I am tucking these away in my blog, as full recipes, with source, so that I will NOT lose them. It will also be easier making my shopping list with it all laid out here. They look like such winners, sure to help my family reach our goals!! Tell me if you try any.
Creamy Southwestern Chicken
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/greenchilechick.htm
Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 C minced onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 6-8 oz canned chopped green chiles (depending on can size)
- Optional: small amt of chicken stock or Better than Boullion
- 1/4 C cream
- 1/3 C shredded cheddar or jack cheese
- Olive oil
- Salt, pepper
Preparation:
1) Heat large skillet with oil.
2) Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Saute' till brown on both sides, adding onions about half way through.
3) Add garlic and cook for another minute.
4) If needed, deglaze the pan with a little water or chicken stock. Add 1 teaspoon
Better Than Bouillon if desired.
5) Add green chiles and cream, and simmer until chicken is done and sauce is thickened.
6) Top with cheese, and serve when cheese melts.
Optional garnish: avocado slices; cilantro
Makes 3-4 servings
Nutritional Analysis for each of 3 servings: 4.5 grams of effective carbohydrate plus 1.5 grams fiber, 38 grams protein, 18 grams of fat, 347 calories.
Skillet Chicken Divan
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/chickendivan.htm
Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups (or so) of chopped cooked chicken
- 3 cups cooked chopped broccoli
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced, 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 Tablespoon Better than Boullion and 3/4 cup water, or 3/4 cup chicken broth and salt to taste
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk (see note above)
- 2 teaspoons low carb thickener such as NOTStarch or 2 T whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (it's nice if you toast them, but not vital)
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Preparation:
1) Saute onion and mushrooms in oil for 4-5 minutes.
2) Add wine and boil most of it away.
3) Add thickener. If you are using flour, cook for a minute or so before adding the rest of the ingredients.
4) Add liquids and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese - you can mix that in or sprinkle it over the top and put the whole thing under the broiler to brown.
Nutritional Analysis: (with NOTStarch): 6 grams effective carb plus 6 grams fiber, 31 grams protein, and 400 calories.
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Korean beef
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/koreanbeef.htm
It can be marinated anywhere from an hour to overnight, and the strips of beef cook really quickly on the grill. Suggested Side Dish:
Asian Broccoli Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
- Beef -- flank steak, sirloin, or your favorite -- cut in ½ inch strips or whole
- For Each Pound of Beef, make the following marinade:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup chicken broth (or water, the difference is subtle)
- 2 Tablespoons artificial sweetener (or brown sugar -- not much of it probably actually gets into the meat)
- 2 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 green onions (scallions) chopped
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
Preparation:
Cut the beef into half-inch strips if the butcher didn't do it for you. Mix the marinade ingredients up, and put the meat in. Marinate anywhere from an hour to overnight. If you use artificial sweetener, consider adding just a teaspoon of dark molasses for flavor.
Grill quickly on a hot grill.
There is no carbohydrate to speak of in this recipe if you use the artificial sweetener. It's hard to tell with sugar in a marinade how much gets in.
Chicken or Beef fajitas
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/beeffajitas.htm
Ingredients:
- 1.5-2 lbs skirt steak or other beef or chicken easily cut into strips
- 1 medium onion, sliced, or 15 medium scallions (green onions) - same amount of carb!
- 2 large Bell peppers, sliced - two different colors is nice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 Tablespoons oil
Preparation:
1. Combine soy sauce, lime juice, chili powder, and oil. If grilling, save a couple of Tablespoons aside to toss with the vegetables.
2. Slice the meat into about 1/2 inch slices. If using skirt steak, flank steak, or other meat with an obvious grain (lines through the meat), be sure to cut perpendicular to the grain, or you will be chewing a very long time. (Think about it - you want to create a lot of short fibers, not a few long ones.)
How to Cut Meat Against the Grain
3. If cooking in a skillet, marinate everything together in a bowl or plastic bag (a zip-type works well). If grilling, marinate the meat and veggies separately. Even a few minutes helps, up to 2 hours is great.
4. If grilling, remove from marinade and grill.
5. For cooking in a skillet (preferably regular, not nonstick), cook the meat first (it will probably take two batches, depending upon your pan). Add a little oil to the skillet and get it very hot (the oil will shimmer). If you don't get it hot enough (or crowd too much meat in), the meat will steam instead of browning. When the meat is browned, remove and add veggies. When they begin to soften, return meat to skillet to heat through.
6. Serve with salsa, sour cream, cilantro (if desired) and
guacamole. If low-carb tortillas are available, that is a nice addition, but a fork works fine.
Serves 5
Nutritional Information:Meat and vegetables, with 1.5 pound skirt steak and green onions, have 4.5 grams of
effective carbohydrate and 2 grams of fiber, 28 grams of protein, and 307 calories per serving. The marinade could add as much as 1 gram of carb (the whole recipe has 5 grams), but obviously not all of it makes it to the table.
Meatloaf
---your favorite recipe minus the bread crumbs....can use crushed up pork rinds if desired
Lunch Ideas
Deviled eggs or egg salad
Chicken salad with bed of greens (baby spinach or romaine) and walnuts
Tuna salad occasionally (be careful for mercury exposure)
Stuffed bell peppers (use riced cauliflower in place of white rice)
Huge chef salad with full fat ranch (yeah!!)
Buffalo chicken salad (the chicken will NOT be breaded so it won't be quite the same, but I'll make do and the ranch will make up for it..hehe)
meatballs with sauce and cheese and a green salad
Breakfasts
Coffee with:
Fried eggs with cheese and sausage
veggie and cheese Omelettes
Pizza Omelette (mozzarella, green pepper, onion, pepperoni or hamburger)
farmer scramble (minus potatoes) with salsa
any dinner or lunch leftovers =)
Tomorrow I go shopping and will have a very happy kitchen!!
I have a wedding I am a bridesmaid for coming in April. I've got about 7 weeks until my dress comes in and I am measured for alterations. I hope to be down 20 lbs. by then.
