Green Chips

As I rummage through my fridge, I see that I have an almost full head of mustard greens still left from a previous dish. Well greens won't last forever, so I decided to make something with them. I decided to try a take on kale chips and make mustard green chips! Hmmm.... Talk about an experiment. 

As I wash and prepare the greens, I find myself humming along to Umi Zoomi as my kids are out of my hair and watching tv. Guess I can't argue it though; the kids ARE out of my hair allowing me to cook in peace. That alone is a personal feat! Come on, you know you agree! 

Okay. Back to my recipe. 

Ingredients

- head of mustard greens

- 5 tsp chopped garlic

- 3 tsp olive oil

- salt (to taste)

- Parmesan cheese 

Instructions

- preheat oven to 375 degrees

- devain the mustard greens. Maybe this isn't the right terminology because what I'm tying to say is, tear the leaves off the stem and break into smaller pieces. 

- wash and dry the greens really well. I placed the greens in between two paper towels to dry. I squeezed out all the excess water. 

- in a bowl, mix the olive oil, chopped garlic, and salt

- add the mustard greens and toss

- place greens on a cookie sheet

- cook for 8 minutes

- take out of oven, re-toss and re-arrange on cookie sheet, and bake for another 8 minutes. You will notice that the greens have shrunk in size. 

- when they're done cooing, sprinkle some Parmesan on top and enjoy! 

Tips

- when the mustard greens are cooking they are going to smell pungent. This is normal, but it's definitely an acquired smell! 

- sprinkle some other spices in the bowl while mixing to add a different flavor. Maybe even try some sirachi or hot sauce! 

- the chips are best when eaten hot

- to store, place in an airtight container for the next day 

These make for a yummy and healthy snack! What do you enjoy for your snack time foods? 

Gigi

Blackberry Preserves

I made my delicious low-carb pancakes this weekend for myself, my sister, my brother in law and our 3 kids. Everyone ate my pancakes! Yay! I wanted to try to make a sauce for them so I took out the blackberries that I had and starting searching on Pinterest, until I found something remotely simple that I could alter and create. So here it is...

Ingredients

- 8 oz blackberries 

- 1/4 cup Splenda

- 1/4 cup water

- 1 1/2 tbsp Chia Seeds 

I haven't used Chia Seeds much but I have them because I have seen recipes that call for them. They are used as a thickening agent for fluids, pudding, yogurt. I have also heard that they make some people go. They have not affected me in this way personally. TMI! I know!

Instructions

1. In a small pot, heat blackberries and water until the blackberries are soft. 

2. Add Splenda until it dissolves. 

3. Then add Chia Seeds. You'll immediately see that the Chia Seeds give the preserve the "seedy" texture. 

4. Mash up the blackberries as well as you can so that they're all ready to go right on top of your pancakes! 

5. Scoop them onto your pancakes and eat up!! 

Obviously these preserves can be used on food other than pancakes, but that was my use on the snowy Sunday morning when I created it. Also, you can substitute other berries- raspberries, strawberries, blueberries- and make a different flavored preserve. Oh yea! And everyone liked them!! I always have to include that comment because that occurrence is sometimes few and far between!! 

Full Disclosure: these preserves are probably not the lowest carb. The fruit has carbs and so does the Splenda. So add up your intake carefully if you're looking to keep it low carb. Because the pancakes are so low carb, I just guesstimated with the preserves that I used. 

Alternatives: I say try subbing a Sugar Free syrup, like Torani or DaVinci for the Splenda for a lower carb option. 

Here's even a hazelnut syrup I found at the Dollar Tree. 

Give this a try for a sweet spoonful to add to your pancakes! 

Sweets!

Gigi

Veggie Lasagna

We all crave a little Italian in our lives... Right? Well tonight I did. But duh- I'm not going to eat the pasta, so I figured out another way to make a layered pie with all veggies. It's actually simple. And this recipe is so great for the working mom (& dad) because you can put it all together the night before and, when you get home, just pop it in the oven for 25 minutes for dinner! Simple, fast, efficient. All while still getting your kids homework done for the night. Sounds like a recipe I can bake with!

Ingredients 

- 2 zucchinis

- 2 yellow squash

- 1 red pepper

- mozzarella cheese

- 2 cups of tomato sauce

- *optional: Italian seasoning

- Pam 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 

2. Slice up your veggies. Don't make your slices of zucchini and squash too thin. And cube your red pepper. 

3. Make one layer of zucchini at the bottom. 

4. Spray with Pam. 

5. Next, layer with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, just enough to cover the zucchini slices. 

6. Now layer with some mazarella cheese. I used about a handful. *optional: add some Italian seasoning. 

7. Place squash slices next. Then another 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and another handful of mozzarella cheese. 

8. Place the red pepper cubes now. Then another 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. *

9. Lastly, place another layer of zucchini and squash (yes, I mixed it up this time!) and 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. *

10. Cook at 350 degrees for 20-25 mins and enjoy! 

Now wasn't that an easy recipe?!? I thought so! 

Shout out to all the working Moms & Dads! 

Gigi 

Eating Low-Carb: The 5 W's

So I'd like to take some time to share with you what I've learned about eating low-carb. Of course, I've done a lot of online research to come to the conclusions that I am sharing, so I'm not taking all the credit for this information, but I feel like information is much more believable when you hear it from a friend. And if you're reading my blog, you're already my friend. I can't say it enough, if I can do this, YOU can do this too!

Some of this information may be repetitive, but a lot of it is new. I am continually learning new things about eating low-carb and love to share!

Who
The who is obviously you. You have to want to make a lifestyle change to make any of this successful. Anyone can do it. Yes, that means you too!

What
The what is the low-carb, high fat way of eating. It's not a diet; it's a lifestyle change. I read many posts that people did it for a year, fell off the wagon, and gained every pound, plus some, right back.  So really, if you want this to last, you have to make it last. But you can. Motivate yourself. Look towards the end goal. Change your eating habits with a friend. Find support in online support groups and social media forums. If you want this, you will find a way.

When
What better time than now to start! Are you ready? Are we ever really ready? Well, make yourself ready and just do it. There's no time like the present.

The other when is how often do you have to eat "right?" Personally, if this is the lifestyle you are going to promise yourself, you have to stick with it. It's easy to fall off the wagon, especially in the beginning if you're not seeing the results you want to. But hang with it. Don't splurge, not even one bite. Don't do it. That one bite turns into two then turns into three. Discipline yourself. Say no. You're strong enough to do this, even though you're sitting here reading this saying, "I'm not strong enough. I have no self discipline." Well, you're wrong. And I can say that as your friend. Put on your big kid pants and do it. Period.

After you get through the first 3-6 months, maybe then you'll splurge. Maybe you'll have a sushi buffet for lunch to celebrate. I did. And I'm still on the wagon. Because one splurge, after months of hard work and pay off, will not throw you off.

A last when is "When do I have time to cook low-carb?" Really?!? If I can cook low-carb with two kids running at my feet (literally!) then you can too. Plus, low-carb meals don't have to be homemade, they just have to be low-carb. There are plenty of low-carb ready made and/or frozen meals you can prepare in minutes for that hectic weekday dinner. Read on folks.

Where
So now you're saying to yourself, "I eat out all the time. I can't possibly alter my lifestyle. What can I eat? What can't I eat? Gosh, what if I can't eat anything?" These are all incredibly valid questions and concerns. We all have them. But guess what? Nutritional facts can be found on ALL foods, so you can always  gauge your meal based on those facts. And if in doubt, eat a salad. :) So where can you find all this invaluable information?

First thing: download a FREE app (I can only speak to the iPhone, but I'm sure Android has some of the same) to guide you. There's Calorie King where you can type in any food, store bought, fresh or from a restaurant, and the nutritional facts will come right up. Right on your phone. Heck, Calorie King also has an online version. Click the link, you'll see. There's also My Fitness Pal; does the same thing, while tracking your consumption. If you don't like those (which could not possibly happen!), try Carb Counter or Fooducate or My Net Diary. There are a million out there. Find the one that works best for you.

Now that you have the nutritional facts on every single food ever made or grown at your fingertips, you're set to go, right? Doubtful. You're still questioning yourself, you're still unsure, you still don't know where to start.

Okay, so let's start here. Let's start on Facebook. Everyone is on Facebook. Everything is on Facebook. Search for "The Low Carb Dish" Facebook page. It's a public page that you can join. It's also a web page containing a million and one recipes. Look at the files folder on this Facebook page and there is a plethora of questions with answers right there. There's one file called "Commonly Asked Questions with Answers" and a ton of websites you can read to learn more. Here's a video with Dr. Mary Vernon explaining the low-carb way of life. It starts off medical, but she shares a lot in her 32 minute video. It's informative about why you should eat low-carb (medical indications, etc), but then you have to go off and learn what is low-carb, what isn't low-carb and what low-carb means.

Another place to start is just by doing an online search for low-carb diets. This is where you're going to learn about the Atkins diet, which is a very strict, very low-carb diet. I personally stick to my own low-carb eating which is:

45 carbs per meal- 3 meals per day
15 carbs per snack- 3 snacks per day

This is what I have been following for the last 10 months and this is what has worked for me. Some people can't get by on this amount; some people have to decrease their carb intake to as low as 20 carbs per day. That's a substantially lower amount than I follow, but it works. It really works. You can truly lose the weight and stay healthy when eating like this!

Here's a list that I have personally compiled of low and high carb foods. Of course my list is not all inclusive, but that's what the internet is for! (click picture to enlarge)

With this lifestyle, you have to learn how to read nutrition labels on your foods. (click picture to enlarge)

So.... once you choose how many carbs you are going to eat a day or a meal, then you can shop down the grocery aisles and buy foods that fit into your lifestyle. Remember what my doctor told me, you should shop around the perimeter of the store where the fruits, veggies, meats and dairy are. The middle aisles are filled with sugars and carbs and should be avoided. I think it's a good rule of thumb, though I shop for items in other aisles. I try to stay away from the cookie and cracker aisle though. ;)

The last resource I am going to share is Pinterest. Look on Pinterest. Type in "low carb." Look at everything that comes up! It's really amazing. Everyone and their brothers are sharing their recipes on Pinterest, including me. Here are some of my low-carb boards- Low-Carb Meals, Low-Carb Desserts, Low-Carb Breakfast, and Low-Carb Veg Dishes.

Why
This is a question you have to ask yourself. Why do you want to change your lifestyle? Is there something medically going on that requires you to loose weight? Do you want to eat healthier for a healthier lifestyle? Do you just dislike what you see in the mirror? Change your lifestyle for whatever reason you want to, but DO IT FOR YOU.

Questions & Concerns
I get a lot of questions about health concerns with eating low-carb and high-fat. I have done extensive research on these concerns too and want to share some websites with you to help clear up those misconceptions.

Research to support Low-Carb eating 

http://www.businessinsider.com/experts-eat-more-fat-2014...
http://www.cnn.com/.../teicholz-fear-of.../index.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/is-it-really-worth-not-eating-bread-pasta-and-other-carbs/2015/02/06/cd6d1c38-89e2-11e4-a085-34e9b9f09a58_story.html?tid=sm_fb
http://news.osu.edu/.../study-doubling-saturated-fat-in.../
Diabetes: 
 
http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/5/1/9
http://www.forbes.com/.../study-eating-high-fat-dairy.../
http://www.businessinsider.com/experts-eat-more-fat-2014...

Blood pressure:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60P6HG20100126...
http://www.businessinsider.com/experts-eat-more-fat-2014...

Cholesterol:

http://www.businessinsider.com/experts-eat-more-fat-2014... http://www.sciencedaily.com/rele.../2014/11/141121151104.htm
http://nyti.ms/1uo06iH
http://authoritynutrition.com/top-9-biggest-lies-about.../
http://www.proteinpower.com/.../protein-power-low-carb.../
http://www.artandscienceoflowcarb.com/the-sad-saga-of.../
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/.../study-questions-fat.../
http://online.wsj.com/.../SB10001424052702303678404579533...
http://news.osu.edu/.../study-doubling-saturated-fat-in.../

Fatty liver:

http://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb-diet-best-fatty-liver

Cancer:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/.../Diet-Never-mind-healthy...
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/early/2014/12/10/jn.114.203505.abstract
http://www.renalandurologynews.com/high-fat-low-carb-diet-beneficial-for-ckd-patients/article/314032/
http://chriskresser.com/new-study-puts-final-nail-in-the-saturated-fat-causes-heart-disease-coffin
http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/12361-war-on-fat-was-a-huge-mistake.html


I hope all of this crazy amount of information is helpful. I know it's a TON to take in. Don't do it all at once. Take it all in, one.step.at.a.time.

The more I re-read what I'm writing, the more I feel like a salesperson trying to sell the low-carb lifestyle. Honestly, I'm not. I don't even know how to connect my blog to those paid websites and I definitely don't get paid for my opinion or time (though wouldn't that be nice?!) I am just sharing my experiences because I know personally about how hard this road is and how much I have grown with the support of others. Now it's my turn to support you, so of course, if you need anything, have any questions or any comments, please, please share them with me. Share them here or share them via email or on Facebook. Just share. I wouldn't be here without the support I received and continue to receive!

Maybe a transformation picture will help motivate you. I posted this on The Low Carb Dish Facebook page. It got over 277 hits. Holy Moly! 

Wishing everyone the best of luck!!!
Gigi

Baked Veggie Medley

Veggie one pan wonder. I wanted to bake several veggies for dinner tonight so instead of boiling 3 pots on the stovetop (which is 3 pots of dirty dishes later!), I decided to use a baking dish and eliminate the stove top all together! You could definitely add chicken or ground beef (or any protein really) to this dish, but I didn't have chicken so I just used veggies. I used a combination of fresh and frozen veggies, just out of convenience, and they all cooked perfectly. Nothing was mushy and everything had a great taste! I don't know that I'd recommend canned veggies though; they're already sitting in enough water.

So I simply added the veggies of my choice- fresh cauliflower, fresh and frozen turnips, frozen green beans and one fresh onion. I wanted to use greens too but I wasn't sure how they'd bake for such a long time. Maybe another night. Once I layered all the veggies- in rows- I added 3 tbsp of butter and sprinkled with about 1/4 packet of Ranch. In hindsight, it could have used a little more ranch. Then I covered with tin foil and baked at 350 degrees for 45 mins. 

I used a glass dish because I have read that it heats better than metal, so I gave it a try. It still took 45 mins. 

I cooked a lot of veggies, so of course I needed help eating them all! Good thing veggies are one thing that everyone in my family loves! Finally, a meal I can share with the family! 

Pure Success!

Gigi

Low-Carb Hot Cocoa

On a fridgid day like today, I needed a hot drink! It's 12 degrees outside, most roads aren't plowed, and the state of Maryland has declared a state of emergency. But I'm snug in my home, with blankets and warmth at my toes. I made some pancakes with pumpkin purée for breakfast accompanied by a hot cup of Low-Carb Hot Cocoa. Perfect combination for this wintry morning!

Ingredients

- 1.5 cups of unsweetened almond milk

- 2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder

- 1 tsp of vanilla

- 4 packets of Splenda 

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a mug and stir together. 

2. Microwave until hot (2 mins for me)

3. Stir again and enjoy! 

This drink is only 5 carbs! Compare that to a prepackaged hot cocoa drink! 

Pair this hot drink with your favorite breakfast and enjoy your time indoors while the cold stays far away... 

My favorite breakfast! Yum! See my recipes for Low-Carb Pancakes & Low-Carb Pumpkin Pie on my blog for these fantastic and delicious breakfast treats!! 

Enjoy! And stay warm!!

Gigi

Holy Mustard Guacamole

I added a little twist on your everyday guacamole by adding Mustard Greens to my mix! Mustard Greens you ask? What the heck are those? Well I didn't know either until I did a little research and found them at my local produce market! There are so many benefits to so many greens so you truly can't go wrong by adding a little more green to you guac!

Mustard Greens prevent arthritis and anemia, lower LDL cholesterol, battle the onset of heart disease and offer protection against cancerous growths and asthma. Mustard Greens are high in Vitamins A, C and K, fiber, antioxidants, B-complex group of vitamins such as riboflavin and folic acid, and high in calcium, zinc, manganese, iron, magnesium and potassium. With all these benefits, we should all be consuming Mustard Greens all the time!! (content courtesy of: faqs)

Ingredients 

-5 leaves of Mustard Greens 

-1/4 of an onion

-3 avocados

-10 stalks of cilantro

-a dash of garlic powder

-a dash of salt

-the juice of one lime

Instructions

1. Boil the mustard greens for 5 or so minutes. They will smell peppery, almost making your eyes tear, but that's normal. If you want, taste them while boiling and you'll see that they taste "normal" and not at all like the scent you are smelling! I promise!! 

2. Drain and dry the greens. 

3. Throw the greens in the blender with the onion and garlic powder. You can use a fresh garlic clove instead of powder if you want, about 1/2 clove. 

4. Once these ingredients are blended, throw in all the rest of the ingredients and blend until desired consistency. 

I used my new citrus juicer to make lime juice! This tool really squeezed all the juice from the lime! 

5. Enjoy with your favorite chips or carb-free pork rinds! I ate with salt & vinegar pork rinds and the added flavor of the pork rinds really made the guac pop! 

This guac is delicious with or without chips honestly! And once I started eating it, it was hard to stop! I pre-portioned my chips so that I wouldn't overindulge. 😉

I hope you'll consider making homemade guac next time you want to dip your chips! I think I'll never go back to store bought after this recipe! 

Delicioso! 

Gigi 

Low-Carb Macaroons

So while I sat and waited (and waited and waited since it felt like forever) for my Low-Carb Pumpkin Pie to settle, I still craved a sweet treat! So I found a simple recipe for low-carb macaroons and made them! With this post, you can absolutely not judge a book by its cover because these macaroons were a mess, but (once I cleaned them up), they were pretty and so damn good! I can't stop eating them either! They're super low in carbs and filled with coconut which is my favorite flavor! Check them out!!

Ingredients

- 4 eggs

- a pinch of salt

- 1/2 cup of Splenda

- 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Beat eggs and salt with a hand mixer

2. Add Splenda and continue beating

3. Gently fold in coconut with a spatula 

4. On a parchment lined cookie sheet, scoop a spoonful of the batter and place on cookie sheet

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins 

Like I said, these guys looked like a mess. The batter was runny so when I peaked at them while cooking, they looked like this...

BUT they smelled good so I was hopeful that they weren't too screwed up!! 

When the 15 mins were over, I had this...

So I trimmed the excessive batter, which also tasted super delicious, and shaped the cookies to resemble macaroons. Once that was done, I think they came out looking "normal-ish."

Give it a try! This recipe was so easy and each macaroon is only 3.1 carbs! I ended up with large macaroons, 11 for the batter, but the whole batter was 34 carbs. Maybe you'll want smaller macaroons as these are hard to eat just one! They're are soooooo sooooooo good! This is my favorite cookie so far!!!!

Yummy in my Tummy!!!

Gigi 

Low-Carb Pumpkin Pie

Craving a dessert, as always, at 10 pm at night! So I found a simple recipe for a low-carb pumpkin pie. And of course I had to try it! I actually had all the ingredients at hand so it was now just a matter of throwing them in a bowl, mixing together and baking! 

Ingredients

- 1 can of puréed pumpkin (15 oz can)

- 1/4 tsp ground cloves

- 1/2 tsp ginger

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

- 2 eggs

- 3/4 cup Splenda

- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (flavored or not) 

Instructions

1. Prep all ingredients in a bowl

2. Mix with a hand mixer

3. Pour into a pie pan

4. Bake for 20 mins at 400 degrees 

5. Let sit for 2 hours to settle 

When I found his recipe, there were no comments on how it came out, so I'll add my own comments. The pie didn't come out firm. The edges looked firm and it didn't jiggle (like it did when I first took it out of the stove). But even though the consistency wasn't really "pie like," it was still really delicious. I would recommend scooping it out and putting it over some pancakes for breakfast actually! You can also find a low-carb pancake recipe on my blog!

Carb Breakdown

65.5 total carbs

Slice pie into 8= 8.19 carbs per slice 

It feels like fall in my house, even though its actually 7 degrees outside... Brrrr... 

Gigi 

Low-Carb Frozen Pudding

So here's the first low-carb recipe I've literally just thrown together. It came out yummy too! And it's my favorite kind of recipe- a dessert!

Ingredients

-one packet of sugar free pudding. I used butterscotch. 

-3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla flavored almond milk 

-8 oz cream cheese 

Instructions

1. Melt cream cheese in the microwave. Two mins did the trick in my microwave. 

2. Stir in the pudding mix, then stir in the almond milk. 

3. Eat immediately OR freeze for a frozen treat! 

The texture is kinda like rice pudding. If you follow this recipe, you can make 6 individual portions. It's about 7 carbs per serving. 

When I went to eat a cup right out of the freezer, I zapped it in the microwave for 15 seconds which was enough for me to dig my spoon into and still have a frozen crunch! Yum!! Even on a cold night! 

Lovin' a little frozen!

Gigi 

Low-Carb Zuppa Toscana

I don't know about you, but I am totally in love with the Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana soup! Gosh, I can go to the OG and order the unlimited soup and salad and eat 3 bowls of soup and another 3 bowls of salad! It's just that delicious! But the carb count kicks my tush... :( so I found a recipe and adapted it so that it was more my pace, and less the carbs!! Check it out! This recipe was a hit with my whole family of picky eaters! Score!!

Ingredients

-5 oz bacon

-1 lb ground beef. While the OG's recipe calls for spicy sausage, I just used ground beef so that my family wouldn't complain that it was too spicy. 

-1 medium sized onion

-2 tbsp chopped garlic 

-32 oz chicken broth 

-3 cups of turnip or cauliflower. I used some of both which was about 1 head of cauliflower and 3/4 of a medium turnip. 

-2 loosely packed cups of kale torn off the stalk

-1 cup heavy whipping cream

-3/4 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp pepper

-optional: Parmesan cheese for topping 

Instructions

1. In a large soup pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Shred bacon while cooking into smaller pieces. 

2. Add ground beef, also separating into small crumbles while browning. 

3. When meats are done cooking, drain most of grease and save a little bit to sauté the onion. 

4. Push the meats to the side and add the diced onion into the middle with the grease. Cook. 

5. When the onion is done cooking, add the garlic until fragrant. 

6. Now add all the chicken broth, cauliflower and/or turnips with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20 mins until the cauliflower and/or turnips are tender. 

7. Add the heavy whipping cream and kale to the soul and keep simmering. Taste and re-season as needed. 

8. The soup will be done in just a few mins. Let the kale cook but stay bright green. 

9. Put your soup in a bowl and add parmesan cheese, if you want. 

10. Enjoy!!! I promise you will!! 

Some tips I picked up while cooking...

-The turnip smells strong, but when it's cooked, the consistency is just like a potato and it doesn't have much of a taste. 

-Slice up your veggies before doing anything else. The meats will cook quicker than you think (even frozen), so you want to be prepared to add each ingredient when it's time. 

-If you're looking for some extra spice in your soup, try some curry or creole seasoning. Or use spicy sausage instead of ground beef. Buy the spicy sausage that is already ground in the meat section of your grocery store. 

-This soup is easy to store for leftovers and tastes just as good the next day. Just reheat in the microwave for 2+ mins and enjoy! 

Hope you love this recipe as much as I did! I must have done something right if my daughter loved it! She even ate it for leftover dinner the next night! 

Bon Appetit!

Gigi

Low-Carb Vegetable Pasta

I've been researching the alternatives for grain pasta for a few weeks now. I tried the shiratake (miracle) noodles and enjoyed them. Then I heard about Zoodles and thought I'd try them too. Simply put, Zoodles are Zucchini Noodles. 

They might be the easiest, quickest pasta I've ever had. After you buy the spiralizer to make them. I bought a Spirooli at Bed, Bath & Beyond (gotta love the 20% coupons!) and immediately went to work.

I will say, the directions in that box were awful, so it was trial and error for me as to which blade cut which way, but I figured it out. I'd also highly recommend this spiralizer. There are many others, like the vegetti that is manual, but the Spirooli is super easy to use! Even my kids helped me! 

As you can see in the photos, you just place a zucchini (peeled or not) into this thingy that spins it around and makes it into noodles. It took like 3 seconds. Falls right on to the plate! 

While you're spiralizing, boil some water. When the water comes to a boil, add the zucchini for 30-60 seconds. The 30-60 seconds is just enough time to get the zucchini warmed, but not soft or mushy! Take it out quickly and place back on the plate. 

At this time, you can top it with whatever you want to, like pasta sauce, pesto, ground beef, whatever! I had mine with pasta sauce. I literally threw my meal together in less than 5 minutes because it was unplanned. Next time, I'll take the time to cook some mushrooms and put them in a sauce with some ground beef. Now that sounds good! 

Since I already had the Spirooli out, I also spiralized an Jicama! Jicama is a root ️fruit and tough, so it was a little more difficult (more man power to crank the knob!) but it still came out great! I used a different blade for it too, just to try it out. 

It was fun to experiment with my newest kitchen gadget! It's always fun to experiment with new (or old) foods and make new creations! Hope you'll take the time to experiment too. Sometimes an experiment in the kitchen is the only experiment we get to do as busy working moms! I know that all too well! 

Happy Spirooling!

Gigi

Low-Carb Cheese Balls

Ok. So last night I made some cheese balls. I start off by calling them cheese balls because it allows the imagination to run wild with "what is a cheese ball?" and the many visuals you have when first hearing "cheese ball." But the cheese ball I made is nothing like what is going through your head. So let me tell you about it. 

I was hungry, wanted a sweet dessert, and I recalled reading some post on one the many low carb Facebook pages that I follow about this cheese ball. It's so simple, yet doesn't sound so exciting, but is so tasty! It's literally a ball of Philly cream cheese rolled in sugar free jello powder! That's it! I don't have to even include an ingredient or instruction list on this blog because it is that easy. Get some cream cheese, roll it into a ball (any size really, but these treats can be rich, so I'd keep it small) and then roll it in a sugar free packet of jello (any flavor). I used sugar free raspberry. It tasted like a piece of cheesecake. Yum! 

So, while I acknowledge that this dessert sounds a little unconventional, it really is delicious. Yes, it's probably fattening, but the low carb lifestyle works best when accompanied by full fat foods. I know this from experience. 

Carb Count

4 oz cream cheese = 8 carbs

That's it! Sugar free jello, prepared or not, has no carbs. 

Perfect snack! Now go enjoy! 

Gigi 

Low-Carb Spinach, Cauliflower & Feta Purée

I found a recipe for a spinach and feta mashed cauliflower. It called for the use of a food processor, which I don't own, so I used a blender. It came out as purée. Still quite tasty though, once you get past the baby food look! 

Ingredients

-1 head of cauliflower

-2 tbsp of butter

-1/4 cup of sour cream

-10 oz spinach

-1/2 cup of feta cheese

-4 green olives 

-2 tsp of dill spice

-salt & pepper to taste 

Instructions

-boil the cauliflower until it's soft enough for the blender 

-place in blender and mash up

-mix in butter, sour cream, spinach (which should be cooked and squeezed of excess liquid), feta, green onion (sliced), and dill spice

-when done, use salt & pepper to taste

Like I said, the consistency is a purée and this recipes yields 6 cups. One cup is 8.3 carbs. It's a great, healthy side dish to any dinner. 

Dinner Time!

Gigi

Low-Carb Coconut Tea Cookies

I was craving cookies. I was craving coconut. I went on Pinterest to find a recipe, but I couldn't find anything simple that used coconut flour. So I improvised. Here it is....

Ingredients

-1 stick of butter

-1/3 cup of Splenda (+a little extra)

-1 tsp vanilla

-1/8 tsp salt

-1 cup of coconut flour 

Instructions

-preheat oven to 350 degrees

-mix butter and Splenda with a hand mixer

-mix in salt, vanilla and flour till it becomes a dough

-make dough balls and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

-flatten cookies and sprinkle with Splenda 

-bake for 10 mins, flip over, and bake another 5 mins

-let cool before enjoying!

Serving size: 15 cookies

Carb count: 4.8 carbs per cookie 

Full disclosure: these cookies are super dry. They are truly meant to be tea cookies. Pour a glass of tea before eating because you'll need to wash it down. That being said, the flavor and taste is phenomenal. If you have any suggestions on how to moisten this cookie up, please leave a comment! 

Thanks for reading and come back soon!

Gigi

Low-Carb Pancakes

Pancakes. Another one of those flour foods that I miss while eating low-carb. So I found a way to make my own! And these are low-carb, gluten free, and all around yummy! They filled me up for breakfast and made me craving more! 

Instructions

- 4 oz cream cheese

- 4 eggs

- just a tad of vanilla (optional)

Instructions

- get out the griddle or frying pan 

- blend cream cheese & eggs with a hand blender

- add a tad of vanilla syrup (or try another syrup if you want or none at all) 

- continue to blend 

- pour about 3 tbsp worth onto the griddle to make a pancake

- flip, like any other pancake

- plate up when the pancake is golden brown

- now is the time that you can enjoy OR you can add some Sugar Free syrup (Maple Farms brand has some) or add a touch of butter, Splenda and cinnamon

These taste just as good as the real thing. They are light and fluffy. Honestly, I ate the whole batch which was 16 carbs total. Super easy and super delicious! Starting to feel like I can eat everything that anyone else eats in my own Low-Carb version! 

Yay for Low-Carb!

Gigi