The Best Swedish Meatballs

For my birthday this year, I did a birthday party where people bring their favorite appetizers. We always have enough to feed a small army and this year was no different.

I hadn't put much thought into what I was going to make so I sat with my recipe book (aka Paprika - an online recipe keeper) and went through my recipes.

I stumbled onto this gem. I knew I wasn't going to be up for making the meatballs so I bought frozen ones. They were fine, for tonight. I definitely want to make the real ones some day.

The Best Swedish Meatballs
Recipe from Cafedelites.com

Photo courtesy of CafeDelites.
She takes the best photos of her food.

Serves 6
Meatballs:
1/3 c breadcrumbs
1/2 c milk
1 large egg
1 large clove garlic , grated or minced
1/3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp EACH of black pepper and ground white pepper
1/4 tsp all purpose seasoning
1/2 of an onion , finely chopped
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
2 T fresh , finely chopped parsley
1 T butter
2 tsp olive oil

This is the part that I did make from scratch and it was delicious!
Gravy Sauce :
1/3 c butter
1/4 c plain / all purpose flour
1 c vegetable broth (or stock)
1 c beef broth (or stock)
1 c thickened (or heavy) cream*
2 tsp regular soy sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper , to season

In a large bowl, mix the breadcrumbs together with the milk, cream (If using), egg, garlic, salt, peppers and spice. Allow the milk to soak into the breadcrumbs for at least 10 minutes.

Once the milk has absorbed some, add in the onion, meat(s) and parsley. Mix well with your hands to combine.

Roll meat into about 24 small balls, or 16 larger balls.

Heat 1 tablespoons of butter and 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Fry meatballs in batches of two so they don’t stew or simmer. Transfer to a warm plate and cover with foil.

Add the 1/3 cup butter to the juices in the pan to melt. Whisk in the flour until it dissolves and turns brown in color. Pour in the broth (or stock), cream, soy sauce and Dijon. Bring to a to simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the sauce through well to combine all of the flavors together.

Continue to simmer until thickened.

To serve:

Non Swedish way: Place meatballs into the gravy in the pan and serve

Traditional Swedish way: Do not make the cream sauce at all. Serve meatballs over plain or stewed macaroni, plain or mashed potatoes, and lingenberry jam (optional)

Creamy White Chicken Chili

This recipe just fell into my lap today! It sounded so good I knew I needed to make it immediately. It's comfort food at the highest quality! So delicious. And so very easy.

Creamy White Chicken Chili
Recipe from Pillsbury
Serves 6

Photo from Pillsbury

1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth
2 cans (19 oz each) cannellini beans or 2 cans (16 oz each) great northern beans, drained, rinsed
2 c shredded or cubed cooked chicken
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso chopped green chilis
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
2 c shredded pepper Jack cheese (8 oz)
3/4 c sour cream

In 4-quart saucepan, mix chicken broth, beans, chicken, chilis, cumin and pepper over medium heat.

Heat to boiling, reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gradually add cheese; stirring until melted. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream.

Calories: 410
Total Carbohydrates: 24 g
Dietary fiber: 6 g
Protein: 30 g

Cheesy Hash Brown Potato Casserole

I have heard of these types of potato casseroles as "funeral potatoes".  I think it's the type that people can bring to church potlucks or funerals. It' makes a good amount (9x13) and can I just say...are incredibly delicious.

I would modify this recipe ever so slightly when I make them again.

First, I'd saute the onions. Putting the raw onion in without sauteing it made the onions a bit crunchy and they still had a bite to them.

Then, I don't think cream of chicken soup is the right flavor for this. I think you could either, do away with that soup because there's already a lot of liquid going on in this. Or add mayo, or use another cream of something. It's really a very versatile recipe.

Bacon on top would have really made this fantastic...oh and maybe green onions. MMM. I didn't use corn flakes or Ritz as the topper. I had panko so I used them and it was fantastic.

So, bottom line... 5 stars for sure.

Cheesy Hash Brown Potato Casserole
Recipe from Cooks.com
Serves 6 - easily

Photo from The Salty Marshmallow

2 lbs. hash browns, defrosted (JW Note, and you might want to ring them out a bit)
1/2 c melted butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 c chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c milk
1 c sour cream
2 c grated sharp cheese (Colby or cheddar)

TOPPING:
2 c crushed corn flakes (can use Ritz crackers)
1/2 c melted butter

Mix above ingredients and put in a 9"x13" pan.

Melt butter and add corn flakes to mix. Sprinkle topping over potatoes and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

JW Modifications:
1. Cream of Chicken didn't add much flavor. Can use any cream of whatever soup
2. Need to sauté the onions before putting into the casserole. They were still pretty strong after cooking
3. Bacon on the top would be a nice topper to this. As would green onions.
4. I used Panko instead of corn flakes for the top.

Norwegian Orange Cake

I like to try to make new things for Sunday Dinners and Book Clubs, but all too often I get to lazy. This particular book club I got my act together and made this fantastic Norwegian Orange Cake. It was so fantastic that I gets 5 stars! And then some...

Norwegian Orange Cake
Recipe from: Sippitysup.com
Serves 12

1½ sticks butter
1 c sugar
3 large eggs
zest of 1 orange
⅓ c plus 2 T orange juice, divided
1⅓ c flour
1½ tsp baking powder
3 ounce dark chocolate (preferably 70%), finely chopped
.75 c powdered sugar
candied orange peel as garnish

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the beater attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Beat in the orange zest and one-third cup juice.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. With the mixer running, slowly add the flour mixture until combined to form the cake batter. Fold in the chopped chocolate.

Place the batter into a greased and floured 9-inch bundt pan, smoothing the top of the batter. (The batter will come slightly less than halfway up the sides of the pan.)

Bake the cake until puffed and lightly browned on top and a toothpick or cake tester inserted comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a cooling rack, then remove from the mold. The finished cake will be about 3 inches tall in the center.

While the cake is cooling, make the icing: In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice and whisk to form the icing.

Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake, then garnish with the candied orange.

Chicken BLT Salad

This was a ho-hum recipe. Chop salads are good and I really like them. This one is  no different than any other chop salad. The chicken is no different than any other fried chicken type item you've had. It's quick and easy, but isn't necessary to have a recipe for something like this.

Chicken BLT Salad
Recipe from Myrecipes.com
Serves 6

1 c fat-free buttermilk, divided
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
3/4 c panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 tsp black pepper, divided
1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
3 T canola oil
1/3 c canola mayonnaise
1 T chopped fresh dill
1 T chopped fresh chives
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into 6 wedges
2 c chopped plum tomato
2 ounces crumbled blue cheese (1/2 cup)
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk and egg white in a shallow dish. Place panko in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg white mixture; dredge in panko. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add chicken. Cook 4 minutes; turn over. Bake at 425° for 14 minutes or until done. Let chicken stand 10 minutes; slice crosswise.

Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, mayonnaise, dill, chives, and vinegar. Place garlic on a cutting board; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Chop until a paste forms, scraping with the flat side of knife to mash. Add garlic to dressing.

Place 1 lettuce wedge on each of 6 plates. Top each serving with chicken, 1/3 cup tomato, and 2 1/2 tablespoons dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and crumbled bacon.

Calories 368
Protein 26.7 g
Carbohydrate 12.1 g
Fiber 2.1 g

The Best Chicken Marinade

You know, it's pretty gutsy to claim to be the "best" chicken marinade. I mean, there are so many marinades out there that are pretty darn good. So I had to try this one to see if it was, in fact, the "best".

I have to admit, it was pretty damn good. I'd make this in a heartbeat. I did replace the brown sugar in this recipe with a low carb brown sugar so I can't really comment on how good it may or may not be with real brown sugar. I can assume it would be delicious since brown sugar is so good.

I also didn't let this marinade for 4 hours. Ain't no body got time to let something sit for 4 hours on a weeknight. It sat for about an hour and was delicious. The notes on the recipe say "I've marinated my chicken for as few as 30 minutes and the chicken was still phenomenal. Basically, the longer you have to marinate the better but don't worry if you don't have a lot of time." So, yah, you don't need the full 4 hours, but if you have it...maybe give it a try.

The Best Chicken Marinade
Recipe from Momontimeout.com

Photo from Mom on Time out . com

Serves 6

½ c extra virgin olive oil
½ c balsamic vinegar (or other vinegar)
¼ c soy sauce
¼ c Worcestershire sauce
⅛ c lemon juice
¾ c brown sugar
2 tsp dried rosemary [ yah, I forgot this]
2 T Dijon or Spicy Brown mustard
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
6 chicken breasts or 3.5 lb chicken

Combine all ingredients, except for chicken, in a large Pyrex measuring cup or mixing bowl and whisk together.

Remove a half a cup of marinade and reserve for basting the chicken later.

Place chicken in a large, Ziploc bag and pour marinade over the top. Close securely.

Marinate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

To grill:

Preheat grill to medium high heat and lightly oil the grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Grill chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Baste the chicken occasionally with the reserved marinade.

Remove chicken from grill and tent with foil. Let chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving

Balsamic Grilled Mushrooms

Mushrooms are my jam...but on cooked mushrooms. Raw ones are gross. I'm always looking for a new, fun, tasty way to cook mushrooms. My go to is usually a little butter and some sauteing.

This recipe is easy and delicious.  I didn't grill these BTW. I sliced them before I realized they were to be grilled. So if you saute them, be warned though, the balsamic can burn pretty quickly if you don't pay attention.

Balsamic Grilled Mushrooms
Recipe from Delish.com

Photo from Delish.com

Serves 4

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 T low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/2" thick
Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

In a large bowl, whisk together balsamic, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper. Add mushrooms and marinate 20 minutes.

Heat grill to medium-high. Skewer mushrooms and grill 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Garnish with parsley before serving.

Cream Cheese Pancakes

I'm forever looking for a low carb breakfast that isn't egg. Egg is a main stay and makes a quick breakfast...I'm just not a fan and at work it's hard to make eggs.

I've made a couple of versions of pancakes so far. Almond flour ones aren't great, but doable in a pinch. THESE, however, were quick, easy, and delicious. I only made one small modification of adding vanilla. The recipe calls for Vanilla Steva which I didn't have, so dropped in some vanilla extract.

Other modifications I think would be good:

• Adding cinnamon
• Adding a dollop of pumpkin puree
• Adding bacon/sausage or something to make them savory. 
• Adding cheese (and not add the steva so much)

Also, you need to stir the batter before making a new pancake. The psyillium husk tends to sink.

Cream Cheese Pancakes

Recipe from Lowcarbyum.com

Makes about 14 4 inch pancakes (these are thin pancakes)

Photo by Jenn

6 large eggs or 4 duck eggs for fluffier pancakes

6 ounces cream cheese

15 drops vanilla stevia drops optional (without the vanilla Steva I added a tsp of vanilla extract)

1 T whole psyllium husks whole

Place all ingredients in a small blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Pour about 3 tablespoons batter onto hot griddle or large frying pan for each pancake.

When top is covered in bubbles and edges appear dry, flip pancakes. Continue to cook until bottom side is browned.

Remove from griddle. Serve warm with butter and low carb maple flavored syrup if desired.

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.8g | Protein: 7.2g | Fat: 12.7g 

Coconut Flour Psyllium Husk Bread

Don't be fooled. It's still not bread. Low carb bread isn't great and I'm still struggling to find a low carb bread that is easy and delicious. This one is still my favorite.

Tonight I got a wild twig and decided I needed to try a new bread. This one is good, but not great. It needs a bit of sweet I think. It uses Psyllium husk which is GREAT of your digestion...if you know what I mean.

I'm going to try it in French toast tomorrow so we'll see how that goes.

Coconut Flour Psyllium Husk Bread

Serves 15

6 T whole psyllium husks  may want to finely grind
3/4 c warm water
1 c coconut flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 pint egg whites 2 cups (or use 8 whole eggs)
2 large eggs see note
1/2 c olive oil
1/4 c coconut oil melted

Preheat oven to 350°F.

If not using silicone pan, grease or line pan with parchment paper. I used an 8×4-in pan.

Dump all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until well combined. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a mixing bowl with electric mixer.

Spread batter into 8×4 loaf pan. Smooth top.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until edges are brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let bread sit in pan for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan and allow to cool completely on rack.

Calories 127kcal
Serving: 1slice
Carbohydrates: 6g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 13.3g
Fiber: 4.1g

Easy Keto Ground Beef Casserole

I saw this recipe while on vacation...eating really good, not low carb food. I knew the moment I got home I HAD to get back on the low carb train because inviting carbs into my life again is a failure I am not interested in. So, tonight, I stopped and got the ingredients for this.

It's an interesting combination of things. I wasn't sure what to expect and, frankly, it was good. It's not fancy...it's protein and filling. I'd make this again.

I only made one modification, I added about tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.

Easy Keto Ground Beef Casserole
Recipe from Kaseytrenum.com
Serves 6 (she says 8 on her site, but I'm not convinced it will serve 8...maybe I was just hungry)
1 pound ground beef

Photo from Kaseytrenum.com

3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
JW add: 1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cans green beans, drained
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground beef in a cast-iron skillet then drain the excess grease.

Add cream cheese and stir until melted then add beef broth, heavy whipping cream, garlic powder, and salt/pepper.

Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat until mixture begins to thicken then reduce heat and simmer. Add 1 T Worcestershire Sauce

Once the ground beef mixture thickens add the two cans of green beans that have been drained on top then sprinkle cheese on top of green beans.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Calories: 281kcal
Carbohydrates: 4g
Protein: 18g
Fat: 11g
Fiber: 0.875g

The Best Oven Roasted Garlic Parmesan Asparagus

Side dishes are a big thing for me. I need creativity for side dishes or I get bored pretty quickly. There's a ton of variety in the protein but side dishes aren't as easy for me.

I made this for a dinner party and it was a huge success. So tasty and so delicious. I'll make this again for sure.

The Best Oven Roasted Garlic Parmesan Asparagus
Recipe from Sweetcsdesigns.com
Serves 4

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed off
2 T olive oil, extra virgin
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 c Parmesan , shredded or grated
2 T lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper, fresh cracked

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Trim asparagus to remove tough, woody ends - discard ends.

On a baking sheet (line with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup), lay down asparagus.

Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and lemon juice, mix around with hands to coat evenly.

Pour cheese and garlic powder over asparagus, mix with hands to evenly mix and coat asparagus.

Generously season with salt and pepper.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes - checking at around 10 minutes to see if tips have started to brown slightly and asparagus has softened a bit.

Cook until asparagus is soft and has crunchy browned bits, about 15 minutes total (this is very dependent on your oven and the thickness of the asparagus stalks - watch it to be sure it doesn't overcook.)

When asparagus is done, serve immediately.

Calorie 141
Carb 6
Protein 7
Fiber 2

Big Mac Salad

This recipe...Oh my goodness...so good.

I'm a big fan of the components that make up a Big Mac, but not a fan of the Big Mac. It's too big and tooo...well, icky.

But what's not to love about burger, pickles, ketchup, mayo, lettuce and tomatoes...I mean, Yum.

Super easy recipe and super filling.

Big Mac Salad
Recipe from Lowcarbyum.com
Serves 8...but really 4 good size meals or a serving based on the small salad plate and dressing mixture is about 3/4 Cup will feed 8

Salad:
1 1/3 pounds ground beef about 600 grams
1/2 small onion chopped (optional)
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/8 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/8 tsp chili pepper (optional)
12 ounces lettuce greens
2 spears dill pickles diced
3 small tomatoes sliced (optional)
3/4 cup cheddar cheese freshly grated
1 small red onion sliced (optional)
Salt & Ground Black Pepper to taste
1-2 T olive oil for sautéing

Dressing :
2 T tomato paste
3 T water
1/3 c mayonnaise
1/4 c sour cream
1/8 tsp ground sage
1/8 tsp ground oregano
1/8 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
low carb sugar substitute (if desired)
salt & ground black pepper to taste

Dressing:

Dilute tomato paste in water and add some sweetener (if desired). Add mayonnaise and sour cream. Season with sage, oregano, basil, salt and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.

In a slightly greased skillet, sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for a few minutes without burning. Add lean ground meat then season with thyme, oregano and marjoram. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Add a little chili pepper for some heat. Thoroughly cook beef. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towel. Set aside.

Assemble Salad:

Cover platter with greens. Layer cooked beef, chopped greens – lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, dill pickles and top with cheddar cheese. Drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!

Calories 273kcal
Carbohydrates: 2g
Protein: 19g

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is one of my favorite chicken dishes. I remember having it at TASIS and falling in love with the creamy richness of this dish. I've made it a number of times and it almost always turns out great.

Last nights dish was a disaster. I had college friends over for dinner, people I hadn't seen in a very long time and didn't know their food preferences. Chicken Marsala seemed like a safe bet. All was fine in the prep and the cooking of the chicken. Then the sauce happened.

I put the marsala and chicken sauce in the pan to reduce and let it go for a good 10 minutes. Then came the cream...and it curdled. Ugh. So I figured I'd strain the sauce and start fresh. I figured the sauce was too hot and/or too much acid in the dish. At any rate, it was a disaster.

When I strained the sauce I neglected to put something to strain it in, so down the drain it went. F*ck! So then I had to think fast. I put the mushrooms back in the pan...and then just made a Parmesan cream sauce. Added the rest of the half and half and some whole milk with Parmesan. Put the chicken in and walked away...then I burnt the damn sauce. It was not turning out to be my night.

Took the chicken out, used another pan and remade the Parmesan cream sauce. It turned out fine and we joked about it a bit, but good heavens what a mess.

Now, this recipe, however, is easy. It's quick and simple. Just know when you add the cream, do it at a much lower temp and be sure your wine has reduced plenty. Once something curdles it's hard to come back from that.

Chicken Marsala
Recipe from Cafedelites
Serves 4

Chicken:
1/2 c all-purpose flour (plain flour)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black cracked pepper
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally to make 4 fillets*
2 T olive oil, divided
4 T unsalted butter, divided

Marsala Sauce:
1 T unsalted butter as needed
8 ounces (250g) brown or Cremini mushrooms, sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c dry Marsala wine
1 1/4 c low-sodium chicken broth (or stock)
3/4 c heavy cream (thickened cream, evaporated milk or half and half may also be used)**
2 T fresh chopped parsley

Mix the flour, salt, garlic powder and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off excess.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch pan or skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry 2 of the chicken breasts until golden-brown on both sides (about 3 to 4 minutes per side). Transfer to warm plate, tent with foil and keep warm.

Repeat the same with the remaining 2 chicken breasts.

In the same pan with remaining pan grease leftover from the chicken, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the mushrooms and for 2-3 minutes until browned, scraping away at any of the leftover chicken bits off the bottom of the pan.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pour in the Marsala and the broth and simmer until reduced by half and starting to thicken, (about 10-15 minutes).

Pour in the cream and return the chicken back into the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens (about 3 minutes). Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately. (The sauce will continue to thicken off the heat.)

Serve over cooked angel hair pasta (or pasta of choice), rice, potatoes, cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles, if desired.


Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 29g | Fiber: 1g

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

Oh Lord was this a perfect meal for a cold fall day. The recipe is easy and delicious. You should really make this recipe. It hits all the notes you'd expect: Comfort, flavor, comfort, beef, comfort, stewy, comfort...you get the picture.

My crock pot wasn't big enough for amount of food here. So I put it in a dutch oven and cooked in the oven at 250 for 6-8 hours. Turned out perfect.

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
Recipe from The Recipe Critic

TheRecipeCritic.com

5 slices bacon, finely chopped
3 lbs. boneless beef chuck, cut to 1 inch cubes
1 cup red cooking wine
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup flour
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons thyme, finely chopped
5 Medium Carrots, sliced
1 pound baby potatoes (I used tri color)
8 ounce fresh mushrooms, sliced
fresh chopped parsley for garnish

In a large skillet cook bacon over medium high heat until crisp. Put bacon in slow cooker. Salt and pepper the beef and add to the skillet and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes. Transfer beef to the slow cooker.

Add the red wine to the skillet scraping down the brown bits on the side. Allow it to simmer and reduce and slowly add chicken broth, and tomato sauce, and soy sauce. Slowly whisk in the flour. Add the sauce to the slow cooker.

Add garlic, thyme, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Give it a good stir and cook on low until beef is tender for 8-10 hours or high for 6-8. Garnish with fresh parley and serve with mashed potatoes if desired.

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

Chinese food ranks up there for me as a favorite. It's not very carb friendly though since most the time I feel obligated to eat it with rice. I'm learning, however, that rice isn't essential if the main dish has flavor.

This dish was good. It wasn't GREAT and didn't earn a 5 star ranking from me. It was flavorful and easy to make, so there's that. The sauce was good, but not great. The best part is I remembered the cashews this time. I forget them so often.

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Recipe from Spendwithpennies.com

Photo from SpendwithPennies.com

For the stir fry:
1 T vegetable oil , divided use
2 small zucchini , quartered lengthwise then sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 c of mushrooms , quartered
1 onion coarsely chopped
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cloves of garlic , minced
1/3 c roasted cashews (unsalted or low sodium)

For the sauce:
1/3 c chicken broth (or water)
1 T soy sauce
1 T hoisin sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp corn starch

Heat 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes or until just softened.

Add the mushrooms and zucchini to the pan and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender and just browned.

Remove the vegetables from the pan, place on a plate and cover to keep warm.

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. Increase the heat to medium high.

Place the chicken in the pan and season with the salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through and golden brown.

Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce.

In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch.

Return the vegetables to the pan with the chicken and pour the sauce over the top. Increase the heat to high and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Stir in cashews and serve immediately, over rice if desired.

Calories: 289
Carbohydrates: 14g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 28g

Easy Mongolian Beef

Chinese food is a food I miss being low carb. It's also the one ethnic food that I find so easy to make at home. And, without rice. Which makes me sad. I miss rice.

Tonight I made Mongolian Beef. It's not something I order too often while out, but this recipe caught my eye. It's super easy to put together.

I modified it with two things...I added sauted mushroom and zucchini. I needed to bulk this up a bit since I wasn't eating rice with it.

You can make this even lower carb by using a brown sugar substitute. Let me be clear, this isn't a low carb recipe making it as it's listed. I didn't have a sugar substitute, so it had a bit more carbs than I would have preferred.

Easy Mongolian Beef
Recipe from Therecipecritic.com

Photo from TheRecipeCritic.com

Serves: 4

1½ pounds flank steak, sliced thin
¼ c cornstarch
3 T vegetable oil
½ c low sodium soy sauce
½ c brown sugar
¼ c water
1 tsp minced ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
green onions, sliced for garnish

In a large zip lock bag add the sliced flank steak and cornstarch. Toss the beef to coat evenly. Heat a large skillet to high heat and add the vegetable oil. Once heated, add the steak in a single layer and cook on each side for about a minute until the edges just start to brown. Once the steak is cooked, remove and set aside on a plate.

In a small mixing bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, water, ginger, and garlic. Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a boil. Add the steak to the sauce and allow the sauce to thicken for a couple of minutes. Toss with the chopped green onions and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

Keto Stuffed Mushrooms

Sunday dinner, like any social event, is hard to keep low carb. I figured the carb count is going to be high so where I can make a difference I do.

I ended up owning appetizers last night so I decided to keep it low carb. Stuffed Mushrooms is an all time favorite and, relatively speaking, are low carb on their own. Most recipes have breadcrumbs and few other yummy bits.

This recipe has no bread crumbs and is delicious. Super easy to make, takes just a small amount of planning so the cream cheese is softened, but otherwise, easy to pull together.

Keto Stuffed Mushrooms
Recipe from dietdoctor.com

Serves 4-6

8 oz. bacon
12 mushrooms
2 tbsp butter
7 oz. cream cheese
3 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tsp paprika powder
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Start by frying the bacon until really crispy. Let cool and crush into crumbs. Save the bacon fat.

Remove the mushroom stems and chop them finely. Sauté in the bacon fat, adding butter if needed.

Place the mushrooms in a greased baking dish.

In a bowl, mix the crumbled bacon with the fried, chopped mushroom stems and the remaining ingredients. Add some of the mix to each mushroom.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms turn golden brown.

Beef Egg Roll Slaw

Soooo egg rolls are one of my favorite things. Turns out the wrapper has carbs. Which is my favorite part.

But then I found this recipe. I have done deconstructed cabbage rolls too and I've gotta say, this deconstructing of some of my favorites are turning out pretty good.

I got a bit heavy handed with the ginger, but it wasn't horrible. I like ginger, so there's that.

If you love the insides of an egg roll, make this recipe.


Beef Egg Roll Slaw
Recipe from Recommended.Tips

Photo from Recommended.Tips

2 T sesame oil
1/2 c diced onion
5 green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 T chili-garlic sauce (such as sriracha)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
sea salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 (14 ounce) package coleslaw mix
3 T soy sauce

1 T apple cider vinegar

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, white parts of the green onions, and garlic.

Sauté until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add ground beef, sriracha, ginger, salt, and black pepper.

Sauté until beef is browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes.

Stir coleslaw mix, soy sauce, and cider vinegar into the beef mixture.


Sauté until coleslaw is tender, about 4 minutes more. Top with the rest of the green onions.

Double Chocolate Mousse (Low Carb)

Y'all... this is the BEST low carb dessert I've had. I made this for book club and it was a hit.

I chopped up some of the sugar free chocolate and put it in the mousse.

Other ideas we came up with to add to this was orange or coffee extract. Yum.

Double Chocolate Mousse (Low Carb)
Recipe from Cafedelites

2 (13.7oz) cans full fat coconut cream or coconut milk
2 T confectioners sweetener (or confectioners
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
20 g | 2 squares 70% chocolate , shaved (optional for extra richness -- or sugar free chocolate chips)
extra shaved chocolate to garnish

Place sealed cans of coconut cream (or milk) in the refrigerator overnight. Without shaking the cans, open carefully and scoop out the thick cream sitting at the top above the water. Transfer the thick hard cream to a bowl and discard all of the liquid left in the bottom of the cans (or reserve to add into smoothies later).

Add the sweetener (or sugar if using) and beat on high using a hand mixer (or whisk) until thick and creamy (about 1-2 minutes). Reserve about 4 tablespoons of the plain 'whipped cream' to use as a topping to serve with and set aside.

Fold the cocoa powder and salt through the cream and beat (or whisk) again until smooth, well combined and thick. Fold through the shaved chocolate if using). Depending on the coconut milk you use, a mousse will form almost immediately once the cocoa powder is mixed through. If not, refrigerate until set and ready to serve, or serve immediately. Dollop the 'plain whipped cream' over the mousse and sprinkle with shaved chocolate (if using).

Creamy Pico De Gallo Dip

This is such an easy dip and so worth it. I can't believe that I never thought to mix Pico de Gallo with cream cheese. 

I can think of so many things to do with this dip...like put it on top of chicken breast or mix it with pasta. 

Creamy Pico De Gallo Dip

Recipe from Thenovicechefblog.com

1 c chopped tomato (about 4-5 Roma tomatoes)

1/3 c chopped red onion (about half of a small onion)

1/4 c chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 garlic clove, minced

juice from one lime

1 (8 oz) block Neufchâtel Cheese (the skinny cream cheese)

In a medium bowl, toss together tomato, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic and lime juice. Use immediately, or let marinate for a few hours if you have the time. This can also be done as early as the day before.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.

Lay Neufchâtel Cheese on baking dish. Cover with Pico de Gallo. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until warmed throughout.

I didn't heat this up. Instead kept it chilled. So much better.