Sunday, February 15, 2015

Real Low Carb Chinese Take-Out - My Way!

This evening, hubby actually went to our local Chinese restaurant to pick up "take-out" for us for dinner. The folks that own and run this restaurant know us from all the many years we were regular customers. Hubby occasionally still picks something up there but I haven't eaten from there in almost 3 years now since going low carb and grain free.

Since I haven't been feeling well, hubby didn't want me to cook this evening so we called them up at the restaurant and asked if they would be able to make me food that was steamed without any sauce or seasoning...just meat and veggies. They said yes that they would make me whatever I wanted. So, both last night and tonight, hubby picked up dinner for both of us from our local Chinese restaurant. I had planned to make Chicken Parmesan for dinner last night for Valentine's Day but hubby insisted I not cook last night either, and I am SO happy that I didn't! 

The food that our local Chinese restaurant made was so good. Last night I had Chicken w/ Broccoli (steamed) which contained chicken breast, fresh broccoli and a few sliced carrots (topped with peanuts). This evening I asked for Chicken & Shrimp w/ Mixed Veggies (steamed) and it contained chicken breast, shrimp, broccoli, snow peas, mushrooms, celery, carrot, and a few bamboo shoots and water chestnuts (topped with peanuts). No seasoning or oil whatsoever. I simply added my own Tamari sauce and a pinch of red pepper flakes and enjoyed taking a break from cooking while I'm recovering. I am so happy to have yet another low carb alternative for eating out (or eating in) when the need arises. I snapped a couple photos of my take-out food below. Enjoy!  (P.S. - thankfully the antibiotics are beginning to kick in and I'm starting to feel a little better this evening and hoping I will continue getting better each day).

Tonight's Chicken & Shrimp w/ Mixed Veggies (topped w/ peanuts)
Last night's Chicken w/ Broccoli (topped w/ peanuts)

15 comments:

Darlene said...

Hope you continue to feel better each day. I'm sure you have many, many followers who are sending you prayers and wishing you well! I think you must be so incredibly busy with a job and posting on your blog almost every day; maybe you just need to cut back a little and cut out some stress? (I'm sounding like my mother here). Take care! :-)

Alice said...

That is wonderful your old Chinese place was so happy to make your food as you requested so it fit your dietary needs. It looks like it was great!

Yea that you are feeling some better tonight. Prayers that it continues.

Alice B.

Anonymous said...

I do hope you are on the mend. It's a good sign to have a bit of an appetite. The bugs going around now seem so much tougher than they used to. Your supper looks delicious and healthy!
Your Canadian friend~ Reens

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Reens,

Thank you. You are right about these "bugs" being tough. Take care and thanks! :-)

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Alice,

I was very happy they accommodated me. I do believe more places are willing to do that these days or maybe I'm just not as afraid to ask. It gave me another option for the nights I either can't or don't want to cook and they got back some of their old faithful customers! Thanks for the well wishes and prayers. Take care. :-)

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Darlene,

Thanks so much. I know you are right (about trying to cut back a little). It's hard to do when you are used to trying to do everything! I'm working on it though. It is hard to turn the "mothering" off though isn't it...I can't help myself either. Thanks for the well wishes. Take care. :-)

LeighZ said...

We hope you are fully recovered soon! Your hubby was right to get you to take it easy. Don't worry if you can't post as many recipes - we'll all still be here! Take good care of yourself.

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Thanks so much Leigh! :-)

Charlotte Moore said...

Glad you are feeling better. I really don't see how you do all you do. Your so busy.

PRAY you are over this soon.

CyberSis said...

Hi GGC,

Here's another "Mother Hen" for you (cluck, cluck.) You've given your followers so many wonderful recipes ... I'm not sure how you do that! I, for one, haven't been able to keep up with them! You need to take some time off when and where you can and take it as easy as possible so you can concentrate on getting better.

The Chinese restaurant dinners look great! In fact, our local Chinese place has always done that on request. I'm not a fan of gobs of sauce, anyway, so this is perfect for me. We usually eat at the restaurant and I do order a very small portion of spicy sauce on the side to dip a tiny bit onto each bite. "Steamed" may not sound too appealing to someone who hasn't had Chinese food that way, but they really have the Secret Steaming Method down to a fine art. Everything is *perfectly cooked* and to me it actually tastes fresher and more flavorful than stir frying ... and I don't even miss the rice anymore. :-)

Be careful going out the next few days. It sounds like your area is going to really be hit with an extremely COLD arctic blast. Stay warm and safe and be well.

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi CyberSis,

Great idea (getting the sauce on the side to dip). Funny that you mentioned that about the rice. I honestly don't miss it any more either and never thought that would be. I was surprised at how tender the chicken was (they thinly slice it).

You are right about the weather here; it's supposed to be frigid this week. We awoke to an ice storm here this morning. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to kick this "bug" to the curb this time.

CyberSis said...

Hi GGC,

Just to clarify my last comment ... when I said I liked the steamed food even better than the stir-fried, I meant *at the restaurant*. It's *all* great when you make it at home, no matter which way you cook it! :-)

Hope you're feeling better today.

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi CyberSis,

Agreed! I don't think I have every steamed chicken at home before. I've done veggies and fish but never tried chicken. I was pleasantly surprised at how tender it was steamed.

I'm a bit better today and hope it continues...thank you! :-)

Anonymous said...

Another method for very tender chicken is to cook it in a small amount of chicken broth.

Did this the other night with frozen chicken breast on the stovetop & covered the pan w/the lid. You can season it on both sides w/just about anything you like. When it was done, the chicken was fall-apart tender. Yum!

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Thanks for the tip on cooking the chicken in broth...I've never tried cooking frozen chicken without thawing. I'll have to try that. Thank you! :-)