Atkins Italian Sausage Primavera Review

Let's start with a random tidbit!  My parents were *THIS* close to naming me Primavera.  Instead she chose Tamara (Layla is my youngest daughter).  Since that's what I thought about when I first saw this meal, you get to now think about it too!  So on to the real stuff.  This frozen dinner almost, kind of, sort of looks like the photo on the box.  More so than some other dinners.  The yellowish sauce on the box is drizzled on so it's not as yellow as the real meal.  However the veggies and meat really do look similar and are a great quality in my opinion.  Sometimes I have a real issue with the meat in frozen dinners as the quality is pretty dreadful.  I can see why we are paying a bit more for these than some other frozen dinners (I paid $3.98 at Walmart, which is the only place I've found them).  The price is worth it for the quality of the ingredients and just the fact that us low carbers have a frozen meal option!  I wouldn't say to eat one of these every day as real, fresh food is always going to be better than any frozen item full of preservatives.  However, I plan to keep one or two of these in my freezer to use for emergencies or lazy-days.

5 STARS
1 serving
5 net carbs per serving

Marinated Beef Kabobs

Apologies for the "blurry" photo.  That's actually smoke coming off the grill.  I forgot to take a photo while plated and went straight to devouring these so this in-process grilling photo is the only one I have.  This was a great basic recipe from Kalyns Kitchen.  I wouldn't change a thing.  She recommends using tri-tip, london broil, top sirloin or top loin.  If you use a tougher cut of meat, marinade for longer.

5 STARS
4 servings
3.75 net carbs per serving

2 pounds beef, cut into cubes
2 TBSP beef stock (or red wine)
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp steak seasoning (watch ingredients for sugar)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
black pepper to taste
2 bay leaves (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a ziploc bag with beef cubes.  Marinate at least 4-6 hours (or even overnight is fine). If using wooden skewers, make sure to soak in water at least 30 minutes so they don't catch on fire.  When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium-high.  Grill kabobs to your desired doneness.

Lemon Caper Chicken

Lemon Caper Chicken

This is a great simple recipe that tastes like something more complex.  I used to make this one back in my carb-etarian days but used white flour back then.  If you aren't familiar, capers are yummy little tang/vinegar fun balls.  Yup, I just wrote "fun balls" and I'm not going to change it.  If you don't have both almond and coconut flours, use whatever low carb flour you have and it will taste just fine.  I prefer the combo because coconut flour gives you the closest texture to white flour, however it sucks all of the moisture out of whatever you are cooking so a mix yields the best results in my opinion.

5 STARS
2 servings
3.6 net carbs per serving

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 TBSP almond flour
1 TBSP coconut flour
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
pepper to taste
1 egg
2 TBSP olive oil (or oil of choice)
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
2 tsp jarred capers
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/8 tsp guar gum (optional)

Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally so you have 2 thin cutlets from each breast.  On a plate, combine almond flour, coconut flour, paprika, parsley, seasoned salt and pepper.  Mix together.  On a separate plate, scramble egg.  Preheat a skillet with oil over medium-high heat.  Dip chicken in egg then dredge through flour mixture, making sure to cover both sides with mixture.  Cook chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side.  Once chicken is cooked through, remove from pan and plate.  Add lemon juice, capers and chicken broth to the same pan.  Stir sauce, making sure to scrape all of the yummy browned bits left over from cooking chicken.  Once heated through, pour over chicken on each plate.  Sauce is very thin.  If you prefer to thicken a bit, add the guar gum, stirring constantly.

Crockpot Tangy Pork Roast

Crockpot Tangy Pork Roast

Great recipe.  I would say that this could be good enough for company, even carb-etarian company!  I've made this twice, once with 1/4 cup Splenda (subbing for the sugar called for in the ORIGINAL RECIPE) and the second time without any Splenda at all.  The entire family agreed that the sweetness was a bit odd with the rest of the flavors so I would recommend not using any sweetener or just a pinch to cut through the tang of the red wine vinegar.  I'm writing it below without any sweetener as I thought that had the best flavor.  The original recipe also called for a bit of ketchup but I used a tomato paste that had no added sugars.  You could also use the Heinz Less Sugar Ketchup.  Whichever you have on hand.

5 STARS
6 servings (original said 8 but 6 is more realistic)
2.3 net carbs per serving

1 onion, sliced
2 1/2 pound boneless pork roast
1/2 cup hot water
3 TBSP red wine vinegar
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP less sugar ketchup (or no sugar added tomato paste)
1/2 tbsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
a few dashes of hot pepper sauce (tabasco or tapatio, etc)
1 tsp of guar gum (optional to thicken sauce at end)

Arrange the onion slices evenly over the bottom of the crockpot. Place the roast on top of the onion.  In a bowl, mix together water, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and hot sauce.  Pour mixture over roast.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.  If you want to thicken the sauce, remove and plate the roast and onions.  With the sauce still in the crockpot, sprinkle guar gum on sauce and stir.  Guar gum creates a bit of a jell-like sauce, not creamy so be aware of the texture, as you can see in my photo.  Pour sauce over roast and onions.

Low-Carbing Among Friends volume 3!

Ooohhh, looky look what came in the mail today!  I have two recipes in this awesome compilation from some of the top low-carb bloggers.  Order your copy of Low-Carbing Among Friends volume 3 now!  http://amongfriends.us/preorder.php

Caribbean Baked Fish

Caribbean Baked Fish

Oh my this was good!  I will certainly be making this one again.  I also can't wait to try it with chicken.  Yum!    This was super easy to make and had lots of flavor.  You just mix the ingredients together for the sauce and pour it over the fish.  Ta-da!

5 STARS
2 servings
4.3 net carbs per serving

juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 TBSP tomato paste
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
salt to taste
2 4-5 ounce white fish fillets (tilapia, catfish, swai, etc)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease baking dish (with oil or nonstick spray).  Rinse fish and pat dry.  Place fish in baking dish.  In a separate bowl, mix all other ingredients until thoroughly combined and tomato paste is broken down.  Pour over fish.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Plate fish and pour extra sauce in baking dish over plated fish.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake

So good and so easy!  I've had one of these every day for the last week or so.  I almost never do that as I'm pretty adventurous with food and love to try different things.  The taste will vary and the carb count will vary depending on your brand of chocolate protein powder.  Just try to find the lowest carb one you can.  I buy mine at Walmart and is 2 net carbs per scoop.  You can reduce the carb count in the recipe pretty easily by using only 1 scoop of protein powder.

5 STARS
1 serving
7 net carbs per serving

ice (4 or 5 ice cubes)
1/2 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
1/2 cup water
2 scoops chocolate low carb protein powder
1 TBSP natural peanut butter (ingredients should only be peanut butter and salt)

Throw it all into a Magic Bullet or whatever blending device you have and blend for 30 seconds or so.

Green Enchilada Casserole

Green Enchilada Casserole

Oh, oh, oh this was good!  My entire carb-etarian family enjoyed this one, including the toddlers.  Casseroles are great comfort food on a cold day and an easy way to use leftover chicken or any other meat from a previous meal.  I made with leftover turkey from an early Christmas I did with out of town family.  However, I'm writing the recipe using chicken since that's what most people have as leftovers on a regular basis.  This recipe is an adaptation from this ENCHILADA BAKE recipe, which is made with red sauce and ground beef.  PS.  This crust is fabulous as a PIZZA CRUST too!

5 STARS
8 servings
4 net carbs per serving

SEASONING FOR TACOS:
1 teaspoon chili powder (add more if you want it spicier)
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 shredded or chopped cooked chicken 
1 tablespoon Seasoning for Tacos 
8 1/2 ounce jar green enchilada sauce 
4 ounce can chopped green chiles 
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded 

Warm the pre-cooked chicken. Stir in the seasoning, green 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). 

Top 10 Recipes For 2012

Top 10 Low Carb Recipes for 2012

I started my little blog in February 2012, figuring it would be a way to force me to stay on plan since I'd be publicly writing about it.  It has kept me on plan, but it has also turned into something that has made me quite proud of myself and all of you that read it.  You have no idea how much your comments and compliments mean to me and how great it feels to be doing something that might help or (gasp) actually inspire other people.  With that said, I am proud to put together your top 10 favorite recipes from 2012.  I hope you had a great year and I look forward to spending 2013 with all of you.

10) ENCHILADA BAKE
9) HAMBURGER CABBAGE STIR FRY
8) CHICKEN CORDON BLEU CASSEROLE
7) ONE MINUTE BREAD
6) STARBUCKS CARAMEL MACCHIATO COPYCAT
5) HOT WINGS / BUFFALO WINGS
4) HOW TO ORDER LOW CARB AT STARBUCKS
3) JALAPENO POPPER CHICKEN
2) FRIED CABBAGE WITH BACON AND ONIONS
1) SAUSAGE STUFFED JALAPENO POPPERS

I'm in Low-Carbing Among Friends volume 3!

Low Carb Layla's Pizza Stuffed Chicken from LCAF vol.3

I would like to announce that not only is a great Low Carb cookbook coming out next month, but I will have two recipes in it!  I consider everyone at Low-Carbing Among Friends (LCAF) to be the "who's who" in the Low Carb world.  For them to ask me to participate under their Among Friends section in their newest edition, volume 3 is an honor for a blogger like me that simply takes photos of the dinner I feed my family with an iPhone.

If you haven't already, please make sure to go pre-order your copy now!  You can order coil-bound or perfect bound.  All pre-orders will ship before January 31st, 2013.  Most information and pre-order form is available at: Low-Carbing Among Friends volume 3.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes

Oh these were good!  The batter made two large pancakes that were extremely filling.  I wasn't hungry for lunch after having these for breakfast.  Feel free to pour a little sugar free pancake syrup over them but I didn't think it was needed.  I just added a pat of butter to the top and thought they were great! *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

5 STARS
1 serving
6.25 net carbs per serving

2 oz cream cheese, softened in microwave
2 eggs
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 TBSP golden flax meal
2 TBSP canned pure pumpkin puree
1 TBSP water
1 TBSP Splenda (or sweetener or choice)

Beat together thoroughly (NO LUMPS so make sure that cream cheese is very soft).  Pour on a cooking-sprayed skillet that has been pre-heated on medium.  Cook for about 4 minutes, or until underside is browned, then flip for another 1-2 minutes.

Lemon Coconut One Minute Cake

Lemon Coconut One Minute Cake

Oh how I love thee, One Minute Cake.  I'm not very good at planning my meals ahead (I know, I know, shame on me).  Sometimes I stand in the pantry, staring at all the junk food in there for my family of carb-etarians.  The junk whispers "eat me, I'm so good" or "one Oreo won't hurt".  (exactly the reasons why you should have a game plan and decide your low carb meals in advance!)  This is where the One Minute Cake becomes crucial.  I've made a couple of flavors (PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE ONE MINUTE CAKE, ONE MINUTE BREAD, and INDIVIDUAL MICROWAVE COBBLER) but I think this Lemon Coconut is my new favorite.  The ingredients mix is spot on to have a good cake texture, a bit moist and fluffy.  This was an amazing emergency dessert and I enjoyed every bite!

5 STARS
1 serving
4.5 net carbs per serving

1 TBSP coconut oil (in liquid form, put in microwave for a few seconds)
1 egg
1 tsp water
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 TBSP granular Splenda (or your sweetener of choice)
2 TBSP almond flour
1 TBSP coconut flour
1 TBSP shredded unsweetened coconut
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients in a mug with a fork until thoroughly combined.  Microwave for one minute (microwave ovens may vary).

Sauteed Mushrooms

Sauteed Mushrooms

I LOVE mushrooms.  However, my family doesn't so I don't make them very often.  Tonight I made them a carb-y side dish and made some yummy sauteed mushrooms just for myself.  They were easy to prepare and were very flavorful.  I think I ate more than one serving.  Shhhh.....don't tell.  I think I need to make them more often!

5 STARS
4 servings
3 net carbs per serving

2 TBSP butter
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/8 tsp seasoned salt (check labels as some brands add sugar)
1/2 tsp dried parsley
fresh pepper to taste

Melt butter over medium heat in a large saute pan.  Add all other ingredients and saute for 10-15 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked to your desired tenderness.  Serve immediately as mushrooms generally do not re-heat well.

Ghost Poo aka Cream Cheese Clouds

Cream Cheese Clouds aka Frozen Cheesecake Bites

Ghost Poo (see what I did there since it's almost Halloween?!), aka Cream Cheese Clouds, aka Frozen Cheesecake Bites!  Fun and yummy and a great way to grab a little sweet dessert or snack.  I pulled this off of Linda's page as Cream Cheese Clouds.  My father (also a low carber!) came up with the Ghost Poo because he's funny like that.  I wrote the recipe below as basic Cream Cheese Clouds or Frozen Cheesecake Bites but if you'd like to swirl them to make them Ghost Poo, just spoon the mixture into a sandwich bag and then cut one of the end tips of the bag off to make a home pastry bag.  You can mix up the flavors by using different extracts or adding some unsweetened cocoa powder, a bit of pumpkin puree, etc.  Fun! *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

5 STARS
24 clouds
1 net carb per cloud/serving

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granular Splenda (or sweetener of choice)
1/2 tsp vanilla (I used 1/4 tsp lemon and 1/4 tsp vanilla)

Beat everything with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Drop by bite-size spoonfuls onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet to make 24 clouds.  (or spoon into sandwich bag, cut the tip off to make a pastry bag)  Freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.  Store in the freezer and eat frozen.

Once frozen, these store in the refrigerator just fine.

Bangin Sauce

Bangin Sauce

I've written several times about the virtues of Bangin Sauce in my posts about BANGIN SHRIMP and DEEP FRIED CAULIFLOWER.  I made it for the um-teenth time recently and decided, d*mmit this sauce deserves it's own post!  It deserves to be put on a pedestal and admired.  Use it as dip for chicken nuggets, dip for veggies, slathered on eggs, as a sauce on burgers, sauteed with shrimp, etc.  It's great with EVERYTHING!

5 STARS
4 servings
2 net carbs per serving

3 TBSP mayonnaise
2 TBSP scallions, chopped fine
1 TBSP chili garlic sauce
1 TBSP sugar free imitation honey (can sub with 1/2 TBSP Splenda)
1/2 tsp Sriracha (aka Rooster Sauce)

Combine the mayo, scallions, chili garlic sauce, sugar free honey and Sriracha sauce in a small bowl.  Serve with anything!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Minute Cake

Peanut Butter Chocolate Minute Cake

I gotta say, I'm kind of in love with myself for coming up with this one.  I would enjoy this recipe even if I wasn't low carbing.  It's sinful, decadent, easy to throw together and cooks in one minute.  LOVE.  It's very good without the peanut butter if you feel like having just chocolate cake.

5 STARS
1 serving
7 net carbs per serving

1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 tablespoons granular Splenda (or sweetener of your choice)

1 egg
2 TBSP almond meal 
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
1 TBSP golden flax meal (can replace with another TBSP of almond meal)
2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder 
1 TBSP natural no sugar added peanut butter, softened

Mix all ingredients except peanut butter in a mug with a fork until well blended.  Scoop softened peanut butter on top of batter and blend lightly, just enough to swirl chocolate and peanut butter together but not thoroughly mix.  Microwave for one minute (time may need to be adjusted depending on your microwave but less is more with this recipe or it will become too dry).

Black Soy Beans and Peppers

Black Soy Beans

What the heck is a photo of beans doing on a Low Carb blog?  I'm sure that's what you are thinking if you've never heard of black soy beans.  They are the lowest carb bean of them all!  I've yet to try these magic beans but recently went to Sprouts with the sole intent to pick up some Eden Organic Black Soy Beans.  Boy am I glad I did as these are just like "regular" black beans!  I doctored them up quite a bit as I wasn't sure what the taste was going to be like so I wanted to use some ingredients to help blend it better.  If you like your beans with tomatoes and peppers and such, then this recipe is right up your alley!  If you like your black beans a little simpler, I think these black soy beans will make you quite happy as well.

5 STARS
4 servings
5 net carbs per serving

2 tsp olive oil (or sauteing oil of choice)
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped (I used a handful of frozen mixed peppers that I chopped)
1/4 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can black soy beans, drained
1 can tomatoes with green chili, drained (check labels as some store brands have less net carbs than the Rotel name brand)
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Splenda (optional)
salt to taste

Saute the green bell pepper, onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft.  Add all remaining ingredients and simmer until everything is thoroughly mixed and warmed throughout.

Celery Root "Potato" Chips

Celery Root "Potato" Chips

Oh these were good.  I mean GOOD kind of good.  Celery Root (aka celeriac) made chips that were extremely close to homemade potato chips.  They do have a bit of a celery aftertaste but it just reminded me of celery salt, which I LOVE so that was kind of a bonus.  I had my 11 year old try them and he declared them awesome....until I told him what they were and he then decided they were "weird" and didn't want anymore.  The Hubs said they were a hit and really enjoyed.  The 2 year old didn't like them and said they were "yuck".  The 15 month old scarfed them while screaming "french fries!" the entire time.  They would be good with a variety of seasonings depending on what flavor of chip you want.  I went with a light sprinkle of seasoning salt and thought it was a perfect flavor to go with the celery salt taste these have naturally.  These will be in my regular snack rotation for sure! *INDUCTION FRIENDLY*

5 STARS
4 servings
4 net carbs per serving (this will vary depending on how big your celery root is)

1 celery root (celeriac)
frying oil of choice (coconut, canola, etc)
seasoning salt to taste

Chop the celery top off of the celery root.  Peel the root with a paring knife (I tried a potato peeler and it was a bit too difficult).  Cut the root ball into 4 pieces to be easier to work with.  If you have a mandolin, use it to get even slices.  If not, try to cut each potato chip with the same thickness to ensure they cook evenly.  Add 1 1/2 - 2 inches of oil in large skillet (cast iron works great for this type of recipe if you have one).  Heat oil on high.  It needs to be very hot so test it by putting a tiny scrap of celery root in to see if instantly starts sizzling before adding your celery chips.  Once your test chip sizzles, fry celery root pieces (you will probably need to do in batches as they won't all fit in your pan) until they turn lightly brown with some darker brown along the edges (like kettle chips).  Watch them closely as they quickly go from a perfect crisp chip to burnt nastiness.  Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel covered plate.  Immediately sprinkle with seasoning salt.  Fry next batch of chips and continue the process.

Tangy Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Tangy Crockpot BBQ Chicken

This was my first foray into making my own barbecue sauce and I'm so pleased with how it turned out!  The Hubs and me both really liked meal.  Next time I think I'll put this sauce on some grilled chicken, and yes there will be a next time!  I thought that the spice versus tang was spot on with this recipe so I might have to make some just to keep in the fridge in place of commercial sauces.  Keep in mind that this is a mustard based barbecue sauce versus tomato.  The mustard sauce has more of a tang and isn't quite as sweet.  It's also lower in carbs!

5 STARS
4 servings
4.5 net carbs per serving

1/3 cup granular Splenda (or your sweetener of choice)
1/2 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/3 cup real butter
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp chipotle chili powder (can use chili or cayenne as replacement but adjust the amount to the spice level)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP liquid smoke
1/4 tsp dark molasses (optional but it helps give a brown sugar taste)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (fresh or frozen)

Sauce: Place all ingredients except chicken in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Crockpot Chicken: Place 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts in a Crockpot (can be frozen or fresh).  Pour barbecue sauce over chicken.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.  While still in Crockpot, shred chicken with two forks.  Cook for the shredded chicken for at least 30 minutes on low for flavors to penetrate the shreds.

Serve in a One Minute Bread bun, a low carb tortilla, over a bed of salad, over cauliflower faux-rice, etc.

*If just making the sauce then pour into container, let cool and then put in the fridge overnight for the flavors to fully meld.

Vanilla Coconut Iced Latte

Vanilla Coconut Iced Latte

Oh my this was good!  I'm out of most of my DaVinci Sugar Free Syrups so I started rummaging through my kitchen and decided that extracts might work.  Wow oh wow did they work!  Feel free to mix and match whatever extracts you have available and sound good in a latte.  I thought the vanilla and coconut tasted amazing together.  I sucked this bad boy down in about 10 minutes because it was just THAT good.  The amounts in the recipe fit my 24 ounce cup perfectly so adjust the amounts if you have a different size cup.

5 STARS
1 serving
4.5 net carbs per serving

12 oz pre-brewed coffee, chilled in fridge if you have time
1/4 c heavy cream
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coconut extract
3 packets Splenda granular
ice


Pour coffee over a glass full of ice (you can use less ice if your coffee is cooled).  Add remaining ingredients and stir.  If you'd like it more like a blended frapp, then you can throw it all in your blender with extra ice.  Yum!