Category Archives: Recipes

Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Recipes

One more Irish cake recipe

I couldn’t resist posting one more Irish recipe even though we’re past St. Patrick’s Day.  But we have National Tartan Day coming up on April 6th and this would work for a nice tea cake to celebrate your Irish or Scottish tartan. Besides, it’s a very tasty tea cake.

I’ve adapted this Irish Whiskey Cake recipe from a little booklet called Favorite Irish Teatime Recipes to make it a smaller cake and low carb. The original recipe calls for sultanas or golden raisins, but those are very high in carbohydrates, so I substituted in sugar reduced craisins and it works very well, if I do say so. I hope you’ll give this a try for a nice afternoon tea. (Also works for a simple dessert and you can top with a a little fruit and a bit of whipped cream.)

Irish Whiskey Cake in a 6″ square pan makes 8 servings. Cut into quarters, then slice each quarter down the middle lengthwise.

Irish Whiskey Cake

1/2 orange
2 tablespoons Irish Whiskey
1/4 cup Sugar Reduced Craisins
6 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Sugar Substitute
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Egg Whites
1 cup Low Carb Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt

The night before you make the cake, cut the orange in half and peel one half into thin strips. Squeeze out 2 to 3 tablespoons of orange juice and put in a bowl with the peels. Stir in the whiskey and craisins, cover and soak in a cool place overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.). Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 6″ cake tin, either round or square.

Beat the egg and egg whites together in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, then add the beaten eggs, a little at a time.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together and fold into the mixture, then stir in the whiskey and fruit mixture.

Turn into the cake tin. Bake for 20 minutes and test for doneness. If it doesn’t bounce back when touched, cook another 5 minutes and test again.. If it browns too quickly, cover the pan with foil. Cool for at least 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Make a simple syrup to pour over the top and add moisture. In a saucepan, add 1/2 cup sugar substitute and 1/2 cup water. Cook and stir until the sugar melts completely, let it come to a boil, then turn it off and add 1 tablespoon Irish whiskey and a couple of orange peels to make a flavored syrup. Remove the orange peels when it cools, then drizzle over the cake.

Cut into 8 slices.

Nutrition Information per slice
Calories:140.3 Fat:13.4 g Net Carbs: 3.8 g Protein: 2.8 g

Note: When using low carb flours, I like to use more than one type in my cakes. LC Foods has a cake quality low carb flour, but I used CarbQuick, which is like Bisquick without the carbs. I also used a little Coconut Flour and Vanilla Whey Protein Powder. You can use Almond Flour or Soy Flour. 

Beef, Main Dish, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

St. Patrick’s Day is a toast to the Irish

It’s March 17th as I write this and around my house, it’s time to celebrate the tiny bit of Irish blood that runs in my body, although the house mate is endowed with a great deal more.  We love eating foods that remind us of our trip to Ireland and scones, shepherd’s pie, Irish stew, and tea  are great favorites here. While corned beef and cabbage is more American than Irish, we have a go at it also.

I do have a recipe for you for my version of Corned Beef and Cabbage. While not strictly Irish, it is an Irish American dish that originated in New York City. The Irish immigrants used to make a dish with bacon and potatoes, but found that deli cut corned beef from the Jewish market was less expensive and filled the bill just fine. Likewise, cabbage was less dear than the potatoes, so they substituted. Now it’s a common dish in America.

My version of corned beef is baked rather than boiled, although I’ve also grilled it on a BBQ. As for the vegetable assortment, I’ve substituted root vegetables other than potatoes, all of which are lower in carbohydrates. Enjoy this variation on the American traditional dish.

Baked Corn Beef with Root Vegetables

Corned beef baked in Guinness is the best and so simple to do. The cabbage mixes with a delicious assortment of root vegetables to substitute in for the potatoes and bring an assortment of flavors.

1 Corned Beef brisket, about 3 to 4 pounds
1 bottle of Guinness stout
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Preheat over to 325 degrees.

In an ovenproof pot (I use my cast iron pot), add the olive oil and heat. Add 2 tablespoons of crushed garlic and stir. Put the corned beef in, fatty side down and cook for about 10 minutes to sear the meat, then turn the beef over and sear the top side. Flip it over again, add the Guinness, cover and remove the pot to the middle of the oven. Cook for 2 hours. Check for tenderness. If a fork goes in easily, then flip the corned beef over and leave the lid off, so that the fatty side on the top can now brown in the oven. Add 1 cup of water if the liquid in the pot is getting low. Cook for another 40 to 60 minutes. Start your vegetables on the stove at this time.

St. Patrick’s Root Vegetables

1 cabbage, 5-1/2″ to 6″ head, cut into 8 wedges
2 cups of cubed turnips (about 1×1 cubes)
2 cups of cubed kohlrabi
2 cups of cubed rutabagas
2 cups of cubed golden beets
2 drops of sucralose or 1 packet of Splenda
1 cup of beef broth or bouillon
Salt and pepper to taste
Corned beef spices tied in a cheesecloth (usually come with the corned beef)

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add 2 drops of sucralose, broth, and seasonings, reduce to a medium heat then add beets, rutabagas and kohlrabi to cook. If turnip is very porous and tender when you cut it, add it about 10 minutes later. Otherwise, add at the same time as the other vegetables. Cook vegetables about 40 minutes, fork testing for tenderness. When almost done, add the cabbage wedges and cook another 5 to 8 minutes until the cabbage is just tender.

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition Information for Vegetables per serving:
Calories: 74 Fat: 0.5 g Net Carbs: 10 g Protein: 3.4 g

Tip: Don’t cook your cabbage until you’re ready to serve it. If you expect to have two or three servings left over, then save the cabbage to cook when you reheat the vegetables and broth. This will keep it from getting too soggy.

I’d like to wish everyone a  wonderful and safe St. Patrick’s Day, I would like to point you to some of the delicious recipes on the site to help you celebrate in style.

Start with breakfast and this delicious Corned Beef Benedict.  This is  delicious start to the day or a great brunch item.  You can serve it on a muffin in a minute or serve it without bread at all.

 

You can also try  a Corned Beef Hash for your morning start or have
it the day after if you have left over corned beef.  It uses low carb vegetables in place of the potatoes, so you can enjoy this great dish without guilt.

 

LC Irish Soda Bread -It takes a little work and some special flours, but you can enjoy Irish Soda Bread without running the carbs too high. I use low carb baking mix and nut flours to make a delicious loaf.

Scones are a fantastic breakfast or tea option.  I love them and make them frequently.  In fact, I am planning to publish a little book of scone variations that might amaze you. They’re very flexible. Here’s a basic Scone recipe. 

Like a seafood option? Dublin Lawyer is a traditional Irish preparation of lobster that is quite tasty and reminds me of lobster thermidor.

 

Don’t forget the recent addition to this list of Irish Style Pork Stew that is absolutely delicious. And it cooks fairly quickly.

 

 

For dessert, you could try a nice Irish Apple Cake that is very good when served with whipped cream.  It’s simple to make and just needs a little low carb  baking mix and almond flour to make. Both the coconut flour and Vanilla Whey protein powder in the recipe are optional.

Another dessert option is an Irish Cream Cheesecake. This one is small and delicious.  You can make your own low carb Irish Cream or use a commercial one.  The trick is to let it sit for at least several hours in the refrigerator to let the flavor soak in, then let it come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before you serve.

Here are a few more recipes on the site that might interest you, so check them out if you’d like:
     Irish Style Celery and Kohlrabi
     Irish Horsey Sauce – a horseradish recipe
     O’Kelly’s Slim Irish Cream

 

 

Recipes, Soups and Stews, Vegetables & Salads

Celebrate Spring with a Tasty Asparagus Soup

If you like asparagus, you will love this tasty, fresh soup made with asparagus and leeks. Of course, I added bacon, because everything’s better with bacon, isn’t it? But it is optional in this recipe if you’d like to keep it pure. The recipe also calls for white wine, which is also optional. It adds a slightly different flavor and sophistication to the soup, but it works equally well without it.

The recipe yields four 1 cup servings, which makes it nice entry course for dinner. If you combine it with a salad and a slice of low carb bread, then you have a lovely lunch.

Asparagus, Leek, & Bacon Cream Soup

1 Leek, cut into thin slices
1 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons White Wine (optional)
2 slices thick Bacon, cut into pieces and fried until crisp
1/2 lb Asparagus, chopped in 1-inch pieces
3 cups Chicken Broth
Pinch White Pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried Basil, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2/3 cup Cream

Clean and thinly slice the leek until the green leaves are too tough to use. Put into a colander and thoroughly wash to make sure any dirt is removed. Heat the butter in a medium pot and sauté the leeks for about 2 minutes. Add white wine (if using) or 2 tablespoons of chicken stock to keep the leeks moist.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the chopped asparagus, then add the rest to the pot with 2 cups of the chicken stock. Add seasonings, stir until mixed, then simmer for about 30 minutes.
Season with pepper.

Scoop 1 cup of the mixture and puree in a blender, then repeat with the rest of the soup mixture. Put back in the pot and add the remaining stock. Stir in the cream, bacon and reserved asparagus and heat over medium heat until hot. Serve.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 188.5 Fat: 16 g Net Carbs: 6.2 g Protein: 4.1 g

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Drinks, Recipes

A Darling Teacake for St. Patrick’s or Anytime

March 17 is just around the corner and the arrival of Spring is not far behind.

Why not celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or a belated St. David’s Day – a Welsh tradition celebrated on March 1 – with a tea? Nothing beats an afternoon pause in the day to have a cup of perfectly steeped Irish tea with a tasty cake or scone. It does wonders for your outlook.

In Irish, the tea is called cupan tae or cuppa tay.  How often have you heard let’s have a cuppa? Traditionally, teatime is around 11 a.m. for morning tea or between 3 and 5 p.m. for afternoon tea.  But there’s no need to stand on ceremony.  Anytime is a good time for tea. In Ireland, it’s common to have your tea with cream, but there’s a little trick to it. The custom began when folks put milk or cream into their fine china cups to prevent cracking when the hot tea was added.  Tea experts maintain that the milk needs to be added before the tea is poured as adding it afterward alters the taste of the tea.

To make a perfect cup of tea,  begin by filling a kettle with cool water and put it on to boil.  Next, add one teaspoon of fresh loose leaf Irish tea per person plus one for the pot. Add boiling water to the pot and allow it to steep for 5 minutes. While you wait, fill 1/3 of the teacup with milk or cream and pour the strong, hot Irish tea into each cup and stir.

Now for the tea cake to go with it…

As I was browsing through a booklet of Welsh teatime recipes, I ran across this lovely little cinnamon cake, called a Teisen Sinamon in Welsh. I thought it was a little unusual since it called for a meringue topping, which I haven’t seen often on cakes. I made a few adjustments to make a low carb version and converted the ingredient measurements. This is a coarse-textured cake rather than a dessert cake, but it has excellent flavor and pairs well with either tea or coffee.

My version is also adjusted to a half-sized recipe to avoid too many leftovers. It’s best served right after the meringue is cooked.

Ingredient notes: I used vanilla whey protein powder as part of my flour mix since it brings additional flavor and texture to the cake. You can substitute any low carb flour you like into it. If you use any coconut flour, use 1/2 the called for amount it is replacing and add an extra egg. The net carb count will be higher with other flour choices. My baking mix is 3 net carbs per 1/4 cup and the whey powder is 1 net carb for 1/4 cup.

The recipe calls for 1 egg plus 1/4 cup liquid egg whites. You need to separate the egg and put the egg white from the egg aside to make the meringue.  Liquid egg whites won’t beat stiff enough to make a good meringue.

Cinnamon Cake baked in the pan. You can remove it and have a nice display cake or leave it in the pan and cut slices from it.

Welsh Cinnamon Cake

3/4 cup Low Carb Flour
1/4 cup Vanilla Whey Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Sugar Substitute
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Eggs, separated, plus 1/4 cup Liquid Egg Whites
Pinch of Salt
1/4 cup Butter
2 – 3 tablespoons Almond Milk or Cream
1/2 tablespoon Granulated Sugar Substitute
4 tablespoons Sugar-free Raspberry or Strawberry Jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.) Grease, or spray with baking spray, a 6-inch cake pan or square pan.

Mix the flour, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl, then rub in the butter. Separate the egg, set the white aside, add the liquid white and beat together. Add the sugar and yolk mixture to the flour and mix well. Add enough milk to make a thick, moist dough. Pour or press the mixture into the cake pan and bake for 20  minutes until a toothpick tests cleanly.

Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Reduce temperature to 325 degrees (F.) Whip the egg whites until stiff, then fold in the sugar substitute. Put the cake on a paper-lined baking sheet and spread jam over the top of the cake, then pile on the meringue mixture. Put back in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until the meringue is set and a pale brown.

Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Information per slice:
Calories: 148 Fat: 11.7 g Net Carbs: 4.6 g Protein: 7.4 g

Enjoy your tea break and let me know how you liked the tea cake!

Breakfast & Brunch, Main Dish, Pork, Recipes

Joy of Spring Cheese Pie

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I am pretty sure those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are beginning to get antsy for Spring to arrive. This is especially true as I look out my window watching snow come down after three days of almost balmy, sunny weather.  Yep, typical for Reno.  Lure those plants to begin to bud, then freeze them. So I needed something cheerful and comforting to brighten my day.

This wonderful sausage, leeks, asparagus and cheese pie is just the ticket to remind you of the wonderful tastes of the season.  I love cheese pies.  They’re easy to make and the possibilities are endless.  With St. David’s Day just past and St. Patrick’s Day just ahead, this particular pie celebrates the lovely sharp cheddar cheeses from Wales and Ireland.  You can use American cheddar, but it’s not quite the same, so check your market for one of the imports.  It’s worth it.

A note about the spices, they are changeable.  The ones in the recipe are the ones that I particularly like, but if you want to substitute in others, feel free. And, if you don’t want to eat meat, you can leave it our and it still tastes great!

Sausage, Asparagus & Leek Cheese Pie

1/2 lb Ground Country Sausage
1 Leek
1/2 lb Asparagus Spears
1 tablespoon Butter
4 large Eggs
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
3/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground Sage
1/4 teaspoon dried Basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried Parsley, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dried Celeraic
1/8 teaspoon ground Thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
12 oz. Irish or Welsh Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated

This may be made crustless or in a pie crust.

Preheat oven to 365 degrees (F.) If making it without a crust, spray a deep dish pie plate with baking spray and set aside. If using a crust, prepare and pre-bake for about 10 minutes to partially cook it before adding the mixture so you won’t have a soggy bottom.

Cut or break the asparagus into one inch pieces. Clean the leek and slice into thin rings. Use the leek as far up the green tops until they get tough. Heat a skillet, add the butter and stir it around until it starts to melt, then add the leeks and sauté until they are just tender. Remove to a bowl. Add the sausage, breaking it into little pieces and stir until lightly browned. Mix the sausage, leeks, and asparagus together and spread evenly over the bottom of the pie plate.

In a bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk, add the cream, ricotta cheese, and seasonings and mix until completely combined. Stir in the cheddar cheese and pour over the sausage mixture in the pie plate.

Put the pie in the center of the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until it is golden brown and a knife or toothpick in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve with a salad.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Crustless Pie:
Nutrition information per serving (6 servings):
Calories: 47602 Fat: 37.6 g Net Carbs: 4.3 g Protein: 29.7 g

Nutrition information per serving (8 servings):
Calories: 357.2 Fat: 28.2 g Net Carbs: 3.2 g Protein: 22.2 g