Mimi's Favorite Recipe's: December 2015

Friday, December 18, 2015

Low Carb Not-So-Naughty Eggnog

The recipe is below–just be sure to log your nog in MyFitnessPal! Search Holiday Recipe Remix in the food database. There you’ll find the full nutrition info and be able add this delicious holiday drink to your food diary.

Makes about 8 servings
Serving Size: ½ cup

3 1/2 cups 1% milk
1/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup bourbon (optional)
2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon (for garnish)

1. Combine milk, condensed milk, flour, nutmeg and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.

2. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. While whisking, slowly pour 1 1/2 cups of hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Then, add all of the yolk mixture back to remaining hot milk while stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.

3. Pour into a pitcher. Stir in vanilla, and if adding alcohol, bourbon and brandy.

4. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours though overnight is best. Garnish with additional nutmeg or cinnamon before serving.
Note: Nutrition information includes bourbon & brandy.

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Low Carb Apple Spiced Mimosas

Apple Spiced Mimosas

Rating: 5

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 4 champagne flutes

Ingredients

2 champagne flutes
1 bottle of champagne (you won't use the whole bottle)
1 1/4 cups no-sugar-added apple juice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

For sugar rim:

1 1/4 tsp coconut palm sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

In a large bowl combine apple juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
On a small plate combine sugar rim ingredients.
Dip edge of each champagne flutes lightly into apple juice.
Roll in a circular motion around edge of flutes.
Divide apple juice mixture evenly amongst flutes (about 1/2 flute each) and top with champagne.
Serve immediately.

Low Carb Chicken Vegetable Soup

This is the basic chicken vegetable soup recipe I use. I often add lots more vegetables -- whatever I have in the refrigerator, though I always like to include something orange (usually carrots) and usually some chopped leafy greens. It's extremely flexible as far as herbs and spices, too. I like it with a little spicy undertone (thus the salsa). You can add more salsa and some cilantro to make into a sort of Mexican tortilla soup (minus the tortillas to make it low-carb).

A note about stocks and broths: This soup (or any meat-based soup) is best made with homemade or purchased chicken stock (also called bone broth), although you can certainly use packaged broth or a base such as Better than Bouillon (I use some of the base with the stock). Chicken stock is made with the bones of the chicken, and often some vegetables, which are then strained out after simmering. Many people, including many in the paleo and Weston Price communities, feel that there is nourishment in stocks made from the bones that cannot be found in broths which are made merely from boiling meat. I have not found a scientific investigation of the differences between stocks and simple broths, but stocks made from bones have been thought to have healing properties for centuries, and they do have gelatin and marrow that broths lack.

Also note that many packaged broths have sugar in them, as do the bases.

When I have a couple of chicken carcasses (or the Thanksgiving turkey), I will put then in a pot with vegetable scraps, usually including onion skins because of the nice golden color they give the stock. After barely simmering for several hours, I cool and strain it. I am also lucky enough to have a health food store near me that makes stock from organic chickens.

More About Homemade Chicken Stock, from Danilo Alfaro, About.com's Culinary Arts Expert

INGREDIENTS

1 small or 1/2 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 Tablespoon oil
3 cloves garlic, minced, grated, or pressed
1 quart chicken stock
Optional vegetables to add include almost any non-starchy vegetable. My favorites include green beans, celeriac, chard or other greens, red Bell peppers,jalpenos, zuchinni, cauliflower, and cabbage.
1 cup chopped cooked chicken meat
1/3 cup salsa
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh leafy herbs or 1 Tablespoon dried herbs. Favorites include parsley, celery leaves, tarragon, cilantro and oregano. A little thyme is nice too.
Better than Bouillon or other soup base (can use boullion cubes, but they aren't nearly as good)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

PREPARATION

1. Saute onion, celery, and carrot in the bottom of your soup pot. When they begin to soften, add the garlic and stir for a minute, until you begin to smell the garlic.

2. Add the chicken stock or broth, and whatever other vegetables you'd like (if you're cooking greens with other vegetables, add the greens near the end or they will overcook. Exceptions are the hardier greens such as kale or collard greens which can be added with the rest).

Bring to a low boil and cook until vegetable are mostly done. (If you add a lot of vegetables, you may have to add more water, broth, or stock.)

3. Taste, and add Better than Bouillon or other soup base until the salt and "chickeny" flavors are to your liking.

Add the salsa, the black pepper and the herbs. Cook for another minute. Serve.

Nutritional Information: Each of 4 servings has 5 grams of effective carbohydrate plus 1.5 grams of fiber (6.5 grams total carbohydrate), 11 grams of protein, and 92 calories.

Low Carb Moo Shu Chicken

Often, Moo Shu pork or chicken has quite a bit of sugar in it, either added directly or in Hoisin sauce, which can have up to 10 grams of sugar per Tablespoon. I have a sugar-free plum sauce to serve with my version of Moo Shu Chicken. You can substitute pork for the chicken if you'd like. You can substitute packaged cole slaw mix for the cabbage, but if you do, don't cook it more than a minute or it will become mushy, which is not at all the texture you're going for.

INGREDIENTS

Marinade:
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice powder
Stir-fry:
1 lb. chicken, cut into ½-inch strips
2 medium stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
6 oz. fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced into ½-inch strips
1 cup sliced green onion (scallions) - about 6 onions
4 cups sliced cabbage (½-inch strips)
8 oz. bean sprouts (mung beans are good, or any type intended for stir-frying)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon oil (vegetable or light olive oil)

PREPARATION

1. Mix together marinade ingredients, add chicken, and mix to coat.

2. Prepare vegetables, and grate ginger and garlic so everything will be ready.

3. Heat large skillet on medium-high heat with vegetable or olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken, and stir-fry until just cooked through, probably 3 to 4 minutes depending upon how thick you cut the chicken. Remove chicken from pan.

4. Add the vegetable oil, then the celery, ginger, and garlic.

Saute for one minute.

5. Add the vegetables in the following order, stir-frying for 1 to 2 minutes after each addition: mushrooms, onions, cabbage, bean sprouts.

6. Add the soy sauce and the chicken. Toss to combine.

7. Serve with sugar-free plum sauce. If you like, use low-carb tortillas or lettuce leaves as wrappers.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information: Each serving has 10 grams effective carbohydrate plus 4 grams fiber, 31 grams protein, 8 grams fat and 284 calories.

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high heat oils

It is my understanding that olive oil is not a good high heat oil (sauteing, frying, baking, etc). Canola or or Soy would be a better choice.

Low Carb Tofu Shirataki

Love pasta dishes but not all the carbs and calories? Lucky for you, I’ve got the scoop on a Hungry Girl staple: House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodle Substitute!

TOFU SHIRATAKI 101

House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodle Substitute

4 oz. (1/2 bag): 10 calories, 0.5g fat, 15mg sodium, 3g carbs, 2g fiber, 0g sugars, <1g p="" protein="">

House Foods Tofu Shirataki is a pasta alternative found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket, stocked near the tofu.

This swap is a little more slippery and a bit “bouncier” than traditional noodles, but with the right preparation, you’ve got the perfect substitute in pasta dishes. It comes in a bag, floating in liquid -- but don’t be afraid! Read on for foolproof ways to prepare it.

More Low-Carb Ways to Satisfy a Pasta Craving

Big portion size. Small calorie count. The number-one reason to love these noodles is the sheer volume you get for the calories. A serving is technically half a bag, but I always eat the whole thing. And that's totally fine, since the entire bag has just 20 calories! Ounce for ounce, regular cooked pasta has TEN times as many calories as Tofu Shirataki noodles.

Endless serving options. The noodles are perfect in creamy sauces, Asian-style dishes, thick tomato sauces... Stir-frys, casseroles, microwave meals... How’s that for options?

There's a variety for every dish. The easiest to find are the fettuccine and spaghetti, but there are also angel hair and macaroni shapes. Just use the shape that works best in your dish.

Fettuccine is my go-to pick.

How to Bulk Up Your Portion Sizes with Veggies

HOW TO PREPARE IT

Step 1: Empty the noodles into a strainer, and rinse them with water to remove the liquid they were packed in.

Step 2: Dry the noodles as thoroughly as possible by blotting with paper towels—remove as much moisture as you can.

This is the most important step!

Step 3: Cut the noodles up a bit -- the fettuccine, spaghetti, and angel hair varieties can be very long. Using kitchen shears (reserved for use with food only) is the easiest way to do this.

Step 4: Cook noodles for one to two minutes in a skillet or in the microwave. If you're prepping them in the microwave, blot away excess liquid halfway through the cook time.

Now use these noodles like traditional cooked pasta!

RECIPE ALERT: 80-CALORIE FETTUCCINE ALFREDO!

This is the most popular Tofu Shirataki recipe in the Hungry Girl arsenal... I call it Fettuccine Hungry Girlfredo! Here's how to make it:

Use a strainer to rinse and drain 1 bag House Foods Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Noodle Substitute. Thoroughly pat dry. Roughly cut noodles.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Add noodles, 2 tsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping, 1 tsp. light sour cream, and 1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese, breaking the wedge into pieces.

Cook and stir until cheese has melted, mixed with sour cream, and coated noodles, 2 to 3 minutes.

Enjoy!

More HG Tofu Shirataki Recipes

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

Here are some fun ways to take that Alfredo dish to the next level...

Add protein. Skinless chicken breast, shrimp, lean beef... all fantastic additions to the basic Hungry Girlfredo dish.

Spice things up. I love to add seasonings -- garlic powder, onion powder, even taco seasoning! -- to my Girlfredo sauce. Wanna get really crazy? Spike your sauce with Buffalo-style hot sauce!

Veg out. Steamed veggies are fantastic in Hungry Girlfredo -- broccoli florets, carrots, sugar snap peas... Yum! You can also brown some onion in the skillet before you mix up your sauce.

Low Carb Fajitas

Before you ask, yes, there is in this recipe (I consider it the "secret ingredient") I got the idea years ago when I asked the cook in a Mexican restaurant about his great fajitas, so I feel I'm on safe ground. Skirt steak is traditional, but you can really use whatever beef you like, or boneless skinless chicken breast. I usually use green onions for grilling (you can get more for the same carbs, and more fiber) but regular onions if I'm making them in a skillet.

soy sauce

INGREDIENTS

1.5-2 lbs skirt steak or other beef or chicken easily cut into strips
1 medium onion, sliced, or 15 medium scallions (green onions) - same amount of carb!
2 large Bell peppers, sliced - two different colors is nice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 Tablespoons oil

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 5 servings

PREPARATION

1. Combine soy sauce, lime juice, chili powder, and oil. If grilling, save a couple of Tablespoons aside to toss with the vegetables.

2. Slice the meat into about 1/2 inch slices. If using skirt steak, flank steak, or other meat with an obvious grain (lines through the meat), be sure to cut perpendicular to the grain, or you will be chewing a very long time. (Think about it - you want to create a lot of short fibers, not a few long ones.) How to Cut Meat Against the Grain

3.

If cooking in a skillet, marinate everything together in a bowl or plastic bag (a zip-type works well). If grilling, marinate the meat and veggies separately. Even a few minutes helps, up to 2 hours is great.

4. If grilling, remove from marinade and grill.

5. For cooking in a skillet (preferably regular, not nonstick), cook the meat first (it will probably take two batches, depending upon your pan). Add a little oil to the skillet and get it very hot (the oil will shimmer). If you don't get it hot enough (or crowd too much meat in), the meat will steam instead of browning. When the meat is browned, remove and add veggies. When they begin to soften, return meat to skillet to heat through.

6. Serve with salsa, sour cream, cilantro (if desired) and guacamole. If low-carb tortillas are available, that is a nice addition, but a fork works fine.

Serves 5

Nutritional Information: Meat and vegetables, with 1.5 pound skirt steak and green onions, make 5 servings, each with 4.5 grams of effective carbohydrate and 2 grams of fiber (6.5 grams total carbohydrate), 28 grams of protein, and 307 calories per serving.

The marinade could add as much as 1 gram of carb (the whole recipe has 5 grams), but obviously most of it doesn't make it to the table.