Category Archives: Vegetables & Salads

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Delightful Bacon, Cheese, and Turnip Puffs

Photo: Turnip Puffs

Looking for a different way to prepare turnips or even potatoes? How making them into a puffed cake that is a nicely controlled serving as well as a delicious alternative to mashed or boiled vegetables.

This recipe originally used mashed potatoes, and you can still go that route if you don’t mind the higher carb count. Or you can swap them out for turnips for something a little different. Fresh turnips have a slightly sweet taste, so they bring a touch of sweet to the dish that marries well with the onions. For my version of the recipe, I use a tablespoon of low carb flour to help absorb some of the moisture from the turnips. I also added bacon because everything goes better with bacon, right? Also, if you don’t care for turnips, but want to keep the calories low, this works with mashed cauliflower.

As you’re preparing your New Year’s Eve party, or any other gathering of friends, keep these in mind. You can make them as tasty bite-sized appetizers by putting them in mini-cupcake molds. A simple topping on each adds a nice decorative touch.

Photo: Close up of Turnip Puffs

Bacon Turnip Cheese Puffs

1 cup Turnips, cooked and mashed (2 medium)
1 Egg, beaten (can use liquid eggs)
2 tablespoons Ricotta Cheese, whole milk
1/3 cup Cheddar Cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese (Grated)
2 tablespoons Onions, chopped
2 slices Thick-cut Bacon, cooked and broken into pieces
1/4 teaspoon Lawry Seasoned Salt or to taste
1 tablespoon Low Carb Flour
2 tablespoons Butter (for coating the muffin cups)

Cut turnips into 2 to 3-inch cubes and cook in boiling water until fork tender. Drain well and mash or put in the food processor to mash until smooth.

Cook bacon until done, then break into small pieces.

Preheat the oven to 4oo degrees (F.) Butter six 1/3 cup cupcake molds. I used silicone molds, but standard ones will work fine.

Put the turnips in a medium-sized bowl. In a small bowl, beat egg until mixed or use prepackaged mixed eggs. Add all the remaining ingredients and egg to the turnips and mix together until well-distributed and smooth.

Using a tablespoon, distribute the turnip mixture evenly to the muffin cups. It should come almost to the top of the cup.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the mixture pulls away from the side of the cup. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then gently remove the pan.

Top with a bit of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese, a few slices of olives, a few chopped chives, or a tablespoon of salsa if you wish.

Makes six 1/2 cup servings.

Note: To make these as appetizers, use mini-cupcake pans or molds and put about one tablespoon in each cup. Makes 18 appetizer-sized puffs.

Photo: Nutrition Information

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Delightful Taste of Celery and Kohlrabi

Photos: Braised Celery and Kohlrabi

While I’ve posted a recipe for a celery and kohlrabi dish before, this is a different version of one. It is delicious and beautiful with all the color in it.  It makes a wonderful side-dish for almost any meal.  Celery is a low-carb and low-calorie food that should find its way into our meals more often, but it is easily overlooked when we’re planning out meals.  If you try this recipe, I think you’ll want to include in the menu more often.

Can’t find kohlrabi in your store? Apart from asking them to order it, you can substitute in turnips or cauliflower.

Braised Celery and Kohlrabi

6 stalks of celery, trimmed
1 medium Kohlrabi. peeled and chopped
2 to 3 mini peppers
2 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Chicken Bullion
1/4 cup Water

Put chopped kohlrabi in a microwaveable bowl and cook for one minute to partially cook it.

Cut celery into 1-inch slices on the diagonal. Cut peppers into pieces.

Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add celery, kohlrabi, and seasonings and cook 10 minutes.

Mix chicken bullion with 1/4 cup hot water. Add broth and peppers to the celery mixture, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 10 minutes more until the celery and kohlrabi are fork tender.

Serve immediately.

Makes four servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories 77.7 Fat: 5.9 g Net Carbs: 2.9 g Protein: 1.4 g

If you enjoy my recipes or have any questions about them, please comment below. I’d love to hear from you.

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads, Vegetarian

Yummy Bacon and Cauliflower Salad is Cool

Photo: Cauliflower salad

As I was getting ready for a 4th of July BBQ potluck, I found this recipe for a delicious-sounding potato salad with ranch dressing and bacon. Hard to go wrong with that, but of course, I had to substitute in a different vegetable. Not content to do one, I added another one as well. Actually, I had the asparagus in the ‘fridge, and I needed to use it before it turned.

The result is a wonderful summer salad that is reasonably low in carbs and big in flavor. I did find the original recipe a little bland, so I added  salt, garlic pepper and a touch of sweetness to it. I think I might add a little red pepper to add zing to it the next time I make it.

The full recipe makes about 12 servings, which is great for a potluck while the half size makes 6 servings.  The carb count is the same for both.

Bacon and Cauliflower Salad with Asparagus

 

Full-sized recipe makes 12 servings:
2 to 2-1/4 pounds Cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (16 ounces) container sour cream
1 package ranch dressing mix
1¼ cups cooked bacon, crumbled
1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
10 green onions, thinly sliced
12 spears medium Asparagus, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons Cream
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Garlic Pepper
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute (optional)

1/2-sized recipe makes 6 servings:
1 to 1-1/4 pounds Cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
8 ounces sour cream
1/2 package ranch dressing mix
3/4 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
5 green onions, thinly sliced
6 spears medium Asparagus, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon Cream
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Garlic Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Sugar Substitute (optional)

Trim the cauliflower of the leaves and the tougher part of the stem and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Slice green onions and trim and cut asparagus ahead of time. Cook the bacon. I used a block of bacon ends that are less expensive than sliced bacon. I cut off slices of the bacon ends which makes nice-sized bacon pieces. Cook in batches in the microwave until you have enough for the recipe. Or you can spread them out on a rack on a baking sheet and bake them about 15 minutes until crisp at 400 degrees (F.)

Put a large pot of water on, add a little salt, and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower pieces and cook about 15 minutes until the pieces are fork tender. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

If you’re using asparagus, heat the water a second time to boiling, then add the asparagus pieces and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and cool the asparagus.

In a medium bowl, add the sour cream, cream, ranch dressing mix, salt, garlic pepper, and sugar substitute (if using) and mix together well.

In a large bowl, add the cauliflower, asparagus, onions, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Mix together with a large spoon or put on a food glove and use your hand. Add the dressing and mix it until all the salad is coated with the dressing.

Cover and chill for two to three hours before serving.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 250 Fat: 18.4 g Net Carbs: 7.3 g Protein: 12.8 g

Substitutions:
If you can’t eat dairy, omit the cheese, and use mayonnaise to mix the ranch dressing or substitute an alternate dressing such as a potato salad mayonnaise-type dressing.

If you are a vegetarian, omit the bacon pieces. You can add mushrooms for a little more protein in the mix.

Don’t like sour cream? Use plain yogurt (a little higher in carbs) or mayonnaise instead.

Will you try this recipe? Let me know how it turns out and if you like it.

Main Dish, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Poultry, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Call it a deconstructed Burrito

Photo: Burrito BowlThis recipe came in a Yummly email a couple of weeks ago, and it sounded wonderful and simple to make. Now that it’s getting warmer, cool and easy-to-make salads are great to have. This one combines all the flavors of a chicken burrito minus the tortilla. Best part, if you buy a precooked chicken, you don’t have any real cooking to do to make dinner. While you’re at it, buy a container of Pico de Gallo, which saves you from making it from scratch.

The ingredients include black beans (or red beans) and baby corn. I use Dynasty Baby Corn and cut it into little rounds. Both of these are used sparingly. If you’re in the induction phase of the low carb diet or can’t eat beans or corn in the stage you’re in, then omit them. The recipe is great without them. In fact, the photo doesn’t have either of ingredient in it.

You’ll need to heat the black beans and corn in a little chicken broth with the seasonings to make a light dressing, but you can do this in the microwave in no time. No microwave? Use a small pan and cook until it just comes to a boil.

So pleasant to take your burrito bowl, along with a tall glass of iced tea, to the patio on a balmy summer’s evening.

Low Carb Burrito Bowl

1/4 cup Black Beans (optional)
1/4 cup chopped Baby Corn (optional)
2 teaspoons Chicken Broth
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, ground
Pinch of Salt to taste
2 cups Cabbage, shredded
6 to 8 ounces precooked grilled chicken breast, cubed or sliced
4 tablespoons Sour Cream
2 tablespoons fresh Pico de Gallo
Fresh Cilantro or Parsley for garnish
1/3 cup crumbled Queso Fresco Mexican Cheese

Cooking the cabbage for this is optional. I’ve tried it both ways and it is good either way. The uncooked adds a little crunch to it.

In a small bowl, add the chicken broth, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, baby corn, and black beans (if you are using them). Microwave for 45 seconds.

Take two bowls and fill each one with the ingredients in this order. On the bottom of each bowl, put 1 cup shredded cabbage and spread to cover the bottom. Spoon the beans and sauce over the top of the cabbage in each bowl. Layer the chicken over the top, then spread sour cream over it. Top with Pico de Gallo and crumble the Queso Fresco over the top. Add cilantro or parsley for garnish.

Makes two delicious servings.

Nutrition Information per serving- fully loaded:
Calories: 337 Fat: 14.4 Net Carbs: 7.8 g Protein: 36.0 g

Nutrition Information per serving-without optional:
Calories: 298.6 Fat: 14.3 g Net Carbs: 4.1 g Protein: 34.1 g

Tip: This works equally as well with grilled shrimp replacing the chicken.

Recipes, Seafood, Vegetables & Salads

Delightful Summer Tuna and Cauliflower Salad

Photo: Tuna and Cauliflower Salad

Looking for summer to come around the corner any time now and my thoughts are turning to fresh, tasty salads. Actually, we had a hint of the warmer season this week in Reno before it turned chilly again. In celebration of those two days of bright sunshine and heat, I made this yummy tuna and cauliflower salad. It’s packed with delicious vegetables and enhanced with a light lemony mayonnaise dressing. If you like tuna, you should love it. If you don’t like tuna, here’s a tip… you can substitute in chopped chicken or turkey.

Tuna and Cauliflower Salad

2 cups Cauliflower flowerets
9 ounces White Tuna, water packed
3 tablespoons Lemon Juice, divided
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup Jicama, cubed
12 oz. jar Artichoke Hearts, drained and quartered
2 tablespoons fresh Parsley, chopped
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Cheddar Jack or Swiss Cheese
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
2 cups Mixed Lettuce, (Spring Mix)
8 Cherry Tomatoes (optional)*

Bring a pan of water to a boil and cook the cauliflower for about 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain thoroughly.

Drain tuna and place in a large salad bowl. Use a fork to flake it apart. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and gently toss.

Add artichoke hearts, cauliflower, cheese, jicama, and eggs and toss together gently.

In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with remaining lemon juice, sugar substitute, and parsley to make a creamy lemon dressing. About 30 minutes before serving, add dressing to the salad, toss gently and chill for about 15 to 30 minutes, then serve over a 1/2 cup mixed lettuce in each bowl.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: (without tomatoes)
Calories: 430 Fat: 32.8 g Net Carbs: 4.5 g Protein: 26.1 g

* With tomatoes, add 0.5 net carbs per tomato.

TIP: Use foil packaged tuna packed in water instead of canned tuna. It’s a little dryer so it doesn’t need to be drained, and it doesn’t carry the tinny taste of canned tuna.

Without the tomatoes, this recipe is suitable for Induction on the Atkins Low Carb Diet.