Category Archives: Breakfast & Brunch

Appetizers, Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes, Tips

Texas Style in Deviled Eggs

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Texas Deviled Eggs - Skinny Girl Bistro

My grandmother, a third-generation Texan, and my mother made the best deviled eggs I’ve ever had. When I moved away from home, I discovered not everyone made their deviled eggs the same way. Then I found that PK’s mother was from East Texas and made her eggs almost the same way, but didn’t include bacon. For this reason, I’ve dubbed these Texas Deviled Eggs since the sweet deviled egg seems to come from that part of the country. When I take them to parties, people usually want the recipe.

Eggs are great on a low carb lifestyle because they are so low in carbs and it takes your body a long time to digest them, which keeps you satisfied for a while. These deviled eggs are wonderful to take on picnics or to 4th of July parties or other summer occasions. Just be sure to keep them in the cooler (with ice) until you’re ready to eat.

I’ve adapted these ever so slightly for low carb, mainly using sugar-free sweet pickle relish or sugar-free sweet pickles in them. If you can’t find the relish, look for the sugar-free sweet pickles and chop them finely in a chopper or food processor.

Texas Deviled Eggs

7 hard-boiled eggs, peeled (See Tip)
2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard (or more to taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish (sugar-free)
3 pieces of bacon, fried and broken into pieces or use Hormel bacon pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Paprika to sprinkle on the tops

Cut 6 eggs in half and scoop the yolk into a bowl. Set the whites on a plate to be filled later.  Cut up the last egg and add to the bowl. This will be the filling and the extra egg ensures a mound of filling on each half. Mash the filling with a fork until it is completely crushed and mixed together. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and pickle relish. Be sure to get the juice in it. Mix together, then stir in the bacon bits.  If the mixture is too dry, add a little more mayonnaise.  Add salt and pepper and mix it in.

Put a mound of filling in the center of each egg white half so that it completely fills it and spreads over the top. It may help to use your spoon to make four even sections of the filling, then use 1/3 of each section to fill the egg whites. Sprinkle paprika over the top for a light dusting of red, then place on serving plate, cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Makes 1 dozen egg halves. Serves six – 2 egg halves per serving

Nutrition Info per serving
     Calories: 133.5 Fat:10.5 g Net Carbs: 0.5 g Protein: 8.2 g

Tip:  Getting decent-looking eggs after boiling is sometimes a challenge.  There is some truth to not using really fresh eggs for this.  I try to plan ahead to allow at least a week for the eggs to sit in the refrigerator.  This makes it easier for the membrane to separate from the egg.  I put cold eggs in a pan of cold water to cover, then put on the heat and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Turn down and cook another 5 minutes, then turn the water off.  Let the eggs sit another 5 to 10 minutes, then run cold water over the eggs.  You can add ice to help chill them quicker.  Break the egg shells in several places and carefully peel part of the shell away and lift the membrane away from the egg if it doesn’t come free with the shell.  Put the egg back in the cold water, then peel the rest of the egg while trying to pull the membrane away from the egg gently.  If this is too much work for you, purchase pre-peeled eggs at the grocery store. They cost almost double but are worth it if you’re in a hurry.

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Healthy Life, Product Review

Baking with Protein Powder

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It may surprise some low carb eaters that you can add whey protein powder to your baking with really good results. I have often added a tablespoon or two to my muffins and breads to give them both more flavor and texture. I have seen a recipe now and then that uses only whey protein powder to make a pancake or a waffle. I haven’t tried these yet, but I did make a waffle this morning made with Vanilla Whey Protein Powder and Almond Flour and got a really good result. I’ll share that recipe below.

When using protein powders in baking, I usually use it as a small percent of the total flour in the recipe, but you can add more if you wish to experiment. The most I have substituted in is 2/3rds of the flour with the remainder being a low carb baking mix or almond flour. One big consideration in doing this is the number of net carbs in the protein powder that you’re using. My preferred brand comes from a health food store and is called Nu-Tek Pro 5. It is not inexpensive, but the main reason I buy it is that there is only 1 net carb in a 40-gram scoop. That makes it lower in net carbs than most of the other brands I have checked. It comes in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavors. I use the vanilla more frequently than the other two. There are 145 calories per scoop. If you compare this with a few other brands, you can see that it can make a significant difference in the carb count.

One big consideration in doing this is the number of net carbs in the protein powder that you’re using. My preferred brand comes from a health food store and is called Nu-Tek Pro 5. It is not inexpensive, but the main reason I buy it is that there is only 1 net carb in a 40-gram scoop. That makes it lower in net carbs than most of the other brands I have checked. It comes in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavors. I use the vanilla more frequently than the other two. There are 145 calories per scoop. If you compare this with a few other brands, you can see that it can make a significant difference in the carb count.

protein-compare2
I’m not advocating any particular brand of protein powder and if you check around, you might find others that are equally low carb’d, but take into consideration the size of the scoop and the net carbs when choosing the powder. If you need more powder to make 1/4 cup, then it may increase the carb count. Therefore, the carb count that I get on my recipes is often based on EAS whey protein powder, which is 2 net carbs per 30 g scoop. 1/4 cup is about 3 scoops or 6 net carbs. With my preferred powder, this is reduced to 3 net carbs or less because the scoop is larger and the net carbs are lower. This gives you a starting point to adjust the net carbs up or down, depending on which brand you use.

Vanilla Whey Protein Powder Waffles

I made this in a Belgian waffle maker that has deep holes and requries a little more batter to make a full waffle. I was a little short, but I have adjusted the recipe to accommodate. It will make 4 waffle sections in the round Belgian waffle maker and 2 of them make one serving. If you are using a different waffle maker, it may make 2 waffles.

1/2 cup Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (about 3 to 4 scoops)
2 tablespoon Almond Flour
1 large Egg
1 teaspoon Coconut Oil or Canola Oil
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
2 tablespoons Water

Pre-heat the waffle maker while you mix the batter.

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together and stir until completely mixed. You can use a mixer, an immersion mixer, a blender or a whisk. Just make sure the egg is mixed in well.

Spray the waffle maker with cooking spray, then pour the batter equally into each section. Close the lid and cook until the steam stops coming out. This is usually three to four minutes, but it varies. Gently lift the handle and if it opens easily, the waffle is done. If there is resistance, let it cook a little longer.

Carefully lift the waffle from the iron and put on plates, spread with soft butter and serve with sugar-free syrup or fresh fruit, if you wish.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 214.5 Fat: 9.1 g Net Carbs: 3.2 g Protein: 27.7 g

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

Easy Popover Muffin French Toast Rounds

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Not everything works well with low carb flours or natural flours and it takes some experimenting to get it right.  One of those experiments was this failed popover recipe that actually made a very tasty, simple egg bread muffin that I am calling a popover muffin.  Where a popover would rise and collapse in on itself while creating a well in the middle, this muffin rose, but simply deflated, leaving a nice rounded surface.  But the flavor is great and it makes a fabulous low carb bread to go with almost anything.

The bread is also sturdy enough to hold up to being turned into French Toast Rounds.  So this is a two-fer-recipe day as it includes the recipe for the popover muffins and the French toast rounds.

If you give either one of these recipes a try or both, let me know what you think and if you have other ideas how to use them.

Popover Muffins

Popover Muffin

This recipe makes 6 popover muffins, which are delicious with almost anything — butter, jam, soup, a salad, but it isn’t hollow like a popover normally is. So I am calling them popover muffins. A popover pan will give you depth and make tall and nicely browned muffins, but you can also use a standard muffin pan.

This recipe is the very basic version without any kind of flavoring or seasoning. You can add a little sugar substitute to make them sweet or you can add grated cheese to make a cheese version that would complement a bowl of chile nicely. Add a tablespoon or two of chopped chiles to the batter along with the cheese and really enhance the flavor.

3/4 cup Low Carb Flour*
1/4 cup Almond Flour
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Heavy Cream mixed with 1/4 cup water
Pinch Salt

* I used CarbQuick, but Bob’s Red Mill Baking Mix, LC Flour, Carbolose or any other low carb mix will work.  I have not tried Coconut Flour, but I would guess it might not work as well.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F.) Make sure the oven rack is on the lower level to allow room for the batter to rise and to keep them from browning too quickly.

Prepare a 6 well popover pan by spraying with cooking spray or buttering the wells. Deep muffin cups will also work.

Put the eggs into a bowl of warm water to bring them to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

When the oven is fully heated, begin preparing the batter. Whisk the eggs, milk and salt together in a medium bowl. Make sure the ingredients are mixed well, then add the flours at one time and continue to whisk until the flours are and it looks frothy. You can use a mixer with a whisk attachment to do this. Or you can mix it in your blender following the same sequence. Wet ingredients first, then add the flours. Add the melted butter after everything is mixed.

Pour the batter into the popover wells equally. They should be between 2/3 and 3/4 filled.

Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes. Do not open the oven door while baking, especially during the first 20 minutes. They should be a deep, golden brown.

Nutrition Info per muffin
Calories: 153.2 Fat: 13.5 g Net Carbs: 1.9 g Protein: 5.8 g

Popover Muffin French Toast Rounds

This simple recipe uses an egg bread “popover” muffin as the base for a basic French toast for one. Add pumpkin butter or syrup to serve. A little bacon or sausage helps to round it out.

1 Egg bread “Popover” Muffin
1 Egg
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Spice or Cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon Cream
1/2 packet Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Butter

Slice the muffin across the middle, then slice each half across the middle again to make four rounds.. In a bowl or shallow pan, beat the egg, then add the cream, vanilla and pumpkin spice or cinnamon. Beat with a fork until well mixed. Dip the muffin slices into the egg mixture, turning them to completely coat both sides. Let them sit in the mixture while you warm up a small skillet.

Add the butter and set to medium heat. When the butter melts and is just getting to sizzle, add the muffin rounds. Cook for about 2 minutes on one side, then flip to cook the other side. They should be golden brown. If they aren’t, cook just a little longer. Remove to serving plate and top each with 1/4 of the pumpkin butter or butter the tops and cover with sugar free syrup.

Makes one delicious serving.

Nutrition info per recipe:
Calories: 362.7 Fat: 31.6 g Net Carbs: 4.8 g Protein: 12.8 g

Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes, Vegetarian

Asparagus, Ricotta & Bacon Cheese Pie Is Versatile

Asparagus is figuring prominently in my recipes at the moment since a friend of mine just brought over about three pounds and left them with me.  So, I need to eat a lot of it over the next week or so!  I whipped up this yummy cheese pie featuring asparagus and bacon, two of my favorite things.   I often add ricotta cheese to my quiches and breakfast omelets, so it goes in great with this crustless pie.  It’s great for brunch, lunch or add a salad and make it dinner.

Incidently, if you missed it, I did a guest post earlier this week for The Chinese Quest with a great recipe for Asparagus Shrimp Stir Fry.  

Just want to mention that the print copy of my cookbook is on sale at Amazon for $5,85 versus $6.50.  Not sure how long this price will last, but it’s a good time to buy it if you haven’t already.  Many recipes in it are not on this website, so you won’t find them here, but you will find the color images of the photos in the book, which are black and white, beginning on this page with links to the rest of the pages.  The link to the book page at Amazon is on the right.

Asparagus Bacon Pie with salad topped with fried pork rinds.

Asparagus, Bacon & Ricotta Cheese Pie

A crustless pie made with ricotta cheese, bacon, asparagus and cheddar jack cheese. It’s garnished with more asparagus and tomatoes.

14 stalks Asparagus, 5″ trimmed
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Onions, diced
4 slices thick Bacon,
4 large grape tomatoes (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 oz. Heavy Cream
1/2 teaspoon Seasoning Salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.) Spray an 8″ pie dish with baking spray.

Hold back 6 asparagus spears, then slice the rest into 1 inch pieces and distribute evenly over the bottom of the pie pan.

Cook bacon until crisp and let drain and cool on paper towels while you cook the onions. Add a little bacon grease to a small pan and sauté the onions until they are just tender. Sprinkle the onions over the top of the asparagus. Break the bacon into pieces and distribute over the top of the asparagus, then sprinkle 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese over the top.

In a medium bowl, break the eggs and beat until blended, then add the ricotta cheese, heavy cream, and seasonings. Beat to mix the ingredients together. Pour over the asparagus and cheese in the pan, spreading as evenly as possible. It will settle in.

Trim the asparagus to the 4″ lengths and cut the extra trimmed off into two pieces. Position the asparagus spears on the top to form six divisions. Cut grape tomatoes and use to decorate the pie as shown.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out fairly clean, It will firm up more as it cools. Let sit about 10 minutes, then cut and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition info per serving:
Calories: 190.4 Fat: 14.3 g Net Carbs: 3.0 g Protein: 12.9 g

Tip:  This can be made with zucchini or chopped broccoli (par-boil first).  Substitute in turkey bacon if you prefer or to make it vegetarian, use a soy bacon or other vegetarian bacon.  This will affect the carb count by about .5 net carbs more per serving.

A to Z Challenge 2015, Breakfast & Brunch, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Pork, Recipes

Nurture with Nopal

I have a fairly good-sized prickly pear cactus growing in my yard that arrived there by bird farmers or some other means and it has yielded a few pears over the past two years. Our neighbor’s desert tortoise is particularly fond of the pads and she often snacks on them. The Mexican name for this cactus is nopal or nopales and it is a source of food, nutrition and, possibly, medicines for humans.

Nopales are native to Mexico and spread over the Southwest in general. The root species is the Opuntia cacti. There are actually 114 known species of this cactus family and the leaves of all of them are edible. In Mexico, the cactus pads are popular in many foods dishes, using both raw and cooked pads. In the spring, the cacti produce beautiful, colorful flowers that mature into prickly pears or tunas, a seedy fruit that can be made into jam, jellies and juices or eaten fresh. The taste is described as a blend of watermelon and strawberry, but I haven’t noticed it so much. I tasted the uncooked pad and found a similar taste to watermelon with just a touch of sweetness.

Using Cacti

When dealing with this cactus, you need to take care to avoid the many little spines that inspire the name prickly pear. Gloves or tongs are very useful in handling these items. In order to use the pads or the pears in cooking, you need to carefully remove the spines. Here’s a video from Rivenrock Gardens, a company that sells Nopales, on how to clean the pads.   Cleaning Pads

The pears are equally as tricky to work with, but there is a quick trick to peeling them and using them without stabbing yourself. Using tongs or forks to handle the pear, you follow the basic directions in this video from The Produce Guy for cutting the pear, just being careful not to touch them with your hands. It helps to wear gloves. If you buy them at the grocery, they are probably already cleaned of the spines so they are safe to handle.

Here’s a tip: If you do get one of the spines in your hand, use white glue to remove it. Simply spread the glue over the sore spot, let it dry and pull it out. It will grab the hair fine spine with it.

Health Benefits

At this time, many of the possible health benefits are being researched, but it is believed to be of use in treating type 2 diabetes. It is high in fiber and pectin, which can reduce sugar absorption in the digestive tract. It is also rumored to be good for treating colitis, obesity and high cholesterol. As more research is done, it will be interesting to see if this is an effective food.

Nutrition information for 149 g (about 1 cup)
Calories:22 Fat:0 g Net Carbs:2.0 g Protein:2 g

I have only used Nopal a few times in the past couple of years, but here is a recipe from this site:

Prickly Pear and Orange Marmalade

Here’s a new recipe that uses the pads:

Nopalitos with Chorizo and Eggs

1 young Nopales Pad, cleaned trimmed, and cut into strips
1/2 cup Pico de Gallo
1 Serrano Pepper, chopped
4 large Eggs
1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
1 teaspoon Chile Powder
1/2 cup Chorizo sausage
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
1/4 cup Queso Fresco
4 Low Carb Tortillas, 7 inch

Cook strips of nopalitos in water with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon oregano. Drain when they are tender.

In a skillet, heat one tablespoon oil, then add the nopalitos for a few minutes. Add the Pico de Gallo, Mexican oregano and Serrano peppers and continue to cook until the onions are almost done. Remove to a bowl.

Add a little olive oil to the pan, then add chorizo sausage and stir fry until it is lightly cooked. Add the vegetables back to the pan and add chile powder.

Beat eggs in a bowl, add a bit of salt and pepper and a little more oregano. Add eggs into the mixture, continuing to stir as they cook. Sprinkle cheddar jack cheese over the top and remove from the heat.

Warm up tortillas over the burner or in the oven. Serve eggs and sprinkle a little Queso Fresco over the top.

Serve with tortillas. Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Info per serving
   Calories: 339 Fat: 24.1 g Net Carbs: 6.9 g Protein: 23.3 g

* If you can’t find tortillas, you can eat them with a low carb flat bread or pita bread or without bread. Low Carb tortillas are 3 nc per tortillas, so that would be 3.9 nc for the meat and vegetables.

All comments relevant to my posts are welcome. SPAM is not. If the post has nothing to do with my site content, it will not be posted

Information for this article came from Wikipedia, Web M.D., Nopal Export, Nutrition and You.com and Rivenrock Gardens

All photos taken by R. Averett and copyright Skinny Girl Bistro