Category Archives: Asian Recipes

Recipes to Celebrate Chinese New Year

May 9, 2014 Rene Averett

Basic Cauli-rice – a great alternative to the steamed rice that is really delicious.
Asian Fusion Dirty Cauli-rice – a meal in itself with shrimp and other goodies
Fish and Veggies Tampura Style – make this favorite

Rather than putting these all on one long page, I’m going to give each recipe a separate page, so follow these links to more great Chinese recipes made low carb delicious!
Egg Foo Yung
Orange Chicken with Bean Sprouts (also works for shrimp)
Chinese Almond Cookies

Stir Fried Beef and Broccoli

One of my favorite stir fry dishes is this wonderful, colorful Beef and Broccoli dish. The key with almost all quick cook meals is to prep the food before you begin cooking. There is about 1 1/4 hour of prep time from the time you start on the meat. Part of that is waiting for the marinade to get into the meat to help tenderize and flavor it. If you are serving Cauli-rice with it, be sure to get it on about 15 minutes before you start cooking this dish.

Beef Marinade
1 teaspoon Soy Sauce
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/8 tsp Sugar Substitute
8 oz. Steak, sirloin, strip or round

Sauce
1/2 tablespoon Cornstarch or Thick-It-Up
1/2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/2 tablespoon Scotch or Sherry
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
2 tablespoons Beef Broth or water with 1 tablespoon Beef Bouillon in it

Vegetables
1/2 pound Broccoli, fresh
1/2 cup, medium Onions (about 1/2)
2 stalks Celery
1 clove Garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoon Ginger Root
1 or 2 dried red Chinese pepper, crushed

Prepare the marinade ingredients. Cut the steak into thin strips and place in a bowl. Cover with marinade and mix it around. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for an hour.

While the beef marinates, prepare the vegetables. Chop or finely slice onions, depending on how big you want the pieces in your meal. Peel the strings on the celery, then slice into 1/4 inch pieces on a diagonal up the stalks. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, then bring a pan of water to a boil and par boil for 2 minutes. This brings out a bright color and cooks the broccoli just a little before stir-frying it.

Prepare the sauce by dissolving the cornstarch in the beef broth, then add soy sauce, whiskey (or sherry). And sesame oil. Set aside.

Heat a wok or deep skillet over high heat until it is hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and heat until it begins to sizzle. Add the beef and cook for a minute or two until it is lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium high, then add additional oil. Add the ginger garlic and chili and stir fry until you can smell the garlic and ginger. Add the onion and celery and stir fry for a minute or so, then add the broccoli and stir fry 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup beef broth and continue to cook for another 2 or 3 minutes, then add the sauce/cornstarch mix and the beef, and stir in until the sauce thickens and the meat it thoroughly heated.

Serve with cauli-rice immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Atkins All Phases – For phase 1, omit the cornstarch and cook the sauce down until it thickens more.

Nutrition Info per serving:
Calories: 187.5 Fat: 7.5 g Net Carbs: 6.8 g Protein: 23.8 g

Posted on 1/24/2014

Asian Recipes, Main Dish, Pork, Recipes

Celebrate Chinese New Year with Egg Foo Yung

May 9, 2014 Rene Averett

Recipe number 2 in my celebration of the Chinese New Year is for Egg Foo Yung. This is a natural for a low carb recipe… it’s eggs! Ok, there is a sauce, but it, too, can be low carb. This recipe is wonderful and easy to make. If you’re preparing these to serve with a stir fry, make these first and keep them warm on a plate in an oven at 250 degrees while you cook the stir fry. Or you can warm them right before serving by putting them in the microwave for about 1 minute for two or three of them. These make a great appetizer, brunch or main meal. Make them smaller for appetizers and larger for brunch or a main meal. This recipe makes six smaller ones – about 3 inches across.

Egg Foo Yung

Egg Batter
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup fresh bean sprout
2 tablespoons minced scallion
2 tablespoons minced bamboo shoots or celery or shredded Chinese cabbage
2 water chestnuts, minced
1/4 cup slivered cooked ham or 1/3-1/2 cup chicken or 1/3-1/2 cup pork
1/3 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or other cooking oil)

Foo Yung Sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoons sugar substitute
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch or Thick-It-Up
3/4 teaspoons water

Cut the bean sprouts, celery, water chestnuts and scallions (green onions) into small pieces. Put in a bowl. Add ham, sausage or cooked pork. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and soy sauce together, then mix into the meat and vegetables.

Prepare sauce by mixing chicken broth, soy sauce, and vinegar together. Mix cornstarch and water together. Set aside.

Heat an omelette pan or other small skillet and add a little of the oil to coat the bottom. For small patties, spoon 2 tablespoons of the egg and meat mixture into the skillet. Use a spatula to push any egg that runs out back into the patty, shaping it into a round. Cook over medium high heat for about 1 minute until it is partially set and lightly browned on the bottom. Turn over and cook for another minute. Check to see if it is browned, then remove to a warmed plate. Repeat with the remaining egg mixture. To make more at one time, you can use a griddle that will handle about four at a time.

For the larger patty, about 4″ across, put 1/4 cup of mixture in the middle of the pan and cook the same way, taking about 1 1/2 minutes for each side.

Put the chicken broth mixture into a small pan and bring to a boil, reduce the heat, then add the water and cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce thickens. Spoon over the egg patties and serve

Makes 6 to 8 small patties or 3 to 4 large ones.

Atkins All phases – omit the cornstarch for phase 1

Nutrition Information – 2 small patties or 1 large patty (approx.)
Calories: 136 Fat: 9.4 g Net Carbs: 2.8 g Protein: 9.6 g

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 1/24/2014 9:08 PM

Asian Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Celebrate Chinese New Year with Orange Chicken

May 9, 2014 Rene Averett

Orange brings a fabulous flavor to chicken or shrimp in this great dish. It’s easy to make, just prep everything ahead of time. This version is actually pretty mild, so if you want a little more kick in your dinner, add more red pepper and/or cayenne pepper to the sauce.

Orange Chicken with Bean Sprouts

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 12 large shrimp
2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice* (See note)
1 teaspoon orange extract
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon orange zest
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons sugar free honey
1 teaspoon brown sugar substitute
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1/2 onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup bean sprouts (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped green onions, including the green tops

Partially freeze the chicken to make it easier to cut, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Dry chicken with paper towels.

Prepare the sauce ingredients by mixing the orange juice and zest, the orange extract, brown sugar substitute, ginger and pepper flakes, then set aside. In a small bowl, add the water and cornstarch and mix well. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok until hot. Add half of the chicken and cook until brown. Remove to a paper towel covered plate, then cook the rest of the chicken and drain on paper towel.

Small batches help control the temperature of the pan so the chicken will cook more evenly.

Orange Chicken with Bean Spouts with Egg Foo Yung and Basic Cauli-rice.

In the same skillet or wok, with the pan drippings from the chicken, add the onions and a little more oil, if needed, and stir fry until tender, then spoon the onions out to the paper towel. Add the sauce mix to the wok, then the honey and stir together. Add the cornstarch and water to thicken. Use a wooden spoon to stir well and scrape the bits of meat that have stuck to the pan.

Toss in your chicken and onions and heat it through. Add bean sprouts and green onions and cook one more minute.

Serves 4.

Nutrition Information: (Chicken)
Calories: 192.5 Fat: 5.6 g Net Carbs: 6.4 g Protein: 28.9

Nutrition Information: (Shrimp)
Calories: 77.5 Fat: 3 g Net Carbs: 6.5 g Protein: 6.4 g

Atkins Phases 3 & 4

Note: You can push it a little on Phase 2, but not recommended under Atkins as orange isn’t on the approved list. You can substitute orange Crystal light or double the orange extract and add 1/4 cup water to mix it in. It will add the orange flavor without the carbs! Having said that, I made several dishes with orange while I was on Phase 2 and still lost weight. Just use it in moderation and if it affects your weight loss, don’t continue to use it while you’re in Phase 2.

Posted on 1/24/2014

Asian Recipes, Desserts, Recipes

Celebrate Chinese New Year with Almond Cookies

May 6, 2014 Rene Averett

These top off a great Chinese meal with just a touch of sweetness and almond flavor. At only 1/2 carb each, they make a great ending to the meal or a nice snack in the afternoon. I’ve adapted them to low carb using my favorite low carb flour, Carbquick, but they will also work well with almond flour and any other low carb flour. If you’re not using a baking mix flour, add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder to the dough. Do not use coconut flour with this unless you’re experienced with using it. This recipe calls for lard, but you can also use butter.

Chinese Almond Cookies

1 1/2 cups sifted Carbquick, almond flour or other low carb flour
1/2 cup white sugar substitute
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lard or butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
24 whole almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a cookie sheet by spraying lightly with baking spray.

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together into a bowl. Use two knives or a pastry cutter to mix in the lard until mixture resembles cornmeal. (You can also use your fingers to do this.) Make a well and add the egg and almond extract. Mix together, then mix in the flour until it is combined well. The dough will be stiff.

Roll into 1 inch balls and set each ball about 2″ apart on a cookie sheet. Flatten cookie a little and press an almond into the center of each cookie.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the edges of the cookies are a golden brown.

Makes 24 cookies.

Atkins Phases 2 to 4

Nutrition Info per cookie:
Calories: 64 Fat: 6.1 g Net Carbs: .5 g Protein: 1.5 g

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 1/24/2014

Asian Recipes, Main Dish, Recipes

Recipes to Celebrate Chinese New Year

May 1, 2014 RAverett

I can think of no better reason to explore Chinese food made low carb than to celebrate the Chinese New Year, the year of the Horse, coming up on January 31st. Of course, Chinese food isn’t that hard to make low carb because it’s loaded with veggies and protein, but the only really worries are the sauces. And those can be adapted. So here are some adapted recipes to make your feast low carb delicious. And while you’re at it, check out these recipes on this site:
Basic Cauli-rice – a great alternative to the steamed rice that is really delicious.
Asian Fusion Dirty Cauli-rice – a meal in iteself with shrimp and other goodies
Fish and Veggies Tampura Style – make this favorite