Tag Archives: salmon

Atkins Diet Tips, Breakfast & Brunch, Healthy Life, Main Dish, Recipes, Seafood

Induction Eating Plan Day 14

Last day of the 2 week induction period.  To be honest, when you’ve been on the low carb eating plan for a long period and you drop back to induction, your body goes into fat-burning mode or ketosis quicker than when you first started. So I have been with it for probably a week already. But for a beginning dieter, stick to the plan for the best results.

I went back to this level because I wanted a jump start to get my body back into the lower carb mode as I’ve slipped in extra carbs over the past year. I know I have a very low metabolism and my maximum carbs to maintain my weight loss is 23 net carbs a day, which is barely above the amount for induction. So, if I indulge and eat even 25 net carbs, then I will put on the weight unless I immediately drop back to about 22 carbs. It’s a balancing act. I really wish I had about 40 net carbs a day to use. So, for the most part, even when eating out, I need to stay as close to my maximum as possible, and it can be done. It just takes will power.

But sometimes, there are some foods that tempt you to go over. Don’t deny yourself the occasional treat, but don’t make a habit of it either. The low carb lifestyle is sustainable so long as you work at it and stay aware of what you’re eating. Remember, it’s easier to say no potatoes or bread when you order than to try to resist them once they’re on your plate. It’s easier to order an Italian dish with no pasta than to get one with it and try to avoid eating it. If you know you can’t do it, then try to choose a different restaurant. If all else fails, most restaurants have salads and many are willing to make adjustments to the side dishes or what goes into the meal. Ask.

Here’s the menu for Day 14.

Food NC
Breakfast Steak & eggs 0.4
Veggie hash browns 4.8
Coffee 1.5
Snack Pork rinds 1
Dinner Roasted Salmon with soy & bok choy 3.8
1/2 cup GG cauli-rice medley 1.5
 Celebrate chocolate bar 3
 Total Net Carbs 16

 

Breakfast was a bit of a celebration with steak and eggs, a good filling option that is always a favorite. But if you’re like me and want your over easy or slightly runny egg with hash browns, you need another option to replace the potatoes. These veggie hash browns are just the ticket and I think they’re more flavorful than potato ones. Maybe that’s the lack of potato talking…

Veggie Hash Browns

1 medium turnip, shredded
1/2 cup Daikon Radish, shredded
1/2 cup Cabbage, shredded
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
Dash Black pepper
1/3 cup Zucchini, shredded (optional)
1 Green Onion, chopped (optional)
1/4 Sweet Pepper, chopped (optional)

In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the vegetables together, cover with plastic wrap or a microwave cover and cook for 1 minute on high.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet and heat until it is hot. Sprinkle seasoned salt and pepper on the vegetables and mix in. Add to the hot skillet and lower the heat to medium high. Stir around and form into a big patty about 1/2 inch thick with the spatula. Let cook for about 8 minutes until the bottom is browned. Use the spatula to turn the patty over. It will probably break, but try to keep it together as much as you can. Cook the reverse side for another 8 minutes.

Remove to a plate to keep warm until you’re ready to serve.

Makes two to three servings depending on how many vegetables you add in. I made the base version without any of the optional add-ins, which is best on induction.

Nutrition Information for the base version per serving (based on 2 servings):
Calories: 39.4 Fat: 1.6 g Net Carbs: 4.0 g Protein: 1.0 g

Nutrition Information for the loaded version per serving (based on 3 servings):
Calories: 43.5 Fat: 1.6 g Net Carbs: 4.5 g Protein: 1.1 g

Since I had this hefty, for me, breakfast about mid-morning, I wasn’t too hungry for lunch, so I settled on one serving of pork rinds. I like a brand called Chef Piggy Tails that has seasoned rinds that you puff up fresh in the microwave. Delicious.

For dinner, I made a recipe that started out to follow one of Atkins recipes, but I lacked a couple of ingredients, so came up with a variation that tastes pretty doggone good.

Roasted Salmon with Bok Choy

2 Chinese Cabbages (bok choy), chopped
1/2 tablespoon Butter
12 oz boneless Salmon
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Salsa
2 tablespoon Sour Cream
4 leaves Baby Spinach

Preheat oven to 475°F.

In a shallow bowl or pan that will fit the fish, add the olive oil and soy sauce and stir together. Put fish in and turn it over so the skin side is up. Let marinade while you chop the bok choy.

Add butter and olive oil to an oven-safe skillet, such as a cast iron or copper clad one. Don’t have a skillet like that? Use a rimmed baking sheet. Put in hot oven for about 3 minutes until the butter melts.

Season fish with salt and pepper and any other seasoning you would like. My salmon already had a spice rub on it. When the butter is melted, place the fish flesh side down and it will sizzle. Bake 5 minutes, then turn it over to put the skin side down and bake another 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and use a fork to lift the skin away from the flesh, then tent with foil to keep warm.

Prepare the topping puree while the fish is cooking. Put salsa, sour cream, and spinach leaves in a small blender and process for about 30 seconds. The leaves won’t break up completely, but it will distribute into the sauce.

Add chopped bok choy to skillet or pan. Stir to coat the pan juices, then place in the oven for 1 minute.

Put one half of the greens on each plate and top 1/2 of the salmon. Spoon a tablespoon of the sauce over each piece of fish.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 395 Fat: 20.9 g Net Carbs: 3.8 g Protein: 46.6 g

I served this a 1/2 cup serving of Green Giant Vegetable Medleys, Cauliflower Mix. This is riced cauliflower with peas, carrots, and onions that is prepared without sauce. Add a little butter and seasoning for more flavor. Delicious. My only complaint with this is that the bag says that a serving is 1 cup and there are four servings in the bag, but really there are only two servings unless you serve 1/2 cup.

I capped the day off with my celebration sweet dessert of a Russell Stover’s Sugar Free Chewy Granola Chocolate Bar. Amazing for only 3 net carbs!

This concludes my two week induction recipe extravaganza. But going forward, I plan to include at least one Phase 1 recipe on my blog each month.

Let me know if you’ve enjoyed this or if you have questions. Or if there is a recipe that you’d like to see adjusted to low carb, let me know and I’ll see if I can do it. Thanks for following along.

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

Main Dish, Recipes, Seafood

Creamed Salmon with Asparagus and Greens

1 Comment

Although I’m not a huge fish fan, I do get a craving every now and then and last week, I decided I wanted cream salmon.  I had some asparagus in the house and a mix of turnip greens, spinach, and Swiss Chard, so it seemed like that would be a really good and low carb combination.  It turned out great!  The flavor is delicious and the sauce is light and creamy.  I served over low carb bagels the first time and over Dixie Carb Counters Skinni Spaghetti the next time.

This makes an easy, elegant dinner and if you love salmon, you’ll love this dish.  It can also be made with broccoli instead of asparagus if you wish.  This could be a wonderful dinner for your sweetie on Valentine’s Day.

Need to top the dinner off with a sweet treat?  Try this wonderful Strawberry Cream Torte.

Creamed Salmon with Asparagus and Greens

3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons low carb flour
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Asparagus or Broccoli, chopped
2 mini Sweet Peppers, chopped
1 Salmon filet, poached and sliced (8 oz.)
1 cup Mixed Greens (Spinach)
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

In a skillet, put enough water to cover the salmon filet, bring to a boil, then put in the salmon and poach for about 5 minutes until the fish flakes. It doesn’t need to be completely cooked as it will cook more in the sauce.

Remove the salmon and cut or tear into pieces.  Set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt butter, add the mushroom and saute until lightly browned. Remove mushrooms, then add low carb flour and stir to make a paste. Add the cream and water and stir in until the paste is mixed in. Add seasonings and stir.

In a cup, beat the egg until creamy yellow, then add a tablespoon of the hot cream sauce to it and stir in. Repeat until you’ve added about four tablespoons of the cream, then stir the egg mixture into the cream sauce and continue to stir until mixed. You don’t want the egg to cook, but to blend into the sauce.

Add the mushrooms back into the sauce, then add the sweet peppers and asparagus (or broccoli) and stir together. Cook for about five minutes, then add the salmon and the mixed greens. Cook for another 5 minutes until heated through. Serve over low carb toast, cauli-rice, spaghetti squash or low carb pasta.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition info per serving: (only the recipe)
Calories: 280.5 Fat: 23.8 g Net Carbs: 2.8 g Protein: 13.5 g