Yield: 4 to 5 servings 4 to 5 servings a.s.suming 4 servings, each will have 32 g protein; 18 g carbohydrate; 8 g dietary fiber; 10 g usable carbs.
Ham and Cheese Puff This dish reheats particularly well, making it the perfect leftover meal.
pound (115 g) ham pound (115 g) cheddar cheese 1 green pepper 1 can (4 ounces, or 115 g) mushrooms, well drained 5 eggs 3 tablespoons (15 g) soy powder or (24 g) unflavored protein powder teaspoon baking powder teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal 1 cup (225 g) small-curd cottage cheese 2 tablespoons (30 g) grated horseradish Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4). Spray a 6-cup (1.4-L) ca.s.serole dish with nonstick cooking spray or b.u.t.ter it generously.
Use a food processor with the S-blade in place to grind the ham, cheddar, green pepper, and mushrooms together until finely chopped (no chunks of pepper or ham should be bigger than a -inch [1.3-cm] cube).
In a large bowl, beat the eggs well. Add the soy or protein powder, baking powder, and salt and beat well again.
Beat in the cottage cheese and horseradish and then add the chopped ham mixture.
Pour the egg mixture into the prepared ca.s.serole dish. Bake for about 40 minutes or until it is puffy and set but still jiggles a bit in the middle when you shake it.
Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 10 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 8 grams of usable carbohydrates and 29 grams of protein.
The carb a.n.a.lysis of your recipe may vary from mine, depending on the ham, cheddar, and cottage cheese you use. As always, you can trim this carb count by using the lowest-carbohydrate ingredients you can find. And watch out when you buy your horseradish: I had to read a lot of labels to find one that didn"t add sugar.
Turkey Club Puff Disguise your Friday-after-Thanksgiving leftovers in this delicious puff.
5 eggs cup (20 g) soy powder or (32 g) unflavored protein powder teaspoon salt teaspoon baking powder 1 cup (225 g) cottage cheese pound (225 g) Swiss cheese, cubed cup (120 ml) melted b.u.t.ter cup (130 g) cubed cooked turkey 6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4). Spray a 6-cup (1.4-L) ca.s.serole dish with nonstick cooking spray or b.u.t.ter generously.
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a whisk. Whisk in the soy powder, salt, and baking powder, mixing very well.
Beat in the cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, melted b.u.t.ter, cubed turkey, and crumbled bacon. Pour the whole thing into the prepared ca.s.serole dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set.
Yield: 5 servings 5 servings Each with 5 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 33 grams of protein.
Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Bake 1 pound (455 g) pork sausage (hot or mild, as you prefer) cup (75 g) diced green pepper cup (80 g) diced onion 8 eggs teaspoon pepper 1 cup (120 g) shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup (110 g) shredded Swiss cheese Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4).
In a large, heavy, oven-proof skillet, start browning and crumbling the sausage over medium heat.
When some grease has cooked out of the sausage, add the green pepper and the onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the sausage is no longer pink.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and pepper together and stir in the cheddar and Swiss cheeses.
Spread the sausage and vegetables evenly on the bottom of the skillet and pour the egg and cheese mixture over it. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until mostly firm but still just a little soft in the center.
Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 4 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 26 grams of protein.
Quiche Lorraine Quiche has somehow acquired a reputation for being foofy, girly food-but it"s entirely made of stuff men love! So tell your husband this is "Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Pie" and watch him it down.
1 Pie Crust, unbaked (page 520) 8 ounces (225 g) Gruyere cheese 12 slices bacon 5 eggs cup (120 ml) Carb Countdown dairy beverage cup (120 ml) heavy cream, or you can use 1 cup (240 ml) half-and-half in place of the Carb Countdown and the cream 1 pinch ground nutmeg 1 tablespoon (15 ml) dry vermouth teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon pepper Have your crust ready in the pan and standing by. Preheat oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4).
Shred your cheese and cook and drain your bacon-I microwave my bacon, and I find that 1 minute per slice on high is about right, but your microwave may be a little different.
First put the cheese in the pie sh.e.l.l, covering the bottom evenly. Crumble the bacon evenly over the cheese.
Now whisk together the eggs, Carb Countdown dairy beverage, cream, nutmeg, vermouth, salt, and pepper. Pour this over the cheese and bacon. Bake for 45 minutes and then cool. It"s actually traditional to serve Quiche Lorraine at room temperature, but you certainly may warm it if you like.
Yield: 8 servings 8 servings Each with 32 g protein; 4 g carbohydrate; 1 g dietary fiber; 3 g usable carbs.
Spinach Mushroom Quiche Almond-Parmesan Crust, prebaked (page 136) 8 ounces (225 g) sliced mushrooms cup (80 g) chopped onion 2 tablespoons (30 g) b.u.t.ter 10 ounces (280 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed 3 eggs cup (175 ml) heavy cream cup (175 ml) Carb Countdown dairy beverage 2 tablespoons (30 ml) dry vermouth teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper 1 cups (180 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese Have your crust ready first. Preheat oven to 325F (170C, or gas mark 3).
In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, saute the mushrooms and onion in the b.u.t.ter until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms are limp. Transfer the mixture into a large mixing bowl, preferably one with a pouring lip.
Dump your thawed spinach into a strainer and using clean hands, squeeze all the moisture out of it you can. Add it to the mushroom mixture.
Now add the eggs, cream, and Carb Countdown dairy beverage. Whisk the whole thing up until well combined. Whisk in the vermouth, salt, and pepper.
Cover the bottom of the Almond-Parmesan Crust with the Monterey Jack and put it in the oven for a couple of minutes until the cheese just starts to melt. Take it out of the oven and pour in the egg-vegetable mixture-your quiche will be very full! Very carefully place it back in the oven. It"s a good idea to place a flat pan under it, on the floor of the oven, to catch any drips.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until just set in the center. Let cool. Quiche is traditionally served at room temperature, but if you like it warm, it"s better to make this ahead, let it cool, chill it, and then cut slices and warm them for a minute or two on 70 percent power in your microwave, rather than serving it right out of the oven.
Yield: 8 servings 8 servings Each with 17 g protein; 10 g carbohydrate; 4 g dietary fiber; 6 g usable carbs.
Broccoli-Bacon-Colby Quiche This crustless quiche is wonderful, but feel free to make any quiche recipe you"ve got, minus the crust, in the same way. For this recipe, I use broccoli cuts that are bigger than chopped broccoli but smaller than florets, and I think they"re ideal.
2 cups (500 g) frozen broccoli florets, thawed and coa.r.s.ely chopped, or a bag of broccoli cuts 2 cups (225 g) shredded Colby cheese 6 slices cooked bacon 4 eggs 2 cups (475 ml) Carb Countdown dairy beverage 1 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal 1 teaspoon dry mustard 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish teaspoon pepper Spray a 1-quart (1.4-L) gla.s.s ca.s.serole dish (make sure it fits inside your slow cooker) with nonstick cooking spray.
Put the broccoli in the bottom of the ca.s.serole dish. Spread the cheese evenly on top of the broccoli and crumble the bacon evenly over the cheese.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, Carb Countdown, salt or Vege-Sal, dry mustard, horseradish, and pepper and pour it over the broccoli in the ca.s.serole dish.
Place the ca.s.serole dish in your slow cooker and carefully pour water around the ca.s.serole dish to within 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the rim. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 4 hours.
Turn off the slow cooker, uncover it, and let the water cool until you can remove the ca.s.serole dish without risk of scalding your fingers. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 20 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 4 g usable carbs.
Eggs Fu Yong This can be made on the stove top, is quick and cheap to make, uses up any sort of leftover meat, is high in protein and low in carbohydrates, needs no side dishes, is infinitely variable, and tastes good to boot! How much more can you ask from a recipe? Because this recipe can be varied so much, what I"ve given you is more a guideline than hard and fast rules.
4 eggs 2 teaspoons dry sherry 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce Peanut oil, or other bland oil for frying teaspoon grated ginger 2 to 3 ounces (50 to 90 g) leftover cooked meat, cut into small strips,* or canned chunk turkey, chicken, or ham, or canned shrimp or crabmeat 1 cup (75 g) Napa cabbage or green cabbage, finely shredded, or bagged coleslaw mix, or 1 cup (50 g) bean sprouts, or some combination of the two cup (30 g) mushrooms, canned or fresh, finely chopped cup (40 g) onion or scallions, finely minced cup (30 g) bamboo shoots, cut into matchstick strips Beat the eggs with the sherry and the soy sauce. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat a few tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add the ginger, then the meat and remaining ingredients. Stir-fry until the onion is translucent and the cabbage or bean sprouts are tender-crisp. Stir the meat and vegetables into the seasoned eggs. Add another few tablespoons of oil to the skillet and heat.
Ladle about cup (120 ml) of the egg mixture at a time into the skillet and fry on both sides until the egg is set.
You can cook this in a wok if you want to be authentic, but I actually find that a skillet is a lot easier for this recipe.
Yield: 2 servings 2 servings The carb count will vary a little, but each serving will have close to 6 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 26 grams of protein.
* Use ham, pork, turkey, chicken, or shrimp- whatever you"ve got. If they"re little bitty shrimp, leave "em whole. If they"re great big shrimp, chop them coa.r.s.ely.
Vedgeree Kedgeree is a traditional dish made with rice, flaked smoked mackerel or halibut, and hardboiled eggs. I wanted to decarb it, but smoked mackerel and halibut are hard to come by, and I refuse to include impossible-to-find ingredients. Then I found a recipe for "Vedgeree," a vegetarian take-off, so I decarbed it, and it was yummy. This recipe will make a satisfying one-dish meal out of a couple of hard-boiled eggs. You do keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge, don"t you?
head cauliflower cup (75 g) frozen cross-cut green beans cup (30 g) chopped onion 1 cup (100 g) sliced mushrooms tablespoon b.u.t.ter 2 hard-boiled eggs Salt and pepper Run the cauliflower through the shredding blade of a food processor. Put the cauliflower in a microwaveable dish, put the frozen green beans on top, add a couple of tablespoons of water, cover, and microwave on high for 7 minutes.
While the cauliflower and beans are cooking, saute the onion and mushrooms in the b.u.t.ter until the onions are limp and translucent and the mushrooms have turned dark. Peel the eggs, quarter them lengthwise, and set them aside.
When the cauliflower and beans are done, pull them out, drain them, and stir them into the mushrooms and onions. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place the hard-boiled egg quarters on top of the vegetables, turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the whole thing cook for just another minute or two to heat the eggs through. Serve.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 14 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of fiber, for a total of 10 grams of usable carbs and 16 grams of protein.
Yogurt When I tell people I make my own yogurt, they react as if I"d said I could trans.m.u.te base metals into gold. But as you"ll see, it"s easy to make and considerably cheaper than buying the commercial stuff. "Officially," plain yogurt has 12 grams of carbohydrates per cup, but Dr. Goldberg and Dr. O"Mara point out in The GO-Diet The GO-Diet that most of the lactose (milk sugar) is converted to lactic acid, leaving only about 4 grams per cup. So if you like yogurt, enjoy! that most of the lactose (milk sugar) is converted to lactic acid, leaving only about 4 grams per cup. So if you like yogurt, enjoy!
1 tablespoon (15 g) plain yogurt 1 to 2 cups (180 to 240 g) instant dry milk, or a 1-quart (960-ml) envelope Fill a clean, 1-quart (960-ml) snap-top container half full with water.
Put the plain yogurt in the water and stir. Add the powdered milk and whisk until the lumps are gone.
Fill the container to the top with water, whisk it one last time, and put the lid on.
Put your yogurt-to-be in a warm place. I use a bowl lined with an old electric heating pad set on low, but any warm spot will do, such as inside an old-fashioned gas oven with a pilot light, on the stove top directly over the pilot light, or even near a heat register in winter.
Let your yogurt sit for 12 hours or so. It should be thick and creamy by then, but if it"s still a little thin, give it a few more hours. When it"s ready, stick it in the refrigerator and use it just like store-bought plain yogurt. Or flavor it with vanilla or lemon extract and some Splenda or stevia/FOS blend. You can also stir in a spoonful of sugar-free preserves or mash a few berries with a fork and stir them in.
For your first batch, you"ll use store-bought plain yogurt as a starter, but after that you can use a spoonful from the previous batch. Every so often it"s a good idea to start over with fresh, store-bought yogurt.
Regarding those two different amounts of dry milk: Using the full 2 cups will give you richer, creamier yogurt with more protein and more calcium but with a couple extra grams of carbohydrates as well. It"s up to you. If you"d like, you can add cup (60 ml) of heavy cream in place of cup (60 ml) of the water to make a higher-fat "whole milk" yogurt. You can also, if you prefer, make your yogurt from liquid milk, but it"s a pain. You have to scald the milk first and then cool it again before adding the "starter" yogurt, which seems like a lot of bother to me.
One last useful tidbit: If you find you use a lot of b.u.t.termilk-for example, if you decide you really enjoy low-carb m.u.f.fins and such-you can make your own b.u.t.termilk exactly the same way you"d make yogurt. Simply subst.i.tute a couple of tablespoons of commercial b.u.t.termilk for a "starter" instead of the yogurt.
5.
Breads
White Bread This bread has a firm, fine texture and a great flavor.
1 cup (240 ml) water cup (25 g) oat bran 2 tablespoons (22 g) psyllium husks cup (75 g) vital wheat gluten cup (64 g) vanilla whey protein powder [image]cup (40 g) rice protein powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda 2 teaspoons yeast Put the ingredients in your bread machine in the order given and run the machine. When finished, promptly remove the loaf from the machine and bread case to cool.
Yield: About 10 slices About 10 slices Each with 5 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 24 grams of protein.
"Whole Wheat" Bread Slice this extra-thin so you can "afford" two slices, and it makes a great grilled cheese sandwich.
cup (120 ml) warm water cup (120 ml) heavy cream 1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter, softened 1 egg 1 teaspoon salt cup (75 g) vital wheat gluten 2 tablespoons (14 g) raw wheat germ 2 tablespoons (14 g) wheat bran cup (45 g) psyllium husks cup (60 g) oat flour cup (64 g) vanilla whey protein powder 2 teaspoons yeast Put the ingredients in your bread machine in the order given and run the machine. When finished, promptly remove the loaf from the machine and bread case to cool.
Yield: About 10 slices About 10 slices Each with 13 grams of carbohydrates and 7.5 grams of fiber, for a total of 5.5 grams of usable carbs and 19 grams of protein (more than two eggs!).
Seed Bread This bread is nutty and filling! Make sure you chop your sunflower seeds, or they"ll mostly sink to the bottom of your loaf.
cup (120 ml) warm water cup (120 ml) heavy cream 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil 1 egg teaspoon salt cup (75 g) vital wheat gluten cup (50 g) oat bran [image]cup (40 g) ground almonds [image]cup (40 g) sunflower seeds, coa.r.s.ely chopped cup (32 g) rice protein powder 2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flaxseed teaspoon blackstrap mola.s.ses 1 teaspoon Splenda 2 teaspoons yeast Put the ingredients in your bread machine in the order given and run the machine. When finished, promptly remove the loaf from the machine and bread case to cool.
Yield: About 10 slices About 10 slices Each with 8 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbs and 21 grams of protein.
Mom"s Oatmeal Mola.s.ses Bread This is my de-carbed version of the bread that won my mom first prize at the county fair. This has the best texture of any low-carb bread I know!
cup (20 g) rolled oats 2 tablespoons (14 g) raw wheat germ [image]cup (160 ml) boiling water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) blackstrap mola.s.ses 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda 1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter, softened 1 teaspoon salt cup (60 g) ground almonds cup (75 g) vital wheat gluten cup (32 g) vanilla whey protein powder 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water 2 teaspoons yeast Put the rolled oats and wheat germ in the bread case of your bread machine. Pour the boiling water over them and let them sit for at least 15 minutes.
Add everything else in the order given and run the machine. When finished, promptly remove the loaf from the machine and bread case to cool.
Yield: 8 slices 8 slices Each with 5.5 grams of carbohydrates and 0.5 gram of fiber, for a total of 5 grams of usable carbs and 25 grams of protein.
Maple Oat Bread Sugar-free pancake syrup gives this bread a very special flavor.
7 ounces (205 ml) water 2 teaspoons sugar-free pancake syrup cup (75 g) wheat gluten cup (60 g) wheat protein isolate cup (20 g) rolled oats 2 tablespoons (14 g) wheat bran cup (25 g) wheat germ 2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flaxseed 1 tablespoon (8 g) oat flour teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter, softened 2 teaspoons active baker"s yeast (one packet) Put the ingredients in your bread machine in the order given, unless the instructions with your unit call for something quite different-then do it according to instructions!
Run the bread machine through two knead-and-rise cycles. In my cheapie, low-tech, twelve-year-old bread machine, this means unplugging the machine when the first knead-and-rise cycle is through, plugging it back in, and hitting start again-but if your machine will automatically run two knead-and-rise cycles before baking, go with it. After the second rise, let the bread bake. Promptly remove the loaf from the bread case when done and cool before slicing and/or wrapping.
Yield: 12 slices 12 slices Each with 21 g protein; 5 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 3 g usable carbs. Carb count does not include the polyols in the sugar-free pancake syrup.
Sesame Seed Bread I like to eat this toasted, along with a bowl of soup.
1 cup (240 ml) warm water cup (25 g) oat bran cup (25 g) wheat bran cup (30 g) sesame seeds cup (32 g) vanilla whey protein powder 1 cup (100 g) vital wheat gluten 1 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon (15 ml) blackstrap mola.s.ses 2 teaspoons yeast Put the ingredients in your bread machine in the order given and run the machine. When finished, promptly remove the loaf from the machine and bread case to cool.
Yield: 12 slices 12 slices Each with 6.5 grams of carbohydrates and 1.7 grams of fiber, for a total of 4.8 grams of usable carbs and 18 grams of protein.
Poppy Seed Bread This bread has a firm, close-grained texture that lends itself to thin slicing. It also doesn"t rise more than about 4 inches (10 cm), but I liked the flavor and texture so much, I thought I"d include it anyway. Don"t eat poppy seeds if you"re facing a drug test! You run the risk of testing positive for opiates.
[image]cup (160 ml) water [image]cup (70 g) gluten 3 tablespoons (20 g) wheat bran 3 tablespoons (25 g) oat flour [image]cup (80 g) almond meal [image]cup (35 g) wheat protein isolate 2 tablespoons (18 g) poppy seeds 3 tablespoons (25 g) powdered milk 1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter, softened 2 teaspoons active baker"s yeast teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda Put everything in a bread machine in the order specified in the instructions that come with your unit. Run the dough through two knead-and-rise cycles and then bake. When finished, promptly remove the loaf from the bread case and cool before slicing thin to serve.
Yield: About 12 slices About 12 slices Each with 19 g protein; 6 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 4 g usable carbs.
Rye Bread I love rye bread, and it"s so nice to be able to have it again! Leave out the caraway if you don"t like it, but to many of us, it"s just not proper rye bread without it.
1 cup (240 ml) warm water cup (50 g) wheat bran cup (60 g) whole grain rye flour cup (32 g) rice protein powder cup (75 g) vital wheat gluten 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil 1 tablespoon (6.3 g) caraway seeds 1 teaspoons yeast Put the ingredients in your bread machine in the order given and run the machine. When finished, promptly remove the loaf from the machine and bread case to cool.
Yield: 12 slices 12 slices Each with 6.8 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 4.8 grams of usable carbs and 14 grams of protein.
Cinnamon Raisin Bread This is so sweet and cinnamony! Have a slice of this toasted and slathered with b.u.t.ter for breakfast, and you"ll never know you"re on a low-carb diet!
cup plus 2 tablespoons (190 ml) warm water cup (25 g) oat bran cup (60 g) ground almonds [image]cup (40 g) vanilla whey protein powder 1 teaspoons cinnamon cup plus 3 tablespoons (95 g) vital wheat gluten cup (6 g) Splenda 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons yeast 2 tablespoons (18 g) raisins, each snipped in half Put the ingredients in your bread machine in the order given and run the machine. When finished, promptly remove the loaf from the machine and bread case to cool.
Yield: 12 slices 12 slices Each with 6 grams of carbohydrates and 0.6 grams of fiber, for a total of 5.4 grams of usable carbs and 19 grams of protein.
The reason you cut the raisins in half is to let them distribute more evenly throughout the bread; even so, there aren"t a lot of them, I"ll admit. That"s because the raisins are the highest-carb part of this bread. If you want, you can leave them whole so each one will be more noticeable.
Zucchini Bread Many low carbers tell me they miss having "a little something" with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast and express a profound weariness with eggs. Here"s something for you! This Zucchini Bread is moist, sweet, cinnamon-y, and delicious- not to mention being low carb and having as much protein per slice as a couple of eggs!
cup (120 ml) canola oil cup (60 ml) sugar-free imitation honey 2 eggs [image]cup (80 g) plain yogurt 1 cup (125 g) pumpkin seed meal*
1 cup (125 g) vanilla whey protein powder 1 teaspoons baking soda teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon [image]cup (18 g) Splenda granular 1 cup (125 g) chopped walnuts 1 cups (180 g) shredded zucchini (about one 6-inch [15-cm] zucchini) Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4).
In a good-sized mixing bowl, combine the oil, imitation honey, eggs, and yogurt. Whisk these together. Now, in a second bowl, add the dry ingredients: the ground pumpkin seeds, vanilla whey protein powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and Splenda. Stir them together, making sure any little lumps of baking soda get broken up. Now whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir just until everything is well combined; There is no need for prolonged beating. Finally, stir in the walnuts and the shredded zucchini, mixing well.