1001 Low-Carb Recipes Part 33

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 31 g protein; 2 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber; 2 g usable carbs.

Pizza Burger [image]pound (150 g) hamburger patty 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sugar-free jarred pizza sauce 2 tablespoons (15 g) shredded mozzarella cheese Cook the burger by your preferred method. When it's almost done to your liking, top with pizza sauce, then mozzarella. Cook until the cheese is melted and serve.

Yield: 1 serving 1 serving With (depending on your brand of pizza sauce) no more than 2 grams of carbohydrates, no fiber, and 28 grams of protein.

One of the lowest-carb nationally distributed brands of spaghetti sauce is Hunt's Cla.s.sic. It has 7.5 grams of carbs per -cup (120-ml) serving, of which 4 g is fiber, for an effective carb count of just 3.5 grams.

Ultra Meat Sauce This is spaghetti without the spaghetti, as it were.

1 pounds (680 g) ground beef 1 small onion, diced 1 clove garlic crushed 1 green pepper, diced 1 can (4 ounces, or 115 g) mushrooms, drained 2 cups (480 ml) low-carb spaghetti sauce Brown and crumble the ground beef in a large, heavy skillet. As the grease starts to collect in the skillet, add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and mushrooms. Continue cooking until pepper and onion are soft.

Pour off the excess grease. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and serve.

Yield: 5 servings 5 servings Each with (if you use the lowest-carbohydrate spaghetti sauce) 11 grams of carbohydrates and 4.6 grams of fiber, for a total of 6.4 grams of usable carbs and 25 grams of protein.

This is a good supper for the family, because again, it's easy to add carbs for those who want them-you eat your very meaty meat sauce with a good sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and you let the carb-eaters have theirs over spaghetti. Serve a big salad with it, and there's dinner.

Skillet Stroganoff 1 pound (455 g) ground beef 1 medium onion, diced 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 can (4 ounces, or 115 g) mushrooms, drained 1 teaspoon liquid beef broth concentrate 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon paprika cup (180 g) sour cream Salt or Vege-Sal and pepper to taste Brown and crumble the ground beef in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic as soon as there's a little grease in the bottom of the pan and cook until all pinkness is gone from the ground beef.

Drain the excess grease. Add the mushrooms, broth concentrate, Worcestershire, and paprika. Stir in the sour cream and then add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through, but don't let it boil. This is great as-is, but you may certainly serve it over noodles for the non-low-carb set.

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 9 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 7 grams of usable carbs and 28 grams of protein.

Ground Beef "Helper"

When your family starts agitating for the "normal" food of yore, whip up this recipe.

1 pound (455 g) lean ground beef or ground turkey cup (75 g) chopped green pepper cup (80 g) chopped onion cup (60 g) diced celery 2 cans (8 ounces [225 g] each) tomato sauce 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; or teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon Italian seasoning 2 cups (220 g) shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, divided 1 box (about 1 ounces, or 50 g) low-carb pasta [image]cup (80 ml) water Salt and pepper to taste Preheat the broiler.

In a large, oven-safe skillet, brown the meat with the pepper, onion, and celery. Drain off the grease.

Add the tomato sauce, garlic, seasoning, 1 cup (110 g) of the cheese, pasta, water, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Turn on the broiler to preheat during last the few minutes of cooking time.

Stir well. Spread the remaining 1 cup (110 g) of cheese over the top and broil until the cheese starts to brown.

Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 11 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 9 grams of usable carbs and 36 grams of protein.

Hamburger Chop Suey 1 pound (455 g) ground round or other very lean ground beef 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil 1 medium onion, sliced 2 cups (140 g) sliced mushrooms 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal green pepper, diced teaspoon minced garlic or 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 cups (100 g) bean sprouts [image]cup (80 ml) soy sauce teaspoon liquid beef bouillon concentrate In a wok or large skillet over high heat, start browning the beef in the oil and breaking it up. When it's about halfway browned, add the onion, mushrooms, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Continue breaking up the meat while stir-frying the vegetables. When all the pink is gone from the beef and the vegetables are almost tender-crisp, add the bean sprouts, soy sauce, and beef bouillon concentrate. Continue stir-frying until the bean sprouts are just barely starting to wilt and then serve.

Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 8 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbs and 24 grams of protein.

Ground Beef Stir-Fry This looks like a lot of instructions, but it actually goes together rather quickly. It's good when you're missing Chinese food, which is generally full of added sugar and starch.

1 pound (455 g) ground beef 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce, divided 3 tablespoons (45 ml) dry sherry, divided 1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed Peanut oil or other bland oil for stir-frying cup (60 g) coa.r.s.ely chopped walnuts 2 cups (300 g) frozen crosscut green beans, thawed, or 2 cups (500 g) frozen broccoli "cuts," thawed 1 medium onion, sliced 1 teaspoons grated fresh ginger Remember the Law of Stir-Frying: Have everything chopped, thawed, sliced, and prepped before you start cooking! In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce, 1 tablespoons (23 ml) sherry, and the garlic. Add the ground beef and with clean hands mix the flavorings into the meat.

Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) oil in a wok or large, heavy skillet over high heat. Put the walnuts in the skillet and fry for a few minutes until crispy. Drain and put aside.

Using the same oil, stir-fry bite-sized chunks of the ground beef mixture until cooked through. Lift out the beef and drain.

Pour the oil and fat out of the skillet and put in a few tablespoons (30 ml) of fresh oil. Heat it up over high heat and then add the green beans, onion, and ginger. Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

Add the beef back to the pan and stir everything up. Stir in the remaining soy sauce and sherry and another clove of crushed garlic if you like.

Serve without rice for you and on top of rice for the carb-eaters in the family. Sprinkle the toasted walnuts on top of each serving and pa.s.s the soy sauce at the table for those who like more.

Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 19 grams of carbohydrates and 6 grams of fiber, for a total of 13 grams of usable carbs and 34 grams of protein.

Meatza!

Here's a dish for all you pizza-lovers, and I know you are legion. Just add a salad and you have a supper that will please the whole family.

1 pounds (680 g) ground beef or pound (340 g) each ground beef and Italian-style sausage 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning (optional) 8 ounces (220 ml) sugar-free pizza sauce Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional) 8 ounces (225 g) shredded mozzarella Toppings (peppers, onions, mushrooms, or whatever you like) Olive oil (optional) Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4).

In a large bowl and with clean hands, combine the meat with the onion, garlic, and oregano or Italian seasoning (if using). Mix well.

Pat the meat mixture out in an even layer in a 9 12-inch (23 30-cm) baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set broiler to high.

When the meat comes out, it will have shrunk a fair amount because of the grease cooking off. Pour off the grease and spread the pizza sauce over the meat. Sprinkle the Parmesan or Romano cheese on the sauce (if using) and then distribute the shredded mozzarella evenly over the sauce.

Top with whatever you like: green peppers, banana peppers, mushrooms, olives, or anchovies.I love broccoli on pizza, and thawed frozen broccoli "cuts" work perfectly. You could also use meat toppings, such as sausage and pepperoni, but they seem a little redundant, since the whole bottom layer is meat.

Drizzle the whole thing with a little olive oil (if using; it's really not necessary).

Put your Meatza! 4 inches (10 cm) below a broiler set on high. Broil for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.

Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with about 5 grams of carbohydrates per serving, only a trace of fiber, and 27 grams of protein. (This is based on using sugar-free pizza sauce and only cheese, no other toppings.) If you haven't been able to find a pizza sauce that doesn't have sugar, you might combine an 8-ounce (225 g) can of tomato sauce with a crushed clove of garlic and some oregano.

Joe This is our favorite one-dish skillet supper. It's flexible, too; don't worry if you use a little less or a little more ground beef or one more or one fewer egg. It'll still come out great.

1 pounds (680 g) ground beef 1 package (10 ounces, or 280 g) frozen chopped spinach 1 medium onion, chopped 1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed 5 eggs Salt and pepper In a heavy skillet over medium heat, begin browning the ground beef.

While the beef is cooking, cook the spinach according to the package directions (or 5 to 7 minutes on high in the microwave should do it).

When the ground beef is half cooked, add the onion and garlic and cook until the beef is completely done. Pour off the extra fat.

Drain the spinach well-I put mine in a strainer and press it with the back of a spoon-and stir it into the ground beef.

Mix the eggs well with a fork and stir them in with the beef and spinach. Continue cooking and stirring over low heat for a few more minutes, until the eggs are set. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 4 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 2 grams of usable carbs and 25 grams of protein.

My sister likes a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled over her Joe, and I surely wouldn't argue about a little thing like that!

Sloppy Jose This is so easy it's almost embarra.s.sing, and the kids will probably like it. Different brands of salsa vary a lot in their carb contents, so read labels carefully.

1 pound (455 g) ground beef 1 cup (240 g) salsa (mild, medium, or hot, as you prefer) 1 cup (115 g) shredded Mexican-style cheese In a large skillet, crumble and brown the ground beef and drain off the fat.

Stir in the salsa and cheese and heat until the cheese is melted.

Yield: About 4 servings About 4 servings Each with 4 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbs and 27 grams of protein.

Variation: Mega Sloppy Jose. Try adding another cup (120 ml) salsa and another cup (60 g) cheese. Yield: 4 servings Each with 6 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 30 grams of protein.

This is good with a salad or even on a salad. Of course, if you have carb-eaters around, they'll love the stuff on some corn tortillas.

All-Meat Chili Some folks consider tomatoes in chili to be anathema, but I like it this way. Don't look funny at that cocoa powder, by the way. It's the secret ingredient!

2 pounds (910 g) ground beef 1 cup (160 g) chopped onion 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 can (14 ounces, or 410 g) tomatoes with green chilies 1 can (4 ounces, or 110 ml) plain tomato sauce 4 teaspoons ground c.u.min 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon paprika Brown and crumble the beef in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Pour off the grease and add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the chili thickens a bit. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, chopped raw onion, or other low-carb toppings.

Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 7 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 5 grams of usable carbs and 27 grams of protein. a.n.a.lysis does not include toppings.

It's easy to vary this recipe to the tastes of different family members. If some people like beans in their chili, just heat up a can of kidney or pinto beans and let them spoon their beans into their own serving. If you like beans in your chili, buy a can of black soybeans at a natural food store; there are only a couple of grams of usable carbs in a couple of tablespoons. And of course, if you like your chili hotter than this, just add crushed red pepper, cayenne, or hot pepper sauce to take things up a notch.

Firehouse Chili Here's a crowd-pleaser! I served this on a rainy afternoon at our local campground and made a lot of friends! You could halve this, but you'd be left with a half a can of soybeans. You know you'll eat it up, so why 2 pounds (910 g) ground chuck 1 cups (240 g) chopped onion 4 cloves garlic, crushed 3 tablespoons (23 g) chili powder 3 teaspoons paprika 4 teaspoons ground c.u.min cup (60 ml) Dana's No-Sugar Ketchup (page 463) or purchased low-carb ketchup 2 tablespoons (33 g) tomato paste 1 can (14 ounces, or 410 g) diced tomatoes 12 ounces (360 ml) light beer 1 teaspoon Splenda 2 teaspoons salt 1 can (15 ounces, or 425 g) black soybeans In a big, heavy skillet, brown and crumble the beef over medium-high heat. Drain it and place it in a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir everything up. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 8 hours.

This is good with shredded cheese and sour cream. What chili isn't? But it also stands on its own very well.

Yield: 10 servings 10 servings Each with 21 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 4 g dietary fiber, 8 g usable carbs. a.n.a.lysis does not include toppings.

Spanish "Rice"

Okay, this isn't really Spanish. It's not even authentically Mexican. And of course it's not rice. But it is pa.s.singly like the "Spanish Rice" my mom used to throw together to make a quick, one-dish meal out of hamburger! Feel free to used canned, diced tomatoes without the chilies if you don't like spicy food, although this is really quite mild.

1 pound (455 g) ground round or other very lean ground beef 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) oil head cauliflower green pepper, chopped medium onion, chopped 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 can (14 ounces, or 410 g) diced tomatoes with green chilies teaspoon ground c.u.min 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce cup (60 ml) water Salt and pepper In a large skillet, start browning the beef in the oil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, run the cauliflower through the shredding blade of a food processor. Put the cauliflower in a microwavable ca.s.serole dish, add a tablespoon or two (15 to 30 ml) of water, cover, and microwave on high for just 5 minutes.

Go back to the beef and start breaking it up. When you've got just a little fat in the pan, add the pepper and onion and saute them, too. When all the pink is gone from the meat, add the garlic, tomatoes, c.u.min, Worcestershire sauce, and water and bring the whole thing to a simmer. Stir in the cauliflower "rice," cover, and let the whole thing simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Yield: 4 or 5 servings 4 or 5 servings a.s.suming 4 servings, each will have 7 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbs and 23 grams of protein.

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers This was one of those recipes you just come up with out of what's in the house at the time-and it turned out so well, I'd be willing to go buy the ingredients to make it!

1 pound (455 g) ground beef cup (80 g) chopped onion 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 can (14 ounces, or 410 g) tomatoes with green chilies, divided 1 egg cup (120 ml) half-and-half cup (70 g) pork rind crumbs 1 teaspoon ground c.u.min 1 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon pepper 3 big, nicely shaped green peppers Preheat oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4) In a large bowl combine the ground beef, onion, garlic, cup (120 g) of the tomatoes with chilies, the egg, half-and-half, pork rind crumbs, and seasonings. Use clean hands to combine everything well. Cut the peppers in half from top to bottom and scoop out the seeds and core. Form the meat mixture into 6 equal b.a.l.l.s and press each into a pepper half, mashing it down a little to fill the peppers. Arrange peppers in a baking pan as you stuff them. Spoon the remaining tomatoes over the top and bake for 75 to 90 minutes.

Yield: This makes 6 servings from 1 pound (455 g) of ground beef, which is pretty impressive! It's filling, too. This makes 6 servings from 1 pound (455 g) of ground beef, which is pretty impressive! It's filling, too.

Each serving has 9 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; for a usable carb total of 7 g; 27 g protein.

Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps This is fast to make, yet it's interestingly exotic. And it's fun to eat wrapped-up stuff, whether you use tortillas or lettuce leaves!

1 pound (455 g) ground round 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes cup (80 g) chopped onion 1 clove garlic 1 medium yellow pepper, diced (If you don't have a yellow one, a green or red one will do!) cup (60 ml) lemon juice 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules head cauliflower, shredded 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla) 2 teaspoons soy sauce cup (60 g) chopped peanuts cuc.u.mber, diced small 16 lettuce leaves In a big, heavy skillet, start browning and crumbling the ground round along with the red pepper flakes.

When the beef is browned, tilt the pan and spoon off any fat that's acc.u.mulated.

Stir in the onion, garlic, pepper, lemon juice, mint, and beef bouillon granules. Stir until the bouillon dissolves. Turn the heat to low and let the whole thing While that's happening, put the 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.

By the time the cauliflower's done, the pepper and onion should be tender. Drain the cauli-rice and stir it into the beef mixture. Stir in the fish sauce and soy sauce, too.

Put the peanuts and the cuc.u.mber in small dishes. Arrange 4 good-sized lettuce leaves on each of 4 plates and spoon a mound of the meat mixture next to them.

To eat, spoon some of the meat mixture into a lettuce leaf and sprinkle with cuc.u.mber and peanuts. Wrap in the lettuce and eat as you would a burrito.

Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 28 g protein; 12 g carbohydrate; 3 g dietary fiber; 9 g usable carbs.

Unstuffed Cabbage Stuffed cabbage is a perennial favorite, but it's time consuming! Here's a recipe that gives you all the flavor of stuffed cabbage at breakneck speed. Do use very lean ground beef for this recipe-it saves you the time needed to drain off the grease.

1 pounds (680 g) ground round or other very lean ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 cloves garlic, crushed head cabbage, coa.r.s.ely chopped 1 can (8 ounces, or 225 g) tomato sauce 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice teaspoon pepper teaspoon ground nutmeg teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt Start the ground beef cooking in a heavy skillet over high heat; spread it out to cover the bottom of the pan so it cooks quicker.

While the ground beef is browning, chop the onion and crush the garlic. Plunk them in the pan with the ground beef and stir it up using a spatula to turn it over and break it up so that it cooks evenly. Cover the pan and let it continue cooking.

Meanwhile, chop the cabbage coa.r.s.ely. Stir this into the beef mixture a bit at a time-it will come close to overwhelming your skillet, unless yours is bigger than mine. Again, take care to turn everything over to keep it cooking evenly. Re-cover the pan.

Continue to stir the meat mixture to keep it cooking evenly, covering in between stirrings. When the cabbage is starting to wilt, stir in the tomato sauce, lemon juice, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Re-cover, let the whole thing simmer for 5 minutes, and then serve.

Yield: 5 servings 5 servings Each with 7 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 5 grams of usable carbs and 25 grams of protein.

Homestyle Meat Loaf 1 pound (455 g) ground chuck 2 tablespoons (15 g) oat bran 1 egg cup (60 ml) vegetable juice, such as V8 cup (40 g) minced onion cup plus 1 tablespoon (135 g) Dana's No-Sugar Ketchup (page 463), divided 3 teaspoons spicy mustard, divided teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons (4.5 g) Splenda teaspoon blackstrap mola.s.ses Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4).

Plop the ground chuck, oat bran, egg, vegetable juice, onion, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ketchup, 1 teaspoon spicy mustard, salt, and pepper into a big mixing bowl and use clean hands to smoosh it all together really well. Pack it into a loaf pan to mold it and then turn it out onto the broiler rack. Bake for 1 hour.

Twenty minutes before it's done, combine the remaining cup (120 ml) ketchup, the Splenda, blackstrap mola.s.ses, and the other 2 teaspoons of mustard. Brush over the meat loaf to glaze and return to oven to finish baking.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings 4 to 5 servings a.s.suming 5, each will have 19 g protein; 8 g carbohydrate; 1 g dietary fiber; 7 g usable carbs.

Mexicali Meat Loaf 1 pound (455 g) ground beef 1 pound (455 g) mild pork sausage 1 cup (80 g) crushed plain pork rinds 1 can (4 ounces, or 130 g) diced mild green chilies 1 medium onion, finely chopped 8 ounces (225 g) Monterey Jack cheese, cut into - to -inch (0.6- to 1.3-cm) cubes or shredded cup (195 g) salsa (mild, medium, or hot, as desired) 1 egg 2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 teaspoons ground c.u.min 1 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4).

Combine all the ingredients in a really big bowl and then with clean hands knead it all until it's thoroughly blended.

Dump it out on a clean broiler rack and form into a loaf-it'll be a big loaf-about 3 inches (7.5 cm) thick. Bake for 1 hours.

Yield: 8 servings 8 servings Each with 5 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 28 grams of protein.

Do chop the onion quite fine for your meat loaves. If it's in pieces that are too big, it tends to make the loaf fall apart when you cut it. The Mexicali Meat Loaf may crumble a bit anyway because it's quite Chili-Glazed Meat Loaf FOR THE MEAT LOAF:.

1 pound (455 g) ground chuck cup (30 g) minced green bell pepper cup (30 g) shredded carrot [image]cup (55 g) minced onion 1 egg 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Dana's No-Sugar Ketchup (page 463) 1 teaspoon chili garlic paste 2 tablespoons (15 g) oat bran teaspoon dried oregano teaspoon dried basil teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon pepper FOR THE GLAZE:.

cup (60 ml) Dana's No-Sugar Ketchup 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda teaspoon blackstrap mola.s.ses 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil teaspoon chili garlic paste Preheat oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4).

To make the meat loaf: First, put the pepper, carrot, and onion in a big mixing bowl. Add the remaining meat loaf ingredients. Using clean hands, smoosh everything together until it's all very well mixed. Pack it into a loaf pan to mold it and then turn the meat loaf out onto a broiler rack. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

To make the glaze: Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. About 20 to 30 minutes before baking time is up, take the meat loaf out of the oven and spread the glaze over it. Return it to the oven until it's done.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings 4 to 5 servings a.s.suming 5, each will have 19 g protein; 8 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 6 g usable carbs.

Low-Carb Swiss Loaf I adapted this from a recipe that had a whole pile of bread crumbs and a cup of milk in it. I simply left them out, and I've never missed them.

2 pounds (1.1 kg) ground beef 5 ounces (140 g) Swiss cheese, diced small or grated 2 eggs, beaten 1 medium onion, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped 1 small rib celery, chopped 1 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon pepper teaspoon paprika Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4).