Tag Archives: low carb recipes

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Eat Your Greens!

How many of us heard those word when we were growing up? For some, it may have meant salad greens, but for anyone from the south, it would also include the leaves of various plants that were generally boiled with bacon and served. In my house, it was over-boiled, bless my grandmother who insured everything was fully cooked, and therefore, on the slimy side. It’s taken many years to get past this assessment of greens and some other vegetables.

Greens are very good for you and they provide a strong wallop of vitamin A, around 90% of the recommended amount and also about 54% of vitamin C. And to my surprise, they can taste delicious when not over-cooked. My go-to method for most vegetables is stir-fry or saute’. The quick cook with a small amount of oil ensures that the leaves are just done enough without draining the flavor.

This is the basic recipe for a mixture of greens and a few variations to give you some ideas of the flexibility of the recipe. Being greens, they are also blissfully low calorie and low-carb. Try some soon. You may also be surprised as how good these are.

If you buy fresh celery root with the stalks and greens still on it, clean the stalks and leaves and separate them for cooking and seasoning. The taste is stronger than regular celery so a little goes a long way and brings a slightly sweeter celery taste to foods. This recipe is great with both the leaves and stalks. Use about 1/2 cup of the chopped stalks.

The greens in the recipe are flexible and you can use equivalent amounts of the ones available. If you can’t find turnip greens, use twice as much of one of the other greens or substitute in a different one.

If you want this to be vegetarian, omit the bacon and substitute in a soy-protein alternative, if you wish, or just eat without it.

Basic Greens with Bacon

1 cup Turnip Greens, cleaned and trimmed
1 cup Beet greens, cleaned and trimmed
1 cup Mustard greens, fresh, cleaned and trimmed
1 cup Swiss Chard, cleaned and trimmed
1 stalk Celery, large (11″-12″ long), cleaned and chopped
1 cup Spinach, fresh, torn into pieces
1/4 cup Celery root (celeraic) leaves, cleaned and trimmed
(optional)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Italian Seasonings (oregano, rosemary, thyme mix)
4 slices Bacon, thick sliced, cooked and broken into pieces
1 teaspoon minced Garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons White Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar

Clean and trim all the greens. Just basically remove the stems and cut or tear into smaller pieces. Dry them on a stack of paper towels or let them sit in a colander for about 30 minutes. You can prepare more greens than you plan to use, then store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

Cook the bacon (I prefer the baked in the oven method), let it cool, then cut or break into pieces.

Heat a deep skillet or wok style skillet with one tablespoon olive oil. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute before adding most of the greens. Don’t add the spinach until last as it cooks very quickly. Add the celery at this time also as it will take a little longer to cook.

Raw greens in the deep skillet.
See the brighter color in the cooked greens on the right.

Cook and stir the greens until they begin to get wilted and are a deeper color. Add the bacon and mix it in well. Then add the spinach. Cook and stir it in until the spinach wilts. Add the vinegar and turn off the heat. Serve. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 88.2 Fat: 6.7 g Net Carbs: 2.1 g Protein: 3.5 g

 
Variations:

Greens with Turnips

Add 1 cup Turnips, cubed and cooked (boil or microwave) until fork tender.

Clean, peel and chop one or two medium turnips to make 1 cup cubed. Put into a bowl, no added water, cover and steam in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes until they are fork tender. Or you can put them in about 1/2 cup of water in a small pan and boil them until they are fork tender on medium heat. Make sure they don’t run out of water.

Cook the greens as above. Add the turnips when you add the bacon.

Calories: 97.3 Fat: 6.7 g Net Carbs: 3.6 g Protein: 3.7 g

Greens with Brussels Sprouts

Add 1 cup shaved Brussels Sprouts with the initial group of greens. They will take a little longer to cook. Can’t find shaved Brussels Sprouts? Buy regular ones and chop them into smaller pieces or put them through the shredder of your food processor.

Calories: 102.4 Fat: 6.8 g Net Carbs: 3.8 g Protein: 4.6 g

Super Greens with Daikon and Mushrooms (Pictured)

Add 1 cup Daikon Radish, Cubed and cooked (microwave)
1 cup shaved Brussels Sprouts
1/2 cup bok choy, cleaned and chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

Peel about 6 inches (assuming about 2 1/2 inches in diameter) of daikon. Cut into cubes and measure one cup. Put in a microwave safe bowl, no added water, cover and steam in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes until they are fork tender. Or you can put them in about 1/2 cup of water in a small pan and boil them until they are fork tender on medium heat. Make sure they don’t run out of water.

 

Cook the greens as above. Add the bok choy when you start the greens. Add the daikon and mushrooms when you add the bacon.

Makes 6 servings
Calories: 79.6 Fat: 5.7 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g Protein: 3.3 g

Posted on 10/10/2013

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Light and Cool Cucumber Salad or Salsa

This recipe isn’t my invention, but it was one of those that was posted and re-posted on Facebook. It is actually a salsa and works great as a dip, but it’s also an excellent summer salad with seafood, chicken, pizza — whatever you want to pair it with. I did make a couple of changes – one to simplify the recipe and the other to add a touch of sweetness to the dressing. I love fresh cucumbers so this is a great salad or dip. The refreshing taste would be fabulous with dippers at a party.

Crisp Cucumber Salad (Salsa)

2 cups finely chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1 cup (8 oz.) fresh Pico de Gallo
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1-1/2 tsp lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1 teaspoon sugar substitute

In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, Pico de Gallo and garlic and mix well. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, cumin, mayonnaise, sugar substitute and seasoned salt. Pour over cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Makes about 8 servings.

Use low carb crackers or cut vegetables as dippers.

You can store leftovers in the refrigerator a few days, but the dressing tends to become watery. Pour off water and stir the salad before serving again.

I used some of the leftover salad, diced ham and shredded cheddar cheese to make a delicious lunch salad. Use a curvy lettuce leaf to make a boat for it for a great presentation. You can also add sliced avocado to it or a few sliced radishes. Try it with diced chicken or diced turkey as well. This is going into my favorites.

Nutrition Info: (Salsa per serving)
Calories: 36.6 Fat: 2.9 g Net Carbs: 1.9 g Protein: .7 g

Posted on  8/14/2013

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Tomato Broccoli Spaghetti Squash Pie

So, what to do with the other half of the spaghetti squash that you cooked up? Make it into a tomato broccoli pie with the squash becoming the crust for it. Right now, fresh tomatoes are easy to get, but look for the vine ripened, firm ones. Check the local produce markets for the end of August crops. In my area, some of the summer plants are just really getting into full production.

This is a colorful and delicious dish that can easily become a main dish by adding bacon or diced chicken to it. Or serve it on the side with any grilled meat or fish. It goes with just about anything. I used a Mexican four cheese mix, which is what I had on hand, but I think it would really be great with a sharp cheddar.

Tomato Broccoli Squash Pie

2 cups Spaghetti Squash, cooked
2 Red Ripe Tomatoes, medium (about 2 1/2″ diameter)
1 cup Broccoli, chopped
2 tablespoons Carbquick or other low carb flour or thickener
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoning Salt,
1 Egg
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheese (your preference)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix together the spaghetti squash, 1/2 cup of the cheese and the egg. Make sure to mix the egg completely into mixture. It is the binder that will hold this together. Spray a pie plate with cooking spray then spread the squash mixture over the pan and up the sides to form the crust. Put in the oven for 10 minutes to partially cook the crust.

Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Spread the broccoli over the squash crust evenly.

In a sauce pan, make the cheese sauce. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and add the flour and stir to mix to make a paste. Add the whipping cream, 1/4 cup of water, and garlic powder and stir well. Cook until it begins to thicken. Add the rest of the cheese and stir until it is melted and blended into the mixture.

Reserve about 1/4 cup of the cheese sauce for the top, then spoon the rest over the broccoli. (If you want to add bacon, you can break four to six slices of cooked bacon into pieces and spread them over the broccoli.) Layer the tomatoes over the top. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper to your preference on top of this. Dot with the reserved cheese sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to toast.

Makes yummy 6 servings.


Nutrition Info:
Calories: 219.5 Fat: 17 g Net Carbs: 7 g Protein: 9.3

Posted on 9/4/2013

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Basic Cauli-Rice

Using cauliflower as a rice substitute isn’t my invention, but it works really well in many things. I do add riced daikon radish to my cauli-rice and that may be my original addition, but others may have also stumbled on this combination. The flavors go well together and while it doesn’t taste like rice – I think it’s tastier – it does give you a rice-like base for dishes you usually use rice in. If you want a bit more of the rice texture and starchiness, then add in a tablespoon of rice. It increases the carbs a little, but it isn’t as bad as a whole serving of rice!

1 cup of thawed Cauliflower florets or you can use fresh
1 cup of peeled Daikon Radish cubed (about 2 inches of a 2 1/2 inch around root)
1/4 cup Chicken Broth or water
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Butter
pinch of Pepper

Put the cauliflower and daikon into a food processor and process until they are the size of rice kernels. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter, then add the riced mixture, stir into the butter, then add the chicken broth or water and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and add water if it starts to get too dry. You can add sliced mushrooms or asparagus or other vegetables to the mixture if you wish.

Makes 4 servings

Basic recipe Nutrition Info:
Calories: 42.9 Fat: 3 g Net Carbs: 2.2 g Protein: .9 g

Posted on 8/1/2013

Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Fresh Summer Strawberry Chicken Salad

Inspired by two or three different recipes (and delicious-looking photographs), I set out to make my own version of this cool summer dinner salad. Taking a cue from a recipe at AllRecipes.com, I decided to go with a ginger lime dressing that tastes fabulous. Of course, this is low carb and uses some of my favorite salad ingredients.

I served this for a quick light dinner as several of us were working on the decorations for Angelina’s wedding next month. It was a hit and is so cool and easy to serve.

Strawberry Spinach Chicken Salad with Lime Dressing

Salad:
2 half Chicken Breasts
1 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups Baby Spinach, fresh
3 cups Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup Daikon Radish, shredded
1/4 cup Almonds, slivered
1/4 cup Golden Beets, cooked & diced
1/2 cup Red Onion, chopped
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese or other soft white cheese
12 Strawberries, fresh, halved

Dressing:
6 tbsp Mayonnaise, regular
4 tbsp Lime Juice
2 tsp Ginger paste
1 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 tbsp water
2 teaspoon sugar substitute or sugar free honey

Sprinkle garlic powder on the chicken and rub in. Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 30 to 35 minutes until the chicken is done and juices run clear. I put mine in a foil lined pan and cover with foil, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking. You can also grill or broil the chicken to your preference.

Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lime juice, ginger, cream, water and sugar substitute. Mix until completely blended together, then pour into a small jar, shake a few times and put in the refrigerator.

Roast the almonds in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

Cut up the lettuce, shred, julienne or dice the daikon radish (you can substitute regular radishes, but the flavor is a little sharper), and dice 1/4 of a cooked golden beet to make about 1/4 cup. Toss all the salad ingredients, except the chicken and strawberries, in a large bowl to mix it well.

To serve , place the salad on the plate, top with strips of chicken and pieces of strawberries. Sprinkle a tablespoon of cheese over the salad, then spoon or pour dressing over the top. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Nutrition Info: (per serving)
Calories: 316 Fat: 3.6 g Net Carbs: 8 g Protein: 17.1 g

Posted on  6/12/2013 4:57 PM