A few low carb recipes

From the teleconference this evening, I'm sharing a few of the recipes I shared on the call.  Please share your ideas here.

 
Focaccia -Style Flax Bread

I call this "focaccia" because it is baked in that style -- flat on a sheet pan, and then cut up into whatever sized pieces you want. It works for toast, sandwiches, and other bready uses. It is "rough" in texture like heavy whole grain breads. Since it isn't made with wheat, it doesn't have the same kind of grain as wheat breads, but the carb in flax is almost all fiber. Flax is very useful on a low carb diet, as well as being amazingly good for you.

There is a video of this bread being made. View the video here.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:

    * 2 cups flax seed meal
    * 1 Tablespoon baking powder
    * 1 teaspoon salt
    * 1-2 Tablespoons sugar equivalent from artificial sweetener
    * 5 beaten eggs
    * 1/2 cup water
    * 1/3 cup oil

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare pan (a 10X15 pan with sides works best) with oiled parchment paper or a silicone mat.

1) Mix dry ingredients well -- a whisk works well.

2) Add wet to dry, and combine well. Make sure there aren't obvious strings of egg white hanging out in the batter.

3) Let batter set for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken up some (leave it too long and it gets past the point where it's easy to spread.)

4) Pour batter onto pan. Because it's going to tend to mound in the middle, you'll get a more even thickness if you spread it away from the center somewhat, in roughly a rectangle an inch or two from the sides of the pan (you can go all the way to the edge, but it will be thinner).

5) Bake for about 20 minutes, until it springs back when you touch the top and/or is visibly browning even more than flax already is.

6) Cool and cut into whatever size slices you want. You don't need a sharp knife; I usually just cut it with a spatula.

Nutritional Information: Each of 12 servings has less than a gram of effective carbohydrate (.7 grams to be exact) plus 5 grams fiber, 6 grams protein, and 185 calories.

 

 
Muffin in a Minute (MIM)

Nutritional Information
Per Serving:

Net Carbs: 3.2 grams
Fiber: 9.4 grams
Protein: 12.2 grams
Fat: 17.3 grams
Calories: 235

Recipe Information:
Makes: 1 servings
Prep Time: 1
Marinate Time:
Cook Time: 1
Cool Time:

Ingredients:

    * ¼ cup flax meal
      ½ teaspoon baking powder
      1 packet granular sugar substitute (sucralose)
      1 teaspoon cinnamon
      1 large egg
      1 teaspoon butter

Directions:

1.    Put the dry ingredients in a coffee mug. Stir. Add the egg and the butter. Mix. Microwave 1 minute (or more).
2.    Take out and slice, butter and eat.
 
(I bake mine in mini muffin tins)

Turkey Breakfast Sausage
 
Ingredients

    1 pound lean ground turkey
    3/4 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

    Crumble turkey into a large bowl. Add the salt, sage, pepper and ginger. Shape into eight 2-in. patties. In a nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook patties over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F.

 Thanks!  I can't wait to go get some flax seed meal and ground turkey tomorrow!
Marie

Aspaagus Chicken Lime Soup

Poach a couple of chicken breasts in a can of chicken broth. near the end of cooking throw in some asparagus spears. Can also add some spinach if you like.

When the chicken is cooked remove it, cool and cut into chunks. take the broth and asparagus spears and spinach, add salt and pepper to taste and a blob or two of greek yogurt and the juice of one or two limes. Puree in a food processor. Return to heat and put the chicken back in and reheat. Lime and greek yogurt can be adjusted to taste. Don't know the calorie count but depending on how much chicken you serve up, its gotta be under 100 per cup.

People not on diets like this.   Diane

Lately, I've been trying to make a vegetable soup each week. It makes a nice comforting snack and is a way to get some veggies in, too. The cookbook I've mostly been using is called Saved by Soup: More Than 100 Delicious Low-Fat Soups to Eat and Enjoy Every Day by Judith Barrett. The one I made today is

Splendid Spinach and Fennel Soup with Basil
1 lb fresh fennel (about 1 medium bulb), tall stalks and leaves discarded and bulb cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 medium potato such as Yukon gold, peeled and diced (this is for thickening and could easily be omitted if you don't want the carbs)
4 C chicken or vegetable broth
1 10 oz. package fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 C packed fresh basil leaves
salt

Combine the fennel, onion, potato, and broth in a heavy 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, partially cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Stir in the spinach and basil and cook 5 minutes longer. Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender (I HIGHLY recommend one of these if you like to make soup--saves a ton of time and dish washing). Season with with salt. Can be served hot or cold.

I found it a touch bland and added some pepper, Italian seasoning, a bit of garlic powder, etc. but you can adjust how you like it...

Makes 6 servings (looks like WAY more to me!) Nutrional ino per serving: 82 calories, .8 grams of fat.

Also, I made a vat of Elena's turkey chili today--yummy. Hubby gobbled it down for lunch...

Lizanne

Lizanne, my husband has found a way to improve on the chili, he now uses one can of black beans and one can or low-fat re-fried beans instead of kidney beans.  This improves the protein and fiber count and reduces the carbs even more.  Black beans have complete protein and are really high in other nutrients. They are considered one of the "miracle" foods.  Oh and the taste is even better.  The consistency is wonderful.  Just thought I would share.  I love my husband.  Lizanne, your soup sounds wonderful.  I am going to buy the same cookbook.  I love veggie soups. If you come up with any cold veggie dishes that are low in carbs and fat, I would love to hear about it.

Ooh, that sounds good. I'll try that next time. And, I just realized, Elina, that I have been misspelling your name all this time--my apolgies!

Lizanne

Was just cruising the farmers market and lo and behold, a vendor of nice fresh organic whole flax seed! Got some now that I know what to do with it.   Diane