Carrots and Farro

     This creamy dish literally melts in your mouth.  It’s tastes fancy, yet is a “simple put together”.  Serve as a main or a side, just make sure it makes it to your table!!!  As a side, 6 servings are only 206 calories, 40g carbs, 5.3g fiber, 34.7g net carbs, 6.8g protein and 3.2g fat.  Perfect with Chicken, Salmon or Steak, actually you cant go wrong which ever direction you turn with this one!!! 

Ingredients for 6 servings~

3 cups sliced Carrots

1 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Seasoning as desired (I used Salt, Pepper, and Chile Lime Seasoning)

1.5 cups Farro

5 cups Water

1 Tablespoon Chicken Bouillon

1 chopped Onion

     Toss Carrots with Oil and spread on parchment lined cookie sheet, season as desired, bake at 400 for 45 minutes, stir half way thru.  Meanwhile, add Farro, Water, Bouillon and Onion in pot, bring to boil, cook according to directions ( I brought mine to a simmer for 25 minutes and let cool to absorb all the extra liquid).  When cooled enough and Carrots are done roasting, stir together, divide into 6 equal servings, store in fridge to enjoy all week!  Voila 😊

Pumpkin Coconut Cake

     If you love a moist healthy snack cake, as well as amazing macros, then this is one for you. Adding a little pumpkin takes this to the next level.  Each of the 8 pieces are only 274 calories, 35g carbs, 11g fiber, 24g net carbs, 11g protein and 10.2g fat.  Nice little pack of protein, ehhhh!?

Ingredients for 8 servings~

3 ripe mashed Bananas (for more sweetness, add more Banana or Applesauce)

6 Extra Large Eggs

1 can Pumpkin

3 cups Oats

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded Coconut

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Dash Vanilla

Dash Cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped Pecans

     Add Bananas to mixing bowl and mash til smooth, blend in Eggs, then Pumpkin, followed by remaining ingredients, saving back some Coconut to sprinkle on top, and reserve Pecans to sprinkle on top. Pour into 7X11 parchment lined cake pan, sprinkle with remaining Coconut and Pecans, bake at 375 for 35 minutes.  Enjoy 😉 

Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

     These simple little sugar free vegan cookies are a delight to the senses.  These come together quick, but taste like a bowl of complication.  Each of the 20 cookies are only 43 calories, 7.3g carbs, 3.2g fiber, .4g sugar alcohol, 3.7g net carbs, .9g protein, and 1.7g fat.  These stay nice in the fridge for several days…if they last that long.  Perfect as a healthy snack or decadent dessert!!!😊

Ingredients for 20 cookies~

2 ripe smashed Bananas

1 cup Oats

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded Coconut

1/4 cup Lily’s Stevia Sweetened Dark Chocolate Chips 

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Dash Cinnamon

Dash Vanilla

     Add Bananas to mixing bowl and mash til smooth, blend in rest of ingredients, drop by level Tablespoons on silpat lined cookie sheet, bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Enjoy 😉 

Coconut Cake

 

     If you want a simple low carb cake idea, and completely sugar free, this is one to try.  Each of the 8 pieces are only 267 calories, 32.3g carbs, 10.3g fiber, 22g net carbs, 10g protein and 11.6g fat.  This works great into my day of macros.  Plus it comes together in a jiffer!!!  Time to go nuts over coconut!!!

Ingredients for 8 servings~

3 ripe mashed Bananas

6 Eggs

3 cups Oats

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened Coconut

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Dash Cinnamon

Dash Vanilla

1/4 cup chopped Pecans

     Add Bananas to large mixing bowl, beat til smooth, blend in Eggs, then remaining ingredients reserving some of the Coconut to sprinkle on top for garnish, and pour into parchment lined 7X11 pan, sprinkle with remaining Coconut and Pecans.  Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.  Enjoy 😉 

Tsatziki Chicken Thighs

 

      When I find something good, I like to make big batches so I can have it all week to satisfy my food prep check list.  My Tsatziki Chicken Thighs is super fast, fun and simple.  Great on Salads, in a Wrap, or just as a Main~and as a bonus, enjoy my Tsatziki on the side.  This is a hearty low carb dish that comes across like it was a lot of hard work.  Joke is on my taste buds!  This is a must try!!!

Ingredients for several servings~

2-3 pounds skinless boneless Chicken Thighs

1/2 cup/4oz 0% Fage Greek Yogurt (sub with non dairy Yogurt)

2 Tablespoons chopped Garlic

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 tablespoon White Vinegar

1 juiced Lemon, or sub with 1/4 cup Lemon Juice

Dash Salt

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1 English Cucumber, shredded into a paper towel (sub with a regular Cucumber)

1 cup/8oz 0% Fage Greek Yogurt (sub with non Dairy)

1 Tablespoon Dill, or sub with 2 Tablespoons fresh Dill

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon White Vinegar

1 Tablespoon chopped Garlic

Salt to taste

     Add first set of ingredients, except for the Chicken, to bowl and stir well, pour into resealable plastic bag along with Chicken and put in refrigerator for next 24 hours, turn bag over several times.  Line loaf pan with parchment paper and add Thighs to pan, bake at 350 for an hour and 10 minutes.  Remove and cool, slice as desired.  Use as preferred along with Tsatziki Sauce.  Meanwhile, shred Cucumber and pat dry on paper towel, and stir with remaining ingredients, let sit for a minimum of 30 minutes before servings.  Enjoy 😉 

Authentic Mexican Tacos

 

     You know those experiments that turn out so well it makes you happy that you were born!?  Case in point, my friend Candy shared her mothers Authentic Mexican Taco recipe and I could not have been happier, ...thank you Senorita!  So simple, so delicious, so gunna make it again and again!  I hope you will get the cultural bug and try this out and experience how fun international cooking can be!  Ole'

Ingredients~
~Lean thin Steak, diced into cubes (she says she gets the cheapest Steak they have and it needs to be  somewhat thin, better to dice with.  I used Sirloin, or even a flank would be good.  I also cheated and  bought the pre cubed Sirloin Steak in the meat department.  Ask your butcher for help if necessary.  I bought  a couple of pounds for a large crowd)
~Limes (enough Limes to cut in half and marinate the meat.  Again I cheated and used store bought  Lime Juice and used a little of both)
~Fresh Chopped Garlic or Garlic Powder, as desired to taste
~Salt, as desired to taste
~1 Bunch Cilantro, remove leaves from stems
~1 Sweet Vidalia Onion, finely chopped
~Guacamole or sliced Avocado (check out my famous Guac on my blog under "Guacamole Grilled  Habanero Chicken" )
~Salsa (I use my "Homemade Salsa" on the blog)
 Soft Corn or Flour or Low Carb Shells, or check out my Two Oat Tortillas post…OR Omit the Shell and just layer a 1/2 cup Refried Beans directly on the plate, and build your Taco on top of that base

     Marinate Steak, Lime Juice, Garlic and Salt in sealed bag or container for 24 hours, stirring or flipping often.  Meanwhile, add Cilantro leaves and Onion to food processor and dice finely, will only take a couple pushes of the button, making careful to not over process and puree.  If desired, you can just hand chop very finely.  When ready to cook meat, drain juice and add to skillet on medium low and SLOWLY simmer til cooked thru, your meat should remain very tender if you cook low and slow.  Your meat will have already started cooking from the acid in the Lime, so it won't take long on the stove.  Add meat to your shell, top with the Cilantro Onion mixture, top with sliced Avocado or my fantastic Guacamole, and finish with my Homemade Salsa!  Enjoy  :)

Two Oat Tortillas

     Love Tortillas but you are avoiding white flour!?  I have an option for you that you might just enjoy!!!  How bout a couple of Oat Tortillas!?  For both it is only 100 calories, 15g carbs, 3g fiber, 12 net carbs, 5.5g protein and 1.3g fat.  Then just fill to your fancy.  These are on the small side so plan accordingly, and 2 for lunch or dinner is the perfect option.  And what a fun way to start your meal, an exciting science project in the kitchen.  PS. can be made the day before as well.  PSS.  I filled mine with Refried Beans, marinated strips of Beef, Avocado, Cilantro, Purple Onion and Tomato…simply divine!!!😋

Ingredients for two Tortillas~

1/2 cup Oatmeal

1/2 cup Water

1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast

Dash Everything Bagel Spice Seasoning (sub with favorite spices)

     Add everything to Magic Bullet or similar blender, let sit for one hour, then blend.  Pour a 1/4 cup into a VERY warm skillet, let it rest til cooked thru, making sure to spread batter VERY thin (these are about 4-5inches in diameter).  Flip when ready, you will notice the Tortilla starting to puff up when you cook the second side!!!  Also, will brown on each side.  These take awhile to cook thoroughly, and I flip several times, so don’t be in a hurry.  When done repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup batter.  Enjoy 😉 

Applesauce Cake

     I love my sugar free desserts, this is an example of having your cake and eating it too!  With all these natural ingredients, you will want to try this out as soon as possible!  Each of the 8 ingredients are only 258 calories, 51g carbs, 13g fiber, 38g net carbs, 11g protein and 9g fat.  How bout those 11 grams of protein in each serving of cake, not bad for the dessert category! 😊

Ingredients for 8 servings~

3 ripe mashed Bananas

6 Extra Large Eggs

1/2 (4oz) unsweetened Applesauce

1 chopped 8oz large Fuji Apple

3 cups Oats (not instant)

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Dash Cinnamon

Dash Vanilla

1/4 cup chopped Pecans

     Add ripe Bananas to mixing bowl, mash with beaters and then add Eggs and Applesauce continuing to incorporate, then stir in Apples and Oats, along with Baking Powder, Cinnamon and Vanilla til fully blended.  Pour into parchment lined 7X11 and top with Pecans, bake at 375 for 25 minutes.  Enjoy😊