Loaded Squash Skins

Posted in Side Dishes, Snacks by

Another great recipe from my favorite chef, George Stella.  This is from his Real Food, Real Easy cookbook.  I made this recently for Super Bowl.  The recipe yields 12 skins and serves 6. They have 3.5 net carbs per serving.

INGREDIENTS:

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 6 small to medium yellow squash
  • salt and pepper
  • onion powder
  • 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/3 cup light sour cream
  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Cut ends off yellow squash, then cut each in half lengthwise.  Scoop out some of the squash’s center.  Place the halves cut side up on baking sheet.
  3. Sprinkle squash liberally with salt, pepper and onion powder.  Next, top each with an even amount of the Cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.
  4. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and squash has a little bit of give to the touch.  Serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of sliced green onion.

Yum!  ♥

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Mexican Stew

Posted in Crock Pot/Slow Cooker by

This is a great recipe from Dana Carpenter’s 300 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes cookbook. It yields six generous servings, each serving with 7 net carbs. I have made it several times and froze whatever I didn’t use.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes.
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounce) tomatoes with green chilies
  • 1/2 cup sliced onion
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 envelope (1-1/4 ounce) taco seasoning mix
  • 1 can black soybeans
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Put the beef, tomatoes, onion and chili powder in your slow cooker.  Cover the slow cooker, set it to low and let it cook for 8 to 9 hours.
  2. Stir in the taco seasoning and soybeans.  Re-cover the slow cooker, turn it to high and let it cook for another 20 minutes.  Place a dollop of sour cream on each serving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Posted in Beverages by

This smoothie recipe is from Atkins.  It has 8.1 net carbs so not something you want to drink every day.  It is Phase 2 if you are doing the Atkins plan.  It is truly more of a dessert. If you are craving chocolate and peanut butter, you will love this.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup Coconut Milk Unsweetened
  • 1 tbsps Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (I use Peter Pan)
  • 1 tbsp Cocoa Powder (Unsweetened)
  • 1 scoop Chocolate Whey Protein
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 pinch Stevia (or Xylitol)
  • 1/16 tsp Salt

DIRECTIONS:

  • For this recipe, unsweetened coconut, almond or soy milk may be used.  Combine the ice, milk of choice, peanut butter, protein powder, cocoa powder, Stevia (or Xylitol) and salt (to taste) in a blender.  Blend until smooth.

Enjoy!

Tuscan Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Posted in Salads and Soups by

Another recommended recipe from my friend Jana.  It comes from http://www.tasteofhome.com.  I’m not a big soup person but I love this recipe.  There are 6 net carbs in 1-1/4 cups.  Enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 cups fresh cauliflowerets (about 14 ounces)
  • 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
  • 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 pound bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large saucepan, combine cauliflower, broth, water and garlic; bring to a boil.  Simmer, uncovered, 12-15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage and mushrooms over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles.  Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
  3. Add sausage and mushrooms to cauliflower mixture; return to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Stir in cream and pepper; heat through.  Serve with bacon (optional).  Yield: 8 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

4-Ingredient Chicken Bake

Posted in Main Dishes by

This recipe comes from a shared video from my friend, Jana.  The video is located on BuzzFeed Video’s Facebook page.  I converted the video instructions into my own directions.  This is an easy, low carb and yummy recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (or how many you want to cook)
  • Basil Pesto
  • Roma tomatoes (2 or 3), sliced
  • Mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Place breasts in a 9×12 glass baking dish.  Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Put 1 tablespoon pesto on each breast.
  3. Put sliced tomatoes on top of each breast.
  4. Cover all with mozzarella cheese.
  5. Bake 40 minutes at 400 degrees.

Low Carb Lime Coconut Cheesecake

Posted in Desserts by

File 2-10-2015, 8 33 03 AM

This is a recipe for people who enjoy baking (like me).  While this is a low carb recipe, it still has around 13g net carbs per serving (12 servings total) so this is more of a “special occasion” dessert.  [Recipe from http://www.wheatlessbuns.com]

INGREDIENTS:

For the filling:

  • 2 cream cheese (8 oz. each and room temp)
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 packet plain gelatin
  • 1/2 cup xylitol (powdered)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp. grated lime peel
  • 20 drops of Stevia extract
  • A couple of drops of green food coloring (optional)

For the crust:

  • 1 cup almond flour/meal
  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 3 tbls. butter (melted)
  • 2 tbls. xylitol (powdered)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray or grease a 9″ springform pan.  Mix the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of the pan.  Bake for approximately 12 minutes or until it starts to get lightly browned.  Allow to cool.
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  In separate bowl, beat the whipping cream to soft peaks.
  3. In a saucepan on the stove, sprinkle the gelatin over the water–let rest for about 1 minute.  Then stir in the xylitol, lime juice, grated peel, Stevia drops and green food coloring.  Turn the heat on low and stir until the sugar dissolves.
  4. Pour the gelatin mixture slowly into the cream cheese.  Turn the mixer on medium and keep blending.  At first, it will look like green jello with cottage cheese, but don’t panic.  Just keep the mixer going until the mixture has a smooth texture.  Then fold in the whipped cream.
  5. Spoon the mixture onto the crust and spread evenly.  Garnish with toasted coconut and grated lime.  Refrigerate for a few hours, then remove the springform.♥

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted in Desserts by

File 2-10-2015, 8 11 00 AM

This is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  It is adapted from http://the-lowcarb-diet.com.  You do have to set out the egg and butter ahead of time so they are room temperature.  While you can use whatever sugar substitute you want, I prefer using powdered Xylitol.  Total recipe makes approximately 12 servings and each cookie has 2.11g net carbs.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 3 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or salt substitute)
  • 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sweetener
  • 1/3 cup sugar-free chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line 1 large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, sift together almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
  3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low-medium speed, cream butter, sweetener, egg and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Add the flour mixture and mix until evenly mixed.  Stir in chocolate chips.
  5. Drop 1-2 tablespoon size mounds of dough onto baking sheet, spacing the mounds at least 2 inches apart.  Using your spoon or palm of your hand, flatten the cookies to the desired size and thickness.
  6. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges.  Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Spicy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Posted in Casserole, Poultry by

This is a delicious recipe I adapted from http://www.ketodelivered.com.  It has 6 servings and 2.8 g. net carbs per serving.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 jalapenos (the actual recipe calls for 4 but I found 2 to be plenty)
  • 3 oz. cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 rotisserie chicken (I used the majority of the chicken)
  • 1/4 cup ranch
  • 10 slices bacon
  • 3 oz. cream cheese
  • 1/2 green pepper
  • 1 cup crumbled cauliflower
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Chop bacon, chicken, green pepper and 2 jalapenos.
  3. In a pan, cook bacon pieces until crisp, then add cauliflower, green pepper and jalapenos.  Stir occasionally.
  4. Once soft, add all other ingredients (except cheddar cheese) and mix together well.
  5. Spread mixture on the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
  6. Grate cheddar cheese and sprinkle over top.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheddar is melted and starting to crisp.

Enjoy!