TWO ZUCCHINI LUNCHES

I love zucchini, which is weird for me, because I never liked it before I started low-carbing. It's such a valuable vegetable for us low-carbers! There are so many uses for it.  I remember one year when I grew zucchini and I had zucchini coming out of my ears, but had no idea what to do with it other than make zucchini bread.  My family was sick of zucchini bread before long.

Today I didn't have any low-carb bread on hand and didn't want to make any.  You've heard of cucumber sandwiches? Well how about zucchini sandwiches with zucchini as the bread. Ok, it's not bread but it is taking the place of bread to hold my sandwich together and it was really good.  Just slice wide slices with a vegetable peeler, and save the rest of the skinnier ones for zoodles in a salad or casserole.  I did not write this up in my MasterCook, or figure the nutritional info, and that will depend on how you make it.  Just spread with your favorite spread, or mayonnaise, add meat and cheese.  Pretty simple.  I spread mine with mayonnaise, chicken deli meat, and Muenster cheese.

I'm having acid stomach issues from having to be on an antibiotic back in April, so my lunch today was Greek yogurt, homemade chicken stock and my zucchini sandwiches.  Hit the spot.  Yogurt (or kefir) and homemade stock always seem to do the trick for me.  I just should have started it much sooner!  Zucchini is so mild as well.

Then last night we had Grilled Chicken Zucchini Pizza Salad.  The picture does not show the Mozzarella cheese, because I forgot to add it until after I took the picture.  If you have a spiral slicer such as this,
you can use the slicing setting and slice very thin ribbons of zucchini.  If you don't have one, use a vegetable peeler and make thin slices and cut them the size you like. I don't know why I call this a pizza salad except that it has pepperoni in it and mozzarella and made me think of pizza.  It does not taste like pizza, really, but you can add whatever dressing is your favorite.

ZUCCHINI PIZZA SALAD

2 medium (about 10-inches) zucchini, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, diced, OR 1 tomato, OR both
About 20 (or how many you like) pepperoni slices cut in fourths
2 green onions, chopped
Dressing of choice
1 lb. chicken strips
Shredded Mozzarella

In large bowl, combine zucchini slices, diced red pepper, OR tomato, OR both, pepperoni slices, chopped green onions, and toss. Add dressing of your choice and toss again until mixed well.

Grill chicken strips until done, and add to salad.  Toss together, Add however much shredded Mozzarella you like to it and toss again.

I did not give nutritional info for this because it will depend on what ingredients you use.  You can make it your own and add or take away, depending on what you have on hand.  We used Ranch dressing, but I am thinking an oil and Garlic red wine vinegar dressing would be great on this.

MEATLOAF PIE

This was an idea, sparked by a recipe I saw on Pinterest, which immediately gave me all kinds of ideas that I could do with it. So this is my own version of a low carb meatloaf pie.  I'm thinking you can use whatever fillings you choose for this and make it your own. It is very substantial and makes a nice meal all by itself, or maybe a salad to go with if you are so inclined. I had coconut rum icecream for dessert after and I'm so full! I did not need dessert!

I was planning on making a salad supper.  No cooking.  Our air conditioner is out. And our ice cream maker quit working. And it was finally hot here! But today was cool.  Back down to comfortable baking weather again so I used my oven today because it may get hot again and then I'll make salad suppers.  So I'm rambling, and I'll quit and give you the recipe.


MEATLOAF PIE                    

 Meatloaf
1 pound  lean ground beef
1/2 cup  shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup  Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon  Season-All Season Salt
1 teaspoon  onion powder
1 teaspoon  garlic powder
Filling
1/2 medium  zucchini -- (1/2 of about a 9 or 10-inch), sliced very thin
1  Roma tomato -- sliced thin
4  ounces  sliced mushrooms, canned or fresh
Topping
1 cup  shredded mozzarella cheese
   sprinkle of Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 10-inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray.

In medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, season salt, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Mix well. Spread in pie plate.

Layer sliced zucchini, sliced tomato, and sliced mushrooms on top.  Top with shredded mozzarella and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Bake 45 minutes.  If there is a lot of grease, carefully pour the grease out of the pie plate.

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4 Servings/Per Serving: 498 Calories; 37g Fat (67.7% calories from fat); 34g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber

LC, GF, BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

I tried another mix from LC Foods today! These muffins were so good!  My family loved them, and they are not low carbers.

I'm always a bit leery of trying new foods, especially claiming to be low carb and gluten free, because either they are not all that low carb, or they don't taste all that well.  Here is the nutritional info for these (except for my additions).  They are high in fiber. These had all the qualities I would look for in a muffin.  I filled each tin (12) to the top and had some batter left over so I made an extra big muffin with it.  I added freeze dried blueberries that  I found today at Trader Joe's.

I didn't add very many because they increase the carbs, but just 1/2 cup, plus about a cup of chopped walnuts. They were just right.

Very quick and easy to put together.  Just add butter, coconut oil, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.

My hubby just said to me again, "Ginny that was really a good meal you made tonight."  I wasn't asking him how the meal was. But I keep hearing how good it was.  And he doesn't tell me that when he doesn't mean it.  He's the kind of husband that says, "I don't like this, don't ever make it again" if he doesn't like something.

I'm already looking forward to breakfast tomorrow!

ZUCCHINI AND PEA SALAD

Peas? Low carb?  Well, no, peas themselves are not.  They are a starchy vegetable. I don't usually eat them, but I had some frozen peas thawed and needed to use them, and wondered if I could possibly make a salad out of them low enough in carbs per serving that I could enjoy them.  So adding another very low carb veggie, such as zucchini, did the trick.  This made a delicious once-in-a-while side dish that even a low-carber can enjoy.  I used a "light" mayonnaise that is also low carb but you can use regular homemade mayo if you prefer which would be healthier.  This has a smokey cheddar cheese in it that really gives it that extra something as well.  You can also use more eggs in it, which I would have preferred, but my hubby does not like boiled eggs, so I only put in two and tried to sneak them by him.  He did eventually notice them so I grabbed them off his plate out of his salad and happily ate them for him.  I tell ya, it's a challenge cooking for a family that is all on different diets and has different likes and dislikes!

I also had a zucchini that needed to get used.  So you might say this salad was my end-of-the-week-use-up-the-fresh-veggies-before-they-spoil salad. It turned out delicious! I would have also added celery, which you may decide to do, but my son does not like celery, *sigh*.  What's a mother/wife to do?  So add your own touches to this however you want.  Less of one thing, more of another, whatever.


ZUCCHINI AND PEA SALAD                    

2 cups  frozen peas -- thawed (OR fresh if you have them)
1 2/3 cups  zucchini -- diced (about 1, 9 to 10-inch zucchini)
4 ounces  Smokey Sharp Cheddar, (Hoffman's) -- cubed (or just plain cheddar)-double it if you prefer more cheese (I would have if I had had more)
1/4 cup  green onions
1 tablespoon  minced garlic
2 large  eggs, hard-boiled -- chopped
2 tablespoons Real Bacon Bits
Dressing
1/2 cup  Light Mayonnaise, Hellman's
1/4 cup  Greek yogurt (OR sour cream)
1/2 tablespoon  mustard
2 drops  liquid sucralose
1 tablespoon  vinegar
seasoned salt -- to taste

In medium salad bowl, mix peas, zucchini, cheese, onions, garlic, eggs, and bacon bits.

In mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, mustard, sucralose, vinegar, and seasoned salt. Mix well.

Pour dressing over vegetables and toss together.

Makes about 4 cups.


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8, 1/2 cup Servings/Per Serving: 150 Calories; 9g Fat (56.7% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber--6g net carbs