Tag Archives: Low Carb
Mains

Jambalaya

By on Wednesday, March 20, 2019

I have been making Jambalaya for years, even before I visited New Orleans many years ago. I started out trying to follow various recipes, but over time I changed a few things, and this is my favorite version.

It’s delicious, full of flavor, and you can make it really spicy, or mild, depending on who you’re cooking for. It’s great for leftovers, too, and freezes well.

I typically like to use chicken thighs and Andouille sausage, but many people like to add shrimp, chicken breast or ham. Some people don’t add tomatoes. You can pretty much add whatever you want. It doesn’t take that long to throw everything into the pan, then let it simmer. Or you can use a slow cooker, if you prefer.

If you don’t have Creole seasoning, you can use 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus a dash of black pepper, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. The sausage is also salty, so be careful not to use too much salt. Add more cayenne pepper if you like it extra spicy.

Some recipes advise you to add chicken broth and cook the rice in the same pan with everything else, but I find that it’s much better to cook the rice separately. Then each person can add as much or as little rice as they like to the bottom of their bowl, and it won’t be mushy and overcooked.

I like to serve it over riced cauliflower that has been cooked with a bit of butter and salt. My husband likes regular rice, so I will mix in some cauliflower rice with a small amount of regular rice, and he doesn’t know the difference.

Jambalaya

Servings:  4

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless, organic chicken thighs (free range), chopped into bite-size pieces
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, such as Tony Chachere’s
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 ounces natural, nitrate-free Andouille sausage, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add the oil, the chicken and the Creole seasoning.  Saute the chicken for about 5 minutes, until starting to brown. 

Add the onions, peppers and celery to the pan and cook until softened, 5-10 minutes.  Add the garlic, sausage, spices and parsley, and stir for about 1 minute.  Then add the tomatoes with the juice and stir.  Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.   

Taste to adjust the seasonings.  Serve over cooked riced cauliflower, or regular rice.  Add a dash of hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot, if desired.

Variations:  Add raw peeled and deveined shrimp to the pan during the last 5 minutes of cooking.  Sprinkle minced green onions and more parsley on top before serving.

Continue Reading
0
Soups

Cabbage Soup with Chicken

By on Wednesday, February 13, 2019

I like to make a variety of soups in the winter. It’s so comforting on a cold day, as well as nutritious and filling.

I usually make a big batch, then freeze the leftovers in individual portions to make it easy to heat up later.

This recipe is reminiscent of minestrone, but without the starchy pasta and beans. It’s full of delicious, healthy vegetables, and a small amount of chicken to add a bit of protein. It’s not a very heavy soup; you can add less broth or more tomatoes if you like it thicker. I serve it with a big green salad to round out the meal.

I start by sauteing vegetables in avocado oil in a large soup pot.

While the onions, carrots and celery cook, I slice the cabbage.

Once the vegetables start to soften and brown, I add all the other ingredients.

Now you just have to cover it and let it simmer for an hour. Remove the chicken and shred it before returning it to the pot. Then add a handful of chopped fresh basil. It really adds a nice bright flavor. Here is the finished soup, ready to enjoy!

Cabbage Soup with Chicken

Servings:  8

  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 large celery stalks, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 head green cabbage, cored, cut in half and thinly sliced
  • 2 organic boneless,skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, no salt added
  • 2 quarts low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 10 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped

Directions:

In a large pot, saute onions, carrots and celery in oil over medium heat until starting to brown.  Add the garlic and cabbage and cook for another minute.  Add the chicken, tomatoes, stock, and all spices except fresh basil. 

Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.  Cook gently, partially covered, for 1 hour.  Remove chicken and shred the meat, then return it to the pot.  Add the basil.  Taste to adjust seasonings.

Variations:  Add cooked macaroni, cooked beans, or freshly grated parmesan cheese.  If you prefer a more tomato-based soup, replace some of the chicken broth with a can of tomato puree.

Continue Reading
0
Mains

Low Carb Chicken Enchilada Casserole

By on Monday, February 11, 2019

I love Mexican food, the spicier, the better, and would be happy eating tacos or burritos every week. Unfortunately, chips, tortillas, beans, corn and rice are all too heavy for me.

I wanted to come up with a dish that had the same wonderful flavors as chicken enchiladas, but without the starchy tortillas.

Each component had to be seasoned well and able to stand alone, so that when they were assembled in the casserole, the combination of flavors would be that much better.

The base of the casserole would be a version of Spanish rice, using riced cauliflower instead of regular rice. I started by cooking some peppers and onions in a bit of avocado oil.

Sauteed peppers and onions

Then I added garlic, tomato paste, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, along with frozen riced cauliflower.

After everything was cooked and the vegetables soft, I poured the rice mixture into my casserole dish. The next step was to take shredded chicken, and toss it with a spicy sauce. Using prepared rotisserie chicken saves time.

Looking at a popular brand of canned enchilada sauce, I realized it contained a few ingredients that I’d rather not use: Wheat Flour, Vegetable Shortening, Caramel Color, Red Color No. 40.

Instead, I used a small can of tomato sauce, and just added my own spices. Then I tossed the chicken with half the sauce.

I added the chicken to the casserole dish, then poured the rest of the sauce on top, followed by shredded cheese.

After baking for 30 minutes, it was ready to eat! My husband didn’t even know that it contained cauliflower.

Low Carb Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Servings:  4

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen riced cauliflower
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Spicy tomato sauce (see recipe below)
  • 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  • 4 ounces shredded pepper- jack cheese
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Directions:

Heat a large skillet, add the oil and saute the onions and peppers over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until softened.  Add the garlic, tomato paste and red pepper flakes and continue cooking for about a minute, then add the frozen cauliflower rice, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine everything and cook for 5 minutes to thaw the cauliflower.  Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and let cook for another 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.

Spicy Tomato Sauce:

  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Mix tomato sauce and spices together. 

To assemble:

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Spoon cauliflower rice mixture into a 9 x 9 inch square casserole dish.  In a separate bowl, toss the shredded chicken with half of the Spicy Tomato Sauce, and layer the chicken on top of the rice.  Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the chicken.  Finally, sprinkle the cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, removing the foil for the last 15 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.  Sprinkle with cilantro.

Notes:  You can assemble the casserole ahead of time, and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Using prepared rotisserie chicken from the grocery store saves time.  You can use any size casserole dish that you have handy:  square, round or rectangular.

Continue Reading
0