Category Archives: Main Dish

Main Dish, Pork, Recipes

Comfort Food Equals Baked Fried Pork Chops

Photo: Oven-fried Porkchops

When you think of comfort food, you think of those down-home dishes that Mom or Grandma made because they make you feel like you’re wrapped in love. Am I right? Foods like fried chicken and fried pork chops were often the highlight of the week in my childhood home.

Alas, breaded food is pretty high in carbs, and some people want to avoid all the fat of frying in oil. So what’s the solution? A pork chop made with a nut flour that brings a substantial amount of the seasoning and taste of breading without the higher carbohydrates. Then, bake it instead of frying and you still get the flavor of the dish.

This recipe, from All Recipes, is delicious, but it was made with flour. I swapped that out for low carb almond flour, and it makes a crunchy, delicious crust.

Photo: Close up of pork chops.
How about a close-up of those juicy chops? I used a pork loin chop and cut it in half to bread it easier. Incidentally, the rice-looking vegetable on the plate is riced kohlrabi, a new frozen option from Green Giant. Great flavor and I’m thrilled to see it at Wal-Mart.

Oven-Fried Pork Chops

2 large, thick pork chops, trimmed & cut in half
1 tablespoons butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Cream
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup Almond Meal
1/2 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
1/2 teaspoon Dried Parsley, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Oregano

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Use a cast iron or another skillet that can go in the oven or use a baking pan. Put the skillet into the oven to get hot for about 10 minutes, then take it out and add the butter. Lift and turn the pan to distribute the butter.

While the pan is heating, add the almond flour, seasoning salt, pepper, dried parsley and oregano to a shallow bowl big enough to hold a pork chop piece and mix together.

In another shallow bowl about the same size, mix egg and cream together. Dip a pork chop piece into the egg mixture, then roll it in the almond mixture, pressing it into the meat so that it sticks, and place in pan. Repeat with each chop.

Bake for 10 minutes, then turn chops over and bake for another 10 minutes. Pierce the meat with a fork to see that any liquid that runs out is clear to ensure the pork is done. If not, then cook a few minutes longer.

Let the chop rest for about 5 minutes then serve.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 573  Fat: 39.3 g  Net Carbs: 3.4 g  Protein: 49 g

Recipes, Seafood, Vegetables & Salads

Delightful Summer Tuna and Cauliflower Salad

Photo: Tuna and Cauliflower Salad

Looking for summer to come around the corner any time now and my thoughts are turning to fresh, tasty salads. Actually, we had a hint of the warmer season this week in Reno before it turned chilly again. In celebration of those two days of bright sunshine and heat, I made this yummy tuna and cauliflower salad. It’s packed with delicious vegetables and enhanced with a light lemony mayonnaise dressing. If you like tuna, you should love it. If you don’t like tuna, here’s a tip… you can substitute in chopped chicken or turkey.

Tuna and Cauliflower Salad

2 cups Cauliflower flowerets
9 ounces White Tuna, water packed
3 tablespoons Lemon Juice, divided
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup Jicama, cubed
12 oz. jar Artichoke Hearts, drained and quartered
2 tablespoons fresh Parsley, chopped
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Cheddar Jack or Swiss Cheese
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
2 cups Mixed Lettuce, (Spring Mix)
8 Cherry Tomatoes (optional)*

Bring a pan of water to a boil and cook the cauliflower for about 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain thoroughly.

Drain tuna and place in a large salad bowl. Use a fork to flake it apart. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and gently toss.

Add artichoke hearts, cauliflower, cheese, jicama, and eggs and toss together gently.

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with remaining lemon juice, sugar substitute, and parsley to make a creamy lemon dressing. About 30 minutes before serving, add dressing to the salad, toss gently and chill for about 15 to 30 minutes, then serve over a 1/2 cup mixed lettuce in each bowl.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: (without tomatoes)
Calories: 430 Fat: 32.8 g Net Carbs: 4.5 g Protein: 26.1 g

* With tomatoes, add 0.5 net carbs per tomato.

TIP: Use foil packaged tuna packed in water instead of canned tuna. It’s a little dryer so it doesn’t need to be drained, and it doesn’t carry the tinny taste of canned tuna.

Without the tomatoes, this recipe is suitable for Induction on the Atkins Low Carb Diet.

Main Dish, Recipes, Seafood

Turn up the spice with Blackened Salmon

Photo: Blackened Salmon on parchment

Of all the fish in the sea, not counting the shellfish, but the ones with fins, I think salmon may be my favorite although Icelandic cod is swimming right behind.  I also like spicy food, so this combination is a no-brainer. If you like salmon and hot spice, you’ll love this. I admit, I over-spiced a tad, so I cut the Cajun spice down a bit in the recipe. If you want it at a higher level of burn then add another teaspoon of Cajun spice.

Photo: Blackened salmon dinner

Cajun-spiced Blackened Salmon

3/4 lb salmon filet
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice or 1 lemon juiced
2 tablespoons fresh Parsley or 1/2 teaspoon Dried Parsley
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F.). Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients except the salmon and the salt and pepper and mix well.

Place the salmon on the baking sheet and spread the oil mixture on both sides. Rub it into the fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes until the fish is done. If there is skin on the bottom, the skin should separate easily from the flesh if it is done enough.

Makes two servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories:377.5 Fat:24.4 g Net Carbs:5.8 g Protein: 34.4 g

Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Poultry, Recipes

Liven Lunch Up with Pineapple Chicken Quesadillas

Photo - Quesadillas cut in half.

For a spring flavor, add fresh pineapple cubes to your chicken quesadilla. It gives it a refreshing touch of that sweet and spicy taste.

This flows right along with the Chicken Fajitas from last week. You can start with leftover chicken fajitas if you wish, then just go to the For the quesadilla part and follow the recipe from there.

For the chicken filling:
1 cup chopped or cubed cooked Chicken
1 teaspoon of Fajita Seasoning or Taco Seasoning
1/2 Bell Pepper, cut into strips or pieces
1/4 Onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon Oil

Put the chicken cubes in a bowl and add seasonings. Add salt and pepper if desired.

In a skillet, heat oil to a sizzle, then add the garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Stir and cook until the onions are almost tender. Add the chicken and cook three to four minutes to heat the chicken.

For the quesadilla:
2 six-inch Low-carb Flour or Whole Wheat Tortillas
1/2 cup Mozzarella or Queso Fresco Cheese
1/2 cup fresh Pineapple, cut into cubes.
1 tablespoon Butter

In a cast iron or non-stick skillet, add 1 tablespoon Butter and let it melt over medium heat. Place one tortilla in the pan and arrange the chicken mixture and pineapple on the top going almost to the edge. Sprinkle cheese over the top and to the edge of the tortilla. This will seal the edges so it can be turned easily.

Photo: Half-quesadilla with saladPlace the other tortilla on top and press it down. Use a pancake spatula to keep pressing the tortilla down while it cooks. Cook for two to three minutes until the cheese is melted. Slide the pancake turner under the quesadilla and turn it over to cook the other side. Cook for another two or three minutes until lightly browned. Remove to a plate and cut in half. Put one half on another plate and serve with salsa if desired.

Makes two servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories:369 Fat: 20.4 g Net Carbs: 6.7 g Protein: 37.3 g

Main Dish, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Poultry

Spicy and Yummy Chicken Fajitas

1 Comment

Keeping with the Cinco de Mayo theme, I decided to make chicken fajitas with a blended seasoning. After searching several recipes, I settled on a combination that I think works really well. It has a great spicy flavor without being too much. If you don’t like the extra spice, then omit the cayenne pepper.

This uses two large chicken breasts that add up to about three-quarters of a pound.

  • My apologies. I failed to reduce the amount of spices from the larger recipe to one-time use recipe. This is the corrected version.

Southwest Chicken Fajitas

1/2 teaspoon Red Chile Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1/2 tablespoon ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Lime Juice
12 ounces Chicken Breast, skinless
1 medium Onion
6 mini Sweet Peppers or 1 large Bell Pepper
1 teaspoon Garlic

Go-withs:
4 low carb Tortillas
4 tablespoons Sour Cream
4 tablespoons Guacamole
4 tablespoons Salsa
1 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese

In a medium-sized bowl, big enough to hold the chicken, add the olive oil and lime juice and stir together. Add in the red chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and black pepper and mix well until all the spices are blended. Set aside.

Peel and cut the onion into slices and put in a bowl. Trim the peppers, remove the seeds, and cut into strips. Put into the bowl and set aside.

Cut the chicken breasts into strips about 1/3-inch thick. Add to the spice bowl and use a wooden spoon to mix the strips in until they are all coated with the seasonings. Set aside.

In a cast iron or heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil and reduce to a medium high heat. Add garlic, onions, and peppers and cook until they are just tender, about three to four minutes. Remove from the skillet.

Add the chicken and cook on high heat. If you have a smaller skillet, you may need to do this in two batches. When one side is done, about two minutes, turn the chicken to cook the other side. Add the peppers and onion back to the pan and cook 2 more minutes.

Heat the tortillas, then serve with 1 tablespoon each of sour cream, guacamole, and salsa – or whatever you prefer on your fajitas. Add 1/4 cup of cheese to the plate along with a salad and you have a delicious Mexican-style dinner.

Makes four servings.

Nutrition Information per serving (Chicken and spices only):
Calories:202.5 Fat:9.8 g Net Carbs: 6.0 g Protein: 20.6 g

Nutrition Information per serving (go-withs):
Calories:230.7 Fat:17 g Net Carbs: 6.0 g Protein: 11.96 g

Note: I used whole wheat low carb tortillas, small size, that are 3 net carbs each, the other 3 net carbs in the go-withs are distributed pretty evenly among the remaining ingredients.