I’ve added a few new features to the blog. In the lower right hand corner of each post you will see a small icon with Print PDF written next to it. If you click on this button it will open a screen that shows the post, allows you to alter it by changing the font size or removing the image and allows you to print it off. This will allow you to print off any recipes you may want to try.

Due to a huge number of spam posts that are constantly being sent in lately I’ve started using a new plugin to catch and prevent them from being posted. If you are commenting and your posts aren’t getting through please let me know. I’m hoping that reader comments won’t get deleted when the spammers get weeded out.

For those who would like to comment I’ve enabled to site to use CommentLuv. If you choose to register then you will be able to pick a post from the last 10 you’ve posted to your blog and CommentLuv will include a link.

I added in a new page under the Resources, Tips and Tools page. It has a list of some of my favorite low carb products and books . Many of the low carb products listed can often be found at your local grocery store or health food store. But, in case you can’t locate them, I’ve included links to take you to the various sites where I buy mine.

Now on to the stories that I’ve read over this past week that blow my mind, give me a headache and make my eyes bleed!

Poor Paula Dean! Now that she’s come out with the fact that she is a type 2 diabetic it seems the blogosphere is on fire with stories about her. I think things would have been different if she didn’t share this info in one breath and in another tell us she’s now being compensated to be a spokesperson for an expensive drug. Yet it seems that it’s business as usual when it comes to her cooking show.  Someone even started posting a list of her recipes that she’s been making on her Paula’s Home Cooking show since her announcement: Check them out at Daily Deen. Somethings just never change.

Here’s another great one: Dreamfield’s pasta company has launched a new program to spread awareness of type 2 diabetes and recognize those “DFF’s” (diabetic friends forever instead of BFF’s or best friends forever) who help others with the disease. Of course part of the program is to help educate type 2′s: 
“on the value of making smart health and wellness choices like exercising more and incorporating better-for-you food options — like Dreamfields high-fiber/low-digestible carb pasta — whenever possible. “

If you really want to be a DFF then tell your friends, family and loved ones that even eating Dreamfield’s pasta -whenever possible – is not going to help them control their blood sugar levels. There is no guarantee that this pasta has a lower glycemic index in diabetics so you could be thinking your getting 5 digestible carbs but actually end up with much more. Their own testing procedure pagestates that the people they test the glycemic index of their product were excluded if they had any metabolic conditions with impaired carbohydrate metabolism (diabetes). Hmmmm….your selling this product to diabetics yet you haven’t tested it on diabetics to determine if they breakdown this carb based product the same way as those who are not impaired? Personally, if you want to eat pasta go for the regular stuff. At least your already anticipating the higher carb count and plan for it in your diet. With Dreamfield’s you think according to their claims that you are getting 5 grams of carbs but could end up with far more with the consequence being a huge spike in blood sugar that you never planned for.

Finally, I’ll end on a story that actually doesn’t make me want to bang my head on the desk. Check out this type 1 diabetic telling it like it is – it’s not the butter, burgers, eggs or bacon that hurts diabetics. It’s the pasta, bread, flour and sugar that’s the main cause.

Recently read a story that makes you shake your head and want to scream. Leave a comment and share it with other readers.

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While searching for something new to make with a bag of frozen kale I came across this blog: 365 Days of Kale. Who would have thought there was a blog devoted entirely to kale! Scrolling through the site and it’s recipes I found this one for kale that included eggs. I had just about everything on hand. To reduce the number of carbs I only used 1 large potato that had been peeled, diced and boiled until tender.

Kale and Eggs

8 ounces of frozen chopped kale, thawed

1 large potato, peeled, diced and boiled until tender

1 small onion

1 clove of garlic, minced

roasted red peppers, several pieces diced

4 eggs

chives

1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil, butter or coconut oil

salt and pepper

In a large skillet add the oil of your choice and turn the stove on to medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic and saute. While these are cooking squeeze the kale gently to remove any excess water. Add the kale to the pan. Cook until the kale has softened a bit then add the red peppers and potatoes. Cook for several minutes until all the vegetables are warm. Make 4 small depressions in the vegetables. Crack an egg into each depression. Cover the pan and allow the steam to cook the eggs. Remove the cover, turn off the heat. Sprinkle some of the chives over the eggs and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste before eating.

If you like kale then you will enjoy this recipe. I’ve already made it a second time and added frozen zucchini that had been thawed when I added the kale to the pan. This would probably taste delicious with some linguica (Portuguese sausage) or even some bacon.

This post is being linked back to Real Food Wednesdays.

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Last year, at this time, we were buried under multiple feet of snow. This year we’ve had flurries that didn’t accumulate but no actual snow fall that amounted to much of anything. Until today. Right now there’s at least 5 inches of snow and the temperature is still dropping. On days like this, when everyone just wants to stay inside all bundled up, it’s a great day for soup! This cream of broccoli soup recipe can be whipped up in a flash. Serve it like it is or top it with shredded cheddar cheese. It’s filling by itself or you can eat it with a grilled chicken sandwich. Make your sandwich low carb by using a low carb bread such as Joseph’s flax, oat bran and whole wheat lavash bread.

The Best Cream of Broccoli Soup

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

8 cups of broccoli florets (I used 2 – 12 oz bags of florets)

2 cups of chicken broth

2 cups milk

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery. Cook until tender. Add the broccoli florets and the chicken broth. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the broccoli is tender.

If you have a immersion blender then you can puree the broccoli right in the pot. If not, pour some of the soup into a blender (only fill it about half way), cover with the lid and pulse several times to chop the broccoli florets. Once they are chopped a bit you can puree the soup to your desired consistency. I like to leave small bits of broccoli while others like their soup pureed smooth. Pour the pureed soup into a large bowl and continue to puree batches until it is all done.

Pour the soup back into the pot and add the milk. The soup should be fairly thick in consistency. If you would like it thinner you can add more chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the soup back up to the desired temperature and serve.

Serves 6+

Calories 126

Fat: 5.6 grams

Total Carbs: 11.3 grams

Fiber: 3.1 grams

Protein: 4.7 grams

The nutritional amounts were calculated using whole milk (which is where many of the carbs come from due to the lactose). If you want to lower the carb count you can replace the milk with heavy cream (1 cup cream and 1 cup water). This will drop the carbs to 8 grams but increase the fat to 9.5 grams and the calories to 137 per serving.

Image:mortonfox

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School is now officially back in session and this semester all of my classes start early. Since I don’t like to eat in the car while driving I need to eat breakfast before I leave or pack something to eat between classes. I’ve tried making muffins in the past using coconut flour but I find them to eggy (is that a word?) in consistency. I’ve tried replacing some of the coconut with almond flour but didn’t like that results either. I needed something to bind the mixture together besides several eggs. At first I tried Greek yogurt to moisten the batter up but the texture wasn’t right. Then I tried a mixture of yogurt and cream cheese and that worked out much better.

I’ve made this coffee cake recipe several times now. Instead of baking it in the oven you can microwave it. Talk about fast and easy. If you use a plastic container that has a cover you can eat half once it’s cooked and save the rest for the next day.

Low Carb Coffee Cake

2 tablespoons almond flour

1 tablespoon coconut flour

2 teaspoons Splenda (or sweetener of your choice)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1 egg

2 tablespoons greek yogurt

1 tablespoon cream cheese

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

1 1/2 tablespoons almond flour

1/2 tablespoon butter, softened

2 teaspoons Splenda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a microwaveable bowl blend the almond flour, coconut flour, Splenda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. In another bowl add the butter and cream cheese. Microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds to melt the butter and soften the cream cheese. To the butter mixture add the yogurt, egg and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add the butter mixture into the flour mixture and blend. Set this aside while you make the topping so it can absorb some of the liquid.

For the topping blend the almond flour, splenda and ground cinnamon. Add the butter and use a fork to mix until crumbly. Spread over the top of the batter.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Check to see if the center is cooked. If the center is still wet cook for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute until the center is set. Remove from the microwave and allow to cool for a few minutes. Cut in half and serve.

Serves 2

Calories: 193.2

Fat: 17.5 grams

Total Carbs: 6.9 grams

Fiber: 3.7 grams

Protein: 7.5 grams

Here is the container I used to make the coffee cake:

Here’s what it looks like when it’s cut in half. The texture is still cake like:

If you try this recipe let me know what you think. Do you prefer recipes that use only coconut flour or a blend of coconut and almond flour. Got a favorite recipe that only uses coconut flour? Leave a comment with a link below. I’d love to try some other cake type recipes out.

This recipe  is being linked back to the following blogs. Stop in to check out all the other great recipes, tips and ideas:

Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop

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Once people hear you try to avoid eating things such as potatoes, rice and bread the first thing they ask is “don’t you miss them?” Then they immediately say that they could never give any of those things up. Personally I think the key to not missing certain items is to find another food that works in its place. Sometimes a replacement can be found quickly and other times it takes a while. Mashed potatoes were pretty easy to replace especially when you use this low carb faux cauliflower mashed potato recipe.

Low Carb Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

1 to 1 1/2 lbs of frozen cauliflower or 1 medium to large head of fresh cauliflower

3 ounces of cream cheese, softened

2 to 4 tablespoons of heavy cream

1 tablespoon butter

salt and pepper to taste

If using fresh cauliflower remove the outer leaves and break the head up into florets and place into a microwave safe bowl and add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water. If using frozen cauliflower place it into a microwave safe bowl and add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water. Since every microwave is different start by microwaving the cauliflower for 10 minutes. Check to see if the pieces are soft. If not, microwave in 5 minute increments until all the pieces have become soft and tender. If you do not want to use the microwave then steam the cauliflower for approximately 20 to 25 minutes until soft.

Remove the cauliflower and drain off any water present. In a food processor or blender add the cauliflower, cream cheese, butter and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Process until it is smooth and thickened. If the mixture is too thick add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and continue to process. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 8

Calories: 75

Fat: 4.7 grams

Total carbs: 6.3 grams

Fiber: 2.6 grams

Net Carbs: 3.7 grams

Protein: 3.3 grams

One of my favorite ways to use cauliflower mashed potatoes is to make shepherds pie. Make your ground beef base, mix it with your favorite gravy, add some low carb vegetables and bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the cauliflower mashed potatoes and return it to the oven to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool and serve. Here’s a picture of shepherds pie that I made using string beans in place of the usual starchy veggies such as corn. It’s only partially topped with the faux mashed potatoes so you can see the filling underneath.

So this is one of my favorite high carb food replacements. Have you replaced a favorite high carb food with a low or lower carb version? Leave a comment and let others know what worked for you.

This post is being linked back to the following blogs. Stop in to check out all the other great recipes, tips and ideas:

Real Food Wednesdays at Kelly The Kitchen Kop

Fight Back Fridays at Food Renegade

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If this were the $100,000 pyramid game show I would say Paula Deen and you would answer butter!

With Paula Deen’s supposedly about to reveal that she has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes on the Today show this coming tuesday the only thing people seem to be able to talk about is her love of butter. All the news stories can seem to focus on is the butter and cream in her recipes. This is certainly the cause of the problem they claim. Yet how many of them even notice the amount of carbs used in a majority of her recipes. Dessert recipes don’t just call for sugar. They use granulated sugar, confectioners sugar brown sugar and even corn syrup….all in the same recipe! 

Main stream media doesn’t seem to notice that. It’s only the butter and fat that they can focus on. Yet what is the one thing that causes blood sugars to rise? That would be the carbohydrates in her recipes and not the fat.

But isn’t fat evil? Shouldn’t we try to eliminate as much of it as possible from our diets so we can be healthy and then the number of people who have diabetes will go down?

No (unless it’s transfats). Fat is an important part of your diet. Without going into a huge amount of detail fat protects your internal organs, it helps to insulate your body and protect against temperature extremes. Fat makes up part of the membrane that surrounds every cell in your body. Fat provides two essential fatty acids that are needed by the body for normal growth and development especially the brain! Some vitamins (A, D, E and K) can’t be absorbed by the body unless there is fat present. And, one reason that is never talked about, fat is used to produce ketone bodies which is the main energy source for both the heart and brain. It is the energy source that is preferred over glucose (which is obtained when carbs are broken down). Plus fats don’t raise your blood sugar level while carbs do.

Whether or not Paula is a type 2 diabetic remains to be seen. They will tell you it’s the butter that’s to blame. I say it’s all the rolls and biscuits she put the butter on that’s the real cause.

Have you read anything about this story? Have you tried any of her carbolicious recipes? Do you worry about the butter or the biscuits?

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Just a few interesting news stories that came out this past week that make my eyes bleed and give me a headache.

     Seems McDonald’s has joined up with Weight Watchers. Several of their meals will now carry the Weight Watchers logo on them. Right now this is only happening in some of the New Zealand fast food chains. I’m sure, if all goes well, we will be seeing more of this sort of thing everywhere.

     So what meals are now worthy of the low fat loving Weight Watchers logo? Good question! How about the Fillet-O-Fish (18 grams fat and 38 grams of carbs), the Chicken Nuggets (29 grams fat and 30 grams carbs) and the Sweet Chili Seared Chicken Wrap (18.8 grams fat and an estimated 31 grams carbs – couldn’t find it listed in their nutrition info chart). Granted, since Weight Watchers uses a points system to help you with your food choices, each of these items will only cost you 6.5 points.

     I understand that sometimes fast food may be your only option at that time but why not slap their logo on something a bit “healthier” – meaning lower in WW points. The cheeseburger would only cost you 3 Weight Watchers points. Hey, you could even eat two of them and they would have less points than the food items that will carry their logo. Try a premium ceasar salad with grilled chicken for 3 points or splurge and go for the southwest salad with grilled chicken for 6 points.

     This is a big win for McDonalds. Now there’s no need to think about what your eating as long as their a logo from a famous weight loss company on it. That means that the food is healthy right?

And on to the next story:

“Cut your portions, cut your risk”

     That’s the new tag line being used in a series of ads that are being put up in New York subways. The photos show a variety of images that are suppose to scare you into healthier habits. They also include various food pictures (burgers, drinks, etc) which show that portion sizes have increased over the years and are the cause of obesity. Yes, they are right. Portions sizes have increased dramatically but that’s not the only reason why obesity rates have gone up. I could rant on this forever but decided that I’d rather show my favorite ad of the bunch.

     That’s right. Only over weight diabetics end up with amputated legs and it’s because they drank bigger portions of soft drinks. Hate to tell them but diabetes may be linked to obesity but there are plenty of thin diabetics out there and their numbers are increasing too! Many diabetics are probably looking at this ad and scratching their heads because they switched over to sugar free soda years ago and are still having trouble losing weight. Hmm…probably from eating all those healthy whole grains no doubt.

     Has scaring people into changing their habits ever worked? Instead of showing the dark side of things why not go for positive images instead? After all type 2 diabetes, and avoiding leg amputations, can be prevented by eating a healthier diet. You would be amazed at how many people don’t even realize that this is possible. Maybe you should be telling them that instead….just a thought.

Story #3 and the one that absolutely drives me insane:

     Since we are worried about preventing type 2 diabetes we should head on over and check out this story at US News to see which diets they have ranked as “the best”.  Thank goodness they have cut through all the claims and so they can tell us which diets are best for diabetics. Too bad the 19 experts ranked the diets by using the governments recommended daily allowence for fat, protein, carbohydrates and salt. Great….I get the feeling this isn’t going to work out well.

     Winners for top diabetic diets included the Biggest Loser diet (50% of calories from carbs), DASH diet (45 to 60% calories from carbs), Mayo Clinic diet (45 to 60% calories from carbs),  and the Ornish Diet (also 45 to 60% calories from carbs). Thank goodness that getting 45 to 60% of your calories from carbs will help diabetics stay healthy!  NOT.

     How about diets that actually will help diabetics? Ones that are lower in carbs so blood sugar levels are better controlled. Where did they end up in the rankings?

     The South Beach diet came in at #20 and the experts concluded that there is no good evidence that this diet can help prevent or control diabetes. Why? Gasp….”It doesn’t provide enough carbs in any phase, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines”. As my daughters would say: OMG. After all we all know you should have plenty of carbs in your diet so your blood sugar levels can spike up high (said with a heavy dose of sarcasm).

     The Paleo diet came in at #24. Again, the experts weigh in with this bit of info: “By shunning dairy and grains, you’re at risk of missing out on a lot of nutrients”. Hey, wait a minute. Don’t vegetarians and vegans shun whole food groups? Yes they do! Yet the experts think that the vegan diet, with it’s 45 to 65% of calories coming from carbs, is so fabulous that it came in at #3 on the diabetic diet list and vegetarian diets came in at #4. If only the paleo diet didn’t cut carbs to 23% of the governments recommended amounts perhaps it would have ranked higher. Just think of all the diabetics that will have better blood sugar control by eating fewer carbs. The government certainly wouldn’t want that!

     And the one diet that I think just about everyone refers back to when they want to point out all that is “evil” in low carb dieting: the Atkins diet. The Atkins diet was tied with the South Beach diet at #20. Again another horrible diet for diabetics whose bodies CAN’T process carbs correctly because the Atkins diet doesn’t provided ENOUGH carbs to reach their recommended 45 to 65% that we should be eating. As Susan Powter, low fat diet guru, would say: STOP THE INSANITY!!!!!  I need some Tylenol….this list is giving me a headache.

     But wait! It’s not all doom and gloom out there. Check out this newstory:

     “The Fall River Fitness Challenge is sponsoring a support group for people who are currently on or are considering following a low-carbohydrate diet, either to lose weight or to stabilize or prevent medical conditions such as diabetes.”

     This peer to peer support group is starting up in Fall River, Massachusetts and is being run by a clinical psychologist. The weekly meetings are being held at, wait for it, the Diabetes Association located at 170 Pleasant Street. YES! Now that’s one news story that didn’t make me want to bang my head on the desk over and over again.

How about you? Seen any news stories lately that make you want to scream? Share a link in the comment section below.

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This recipe posted at a weekly food carnival caught my eye. I’m always on the lookout for new ways to make low or lower carb replacements for foods that are much higher in carbs. When I saw this recipe posted by Tiffany at The Coconut Mama I thought it was worth a try.  

Grain Free Flat Bread Recipe

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut flour (I used 1 tablespoon ground almonds and 1 tablespoon coconut flour)

1 tablespoon melted butter or coconut oil

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a pan with parchment paper to keep the bun from sticking to the pan.

In a bowl mix the dry ingredients together until well combined. Add the egg and the melted oil. Mix well and allow the batter to sit for several minutes so the coconut flour can absorb the liquid. Spoon half the mixture on to the pan and use the back of the spoon to spread it into a circle the size of a hamburger bun. Repeat with the remaining mixture to form another bun. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until the edges are a golden brown.

The recipe makes enough for one bun but could easily be multiplied to make a larger batch. The picture above shows the bread as it was cooked on the pan (left side) and the bread flipped over (right side). The top does not get as golden brown as the bottom but the bread is cooked through.

The big question is does this taste like bread? No it doesn’t. The flavor is a bit on the bland side and I will try it again adding some additional spices to the dry mix. Does it work as a bread replacement for sandwiches? Yes it holds up rather well even if the filling is a bit moist. I used one slice to make half a sandwich and it did not fall apart even when mustard was smeared all over it.

The other half of the bun is in the refrigerator to see how well it holds up after several days. It would be a time saver to make multiple buns and keep them in the refrigerator until needed but not if they turn squishy after a few days. I’ll definitely try this recipe again but add some added items to boost the flavor.

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    When I made the Low Carb Italian Meatloaf  the other day I didn’t end up using all the prepared meat mixture. I put it aside and thought perhaps I’d make a couple of burgers with what was left. Instead I made this quick soup. You can use the meatloaf mixture or your favorite meatball mix to create the meatballs for the soup.

Mexican Meatball Soup

1 lb of ground beef or use your favorite meatball/meatloaf recipe

1 tablespoon olive oil, butter or coconut oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 – 4 ounce can of diced green chilies

28 ounce can of stewed tomatoes

6 cups chicken broth or stock

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

hot sauce to taste

Place your olive oil, butter or coconut oil in a large stockpot and turn the heat to medium high. Roll the ground beef, meatloaf or meatball mixture into small meatballs. I used a small ice cream scoop. The meatballs were about 3/4 to 1 ounce each. Place them in the oil and brown the meatballs on all sides. Once the meatballs have been browned remove them from the pot and set aside.

Add the chopped onions and garlic to the pot and saute them for several minutes. Add in the green chilies, tomatoes, chicken broth and spices. Simmer for 10 minutes and then add the meatballs back into the soup. Simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.

Serve the soup with garnishes such as avocado cubes/slices, shredded cheese, sour cream or, if you like it spicy, try adding some chopped jalapenoes.

Serves 8

Calories: 195

Fat 12.4 grams

Total carbs: 9.6 grams

Fiber 1.6 grams

Protein: 12.1 grams

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A delicious spin on plain old meatloaf. The center is filled with a blend of mozzarella cheese, spinach and thinly sliced salami. You’ll never notice that this meatloaf isn’t made with breadcrumbs. Serve with broccoli, zucchini or green beans and pass on the garlic bread for a truly low carb meal.

Low Carb Italian Meatloaf

1 1/2 to 2 lbs ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

2 large eggs

8 oz of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 cup mozzarella cheese

10 to 15 thin slices of Genoa salami

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon basil

Preheat oven to 350F. Lay out a sheet of foil about 16 or 17 inches long.

In a large bowl combine ground beef, onion, green pepper, eggs, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Mix well with hands. Place mixture on foil and press out into a thin layer that almost reaches the edges. Top the meat mixture with spinach. Follow it by sprinkling on the mozzarella cheese. Finish by spreading slices of salami over the cheese.

Using the foil gently begin rolling the meat from the short end. Once completely rolled use the foil to transfer the meatloaf to a pan.

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 160F in the center. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with a bit of marinara sauce drizzled over the top.

Serves 7 to 8 (amounts below based on 7 slices)

Calories: 422

Fat: 32 grams

Total Carbs: 2.6 grams

Fiber 1.0 grams

Protein: 30 grams

This post is being linked back to Fight Back Friday at the Food Renegade. Stop in to check out all the other great recipes, tips and ideas.

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