Category Archives: Pork

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

Hearty Winter Loaded Cauliflower Soup

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

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

Main Dish, Pork, Recipes

Italian Style Low Carb Stuffed Eggplant

If you like eggplant and Italian food, you’re going to lvoe this recipe.  It’s easy to make and the flavor is magnifico!  Best of all, it’s low carb.  You can either make it in the eggplant boat, as I did, or you can put it in a casserole dish and just discard the eggplant shell after you scoop the delicious vegetable out.  Either way, it’s great low carb’d dinner entree.

Stuffed Eggplant Boats

Eggplant boat filled with diced eggplant sautéed with onions, sausage and mushrooms, then stuffed into the shells and baked with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese topping.

1 large eggplant, about 1 lb)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup minced onion
1 cups shredded mozarella cheese, divided
1 tomato, sliced
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
3/4 lb Italian sausage

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out and chop flesh, leaving skin intact. Place in a shallow baking dish, and set aside.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium high heat and stir in garlic to lightly brown. Add eggplant, mushrooms, and onion, stirring until tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside. Brown sausage until it is lightly browned. Pour off any grease and combine with the eggplant mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Fill eggplant shells with stuffing, arrange tomato slices over the top and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until warmed throughout and melted on top.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Info per serving
Calories 318.4 Fat: 24.8 g Net Carbs: 5.9 g

Main Dish, Pork, Recipes

Deluxe Ham and Cheese Pizza

Ham and cheese just naturally go together, don’t they? Everyone loves a hot ham and cheese sandwich, right? Well, I do. So a ham and cheese pizza is a no-brainer.   Especially if you are using one of LC Foods new low carb pizza shells. For those who believe that bacon makes everything better, you can add it to the pizza without adding any more carbs. (There will be calories, though!)

Disclaimer:  I am not paid by LC Foods to say good things about their products, nor do they send me any free samples to review them.  I got the notice this new product was available, just like everyone else on their mailing list and I bought it.   So this bit of enthusiasm for their pizza shell is strictly my honest opinion.  They are really good!  And I make a pretty good pizza crust substitute myself, but this is the best one I’ve tasted.  For one thing it is an honest-to-goodness yeast crust and it is sturdy.  Just like the real thing!  Two pizza- sauce-covered thumbs up from this girl!

If you are outside the shipping area (the USA) or just don’t want to order the shells, you can build these pizza on any pizza base you choose.  You can refer to the Flax Almond Pizza Crust or use the chicken-based pizza crust or the cauliflower pizza crust.  They will all work with it.  Just follow the instructions for the crust of choice to make and partially pre-cook, then add the sauce and toppings.

Deluxe Ham and Cheese Pizza

2 cups Ham, cubed
1 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese
1/2 cup Alfredo Sauce
1 cup Broccoli, chopped
1/2 Bell Pepper, diced
4 tablespoon Bacon, crumbled (Optional)
1 LC Food Pizza Crust or other low carb pizza crust

Preheat oven to 385 degrees (F.)

Put pizza shell on a cookie sheet and spread Alfredo Sauce evenly over the top. It should be a thin layer but still cover the entire shell. If it is a little short, add another tablespoon or two.

Precook the vegetables in a microwave for 3 minutes or sauté them in a skillet with 1 tablespoon butter until they are just tender.

Distribute the ham and vegetables evenly over the top of the sauce. Top with cheese sprinkled evenly over the top.

Slide the pizza directly onto the oven rack or place on a baking rack in the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. The crust doesn’t get really brown, so watch that the cheese is completely melted and just starting to brown. Remove from the oven. Let it cool about 10 minutes, then slice and serve. One slice is a serving; makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Info for 1/8th of the pizza (toppings only)
Calories: 158 Fat: 5.9 g Net Carbs: 3.5 g Protein: 10.7 g

Nutrition Info for 1/8th of the pizza (LC Foods Pizza Shell only)
Calories: 131 Fat: 4.5 g Net Carbs: 2 g Protein: 13 g

Main Dish, Pork, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads, Vegetarian

Turnips and Cauliflower Gratin Side Dish

I’m sure no one really misses potatoes with their meals, right?  Of course not, but, oh, the flavor of a potato with cheese casserole.  Yeah, sometimes it would sure be nice to have that with a steak or roasted chicken, wouldn’t it?

Well, this isn’t quite that potato recipe, but it is a very good substitute.  The truth is that after four years, I have only eaten potatoes twice, and they were baked both times, and I haven’t  missed them that much.  I have found that I honestly like the taste of turnips and the combination of turnips with cauliflower is deliciously good.

Not everyone agrees with that and  they absolutely hate turnips, but I say, at least give them a chance.  You could use kohlrabi  or celery root for the turnips or the cauliflower in this recipe or swap them around however you want.  Any combination equals a side dish that is very tasty and much lower in carbohydrates than using potatoes in the dish.

Turnips and Cauliflower Gratin

Turnips and Cauliflower Gratin

1 1/4 cups Turnips, (about 2 medium), sliced thinly
1 cup Cauliflower,sliced thinly
1/2 Onions, sliced thinly
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream,
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Thyme, ground or 1 tablespoon fresh
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 cloves Garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon Fresh Chives or 1 teaspoon dried
3/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese or Parmesan Cheese, shredded
3 tablespoon Butter

Put the cream and seasonings, except chives, into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and taste to check the seasonings. Adjust, if needed. Let the mixture sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.) Lightly spray a 9×9″ baking dish with cooking spray or butter the bottom and sides.

Peel turnips and boil them for 20 minutes. Cut into thin slices as evenly as possible. If you use a mandolin to cut, then cut the slices before cooking and only cook about 5 minutes to soften them. Drain. Cut 1/4 head of cauliflower into slices, put in a bowl and microwave for 4 minutes to partially cook. Cut a small onion into thin slices. You should have about 1/2 cup.

Layer 1/2 of the turnips on the bottom of the pan and dot with 1 tablespoon of butter. Remove the garlic from the sauce and spoon about 1/3 of the sauce over the turnips. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese. Layer the cauliflower and onions on top of the first layer, dot with butter and spoon 1/3 of the sauce over the top and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.. Layer the rest of the turnips over the top layer, dot with the remaining butter, pour the rest of the sauce over the top, and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Sprinkle a little paprika over the top if you would like.

Cook at 375 degrees (F) for 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 15 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Info per serving:
Calories: 195 Fat: 17.4 g Net Carbs: 4.2 g Protein: 5.1 g

As this stands, this is a nice vegetarian dish.  Want to make a main dish out of this?  Add about 6 to 8 slices of bacon torn into pieces or 1 1/2 cups of ham cut into cubes.  Just add them to the middle layer, then put on the top layer of turnips.