1001 Low-Carb Recipes Part 18

Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, broth, bouillon, tomatoes, soybeans, coriander, and c.u.min and stir. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 7 to 8 hours.

Top each bowlful with cilantro and sour cream.

Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 25 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 5 g dietary fiber, 9 g usable carbs.

Oyster Stew This is a cla.s.sic recipe that simply started out fast, easy, and low-carb. My husband prefers me to cut really big oysters into quarters. Since you can do this as the cream and half-and-half are heating, it doesn't add any time to the recipe- indeed, since the pieces of oyster cook faster than whole ones, it cuts the cooking time a bit.

5 tablespoons (70 g) b.u.t.ter 1 cup (240 ml) half-and-half 1 cups (360 ml) heavy cream cup (120 ml) water 1 pints (700 g) oysters Salt and pepper [image]teaspoon cayenne Put the b.u.t.ter, half-and-half, heavy cream, and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. As it comes to a simmer, add the oysters and stir. Simmer until the oysters are cooked, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, add the cayenne, and then serve.

Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 8 grams of carbohydrates, no fiber, and 11 grams of protein. Despite the modest protein count, this is filling because it is so rich.

If you'd like to speed this recipe up, you can combine everything but the oysters in a large microwaveable container and cook it for 5 minutes on high, but it's not essential.

Italian Tuna Soup Okay, it's not authentically Italian, but it's a lot like minestrone. It's easy, too.

1 quart (960 ml) chicken broth 1 can (14 ounces, or 410 g) diced tomatoes 1 can (14 ounces, or 410 g) Italian green beans or 1 package (10 ounces, or 280 g) frozen Italian green beans cup (125 g) frozen broccoli cuts cup (115 g) frozen cauliflower cuts 1 cup (115 g) thinly sliced zucchini, frozen or fresh 3 tablespoons (45 ml) tomato paste 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 2 cans (6 ounces [170 g] each) tuna Hot pepper sauce Combine the broth, tomatoes, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, tomato paste, seasoning, and tuna. Add a few drops of hot pepper sauce (more if you like it hotter, less if you just want a little zip) and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Yield: 5 servings 5 servings Each with 14 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber, for a total of 11 grams of usable carbs and 23 grams of protein.

Check the frozen foods section of your supermarket for mixed bags of broccoli and cauliflower and subst.i.tute 1 cup (235 g) of the mix for the separate cauliflower and broccoli. That way, you'll only have one partially eaten bag of veggies in the freezer to use up, rather than two.

Cream of Salmon Soup One person who sampled this soup p.r.o.nounced it the best soup they'd ever had. And it's so easy!

1 tablespoons (21 g) b.u.t.ter cup (40 g) finely minced onion cup (30 g) finely minced celery 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream 1 can (14 ounces, or 400 g) salmon, drained teaspoon dried thyme In a heavy saucepan, melt the b.u.t.ter over medium-low heat and add the onion and celery. Saute the vegetables for a few minutes until the onion starts turning translucent.

Meanwhile, pour the cream into a gla.s.s 2-cup (480 ml) measure or any other microwavable container big enough for it and from which you can pour. Place it in the microwave and heat it at 50 percent power for 3 to 4 minutes. (This just cuts the time needed to heat the cream through- you can skip this step and simply heat the soup on the stovetop a little longer, if you like.) Pour the cream into the saucepan and add the salmon and thyme. Break up the salmon as you stir the soup-I found my whisk to be ideal for breaking the salmon into fine pieces. Heat until simmering and serve.

Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 5 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 23 grams of protein.

Manhattan Clam Chowder 4 slices bacon, diced 1 large onion, chopped 2 ribs celery, diced 1 green pepper, chopped 2 cups (375 g) diced white turnip 1 grated carrot 1 can (14 ounces, or 410 g) diced tomatoes 3 cups (710 ml) water 1 teaspoon dried thyme 4 cans (6 ounces, or 185 g each) minced clams, including liquid Hot pepper sauce 1 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal 1 teaspoon pepper In a large, heavy bottomed soup pot, start the bacon cooking. As the fat cooks out of it, add the onion, celery, and green pepper and saute them in the bacon fat for 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the turnip, carrot, tomatoes, water, and thyme and let the whole thing simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Add the clams, including the liquid, a dash of hot pepper sauce, the salt or Vege-Sal, and pepper. Simmer for another 15 minutes and serve.

Yield: 10 servings 10 servings Each with 11 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 10 grams of usable carbs and 21 grams of protein.

Seafood Chowder My sister Kim, who tested this for me, said that you don't have to stick to shrimp. You could use crab, chunks of lobster tail, or even a cut-up firm-fleshed fish fillet. Don't use fake seafood- "delicacies" and such. It has a lot of added carbs.

1 cups (225 g) shredded cauliflower [image]cup (40 g) shredded carrots 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 clove garlic 1 tablespoon (10 g) finely minced green bell pepper [image]teaspoon cayenne teaspoon pepper 3 cups (710 ml) chicken broth 1 cup (240 ml) Carb Countdown dairy beverage cup (60 ml) heavy cream 8 ounces (225 g) shrimp, sh.e.l.ls removed 1 tablespoon (5 g) Ketatoes mix cup (25 g) scallions, thinly sliced Guar or xanthan Combine the cauliflower, carrots, thyme, garlic, green pepper, cayenne, pepper, and broth in your slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 4 hours.

Turn the slow cooker to high and stir in the Carb Countdown and cream. Re-cover the slow cooker and let it cook for another 30 to 45 minutes. If your shrimp are big, chop them coa.r.s.ely during this time, but little, whole shrimp will look prettier, of course!

Stir in the Ketotoes mix. Now stir in the shrimp and re-cover the pot. If your shrimp are pre-cooked, just give them 5 minutes or so to heat through. If they're raw, give them 10 minutes. Stir in the scallions and salt to taste. Thicken the broth with the guar or xanthan.

Yield: 5 servings 5 servings Each with 17 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 5 g usable carbs.

Quick Green Chowder 1 package (10 ounces, or 280 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed 2 cans (6 ounces, or 185 g each) minced clams, including the liquid 1 cup (240 ml) half-and-half 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream 1 cup (240 ml) water Salt and pepper Put the spinach, clams, half-and-half, cream, and water in a blender or food processor and puree.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring to a simmer (use very low heat and don't boil!). Simmer for 5 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 12 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 10 grams of usable carbs and 29 grams of protein.

If you prefer, you can puree everything but the clams, adding them later so they stay in chunks.

Cheater's Chowder This recipe is so called because you're cheating on the usual ingredients, and you sure are cheating on the cooking time! You are not, however, cheating on your diet. This filling soup is a meal in itself.

head cauliflower 1 medium turnip (just bigger than a tennis ball) 3 slices bacon medium onion 2 cups (480 ml) half-and-half 1 can (10 ounces, or 280 g) minced clams Salt or Vege-Sal and pepper Whack the cauliflower into a few good-size chunks and put it in your food processor with the S-blade in place. Peel the turnip, quarter it, and drop it in there, too. Pulse the processor until everything is chopped to a medium-fine consistency. Put the cauliflower and turnip in a microwaveable ca.s.serole dish with a lid, add a couple of tablespoons (30 ml) of water, cover, and microwave on high for 12 minutes.

While that's cooking, chop up the bacon-I snip mine up with cooking shears, right into the pot-and start frying it over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, stirring from time to time.

Put that food processor bowl back on its base with the S-blade in place, throw in the half-onion, and pulse until it is chopped medium-fine. Dump the onion in with the bacon, which should be giving off some grease by now. Fry the onion and bacon together until the onion is translucent.

Pour the half-and-half and the clams into the pot-don't bother to drain the clams. Stir it and then let the whole thing come to a simmer, stirring from time to time.

When the cauliflower and turnips are done, add them to the pot, too-no need to drain. Stir them in, add salt or Vege-Sal and pepper to taste, let the soup simmer just another minute or two, and serve.

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 16 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 15 grams of usable carbs and 31 grams of protein.

By the way, I tried running the nutritional a.n.a.lysis for this soup using heavy cream in place of the half-and-half. It only cut 1 gram of carb off each serving-but it added 175 calories. Not worth it, if you ask me.

Pantry Seafood Bisque This soup is quick, easy, tasty, and what a gorgeous pale pink color! It's simple to double, of course, but it'll take a little longer for the larger quant.i.ty of half-and-half to heat through. You could microwave it to speed things along, if you like.

1 pint (480 ml) half-and-half 3 tablespoons (49.5 g) tomato paste 1 can (4 ounces, or 115 g) tiny shrimp, drained 1 can (6 ounces, or 170 g) flaked crab, drained 1 teaspoon dried dill weed teaspoon lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste In a large saucepan over low heat, heat the half-and-half to just below a simmer. Whisk in the tomato paste and then stir in the shrimp, crab, dill, and lemon juice. Let the whole thing cook together for just a minute or two, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 11 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 10 grams of usable carbs and 24 grams of protein. Each serving also has 254 milligrams of calcium!

Almost Lobster Bisque Monkfish has long been known as "poor man's lobster," so I decided to use it in a cla.s.sic lobster bisque. However, if your budget allows, feel free to use lobster tail in this recipe instead.

cup (120 ml) heavy cream 1 cup (240 ml) half-and-half cup (120 ml) water 10-ounce (280-g) monkfish fillet cup (120 ml) dry sherry 1 teaspoons Dana's No-Sugar Ketchup (page 463) or other sugar-free ketchup teaspoon Worcestershire sauce teaspoon lemon juice teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal Guar or xanthan (optional) 1 scallion, finely sliced First combine the cream, half-and-half, and water in a large, microwaveable dish. Microwave for 5 to 6 minutes on 70 percent power.

While the cream is heating, cut the monkfish fillet into bite-sized pieces. Bring the sherry to a simmer in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the monkfish, turn the heat down a little, and let the fish simmer in the sherry, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until cooked through.

Stir in the cream, which should be hot by now. Stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and salt, and heat it only to a simmer. If you'd like your bisque thicker, feel free to use guar or xanthan, but it's mighty nice the way it is. Ladle into dishes and top each serving with a scattering of sliced scallion.

Yield: 2 servings 2 servings Each with 10 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 26 grams of protein.

8.

Sides

Cauliflower Puree (a.k.a. "Fauxtatoes") This is a wonderful subst.i.tute for mashed potatoes with any dish that has a gravy or sauce. Feel free, by the way, to use frozen cauliflower instead; it works quite well here.

1 head cauliflower or 1 pounds (680 g) frozen cauliflower 4 tablespoons (56 g) b.u.t.ter Salt and pepper Put the cauliflower in a microwaveable ca.s.serole dish with a lid, add a couple of tablespoons (30 ml) of water, and cover. Cook it on high for 10 to 12 minutes or until quite tender but not sulfur-y smelling. (You may steam or boil the cauliflower, if you prefer.) Drain it thoroughly and put it through the blender or food processor until it's well pureed. Add b.u.t.ter, salt, and pepper to taste.

Yield: At least 6 generous servings At least 6 generous servings Each with 5 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbs and 2 grams of protein.

The Ultimate Fauxtatoes I'm not crazy about Ketatoes by themselves, but added to pureed-cauliflower Fauxtatoes, they add a potato-y flavor and texture that is remarkably convincing!

head cauliflower cup (25 g) Ketatoes mix cup (120 ml) boiling water 1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter Salt and pepper Trim the bottom of the stem of your cauliflower and whack the rest of the head into chunks. Put them in a microwaveable ca.s.serole dish with a lid. Add a couple of tablespoons (30 ml) of water, cover, and microwave on high for 8 to 9 minutes.

While that's happening, measure your Keta-toes mix and boiling water into a mixing bowl and whisk together.

When the microwave beeps, pull out your cauliflower-it should be tender. Drain it well and put it in either your food processor, with the S-blade in place, or in your blender. Either way, puree the cauliflower until it's smooth. Transfer the pureed cauliflower to the mixing bowl and stir the cauliflower and Ketatoes together well. Add the b.u.t.ter and stir until it melts. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 10 g protein; 14 g carbohydrate; 8 g dietary fiber; 6 g usable carbs.

Chipotle-Cheese Fauxtatoes 1 large chipotle chile canned in adobo, minced; reserve 1 teaspoon sauce cup (60 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 batch The Ultimate Fauxtatoes (page 209) Stir the minced chipotle, a teaspoon of the adobo sauce it was canned in, and the shredded cheese into the Ultimate Fauxtatoes. Serve immediately!

Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 14 g protein; 14 g carbohydrate; 8 g dietary fiber; 6 g usable carbs.

Cheddar-Barbecue Fauxtatoes My husband was crazy about these!

head cauliflower, cut into florets cup (120 ml) water cup (55 g) shredded cheddar cheese 2 teaspoons Cla.s.sic Barbecue Rub (page 486) or purchased barbecue rub 2 tablespoons (10 g) Ketatoes mix Put the cauliflower in your slow cooker, including the stem. Add the water. Cover the slow cooker, set it to high, and let it cook for 3 hours. (Or cook it on low for 5 to 6 hours.) When the time's up, use a slotted spoon to scoop the cauliflower out of the slow cooker and into your blender or your food processor (have the S-blade in place) and puree it there, or you can drain off the water and use a hand-held blender to puree the cauliflower right in the pot. Either way, drain the cauliflower and puree it!

Stir in everything else until the cheese has melted.

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 8 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 3 g usable carbs.

Italian Garlic and Herb Fauxtatoes head cauliflower, cut into florets cup (120 ml) chicken broth 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 ounce (28 g) cream cheese Guar or xanthan Place the cauliflower in your slow cooker. Add the broth, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 5 to 6 hours. (Or cook it on high for 3 hours.) When the time's up, either remove the cauliflower with a slotted spoon and put it in your blender or food processor (with the S-blade in place) and puree it or drain the broth out of the slow cooker and use a hand-held blender to puree your cauliflower in the pot. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted.

The mixture will still be a little watery. Stir with a whisk as you use guar or xanthan to thicken it up a bit.

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 2 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 1 g usable carbs.

Ranch and Scallion Fauxtatoes This is great with anything with a barbecue flavor.

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets 1 cup (240 ml) water 1 cup (100 g) Ketatoes mix 6 teaspoons ranch-style dressing mix 4 scallions, thinly sliced Place the cauliflower in your slow cooker with the water. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 5 hours. (Or cook it on high for 3 hours.) When the time's up, the easiest thing to do is use a hand blender to puree the cauliflower right in the slow cooker. Don't bother to drain the water first. Whisk in the Ketatoes, ranch dressing mix, and scallions.

Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 14 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 11 g dietary fiber, 12 g usable carbs.

Garlic-Onion Fauxtatoes Our tester Maria said her kids were particularly impressed by this!

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets cup (50 g) chopped onion 3 cloves garlic, crushed [image]cup (160 ml) water [image]cup (65 g) Ketatoes mix 3 tablespoons (42 g) b.u.t.ter Place the cauliflower in your slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, and water. Cover the slow cooker, set it to high, and let it cook for 2 to 3 hours. (Or cook it on low for 5 to 6 hours.) When the time's up, use a hand-held blender to puree the cauliflower, onion, and garlic right there in the slow cooker. Alternatively, scoop it all into a food processor to puree, but you'll want the water in the pot, so if you transfer the vegetables, put the puree back in the pot with the water when you're done. Now stir in the Ketatoes, b.u.t.ter, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 9 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 7 g dietary fiber, 8 g usable carbs.

Bubble and Squeak This is my decarbed version of a tradition Irish dish-and very tasty, too!

1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter 2 cups (150 g) shredded cabbage 1 medium carrot, shredded cup (120 g) chopped onion 1 batch The Ultimate Fauxtatoes (page 209) cup (60 g) shredded cheddar cheese Preheat oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4).

Melt the b.u.t.ter in a big, heavy skillet and saute the veggies until the onion starts turning translucent and the cabbage has softened a bit.

Spray a 6-cup (1.4 L) ca.s.serole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread one-third of the Fauxtatoes on the bottom and then make a layer of half the cabbage mixture. Repeat the layers and finish with a layer of Fauxtatoes. Top with the cheese. Bake for 45 minutes and serve, scooping down through all the layers.

Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 10 g protein; 14 g carbohydrate; 6 g dietary fiber; 8 g usable carbs.

Cauliflower Rice I say thank you to Fran McCullough! I got this idea from her book Living Low Carb Living Low Carb, and it's served me very well indeed.

head cauliflower Simply put the cauliflower through your food processor, using the shredding blade. This gives a texture that is remarkably similar to rice. You can steam this or microwave it or even saute it in b.u.t.ter. Whatever you do, though, don't overcook it!

Yield: This is about 3 cups (500 g), or at least 3 to 4 servings This is about 3 cups (500 g), or at least 3 to 4 servings a.s.suming 3 servings, each will have 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g of which will be fiber, for a usable carb count of 3 g; 2 g protein.

Cauliflower Rice Deluxe This is higher-carb than plain cauliflower rice, but the wild rice adds a grain flavor that makes it quite convincing, and wild rice has about 25 percent less carbohydrate than most other kinds of rice do. I use this only for special occasions, but it's wonderful.

3 cups (500 g) cauliflower rice-about head's worth cup (50 g) wild rice cup (180 ml) water Cook your cauliflower rice as you please-I microwave mine for making this-taking care not to overcook it to mushiness; you want it just tender. Put the wild rice and water in a saucepan, cover it, and set it over the lowest heat until all the water is gone-at least half an hour, maybe a bit more. Toss together the cooked cauliflower rice and wild rice and season as you please.

Yield: 8 servings 8 servings Even with the wild rice, this has only 6 g carb, with 1 g fiber, for 5 g usable carb per cup (85 g) serving.

Company Dinner "Rice"

This is my favorite way to season the cauliflower wild rice blend above. It's a big hit at dinner parties!

1 small onion, chopped 1 stick (115 g) b.u.t.ter, melted 1 batch Cauliflower Rice Deluxe (page 212) 6 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, and crumbled teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon pepper cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese Saute the onion in the b.u.t.ter until it's golden and limp. Toss the Cauliflower Rice Deluxe with the sauteed onion and the bacon, salt, pepper, and cheese. Serve.

Yield: 8 servings 8 servings Each with 8 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbs and 5 grams of protein.

Saffron "Rice"

What a brilliant color! This looks so beautiful on your plate. It's good with any main dish that's a little fruity-spicy.

head cauliflower 1 teaspoon saffron threads cup (60 ml) water medium onion, chopped 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tablespoons (28 g) b.u.t.ter 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules cup (30 g) chopped toasted almonds Run the cauliflower through the food processor using the shredding blade. Put the cauliflower in a microwaveable ca.s.serole dish, add a couple of tablespoons (30 ml) of water, cover, and microwave on high for 7 minutes.

Start soaking the saffron threads in the water. While that's happening, saute the onion and garlic in the b.u.t.ter over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet.

When the cauliflower is done, remove it from the microwave, drain it, and add it to the skillet. Pour in the water and saffron and stir in the chicken bouillon granules. Let the whole thing cook together for a minute or two while you chop the almonds. Stir the almonds into the "rice" and serve.

Yield: 5 servings of brilliantly yellow "rice" 5 servings of brilliantly yellow "rice"

Each with 4 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbs and 2 grams of protein.

Variation: Traditionally, saffron rice has raisins in it. If you can afford the extra carbohydrates-if, for instance, you're serving a very low-carb main dish-you can stir in 3 tablespoons (25 g) of raisins with the saffron and water. Each serving of this version will have 8 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 7 grams of usable carbs and 2 grams of protein.

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world and with good reason. Each saffron thread is the stamen of a particular kind of crocus flower. There are four per flower, and they all have to be plucked by hand with tweezers. It takes 50,000 of them to make a pound (455 g) of saffron! Luckily, small quant.i.ties of saffron make a big impact on a dish. Do look for saffron in a store that sells bulk spices-many natural food stores do. At least that way you're not paying extra for that little gla.s.s jar.

j.a.panese Fried "Rice"

head cauliflower, shredded 2 eggs 1 cup (75 g) snow pea pods, fresh 2 tablespoons (28 g) b.u.t.ter cup (80 g) diced onion 2 tablespoons (16 g) shredded carrot 3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce Salt and pepper Put the shredded cauliflower in a microwaveable ca.s.serole dish with a lid, add a couple of tablespoons (30 ml) of water, cover, and microwave on high for 6 minutes.

While that's happening, whisk the eggs, pour them into a skillet you've sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, and cook over medium-high heat. As you cook the eggs, use your spatula to break them up into pea-sized bits. Remove from skillet and set aside.