Thai Meatball Bowls & A Health Journey Update
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In my ongoing health-journey-with-a-focus-on-losing-the-weight-that-pregnancy-and-then-major-life-changes-made-me-gain, Kyle and I have decided to do something vintage: a Paleo challenge. The Paleo Challenge, which I think is now called a Whole 30, is how Kyle and I started this whole thing. Back in 2008 (or was it 2009?) when the average person didn’t even know how to pronounce the word Paleo, let alone what you could eat on it, I was inspired to figure out how to make meat and vegetables interesting and delicious instead of boring and…more boring.
If you haven’t yet caught up on my health journey, I suggest reading about the hippie shit I’m doing to reduce my stress and my experience so far working with a functional medicine doctor. One of the key lessons coming from my functional medicine doctor appointments is that my gut needs improving and I consume too much sugar. QUELLE SURPRISE!!! I’ve been trying hard to avoid cutting out my near-daily Starbucks Iced Chai habit, but shit goddamn, I am fucking sick of not being at the weight/body composition I want.
This whole time I’ve been saying that I want to find a sustainable way of losing weight, and I do, but what good is sustainability if you’re straight up NOT.LOSING.WEIGHT. And it’s not because I’m wrestling with some internal issue keeping me from losing weight - my blood draws ruled out any metabolic conditions that I might be able to blame instead of my own efforts, unfortunately. Really, I haven’t been putting my back into it, ya know?
Losing weight isn’t supposed to be easy; if it were, the weight loss industry wouldn’t even be an industry. It should be a little difficult, and quite frankly, I don’t think I’ve challenged myself enough in the past few months. So, we’re biting the bullet for the next 21-ish days (until our friends come to visit at the end of this month, for which we will be indulging) and getting uncomfortable in order to lose weight, yes, but also to feel good. Fuck, getting older makes just about everything less fun, including fun! We never felt hungover from a big meal until the last year or so. What we’ve both noticed is that deviating from our healthy routine for even a day can really fuck up our entire existence. Kinda like a grain of sand in an oyster. Except instead of creating a beautiful pearl, all you get is acid reflux and puffy eyes.
When our friends leave, we’ll probably get right back on our Paleo Challenge…we have a wedding coming up in early October, which incidentally coincides with a year since I really started trying to lose weight, so there’s kind of a lot riding on October for me and this goal.
So, here are my priorities as I take a more challenging approach to my weight loss:
More red meat. Beef is the most nutrient dense form of animal protein, oysters notwithstanding, due to the diversity of their own diet (providing you’re eating grass-fed and finished beef).
Re-emphasizing my intermittent fasting windows (I try not to eat from 7pm - 11am) by focusing on more nutrient-rich liquids before my first meal. I always start the day with chlorophyll water, but I’m also adding in this drinkable skincare supplement, followed by a glass of our own home-made bone broth (recipe coming soon), and a glass of raw cow’s milk from the herd share we recently joined to get lots of good probiotics. Not only will each of these drinks provide me with valuable nutrition, but it should also keep my satiated and busy until my fast ends.
Cutting a lot of grains from my diet (temporarily). I know carbs aren’t bad, and I’ll never live a life where I can’t eat rice, but for now, while I’m trying to lose weight I’m stubbornly holding onto, the excess glucose from things like rice, bread, and pasta (even the best versions) isn’t doing me any favors. So, I’m kicking them from my diet…for now.
All of this means meals are about to get a lot less interesting. But what I’ve learned through my functional nutritionist is that your meals don’t have to be different or even that interesting every day. It’s a tough message for a food-obsessed person who both enjoys eating and cooking to take, but it’s important for my goals.
But old habits die hard, which means I’ll still be making delicious things; they might just be a bit more simple in the meantime.
What’s NOT simple is this dish!
I can’t believe I’ve never shared a recipe for Thai-style meatballs before. Like, this meal is on constant rotation in our house - I probably make it once or twice a month. While I won’t call it an “easy” meal (anything requiring more than 5 ingredients and scooping out 3 dozen balls is no longer classifiably easy, in my book), it is really delicious and I find that just about every palette gets what it wants from it.
Of course there’s lots of great umami from the beef, pork, and fish sauce, but there’s unexpected sweetness from the peanut sauce, and a hit of freshness from the lime and lemongrass. You can also make this entirely gluten free by using gluten-free panko (or just omitting altogether) and all zoodles (or your faux noodle of choice…and really, ISN’T CHOICE ALL ANYONE REALLY WANTS?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!).
The only reason someone wouldn’t make this dish is if they were battling a gnarly peanut allergy…and in that case, use almonds! THERE ARE NO EXCUSES ANYMORE. EXTREME THAI MEATBALL BOWLS, BITCHES!!!!!
This is the kind of meal that with just a couple easy swaps, will still be on monthly rotation in our house. It just won’t be quite as interesting.
When’s the last time you worked really hard to lose weight?
What’s worked best for you?
Thai Meatball Bowls
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray (I like coconut oil).
- Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. I use my hands 'cus I'm a grown woman, but I guess you could use a wooden spoon if you're weak.
- Using a small cookie scoop (or two spoons), scoop out meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet. You should end up with about 36 meatballs.
- Bake meatballs for 13-15 minutes, until cooked through.
- Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Sauce should be the consistency of...sauce. If it's too thick, add more warm water a tablespoon or two at a time until it's pourable.
- Toss ramen and zoodles with peanut sauce and meatballs. Top with peanuts, fresh cilantro, Thai basil, and mint.
