Well I'm back with another great invention by my wonderful husband Brian.  It's been a while since I have posted because, as you all very well know, life has a way of taking over.  We have been very busy.  Went to visit my mother over the last weekend in April, my youngest daughter turned 20, my brother and his wife came to town to visit (his first time in over 30 years) and my grandson Bradley's baseball games have been keeping us hopping.  Through it all, mother's day is the only day I really went off the low carb wagon.  I must say - I paid for it. 

So above is a Mediterrian Grilled Salmon with Langostino's on top of a saute of spinach, onions, mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, feta cheese and a dash of balsamic vinegar.  The exact ingredients and cooking instructions I can't provide because he just whipped this little baby up.  I can tell you that it was absolutely delicious.  He is getting the hang of this low carb cooking thing and being very creative.  Tonight we will be have Chicken Paprika.  Stay turned for more postings.  May not be every night, but at least once a week I hope if I can get to it.

HUBBY'S CREATION

It's going to be hard to share this recipe since it came out of my hubby's imagination.  The other day he used up some tomatoes we needed to get rid of and made a bruschetta with tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, peppercini's, capers and feta cheese.  We had some leftover spinach and artichoke dip that he had made so he stuffed some chicken breasts with the artichoke mixture.  Lightly salted and peppered them and then grilled them about halfway on the barbecue.  Then he put them in a baking dish, covered them with the bruschetta topping and baked them at 350 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes (until done).  Served this with roasted veges (zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, red pepper, asparagus tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, italian seasoning and red pepper flakes).  This was so good.  I had the leftovers for lunch today.  Very nummy indeed. :-)

LOW-CARB MAC AND CHEESE

This was a great substitute if you are a lover of homemade Mac and Cheese.  I would add a bit more spice next time, but other then that - excellent.

1 1/2 Cups of Dreamfields Rotini or Penne pasta

1 1/2 Cups of heavy cream

1/2 Cup Water

1/2 head of cauliflower cut into small florets

8 ounces of sharp cheddar cut into small pieces

2 Tablespoons low carb thickener

Worchestershire Sauce

Salt

Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

nutmeg

Cook the Pasta Al Dente and rinse with cold water - set aside in a mixing bowl

Cook Cauliflower in lightly salted boiling water until crisp tender and rinse in cold water - add to pasta.

Bring cream, water and thickener to a low rolling boil.

Once slightly thickened stir in seasonings (all to taste) and cheese.  Mix well until cheese is completely melted.  Pour sauce over pasta and cauliflower and mix well.  Pour into a casserole.  Top with grated parmesan and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Enjoy - Makes 6 main dish servings.

I hope you will all give this a try especially if you are trying to cut down on your carb intake.



Turkey Burger Delight!

These are the frozen turkey burgers from Costco.  Can't beat the flavor.  They are delicious.  Hubby cooked them up and then covered them with some sauteed mushrooms and carmelized onions and then a slice of swiss cheese.  Placed in the oven until the cheese melted nicely and started to crisp up a little.  We served them with roasted mini peppers tossed with balsamic vinegar and oil and then a cucumber and tomato salad tossed with Red Wine Vinegar, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a bit of green onion.  Salt and pepper to taste and add a little Splenda.  This was a very filling meal.  The peppers roasted and then tossed when still hot with the balsamic and olive oil is great.  It's a great side dish with any meat.  We do this a lot in the summer when barbecuing. 

Slow Roasted Beef with Spaghetti Squash

Beef was slow roasted in Marinara Sauce for about 4 to 5 hours (low heat).  Seared first of course.  Served it over some spaghetti squash with a parmesan crisp on the side.  This is what I call good old fashioned comfort food.  The weather tonight fit the meal perfectly. 

LOW CARB PIZZA

This is a great pizza.  Procuitto and Arugula with Balsamic Reduction.  Need to make the crust a bit thinner next time around, but all in all delicious.  Pizza also had some mushrooms and carmelized onions.  Served with a salad.  Was just like date night at Fondi's.  The crust was made with Atkins Baking mix and is a great substitute, but does need to be thinner.  I really like my crust super thin.

HELLO AGAIN

Last nights dinner was chicken wings and roasted veges.  No picture, I think we all know what chicken wings look like!  We coat ours with a bit of Olive Oil and some "BAM" seasoning from Emeril Lagasse that we make following his recipe.  They just add a great flavor to the wings.  Once cooked we make the usual mixture of butter and Frank's Red Hot sauce to coat them.  Roasted up cauliflower, yellow squash, peppers and a chopped jalapeno.  We coated the veges in a little Olive Oil and "BAM" as well.  Delicious dinner.

AND i'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's been a while I know.  Haven't really fixed anything new and exciting.  Had a very busy week so there was some repeats and a few dinners out.  Don't worry, we were good and really did not stray from the plan.  The only night we did was last Saturday at our dinner party.  We had some wine and a couple of sweets.  Other then that, we have stayed true.  Tonight's dinner had a mexican flair.  The hubby was craving it.  So he made his wonderful Stuffed Roasted Pablano Peppers with a Mexican Style Coleslaw.  Very tasty and I must say - definitely took care of that food craving. 

He even decorated it up with some chopped Cilantro.  Recipe for both follows.  The slaw is really by taste so I can't give precise measurements.  Give it a go. 

ROASTED STUFFED PABLANO (PASILLA) PEPPERS:

Roast 4 to 6 Pablano (also known as Pasilla) peppers.

Cook up 1 lb of ground Turkey and season as taco meat to taste

Grate Pepper Jack Cheese (enough too stuff and sprinkle over the top)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8” x 8” casserole.

After the peppers are roasted (we do it in the oven), put them in a plastic bag and let cool.  Skin should peel right off.  Carefully slit them open and remove all of the seeds.  Lay pepper out flat.  Sprinkle with a little cheese and then a couple of spoonfuls of the taco meat.  Wrap it up and lay it seem side down in a greased casserole baking dish.  Cover each pepper with your favorite salsa and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake until warm and bubbly.  Enjoy

MEXICAN STYLE COLESLAW:

Chopped Cabbage

Chopped Pickled Jalapeno

Fresh Lime Juice (about 2 small limes)

Chili Oil

Garlic Salt

Pepper

Cumin

Cilantro

Splenda or Sweet-N-Low to taste

FETA AND SPINACH BURGER WITH CUCUMBER TOMATO SALAD

So I am at the place in this Blog where I won't be posting every night, but will try to post when we have tried something new.  This was last nights dinner.  Quite delicious and I found low carb bread for Brian so he was able to have his burger on a piece of bread.  He really enjoyed that.  I was good as is.  The cucumber salad is quite refreshing and would be a great summer salad addition to any meal. 

These are a nice change of pace from the usual cheeseburgers. Serve them with a fresh cucumber salad.
Makes 4 servings

Feta and Spinach Burger

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef (round or chuck)
• 1 green onion chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped tomato
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 3/4 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Combine ground beef, green onion, spinach, tomato, feta, dill, salt and pepper. Form into 2 patties.
2. Grill or pan-fry over medium-high heat for 6 minutes on each side for medium doneness.

 

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber or two small regular cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 slices (2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon granular sugar substitute
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 small tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped (1 1/3 cups)
• 4 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

A brief marinating time softens the texture of the cucumbers and imbues them with flavor. This colorful salad goes with just about any grilled or broiled entree.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine cucumber, vinegar, sugar substitute and salt. Marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, green onions, mint and olive oil. Gently mix to combine and season to taste with additional salt and pepper

GRILLED INDIAN PORK CHOPS WITH SAUTEED GREEN BEANS

Okay guys, this is a definite one you have to try.  Especially if you like Indian spices.  This was made with a 1" center cut pork chop (we get ours from Costco - Love that store!).  Lightly salt and pepper the chops.  Mix 1 teaspoon Gram Masala and 1 teaspoon Curry Powder.  Sprinkle on both sides of the pork and rub it in good.  Save a little of the spice mix to go on your green beans.  You can either grill these inside or out.  We chose inside.  Seared them on one side, flip and then place in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  Take out and place on plate and cover and let stand 15 minutes.  We stuffed ours with some of the jalapeno and artichoke spread from Costco.  Had some leftover from a ladies gathering and decided to use it up.

For the bean, saute some sliced onion, mushrooms and 1 piece of bacon chopped up.  Add the blanced green beans and saute until just tender.  A little salt and pepper to taste and then sprinkle with the rest of your Indian spices.  Outstanding!  You won't be disappointed.  This is comfort food at it's finest. 
Enjoy!

AFTER 2 WEEK INDUCTION

Well I am still eating like I'm in the induction faze, just letting up a wee little bit.  Today was Dentist day so we needed something quick to fix for dinner.  We opted for Taco Salads made with ground turkey and NO CHIPS.  Brian did add some no carb picante flavored pork rinds to his for the crunch.  A little tomato, olive, avocado, jalapenos, green onion.  A bit of salsa and sour cream to top it off and it was quite delicious.  I'm a sucker for a good taco salad and have been eating them without the chips for years so I did not feel deprived at all.  So no picture tonight.  Tomorrow nights dinner is Indian Grilled Pork Chops with Sauteed Green Beans and that will be a great picture.  Have a great night everyone.

DAY #14 - ROAST TURKEY BREAST WITH PUREED CAULIFLOWER AND ASPARAGUS





This was an awesome dinner and brought the smell of Thanksgiving into the house. The pureed Cauliflower
takes the place of mashed potatoes for us. Starting to feel like I am losing. My pants aren't as tight (yipee!).
That is a blessing. Maybe by the time I go to Vegas I will actually look decent in shorts! I guess we will
have to wait and see. Recipe follows:

Turkey Breast
Rub the all over with melted butter. Salt and pepper and sprinkle with Herbs De Provence. Roast on a rack
in the over with some water in the bottom of the pan at 350 degrees. Baste about every 1/2 hour with some
chicken broth. Once done - take out of pan and wrap in foil to rest. Put enough chicken broth in the pan to
help break up the pieces on the bottom. Simmer away on the stove until it is reduced some and then add
a pat of butter. Taste for seasoning. This takes the place of your gravy.

Pureed Cauliflower
This serves 4
1 head cauliflower chunked
2 to 3 T of cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated pepperjack cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated cheddar for the top
Steam cauliflower until quite soft, but not falling apart like mush.
Place in a food processor and process with cream until smooth.
Stir in parmesan and pepperjack cheeses.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Place in a small casserole dish and back at 350 degrees for about
1/2 hour. Top with cheddar and return to the oven until cheese melts.::

DAY #13 - FILET OF BEEF WITH GORGONZOLA SAUCE AND STEAMED BROCCOLI

This was an excellent dinner.  Served over a bed of sauteed mushrooms.  The Gorgonzola sauce is really more like a compound butter, but lordy was it delicious.  How can you honestly feel deprived when you get to eat like this?  We are both feeling really good and are actually finding that it takes less and less food to feel full.  We are working together as quite a team.  Tried on a pair of size 12 capri's today and guess what?  I can actually take them back and get a size 10 instead.  That is an awesome feeling.  Please see the recipe below and be sure to give it a try. 

Beef Filet with Bacon and Gorgonzola Sauce and Broccoli

Serve with a side of steamed green beans, broccoli, or roasted asparagus to round out the meal. For the most flavorful dish, look for organic, antibiotic-free beef.
Ingredients:

• 1 small scallion
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (or any type of blue cheese)
• 2 (8-ounce, 1 1/2 inch thick) filet mignons
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 2 slices bacon
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound mixed mushrooms (such as oyster, cremini, shiitakes or portobello), sliced

Directions:
1. Arrange rack in center of oven. Heat oven to 425F. Thinly slice white portion of scallion; set aside.
2. Make the Gorgonzola butter: Finely chop green portion of scallion, and place in a small bowl. Add butter and cheese; stir to combine.
3. Sprinkle each beef filet with 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Wrap 1 slice of bacon around side of each filet, and secure with toothpicks.
4. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add filets to skillet, and cook on all sides, turning frequently with tongs, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast 7 to 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.*
5. While filets roast, heat same skillet over medium-high heat, add mushrooms, reserved white portion of scallion and remaining 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender about 4 minutes.
6. Spoon mushrooms onto serving plates, and top with beef. Serve with Gorgonzola butter.
*Note: To further cook filet mignon, roast until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in center of each filet registers 135F for medium-rare, 145F for medium, 160F for medium-well or 180F for well done. 
Serves 2

DAY #12 - Night Out

We had a date night out at the Symphony in Seattle.  We were good.  We shared a Meat and Cheese Tray and did not eat any of the bread or crackers that came with it (small appetizer to fill the void until later).  I had one small glass of wine, but that was it.  After the show we went to BJ's in Tacoma and both had Salads.  No way we could finish them - they are too large.  Could've easily gotten away with sharing one.  Had water with dinner.  Now my hubby weighed himself yesterday morning and he has lost 7 pounds and he is still allowing himself 1 beer a day.  I have done without and as of last Monday had only lost 5.  It sucks that men have such an easier time of losing weight then women do.  Weigh in again on Monday.  Hopefully I have added to my weight loss number.  I am looking for at least a total of 8 if I get more I will be a happy girl.  Tonight's dinner will be good so I will be posting a picture of that one. 

DAY #11 - BANGER'S WITH CABBAGE AND CAULIFLOWER

This is our version of a St. Patrick's Day dinner.  No corned beef for us.  We did our traditional brats (I figured that banger's sounded more like it was from that region) cooked with onions, peppers, cabbage and cauliflower (substitute for potatos).  You can really use any seasoning that you like.  We use a little chicken stock, salt, pepper and celery salt.  This was delicious.  Give it a try sometime. 

Day # 10 - Grilled Cajun Chicken and Vegetables

Remembered to take a picture this time!  Tonight's dinner was really good and satisfying.  We grilled chicken with a little olive oil and Emeril's "BAM" seasoning.  Chopped up some Zuchini, Yellow Squash, Red Pepper and Mushrooms.  Tossed those in a little olive oil with "BAM" on them and grilled them up.  TASTY!  "BAM" seasoning is the best and we make it ourselves from Emeril's own recipe. 

So far so good on the low carb.  Took a nice long walk tonight since the sky decided to quick dumping on us for a while.  It felt good to be outside and enjoying the neighborhood and the fresh air.  I would much prefer taking a long walk then getting on the floor and doing exercises or the elliptical.  That is for when I can't get outside. 

Stocked up on Atkins bars today also.  The hubby has discovered that they are pretty tasty and that they satisfy his sweet cravings in the afternoon.  Plus they are low carb (2 to 3 net carbs).  He is hanging in there with gusto with me and I appreciate it.  Makes it easier for me.  Going to the Symphony on Friday night so we will see what we can find out to eat that doesn't break the carb bank. 

Day # 9 - Steak and Broccoli

Tonight was dinner out night.  We went up to "The ClubHouse at McCormick Woods" and had a great steak dinner with some steamed broccoli.  We started with a small caesar salad (no croutons).  Dinner was excellent.  So far we are not feeling deprived at all.  I am actually eating more now then I did when I was doing the lowfat thing.  Junk in the trunk is going down!

Greek Style Chicken with a Cucumber and Avocado Salad

Day # 8 - Well I was so wrapped up in my little granddaughter tonight that I completely forgot to take a picture of this one.  Oh well, I do have the recipe to share.  I was very good.  Chicken turns out extremely moist and we used boneless skinless.  Still haven't moved to the bone in skin on chicken yet.  I weighed myself this morning and I have lost 5 pounds so far.  I feel really good about that.  Let's hope that it keeps up.  Enjoy this recipe, I think it's a keeper. 
Greek Style Chicken with Cucumber Avocado Salad

This recipe combines the great flavors of Greek cooking oregano, feta cheese and garlic into a simple but elegant dish that's perfect for entertaining or just enjoying with your family.

Ingredients:

• 4 lemons, thinly sliced
• 4 bone-in chicken breast halves with skin (about 3 pounds) (we used boneless skinless)
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 10 pitted kalamata olives, cut in half (optional)
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)

Directions:

1. Arrange rack in center of oven. Heat oven to 350F. Layer lemon slices on the bottom of a 13" x 9" baking dish; set aside.
2. Press 2 garlic cloves through a garlic press. Spread garlic evenly over each piece breast.
3. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over chicken breasts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub into skin.
4. Place chicken breasts over the lemon slices in prepared pan. Sprinkle wih oregano evenly over chicken breasts. Sprinkle olives over chicken, if using.
5. Bake 45 minutes, until juices run clear when chicken is pricked with a fork. Remove from oven and sprinkle with feta. Bake 5 minutes more. Serve with pan juices.  Serves 4

 

Serve with a green salad with tomatoes, cucumber, avocado and sliced red onion if desired.  Use a low carb vinegrette or blue cheese dressing.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Day # 7 - We completed our first week.  Done good so far.  Even resisted all the crackers and cupcakes and alcohol that were are my Willow House party today.  I stuck to the veges and cheese.  Tonights dinner was Roasted Pork Tenderloin and it was absolutely delicious.  You make a sauce out of the pan drippings and drizzle over the sliced pork and it just finishes it off so nice.  I sure hope some of you out there give some of these recipes a try.  They really are quite good.  I served this with steamed broccoli.
Bon Appetite'

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is a small, tender muscle that roasts quickly for an easy but elegant main course. A hot oven temperature ensures quick roasting to maintain natural tenderness.

Ingredients:

• 2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
• 1/2 cup lower sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Pat tenderloins dry with paper towels. Combine oil, salt, pepper, garlic and sage in a small bowl; rub paste over tenderloins and set them in a shallow roasting pan. Roast until done to taste, about 20 minutes for medium (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loin will register 145° F). Transfer to cutting board and let stand while you prepare the sauce.
2. Set pan over medium-high heat on stovetop. Add broth; cook and stir, scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan, until sauce has been reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat; add butter and swirl pan to melt. Slice tenderloin and serve with sauce.  6 Servings

Day # 6 - Decided that trying to load all 3 meals is just too darn time consuming so I am going to stick to dinners.  Maybe once in a while I will post others, but for now it's dinners.  Tonight's dinner was Mahi-Mahi with Creole Sauce and Steamed Asparagus.  It was delicious.  If you like it with a bit more heat, add more of the pepper sauce.  This was an easy and quick dish to prepare. 

Mahi-Mahi with Creole Sauce and Steamed Asparagus

Mahi-Mahi, also called dolphin fish, is fished from Florida to Hawaii. It has a firm yet delicate texture, and stands up well to flavorful sauces.

Ingredients:

• 4 mahi-mahi fillets (6-8 ounces each)
• 3 teaspoons cajun style seasoning
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup chopped canned tomatoes, with juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Sprinkle fish with pepper and 1 teaspoon of the cajun seasoning; set aside.
2. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Saut onions and peppers until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes: reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Stir in cilantro, the rest of the cajun seasoning and hot pepper sauce to taste. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over high heat. Saut fish until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Spoon sauce over fish before serving.

Add steamed asparagus for a complete meal

Day #5.  So far so good.  I have had a ton of items offered up at work to try and distract me from my goal, but I have held fast and refused to indulge in "treats".  It helps that there are no items such as Cheetos, Salt and Vinegar Chips or Chili Cheese Fritos in my cupboards here at home to tempt me.  They are my weakness.  They call to me from the cupboard.  They are evil!  They are not allowed!

So tonight's dinner was Lemon Thyme Tenderloin with Roasted Veges.  It was quite tasty.  We didn't have a tenderloin so we used Prime Sirloin instead and it turned out just fine.  Sometimes you have to think out of the box a little.  I hope you give some of these recipes a try.  They actually are quite delicious.  Tomorrow is the weekend so I will be able to do post a full days worth of meals. 

Lemon-Thyme Tenderloin wit Roasted Vegetables

Sweet bell peppers and green onions surround lemon-and-thyme-seasoned beef tenderloin in this elegant entree.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 beef tenderloin roast (4 pounds), trimmed
• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch wedges
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch wedges
• 8 green onions, cut into 2 pieces
• 2 yellow squash, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine lemon oil, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper in a bowl; rub half the mixture over tenderloin and toss remaining mixture with the vegetables to coat.
3. Place beef in a large roasting pan. Roast 40 minutes.
4. Add vegetables to pan. Continue cooking until an instant read (or meat) thermometer inserted in tenderloin registers 135° F for medium rare or 145° F for medium doneness.
5. Transfer roast to a cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.  Makes 8 servings

Day # 4.  Tonight's dinner was quite good.  I can feel the weight coming off one meal at a time.  This one had an Argentine influence.  What I liked the best is - it didn't take a lot to fix.  Give it a shot and tell me what you think. 

Chimichurri Steak with Asparagus:

In Argentina, beef is prized, and it’s often served with chimichurri, a spicy, garlicky sauce that pairs wonderfully with grilled meats and vegetables. Be sure you measure the herbs, then chop them—if you chop before you measure, you’ll use much too much. Skirt steak usually comes in a long strip. It can sometimes be thinner than 1/2 inch, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Ingredients:

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 package of artificial sweetner (splenda or sweet n low)

Directions:

1. For the sauce: Mix oil, parsley, oregano, vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a bowl; set aside.
2. For the steak: Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat until very hot. Brush steak with oil and season with salt and pepper. Add steak to pan, reduce heat to medium-high and sear until done to taste, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
3. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Thinly slice across the grain. Stir sauce to incorporate any oil that has separated and serve steak with sauce on the side

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare Asparagus (6 pieces each).  Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange the asparagus in a single layer.  Sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Cook for about 10 minutes.

Day # 3 - Baked Meatballs with Broccoli Salad

Okay now folks, it's day 3 of our low carb lifestyle.  So far so good.  I wasn't even tempted by the easter candy some cruel person put right outside of my office.  I was able to stay strong and "Just walk on by" - in the words of Dionne Warwick.  So tonight's dinner was "Baked Meatballs with Broccoli Salad."  It was actually pretty tasty.  Recipe made enough meatballs to even stick some away in the freezer for another night.  We have discovered that this really takes team work in the kitchen with prepping.  Lot's of fresh and that is okay. 

Recipe:  Baked Meatballs

Baking meatballs instead of frying them saves time and clean-up. These can easily be added to low carb tomato sauce.
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°In a skillet, over high heat, cook onion 5 minutes, until softened; add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a bowl and mix in ground meats, cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper.
2. Roll golf ball-size meatballs; arrange on a jelly roll pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, until browned and cooked through.

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 head Broccoli, separated into small florets
• 1 large roasted red pepper (homemade or jarred), rinsed and patted dry 
• 10 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 packet sweetner (splenda or sweet n low)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper

Not only do red peppers add color and flavor, they provide a dose of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant.

Directions:
1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook broccoli 5-6 minutes until tender but firm. While cauliflower is cooking, cut red pepper into thin strips.
2. Drain broccoli. Mix in red peppers, olives  and parsley.
3.  Mix vinegar, olive oil, sweetner.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4.  Pour over broccoli mixture and mix well.  Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving

Our first post.  Chili Cheese Pork with Cauliflower Jalapeno Salad.
The hubby and I are going low carb.  Started yesterday.  Need to lose some weight.
Did this a few years back, but for some reason I stopped.  Need to get serious again.
The junk in my trunk is starting to morph into the "BLOB" and I am not happy about it.
Will try to post frequently.  If anyone wants recipes I can do that too.  This one was really good.

Recipes:  Chili Cheese Pork

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• 4 boneless center-cut pork chops (about 1 pound) cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup tomato salsa
• 1/2 can (4.5 ounces) diced green chilies, drained
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/3 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper. Brown pork.
2. Combine salsa, chilies, cream cheese and cumin in a bowl. Pour mixture over pork. Reduce heat to low, simmer mixture 5 minutes.  
3. Top with grated Cheddar.  Cook 1 minute, just until cheese melts.  4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into small florets
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
• 3 scallions, chopped (3 tablespoons)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, very finely chopped (2 tablespoons) or chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

This salad is also great made with bright green broccoflower, a hybrid of cauliflower and broccoli. For variety, add two sliced hard-boiled eggs.

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add cauliflower and cook until tender-crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; pat dry.
2. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice and mustard. Add cauliflower, scallions, jalapeno, salt and black pepper. Mix well until vegetables are evenly coated with dressing. Chill at least 30 minutes for flavors to blend. (Can be made ahead. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 24 hours.) Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.   8 servings