Grilled Steak W/ Chimichurri Sauce

If you are getting ready to grill up some steaks this spring, try this recipe.  It is really good.

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound green beans, trimmed
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for grill grates
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 strip steaks (about 1-inch thick), about 1 1/2 pounds total, trimmed of excess fat and halved
• Chimichurri sauce, recipe follows

Place a double layered piece of heavy-duty foil on a tray or cutting board; fold and gather edge to form a rim. Toss the green beans and tomatoes on foil with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

Preheat a grill to medium. Lightly oil the grill grates and season the steak with salt and pepper. Slide the foil tray onto the grill; cook, tossing occasionally, until the beans char slightly and cook through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the steaks to the grill; cook until desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove steaks to cutting board to rest 5 minutes. Slice, and serve steak and the vegetables with the Chimichurri Sauce.

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Nutritional analysis per serving of steak and tomatoes
Calories 451; Total Fat 29g (Sat Fat 11g, Mono Fat 13.4g, Poly Fat 1.54) ; Protein 37g; Carb 9g; Fiber 4g; Cholesterol 94mg; Sodium 217mg

Chimichurri Sauce:

• 1/2 small garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint and cilantro
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the garlic, vinegar, herbs, olive oil and water in small food processor; pulse until herbs are coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper.

Calories 33; Total Fat 3.5g (Sat Fat .5g, Mono Fat 2.7g, Poly Fat 0.3g) ; Protein 0g; Carb 0g; Fiber 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 120.5mg

Low-carb Rigatoni With Cauliflower Sauce and Toasted Garlic Breadcrumbs

•  
• For the Breadcrumbs:
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
  
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, Panko or homemade (coarse ground)
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley tops, finely chopped
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 
  
• For the Cauliflower Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta, guanciale or bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons thyme, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons chopped golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 head cauliflower, root and core cut away from head with sharp paring knife
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound rigatoni(use low-carb noodles, I use dreamfields pasta)
• 3 tablespoons butter

Yields: 4-6

Preparation

For the breadcrumbs, heat EVOO and butter over medium heat, melting butter into oil. Add garlic and stir 1-2 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and stir until very fragrant and deeply golden in color. Remove breadcrumbs from heat and cool; toss with parsley and cheese.

For the sauce, heat EVOO, a couple of turns of the pan, over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Add pancetta, guanciale or bacon and stir until rendered and crispy, 3-4 minutes. Add onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes and raisins, and stir to soften 3-5 minutes. Add white wine and stock, set cauliflower into pot, season with salt and pepper, and cover. Cook 15-20 minutes until very tender then mash up into small pieces with wooden spoon or potato masher.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Add a cup of starchy water from pasta to sauce just before draining.

Along with starchy water, stir butter into cauliflower sauce. Combine with pasta and adjust seasoning. Serve in shallow bowls topped with garlic breadcrumbs.

This recipe is from the Rachel Ray show and modified.

Chef's Salad

I went to the Cow Town restaurant to celebrate a friend's birthday.  We had  such a great time.  The Chef's Salad is a great low carb choice when you eat 'out'.  I have had to eat out a lot lately and was kind of worried about the carb count while I was out of town.  Not to worry.  You can get this at McDonalds or really any restaurant anywhere.  The birthday girl and I each had one of these while another friend had  French Dip and a huge pile of french fries.  I had some food envy, but I enjoyed my salad and didn't feel guilty all day.  Yea for me!

Chef's Salad
Lettuce
Boiled egg
Cheese (any type you choose)
Olives
Mushrooms
Carrotts
Cucumbers
Onions
Turkey
Ham
Tomatoes

Mix it all or arrange it nicely on a plate.  Yum!

"Potato" Salad

LOW CARB "POTATO" SALAD
16 ounce package frozen cauliflower
1/2 cup mayonnaise ( I used Miracle Whip, adds a few carbs but tastes great!)
4 ounce jar diced pimientos, drained well
1/4 cup dill pickle relish, drained well
1 tablespoon chopped onion, optional
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Salt, to taste
Cook the cauliflower until tender, but not mushy, about 8 minutes. Drain very well, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Mix all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Chill several hours before serving.
Makes 6-8 servings
Do not freeze
Per 1/6 recipe: 162 Calories; 15g Fat; 2g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 4g Net Carbs
Per 1/8 recipe: 121 Calories; 11g Fat; 2g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs 
* I 'borrowed' this recipe from Linda.  Thanks.  This is yummy! 

Snozzcumbers

My son Jacob, who is in fifth grade, brought this recipe home.  Their class has been reading the BFG.  He thought this recipe might  be low carb.  I think it is, maybe just leave out the gherkins.  I think they won't add too much in the carb department, and will add MUCH to the flavor so I will leave them in.

Snozzcumbers
6-8 Large cucumbers
4 cans of tuna fish
4-6 diced tomatoes
9-10 gherkins, finely chopped
9-10 Tablespoons mayonnaise
6-7 teaspoons poppy seeds
Salt and Pepper to taste

Peel, cut and hollow out the cucumbers.  Place in a container, standing on end, to drain juice.  Thoroughly drain the tuna fish and mix in the chopped tomatoes, gherkins, mayonnaise, and poppy seeds.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Using a teaspoon, fill cucumbers with the tuna fish mixture, packing it down.  Paint a little mayonnaise in the grooves on the outside of the cucumbers and carefully fill the grooves with poppy seeds.  Have fun with this one!

Breakfast Ideas!

There is no picture for this but this is my favorite low carb breakfast!
Ham and Cheese Omelet with sour cream and Salsa!

Other ideas are:
Watermelon
Strawberries and cream
Scrambled eggs
Omelets with mushrooms
Omelets with Veggies
Fat Free Cocoa ( FYI if you look at the carb count on sugar free cocoa and fat free cocoa, surprisingly the fat free kind has about half the carbs, make sure you watch your labels)  I add some table cream to the cocoa and that makes it delicious, but no longer fat free ;)
Sugar free breakfast drink. My favorite is Walmart brand grapefruit. Perfect to wake you up in the morning.
Bacon
Sausage
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day because I can get away with absolutely no carbs and be full and satisfied.
There are a few types of  cereal that work.  If you can find a bran cereal that is not sweetened the carb count is not terrible.  Then add cream instead of milk and splenda or stevia.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

1 sm. chuck roast, cut in thin, sm. pieces
1 tbsp. oil
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 c. soy sauce
2 c. beef broth
1 to 2 tbsp. splenda
1 lg. head broccoli, cut up
6 to 8 carrots, cut up
1 lg. can sliced mushrooms
3 tbsp. cornstarch & 1 c. water

Heat oil and garlic in wok until garlic turns light brown around the edges. Then put in beef immediately and stir until brown. Then add soy sauce, beef broth, sugar and juice from mushrooms. Stir and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.Add cut up broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms. Stir into beef mixture. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir once or twice. Take 1 cup water and stir in cornstarch. Add to stir fry to thicken.  You can serve this over rice. For those in your family eating low carb, or if you are trying to be careful with the carbs, use low carb noodles or just eat it plain.