Saturday, March 17, 2012

Beef Gelatin, My New Favorite Cooking Ingredient

Since no longer being vegan or a vegetarian, I have forgotten how much I used to love Jell-O and all things jiggly, except for abdominal obesity, that's the only jiggle I don't like. If you look at the ingredients of standard Jell-O, it is junk and then you look at the sugar free version and it gets even worse. That's where pure gelatin powder comes in.

Gelatin also has numerous benefits when it is consumed in a clean way and not a sugar-laden fat producing way. Gelatin can improve metabolism, joints and skin. I know since I've added gelatin to my dit I have had a ton more energy. I eat gelatin everyday.

I started off buying Knox gelatin, but then I switched to Now's Beef Gelatin because it comes in a bigger bottle, it's more cost-effective and it is from beef. I usually avoid anything and everything pig-derived, except for the occasional greasy strip of bacon, mmm. Another great brand of gelatin is Great Lakes because their gelatin is from grass-fed cows, even better. Below are some great recipes I have come up with for gelatin. One I use as a snack, one as my post weightlifting meal and the other is something I eat for breakfast.

Chocolate Protein Gelatin

Ingredients:

-5 g cocoa powder
-10g beef or pork-derived gelatin or one envelope Knox gelatin
-2-3cups boiling water
-1 TBSP coconut flour
-5 drops liquid stevia or 1 packet stevia
-1 TBSP protein powder of your choice, I use this one

Directions:

1. Boil 2-3 cups water
2. Once boiled, pour into a bowl and mix in the gelatin. Stir until completely dissolved.
3. Stir in the cocoa powder, stevia, coconut flour, and protein powder.
4. (optional), I like to drop in a tsp of nut butter, so after it chills I have a surprise when I'm eating it!
 5. Put in the refrigerator and refrigerate until the desired consistency is reached.

Makes 1 serving

Nutrition: 114 calories, 16g protein (depending on protein powder),  8g carbs, 2g fat, 3.5g fiber, .5-1g sugar

Pumpkin Gelatin

Ingredients:
-1/4 cup serving canned pumpkin
-10g beef or pork-derived gelatin or one envelope Knox gelatin
-1 TBSP coconut flour, I only use Bob's Red Mill
-2-3 cups boiling water
-5-6 drops liquid stevia
-1 tsp ground cinnamon and/or pumpkin pie spice
 
Directions:

1. Boil 2-3 cups water
2. Once boiled, pour into a bowl and mix in gelatin. Stir until completely dissolved.
3. Mix in the canned pumpkin until it fully assimilates into the water and is no longer clumpy
4. Mix in the rest of the ingredients
5. Put in the refrigerator and refrigerate until the desired consistency is reached. 

Makes 1 serving

Nutrition:  93 calories, 10.5g protein, 10.5g carbs,  1g fat, 5.5 g fiber, 2.5g sugar

Tea Gelatin





Ingredients:

-2-3 cups boiling water
-10g beef or pork-derived gelatin or one envelope Knox gelatin
-2 bags of your favorite tea or more if you desire
-5-6 drops of liquid stevia

Directions:

1. Boil 2-3 cups water
2. Once boiled, pour into a bowl add the tea bags
3. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes
4. Mix in the gelatin until it is completely dissolved
5. Mix in the stevia
6. Put in the refrigerator

 Makes 1 serving

Nutrition:  8-9g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat, 0g sugar = 32-36 calories per serving

For the Tea Gelatin I usually make a hibiscus/green tea or rooibos flavored gelatin, it is really great. I add coconut flour to the others because it adds another dimension to the texture. The coconut flour tends to sink to the bottom, so the bottom layer has a nice mousse texture where as the top layer is more like standard Jell-O. 


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