Quick Superfood Salads - Low Carb

Last night we ran a number of errands and did a bit of shopping after work. We didn't get home until late. I fixed dinner and we ate around 9:00. I snapped a quick photo of our salads and then fell asleep before posting. I used an Eat Smart 7 Superfood Salad Mix and topped it with some chipotle seasoned chicken cutlets that I cut into strips. I made a Cranberry Vinaigrette that was a bit different than my last version. I used apple cider vinegar, some of my cranberry sauce, McCormick's Chipotle Roasted Garlic Seasoning, a pinch of sea salt and avocado oil (instead of olive oil). It was SO good! I used my little dressing Cruet that has the marked fill lines for oil and vinegar and water. I swapped the water for cranberry sauce and just added the seasonings. It was my favorite dressing so far...sweet, tart and yummy with the avocado oil! Check out the photo below. Enjoy!

Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie (Modified Crustless Version) - Low Carb

This evening I made the crustless version of Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie. I actually tweaked my original crustless recipe just a little and I think I like this version even more. I created my original Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie (with crust) soon after I went low carb to satisfy my craving for Spanakopita (made with phyllo pastry dough). My version had all the flavor minus the wheat and carbs. 

Not long after I created that version, I made a crustless version of that spinach-feta pie to reduce the prep time so it could easily be prepared on a week night. It's also a bit lighter without the crust, too. I actually love it both with and without the crust.

This evening's "modified crustless version" add's a third option. I really, really...REALLY enjoyed tonight's version which is a step in between the other two. It's still quick to make since there's no crust involved, but a bit more substantial than the crustless pie. I added 1/2 cup of blanched almond flour, some Parmesan and a few other little tweaks. It's more along the lines of one of the old Bisquick "impossible pies" if you remember those. Whether you prefer it with crust or without or my new version which is in between...it's definitely one worth trying. It is good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner...or as I did once before, all 3 meals (in the same day). I snapped a quick photo below as well as included the newer slightly modified version. Enjoy!

Greek Style Spinach-Feta Pie (Crustless Version #2)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
10 ounces fresh spinach (up to 16 ounces)
7 large eggs
1/2 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or half-and-half)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 to 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or spray a 10" deep dish pie plate (I used a 9.5" fluted pie dish). 

In a non-stick skillet, saute onions in olive oil or butter over medium heat until softened; add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes or until translucent. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. 

In the same skillet, saute spinach, just until wilted.  Drain and press as much liquid out of cooked spinach as possible (I use a mesh strainer and press it with the back of a large spoon). Coarsely chop the spinach and set aside.

In a medium bowl, add eggs, cream, Parmesan, almond flour, dill, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Beat egg mixture together; add onions, spinach and feta cheese and stir until evenly combined. Pour mixture into greased pie dish and bake for 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden, or until filling and eggs are set and cooked. If the center is still slightly jiggly, cook for an additional few minutes (the center is usually puffed up when completely cooked). Let cool for approximately 5 minutes; cut into wedges and serve. Makes about 6 servings.

*Note: This version is slightly modified from my original crustless version by the following: eggs are increased from 6 to 7; feta is reduced from 8 oz. to 6 oz; 1/4 cup Parmesan added; 1/2 cup blanched almond flour added; additional 2 tablespoons cream added; and optional 1/4 teaspoon salt added.

    

Sunday's Skillet Brunch - Shrooms & Sprouts "Hash" Sunny Side Up

This morning we woke up early and began pulling out the Christmas decorations so we could get most of that put up today. After working for a couple of hours, I decided it was time for brunch. As I scanned around the fridge to see what I could whip up fairly quickly...I spotted the leftover roasted chipotle brussels sprouts as well as the leftover sliced mushrooms from last night's dinner. That pesky little light bulb went off in my head and suddenly I was envisioning sprouts and shrooms "hash" browned in butter, topped with a sunny side up egg and some diced Cabot pepper jack cheese. 

I pulled out my little 8-inch cast iron skillet and added some butter and when it was sizzling, I tossed in the leftover mushrooms and sprouts and seasoned them with a bit of sea salt and black pepper and browned them in the butter. In a separate small skillet, I cooked myself a sunny side up egg. I slid my sunny side up egg over on top of the shrooms and sprouts "hash" and scattered a bit of diced pepper jack cheese on top and let it get a little melty. I added one of my Southern Style Buttermilk Biscuits and Voila...I had an awesome and easy brunch using odds and ends leftovers from last night's meal. I love re-purposing leftovers, that might have otherwise gotten tossed out, into something new and delicious. Enjoy!

    

Grilled Steak w/ Mushrooms & Roasted Chipotle Sprouts

Here's an update on tonight's dinner. I seasoned the NY Strip Steaks that we got at Costco with McCormick's Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning before hubby grilled them; then topped them with sliced mushrooms sauteed in Kerrygold (also from Costco). 

I harvested the brussels sprouts that I found at Sprouts Farmers Market from their stalk. Honestly, these were some of the most beautiful and fresh sprouts I have ever had. I trimmed the ends off of them and halved them, then tossed them in avocado oil (from Sprouts) and seasoned them with McCormick's Chipotle and Roasted Garlic Seasoning and popped them into a 400 degree oven and roasted them for about 20 minutes (stirring them around half way through roasting). It was a delicious, fresh and easy meal. I added a dollop of my fresh cranberry sauce to my plate. Would you be surprised if I told you that I bought another 2-pound bag of cranberries on my visit to Costco today? LOL I have about 14 pounds in the freezer that should last me well past cranberry season. I have bought at least 20 pounds of cranberries so far this season. I had 3 of my most favorite foods on my plate this evening... brussels sprouts, mushrooms and cranberries. Low carb life is good. This is REAL food...REAL easy. Enjoy!

    

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Tonight's "Dinner To Be" and Move Over "Jack & The Beanstalk"...It's "Gourmet Girl & The Brussels Stalk"

Happy Saturday! This morning we got our errands started early to get ahead of the holiday hustle and bustle. We had breakfast at Einstein Bros Bagels (I packed my OWN Power Bagel and a few mini Cranberry Macaroon Muffins to take with me). They had their new Cinnamon Winter Blend of coffee there which was really good. It's cinnamon and vanilla flavored and perfect for this time of year. It was so good that I had 2 large cups of coffee. 

Afterward we went to Costco and Sprouts Farmers Market. I picked up all kinds of things. For dinner tonight I bought some NY Strip Steaks as well as big mushrooms to put on top of the steaks (mine) from Costco. To go with our steaks I bought some beautiful fresh brussels sprouts from Sprouts (LOL on buying sprouts from Sprouts). These aren't just any old brussels sprouts...these little guys were still attached to their "mother ship"...or shall I say, "mother stalk"...LOL. I guess I never really thought about how brussels sprouts grow and don't believe I've ever seen any live plants before. Anyway, Sprouts had barrels with these tall bouquets of beautiful sprouts. They were even more beautiful than bouquets of flowers! I just HAD to have them, of course! So, before I roast them to go with our steaks tonight I get to pick them off their stalk first. I'm not sure why I find that so exciting, but it is! LOL Maybe this is a sign that I lead an extremely dull life...but I can't wait to pick my sprouts tonight...LOL!  

Lastly, I know some of you occasionally eat toasted coconut chips made by Dang. They are very lightly sweetened but quite pricey for a teeny-tiny little bag (1.4 oz). One of the new items I found at our Costco today was a 1-pound bag of organic toasted coconut chips for $9.79. That is 16 ounces for less than $10.00 when the "Dang" brand will only get you about 3 or 4 ounces for that much money. Check out my photos below of our "dinner to be"...as well as my interesting brussels sprouts. Am I the only one that find them fascinating? LOL Move over Jack (and your beanstalk)...it's Gourmet Girl and her brussels stalk!  ;-)  Enjoy!

"sprouts from Sprouts"

This morning's breakfast at Einstein Bros

Here's the Power Bagels I used to eat...

My Power Bagel on the left...THEIRs on the right. 

USA Baking Pans - Absolutely the BEST!

USA Pans - BEST Baking Pans Ever!

Nothing sticks...NOTHING!

Eggplant Lasagna - Low Carb

This evening I made Eggplant Lasagna for dinner. It's one of my favorites. It's like a cross between lasagna and eggplant parmesan. The nice thing about making it is that you don't have to measure the ingredients out exactly and can layer it with your favorite cheeses or whatever kind you have on hand. You can make it with or without meat. I thinly sliced a medium-large eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices and brushed both sides with olive oil and seasoned with a little salt and pepper and then baked the slices on a baking sheet until fork tender, about 15 minutes or so at 375 or 400 degrees. I used fresh mozzarella cheese, ricotta, sliced provolone, and shredded Parmigiana Reggiano. You can also grill the eggplant, too, if you want. I used Del Grosso's Fireworks sauce. I snapped a sequence of photos of the assembly. I baked it for about 30 to 40 minutes until hot and bubbly. The recipe can be found here: Eggplant Lasagna. Enjoy!

      

Turkey "Noodle" Soup - Au Revoir Tom Turkey

This evening we had the last meal made with the odds and ends of Thanksgiving dinner...Turkey "Noodle" Soup. That's it, I'm finished...Tom and I are breaking up until next Thanksgiving. While I have enjoyed using the leftovers in some different meals this past week...I can't lie. I'm over it; done; finished; ready to move on! We ended our turkey streak with soup made from the turkey carcass. Carcass...it's sort of an ugly word, isn't it? 

I tossed the drumsticks, wings and most of the turkey bones into an 8-quart stock pot a couple days ago and filled it half way up with water and then added salt, pepper, a few stalks of celery and a couple of broken up carrots to flavor the stock. I cooked it covered for about 6 hours on the stove and then strained it, leaving only the golden stock behind. Before adjusting the salt and seasoning, I boiled it down and reduced it by almost half to make a rich dark golden stock and then seasoned it. I tossed in some leftover turkey meat, a couple of big handfuls of fresh baby spinach and a plate of leftover uncooked zoodles that I made a few days ago using zucchini and yellow squash. I thinly peeled a carrot into the pot and simmered everything together for a few minutes and BOOM...our "goodbye turkey" soup was done. We enjoyed it...and also enjoyed the fact that we now get to take a little break from turkey for a bit. I snapped a couple photos for you to see below. Enjoy!

  

Cranberry Lemon Macaroon Muffins - Low Carb Breakfast Treats

Yesterday morning I made a big batch of Cranberry Lemon Macaroon Mini Muffins. I had a big bowl of fresh cranberries that needed to be used and it had been a while since I've made these. These are one of my favorite cranberry muffin combinations. I love the crunch of the coconut (unsweetened) as well as the fresh taste of the lemon zest...and I absolutely love the tartness of fresh cranberries. It's like biting into a combination of muffin and macaroon. These muffins are lightly sweetened and make a perfect portable breakfast treat or snack. Just toss a few of these little guys in a baggie and you are good to go.  I snapped a few photos for you to see below. The recipe for these little gems can be found here: Cranberry Lemon Macaroon Muffins. Enjoy! 

   

Sunday Night Pasta - How to Make Non-Watery Zoodles

Today was a busy day. Hubby worked outside in the yard and finally got up all the leaves while I worked inside continuing on our "project de-clutter"...LOL. I've been having some problems with my computer's touchpad not working all day long and then suddenly, out of the blue, this evening it began working again...so weird. We had such a nice Thanksgiving and have eaten leftovers for the last couple of nights. I had planned to make another "leftover turkey dish" for dinner tonight but just couldn't bring myself to eating turkey AGAIN tonight. So, I decided to make something completely non-turkey...I made pasta (zoodles) instead. Only one of my sons came for dinner this evening since we've all been eating together now for days in a row. I'm sure he appreciated a break from turkey, too!

While most all of you have had zoodles before, you know the one drawback about them is that they tend to be watery when serving them, especially once you put the sauce on top. In the early days of low carb eating, mine were watery too, and I decided that was going to have to change! I wanted pasta, not pasta soup. There are 2 main issues...one of them is the sauce. It should be nice and thick and not loose and watery. If you use one of the acceptable jarred sauces (as in no sugar, or other additives), you can easily conquer that simply by simmering it uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes until the excess liquid cooks off and the sauce reduces and thickens. But, if your zoodles aren't prepped right, you will still end up with watery pasta when you serve it.

I'm going to share how I keep my zoodles from being watery. I usually prefer to eat my pasta in a pasta bowl, but this evening I intentionally ate it on a plate so you could see there was NO wateriness whatsoever. I used Del Grosso's Fireworks sauce tonight and added it to browned ground round, diced bell pepper and onion, quartered fresh mushrooms and baby spinach that I browned and cooked before adding the sauce. I simmered it uncovered about 30 minutes until thickened. I also added about 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan about 5 to 10 minutes before it was done simmering, but it's not necessary. It just adds flavor and thickens the sauce a bit more.

About an hour before starting the sauce, I used my Paderno Spiralizer to make a bunch of zoodles with zucchini and yellow summer squash; it only takes a couple minutes to make a big pile of them. To pull out the excess liquid from the zoodles, I like to spread them out in a single layer on top of a layer of paper towels (placed on top of a dish towel). I lightly salt them (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon for a large batch of zoodles) and then place another layer of paper towels on top. I gently press them down with my hands and then walk away. Within 5 to 10 minutes you will notice the moisture being drawn out of the zoodles by the salt and wicking into the paper towels. After about 20 minutes, I like to roll them up in the paper towels to help press more moisture out. If the paper towels get really wet, I'll change the top layer of paper towels before rolling up. Try and let them wick excess moisture out for at least 30 minutes, up to 1 hour if you have the time. You will find it makes a huge difference in your finished cooked zoodles. I know some folks like to boil their zoodles and that makes me cringe because you are adding water to them instead of removing it. They shouldn't be cooked like regular wheat noodles that are supposed to absorb liquid. To cook, all that needs to be done is heat up a nonstick skillet with a tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat and then stir-fry the zoodles, tossing frequently until al dente. This only takes a few minutes...about 3 to 5 minutes or to your desired tenderness. Don't overfill the skillet. If necessary, cook a larger portion in a couple of batches. This method yields perfectly cooked non-watery zoodles. I snapped a few photos below. Enjoy!

It took less than 2 minutes to make this big pile of zoodles with the Paderno Spiralizer

Spread on paper towels and salt lightly

Top with another layer of paper towels

Look at the moisture that has been drawn out after about 10-15 minutes

Before rolling them up, I changed the top layer of paper towels to draw out more liquid

After sauteing for a few minutes in a skillet, I have perfect non-watery al dente zoodles

  

My 3rd Low Carb Thanksgiving

We had a great day today. We ate too much, laughed too much and just really enjoyed the day. This was my 3rd wheat, grain and gluten-free Thanksgiving. I remember how daunting my first one felt. The 2nd one was much better and by the time today's, my 3rd one rolled around...it was just 2nd nature and seemed normal. Even though the others in my family aren't grain free, I find that I have gotten so much better at creating and duplicating old favorites that most of what they are eating for holidays is grain free, too. 

This year I enjoyed turkey, dressing, creamy cauliflower mash, green bean casserole, squash casserole, sweet potato casserole, fresh cranberry sauce and buttermilk biscuits. For dessert I enjoyed a pumpkin custard cup topped with toasted pecans and whipped cream. This year one of my sons joined me in a totally grain free Thanksgiving dinner. The only thing he had different than me was he had mashed red skin potatoes like the others instead of the cauliflower mash. I snapped a quick photo of my plate. I'm posting it now well after midnight before going to bed. We actually enjoyed a "be here now" gadget free evening...no Facebook, texting, or cell phones. It was actually nice to spend an entire evening with just each other and without everyone staring at their phones communicating with everyone other than who they are actually with. We told stories, laughed, played games, watched a movie without the continuous distraction of everyone playing with their phones. It was a refreshing change that I'd like to see happen more often. I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving! Just stopped to take a break and wish everyone a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving today. May all of you be blessed with good health, friends, family and good food this Thanksgiving. 

My 15-lb turkey comes out of the oven in about 45 minutes. My 8-pound turkey breast is cooked to perfection after slow cooking overnight for about 11 hours. I baked a batch of my Buttermilk Biscuits first thing this morning before putting the turkey in the oven and will soon begin the annual juggle of trying to bake all the various casseroles and side dishes to have them all hot and ready at the same time. I hope whatever you are making today turns out wonderful and that you enjoy this day with those that you love. As the Publix Thanksgiving commercial says..."here's to the day that may not always be flawless...but it's always perfect." If you've never seen one of their holiday commercials...I've linked it above. I get a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes every time I watch one. Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy!