Monthly Archives: November 2017

Low Carb Cranberry Sauce Recipe

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Low Carb Cranberry Sauce

A low sugar cranberry sauce.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 20 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend
  • 1 bag Cranberries
  • 1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Orange Marmalade

Instructions

  1. Combine water, Truvia and bring to a boil in a saucepan.

  2. Add cranberries and marmalade and return to a boil.

  3. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.

  4. Remove from heat.

  5. Mash cranberries (leaving some whole) with a potato masher.

  6. Cool.

  7. Put in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Recipe Notes

The marmalade is really optional.  It makes the cranberry flavor pop.  I sometimes add 2 Tablespoons.  

I was really happy to have this alternative to full sugar cranberry sauce and to me, it tasted just like it!

Nutrition Facts
Low Carb Cranberry Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 20
% Daily Value*
Sodium 2mg0%
Potassium 36mg1%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Iron 0.1mg1%
Calcium 3mg0%
Vitamin C 6.1mg7%
Vitamin A 25IU1%
Net Carbs 3g6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Smoked Salmon Spread Recipe

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Awesome Smoked Salmon Spread

My recipe for smoked salmon spread.  I made it for my niece's baby shower and it was a hit and so I thought I would share.

Course Appetizer
Cuisine Seafood
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 24
Calories 96 kcal
Author lowcarb4ever23

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces Cream Cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup Sour Cream
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice fresh
  • 1 pound Smoked Salmon
  • 4 Green Onions sliced, white & green
  • 1 Tablespoon Dill dried
  • Black Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. In a mixer, combine cream cheese, sour cream and lemon juice in a mixer.  

  2. Add salmon, green onions, dill and black pepper and mix well. 

  3. Serve.

Recipe Notes

Use hot smoked salmon.  I like the honey or maple smoked salmon.  Serve with celery for the low carb eaters or crackers for the normal carb eaters.  You can also half this recipe.

Nutrition Facts
Awesome Smoked Salmon Spread
Amount Per Serving
Calories 96 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 213mg9%
Potassium 71mg2%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Protein 4g8%
Iron 0.3mg2%
Calcium 27mg3%
Vitamin C 0.9mg1%
Vitamin A 320IU6%
Net Carbs 1g2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Low Carb “Cornbread” Recipe

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Low Carb “Cornbread”

A delicious alternative to cornbread made with wheat flour and cornmeal.

Course Bread
Cuisine Southern
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 Muffins
Calories 144 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
  2. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
  3. Combine almond flour, baking powder and salt.
  4. Add eggs, cream, water and extract (if used).
  5. Add melted butter.
  6. Divide evenly among muffin cups.
  7. Bake. The muffins should be lightly browned on top and edges. They should be firm to the touch and if you insert a toothpick, it should come out clean.

Recipe Notes

I have discovered unusual extracts and love them.  I have used Amoretti’s Sweet Corn Extract in this recipe.  It made it a little sweet.  Not a lot sweet, just slightly.  I ordered their Popcorn Extract for a more savory muffin.  I’ll let you know how that goes! 

I have put links to buy the Sweet Corn Extract on Amazon.  But honestly, it is cheaper if you go to Amoretti’s website and order them!  I don't know what some vendor's are thinking by doubling the price!  

UPDATE: I used Amoretti's Popcorn Extract on a new batch of muffins and for my Thanksgiving "Cornbread" Dressing.  It was much more to my taste!  I am going to try it for "grits" and see how that goes!

Nutrition Facts
Low Carb “Cornbread”
Amount Per Serving
Calories 144 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 61mg20%
Sodium 72mg3%
Potassium 91mg3%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 5g10%
Iron 1mg6%
Calcium 80mg8%
Vitamin A 155IU3%
Net Carbs 3g6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Low Carb Restaurants – Asian

image-951834_960_720Eating out Low Carb at Asian restaurants can be a little tricky.

You have to avoid all the rice, noodles, eggrolls and wontons in all their forms.  You have to be careful of hidden (or outright) breading on chicken, beef, pork, seafood and even vegetables.  Too, there are sugars and corn starches that are in many of the sauces that are particular no-no’s for those of us with diabetes.  Not only all of that, but different restaurants make dishes in different ways and so the Net Carb count can vary widely.

So what to do?

  • A buffet is a good way to go so that you can pick and choose.  You get filled like you want and have a variety of things to choose from.  Too, if you are not familiar with the restaurant or its dishes, on a buffet it is easy to see if there are breading, noodles or if thick or thin sauces are used. If you do get something that has hidden sugars, cornstarch or breading, you can abandon it and can go back and get something else.  The best option, however, is if there is a Mongolian barbeque option.  You pick your chilled meats, vegetables, sauces and spices and hand them to a chef who then grills it for you.  This is great as you know what you put in your dish and it comes out fresh and hot.
    • Hibachi restaurants are a good way to go.  Just tell them you don’t want the rice or any terryaki based sauces.  Often, you get more vegetables, which is never a bad thing.  Be careful on the ginger dressing on the salad as it is full of hidden sugars and ask for an option.  I’ve eaten the little salad plain too.
    • If you order off the menu, there are many things that you can get.  Just leave off the rice or noodles:
    • You can order Egg Drop Soup or Wonton Broth.  Miso soups are excellent. Some Hot & Sour Soups are lower carbs than others.  There are other vegetable and protein based soups you can still get, but just avoid the noodles or rices or if they are a thicker soup that has probably used flour or cornstarch as a thickener.  Ask if it is a thick or thin broth if you aren’t familiar with their soups.
    • You can also order a vegetable laden dish with a light sauce or only soy sauce.  Just make sure that if there is also a protein that it is not breaded.
    • Egg Foo Yong is always an excellent way to go.  Vegetables and eggs.  Watch out for the sauces though.  Some might have hidden sugars.  I usually eat my Egg Foo Yong plain.

I recently went to a little local Chinese restaurant.  I was delighted to find a little buffet.  In fact for someone who doesn’t like buffets, I have found them useful for low carb living.

At the Chinese restaurant, I intended to get beef with broccoli, but it was on the buffet.  So why not have choices?  I got the beef with broccoli, Szechuan Chicken and their Black Pepper Chicken.  Excellent choices if you followed my advice from above.  There may have been a little cornstarch used but not much.

What I did discover was that the Black Pepper Chicken was ever oh so lightly breaded and ever oh so lightly sweetened.  Too late.  I already tasted it and it was delicious.  In a moment of weakness my taste buds had control of my feeding arm, hand and my mouth.  I ate the whole amount.   My sugar went up accordingly.

My point in telling you this, is that it is easy to fall off Low Carb track if you aren’t careful in your choices or have a moment of weakness.  I don’t like admitting weakness.  I also don’t like admitting that my eyesight truly didn’t pick up the breading on the Black Pepper Chicken in the first place.  It was such a light coating… but it was there!

You can eat at Asian Restaurants.  Just be careful and try to have some will power!

LowCarb4Ever! 2017 Copyright

 

The Thing About Will Power

self-confidence-2121159_960_720I’ve never really had will power that I can remember.  Oh maybe it bubbled under the surface.  I prayed that I had some somewhere.

I had some definite issues requiring will power!

  1. I don’t like to exercise.
  2. I can’t say “no” to cookies, cakes, doughnuts, fritters, Mrs. See’s Candies or anything almond flavored!

I wasn’t sure I had will power.  I certainly hadn’t had it up to now or I wouldn’t be in the mess I found myself in: Overweight, Diabetic, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Fatty Liver, High Triglycerides!

I was going to have to find some will power somewhere or I am going to have a medical issue laden rest of my life!  None of those issues have positive outcomes on your body!

Where to start?

Exercise

Firsts of all, I hate to sweat.  Some people like it.  I don’t unless I am in a sauna, and even then I don’t really like it!

  • I discovered that I like swimming, but hate the drive to the pool and the chlorine on my skin.  When I went with my sister to water aerobics, I watched pounds fall off and felt the best I ever felt in my life!  That is one option. Best of all… you don’t really sweat when you are swimming!  You do want to rinse off.  I hate pool showers and have driven home wet.  Not a good option in the winter!  I’ll wear Crocs to and from the pool and actually wear the Crocs in the shower!
  • I could go to a gym.  I prefer going to places that caters to the normal bodies or women.  Not a bad choice, but I don’t like the drive (again) and I definitely don’t like paying to get my butt to move!  And again, I hate to sweat that much and then get into my car all sweaty for the drive home because I hate gym showers.  Gyms are very good for some people, just not for me.
  • I can walk or ride a bike as it is easy exercise. I hate to do it alone (but will) and it is definitely much better if you a have a friend or spouse to do it with.  If you aren’t frightened of your immediate environment (people, dogs, etc.), walking or biking is a good way to go! When I lived in a large city, city walking kept me fit or I went to a park and walked.  We currently live in an area where the walking and bike trails are spectacular.  You get scenery.  You get to wave at people or even have some nice chats about life. You can crank up a Walkman (errr… an Ipod or Iphone or something!) and have tunes as you go!  You can hop in a car and go somewhere to walk or ride near or far for variety and scenery.  Just start a little bit at a time and you will find yourself, as I did, going further and further.  Don’t be discouraged if you can’t do much at first.  It will build!
  • I could use home exercise equipment.  If you don’t like your neighborhood or hate going out of the house or being social while you exercise.. and have the money, home equipment can be a good option for you.  It is good for solo exercising. There are treadmills, StairMasters,  bicycles, stair steppers, rowers, weight machines, etc.  A multitude of options.  I have a 20 year old recumbent bicycle and decided that I would watch some of my favorite TV shows while I rode.  It works!  I also have an old HealthRider.  I like it because my arms, legs and abs get a good workout.  I could only go 2 minutes when I first started and have built up time the longer I have used it!  There is still a little sweat involved but at least I’m near my shower and a fresh change of clothes.
There are lots of options.  Choose the one or two that work for you… and just go for it!  Just get moving!!!!

 
Eating Right

I thought this one was going to kill me if the exercise didn’t.  I mentioned before that my family has “genetically superior taste buds!”  (We have always told that to everyone! I’m not really sure there is such a thing, but we have rolled with that for over 40 years now!) I LOVE FOOD!

What I discovered was that finding alternatives or substitutes for the things I love has gotten me over wanting the things I was missing!

The challenge really was on!

I exchanged food items I had for food items I required. I found substitutes!   You can see more about this on the pages “Out with the Bad Food in with the Good” and “Getting Your Head Around Low Carb Alternatives“.   I’ll keep adding to those pages as I find things!

As for will power out with friends and families or at someone else’s house?  Well that has taken every bit of my ability to say no that I ever thought I had.   I won’t lie.  IT HAS BEEN HARD!!!!

It is one thing to remove all your temptations.  It is quite another when you are face to face with them.

I had my sister request that I bring her one of my favorite items in the world… almond flavored cake from my favorite bakery.    I had to tell her “do you know how difficult it is for me to actually walk in there much less drive with it in the car with me for three hours?  I can’t do it!  I’ll eat it before it gets there!”   She got it.  I didn’t go and get it.  She didn’t need it anyway… she just was having a weak moment.

I love movie popcorn at the movies.  Not in the usual sense. I LOVE IT!!!!  IT is hard going to a movie and not having popcorn.   I buy a drink there, but now I take Atkins chocolate covered almonds and nuts with me to get through smelling it, wanting it.  Having SOMETHING to munch on while there definitely lessened the overload on my olfactory senses.

You can read my other posts on eating out for what to do at your favorite restaurants (too many to list here, but go to the sitemap to find options).  But I have to tell you, it is not easy going into a Bojangles when you smell those amazing biscuits in the air!  It took me a while to work up the courage to go there.

I have a really awesome friend that loves baking and making me things when I visit.  She sweetly has tried to adapt the recipes with Almond Flour instead of the higher carbohydrate Wheat Flour so that I can enjoy them still.  The same for my mother-in-law.  She has taken up the challenge to adapt recipes so that I (and my husband who has lost 22 pounds with me!) can eat them!

But still… at a fair… in the mall… at a party… anywhere… you are going to run into things you love and are going to want them.  DON’T!!!!  You can do this!  Understand what you can and cannot eat and go fill up on what you can eat.

Not to embarass anyone… but if I do get too much inquisition or puzzled looks over my new eating habits… I do proclaim “diabetic” or “low carb diet” and usually get a nod of understanding.  Proclaiming “metabolic syndrome” gets you no where, by the way!  It is a reason for this blog… no one seems to understand what it is!

NONE OF THIS IS EASY!!!  But I will tell you this… the will will give you the power!!!  I promise you that!

The more I say no to foods that are bad for me… or exercise to strengthens my body… the easier it gets.  You just have to start somewhere.  Hopefully I have given you inspiration to get started.

LowCarb4Ever! 2017 Copyright
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