Teriyaki Salmon Meal Prep

 It is back to school for me. Back to quick lunches and a communal fridge. That takes some planning. This September issue of the Diner News is filled with ideas for meal prep. That small bit of work that keeps you eating well all week. It may be brown bag lunches, or it could be a full dinner already cooked and ready to reheat on a busy weeknight. I promise, I am often just too tired to cook after long hours away from home. I have a couple great ideas for you though that I am personally putting to the test. Idea #1 tonight.

One super easy meal prep idea is the sheet pan dinner. So simple to roast a protein in the oven with a frozen veggie blend baking alongside. All you have to do with the timer goes off is to package the food into individual meal containers. One baking session and 2- 4-6 lunches!

This salmon dish is super delish and so easy to make. Looks like you fussed much more than you did. One of my secret flavor ingredients is from Trader Joe's. Umami paste. Yeah. The flavor is all in there. It makes this dish taste like gourmet faire. I also like TJ's frozen veggies. Good prices and far less washing and chopping. This really couldn't be simpler!

 I didn't want to freeze this one, so I made this recipe just for two. I also didn't plan to eat fish every day of the week, but you could if you wanna. Go ahead and double the recipe. Make it yours!

Teriyaki Salmon with Stir Fry Veggies

2 salmon fillets (approx. 4 oz)

Sauce:

1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce

1 tsp fresh ginger ( or homemade ginger juice)

1/2 tsp erythritol / stevia blend

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp Trader Joes Umami paste (optional)

14 oz  Trader Joe’s Frozen Stir fry vegetable blend

Combine sauce ingredient in a quart size zipper bag. Add salmon fillets. Marinate several hours. Transfer to a baking pan lined with parchment.  In a large bowl, combine stir fry vegetables with oil. You may add a bit more oil if you like. Stir to coat well and add to the baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until fish flakes at the thickest point. Divide fish and vegetables between 2 lunch containers.

 

Serves 2:   196 calories  7 net g carb

I like my veggies a little more done, and I really thought the fish might be overbaked. It was great though. My fillets were from the thickest part, so if yours are thinner, you should shorten the oven time.

Want to see some of the other dishes in this month's Diner News? Here is a glimpse.

Chipotle Fish Fillet with Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

Real Cranberry Oolong Tea Sipper

Good for you Green Lemonade

Pesto Chicken and Roasted ItalianVeggies

Soup Base 3 ways, Italian

Soup Base 3 ways, Greek

Salad Buddies for a Week

 

Thai Tuna Salad Bowl

Greek Chicken Salad Bowl

The Diner News is just $6 for all of 2017. Order yours now, and get tons of super recipes for the low carb life. I will have some other take to work or school ideas in this month's issue. And one more to share on the blog.

Order:  http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com/html/newsletter.html

Banh Mi Bowl and the Bowl Meal

Buddha Bowls are all the rage in the vegetarian world. That's not me on many levels, but I do love the idea of meals in a bowl. So hold the Buddha, but bring on the bowl. Plus, I really fell in love with the flavor of the Banh Mi Pork I made for the Food Truck issue of the Diner News this last June. I mean truly enamored of the flavors going on here. I knew it was a perfect choice for a bowl meal. It was just calling out for this combination!

 So why bowl meals? All sorts of good things that go great together. Like a big loving family. Not baked together like a casserole. Only mixed all together if you want them to be. I have one child who eats one food at a time if possible. He is not so OCD that they are not allowed to touch, but still, he is so methodical about it all. NOT ME. I love jumping from savory to sweet, tart to mellow, creamy to crunchy. Bowl meals please us both.

Some may ask why I consider this a bowl meal and not a salad. For me it is the warm meat and the addition of rice. Most bowl meals are constructed on a base of rice or some other grain. Well, that is not going to work for us. I made a combination of good ingredients that function like rice in these bowl meals, but don't add the carb load. I call it the Three Friends. You can find that recipe in this month's Diner News. Order that here. It is totally worth it! Until then, you can make this with caulirice, like I did for this particular photo shoot. See that yellow orange stuff? That is a new take on cauliflower rice. One super fast trick to is buy the bags of riced cauliflower from Trader Joe. I sauteed this with some Red Palm Oil to get that gorgeous hue. Any oil will do, but this is just so beautiful

Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches are traditionally topped with lightly pickled veggies. I copied that here with some cabbage, carrots and onion. They are topped with cilantro and jalapeno peppers, so of course, those go on too.

Banh Mi Bowl

3 oz leftover Banh Mi pork, heated

1 cup uncooked riced cauliflower

1 tsp red palm oil or coconut oil

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 slice red onion

1/4 carrot, cut into matchsticks

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

3 slices jalapeno pepper

1 tsp sambal oelek (optional)

Dressing:

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp fish sauce

1/4 tsp erythritol/ stevia sweetener

1/8 tsp garlic powder

Sauté riced cauliflower in red palm oil or coconut oil. When tender, place into a serving bowl. Combine the dressing ingredients. Place sliced vegetables and pork in a serving bowl and drizzle vegetables with dressing. Add a spoon of Sambal Oelek for heat.

So delish. Remember, you can go get the recipe for the Banh Mi meat on this post .

And for an idea of the other Bowl Meals I created this month, take a look:

 

Three Friends "Rice" Blend

Punkin Pie Bowl

Apple Pie Breakfast Bowl

Chipotle Salmon Breakfast Bowl

Candy Bar Bowl

Thai Tuna Bowl

Country Breakfast Bowl

Smoothie Bowl

Barbecue Chicken Bowl

Lemon Poppyseed Bowl

Greek Chicken Bowl

Chicken Fajita Bowl

Don't those look fabulous! Breakfast, lunch or dinner, we have you covered. It is just $6 a year for my monthly Diner News. Order today.

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.  

Lemon Dilly Turkey Burgers

I love lemon. Not so much turkey. To me, it needs a little help. Like lots of flavor infused into the meat. For summer, lemon and dill to the rescue!  These are the perfect light and tasty summery burgers. Fresh herbs, citrus, spinach and goat cheese. Totally forget they are turkey. Delightful flavor! I started out to go with a Greek burger theme. That's what I was thinking when I bought the goat cheese. But then, I started thinking lemon. And more lemon.

These little patties taste wonderful and they are pretty too.  A dollop of mayo in the meat mix keeps the lower fat turkey nice and moist. It is also an excellent carrier for the lemon oil. You have your choice here. I used my Simply Organic Lemon Oil Flavoring. (You might choose to add a drop or two of lemon essential oil, if you are one who opts to use therapeutic grade oils with foods which contain fat.) If you can't find my brand at the health food store, go for the Frontier brand. You can order it in my Amazon Store and help us out a bit.The lemon flavor makes the dish. I often don't have fresh lemons, so I keep lemon flavoring handy. Concentrated flavor with so many uses!

I used fresh dill and basil from my herb pots. You can use dried if you like. The goat cheese is super creamy, making a nice contrast of texture. You could sub feta if you prefer. One word of warning. Don't try to shape these patties by hand. The mixture is a bit wet. Just use a spoon to mound the meat mixture on the skillet. The secret is to have a nice hot skillet and to not try to flip the patties over too soon. They will be a little crumbly, so use caution or you will have a scramble. A contact grill that cooks from both sides would be an excellent option too. I just used my non stick skillet.

Lemon Dilly Turkey Burgers

1 lb ground lean turkey

4 oz goat cheese crumbles with basil and sun dried tomatoes

1/2 cup diced fresh spinach leaves

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

3 sprigs fresh dill weed or 1/4 tsp dried

4 basil leaves or 1/4 tsp dried

1 tsp lemon pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1/2 tsp lemon flavoring (or 2 drops oil)

1 tbsp refined coconut oil

In a medium bowl, combine turkey, goat cheese, spinach leaves, red bell pepper, dill, basil, garlic powder and lemon pepper. In a very small bowl, combine mayonnaise and lemon flavoring. Stir into meat mixture. Divide the mixture into 8 mounds.  Heat coconut oil in a nonstick skillet until hot. Use a scoop to  mound the meat mixture  on the surface of the skillet, pressing the patties into shape. Let brown for 4 minutes before carefully flipping. Cook the other side and additional 4 to 5 minutes or until cooked through.  Temperature should register 160 degrees.

Serves 4:  317 calories  2 net g carb (3)

This month, I am working on ground meat recipes for the Diner News. This one will be in there, but I have lots more coming too. Beef and chicken, pork and turkey. Having been out of town, I am running behind a bit. The hubby will be getting some good experiments the next couple of weeks. Hope they all work out. He had his all you can eat ribs for Father's Day today, so he should be ready for about anything! Or he may not eat again until mid week!

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

Buffalo Chicken Quiche Cups

Crustless quiche is a classic low carb food. Quiche tastes good any time of day, at any temperature. Those facts make quiche great for lunch bags. But baking it up in individual cups is even better. Quiche cups in lunch boxes are neat. They are super quick to pack, requiring no assembly time in the morning. They can be baked ahead and frozen. Plus, quiche comes in an almost infinite variety!

This particular recipe, developed for September's Diner News dedicated to lunchbox foods, has the popular flavors of Buffalo style chicken. Just enough heat. A light crunch from the celery baked right in. The creamy flavor of the blue cheese drizzle. So good.   I bake mine in silicone cups for easy transfers and reheating, but they are great popped out of any muffin tin also. Finger food that is tasty and fun to eat.

Buffalo Chicken Quiche Cups

1 1/2 cups cooked, diced chicken breast

1/4 cup chicken wing sauce

2 oz Neufchatel cheese

2 ribs celery

4 eggs

3 tsp blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing

Stir the wing sauce into the diced chicken. Add cream cheese and celery. Stir. Add eggs and stir. Spoon into 6 sprayed silicone muffin cups. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove from oven and drizzle 1/2 tsp dressing over the top.

Per Cup:   112 calories   2 net g carb

I use chicken wing sauce that already has butter flavor added, Louisiana Supreme, but you can use any hot sauce. The mini quiches don't have to be topped with blue cheese dressing if you don't like that. Ranch is good too, or you can leave them plain. Still yummy. Plan on adding some of these to your lunchbag. They are a lot less messy than Buffalo Chicken Wings. Be watching for more on the upcoming Brownbag edition of the Diner News. It will be packed with great ideas. I am looking forward to packing my lunch again. 

Get more great  low carb recipes at Low Carbing Among Friends.

 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. 

Broccoli Bites

I was grabbing a recipe today from Low Carbing Among Friends Volume 2. Sometimes we food bloggers get so wrapped up in trying to think up new recipes, we forget about some of our favorites from years past. This is one of those. I love my cake pop appliance. This is one recipe I need to make again. Broccoli Bites are so fun to make and eat. This machine does not have to make cake, I promise!

Even though this fun treat was good enough to put in the book, it was among the recipes I published in the Diner News rather than here on the blog. Afterall, if we share everything we make on our blogs, would you still buy our books? I dunno. But, because I just put these on my menu for the week, I decided to share this fun one with all of you...especially those I have convinced to buy a cake pop machine. But don't worry, you can make them as mini muffins too. Just not quite as fun. If you happen to be looking for creative lunch box items, give these a try. I love having something fun in my lunchbox.

Broccoli Bites

1 cup broccoli, chopped 

¹/₃  cup Parmesan cheese 

¹/₄ cup water 

2 eggs

2 tbsp coconut flour

2 tbsp olive oil 

¹/₂ tsp baking powder 

¹/₄ tsp salt 

¹/₂ cup shredded Cheddar cheese 

4 oz Cheddar cheese cubes (1 per bite) 

In food processor, chop broccoli. Remove from food processor and measure 1 cup  broccoli. Add Parmesan cheese, water, eggs, coconut flour, olive oil, baking powder and salt. Process until mixture is blended. Stir in shredded cheese and chopped broccoli by hand.

Place a scant tbsp of batter in the cavity of a cake pop machine or mini muffin tin. Press a cheese cube into the batter. Add additional batter over the top of the cheese cube, making sure to seal the cube entirely with the batter. Bake until golden on the outside. Cake pops bake in about 7 to 8 minutes. Mini muffin bites bake in a 350°F  oven for about 15 minutes.

Helpful Hint: I cut up Cheddar snack sticks for the centers. String cheese would also work well.

Makes about 22 pops. 2 per serving:  70 calories     1 net g carb

These Broccoli Bites are listed in the cookbook as appetizers, but they are great as a side dish, picnic food or lunchbox treat. What a fun way to eat your veggies.

Speaking of lunchbox fun, I am really happy to have a teaching assignment starting after Labor Day. I love teenagers...especially the ones who need a little extra understanding. I am only promised 9 weeks at part time at this alternative school, but I hope things will go well and I can continue. After closing my own school, I was in such a funk. I think this will be a good thing. With teaching part time and blogging, recipe developing and working with the diabetics group, I think I will have full time hours again! Giving up control has always been tough for me. I am trying desperately to go where God leads. So far, he seems to be sending opportunities to do a lot of good for a lot of different people. That makes me happier.

Get more great  low carb recipes at Low Carbing Among Friends.

 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.  

Zucchini Hummus

Hope the summer crop is a bumper one for you! This is the time of year we are usually up to our eyeballs in zucchini. That is a good thing. But in this weather, zucchini bread is not such a great idea. I don't know about you, but I try not to turn on my oven. I even hate standing over the stove in the heat. This amazing little recipe is so healthy for you--and it uses RAW zucchini. It becomes an incredibly light, yet flavorful dip. Eat with celery sticks and you can give yourself a big pat on the back for getting in those veggies.

This month's Diner News is all about avoiding the heat in the kitchen. I have lots of ways to keep us fed, while keeping cool. Not just popsicles and ice cream, but some fantastic salads! Real summertime meals. Snacks too, like this wonderful stuff.

This one is a healthy snack. I have to say I loved it. I am a lover of hummus. This is much lighter--even lighter than my cauliflower variety. I chose not to peel the zucchini, so it is lightly green and so pretty. It is a wonderful snack or lunchbox treat. My mom wants to thin it just a tad and make it into a cold soup. She plans to serve it to her book club. Yum.

Zucchini Hummus

1 large zucchini

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp sea salt

Cut zucchini into large chunks. Place in food processor or good blender. Add remaining ingredients and process until very smooth. Serve with vegetable dippers or low carb crackers. Thin it a bit and it makes a terrific cold soup appetizer as well.

Serves 4:  97 calories  3 net g carbs

Serves 6:  65 calories  2 net g carb

Maybe I have peaked your curiosity about no cook August? Here is a sampling of some of the recipes in this month's Diner News. 

Steak Italiano Salad

Tomatoes Alaska

Gingered Napa Cabbage Salad

Coconut Cream Pie Smoothie

Grown Up Wine Slush

Mexican Chopped Salad

Strawberry Limeade

Tuna Nicoise Salad

Microwave Zucchini Chips

Simple South of the Border Soup

Tropical Punch Pop

Southwestern Cobb Salad

Honest Fizz Orange Cream Soda

Summer Haystack Salad

I bet you want to order the Diner News now! It is a deal at just $6 a year.    http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com/html/newsletter.html

Get more great  low carb recipes at Low Carbing Among Friends.

 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.