Category Archives: Recipes

Asian Recipes, Main Dish, Recipes, Seafood

Fish and Veggies – Tempura Style

I love deep fried fish, especially cod, but I haven’t had it in over three years. After a week or so on the East Coast and passing up several opportunities for fish and chips, I finally decided I needed to do something about it. So, I adapted a tempura recipe to low carb flours and gave it a whirl. The oil needs to be hot enough to fry quickly but not so fast that the food doesn’t get cooked. If it’s too cool, the tempura batter won’t stay on the vegetables while they’re cooking. But it’s easy enough to make the batter and it’s worth the effort for the wonderful meal. If you don’t like my vegetable selection, then substitute in your favorites, like cauliflower, broccoli, or asparagus. Just try to stick to the lower carb options.

For gluten free, I would try replacing the CarbQuick with rice flour. You don’t need to use the coconut flour if you would prefer all rice flour. But rice flour is extremely high in carbohydrates, 123 net carbs in 1 serving. You could try all coconut flour or a combination of coconut flour and almond flour. If you use more coconut flour, use about 6 tablespoons and two eggs. It absorbs liquid, so you will probably have to add additional ice water.

Tempura Cod and Vegetables

Tempura
1/4 cup CarbQuick Baking Mix
2 tablespoons oconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/3 cup ice water
Oil for deep frying

Fish and Vegetables
3 1/4 lb pieces of cod cut into three chunks each
1/2 cup zuchinni, cut into large cubes
1/2 cup kohlrabi, sliced into 1/4″ slices
1/2 cup Acorn squash, cut into 1″ pieces
12 cleaned fresh green beans

Wash fish off and cut into chunks. Cut all the vegetables into 1″ to 1 1/2″ chunks. Mix the tempura batter. Add ice water until it has a thick, but not too thick consistency. It needs to stick to the food, but not make too thick a coating. When using coconut flour, it will absorb liquid, so it will use at least double and possibly three times as much water as the recipe calls for.

Pour oil to about 1 1/2 inch deep in a deep skillet (I use cast iron) and heat to 375 degrees, or until a bit of batter sizzles and browns quickly. Lower the heat slightly. Try to keep an even heat.

Dip about six vegetables in the tempura batter, then place gently in the oil to fry. It will take just a few minutes for them to brown on one side. Turn with a slotted spatula and brown on the other side. Remove to a paper towel covered plate to cool. Continue to cook vegetables, about six to a batch. You can keep the drained vegetables warm in a 225 degree oven on a baking tin. Fry the chunks of fish last. They will take about 3 to 5 minutes a side, depending on thickness. Check to be sure the fish is cooked all the way through.

Serve as soon as possible. You can sprinkle with rice vinegar or any favorite flavor of sauce you like. Left over vegetables and fish don’t reheat very well, but you can put them on a baking sheet and warm them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 300 degrees.

Nutrition Info per serving:
Calories: 568.5 Fat: 46.7 g Net Carbs: 8.8 g Protein: 46.2 g

Posted on 6/3/2013

Main Dish, Recipes, Seafood

Shrimp and Asparagus — Colorful and Delightful

This week, I decided to adapt an enticing recipe that was on Fine Cooking by Jennifer Armentrout. To be honest, not a lot of adjustment was needed to make it low carb, except for the one key item of “grits” with cheddar cheese. I am not a huge grits fan, so it doesn’t bother me to lose this, but the substitute should be something similar. In my mind, this was another job for my favorite combo, cauliflower and daikon radish riced to the texture of grits. It came out deliciously wonderful and as the roomie put, “that’s a keeper.” Try it for yourself.

Shrimp and Asparagus with Cauli-grits

1- 1/2 tablespoons unsalted Butter
1 clove Garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups homemade or sodium free Chicken Broth
2 cups riced Cauliflower
1 cup riced Daikon
freshly ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar
1/2 tsp. Tabasco or other hot sauce; more to taste

1/2 lb. medium-thick Asparagus, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 to 2 Scallions (green parts only), thinly sliced (optional)

Heat 1/2 Tbs. of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until you can just smell it, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the riced cauliflower and daikon and 1/4 tsp. salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and most of the liquid is absorbed or evaporated, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the Cheddar and 1/4 tsp. of the hot sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside in a warm spot.

Heat 1 Tbs. of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is opaque and the asparagus is tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the shrimp and asparagus over the grits. Top with sprinkled scallions.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Info: Calories: 305.7 Fat: 18.4 g Net Carbs: 3.9 g Protein: 28.8 g

TIP: No asparagus at the market (or the cost is just too dear)? Try this dish with broccolini (baby broccoli). It will be colorful and the young spears are perfect.

Posted on 4/24/2013

Recipes, Soups and Stews

Creamy Cock-A-Leekie Soup Warms the Spirit

… and makes you smile a bit at the name. This is a variation on a Scottish soup that features chicken and, that Welsh favorite, leeks in a wonderful chicken broth with other vegetables. While this usually uses potatoes in it, my low carb version harkens back to pre-Columbus times in Europe when turnips were more popular.

With Thanksgiving approaching this coming week, it also occurred to me that it would be fabulous with left over turkey in it.

Creamy Cock-a-Leekie Soup

2 cups cooked Chicken or Turkey, cubed
2 large Leeks, cleaned and sliced (about three cups of sliced leeks)
1 medium Onion, sliced and chopped
3 stalks Celery, sliced thinly
2 medium Turnips, cleaned and cut into cubes
16 oz. frozen Cauliflower florets or 2 cups chopped fresh Cauliflower
1 cup loosely packed, torn Baby Spinach leaves
2 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon Garlic and Herb seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon dried Parsley flakes or a handful of fresh Parsley
Salt to taste

Clean and prepare the leaks, making sure to wash any dirt off. You put the slices in a colander and rinse them off to make sure no dirt is in the inside rings. In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, melt the butter and sauté the leeks until they are limp and slightly tender. Add the onions and continue to cook until the onions are limp. Add chicken broth and garlic and herb seasoning and pepper. Stir well. Add the turnips, celery and cauliflower and stir the vegetables in.

Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Add a cup of water, cover and simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes. Add the  chicken or turkey, spinach leaves, parsley and cream and stir well. Check broth and add salt and water as needed.  Cook until the chicken is hot, usually about 10 minutes.  Serve with low carb bread or biscuits.

Makes about six 1 cup servings.
Nutrition Info: Calories 150 Net Carbs 9.6 g Protein 11.2 g

Posted on 11/19/2012

Recipes, Soups and Stews

Curry Spices Up Turkey Soup

The Thanksgiving turkey carcass always finds its way to the soup pot in my house. In most cases, there’s enough meat left on the bone to provide a hearty, filling soup for the cold nights that come at the end of November and beginning of December. This year I wanted to try something a little different from my usual cream turkey soup, so I added some different vegetables, chili powder and curry powder to the pot. The result is a yummy soup with a bit of bite. I use a scoop of leftover dressing warmed in the microwave (or oven) on top of the soup to add a bit more flavor and help soak up the delicious broth.

For the dressing, I used this great stuffing bread recipe.

Turkey Curry Soup

1 to 2 cups Turkey, chopped
10 cups Homemade Turkey Broth
1 Leeks, sliced
1/2 cup Onions, chopped
1 cup Butternut Squash, cubed
1 cup Brussels sprouts, quartered
1 cup Cauliflower, riced
1 cup Cabbage, chopped
2 stalks Celery, chopped
1 cup fresh Spinach, torn
1 tablespoon Curry powder
1/2 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Garlic, minced

Use turkey carcass, with any meat on it, to make the broth. Place in a 10 quart pot, add water to cover, add bay leaf and a clove of garlic and boil for about 1 hour until the meat slides off the bones easily. Measure the meat and add extra turkey to make desired amount for the soup. Remove bay leaf. Discard bones.

Add vegetables and seasonings to soup, along with the turkey and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Check seasonings and adjust to your preference.

Serve with low carb bread or a tablespoon of left over low carb dressing.

Nutrition Info (based on 6 servings made with one cup of turkey):
Calories: 98.7 Net Carbs: 8 g Protein: 10.5 g

(Based on 8 servings made with one cup of turkey)
Calories: 74.1 Net Carbs: 6 g Protein: 7.9 g

(One additional cup of turkey adds about 25 calories per serving)

Posted on 11/30/2012

Recipes, Soups and Stews

Veggie Cleanup – Put in All in Soup

Do you have a veggie bin full of veggies that are “on the verge”? Then it’s time for a Cove Soup – clean out veggies easily. Just round up the veggies, clean them up, chop them and throw them in a soup pot with some broth. It will make a great soup. Here’s the recipe I used for my latest version of this. I’ve listed many vegetable options under the ingredients and they will come out to about the same carb count.

Cove Soup

1 cup Bok Choy, Brussels sprouts or cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup Daikon Radish or Globe Radishes, peeled and diced
2 medium Turnips, Rutabagas or Parsnips, peeled and diced
1/2 cup Kohlrabi, Broccoli or Cauliflower , (including stalks) peeled and diced
1 lb. Ground Turkey or ground Beef or ground Pork
1 Egg
2 cups Turnip Greens, Mustard Greens, Kale, Spinach or any other greens
1 teaspoon Rosemary, dried and crushed
1/2 teaspoon Thyme, ground
1/2 teaspoon Oregano, ground
1/2 tablespoon Parsley, dried
3/4 cup Zucchini, Summer Squash, or any squash, sliced or cubed
1/3 cup Sweet Peppers (bell), chopped
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 cup Leeks or Green Onions
15 oz. can of chopped or whole Tomatoes (check the carb count for lowest)
1 carton (16 oz) Chicken Broth
1 tablespoon Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine egg with meat, add a little salt and pepper if you wish, and roll into nut sized meatballs. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. (TIP: I used 4 pre-formed turkey patties that were still partially frozen, cut them into cubes and just put them in the soup without any cooking.)

In a large soup pot, add butter and onions and cook until onion is glazed. Add broth and canned tomatoes, herbs, then the vegetables, except the greens. Stir in six cups of water, then mix the ingredients well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the meatballs or meat cubes, salt and pepper, and stir. Cover and cook for 1 hour. Check the broth and add additional seasoning if it is needed. Add the greens, stir in and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve with a parmesan cheese haystack* or just sprinkle a little cheese on top.

To make haystacks, use freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (not the canned type). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Put about a tablespoon of cheese on the sheet and spread into a circle. Repeat until you’ve made 8 Parmesan stacks. Put in the oven and bake a few minutes, checking often, until they are melted and just lightly toasted. Remove and let cool for a few minutes, then peel off the foil.

Makes about 8 one cup servings

Nutrition Info per serving:
Calories: 126.9 Fat: 4.2 g Net Carbs: 6.5 g Protein: 13.5 g

Posted on 1/14/2014