Category Archives: Main Dish

Make A Low Carb Breakfast Casserole

December 30, 2014 Rene Averett

About this time of year, I see several recipes for breakfast casseroles to serve for the holidays and with New Year’s Day coming up, you might be looking for one you can make ahead and just put in the oven the morning after. For a low carb lifestyle, the main problem with most egg casseroles is that they include bread. This spicy dish doesn’t have any bread in it, but it is loaded with sausage, cheese and Pico de Gallo for a bit of bite. It goes together quickly. It can be partially cooked so you can put it in the refrigerator then finish cooking it in the morning or just prepare the filling, put it in the ‘fridge in a bowl, then mix up the eggs and finish it the next day. What could be easier?

Spicy Egg Casserole

8 large Eggs
1/2 pound Country Seasoned Pork Sausage
1/2 cup Sweet Bell Peppers , diced
1/2 cup Pico de Gallo
1 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese
1/4 cup Queso Fresco, crumbled
1 teaspoon Dried Mexican Oregano
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
4 tablespoons Sour Cream
2 tablespoons Green Onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.) Prepare a deep dish pie tin or an 8’x8″x2″ cake pan by buttering the bottom and sides or spraying with cooking spray.

In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter and saute the bell peppers until just tender, stir in the Pico de Gallo and cook a minute longer. Remove from pan. Add the sausage, crumbling with a spatula until lightly browned. Sausage should be in small pieces. Remove from heat. Spread mixture over the bottom of the prepared pan. Crumble the Queso Fresco on top, then add 1/3 cup of cheddar jack cheese over the top.

In a bowl, mix eggs and seasonings together along with 2 tablespoons of water. Beat by hand until completely mixed together. Add salt and pepper to your preference. Pour over the sausage mixture, then top with 1/3 cup of cheese.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown. Add the remaining cheese and cook until it is just melted.

Cut into pieces and serve with sour cream and chopped green onions.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Nutrition Info: 1/4 of recipe
Calories: 519 Fat: 40.5 g Net Carbs: 5 g Protein: 34.5 g

Nutrition Info: 1/6 of recipe
Calories: 346 Fat: 27g Net Carbs: 3.3 g Protein: 23 g

Tip: To prepare ahead, go right to step two and make the peppers, pico and sausage mixture, then put into a plastic container or bowl and cover with plastic wrap, then put it in the ‘fridge until the next morning. Then simply warm it up in a microwave for a minute, then spread it into your baking dish. Mix the eggs and bake.

Alternately, you can prepare the casserole and bake it for 20 minutes. Then pull out, cover with plastic wrap, put it in the ‘fridge. Pull the casserole out the next morning, put it back into a 350 degree oven and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes to finish cooking, then add the top layer of cheese and bake 5 more minutes to melt it.

Italian Inspired Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Italian Seasonings Make This Chicken Awesome

December 16, 2014 Rene Averett

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to catch Rachel Ray’s afternoon talk show and she was making this chicken dish that is seasoned like sausage. It sounded delicious and it also included butternut squash and Brussels sprouts, so I had to try it. As near as I could jot down while drooling over the picture on mt TV, this is Rachel’s basic recipe. All I’ve done is adjust the proportions a little and calculate the carbs in it.

I actually made this dish with four chicken quarters — thigh and leg – which were pretty large. You can also use four whole chicken breasts or 8 half breasts.

Italian Seasoned Chicken Bake

Based on Rachel Ray’s recipe

2 cups Butternut Squash, cubed
1 Red Onion, sliced
2 cups Brussels Sprouts, halved
8 chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon grated Nutmeg
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Fennel
1/2 teaspoon powdered Onions
1/2 teaspoon Chile Flakes
1/2 teaspoon powdered Garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground Sage
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F.)

Spray a baking pan with cooking spray.

Arrange the Brussels sprouts face down on the pan. Add the diced butternut squash and onions and sprinkle nutmeg over the top. Drizzle one tablespoon of the oil over the top.

Clean, dry and oil the chicken thighs in a pan or large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together all the remaining seasonings. Sprinkle over the chicken thighs., then use your hands to turn and coat the chicken until the seasonings are distributed over the thighs. Place the thighs on top of the vegetables in the pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the chicken is done and the vegetables are tender.

Makes 4 to 8 servings depending on your appetite. I usually only eat one chicken thigh, but two per serving is okay.

Nutrition Info: 1/4 of recipe
Calories: 274.3 Fat:9.3 g Net Carbs: 13.2 g Protein: 30.2 g

Nutrition Info: 1/8 of recipe
Calories: 137.2 Fat:4.6 g Net Carbs: 6.6 g Protein: 15.1 g

Tip: To get down to the lower carb count and still eat 2 chicken thighs, cut the vegetable amounts in half. They are adding double the serving so using less still gives you about 1/3 cup of vegetables with the thighs. Using only half will bring the carbs down to 7 g.

Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Drinks, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

A Low Carb Winter Holiday

November 25, 2014 Rene Averett

L to R: Turnips and Cauliflower au Gratin Casserole, Irish Style Kohlrabi, Classic Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Thanksgiving, then all the other winter holidays are coming up quickly. To help find those recipes that I’ve posted over the past few years for holiday meals, I’m putting many of them on this one page. At the beginning of December, I’ll do a similar page with Holiday Sweet Treats that will cover the cookies, candies and cakes for the holiday season.

Main Course:

Turkey – I don’t actually have a recipe for roasting turkey. Almost anyone you might find will likely be low carb. What adds the carbs is the dressing. See below. But here’s a Roast Turkey recipe from AllRecipes.com that is beautifully seasoned and not stuffed. Rosemary Roasted Turkey

Low Carb Stuffing – This is an easy-to-make stuffing bread that will work well with any of your usual vegetables and/or fruits and sausage to make a delicious stuffing you can bake in your turkey or in a side casserole dish. Add some of the turkey juices to the mix to bring in the flavor of the turkey.

Side Dishes:

We need good side dishes that are still low carb. Potatoes just don’t cut it on a low carb lifestyle, no matter how much we want them to be a part of the meal. Here are a few options for potato replacements that are very tasty and may make you forget all about that other root vegetable.

Creamed Cauliflower – delicious and so elegant-looking.
Turnips and Cauliflower Au Gratin – Wonderful flavor and so like scalloped potatoes (see first photo)

Ricotta Cheese Cauliflower Casserole – Absolutely amazing taste and easy to make

Smashed Turnips with Leeks – Pretty close to the taste of mashed potatoes and I like them better!

Other side dishes that are great:

L to R: Green beans with turnips, Brussels sprouts fritters, roaster turnips and kohlrabi

Green Beans with Turnips – Here’s a way to get your potato substitute in with the green beans
Loaded Brussels Sprout Fritters – A little different taste, but fabulous!
Irish Style Baked Celery with Kohlrabi – Don’t overlook celery when making a vegetable dish. It’s great! (See top photo)
Roasted Turnips and Kohlrabi – This goes well with meat, turkey, chicken, and fish.

Desserts:

Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pie – just posted today! RIch, creamy and delicious custard-style pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin Panna Cotta – Light dessert and so delicious!

L to R: Pumpkin Panna Cotta, Pumpkin PIe Cupcake, and Cinnamon Pecan Tartlets

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes – A quick and easy pumpkin pie taste cupcake that is very moist.

Cinnamon Pecan Tartlets – Just for pecan pie fans, this little tartlet has all the flavor in a controlled portion size.

Rich Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars – An old favorite made the low carb way. (See top photo.)

Rene LC Pumpkin Cheesecake – About as good as it gets when it comes to the holiday cheesecake.

Breakfast Options:

Mah-velous Pumpkin Pancakes – Add some pumpkin and seasonings to the pancakes.

Pumpkin French Toast – Requires low carb bread, but is delicious.

Beverage

Hot Pumpkin Nog – Shun the rich and high carb Egg Nog and try this tasty Pumpkin Nog!

Main Dish, Pork, Recipes, Soups and Stews, Vegetarian

Hearty Winter Loaded Cauliflower Soup

November 18, 2014 Rene Averett

Loaded Cauliflower Soup without the optional ingredients. First night, it was more soupy than when I reheated it and added the optional ingredients.

This recipe cmae out of a brief discussion of what warming soup to make for the weekend. Someone mentioned Loaded Potato Soup and I countered with a cauliflower soup. But the loaded potato sounded so good that I went to look for the recipe. What resulted is the Loaded Cauliflower Soup. I admit it, cauliflower will never taste like potato, but it is still a scrumptious and filling cold winter’s night soup. It’s definitely on my do again and again list.

I started with Guy Fieri’s Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe at Food Network and made adjustments to make it low carb’d. The result is considerably different and you can make it with or without the additions of turnips and Daikon radish.

When I added Daikon and turnips at the reheat, the soup became more like a stew. You could add a little water or more unsweetened almond milk to thin it a little, but this was like eating a loaded baked potato.

Loaded Cauliflower Soup

Adapted from a recipe by Guy Fieri

4 cups of Cauliflower, chopped
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced (optional)
1 cup daikon radish, peeled and diced (optional)
6 slices thick-cut Applewood Smoked Bacon
1/4 cup Onions, chopped
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Chicken Bullion or Better than Bullion or 1 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 Red or Green Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Water
3 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk (not flavored)
2 cups sharp Cheddar, grated or shredded
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
4 tablespoons Sour Cream
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Chives

Preheat the oven to 385 degrees F.

Place the bacon on a cookie rack and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until it is crisp. Let cool. Pour 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat into the bottom of a large soup pot. Add 1/4 cup onions and cook until onions are translucent.

Mix 1/4 cup of the water with the cornstarch, then add to the rest of the water, cream and almond milk. Pour into the soup pot and stir. Add the cauliflower to the pot, turn to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes until the cauliflower is fork tender.

Crumble the bacon, set aside 2 tablespoons, and add the rest to the pot. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cheese then add the rest to the pot and stir. Cook until the cheese is melted and the soup thickens.

Ladle the soup into bowls, put a dollop of sour cream on top, and sprinkle with remaining bacon bits, grated cheese and chives.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Nutrition Info per serving: (4 servings) without optional ingredients
Calories: 436 Fat: 34 g Net Carbs: 7.6 g Protein: 23.3 g

Nutritional Info per serving: (6 servings) with optional ingredients
Calories: 341 Fat: 27.3 g Net Carbs: 8 g Protein: 14.2 g

Tip: Leftovers can be easily reheated. Store in the refrigerator up to three days. Just don’t add the sour cream and bacon and cheese extras until after it’s reheated.

For Vegetarians, omit the bacon. If you don’t use any animal products, then omit the cheese, sour cream and cream and add more almond or coconut milk. I’d also add some seasonings, such as rosemary, sage and thyme.

Main Dish, Pork, Recipes

Peachy Pork Delights the Taste Buds

October 21, 2014 Rene Averett

I spotted some really lovely, fat country style pork ribs at the store the other night, so I bought a package. I thought I could bake them with BBQ sauce, but I wanted to try something a little different. I saw a recipe for country style ribs done with papaya, but I had half a peach in the refrigerator that I needed to use. So, I thought why not make it with peach instead?

This recipe is mostly mine even though it was inspired by another one, but that’s really how recipes develop. You see something and you think, “why not try it this way and change or add this ingredient”?

This came out deliciously with a lovely hint of peach in the sauce and it is low carb! I used Heinz Chili Sauce instead of tomato sauce, but either works. You can also add in 1/4 cup of Bell Peppers for a little more flavor and spice.

Peachy Country Pork Ribs

1 clove Garlic
1/2 large Peach, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup White Wine or Sherry
2 tablespoons Sugar Free Honey
or Sugar Substitute
2 tablespoon spicy Tomato Sauce or Chili Sauce
4 large Country Pork Ribs, boneless (about 12 to 16 oz.)
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 cup chopped Onions
Salt & Pepper to taste

Put the garlic, peach, water, wine, honey, tomato (or Chili sauce) into the food processor and pulse several times until it is liquefied.

Cut the pork ribs into 4 pieces so that you have 16 pieces. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet, then add the onions and sauté a minute. Add the pork and cook and stir until it is lightly browned on all sides. Add the sauce and stir to coat all the meat. Reduce heat to a high simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Check on the pan, stir the meat and turn it over, then cook another 30 minutes until the sauce is thick and the pork is done.

Makes 4 average servings – one whole pork rib per person.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 416.2 Fat: 32.4 g Net Carbs: 6.2 g Protein: 20.8 g

Skinny Girl Bistro

Category Archives: Main Dish