This recipe comes from Chef Gregory at Tova Foods, the makers of Carbquik. It’s easy to make and tastes great. The flavors go together and appreciate the slight sweetness from the jam in it. I like to eat it with Cranberry Mustard, although any mustard or mayonnaise will complement the sandwich.
Although I used Carbquik to make it, you can use almost any low carb baking mix. If you want to try almond flour, it will probably work, but you may need to add 1/2 teaspoon of Baking Powder, a pinch of salt, and about 2 tablespoons of softened butter to the bowl. Like Bakesquick, Carbquik has these ingredients mixed into it.
I recommend using parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. It will prevent sticking. Even with spraying baking spray on the pan, I’ve had my baked goods stick to the pan. So cut a piece to fit and spray it with baking spray, and this should come out easily. I used LC Foods sugar-free Raspberry Jam for my sandwiches, and I also tried it with thin slices of apple in place of the jam. If you use Smucker’s sugar-free jam, the carbs will come out about 1 carb higher per sandwich.
Baked Monte Cristo Sandwich
1 cup Low-Carb Baking Mix
2 tablespoons Golden Flax Meal
1/2 cup Half and Half Cream
1 Egg
4 ounces Swiss Cheese, thinly sliced
4 ounces Deli Ham, thinly sliced
4 ounces Deli Turkey, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Sugar-free Strawberry or Raspberry Jam
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F.). Prepare a 6x6x2-inch baking pan by cutting a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom. Spray the paper and sides with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, mix baking mix, flax meal, half and half, and egg together to make a thick batter. If the batter is too thick, add water, a tablespoon at a time, to make it thin enough to spread easily. Spread half the batter in the bottom of the baking pan.
Layer 1/2 of the turkey, then 1/2 of the ham, and 1/2 of the Swiss cheese. Spread the sugar-free jam over the top of the cheese. Then repeat the layers– turkey, ham, and cheese. Spread the rest of the batter over the top and smooth it to the sides of the pan.
Bake about 30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let cool for five minutes. Cut into four pieces and serve.
Makes four 3×3-inch sandwiches. This will serve four when you add a side salad. If you’re really hungry, it will feed two.
I recently saw a post that featured pancakes used in various ways, including the “dutch baby” pancake, which is like a giant popover. For some reason, it hadn’t occurred to me to use a pancake to make a sandwich. By making the batter savory, you can easily cook a pair of sandwich-bun-sized cakes and make a delicious and satisfying sandwich. I made two–a chicken sandwich and a ham sandwich to test out the recipe. Wonderful and easy to do!
So, if you’re looking for an easy bread substitute, you might want to try this one. I used DCC Baking Mix, Carbquick, and flax meal in mine, but you can also use almond flour, coconut flour, soy flour or any other low carb flour to make them. I suggest at least two varieties of flour to give them more strength. Coconut flour breaks easily, almond flour a little less, so combining them makes it sturdier. You also need to let them cool before using them to make your sandwich as that allows them to set up better.
Pancake Chicken Sandwich
A twist on the chicken sandwich adds a savory pancake in place of the bread.
For pancakes:
1 Egg
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Low Carb Flour
1 tablespoon Golden Flax Meal
1 tablespoon Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/8 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/8 teaspoon Onion Powder
Pinch Red Pepper
Pinch Salt
1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream or 2 tablespoons Almond Milk
1 tablespoon Water (don’t add if using Almond Milk)
1/4 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoon Butter
For the sandwich:
2 slices Bacon, cooked until crisp
Sliced Chicken (however much you prefer)
Piece of Lettuce
1 slice Cheese of choice (optional)
2 slices Tomato (optional)
Mayonnaise or Mustard to preference.
In a small bowl, add egg, olive oil, and sugar substitute and mix well with a whisk or a spatula. Add the cream and water (or almond milk) and stir or whisk. Add the flour and flax meal along with the Parmesan cheese and seasonings. Mix together.
Put a skillet over medium heat burner and heat until a drop of water skitters across it. Add butter and melt it, then put three tablespoons of batter in the pan. If there is room for two, do the second one, otherwise, cook them one at a time. The batter should spread out to form about a 4″ thin circle. It will be thicker than a crepe, but not as thick as a regular pancake. Let cook until the top looks dry around the edges and little bubbles break through. Turn and cook another couple of minutes until lightly browned.
Put on a plate, then do the rest of the pancakes. This recipe makes about three, but you only use two for the sandwich. Put the other one away to use with your morning eggs.
Assemble your sandwich. Put mayonnaise or mustard on both pancakes, then put lettuce on one, topped by the cheese and the chicken. Put the bacon on top of the chicken, then the other pancake on top. It will hold together pretty well while you’re eating it. I had uneven slices of chicken that tried to escape, so this would work better with even slices. You can also make a ham sandwich with it.
Makes one sandwich.
Nutrition information per sandwich; Calories: 526 Fat: 31.6 g Net Carbs: 4.7 g Protein: 19.2 g
Per Pancake only: Calories: 139.4 Fat: 13.3 g Net Carbs: 0.8 g Protein: 4.1 g
Ham and cheese sandwich. This could probably be popped into the microwave for about 20 seconds to melt the cheese.
The only thing that changes for the ham sandwich is a slice or two of ham, depending on the thickness, instead of the chicken and no bacon.
Continuing on my journey, I’m up to day 3 of my induction run. I’m still doing fine and getting plenty of food. So yesterday, June 8, 2016, this is my menu for the day:
Breakfast:
Food
NC
Baked ham & eggs
1.6
Tea
0
Vitamin B12 Gummy
1
Baked Ham and Eggs
1 slice Ham
2 Eggs
4 leaves Baby Spinach, torn
2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Spray a 1 cup ramekin (small casserole dish) with baking spray and rub with butter. Add the ham and spinach to the dish. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a teaspoon of water, then add seasoning and shredded cheese and stir them in. Pour over the ham and spinach.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the eggs are completely set. If you pull them out too soon and they are runny, return them to the hot oven to cook another 5 minutes.
Makes 1 serving.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 276 Fat: 195 g Net Carbs: 1.6 g Protein:22.3 g
Lunch:
Food
NC
Mozzarella Cheese
2
Sugar-free pickles
1
mayonnaise
0
MIM
0.6
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Pickles
I was so eager to eat this that I forgot to take a photo until halfway through it.
Yep, I made a grilled cheese sandwich with mozzarella cheese, which is absolutely delicious. This was very satisfying. I made a flax meal Muffin in a Minute for my bread. This is the basic Atkins recipe, but I do a couple of things differently. While you usually don’t eat bread during induction, the flax meal version is okay for it.
For the MIM
1 Egg
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 tablespoon Golden Flax Meal
Pinch Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon Grated Parmesan Cheese
In a 3 to 3 1/2 inch round bowl, add the egg and olive oil and mix together with a whisk or rubber spatula. Add the flax meal, seasonings and Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Tap the bowl a few times to eliminate air bubbles.
Microwave for one minute. Let rest and cool for a few minutes so it is easier to cut. Use a serrated knife to cut the muffin horizontally across the middle.
To make the Grilled Cheese
1/3 to 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese or 2 slices of it.
1 tablespoon Butter
Spread butter on the top of the muffin and set aside for the moment. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Then put about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese on top (or you can use two slices). Put the top over the cheese, buttered side up, then flip the sandwich and place it into the skillet. Let cook for about 5 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to press down on the sandwich. Butter the exposed side of the muffin, then turn the muffin over. You may have to hold it down with your fingers to keep the pieces together. Cook the bottom for another 5 minutes until it is a golden brown.
Remove from the skillet to a serving plate. Add a tablespoon of mayonnaise and a pair of sugar-free sweet pickles or whichever pickle you prefer.
Makes one serving.
Nutrition Information: Calories:626 Fat: 55.8 g Net Carbs: 2.6 g Protein: 27.5 g
For Dinner:
Food
NC
Italian-style Meatloaf
3.8
Turnip Home Fries
3
Green Salad
2
When I originally made the meatloaf, I served it with Brussels Sprouts and Green Giant Cauli-rice with Sweet Potatoes.
The Italian Style Meatloaf is one that I made a week or so ago and had in the freezer. You can find the recipehere.
To make the turnips, cut into cubes and cook in hot water until they are fork tender. Drain and dry off. Put a tablespoon of butter into a skillet to melt, then add the turnips and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until they turn a light brown.
I confess, I am getting a little tired of the green salad. Will be looking for different salad ingredients on Saturday.
That sums up the day. To top it off, I had one of the new Atkins Lemon Bars for dessert and that was 3 more net carbs. Total for the day was 18 g.
One of the questions that’s often come up on the Atkins support list on Facebook is what can I eat while I’m on Induction? People want menu ideas and recipes. Believe it or not, many delicious and satisfying meals come in at under 5 to 8 net carbs.
Recently, I decided to go back to Induction to try to get the weight loss kick started after gaining back about 25 lbs of my loss. Many factors contributed to this over the past year, such as eating out frequently, experimenting with new recipes, and some stress eating in the OMG, I have to try that! category. Now I have about 20 lbs more than I want on my body. So I’m going back to phase 1 to get back on track and I decided to document everything I eat for the next two weeks.
Even better, I am going to post my meals each day and give your the recipes or links to the recipes. I’ll even tell you which brands I use on some low carb items.
Day 1
To start this off, yesterday, June 6, 2017, this is what I had for each meal.
Breakfast:
Cream cheese pancakes, with butter and zero carb maple syrup (Mrs. Butterworth’s) and 2 strips of bacon. I also had a cup of coffee with 1 teaspoon creamer and liquid sweetener.
Total net carbs: 4
You can find the Cream Cheese Pancakes recipe here. I did make an adjustment or two to it, but I’ll post those changes in a couple of days when I make them again.
Lunch:
I had a quesadilla made with 1 slice of 1/4″ thick ham, 1 slice Swiss cheese, and a low carb whole wheat tortilla cooked in 1 tablespoon butter.
Total net carbs: 4 g
Super simple recipe and here’s how you do it. Sorry, I didn’t take a photo so next time, I’ll do that and post it here.
In a heavy skillet, warm the tortilla so it is pliable, then remove and melt the 1/2 of the butter. Put the ham and cheese slice alongside the middle of the tortilla and fold it over to form a pocket, like a turnover. Cook in the butter for about three to four minutes until the cheese begins to melt and the tortilla is lightly browned. Turn the pocket over and add the rest of the butter, sliding the tortilla around in the skillet to get the butter on it. (Alternately, you can butter the tortilla top while it is cooking, then just flip it over.)
Cook another three to four minutes until the bottom side is browned. Remove to a serving plate.
Makes 1 serving
Nutrition Information: Calories: 150 Fat: 9.0 g Net Carbs: 3.0 g Protein: 15 g
Dinner:
I had Roasted Chicken Thigh with Spicy Seasoning, 1/2 cup Broccoli spears with butter, and 1 cup Green Salad with Romaine lettuce, spinach, chopped zucchini, chopped cucumber, and 1/4 of an avocado chopped and 2 tablespoons Walden Farms Chipotle Ranch Dressing (0 carbs). Total net carbs: 6.1 g
For a night time sweet, I had two pieces of Russell Stovers Miniatures Chocolate Candy – 0 net carbs. Total for the day: 17.1 net carbs
That included the 1 nc for my chewable Vitamin B12. Must look for sugar free next time I buy.
Simple Roast Chicken
(Pictured at the top of the page)
2 large Chicken Thighs or Breasts, skin on
1/2 tablespoon Spicy Rub (0 net carbs) *
Butter-flavored Cooking Spray or 1 tablespoon Melted Butter
Preheat oven to 385 degrees (F.) Put a sheet of aluminum foil over a deep-sided pan, such as a jelly roll pan or a pie dish.
Wash the chicken pieces and dry with a paper towel. Place on the aluminum foil and spray the pieces on top or brush melted butter over them. If any of the skin is tucked under the chicken piece, pull it out and spread it on the sheet so that it will crisp. Pat the seasoning into each piece of chicken.
Put in oven and cook for 50 minutes. Check that the chicken is done and the skin is crisp. Remove from the oven and let sit about 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 2 servings.
Nutrition information per serving (thigh): Calories: 92.1 Fat: 7.1 g Net Carbs: 0.0 Protein: 6.8 g
Nutrition information per serving (breast): Calories: 300.4 Fat: 19.2 g Net Carbs: 0.0 g Protein: 30.3 g
The chicken breast is actually 2 half breasts, which is how they are usually sold. If you find small chicken thighs rather than the bigger, plump ones, then count two thighs as one serving.
* I use Blazin’ Blends Zesty Seasoned Salt, 0 calories and 0 carbohydrates
Close up of the green salad.
Green Salad with Zucchini & Avocado
1 1/2 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped Spinach leaves
1/4 cup Zucchini, chopped
1/2 medium-sized Cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/4 Haas Avocado, peeled
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
2 to 4 tablespoons Walden Farms Chipotle Ranch Dressing
In a large bowl, preferably with a lid, combine the lettuce, spinach, cucumber, and zucchini. Cut the avocado into small pieces and place in a small bowl, then add the lemon juice. This will help to prevent it from going brown. Put the rest of the avocado in a plastic baggie with a little lemon juice.
Put the lid on the bowl and toss the salad to mix the vegetables in. Serve on the plate or in a salad bowl, then top with the avocado. Pour chipotle ranch dressing over the top.
Makes two 1 servings.
Nutrition Information: Calories: 53.9 g Fat: 3.4 g Net Carbs: 1.6 g Protein: 1.5 g
I am all about making food that tastes good and satisfies the palate and is pretty easy to make while still staying in the low carb zone. I have a recipe for stuffed bell pepper Philly Cheesesteak made with purchased roast beef. Easy to make, but I thought it could be simplified even more and be easier to eat . So I came up with this casserole version that is absolutely delicious. I could eat this once a week and be happy. This is prepared in a skillet and if you have a cast iron or other oven-ready skillet, then it can go from the stovetop to the oven. Otherwise, you can put it in a deep dish pie pan or a casserole dish.
All the flavors of the cheesesteak are in this dish, except the bread. You could make a low carb pie crust if you wish and that would add about 2 net carbs to the total count. You can also vary this by using ham or chicken in place of the roast beef and it will still be awesome. I used smoky sharp cheddar slices on top and mozzarella in the mix, but you can use whatever cheese you prefer. You can also use thinly sliced steak for an different flavor.
Cheesesteak Style Casserole
8 oz. Thinly Sliced Roast Beef, ham, or chicken
6 Slices Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Cheddar or Mozzarella Cheese, grated
2 Large Bell Peppers
1 Medium Sweet Onion – Sliced
6 oz. Mushrooms – Sliced
2 Tbs. Butter
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Garlic – Minced
Salt and Pepper – to taste
Preheat oven to 385 degrees (F.) Spray a pie pan or casserole dish with cooking spray or use a stove-to-oven skillet.
Cut bell peppers into strips or pieces. Slice onions. Cut roast beef, ham, or turkey into strips.
Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat. Add onions, peppers, and garlic. Sauté until peppers are softened. Add mushrooms and stir in then cook a few more minutes. Add salt and pepper, then add meat strips. Stir together and continue to cook another five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese.
Pour the meat mixture into the casserole pan if you’re using one. Smooth with a large spoon to evenly distribute the mixture. Top with the sharp cheddar cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition Information per serving: Calories: 355 Fat: 26.7 g Net Carbs: 8.5 g Protein: 20.7 g
