If you like asparagus, you will love this tasty, fresh soup made with asparagus and leeks. Of course, I added bacon, because everything’s better with bacon, isn’t it? But it is optional in this recipe if you’d like to keep it pure. The recipe also calls for white wine, which is also optional. It adds a slightly different flavor and sophistication to the soup, but it works equally well without it.
The recipe yields four 1 cup servings, which makes it nice entry course for dinner. If you combine it with a salad and a slice of low carb bread, then you have a lovely lunch.
Asparagus, Leek, & Bacon Cream Soup
1 Leek, cut into thin slices
1 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons White Wine (optional)
2 slices thick Bacon, cut into pieces and fried until crisp
1/2 lb Asparagus, chopped in 1-inch pieces
3 cups Chicken Broth
Pinch White Pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried Basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2/3 cup Cream
Clean and thinly slice the leek until the green leaves are too tough to use. Put into a colander and thoroughly wash to make sure any dirt is removed. Heat the butter in a medium pot and sauté the leeks for about 2 minutes. Add white wine (if using) or 2 tablespoons of chicken stock to keep the leeks moist.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the chopped asparagus, then add the rest to the pot with 2 cups of the chicken stock. Add seasonings, stir until mixed, then simmer for about 30 minutes.
Season with pepper.
Scoop 1 cup of the mixture and puree in a blender, then repeat with the rest of the soup mixture. Put back in the pot and add the remaining stock. Stir in the cream, bacon and reserved asparagus and heat over medium heat until hot. Serve.
Makes 4 servings
Nutrition Information per serving: Calories: 188.5 Fat: 16 g Net Carbs: 6.2 g Protein: 4.1 g
March 17 is just around the corner and the arrival of Spring is not far behind.
Why not celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or a belated St. David’s Day – a Welsh tradition celebrated on March 1 – with a tea? Nothing beats an afternoon pause in the day to have a cup of perfectly steeped Irish tea with a tasty cake or scone. It does wonders for your outlook.
In Irish, the tea is called cupan tae or cuppa tay. How often have you heard let’s have a cuppa? Traditionally, teatime is around 11 a.m. for morning tea or between 3 and 5 p.m. for afternoon tea. But there’s no need to stand on ceremony. Anytime is a good time for tea. In Ireland, it’s common to have your tea with cream, but there’s a little trick to it. The custom began when folks put milk or cream into their fine china cups to prevent cracking when the hot tea was added. Tea experts maintain that the milk needs to be added before the tea is poured as adding it afterward alters the taste of the tea.
To make a perfect cup of tea, begin by filling a kettle with cool water and put it on to boil. Next, add one teaspoon of fresh loose leaf Irish tea per person plus one for the pot. Add boiling water to the pot and allow it to steep for 5 minutes. While you wait, fill 1/3 of the teacup with milk or cream and pour the strong, hot Irish tea into each cup and stir.
Now for the tea cake to go with it…
As I was browsing through a booklet of Welsh teatime recipes, I ran across this lovely little cinnamon cake, called a Teisen Sinamon in Welsh. I thought it was a little unusual since it called for a meringue topping, which I haven’t seen often on cakes. I made a few adjustments to make a low carb version and converted the ingredient measurements. This is a coarse-textured cake rather than a dessert cake, but it has excellent flavor and pairs well with either tea or coffee.
My version is also adjusted to a half-sized recipe to avoid too many leftovers. It’s best served right after the meringue is cooked.
Ingredient notes: I used vanilla whey protein powder as part of my flour mix since it brings additional flavor and texture to the cake. You can substitute any low carb flour you like into it. If you use any coconut flour, use 1/2 the called for amount it is replacing and add an extra egg. The net carb count will be higher with other flour choices. My baking mix is 3 net carbs per 1/4 cup and the whey powder is 1 net carb for 1/4 cup.
The recipe calls for 1 egg plus 1/4 cup liquid egg whites. You need to separate the egg and put the egg white from the egg aside to make the meringue. Liquid egg whites won’t beat stiff enough to make a good meringue.
Cinnamon Cake baked in the pan. You can remove it and have a nice display cake or leave it in the pan and cut slices from it.
Welsh Cinnamon Cake
3/4 cup Low Carb Flour
1/4 cup Vanilla Whey Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Sugar Substitute
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Eggs, separated, plus 1/4 cup Liquid Egg Whites
Pinch of Salt
1/4 cup Butter
2 – 3 tablespoons Almond Milk or Cream
1/2 tablespoon Granulated Sugar Substitute
4 tablespoons Sugar-free Raspberry or Strawberry Jam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.) Grease, or spray with baking spray, a 6-inch cake pan or square pan.
Mix the flour, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl, then rub in the butter. Separate the egg, set the white aside, add the liquid white and beat together. Add the sugar and yolk mixture to the flour and mix well. Add enough milk to make a thick, moist dough. Pour or press the mixture into the cake pan and bake for 20 minutes until a toothpick tests cleanly.
Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.
Reduce temperature to 325 degrees (F.) Whip the egg whites until stiff, then fold in the sugar substitute. Put the cake on a paper-lined baking sheet and spread jam over the top of the cake, then pile on the meringue mixture. Put back in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until the meringue is set and a pale brown.
Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition Information per slice:
Calories: 148 Fat: 11.7 g Net Carbs: 4.6 g Protein: 7.4 g
Enjoy your tea break and let me know how you liked the tea cake!
I am pretty sure those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are beginning to get antsy for Spring to arrive. This is especially true as I look out my window watching snow come down after three days of almost balmy, sunny weather. Yep, typical for Reno. Lure those plants to begin to bud, then freeze them. So I needed something cheerful and comforting to brighten my day.
This wonderful sausage, leeks, asparagus and cheese pie is just the ticket to remind you of the wonderful tastes of the season. I love cheese pies. They’re easy to make and the possibilities are endless. With St. David’s Day just past and St. Patrick’s Day just ahead, this particular pie celebrates the lovely sharp cheddar cheeses from Wales and Ireland. You can use American cheddar, but it’s not quite the same, so check your market for one of the imports. It’s worth it.
A note about the spices, they are changeable. The ones in the recipe are the ones that I particularly like, but if you want to substitute in others, feel free. And, if you don’t want to eat meat, you can leave it our and it still tastes great!
Sausage, Asparagus & Leek Cheese Pie
1/2 lb Ground Country Sausage
1 Leek
1/2 lb Asparagus Spears
1 tablespoon Butter
4 large Eggs
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
3/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground Sage
1/4 teaspoon dried Basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried Parsley, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dried Celeraic
1/8 teaspoon ground Thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
12 oz. Irish or Welsh Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
This may be made crustless or in a pie crust.
Preheat oven to 365 degrees (F.) If making it without a crust, spray a deep dish pie plate with baking spray and set aside. If using a crust, prepare and pre-bake for about 10 minutes to partially cook it before adding the mixture so you won’t have a soggy bottom.
Cut or break the asparagus into one inch pieces. Clean the leek and slice into thin rings. Use the leek as far up the green tops until they get tough. Heat a skillet, add the butter and stir it around until it starts to melt, then add the leeks and sauté until they are just tender. Remove to a bowl. Add the sausage, breaking it into little pieces and stir until lightly browned. Mix the sausage, leeks, and asparagus together and spread evenly over the bottom of the pie plate.
In a bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk, add the cream, ricotta cheese, and seasonings and mix until completely combined. Stir in the cheddar cheese and pour over the sausage mixture in the pie plate.
Put the pie in the center of the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until it is golden brown and a knife or toothpick in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve with a salad.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Crustless Pie: Nutrition information per serving (6 servings): Calories: 47602 Fat: 37.6 g Net Carbs: 4.3 g Protein: 29.7 g
Nutrition information per serving (8 servings): Calories: 357.2 Fat: 28.2 g Net Carbs: 3.2 g Protein: 22.2 g
Hard to believe that we’re almost to the end of February with only a week left in the month. I’m already thinking ahead to spring, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter. We’ve had enough rain and snow in northern Nevada this winter that I think the spring should be spectacular this year. I’ve started to get a jump on recipes for the season and one I tried this past weekend is a variation of an Irish Stew.
Mostly a true Irish Stew, if there is one, would use lamb in it. While lamb is okay. it’s not my first choice for meat. To be honest, I prefer pork over lamb or beef, so I was happy to find this recipe from one of my favorite online people, Chef John, that uses pork and Brussels sprouts, which he calls baby cabbages. I don’t think that’s exactly accurate, but I do like sprouts so it’s fine with me. I expect, you could cut cabbage into quarters, cook them in water for a few minutes, then pop them into the stew for the last five minutes and they would work quite well. I only made a couple of minor changes to Chef John’s stew. Check out his recipe and videohere.
This stew is delicious, very savory, easy to make, and best of all, low in carbs. I find the pork is more tender than beef and is, I’m sorry little piggies, a favorite taste of mine. You could still make the stew with beef or chicken, if you prefer.
I cheated a little and bought my fresh carrots already cut into slices. It worked well.
Savory Pork Irish Stew
3 pounds boneless Pork Shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
Salt and ground Black Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
1 cup Onions, chopped
2 teaspoons Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon all purpose Flour*
1 Bay Leaf
8 ounces Dark Beer, like Guinness
2 cups Chicken Broth
3 Carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 stalks Celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh Parsley
3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
12 Brussels Sprouts, halved
*low carb flours don’t work well as a thickener
Season the pork with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil. Add pork cubes in batches, cooking and stirring until they are lightly browned on all sides. Remove to a bowl and do the next batch until they are all done. Set aside.
To the pan, add butter, then add the onions and cook the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for about thirty seconds. Add flour; cook and stir until it is mixed in completely. Add beer to the pot, then add the cornstarch mixture and a bay leaf. Cook and stir until the mixture thickens.
Add pork, carrots, celery, and chicken broth to the pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in parsley and balsamic vinegar. Lower the heat to medium low and continue to simmer until the pork is tender, about two hours.
Heat a pot of water to a boil, then add the halved Brussels sprouts and cook for 5 minutes. Drain the sprouts, then add to the stew and cook until the sprouts are fork-tender, around 5 more minutes.
Serve with Irish Soda Bread or a cauliflower/turnip mash to complete the meal.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 623 Fat: 44.3 g Net Carbs: 8 g Protein: 42.1 g
For Valentine’s Day, I wanted to put out something a little special and heart-shaped that is delicious. I ran across a recipe for Marbled Cheesecake Hearts in an old Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk recipe booklet and thought about how I would adapt it to a low carb recipe. Right off, the sweetened milk is a problem, but one you can work around. LC Foods offers a substitute version mix and although I’ve got one on hand, I haven’t tried it yet. But I wanted to try making this just using extra sugar substitute and heavy cream instead.
I followed the original recipe instructions (see them here), but cut them in half to make a smaller cake. It came out more like a layer of chocolate and vanilla than a marble swirl. I concluded a few things while doing this:
The recipe says to use half the cream cheese mixture as vanilla and add the chocolate to the rest and swirl it in. It’s too much chocolate, which is why mine came out with an almost solid chocolate top. I didn’t have enough vanilla to pull through. So I’ve changed it to 1/3 mixed with the chocolate to swirl through.
The top got a little dry in the oven, which gave it a flaky appearance. Adding a pan of water underneath will help to keep it moist and prevent the drying out.
Using heart cookie cutters results in a quite a few small pieces of your cheesecake being left over and not so pretty.
So I suggest making it in heart-shaped molds or cutting it into bars and putting a sugar-free candy heart on top. You can also cut a strawberry down the middle and place it face down on the top to make a strawberry heart if you can to use it for a special occasion. When you do this, you’ll have less mess, less work, and eight servings.
You also don’t need to put it in the foil liner. Just put a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of your pan and spray the sides with baking spray so it will come out easily.
Layered Chocolate and Vanilla Cheesecake
1 Chocolate Shortbread batch (recipe below)
12 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 1/2 cup Sugar Substitute
1 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 oz Unsweetened Chocolate, melted
Preheat oven to 300 degrees (F.) Line a 6″ x 9 1/2″ (or close to it) deep-sided baking pan with heavy foil (see note 4 above), cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom, and set aside.
Make the chocolate shortbread crust as described below.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is fluffy. In a small bowl, combine the cream and sugar substitute and mix together. Beat into the cream cheese until it is smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until blended. Pour 2/3 of the batter over the crust and smooth with a rubber spatula.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until it is smooth. Stir the melted chocolate into the remaining batter until it is mixed in. Spoon this in six mounds over the vanilla batter in the pan. Use a table knife or spatula to gently swirl the chocolate batter through the vanilla batter so it looks marbled. Put a pan of hot water under the rack in the oven, then put the cake above it.
Hearts cut out with a cookie cutter. They can be decorated with icing, whipped cream, or berries.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the cake is set. Cool for about 10 minutes, then put into the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour. Lift out of the pan using the foil to slide onto a cutting board. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut hearts. Or you can just cut into bars. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
This makes 6 heart-shaped cakes and the rest is pieces that you can cut into pieces and mix with whipping cream in a bowl for a not so special-looking dessert for two more servings. (See note 3 above.)
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition Information (Filling Only)1 serving Calories: 428.4 Fat: 43.4 g Net Carbs: 3.4 g Protein: 7.9 g
Chocolate Shortbread Crust
3/4 cup low carb flour
1/4 cup Almond Flour
1/2 cup Butter
3/4 cup Sugar Substitute
2 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Pinch Salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix the baking mix, almond flour, whey powder, sugar substitute, and salt together. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until you have a soft dough.
Press into the bottom of your prepared baking pan.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Nutrition Information (Crust Only) 1/8 recipe Calories:150.6 Fat: 15.1 g Net Carbs: 1.2 g Protein:2.8 g
