Lasagna Pie - Low Carb & Gluten Free

We enjoyed a nice chilly fall day here today. It was 39 degrees when we got up this morning and tomorrow morning it's supposed to be only 37 degrees before warming up to the mid 60s. This evening only one of my sons came for dinner (we had dinner with all three of the kids last night). I decided to make lasagna using my grain free tortilla/noodles. They are the best thing since sliced bread. No, they are actually BETTER than sliced bread, particularly for us low carbers who still like to enjoy traditional style lasagna.

Now, having said that, I also absolutely love lasagna made with zucchini noodles, yellow squash noodles or eggplant noodles. But sometimes, you just want the real deal and these grain free tortillas make perfect lasagna noodles as well as a host of other amazing uses. The very first time I made lasagna using them, I didn't say anything to my family members (who are not grain free or low carb), and half way through the meal (actually Christmas eve dinner), I asked if anyone noticed anything different about my lasagna...and NOBODY; I mean NOBODY could tell. Pretty sneaky, huh? So, I can say with confidence that these have been "Christmas eve dinner tested" and that is the most scientific method of testing that I know! LOL Trust me, if this were to have gone the other direction (as in not great)...I would NEVER have heard the end of it and really, what mother would intentionally ruin Christmas eve dinner for her family?

When I have a larger group for dinner, I make a huge pan of lasagna with them, but when it is just hubby and me, or a smaller group like tonight, making a "Lasagna Pie" using a round deep dish pie works beautifully. I used Maverick Ranch grass-fed lean ground beef in my meat sauce (so far it's the best grass-fed ground beef that I've found). I love their uncured bacon, too. I've tried a few different local Georgia brands of grass-fed beef and just did not care for them. I also added diced onion, red bell pepper and zucchini to my meat sauce and used Mezzetta's Tomato & Sweet Basil pasta sauce (made with all natural ingredients, no added sugar or other junk). It turned out great! I served it with a big fresh salad. It was the perfect Sunday night dinner! I snapped a few photos below. If you'd like to see how I make and layer my Lasagna Pie (step by step), as well as get the recipe for my "tortilla/noodles"click here: Lasagna Pie. Enjoy!

Topped with fresh Italian parsley and fresh basil

      

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Eggs w/ Shredded Cabbage & Bacon Hash - Low Carb

This morning we awoke to an absolutely beautiful sunny, cool morning. Fall has FINALLY arrived! I've been busy working on a recipe project but wanted to quickly post my breakfast. I've been having some computer issues (actually internet issues) and have been working on trying to get them fixed. I thought I had that done last night, but low and behold I couldn't get on to the internet again this morning. While I'm on, I thought I'd quickly do a post. This is simply a bag of shredded coleslaw mixed sauteed in a large skillet with some diced bacon (about 5 strips or so) and some sliced onion, sauteed in Kerrygold butter and then topped with eggs. It was delicious! Enjoy!

            

Slow Cooker Spicy Beef & Cabbage Soup - Easy Low Carb

This evening we had my Spicy Beef & Cabbage Soup that I make in my crock pot. I actually started it before I went to bed last night and cooked it overnight until I turned it off at lunch time today. It turned out great and I have plenty left to enjoy on what they are predicting will be a very chilly weekend for us here. It's supposed to drop into the 40s tonight and they say we might even see 39 degrees on Sunday morning! That's a pretty drastic change considering we had temps of 80 this week. I snapped a few photos of my soup below. This soup is so very easy to make and uses very few ingredients. The recipe can be found here: Slow Cooker Spicy Beef & Cabbage Soup. Enjoy!

         

Big Main Dish Salads...It's What's For Dinner!

For the last couple of days I've been craving a big crisp salad since it's been a while since I've had one. So, for dinner this evening, I went ahead and made them for us. I piled my ginormous Le Creuset stoneware pasta bowls full of lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, shredded cheese, toasted pumpkin seeds and chicken breast and then topped it with my Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. This was EXACTLY what I have been craving! I snapped a few quick photos below. Enjoy!

        

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan - Easy Low Carb

This evening we had Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan that I served over my Rich Parmesan Cauliflower Mash. It turned out great. I actually cooked it overnight last night in my smaller 4-quart crock pot and then dumped it into a casserole dish this morning and let it cool off a bit before popping it in the fridge so I could reheat it when I got home this evening. When I got home, I placed my casserole dish into the microwave and heated it for about 10 minutes until it was hot. While that was heating, I made my Rich Parmesan Cauliflower Mash to serve the Chicken Parmesan over (I first made a well in the center and then filled it). After the Chicken Parmesan was heated through, I topped it with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and then ran it under the broiler for a few minutes until browned and bubbly. Of course, if you were cooking this in the crock pot during the day, you would simply transfer it to a casserole, top it with the mozzarella and run it under the broiler with no reheating necessary. I snapped a few photos and included the easy peasy recipe below. Enjoy!

Parmesan stirred in and waiting to be topped with mozzarella

Ready to run under the broiler until bubbly

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

1 diced bell pepper
2 pounds of boneless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 cups pasta sauce (I used DelGrosso's Fireworks Sauce)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella cheese (or substitute regular mozzarella)

Directions:

Place diced bell pepper in bottom of crock pot. Top with chicken breast and pour pasta sauce on top. Cover crock pot and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours (I like to cook it on high for the first hour and then reduce to low). When done cooking, stir in Parmesan cheese and transfer to a shallow casserole dish.

Preheat broiler. Top with sliced mozzarella and broil until lightly browned and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Serve over zoodles or cauliflower mash, if desired.

            

Spicy Sausage & Spinach Frittata - Easy Low Carb

This evening I made a Spicy Sausage & Spinach Frittata. I used bulk hot Italian chicken sausage (from Sprouts) but you can use whatever kind you like best. If you want to control the spiciness, simply use mild Italian sausage and then add your own additional red pepper flakes to achieve your preferred degree of spiciness. If you can't find bulk Italian sausage, simply purchase the link style and remove it from the casings to use. You could also do what I considered doing and that is to use ground beef and add your own seasonings to make sausage flavored beef. The hot Italian chicken sausage added lots of flavor and a bit of heat but not too much (for us).

I used green spring onions but you could use diced regular onion if that is what you have on hand. I used a 5-ounce container of fresh organic baby spinach, 1/2 cup of diced cherry and grape tomatoes and topped the frittata with crumbled feta which adds even more flavor. You could swap out the feta with a different cheese if you prefer. I didn't need to add any additional salt or pepper to this frittata because the sausage and feta provided enough salt and pepper flavor. It was quick and easy to make. I used my 10-inch Lodge cast iron skillet, but you could also use a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet as well. I have enough leftover for my lunch for a few days which is always a good thing. It was so flavorful and so simple. I snapped a photo below as well as the easy peasy recipe. Enjoy!

Spicy Sausage & Spinach Frittata

Ingredients:

1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage (I used hot Italian chicken sausage)
1 tablespoons olive oil
3 sliced green spring onions (scallions)
1/2 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
5 ounces fresh baby spinach
7 large eggs
1/3 cup cream or milk
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a 10-inch Lodge cast iron skillet or other nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage until browned, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Drain excess grease. Add onions and tomatoes; cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add spinach and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes. 

In a large bowl, beat eggs and cream together. Pour egg mixture over top of sausage and spinach mixture in hot skillet; cook on stove top about 2 to 3 minutes (this hastens crust formation and helps to keep it from sticking to pan). Top with crumbled feta cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. If desired, run under broiler for a few minutes for additional browning.

          

Sunday's Trip to the Pumpkin Patch - Burt's Pumpkin Farm

Well, today hubby and I finally made our trip to the pumpkin patch! We've wanted to go for the past month but it's been either way too hot or pouring down rain on the weekends. We even had rain yesterday, too, but this morning I opened my eyes and saw sunshine and said to hubby "let's go"! It isn't close by (about 60 miles and 1-1/2 hours away or so) but the traffic getting there today was awful for the last 4 or 5 miles and it probably took us over an hour just to go those last few miles alone (note to self, do not drink coffee or take a diuretic before going there next time)! I guess everyone decided to seize this beautiful sunny day like we did. It ended up being almost an all-day trip, so I just made "breakfast for dinner" since we got home late (which consisted of eggs with cabbage/onion/bacon hash). The pumpkin patch we went to was Burt's Pumpkin Farm in Dawsonville, Georgia. It was named as one of the top ten pumpkin patches in the country! There were pumpkins of every different shape, size and color (white, light blue, pink, etc.) as far as your eyes could see. I snapped some photos of our pumpkin palooza today. After our drive in the country and fill of pumpkins...I finally FEEL like fall has arrived! Enjoy!

I love hanging these on the front door in the fall

On our way...you can see the mountains in the distance

Butternut Squash

A heap of mini pumpkins

Aren't these white pumpkins pretty? Kind of like "ghost pumpkins"

Orange acorn squash (I picked up a couple)

Lil Pokemon

White mini-pumpkins

Turban squash

Hayrides...the line was too long to wait in; catch it "next time"

Photo taken at 55 mph with me hanging out the window...not bad, huh? I just had to get a photo of those clouds!  

Yup...more 55 mph clouds!  

55 mph bales of hay! 

More "55 mph" clouds shot from my side view mirror...the sky was gorgeous today!

Disclaimer: No pumpkins were harmed during today's excursion and nobody (me) fell out of the window while photographing at 55 mph! My favorite photo is the one from the side view mirror!

Chocolate Salted Peanut Clusters - Easy Low Carb Treats

This evening we had leftover soup for dinner that I made last night. I was also in the mood for a treat this evening but not in the mood to make much of a fuss. I wanted something with chocolate. The can of "Super Extra-Large" Roasted Salted Peanuts sitting on the counter caught my eye and suddenly I was thinking "Mmmmmm...chocolate and salty peanuts." I made the most ridiculously easy treat that satisfied both the salty and sweet in one fell swoop. I made Chocolate Salted Peanut Clusters. I took a package of little mini baking cups and lined 12 wells of a mini muffin tin with and then proceeded to prepare my "recipe."

I have so many different kinds and brands of dark chocolate on hand to choose from, but for whatever reason, the Guittard 70% Bittersweet Baking Bars were calling to me. Incidentally, it turned out to be the perfect choice of chocolate for these (it's super smooth and creamy when melted) . I sprinkled a few peanuts in the bottom of each little cup (so my tongue would make contact with the saltiness of the peanuts when biting into them). I then melted the chocolate in the microwave (you could also use a double boiler on the stove). Once the chocolate was melted, I stirred in the salted peanuts and used a teaspoon to spoon the melted chocolate and peanut concoction evenly into each little cup. I popped the tray into the fridge for about 30 minutes so the chocolate would set up. Oh...My...Chocolate; these were so good. It tasted like peanut butter cups because of the salty peanuts contrasting with the sweetness of the chocolate...only this was way better. If you belong to Costco...look for these peanuts. They are huge and are the crunchiest peanuts I have ever had. They contain only 2 ingredients; peanuts and salt. You can also find them on Amazon, but are cheaper if you can get them from Costco (or from a friend that belongs to Costco)! This recipe makes 12 "mini-muffin sized" treats. These would be perfect for holiday treats and also make nice little holiday candy gifts (just find festive little paper cups to put them in). I snapped some photos below and included the easy peasy recipe. Enjoy!

Begin by placing paper cups in a mini-muffin tin, then adding a few peanuts

Spoon the melted chocolate and peanut mixture into each cup, then refrigerate

Voila...after 30 minutes in the refrigerator, the chocolate has set up

BOOM...you are now in Candyland!

Chocolate Salted Peanut Clusters

Ingredients:

4 ounces dark chocolate (I used Guittard 70% cacao baking bars)
3/4 cup roasted salted peanuts

Directions:

Place 12 mini baking cup liners into the wells of a mini-muffin tin. Sprinkle a few peanuts in the bottom of each cup.

Break up chocolate into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Melt chocolate in the microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each until melted, about 2 minutes; be careful not to burn (or it can be melted in a double boiler on the stovetop). Stir remaining peanuts into melted chocolate; divide and spoon equally between the 12 baking cups. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. 

*Note: For sugar free clusters, substitute a sugar free chocolate such as Lily's chocolate sweetened with stevia.

        

Chicken, Kale & Gnocchi Soup - Low Carb & Grain Free

Happy National Kale Day! Who knew? It kept popping up (National Kale Day) in my newsfeed today so I decided to adapt tonight's chicken soup and toss in some baby kale (as well as make a few other tweaks). I really love kale or spinach added to chicken soup. Last night, I made a pot of homemade chicken stock so I could make chicken noodle soup for dinner this evening. It isn't necessary to make it from scratch though and to shorten the prep time, particularly on weeknights, simply purchase your favorite chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock or Pacific Organic Free Range Chicken Broth). I added the usual celery and carrots to my soup as well as fresh baby kale (it seemed like the right thing to do on National Kale Day)...LOL. To give my soup a little more body and oomph, I added a bit of heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese to make a light cream soup (which you can easily omit to keep it dairy free and more "traditional"). It's good either way.

The big difference in tonight's soup is that there was homemade grain free gnocchi in the soup. I usually like to use my grain free noodles that I make by cutting my grain free tortillas into strips (you need to try it, it's so yummy), but this evening I decided to add more heartiness by adding homemade gnocchi. I've been experimenting with making grain free gnocchi on and off for a while now and they look good but tend to fall apart and disintegrate as they cook. So, I gave it another try (and still may tweak it further to make them a bit lighter)...but this time I succeeded in making them where they didn't fall apart at all. I am "pleased" with how they turned out, but if you know me...I'm looking for ECSTATIC!  LOL If you prefer light softer noodles in your soup, use my recipe here for: Grain Free Chicken Noodle Soup that's made with my grain free tortillas (it's delicious). If you want more "solid and hearty" soup, give this gnocchi version a try. If you aren't sure, cut my gnocchi recipe in half and make a test batch first. After dinner, I allowed the leftover soup to cool down a bit on the stovetop (for about an hour or so) before refrigerating it. I tested the gnocchi before putting it away to see how they held up after sitting in the soup for a while; they softened (in a good way) but stayed intact. I'm curious to see how they hold when I have it again for lunch tomorrow after they've sat in the soup overnight. Check out my photos below as well as the recipe for my Chicken, Kale & Gnocchi Soup. Enjoy!

I used homemade stock, but store bought works fine too.

The larger white oblong objects are the cooked gnocchi (they get bigger when cooked)

Grain-Free Gnocchi

Chicken Noodle Soup - Grain Free

Ingredients:

8 to 10 cups chicken stock
2 celery stalks, diced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
2 cups diced cooked chicken
2 cups fresh baby kale (about 3 ounces)
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese, optional
1 cup grain free gnocchi (recipe below)

For the grain free gnocchi:
2 cups blanched almond flour
1-1/2 teaspoons xanthum gum
5 tablespoons plain unflavored whey protein powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 large eggs

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

To make gnocchi, whisk almond flour, xanthum gum, whey protein powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Beat eggs with tablespoon of water. Make a well in the center of flour and pour egg mixture into the well. Using a fork, stir egg mixture, gradually pulling the flour mixture into the eggs until a stiff and somewhat sticky dough is formed. If necessary, add a little more flour if needed to shape it into a ball. Knead a couple of times by pressing your fist down in the center. Form into a ball and press down into a thick patty shaped disk. Wrap and refrigerate until chilled or overnight. Cut lengthwise into 4 pieces and roll into logs about 1 inch in diameter. Slice logs approximately 1/4-inch thick into small pieces. 

Bring chicken stock to a boil. Carefully add gnocchi to the pot, several at a time to keep them from sticking together. Cook in boiling stock for 5 to 6 minutes (gnocchi will sink first and then float to the top). Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl and set aside while preparing the soup. 

Add celery and carrots to pot of chicken stock; bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium heat. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add parsley, chicken, and baby kale; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in optional cream and Parmesan. Return cooked gnocchi to pot. Simmer on low for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.