Our neighbor gave us some cucumbers from her garden. I'm not a big fan of store-bought cucumbers, since they often have a rather bitter taste. But fresh from the garden, they have an entirely different taste, crisp, and sort of sweet.
I wash them, peel them, and slice into thin "chips" which work well with any kind of low carb dip, or for adding to salads.
Another way to use cucumbers: "instant" pickles. Bring half a cup of apple cider vinegar and a cup of water to a boil. Add half a cup of Splenda (the bulk powder). Pour over the cucumber slices and refrigerate until cold. Crispy, sweet/sour, cold--a great hot-weather snack.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Low Carb Snacking with Pork Rinds
One of the things many people miss when low carbing is crunchy snacks, such as popcorn or chips. Pork skins are crispy, and due to their rather bland taste, don't compete with any other flavors you care to add to them.
Some examples:
1. Pork rinds with salsa--Pace is our favorite.
2. Pork rinds with sour cream based dip, such as ranch flavor.
3. Flavored pork rinds--
These take a little more effort. Spread the pork rinds on a baking sheet. Spray with a little butter flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle with powdered cheddar cheese flavor (like you would sprinkle on popcorn), or mix Splenda and cinnamon to sprinkle over the rinds. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes. Store in an air tight container.
Pork rinds have many uses in low carb coooking, and I will post about some of those soon.
Some examples:
1. Pork rinds with salsa--Pace is our favorite.
2. Pork rinds with sour cream based dip, such as ranch flavor.
3. Flavored pork rinds--
These take a little more effort. Spread the pork rinds on a baking sheet. Spray with a little butter flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle with powdered cheddar cheese flavor (like you would sprinkle on popcorn), or mix Splenda and cinnamon to sprinkle over the rinds. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes. Store in an air tight container.
Pork rinds have many uses in low carb coooking, and I will post about some of those soon.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Soup de Jour
Soup Du Jour
When the weather is cold, and we are spending a lot of time indoors, soup always sounds good. Many of the old standbys for soup making, such as potatoes, rice, and pasta, are not very low carb, so what to do?
Bear in mind that most root vegetables are higher in carbs than leafy vegetables, so one way of lowering carbs is by using less. Use one small potato, if you feel you simply must have potato in your soup. Use a handful of baby carrots, instead of two or three cups full. Corn, due to its high sugar content, is probably not a good choice, unless you are on maintenance, and even then you must limit the amount.
But there are also substitutes we can use. If you want cream of potato soup, try cauliflower instead. If you want the mouth feel of potatoes, try turnips or rutabagas. Instead of a tomao paste base, use ham or beef or chicken base, and add just a small can of chopped tomatoes.
Our soup du jour (soup of the day) is
Baked Fauxtato Soup
1/2 head Cauliflower
Chicken Broth to cover (I make my own, or use chicken base)
1 clove garlic, sliced
3 oz Cream Cheese
1 Tablespoon Butter
5 strips bacon, fried crisp
1/2 medium onion, chopped
dash hot sauce (optional)
2 ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Place the flowerets and sliced garlic in a medium saucepan - add chicken broth to cover. Boil until completely tender (15 minutes or so). While the cauliflower is cooking, fry the bacon crisp, and remove to a plate. In the bacon fat, sauté the onion until tender. Using a slotted spoon, put the cauliflower and garlic in the food processor, reserving the broth in the saucepan. Add the cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and butter. Process until smooth. The mixture wlll be a light pumpkin color. Return this mixture to the saucepan with the cooking liquid. Add the onions (I capture some of the fat with the onions - that's just me. Fat is deeply satisfying, and carries flavors) and stir over medium heat. You might need to add some more chicken stock to the pan, depending upon how much liquid cooked out during the cooking. I look for a good soupy consistency but not thin. Crumble the bacon into the soup, and allow the soup to come to a simmer. Taste and add salt and pepper. I like a lot of fresh cracked pepper in this soup. The first time I tried this, I forgot I was eating a substitute for a high carb soup. It took me back to the days when I was eating the comfort foods I grew up with.
If you want a main dish soup, add chopped cooked chicken to increase the protein value.
Bear in mind that most root vegetables are higher in carbs than leafy vegetables, so one way of lowering carbs is by using less. Use one small potato, if you feel you simply must have potato in your soup. Use a handful of baby carrots, instead of two or three cups full. Corn, due to its high sugar content, is probably not a good choice, unless you are on maintenance, and even then you must limit the amount.
But there are also substitutes we can use. If you want cream of potato soup, try cauliflower instead. If you want the mouth feel of potatoes, try turnips or rutabagas. Instead of a tomao paste base, use ham or beef or chicken base, and add just a small can of chopped tomatoes.
Our soup du jour (soup of the day) is
Baked Fauxtato Soup
1/2 head Cauliflower
Chicken Broth to cover (I make my own, or use chicken base)
1 clove garlic, sliced
3 oz Cream Cheese
1 Tablespoon Butter
5 strips bacon, fried crisp
1/2 medium onion, chopped
dash hot sauce (optional)
2 ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Place the flowerets and sliced garlic in a medium saucepan - add chicken broth to cover. Boil until completely tender (15 minutes or so). While the cauliflower is cooking, fry the bacon crisp, and remove to a plate. In the bacon fat, sauté the onion until tender. Using a slotted spoon, put the cauliflower and garlic in the food processor, reserving the broth in the saucepan. Add the cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and butter. Process until smooth. The mixture wlll be a light pumpkin color. Return this mixture to the saucepan with the cooking liquid. Add the onions (I capture some of the fat with the onions - that's just me. Fat is deeply satisfying, and carries flavors) and stir over medium heat. You might need to add some more chicken stock to the pan, depending upon how much liquid cooked out during the cooking. I look for a good soupy consistency but not thin. Crumble the bacon into the soup, and allow the soup to come to a simmer. Taste and add salt and pepper. I like a lot of fresh cracked pepper in this soup. The first time I tried this, I forgot I was eating a substitute for a high carb soup. It took me back to the days when I was eating the comfort foods I grew up with.
If you want a main dish soup, add chopped cooked chicken to increase the protein value.
Low Carb Recipes...and More
My husband and I have been low carbing for several years; sometimes intensely, sometimes casually. As we have learned more about low carb living, and about how eating low carb can help to control and manage many of our health issues, we have become more diligent about how we eat.
I have been collecting low carb recipes for quite some time, and have not always been as careful as I should have been about saving information about who posted the recipe. If you recognize a recipe here as your own, please let me know whether you want to be credited, or if you want the recipe to be removed.
I will also be posting information about various low carb products, web sources, and individuals who are more knowledgeable than I.
Comments are welcome, but please be aware that this blog is not open for debate as to the safety, efficacy, or wisdom of following a low carb lifestyle. There are other sites where these questions/arguments can be made. This blog is dedicated to those who want to low carb, and need recipes and product information. Thanks for your consideration.
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