Low Carb Recipes
 

Feel free to contribute your own. :)

Easy Crockpot Beef or Pork Tenderloin Roast
 

EASY CROCKPOT BEEf or PORK TENDERLOIN ROAST

Season roast on both sides to taste with salt or salt substitute, dehydrated onion, and/or any other seasonings you like.

Place in crockpot and add water to about 2/3-3/4 up to the top of the roast.

Put the lid on the crockpot, of course. LOL

For half a roast, I cook it on low for only about 5 hours so the meat won't get dried out. For a whole roast I cook it on low for only about 6 hours.

Then I carefully take the meat out and let it rest, covered, for about ten minutes to let the juices settle so the all the juices won't run out when first cut. THEN cut the cooked meat.

You can enjoy the meat right away, or let it cool in the juices and reheat later.

I put the hot juice into a casserole dish to let cool slightly while the meat is resting. Then add the cut meat back into the juice. The next day, any leftover meat will be even more flavorful and juicy.

Chicken Cakes (like crab cakes)
 

CHICKEN CAKES (like crab cakes)

Note: Prepare mixture ahead of time and chill for 2 hours before cooking.

These had a great crunchy outside, and since the chicken was cooked, you didn't need to worry about making sure they were done inside


Serves 2

adapted from Dyan's Low Carb Recipes and Links

Ingredients:
2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded (total about 12 oz. raw weight, or 8 oz. cooked)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dehydrated minced onion
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup bread crumbs or pork rind crumbs
cooking oil

Directions:
Shred cooked chicken
Mix mayo, onion, and lemon juice.
Add to chicken and form into patties.
Heat oil in pan.
Coat each patty with pork rind crumbs.
Brown until heated through and outside is crisp on both sides.

Nutrition counts for one serving without oil and with pork rind crumbs instead of bread crumbs


Calories 445; Fat 34.7g; Sat fat 5.5g; Poly 16.8g; Mono 9.7g; Total Carbs 1.9g; Fiber .2g; Protein 33.4g

Turkey Sausage
 

Mern's Turkey Sausage

One pound ground turkey
--1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
--about 1/2 teaspoon salt substitute or salt
-- about 2 teaspoons dehydrated onion
-- about 3/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
-- about 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
-- about 1/2 tsp. ground pepper OR McCormick Salt Free All-purpose Seasoning OR Salt Free Steak Seasoning.

Mix well and nuke or fry in non-stick skillet.

Entire recipe approximately Calories 1,101
Fat 89.1
Saturated 23.2
Polyunsaturated 50.3
Monounsaturated 14.9
Carbohydrate 9.2
Dietary Fiber 1.7
Protein 69.3

Zucchini and Spinach Gratin
 

Zucchini and Spinach Gratin Recipe

Zucchini and Spinach Gratin Recipe | Simply Recipes

Prep time: 40 minutesCook time: 1 hour

The recipe calls for bacon and I think it's an important flavor component. For those of you who don't eat pork, or meat, you can substitute butter and or olive oil (a couple tablespoons) to sauté the onions.

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs zucchini
Kosher salt
1 lb frozen spinach*
3 slices of thick cut bacon (about 3 ounces), cut crosswise 1/4-inch pieces
1 large onion
1 handful of parsley (about 1/2 cup of leaves, lightly packed)
3 cloves garlic, peeled, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
Olive oil
* Or 6 packed cups of fresh chopped spinach leaves, blanched and drained

METHOD
1 Grate the zucchini. Toss the grated zucchini with about a teaspoon of Kosher salt. Place the grated zucchini in a large sieve (or colander) placed over a bowl to catch the water as the salt helps the zucchini release its moisture. Let sit for 30 minutes or so, then squeeze out the remaining excess moisture with paper towels or a clean tea towel.

2 Thaw the spinach, let drain while the zucchini is draining. Then squeeze out the excess moisture with paper towels or a tea towel.

3 Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the bacon and gently cook until lightly browned and most of the fat rendered out, about 10 minutes.

4 While the bacon is cooking, peel and finely chop the onion. Add the onions to the bacon and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the onions have softened.

5 While the bacon and onions are cooking, prepare the parsley and garlic. Place the parsley and garlic with a small pinch of salt into a food processor and pulse just a couple of times.

6 Preheat the oven to 350°F.

7 Place the zucchini into a large bowl. With a wooden spoon, mix in the cooked onions and bacon. Mix in the spinach, parsley, and garlic. Mix in half of the Parmesan. Taste, and add black pepper and more salt to taste. Mix in the eggs.

8 Coat the bottom and sides of a 2 quart casserole or gratin dish with a tablespoon of olive oil. Put the zucchini spinach mixture into the dish and pack it down. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top and drizzle with a little olive oil.

9 Bake in a 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes, until the top is nicely browned. Serve immediately. Reheats well.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

Italian Green Beans Like LaDonna's Cafe
 

Italian Green Beans Like LaDonna's Cafe

This is from a restaurant Mern and DH went to. The owner wouldn't give me the recipe but he was kind enough to confirm ingredients I guess, but not the quantities. DH agrees it's a good copy-cat recipe.


Note: best if cooked ahead of time and allowed to set in own juices for a couple hours or more before reheating and adding the crumbled bacon.


Ingredients:
3 slices bacon
1/2 small onion, sliced thin and then rough chopped
12 oz. frozen Italian green beans
2 tsp. low sodium bouillon powder dissolved in 1 cup water OR 1 cup beef broth
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. light/low sodium soy sauce such as Bragg's
another tsp. low sodium beef bouillon powder--added dry for added seasoning
salt substitute to taste, if needed

Directions:
1. Fry bacon in skillet. Remove bacon, set aside, keep grease in skillet.
2. Caramelize onion in the bacon grease. Keeping bacon grease in skillet again, remove and set aside the caramelized onion. 3. Add to skillet Italian green beans, beef broth (either broth or bouillon powder dissolved in water) and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook until beans are to desired tenderness.
4. Add back the carmelized onion, the extra teaspoon bouillon powder and the soy sauce and season with additional salt substitute if necessary, but remember crumbled bacon will also add some saltiness.

If serving later, cool and refrigerate the beans and the bacon seperately until serving time.

5. Rewarm the beans if cooked earlier. Before serving, crumble bacon over top.

Mock Sweet Potato Casserole (Made With Pumpkin)
 

From a now disbanded low carb group

MOCK SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Casserole:

2 15 oz cans solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 eggs
2 TBS Brown Sugar Twin or sugar free pancake syrup
4 TBS melted butter
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of salt

Streusel topping:
1/2 C crushed almonds
2 TBS butter, softened
1/2 tsp. cinnamon or to taste
heat stable artificial sweetener equivalent to 2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350

Mix all but topping ingredients together and put into an 8 x 8 lightly greased casserole. In a small bowl, mix together crushed almonds, softened butter, cinnamon, and sweetener. Cut together to form small crumbs. Sprinkle on pumpkin mixture in casserole. Bake for 45 minutes or until slightly browned and set. Serves 6.

Cal 249, Fat 21 gr, carbs 14 gr, Fiber 7 gr, net carbs 7, Protein gr. 7

____________________

Spinach, Carmelized Onion and Cheese Bake
 

Spinach, Carmelized Onion, Cheese Bake


adapted from Linda's Low Carb Recipes
CHEESY SPINACH WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS - Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes

1 lb. frozen cut leaf spinach
1T water
2 medium onions (about 8 oz. total) slivered
2 tablespoons butter
non-stick cooking spray for casserole dish.
6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) shredded Italian blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350F Spray 8 inch square casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray
Defrost spinach in water in microwave. NEEDS ONLY TO BE WILTED. Drain well.
Carmelize onions in the butter.
Mix together spinach and onions. Turn into sprayed casserole dish, top with cheese.
Bake about 20 minutes until cheese is lightly browned.


Nurtition counts for entire recipe:
773 Calories; 44.5g Fat; 39.1g Carbs; 16.4g Fiber; 57g protein

Counts for 1/4 recipe by weight or measurement
193 calories; 11.1g Fat; 9.8g Carbs; 4.1g Fiber 5.7g Net Carbs; 14.3g Protein

Fennel and Cabbage Slaw
 

Fennel and Cabbage Slaw

(may actually be entitled just "Fennel Slaw" on the website where I found it.)


Fennel Slaw


c.1997, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger, all rights reserved

Prep Time:
30 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
--

Level:
Easy

Serves:
6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 small red cabbage, about 2 cups shredded
2 large fennel bulbs, about 4 cups shredded
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons grated horseradish, preferably fresh
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Cut cabbage in quarters, lengthwise. Remove and discard core and slice as finely as possible across width. Place in large bowl.

Remove wispy fennel leaves. Chop and reserve for garnish. Cut bulbs in half and slice as finely as possible across width, discarding hard cores. Place in bowl with cabbage.

Combine remaining ingredients in another bowl. Add, half a cup at a time, to cabbage and fennel just until well moistened. You don't want a pool of dressing at bottom of bowl. Toss well and store in refrigerator.

Potsticker Patties
 

Potsticker Patties
adapted from POTSTICKER PATTIES - Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes

Cabbage Mixture
3/4 lb. to 1 lb. shredded green cabbage
2 tsp. dehydrated minced onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tablespoon oil

Meat Mixture:
1/2 lb. ground pork (used 9.6 oz. lean pork loin ground in food processor and it came out fine)
1/2 lb. ground turkey or chicken (used 9 oz. chicken breast ground in food processor)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1 tablespoon dehydrated chopped onion
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. sesame oil (I think I used 1/4 tsp.)
1 tablespoons oil (optional--use if grinding very lean pork)

Directions:
Shred cabbage, add rest of ingredients except oil, and saute lightly in oil--a little more soft than crisp-tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, mix all of the meat mixture ingredients, except the oil, in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until the egg no longer feels slimy. Stir in the cabbage until well blended. Divide the mixture into 8 equal size patties. Fry, 4 at a time, in oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook about 8 minutes per side or until done in the center. Creator of recipe found that they got quite dark brown on the outside, but they didn't taste burned.

Per Serving: 308 Calories; 20g Fat; 25g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 4g Net Carbs

Crockpot Crumpled Foil "Rotisserie" Chicken
 

Crockpot Crumpled Foil "Rotisserie" Chicken

I used 4 1/2 lb. frying chicken seasoned with NoSalt inside and out. Rubbed skin with olive oil. Sprinkled liberally all over the skin Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper Seasoning. Cooked in crockpot on high for 5 hours.


1. place a rack or several balls of crumpled aluminum foil in the bottom of your crock pot.
2. season & salt & pepper the cavity of large chicken and stuff with celery (leaves and all) and an onion or two. Discard after cooking - the celery and onion are just for flavoring.
3. Spray with butter flavored PAM
4. place chicken, breast side up, on top of rack or foil.
5. season with your favorite spices. You may have to adjust the spices to taste after you try this. They seem to "wash off" in the cooking process, so don't skimp.
6. cover and cook on high 4-6 hours

The rack keeps the chicken from just stewing in it's own fat, and it tastes (really) like one of those rotisserie chickens you can buy at the store, but it is better for you because you control what goes on it. No sugars and carmel flavorings to make it look good. I discard the skin.

Low Carb Dry Onion Soup Mix
 

Low Carb Dry Onion Soup Mix

Makes 4 tablespoons or equivalent of one envelope dry onion soup mix

3 tablespoon minced onion dried onion
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
up to 1/2 tsp. salt substitute if using no or low sodium bouillon

Mix, store in tightly covered container or jar.

Without salt substitute:

Per Batch: 72 calories; .1g fat; 16.9g; 1310mg sodium; total carbs; 1.6g fiber; 15.3g net carbs; 1.7g protein

Per 1 tablespoon serving : 18 calories; 327.5mg sodium; trace fat; 4.23g total carbs; .4g fiber; 3.83g net carbs; .425g protein

Individual Peach Tarts
 

Individual Peach Tarts

Ingredients
no-stick cooking spray
2 soft, doughy low carb tortillas (like LaBanderita brand from Walmart)
3 to 4 medium peaches (when peeled total about 1 pound)
Heat stable artificial sweetener equivalent to 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar


Directions:

Tart Shells:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Spray six cupcake/muffin tin sections with no-stick cooking spray
3. With a round cutter or jar lid about 3 1/2 inches in diameter, cut each tortilla into three rounds. (*reserve scraps-see note)
4. Press each tortilla round into a cupcake/muffin tin section
5. Bake about 5 minutes until golden brown--watch carefully so they don't burn. Turn carefully out of tin and cool on a rack.

*Note: La Banderita brand low carb tortillas are very soft and the scraps can be pressed back together to make one a little larger than half a tortilla. I've successfully used the scraps this way to make more mini tart shells, so I'm sure it would work for this size shell as well. OR you can use it for your next sandwich wrap. :)


Filling: total baking time about 35 minutes
Turn oven up to 425 degrees
6. Wash and peel each peach. No need to remove pit unless desired. Slice each peach the thickness of from the outside of the peach to the seed.
7. Place the peaches in a 1 1/2 pint or 3 cup glass casserole dish
and added the sweetener. Mix well.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes, then stir and continue baking about another 15 minutes until softened and bubbly.
9. Divide the peach filling evenly among the six tart shells.
10. Best when served warm.

If desired can top with a small amount of no sugar added ice cream or sugar free whipped topping.

Nutrition counts per tart using pourable Splenda
Calories: 48
Total Fat .6g
Saturated Fat .2g
Polyunsaturated Fat .3g
Monounsaturated Fat .1g
Total Carbohydrate 10.1g
Dietary Fiber 2.3g
Net Carbohydrate 7.8g
Protein 1.7g

Thanks for the ideas for low carb receipes
 

I have been logging Fitday for two weeks. Keeping the calories so far, however I am really wanting a low calorie dessert. Is there a site on this program that gives you recipes?

BJD, as far as I know, we all just share recipes. Maybe you can start a thread asking for low cal desserts? Mern, any thoughts on this?

I have a dessert that is low carb, low fat, sugar free. Don't know if this helps but it is delicious.

Modified from The South Beach Diet:

1/2 c low fat ricotta (fat free is just dry ad nasty so if you use it, add water)
1/2 t unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 t vanilla extract
1 pack sugar substitute

I add some cofee extract sometimes to make it mocha. You can add different flavorings to the basic cheese, extract and sweetener. It works with just vanilla extract alone too.

Mix, enjoy.

Also modified South Beach:
Easy Steak

1 1/2 lbs steak
1/4 c catsup + 1/4 c water (or 1/2 c tomato juice)
1/4 c Worchestershire
1 small onion, chopped or 1/4 c chopped onion
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
salt and pepper to taste

Mix and pour over steak in non reactive bowl (ie not metal) broil or grill and enjoy.

Delish Fish

1 pound of seabass but you can use any firm white fish
1 minced scallion (green onion)
1T minced or crushed fresh ginger
2T low sodium soy
2t sesame oil


Make a packet with tin foil, put the fish in the center, cover with the sauce, make sure the packet is closed tight. Bake in 350 oven or grill roughly 10 minutes or until fish is done. Yum!

Shrimp Scampi

Place shrimp in a pyrex, melt 2T butter or use 1T butter, 1T olive oil. Press or dice 1-2 cloves of garlic, sprinkle parsley, paprika, oregano to taste. Squeeze 1/2 lemon (or less.) Pour over shrimp, sprinkle sugar free bread crumbs. Broil for 3-4 minutes until shrimp is cooked.

I'd say you can use for fish if you don't eat shrimp.

Barbara Jean, this Food Talk forum IS the place for recipes.

I agree with canary52. since you didn't find what you need yet in the Food Talk Forum or in this low carb thread (low carb and low cal don't always go hand-in-hand) the best thing to do is to open a new thread asking for people to share low calorie dessert recipes. I'll bet a lot of members would apprciate having a special thread for that.

In case you're not familiar with opening a new thread:

Exit this Low Carb Recipe thread and go back to the Food Talk forum and click on the button NEW THREAD. Post one of your own ideas/recipes to start and I'll bet you'll have some replies with new recipes in no time. :)

Basic Marsala Sauce for chicken or fish

1-2 T butter
1-2 T olive oil
1/4 c marsala wine
1/4 c chicken stock
1-2 cloves garlic
parsley, oregano, basil to taste
salt, pepper to taste
add fresh grated parmesan cheese to taste before serving
optional: saute mushrooms in butter and olive oil first, set aside, add to sauce before serivng and before cheese

These measurements are approximate; this is an eyeball, taste kind of recipe. If the wine tastes too strong, add stock or butter. Plus increase amounts to need.

You can cook cleaned unpeeled shrimp in this or pour over chicken. It's better over chicken with some kind of breading. For low carb use crushed up pork rinds or soy protein powder.

More low carb hints:

Walden Farms makes zero calorie no sugar/no carb dressings, surprisingly good. I get them in the refrigerated section of the produce area in Shoprite, don't know what stores are near you. Besides being great as dressings they make good marinades. The balsamic and "honey dijon" are the best.

Example:
Use 1/4 c Walden Farms balsamic dressing
Add 2T soy sauce
Add 2t Baron's Green Seasoning (again in Shoprite)
Add 1/4 c water
1-cloves garlic
Spices (I like oregano)

You can also add sesame oil to this.

Marinate fish, chicken, prolly work nicely on pork and beef.

I'm all about simple.

Pumpkin Lasagna Using Dreamfields Brand (low digestible carb) Pasta
 

Pumpkin Lasagna

This is how I used the first summer squash from our garden tonight.

I made this recipe low carb by using Dreamfields Lasagna. I manage my blood sugar through diet alone and found I can count it (as the package touts) as only 5g digestible carbs per 2 oz. of the dry pasta. The finished dish came in at just under 9g net carbs (total carbs less fiber) per serving.

DH enjoyed it and said he'd like to have it again. :)


adapted from
Pumpkin Lasagna - 10 Delicious Ways to Cook Pumpkin - Shape Magazine - Page 4

Ingredients:
15 oz. can (1 1/2 c.) plain pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
3/4 c. ricotta cheese
3/4 lb. ground turkey sausage, removed from casings (about 3 the size of Johnsonville Italian Sausage)
about 4 oz. sliced onion
about 8 oz. summer squash (could probably substitute zucchini)
1 tbsp. olive oil
8 Dreamfields lasagna noodles (about 6 oz.) cooked according to package directions (about 12 minutes)
3 slices thin sliced provalone cheese or 1/2 c. low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste if desire atop the pumpkin and ricotta layers


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an 8 inch square baking dish with no-stick spray

1. While noodles are cooking, mix together pumpkin and ricotta. Set aside.
2. Brown turkey sausage in skillet.
3. Slice summer squash into half moons or cubes the thickness of your choice as it is precooked before assembling the lasagna. Slice or chop the onions as desired as well.
4. In a separate skillet, saute onion and summer squash in olive oil, then combine with the cooked sausage.
5. Drain the noodles. Rinse in cold water if desired. (I don't rinse mine.)

Assembly:
Layer in baking dish in this order: pumpkin/ricotta mixture, salt and pepper if desired, noodles, then sausage/onion/summer squash mixture--make the top layer noodles.

Top with the sliced provalone or mozzarella cheese

Bake about 30 minutes until heated through and cheese is as brown as desired

Cool for about 10 minutes before slicing, if desired, so servings come out pretty.

Entire recipe using summer squash, full fat ricotta, reduced fat provalone, no additional salt or pepper
1881 calories; 84.5g fat; 34.5g sat fat; 11.5g poly fat; 10.2g mono fat; total carbs 86.2g; fiber 34.4g; net carbs 51.8h; protein 9g; cholesterol 30.5mg; potassium 760mg; sodium 2704mg

Serving size 1/6 of the recipe
329 calories; 14.4g fat; 5.9 sat fat; 2.0 poly fat; 1.7 mono fat; 14.7 total carbs; 5.8g fiber; 8.9g net carbs; 16.5g protein; 5.2 mg. cholesterol; 129.2mg potassium; 459.7 sodium

Bake Tilapia
 

Originally posted by lastri
03-18-2011, 09:31 PM

http://www.fitday.com/fitness/forums...sed-foods.html

This recipe is very good. you can opmit the butter for lower cals.

Bake tilapia (very good)
Ingredients
• Butter cooking spray
• 4 (6 to 8-ounce) tilapia fillets
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 lime, finely grated zest and juice
• 2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a large cast iron pan with a nonstick butter spray.
Rinse fish and pat dry; place on the prepared baking sheet. Season each fillet with salt, cracked pepper, lime zest and lime juice. Add fish to the pan. Place a pat of butter on each fillet and cook in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes

Fresh Spinach Salad with Chicken, Strawberries, and Walnuts
 

This salad is not original, but it's new to me after adapting it to my way of eating from what I saw in my husband's salad at O'Charley's restaurant. DH's also contained dried cranberries, Mandarin oranges and candied pecans and was served with Balsamic vinaigrette. You could add other things you like and use whatever salad dressing you like that fits in with your eating plan. Perhaps some lower fat nuts, if you prefer.


Fresh Spinach Salad with Chicken, Strawberries, and Walnuts

2 cups packed spinach leaves
3 oz. cold boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
2 large strawberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (200 calories, 20g fat, but nice for Omega-3)


Without salad dressing the above mix came in at about 350 calories, 23.5g fat, 10g carbohydrates, 4g fiber, 6g net carbs (carbs less fiber) and 30g protein

Low carb cheesecake
 

*
Chocolate Almond Crust:
1 ½ cups almonds (or 6 ounces)
¼ cup splenda
2 squares bitter chocolate, melted
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp. Vanilla whey protein powder
*
Grind the almonds into a fine meal in the food processor (if you grind your own with the skins on the fibre content is higher than if you buy them already ground as they likely use blanched almonds). Add the splenda and pulse to combine. Pour in the melted chocolate, then melted butter and process until evenly distributed. (I actually did this in a bowl with my mixer as my food processor is too small for this amount of food) Add the vanilla whey powder and pulse again to combine (I didn’t actually have any so left it out and the crust turned out just fine).
Turn out into a greased 10” springform pan, pressing the crust a little up the sides to cover the seam. Bake at 325F degrees for 8 minutes, allow to cool before adding the filling.
*
Cheesecake filling:
*
3 – 8 oz packages Philly cream cheese (I used the light as the carb count was the same)
1 c. Splenda
3 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
*
Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
Allow the cheese to soften to room temperature. Beat the cream cheese and splenda together on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed for 3 more minutes. Add the cream and beat again for a couple more minutes. Turn out into the cooled chocolate almond crust (10” springform pan). Bake at 325F degrees for 45-50 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into middle of cake. Cake is done if the toothpick is clear, if not, bake for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely before removing sides of pan.
*
Variations: I didn’t have bittersweet chocolate, so I used Lindt 85% cacao 4 sq. For crust, and made a topping with the other 4 sq. I calculated based on 10 pieces/cake, but I think we actually got about 13 slices out of it.

Calories: 387
fat: 32.57g (satfat 15.37, polyunsat 2.7, monounsat 6.3)
cholesterol 132.5mg
sodium 31.5g)
potassium 3.1mg
Carbohydrate 14.2g – fibre 2.7g = 11.5 net carbs
protein 11.46g
Vitamin A 20%
Calcium 13%
Vitamin D 2%
Thiamin 5%
Niacin 5%
Phosphorus 16%
Selenium 10%
Zinc 9%
Iron 17%
Vitamin E 31%
Riboflavin 19%
Vitamin B12 8%
Manganese 24%
Copper 23%
Magnesium 15%
*

Chili, medium carb
 

MAKES 8 1 CUP SERVINGS

I noted the brands I used here, but you can use any that don't have added sugar. The black soybeans are key here, though, because they are VERY low carb due to their high fibre content. I found them at my local health food store. We had a roast that was not very tender, so I cubed it and simmered it in the beef broth for an hour or two, then added the other ingredients to make the chili, and the meat was very tender. Worked out nice.

8 oz lean beef cooked, cubed
3 oz pork loin cutlet, cooked, cubed (because I had it to use up)
17 oz Primo Red Kidney beans
11 oz Eden black soybeans
14.5 oz Price Chopper diced tomatoes/chilies
2 cups Aylmer diced tomatoes
3 tbsp unico tomato paste
1/2 cup Compliments Beef broth
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp chopped basil
1.5 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Nutrient List
Calories 242.13
Fat 9.05
Saturated Fat 2.88
Polyunsat Fat 0.33
Monounsat Fat 2.75
Carbohydrates 20.91
Fiber 7.26
Protein 20.21
Cholesterol 31.60
Vitamin A % 12.13
Vitamin D 0.00
Vitamin B6 9.38
Vitamin B12 29.75
Vitamin C 17.50
Vitamin E 0.75
Calcium 10.00
Copper 4.25
Iron 60.25
Magnesium 11.38
Manganese 1.25
Niacin 12.63
Pant. Acid 4.38
Phosphorus 18.50
Potassium 3.88
Riboflavin 12.88
Selenium 21.25
Sodium 473.85
Thiamin 12.88
Zinc 37.63

Almond Kefir (Buttermilk) Pancakes
 

1/2 cup (60g) almond meal
1/2 cup (60g) whey protein powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup (25g) vital wheat gluten
3 tbsp wheat bran
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup Kefir or buttermilk
1 egg
2 tbsp oil

These are delicious and with a little splenda and cinnamon in the batter they don't need anything else! Mix dry ingredients together in large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl mix the egg, kefir, vanilla and oil and mix into dry ingredients. Whisk until combined. I use a 1/4 cup measure to pour into skillet. Use oil or pan spray and drop into medium hot pan. Carefully lift edges to check the bottom for browning (these pancakes will get very dark. Turn carefully. Makes 9.

Calories 116.89
Fat 7.12
Saturated Fat 1.34
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.12
Monounsaturated Fat 2.99
Carbohydrates 5.59
Fiber 2.48
Protein 9.41
Cholesterol 24.13
Vitamin A % 1.89
Vitamin D 0.44
Vitamin B6 4.78
Vitamin B12 3.00
Vitamin C 0.00
Vitamin E 12.22
Calcium 7.11
Copper 12.00
Iron 13.33
Magnesium 13.00
Manganese 35.22
Niacin 5.67
Pantothenic Acid (Vit. B5) 3.89
Phosphorus 19.44
Potassium 2.11
Riboflavin 8.22
Selenium 11.67
Sodium 131.72
Thiamin 3.44
Zinc 7.11

Broccoli salad
 

BROCCOLI SALAD
Recipe makes 7 cups, 9 servings based on ¾ cup serving size

4 c broccoli florets
2/3 c grated carrots
1/2 c diced celery
2/3 c chopped apple
1/4 c chopped green onion
2/3 c shredded red cabbage
1 oz sultana raisins
1 oz walnuts, coarsely chopped
(pine nuts work well too)
2 pieces of bacon, crumbled
3 large radishes sliced & julienned
fresh thyme and savory (optional)
black pepper to taste
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar (white balsamic is best, but has more carbs than reg. vinegar)

Calories 86.99
Fat 6.17
Saturated Fat 0.77
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.32
Monounsaturated Fat 2.83
Carbohydrates 6.87
Fiber 1.56
Protein 1.63
Cholesterol 2.26
Vitamin A % 10.86
Vitamin D 0.00
Vitamin B6 5.59
Vitamin B12 0.54
Vitamin C 22.47
Vitamin E 2.90
Calcium 1.94
Copper 9.03
Iron 6.45
Magnesium 4.19
Manganese 10.97
Niacin 3.01
Pantothenic Acid (Vit. B5) 3.23
Phosphorus 5.16
Potassium 3.55
Riboflavin 4.19
Selenium 2.26
Sodium 64.63
Thiamin 3.66
Zinc 3.23

Fermented Sour Pickles
 

Got this recipe from a kewl blog "Wild Fermentation.com" This recipe is nearly foolproof - and fabulous flavor!

Fermented Sour Pickles
Timeframe: 1-4 weeks
Special Equipment:
Ceramic crock or food-grade plastic bucket
Plate that fits inside crock or bucket
1-gallon/4-liter jug filled with water, or other weight
Cloth cover
Ingredients (for 1 gallon/4 liters):
3 to 4 pounds/1.5 to 2 kilograms unwaxed
cucumbers (small to medium size)
3⁄8 cup (6 tablespoons)/90 milliliters sea salt
3 to 4 heads fresh flowering dill, or 3 to 4
tablespoons/45 to 60 milliliters of any form of
dill (fresh or dried leaf or seeds)
2 to 3 heads garlic, peeled
1 handful fresh grape, cherry, oak, and/or
horseradish leaves (if available)
1 pinch black peppercorns
Process:
Rinse cucumbers, taking care to not bruise them, and making sure their blossoms are removed. Scrape off any remains at the blossom end. If you’re using cucumbers that aren’t fresh off the vine that day, soak them for a couple of hours in very cold water to freshen them.
Dissolve sea salt in ½gallon (2 liters) of water to create brine solution. Stir until salt is thoroughly dissolved.
Clean the crock, then place at the bottom of it dill, garlic, fresh grape leaves, and a pinch of black peppercorns.
Place cucumbers in the crock.
Pour brine over the cucumbers,place the (clean) plate over them, then weigh it down with a jug filled with water or a boiled rock. If the brine doesn’t cover the weighed-down plate, add more brine mixed at the same ratio of just under 1 tablespoon of salt to each cup of water.
Cover the crock with a cloth to keep out dust and flies and store it in a cool place.
Check the crock every day. Skim any mold from the surface, but don’t worry if you can’t get it all. If there’s mold, be sure to rinse the plate and weight. Taste the pickles after a few days.
Enjoy the pickles as they continue to ferment. Continue to check the crock every day.
Eventually, after one to four weeks (depending on the temperature), the pickles will be fully sour. Continue to enjoy them, moving them to the fridge to slow down fermentation.

Dilled Green Beans
 

Dilled Green Beans

4 pounds green beans
8 dried chili peppers, 2" long
4 teaspoons mustard seeds
4 teaspoons dill seeds
8 cloves garlic
5 cups vinegar
5 cups water

Cut the beans to lengths to fill pint jars. Pack beans into hot, scalded jars; add 1 chili pepper, 1/2 teas mustard seeds, 1/2 teas dill seeds and one garlic clove to each jar.

Combine vinegar and water in enamel or stainless steel pan; heat to boiling. Pour boiling liquid over beans, filling jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Yield: 8 pints.

Not Low-Carb, but a great pickle!
 

As I mentioned above, these are NOT low-carb - but it is one of my favorite pickling recipes - similar to the sliced hamburger pickle - in fact, if you have a "crinkle" cutter, that would add a nice touch. The slices are quite crunchy, too.


Reduced-Sodium Sliced Dill Pickles Yield: About 8 pints

4 lbs. (3”-5”) Pickling Cucumbers
6 cups vinegar (5 percent)
6 cups sugar
2 tablespoon canning or pickling salt
1 ½ teas. celery seed
1 ½ teas mustard seed
2 large onions, thinly sliced
8 heads fresh dill (or large sprigs)

Wash cucumbers. Trim 1/16 inch slice off each end and discard. Cut cucumbers into ¼ inch slices. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, celery and mustard seeds in large saucepan. Bring mixture to boiling.
Place 2 slices onion and ½ dill head on bottom of each sterile canning jar. Fill jars with cucumber slices, leaving ½ inch head space. Add 1 slice of onion and ½ dill head on top. Pour hot pickling solution over cucumbers, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, adjust lids, and process pints jars in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Mashed Canned Black Soybeans with Cheese
 

Black Soybeans Mashed with Cheddar

Doesn't taste like mashed potatoes, but is delicious as a side dish, and makes a tasty low carb substitute for the consistency and bulk of mashed potatoes.

It's also great cold as a veggie dip or stuffing for celery.

makes 11.2 oz. by weight or about 1 1/4 cups
Serving size can be either 1/2 the recipe or my traditional 1/2 cup

You could use whatever kinds of beans and cheese you prefer, but the nutrition counts I listed were from the brands I used in this recipe.

Ingredients:

A 15 oz. can Eden Organic Black Soybeans, drained, reserving juice
about one tablespoon reserved juice
1/2 teaspoon Morton Lite Salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 slices (total 42g) Sargento sharp cheddar cheese


Directions:
1.Drain beans, reserving juice
2. Mash beans, about one tablespoon reserved juice, salt and onion powder until almost desired consistency.
3. Tear cheese in pieces and add to food processor. Process until combined as desired.
4. Turn into microwave safe dish and microwave until heated through.

If too thick, add a little more reserved juice. If too thin, you could add a little more cheese.

Store any leftovers in fridge in covered container.

Recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups

Nutrition facts per 1/2 cup serving:
Calories 201.6
Total fat 11.2g
Sat fat 3.0g
Cholesterol 8mg
Sodium 326.2mg
Potassium 718.5mg
Total carbs 11.6g
Fiber 9.8g
Net carbs only 1.8g
Protein 17.4g

Paleo Pancit
 

Everyday Paleo Pancit
1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into small bite size pieces
1 lb pork loin, cut into small bit size pieces
½ lb shrimp, tails removed and de-veined
2 tablespoons coconut oil
8 green onions, diced
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
4 carrots, grated
6-8 cups shredded green cabbage
¼ cup coconut aminos or Tamari wheat free soy sauce(I used lo-sodium soy)
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Black pepper to taste
Lemon wedges
In a large wok or skillet heat the coconut oil over medium to medium high heat. When the wok or pan is nice and hot, add the chicken, pork, green onions and garlic and saute for about 6-7 minutes or until the meat is done all the way through but still tender. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Add the cabbage and carrots to the wok or pan and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 4 minutes. Add the shrimp to the cabbage and saute together until the shrimps turn pink. Add the chicken and pork back to the veggies and pour in the coconut aminos or soy sauce, chicken broth, and fish sauce. Season with lots of black pepper. Stir well and cook for another minute or two. Serve in bowls with a lemon wedge.

Lemon mousse
 

LEMON MOUSSE

3 fl. Oz. lemon juice
1 envelope gelatin
4 large eggs, separated
2 large egg whites
1 tbsp grated, finely chopped lemon rind
6 packets sugar substitute
2 cups whipped cream

In a small saucepan combine lemon juice and gelatin, let stand 5 minutes. Heat mixture over medium heat stirring til gelatin is dissolved. In a large bowl whisk egg yolks, sugar substitute equal to four teaspoons of sugar and grated lemon rind until very light and lemon coloured. Whisk in dissolved gelatin mixture.
In a clean large bowl beat egg whites until frothy. Add 2 packets sugar substitute and continue beating on high speed until shiny and stiff peaks form.
In a separate bowl beat whipping cream with 2 packets sugar substitute until soft peaks form. Gently fold into lemon mixture until no white streaks remain. Fold in egg whites, gently until no white streaks remain.

Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. makes 8 1/2 cup servings, each with 150 calories, 13.5g fat, 2.25g carbs, 0.04g fibre, 5.19g protein.

Almond-Applesauce Cookies

1 1/4 c. blanched almond flour
1 1/2 scoops Whey Protein (I use Rainbow Light brand, but prob. any works)
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
2 T sugar (or you could use sugar substitute)
Mix dry ingredients together.

Mix together
1/2 c. applesauce
1 egg
enough vegetable oil to increase egg to 1/2 c. liquid

Mix liquid ingredients into dry. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto parchment-covered cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees (F) until springy and light brown. Cool.

With 20 cookies per recipe, each cookie is
90 calories
7 g. fat
4 g. carbs
1 g. fiber
3 g. protein

I developed these while trying to create a low-carb high-protein snack I could stand to eat at 4:45 am before rowing. Not quite there yet, but I think the cookies taste pretty good. The spices hide the whey protein flavor, the almond flour is low carb, and the applesauce adds moisture without fats.

LowER Carb (10.5g net carb) Yellow Summer Squash Bread
 

I adapted this recipe from a full carb one. It came out moist and delicious the first time--so good that DH said to not change a thing next time I bake it. Here's how I did it, noting changes from the original recipe:

YELLOW SQUASH BREAD--LowER carb

Preheat oven to 325F
Spray with no-stick spray and flour a GLASS 8.5x4.5x2.5" loaf dish

NOTE: original recipe used a greased and floured metal loaf pan 9x5x3" and baked at 350F

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. Morton Light Salt (original recipe used regular table salt)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup egg substitute (original recipe used whole eggs)
3/4 c. pourable Splenda or Apriva sugar substitute (original recipe used sugar)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 c. shredded yellow summer squash (original recipe just said yellow squash)
1/2 cup chopped almonds (no nuts in original recipe)

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients; set aside.
Combine egg substitute, sugar substitute, oil and vanilla in big mixing bowl. Beat well--using a hand whisk is works fine.
Stir in squash.
Add dry ingredients and nuts, stirring just until moistened.

Pour batter into loaf dish. Bake at 325F for 35-45 minutes (mine took about 40) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in loaf dish 10 minutes; remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Nutrition facts per 1/12 recipe (59g or 2.1 oz. slice) from ingredients I used:
Calories 148
Total fat 9.9g
Sat fat 1.2g
Poly fat 4.2g
Mono fat 4.4g
Cholesterol zero
Sodium 98.9mg
Potassium 133.5mg
Total Carbs 11.9g
Dietary Fiber 1.4g
Net carbs 10.5g
Protein 3.4g
Alcohol .17g (from vanilla extract)

I found this recipe for Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin, and no lie it can easily replace Potatoes Au Gratin. This is the only way I've found that I like spaghetti squash. I love this recipe.

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 small yellow onion, cut in half and very thinly sliced (I used my amazing Ninja Express Chop to dice them up) And you may want to use just 1/2 an onion. I used half and the onion flavor still really came through. It may be too strong for some people if you use a whole onion.
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp dried thyme)
1/2 C light sour cream
1 1/2 C cheddar cheese

The first challenge is to cut the spaghetti squash in half length-wise. This is a very difficult thing to do. I really struggled with it. Just use a very big knife, stick the knife in a little at a time all the way around until you can split it open.

1. Just like you do a pumpkin, use a spoon and some elbow grease to clean out the seeds and stringy stuff from the middle of the squash.

Alternate Method to Cutting and Cooking the Squash

1. Poke holes all over the squash. You might use a grill fork or something large like that.
2. Put whole squash in about 1/2" water in a pan.
3. Heat oven to 375F and cook for about 30 minutes.
4. VERY carefully...it will be HOT...slice your squash open, clean out the seeds.
5. Shred by scraping pulp (or whatever you call the main "meat" part of the squash) and pulling it up so it looks like strands of pasta.

2. Put about 1/2" of water in a pan and lay the squash halves face down.
3. Heat oven to 375F and cook for about 30 minutes. You know it's done when you poke it with a fork and the outer skin is soft and pokes easily.
4. In a pan, heat up the oil and put in onions.
5. Put in red pepper flakes, thyme and some salt and pepper. Stir it all up and cook onions until they are golden.
6. After squash has cooked, remove the "spaghetti" from the center and put it in a bowl.
7. Add onions to the squash and mix well. I used a rubber scraper to make sure to get all that yummy goodness out of the pan and into the bowl.
8. Add light sour cream and half the cheese (3/4 C) and mix it up well.
9. Spray an 8" or 9" baking dish with pan spray.
10. Put spaghetti squash mixture in pan. Top with remaining cheese.
11. Cook at 375F for 15-20 minutes, until top is golden.

I figured the calories and carbs per serving to be 1/8 of the pan, which is (imo) a generous serving. The numbers are: 153.8 calories, 10.5g fat, 5.5g saturated fat, .9g polyunsaturated fat, 1.2g monounsaturated fat, 30mg cholesterol, 412.8mg sodium, 145.4mg potassium, 10g carbs, 1.6g fiber and 5.9g protein.

You really should try this. It would make an amazing dish to take to a family get-together for Thanksgiving or something. Enjoy!

Mexican Sausage and Tortilla Lasagna
 

Mexican Sausage and Tortilla Lasagna

This is very easy to prepare. Approximately 10.5 net carbs (after deducting fiber) for 1/5 the recipe or 13.1 carbs for 1/4 the recipe.

Ingredients:
16 oz. mild turkey sausage (I use a pound package of 5 dinner sized links of Perdue brand removed from casing.)
(I didn't need any salt)
1 tablespoon mild chili powder (makes it mildly spicy--add more if you like)
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (I included the juice, but you don't have to if you like a thick sauce)
1/2 cup mild picante sauce
4 low carb (5 net carb each) soft taco size tortillas or tortilla wraps such as Le Banderita or Xtreme Wellness brand
1 cup or 4 ounces by weight shredded Mexican cheese (I used Kraft Mexican Four Cheese With a Touch of Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400F. Coat about a 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" loaf dish (that's what I used) or about an 8" square or round baking dish with cooking spray. (Note: baking time can be adapted to your baking dish size and shape preference--the lasagna is done when heated through and cheese is browned.)
2. If sausage is in casing, remove it from the casing. Brown sausage in skillet over medium high heat, breaking into small chunks.
3. Stir in chili powder to taste, starting with one tablespoon and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and picante sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
4. Assemble lasagna: line bottom of baking dish with 1 tortilla (it may come up the sides of the dish a bit or you may tear it, if desired, to make it fit--I tore mine and made an extra layer.) Alternate layers of tortilla and then meat mixture topped with cheese, ending with meat mixture and cheese on top.
5. Cover lasagna with nonstick foil. Bake 20 minutes.
6. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more or until heated through and cheese is nicely browned. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes before cutting.


Nutrition facts per ENTIRE recipe made with Perdue Turkey Sausage and the Kraft Mexican Cheese with a Touch of Philadelphia Cream Cheese.

Calories 1741
Fat 100.3g
Sat 38.7g
Poly 2.6g
Mono 4.3g
Carb 98.6g
Fiber 46.1g
Net Carbs 52.5g
Protein 119.4g
Cholesterol 450mg

No Bake Protein Powder Chocolate Coconut Almond Bars
 

No-Bake Protein Powder Chocolate Coconut Almond Bars

I made these today and DH really loved them. They taste similar to Almond Joy Candy Bars but are low carb and healthful.

Mern's recipe using her brands of ingredients, but you could adapt it to your own brands

Ingredients:
1 oz. square unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tablespoons Smart Squeeze nonfat butter spread (0 fat, 0 trans fat)
2 tablespoons Honey Tree Sugar Free Imitation Honey (Walmart in the peanut
butter and jelly section)
1 cup Chocolate Walker Diet Whey Protein Powder (vitacost.com)
About 4-6 tablespoons water. I needed 6 tablespoons.
1 cup chopped almonds (I use unsalted)
1/2 cup (30g or 1.07 oz.) unsweetened dried flaked coconut
up to 3 packets artificial sweetener, optional--just taste the mixture and go with the level of sweetness YOU like
4 tablespoons flaxmeal, optional

Directions:
Note: the finished mixture will be very thick and you press it into the shape of the 8 x 8 baking dish or pan. It will set in the fridge.

No baking

Line the 8 x 8 baking dish/pan with plastic wrap

1. Carefully, so it doesn't scorch, melt the chocolate with the butter. (I do it in the microwave)

2. Stir in honey substitute

3. This may sound difficult, but it's not. Add a little at a time the protein powder, chopped nuts, coconut, and optional artificial sweetener with the 4-6 tablespoons water, stirring well after each addition, until the consistency is very thick but pliable. (For example, to test, try to press a small ball of it into a patty without it being too crumbly. If too crumbly add a little more water)

4. Turn it into the plastic wrap lined dish and cover with another sheet of plastic wrap and press evenly to the shape of the dish.

5. Remove the plastic wrap and evenly sprinkle with the optional flaxmeal and press it down slightly so it will stick to the bars.

5. Chill, covered, until set--only took mine a few minutes.

When set, turn onto a cutting board and with a sharp knife cut into the size you like. I cut mine into 16 squares.

Nutrition counts per ENTIRE recipe using the brands listed above:
Calories 2015
Total fat 135.8g
Sat fat 19.1g
Poly fat 47.2g
Mono fat 46.3g
Total Carbs 78.2g
Dietary Fiber 53g
Net Carbs 25.2g
Protein 128.5g
Cholesterol 90mg
Patassium 1763mg
Sodium 489mg

Nutrion counts per square if cut into 16 squares
Calories 121
Total fat 8.4g
Sat fat 1.2g
Poly fat 3g
Mono fat 2.9g
Total carbs 4.9
Dietary fiber 3.3g
Net carbs 1.6g
Protein 8g
Cholesterol 5.6mg
Potassium 110mg
Sodium 30.6mg

These are great. . .I need ideas! An old trick for a quick snack to satisfy my craving for apple strudle:

In a small pan heat unsweetened apple sauce . . . one serving. As it simmers add T at a time, low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese . . .If you have a Kroger, theirs is great. . .Off the stove add 1 Spenda and a dash of cinnamon or allspice. . .pumpkin pie spice. . .Eat while warm.