Steak Gremolata

.25 oz parsley (maybe a third of the amount that you usually buy at the store)
1 oz sliced blanched almonds (baking aisle)
10 oz Heirloom cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
a lemon
olive oil
10 ounce New York strip steak (not individual sandwich steak slices like I found)

Finely chop half the parsley; pick leaves from other half and reserve for garnish.  Mince garlic. Halve tomatoes. Halve lemon.  Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add almonds to (dry) pan and toast, tossing frequently until gold. Remove from pan and then finely chop once cool, leaving a few larger pieces.  In a small bowl, mix chopped parsley, almonds, a pinch of garlic, a squeeze of lemon, and 2 Tb. olive oil.  Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste.  Mixture should have a pesto like consistency.  Add another drizzle of olive oil if needed to correct it. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in your pan over medium-high heat.  Add tomatoes and remaining garlic.  Cook, tossing until tomatoes soften, 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.  Add more olive oil to the same pan and continue over medium high heat. Pat steak dry with paper towel, season with salt and pepper.  Cook in the pan to desired doneness, 3-6 minutes per side.  Remove from pan and let rest 5 minutes then thinly slice against the grain. Plate your dinner. We had smashed cauliflower as our base.  Next lay steak strips down, then top with tomatoes.  The gremolata goes on top like a relish.

Breakfast burrito

This low-carb chicken burrito is a wonderful breakfast item. It contains boiled, shredded chicken, scrambled eggs, a non-hot tomato salsa, and avocados. It is packed with flavor and easy to digest. Less than 10 carbs for a burrito big enough to fill you up.

Orange Pork Tenderloin

12 oz pork tenderloin
1 oz dried cranberries
3/4 C. wild rice (I've seen par-boiled or even heat and serve~)
1 oz pecans
2 green onions
2 Tb. white wine vinegar
1 orange
1 Tb. honey
1 Tb. vegetable broth concentrate
a bunch of kale (Tuscan)
2 Tb. olive oil - divided
1 tsp. butter

Boil the wild rice until tender. Thinly slice onions. Juice the orange into a prep bowl. Remove ribs from kale and slice into ribbons. In an oven safe pan, heat olive oil. Pat pork tenderloin dry on paper towel, and salt and pepper both sides. Sear pork tenderloin in the pan on each side for about 1-2 minutes. Then transfer pan to oven and roast for 8-10 minutes until pork comes to temp and no longer pink. Set aside to rest. In a salad bowl, combine half the orange juice, vinegar, and honey, and some salt and pepper. Whisk in 1 Tb. olive oil. Once combined, add rice, cranberries, kale, and scallions. Toss to combine. Plate the salad first. Back to the skillet. Add the remaining orange juice, 1/4 C water, and stock concentrate. Heat and whisk. Reduce by half. Add the pat of butter and stir until creamy. If you reduce it too much it gets chewy, loses its orange color, and it isn't bad, but it does not look pretty.

Vegetable Terrine

1 head of cabbage
2 zucchini
1 head of cauliflower
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
1/2 Lb asparagus spears
1/2 C. carrots
2 baby eggplant
4 eggs
1/2 C. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350*. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt it and boil several outer leaves of the cabbage for 2 minutes. Remove the leaves and immediately rinse under cold water to set their color. Gently lay flat on tea towels, and pat dry with another towel. They should be completely dry. Butter a glass casserole square. Neatly lay in the cabbage leaves to cover the bottom and sides completely. They should dangle over the sides a bit so that they can be folded over the completed terrine later. Cook the cauliflower, carrots and asparagus one at a time in the same pot of boiling salted water, until very tender. Remove them and immediately rinse in ice-cold water to preserve their color. I grilled my eggplants.
This terrine has five layers, so work one vegetable at a time. First put the cauliflower in the blender with 1/4 cup cream and 1 egg and the Parmesan cheese. Pulse to a smooth puree. Pour into a small bowl and set aside. Rinse the blender and proceed with the remaining vegetables in the same manner, pouring their purees off into bowls and setting aside. Season each mixture with salt and pepper. Do not puree asparagus!
If you pour one mixture on top of the other into the terrine, they will run together, so spoon them in instead. Start with the zucchini, spooning it into the terrine and smoothing it out to the edges. Next, spoon over the cauliflower, followed by the asparagus, carrots, and eggplant. If one leaks through to another layer, fear not: some think it is even more beautiful that way and in any case it will taste delicious. Fold the overhanging cabbage leaves over top to cover. Bake in a water bath until set, one hour.
Remove the terrine from the bath. Let it cool completely on a wire rack, and, if possible, chill in the refrigerator overnight so it sets well. At least half an hour before serving, turn the terrine out onto a cutting board or platter for serving in slices.

English "Muffin"

2 Tb. (natural) peanut butter
1 Tb. unsalted butter
2 Tb. almond flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tb. unsweetened almond milk
1 egg

[recipe] Recipe uses one ramekin (I used a small corning ware round bowl), and a dish or measuring cup to mix ingredients together. After microwaving, I was amazed that it resembled bread. Slicing did indeed reveal English muffin-like nooks and crannies. I toasted it for good measure. It tastes a bit like pb toast. For being gluten-free it had amazing texture.

Lemon Cashew Tart

Coconut milk
1 envelope gelatin
2 cups raw cashews soaked in a bowl of cold water overnight
4 dates
1 cup dates
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw pecans
1 lemon tested
1/2 c. Lemon juice
1 tsp. Vanilla
Can of coconut milk
Make crust. Puree cashews, milk, salt, vanilla, dates until smooth. In a saucepan heat maple syrup with gelatin. Add to blender. Firms up in about two hours. This does not have the consistency or mouth feel of cheesecake. It has a definite coconut milk after flavor. It makes an interesting nut tart, but a horrible cheesecake replacement.

Chicken Soup... Again.

Every Sunday is soup-er bowl Sunday lately.  Chicken soup is our normal go-to because it is low carb.  Hearty, easy chicken soup can be conjured up in 30 minutes with the Instant Pot. On the stove-top, it would normally take 3 or 4 hours.

3-4 lb chicken ($.97/lb at Aldis all week!)
4 carrots
1 head of celery
2 medium shallots
salt, pepper, paprika, ginger, ginseng, lemon grass, etc.

Place chicken in the Hot Pot.  Cut the top three inches off the top of celery and add the leaves to the pot along with two of the carrots.  Peel shallots, slice if you prefer, and add to pot along with your chosen seasonings.  Add water to Hot Pot  being careful not to fill beyond max fill line.  Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the pressure valve to 'seal' and select 'Poultry', which will give 15 minutes of pressure cooking. (It will take about 15 minutes for the liquid inside to come to a boil and build up pressure, then it will pressure cook for 15 minutes. Total cook time 30 minutes). Strain soup.  Add in the extra carrots, shredded chicken, and more seasoning. Allow to sit on warm until carrots are tender.

No Bread Stuffing

3/4 pound turkey sausage (you may use pork breakfast sausage)
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 eggs
2 cups coarsely chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Full Recipe Here

Pecan Pie

Crust	Filling
3/4 C. blanched almond flour	1 1/2 C. pecans
1/4 C. coconut flour	3 eggs, beaten
1/2 C. coconut oil	1 C. Swerve
1/2 C. Swerve	1 tsp. stevia glycerite
1 tsp. stevia glycerite	1 C. xylitol syrup
1/4 tsp. sea salt	2 Tbs. coconut oil, melted
1 egg	1 tsp. vanilla extract

Full Recipe Here
Yield: 12 slices.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Pecan Pie = 396 calories, 22g fat, 3.7g protein, 51 carbs, 1.6g fiber
Modified Pie = 229 calories, 20g fat, 7.7g protein, 3.8 carbs, 2g fiber

Bacon Carrot cupcake

Cupcake	Frosting
3 C. grated carrot	1 stick of butter, room temp
5 eggs	rounded 1/4 C. powdered sugar
7 oz butter melted (close to 2 sticks)	1/4 C. sugar free maple syrup
3 Tb. non nutritive sweetener	pinch of salt
1 ½ C. almond meal
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup chopped pecans
2 tsp. vanilla
½ C. shredded unsweetened coconut

Bake 350* for 20 minutes. Makes 12 cupcakes. Serving size: 1 slice iced Calories:327 calories, 6 carb, 34 g. fat, 6 g protein.

Pb cookie

1 C. natural peanut butter
1/2 C. Splenda
1 egg

Mix, scoop into balls, flatten , Bake 350* 12 minutes.

If 12 cookies, 1 cookies is 4g carbs, 1.3g fiber, 6g protein, 100 calories.

Roasted Herbed Mushrooms

16 even-sized open cup mushrooms, stalks cut level
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped very finely
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbs. fresh thyme, chopped
½ tsp. garlic powder
5 Tbs. almond flour
1½ Tbs. lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400*F.  In a skillet, lightly fry the mushrooms, cap-side down, in hot oil for 2-3 minutes.  Arrange the mushrooms in a a 9x13 cooking dish with the stalks facing upwards.In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, thyme, lemon juice and seasoning.  Spoon a little garlic butter on to each mushroom, then lightly press the almond meal on top.  Bake mushrooms 15 minutes until  golden around the mushroom cap.

1,111 calories, 20g carbs, 6g fiber, 117g fat, 14g protein for the entire tray.

Vegetable Terrine

Mine was served with seared tuna.

1/2 C. olive oil, plus extra for oiling pans
some exterior cabbage leaves from several different store cabbages, boiled al detente
1 zucchini, stem and bottom ends trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1 yellow squash, stem and bottom ends trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1 C. cauliflower florets cut into tiny pieces
16 ounces fresh chard, washed, stems removed, then blanched, squeezed dry, and coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces soft, mild goat cheese
2 Tb.minced fresh basil leaves
2 Tb. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Line 2 large baking sheets with aluminum foil and lightly grease with olive oil. Arrange some of the cauliflower, zucchini, and yellow squash slices in a single layer on the sheets, slightly overlapping them. Brush with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake until soft and just golden around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate to cool. Repeat with the remaining vegetable slices.

In a large bowl, combine the goat cheese with the basil, parsley, and extra-virgin olive oil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and mix well.

In a 6-cup terrine (12 by 3 by 3 inches), arrange the cabbage leaves crosswise over the bottom and up the sides, overlapping the slices to completely cover the terrine. The ends of the slices should overhang the sides of the terrine. Top the cabbage with thin layers of chard, zucchini, yellow squash, and cauliflower. Crumble a layer of the goat cheese mixture on top, and repeat the layering with the remaining vegetable slices. Bring the overhanging cabbage slices up over the terrine. Wrap the terrine loosely in plastic wrap. Top with an equal-size terrine or a piece of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil. Place a brick or heavy pot on top of the terrine and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or for up to 24 hours.

Remove the terrine from the refrigerator. Remove the weight and unwrap. Slice with a very sharp knife and serve 1 thick or 2 thin slices per person.

Mushroom Bacon Quiche

1 C. sliced fresh mushrooms
4 slices fully cooked turkey bacon, chopped
1 1/4 C. Egg Beaters® Original
1/2 C. half and half
1/2 C. shredded reduced fat Mexican blend cheese
1 C. chard (boiled down)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Measure eggs and half & half in large measuring cup. Add remaining ingredients and give it a good stir.
This quiche is made without pie crust.
After preheating oven, spray bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate with PAM® Original No-stick Cooking Spray. Fill dish with filling. Bake 350* for 45 minutes. I served mine with a few slices of avocado.

644.5 calories, 48 g protein, 12.7 carbs, 3.1 g fiber for the entire pie.

Keto Bread

3 C. blanched almond flour (10 oz)
10 Tbs. psyllium husk powder (no substitutes) (90 grams) (must be a fine powder, measure weight to be sure)
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. Celtic sea salt
5 Tbs. apple cider vinegar (2 oz)
6 egg whites (7 oz)
1 1/2 cup BOILING water (12 oz)

Yield: 10 servings. 220 calories, 14.2g fat, 8.2g protein, 20.7g carb, 16.6g fiber per serving.

NOTE:  Make sure to weigh your ingredients to ensure loaf rises properly and doesn’t get hollow and gummy.  If your loaf looks nice and big but then deflates after being removed from the oven, try reducing the baking powder to 3 teaspoons.  Full Recipe Here

Chard

This lovely rainbow chard is being made into a simple quiche.

Whiskey Chicken

6 oz. Chicken breast
1/4 C. teriyaki sauce
1/2 tsp. Garlic
1/2 tsp. Sambal oelek
1 oz. whiskey
1 C. Cauliflower florets
1 Tb. butter

Marinate chicken in teriyaki sauce, garlic, and sambal oelek for at least 2 hours. Chop up cauliflower until it resembles rice sized pieces. In a skillet, heat butter until it begins to brown. Add cauliflower and sautée until semi soft. Season with pepper if desired. Plate cauliflower. In skillet cook chicken until no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan, chop into bite sized pieces, then return to pan with remaining teriyaki marinade. Cook until sauce caramelizes. De-glaze pan with whiskey, then serve immediately.

Omelet

287 calories, 3.4g carbs, 1.25g fiber. 3 egg beater omelet with 2 strips bacon, 4 cherry tomatoes, 1/2 jalapeno, and 1 slice cheddar cheese.

Lunch Wrap

Flat Out sandwich wrap 9 net carb, 90 calories. 7 pickles 3 carbohydrates, 12 calories. 5 salami circles 2 carbs, 100 calories (not a good value). 1 ounce turkey 1/2 carb, 25 calories (much better value). 5 slices of ham 1 carb, 50 calories. 1 tsp. mayonnaise 20 calories, 1 tsp. mustard (and who uses that much mustard? nobody) 5 calories.

1 Flat Out sandwich wrap with turkey, ham, salami, and a side of pickles is  15.5 carbs,  285 calories.