Ali's LC Recipe Archive

Simple Roast Chicken

2009-11-18T16:22:00.000-08:00

1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, giblets removed
2-4 tablespoons butter, softened
Garlic powder or crushed garlic, to your liking, or eliminate.
2 tablespoons parsley, thyme, basil, or other dried herb, crushed
1-2 lemons, halved
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 450° F.

Place a rack in a large ovenproof skillet or small roasting pan.

Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Place in pan. Mix together the butter, garlic, and dried herbs. Loosen the skin and generously rub the butter and herb mixture in between the skin and the meat. Tuck the wings beneath the chicken, as if it were placing its arms behind its head. Rub the oil over the skin. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Toss the remaining salt into the cavity, along with lemon halves. Roast for 20 minutes. Add 1 cup water and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the thigh meat registers 180° F on a meat thermometer, about 40 minutes more.

Use a spatula to loosen the chicken. With a wad of paper towels in each hand, transfer it to a cutting board. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. If making a pan sauce, reserve the drippings.

I usually fashion a simple pan sauce out of the juice from the lemon that was roasted with the chicken, chicken broth/stock, and the pan drippings, with salt and pepper to taste. Yum.

Horseradish Rubbed Pork Loin

2009-07-12T19:30:00.001-07:00

Horseradish Rubbed Pork Loin
Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients:
1 4 to 6 pound pork loin roast
1/3 cup prepared horseradish
4 Tbsp whole grain mustard
1 Tbsp parsley

Instructions:
In mixing bowl, combine horseradish, mustard, and pasley.
Rub on to pork loin
Place meat on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast in a
325 degree oven until roast reaches 170 degrees, about two hours. Let pork loin rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

2009-07-12T19:26:00.001-07:00

Another one of the summer favorites in our house

A bunch of tomatoes
(I prefer Romas or Plum, but you can use another variety if you've got them. Grape tomatoes are also awesome)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
a bunch of large garlic cloves
Dried thyme

Preheat oven to 325

Cut your tomatoes. If you're using small romas, just cut them in half. Anything larger, quarter them. Half Grape Tomatoes. Leave Garlic cloves in their skins. You'll want to use the largest cloves you have. 3 hours is a long time for garlic to roast, so if you use little cloves they'll dry right up. Larger cloves will leave you with yummy roasted garlic you can still use when you're done. Place everything in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil (enough to lightly coat everything- they don't need to swim) and sprinkle with salt and pepper and thyme. Lightly toss together, coating everything.

Arrange tomatoes in a single layer, skins down, on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Place garlic periodically around the pan.

Place in oven and cook for 2 1/2-3 hours, depending on the size of your tomatoes. It usually takes about 3 for romas that are halved. You'll want to just keep an eye on them after about 2 hours. Your house will smell like heaven. You'll see the juices have dried up and some of the tomatoes will start to get dark around the edges.

When they're done they'll look like this: kind of dried up, and blackened around the edges, but still soft. Eat one right away and see what I'm talking about. Amazing, right? I'm not joking. They're amazing.

The garlic is nice and toasty too. Some cloves will probably be a little crunchy, but if you use large enough cloves, you'll also get some that you can squeeze and get all that great roasted garlic goo from.

Fresh pico de gallo

2009-07-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

A true summer treat!

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 lg red onion, diced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (I grabbed a big handful and pulsed it in the food processor)
1/2 a jalepeno pepper, seeded and de-veined, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pinches salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Store in the fridge for about 30 minutes to let everything combine.

This is soooo tasty!

"KFC Style" Seasoning Spices

2009-06-20T17:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon powdered sage
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon majoram
1 1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar (or Brown Sugar Twin, if you're LCing like me)
3 tablespoons dry minced parsley
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons onion salt
2 tablespoons powdered chicken bouillon
1 package Lipton tomato cup of soup mix

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender with on\off speed for 3-4 minutes to pulverize, or rub through a fine strainer. Store in an airtight container so it will not lose potency. Makes about 3/4 cup.

To use with flour or pork rind "flour": Add 2 tbsp. mix to cup of flour for coating chicken.

Oven-baked Crispy Chicken

2009-06-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
4 large split chicken breasts, bone and skin still intact
1/2 C mayonnaise
1-3 oz bag of plain pork rinds finely ground
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp "KFC" seasoning mix (recipe in another post)
3-4 T melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put mayo on a plate or a pie plate. In another shallow bowl, plate, or in a bag, mix the pork rinds, cheese, and seasoning.

Wash the chicken carefully and dry thoroughly.

Dip the chicken in the mayo, making sure it is totally coated but not overly thickly.
Coat the mayo covered chicken with the "breading".

Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan (sprayed with nonstick spray).

Drizzle the melted butter over the chicken.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

This recipe is easy, and the chicken turns out crispy and delicious.

Quick and Easy Broccoli Cheesy

2009-06-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

Quick Cheesy Broccoli

1/2 bag frozen broccoli pieces
2 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sour cream or mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

I would stir some mustard into the cheese and broccoli after it's cooked, just because I love cheese with mustard.

Sun-dried Tomato and Herb Cream Sauce

2009-06-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling, but do not boil.

2. Add mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, and stir until melted. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and basil, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Remove from heat and serve.

Bacon, Basil, and Mozz Chicken

2009-06-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lb mozzerella, cut into 10-12 slices (if there's any left over, better for the snacking!)
15-20 fresh basil leaves
8-10 slices bacon

Pour some cooking oil (not EVOO) into a deep frying pan ad preheat over medium to med-lo heat. Also, preheat your oven to 375.

1. Take a chicken breast and cut a sideways but not all the way through (butterfly it). Fill it with 2 slices of mozzarella and 3 basil leaves. Season it (not too much salt though) with salt and pepper.
2. Roll the chicken up as best as you can, trying to keep as much of the cheese and basil in the middle. Wrap 2 slices of bacon around the chicken, and if necessary, hold it together with toothpicks.
3. Then fry it with some oil at a fairly high temperature until it is nicely brown all around. Take it out of the frying pan and put it in an ovenproof dish (sprayed with PAM, please!) and put it in the oven.
4. Bake for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken is baking, you can make a quick and easy pan sauce. From the sauce in the frying pan you could make a nice sauce by adding some onion and garlic, and sauteeing until tender. Then, add chicken stock or wine and some mushrooms (if desired) and cream to add some depth to it.

This would also work with spinach in place of basil (use a couple of grates of nutmeg if you use the spinach, precooked spinach please because fresh would make things too watery) or sun-dried tomatoes. The world is your oyster!

LC Russian or Thousand Island dressing

2009-06-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/4 c oil, either olive or canola
1/4 c Heinz reduced sugar ketchup
1 tbsp equivalent of sugar subsitute
1 tbsp white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a screw-top jar, combine all ingredients. Cover and shake well.
Serve immediately or cover and store in fridge for up to 2 weeks. Shake before serving.

This is great in my Rueben bakes, where I layer corned beef, then dressing, sauerkraut, more dressing, and top with Provelone. Yumm-o!

Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

2009-06-17T22:31:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/3 c EVOO
1/3 c your choice of vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar or red wine)
1-2 tsp Splenda (or a drop or two of Sweetzfree, same difference)
1 tbsp snipped fresh thyme, oregano, or basil, OR 1/2 tsp dried thyme, oregano, or basil, crushed (I usually do 1/2 tbsp basil and 1/2 tbsp of parsley or rosemary)
1/4 tsp dry mustard OR 1 tsp Dijon-style mustard (I use the Dijon)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a screw top jar, add all ingredients. Cover and shake well. Serve immediately or cover and store in fridge for 3 days if you used fresh herbs, up to a week if you went with dried. Shake before using.

Variations:

Apricot Vinaigrette:
As above, but use white wine vinegar and reduce amout to 2 tbsp, add 1/3 c apricot nectar. (Not LC)

Basalmic Vinaigrette:
As above, but use regular or white balsamic vinegar. (Not for Induction)

Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette:
Prepare Balsamic Vinaigrette as above except reduce the balsamic vinegar to 3 tbsp. Add 1/2 tsp finely shredded orange peel and 1/4 c orange juice (Not LC)

Ginger Vinaigrette:
Prepare as abovexn except use rice vinegar, subsitute 2 tbsp honey for the sweetner, and use 1 tsp fresly grated ginger instead of the herb. Add 2 tsp soy sauce (Not LC)

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

2009-06-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
4-6 tomatoes, beefsteak or equivalent
S&P
2 c ricotta
1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella or the Italian blend shredded cheese
1 1/2 c fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, chopped
1 1/2 c fresh basil, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 c grated Parmesan/Reggiano cheese
2 egg yolks

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450

Make 8-12 tomato cups by cutting a small sliver off of both sides of the tomatoes (to create a flat bottom). Then cut the tomatoes in half from top to bottom (through the stem part), trim the stem off of both sides by notching it out of the tomato. Scoop the seeds and stuff from the middle of the tomatoes, leaving tomato cups. Be careful when scooping the stuff out of the tomato, as you don't want to puncture through the skin (helps it hold the cheese in better). Season the tomato cups with salt and pepper, set aside while you work on the filling.

Combine the ricotta, parsley, basil, garlic, and shredded cheese (but not the grated Parm). Season with s&p. Add the egg yolks and stir thoroughly. Spoon into the tomato cups. Sprinkle the top with the grated Parmesan/Reggiano cheese.

Arrange in a baking dish and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until bubbly and starting to brown.

Creamed Spinach with Bacon

2009-06-07T16:02:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon
EVOO
2 small onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 10 oz. packages of chopped spinach (okay if it's still frozen)
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

In a heavy skillet, brown the 6 slices of bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet, and add about 2 tbsp EVOO. Chop the bacon, set aside.

Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic, and saute, but be careful not to burn the garlic!

Add the 2 packages of spinach to the skillet and the nutmeg. Cook until the spinach is thawed and all of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in bacon. Turn off the heat.

Microwave the cream cheese for 2 minutes on high or until soft. Stir in salt and pepper to the spinach, then stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream.

Transfer to an 8' square baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Nutritional info:
(6 generous servings)

6 Servings 4.5 NET CARBS

Amount Per Serving

Calories 262.3
Total Fat 20.3 g
Saturated Fat 13.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.3 g
Cholesterol 65.6 mg
Sodium 429.3 mg
Potassium 309.6 mg

Total Carbohydrate 7.3 g
Dietary Fiber 2.8 g
Sugars 0.1 g

Protein 11.0 g

Vitamin A 126.3 % Vitamin B-12 4.1 % Vitamin B-6 9.0 %
Vitamin C 18.4 % Vitamin D 1.3 % Vitamin E 1.0 %
Calcium 23.7 % Copper 7.0 % Folate 21.4 %
Iron 7.7 % Magnesium 15.1 % Manganese 38.1 %
Niacin 4.3 % Pantothenic Acid 2.3 % Phosphorus 14.1 %
Riboflavin 11.2 % Selenium 7.7 % Thiamin 7.2 %
Zinc 7.2 %

Beef Stroganoff, Slow Cooker

2009-05-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. beef round, cut into 1' cubes
1 lg onion, chopped
8 oz canned sliced mushrooms, undrained (mushrooms aren't welcome in our home so I omitted it)
1 cup beef broth
1/2 tsp beef bouillon
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp paprika
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
-Put beef into the slow cooker. Put the onion on top, then dump in the mushrooms, if you're using them, liquid and all.

-In a bowl, mix the beef broth, bouillon, Worcestershire, and paprika. Pour over the ingredients already in the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

-When the time's up, cut the cream cheese into cubes and stir into the mixture until melted. Stir in the sour cream.

Yield:
8 servings

413 calories, 31g fat, 28g protein, 5 carbs, 1 fiber, 4g NET

Celery Slaw

2009-05-31T13:21:00.001-07:00

Celery Slaw

Celery paired with a mustard-mayonnaise dressing is a French favorite, best epitomized by the classic dish, celeri en remoulade. Although that recipe calls for celeriac (or celery root), not celery, the concept has been extended to this American-style slaw. For a more colorful slaw, add 1 cup of shredded carrots and/or red cabbage.

Serves 4 to 6

1 bunch celery, with leaves
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (I used more like 3 tbsp)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed (I didn't have any so I omitted it)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped red or green onions
Wash the celery well and pluck all leaves. Slice the stalks into very thin slices on the diagonal and place in a medium-size bowl. Finely chop the celery leaves and add to the bowl. Add the parsley and onions, and stir to combine.

In another small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt, celery seed, and sugar. Drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly to emulsify the dressing, then slowly add the sour cream. Stir the dressing into the celery, parsley, and onions.

Refrigerate the salad, covered, for at least 4 hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop.

Calories 160.0

Total Fat 15.5 g

Saturated Fat 5.1 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.6 g

Monounsaturated Fat 8.4 g

Cholesterol 12.7 mg

Sodium 116.7 mg

Potassium 266.6 mg

Total Carbohydrate 5.1 g

Dietary Fiber 1.4 g

Sugars 0.1 g

Protein 1.6 g

Vitamin A 6.4 % Vitamin B-12 1.4 %
Vitamin B-6 4.1 % Vitamin C 10.4 % Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 2.2 % Calcium 6.4 % Copper 1.9 %
Folate 6.3 % Iron 1.9 % Magnesium 3.2 %
Manganese 4.8 % Niacin 1.3 % Pantothenic Acid 2.5 %
Phosphorus 4.7 % Riboflavin 4.5 %
Selenium 1.9 % Thiamin 3.2 % Zinc 1.3 %

Asian Slow Cooker Short Ribs

2009-05-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
6 lb beef short ribs
3 tbsp oil
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 c shredded carrot
1/2 c chopped onion
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
6 tsp Chinese black bean sauce
3 tsp chili garlic paste
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 c soy sauce
1 c dry red wine
2 c beef broth
1 tsp 5-spice powder
1 tbsp Splenda (equivalent Sweetzfree: 3 drops)
Guar or xanthan

-In a big, heavy skillet, brown the ribs all over in the oil. Transfer the ribs to your slow cooker.

-Add the celery, carrot, and onion to the skillet and saute over medium high heat until they soften and start to brown. Stir in the ginger, black bean sauce, chili garlic paste, and garlic, and saute for another couple of minutes. Now stir in the soy sauce, wine, broth, five-spice powder, and Splenda. Pour mixture over the ribs. Cover slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 6-7 hours.

-When time's up, transfer the ribs to a platter and scoop vegetables into a blender with a slotted spoon. Add 2 cups of the liquid and run the blender until the vegetables are pureed. Thicken the sauce to heavy cream consistency with guar or xanthan and serve the sauce with the ribs.

Yields 12 servings, each serving has:
948 calories
86g fat
35g protein
3g carbs
Trace fiber
3g NET carbs

Beef and Broccoli (Slow Cooker)

2009-05-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 lb beef round, cut into 1 inch cubes
4 oz canned sliced mushrooms, drained (we don't like mushrooms, so we'll omit it and thereby lower the carb content, but I'm just reporting what the recipe says)
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1/2 c beef broth
1 tsp beef bouillon concentrate
1 tbsp Splenda (or 3 drops Sweetzfree)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger root
1 tbsp dry sherry
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 c frozen broccoli florets
Guar or xanthan

-Combine the beef, mushrooms, onion, beef bouillon, Splenda, ginger, sherry, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil in your slow cooker. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Cover, set to low, and cook for 8-10 hours.

-When time's up, add the broccoli to the slow cooker, re-cover, and let it cook another half hour. Thicken the juices with guar or xanthan.

Yield: 4 servings, each with:
314 calories
17g fat
29g protein
10g carbs
4g fiber
6 NET carbs (with the mushrooms and Splenda)

Refried Beans

2009-04-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 cans (15 ounce size) black soy beans (Eden Organics makes this)
6 bacon slices -- cut into tiny pieces
1 medium onion -- chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt -- to taste (or minced fresh garlic)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper -- to taste
1/4 teaspoon chili powder -- to taste
2 tablespoons heavy cream or chicken broth or water

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until done and somewhat crispy. Set aside.
If using onion and fresh garlic, add them to the bacon grease in the pan and saute until tender.
Drain black soy beans. Put them into blender and blend until smooth.
Add butter to the onions in the skillet, let it melt, then add the black soy beans, garlic salt (if fresh garlic was not used), black pepper and chili powder. Mix thoroughly.
Add crumbled bacon into the beans and mix.
Add cream and continue to cook on very low heat for 10 minutes or so.

Serve as side dish, dip, or accompaniment/ingredient for other Mexican dishes

Nutritional Info based on heavy cream instead of broth or water . . .
3.1 Net Carbs per serving

Nutrition Facts

6 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 220.3

Total Fat 13.9 g

Saturated Fat 4.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.5 g

Cholesterol 17.3 mg

Sodium 153.5 mg

Potassium 433.7 mg

Total Carbohydrate 11.7 g

Dietary Fiber 8.6 g
Sugars 1.2 g

Protein 15.2 g

Vitamin A 15.0% Vitamin B-12 2.1% Vitamin B-6 3.1%
Vitamin C 2.9% Vitamin D 1.0% Vitamin E 0.6%
Calcium 10.5% Copper 1.4% Folate 8.1%
Iron 18.5% Magnesium 18.6% Manganese 2.8%
Niacin 4.9% Pantothenic Acid 1.1% Phosphorus 20.9%
Riboflavin 11.1% Selenium 2.8% Thiamin 8.4%
Zinc 19.3%

Fw: Roasted Asparagus

2009-04-08T16:05:00.001-07:00

------ Email ------
This recipe rocks. Jake likes the asparagus really roasted and borderline crispy/french fry-like. :o)

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh asparagus
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 500. Snap a few stalks to determine where u should trim the asparagus.
2. Arrange the spears in a single layer in a shallow baking dish and drizzle with evoo.
3. Toss spears to coat. Roast until tender but still slightly firm, 8-10 mins. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy.

2 net carbs per serving (1/4 precooked pound)
-Alison B. O'Connor

Walking for a cure for Parkinson's Disease since 2005! For more information, contact me or visit my Personal Page for the Unity Walk at: http://unitywalk09.kintera.org/alison926

Lemon-Grilled Chicken Breasts

2009-02-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp EVOO
2 cloves minced garlic
7 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
cooking spray

-Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.

-Prepare grill to medium-high heat (or fire up the Foreman Grill, like I do)

-Place chicken on nonstick grill (if you're not using a Foreman Grill, make sure you oil up your grill rack by rubbing an oil-coated paper towel on the rack . . . carefully, please!); grill for 6 minutes on each side or until done.

Serving size: 1 breast

Calories: 159 Fat: 3.5g (sat 0.7g, mono 1.8g, poly 0.6g)
Protein: 29.5g Carbs: 0.5g Fiber: 0.1g

NET CARBS: 0.4 per chicken breast.

Hearts of Romaine Caeasr Salad with Grilled Chicken

2009-02-01T13:44:00.000-08:00

1 lg egg
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 anchovy fillets (optional...ick, it's in the recipe tho. I won't use it!)
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp water
2 heads hearts of romaine lettuce, leaves separated (about 14 oz.)
1 1/2 lemon grilled chicken breasts, sliced thin (see recipe in next entry)
1/4 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

-Place egg in a small bowl or coffee mug; cover with boiling water. Let stand 1 minute. Rinse egg with cold water; break egg into a small bowl.

-Combine pepper through garlic in a food processor or blender; process until minced. Add egg and juice; process 1 minute or until thick. Gradually add oil and water, processing until blended.

-Combine lettuce and chicken and egg mixture in a large bowl; toss gently. Sprinkle cheese over the individual helpings.

Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Baked in White Wine Marinade

2009-02-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

1 c dry white wine (not WHINE. thanks for catching that Jen. I still stand by my assertion that it was homophonically correct. Pbbbbbbt.)
1 c sliced onion
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
4 (8 ounce) bone-in chicken breast halves (ie: split breasts)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

-Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 4 hours or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

-Preheat oven to 375.

-Place the chicken, skin side up, in an 11x7-inch baking dish. Pour marinade over chicken. Cover and bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 40 minutes or until done. Discard skin, bay leaf, and marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Calories: 184 Fat: 3.8g (sat 1.1g, mono 1.3g, poly 0.8g)
Protein: 33.2g Carbs: 2.1g Fiber: 0.3g

NET CARBS: 1.8g

Pot Roast (Slow Cooker)

2009-02-01T13:34:00.000-08:00

4-5 lb beef roast
oil
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 can beef broth

Brown the roast on all sides, then put the roast in the slow cooker. Add the packet of onion soup and can of beef broth. Set to low and let cook for 8-10 hours. Yummy!

Turkey Cutlets with Pancetta Sage Sauce

2009-02-01T13:22:00.001-08:00

1 1/2 lbs turkey breast cutlets (about 8)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
cooking spray
1/3 c thinly sliced pancetta (about 1 oz)
2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh sage (I would just chiffonade it)
3/4 c white wine
1/2 c reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp butter, cut up into small pieces

-Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add half of turkey to pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until browned and done. Repeat procedure with remaining turkey; keep warm.

-Add pancetta and sage to pan; cook 3 minutes or until pancetta is browned, stirring occasionally. Add wine; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 c (about 3 minutes). Add broth; bring to boil. Cook until liquid is reduced to about 2/3 c (about 2 minutes). Remove pan from heat, stir in butter. Serve sauce over turkey.

Calories: 269 Fat: 9.1 g (sat 5g, mono 2.7g, poly 0.8g)
Protein: 43.1g Carbs: 0.8g Fiber: 0g

NET CARBS PER SERVING: 0.8g

Faux Oriental Style Lemon Chicken

2009-02-01T07:04:00.000-08:00

1- 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tbsp soy flour or other lc flour
Pinch of salt
Olive oil
4 tbsp butter
3 cloves minced garlic
2/3 cup lemon juice
Sweetfree or other sweetener to taste
1 tsp Thicken/Thin or other LC thickener

Cut up chicken into chunks roughly 1 inch in size. Put in ziploc bag, pour in the soy flour over the chicken. Seal the bag with air in it and toss to coat evenly.

Preheat a skillet over medium high heat on your range, and when you're done slicing and coating the chicken in flour, shake the excess flour off the chicken and saute until cooked through.

Remove chicken from pan, reduce heat to medium low, and scrape the "yummies" off the bottom of the pan. Add butter and garlic, being careful not to burn the garlic. When garlic is golden brown and delicious, stir in lemon juice and raise the heat back up to medium high and bring to a boil. Tatse to see how much sweetner is needed and add accordingly. Add the thickening agent and let it simmer for a while until it reaches the desired consistency.

If you prefer an extra "zip," pour on some more lemon juice after everything's plated.

4 servings

Nutritional Info based on using Sweetzfree (no carbs) and Thicken/Thin (also no carbs). If you'd like info on how to get either one of these great products, message me and I'll give you the lowdown.

Nutrition Facts
LC Faux Oriental Style Lemon Chicken

4 Servings

Amount Per Serving
Calories 379.9

Total Fat 14.5 g
Saturated Fat 8.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.7 g
Cholesterol 167.4 mg
Potassium 701.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 6.525 g
Dietary Fiber 2.225 g
NET CARBS: 4.3 per serving
Protein 55.6 g

Vitamin A 8.3 % Vitamin B-12 15.3 % Vitamin B-6 67.8 %
Vitamin C 36.8 % Vitamin D 2.0 % Vitamin E 2.9 %
Calcium 4.0 % Copper 8.9 % Folate 5.0 %
Iron 10.5 % Magnesium 18.5 % Manganese 6.5 %
Niacin 132.6 % Pantothenic Acid 20.3 % Phosphorus 48.2 %
Riboflavin 13.7 % Selenium 60.8 % Thiamin 12.9 %
Zinc 13.2 %

"Tasty Chicken"

2009-01-26T17:50:00.001-08:00

Threw this together today using ingredients I had on hand, and it came out yummy. Enjoy!

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 stick butter, melted
2 packages dry Italian dressing mix
1 can chicken broth
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp thickener, like Thicken/Thin, which is carb-free

Throw everything into a slow cooker, and cook at 4 hours on high or 6-8 on low. When the chicken is cooked though, remove from the slow cooker. Strain the liquid, and puree the onions and a little liquid in a blender. Add the thickener and mix into the remaining liquid. Either microwave to a boil or bring to a boil in a saucepan until it thickens to your desired consistency.

Roasted Cauliflower. YUM

2008-12-14T18:06:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 head of fresh cauliflower
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
1. Heat your oven to 400F. Spray baking pan with PAM. Cut cauliflower into florets and put in a single layer in the pan.
2. Add garlic and lemon juice, tossing with cauliflower florets for even coverage. Drizzle olive oil over the cauliflower, add salt and pepper.
3. Put cauliflower in the oven and roast until lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes. Test with a fork for desired doneness (you should be able to spear it relatively easily). Remove from oven, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top, serve, and enjoy!!

4 Servings, 2 net carbs per serving

Amount Per Serving
Calories 43.9
Total Fat 2.0 g
Saturated Fat 1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Cholesterol 4.9 mg
Sodium 131.5 mg
Potassium 172.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 3.8 g
Dietary Fiber 1.3 g
Sugars 0.3 g

Protein 3.6 g

Vitamin A 1.1 % Vitamin B-12 1.5 %
Vitamin B-6 6.2 % Vitamin C 47.7 % Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 0.4 % Calcium 9.8 % Copper 1.3 % Folate 7.6 %
Iron 1.6 % Magnesium 2.8 % Manganese 4.0 %
Niacin 1.5 % Pantothenic Acid 3.7 % Phosphorus 7.3 %
Riboflavin 3.3 % Selenium 2.8 % Thiamin 2.3 % Zinc 2.3 %

Chocolate Rasspberry Bars

2008-12-04T03:42:00.000-08:00

Am consciously eating more LC since the pounds have started to creep back on. Snacking and eating on the run is always a problem for me, since I'm usually at my internship or at class, and the healthy food choices aren't really there. So I decided to fool around a bit and came up with this:

1 1/4 c. ground flax seed
2 eggs
6 tbsp softened butter
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
6 drops Sweetzfree
1/4 c. Raspberry DaVinci syrup
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients together and press into an oiled 11x7 pan. (I had to spray some PAM on a sheet of waxed paper to press it down, as this mixture is very gummy) Cook for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in bars comes out clean. Cool and cut into 12 generously sized bars.

Net carbs: 0.7 per bar

Cinnamon Cheese Danishes

2008-12-04T02:24:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon Cheese Danish Atkins Rolls

Pastry portion:

3 extra large eggs, separated (reserving 1/2 yolk for filling)
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 cup granulated Splenda or 3 packets of Splenda other sweeteners, or 1/4 c equivalent Sweetzfree
1-teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 Tbs. ricotta cheese or sour cream

Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 egg yolk (from above)
1/4 cup granulated Splenda or 3 packages, or equivalent Sweetzfree
1-teaspoon vanilla

Microwave cream cheese until soft. Remove and add the 1/2 egg yolk, sweetener, extract, and flavoring. Fill pastries.

Pastry directions:

Separate eggs, putting the whites in a large bowl and the yolks in a medium bowl. Take 1/2 yolk out and put it in a little dish to reserve for filling. With your electric beater, whip whites and cream of tartar until very stiff.

Add sour cream or ricotta, cinnamon, sweetener to the yolks and beat well until smooth

Gently fold yolk mixture into the whites, using a big spatula, being careful to get it all blended well. Then Spray a cookie sheet or muffin top pan (the best way), and plop 6 equal mounds of batter to make 6 Danish. Make an indent on each mound and fill with filling. Bake about 25-35 minutes at 300 until golden brown. Remove, cool and enjoy

**I also have some SF jellies from Walden Farms that I may try in place of the cream cheese filling, like Apricot or Raspberry, which would have no added carb count**

Nutritional Info:
(with the cheese filling)
6 Servings

Amount Per Serving
Calories 128.4
Total Fat 10.8 g
Saturated Fat 5.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.3 g
Cholesterol 146.7 mg
Sodium 96.0 mg
Potassium 91.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 1.7 g (1.5 NET per)
Dietary Fiber 0.2 g
Sugars 0.2 g

Protein 5.3 g Vitamin A 10.0 % Vitamin B-12 6.5 %
Vitamin B-6 2.6 % Vitamin C 0.3 % Vitamin D 3.8 %
Vitamin E 2.6 % Calcium 4.1 % Copper 0.5 % Folate 4.2 %
Iron 4.4 % Magnesium 1.3 % Manganese 3.8 % Niacin 0.3 %
Pantothenic Acid 4.4 % Phosphorus 7.7 % Riboflavin 11.5 %
Selenium 13.6 % Thiamin 1.6 % Zinc 3.0 %

Apple Butter

2008-11-17T18:18:00.000-08:00

NOT LC, but something that sounds yummy . . . for the non-LCers out there . . .

Apple Butter Recipe
Print Options

* Print (no photos)
* Print (with photos)

Ingredients

* 4 lbs of good cooking apples (we use Granny Smith or Gravenstein)
* 1 cup apple cider vinegar
* 2 cups water
* Sugar (about 4 cups, see cooking instructions)
* Salt
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon allspice
* Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

Equipment Needed

* 1 wide 8-quart pan (Stainless steel or copper with stainless steel lining)
* A food mill or a chinois sieve
* A large (8 cup) measuring cup pourer
* 6-8 8-ounce canning jars

Method
Preparing the Fruit

1 Cut the apples into quarters, without peeling or coring them (much of the pectin is in the cores and flavor in the peels), cut out damaged parts.
First Stage of Cooking

2 Put them into large pot, add the vinegar and water, cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cook until apples are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Measure out the purée and add the sugar and spices

3 Ladle apple mixture into a chinois sieve (or foodmill) and using a pestle force pulp from the chinois into a large bowl below. Measure resulting puree. Add 1/2 cup of sugar for each cup of apple pulp. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add a dash of salt, and the cinnamon, ground cloves, allspice, lemon rind and juice. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Second Stage of Cooking

4 Cook uncovered in a large, wide, thick-bottomed pot on medium low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Scrape the bottom of the pot while you stir to make sure a crust is not forming at the bottom. Cook until thick and smooth when a bit is spooned onto a cold plate and allowed to cool (1 to 2 hours). You can also cook the purée on low heat, stirring only occasionally, but this will take much longer as stirring encourages evaporation. (Note the wider the pan the better, as there is more surface for evaporation.)
Canning

5 There are several ways to sterilize your jars for canning. You can run them through a short cycle on your dishwasher. You can place them in a large pot (12 quart) of water on top of a steaming rack (so they don't touch the bottom of the pan), and bring the water to a boil for 10 minutes. Or you can rinse out the jars, dry them, and place them, without lids, in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes.

6 Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal. If you plan to store the apple butter un-refrigerated, make sure to follow proper canning procedures. Before applying the lids, sterilize the lids by placing them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them. Wipe the rims of the jars clean before applying the lids. I use a hot water bath for 10 minutes to ensure a good seal.

As an alternative to stove cooking the puree you can cook uncovered in a microwave, on medium heat to simmer, for around 30 minutes.

Makes a little more than 3 pint jars.

from: http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000119apple_butter.php

The Soup Jackpot

2008-11-03T07:11:00.001-08:00

http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/soup_recipes.html

FUDGE!

2008-11-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

This sounds really good . . . let me know if anyone tries it!

No Hidden Carb Fudge

This recipe makes 4 servings.
2 oz cream cheese (use the expensive kind with less starch filler)

1 oz baker's chocolate (the kind with NO sugar.)
1 tbs DaVinci Vanilla Sugar Free Syrup (OR substitute 1 tbs Splenda and 1 tsp vanilla)
2 Tbs Cream

Melt the chocolate in the bottom of a greased small saucepan at low heat.

Add the cream cheese and stir in with the chocolate. Add cream and simmer. Add the DaVinci syrup (or Splenda and vanilla) and stir in. If it isn't sweet enough, add a tiny bit more syrup or Splenda
until it tastes right. Cook until it starts to thicken. Take off the stove. Grease a small bowl or individual pie plate. Spoon fudge into bowl or plate. Chill in refrigerator until hard. Cut into 4 pieces. Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 2 gm carb 1 gm protein 9.8 gm fat. 99 calories.

from: http://www.phlaunt.com/lowcarb/19060001.php

Zuppa Toscana

2008-11-03T06:56:00.000-08:00

An LC version of the Olive Garden's soup, apparently

1 (16 ounce) package Italian sausage (removed from casings)
1 small head cauliflower
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups kale - washed, dried, and shredded
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder (you could also use chicken broth, or boullion cubes)
2 quart water
4 TBSP heavy whipping cream just about

Directions
Sauté the sausage until cooked through, make sure you've removed them from their casings.
Add garlic to a separate saucepan and cook an 1 minute in a little oil. Add chicken base or bouillon, water, and cauliflower, simmer 15 minutes.
Add sausage, kale, and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve. This serves about 4-6 depending on the size of the bowl.

from: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=144020-Alison

Italian Wedding Soup

2008-11-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

Large can or homemade low sodium chicke stock
Place in large pot and heat to simmer

1 bag baby spinach

Meatballs are made with 1 lb. turkey burger (breast meat)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
2 tsp fresh garlic minced
1 whole egg
salt and pepper
(or you can use premade meatballs, just be sure there is no added bread)

Gently combine above ingredients and then
While stock heats, roll little meat balls, about 1/2 to 1 inch in size

Once stock is simmering drop in meatballs and cook til they rise up to the top
then add the spinach and simmer about 10 minutes, or just until the spinach has wilted.

from: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=227431-Alison

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

2008-11-03T06:49:00.000-08:00

1 can chicken broth
16 oz shredded cheese (about 4 cups)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1-2 cups broccoli florets (or I can see that chopped broccoli might be really tasty)

Heat broth and cheese on low heat until cheese is melted. Add heavy cream and sour cream, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium low, until bubbles begin to form on the top of the soup. Add broccoli florets. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes, or until broccoli is tender. Check frequently to avoid boiling over. Makes about 6 servings.

TOTAL Per Serv
Cals 3001 500
Fat 262 44
Sat Fat 164 27
Poly Fat 9 2
Mono Fat 75 13
Carbs 31 5
Fiber 9 2
Prot 140 23

from: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=183681-Alison

Cat's Breath Soup???

2008-11-03T06:35:00.001-08:00

2 qts water & 8 boullion cubes (or 2qts your choice of stock)
2# chopped broccoli(fresh or frozen)*
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4oz butter
4oz shredded cheese(Cheddar for broccoli, Mozz. or Mont. Jack for Mushroom)

Bring water to a boil & add bouillion cubes, stir 'til dissolved
OR
Bring 2 qts. of stock to a boil
-----------------------------------------------------
Add 4oz butter, stir until dissolved

Add chopped broccoli, bring back to boil for 15 minutes.

Turn down to simmer - cover for 30min.

Stir in 1 cup of heavy whipping cream slowly

Keep at simmer for 10 more minutes.

Ready to serve! (Salt to taste)

Dole into bowls & sprinkle shredded cheese on top
Stir in & enjoy!

Warm & satisfying - a good way to get your green carbs & fat in!

With Stock:
13%Carb/10%Protein/77%Fat
56.7g 45.3g 156.0g Calories: 1706
With Bouillion:
13%Carb/9%Protein/78%Fat
59.9g 40.9g 157.4g Calories: 1719

*SUBSTITUTE: USE 2#MUSHROOMS IN PLACE OF BROCCOLI -MMM

from: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=340692&page=2&pp=15

Dog Breath Soup

2008-11-03T06:29:00.000-08:00

Need:
Skillet or frypan
6qt stockpot

Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger, 80/20
12oz bag of salad
1/2 stick of butter
4 beef boullion cubes

Start 4 qt., minus 2cups water boiling

Crumble & pan-fried hamburger with olive oil cooking thoroughly (save the yummies in the pan for deglaze)

Add cooked beef to boiling water

While fry pan is still hot, add 2 cups of water & bring to a boil, scrape sides & bottom of pan to remove all the yummies

Pour contents of frypan into stockpot with boiling beef & water

Add 1/2 stick of butter

Boil for 10 minutes

Add bag of salad & 4 boullion cubes

Boil for 5 more minutes

Done, turn off heat, serve & ENJOY!

Here is the Nutritional breakdown for WHOLE POT:
Carbs = 9.4 Protein = 125.4g Fat = 153.6g Calories = 1941
I mess around with different spices with a dash of this or that spice in my bowl, garlic powder, chili powder, chinese 5 spice...It comes out real tasty to me! It kicks me into ketosis it no time. I can eat a 4 quart pot a day!

The salad can be 1 lb. of what ever vegetable you want.

In the chicken version, you can scoop the chicken tenders out of the soup with a strainer & cut them to bite size pieces, add a little dehydrated onion & snip some green onion over top & make a mock won-ton. I did a chicken w/broccoli for the 4th for me. I love the chicken base (as I call it). I'll use fresh spinach, or mustard greens, or cabbage(watch the carbs though), brussel sprouts. You can even make a good mock gumbo using okra & your spices right...

Creativity is yours...

Just start with 1/2 the recipe, use the EVO, butter & meat & add your own vege's!

Have fun with it...

from: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=340692-Alison

Jen's Butternut (or is it butternup?) Soup

2008-11-03T06:27:00.002-08:00

1 whole butternut squash cut up in 1 inch pieces

2-3 cans of chicken broth (or veggie broth, maybe?)

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp minced onion

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp nutmeg (I was out so I used allspice)

1/2 tsp white pepper (I used black lol)

1/4 tsp flaxseed meal

1 cup of Davinci’s vanilla syrup

And cream however much you like

Simmer for 1 hour

Blend it all up and enjoy.

Funny, this was supposed to be a mash LOL

Soup! Soup! Soup!

2008-11-03T06:27:00.001-08:00

It's Soup time! Yay!

Eggnog

2008-11-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

YUM! So glad the weather's getting colder. I made this last year at Christmas, and it was a big hit with my family. Fresh eggnog is really great. I made it virgin and bought along some whisky (JD, of course) for those who wished to add some. I cooked my eggnog, but if you wanted to get pre-pastuerized eggs, then you can follow the second recipe . . .

One more thing . . . you can do the first part (combine and cook the yolks, cream, and nutmeg) and then complete the second part when you're ready to make the 'nog. You can buy pre-pasteurized egg yolks in a milk carton . . . quite handy for this kind of thing. If you make the 'base' ahead of time, you're ready to make 'nog in a pinch (but only for a few days . . . this stuff doesn't last forever!).

* 4 egg yolks
* 1/3 cup sugar equivalent (I found that Sweetzfree worked really well, because it didn't have to dissolve first), plus 1 tablespoon
* 1 pint plus 1 cup heavy cream
* 3 ounces bourbon (optional)
* 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 4 egg whites

DIRECTIONS:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.

For Pre-Pasteurized eggs (supposed to be superior to the cooked version, but whatever)
* 4 egg yolks
* 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
* 1 pint whole milk
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 3 ounces bourbon
* 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 4 egg whites*

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Basic Frittata Recipe

2008-11-02T23:34:00.001-08:00

This is the 'formal' recipe found on one of the sites. I usually use bacon for the pancetta, and then spinach for the arugula. I also sometimes saute bell peppers, and stir in cheese. Anyway, once you get the basic recipe down, you're good to go. (I even made a Florentine version once with spinach, mushrooms, and ricotta)

* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
* 1/4 pound sliced pancetta, chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 bundles arugula, trimmed and chopped, about 3 cups, loosely packed
* 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
* 12 extra-large eggs
* 1/3 cup half-and-half, eye ball it
* 1 teaspoon salt
* Black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick ovensafe skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, pancetta, and garlic to the pan. When pancetta browns at edges and begins to crisp, add arugula. Wilt arugula, stir in tomatoes. Beat eggs together with half-and-half. Whisk in salt and pepper. Pour eggs over fillings and let eggs set. Using a spatula, raise eggs off the bottom of the skillet, allow more of the liquid egg to settle. When the frittata has set, transfer to oven and cook 10 to 12 minutes until top is deep golden brown. Remove the frittata and let it stand 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Tuscan-Style Grilled Tuna Steaks

2008-11-02T23:32:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

* 4 fresh tuna steaks, 8 ounces each, 1-inch thick
* 1 lemon, zested
* 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, about 2 tablespoons leaves stripped from stem
* Handful flat leaf parsley
* 3 cloves garlic, crushed
* Coarse salt and black pepper or grill seasoning
* Extra-virgin olive oil, for cooking

Rinse and pat tuna steaks dry. Place zest on top of cutting board. Pile rosemary and parsley leaves on top of zest. Pile garlic and some coarse salt and black pepper or grill seasoning on top of herbs. Finely chop the garlic, herbs, and spices. Drizzle the olive oil over the tuna steaks just enough to coat each side. Rub herb and garlic mixture into fish, coating pieces evenly on each side. Let stand 10 minutes.

Grill tuna steaks 6 minutes on each side or 4 minutes on each side, if you prefer pink tuna at the center. Cook steaks over: high setting on indoor electric grill, medium high heat on outdoor gas grill or, 6 inches from hot, prepared charcoal.

Swedish Meatballs

2008-11-02T23:21:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 lbs ground beef, or 3/4 lb of ground beef and 3/4 lb of ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1 onion, diced very small
1 T ground garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (freshly grated is the best!)
1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1 tsp xanthan gum or similar thickening agent
3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

Use food processor to finely chop onion. Put meat in mixing bowl and allow to come to room temperature, then mix in egg yolks, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and spices. Mix with your hands until spices are well distributed and beef is well combined.

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Use food processor to finely chop onion. Put meat in mixing bowl and allow to come to room temperature, then mix in egg yolks, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and spices. Mix with your hands until spices are well distributed and beef is well combined.

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Using a tablespoon measure, form the meatballs.

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the thickening agent or flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

Really good with mashers.

Lemon Curd

2008-11-02T23:20:00.000-08:00

OMG Sooooooo yummy!!! Great over berries . . .

I love lemon curd, which is almost always made with lots of sugar. Use this sugar-free version on a low-carb muffin, pancake, or biscuit. Fresh lemon juice tastes best, although an organic brand available near me (Santa Cruz Organic) is almost as good. Other bottled lemon juice I've tried doesn't taste as good. Lemon zest adds even more flavor for almost no carbs, but I like smooth lemon curd, so I don't use it.
INGREDIENTS:

* 4 Tablespoons butter (½ stick)
* ½ cup lemon juice, preferably fresh
* 1 cup sugar equivalent artificial sweetener, preferably liquid (powdered may have off-flavors)
* 3 eggs
* 1 egg yolk
* 1 small pinch salt

PREPARATION:
1) Cut butter up into pieces (around 8 to 10 pieces is good). Put the butter into the freezer.

2) Blend the rest of the ingredients together, with either a stick blender or standing blender.

3) Heat slowly in small saucepan or double boiler.
Whisk or stir frequently. When curd begins to thicken to the point where it coats the spoon, or leaves a trail when the bottom of the pan is scraped with a spatula, or is 170 F, remove from heat (don't let it get to boiling).

4) Immediately whisk or stir in butter. Keep stirring until butter is melted and incorporated.

5) Taste. If you think it's too "sharp," try adding another Tablespoon or two of butter.

6) Put in airtight container. A piece of plastic wrap on the surface will keep a "skin" from forming. Cool completely before using (it will thicken a bit more).

It can keep in refrigerator up to one week.

Nutritional Information: Each Tablespoon of lemon curd has a little less than half a gram of effective carbohydrate plus 1 gram protein, 3 grams fat, and 30 calories.

Jen's Puddin'

2008-10-24T17:27:00.001-07:00

¼ c flaxseed meal

¼ c cream

I used 2 tbsp DaVinci’s Chocolate Syrup or Sweetner/Flavor however you’d like

You could also make it savory w/ whatever cheese & meats.

Microwave 1 min 20 secs

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

2008-10-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

Cook Time: 8 hours
Ingredients:

* 1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried green split peas, rinsed
* 1 meaty hambone, 2 ham hocks, or 2 cups diced ham (I usually use the diced ham, as it's less greasy and easier to use . . . dice it up before you cook and you don't have to fish around for the hot bone and shred meat afterwards. Get the ham in the 2-pack in the pork section, as it's totally boneless)
* 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 2 ribs of celery, chopped
* 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
* 1 tbsp. seasoned salt (or to taste)
* 1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
* 1 1/2 qts. hot water

Preparation:
Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given; pour in water. Do not stir ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Remove bones and bay leaf. Mash peas to thicken more, if desired. Freezes well.
Serves 8.

Nutritional info:
8.2 NET CARBS PER CUP

Calories 86.9
Total Fat 0.9 g
Saturated Fat 0.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Cholesterol 6.4 mg
Sodium 1,070.8 mg
Potassium 312.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 13.0 g
Dietary Fiber 4.8 g
Sugars 2.0 g
Protein 7.2 g

Vitamin A 30.5 % Vitamin B-12 1.9 %
Vitamin B-6 6.2 % Vitamin C 11.9 % Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 1.5 % Calcium 2.0 % Copper 5.9 % Folate 9.9 %
Iron 5.2 % Magnesium 6.1 % Manganese 13.0 %
Niacin 6.7 % Pantothenic Acid 4.5 % Phosphorus 9.7 %
Riboflavin 4.2 % Selenium 4.0 % Thiamin 15.0 % Zinc 5.7 %

Flax Spice Muffins/Cupcakes

2008-10-24T05:45:00.001-07:00

3eggs,
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. oil
1/4 cup sugar free syrup, such as Da Vinci
2 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 cup flaxmeal (ground flaxseeds)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp salt (like i said you can add any spices here, ginger, cardamon, cloves...ect)

In a medium, bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Beat in oil, syrup, water and vanilla. In small bowl combine remaining ingredients(mix very WELL you dont want chunks of baking soda), then stir into egg mixture. Let stand 5 minutes. Spoon into well greased muffin cups (without paper) Bake at 350 F 12-15 minutes, Remove from tin at once to cooling rack. Store in fridge!

for the whole recipe its about net 24 carbs and 2035 calories. I had nine muffins. for 9 muffins its: about 250 calories, and 3 net carbs. Thats a bit overestimated. But to be safe, just say 3. Its all from the spices, anyway. Fiber is HIGH! I know that

Hope you all enjoy these delicious breakfast options. I enjoy homemade pumpkin butter on this, especially in October

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2008-10-24T05:36:00.002-07:00

Crust:

2 cup ground pecans (or 1.5 c. pecans and 1/2 c. almond flour)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger
2 Tbsp. Splenda or other artificial sweetener (Erythritol)
4 tablespoons melted butter

Grease or spray a springform pan or pie pan. Grind nuts in a food processor and then move to a bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix. Press into the greased pan. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Be careful, as nuts can burn, without looking or smelling burnt. Set aside and cool completely.

Cheesecake:

3- 8 ounce packages of Cream Cheese
1/2 cup of Splenda or other artificial sweetener (I use 1/4 cup Erythritol + 1/4 tsp. liquid Stevia)
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 can of Pumpkin (not Pumpkin Pie filling)
1 TBSP. Pumpkin Pie spice
3 whole eggs
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 325. Bring cream cheese and eggs to room temperature. (This prevents lumps). In a food processor or with an electric mixer, blend cream cheese until creamy and of an even consistency. Add sweetener, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and sour cream and blend until incorporated. Add canned pumpkin. Add eggs one at a time and blend after each until incorporated into batter.

Wrap outside of springform pan in foil. Place springform pan in a larger pan filled with water. This prevents the cheesecake from cracking and keeps it moist inside. Place both pans in oven for 45-60 minutes or until firm. Center will still jiggle a little bit. Turn off oven and crack the door. Allow cheesecake to sit in oven for 2-3 hours until completely cool. Refridgerate overnight and remove sides.

from: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?p=7595949

Spice Cupcakes

2008-10-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

BETTY'S SPICE CAKE CUPCAKES

1 1/2 cup almond flour-12
3/4 cup vital wheat gluten-12
8 ounces cream cheese-8
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder-2
1 tsp. baking soda-0
1/2 tsp. salt-0
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg-.5
2 tsp. Cinnamon-2
1 T. Vanilla-1
2 eggs-2
1/4 cup oil-0
1 tsp. Vinegar-0
1 cup sugar substitute(I used ¼ cup Erythritol +1tsp. Trishz's liquid Splenda)-0
1/2 cup cream-4
1/4 cup water-0

Put everything into a food processor and process until smooth. Open processor and scrape down the sides with a spatula and process for another two minutes.

NOTE:
You want to develop the gluten, so if you don't have a food processor and are going to use a mixer I would beat it on high speed for at least 5 minutes. (The only way I've ever made these was in a food processor but I don't see why a mixer wouldn't work.)

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full (I use paper cupcake liners) and bake at 350° for 17 to 20 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they spring back when lightly touched with your finger.

Makes 16 cup cakes- 3g carbs each

Cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.

from: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=206006

Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting revised

2008-10-24T05:29:00.001-07:00

MY ADAPTATION:

Mix:
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup Brown Sugar Twin

Then mix:
1 1/2 cup mashed pumpkin
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil

Mix dry into wet and pour into sprayed 9x13 inch pan. Bake 350 for 30-40 min. Let cool then frost. Really good next day!!! If they last that long!!!

Cream Cheese Walnut Frosting

8 oz softened cream cheese
2 tbsp softened butter
1/4 cup Walden Farms Pancake Syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all together till smooth and spread on bars!

18 bars with 2.4 carbs per bar

18 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Total Carbohydrate 3.6 g
Dietary Fiber 1.1 g
Sugars 0.7 g
Protein 3.5 g

Vitamin A 48.2 %
Vitamin B-12 2.1 % Vitamin B-6 1.2 % Vitamin C 1.1 %
Vitamin D 1.3 % Vitamin E 15.9 % Calcium 4.6 % Copper 1.0 %
Folate 1.7 % Iron 4.2 % Magnesium 5.7 % Manganese 3.6 %
Niacin 0.4 % Pantothenic Acid 1.8 % Phosphorus 3.4 %
Riboflavin 4.0 % Selenium 3.4 % Thiamin 0.7 % Zinc 1.2 %
from: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=215377

Pumpkin Butter

2008-10-24T05:26:00.001-07:00

1/2c low carb maple syrup (I have no carb syrup from Walden Farms that's quite tasty)
2 tsp Splenda or Sweetzfree (look Ma, no carbs!)
1/4 c Water
1/2 tsp Allspice
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ginger
1/4 tsp Cloves
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
2c Pumpkin puree

Mix all but the pumpkin until smooth. Add in the pumpkin and mix again until smooth. Cool and keep in the fridge. It should stay good for up to a month.

Great for putting on celery, cucumbers, or whatever else you're snacking on!

Serving size: 2 Tbsp
Carbs per serving: .5g (or less depending on your syrup)**Much lower if you use Sweetzfree or other carb-free sweetner and carb-free syrup**

from: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art14318.asp

Maple-Glazed Walnuts

2008-10-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

3 cups walnuts
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar-free pancake syrup (try to get one that's not loaded with sugar alcohols . . . Walden Farms is the best, but Howard's is good too)
1/3 cup Splenda or other non-caloric sweetner

Put walnuts in the slow cooker

In a separate bowl, mix together the cinnamon through the syrup and 1/4 cup of the Splenda. Pour the mixture over the walnuts and stir to coat. Cover the slow cooker, set to low, and cook for 2-3 hours, stirring every hour or so.

Then uncover the slow cooker and cook, stirring every 20 minutes, until the nuts are almost dry. Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp of Splenda, cook for another 20 minutes, then remove from slow cooker and cool.

9 servings, 4 net carbs

Curried Pecans

2008-10-22T20:08:00.000-07:00

3 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp blackstrap molasses (I got a bottle last year and I still have most of it, but it's a good go-to for adding a rich depth to a dish without mucho carbs)
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
12 ounces (roughly a cup and a half) pecan halves
2 tbsp Splenda

In a big, heavy skillet, melt the butter over med-lo heat. Stir in the molasses, curry powder, salt, and cumin and cook for just a minute or two.

Add the pecans to the butter and spice mixture and stir until they're evenly coated. Transfer them to your slow cooker and sprinkle Splenda over the pecans, stirring as you sprinkle to ensure an even coat. Cover, set to low, and cook for 2-3 hours, stirring once or twice during the cooking time.

9 servings, 2 net carbs

Kick Ass Pecans

2008-10-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

3 cups pecan halves
1 egg white
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1 cup Splenda or other non-calorie sweetener equivalent

Put the pecans in the slow cooker and add egg white. Stir until the nuts are evenly coated.

In a separate bowl, stir together the cinnamon, salt, cayenne, and Splenda. Pour the spices over the pecans and stir until they're evenly coated. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 3 hours, stirring every hour or so.

If your nuts aren't dry by the end of the 3 hours, uncover the slow cooker, stir, and cook for another 30 minutes until dry.

9 servings, 4 net carbs

Candied Pecans

2008-10-22T20:01:00.000-07:00

1 pound of pecan halves
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup of Splenda or other non-calorie sweetner equivalent
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice

Put pecans in the slow cooker and pour butter on top. Stir to make sure all the nuts are evenly coated. Sprinkle the spices over the top and stir again to coat.

Cover the slow cooker, set it to high, and let it cook for 30 minutes. Then uncover, turn it to low, and let it cook for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

8 servings, 3 net carbs

Walnuts with Blue Cheese

2008-10-22T19:57:00.000-07:00

4 cups of walnuts
1/2 cup of blue cheese dressing
1 tsp garlic salt

Dump nuts and dressing in your slow cooker and stir until well combined. Cover, and cook on low for 3 hours, stirring once halfway through.

Stir in the garlic salt right before serving.

16 servings with 2 net carbs

Dana's Snack Mix, Slow Cooker-Style

2008-10-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
2 tsp onion powder
2 cups raw pumpkin seeds, shelled (pepitas)
1 cup raw sunflower seeds, shelled
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw pecans
1 cup raw walnut pieces
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts

Dump everything into the crockpot, stir, set on low, and cook for 5-6 hours, stirring once or twice. When the time's up, uncover the pot, stir the nut and seed mix up, and cook for another 45-60 minutes to dry the nuts and seeds.

Store in an airtight container

24 servings of 1/3 cup, 6 net carbs (after 3 g of fiber)

Well . . .

2008-10-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

May the great SLOW COOKER NUTS section begin! (to much triumph and acclaim)

Mini loaves

2008-10-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

Mini flax/wheat gluten loaves
3 ounces of melted butter
4 heaped tablespoons of ground flax seed (linseeds)
2 heaped tablespoons of vital wheat gluten
1 heaped teaspoon of Baking Powder
3 medium eggs
6 tablespoons of cold water
Pinch of salt

Mix together thoroughly and spoon into a greased 6-mini loaf baking tin (has 6 rectangular holes)

Bake in a medium oven 150 degrees C (300 degrees F) for about 15 minutes till brown.
Remove from oven and leave a few minutes then turn out onto rack to cool

It worked out well, and the texture is more open than my microwaved flax bread.

Microwave Flax Cereal

2008-10-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

(I made it with 1/8 c of SF maple syrup and 1/8 c of water and some strawberries . . . YUMMMIE!)

This "pudding" can be put together in the microwave in 3-4 minutes. You can add berries or other "mix-ins" - see suggestions below. The flax gives it lots of fiber and good fat, plus a nice nutty flavor.
Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup flax seed meal
* 1/4 cup water (some of the liquid can be sugar-free syrup, if desired)
* 1 egg
* Sugar substitute to taste
* Mixins as desired (see below)

Preparation:
Mix flax meal, egg, and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for about 45 seconds. Move the cooked part of the pudding towards the center of the bowl and add any mix-ins you want. Microwave for about 45-60 more seconds, depending on mix-ins (frozen fruit will need even longer cooking, as it will cool down the pudding). Stir and eat.

Possible Additions:

* Fresh or frozen berries or other fruit (Low Carb Fruit List)
* Unsweetened coconut
* Peanut butter or other nut butters
* Small cubes of cream cheese (any fat level)
* Sugar-free maple or other syrup
* Sugar-free jam or preserves
* Chopped nuts

Nutritional Information: Each serving has 1 gram effective carbohydrate plus 9 grams fiber, 12 grams protein, and 243 calories.

OMG Microwavable Flax Bread!

2008-10-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

I make a microwaved bread from flax

1 ounce of melted butter
2 medium eggs
4 tablespoons of flax
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.

Mix together and put in the microwave and nuke for 3 minutes.

I havent tried the bake mixes so dont know how like real bread they are but I find this makes a fairly closetextured bread that tastes to me like wholemeal bread.

On another board a member suggested you could add parmesan and some herbs to make a savoury loaf but I havent tried it yet.

Totally induction legal for Atkins

About 570 cals for the whole recipe - I get 8 slices out of it
Other info - whole recipe has
Total fat 48 gms
Carbs 18gms (including 15 gms fibre) - so only 3 net carbs

from: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=189970&page=1&pp=15

Flax Focacia Bread

2008-10-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

Haven't tried this yet, but I will . . .

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

* 2 cups flax seed meal
* 1 Tablespoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1-2 Tablespoons sweetening power from artificial sweetener
* 5 beaten eggs
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/3 cup oil

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare pan (a 10X15 pan with sides works best) with oiled parchment paper or a silicone mat.

1) Mix dry ingredients well -- a whisk works well.

2) Add wet to dry, and combine well. Make sure there aren't obvious strings of egg white hanging out in the batter.

3) Let batter set for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken up some (leave it too long and it gets past the point where it's easy to spread.)

4) Pour batter onto pan. Because it's going to tend to mound in the middle, you'll get a more even thickness if you spread it away from the center somewhat, in roughly a rectangle an inch or two from the sides of the pan (you can go all the way to the edge, but it will be thinner).

5) Bake for about 20 minutes, until it springs back when you touch the top and/or is visibly browning even more than flax already is.

6) Cool and cut into whatever size slices you want. You don't need a sharp knife; I usually just cut it with a spatula.

At 12 servings, each piece of bread has less than one gram of carbohydrate -- .8 to be exact -- plus 5 grams of fiber.

from: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/breads/r/flaxbasicfoc.htm

Tuna Patties

2008-10-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

My go-to recipe during the week!

TUNA PATTIES

1. Heat some oil in a frying pan at med to med-lo heat
2. Open and drain 2 cans of chunk tuna (no need for the fancy albacore stuff), using a sieve or colander for most moisture extraction
3. Dump the drained tuna in a bowl, and add 2 eggs, 1/3 cup of Carbquik or other LC meal (flax, soy, almond, etc), and 1/4 cup dried minced onion, mix well
4. Divide the mixture into 8 parts and form into individual patties
5. Fry until browned and delicious.

Enjoy!

For all 8 patties, using Carbquik, it's about 4 carbs

Master Flax Muffin Recipe

2008-10-19T19:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

* 1 1/4 cup flax seed meal
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 large eggs, beaten
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/2 cup equivalent of Sweetzfree or other sugar free sweetner (powders will usually affect the end carb count, so be sure to calculate that in your nutritional data)
* 1 tablespoon vanilla

Extras:
* 1 cup whole fresh cranberries, softened by pouring boiling water over them, letting them sit for 5 minutes, and then draining the water off
* 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional for topping)
* 1 1/2 tsp orange extract, 1 tsp powdered ginger, 2 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 cup fresh blueberries, 1/3 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, softened, with 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Liberally butter muffin tins. Makes anywhere from 12 to 24 muffins. Do not use paper muffin liners - they will stick.

1. Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients (minus the extras) separately, then mix them together.

2. Let mixture stand for 10 minutes to thicken.

3. Fold in extras

4. Fill each muffin cup about half way, and sprinkle with nuts.

5. Bake about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Keep up to a week in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

Nutritional Info:
Master recipe with Sweetzfree or other no-carb liquid sweetner:
Nutrition Facts
12 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Total Carbohydrate 4.5 g
Dietary Fiber 3.8 g
Sugars 0.2 g
NET CARBS PER MUFFIN: 0.7
Protein 4.6 g

Vitamin A 2.2 % Vitamin B-12 2.8 % Vitamin B-6 1.3 %
Vitamin C 0.4 % Vitamin D 2.2 % Vitamin E 3.7 %
Calcium 4.2 % Copper 0.4 % Folate 2.1 % Iron 3.5 %
Magnesium 0.7 % Manganese 7.7 %
Niacin 0.2 % Pantothenic Acid 2.1 % Phosphorus 3.9 %
Riboflavin 5.1 % Selenium 7.4 % Thiamin 0.8 % Zinc 1.4 %

With Splenda (Powdered and Reconstituted)
Total Carbohydrate 5.7 g
Dietary Fiber 3.8 g
Sugars 0.2 g
NET CARBS PER MUFFIN: 1.9

With Cranberries
Total Carbohydrate 5.5 g
Dietary Fiber 4.2 g
Sugars 0.5 g
NET CARBS PER MUFFIN: 1.3 (with the Sweetzfree, if you're using powdered, recalculate with the info above)

With Walnuts
Total Carbohydrate 5.6 g
Dietary Fiber 4.3 g
Sugars 0.4 g
NET CARBS PER MUFFIN: 1.3 (with the Sweetzfree, if you're using powdered, recalculate with the info above)

With Pecans
Total Carbohydrate 5.6 g
Dietary Fiber 4.5 g
Sugars 0.5 g
NET CARBS PER MUFFIN: 1.1 (with the Sweetzfree, if you're using powdered, recalculate with the info above)

With Orange Extract, Powdered Ginger, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Total Carbohydrate 4.9 g
Dietary Fiber 4.0 g
Sugars 0.2 g
NET CARBS PER MUFFIN: 0.9 (with the Sweetzfree, if you're using powdered, recalculate with the info above)

With Blueberries and Pecans
Total Carbohydrate 6.8 g
Dietary Fiber 4.5 g
Sugars 0.3 g
NET CARBS PER MUFFIN: 2.3 (with the Sweetzfree, if you're using powdered, recalculate with the info above)

With the Peanut Butter and the Peanuts
Total Carbohydrate 9.5 g
Dietary Fiber 5.4 g
Sugars 0.3 g
NET CARBS PER MUFFIN: 4.1 (with the Sweetzfree, yadda yadda yadda)

I used a great site called Spark Recipes to calculate all of these nutritional info figures . . . check it out at http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

Adapted Cranberry Orange Flax Muffins

2008-10-19T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

* 1 cup whole fresh cranberries
* 1 1/4 cup flax seed meal
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 2 tablespoons cinnamon
* 2 teaspoons nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon ginger (dried, powdered)
* 1/2 tsp lemon extract
* 1/2 tbsp orange extract
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 large eggs, beaten
* 1/4 cup olive oil or other oil
* 1/2 cup Sweetzfree or other liquid sweetner. If you're going to be using powdered Splenda, add 1 net carb per packet and dilute in water
* 1 tablespoon vanilla
* 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional for topping)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Liberally butter muffin tins. Makes anywhere from 12 to 24 muffins. Do not use paper muffin liners - they will stick.

1. Pour boiling water over cranberries. Let sit for 5 minutes and pour off water.

2. Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients (minus the cranberries) separately, then mix them together.

3. Let mixture stand for 10 minutes to thicken.

4. Fold in cranberries.

5. Fill each muffin cup about half way, and sprinkle with nuts.

6. Bake about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Keep up to a week in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

For 12 muffins: Each muffin has 2 grams effective carbohydrate plus 6 grams fiber and 6 grams protein.

Bacon, Cauliflower, and Cheese "Latkes"

2008-09-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

LOW-CARB BACON & CHEESE CAULIFLOWER CAKES

1 head of cauliflower
1/2 stick butter (melted)
6 strips of crumbled bacon
3 Tbs sour cream
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large egg
Cheese (optional topping)
Sour cream (optional topping)

Break up the cauliflower and place in a large pot of water. Cook on high heat to a boil for 20-30 minutes until very soft. When it reaches this consistency, put out paper towels across the counter and carefully pull the cauliflower out individually on the paper towels. Take more paper towels and place on top of the cauliflower. Gently press down to soak up the excess water in the cauliflower.

Grab a big bowl and place the cauliflower you just dabbed with the paper towels in it. Using a potato masher, thoroughly mash up the cauliflower until it is smooth. Add butter, bacon, sour cream, whipping cream, salt and pepper, and egg. Whip until well-blended.

Heat up a non-stick skillet to medium high, spray cooking spray or use butter to grease the bottom of the pan, and scoop the cauliflower mixture into the skillet. Cook the cauliflower patties for couple of minutes constantly scraping the sides. Gently flip and place cheese on top cooking for two more minutes.

Plate the cauliflower cake and put a dollop of sour cream on top.

ALTERNATIVE RECIPE OPTION: My wife Christine loves garlic and onions, so I added these to the cauliflower mix before the skillet step. It's not too bad, so you might try it!

from: http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com/2008/05/mouthwatering-low-carb-bacon-cheese.html

Honey Cake

2008-09-23T14:42:00.001-07:00

This I haven't tried yet. If anyone does, let me know how it goes. I'm considering making it for my friend's Rosh Hashannah dinner next week, minus the honey (I'll add some Brown Sugar Twin or something instead).

Low Carb Honey Cake
That version, with two tablespoons of honey, has 7 grams of carbs per slice. But I found out it is just as good without the honey as an all-occasion spice cake for only 3 grams of carbs. The coffee seems to be pretty traditional for Rosh Hashanah honey cakes. The cocoa is optional (and not traditional), but it adds a mysterious depth, without any prominent chocolate flavor.
Ingredients:

* 2 cups almond meal or almond flour
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature (or margarine for Parve)
* 4 eggs
* 2 Tablespoons honey (optional) - get the darkest honey you can, for more flavor
* 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
* 1 and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
* pinch ground cloves
* 3/4 cup sugar equivalent in artificial sweetener
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 cup coffee, about room temperature

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F.

1) Grease a 8-inch round or square cake pan. If you plan to remove the cake before serving, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper, and grease the top of the paper as well.

2) Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add honey, spices, sweetener, cocoa, and salt, and beat until blended.

3) Add eggs and beat until well-blended.

4) Add almond meal, baking powder, and coffee. Stir or beat until blended and pour into prepared pan. Cook about 30 minutes, or until center springs back or toothpick comes out clean.

Cool, and cut into 8 pieces for a round pan or 9 for a square pan.

Nutritional Information: With Honey: Each of 8 servings has 7 grams effective carbohydrate plus 3 grams fiber, 8 grams protein, and 296 calories. Without honey, subtract 4 grams carbohydrate and 16 calories per serving.

For 9 Servings Without Honey: Each has 2.5 grams ECC, 3 grams fiber, 7 grams protein, and 249 calories.

from: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/desserts/r/honeycake.htm

LC Stuffing!

2008-09-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

One of the tricks to making low-carb turkey stuffing is to use a lot of vegetables. Another is to use a bread made without a lot of starch. This stuffing can be cooked inside a turkey or chicken, cooked on the stovetop, or baked in the oven in a casserole dish. You may think it sounds like there is an overwhelming amount of celery in this dish, but it actually cooks down so much that it is fine.
Ingredients:

* 1 loaf low carb stuffing bread (see below) or low carb bread, crumbled or cut into cubes
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 6-7 cups chopped celery - about 2 small bunches
* 1 green Bell pepper, chopped
* 1 bunch parsley, chopped (about 2 cups)
* 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning, such as Bells
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* Salt - start with 1/2 teaspoon, or 1 T chicken or turkey soup base (see below)
* 1 cup water or broth, plus more according to moisture needed
* 1 - 3 eggs if baking it, and if desired (nutritional info includes 1 egg)
* 1 T cooking oil
*(ALI'S VARIATIONS)I also add crumbled, browned fresh turkey sausage, chopped fresh sage and parsley, and sometimes some dried onions reconstituted in some of the chicken broth, then chopped.

Preparation:

1) Make low-carb stuffing bread, or use about 1 - 1½ lb loaf of low-carb bread if you have access to it. Different types of bread will bring different results, so you may have to adjust the amount of liquid, seasonings, etc. I based the nutritional information below on using my homemade stuffing bread. In any case, allow the bread to dry out for awhile, either on the counter on in a low oven. It doesn't have to be totally dry, just kind of stale-level dry.

2) Saute' onion, celery, and pepper until soft. Add parsley and cook for a minute or so, until wilted. Add seasonings. I include about a Tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Soup Base at this point.

3) Mix together the vegetables and the bread. Add a cup of broth or water, stir, and taste. Adjust seasoning and moisture. If you're going to stuff poultry with it, leave it on the dry side because it will absorb a lot of juices during cooking. You can eat it just as it is, but if you bake it, the flavors will come together better. Adding egg will make it come together in more of a melded together form. I usually add one egg, but don't like it too melded. You can add 2, or even three eggs. Mix well and bake at 350 F. for about half an hour, or until browned on top.

Nutritional Information: This makes quite a lot of stuffing. Divided into 12 generous servings, each has 5 grams effective carbohydrate plus 4 grams fiber, 9 grams protein, and 244 calories.

LC Stuffing Bread:
This is a gluten-free bread I make to use as an ingredient in low-carb stuffing for turkey or chicken. It can also be a stovetop type of thing, but is better if it at least bakes for a little while. I also use it as a casserole topping, if I have some leftover.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 cups almond meal
* 1/3 cup powdered egg whites
* 1 Tablespoon baking powder
* 1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning, such as Bell's Seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 Tablespoon sugar substitute

Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 F.

Butter the bottom of a large loaf pan - if desired, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter or oil that as well.

1) Mix dry ingredient together (a whisk works well).

2) Add wet ingredients and mix well.

3) Pour into loaf pan.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until top is lightly browned (if you insert a toothpick into the loaf and it comes out clean, you can remove it from the oven.)

When cool enough to handle, remove from pan and break into large chunks. Let cool. At this point, I like to leave it out to dry for a few hours, or put it in a low oven. You can cut it into cubes first, if you'd like, or after it dries out a bit.

from: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/thanksgiving/r/lowcarbstuffing.htm

Pecan Crust for Pumpkin Pie

2008-09-23T14:37:00.002-07:00

This is a great pie crust, particularly for pumpkin pie, but it can be used for other custard/pudding fillings. It really helps to start out with pecans from the freezer, because then the butter blends through but quickly sets up so the "mass" is pliable.
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1 cup pecan pieces (frozen)
* 2 T melted butter
* 2 T sugar equivalent from artificial sweetener of your choice

Preparation:
1. Take pecans out of the freezer and measure them into a food processor (you can use a blender, but be careful not to blend them down too small). Pulse the processor until the largest pieces are as big as lentils or split peas.

2. Add the butter and the sweetener (I prefer ”liquid Splenda”). Blend until it's mixed evenly and then quickly

3. Dump it into a pie pan, and push with your fingers to cover the bottom and sides. It should be the right consistency to mold the crust to the pie pan evenly.

Nutritional Analysis: Whole crust is 4.5 grams effective carbohydrate plus 10.5 grams fiber, 10 grams of protein, 101 grams fat, 950 calories

Pumpkin Pie

2008-09-23T14:37:00.001-07:00

People love this pie. People have told me it was the best they've even had, and they didn't know it was low carb or sugar-free (or gluten-free). You must make it with the pecan crust for full impact. That said, it's great on its own as a baked pudding, even for breakfast.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1 15 oz can pumpkin
* 2 eggs
* 2/3 cup unsweetened soy milk (or milk or cream - milk has more carbs, so adjust)
* 1/3 cup cream
* 1 C sugar equivalent from artificial sweetener
* 1 teaspoon dark molasses (optional)
* 2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 scant teaspoon t nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* Pinch cloves
* 1/4 t salt

Preparation:
As an artificial sweetener, I prefer a form of liquid sucralose, as powdered types have more carbs and sometimes an off-taste.

1) Preheat oven to 425 F. (important)

2) Dump all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and whirl to blend.

3) Pour into the crust.

4) Put the pie in the oven and immediately turn the oven down to 375 F. In 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 300 F. (This cooks the crust, so it isn't soggy, but then allows the custard to bake more slowly.) Bake until almost set in the middle, about 30 to 40 minutes more. If it starts to crack a bit around the edges, it's probably done.

5) Cool and serve with whipped cream (the real stuff, made with vanilla and sweetener). How To Make Homemade Whipped Cream

Nutritional Analysis: 8 servings, without crust: 3.5 grams effective carbohydrate plus 2 grams fiber, 3 grams protein, 5.5 grams fat, 80 calories.

With pecan crust, each serving is 4 grams effective carbohydrate with 3.4 grams fiber

from: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/desserts/r/pumpkinpie.htm

LC Baked Beans

2008-09-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

2 c. dried black soybeans
2 c. water
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
3 tbsp LC ketchup
1 tbsp dry mustard
1 tbsp instant coffee (optional, but you can't taste the coffee and it adds a richness to it)
2 tbsp Splenda or Sweetzfree
2 c. water
3/4 lb smoked ham hocks or ham steak

Put soybeans in a big, nonreactive bowl and cover with the first 2 cups of water. Let them sit until the water is absorbed. Then put your soaked beans in the freezer overnight. The freezing water will help break down the cell walls in the soybeans, making them soften faster when you cook them.

When you want to cook the soybeans, thaw them, and pour off any soaking water. Put the beans in your slow cooker and add onion through water. Stir, and put in ham hock or ham steak. Cover, and cook on low for 12 hours.

When it's done, fish out the hock or steak with tongs, shred the meat, and stir back into the beans.

10 servings of 1/2 cup, 1 net carb (12 carbs, 11 fiber)

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

2008-09-23T14:18:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
1 cup liquid smoke flavoring (you can usually find this by the premade BBQ sauces in the supermarket, and I usually use a little more liquid smoke)
3 lb pork shoulder or other boneless pork roast (I prefer boneless because it's easier to shred, but to each their own)
LC BBQ sauce (recipe follows)

Stab your pork roast a whole bunch of times to make spaces for the liquid smoke to penetrate the roast, or use a flavor syringe (I don't have one and find stabbing the meat allows me to work out some frustrations). Place the roast in the slow cooker and pour the liquid smoke all over the pork.

Cook on low for 8 hours or until it's falling apart. When the pork is done, shred it up and stir in BBQ sauce.

BBQ sauce:
2 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 c. LC ketchup, like Heinz brand
1/3 c. Splenda (or Sweetzfree, which has NO carbs)
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Brown Sugar Twin (optional)
1 tbsp chili powder
1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Combine everything in a saucepan over low heat. Heat until butter melts. Stir, let simmer for 5 minutes, and enjoy!

Without the BBQ sauce it has 0 carbs. With BBQ sauce, about 3-4, depending on your specific ingredients.

Horseradish Chicken

2008-06-17T11:16:00.002-07:00

Horseradish Chicken (the real recipe, I tend to not measure so much, but I don't think a hunk of butter and a few spoonfuls of this or that would be helpful to anyone)
Even if you have apprehensions about trying this due to the horseradish, you should try it anyway. The long cooking process makes the horseradish so mellow, kind of like roasted garlic.
(Serves 4)

4 pounds of chicken (I tend to use split breasts)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
3/4 cup chicken broth/stock
1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
2-3 tbsp prepared horseradish
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup cream

1. Brown the chicken, skin on, over medium heat with the butter and oil. When the chicken is evenly browned all over, removed to slow cooker.

2. Combine the chicken broth, bouillon, and horseradish, and pour over the chicken. Slap the lid on that bad boy and let it cook on Low Heat for about 6 hours.

3. When the allotted cooking time is up, remove the chicken from the slow cooker. I tend to take the skin off and shred the chicken. Just be careful you don’t overlook bones (Jake eats this dish cautiously out of fear of choking to death on a chicken bone. I, on the other hand, have never gotten a bone in my food).

4. Whisk the cream cheese and cream into the liquid in the slow cooker until smooth. Taste and add S&P if needed. You might want to add more horseradish for more of a kick (I usually do). Dump the chicken back in, and stir to coat.

This has 1 net carb per serving and it’s really filling. I tend to make it with some French green beans (Haricots Verts) that I buy from Trader Joe’s in the frozen section, nuked with butter and S&P.

Tangy Creamed Spinach with Beef

2008-06-17T11:16:00.001-07:00

"Tangy Creamed Spinach with Beef"

3/4 to 1 pound of baby spinach
a few pinches of ground nutmeg (fresh is best)
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp. butter
4 oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 to 1 cup chicken stock
1/3 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, cook the spinach down with a little oil over medium heat. Stir in the nutmeg. (It really adds a little depth to the dish . . . I always use nutmeg when dealing with spinach or kale. Yum!)
When spinach is wilted, transfer to another bowl and brown the beef. While the beef is browning, cut the cream cheese up and heat over low heat with the cream, whisking until smooth. When it's smooth, turn off the heat.
Remove the beef to the same bowl as the spinach and saute onion in butter and a little oil until translucent. When the onions are golden, add the spinach and beef back into the skillet. Pour in the chicken stock and let it simmer down until slightly reduced.
Turn off the heat and stir in the cream cheese mixture. Add Parmesan cheese and stir well to combine. Salt and pepper if needed.

Jake loved this dish . . . I was just looking for a way to eat the baby spinach I'd bought before it went bad. It was quite tasty though.

Poppy Chicken

2008-06-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

Poppy Chicken
Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into roughly 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup garlic powder
oil
1 bag of frozen broccoli spears
3/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp poppy seeds
roughly 3 to 4 cups of shredded cheese (I usually use a mix of sharp cheddar and Italian blend)

1. Preheat oven to 425. Toss the chicken in the Parmesan Cheese and garlic powder until evenly coated. Brown in batches in oiled pan over med hi heat.

2. While the chicken is browning, empty bag of broccoli into a microwave safe bowl and pop that bad boy in the micro for 7 to 8 mins, uncovered.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayo, cream, and seeds.

4. Spray a 9x13in baking pan with PAM (or generic equivalent), layer in the broccoli. Salt and pepper, and add a few pats of butter if you wish. Sprinkle with a light layer of Parmesan and garlic powder.

5. Distribute the chicken evenly over the broccoli, top with the mayo mixture (you probably won't have enough to cover the whole dish, but spread it as much as you can). Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until it reaches the level of doneness you like (Jake likes it browned and bubbly)

Oopsie Rolls

2008-06-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

CLEOCHATRA'S BEST EVER REVOL-OOPSIE ROLLS

3 large eggs
1 packet of Splenda
A dash of salt
A pinch of cream of tartar
3 ounces cream cheese (not Tbsp!) Do not soften!

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Separate the eggs and add Splenda, salt, and cream cheese to the yolks. Use a mixer to combine the ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff (if you're using the same mixer, mix the whites first and then the yolk mixture).

Using a spatula, gradually fold the egg yolk mixture into the white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and spoon the mixture onto the sheet, making 6 mounds. Flatten each mound slightly.

Bake for about 30 minutes (You want them slightly softer, not crumbly). Let cool on the sheet for a few minutes, and then remove to a rack and allow them to cool.

Storage and freezing:

I store them in a Ziplock bag with the bag open partially (this way they breathe and don't get too moist) and keep them in the fridge after the first day. Then, when you want to use them, take them out and set them on the counter for 15-30 minutes or until they are room temperature. This makes them more "dry" and less sticky.

As for freezing, I tried freezing and they do freeze. This time you want to close the Ziplock when storing (I only store two per bag). To thaw, let them rest on the counter until room temperature in the bag with the bag open. When they're close to room temperature, set them outside of the bag so that they can "dry" out slightly for use.

Makes 6 "Oopsie Rolls"
Calories 85 each
Carbs Less than 1g each (WOWee!!!)

From the Livin' La Vida Low-Carb blog at: http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com/2008/03/cleochatras-amazing-low-carb-

Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

2008-06-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

Baby spinach
1/2 pound bacon, cut up with kitchen shears
1/2 cup white wine or apple cider vinegar
2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Splenda or sugar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Fry the cut up bacon until crisp. While bacon is frying, whisk together the other ingredients in a seperate bowl.
2. When bacon is crisp, drain off some of the fat if you wish, but leave some in the pan, as it will serve as the 'oil' in the dressing.
3. If you took the pan off to drain the fat, return pan to range and heat until bacon sizzles again. Remove from heat. Add other ingredients to pan.
4. When it has stopped sizzling, pour hot dressing over baby spinach, allowing it to wilt a little bit.

Three Minute Chocolate Flourless Cake

2008-06-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

(from http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/3minute_flourless_chocolate_cake.html)

3-MINUTE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE #2
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons cocoa
Tiny pinch salt, optional
1 egg
1 tablespoon Da Vinci sugar free syrup, vanilla flavor
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granular Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
1 tablespoon heavy cream

In a small microwaveable bowl microwave the butter for about 15-20 seconds on HIGH until completely melted. Whisk in the cocoa and salt until smooth. Whisk in the egg until well blended then whisk in the remaining ingredients until you have a smooth batter. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Cool completely or serve slightly warm.

Makes 1 serving
Can be frozen

With granular Splenda:
Per Serving: 267 Calories; 23g Fat; 9g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 7g Net Carbs

With liquid Splenda:
Per Serving: 253 Calories; 23g Fat; 9g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs

UPDATE: I remember reading on a forum a while back that someone had a problem when they tried this method for making the cake. Well, the same thing happened to me today but I found a solution. What happened was that the batter didn't come together properly. It looked like milk with chocolate bits floating in it no matter how much I whisked it. The solution is to microwave it on HIGH power for about 10 seconds. You don't want to cook the mixture, just heat it up slightly. Now it should whisk together and look like brownie batter. I think what happened was that the cold ingredients caused the butter and cocoa to harden up and separate. Briefly heating everything helped blend them together. I think that the trick to preventing this is to make sure to thoroughly melt the butter and mix everything right away while the butter is still hot.

Chicken Fingers

2008-06-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

Wonderful chicken fingers-strips

boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
3-4 bags of pork rinds
1/3 cup Parm cheese (optional)
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
about 1/2 cup mayonnaise

-Preheat the oven to 425f
-Crush the pork rinds in a food processor (or put them in a Ziploc bag and pound the crumb out of them . . . it's a good stress reliever too). You'll need to work in batches to get them nice and ground up. Mix the pork rind crumbs with the seasoning and spread out on a plate.
-Put the mayonnaise on a second plate
-Wash and pat dry the chicken. Lightly coat it with the mayonnaise and then roll in the pork rinds until well coated.
-Bake on a oiled (Pam) coated cookie sheet for about 25 minutes, or until they are fully cooked.

Practically carb free!!