I was recently asked for some of my favorite recipes that can work for a daily intake of 30-40 carbs. Some I can just point to on site in Food/Recipes: Walnut Cake from YaSure Yabetcha Kitchens; YaSure Yabetcha Cheesecake; Low Carb Holiday Stuffing-the April 2014 posting.
Here’s my lasagna:
Chard Lasagna from YaSure Yabetcha Kitchens…
My beloved sister found this recipe and adapted it for my first birthday post-diagnosis:
1 medium to large cabbage or Swiss chard
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, green, but I prefer the sweet red bells
¾ lb ground beef (or sausage or veal or a mix)
1 6-oz can of tomato paste
1 8-oz can of tomato sauce
(You can use a ready-made sauce if it’s low carb. I cooked down a bunch of plum tomatoes to have better control of what was in it. )
1 tsp oregano…I also like a lot of basil and at least 1 bay leaf
A little salt and pepper
1 cup grated mozzarella
½ cup ricotta
½ cup grated mozzarella
Preheat oven to 350. Wash chard or & pat dry. Remove any tough outer leaves/stems. Steam lightly until tender—3-5 minutes. Set aside.
Sauté garlic, onion and pepper in olive oil. Add ground beef or chosen meat. Drain or skim fat. Add tomato paste/sauce.
Grease baking pan with olive oil. Now you layer everything just like for regular lasagna. Chard, sauce, cheeses. 2-3-4 layers, depending on need. End with parmesan for a nice crispy, aesthetically-pleasing top crust. Easy to double amounts if needed. I have a shallow and a deep lasagna pan.
Basic recipe is 8 servings/9 carbs per serving—will vary with type of tomato sauce you use. It freezes very well: cool and cut into individual servings and wrap individually for the freezer. Oh and I grew up in dairy country and love cheese, so I use a lot more of each than the recipe calls for.
Gerri’s Eggnog from TuD A rich holiday treat…
•6 eggs
•4 cups milk or unsweetened almond milk (almond milk has far fewer carbs)
•2 cups heavy cream
•½ cup sugar substitute, or to taste (liquid preferred because it blends in easier)
•¼ cup brandy
•¼ cup rum or bourbon
•Nutmeg
Easy Method: Put all the ingredients into a blender. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Traditional Method: Separate the eggs, beat the yolks until light, and the whites until they form soft peaks. If you want a lighter texture, whip the cream as well & fold in gently.
MRS. SNIGG’S SNICKERDOODLES
Adapted by Judith in Portland to be very low carb
Original from the website Allrecipes.com
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening (I used all butter)
1 ½ cups Splenda or stevia equivalent
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla (I’m a vanilla “junkie” and double that!)
2 ¾ cups almond flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbsp non-liquid sugar substitute
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400◦ F
Cream butter, shortening (or all butter!), 1 ½ cups sugar substitute, eggs, vanilla.
Blend in flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt.
Shape dough by rounded teaspoons into balls.
Mix the powdered sugar substitute and cinnamon together.
Roll the balls in this mixture.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until set but not too hard. I like them still soft and take them out early as they will keep cooking for a minute or two. Makes a couple dozen and if you like to indulge in eating the dough, it’s great…One or two carbs per cookie----enjoy!
ZUCCHINI BREAD
Low-carb adaptation by Judith in Portland
I started making this recipe in its original form in high school 1968!
3 Eggs
1 Cup Oil
2 Cups Splenda or Stevia equivalent
2 Cups peeled and grated zucchini
3 Tsp vanilla (I always add extra, being a vanilla “junkie”)
3 Cups almond flour
1 Tsp baking soda
¼ Tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tsp cinnamon
(1 cup chopped nuts if desired)
2 Egg Whites, beaten stiff
Lightly beat eggs.
Add and mix well: oil, sweetener, zucchini, vanilla
Mix dry ingredients together and add to wet. Mix well.
Fold in 2 beaten egg whites.
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, or until the toothpick comes out clean. Makes 2 loaves.
While there are a lot of variables in size of loaf pan and slice size, I don’t think it’s more than 3-4 carbs per slice…If you like it cake-like, gobble it up first day. If you like it dense and very moist, it’s better the second day!
A Couple Other Notes
—My daughter recently took me to a restaurant that used duck fat for everything–just like butter. Our appetizer was popcorn popped in duck fat–really! It was delicious and it is supposedly another healthy fat for our list…
—She also got me going on a simple, delish breakfast idea I hadn’t tried: To a little oil or butter (or duck fat!) add some finely chopped pancetta; lay some fresh spinach leaves on top of that and then crack a couple fresh eggs in. Cover and steam/fry to taste.
Onward–with satisfied taste buds!..Judith