Italian Sausage Soup with Gnocchi

Life is crazy busy for me. Crazy. I am hosting a formal fundraising banquet for our educational program this week. All that organization is tough enough without the added stress of doing so many of the jobs ourselves to save money. We have printed and bound our own masterplans, done all the promotional materials, met with the hotel, hand addressed all the invitations, made our own video...the list goes on! Because life is too much right now to think much about food at all, I have not been very creative in the kitchen. For prep day, I made a bid pot of soup to eat several times this week. It is very flavorful, and with the addition of low carb gnocchi, it is filling too.

I have been wanting to try something new with my gnocchi recipe that is in LCAF I. This time, I added a teaspoon of glucomannan powder, hoping for a bit of binding. It may have made them a little chewier and more like the potato variety, but not too different from the original. If you have glucomannan, give it a try, If not, it is certainly not necessary. The dough does hold together well in the boiling water though. The little pillows did not fall apart in the broth of the soup either ( though I did add them in at the end to make sure.)
They impart a nice cheesy, garlic flavor to the soup and just generally make a simple vegetable soup more fun.

I am packing the soup into canning jars for work. I think I will keep the gnocchi separate in a little baggie. I love to take soups to school for lunch. That way when the kids come in with chili dogs and onion rings, I at least have something more substantial than a salad. I took vegetable beef soup last week and actually had a student offer to trade me lunches. We will see what happens this week! To change things up, I may add a one ounce block of cream cheese to make it a cheesier version later this week.

Italian Sausage Soup with Gnocchi

Soup:
1 lb Italian style pork sausage
1 onion
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 zucchini, cut in slices, then quartered
2 tsp minced garlic
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
29 oz water
1 quart beef broth
1 tbsp Italian seasoning or Mediterranean seasoning
1 tsp salt (adjust if using salty broth)

Gnocchi:
3 eggs
1 tsp glucomannan (optional)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (canned, dried) plus a bit for garnish
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, brown the sausage with the onion and peppers. When no pink remains in the sausage, add zucchini and garlic. Saute 5 minutes. Pour off excessive fat if any. Add the diced tomatoes, water (2 tomato cans full) broth, seasoning and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes while preparing the gnocchi.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs lightly. While whisking, slowly add in glucomannan powder, if using. Stir in Parmesan, coconut flour, garlic and salt. Place the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap. Form the dough into a rope shape about 1/2 inch wide. Chill for 30 minutes or place into the freezer for 10. Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Slice the dough into bite sized pieces (they will expand in the water) drop them one at a time into the boiling water. They will initially sink, then rise to the surface. Stir gently to keep the gnocchi separate. Cook for 3-4 minutes then remove with a slotted spoon. It may take 3-4 batches depending on the size of pan used. I keep gnocchi in a single layer to prevent sticking. If not using immediately in the soup, let them dry out for about 30 minutes before packing them for storage.

You don't have to make the soup to make the gnocchi of course. They are marvelous with marinara sauce too. They are more tender than traditional potato filled gnocchi, but a nice change from zucchini or cabbage noodles for us low carbers. I made mine with the fabulous Mediterranean seasoning from Target's Archer Farms. Love that stuff and I only have to grab one bottle from the spice rack! A few shakes of crushed red pepper would be great too.

Now here's to surviving this crazy week. Wish me luck. Our program really needs to find supporters if we are to keep the doors open! Bet most of you couldn't attend the banquet, but do remember that all my book sales money goes to keep the doors open for the kids, so think Christmas presents! Just click on the link of the LCAF books on the right. I am in I, II and V. V is a pre-order that will ship at Thanksgiving. If we get all the school's bills covered, and eventually even get salaries, I will have more time to spend in the kitchen.  I am so ready to hand over my fundraiser hat so I can concentrate on kids and cooking. The kids are worth it though!

Albuquerque Turkey White Chili

The weather around is really beginning to call to me to make chili. I have all sorts of recipes. We have enjoyed a white chili recipe since our low fat days back in the nineties. No white beans now, however. In the mood for that recipe, I set out this morning to mimic those flavors. No, I didn't have any chicken thawed. Turkey. Yes. That will do. (Often, this is the way I come up with new recipes--just by using what I have when the creative juices flow) That old recipe called for simmering the chicken in broth with cumin seed. I had that, so off I went!

Gotta say, this might be better than the original, although it didn't turn out to similar at all. Not really like a chili, more like a soup. Back in those days, I never had green chili powder. Now I am never without it. It has so much amazing flavor and  is so easy to use. Not easy to find--I order mine online--but it is worth it. If you don't have time to wait, just throw in an extra small cans of green chiles. (I never even have those around, since I buy #10 size cans and divide them up into ice cube trays and freeze.) In fact, this is probably more similar to my Albuquerque Cream of Chicken Soup that is in Low Carbing Among Friends Volume I. This has more veggies though and is much chunkier, so it is a bit more like a chili. Both good but no need for pre-cooked chicken here. In fact, I started with a frozen roll of turkey. This definitely qualifies for an E.Z. Fix meal. Plus, how fun is it to say "Albuquerque Turkey?"

Albuquerque Turkey White Chili

1 lb ground turkey
1 qt turkey broth (may substitute chicken)
1 tsp cumin seed (comino)
1/4 medium yellow onion
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 zucchini
1 tbsp mild oil
4 oz diced green chile peppers
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp green chili powder (optional)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup half and half

Place turkey into a soup pot or Dutch oven.Cover with broth and add comino seeds. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. While that is cooking, dice the onion, peppers and zucchini. Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute the vegetables until onions are transparent. Remove from heat. 

When simmering time is up, use a potato masher to break turkey into crumbles. (if you started with frozen turkey, the very center may still be uncooked. Don't worry, it will finish cooking in the remaining simmering time.) Add the sauteed vegetables, chiles, lime juice, garlic, chili powder and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes more. Cut the cream cheese into cubes and add it to the soup pot. Let the soup stand, covered but without heat, for 5 minutes. Stir the melted cream cheese into the soup. Stir in the half and half. Adjust salt to taste.

Serves 6 --  263 calories     17 g fat    21 g protein    6.6 carbs

This is delish. Even my hubby who does not like spicy foods liked it. If you want more heat, add some cayenne or red pepper flakes. I buy my Hatch green chili powder online--it is so worth the effort. One order will last for years.

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Pumpkin Fudge Mini Doughnuts

I made a delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cake a few years ago for a recipe contest featuring pumpkins. I didn't win, but i did fall in love with the flavor combination!  In fact, this post is all about a combination that works. I made these Pumpkin Coconut Mini Doughnuts in October for the Diner News. I opted to add the cocoa nibs and they were very nice. I popped a few into the freezer to save for later. This is later. It sure pays to stock the freezer!

For the November News, I found this recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie. The concept fascinated me. A no bake chocolate pumpkin pie filling. I had to try it out, even if it was too late to get photographs in the News. It is very interesting. My version was much darker than Katie's photos.    I think perhaps she used milk chocolate chips and mine were darker. I used a combo of sugarfree chocolate chips and regular semi sweet. I know my fudgy version has too many carbs, but it was an experiment, and the serving size is pretty small. (I get tummy trouble from maltitol and didn't have any better chips on hand) I plan to try it again using unsweetened chocolate and my own sweeteners. If you are inspired, you might beat me to that, so let me know if it works. Since I tried it without an actual pie crust made, I still have some of the mixture in the fridge. From the very start, I thought it would make a terrific, stable frosting that didn't rely too much on butter or cream cheese. That it does! I love it as a dense frosting. You may want to half the recipe if you are just using it as a frosting, though.  Haven't figured the carbs. Hoping to get a new version of a recipe/nutritional program for my birthday. Missing my Mastercook since my laptop was stolen. Yes, that is still smarting.

To me, the chocolate is stronger than the pumpkin in the frosting/filling. But paired with the pumpkin doughnuts, the combo is absolutely perfect. Try it on a pumpkin muffin to make it more like a cupcake. Use it as a filling for a Ginger Cakes. Heck, it would be very tasty spread on an Almond Thin.

This is the recipe for the doughnuts. I like the mini ones made in my doughnut appliance. They are so cheap, go ahead and buy one. Much better than the pan I bought.

Pumpkin Coconut Doughnuts

5 eggs

1 cup of canned pumpkin puree

¼ cup coconut oil , melted

¼ tsp stevia or sweetener equivalent to ¼ cup

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup coconut flour

¼ cup finely shredded coconut

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp baking soda

Powdered sweetener (Swerve)

Break eggs into a medium bowl. Whisk well. Stir in the pumpkin, coconut oil, stevia and vanilla. If the coconut oil solidifies, warm the mixture in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Add coconut flour slowly, stirring well to incorporate. Add in the coconut, spice blend and soda.

Place the batter in a doughnut appliance or oiled mini doughnut pan. Bake 4 minutes in the appliance or 15 –20 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Dust with powdered sweetener before serving.

Options:

· Add 2 tbsp cocoa nibs to the batter.

· Instead of powdered sweetener, brush with butter and coat with a mixture of cinnamon and granulated

sweetener

Pumpkin Fudge Doughnut Frosting (a.k.a. Pie Filling)

1 cup sugarfree chocolate chips

15 oz pumpkin puree

2 tsp cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1-2 packets stevia

1/8 tsp salt

Over low heat, melt chocolate chips. In a medium bowl, combine melted chocolate, pumpkin puree, cocoa powder, vanilla, stevia and salt. Combine all the ingredients and adjust for sweetness.  Chill, then spoon onto doughnuts or muffins. Smooth with the back of a spoon. (or your fingers) Use a clean pen to create the hole in the frosting, or just leave it capped.

These have wonderful texture. The thick rich frosting paired with the cakey doughnut is delightful and rich. They feel like a cheat. Now, remember, both of these recipes were featured in the 24/7 Low Carb Diner News. See what you are missing if you don't subscribe? Just 6 bucks a year. Each issue is generally 8 pages of recipes and tips you can use. Order here.

 So glad I got to show of my latest find from the thrift store. Isn't this little pedestal serving plate too cute? Good score for $1.50. Somehow a pedestal makes everything more special--even if it did come from the freezer!

Roasted Purple Kale and Kabocha Salad

Thanksgiving is not too far away. You making plans for something new, or planning on the old favorites? Admittedly, this is an American holiday, so those of you from other parts of the world are a little left out--but hey, why not take advantage of our frenzy to make the most delicious meal of the year? What could that hurt? My Diner news this month is the annual Thanksgiving issue--mostly specializing on extra special side dishes. This is one that will be featured.

Not only is it beautiful--it is really healthy too. It is loaded with things I love. The super sweet roasted Kabocha squash...gorgeous purple (officially red) kale, bacon, pecans and a touch of cheese. Oh yeah! And the textures-- if you never tried kabocha, its creaminess may surprise you. Contrast that with the crisped kale and salty bacon. This one is topped with a bacon vinaigrette and a touch of Parmesan. It would be a perfect salad for the Thanksgiving table.

Roasted Purple Kale and Kabocha Salad

1/2 Kabocha squash (reserve other half for another recipe)
2 tbsp olive oil
5 strips bacon
1 bunch purple kale
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 drops stevia or sweetener equal to 4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp toasted, chopped pecans
1 tbsp grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash kabocha squash, but do not peel it. Cut it into wedges about 1 inch at the thickest part. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss gently to coat. Roast for 30-40 minutes until soft and browned on the edges. Set aside half of the slices. When cool, cut the slices into bite sized chunks.

In a large skillet, fry bacon slices until crisp. Set the bacon aside, reserving the fat in the skillet. Wash kale and remove tough stems. Dip each leaf into the bacon fat and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes. Remove and cool.

Make a simple vinaigrette from the remaining bacon grease in the skillet. Stir in the vinegar, and stevia.

To assemble salad, use kitchen shears to cut kale leaves into bite size pieces. Place the kale on a serving platter. Top with kabocha chunks. Spoon the bacon vinaigrette over the salad. Top with pecans, Parmesan, salt and pepper.

Serves 4: 193 calories   5 net g carb

The thing I love about kale salads is their durability. This salad is not going to wilt even with the dressing. The caramelized squash tastes great at any temperature and the combination of flavors is delightful. Don't think you have to save this for the holiday, though. Just add a little protein, and you have a great dinner. It can be served as a warm salad also.

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

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Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles,  A Table for Two here.

Pumpkin Coconut Fudge and Home Made Coconut Butter

I have always wanted to make a fudge type treat for my school lunches. I love coconut oil candies, but they are a little unreliable in a lunch box. A little heat and you have a mess on your hands. I know a lot of you use coconut butter to add some stability, but I was too cheap to experiment. Then I started noticing lots of recipes for making your own coconut butter. Still, I wasn't sure if my Ninja could handle the time it takes to get that job done. Yes, you do have to run your machine quite a while to turn unsweetened coconut flakes into coconut butter. Except those of you who can brag about your Vitamix. I don't have one of those and so far Santa has not left one under the tree for me. I might try again this year.

In the meantime, I was out shopping at Big Lots last weekend, armed with my 20% off coupon. I saw a factory reconditioned food processor all alone on one bottom shelf. I left without it. Afterall, I need a kitchen remodel to hold all my appliances, despite the fact that I have a tiny kitchen with almost no storage. This Black and Decker model is hefty. I told my guys about it and they both agreed that I should use my coupon and a gift card to go get it. Yes, Pearson was willing to let the coffee area become even more crowded. What a sweet guy. I began to have visions of more mayo, nut butters and coleslaw. Yes, I recently killed yet another immersion blender--my standby for home made mayo.

My first project was to make the coconut butter. I figured if it burned out the food processor, I still had the chance to take it back to the store. It took awhile, but it did magically turn my dry coconut shreds into a fine coconut butter. At least I think it is fine--I have never actually tasted commercial varieties.I think home made might be a touch more gritty than the store bought variety. The photo below was taken  before it completely cooled. It was still a little liquidy. After a few hours at room temperature, it became solid. In fact, in a cool kitchen after a week, it needs to be heated just a bit to be spoonable. A few minutes in a bowl of hot water ought to do the trick--or a quick trip to the microwave oven.

The recipe is too easy, it is hardly a recipe at all. I simple processed 8 ounces of unsweetened shredded coconut with 1 tbsp coconut oil and a pinch of salt. I processed mine for about 20 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides about 4 times. I honestly don't think mine changed much the last 5 minutes. This is going to be one of those processes that has some wiggle room. I think the moisture content of the coconut you use will make a difference in the amount of time needed to process. Just be sure not to use fresh coconut, and not the type that says desiccated. I think that would be too dry. Either shredded or flaked should work, and of course, no sugar.Mine made about a cup of butter. Maybe a bit more. I honestly didn't measure, I just poured it into a jar.

With that made, I set to work on a wonderful fall themed fudge. Fudge may be a misnomer, because there is no chocolate here. I have wanted to make something like this for several years. I tasted one once with sweetened condensed milk and vanilla chips. Both of those are tricky to substitute. This fudge is not quite the same, with the unmistakable flavor of the coconut, but it is delicious. It is rich, and held up just fine in my lunch bag.

Pumpkin Coconut Fudge

1/2 cup coconut butter
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp liquid stevia, or any sweetener equal to 1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp toasted chopped pecans, optional

Warm coconut butter if not spoonable. In a medium bowl, combine coconut butter, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, spice, vanilla, stevia and salt. Spoon mixture into a sprayed or plastic wrap lined loaf pan. Smooth the mixture on top. If using pecans, press them into the top of the fudge. Chill for 30 minutes to firm up. Slice into 15 squares.

1 piece is 87 calories     1 net g carb

This stuff is so yummy. Add a little more of the pumpkin pie spice if you want. The toasted pecans pressing into the top are very nice too. They add to the texture. I made some with and some without because my Pearson is a nut hater. I know. He is weird like that. Not allergic, just not a fan. He loves his pumpkin pie, though, so this works for him. I am not sure on the carb count of the coconut butter. If I go by the brand that I used these would have 3 1/2 carbsper serving for the coconut  butter alone. But nutrition info is all over the place--for other brands, Bob's Red Mill lists 2 net carbs for the same amount by weight. Commercial brands of coconut butter seem to list more fiber, so the net also ends up at 2 g for a 2 tbsp serving, I would think that is closer, but feel free to do your own math. I still don't have a nutrition program since my computer was stolen. Since we don't count daily, it is not our priority. Sorry for those of you who are more strict about that. Only so many hours in a day.

So now back to prep day for me. Today I am doing some Green Chile Chicken Shreds, a Breakfast Bonanza casserole and  Hazelnut Pumpkin Custard. Some day I will get tired of the pumpkin flavored goodies, but today is not that day!

Pumpkin Nut Blondies

Yum.Oh Yum. Oh Yummo. I am still on a pumpkin kick. I wanted a bar that featured those fabulous fall flavors but was so easy. This is it. I started with my amazingly simple Maple Nut Blondies. Those are fabulous, mind you, (recipe in Low Carbing Among Friends I) but these are too. I bet when you see the ingredients list, you will think no way--peanut butter? That does not end up as the predominant flavor, I promise. These have a delightful blend of nuts, pumpkin and spice. If you are unsure, sub almond butter. More pumpkin flavor perhaps, but also more expensive to make. If you aren't anti-legume, go ahead and give these a try. Maybe Sunbutter? Another day...

Pumpkin Nut Blondies

1 1/4 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp liquid stevia or any sweetener equal to 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp powdered erythritol

In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, pumpkin, egg, vanilla, stevia, spices and soda. Stir well. Spread into an 8x8 inch dish brushed with coconut oil. Spread the mixture smooth with the back of a spoon. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered erythritol. 

Makes 9 servings   253 calories  5 net g carb

The photo is not lying. The powdered erythritol absorbed the pumpkin coloring and turned yellow. I kind of like it though. Adds a fall touch. The texture of these is a little bit "sandy" as you often get in peanut butter cookies. I happen to love that texture. True, with all that cinnamon, they aren't really blonde, but there is no chocolate in these babies--so blonde it is. These are so easy to put together, no mixers needed, and only one bowl. No flour, only one egg. This is one of those recipes with nut butter that sometimes confuse even experienced bakers. Seems like it would need flour, but no. Go with it and soon you will be rewarded with deliciousness!

I used EZ Sweetz liquid stevia to sweeten these blondies. The company was nice enough to send me a sample box of several of their sweeteners. This one is pure stevia, but they also have blends available. I have been using bottles of stevia and monkfruit for months now. If you use any other brand, be careful to be sure of your measuring equivalents. The strengths can vary among brands.

Now if I can keep us from eating these all up tonight, they are going to make great lunch box treats this week.

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Chipotle Lime Roasted Delicata

Sounds like an oxymoron. Delicate and Chipotle. There is nothing delicate about this delicious dish. The zing of the lime and the heat of the chipotle guarantee some power eating. Sure, you could go lighter on the powder, but why? This is fantastic.

I love Delicata. You don't have to peel them, and they are so creamy. When roasted, they have that creamy inside which puts potatoes to shame. Sure, you have to watch portion size and count those carbs, but the nutrition is worth it. These are really healthy in moderation.

This month's Diner News is all about Squash. I learned a lot putting the News together. You practically need a field guide to figure out what is what among gourds. I know you certainly cannot trust the labels or the produce guys. Kabocha, Buttercup? Too hard to tell for me. It seems every squash at my store broke one of the identification rules. So we just ate them up anyway. Whatever the name...I can easily ID the Delicata, even though my label called it a Delicate. I prefer the A.

Chipotle Lime Roasted Delicata

2 Delicata squash, halved lengthwise, seeds and pulp scooped out
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 – 2 tsp chipotle powder, depending on how spicy you like it
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp lime juice, divided
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash halves crosswise into roughly half inch chunks.

In a plastic bag, toss squash with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice, chipotle powder and salt. In a large baking dish, arrange squash in a single layer. Roast until fork tender and crispy, flipping halfway through, for about 25 minutes.

Whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the remaining tablespoon lime juice. When squash is done, drizzle dressing over top and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.

 Want lots of other fantastic squash recipes? They are in the October Diner News. Order here.