Skinny Piggy

Healthy bacon? How can bacon possibly be healthy? Well, it's not. One of the biggest health concerns about bacon is that about 68% of bacon's calories come from fat, almost half of which is saturated, according to WebMD. The reason why this is so bad for your health is because saturated fat raises the level of cholesterol in your blood, which then increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. Additionally, some saturated fat-rich foods tend to be high in dietary cholesterol, which then raises your cholesterol levels even higher. While cholesterol is bad for your health, there is something worse. According to Web MD, "researchers have concluded that regular consumption of processed meats may lead to higher risk for prostate cancer and several other cancers."

Although bacon is not truly healthy, there are healthy alternatives for bacon lovers like myself! Your best choice is uncured, reduced-sodium center cut bacon. The reason to choose uncured bacon is to avoid the nitrates and nitrites that may lead to cancer. Center cut bacon is also a good choice because it is lower in fat. This way, you actually get more meat and less fat, which tastes great! While one of the best parts of bacon is it's salty taste, reduced sodium bacon is definitely the way to go. By eating reduced sodium bacon, you save about 100mg of sodium per serving, and although that isn't that much, it is very helpful since the most people (or maybe just me) eat more than one serving (2-3 slices).

It's hard for me to buy anything but the extra fatty, salty bacon that I love, but why risk raising your cholesterol levels and increasing your chances of cancer when you can choose an alternative that is healthier and tastes just as great? However, I sometimes question my decision after reading the article "105-Year-Old Woman Says Bacon Keeps Her Alive".

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes With Molasses Bacon Butter

Looking for a delicious breakfast meal that has just the right balance of sweet and salty? Well I've got the perfect recipe for all of you bacon and pumpkin pie lovers: pumpkin pie pancakes with molasses bacon butter.

Pumpkin pie pancakes taken by Chia Chong

If you ask any of my friends and family what my favorite meal of the day is or what my favorite meal to cook is, they will immediately tell you "breakfast". Not only are there so many options for breakfast - some of my favorites being bacon, pancakes, crepes and omelets - but it is truly the most important meal of the day! Breakfast is what fuels you up and gets you ready for the day, so why skip out on a scrumptious meal and later become irritable, restless, and tired?

With that said, I give you the recipe for pumpkin pie pancakes with molasses bacon butter, courtesy of Libbie Summers' cookbook, The Whole Hog Cookbook.

Pumpkin Pie Pancake ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

- pinch of ground ginger

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 4 tablespoons sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1/4 cup melted butter

- 3/4 cup pumpkin, mashed

- 2/3 cup milk

- 1 teaspoon organic vanilla

Bacon Butter:

- 1/2 pound bacon, cooked crisp, drained and roughly chopped

- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

- 1 tablespoon molasses

Directions:

Step 1: Whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, salt, and baking powder in one bowl, while whisking the sugar, eggs, butter, pumpkin, milk and vanilla in another. 

Step 2: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until combined.

Step 3: Pour pancake batter on a heated griddle or skillet until the pancakes form bubbles and the edges look dry.

Step 4: Flip the pancakes and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes.

Step 5: In another bowl, mix together the bacon, butter, and molasses just until combined.

Step 6: Spread the molasses bacon butter on your pumpkin pancakes and enjoy!

How To Choose Your Bacon

The first thing you ought to know about bacon is where it comes from, but that all depends on a few things. While most of us think of bacon that comes from our little pudgy, pink friends, pigs, there is also bacon that is made from turkey, chicken, and even soy. With that said, in order to be called bacon in America, it must be cut and cured from a pig, which leads me to the next point: what part of a pig does bacon come from?

Well, that depends on the style you want. American bacon, which looks like the typical "streaky-looking" bacon, comes from the fatty parts of a pig's belly. Canadian bacon, also known as "back bacon", is made from the pork loins that are located on the back of the pig. This portion of the pig is almost completely free of any fat at all and makes a more "meaty" strip, which is quite different than American bacon. Pancetta is the name for Italian, Croatian and Slovenian bacon. It comes from the pork belly and typically, it is brined, which means that it is soaked in salty water, and then rolled into a roll.

Pancetta

The next thing to consider when choosing your bacon is what you want to use your bacon for. The reason why this is an important factor is because, for example, if you are going to cut up bacon and add it to your dish as a seasoning like on top of your salad, you can choose the cheap, store brand bacon and therefore reduce the cost. Additionally, if you are going to cut up the bacon, pancetta might be your best option because it is brined, not smoked. On the other hand, if you want that full-flavored taste, then go with a fatty brand of bacon.

So there it is, a guide on how to choose your bacon. Stay tuned for my next post, in which I will discuss, yet again, that bacon is the best meat ever.