Some Recipes

I thought, after the last post, I would plod through my old 3 ring binder of low carb recipes and lay down some tried and true ones we have had a million times since doing low carb.
A couple of these are goofy simple but, as I hold to the fact making up recipes is not skill I possess, I had to see these I print to realize how simple these could be. I have made all of these and they are all yummy. I will put the recipe as written and give you any tweaks I do in pink.

Mashed Cauliflower "Potatoes"
Literally the only "potatoes" I ever make.
1 head of cauliflower or 1-2 frozen bags (fresh is better, but I do frozen all the time)
1/2 stick of butter (I totally use 1 whole stick, but that's me)
2 tbsp heavy cream (more-use to get proper consistency)
Salt and Pepper (a LOT!! of salt)

The key to making these a mashed potato consistency is cooking the crap out of the cauliflower. Put it in a sauce pan and cover with water. Boil until very soft--about 30 minutes. You should easily be able to squish a floret between your fingers.
Drain well--press the water out (like you would do tuna from a can). Put in a bowl with the butter and a teaspoon of salt. Beat with an electric hand mixer. I have the most luck with that...my kitchen aid stand mixer doesnt do as well. You need two-beater action. Beat until the butter is melted in and then add cream as you beat to get the right consistency. Also, probably add more salt and pepper. They taste remarkably like potatoes when properly salted--I always think they taste watery until I get the salt and pepper right.
14 net carbs for the entire recipe

Those are good alone, but also topped with
Hamburger Gravy
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion
cream
salt and pepper

Cook onion and ground beef until browned. Drain. Add cream to make a gravy-just enough to barely cover the meat. No need for flour, it will thicken up on its own after a few minutes.
Also good poured over green beans!

Chicken "Nachos"
Cooked chicken strips--leftovers, store-bought, deboned rotisserie chicken...all work
Shredded Cheese
Salsa-check carb counts!
Sour cream
black olives
guacamole

Put very hot chicken on a plate and top with cheese and nacho toppings. Eat. The end. The rotisserie chicken makes this VERY easy.
Carbs depend on your topping choices, but very few.

Burger Breakfast Scramble
1/2 lb ground beef or ground breakfast sausage
2 tbsp minced onion
3 ounces cream cheese
3 large eggs
salt and pepper

Brown ground meat in skillet with onions. Add cream cheese cut in little pieces to pan and cook over low heat until melted. Beat eggs with salt and pepper and pour into skillet with meat. Scramble until desired doneness.
6 carbs in whole recipe if using ground beef.

Easy Almond Pound Cake
1 cup butter
1 cup splenda (1 cup granular or 20 packets)
5 eggs
2 cups almond flour *
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract

Cream butter and splenda in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each one. Add almond flour and baking powder a little at a time until well blended. Add extracts. Bake in 9 inch cake pan or loaf pan for 50 minutes at 350.
Can vary the flavor (banana or lemon) with different extracts.
47 carbs for whole cake
*"Almond flour" is just finely ground almonds and is nice to have for baked goods. Cheaper online, but locally Kroger, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's have it. Bob's Red Mill makes it. Also, make it yourself with blanched almonds and a food processor...you want it very finely ground.

3-2-1 Salmon
3 tbsp sugar free maple syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp grated ginger
Place salmon fillets on greased foil. Whisk together and pour over salmon. Marinate up to 1 hr and then place on grill for 8-10 minutes--on the foil is fine.
My sister gets credit for this one.

Chicken Divine
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp chicken bouillon
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp curry powder
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup canned asparagus
3/4 cup cheddar cheese.

Spray 9X12 casserole dish with pam. Squeeze asparagus dry and layer on bottom of dish. Top with layer of broccoli and then a layer of chicken. Mix bouillon, mayo, lemon, and curry powder in a bowl and then spread evenly over chicken. Top with grated cheese. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.
30 carbs for whole pan...this is my favorite.

Low Carb Lasagna
I started to type this out, but it is easier to say this...
Make it like you always make it, just leave out the noodles. A little extra Mozzarella between layers will hold it together nicely. Like all lasagna, it is better the next day! You can use those Dreamfields Lasagna noodles if you choose, but it is just as good without them. I never use them for this.

The same idea as the lasagna goes for lots of things.
Seven layer dip--leave out the beans and do a thicker layer of chicken or beef on the bottom. Eat it with a fork.
Enchiladas--use low carb tortillas or none at all
Broccoli Salad/Cole slaw--use splenda instead of sugar and no raisins or other dried fruit.
Pizza--there are a million ways to fake this-recipes abound online. Easiest is to top a low carb pita, a low carb tortilla, or portabello mushroom on the grill. All tasty. Here is one for kicks...

Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust
Oven to 450. Combine 3 eggs, 3 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp italian seasoning. Press evenly onto pam sprayed pizza pan. Bake at 45 until golden brown. About 10-15 minutes.
This is yummy, but i just ate it plain.

And last but not least, a soup. This is delicious. I served it at our Halloween party 2 yrs ago and it was eaten by everyone including the kids. It tastes nothing like you would expect.

Pumpkin and Sausage Soup

1-15oz can pumpkin-not pumpkin pie filling!

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 onion, minced

1 cup finely chopped fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup half and half

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning

1/2 pound breakfast sausage--that kind that comes wrapped in muslin in the breakfast sausage section is delicious. Hot or mild types are fine.

Brown sausage. Drain. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms and herbs. Cook until veggies are limp. Stir in the pumpkin. Stir in the broth and mix well. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Stir in the half and half and simmer another 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.