Tag Archives: Atkins friendly recipes

Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

Welsh Rabbit or Rarebit for St. David’s Day

However you know it, whether by Welsh Rarebit or the older Welsh Rabbit, the wonderful taste of cheese, ale and toast remains a quintessential part of the dish. There isn’t any rabbit in the dish and rumor has it that it was called rabbit as the cheese was a substitute for the wild rabbit on estates that the non-aristocracy were not allowed to trap and eat. While there isn’t any proof of this origin, it’s a colorful story and the delectable flavor of the dish remains.

Since March 1st is St. David’s Day, or Dewi Sant, as he is known in Wales, it seems a great day to honor the patron saint of Wales with this delicious Welsh brunch dish.

I was first introduced to Welsh Rarebit by my great aunt, who lived in Redondo Beach, but she was originally from Virginia and I believe she might have some Welsh influences from there. I fell in love with the taste of the cheesy toast and Aunt Emily always made it with either Canadian bacon or American bacon on the toast. Heaven! You can buy frozen Welsh Rarebit sauce, but it isn’t on the low carb list and besides, it’s not that difficult to make.

The preferred cheeses are Lancashire or Irish Cheddar, but it can be made with any cheese. I prefer a sharp cheese so I have combined Irish White Cheese with Tillamook Sharp Cheddar for my sauce. I also used Guinness stout, but any good beer or lager will work or you can just add a little more cream to it if you prefer. I use CarbQuick for my flour but you can use other low carb flours or Thick-It-Up or you can use 2 eggs yolks to thicken the sauce. I haven’t tried coconut flour as a thickener, but given it’s ability to absorb liquid, it might work.

Welsh Rarebit Egg Toast

4 eggs
4 slices low carb bread or Oopsie Rolls, toasted
4 slices Canadian bacon (or 8 if they are small slices)
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried celeriac
3 tbsp stout or Guinness
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or more to taste
6oz Lancashire cheese or White Irish Cheddar cheese, grated (Or cheddar cheese)
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
2 tablespoon CarbQuick or about 2 teaspoons Thick-It-Up or 2 egg yolks

Pre-heat the grill to medium-high and toast the bread, turning it over to get both sides. You can also toast it in a toaster. I put a little butter on the bread if using the grill. If using the toaster, butter it after it comes out.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter, mix the mustard, flour (or Thick-It-Up), white pepper, and lager together to form a paste. Add the cream and stir until it is mixed together, then add shredded cheese, celeriac and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until the cheese is melted and the mixture is on the verge of boiling, but not quite. Remove from the heat and set on the stove top to keep warm.

Put the Canadian bacon under the grill for about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, poach or fry the eggs, whichever you prefer. Put the toast on an ovenproof plate, such as stoneware or Corelle or use a pie tin for each egg. Layer the Canadian bacon on top, then put the egg on top of that.

If you are thickening your sauce with egg yolks, stir them into the warm cheese sauce now and beat until the sauce is smooth.

Spoon about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the cheese sauce over the egg and toast. Put the plate under the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is lightly toasted.

If you really want a lot of cheese, you can add more of the sauce, but the calories are pretty high on this even though the carb count is low.

Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Instead of bread for the base, you could use a large, 1/2 inch slice of tomato. Or you shred daikon radish or turnips and make hash browns and build the rarebit over 1/3 cup hash browns.

For a nice spring variation, add two parboiled asparagus spears to each plate on top of the egg, then pour the sauce over that as well.

The sauce is also excellent just with toast, which is the basic form for it, and over vegetables as a cheese sauce.

The carb count doesn’t include the slice of toast, since that can vary quite a bit, depending on what you’re using. It does include everything else in the recipe.

Nutrition Info: (without toast) 1 serving
Calories: 398.4  Fat: 32.3 g  Net Carbs: 1.7 g  Protein: 23.7 g

Originally POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 2/28/2014 3:42 PM

Breakfast & Brunch, Main Dish, Recipes

Leftover Corned Beef Ideas

Along with St. Patrick’s Day comes corned beef… and I love corned beef! Yes, I know American corned beef isn’t like true Irish corned beef, but it’s what I was raised with and what I expect at St. Patrick’s Day. And I also love the various ways you can use it for other foods. The trick, of course, is to keep it low carb’d. So, over the next week, I am going to post a few ways to use your left over corned beef that are delicious and easy on the waistline.

First, I hope you have a good recipe for cooking the corned beef, but I make mine pretty simply. Buy a good cut of lean corned beef, remove it from the package. Put about a tablespoon of oil in a stove to oven pot, like a cast iron one or in an electric skillet. Heat the oil, then brown the corned beef on each side. Add one bottle of Guinness stout and one cup of water or beef broth, bay leaf and about a teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil and either reduce the heat on the electric skillet to a simmer or cover the pot and put it in a 350 degree oven. Continue to cook for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, checking a few times to be sure there is enough liquid in the pot. When the corned beef is fork tender, it’s ready. I find it best to cook the cabbage and other veggies in seasoned broth or water separately if you want to keep the bright colors. Otherwise, add the veggies to the pot for the last 30 to 40 minutes of cooking.

Now to the recipes for the left overs. And don’t miss this one that’s already on the site for Corned Beef Cottage Pie.

On this page: Recipes for Corned Beef Hash, Corned Beef Buns and Eggs with Corned Beef.

 Corned Beef Hash

Several of my recipes start with Corned Beef Hash. Here’s the quick way to make a really tasty hash starting with the corned beef.

2 cups Corned beef, brisket, chopped or shredded
1 cup Cabbage, fresh
1/2 stalk Celery, chopped
1/2 cup Celery root or turnips, diced
1/2 cup Leeks, thinly sliced
1 cup Brussels sprouts, shredded
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup broth from corned beef or beef broth

In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter and let it melt. Then add the leeks and chopped celery. Saute’ until they are bright green and just tender. Add the brussel sprouts and diced celery root or turnips. Add 1/2 cup of the broth from the corned beef or 1/2 cup beef broth and stir in. Lower the heat to medium low and cook until the celery root is just fork tender, about 10 minutes. Add the corned beef and the cabbage and cook until heated and the cabbage is wilted.

This is great for a quick dinner with a slice of Irish Soda Bread. Or you use it in other recipes.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 340 Fat: 24.6 g Net Carbs: 5.3 g Protein: 22.1 g

Corned Beef Egg Buns

I came up with this recipe idea when I was trying to think of a way to replace the Corned Beef Rolls we used to make. This uses my version of the Oopsie Roll, which I call and egg bun, to replace the flour roll. The filling is the corned beef hash above. The low carb flour in it is actually optional. The bun will work without it, but it is sturdier with it.

For the rolls:
3 eggs, separated
3 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup low carb flour (CarbQuick, Bob’s Red Mill, etc.)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tarter
3 slices of Swiss Cheese, cut into quarters

Preheat oven to 315 degrees.

Prepare one or two cupcake pans or 3″ cake pans or 3″ inch ring molds by spraying them with baking spray. Place on cookie sheets. This will make 10 to 12 cupcake buns or 6 3 inch buns.

Separate the eggs, one at a time, putting the whites in a clean bowl and the yolks in a separate bowl. Add the cream cheese, cut into smaller pieces, to the egg yolk bowl. Add the cream of tarter to the egg whites and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Beat the cream cheese and the egg yolks together, then add the flour, a tablespoon at a time and mix well. Add the seasoning mix.

Using a spatula, carefully fold the egg mixture into the whites until it is mixed through. Don’t stir, but just lift and fold so that it doesn’t break down the whites.

Put one tablespoon of batter into each cupcake well. Put in the oven and bake for about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and place 1/4 slice of cheese in each well, then add about 2 tablespoons of the corned beef mixture. It should fill the cupcake mold about 3/4 of the way. Spoon another tablespoon of the egg mixture on top of the corned beef. Put back int the oven for another 15 minutes until the top is lightly browned.

Let cool about 5 minutes, then remove from the molds and serve or they may be stored in a plastic baggie in the refrigerator to eat later.

Nutrition Info: (Serving is 2 cupcake sized buns or 1 3″ roll)
Calories: 413 Fat: 33.6 g Net Carbs: 6g Protein: 20.3 g

Corned Beef with Eggs

This recipe also uses the corned beef hash above. It makes one serving, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

4 tablespoons Corned Beef Hash
1 or 2 Eggs
1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
1/2 oz. Dubliner Irish Cheese, grated or use sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tablespoon Butter

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Prepare 1 cup ramekins by melting 1/2 teaspoon of butter in the bottom, either in the oven or in a microwave. Roll butter around to coat the bottom and sides.

Put two tablespoons of the corned beef hash mixture into the bottom of each ramekin and clear the center to form a well. Add one or two eggs to the middle of the ramekin. Sprinkle with a bit of pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 oz of grated cheese on top of the eggs in each ramekin, then add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Or you can use any leftover Welsh rarebit sauce, which is what I did.

Bake for about 15 minutes until the egg is done to your liking. I like mine firm in the middle, so 14 to 15 minutes usually does it. If you want it runny, try 12 to 13 minutes.

Let cool a few minutes, then serve with sliced and buttered Irish Soda Bread or Flax Bread.

Nutrition Info: 1 egg serving
Calories: 387 Fat: 31.4 Net Carbs: 3.5 g Protein: 21.2 g
Originally POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 3/10/2014 5:48 PM

Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes, Sandwiches

Tasty Corned Beef Quesadillas

Yes, it’s one last corned beef recipe for this year. I still have corned beef in the ‘fridge, but I figure I can save some of my brainstorms for next year, right? But I have to share this last one now because it is so good and a cool way of making a Corned Beef Sandwich using a low carb tortilla.

If you can’t find low carb tortillas, you can use an Oopsie Roll by spreading the batter out thinly into a 6 inch circle. Cook it a little less than you would a regular Oopsie roll, then take it out of the oven, let it cool a bit, then fold it over. Fill it according to the recipe below and you can either lightly toast it on a griddle or put it into the 300 degree oven for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Corned Beef Quesadillas

Mixing corned beef with a flour tortilla isn’t as odd as you might think. It is basically a flat bread, so there’s no reason it doesn’t work wonderfully with shredded corned beef with onions and peppers. Add some grated Swiss cheese or cheddar and you have a great lunch time meal. Add a scoop of Springtime Coleslaw to round out the meal. If you can get Kerry Gold Irish Swiss cheese, it is a little stronger than American cheese, but a good American will substitute.

For two servings:

1 cup shredded corned beef
1/4 cup diced or sliced sweet peppers
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup shredded Kerry Gold Swiss cheese
2 low carb 6″ tortillas
3 tablespoons butter
Dijon mustard

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet and sauté the onions and peppers until the onions are translucent. Add the corned beef and stir cook until the meat is heated, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Warm the tortillas over the open flame of a gas stove or on a griddle or skillet until the tortilla is soft and easily folded. Place on a plate and spread the corned beef mixture over half of the tortilla. Spread a little mustard on top or on the opposite side of the tortilla. Sprinkle 1/2 of the Swiss or cheddar cheese on top.. Fold over. Spread 1/2 tablespoon butter on the top of the tortilla. Set aside and prepare the next one.

  

On a griddle or another large skillet, at medium heat, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter, spreading it around the middle. Place the filled tortilla with the non-buttered side down onto the griddle and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes until the tortilla is toasted. Use a spatula to carefully turn to the buttered side and cook another 3 minutes. Remove to a plate and repeat with the second filled tortilla.

If you are making several, keep the quesadillas warm in a 200 degree oven until they are all done and/or use a large griddle to prepare.

Serve hot with mayonnaise and/or horseradish on the side. Or serve with Irish Horsey Mayonnaise sauce, if you prefer.

Net Carbs per 1 serving
Calories: 556   Fat: 44.5 g   Net Carbs: 6.2 g   Protein: 30 g

Originally POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 3/14/2014 1:30 PM

Desserts, Main Dish, Recipes

Gearing up for Cinco de Mayo

Right about now, everyone is looking at their Mexican food recipes in anticipation of the coming celebration of Cinco de Mayo (5th of May for those who don’t know).  Originally a celebration of the Mexican-Americans in the west to celebrate freedom and democracy during the Civil War, the Mexican state of Puebla now celebrates the same day commemorating the Battle of Puebla.  However, there are other parts of the world where it is also celebrated because all you need is a small excuse to have a great party, right?

And really, you need no excuse in order to enjoy the great flavors of Mexican and Spanish food.  So here are my offerings for Cinco de Mayo, but feel free to enjoy them any time you have a craving for something with a bit of bite or a sweet that’s a little out of the ordinary.

If these don’t appeal, here are some more great recipes on my site:
Pollo Pequitos – Game Day Tostados – Cornmeal Pancakes and Eggs – Spicy Breakfast Eggs – Eggs with Asparagus – Green Chile Turkey Enchilada Casserole – Spaghetti Squash Tamale Pie – Mexican Style Asparagus Salad – Enchiladas with Chicken and Butternet Squash – Chicken Chile Rellano Casserole – Tasty Pork Carnitas – Tex-Mex Cauli-Rice – Orange Almond Cake

Red Chile Beef Enchiladas

1 pound Ground Beef
10 oz. Enchilada sauce (about 3 net carbs per 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
4 taco size Low Carb FlourTortillas (3 Net carbs each)
1/2 cup Onions, chopped
1/2 cup canned Green Chili Peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon Red Chile Powder
1  cup Zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick

In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat.  Add garlic and onions and cook until onion is just tender.  Remove to a bowl.  Add ground beef and cook, breaking into small pieces, until it is lightly browned.  Drain any liquid off.  Add 1/8 cup enchilada sauce and stir to mix.  Add onions back to the pan and add green chiles.

To make as a casserole:

Assemble the layers in a deep 9 inch round casserole dish beginning with 1/8 cup of enchilada sauce.  Place a tortilla on top, then spread another 1/4 cup of sauce on top, then 1/3 of the meat mixture over the top of that.  Arrange zucchini slices in a circle then top with 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.   Place another tortilla on top of that, then top with 1/4 cup sauce,  then meat mixture, remaining zucchini slices distributed evenly around the outer circle and top with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.  Place another tortilla on top and repeat with 1/4 cup sauce, the remaining meat and 1/2 cup cheese.  Top with tortilla, spread remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle cheese over it.

To make as individual enchiladas, as pictured:

Warm a low carb flour tortilla and place on a plate.  Spread two tablespoons of red enchilada sauce over the tortilla.  Spread 1/4 of the meat mixture on top, 1/4 of the zuchinni slices on top of that and sprinkle a tablespoon of cheddar cheese on top.  Roll the tortilla into a flute and placed into a lightly sprayed baking pan, seam side down.  Repeat with the remaining three tortillas.  Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas and top with the rest of the cheese.

Enchilada loaded and ready to roll up.

Bake in 350 degree (F) oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.  Cut into six slices.  Top each serving with a fried egg if you would like.  Serve with Mexican Style Cauli-Rice as a side dish or a nice green salad.

Nutrition Info: Per enchilada – 4 servings
Calories: 516 Fat: 39.8 g Net Carbs: 8 g Protein: 31.3

When made in a casserole, this can make 6 servings with each servings being:
Calories: 333 Fat: 20.5 g Net Carbs: 7 g Protein: 20.8 g

 

Light and Refreshing Orange Flan 

Flan is a light custard dessert that is very popular in Mexican restaurants.  It is also very easy to make.  The trickiest part in converting this to low carb is the caramel sauce that is made from burnt sugar.  Sugar substitutes don’t really melt the same way and I hesitated to get them too brown.  But with the light sugary sauce, this is a delicious orange flan (Flan de Naranjas).  It was inspired by a recipe that used orange zest in the custard and I thought the best orange flavor is in the pulp, so this one uses the orange pulp in it.

1/3 cup sugar substitute
1 teaspoon butter

3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar substitute
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon grated orange rind

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F.)

If using Splenda or Equal, these sugar substitutes don’t melt well, so add 1 tablespoon water to a small sauce pan or skillet with the 1/3 cup of Splenda or Equal. Sugar alcohol will melt without water added. It gets gummy, then melts. Be sure to do this over low heat. Bring the melted sugar sauce to a light golden brown rather than a dark caramel. Remove from heat and stir butter into the sauce.

Divide into five1/2 cup ramekins. Place ramekins in a baking dish large enough to allow 1 inch of water up the sides.  You can also make this as a large flan in a 2 1/2 cup flan dish or casserole dish.

Separate the orange segments in 1/4 of a large orange, remove any membrane and chop the orange into small pieces or process in a food processor to get a nicely chopped pulp.  Should make about 1/4 cup of orange bits.

Stir cream, coconut milk, water, eggs, sugar substitute, orange extract and chopped oranges together and measure 1/2 cup into each ramekin.  Or pour all of it into a flan mold.  If you use a mold, stir to make sure the orange pieces are distributed in the dish.

Sugar sauce in the ramekins. I used one two serving ramekin so just doubled the sauce and the custard mix in that one.

Carefully, to avoid getting water in the dishes, add warm water to the pan to come up to 1 inch.

Bake for about 1 hour until a thin knife (I use a citrus knife) inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes on a wire rack, then remove the ramekins or mold from the pan and cover the top with plastic wrap, allowing the wrap to touch the surface of the flan. Chill 3 1/2 to 4 hours before serving.

To un-mold, loosen the edges with a thin bladed knife and lift up the bottom a little. Put the serving plate on top of the ramekin or mold and flip.  The flan should drop right out.  If  it doesn’t, put hot water in a bowl and set the ramekin or mold in it for about 10 seconds and try again to un-mold it.

Deliciously topped with Cool Whip and orange pieces.

Spoon any melted caramel over the top of the flan. Serve with dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip on top, if you wish, and top with an orange segment or pieces of orange.

Makes 5 servings

Nutrition Info per serving:
Calories: 196.6 Fat: 10 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g. Protein: 5.6 g

 

 

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Mexican/Spanish Recipes, Recipes

An Easy Breakfast for Easter or Cinco de Mayo

Yum! Cornmeal pancake with egg, pico de gallo and sour cream! This breakfast is so tasty I wanted to get it out in time for Easter although its Mexican flavors certainly fit with the Cinco de Mayo theme. The initial recipe came from my local grocery store, Raleys, but I adjusted it to low carb and made a couple of tweaks in it. Add a little ground beef flavored with taco seasonings and you have a great brunch meal.

To get a little of the cornmeal taste into the corn cake, I used one tablespoon of corn flour instead of two and used one tablespoon of golden flax meal that has a similar texture and compliments the taste. I hope you’ll give these a try because they are really good.

I do have to add that with the cornmeal in them, they are not technically legal on Phase 2 and 3 Atkins, but the carb count is low and it should be a fairly safe “cheat”. I am on maintenance and still stay within my body’s carb limit, which is low, so I want my food to be as low carb’d as possible. If you prefer to make it without the cornmeal and use two tablespoons of golden flax instead, it will save you a little in the carbs, but you will lose the cornmeal flavor.

Fiesta Cornmeal Pancakes & Eggs

 

For the pancakes:
1/4 cup Carbquick or New Hope Mills Pancake Mix*
2 tablespoons heavy cream plus 1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 tablespoon golden flaxmeal
2 tablespoons shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon Mexican Blend Seasoning
1 tablespoon beaten egg
1 teaspoon olive oil
butter for skillet

For the toppings:
2 fried eggs
2 tablespoons Fresh Pico de Gallo
2 tsp. sour cream

* You can make your own pancake mix using 4 tablespoons almond flour or 2 tablespoon coconut flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (with the almond flour) or 1 extra egg white (with the coconut flour).

In a small bowl, mix together the pancake ingredients, except cheese, until well mixed. Add the cheddar cheese last. If batter is too thick, add a little water until it is easy to spoon out.

Heat an omelette pan or small griddle on the burner until it is hot enough that water sizzles when dropped on the pan. Lower the heat a little to a medium high. Melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter in the pan and pour half the batter onto the griddle and spread to make a 4 inch pancake. Put a lid over the skillet or tent aluminum foil over the pan to hold the heat and begin cooking the top. This will help to cook the pancake through without burning it. After 2 or 3 minutes, remove the lid and turn the pancake. Cook about 4 minutes on the back side until golden brown. Remove to a warm plate and place in an oven or cover with foil to hold the heat. Repeat with the second pancake.

Corn cake off the griddle.

Melt the rest of the butter in an egg pan and when it bubbles, carefully break an egg into the pan. Use the spatula to keep the egg white around the egg. To cook a sunny side up egg, cover the pan with a lid for about 3 minutes, then check the egg white to see if it is solid. If so, remove the egg, place on top of the corn cake and top with a tablespoon of pico de gallo and a teaspoon of sour cream. Repeat with second egg. You can cook the eggs any way you prefer. The one at the top of the page is over easy, but you can also scramble them if you wish.

Serve hot.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 301 Fat: 24.4 Net Carbs: 5.4 g Protein: 13.4 g

Fiesta Taco and Egg Corn Cake

Same ingredients plus:
1/4 lb ground beef
1/4 teaspoon taco seasoning

Cook the ground beef in a small skillet until lightly browned. Add taco seasoning and 1 tablespoon of water or beef broth. Stir the seasonings into the meat. Drain and set aside.

Follow the instructions above, but add pre-cooked ground beef to the toppers and about 2 tablespoons cheddar jack cheese per serving.

I also added a tablespoon of guacamole to my brunch taco corn cake, so that’s an option also.

Nutrition Info: (without the guacamole)
Calories: 481  Fat: 39.1  Net Carbs: 5.9 g  Protein: 23.2 g

Originally Published 04/18/2014 on my previous blog.