Category Archives: Main Dish

Breakfast & Brunch, Main Dish, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Pork, Recipes

Celebrate with a Chorizo Frittata

Photo of Chorizo Frittata by Rene Averett

With Cinco de Mayo–a really good day to celebrate all things Mexican–just around the corner, so to speak, I thought it would be a good time to try a couple of new Mexican food recipes. Although I’m not sure this frittata would be classified as Mexican, it does have all the flavors of the culture. In Spain or Portugal, this would be called a Chorizo Tortilla, but not so much in Mexico where the tortilla is a thin flatbread versus an egg frittata.

The base recipe for this came from Atkins, but I changed quite a bit about it and I think it’s safe to say it’s my adaptation. I added turnips into it although you can also use potatoes. To keep the carbs low, stick with turnips. If you have lots of carbs to play with, then go with potatoes. You could also substitute in thinly sliced zucchini, Mexican variety of course. (They’re a little more rounded than the normal type.)

Photo of frittata in pan.
Chorizo Frittata in cast iron pan before serving.

Chorizo and Chiles Frittata

1/2 lb. Chorizo sausage, Basque-style
1 medium Turnip, sliced thinly
4 large Eggs
1/4 medium Onion, chopped
4 oz. can Green Chiles, chopped
1 tablespoon Jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 small Tomato, diced or chopped
1/2 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese or Mexican Cheese Combo mix
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon Butter

Peel and slice the turnip or potato into thin slices. Bring a pan of water to a boil and cook for about three to five minutes until the slices are fork tender. This may vary depending on how thick the slices are. OR put the slices into a bowl, cover with a plate and put in the microwave for 2 minutes. Drain off any water and set aside.

Break the eggs into a bowl, whisk until mixed and slightly frothy, add the seasonings, chiles, and tomatoes. Add 1/2 cup of cheese. Set aside.

In a medium-sized cast iron or other oven-safe, deep skillet, add a little oil and sauté the onions until they are just slightly cooked. Remove to a plate. Lower the heat to medium-high.

Add the chorizo broken into small pieces or thin slices and cook until all pieces are seared. Remove the chorizo from the pan. Add butter and let it melt, then add layer the turnip slices over the bottom of the pan and cook for a couple of minutes until they begin to brown, then turn them over. Cook another minute or so, then add the chorizo on top of the turnips.

Stir the egg mixture and pour over the top of the chorizo and turnips. Let cook for about four to six minutes, lifting the sides of the bottom with a spatula occasionally.

Turn on the broiler. Be sure to use a potholder when picking up the skillet. Place the skillet under the broiler and cook for three minutes. Pull the pan out carefully and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Return to the broiler for another two minutes to melt the cheese.

Remove to a heat safe surface and let the frittata set for about five minutes before cutting. Serve with sour cream and/or guacamole if desired.

Makes four servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 485.3 Fat: 39.6 g Net Carbs: 4.2 g Protein: 26.5 g

Main Dish, Recipes, Seafood

Enjoy Buttery Shrimp for St. Patrick’s Day

West of Ireland shrimp picture.

I call this West of Ireland shrimp because I’m a long way from Erin’s shore and I don’t have any Dublin Bay prawns where I live. The recipe is in the style of an Irish prawn recipe I have and I deem it suitable for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day for those who might want a change from corned beef and cabbage. Get big plump shrimp for this, about 20 to 24 per pound.

It’s terrific with my low carb Irish Soda Bread to soak up the delicious butter sauce. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all who celebrate. Incidentally, I made my soda bread in a muffin pan so it makes even-sized servings with a nice crust all around it.

1 lb. Large Shrimp in shells
1 stick Butter
1 teaspoon Garlic, minced (about 2 cloves)
1 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce or Chili Oil
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed Red Peppers
2 tablespoons Irish Whiskey
Pinch of crushed Celeriac

Peel and devein shrimp, rinse, and put in a sealable quart plastic bag. Add Olive oil, crushed red peppers, and garlic. Seal and turn the bag over several times to coat all the shrimp.

In a saucepan, add the Chili Oil or Olive Oil, Tabasco sauce and Irish Whiskey. Stir and cook until the liquid is reduced by about 1/4. Add butter and Celeriac and stir together until it looks creamy.

Lower heat to a simmer and add shrimp with the oil. Cook until you can see the pink on the bottom side, then turn them over and cook the other side. About two to three minutes.

Transfer shrimp to serving dishes. Add a bit of parsley to bring a touch of color if you wish. Serve with cauli-rice, zucchini pasta, or Irish Soda Bread. Makes about 3 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 446.3 Fat:32.3 g Net Carbs: 0.4 g Protein: 32.0 g

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads, Vegetarian

Yummy Roasted Vegetables

Even in winter, we have a lovely selection of vegetables that are simply scrumptious when roasted. This recipe is based on one Yummly sent in my email, but I’ve made changes to only include low carb vegetables in the mix. No potatoes or carrots in it. I did go a little overboard when I prepared my vegetables and ended up with enough to feed ten to twelve people. Good thing I love these veggies. So, I scaled it down to half that size and this should make enough nice side servings for six.

Hearty Winter Roasted Vegetables

2 small Golden Beets
1 cup Kohlrabi
1 cup Turnips
1 cup Cauliflower flowerets
2 stalks Celery, medium-sized
1 medium Yellow Squash
1 large Zucchini
3 small Sweet Peppers
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut all vegetables into about 1-inch pieces. Try to keep them close to the same sized pieces for even cooking. Keep the softer vegetables (celery, squash, peppers) separate from the harder ones (beets, kohlrabi, turnips, cauliflower).

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F). Line a sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup.

Add water about two-thirds up a large pot and bring to a boil. Add hard vegetables and boil for about five minutes to partially cook them. Drain and run cold water over them.

In a large plastic bag, mix the olive oil, vinegar, paprika, garlic salt, garlic powder,and pepper. Stir or slosh it around in the bag until combined. Add the vegetables to the bag, seal and turn a few times to coat all of them.

Spread the vegetables out on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 125 Fat: 9.4 g Net Carbs: 6.5 g Protein: 2.3 g

Breads, Italian Inspired Recipes, Pork, Sandwiches

Calzone-Style Sandwiches are Delish!

Calzone Pizza photo

In my mind, and in the ones bought locally, the calzone has always been like a pizza sandwich. Mind you, I’ve since heard that real calzone has ricotta and other cheeses in it and no sauce or gravy, as they say back east. Nonetheless,  I love the dough, which is like pizza dough, and the convenience of a pocket sandwich.

I’ve tried several low carb flour brands to create a passable pizza crust and the best one I’ve tried is from LC Foods, their Pizza, Calzone, and Bagel flour mix. I’ve also tried Dixie Carb Counters All Purpose Flour and it works, but the dough is sweeter than I like. Other flours may work, but nut flours don’t give as good a result. For one thing, the yeast doesn’t seem to work well on them.

Ready for the oven, calzone made with DCC All Purpose Flour.

Basic Calzone Recipe

Based on the LC Foods Recipe for pizza crust.

3/4 cup LC Pizza Flour
3/4 tsp Sugar Substitute
1/8 teaspoon Salt
3/4 teaspoon Rapid Rise Yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1/4 cup Water, warm

Mix sweetener, salt, and yeast into flour. Add water and oil and knead dough by hand until a gluten film forms and the dough doesn’t break. You can use a bread hook or a bread mixer if you wish, but it is just as easy to do it by hand.

Pull the dough together in a  ball, then place in an oiled bowl or on a bread board and cover then place in a warm place for the dough  to double in size, around 30 to 40 minutes.

Calzone dough flat
Dough rolled into a 5 to 6 inch circle.
BBQ Pork filling.
Calzone with pork filling ready to fold.

 

 

 

 

For  calzone, divide the dough in half, then roll or stretch each out on a lightly floured, using low carb flour, bread board into 5 to 6 inch thin rounds.  Place on baking screen or stone and fill one half with desired filling. Fold it over to make a half circle and pinch the edges closed. Small gaps for air vents are okay.

Bake at 415 degrees for 9 to 12 minutes until browned or crisped to desired level.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 147 Fat: 3 g Net Carbs: 3 g Protein: 16.5 g

BBQ Pork Calzone.

BBQ Pork Calzone-Style Sandwich

This is more a BBQ Pork sandwich in a calzone pocket than an actual calzone. It is delicious though and not too difficult to make. Works great with left over pork ribs.

1 Pizza Dough recipe made up and split into two balls
2 cooked boneless Pork Ribs (about 3 oz.), chopped or shredded
1/4 cup Sugar-free BBQ Sauce (I used Walden Farms, 0 calorie & 0 carbs)
1/4 cup Bell Pepper, chopped
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese, shredded
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 415 degrees (F.).

In a small skillet, heat the Olive Oil, then add the onion, peppers, and garlic and cook until almost tender. Add the pork and the BBQ sauce, stir together, and cook a couple of minutes.

Roll out one ball of dough to make a 5 to 6 inch circle. It will be very thin so try not to break through the dough. Place the dough on top of a pizza screen or on a pizza stone. If you have to use a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper.

Put one half of the toppings on one side of the dough leaving a slight edge clear. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal it into half-round pocket. Brush a little melted butter over the top. Make the other calzone in the same way.

Bake in the oven about 15 minutes until the calzone is golden brown. Let cool a couple of minutes then serve. You can add an additional small dish of BBQ Sauce for dipping if you wish.

Nutrition Information for filling only:
Calories:180.1 Fat: 12.0 Net Carbs: 2.9 g Protein: 14.5 g

Nutrition Information with calzone dough:
Calories: 327 Fat: 15 g Net Carbs: 5.9 g Protein: 31 g

Pizza calzone
Pizza-Style Calzone made with LC Foods Pizza, Calzone and Bagel flour.

Pizza Style Calzone Sandwich

This is a simple variation of the same recipe only using typical pizza ingredients for the filling. You can add in pepperoni or ground beef or any other meat of your choice without altering the carb count too much unless the meat has a lot of carbohydrates in it.  For reference, I used Bertolli Vodka Pasta Sauce for this recipe. A couple of other pasta sauces are lower in carbs.

1 Pizza Dough made up and split into two balls
3 oz. Italian Sausage
1/4 cup Pasta Sauce of Choice (Look for lowest carb)
1/4 cup Bell Pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped or slice Olives
2 tablespoon Mushroom slices, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Mozzarella or other white cheese, shredded
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup Greens of choice (optional)
1 teaspoon Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 415 degrees (F.)

In a small skillet, add cook the Italian sausage until lightly browned, remove and set aside. Add garlic and bell peppers to the pan and saute. When bells are getting soft, add the mushrooms and cook for about 30 seconds more. If you are using the green, stir them into the pan and cook until they start to wilt. Remove from heat. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir in the olives. Mix in the pasta sauce.

Roll the dough out for the calzones and place on pizza screen or on pizza pan. Spoon filling over one half of the calzone dough, sprinkle on cheese, and fold it over. Seal the edges, leaving a couple of open spots for venting. Sprinkle a little cheese over the top if you wish.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition Information for filling only:
Calories: 188.4 Fat: 14.9 g Net Carbs: 3.0 g Protein: 10.9 g

Nutrition Information with calzone dough:
Calories: 368.5 Fat: 17.9 Net Carbs: 5.9 g Protein: 25.4 g

Tip: To get a golden brown and shiny bread, you can brush with  olive oil or spray with an olive oil or butter baking spray before  baking.

Beef, Main Dish, Recipes

Quick and Delish Steak and Cheese Bake

Steak cheese bake photo.

I love it when a recipe jumps out at me and screams, “I’m low carb!” This easy cheese baked steak, that I found at 12Tomatoes.com did just that. It’s so simple to make and so delicious to eat. I moved it right into my make-often file.

While it calls for steak tips, I couldn’t find any at my grocery store, but they did have a lovely package of round streak cut for carne asada, which is thinly sliced and much less expense than many cuts of meat.So I took this and sliced it into smaller strips and used that to make a tender, perfectly cooked dinner. This would be awesome served with thick plank celery root fries or turnip or butternut squash fries. I served with a cauliflower rice medley from Green Giant and some red beans. It would also be great as a steak sandwich.

Steak and Cheese Bake

1 pound Steak Tips or other steak choice
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 cup Fontina Cheese, grated
6 slices Bacon, optional
1 medium Onion, thinly sliced or chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence
Sea Salt and freshly ground Pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F.) I used my stove to oven copper skillet for this, but you can transfer the steak mixture to a casserole dish.

Cook the bacon until it is almost done. It will cook more in the oven. If you didn’t cut it into small pieces before cooking, then let it cool and break it into pieces. If you cooked the bacon in a skillet, drain off most of the fat, but leave a little in the pan.

Add the steak tips or pieces and cook on high heat, turning until the steak is browned on all sides.Remove to a plate and set aside.

Reduce to medium heat,add the onions and cook until almost translucent, then add the minced garlic and cook another minute or two.

Turn heat off and add the steak and bacon to the skillet and mix it together. If you are moving it to a casserole, add the steak and bacon, then add the onions and garlic and mix it in the casserole pan. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence, about 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and pepper into the mixture and stir.

Sprinkle both cheeses over the top evenly and sprinkle a little more of the Herbs de Provence on top.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and toasty and the steak is cooked to your preference. If you prefer it pinker, then go with less time.

Let sit about 5 minutes, then serve. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 310 Fat: 20.0 g Net Carbs: 2.2 g Protein: 28.1 g