2 cups (150 g) snow peas 4 slices bacon [image]cup (50 g) roasted, salted cashews 1 cup (160 g) diced celery 1 cup (150 g) diced cauliflower (about -inch [1.3-cm] chunks) cup (120 ml) ranch salad dressing cup (120 g) plain yogurt 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard You"ll want to pinch off the ends of your snow peas first and pull off any tough strings. Cut them into -inch (1.3-cm) pieces. Put your bits of snow peas in a microwavable bowl, add a tablespoon (15 ml) or so of water, and cover with a saucer or with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for just 1 to 2 minutes and then remove from the microwave and uncover to stop the cooking.
Put the bacon on a microwave bacon rack or in a gla.s.s pie plate, microwave 4 minutes on high or until crisp, and then drain.
While the bacon"s cooking, coa.r.s.ely chop your cashews. Combine all the vegetables, including the snow peas, in a mixing bowl. Combine the ranch dressing, yogurt, and mustard; pour over the vegetables and toss. Crumble in the bacon, add the cashews, and toss again. Chill before serving.
Yield: 4 to 5 servings 4 to 5 servings a.s.suming 4, each will have 8 grams of carbohydrate and 2 grams of fiber, for a usable carb count of 6 grams; 5 grams of protein.
Parmesan Bean Salad This salad is filling enough to make a nice light lunch.
1 pound (455 g) bag frozen, crosscut green beans cup (80 g) minced red onion cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil 5 tablespoons (75 ml) cider vinegar teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon paprika teaspoon dried ginger cup (75 g) grated Parmesan cheese Steam or microwave the green beans until they"re tender-crisp.
Let the beans cool a bit and then stir in the onion, oil, vinegar, salt, paprika, ginger, and Parmesan cheese. Chill well and serve.
Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 12 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of fiber, for a total of 8 grams of usable carbs and 9 grams of protein.
Sauerkraut Salad This salad has the advantage of using mostly stuff that keeps well-so you just might have the ingredients hanging around the house when you discover that the head of lettuce you bought last week has gone south.
2 cups (280 g) sauerkraut, rinsed green bell pepper 1 large rib celery medium red onion cup (6 g) Splenda 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cider vinegar 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil Rinse your sauerkraut and put it in a bowl. Slice your pepper into matchstick strips and thinly slice your celery and onion; add all the vegetables to the sauerkraut. Now, add the Splenda, cider vinegar, and oil, toss, and stick the bowl in the fridge. Let the whole thing marinate for a few hours before serving.
Yield: 4 to 5 servings 4 to 5 servings a.s.suming 5, each will have 7 grams of carbohydrate and 3 grams of fiber, for a usable carb count of 4 grams; 1 gram protein.
Low-Carb Rosy Radish Salad This looks very pretty and tastes surprisingly mild.
1 pound (455 g) bag frozen crosscut green beans 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, and crumbled 1 small onion, chopped 1 cup (100 g) sliced radishes 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cider vinegar 1 tablespoons (2.3 g) Splenda teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon pepper Steam or microwave the beans until they"re tender-crisp.
Combine the beans, bacon, onion, and radishes in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar, Splenda, salt, and pepper.
Pour the mixture over the salad, toss, and serve.
Yield: 5 servings 5 servings Each with 10 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber, for a total of 7 grams of usable carbs and 4 grams of protein.
Nicer Nicoise Salad nicoise is traditionally made with green beans and cold, boiled potatoes, but of course, we"re not going to be eating those potatoes. I thought I"d try it with cauliflower, and sure enough, it worked great!
[image]head cauliflower 1 pound (455 g) bag frozen, crosscut green beans, thawed but not cooked 1 clove garlic, crushed to cup (15 to 30 g) fresh parsley, minced medium, red onion, diced 8 to 10 olives, sliced (I used stuffed olives, but use whatever you like best.) to cup (120 to 180 ml) vinaigrette dressing (homemade or bottled) Lettuce (to line plate) 3 cans (6 ounces, or 170 g each) tuna, drained 6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 3 tomatoes, sliced Slice your cauliflower quite thin. Put it in a microwave-safe bowl with about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water, cover, and cook it for 4 to 5 minutes (we"re looking for it to be just tender).
Combine the green beans, garlic, parsley, onion, and olives in a good-size bowl. When the cauliflower is done, add that as well, and pour cup (120 ml) of dressing over the whole thing. Stir well and stick it in the fridge. Let it marinate for several hours to a day, stirring now and then when you think of it.
When you"re ready to eat the salad, put a few nice lettuce leaves on each plate and spoon a mound of the marinated mixture on top. Put the tuna on top and in the middle-use as much as you like-and surround it with slices of hardboiled egg and tomato. Garnish it with more olives, drizzle more dressing on top, if you like, and serve.
Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 12 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber, for a total of 9 grams of usable carbs and 30 grams of protein.
UnPotato Salad You are going to be so surprised; this is amazingly like potato salad.
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small chunks 2 cups (240 g) diced celery 1 cup (160 g) diced red onion 2 cups (450 g) mayonnaise cup (60 ml) cider vinegar 2 teaspoons salt or Vege-Sal 2 teaspoons Splenda teaspoon pepper 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped Put the cauliflower in a microwave-safe ca.s.serole dish, add just a tablespoon (15 ml) or so of water, and cover. Cook it on high for 7 minutes and let it sit, covered, for another 3 to 5 minutes. You want your cauliflower tender, but not mushy. (And you may steam it, if you prefer.) Drain the cooked cauliflower and combine it with the celery and onions. (You"ll need a big bowl.) In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, Splenda, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and mix well. Mix in the chopped eggs last and stir lightly to preserve some small hunks of yolk. Chill and serve.
Yield: 12 servings 12 servings Each with 3 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 2 grams of usable carbs and 3 grams of protein.
Use the time while the cauliflower cooks to dice your celery and onions.
Southwestern UnPotato Salad Of all the unpotato salads I"ve come up with, this one is my favorite!
head cauliflower cup (120 g) mayonnaise 2 tablespoons (30 ml) spicy mustard 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice 1 small jalapeno cup (30 g) chopped cilantro 1 clove garlic, crushed cup (40 g) diced red onion 1 small tomato First, cut your cauliflower into -inch (1.3-cm) chunks-don"t bother coring it first, just trim the bottom of the stem and cut up the core with the rest of it. Put your cauliflower chunks in a microwavable ca.s.serole dish with a lid, add a few tablespoons of water, and cook it on high for 7 minutes.
When your cauliflower is done, drain it and put it in a large mixing bowl. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, and lime juice; then pour it over the cauliflower and mix well.
Cut the jalapeno in half, remove the seeds, and mince it fine. Add it to the salad along with the cilantro, garlic, and diced red onion (don"t forget to wash your hands!); mix again.
Finally, cut the stem out of the tomato and cut the tomato into smallish dice. Then carefully stir it in. Chill the salad for a few hours before serving.
Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each serving will have 3 grams of carbohydrate and 1 gram of fiber, for a usable carb count of 2 grams; 1 gram protein.
Curried Cauliflower Salad I think this would be great with grilled or barbecued lamb, myself.
head cauliflower 5 scallions 4 hard-boiled eggs cup (120 g) mayonnaise 1 tablespoon (15 ml) spicy brown mustard 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 dash salt 1 dash pepper Chop your cauliflower, including the trimmed stem, into -inch (1.3-cm) bits. Put it in a microwavable ca.s.serole dish with a lid, add a couple of tablespoons of water, cover, and cook it on high for 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice your scallions, including the crisp part of the green, and chop up your hardboiled eggs. Next, measure the mayonnaise, mustard, curry powder, salt, and pepper into a bowl and whisk them together.
Okay, the cauliflower is done now! Drain it, put it in a mixing bowl, and pour the dressing over it. Stir it up well so the cauliflower is coated with the dressing. When it"s had a chance to cool a little, add the scallions and eggs and stir it up again. Refrigerate until a half hour before dinner. Remove from the fridge and let it warm up a little before serving-this is good at room temperature.
Yield: 4 to 5 servings 4 to 5 servings a.s.suming 4, each will have 3 grams of carbohydrate, with 1 gram of fiber, for a usable carb count of 2 grams; 8 grams protein.
Bacon, Tomato, and Cauliflower Salad This recipe originally called for cooked rice, so I thought I"d try it with cauliflower "rice." I liked it so much, I made it again the very next day.
head cauliflower pound (225 g) bacon, cooked until crisp, and crumbled 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 10 to 12 scallions, sliced, including all the crisp part of the green cup (115 g) mayonnaise Salt and pepper Lettuce (optional) Put the cauliflower through a food processor with the shredding disk. Steam or microwave it until it"s tender-crisp (about 5 minutes on high in a microwave).
Combine the cooked cauliflower with the bacon, tomatoes, onions, and mayonnaise in a big bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix.
This salad holds a molded shape really well, so pack it into a custard cup and unmold it on a plate lined with lettuce; it looks quite pretty served this way.
Yield: 5 servings 5 servings Each with 6 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 15 grams of protein.
Cauliflower-Mozzarella Salad Basilico Just like the Bacon, Tomato, and Cauliflower Salad, this originally called for rice, but it works great with cauliflower. Make your own pesto or use store-bought, whichever you prefer.
head cauliflower, run through the shredding blade of a food processor 15 cherry tomatoes, halved 15 strong black olives, pitted and coa.r.s.ely chopped [image]pound (150 g) mozzarella, cut in -inch (1.3-cm) cubes 1 tablespoon (10 g) finely minced sweet red onion 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil cup homemade or purchased pesto 1 tablespoon (15 ml) wine vinegar teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper Cook the cauliflower "rice" until tender-crisp (about 5 minutes on high in a microwave). Let it cool.
When the "rice" is cool, add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and onion and toss well.
Whisk together the olive oil, pesto, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the salad and toss.
Let the salad sit for at least a half an hour for the flavors to blend; overnight wouldn"t hurt.
Yield: 5 servings 5 servings Each with 6 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 5 grams of usable carbs and 9 grams of protein.
Mozzarella Salad This is rich and filling. The texture is quite different depending on whether you use shredded or cubed cheese, but they"re both good.
1 cups (175 g) shredded or diced mozzarella cup (25 g) sliced scallions cup (60 g) diced celery cup (60 g) mayonnaise 2 tablespoons (30 ml) wine vinegar teaspoon oregano teaspoon basil Combine the mozzarella, scallions, and celery in a mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, oregano, and basil. Pour the mixture over the salad, stir to combine, and serve.
Yield: 2 servings 2 servings Each with 6 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 20 grams of protein.
Avocado, Egg, and Blue Cheese Salad This makes a very unusual egg salad! Avocados are not only delicious and low carb, but they"re the best source of pota.s.sium on the planet!
1 stalk celery, diced 2 scallions, sliced, including the crisp part of the green shoot black avocado, diced 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped cup (30 g) crumbled blue cheese 3 tablespoons (45 ml) vinaigrette dressing (I like Paul Newman"s Olive Oil and Vinegar.) This is very simple. Just combine the vegetables, eggs, and cheese in a mixing bowl. Add the dressing and toss. Serve on a bed of lettuce.
Yield: 2 servings 2 servings Each with 14 g protein; 7 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 5 g usable carbs.
Egg Salad Francais This recipe is completely different from any egg salad you"ve ever had and quite wonderful! It is actually a French tradition.
8 ounces (225 g) bagged European style salad*
2 scallions, sliced [image]cup (80 ml) bottled balsamic vinaigrette (I like Paul Newman"s.) Salt and pepper cup (20 g) shredded Parmesan cheese**
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar 4 very fresh eggs First put 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water in a largish saucepan and put it over medium-high heat. Ignore that for a minute while you put the greens and scallions in a big salad bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the whole thing, add salt and pepper as desired, and toss well. Set aside.
Spray a microwaveable plate with nonstick cooking spray and spread the Parmesan on it. Microwave on high for 1 minute.
While the cheese is cooking, let"s get back to that water. It should be good and hot by now; turn it down to barely a simmer, add the vinegar, and poach the eggs in it. It helps to break each egg into a small cup or dish first to make sure that it"s good and fresh and that the yolk doesn"t break. (If it does, keep it for something else and use another egg for poaching.) Then slide each egg gently into the water and poach to the desired degree of doneness.
While the eggs are poaching, remove the Parmesan from the microwave-it will now be a crispy, lacy sheet. Break it up. Pile the salad on 2 serving plates and top each one with crispy Parmesan bits. Lift the now-poached eggs out of the pan with a slotted spoon, place 2 on each salad, and serve.
Yield: 2 servings 2 servings Each with 10 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbs and 20 grams of protein.
* The mixture should include some frisee, so read the label! If you can"t find one with frisee, you can still make the salad, but it will be less authentic.
** It is very important to use good-quality shredded (not grated) Parmesan with no additives. Regular Parmesan in the round green shaker won"t work; the cellulose in it messes it up for this.
Coleslaw This is my standard coleslaw recipe, and it always draws compliments. The tiny bit of onion really sparks the flavor.
1 head green cabbage sweet red onion Coleslaw Dressing (page 176) Using a food processor"s slicing blade or a sharp knife, reduce your cabbage to little bitty shreds and put those shreds in a great big bowl.
Mince the onion really fine and put that in the bowl, too.
Pour on the dressing and toss well.
Yield: 10 servings 10 servings Each with 1 gram of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 1 gram of protein.
Did you just get invited to a picnic and are short on time for making something that"ll feed a crowd? This recipe makes a veritable bucketful, and it"s a wonderful side dish to almost any plain meat, including chops and chicken. If you like, you could even use bagged coleslaw from the grocery store and just add my dressing; I promise not to tell!
Coleslaw for Company The colors in this slaw are so intense, it"s almost too beautiful to eat.
1 head red cabbage 1 small carrot, shredded sweet red onion, finely minced Coleslaw Dressing (page 176) Using a food processor"s slicing blade or a sharp knife, shred your cabbage and put it in a big bowl.
Add the carrot and onion and toss with the dressing. Admire and enjoy.
Yield: 10 servings 10 servings Each with 2 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 1 gram of protein.
Napa Mint Slaw Napa"s distinctive texture and mild flavor are quite different from the familiar green cabbage, and mint sets this recipe apart even more! As a result, this slaw appeals even to people who aren"t big fans of standard coleslaw. If you decide you like fresh mint in cooking, consider growing some. It"s a snap to grow-indeed, it"s so invasive that once you plant it, you may have trouble growing anything else!
1 pounds (680 g) Napa cabbage cup (12.8 g) chopped fresh mint 3 scallions, sliced Orange Bacon Dressing (page 173) [image]cup (40 g) chopped peanuts 5 slices bacon, cooked and drained An average-sized head of Napa should be about 1 pounds (680 g). Remove any bruised or wilted leaves and then lay the whole head on your cutting board and cut across it at -inch (6 mm) intervals, all the way down to the bottom. Scoop your shredded Napa into a big bowl.
Add the chopped mint and sliced scallions to the cabbage.
Toss the salad with the dressing, add your peanuts and bacon to the slaw, toss again, and serve.
Yield: 5 servings 5 servings Each with 5 g protein; 4 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 2 g usable carbs.
Asian Ginger Slaw Even my slaw-hating husband likes this! It"s got a very different texture and flavor than your standard slaw.
4 cups (360 g) finely shredded napa cabbage cup (30 g) shredded carrot 2 scallions, thinly sliced cup (30 g) pale, inner celery stalk, thinly sliced cup (60 g) mayonnaise 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice vinegar 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon Splenda Combine the cabbage, carrot, scallions, and celery in a salad bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, and Splenda. Beat together until smooth, pour over the vegetables, toss, and serve.
Yield: 8 servings 8 servings Each with 4 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbs and 1 gram of protein.
Spicy Peanut Slaw I like peanuts in my coleslaw. Does it show? The chili garlic paste gives this a kick that sets it apart.
1 head cabbage, shredded, or 7 cups (525 g) bagged coleslaw mix 8 scallions sliced 1 cup (240 g) mayonnaise 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda [image]teaspoon blackstrap mola.s.ses 2 teaspoons chili garlic paste cup (75 g) chopped dry-roasted peanuts Put your cabbage in a big mixing bowl and add the scallions. Stir together the mayo, Splenda, mola.s.ses, and chili garlic paste; pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss. Add the peanuts and toss again.
Yield: 8 servings 8 servings Each serving will have 4 grams of carbohydrate and 1 gram of fiber, for a usable carb count of 3 grams; 3 grams protein.
Sesame-Almond Napa Slaw I liked this slaw so much, I ate the whole danged batch right out of the mixing bowl! I suppose there are worse things I could binge on.
big head Napa cabbage-If they"ve got only smallish heads at the grocer, use the whole thing!
2 scallions 1 tablespoon (9 g) sesame seeds cup (30 g) slivered almonds 1 teaspoon b.u.t.ter teaspoon chicken bouillon granules 2 tablespoons (30 ml) canola oil 2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice vinegar 1 teaspoons soy sauce 1 teaspoons sesame oil 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda Shred your Napa cabbage fine and slice your scallions; put them in a big mixing bowl.
In a medium skillet, over low heat, saute the sesame seeds and almonds in the b.u.t.ter until the almonds are golden. Add to the cabbage.
Stir together everything else until the bouillon is dissolved; pour over the slaw and toss. You can eat this right away, but an hour"s chilling is a fine idea. Toss again right before serving.
Yield: 5 servings, unless you"re a cookbook author who waits to make dinner until 9 p.m., when she"s starving. 5 servings, unless you"re a cookbook author who waits to make dinner until 9 p.m., when she"s starving.
Each with 2 g protein; 3 g carbohydrate; 1 g dietary fiber; 2 g usable carbs.
Lemon Slaw The lemon flavor in this slaw makes it a natural with grilled fish, seafood, or poultry. And the combination of vegetables makes it appealingly colorful!
head cabbage, shredded, or 4 cups (300 g) bagged coleslaw mix 1 green pepper, cut in matchstick strips cup (80 g) diced red onion 1 small carrot, shredded cup (15.2 g) chopped fresh parsley cup (120 g) mayonnaise cup (120 g) plain yogurt cup (60 ml) lemon juice 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white wine vinegar teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda 1 tablespoon (15 g) prepared horseradish teaspoon celery seed Combine the cabbage, pepper, onion, carrot, and parsley in a big mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together everything else, pour your dressing over the cabbage mixture, and toss well. Chill for at least a few hours before serving.
Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each serving will have 7 grams of carbohydrate and 2 grams of fiber, for a usable carb count of 5 grams; 2 grams protein.
Confetti UnSlaw This may be a raw cabbage salad, but it"s not much like coleslaw. Plus, it"s utterly gorgeous on the plate.
2 cups (180 g) shredded green cabbage 2 cups (180 g) shredded red cabbage sweet red pepper, chopped green pepper, chopped 4 scallions, sliced, including the crisp part of the green [image]cup (40 g) grated carrot 1 small celery rib, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons (7.6 g) minced fresh parsley Creamy Garlic Dressing (page 175) Just cut up and combine all these vegetables. Then toss with the Creamy Garlic Dressing.
Yield: 8 servings 8 servings Each with 6 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 1 gram of protein.
Chicken Waldorf Salad Measure your apple carefully since it"s the main source of carbs here.