Fresh Tomato Salsa

When we lived in Illinois, one of the local supermarkets made their own fresh salsa. It took me several recipe revisions, but I was finally able to recreate the yummy, fresh taste. Now that tortilla chips are off the menu, I eat it with Pecan Crackers or Almond Crisps.

8 medium Roma tomatoes (2 lbs)
1 small onion (5 oz)
2 garlic cloves
1 small jalapeño (½ oz)
½ bunch fresh cilantro (1 oz)
¼ t dried oregano
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
pinch cayenne
pinch cocoa powder

1. Mince all ingredients and stir together. Alternately, pulse in a blender or food processor until finely chopped.
2. Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight.
3. Drain up to 1 c accumulated juices before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size ¼ c Serving per Recipe 12

Amount per Serving Calories 31 Total Fat 0.4 g   Saturated Fat 0.1g   Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g   Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 108 mg Potassium 296 mg Total Carbohydrates 6.8 g   Dietary Fiber 1.6 g   Sugars 0.1 g Protein 1.2 g

Carolina Bourbon BBQ Sauce

A departure from sweeter tomato-based sauces, this lightly sweet and tangy mustard-based sauce is perfect if you're counting your carbs. I think it goes best with pork, but it's also good on chicken. The very first time I made it, I used it to marinate pork chops that I added to an Asian-style stir fry.

½ c yellow mustard
¼ c bourbon
1½ T honey
1 T melted butter
1½ t soy sauce
1½ t lemon juice

1. Stir together all ingredients until completely blended.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 2 T Serving per Recipe about 8

Amount per Serving Calories 55 Total Fat 2.0 g   Saturated Fat 1.0 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g   Monounsaturated Fat 0.7 g Cholesterol 4 mg Sodium 250 mg Potassium 30 mg Total Carbohydrates 4.8 g   Dietary Fiber 0.5 g   Sugars 3.4 g Protein 0.7 g

Spinach-Walnut Pesto

Traditional basil-and-pine-nut pesto is delicious, but unless you have your own basil plants (or generous friends), it can be an expensive proposition to make at home. This version is significantly easier on the budget, yet still tastes just as fabulous.

½ c packed basil leaves (¾ oz)
2 c packed spinach leaves (3½ oz)
⅓ c chopped walnuts (1½ oz)
½ c grated Romano cheese (1 oz)
2 cloves garlic
½ c olive oil
¼ t salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and well combined.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 3½ T Serving per Recipe 6

Amount per Serving Calories 231 Total Fat 24.1 g   Saturated Fat 3.7 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 4.9 g   Monounsaturated Fat 14.3 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 167 mg Potassium 149 mg Total Carbohydrates 2.2 g   Dietary Fiber 1.0 g   Sugars 0.3 g Protein 3.2 g

Honey Mustard Sauce

There are a lot of recipes out there that combine honey and mustard. They have additional ingredients that range from lemon juice to ketchup to cayenne pepper, but one thing they all seem to have in common is that they are heavy on the honey--thus high in the carb count. I created this sauce because I wanted something a bit less sweet and thick enough to not cause a mess at the dinner table when my kids tried to dip their food.

4 t honey
¼ c mustard
½ c mayonnaise*

Blend together all ingredients until smooth

*NOTE: For a thinner dressing, stir in mayonnaise 1-2 T at a time until mixture reaches desired consistency.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 T Serving per Recipe about 13

Amount per Serving Calories 65 Total Fat 6.3 g   Saturated Fat 0.9 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g   Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g Cholesterol 2 mg Sodium 97 mg Potassium 9 mg Total Carbohydrates 2.1 g   Dietary Fiber 0.2 g   Sugars 1.8 g Protein 0.3 g

Mediterranean Meatballs with Tzatziki

I made this dish the first time on a whim, looking for something a little different and lower in carbs than a typical tomato-based sauce. Tzatziki is what the Greeks call their cucumber and yogurt sauce, variations of which are served all around the Mediterranean. We usually eat this for lunch or supper, but it also would make great hors d'oeuvres.

Meatballs
2 lbs ground beef
2 T dry minced onions
2 eggs
½ c grated Romano cheese (1 oz)
2 t dried parsley

1. Mix together all ingredients and form into 24 balls.
2. Bake on a metal rack set over a baking pan at 400°F for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.

Tzatziki
1 small cucumber (5 oz)
½ t salt, divided
2 cloves garlic
1 c yogurt
⅛ pepper

1. Peel cucumber and slice thinly.
2. Sprinkle slices with ¼ t salt.
3. Set in colander to drain for at least 30 minutes.
4. Mash garlic with remaining salt to form a paste.
5. Add garlic paste to yogurt and cucumber slices and puree until smooth.
6. Refrigerate until chilled through.

Nutrition Facts (Meatballs)	Nutrition Facts (Tzatziki)
Serving Size 4 meatballs Serving per Recipe 6	Serving Size ¼ c Serving per Recipe 10
Amount per Serving Calories 516 Total Fat 43.1 g   Saturated Fat 17.6 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 2.0 g   Monounsaturated Fat 18.6 g Cholesterol 195 mg Sodium 184 mg Potassium 403 mg Total Carbohydrates 1.6 g   Dietary Fiber 0.2 g   Sugars 0.0 g Protein 28.9 g	Amount per Serving Calories 17.5 Total Fat 0.8 g   Saturated Fat 0.5 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g   Monounsaturated Fat 0.2 g Cholesterol 3 mg Sodium 128 mg Potassium 59 mg Total Carbohydrates 1.6 g   Dietary Fiber 0.5 g   Sugars 1.3 g Protein 1.0 g

Hoisin-Peanut Sauce

This recipe is one of the reasons we're not entirely sugar- and grain-free around here. Prepared hoisin sauce is made with both refined sugar and rice. :( Maybe someday soon I'll make some up myself without them, but in the meanwhile, we buy the stuff in the jar. This sauce goes well with chicken, pork, beef, and vegetables.

¼ c hoisin sauce
1 c peanut butter
1 T freshly grated ginger
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 T minced onion
1 t honey
¼ t salt
pinch cayenne pepper
3 T oil
2 T soy sauce
Juice of 2 limes (6 T)
½ c chicken broth

Beat together all ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size ¼ c Serving per Recipe 8

Amount per Serving Calories 285 Total Fat 21.4 g   Saturated Fat 3.5 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 1.8 g   Monounsaturated Fat 2.5 g Cholesterol 1 mg Sodium 608 mg Potassium 71 mg Total Carbohydrates 12.2 g   Dietary Fiber 2.4 g   Sugars 2.6 g Protein 8.8 g

Kansas City BBQ Pork

They had spare ribs on sale at the grocery store last week and Adam had been asking for real ribs (rather than their "country style" cousins I had been buying because they're usually about half the cost). I bought a big slab and made him this for supper. He was a very happy camper.

1 clove garlic
½ t salt
⅓ c ketchup
1½ T water
1½ T vinegar
1½ t honey
1 T oil
2 t paprika
1 t chili powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
4 lbs pork ribs

1. Mash garlic and salt into a paste
2. Stir together garlic paste with remaining sauce ingredients until well blended
3. Brush sauce over ribs and place in slow cooker
4. Cook on low for 7-9 hours

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size ¼ lb cooked meat Serving per Recipe 8

Amount per Serving Calories 441 Total Fat 34.2 g   Saturated Fat 12.3 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 3.2 g   Monounsaturated Fat 15.5 g Cholesterol 129 mg Sodium 386 mg Potassium 369 mg Total Carbohydrates 5.2 g   Dietary Fiber 0.3 g   Sugars 4.6 g Protein 26.7 g