Monthly Archives: August 2015

Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Poultry, Recipes

Easy to Make Baked Chicken with Zucchini

This is similar to a recipe that I made before for Salsa Chicken that is cooked in a skillet, but this recipe takes it a step or two further and you use your oven or toaster oven to finish cooking it, plus I’ve added zucchini and cheese to make a more complete meal.  Serve it over a bed of cauliflower rice and all you need to add is a small dinner salad to make a great meal.  If you love Mexican or spicy foods, this is a meal that pleases the taste buds.

I used a salsa from my neighborhood grocery store Raley’s that included corn in it.  It is 2 net carbs per 2 tablespoons.  La Victoria Medium Salsa is 1 net carb per 2 tablespoons, so you can save a carb per serving by using a lower carb’d salsa.   Check the nutrition information on the bottle to look for the lower carb’d ones.

Baked Spanish Chicken with Zucchini 

4 Chicken Tenders (about 2 breasts)
1/2 cup Zucchini, sliced
6 tablespoons Tomato Salsa
1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1teaspoon Olive Oil or Coconut Oil
1 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese, grated
1 1/2 cup Cauliflower, riced
1 tablespoon Butter
1 teaspoon Chicken bullion
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 365 degrees (F.) Spray a baking pan to fit the chicken with cooking spray.

Sprinkle salt and pepper (or any other seasoning you wish) over the chicken pieces. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat then add the minced garlic. Cook until it begins to brown, then add the chicken. Brown the chicken on both sides. Put 4 tablespoons of salsa over the chicken and stir it in, then add the zucchini to lightly cook.

Cook and stir for about five minutes, then transfer to the prepared baking pan. Spread the remaining two tablespoons of salsa over the top, then sprinkle the cheddar cheese over it.

Bake for about 20 minutes until the chicken is completely done.

While the chicken bakes, prepare the cauliflower rice. Put 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet to melt over medium heat. Add the cauliflower and stir well to coat with butter and lightly toast. Add 1/2 cup of water with the bullion and stir into the cauliflower. Lower the temperature to a simmer and let cook for about 15 minutes. Check the water in it and stir a couple of times while it cooks. If you need to add more water, then add about 2 tablespoons.

The cauliflower will be done about the same time as the chicken. Put 3/4 cup of cauli-rice on the plate and serve half the chicken over it, getting half the zucchini and sauce in the serving.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition Info per serving:
Calories: 419 Fat: 19.7 g Net Carbs: 8.6 g Protein: 47.7 g

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

Scrumptious Cinnamon Muffins

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Cinnamon Streusel Muffin

I love the smell of cinnamon when it’s baking.  It just brings the hint of good things; the fall and winter holidays that are just around the corner and the absolutely delicious taste it adds to baked goods.  It also reminds me that I have less than two months until my holiday baking cookbook, Sweets by the Seasons, is due to be released.  I am still making the recipes and taking photos, so I have lots of cooking yet to do, but it will be wonderful.

Here’s something I whipped together this morning, a quick to make breakfast muffin topped with a sweet and spicy streusel mix. I used a combination of low carb baking mix and whey protein powder, but you can make it with all baking mix. If you are using another type flour, like almond flour or coconut flour, then I suggest a combination of almond flour and coconut flour. Use 1/2 as much coconut flour as you would a regular flour and add two egg whites to the recipe in order to get the rise. You may need to add additional water for the coconut flour as it absorbs a lot of liquid.

Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

1 cup Low Carb Baking Mix
1/2 cup Vanilla Whey Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Sugar Substitute
3 tablespoons Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
1 tablespoon Water
1/4 teaspoon Salt

Topping:
2 tablespoons Almond Flour
2 tablespoons Pecans, chopped (or walnuts or other nuts of choice)
1 tablespoon Butter, softened
1 tablespoon Sugar Substitute
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees(F.) Prepare a 6 cup muffin tin by spraying with cooking spray or oil.

Prepare topping. In a small bowl, mix together the almond flour, chopped nuts, cinnamon, cloves and butter and mix with a fork until it forms small clumps.

In a medium bowl, add the baking mix or low carb flour, whey powder, salt and baking powder and mix together. Add the eggs, sugar substitute, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, heavy cream and water and mix together until the flour is completely mixed in. Add a little more water if the batter is too thick.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin wells, then top with the streusel mix. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool at least 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 muffins.

Nutrition Info per muffin:
Calories: 225 Fat: 17.3 g Net Carbs: 2.2 g Protein: 14.3 g

Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Product Review, Recipes

Delicious Pomegranate & Yogurt Parfait

Copyright 2015 R. Averett

I tried this wonderful parfait for the first time over the weekend and it is so refreshing and delicious that I had to share it. The recipe came from Ocean Spray Cranberries and I’ve made the adaptations to low carb. It does require a low carb granola and I use Sensato’s Nut and Flax Granola or make my own.

Let me take a moment to praise the granola from Sensato. They have three flavors, that I know of, to choose from: Plain, Apple, and Cranberry-flavored. They are all tasty, although the chunks are a little big. They can be broken into smaller pieces when you’re cooking with them. They’re high in fiber, a good source of protein and are only 2 net carbs per 1/2 cup serving. You can eat them for a cereal or as an out-of-the-bag snack or put them in your cooking where a recipe calls for granola or oatmeal. I’ve used them in coffee cakes and in cookies. Try your health food store to see if they stock this product or ask them to order it. Or you can order online from my favorite health food supplier, Netrition.com. I am sure there are other online sources, so just Google it.

Now, on to the recipe, which is delicious for breakfast, lunch or dessert. I use Carbmasters low carb yogurt product, which is a Kroger Foods brand, but you can use Greek yogurt in place of it. However, the carbs will be about 1/2 carb higher if you use a brand that is about 5 net carbs per 6 oz. For reference, Carbmasters is 4 net carbs per 6 oz. By the way, Pomegranate arils (the fruit covered seed) are okay to eat in their entirety. You might get a bit of seed stuck in your teeth, but that’s it.

Pomegranate Yogurt Parfait

2 tablespoons Pomegranate Arils
1 container CarbMasters Vanilla or other flavor yogurt
1/4 cup low carb Granola

In two serving glasses (I use ice cream glasses or you could use brandy glasses or tall flutes), put in 1 teaspoon of granola, 2 tablespoons of yogurt, 2 teaspoons of pomegranate arils, two teaspoons of granola, then the next layer of 2 tablespoons of yogurt, 2 teaspoons of pomegranate arils and top with the remaining yogurt, granola and pomegranate arils.

You can add a little whipped cream topping if you wish, but it isn’t necessary.

Serves 2.

Nutrition Info per serving:
Calories:79.8 Fat: 3.9 g Net Carbs: 4.2 g Protein: 5.6 g

Will you give this treat a try and let me know if you like it or not? I’d love to hear from you.

Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Simple BBQ Chicken with Bacon

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This easy recipe for a delicious chicken dish popped up in my email from All Recipes.   You can see a video of the preparation at AllRecipes.com.

Since it combines chicken and bacon, I had to try it! But I also had to add a little more, so I added the seasonings and the slice of cheddar cheese on top because it all goes better with cheese, right? The next time I make this, and it will be soon, I plan to add a thin slice of sweet red onion underneath the bacon strips, so it’s tucked in next to the chicken.  Yum…

Have this for dinner with a nice dinner salad and you’ll be sitting pretty with low carb. I baked the chicken, but you can also do it on the grill if you’d prefer. It’s easy to double or triple if you are cooking for more than two people.

Baked BBQ Chicken with Bacon and Cheese

2 half Chicken Breasts
4 slices of bacon
2 slices of Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese or similar
1/4 cup low carb BBQ Sauce
1 teaspoon of Seasoning Salt or BBQ Seasoning
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees(F.). Prepare a baking pan to fit the chicken by spraying with cooking spray.

Sprinkle chicken breasts with the seasoning salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside for a few minutes.

Cook the bacon until almost done, but still flexible. Don’t crisp it. (I put my slices between two paper towels and microwaved them for 2 1/2 minutes, which kept them flat while cooking and absorbed the fat.)

Wrap 2 slices over each chicken breast, making an X across the front of the chicken and tuck ends in the back and place back side down in the baking pan. Use a pastry or kitchen brush or the back of a spoon to spread 1 tablespoons of the BBQ sauce on each of the breasts.

Bake for 30 minutes until the chicken is nearly done and juices run clear. Add cheese slices on top of each breast, then brush each with the rest of the BBQ sauce and bake for another 10 minutes to melt the cheese.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Info per serving:
   Calories:401  Fat: 9.2 g  Net Carbs: 0.0g  Protein: 48.0

Note:  Yes, that is the correct net carb if you use 0 carb BBQ Sauce and 0 carb cheese. I used Walden Farms Hickory Smoked BBQ Sauce, which is 0 calories and 0 carbs. The cheese is also 0.   If you use one of the higher ones, then you will likely add a carb or two to the total.

Try this recipe and I think you’ll love it.  Let me know what you think!