Alfredo (Low Fat/Low Carb Version)

I am not afraid of a little fat in my food.  Although, tonight, when I was craving fettuccine Alfredo,  I wasn't craving the high fat kind.  So I scoured my favorite recipe books and combined a few recipes to create this low(er) fat low carb version of my favorite high fat/high carb delicious-ness.  I was so excited about how it turned out.  Truly amazing.  Very simple.  I think it took me less than 10 minutes to whip up the entire dinner - including cooking the shirataki noodles.  (Although I did add chicken to mine -see photo-which was pre-cooked.)  How can I ever go back tot he old way after that????  

I served mine with Shiratake Noodles (also called Miracle Noodles), which I got at Woodman's for $1.75 a bag.  I've also found them at Whole Foods.  You could also serve this with riced cauliflower.  To do this, steam your cauliflower until tender, then put through a food processor with a cheese grater blade.  It will come out looking like rice.

Alfredo Sauce (lower fat version)
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 C. cottage cheese
1 TB butter
1/2 C. milk
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 C. Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Put the cream cheese and cottage cheese into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Over medium/low heat, melt butter in a sauce pan then add the cottage cheese mixture and milk and stir until blended.  Turn heat down to low.  Add the garlic powder and Parmesan cheese.  Then add salt and pepper to taste.  If the mixture gets too thick, add more milk.  Serve immediately.

For information about how to cook Shirataki Noodles, click HERE.

Sugar Free High Protein Coffee Creamer

According to WEBMD.com:

A growing body of research shows that coffee drinkers, compared to nondrinkers, are:

     *  Less likely to have type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and dementia
     *  Have fewer cases of certain cancers, heart rhythm problems, and strokes 

“There is certainly much more good news than bad news, in terms of coffee and health,” says Frank Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, nutrition and epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.

This is good news for me, as I  L.O.V.E. coffee.  However, I like it best with flavor.  My favorite is flavored creamer, or "doctored up" coffee from Starbucks or Bigby Coffee, etc.  However, in this economy, who can afford a $4.00 cup of coffee every day?

So I created my own flavored creamer.  The great thing about this is it's loaded with protein but is sugar free.  Who needs Starbucks?  By the way, Starbucks will add a scoop of whey protein powder to any coffee drink for another .50 cents.  If you can afford a $4.50 cup of coffee, it's totally worth it!

Home-Made Flavored Coffee Creamer

1 scoop whey protein powder (I use vanilla, but you can use any flavor that you want.) 
8 oz. milk (whipping cream is best)
1 packet truvia, to taste
**Side note:  GNC offers many flavors of whey protein, including Carmel, cookies and cream, strawberry, and much more!

Blend ingredients with a shake mixer or blender (I use a Magic Bullet-Like shake mixer) until smooth and free of lumps.  Store in fridge till ready to pour into coffee.  Shake before serving.

Enjoy!

"Graham Cracker" Crust

I tried this crust with my cheesecake today and I think I like it better than the crust I used last time.  You can use this as a replacement for any graham cracker crust that a recipe calls for.

1 1/4 cup almond meal/flour
4 tablespoons wheat germ
3 tablespoons Ideal sweetener, Splenda, or Truvia (slightly less if using Truvia)
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325*.  Mix all ingredients until everything's well combined.  Turn mixture out into an 8 inch spring form pan that's either been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or that's been lined with wax paper.  Use your fingers to firmly press mixture into place all around pan. 

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until just turning gold around the edges.  Cool before filling.

12 servings; each with 3 gm protein, 4 carbs, 2 fiber (2 usable carbs)

Easter Dinner

This year I am celebrating my own victory over my own sin of idolatry over food and self.  Read about my victory by clicking HERE.

So what am I eating for Easter Dinner?  My meal will consist of a number of delicious items, yet will continue to honor my body as God's temple, as I indulge in things that are wholesome and healthy, free of chemicals and will not attack my cells or my blood sugar, or allow Satan in to attack me and provide me with temptation that would he would, no doubt, claim victory in.     Instead this meal will worship God and make me healthier and stronger!  That's almost an oxymoron for "holiday meal."  Who knew that was even possible???  My Easter celebration will be focused on my family who is gathering together WHILE we eat, but not a celebration of the food itself.    This, in itself, is a victory for me. 

Easter Menu:
**Pictures to come after the holiday**

Main Dish: 

     Ham with Ham Gravy (recipe below)

Side Dishes: 

     Garlic Cheesy Biscuits

     Protein Packed Potatoes

     Deviled Eggs

     Company "Rice"

    Herbed Green Beans

Dessert:

     Lemon Cheesecake   

Ham Gravy
3/4 -1 cup ham drippings
1/2 tsp. guar gum
1/2 c. cold water
1/8-1/4 tsp. salt

Bring ham drippings to a boil.

Using blender or whisk, Mix Guar Gum and water to make a runny paste.

Pour mixture in boiling ham drippings a little at a time making sure to be whisking the same time. Whisk until thickened.

Add salt and gravy master to taste and color.

Note: To make a good amount of drippings add 1/2 cup water to the pan the ham is being cooked inches Start with 1-2 drops gravy master then add more if needed as this is very dark in color. If the gravy has lumpy strain in a strainer to remove the lumps

Mashed (Protein) Potatos

I don't typically serve mashed potatoes at our house, but my husband loves them and, quite honestly, has been missing them.  I modified the traditional recipe to lower the glycemic index of this former staple and can now feel okay about offering them, especiall on special occasions, when it truely would be missed if they weren't there!

1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
water to cover them
2 scoops "Regular Flavored" whey protein
1/2 cup half and half
2 Tb. butter

Boil the potatoes in water until tender.  Meanwhile, mix the whey protein with the half and half until smooth.When potatoes are tender, drain. Add the milk mixture and the butter and mash by hand.  Add more half and half until desired consistency.

Herbed Green Beans

Company worthy!

3 Tb. butter
1 bag whole frozen green beans, thawed
1/4 c. diced celery
1/4 c. diced onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. dried basil
salt

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add the bean, celery, onion, and garlic to the skillet and saute until the beans are tender-crisp.  Stir in the rosemary and basil and saute another minute or so.  Add salt to taste and serve.

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love these cookies, and feel comfortable serving them to a crowd.  They are also gluten free, which is appealing to many.    I brought them to a girls night last night and was asked to share the recipe.

1 c. butter, room temp

1 1/2 c. Brown Ideal Sweetener  (If you don't have Ideal, you can substitute 1 1/2 Splenda with 1 1/2 t. blackstrap molasses)

2 eggs
1 c. peanut flour (you can substitute almond flour if you can't get peanut flour)
1 c. vanilla whey protein powder
1/4 oat bran
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
8 oz. sugar free chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 375*.  Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and Ideal (or Splenda and molasses) until creamy and well blended.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.

In a separate  bowl, stir together the ground peanuts, protein powder, oat bran, baking soda and salt.  Add this mixture about 1/2 c. at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each 1/2 c. addition until it all beaten in.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Divide the batter into 4 equal sections.

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray and drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto it.  Each section should make 1 dozen cookies.  These cookies will not spread and flatten as much as standard chocolate chip cookies, so if you want them flat, use the back of a spoon to flatten them a little bit now.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden around the edges.  Cool on the baking sheet for a couple minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 4 dozen, each with approximately 50 calories, 4 gms of fat and 2 carbs in each cookie.