All posts by Rene Averett

Breads, Desserts, Recipes

Apple Fritter Bites

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apple-head-dolls
Apple head dolls from Google images.

Another of my challenges while using up fruits and vegetables left behind by my friends is doing something with the apples that are gradually wrinkling other than cutting them into faces and letting them wither into little old apple heads.  Did you ever make those when you were a kid?

Well, I had something a little more tasty in mind although strictly speaking, apples aren’t on the Atkins plan for phase I or phase II, but I believe they are ok for phase III and phase IV.  For me, with my very low carb burner, they are an “eat sparingly” item and I do love apples.   So I decided to peel these and chop them up with the thought of making apple compote in mind.  Mid-way through, I started thinking about apple fritters.  So, an apple fitter recipe came into being.  This isn’t your standard recipe because using low carb flours can be tricky.  In order to get something that would hold together while I was frying it and not absorb too much of the oil, I decided to partially bake the dough first, then cut it into squares and turn them into apple fritter bites that are then fried in a little oil.

These have all the flavors of apples and cinnamon without a doughy taste, but it does take a bit of will power to limit your serving to only two or three of the bites.

Apple Fritter Bites

A delicious treat with all the flavor of an apple fritter and very few of the carbs.

2″ Oil in a small pan
1 cup low carb flour (CarbQuick, LC Foods,  or Bob’s Red Mill) *
3 tablespoon Sugar Substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Clove
1/4 cup unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 tablespoon Oil
1 1/2 cups Apples or Peaches or Pears – peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 cup Cinnamon Sugar – 1/4 cup sugar substitute with 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

*  I haven’t tried Almond Flour in this, but it is more delicate and more likely to crumble.  I would mix it with 1/2 cup almond flour and 1/4 cup coconut flour and add another egg to get it to hold together better.  

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (F).  Spray small baking pan (about an 8×12) with baking spray.

Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix the egg, almond milk, oil, vanilla and seasonings together in a smaller bowl. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the wet ingredients into it. Mix until the liquid is all mixed in, then add the apples and stir to distribute them through the batter.

Spread the batter onto the baking pan and distribute it evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes until the dough is mostly dried, but it isn’t browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.  Should you decide not to fry these, then bake them a little longer until they are lightly browned.

Cut the baked future fritters  into 24 pieces – 6 cuts across long side and 4  from the short side down, which are easier to cut if you don’t try to go the entire length with one cut.   Carefully remove each bite-sized piece with a narrow spatula, trying not to break them.

Heat the oil in a small pan or skillet until it is hot enough to cause a small piece of dough to sizzle. Turn the oil down to medium heat. Fry the bites about 3 or 4 at a time until they are golden brown. Use a spoon to pour the hot oil over the top or roll the bite over to brown the top. If it browns too quickly, turn the heat down. If it takes more than a couple of minutes, turn the heat up a little. Remove the cooked bites with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. Cook the next batch and repeat until they are all done.

Sprinkle the tops of the bites with the cinnamon sugar while they are still warm.

Makes 12 servings (2 bites per serving)
Calories: 39.9 g Fat: 2.2 g Net Carbs: 2.4 g Protein: 2.1 g

 

Italian Inspired Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Chicken with Tomatoes and Zucchini

My challenge this week was to use up the tomatoes my friends left behind when they headed off to France on holiday and to work on their house there. These were vine-ripened tomatoes and the skins were already starting to shrivel, so I wanted to do something to remove the skins and cook them into a tomato-based dish.  I had chicken thighs on hand, so it was a logical step to make a chicken with tomatoes dish. This takes a little time to cook, but the actual process is pretty easy.

While a base of pasta would be lovely, it’s simply too high carb’d so I would suggest you use spaghetti squash or shredded cabbage, lightly steamed or raw, as the base to put this on. I just ate it as is with a side salad.

1/2 cup Mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves Garlic
4 large Chicken Thighs, bone and skin removed
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 cup Zucchini, sliced
1/4 cup Sweet Peppers,sliced
1 1/2 cups Red Ripe Tomatoes  or 1 1/2 cup canned stewed tomatoes
1/4 cup Onions, chopped
1/4 cup chicken stock or cooking wine

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the tomatoes. Let them boil for about 5 minutes, then run cold water over them and drain. Let them cool until easy to hold, then use a sharp knife to cut the skin around the stem end and peel the skin off. It should slide off easily. Cut the tomatoes into pieces over a bowl so you can any juice that runs out as you cut them.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter and brown the chicken thighs on both sides. Remove to paper towel on a plate. Add garlic, additional butter, peppers and onions to the skillet and sauté until the onion is tender. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini and seasonings to the pan and stir together over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of cooking wine if you would like or add 1/4 cup chicken stock for extra flavor. Stir the mixture together well, then arrange the chicken pieces in the pan. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, checking a couple of times to be sure there is liquid in the pan. Then stir the mixture around, add any liquid if it is getting low and turn the chicken pieces over, covering them with the tomato sauce. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 163 Fat: 8.7 g Net Carbs: 5.1 g Protein: 14.8 g

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Fabulous Brussels Sprouts Fritters

Apparently these lovely fried vegetable pancakes are also called Bellinis, but where I come from, they are fritters. And they are absolutely one of the tastiest fritters I’ve eaten. But, I admit that I do love Brussels sprouts and they may not be a hit with everyone, but if you’re a fan, do try them. In the fully loaded version of this recipe, the mix includes green peppers, onions and bacon pieces. For a lower carb’d version, omit the onions and green peppers.

Loaded Brussels Sprouts Fritters

2 cups shredded Brussels sprouts
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon dried Celeriac Leaves
2 tablespoons low carb Baking Mix or Almond Flour
1/2 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan or other hard Italian cheese
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Pepper
1/4 cup diced Sweet Peppers (optional)
1/4 cup minced Onion (optional)
1/4 cup Bacon pieces (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons Butter

Put Brussels sprouts in a microwave safe bowl, cover with a paper towel or plate and microwave for 1 minute to partially cook. You can also bring a pot of water to a boil and put the Brussels sprouts in for 1 to 2 minutes to par boil.

Drain any liquid off the partially cooked sprouts and pat dry with a paper towel. In the bowl mix the flour and seasonings together, then add the eggs and onions and mix. Add vegetables, bacon and stir together.

In a skillet add about 1/2 tablespoon butter to melt and add the onions. Sauté until onions are just tender.

Heat a skillet or griddle until a drop of water sizzles on it. Lower heat the medium, then melt about a 1/2 tablespoon of butter to cover the skillet. Spoon about 1/4th of the mix onto the grilled and spread into a patty. Repeat with two or three more (depending on how large your skillet is.) Let cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then lift to see if the patty is browned. If so, turn over and cook the other side for the same time. Repeat with the rest of the batter if needed.

Makes 4 fritters. Serve with sour cream or a dill sauce or mayonnaise with herbs mixed in.

Nutrition Info: (Fully loaded – all optional ingredients added) – per fritter
Calories: 159 Fat: 11.4 g Net Carbs: 4.9 g Protein: 9.3 g

Basic Fritter (No optional ingredients added) – per fritter
Calories: 127.6 Fat: 9.9 g Net Carbs: 3.7 g Protein: 6.1 g

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 4/13/2014 1:39 PM

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Light and Delicious Springtime Coleslaw

Spring has so many foods to offer after a long, cold winter and a slaw is a great way to combine some of the flavors together. I wanted something green and a bit fruity to go with my Corned Beef Quesadillas, so got inspired to mix these flavors together. The recipe has now moved to my favorite collection.

Springtime Coleslaw

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoons Sugar Substitute
1/2 tablespoon Brown Sugar Substitute
1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger
1/4 cup chopped Pecans
1/2 cup Brussels Sprouts, finely shredded
3 stalks Asparagus, chopped
1/4 cup crushed fresh Pineapple
1/2 (16 ounce) package shredded Cabbage
2 tablespoons Heavy Cream

I let my little food processor do most of the work on this. If you can buy the shredded Brussels sprouts, just add them to the processor and pulse it a few times to get finely chopped. Buy planks or cubes of fresh pineapple and let the processor turn them into crushed pineapple. Clean and cut the asparagus stalks and pulse them in the chopped until you have a nice chop. Easy.

In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugars, ginger, asparagus, nuts, pineapple and cream. Toss coleslaw mix and Brussels sprouts with dressing to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 190 Fat: 18.8 g Net Carbs: 3.5 g Protein: 1.5 g

Posted on 3/14/2014 12:36 PM

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Cabbage and Spinach Vegetable Stir Fry

Once I discovered stir-fry, it quickly moved to my favorite way to cook vegetables. This particular mix combines fresh cabbage, baby spinach, broccoli, and celery to make a wonderfully delicious vegetable side dish. Don’t like spinach? Use kale instead. Not crazy about cabbage? Then substitute with bok choy or shaved Brussels sprouts.

Cabbage and Spinach Vegetable Stir Fry

1 cup sliced Cabbage, fresh
1 cup Baby Spinach, fresh
1/2 cup Broccoli, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon minced Garlic
1 stalk Celery, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 tablespoon Better Than Bullion Chicken or Vegetable paste
1 tablespoon Olive Oil or Coconut Oil

In a small pan, bring about 1 cup of water to a boil and parboil the cut broccoli for about 5 minutes. This gives the vegetable a deep green color and cooks it enough that it is more tender in the stir fry. If you prefer crunchy broccoli, then omit this step.

To 1/2 cup of hot water, add the chicken bullion and mix well.

Heat oil in a deep skillet, like a wok skillet, and add the garlic and celery. Stir fry until the celery is just tender. Add the cabbage and broccoli, stir and cook about five minutes, then add bullion and stir into the mix for a few minutes. Add the spinach and stir in, cooking until the spinach begins to wilt.

Makes 2 large servings or 3 smaller ones.

Nutrition Info for 1 serving (2 servings sized):
Calories: 57.2 Fat: 2.9 Net Carbs: 4.4 g Protein: 2.7
Posted on  2/20/2014 5:13 PM