Search Results for: spam

Lamb lettuce wraps

Posted by Gary

Jump to the recipe if you want to skip the introduction.

Introduction

Dear Reader,

Hello there. I hope you enjoyed a good week. I’m still euphoric from last weekend’s trip to Brisbane and time with my daughters and parents.

Returning to Canberra reminded me again how good Brisbane is.

What have I been reading?

I’ve been reading nutrition articles in my spare time.

I came across an excellent paper describing the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide (NO) pathway. Dietary nitrate has various beneficial vascular effects, including reducing blood pressure, inhibiting platelet aggregation, preserving or improving endothelial dysfunction, and enhancing exercise performance in healthy individuals and patients with peripheral arterial disease. (Lidder & Webb, 2013)

Some studies with nitrate or nitrite also show the potential to protect against ischæmia-reperfusion injury and reduce arterial stiffness, inflammation, and intimal thickness.

I was interested in the ramifications of blood pressure control and other potential physiological benefits.

It also raised a question about the difference between the nitrates in leafy green vegetables and those found in cured meats like bacon.

To answer the question, I visited three large language model artificial intelligence platforms, viz., Bing, ChatGPT, and Bard. Check out the answers at the end of this post.

Noting that the main difference is the pathways to either nitric oxide or nitrosamines, I wonder what the outcome would be if I ate bacon with antioxidants. That would be an interesting experiment.

What I find interesting is the assumption that observational studies, including meta-analyses and systematic reviews are accepted without question by so many. The difficulty is that unlike the situation with cigarette smoking and lung carcinoma where the association was strong with odds ratios >30, for the nitrates and gastrointestinal carcinoma, the odds ratios are much less and in the order of just over 1.

The absolute risk is low when you take into account that gastrointestinal carcinomas occur in people who have never consumed cured meats. That said, it would be unethical to undertake a randomised controlled trial exposing a group of people to a diet with a lot of cured meat in it. Cause and effect may never be proven.

For me, this tells me that bacon, Spam®, and cured sausages are not everyday foods, but when I put them into the context of low carbohydrate, healthy fat eating, these foods are not anathema. Nor are they forbidden to me. The danger from sucrose, refined carbohydrates, and even complex so-called slow carbs is far greater in terms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, and obesity. There is a growing belief that many malignant events are a result of insulin resistance.

Please note, reader, this is my personal opinion as it applies to my own health. I’m not providing advice to anyone. I get questions from friends and family, and I find writing out my thoughts here useful. The most important message for anyone reading this and thinking about their own health is to speak with their regular general practitioner. If you don’t have a GP, I urge you to find one and develop a strong relationship.

Recipe

Equipment

  • Slow cooker

Ingredients

  • Lamb bones
  • Lamb shanks
  • Iodised salt
  • Iceberg lettuce

Instructions

  1. Brown the lamb shanks and lamb bones in a hot oven.
  2. Place the lamb shanks and lamb bones into the slow cooker.
  3. Cook for 9 hours.
  4. Remove the meat and bones and then pass the cooking liquor through a metal sieve. The filtrate is the start of what will become bone broth with a few more uses with other joints of meat.
  5. Pull the meat from the bones and place into a refrigerator container. Discard the bones.
  6. Wash the lettuce leaves and spin them in a lettuce spinner to remove as much water as possible.
  7. Place some of the meat along with some olive oil and apple cider vinegar into a couple of lettuce leaves and roll them to form a bite-size bundles.
  8. You can serve these bundles of meat with a anything you like. I chose a little salad of avocado, cherry tomatoes, and olives dressed with olive oil and apple cider vinegar.
  9. Give thanks to the Lord.
  10. Eat with your fingers.

Thoughts on the meal

There’s nothing special or difficult about this meal. It requires no skill and given most of the cooking happens slowly the big advantage is that my flat is filled with the aroma of lamb fat and lamb meat.

Photographs

Pulled lamb wrapped in iceberg lettuce leaves with a small salad
Lamb bones and lamb shanks
Slowly cooked lamb bones and shanks
Pulled lamb
Pulled lamb wrapped in iceberg lettuce leaves
Pulled lamb wrapped in iceberg lettuce leaves
Pulled lamb wrapped in iceberg lettuce leaves

References

Lidder, S., & Webb, A. J. (2013). Vascular effects of dietary nitrate (as found in green leafy vegetables and beetroot) via the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway: Vascular effects of dietary nitrate. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 75(3), 677–696. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04420.x

Bing

What is the difference between the nitrates in leafy green vegetables and those in cured meat like bacon?

Nitrates are a set of compounds that involve nitrogen and oxygen molecules. While they are often associated with cured meats, green, leafy vegetables are much richer in nitrates1. The nitrates found in vegetables may help reduce the risk of carcinoma, whereas eating foods high in added nitrates can cause health risks.

Cured or processed meats such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and ham often contain added nitrates and nitrites. These compounds prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, add a salty flavour, and make the meat appear red or pink2. Nitrates convert to nitrites, and in the stomach’s acidic environment, nitrites interact with specific components concentrated in meat to form N-nitroso compounds, which are potential carcinogens.

In summary, while the nitrates in leafy green vegetables may have health benefits, those in cured meats like bacon can have adverse health effects.

ChatGPT

What is the difference between the nitrates in leafy green vegetables and those in cured meat like bacon?

Both leafy green vegetables and cured meats like bacon contain nitrates, but there are essential differences in their sources, roles, and potential health implications:

Source and Chemical Structure:

Leafy Green Vegetables: Nitrates in vegetables come from the soil and water in which the plants are grown. They are naturally occurring and absorbed by the plants during their growth. Nitrates in vegetables are primarily in the form of nitrate ions (NO3–).

Cured Meats (Bacon): Nitrates in cured meats are additives, primarily in the form of sodium nitrate (NaNO3) or sodium nitrite (NaNO2). These additives are used in the curing process to preserve the meat’s colour and flavour and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.

Conversion to Nitrites:

Leafy Green Vegetables: Vegetable-containing nitrates are converted into nitrites (NO2–) by bacteria in your mouth and gastrointestinal tract. These nitrites convert to beneficial compounds like nitric oxide (NO) in your body.

Cured Meats (Bacon): Nitrites are additives in cured meats. Nitrites play a crucial role in preserving the meat’s colour, flavour, and safety, as well as preventing the growth of harmful bacteria.

Health Implications:

Leafy Green Vegetables: Vegetable nitrates are generally considered beneficial for health. Nitric oxide, produced from the conversion of nitrates, promotes healthy blood vessels, regulates blood pressure, and supports overall cardiovascular health.

Cured Meats (Bacon): Concerns exist about the potential health risks of consuming large amounts of processed meats containing added nitrates and nitrites. High consumption of processed meats is associated with an increased risk of specific health issues, including colorectal carcinoma and other chronic diseases. The nitrites in cured meats can react with amines in the meat to form compounds called nitrosamines, some of which are considered carcinogenic.

Dietary Context:

Leafy Green Vegetables: Consuming a variety of leafy green vegetables is generally encouraged as part of a balanced diet due to their high nutritional content, including vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants.

Cured Meats (Bacon): Processed meats like bacon are typically higher in unhealthy fats, sodium, and calories and are often low in essential nutrients. As a result, consume processed meats in moderation and choose leaner and less processed protein sources.

In summary, while leafy green vegetables and cured meats contain nitrates, their potential health implications differ. Leafy greens provide natural sources of nitrates that can positively affect health, whereas the nitrates added to processed meats can raise concerns when consumed excessively.

Bard

What is the difference between the nitrates in leafy green vegetables and those in cured meat like bacon?

The nitrates found in leafy green vegetables and cured meat are chemically the same but have different effects on the body.

Nitrates in vegetables convert to nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide has many beneficial effects, including lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow, and reducing inflammation.

Nitrates in cured meat convert to nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are compounds linked to carcinoma.

Nitrates in vegetables are not harmful because of accompanying antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, which help prevent them from being converted into nitrosamines. Cured meat, on the other hand, does not contain these antioxidants, so nitrates are more likely to be converted into nitrosamines.

In addition, the processing methods used to make cured meat, such as smoking and salting, can also increase the risk of nitrosamine formation.

For these reasons, it is safe to eat leafy green vegetables, even though they contain nitrates. However, limiting your intake of cured meat is best, mainly processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs, and sausages.

Here are some tips for reducing your intake of nitrates from cured meat:

  • Choose fresh meat over processed meat.
  • Look for meats labelled “no nitrates added” or “minimally processed.”
  • Cook meat at lower temperatures and for shorter periods.
  • Avoid smoking or salting meat.

Following these tips can reduce your risk of exposure to harmful nitrosamines.

Cooking leftover meat and mince

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader,

Welcome to Yummy Lummy. Yummy Lummy is for people who live alone and are keen to cook meals for one.

I also share my opinions on topics others may be interested in.

You can skip the introduction and jump to the recipe if you don’t care to read my opinions.

Leftover slow cooker lamb shoulder and speck, with coconut cream, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower

Introduction

I hope you’ve had a good week. Mine was great. I was engaged in a few national meetings with colleagues from across Australia and from across the Tasman Sea.

Referendum

Eligible voters in Australia are being asked to participate in a referendum to change our constitution today (Saturday, 2023-10-14). We’re being asked if we approve of altering the Australian Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

I don’t write about my political views or comment on any government work I’m involved in, so my reason for mentioning the referendum is to reflect on how many voters are voting early. I heard an Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) interview with an Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) official who mentioned that just over 50% of votes are expected to be entered before today. I find that an impressive figure.

Because of my reduced mobility, I’ve elected to register for a postal vote. I’ve completed this and received verification that my vote has been received.

There are also early voting booths that have been open for a couple of weeks so that voters can participate in the referendum early.

I’ve used these early polling booths for the last few elections because I don’t like standing in queues. If we’ve learnt anything from COVID-19, physical distancing, amongst other measures, effectively prevented infection transmission.

Tonight, I’ll be keeping an eye on the results. Changing the constitution is a big deal.

What have I been watching?

House

According to House, “There is no medicine like happiness.” I heartily support this. Happiness is a place—a place of joy and pleasure. Happiness is warm and moist. Happiness is a place of love.

I’m in the final season of House. I think the first two or three seasons are the best quality. The latter seasons had some cast changes, and the stories became a little outlandish. That said, as a character, there’s a lot to like and a lot to dislike about the character of House.

I’m up to the episode, which features Billy Connolly, who plays a character married to House’s mother.

Low carb down under 2023

I’m attending some sessions virtually of the Low Carb Down Under 2023 conference this weekend. It’s a medical conference for healthcare practitioners interested in low-carbohydrate, healthy-fat eating.

I purchased tickets intending to download and watch the videos at my leisure. I had anticipated being otherwise occupied this weekend, but my plans changed.

What have I been listening to?

Monroe Doctrine

I’m re-listening to this series of books again. The seventh and final volume has just been released as an audiobook. I thought I’d start again from volume one.

With world events as they are, it seems apt to listen to a fictional book series about World War III involving biological warfare, nuclear warfare, cyberwarfare, and conventional combat on land, on and under the sea, and in the air.

The series is set in the near future and references the conflict in Ukraine (Україна) as well as the building international tension some countries are having with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It also explores unlikely alliances between Russia and NATO countries and the involvement of Australia, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

I hope the last volume culminates in a thought-provoking ending to a gripping series.

I’d love to see this book converted into a television (TV) miniseries or a feature-length movie.

Recipe

I’m not sharing a recipe tonight. This is more of a cooking technique to improve the quality of the cooking process by using water in a cold vessel to brown meat and vegetables.

Lan Lam from America’s Test Kitchen provides the best teaching on this. Lan is an excellent teacher. I’ve learnt much from her instruction.

I see people cooking minced (ground) meat by placing it into a hot frypan or saucepan with some form of lubricant. Often a seed oil. Inevitably, the meat fries and caramelises; in some situations, the meat burns and creates fond. The biggest problem is that the outside of the meat cooks and burns before the inside heats through to a safe temperature.

If the aim is to burn the meat, that’s fine. Most of the time, I want the meat cooked through with caramelisation but without burning. I also want my meat to be food-safe.

This technique can be used for raw minced (ground) meat and leftover refrigerated meat, e.g., after slowly cooking a joint of meat.

The benefit of this approach is the meat heats slowly and evenly while the fat in the flesh softens and melts into the cooked meat, creating an unctuous mouthfeel. Rather than being hard and dry, the meat is tender and moist, and the juices exude flavour.

Once the water evaporates and the meat starts to caramelise, the heat can be reduced, and then a decision can be made on how to proceed.

For some dishes, you could now mix in other ingredients and then bake the dish. In other dishes, the meat can be cooled and added to a salad or a holder like a lettuce leaf (for a low carbohydrate taco equivalent).

Equipment

  • Frypan  

Ingredients

  • Any leftover, slowly cooked meat, meat cooked in a pressure cooker, or minced (ground) meat.
  • For leftover cold meat, it’s best to dice the meat into 1–2 cm­3 pieces.
  • I keep the fat and never cut the fat off. I want to consume that healthy fat.

Instructions

  1. Place the meat into a cold frypan or saucepan.
  2. Add enough cold water to cover the bottom of the pan.
  3. Add the meat of your choice plus some iodised salt if the meat is raw.
  4. Put the pan on the stovetop and turn on the heat.
  5. Slowly heat until the water begins to boil, and then allow the water to simmer.
  6. I use a pair of chopsticks to move the meat around.
  7. As the water evaporates and when it approaches the point of the water vanishing, turn the heat down further or off and keep the meat stirring.
  8. I’ve provided some photographs of the finished meals I’ve enjoyed over the last few weeks as examples of what I’ve done.
  9. Always give thanks to the Lord.
  10. Eat with whatever implements you prefer. 🥢🍴

Thoughts on the technique.

In my mind, this is a no-brainer. I recognise some readers may think the extra effort isn’t worth it. I get that feedback from time to time when someone says they prefer to simply cook a steak in a frypan and not use techniques like sous vide or a pressure cooker. That’s fair enough. Everyone should do what works best for them. Everyone’s tastes and preferences are theirs. I object when someone tries to assume their approach would suit me better when they’ve never tried the technique I’m describing.

Disclaimer and comments

This post and other posts on this blog do not constitute medical or health advice. I’m sharing my personal experiences from my lived experience.

I’m receiving more spam comments and direct messages, so I may need to start moderating comments again.

Photographs

This is a series of photographs I shot while cooking lunch today.

Minced (ground) beef brisket
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and beef dripping
Cheddar and mozzarella cheeses
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes and cheese
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes and cheese
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes and cheese
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes and cheese
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes and cheese
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes and cheese
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes and cheese
Minced (ground) beef brisket and curry powder with water and cherry tomatoes and cheese

Older meal photographs

These are some photographs of meals I’ve enjoyed over the last couple of weeks using this cooking technique.

Leftover slow cooker lamb shoulder and speck, with coconut cream, cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and CHEER™ tasty and mozzarella cheeses with an avocado cheek
Leftover slow cooker lamb shoulder and speck, with coconut cream, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower
Leftover slow cooker lamb shoulder and speck, with olives, capers, and CHEER™ tasty and mozzarella cheeses with broccoli and cauliflower
Leftover slow cooker lamb shoulder and speck
Leftover slow cooker lamb shoulder and speck
Leftover slow cooker lamb shoulder and speck
Leftover slow cooker lamb shoulder and speck
Shredded chicken wing meat with cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers
Shredded chicken wing meat with cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers
Leftover pressure cooker chicken wing meat with cherry tomatoes and capers
Leftover slow cooker beef short rib with cherry tomatoes
Leftover pressure cooker pork spare rib with cherry tomatoes
Leftover slowly cooked pork shoulder roast with avocado
Leftover slowly cooked pork shoulder roast with cherry tomatoes
Leftover slowly cooked pork shoulder roast with cherry tomatoes and olives
Tinned corned beef cooked in water with curry powder. Cooked with cherry tomatoes and cheese.

Sous vide pepper steak and scallops with hollandaise sauce

Posted by Gary

So, it’s another week and another non-recipe post. This post is more like a status update of what I cooked on Saturday night.

Sous vide pepper eye fillet steak with scallops and roe with broccolini and hollandaise sauce

My weight loss motivation has got a bit stagnant, so trying new things has also suffered a little.

I wanted a moderate dinner, but still something special for a Saturday night. I went with eye fillet steak again because it cooks without a lot of fuss, and if you treat it well, it will be tender and moist.

I wanted something with a little kick too so I tied up the meat and pressed in some freshly ground black whole peppercorns, iodised salt, and garlic powder. As always, I pulverise my spices and salt together in a heavy mortar with a nicely weighted pestle. 

Salt and Pepper Eye fillet steak

Because the temperature of the water bath would never exceed 55 °C, there was no chance of the pepper burning, so I was happy to coat the steak in pepper before cooking.

I’m not sure if you’ve ever burnt pepper, but it has an unpleasant, acrid odour and you never want to sear a pepper-coated steak for too long.

Salt and Pepper Eye fillet steak

While I was shopping, I saw there was scallop meat in the delicatessen display. The scallop meat with roe and the alimentary tract was $29 per kilogram while the scallop meat sans roe and the alimentary tract was $34 per kilogram. The roe adds a lovely coral colour to the dish, so I went with the cheaper option. For those readers who don’t know me, I never remove the alimentary canal from an invertebrate, and I wasn’t going to start. Life’s too short for that palaver.

I’ve described how to make hollandaise sauce elsewhere. It’s hard to go past a hollandaise sauce with steak and scallops. Rather than pour or spoon the sauce over the steak and scallops, I decided to serve it in a small bowl and use it as a dipping sauce. The dipping sauce approach was fantastic. As I loaded my fork with a little sweet broccolini, scallop, and steak, I dipped that meaty lollipop into the hollandaise sauce and got a good coating over everything the tines of my fork had penetrated.

Vacuum packed Salt and Pepper Eye fillet steak

The scallops were just seared in the skillet as I was caramelising the surface of the steak after it had finished cooking in the water bath (55 °C for 2 hours). The heat barely licked the scallops.

The broccolini was dead easy. After washing the broccolini in a large mixing bowl, I let the broccolini drain and then doused the green vegetables with some olive oil. I then added a squirt of golden syrup and ground over some iodised salt. With my hands, I massaged the sweet, salty, oiliness into the heads of the broccolini being gentle with the broccolini heads so as not to be too rough with the delicate end.

Precision cooker and water bath

I then arranged the broccolini on a lined baking sheet and put them into a hot oven for 15 minutes. 

Plating up was dead easy, after allowing the steak to rest I cut off the bindings and then with a sharp knife (I used a cooking knife my middle daughter gave me as a father’s day gift last year) I sliced into the soft tender moist flesh to reveal blushing joy. There’s nothing like a nicely cooked piece of muscle meat, red, moist but not running with its juices.

Sous vide pepper steak

Sous vide pepper eye fillet steak with scallops and roe with broccolini and hollandaise sauce

I put the steak onto a dinner plate which I had warmed on top of the water bath and then arranged the scallops. I poured the freshly made hollandaise sauce into a small bowl and put it onto the plate. The last thing to be added was the oven-cooked broccolini. The heads looked limp rather than the tumescence they once had, but I knew those flowery heads would taste sweet and salty, and when coated with the creaminess of the hollandaise, the taste would be unique and so delicious. 

Sous vide pepper eye fillet steak with scallops and roe with broccolini and hollandaise sauce
Sous vide pepper eye fillet steak with scallops and roe with broccolini and hollandaise sauce

New profile pic

Me in my Spam Hawaii shirt holding a tin of Bacon Spam
Me in my Spam Hawaii shirt holding a tin of Bacon Spam with Acacia pycnantha (Wattle) in the background.

Privacy Policy

Who we are

Our website address is: https://yummylummy.com.

What personal data we collect and why we collect it

Comments

When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.

An anonymised string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Media

If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.

Contact forms

Cookies

If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.

If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.

Embedded content from other websites

Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.

These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

Analytics

Who we share your data with

How long we retain your data

If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognise and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.

What rights you have over your data

If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.

Where we send your data

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.

Your contact information

Gary Lum, PO Box 12, Woden ACT 2606, Australia

Additional information

How we protect your data

Any information I see I don’t use.

What data breach procedures we have in place

I don’t have any data breach procedures because I don’t actively collect data.

What third parties we receive data from

What third parties?

What automated decision making and/or profiling we do with user data

Nothing is automated.

Industry regulatory disclosure requirements

I have no idea. I don’t make any money here.

Pork belly, Spam, and blue cheese Christmas roll

Posted by Gary

Pork belly, Spam, and blue cheese Christmas roll

Dedicated to Glenn who isn’t a fan of blue cheese

After last night’s pork belly and Spam with fennel salad, I had some leftover pork belly and Spam. For lunch yesterday I had some smoked salmon, blue cheese, brie, and smoked cheddar cheese. Melbourne-based Tweep, Glenn Hampson, mentioned he wasn’t a fan of blue cheese.

Continue reading →