This is the first of a series of blog posts that will provide recipes for you to break your fasts with! Up today: Meatballs!

We often get questions about how to break a fast. There are many great ways to eat after a fast – you should experiment with what helps you feel your best! However, a good rule of thumb is to break a fast slowly and intentionally by enjoying a healthy and balanced meal. For a number of reasons, it may be best to break your fast with a relatively low glycemic index or low glycemic load meal. Examples of lower glycemic load foods are non-starchy vegetables and fruits; healthy sources of protein including unprocessed meat, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes; and whole grains. Avoid simple sugars, foods with added sugars and refined grains for a low glycemic load meal.

Why is a lower glycemic load meal a good choice after a fast? First of all, such a meal is designed to have a low impact on your blood sugar levels and insulin released from your pancreas. Insulin is a storage hormone that is released when you eat (especially carbohydrates) and helps to drive sugars from your food into your cells for storage, for example in your fat cells. Insulin is also a powerful messenger in your body that tells various organs and cells that times are good, grow and prosper! You might be familiar with the idea that intermittent fasting activates fat burning, a cellular recycling process called autophagy and other stress-combating and energy-efficiency adaptations. It does so precisely by allowing your blood sugar levels and your insulin levels to lower.

It makes sense to ease your body back into glucose and insulin signaling after a fast, by not eating anything too heavy in simple carbohydrates that are easily digested and broken down into sugars.

After a long fast, when your body is in the mode of breaking down fats and using them as fuel, a large influx of simple carbs and sugars can also come as a bit of a shock, leading to short-term blood sugar spikes. For the health of your heart, brain, muscles and other tissues and cells in your body, it’s best to avoid these large spikes whenever possible. Not only can blood sugar spikes be harmful to your cells and tissues, but they can leave you feeling sluggish and hungry soon after your break-fast meal.

So feel your best by breaking your fast with a healthy, balanced, low glycemic load meal! Our resident chef Stephanie Krizman has prepared a delicious one for you to try below!

Asian Meatballs

Yields: 24 small meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound Organic Ground Pork

1⁄2 pound Ground Italian Sausage

1 teaspoon Minced Garlic

2 teaspoons Minced Fresh Ginger

1 Tablespoon Minced Shallot

1 Tablespoon Minced Cilantro

1 1⁄2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1⁄2 cup Chopped Water Chestnuts (a starchy veggie)

1 Head Bibb or Butter Lettuce

1 Bunch Radishes

1 English Cucumber

Technique:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix using your hands to incorporate

the ingredients well. Using a medium sized ice cream scoop, portion out meatballs onto a lined baking

sheet. Place in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until meatballs register an internal

temperature of 165 degrees. Wash lettuce and separate into “cups”. Wash and slice radishes into

matchsticks (thin slices). Wash and peel cucumber, dice into cubes.

To assemble lettuce cups, place a cup on a dinner plate or platter. Place several

meatballs into cup and garnish with radishes and cucumbers. Drizzle with

sauces (below) and enjoy!

Almond-Cilantro Cream

Yield: 1 cup sauce

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup Almonds

1 cup Cilantro

1 each Garlic Clove

1 small Jalapeno

1⁄4 cup Lime Juice

1⁄4 tsp Cumin

6 Tablespoons Greek Yogurt

Salt to Taste

Technique:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Adjust seasoning, pour sauce into container and refrigerate.

Chili-Lime Sauce

Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients:

1 Minced Garlic Clove

1 tsp Salt

1 Whole Egg

1 Egg Yolk

3 Tablespoons Lime Juice

Zest of 1 Lime

2 Small Orange Habanero Peppers

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1 cup Olive Oil

Technique:

1. Place all ingredients except for olive oil in a food processor or blender. Begin

blending while adding oil in a slow steady stream. Mix until sauce is thick and

smooth. Wrap and refrigerate.

Stephanie Krizman has over 20 years of experience in producing high-quality baked goods and dishes in a number of different cuisines. She independently owns and operates Fleur Delicious Craft Bakery, an artisanal culinary project that emphasizes farmer’s market produce, fresh flavors, collaboration and community service.