Flea Markets and Gardens

Had a great day with my hubby today.  Since he's working the night shift (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.), it's hard on holiday weekends to do anything since he normally just has to sleep all day and be up at night when I'm sleeping.  This time he decided he was going to be up and we were going to be able to spend time together, which I was blessed to hear.  We started out at a flea market and I found some great old recipe books, 25 cents to a dollar each.  I bought some that I thought would work great to go through and see if I could low carb some of the recipes.  So I'll look forward to sharing those with you as I do it.  Then we went to Munsinger-Clemens Gardens which is always so refreshing, romantic, inspiring and I just love it.  The flowers were only just beginning, some just planted, some blooming, so it was not the best time to see the gardens but it is always wonderful walking through there anyway and through the park and by the river.  I took some shots and some videos and put them all into my Muvee Maker and tried to capture the day for memories.  Here is a video of our day.

Nutrition & Metabolism Society Meeting-Dr. Bernstein

An excellent watch for those of you doing low carb diets, wanting to understand a bit more about the metabolism!  Especially if you are diabetic and wondering if low carb is the way to go for you or not.
http://www.youtube.com/user/lowcarbkitchen#grid/user/7F8F6E44DBC5CB67

This is a playlist of 6 videos altogether.  Worth watching!

Helps during my virus

Just want to share some of the things that have been helpful to me through this virus, which I'm still getting over.  It was a doozie!  What normally has prevented, or reduced a cold for me, is to right away, as soon as I feel the slightest symptoms coming on, begin to take 15 drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract in my Green tea 3x/day, plus making myself a nasal wash and/or nasal spray, which is made of distilled water warmed baby bottle temp, with a 1/4 tsp. sea salt, and 1/4 tsp. baking soda and 1 to 3 drops of GSE.  The neti pot works well for this if you have one but if you don't, you can spend a dollar on a bottle of water that has a nozzle on the top.  Put the solution in that, and bend over your bathroom sink looking down into the sink, then turn your head to the right or left, insert the nozzle in one side of your nose and squeeze gently, letting the water run from one side through and out the other side into the sink.  After half way through blow your nose (lots of stuff comes out!) and turn to the other side and repeat until you use it up.  This has in the past prevented my colds from ever getting worse than those initial coming on symptoms or has greatly reduced my symptoms and gotten me over it quickly.  This time however, this virus resisted and got very bad and NOTHING worked at first but now this routine is helping me get over the sinus infection that followed anyway.  To this solution this time I added 1/2 tsp. of MSM powder, and 1/2 tsp. of xylitol which is also anti-bacterial.  It has worked to cure ear infections and you can buy nasal washes with that and GSE in it.  But it's cheaper to make it yourself.  And I'm cheap!

Another thing that has greatly helped me is Earl Grey tea which has bergamot in it.  It didn't cure me, but was very soothing and very good tasting!  Other teas of course, green tea and chammomile, are old standbys for me.  I drank all of them a lot and 3x/day added my GSE drops to them.

Oil of Oregano is another natural antiviral/antibiotic/antifungal that I'm now taking in place of the GSE as I'm recovering from this sinus infection.  I can't use antibiotics, unfortunately without getting sicker from them and some I've become allergic to or had very severe reactions to.  I'm scared of them now!  So I was forced to find something natural to use in cases like this.  Colloidal Silver is very controversial but I make my own and use that also and I can say I used it 3x/day for about a year with no side affects, didn't turn grey, and it only gave me good results for my health, helping me recover from a bedridden illness of CFIDS/FM.  That's part of my arsenal now against sickness.  I've made a nasal spray with that also using it with a small amount of msm.

Homemade chicken soup of course is one of my favorite remedies which I add a lot of tabasco sauce and cayenne pepper to!  I'll have to do a recipe for that sometime, when I'm more up to cooking again.

A great book "Finding Peace in Life's Storms", by Charles Spurgeon, was also great therapy for my spirit and soul during this time.  I think anyone who reads it will find it a blessing!

I have been doing T-Tapp for my exercise. But of course being sick I put that on hold.  Last night I did a session of T-Tapp with my T-Tapp Walking video and after I noticed how much better I felt!  My sinuses were clear and I felt a greater sense of well-being over all.  T-Tapp is very lymphatic, so my guess is that it is a great help and I will be sure to do it daily now to help me recover from this!  It helps your body push lymph through your system and so to rid the body of toxins and I'm sure strengthen your whole immune system.

So these are some of my "recipes" for cold and flu, and I don't know if they'll help you or not, but I thought I'd share.  All in all, this too shall pass.  I'm looking forward to feeling good again!  It's been a drag being sick.  I hope to never get this one again!

Ginny

Chocolate Cake Video

Well,  I went in to the doctor today after being sick too long with this virus, and I found out I most probably have H1N1, so I don't know if chocolate helps that, but it does work as comfort food.  Here is the video I put together for the recipe below in my previous post.  I hope you try it and enjoy! 

Mom's Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze

I always loved my mom's chocolate cake and so did everyone else who ever tasted it.  The same cake that my grandma also made, and probably my great grandmother.  I don't know.  It was just handed down.  I have been sick with some crazy virus for over a week and can hardly eat anything, but strangely enough, chocolate is the one thing I'm wanting!  So I tell myself, "Hey self, maybe there's something in chocolate I need right now.  Maybe I should listen to my body".  So I made my mother's chocolate cake this morning with a few adaptations to make it low carb.  The flours I used were a mixture of almond, flaxmeal, carbalose, and wheat protein isolate 5000.  But you can use half almond meal and half flaxmeal is my guess with good results as well, or even try all almond meal.  I may do that next time.  I did like the consistency it came out with.  Sweeteners I used were Splenda, Xylitol,  and Diabetisweet, but you can try your own favorite ones.  Erythritol would work in place of xylitol.  You need either one though to get the same texture and taste with chocolate I think.  I only use small amounts so the amount you get in one helping is minimal so I never have the gastrointestinal problems that way.  Same with the Diabetisweet.
Here's the recipe and the video will come soon.  I need to get to a doctor's appointment to see why I am so dizzy in the head :p and then I'll put together the video.

Mom's Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Glaze

Recipe By     :Ginny Larsen, © ginnyslowcarbkitchen.blogspot.com 2010
Serving Size  : 16  

Cake
1/2  cup  Splenda
1/4  cup  xylitol
1/4  cup  Diabetisweet Sugar Substitute-White -- or brown
1/2  cup  cocoa
1/4  cup  coconut oil -- melted
2   large  eggs
1/2  cup  coconut milk
2  teaspoons  vanilla
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1  cup  almond meal
1/2  cup  flax meal, Golden
1/4  cup  carbalose flour
1/4  cup  wheat protein Isolate 5000
1  teaspoon  baking soda
1  teaspoon  baking powder
1  cup  hot water -- poured over all
           
Chocolate Glaze Topping
3 tablespoons  unsalted butter
1 ounce  unsweetened chocolate
1/2  teaspoon  vanilla
1 cup  "Powdered Sugar" -- *see Note
1 1/2  tablespoons  hot water -- enough to dribble in for consistency

*Note: To make "powdered sugar", mix 1 cup Splenda and 1/2 cup xylitol in blender, blending and mixing/shaking up, at 10 sec. each time on low speed, until it gets to the consistency of powdered sugar.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Mix everthing into a large mixing bowl and beat with electric beater slowly until incorporated, scrape sides, and then beat on high speed for 2 minutes.

Pour into bundt pan.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until cake tests done.  (knife inserted comes out clean and cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan).  Let completely cool, turn out onto a plate and spread on chocolate glaze.

Glaze: Melt butter and chocolate in microwave, 30 sec. at first, and then in 15 sec. intervals, stirring until melted and blended together.  Add vanilla, and powdered sugar substitute.  Pulse with electric mixer slowly until blended, and then slowly mix while adding small amounts of water just until it gets to the right consistency for a glaze.  Mix well, and pour over the top of the cake allowing it to run down the sides and into the middle of the cake. 

Source:
  "adapted from my mother's chocolate cake recipe I grew up with"
                                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving: 181 Calories; 12g Fat (51.5% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 13g Dietary Fiber

NOTES : 6 useable g. carbs per 1/16 piece of cake

Coconut Cake with Coconut Rum Cream Frosting

The frosting makes the cake!  I'm so glad Kent decided to have this contest, because I never would have made this otherwise.  My family loved it, and half of them are not low carbers.  It was so good.  The problem is leaving it alone!  But then, it was very filling also and stuck to your ribs all day.  In fact I had it for lunch today with nothing else, since it really is a full lunch with the protein and all the good stuff in it, so I didn't feel I needed it as an ending to a meal.  I was not hungry all day after.  So just remember that... it's very satiating.  I worked this week tweaking this to get it right.  I made it once with oil in it and once without oil.  I liked it better without any oil.  It was moist enough without it and I liked the consistency better.  With oil it was too moist.  So I may experiment more with a mixture of different flours with it.  We'll see. 



* Exported from MasterCook * Coconut Cake with Coconut Rum Cream Frosting

Recipe By :Ginny Larsen
Serving Size : 16




Categories : desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup coconut, unsweetened -- ground in coffee grinder to a powder
2 cups almond meal, blanched
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup splenda
1/4 cup xylitol
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs


Coconut Rum Cream Frosting

3 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup powdered sugar substitute -- *see Note
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut, unsweetened
1 tablespoon coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all cake ingredients together in a medium bowl and beat with electric beater until well mixed, about 3 minutes

Pour batter into a medium size bundt pan, or loaf pan, that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray

Bake for 50 min. to 1 hr. or until knife inserted comes out clean

Let cool. Turn out onto wire rack and cool completely. When completely cooled, frost with Coconut Rum Cream Frosting.

Frosting: Mix all ingredients for frosting except the coconut milk. Mix with electric beater until well mixed. Add just enough coconut milk to get to the consistency you want. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving: 204 Calories; 18g Fat (72.6% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 47mg Cholesterol; 142mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat.

NOTES : *Powdered sugar substitute is made from mixing 1 cup Splenda and 1/2 cup xylitol in the blender on lowest speed at 10 second intervals, then scraping and shaking and blending again until it is the consistency of powdered sugar. Keep in a jar or ziploc bag and store ready to use in recipes.

Mushroom Crusted Ham and Cheese Pie

This is a very wonderful low carb quiche pie that is great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. I've also made it with chicken. I've served it for a ladies brunch and it was raved over. I got this recipe here:


http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mushroom-Crusted-Ham-and-Cheese-Pie/Detail.aspx

The only thing I did different was to use low carb bread crumbs. I think it would work well with 1/2 cup parmesan instead of the bread crumbs if you don't have any. But any low carb bread you make you can crumb and use. The carb count then will depend on what you use.

Background music is "Every Morning When I Wake Up"
By Peter Gringhuis and Elton Smith
 
                    
* Exported from MasterCook *

               Mushroom Crusted Ham/Chicken and Cheese Pie

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 0     Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    :  Main dish                      Breakfast
                Chicken/Poultry                 Lunch/snack
                Pork

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  10        ounces  fresh mushrooms -- coarsely chopped
  1/4       cup  finely chopped onion
  1/4       cup  butter
  1/2       cup  dry bread crumbs
  2          tablespoons  grated Parmesan cheese
  1/4       teaspoon  salt
  1/4       teaspoon  black pepper
  4          ounces  shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
  1          container  herb and garlic flavored cream cheese -- (8 ounce) softened
  4          eggs
  1          dash  hot pepper sauce
  1          cup  cooked ham -- diced
  1          tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)

    In a medium pan, saute mushrooms and onion in 3 1/2 tablespoons of the butter until just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt and pepper.

    Butter the bottom and sides of a 10 inch deep dish pie pan with remaining butter. Press mushroom mixture into pan evenly on bottom and sides. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the mushrooms.

    In a blender, beat together cream cheese, eggs and hot pepper sauce until well incorporated. Stir in diced ham. Pour over the shredded cheese and bake 30 minutes or until set in center. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Source:
  "http://pie.allrecipes.com/az/MshrmCrstdHmndChsPi.asp"
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Per whole pie: 1717 Calories; 123g Fat (63.9% calories from fat); 92g Protein; 64g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 1076mg Cholesterol; 4386mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 11 Lean Meat; 3 1/2 Vegetable; 17 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Per 1/8: 215 Calories; 15g Fat (63.9% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber;

Per 1/6: 286 Calories; 20g Fat (63.9% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber