December 22

Baby beets and blue cheese salad

Print
Baby beets and blue cheese salad
Author: 
Type: Salad
Prep time: 
Cooking time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Beet salad, nice with Christmas dinner.
Ingredients
  • 2 bunches baby beets (about 12 beets)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup (50g) walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted
  • 100g blue cheese, crumbled
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
  2. Trim the leaves from the beets, leaving a small amount of stem, and scrub clean.
  3. Line a roasting pan with a piece of foil and place the beets in the pan.
  4. Roast for 50 minutes or until just tender.
  5. Remove the beets from the oven, cover with foil, and leave to cool; then peel and place in a bowl.
  6. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and mustard, and season with salt and pepper.
  7. Drizzle this dressing over the beets and scatter with the walnuts.
  8. Crumble the cheese into the salad just before serving.

 

Category: Recipes, Vegetarian | LEAVE A COMMENT
December 1

Jambalaya

Print
Jambalaya
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cooking time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 medium onion, peeled, ends trimmed, and chopped
  • 1 medium rib of celery, cut chopped
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, stem removed, seeded, and chopped
  • 5 medium cloves of garlic, peeled, and sliced
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts
  • 8 ounces chorizo sausage , cut into ¼-inch pieces
  • 1½ cups long grain white rice
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh thyme , minced
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (see note)
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes (14½-ounce)
  • 1 cup clam juice or fish bouillon
  • 2 cups chicken bouillon
  • 1 pound medium or large shrimp, cleaned
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley , minced
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
  3. Turn chicken and cook until golden brown on second side, about 3 minutes longer.
  4. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside.
  5. Reduce heat to medium and add chorizo; cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 3 minutes.
  6. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
  7. Reduce heat to medium-low, add vegetables, and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon, until vegetables have softened, about 4 minutes.
  8. Add rice, salt, thyme, and cayenne; cook, stirring frequently, until rice is coated with fat, about 1 minute.
  9. Add tomatoes, clam juice, chicken broth and browned sausage to pot; stir to combine.
  10. Place chicken on rice.
  11. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  12. Stir once, keeping chicken on top.
  13. Replace cover and continue to simmer until chicken is no longer pink when cut into with paring knife, about 10 minutes more; transfer chicken to clean plate and set aside.
  14. Scatter shrimp over rice, cover, and continue to cook until rice is fully tender and shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.
  15. While shrimp are cooking, shred chicken.
  16. When shrimp are cooked, turn off heat, stir in parsley and shredded chicken, and serve immediately.
Notes
Cajun Trinity: celery, peppers, and onions

 

Category: Recipes | LEAVE A COMMENT
November 30

The French Lieutenant’s Chicken

Print
The French Lieutenant’s Chicken
Author: 
Type: main
Prep time: 
Cooking time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 chicken, quartered or pieces of chicken as you like, approx 1 kg
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 dl balsam vinegar
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1½ – 2 dl chopped tomatoes
  • 2 dl quartered mushrooms
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200° C
  2. Put the butter in a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken in one layer.
  3. Put it in the oven till the butter melts.
  4. Take it out and add the balsam vinegar and other ingredients above except for the chicken.
  5. Stir well, then put in the chicken in and turn a couple of times to coat with the marinade.
  6. Arrange the chicken nicely in the dish, with the skin side up.
  7. At this point it can wait a couple hours in the fridge if you like.
  8. (turn off the oven duh!)
  9. That will improve the flavor of course.
  10. (...now turn the oven back on)
  11. Bake now for at least 60 minutes, or until nicely done.
  12. (You can turn it over a couple times or baste during the cooking time.)
  13. Make rice. Prepare salad.
  14. Put chicken and rice on the dinner plates.
  15. Make the sauce – quickly cook up 3 dl chicken bouillon,
  16. and scrape the remaining marinade
  17. from the baking dish into the bouillon,
  18. add a heaping spoon of cornstarch
  19. and perhaps a few tablespoons of wine, simmer for 5 minutes, strain if you want,
  20. then rescue the mushrooms and spoon sauce over the chicken and rice.

 

Category: Recipes, Uncategorized | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 25

Chicken Under a Brick

Print
Chicken Under a Brick
Author: 
Type: Main
Prep time: 
Cooking time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 large (~ 2 kg) chicken
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves, plus 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 Tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh garlic
  • 6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons sweet butter
  • 1 lemon, quartered
Instructions
  1. Butterfly split the chicken.
  2. Mix together the rosemary leaves, salt, garlic
  3. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and massage this all over the poor chicken
  4. Tuck some of it under the skin as well
  5. Allow to marinate, if time permits, for up to a day, refrigerated of course
  6. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  7. Preheat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes.
  8. Press the rosemary sprigs into the skin of the chicken.
  9. Put the butter and remaining olive oil in the pan and wait a minute for it to heat up.
  10. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, along with pieces of rosemary and garlic.
  11. Weight the chicken with another skillet or use a flat pot cover and a couple of bricks or rocks.
  12. The basic idea is to flatten the chicken by applying a fair amount of weight evenly over its surface.
  13. Cook over medium-high to high heat for 10 minutes; transfer, still weighted, to the oven.
  14. Roast for 25 minutes more.
  15. Take the chicken from the oven and remove the weight
  16. Turn the chicken over (it will now be skin side up) and roast 25 minutes more.
  17. Serve hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.
Notes
This recipe originated in Lucca, Italy, it should always be made with the best olive oil available. I weight the chickens with a cast-iron pan and a couple of big rocks. The only problem is that handling the hot, heavy pan. This requires strength, so use both hands. This is the simplest and best method for producing a beautiful, crisp-skinned bird I specify rosemary here, which is delicious. But most herbs are equally wonderful. Try savory (in similar quantity); parsley, basil, chervil, chives (use twice as much) or tarragon, marjoram, or thyme (use half as much) Carbs: Zero carbs.
Category: LCHF, Recipes | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 17

LowCarb Lasagna Pie

Ingredients:
10 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt

Preparation Method:

    To make the noodles you will use for layering… Put eggs, heavy cream and salt i a mixer bowl. Mix very well. Pour about a 1/4 cup at a time into a large greased cast iron frying pan. Cook like you would crepes. So much for the noodles…
    Wait until they cool nicely, if necessary put them in the fridge to chill out.

    Next step – use these noodles to make a traditional lasagna in your already greased frying pan… use tomato puree and layer with cooked sausage or ground meat, ricotta cheese, mozzarella, asiago & maybe some mushrooms… get creative with low carb extras….

    Cover with sauce and grated cheese at the end. Bake for 45 minutes or so at 350°F-180°C. This recipe is super low in carbs…since the only carbs you are getting are from the tomatoes in the sauce…

Category: LCHF, Recipes | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 6

Creamy Cauliflower

Print
Creamy Cauliflower
Type: Main
Prep time: 
Cooking time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • 2 small, or 1 large cauliflower (4.2 g of net carbs per 100g)
  • 2 medium cloves of garlic, about a teaspoon each (1 g of carbs per tsp)
  • ¼ c full-fat cream cheese (2-4g of net carbs – check your label)
  • ½ tsp salt
Instructions
  1. You’ll need a pot (preferably a heavy one) with a lid, large enough to hold the cauliflower, and a food processor.
  2. Cut the leaves from two small or one large cauliflower. I find this is easiest if the head is cut in quarters, from the base.
  3. Wash and drain the quarters, then chop into chunks and place in a heavy pot with about ½ inch (1 cm) of water, depending on how well your pot lid fits.
  4. Peel the 2 cloves of garlic and throw them in the pot, too.
  5. If I weren’t counting carbs, I’d add more garlic, but a teaspoon has nearly a gram of carbs.
  6. The garlic becomes mellow and sweet with cooking, providing subtle depth of flavour.
  7. If you want a carb count, weigh the cauliflower without the leaves before cooking, and calculate the total number of carbs.
  8. For example: if the cauliflower weighs 1 lb or 454 g, calculate its carbs: 4.2 g/ 100 x454g = 19 g of carbs
  9. My cream cheese container lists 1 carb per tablespoon, and there are 4 T in a quarter cup.
  10. Add 2g of carbs for the garlic, for a total of 25 carbs in the whole recipe.
  11. For a portion count: Measure the puree by weight on a scale, or by volume (e.g. in a 4-cup measuring cup), and divide by the number of servings.
  12. If you have 4 cups of puree, that’s 8 half-cup servings, so 25 divided by 8 is 3.1 carbs per half-cup serving.
  13. With the lid on, steam over medium heat for 15 to 20 min., till a paring knife pokes into a floret without any resistance.
  14. Drain well, tossing the cauliflower to help any water find its way out.
  15. Return the cauliflower to the pot, leaving it uncovered and using the residual heat in the pot to evaporate as much water as possible.
  16. A heavy pot is helpful, as it holds the heat better for this stage.
  17. I place the pot back on the burner of my gas stove, where the heated grate also helps to keep the pot warm.
  18. Use your judgement, or a heat diffuser, if you are cooking on an electric element.
  19. These efforts to eliminate as much water as possible is important, or you’ll have cauliflower soup, instead of puree.
  20. After a few minutes, or longer if it suits your schedule, proceed.
  21. Transfer the cauliflower and garlic to the bowl of a food processor, and puree, scraping down the sides once or twice.
  22. Add ½tsp of salt or to taste, and a quarter cup of cream cheese.
  23. Process to mix.
  24. Turn out into a serving bowl, or covered dish.
  25. Refrigerate leftovers – this reheats well in oven, on the stove, or in the microwave.
  26. Makes a nice side for a roast chicken, or a stewed dish, such as Hungarian goulash.
Category: LCHF, Recipes, Vegetarian | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 5

LCHF Omelet

LCHF Omelet

  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • a few slices of onion, diced
  • a few slices of green pepper, diced
  • 2 tbs. butter
  • 2 thick slices cheese, diced
  • 4 tbs salsa

Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Add vegetables. Stir.

Once the vegetables are softened. add the eggs.

Add the cheese. Turn down the heat.

When the eggs have set a bit , turn over carefully.

Once the omelet is cooked to perfection, slide it onto a plate.

Spoon salsa over the omelet, add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Now you have started the day right!

Category: LCHF, Recipes | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 5

LCHF {If not now, then when?}

Time to come to grips with the situation.  The only logical solution is LCHF.

In practice this means a lot of no-nos:

  • no bread
  • no food containing flour
  • no sugar
  • no candy, cookies or cake
  • no pasta
  • no rice
  • no potatoes
  • no juice
  • no sweet fruits
  • no starchy vegetables
  • no sweetened yogurt
  • no milk
  • no carrots
  • no legumes
  • no ice cream
  • no ketchup
  • no pizza
  • no tacos

These are OK:

  • meat
  • poultry
  • fish
  • shellfish
  • butter
  • cream
  • sour cream
  • crème fraiche
  • eggs
  • cheese
  • olive oil
  • salad
  • lo-carb salad dressing
  • most vegetables that grow above ground
  • berries
  • lemon, lime
  • kiwi
  • nuts
Category: LCHF | LEAVE A COMMENT
August 4

Garlic Soup

Print
Thunder Soup
Author: 
Type: soup
Prep time: 
Cooking time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Dundersoppa på svenska. Great when you are beginning to feel a cold coming on.
Ingredients
  • 1 large head garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 5 dl flour
  • 1 liter bouillon
  • herbal salt
  • fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Peel and slice the garlic.
  2. Saute in the olive oil, do not brown!
  3. Sprinkle in the flour, mix well.
  4. Add bouillon.
  5. Simmer the soup for 15 minutes.
  6. Beat the eggs, then add a ladle of soup slowly to the eggs while mixing.
  7. Now slowly stir in the egg mixture to the hot soup while mixing constantly.
  8. Turn off heat, it should not boil again, that would curdle the eggs.
  9. Flavor with the herbal salt and chopped parsley.
  10. Serve with warm fresh bread.
  11. If you have a sore throat, tear the bread into chunks and add to your soup.

 

Category: Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | LEAVE A COMMENT
December 24

Tequila Christmas Cake

Print
Tequila Christmas Cake
Author: 
Type: Christmas
Prep time: 
Cooking time: 
Total time: 
 
Once again this year, I've had requests for my Tequila Christmas Cake recipe so here goes: Please print this and keep in your files as I am beginning to get tired of typing this up every year!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • lemon juice
  • 4 large eggs
  • nuts
  • 1 bottle tequila
  • 2 cups dried fruit
Instructions
  1. Sample the tequila to check quality.
  2. Take a large bowl; check the tequila again to be sure it is of the highest quality.
  3. Repeat.
  4. Turn on the electric mixer.
  5. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
  6. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar.
  7. Beat again.
  8. At this point, it is best to make sure the tequila is still OK.
  9. Try another cup just in case.
  10. Turn off the mixerer thingy.
  11. Break 2 eegs and add to the bowl and chuck iin the cup of dried fruit.
  12. Pick the fruit up off the floor.
  13. Mix on the turner.
  14. If the fried druit getas stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with a drewscriver.
  15. Sample the tequila to test for tonsisticity.
  16. Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something.
  17. Check the tequila.
  18. Now shift the lemon ice strain your nuts.
  19. Add one table.
  20. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink.
  21. Whatever you can find.
  22. Greash the oven.
  23. Turn the cake tin 360 s and try not to fall over.
  24. Don't forget to beat off the turner.
  25. Finally, throw the bowl through the window.
  26. Finish the tequila and wipe the counter with the cat.
  27. Cherry Mristmas!

 

Category: Humor, Recipes | LEAVE A COMMENT