Cheese Head Pizza - Best Low Carb Crust Ever!

This evening I made my Cheese Head Pizza Crust and made a huge pizza for both hubby and I and a separate pizza for my brother. We all have plenty of leftover pizza for our lunches tomorrow. I had pepperoni, onions, mushrooms and red and green mini bell peppers on my half and hubby had pepperoni, Kalamata olives and artichoke hearts on his half. My brother had pepperoni, bell peppers and onions on his. The pizza turned out great. If you haven't tried this pizza crust yet...it should definitely be added to your "must try soon" list! I think you'll be surprised that it's really low carb and at how good it is.

Also, I found a better and less messy way to spread the crust out than by using my hands. I simply plop the ball of dough on the center of my parchment lined cookie sheet and then pour the tablespoon of olive oil over top of the dough (instead of greasing my hands with it) and then use a rubber spatula to press and spread the dough out. It doesn't stick to the spatula and you have better control of shaping and spreading out the crust. I snapped a quick photo of hubby's and my pizza before I popped it back into the oven to bake again with the toppings. Here's the link to the recipe: Cheese Head Pizza Crust. Enjoy!

            

Steak & Cheese Salad - Delicious & Easy Low Carb

This evening's dinner was super quick and easy.  I had 3 leftover grilled steaks in the fridge from last night's dinner. I decided to use them to make big main dish salads. I sauteed red and yellow mini bell peppers and thinly sliced sweet onions in olive oil until tender. I even had leftover cooked sliced mushrooms to add to my salad (neither hubby or brother eat mushrooms because they consider them all poisonous...LOL). I cut up little heads of baby romaine lettuce, thinly sliced a small carrot, quartered cherry tomatoes and then thinly sliced the cold leftover steaks. I piled the salad fixings in huge pasta bowls. I placed the sliced steaks on a plate (keeping them intact) and then heated them on low-medium in the microwave so it gently heated them without overcooking them. I topped the warmed steaks with big flakes of shaved Grana Padano Parmesan cheese so it would melt on top. I topped the salad mixture with the warm steak and cheese and then added the sauteed onions, peppers and mushrooms and some more cheese. It was the perfect way to use up leftover steak and definitely worth making extra steak just to be able to enjoy a Steak & Cheese Salad. I snapped a couple photos of our salads below. Enjoy!

            

Grilled Steak & Salad - Easy Low Carb

Happy belated Easter! We've been extremely busy this past week getting ready for my brother to move down here this weekend. We are excited to finally have family with us here in Georgia. It was a very busy weekend...so busy that we are actually delaying our Easter dinner until next weekend so we can actually celebrate and enjoy it without being exhausted.

It was a beautiful sunny day here today and absolutely perfect weather for grilling. My brother was in charge of grilling the steaks (over hickory chips) and he cooked sliced sweet onions with Worcestershire sauce in the Lodge skillet over the fire as well which turned out great. I sauteed sliced mushrooms in Kerrygold's Garlic & Herb Butter and made salads. It was a great way to kickoff his first home cooked meal since his arrival yesterday. To tell you just how busy I've been...today was my first trip to Costco in over 3 weeks (when I usually go every single week)! Now, once we all recover from our aches, pains and strains from this weekend's move...I'll hope to be back to posting more regularly again. Check out our delicious and easy meal below. Enjoy!

            

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie Cake - A Low Carb Slice of Heaven

Today I'm excited to be sharing my new recipe for Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie Cake on my guest post for Honeyville. There's only one way to describe this dessert...SPECTACULAR! It makes a thick, rich, and buttery wedge of dessert heaven! The first time I made it, it turned out "good"...but good is rarely good enough for me. So, I went back and made it again with some tweaks...and it turned out unbelievably GREAT! It's filled with all the good stuff like Honeyville's Blanched Almond Flour, Kerrygold butter, Swerve Sweetener, and Equal Exchange's bittersweet chocolate chips and more. It serves 10 to 12 people generously (at least) because it's so rich, decadent and satisfying. It turned out better than I imagined, which is always a good thing.

This cookie cake would make a great dessert idea to add to your Easter menus. It will make a perfect addition to serve at upcoming summer picnics, cookouts, potlucks...you name it. Toll House doesn't have anything on me! I hope you enjoy it half as much as I do; no, I hope you enjoy it JUST as much as I do. If you want to keep it totally sugar free you can use Lily's Chocolate Chips (sweetened with stevia) or for a very low sugar treat, try to use chocolate that is at least 70 to 85% cacao. I like Equal Exchange 70% Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. Check out a few photos below. The recipe can be found below. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie Cake

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon coconut oil to grease pan

1/4 cups blanched almond flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum free)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup Swerve sweetener (or preferred granular sweetener)

8 Tablespoons butter, softened

5 ounces (brick style) cream cheese, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or a 3.5-ounce 70-85% chocolate bar, chopped)

Stevia, to taste (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or other ovenproof skillet) with coconut oil. In a medium mixing bowl, combine almond flour, baking powder, salt and Swerve sweetener (or preferred granular sweetener).

Make a well in the center of bowl; add softened butter, softened cream cheese, eggs and vanilla. Cream mixture together with a wooden spoon or spatula until a smooth, thick dough is formed. Taste for sweetness; add stevia, to taste, if additional sweetness is desired.  

Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips; mixing just until combined.  Spread batter evenly in skillet, smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Place skillet in a 350 degree F oven; immediately reduce heat to 325 degrees. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and somewhat firm when lightly pressed in the center (begin checking after 35 minutes). Cool on wire rack or on top of stove. Cut into wedges and serve topped with ice cream or dollop of whipped cream, if desired. If serving warm, allow to cool in pan for about 30 minutes before cutting.

*Note: If you don’t own an ovenproof skillet, the cookie can be baked in a well-greased nonstick 10-inch round cake pan or a well-greased 10-inch pie dish. Sugar free chocolate chips (such as Lily’s sweetened with stevia) can be substituted for the dark chocolate chips

            

BEST LOW CARB PIZZA EVER - Cheese Head Pizza

This evening I made my Cheese Head Pizza for dinner. It was so quick, easy and delicious. I usually like to put lots of different toppings on my pizza, but this evening I kept it simple. I topped our Cheese Head Pizza crust with Muir Glen's Organic Pizza Sauce, Sargento's Whole Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, Fiorucci and Boars Head Pepperoni, and last but not least...sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil and herbs. It was an awesome combination and toppings that both hubby and I like (no "half-sies" pizza tonight). If you haven't tried my Cheese Head Pizza Crust...you need to put that on your list of things to try.

We've been extremely busy the last few weeks working on home projects and spring cleaning and I've also been working on another dessert project as well, so stay tuned. Check out this evening's pizza below. Everyone that has tried it so far says that it's the best low carb pizza crust they've ever had...and I've got several other awesome pizza crusts that they love as well, so that compliment really means a lot. To get to the recipe, click here: Cheese Head Pizza Crust. Enjoy!

            

Mexican Style Skillet Chicken - Quick & Easy Low Carb

Last night I didn't have a lot of time to prepare dinner so I kept it simple. I made a quick and easy Mexican Style Skillet Chicken dinner. I had a package of boneless chicken breasts in the fridge as well as a container of fresh salsa and a block of Cabot's 5-year sharp white cheddar cheese. It was a match made in heaven and only used a very few ingredients to achieve a flavorful and simple meal.

I cut the chicken breasts up into large chunks, quickly sauteed them in an ovenproof skillet in a bit of olive oil, and then added salsa on top and popped it into the oven to cook for about 15 minutes. I pulled it out of the oven; topped it with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and put it back into the oven for 5 to 7 minutes and "voila"...we had a simple and tasty meal. While the chicken was cooking, I roasted fresh cauliflower florets in the oven that I simply tossed with olive oil and seasoned with McCormick's Chipotle & Roasted Garlic Seasoning and spread out onto a baking sheet; they cooked right alongside the chicken. It was an easy and delicious meal with lots of flavor and very little effort. I snapped a quick photo below and included the easy peasy recipe. Enjoy!

Mexican Style Skillet Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into large chunks
1/3 cup salsa (I used Jack's fresh chunky Cantina Style)
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used Cabot's 5-year old white cheddar)
Sliced green onions, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Spoon salsa on top of chicken. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and top with shredded cheese. Bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with sliced green onions if desired.

         

Bacon, Egg, Avocado & Cheese - Low Carb Breakfast Sandwich

This morning we awoke to a combination of overcast and sunny skies. Everything is wet outside from overnight rain. Hubby and I have been on a tangent the last few weeks working on projects around the house and going through and getting rid of anything we don't have space for or need for (in other words...serious spring cleaning). We've been sorting, tossing, donating and everything in between. Before we get started this morning, I decided I needed a hearty breakfast, so I'm posting my quick and nutritious breakfast. Once we get started, we usually don't stop until dinner time...and a late one at that.

I had one of my Sesame Seed Sandwich Buns left from earlier in the week so I decided to make a Bacon, Egg, Avocado & Pepper Jack Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with it (I lightly toasted it first). It was so good. I snapped a couple of quick photos below. If you've never tried my sandwich buns before...they are so versatile. Besides using them for burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, deli sandwiches, sloppy joe's, etc., they also make great peanut butter & jam sandwiches or in this morning's case, breakfast sandwiches. If you'd like, you can omit the sesame seeds and use them as you would regular bread. The recipe for the sandwich buns is here: Sesame Seed Sandwich Buns. Enjoy!

            

Easy Mexican Style Burgers on Sesame Seed Buns - Low Carb

This evening I was in the mood for a grilled burger for dinner. The weather has been unseasonably warm with temps this week forecast to be in the mid-upper 70's. As soon as I got home I made a quick batch of my Sesame Seed Sandwich Buns. It's been a while since I've made them and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed having them again this evening. It takes about 10 minutes to make the dough/batter and about 20 minutes to bake them. During that 20 minutes of baking time, I whipped up a quick marinated coleslaw; nothing fancy, simply coleslaw mix, avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, a bit of sweetener and salt. I popped it into the fridge to marinate and mixed up my Mexican style burgers and formed them into patties and grilled them for about 5 minutes per side. It was an easy meal that took a little more than 30 minutes from start to finish. I snapped a quick photo below and included the easy peasy recipe for the burgers. If you've never tried my Sesame Seed Sandwich Buns before...try them; you'll be surprised at how good they are and how much they taste like regular sandwich buns. Even the texture is spot on. Here's the recipe for the buns: Sesame Seed Sanwich Buns. Enjoy!

Mexican Style Burgers

Ingredients:

1 pound ground round
1/4 cup salsa (I used Jack's fresh all natural Cantina Style Salsa)
1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used Sargento's Mexican Style 4-cheese blend)
Chipotle & Roasted Garlic Seasoning, to taste (McCormick's Grill Mates)
Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese (I used Sargento's)

Directions:

Mix ground beef, salsa and shredded cheese together in a bowl. Form into 3 patties, about 1-inch thick. Season with chipotle and roasted garlic seasoning. Grill approximately 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. Serve topped with sliced pepper jack cheese and a dollop of salsa, if desired.

            

Stir-Fried Sausage & Broccoli - Low Carb Fast Food

This evening I made one of my super easy 2-ingredient meals. Well, this evening I actually used 3 ingredients if you count the  optional butter I added at the end. I simply slice up Aidell's Smoked Chicken Sausage (nitrite//nitrate free) and stir-fry it until browned in a nonstick wok or skillet. While it's browning, I steam fresh broccoli florets in the microwave for about 5 minutes until they are tender-crisp but still bright green. I drain the broccoli and toss it in with the sausage and "Voila"...the fastest fast-food low carb meal is complete. I added a bit of Kerrygold butter at the end and tossed it around to lightly coat the broccoli, but that's optional. I've also made this meal using sliced brussels sprouts and for a super quick meal, a bag of shredded cabbage (coleslaw mix). I snapped a few photos and the easy recipe below. Enjoy!

Stir-Fried Sausage & Broccoli

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh broccoli florets
12 ounces (4 links) Aidells Smoked Chicken & Apple Sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch slices (or substitute your favorite sausage)
2 tablespoons butter, optional

Directions:

Place broccoli florets in a covered glass Pyrex-type casserole dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover and microwave on high for approximately 5 minutes until tender-crisp and bright green. While broccoli steams, add sliced sausage to nonstick wok or skillet heated over medium-high heat and stir-fry for 5 to 7 minutes until browned. Drain broccoli and add to wok or skillet; stir in butter and toss until melted, if desired. 

      

Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad - Easy Southern Style Low Carb

We had another unseasonably warm day here today. It was 70 degrees when I got home. I had some leftover cooked chicken in the fridge that needed to be used so I decided to make chicken salad...but not just any old chicken salad. I made Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad. Pimento cheese is one of my hubby's favorites, being that he's Georgia born and raised, you could say that it's in his blood. He likes to make pimento cheese sandwiches which I'm personally not a fan of; I prefer to enjoy it on grain-free crackers or celery or carrot sticks. One of my favorite store bought pimento cheeses used to be Palmetto brand because I think it tastes the closest to home made. To make my Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad, I whipped up a quick batch of pimento cheese and added diced chicken along with a bit of diced jalapenos for a bit of heat (you can leave them out if you prefer). I served it scooped on top of baby romaine lettuce leaves. It turned out great and I have enough left for lunch tomorrow as well. I snapped a couple photos and included the recipe below. Enjoy!

Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 ounces package brick-style cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise (home made or olive oil based), or to taste
4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 cup; more if desired)
2 ounces diced or sliced pimentos (1/2 of a 4-ounce jar)
1 tablespoon pimento juice
1 to 2 teaspoons diced jalapenos, optional (I used canned)
3 cups diced cooked chicken
Romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:

In a large bowl, mash softened cream cheese and combine with mayonnaise. Add shredded cheddar, pimentos, pimento juice and jalapenos. Fold in diced chicken. Serve on top of lettuce leaves. If desired, add additional mayonnaise. 

            

Flatbread Tacos - Low Carb & Gluten Free

This weekend was a busy one. We are doing serious spring cleaning and decluttering of our home. It's amazing how much "stuff" one collects over the years. We literally worked most of our waking hours and hope to finish up in the next couple of weeks.

On my way home this evening I thought about picking something up to grill for dinner since it was so warm out today but when I stopped at the store, I changed my mind and decided to make Flatbread Tacos using my low carb "Cheese Head Crust" as the flatbread base and then top it with taco seasoned ground beef (using my home made taco seasoning), shredded cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. We added sour cream, diced avocado and a bit of salsa to ours right before eating. It turned out really delicious. It was a cross between a taco and a pizza. You can top it with whatever you normally top your tacos with. The possibilities to top this flatbread/crust with are endless. I snapped a few photos below and included the easy peasy recipe. Enjoy!

Flatbread Tacos

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella (whole milk or part skim)

3 ounces brick style cream cheese

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (powdery style)

1/8 teaspoon salt

Dash garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 large egg

1 tablespoon olive oil (to oil hands before pressing out dough)
Cooked taco seasoned beef (1 pound ground beef cooked w/ my taco seasoning)
1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican style cheese (I used Sargento Mexican Blend)

Desired toppings (diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, avocado, sour cream, salsa, etc.)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper.

Place mozzarella and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Heat cheese in microwave on high for 45 seconds; stir and heat an additional 30 to 45 seconds or until a hot melty mass of cheese is formed.

While cheese is melting in microwave, stir almond flour, Parmesan, salt, garlic powder and Italian seasoning together in a small bowl. Add flour mixture and egg to bowl of hot melted cheese. Working quickly, fold and stir mixture together with a rubber spatula until a ball of dough is formed (make sure cheese mixture is hot before adding flour and egg).   

Place ball of dough in center of parchment lined baking sheet. Oil hands with olive oil and press dough out into desired shape (round, oval or rectangular) until about ¼-inch thick (approximately 11" x 13"). Prick holes all over crust surface with a fork to prevent crust from bubbling up. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown (rotate pan half way through for even browning). Remove crust and top with cooked taco beef and shredded cheese; bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until heated through and cheese melts. Top with tomatoes, lettuce, etc. Cut into squares and serve with salsa or sour cream, if desired.

            

Bacon Cheeseburger Salad - Easy Low Carb

This evening I made a quick and delicious meal using a package of organic ground beef I picked up at Costco this past weekend. I formed it into 3 thick burgers after mixing it with a squeeze of "no HFCS" ketchup and yellow mustard, a generous sprinkle of McCormick's Chipotle Roasted Garlic Seasoning, and a sliced green spring onion. I heated a bit of coconut oil in my 10-inch Lodge cast iron pan and placed the patties into the skillet and cooked them until medium-well. I topped them with strips of sliced sharp white cheddar cheese and crispy bacon and placed the burgers on a bed of fresh baby romaine lettuce and scattered a few slices of carrot and diced tomato on top. It was so delicious. We really enjoyed it and I have one burger leftover for tomorrow's lunch! I snapped a few photos below and included the easy peasy recipe. Enjoy!

Bacon Cheeseburger Salad

Ingredients:

1-1/3 pounds ground beef (I used 85% organic ground beef)
1 rounded tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons yellow prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon McCormick's Grill Mates Chipotle & Roasted Garlic Seasoning (or substitute salt and pepper to taste)
1 green spring onion, sliced (or finely diced regular onions to taste)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
6 strips crisp cooked bacon
3 slices sharp cheddar cheese
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 medium tomato, diced
1 small carrot, thinly sliced

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, ketchup, mustard, chipotle seasoning, and onions. Form mixture into 3 equal sized patties, about 1-inch thick. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Cook patties to desired doneness, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Top with cheese and bacon. Place patties on top of lettuce in large shallow bowls. Scatter tomatoes and carrots on top.

            

CHEESE HEAD PIZZA - My Take on Fat Head Low Carb Pizza

This evening I took on a challenge to put my take and spin on the classic low carb "Fat Head" pizza crust recipe (fat head as in the Fat Head movie, a comedy by Tom Naughton). Essentially, it's a pizza crust made of predominantly mozzarella cheese, a little bit of cream cheese, almond flour, an egg and some spices. Sounds a bit gross now, doesn't it? Surprisingly though, its not...it's actually good and my version is super good (if I don't mind saying so myself).

Now, I have already created my share of amazing low carb pizza crust recipes, but when given the challenge, I decided to put my GGC spin on this one by cheese-ifying it (is that even a word)?  So, I proceeded to bump up the mozzarella by 25%, triple the cream cheese, add Parmesan cheese, bump up the almond flour...and it produced one of the most AMAZING crusts EVER! Pfffffft....this was no "fat head" pizza crust...this was CHEESE HEAD pizza crust! I always say...go big (cheese) or go home!

Since I am the only grain-free, low carb person in the house, the true test is always when one of my "regular eating" family members gives one of my new recipes a "thumbs up". Well, hubby did exactly that...he actually gave it a "2 thumbs up" and said it was one of my BEST pizza crusts EVER. Its a crust that you can pick up and hold with your hands (as are most of my other pizza crust recipes)...but this one is also flexible and foldable in a way that only someone either from or who has lived in New York before would know. My hubby just happened to have lived in New York for over 20 years...so when HE says its a great pizza crust and the best ever, that REALLY means something!!! This crust is filling and even though it's delicious, you will find that you can't keep stuffing your face with it like you can regular pizza. A slice or two will do just fine. My pizza crust recipe made a large 11" x 13" oval pizza that I simply pressed out onto a parchment lined baking sheet with oiled hands until 1/4-inch thick. I topped my pizza with Muir Glen's organic pizza sauce, shredded Sargento mozzarella cheese, Fiorucci uncured pepperoni and some sauteed red bell peppers and onions. It was absolutely amazing! I got 8 nice slices from it. I snapped a few photos below (with my cell phone believe it or not). Enjoy!

Dough is spread to 1/4-inch thick

Crust fresh out of the oven (about 13 minutes)

Pizza sauce is spread

Cheese and pepperoni added

Peppers and onions added...ready for the oven

Fresh out of the oven

BOOM..Cheese Head Pizza!

CHEESE HEAD PIZZA – My Take on Fat Head Pizza

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella (whole milk or part skim)

3 ounces brick style cream cheese

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (powdery style)

1/8 teaspoon salt

Dash garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 large egg

1 tablespoon olive oil (to oil hands before pressing out dough)

Desired toppings (pizza sauce, pepperoni, cooked peppers, onions, mushrooms, additional cheese, etc.)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper.

Place mozzarella and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Heat cheese in microwave on high for 45 seconds; stir and heat an additional 30 to 45 seconds or until a hot melty mass of cheese is formed.

While cheese is melting in microwave, stir almond flour, Parmesan, salt, garlic powder and Italian seasoning together in a small bowl. Add flour mixture and egg to bowl of hot melted cheese. Working quickly, fold and stir mixture together with a rubber spatula until a ball of dough is formed (make sure cheese mixture is hot before adding flour and egg).   

Place ball of dough in center of parchment lined baking sheet. Oil hands with olive oil (*see note/updated instructions below) and press dough out into desired shape (round, oval or rectangular) until about ¼-inch thick. Prick holes all over crust surface with a fork to prevent crust from bubbling up. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown (rotate pan half way through for even browning). Remove crust and top with pizza sauce, additional cheese, and any desired toppings. Bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until heated through. 

*Note/Update: Rather than oiling hands with olive oil to press dough out, a much easier (and less messy) way to press it out is to pour the tablespoon of olive oil on top of the dough after placing it in the center of baking sheet and use a rubber spatula to press and spread the dough out evenly. If necessary, lightly oil the rubber spatula to keep from sticking.