You Have to TRY this recipe!!!

Tonight for dinner I made Linda's Low Carb Taco Bake for the first time.  You can find it HERE.  It is FABULOUS!!!  I didn't add the green chilies as my kids don't like too spicy.  I also used some left over pizza sauce I had in the fridge for the tomato sauce.  I also added a heaping tablespoon of my homemade taco seasoning.  It was so delicious that I had two pieces.  My kids loved it, even my picky non meat eater!!  My family gives it 5 gold stars and a big A+.  It will be in our menu rotation from now on.

Low Carb Tuna & Cauliflower Patties and Tomato, Cucumber, Mozzarella and Olive salad

I got this idea from one of my Low Carb cookbooks.  It called for low carb bread and some other ingredients that I don't have.  So I used the base for tuna and cauliflower and made my own version.

Low Carb Tuna & Cauliflower Patties
1 16oz bag of frozen cauliflower
1/4 cup golden flax meal
2 lg eggs
2-5oz can chunk tuna in water, drained
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning(watch for added sugar in ingredients, I used Trader Joe's brand)
2 Tbsp dried parsley

Steam cauliflower until tender.  Let cool slightly.  Add to food processor and pulse.  Add the eggs and pulse until combined.  Pour mixture into a bowl, add flax meal and stir until combined.  Let mixture sit for 5 minutes.
After the 5 minutes, add tuna and seasonings.
On Medium high heat, lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with olive oil.  When the skillet is hot, drop 1/4 cup of mixture( I used a ice cream scoop) and flatten with a rubber spatula to form a pattie.  Cook for 3 minutes and then flip.  Let the other side cook for 3 more minutes.   Makes about 13 patties 
I topped mine with 1 tsp mayo and a sprinkle of dill weed.
Each pattie without topping: Calories 58.7, Fat 1.8g, Carbs 2.3g, Fiber 1.6g, Protein 8.5g, Net Carbs
0.7g
Atkins: All phases


This salad I just kind of threw what I had together.  It was tasty and kid approved:) 

Tomato, Cucumber, Mozzarella and Olive Salad
20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 can whole medium black olives
1-8oz fresh mozzarella pearls
2 small-medium cucumbers or 1 large cucumber, cut up into bite size peices
1/4 cup italian dressing.

Throw all ingredients together and let chill for a few hours.  Then serve.
Very easy, and tasty:)
Makes 8 servings
Each serving: Calories 153.8, Fat 11.4g, Carbs 6.2g, Fiber 1.6g, Protein 7.4g, Net Carbs 4.6g
Atkins: All Phases

Low Carb Cream Cheese Brownies

I got this recipe from here.  I made mine with xylitol and stevia as splenda does not agree with me.  So here is what I did:

Low Carb Cream Cheese Brownies
Topping:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup xylitol
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and xylitol until creamy.  Add egg and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.  Set aside.

Brownies:
1 cup butter, unsalted
3 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup xylitol & 1/4 tsp pure stevia extract
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
4 lg eggs
1 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Butter sides and bottom of a 9X13 baking pan, set aside.
In small sauce pan, melt butter, add oil and cocoa powder until smooth and combined.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.

In large mixing bowl, add chocolate mixture, xylitol, stevia and vanilla.  Mix until combined.  Then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.  Then mix in almond flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix well.  Spread into prepared pan.
Pour cream cheese mixture on top of brownie and lightly swirl with a knife.  Bake for 25 minutes or until set.  If you like a more cake like brownie, bake an additional 5 minutes.  Cool completely, then cut into 20 equal squares

Makes 20 servings
Each Serving: Calories 208, Fat 18.6g, Carbs 2.5g, Fiber 1.2g, Protein 3.9g, Net Carbs 1.3g
Atkins Phase 2 and up.

Low Carb Chocolate Bark and Chocolate PB Bark

I don't remember where I got this recipe, maybe from the Atkins site but I make these all the time when I have a chocolate craving(like today).  Also coconut oil is very good for you and is a great healthy fat/oil to use when cooking.  I saved all the little plastic things from the Atkins Peanut Butter cups.  They work great for these.  1 "cup" is 1 serving.

Chocolate Bark
1/4 cup coconut oil, extra virgin and unrefined
1 Tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
6-8 drops of liquid stevia or to taste

Melt coconut oil in microwave.  Add cocoa powder and stevia.  Mix until combined.  Pour on to wax paper.  Freeze until hard.  Remove and brake/cut into 4 servings put in zip lock bag and put back in freezer.  They need to stay frozen.  Just remove from bag and enjoy.  You can also use candy molds or small muffin silicone bake ware.
4 servings
Each serving: Calories 120.5, Fat 13.8g, Carbs 0.7g, Fiber 0.4g, Protein 0.3g, Net Carbs 0.3g
Atkins: All Phases

For Peanut Butter ones just add 1 Tbsp of peanut butter or any nut butter of your choice and melt with oil.  Mix until combined and then add cocoa powder and stevia. ( I used almond butter as my son has an allergy to peanuts and so I don't have any peanut butter)
Each Serving:
 Peanut Butter: Calories 145.5, Fat 15.7g, Carbs 1.6g, Fiber 0.7g, Protein 1.4g, Net Carbs 0.9g
Almond Butter: Calories 145.9, Fat 16.2g, Carbs 1.6g, Fiber 0.6g, Protein 0.9g, Net Carbs 1g
Atkins: Phase 2 and up

Low Carb Egg Muffins

I have made these alot.  Just haven't posted them.  They are very simple and easy to make.  Great for rush morning or if your on the go.


Egg Muffins
Meat
Eggs
Cheese

Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray or grease with coconut oil.  Add an ouce of any meat(sausage, bacon, ham, etc) to each muffin section.  Top with a 1/2 -1 Tbsp of cheese of choice.  Then in a small bowl crack one egg and whip it up, pour over one section and then repeat until all muffins are filled.  Bake at 350 degrees F until cooked( I just check them often until the are cooked and don't jiggle).  Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Remove and enjoy a few.  Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge.  Pull out and microwave for a minute or eat cold.

Maintaining!!

Maintaining is hard.  I have falling off and have added to much at once.  I haven't had the motivation to work out, either.  I have gained 4 lbs.  So today, I am going to cut out all sweetners and higher carb veggies and all fruit for a couple days and see if I can drop these 4 lbs.  I AM also going back to the gym today.  If it is not Meat, Oils, Veggies, Eggs and Cheese I will NOT eat it. 

Next week I am going in to get my wedding ring resized.  It has been way too big and I had to get a gold wrap so I could wear it.  Now the wrap is up as far has it will go and it is still lose.  All my other rings are to big too, but those will have to wait.

Have a wonderful. low carb day:)