look great! I definitely need to find ways to incorporate more protein in my diet. Loved your comment about iodized salt, as well. I agree!
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for your comment and for affirming the role of iodised salt.
You look ten years younger than your age . . . and I always tell the truth to guys! Fine as long as you are truly happy inside! Like the choice in the kind of bread but think the amount of protein for one meal excessive. Hope the other meals I would of the day made up for the lack of ‘five a day’! I would not pay for the ‘altered’ bread but again you have bought your meat extraordinarily well! You received quite an extraordinary US uni lecture on healthy eating from me awhile ago . . . you would enjoy it !!! Best E
Hi Eha,
Thanks for your comments and for sharing your advice. I’m conscious of my protein intake.