Taco Salad

This one is easy!


Taco Salad
Serves 4

(Ingredients:

1 lb. ground white turkey (or extra-lean beef)

1/2 to 1 tsp each: garlic powder (or minced garlic) salt, ground cumin, chili powder (to taste)
1/2 cup chopped onion (opt. - to cook with meat)
6 -10 cups lettuce of choice (I like romaine, sliced in thin shreds.)
1 - 2 tomatoes, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped green onion (or regular onion, for people to add to their own salads.)
1 cup cheese, Cheddar, or Mexican Blend, shredded
1/2 to 1 cup Salsa of choice (I use Pace Picante, or homemade)

Extras (for family, or maintenance):

1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
1 can black olives, sliced
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 to 1 cup sour cream
Tortilla Chips

Salad Dressing, as desired (I just use salsa, but Light Ranch works, too.)

Directions:

1) In large skillet sprayed with non-stick spray, brown meat with seasonings (and onions, if using). Drain, if needed.

2) Place lettuce on large serving platter. (Or divide evenly among four salad plates.)

3) Sprinkle with layers of meat, cheese and tomatoes.

Serve with additional extras (salsa, green onions, olives, avocado, sour cream, beans, chips) for to add, as desired.

Chicken a la Queen

I like the cute little pearl onions, but you can skip those and just use egular onions, chopped, if you need to.

Chicken a la Queen
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I just eat 4 oz., but my family eats the rest)
Salt and pepper, to taste OR Montreal Chicken Seasoning (so good!)
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup red wine (or, use another 1/3 cup chicken broth instead)
1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup pearl onions
1 tsp thyme

Directions:

1) Spray large skillet with non-stick spray (olive oil in sprayer works well)and heat to medium-high.

2) Season chicken, and saute 5 -6 minutes per side.

3) Add bell pepper, and saute a few more minutes until chicken is cooked through and peppers are tender-crisp.
Remove from skillet, set aside, and keep warm.

4) In the same skillet, add broth and wine; bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from pan bottom. (Deglaze.)

5) Add mushrooms, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer about 5 minutes.

6) Raise heat to medium, add pearl onions and thyme, and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes, until sauce is reduced.

7) Spoon mushroom/onion sauce over chicken and serve.

Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry

Well, this simple dish looks better than this, and tastes even yummier. (Of course, I really like cabbage!)
Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
Serves 4

Ingredients:
non-stick spray
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 small head cabbage, shredded
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ThickenThin not/Starch thickener (low carb, in place of cornstarch)
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon ground black pepper


Directions:
1) Spray a wok or large skillet with non-stick spray, and heat over medium-high heat

2) Saute garlic for about 5 seconds, then add ground beef. Stir-fry until beef is evenly brown. (Drain if needed, but it shouldn't be if you used extra-lean beef.)

3) Stir in cabbage and pepper, and cook until vegetables are tender, and beef is fully cooked.

4) Stir in soy sauce. Mix together cornstarch and water, and stir in. (Or, omit thickener and water if you do not have the low-carb thickener.) Season with pepper. Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened.

5) Serve, with rice for family, or plain for low-carbing.

Simple and delicious!

Texas-Style Low-Carb Chili

This recipe is made with no beans and no tomatoes - but you can add a can of spicy Rotel tomatoes if you like!

This recipe is made with no beans and no tomatoes - but you can add a can of spicy Rotel tomatoes if you like!

Texas-Style Low-Carb Chili
Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 pounds extra-lean ground beef (or lean white turkey)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste
2 teaspoons cumin
1-2 teaspoons ThickenThin not/Starch thickener

Directions:

1) Brown meat, with onions and garlic.

2) Add seasonings, and enough water to barely cover the meat. Cook 1 hour, adding more water if necessary. (Add tomatoes, if you want.)

3) Towards the end of the cooking time, thicken with ThickenThin not/Starch thickener. Start with 1 teaspoon, stirred into a bit of liquid first, and increase amount to taste until the gravy is thick enough.

Serving Ideas : Dress with chopped tomatoes, onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc., as toppings for the family.

This tastes better the next day, and freezes well, too.

Salmon Bundles

This is so easy --- under 30 minutes, and no clean-up! (If you don't like salmon, try another fish, like tilapia.)


Salmon Bundles, With Lemon, Capers,and Rosemary
4 servings

Ingredients:
4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or, olive oil spray)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
8 lemon slices (about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/2 cup wine (white or marsala wine, or vegetable broth, if you prefer)
4 teaspoons capers
4 pieces aluminum foil

Directions:

1) Spray or brush both sides of salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and rosemary.

2) Place each piece of seasoned salmon on a piece of foil large enough to fold over and seal.

3) Top the each piece of salmon with 2 lemon slices, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of wine or broth, and 1 teaspoon of capers. Wrap up salmon tightly in the foil packets, folding edges to seal well.

4) Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.)Or, heat the oven to 375 degrees.)

5) Place the foil packets on the hot grill and cook for 10 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece of salmon. Serve in the foil packets.


I like it when my husband grills this outside on the patio, because then the house doesn't smell fishy. (I skip lemon on his, because he doesn't care for them.)

Chili-Lime Chicken Strips

I don't always cut the chicken into strips, if I am in a hurry. The flavor penetrates better, though, if you have the time.


Chili-Lime Chicken
Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
2 Tbs. lime juice
1 Tbs. chili powder (or, to taste)
1 tsp. cumin (or, to taste)
1 tsp. salt, (or, to taste)
non-stick spray

Directions:

Early in day:
Combine chicken strips with lime juice, and spices.
Marinate in refrigerator, if you have time. (Can skip marinating and proceed to cooking, if desired.)

Later:
Heat generous amount of nonstick spray in heavy large skillet over medium - high heat.
Saute seasoned chicken strips until slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium, and cook for another 5 minutes or so, or until no longer pink inside.
(If chicken begins to dry out, add a few tablespoons of water or broth and continue to cook until done.)

*This makes a great grab-and-go lunch, too! Leftovers go nicely atop salads, as lettuce wraps, or in stir-fry.

Rosemary Pork Medallions

Rosemary Pork Medallions
Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic , pressed (or to taste)
1 tsp. rosemary (or, to taste)
1 tsp. sage (or, to taste)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt, (or, to taste)
2 pork tenderloins (8 -12 oz. each)
2 tsp. lemon juice (opt.)
2 Tbs. chicken broth (opt.)
non-stick spray


Directions:

1) Make a paste of oil and spices.
Rub this paste into pork (and let marinate for a while in refrigerator, if you have time.)

2) Slice tenderloins crosswise into chops almost 1 inch thick.

3) Heat generous amount of nonstick spray in heavy large skillet over medium heat.
Pan - grill pork medallions about 4 minutes on each side, or until nicely done, but not dried out and tough. (Add more spray if needed.)

4) Optional step, but recommended - deglaze pan by simmering lemon juice and/or broth in skillet, scraping to mix in browned bits from bottom.

5) Plate up medallions, and drizzle with broth/juice glaze.

Fabulous Fajitas

Fabulous Fajitas




Ingredients:

4 breasts Chicken, boneless, skinless, cut into thin strips
1 Tbs Corn oil (or other, like cooking spray)
2 Tbs Lemon juice -- (or lime juice)
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Seasoned salt
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Cayenne
1/2 tsp Oregano -- ground
1/2 tsp Thyme -- (opt)
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/8 tsp Liquid smoke flavor (Adds a nice touch!)

1- 2 lg Bell pepper , thinly sliced (mixed, red and green pref.)
1 lg Onion, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup Salsa (homemade or purchased is fine – check carbs)

Options For the Family
1 med Tomato -- chopped or wedged (opt)
1 med Avocado -- peeled, chopped (opt.)
1/2 cup Sour cream -- (opt)
8 fajita Tortillas -- warm

Directions:

Earlier in day or day before:
Combine chicken strips with corn oil, lemon juice, and spices.
Marinate in refrigerator 8 to 10 hours. (May marinate shorter time.)

Later:
Heat generous amount of nonstick spray in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Saute onions and bell peppers until almost tender, about 8 minutes.
Remove onions and peppers; set aside.

Spray skillet again, and heat over medium-high heat.
Saute chicken (discarding marinade) until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Combine onions and peppers with chicken, stirring to heat.

Delicious as is or over finely shredded lettuce or wrapped in lettuce leaves for Kimkins. Serve with salsa.
For family: serve with warmed tortillas, tomato, avocado, salsa, and sour cream on the side.

May use thinly sliced beefsteak instead of chicken.

Note: For QUICKER version, omit lengthy marinade. Saute onions and peppers; add marinade ingredients EXCEPT corn oil and lemon juice, cooking 1 minute; add 1/4 cup broth with the chicken, and cook all together.

Sweet Mustard Tilapia (or Salmon)

Something different, and easy to make! You can vary the sweetness, spiciness, and seasonings to taste.

Sweet Mustard Tilapia

Ingredients

fish fillets, about 6 oz. per serving (tilapia, salmon, or whatever you like)

butter substitute spray (opt.)

2 Tbs. mustard per 6 oz. serving (dijon, yellow, or combination, as you like)

1 Tbs. sweetener, or equivalent per 6 oz. serving (1 Tbs. granulated splenda, or 2 packets, or 2 drops of liquid sucrolose) or to taste

1/2 - 1 tsp. other seasonings, as desired, such as parsley, dill, basil, paprika, pepper flakes, tarragon, etc. (per 6 oz. serving)

lemon slices or wedges, if desired


1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray a baking sheet lightly with non-stick spray. Cover with foil, and then spray foil. (Makes clean-up a snap!)

2) Place fillets on foil-lined baking sheet.

3) Spray lightly with butter substitute spray, if desired.

4) Mix together mustard(s), sweetener, and any desired seasonings, to taste.

5) Brush on fish fillets.

6) Bake at 400 degrees F. for 12 minutes.


Can be pan-fried, instead.











I use a combination of mustards, for more flavor.

Egg Foo Yung

These quick little Chinese egg pancakes are a great way to use up little bits of leftover meat. Try chicken, turkey bacon, pork, ham, shrimp, beef, or a combo - whatever you have will work! Just about any combination of vegetables you have on hand will work, too. Very versatile!


Egg Foo Yung
Makes 4 Servings, 2 Patties Each

Ingredients

8 eggs
1 - 2 cups cooked meat, shredded or diced
2 - 4 cups of low-carb vegetables, sliced or diced small
(examples: 1 cup diced celery, 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 1 cup mung bean sprouts, 1 cup sliced green onions. Also good with julienned green beans or snow peas or asparagus, diced bell peppers, shredded zucchini or cabbage, chopped fresh baby spinach, bamboo shoots, etc.)
salt and pepper, to taste
ginger, 1 tsp. (opt.)
soy sauce, as desired

Directions:

1) Spray a skillet with non-stick spray, heat, and stir fry vegetables just until heated through.

2) Add meat and continue to stir fry until heated through. Remove from pan; drain in colander if needed. Set aside.

3) Wipe out pan, spray and heat again.

4) Lightly beat eggs, ginger, salt, pepper and 1 - 2 Tsp. of soy sauce, if desired.

5) Combine egg mixture evenly with veggie/meat mixture, stir together and drop by large spoonfuls in medium hot non-stick skillet. Brown on both sides, like a pancake. (This should make 8 large patties.) Serve with soy sauce (or foo yung sauce for family).



Foo Yung Sauce (for family)
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 teaspoons corn starch (or ThickenThin not/Starch thickener - low-carb!)
1 teaspoon vinegar (opt.)
1 teaspoon soy sauce - or to taste

Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small sauce pan.
Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and continue cooking until slightly thickened.
Serve over the egg foo yung.

Fried Cauli-Rice

Grated cauliflower is a low-carb stand-in for rice in this fried 'rice' dish - at about 5 carbs per cup!

I like to keep my dinner carbs to 6 - 8 per meal. Depending on how many and which vegetables you put in the Egg Foo Yung, very much of this fried cauli-'rice' might put your carbs up too high for a meal. In that case, you can go lighter on your foo yung veggies, if you need to.

With enough added protein, this dish can also make a nice meal of its own. (Another good use for those leftovers!)

Fried Cauli-'Rice"
Makes 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower (grates to about 7 cups)
4 - 6 green onions
1 - 2 cloves garlic, or 1 tsp. garlic powder (opt.)
1 tsp ginger (opt.)
4 Tbs. light soy sauce, or to taste
4 eggs, beaten (or 1 cup Egg Beaters)
oil spray

To make it a main dish:
cooked meat, diced (chicken, pork loin, turkey bacon, ham, beef, shrimp, etc., or a combo - leftovers work well)
any other low-carb veggies, as desired


Directions:

1) Using a food processor, process fresh cauliflower until it is the size of rice, either using the plain steel blade or the shredder blade.

Lacking that, you can shred it with a hand-held grater, or just chop it finely with a knife (if you are very patient!).

2) Microwave it in a covered dish. Do not add water; use just the moisture in the cauliflower. Cauliflower will become mushy or gummy if too wet.

This can easily be done ahead of time.

3)Spray a wok or large skillet with non-stick spray and heat. (You can use a small amount of oil, but be sparing, because the cauliflower will soak it up and not taste good.)

4) Fry minced garlic (or garlic powder) with finely diced white part of onions for approximately 1 minute.

5) Add grated cauliflower and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.

6) Add soy, ginger, diced green onion tops, and pre-cooked diced meat. Stir to mix well and brown a bit.

7) Push mixture to one side of pan. Spray with more oil as needed, and scramble eggs in empty side of pan until done but still moist.

8) Stir eggs into 'rice' remove from heat, and serve.

Stores and re-heats beautifully.

Low-Carb Vegetable - Beef Soup

My husband and I have a tradition from our early days as a young Navy couple, namely Day-Before-Payday soup! It usually involved whatever meat was lurking, some onions and canned tomatoes, and any likely veggies lingering in the crisper drawer or freezer, along with Italian herbs. (He is still convinced I always forgot to take the bay leaves out on purpose, and somehow always snuck them into his bowl.) It was always a little different, but almost always wonderful.

Well, when low-carbing, we have to leave out potatoes, barley, corn, carrots, peas, and pasta, but that stills leaves us a delectable soup base to work with.

Hmmmm...good!

Low-Carb Vegetable-Beef Soup
Serves 12 (Great for freezer!)

Ingredients:

3 lbs. beef roast or steak (rump or round), cut up for soup
6 - 8 cups water (adjust as needed for thickness you like)
6 - 8 beef bouillon cubes or powdered bouillon
(or, use beef stock or packaged beef broth in place of water and bouillon)
1 large can tomatoes, diced or chopped the way you like them
1 onion, chopped
3 - 4 celery stalks, sliced (I like to use the leaves, too - good flavor)
1/2 head cabbage, chopped small (or more - I really like cabbage!)
1 bag (1 lb. or so, to suit) frozen green beans (or you could use chopped spinach or sliced zucchini, etc., or a combo)
2 bay leaves
2 Tbs. Italian Seasoning, or to taste
1 tsp.pepper
few shakes of garlic powder, to taste (opt.)
1 - 2 Tbs. of Worcestershire sauce (opt.)

Directions:

Two options here.

1) You can brown beef in small amount of oil in big non-stick sprayed pot, then add onions and celery to saute till limp, then add the rest and simmer for hours on the stovetop until meat is tender and flavors are mingled. Adjust seasonings near end of cooking.

2) Throw it all in a big crockpot, and cook on low 6 - 8 hours, until tender and good. Adjust seasonings near end of cooking.

Enjoy!

Meatza

Well, honestly, there may be no tasty way to get these counts as low as I might like. Nevertheless, when the family has called for pizza delivery, and you REALLY want some pizza, it is worth it!

Instead of a dough crust with meat topping, this uses a meat crust. Hey - it works!

Meatza
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1&1/4 lb. ground meat - lean beef, or white turkey, or lean pork, or combo
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or to taste)
1 tsp. fennel seed (opt. - gives a sausage taste)
few shakes of red pepper flakes (opt. - likewise)

1 cup sugar-free spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce (like Hunt's canned sauce - check label)
8 - 12 oz. cheese (I like a combo of low-fat part-skim shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan/Romano)
1 - 2 cups low-carb, low-fat pizza toppings such as mushrooms, green pepper, onions. (If you use canned mushrooms, be sure to drain very well.)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2) Mix the meat, salt and spices together. Spread the meat out on a baking sheet with sides to catch the grease. Pat the meat thinly and evenly, without any holes, in an oblong with rounded corners. (It does not need to cover the whole pan.)

3) Bake in a 375° F. oven for about 10 minutes. Pour off/blot off the grease.

4) Cover the meat with sugar-free pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce.

5) Cover with cheese and your choice of pizza toppings. (You may want to saute the veggies first in non-stick spray, or microwave-steam them briefly, if you like them very tender and well-cooked on your 'meatza'.)

6) Return to oven briefly to melt the cheese to desired doneness and color.

7) Let sit for a few minutes before slicing.

Buffalo Chicken Tenders

When it is a lazy family game night, and everyone else is digging into heaping piles of Costco's buffalo wings, it sure is nice to have an easy, pleasing low-carb. low-calorie alternative!

Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breast tenders
2 tbsp. butter or butter substitute (opt. - still good without it)
1/4 cup hot pepper sauce, like Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Directions:

1) Combine butter substitute, hot sauce, and chicken (like in a ziplock bag).
Marinate in refrigerator for 20 minutes. (Marinating is not necessary if you are in a hurry - just makes them a bit spicier, I think.)

2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray for easy clean-up.

3) Bake 12 - 16 minutes, until done.

4) Serve with extra hot sauce, to heat it up, and/or with celery sticks, to cool it down. (If you can spare the calories, a lighter ranch or bleu cheese dressing is customary, but not essential.)

Leftovers go well atop a salad.

Easy Brunch Frittata

A frittata is a laid-back Italian version of an omelet, and can be made with almost endless variety, depending on what you like and have on hand.

This one just couldn't be much more simple. You can whip it together quickly when you walk in the door, and it will be just about ready to serve by the time you've set the table and poured the drinks!

Easy Oven-Baked Frittata
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup (or more) of diced low-carb vegetables (onions, green peppers, mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, etc.)
6 eggs
dash of pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded low-fat cheddar, mozzarella or other cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

1) Sauté the vegetables until soft. Alternately, you can steam the vegetables in the microwave until they are tender.

2) Beat the eggs, pepper, salt, and Parmesan cheese together. Spray a heavy, oven-proof skillet with a generous coating of non-stick spray. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and scatter the vegetables on top.

3) Bake for 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately sprinkle the remaining cheese on the top and let it melt.

4) Slide your frittata onto a plate and serve.

This is so good with leftover roasted asparagus, shallots, and yellow and red bell peppers! It would be easy to include some prosciutto, Canadian bacon, lean ham, etc., too. You can vary the seasonings, also, with a smidge of parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme.

Although it can stand up well as the centerpiece of an elegant brunch, a lovely frittata really doesn't need much besides a simple salad (and maybe some bread for the non-low carbers).

Master the frittata, and you can always have a satisfying repast on the table with little fuss.

Coleslaw with a Kick

Here is a lighter-tasting, non-mayonnaise variety, for a nice change of pace.
The calories and carbs are a little high for a salad, so it goes well with a low-calorie, low-carb entree like fish.


Coleslaw with a Kick
Makes 10 servings.

Ingredients

1 head Cabbage -- shredded
1 med Bell pepper, Red (pref.) -- cut into matchstick-thin strips
1 med Onion, Red -- thinly sliced
3/4 cup Cilantro -- chopped

1/3 cup Lime juice
1/2 tsp Cumin
1 clove Garlic -- minced
1/2 tsp Hot pepper sauce -- (Tabasco or similar)
1/2 cup Olive oil

Instructions

Up to 8 hrs. earlier:
In medium bowl, whisk lime juice with seasonings.
Gradually whisk in oil.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Chill, covered.

Later:
In large bowl, combine vegetables for slaw.
Re-whisk dressing
Toss slaw with enough dressing to coat. (Lightly - not too much!)
Season with salt and pepper, etc., as desired.
Serve.


Nutrition Info
For entire recipe (all dressing used): 1307 calories, 112 g fat, 78 carbs, 17 g protein
Per serving: 131 calories, 11 g fat, 7.8 g carbs, 1.7 g protein

Notes: The olive oil is high in calories, but healthy in moderation.
The cabbage is surprisingly high in protein.
For Maintenance, add 3 medium carrots, peeled and grated, for extra color, flavor, and nutrition. (Carrots are too carby for our purposes now, though.)

Italian Beef

Some foods have a memory with them. My grandfather was an Italian immigrant, and I spent a lot of my formative years in Illinois. This sandwich was the house specialty of the restaurant where I worked when I was 16. It was my first real job, and I wasn't a very good waitress, but my now-husband thought I was cute, and persuaded the boss not to fire me. A taste of this Chicago-area favorite always takes me back in time.

(This is a lazy, short-cut version. Someday, I'll post my original, old-style recipe.)

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (4 pound) boneless sirloin tip roast, halved
* 2 (.7 ounce) packages Italian salad dressing mix (like Good Seasons)
* 2 cups water (or low-sodium beef broth)
* 1 (16 ounce) jar pepperoncini peppers (pre-sliced into rings is nice!)
* 16 hoagie buns, split (for the family - we'll skip that part for weight loss)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place roast in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine the salad dressing mix and water; pour over roast. Add half (or to taste) of the pepper rings, including some juice. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender.
2. Remove meat; shred with a fork and return to slow cooker. If desired, add more peppers, or adjust seasoning; heat through.
3. To serve, we will have it with or over romaine lettuce, like an Italian Beef Caesar Salad.
For the family or guests, spoon 1/2 cup or so of the meat mixture onto each bun, spooning a little juice in there, too. Serve some of the meat broth au jus as well, along with any remaining peppers.

This makes a BIG batch, 16 servings, so you may want to cut it in half. I like having some in the freezer, for an easy Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.


Nutrition Info
For entire recipe (meat and all peppers, no bun): 2424 calories, 67 g fat, 37 g carbs, 386 g protein
Per serving (meat and all peppers, no bun): 151 calories, 4.2 g fat, 2.3 g carbs, 24 g protein

Faux Fish Tacos

These may sound weird, but if you've ever had and enjoyed a fish taco, Baja style, try it my way, too.
Traditional fish tacos are firm white fillets deep-fried in beer batter, served in soft corn tortillas (usually 2, because it can get messy) with shredded cabbage, crema, salsa of choice, and squeeze of lime. Salsa options generally include pico de gallo, chipotle salsa, tomatillo/ avocado salsa, etc. This is typical example:

As an ex-San Diegan, I was hankering for fish tacos lately, and tried to think of a low-carb, low-cal, Kimkins-friendly alternative. This was the best I could do, but we all liked it. The key is serving and eating it freshly made, for that interplay of contrasts between hot and cold, soft and crisp, spicy and mild.

Mix up a little white sauce, and set aside. (Recipe below.)

Mix up (or buy) a batch of salsa of choice. (Recipe below.)

Get a head of green cabbage, and wash and trim some nice big leaves. Drain and set aside. (I cut a little inverted V-shape to get out just the tough part of the ribs.)

Pan-grill or bake tilapia fillets (or any mild white fish you have) with a little lemon pepper and garlic powder.

Place hot cooked fish on cold crisp cabbage leaf, drizzle with white sauce and salsa, squeeze on a lime wedge, then wrap it up, and enjoy!

I served it with lime wedges, pico de gallo, extra cilantro, chopped onion, and radish and avocado slices (plus corm tortillas) for the family.

Here's my old recipe for the sauce. I made it this time with light mayo and Calorie Countdown dairy beverage.
(You can also make it with equal parts mayo/ yogurt or mayo/sour cream.)
I sometimes like to add a smidge of horseradish. Tabasco, or chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. You could add some sugar-free relish, too.

Becky's Fish Taco Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise (I used light mayo.)
1/4 cup milk (I used Hood Calorie Countdown.)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Becky's Salsa:
1 (or more) garlic cloves, peeled and minced (I like more!)
6 tomatoes, ripe, diced
1/2 onion, minced
2 Tbs cilantro leaves, chopped, stems removed
2 serrano chilies, seeded and chopped (or jalepenos)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper


I might try the egg crepe 'tortillas', or the versions with a little natural whey powder for some texture.

Or, I might also just serve the fish atop finely shredded cabbage with sauce and condiments and call it close enough.

Chicken Piccata

Tender, thin chicken breasts are served in a lovely sauce of lemony garlic butter, with capers. If I go to an Italian restaurant, this is almost always my pick. In most cases, the chicken is dredged lightly in flour, so I always ask for them to skip that. I have adapted this recipe to be both low-cal and low-carb.

Chicken Piccata
Serves 4 - 6. depending on portion size

Ingredients:

2 lbs. (about 4 pieces) boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded flat
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder (optional)
3/4 tsp. paprika (optional- for coating and color since we are not dredging in flour)
2 tsp. olive oil OR some olive oil cooking spray
1 tsp. butter OR some butter-substitute spray
1/4 cup white wine (opt.- or use additional 1/4 cup chicken broth)
1/2 cup chicken broth (or 3/4 cup if omitting wine)
1 - 2 tablespoon lemon juice (depending on how you like it - start with 1 and taste)
1 - 2 Tbs. capers. drained (to taste - start with 1)
1 Tbs. fresh flat leafed parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
lemon slices (optional garnish)

Prep

Flatten the chicken breasts (between waxed paper or plastic wrap) so they are about 1/4 inch thick. Use a meat mallet if you have one. (If not, try a rolling pin or even the side of a soup can.)
Measure and combine the dry spices.
Measure out and have everything else at the ready.
Chop the parsley and slice a few slices of lemon, if using garnish.

1. Sprinkle and rub combined dry spices evenly on chicken.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. (Or, use olive oil spray in pan.)
3. Add the chicken breasts in a single layer and cook for about 4-5 minutes on the first side, until golden brown.
4. Turn the chicken to the second side. Add butter (or spray with butter flavor), white wine, and lemon juice, swirling around chicken to combine and scraping pan to deglaze (get up all the flavored bits). Cook about 1 minute.
5. Add chicken broth and capers. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes until chicken is no longer pink in the center (internal temperature should be 170 F.) and pan gravy has reduced.
6. Plate the chicken breasts. Spoon sauce over the top. Garnish and serve.




Variations: Make this picatta recipe with veal or pork instead of chicken. (Adjust cooking times.)

Nutrient Info
For entire recipe: 1181 calories, 35 g fat, 6 g carb, 189 g protein
Per chicken breast (1/4th recipe): 295 calories, 8.75 g fat, 1.5 g carbs, 47 g protein
Per 4 oz. portion (1/8th recipe): 148 calories, 4.4 g fat, .75 g carbs, 23.6 g protein

Using chicken broth in place of wine would save 36 calories for the entire recipe.
Using flavor sprays instead of oil and butter would save 88 calories for the recipe.
Combined savings from both changes would be 124 calories overall, 31 cals per chicken breast, 16 cals per 4-oz. portion.

Italian Wedding Soup

From Wikipedia: Wedding soup consists of green vegetables (usually endive and escarole or cabbage, lettuce, kale, and/or spinach) and meats (usually meatballs and/or sausage) in a clear chicken-based broth. Wedding soup sometimes contains pasta, noodles, cavatelli, lentils, or shredded chicken. The term "wedding soup" is a mistranslation of the Italian minestra maritata, which is a reference to the fact that green vegetables and meats go well together.

I made a Kimkins-friendly variation with Honeysuckle ground white turkey and spinach.

Italian Wedding Soup
Servings: 8

Ingredients
Meatballs:
2 pound extra-lean ground white turkey
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. dried parsley
1 Tbs. Italian Seasoning
4 Tbs. dried grated Parmesan/Romano cheese
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste (maybe 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper)
dash of dried red pepper flakes, if desired

Soup:
8 cups chicken broth
1 10 - oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained,(approx. 1 cup) OR 6 cups fresh spinach, washed, and chopped (I used a 16 oz. bag, because we like spinach!)
more Italian cheese for topping (opt.)

1) Mix all meatball ingredients, handling lightly. Adjust to taste. (You can sample by cooking up one little meatball first.)

2) Form into small meatballs. (I used a measuring spoon to scoop meatballs.)

3) Brown meatballs in skillet or in 350 degree oven on foil-lined baking sheet.

4) In large pot, heat broth to boiling.

5) Reduce heat. Add meatballs and spinach. simmer at least 20 minutes.

Variations:
Use other green vegetables, like broccoli rabe, escarole, kale, zucchini, etc.
Use other meats, like Italian sausage.
Scramble one or two eggs (perhaps with 1 - 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan/Romano cheese) and pour slowly through a fork into boiling broth for an egg drop effect.

I served this with extra cheese for my family to add on top, and also a McCormick Italian Herb Seasoning Grinder for a flavor boost.
Reheats beautifully!

Nutrient Info
For Entire Recipe: 1504 calories, 37 g fat, 28 g carb, 254 g protein
Per Serving: 188 calories, 4.6 g fat, 3.5 g carb, 32 g protein

Adding more spinach or other greens will boost the carb count slightly, but also add more nutrition.