“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.”
― Umberto Eco, Foucault’s Pendulum
These meaty wee numbers were created for my Dad. Believe it or not, his middle name is Noy.
Dad has recently returned home from an overseas holiday. A holiday where the food was good and the wine flowed freely. It’s just a little possible that he may have over-indulged a smidge… And so, he is currently following Dr Mark Hyman’s ‘Eat Fat, Get Thin’ (EFGT).
Many of the principles of Dr Hyman’s plan are similar to those of a low carbohydrate Paleo or ancestral approach, especially in the first three weeks. To help Dad stay on track and motivated, I said that I’d do a sort of AIP modified version of EFGT.
And, given we share a similar physiology, I also suggested that Dad give up nightshades as part of his plan, too.
So, of course, that means I’m thinking of ways I can help Dad stay on track with his program. And, when you give up all the carbs, one of the tricky areas to navigate are snacks.
I’m talking those times when you open the fridge looking for something to munch on immediately
That’s where these puppies come in. They’re a great snackage option. But, they also fit the bill for breakfast or lunch on the run – especially if you add some sliced veggies (think: cucumber and carrot sticks) or a healthy green smoothie.
Here’s what else you get with these NUTRIMENTAL (yes – that is an actual word!) Meaty Muffins:
♥ AIP, Paleo & Keto
♥ Nutrient dense
♥ Freeze well
♥ Great for lunch boxes
♥ A great way to get picky eaters to eat veggies and/or liver!
I made the Meaty Muffins pictured without an egg to bind the mix.
The combination of grated zuke and sautéed veggies and bacon, coupled with the pureed liver keeps the muffins lovely and moist. Eggs are not part of the Autoimmune Protocol elimination diet. If eggs have been successfully reintroduced or are a part of your diet, feel free to add one to the mixture before cooking.
Of course, you can also play around with the ingredients, too. Feel like chicken mince instead of beef – go for it. Have an abundance of basil that you’d like to use up – throw that in. Prefer carrot and kale to zucchini and silver-beet – that’ll work, too. These are my Dad’s Meaty Muffins. You could come up with your own version…
- 1 tablespoon happy fat (I used duck fat)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cup (about) 50 g silver-beet (chard), well chopped and tightly packed
- 2 rashers (about 150g) bacon
- 250 g happy (pasture raised, antibiotic-free) beef mince (ground beef)
- 250g happy pork or veal mince (ground pork/veal)
- 200 g happy chicken livers
- 1 zucchini, grated and squeezed of excess liquid
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon cinammon
- 1 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 happy egg (optional - omit for AIP elimination)
- Pinch of salt
- Coconut oil for greasing
- Heat your oven to 180°C / 360°F. Lightly grease 9 holes of a muffin tray with coconut oil.
- Heat your fat in a large frypan and add the onion, garlic, silver-beet, and bacon. Sauté until browned and softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Pop your chicken livers into your blender and give them a good whizz until pureed.
- Now, in a separate bowl combine the minced meats, pureed liver, egg (if using), zucchini, fish sauce, cinnamon, rosemary, and thyme. Add a generous pinch of salt. Add the onion, kale, garlic and bacon mixture. Mix thoroughly.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into 8 or 9 muffin holes. Be generous.
- Pop into your oven and cook for 40 - 45 minutes.
E N J O Y !
This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable.
