Light Meal: Portabella Pizza

Leave a comment
pizza 3

My portabella pizza, just before going into the oven (and eventually into my belly). Now that’s how you make a pizza!

After rushing out the door to pick up one dog from the beauty parlor, coming home to find a mess left by my cat, and another dog demanding his walk, I decided to deviate from last night’s scheduled pulled pork fest. I opted for something off the cuff, quick and light. I saw the portabella mushroom caps next to my yellow tomato sauce and inspiration hit – portabella pizzas!

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try my grocery store’s pepperoni.  Not the stuff that comes in the little red bag and loaded with chemicals. Nope, I’m talking real pepperoni sausage. I had to try it and I love it!

I used my homemade tomato sauce for this concoction! The recipe is below. However I’m sure something from the store is fine, but just watch those carbs.  Read More

Corned Beef & Cabbage with Horseradish Dressing

Leave a comment
corned beef

My first try at Corned Beef & Cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day. My fears of all too tough brisket were unfounded. The dish is amazing and the hubby requested it become a regular menu item.

Well looks like my worrying about making corned beef and cabbage for the first time was all for naught. I generally don’t like boiling meat — it never gets tender enough. But this time it worked.

I did go full Irish with the meal too, adding carrots and potatoes to my pot of brisket and cabbage.  To keep it low carb for myself, I just stuck to the corned beef, cabbage and 2 small pieces of carrot. Yum!

The recipe couldn’t be any easier and it was all cooked in one pot (a big bonus).

At the last minute I decided to whip together some mayo, horseradish, sour cream and chives. I think I made this in case the corned beef wasn’t tender.  You know, something to help with the taste.

Well, not only was the meat tender, but the horseradish dressing was an awesome addition to the plate. The dressing is perfect for any beef or frankly a mixed green salad with an added kick.

Corned Beef & Cabbage with Horseradish Dressing
Net Carbs: 4.6g/serving (includes 1g for 1 tbsp of horseradish dressing; does not include carbs for potatoes)
Servings: 4-6

Corned Beef & Cabbage Ingredients

  • Corned beef brisket, about 2 pounds
  • 2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 4 whole allspice berries
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1/2 small head, green cabbage
  • 4 carrots
  • 4-6 small potatoes (about 2″ in diameter), washed & cleaned (optional)
  • Salt & pepper to taste (recommend only for vegetables)

Horseradish Dressing Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp mayo (home-made or made with olive oil)
  • 3 tbsp horseradish, prepared
  • 1-2 tbsp sour cream

Directions

  • Place corned beef brisket in a dutch oven and cover with water. Add seasonings (my brisket came with its own seasoning packet, which I used instead of the seasonings listed above). Bring water to a boil then turn down heat to a simmer and cover. Cook on low for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
  • Chop cabbage into 8 pieces. Rinse off and set aside. Clean carrots and chop into 2-inch size pieces. About 20-30 minutes before taking out the brisket add in the cabbage, carrots and potatoes. Depending on size of the potatoes, you may want to add them 10 minutes earlier than the cabbage and carrots.
  • While everything is cooking, mix mayo, horseradish and sour cream into a small bowl. You can add fresh herbs like chives, cilantro or parsley for added flavor if you like. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • When brisket is done, take it out of the pot and wrap in tin foil and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Recover the pot and continue cooking vegetables.
  • Unwrap brisket and slice thin and plate. Add horseradish sauce on top of slices. Serve with vegetables.

 

 

Chorizo & Cabbage Recipe

Leave a comment
sausage 3

Smoked chorizo sausage and green cabbage go well together in this filling yummy dish!

I’m starting to become a fan of cooking with cabbage. Oh sure I like coleslaw, but no cooking is needed. I remember when I was young my dad would make sauerkraut. I hated the smell. Ugh! It just completely turned me off the stuff.

Well now that I’m eating LCHF, I’m much more open to foods I never let my lips touch – fish, cooked cabbage, liver (chicken, duck and beef), eggplant, mushrooms. I can’t believe what I’ve been missing out on.

Last summer I experimented with trying a new vegetable each week. Mostly I played with an assortment of mushrooms and some funky looking Asian veggies. Well it seems like cabbage is my new toy. Read More

Low Carb, Slow-Cooked Chili Con Carne

Leave a comment
I recently subscribed to Jamie Oliver's Food Tube. This Chili Con Carne looks amazing. I have to make it.

I recently subscribed to Jamie Oliver’s Food Tube. This Chili Con Carne looks amazing. I have to make it.

A few weeks ago I grudgingly subscribed to chef Jamie Oliver’s YouTube channel, Food Tube. I was familiar with his “food education” campaign as well as his current crusade for a 20% sugar tax in England.  But I had no idea whether this guy was a good chef.  I’ve never seen one episode of The Naked Chef or read any of his cookbooks. Read More

Cubicle Diet – Lunch Ideas For Eating Healthy At The Office

3 Comments
Looking for great lunch and snack ideas to spice up your lunches and keep that keeps the vending machine at bay? Check out Nom Nom Paleo for great, healthy lunchbox ideas.

Looking for great lunch and snack ideas to spice up your lunches and keep that keeps the vending machine at bay? Check out Nom Nom Paleo (an awesome food blog you should bookmark!) for great, healthy lunchbox ideas.

My husband regularly comes home from work complaining about the assortment of donuts, bagels, Panera sandwiches, cupcakes, cookies and other carb-loaded, sugary temptations at the office. When he is home, I know he eats healthy because he eats what I give him. But for a man who proclaims “pie” as his favorite food group, that daily 9-5 grind is more problematic.

Sure I send him to work with healthy lunches, but are they appetizing? When I’m scrambling around in the morning to make his lunch, I’m going for convenience (for me). I never really thought my cooking was in competition with this processed junk.

Perhaps my lunches are too boring for the hubby’s taste buds. They certainly are losing out to the junk sitting out across from his lair cube.

Reality hit me the other day when he blogged about a nightmare he had the other night. A dream so hideous that it shook him to his very core — he was at a buffet and they never filled the French toast bin. Oh, the horror!

I think it’s time to rethink my lunches.

Thankfully Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo packed a ton of great lunch ideas in one location on her awesome blog. For both kids and adults, her food combos can more than compete with any of that processed crap.

Besides her 20+ ideas, Michelle includes a mess of lunch related links to give you even more ideas.

We’re headed to Florida this week. While the hubby is attending a writer’s conference I’ll slave away on a game plan for next week’s lunches…all done poolside of course!

Yummy BBQ Beef Short Ribs

Leave a comment
My first time making beef short ribs and it won't be my last. While the sauce came out a tad too sweet for me, this dish it was a crowd-pleaser.

My first time making beef short ribs and thankfully it won’t be my last. While the sauce came out a tad too sweet for me, this dish it was a crowd-pleaser.

I’ve never cooked beef ribs in my life. Heck, I never even tried them until earlier this year. Where I grew up, if you wanted ribs pork was the only source.

Boy was I missing out.

So when I came across the BBQ Short Ribs in The Ketogenic Cookbook, I had to try them. My only problem: the equipment calls for using a slow cooker. I love crock pots. The idea of tossing ingredients into one, turning on the timer and walking away for 6-8 hours is awesome.

Unfortunately, my slow cooker isn’t so slow. In fact its faster than my crappy oven at times. But like my husband’s relationship with TGI Friday’s, I decided to give my slow cooker one last chance.* Read More

Chicken Breast Sautéed in Clarified Butter

3 Comments
The perfect meal: 4 ounces of chicken sauteed in clarified butter and 4 ounces of fresh, steamed green beans topped with some grass-fed butter. Yum!

The perfect meal: 4 ounces of chicken sautéed in clarified butter and 4 ounces of fresh, steamed green beans topped with some grass-fed butter. Yum!

Tried another fantastic Julia Child recipe last night – skinless chicken breast sautéed in clarified butter (or ghee). The flavors were incredible and with just a half a cup of fresh green beans, one of our most filling and satisfying dinners.

The Julia Child style of cooking always intimidated me. Besides the fear of using so much fat (boy was I wrong!), I think the mystique of French food frightened me off.

Turns out these recipes are so simple I can kick myself for not cooking this way sooner.

I did make one change to this recipe to cut down the carbs. Rather than using 1 cup of flour, I opted for 4 tbsp. of almond flour (one for each breast). That cut the total recipe carbs from 13g to 2g without sacrificing taste. Read More

Awesome Primal Recipe: Guacamole Stuffed-Burger

2 Comments
This burger taste so amazing. Suggest you make your own guacamole so you can make it chunky style!

This burger taste so amazing. Suggest you make your own guacamole so you can make it chunky style!

Behold! The Guacamole-Stuffed Southwestern Burger.  It’s a thing of beauty and the first recipe I tried since starting the Primal Blueprint 21-Day Challenge on May 1. Simple to make, healthy and low carb. And oh so delicious.  I ended up topping mine with some fresh salsa.

21-Day Challenge – Day 4
So far my the challenge is going very well. Like I mentioned before, I have the food down (although it’s always good to reinforce good habits!). This weekend I got in some moderate exercise with long walks. But I’m returning to my spin classes this week, so we’ll see if I can moderate my intensity.

As for the Challenge’s 8-hours of sleep, I’m not doing so bad there. I’m getting in 6-7 hours so far. I do need to stop drinking coffee after lunch so I can get to bed earlier.

It’s the setting aside play time that is alluding me. This weekend the plan was to use our hiking day reseeding our backyard. Yes, I consider working in the yard as play time. You got a problem with that!?!

But after loading and unloading a lot of bags of top soil, my husband pulled a muscle in his back. So my planned play time in the yard didn’t happen.

So now I’m doubling up on play time. Saturday is yard day. Sunday we hit Raven Rocks trail.

 

 

 

Bacon, Spinach & Mushroom Breakfast Casserole

3 Comments
This quick and easy breakfast casserole lasts for a few days and ends up saving me a lot of time in the mornings. Plus it is mighty tasty, low carb and healthy!

This quick and easy breakfast casserole lasts for a few days and ends up saving me a lot of time in the mornings. Plus it is mighty tasty, low carb and healthy!

Lots going on over the next few days. The weather forecast is awesome and I intend to spend my mornings training for my 5k or upping my walks to 8 miles.  To save time in the mornings I decided to whip up an egg casserole to last us for the next few days.

Breakfast casseroles are the easiest things to make. All you need are 8-10 eggs (for an 8 x 8 dish), some sautéed veggies, 1 cup of cheese and a protein. Toss in a little salt and pepper and you have yourself an amazingly tasty way to start the day. Read More

Low Carb Sausage & Mushroom Stuffed Peppers

Leave a comment
These yummy stuffed peppers are a great alternative to my typical morning fare of eggs, avocado and tomato.

These yummy stuffed peppers are a great alternative to my typical morning fare of eggs, avocado and tomato.

Looking to mix up my breakfast from my usual eggs, ½ avocado and ½ tomato, I turned to my dad’s stuffed pepper recipe, minus the rice. My low carb version of this dish included a red or green pepper, sausage and baby bella mushrooms. It’s easy to make and delicious.

It takes about 50 minutes to make (45 of those minutes is baking time). If you don’t have that much time in the morning, then I urge you to make it the day before. It tastes just as good on the second day. Read More