September 23, 2012 - Pile On's

So since our month of new recipes was over, we decided to return to one of our old favorites. They are very simple to make and you can customize them quite a bit. Each person can add their own toppings. Now, because of that, it's hard to give an exact carb count. It just all depends. I use a special type of Tortilla chip that is low carb. It's about 13 Chips for 15 carbs. And then you just add on the carbs as you add your toppings. We love this recipe. We do it all the time!

Ingredients ( Whatever you want!)

 1 pound Ground Beef (makes enough for about 3 people, with generous servings of course. 

Juanitas Gluten Free Tortilla Chips

Taco Seasoning

Sour Cream 

Tomato - cut into pieces

Salsa

Mushrooms

Shredded Cheese

Jalapenos ( for the brave ones) 

Cook the beef until completely down. Drain the grease. Add in the taco seasoning and cook according to the packaged steps. Lay one layer of chips  the plate and then proceed to top it with anything and everything! Just be sure to count your carbs as you do it. I like to put the cheese on last and then pop the whole thing in the microwave to melt the cheese for about 30 seconds. It kinds helps hold everything together. 

Simple huh? I'd say so. And it is a quick, delicious, messy dinner. Kids will love it! 

Can you guess who had which plate? :-) 

HAPPY EATING!!!

September 19, 2012 - Veggie and Cheese Stuffed Burgers

Well, despite the fact that it was hard to keep the hamburgers from breaking open, it was quite good. This a good twist on the basic hamburger. If you are bored from the traditional hamburger, you should give this one a try. It's really good! We had some cucumber and kiwi along with the meal. 

Ingredients:

3/4 slice cheddar cheese, low fat
1 tbsp parsley
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup pieces or slices mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 lb ground sirloin

Directions:

1. Thoroughly combine ground beef, salt, garlic, pepper, and soy sauce.
2. Divide mixture into 8 equal patties (patties should be thin).
3. Combine remaining ingredients; divide evenly atop 4 patties.
4. Place another patty on top of each; seal edges
5. Cook on a grill, or under your stove’s broiler, until done.
6. Finally, top with cheese; when cheese has melted, the burger is ready to serve. 
7. Note: feel free to experiment with different burger seasonings, stuffing, and types of cheese, be as creative as you like!

I'm sure you can figure out which plate belongs to who... :-) 

HAPPY EATING!!!

September 17, 2012 - White Castle Hamburger Pie

This one turn out pretty good! We added Red Robin seasoning to the meat and it gave it a nice flavor. We had a lot to do before dinner, so it was another 8 pm dinner. We just ate the meat pie because we were too hungry to make anything to go with it. I'm sure and veggie or fruit would go just fine with it. We would make this one again.

White Castle Hamburger Pie

Ingredients

120 g cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 dash pepper
1 dash salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
500 g minced beef
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, nonfat ( we are not sure where this comes into the recipe so we just left it out. ) 

1. Brown the ground beef in a saucepan. Drain off the fat and season
to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Add meat to a 9-10" pie plate and stir in half the grated cheese
and top with the remaining cheese.
3. Beat eggs, mayonnaise and cream and add a dash of pepper.
4. Pour mixture evenly over ground meat and cheese.
5. Bake at 350 °F (180 °C) for 30-35 minutes.
6. Once cooked, cool and divide into 8 portions.
7. As a variation, add 1 packet onion soup mix or onion seasoning to
the ground beef during browning stage. ( We added Red Robin Seasoning) 


Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 serving

Calories 370  Total Fat 30.29g   Saturated Fat 11.586g  Cholesterol 125mg   Sodium 384mg 
Potassium 187mg  Total Carbohydrate 4.54g  Dietary Fiber 0.2g   Sugars 1.47g  Protein 18.95g

HAPPY EATING!!!

September 11, 2012 - Sicilian Meat Roll

Today's dinner takes longer than most of the previous posts. It takes over an hour to bake since it is a thicker meat roll. It is relatively easy to make, it just takes a long time to bake. ( ha, that rhymed) Anyways, It turned out pretty good! After eating one serving, we realized that ketchup would help with the dryness. It was much better with a little ketchup so we recommend it for you! We had a few grapes and half a kiwi along with come carrots and Lemon pepper for the sides! Another success! 

INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup tomato juice
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 (6 ounce) package thinly sliced ham
1 (6 ounce) package sliced mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bow l, combine eggs and tomato juice. Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley,
oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and ground beef. Mix thoroughly. Preheat oven to 350
degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. On a piece of foil or w axed paper, pat and shape meat into a 10x8 inch rectangle.
Arrange ham slices on top of meat, leaving a small margin around edges. Tear up the
cheese slices, reserving 1 slice w hole, and sprinkle over the ham.
3. Starting from the short end, carefully roll up meat, using the foil or w axed paper to lift.
Seal the edges and ends of the meat. Place roll, seam side dow n, in a 9x13 inch
baking dish.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for about 75 minutes. Cut the reserved slice of cheese into
4 triangles. Overlap the triangles on top of loaf. Bake for another 2 minutes or until
cheese melts.


Nutrition Information
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Calories: 449  Total Fat: 30.4g  Cholesterol: 163mg  Sodium: 670mg  Total Carbs: 9.7g  
Dietary Fiber: 0.9g  Protein: 31.8g

September 7, 2012 - Zucchini Noodles and Baked Meatballs

Both of tonight's recipes were quick and small so we decided to combine them into a dinner. And both of them were really good! We just added some Italian seasoning on top of the meatballs along with some sugar free spaghetti sauce and it tasted great! We will definitely make this one again! If two of you tackle this dinner, it will be done in probably 30 minutes. Who doesn't like a quick and delicious dinner!? Oh, and we split a banana to have a fruit along with it. 

Note: The spaghetti sauce is not included in the carb counts so be sure to take that into a count. 

BAKED MEATBALLS 

1 pound ground beef 
1 pound bulk Italian sausage 
2 teaspoons dry minced onion 
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 2 ounces (I used the kind in a can) 
2 eggs 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl using your fingers. Mix until the meat no long feels slimy from the eggs. Shape in golf ball size meatballs and place on a large baking sheet with sides. Bake at 375º for 15-20 minutes until the meatballs are done all the way through. Rinse in a colander to remove any egg and cheese that has leaked out.

Makes about 20-30 meatballs 
Can be frozen

Per meatball: 92 Calories; 7g Fat; 6g Protein; trace Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 

ZUCCHINI "NOODLES"

Trim the ends off the zucchini. Using the wide julienne blade of a mandolin, shred the zucchini lengthwise into noodle-like strips. You could do this with a very sharp knife by cutting the zucchini lengthwise into very thin slabs, then cut each slab into thin strips. Cut strips to desired length. Sauté zucchini in butter in a non-stick skillet until slightly limp, but not mushy. Season as desired with salt and pepper, etc. I used some Spicy Seasoning Salt and pepper. Serve as a side dish or top with tomato or other kind of sauce. They have a texture similar to thick egg noodles. 

Carb count will depend on serving size, but estimate:

Per Serving: 39 Calories; 3g Fat; 1g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber

( I think we are getting better at this food photography thing!) 

HAPPY EATING!!!

September 5, 2012 - Zucchini Lasagna

Tonight's dinner was alright. We have decided we must be doing something wrong, because both our lasagna  recipes have come out a little bland. They are still good, but we need to find away to add some more flavor to it. This one uses zucchini instead of noodles. I think we will make it again, but add more spices next time! If any of you have suggestions for better flavored lasagna, let us know! We are open for suggestions! We have one more zucchini recipe to come this week! So much zucchini... it never ends..... but hey, better to use it, than to lose it. 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick ( about 2 medium)
1/2 lb lean ground beef ( I use 1 lb.)
1/4 cup onions, chopped
2 small tomatoes, cut up
1 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 eggs
3/4 cup low fat cottage cheese ( or low fat or fat free ricotta)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded ( I use 8 oz. divided)
1 teaspoon flour

Directions
1. Cook zucchini until tender, drain and set aside. Fry meat and onions until meat is brown and
onions are tender; drain fat. Add next 8 ingredients and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered 10 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups.
3. In small bowl slightly beat egg.
4. Add cottage cheese, half of shredded cheese and flour.
5. In (1 1/2-qt.) baking-roasting pan arrange half of the meat mixture. Top with half of the zucchini and
all the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining meat and zucchini.
6. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer.
8. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.


Amount Per Serving 
Calories 261.0
Servings Per Recipe: 4

Total Fat 11.6g 17%; Saturated Fat 5.0g: Cholesterol 98.6mg; Sugars 10.5 g; Sodium 630.9mg Total Carbohydrate 16.1g; Dietary Fiber 3.4g; Sugars 10.5 g;  Protein 24.4g 

HAPPY EATING!!!

August 29, 2012 - Red Enchilada Skillet Dinner

Ah, another dinner success! Tonight's dinner was perfect for us since we had some shopping to do and the dinner was quick and easy to make. It is similar to the spanish rice dinner, only no "rice". We put it over a salad of lettuce and finished it off with some sour cream. For the non-low-carb eaters, this tastes great in a tortilla! 

RED ENCHILADA SKILLET DINNER

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 small onion, chopped (2 1/2 ounces)
2/3 cup Red Enchilada Sauce
2 Roma tomatoes, diced (about 6 ounces)
8 green onions, chopped, one bunch
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional

In a large skillet or wok, brown the meat with the onion; drain the grease. Stir in the enchilada sauce, tomato and green onions. Bring to a boil; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt, if needed. Sprinkle with the cheese and cook over low heat until the cheese is melted. Add the cilantro, if using. Can be served over chopped lettuce and topped with sour cream (not included in the counts).

Makes 4-6 servings
Can be frozen

Per 1/4 Recipe: 455 Calories; 30g Fat; 36g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 

HAPPY EATING!!!

August 27, 2012 - Spanish "Rice" and Hamburger

Another great day for another great recipe! Today's was easy as well. We worked together to get all the ingredients cut up or shredded. I never thought that Cauliflower could be a substitute for rice, but, surprisingly, it tasted just like rice! I also love it because it has 20 grams or protein, which is awesome for me! 

The funny thing is though, we got everything cooked and we even served it for ourselves before realizing that we had forgotten the tomato sauce! Oopps! So, we quickly threw it all back in the skillet and mixed in the sauce to let it heat up. Note to self: make sure you put everything in.... lol. It tasted like an upscale version of hamburger helper! It was great! Give it a try! We add a butter sandwich along with it. ( I love those too if you can't tell. :-) 

Once again, this is from Linda's Low Carb Menus and Recipes.

SPANISH "RICE" AND HAMBURGER

1 pound ground beef
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons onion, chopped, 1 3/4 ounces
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped, 1 1/4 ounces
1 pound fresh cauliflower, grated
8 ounce can tomato sauce  - Don't forget!!!!
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large skillet, brown the hamburger, bacon, onion and green pepper; drain the fat. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the cheese. Mix well; cover and simmer about 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the "rice". Cover the skillet and turn the stove to the lowest heat. Cook about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Makes 6 servings
Can be frozen

Per Serving: 263 Calories; 17g Fat; 20g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber

HAPPY EATING!!!

August 22, 2012 - Lasagna Stuffed Peppers

So tonight we tried our hand at more Italian cuisine. We made lasagna stuffed peppers, which are basically green bell peppers cut in half and stuffed with lasagna filling. This one came at a cost though. Brittany cut her finger while trying to seed one of the peppers. No worries, though. She is alive and doing well. The recipe was pretty good! See note below. 

*Note: It was a little bland tasting so you may want to season the meat with something yummy to add a little flavor or kick. 

LASAGNA STUFFED PEPPERS
4 large green peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 pound ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 cup spaghetti sauce
15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 egg
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Place the peppers in a large baking pan at least 9 x 13 inches; sprinkle the inside of the peppers with salt. Meanwhile brown the ground beef, garlic, mushrooms, salt, pepper and half the garlic powder; drain the fat. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed. Combine the ricotta cheese, egg and 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese in a small bowl; season with salt, pepper and the remaining garlic powder. Divide the ricotta mixture between the pepper halves. Top the ricotta mixture with the meat sauce; mound the mozzarella cheese over the top of each pepper. Sprinkle with the 1/4 cup parmesan. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned.

Makes 8 servings

Per Serving: 327 Calories; 21g Fat; 24g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber