Cevapi - Minced Meat! 21DSD - Day 1

Cevapi - tastier than it looks! :)

Today, my hubby and I kicked-off our first ever 21 Day Sugar Detox, written and created by Diane Sanfilippo. After traveling for three weeks on our honeymoon, often eating out for all our main meals, our bodies were begging for a reset with food made at home using clean ingredients; sans added sugar and flour/fillers. 

Our day started with sweet potato fries cooked in duck fat, smoked salmon, and a side of homemade sauerkraut. Because we do lead pretty active lives, we will continue to incorporate starchy tubers (yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes). For lunch, I had packed Broiled Wild Salmon and zoodles that I prepared the night before. The salmon recipe is from The 21 Day Sugar Detox; very simple and fast to prepare, and super tasty! Snacks for the day: one green apple and a bag of Jerky Chews.

For tonight's dinner, I wanted to recreate Cevapi. It's Bosnia - Herzegovina's national dish of minced meat rolled into cylinders, typically served in flatbread with raw onions. Cevapi actually means cylinder in Bosnian and reminiscent of the Turkish kofta kebabs. No surprise there, the Turks greatly influenced the local cuisine during their invasion centuries back, and why you'll find variations of the dish in other parts of Eastern Europe. I personally like the simple lamb and beef variety I'm happy to share with you. 

Cevapi Ingredients:

• 1 pound of grass-fed ground beef 
• 2 pounds of pasture raised lamb 
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp. paprika (I only had the sweet Hungarian paprika on hand, but any will work. You can also add some cayenne for a nice spicy-kick)
• 1 Tbsp. Real Salt 
• 1 Tbsp. cooking fat of choice (I used ghee)

Preparation:

1. Heat butter oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped garlic and white onion, sauté until translucent. 
2. Meanwhile, mix the lamb, beef, eggs, paprika, and salt in a bowl. 
3. Add the cooked onion and garlic into the mixture. Mix well.
4. Shape with your hands into 2 inch cylinders and arrange in a baking pan. Refrigerate covered for one hour to overnight, to let the flavors fully marinate. 
5. When ready, preheat oven and cook on Broil, 6 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the middle. You can also grill or pan fry. 
6. Enjoy with sliced tomatoes and onions, accompanied with your choice of veggies instead of bread. 
7. Enjoy!