Sugar Free Hot Cocoa Mix

This is my riff on a recipe I got from Susan Maria Leach at http://bariatriceating.com. Susan Maria (SM to most of us) and her company also sponsor forums at http://beforeandafterhelp.com.  Both are great resources for pre and post bariatric patients.

This is a thick, rich cocoa with a full mouth feel that won't leave you craving those little mini-marshmallows! It's also REALLY economical compared to those packages with the little Swiss girl on the front.

2 cups Splenda Granular (or your equivalent favorite powdered sweetener)

1 cup Dutch cocoa

3 1/2 cups powdered lowfat milk

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons cornstarch

4 1.4oz pkg Jell-0 Sugar Free Chocolate (or Chocolate Fudge) Pudding Mix

To make  single serving:

Heat 1 1/2 cups milk (any kind, skim, soy, almond, goat, elk, whatever...)

Put 2 HEAPING teaspoons of the mix in your mug (amount may vary by mug size and your personal taste - experiment!)

Slowly add the heated milk while mixing thoroughly

Cook's Notes: 

You can add a teaspoon of decaf instant coffee if you'd like a great cup of mocha!

Makes a great gift!

Sweet Potato Apple Napoleon

Sorry I didn't get around to posting Thanksgiving recipes earlier, but I actually work for a living - and "occasionally" it gets in the way...

I do have a nice dish to contribute though to replace that awful marshmallow crusted sweet potato casserole  that haunts holiday meals.

Sweet Potato Apple Napoleon

2 sweet potatoes 

2 cored apples

1/8 cup lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup Splenda (or equivalent sweetener of choice)

1 tsp molasses (for the brown sugar taste)

2 Tbls butter

Heat oven to 350 F

Slice sweet potatoes and apples "potato chip thin"

Arrange a layer of potatoes, then apples in an 8X8 casserole 

Heat/microwave remaining ingredients to melt butter - stir well

Drizzle over layer

Repeat, finishing with sweet potatoes

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours

Allow to cool and "set" for at least 15 minutes

Slice into portions

Excellent served warm or at room temperature

"Good for You" Holiday Eggnog

'Tis the season - and before long you'll be gathering around the hearth with loved ones to toast the season - except you wouldn't DARE dink that hideous concoction that comes in the peppermint decorated cartons from the dairy case - and the fixin's to make it from scratch would destroy your daily eating plan with only one sip...

What to do?!  What to DO?!?

TA - ta ta - DA!!!  The jolly old kitchen elf, St. Dave, has an answer for you.  A rich, thick, delicious  low calorie and LOW CARB eggnog that you can even make into a high protein shake.

5 cups very cold skim milk - or Almond milk or soy milk or moose milk..  Whatever you prefer

1 package sugar-free Vanilla instant pudding mix

1 teaspoon rum extract (or vanilla)

a grating of fresh nutmeg (or a shake from that tin in the cupboard)

Mix well and refrigerate for several hours.

Cook's Notes:  This just screams for the addition of a couple scoops of plain or vanilla protein powder for that extra healthy punch.

AND..  if you want to slip in a wee dram o' "the holiday spirits" that is up to you!

Simply Perfect Chicken

Everybody wants another chicken recipe.  One that is simple.  One that is delicious.  One that doesn't spatter all over the stove top or have a bazilion calories..

This is that recipe..

1 lb chicken breasts (boneless or bone-in), skin removed

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup Greek yogurt - plain

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F

Mix Parmesan, garlic powder, season salt and pepper into Greek yogurt

place chicken breasts into casserole dish and spread yogurt mixture over them

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes

Absolutely Delicious!!

Pan Seared Salmon with Dijon Cream

There is nothing quite so beautiful in the fish case as a mound of brilliant pink/red salmon flesh.  Whenever I see it I think of the hundreds of ways it can taste so delicious on my dinner plate after just a few minutes in my skillet.  This is a simple favorite.

1 pound salmon filet (cut into 2 - 4 portions)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 small shallot, diced
2 tablespoons freshly chopped sage
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup low-fat evaporated milk
1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard

Prepare breadcrumbs:
Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 minced garlic cloves

Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant

Add bread crumbs, tossing for a minute or two until the mixture is combined and slightly golden. Set aside.

Prepare Salmon:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. 

Season salmon with salt and pepper, then place in the skillet (skin side up, if the salmon has skin) and cook until opaque in the center and golden on each side, about 5-6 minutes for salmon that is 1-inch thick. 

If you use salmon with skin, simply cook it skin side up the entire time. 

Remove salmon and set aside.

To the pan, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter, shallot, garlic, and sage. 

Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes until sizzling, then add in wine. 

Cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing it to bubble and slightly reduce.

Whisk in evaporated milk and mustard. 

Continue to whisk and cook while milk bubbles on the sides and thickens, stirring for a minute or two. 

Taste and season additionally or whisk in a bit more Dijon if desired.

Drizzle salmon with Dijon cream and top with breadcrumbs.  

Cook's Notes:

Serve immediately with bright crisp vegetables or salad

Autumn Apple Salad

Fall is definitely upon us and in my part of the country that means it's "apple pickin' season" - the only trouble is, "What do you do with all those apples?"

I highly recommend this lovely salad featuring apples and other autumn fruits.


3-4 tart apples, cored and diced
1 cup plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Sweetener to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to coat the fruits.
Serves 4

Note:  I try to use several different kinds of apples and don't peel them.  It gives you a multitude of textures, tastes and colors.

Toss your diced apples with a few drops of lemon juice to keep them from browning

Ginger-Garlic Crusted Chicken

In my chase for the low carb lifestyle I discovered the paleo movement - the idea that we should eat only what the cavemen ate.  That's a little extreme for my tastes, but they do offer some excellent flavor suggestions/combinations that fit perfectly into my lifestyle choice.  The crust for this chicken will tickle your taste buds as well as the imagination of your guests.  I think you'll be returning to this recipe often!

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup coarsely chopped scallions

2 to 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
4 cloves of garlic, peeled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon oil or cooking fat of choice

1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Cover the chicken breasts with plastic wrap on both sides and, using a meat mallet, pound them to an even thickness, about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick.
Combine the scallions, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. 
Pulse a few times to combine. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil to the food processor and process into a paste.
Heat the 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof skillet and place the chicken in the skillet, smooth side down. Sear the chicken for about 2 to 3 minutes on one side, or until lightly browned and the chicken easily releases from the pan.
Flip the chicken breasts and turn off the burner. 
Coat the seared side with the ginger-garlic-scallion paste and sprinkle the nuts on top, pressing on them so they adhere to the paste.
Place the chicken in the oven for 10 minutes, or until it is cooked through (internal temperature reaches at least 170°F) and the nut crust on the top is golden brown.
Allow the chicken to rest (covered) for 5 minutes and serve.

Cook's Note:
The ginger-garlic-scallion crust is also incredibly tasty on fish and pork loin chops.The crust also works well with macadamia nuts instead of almonds.

Bariatric Friendly KFC Coleslaw

I know more than one person who thinks that the coleslaw is the best item on the menu at KFC restaurants.   I don't go in them any more, but I still enjoy my version of that great coleslaw.

1 head cabbage, cored and finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
2 Tbs finely chopped onion
1/4 cup High Quality mayonnaise
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/3 cup Granulated Splenda
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tbs white vinegar
2 Tbs lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the cabbage, carrot, and onion in a large bowl.
To make the dressing combine the remaining ingredients in an electric blender and process until smooth. 
Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine. 
Refrigerate covered for several hours or overnight before serving. 

Serves 8 to 12.

Cook's Notes:
Chopping the vegetables as finely as they do it at KFC is a challenge, so unless you have incredible knife skills I highly recommend using an electric food processor for the job.
Always use the highest quality mayonnaise.  The cheap stuff is full of sugar.

MY VERY BEST BURGER

A friend from a Bariatric discussion forum I follow posted this today.  It sounds yummy so I'm passing it along.

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 cup hot water
1 teaspoon beef bouillon -- (or soup base, gluten free)
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat your grill. In medium bowl, place ground beef, almond flour, Parmesan cheese, and eggs. Mix together well. 

In Measuring cup, combine water, beef bouillon, worcestersire sauce, liquid smoke flavoring, coffee granules, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix well.

Pour liquid into meat mixture and mix together well. Cover and let sit on counter for 20 minutes. 

Shape into 7 patties, 1/2 cup each, and grill.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

7 Servings/Per Serving: 266 Calories; 21g Fat (69.9% calories from fat); 17g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber

http://ginnyslowcarbkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/11/my-very-best-burger-and-smokey-cheese.html 

Mexican 3 Bean Salad

I love beans...  There, I've admitted it.  Pre-surgery, the humble bean  meant little to me - I could take them or leave them, but now they are a huge part of my eating plan.  They are high in fiber, filling and nutritious.  Plus they have a rich luxurious mouth feel and sit comfortably in my pouch - not to mention TASTY and EASY!

This recipe combines my penchant for beans with the flavors of the southwest for a classic three-bean salad with a Mexican flair.

1/2  cup olive oil
1/4  cup lime juice
1-3 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
1  tsp ground cumin, or to taste
1 tsp chili powder, or to taste
Hot sauce to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1  15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1  15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1  15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1  green bell pepper,  cored, seeded, and chopped
1  red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1  red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)

Combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to emulsify. 
Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine. 
Serve chilled or at room temperature. 

Serves 6 to 8.

Cook's Notes:  If you want to kick up the heat level you can add a chopped and seeded jalapeno or Serrano chili - or a pinch of cayenne.
Best if allowed to marinate for 30 minutes or more.

HUNGRY MAN's Breakfast Burrito

I woke up this morning and I was HUNGRY.  Not just nibbly or peckish, but intense growling stomach HUNGRY.  I have these days occasionally and I've learned that in order to get over them I have to give into them.  But that doesn't mean pizza or cookies and ice cream, it just means that I allow myself a larger portion of a healthy breakfast, which today was a breakfast burrito.

BREAKFAST BURRITO!!!  REALLY DAVE!!!  You'd feed us a high calorie - high carb breakfast burrito!!

Of course not!  I'm gonna make a burrito the Bariatric Food Dude way.  

First, we eliminate the high carb tortilla wrap and substitute our low carb tasty replacement - an oatmeal cottage cheese crepe..

For 1 giant sandwich crepe:

1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 oz. water
1 egg
tiny pinch of salt

Add oats and salt to blender and process into a fine flour.  Add egg, water and cottage cheese and process until smooth.

Pour into a 12" non-stick skillet over medium high heat and swirl to completely cover the bottom of the pan.  Cook until the edge gets firm and begins to lightly brown.  Bubbles will appear all over the top - flip and cook 30 seconds to a minute on the other side.  Note..  because there is no flour (and therefore no gluten) in this recipe there is nothing to hold it all together except the melted cottage cheese, so cook it thoroughly before the flip, but not so long as to become crisp - and treat it gently.  Remove to a plate for later assembly.


Filling:
I recommend scrambled eggs, sausage and cheese, but my philosophy is: "If you are going to do it - OVERDO it!", so instead of my usual breakfast sausage choice, I opened a package of locally made Mexican style chorizo that I picked up at the farmer's market.

I cooked the crumbled chorizo until it was little crispy bits and removed it to a plate, leaving the amazing flavored oil it gave off in the pan  to use to scramble the eggs.

Service:
Arrange the scrambled eggs down the center of the crepe, sprinkle liberally with crispy chorizo, cheese and optionally, salsa.  Flip up the bottom edge and roll into a tight package - Enjoy!!

Cook's Note: When making your own sandwich crepes you can flavor them any way you like! Toss a few spinach or basil leaves into the blender - or add a pinch of onion or garlic powder.  Or add Splenda and vanilla extract to wrap them around fresh fruit compote with a dollop of whipped cream for a spectacular dessert!
There is no reason these couldn't be made into smaller rounds for tinier portions.

By The Way: Even for all my hunger this morning, I was only able to eat about half of this monster.  Thankfully, my eyes really were larger than my stomach!

Grilled Portobellos Parmesan

Saturday morning started with a trip to the local farmer's market  where all the vegetable's are just now ready for this summer's close-up beauty shots. The corn is brilliant green, the cucumber's plump and juicy and the  variegated shades of the heirloom tomatoes make for an entire rainbow of deliciousness.  From the dairyman I bought fresh ricotta and mozzarella and the poultryman had some blue chicken eggs that were just too beautiful to pass up.  One odd thing that caught my attention was a stand of mushrooms.  She had some big gorgeous fresh portobellos.  You can tell they are fresh when the edges are still curled in tight.  With the natural "walls" still in place it makes it easy to stuff them.

Later, when dinner time was approaching, it was hot and humid in coastal North Carolina, so the last thing I wanted to do was fire up my kitchen to heat up the house.  I stared intently at my morning haul, trying to figure out a tasty, filling treat for the dear wife, the couple next door and me.  Obviously, a capressi salad would have been an acceptable choice, but we have those often - and I wanted to do something with those luscious mushrooms... I thought,  we're all familiar with eggplant Parmesan and chicken Parmesan and veal Parmesan, so why not portobello Parmesan?!?  And do it  on the grill outside in the shade!! No frying - no breading - WIN!!

Grilled Portobellos Parmesan

3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, passed through a garlic press (unless you have REALLY good knife skills and can puree the clove)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 large portobello mushroom caps, stemmed, gills scraped out if desired
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 thick tomato slices
4 slices Fontina cheese

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. 
Drizzle over the gill side of the mushrooms and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. 
Combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine. 
Place the tomato slices and the mushrooms (gill side down) over hot coals.  Heat the tomatoes through and cook mushrooms until the edges begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Transfer the portobellos to a baking sheet, gill side up. 
Place a slice of grilled tomato in the hollow of each portobello
Divide the ricotta mixture among them, mounding it on the tomatoes. 
Top with the Fontina slices and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. 

Using a spatula, carefully transfer the mushrooms to the grill and cook until the portobellos are soft and the cheeses are melted, about 5 minutes.  

Serve with a mixed green salad.  Serves 4 

Cook's Notes: 
Variations on the theme..  
1) Smear a nice layer of pesto on the portobello before adding the tomato.  
2) If not tomato season, replace the tomato slice with a dollop your favorite marinara sauce.
3) Stuff it all in a bun and serve it to your vegetarian burger-buddies.

I Guess I "Cheated" But I Don't Care

4

A while back my attention was drawn to a post in an online "newspaper" where some blogger not only said that having weight loss surgery was taking the easy way out and cheating but also that, if you didn't agree with her, you were the kind of person who enables drug addicts!!

Part of me thought the whole thing was too stupid to respond to, but then I found out that not only was she holding herself up as example of how to lose weight the "right" way -- by eating only 500 calories a day and indulging in the sort of exercise program normally associated with exercise anorexia, but that lately (because somehow that didn't result in permanent weight loss – go figure), she's jumped on the whole juice fast craze and I just had to respond. (I admit it. It was the juice fasting pushed me over the edge.)

First of all, when did doing something the hard way become a morally superior option vs. being smart about it and using whatever tools are available to you? In all other aspects of our lives, using tools is seen as smart, not cheating. But in weight loss apparently the only true path has to involve suffering. Lots and lots of suffering.

Let's say you have two people who both love to garden. One of them uses gardening tools and even owns a tiller to help dig up the ground before planting. They use an electric hedge trimmer too. The other one does the whole garden using a teaspoon and a pair of scissors. Their results aren't as good as the first person, but, hey, at least they didn't "take the easy way out" by using power tools!

Yeah, when you put it that way, it sounds a bit crazy. But that’s definitely some people’s attitude toward losing weight. If it’s not as hard as digging a garden with a teaspoon, then somehow it’s suspect.

The whole "easy way” knock also assumes that we were never successful at long-term weight loss before because we didn't know what to do and/or weren't willing to do it. Then, instead of learning what we need to know and buckling down to do the work, we just waved our magic wand, uh.. I mean had bariatric surgery, and the weight fell off and we never had a problem ever again.

Yeah, right. If only.

Perhaps there are people who fit that picture. But most of us have been on many diets and have worked hard many times to lose weight only to not be able to lose all our excess weight and be able to keep it off. We've been to the classes on nutrition and goal setting. We've read the articles and books on how to lose weight. We’ve kept a food journal. We’ve role-played dealing with food saboteurs. We've gone to the gym and taken up jogging.

We know what to do and we've done it many times before. It just hasn't resulted in permanent weight loss. “But I know someone who knows someone who lost 100 pounds and kept it off for seven years!” Good for them! It’s great if you can lose weight without surgery because, hey, it's surgery. Why not avoid it if you can? But it’s not a moral failing if you can’t.

Let's say you have two people who are both addicted to heroin. They both get clean. One does it by going cold turkey and the other does it by going to a clinic where they get counseling and methadone. Is the first person somehow "better" than the second?

There are people who would say so, but I am not one of them.

Does that mean that any way you lose weigh is okay and there is no cheating or "easy way out" in weight loss?

To be honest, I do think there are "easy way out" and "cheating" methods. But the ironic thing is that I would put the original author's methods in that category way before weight loss surgery!

Most people would agree that, if you do something extreme like only eat 500 calories a day for a month or drink nothing but juice several days a week, you are trying to lose weight via some sort of trick (a.k.a. cheating) that doesn't require you to make permanent changes to your life (a.k.a. taking the easy way out).

But weight loss surgery doesn't fall into those categories.

Now, it used to be believed that weight loss surgery worked because it forced you to eat less and, if you got a kind with malabsorption, not all your calories are absorbed. So maybe that’s where the whole “easy way out” and “cheating” ideas came from.

See, you get surgery and then you can eat anything you want because you won’t absorb the calories and you can’t eat a lot even if you want to. So you have to lose weight whether you want to or not and it’s easy! Again, I say: Yeah, right. If only.

Yes, you don't eat a lot in the beginning, but that's because of medical necessity. As soon as you can eat more, you do. Plus, while you can’t eat as much at each meal as before, there is nothing to stop you from eating every hour or just drinking all your calories.

Then, with bypass, the malabsorption goes away over time so eventually you do absorb everything. (With duodenal switch, which is a lot less common, malabsorption is more permanent, but 100% of carbohydrates are always absorbed, so you still have to watch what you eat.)

As many have learned, weight loss surgery isn’t a magic fix and, if you don’t make permanent changes, the weight comes back just like it does when you juice fast or go on the HGC diet.

So why doesn't everyone who has weight loss surgery just eat around their surgery and gain all their weight back? Or better yet, why don’t they just do those things without having surgery?

It's because bariatric surgery fixes a part of our body that was broken - the homeostatic system that controls energy balance.

And this is where all these analogies fall down. Because weight loss surgery isn’t a “tool” like a hedge trimmer or methadone, as popular as that analogy is in the bariatric community.

It’s a repair job.

It’s a repair job in the same way that heart bypass surgery is a repair job. It’s a repair job that has various degrees of success – sometimes everything is repaired 100% and sometimes you’ve just improved the situation over what you had before. (And, in very rare cases, you fix one system, but break another.)

Then, once you are repaired, it’s up to you to make the necessary changes to keep everything from breaking again. Only now it’s a lot easier to do that because you aren’t working with broken machinery and doing things like exercise and eating less actually results in weight loss while eating as many calories as you burn doesn’t leave you ravenously hungry.

So I was broken and I chose surgery to fix me after exploring many other (reasonable) options without success.

If you think that’s cheating, I think that says more about you than it does about me.

Purty Gud "Cornbread"

As a good ol' Southern boy Ah jus' git me a cravin' fer me some good ol' cornbread ever now 'n' then.. So Ah jus ' figgered me out a way to git me sumpin' like it!


Purty Gud "Cornbread"

Nutritional Stats fer each servin' - assumin' 12 servin's iffen ya don't make a pig of yerself

Calories 107
Total Fat 9.9g
Saturated Fat 1.8g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 47mg
Sodium 120mg
Total Carbohydrates 2.2g
Dietary Fiber 1.0g
Sugars 0.7g
Protein 3.3g

1 cup almond flour
2 T coconut flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil or butter
3 eggs
1/4 c milk

Turn yer oven up to 'bout three hunnert an' fitty degrees (if yer a furrinner that 'bout a hunnert an' eighty Celsius)

Mix up all th' dry 'gredients
Add in the wet 'gredients and mix 'em up REAL GOOD.
Pour the batter into yer Granny's ol' Cast Iron Skillet what is greased up real good.
Bake fer 20-25 minutes, 'til a broom straw stuck in the middle comes out clean.

Git a big ol' bowl o' beans and some collard greens an' ya'll have a real good supper now, ya hear?

Cook's Notes: Now, iffen yer hankerin' fer more CORN flavor, you kin substitoot a half a cup o' good ol' yeller corn meal fer a half a cup o' that there almond flour and you get these here stats fer each servin'

------------------------------------------------------------
Calories 104
Total Fat 8.1g
Saturated Fat 1.7g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 47mg
Sodium 120mg
Total Carbohydrates 5.8g
Dietary Fiber 1.1g
Sugars 0.5g
Protein 2.9g

Mock Potato Salad

I love recipes that remind me of foods I used to love. One of those foods was potatoes, I have had whipped cauliflower and it tasted good as a replacement for mashed potatoes but this potato salad was more amazing then that. My entire family loved it! 

Warning: Cut back on the mustard of you don't like A LOT of it. My family does like the extreme mustard. 

Mock Potato Salad 

16 oz Frozen Cauliflower Florets 
3 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard 
1/2 Cup Fat-Free Mayonnaise Dressing 
2 Tablespoons Mt Olive - Sugar Free Sweet Pickle Relish 
1/8 teaspoon Celery seed 
1/4 teaspoon Pepper 
1/2 teaspoon Salt 
4 Hard-boiled Eggs, Chopped 
2 Celery stalks, Chopped 
3 Green Onions, Chopped 

Cook the cauliflower until soft, not mushy. 
Drain well, cool then cut into bite-size pieces. 
Mix the Mustard, mayonnaise, relish, celery seed, pepper and salt together. 
Combine the mustard mixture and remaining ingredients with the cauliflower folding gently. 
Chill for at least 2 hours. 

Serves 8 

1/8th of recipe: 
Calories 68 Fat 3 Carbs 5 Protein 5

Denver Chocolate Pudding Cake

Looking for more "lost" recipes, I hauled out my old 3X5 index card box and found this nice hot chocolate dessert that was a real hit when the kids were young. The original instructions were for baking it in a regular oven, but due to everyone's love of the MIAM (Muffin In A Minute), I gave it a whirl in the microwave, cutting the cooking time from approximately 40 minutes to 6 

 
Denver Chocolate Pudding Cake 

3/4 cup Splenda Granular 
1/2 cup coconut flour 
1/2 cup almond flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
2 tablespoons butter 
7 tablespoons cocoa 
1/2 cup milk (Silk/Almond Breeze) 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 cup Splenda Granular 
1/2 cup Brown Sugar flavored SF syrup (I used Torani Almond Roca) 
1 cup cold coffee (or water) 

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Coat a baking dish (about 9x9) well with butter. 
Sift together the first 5 ingredients. 
Melt the butter and 3 tablespoons cocoa in a double boiler, then add the flour mixture. 
Stir in milk and vanilla. 
Pour mixture in the prepared baking dish. 
Over the top drizzle/scatter (without combining) the brown sugar flavored syrup, 1/2 cup Splenda, and 4 Tbsp cocoa. 
Gently pour the coffee(water) on top, again without mixing. 

Bake 40-45 minutes (or 6 minutes in a microwave). 

The most difficult part of this recipe is to let it stand at room temp for at least an hour before serving!


Cook's Notes: Also makes delectable single servings by baking in ovenproof ramekins or coffee cups (adjust baking time downward for smaller containers). Drizzle with sugar free chocolate sauce and/or add a dollop of SF whipped cream.

Lime Angel Meringue Pie

I decided to pull out my recipe files and search through them. I'm looking for old favorites that I haven't cooked in a long time. Old recipes that I used to cook frequently, or at least occasionally, but for one reason or another I haven't cooked for many years. I think of them as "Lost Recipes." 

I rifled through the extensive collection of recipes my mother left me with the mission in mind to see if I could come up with an old favorite that hasn't seen the light of day for many years. .

Sure enough, it didn't take me very long to come up with a dish that I don't believe she ever cooked for me, and I'm looking forward to having my WLS version of it with tonight's dinner. The recipe is on a yellowed piece of newsprint cut from an unknown newspaper, probably sometime in the 1940s. It is actually a recipe bequeathed by her mother and its rediscovery brought back many fond memories of my mother and grandmother.


Lime Angel Meringue Pie

Nutritional Values per serving (8):
Calories 78
Total Fat 7.2g
Saturated Fat 4.0g
Cholesterol 90mg
Sodium 64mg
Total Carbohydrates 1.3g
Protein 2.4g


3 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Splenda
1/2 cup Truvia
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Mix 1/4 cup Splenda into 1/2 cup Truvia
Beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until stiff but not dry. Add the 3/4 cup of the Truvia/Splenda blend gradually beating until very stiff.

Spread meringue on bottom and sides of greased 9-inch pie plate with back of spoon, building up edge to form a rim.
Bake in 225°F oven until firm and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Turn off oven. LET DRY in oven, with door closed, until cool and crisp, at least 1 hour. Store, in pie plate, in tightly sealed container at room temperature.

For the filling, beat the egg yolks; add remaining 1/4 cup Splenda and lime juice. Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly until thickened. Add grated lime rind.

Remove from heat; chill. Fold into whipped cream. Place meringue on serving plate.

Fill meringue shell with lime filling. Chill 6 to 12 hours in the refrigerator.

Garnish with lime slices, raspberries, mint leaves or cherries if desired. Yield:

8 servings

Cook's Notes: You can fill these meringue pie shells with just about anything. Any creamy cooked custard will work (Pastry Cream), as will SF ice cream or whipped cream mixed with fresh fruit - even instant sugar free pudding!

Crispy Oven "Fried" Chicken

This was posted by Cntry_Rose on [BeforeAndAfterHelp.com]. It sounded too tasty to let slip through the cracks, so I'm posting it her until I get a chance to try it myself.

I don't cook often with recipes... I just get an idea and run with it. Today I wanted mustard. Who knows why... I just wanted mustard! So, I thought about chicken and how I could do mustard with it. Then I thought it would need a "crunch" not just pasty mustard over the chicken.

So, here's what I did.

2 ea of the 1/2 chicken breasts you buy in a packet... cut them into 4 pieces.
1/2 of an onion (I use Vadalia onions), cut into 4 "whole" slices about 1/3" thick
Mustard - not powdered... use the stuff you'd put on a hotdog
Salt and Pepper
EVOO
Fresh Gourmet Crispy Red Peppers and Crispy Onions crushed - CARBS = 4 carbs per Tablespoon (I ended up with about 3/4 cup crushed which I'm going to guesstimate would have been just about 4 tablespoons per chicken piece)

Put a bit of EVOO into the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish
Place the 4 onion slices side by side... mine covered the bottom of the dish
Take the four pieces of chicken and salt/pepper the bottom of them, place a piece of chicken on a piece of onion
Put a bit more salt/pepper on the tops if you'd like (I did, we like pepper)
Squeeze mustard (a tablespoon or 2?) over the chicken... just to coat the top (I used my fingers to mush it around a bit to ensure the entire top of the breast was coated.
Use the crushed crispy red peppers and crispy onions (to coat the top of each chicken piece

Bake this covered for 20 minutes in a 375° oven, then uncover and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until bubbly, the chicken is done and coating is beginning to brown.

I served the chicken with mashed cauliflower, which in my humble opinion is MUCH better than mashed potato ever thought of being. Tonight's dinner was sublime if I may say so myself! And, I have lunch already for tomorrow... the 2 left over pieces of chicken will be the topping on a salad of spinach greens! 

Pickled Shrimp w/ Lemon Chive Aioli

Beautiful large North Carolina shrimp continue to grace the counter at my favorite fish monger, so I decided to make this twist on the classic shrimp cocktail for our annual "S'long to the Tourists" Labor Day party. Make extra dipping sauce as you will want to spread it on everything you eat! 

 
Pickled Shrimp w/ Lemon Chive Aioli

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
1/2 cup cider vinegar 
2 tablespoons Old Bay seafood seasoning 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard 
1 large Fresno chile, thinly sliced (or a healthy pinch of crushed red pepper - to taste) 
4 cloves garlic, grated or pressed 
1-2 lemons, thinly sliced 
1 medium onion (red or white), thinly sliced 
1 tablespoon kosher salt 
3 pounds medium shrimp, tail on, shells removed, deveined 

Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, seafood seasoning, dill, parsley, mustard, chile, garlic, lemon slices and onion in a large bowl, toss together and set aside. 
In a large pot of boiling water, add the kosher salt. 
Add the shrimp and cook just until they begin to turn pink and float to the top, about 2 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK as the pickling liquid will continue the cooking process. 
Drain and immediately add them to the pickling liquid. 

Let stand for 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature before serving to allow the flavors to mingle, but I prefer to refrigerate them, covered, at least overnight or until you are ready to serve them. If you do, don't be surprised to see your guests chowing down on the pickled lemon and onion slices along with the shrimp! 

Serve with Lemon Chive Aioli for dipping. 


Lemon Chive Aioli 

1/3 cup good mayonnaise* 
1/3 cup Greek yogurt 
3 tablespoons lemon juice 
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives 
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest 
1 clove garlic, grated 

Combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, chives, lemon zest and garlic in a small mixing bowl and whisk until fully combined. 
Serve alongside the pickled shrimp 


Cook's Notes: Pickled and lightly preserved seafood is relatively simple, but seafood is a low acid food, so actual canning is much trickier. You can pickle seafood and keep it in the refrigerator for a long time - and, as my dear Granny used to say, "the longer it sits, the better it gits." 


*Cheap mayonnaise is loaded with sugar, while good quality mayonnaise has none.

Whipped Cauliflower “Potatoes”

Serve these "whipped potatoes" instead of your regular potatoes tonight for supper. I bet no one in the family notices and if they do it will be because they are so darned yummy. They feel so naughty but they’re not. They are a must try this week! They feel like “whipped potatoes.”  Aside from all the wonderful health benefits of cauliflower this recipe is delicious! You will be addicted! 

 
Whipped Cauliflower “Potatoes” 

Nutritional Data per serving : (serves 4) 
Calories 86 
Total Fat 6.9g 
Saturated Fat 1.0g 
Cholesterol 0mg 
Sodium 21mg 
Total Carbohydrates 5.7g 
Dietary Fiber 2.0g 
Sugars 2.3g 
Protein 1.7g 


1 large head cauliflower 
3 garlic cloves 
1/4 cup fresh herbs (chives work particularly well) 
Sea Salt 
Fresh Ground Pepper 
1/2 Cup Onion 
2 Tbsp Olive Oil 

Chop cauliflower into smaller chunks – about bite-size pieces works well. 
Peel garlic cloves and cut in half, lengthwise. 
Chop onion into slices. 
Steam cauliflower, garlic and onion for 15 minutes, or until cauliflower and garlic are tender enough for a fork to easily pass through. 
Combine steamed cauliflower, garlic, onion, olive oil, fresh herbs, pepper, and sea salt in a food processor and blend until everything comes together into a mashed potato-like consistency. I like mine whipped. 

Cook's Notes: if you love a sour cream and chives on your whipped potatoes; top your whipped cauliflower with a dollop of fat free Greek yogurt and some fresh chopped chives! 
Mix in some Parmesan Cheese or Cream Cheese for exciting tastes. 
Mashed potatoes were always my "refrigerator magnet" to clean out the leftovers as mix-ins.  These work equally well and offer delicious variety.

Twice Baked Cauliflower 

Last night I made them like twice baked potatoes. 
Mashed the steamed caulflower with cream cheese, added bacon and cheese. 
Scooped into a small casserole and baked at 350F until the cheese was bubbly and brown.