Low Carb Food - Italian Stuffed Tomatoes

Low Carb Ingredients

6 large firm tomatoes
8 ounces spicy or mild Italian sausage (which ever is your favorite)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
1/2 cup grounded pork rinds (acts as a low carb bread crumb)
½ tablespoon chopped thyme and oregano leaves
1 cup shredded cheese ( I like to use Italian 5 blend mix)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
½ cup sun dried tomatoes in oil (optional- instead of the top or half sun dried and fresh tomatoes)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Cut a third of the top off each tomatoes. Dice the tops up and set aside.
Scoop out seeds, pulp and juice to hollow out the tomatoes.

In medium nonstick skillet, sauté sausage in olive oil, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. When browned all over, add onion to skillet and cook until soft, stirring frequently. Add garlic, celery, and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring to combine well. Add reserved chopped tomato tops, or sun dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper and stir for another minute.


Remove skillet from heat. Mix in 2 tablespoons basil, ½ tablespoon each thyme and oregano, grounded pork rinds, and Italian 5 blend cheese. Using a large spoon, stuff low carb mixture into tomatoes, packing down firmly. Top with Parmesan and place tomatoes in oiled baking dish. Bake until heated through and cheese turns golden, approximately 20 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Low Carb Lemon Butter Spinach

Reduce in sauté pan on medium heat:

1/2 cup of chicken broth (if using packaged check the label for carbs)
Juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup white wine

When low carb sauce is reduced by half and starts to thicken add two handfuls of spinach. Mix spinach with sauce for twenty seconds, remove from heat and serve.

Low Carb Food Side Dish

This is a great low carb side dish to pair with the beef and pepper rolls from my last post!

Low carb sautéed bok choy and broccoli:

1pound bok choy
1 pound broccoli
½ cup water
2 tablespoons canola oil
1garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
1 to 2 tablespoons low carb soy sauce

Cut white stalks from bok choy; slice steams into 1-inch pieces. Coarsely chop green
Leaves. Peel stalks from broccoli; slice ¼ inch thick. Cut florets into bit-size pieces.
In a large skillet, boil ½ cup water. Add bok choy stalks and broccoli; cover. Simmer
over medium-low heat until broccoli is bright green, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover; cook on high heat until water evaporates, 2 to 4 minutes. Add bok choy green leaves, 2 tablespoons canola oil, and 1 chopped garlic clove. Cook, tossing often, until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Press 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger in a sieve over skillet to release juices, or finely chopped your ginger and add to skillet. Stir in 1 or 2 tablespoons low carb soy sauce, and serve.

Low Carb Food Beef Recipe

LOW-CARB BEEF AND ROASTED RED PEPPER ROLLS

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 roasted red pepper, cleaned and cut into thin strips (roasting of bell pepper to follow)
3 tablespoons low carb soy sauce
1 pound of center-cut beef tenderloin or sirloin cut into 8 slices
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 scallions, trimmed, sliced very thinly lengthwise, and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons splenda

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add roasted bell pepper strips, shaking skillet often for 1 minute, then stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Transfer to a plate and wipe skillet clean.

Place each beef slice between plastic wrap; pound lightly until 1/8 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide roasted bell pepper and scallions among slices. Roll tightly into bundles, securing each with a toothpick.

Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in same skillet over high heat. Sear the low carb beef rolls until browned on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate; cover to keep warm. Wipe out skillet clean.

Add 2 tablespoons water, remaining 2 tablespoons low carb soy sauce, vinegar, and splenda to skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sauce is reduced and syrupy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove toothpicks and drizzle rolls with sauce.


ROASTING A BELL PEPPER:
Slice the peppers in half lengthwise; remove stem, seeds and membrane. Place under the broiler skin side up until the skin turns black and blisters. Remove and immediately place in a small paper bag or plastic container with a tight lid. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes; this will loosen the roasted skin. Remove peppers and rub off the black skin with your fingers. Chop skinned peppers and set aside. Or to save time you can buy already roasted and clean bell peppers in a can. Make sure you drain before using.

TIP: freezing the tenderloin or sirloin for about 20 minutes will make it easier to slice.

Low Carb Food For Kids

Found this article about trying to cut the high carb food in you kids lifes out and replacing it with lower carb foods. If you think about a young kids diet it consits of lots of carbs (bread, pizza, ceral, pasta) and sugar (sodas, snacks and even fruit juice). There has not been alot of research as far a low carb diet for kids but I think everyone can agree kids need to eat lower carb food!

Read the article HERE

More Low Carb BBQ Food

LOW CARB DEVILED EGGS

7 HARD BOILED EGGS PEELED
¼ CUP MAYONNAISE
1 TO 3 TEASPOON OF MUSTARD TO YOUR TASTE
½ TEASPOON OF VINEGAR
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE
PAPRIKA FOR GARNISHING

HALF 7 EGGS LENGHTWISE. REMOVE YOLKS AND PLACE IN SMALL BOWL.
MASH YOLKS WITH FORK AND STIR IN MAYO, MUSTARD, VINEGAR, SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE. FILL EGG WHITES WITH LOW CARB YOLK MIXTURE AND GARNISH WITH PAPRIKA. STORE COVERED IN REFRIGERATOR.

NOTE: PLAY AROUND WITH THIS BASIC LOW CARB RECIPE. TRY ADDING HOT SAUCE, TRY DIFFERENT MUSTARD (DIJON, STONE GROUND MUSTARD ETC.), CHIVES, CRAB MEAT OR ANY LOW CARB INGREDIENT.

Low Carb BBQ Food

Well, it sure is getting hot here in South Florida and summer activities are in full swing. I can almost smell the low carb food cooking in the air, lol!! I have been getting my summer/grillin low carb food recipes together for a beach trip in the near future and thought I would share! I know there is low carb BBQ sauce but dry rubs have more flavor and less carbs! Here is my favorite:



1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
2 tablespoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons peppercorns
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin seed, toasted
3 tablespoons coriander seed, toasted
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup Splenda light brown sugar
1 whole chicken, cut in pieces

Combine all ingredients in a clean coffee grinder. Rub on chicken directly or coat in a plastic storage bag, making sure the chicken is dry before applying low carb rub. Now get grillin!

LOW-CARB GREEK DINNER QUICHE (ANY TIME MEAL)

6 LG. EGGS BEATEN
1 ½ CUP HEAVY CREAM

*NOTE* IF LOWERING YOUR FAT INTAKE, REPLACE EGGS AND CREAM FOR EGG BEATERS

2 CUPS FRESH BABY SPINACH DE-STEMED AND CUT
1 ½ CUPS GYRO MEAT COOKED AND DICED
½ CUP DICE TOMATOES
½ CUP WHOLE KALAMATAS OLIVES, DICED
½ CUP RED ONIONS DICED
1 CUP FETA CHEESE
PEPPER AND LITTLE SALT (OLIVES HAVE A LOT OF SALT IN THEM)


PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 DEGREES. SPRAY GLASS PIE PLATE WITH NONSTICK SPRAY.
EVENLY SPREAD SPINACH, TOMATOES, OLIVES, GYRO MEAT, ONIONS, AND FETA IN
GLASS PIE PLATE. WHISK TOGETHER EGGS, CREAM, SALT AND PEPPER. POUR EGG MIX OVER ALL INGREDIENTS IN PIE PLATE. BAKE FOR 30 TO 45 MINUTES OR UNTIL EGG IS SET. SERVE HOT OR COLD. CUT INTO 8 WEDGES

NOTE: LOW CARB QUICHES CAN BE MADE WITH ANY LOW CARB INGREDIENTS YOU LIKE. YOU CAN ADD ANY MEATS, CHEESES, VEGGIES OR SPICES AND HERBS. YOU CAN MAKE BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER QUICHES. YOU CAN MAKE THEM LOW CARB, LOW FAT AND WITH OR WITHOUT A CRUST.

It Is More Than Low Carb Food

Being on a low carb diet is more than just low carb foods, it has a lot to do with low carb drinks too! I just got back from a vacation in Key West and being able to have a lower carb cocktail or a no carb rum and diet coke meant staying on the diet or not!! I mean how can you go to a drinking party town like that and drink?? Check out this low carb cocktail book, a friend was mixing drinks out of here at St. Patty's Day!

More Low Carb Food Recipes

Low Carb Chili

Ingredients:

1lb. ground beef
1 med. onion
1 14.5oz can of dice tomatoes (always check the carb count on canned food)
1 14.5oz can of tomatoes sauce
½ a cup of banana peppers with juice or 1 med green pepper or hot pepper of your choice
Chili power to taste
Salt and pepper to taste


Dice the onion and saute it until tender, place aside. Cook ground meat and drain off all fat,
adding the meat to the onions. Dice peppers up and add to onion and meat mixture. Return the pepper, onion, meat mixture back to the heat and add 3 tablespoons of chili power and cook. (If using banana peppers pour the juice into the meat mix) Add both cans of tomatoes and add more chili power to suit your taste. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook over med-low heat for 30 minutes or until desired taste and thickness is reached. Enjoy this low carb chili by itself with just a spoon of sour cream or add it to other low carb food like a hot dog or hamburger with your favorite cheese!!