All posts by Rene Averett

Beef, Pork, Sandwiches

A Twist on the Corn Dog

Photo: Frankfurter in biscuit called a Frankenpot.

Ever have the urge for a corn dog? One of those batter-covered frankfurters on a stick dipped in mustard or mayo can be a wonderful taste of comfort food. Unfortunately, corn bread batter is one of those things that can really pack on the pounds.

My alternative to it is this tasty hot dog in a pot, a personal-sized batter-covered frank made with low carb flours and golden flax meal. While it doesn’t replicate the corn dog, it is similar and satisfies my cravings for this simple summer fair food. Give it a try.  With this flexible recipe and you can add several variations. I haven’t tried the sauerkraut option, but I don’t see any reason it won’t work.

Frankenpot in a one cup ramekin. Run a thin knife around the edge and flip upside down to remove to a plate.

Frankenpot

Recipe by Rene Averett

This is a simple, low carb version of a corn dog, except it doesn’t use cornmeal. Instead, I’ve substituted in golden flax meal. It has the texture and a bit of the taste of the corn dog although it is baked instead of fried, so it isn’t quite the same.

If you want to try to fry it, I suggest baking it part way, then dropping it in a fryer for a couple of minutes to brown the exterior. I’d also leave off the cheese topping until after it’s fried.

Per 1 person serving

1 Hot dog or frankfurter
1 Egg
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 tablespoon ground Golden Flax Meal
2 tablespoons Low Carb Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
Pinch of Salt
1/2 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
Pinch of Black Pepper, if you wish
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder (optional)
Mayonnaise and/or Mustard for dipping

Additional add-ins you can try:
1 tablespoon Onions, chopped
1 tablespoon Green Chilies, chopped
2 tablespoons Chile Con Carne, no beans
1 tablespoon Sauerkraut, drained

Preheat the oven to 365 degrees (F). Spray a one-cup ramekin with baking spray. (You can also use an oval ramekin that fits the uncut frankfurter or any other shape you want.)

In a small bowl, add egg and oil and whisk until blended. Add sugar substitute, baking powder, salt, pepper, flour, and flax meal. Stir until completely blended and smooth. Put 1/2 of the batter in the bottom of the ramekin. Cut the hot dog into 1/2 inch rounds and layer them over the mixture.

At this point, add any of the additional add-ons you wish to include. Sprinkle 1/2 the shredded cheese over the top and spoon the remaining batter over the top, smoothing it out. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.

Let cool and eat with a dipping sauce of mayonnaise and mustard or use either alone. I love this with a mayonnaise and cranberry mustard sauce.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 538 Fat:46.9 g Net Carbs: 6.3 g Protein: 22.1 g

With onions, add 0.6 grams of carbs to the count.
With green chiles, add 0.5 grams
With chili con carne with beans, add 3.4 grams
With sauerkraut, the count is the same as with onion.

Loaded with onion, chiles, and chile con carne, the total net carbs are 10.9 g.

Hint: For a simple dipping sauce, I mix 1 tablespoon Mayonnaise and a teaspoon of Cranberry Mustard together. You can also use regular mustard. For a touch of sweetness, add a little sugar-free sweet pickle juice or a drop of liquid sweetener.

Looking for a more savory sauce? Use a couple of tablespoons of Ranch Dressing or a Sugar-Free Honey Mustard Dressing.

Give this a try and if you come up with some other good add-ins, let me know.

 

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads, Vegetarian

Yummy Bacon and Cauliflower Salad is Cool

Photo: Cauliflower salad

As I was getting ready for a 4th of July BBQ potluck, I found this recipe for a delicious-sounding potato salad with ranch dressing and bacon. Hard to go wrong with that, but of course, I had to substitute in a different vegetable. Not content to do one, I added another one as well. Actually, I had the asparagus in the ‘fridge, and I needed to use it before it turned.

The result is a wonderful summer salad that is reasonably low in carbs and big in flavor. I did find the original recipe a little bland, so I added  salt, garlic pepper and a touch of sweetness to it. I think I might add a little red pepper to add zing to it the next time I make it.

The full recipe makes about 12 servings, which is great for a potluck while the half size makes 6 servings.  The carb count is the same for both.

Bacon and Cauliflower Salad with Asparagus

 

Full-sized recipe makes 12 servings:
2 to 2-1/4 pounds Cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (16 ounces) container sour cream
1 package ranch dressing mix
1¼ cups cooked bacon, crumbled
1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
10 green onions, thinly sliced
12 spears medium Asparagus, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons Cream
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Garlic Pepper
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute (optional)

1/2-sized recipe makes 6 servings:
1 to 1-1/4 pounds Cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
8 ounces sour cream
1/2 package ranch dressing mix
3/4 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
5 green onions, thinly sliced
6 spears medium Asparagus, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon Cream
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Garlic Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Sugar Substitute (optional)

Trim the cauliflower of the leaves and the tougher part of the stem and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Slice green onions and trim and cut asparagus ahead of time. Cook the bacon. I used a block of bacon ends that are less expensive than sliced bacon. I cut off slices of the bacon ends which makes nice-sized bacon pieces. Cook in batches in the microwave until you have enough for the recipe. Or you can spread them out on a rack on a baking sheet and bake them about 15 minutes until crisp at 400 degrees (F.)

Put a large pot of water on, add a little salt, and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower pieces and cook about 15 minutes until the pieces are fork tender. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

If you’re using asparagus, heat the water a second time to boiling, then add the asparagus pieces and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and cool the asparagus.

In a medium bowl, add the sour cream, cream, ranch dressing mix, salt, garlic pepper, and sugar substitute (if using) and mix together well.

In a large bowl, add the cauliflower, asparagus, onions, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Mix together with a large spoon or put on a food glove and use your hand. Add the dressing and mix it until all the salad is coated with the dressing.

Cover and chill for two to three hours before serving.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 250 Fat: 18.4 g Net Carbs: 7.3 g Protein: 12.8 g

Substitutions:
If you can’t eat dairy, omit the cheese, and use mayonnaise to mix the ranch dressing or substitute an alternate dressing such as a potato salad mayonnaise-type dressing.

If you are a vegetarian, omit the bacon pieces. You can add mushrooms for a little more protein in the mix.

Don’t like sour cream? Use plain yogurt (a little higher in carbs) or mayonnaise instead.

Will you try this recipe? Let me know how it turns out and if you like it.

Appetizers, Recipes

Variation on Hummus

Photo: Bowl of beet hummus
I would not do well on plating on the Food Network.

I’ve only eaten hummus a few times and liked it okay. The dippers were the important part to me. Recently, I saw a recipe in a Martha Stewart Living magazine for a beet-based hummus. This is great because it reduces the carbohydrates a whole bunch since chickpeas are pretty high.

So I made up a batch with a substitution in the ingredients. The original called for harissa oil, which is a hot pepper oil, and I substituted in Asian chili paste. I soon learned that the recipe crested almost four cups of hummus. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Time for me to see if it will freeze. Anyway, unless you’re making this for a party, you’ll probably want to go with a half-size version, which is the recipe below. This will make about two cups of it.

I like beets, so I am quite pleased with the flavor. I only tried the red beets but will be looking for golden beets the next time. They are roasted beforehand, so if you make an extra beet, they are delicious right out of the oven.

Beet Hummus

2 medium Beets (red or gold)
Splash Olive Oil
Pinch or two of Salt
1/4 cup Tahini
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon Garlic, minced
Salt to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Asian Chili Paste or Chili Oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F.)

Peel and chop beets into 1-inch pieces. Line a sheet of foil with parchment paper and put beets on the parchment. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Fold the foil over the parchment and beets to make a packet and crimp the edges to seal. Roast about 1 hour until the beets are fork tender. Unwrap and let cool completely.

Photo: Beets on parchment-lined foil.
Beets are cubed and ready to be folded into a packet.

Once cooled, place the beets in a food processor with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. Process to a coarse paste, about one minute, then drizzle the 2 tablespoons olive oil through the feeder shoot on the top while running the blender. Process another two minutes until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, add chili paste and mix it in, then transfer to a bowl and let it sit thirty minutes.

Before serving, grind more pepper on top. Serve with flatbread, low carb bagel chips, or cut vegetables.

Makes about 28 tablespoons.

Nutrition Information per tablespoon (based on 2 cups)
Calories: 26.2 Fat: 2.3 g Net Carbs: 0.8 g Protein: 0.5 g

Tip: The original recipe said to use parchment-lined foil, which I didn’t know was a thing. I had foil and parchment, so I just put a sheet of parchment on top of the foil. Since then, I’ve discovered Reynolds did have a line of it that was based on a Martha Stewart product. The main reason for it was to put a layer of paper between the food and the possible taste from the foil. Anyway, the parchment-lined foil has been discontinued although you can still pick up a few rolls through Amazon until the merchants run out.

Another tip: If you’d like it spicier, add a tablespoon of chili paste to about 1/3 cup of the hummus.

Main Dish, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Poultry, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Call it a deconstructed Burrito

Photo: Burrito BowlThis recipe came in a Yummly email a couple of weeks ago, and it sounded wonderful and simple to make. Now that it’s getting warmer, cool and easy-to-make salads are great to have. This one combines all the flavors of a chicken burrito minus the tortilla. Best part, if you buy a precooked chicken, you don’t have any real cooking to do to make dinner. While you’re at it, buy a container of Pico de Gallo, which saves you from making it from scratch.

The ingredients include black beans (or red beans) and baby corn. I use Dynasty Baby Corn and cut it into little rounds. Both of these are used sparingly. If you’re in the induction phase of the low carb diet or can’t eat beans or corn in the stage you’re in, then omit them. The recipe is great without them. In fact, the photo doesn’t have either of ingredient in it.

You’ll need to heat the black beans and corn in a little chicken broth with the seasonings to make a light dressing, but you can do this in the microwave in no time. No microwave? Use a small pan and cook until it just comes to a boil.

So pleasant to take your burrito bowl, along with a tall glass of iced tea, to the patio on a balmy summer’s evening.

Low Carb Burrito Bowl

1/4 cup Black Beans (optional)
1/4 cup chopped Baby Corn (optional)
2 teaspoons Chicken Broth
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, ground
Pinch of Salt to taste
2 cups Cabbage, shredded
6 to 8 ounces precooked grilled chicken breast, cubed or sliced
4 tablespoons Sour Cream
2 tablespoons fresh Pico de Gallo
Fresh Cilantro or Parsley for garnish
1/3 cup crumbled Queso Fresco Mexican Cheese

Cooking the cabbage for this is optional. I’ve tried it both ways and it is good either way. The uncooked adds a little crunch to it.

In a small bowl, add the chicken broth, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, baby corn, and black beans (if you are using them). Microwave for 45 seconds.

Take two bowls and fill each one with the ingredients in this order. On the bottom of each bowl, put 1 cup shredded cabbage and spread to cover the bottom. Spoon the beans and sauce over the top of the cabbage in each bowl. Layer the chicken over the top, then spread sour cream over it. Top with Pico de Gallo and crumble the Queso Fresco over the top. Add cilantro or parsley for garnish.

Makes two delicious servings.

Nutrition Information per serving- fully loaded:
Calories: 337 Fat: 14.4 Net Carbs: 7.8 g Protein: 36.0 g

Nutrition Information per serving-without optional:
Calories: 298.6 Fat: 14.3 g Net Carbs: 4.1 g Protein: 34.1 g

Tip: This works equally as well with grilled shrimp replacing the chicken.

Asian Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry

Go Far Exotic with Tasty Chicken Tikka Masala

Photo: Chicken Tikka Masala

I am a big fan of Indian food, but I haven’t delved into making it too much. Mostly, I’ve added a little garam masala to season chicken. When I spotted this recipe from skinnytaste.com, I decided to give it a try. First I adjusted a few things in it to make it lower in carbohydrates than the original. One thing I swapped out was to replace the yogurt with sour cream, which is lower in carbs. I used fewer tomatoes for the same reason, and I added in green beans to add a little more flavor and a pop of color.

This is very easy to make and tastes delicious, although, like many things with spices in them, the leftovers taste better than the original dish as they’ve had time to sit and for the flavors to fully develop in the sauce. So, the best bet is to make it the day before you want to serve it and reheat it that day. Or, just make the sauce and refrigerate it, then warm it up, add the chicken and beans, and you’re ready for a fresh meal with deep flavor.

I served mine over one-half cup of riced cauliflower, but you could also use riced kohlrabi or angel hair shredded cabbage as a base. The cauliflower and kohlrabi are available in frozen packages or you can make your own.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2 tsp Canola Oil or Butter
1 small Onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon Ginger Paste
1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
1 cup canned Tomatoes, crushed or diced
1 cup frozen Green Beans
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Chicken Broth or Bullion
1 tablespoon ground Cumin
1 tablespoon Garam Masala
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 tablespoon Chili Powder
Salt to taste
24 ounces boneless chicken breasts (about three large)
4 tbsp fresh Cilantro or Parsley
3 cups Riced Cauliflower or Kohlrabi

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set aside in the refrigerator until needed.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, then add the onions and cook until softened and aromatic. Add the ginger paste and garlic and cook another two minutes. Add in the spices and mix well, cooking two minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, sour cream, and broth or bullion mix. Stir to mix well. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add chicken pieces and stir into the sauce and simmer another 10 minutes, then add the green beans. Cook five or ten minutes more until the chicken is completely cooked and the green beans are hot.

Serve over 1/2 cup of riced cauliflower or kohlrabi or over lightly cooked angel hair cabbage.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Information per serving: (without riced cauliflower)
Calories: 291.4 Fat: 17.0 g Net Carbs: 6.9 g Protein: 27.0 g

Did you try making this dish? Let me know what you think!