Sep 20 2016

Indian Kheema Matar (Beef with “Peas” and Mint)

This dish can be made with either ground lamb or ground beef and is equally good with both. This Indian dish is traditionally cooked with peas and served atop basmati steamed rice. But I have I found it is just as good with small cut frozen green bean pieces served on shredded, sauteed cabbage and found it even tastier than served over rice! The nutritional info below does not include the cabbage. My husband and I found my first attempt at Kheema Matar, which we have often had at Indian restaurants, to be pretty darn good! It has rapidly moved into my quick and easy recipes category.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS. She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented cooks to bring you a wealth of delicious recipes you are going to want to try. Even a few of my recipes are in the cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! (also available individually) from Amazon or: http://amongfriends.us/order.php DISCLAIMER: I do not get paid for this book promotion or for the inclusion of my recipes therein. I do so merely because they are GREAT cookbooks any low-carb cook would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground beef or lamb

1 T. olive or coconut oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove minced garlic

½ tsp. minced ginger

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. ground coriander

¼ tsp. salt

2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped

½ c. frozen cut green beans, cut again into halves

1 carrot, cut into small dice

2 T. chopped cilantro

2 T. chopped fresh mint (I use spearmint)

½ jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1½ tsp. my Garam Masala

DIRECTIONS: Place carrots and green bean pieces in small amount of water in saucepan and cook just until tender crisp. Add oil to large skillet. Brown chopped onion. Add meat and break apart as it browns. Add garlic, tomatoes, jalapeno and all spices except mint and cilantro. Lower heat to simmer, cover and cook 15-20 minutes until tomatoes and onion well cooked. Now add the drained carrot/bean mixture, cilantro and mint and stir well. Cover again and cook additional 5-10 minutes or so for flavors to blend well. Serve atop bed of shredded stir-fried cabbage or basmati rice.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Serves 4, each serving contains: (does not include cabbage base)

187 calories, 23.8 g fat, 7.55 g carbs, 2.38 g fiber, 5.17 NET CARBS, 23.8 g protein, 620 mg sodium

Sep 19 2016

Chicken “Fried” Steak with Cream Gravy

I live in Texas and man, I have been missing classic Texas chicken-fried steak with cream gravy!! Well no more yearning for a long-lost love! I just created a low-carb CFS that’s pretty dang close to the real deal! I’ve had such good luck with my mayo-pork rind coating for “fries”, numerous veggies, fish filets and chicken, I thought today “Why not give it a whirl for chicken fried steak”? Well, IT WORKED!

My first thought on how to go about this was that the beef would exude too much moisture during baking, if I just coated it raw, even if I patted it very dry with paper towels. Didn’t want the pork-rink coating to get “soggy”, so I decided to sear the meat first to seal in those juices before I began the coating process. That turned out to be a VERY good decision!! This came out FANTASTIC! And the gravy was SUPER, even without the usual browning of flour. The natural caramelized meat juices deglazed from the skillet made a DELICIOUS cream gravy without one bit of flour!

I served this alongside a saute of radishes and onion and steamed broccoli. I got distracted cooking the radishes and almost browned my meat TOO much, at least browner than I usually do chicken fried steak. But it was STILL GREAT! Timing can be merciless in the kitchen. 🙂

You can use round steak for this dish if you prefer, but I have always preferred chuck or sirloin for my CFS. Much better taste in my opinion. I’m just not very fond of round steak. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets and Primal-Paleo if you eat pork rinds.

One reader’s comment:

Just made this and it is great! My 3 year old grandson ate it all and never knew that it wasn’t “real” chicken fried steak!

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INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. trimmed chuck, round or sirloin, sliced ½” thick, pounded to tenderize

1/3 c. homemade mayonnaise (if commercial mayo, may require more)

1 T. coconut oil (or oil of your choice)

2 oz. pork rinds, crushed fine

½ tsp. seasoning of your choice, I use my Seafood Spice Blend

1 c. water

½ c. heavy cream

1/8 tsp. black pepper

DIRECTIONS: Crush pork rinds fine and stir in spice seasoning. Place into shallow bowl with a spoon for applying and set aside while you prepare the meat. Trim meat of all visible fat and gristle along the edges. If using chuck or sirloin that is very thick, slice it laterally if need be to to create pieces about ½ thick. Preheat oven to 425º. Cut meat into 4 portions and pound the pieces with a meat cleaver or mallet to tenderize it a bit. Heat oil in skillet and sear meat on both sides until lightly browned, sprinkling lightly with black pepper as it sears. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP AND ATTEMPT TO COAT MEAT RAW DIRECTLY WITH COATING. TRUST ME ON THIS ONE, YOU WILL NOT BE PLEASED WITH YOUR SOGGY RESULTS! You don’t want to cook the meat DONE, just sear the surface to seal in the juices. Remove from heat.

Pour mayo into a saucer and using a brush, holding the HOT meat on one tip with tongs or a fork (I use tiny ice bucket tongs), coat both sides of each piece of meat well with mayo (don’t miss any spots!). Then move over to the bowl of crushed pork rinds and using a spoon, spoon the rinds over both sides of the meat. You’ll get decent coverage without any one piece getting excess. I have found that if you just dip the meat into the rinds, it “grabs” more coating than is necessary, resulting in not having enough rinds to finish the job at hand and you will then have to crush more (been there; done that) and increase calories. :) Place the coated meat directly onto a METAL baking sheet, preferably non-stick. DO NOT line with silicone sheet or use a glass dish it won’t crisp properly. Pop into preheated 425º oven and bake about 20 minutes or until browned to your liking.

As the meat is cooking, make your cream gravy. Add 1 c. water to the skillet you seared the meat in and over low heat, over low heat, completely de-glaze all the tasty brown bits off the bottom of the skillet by scraping with a spatula. Add the cream and simmer over very low heat to reduce and thicken. This adds both color and flavor to your gravy. Add a dash of black pepper and salt to taste. If you prefer a thicker gravy, you can slightly thicken with your preferred thickener, like a light dusting of xanthan gum whisked in.

Serve with gravy dipped over meat. This goes well with many of your favorite vegetable dishes. I hope you enjoy this “national” staple of Texas!

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes four 4-oz servings, each contains:

471.3 calories, 30.8 g fat, 1.9 g carbs, .03 g fiber, 1.87 g NET CARBS, 45 g protein, 356 mg sodium

Sep 18 2016

Greek Chicken Spanako

This chicken I’ve made for years, but I recently got the idea to add bacon to this dish and we really liked that addition! This goes well with a Greek salad or broccoli and particularly well (for non-low-carbers at the table) with classic roasted lemon-oregano potatoes. I make my own Cavender’s Greek Seasoning, but you can use Cavender’s no-salt Seasoning if available. Otherwise, just black pepper, thyme and oregano. This recipe is Induction friendly.

This dish doesn’t freeze too well as the homemade mayo tends to separate upon freezing and reheating.

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INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach

½ c. Feta cheese, crumbled and rinsed well with cold water in strainer.

2 oz. onion, chopped

¼ Parmesan cheese

pinch dill

1 c. total my homemade mayonnaise: https://buttoni.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/homemade-mayonnaise/

4 slices finely chopped bacon

½ tsp. my homemade Cavender’s Greek Seasoning

½ c. crushed plain pork rinds

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400º. Cut chicken breasts in half, making 8 pieces. Using 1/4 c. of the mayo, baste each piece of chicken on both sides and set aside. If using whole pieces of bone-in chicken, make several slits in the flesh with a knife first to speed up cooking time. In a medium bowl, stir spinach, Feta cheese, chopped onion, dill and Cavender’s seasoning. Add 3/4 c. of the mayo and stir well.

Pour spinach mixture into baking dish (no need to grease pan). Now place chicken pieces on top of the spinach mixture. Sprinkle the pork rinds and Parmesan cheese over the pieces of chicken. Place the finely chopped bacon over entire dish, being sure some gets on each piece of chicken. Place in 400º oven and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes. For a faster-cooking dish that will be ready in only 45 minutes, pound chicken breasts with mallet before brushing with mayo. This dish is chock full of nutrients, including 168% of selenium, 129% vitamin B12, 110% riboflavin recommended daily requirements! And lots more other good stuff!

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings of 2 pieces of chicken each. Each serving contains:

734 calories, 63.5 g fat, 5.25 g carbs, 2.75 g fiber, 2.40 g NET CARBS, 46.6 g protein, 655 mg. sodium

Sep 17 2016

Chipotle Jicama Hash

If anyone had told me what I concocted one day for lunch would have been as good as it was, I would have said “Noooooo, Waaay”. But I’m here to tell you it was just DELICIOIUS! I’ll be making this dish often. So easy, so quick and so good! My husband liked this, too, and he’s not so fond of jicama. This dish reminds me a little of German Potato Salad, but jicama is somewhat crunchy. Jicama, although lower in carbs than potatoes, is still fairly carb-y. Substituting rutabaga will eliminate the crunchy quality jicama has if that bothers you, but will make the dish higher in carbs. Using diced turnips will pull down the carbs even lower and remain soft. In all honesty, the pièce de resistance here wasn’t the hash itself, but the chipotle mayo that went on top! I daubed 2 T. over the top of my serving of hash and just sort of spread it around with my fork. You could of course toss the entire batch in a large bowl with the 4 T. of mayo if you prefer. But I feared that wouldn’t take as pretty a picture here. Because this dish is slightly higher in carbs than most of my entrees, it may be difficult to fit this in to your menu during Atkins Induction. However all foods in it are suitable for Induction. It would perhaps be better to wait and have this when you get to Phase 2 OWL. This dish meets Paleo & Primal guidelines.

More delicious low-carb lunch ideas can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS. She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented chefs to bring you a wealth of delicious recipes you are going to want to try. Even a few of my recipes are in her cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! (available individually also) from Amazon or here: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

DISCLAIMER: I do not get paid for this book promotion or for the inclusion of my recipes therein. I do so merely because they are GREAT cookbooks any low-carb cook would be proud to add to their cookbook collection

Chipotle mayonnaise

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices bacon, chopped coarsely

12 oz. jicama, peeled and diced small

4 oz. purple onion, chopped

1 oz. green bell pepper (or poblano), seeded & chopped

4 T. my Chipotle Mayonnaise

DIRECTIONS: Brown the bacon in a non-stick skillet over high heat. Remove solids to paper toweling to drain. In the remaining bacon grease, saute the chopped onion and jicama until the onion is tender, caramelizing and the jicama is browning (the jicama will remain somewhat crunchy). Add the bell pepper toward the end of cooking and cook the hash just until the bell pepper is tender. Plate the hash onto 2 plates and serve each dabbed with with 2 T. chipotle mayo. If you prefer more mayo on your portion, you will need to recalculate the stats below to include any additional mayo used.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 2 servings of hash, each contains:

547 calories, 48 g fat, 21.15 g carbs, 9.4 g fiber, 11.75 g NET CARBS, 3.8 g protein, 482 mg sodium

Sep 14 2016

Mexican Turkey-Squash Soup

Sometimes dishes I create evolve from what I have leftover or “open” in the refrigerator, especially soups. I do like to use up leftovers promptly. When I opened the fridge at 11:00, I saw half a can’s worth of Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, and a bag of leftover turkey meat we just thawed last night. So this soup was born from that. Took about 30 minutes to cook. We both loved the taste and it was very light yet satisfying. You can, of course, use chicken meat in this recipe. This recipe is a great way to use up some of your Thanksgiving turkey this year! It is not suitable until you are well into Phase 2 Atkins at the legumes rung of the carb re-introduction ladder, but those on Induction can just leav the refried beans out. It is suitable for other Keto diets, but not Primal-Paleo unless the re-fried beans are omitted.

INGREDIENTS:

3 c. cooked turkey meat, chopped (I used 2c. white & 1c. dark)

4 c. homemade chicken broth

2 c. tap water

1 16-oz. can re-fried beans (omit if still on Induction)

1½ c. yellow summer squash, chopped (1 medium)

3/4-1 c. Ro-Tel tomatoes with chilies (half of a 14-oz can)

4 oz. onion, chopped

½ tsp. each ground cumin and chili powder (or 1 tsp. taco seasoning)

½ dried, mild guajillo (or ancho) chile pepper, seeded & chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt to taste (omit if broth has sodium)

1/4 c. cilantro chopped (omit if you’re not a fan)

DIRECTIONS: Chop turkey into 3/4″ pieces. Add turkey to a large soup pot and add broth, water and Rotel tomatoes. Chop squash, onion and cilantro and also add to the pot. Seed and chop the guajillo (or ancho) pepper and add to the pot, along with the taco seasoning and minced garlic. Spoon the refried beans into the pot in small increments. Turn on heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, stir well to be sure beans have diffused into the broth and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until squash is just tender. Spoon into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes about 10 cups, each contains:

160 calories, 5.5 g fat, 8.30 g carbs2.53 g fiber, 5.97 g NET CARBS, 16.4 g protein, 329 mg sodium

Sep 11 2016

Bacon-Wrapped Steak Logs

My husband has been in the hospital the last few days for some tests. Running back and forth, I’ve been eating pretty simply most nights. I had thawed half a sirloin the morning he went in, and just HAD to cook it tonight. So this quick, effortless dinner was what sounded good tonight. Not what I had originally planned to do with the sirloin (cube and add to a leftover pot of chili), but this just sounded better for some reason. So I thought I’d share this “recipe”, if you can call it that, with my readers. This dish is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, and Primal-Paleo as well.

Note: I ate 3 of these with the guacamole shown, but I had not eaten all day long and was ravenous when I got away from the hospital today. Probably most would only need two of these to fill up, especially if serving with a more substantial side veggie.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. lean raw beef sirloin (or chuck or round steak)

3 oz. onion, sliced and separated into rings

8 slices low-sodium thick-slice bacon (I use Walmart’s ‘Great Value’)

2 T. bacon grease

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375º. After trimming all visible fat from the edges of the piece of meat, cut the lean muscle meat into 8 long strips. Mine ended up being about 1/2″ wide and 4-5″ long, although all were not all perfectly equal in size/weight. Life is not so perfect. 🙂

Melt 1 T. of the bacon grease in a pan over high heat. Sear both sides of the meat quickly until they begin to brown. Remove the pieces to a waiting plate. In the same skillet, melt the remaining tablespoon bacon grease over medium to high heat. Make 1 cut in each of the onion rings so they will be long, snake-like pieces when cooked. Place the onions in the hot skillet of bacon grease and brown them, stirring often, until they begin to caramelize. Turn off heat.

Working on a cutting board or counter, take 1 piece of meat, lay 1-2 long slices of onion on top and angle wrap the piece with bacon. I did this by laying the meat on the board, topped with the onion pieces, and then started the bacon wrap at one end on top and slightly lifting the “log” with onion just enough to bring the bacon underneath the log. Then I pulled the bacon around the top again, then underneath again and so on until the steak log was wrapped. I did not secure the bacon with toothpicks, but you can if you prefer. If you try to just roll the bacon on the outside of the meat, the onion will keep trying to fall off as you roll (which I discovered the hard way). Place the wrapped log so the bacon end(s) are face down if possible, onto a waiting baking pan that is lightly oiled (or use parchment or a silicone sheet). Repeat for the other 7 steak logs, placing them on the baking pan as well. Pop into 370º oven for about 30 minutes, but watch them! Ovens vary. Yours may take 5 minutes less or 5 minutes more cook time. Remove and serve with a nice guacamole salad as shown or your favorite veggie side.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 8 steak logs, each contains:

145 calories, 8.72 g fat, 0.85 g carbs, 0.11 g fiber, 0.74 g NET CARBS, 15.22 g protein, 124 mg sodium

Sep 8 2016

Chicken Diane

My mother used to make the best Steak Diane and mashed Potatoes when I was growing up. It was one of her recipes I just had to copy when I left home. This recipe is my creation with chicken and the rest of her recipe is untouched. Man, is this ever good. And it’s so easy to make, you can be eating it in no time! It is suitable for all phases of Atkins (omit the wine if still on Induction), Keto diets, Primal and Paleo as well, again, if you omit the wine. It can be made with raw chicken, or with de-boned already cooked chicken. You can even sear whole chicken breasts or other pieces for a fancier presentation for company. Cooked, baked chicken is what I used in the picture above. But I have done it with cut-up raw chicken as well. I do NOT remove the skin from my chicken. Way too much flavor there to do that. This is best served with or atop mashed, well-seasoned cauliflower, but it is also delicious on zucchini noodles. Your non-low-carbing guests will LOVE it over real mashed potatoes.🙂

Many delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends (me included). Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love! Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php. DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are great cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz. slivered yellow onion

1 T. olive oil

10 oz. de-boned, chicken breasts, pre-cooked chicken meat or whole chicken pieces

1 clove minced garlic

4 large mushrooms chopped

1/4 c. chopped parsley

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 T. butter

2 T. white wine (omit if still in Induction)

2 T. heavy cream

Dash salt and pepper

Xanthan gum (optional, to thicken if desired)

DIRECTIONS: Cut up chicken meat into 1-2″ pieces. It’s up to you whether you skin it or not but I rarely do so. Most of the flavor is in that skin! I’ve done the dish both ways before. Melt the butter in anon-stick skillet and saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms until done. With slotted spoon, remove onion/mushroom mixture to a plate. Add olive oil to skillet and get hot. Sear chicken pieces until thoroughly done and browned a bit. Add parsley and lemon juice. Saute 1-2 minutes longer. Lower heat and add wine and cream. If you like a saucier dish, add ½ cup chicken broth, but be sure to add to nutritional info below if you do. Stir scraping the bottom of the pan allowing cream and wine to de-glaze the skillet a few seconds. Return chicken to pan but just set pieces gently atop the sauce, allowing the browned skin (if you leave it on) to remain exposed (makes for nicer presentation).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Makes 2 servings, each contains:

421 calories, 30.9 g fat, 4.6 g carbs, 0.9 g fiber, 3.7 g NET CARBS, 28.9 g protein, 75 mg. sodium

Sep 6 2016

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

I have had a can of artichoke hearts in my pantry that have been there for months. Since I was making chicken tonight, I decided to get creative. I threw this simple dish together in 10 minutes, baked it 1 hour while we watched the evening news. Was it EVER delicious! Even my husband liked this!! And he’s not even fond of artichokes! Refuses to eat them boiled with butter when I make them. But when he was finished wolfing this down at dinner, he volunteered “Be sure to post this on your blog.” That’s the best compliment I can get. It truly was delicious and the key ingredient, the Shawarma Spice Blend in the mayo, adds so much to this dish. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins and other Keto diets. With all this dairy, it would not be suitable for Primal-Paleo, however.

NOTE: I just discovered that the reheated leftovers are even tastier than on first baking!! So this dish, if serving to company, might be better made a day ahead, only partially cooking/browning the chicken for 35 minutes and removing from oven. Refrigerate overnight and allow it to finish cooking/browning the next day as it is warming up. :)

INGREDIENTS:

3 large chicken thighs

3 large chicken drumsticks

5 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ c. sour cream

¼ c. + 2 T. my Shawarma Mayonnaise

½ c. parsley, chopped

2 oz. yellow onion, chopped fine

1 can artichoke hearts, drained or 1 c. marinated salad artichokes, cut in halves, rinsed well

Dash sea salt

¼ tsp. coarse black pepper

3 T. melted butter for basting

DIRECTIONS: Remove the chicken from the bones, leaving the skin on as it adds so much flavor. You can boil the bones for some great stock for future use. I cut each piece of the meat into two smaller pieces. Set meat aside for now. Preheat oven to 350º and lightly oil a ceramic 9×13 baking dish.

Soften the cream cheese by your preferred method. I nuke mine in a glass mixing bowl on DEFROST for 2-3 seconds. Stir in sour cream and mayo and blend well with a rubber spatula. Add chopped parsley, onion, salt and pepper and stir again. Fold the chopped artichoke hearts gently into the creamy mixture. Spoon the artichoke mixture into the oiled baking dish and spread evenly. Place the pieces of chicken, skin side up, on top of the mixture. Mine were slightly touching in my dish, but they shrink during cooking. Using a brush, baste meat with a bit of the melted butter. Sprinkle with another dash of salt and black pepper. Pop into 350º oven and bake for 1 hour. Baste again with melted butter at the 20 minute mare and again at 40 minutes cook time. Remove from oven at the 1 hour mark when chicken should be golden brown. Serve with your favorite green salad or green veggie side dish.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 5 servings, each contains

529 calories, 50 g fat (reduce dairy items a bit to lower fat), 6.68 g carbs, 2.00 g fiber, 4.68 g NET CARBS, 22 g protein, 468 mg sodium

Sep 2 2016

Pork Chops in Creamy Sofrito Sauce

Yet another delicious dish I’ve created using my amazing Puerto Rican (Caribbean and Spanish as well) Sofrito as the key flavoring. I just can’t say enough about how good this flavor ingredient is. For this recipe I used seared pork chops s the foundation, but I have done this also with seared chicken breasts. This sauce is used in extensively in Spain and throughout the Caribbean, almost as much as soy sauce is used in Chinese cuisine. Once you taste it, you’ll see why! I can’t begin to tell you how many creations this sauce has gone into in my kitchen now in the few years I’ve become familiar with it! PilotGal, a member at Active Low Carber Forums posted her personal recipe for this condiment and from then on, it became a staple in my house as it is hers, although I make it a bit different than she does. :) This is marvelous on meat sandwiches and wraps!! Kind of reminds me of the olive relish used on classic New Orleans Muffaletta sandwiches. and I maty be trying my hand at THAT soon with it, too. Stay tuned! 🙂

This dinner can be ready just as fast as you can fry up those chops! Takes all of about 30 minutes, start to finish if the Sofrito is already made up. This stuff is so addictive I keep a big batch in my freezer in a flat ziploc bag and just break off as much as I need for a recipe without even thawing first. I highly recommend double bagging it as the aroma can escape in your freezer if you do not. 🙂

This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets and Primal-Paleo if you substitute coconut cream for the heavy cream. That will impart a slightly different flavor to the final dish, but the Sofrito flavor is so intense it will greatly disguise the taste of coconut and have no negative impact.

Note: You can cut fat number below by using a mixture of 50:50 water and cream instead of all cream

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. pork chops or boneless pork loin slices (4 portions)

1 T. bacon grease for searing

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. heavy cream (coconut milk for Primal-Paleo version)

¼ c. Sofrito sauce

¼ c. parsley, chopped fine

1-4 T. tap water to thin sauce (only if needed) if gets too thick waiting for chops to finish cooking

Dash salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS: Heat bacon grease in a non-stick skillet or griddle over high medium-heat. Brown nicely on both sides to fully-done state.

While they are cooking, in a separate small skillet over medium-low heat, add the soft cream cheese and stir to get it warm. Slowly add the cream in small increments and stir with a rubber spatula to blend after each addition. Add Sofrito sauce and stir. Next add half of the chopped parsley and couple dashes salt and pepper to the sauce. Stir well to blend. Lower heat to lowest setting possible until meat is fully cooked. Line the pork chops on a serving plate. If sauce has thickened up too much, thin with a few tablespoons water and stir. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sauce out and down the middle of the lined up chops on your serving plate. Garnish the dish with the remaining chopped parsley. I served these with seared San Marzano tomato halves as shown (my husband loves them) and a side of buttered cauliflower. Broccoli would also pair well here.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each contains: (does not include the seared tomatoes shown). Assumption: 1/4 of the sauce is served with each chop

413 calories, 35 g. fat, 3.2 g carbs, 0.37 g fiber, 2.83 g net carbs, 21.7 g protein, 194 mg sodium

Sep 2 2016

Thai Turkey Soup

I roasted a turkey recently that was one of those “injected with up to 5% solution” because my husband picked it up for me and didn’t think to check. Those are a bit sodium-laden for this sodium-sensitive girlie. I froze the carcass for a pot of soup anyway thinking soup with no added sodium was do-able with it. I made a soup with the meat off that carcass today for lunch that was SCRUMPTIOUS! I used common Thai seasonings with the mild taste of coconut in the background as is so typical of so many of their soups! You non-coconut fans or those allergic can sub in heavy cream instead, but I’d only use 1 cup since I find it richer. You’ll want to recalculate your nutritional numbers for that or other changes.

I didn’t thicken this soup, but you could, with a plan-suitable thickener, if you wish. Chicken can be substituted in this recipe for turkey, but the carcass will not yield as much meat for your soup, so plan on adding some cooked chicken meat to have a total of 3 cups. Omit the wild rice if you’re still on Induction. Wild rice is the lowest carb rice their is, which is why I am willing to occasionally put a very small amount in recipes for its nutritional value and texture, but that isn’t suitable until you get much closer to goal weight on the Atkins program. This recipe would be OK for Keto diets and for Primal-Paleo if you just omit the rice).

INGREDIENTS:

1 turkey carcass

10 c. tap water (or chicken/turkey broth, if available)

1 c. celery, chopped

2 oz. onion, chopped

1½ c. green cabbage, thinly sliced

2 oz. red bell pepper, slivered or chopped

3/4 c. cilantro, chopped

1 tsp. fresh ginger root, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. Thai fish sauce (I use Thai Kitchen brand)

1 tsp. chili paste (I use Sambal Oelek)

1½ c. coconut milk (1 standard can)

¼ tsp. black pepper

¼ c. wild rice (omit for Induction and Primal-Paleo)

2 T. coconut oil

VARIATION: 1) Use chicken instead of turkey. 2) use fish stock and 3 c. cubed mild fish added last 10 minutes cook time in lieu of turkey. 3) Use heavy cream instead of coconut milk.

DIRECTIONS: Place first 4 ingredients in a large soup pot. I find breaking the carcass in half allows me to get one into my largest soup pot. Add 10 c. water or broth, bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and simmer 30 minutes so meat begins to pull away from the bones. Remove carcass to a cutting board or your counter to cool. Strip meat off the bones and chop to desired size. The average turkey carcass will yield about 3 c. meat. Put the meat back into the pot of broth and discard bones (unless you wish to freeze them to use in your next pot of bone broth for added flavor and nutrients. :) Add all remaining ingredients to the pot (but the cilantro) and simmer for 45 minutes. Add cilantro last and cook 3-4 minutes longer. Thicken with your favorite thickener only if desired (I did not). If serving for company, a sprig of cilantro to garnish is nice.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes twelve 1-cup servings, each contains:

149 calories, 9.46 g fat, 5.20 g carbs, 0.84 g fiber, 4.36 g NET CARBS, 11.6 g protein, 208 mg sodium

Aug 29 2016

Momma’s Baked Chicken

This was the baked chicken I was raised on. Throughout my childhood, I disliked intensely the taste of vinegar. Wouldn’t eat pickles, wouldn’t eat pickled vegetables, wouldn’t eat salads or even condiments that contained vinegar. But man, when my mom made this baked chicken, I just could not believe I watched her douse it with such an “evil” ingredient and LIKED IT!!! The natural red grape sugar in the red wine vinegar caramelizes under high heat and gives the chicken skin such a sweet, tangy taste. The pan juices make a lovely gravy/baste for the drier breast meat. Fortunately, my taste has changed over the years and I will now consume vinegar without hesitation, provided the food isn’t drowning in vinegar. 🙂

This recipe can be used on a split/butterflied/spatchcocked chicken as pictures, or you and cut the chicken up into pieces. This method is delicious on Rock Cornish Hens, too. It is also excellent for BBQ’ing of the chicken, and even for BBQ pork. This recipe is perfectly suited to all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal and Paleo as well.

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SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

6 T. melted butter

3 T. red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt (omit if using salted butter)

1/4 tsp. coarse black pepper

THAT’S IT!!

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400º. Place butter in baking pan (I use a metal pan) as the oven is heating up. Remove pan and add red wine vinegar to the butter, as well as the salt and pepper. Prepare the chicken. You can either split the chicken up the back with kitchen shears and spread it out as shown above, or cut the bird up into quarters or single pieces. Using a brush, baste the pieces of chicken all over. Sprinkle lightly with the salt and pepper and pop into hot oven for about an hour (less time for smaller birds, a little more for the butterflied bird shown) or until golden brown and reaches internal temp of 170º at the joint where the thigh meets the torso and in the thickest part of the breast. I like to baste the chicken once or twice during cooking for the tastiest result on the skin. I’m a skin fan, so that’s real important to me. My husband just rips it off and hands it to me. That works out just great, huh? 🙂 Remove from oven and serve at once with your favorite sides. Be sure to put a spoon or brush into the pan for diners to baste their meat with the buttery juices if they wish (or pour the juices into a gravy boat).

NUTRITIONAL INFO: These numbers are for the baste/sauce only. You will have to add in the values for whatever pieces of chicken you eat. Makes enough for 10 pieces of chicken (1 whole l cut-up chicken). Each portion of the sauce, assuming you even eat that much of the sauce, has:

62 calories, 6.9 g fat, 0.02 g carbs, 0.00 g fiber, .02 g NET CARBS, 0.13 g protein (add in your piece of chicken)

Aug 18 2016

Bunless Burgers in Mushroom-Wine Sauce

This delicious dinner creation came about from having leftover zucchini pulp from today’s stuffed zucchini lunch. these were delicious and so simple to make. Ready in about 30 minutes flat with the help of my food processor. This recipe is not suitable for induction unless you leave out the wine. It is acceptable for other Keto diets as well as Primal-Paleo if you you sub in coconut milk for the cream.

Many delicious low-carb recipes like this one can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends. Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love! Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php. DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are great cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 c. zucchini, sliced

1½ lb ground beef (80% lean

2 oz. red bell pepper

1 tsp. minced dehydrated onion (or 2 oz. fresh, chopped)

1 large egg

Dash each sea salt

1/8 tsp. coarse black pepper

3/4 c. heavy cream

¼ c. white wine (omit if still in Induction)

12 large mushrooms, sliced

¼ c. parsley, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried parsley)

Light dusting or two of xanthan gum (optional for thicker sauce)

DIRECTIONS: Place zucchini and red pepper in food processor. Pulse 4-5 times to reduce to fine dice. Add onion, egg, salt and pepper. Pulse 1-2 more times times. Add meat and process until well-blended.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Form meat mixture into 6 patties about 5 oz. each. Place on hot skillet and brown to golden on both sides (center will not be fully done though). With a spatula,, remove from the pan to a plate or piece of foil. In the oil and juices left in the pan, saute the mushrooms and the parsley just until the mushrooms are no longer opaque. Place the meat patties back in the pan. Add the wine and simmer 4-5 minutes. As it simmers, scrape up the brown bits off the bottom of the pan as there’s where all the flavor is. e gentle with the spatula so you don’t break up the meat patties. Add cream around the meat, stir well and let simmer for and additional 5 minutes. Thicken with xanthan gum only if desired, as the cream will thicken on its own a little bit. Serve 1 patty with a generous spoonful of the mushroom sauce on top to each person.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 6 servings, each contains:

436 calories, 34.7 g fat, 4.7o g carbs, 1.10 g fiber, 3.6 g NET CARBS, 22.8 g protein, 154 mg sodium

Aug 18 2016

Bacon Boats

These Bacon Boats made for a delicious and filling lunch. As this was my entree and nothing else was served with this, we each ate two of the filled zucchini “boats” halves. If serving this as a side dish to a meat entree, I would use 4 smaller, 3-4″ zucchini and make 8 servings from this recipe. This recipe is suited for those who have reached the nuts and seeds rung of the Atkins OWL (Ongoing Weight Loss) carb re-introduction ladder. this dish would work nicely in any Keto diet and for Primal diners. You would have to omit the cheese for Paleo adherence.

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium-large 6-7″ zucchini (mine weight 270 grams each)

5 slices thick bacon, chopped (I used uncured, low-sodium)

3 T. hemp hearts

4 medium green onions, chopped

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese

1/8 tsp. coarse black pepper

VARIATIONS: Use breakfast sausage, Italian Sausage, ground beef or ground lamb (4 oz.) in lieu of the bacon.

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 450º. Stem and slice the zucchini lengthwise. Scoop out the majority of the pulp, leaving only about 1/4″ on the skin. Place the scooped out pulp in zip-loc bag and save for another use like meatloaf filler or zucchini bread/muffins. Place in baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes at 450º to partially cook the squash. Remove from oven and lower heat to 350º.

For the filling: Cook the bacon over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Remove from heat and drain off grease for another use. When pan has cooled down, remove half the bacon for garnish. Add the green onion, hemp hearts, and black pepper to skillet and stir to mix. Add the beaten egg and cheese. Stir well to allow the cheese to begin to melt. Add about 1/4 of the filling to each squash “boat” and top with the reserved bacon crumbles. Pop back into 350º oven and bake for 10-15 minutes to allow the egg to cook. Remove and serve at once.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Using 2 large squash, each of the four Bacon “Boat” half contains: (halve these numbers to get values for each half if you use 4 baby squash and get 8 pieces)

230 calories, 17.25 g fat, 5.85 g carbs, 2.30 g fiber, 3.35 g net carbs, 15.37 g protein, 353 mg sodium

Aug 15 2016

Mushroom-Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This dish was simply delightful! The hemp hearts adds a slight nutty taste with virtually no carbs. We both gave it two thumbs up in the flavor department! It was simple and in the oven in 15 minutes and it bakes to perfection! This will definitely make my regular chicken recipe rotations again! It made, as you can see in the photo, lovely pan juices for basting during cooking and drizzling over the meat when done. This recipe is suitable for Phase 2 of Atkins once you have reached the grains level of the plan, as it has half of a Joseph’s pita bread in the ingredients line-up. You could use flax meal instead of the 1/2 pita and enjoy this recipe by the nuts and seeds level of Phase 2. This recipe is not suitable for Atkins Induction or Primal-Paleo followers.

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium chicken breasts, skin on but rib frame removed (boil the ribs for delicious stock!)

2 T. unsalted butter

4 large mushrooms, chopped or sliced

2 c. spinach, chopped (1 c. packed)

2 T. Boursin soft cheese, garlic and fine herb variety

3 T. shredded Monterrey Jack

1/2 Joseph’s Flax and Oat Bran Pita Bread, softened with water (or 1 low-carb flour tortilla)

2 T. hemp hearts

Dash coarse black pepper

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350º. Run a sharp knife between the rib bones and the chicken meat to remove the rib bones from the breast. Boil them down for delicious chicken stock for future uses. I freeze mine. With a large knife, laterally slice the breast 3/4 of the way through making a pocket or shelf for the filling. Place them in a lightly oiled baking dish and set aside. In a non-stick skillet, heat the butter and saute the mushrooms until no longer opaque. Add the spinach and saute just until it is limp. Stir in the Boursin and Jack cheese. Turn off heat. Add the hemp hearts and stir filling well to blend the cheese. With your fingers, mush up the softened bread and add it, stirring again. Spoon half the mixture into each breast and fold the skin half over the filling. Press lightly and sprinkle with pepper. Pop the pan into a 350º oven and bake for about 1 hour (less time for small breasts, more for large ones). When the skin has browned nicely on top, they should be done. Serve in the baking dish pan so the pan juices can be dipped over the top if desired.🙂

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 2 servings, each contains: (adjust ingredients for more servings)

478 calories, 33 g fat, 5.90 g carbs, 2.85 g fiber, 3.05 g net carbs, 39.35 g protein, 645 mg sodium

Aug 11 2016

Tamale Pie Stuffed Peppers

This tasty version of stuffed peppers was scrumptious! I had a can of black olives open in the fridge and 1 medium zucchini. the hubs bought 4 beautiful peppers at the store this week so I decided to bring all that together with some ground pork and make a new stuffed pepper recipe. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, and Primal Blueprint. Omit the cheese for a Paleo version.

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz. onion, cut in chunks

5 oz. zucchini, cut in chunks

10 black olives

4 medium bell peppers

1 lb. lean ground pork

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. dried, seeded guajillo chile peppers (or ancho peppers)

1 Roma tomato, diced 1/2″

½ c. Monterrey Jack cheese (or mozzarella)

2 slices Cheddar cheese (or ½ c. shredded)

VARIATION: Use ground beef instead of ground pork or a mixture of pork and breakfast sausage. Another variation would be to use 4 ears canned baby corn instead of the zucchini, chopping in the food processor with the onion and olives, which will add a mild corn taste typical of tamale pie. Baby corn is much lower in carbs than regular kernel corn. You’ll need to recalculate nutritional info if you make this change, but each serving would get 1 ear and that would add 1.29 net carbs to each serving.

DIRECTIONS: Cut tops off peppers, trimming off any salvageable flesh of the pepper for future use. Cut thin slice off bottoms of peppers ONLY IF NEEDED TO LEVEL THEM. Place peppers standing upright in a ceramic baking dish and set aside. Next place the first 3 ingredients into a food processor and pulse 4-5 times to chop small. If you prefer, you can slice the olives and not process them with the zucchini. Set this mixture aside.

Preheat oven to 350º. Heat non-stick skillet or wok over high heat and brown pork until not pink. Add spices and zucchini mixture from the food processor bowl. Saute 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add chopped tomatoes and stir. Turn off heat and stir in the Jack cheese which will serve as a filling binder. Fill each pepper with 1/4 of the meat mixture. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake at 350º for 40 minutes. Water bath isn’t needed if covered tightly. Moisture will cook out of the peppers, zucchini and tomatoes. Remove foil and top with the slice or shredded Cheddar. Return to oven without foil and bake about 8-10 or just until cheddar is melted. Serve and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each pepper contains:

417 calories, 31 g fat, 10.15 g carbs, 3.27 g fiber, 6.88 g NET CARBS, 25 g protein, 350 mg sodium

Aug 8 2016

Meatballs on Zucchini Ribbons

I made this tasty dish tonight as meatballs, but you could just as easily make it up as mini patties if that’s easier. This goes together fast and your family will LOVE it, as we did. My husband said “You can fix this again any time!” If you’re not a mushroom fan, leave them out of the sauce. But we thought the mushrooms and parsley just “made” this dish. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, and Primal diners. Paleo folks will want to use coconut milk instead of cream and water volume.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. 80%-90% lean grass-fed ground beef

1 large egg

1 small jar pimiento (about 2 T.), with its juice

2 oz. onion, cut into chunks

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 c. parsley, coarsely chopped

1/8-¼ tsp. black pepper (I like a lot)

1/8 tsp. sea salt

1 c. tap water (or use 2 c. coconut milk and no cream shown below)

1 c. heavy cream

1/8 tsp. xanthan gum or your preferred thickener

5 cups zucchini noodles/ribbons (about four 6-oz. raw squash)

VARIATIONS: Use ground lamb or pork instead of beef. Use 4 slices lightly browned bacon or chopped green onions instead of mushrooms in the sauce.

DIRECTIONS: Place the first 4 ingredients into a food processor and process to chop/blend all smoothly. Remove lid and form mixture into 8 equal meatballs (about 1 3/4″ in diameter). Brown meatballs over medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet. If using 90% lean beef, lightly oil the pan first. They will not be fully done in the center when browned. Add the water to the pan and slightly lower heat. Using a spatula, de-glaze the brown bits form the bottom of the pan to make a light brown liquid. Add the cream, mushrooms and parsley. Add salt and pepper. Simmer on lowest heat for about 10-15 minutes to let flavors mellow and meat to finish cooking done.

While the meat and sauce simmers, cut your zucchini into noodles or ribbons and saute in 2 T. olive oil until just gets limp. Slightly thicken by dusting xanthan gum over sauce surface and stir well as it thickens up. Serve 1 cup zoodles on each of 4 plates, place 2 meatballs on top of each and spoon ½ c. sauce over each serving. this is not intended to be a real saucy dish, but you can certainly double the sauce ingredients if you wish, re-calculating nutritional info if you do. Serve at once.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes four 2-meatball servings, each contains:

552 calories

46.4 g fat

13.4 g carbs, 3.87 g fiber, 9.53 g NET CARBS

26.3 g protein

223 mg sodium

Aug 2 2016

Pork & Chorizo Bake

You know me, I just love Mexican foods. I especially love the spice blend typically used in chorizo. My husband and I always find chorizo to be heavy-tasting if too much is used in a recipe. I got just the right amount in this new dinner creation. Man, was this dish ever quick and easy to put together! We were eating in in under an hour start to finish. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, and Primal followers. Omit the cheese if following a Paleo regimen.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground pork

3 oz. chorizo sausage

3 oz. onion, chopped

1 poblano pepper, cut in 3/4″ pieces

1 c. diced tomatoes (I used canned, no-salt, well-drained)

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. smoked chipotle chili powder (regular chili powder will do, but not quite as good)

¼ c. chopped cilantro (optional)

16 pitted black olives (sliced or whole)

1 c. shredded colby-jack cheese

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350º. Brown the pork and chorizo together over medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet. Add pepper chunks and onion. Saute, stirring constantly until they are tender. Spoon or drain off as much grease as you can. Add all remaining ingredients but the cheese and lower heat to medium low. Cook, stirring often for a few more minutes. Spoon meat mixture into a baking dish and top with shredded cheese. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 350º for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with a guacamole salad, as the two go SO VERY WELL together.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 generous servings, each contains:

530 calories

43 g fat

6.40 g carbs, 1.52 g fiber, 4.88 g NET CARBS

29.2 g protein

558 mg sodium

Aug 2 2016

Creamy Chicken Cabbage Casserole

y to make with

My husband isn’t crazy about cooked cabbage, but he actually likes this dish. The low-carb mushroom soup, onion and bacon tone the cabbage down. Dishes like this one are so simple to make when you can whip up this soup in the blender and have it ready to go. This dish is OK for Induction and most Keto diets.

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless chicken breasts

5 thick slices of bacon (can be omitted from this recipe if desired)

4 oz. chopped yellow onion

1/2 recipe (about 1½ c.) Jen Eloff’s homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

20 oz. coarsely chopped green cabbage (1″-2″ chunks)

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

VARIATION: This is excellent made with pork chops instead of chicken. Another nice variation is to add a few pieces of chopped broccoli.

DIRECTIONS: Chop bacon into ½” pieces. Brown in skillet. Then add the onion and saute until onion begins to soften. Add cabbage and continue to saute 2 minutes only. Add mushroom soup and stir to mix all ingredients. Pour into glass casserole dish greased with bacon grease. Wipe out skillet with paper towel and rub with dab (really minimal) bacon grease. Sear meat on both sides and then place the pieces atop cabbage. Bake at 350º for 40 minutes.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Serves 4, each serving containing:

408 calories

24 g fat

12.22 g carbs, 4.07 g fiber, 8.15 g NET CARBS

786 mg. sodium

34.4 g protein

Jul 28 2016

Steak and Onion Wrap

When I was growing up, whenever there was steak leftover, we could count on these the next day at lunch. I considered this quite a treat, too! Of course, back then, before anyone ever hardly heard of low-carbing, she served these on a good piece of French bread. How I loved these sandwiches then and still make them today. Just this week in fact. My recent ultra low-carb tortilla recipe discovery at Low Carb Maven’s site makes these not only possible, but low-carb to boot! They came out quite good! You could use any low-carb tortilla, but the carb count will go up accordingly. I just recently discovered that HEB grocery here in Texas makes their Carb Sense tortillas with only a 3 net carb count! And they are as good as any of the 4 NC tortillas out there! These wraps are suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal and Paleo as well.

INGREDIENTS:

4 ultra low-carb tortillas

10 oz. leftover steak, sliced thinly (I have done these with only 8 oz.)

3 oz. slivered onion

1 T. bacon grease

Salt and pepper

VARIATION: Add 1 slice of cooked bacon to each wrap. Mmmm.

DIRECTIONS: Make the tortillas by the linked recipe above. Set them aside to cool down. Next, heat the bacon grease over high heat in a non-stick skillet. Add onion and saute to slightly brown. You want the edges browned and the onion to have begun caramelizing. Add the steak, dash of salt and black pepper and saute just until the steak is no longer pink and slightly browned. Dip 1/4 of the mixture onto each of the tortillas, fold and serve at once. ENJOY!

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 wraps, each contains:

385 calories

25 g fat

2.15 g carbs, 1.05 g fiber, 1.10 g NET CARBS

34 g protein

665 mg sodium

Jul 27 2016

Middle Eastern Cornish Hens

Up until now, I have only used my Baharat spice in braised chicken dishes, braised beef and braised lamb. Tonight for dinner, I decided to cook my Cornish game hens using this popular allspice/cinnamon blend. did these ever come out tasty! I ashamedly admit we ate every morsel, skin and all. If you can’t get Aleppo Pepper (I order mine from Penzey’s Spices on-line), you cana substitute dried Mexican ancho peppers. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal and Paleo as well.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1-1¼ pound Cornish game hens

4 T. unsalted butter (use less if you need to cut calories)

1 tsp. my homemade Baharat Spice Blend

½ tsp. Aleppo pepper (or dried ancho pepper)

1/4 tsp. onion powder

Optional: 1/2 tsp. sumac (if available)

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350º. Melt the butter in a saucer in the microwave. Stir in the spices to mix well. Split the hens in half up the back bone with a knife or kitchen shears. This technique is referred t as spatchcocking or butterflying the bird. Place the hens, pressed down and spread out on a baking rack that is set down into a baking/broiler pan. Using a brush, baste the hens well with the spice-butter mixture. Pop pan into 350º oven and bake for 1 hour. Turn up oven to 375º and continue to roast for about 10-15 more minutes to brown the skin. Watch them as ovens can vary. When a meat thermometer poked in the center of the breast meat reads 165º they should be properly cooked. Remove from oven and serve 1/2 hen to each person (men may want a whole bird). This should pair nicely with any side dishes you like. I served it with a saute of spinach and Kale and my Iranian Mint Cucumber Salad.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings (½ hen per person), each contains:

501 calories

39.3 g fat

0.62 g carbs, 2.50 g fiber, 2.12 g NET CARBS

34.1 g protein

347 mg sodium (in the chicken skin)

Jul 26 2016

Meatza Meatza® Breakfast Burrito

I have been wanting to try my grass-fed beef supplier’s cured beef bacon one time as I’ve never eaten it before. Got some this week and the verdict is still out for me. The hubs likes it. It was better today in this new burrito recipe than straight with eggs in my opinion, but still a little heavy for me. I think I lean more toward conventional pork bacon myself. The beef bacon is very lean and not quite as salty as regular bacon though, at least my supplier’s make of it is less salty. It appears to be make from the lean end of brisket, so it is very lean indeed. Here’s a photo of what it looks like if you’ve never had it: I was NOT wanting eggs today, so we didn’t put any into these burritos, but you certainly can put a scrambled egg into each one and I believe that would be even better than mine above.🙂

I have found that HEB grocery stores here in Texas have a whole-wheat Carb Sense tortilla that only has 3 net carbs (lower than the Mission or LaTortilla Factory with I believe have 4 carbs each). Numbers below are calculated using the HEB 3 g. carb tortillas. These are suitable for Phase 2 Atkins and other Keto diets if you can fit the carbs into your daily limits.

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz. bulk pork breakfast sausage, formed into elongated shape

1 slice lean beef bacon

3 T. shredded Cheddar cheese

1 HEB Carb Sense brand whole wheat flour tortilla (3 g NC)

OPTIONAL: Add an egg scrambles in 1 pat butter

VARIATION: Add 1 T. your favorite salsa and/or a pinch of fresh chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325º. Shape the pork sausage into an elongated shape. Brown it and the beef bacon in a skillet or on a griddle. Remove from heat. Lightly oil a baking pan. Place a tortilla on the pan. Lift sausage and place on one half of the tortilla. Top with the beef bacon and sprinkle on the cheese. If using, add the scrambled egg last. Fold other half of tortilla over all and press down. Cover pan with loose foil and pop into 325º oven for 10-15 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve at once.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 1 burrito which contains:

327 calories (435 if scrambled egg added)

22 g. fat (31 if egg added)

14.2 g carbs, 10 g fiber, 4.2 g NET CARBS (4.6 NC if egg added)

17.6 g protein

792 mg sodium

Jul 24 2016

Chicken Roasted Asparagus Pizza Alfredo

Please forgive my slightly out-of-focus photo, but I’m still wearing a brace on my broken wrist and it is still hurting and shaky at times. :) My husband just LOVED this new pizza I made tonight from two pieces of leftover baked chicken. I liked it, too, but felt the asparagus was lost among the other flavors. The hubs didn’t think so, but he’s particularly fond of roasted asparagus anytime, anyway. :) This recipe makes a 12″ pizza, so if you need a larger one for your family, you might want to increase the ingredients accordingly. I would think 1½ recipes would make a 16″ pizza. Two slices filled both of us up nicely (served a green salad with it) and there are two slices left for a snack or lunch one day. This recipe is suitable for Phase 2 (OWL Ongoing Weight Loss) Atkins and most Keto diets.

INGREDIENTS:

1 recipe Peggy’s Pizza Crust

Light sprinkle of Italian Seasoning

15 small, fresh asparagus spears

1 T. olive oil

Dash salt and pepper

½ c. Alfredo Sauce (I used Bertolli Basil Alfredo Sauce, 2 carbs per 1/4 c.)

1 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 c. cooked chicken meat, chopped (baked or grilled)

1 oz. slivered red bell pepper

1 small can (6.5 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained

DIRECTIONS: Make the pizza crust by that recipe’s instructions (linked above) and sprinkle with a dash of Italian seasoning. Bake crust for just 10 minutes initially. It will not be fully done or browned, but the batter will be set and dry to touch on top. Remove from oven and set aside.

Turn up oven to 400º. Cut the asparagus into 1-1½” pieces and place in small metal baking pan. Add the olive oil, dash of salt and pepper and roll around to coat pieces well. Pop into oven to roast for just 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.

Assemble the pizza: Spoon a thin layer of the Alfredo sauce onto the crust nearly to the edges. I only used 1/2 cup so the crust wouldn’t get soggy in the center (plus I’m not too fond of basil). Top next with the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the meat on top as evenly as you can. Evenly place the bell pepper next and finally, the sliced mushrooms. Pop into 350º oven for about 10-15 minutes or just until the crust is browning on the edges and the cheese is melted.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 6 large slices, each contains:

356 calories

27.28 g fat

8.20 g carbs, 3.36 g fiber, 4.84 g NET CARBS

24.7 g protein

685 mg sodium (less if you use less mozzarella)

Jul 22 2016

Indian Baked Chicken

I created a tasty new baked chicken dish last night. I took typical Indian spices and merely marinated the meat for 1 hour using some heavy cream. I might have used yogurt or sour cream if I had had either on hand, but alas, I did not. The cream worked just fine though. This simple dish was delicious, went together quite quickly and we LOVED it! I will definitely be baking this one again! I want to try it on the charcoal grill soon, too. :) The pan dripping are delicious basted up over the meat when serving, so don’t throw that away! This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, and Primal as well. Paleo followers will need to use coconut milk in lieu of the cream.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large chicken breast, skin on, cut in half crosswise

2 chicken legs (with thigh attached), cut apart

1/3 c. heavy cream, (or yogurt, sour cream or coconut mulk)

1 tsp. tandoori spice blend (I use Sharwood’s brand)

¼ tsp. turmeric

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. ginger root, peeled, minced

1 T. (1 oz.) onion, minced as fine as you can get it

Juice of ½ lime

VARIATION: Instead of indoor baking, prepare a hot bed of coals in your charcoal grill and cook about an hours until done. Then it will taste a lot like classic restaurant Tandoori chicken.

DIRECTIONS: Place cream in large marinating bowl. Add all spices, ginger, garlic and onion. Add lime juice and then the 6 chicken pieces. Toss to coat well and refrigerate for 1 hour, turning once during marinating. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375º. Place chicken pieces on a large baking pan (I used metal pan). Spread the marinating mixture atop each piece. Pop into 375º oven and bake for 1 hour or until 170º on a meat thermometer and browned nicely. Serve with your favorite side dishes.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 3 adult servings (2 pc. each). Serving contains approximately: (using heavy cream)

465 calories

28.3 g fat

2.93 g carbs, 0.40 g fiber, 2.53 g NET CARBS

47.4 g protein

694 mg sodium

Jul 18 2016

Hasselback Chicken Breast in Pesto Cream

This simple-to-put-together dish was delicious beyond words and prep time was about 5 minutes! I’ll be honest……….I was apprehensive at first, as to whether I would be able to handle it as fresh basil sometimes upsets my stomach. But the amount here was small enough, that usual effect didn’t occur. This was so good my husband practically “inhaled” his dinner tonight! The chicken came out so tender and moist. It practically cooks itself, so this one’s a keeper for us! Suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets and Primal followers, this one is sure to please your family.

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium chicken breasts (skin on preferred, so it will baste and create pan juices)

3 1/3 slices of Provalone cheese, cut the whole,round slices into 3 strips

2 T. pesto sauce (I used my homemade Pesto Sauce)

5 T. heavy cream (whipping cream)

3 T. additional heavy cream for final sauce

1 Roma tomato, cut crosswise into 6 slices

1/8 tsp. xanthan gum or preferred thickener (optional)

Sprinkle of Italian Seasonings (optional)

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350º. With a sharp knife, make 5 cuts all the way to the bone in your chicken breasts. Place them in a metal baking pan (I used 8″ square). Deeply poke a strip of Provalone cheese into each slit in the chicken. Top each of the chicken breasts with 3 slices of Roma tomato. Set pan aside for a few minutes. Place the pesto sauce in a small skillet over medium heat. Add 5 T. heavy cream, stir well to heat the initial sauce. Spoon this down the center of the chicken breasts, trying to get some into each cheese-stuffed slit. If using, sprinkle with Italian Seasoning blend.

Pop pan into 350º oven and bake for about 1 hour or until the meat reaches 170º on a meat thermometer. Remove from oven and with a long spatula, remove them to a serving platter. Add the remaining 3 T. cream to the pan juices and heat over medium-high heat, mashing any melted cheese bits up as you stir to thicken. If you want it thicker, dust lightly with xanthan gum or your favorite thickener and allow it to develop/thicken. Pour sauce into a serving dish or spoon it directly over and around the chicken breasts if you prefer. ENJOY! Did I not promise this was easy and delicious? 🙂

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 2 adult servings, each contains:

800 calories (skin chicken to lower about 100 cals. )

57.8 g fat (cut cheese to lower)

4.8 g carbs, 0.95 g fiber, 3.85 g NET CARBS

64 g protein

1107 mg sodium (use half cream and half water to lower)

Jul 15 2016

Chinese Beef and Celery

Celery is extremely nutritious so I have tried to increase my intake this past year. This stir-fry combines it with dried oriental mushrooms and water chestnuts to create a very tasty dish. This can be ready in 30-40 minutes, so it can be on your table fast to feed a hungry family. Of course, you can change out the veggies. I so wanted 1 sliced carrot added to this but was out. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets.

NOTE: When making the homemade Hoisin Sauce linked below, substitute a little sweetener of choice for the honey in the original recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. lean, well-trimmed sirloin, flank or chuck steak, sliced thinly against the grain

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 T. water

1 T. low-sodium soy sauce

1 T. sherry (optional, but only if past Induction Phase)

3 T. oil of your choice (I used 5o:50 olive & coconut oil)

4 oz. onion, sliced in thin wedges

3 stalks celery, sliced on the diagonal

5 dried oriental mushrooms, soaked 1/2 hour to re-hydrate/soften, sliced (avoid using the tough stem)

2/3 c. sliced water chestnuts, drained (I sliced in halves)

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. fresh ginger root, minced

3/4 c. homemade beef bone broth or other available beef broth/pan juices

1-2 tsp. Sambal Oelek chili sauce or Sriracha Sauce

2 T. more low-sodium soy sauce

1 T. homemade Hoisin Sauce

OPTIONAL: light dusting of xanthan gum to thicken if desired

DIRECTIONS: Place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Mix well with a spoon or hands to coat the meat. Let sit for 20 minutes only! This tenderizes tougher cuts of meat typically used in Chinese stir-fries. In another small bowl, stir together the sauce items: garlic, ginger, beef broth, chili sauce, soy sauce and Hoisin sauce. When meat has been tenderized for 20 minutes, you’re ready to cook! Heat a non-stick wok or skillet over high heat. Add cold oil and then immediately dump in the beef. The famous saying in Chinese kitchens is “Hot Wok, Cold Fat” to avoid the meat sticking to the pan. Stir fry only 2 minutes to seal the surfaces of the meat. Then add the onion and celery and continue to stir-fry another 2 minutes or until they just begin to soften. Next add the mushrooms and water chestnuts. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add the liquid sauce ingredients and simmer 1-2 minutes. You can thicken with 1 light dusting of xanthan gum if you like your sauces thicker, but that is optional. Stir one minute longer to let your thickener develop and do its job. Serve at once.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 5 servings, each contains:

331.4 calories

20.96 g fat

8.62 g carbs, 1.48 g fiber, 7.14 g NET CARBS

26.6 g protein

519 mg sodium

Jul 7 2016

Roasted Poblano & Cheese-Stuffed Meat Roll

A Mexican version of a stuffed meatloaf!

I found a delicious way to cook and serve a ground meat “meatloaf-type” dish this past week. In my old days, I’d have added more cheese to the top at the end of baking, but I’m really eating ultra low-carb lately (lost 13#, too!) so I decided to forego that added carb luxury on this occasion. I was going to lay some thin slices of tomato on top, but the hubs specifically requested I not do that, so there you go. :) This is a large meat roll as I intended to freeze it for future meals. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, and Primal followers. Not suitable for Paleo however.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb. ground beef (I used 90% lean grass-fed beef)

1 lb. ground pork

1½ c. Monterrey Jack cheese (I used a mixture of Mexican queso & Monterrey Jack), shredded

2 5-6″ poblano pepper, roasted

4 oz. onion, chopped

4 tsp. bacon grease or oil of your choice

1 tsp. my Smoky Chipotle Spice Blend (or your favorite taco seasoning)

1/4 tsp. sea salt

VARIATION: Add 1 c. or so of a low-carb enchilada sauce to the top of the meat roll the last half of cooking.

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400º. Stem and seed peppers. Cut into halves or quarters and lay in a metal pan and roast on each side for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and slightly cool. Lower oven to 350º. Pull of any tough papery skin you can get off the pepper pieces and cut them into 1/4″-1/2″ strips. Set those aside for a few minutes.

In a no-stick skillet, heat the bacon grease or oil on high heat. Saute the onions until caramelized and tender. Remove and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using your hands, mix the beef and pork well with the Chipotle Spice Blend and salt, just as you do a meatloaf. I used a silicone sheet next but you can use parchment paper if you prefer. Lay the silicone sheet or parchment on a large baking sheet. Spoon the meat on top and spread it into a big rectangle about 1/2″ thick. Spoon the Monterrey Jack cheese evenly down the side closest to you. Nest lay the pepper strips down the meat on top of the cheese. Finally spread the onions down the meat roll as well. No pick up the edge of the paper or silicone sheet and begin rolling the meat over on top of the filling until it is completely rolled up, allowing it to spill over directly onto the pan. Remove the paper or silicone sheet.

Pop into 350º oven for 45 minutes to an hour (Watch carefully the last 15 minutes as ovens vary and your roll size/diameter will impact cooking time). If doing the variation with enchilada sauce, add it after 20-25 minutes cooking time (all along the length of the meat roll). Pop back into oven and and cook until you deem it is done. Slice into ten servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 10 large servings (1½” thick), each contains: (does not include optional sauce)

435 calories

34.6 g fat

1.76 g carbs, 0.41 g fiber, 1.35 g NET CARBS

27.4 g protein

293 mg sodium

Jun 21 2016

Spaghetti Sauce Bolognese

Shown on spaghetti squash threads which are NOT included in the nutritional numbers below.

This is the spaghetti sauce I have been cooking for nearly 50 years and my mother for probably that long before me. 🙂 Haven’t found one I like better. I usually double or triple the recipe and freeze some for convenience. This recipe is acceptable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal-Paleo as well.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS. She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented chefs to bring you a wealth of delicious recipes you are going to want to try. Even a few of my recipes are in her cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! (also available individually) from Amazon or here: http://amongfriends.us/order.phpDISCLAIMER: By personal choice, I do not get paid for this book promotion or for the inclusion of my recipes therein. I do so merely because they are GREAT cookbooks any low-carb cook would be proud to add to their cookbook collection

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ lb. lean ground beef

½ c. green pepper chopped

½ c. parsley chopped

1 c. celery chopped

6 garlic cloves minced

6 oz. yellow onion chopped

2 14-oz. cans crushed or diced tomatoes (kind with no added sugars)

1 small (8 oz.) can tomato paste

½ tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (less if you don’t like it very spicy)

1 T. dried crushed oregano

1 bay leaf

1 T. fresh rosemary (or ½ tsp. dried)

1 T. fresh basil leaves, chopped (or ½ tsp. dried)

½ tsp. fennel seed, crushed

VARIATIONS: add diced eggplant, mushrooms, or chopped, browned Italian sausage

DIRECTIONS: Brown meat in large stew pot. You may need a little oil if your meat is real lean. Chop all veggies and add to meat and stir well. Now add garlic, seasonings, tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer covered for 1½-2 hours on lowest heat possible. Will yield about 8-9 cups of sauce, or 8-10 servings, depending on how saucy you like things and how you plan to use the sauce.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Serves 10, each serving has: (excluding any added items mentioned in VARIATIONS)

295.3 calories

20.75 g fat

13.18 g carbs, 4.48 g fiber, 8.7 NET CARBS

18.3 g protein

116 mg. sodium

Jun 17 2016

Bacon “Risotto”

This delicious low-carb version of risotto was ready for our lunch in about 30 minutes flat. Really nice flavor and I could not taste “cauliflower” in this AT ALL. Next time I think I’ll try it with crumbled Italian sausage, but bacon was all I had to work with today. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal-Paleo as well.

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium 5-6″ head of cauliflower, leaves & stem removed

3 oz. raw bacon, chopped (3 thick or 4 thin slices)

1 c. green onion, chopped

1 tsp. lemon pepper (I use this one: http://www.vgourmet.com/no-salt-lemon-pepper)

1 oz. cream cheese

3/4 c. shredded Parmesan Cheese

VARIATION: Substitute yellow or white onion for the green. Other tasty variations: use crumbled Italian sausage or regular smoked sausage chopped in lieu of the bacon.

DIRECTIONS: After removing stem from cauliflower, cut up into uniformly small flowerettes, placing them into a food processor bowl. Pulse until it is fine like rice. An alternate method is to grate it with a box grater but that can really get messy. A blender will work but in small batches. Set the cauliflower “rice” aside for now.

In a large non-stick wok or skillet, fry the bacon until done over high heat. Add the green onion and stir fry until the onion wilts. Lower heat to medium and add lemon pepper and stir. Now spoon in the riced cauliflower. Stir fry until cauliflower no longer smells raw (3-4 minutes) stirring often. If it is browning, your heat is too high. When it appears to be fully cooked but before it is cooked to mush, dot with the cream cheese and sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top of the mixture. Stir to melt and uniformly blend both cheeses throughout the dish. Serve at once with your favorite green salad.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 5 servings, each contains:

194 calories

14 g fat

8.44 g carbs, 3.40 g fiber, 5.04 g NET CARBS

10.8 g protein

426 mg sodium

Jun 15 2016

Montreal-Chipotle Pulled Pork

I wanted to cook a large pork roast this week for a few meals and leftovers for snacks. My grocery store had fresh pork picnic on sale for $.97 per# this week so I bought a 9# bone-in picnic shoulder roast. We didn’t feel like firing up the grill for this as it is already so hot in Texas, so I just baked it low and slow inside. Wanted it falling off the bone tender and that’s what I got! I saved all the wonderful baking juices and froze them for future soup making. Didn’t want the entire piece done as seasoned pulled pork, so I baked it just with salt, pepper and a little Homemade Montreal Seasoning on the surfaces. Man, did this roast come out delicious!! One of the best pork roasts I’ve ever done with the sauce on it. Then I decided to put tonight’s dinner’s worth on the table as a seasoned pulled pork and went about making my sauce. Mmmm. Delicious indeed! Next time we’ll perhaps do it on the grill, for that added flavor layer. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal and Paleo (provided you use ghee for the butter).

INGREDIENTS:

1 pork roast (I used a 9# bone-in picnic shoulder roast, but a Boston butt, shank, or loin will do)

Sea Salt and black pepper

1 tsp. my Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning

SAUCE: 6 T. melted butter, 1 tsp. red wine vinegar, 2 tsp. Homemade Montreal Steak Spice Blend, ½-1 tsp. Tobasco Chipotle Sauce® and 1/4 tsp. liquid smoke (any brand, but I use “Amish Meadow”. Sorry, don’t remember where I ordered it from).

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325º. Place pork roast skin/fatty-side up in a 9×13 baking pan. Coat all surfaces with Black pepper, 1 tsp. Montreal Spice Blend, and I use Pink Himalayan Sea Salt. Cover pan tightly with foil. Pop into 350º oven and bake for 30 minutes to allow it to heat to the center. Reduce oven to 250º and continue slow baking (for an 8-9# bone-in roast) for about 5 hours. This could be done in a slow-cooker, but I’m not experienced with them, so check for a slow-cooker recipe on-line for guidelines for a 9# roast for setting and time.

Make the sauce in a small sauce pan over low heat, simmering the ingredients for 2-3 minutes only. Remove from heat.

At the 5 hour mark, open oven, remove meat from oven and take foil off pan. Slice off any thick skin and the fat layer from the top of the meat (it should almost slide right off effortlessly if meat is done properly to 160-170º internal temperature). I freeze this for other uses and seasoning. My dog sometimes gets a bit on her dinner. It’s very good for a dog’s coat and skin and highly digestible for dogs.

Increase oven heat to 350º and return pan uncovered to the oven. Allow meat surfaces to slightly brown for about 30 minutes. Remove meat from oven and cool slightly. Shred off the meat with a fork or tongs, pulling off as much meat onto your serving platter as you think your family will consume. Using a brush, baste the meat with the warm Montreal-Chipotle butter sauce, coating it well. Serve at once with your favorite sides or a salad.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Each 3 oz. portion of meat contains:

350 calories

28.1 g fat

0.90 g carbs, 0.30 g fiber, 0.60 g NET CARBS

23 g protein

87 mg sodium

Jun 14 2016

Chicken Lasagna Strips

These miniature lasagne delights were so good, my husband said I could fix them again any time! And they were so easy! In the oven in minutes and ready in 45 min baking. They were like eating lasagna, too! You could use thinly sliced beef pounded to tenderize in this recipe instead of the chicken if you prefer. Suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, and Primal folks who eat dairy.

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium zucchini or Mexican zucchini, sliced into 12 thin lengthwise slices (about 12 oz)

1½ chicken breast, boneless, skinless

1/3 c. ricotta cheese

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

3/4 c. Lucini low-carb spaghetti sauce (or other low-carb sauce)

VARIATION: Use thin slices pounded turkey or beef instead of chicken.

DIRECTIONS: Cover a baking sheet with foil. Preheat oven to 350º. Slice chicken into 12 thin, long, lateral slices. Pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Set aside. Slice zucchini lengthwise into 12 thin slices. I used a knife to do this, but if you have a mandolin or tool that will do it, go for it. You want 12 slices total. Place slices on the pan and avoid them touching. Lay a strip of the pounded chicken on top of each. With the back of a teaspoon, spread 1 tsp. ricotta down each chicken strip. Dot each strip with 1 T. of the sauce. Sprinkle 1 T. mozzarella shreds on next. Finally sprinkle each with 1 T. of the Parmesan shreds. Lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top to avoid cheese over-browning while cooking. Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove and ever so slightly slightly tilt pan over sink to allow any water bleeding out to drain off the pan. Replace in the oven and bake 15 more minutes. Serve at once with your favorite salad or green veggie.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 12 Lasagna Strips, each contains: (We found 3 filled us up)

130 calories

6.78 g fat

2.92 g carbs, 0.65 g fiber, 2.27 g NET CARBS

13.9 g protein

315 mg sodium

Jun 8 2016

Cheesy Crawfish Casserole

This was a quick and delicious way to put crawfish together for a casserole dinner. My husband loves casserole. You know me……always looking for easy. It’s cheesy, buttery and full of good veggie nutrition as well. If your family loves seafood, give this a try! It’s sure to please. 🙂 You can substitute shrimp in this recipe if you prefer. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins.

INGREDIENTS:

½ medium (5-6″ head cauliflower, cooked

1 c. yellow summer squash, ½” dice (I used a small 5″ squash)

4 T. unsalted butter

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 oz. bell pepper, chopped (I cross sliced mini bell peppers I had on hand)

2 oz. onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

½ c. chopped green onion

¼ c. chopped parsley

½ tsp. my Cajun Seafood Spice Blend

1/8 tsp. cayenne (optional)

12 oz. crawfish tail meat, rinsed well (or cleaned, peeled shrimp)

1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

1 c. shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

Topping: Mix ¼ c. shredded Parmesan with 5 well-crushed pork rinds

DIRECTIONS: Break cauliflower into flowerettes and cook by your preferred method until nearly tender. Drain well, dice coarsely and set aside. Dice squash and other veggies. Melt butter in non-stick skillet or wok over high heat. Preheat oven to 350º. Saute squash and all other vegetables until nearly tender or about 5 minutes. Add parsley, spices and crawfish. Stir in cauliflower. Reduce heat to medium and saute all for about 5 minutes stirring several times, to allow flavors to meld. Mix the Cheddar and Jack cheese in a bowl and sprinkle half over the crawfish mixture. Stir all well. Now put remaining cheese on top evenly. Sprinkle with the Parm-pork rind topping and pop into 350º oven for 30 minutes. I garnished with slices of mini bell peppers. Pairs nicely with your favorite low-carb dinner roll and a lovely green salad.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 6 servings, each contains:

296 calories

20.7 g fat

7.16 g carbs, 2.0 g fiber, 5.16 g NET CARBS

21.1 g protein

509 mg sodium

Jun 7 2016

Escarole Sausage Soup

Shown with my Flax-Whey Protein Bread

The only way I’ve ever had escarole before was raw added to salads. Its curly leaves are very attractive in green salads, but I don’t find it has much flavor, if you want the honest truth. But I decided to cook it in a soup today just to see what that was like. This Induction suitable soup was what I came up with and it was very tasty. But again, I don’t think by virtue of the escarole itself, but from all the other ingredients in the soup. This recipe calls for pork broth, which I always have around as I save all broth from pre-baking pork ribs or pork butt roast before BBQ’ing. But other broths can be used instead. Serve with a slice of low-carb bread and butter and a nice green salad. This recipe suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets and Primal-Paleo as well.

Many delicious low-carb recipes like this one can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends. Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love! Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php. DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote them because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. Italian sausage, crumbled and cooked (I use this: https://buttoni.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/italian-sausage/)

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 c. pork broth, my homemade has no-salt (chicken or beef is OK, but select no-salt or low-sodium)

4 c. water

7 oz. escarole, chopped, 1″ pieces

Curly Escarole

3 oz. onion, sliced

½ c. parsley, chopped

½ c. roasted red peppers (water pack), cut into slivers

1 large clove garlic, minced

Pinch oregano

¼ tsp. each of salt, black pepper, & crushed red pepper

DIRECTIONS: In a large stew pot, crumble and cook the Italian sausage and onions in the olive oil until sausage is no longer pink. Add the garlic, parsley, roasted red pepper, and all seasonings/spices. Pour in the pork broth and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a medium simmer and cook just until escarole is completely done (about 15-20 minutes).

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Though a cup is pictured, this recipe makes 5 large bowls, each contains:

199 calories

15.24 g fat

5.62 g carbs, 2.26 g fiber, 3.36 g NET CARBS

9.9 g protein

325 mg sodium

Jun 6 2016

Grilled Sriracha-Butter Burgers

Shown on my Gluten-Free bun (link below)

I have to say these burgers go down in the annals of our 45 years or grilling burgers as the absolutely BEST burger I have ever EVER tasted, anywhere. The grass-fed beef gives them a vibrant, rich beefy flavor. Then the marinade mixture I blended into the meat took them to sheer hamburger Nirvana. To put that comment into perspective, I do not put condiments on my burgers: I only use lettuce and tomato on them, so the flavor of the meat REALLY comes through on my burgers. My husband, who puts EVERYTHING on a burger, said he couldn’t taste the marinate so much, only the smoke taste. Mustard can be a powerful thing (why I don’t like it). So hubby left the mustard off his second burger and then he agreed with me……. the taste of the meat was incredible. That would indicate this recipe will make incredible bunless grilled meat patties, perhaps wrapped in bacon, to serve with your favorite sides.

You can serve your burgers on your favorite low-carb buns. I served mine on my new Gluten-Free Grain-Free Hamburger Buns. They are neutral-tasting like high-carb white bread buns, soft, moist, yet sturdy enough to hold up to the juiciness of the meat and tomato. If you are still in Atkins Induction, I recommend these buns for your burgers. They, too are sturdy enough to take the heat of your meat. 🙂

These burger patties are suitable for Atkins Induction Phase, Keto diets, Primal and Paleo if eaten either without a bun or a plan/phase suitable bun.

Many more delicious low-carb burger recipes can be yours in Jennifer Eloff’s latest, best-selling cookbook venture LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS. Click to see a preview of what’s in store for you in this 5-volume set. Jennifer and other low-carb chefs, including well-known George Stella, have brought you a marvelous collection of tasty delights. Order the set or order them individually in regular or coil binding at Amazon or direct. DISCLAIMER: I am not paid for this book promotion or the inclusion of my recipes therein. I do so simply because they are a GREAT collection of recipes you are going to want to give a try.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. grass-fed ground beef (I use 90% lean)

3 T. butter or ghee, melted (less if using fattier meat)

1 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce (more if you like ’em spicy!)

3/4 tsp. homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning (or your favorite burger seasoning)

¼ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. garlic powder

VARIATION: Use ground lamb instead of beef

DIRECTIONS: Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour over the ground beef or lamb in a medium mixing bowl. Mix well with a fork, cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours. When ready to cook the burgers, prepare a hot charcoal fire and grill the burgers as usual (about 7 minutes on a side for medium). The butter in the meat will make them flare up, so don’t walk away to fix that adult beverage while these babies cook. :) Serve on your favorite low-carb buns along with your favorite condiments and side dishes.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes four 3½-oz. cooked patties, each contains (not including your bun):

297 calories

24.7 g fat

0.97 g carbs, 0.02 g fiber, 0.95 g NET CARBS (plus whatever bun you use)

20 g protein

247 mg sodium

Jun 2 2016

Meatza “Donuts”

I wanted to make a crustless pizza today for lunch yet didn’t want to do my usual Quick Skillet Pizza or a traditional round shape. I thought first about my stick/bar pan, a muffin pan and then my eye caught my donut pans. Light bulb moment. So I decided on making Meatza “Donuts”! They came out so cute and quite delicious as well. These are suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets and Primal. Not suitable for Paleo unless you have a plan-suitable non-dairy cheese. These can be refrigerated or frozen. They would make great portable food for camping or office reheating. Great for a meal or for a late night snack. 🙂

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends. Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love! Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php. DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

VARIATION: Add 1 tsp. pizza or meatless spaghetti sauce (lowest carb) before adding toppings.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. lean ground pork

1/8 tsp. garlic powder (or coarse granulated garlic)

1/2 tsp. fennel seed, crushed

¼ tsp. oregano

1 T. parsley, chopped

3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

½ c. grated Parmesan cheese

3 T. thin slivers green bell pepper

12 black olives, sliced into 3-4 slices

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350º. Press meat into two large doughnut pan slots (total 12 slots). It will take about 3 T. per slot and each wil be pretty full. if using sauce, smear 1 tsp. atop each “donut”. Add 1 tsp. mozzarella cheese atop each “donut” trying to keep in on the meat and not all over the pan. it’s actually not easy to do. :) Push any roaming bits of cheese back onto the meat. :) Then put 4-5 slivers green pepper on each one. Slice the olives into 3-4 slivers and put 3-4 slices onto each “donut”. Finally sprinkle 1 tsp. Parmesan over each circle. Press each on top slightly to seat the toppings well into the meat. To maintain the donut shape, take your finger and push any cheese off the center post of each form.

Pop pan into middle shelf of oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until slightly browned on top. Meat should also be done at that juncture. Remove pans from oven and walk over to sink and tip each pan slightly to drain off most excess grease and juices that bled out during cooking. Using a knife, loosen each donut with a knife point, lift out of pan and place them on your serving platter. ENJOY!

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 12 Meatza “Donuts”, each contains: (two filled us up nicely)

144 calories

11 g fat

0.89 g carbs, 0.21 g fiber, 0.68 g NET CARBS

9.9 g protein

158 mg sodium

Jun 1 2016

Pork Chops in Mushroom-Tomato Cream

Pork Chops in Tomato-Mushroom Cream

I set out to just fry two nice pork chops for dinner but ended up de-glazing the pan of the tasty brown bits and making a lovely sauce we thoroughly enjoyed. This delicious dish came together in about 30 minutes. I served this with a side of seasoned French frozen green beans, but a salad would be nice with it also. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal and even Paleo if you sub in coconut milk for the cream.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends. Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love! Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php.DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

VARIATIONS: Substitute 2 boneless, butterflied chicken breasts for the pork. Add 1/4 c. white or rose wine of your choice, simmering off the alcohol at least 4-5 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

2 6-oz bone-in center-cut pork chops or 10 oz. boneless pork loin (yield two 5-oz. portions)

3 tsp. bacon grease for frying

¼ tsp. lemon pepper (I use Victoria Gourmet No-Salt Lemon Pepper)

½ c. water (or pork or chicken broth)

¼ c. heavy cream

1/3 c. chopped parsley

1 6-oz can sliced mushrooms, with their juice

10 cherry or San Marzano tiny tomatoes, cut in halves

Dash sea salt

1/8 tsp. coarse black pepper

DIRECTIONS: Heat the bacon grease in a skillet over high heat. Coat the surfaces of the chops with the lemon pepper. Sear them in the hot skillet until golden and completely done. List them out to a plate briefly. Add the water or broth to the skillet and with a rubber spatula, de-glaze the tasty brown bits stuck to the pan. Add the cream, parsley, mushrooms with juice, salt and black pepper. Simmer a few minutes to allow the cream sauce to thicken slightly on its own. Add the tomatoes and simmer just until they begin to soften. If sauce is still not thick enough for your preference, dust the smallest amount of xanthan gum lightly over the top, whisk constantly and allow time to thicken before repeating. Place chops back in the pan and simmer just a couple minutes more. Serve at once.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes two 5-oz. servings (adjust for more people). Each serving contains:

448 calories

28 g fat

6.85 g carbs, 2.30 g fiber, 4.55 g NET CARBS

40.99 g protein

432 mg sodium

May 31 2016

Pork Roll-Ups

Here’s something different to do with that pork you are planning to cook tonight. This is a recipe I came up with not long ago and they were pretty tasty. They are simple to make, too!

This recipe is not suitable for Induction unless you use pork rinds or more Parmesan cheese for the peanuts listed below. They are OK for Keto diets as well. Ok for Primal-Paleo if you use pork rinds in lieu of the peanuts.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends. Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love! Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php.DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

4 pieces of lean pork loin (about 3 oz. each)

4 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese

1 link smoked sausage

2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. crushed peanuts (for those on Induction, substitute 2 more T. Parmesan or pork rinds)

2 T. homemade mayo: https://buttoni.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/homemade-mayonnaise/

Dash black pepper

DIRECTIONS: Pound pork flat with a cleaver. Cut sausage link into four long strips lengthwise. Place one piece sausage onto each pounded piece of meat. Next place 1 oz. strip of cheese (or grated). Roll tightly and secure with two toothpicks. Using a basting brush, coat each roll with a film of homemade mayonnaise. Run peanuts and parmesan in processor or blender until quite fine and sprinkle on tops and sides of rolls. Place on greased baking pan. Bake at 350º for about 30 minutes.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each contains:

389 calories

27.9 g fat

2.2 g carbs, 0.6 g fiber, 1.6 NET CARBS

33 g protein

339 mg sodium

May 29 2016

Brats with Purple Cabbage

I’ve made this dish for years, but I have always made it with regular smoked sausage. Thought I’d try it with brats this time. Good decision! It was quick, simple and very tasty. The caraway seed is optional, but adds a lot to the overall flavor of this delicious dinner dish. This pairs nicely with my cool, Mint Cucumber Salad. If I have a salad, one serving fills me right up because I find brats to be quite rich. The hubs eats 2 links however. ;) This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal and Paleo as well.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends. Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love! Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php.DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

Still on the stove

VARIATION: Substitute your favorite smoked sausage for the brats.

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz. beef brats (4 links)

1 T. + 1 tsp. bacon grease

4 c. purple cabbage, cut up coarsely

3 oz. onion, slivered thin

½ tsp. caraway seed

¼ tsp. coarse black pepper

DIRECTIONS: In a small non-stick skillet, cook the sausage until browned on all sides. I like to start out with ½” water in the pan and basically let the brats boil in that water, covered with a lid, until they are totally gray and pretty firm and done. Then I pour off the water, pierce them with a knife or fork to allow grease to exude and brown them slowly in their own grease, rotating several times, until golden on all sides. Using a lid during browning will reduce spattering of grease a little.

While they cook, add the bacon grease to a large non-stick skillet or wok over high heat. Add the onion, and stir-fry until it begins to brown and caramelize. Add cabbage and caraway seed. Lower heat to medium. Stir fry until the cabbage is wilted to the stage you like, but not completely or it will get quite strong tasting, in my opinion. You want a little crunch and natural sweetness left in it. Top with the browned brats and serve at once.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each contains: Men will eat 2 servings, women only 1

354 calories

28.5 g fat

9.37 g carbs, 2.20 g fiber, 7.17 g NET CARBS

14.5 g protein

802 mg sodium (all from the brats, unfortunately)

May 28 2016

Chicken Breast in Shawarma Cream Sauce

This moist, delicious, quick dinner was all that I hoped it would be. I seared off butterflied chicken breasts in butter and made a delicious sauce of a cream reduction of a mixture of cream and homemade mayonnaise along with some of my tasty Shawarma Spice Blend. This simple recipe is perfect for a week night when you’re tired from a hard day at work. But it would be good enough to serve guests as well! And of course this is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal and even Paleo if you sub in coconut milk for the cream.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends. Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love! Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php.DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

2 8-10-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied

2 T. unsalted butter

Dash each coarse black pepper and sea salt

½ c. heavy cream (coconut milk for Paleo version)

1/3 c. homemade mayonnaise

½ tsp. my Shawarma Spice Blend

Water (just a bit, if needed to thin sauce if too thick)

DIRECTIONS: Butterfly the chicken laterally almost through, spreading the two halves of each breast out to form 4 smaller, thinner fillets. Alternately, you can leave them butterflied and whole and let your diners cut them as they wish at the table when serving themselves. Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Sear the chicken on all sides until the meat is no longer bleeding out pink juices and is done. Remove meat to your serving platter while you make the sauce.

Lower heat to lowest setting and add the cream, homemade mayo and Shawarma spice blend. Sprinkle on a dash of coarse black pepper and sea salt. Allow to simmer stirring constantly, to deglaze any brown bits off the pan into the sauce. Pour sauce carefully around (and a little bit down the middle of) the chicken fillets and serve at once with your favorite green veggies.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each contains (using 10-oz breasts):

385 calories

31 g fat

1.07 g carbs, 0.30 g fiber, 0.77 g NET CARBS

26 g protein

374 mg sodium

May 26 2016

Cream of Broccoli Soup

I just love creamed soups and decided to make one from a head of broccoli today for lunch. I usually make a broccoli and cheese soup that is a bit chunkier and cheesier tasting, but I was actually shooting for a creamy soup with less cheese taste. II used water making my soup and it was delicious, but using homemade chicken broth will make it even tastier, if you have it on hand. We actually liked the little bit of bite the optional Sriracha brings to the flavor profile and add that occasionally to soups. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins and Keto diets. I don’t add salt to recipes with cheese, as there is so much sodium in most cheeses and I am very sodium sensitive. If sodium is also an issue for you, you can always cut back on the cheese in this recipe. 🙂

DISCLAIMER: I am not paid for this book promotion nor for the inclusion of my recipes therein. I do so merely because they are GREAT cookbooks any low-carb cook would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

20-oz. head of broccoli, cut into chunks

Water to cover nicely, (about 3-3½ cups)

¼ tsp. coarsely black pepper

½ tsp. onion powder

10 oz. shredded or sliced Cheddar cheese or a mixture of American Deluxe and Cheddar (I did the latter)

1 c. whipping cream

VARIATION: Add 2 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce

DIRECTIONS: Cut up broccoli into chunks, stems and all. Place in a large soup pot. Cover with water or homemade broth, if you prefer a richer soup. Add salt, pepper, onion powder and stir. Next add the Sriracha sauce (if using). Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium-low. Simmer until the broccoli is quite tender and then remove from heat. You can either process the broccoli in batches with a bit of the broth in your food processor/blender (do not over fill when pureeing hot foods!). OR, if you own a stick blender, you can wait to do this step. Add the processed broccoli back to the pot and place back over a very low fire. Add the cheese, stirring to facilitate melting and blending. If the fire is low enough, it should not stick to the bottom of the pot. Once the cheese appears to be fully melted, add the cream and stir until it slightly thickens. Place your stick blender in the pot and pressing down on the broccoli chunks throughout the pot, begin to pulse/break them up a bit. Then blend in a continuous blending motion throughout the soup mixture until you have a uniformly smooth mixture. This creates a small bit of “foam” on the surface but that settles down with a few minutes of waiting and gentle stirring. If not thick enough for you, thicken with a light dusting or 2 (or 3) of xanthan gum (or your preferred thickener). Thickening will tend to eliminate that “foaming” issue caused by the stick blender. Serve with your favorite low-carb rolls or crackers.🙂

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 6 large servings, each contains:

315 calories

26.4 g fat

9.96 carbs, 2.49 g fiber, 7.48 g NET CARBS

11.86 g protein

500 mg sodium (from all that cheese)

May 22 2016

Beef Oxtail Stew

Shown in cooking pot before thickening

Beef oxtail is just what its name implies. There is not a lot of meat on the tail of the animal, but like beef shank, it is very tasty meat when stewed or braised in liquid. It is fairly tough, so it must be stewed for about 3 hours. This would be a perfect dish to cook in a slow cooker I think. I don’t own one, but if you follow directions for stew, the meat should get fall-off-the-bone tender for you.

Many add carrots and or rutabaga (potatoes if not low-carbing) to the pot, but I like to add mushrooms, celery and onion only, making this almost like Boeuf Bourguignon. This delicious recipe is acceptable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets and Primal-Paleo as well.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends. Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love! Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php.DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

2 T. oil of your choosing

1 beef oxtail (around 2#), cut into 2″ sections

2 oz. onion, cut in large chunks

2 large stalks celery (I include leaves), cut in large chunks

1 fresh large mushrooms

½ c. red wine (burgundy or claret), omit if still on Induction

3 small bay leaves

½ tsp. dried thyme leaves

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

¼ tsp. sea salt

½ tsp. black pepper

2 c. homemade chicken stock

water just to cover pot contents by ½”

DIRECTIONS: Place oil in stew pot. Heat over high flame. Add meat and brown pieces, turning as needed with tongs to brown all sides. Add onion and celery to the pot. Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT the mushrooms (if adding rutabaga, add the last hour of cooking). Allow to come to a boil and then lower to lowest setting on the burner. Cover with tight lid. Stir occasionally while you cook the stew for 2½ hours. Add mushrooms (and carrots, if adding) and cook for 30 more minutes. Thicken if desired with your favorite thickener. I use a light dusting or two of xanthan gum, stirring until it thickens up to desired thickness. Serve at once with your favorite vegetables or salad.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 3 servings, each containing: (does not include optional carrots or rutabaga)

409 calories (less, if all liquid is not consumed)

22.8 g fat

8.10 g carbs, 1.93 g fiber, 6.17 g NET CARBS

32 g protein

210 mg sodium

May 17 2016

Crunchy Parmesan-Boursin Chicken Filets

This simple dish will really please the palate. It’s almost effortless to make if you have some of my Shawarma Mayo made up (I always keep it on hand in my fridge). Ready in 30 minutes or less. Truly delicious and suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal-Paleo as well.

DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

24 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, in 4 nice portions

4 T. my homemade Shawarma Mayonnaise

4 T. Boursin Garlic-Herb cheese (or garlic-herb Alouette cheese)

1 oz. pork rinds

½ c. parsley, chopped

¼ tsp. each black pepper, garlic powder & onion powder

¼ c. Parmesan cheese (any variety will work)

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350º. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer or mallet, pound the 4 breast filets between 2 sheets plastic wrap to flatten them a bit using the flat side of a meat tenderizer or mallet. Real thin is NOT necessary here, just flatten them so they aren’t too thick for fastest baking. Place filets on an oiled baking pan making sure they are not touching. Brush each with 1 T. of the Shawarma Mayo. Then dot each with 1 T. of the Boursin cheese.

Place all remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse to make a nice Parmesan-parsley rind crumb mixture. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the chicken and bake at 350º for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each contains:

500 calories

29.3 g fat

1.5 g carbs, 0.22 g fiber, 1.29 g NET CARBS

59.5 g protein

975 mg sodium

May 14 2016

Salisbury Steak

This Atkins Induction-friendly dish is delicious! It is also acceptable for you Keto dieters. It is VERY easy to prepare and when I was still teaching, I would often cook this when I came home particularly tired, or had a lot of papers to grade that night. I have also done this recipe chopping up the mushrooms real fine and adding to the patties themselves. It’s very good done that way, too.

VARIATION: Add 1 T. finely minced red bell pepper to the meat for a slightly different taste.

This entree pairs nicely with butter-rich mashed cauliflower and a green vegetable of your choice.

More delicious, quick low-carb meal ideas can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS. She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented chefs to bring you a wealth of over 1400 delicious recipes in all 5 volumes (also available individually). Even a few of my recipes are in her cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! Amazon or: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

DISCLAIMER: I do not get paid for this book promotion nor for the inclusion of my recipes therein. I do so merely because they are GREAT cookbooks any low-carb cook would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

Before adding cream.

½ lb. ground beef

½ lb. ground pork (or more ground beef)

2 T. finely minced yellow onion

1 T. chopped parsley

1 beaten egg

½ c. crushed plain pork rinds (add not salt to the meat or sauce as these are salty enough)

1/3 c. sliced fresh mushrooms (or small can with juice)

½ c. canned low sodium beef bouillon (or homemade beef stock)

¼ c. heavy cream (omit for for non-dairy version)

1 T. olive oil

2 T. white or red wine (omit if still in Atkins Induction)

Dash each celery seed, onion powder, black pepper

OPTIONAL: Some chopped celery added to the pan after browning meat.

DIRECTIONS: Mix the meats, parsley, onion, pork rinds and egg together in a bowl with your hands. Form into 4 patties. Coat non-stick skillet with olive oil and brown patties over medium heat. Lower heat to low and add bouillon and cream. Slice mushrooms and add to skillet. Add seasonings and celery if using. DO NOT SALT as the pork rinds will give enough salt to this dish. Cover and cook about 20 minutes longer, turning patties once during coking to ensure even cooking. Uncover and simmer to reduce cream to thicken. If not thick enough, dust on a couple light dustings of xanthan gum or guar gum. Stir after each addition to prevent lumps. Great with mashed cauliflower and some green vegetable.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each contains: (not including optional celery)

451.75 Calories

34.28 g fat

2 g carbs, 0.25 g fiber, 1.83 NET CARBS

31.23 g protein

3 g alcohol

May 13 2016

Beef & Bacon Stuffed Squash

This delicious dish is so rich and creamy you’re going to love it! Not a lot of ingredients but a nice combination of flavors in this one. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, and Primal diets.

DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

1½ c. cooked spaghetti squash threads (I used a 6″ squash which was perfect.)

2 slices thick bacon, chopped coarsely

10 oz. ground beef (I used 90% lean grass-fed)

3/4 tsp. Victoria Gourmet No-Salt Lemon Pepper(I actually did 1 with lemon pepper and 1 with homemade Montreal Seasoning. Both were quite tasty!)

2 large green onions, chopped

2 oz. (4 T.) cream cheese

¼ c. shredded mozzarella cheese

VARIATION: Use another seasoning of your choosing to change this up.

DIRECTIONS: Cut squash in half lengthwise and invert in a shallow dish with a little water. Microwave on HI for 13 minutes. Remove and fork out the threads into a waiting bowl, being careful so as not to tear the outer shells that will become their own “bowl”. You will only be using 1½ c. of the threads. Reserve the rest for another use.

In a non-stick skillet or wok over high heat, fry the bacon. When partially cooked, add the beef, breaking it up with your spoon as you cook the two completely until completely done. Add the seasoning you have chosen and the green onions. Just saute until onion is slightly softened. Add the cream cheese and stir until it is uniformly melted and blended with the meat mixture. Remove from heat. Spoon the meat mixture onto the spaghetti squash threads and stir to blend well. Spoon half the mixture into each empty squash shell. Sprinkle 2 T. mozzarella shreds over each filled squash half. Pop into 350º oven for around 20 minutes or until cheese is melted on top and slightly beginning to brown. Serve at once with a salad or green veggie.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 2 adult servings, each contains:

627 calories

43.6 g fat (reduce bacon and/or cut mozzarella cheese to lower fat)

10.8 g carbs, 2.25 g fiber, 8.55 g NET CARBS

46.2 g protein

1100 mg sodium

May 12 2016

3-Cheese Fish Florentine

Tonight’s baked fish dinner was delicious!! My husband isn’t a big fish fan and he said I could fix this one again any old time. This was so yummy! I confess I had misgivings about whether it would have enough flavor, but it DID! The ricotta and mozzarella mellowed the fish taste; the Parm cheese and the particular brand used of No-Salt Lemon Pepper by Victoria Gourmet was just the pizazz it needed. Her blend has a trace of sugar in it, but the flavor is so much superior to any brand I’ve ever tasted, I’ll pay that price. This blend has 0 carbs per tsp. so the amount is clearly waaay less than 0.5g sugar (considering it also has zest and herbs) for them to be able to round total carbs down to 0. This recipe isn’t suitable until you reach Phase 2 (OWL, Ongoing Weight Loss) of Atkins. It is suitable for Keto diets and those primal followers that eat dairy occasionally.

DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

2 6-oz. fish filets (flounder, Blue fish, or whatever is available to you)

½ c. ricotta cheese

½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 small clove garlic, minced

½ tsp. No-Salt Lemon Pepper by Victoria Gourmet

1 c. frozen chopped spinach, cooked, drained well

2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

3 cherry tomatoes, halved

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly oil a baking pan. Boil the spinach and drain. Either press the liquid out using a sieve and the back of a large spoon or squeeze the moisture out with your hands or a clean kitchen towel. Set spinach in a small bowl and stir in the minced garlic.

Pat dry the fish fillets with paper towels and lay them on the pan so that they are not touching each other. With the back of a spoon thinly spread the ricotta evenly on each fillet almost out to the edges, but not quite. Sprinkle 2 T. mozzarella shreds on top of each fillet. Slightly press it into the ricotta with your fingertips. Evenly line up the spinach down the center of each fillet as shown in the photo. Top each row of spinach with 1 T. grated Parmesan cheese. Place 3 tomato halves down the center of the spinach hill cut side down. Pop into 350º oven for about 30 minutes or until it begins to brown just a bit. Remove and serve at once with your favorite side dish or a lovely green salad.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 2 servings, each contains:

335 calories

17.5 g fat

8.65 g carbs, 2.50 g fiber, 6.15 g NET CARBS

38.5 g protein

620 mg sodium

May 8 2016

Iranian Sabzi Wraps

Before a meal in Iran, an herb platter known as Sabzi Khordan is often served as a salad or first course. It is served with their wonderful open-fire baked sheet bread. Herbs are said to be an appetite stimulant, but they also complement many Iranian foods. Sabzi is to Iranian meals what salsa is to Mexican cuisine. It is added to many foods as well as being eaten alone. They will continue to pick more of the herbs off the platter throughout the meal, as they complement their stews, curries and grilled kebabs so nicely. It’s similar to Tabouleh salad in flavor. I have never liked it alone, but prefer it served with hummus to mellow the intense flavors. The resulting combination is a horse of another color and altogether seriously delicious!!

Sadly I can’t get the wonderful sheet bread they made over there, baked on open ovens directly over hot scorching pebbles. So I serve mine on the closest thing I can find to Iranian sheet Noon bread: Joseph’s Flax & Oat Fiber pita breads (the smallest ones they make), sold in a plastic blister pack covered with a plastic bag. The ones sold in just the plastic bag much like flour tortillas are sold are a little larger and carry a heavier “price” on the carb count.

This is a GREAT dish for you vegetarians, too, so be sure to share with your vegetarian friends! This dish is not suitable during Induction due to the chickpea flour. The filling for these wraps, served as a side dish or as a curry or kebab complement, is suitable for Phase 2 (OWL, Ongoing Weight Loss) of Atkins. But the wraps are would not be suitable until you reach the grains level of Phase 2 when you are much closer to goal weight.

VARIATION: Add a few sprigs of fenugreek leaves, chopped. I have them dried, but not quite as good in this. You want the fresh if possible.

DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection

INGREDIENTS:

1½ c. parsley, chopped

½ c. spearmint, chopped

1 large green onion, chopped

2 sprigs cilantro, chopped

¼ c. chickpea flour

¼ c. whey protein powder (WPP) (unflavored and unsweetened)

2 T. tap water

1 clove garlic, minced

3 T. hemp hearts

1 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. olive oil

½ – 1 tsp. glucomannan powder (only use if needed to thicken a bit)

1-2 small slices tomato for each wrap

4 Joseph’s Flax-Oat Fiber Pita (the small ones), or ½ sheet of Joseph’s lavash sheet bread

DIRECTIONS: In a small bowl, mix the chickpea flour, WPP, garlic, water, olive oil and lemon juice. Beat with a whisk until smooth. If not very thick, add the glucomannan powder and let sit 5-10 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl, place the chopped herbs and green onion. Add the hemp hearts and herb mixture and stir. Place 1/4 of the mixture on half of the pita, top with 1-2 slices tomato, fold and close with a toothpick. Kalamata olives and a bit of feta cheese pair nicely with these wraps.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 wraps, each contains: (includes bread)

216.3 calories

13.0 g fat

16.02 g carbs, 7.02 g fiber, 9.0 g NET CARBS

15.2 g protein

315 mg sodium

May 6 2016

Sriracha Brisket with Pepperoncini

A perfectly delicious way to braise a piece of beef brisket in the oven. This dish really cooks itself! And boy does my husband ever love this one! Cooked low and slow will renders the final roast so tender! The onions, peperonicini peppers and Sriracha sauce play so well together. I’m certain your family will love this roast. I don’t like my food to spicy so I only used 3 peperoncini peppers. You might want to use more it you like to spice things up. I want the flavor but not the “heat”. I don’t trim the fat from my brisket before cooking as the fat bastes it to keep in moist. You can trim it first if you prefer.🙂

This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets. Just omit the Sriracha for Primal-Paleo (unless you make your own homemade, which is way more trouble in the kitchen than I’ll do).

DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

2½ lb. piece of beef brisket (or chuck roast). (I used 1/3 of a large brisket)

1½ oz. onion, sliced

3 pickled peperoncini peppers, stemmed and slivered or sliced (or more for spicy)

2 tsp. Sriracha sauce

¼ tsp. coarse black pepper

¼ tsp. each dried thyme leaves, onion powder, garlic powder

2 sprigs parsley, chopped

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325º. Place brisket in baking pan, fat side down. Mix pepper, thyme, onion powder and garlic powder in a saucer and stir. Sprinkle over all surfaces of the meat (I don’t bother with the fatty side that is down). Spread the onion slivers over the top surface. Next lay the slices of peperoncini peppers on top. Drizzle the Sriracha sauce sort of zig-zag over the top, like chefs do dessert sauces on a dessert plate. You can add a dash of salt last, but I find it is actually not needed on this roast. Dot the top of the roast with the butter. Cover pan with foil and pop into 325º oven for a total of about 3 hours. As the roast cooks, the butter melts into the pan juices, using a brush, baste the meat gently with the pan juices every hour and right before serving. If the pan juices are evaporating, add a dab of water to loosen all that flavor goodness to make your pan juices come alive again. Pairs nicely with a bowl of cauliflower mash and green beans. I’m talking comfort food here, folks.🙂

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 6 servings (approx. two ¼” slices each). Each serving contains approximately:

470 calories

31.43 g fat

1.71 g carbs, 0.20 g fiber, 1.51 g NET CARBS

43 g protein

155 mg sodium

May 6 2016

Topless Tamale Pie

A quick and delicious meal for a week night or ANY night! Who needs those high-carb cornmeal toppings from the past? or those low-carb fake cornmeal toppings? Both low-carb topping trials I’ve created have been mediocre at best: one was too dry; the other was tasteless to me. So I checked out the Great Value brand no-salt added canned corn not long ago at Walmart. Lo and behold, it only has 9g carbs per ½ c. minus 2g fiber or 7 net carbs per ½ cup. Spread out in an entire recipe like this, if not still in Induction, you can use half a can (3/4 c.) in a recipe and get the real flavor of corn for little carbs per individual serving. Check out the numbers below. And is this dish ever yummy!

This recipe is only suitable for Induction if you omit the corn. It’s OK for other phases of Atkins however and Keto diets if the carbs will fit your daily limits.

DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground beef (I used 90% lean grass-fed)

2 oz. chopped onion

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

½ tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. granulated or garlic powder

3/4 c. Great Value canned corn, drained (omit if on Induction)

2.25 oz. can sliced black olives

4 slices American Deluxe cheese

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ c. Great Value canned diced tomatoes (no-salt)

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 300º. Cook ground meat over medium heat until no longer pink. Add onion and jalapeno and cook until onion is softening. Add all spices and stir. Add tomatoes, corn, olives and the shredded Cheddar cheese. Stir and simmer for 4-5 minutes. The cheese will begin to get sticky and bind the mixture a bit. Top with the 4 slices of American cheese. Pop in a 300º oven for 5-8 minutes just to melt the cheese. Serve directly in the baking pan or dish up onto a serving platter. Pairs nicely with a guacamole or green salad of choice.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains:

493 calories

31.5 g fat

10.1 g carbs, 2.4 g fiber, 7.7 g NET CARBS

39.8 g protein

882 mg sodium

May 4 2016

Chicken & Italian Sausage on Zoodles

Mmm, mmm, mmm. This colorful dish was just as tasty as it looks! And super, duper fast to get on the table for your hungry family!! Just creamy enough without being too “heavy”. My husband specifically asked for something light tonight since we went out for steak last night, had oysters and the whole shebang. :) He said I accomplished that goal of “light” with this wonderful new dish. This is elegant-looking when served and most worthy of company fare. It is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, Primal folks who eat dairy, and Paleo followers provided you use coconut milk instead of the cream.

DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

2 6-oz. zucchini (two 6″), cut into zucchini noodles or ribbons

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts around 11-12 oz. each

2 T. total olive oil

4 T. total butter (or ghee)

1 link Italian sausage, casing removed & cut into chunks

2 oz. onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ c. parsley, chopped (reserve 1T. for garnish)

8 cherry tomatoes, halved (or more if you like)

Several shakes coarse black pepper

Dash salt

½ c. heavy cream

DIRECTIONS: Place a non-stick skillet or wok on your burner. Add 1 T. oil and coat entire pan surface. Cut zoodles with a noodling tool, julienne peeler or ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Slow saute just over medium heat until they are no longer opaque and just barely beginnint to soften. Remove, dip out nicely onto a serving platter and keep in warming oven while you make the sauce.

Cut each chicken breast laterally into 2 thinner filets, cover with plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer or wooden kitchen mallet. I don’t pound them too thin, however.

Wipe skillet out with paper towel if any zoodles are hanging on for dear life. :) Add the other tablespoon of olive oil and 1 T. of the butter and heat over high heat. Sear the chicken breasts on both sides until golden and remove to a temporary plate. Add remaining 3 T. butter, sausage, garlic and onion. Saute until onion is tender and sausage is no longer pink and begins to brown. Add parsley and tomatoes next. Saute 1 minute and tomatoes barely begin to soften. Finally, add cream, salt and pepper. Simmer just a couple minutes until cream thickens up for you.

Remove platter with your zoodles from warming oven. Place chicken filets across the top. Spoon the creamy sausage sauce on top and garnish with that reserved tablespoon parsley. Serve at once.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each contains:

531 calories

39 g fat

7.8 g carbs, 1.8 g fiber, 7.0 g NET CARBS

38.1 g protein

703 mg sodium

May 3 2016

Indian Muthi Kebabs

I have been wanting to try my hand at the muthi kebabs that are often served with a Mixed Grill at Indian restaurants. So I tinkered around with my Garam Masala spice blend and a few other common Indian seasonings and grilled the final result. I managed to get my recipe pretty darn close to the taste I’m so familiar with. This has since become my go-to Indian kebab recipe. I like to serve these with various grilled vegetables, usually including onions, but sometimes with grilled tomatoes or grilled yellow squash. Also pictured are dry-griddled Mission Carb Balance whole wheat flour tortillas (3 net carbs per tortilla) for a very similar taste to Indian whole wheat chapatis. 🙂

These kebabs can be made with either beef or lamb. And although you can skillet cook or broil them indoors, grilling them over charcoal will achieve a flavor so similar to those done in a tandoori oven that once you’ve done them that way, you’ll not want them any other way. Of that I am certain! I have tried to mold these on skewers before, but I have never had much luck with that. Gravity kicks in and mine drop off the skewer before I can even get the skewer to the grill, so we just do them in little patties instead. :) This recipe is Atkins Induction friendly and is also suitable for Keto, Primal and Paleo.

Shown in the traditional shape

INGREDIENTS:

24 oz. ground beef or lamb (not too lean, or add some fat)

4 oz. onion, minced fine

2-3 T. cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped fine

½ tsp. ginger root, minced

1 tsp. Garam Masala

¼ tsp. turmeric

¼ tsp. salt

1 small egg, beaten

Dash black pepper and cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS: I have a food processor, so I throw all the ingredients in and process until all veggies are minced fine and blended well into the smooth meat. Form into 8 equal patties. I actually weigh mine and make them 3 oz. raw mixture for each patty. Prepare charcoal fire and grill over hot coals for about 10 minutes on a side (will vary depending on how hot your fire is and how far the meat is from the coals). I like to serve these kebabs with my Indian Creamed Spinach , assorted grilled veggies or my Roasted Shawarma Vegetables . Mmmmm. Good Eats!

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 8 patties, each contains:

237.6 calories

15.2 g fat

1.46 g carbs, .29 g fiber, 1.17 g net carbs

22.5 g protein

418 mg sodium

May 2 2016

Chicken-Squash-Poblano Casserole

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo! This simple and tasty casserole is pretty quick to prepare and get into the oven on a week night. It could even be prepared ahead, frozen and just topped with the cheese and baked the day of serving. This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins, Keto diets, and Primal if you eat a little cheese (although there’s not that much of it in this recipe).

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INGREDIENTS:

2 T. coconut oil or oil of choice

12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken, cut bite-size

Calaba or Mexican Zucchini

4 c. diced Mexican zucchini (shown right, or use regular zucchini)

2 oz. onion, chopped

1½ 5″ poblano peppers (or 2 small ones)

¼ canned diced tomatoes (solids only)

¼ c. heavy cream

2 oz. cream cheese

1/8 tsp. regular chili powder

1/8 tsp. chipotle chile powder (or 1/8 tsp. more regular chili powder if unavailable)

1 clove garlic, minced

½ c. homemade chicken broth

2 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese (or mild Cheddar)

DIRECTIONS: Seed and stem the poblano peppers. Cut one in half and reserve half for another recipe. Cut the whole one in half. Lay the 3 pieces in a baking pan and roast at 400º until browning. Turn them over and roast until other side is browning. Remove from oven. When able to handle, peel the papery skin off them and chop. Lower heat to 350º.

While the poblano peppers are roasting, cut up the chicken, squash and onion. Heat oil over high heat in a large non-stick skillet or wok. Saute chicken until opaque and starting to brown. Add onion and squash to the pan. Saute, stirring constantly until they are about half done. Add the garlic, spices and stir. Lower heat to medium and add cream cheese, stirring until it is melted and evenly distributed in the mixture. Add tomatoes and chicken broth. Add the diced poblano peppers and stir. Lastly, add the cream, stirring in well and turn off heat.

You can bake this dish in the same skillet if just serving family or transfer to a lightly greased attractive baking dish for more formal service. Sprinkle the Jack cheese down the middle and pop into 350º oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until bubbling on the edges. Remove from oven and serve with a nice guacamole salad or veggie of your choice.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each contains:

291 calories

19.45 g fat

10.87 g carbs, 3.25 g fiber, 7.62 g NET CARBS

18.55 g protein

250 mg sodium