Hi – So I have been slacking when it comes to my blog but I think that is because I hadn’t quite decided where I was going. I THINK I have figured that out. I am still making new recipes, even carb-y ones, but I am re-working them, where necessary, to make them low carb because of my dietary changes. There are far too many wonderful recipes out there and I like the challenge. I am going to share what we eat, including the cheat days, eating out, etc. and I will also have links to the original recipes but notes on what changes I made. We’ll see how this works out!
I’m going to start with a bit of a catch up:
- The top picture is a great example of a Sunday Roast with the family. A Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil with shrimps, Andouille sausage, and a few potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, and roasted lemons. While there are some carbs, this is a high protein meal packed with flavor and cooking it all on sheet pans (it took two for my family) made it super easy. My notes: I used less potatoes and corn (we are all watching our carbs), lots more Old Bay (we’re fans!), more shrimps (2 lbs. to compensate for less carbs), and I added the cut lemons to the pan to roast them and then squeezed over before serving. If you’ve never roasted lemons… try it… Oh So Good! This Sunday Roast was a huge hit!
- One of my favorite meals is Eggs Benedict, especially with smoked salmon (AKA Eggs Royale), but it is fairly carb-y thanks to the English muffins (41g of carbs – I’m allowed @30 in a MEAL!). Now I’ve been making it lower carb by serving on either asparagus or spinach.
My notes: My Heart did not have to change his diet but he’s pretty much eating what I am making, he’s a good guy that way. The good thing – he is also fairly honest so if a dish doesn’t work, he tells me. The smoked salmon Benedict is a good example – it is a favorite, even with the veggie base.
- We ate tacos or some type of “Mexican” dish on a regular basis but tortillas are very carb-y (23g carbs in two – not bad but not really worth it). I have found that Taco salads are just as satisfying. The good part? I can also cook up some tortillas so my Heart can have tacos his way, if he wants. We also can have some variety thanks to the proteins including ground beef, ground turkey, shrimps, and fish, etc.
- I made this One Pan Roasted Lemon Pepper Salmon and Garlic Parmesan Asparagus for a weeknight dinner. A wonderful low-carb meal, my only tweaks to the original recipe was a little more lemon and mustard… otherwise I did the recipe exactly as written. This recipe proves you can have lots of flavor and be very satisfied without lots of carbs.
- On the cheat side of things, sometimes I want pizza but it has to be really good pizza to be worth the carbs. This pizza absolutely fits the bill. The Gyro pizza from our local family-run pizzeria is a favorite – shaved gyro meat, red onions, feta cheese, fresh lettuce, and a creamy dressing all on a super thin and crispy crust is perfect cheat food!
- Another cheat day, sometimes you just want Chick-fil-A. A 12-count package of nuggets is just 14g of carbs, which is in my range for a meal, but what about the sides? The traditional side is the ever popular waffle fries but, obviously, that’s not a great side for me. I found out, for just about $1.50, I could get a side salad. Look at the size of that salad and the packet of Garlic & Herb Ranch dressing is just 2g of carbs. That’s a cheat WIN!
- I am frequently thankful that I am focused on watching carbs but don’t have to worry about fat (although I can’t go wild!). This Sunday Roast was fantastic. Steak with sautéed mushrooms, a Greek yogurt based horseradish sauce, lightly dressed salad (if you put the greens in a big bowl and drizzle just a little dressing (1-2 Tbsp) and mix thoroughly with tongs… you use far less dressing. Then add in whatever else you are putting into the salad!), and a delicious Summer Squash Gratin made for a perfect summer dinner. My notes: The gratin is another wonderful low-carb recipe with wonderful flavor, although I will work on making the sauce thicker, it was a little watery. I used a mandolin on the squash so it was super thin, which meant it didn’t need additional cooking. I might try sprinkling the squash with some salt, rinse and squeeze out excess water to see if that helps. Also, add some freshly ground pepper and salt, to your taste. If you can find it, USE the smoked gouda… it adds a ton of flavor!
- Simple sautéed shrimp (6g of carbs in 7) paired with Spinach and Mushroom Zoodles makes for a perfect low carb meal – very satisfying. I have figured out the key to zoodles… don’t overcook them. They 1. get mushy very easily and 2. release a ton of liquid, making whatever you are serving very watery. I throw away the seedy strands, because they hold the most water. I literally get everything ready, sauce, etc. and then drop in the zoodles and just toss them until they are tender, think al dente pasta. It makes all the difference. My Notes: This is an example of a recipe re-worked to reduce the carbs. It still needs a little work because the sauce doesn’t stick to zoodles the way it would to pasta. I used more ricotta and exchanged heavy cream for the pasta water. I need to thicken the sauce a bit more before adding in the zoodles and spinach (remember the veg will add some moisture) and more lemon zest. The flavors were perfect though – definitely a make-again!
- One of my favorite meals I haven’t had in forever… I found smoked pork chops (low in carbs), which have always been a favorite, but being able to pair it with a perfect Cauliflower Mac & Cheese was a treat. The cauliflower dish, which is just called mac & cheese for imagery sake and doesn’t actually contain any macaroni, is a perfect side dish, I don’t miss real mac & cheese in the least and just adding a lightly dressed salad made the meal complete and totally satisfying. The Cauliflower Mac & Cheese will definitely be in rotation for many meals. My notes: I have made this recipe a few times. The 2nd time was not as successful – I tried to double the recipe but it didn’t turn out as thick and creamy. My note to myself… Don’t Rush the recipe – make it the way it is written. My one change win? I crush up some Parmesan crisps (0 carbs!!!) and sprinkle over the top before baking. Lots of people top their mac & cheese with bread crumbs for crunch – the crisps work perfectly. Also, the last time I made this, I did it in an oven safe dutch oven and put the whole thing into the oven to bake – ONE PAN for a Win!!
Hope you get some ideas for how to make your meals lower carb!