Turkey tacos

Ground turkey tacos topped with lettuce and tomato, served with refried beans and 'taco' style Rice A Roni.

Wedding Soup

1 lb ground turkey

Large onion

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 C. celery, sliced

2 15 oz cans of beans (I used red beans and white kidney beans)

1 lg can diced tomatoes

2 boxes vegetable broth

parsley, chopped

Italian seasoning

box of small pasta shapes

Brown the turkey with onions and garlic. Season with Italian seasoning, black pepper, and parsley. Add celery and allow to cook a bit. Add tomatoes and broth, and allow to come to a boil. You can let it be until you are ready for dinner, then add less than 1/2 box of pasta, if you add too much pasta it absorbs all your liquid. 5-6 minutes to cook pastas and you are done.

Taco Tuesday

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.

Popcorn chicken

Perfect tempura batter
1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. corn starch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
assorted seasoning (I like a pinch of pepper and cayanne pepper)
up to 1 C. ice cold water, you have to eyeball it.

Mix batter. Dip bite size chicken pieces in it. Deep fry your dipped chicken pieces over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Sometimes they get soggy if you let them sit around too long, but deep frying for an additional minute takes care of that.

Baked Avocado

This super easy recipe is quick and tasty and low in carbs. The downside is that the avocados are only good while they are still warm, and then go bad quickly. They would be good served in a taco. We ate ours as a tempura appetizer.

Baked Avocado
Start with very very firm avocados. Peel the skin off and remove the seed. Slice avocado into 12 pieces(In half, in half, in thirds). Coat each slice in a olive oil (easiest using a bowl with a little oil in it) and then dunk into a bowl of panko crumbs. If you wanted to salt them, this would be the time.  The crumbs don't really stick, but don't worry about it. Bake at 375* for 12 minutes. Serve immediately. They turn brown tasting as soon as they get cold.

Soft Caramels

4 C. sugar
2 sticks (1/4 lb) butter
2 C. white Karo syrup (a whole bottle)
2 13 oz cans (carnation) evaporated milk

Use an 8 qt pan or larger. Melt butter, add Karo, then sugar. Cook until boils well. Add milk a little bit at a time. It will over-boil and foam up. This is a delicate and dangerous process, and it may take 15 minutes to add all the milk because you have to go slow. Do not let the mixture stop boiling or it might get weird crystal structures in your finished candy. Stir constantly. After both cans of milk are added, set up your candy thermometer. Cook to 238* for soft caramel and 240* for firm caramel. If you have a problem with sugar creep, you can wash down side of pan with a brush and a little bit of water. They should be done in about 45 minutes. Pour finished caramel into a dish lined with parchment. I used a half sheet (baking pan). If you like thick caramel, I suppose you could use a 9x13 casserole. Finished product is super sticky. To aid in cutting, dust with a little powdered sugar and use a very very sharp knife.

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.

Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix

3 Tb. dried minced onion
1 Tb. dried parsley flakes
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. white sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder

Combine dried ingredients in airtight container. (6 Tb. of mix)

Additional Ingredients For Dressing
  1. C. mayonnaise or plain yogurt
  1 C. buttermilk

To prepare dressing combine 1 Tb. mix with mayo and milk, refrigerate. Yield 2 C. dressing.

Additional Ingredients For Dip
  1 C. sour cream

To prepare dip, combine 1 Tb. of mix and sour cream, refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.  Yield 1 C. dip.

Pesto Alfredo

Pesto	Alfredo
1 C. fresh basil	2 Tb. cream cheese
2 Tb. pine nuts	1/2 C. half and half
1 large garlic clove	garlic powder
1/4 C. olive oil	pepper
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese	1 Tb. corn starch dissolved in water
lemon juice	blended shredded cheese

Begin by making Alfredo sauce. Melt cream cheese in sauce pan with half and half. Season and stir with whisk until smooth. Add corn starch as it gets warm, to help it thicken. If sauce is too thin add shredded cheese. In a blender make your pesto. Blend basil, garlic, and olive oil until a very smooth paste. Season with lemon juice. Add cheese and pine nuts; pulse until blended but still chunky. Serve your pasta two ways with complementary sauces or add pesto to the alfredo and make a green cheese sauce that tastes awesome on chicken.

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

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.

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

Pickles

3 c. water
2 C. vinegar
fresh peeled garlic (I used 3 per jar)
fresh flowering dill (I used 2 per jar because I had it)
Jars packed with sliced pickling cucumbers

Stir water, vinegar, and salt together in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and cool completely. Combine cucumber spears, garlic cloves, and fresh dill in a large glass or plastic container. Pour cooled vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture. Seal container with lid and refrigerate for at least 3 days.

Banana Ice Cream

Peel and freeze 2 bananas.  Place frozen bananas in blender.  They will go from frozen gravel to banana puree in about 2 minutes.  Banana puree is good with chocolate, peanut butter, nuts, sprinkles, all sorts of things, and they are diary free. Enjoy!


More recipes

Fancy Italian Soup

1 package hot Italian sausage
1 box of tomato basil soup
1/2 lb cut green beans
1 can your favorite beans (I am re-hydrating cranberry beans because I'm cheep)
1 package frozen vegetables, or any leftovers in the fridge. I had a carrot.
1/2 box small pasta shapes

Cook Italian sausage in your soup pot.  Remove from pot, cut into chunks, then return to pot.  Add soup, beans, vegetables, and a small amount of water.  Add cooked pasta to soup (or pasta will soak up all your liquids). Season to taste (garlic, pepper).  Serve with bread sticks and pretend you are having a fancy Italian lunch at your favorite restaurant.

Your cost to make (excluding Parmesan cheese and bread sticks) about $6.50 for 4 servings. Add a bag of salad to complete your meal.

Peach Cobbler

1 stick unsalted butter	1 C. all purpose flour	2 C. sugar, divided
1 Tb. baking powder	pinch of salt	1 C. milk
4 C. fresh sliced peaches	1 Tb. lemon juice	cinnamon, nutmeg

Melt butter in 9x13 pan. In mixing bowl, combine 1 C. sugar, baking powder, salt, and milk, stirring just until moist. It will still be lumpy. Pour batter over buttered dish. In a sauce pan bring1 C. sugar, lemon juice, and peach slices to a boil. Pour peach syrup over batter. Do not stir. Sprinkle casserole with cinnamon and nutmeg if desired.

Bale 375* for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Honey Candy

1/2 cup of honey
2 cups of sugar
1 tbs of white vinegar
1/4 cup of water

Bring to a boil in sauce pan. Once sugar has reached hard crack stage 300*, remove from heat and pour into molds. Allow to cool before moving.  I pressed shapes into powdered sugar for a candy mold, but the plastic Wilton molds would work just fine.