Carbs have gotten a bad rap when it comes to losing weight. Some claim that potatoes and other starchy foods put weight on.
But Dr. Alan Goldhamer points out that complex carbs are essential for weight loss and health. The foods with complex carbs are where all the nutrients are found to give us the level of health we need to thrive and also lose weight naturally.
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To lose weight naturally, a tip Dr. Goldhamer offers is to start your meal with a salad or cooked greens. We usually don't think of salad or greens as a carb, but they do have complex carbohydrates in them, just not the level that starchy vegetables do.
Next, eat your non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, carrots, beets, etc. before going to the starchy veggies like potato, yams, corn, beans and grains.
The main thing about carbs and weight loss is getting our carbs in the whole food form, what are called complex carbohydrates. When we process a grain into flour, for instance, we alter the nature of the carbohydrate into what we call a refined carb.
The calories in refined carbs go into the system much faster than from complex carbs. So when we eat bread or pasta, we get a spike in blood sugar levels that requires a lot more work for our bodies to deal with, and ultimately results in adding weight.
When we get our energy (calories) from refined carbs, it's like trying to heat our home with kindling or Kleenex in the fireplace instead of getting a nice steady burn from a log.
And another nice thing about getting our calories from the complex carbs found in whole foods, we don't need to worry about counting calories or portion control. Especially when we start our meals with a salad, greens and non-starchy veggies.
The recipe this week is for lentil-based Hamburger Buns and Cinnamon Rolls. Made from whole red lentils their a great substitute for flour based buns.
To your Amazing Health,
Connie and Bill
Lentil Hamburger Buns
- 1 cup red lentils
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup whole psyllium husk
- 1 quarter of a small apple
- 4 teaspoons no-salt seasoning
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Add the dry red lentils to a bowl, rinse them well and drain. Cover them with filtered water, and let them soak for at least 2 hours, ideally 8 hours. Once soaked, drain the soaking water and rinse the lentils again.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF
Add the lentils to a food processor together with the water, psyllium, apple, seasoning and baking soda (everything except the lemon juice). Blend well.
Add lemon juice and process quickly until a dough forms. The reaction baking soda creates upon contact with acid is immediate, so don't let the dough rest and work as quickly as possible before all the bubbles dissipate.
Shape the dough into a log and divide it into four equal pieces. Shape each piece into a neat flat cylinder the size of a burger bun and transfer it to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Bake until crispy and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Transfer onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Buns are best on the day they’re made. To keep the buns fresh and soft, store them at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days. For longer-term storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Lentil Cinnamon Buns
- 1 cup red lentils
- ¼ cup date paste
- ¼ cup whole psyllium husk
- 1 quarter of a small apple
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup raisins
Topping
- ¼ cup date paste
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Add the dry red lentils to a bowl, rinse them well and drain. Cover them with filtered water, and let them soak for at least 2 hours, ideally 8 hours. Once soaked, drain the soaking water and rinse the lentils again.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF
Make the topping first by adding the date paste (of the topping ingredients) and cinnamon to a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Add the lentils to a food processor together with the date paste (of the dough ingredients), psyllium, apple, cinnamon and baking soda (everything except the lemon juice and raisins). Blend well.
Add lemon juice and process quickly until a dough forms. The reaction baking soda creates upon contact with acid is immediate, so don't let the dough rest and work as quickly as possible before all the bubbles dissipate.
Transfer dough into a bowl and fold in the raisins.
Shape the dough into a log and divide it into six equal pieces. Shape each piece into a neat flat cylinder about 1” thick. Transfer each bun to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread topping over each bun.
Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Transfer onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Buns are best on the day they’re made. To keep the buns fresh and soft, store them at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days. For longer-term storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month.