Rosemary Chicken Bacon Apple Sliders (Low Carb/ Low Fat)

Do I really need to say anything for this?

Other than yum?

Maybe simple. Flavorful.

Rosemary Chicken Bacon Apple Sliders:
Makes 3 sliders

1 medium apple
3 slices of bacon
1 small chicken breast
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary
2 TBL olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Red leaf lettuce

Slice the apple in 1/4-1/2 inch disks, making 6 slices. Cut out the core if needed. Place the apple slices in water and sprinkle in a little salt. This will keep the apple slices from turning brown and the salt will enhance the flavor. 

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and rosemary. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken breast in the skillet and cook covered for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked all the way through. Set the chicken aside and let it rest for 2-3 minutes.

Cook the bacon over medium heat until it's brown and crispy. Cut the slices in half. 

Slice the chicken breast in 1 inch strips. Layer the chicken on 3 separate apple slices, followed by the bacon and lettuce. Top with the remaining apple slices to make 3 sliders. Slide a tooth pick in to hold it all together.

For 1 slider: 205 calories, 14 g fat, 7 g carbs, 13 g protein, 366 mg sodium

Grilled Summer Vegetable Sandwich (Low Carb)

Delicious vegetables marinated in a balsamic marinade and grilled to perfection makes this sandwich amazingly flavorful. It's now one of my favorite things to eat at lunch time.

It's good. It's SO good.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Sandwiches: (LOW CARB)

Makes 2 sandwiches

1/3 small zucchini, sliced

1/3 small yellow squash, sliced

1/4 red pepper, cut in large chunks

1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced

4 thin slices of tomato

2 TBL+1 TBL balsamic vinegar, divided

1/4 cup olive oil

1 TBL butter

4 slices pepper jack cheese

1 recipe for Cheesy Onion Cloud Bread

In a bowl, combine the olive oil and 2 TBL of balsamic vinegar. Add the zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper. Set aside.

In a small skillet, heat the butter and remaining balsamic vinegar over medium-high heat. Saute the mushrooms until they are brown and tender. Remove from heat and cover to keep them warm.

Remove the vegetables from the marinade and grill until golden and tender. (Or you can saute them)

On the bottom pieces of cloud bread, layer each with 2 slices of cheese, 2 slices of tomato, the grilled vegetables and mushrooms. Top with the cloud bread tops. 

For 1 sandwich: 751 calories, 67 g fat, 12.75 g carbs, 23.5 g protein, 867.5 mg sodium

Ham Fried Cauli-Rice (Low Carb/Low Fat)

With any good Chinese dish, you always need ham fried rice!

But forget the rice; bring on the Cauli-Rice! Ham Fried Cauli-Rice!

Ham Fried Cauli-Rice:
Makes 4 (1/2 cup) servings

1 TBL olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup prepared, cold cauli-rice (instructions here)
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
4 oz. diced ham
2 TBL low-sodium soy sauce
1 egg, beaten

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until almost tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the cauli-rice, ham, peas and carrots and soy sauce. Stir constantly until they start to brown.
Push all the ingredients to the sides, making a hole in the center so you can see the skillet. Add the egg to the center and stir around until it scrambles. Stir it all together.

For 1/2 cup of Cauli-Rice:  113.5 calories, 6 g fat, 6.75 g carbohydrates, 8.5 g protein, 646 mg sodium

Cheesy Onion Cloud Bread (Low Carb)

Lately, I've seen this recipe for "cloud bread" floating around on the web as a bread replacement for sandwiches. It sounded interesting. So I gave it a try. And guess what?

I didn't like it.

But I liked the idea of it. So I didn't give up. 

What I didn't like about it was that it's a bit flavorless. I like bold flavors, personally. So I played around with it a bit, adding some flavor. And I was so happy with the result! Delicious!!!

Baked cheese and onion? Yeah, baby!

Cheesy Onion Cloud Bread: (LOW CARB)

For 2 sandwiches

3 eggs, separated 

1 packet stevia

3 TBL cream cheese, softened

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

2 tsp garlic powder

4 dashes sea salt

1 very thin slice of a red onion, slightly chopped

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In one bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.

In another bowl, mix the egg yolks, cream cheese and stevia. Fold the egg whites gently into the yolk mix, being careful not break it down.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, scoop the mixture into 4 even rounds. 

Sprinkle a dash of sea salt on each round and 1/2 tsp garlic powder on each round. On two of the rounds (the tops), sprinkle half the onion and 1/4 cup of mozzarella on each. 

Bake on middle rack for 30-35 minutes, or until they're golden brown. 

For 2 pieces (one sandwich): 214 calories, 16.25 g fat, 4.5 g carbohydrates, 11.75 g protein

I will share the sandwich that is in this picture soon!! It's scrumptious!!!! 

Orange Chicken (Low Carb/Low Fat)

Ooo, what is this deliciousness happening here?

Oh, that would be some orange chicken. Simply divine!

 Is it possible for it to be so sweet and still low carb, you may ask?

Oh yes, trust me, it's possible. IT IS.

 Well, may I have the recipe, you may inquire?

Why, certainly!

 Is that ham fried cauli-rice I see next to it?

Why, yes it is! But that recipe will come another day...

Orange Chicken: (LOW CARB/LOW FAT)

makes 6 servings

2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks

Sauce:

1 cup water

2 TBL fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup lite rice vinegar

2 1/2 TBL lite soy sauce

1 TBL orange zest

1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar

1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 TBL chopped green onion

1 TBL corn starch

1 TBL water

Cook the chicken in a little bit of olive oil until cooked all the way through. Place on a plate lined with paper towel, and place in a oven on low heat to keep it warm.

In a large skillet, mix the water, orange juice, lemon juice, vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar and heat over medium heat. When it has started to simmer, add the ginger, garlic, red pepper and green onion.

In a bowl, mix the water and the corn starch. Add to the sauce and cook until it starts to thicken and becomes translucent. Turn the heat down to low and add the chicken, cooking it covered for 2-3 minutes. 

For 1/6 the recipe: 189 calories, 5g fat, 13.5g carbs, 20g protein

Cauli-Rice (Low Carb/Low Fat)

Cauliflower is such a great substitute for potatoes. But I especially like it as a substitute for rice. And the best part? It's so fast and easy to make into "cauli-rice", as I like to call it.

Here's how you do it:

Roughly chop and core 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower. 

Pour half of the cauliflower florets into a food processor with the blade attached.

Pulse until the cauliflower is roughly the size of rice.
Pour into a microwave-safe bowl, fitted with a lid.

Repeat with the other half of the florets.

When all the cauliflower is chopped and in the bowl, cover and cook in the microwave for 3 minutes. DO NOT ADD WATER. It will make the cauliflower gummy. The natural moisture in the cauliflower will suffice for steaming.

After 3 minutes, stir the cauliflower and then return the bowl to the microwave, covered, cooking for 1 minute intervals until the cauliflower is soft, steamy and perfect. (5 minutes total was the perfect amount of time for my microwave, but time may vary.)

Serve plain, with a little butter and salt and pepper on top, or however you like.

For 1 cup of Cauli-Rice: 32 calories, 0.3g fat, 5g carbs, 2.5g protein

Eggs Benedict (Low Carb)

When I was first diagnosed with Diabetes, I dreaded breakfast. It was always so stressful trying to figure out what to make. It felt like the choices were so limited that it was just plain boring and incredibly frustrating.

Slowly, those feelings have been fading.

 BAM!

Eggs Benedict.

Another amazingly delicious choice to add to the morning menu.

 Isn't it pretty?!

A buttery and toasty English muffin meets yummy, browned Canadian bacon and merges with warm and runny egg yolk, melding with thick and creamy hollandaise. Mmm...

Eggs Benedict: (LOW CARB)
makes 4 servings

2 lite English muffins, halved
4 thick slices of Canadian bacon
2 TBL white vinegar
4 eggs

Hollandaise Sauce:
2 egg yolks
1 TBL fresh lemon juice
1 stick of butter, melted
pinch of sea salt
dash of Tabasco or Cheyenne pepper

Start by filling a large skillet with water so it's about 3 inches deep. Add vinegar and heat over medium-high heat so that it comes to a simmer. Also fill up a small pot with water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Place a heat-proof bowl (glass or metal) that is slightly larger then the small pot next to it so it's ready to go.
Toast the English muffin halves and lightly butter them. Set them on individual plates so they are ready to be layered with deliciousness.
In a small skillet, lightly rubbed with butter, heat the Canadian bacon on both sides. Place them on top of the muffin halves.
In a blender, blend together the egg yolks and lemon juice. While the blender is still going, slowly add in the melted butter, Tabasco or Cheyenne pepper and salt. Set aside.
When the water in the skillet in at a simmer, crack one egg into a bowl and then carefully slide the egg out of the bowl and into the water. Don't touch it for at least 1-1 1/2 minute. When the whites are solid, remove the egg carefully from the water with a slotted spoon, dab excess water off with a paper towel, and place on a muffin half. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
While the eggs are poaching, pour the hollandaise sauce into the heat-proof bowl and place to bowl on the small pot. Make sure the water isn't touching the bowl. Whisk the sauce constantly over the heat for 1-1 1/2 minutes. As soon as it starts to slightly thicken, remove it from the heat. If you heat it for too long, your eggs will begin to scramble.
After all the poached eggs are on your muffin halves, drizzle 1/4 of the sauce onto each egg. Sprinkle some paprika and freshly chopped chives on top. Time to eat!!

For one serving: 396.5 calories, 32g fat, 12g carbs, 16g protein