Tag Archives: carrots

Pork, Recipes, Soups and Stews

Warm Up with Bean and Ham Soup

Photo: White Bean & Ham Soup

As a child, I grew up eating beans a lot. My grandmother would make a huge pot of pinto beans. We’d get bolillo (oval long bread rolls) from Mexico, and I loved to hollow the bread out and fill it with beans cooked with hamburger. But since I am trying to stay low carb these days, beans aren’t something I eat very often. Nonetheless, I’ll share this recipe for white beans with ham soup. This isn’t as low as I like most of my recipes to be, but it is still within reason for most people to enjoy on a low carb plan. The real trick is to add more ingredients to the pot to spread out the beans, so you don’t eat as many in one sitting. With that in mind, I added onions, carrots, and turnips to the pot with the ham and bean.

Generally, I use a ham hock to flavor the pot and add seasonings to round out the flavor. I also use a little of Better Than Bullion Chicken in it to add more flavor. If you want a heartier dinner, then cook up a sausage or a chicken breast to eat alongside the soup. These won’t add extra carbs and will help to fill you up with the smaller serving of soup.

White Beans and Ham Soup

1-1/4 cup Small White Beans (dry)
1 cup, diced Ham
1/4 cup Onions, chopped
1/2 cup Carrots, sliced
3/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic Seasoning
3/4 cup Red Ripe Tomatoes, chopped or sliced or peeled and canned tomatoes
1 cup Turnips, cubed
1/2 teaspoon Better Than Bullion Chicken

In a large pot, pre-cook beans as directed on the package. Rinse, then add fresh water, salt, and pepper. Cook the beans from 2-3 hours until they are done. I usually put a ham hock or bacon in them to add flavor as they cook. Once they are done, add about 2 cups of water to the pot, then add the rest of the ingredients and cook until the carrots and turnips are tender. Add water as needed to keep the soup consistency. When done, you should have about 3 to 4 cups of delicious soup.

Makes about eight 2/3 cup servings.

Nutrition Information

Recipes, Soups and Stews

Warm Up Your Meal with Pumpkin Soup

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photo: pumpkin soup in a bowl

As the days grow cooler, I begin thinking about soups and stews more. I love all the various warming dishes. I also love pumpkin, and I’m always discovering new ways to use it in my cooking. For a long time, I associated pumpkin with desserts like pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, and pumpkin cookies. But pumpkin also has a savory side and can be used in many dishes. Interesting, it has a lovely thickening property, so it’s a great way to thicken stews and other sauces.

This recipe is an absolutely delicious pumpkin soup that would be a perfect starter for your Thanksgiving meal or just a warming soup with a slice of low carb soda bread for lunch. I plan to make this often this winter. If you want to make a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use the vegetable broth version.

photo: pumpkin soup in pot
Did I mention I love my copper clad square pot?

Hearty Pumpkin Soup

2 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Onions, chopped
2 medium Carrots, sliced
2 stalks Celery, sliced
1-1/4 cups Pumpkin puree
3/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
28 oz. Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
1 teaspoon ground Thyme
1 cup Kohlrabi, cubed
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
8 slices thick Bacon, cooked and broken into pieces

In a large pot, melt the butter then add in the onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté for about five minutes, stirring frequently. Precook the kohlrabi in a covered bowl in the microwave for about two minutes to give it a head start on cooking.

Add broth, pumpkin, and kohlrabi to the pot and stir to mix. Add seasoning and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Stir in the bacon and cream and cook over low heat until it is hot. Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 228 Fat: 19.4 g Net Carbs: 6.3 g Protein: 4.9 g

Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Find comfort in an easy Cottage Pie

Photp: Turkey Cottage PIe

I am resisting turning on my heater, but the temperatures in Reno have been chilly this past week. Snow has fallen at the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and fall has definitely hinted at the winter to come. So the idea of comfort food is really appealing.

Casserole dishes are always great in the cooler months. One of my favorites is the old British staple, Shepard’s Pie and it’s non-lamb variations of Cottage Pies. What is really nice about this version is that you make it using frozen vegetables and pre-made frozen mashed cauliflower to substitute for the potatoes.

This recipe is an adapted recipe that came with my lovely new 7″ square deep dish copper skillet. I picked up my first copper pan a couple of years ago and soon loved the ease of the cooking with it on the stove and taking it to the oven without having to dirty another pan. Although I have my cast iron that also works, I prefer the lighter weight and easier to clean copper pans, so I used that with this dish. This is not an ad for the copper skillets, but they are pretty snazzy.

Photo: Cottage Pie in Copper Pan

Anyway, this can be made in any stove-to-oven pan or transferred into a regular casserole dish. See the note below the recipe for the details on that.

Turkey Cottage Pie

1 lb Ground Turkey
1/2 Onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1 cup Mixed Vegetables, frozen (peas, carrots, green beans, & corn)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Better than Bullion Chicken
1/2 cup boiling Water
1 package Family Size Mashed Cauliflower
1/2 cup Grated Cheddar or Cheddar Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.)

In a deep skillet that can go to the oven, add a dash of oil and heat over a medium-high burner. Add the onions and sauté a minute, then add the ground turkey and cook until the turkey is lightly browned. Add garlic salt and pepper and stir to mix well. If you wish, add seasoning salt or any other meat seasoning you prefer for added flavor. Remove from heat.

Prepare the frozen mashed cauliflower in the microwave as directed. Let it sit until the cauliflower thickens so it will spread and stay on top of the casserole. While it is sitting, finish the filling.

Heat water to a boil and add chicken bullion. Stir until melted in, then add to the turkey mixture. Add in frozen vegetables and mix to distribute them. Spread the mashed cauliflower over the top of the turkey mixture and sprinkle cheese over the top.

Bake for about 40 minutes until the cheese is melted and the cauliflower is lightly browned along the edges. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 308.5 Fat: 16.7 g Net Carbs: 8.3 g Protein: 27.9 g

Note: If you don’t have a stove to oven pan, mix the meat, bullion, and vegetables in the skillet, then transfer to a 2-quart casserole dish. Spread the mashed cauliflower and cheese over the top, then sprinkle with cheese and bake as directed.

Main Dish, Recipes, Seafood, Vegetables & Salads

Simple Meal of Herb Roasted Salmon

When I was shopping last week, I was enticed by a lovely, and on sale, piece of salmon from Norway. Cold Atlantic salmon has to be one of the best fish options there is. Truth is, I am not a huge fish fan and only a few top my list of delicious eating. Of this short list, my favorite is salmon. I’ve prepared it several ways, but this roasted version is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to prepare it.

Herb Roasted Salmon

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) Butter
4 tablespoons minced Parsley or Dill
1 Salmon Fillet, about 1 1/2 lbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Lemon

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees (F.).

In a baking dish or pan that is just large enough for the salmon, add the butter and 2 tablespoons of the herbs, then put it in the oven for about 5 minutes. The butter should be melted and bubbly.

Put the salmon on top of the herbs, skin side up, and roast it for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan, then peel the skin off. I used a fork to just lift the skin off. (Save it for your cats; they love it.)

Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper. Flip the fish over and sprinkle that side with salt and pepper. Slice the lemon into thin rounds and put three or four slices on top of the salmon.

Roast for 3 to 5 minutes longer, checking to be sure it is done to your preference. Cut into serving portions, spoon a little of the butter over each serving and garnish with the remaining herb. Serve with additional lemon slices.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Nutrition Information per servings (4 servings):
Calories:230 Fat:17.0 g Net Carbs:1.7 g Protein:17.4 g

A delicious meal with Herb Roasted Salmon, Au Gratin Kohlrabi & Carrots, and Cabbage, Apple, & Kohlrabi Slaw.

Tasty Kohlrabi and Carrots Au Gratin

I’m giving you a two-fer this week by adding my recipe for Au Gratin kohlrabi. For those who may not know, kohlrabi is a versatile vegetable with a flavor resembling broccoli stems. When fresh, kohlrabi are easy to peel and are tender vegetables. If you let them sit too long, they tend to get tough. This recipe is adapted from scalloped potatoes and is adjusted for the more moist kohlrabi. But the flavor is excellent. I used cut pieces of the kohlrabi stems to add a little more broccoli flavor. These are made in a pan on the stove rather than in the oven.

2 medium Kohlrabi, peeled and diced in 1/2″ cubes
1/4 cup chopped Kohlrabi stems
1/2 cup Carrots, sliced
2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Sharp or Irish Cheddar Cheese
1/2 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley or 1/2 teaspoon Dried Parsley
Pepper to taste

Boil a pan of water and add the kohlrabi and cook about 20 minutes, then add the carrot slices. Boil until they are fork tender, 5 to 10 minutes more. Drain the excess water off.

Put turnips and carrots back in the pan, stir in the kohlrabi stems, and add 1 tablespoon butter, stirring until melted. Add cream and diced pieces of cheese and stir until melted and completely combined with the vegetables. Add the seasoning and parsley.

If you would like a toasty topping on the dish, spread them into a broiler safe pan and place under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories:106.5 Fat:7.3 g Net Carbs: 2.9 g Protein: 4.9 g

Crock Pot Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Slow Cooker Honey Chicken is easy

Looking for something simple to put together and put in a slow cooker while you’re busy with other things, like work or playing golf or swimming? You can come home to a delicious meal with only a little effort to get it going in the morning. This recipe for Honey Cooked Chicken came in my news feed and I thought it sounded great and only needs a couple of adjustments to make it a low carb delight.

I use sugar-free Honey that I order from Netrition.com because I can’t find a brand in my local stores, but you may find one at your market or a health food store. Let your fingers do the walking and check via phone or an online web site before running around town. In a pinch, I think sugar-free Pancake syrup can substitute, but it will give it a slight maple flavor rather than honey. You can also order a honey substitute from Amazon.com.

Honey Chicken and Vegetables

8 skinless large Chicken Thighs or Breasts
1 pound Cauliflower flowerets
1 pound Broccoli flowerets
1/2 lb Baby Carrots
1 pound Green Beans

Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar-free Honey,
1/2 cup Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce,
4 cloves Garlic (minced),
1 teaspoon Basil,
1 teaspoon Oregano,
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 teaspoon of Black Pepper

Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl.

In a regular-sized slow cooker, put four chicken thighs to make the bottom layer. Pour 1/2 of the sauce over the chicken.

On top of this add the cauliflower, broccoli and carrots. Top with the other four chicken thighs. Pour the remaining sauce over the top. Put on the lid and cook on low for 8 hours or cook on high for 4 hours.

Add the green beans for the last 30 minutes of cooking, put the lid back on and continue to cook on high.

To add a little crispiness to the chicken, you can remove it from the pot and broil for about 3 minutes on each side.  Serve with the vegetables from the cooker.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 154 Fat: 3 g Net Carbs: 8.8 g Protein: 18.2 g