Spicy Chili Pepper Shrimp

This is my version of a recipe from Harris Teeter's yourwellness website. Their version is called "Fanfare Firecracker Shirmp." Most of my changes we done to work with the spices I had on hand, and it turned out wonderful. Next time I think the only thing I will change from my version, is to skewer the shrimp and cook them on the grill.

These are delicious hot or chilled. Top them with a little fresh chopped Cilantro and lime wedges for serving.

SEASONING MIX

2 TBSP Sharp (hot) Paprika

2 TBSP Paprika

2 TBSP Granulated Gsrlic

1 TBSP Curry Powder

1 TBSP Ground Cumin

1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

1 tsp White Pepper

2 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Kosher Salt

(seasoning mix makes enough seasoning for 3 lbs of shrimp, seal unused portion in a jar with a tight fitting lid)

Place all seasoning ingredients in a fry pan, heat over medium heat, stiring constantly for 1-2 minutes (just until you can smell the chili oils being released.).

Wash, peel and devine shrimp, leaving tails intact.

Spread shrimp on paper towels and blot to remove excess moisture.

Place shrimp in a plastic zipper bag, add 3 TBSP of spice mix. Shake to coat.

Refridgerate for one hour.

Heat 1 TBSP butter and 1 TBSP oil over medium heat.

Cook until done. Shrimp cook quickly don't over cook. They should be done in about 3 -4 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with fresh chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

Enjoy!

Low Carb Calzones (ABM Recipe)

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups Carbalose Flour

1 teaspoons salt

2 packets dry yeast

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 rounded Tablespoon Vital Wheat Gluten

1/2 teaspoon sugar

 (adds only 2 grams carbs for the whole batch or .03 carbs per Calzone)

1 1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

Your choice of fillings and a can of sugar free pizza sauce.

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the ingredients in the breadmaker according to your manufacturer's instructions.

 For example, my breadmaker's instrctions say to place all the liquid incredients in first, followed by the dry and then making a small indent in the center where you pour the yeast.  

Turn your breadmaker to the dough setting.

While the dough is processing (my machine takes 1 1/2 hours for dough) gather together whatever you'd like as your fillings.

Some Filling Ideas

 Pepperoni

Canadian Bacon

Fresh Sliced Mushrooms

Sliced Black Olives

Sliced Bell Pepper

Cooked Sausage

Cooked Bacon

Mozarella Cheese

Parmesean Cheese

Pizza Sauce

 

When the dough is almost ready, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Remove the dough from the machine to a cutting board sprinkled with a small amount of Carbalose Flour.

Seperate into six portions by cutting with a sharp knife.

  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/3 inch thick.

Pour a small amount of olive oil in the center.

Spread the olive oil over the surface taking care to leave a space wide enough on the edges bare, so that you can make a seal once you fold the dough over.

Arrange your toppings over the oiled area.

Put little dollops of pizza sauce on top of the toppings.

Cover with mozarella and a sprinkling of grated parmesean cheese.

Dip your fingers in a small bowl of water and run them around the edge of the dough, the water will help the dough to seal.

Fold in half and seal tighlty using your fingers to press the dough together.

Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Poke a small hole in the top of each Calzone, to allow some of the steam to escape.

If desired, you may brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with pizza seasoning or poppy seed.

 Alternately, you may use an egg wash to brush the tops with (an egg white with a small amount of water wisked in) the egg white will give the dough a shiny appearance.

 

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned.

Serve.

Enjoy!

 Note: This recipe makes 6 small calzones. Each Calzone has approximately 11 carbs - not including the fillings. Total carb count will depend on your choices of fillings, so don't forget to add them in to your count.

Carbalose Flour may be purchased online from www.Netrition.com

Vital Wheat Gluten may also be purchased online, but is available in most regular grocery stores in the baking section near the flour.

Sugar Free Pizza Sauce is pretty readily available in most grocery stores. Just read the ingredient labels.

Pork Ribs

Slow cooking on low heat makes these ribs fall off the bone tender.

You can really use whatever spices you prefer.

These are the ones I most commonly use - as well as chili powed (not pictured).

Thyme

Garlic (minced or powdered)

Oregano

Onion Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Kosher salt

Smoked Paprika

Cumin

Coarsley Ground Black Pepper

Chili Powder

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Wash the pork ribs and pat dry with paper towels.

If there is a membrane still attached to the back side of the ribs, pull it up on the edge and remove.

Lay the ribs on a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil.

Sprinkle your spices liberally over both sides of the meat.

Cover the ribs tightly with the aluminum foil.

Place on a cookie sheet and bake 2-2 1/2 hours until done and meat is tender.

Break into serving sized pieces (you shouldn't need a knife).

You can eat them as is or top with a low carb BBQ sauce*(see note).

 I actually prefer to bake the ribs in advance and then refridgerate them. Then I either cover them with barbecue sauce and place in a 350 degree oven until heated through, or I throw them on the grill to reheat them. Either way they're delicious.

Enjoy!

 *A good low carb barbeque sauce recipe is this one by George Stella No-Cook Low Carb Bourbon Barbecue Sauce.  I  leave the Splenda and the Sugar Twin out completely. We prefer a less sweet sauce and the Heinz lower sugar ketchup already contains a good amount of Splenda.

Low Carb / Low Sodium* Taco Seasoning

Most commercially sold taco seasoning blends contain cornstarch and a lot of salt ~ both things that we as low carbers try to avoid.

 I mix this up in a double or triple batch and keep it in a small jar in the cupboard so its ready to go whenever the craving for tacos hits.

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (more if you like it hotter)

2 Tablespoons Chili powder

1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon Onion powder

1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper

1/2 teaspoon (Mexican) Oregano

1 teaspoon Paprika

3 teaspoons ground Cumin

2 teaspoons Black Pepper

Directions

Measure all  ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid, shake to mix.

Cover tightly to keep any of the spice blend that you're not using right away fresh.

Want to have tacos for dinner tonight?

 You can make your own low carb taco shells using my recipe for cheese taco shells here http://moggyslowcarb.blogspot.com/2011/03/low-carb-taco-shells.html


 *If you wish to add salt - about 2 teaspoons should do the trick

Nut Crusted Baked Fish with Roasted Vegetables

Delicious!

INGREDIENTS

Approximately 2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Peanut or Vegetable oil

1 lb fresh thick Corvina Filets (you may substitute another white fish such as Grouper or Snapper)

1/2 cup chopped Pecans

1/8 cup Almond Meal

1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder

1/4 cup Carbalose Low Carb Flour (may be purchased from Netrition.com )

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 Egg

1 Tablespoon Water

2 Bell Peppers, preferably one each of two different colors such as a Red and a Yellow.

1 medium Zucchini

1 medium Yellow Squash

Old Bay Seasoning (or Seasoned Salt) and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cover a shallow roasting pan or jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and coat with about 1 tablespoon of oil.

Use your fingers to distribute the oil so that the entire surface has a thin coat.

Chop the Pecans using a hand chopper.

In a shallow bowl, mix the chopped Pecans with the Almond Meal, Onion Powder and 1/4 of a teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning.

In another shallow bowl mix the Carbalose Flour with the Cayenne Pepper.

In another shallow bowl, wisk together one egg with 1 teaspoon of the oil and a tablespoon of water.

If needed, cut the filets into serving sized pieces.

Rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Dredge the filets in the flour mixture and shake to remove any excess flour.

Next, dredge the floured filets in the egg mixture.

Coat the filets with the nut mixture pressing lightly to ensure they stick.

Place the filets in the middle of the prepared pan.

Wash, clean and cut the peppers, yellow squash and zucchini into chunks, and place in a large bowl or ziploc bag.

Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of oil over the veggies and season with Old Bay and Black Pepper to taste.

Stir or shake to ensure even coating.

Arrange the vegetables around the filets in the pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes or until the fish and veggies start to brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Serve!

Enjoy!

Low Carb Swiss Steak

Low Carb Swiss Steak

This takes a little preparation but once that's done you can relax while it slow cooks in the oven until the meat is so tender it falls apart, no knife required.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 pounds beef round steak (you can buy this already sliced or buy a roast and slice it yourself)

Kosher Salt (to taste)

Freshly Ground or Coarsley Ground Black Pepper (to taste)

1/2 a cup of Carbalose Low Carb Flour (you can buy this from netrition.com)

Oil for frying

1/2 large Oninon thinly sliced

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced (or 1/2-1 teaspoon minced garlic from a jar)

1 - 2 stalks Celery, thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

1 can diced Tomatoes

2/3 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano

1/2 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

3/4 - 1 cup Beef Broth

INSTRUCTIONS

Thinly slice the onion and the celery stalk(s).

Add a small amount of oil to a dutch oven on top of the stove, over medium heat.

Sautee the onions and celery until soft.

Add the garlic and sautee another 2-3 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the dutch oven and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Slice the roast into fairly thin pieces - approx 1/3 of an inch thick.

Sprinkle the meat slices liberally with the kosher salt and pepper on both sides.

Place the Carbalose Flour in a shallow dish and dredge the meat on both sides.

Place the dredged meat into a ziploc bag and pound with the textured side of a meat mallet on both sides, until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

Dredge in the flour again, and set aside. Repeat until you have all the meat slices prepared this way.

Add a small amout of oil to the same pan you used to cook the onlons and celery. On meduim heat, brown them meat in small batches, setting aside until you've browned all the pieces.

Return the onions, celery and garlic to the dutch oven.

 Add the can of tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth.

Stir until combined.

Add the meat, be sure and cover with the sauce mixture.

Cover tightly and bake for 2 - 2 1/2 hours or until the meat falls apart easily with a fork.

You may want to check on the progress after about an hour and a half and add a little more beef broth it the sauce is getting too thick too fast.

Serve!

Enjoy!

Note: This recipe makes 4 servings at approximately 9.5 carbs per serving.