Chicken Bacon and Guacamole Mushroom Stack

Grilled chicken, crispy bacon, fresh sliced tomato, fresh homemade guacamole and spinach piled high in between two grilled portabella mushroom tops.

This thing is massive and delicious.

This is a recipe I actually did quite a while ago and I'm not sure why I haven't posted it until now. It's a giant sandwich, minus the bread. This thing is so big I made the serving for this as half of the sandwich. I'm sure there are plenty of people who could eat the whole thing, but I sure couldn't.

Chicken Bacon and Guacamole Mushroom Stack:
Makes 1 sandwich

2 portabella mushroom tops
1 TBS butter
1 chicken breast half
1 TBS olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 piece of bacon, halved and cooked
2 slices tomato
1/2 avocado
1 TBS diced tomato
1 TBS diced red onion
1 TBS chopped cilantro
1 tsp fresh lime juice
dash of salt
1/4 cup fresh spinach

Heat the oil in a small skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook 3-5 minutes on each side or until cooked all the way through. Set aside.
Mash the avocado, diced tomato, onion, cilantro and lime juice and dash of salt. Mix well and set aside.
Remove the stem from the portabella mushroom tops and scrape the insides as best as you can. Rinse well. Melt the butter in the skillet and brown the mushrooms on both sides until they are tender and nicely brown. Place on a plate lined with paper towel to cool slightly. Place one top on a plate and begin loading. Start with the tomato, slice the chicken and place on top of the tomato. Add the bacon and then load on the guacamole. Top with the spinach and finish off with the other portabella mushroom top. Cut it in half, or just eat the whole thing.

For 1/2 of the stack: 277 calories, 23g fat, 367mg sodium, 11g carbs, 5g fiber, 8g protein

Sausage Zucchini Ravioli (Low Carb/Low Fat)

My best friend lives next door to me and she loves to try out any recipes I'm working on. So I usually set some aside for her. I like how she gives me constructive criticism, whereas my husband and children just give the thumbs-up or thumbs-down. 

When I made these Sausage Zucchini Raviolis and took a few to her, she said it was by far her favorite of any of the recipes I've had her try.

Of course removing the use of noodles and using strips of zucchini in it's place is going to drastically reduce the amount of carbohydrates for these. But each little one is packed with flavor. Three cheeses, sausage and herbs topped with a homemade marinara sauce. And of course, you have to throw more cheese on there!

Originally I had tried cooking these in a skillet for a quick, easy and crispy outside. But the little suckers just wouldn't hold together, even with a toothpick stuck inside of them, and they looked a mess. But baking them worked wonderfully and kept them looking pretty. And I like my food looking pretty!!

Sausage Zucchini Ravioli:

Makes 15 ravioli

Filling:

4 oz. Italian sausage

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 TBS freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

3 medium zucchini

Sauce:

15 oz. tomato sauce

1 tsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp marjoram 

1/4 tsp onion powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Start by slicing off the top and bottom parts of the zucchinis. Then using a mandoline or vegetable peeler, thinly slice the zucchini horizontally into strips until you have 30 decent sized slices. Set aside.

Brown the sausage in a skillet. Mix the sausage with the remaining filling ingredients.

To assemble the ravioli, lay one strip of zucchini vertically. Lay a second strip horizontally. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center where the zucchini cross. Starting with one of the vertical slices, fold one end into the center, then one of the horizontal ends, the vertical and ending with the last horizontal until you have a nice zucchini package. Lay seam-side-down onto a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. You can insert a toothpick into the center of the ravioli if you feel like they need to be more secure.

When all of the ravioli are assembled, spray the tops with the olive oil cooking spray and bake them for 25 minutes, or until the zucchinis are tender.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Saute the garlic until fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and the seasonings and let it heat through.

When the ravioli is done, top with the marinara and sprinkle with fresh parmesan cheese.

For 3 ravioli (1 serving): 175 calories, 9g fat, 422mg sodium, 12g carbs, 2g fiber, 11g protein

Breadless Philly Cheese Steak

I love Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches. 

LOVE.

The heartiness of the meat-onion-pepper combo is just so satisfying.

Well, I have to do a low carb version of all my favorites. This was no exception.

Breadless Philly Cheese Steak:

Makes 2 Philly Cheese Steaks

2 medium green peppers

1/2 lb. steak

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1 TBL butter

dash of hot sauce

salt and pepper to taste

2 slices provolone cheese, halved

Cut the tops off of the green peppers, but no the bottoms. Slice the peppers in half, lengthwise. Wash and pull out all the seeds. Pat them dry and set aside.

Very, very thinly slice the steak against the grain, as thin as you can get it. 

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak and salt and pepper and stir every few minutes, letting the steak get brown. When it's almost cooked all the way, add the onion and mushrooms. Cook until the onions are soft and transparent. 

Spoon 1/4 of the filling onto one green pepper half. Top with two half slices of provolone and then put on another 1/4 of the filling. Top with the other green pepper half. Repeat with the other pepper.

For 1 cheese steak: 468.5 calories, 30.5 g fat, 9 g carbohydrates, 39.5 g protein, 984 mg sodium

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!!!! 

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

Pesto Chicken Panini

I've been on a panini kick right now, trying out different ingredients so I can break out of my box of ham paninis. (Even though I still love those). If you've ever eaten at Zupa's Cafe, they have a Pesto Chicken Panini that is my FAVORITE. Seriously, I'm obsessed with them. They're so delicious. But I try to limit my "eating out", so I attempted to make one at home. And it came so close that I squealed with delight!

So of course I had to share it!

Pesto Chicken Panini:

Makes 1 sandwich

2 slices of bread (any kind you want, but for this carb count, I used bread that was 15g of carbs a slice)

1/4 grilled chicken breast, thinly sliced

2 slices muenster cheese

2 TBL slivered almonds

2 TBL alfalfa sprouts

2 TBL fresh diced tomatoes

2 TBL fresh roasted red pepper (instructions on how to roast below)

2 TBL prepared Pesto Ranch Dressing

olive oil cooking spray

Start by roasting your red pepper. Place it on the top rack of your oven and broil about 1-2 minutes on all four sides or until they start to turn black. When all sides are blackened, remove the pepper and place in a ziploc bag, sealing it. Let it sit for about 5 minutes so it can steam. Remove it from the bag and slice it length-wise in fourths. Using a knife, scrape the insides of each slice, then scrap the blacked skin of the outsides. Dice and set aside.

Lay out your bread and place one slice of muenster cheese on each slice. Then on one side, layer the chicken, almonds, sprouts, tomatoes and red peppers. Then drizzle with pesto ranch dressing. Close the sandwich and grill with a panini press or on a griddle that has been sprayed with the olive oil cooking spray. 

For 1 sandwich: 604.5 calories, 39g carbs, 34.5g fat, 31.5g protein

Turkey Lettuce Wraps (Low Carb/Low Fat)

Ever had the lettuce wraps at PF Changs?

YUM.

Well, I came up with a diabetic friendly version. And they are extra YUM! Even my hubby who doesn't care much for lettuce wraps at PF Changs, or anywhere else, loved them. He eats more then me when we have these.

 You can see the especially yummy "special sauce" pooled up underneath the lettuce wrap. JUST DUNK IT IN OR SPOON IT IN YOUR MOUTH! IT'S DELICIOUS!

 Oh, it's good people. It is good.

Special Sauce: (LOW CARB/LOW FAT)
makes 1 cup of sauce

1/2 cup water
2 TBL Splenda brown sugar
2 TBL soy sauce
2 TBL All Natural Rice Wine Vinegar
1 TBL 100% lemon juice
2 TBL ketchup
1 TBL olive oil
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. chile powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Whisk all ingredients together and store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

For 1 tablespoon of special sauce: 18 calories, 1g fat, 2g carbs, 0g protein 

Turkey Lettuce Wraps: (LOW CARB/LOW FAT)
makes about 10 lettuce wraps (with about 1/4 cup of meat for each)

1 1/4 lbs. of lean ground turkey
1 can water chestnuts
1/2 cup of chopped carrots
1/4 cup of chopped green onions
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
3 TBL olive oil
2 TBL Splenda brown sugar
2 TBL soy sauce
1 tsp. All Natural Rice Wine Vinegar

Finely dice water chestnuts, carrots, green onions and garlic. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Cook ground turkey. When nicely browned, add water chestnuts, carrots, green onions and garlic. In a small bowl, mix sugar, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Add to the meat mixture. Stir until the juice is bubbling. Cover and turn down to low, stirring it every few minutes until the carrots are tender. Drain most of the juice in the meat. (Leave in a little so it doesn't dry out)
Serve on large leaves of ice burg lettuce, butter lettuce or romaine lettuce with special sauce poured over, or just dunk them in. (Give the sauce a stir before pouring it over the lettuce wraps)

For 1/10 the meat recipe (about 1/4 cup): 106 calories, 6.5g fat, 4g carbs, 10g protein 

I love to make these as a main dish with some stir fry and white rice, but they're also great for appetizers, a yummy lunch, or a side dish.

Enjoy!!

Onion Rings (Low Carb)

I'm a serious sucker for fast food. The nasty greasiness is delightful somehow.

But, of course, fast food: not so diet friendly. It's tragic.

One fast food item I love is onion rings. Oh yum. Cooked onion in general is swoon-worthy for me. Not so much the raw ones though...

 I whipped up a batch of onion rings last night, and they turned out so delicious, sweet and flaky that even my daughter, who exclaimed that she did NOT like onion rings when I brought them to the table, liked them. And of course, low carb. Not totally low fat, but much, much, MUCH lower fat that ordinary onion rings, that is for certain!!!

Onion Rings: (LOW CARB)

1 large onion

1 egg

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup soy flour

3 TBL grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. dried parsley

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

pepper to taste

pinch of chile powder

extra virgin olive oil for frying (I used about 1/4 cup)

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan over med-high heat.

Slice the onion about 1/2 inch thick or thicker. Separate "rings" and set aside.

Mix egg and cream in one bowl and set aside. Mix soy flour, Parmesan, salt, parsley, garlic powder, pepper and chili powder in a separate bowl.

Toss the onions in the egg/cream mixture and let them soak for 1-2 minutes. Let some of the excess egg drip off as you transfer them to the flour mixture and toss, doing it in batches. 

Fry the onion rings in the hot oil, turning when one side is golden. Transfer to some paper towel to get all of the excess grease off.

EAT THEM.

For 1/3 of the onion: 329 calories, 26g fat, 16g carbs, 8g protein 

Serve with fry sauce. If you don't know what fry sauce is, you must not know anyone from Utah...

(half mayo/half ketchup...it's DELICIOUS with fries and onion rings. Welcome to the good life.)