Changes

I haven't had a lot of time to post any new recipes lately.  Hopefully soon I will do that again.  I've been struggling with my blood sugar going higher than it used to, and my morning fasting blood sugar being higher which bothers me.  I guess I've been getting lax with actually counting my carbs and eating more than I should especially at family gatherings, eating out, pot lucks, etc.  I've decided that I need to go back to Dr. Bernstein's 6-12-12 and strictly count my carbs again.  I haven't done that for a couple years.  I guess it's catching up with me. I also have gone through the loss of a sister and a son (2006 and 2007), and after that it seems my motivation for strict control has diminished and I did good to control it as much as I did.  Fortunately, for me, cooking is therapeutic, so that helped me greatly.  If not, I probably would have eaten whatever was there, low carb or not.  My a1c has gone up from 5.5 to 5.7 since I last had it checked, which was in Ocotober, and I think if I had it checked today it would be higher than that.  I've had a lot of swings in the 300s lately after eating out.  I keep telling myself I just can't keep doing this to myself!

So for now I'm cutting out all wheat products for the most part, and even toying with the idea of fasting. I've been reading more about the intermittent fasting and it sounds interesting.  I'm wondering how much fasting has an effect on beta cells, insulin resistance, etc.  I'd like to find more info on this.  I'm wondering how long I can safely fast and what effect a long fast has on Type II diabetes.  I really hate diabetes!  But then, it probably has actually made me healthier in the long run since I've been forced to eat in a healthier way and keep my weight down etc.  Speaking of weight, I've been satisfied with my weight but I am also thinking maybe a 5 to 10 lb. drop would help lower the bgs too?  I don't know.  I've also been reading up on Mody on Jenny Ruhl's Blood Sugar 101 site.  I don't know if I have that type, some things make me think maybe, and other things make me think not.  I guess either way all I can do is stick to the low carbing!  I have remained low carb, but even in low carbing, you can eat too much!

I'm doing my T-Tapp walking DVD almost every day now and walking 1 to 2 miles once or twice a day also.  I notice it takes a lot more to bring down my bg after a meal than it used to.  T-Tapp used to bring me down pretty quickly and in fact almost too low sometimes.  Now it only brings me down half as much.  So I will be working on changing things again.

I'm taking my bg more often now again also, which I also was getting lazy at.  I need to see exactly how foods are affecting me at 1/2 hr. 1 hr. and 2 hrs. later.

I do have a recipe that has been a life saver to me, especially since I've finally given up my toast in the morning with breakfast.  For many years of my life my breakfast has been toast and egg with bacon bits and cheese.  I guess I'm a creature of habit. I never wanted to change it.  I like it.  When I went low carb I simply found a low carb bread (Brownberry's Carb Counting Whole Grain bread), which I cannot get anymore.  That seemed to do ok with me.  Not anymore rise than with anything else low carb.  But suddenly it is not in any of the stores anymore.  :(  Why do they do that?  So I went to a "Light" wheat bread that had the same amount of carbs and fiber, yet that one raised my bg higher.  So I have been making a cold cereal out of flax and almond meal that is so delicious!!!  Crispy, like any other cereal flakes, nutritious, and delicious.  I eat that with a one egg omelet with bacon bits and cheese, and no toast.  Or I make the same mix into a cracker which is nice and crunchy and put my egg and cheese on that which gives the same crunch satisfaction as the toast.  This same recipe I've used in different variations and it is so good!  Quick sandwich?  Just make a quick cracker out of it and top with deli meat and cheese.  Only a couple g. of carbs.

I have lots going on right now so as soon as I get a break I'll try to get a video up.  My other website needs some major work since I accidentally wiped out my home page on Saturday!  ARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!!  So I need to give that some attention also.  Also need to enjoy the beautiful weather while it's here!

L. C. Lemon Cream Pie

Filling Ingredients
16 ounces cream cheese (2-8 ounce packages) softened
15 1/4 ounces Nestle Media Crema--light table cream (2-7.6 oz. cans)-- available in Mexican section of grocery stores
1 1/2 cup Granular Splenda
2 lemons, juiced
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Pie Crust
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup flax meal, Golden
1 scoop whey Protien, Vanilla, Body Fortress Super Advanced (use whatever vanilla flavored whey protein you have)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 packets Truvia

Instructions:

1. Prepare the crust by mixing together in a pie plate the almond meal, flax meal, and whey protein.  Mix in the packets of Truvia.  (or use 2 TBS. Splenda if that's what you have).  Pour the coconut oil in and mix well and spread into the bottom and up sides of pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Let completely cool.  

2. For the filling, zest the lemon and juice each. Put softened cream cheese into medium size mixing bowl and mix with electric mixer until fluffy.  Add remaining filling ingredients and mix well.  Pour into prepared crust.  

3. Chill for several hours or overnight.  If you're in a hurry put it in the freezer for a couple hours and then serve.  

If you like it to look more "lemony" add some yellow food coloring.  Top it with some whipped cream.  It's great! Very quick and easy to throw together too!

Notes: 1/8 piece -- 544 Calories; 48g Fat (76.2% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 
3g Dietary Fiber; 


1/12 piece -- 363 Calories; 32g Fat (76.2% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary
Fiber    


Source: Low carb take off from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemon-Icebox-Pie-III/Detail.aspx

Low Carb Buffalo Chicken Pizza

I love pizza and we have a pizza night once a week in our family.  I cannot imagine life without pizza.  I've tried many types of low carb crusts and all they did was make me long all the more for a real yeast dough pizza crust. Flaxmeal is great but a pizza crust that tastes like flaxmeal just doesn't cut it for me.  Same with almond meal.  So... I took our same home made pizza dough recipe I'd been using for years to make our family pizza and did a mix of low carb flours and fiber and came out with a great pizza dough that tastes closely to the real thing. The Buffalo Chicken topping is fabulous! I love the blend of flavors and it is pretty low carb and easy to throw together.  You can use this dough and do the Buffalo Chicken topping or you can make your own toppings.  I have many versions of pizza that we do!  If you are gluten intolerant, unfortunately, this is not for you, but if you tolerate wheat gluten this is great.  It makes two crusts.  You can either make two pizzas or stick one in the freezer for another day.  When it's time to take it out and use, let it thaw on your counter and rise or heat your oven to the lowest setting (170 on mine) and after two min. turn it off and set it in there oiled and covered with saran wrap to rise until double.  I usually take it out and sit it on the counter to thaw about 2 or 3 hrs. before I want to use it and then put it in a warm oven to rise for 30 min. after it's thawed.

Here is the video I made and the recipe and nutrition info is below it:




                    
* Exported from MasterCook *

                      Low Carb Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Recipe By     :Ginny
Serving Size  : 16    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Main dish                       Poultry

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        Pizza Crust
  3/4       cup  Carbalose flour
  3/4       cup  wheat protein Isolate 5000
  1/8       cup  oat fiber
  1/8       cup  flax meal, Golden
  1/4       cup  white flour -- (or white whole wheat)
  2 1/4    teaspoons  yeast -- (rapid rise)
  1         teaspoon  salt
  1/2      teaspoon  garlic powder -- (or more to taste)
  1/2      tablespoon  rosemary -- crushed
  1         cup  hot water
  1         tablespoon  extra virgin olive oil
                        Toppings
  2        tablespoons  extra virgin olive oil
  2        cups  chicken breast without skin -- cubed
                        garlic powder -- to taste
                        salt -- sprinkled on to taste
                        hot sauce -- sprinkled on, to coat chicken well
 1/4      cup  marinated artichoke heart -- chopped
  2        tablespoons  roasted red pepper -- chopped
  2        tablespoons  bacon pieces, reduced fat -- (I just used Real bacon bits)
  1/4     cup  ranch salad dressing
  1 1/2   cups  shredded Co-Jack cheese -- (I used Fiesta Blend shredded from Walmart)

For dough: Mix all the flours and flaxmeal and oat fiber together in a medium bowl.  Add your salt and sugar, garlic powder and rosemary. Add 1 cup hot water (125 to 130 degrees F.) along with 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Stir until dough forms a ball.  Starting with 1/2 cup white flour (you won't need the whole amount), lightly sprinkle your board and turn out the dough onto it.  Oil your hands (olive oil or non-stick cooking spray).  Knead for 5 min. just adding enough flour to keep from sticking.  (I usually only use 1/4 cup of flour to do this).  Divide dough into two halves and oil one and wrap in oiled saran wrap and put in a freezer bag and freeze for another day.  Oil your pizza pan well, and a piece of saran wrap.  Oil your dough well, and set dough on your pizza pan and cover with saran wrap.  I heat the oven to the lowest setting (170 degrees F on my oven) for just 2 min. and then turn it off and place the pan in the oven and let rise for 30 minutes. (You can use all the dough for one pizza if you want a thick crust, but then you need to double the carbs for the crust.)

For the toppings: While dough is rising prepare your toppings.  Place 2 TBS of olive oil in a skillet and add your 2 cups of cooked  chicken and just stir together over medium heat.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and enough hot sauce to cover the chicken well.  Stir and simmer for 5 to 10 min. and remove from heat and set aside.  Prepare your other toppings.


Putting it together: When the dough has doubled in size, oil your hands and spread evenly over your pizza pan that has already been well oiled.  Spread with your ranch (or blue cheese) dressing.  Sprinkle on your cheese.  Spread the chicken on top of that.  Add bacon pieces sprinkled over.  Add artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers.  (You can also add Feta cheese on top if you like, it really adds to the flavor combo!)

Either bake in a preheated 425 degree F. oven for 16 minutes, or in a pizza pizzaz for 16 minutes.

Description:
  "From my own recipe I low carbed by using low carb flours and adding flaxmeal and oat fiber."
Source:
  "Take off from our family home made pizza recipe"
Yield:
  "2 pizzas"
                                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving: 115 Calories; 6g Fat (43.4% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 15mg Cholesterol; 258mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 3 useable g. carbs per slice
7 total grams carbs

Flop

Well it was a flop.  Tried doing a bread with soaked grains.  Didn't turn out.  :(  Oh well.  I'll find something to do with it so that it isn't wasted.  I should have made a video just for a good laugh anyway!  You should have seen me in my kitchen yesterday trying to clean up the mess I made.  I think I need a bread machine.  This may have worked had I had one.  I tried mixing the dough in my food processor.  You really had to be there to appreciate what happened.  Trust me.  It was a very sticky gooey mess from one end of my kitchen to the other.  I'm glad I can laugh about it now!

Something that was not a flop though was the cold cereal mix with coconut milk and strawberries I had for lunch.  That took away the frustration I felt from my bread flop.  I savored the taste and blend of flavors all day.  So quick and easy to make too!  Will try to get a video up soon as I can.  It's raining all day today so maybe it will be a cooking day.

Hope you all have a good day and happy results in your kitchen.

Ginny

Experimenting

I am experimenting. Stay tuned.  If it turns out I'll have it up here soon. If not... :(  I'll have wasted some expensive ingredients. Praying it works!

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Garlic White Wine Sauce

Made this for supper tonight.  Wish I had made a video but was just creating as I went along and it turned out so good I took a pic and decided to share it with you.  I think it was every bit as good as going to Olive Garden along with the Greek Salad I made with!  And that for much less money.

                      

* Exported from MasterCook *

            Stuffed Chicken Breast in Garlic White Wine Sauce

Recipe By     :Ginny Larsen

Serving Size  : 4     

Categories    : Poultry

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method

--------  ------------  --------------------------------

4             chicken breast halves without skin -- butterflied and pound

4             slices  low carb bread -- (6 g. carbs a slice)

1             cup  parmesan cheese -- reserve 1/2 cup for topping

1             cup  shredded Co-Jack cheese -- reserve about 1/4 cup for topping.

1         tablespoon  minced garlic

4        tablespoons  butter

 1/2      teaspoon  thyme

 1/2      teaspoon  rosemary

 1/2      teaspoon  sage

 1         tablespoon  onion flakes

 1/4           cup  white wine

                        White Wine Sauce

1/4           cup  white wine

                Drippings from pan

 1/4           cup  heavy cream

  1         tablespoon  minced garlic

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Butterfly the 4 chicken breasts.  Put inside a ziploc bag and pound thin. 

Make bread crumbs out of the low carb bread slices in your food processor.  Add half of the parmesan cheese, thyme, rosemary, onion flakes, and sage and mix.  Melt butter in a small skillet and toss in the seasoned bread crumbs and stir and toast a litte in the skillet.  Spread the stuffing mix on each opened chicken breast, sprinkle with co-jack cheese and fold the top over. Put each stuffed chicken breast into a 9"x13" pan. On top sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese on top of that, and  remaining co-jack cheese.

Bake for 1 hr.  Remove from oven and remove from pan, cover with aluminum foil while you make the sauce.

To make the sauce pour the drippings into a skillet.  Add minced garlic, cream, and white wine.  Bring to boil and simmer for about 8 min. It will reduce and thicken.  pour over the top of each stuffed breast and serve.

                                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Per Serving: 446 Calories; 25g Fat (52.8% calories from fat); 38g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 136mg Cholesterol; 694mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 5 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 4 Fat.

Serving Ideas : Goes great with a greek salad.

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"
                                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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

Chicken and Broccoli Quiche with Parmesan Topping

The idea for this came from a combination of other recipes and I tried it and loved it!  It came out really good.  I may make a video for it eventually but didn't have the time.  The topping idea came from Linda's Low Carb Menus and Recipes.  I love her site, and I've used this topping for several recipes.  It just makes a great low carb topping for a lot of things.  It really adds a lot.  I hope you'll try it and if you do and enjoy it leave me a note and let me know!

Chicken and Broccoli Quiche With Parmesan topping


Serving Size  : 6    

  2          cups  cooked chicken -- diced
  1          pound  frozen broccoli
  1          pound  frozen cauliflower
  2          tablespoons  onion flakes
  1          tablespoon  minced garlic
  4          large  eggs
  1          cup  shredded cheddar cheese -- (or smokey cheddar is really good)
  4          dashes  tabasco sauce
              salt and pepper -- to taste
  1         tablespoon  lemon juice
           
                        Topping
 1/2           cup  Light Mayonnaise, Great Value
 1/2           cup  sour cream
 1           teaspoon  garlic powder
 1/2      teaspoon  paprika
 1/2           cup  shredded cheddar cheese -- (or whatever you have)
 3/4           cup  parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a 9 or 10 inch pie plate or baking dish, spray with non-stick spray. 

Microwave frozen broccoli for 5 minutes.  Remove. Chop if you like it smaller pieces.  Place into medium mixing bowl.  Microwave cauliflower 5 minutes.  Process in food processor using the shredding blade so that it makes "rice". 

Pour into mixing bowl with the broccoli.  Add chicken, onion flakes, garlic, eggs, shredded cheese, tabasco sauce, salt and pepper, and lemon juice and mix all well.

Turn into prepared dish.

Mix all topping ingredients together and dollup on top of casserole and then spread over it evenly with a knife.

Bake for 1 hr. and let rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

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Per Serving: 420 Calories; 27g Fat (56.1% calories from fat); 34g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 210mg Cholesterol; 563mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 1/2 Fat.

Low Carb Enchilada Chicken Paillard

This was from Bowulf (Kent) on YouTube.  It was a recipe from "Splendid Low-Carbing" by Jennifer Eloff.  Looks absolutely yummy and I know as soon as I've got a day off and I'm not too exhausted to cook that I want to do this one!



Great blog Jennifer has with lots of good looking recipes!  Take some time to browse through them and see what you find.

Mock Mac and Cheese and 1 minute muffin/bread/cake

I was just watching a video from DLife.  This looked worth trying! Mock Mac and Cheese .  Only I would cut up the cauliflower I think.  If any of you give it a try let me know how you like it!  I may have to try it out on the weekend.  Maybe have it with a muffin!

One of the challenges of a low carb diet for me is fitting it in to a work schedule when I don't have the time or energy to cook and want to grab things quickly to snack on or give me a lift through my day.  One thing that has helped me with that is either to plan ahead on the weekend to make up some snack foods, like almond thins, or seasoned nuts, and also to get some cheese sticks to add to that to take with.  But recently I've been making the 1 minute muffins which I don't know who to give credit to, I've seen this recipe all over the internet in its many forms.  It's so versatile and you can do so much with it! It can be bread, or a sweet muffin, a hamburger bun, or last night it was "corn bread" to go with my mexican stew (which recipe I will do a video on, Lord willing, as soon as I get the time.)  So here is the basic recipe.  I've seen it as a "3 minute" bread or a "one minute" bread... I guess it depends on your microwave.  For me 1 1/2 min. works best.  You'll have to experiment:

1 TBS. coconut oil or butter melted
2 TBS. Almond Flour     
2 TBS. Flax Meal 
1/4 tsp baking powder 
1/4 tsp. Splenda (or for mine I add 1 TBS DaVinci or Torani Sugar Free Vanilla syrup)
a pinch of salt
1 egg

Put butter, or coconut oil, or whatever you are using in a soup bowl, and melt in microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds.  Add all other ingredients and mix well.  Put the bowl right into the microwave and cook on hi for 1 1/2 to 3 min. depending on your microwave.  Mine works best at 1 1/2 min.  3 min. makes it pretty dry for me.  Has only 2 effective carbs for the whole thing.

If you want a great tasting muffin to this you can add about a tsp. of cinnamon and this morning I added a cream cheese filling for a cheese danish.  I cooked it on parchment paper in two portions. 

So this was my snack today between classes.  Otherwise I go about 6 hrs. sometimes before my lunch which means I barely make it through my second class without feeling like I just don't have the strength to go on.  This was great! Very satisfying!  Here's the cream cheese filling I used.  I just keep it in the frig and scoop out how much I want when I make a muffin.  I put it in the center and then microwave it.  Tastes best chilled.  Important not to overcook it, so watch it.  Better to undercook and then gradually cook more until you get it to the right doneness.  Try 1 min. and go from there. 
                     
                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

                  Cream Cheese Filling For Cheese Danish
Serving Size  : 6     Categories    : desserts

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  4             ounces  cream cheese -- softened
  1             egg yolk
  1/4          cup  Splenda
  1           teaspoon  vanilla

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

Description:
  "Can be used in muffins, or cakes or any recipe with a filling"
Source:
  "lowcarbeating.com"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 79 Calories; 7g Fat (82.1% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 56mg Cholesterol; 57mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Fat.

Serving Ideas : Add to muffins, cakes, etc. as a filling.

You can add chocolate to this and make a chocolate cake.  You can be very creative and mix different low carb flours and seasonings for a savory bread without the sweetener.  Hey! Go wild!  The possibilities are endless!  I love this recipe!  It's a life saver and it only takes a couple minutes to prepare!  What can be better?  If you need something fast this is it.  Sometimes we eat out at Burger King on those days when I'm just too wiped out to cook and we can't afford anything but the dollar menu, ha!  I either have to go bunless and just eat the meat or I make a quick hamburger bun using this recipe, cut it in two and put it in a baggie in my purse and ditch the bun at B.K. and switch it with my own.  Works.  Or shape it into a hotdog bun  and cook on parchment paper if you want a hotdog. I mean the more things you think of you need bread for, the more you figure out ways to use this recipe!  It's the greatest!

Shepherd's Pie

This is one my family's favorite recipes! I first found it on the Bernstein Forum: http://www.diabetes-book.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=11... and have since given it some of my own tweaks. I've served it for company and been told "this is better than eating out". Had this for supper last night.  Looking forward to the leftovers!




                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

         Shepherd's Pie With Mushrooms, Smoked Cheddar and Bacon

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 8    
Categories    : Main dish

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1              pound  ground beef
  1              pound  italian sausage -- (ground)
     1/2         pound  fresh mushrooms -- chopped
  2        tablespoons  unsalted butter
  1         tablespoon  minced garlic
     1/2           cup  onion -- diced
     1/2      teaspoon  thyme
  1           teaspoon  italian seasoning
  8             ounces  tomato sauce-no sugar added
                        salt and pepper -- to taste
  2             pounds  frozen cauliflower -- (4 cups when pureed)
  2               cups  smoked cheddar cheese -- shredded
     1/4           cup  sour cream
  2        tablespoons  butter
  1              large  egg
     1/2           cup  bacon pieces, reduced fat
                        paprika

Brown the ground beef and sausage along with the chopped onion. Add garlic and tomato sauce, thyme, and italian seasoning

In another pan cook chopped mushrooms in the unsalted butter until all the liquid is absorbed and they are browned.

Add the mushrooms to the meat mixture and spread into a 9' x 13" pan.

Microwave the cauliflower for 10 minutes or until cooked well enough to puree.  Put in food processor and add the sour cream, butter, egg, and cheese.  Process until well mixed and pureed.  Pour in the bacon pieces and pulse until mixed.  Spread on top of the meat mixture. Sprinkle the top with paprika.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

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Per Serving : 640 Calories; 52g Fat (73.1% calories from fat); 32g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 168mg Cholesterol; 966mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 8 Fat.

My Best BBQ Sauce with Sloppy Joes

This is my favorite recipe for BBQ sauce that I had before low carbing and I low carbed it, and added a few more things to jazz it up and it turned out to be a favorite in our family.  So good with sloppy joes as in the video below, and also with shredded beef, pork, or chicken.  It's just good for whatever you use bbq sauce with! 
The cauliflower pancakes in the video are from the recipe I posted yesterday.  Still using up my mashed cauliflower!  It was great with this.



                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

                            Low Carb BBQ Sauce

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 4  
Categories    : Miscellaneous

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
     3/4           cup  Reduced Sugar Ketchup, Heintz
  1           teaspoon  salt
  1         tablespoon  minced garlic
  2        tablespoons  Brown Sugar Twin
  2        tablespoons  apple cider vinegar
  1           teaspoon  dry mustard
     1/2      teaspoon  chili powder
  6              drops  tabasco sauce
     1/4      teaspoon  paprika
     1/2      teaspoon  garlic powder
     1/2      teaspoon  onion powder
  1           teaspoon  worcestershire sauce
  2          teaspoons  liquid smoke flavoring

Mix all ingredients together well.

Chill, or use in sloppy joes, or with any shredded meat.

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Per Serving: 26 Calories; trace Fat (7.5% calories from fat); trace Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 1068mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : *serving size is about 1/4 cup

Cheesy Turkey and Broccoli Casserole

Used up the rest of our turkey breast from yesterday and made a casserole tonight.  It turned out so good!  Hope you try it and enjoy...


                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

                   Cheesy Turkey and Broccoli Casserole

Recipe By     :Ginny
Serving Size  : 6    
Categories    :

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  3              cups  turkey breast, boneless and skinless -- chopped
  1              pound  cheesy Ragu Double Cheddar sauce -- (1 jar)
  1              pound  frozen broccoli flowerets
  1/4           cup  french fried Onions
                        Topping
  1              cup  Light Mayonnaise, Great Value
  1              cup  sour cream
  1 1/2        cups  parmesan cheese
  1/2           cup  shredded co-Jack cheese -- (or cheddar, or whatever)
  1           teaspoon  garlic powder
  1/4      teaspoon  paprika

Layer the turkey on the bottom of a cake pan.  Microwave broccoli florets for 5 minutes.  Chop to small pieces.  Layer on top of Turkey

Pour the jar of cheese sauce on top of the turkey and broccoli and stir it all together.  Add french fried onions and stir in.

Mix all the topping ingredients and spread on top of the casserole.

Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven.  If you bake immediately bake for 45 min.  If you refrigerate and bake later, bake it for an hour.

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Per Serving : 555 Calories; 36g Fat (58.8% calories from fat); 43g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 136mg Cholesterol; 1176mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat.

Mashed Cauliflower Pancakes, Marinated Asparagus, Left over ideas

My Easter menu changed a bit, since I couldn't find a decent roaster chicken.  I got a nice turkey breast instead, which turned out great!  So on Easter we had turkey breast, mashed cauliflower (my favorite recipe for that is below), french style green beans stir fried with bacon and ff onions, my favorite asparagus recipe (below), and heavenly eggs (I just don't like the name "deviled eggs").  For dessert we had almond cake, which could have turned out better, but it was good anyway.  Used that as a short cake and topped with strawberries in sugar free glaze and whipped cream sweetened with 1 TBS. of sugar free vanilla pudding mix, and 1 packet Truvia.

Today this is what I did with the leftover mashed cauliflower to make a great sandwich.  There are many things you can do with this.  Some ideas below in the recipe.



                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

                         Best Mashed Cauliflower
Serving Size  : 4    
Categories    : Side Dish

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1         pound  frozen cauliflower
  1         ounce  cream cheese
  1         tablespoon  butter
  1         cup  shredded Co-Jack cheese -- (or whatever kind you like best--smoked cheddar is great!)
                        salt and pepper -- to taste
                        garlic powder -- to taste
                        onion powder -- to taste
                        bacon pieces, reduced fat

steam or microwave the cauliflower for 10 min.

In a food processor, add the cauliflower and process.

Add remainging ingredients and process until smooth

Add bacon pieces and pulse until mixed in.

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Per Serving: 77 Calories; 6g Fat (60.4% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 77mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 Fat.

                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

                   Leftover Mashed Cauliflower pancakes

Recipe By     :Ginny
Serving Size  : 2     Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Side Dish

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1/2      cup  Left over Mashed Cauliflower -- *see Note
  1         large  egg
  1         tablespoon  Carbalose flour -- *see Note

Beat all ingredients together well.

In a frying pan that has been preheated with 1 TBS. of oil, fry on both sides as you would a pancake.  Use a large flexible pancake turner to turn and turn quickly.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 42 Calories; 2g Fat (49.8% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 94mg Cholesterol; 41mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Fat.

Serving Ideas : If you add vanilla to this it tastes like french toast.  Makes a great Monte Cristo Sandwich this way with turkey, ham, and swiss cheese, topped with syrup or sugar free strawberry glaze

NOTES : *See recipe for Mashed Cauliflower for nutrition info

*Can use Whey protein powder, or almond flour or flaxmeal or whatever your low carb flour you have on hand, or even parmesan cheese

                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

                       Lemon and Balsamic Asparagus

Recipe By     :Ginny
Serving Size  : 4     Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Side Dish

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1        pound  fresh asparagus
  2        tablespoons  extra virgin olive oil
  1        tablespoon  lemon juice
  1        tablespoon  balsamic vinegar
                        garlic powder -- to taste
                        salt -- to taste
                        coarsely ground pepper -- to taste

Steam the asparagus for just 3 minutes.

Immediately plunge into a bath of ice water

Place on a cookie sheet or platter and drizzle with EVOO, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper

chill or serve immediately.

Description:
  "Asparagus is quick steamed for 3 minutes and cooled, then sprinkled with EVOO, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar"
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Per Serving : 87 Calories; 7g Fat (65.3% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 2mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat.