Category Archives: Breakfast & Brunch

Beef, Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

A Bit of Luck with an Irish Benedict Brunch

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St. Patrick’s Day is past, but the Sunday after is always a good time for an Irish Benedict breakfast or brunch. Who am I kidding? Any time is a good time for Irish Eggs Benedict. It’s often on the menu at our favorite breakfast spots in Reno, along with Corned Beef Hash and Eggs. When you’re watching the carbs, the big drawback in ordering it is the English Muffin.

This make-at-home recipe uses the fabulous Muffin in a Minute recipe as the base muffin. Actually, I have a recipe that enhances that one, but is just as easy to make, but you can use either one. Did you know that when you can take the microwaved muffin, slice in half across the middle and pop it into the toaster and it tastes fabulous? It changes the taste and the texture so it is more like toast. It also has a lot of little holes in for butter melt into so it’s a little like an English muffin! Yep, it’s the perfect base for this Irish Benedict.

Irish Eggs Benedict

For the complete dish, you will need:

2 Super Minute Muffins or Muffin in a Minutes, toasted
2 tablespoons Butter
4 eggs, poached or over-easy
1 cup shredded or diced Corned Beef
4 slices tomato
1 cup fresh Spinach
Hollandaise sauce recipe(see below)

Prepare Muffins by using my recipe or by using Atkins recipe for Muffin in a Minute in a 3″ in diameter bowl or ramekin. Cook them, cut in half and set aside or now. TIP:  Leave out the sugar substitute and add a little seasoning salt.  You can also make them with almond flour in place of flax meal.

Prepare the corned beef by slicing and either chopping or shredding it into bite-sized pieces. You should have about 1 cup of meat. Slice the tomatoes and set aside for now.

Prepare the hollandaise Sauce. You can make your favorite one or use this recipe.

Hollandaise Sauce

2 egg yolks
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (1/2 stick)
Pinch cayenne or white pepper
Pinch salt

Put about two cups of water in a pan and put on the stove to boil. Separate eggs, putting the yolks into the top of a double boiler or other metal pan that can fit inside a pot without touching the water. Put the whites away to use in a different recipe. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl for about 20 to 30 seconds. Add lemon juice to the eggs. Reduce the heat on the boiling water to a simmer, then put the egg pan over the hot water and begin whisking. Make sure the water doesn’t boil or it will scramble the eggs instead of making them creamy. When they thicken, stir in the butter, salt and pepper. Remove from heat but keep in a warm place.

Assemble the dish:

Put the muffin halves into a toaster or toast in the boiler. Cook the eggs by either poaching or frying, two at a time. (This will also be tasty with scrambled eggs.) When the eggs and toast are done, then put the spinach into a pan and cook over low heat for about 30 seconds until they begin to wilt.

Assemble the dish: Put the muffin halves on a plate, then put a tomato slice on each half. Put the 1/4 of the wilted spinach leaves on top of the tomato, then add 1/4 cup of corned beef on top of each one and top each with a poached egg. Spoon 1/4 of the Hollandaise sauce over the top.

Serve or put in an oven on low to keep warm, then prepare the second plate the same way.

Makes 2 servings. For a lighter breakfast, you can serve 1/2 a serving along with Smashed Turnip Fritters or Zucchini Fritters or 1/2 cup of berries.

Nutrition Info per full serving:
Calories: 1061 Fat: 88.2 g Net Carbs: 6.1 g Protein: 55.0 g
Per 1/2 servings (one muffin with toppings)
Calories:530.5 Fat:44.1 g Net Carbs: 3.1 g Protein: 27.5 g

NOTE: These carb counts are for the full Irish Benedict, including the muffins and the Hollandaise.

Confession time,as you may conclude by the photos, I didn’t put the eggs on the Irish Benedict when I made it this morning. It was an oversight, or maybe subconciously I was thinking that I didn’t need any more eggs in my meal. However, it does great without it and I didn’t miss the eggs until I started working on this page. So feel free to make those poached or fried eggs optional.

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

Super Minute Muffins

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This recipe is a variation on the Atkins Muffin in a Minute.  I added a couple of things to it to make it a sturdier muffin and it uses a low carb baking mix instead of flax meal.  It can also be made with almond flour.  I would not recommend coconut flour for this one.  Like the MIM, it cooks up quickly in the microwave.  I also prefer to put it in a one cup ramekin about 3″ or more in diameter.  This gives me a muffin that I can easily pop into my toaster to make breakfast toast.

Low carb muffins with sugar-free pumpkin butter. You don’t have to miss out on anything on a low carb life style.

Super Minute Muffins

2 tablespoons Low Carb Baking Mix
1 tablespoon Golden Flax Meal
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute *
1 large Egg
1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon or other seasoning*

*To make a savory one for a sandwich or garlic toast, use garlic seasoning, a pinch of salt, and onion or other seasonings of your choice. Omit the sugar or just add a pinch.

Spray a ramekin with baking spray.

In a small container, mix all ingredients together until completely moist. Add a little water if the batter is too thick to pour into the ramekin. Tap the ramekin on the counter a couple of times to try to eliminate any bubbles. They are persistent though and mine often come out a little lopsided.

Cook in the microwave for one minute. Remove and set on counter to cool. Gently press against the muffin to rock it free from the container. Let cool until you can touch the ramekin without burning your fingers, then gently tap it and turn upside down to released the muffin. If it doesn’t come out easily, push against the sides of the muffin and continue to tap the bottom. If it still won’t release, slide a knife along the sides and nudge the bottom until it pulls free.

Look at the lovely little wells to hold your butter and jam!

Cut the muffin in half and toast, then butter and add sugar-free jam if you wish. Makes 1 muffin.

Nutrition Information per muffin:
Calories: 225 Fat: 15.1 g Net Carbs: 3.5 g Protein: 12.9 g

 

Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Recipes

Holiday Breakfast Waffles Are Great!

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Typically on Christmas or New Year’s, I’m looking for something a little special for breakfast that isn’t too heavy or too high in carbs because that big holiday dinner is coming and I want to be able to fully enjoy it. So this recipe for Cranberry Waffles works really well. It is easy to make and very satisfying. Put a couple of strips of bacon or sausages with it and it’s the perfect holiday breakfast.

There are a couple of other good options on this site for holiday breakfast that are equally easy to make and can even be made in advance. (By the way, the waffles can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready for them. Simply microwave for about 40 seconds or until they are hot, then butter and serve.)

Check out these recipes:

Breakfast Egg Casserole
Fiesta Cornmeal Pancakes
Pumpkin French Toast
Ricotta Waffles with Bourbon Pecan Sauce
Cream Scones
Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake

Cranberry Waffles

Waffle cut to show the cranberries and rich texture of the cake. Tastes as good as it looks.

I used a Belgian waffle maker and this recipe makes two waffles that will serve two people, so a total of four servings from the recipe. A regular waffle maker will probably make at least six waffles.

1/2 cup low carb flour
1/2 cup Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
1/4 cup Cranberries, chopped
2 tablespoons Sugar Substitute
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil or Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
2 tablespoons Pecans or Walnuts (optional)

Chop cranberries up with a food processor.

Heat the waffle iron. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together and stir well to combine. If the batter is too thick, add a little water until it is liquid enough to spread without the aid of a spoon. It should be thick, but able to spread once it is placed in the waffle maker.

When the waffle maker is hot, spray with cooking spray, then put one-third to one-half cup of batter into the iron and use the back of a wooden spoon to spread if it is a little too thick. Close the lid and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until steam from the waffle is almost dissipated (about 2 to 3 minutes), then carefully lift up on the lid. If the waffle is done, the lid will lift easily. If it doesn’t, let it cook a little longer.

When the lid lifts easily, carefully lift the waffle from the iron with spatula or pancake turner to give it support. Waffles made with almond flour and other low carb flours tend to be delicate when they are hot. The easiest way to get it out in tact is to put a plate over the waffle and flip the whole iron, but be careful to use hot pads so you don’t burn your hand.

Cut each waffle in half, butter and serve with sugar-free syrup.

Makes four to six servings, depending on your waffle iron.

Nutrition Information per 1/2 Belgian waffle:
Calories: 187 Fat: 8.3 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g Protein: 13.5 g

Adding either pecans or walnuts will add about a .2 net carbs to each serving and brings the calories up to about 212.5.

For a special dessert, use one-fourth of a waffle on a dessert plate with a scoop of low carb vanilla ice cream (Breyers makes CarbSmart, which is delicious) and a tablespoon of Cranberry Syrup over the top. Or you can top it with whipped cream and a little low carb Cranberry sauce.

You can make your own cranberry syrup by using the recipe for cranberry sauce, then processing in a food processor until it is completely pulverized, putting back in the sauce pan with a little water and cooking until thick. You can strain if you don’t want any pulp in it, but it isn’t necessary.

Regular Version

To make this fully carb’d, here’s the ingredient list. The directions are the same.

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 cup Cranberries, chopped
2 tablespoons Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil or Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
2 tablespoons Pecans or Walnuts (optional)

Nutrition Information per 1/2 Belgian waffle:
Calories: 208.6 Fat:6.0 g Net Carbs: 30.2 g Protein: 7.2 g

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

Biscuit Based Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

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SONY DSC
Interior at Tian Sing Restaurant in San Francisco.

I missed posting last week, although I did pop a recipe in over the previous weekend. I went to San Francisco for a few days to see the incredible Josh Groban in concert at the Masonic Theater. It was the first time I’ve had the pleasure of hearing him sing in live performance and it was a wonderful evening. Getting a cab back to the hotel was not so great, but that’s the city for you. While my roomie and I were there we went to a really good Chinese Restaurant near the hotel. Wonderful food and if you’re in San Francisco I highly recommend Tian Sing. In fact, I wrote a review about the experience for the Chinese Quest blog. You can read it here.

It’s November and I’m still on a pumpkin kick because it’s that time of year and pumpkin is really more versatile than you might have imagined. A couple of months ago I posted reviews for a couple of low carb cinnamon roll mixes and I said then that I was going to try making one from scratch. As I was making low carb biscuits the other day, I figured out how I would make the biscuit version of cinnamon rolls and since it is pumpkin season, I added some puree to the dough. They are delicious. This recipe is entirely my own concoction so do let me know how you like it if you try it.

Pumpkin Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup Low Carb Flour
2 tablespoons Shortening
1 tablespoon Sugar Substitute
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon Ricotta Cheese
3 tablespoons Pumpkin Puree
2 tablespoons Vanilla Whey Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

2 tablespoon Butter, softened
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoon Sugar-Free Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.)

Prepare topping:   In a bowl, place butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar substitute and maple syrup and mix together to form a paste.

Mix the biscuit dough: Put flour, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar in a bowl and cut in the shortening until tiny crumbs form. Add the vanilla extract, ricotta cheese, pumpkin and cinnamon. Add 1 tablespoon cold water and mix until the mixture forms a stiff dough. If necessary, add more water a little at a time. The dough should be stiff and not too sticky.

Roll out biscuit dough into a rectangle about 6″ x 8″.

Spray a sheet of waxed paper with baking spray and turn the dough onto the paper. Pat into a rectangle about 6″x 8″ and about 1/2 inch thick. Spread the topping over the rolls evenly, going to the edge on all sides except for about 1/2 inch on one short side. Sprinkle the pecans on top evenly.

Spread filling almost to the edge on all sides, leaving 1/2″ on the short side.

 

Using the wax paper to lift, roll the dough from the short side with toppings and finish with the opposite side with no topping. Seal the dough where it meets and place the roll seam side down. Cut the roll into 6 rolls. Place on a sprayed baking pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

Rolls in oiled pan and ready to bake.

While dough bakes, make an icing with 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar Substitute, 1 tablespoon softened Butter and enough water to make a spreadable icing.

Let rolls cool for a few minutes, then spread with the icing and serve. Makes 6 rolls.

Nutrition Information per roll:
Calories:176 Fat: 15.2 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g Protein: 6.3 g

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Condiments and Sauces, Pork, Recipes

Brunch with Biscuits and Pumpkin Chorizo Sausage Gravy

Halloween is almost upon us and I am still celebrating pumpkin. If you’d like to make a special breakfast or brunch meal for Halloween or Thanksgiving or Christmas or traditionally for New Year’s Day, you can’t go wrong with biscuits and gravy. And yes, they can be made low carb.  In fact, this dish, using one biscuit, is less than 4 net carbs when made with CarbQuick.  It may be a little higher with other low carb flours.

Boy-oh-boy, this is a favorite dish of mine, so I have been working to get a really good recipe for them. I use CarbQuick for my low carb flour baking mix choice, but you can also use Bob’s Red Mill Baking Mix or Dixie Carb Counters or LC Foods. It might work okay with almond flour, but it’s best to try to mix another flour in with it. This recipe for biscuits is the tastiest one I’ve come up with so far. The gravy has a fall twist to it and also a bit of a spicy touch as I add pumpkin puree and chorizo sausage along with the regular sausage. It is a great flavor combination. Be bold. Give these a try.

Best Savory Biscuits

1 cup Low Carb Flour
2 tablespoons Shortening
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
1/3 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
Pinch Salt
Pinch ground Thyme
1 to 2 tablespoons Cold Water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.) Spray a baking pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder, salt, thyme and sugar substitute and mix together. Add the shortening and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles crumbles. Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix it into the dough. If it doesn’t pull together easily, add a little more water. You want the dough stiff but completely mixed.

Mix in the cheddar cheese until distributed. Divide the dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a 3-inch round about 1/2-inch thick and place on the baking pan.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Makes 4 biscuits.

Nutrition Info per biscuit:
   Calories: 152.5 Fat: 12.8 g Net Carbs: 2.3 g Protein: 6.4 g

Pumpkin Chorizo Sausage Gravy

1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 tablespoons Low Carb Flour
4 oz. Pork Sausage
2 oz. Basque Style Chorizo Sausage
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Puree

In a medium skillet, brown the sausage and chorizo, breaking it into smaller pieces as you cook it. When lightly browned remove to a paper towel on a plate to drain. Stir the low carb flour into the grease in the pan to make a paste. If there isn’t enough, add a little oil to the pan.

Stir in the heavy whipping cream and 1 cup of water, the Worcestershire sauce and the cayenne pepper and mix well. Then stir in the pumpkin puree and the cooked sausage. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.

Split the biscuits in half and pour 1/4 of the sausage gravy over each biscuit.

Makes 4 servings or 2 hungry-man (or woman) servings.

Nutrition Information for both biscuit and gravy per serving:
   Calories: 327.4 Fat: 23.9 g Net Carbs: 3.9 g Protein: 12.4 g