Fresh And Easy Low Carb Zucchini Tomato Skillet

1 Tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
1 small onion, sliced in circles
4 small zucchini, washed and sliced in circles
2 medium tomatoes, sliced in circles
1 tsp dried basil
salt and black pepper to taste

In a large skillet, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and cook in skillet, stirring, until just starting to get clear.
Add the zucchini and cook until they just start to get translucent, but not soft; don't over cook the zucchini.
Add tomatoes and continue cooking until the tomatoes are hot, which will only be a couple minutes.
Sprinkle on basil, salt and pepper to taste, stir, and serve immediately.
Will serve 2, and can easily be doubled.
If desired, sprinkle finished dish with shredded Parmesan cheese before serving.

Low Carb "Faux" Potato Picnic Salad

1 head cauliflower, divided into small florettes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp coarse ground or spicy brown mustard
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp finely chopped pickles
2 green onions, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
paprika for garnish
(optional: other potato salad favorites, like crispy bacon pieces, radishes, finely chopped celery, etc.)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add cauliflower florettes, and cook at a gentle rolling boil JUST until KNIFE tender; drain immediately and dump cauliflower out onto paper towels to dry and cool  thoroughly.
While cauliflower is cooling, prepare dressing.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, and chopped pickles (may use relish if you have a low-carb variety.)
Put cooled cauliflower in a salad bowl, stir in the dressing mixture, then top with onions, eggs, and add salt and pepper to taste, stir and adjust seasonings.  Add any other ingredients you want, adjust seasonings, then sprinkle with paprika for a pretty finish.
Refrigerate until cold, then serve.
Will serve 4 small salads.

Tips For Eating Low Carb On The Go

Tips For Successful Low Carb Eating On The Road

When eating out at a sit down restaurant, it's rather easy to make good choices for your low carb diet.  It appears restauranteurs have picked up the idea of healthy eating rather quickly and are offering menu choices that suit the needs of the low carb dieter.  Why not?  They want our business, too!

But what about when you're driving through fast food places?  These establishments have been a bit slower in figuring out that we want fast AND low carb.  But, we keep going.  Why?  Because it’s so convenient to stop on the way home and grab burgers, tacos, or something similar for the kids, especially after spending hours on the road chauffeuring between school, sports, music, dance, and 'ad infinitum.'

One of the reasons obesity is on the rise in America is because we don't take time to make smart food  choices, especially when we're in a hurry... and when aren't we in a hurry?  I am here to tell you that even in a hurry, you can choose low carb alternatives.

The Fast Dash

When you pull up to place your order, what jumps out at you?  Buns, bread, breading, and everything BUT fresh.  If you're like me, you're trying to stay on track with a low carb mantra like; “veggies, protein, veggies, protein, veggies, protein...” and nothing on the menu looks like it fits.  What can you do?

The best bet, and the one I usually turn to, is the salad, but not one smothered in creamy dressing or with breaded chicken on top.  Choose an oil and vinegar dressing (or none at all) and the grilled chicken.  You can also choose a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato and throw out the bun.  Tell them to skip the creamy spread, and you've got nothing but protein and veggies.  Your low carb diet is still intact.  Be prepared to have the server look at you like you are nuts, like the time I had to repeat myself three times because the server kept saying, “You don’t want the BUN?”

Your Own Take Out

However, the best bet if you are on the go is to bring food with you.  Yes, skip the drive-thru altogether.  You'll need to plan ahead, but this is a great method for having food available for you and your family as you drive hither-and-yon.  Find a small cooler and keep it in your car.  Place a few frozen-gel packs in your freezer, or just freeze a couple bottles of water.  Then, PLAN AHEAD and prepare a supply of food and snacks to keep in the cooler as you travel through your day.

Grab a supply of ziploc bags or plastic food containers and fill them with cheese, nuts, veggies, and a variety of cooked meats.  Make rollups using sliced turkey and cream cheese with cucumbers.  Cut some chicken cutlets into thin slices, coat with almond meal, and oven fry them for 'chicken fingers.' Mix cream cheese and smoked salmon and roll in romaine lettuce leaves.  All these snacks can go in your cooler and will be ready when hunger hits.  The trick is to have these snacks ready ahead of time so you can grab them and throw them in the cooler with ice as you run to get the kids and hit the road.

Low carb dieting is not about starving yourself.  It's about eating foods that turn into energy, not fat.  It's about feeling better, looking better, and getting healthier.  Yes, you can eat on the road without succumbing to sugar and starch laden foods.  Choose wisely, plan ahead, and you CAN eat healthy on the road!

World's Easiest Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 thin chicken cutlets
4 thin ham slices
4 oz Bleu cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup Parmesan cheese
* spinach salad, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil a shallow baking dish.
Lay chicken cutlets out on work surface, lay one piece of ham on each cutlet, then place even amounts of the Bleu cheese on top of each slice of ham.
Roll the cutlets up and secure with a toothpick.
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the olive oil and egg.
In a shallow bowl, put the Parmesan cheese.
Take each cutlet roll and first dip in egg mixture, then roll in Parmesan cheese and place in prepared baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  (Cooking time will depend on how thin the cutlets are.)
Remove and allow to cool slightly at room temperature before serving.
Makes 4 servings.
* Serve on a plate alongside a simple spinach salad, lightly dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.

Fresh And Crunchy Veggie And White Bean Salad

3 Tbsp good olive oil
1 Tbsp good balsamic vinegar, or other good vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 can (15 oz size) cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed, drained well
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow or red bell pepper, diced
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Put the olive oil and vinegar in a large salad bowl and whisk until dressing thickens slightly.  Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
Add the remaining ingredients to bowl and toss gently until ingredients are coated with dressing.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Chill for 15 minutes before serving.
Will serve 2 to 4.

Successful Low Carb Dinning

Tips For Successful Low Carb Eating At A Restaurant

Just because you are eating low carb doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a lunch or dinner out with family or friends.  Most eating establishments have figured out that they need to coax dieters in their doors.  So, they have started to bend and twist their menus to suit their patrons looking for alternatives.

The low carb diet has been so successful that, now when you go to a restaurant, it is easy to find what you need to stay well within your dietary needs.  But there are still tricks you can do to ensure that once you take a look at the menu, you aren't swayed by all the high carb offerings.  Here are a few ideas that I have used to help me stay on track with my low carb diet while dining out at a restaurant:

Snack Before You Go Out

Before you go out to eat, eat a high fiber and/or protein snack. Do this about 20 minutes prior to arriving at the restaurant and you won't have an empty stomach making your food decisions for you. If you are starving when you arrive at the restaurant, your stomach will tell your brain what to order, and it won't be low carb.  Studies have shown that when we eat before we leave for the restaurant, choosing a high fiber and/or a protein snack, it starts the connection from the belly to the brain that we are not, in fact, starving.  Yes, your brain likes to know these things.

I like to grab a handful of almonds, or a piece of cheese, or even a slice of turkey or ham.  Then, when the server brings that warm bread basket to the table, I don't automatically dive in.  Yes, I know the bread is warm and yummy and smells so good.  I get that.  But, think of the carbs in that bread and where those pounds will land once that quick trip through the tummy is over.  “A minute on the lips,  then straight to the hips!”  I know it’s difficult to pass up the high carb goodies, but having that snack beforehand will help you think clearer and make better choices when reading the menu.

Order a Glass of Water

Always start your meal off with a big glass of ice water.  As a matter of fact, don't order your meal until you've finished that entire glass.  Once you feel full, place your order.  It's amazing how satisfying a big salad looks after your stomach is full of water.  Also, once your meal comes, you won't over eat.

Studies also have shown that ice cold water speeds the metabolism because your body is trying to warm itself up.  Blood is flowing to the stomach because it's cold there!  Also, drinking water throughout the day helps keep your metabolism at optimum levels because you're hydrated, keeping all your systems operating smoothy.  Remember, the human body is about 60% water.  About 80% of our blood is water.  The water in our blood helps digest our food and transport waste.  Sounds like keeping our body 'watered' makes sense on any diet.

Start with Salad

I know your mom has told you how important it is to eat your veggies.  Okay, the fact is, I didn't always believe her.  Sometimes I would think she was being 'old school.'  But, there is more truth to mom's sage advice than we might have guessed.  Working veggies into our meal when we eat at a restaurant can really save your low carb diet from disaster.

Start your meal with a salad and ask for a simple oil and vinegar dressing.  Forget the creamy dressings as they typically are high calorie, high carb, and contain artificial flavorings and MSG, which is another bad carb culprit you should avoid on your low carb diet.  MSG is usually made with a beet base, so has a high sugar content.  And don't forget to ask your server to omit the croutons, and while they're at it, throw on a few extra tomatoes.

Even lettuce has a high fiber content which brings the net carbs for the meal down. If spinach salad is an option, choose that. Spinach is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.  So, along with avoiding the bad carbs in the bread at the beginning of your meal, you are adding the healthy benefits of veggies.

Start with Soup

If you don’t want to start your meal with a salad because you are planning on a salad as your entree, then choose a clear soup for a starter.  When you eat broth based soups, a couple things happen;  you put a large amount of liquid (aka volume) in your stomach, you give your brain the signal that your stomach is filling up, and your taste buds are busy.  Sometimes we find ourselves reaching for the breadsticks simply because our taste buds want to be happy.

Soup is an excellent choice for all these reasons.  But, remember to stay away from cream based soups which are often, but not always, loaded with starches and carbohydrates.  You can always ask the server how the soup was made to be sure.  Choose a healthy soup for a starter and your tummy will feel full, your taste buds will be happy, and your brain will know that you are not starving.

Chew, Chew, Chew

People tend to eat less when they eat slowly and give their brain a chance to catch up with their belly. They enjoy their food more when they savor the flavors and chew their food.  Along with the enjoyment comes the ability to put the brakes on.  When you take the time to chew slowly and enjoy your food, you feel satisfied, not hungry, and not deprived. 

Take the time to enjoy the new flavors and fresh foods that you are choosing now over those unhealthy choices from before.  Begin to train your belly that it doesn’t need massive amounts of high carb food to feel satisfied.  Take your time to eat.  Don’t forget the brain needs to tell the belly, “Hey, she’s feeding you, so calm down already!”  Think about your food while you are chewing.  Eating slowly gives your belly time to send the message to your brain that the food is good and it's filling you up.

Choose the Best Restaurants

By 'best restaurants' I don't mean the fanciest;  I mean the restaurants where you will have the best chance of finding low carb dishes on the menu.  Typically, I have found that Italian and Mediterranean cuisine offer some of the best choices.  But, you're thinking, isn't that all about pasta, which I can't eat?

Picture how these European countries eat.  In America we love our 'super-size' portions and we want them fast!  Am I right?  In Europe we picture people eating leisurely meals, in small portions, over a glass of wine while enjoying the company of their friends.  Mediterranean restaurants tend to have dishes that are loaded with vegetables, herbs, and spices, along with fish, lean meats, beans, and olive oil;  perfect for low carb eating.  If your favorite recipe happens to be served over pasta, ask your server to skip the pasta and put a bed of mixed greens on your plate instead; a favorite low carb diet trick.

When you go out to eat, and open the menu, do you panic?  That's okay.  Relax.  I know starting a low carb diet can be confusing, even stressful.  Taking away your enriched white flour and refined sugar seems like tough-love.  But, honestly, once you get past that basket of bread, you have a world of wonderfully rich, spicy, aromatic dishes that will delight your taste buds.  I guarantee you won't miss the white bread when you have a pile of grilled shrimp or a juicy steak sitting in front of you!

Quick And Easy Crockpot Pot Roast And Vegetables With Savory Gravy

3 lb boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and tied with butcher string to secure
coarse black pepper to taste
light oil for browning meat
3 large carrots, peeled and coarse cut
3 stalks celery, coarse cut
1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry red wine or beef broth
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp crushed dried thyme
2 large bay leaves
salt
(optional: 1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp cold water, or substitute almond flour mixed with water.)

Sprinkle roast all over with black pepper. (Add salt if desired.)
Spray a heavy non-stick skillet with cooking spray or coat with oil.
Put skillet over medium-high heat.
When skillet is hot, add the roast and sear until browned well, flipping after side is browned - do not flip continually, just once per side. Brown all over, not just 2 sides.
Arrange the carrots on the bottom of the crockpot, then the celery, then the onion, and sprinkle the garlic over all evenly.
Set the browned roast on top.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wine, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, thyme, and bay leaves, then pour gently over the roast and vegetables.
Cover the crockpot, set the heat to LOW, and cook 8 to 9 hours or until beef is fork tender.
When done, remove beef and vegetables to a platter.  You may thicken the gravy at this point if desired.  Turn heat on crockpot to high.  Mix the cornstarch and cold water (or almond flour and water) in a cup until dissolved, then stir into the crockpot and stir until liquid thickens; turn heat off.
Spoon vegetables on each plate and serve thin slices of beef alongside.  Spoon the thickened gravy over all.
Cornstarch is not low carb, but the almond flour option is low carb. Another low-carb option is to add okra to liquid and allow to cook together for 5 minutes.  Eggplant is another low-carb thickener.
Serves 6.