VEGGIES

48 RECIPES  - Lots of MAIN and SIDE dish Recipes

Company Peppers
Serves 6

1 each of red, orange, yellow and green sweet peppers 70 cals 10.1 carbs
2 tbsp. butter 204 cals 0.2 carbs
1 tsp. Splenda
Salt and Pepper

Cut each pepper in half, remove seeds and internal ribs. Place on foil covered cookie sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven until pepper skin is bubbled and browned. Remove from oven, and place peppers in a paper bag to steam. When cool, remove skins and slice into long strips. Sauté pepper strips in butter over medium/low heat for about 5 minutes (do not brown), adding Splenda, salt and freshly ground pepper. This is a very colourful side dish, and tastes as good as it looks 

Save leftovers with their liquid in fridge, and throw into your next salad. Or, puree with a little oil and vinegar for an outstanding pepper vinaigrette salad dressing. Or, reheat, add a tablespoon or so of cream, and serve over a portion of cooked spaghetti squash.

Total recipe: 276 calories, 10.8 grams of carbohydrate

Per serving: 46 calories, 1.8 grams of carbohydrate

Fauxtatoes

1 head cauliflower, chopped, cooked very soft
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste 

Mash, whip with a mixer, or blend in food processor. Jamie adds…"I've sometimes used a bag of frozen cauliflower, but I think a head of fresh cauliflower gives much better texture. I simmer the cauliflower with a chopped clove of garlic to cover the mild "cabbagey" taste."

 Summer Squash Au-Gratin

 2lbs summer squash

4 Tbsp. butter

1.5 Cups shredded cheddar

1 Cup sour cream

1/4 Cup chopped onion

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Cook squash until tender. (I would cook only until slightly soft) Drain well. Mix with remaining ingredients and bake in casserole at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 311 calories, 26g fat (16 sat. fat), 70 chol., 9g carb, 2g fiber, 10g protein.

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Pepper Poppers

Serving Size: 24 Preparation Time :0:00

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound fresh jalapenos, seeded and halved lengthways

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (replace with crushed pork rinds?)

Sour cream, onion dip or ranch salad dressing

In a mixing bowl, combine cheeses, bacon and seasonings.; mix well. Spoon about 2 Tbs. into each pepper half. Roll in breadcrumbs or pork rinds. Place in a greased 15x10x1" baking pan. Bake, uncovered, 300 degrees for 20 min. for spicy flavour, 30 min. for med. and 40 min. for mild. Serve with sour cream or dressing.

NOTES: When cutting or seeding hot peppers, use rubber or plastic gloves to protect your hands, avoid touching your face.

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Zucchini Casserole

1 lb. small zucchini squash

1 large onion, finely chopped

6 tbsp. butter

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp. salt

Dash pepper

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Cook zucchini whole in a small amount of water until crisp tender. Cool. Saute onion and garlic in 4 Tbsp butter. Cut cooled squash in cubes (or just circles, its easier) and add to onion. Stir in salt, pepper, and 1 1/2 cups cheese (reserve 1/2 cup for topping). Cool. Mix vegetable mixture with beaten eggs.

Place mixture in buttered casserole dish. Top with reserved 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes.

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Fiesta Veggies

1 med. Red Pepper sliced lengthwise

1 med. Green Pepper sliced lengthwise

1 med. Onion quartered and quartered again

1 med. yellow summer squash sliced about an inch thick

1 med. zucchini sliced about an inch thick

1/2 package of Lipton's "Fiesta herb with red peppers" soup mix

1/4 cup olive oil

Mix olive oil and soup mix together in bowl. Add veggies and toss until well coated with oil/soup mixture. Wrap in tin foil and grill until desired doneness. Makes Approximately 6 Generous Servings

Total Carbs: 51

Per Serving: 8.5

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Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos

1 lb. thin sliced bacon, slices halved crosswise

20 large FRESH jalapenos (about 1 pound)

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp. (or you can use goat cheese)

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Chilies can irritate the skin, so you might want to wear gloves when working with them!

Partially cook the bacon so it's limp but barely done... drain on paper towels. Cut off the stem end from each jalapeno - halve them lengthways. Scoop out most of the seeds and ribs (the more you leave in the hotter the pepper!)

Mix the cilantro with the cream cheese. Fill each half pepper with some of the cheese mix, smooth it level. Wrap a piece of bacon around each cheese filled half and secure the ends with a toothpick. (These can be made ahead up to this point. Cover and refrigerate)

When you're ready. Place them on the grill. Cook until bacon is nicely browned. You could also cook these on top of the stove in a grill pan. If you have mesquite chips to grill over, it's even better.

The only carbohydrates come from the peppers. Figure about a half gram of carbohydrates per each.

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Spaghetti Squash Parmesan

6 Servings

1 spaghetti squash, quartered

1 cup water

1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup diced tomato

1/3 cup sliced green onions

4 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. basil

1/4 tsp. dill

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Place the squash, cut side up, in a Dutch oven. Add the water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 13 to 17 minutes, or until squash fibers pull apart easily with a fork. Remove the squash from the pan and drain well. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Using 2 forks, fluff the flesh into strands.

In a steamer basket over simmering water, steam the zucchini, covered, for 3 minutes; remove from the heat. Discard the cooking liquid from the Dutch oven and dry the pan well. Add the squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and green onions to the pan. Stir in the Parmesan, lemon juice, basil, fill, and pepper. Toss well to coat with sauce. Cook 1 minute over medium-high heat to heat through.

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Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

4 to 6 servings

1 medium-sized spaghetti squash (5 grams per 1/2 cup cooked)

1 cup sour cream (9.8 grams per cup)

1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese (2 grams per 2 oz)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 grams per 2 oz.)

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Fill a soup pot with 1 inch of water and place the whole squash in the water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife. Remove it to a cutting board and allow to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients over medium-low heat and whisk until smooth and creamy, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Cut the squash in half lengthways, then use a soupspoon to remove and discard the seeds. Scrape the inside of the squash with a fork, shredding it into noodle-like strands. Add the strands to the sauce and stir until thoroughly mixed and heated through. Serve immediately.

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Creamed Cucumbers

About 1 pound cucumbers

1 Tbsp. salt (if cucumbers are not firm)

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream or sour cream or yogurt

Lots of freshly snipped dill

Peel the cucumbers if waxed. Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut them into 3/4 inch chunks. If the cucumbers are not super-firm, place the chunks in a colander and sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon of salt. Shake to distribute the salt and let them drain for about 20 minutes. Rinse and dry. If the cucumbers are already firm, proceed with the recipe.

Place butter in a medium to large skillet over medium heat. When it melts, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Do not let the onion brown. Add the cucumbers and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes, until the cucumbers are just tender. Add pepper and, if you did not salt them earlier, salt.

Turn heat to low, then stir in the cream or yogurt and a good handful of dill. Stir until well blended, then serve, garnished with more dill.

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Portobello Mushroom Variations

    * Stuff them with bacon and blue cheese - Lady Eve.

    * Brush them in olive oil, or another favorite, hit them with ground pepper, a bit of salt (and any other seasonings, like chipotle pepper), and grill them, keeping them moist with oil - Cowboy.

    * Marinated in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.... mmm - Lisa Crumm.

    * Turn the portabella gill side down on a non stick backing sheet and stick them in a 350 degree oven until they lose their moisture and become almost crunchy. Turn them over and cool for a few minutes. Add a little low carb spaghetti sauce and some grated cheese and whatever pizza toppings you can fit on them. Fantastic...and yummy :-) - Linda.

    * Grilled, with a bit of Brie melted on top. HEAVEN! - Robyne

    * Put on a cookie sheet, cover with cheese and broil! - Rosie

    * Slice into nice chunks, saute in butter, garlic, and fresh ground pepper and deglaze the pan with white wine. Let cook until sauce thickens a bit, pour into a bowl and top with parmesan cheese. Eat with a HUGE steak, a salad and a glass of wine. = ) - Pammers.

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Easy Broccoli Casserole

3 small or 2 large packages frozen broccoli

Sliced Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 cup crushed pork rinds

Cook broccoli according to package directions, drain and chop. Place in a 9 X 13 baking dish. Cover top with sliced cheddar. Pour melted butter over all, and sprinkle crushed pork rinds over the top. Bake at 350º for 20 to 30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and top is browned.

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Barbecued Broccoli

Cut up broccoli florets and place on a long sheet of aluminium foil. Crumble approx. 1/4 cup of Gorgonzola cheese randomly on top of the broccoli. Splash approx. 2 to 3 Tbsp. of Balsamic Vinegar. Cover this with a second (equally long) sheet of aluminium foil and pinch the sides together to seal. If you're grilling out, throw this on the grill at the same time as the meat (or at least 10 minutes). If you're cooking inside, put in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes.

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Zucchini Alfredo

Serves 4 - click here to see picture

2 medium zucchini - sliced about ½ inch thick

2 tbsp. thinly sliced red pepper strips about 1 inch long

2 tbsp. butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauté zucchini and red pepper in butter until lightly browned, seasoning to taste. Meanwhile make sauce.

Sauce:

1 egg

1 ounce of cream cheese

2 tbsp. cream

2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Whip all ingredients together until mixture is smooth and creamy. Immediately on removing zucchini from heat, stir in sauce mixture. The heat of the vegetables cooks the egg in the sauce, coating the vegetable with a smooth and creamy Alfredo sauce.

Note: If cooking for two, use half the sauce one day, and keep remainder in fridge for up to two days to use on another day. This sauce is also excellent on hot steamed broccoli.

Total recipe: 522 calories, 10.2 grams of carbohydrate

Per serving: 130.5 calories, 2.6 grams of carbohydrate

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Zucchini Hash Browns

1 cup grated zucchini

1 Tbsp. grated onion

2 eggs, beaten slightly

Salt, pepper, onion powder, (garlic powder for those who use it)

I heat oil in my big cast iron skillet. Mix all ingredients together in medium sized bowl and drop by heaping tablespoons in hot oil.  When brown on one side, turn and cook the other side.  Stack on a plate and keep in warm oven 'till whole batch is done. You can top these with sour cream, or butter, or smother in gravy.  Very low in carbs.  I store in the fridge and heat and serve whenever I'm in the mood. This absolutely satisfied my craving for potatoes.

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Green Beans Almondine

¼ cup slivered blanched almonds

¼ cup butter

¼ tsp. salt

1 - 2 tsp. lemon juice

2 cups cooked green beans

Cook slivered almonds in butter over low heat until golden, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add salt and lemon juice. Pour over hot, cooked green beans.

Total recipe: 600 calories, 24 grams of carbohydrate

Per serving: 150 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrate

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Ideas for Cooking Vegetables

   1. Heat oven to 350.  Brush olive oil on a cookie sheet. Put green beans on cookie sheet, brush with a little more oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for about 20 minutes or until done (test for doneness by simply tasting one).  You end up with flavours that are different from just steaming/boiling/microwaving the beans, and the beans also sometimes get a crispy crust. For more variety, use garlic flavoured olive oil, or toss a couple of thinly sliced garlic cloves on the sheet with the green beans.  This method also works with Portobello mushroom slices, eggplant slices, and lengthways-slices of baby zucchini.

   2. Stir-fry asparagus, and at the end put in a few drops of sesame oil.

   3. Stir-fry broccoli with olive oil, basil, and a couple of sun-dried tomatoes that you've chopped up very small.

   4. Sauté' sliced baby zucchini and/or crookneck squash with fresh basil or other herbs, butter, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  Throw in some dried red pepper flakes for extra zip.

   5. Defrost frozen chopped spinach, and squeeze out all the excess water that you can. Cook the spinach with either a little butter, cream, and nutmeg, or with olive oil, coriander, cumin, and black pepper.

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Brussels Sprouts and Bacon - from Christine Berentsen

Fry about a pound of bacon in a medium sauce pan until crispy but not burned. Remove and drain on paper towels. Discard most of the bacon fat (just leave a tiny bit, a bare coating of the pan).

Add sprouts and a little bit of water--maybe 1/2 C. Steam/cook until tender. Drain any excess liquid (there shouldn't really be any, if there is you used too much). Crumble the bacon and mix with the sprouts. Add a sprinkling of nutmeg if desired. Serve hot.

(We love this with Thanksgiving turkey)

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Chili Rellenos

   1. If you have fresh chili, roast them and stuff them with cheese and bake till cheese  is melted.

   2. Chilis from a can - take a baking dish and layer the chili on bottom layer cheese. and more chili on top bake till melted.

I use Monterey Jack but sometimes I just mix all kinds of cheese and put in and you can top with salsa.

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Tempeh Options - from Cyndi Norman

Tempeh is an Indonesian food made from cultured grains or soy.  It is pressed into a block and sold that way in the markets.  You can find it in most health food stores.  Never seen it in a supermarket.

Read the labels very carefully to get the low-carb versions; many forms of tempeh are filled with carbs.  There are some flavour variations, but, again, read the labels for full info.  I like the seaweed flavoured kind.

Soy tempeh can be very low in carbs, especially when you subtract the substantial amounts of fibre.  Picking a brand will depend on what's available to you and personal taste.  Each brand tastes a bit different.

Tempeh is the only low-carb substance I have found that soaks up egg yolks in lieu of bread.  It's not as absorbent as bread (nothing is) but it does work.

Tempeh is edible raw (it's not really raw) but I don't like it much that way.  I really only like it fried such that the outsides are browned.  You can cook it in other ways too but the taste is different.  Try it all ways, you might like it better unbrowned. Here are some ways I cook it:

    * Cut into strips about 3" x 1/2" x 1/4".  Fry on both sides in olive oil until browned or until crispy if you prefer that.  Season and remove from pan.  Make a stir-fry.  Add the tempeh back in at the end or serve on plate on top of stir-fry.

    * Cut into strips a bit thicker than above.  Fry until brown on outside but still soft inside.  Serve with fried eggs.  8 oz of tempeh with 4 large eggs makes a hearty breakfast with just about the right amount of soaking power for the yolks.

    * Cut the block of tempeh in half such that you get two blocks of the same size but half the thickness.  Cut the product so it's about the size of a small piece of bread or a slice of cheese.  I can't give specifics of how to cut because every brand of tempeh shapes it differently.  You want to end up with about 4" x 4" x 1/4 or 1/3"

    * Fry on both sides and use like bread for a sandwich.  You want it a bit crispy but still flexible without breaking easily.  Spread with mayonnaise and/or mustard, top with sautéed mushrooms, lettuce, or whatever you like.  Cheese if you wish.  Eat open-faced or closed.  For an incredibly messy but tasty experience, put a fried egg in the middle of the sandwich.

If you cook tempeh with vegetables or other parts of the meal (so there's too much liquid for it to brown) you'll get a different flavour and texture.  It's still good.

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Cauliflower (or Broccoli) Casserole

1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets

1 cup sour cream

1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup crushed corn flakes (13carbs so you can skip this)

1/4 cup green peppers

1/4 cup red pepper

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Paprika to taste

Steam cauliflower for 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain and combine everything but parmesan and paprika and put into a 2 quart greased baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan and paprika. Bake uncovered at 325F for 30-35 min.

Serves 6-8

My elementary carb count

cauliflower        30

sour cream       10?

cheddar           5

green peppers    2

red peppers        2

parmesan           1

Total - 50 without corn flakes and at least 15 in fibre

So without flakes, and subtracting the fibre from the carbohydrates, the effective carbohydrate count is 35...divided by 6 = about 6 carbs/serving

I went to Dietwatch and entered the info and other values are:

1267 calories       211/serving x 6

93 grams fat total     15/serving x 6

58 protein

with huge amounts of Vit's A, C and calcium, too!

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Fried Cabbage

Ingredients:

6 slices of bacon

One Medium head of cabbage cut into 1/8's

One cup chopped onions (can also use green onions or even leeks)

Steam the cabbage until tender but not limp. Fry the bacon until crisp and set aside. Sauté the onions in the bacon grease. Add the cabbage to the sauté onions cover and cook until tender on med. heat. You may need to add a little water depending on the water content of the cabbage. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Enjoy!

Serves approximately 8.

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Eggplant Pizza

Slice eggplant into thin rounds. Salt and cover with a weight for ½ hour. Drain and blot. Sauté in olive oil until golden brown and crisp. Arrange circles close together on a pizza pan. Add pizza toppings and bake 10 minutes at 400-450

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Spaghetti Squash with Sausage Filling

1 3 3/4- to 4-pound spaghetti squash, halved lengthways, seeded

1 pound bulk pork sausage

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cups purchased low carb marinara sauce

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Wrap squash halves in plastic wrap. Cook 1 at a time in microwave on high until tender, about 8 minutes. Pierce plastic to allow steam to escape. Cool. Meanwhile, sauté sausage, bell pepper, onion and garlic in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until sausage browns and vegetables are tender, breaking up sausage with back of spoon, about 12 minutes. Mix in marinara sauce.

Using fork, pull out squash strands from shells, leaving shells intact. Mix squash strands into sausage mixture. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon filling into squash shells. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover; refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange filled squash halves on baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Bake uncovered until heated through, about 20 minutes (30 minutes if previously chilled). Cut each squash half in two and serve.

Serves 4.

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Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

One med. Butternut Squash

One lg. Sweet Onion

1/2 stick of Butter

1 tbsp. Butter

Slice squash in half and pull out seeds (these can be washed and roasted in the oven for a snack). Place the halves upside down in a baking pan and bake in 400-degree oven until tender (40 to 50 minutes). Spoon out interior and mash with butter. Melt butter in skillet and sauté onions. Mix onions with squash. Serve Warm.

Makes 6-8 servings.

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Acorn Squash - from Rosie read and post

Pierce with fork, nuke (microwave) on high for 3-4 minutes, to soften. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side up, add butter, pecans, and BROWN SUGAR TWIN and nuke until done.

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Cauliflower Pizza Crust

1 head cauliflower

1 ball mozzarella cheese

2 eggs

I steamed the cauliflower and put it in the food processor and came out with about 3 cups or so of processed cauliflower.  Grated up the cheese and added 1 cup of cheese and the 2 eggs to the cauliflower and mixed well.  If the cauliflower is still fairly warm it will begin to melt the cheese which helps keep it together.  Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick stuff and spread out the cauliflower mixture.  Put your favourite low carb toppings and top with the rest of the cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.

It makes about 4 servings, at least there are 4 of us and when dinner was over it was gone!  I think it would reheat well in the nuker as well. The carb count will vary with your sauce and any other toppings.  I'm figuring its about 7-10 carbs per serving?

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 Sautéed Cauliflower

Cut the cauliflower into small pieces, add a little bit of water to the skillet and partially cook it. Get rid of any excess water and sauté it in a lot of butter. Just as it starts to brown, turn the heat way down and add a little bit of cream and some sharp cheddar cheese.

After it has all turned into the appropriate gooey mess, put it on a plate, top with some grated romano or parmesan and dig in.

Takes about 10 minutes to prepare and is exquisite!

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Pennsylvania Dutch Red Cabbage

4 cups chopped red cabbage

2 tsp. salt

6 slices bacon

½ cup unsweetened apple sauce

2 tbsp. Splenda

2 tbsp. brown Sugar Twin

¼ cup vinegar

¼ cup water

½ tsp. caraway seed (optional)

Place chopped cabbage in pan and cover with water. Add salt and simmer until desired degree of doneness (about 5 - 10 minutes for crisp, 10-15 minutes for tender). Meanwhile, fry bacon in large skillet until crisp but not burnt. Drain bacon on paper towel, reserving drippings in the skillet.

When cabbage is almost cooked, drain thoroughly and add to bacon drippings in skillet. Sauté briefly, then add all of the remaining ingredients. Crumble the reserved crisp bacon strips and stir into mixture. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

The wonderful sweet and sour flavour is a great accompaniment to chicken or roast turkey. I am sure that this recipe made with white cabbage would taste the same, but who could resist a taste of a heaping bowl of fuschia vegetables?

Serves 6. Total recipe = 448 calories, XX .39 grams of carbohydrate

Per serving = 78 calories, 6.5 grams of carbohydrate

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Zucchini with Mushroom Stems

A side dish for 2

Oil

2 or 3 small zucchini

1 Portobello stem, diced

Salt and pepper

2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t. dried herb (thyme, rosemary...)

   1. Quarter the zucchini lengthways, then chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Start cooking in a little oil over medium-high heat.

   2. Chop the Portobello stem or a few mushrooms and toss into the pan.

   3. When the zucchini and mushrooms are cooked (tender, but cooked) stir in the garlic and herb of choice.

   4. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the vegetables and cook till the garlic softens and loses its raw bite. Serve.

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Clarified Butter and Mushrooms

Get a pound of butter and clarify it. Melt it on the stove top and skim the thick white stuff that rises to the top. You will be left with the clear stuff on the bottom. Forgive me, I am not a chef! Then cut up a LOT of mushrooms (as many as you want). Mushrooms shrink considerably when you cook them so take that into consideration. Cook them on medium heat for about 3 hours. Yup! I mean 3 hours. The mushrooms change flavour and get a grand texture. It is a mouth watering sinful topping to put on a killer steak!!!!! Finger lip smacking GREAT!

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Spaghetti Squash Creativity

3 c. cooked spaghetti squash strands (see below)

1 egg, beaten

1/3 c. Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp. melted butter

Mix above well. Press evenly into a 9” pie plate to form crust.

1 c. Ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

Mix together. Spread evenly over squash mixture in pie plate.

1/2 lb. ground beef (or bulk Italian sausage)

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1/4 c. green pepper, chopped

2 (small) cans tomato sauce

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed

1 tsp. dried parsley, crushed

In large skillet, brown meat with onion and green pepper. Drain off excess fat. Add tomato sauce and spices. Simmer a few minutes, then spoon over Ricotta mixture in pie plate.

Sprinkle with 1/2c. shredded Mozzarella

Bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella over top, then bake an additional 5 - 10 minutes to melt cheese and set crust. Let sit 5 - 10 minutes before cutting.

5 servings at 14.5 g carbs each

6 servings at 12 g carbs each

Wondering about spaghetti squash?

It is a sort of a football-shaped squash, fairly large and quite yellow in colour. Cut it in half lengthways (it is pretty hard to cut-be careful!) and scoop out the seeds in the middle.

To oven bake, place in a baking pan, cut side down, with 1” water. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes (until its somewhat soft). To microwave bake, place in glass pan, cut side down, with 1” water and nuke on medium-high for at least 10 minutes (until somewhat soft). After cooking, use a fork to remove the pulp from the rind-it’ll come out in spaghetti-like strands.

The smallest one I’ve ever bought yielded 3 c. strands. Larger ones may yield 3 c. per half of the squash!

For comparison, 1 c. spaghetti squash has 10 g carbs; 1 c. cooked spaghetti noodles has about 40 g carbs!

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Creamed Spinach

1 lb. fresh spinach, washed, cleaned cooked, drained well & chopped (You can use frozen)

1/2 small Onion, minced

1 Tbsp. Butter

1/4 cup Heavy cream

Pepper to taste

Pinch of Nutmeg

I skillet cook onion in butter over moderate heat. Stir in well drained spinach, cream pepper, salt to taste. Cook until most of cream is absorbed.

The recipe says it serves 2. I used fresh spinach & it came out really good. Don't know the carb count but except for the cream: 1 cup spinach is 3.1 per 1/4 cup, onion is 5.3 as per PP since the onion is about 3 tbsp. in the recipe.  I’m figuring a cup of this is about 8 grams, maybe figuring high, It really serves more than 2.

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Other Creamed Spinach Ideas:

    * My new favourite way of eating chopped spinach is mixed with sour cream and Cajun seasonings.  I just cook the spinach, drain off all of the water, and add sour cream (amount depends on your preference) and some seasonings.  Heat and eat. - from JFMoel

    * You could add shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack to the cooked spinach, too. Cook it down with olive oil & chopped onions (just a few), add the shredded cheese, cook until it's all melted. Tastes very good. - from Tom

    * Use parmesan as a thickener; cook the spinach, add some cream and parmesan and salt. - from Red

    * I just cook up spinach (usually frozen) and mix in cream cheese (amount varies but about 4oz per package of frozen spinach) and cook it long enough to melt the cream cheese. - from Sue

    * I do it with cooked, chopped spinach, a little heavy cream, and some ground nutmeg. To *really* drain the spinach thoroughly, I spin it in my salad spinner. - from Alice Faber

Spinach Cheese Bake

1/2 bag baby spinach (pre-washed)

1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar (I like white cheddar)

1/4 cup grated dry jack (Parmesan would work too)

Garlic pepper

Few dashes of heavy cream

Roughly chop the uncooked baby spinach, and fill (to overflow) a casserole dish.  Sprinkle with garlic pepper.

Sprinkle with cheeses, dribble cream over the whole mess, and smoosh down into the casserole so that you can put the lid on (It will reduce to about 1/5 of the original bulk after cooking)  Bake for 10 minutes covered, then 10-15 minutes uncovered at 350 (same temp as the chicken).

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Faux Fried Rice

1/2 head of raw cauliflower, grated (had about 3.5 cups of grated, loosely packed cauliflower)

3 green onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 - 3 Tbsp. of low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 to 1 tsp. of garlic salt

3 eggs, beaten

Oil

Pork, chicken, or shrimp, cooked (optional)

In a wok or large pan, heat enough oil to cover bottom of pan.  Fry minced garlic and white part of onions for approx. 1 min.  Add grated cauliflower and fry for approximately 5 min, stirring constantly.  Add soy sauce, garlic salt, green onion tops, and meat (optional) and stir until mixed.  Push mixture to side of pan.  Add more oil if necessary, and scramble eggs in empty side of pan until done but still moist.  Stir eggs into "rice" and remove from heat. Serves 3 as a side dish.

Note:  I didn't measure anything.  These measurements are just estimates.

Note:  The secret is to use raw cauliflower.  I tried this with leftover cooked cauliflower last week, and it wasn't very good.  Tonight I used raw, and everyone liked it.

“Vietnamese” Spaghetti Squash

You prick your spaghetti squash all over and then boil it for about 10 minutes.  The inside should still be "raw" and crunchy.

You take the pulp out which will resemble coarse coleslaw.  Take the shreds of the squash and put it in a large bowl. Mix in with the squash, some cooked shrimp, sliced cooked pork (chicken for those of you who don't eat pork), shredded carrots, beans sprouts, and about a cup of cilantro.

Transfer onto a nice platter and sprinkle the top with peanuts or sesame seeds.

The traditional sauce that goes over this is made with real sugar.  I have not made the recipe with substitute sugar but I'm sure you can. It's equal parts, whether it's 1 T or 1/4 cup or 1 Cup.  as long as it's equal measures:

1 part water

1 part white vinegar

1 part sugar

Dissolve in microwave. Then add 1 part fish sauce. You can find this in any Asian store or your ethnic food aisle in the grocery store.  Add as much hot peppers as you like to the sauce.

*** this sauce can be used as a dipping sauce or as a marinade for grilling anything.

Serve the sauce on the side so people can add as much as they want onto the "salad".

This brings me to another recipe.  You use the same ingredients as above  but use shredded cabbage instead of spaghetti squash.

...

Armored Turnips

Cut up turnips that have been either boiled or cooked under the ashes. Likewise do the same with rich cheese, not too ripe. These should be smaller morsels than the turnips, though. In a pan greased with butter, make a layer of cheese first, then a layer of turnips, and so on, all the while pouring in spice and some butter, from time to time. This dish is quickly cooked and should be eaten quickly, too.

1 lb. turnips (5 little)

10 oz cheddar cheese

2 T butter

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t ginger

1/4 t pepper

Boil turnips about 30 minutes, peel and slice thin, layer turnips and sliced cheese in 9"x5" baking pan, and bake 30 minutes at 350deg.

Mock Potato Dumplings

1/2 head cauliflower (1 cup mashed)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. parsley

1 tsp. nutmeg

4 T soy flour

1 T salt

4 T butter

Boil cauliflower until soft, for about 25 minutes. (I like to boil mine in chicken broth, makes it more flavourful)  Drain water and mash with fork or potato masher.

Add eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, nutmeg and soy flour.  Shape into walnut-size balls.

Bring large pot of water to rolling boil.  Add salt.  Drop cauliflower dumplings into water.  When they rise, remove with slotted spoon.

Heat butter in skillet.  Fry dumplings until brown on all sides.  Drain on paper towel.

Total grams:  18.1  grams per serving:  1.5

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Batter for Frying Onion Rings

1/2 c Atkins bake mix OR 3/4 cup of soy flour

1/3 c oil or melted butter

2 eggs

1 c water

1 tsp. salt

Blend the bake mix OR flour, salt and eggs in a bowl until it forms a pasty, crumbly mixture, then slowly add a combined mixture of the oil OR butter and the water.  Blend thoroughly until batter is smooth-NO LUMPS.  You can adjust the thickness to suit your recipe.  For a thicker batter, add more flour: for a thinner batter, add more water.

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Sesame Green Beans

3/4 pound fresh green beans

1/2 cup water

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons of sesame seeds, toasted

In a saucepan, bring beans and water to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the beans are crisp-tender; drain.  Add butter, soy sauce and sesame seeds; toss to coat.

Makes 6 servings, each 1/2 cup serving= 4 gm carb

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Creamy Celery Bake

Clean one bunch celery and chop into chunks approximately 1 inch long, discard tops.  Chop one small onion.

Sauté celery in 2 tsp. butter (more if needed) for about 5 minutes then add the onion.  Cook over medium heat until celery is beginning to soften and onion is beginning to brown. Mix in dill, salt, and pepper (to taste) and add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (if you can afford the carbs the flavour is great!).  Add 1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream and simmer for a few seconds to thicken slightly (taste sauce for seasoning and add dill or salt or pepper as needed).  Pour into casserole dish or loaf pan.  Top with 1/2 cup or more of shredded mozzarella and a good sprinkle of grated Parmesan.  Bake in medium high oven (350-400?) until bubbly and beginning to brown on top.  The celery will be firm but soft and not slimy or mushy.  I ate half a pan of this for dinner tonight... it just hit the spot!  I'm going to try the same thing with salmon or boneless chicken chopped up in it next time!

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Eggplant Greek-ish Lasagne

I have to tell you about the side dish we had tonight with our steaks... Eggplant, peeled and sliced into thin rounds, sautéed with "Italian seasoning" and garlic in olive oil (it takes a bunch of oil but it doesn't taste oily), and layered in a casserole with crumbled feta, parmesan, and cottage cheese or some other soft cheese... top layer is feta and parmesan.  Bake it until it's starting to brown and is all heated through and melty... if I can afford the carbs, I'd add chopped tomato and maybe sliced Greek olives next time.  1 eggplant, 1/2 cup parmesan, 1 small block of feta and about 3/4 cup of cottage cheese made a casserole of 6-8 servings - it's VERY rich!

Eggplant is like a sponge with oil.  It helps a bit if you "kasher" it - sprinkle kosher/coarse salt on the eggplant slices and let them drain for about half an hour.  Then, rinse really well with cold water.

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Just Like Stuffed Baked Potatoes

2 1/2 c. cauliflower

1 c. sour cream

3/4 c. grated cheddar

3 finely chopped green onions (separate the whites from the greens)

3 slices cooked, crumbled bacon (I use 6 slices)

Salt/pepper to taste

Cook cauliflower until tender but firm.  Chop into pieces about the size of hash browns.  Mix sour cream, 1/2 the grated cheddar, 1/2 of the bacon, and the onion whites, salt & pepper.   Stir into cooked cauliflower.  Place in greased baking dish and sprinkle rest of cheese and bacon on top.   Bake @350 for 20 minutes or until heated through.  Sprinkle green onions on top.

Servings:  5. Carbs per serving:  4.4

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Roasted Parsnip Fries!

Oh, goodness! I'm in heaven. Right...I chopped up a few parsnips into French fry-sized pieces, popped them into a pan with a touch of oil and some seasoned salt, then roasted them until they were crispy. They don't really taste too much like chips (fries) but it's close!

Then I melted some cheese over them and added a bit of guacamole and I can't tell you how heavenly it was!

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Eggplant Pizza

My taste buds were calling for pizza - obviously a no-no. However, since I've substituted eggplant for the noodles in lasagne, and boiled cabbage in place of egg noodles, why not for pizza "crust"? It definitely wasn't eat-with-your fingers pizza but it was every bit as good as what I used to make! So was the left over serving I just had for lunch!

I peeled a fairly large eggplant and sliced it into approximately 1/4" slices lengthways. I brushed both sides with garlic flavoured oil and place them on a 12x15 inch jelly roll pan that I'd sprayed with cooking spray.

You'll have to cut and piece the slices to fit and cover as much of the bottom of the pan as possible. Let them overlap a little, as they'll shrink as they cook and you can then move the pieces again to cover the bottom of the pan before adding the toppings. I baked this for 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Meanwhile, I diced onion and green bell pepper, chopped black olives, fried some Jimmy Dean Sage sausage and grated a goodly amount of mozzarella cheese. I spread about 2/3 cup of a squeezable pizza sauce I had on hand over the top of my al dente eggplant.  I can't recall the name of it but it's made by Contadina. Then I put on my toppings, sprinkled Parmesan over the top and popped it in the oven for maybe 15-20 minutes. I'm sorry my times aren't accurate - I don't measure stuff either!

I'm sure you could add your own favorite pizza toppings just as easily - normally I'd have put pepperoni on too, but didn't have any.

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Baked Tofu Cubes

Take a block of Extra Firm tofu (1g per 1/5th block) and cut into small cubes.  Squish all the juice out.  Cover tightly and marinate for several days in some:

Soy sauce

Liquid smoke

Powdered ginger

Wasabi

Or use other spices to suit your taste.  I like this because they have a sushi taste.

After a few days put the pieces on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake the heck out of them until they get nice and brown and pretty dried out.  Keep the baked cubes refrigerated to throw in salads or to use for dipping.  Even my picky 2 year old son will eat these!  :-D  Not for folks with sodium issues.

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Yellow Rice

1 head cauliflower

1 T butter

1 T brown sugar twin

1/4 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1/2 c raisins (soaked)

1 t turmeric

Grate cauliflower and place in pan with melted butter. Gently cook just to heat the cauliflower. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat. Serve with Bobotie (page 7-8). Serves 4.

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Company Cauliflower

Makes 4 servings

1 medium cauliflower (or two 10 oz frozen packages)

1 cup mayonnaise

1 T prepared mustard

1 t. dried mustard

 4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar

Cook cauliflower by your preferred method.  Meantime mix mayonnaise and mustards. Place cauliflower in serving dish.  Pour mayonnaise mix over cauliflower and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Microwave one minute or to melt cheese and serve immediately. 1.1 carbs per serving - and this is great!

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Cooking Cauliflower

Slice it relatively thin and put it in a skillet. Add some water (not enough to cover it). Boil the water until the cauliflower is slightly tender. Drain the remaining water and put some butter in your skillet. Sauté until the cauliflower starts turning brown. Add a little cream and a lot of sharp cheddar. Still until the cheese melts.

Grate some fresh Romano or Parmesan over the top.

That's how to cook cauliflower!

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Cabbage Side Dish

Head of cabbage chopped into manageable pieces (larger than one inch square)

4 slices of bacon cut into a large dice

5 button mushrooms sliced

1/2 stick butter

Cream

Nutmeg

Salt

Pepper

In a large deep skillet (I use a cast iron skillet) brown the bacon pieces until almost crisp.  Turn the heat to medium or medium high.  Add the mushrooms to the bacon and fat, stir it round.  Add the cabbage chunks on top of the mushrooms and generously sprinkle pepper and ground nutmeg on top.  I mean generously!  Cut the butter into pats and top the cabbage with it.  Using a spatula smoosh (technical term there) the cabbage down into the pan.  Every few minutes stir the concoction around so the butter and bacon fat covers all the cabbage.

When the cabbage is wilted and the thinner pieces are browned and the mushrooms are browned and lovely, turn the heat to low and pour about 3 tablespoons of cream over the cabbage.  Stir it from the bottom to deglaze the pan of all the nice bits of flavour.  The cream will turn a nice brown gravy colour and thicken slightly.  You may or may not need a bit more cream.  Taste for salt.  Turn off the heat and serve with steak or chicken or sausages.

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Cheesy Spinach Casserole

2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach

3 oz. cream cheese

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. pecans, chopped (walnuts work well too)

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Cook spinach in salted water. Drain. Melt cream cheese and butter together and add to spinach. Put in casserole dish. Top with parmesan and pecans. Heat at 350 degrees. About 4 servings.

Plan on getting 4 servings:

1/4 of entire recipe = ~9.3 carbs

1/6 of entire recipe = ~6.2 carbs

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Curried "Rice" with Almonds

Serves 2

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2 cups grated raw cauliflower

1/2 cup water (add a bit more if the mixture starts to dry out too much)

1 tbsp. chicken stock concentrate/powder (I use Knorr's)

1 tbsp. curry powder (or to taste)

1 tsp. Splenda

Heat oil in skillet to 350 degrees. Stir fry almonds until just starting

to brown. Add cauliflower and stir-fry for a few minutes. Meanwhile, mix

together the water, chicken stock concentrate/powder, curry powder, and

Splenda. Add to skillet and cook until all liquid is absorbed. Serve

with chicken or fish. Enjoy!

Calories per serving: 121; Carb grams per serving 6.5; Dietary fibre

2.4; Effective carbs per serving 4.1; Protein grams 4.2. This is even OK

for induction!