Thanksgiving Planning and Garlic Cream Kale

November is here! That means we really ramp up the planning for the biggest food holidays of the year--Thanksgiving and Christmas. So much to do.

This November issue of the Diner New has lots of new recipes for side dishes to make your celebration meals special. One of my new favorites is this creamy, delicious side. Garlic Creamed Kale. Alone, kale doesn't have much flavor. This way, it tastes all decadent with garlic and cream cheese. Oh yeah. And this couldn't be simpler to put together, You really should add it to your holiday meals!

Garlic Cream Kale

1 large bunch fresh kale

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp refined coconut oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

3 tsp minced garlic

8 oz Neufchatel cheese or regular cream cheese

1/3 cup cashew milk

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Trim thick stems from kale. Steam for 5 minutes.  Chop into bite sized pieces.

In a skillet, melt butter and coconut oil. Sauté onion over low heat for 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another 5 minutes. Add kale, cream cheese and cashew milk. Stir gently to melt the sauce. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6: 185 calories   7 net g carb

This recipe tastes luxurious. Definitely like it took much more time to prepare than it does. Plus, it keeps very well too. I even took it in my lunch bag to school. Everyone was asking what smelled so divine. I love the way kale doesn't totally wilt to nothing like spinach. Not being the biggest fan of cooked spinach, this is perfect to me. I will bet you like it too.

Plus, check out all the other great recipes featured in the Diner News this month: 

Roasted Delicata and Cranberries

Roasted Garlic and Asiago Cauliflower Whip

Whiskey Glazed Kuri Squash

Brussels with Bacon and Pecans

Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Dumpling Squash

Cauliflower Crown with Pumpkin Cheese Sauce

Maple Ginger Roasted Vegetables with Pecans

Three Cheese Jicama Bake

Frenchy's Green Beans

Roasted Cranberry Brussels Salad

Cranberry Chayote Salad

Old Fashioned Cran-Orange Jello Salad

Coconut Spiced Rum Cake

Cranberry Vinaigrette

So look at all those yummy recipes...and that is not even all of them. Better order a year's subscription of the Diner News so you don't miss out.

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

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

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

Roasted Cranberry Brussels Salad

Salads can get boring. But then again, salads are one place where creativity can really shine! This is one that is unique and quite tasty. It is a perfect Thanksgiving salad. Extra special because you can make it early and it won't wilt or get soggy. Plus, it is full of holiday flavor. Cranberries and walnuts. Just don't tell the sprouts haters that those are shredded Brussels as the base green. I will keep the secret. I ate this at school and tested the waters. No one knew quite what it was I was eating. But even at three days old, this salad garnered attention. Our director kept telling me how good it smelled. Not sure if it was the salad or the Garlic Creamed Kale. Maybe a combination of both. You will have to wait for that recipe. It is a part of the Thanksgiving edition of the Diner News. Hold on, it is coming, but I still have a lot of baking to do!

This is a sturdy salad. The shredded Brussels are a little chewy--much more substance than a lettuce leaf. More like a shredded cole slaw. They are not bitter, and the flavor is mild. This dish is really a tribute to the roasted cranberries. Sweet and tart--especially if you choose to make the Cranberry Vinaigrette. The toasted walnuts add the perfect touch too.

Roasted Cranberry Brussels Salad

1 cup cranberries

1 tsp coconut oil

1 tbsp granulated erythritol  / stevia blend

1 lb fresh Brussels Sprouts

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Cranberry Vinaigrette to taste (recipe below)

Toss cranberries with coconut oil. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove and toss with sweetener. Let cool.

Remove outer leaves of Brussels and trim the ends.  Process with a slicing blade in a food processor.  Lightly toast walnuts and chop coarsely.  In a large bowl, combine cranberries, Brussels,  and walnuts. Arrange on a serving platter or in bowls. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Serves 6: 

No dressing: 137 cal    6 net g carb

Cranberry Vinaigrette:   215 calories 7 net g carb

Sugarfree Cranberry Vinaigrette

1/2 cup cranberries

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp granulated erythritol / stevia blend

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp MCT oil

In a small saucepan, heat cranberries with water and sweetener. When the berries begin to burst, mash with a spoon. Stir in vinegar, salt and pepper. Transfer to a bullet blender or jar with an immersion blender. Process with olive oil, then with MCT oil.

Serves 6: 78 calories   1 net g carb

 I thought this was beautiful on a white platter rather than a bowl. The contrast in the light greens of the Brussels and the deep jeweled red of the cranberries was pure art. The drizzle of cranberry vinaigrette made such a palette of autumn! Of course, for ease of prep, like say on a busy holiday, this one is sturdy enough to add to small bowls ahead of time, ready to bring out just before the bird. Or whatever.  It is even OK to shredd the Brussels a day or two ahead. Please use a food processor. I want you to still have fingers for the holidays. It is awful being an injured cook on Thanksgiving. Just ask me about the time I scalded my knees when the water from the base of the roaster splashed me. (Yes, the roaster was in the floor. Unconventional place to roast a turkey, but I promise I have a tiny kitchen.)

This month's Diner News is going to be awesome. I bet you will find a new recipe to try out for the upcoming holidays. I always like to add something new to our family food traditions. Do you?

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. 

Pumpkin Recipe Round-Up

This time of year you can never get enough pumpkin! Never that is unless it is those sugary treats that taunt us low carbers from every direction. Forget the lattes, pies, and yes, even Oreos!  I have gathered some of my favorite people in the world--my Low Carbing Among Friends team-- to give you a quick tour of the best pumpkin recipes that will have you celebrating Pumpkin Spice Season. Just as good as the sugary treats, but guaranteed not to add on the pounds or raise your blood sugar!

Let's start with sweet treats. Pumpkin Spice is in the air!

Pumpkin Pies are ever popular. Custard, Chiffon or Cheesecake, start making them now so you can try them all!

 Spiced Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake from Jennifer Eloff at Splendid Low Carbing

Pumpkin Pie Dessert Pizza  from Stacey at Beauty and the Foodie

 

Sour Cream Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars  another treat from Jennifer Eloff  at Splendid Low Carbing

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie  from Ginny at Ginny's Low Carb Kitchen

Low Carb Pumpkin Praline Pie  from George Stella at Low Carb and Lovin' It

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan-Chia-Flax Crust from Peggy at Buttoni's Low Carb Recipes

  

 Pumpkin Cheese Pie from Jennifer Eloff at Splendid Low Carbing

Move over Pies! Not everything that is sweet and spicy and  "pumpkiny" is a pie.

Pumpkin Fudge Mini Doughnuts  by me! 

Pumpkin Coconut Ice Cream by Peggy at Buttoni's Low Carb Recipes

 

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Shots from the Diner

Pumpkin Coconut Fudge  from here at the Diner

Don't think everything that has pumpkin is sweet. Here are some delicious ways to get your pumpkin without the dessert!

Thai Chicken Pumpkin Soup  from Peggy at Buttoni's Low Carb Recipes

Pumpkin Lasagna from the Diner

Low Carb Pumpkin Bagels  from Stacey at Beauty and the Foodie

Cauliflower with Pumpkin Cheddar Cheese Sauce  a new Diner favorite!

Hearty Pumpkin Soup from Jennifer at Splendid Low Carbing

I love pumpkin so much...there are just too many recipes to list! In fact, this October, the entire issue of the 24/7 Low Carb Diner News is devoted to pumpkin recipes!  Here are some more you can get if you order a year of newsletters. 

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

Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting with Caramel

Pumpkin Enchiladas

Pumpkin Sloppy Joes on Savory Pumpkin Quickbread

Pumpkin Cheddar Cauliflower Mash

Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte

Sugarfree Pumpkin Butter

Pumpkin Doughnuts with Maple Glaze

Butterscotch Pumpkin Custard

Pumpkin, Chicken and Mushroom Stew

Pumpkin, Tomato and Bacon Soup

Pumpkin Cheesecake Protein Shake

Now, go get yourself some pumpkin. Get the Diner News here.

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. 

Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Soup

The weather is beginning to turn cooler, and so soup is on the menu. What's perfect about this time of year, at least around my parts, is that we still have fresh tomatoes in the garden. Basil too. This soup uses those--and eggplant. A little roasting rounds out the flavors and makes an especially tasty soup. That's not a step I am likely to take in the summer heat. Roasting in my tiny kitchen makes it too hot. But early fall? You bet. I adore the flavor of roasted veggies.

Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Soup

1/2 eggplant

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 small onion

1 tsp minced garlic

4 fresh small tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup half and half

2 tbsp fresh finely chopped basil

4 tbsp shaved Parmesan cheese

Peel eggplant and dice into half inch chunks. Toss with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Dice onion and add it to the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring midway through the roasting.

Meanwhile, immerse tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and peel the skins from the tomatoes. Roughly chop and add to a soup pot. Add the broth and bay leaf. When eggplant is roasted, add it with the onions to the soup pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the half and half and fresh basil.

Divide soup among 4 bowls. Top with additional basil leaves and 1 tbsp of cheese per bowl.

Serves 4: 118 calories  6 net carbs

This is one of those meals where the side requires more attention than the protein. This soup is the unique taste. I like a simple grilled chicken breast with it, and perhaps some toasted low carb bread. Yummy good. I like to bring soup to school for my lunches too. I just pack it in a canning jar, then reheat in the microwave. Teaching at a small school this year, I eat out with the students. We don't actually have a lunch room. Some things I eat get some interesting remarks--like last month's Pumpkin Enchiladas. This one smells wonderful and looks tastier to the kids. Always better than their Lunchables!

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. 

Fall Fondue

Acorn squash is usually not my squash of choice. They are a little sweeter and higher carb than my favorite this time of year--Delicata. But these are easier to find, and often stunning to look at. This one I found last year had the deep rich green you expect, but also had this gorgeous orange. It was perfect to make a fondue where the outer shell served as the serving bowl. Simply stunning.

This is a special occasion dish, for sure. To keep the carbs down, you need to share it with 11 friends. Like at Thanksgiving perhaps? That is why I featured this recipe in last November's Diner News. It was a hit with my family, so I thought I would feature it now, almost a year later. Remember, most of the recipes in my newsletter are not shared on this blog, so it is a value to subscribe. I do share some of the recipes, because I simply cannot operate a full test kitchen. I have a busy life too! This is a winner, and if you want all my recipes, don't forget that you can order back issues of the Diner News too. It is all on the web page along with my e-books.

Now back to this fondue. Nothing is more fun to share. This recipe capitalizes on the natural sweetness of the squash and cranks it up with some sugarfree apple drink. I hate using aspartame, but I do on the rare occasion. If you can find a pre-sweetened apple drink with natural sweeteners, by all means use that! I would. More and more drinks are on the market everyday. It is hard to keep up.

This is more cheese flavored than it is sweet, so it is still good for veggies and low carb bread dippers.

Acorn Squash Fondue

This one is perfect for fall parties. It is a little sweet and a little cheesy. Surprisingly unique. I like it with roasted Brussels  and mushrooms, but low carb breads made into toasts or crackers would be wonderful as well.

1 acorn squash

1 tbsp butter

1/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup sugarfree apple flavored drink (Great Value )

3 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup cream

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Cut the top third off the acorn squash. Cut the point from the base of the squash so it will sit steadily. Do not cut to the hollow part or the fondue will leak out. Remove the seeds and pulp. Rub the insides with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let cool 5-10 minutes then scoop out the insides to 1/2 inch from the shell.

Add the scooped squash to a small saucepan.  Stir in the apple drink and heat for 10 minutes to further soften the squash. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to make a puree.   Return the squash to the pan and stir in the cream cheese and cream. Heat and stir until the cream cheese melts and is fully incorporated. Add the shredded cheese one fourth cup at a time, stirring continually until melted. Add thyme and salt.

Pour the hot fondue into the reserved squash shell. Sprinkle nutmeg on top for garnish. Serve with roasted vegetable dippers or low carb crackers.

Serves 12:         95 calories       2 net carbs     8 g fat

So if you have a party, luncheon, girls night out, or any other fun fall event, try this. It will please those who do not low carb too. It reheats in a microwave when you arrive at the party, so it is impressive but easy.

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.