24/7 Low Carb Diner: February 2015

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Bacon Breakfast Enchiladas

This fine day welcomed us with a swirl of beautiful snowflakes and a really strong north wind. Lovely when you see it, not so fun if you have to travel in it. So glad we went to church last night so we could have this lazy weekend breakfast this morning while keeping our toes nice and toasty.

I love my Incredible Egg Enchiladas, but this one is all breakfast flavors without the enchilada sauce. Egg wraps stand in for the standard tortilla. A cream cheese sauce goes over the top instead of a chili based enchilada sauce. No one would stop you from adding some green chiles or jalapenos. Well, my hubby stops me, but maybe you all like them. I sure would.

They are far easier to make than you would suspect. A slice of bacon inside each "enchilada" makes for amazing flavor. I added some sauteed peppers and onions, along with the much to be expected Cheddar cheese. Yum. Nothing better on a cold morning.

For an everyday breakfast, I think 2 is a fine serving. This morning, after sleeping in, this for us was a brunch. That's why we splurged and ate 3 enchiladas each. If you need to lower the calorie count a bit, cut back on the cheese by half. Our way is really tasty though!

Bacon Breakfast Enchiladas

1 tbsp coconut oil

3 eggs

7 strips bacon

1 cup onion and bell pepper mix

2 oz Neufchatel cream cheese

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a non stick skillet (or a cast iron skillet on high heat). In a small bowl, beat eggs. When skillet is hot sprinkle a small pinch of salt in the center. Pour about 2 tbsp of egg into the skillet. Use the back of a spoon to spread the egg into a square shape approximately the size of a piece of bread. When the top is set, flip. Place each completed wrap on a plate. Add the sprinkle of salt before each wrap to prevent sticking. Make 6 wraps.

Fry bacon until crisp. Set aside. In the same skillet, sauté the onion and pepper mixture until soft.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream cheese, water and salt. Whisk to combine into a creamy sauce.

Divide the onion and pepper mixture into sixths. Place a line of onions and peppers into each egg wrap. Top with a tablespoon of shredded cheese. Break a piece of bacon in half and place over the cheese. Roll the wrap like an enchilada and place seam down in an 8 inch square casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining 5. (I needed to place one enchilada the opposite direction of the others)

Pour the cream cheese sauce over the top of the enchiladas and smooth with a spoon. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the sauce. Crumble the last slice of bacon over the top. Bake the enchiladas for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serves 3

443 calories

5 g net carbs

Serves 2

664 calories

8 g net carbs

This is one of the recipes that will be in the upcoming Diner News for March. I will be featuring casserole recipes. Lots of comfort food ahead! I love casseroles--the ease of preparation, the wonderful flavor combinations, the endless variety... If you want to make this into a family sized recipe, just double or triple the recipe. The enchiladas do take up some room, so plan your pan accordingly. I had to run one of my enchiladas the opposite way in the casserole dish. No problem, except perhaps for those of you who are a little OCD about presentation. If that happens, just eat that one first! Still looks delish though, right?

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A Table for Two here.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Bacon Bowls--As Seen on TV

Everyone knows low carbing is all about bacon, right? Well, not to further that stereotype, but this time it is about bacon. I had seen the Perfect Bacon Bowl at the stores, but the price point was too high for me. Then it happened. The Dollar Tree did it to me again. Bacon Bowls for a buck. Actually, two for a buck. I had to try it. I am a sucker for gadgets.

These are sturdier than I thought they would be. And no, I am not being compensated at all for this review. Although I had mixed results my first try out, I think my dollar investment was not wasted. I made my sweetie a nice Valentine breakfast. He really liked the bacon and Cottage Cheese Eggs that filled the bowl. Given that it was such a special day, he also got some fresh strawberries and a Cinnamon Dutch Baby pancake. Check Low Carbing Among Friends Volume 1 for the Dutch Baby recipe. Still yummy after all these years. Cottage Scramble is in the Sept. 2014 Diner News. Love the texture of those eggs!

The bacon bowl instructions allow for use in a microwave oven, standard oven or toaster oven. Since my hubby keeps trying to get me to replace my toaster oven, I opted not to use it. The toaster oven still works fine after more than 20 years so why replace it? Just in case a grease fire broke out, I did not want him to win that argument. Even on Valentine's Day. Microwave and standard oven for us.

I tried the microwave version first. Learning curve here trying to guestimate the cooking time for your appliance. It worked great--even though I did try to pick it up with my clunky oven mitt and spilled a bit of hot fat. No injury, just a mess on the countertop. The bacon may have been a tad overcooked, but that is the way I like it. Undercooked bacon is something I just don't do. I will just reduce the cooking time by about 15 seconds next time.

John would have liked it a bit "less crisp" shall we say. I decided his would be the oven variety. True, it did take 30 minutes, but I was willing to wait. It looked great. Not at all ~~burned~~ crispy. The problem is, it got stuck to the little pan in two places and fell apart when I was trying to remove the bowl from the form. I am willing to give it another go, but this time, one of us didn't get a bowl. Saint that I am, I endured the less than crisp bacon so my darling could have the amazing bowl. It was my labor of love afterall. It must have worked. He still loves me on this, our 28th Valentine's Day together.

Overall, these little gadgets are fun. I am glad they are deeply discounted though. For a dollar, even if you only use them a couple times a year, it is worth it. The box shows eggs and even dessert. No, not going there. But I do think they would make a really cute lunch version filled with broccoli salad. You know, the kind with the sweet dressing, cheese and maybe a few sunflower seeds? The box claims you can make bread bowls as well. Not so sure about low carb bread, as working without gluten is another whole learning curve. If sticking to the bacon, what would you fill them with?

Get more great recipes at the Low Carbing Among Friends Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LowCarbingAmongFriends

Order any of our great cookbooks at http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles,

A Table for Two here.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Country Comfort Muffins with Blueberry Chia Jam

Life can be sweet. Comfort food makes it even sweeter. Like a warm muffin filled with Grandma's home made preserves. Yeah, sweet and comfortable. These very vanilla muffins are filled with a homemade blueberry jam thickened with chia seeds. The muffins are sweet and simple.

A few weeks back, the makers of two new (to me at least) sweeteners asked me to sample their products. I am always in for that when I can see that it is something that benefits our low carb lifestyle and contributes to making my family as healthy as possible. The sweetener combinations are really nothing too new to most of us. Many low carbers love to use erythritol based blends. I love the synergy of combining it with stevia to get what I think is the perfect sweetness. I also have tried some with Monkfruit, and while I also like it, I cannot tell a huge difference in the flavor profile. But then, judging sweetness seems to be a very personal thing. Our tastebuds seem to be as different as our personalities. I hate to ever tell someone which type is best or how much sweetener to use in a recipe. It always want to put a disclaimer--"Your mileage may vary." You may see me cop out from time to time and write "sweeten to taste."

I tend to need more sweetening power than some folk . Could be that I was a teen in the saccharin era. I remember when diet Dr. Pepper came in the blue can. I had to force myself to like it. Then, once I did, seems I couldn't stop diet sodas. I probably burned out my sweet sensors a bit like my husband ruined his hearing with seventies rock music. But if you still want my opinion, here goes.

I like erythritol and stevia blends best for most every application. Drinks, baking, and desserts. I sometimes can taste a cooling effect but it doesn't bother me too much. The brand I am using for this recipe did not disappoint at all. It is from Natvia USA, a company which already has a great reputation in Australia. Maybe some of you readers are leaps ahead of me here. The flavor was clean and crisp. The packaging was wonderful--my inner artist loves the look! It comes in a canister for baking or small tubes for our on the go lifestyle. The tubes have the sweetening power of 1 tsp sugar. I am used to packets being stronger, so that bothered me at first.( It was shocking to realize how sweet I like my coffee) I do really appreciate, however, that this is a spoon to spoon, cup to cup equivalent. That makes recipes so much easier! The only drawback I can see, is the price. I understand that we have to pay more for quality products. Health comes at a cost, sadly. This company has gone the mile to assure that the products used are non GMO, and that means a lot these days. It uses the best sources of stevia as well. "Unlike some other stevia based sweeteners Natvia only use the purest part of the Stevia plant, Reb A, to ensure no bitter aftertaste." --Nativia Facebook information page

To make the wonderful Blueberry Chia Jam that is the delicious secret hiding in the center of these muffins, I used the Norbu Sweetener with Monkfruit. Just what is a monkfruit? The answer: an Asian melon, with an extract 200 times sweeter than regular sugar. Combined with erythritol, Norbu created a blend that is just a little sweeter than table sugar. Maybe it was just my tastes, but I seemed to need more than the conversions indicated. My canister said 1/2 tsp Norbu equals 1 tsp sugar, and the website indicated a 2/3 measurement of the Monkfruit blend to regular sugar. In this case, I really think you need to taste as you go. Some think the Monkfruit adds a natural, brown sugar quality of sweetness. I don't know that I discern that, but it is a little more natural and less white looking that the stevia blend. Not sure if that matters. I liked the taste in the jam.

Now to the jam. I hate paying for pricey sugarfree preserves. They are easy to make on the stovetop. This jam is wonderful stirred into Greek yogurt or to top a Minute Muffin. Even better, add them inside a muffin batter like I did in this recipe. It adds moisture, flavor and no frosting necessary!

Blueberry Chia Jam

2 cups frozen blueberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp Norbu sweetener (opt. plus 1 tsp)

In a small saucepan, heat berries and lemon juice, stirring often. When berries begin to soften, use the side of a spoon to break many of them. Add vanilla, chia seeds and Norbu. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Let cool. Add additional sweetener if desired.

24 servings at 11 calories 1 net g carb

Country Comfort Muffins with Blueberry Chia Jam

1/4 cup Natvia (divided use)
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
2 eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp cream
1 tbsp vanilla
3 tbsp Blueberry Chia Jam
1 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Measure 1/4 cup Natvia sweetener. Remove 1 tbsp and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, remaining sweetener, salt, and baking powder. Melt coconut oil and add to the bowl. Break two eggs into the bowl and stir well. Add cream and vanilla, stirring until smooth. (If the batter becomes too stiff with cold ingredients added, place the batter into the microwave for 20 seconds to rewarm the coconut oil)

Place a heaping tablespoon of batter into 6 muffin cups which have been paper lined or oiled. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the batter to the edges of the cup. Place a generous 1/2 tsp jam in the center of each muffin. Divide the remaining batter over the top of the jam in each muffin cup. Gently smooth the tops to seal the jam inside the batter. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the tops are golden.

Melt butter in a small dish. Brush the top of each muffin with butter, then immediately sprinkle with the remaining Natvia sweetener to create a crunchy sweet crust.

Makes 6 muffins, each: 167 calories 2 g net carbs 15 g fat

I think you will like these muffins. They are delicious and good for you as they can be! One of these days, maybe everyone will have these healthy alternatives to sugar available locally and inexpensively. Until then, let's get on the bandwagon to let everyone know we don't have to settle for life with blood sugar spikes and extra calories for good taste, and we don't need to consume artificial ingredients to have the sweet taste we crave.

https://natvia.com

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Order any of our great cookbooks at http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles,

A Table for Two here.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

White Chicken Lasagna

This is delicious. It is that simple.

Chicken, Cheese. More chicken. More cheese. then maybe a little more cheese.

This month at the Diner News, it is all about cheese, and this is a recipe I made last week. I made two, in the typical Diner make ahead style. Boy am I glad I did. The seasonal plague has finally caught up to me. I have the flu. Notwithstanding the fact that I witnessed the young lady who shared the bug with me get her flu shot a month ago. Yep that shot didn't help her and certainly didn't help me. It is great to have some extra dinners handy when you really don't feel up to cooking or even getting out of bed.

Last week, we ate the square dish. I know, lasagna isn't usually baked in a round dish, but you use what you have, right? Besides the end of the crumbles of feta cheese made this casserole the prettiest in the photographs. But this lasagna is so yummy, no one would mind if you served in an old boot.

White Chicken Lasagna

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 cups cottage cheese

4 oz fresh spinach leaves, lightly chopped

1 egg

1 tsp minced garlic

1 lb roasted chicken deli slices

4 oz Tomato Basil Feta cheese , crumbled

8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese

Poach chicken breast in water until tender. Cool and shred. Prepare one large casserole dish or two smaller ones with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, egg, chopped spinach and garlic. Line the base of the dish(es) with a single layer of deli chicken slices. Top those with a thin layer of the cottage cheese mixture. Top that with some shredded chicken. Add a sprinkling of the feta cheese. Add another layer of deli slices. Top that with a sprinkle of Mozzarella. Alternate the remaining ingredients, varying the layers according to how many slices of chicken you have. Reserve a sprinkling of both cheeses for the top of the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8 generous portions:

322 calories 5 net g carbs

Want a sneak preview of some of the other cheesy goodies in this month's Diner News? Sure you do. If you want to order, go here: http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com/html/newsletter.html