I found this recipe on Tova Foods website. They are the makers of Carbquik, but the recipe was submitted by a user who compared it to McDonald’s McGriddles pancake sandwiches. I’ve never eaten one from Mickey D’s, so I can’t say how close it is to theirs. However, I will say it tastes delicious and works well to hold the sandwich together.
In fact, you can use the pancakes with any combination you’d like for a sandwich. Not too sure about tuna, though it might work fine.
If you don’t like flax meal, you can make it with another low carb flour or all Carbquik. However, the carbs will go up to another .5 to 1 carb, depending on what flour you use.
McGriddles-Style Pancakes
1/4 cup Carbquik or other Low Carb Flour
1/4 cup Golden flax meal
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or Sugar-free Maple Syrup
1 Egg
3 tablespoons Butter, melted
2 tablespoons Cream plus 2 tablespoons Water
Filling:
3 Eggs
3 slices Ham or Sausage Patty or 6 slices Bacon
3 slices Cheese of choice
In a medium bowl, mix the ingredients together. The batter should be easy to scoop and spread in a skillet like most pancake batter.
Heat the skillet over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Put about two tablespoons of batter in it and spread to make a 4″ circle. If there’s room for a second pancake, make another about the same size. Repeat until you’ve used all the batter.
Use two pancakes to make your sandwich. Cook the meat in the same skillet with a little butter. Place the meat on one pancake. Cook the egg to your preference (I like to break the yolk and mix it into the white.) Place on top of the meat. Repeat for other two sandwiches.
Makes 3 sandwiches. If you only want one, you can store the extra pancakes in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze them to use later.
Eggs baked into a quiche or a frittata is one of my favorite ways to prepare them. In many ways, a frittata is like a quiche without the crust, but I think it is much more flexible than the classic dish. It’s the more rustic cousin. The possibilities for fillings are numerous, so you can prepare it often and have a different recipe each time.
I bought some Cajun sausages made almost locally in Carson City, Nevada at our grocery store. They are spicy and delectable, so I decided to try them in a frittata. They brought just enough pepper to the dish to satisfy my desire for spicy food.
Sometimes a frittata has potatoes or zucchini in it, but for this one, I went with the low carb choice of a turnip chopped up. When fresh, they have a delightful taste. A bit of sugar substitute while cooking adds a touch of sweetness to them. If you don’t like turnips, then chop up zucchini instead.
Cajun Sausage Frittata
4 slices Bacon, cut into pieces and cooked
1/2 cup Onions, chopped
1/2 cup Sweet Mini Peppers or Bell Peppers, chopped
1/4 up Mushrooms, sliced or chopped
4 large Eggs
3 tablespoons Whipping Cream
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 or 2 Cajun Style Andouille Smoked Pork Sausage
1 cup Cheddar Cheese,shredded
1 cup Turnips, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Put the cubed turnips into a bowl, add 1 teaspoon water, a pinch of sugar substitute, and microwave for 2 minutes. Turnips should be fork tender, but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.
Slice the sausage into 1/4-inch pieces.
In a bowl, mix the eggs, whipping cream, salt, and pepper together. Add any additional spice you might like, such as a little red pepper or Italian seasoning.
Cook the bacon pieces in an oven safe 8-inch skillet, such as cast iron or copper. Cook the chopped onions, mushrooms, and sweet peppers in the same skillet until just tender. Add the turnips and mix the vegetables together well.
Stir the egg mixture and add in 1/2 cup of the cheese, then pour over the vegetables in the skillet. Lift the pan to distribute the egg mixture over all the vegetables, then let the eggs cook for about three to five minutes until they are beginning to set.
Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes until the eggs are almost done. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and bake another 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
For a crisp topping, you can put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes.
Makes 4 to 6 servings, depending on appetite or if you’re serving it with a salad or fruit.
Nutrition Information per serving for 4 servings: Calories: 375 Fat: 26.6 g Net Carbs:6.3 g Protein:25.1 g
Nutrition Information per serving for 6 servings: Calories: 250 Fat:17.8 g Net Carbs: 4.1 g Protein:16.7 g
In my mind, and in the ones bought locally, the calzone has always been like a pizza sandwich. Mind you, I’ve since heard that real calzone has ricotta and other cheeses in it and no sauce or gravy, as they say back east. Nonetheless, I love the dough, which is like pizza dough, and the convenience of a pocket sandwich.
I’ve tried several low carb flour brands to create a passable pizza crust and the best one I’ve tried is from LC Foods, their Pizza, Calzone, and Bagel flour mix. I’ve also tried Dixie Carb Counters All Purpose Flour and it works, but the dough is sweeter than I like. Other flours may work, but nut flours don’t give as good a result. For one thing, the yeast doesn’t seem to work well on them.
Ready for the oven, calzone made with DCC All Purpose Flour.
Basic Calzone Recipe
Based on the LC Foods Recipe for pizza crust.
3/4 cup LC Pizza Flour
3/4 tsp Sugar Substitute
1/8 teaspoon Salt
3/4 teaspoon Rapid Rise Yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1/4 cup Water, warm
Mix sweetener, salt, and yeast into flour. Add water and oil and knead dough by hand until a gluten film forms and the dough doesn’t break. You can use a bread hook or a bread mixer if you wish, but it is just as easy to do it by hand.
Pull the dough together in a ball, then place in an oiled bowl or on a bread board and cover then place in a warm place for the dough to double in size, around 30 to 40 minutes.
Dough rolled into a 5 to 6 inch circle.Calzone with pork filling ready to fold.
For calzone, divide the dough in half, then roll or stretch each out on a lightly floured, using low carb flour, bread board into 5 to 6 inch thin rounds. Place on baking screen or stone and fill one half with desired filling. Fold it over to make a half circle and pinch the edges closed. Small gaps for air vents are okay.
Bake at 415 degrees for 9 to 12 minutes until browned or crisped to desired level.
Nutrition Information per serving: Calories: 147 Fat: 3 g Net Carbs: 3 g Protein: 16.5 g
BBQ Pork Calzone-Style Sandwich
This is more a BBQ Pork sandwich in a calzone pocket than an actual calzone. It is delicious though and not too difficult to make. Works great with left over pork ribs.
1 Pizza Dough recipe made up and split into two balls
2 cooked boneless Pork Ribs (about 3 oz.), chopped or shredded
1/4 cup Sugar-free BBQ Sauce (I used Walden Farms, 0 calorie & 0 carbs)
1/4 cup Bell Pepper, chopped
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese, shredded
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
Preheat oven to 415 degrees (F.).
In a small skillet, heat the Olive Oil, then add the onion, peppers, and garlic and cook until almost tender. Add the pork and the BBQ sauce, stir together, and cook a couple of minutes.
Roll out one ball of dough to make a 5 to 6 inch circle. It will be very thin so try not to break through the dough. Place the dough on top of a pizza screen or on a pizza stone. If you have to use a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper.
Put one half of the toppings on one side of the dough leaving a slight edge clear. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal it into half-round pocket. Brush a little melted butter over the top. Make the other calzone in the same way.
Bake in the oven about 15 minutes until the calzone is golden brown. Let cool a couple of minutes then serve. You can add an additional small dish of BBQ Sauce for dipping if you wish.
Nutrition Information for filling only: Calories:180.1 Fat: 12.0 Net Carbs: 2.9 g Protein: 14.5 g
Nutrition Information with calzone dough: Calories: 327 Fat: 15 g Net Carbs: 5.9 g Protein: 31 g
Pizza-Style Calzone made with LC Foods Pizza, Calzone and Bagel flour.
Pizza Style Calzone Sandwich
This is a simple variation of the same recipe only using typical pizza ingredients for the filling. You can add in pepperoni or ground beef or any other meat of your choice without altering the carb count too much unless the meat has a lot of carbohydrates in it. For reference, I used Bertolli Vodka Pasta Sauce for this recipe. A couple of other pasta sauces are lower in carbs.
1 Pizza Dough made up and split into two balls
3 oz. Italian Sausage
1/4 cup Pasta Sauce of Choice (Look for lowest carb)
1/4 cup Bell Pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped or slice Olives
2 tablespoon Mushroom slices, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Mozzarella or other white cheese, shredded
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup Greens of choice (optional)
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
Preheat oven to 415 degrees (F.)
In a small skillet, add cook the Italian sausage until lightly browned, remove and set aside. Add garlic and bell peppers to the pan and saute. When bells are getting soft, add the mushrooms and cook for about 30 seconds more. If you are using the green, stir them into the pan and cook until they start to wilt. Remove from heat. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir in the olives. Mix in the pasta sauce.
Roll the dough out for the calzones and place on pizza screen or on pizza pan. Spoon filling over one half of the calzone dough, sprinkle on cheese, and fold it over. Seal the edges, leaving a couple of open spots for venting. Sprinkle a little cheese over the top if you wish.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
Makes 2 servings.
Nutrition Information for filling only: Calories: 188.4 Fat: 14.9 g Net Carbs: 3.0 g Protein: 10.9 g
Nutrition Information with calzone dough: Calories: 368.5 Fat: 17.9 Net Carbs: 5.9 g Protein: 25.4 g
Tip: To get a golden brown and shiny bread, you can brush with olive oil or spray with an olive oil or butter baking spray before baking.
At this point, there’s quite a few things that can be eaten from the refrigerator even with the small batches I make. So, breakfast starts with a make over of two prior dishes, then a simple roll up lunch, but the finale is the dinner… pizza! Yes, you can make a pizza that works while in the induction phase. You just need to be careful about the pasta sauce you use.
Here’s the menu for the day:
Food
NC
breakfast
1/4 Flax waffle
0.3
Cauli-rice Chorizo
3
Tea
0
B12 Gummie
1
lunch
Ham & Mozzarella Rollup
1
Tea
0
dinner
Sausage Chicken Pizza
2.9
Lettuce & cabbage salad
4.5
Mini Cheesecake
1.6
14.3
First, for breakfast, I took the other half of the flax waffle from yesterday and buttered it. Then I took about 3/4 of a serving of the cauli-rice chorizo from a couple of days ago and put that on top, then sprinkled a little shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Then I microwaved it for one minute. This could vary with the power of your microwave, but it will be about that. If your egg starts to explode, turn the microwave off.
Hot ham and cheese served on a fashionable paper plate. Who wants to do dishes?
For lunch, I did a hot ham slice with mozzarella cheese inside. Simply put a large slice of ham in a skillet with a tablespoon of butter and cook until it sizzles and browns a little, then turn it over. Spread the cheese over the ham and continue to cook over medium heat until the cheese begins to melt. A lid over the pan will help to hold the heat in and speed up the melting. Fold the ham over the cheese like a taco and hold it down with a spatula until it bonds with the cheese.
On the serving plate, put a large leaf of lettuce with mayonnaise. Use a spatula to remove the ham from the pan and put on top of the lettuce. Fold or roll the lettuce over the ham. 1 net carb
And this brings us to the pizza. This is one of my favorite low carb pizza options – a chicken crust pizza. Believe it or not, it is delicious and it doesn’t actually taste like chicken. When the pizza sets up, the crust is sturdy enough to pick up and eat. You just need to let it cool about 10 minutes. Many thanks to Your Lighter Sidefor turning me on to this crust.
Chicken Crust Sausage Pizza
2 large Chicken Breast s
1/4 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
3/4 cup Spaghetti or Pasta Sauce
1/2 large Sweet pepper, sliced into strips
3 Green Onion stalks, chopped
8 oz. Hot Italian pork sausage
1/2 Garlic clove
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
3 1/2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F.). Put a sheet of foil in a baking pan and put the chicken breasts in it. Bake for about 40 minutes until the chicken is done. Test with a fork. If the liquids from it run clear, then it is done. Remove to a paper towel covered plate, pat excess liquid off and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Cut the chicken breasts into pieces and put in a food processor. Process until it is broken into little pieces, then measure 1 1/2 cups of chicken and put back into the food processor. Add 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, cover and run until the mixture resembled fine breadcrumbs. Add the oregano, seasoning salt, and garlic powder and pulse a few more times to mix the spices in.
If you have a 11 to 12 inch spring form cheesecake pan, then put a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom and lock the ring over it. Trim off the excess paper on the outside. Spray with a cooking spray for easy release. Press the chicken mixture into the bottom of the pan and push it as firmly as you can to make a dense, firm, and even crust. Bake for 20 minutes until the crust is lightly browned around the edges.
While the crust cooks, add a pat of butter to a skillet and add the garlic and chopped onions. Cook for about a minute, then add the sweet peppers and cook until slightly tender. Remove to a plate. Add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces and cook until it is just browned, then remove to a paper towel covered plate to drain off any excess grease.
When the crust is cooked, spread the pasta sauce over the top, then add the vegetables and meat on top. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top, then spread the mozzarella on it. Put in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and is browning a bit. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan, cutting, and serving. I leave mine on the pan base until it is mostly gone.
Makes 8 servings and reheats well. If you are very hungry, this is low enough in carbs that you can easily eat two pieces.
Nutrition Information per 1/8 piece serving: Calories: 314.3 Fat: 19.4 g Net Carbs: 2.9 g Protein: 29.7 g
Note: If you would like a thicker pizza crust, use 2 cups of chicken and an equal amount of mozzarella cheese.
Do you like pumpkin? Do you like pizza? Are you game to try something a little different, but really good? Then here’s a real trick for a Fall treat! Combine pumpkin with pizza for a delicious dinner.
When I first saw this recipe, I wasn’t too sure about it, but I have eaten pumpkin and other winter squash in several savory dishes, so why not? I made a few adaptations to it to add more flavor and, of course, a low carb crust. For my base, I used LC Foods Pizza and Bagel flour mix for a small pizza crust. You can use a cauliflower, chicken, or flax and almond crust or any other preferred crust.
For toppings, I used Italian sausage, onions, and spinach along with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. You can vary these however you like. While this particular sauce doesn’t use tomatoes in it, I just found a jar of pumpkin chipotle pasta sauce made with tomatoes in it also, so it works if you want tomatoes in it also.
Savory Pumpkin Sausage Pizza
Small LC Foods Pizza Crust from Mix or 1/2 pre-made crust
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree
3/4 cup Chicken, shredded or Italian Sausage, crumbled
1/2 sweet Onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 tsp. Sugar Substitute
1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Red Wine
1 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Shallot, sliced
1 tsp. fresh Thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cups freshly grated Havarti cheese or Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup Spinach, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh Basil, chopped
Prepare pizza dough and let rise.
In a small pot, add the pumpkin puree, turmeric, sugar substitute, oregano, chile powder, wine, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic and heat on medium until it starts to bubble. Lower the heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a skillet, cook the sausage until it is just browned. Add the onions and cook until they are just softened. Set aside.
Chop or tear spinach leaves, shallot, and fresh basil.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F.).
Pizza with toppings before adding mozzarella cheese.
Roll out or press pizza dough into the pan. Spread the pumpkin sauce over the top and to the edges. Add sausage and onions, then spinach, shallots and basil. Sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses over the top. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes until cheese is melted and browned to your preference.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition Information (without crust)- 1 serving Calories:235 Fat:15.3 g Net Carbs: 4.5 g Protein: 15.9 g
LC Foods Pizza Crust – 1 serving Calories: 125 Fat: 2.5 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g Protein: 11.2 g
