Make Ahead Gravy

Modified from AllRecipes...perfect for stressfree holidays!

Ingredients


6 turkey wings
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 cup water
2 quarts chicken broth, divided
3/4 cup chopped carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange a single layer of turkey wings in a large roasting pan. Scatter the vegatables over the top of the wings. Sprinkle liberally with olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 1-1/4 hours or until wings are browned.

Place browned wings and veggies in a 5 quart stockpot. Deglaze the roasting pan with white wine and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour the the wine from the pan into the stockpot. Stir in 6 cups broth, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours.

Remove wings from the pot and place on a cutting board. When the wings are cool, pull off the skin and meat. Discard the skin and save the meat for another use. Strain contents of stockpot through a large strainer into a 3 quart saucepan. Press on the vegetables to extract any remaining liquid. Discard the vegetables and skim the fat off the liquid. Bring the contents of the pot to a gentle boil.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour into the remaining 2 cups chicken broth until smooth. Gradually whisk the flour mixture into the simmering turkey broth; simmer 3-4 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Stir in the butter and pepper. Serve immediately or pour into containers and refrigerate or freeze.

Sweet and Sour Asian Ground Turkey Cabbage Rolls

These don't end up being much to look at, but dang, are they good!

1 lb Ground Turkey
1 head green cabbage
1 Onion
1/2 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp Peanut Butter
3 tsps Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Splenda / 1/4 tsp Stevia
1/4 Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup of dry white wine
3/4 cup of Water
Chili Sauce / Siracha to taste

Heat oven to 325

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (About 3 inches of water). Add the whole head of cabbage and check frequently and rotate it so that you can remove the leaves. Try to do so without breaking/cracking the leaves.  After you have removed 10-15 leaves successfully, remove the cabbage from the boiling water and slice finely, into cole slaw like strips.

In the meantime, begin sweating the chopped onion in a frying pan with a couple Tbsps of Olive oil. Once onion begins to wilt, add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add ground turkey and break into pieces while browning. Once turkey is cooked through, add about 1/2 of the chopped cabbage and stir to incoporate it.  Mix 1/4 c. of soy sauce, dijon mustard, sweetener, and peanut butter in a small bowl, then add to meat. Stir to coat and cook until its bubbly.  Taste and add chili paste until you hit your desired spiciness :) I added about 1 tsp.

Spoon meat mixture into cabbage rolls, approximately 2 large spoonfuls per roll. Fold like a burrito and place in Dutch oven, seam side down. Once all meat mixture is used up, top rolls with remaining soy sauce, water, white wine, and rice wine vinegar. Cover and cook at 325 for 2-3 hours, until majority of moisture has been absorbed, cabbage is softened and everything is magically delicious.

Serve with cauli-rice & Asian stirfry veggies...delicious!  If you have picky (visually oriented) eaters, you may want to melt some mild cheese on top of the rolls before serving to increase the visual appeal.  At 325, you cannot burn these, they just get browner (and more ugly) the longer that they cook...that's what cheese is for :) Enjoy!

Chicken & Peppers in Cream Sauce

Easy Peeasy - for a quick weeknight meal :)

If you plan ahead, you can make your chicken more flavorful by following the marinade recipe below, however if you don't plan ahead, you can still make the recipe and it will be good.

Marinade for 8-24 hours (if you think about it) in the following:
1/8 C. Lemon Juice
1/8 C. Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp minced garlic
Splash of any vinegar
Any combination of the spice mix below (1 tsp of each that you want to use)
Thyme   *   Oregano   *   Peppercorns   *   Red Chili Flakes   *   Pepper    *    Onion Powder

Mix all marinade ingredients, pour over chicken and refridgerate until you are ready to cook.

Chicken Dish - A One Dish recipe for a busy night

2 Lbs chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) - marinaded if desired
1 C. Chicken Stock
1/2 C. heavy cream
1/2 C. cheese of choice, shredded parmesan, chedder, or romano would all be good
1 1/2 c. sliced peppers
1/4 c. white wine

Thickener: 2 Tbsp cream / 1 heaping Tbsp flour

Heat non-stick pan with a little bit of olive oil. Sear chicken breasts until outsides are golden brown. Add chicken stock, wine, cream, and peppers. Reduce heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Add peppers and continue to simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken from pan. In a small bowl, mix flour and cream. Add flour paste to the sauce in the pan and stir to combine. Allow sauce to thicken for approximately 5 minutes then serve over chicken.

Goes well with spaghetti squash, faux-tatos, or real mashed 'taters in case you aren't lowcarbing it! YUM

Mom-In-Law’s Dutch Apple Crumb Pie

Messy to make, and totally not low carb -  but so totally worth it! Delicious!

Ingredients:
One unbaked 9-inch pie crust (I use the refrigerated Pillsbury pre-made crust)


Filling:
3 or 4 large baking apples, peeled and sliced (I use 7-8 McIntosh or Cortland apples)
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg

Topping:
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour
½ cup butter, softened (margarine can be used, if you wish)
½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions
Heat Oven to 350 degrees. Place half of the apples in unbaked pie crust. Mix together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle half of this mix over apples. Place rest of apples in pie crust and finish with other half of the dry filling mix.


For topping, blend sugar, flour and butter until crumbly, and then stir in chopped pecans. Spread over filling (this is difficult to spread; I usually make small patties in my hands and piece these patties together over the top of the apples until they are covered).

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until brown (after 45 minutes, I usually cover the crust around the pie plate rim with foil or a foil pie crust shield to keep the edges from getting overdone).

Zuchinni Lasagna

Honest to God - this tastes like the real thing...just make sure you have a baster, or lots of paper towels, as the zuchinni puts off a lot of water.

 

3-4 long green zuchinni squash (the less curve the easier)
6 cups Low Carb Marinara (I usually make my own)
2 lbs ground meat (any combo of turkey, chicken, or beef)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 eggs
15 oz ricotta
8 oz Mozzarella, shredded
8 oz Italian Mix cheese, shredded
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

 

Cut the zuchinni lenghtwise, into about 1/4 inch strips, they will kind of resemble lasagna noodles. Pat them dry on paper towels (the more moisture you get out now, the better).

Brown the mean w/ the garlic, salt and pepper to taste & drain.

Mix the eggs with the ricotta in a small bowl.

Spray lasagna pan with olive or canola oil and being to layer -

• zuchinni
• meat
• ricotta mixture - smooth the best you can, it doesn't have to be perfect.
• sauce (about 1.5-2 cups)
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Italian seasoning

Repeat and use the Italian Cheese Mix on the 2nd layer.

Continue to layer until all ingrediants are gone - ending with cheese. I usually end up with 3 layers of everything except the meat, which is usually only two. Sprinkle top of cheese with additional italian seasoning.

Bake for 35 minutes uncovered, or until cheese is brown and bubbly. Cover with foil and continue to cook for an additional 25 minutes. Remove excess liquid every 15 minutes with the baster, and make sure to put a larger pan under the lasagna, or you will have a MESS!

After you remove the lasagna, you may find that there is still a lot of liquid along the edges. Use your baster to remove it, or blot it gently (don't get the cheese) with numerous paper towels.

This reheats fabulously and is actually better the next day! You won't even miss the noodles - I promise!

Low Carb Oven Fried Chicken Tenders

Super easy and super delicious! If you are missing fried chicken/crunchy food - this could be the answer. (Also really good in a salad w/ low carb honey mustard...yum)

1.5 - 2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into tenders
2 eggs
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1.5 bags of pork rinds

Grind pork rinds in food processor until they are the texture of bread crumbs. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, until light yellow and add spices to egg mixture. Poour 1/2 of the ground pork rinds onto a large plate.

Heat oven to 425.

Plan to cook the chicken on a lightly oiled cooling rack w/ foil under it. This allows for airflow all around the chicken tenders = crisp crust! Dip chicken in egg wash and then lightly coat with pork rinds. Place coated tenders on cooling rack, ensuring they aren't touching.

Cook chicken tenders for approximately 15 - 18 minutes, or until opaque throughout.

Serve w/ full fat ranch dressing, honey mustard, or LC (no sugar) ketchup. YUM!

Stuffed Peppers

Delicious and easy...throw these on the grill next to some dry rubbed steaks and you have a filling and deliciously low carb meal!

3-4 green peppers (if you like heat, try it with serranos)
1/2 c. fresh mozzarella cheese
1/4 vidalia onion
1 c. mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the tops off the bell peppers and de-seed them. Chop up the remaining ingrediants into small cubes (approximately 1/4 inch cubes). Mix "stuffing" in a small bowl and then stuff it into the peppers. Grill over medium low for approximately 10-15 minutes or until peppers are tender and stuffing is melted through.

Delicious!

Make Ahead Gravy - Super Simple

4 Turkey legs / 8 Chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 cup water
2 quarts chicken broth, divided
2 handfuls of baby carrots
6 cloves of garlic, whole (or 2 heaping TBSP minced)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of dried sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup dry, white wine

Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil, Garlic to season the chicken.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange a single layer of meat in a large roasting pan. Olive oil, Salt, pepper, and garlic liberally. Scatter the onions and the carrots over the top of the meat. Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until meat is browned and cooked through.

Place browned meat, onions and carrots in stockpot. Pour any juice from the pan into the stockpot as well. Stir in 1 box of chicken broth (or 6 cups of homemade if you have it) and add the thyme, a healthy pinch of salt, and 1/2 palmful of black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours.

Strain the stockpot - I debone the chicken/turkey and freeze the meat for soup at a later date. Discard the veggies and skim the fat off the broth.

In another saucepan (I use a wok, because I don't have a saucepan...ghetto, yes - I know) Melt the butter. Add the flour by the tablespoon and whisk to make a roux. Let the roux cook, stirring frequently until it turns a dark beige (this prevents floury yuckiness). Add the white wine and stir well. Begin adding the warm stock by the ladle, stirring/whisking well after each addition - this keeps it smooth. Continue to add the stock until the gravy is just slightly thicker than water. Reserve any extra stock for thinning on the day of (especially if it's in a day or two).

Allow gravy to simmer, stirring frequently until it is thick and rich. You actually want it to get pretty thick, unless you are serving immediately, becuase you will be thinning it on the day of with stock and pan juices. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt, black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and sage as needed.

Can be served immediately, refridgerated for 3-5 days, or frozen for up to about 4 months. If you opt not to serve immediately, follow the directions below for reheating:

If frozen - remove from freezer a couple of days before event and allow to defrost in fridge, follow directions below.

If refridgerated - Remove from fridge about an hour before dinner. Reheat slowly in a saucepan (or a small crockpot). As it begins to get warm, add 1/2 cup of leftover stock broth from your prep day and stir to combine. Once you remove the turkey from the oven, skim the fat off the pan juices and add approximately 3/4 c. of pan juices to the gravy.

DELICIOUS!

Meaty Greek Frittata

8 eggs
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
7 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces with kitchen scissors
8 oz. bulk sausage, preferably not maple flavored
2 cups pre-cooked chicken, chopped into 1/2 in. pieces
1/2 large red onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped finely
1 cup spinach, chopped / 1/2 of 8 oz box, defrosted and squeezed of excess liquid
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
Additional Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Heat nonstick (oven proof) frittata pan on stove top at medium/high heat. Add bacon pieces and allow to crisp, stirring frequently. The bacon will seperate as it cooks, don't worry! Remove bacon and drain off all but approximately 3 TBSP of bacon fat.

Add onions to bacon drippings. Allow onions to soften for approximately 2 minutes, then add the sausage. Break sausage apart with a spoon and allow to brown. Mix eggs, whipping cream, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk until incorporated and not stringy.

Once sausage is browned and cooked through, add bacon back into skillet, along with chicken and sundried tomatoes. Allow chicken to begin to heat through for approximately 3 minutes, then break apart spinach and add to the pan. Stir to combine all ingrediants, add remaining salt, pepper, and italian seasoning.

Once stirred, add the egg mixture by pouring over ingrediants in the skillet. Spread ingrediants through egg mixture with a wooden spoon, until everything is evenly distributed. Sprinkle Feta cheese on the top of the egg mixture and push it down slightly with the back of your spoon.

Continue to cook on stovetop, without stirring, for approximately 2-3 minutes, or until the sides of the frittata are set. (You can tell this by taking a spoon to the side of the pan, if the eggs stays together and pulls away slightly, you are good to go. If it just displaces the liquid, it needs a bit longer.)

Once sides are set, transfer frittata into the preheated oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until it is set in the middle. Remove to a cutting board and serve, hot, warm, or room temperature.

Boullion Chicken

This super easy, week night meal comes together in a flash - leaving you time for more important things, like playing with the family!

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use 3, cut in half = 6 total)
4 Tbsp butter
1.5 tsp beef base/3 boullion cubes
1 sweet onion, sliced long

Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add beef base and stir to combine. Sprinkle chicken with black pepper and place in frying pan. Allow to cook over med-high heat until you get a nice browned color on the first side of the breasts. Flip chicken and add onions to pan. Leave chicken to brown on 2nd side, once desired color is attained, turn heat down to med-low and cover. Allow to simmer for 5-10 more minutes until chicken is opaque throughout.

Remove chicken, taste onions and add addl seasoning (usually a pinch of salt is plenty) as needed. Serve onions as the base under the chicken...

YUM!

Basil Lime Pork Chops

Slightly tart and tangy - a great recipe for the summer when the garden is overflowing with fresh basil and you don't want to heat up your kitchen by cooking over the stove! YUM

3-4 thick cut, boneless pork chops
1 Handful of fresh basil (approximately 20-25 leaves)
3 Limes, juiced
Large pinch of salt
15-20 turns of a pepper mill
2 Cloves (1 Tbsp) minced garlic
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 c. canola oil
3 Tbsp Heavy Cream

Layer porkchops in a bowl or dish to marinade. Mix remaining ingredients, minus the heavy cream, in a food processor and process until liquefied. Pour marinade over chops and put back in the fridge for 1-3 hours (you don't want to do this overnight, because the limes will actually begin to cook the chops). Remove from fridge approximately 20 minutes before you are ready to cook.

Sauce:
(Start sauce when you put the chops on the grill) Pour leftover marinade into a small saucepan and heat to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and continue to simmer. When you pull the chops off the grill, turn all the way down to low and add the heavy cream, stir to combine. Allow to heat through, and taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste.

Chops:
Grill chops on high, 8 minutes on first side and approx 5 minutes on second side, turn grill down and allow chops to remain on the grill on medium low until cooked throughout, approximately 8 addl minutes. Pull chops from grill and allow to rest, covered with foil, for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.

Serving:
Serve chops, topped with sauce. Goes well with grilled eggplant and steamed broccoli.

Stuffed Chicken Thighs

6 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 roll Sage Sausage
1/2 onion
4 oz. pepper jack cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 Tbsp garlic
2 Tbsp diced poblano pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil - just enough to coat.

Heat oven to 350

Heat a frying pan on medium, add a little bit of olive oil, the onion and garlic and allow them to sweat and soften a little bit. Throw in the poblano pepper at the last minute for just a few seconds. Mix the cheese, cooked sausage, and onion mixture in a small bowl. Add a large pinch of salt and a couple turns of a pepper mill.

Return pan to heat and crank it to med high. Add olive oil on the bottom and salt and pepper both sides of the chicken thighs. Brown the thighs on both sides for approximately 2-3 minutes each, just until they have some color. Remove from heat and one at a time, take the thigh, stretch it out and put approximately 2 Tbsp of stuffing in the middle of it. Roll, like a jelly roll, around the stuffing and secure with 2 toothpicks. Try to restuff anything that falls out once you get the toothpicks in place. Place into oven safe frying pan, seam and stuffing sides up.

Place into preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.

Low Carb Garlic Bread

Dry Ingredients
3 1/3 c. Pre-Mixed Bake Mix
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp guar gum
1 tsp xantham gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Italian Seasoning

Wet Ingredients
8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese (softened)
1 c. butter (really soft/slightly melted)
4 eggs
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese (shredded)
2 Tbsp fresh garlic

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add all wet ingredients to a blender and mix until well blended. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until well combined.

Spray the bottom of small loaf pans with cooking spray. Portion batter into 3 small loaf pans. Top loaves with an additional tsp or so of fresh minced garlic and a pinch of salt.

Bake for approximately 35 - 45 minutes until top is golden and a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly.

Optional Additions:
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and well drained.
3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

Low Carb Almond Bread

This one was approved by even my non-LC friends! If you don't have LC Bake Mix, check out the recipe from my previous post!

8 ounces cream cheese - softened
1 cup butter - softened
4 eggs
1/3 c. Splenda®

2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups almond flour
1 c. premixed lowcarb baking mix
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp guargum
1 tsp xanthan gum

Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare a 1 1/2 qt loaf pan (or 3 mini loaf pans) with cooking spray.

Combine wet ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
Mix dry ingredients together and then fold in wet ingredients. Pour evenly into baking pan. Bake for 50-60 (40-50 mins for mini pans) minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert on a serving plate.
Keep refrigerated.

Optional - Add an additional (1) cup of Splenda for a sweeter bread that tastes almost cake-like.

Low Carb Bake Mix

Yes, it's here...after a lot of tweaking, I have finally developed a do it yourself low carb bake mix. Make up a batch of this and keep it in the freezer to use to make the most fabulous low carb breads and baked goods ever!

1 c. Soy Flour
3/4 c. Flax Meal
1 c. Almond Flour
1 3/4 c. Whey Protein Powder (I use French Vanilla w/ 3 net grams of carbs per 2 scoops, just make sure it's a low carb version)
4 tsp Splenda
3 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt

Easy Grilled Chicken Breasts

2 lbs Chicken Breasts
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Tbsp Grated Pepper
2 Cloves Garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp minced ginger

Cut chicken breasts in half and layer in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Cover chicken breasts with remaining ingrediants and allow to marinade for 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours in the fridge.

After marinating. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. Grill for approximately 6-8 minutes per side, or until juice runs clear.

Easy Peasy & delicious!

Chicken Faux-sotto Milanese

This is a low carb version of a Chicken Risotto Milanese style. Milanese generally refers to a common meat dish from Peru, Argentina, Brazil and other South American countries. It was generally breaded, fried and served with a Parmesan cream sauce. So - to Lowcarbify it...I have removed the breading and substituted the Arborio Rice for Cauliflower. Enjoy!

1 Head of Cauliflower, shredded via a food processor (or grated)
1.5 - 2 lbs Boneless, skinless Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Cup diced onion
1 1/4 Cup Dry white wine (I used Pinot Gris)
1 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth (Low Sodium, preferably)
2 tsp. Chicken Bouillon Concentrate
1 Clove Garlic
3/4 tsp Parsley
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1/3 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/3 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
Salt and Pepper

Heat Medium sized non-stick, frying pan over medium heat, add shredded cauliflower to the pan and allow to heat to remove water from cauliflower. After 8-10 minutes, add 1 TBSP of butter and a pinch of salt. Continue to allow to cook until cauliflower begins to brown slightly. This will take approximately 15 minutes and should be stirred every 3-4 minutes.

In a seperate, large skillet, add diced onion, garlic, and Olive Oil and heat over medium-high. While cauliflower and onions are cooking, cut chicken breast into 1 inch pieces. Once onion is translucent, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and 10 turns of the pepper mill. Add chicken and remaining butter to onion pan. As chicken begins to whiten, add an addl pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp pepper (15 turns of pepper mill)

Once the chicken is white all over, add the wine, chicken boullion, chicken broth and spices.
Stir until bouillion is dissolved. Allow to simmer until liquid reduces by 1/4. Add cauliflower to large chicken skillet and stir to combine. Turn up head and allow liquid to reduce by approximately another 1/4. (Approximately 8-10 minutes). After reduction, add cheese and stir to melt for approximately 6 minutes.

Three minutes before serving, turn heat off and add heavy cream. Stir to combine and serve. Top with fresh parsley and addl parmesan cheese if desired.

Garlic Green Beans and Mushrooms

1 LB Parboiled Green Beans
6 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 TBSP minced garlic
1/4 Onion, cut into large chunks (bitesize)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Heat Olive Oil over medium heat with garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add onions and mushrooms. Season with salt (healthy pinch) and pepper (10-11 turns of a mill). Stir frequently until mushrooms and onions begin to soften, approximately 8 minutes. Add green beans and saute until crisp tender, approximately 4 minutes. Green beans should maintain their bright green color.

Optional: Add 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper before serving if desired.


Parboiled Green Beans -
(Can be made well in advance and left in the fridge for up to 6 days, covered.)
1 LB Fresh Green Beans, tops snapped
1/4 c. salt

Bring water to a boil. Add 1/8 c. salt to water. Allow to dissolve then add green beans. Cook until green beans just begin to get tender (about 5 minutes), but remain bright green. Remove green beans and drain immediately put beans into an ice water bath (with remaining salt)

Mustard, Basil, Bacon Pork Top Loin

1/4 c. Course Mustard
1 tsp minced garlic
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
Pinch of Salt
10-12 Grinds of Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
15-20 Fresh Basil Leaves
5-6 pieces of Center Cut Bacon

1-1.5 LB Pork Top Loin

Cut slits in pork and insert finger to increase size of holes, approximately 8-10, evenly spaced. Mix the first 6 ingrediants in a small bowl. Slather pork with mustard mixture, making sure to get liquid into each of the holes that you created earlier. Lay loin into shallow baking dish. (You can stop here and cover the pork to marinade for up to 24 hours, but this step isn't necessary.) Top pork with Basil (do not cut leaves, just layer on the top and sides). Ensure that pork has been out of the refridgerator for at least 15 minutes, then insert into a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.

While pork is cooking, fry bacon on stove top until crispy. Remove and break into small pieces.

After 30 minutes lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and sprinkle bacon on top of basil covered pork. Cook at 350 for 15 minutes for medium, 20 minutes for medium well.

Top with 1/4 c. of Grated Parmesan cheese and return to oven just until cheese has slightly melted, approximately 3-5 minutes.

Allow meat to rest for 10 minutes, covered in foil, before slicing and serving.

Quick Steak StirFry - Single Portion

4 oz pre-cooked (aka leftover) steak, sliced on the bias
5 asparagus stalks
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Handful of grape tomatoes
1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp minced ginger
1/8 tsp chili sauce
1/8 tsp stevia
1 Bag Shirataki noodles, rinsed and drained well (these can be found in with the tofu aisle)

Heat oil in wok over medium heat. Add asparagus, cook for 2-3 minutes until it begins to get tender. Add garlic, salt and pepper. Continue to heat thru, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and steak, soy sauce, ginger, chili sauce, and stevia. Stir to coat. Heat through. Chop Shirataki Noodles into bite size pieces. Add noodles to wok. Stir to coat & serve.

Champagne Braised Chicken

6-7 bone in chicken thighs w/ skin
2 TBSP Canola/Vegatable Oil
15oz can crushed tomatoes
2 c chicken broth
¾ c. onion diced very finely, not food processed
½ tsp horseradish
3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1.5 c Champagne
3 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
4 Cloves Garlic, minced

Serves 4
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat pan to medium and add oil to coat bottom. Salt and pepper the chicken, then sear it on both sides in the Dutch oven on the stove top to brown. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Once chicken is browned, add mixture to the Dutch oven, or any oven safe cooking dish, scraping up all browned bits on the bottom of your pan. Cover and put in the oven at 350 for 2-3 hours.

Warm Cheesey Mushroom Stuffed Mushrooms

3 tablespoons butter
10 oz Portobello/shitake mushrooms, food processed chopped
16 oz shitake or button mushroom caps, wiped and stems removed
1 small onion, chopped finely
2-3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella Cheese for topping
Parsley for Garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Parboil mushroom caps until tender. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the chopped mushrooms and onion, and cook until tender. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking 5 minutes. Mix in sour cream and lemon juice, 1 c. of parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Scoop into whole mushroom caps and top with remaining Mozzarella Cheese. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly.

Winey Beef Stew

Make this before it gets warm again...because this will warm you through and through!

3 slices of bacon
3 lbs pot roast, cubed
½ c. flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, ½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 box beef stock
¾ bottle of decent red wine
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 can tomato paste
1 ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ Tbsp molassas
3 Tbsp heavy cream
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 bay leaves, 1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp ground cloves
1 Tbsp Lemon zest – about 1 lemon’s worth
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt

Veggies
4 stalks celery – left in large chunks
16 oz baby carrots
10 oz. portebello mushrooms, cut into bite size pieces
½ onion, diced


Cut up bacon into bite size pieces and begin rendering off bacon fat. Cube pot roast into 1.5 inch cubes, cutting off any hard pieces of cartilage. Dredge pot roast cubes in flour mixture. Once bacon is cooked, remove it from the pan, leaving drippings. Add butter and oil and brown dredged pot roast cubes in fat.

Once all sides are well browned, remove meat. Add beef stock and scrape brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add wine, mustard, tomato paste, balsamic, molassas, and heavy cream. Add spices and lemon zest. Stir well and bring to a simmer before re-adding bacon and meat to the pot. Turn heat down and simmer meat on low for approximately 3 hours.

Add veggies and allow to simmer for at least another 2 hours, better to let it go for 3 hours. Remove the celery and run it through the food processor before re-adding it to the sauce. Remove meat and shred with a fork. Re-add it to the pot. Stir well to combine, add salt and pepper to taste. Serves well with low carb pasta, rice, or just plain as a very thick stew.

Tomato Eggplant Soup/Pasta Sauce - no meat

(Not super low carb...but by no means high carb. You can lessen the carb count by leaving out or adding less LC pasta. This is loaded with veggie antioxidents and it makes a great Lenten Friday meal, as the eggplant gives it a slightly meaty texture.)

½ c. red wine
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 eggplant, diced
2 c. celery, diced
1 large onion
1 can tomatoes, slightly drained
3 Tbsp fresh garlic
3 c. chicken broth
1 Tbsp parley
½ Tbsp thyme
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp cayenne
Salt, pepper, Olive Oil

Saute veggies in 2 Tbsp olive oil with 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper and garlic. Add tomatoes. Remove from heat and blend to puree. Return to pot. Sauté just the veggies for approximately 5 more minutes. Add red wine, tomato paste, chicken broth and spices.

-If you want to make soup, add an additional 3 c. chicken broth
-If you are making pasta sauce, leave as is.

Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

-If you are making soup, add 1 c. uncooked low carb pasta to the pot.
-If you are making pasta sauce, add 1.5 c. uncooked low carb pasta to the pot.

Cover and allow to simmer until the pasta is al dente – approximately 10 minutes, check the package. Serve topped with parmesan cheese and sour cream if desired.

Ground Turkey Feta Mexican “Lasagna”

1 medium white onion
2 Tbsp garlic
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
½ Green Pepper – chopped
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 lb ground turkey
1 box frozen spinach
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 pickled jalepenos, diced finely
¼ tsp crushed red pepper (can omit if you don’t want the heat)
6-10 drops hot sauce (optional)
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp thyme
½ tsp chili powder
1/3 c. dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
4 oz. Feta Cheese
¼ c. Parmesan Cheese
½ c. Mozarella Cheese
4 Low Carb Tortillas

Serves 4-5

Heat Oven to 375. Saute onions, pepper, and garlic in olive oil in a large (deep) frying pan at a medium high heat. Once onion is translucent, add 1 tsp of salt and ½ tsp pepper. Add ground turkey and break up, stirring frequently. Defrost and squeeze excess moisture out of spinach. Once ground turkey is cooked through, add spinach, tomatoes and jalepenos, crushed red pepper, remaining salt and pepper, oregano, thyme, chili powder and hot sauce and wine. Allow wine to reduce by half and then add the feta. Turn heat down and stir frequently, allowing feta to distribute its flavor throughout the mixture (About 5-8 minutes)

Prepare round corning ware dish by spraying with cooking spray. Begin to layer by starting with a small amount (approx 1/3 cup) of meat mixture on the bottom, then a tortilla, then 1 c. of meat mixture (or approximately 1/4 of what is left), then tortilla – and so on, until you use your final tortilla. You should end with the meat mixture. Top with parmesan cheese, then mozzarella. Cook covered for 10 minutes in the oven, then remove lid/foil and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until cheese in golden brown and bubbly. Serve with salsa, sour cream, or anything else you would usually have with a Mexican dish.

(It’s pretty spicy as made by the recipe…if you’re not feeling the “kick” don’t use the hot sauce or the crushed red pepper)

Lemon Artichoke Chicken Thighs

2 TBSP canola oil
2 lbs skinless chicken thighs, bone in
2 TBSP lemon zest
2 TBSP (1/2 lemon) lemon juice
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. chicken stock
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 TBSP chicken boullion
2 tsp dried thyme
12 oz. jar of marinated, quartered artichoke hearts, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large Dutch Oven, or deep skillet. Salt and pepper chicken, then brown in oil, approximately 4-5 minutes on each side. When there are approx. 2 minutes left, add the onion to allow it to soften. Combine all other ingrediants, except the artichoke hearts, in a bowl and stir to combine.

Lower heat on stove to medium, add wine mixture to chicken. Add artichoke hearts on top and around the chicken. Cover and simmer for approximately 45 minutes-1 hour, until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken to platter and spoon artichokes on top of chicken, pour sauce into gravy strainer and remove approx 1/2 of the oil and fat off the top. Drizzle approx. 1 TBSP sauce over chicken thigh and artichokes.

Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 Tbsp dark molasses
1/4 c. lemon juice (I used the bottled stuff, because I'm lazy)
4 cloves / 2 TBSP minced garlic
3 TBSP apple cider vinegar
2 TBSP canola oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients, except the chicken in a large Ziploc bag. Add chicken. Seal bag and move the chicken around in the bag to ensure complete coverage.

Marinade in fridge for 4-6 hours, or overnight. Remove chicken from marinade and grill, basting with leftover marinade twice - halfway through cooking of first side and immediately after flipping. Discard marinade. Serve with grilled veggies, zucchini, squash, asparagus...just about anything!

(I know the molasses is not low carb, but using just a little creates this amazing caramelization on the chicken, and the majority of it is going to be discarded...so no worries. You could also bake this in the oven at 425 for 30-40 minutes, giving it 3 minutes under the broiler at the end to really caramelize the outside.)

Meatloaf (Low Carb...but you'll never make another version again)

Meatloaf/Meatballs Mixture

1 lb ground beef (the leaner the better)
1 lb pork sausage
2 eggs
½ c. crushed pork rinds
1 Medium onion, minced
2 Tbsp garlic
1 Tbsp Worstershire Sauce
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp pspper
1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 Tbsp Sugar Free ketchup
½ tsp paprika


Mix all ingrediants until gooey, form into 2 loaves on a pan with side, as there will be some grease and you don't want smoke in your kitchen...

Bake at 400 for 40-50 minutes

Optional - add in a box of defrosted and well-drained (squeezed...seriously) frozen spinach and/or 1/2 cup of shredded zuchinni

Carb Counts

So - for those of you who are new to this...carb count is essentially the carbohydrates minus the fiber (as your body can't digest fiber). You want to aim for approximately 20-25 carbs per day...seems crazy, I know...but once you start this and get well on your way, you'll be fine! Remember this is a goal...but you have to start somewhere.

I would encourage you to start reading labels when you are the grocery store...you will be amazed at things that you considered "healthy" that are actually horrible for you! Let me know if you have questions about any of the items below!

Here are the basic elements of a successful low carb diet

Eat as much as you want:

• Meat
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Green, non-starchy Veggies - brocolli, lettuce, spinach, peppers
• Mustards of all kind
• Mayo

Eat in Moderation:

• Heavy Cream (non sweetened)
• Higher Carb, non-starchy Veggies - green beans, onion, garlic, peas, tomatoes
• Soft Cheeses - cream cheese (get the 1/3 fat...it has the lowest carb count!)
• Nuts - almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts are the best...but watch your portion size, carb counts will add up quickly.
• Lower Carb Alcoholic Beverages - Wine,

Cut Out (or at least severly limit):

• Grains - bread, pasta
• Fruit - although it's not bad for maintenance, there is a lot of sugar in fruit...who knew?
• Sweets, Candy, etc...duh
• Milk - substitute with Calorie Countdown by Hood.
• Condiments - ketchup (unless no sugar added), relish, anything with sugar in it. Check your labels!
• Beans - although they are "healthy", 1 serving will equal your carb count for the day.
• Starchy Veggies - Potatoes
• Soda and Sugary drinks...drink diet, or even better water!
• Sugar Based Alcohols - Rum, Liqueors

See below for carb counts of some frequently questioned items

FRUIT
Portions are 1/4 cup. Carbs shown are effective carbs, the fiber count has been removed.
Apple - 17.3g
Applesauce, Unsweetend (check your Carb Count) - 6.2g
Apricot - 3.1g
Avocado - 0.5g
Banana - 21.2g
Cantaloupe - 3.0g
Cherries - 4.2g
Coconut, unsweetened - 1.3g
Cranberries - 2.0g
Grapes - 6.7g
Honeydew - 3.6g
Kiwi - 6.5g
Lemon - 3.8g
Mango - 6.3g
Orange - 12.9g
Peach - 8.9g
Pear - 21.1g
Pineapple - 4.3g
Plantain - 12g
Plum - 7.6g
Raisens - 31.0g
Watermelon - 2.6g

ALCOHOL - 1 Shot Serving
(Remember...while the counts are low, alcohol actually stops the body's ability to burn fat, it won't set you back in small amounts, but frequent drinking will definitely show up on the scale.)
Another side note - mixers are NOT included in these counts...see below for mixer counts.
Armagnac - 0g
Beer (12oz) - 12.5g...if you have to drink beer, please drink Michelob Ultra...
Bourbon - 0g
Brandy - 0g
Cognac - 0g
Gin - 0g
Rum- 3g (sugar based)
Scotch - 0g
Tequila - 0g
Vermouth, Dry - 1.4g
Vermouth, Sweet - 4.5g
Vodka - 0g
Whiskey - 0g
Wine, Red (4oz) - 2.0g
Wine, White (4oz) - 0.9g

MIXERS
There is only 1 good option listed below for a mixer...
Apple juice, unsweetened (8oz glass) - 29g
Coca cola (8oz glass) - 30g
Seriously...who only uses 8 oz? This is 1.5 days worth of your entire count!
Cranberry juice (8oz glass) - 36g
Diet soda (8oz glass) - 0g
Lemon juice (1oz) - 2.5g
Lime juice (1oz) - 2.7g
Maraschino cherry (1) - 2g
Olive (1) - .5g
Orange juice (8oz glass) - 26g
Pineapple juice (8oz glass) - 34g
Tonic water comes in a number of carb levels - check your bottle!

VEGGIES - Servings are 1/2 Cup...most people eat approximately 1 cup as a serving, so remember to double the count if that is the case!
Artichoke - 6.9g
Asparagus (6) - 2.4g
Beans, green - 4.9g
Bok Choy - 0.7g
Broccoli - 1.7g
Brussels Sprouts - 7.6g
Cabbage - 1.1g
Carrot - 5.1g
Cauliflower - 1.5g
Celery - 0.8g
Corn - 14.1g
Cucumber - 1.8g
Eggplant - 2.0g
Lettuce - 0.5g
Mushroom - 1.0g
Onion - 4g
Parsnip - 9g
Peas - 6.5g
Peppers, Green - 3.4g
Peppers, Red - 3.3g
Pickle (1 medium) - 2g
Potato - 14g
Potato, Sweet (1) - 28g
Pumpkin - 6.3g
Radish - 0.5g
Rutabaga - 4.0g
Spinach - 0.2g
Squash, yellow - 1.4g
Tomato - 3.2g
Turnips - 2.3g
Zucchini (green squash) - 3.3g

Fantastic Cookbooks...

So, for those of you just embarking on your Low Carb Journey...I highly recommend that you purchase the following cookbooks - as they are amazing! I recommend adding salt and pepper to the majority of the recipes, but otherwise they are highly flavorful and very healthy.

Dana Carpenter - 500 Low Carb Recipes
- Low Carb Slow Cooker Recipes
- 15 Minute Low Carb Meals

Happy Eating & Losing!

Alcoholics Chili without Beans

2 lbs Ground Beef / 1 lb ground beef & 1 lb ground turkey
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Large Onion
2 TBSP pre-minced garlic (6-8 cloves)
2 TBSP tomato paste
5 stalks of celery, chopped
5-6 pieces bacon
2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1/4 c. sugar free ketchup
1/2 c. red wine
12 oz light beer
1 1/2 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Ground Cayenne
2 tsp black pepper
1 TBSP salt
1 tsp Thyme

Heat frying pan w/ Olive Oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and half of the salt and pepper. Saute until onions have slightly browned. Add tomato paste and red wine. Stir gently to combine and keep on heat until liquid has evaporated and mixture gets slightly pasty. Remove from heat.

In soup pot or Dutch oven - cut up 5 strips of bacon into small pieces. Cook until bacon is nearly done, stirring frequently. Add celery and cook until softened. Do not drain. Add ground beef, break up large pieces while cooking and incorporating celery and bacon. While beef is browning add chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, and half of the salt and pepper Once beef if browned, combine pastey frying pan mixture to the Soup Pot. Add canned tomatoes, ketchup, and beer. Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning, add additional salt and pepper as desired. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer on stove for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with sour cream and cheese.

Optional Changes/Add in:

• Add crushed red pepper at the end for addl heat
• Add 1 cans of drained kidney beans when you add the tomatoes, ketchup and beer
• Add bell peppers instead of or in addition to the celery

Turkey Spinach Burritos Pockets

Turkey Spinach Burrito Pockets -

6 Low Carb Tortillas (or regular if you don't care about carb counting)
1 lb ground turkey/chicken
1 6 oz bag of washed baby spinach, chopped
1 med onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup salsa
3/4 - 1 cup Feta Cheese
8 oz. Mexican cheese blend
2-4 tsps salt
1 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 350. Heat non-stick skillet at Med-High heat until pan is hot. Add olive oil and garlic, reduce heat to medium. Allow garlic to release flavors (You'll know it's done when you begin to smell the garlic) approximately 3 minutes. Add chopped onion to pan and saute until onions are translucent. Add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper to onion mixture.

Add ground turkey/chicken to pan. Break up meat as it begins to cook. Once it starts browning, add another tsp of salt and remaining pepper. Cook until meat is brown throughout. Add spinach in portions, stirring to allow it to cook down. Once spinach is wilted, add approximately 3/4 c. of salsa.

Lay out tortillas on a large baking sheet. Put approximately 1 TBSP Feta in the center of each tortilla. Add 1 TBSP Mexican Cheese blend on top of Feta. Spoon a ladle full of spinach mixture on top of cheeses. Fold sides of tortilla in, then fold top over bottom and roll until you have a squarish looking pocket. Flip over so that seam side is down. Spoon 1 Tbsp of Salsa on the top of the burrito pockets and sprinkle cheese for garnish.

Bake in oven for 10 minutes to allow flavors to mix and burritos to heat through.

Enjoy!

Chicken, Bacon, Spinach, & Cheese Frittata

Bacon, Cheese, & Spinach Frittata - Serves 4-6

8 eggs
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups spinach, chopped / 1 8 oz box, defrosted and squeezed of excess liquid
7 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces with kitchen scissors
2 cups pre-cooked chicken, chopped into 1/2 in. pieces
1 small onion, chopped finely
16 oz chedder cheese, or cheese of choice
1 1/2 tsp salt & pepper (each)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Heat nonstick (oven proof) frittata pan on stove top at medium/high heat. Add bacon pieces and allow to crisp, stirring frequently. The bacon will seperate as it cooks, don't worry! Remove bacon and drain off all but approximately 3 TBSP of bacon fat. Add onions to bacon drippings. While onions are softening, mix eggs, whipping cream, half of the cheese, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk until incorporated and not stringy. Add bacon back into skillet, along with spinach. Allow spinach to wilt and chicken to begin to heat through.

Once spinach has wilted, add the egg mixture by pouring over ingrediants in the skillet. Spread ingrediants through egg mixture with a wooden spoon, until everything is evenly distributed. Continue to cook on stovetop, without stirring, for approximately 2-3 minutes, or until the sides of the frittata are set. (You can tell this by taking a spoon to the side of the pan, if the eggs stays together and pulls away slightly, you are good to go. If it just displaces the liquid, it needs a bit longer.)

Once sides are set, transfer frittata into the preheated oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until it is set in the middle. Remove to a cutting board and serve, hot, warm, or room temperature.

Introduction - What am I about?

Well, at this point, this is my first foray into blogging, so we'll see how it goes. I have set up this blog to help mostly my family, but also many of the people I talk to about living a Low Carb Lifestyle everyday! I am not a doctor, or any other type of medical professional. Actually, I do marketing for golf courses...so, you ask, how do I get off thinking I'm an expert on Low Carb Living?

Well, actually, I'm not.

However, I have been successfully living low carb for over a year now, and have found it to be the first and only "diet" that I was able to convert into a lifestyle. I had tried Low Calorie, Weight Watchers, Crazy Workouts, Body Cleanses...everything. It wasn't until I committed to going "hard core" low carb approximately 4 months before my wedding that I lost the weight.

I lost 20 pounds in the first month of my new lifestyle, and an additional 10 over the next 3 - I have kept that weight off since November of 2007. While Low Carb living isn't for everyone, it has worked for me. I have combined numerous plans/ideas/inputs to create a diet that works for me...and has worked for my family members, and friends who have also committed.

The beauty of my version of Low Carb living is that you CAN cheat - not all the time, by any means, but enough so taht you don't feel deprived. I think you'll be surprised after you get going on it that you may not even want to cheat as often as you make think!

Anyway, stay tuned as this site develops...hopefully you find it helpful. Let me know your comments, struggles, successes, and what you think about my recipes.

I hope that you find this helpful - I know that I enjoyed reading other Low Carb blogs when I first embarked on this journey a couple of years ago.