Slow Cooker London Broil - 13g

Ingredients:
London Broil
1 1/2 C Portobello Mushroom soup - I found it at HT
3/4 C Sherry
1 large yellow onion, sliced thick
2 tsp minced garlic
1 C asparagus - cut into 1 in pieces
3 C broccoli florets
1 C sliced baby bella mushrooms

Put the first 5 ingredients in the Crock Pot, and turn on high for 5 hours.

After the first 2 hours, add the fresh vegetables, and continue cooking for the remaining 3 hours.

 

Makes 6 servings

Tortillas OR Tortilla Chips - 7g

Ingredients:
1/2 C flax seed meal
1 Tbsp almond meal
1/8 C flax seed meal set aside
3 Tbsp hot water
1/2 tsp salt

Butter/Oil

Mix the hot water with the 1/8 C flax seed meal until it makes an 'egg-like' substance.

In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the egg-like flax seed mixture and mix until all combined. Separate into 3 balls.

Use a rolling pin to flatten out between 2 pieces of parchment paper - as thin as you can get them!

Heat a skillet to medium-high heat, and add either butter or oil.  Cook each tortilla for 45 seconds per side (if looking for a tortilla) or a minute or more per side if making chips.

Makes 3 servings.

Fettuccini Alfredo... only not - 12g

I was very skeptical about making a dairy, wheat and heat free fettuccine alfredo... but I gave it a whirl, and sure enough, it was very deceiving!  Granted, the kelp noodles have a different texture, but they have absolutely no flavor, so once you get past the chew, the rest is easy going!
Ingredients:
1 1/4 C raw cashews
3/4 C water
1/4 C lemon juice
2 tsp minced garlic (or more to taste)
1 tsp salt
Basil leaves
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/5 C nutritional yeast - it adds a bit of a 'nutty/cheese' flavor, but you can omit it if you don't have it

1 bag kelp noodles

Process all of the ingredients in a food processor.

Rinse and separate the kelp noodles.

Mix them all together, and voila! A completely 'raw' meal - no cook time necessary! 

Spaghetti Sauce Squash - 15g

 Ingredients:

1/2 cooked spaghetti squash
1/2 C hunts garlic & basil tomato sauce (from a can)
1/2 C ricotta cheese
garlic powder to taste - I'm a bit heavy handed on the garlic...
shallot salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Slice the spaghetti squash in half, long ways.  Half of mine was 'bad', so I threw it out. You can do the whole thing, just double your ingredients.

Bake the spaghetti squash in a baking pan filled with about a half inch of water for 1 hour to 75 minutes - or until the spaghetti squash has a softer texture.

Scrape the squash out of the skin (throwing the 'guts' and seeds away).

Add the remaining ingredients, mix and enjoy!

(no one ever has to know the only 'prep' work involved was the baking of the squash...)

Walnut Crusted Tilapia - 8g

Delicious! Next time I'll make a dipping sauce out of the mayo/mustard to give it some added flavor. 

Ingredients:
1 C crushed walnuts
1 heaping tbsp mayo
1 1/2 tbsp mustard (I used honey, the recipe called for dijon)
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
3 tilapia filets

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix together the mayo, mustard, basil and salt. Coat the tilapia filets with this mixture, and then fill a plate with the crushed walnuts. Press each side of the filets into the walnuts, and place on a baking pan coated with non-stick spray.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until fish is flaky.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs - 1g

 

Most meatball recipes call for breadcrumbs. I decided to sub the breadcrumbs with finely grated parmesan cheese.  It worked beautifully!

 

Ingredients:
1 lb 93% lean ground beef
1 egg
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

24 petite mozzarella balls

*Optional - basil & garlic tomato sauce - 4g/ 1/4 C serving (this adds 4 grams of carbs to the original 1)


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a mixing bowl, incorporating all of the ingredients well.

Scoop out the meat mixture with a tablespoon (using a rounded tablespoons worth for each meatball), and place a petite mozzarella ball in the center, then form the meatball around the rest of it and place on a baking sheet.

Should make about 24 meatballs:

Serving size is about 8 meatballs (for a meal) - and serve with a 1/4 C tomato sauce if need be (this just adds more carbs for those of you counting them...)

Mmmm... Hot Chocolate ~ 6g

"Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart." ~Unknown

This happens to be one of my favorite quotes. And very appropriate on a mug of hot chocolate which helps to bring about a wonderful sense of 'peace'. 

This hot chocolate is thick and rich - the perfect ending to a stressful (or cold) day!

Ingredients:
1 C unsweetened almond & coconut milk blend
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp splenda
1/2 tsp almond or vanilla extract
Dash of salt (be very careful with this dash!)

Pour the milk in a saucepan and heat at medium on the stove for a minute or two.

Whisk in the cocoa powder and splenda.  Continue whisking over medium heat for another two minutes or so - or until all of the powder is dissolved.

Add the remaining ingredients and let simmer for another minute or two before removing it from the heat.

Chicken & 'Rice' Soup - 4.5g

"Sipping once,

Sipping twice,

Sipping chicken soup with rice"

Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months

by Maurice Sendak

 

Is that a throw back for anyone??

It was a bleak, rainy day today, and all I could think about at work was coming home, putting on my sweats and cuddling up on the couch with a bowl of hot chicken (noodle? rice?) soup. Of course, noodles and rice don't go well with a diet that avoids wheat, gluten and other foods that spike your blood sugar, so it was back to the drawing board for me.

(My drawing board happens to be my refrigerator...)

I had asparagus and frozen spinach, which reminded me of the Asparagus & Leek Soup at Amelie's French Bakery in Charlotte, NC.  This soup is melt in your mouth good (can I say that if it's already in soup form?). I decided to use it as a bit of inspiration.

The cauliflower in my drawer also sparked an idea. I've 'riced' cauliflower before for the Cauliflower Pizza and the Fried Rice dishes I've made in the past... perhaps I could rice the cauliflower for a soup? *A side note: when ricing the cauliflower with a food processor, it creates very tiny, much smaller than rice pieces. To create a more 'rice-like' effect for the soup, I finely chopped the cauliflower instead.

At the end of the process, I had a very flavorful, nutritious and low-carb soup that hit the spot on this gloom & chill-filled day!  

Ingredients:
1/2 yellow onion
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
3 C cauliflower florets
1 C asparagus, chopped into 3/4 in pieces
1 package frozen chopped spinach
4 C chicken broth
2 C water
2 large chicken breasts
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp minced garlic

Add the butter, olive oil and onions to a pan, and turn on to medium-low heat to sweat the onions for about 3 minutes.  Next, add the cauliflower and continue to sweat for another 3 minutes or so. Last, add the asparagus and cook for another couple of minutes.

The next step is to add the frozen spinach, water and chicken broth. Turn up the heat to about medium and let this simmer while you cube the chicken into small 1 inch cubes. Add the chicken and garlic, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Last, before adding the salt, take a taste test.  I used low sodium chicken broth, so mine needed an extra boost after adding all the veggies and additional water. Add the salt, a 1/2 tsp at a time in order to avoid making it too salty!

This soup made 8-9 servings, and is full of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that belong in a fall/winter soup - and sans the blood-sugar spiking carbs!

Curl up and enjoy...

Shallot Baked Salmon - 1g

Ingredients:

Salmon fillet
shallots
garlic
dill
drizzle of olive oil

I didn't use any measurements - and you may be looking for a different contrast of flavors, but over all this was a very delicious salmon fillet! I baked it in the oven in tin foil at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Yum!

Roasted Cauliflower Poppers - 8g

I like cauliflower - but I wasn't sold on the idea of these at first.  I had some left over cauliflower from my 'fried rice', so I decided to give these a shot. 

To my surprise, they were incredibly tasty!

Ingredients:
3 C cauliflower florets
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Sauce:
1/4 C tomato sauce (lowest carb you can find - mine had 4g per 1/4 cup)
1 Tbsp grated parmesan
1/4 tsp oregano
Dash or two of garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the cauliflower with the olive oil and salt until well covered. Distribute evenly around a tin foil lined pan. Bake for 20 minutes, take out of the oven and turn each floret over. Place back in the oven and bake again for 20 minutes.

While baking, mix the tomato sauce, parmesan, oregano and garlic powder.

Remove the cauliflower from the oven, and dip to enjoy!

Makes 2 servings.

'Fried Rice' - 4g

Which is neither fried, or made from rice. 

In fact, it is made from a vegetable and happens to be raw!

But it is still equally as delicious - with a similar (though not equal) texture and flavor.

Ingredients:
1/2 large head of cauliflower (preferably more of the florets than the stems)
1/4 C spinach leaves (or parsley)
1/5 yellow onion
1 tsp garlic (minced)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger (more or less)
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce

*For additional flavor/texture (and added carbs) feel free to add some walnuts or cashews - processed

Trim the florets off the head of cauliflower and place in a food processor - about 3 cups worth. Process until all of the florets are minced, and scrape into a bowl to set aside. You can also add the spinach here (or parsley, whichever you have on hand).

Next, in the same food processor, blend the onion, garlic and ginger.  Scrape into the bowl with the cauliflower.

Last, mix in the sesame seeds, oil and soy sauce.

Makes 4 servings, each about 1/3 cup.

The inspiration for this recipe came from http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2008/12/05/raw-imitation-fried-rice/ - which has a few interesting ingredients/alternatives to my version - check it out and play around for yourself!

Pesto Egg Salad - 1g

A delicious twist on your traditional egg salad! Really, I just rummaged through my refrigerator to find something I could throw in here. I happened to have some leftover pesto from the other night (roasted portobello mushroom & eggplant napoleons).  I also tried adding a little splash of balsamic vinegar to half of it, and it added an additional complexity! This is a must try (for pesto lovers)!

Ingredients:
6 hard boiled eggs
1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp pesto
1/3 C mayo

*Splash of balsamic vinegar if you're daring!

Separate the yolks and add to a mixing bowl. Combine with mayo and pesto and mix until smooth.

Chop the egg whites and incorporate them into the yolk.

Add a splash of balsamic vinegar if you're interested. I think I prefer mine without, but I'm not a huge balsamic (or any kind of vinegar) fan. Makes 3 servings.

 Enjoy using the poser 'bread' or just by itself!

*I added rosemary & oregano to the bread recipe - hence the specks in the bread.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pops - 2.5g each

The cookie dough pops above were made with almond flour, and the ones below with almond meal. The ones above have 4 carbs per pop, and below have 2.5 carbs.

Ingredients:
1 C almond flour/meal
1/4 C vanilla protein powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 C Splenda
1/4 C melted coconut oil
1 tbsp unsweetened almond/coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
60 chocolate chips (I only used 45 when I made the pops with the higher carb almond flour)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

Use a tablespoon to scoop out each pop and use your hands to roll into balls. (should make about 15)

Place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 30 minutes to harden.  Keep stored in the refrigerator after.

Pepperoni Chips - 1g

Ingredients:

14 Pepperoni slices (1 serving)

    *I tried this with Turkey pepperoni - not as good, and take 20 seconds off the cook time!

Line a microwave safe plate with 3 paper towels.  Lay the pepperoni pieces on the paper towels (flat) and microwave for 60 seconds (could vary depending on the wattage of your microwave). 

Let the chips cool and they will be crispy and ready to eat!

Asian Noodle Dish - 6g

You can find Kelp noodles at Whole Foods, or replace with Shiritake.  The benefit to the kelp noodles is that the seemed to breakdown/soften over time as I cooked them.  I haven't found that to be the case with Shiritake?

Ingredients:
1 pkg Kelp noodles
1 pkg tofu OR diced chicken (cook this first if you're using raw chicken)
2 green onions
3 baby bella mushrooms, chopped (1 C chopped)
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
5 tbsp brown rice vinegar
1/3 C soy sauce
1 C water
2 tbsp peanut butter (trader joe's Valencia w/ roasted flaxseed for lowest carb content)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp sesame seeds

In a frying pan, add the vinegar and oil on medium heat.  Rinse the kelp noodles and break them up a bit, then add them to the frying pan.

Chop the mushrooms and add to the pan, along with the sesame seeds, soy sauce, ginger and garlic.

Mix and cook on medium heat for a minute or two, and then add the green onions and peanut butter.  Stir together and let sit for another minute.

Add the water and cook down for another 2-3 minutes. 

Last, cube your tofu (or chicken) into 1/4 in cubes, and add to the mix.  Turn the heat off and let set for 5 minutes or so. 

Asian Marinade - 3g

I made this for my tofu (which was great both 'fresh' and cooked).

Ingredients:
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp splenda
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 C soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 green onions - chopped
4 baby bella mushrooms - sliced

Combine all ingredients and marinade for a couple of hours. If using tofu, make sure to press the tofu for 30 minutes or so first, so it absorbs as much of the marinade as possible.

Fluffy Breakfast Casserole - 4g

Most breakfast casseroles begin with a bread base to keep it fluffy.  I combined what I've learned about baking with stiff egg whites (thanks to the 'Best Bread Ever' recipe), and mixed it with some other typical breakfast ingredients to make a casserole that was just as delicious!

This was consumed so fast, I wasn't able to take a picture of it...

Ingredients:
5 eggs (separated)
1/4 tsp cream tartar
1 15 oz container of Ricotta cheese
2/3 onion, chopped
1 container of sausage
2 green onions
1 1/2 C mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brown sausage and onion. Chop up the green onions and mix with the sausage and onion and place in a 9x13 baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese.

Combine egg whites and cream of tartar, and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes - don't need them to be too stiff, but enough so that your peaks flop over a little when you take out the beaters.

Mix the egg yolks and ricotta cheese in another bowl, and then scrape into the bowl with the egg whites.  Mix together well, and add to the 9x13 baking dish. Combine all ingredients in the baking pan, distributing the egg mixture well, and bake for 30 minutes.

8 servings

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups >2g

I MIGHT be the happiest girl on earth right now. Why? Because I just created these:

Chocolate and peanut butter happen to be my favorite.  Every time I get some fro-yo, I can't help but put a scoop of Reese's peanut butter cups on top... not good!

I found this recipe on Living Low Carb...One Day at a Time's blog, and tweaked it a little (that, and mine made a much smaller batch than hers... I can't afford to have too many of these sitting around!) - Makes 5 peanut butter cups at 45 calories & less than 2g carbs per cup!

Ingredients:
4 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
4 1/2 tsp coconut oil
3 tsp granulated splenda
3 tsp Trader Joe's Valencia Peanut Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds (only 5g carbs per 2 tbsp)

In a pan, mix together the first 3 ingredients over low heat, and stir constantly until it becomes liquid chocolate.

Line a mini-muffin pan with muffin liners.  Pour in about 1 tsp of the chocolate, or until it covers the bottom of the muffin liner. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Zap the peanut butter in the microwave for about 10 seconds. *My peanut butter came from the refrigerator, so it needed a little heat.  If yours isn't from the fridge, FIRST check your carb count... and second, don't nuke it so long.

When the bottom layer of chocolate is frozen, divide the peanut butter evenly amongst the 5 cups. Pour the remaining chocolate over the top of the cups, and freeze for another 10 minutes.

1 Reese's cup: 145 calories, 15g carbs
2 of these cups: 95 calories, 3.5g carbs!

Smoked Salmon & Zucchini Stuffed Chicken - 3g

The smokiness of the salmon really disguises the chicken - not that there's anything wrong with chicken... but this is definitely not a bland tasting meal!

Ingredients:
1/2 C shredded zucchini
1 egg (1/2 of an egg would work better)
2 oz smoked salmon (about 1/3 C)
1 heaping tbsp mayo
1/2 tsp crushed garlic

2 chicken breasts

1/4 C almond meal
1/4 C grated parmesan


Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a bowl.

Place the chicken breasts in a ziploc bag, squeeze out the air, and pound your chicken breasts until they are about 1/4 in thick.

Spread the mixture over one side of your chicken breast and roll up.  Use toothpicks to keep shut if needed.

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray, and place the chicken rolls inside. Top with the almond meal and parmesan for a crunchy texture.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until chicken is white all the way through. 

Thick Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake - 7g

This is the most legit, low carb milkshake that I could come up with - very convincing!

  175 calories, and around or under 7 carbs

Ingredients:

1/4 C Chocolate Arctic Zero (lactose free 'ice cream)
1 tbsp Trader Joe's Valencia Peanut Butter w/ Roasted Flaxseeds 
Just under a 1/4 C Whey Protein Powder (French Vanilla flavor - unsweetened) 
4 ice cubes
1/3 C Unsweetened Almond Coconut Milk  
1 packet of Splenda

Blend them all together, and ENJOY!


*Of course, it does require 'specialty' ingredients to keep it low carb. The Chocolate Arctic Zero & Biochem's Whey Protein powder both came from the Healthy Home Market - but you should be able to find them at any health food store. Watch your whey protein powder - this one has less than 1 carb/quarter cup. I also have had luck finding the Arctic Zero at Earth Fare.

Eating on the go!

Eating low carb on the go isn't necessarily an easy feat.

This month is going to be rough for healthy eating. I'll be on the road & out of the office a lot, on top of working late nights.  This 'season' last year, I was in and out of drive thrus and I didn't know any different.

I've got a game plan for this year, and I've stockpiled the glove compartment in my car with:

• Smokehouse Almonds (5g of carbs)

• Dark Cocoa Roasted Almonds (4g of carbs - 100 calorie packs are a beautiful thing)

• Atkins snack bars - carb count varies

My refrigerator is also prepared for lots of meals-on-the-go, that won't need to be reheated (since I'll most likely be eating in my car):

WEEK 1

• Gazpacho (11g of carbs)

• Buffalo chicken salad (3g of carbs)

• Celery sticks & peanut butter with flax seed (5g for peanut butter)

• Persian cucumbers (seedless & tiny) - my all time favorite, found at Trader Joe's

• String cheese

• Sugar free jello

• Black olives

• Sparkling Ice fizzy drinks

Hoping to fight off the fast food urges I get... My goal is to limit my visit there to once a week - and of course I'll be tossing any buns, or getting the grilled 'fried' chicken.

Here goes... 24 days of non-stop work! 

Buffalo Chicken Salad - 3g

 It's like wings - only easier to eat, and perfect for on the go!

Ingredients:

1 large can of chicken in water (12 oz)
1/4 C buffalo wing sauce
1/8 C blue cheese dressing
1 tbsp mayo


Drain the can of chicken well, and mix in the sauces. Serve with celery, cucumbers, or eat plain.

Makes 2 servings.

Gazpacho - 11g

Quick, easy & nutritious! 

Ingredients:

1/2 red pepper (60g)
1/3 yellow onion (50g)
1/2 cucumber (170g)
5 roma tomatoes (380g)
1+ tsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender, and liquify for a minute or two.

When ready to serve, add a few ice cubes to get it nice and cold!

Makes 3 cups - 1 cup/serving

Mashed (cauliflower) 'potatoes' - 7g

Regular Idaho potatoes have great nutritional benefits... if you consume the skins.  However, most people don't include those when making mashed potatoes.

Instead, substitute cauliflower for the potato part, and you'll save yourself qutie a bit of carbs, and will also save yourself a spike in blood sugar/glycemic index!

Ingredients:
3-4 C steamed cauliflower
1/4 C heavy cream
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp butter (or Smart Balance)

In a food processor, combine the steamed cauliflower, heavy cream, water (as needed) and butter.  I had to add water in order to get it all to process smooth, but depending on the water in your steamed cauliflower, you may not need it.

Puree for a few minutes - until smooth and creamy.

Add salt, to taste. Makes 3 servings.

Tailgating Buffalo Chicken Dip

I won't even try to determine your serving size on this one - just know that in the entire dip, you've got about 30-35g of carbs - this dip makes a lot - so you're probably talking 3g per serving... but who knows!

I like to bring celery, cucumber & zucchini slices with me to parties where I know a dip will be involved... this way, I'm not tempted to munch on the crackers (remember, they're just a filler/means to an end), but I can still enjoy the flavor of the dip!

Ingredients:
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 C shredded mozzerella cheese + some to sprinkle on top
3/4 C blue cheese dressing
3/4 C buffalo wing sauce
20oz. canned chicken

Mix all together, and bake for 23 minutes at 350 degrees. 

This was gone in less than an hour!

Homemade Saturday Morning Waffles - 1g

Nothing says Saturday (or Sunday) morning like homemade waffles or pancakes...

As I was devouring these waffles this morning, it dawned on me that the reason they call them "Eggo Waffles" is probably due to their high egg content!  These tasted enough like eggo waffles to me, but with a slightly egg-ier consistency.  If you wanted to counteract that, I might add some almond flour next time (but that will up the carb & calorie count). I thought they were fabulous for virtually carb-free waffles! Makes 2 large waffles (1 carb/waffle)

Ingredients:

2 egg whites

1 egg

1/8 tsp cream of tartar 

2 Tbsp almond/coconut milk blend - unsweetened (or just regular unsweetened almond milk)

3 Tbsp whey protein powder (mine has less than 1 carb in 1/4 cup - watch that if you're counting carbs)

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 packets of splenda

1 tsp melted butter/smart balance (optional)

Set your waffle iron to the highest setting (400 degrees or so?)

Beat the 2 egg whites and the cream of tartar until stiff. Set aside.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Fold/mix into the egg whites - this will produce a pretty runny batter.

Spray or grease your waffle iron.

Pour in batter and close for 5 minutes.

Take out and top with your favorite toppings (I chose Smart Balance butter and a sugar free syrup)! 

What a perfect Saturday/Sunday morning treat... 

 

The total calorie content per waffle is 95, and 1 carb.

Cheesy Stuffed Zucchini Boats - 10g

I'm reading the book "Wheat Belly". The more I tell people about it, the more I see this terrified look on their faces when I tell them that the author proposes we cut all wheat from our diets.

"What will you eat, then?"
"Won't that get boring?"

along with a whole host of others, are very common phrases I hear.

So I set out tonight to make something FULL of flavor, without any wheat, and still restricting my carbs.

The good news is the only carbs in this meal come from the vegetables themselves (alright, and 2 or 3 from the ricotta & sherry), so this is one meal you can feel great about consuming.

Ingredients:
1 very large zucchini (mine weighed in at 400g after I cut the stem off) - about 8 in long
1/4 C red onion (or onion of your choice - shallots would be great in this recipe!)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
80 g cremini (or baby bella) mushrooms - which worked out to be about 5
2 tsp crushed garlic
2 C fresh spinach
1/4 C ricotta cheese
1/3 C parmesan cheese
2 tbsp sherry wine (or a white wine will sub - you'll just lack that slightly nutty flavor)
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the zucchini in half, length wise, and use a spoon to scoop out the middle. Set the zucchini skins to the side.

Finely chop the red onion, flesh of the zucchini, and mushrooms.

Add the onion & olive oil to a pan and heat on medium heat for a minute or two. Next, add the mushrooms, squash and garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes, lowering the heat just a little.

Incorporate the spinach, cheeses, sherry and basil, and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Place the 2 hollowed out zucchini halves on a baking pan, and spoon in the mixture. Each of my zucchinis held about 1/2 C of the mixture, leaving me an extra 1/2 C at the end (so I stuffed the mushrooms I had left over!).

Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes (mushrooms, not so long).  Makes 2 servings.

Tiramisu - 4g

Just a forewarning:

**This recipe is not for the faint of heart**

It's not some 'fake' tiramisu/low carb/low calorie 'knock-off'. This is legit.

And just like any little old Italian grandmother will tell you, "Cooking is a form of art," or "Anything worth doing is worth doing right," or "You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs" (I looked that last one up).

Cue the classic Italian music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZo0G3_DfdI

The honest truth? This tiramisu took me about an hour and a half - from start to finish. And then it has to chill for at least 4 hours. Find a friend who likes doing the dishes, and invite him over...

But coming in at only 250 calories and 4 grams of carbs, I'd say "It's worth it!" (since I'm on a quote roll). Makes 9 servings.

To start, follow the Best 'Bread' recipe, and add:

1/4 C Splenda
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp instant espresso (could use coffee, but then you'll need more)

to the yolk & cream cheese and blend. Fold it all together (with the egg whites) and spread it all out on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake as you would a sheet cake - for 30 minutes at 300 degrees.  When the 30 minutes are up, take the cake out, and break it into smaller pieces. *If you're a planner, break them into quarters that will fit nicely in the bottom of your 8x8 baking dish for later...  And bake the pieces again for another 5-7 minutes. Remove and set to the side.

~Layers~

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
8 tsp Splenda
1/3 C almond/coconut milk blend - unsweetened (or just almond milk)
8 oz. mascarpone cheese - room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 C heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp instant espresso
1/4 Splenda

1 oz (shot) of dark rum
1 tbsp instant espresso

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

In a sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together the yolks, splenda and milk. Whisk constantly for about 5 minutes or more.  The mixture in the pan will begin to take on a thicker, fluffier consistency - almost like that of a mustard. *WHISK CONSTANTLY - you don't want your egg yolks to turn into scrambled eggs here... Remove from the heat once it thickens a bit - mine took about 5 or 6 minutes to do so - and set in a bowl in the refrigerator or freezer to cool for 20-30 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream on high until it has the consistency of whipped cream. Add the vanilla extract, beat some more, and set half of the cream aside.  With the remaining whipped cream, add the instant espresso and blend. LAST (very important that you do this right at the end - there's some kind of chemistry that goes on between splenda & cream), add 1/2 of your splenda, mix for another 30 seconds, and set aside. Add the remaining splenda to the other half of the whipped cream and incorporate it thoroughly.

Once the yolk mixture has cooled, add the room temperature mascarpone cheese & vanilla extract and blend well. Set aside. *I'd suggest adding a little more splenda here, maybe 3 tbsp worth?*

~LAYERING~



In an 8x8 baking dish, lay down your first layer of coffee 'bread'. (Make sure the bread has completely cooked, and you don't have a moist center to your pieces - if the case is so, bake them a little longer).

If you can, I'd suggest using larger pieces than the ones shown above.

When making tiramisu with lady fingers, the recipe calls for you to dunk the lady fingers in a blend of coffee & liqueur, but since this is a carb-less version, and I'm not sure how the 'bread' would hold up to dunking, I'd suggest using a spray bottle here to spritz.  If you don't have a spray bottle, you can also use a brush.

In a spray bottle, mix 1 shot of dark rum and 1 tbsp of instant espresso.  Spritz the top of the first layer of bread until each piece is covered.

Now add a layer of the mascarpone mixture,

the coffee whipped cream, 

and then the regular whipped cream.

Repeat with the remaining bread & cream. You should have enough for 2 layers, total. Dust the top layer with the cocoa powder - using a sifter if you have one. If not, get creative.  I had a roll of 'screen' (for a window/door) in my garage, and i just cut a piece off and folded it in half:

Your job is done! Now just chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. The longer you let it set, the better this will be.  I think next time I'll add more splenda to the whipped cream - it could have done with a touch more sweet! Other than that, it tasted just like the real thing!