Breaded Coconut Chicken

Coconut Chicken

This was goooood!  I'm always trying to mix up my chicken dishes so my family doesn't get bored and this did not disappoint.  This is from Linda because she is awesome and I always love her recipes (I don't know her and I'm pretty sure she doesn't know I exist, I just like her recipes).  She made this using 3 chicken breasts that she cut in half to make 6 very thin cutlets.  I decided to make nuggets.  After making, I have to agree with her, this should be made as bigger pieces.  For one, I had to use double the coating because I had so much more surface area (which made these almost TOO flavorful).  Also, flipping was difficult and I didn't get a beautiful light brown crust/toasted coconut like I should have and would have if I only had 6 flat pieces to work with.  I've written the recipe below using her original way since that is how I would recommend.  The only thing I added that I thought worked great was 1 tsp of Splenda since the coconut is unsweetened.

4 STARS
3 servings
2 net carbs per serving

3 thin boneless chicken breast cutlets
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg white, beaten until frothy
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, finely ground, 1 1/4 ounces
1/2 cup almond flour, 2 ounces (I used almond meal and thought it was good being a little chunkier than flour)

1 tsp Splenda
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup oil, for frying (I used coconut oil)

Mix the coconut and almond flour in a shallow bowl. Cut each breast into 2 pieces; season with salt and pepper. Dip the chicken breastes in egg white, then in coconut to coat on both sides, pressing gently to coat them well. Sprinkle with a little additional salt, if desired. Chill an hour or so until just before cooking time to allow the coating to set up. Fry in hot oil in a skillet until golden brown and chicken is cooked through. Serve with a dipping sauce, if desired.

Lemon Blackberry Pancakes

Lemon Blackberry Pancakes

Tired of eggs and bacon for breakfast?  If so then you need to make these pancakes!  I've made PANCAKES before but they were just basic ole pancakes.  Now these pancakes, these pancakes pictured above are quite special.  The tang of the lemon and blackberry together is just oh so good.  If you don't have fresh blackberries (I have tons growing in my backyard) then you could make them with any berry, just adjust the carb counts accordingly.  I used lemon extract because I get a little forgetful and didn't realize I had some fresh lemons sitting right on my counter when I started pulling out ingredients.  I think this would be even better if I had used lemon zest instead of lemon extract.  Quite fabulous just the way it's written though.  I've tried them plain and with Sugar Free Torani Vanilla syrup poured on top.  Both ways were fabulous.  These would be amazing with some BETTER THAN COOL WHIP WHIPPED CREAM. 

5 STARS
1 serving
6 net carbs per serving

3oz block cream cheese; softened in microwave
2 eggs
2 TBSP ground golden flax meal
1 tsp lemon extract (this was very lemon-y so reduce if you want milder)
1 tsp Splenda
1/4 cup fresh blackberries


Beat all ingredients except blackberries with mixer on medium until batter is smooth and fluffy.  Add blackberries and mix on low until lightly chopped and mixed in with batter.  Pour onto a greased skillet pre-heated to medium.  Flip when underside is turning brown.  I made 2 large pancakes but I recommend 3 smaller ones for flipping ease.

Grilled Thai Coconut Curry Chicken

Grilled Thai Coconut Curry Chicken

In Southern California is was HOT today.  Get out of the kitchen and fire up the grill kind of hot.  Mother Nature demanded so I complied and found this fabulous recipe from AllDayIDreamAboutFood to throw on the grill.  I made it exactly as stated except I used coconut oil for the "flavorless oil" and Splenda instead of sugar.  I thought it was good but the Hubs thought it was GOOOOOD.  He mentioned it several times while eating it and then again randomly later on in the evening.  Boo on me because I forgot to take a picture of the peanut sauce but it looked like, well, like most peanut sauces look.  I'm sure you can imagine it.  The heat level will vary greatly depending on the curry paste you have so you might want to taste taste the marinate before putting the chicken in it to determine if you need more curry for more heat.

4 STARS
8 servings
5 net carbs per serving (I would say more like 3 since you don't eat most of the marinade)

MARINADE:
1 can coconut milk, 1/2 cup reserved
3 TBSP Thai Red Curry Paste
2 TBSP fish sauce
2 pounds chicken pieces (I used 8 boneless skinless breasts)


PEANUT SAUCE:
2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp Thai Red Curry Paste
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk (the reserved amount from marinade)
1/2 cup water
2 tsp fish sauce
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp Splenda


In a large bowl, mix together coconut milk (remember to reserve 1/2 cup for the peanut sauce), curry paste and fish sauce.  Using a sharp knife, score chicken pieces so marinade can penetrate chicken.  Marinate for at least one hour.  Grill until done.  Remove to serving platter.  PEANUT SAUCE: Heat coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add curry paste and turmeric, and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until thickened.  Add more water as needed to reach desired consistency.  As sauce sits, it will thicken so add more water if you reheat it.  Place in small bowl and serve with the chicken.

Eating Out Friday: Chinese Restaurants

*Chinese is probably one of the most difficult food types to eat out and stay low carb.  I didn't want to steer anyone wrong so I did a bit of research online and found this great article on About.com.  I hope you enjoy!*  


Original link: About.com
From the spicy food of Szechuan and Hunan to the more subtle flavors of Canton, Chinese food tends to present somewhat of a challenge for low-carb diners. Besides the rice and noodles, the majority of the dishes seem to have at least some sugar and starch. Although it is perfectly possible to eat a delicious controlled-carb meal in a Chinese restaurant, the diner must be careful.

Before You Go

Before heading out to the restaurant, it is important to make some decisions about how strict you’re going to be in regards to carbohydrates. If you are on a moderate-carb plan, then you probably don’t need to worry too much about a little cornstarch in a dish. On the other hand, if you are in a restrictive diet phase, such as Atkins Induction, you will want to be more “pure” in your low-carb eating. On the other hand, if low-carb eating has become a permanent way of eating for you, occasional, structured, planned deviations are probably going to be part of your life. You just have to decide when those times and places are going to be. Some people make Chinese restaurants such a planned deviation.

Variations in Chinese Food

Chinese food not only varies based on where in China the food originated, but according to where the restaurant is located. Featured dishes, levels of sweetness, and condiments on the table are different, for example, in various parts of the United States. This makes it hard to find strict rules about menu choices. Kung Pao Chicken may be relatively low-carb in one place, and loaded with sugar in another. However, some guidelines will help you in making selections. Here are the basics of eating out low-carb in Chinese restaurants:

Foods to Avoid

• Rice, including fried rice and steamed rice
• Noodles, including chow mein, lo mein, and chow fun
• Wontons, including the deep-fried type sometimes on tables
• Breaded meats, such as in General Tso’s Chicken
• Egg rolls

Sweet Sauces

It’s often hard to tell by looking at the menu which sauces have sugar in them, but these sauces generally will have quite a bit. Obviously the amount you eat will govern the carb level:

• Sweet and sour sauce
• Duck sauce (the orangish sauce for egg rolls in some places)
• Plum sauce (often served with mu shu)
• Oyster sauce
• Hoisin sauce

Proceed With Caution

• Thick soups and sauces are thickened with cornstarch. One tablespoon of cornstarch has about 7 grams of carb. In a platter of food with a thickened sauce, there will be about 1 to 2 tablespoons of corn starch. A cup of hot and sour soup might have about a teaspoon of corn starch (2 grams of carb).
• Cornstarch is also often used to “velvet” meats prior to stir frying. Meats prepared in this way don’t necessarily looked breaded, as it is a very thin coat of starch.
• Some Chinese dishes are quite sweet. If it’s a dish you’ve had before, your taste buds will be your guide. If not, ask. Spicy sauces are apt to have sugar in them, so ask about this. Lemon chicken almost always has a lot of sugar.
• Water chestnuts are somewhat starchy, but a few slices aren’t a big deal. 4 whole water chestnuts have about 3 grams of effective carb. ½ cup of slices has about 7 grams.

The Safest Choices

• Clear thin soups like egg drop, which is usually thin
• Steamed food, including whole steamed fish or steamed tofu with vegetables.
• Meat and vegetable combinations with thin, savory sauces (a small amount of sugar may be added, perhaps a teaspoon (4 grams of carb) for the whole dish. Examples would be (in many places) chicken with mushrooms, Moo Goo Gai Pan, Szechuan prawns, and curry chicken. Again, use your eyes and taste buds to figure whether the sauce is sweet and/or thick.
• Stir-fried dishes without sugar or starch (normally there may be a small amount, perhaps amounting to a gram or two of carb per serving)
• Black bean sauce does not tend to be carby as some of the others (there is a very small amount of beans in the sauce)
• Mu Shu without the wrappers
• Walnut chicken is usually not made with starch or sugar
• Egg Foo Yung (without gravy)
• Mongolian Barbeque, while not Chinese, is near to it. It is a good choice, as you can choose your own meats and vegetables and prepare them to order

Practice saying the following sentence: “Is it possible to have this dish without sugar or starch?” Many (but not all) restaurants will do this for you. An alternative is to ask for the sauce on the side.

Crockpot Beef and Peppers

Crockpot Beef and Peppers

Of course this is very fajita tasting, what with the peppers, onions, beef, seasoning, etc.  The texture is different though since the meat is cooked in the crockpot vs grilled so I just couldn't call it fajitas with a straight face.  The juice is sooooo good that I ate this as a soup, ladling some of the broth into my bowl.  I garnished with a big dollop of sour cream to give my soup a wonderful creaminess.  Feel free to add whatever condiments you would normally use for fajitas and throw into the bowl.  This made tons of food, which is great for lunch the next day. *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

5 STARS
6 servings
4 net carbs per serving

1 1/2 to 2 pound beef flank or loin
1 can of diced tomatoes with green chili-undrained (Walmart Great Value had less carbs than Rotel, read the labels)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
2 TBSP chopped cilantro
1 tsp salt
1/2 onion, sliced
1 bag frozen sliced pepper slices (or 1 green, red and yellow

Slice steak across the grain.  Throw in crockpot with everything except peppers and onions.  Cook on low for 6 or 7 hours.  Throw in peppers and onions.  Cook on low for another 1-2 hours.  Serve with your favorite garnishes.

Spinach Medley

Spinach Medley

This started as me finding a bag of frozen spinach in the freezer.  Then I found a tomato that needed used.  Then I thought mushrooms would sounds good with it, etc, etc.  I just started grabbing stuff and throwing it in.  It turned in to a great tasting medley that is also very pretty on the plate.  Next time you have some veggies that need used, throw them all together and call it a medley! *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

3 STARS
4 servings
4 net carbs per serving

2 slices bacon
1/4 small onion, sliced
1 clove minced garlic
1 bag frozen cut spinach, defrosted and drained
1 small tomato, diced
1 can sliced mushrooms
2 oz parmesan cheese, shredded
dash of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste


Fry bacon in large pan until crisp.  Remove with slotted spoon and reserve for later.  Add onion to pan with bacon grease and cook over medium-high.  After 1 or 2 minutes, add garlic.  Once onion is soft, add spinach, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Cook until heated through.  Add tomatoes and bacon.  Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese right before serving.

Baked Jerk Chicken

Baked Jerk Chicken

One of the ways to ensure a beautiful, moist chicken with a nice crispy skin is to bake it long and low.  I love using dry marinades on chicken (forms a nice crust) then cooking it for a long time at a low temperature.  Even the breast is moist!  My kids eat what I eat so this isn't the jerk-iest of jerk seasonings but it is still quite flavorful and the whole family enjoyed.  Feel free to up some of the flavorings if you'd like it a bit more spicy but I thought it came out great just the way it is.  This recipe is based on THIS recipe from allrecipes, although a changed the quantities of some of the seasonings based on the reviews.  My Hubs isn't big on leftovers so I usually repurpose leftover meat into a casserole or I'll have it for lunch when he's at work.  However, with this chicken he said "let's have this again tomorrow".  Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor!  If you aren't too into jerk chicken, make a dry marinade from Italian seasonings, Greek, etc and just follow the cooking directions.

4 STARS
6 servings
3 net carbs per serving

1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp Splenda
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp minced dried garlic
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 whole chicken, cleaned and cut into pieces
1/4 cup canola oil


Mix all seasonings (except oil) together.  Toss chicken pieces with spice mixture then cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (the dry spices will form a bit of a crust, holding the juices in).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat inside of a 9x13 baking dish with the 1/4 cup of oil.  Place chicken in baking dish, skin side up.  Bake for 1 hr 20 min.  Turn oven on to broil and cook 3-5 minutes to crisp the skin.

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Grilled Lemon Chicken

Grilled Lemon Chicken

In Southern California is was HOT this weekend.  I mean H.O.T. hot!  Summer is a coming.  The weather screamed at me to stay out by the pool and turn on the grill.  I threw this together and let it marinate for about 5 hours before cooking.  It was fabulous, light and very "summer tasting".  The whole family really enjoyed and it was nice to not heat up the kitchen. *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

5 STARS
3 servings
2 net carbs per serving

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
juice of 1 large lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried minced garlic
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp seasoned salt


Put all ingredients into gallon size ziploc along with chicken breasts.  Shake up and refrigerate 2-6 hours, turning every so often.  Preheat grill on medium and cook until juices run clear.

Eating Out Friday: Mexican Restaurants

Photo from:  houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/04-15-10-tex-mex-to-your-office-picos-introduces-fajitadeliverycom/

There are actually plenty of options at Mexican restaurants for us low carbers.  You just need to be a bit creative.  Most restaurants are very accommodating to side dish change requests and I have yet to run into a place that would not accept my order.  If you really think about it, the only things you can't have at Mexican restaurants are rice, beans and tortillas.  There's tons of other stuff, good stuff to order.  Oh and tell them NO when they bring you chips and salsa.  You don't need the temptation!

Guacamole You can order guacamole to replace the chips and salsa they normally put in front of you the second you sit down.  Ask if they can give you bell pepper strips or cucumber slices to dip into the guacamole.  There's also nothing wrong with just grabbing a spoon and going to town!

Ceviche Oh how I love ceviche!  It's seafood (I prefer shrimp ceviche) marinated in lime juice and chopped onions, avocado, bell pepper, etc.  Just dig in with a spoon.


Fajitas This is one of the easiest for low carbers to order.  We can pretty much have everything they serve with it except the tortillas.  Slather on the guacamole, sour cream, etc and dig in with a fork!


Any non-breaded meat My favorite is carnitas (shredded pork) but there's carne asada (steak), pollo (chicken), etc.  Just ask for no rice, beans or tortillas and if they can replace them with either a side salad or fajita vegetables.

Chili Verde This is chunks of pork in a green tomatillo salsa.  Just ask for no rice, beans or tortillas and if they can replace them with either a side salad or fajita vegetables.


Grilled Seafood Fish and shellfish are pretty common in Mexican cuisine.  Usually if there is a sauce, it's a salsa type which is low carb.  Just ask for no rice, beans or tortillas and if they can replace them with either a side salad or fajita vegetables.

Tostada Salad Just don't eat the shell at the bottom.  Check the ingredients and if they serve with beans, ask for it without.

Grilled Meat Salads Most salads are fine but make sure to tell them not to put tortilla strips on.  Also, be careful with the salad dressing.  You are probably better off ordering ranch or blue cheese than whatever specialty dressing the restaurant serves.

Alcohol If you'd like a drink with your meal order a Corona Light, Skinny Margarita or an unflavored alcohol (meaning NOT raspberry vodka, etc) with diet soda, like vodka and diet coke, rum and diet coke, etc.  Don't get off course because of liquids!  Unflavored alcohols do not have carbs but your body will burn alcohol before anything else so it will slow you down.

Enchilada Bake

Enchilada Bake

This recipe is from Linda and I made it exactly how she wrote it.  The Hubs liked and said "this is low carb?"  Not bad of a review for an enchilada bake with no tortillas!  The Boy took some leftovers to school with him the next day, which is always a good review for him.  All in all, this is a keeper.  It didn't wow me but it was a very good substitute when you are missing a traditional enchilada casserole.  I'll make this one again when I'm in the mood for enchiladas.

4 STARS
8 servings
4 net carbs per serving



Seasoning for Tacos:
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch cayenne  



Crust:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon Seasoning for Tacos
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded


Beat or whisk the cream cheese and eggs until smooth. Add the seasoning; mix well. Stir in the cheese; mix well. Grease a 9 x 13" baking dish; spread the cheese mixture evenly over the bottom. Bake at 350º, 35 minutes or until browned, but not too dark. Let stand 5-10 minutes before adding the topping.


Topping:
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon Seasoning for Tacos
8 1/2 ounce jar enchilada sauce
4 ounce can chopped green chiles
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded


Brown the hamburger; drain fat. Stir in the seasoning, enchilada sauce and chiles. Spread over the crust. Top with the cheese. Bake another 20 minutes or so until hot and bubbly. Serve with the toppings of your choice (add additional carbs).  

Chunky Monkey Shake (banana chocolate)

Chunky Monkey Shake (chocolate banana)

Mmmm...chunky monkey.  Sometimes I really miss ice cream.  It's not good for me or for my booty but sometimes that devil on my shoulder just doesn't care.  Luckily, the angel on the other shoulder was feeling a bit adventurous.  We popped into the kitchen and came up with this satisfying replacement.  I started off with my BREAKFAST SHAKE, threw in some unsweetened chocolate powder and banana extract.  Ta-da!  Yummy chunky monkey shake!  Play with the flavors using different extracts or sugar-free syrups.  I might try to make mint chocolate next, maybe chocolate cherry.
P.S. My Hubs liked it better before I put in the cocoa powder, with it just being a banana shake.  If you remove the cocoa powder, the net carbs are 4.7.

4 STARS
1 serving
5.5 net carbs per serving

3 oz full fat cream cheese, softened in microwave
1/2 cup egg substitute, full fat original flavor (EggBeaters)
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 TBSP Sugar Free Vanilla (or chocolate if you have it) syrup
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp banana extract
4 ice cubes

Blend everything but ice together for approximately 30 seconds in your Magic Bullet or whatever you would use for shakes.  Add ice and blend until it is a shake-like consistency.

Cilantro Cream Chicken

Cilantro Cream Chicken

One of my favorite part of Low Carb is the cream sauces.  I'd spent so many years avoiding them on low calories/low fat diets that I still kind of giggle and feel like I'm being naughty every time I make one.  This cream sauce was very good!  The Hubs cut me off while talking to tell me how good the sauce was.  The Boy said it was "good" and ate his whole plate without complaint.  This is from Linda who had the same thought as me, you can't really taste the seasoning on the chicken so use whatever you want.  She used a rotisserie chicken seasoning and I used a southwest seasoning.  You could probably just use some seasoning salt and be just fine.  This is such a basic cream sauce with cilantro mixed it that it would be easy to switch up the cilantro for any other herb that you may have or grow.  *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

4 STARS
4 servings
2.5 net carbs per serving

4 boneless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons butter
1-2 teaspoons southwest seasoning (or anything else you'd prefer)
3 ounces cream cheese, cubed
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/2 of 1 lime
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, about 2 big handfuls

While heating the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, liberally season the chicken on both sides with the rotisserie chicken seasoning. Don't bother measuring the seasoning, just use as much as necessary. Brown the chicken on both sides in the hot butter. Remove the chicken from the pan. Lower the heat and add the cream cheese and cream to the drippings in the skillet.  Whisk to blend well as the cream cheese melts. Whisk in the lime juice and stir in the cilantro. Return the chicken to the pan; cover and simmer 15 minutes, turning after about 7 minutes. When chicken is cooked through, place on serving plates and pour about 1/4 cup of the sauce over each serving.

Peaches and Cream Popsicle

Peaches and Cream Popsicle

OH MY WORD!  These really hit the spot on a warm day.  Talk about refreshing, creamy, smooth and yummy!  I always have my carb-etarian Hubs taste my recipes and when he tasted this one, he straight stole my popsicle!  I had to go back in the house to get a new one for myself.  Obviously he loved it.  The 2 year olds review is "Mommy ice cream is so goooood!" (while rubbing tummy).  I will be making these very often.  I have some sugar free raspberry Torani  so next batch will be raspberries and cream.  Yum!  Make them with whatever sugar free syrup you can find or already have.  I think fruit flavors would be best but I'm betting caramel, chocolate, etc would be awesome too.  MAKE THIS!!!  oh and *INDUCTION FRIENDLY* (just watch your sweeteners intake for the day since this has quite a bit)

5 STARS
4 servings
2 net carbs per servings

1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar free peach syrup (or whatever flavor you would like)
(Different popsicle molds make different size and amounts of popsicles so you may need to adjust these amount to fit your mold)

Whisk the heavy cream and sugar free syrup together in a bowl.  Pour the mixture into your popsicle mold (I got mine at 99 Cent Only store).  Put in the freezer for at least 4 hours, overnight preferred.  Run warm water over mold to loosen popsicle from mold.  Eat!

Eating Out Friday: Fast Food Burger Chains

Low Carb at Fast Food Chains

*I live in Southern California and will be listing restaurants I am familiar with from my area of the world for my Eating Out Friday posts*

For my first Eating Out Friday I thought the classic fast food burger chain would be a good start.  It's easy, cheap and lazy when you just don't feel like cooking.  You shouldn't eat it every day but on occasion when it's just "one of those days" it can really hit the spot and not derail your Low Carb Lifestyle.  With that said, on to the goods!

Carls Jr aka Hardees:  One of the few restaurants that actual has low carb food on their regular menu.  I've listed those as well as some of the bigger items.  Order big as I don't feel like there's enough meat in regular size burgers to be filling without the bun.
Nutritional Calculator HERE.
Low Carb Six Dollar Burger - 8 net carbs (6 net carbs if no ketchup)
Low Carb Chicken Club - 6 net carbs
Mushroom Six Dollar Burger - 5 net carbs (request Low Carb Style)
Guacamole Bacon Six Dollar Burger - 6 net carbs (request Low Carb Style)
Santa Fe Turkey Burger - 4 net carbs (request Low Carb Style)
Santa Fe Chicken - 6 net carbs (request Low Carb Style)
Steak & Egg Breakfast Burrito NO TORTILLA - 6 net carbs (request served in a bowl)


McDonalds: You are pretty safe with any burger or charbroiled chicken sandwich, lettuce wrapped and no ketchup.  I've listed the bigger burgers to be more filling.
Menu Explorer HERE.
Angus Bacon and Cheese - 7 net carbs (request lettuce wrap)
Angus Mushroom and Swiss - 7 net carbs (request lettuce wrap)
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese - 4 net carbs (request lettuce wrap and no ketchup)
Premium Grilled Chicken Club - 3 net carbs (request lettuce wrap)
Premium Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT - 2 net carbs (request lettuce wrap)
Premium Bacon Ranch Salad w Grilled Chicken - 6 net carbs (add 4 carbs for Caesar Dressing or Balsamic Vinaigrette.  Other flavors are more)
Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken Salad - 6 net carbs (add 4 carbs for Caesar Dressing)
Side Salad - 3 net carbs (add 4 carbs for Caesar Dressing or Balsamic Vinaigrette)
Small Iced Coffee with Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup - 8 net carbs


In n Out: They have a pretty limited written menu but a much larger secret menu. :)  No official carb counts so I pulled the below one from fatsecret.com.  I highly suggest sticking with the double as their patties are pretty thin.
Double Double Protein Style (means 2 patties, 2 cheese and lettuce wrap) - 8 net carbs 


Anywhere you go, if you see a burger option on the menu, that's probably what you want to get.  Get plenty of bacon, cheese, avocado/guacamole or other low carb toppings but make sure to ask them to make it a lettuce wrap (or use a knife and fork) and no ketchup!

I know there are tons of other places so be on the lookout for next weeks Eating Out Friday!

How to measure stick butter

Measure butter stick

If you are anything like me, you probably went from a margarine tub (maybe even Light Margarine) to suddenly using stick butter when you started your Low Carb lifestyle.  All of these recipes keep saying "2 TBSP of butter" and you just kind of guess how much that is, or you keep the wrapper on your butter and cut through it each time.  This way is a lot more attractive in your butter dish and much easier and no fuss.  BEFORE you take the wrapper off, score each of the Tablespoon (TBSP) lines with the back, dull side of a butter knife.  Just press straight down with the dull side of a knife at each TBSP line, hard enough to mark the butter inside the wrapper.  Then when you take the wrapper off and put the stick in your butter dish, you still know exactly how much a Tablespoon is!  Just cut through the line to know that you cut exactly a 1 TBSP pat of butter!  Genius right?  Well not really but it does make life a tiny bit easier.  Happy buttering!

Sour Cream Spinach

Sour Cream Spinach

This dish that I found in Dana Carpenders book: 1001 Low-Carb Recipes is a great way to use frozen spinach.  It's a basic recipe that you can add different seasonings to in order to make it your own.  Next time I will probably add some garlic, a dash of red pepper flakes and some shredded parmesan on top but my kids liked it just the way it is.  Both kids eating solids (not the baby of course) cleaned their plates, with the Boy declaring this "delicious-o".  Can't beat that 11 year olds review for spinach!  The Hubs said he didn't like the texture but he has that issue with all cooked spinach dishes. *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

4 STARS
3 servings
3 net carbs per serving

10oz package of frozen chopped spinach
1/4 medium onion, chopped
2 TBSP butter
1/3 cup full fat sour cream
1 tsp cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste



Unwrap the spinach and put it in a microwaveable casserole dish with a lid. Add a couple of tablespoons (30 ml) of water, cover, and cook it on high for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet, start sautéing the onion in the butter over medium-high heat. When the microwave goes “ding,” check to see if the spinach is done—you want it good and hot all the way through but not cooked to death. If there’s still a cold spot in the middle, stir it and put it back for another 2 minutes on high. When the spinach is cooked and the onion is translucent, drain the spinach and stir it into the onion in the skillet, combining well. Stir in the sour cream and the vinegar, heat it through without letting it simmer, and then serve.

Hamburger Cabbage Stir-Fry

Hamburger Cabbage Stir-Fry

I had a head of cabbage that needed eaten so this recipe from Linda was right up my alley.  Linda said that at Low Carb Friends they call this Crack Slaw.  I thought it was good for a quick, easy one skillet meal but not really addicting like they are insinuating.  The light sauce from the soy, sesame and seasonings was pretty yummy and perked this dish up a bit though.  The Hubs thought it was good but none of the kids liked it.  The best response from them is the Boy said it was "ok".  I've never been able to get them too excited about cabbage though so the "ok" response is actually pretty decent of a review. :) *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

3 STARS
6 servings
4.5 net carbs per serving

1 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small head of of cabbage, chopped
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP sesame oil (I have toasted sesame oil and thought it added a nice flavor)
Pinch of powdered ginger
Pinch of cayenne, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp Splenda
1 bunch green onions, chopped


In a very large skillet or wok, brown the ground beef with the garlic and a little salt and pepper.  DO NOT drain the ground beef.  Add the cabbage and mushrooms.  Stir-fry until the cabbage is tender-crisp.  Add all remaining ingredients and heat through.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

Jalapeno Popper Chicken

I've been trying to be a bit more picky with giving recipes 5 stars but I just can't find anything wrong with this chicken.  It just doesn't deserve 4 stars.  It didn't do anything wrong so it shouldn't be punished!  I found this recipe on Mommie Cooks via Pinterest and boy am I glad I did.  I had some cilantro that I needed to use and I really love making cream sauces with cream cheese or Laughing Cow so this was right up my alley for the night.  It was only sort of jalapeno popper tasting but that doesn't even matter because these are some fabulous flavors mixed together.  If you like jalapeno, cilantro and bacon then this is the recipe for you! *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

5 STARS
3 servings
3.3 net carbs per serving

3 chicken breasts
a sprinkle of cumin (I used about 1/2 tsp)
a sprinkle of chili powder (I used about 1/2 tsp)
a light sprinkle of salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped (we are wimps so we just used 1 but I recommend 3)
4 oz full fat cream cheese
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 slices of bacon, chopped
1 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro (can use 1 tsp dried but I don't recommend)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Pan fry the bacon until crisp.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon but leave grease.  Sprinkle cumin, chili and salt on each side of chicken breasts and pan fry in the bacon grease until cooked through, flipping half way.  Remove chicken and keep warm.      Throw chopped jalapeno and garlic in pan and cook for approximately 2 minutes over medium heat.  Add chicken broth, scraping and deglazing the leftover yummies in the pan.  Add cream cheese and stir in until melted.  Add shredded cheddar and stir until melted.  Add bacon crumbles and cilantro, stirring through for a minute or so.  Spoon sauce over chicken.

Salt and Vinegar Wings

Salt and Vinegar Wings

I'm slightly obsessed with the salt and vinegar wings from the deli bar of my local grocery store.  They tend to be my go-to item when I'm not in the mood to cook.  I knew I had to break the habit so I found THIS recipe from Hot Sauce Daily.  I took Hot Sauce's advice and halved the seasoning salt but it was still WAY too salty. I wrote it below without any seasoning salt at all and even halved the creole seasoning.  Also, I'm sure baking then deep frying makes for an excellent wing but I just didn't want to go through all that trouble so I baked them like I do all my other wings. *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

4 STARS
2 servings
trace net carbs

20 wings & drums
1 TBSP creole seasoning
4 TBSP white distilled vinegar
2 tsp white table salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Season wings with creole seasoning.  Place parchment paper down onto baking sheet and place wings/drums in single layer.  Bake 50-60 minutes until crispy.  In a separate bowl mix the vinegar and table salt together.  Once wings/drums are crisp, toss in vinegar mixture.

Twice Baked Cauliflower

Twice Baked Cauliflower

This was so good!  I was a little apprehensive about serving it to my family just because I've yet to get them to really enjoy cauliflower the same as other vegetables.  This was a big hit though!  The Boy asked me to make it more often and wants me to pack up some of the leftovers for his lunch tomorrow.  He's a leftovers kind of kid and packing them for lunch is a big seal of approval.  This recipe is from Kalyn.  I made it exactly as stated in her original recipe except I used full fat ingredients (isn't being a low carber amazing!!) and added salt and pepper.  She just states to use a medium casserole dish but I can tell you that this fit perfectly in my 1.5 quart glass pyrex so I'd use that size or even a 2 if it's the closest you have. *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

5 STARS
6 servings
4.5 net carbs per serving

1 large head cauliflower
4 oz. full fat cream cheese
1/2 cup full fat sour cream
1/4 cup minced green onions
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked until very crisp, crumbled
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Cut out stem and core from cauliflower, and cut into small pieces. Cook in large pot of boiling salted water until cauliflower is tender, but not overly soft. Drain well and mash with potato masher, leaving some chunks. Mix in cream cheese, sour cream, green onion, Parmesan, and 3/4 of the crumbled bacon.

Spread evenly in a medium-sized glass casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and reserved bacon. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Chipotle Lime Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Chipotle Lime Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Drooooooool.  I mean it's bacon and shrimp.  What's not to like?  Throw in some heat and citrus and you've got some mouth watering food right there.  This is from SimplyRecipes and I made it exactly as they wrote the recipe.  I had to use the oven method since it was gloomy and rainy in my part of the world today.  Next time I think I will add more chipotle powder as it wasn't very noticeable.  I'm not really into super spicy food so that should tell you how mild this was.  If you like heat, then add more chipotle, by all means.  This recipe was written as serving 3 people but that made these portions too small for me.  I changed it to be 2 servings and that seemed more appropriate. *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

4 STARS
2 servings
2.4 net carbs per serving

12 large, raw, peeled and deveined shrimp (I used Jumbo 31-40 count)
2 TBSP olive oil
zest from 1 lime
juice from 1 lime
1/4 tsp chipotle powder (I would add more next time)
6 strips bacon, cut in half to make 12 pieces
skewers if using grill, toothpicks if using oven

Mix together in a small bowl the lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, and chipotle powder. Put the shrimp in the lime chipotle mixture; make sure each piece is well coated.  Spread the bacon pieces out over several layers of paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with another layer of paper towel. Microwave on high until the bacon fat begins to melt but the bacon is still pliable, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Prepare grill on high, direct heat (if grilling) or preheat the oven to 450°F.  Working one at a time, wrap a half piece of microwaved bacon around each piece of shrimp. If you are grilling, thread the shrimp onto long, flat skewers (flat skewers make turning the shrimp on the grill easier). If you don't have flat skewers, I've used two thin bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes beforehand) to the same effect. If you are using the oven, secure each the bacon onto the shrimp with toothpicks. Place the bacon-wrapped shrimp on a slotted baking pan (lined with foil inside for easy cleaning). Brush remaining lime chipotle mixture on the outside of the bacon-wrapped shrimp.

Bacon Mushroom and Cheddar Frittata

Bacon Mushroom and Cheddar Frittata

Oh my word this is good!  I write IS because I'm writing this as I eat.  I needed to share with you immediately!  So good and so filling.  Don't be afraid of a frittata.  It's pretty much an omelet just cooked a tiny bit different.  I used mainly "not fresh/dehydrated" ingredients because well, I live in the real world where I don't always have fresh mushrooms, etc in my fridge at all times plus I have three kids which doesn't really leave much time for myself in the mornings.  I promise that it is yummy though!  I'm sure it would be better with fresh and if you have the time and the goods at your disposal than I would recommend you go that route.  I'm sure the real stuff would take this dish over the top of the charts!  I think this would be fabulous with a bit of salsa or maybe a dollop of sour cream on top if you have any on hand. *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

5 STARS
2 servings
1.6 net carbs per serving

pat of butter
3 large eggs (this is filling but if you think that's not enough for 2 people than add another egg)
1 tsp heavy cream
1 oz shredded cheddar cheese
2 sliced mushrooms worth of dehydrated mushrooms, soaked to come back to life (or use real ones if you have)
1 dehydrated scallion, soaked to come back to life (or use real)
2 TBSP of real crumbled bacon - fresh bacon bits (or chop and cook your own)
seasoned salt to taste
pepper to taste


Whisk eggs and heavy cream together in a small dish.  Melt butter in a small/medium skillet that is suitable for oven and has a lid (or improvise one with foil) over medium-low heat.  Pour egg mixture into skillet.  Immediately add the shredded cheese, mushrooms, scallions and bacon into egg mixture.  Salt and pepper the top to taste.  Put lid on skillet and let the eggs n "stuff" cook slowly over medium-low for approximately 10 minutes, until the sides look cooked and light brown.  Remove lid and place your skillet under the broiler to firm up the eggs on top, approximately 2-3 minutes.  Remove frittata from skillet and cut into 4 pie slices.  Each serving is two pie slices.