Suuuweeeeeet Summer is coming! This weekend I'll be running away to my fave place in the woods with a view of the lake and the smell of freshness. Freshness. That is right. Why? 'Cause I won't be grilling my homies.
I am not a huge fan of the old BBQ. Not really. Once in a while we'll light the flame and get some sweet potatoes grilling- but meat, no way. A barbecued burger? Hello cancer sandwich. I think I'll pass.
My bestest friends over at Harvard have this to say on the subject:
When meat is cooked at high temperatures, amino acids react with creatine to form heterocyclic amines, which are thought to cause cancer. Grilling is double trouble because it also exposes meat to cancer-causing chemicals contained in the smoke that rises from burning coals and any drips of fat that cause flare-ups. How long the meat is cooked is also a factor in heterocyclic amine formation; longer cooking time means more heterocyclic amines. Depending on the temperature at which it’s cooked, meat roasted or baked in the oven may contain some heterocyclic amines, but it’s likely to be considerably less than in grilled, fried, or broiled meat.
Sadly, and ridiculously, my not so best friends over at Harvard go on to suggest that microwaving your meat first might be helpful. Please, please, don't do that.
Over at Medicine.Net, they're sharing research that has discovered two cancer-causing (carcinogenic) byproducts associated with barbecuing red meat, poultry, lamb, pork, and fish. The National Institute of Health, Department of Health and Human Services included HCAs on its "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen list".
Right- that's the "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen list" incase you missed it the first time. This is the silliest named list ever.
Now, I know some of you will be wanting to partake in the meat grilling despite my warnings. If this is the case, try and cook at lower temperatures, and cook lower fat meat to prevent the flares. Even better- ensure you include certain magical antioxidant powered anti-inflammatory spices in your marinade.
These include:
- ginger
- chili
- cinnamon
- turmeric
- cumin
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Yield: 12
- ½ cup quinoa
- 1 cup water
- 1 15 oz can organic chickpeas
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¾ cup grated sweet potato
- ¼ cup wild leek bulbs, finely chopped (or red onion)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 egg or 1 serving chia paste
- ½ cup gluten free oat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of sea salt
- Preheat oven to 350
- In a medium sauce pan, add quinoa and water. Bring to a boil covered, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Set aside.
- In a food processor, mix together chickpeas, lemon juice and olive oil until consistency is an even paste. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add grated sweet potato, leeks, garlic, parsley, tamari and quinoa and mix well.
- Mix in egg/ chia paste, oat flour, baking powder and sea salt.
- On a parchment lined baking sheet, form patties using about ⅓ of the mixture.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from over, flip over and bake for another ten until lightly browned, and slightly firm to the touch.
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Yield: 4-6
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- ¼ cup raw almonds
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ clove garlic
- 2 tsp fresh ginger root
- 2 Tbs lemon juice
- ½ tsp sea salt (or to taste)
- Throw it all into your food processing tool of choice and process away. Serve on crackers, with veggies, great with fish and can also be frozen to use later.
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