Tag Archives: tomatoes

Breakfast & Brunch, Main Dish, Sandwiches, Seafood

Quick to Make & Delish Tuna Sandwich

Tuna, egg and cheese melt

It’s been a while since I last posted. A lot happened in my life in June, so it’s taken a while to get back in the rhythm. But I have a new and delicious recipe for you for a simple sandwich with enough enhancements to make it so delicious you’ll want more.

This is actually PK’s recipe, but it is outstanding. Loaded with tuna and eggs mixed into a salad, then topped with cheese and grilled. To finish it off, add fresh cut tomato and cucumber slices. These are optional, but they bring a whole new dimension to the grilled cheese sandwich.

The most difficult part may be getting the low carb bread. Luckily, many grocery stores are now stocking at least one option. OroWheat makes Keto bread that is 3 net carbs a slice, Franz Keto Bread is 1 carb per slice, Kiss My Keto makes 0 carbs a slice, and Timber Wolf Inked Bread makes a fantastic seed bread at 1 carb a slice. The latter is my preferred bread, and I find it at my local Sam’s Club for a reasonable price. You can buy any of these through Amazon, but it’s pricey with the shipping.  I found OroWheat Keto at Smith’s Food Stores (Kroger Foods) and sometimes at Wal-Mart. You can also find bread mixes on Amazon. Just search for Keto Bread. The picture uses the Timber Wolf Seed Bread.  The nutrition information is based on 1 carb per slice, so if you use OroWheat, add 4 more carbs for the bread.

Another bread alternative is to fold it up in a low carb tortilla. It will be about the same carb count.

Grilled Tuna Deluxe Sandwich

1 can white albacore Tuna, water-packed
2 hard boiled Eggs
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar-free Sweet Pickle Relish
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Mustard
2 to 3 tablespoons Red Onion, chopped (optional)
8 slices Tomato, sliced thinly (optional)
16 thin slices Cucumber (optional)
4 slices Sharp Cheddar Cheese
8 slices low carb Bread
Butter for grilling the sandwich (about 2 tablespoons per sandwich)

Mix the Filling:

Drain the tuna and put in a medium bowl. Cut the eggs into smaller pieces then use a fork to mash them and stir them into the tuna. Add pickle relish with juice, mayonnaise, and mustard and mix together. Stir in the onion if you are using it.

Assemble & Cook the Sandwich:

Put 1/4 of the mix on top of 1 slice of bread. Add a slice of cheddar cheese, then put the other slice of bread on top. Butter the outside of the top bread.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot enough for a drop of water to skittle across the surface, add one tablespoon butter and let it melt, then set the sandwich in the pan with the buttered side still on top. Cook a few minutes until the cheese begins to melt. Press down on the top with a spatula and flip the sandwich to the other side. The new top should be golden brown. Cook long enough for the side you just flipped to get lightly browned. Remove to a serving plate.

Lift the top and arrange two slices of tomato and four of the cucumber slices on top. Add extra mayo if you like. Put the top back on, cut in half, and serve.

If you don’t use the tomato and cucumber slices, you will save two grams of carbs. This will also apply if you don’t use the onion.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Nutrition Information

Italian Inspired Recipes, Pork, Poultry, Recipes

Delicious Italian Chicken Dish

Have a craving for Italian food? This is an easy dish to make and it tastes wonderful. You can serve it over zoodles or cauliflower rice to keep the carbs low.

Italian Style Chicken and Sausage

1/2 cup Onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced Garlic
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 15-oz. can Italian-style Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup Green Bell Pepper, sliced
1/2 cup Mushrooms, chopped
2 cups Chicken, cooked and chopped
6 oz. Italian pork sausage
1/2 teaspoon Basil
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1 package Green Giant frozen zucchini spirals
Grated Parmesan Cheese to taste

In a large skillet, heat the oil, reduce heat to medium, then add the onions and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, then add bell pepper and cook for two minutes longer.

Separate sausage into marble-sized meat balls and add to the pan. Cook until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and seasonings and stir to mix well. Then stir in the chopped chicken and mushrooms. Simmer uncovered until the liquid is reduced, about 20 minutes.

Cook the zucchini spirals as directed on the package. Drain the excess water off in a colander and pat dry with a paper towel.

Put 1/2 of the zucchini in a bowl, add a little butter if you wish, then top with 1 cup of the chicken and sausage mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and serve.

Carb count doesn’t include the zoodles, so add in the carbs for your zucchini.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipes, Seafood

Put this spicy shrimp dish on the table quickly

Photo: Shrimp Creole

This is a simple to make and delicious version of Shrimp Creole. I started with frozen shrimp, thawed it in a colander under cool running water. Then popped it in the microwave for one minute to partially cook it. From there, the rest of the recipe is quick to put together. I served it over cooked riced cauliflower. You can start with fresh or use a prepackaged frozen one. Easy peasy.

Shrimp Creole

8 oz Shrimp, cleaned and peeled
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup Onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Bell Peppers, chopped
3/4 cup canned Tomatoes, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
2 tablespoons Water

In a medium skillet, cook the riced cauliflower in 1/4 cup of water and a tablespoon of Butter for about 10 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed and the cauliflower is done. Keep warm on the stove. Or microwave a prepacked riced cauliflower according to the direction on the package. Add a little butter before serving.

Boil 2 cups of water in a medium skillet and add the shrimp. Lower the heat to simmer and cook for 2 minutes until the shrimp turns pink. Drain, place on a paper towel on a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat then add the onion, garlic, and chopped bell peppers. Cook for about 2 minutes until they are fragrant. Add 1 tablespoon of water, lower the heat to simmer and cook for 2 or 3 minutes until the vegetables are just fork tender.

Add the remaining ingredients and the other tablespoon of water. Stir together and cook over medium heat until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Add the shrimp and cook for 2 more minutes.

Serve over one-half of the cauliflower. Makes two servings.

Nutrition information: Shrimp Creole

Main Dish, Recipes, Seafood

Cod with Tomatoes is a great combination

Photo: Spicy Cod with Tomatoes

I am not a huge fan of fish, although I really love shrimp, scallops, and lobster. But I do enjoy a nice fish filet such as salmon, cod, trout, tilapia, and catfish. Some fish have too fishy a taste for me while others have an off-putting texture. Even though I enjoy them on occasion, I don’t cook them very often. So, I have resolved to prepare fish more frequently. Frequent is a nicely undefined term, so we’ll see how that works out.

With this in mind, I found a recipe for cod with butter and tomatoes and changed it slightly to what I had available in my pantry. I used Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning, but you can use any Chipotle seasoning mix you like. Cod is mild flavored, so the addition of the seasonings and sauce ingredients adds more dimension to the dish. It was not too spicy and very flavorful. Timmy, my male cat who turned 16 this month, enjoyed the few bites he got and was disappointed I wanted to eat my own dinner.

Cod in Spicy Butter & Tomato Sauce

2 Cod Filets 4 to 5 oz. each
2 tablespoons Butter, salted
1/4 teaspoon Better than Bullion Chicken
2 tablespoons Boiling Water
2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
10 Cherry Tomatoes
2 teaspoons  Southwest Chipotle Seasoning

Using the Southwest Chipotle seasoning, generously sprinkle on all sides of the cod filets and pat it into the fish.

Warm a skillet over medium heat. Mix the bullion with 2 tablespoons of boiling water (or use chicken broth). Add the broth, wine vinegar, and cherry tomatoes. Cook about 5 minutes or until tomatoes split open and release the juices. If they don’t split, poke them with a sharp knife to start the process.

Add the butter and stir until the butter melts. When is melted, add the cod filets. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side, looking for the fish to turn white half-way up before flipping them over. (This may vary, depending on the thickness of the filets.) Be careful to not overcook the fish.

Remove the cod to a serving plate and spoon the tomatoes and sauce over each filet. Sprinkle with parsley and add a slice of lemon if you wish.

Makes two servings.

Nutrition Info: Cod in Spicy Butter & Tomato Sauce

Italian Inspired Recipes, Main Dish, Recipes, Vegetarian

Italian Vegetable Sauce pairs with spaghetti squash

Image: Italian Veggie Sauce

Looking for a little comfort food on these cold winter nights? Want to keep on your Meatless Monday plan? Look no further!

This yummy meatless sauce with Italian seasonings and zucchini pairs well with spaghetti squash to give you a delicious and low carb alternative to pasta. While it comes in a little higher in carbs than I usually aim for with my recipes, it is still only 13.5 net carbs per serving.

If you’re just not into a meatless sauce, then feel free to add ground beef and/or Italian sausage to the dish. It works great either way.

Italian Vegetable Sauce with Spaghetti Squash

1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1/4 cup Onions, chopped
3 Sweet Mini-Peppers
1 teaspoon Garlic
1 15-ounce can Diced Italian Style Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning Blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 ounces Red Wine
3 cups Spaghetti Squash
1 cup Zucchini, diced
1/2 cup Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Spinach, fresh

Preheat oven to 385 degrees (F.)

Cut the spaghetti squash in half, remove the seeds, rub with a little olive oil, and place face down on a foil-covered baking pan. Bake for about 40 minutes until a fork inserted into the squash goes through easily. Remove and set aside to cool.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil, then add onions and garlic. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes until the onion sweats. Add tomatoes, seasonings, and wines. Stir and cook for a few minutes, then lower the heat to simmer and cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should be thickening. Add zucchini and cook about 10 minutes until it is almost tender. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook another few minutes.

Use a fork to separate the spaghetti strands of the squash and warm in the oven or a microwave for about three minutes.

Add the spinach to the sauce and stir it in until it is limp.

Put 3/4 cup of spaghetti squash on a plate, and top with 1/4 of the vegetable sauce. Grate Italian cheese over the top. Serve with a salad.

Makes 4 servings.

Image: Nutrition Info