Cheesy stuffed zucchini

Zucchini (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Zucchini is a wonderful go to vegetable for low carb dieters. It's healthy, versatile and can be used in many dishes .

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized zucchini
• 3 diced baby portobello mushrooms
• 1/4 cup onions chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup cubed herb stuffing mix
• 1/4 cup of chicken stock
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• black pepper
• Paprika

 Ingredients:

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise. Using the tip of a teaspoon, scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4 -inch shell. Saute zucchini pulp,mushrooms and onion in butter until onions are translucent. Add a few tablespoons of chicken stock and stir in seasoned bread crumbs or herb stuffing mix. Add in cheese, dill, salt and pepper. If the mixture is too dry add a little more chicken stock. You want the consistency of the mix to be such that you can spoon it.

Place zucchini shells in a shallow 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Mound stuffing cheese mix in zucchini shells, packing lightly. Add water to dish. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle tops with paprika.

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Low carb tuna burgers

Tuna Fish cuisine of the Mahl people. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:

    1 cup tuna flaked cooked
    2 tablespoons  minced celery                                      
    1 tablespoon sweet pickles chopped or pickle relish            
    1 tablespoon onions minced                                     
    1/2 teaspoon lemon juice fresh or to taste                     
    Freshly ground pepper to taste                                 
    2 to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise real                             
    Butter or margarine                                            
    2 slices of low carb bread or whole wheat high fiber hamburger buns         
    4 slices bacon                                                 
    4 slices American cheese or cheese of your choice              

Combine fish, celery, sweet pickle or relish, onion, lemon juice, pepper, and enough mayonnaise to moisten. Lightly toast and butter bun or English muffin halves and spread with fish mixture. Cut bacon slices in half and partially fry to remove most of fat. Top each fish mixture with a slice of cheese and 2 bacon strips. Broil 5 inches from heat for 4 minutes or until cheese melts and bacon crisps.

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Broccoli and Cheese soup

If you love broccoli and cheese you'll love this creamy low carb soup that is great for lunch time in the Spring. Try adding in different cheeses and spices to get a different flavor for your soup.
This recipe serves about 8. The carb count is around 10 grams per serving.


Ingredients:
    1/4 cup onions coarsely chopped                
    1 tablespoon margarine
    3 cups chicken bouillon                       
    2 cups iceberg lettuce chopped                
    1 10-ounce package frozen chopped broccoli  (you can use fresh too)
    1 cup of sharp shredded cheddar cheese        
    1/8 teaspoon black pepper                     
     Seasonings (your choice, see suggestions)
                                                     

In a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion in margarine for a few minutes until the onions become translucent and soft.

Add chicken bouillon, lettuce, broccoli and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for around 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender.

Add in shredded cheese and stir until melted.

Using a blender, take half of your batch and blend at the highest speed on your blender so that soup is pureed. Repeat with the remaining half.
You may need to reheat this soup once it has been blended.

Serving suggestions:
Add your choice of spices and herbs. Goes well with minced parsley, garlic powder, chives, and low carb bread croutons. A dash of red pepper flakes will give it a kick if added while cooking  the broccoli.

More recipes:

• Squash Casserole
• Homemade chicken soup
• Ham bone soup
• Carne Picada with brown and wild rice

Baked potato skins

Image via Wikipedia

We all know that potatoes are a real treat baked in the oven. However, as we move towards a healthier lifestyle, potatoes have to be limited, especially if you are a low carber. However limited doesn't mean eliminated and these baked potato peels make hit the spot and be a better alternative that roasted potatoes would be. Great to serve for parties and game day. The addition of the sauces give these potatoes a little extra flavor.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:


    Extra virgin olive oil                          
    4 to 6 potatoes medium                                        
    Salt or seasoned salt of your choice                          
    Black pepper Freshly ground
    1-2 Tbsp.  Worcestershire sauce
    1-2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
                                     
Preheat oven to 450° F.

Instructions:
Scrub potatoes well, making sure there is no left over grit. With a paring knife, peel skins off the potatoes, about 1/8 -inch thick. Place potato pieces in a large bowl. With your hands toss and coat both sides with olive oil, Worcestershire and soy sauce. Place on cookie sheet/baking pan skin side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp and golden. Serve immediately in a napkin-lined basket. You may opt to sprinkle with salt and pepper once skins are removed from oven and are still hot.

Tip: Sprinkle the potato skins with Parmesan before placing in oven for another great flavor.

Reduced Carb Southern fried chicken

Image via Wikipedia

If there is one thing Southerners are known for it is our southern fried chicken. There is no family reunion, church function or Sunday dinner that doesn't have this wonderful feast for the senses. The savory crunch, and juicy tender meat with just the right spices will guarantee a full house on any event where food is served.
There are a lot of different versions and recipes for fried chicken.Some use buttermilk, some use egg and flour. The simplest way is the southern way. That being said, we all know that fried anything isn't particularly healthy. Trying to find the right taste, without the extra carbs and fat is a real challenge.
Here's a version that is lower in fat and carbs, but still retains most of the great flavors we all love in fried chicken. Now if Colonel Sanders would get a clue, we'd all be happy? Right? Try this next time you have a craving for fried chicken and see if you can taste the healthy difference? If you can't that is a good thing. 

Ingredients:

 
Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts
Seasoned salt
Paprika-smoked
Onion powder
Pepper
dash of Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups Canola oil
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup soy flour

Step one:
In heavy deep skillet, (cast iron is the best for frying chicken), heat oil to the point that a drop of water snaps or a little flour dropped in browns with out burning.

Step two:
Season rinsed and dried chicken breasts with seasoned salt,paprika, black pepper and a little Cayenne if you like spicy fried chicken.

Step three:
Once chicken is seasoned, place into a plastic bag, or even a paper bag filled with the all purpose flour and the soy flour. Shake thoroughly so that every piece is well coated.

Step four:
Add the chicken to the oil. Cook thoroughly, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides. Boneless skinless chicken cooks quickly so keep an eye on it and don't neglect.
You save calories, fat and carbs by using lean chicken, less all purpose flour, blended with soy which is much healthier.

 

 

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How to Make Healthier Spaghetti

Image via Wikipedia

Healthy Spaghetti is just as delicious as the traditional version...
This spaghetti recipe has all the flavor of regular spaghetti with a lot less guilt. Using canned crushed tomatoes instead of store brand sauces, low carb pasta, and low sodium condiments make this a healthier choice.

Things You'll Need:
 
* 1-2 tbsp. Basil
* 1 tbsp. Oregano
* 1 tsp. Garlic powder
* 1 tsp. Onion powder
* 2 tbsp. Low sodium soy sauce
* 1 13.25 oz. box of Dreamfield's Spaghetti Pasta
* 3-4 lbs. of lean ground beef or ground turkey
* 1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
* 2 15 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
* 1/2 of a large onion diced
* 1-2 cups of diced Portabella mushrooms
* 2 tsp hot sauce
* several cloves of garlic (minced)
* 1 tsp cayenne pepper
* 1 tbsp. Paprika
* 1 large diced bell pepper
* ground black pepper to taste
* 2 large pots, or one large skillet and one large Dutch oven
* Low fat Parmesan cheese

1.

In either a large skillet or pot, brown your ground beef or turkey. Add all diced veggies and spices. Once your meat has been thoroughly browned, drain all fat. To remove up to an additional 30% of the fat in the meat, you can leave it in a strainer, put the strainer over a large pot and rinse thoroughly with hot water. This practice removes most left over grease from the meat. If you choose to do this, wait to add your spices until after this is done. Set meat aside, and discard grease.

2.

In a large Dutch oven fill up to two thirds of the way with water and bring to a rolling boil. Add Dreamfield's Low Carb Spaghetti to the pot and cook for 9-10 minutes. Add a little Olive oil to the water to prevent over boiling and to keep pasta from sticking. Stir frequently to keep noodles separate as well. I like to break my spaghetti noodles in half before adding to the water so that they fit into the pot better and a little less messy when eating. Dreamfields Pasta has only 5 grams of digestible carbs per serving. Compared to regular pasta.

3.

Return your meat to the skillet, and add your diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and heat through allowing to simmer while the spaghetti noodles are cooking. Cans of crushed tomatoes are far healthier than store bought sauces as they have less sugar added, less additives, and lower carbs per serving. This allows you to control the spices and flavors as well. Store brand spaghetti sauces are packed with sugar and sodium and cost far more per ounce. Do a little comparison shopping next time and see if I'm telling the truth.

4.

Strain your noodles, and if you like mix in with the meat sauce of serve separately with the meat sauce served on top. Add a little olive oil to the noodles if you are going to serve them separately and stir so they won't stick together.

For information on low carb pasta, see-         www.netrition.com