Tag Archives: turnips

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads, Vegetarian

Yummy Roasted Vegetables

Even in winter, we have a lovely selection of vegetables that are simply scrumptious when roasted. This recipe is based on one Yummly sent in my email, but I’ve made changes to only include low carb vegetables in the mix. No potatoes or carrots in it. I did go a little overboard when I prepared my vegetables and ended up with enough to feed ten to twelve people. Good thing I love these veggies. So, I scaled it down to half that size and this should make enough nice side servings for six.

Hearty Winter Roasted Vegetables

2 small Golden Beets
1 cup Kohlrabi
1 cup Turnips
1 cup Cauliflower flowerets
2 stalks Celery, medium-sized
1 medium Yellow Squash
1 large Zucchini
3 small Sweet Peppers
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut all vegetables into about 1-inch pieces. Try to keep them close to the same sized pieces for even cooking. Keep the softer vegetables (celery, squash, peppers) separate from the harder ones (beets, kohlrabi, turnips, cauliflower).

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F). Line a sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup.

Add water about two-thirds up a large pot and bring to a boil. Add hard vegetables and boil for about five minutes to partially cook them. Drain and run cold water over them.

In a large plastic bag, mix the olive oil, vinegar, paprika, garlic salt, garlic powder,and pepper. Stir or slosh it around in the bag until combined. Add the vegetables to the bag, seal and turn a few times to coat all of them.

Spread the vegetables out on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 125 Fat: 9.4 g Net Carbs: 6.5 g Protein: 2.3 g

Poultry, Recipes

Easy Chicken with Mushrooms dish

So easy you can make it on a busy night!

This simple dish is one of my throw-together combinations. Let’s see, I have chicken, mushrooms, and spinach. What can I do with that? Well, this is one delicious option. Simple, yet completely satisfying.

For a side dish, I added cut-up turnips and kohlrabi, cooked in the microwave until fork tender, then added butter and seasoning salt. Yummy. The fresher the turnip or kohlrabi, the sweeter the taste. If they sit too long in the ‘fridge, they will get tough and a bit bitter.

Creamy Chicken with Mushrooms & Spinach

2 large Chicken Breasts
1/2 cup Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Cream
1 oz. Cream cheese
1 teaspoon Mustard
1 cup fresh Spinach
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
2 tablespoons Butter

Cut chicken breasts into several pieces about the same size for even cooking.

In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Add the chicken and brown on both sides over medium heat. Chicken pieces should be cooked most of the way through. Remove chicken to a paper towel or plate.

Add mushrooms to the pan and sauté until brown, then add cream cheese, cream, mustard, and cumin and stir. Continue to stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Tear and add spinach and stir in. Return chicken to the pan and add rest of the butter. Cook for another five minutes until chicken is done.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 329.5 Fat: 22.4 g Net Carbs: 1.4 g Protein: 28.4 g

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.

Atkins Diet Tips, Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Healthy Life, Main Dish, Pork, Recipes, Sandwiches, Vegetables & Salads

Induction Eating Plan – Day 4

Back again, with more options for staying on a low carb diet during Induction or Phase 1. This is the toughest part of doing the diet because your body is adjusting to the additional fat and the sudden reduction in starches. Since I was never totally off the eating plan, just over-extended my carbs some, I haven’t experienced what is often called Atkins flu, which is the dizziness and general malaise that comes with it.

So for Day 4, here’s the meal plan:

Breakfast:

Food NC
Cloud Muffin 1.9
Cinnamon 0.2
Butter 0
Tea 0
B12 Gummie 1

 

Cloud Muffin

This is a newer recipe from Atkins that I hadn’t seen before. It’s very simple to make and tastes pretty good. It’s got cream cheese in it, so it’s hard to go wrong.

1 oz Cream Cheese
1 large Egg
2 tablespoons Vanilla Whey Protein
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

I omitted the baking powder as I don’t see what good it actually does. It doesn’t have anything to act on in the ingredients.

Put the cream cheese into a microwavabe bowl or mug. Heat for about 10 seonds to warm the cream cheese, but not melt it. Add the egg and whisk it until it is blended with the cream cheese. Add the whey protein powder and baking powder, then whisk to mix into the cream cheese until it is smooth.

You can make this either sweet or savory by mixing in whatever you’d like with it. I add 1 tablespoon sugar substitute for a sweet muffin and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Cook in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove and let it sit for a couple of minutes, then remove from the bowl or mug. If it doesn’t release easily, run a knife around the edges to push it loose.

Cut in half and butter or you can pop it into the toaster and get it more crispy.

Makes 1 muffin.

Nutrition information:
Calories:225 Fat:14.6 g Net Carbs:2.4 g Protein:20.9 g

Atkins advises you use a Vanilla Whey Powder that is 1 net carb or less per scoop. I have one that comes in at 1 net carb, but there aren’t many that low.

Lunch:

Food NC
BTLA 1.1
Tea 0
Bread 2.4

 

Bacon, Tomato, Lettuce and Avocado Sandwich

Or BLTA, if you prefer. A great stand-by sandwich. I used the same muffin bread I made my mozzarella cheese sandwich with, so refer to yesterday’s post for that recipe.

Filling only:
2 slices thick bacon, cooked
2 pieces of Lettuce Leaves
1 tomato slice, about 1/4 inch thick
1/4 Avocado
1 tablespoon Mayonnaise

Scoop the avocado out of the skin and mash with a fork. Cut the bread in half across the middle and toast it. Spread mayonnaise on the inside of the bun. Spread the avocado on the bottom piece, then put a piece of lettuce on top. Next add the tomato slice, then the bacon on top of that. Put another piece of lettuce on top before capping it with the top piece of bread. Simple.

Put on whatever low carb bread you prefer.

Nutrition Information:
Calories: 238 Fat: 22.7 g Net Carbs: 1.6 g Protein: 4.3 g

Be sure to add the carb count for the bread. Here’s a tip, you could put it on the Cloud Bread recipe above by making it a savory bread. Add a pinch of salt, a tablespoon of Parmesan Cheese and any savory seasoning you prefer.

Dinner:

Food NC
Sausage with Turnips,Peppers & Onions 5.9
Salad with Pico de Gallo 1.2
Chipotle Ranch Dressing 0

Sausage with Turnips, Peppers, & Onions

1 medium Turnip, diced
4 mini Sweet Peppers, sliced
1 small Onion, diced
20 Lil’ Smokies Sausages, cut into thirds
1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Butter
1/2 teaspoon Spicy Seasoning
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional)

Put the diced turnips in a small pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a high simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the turnips are fork tender. Drain water and let dry a little.

In a non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium high heat, then add onions, garlic, and peppers. Cook until the onion is just tender. Add the turnips and seasoning. Cook until the turnips are slightly browning, then add the sausages and stir in. Cook another five or ten minutes until the sausages are heated well. Add cheddar cheese, if you are using it, and stir until it is melted.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving (with cheese):
Calories: 244.5 Fat: 20.8 g Net Carbs: 5.9 g Protein: 6.9 g

Note: I used Lil’Smokies because I had some in the freezer. You can use any sausage you want in this. Just check the carb count. 20 smokies equal 4 servings at 2 net carbs a serving, so that is your target carb count for the sausage. You can probably go lower.

That’s it for the day. Be back tomorrow with Day 5 of the plan. Hope this is giving you some ideas of how versatile the low carb plan can be. Let me know if you have any specific questions or want to know if you can eat a certain food on induction.

Atkins Diet Tips, Healthy Life

Induction Diet – Day 3

2 Comments

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 recipe here.

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.