All posts by RAverett

Desserts, Main Dish, Recipes

Crepes Are Easy

I first posted this on May 20, 2012 on my LJ blog.

I have a couple of dear friends who are in France this past week on a well-deserved vacation and I celebrated by making crepes — those lovely little French pancakes that are so thin and light. And they can be low carb since the main ingredient in them is egg. If you’re under the impression that they are difficult to make, that’s not true. They may take a little practice to get just right, but they are worth it. I haven’t made them in quite a few years so it was almost like starting over for me.

I have a gas range, so it takes a little experimenting with the controls to get the right flame under the pan. You want a medium hot flame, not too hot to burn, but hot enough to cook them fairly quickly and evenly. I use an omelette pan, non-stick and I spray it with cooking oil between each crepe although some instructions say you don’t have to do that.
So to the basics.

Note on flours used: I used a combination of CarQuick baking mix from Tova Foods and Atkins baking mix. You can make it completely from either mix. A combination of mixes sometimes brings a better result, but I don’t know if that is the case with crepes. This is the first time I’ve made them using the baking mixes. It is essential that you use a low-carb baking mix or flour to make these as low carb as possible. If you use regular flour, reduce it to one tablespoon and expect an eggier-tasting crepe. If you’re not worried about the carbs, then use regular flour.

2 eggs
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2/3 cup CarbQuick baking mix
1 pinch Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Water
1 tablespoon Sugar Substitute  (optional for sweet crepes. Omit for savory ones.)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Spray a non-stick omelette pan (approximately 6″ in diameter) with cooking spray and heat on a medium high heat. Put a little less than 1/4 cup of batter in the pan and swirl around until it coats the entire bottom of the pan. The batter is thin and will spread thinly on the pan. As the crepe cooks small bubbles will form in the cake. Watch the edges for the slightest browning and for the surface to appear almost dry. Carefully slide a flat, long spatula under the cake and flip it to brown the reverse side. This should only take a few minutes. Remove the crepe to a plate with either wax paper, parchment paper or plastic wrap on it and place a layer over the top of the completed crepe. This will prevent the crepes from sticking to each other.

Repeat the process for the next crepe. There should be enough batter to make 8 to 10 crepes.

Makes 8 crepes Each crepe is about 1.2 net carbs and 95 calories.

Crepes can be filled in hundreds of ways. The recipes below are a couple of my own favorites. You can make them with ham and asparagus covered with cheese. Or make a vegetable filled crepe with sauteed squash, onions and tomatoes.

Filling for Mushroom and Chicken Crepes:

A really tasty crepe filling that goes together easily. Use the basic crepe recipe to make your crepes.

Makes 6 crepes. I usually use 2 per serving.

Ingredients:
Cooked chicken 6 ounces, cubed or shredded
1 tablespoon Carbquick or other low carb thickener
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 cup of water
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup Mushroom pieces or slices
2 oz. Cream Cheese, cut into cubes
1/3 cup Italian Cheese tri-mix, shredded

In a sauce pan or skillet, melt the butter, add onion and sauté until the onion turns translucent. Add the CarbQuick or thickener and stir to make a roux. Add the whipping cream and stir well. Remove about 1/2 cup of the sauce. Then add the creamed cheese and Italian seasoning and stir until it is mixed well. Then add the chicken and mushrooms and cook until heated thoroughly. Add 1/2 of the Italian cheeses and stir well.

On a plate, place a crepe and put about 2 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the middle. Fold over and secure with a toothpick. Place in a shallow pan or broiler proof dish. Repeat with the remaining crepes. Pour the reserved sauce over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the Italian cheese. Place in the broiler for about 5 minutes. When the top is lightly toasted, remove from the broiler and serve with a salad or fresh vegetables.

Each crepe is about 2.2 net carbs and 250 calories.

Sweet Strawberry Filled Crepe

I love cream cheese and this is an easy way to make a strawberry cream cheese crepe that is still low carb and delicious. You can substitute any low carb fruit for the strawberry, such as blueberries or raspberries.

Makes two servings, one crepe in each serving.

2 sweet or regular crepes
1/2 cup of sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
2 tablespoons whipped topping or whipped cream
2 drops of liquid sweetener
Sugar free, carb free chocolate sauce
Low carb vanilla ice cream (optional)

Mix the cream cheese and whipped cream together with a spoon in a small bowl and add liquid sweetener. You can also add a teaspoon of flavoring such as strawberry, orange or raspberry sugar-free syrup at this point and mix it in. Spread almost half of the mixture on each crepe, saving just about two teaspoons.

Place the strawberry slices on top of the cream cheese mixture and fold the crepe over them. Use a little of the reserved mixture on one side of the crepe to act as a “glue” to hold it together. Spread the remainder of the mixture on the top of the crepes and place a couple of strawberry slices on top.

Crepes with cream cheese mixture and berries before rolling.

Spoon a little whipped cream on top or top with a scoop of low carb ice cream. Drizzle a little chocolate syrup over the top and voila’, you have an elegant dessert!

Net carbs: About 6 per serving

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 9/9/2012 11:54 PM

Desserts, Recipes

Cakes for Everyone: Orange Almond Cake

Back when I worked for the bank, I used to be part of a dinner club with several of my co-workers. We would meet once every month or so at a members’ home and enjoy a fine meal. Usually the host would provide the dinner but everyone else would bring an appetizer or a wine or something along those lines and a fine meal would be enjoyed with friends.

Following a trip to Spain and Portugal, I decided to make my next dinner a Spanish-style meal with examples of all the food I had enjoyed on that trip. The menu included gazpacho, an octopus salad, paella, and fresh French bread. The dessert that night was not one I had tasted on my trip, but one from my old stand-by Betty Crocker International Cookbook for Torta de Almendra or an Orange Almond Cake. It complimented the meal perfectly.

Going through my cookbook, I noticed that I had already converted the recipe to a lower carbohydrate version that was 29.3 carbs and 205 calories per 1/8 cake slice, but that didn’t break it down to net carbs. With the reduced carbs flour products available now, I was sure this could be done with a fairly low carb count, so here is the recipe for a lower carb and calorie count. And it is still delicious.
One note, like many European cakes and other desserts, it is not as sweet as American recipes tend to be, so adjust the sugar substitute if you like it sweeter. This cake uses almond flour, which is available at most supermarkets and health food stores. Check the net carb count on the package as it varies with different brands. I also use CarbQuick from Tova Foods in the recipe. There are other low carb flours and you might find those at health food stores or you can purchase online.

Almond flour makes this a very light and delicate cake. Be sure to let it cool before moving it and move it very carefully.

Torta de Almendra (Orange Almond Cake)

Makes 8 servings

1/2 cup Carbquick
3/4 cup Almond Flour
3/4 cup Sugar Substitute
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream,
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Water
1/3 cup Shortening
1 large Egg
2 teaspoons Orange Peel
1/3 cup Almonds, sliced
1 tablespoon granulated Sugar Substitute
2 tablespoons Orange sugar free syrup or Grand Marnier

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 1 1/2 inch round or square cake pan or 4 individual one cup cake pans, which is what I used, with floured baking spray. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, cream, water, shortening, egg and orange peel in a bowl and beat with a mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly, then switch to high speed for three minutes.

Pour batter into the pan and sprinkle with almond slices. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablepoon granulated sugar substitute and drizzle with orange syrup. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the pan by flipping the pan onto a serving plate. (You may need to loosen the cake by running a knife carefully along the edge.) Cool completely before serving.

Optional: Top with 1 tablespoon whipped cream and a piece of orange segment.

1 servings is 204 calories (3.9 net carbs) when made with Grand Marnier or 194 calories (3.1 net carbs) with sugar free orange syrup. (Count does not include whipped cream and orange, which will add a little more to it.)

*You can use Splenda or other powdered sugar substitute for all the sugar substitutes in the recipe; use 3/4 cup for the whole recipe. However, the carb count will increase because Splenda and most of the powder-type sugars have slightly less than 1 net carb per teaspoon due to the filler used to hold the sucralose. 35 teaspoons or packets equal 3/4 cup of sugar. So that would be over 4 net carbs per serving added to the carb count.

Original POST BY RENE AVERETT AT 8/28/2012 2:42 PM

Crock Pot Recipes, Main Dish, Recipes

Crock Pot Guinness Chicken Stew

September 17 is half-St. Patrick’s Day. Not exactly a national holiday, but among Celtic-oriented folk, it’s another excuse to celebrate.  At the very least, you can sit down with a nice bowl of stew and a loaf of Irish soda bread.  Actually, I am checking this out as a main dish for an Alban Elfed gathering this weekend to celebrate the Fall Equinox.  Being as this is a Celtic group of people, how can you go wrong with a Guinness stout enhanced recipe? And it makes the meat juicy and tender.

At this time of the year, you’re probably not too keen to heat up the kitchen with a stew in the oven, but this version is cooked in a crock pot and is made with chicken so it isn’t as heavy as a hearty beef stew, which is so welcome in winter. This version is pretty low in carbs, even with potatoes thrown in. I usually use turnips, but if you don’t like them, it’s only a couple of extra carbs per serving to use regular potatoes.

2 half Chicken Breasts, boned and skinned
2 Chicken Thighs, boned and skinned
1 tblsp Olive Oil
1 cup cubed Turnips or potatoes
1 cup Guinness Draught Stout Beer
1/4 cup Carbquick
2 medium slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tsp minced Garlic
1 cup Green Beans, frozen or fresh, cut into pieces (optional)
2 stalks medium Celery, chopped
2 cups Chicken Broth
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon ground Thyme
1/2 cup fresh Mushrooms, pieces or slices
1/2 cup chopped Onions

In a shallow bowl or tin pan, mix together the Carbquick, a pinch of salt and pepper. Wash and trim the chicken and pat dry. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture and place in the skillet. Cook until lightly browned, about 2-4 minutes on each side. Put into crock pot.

Add chopped bacon to the pot, then pour beer and chicken broth into it. Stir well.

Add the garlic, thyme and the vegetables and stir well.

Cover and cook until the chicken falls apart, 4 hours on High or 7 to 8 hours on Low.

Add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Makes 6 servings

Calories: 124 Net Carbs: 5.1 g Protein: 14.3 g

Without green beans: Calories: 119 Net Carbs: 4.7 g Protein: 14.3

With 1 cup diced potatoes instead of turnips: 132 Net Carbs: 7.2 Protein: 14.6

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 9/17/2012 12:43 PM

Breakfast & Brunch, Main Dish, Recipes

Crustless Sausage and Ham Ricotta Quiche

I’ve made my quiches with ricotta cheese in them for years and find the addition is really good, no matter what other ingredients I put in with the eggs and cheese. This quiche features ham and sausage along with fresh spinach. I use pico de gallo for the tomatoes, onion and cilantro since the local grocery store has a lovely fresh version all ready to go. This is an especially good use for the pico de gallo when it is “on the verge” of becoming not so good.

6 large Eggs
3/4 cup of browned bulk Pork sausage
1/2 cup diced Ham
1/4 cup chopped Onions
1/4 cup chopped Tomatoes,
2 tbsp chopped Cilantro
1 cup fresh Spinach, fresh, torn or chopped
1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream,
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh Chives
3/4 cup cheddar jack or Mexican four cheese mix
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Garlic herb mix seasoning or other seasoning of choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together eggs, ricotta cheese, whipping cream and seasoning. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cheddar jack cheese and mix the rest with the remaining ingredients into the eggs.

Use a cooking spray to lightly coat an 8×8″ square pan or a deep dish pan plate. Pour the egg and meat mixture into the pan.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until eggs are set and lightly browned. Turn off oven. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese on top of the quiche and put back into the oven for another five minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

Cut and serve. Also reheats in the microwave easily. Just heat for 1 minute.

6 servings
1 serving equals calories: 268, Net Carbs 2.5 g and protein 19.1 g.

Original POST BY RENE AVERETT AT 9/21/2012 1:30 PM

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

Mah-velous LC Pumpkin Pancakes

When the cool of fall hits the air, it’s time for pumpkin pancakes at IHOP.  Sometimes I really miss those!  So I decided to do something about that desire for the wonderful taste of pumpkin, cinnamon, butter and maple syrup.  This recipe hits all the right buttons for me and I hope you find it as delicious as I do.  There are a few brands of sugar free pancake syrup available at various grocery stores and Wal-Mart, so look for one that is 0 carbs and 0 calories, like Mrs. Butterworth’s, Log Cabin and Smith’s brand.

Still can’t find one?  Use maple extract and mix about 1 teaspoon with 1/2 cup sugar substitute dissolved in 1/2 cup water and heated until just boiling.  Melt a tablespoon of butter into it and you have a wonderful quick maple syrup.

2/3 cup Carbquick
1/3 cup Almond flour
2 tablespoons Buttermilk
1 large Egg
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoon Whey Protein Powder (optional)
1/2 stick Butter, melted
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/3 cup Pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground Clove
1/4 cup Water

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then add the wet ingredients and hand mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix the ingredients. Add just enough water to make an easily spoon-able batter. Spray a large skillet or griddle with baking spray and heat to medium hot. A little water should skittle across the top when it is hot enough. Spoon about a 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake and smooth it out. If using a skillet, cover it with a lid and cook it for about 2 minutes. Turn the pancakes and cook another two minutes until done.

Spread with butter and serve with sugar free, low carb syrup.

Makes 8 pancakes. Each pancake is 114 calories, 2.1 g net carbs, and 3.6 g protein. Two pancakes make a normal serving.

Original POST BY RENE AVERETT AT 9/28/2012 11:13 PM