Strawberry, Almond and Cream Cheese Salad

• 1 1/2 cups crushed Almonds
• 4 1/2 tablespoons Splenda
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup Splenda
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen lite whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (6 ounce) package sugar free Jello brand strawberry flavored gelatin
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix together the almonds,1 tsp salt,  4 1/2 tablespoons Splenda and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool completely.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the Splenda and cream cheese until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread evenly over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the gelatin mix and boiling water. Mix in frozen strawberries, and stir until thawed. Pour over cream cheese mixture in pan. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 1 hour. 

Pizza

Normal Pizza doesn't have many very many carbs except for what is in the crust.  I modified the crust and it worked out pretty well.

Low Carb Pizza Crust
1/2 Tablespoon yeast
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Splenda
2 eggs
2  Cups of Almond Flour
1 Tablespoon Oil

This 'dough' will not act like other dough because it doesn't have gluten.  I buttered a pie pan, poured the 'dough' into the bottom and baked it for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees.  Then I added the tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, ham and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and baked it again for 15 minutes.  The crust sticks together nicely when it is baked because of the eggs.

Meatloaf

This recipe replaces breadcrumbs or oatmeal with Parmesan or Romano cheese. You can also add a variety of low carb vegetables to this and I think it would taste fine.

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef
• 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 3 or 4 tbsp tamari sauce (soy sauce is fine if you are not avoiding gluten)
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic minced very fine
• 2 eggs
• slightly beaten
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup Parmesan / Romano / other shaker-style cheese (or combine!)
• 1 slice chopped uncooked bacon

Instructions

1. Mix all the ingredients together. Don't overhandle the meat, just mix enough to incorporate the ingredients.

2. Shape lightly into a casserole or other deep dish.

3. Bake uncovered at 350* for approximately one hour.

4. About 10 minutes before removing from oven, add a thick layer of grated cheese, preferably cheddar, and allow it to melt.

Stuffed Mushrooms

16 oz  whole mushrooms (not the sliced ones)

1  8 oz package cream cheese

1 T finely chopped green onion

3 T crumbled bacon

freshly cracked pepper

Grated Cheddar Cheese

1. Wash your mushrooms and remove the stems. 

2. Chop up a green onion into tiny, tiny pieces. Add 1 T of the green onion to your cream cheese.

 

3. Add your 3 T of bacon. Throw in a tiny bit of freshly cracked pepper. Mix it all around to combine.

 

4. Place your mushrooms on a sprayed cookie sheet. Fill the insides with your cream cheese mixture.

 

5. Bake at 400 for 15 -20 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese the last four minutes of baking. Eat nice and hot from the oven. They cool down very quickly and aren't quite as tasty eaten cold.

Mug Cake

2tbs almond flour,
1 tbs cocoa,
1 tbs coconut oil or butter softened,
1 tbs Splenda.
1 egg,
1.5tbs half and half..
Mix until smooth,
microwave in a mug for 90 seconds!

You can top this with Lite Whipped topping or make your own Cream Cheese Chocolate Frosting.

Cocoa Crack

 

2tbs butter melted in a pan,
add powdered Splenda, about 3tbs,
2 tbs cocoa and unsweetened coconut and almonds..
pour on waxed paper and freeze.
Tastes just like almond joy.

You can leave out the coconut, I do ;) This looks kind of like a pile of poo but it tastes great.  You can add any kind of nut you would like.

Mashed Cauliflower

Pureed or mashed cauliflower is a great substitute for mashed potatoes. Low in carbs and high in nutrients, the "cauli-taste" is very mild. Try it even if you think you won't like it.! You can flavor it up in any way you like adding garlic is a great addition, or Parmesan cheese, or both!

Ingredients:

• raw Cauliflower - a medium head makes about a pound of florettes
• any combination of butter, milk, cream, or whatever you use when you make mashed potatoes - about 1/4 cup
• salt and pepper
• If you have low carb "instant mashed potatoes", add up to 1/4 cup for texture*
• Options: minced garlic (a clove or two); garlic powder (1/2 to 1 teaspoon); cheese

Preparation:

*I like to use instant "potatoes" made for low carb diets, such as Dixie Carb Counters Instant Mashers. Other people use a small amount of real potato or instant potatoes to improve the texture. But you don't need any of these things.

Break the cauliflower up into florets, or just chop. I like to cook it in the microwave in a container that I prepare and serve it in, but you can steam it. Cook it until it's tender -- a fork should easily pierce it.

The easiest thing to do is to add the rest of the ingredients to the container the cauliflower is cooked in, and then use a stick (hand) blender to put it all together. Or you can put it all in a regular blender or food processor.

Assuming 4 servings from a pound of cauliflower, each will have about 3 grams of usable carbohydrate plus three grams of fiber. The calories will depend on what else you add.

Cauliflower Fritters

• 4 cups steamed cauliflower (roughly chopped)
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (Substitute 1 cup of almond flour)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup hot water
  
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, flour, garlic, eggs, grated cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Add water so that batter becomes slightly more dense than pancake batter.

On medium-low heat, add 1 tbsp of oil in a 10 inch skillet coating bottom of the pan. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to form fritters. You can fit 4 fritters at a time. Cook until golden brown, turn and cook another few minutes. Add a little more oil to the pan, and repeat with the remaining batter.

Steak with Onions and Tomatoes

• 1-1/2 lbs grass fed sirloin tip steak, sliced very thin
• salt to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• cuminto taste
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin or chopped
• 1 very large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes, sliced thin or chopped. You could also used a can of drained stewed tomatoes.

Season steak with salt and garlic powder.
Serve this over rice or for a low carb option serve over low carb noodles.

Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin

Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Pork Loin


Temp: 350 degrees F
Bake Time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients:
1 pork tender loin (1.7 lbs)
4 oz Cream Cheese
8 oz Goat Cheese
1 Pkg Chopped Spinach (frozen) 10 oz
1/2 c. 4 cheese blend )
1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs (Substitute ground almonds here)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:

• Drain Spinach of any water by squeezing it tightly and in a strainer.
• Mix Spinach, Cr. Cheese, Goat Cheese & 4 Cheese blend.
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Mix well
• Cut pork loin in 1/2 but not all the way- open it up (filet) and place it on plastic wrap, and lay another layer of plastic wrap on top.
• Using meat tenderizer pound out the meat to 1/4 inch thick
• Remove plastic wrap, and spread in spinach & cheese mixture
• Roll up pork loin
• Tie off loin with cooking twine or secure with toothpicks
• Cover the outside of the pork loin by dipping in your choice of bread crumbs.
• Discard the remaining bread crumbs and place pork loin in a 9×13 glass pan
• Bake for 35-40 minutes till done.
• 
  

Creamy Lemon Dressing

I stole this recipe from Stacy.  I hope that is okay.  It just fits so nicely with the low carb food.

Whisk together ~
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp shredded or grated Parmesan
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Almond Crusted Chicken

Almond Crusted Chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

1/2 cup finely ground almonds

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 beaten egg

mix almonds and cheese with any spices you choose (I thought Italian seasoning and garlic salt would be good)

dredge the chicken in the beaten egg and then in the almond mixture. Fry in olive oil.