Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Saying No to Temptation!

If you are like me, those bunny eggs filled with sweet goo are a favorite this time of year.  It was so bad for me today, I could smell how sweet they were today in the store.  I resisted temptation and said no, I do not need those.  But, man how I wanted them.  Sorry to say, no recipe for those on here.  I wish there were a sugar free version available because I would have them.  Oh yes!  I would! 

I might have to go peruse the chocolate candy aisle at the store and see if there is a sugar free chocolate rabbit or if I have to just break down and have a sugared up version of one.  I really do not want to break my diet for a silly chocolate bunny! 

Today I had a taste of a Coke with full sugar and do you know, after not having one for 2 years, it was completely awful!  I have no idea how I even drank the things.  Ugh!  It was caustically sweet.  I will stick to my plain tea, no sugar.  It tastes good to me. 

If I need a little sweet, I put some xylitol in my drinks.  It doesn't upset my tummy and it doesn't give a sugar spike or the low.  I use it as my sugar substitute and I have had people who aren't diabetics tell me that it tastes like sugar.  The pumpkin bars on here are some of the ones I have shared with non diabetics and they loved them. 

Last night's recipe of the steak with salsa turned out really well and it wasn't hot for me.  Hubby loved it!  He said it was tasty and it made it's own juice so, nothing other than the salsa was added.  I was hoping we had some guajillo salsa but, sadly we didn't.  I will have to buy more.  I love how garlicky it is and smoky.  That would have imparted a nice flavor into the meat. 

Monday, March 25, 2013

Easy Salsa Steak, Chicken, or Pork Chops

What you will need for this recipe....

Steak, your choice, or even pork chops, or chicken breast

One jar of salsa, your choice of flavor or heat

Baking pan

Aluminum Foil

Preheat oven to 350F.  Take your baking pan, place your meat of choice into it, now open that jar of salsa, pour over the meat.  I used Frontera Salsa Chipotle 16 ounces.  Cover pan with aluminum foil,  bake for 1 hour at 350F.  I used the whole jar of salsa for this one. 

There is no need to season this one, the salsa does it all for you.  The meat comes out tender, and juicy every time. 




Mushroom Bulgur Steak Bake

What you will need for this recipe....
Steak, you get to use whatever cut your prefer, it works well with anything from chuck steak to sirloin. 
One can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup
Bulgur
Spices, your choice of what you want to put on your steak. 
Mixing bowl
Baking pan
Aluminium Foil

Crank up the oven to 350F. 
Grab a bowl to mix your soup, bulgur and water in. 
Measure out your bulgur, it should have serving suggestions on the back of the box or bag. 
Open the can of mushroom soup, dump it into your bowl, fill the can with water, to the rim.  You may need to add more if you have a large family to feed.  This recipe with one can of water works well for two people.  I even have left overs.  Mix together bulgur, water, and soup. 
Season steak, cut into sections for as many people as you are serving. 

Place steak in bottom of baking pan, no need to grease the bottom.  Take soup mixture and pour over top of steak.  Cover pan with aluminium  foil. Bake for 1 hour. 

This recipe was originally made with rice.  I have since started making it with the bulgur since I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and white rice is off limits.  I tried it with quinoa and it just didn't taste right.  The bulgur works out well.
 
I use Bob's Red Mill 100% Quick Cooking Bulgur Wheat 28oz bag.  It has 30 grams of carbs with 7 grams of fiber so, it has 23 grams of carbs total.  Serving size is 1/4 cup dry.  Remember when cooking it to double your water amount.  So, if you are using 1 can of water from the mushroom soup, it will work. 

One bag of bulgur will last a while for you. 

Friday, March 1, 2013

Lasagna with Polenta and No Noodles

I am on a low carb diet and noodles are totally off limits.  So, if you love lasagna as much as I do, then you know how much suffering it is to watch people have this for dinner and you can't touch it.  It sucks.  So, I was reading a cookbook and came across polenta in place of noodles. 

What you will need to make this recipe: 

Ground beef, I use ground sirloin.
Jar of pasta sauce, I use my grocery store brand and it is a garlic and herb
shredded mozzarella cheese, I used 1 package. 
cottage cheese, big tub. 
spices, I used pepper, salt, garlic, onion, and smoked paprika
Polenta, it is on the pasta aisle at my grocery store.  It comes in a tube, looks like summer sausage but, yellow. 
Large baking pan or whatever size you will need. 

Brown the ground beef, with your spices.  Drain off fat, if you have any.  Add in jar of pasta sauce, turn heat to medium and let it cook for a bit.  I like to get it bubbly hot and then turn down to low and mix occasionally so, it won't stick. 

Crank up your oven to 350F.  Slice your polenta in whatever thickness you are comfortable with.  My goal was to go as low carb as possible, and I chose to use thinner slices rather than thicker. 

Use a large baking dish with taller sides since it will be very juicy! 

Start the layering process like you would do with regular lasagna.  I chose to put the meat sauce on the bottom, then I added the polenta slices, then the cottage cheese with mozzarella cheese, then polenta, and so on.  Cover with aluminum foil. 

Bake in a 350F oven for 1 hour. 

Serve! 

My hubby loved it and asked me to make it again for us.  We are both eating low carb and hopefully, this recipe will become a favorite of yours as well.