I’ve seen tons of different What I Really Do memes floating around out there. You may have seen them posted to Facebook or on other blogs. I figured that the low carb diet deserved its own. I filled it with all the various comments that have been made when I say I follow a low carb diet. Click on the picture to see it full size. Hope you enjoy it!
Ever tell anyone you eat low carb or paleo and they think you eat something strange? Let me know and I’ll make another one using your suggestions.
This homemade herb vinaigrette is easy to make and the taste will blow away any store bought dressing. Not only does it taste great on salad but it’s incredible on chicken and hard boiled eggs. Eggs? Yes, eggs! Give it a try and see what you think.
2 garlic cloves
1 small shallot
1/2 cup of fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
6 fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
6 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Splenda or other sugar substitute
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup olive oil
Place the garlic and shallot into a food processor and mince them. Add the fresh parsley, tarragon, basil and rosemary. Process until they are well chopped. Add the wine vinegar, Splenda, salt, pepper and Dijon mustard. Pulse several times to incorporate them. Start the food processor and slowly begin to drizzle in the olive oil until well blended.
Serves 8 or more depending upon how much you use. Nutritional info is for 8 servings.
Calories: 187.6
Fat: 20.3 grams
Total carbs: 1.4 grams
Fiber: 0.1 gram
Protein: 0.2 grams
We used this dressing over a salad made of romaine lettuce, baby spinach, thinly sliced red onion, red peppers, tomato, cucumbers, diced chicken and feta cheese. The usual food complainers in the house only complained about the vegetables but never said a word about the “green” dressing. Here’s a close up of the herbal goodness:
What’s your favorite low carb homemade dressing?
I’ve noticed that many students don’t end up eating breakfast at home. Instead they bring hand held foods such as granola/granola bars, dry cereal, muffins, meal replacement bars or shakes, yogurt and other high carb foods made with “healthy” whole grains to class to eat. If I were to eat items such as those I’d need a nap from the sugar/crab rush followed by the blood sugar crash that would eventually come. No wonder they drink coffee all through class. Instead I’ll stick with my low carb snack to keep my blood sugar levels stable.
I decided to try making my own homemade beef jerky since the store bought ones are always so tough and are loaded with salt and preservatives. A quick search online and I discovered that jerky can be made with ground beef as well as thinly sliced beef. The ground beef version is suppose to be much easier to eat so I figured I’d give it a try.
1 1/2 lbs extra lean ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Additional flavorings: you can use various powdered herbs and spices to flavor your jerky. Use combinations based on what kind of jerky you would like. Italian: go with basil, garlic, onion and oregano. Mexican: try chili powder, ground cumin, garlic and onion. You get the idea. You can also use store bought soy, teriyaki or worcestershire sauce to add flavor. I split the batch and used teriyaki in one half and Penzey’s Sandwich Sprinkle in the other half.
Mix the salt, pepper and additional seasonings into the ground beef. Make sure it is well mixed.
Lay out a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Place your seasoned meat on the paper/plastic and cover with another piece. Using a rolling pin or your hands, roll or press out the meat until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Remove the top piece and carefully score the ground beef into pieces. Make sure you don’t cut through the bottom layer of parchment/plastic.
Gently remove the pieces and lay them on your dehydrator trays. I wiped each tray with a bit of olive oil to keep the meat from sticking. Once all your trays are filled set the dehydrator temperature to 145F. Dry the pieces for 12 to 18 hours or until the centers are no longer pink. Half way through drying flip the pieces over so they dry evenly.
The pieces will be soft when coming out of the dehydrator but will harden up once cooled. Store the finished jerky in the refrigerator and use within two weeks.
TIP: use extra lean beef. I made the mistake of using 85% ground beef and had to dab the excess oil off of each piece with some napkins. Extra lean beef should solve that problem.
I would have taken a picture of the finished product but they look rather unappetizing even though they taste delicious.
Give this recipe a try and let me know how your jerky turned out. What spice blends did you end up using.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
That about sums it up :) My own personally made meme at http://plate-by-plate.com/low-carb-diet-meme
Low Carb...Cheesy Cauliflower Tater Tots
Grow 100 lbs of potatoes in 4 sq feet
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